Manure management is an essential component of dairy production. Nutrient-laden, field-applied dairy manure often serves as a fertilizer source, but can also pose environmental threats if not properly managed. The Haa...Manure management is an essential component of dairy production. Nutrient-laden, field-applied dairy manure often serves as a fertilizer source, but can also pose environmental threats if not properly managed. The Haak dairy farm, located in Decatur, Arkansas, was granted a permit by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to employ a unique method in treating and storing cattle manure generated during the milking process. This method includes minimizing water use in wash water, dry scraping solids to combine with sawdust for composting and pumping effluent underground into a sloped concrete basin that serves as secondary solid separator before transporting the manure effluent into an interception trench and an adjacent grassed field to facilitate manure nutrient uptake and retention. The Arkansas Discovery Farm program (ADF) is conducting research to evaluate the environmental performance of the dairy’s milk center wash water treatment system (MCWW) by statistical analysis, characterization of phosphorus (P) migration in soil downslope from the inception trench, temperature measurements, and nutrient analysis of a stored dry stack manure/sawdust mixture. Goals included determining possible composting effectiveness along with comparisons to untreated dairy manure and quantifying the use of on-farm water. Results from this research demonstrated that: 1) The MCWW was effective at retaining manure-derived nutrients and reducing field nutrient migration as the MCWW interception trench had significantly higher total nitrogen (TN) (804.2 to 4.1), total phosphorus (TP) (135.6 to 1.5), and water extractable phosphorus (WEP) (55.0 to 1.0) concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg⋅L<sup>-1</sup>) than the downhill freshwater pond respectively;2) temperature readings of the manure dry stack indicated heightened levels of microbial and thermal activity, but did not reach a standard composting temperature of 54°C;3) manure dry stack nutrient content was typically higher than untreated dairy manure when measured on a “dry basis” in ppm, but was lower on an “as is basis” in ppm and kg/metric ton;and 4) water meter readings showed that the greatest use of on-farm water was for farm-wide cattle drinking (18.77), followed by water used in the milking center (3.45) and then followed by human usage (0.02) measured in cubic meters per day (m<sup>3</sup>⋅d<sup>-1</sup>). These results demonstrate that practical innovations in agricultural engineering and environmental science, such as the Haak dairy’s manure treatment system, can effectively reduce environmental hazards that accompany the management of manure at this dairy operation.展开更多
According to the International energy Agency(IEA),a standard AI-oriented data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households.Data centers also use enormous amounts of water to build and cool electrical comp...According to the International energy Agency(IEA),a standard AI-oriented data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households.Data centers also use enormous amounts of water to build and cool electrical components and they also create a lot of electronic waste.展开更多
The feasibility of rooftop rainwater harvesting （RRWH） as an alternative source of water to meet the outdoor water demand in nine states of the U.S. was evaluated using a system dynamics model developed in Systems T...The feasibility of rooftop rainwater harvesting （RRWH） as an alternative source of water to meet the outdoor water demand in nine states of the U.S. was evaluated using a system dynamics model developed in Systems Thinking, Experimental Learning Laboratory with Animation. The state of Arizona was selected to evaluate the effects of the selected model parameters on the efficacy of RRWH since among the nine states the arid region of Arizona showed the least potential of meeting the outdoor water demand with rain harvested water. The analyses were conducted on a monthly basis across a 10-year projected period from 2015 to 2024. The results showed that RRWH as a potential source of water was highly sensitive to certain model parameters such as the outdoor water demand, the use of desert landscaping, and the percentage of existing houses with RRWH. A significant difference （as high as 37.5%） in rainwater potential was observed between the projected wet and dry climate conditions in Arizona. The analysis of the dynamics of the storage tanks suggested that a 1.0-2.0 m3 rainwater barrel, on an average, can store approximately 80% of the monthly rainwater generated from the rooftops in Arizona, even across the high seasonal variation. This interactive model can be used as a quick estimator of the amount of water that could be generated, stored, and utilized through RRWH systems in the U.S. under different climate conditions. The findings of such comprehensive analyses may help regional policymakers, especially in arid regions, to develop a sustainable water management infrastructure.展开更多
The subsided water areas with different times of subsidence are chosen to monitor the physicochemical indexes and heavy metal elements. The results indicate that subsided water areas are polluted in different degree. ...The subsided water areas with different times of subsidence are chosen to monitor the physicochemical indexes and heavy metal elements. The results indicate that subsided water areas are polluted in different degree. Some physicochemical indexes of subsided water areas are increased with the development of the subsidence and are changed with the changing of the season. The concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, Zn of subsided water areas is less than national fishery, and surface water quality standards of China , except Hg. And the quality of subsided water hasn＇t been polluted by heavy metal seriously. Analyzing and appraising the quality of the subsided water can give a reasonable data as basis in using the subsided water resource.展开更多
Water is an indispensable resource for sustaining life, ecosystems, and economic productivity. However, increasing contamination and pollution pose severe threats to global water purity, with significant risks to huma...Water is an indispensable resource for sustaining life, ecosystems, and economic productivity. However, increasing contamination and pollution pose severe threats to global water purity, with significant risks to human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem stability. This study examines the diverse dimensions of water purity, including its impacts on ecosystems and human health, sources of pollution, global disparities, regulatory frameworks, and technological advancements. These factors are essential in addressing the escalating threats to water quality and public health. This study also explores the complex relationship between water contamination and food security, emphasising the role of water purification in disease prevention and sustainable food systems. It underscores the critical need for effective water purification strategies, exploring challenges and potential solutions, including applications of artificial intelligence and big data. The study highlights mechanisms to enhance transparency and accountability in water resource management through an analysis of policy frameworks and innovative practices. By evaluating the effectiveness of current purification methods and regulatory standards, the study provides valuable insights for sustainable water protection initiatives. Findings from this study highlight global water access and quality disparities, and suggests the need for targeted strategies to promote equity and a coordinated, international response to safeguard water resources. This study offers robust theoretical support for environmental protection policies and advocates for stronger local capabilities in addressing regional water challenges. It delivers a comprehensive framework to mitigate pollution risks, protect biodiversity, and promote public health, underscoring the global urgency of securing clean water access.展开更多
A programme effort for SRI impact assessment has been undertaken in 20 project villages in the Narayanpet block. The villages have been pooled under four clusters, for which quantitative and qualitative analyses have ...A programme effort for SRI impact assessment has been undertaken in 20 project villages in the Narayanpet block. The villages have been pooled under four clusters, for which quantitative and qualitative analyses have been carried out on water usage, input cost, plant growth, farmer group collectivization, gross and net returns of SRI, and conventional paddy cultivation. The result shows that significant water saving was achieved for SRI, i.e., 8586 m<sup>3</sup>∙ha<sup>−1</sup> under tubewell irrigation over conventional. This approximation has served as an auxiliary to the number of pumping hours and number of irrigation days that have been reduced for SRI. Less utilisation of water and distance maintained in SRI has benefited in reducing the biotic and abiotic stress caused by snails and nutrient deprivation, respectively. The total yield for a sampled number of SRI farmers has been found to have a 22% increase for the total expenditure difference of Rs. 6153, i.e., 13% less than conventional paddy farmers, which highly impacts the SRI farmers’ net income, i.e., 69% more than the conventional returns. The SRI method has a lower labour deployment of 8 people/ha than the conventional method, which requires 16 people/ha with a constant price of Rs 250/person. Input cost saving in these two categories has ranked top and has fetched maximum production efficiency among the others. The seed cost at a fixed price of 32 Rs/kg was significantly (87%) reduced for SRI as 8 kg per ha was required rather than the conventional that required 62 kg/ha. Social benefits were listed based on the qualitative analysis and were transformed using the theory of planned behaviour.展开更多
Changes in grain production are decomposed and compared among nine major Chinese river basins for the sake of optimal water allocation. The results show that water-deficient northern China, especially the Songliao Riv...Changes in grain production are decomposed and compared among nine major Chinese river basins for the sake of optimal water allocation. The results show that water-deficient northern China, especially the Songliao River Basin and Huai River Basin, contributed the greatest share of the total grain increment from 1995 to 2010. The Songliao River Basin achieved increased grain output largely by expanding multiple cropping, while the Huai River Basin achieved it mainly by improving the yield per unit area. With increased reliance on expanding irrigation and multi-cropping, most northern basins have high levels of agricultural water consumption, despite the rising share of corn, a lower water intensive crop. In contrast, over the same period the warm and humid south, traditionally a major rice-growing area, mostly experienced a sharp decline in rice cropping area and the Southeast Rivers Basin even reduced multiple cropping indexes, contributing to decreased agricultural water consumption. Implications of our findings and the need for tackling the imbalance of agricultural water use in grain production are discussed.展开更多
文摘Manure management is an essential component of dairy production. Nutrient-laden, field-applied dairy manure often serves as a fertilizer source, but can also pose environmental threats if not properly managed. The Haak dairy farm, located in Decatur, Arkansas, was granted a permit by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to employ a unique method in treating and storing cattle manure generated during the milking process. This method includes minimizing water use in wash water, dry scraping solids to combine with sawdust for composting and pumping effluent underground into a sloped concrete basin that serves as secondary solid separator before transporting the manure effluent into an interception trench and an adjacent grassed field to facilitate manure nutrient uptake and retention. The Arkansas Discovery Farm program (ADF) is conducting research to evaluate the environmental performance of the dairy’s milk center wash water treatment system (MCWW) by statistical analysis, characterization of phosphorus (P) migration in soil downslope from the inception trench, temperature measurements, and nutrient analysis of a stored dry stack manure/sawdust mixture. Goals included determining possible composting effectiveness along with comparisons to untreated dairy manure and quantifying the use of on-farm water. Results from this research demonstrated that: 1) The MCWW was effective at retaining manure-derived nutrients and reducing field nutrient migration as the MCWW interception trench had significantly higher total nitrogen (TN) (804.2 to 4.1), total phosphorus (TP) (135.6 to 1.5), and water extractable phosphorus (WEP) (55.0 to 1.0) concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg⋅L<sup>-1</sup>) than the downhill freshwater pond respectively;2) temperature readings of the manure dry stack indicated heightened levels of microbial and thermal activity, but did not reach a standard composting temperature of 54°C;3) manure dry stack nutrient content was typically higher than untreated dairy manure when measured on a “dry basis” in ppm, but was lower on an “as is basis” in ppm and kg/metric ton;and 4) water meter readings showed that the greatest use of on-farm water was for farm-wide cattle drinking (18.77), followed by water used in the milking center (3.45) and then followed by human usage (0.02) measured in cubic meters per day (m<sup>3</sup>⋅d<sup>-1</sup>). These results demonstrate that practical innovations in agricultural engineering and environmental science, such as the Haak dairy’s manure treatment system, can effectively reduce environmental hazards that accompany the management of manure at this dairy operation.
文摘According to the International energy Agency(IEA),a standard AI-oriented data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households.Data centers also use enormous amounts of water to build and cool electrical components and they also create a lot of electronic waste.
文摘The feasibility of rooftop rainwater harvesting （RRWH） as an alternative source of water to meet the outdoor water demand in nine states of the U.S. was evaluated using a system dynamics model developed in Systems Thinking, Experimental Learning Laboratory with Animation. The state of Arizona was selected to evaluate the effects of the selected model parameters on the efficacy of RRWH since among the nine states the arid region of Arizona showed the least potential of meeting the outdoor water demand with rain harvested water. The analyses were conducted on a monthly basis across a 10-year projected period from 2015 to 2024. The results showed that RRWH as a potential source of water was highly sensitive to certain model parameters such as the outdoor water demand, the use of desert landscaping, and the percentage of existing houses with RRWH. A significant difference （as high as 37.5%） in rainwater potential was observed between the projected wet and dry climate conditions in Arizona. The analysis of the dynamics of the storage tanks suggested that a 1.0-2.0 m3 rainwater barrel, on an average, can store approximately 80% of the monthly rainwater generated from the rooftops in Arizona, even across the high seasonal variation. This interactive model can be used as a quick estimator of the amount of water that could be generated, stored, and utilized through RRWH systems in the U.S. under different climate conditions. The findings of such comprehensive analyses may help regional policymakers, especially in arid regions, to develop a sustainable water management infrastructure.
文摘The subsided water areas with different times of subsidence are chosen to monitor the physicochemical indexes and heavy metal elements. The results indicate that subsided water areas are polluted in different degree. Some physicochemical indexes of subsided water areas are increased with the development of the subsidence and are changed with the changing of the season. The concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, Zn of subsided water areas is less than national fishery, and surface water quality standards of China , except Hg. And the quality of subsided water hasn＇t been polluted by heavy metal seriously. Analyzing and appraising the quality of the subsided water can give a reasonable data as basis in using the subsided water resource.
文摘Water is an indispensable resource for sustaining life, ecosystems, and economic productivity. However, increasing contamination and pollution pose severe threats to global water purity, with significant risks to human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem stability. This study examines the diverse dimensions of water purity, including its impacts on ecosystems and human health, sources of pollution, global disparities, regulatory frameworks, and technological advancements. These factors are essential in addressing the escalating threats to water quality and public health. This study also explores the complex relationship between water contamination and food security, emphasising the role of water purification in disease prevention and sustainable food systems. It underscores the critical need for effective water purification strategies, exploring challenges and potential solutions, including applications of artificial intelligence and big data. The study highlights mechanisms to enhance transparency and accountability in water resource management through an analysis of policy frameworks and innovative practices. By evaluating the effectiveness of current purification methods and regulatory standards, the study provides valuable insights for sustainable water protection initiatives. Findings from this study highlight global water access and quality disparities, and suggests the need for targeted strategies to promote equity and a coordinated, international response to safeguard water resources. This study offers robust theoretical support for environmental protection policies and advocates for stronger local capabilities in addressing regional water challenges. It delivers a comprehensive framework to mitigate pollution risks, protect biodiversity, and promote public health, underscoring the global urgency of securing clean water access.
文摘A programme effort for SRI impact assessment has been undertaken in 20 project villages in the Narayanpet block. The villages have been pooled under four clusters, for which quantitative and qualitative analyses have been carried out on water usage, input cost, plant growth, farmer group collectivization, gross and net returns of SRI, and conventional paddy cultivation. The result shows that significant water saving was achieved for SRI, i.e., 8586 m<sup>3</sup>∙ha<sup>−1</sup> under tubewell irrigation over conventional. This approximation has served as an auxiliary to the number of pumping hours and number of irrigation days that have been reduced for SRI. Less utilisation of water and distance maintained in SRI has benefited in reducing the biotic and abiotic stress caused by snails and nutrient deprivation, respectively. The total yield for a sampled number of SRI farmers has been found to have a 22% increase for the total expenditure difference of Rs. 6153, i.e., 13% less than conventional paddy farmers, which highly impacts the SRI farmers’ net income, i.e., 69% more than the conventional returns. The SRI method has a lower labour deployment of 8 people/ha than the conventional method, which requires 16 people/ha with a constant price of Rs 250/person. Input cost saving in these two categories has ranked top and has fetched maximum production efficiency among the others. The seed cost at a fixed price of 32 Rs/kg was significantly (87%) reduced for SRI as 8 kg per ha was required rather than the conventional that required 62 kg/ha. Social benefits were listed based on the qualitative analysis and were transformed using the theory of planned behaviour.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41271415)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)
文摘Changes in grain production are decomposed and compared among nine major Chinese river basins for the sake of optimal water allocation. The results show that water-deficient northern China, especially the Songliao River Basin and Huai River Basin, contributed the greatest share of the total grain increment from 1995 to 2010. The Songliao River Basin achieved increased grain output largely by expanding multiple cropping, while the Huai River Basin achieved it mainly by improving the yield per unit area. With increased reliance on expanding irrigation and multi-cropping, most northern basins have high levels of agricultural water consumption, despite the rising share of corn, a lower water intensive crop. In contrast, over the same period the warm and humid south, traditionally a major rice-growing area, mostly experienced a sharp decline in rice cropping area and the Southeast Rivers Basin even reduced multiple cropping indexes, contributing to decreased agricultural water consumption. Implications of our findings and the need for tackling the imbalance of agricultural water use in grain production are discussed.
