Examining International Land Use Policies, Changes, and Conflicts


Book Description

Though conflicts continue to arise over land use and land cover changes, the conversion of forest land to cropland or other land uses such as housing and urban development have been on the rise in recent years. Decisions regarding land use and land cover influence climate change as well as various natural processes. While proper changes can minimize the effects and speed of climatic changes, the continued adverse changes may be accelerating the deterioration of the world’s condition. Examining International Land Use Policies, Changes, and Conflicts presents the latest research on the present status of land use and land cover changes throughout the world in order to determine appropriate land use policies that can protect earth’s present and future condition. The findings of the studies investigate the conflicts behind the land tenure and land uses in different countries of the world and examines existing policies and the reasons behind changes in them. Ultimately, the book provides readers with knowledge on how land can be managed in a sustained manner, how landscape models are helpful for predicting and determining future land uses, how land can be managed with the best architectural measures, and how urban forestry is helpful for better environmental management and adapting or mitigating climate change effects. Land users, agriculturalists, urban planners, policymakers, government officials, researchers, academicians, and students looking to improve their understanding of this topic for better use of land in the future will find this book to be an asset to their current research.




Ecology of Arable Land — Perspectives and Challenges


Book Description

Agriculture in the industrial world has gone A common interest of the contributors is increas through dramatic changes over the past decades. ing the understanding of the turnover of carbon Mechanization in combination with high inputs of and inorganic nutrients in terestrial ecosystems. fertilizers and pesticides has turned deficits of agri The authors approach this topic from different cultural products into surplus. Over the same directions depending on their interests and ex period we have experienced increased environment pertise. Difficulties are identified in the quantifica al problems in both the atmosphere and our water tion of below-ground production where death and resources, which have been associated with the re-growth, if incorporated into the calculations, changes in management practices. can change production figures considerably as Concern about the potential pollution by compared to values derived from "peak" estimates. nitrogen fertilizers as well as the low utilization The role of root-derived carbon is investigated in efficiency of applied nitrogen by plants has created relation to nutrient competition between roots and a need for a better understanding of nitrogen microorganisms, the cost of N2 fixation and the cycling in the plant-soil-water system. To achieve decomposition of organic nitrogen. Mycorrhizae this, it is neccessary to study process interactions use root-derived carbon and their roles in phos and process regulation in an ecosystem context. phorus conservation and in supplying nutrients to During the last decade many ecosystem studies the host are exemplified.




Biological Resource Management Connecting Science and Policy


Book Description

Jointly published with INRA, Paris. The application of new production methods in the food industry - genetic engineering in plants and animals - as well as recent crises over food-borne diseases have led consumers to a growing concern about science as an appropriate basis for developing sound agricultural policies. This book presents the discussion of scientists and politicians in the framework of an OECD programme conference on how to restore public trust in the application of new scientific achievements concerning food production.










Insect and Hydroponic Farming in Africa


Book Description

Interestingly, some relief from today's woes may come from ancient human practices. While current agri-food production models rely on abundant supplies of water, energy, and arable land and generate significant greenhouse gas emissions in addition to forest and biodiversity loss, past practices point toward more affordable and sustainable paths. Different forms of insect farming and soilless crop farming, or hydroponics, have existed for centuries. In this report the authors make a persuasive case that frontier agriculture, particularly insect and hydroponic farming, can complement conventional agriculture. Both technologies reuse society's agricultural and organic industrial waste to produce nutritious food and animal feed without continuing to deplete the planet's land and water resources, thereby converting the world's wasteful linear food economy into a sustainable, circular food economy. As the report shows, insect and hydroponic farming can create jobs, diversify livelihoods, improve nutrition, and provide many other benefits in African and fragile, conflict-affected countries. Together with other investments in climate-smart agriculture, such as trees on farms, alternate wetting and drying rice systems, conservation agriculture, and sustainable livestock, these technologies are part of a promising menu of solutions that can help countries move their land, food, water, and agriculture systems toward greater sustainability and reduced emissions. This is a key consideration as the World Bank renews its commitment to support countries' climate action plans. This book is the Bank's first attempt to look at insect and hydroponic farming as possible solutions to the world's climate and food and nutrition security crisis and may represent a new chapter in the Bank's evolving efforts to help feed and sustain the planet.




Land Resource Potential and Constraints at Regional and Country Levels


Book Description

This publication provides an overview of the world's land resources characteristics, their status and limitations at a global, regional and national level. The statistics given include data on soil, climate and terrain characteristics and constraints, human-induced land degradation status and desertification risk. A comparative analysis of national land resource potential is included. A link is made between the land resource limitations and the population affected.







Ecology of Arable Land - Perspectives and Challenges


Book Description

The application to agriculture of predictive plant production models based on regional experimental data. Primary productivity of natural grass ecosystems of the tropics: a reappraisal. A reassessment of shoot/root and root/ organic matter interactions. Why and how to estimate the cost of symbiotic N2 fixation? a progressive approach based on the use of 14C and 15N isotopes. Plant- and soil-related controls of the flow of carbon from roots through the soil microbial biomass. Carbon and nitrogen dynamics along the decay continuum: plant litter to soil organic matter. Nitrogen cycling in farming systems derived from savanna: perspectives and challenges. Influences of elemental interactions and pedogenic processes in organic matter dynamics. Modelling land use effects of soil organic matter dynamics in the North American Great Plains. Simulating regional patterns of soil C, N, and P dynamics in the U.S. central grasslands region. Management of earthworm populations in agroecosystems: a possible way to maintain soil quality? Impact of human activities on nematode communities in terrestrial ecosystems. Cycling of nutrients from dying roots to living plants, including the role of mycorrhizas. Mycorrhizal mycelia and their role in soil and plant communities. Activity of nitrifiers in relation to nitrogen nutrition of plants in natural ecosystems. Nitrogen availability and nitrification during succession: primary, secondary, and old-field series. The influence of invertebrates on soil fertility and plant growth in temperate grasslands. Role of soil animals in C and N mineralisation. Inferring trophic transfers from pulse-dynamics in detrital food webs. Can population and process ecology be combined to understand nutrient cycling?. Perspectives on measurement of denitrification in the field including recommended protocols for acetylene based methods. Impact of agricultural landscape structure on cycling of inorganic nutrients. The movement of nutrients across heterogeneous landscapes. Development, validation and applications of simulation models for agroecosystems: problems and perspectives. Statistical opportunities for analyzing spatial and temporal heterogenety fo field soils. Models by decision makers and ecologists, can they be coupled?. The use of nitrogen fertiliser in agriculture. Where do we go practically and ecologically?




Patterns and Trends in World Agricultural Land Use


Book Description

Extract: Technological change will be essential in increasing crop production to meet the future world food needs because the world's population is increasing at a much faster rate than is the increase in usable agricultural land. Although only about half of the world's estimated 3 billion hectares of arable land is currently used for crop production, the remainder is generally believed to be only marginally productive. Cropland area has actually decreased in some regions of the world. This study measures agricultural land availability and trends and provides specific land constraints to world food production projections.