Modeling spatiotemporal patterns of land use/land cover change in Central Malawi using a neural network model

Leah Mungai Joseph Messina Leo Zulu Jiaguo Qi Sieglinde Snapp (2022, [Artículo])

Multilayer Perceptrons CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AGRICULTURE LAND USE POPULATION SATELLITE IMAGERY TEXTURE LAND COVER NEURAL NETWORKS REMOTE SENSING

Carbamazepine degradation by visible-light-driven photocatalyst Ag3PO4/GO: Mechanism and pathway

Guanhan Chen Wenyi Dong Hongjie Wang Zilong Zhao Feng Wang Feifei Wang César Nieto Delgado (2022, [Artículo])

"Carbamazepine (CBZ), as one of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals, is of great concern due to its potential impact on the ecosystem and human health. This study provides an effective approach to remove CBZ by using photocatalyst silver phosphate combined with graphene oxide (Ag3PO4/GO) under visible irradiation. The morphology, composition, and optical properties of Ag3PO4/GO were characterized employing SEM, XRD, and DRS. Graphene oxide could improve the visible-light utilization and promote electron's charge to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4/GO. With the optimal reaction condition of 5.86 mW/cm(2) light intensity, 15-25 degrees C temperature, 5-7 pH, and 0.5 mg/L catalytic dosages, 5 mg/L CBZ could be completely degraded in 30 min, and the apparent rate constant could reach 0.12 min(-1). Additionally, the radical trapping experiments indicated center dot OH and O-2(-)center dot were the main reactive oxygen species employed to eliminate CBZ. The decay pathways of CBZ had been proposed accordingly, and the main product was the low-molecular products. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences."

Carbamazepine Ag3PO4/GO Visible light Photocatalysis INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA

Appraisal of complementarity of subsurface drip fertigation and conservation agriculture for physiological performance and water economy of maize

C.M. Parihar Hari Sankar Nayak Dipaka Ranjan Sena Renu Pandey Mahesh Gathala ML JAT (2023, [Artículo])

The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) in north-west (NW) India are facing a severe decline in ground water due to prevalent rice-based cropping systems. To combat this issue, conservation agriculture (CA) with an alternative crop/s, such as maize, is being promoted. Recently, surface drip fertigation has also been evaluated as a viable option to address low-nutrient use efficiency and water scarcity problems for cereals. While the individual benefits of CA and sub-surface drip (SSD) irrigation on water economy are well-established, information regarding their combined effect in cereal-based systems is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a two-year field experiment in maize, under an ongoing CA-based maize-wheat system, to evaluate the complementarity of CA with SSD irrigation through two technological interventions–– CA+ (residue retained CA + SSD), PCA+ (partial CA without residue + SSD) – at different N rates (0, 120 and 150 kg N ha-1) in comparison to traditional furrow irrigated (FI) CA and conventional tillage (CT) at 120 kg N ha-1. Our results showed that CA+ had the highest grain yield (8.2 t ha-1), followed by PCA+ (8.1 t ha-1). The grain yield under CA+ at 150 kg N ha-1 was 27% and 30% higher than CA and CT, respectively. Even at the same N level (120 kg N ha-1), CA+ outperformed CA and CT by 16% and 18%, respectively. The physiological performance of maize also revealed that CA+ based plots with 120 kg N ha-1 had 12% and 3% higher photosynthesis rate at knee-high and silking, respectively compared to FI-CA and CT. Overall, compared to the FI-CA and CT, SSD-based CA+ and PCA+ saved 54% irrigation water and increased water productivity (WP) by more than twice. Similarly, a greater number of split N application through fertigation in PCA+ and CA+ increased agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and recover efficiency by 8–19% and 14–25%, respectively. Net returns from PCA+ and CA+ at 150 kg N ha-1 were significantly higher by US$ 491 and 456, respectively than the FI-CA and CT treatments. Therefore, CA coupled with SSD provided tangible benefits in terms of yield, irrigation water saving, WP, NUE and profitability. Efforts should be directed towards increasing farmers’ awareness of the benefits of such promising technology for the cultivating food grains and commercial crops such as maize. Concurrently, government support and strict policies are required to enhance the system adaptability.

Net Returns Subsurface Drip Irrigation Subsurface Drip Fertigation CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA EFFICIENCY GRAIN NITROGEN PHOTOSYNTHESIS PHYSIOLOGY WATER SUPPLY CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE FERTIGATION GROUNDWATER NITROGEN-USE EFFICIENCY WATER PRODUCTIVITY

Physiological ecology of Mexican CAM plants: history, progress, and opportunities

Joel David Flores Rivas Oscar Briones Villareal JOSE LUIS ANDRADE (2022, [Artículo])

"In Mexico, plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) are part of the Mexican culture, have different uses and are even emblematic. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of the Mexican CAM plants has been studied physiologically. For this review, the following questions were considered: What ecophysiological studies have been conducted with CAM species native to Mexico? What ecophysiological processes in Mexican CAM plants are the most studied? What type of ecophysiological studies with CAM plants are still needed? A database of scientific studies on CAM plant species from Mexico was documented, including field and laboratory works for species widely distributed, and those studies made outside Mexico with Mexican species. Physiological processes were grouped as germination, photosynthesis, and water relations. Most studies were done for CAM species of Cactaceae, Bromeliaceae, Asparagaceae and Orchidaceae, andmost ecophysiological studies have been done on germination of cacti. Field and laboratory studies on photosynthesis and water relations were mostly for terrestrial cacti and epiphytic bromeliads. There were few physiological studies with CAM seedlings in Mexico and few studies using stable isotopes of water and carbon of CAM plants in the field. More field and laboratory studies of physiological responses and plasticity of CAM plants to multiple stress factors are required to model plant responses to global climate change. In general, more physiological studies are essential for all CAM species and for species of the genus Clusia, with C3-CAM and CAM members, which can become ecologically important under some climate change scenarios."

Asparagaceae Bromeliaceae Cactaceae Germination Photosynthesis Water relations Orchidaceae BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA)

Estudios de genética en poblaciones de abulón y sus aplicaciones en ordenamiento pesquero

RICARDO PEREZ ENRIQUEZ NOE DIAZ VILORIA JOSE LUIS GUTIERREZ GONZALEZ ALEJANDRA ARCINIEGA DE LOS SANTOS ADRIANA MAX AGUILAR Pedro Cruz Hernández Fernando Aranceta Garza (2016, [Artículo])

"Se presenta la integración de más de 10 años de investigación científica en genética de las poblaciones de abulón en México realizada en el CIBNOR. Esta investigación muestra cómo se pueden aplicar los marcadores genéticos tanto en estudios de genética poblacional como en identificación forense con la finalidad de contribuir al conocimiento aplicado para manejo de la pesquería. Se desarrollaron marcadores genéticos tipo microsatélites de ADN enfocados tanto al abulón azul Haliotis fulgens como amarillo Haliotis corrugata para diferenciación de poblaciones y análisis de parentesco. Un análisis de estructura genética de las poblaciones silvestres de ambas especies de abulón mostró homogeneidad genética en la costa del Pacífico en la región centro-sur de la Península de Baja California, México, pero con diferenciación genética en localidades distantes debido a un flujo genético limitado producto del aislamiento reproductivo. Por ello, no existen elementos que den soporte a un manejo pesquero delimitado por bancos en ambas especies. De manera particular, el abulón amarillo mostró una menor de diversidad genética que el azul, posiblemente debido a una mayor explotación pesquera histórica. Los resultados obtenidos en pruebas de parentesco han indicado que la retención larvaria en bancos específicos es reducida, por lo que ni la agregación de reproductores ni la liberación de larvas han mostrado ser estrategias eficientes para favorecer el incremento de reclutas en bancos definidos. Un análisis de perfiles genéticos con el gen de la lisina permitió la identificación de las especies de abulón que se capturan y enlatan en México. El análisis comparativo de perfi les genéticos, basado en el gen nuclear 18S de abulón y otros moluscos, detectó producto enlatado conteniendo especies de moluscos comercializadas falsamente como abulón, lo que puede constituirse como una herramienta forense en futuras disputas legales. Este tipo de aplicación es potencialmente utilizable con otros productos comestibles en los cuales se sospecha de prácticas fraudulentas, ya sea por captura o comercialización ilegal o por sustitución de contenidos en productos procesados."

"This is an integrative work of more than 10 years of research in population genetics of abalone in Mexico performed at CIBNOR. It shows how molecular tools have the potential to support abalone fisheries management through population genetics and forensic analyses. Microsatellite DNA markers were developed on blue (green for its name in English) Haliotis fulgens and yellow abalone (pink for its name in English) H. corrugata to be used for genetic differentiation on populations and for parentage analysis. The analysis of genetic structure on wild populations of both species revealed genetic homogeneity in the Pacific coast of the central region of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, with genetic differentiation on distant localities due to a limited gene flow as a result of reproduction isolation. From this result we suggest that no evidences were found supporting the management of the fishery based on individual abalone beds. Pink abalone shows lower genetic diversity than green abalone, possibly due to higher historical fishery exploitation. The parentage analysis suggested that larval retention within beds is reduced, indicating that neither broodstockaggregation nor the release of abalone larvae for stock enhancement are efficient strategies to increase recruitment in specific beds.

An analysis of the genetic profiles with the lysine gene allowed the identification of abalone species captured and processed in Mexico. The comparative analysis, based on the 18S gene, among abalone and other mollusks, detected canned product containing mollusks that are commercialized allegedly as abalone or ‘abalone type’, which could constitute a forensic tool in future legal disputes. This type of application can also be used with other edible products in which fraudulent practices are suspected either because of illegal catch or commercialization or substitution in processed products."

Análisis forense, diversidad genética, gen 18S, genética de poblaciones, marcadores genéticos, retención larvaria Forensic analysis, genetic diversity, 18S gene, genetic markers, population genetics, larval retention BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA GENÉTICA GENÉTICA DE POBLACIONES GENÉTICA DE POBLACIONES

A 'wiring diagram' for source strength traits impacting wheat yield potential

Erik Murchie Matthew Paul Reynolds Gustavo Slafer John Foulkes Liana Acevedo-Siaca Lorna Mcausland Simon Griffiths A Elizabete Carmo-Silva (2023, [Artículo])

Source-Sink Yield Physiology CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA BIOMASS BREEDING PHOTOSYNTHESIS SOURCE SINK RELATIONS YIELDS PHYSIOLOGY

Assessing the Response of Nematode Communities to Climate Change-Driven Warming: A Microcosm Experiment

RUTH GINGOLD WERMUTH (2013, [Artículo])

Biodiversity has diminished over the past decades with climate change being among the main responsible factors. One consequence of climate change is the increase in sea surface temperature, which, together with long exposure periods in intertidal areas, may exceed the tolerance level of benthic organisms. Benthic communities may suffer structural changes due to the loss of species or functional groups, putting ecological services at risk. In sandy beaches, free-living marine nematodes usually are the most abundant and diverse group of intertidal meiofauna, playing an important role in the benthic food web. While apparently many functionally similar nematode species co-exist temporally and spatially, experimental results on selected bacterivore species suggest no functional overlap, but rather an idiosyncratic contribution to ecosystem functioning. However, we hypothesize that functional redundancy is more likely to observe when taking into account the entire diversity of natural assemblages. We conducted a microcosm experiment with two natural communities to assess their stress response to elevated temperature. The two communities differed in diversity (high [HD] vs. low [LD]) and environmental origin (harsh vs. moderate conditions). We assessed their stress resistance to the experimental treatment in terms of species and diversity changes, and their function in terms of abundance, biomass, and trophic diversity. According to the Insurance Hypothesis, we hypothesized that the HD community would cope better with the stressful treatment due to species functional overlap, whereas the LD community functioning would benefit from species better adapted to harsh conditions. Our results indicate no evidence of functional redundancy in the studied nematofaunal communities. The species loss was more prominent and size specific in the HD; large predators and omnivores were lost, which may have important consequences for the benthic food web. Yet, we found evidence for alternative diversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, such as the Rivets and the Idiosyncrasy Model. © 2013 Gingold et al.

aquaculture, article, bacterivore, benthos, biodiversity, biomass, climate, community dynamics, controlled study, ecosystem, environmental temperature, microcosm, nematode, nonhuman, population abundance, species diversity, species richness, taxonomy CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA

Genetic diversity and genome-wide association study for the phenology response of winter wheats of North America, Western Asia, and Europe

Susanne Dreisigacker Marta Lopes Miguel Sanchez-Garcia (2023, [Artículo])

Winter Wheat Panel Precision Phenology Effective Markers CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENETIC DIVERSITY (AS RESOURCE) GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION STUDIES PHENOLOGY PHOTOPERIODICITY POPULATION STRUCTURE VERNALIZATION WINTER WHEAT

Modeling the growth, yield and N dynamics of wheat for decoding the tillage and nitrogen nexus in 8-years long-term conservation agriculture based maize-wheat system

C.M. Parihar Dipaka Ranjan Sena Prakash Chand Ghasal Shankar Lal Jat Yashpal Singh Saharawat Mahesh Gathala Upendra Singh Hari Sankar Nayak (2024, [Artículo])

Context: Agricultural field experiments are costly and time-consuming, and their site-specific nature limits their ability to capture spatial and temporal variability. This hinders the transfer of crop management information across different locations, impeding effective agricultural decision-making. Further, accurate estimates of the benefits and risks of alternative crop and nutrient management options are crucial for effective decision-making in agriculture. Objective: The objective of this study was to utilize the Crop Environment Resource Synthesis CERES-Wheat model to simulate crop growth, yield, and nitrogen dynamics in a long-term conservation agriculture (CA) based wheat system. The study aimed to calibrate the model using data from a field experiment conducted during the 2019-20-2020-21 growing seasons and evaluation it with independent data from the year 2021–22. Method: Crop simulation models, such as the Crop Environment Resource Synthesis CERES-Wheat (DSSAT v 4.8), may provide valuable insights into crop growth and nitrogen dynamics, enabling decision makers to understand and manage production risk more effectively. Therefore, the present study employed the CERES-Wheat (DSSAT v 4.8) model and calibrated it using field data, including plant phenological phases, leaf area index, aboveground biomass, and grain yield from the 2019-20-2020-21 growing seasons. An independent dataset from the year 2021–22 was used for model evaluation. The model was used to investigate the relationship between growing degree days (GDD), temperature, nitrate and ammonical concentration in soil, and nitrogen uptake by the crop. Additionally, the study explored the impact of contrasting tillage practices and fertilizer nitrogen management options on wheat yields. The experimental site is situated at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, representing Indian Trans-Gangetic Plains Zone (28o 40’N latitude, 77o 11’E longitude and an altitude of 228 m above sea level). The treatments consist of four nitrogen management options, viz., N0 (zero nitrogen), N150 (150 kg N ha−1 through urea), GS (Green seeker based urea application) and USG (urea super granules @150 kg N ha−1) in two contrasting tillage systems, i.e., CA-based zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT). Result: The outcomes exhibited favorable agreement between the model’s simulations and the observed data for crop phenology (With less than 2 days variation in 50% onset of flowering), grain and biomass yield (Root mean square error; RMSE 336 kg ha−1 and 649 kg ha−1, respectively), and leaf area index (LAI) (RMSE 0.28 & normalized RMSE; nRMSE 6.69%). The model effectively captured the nitrate-N (NO3−-N) dynamics in the soil profile, exhibiting a remarkable concordance with observed data, as evident from its low RMSE = 12.39 kg ha−1 and nRMSE = 13.69%. Moreover, as it successfully simulated the N balance in the production system, the nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization pattern as described by the model are highly useful to understand these critical phenomena under both conventional tillage (CT) and CA-based Zero Tillage (ZT) treatments. Conclusion: The study concludes that the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model has significant potential to assess the impacts of tillage and nitrogen management practices on crop growth, yield, and soil nitrogen dynamics in the western Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) region. By providing reliable forecasts within the growing season, this modeling approach can facilitate better planning and more efficient resource management. Future implications: The successful implementation of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model in this study highlights its applicability in assessing crop performance and soil dynamics. Future research should focus on expanding the model’s capabilities by reducing its sensitivity to initial soil nitrogen levels to refine its predictions further. Moreover, the model’s integration with decision support systems and real-time data can enhance its usefulness in aiding agricultural decision-making and supporting sustainable crop management practices.

Nitrogen Dynamics Mechanistic Crop Growth Models Crop Simulation CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA NITROGEN CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE WHEAT MAIZE CROP GROWTH RATE SIMULATION MODELS

El impacto de los mantenimientos preventivos en los sistemas fotovoltaicos interconectados a la red de distribución eléctrica

Kassandra Elizabeth López Esparza Raúl Pérez Bustamante GUILLERMO RAUL GARCIA FERRERA (2023, [Artículo])

La obligación de llevar un sistema o equipo a su máximo rendimiento y operación, así como la resolución de posibles fallas en el mismo, ha dado lugar a la necesidad de desarrollar un ámbito especializado dedicado exclusivamente a abordar estas obligaciones. De esto surge el campo del mantenimiento, cuyo propósito fundamental es asegurar el funcionamiento adecuado de los equipos o instalaciones en los cuales se lleva a cabo dicho trabajo, así como corregir y prevenir fallas o problemas en los sistemas en cuestión. El mantenimiento puede aplicarse en una amplia gama de sectores donde se necesite prevenir o corregir alguna operación, y en el caso del sector energético renovable esto no es una excepción. En particular, el mantenimiento de los sistemas fotovoltaicos interconectadas a la red (SFIR) busca llevar la instalación a su mejor zona de operación y funcionamiento para con esto asegurar la generación de energía. Es por esta razón, que el sector energético se ha unido al desarrollo de una rama que se dedique a la operación y mantenimiento (O&M) de los sistemas fotovoltaicos. En este artículo se exponen los resultados de un estudio de mantenimiento preventivo en una instalación fotovoltaica ubicada en el estado de Aguascalientes, el cual fue realizado por Sunna Power, una empresa dedicada a ofrecer servicios de mantenimiento a SFIR en México. El trabajo explorará el estado de la instalación previo al mantenimiento y su situación una vez que éste ha sido ejecutado. Aun cuando los SFIR requieren poco mantenimiento, este articulo pretende demostrar que a pesar de esto la implementación de un plan de mantenimiento en las instalaciones puede generar un impacto positivo en la producción de energía del sistema, mostrando los resultados obtenidos en el mantenimiento ejecutado en la instalación fotovoltaica.

The obligation to ensure that a system or piece of equipment achieves its maximum performance and functionality, and to correct any failures that may occur, has led to the need to develop a specialized field dedicated exclusively to meeting these obligations. This has given rise to the field of maintenance, the basic aim of which is to ensure the correct functioning of the equipment or installations on which the work is carried out, and to correct and prevent any failures or problems in the systems concerned; maintenance can be applied in a wide range of sectors where it is necessary to prevent or correct an operation, and the renewable energy sector is no exception. In particular, the maintenance of photovoltaic systems connected to the grid (SFIR) aims to bring the installation to its best operational and functional range in order to guarantee energy production; it is for this reason that the energy sector has participated in the development of a branch dedicated to the operation and maintenance (O&M) of photovoltaic systems. This article presents the results of a preventive maintenance study in a photovoltaic plant located in the state of Aguascalientes, carried out by Sunna Power, a company dedicated to providing maintenance services to SFIR in Mexico. The study examines the condition of the installation before maintenance and the situation after maintenance. Although SFIR requires little maintenance, this article aims to demonstrate that the implementation of a maintenance plan in the plants can nevertheless have a positive impact on the energy production of the system, displaying the results obtained in the maintenance carried out on the photovoltaic installation.

Mantenimiento preventivo Módulo fotovoltaico Plan de mantenimiento Sistema fotovoltaico Preventive maintenance Maintenance plan Photovoltaic system INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES TECNOLÓGICAS OTRAS OTRAS