BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH AIMS: Most of volcanic landscapes on Java, Indonesia, are increasingly being used for agriculture. As a consequence, high rate of soil erosion due to agricultural cultivation cannot be avoided. Agricultural reservoir is one of methods to maintain soil loss due to erosion. Most research to date, however, have been based on the function of the reservoirs rather than on the arrangement of the reservoirs which are usually locally specific. Thus, an evaluation of the arrangement for agricultural reservoir becomes a crucial innovation. This study was aimed at examining the effectiveness of agricultural reservoir arrangement along rill erosion in reducing runoff volume as well as erosion rate, and increasing sediment trapped.

METHODS: The research was conducted using the field survey method at a key sampling area by considering the dominant relief and land cover on the volcanic landscape of the Sumbing Volcano. Data collected includes soil properties (texture, organic matter, porosity, soil pore distribution, permeability, and soil infiltration rate), runoff discharge, runoff volume, and sediment delivery. Research started by determining the points for placing the agricultural reservoirs along the rill erosion and continued with field and laboratory measurements.

RESULTS: Our results showed that placing agricultural reservoirs along the rill erosion effectively reduced erosion by 99.97%. Consequently, the erosion rate was only 5.5 × 10⁻⁴ ton ha⁻¹. The effectiveness of agricultural reservoirs in reducing runoff volume and sediment delivery was 99.72% and 94.15%, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Agricultural reservoirs that are placed along the rill erosion effectively trap sediment and reduce runoff so that erosion rates decrease.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION: Placing agricultural reservoirs along rill erosion can improve the effectiveness of reservoirs in decreasing the erosion rate. This strategy helps reduce runoff and sediment to maintain the productivity of agricultural land. Finding a suitable strategy for the evaluation of erosion and sedimentation processes has important implications for soil and water conservation.

The effective management of solid waste presents a pressing challenge within the environmental sector, given its adverse impacts on health and the environment (water, soil, air). This global concern is particularly relevant for cities striving to implement efficient waste management strategies. This study explores the factors that impact environmental awareness and solid waste management practices in Bogota, offering valuable insights for designing and implementing effective public policies and environmental management strategies. By understanding the drivers of environmental behavior among city residents, local authorities can devise more precise interventions and implement environmental education and awareness programs aimed at fostering sustainable waste management practices. The city of Bogota faces unique challenges in waste management, considering that the amount of waste generated per capita has increased fivefold in recent years, coupled with being a densely populated city. Data from the 2021 Environmental Culture Survey conducted by Bogota’s Mayor’s Office, consisting of 266,994 entries, was analyzed using LASSO regularized logistic regression. LASSO offers advantages such as automatic feature selection, multicollinearity reduction, regularization to prevent overfitting, computational efficiency, and flexibility in a variety of modeling problems. The study provides significant insights into waste separation behaviors in Bogota, Colombia. The algorithm, with a 70% accuracy coefficient, indicates a direct correlation with the number of years individuals have resided in the city, demonstrating a 3.2% increase in the probability of consistently separating waste. Residents of Usaquén, Chapinero, Barrios Unidos, Bosa, and Teusaquillo exhibit higher probabilities of consistent waste separation, while those in San Cristóbal, Usme, Suba, Antonio Nariño, Rafael Uribe Uribe, and Ciudad Bolívar tend to have lower probabilities. Confidence in the recycling process significantly impacts behavior, with a 62.7% increase in the probability of consistently separating waste among those assured of the process. The study also highlights the importance of recycling bin availability, as individuals with only one bin in the kitchen show an 81.2% likelihood of almost never separating waste. The discoveries from this study regarding the factors influencing household waste separation and recycling practices offer valuable insights for enhancing environmental education and promotion strategies. By delving into the intricate dynamics of sociodemographic, geographical, and attitudinal elements, this research sheds light on the complexities of waste separation behaviors. These insights are pivotal for crafting tailored policies that can yield greater effectiveness in promoting sustainable practices and facilitating environmental conservation.

Most urban water catchments are confronted with the challenges of eutrophication and other anthropogenic-related pollutants that can pose human health threats. To assess the suitability of using such anthropogenically polluted dam water for agricultural purposes the study monitored the co-existence of microcystins (MCs), metal pollutants, and anionic surfactants in irrigation canals and farm dams around Roodeplaat and Hartbeespoort Dams in South Africa. Field sampling was conducted four times between June 2019 and March 2021. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, a Hanna (HI96769) anionic surfactant portable photometer, and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), were used to detect and quantify microcystins (MCs), anionic surfactants, and metals respectively. The results indicated that the water exceeded the guidelines for pH, EC, TDS, and nitrates. Eutrophication-related parameters such as MCs, chlorophyll a, and anionic surfactants were also relatively high. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed the co-occurrence of MCs with EC, TDS, Pb, Cu, Al, and Ni in Hartbeespoort Dam-derived water, whereas pH and turbidity co-occurred with MCs in Roodeplaat Dam water. Such co-occurrences suggest that these parameters can be routinely monitored in place of MCs and this can be crucial in developing countries where resources and skilled manpower could be lacking.

For effective water and land resource management in data-scarce areas, it is imperative to investigate the spatial variability of sediment yield using a rapid, reliable, and affordable approach. The current study demonstrated the use of tools and models viz. Geographic Information System (GIS), Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) based approach for the assessment of soil loss and sediment yield rate in Lake Hawassa Sub-basin. Input data used were soil, rainfall, digital elevation model (DEM), and land use and land cover change (LULC) maps. The result of the study showed that there was significant and widespread soil loss and sediment yield on cultivated land dominated by moderate, steep and very steep slopes with little vegetation and barren areas. An estimated mean of 16.36 t/ha/year, or 1.97 million tonnes of soil is lost annually by sheet and rill erosion across the Sub-basin. The sediment delivery ratio (SDR) at the outlet of the lake sub-basin was 0.249. Accordingly, the quantified sediment yield at the sub-basin outlet, taking into account the average-based soil loss and sediment delivery ratio, was found to be 4.07 t/ha/year. The annual siltation rate of the lake from these two forms of erosion was found to be 1.01 cm/year. Therefore, depending on the severity of the soil loss, appropriate Best Management Practices (BMP) should be applied to reduce the rate of soil loss and sediment yield to protect the lake and its ecosystem.

Soil water is the main water source for plants, which is replenished by rainfall in the water-limited agricultural systems. Quantifying temporal dynamics of water soil deficit and its replenishment by rainfall can evaluate whether soil water meet the water demand for plants. This would provide accurate guide for when and how the irrigation practices conducted. However, this topic has not been deeply elucidated. In this study, soil water content at varied soil depths and precipitation were continuously monitored during two growing seasons in an apple orchard in the Loess Plateau of China. Soil water storage, soil water deficit and replenishment were also quantified. The results showed that soil water content varied temporally due to the impacts of rainfalls. Soil water storage at 0 ~ 200 cm depth ranged from 272.5 mm to 355.6 mm and the degree of soil water deficit ranged from 0.34 to 0.53 correspondingly. Meanwhile, replenishment of soil water by rainfall was 13.00% in 2017 and 9.78% in 2018, respectively. The qualitative relationship between monthly rainfalls and replenishment indicated that soil water was replenished by rainwater only at soil layers shallower than 160 cm. From the temporal dynamics of soil water content and deficit conditions, soil water could meet the water demand at the fruit expanding stage of apple trees. Irrigation measures should be taken to reduce the soil drought stress at this stage. This study provided an effective hydrological basis to improve the irrigation management of orchards and the efficiency of water resource.

A study was conducted with the objective of determining the effect of deficit irrigation on maize (Zea mays L.) under conventional, fixed, and alternate furrow irrigation. The experiment was conducted at Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 dry periods. Nine treatments of different deficit irrigation levels were factorial combined and randomized in plots, and all cultural practices were done. The crop water requirement was calculated using the CROPWAT8.0 program. Yield and growth parameter data were recorded, and analyzed using SAS software. The two-year over-all statistical analysis result showed that, different deficit irrigation levels had a significant effect (p<0.05) on grain yield, ear height, fresh biomass, 100 seed weight, girth, and water productivity. However, there was no significant effect (p > 0.05) on plant height and internode length. The result revealed that 100% ETc conventional furrow gave the highest grain yield (106.1 Qun/ha), followed by 75% ETc conventional furrow (101.23 Qun/ha) and 50% ETc conventional furrow (81.86 Qun/ha). The minimum yield of 55.64 Qun/ha was obtained at a fixed 50% furrow irrigation, and there was a 52.44% yield improvement. The maximum fresh biomass of 196.5 Qun/ha was obtained from 100% conventional furrow, and the minimum 103.40 Qun/ha was at 50% fixed furrow irrigation. The maximum and minimum water productivity of 8.007 and 2.8 kg/m³ were obtained at 75% conventional and 100% fixed furrow irrigation, respectively. Considering the water productivity, net economic benefit and sustainable production of the crop in the agroecology of the study area, combination of 55% up to 85% of deficit irrigation level with conventional furrow irrigation system could be recommended for the production of maize in a deficit furrow irrigation method. Based on the observations made and the statistical analysis done, fixed furrow irrigation was not recommended for the study area.

Currently, the demand for water is rising, and as a result, the groundwater is declining. Water supplies are not sufficient for agricultural productivity, environmental preservation, or ecosystem services, resulting in an unbalanced water budget in the basin. The goal of this paper is to assess the groundwater recharge in the Jedeb sub-basin using WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling. A spatially distributed water balance model is developed to simulate long-term average recharge depending on land cover, soil texture, topography, and hydro meteorological parameters. The groundwater model is iteratively connected to the recharge model in order to simulate recharge. This means that the depth of the groundwater affects the recharge estimate and vice versa. The average yearly evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge were determined using WetSpass-M to be 574, 898, and 99 mm, respectively. Groundwater recharge accounted for 6.3% of precipitation, while actual evapotranspiration and surface runoff accounted for 36.4% and 57% of precipitation, respectively. In such seasonal variations, the groundwater level in the Jedeb Sub-basin was studied under various stress conditions (dry season, wet season, and annually). The groundwater level distribution varied from 2,052.3 to 3,063.06 m in the summer stress period (recharge). While in the winter stress period (recharge), the groundwater level varied from 2,051.41 to 3,061.92 m, and the groundwater level due to the annual stress period (recharge) varied from 2,053.76 to 3,064.5 m. With a correlation coefficient of .89, which is an acceptable fit between the simulated and observed heads in steady state for all stress periods (summer, winter, and annual recharge). The contribution of this study could be used as baseline information for regional water resource experts, policymakers, and researchers for further investigation.

Sedimentary prokaryotes are primarily responsible for metabolic activity in rivers. They are subjected to a variety of natural and anthropogenic pressures, allowing us to use the composition and diversity of their communities as indicators of ecological health. For our investigation, we looked at sediments from three ecologically critical streams in the Lower Tallapoosa River Basin (Choctafaula, Uphapee, and Cubahatchee Creeks). The prokaryotic community was characterized using molecular approaches, and elemental concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. This research demonstrated that Proteobacteria (45.02–80.73%), Bacteroidetes (1.98–26.52%), Firmicutes (1.36–50.67%), Actinobacteria (1.55–16.81%), and Acidobacteria (0.13–8.77%) were the most prevalent phyla. Key physicochemical parameters, core communities at multiple taxonomic levels, and several pathogenic genera shifted radically between streams. Weighted and unweighted unifrac distance metrics based PCoA plots indicated the structural and membership similarity of samples from specific creek ecosystems. Based on our research findings, it is evident that the composition and diversity of prokaryotic communities in sediment could serve as significant indicators in stream ecosystems. Further investigation and application of these indicators could prove valuable in assessing the health of streams, particularly in light of the accelerated changes resulting from climate change within a condensed timeframe.

BACKGROUND: The challenges of third-world countries toward curbing indoor air pollution seem insurmountable as its solution is closely linked to their economic incapacities, lifestyle, and existing outdoor air quality. The economic incapacities include types of the cookstove, fuel sources, types of insecticides and pesticides, building patterns, indoor fermentation activities (such as leaving dirty plates and biological waste in the house for a long time), and regulation on the use of deodorants. Aside from the common pollutants from these sources, the reactive chemistry of pollutants leads to other kinds of pollutants which have been reported to be short-lived but dangerous.

OBJECTIVES:The objectives of the study are to: profile emerging indoor pollutants; examine the pollutant dynamics and their impact on unplanned regions of developing countries; offer solutions to curb indoor pollution in the identified region; elaborate on the cost analysis of existing solutions and how irrelevant they may be due to the rising poverty index; and project how government policies could help in reducing indoor pollution.

DESIGN: This paper is a review that wholistically examined indoor pollution. A total of fifty-six articles was reviewed in addition to the data obtained from MERRA-2.

RESULTS: The study observed that indoor air pollution dynamics are more complex—compared to outdoor air pollution. It was observed that the possibility to control indoor air pollution is based on the type of pollutants, the reactive chemistry of the pollutants, and ventilation in the building. This review shows that poverty is one of the many reasons why indoor air pollution would be a source of menace for a long time in third-world countries. Several solutions to curbing indoor air pollution were considered with a principal focus on cost and availability.

LIMITATIONS: Most experimental results that were used to corroborate postulates were obtained from the literature. The accuracy of those experiments and the sensitivity of the equipment used cannot be verified.

CONCLUSION: The plant-based technique was identified as a perfect solution to indoor air pollution control in third-world countries but the local architecture and lifestyle of most third-world countries constitute a threat to its adoption. It was observed that less than 8% of third-world countries have specific Air Quality Acts which have not been amended for decades. Most third-world countries have a general Environmental Act with air quality as a sub-section in the Act with very low fines for violators. The inclusion of indoor air quality as a vital public health issue in third-world countries is necessary for the preservation of lives and posterity.