Your search found 18 records
1 Squires, V.R.; Sidahmed, A.E. 1998. Drylands: sustainable use of rangelands into the twenty-first century. Rome, Italy: IFAD. xvi, 470p.
Grassland management ; Remote sensing ; Nomadism ; Arid zones ; Land degradation ; Sustainable development ; Environmental monitoring / Middle East
(Location: IWMI-SEA Call no: 333.74 G000 SQU Record No: BKK-112)
Papers presented at a workshop held in Jeddah, 3 to 6 November 1996
2 Rosenqvist, A.; Shimada, M. (Eds.) 2010. Global environmental monitoring by ALOS PALSAR: science results from the ALOS Kyoto and Carbon Initiative. Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan: Japan Aerospace Expoloration Agency. 87p.
Environmental monitoring ; Satellite imagery ; Forests ; Deforestation ; Mapping ; Watersheds ; Land cover mapping ; Deserts ; Wetlands ; Wildlife ; Nature conservation ; Habitats ; Flooding ; River basins ; Mangroves ; Peatlands ; Rice ; Climate change / Africa / Malawi / South Africa / Mozambique / USA / Brazil / Sweden / Canada / Australia / Asia / South East Asia / Borneo / Indonesia / Sumatra / Vietnam / Siberia / South East Asia / Amazon / Xingu Watershed / Greater Mekong Basin / Queensland / Nile River / Lake Urema / Congo River Basin / Sahara / Alaska
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043187)
http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/kyoto/ref/KC-Booklet_2010_comp.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043187.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H043187.pdf
(17.26 MB) (17.26 MB)
This booklet presents results obtained within the ALOS Kyoto & Carbon (K&C) Initiative. The Initiative builds on the experience gained from the JERS-1 Global Rain Forest and Boreal Forest Mapping (GRFM/GBFM) projects, in which SAR data from the JERS-1 satellite were used to generate image mosaics over the entire tropical and boreal zones of Earth. While the GRFM/GBFM projects were undertaken already in the mid 1990's, they demonstrated the utility of L-band SAR data for mapping and monitoring forest and wetland areas and the importance of providing spatially and temporally consistent satellite acquisitions for regional-scale monitoring and surveillance. The ALOS K&C Initiative is set out to suppor t data and information needs raised by international environmental Conventions, Carbon cycle science and Conservation of the environment. The project is led by JAXA EORC and supported by an international Science Team consisting of some 25 research groups from 14 countries. The objective of the ALOS K&C Initiative is to develop regional-scale applications and thematic products derived primarily from ALOS PALSAR data that can be used to meet the specific information requirements relating to Conventions, Carbon and Conservation. The Initiative is undertaken within the context of three themes which relate to three specific global biomes; Forests, Wetlands and Deserts. A fourth theme deals with the generation of continental-scale ALOS PALSAR image mosaics. Each theme has identified key products that are generated from the PALSAR data including land cover, forest cover and forest change maps, biomass and structure (Forests), wetlands inventory and change (Wetlands) and freshwater resources (Deserts). Each of these products are generated using a combination of PALSAR, in situ and ancillary datasets. The mosaic data sets and thematic products generated within the Initiative are available to the public at the K&C homepage at JAXA EORC: http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/kyoto/kyoto_index.html
3 Servat, E.; Demuth, S.; Dezetter, A.; Daniell, T.; Ferrari, E.; Ijjaali, M.; Jabrane, R.; Van Lanen, H.; Huang, Y. (Eds.) 2010. Global change: facing risks and threats to water resources. Proceedings of the Sixth World FRIEND Conference, Fez, Morocco, 25-29 October 2010. Wallingford, UK: International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS). 698p. (IAHS Publication 340)
Hydrological factors ; Hazards ; Adaptation ; Water resource management ; Flooding ; Drought ; Environmental monitoring ; Simulation models ; GIS ; Mapping ; Decision support systems ; Watersheds ; Risk assessment ; Groundwater ; River Basins ; Climate change ; Case studies ; Seasonal variation ; Runoff ; Floodplains ; Historical aspects ; Reservoirs ; Hydrological cycle ; Surface water ; Water scarcity ; Water quality ; Water balance ; Evapotranspiration ; Urban development ; Land use ; Land cover ; Erosion ; Aquifers / France / Russia / Czech Republic / Tunisia / Algeria / Italy / Brazil / Europe / Africa / Vietnam / Norway / Slovakia / Germany / Colombia / USA / Caribbean / Benin / Cameroon / UK / Chile / Nitra River / Oueme Region / Chellif River Basin / Taquari River Basin / Terek River Basin / Tuscany / Crati River Basin / Volta River Basin / Thach Han River Basin / River Elbe Basin / Harz Mountains / Algerian Coastal Basin / Volta River Basin / Berrechid Plain / Upper Niger River / Moulouya Watershed / Atlantic Ocean / Danube River / Sudano-Sahelian Catchment / Yaere flood plain
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 SER Record No: H043485)
(0.75 MB)
4 Dickens, Chris; Cox, A.; Johnston, Robyn; Henderson, D.; Henderson, PJ; Shinde, V. 2018. Monitoring the health of the Greater Mekong’s Rivers. Vientiane, Laos: CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 12p.
Sustainable Development Goals ; Environmental monitoring ; Environmental health ; Ecological factors ; River basins ; Ecosystems ; Aquatic animals ; Biomonitoring / Southeast Asia / China / Myanmar / Lao People's Democratic Republic / Thailand / Cambodia / Vietnam
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048845)
5 Adimassu, Zenebe; Langan, Simon; Barron, Jennie. 2018. Highlights of soil and water conservation investments in four regions of Ethiopia. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 35p. (IWMI Working Paper 182) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2018.214]
Soil conservation ; Water conservation ; Waterways ; Financing ; Investment ; Land degradation ; Land productivity ; Land management ; Landscape ; Farmland ; Farm management ; Hillside operations ; Sloping land ; Gully erosion ; Runoff ; Rural areas ; Rural communities ; Living standards ; Farmers ; Terraces ; Watershed management ; Dam construction ; Environmental monitoring ; Sediment ; Capacity building ; Nongovernmental organizations / Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048867)
(1 MB)
This paper provides details of soil and water conservation (SWC) investments in Ethiopia over the past 20 years. It presents SWC practices and estimates the level of SWC investments in different regions. The paper focuses on four principal agricultural regions: Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR and Tigray. Primary and secondary data were collected for the analysis, and consultations were conducted at regional levels. Primary data on diverse SWC practices, their numbers and areal extent were obtained from the archives of regional Bureaus of Agriculture (BoAs). The results of this study show that several projects involving significant financial investment have been implemented to reverse land degradation and improve land productivity in Ethiopia since the 1970s. The list of projects is not comprehensive due to a lack of documentation at all levels, but it does provide some insights into the scale of SWC investments and implementation. The projects analyzed in the four regions fall into the following categories: farmland management, hillside management and gully rehabilitation practices, including check dams and cut-off drains. The analysis shows that these practices involved both paid and unpaid labor, together representing an estimated investment of more than ETB 25 billion (or approximately USD 1.2 billion) per year over the past 10 years. It is clear that large investments have been made in SWC activities in Ethiopia. However, the outcomes in terms of impact on yield and livelihood benefits are yet to be fully understood. A comprehensive assessment is needed to measure the impact of SWC activities on farmers’ livelihoods and the environment. A key recommendation arising from the analysis is that more data and information are needed on the successes and failures of SWC practices, which will assist stakeholders to better guide and target future projects and investments. An additional recommendation is to consider the biophysical and financial impact of soil erosion, both on and off farm.
6 Dickens, Chris; Smakhtin, V.; McCartney, Matthew; O’Brien, G.; Dahir, L. 2019. Defining and quantifying national-level targets, indicators and benchmarks for management of natural resources to achieve the sustainable development goals. Sustainability, 11(2): 1-15. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020462]
Natural resources management ; Resource conservation ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Water resources ; Water quality ; Stakeholders ; Environmental monitoring ; Indicators ; Strategies
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049054)
(352 KB)
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are high on the agenda for most countries of the world. In its publication of the SDGs, the UN has provided the goals and target descriptions that, if implemented at a country level, would lead towards a sustainable future. The IAEG (InterAgency Expert Group of the SDGs) was tasked with disseminating indicators and methods to countries that can be used to gather data describing the global progress towards sustainability. However, 2030 Agenda leaves it to countries to adopt the targets with each government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account national circumstances. At present, guidance on how to go about this is scant but it is clear that the responsibility is with countries to implement and that it is actions at a country level that will determine the success of the SDGs. Reporting on SDGs by country takes on two forms: i) global reporting using prescribed indicator methods and data; ii) National Voluntary Reviews where a country reports on its own progress in more detail but is also able to present data that are more appropriate for the country. For the latter, countries need to be able to adapt the global indicators to fit national priorities and context, thus the global description of an indicator could be reduced to describe only what is relevant to the country. Countries may also, for the National Voluntary Review, use indicators that are unique to the country but nevertheless contribute to measurement of progress towards the global SDG target. Importantly, for those indicators that relate to the security of natural resources security (e.g., water) indicators, there are no prescribed numerical targets/standards or benchmarks. Rather countries will need to set their own benchmarks or standards against which performance can be evaluated. This paper presents a procedure that would enable a country to describe national targets with associated benchmarks that are appropriate for the country. The procedure builds on precedent set in other countries but in particular on a procedure developed for the setting of Resource Quality Objectives in South Africa. The procedure focusses on those SDG targets that are natural resource-security focused, for example, extent of water-related ecosystems (6.6), desertification (15.3) and so forth, because the selection of indicator methods and benchmarks is based on the location of natural resources, their use and present state and how they fit into national strategies.
7 Bunting, P.; Rosenqvist, A.; Lucas, R. M.; Rebelo, Lisa-Maria; Thomas, N.; Hardy, A.; Itoh, T.; Shimada, M.; Finlayson, C. M. 2018. The global mangrove watch - a New 2010 global baseline of mangrove extent. Remote Sensing, 10(10):1-19. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101669]
Mangroves ; Wetlands ; Mapping ; Landsat ; Satellite imagery ; Satellite observation ; Earth observation satellites ; Human behaviour ; Coastal area ; Deltas ; Environmental monitoring
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049127)
(18 MB)
This study presents a new global baseline of mangrove extent for 2010 and has been released as the first output of the Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) initiative. This is the first study to apply a globally consistent and automated method for mapping mangroves, identifying a global extent of 137,600 km 2 . The overall accuracy for mangrove extent was 94.0% with a 99% likelihood that the true value is between 93.6–94.5%, using 53,878 accuracy points across 20 sites distributed globally. Using the geographic regions of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Asia has the highest proportion of mangroves with 38.7% of the global total, while Latin America and the Caribbean have 20.3%, Africa has 20.0%, Oceania has 11.9%, North America has 8.4% and the European Overseas Territories have 0.7%. The methodology developed is primarily based on the classification of ALOS PALSAR and Landsat sensor data, where a habitat mask was first generated, within which the classification of mangrove was undertaken using the Extremely Randomized Trees classifier. This new globally consistent baseline will also form the basis of a mangrove monitoring system using JAXA JERS-1 SAR, ALOS PALSAR and ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 radar data to assess mangrove change from 1996 to the present. However, when using the product, users should note that a minimum mapping unit of 1 ha is recommended and that the error increases in regions of disturbance and where narrow strips or smaller fragmented areas of mangroves are present. Artefacts due to cloud cover and the Landsat-7 SLC-off error are also present in some areas, particularly regions of West Africa due to the lack of Landsat-5 data and persistence cloud cover. In the future, consideration will be given to the production of a new global baseline based on 10 m Sentinel-2 composites.
8 Rebelo, Lisa-Maria; Finlayson, C. M.; Strauch, A.; Rosenqvist, A.; Perennou, C.; Totrup, C.; Hilarides, L.; Paganini, M.; Wielaard, N.; Siegert, F.; Ballhorn, U.; Navratil, P.; Franke, J.; Davidson, N. 2018. The use of earth observation for wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring: an information source for the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat. 31p.
Earth observation satellites ; Wetlands ; Environmental impact assessment ; Environmental monitoring ; Surveys ; Land cover ; Land use ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Water quality ; Surface water ; Ecology ; Lakes ; Mediterranean region ; Coastal area ; Mangroves ; Mapping ; Case studies / Egypt / West Africa / Ghana / Southern Europe / Lake Burullus / Lake Volta / Lake Victoria
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049128)
https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/rtr10_earth_observation_e.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049128.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049128.pdf
(2.79 MB)
9 Gupta, S.; Saksena, S.; Baris, O. F. 2019. Environmental enforcement and compliance in developing countries: evidence from India. World Development, 117:313-327. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.02.001]
Environmental protection ; Regulations ; Developing countries ; Environmental monitoring ; Inspection ; Air pollution ; Water pollution ; Pollution control ; Estimation ; Models ; Institutions ; Economic aspects / Asia / India / Punjab
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049173)
(0.54 MB)
Effective implementation of environmental regulations is an important concern for emerging economies that face serious environmental degradation. In this paper we analyze compliance and enforcement of environmental regulations in India. In particular, we model: (i) plant-level compliance with water and air pollution control laws in the state of Punjab, and (ii) the decisions of the regulatory agency, namely, the Punjab Pollution Control Board to enforce these laws through inspections and other administrative actions. The two decisions are interrelated. For a sample of 117 large water polluting plants and 109 large air polluting plants the probability of inspection influences plant-level compliance and vice versa. We also find enforcement activity is targeted towards frequent violators. Plants that belong to dirty industries are more stringently monitored but those belonging to more profitable firms less so. Plants with high abatement costs and those that are new comply less frequently.
10 Pooja, D.; Kumar, P.; Singh, P.; Patil, S. (Eds.) 2020. Sensors in water pollutants monitoring: role of material. Singapore: Springer. 319p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0671-0]
Water pollution ; Pollutants ; Biosensors ; Environmental monitoring ; Water quality ; Pollution control ; Techniques ; Analytical methods ; Technology ; Public health ; Drinking water ; Environmental health ; Heavy metals ; Surface water ; Groundwater
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H049450)
11 Fragaszy, S. R.; Jedd, T.; Wall, N.; Knutson, C.; Belhaj Fraj, M.; Bergaoui, K.; Svoboda, M.; Hayes, M.; McDonnell, Rachael. 2020. Drought monitoring in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: participatory engagement to inform early warning systems. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS), 101(7):E1148-E1173. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0084.1]
Drought ; Environmental monitoring ; Early warning systems ; Participatory approaches ; Participatory research ; Stakeholders ; Private sector ; Government agencies ; Farmers ; Water scarcity ; Indicators ; Hydrological factors ; Remote sensing ; Agriculture ; Socioeconomic impact ; Information exchange / Middle East / North Africa / Morocco / Tunisia / Lebanon / Jordan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049576)
https://journals.ametsoc.org/bams/article-pdf/101/7/E1148/4986216/bamsd180084.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049576.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049576.pdf
(2.80 MB) (2.80 MB)
When drought hits water-scarce regions, there are significant repercussions for food and water security, as well as serious issues for the stability of broader social and environmental systems. To mitigate these effects, environmental monitoring and early warning systems aimed at detecting the onset of drought conditions can facilitate timely and effective responses from government and private sector stakeholders. This study uses multistage, participatory research methods across more than 135 interviews, focus groups, and workshops to assess extant climatic, agricultural, hydrological, and drought monitoring systems; key cross-sector drought impacts; and drought monitoring needs in four countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Jordan. This extensive study of user needs for drought monitoring across the MENA region is informing and shaping the ongoing development of drought early warning systems, a composite drought indicator (CDI), and wider drought management systems in each country. Overarching themes of drought monitoring needs include technical definitions of drought for policy purposes; information-sharing regimes and data-sharing platforms; ground-truthing of remotely sensed and modeled data; improved data quality in observation networks; and two-way engagement with farmers, organizations, and end-users of drought monitoring products. This research establishes a basis for informing enhanced drought monitoring and management in the countries, and the broad stakeholder engagement can help foster the emergence of effective environmental monitoring coalitions.
12 Wentworth, A.; Pavelic, Paul; Kongmany, S.; Sotoukee, T.; Sengphaxaiyalath, K.; Phomkeona, K.; Deevanhxay, P.; Chounlamany, V.; Manivong, V. 2021. Environmental risks from pesticide use: the case of commercial banana farming in northern Lao PDR. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 66p. (IWMI Research Report 177) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2021.207]
Pesticide residues ; Environmental impact ; Risk assessment ; Commercial farming ; Bananas ; Agrochemicals ; Fertilizer application ; Pest management ; Guidelines ; Surface water ; Groundwater ; Sediment ; Soil analysis ; Water quality ; Drinking water ; Contamination ; Environmental monitoring ; Agricultural practices ; Water management ; Irrigation ; Land use ; Seasonal variation ; Stream flow ; Runoff ; Farmers ; Health hazards ; Modelling / Lao People's Democratic Republic / Luang Namtha / Phongsaly / Oudomxay / Houn / Sibounheuang
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H050717)
(6.93 MB)
Commercial farming of banana for export has rapidly expanded across northern uplands of Laos since 2008 with the establishment of new plantations by foreign companies. Heavy reliance on agrochemical usage warrants examination of possible environmental and human health risks. This study presents a preliminary assessment of the environmental risks from pesticide usage associated with bananas and other major crops in Oudomxay province.
Surface water, groundwater, soil and sediment samples collected from the study area were analyzed for pesticide residues in the laboratory during the wet and dry seasons. Results of the analysis revealed that samples from banana farms had higher concentrations of residues from currently used (CU) pesticides compared with samples from adjacent farms producing maize, rubber, upland rice and gourd. Residues from highly persistent organochlorine (OC) pesticides, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, heptachlor, dieldrin and lindane, which are no longer used in Laos, were also detected. Laboratory results were compared against a low-cost pesticide residue detection method and a simple pesticide risk assessment tool. However, neither approach was comparable to laboratory analysis.
The potential environmental risk from pesticides and pesticide breakdown products was found to be substantial. For example, concentrations of some CU compounds exceeded the limits set by the World Health Organization.
The report highlights several mitigation measures to reduce the environmental risks from hazardous pesticides: (i) increase efforts to eliminate the import and use of hazardous and persistent pesticides; (ii) promote targeted education programs to implement best practices, including the selection and use of pesticides as per international standards, and Integrated Pest Management techniques; (iii) identify and protect drinking water sources with a high risk of contamination; and (iv) maintain vegetated buffers and sediment traps to detain farm runoff, which will allow CU pesticides to degrade to safe levels before entering watercourses.
Surface water, groundwater, soil and sediment samples collected from the study area were analyzed for pesticide residues in the laboratory during the wet and dry seasons. Results of the analysis revealed that samples from banana farms had higher concentrations of residues from currently used (CU) pesticides compared with samples from adjacent farms producing maize, rubber, upland rice and gourd. Residues from highly persistent organochlorine (OC) pesticides, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, heptachlor, dieldrin and lindane, which are no longer used in Laos, were also detected. Laboratory results were compared against a low-cost pesticide residue detection method and a simple pesticide risk assessment tool. However, neither approach was comparable to laboratory analysis.
The potential environmental risk from pesticides and pesticide breakdown products was found to be substantial. For example, concentrations of some CU compounds exceeded the limits set by the World Health Organization.
The report highlights several mitigation measures to reduce the environmental risks from hazardous pesticides: (i) increase efforts to eliminate the import and use of hazardous and persistent pesticides; (ii) promote targeted education programs to implement best practices, including the selection and use of pesticides as per international standards, and Integrated Pest Management techniques; (iii) identify and protect drinking water sources with a high risk of contamination; and (iv) maintain vegetated buffers and sediment traps to detain farm runoff, which will allow CU pesticides to degrade to safe levels before entering watercourses.
13 Satterthwaite, E. V.; Bax, N. J.; Miloslavich, P.; Ratnarajah, L.; Canonico, G.; Dunn, D.; Simmons, S. E.; Carini, R. J.; Evans, K.; Allain, V.; Appeltans, W.; Batten, S.; Benedetti-Cecchi, L.; Bernard, A. T. F.; Bristol, S.; Benson, A.; Buttigieg, P. L.; Gerhardinger, L. C.; Chiba, S.; Davies, T. E.; Duffy, J. E.; Giron-Nava, A.; Hsu, A. J.; Kraberg, A. C.; Kudela, R. M.; Lear, D.; Montes, E.; Muller-Karger, F. E.; O’Brien, T. D.; Obura, D.; Provoost, P.; Pruckner, S.; Rebelo, Lisa-Maria; Selig, E. R.; Kjesbu, O. S.; Starger, C.; Stuart-Smith, R. D.; Vierros, M.; Waller, J.; Weatherdon, L. V.; Wellman, T. P.; Zivian, A. 2021. Establishing the foundation for the global observing system for marine life. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8:737416. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.737416]
Marine ecosystems ; Global observing systems ; Ocean observations ; Biodiversity ; Time series analysis ; Environmental monitoring ; Sustainability ; Climate change ; Coastal zones ; Mangroves ; Sea grasses ; Corals ; Algae ; Data management ; Metadata standard ; Datasets ; Best practices ; Access to information ; Spatial analysis ; Funding ; Capacity development ; Technology transfer ; Developing countries
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050793)
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.737416/pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050793.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050793.pdf
(3.69 MB) (3.69 MB)
Maintaining healthy, productive ecosystems in the face of pervasive and accelerating human impacts including climate change requires globally coordinated and sustained observations of marine biodiversity. Global coordination is predicated on an understanding of the scope and capacity of existing monitoring programs, and the extent to which they use standardized, interoperable practices for data management. Global coordination also requires identification of gaps in spatial and ecosystem coverage, and how these gaps correspond to management priorities and information needs. We undertook such an assessment by conducting an audit and gap analysis from global databases and structured surveys of experts. Of 371 survey respondents, 203 active, long-term (>5 years) observing programs systematically sampled marine life. These programs spanned about 7% of the ocean surface area, mostly concentrated in coastal regions of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Seagrasses, mangroves, hard corals, and macroalgae were sampled in 6% of the entire global coastal zone. Two-thirds of all observing programs offered accessible data, but methods and conditions for access were highly variable. Our assessment indicates that the global observing system is largely uncoordinated which results in a failure to deliver critical information required for informed decision-making such as, status and trends, for the conservation and sustainability of marine ecosystems and provision of ecosystem services. Based on our study, we suggest four key steps that can increase the sustainability, connectivity and spatial coverage of biological Essential Ocean Variables in the global ocean: (1) sustaining existing observing programs and encouraging coordination among these; (2) continuing to strive for data strategies that follow FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable); (3) utilizing existing ocean observing platforms and enhancing support to expand observing along coasts of developing countries, in deep ocean basins, and near the poles; and (4) targeting capacity building efforts. Following these suggestions could help create a coordinated marine biodiversity observing system enabling ecological forecasting and better planning for a sustainable use of ocean resources.
14 Wilkinson, J. L.; Boxall, A. B. A.; Kolpin, D. W.; Leung, K. M. Y.; Lai, R. W. S.; Galban-Malagon, C.; Adell, A. D.; Mondon, J.; Metian, M.; Marchant, R. A.; Bouzas-Monroy, A.; Cuni-Sanchez, A.; Coors, A.; Carriquiriborde, P.; Rojo, M.; Gordon, C.; Cara, M.; Moermond, M.; Luarte, T.; Petrosyan, V.; Perikhanyan, Y.; Mahon, C. S.; McGurk, C. J.; Hofmann, T.; Kormoker, T.; Iniguez, V.; Guzman-Otazo, J.; Tavares, J. L.; De Figueiredo, F. G.; Razzolini, M. T. P.; Dougnon, V.; Gbaguidi, G.; Traore, O.; Blais, J. M.; Kimpe, L. E.; Wong, M.; Wong, D.; Ntchantcho, R.; Pizarro, J.; Ying, G.-G.; Chen, C.-E.; Paez, M.; Martinez-Lara, J.; Otamonga, J.-P.; Pote, J.; Ifo, S. A.; Wilson, P.; Echeverria-Saenz, S.; Udikovic-Kolic, N.; Milakovic, M.; Fatta-Kassinos, D.; Ioannou-Ttofa, L.; Belusova, V.; Vymazal, J.; Cardenas-Bustamante, M.; Kassa, B. A.; Garric, J.; Chaumot, A.; Gibba, P.; Kunchulia, I.; Seidensticker, S.; Lyberatos, G.; Halldorsson, H. P.; Melling, M.; Shashidhar, T.; Lamba, M.; Nastiti, A.; Supriatin, A.; Pourang, N.; Abedini, A.; Abdullah, O.; Gharbia, S. S.; Pilla, F.; Chefetz, B.; Topaz, T.; Yao, K. M.; Aubakirova, B.; Beisenova, R.; Olaka, L.; Mulu, J. K.; Chatanga, P.; Ntuli, V.; Blama, N. T.; Sherif, S.; Aris, A. Z.; Looi, L. J.; Niang, M.; Traore, S. T.; Oldenkamp, R.; Ogunbanwo, O.; Ashfaq, M.; Iqbal, M.; Abdeen, Z.; O’Dea, A.; Morales-Saldana, J. M.; Custodio, M.; de la Cruz, H.; Navarrete, I.; Carvalho, F.; Gogra, A. B.; Koroma, B. M.; Cerkvenik-Flajs, V.; Gombac, M.; Thwala, M.; Choi, K.; Kang, H.; Ladu, J. L. C.; Rico, A.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie; Sobek, A.; Horlitz, G.; Zenker, A. K.; King, A. C.; Jiang, J.-J.; Kariuki, R.; Tumbo, M.; Tezel, U.; Onay, T. T.; Lejju, J. B.; Vystavna, Y.; Vergeles, Y.; Heinzen, H.; Perez-Parada, A.; Sims, D. B.; Figy, M.; Good, D.; Teta, C. 2022. Pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(8):e2113947119. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2113947119]
Pharmaceutical pollution ; Rivers ; Water pollution ; Contamination ; Aquatic environment ; Antimicrobials ; Environmental health ; Human health ; Environmental monitoring ; Wastewater ; Socioeconomic aspects ; National income ; Datasets
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050958)
https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/119/8/e2113947119.full.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050958.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050958.pdf
(6.14 MB) (6.14 MB)
Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world’s rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
15 Schreiber, S. G.; Schreiber, S.; Tanna, R. N.; Roberts, D. R.; Arciszewski, T. J. 2022. Statistical tools for water quality assessment and monitoring in river ecosystems – a scoping review and recommendations for data analysis. Water Quality Research Journal, 57(1):40-57. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2022.028]
Water quality ; Assessment ; Environmental monitoring ; Rivers ; Ecosystems ; Data analysis ; Statistical methods ; Models / Canada / Athabasca River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051108)
https://iwaponline.com/wqrj/article-pdf/57/1/40/1018131/wqrjc0570040.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051108.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051108.pdf
(1.03 MB) (1.03 MB)
Robust scientific inference is crucial to ensure evidence-based decision making. Accordingly, the selection of appropriate statistical tools and experimental designs is integral to achieve accuracy from data analytical processes. Environmental monitoring of water quality has become increasingly common and widespread as a result of technological advances, leading to an abundance of datasets. We conducted a scoping review of the water quality literature and found that correlation and linear regression are by far the most used statistical tools. However, the accuracy of inferences drawn from ordinary least squares (OLS) techniques depends on a set of assumptions, most prominently: (a) independence among observations, (b) normally distributed errors, (c) equal variances of errors, and (d) balanced designs. Environmental data, however, are often faced with temporal and spatial dependencies, and unbalanced designs, thus making OLS techniques not suitable to provide valid statistical inferences. Generalized least squares (GLS), linear mixed-effect models (LMMs), and generalized linear mixed-effect models (GLMMs), as well as Bayesian data analyses, have been developed to better tackle these problems. Recent progress in the development of statistical software has made these approaches more accessible and user-friendly. We provide a high-level summary and practical guidance for those statistical techniques.
16 Chukwuma, E. C.; Okonkwo, C. C.; Afolabi, O. O. D.; Pham, Q. B.; Anizoba, D. C.; Okpala, C. D. 2023. Groundwater vulnerability to pollution assessment: an application of geospatial techniques and integrated [Interval Rough Numbers] IRN- [Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory] DEMATEL- [Analytical Network Process] ANP decision model. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(17):49856-49874. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25447-1]
Groundwater pollution ; Vulnerability ; Models ; Decision making ; Geographical information systems ; Environmental monitoring ; Water quality ; Uncertainty ; Groundwater table ; Hydraulic conductivity / Nigeria
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052044)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11356-023-25447-1.pdf?pdf=button
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052044.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052044.pdf
(2.68 MB) (2.68 MB)
This study evaluated the susceptibility to groundwater pollution using a modified DRASTIC model. A novel hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model integrating Interval Rough Numbers (IRN), Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), and Analytical Network Process (ANP) was used to investigate the interrelationships between critical hydrogeologic factors (and determine their relative weights) via a novel vulnerability index based on the DRASTIC model. The flexibility of GIS in handling spatial data was employed to delineate thematic map layers of the hydrogeologic factors and to improve the DRASTIC model. The hybrid MCDM model results show that net recharge (a key hydrogeologic factor) had the highest priority with a weight of 0.1986. In contrast, the topography factor had the least priority, with a weight of 0.0497. A case study validated the hybrid model using Anambra State, Nigeria. The resultant vulnerability map shows that 12.98% of the study area falls into a very high vulnerability class, 31.90% falls into a high vulnerability, 23.52% falls into the average vulnerability, 21.75% falls into a low vulnerability, and 9.85% falls into very low vulnerability classes, respectively. In addition, nitrate concentration was used to evaluate the degree of groundwater pollution. Based on observed nitrate concentration, the modified DRASTIC model was validated and compared to the traditional DRASTIC model; interestingly, the spatial model of the modified DRASTIC model performed better. This study is thus critical for environmental monitoring and implementing appropriate management interventions to protect groundwater resources against indiscriminate sources of pollution.
17 Fenta, H. M.; Aynalem, D. W.; Malmquist, L.; Haileslassie, Amare; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Barron, J.; Adem, A. A.; Adimassu, Z.; Zimale, F. A.; Steenhuis, T. S. 2024. A critical analysis of soil (and water) conservation practices in the Ethiopian Highlands: implications for future research and modeling. Catena, 234:107539. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2023.107539]
Soil conservation ; Water conservation ; Highlands ; Soil loss ; Erosion ; Sediment ; Ecosystem services ; Environmental monitoring ; Land use ; Crop yield ; Modelling / Africa / Ethiopia / Ethiopian Highlands
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052323)
(8.68 MB)
Soil and water conservation have been traditionally part of farming practices for thousands of years. Despite massive efforts to implement modern soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) in the Ethiopian Highlands, soil erosion increased after the 1970s when social and political events led to a remarkable change in land use. This review aims to critically analyze the impact of conservation practices on soil loss and crop yield and highlight research and modeling gaps. In doing so, 120 published articles on experimental and simulated soil losses in the Ethiopian Highlands were retrieved from the refereed literature. We found that most published experimental studies evaluating SWCPs lasted less than five years in areas of less than 100 ha. Most modeling studies were over short periods, too; some models simulated soil loss over large areas. The literature analysis for these short-term experimental studies showed that SWCP decreased soil loss on individual sites and increased crop yield in semi-arid regions. Simulated sediment concentration increased as a function of watershed size, while observed soil losses did not follow this trend. Moreover, the decrease in soil loss due to the soil and water conservation practices on small plots was also greatly overestimated. Consequently, past research and current modeling techniques are inconclusive on the effectiveness of SWCPs in large catchments over periods exceeding five years and those with active gullies. Additional long-term experimental studies in catchments are required to evaluate whether SWCPs can decrease sediment loads.
18 Pattinson, N. B.; Taylor, J.; Lepheana, A. T.; Dickens, Chris W. S.; Graham, P. M. 2023. The enviro-champs: establishing a framework for a technologically upgraded environmental monitoring network at community scale. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation. 19p.
Citizen science ; Data collection ; Community involvement ; Environmental monitoring ; Frameworks ; Digital innovation ; Mobile applications ; Sustainability / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052516)
(17.6 MB)
The Enviro-Champs initiative was developed as a community driven, citizen science initiative in Mpophomeni township in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. Over time, the scope of work done and data collected by the Enviro-Champs has expanded. There is now recognition both locally and globally that the Enviro-Champs initiative shows great promise for national and global upscaling. However, several areas within the initiative remain where it could be improved, especially technologically. GroundTruth, in conjunction with technical and funding support from CGIAR Research Initiative on Digital Innovation and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), engaged in a project which aimed to i) establish recruitment, training, and education tools to support establishment of a technologically integrated and upgraded Enviro-Champs initiative, ii) develop an outline for a training and education workshop for Enviro-Champs once they are hired, iii) improve data collection and reporting capacity and efficiency with a sustainable system (in collaboration with CGIAR and FormShare), and iv) pilot test technological improvements to the Enviro-Champs initiative within the Mpophomeni Enviro-Champs in conjunction with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and Umgeni Water. The overarching aim was to develop a technologically innovative and upgraded best-practice framework for the Enviro-Champs, from recruitment, through training and data collection, to data management and reporting. The primary outcome was to have a fully functional, digitally improved Enviro-Champs system in Mpophomeni, that could serve as a working template for upscaling the Enviro-Champs initiative elsewhere in Southern Africa or the world. This report reflects the process and outcomes of this project to date.
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