Your search found 20 records
1 Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele. 2011. Water-centered growth challenges, innovations and interventions in Ethiopia. In Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele; Erkossa, Teklu; Balcha, Y. (Comps.). Irrigation and water for sustainable development: proceedings of the Second Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 15-16 December 2008. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). pp.18-42.
Water management ; Water resources ; Socioeconomic development ; Sustainable development ; Policy ; Rural poverty ; Rain ; Agricultural production ; Yields ; Food insecurity ; Economic aspects ; Investment ; Degradation ; Institutions / Ethiopia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044260)
(0.28 MB)
Ethiopia’s economy and majority of the people’s livelihoods are dependent on agriculture. To develop the socioeconomy of Ethiopia and eradicate poverty, the policy and interventions should focus on agriculture as an entry point. In line with this, the government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs and various institutions share the concepts and priorities identified in the “Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP).” There are key challenges that need to be strongly addressed on transforming agriculture by overcoming a multitude of problems including biophysical and water management issues to help achieve the targets of PASDEP and sustainable socioeconomic growth in Ethiopia. This particular paper aimed at addressing the water management challenges that Ethiopia has faced in the past and is facing today, and to stimulate ideas on how to manage water resources to meet the growing needs for agricultural products, to help reduce poverty and food insecurity, and to show how water can be used as an important entry point to transform its socio-economy and contribute to sustainable development and the environment. The issues discussed will focus on innovations, policies and technologies that enable better investment and management decisions in water use, particularly focusing on agriculture and irrigation but also briefly looking into other water-related subsectors such as hydropower, water supply, watershed, drought and flood management as well as other biophysical aspects. It has also been attempted to make the paper suitable for decision-makers rather than scientists, in order to raise useful ideas for dialogue and further discussions, studies and researches. The paper, therefore, does not claim exhaustiveness. The target audiences of this paper are the people who make the investment and management decisions in water and water management for agriculture, and other subsectors - agricultural producers, water managers, investors, policymakers and civil society. The paper has benefited from the review of key policy and strategy documents of Ethiopia, outputs of various outcomes of research, civil society meetings and workshops, data and information available in government institutions, and global knowledge. The key major issues that are discussed in the paper include the following: Socioeconomic development challenges of Ethiopia, viewed from a water resources perspective., The water resources endowment, development extent, potentials and economic/socioeconomic development linkages., Water-related innovations and agriculture., Water-related interventions in various agro-ecologies., Policy and strategy actions needed. This paper should also be viewed with other components such as river basin growth pole/corridor concept, institutional reform and research capacity building. It focuses on analyzing key problems and associated interventions, and can be applicable in the contexts of the current situation and the future possible reform under growth zones that can be taken as plausible pathways for development.
2 Narender, K. 2001. Lake Kolleru's degradation. Down to Earth, 200 Special:42-43.
Lakes ; Degradation ; Ecology ; Wetlands ; Pollution control / India / Kolleru Lake / Andhra Pradesh
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044442)
(0.25 MB)
3 Agarwal, A. 2001. The Aral Sea crisis is an ecological disaster. Down to Earth, 200 Special:104-106.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044443)
(0.43 MB)
4 Banerji, R. 2001. A town fights for its river: Vidisha's citizens proclain their fight for a clean Betwa river. Down to Earth, 200 Special:150-151.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044444)
(0.35 MB)
5 Banerji, R. 2001. Non river: the Yamuna is a wash-out [Yamuna passes through cities, dying] Down to Earth, 200 Special:152-153.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044445)
(0.34 MB)
6 Libhaber, M.; Orozco-Jaramillo, A. 2012. Sustainable treatment and reuse of municipal wastewater: for decision makers and practicing engineers. London, UK: IWA Publishing. 557p.
Urban wastes ; Wastewater treatment ; Water reuse ; Effluents ; Wastewater irrigation ; Water scarcity ; Sustainability ; Appropriate technology ; Organic matter ; Degradation ; Aerobic treatment ; Anaerobic treatment ; Pollutant load ; Chemical control ; Lagoons ; Reservoirs ; Wetlands ; Flow discharge ; Filtration ; Climate change ; Greenhouse gases ; Emission ; Decision making ; Case studies ; Developing countries
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 628.3 G000 LIB Record No: H047417)
(0.67 MB)
7 de la O Campos, A. P.; Covarrubias, K. A.; Patron, A. P. 2016. How does the choice of the gender indicator affect the analysis of gender differences in agricultural productivity? evidence from Uganda. World Development, 77:17-33. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.08.008]
Gender analysis ; Agricultural production ; Productivity ; Women's participation ; Women farmers ; Equity ; Degradation ; Farmland ; Households ; Models ; Regression analysis ; Sensitivity analysis ; Socioeconomic environment ; Labor ; Decision making ; Indicators / Uganda
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047715)
(0.53 MB)
We use OLS and decomposition techniques to investigate gender differences in agricultural productivity in Uganda. Using nationally representative surveys from years 2009–2012, the analysis applies different gender dummies – female head of household, female plot holder, and female plot manager- to investigate how the variable of choice affects the calculation of the gender gap. Our analysis obtains different results depending on the gender variable of choice. The study finds that regardless of the variable of choice, the gender gap in agricultural productivity decreases or disappears when factors of production and crop choice are controlled for. The conditional gender gap is about 10% and significant when using female plot manager as the gender variable, while we find no conditional gender gap when using the other gender variables. The use of time fixed-effects and decomposition contributes evidence that the typically available gender variables are insufficient for identifying how gender and decision-making of different household members play a role in productivity. This finding is problematic for targeting effective interventions to increase agricultural productivity and reduce gender inequalities in agriculture. Finally, we find that the older status of female heads, holders and manager of plots, child dependency ratio, and limited access to adult male labor are factors decreasing productivity in female plots in Uganda.
8 Li, J.; Liu, H.; Chen, J. P. 2018. Microplastics in freshwater systems: a review on occurrence, environmental effects, and methods for microplastics detection. Water Research, 137:362-374. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.12.056]
Microplastics ; Freshwater ; Contamination ; Environmental effects ; Waste water treatment plants ; Purification ; Water quality ; Rivers ; Lakes ; Degradation ; Health hazards ; Analytical methods
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049218)
(0.34 MB)
The continuous increase in synthetic plastic production and poor management in plastic waste have led to a tremendous increase in the dumping into our aqueous environment. Consequently, microplastics commonly defined as sizes less than 5 mm are produced and stay in both seawater and freshwater environment. The presence of microplastics as a new type of emerging contaminant has become a great issue of concerns from public and government authorities. The sources of microplastics to freshwater systems are many with the largest portion from wastewater treatment plants. The abundance of microplastics varies with the location, from above 1 million pieces per cubic meter to less than 1 piece in 100 cubic meters.
Microplastics can cause several harmful physical effects on humans and living organisms through such mechanisms as entanglement and ingestion. The microplastics can act as carriers of various toxins such as additives from industrial production processes and persistent contaminants by the sorption in waters. Those toxins may cause great health problems to humans. A few studies on the fishes demonstrated that the microplastics and the associated toxins are bio-accumulated and cause such problems as intestinal damage and change in metabolic profiles.
In studies of microplastics, fresh water is first sampled by the nets with typical mesh size of 330 µm for collection of microplastics. After the volume reducing process, the samples will then go through the purification process including density separation by such inorganic salts as sodium chloride and digestion process by oxidizing agents or enzymes. The sequence of these two processes (namely purification and digestion) is dependent on the sample type. The purified samples can be studied by several analytical methods. The commonly used methods for the qualification studies are FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and liquid chromatography. A tagging method can be used in the quantification study. Our literature study finds that there is still no universal accepted quantification and qualification tools of microplastics in fresh waters. More work is anticipated so as to obtain accurate information on microplastics in freshwater, which can then be used for the better assessment of the environmental risk.
Microplastics can cause several harmful physical effects on humans and living organisms through such mechanisms as entanglement and ingestion. The microplastics can act as carriers of various toxins such as additives from industrial production processes and persistent contaminants by the sorption in waters. Those toxins may cause great health problems to humans. A few studies on the fishes demonstrated that the microplastics and the associated toxins are bio-accumulated and cause such problems as intestinal damage and change in metabolic profiles.
In studies of microplastics, fresh water is first sampled by the nets with typical mesh size of 330 µm for collection of microplastics. After the volume reducing process, the samples will then go through the purification process including density separation by such inorganic salts as sodium chloride and digestion process by oxidizing agents or enzymes. The sequence of these two processes (namely purification and digestion) is dependent on the sample type. The purified samples can be studied by several analytical methods. The commonly used methods for the qualification studies are FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and liquid chromatography. A tagging method can be used in the quantification study. Our literature study finds that there is still no universal accepted quantification and qualification tools of microplastics in fresh waters. More work is anticipated so as to obtain accurate information on microplastics in freshwater, which can then be used for the better assessment of the environmental risk.
9 Yin, C.; Zhao, W.; Cherubini, F.; Pereira, P. 2021. Integrate ecosystem services into socio-economic development to enhance achievement of sustainable development goals in the post-pandemic era. Geography and Sustainability, 2(1):68-73. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geosus.2021.03.002]
Ecosystem services ; Socioeconomic development ; Sustainable Development Goals ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics ; Environmental restoration ; Degradation ; Biodiversity
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050304)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683921000092/pdfft?md5=ce2234d0421bd3446fc3dd7b59011946&pid=1-s2.0-S2666683921000092-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050304.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050304.pdf
(2.12 MB) (2.12 MB)
The COVID-19 pandemic has stalled and rolled back progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ecosystem services (ESs), defined as the contributions of ecosystems to human well-being, underpin the achievement of SDGs. To promote SDG achievement in post-pandemic era, we teased out the links between ESs and SDGs while examining the impact of COVID-19. We found that ESs benefited all SDGs, yet man-made pressures led to degradation of ecosystems and their services. There is broad consensus that the virus lurks in degraded ecosystems and generates spillover due to human interference. The pandemic and global lockdown/restriction disrupted the flow of ESs and altered human ESs demand, threatening the efforts for the SDGs. We suggested: 1) to study the association and traceability of ESs-SDGs under the pandemic; 2) to prioritize pressing issues such as health care, livelihood, and resource security and in the long run, we should promote human-nature harmony to achieve the SDGs; and 3) to enhance ESs and to promote the SDGs through local community efforts, ESs accounting, and ecosystem restoration. This paper provides insights into the importance of ESs to the SDGs and the ways to integrate ESs into socio-economic development to promote the SDG achievement after the pandemic.
10 Jaiswal, D.; Pandey, J. 2021. Human-driven changes in sediment-water interactions may increase the degradation of ecosystem functioning in the Ganga River. Journal of Hydrology, 598:126261. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126261]
Rivers ; Sediment ; Water quality ; Degradation ; Metal pollution ; Heavy metals ; Ecosystems ; Biogeochemical cycle ; Dissolved oxygen ; Tributaries / India / Ganga River / Ramganga River / Varuna River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050507)
(7.73 MB)
While it is widely accepted that the magnitude of river water quality degradation depends upon the proportion of human interventions, the overall changes are ultimately the consequence of interconnected biogeochemical processes with poorly understood role of ecosystem feedbacks. Here, we conducted in situ and incubation experiments, considering a 620 km Ganga River main stem, two tributaries and two point source downstream locations for trajectory studies to analyze the human-driven changes in ecosystem feedback associated changes in ecosystem functioning of the Ganga River and its tributaries. The main stem coupled trajectory analyses show that benthic hypoxia/anoxia resulting from intensive human releases generates positive feedbacks (sediment-P and –metal release) to exacerbate the degradation of ecosystem functioning in the Ganga River and tributaries. We found 1.9 to 4.6 times higher rates of sediment-P release and about 1.1 to 3.7 times higher rates of sediment-metal releases at sites with DOsw < 2.0 mg/L. Excess release of phosphorus from sediment enhanced the eutrophy whereas sediment-metal release and bioavailability led to a sharp decline in microbial biomass and FDAase activity. The Carlson’s index, ecological response index, Dodds’s trophic state classification, and risk index support these results because the sites with benthic hypoxic/anoxic condition did show trophic state in eutrophic to hypereutrophic range and metal pollution in very high to extremely polluted and high risk category indicating significant effect of these drivers. The study, for the first time, showed that positive feedbacks exacerbate the degradation of ecosystem functioning in human-impacted large rivers. We suggest the need for increased efforts considering the magnitude and connectivity of positive feedbacks and associated repercussions for improving mechanistic understanding of their contributions to overall structural and functional shifts in the large rivers.
11 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2021. Policies to reduce microplastics pollution in water: focus on textiles and tyres. Paris, France: OECD Publishing. 136p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1787/7ec7e5ef-en]
Microplastic pollution ; Mitigation ; Policies ; Marine environment ; Freshwater ecosystems ; Textiles ; Tyres ; Human health ; Environmental health ; Health hazards ; Risk reduction ; Toxicity ; Technology ; Best practices ; Techniques ; Standards ; Certification schemes ; Labelling ; Waste management ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Waste disposal ; Sewage sludge ; Degradation ; Emission ; Industrial wastewater ; Stormwater runoff ; OECD countries ; Stakeholders ; Collaboration
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051315)
12 Kurki-Fox, J. J.; Doll, B. A.; Monteleone, B.; West, K.; Putnam, G.; Kelleher, L.; Krause, S.; Schneidewind, U. 2023. Microplastic distribution and characteristics across a large river basin: insights from the Neuse River in North Carolina, USA. Science of The Total Environment, 878:162940. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162940]
Microplastics ; Pollution ; River basins ; Polyethylene ; Stream flow ; Urban development ; Sediment ; Watersheds ; Sampling ; Aquatic ecosystems ; Land cover ; Hydrology ; Degradation / United States of America / North Carolina / Neuse River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051907)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723015565/pdfft?md5=05478ad288b7e2fcc6fc1ed8c63ebf7f&pid=1-s2.0-S0048969723015565-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051907.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051907.pdf
(3.71 MB) (3.71 MB)
While microplastics (MP) have been found in aquatic ecosystems around the world, the understanding of drivers and controls of their occurrence and distribution have yet to be determined. In particular, their fate and transport in river catchments and networks are still poorly understood. We identified MP concentrations in water and streambed sediment at fifteen locations across the Neuse River Basin in North Carolina, USA. Water samples were collected with two different mesh sizes, a trawl net (>335 µm) and a 64 µm sieve used to filter bailing water samples. MPs >335 µm were found in all the water samples with concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 221 particles per m3 (p m-3) with a median of 0.44 p m-3. The highest concentrations were observed in urban streams and there was a significant correlation between streamflow and MP concentration in the most urbanized locations. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated that for MPs >335 µm the three most common polymer types were polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. There were substantially more MP particles observed when samples were analyzed using a smaller mesh size (>64 µm), with concentrations ranging from 20 to 130 p m-3 and the most common polymer type being polyethylene terephthalate as identified by Raman spectroscopy. The ratio of MP concentrations (64 µm to 335 µm) ranged from 35 to 375, indicating the 335 µm mesh substantially underestimates MPs relative to the 64 µm mesh. MPs were detected in 14/15 sediment samples. Sediment and water column concentrations were not correlated. We estimate MP (>64 µm) loading from the Neuse River watershed to be 230 billion particles per year. The findings of this study help to better understand how MPs are spatially distributed and transported through a river basin and how MP concentrations are impacted by land cover, hydrology, and sampling method.
13 Chauhan, R.; Shrestha, A.; Oh, S. E.; Gurung, A. 2023. The degradation of spring water resources in Nepal: some policy gaps. Water Policy, 25(4):338-358. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2023.159]
Degradation ; Water resources ; Water springs ; Water conservation ; Policies ; Watersheds ; Water pollution ; Land use ; Drinking water ; Water quality ; Case studies / Nepal / Bagmati / Kathmandu / Chandragiri
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051908)
https://iwaponline.com/wp/article-pdf/25/4/338/1212037/025040338.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051908.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051908.pdf
(0.84 MB) (860 KB)
In this study, first, we conducted a case study to understand the spring status in a semi-urban area, then synthesized the knowledge acquired so far, of nationwide springs status to highlight the current state and future policy and action implications of spring conservation in Nepal. We found that in 72% of the springs of semi-urban areas, the discharge rate has been decreasing over the past decade. In addition, the springs of such areas were exposed to higher contamination of biological pollutants compared with the rural areas. Synthesis of spring research in Nepal shows that springs of Nepal are degrading at an alarming rate where 16% had already dried up and about 60% have declining discharge, mainly due to declining rainfall, haphazard infrastructure development, and excessive spring resource exploitation. In response to the degrading springs and water crisis, several initiatives have been made, yet they are scattered, focused on limited springs, and not adequate to curb the current rate of spring degradation. We argue that the existing policies that are intended to operate in a top-down approach at the basin and watershed level are not effective in addressing local water issues at the springshed level.
14 Frietsch, M.; Loos, J.; Lohr, K.; Sieber, S.; Fischer, J. 2023. Future-proofing ecosystem restoration through enhancing adaptive capacity. Communications Biology, 6:377. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04736-y]
Climate change ; Ecosystem services ; Restoration ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Ecological factors ; Political aspects ; Degradation ; Landscape ; Population growth ; Deforestation ; Conflicts ; Participation / Rwanda
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051938)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04736-y.pdf?pdf=button%20sticky
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051938.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051938.pdf
(2.90 MB) (2.90 MB)
Social-ecological ecosystem restoration involves interacting challenges, including climate change, resource overexploitation and political instability. To prepare for these and other emerging threats, we synthesized key restoration and social-ecological systems literature and derived three guiding themes that can help to enhance the adaptive capacity of restoration sites: (i) work with the existing system, (ii) create self-sustaining, adaptive systems, and (iii) foster diversity and participation. We propose a two-step approach and provide an example from Rwanda detailing the application of these principles. While site-specific activities have to be designed and implemented by local practitioners, our synthesis can guide forward-thinking restoration practice.
15 Timsina, J.; Weerahewa, J. 2023. Restoring ancient irrigation systems for sustainable agro-ecosystems development: reflections on the special issue. Agricultural Systems, 209:103668. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103668]
Restoration ; Ancestral technology ; Irrigation systems ; Agroecosystems ; Ecosystem services ; Sustainability ; Villages ; Tanks ; Degradation ; Local communities ; Rainwater harvesting ; Irrigation water ; Watersheds ; Water management ; Livelihoods ; Land use / Sri Lanka / Mahakanumulla Tank
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051948)
(3.72 MB)
Humans have relied on agriculture to feed their communities for thousands of years. Irrigation is practiced in many different forms over the years in countries all over the world. Although modern irrigation systems have been developed, and are in use in many countries, ancient irrigation systems (AISs) have also played a major role in sustaining food production, especially in smallholder farming in least developed and developing countries. The editorial team of Agricultural Systems put out a call for a special issue on restoring AISs for sustainable agro-ecosystems development to capture ancient marvels of traditional irrigation technology across the world.
The objectives of this special issue were to: (i) understand and analyse the hydrological and socio-economic networks anchored by AISs; (ii) explain the nature and sustainability of management of these systems in relation to local agro-ecosystems; (iii) analyse the implications of the AISs for land, soil and water quality, and agro-ecosystem services; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analysis of AISs, including bio-physical and bio-economic modelling of these systems; and (v) assess the feasibility of alternative technological, institutional and management strategies to enhance the productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of the systems. The overall goal of the special issue was to develop a useful repository for this information as well as to use the journal's international reach to share this information with the agricultural systems research community and journal readership. This paper provides reflections of papers published in the special issue.
The special issue resulted in twelve high quality original research articles and one review article from Asia, Africa and Europe. The findings from various papers revealed that the AISs have been degraded due to human interventions or the anthropogenic activities across the world. Various papers emphasized that as a corrective measure, there is a need for developing and implementing rehabilitation projects in these systems. Authors identified that appropriate policy interventions by the relevant authorities would be a major step towards such rehabilitation process. However, resetting the ecosystem structure of the AISs strictly towards their historical manifestation is neither required nor feasible in the present context as it would contradict the expectations of stakeholders from these systems.
The knowledge generated through the special issue provides evidence-based information on various aspects of AISs. It helps aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making and for prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs around the world.
The objectives of this special issue were to: (i) understand and analyse the hydrological and socio-economic networks anchored by AISs; (ii) explain the nature and sustainability of management of these systems in relation to local agro-ecosystems; (iii) analyse the implications of the AISs for land, soil and water quality, and agro-ecosystem services; (iv) qualitative and quantitative analysis of AISs, including bio-physical and bio-economic modelling of these systems; and (v) assess the feasibility of alternative technological, institutional and management strategies to enhance the productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability of the systems. The overall goal of the special issue was to develop a useful repository for this information as well as to use the journal's international reach to share this information with the agricultural systems research community and journal readership. This paper provides reflections of papers published in the special issue.
The special issue resulted in twelve high quality original research articles and one review article from Asia, Africa and Europe. The findings from various papers revealed that the AISs have been degraded due to human interventions or the anthropogenic activities across the world. Various papers emphasized that as a corrective measure, there is a need for developing and implementing rehabilitation projects in these systems. Authors identified that appropriate policy interventions by the relevant authorities would be a major step towards such rehabilitation process. However, resetting the ecosystem structure of the AISs strictly towards their historical manifestation is neither required nor feasible in the present context as it would contradict the expectations of stakeholders from these systems.
The knowledge generated through the special issue provides evidence-based information on various aspects of AISs. It helps aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making and for prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs around the world.
16 Chen, Z.; Shi, X.; Zhang, J.; Wu, L.; Wei, W.; Ni, B.-J. 2023. Nanoplastics are significantly different from microplastics in urban waters. Water Research X, 19:100169. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100169]
Nanoplastics ; Microplastics ; Pollution control ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Urban watersheds ; Degradation ; Biodegradation ; Sediment
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052112)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914723000051/pdfft?md5=50d72e0ff29509acf0040f051d85366c&pid=1-s2.0-S2589914723000051-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052112.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052112.pdf
(7.69 MB) (7.69 MB)
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are ubiquitous and intractable in urban waters. Compared with MPs, the smaller NPs have shown distinct physicochemical features, such as Brownian motion, higher specific surface area, and stronger interaction with other pollutants. Therefore, the qualitative and quantitative analysis of NPs is more challenging than that of MPs. Moreover, these characteristics endow NPs with significantly different environmental fate, interactions with pollutants, and eco-impacts from those of MPs in urban waters. Herein, we critically analyze the current advances in the difference between MPs and NPs in urban waters. Analytical challenges, fate, interactions with surrounding pollutants, and eco-impacts of MPs and NPs are comparably discussed., The characterizations and fate studies of NPs are more challenging compared to MPs. Furthermore, NPs in most cases exhibit stronger interactions with other pollutants and more adverse eco-impacts on living things than MPs. Subsequently, perspective in this field is proposed to stimulate further size-dependent studies on MPs and NPs. This review would benefit the understanding of the role of NPs in the urban water ecosystem and guide future studies on plastic pollution management.
17 Nouri, M.; Homaee, M.; Pereira, L. S.; Bybordi, M. 2023. Water management dilemma in the agricultural sector of Iran: a review focusing on water governance. Agricultural Water Management, 288:108480. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108480]
Water governance ; Agricultural sector ; Water management ; Groundwater depletion ; Water productivity ; Water conservation ; Water scarcity ; Food security ; Nexus approaches ; Drought stress ; Water use ; Conflicts ; Food waste ; Water security ; Environmental flows ; Cropping patterns ; Precipitation ; Water demand ; Stakeholders ; Aquifers ; Wetlands ; Degradation / Iran Islamic Republic
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052135)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423003451/pdfft?md5=cea721415041725947090834b941d9cc&pid=1-s2.0-S0378377423003451-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052135.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052135.pdf
(3.59 MB) (3.59 MB)
Around 90% of fresh renewable water is being used in Iran, indicating high water stress conditions across the country. Given that agricultural irrigation accounts for the majority of water use and consumption, any efforts to alleviate water stress must focus on enhancing agricultural water management. This paper aims to exhaustively compile the existing literature on the consequences and drivers of water insecurity, and to discuss the strategies balancing food and water security in the context of agricultural water management. Severe water scarcity can be largely attributed to governance gaps in Iran. In addition, inefficient water use, population growth, and warming/drying trends in the recent half a century are other major causes of the water scarcity. Groundwater over-depletion, quality deterioration of aquatic resources, decreased environmental flows and habitat destruction, and water conflicts are the significant consequences of improper water management in Iran. Several water productivity and conservation interventions, drawn from a rich literature, were suggested to improve agricultural water management in Iran. Furthermore, some water-food-energy nexus optimization methods, including changing cropping patterns, modifying energy tariffs, manipulating food diet, and reducing food waste, were discussed. Nexus-based strategies, which aim to achieve a balance between food production and water sustainability, are of high importance in reducing water consumption in the agricultural sector. While there has been a significant focus on improving water productivity and nexus-based measures, it is essential that policy-makers prioritize enhancing the water governance dimensions to effectively address water scarcity and its consequences in Iran. In other words, improving the water governance system is a prerequisite for adopting any strategy aimed at enhancing agricultural water management and coping with water security.
18 Nohara, N. M. L.; Ariza-Tarazona, M. C.; Triboni, E. R.; Nohara, E. L.; Villarreal-Chiu, J. F.; Cedillo-Gonzalez, E. I. 2024. Are you drowned in microplastic pollution? A brief insight on the current knowledge for early career researchers developing novel remediation strategies. Science of The Total Environment, 918:170382. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170382]
Microplastic pollution ; Nanoplastics ; Degradation ; Biodegradation ; Microorganisms ; Waste management ; Recycling ; Landfills ; Mechanical properties ; Polyethylene ; Filtration ; Human health ; Drinking water ; Contaminants
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052618)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724005175/pdfft?md5=cb2d396fd2b98fd29231b06c1b909f08&pid=1-s2.0-S0048969724005175-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052618.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052618.pdf
(5.95 MB) (5.95 MB)
Microplastics (MPs) composed of different polymers with various shapes, within a vast granulometric distribution (1 µm - 5 mm) and with a wide variety of physicochemical surface and bulk characteristics spiral around the globe, with different atmospheric, oceanic, cryospheric, and terrestrial residence times, while interacting with other pollutants and biota. The challenges of microplastic pollution are related to the complex relationships between the microplastic generation mechanisms (physical, chemical, and biological), their physicochemical properties, their interactions with other pollutants and microorganisms, the changes in their properties with aging, and their small sizes that facilitate their diffusion and transportation between the air, water, land, and biota, thereby promoting their ubiquity. Early career researchers (ERCs) constitute an essential part of the scientific community committed to overcoming the challenges of microplastic pollution with their new ideas and innovative scientific perspectives for the development of remediation technologies. However, because of the enormous amount of scientific information available, it may be difficult for ERCs to determine the complexity of this environmental issue. This mini-review aims to provide a quick and updated overview of the essential insights of microplastic pollution to ERCs to help them acquire the background needed to develop highly innovative physical, chemical, and biological remediation technologies, as well as valorization proposals and environmental education and awareness campaigns. Moreover, the recommendations for the development of holistic microplastic pollution remediation strategies presented here can help ERCs propose technologies considering the environmental, social, and practical dimensions of microplastic pollution while fulfilling the current government policies to manage this plastic waste.
19 Haile, Alemseged Tamiru; Haileslassie, Amare; Mekuria Bori, Wolde; Tekleab, S.; Dejen, Z. A.; Goshime, D. W.; Siegfried, T.; Ragettli, S. 2024. Addressing challenges of water allocation planning (WAP) for sustainable water management in the Ziway-Shala Lakes Sub-Basin (ZSSB), Ethiopia. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 8p.
Water management ; Sustainable development ; Water resources ; Water allocation ; Planning ; Lakes ; Water use ; Wetlands ; Water balance ; Water levels ; Water extraction ; Water demand ; Decision-support systems ; Degradation ; Freshwater ecosystems / Ethiopia / Ziway-Shala Lakes Sub-Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052758)
(683 KB)
There is an increasing awareness about the threats posed to the water resources of the Ziway-Shala lakes sub-basin (ZSSB) due to uncontrolled water use and the resulting ecological degradation. To respond to these threats, there are ongoing collaborative efforts to prepare and implement Water Allocation Plans (WAP) for the sub-basin. However, the success of these efforts is being undermined by several barriers, including a lack of sound scientific knowledge, data, tools, inadequate water governance, and socioeconomic challenges. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and other members of the SaWeL (Safeguarding Sahelian Wetlands for Food Security) consortium conducted studies to address these sets of challenges. These studies included the identification of data gaps and opportunities for hydrological monitoring, water balance and water allocation. A framework for ecologically sustainable agricultural water management was developed, and training as well as other capacity-building activities were conducted. The findings of these studies indicate the need to strengthen existing hydrological monitoring, realize opportunities provided by emerging data sources, follow a conflict-sensitive approach to WAP, and follow innovative and collaborative approaches to capacity building of the basin administration office. Ongoing WAP preparation and implementation efforts for the sub-basin would greatly benefit from the knowledge, data and tools generated by the SaWeL consortium members and other efforts. This brief highlights the key challenges of the WAP process and the evidence generated, thereby presenting key recommendations to improve implementation of WAP.
20 Franchi, F.; Mustafa, S.; Ariztegui, D.; Chirindja, F. J.; Capua, A. Di.; Hussey, S.; Loizeau, J.-L.; Maselli, V.; Matano, A.; Olabode, O.; Pasqualotto, F.; Sengwei, W.; Tirivarombo, S.; Loon, A. F. V.; Comte, J.-C. 2024. Prolonged drought periods over the last four decades increase flood intensity in southern Africa. Science of The Total Environment, 924:171489. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171489]
Drought ; Flooding ; Sediment ; Dams ; Degradation ; Rainfall ; Precipitation ; Stream flow ; Rivers ; Discharges ; Evapotranspiration ; Vegetation ; Groundwater table ; Land degradation ; Surface water / South Africa / Mozambique / Botswana / Zimbabwe / Shashe Dam / Nwanedi Dam / Ripple Creek Dam / Massingir Dam / Limpopo River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052748)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724016309/pdfft?md5=b3d169ec8059ed2720499213980102e1&pid=1-s2.0-S0048969724016309-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052748.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052748.pdf
(11.00 MB) (11.0 MB)
In semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa, climate change and the intensification of human activities have altered the hydrological balance and modified the recurrence of extreme hydroclimatic events, such as droughts and floods. The geomorphological heterogeneity of river catchments across the region, the variable human pressure, and the lack of continuous hydroclimatic data preclude the definition of proper mitigation strategies, with a direct effect on the sustainability of rural communities.
Here, for the first time in Africa, we characterize hydrological extreme events using a multidisciplinary approach that includes sedimentary data from dams. We focus on the Limpopo River basin to evaluate which factors control flood magnitude since the 1970. Extreme flood events were identified across the basin in 1988–89, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2013–14 and 2016–17. The statistical analysis of sedimentary flood records revealed a dramatic increase in their magnitude over the studied period. A positive correlation between maximum river flow and antecedent prolonged drought conditions was found in South Africa and Mozambique. Most importantly, since 1980, we observed the likely decoupling of extreme floods from the magnitude of La Niña events, suggesting that the natural interannual variability driven by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been disrupted by climate changes and human activities.
Here, for the first time in Africa, we characterize hydrological extreme events using a multidisciplinary approach that includes sedimentary data from dams. We focus on the Limpopo River basin to evaluate which factors control flood magnitude since the 1970. Extreme flood events were identified across the basin in 1988–89, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2013–14 and 2016–17. The statistical analysis of sedimentary flood records revealed a dramatic increase in their magnitude over the studied period. A positive correlation between maximum river flow and antecedent prolonged drought conditions was found in South Africa and Mozambique. Most importantly, since 1980, we observed the likely decoupling of extreme floods from the magnitude of La Niña events, suggesting that the natural interannual variability driven by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been disrupted by climate changes and human activities.
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