Tackling the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies by making peace with nature 50 years after the Stockholm Conference

Today’s increasingly unequal and resource intensive development model degrades and surpasses Earth’s finite capacity to sustain human well-being. Society must restore this capacity and adapt to it without surrendering hard won development gains while also honoring the rightful aspirations of poorer nations and people to enjoy better living standards, according to the UNEP report “Making Peace with Nature”. This article presents findings from the report and reflections on how to take advantage of the 50 years of experience gained since the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The interconnected environmental emergencies of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution need to be addressed together. International scientific assessments are providing the knowledge base for informed evidence-based decision-making, but none of the internationally agreed environmentally targets for climate and biodiversity have been met and the situation is becoming more dire with each passing year. Unless these issues are addressed in the next 5–10 years none of the 2030 sustainable development goals will be achieved. Human knowledge, ingenuity, technology and cooperation need to be mobilized in such an effort. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals provides a blueprint for the transformation. The international environmental governance structure needs to facilitate a system-wide cross-sectoral transformation of humankind's relationship with nature. Transformed economic, financial and productive systems can lead and power the shift to sustainability. Major shifts in investment and regulation are key to just and informed transformations that overcome inertia and opposition from vested interests. Government actions at all levels are needed together with strengthened actions by all actors in society and the next decade is critical

Irrigation effects on growth, stress, visual quality and evapotranspiration of ornamental grasses

2016 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.Deficit irrigation research has proven extremely effective for reducing the amount of irrigation applied to various types of landscape plants including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous ornamental plants. This research has yet to delve into one of the most common classes of drought tolerant plants, ornamental grasses. Deficit irrigation treatments were based on evapotranspiration of a short reference crop (Kentucky bluegrass evapotranspirtation, ETo). In 2012 three ornamental grass species were planted, and an on-site atmometer was used to estimate ETo. The three species used for trialing were Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ (Rotstrahlbusch Switchgrass), Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ (Blaze Little Bluestem), and Calamgrostis brachytricha (Korean Feather Reed Grass). Treatments were applied and data was collected in 2014 and 2015 on two separate studies. The first study was in-ground and consisted of four treatments based on ETo (0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%). The second study was a mini-lysimeter and consisted of three treatments based on ETo (25%, 50%, and 100%). Only Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blaze’ (Blaze Little Bluestem) was used in the lysimeter study. Data collected in both studies included plant water potential, biomass accumulation, green up date, flowering date, height, width, circumference, floral impact, landscape impact, overall habit, self-seeding, and color. The in-ground component also measured infrared canopy temperature and soil water content, while the lysimeter study included daily weight measurements which were then transferred to evapotranspiration readings. Plants in the 0% treatment were smaller and not considered visually suitable for landscape use. All three species in the 25% treatment performed equivalent to the 50% and 100% treatments in all categories. The only exception was plants in the 25% mini-lysimeter study were more stressed than the 50% or 100% treatments during periods of drought. These plants were all considered visually suitable for landscape use based on visual ratings. This suggests that as long as ornamental grasses are kept on a strict weekly regiment of 25% ETo, and are never exposed to periods of drought, they will be physiologically as well as aesthetically usable in the landscape trade. A weekly amount of 0.25 inches of irrigation on weeks without precipitation was determined to be a usable number for those installing and maintaining ornamental grasses

The Look of the Book: Visual Elements in the Experience of Reading from Tristram Shandy to Contemporary Artists\u27 Books

In the age of the novel, we read fiction sequentially and unselfconsciously. This practice requires us to ignore the materiality and appearance of books, for these factors disrupt narrative absorption. The Look of the Book explores specific books from England and America whose visual and material characteristics resist and redefine habitual experiences of reading prose. These specimens connect word and image in the book format, and they therefore resist the theories of critics since Gotthold Lessing that have separated visual and verbal modes. Lessing\u27s contemporary, Laurence Sterne, uses visual elements in Tristram Shandy (1760–67) to digress from the reading sequence while furthering the overall narrative. Sterne\u27s techniques also establish a taxonomy of the book\u27s constituent variables. In the twentieth century, as bookmaking technologies became more widely accessible, a printing renaissance brought artists into book design. Vanessa Bell creates images and designs page layouts to amplify her sister Virginia Woolf\u27s ekphrastic fiction in the third decorated edition of Woolf\u27s Kew Gardens (Hogarth Press, 1927). The illustrations change the pace of reading by integrating word, image and book structure. In Tom Phillips\u27 A Humument: A Treated Victorian Novel and Sheherezade: A Flip Book, by artist Janet Zweig and author Holly Anderson, words are inseparable from the visual layout of the page, and the resulting written texts create temporally fractured narratives. These postmodern artists\u27 books show that narrative fiction and the physical novel are both malleable structures. In all of these works, the book composer, who masterminds the visual arrangement of the text, influences the reading experience in ways that have not been explored in the context of literary criticism. As predictions about the \u27death of the book\u27 circulate in the academy and popular media, this dissertation suggests that books can make available complex modes of reading that we generally do not expect from novels. This interdisciplinary approach is essential at a time when images pervade the cultural context and are being integrated more thoroughly into print media

2016 GREAT Day Program

SUNY Geneseo’s Tenth Annual GREAT Day.https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/program-2007/1010/thumbnail.jp

In the name of the rose: a roadmap for rose research in the genome era

The recent completion of the rose genome sequence is not the end of a process, but rather a starting point that opens up a whole set of new and exciting activities. Next to a high-quality genome sequence other genomic tools have also become available for rose, including transcriptomics data, a high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism array and software to perform linkage and quantitative trait locus mapping in polyploids. Rose cultivars are highly heterogeneous and diverse. This vast diversity in cultivated roses can be explained through the genetic potential of the genus, introgressions from wild species into commercial tetraploid germplasm and the inimitable efforts of historical breeders. We can now investigate how this diversity can best be exploited and refined in future breeding work, given the rich molecular toolbox now available to the rose breeding community. This paper presents possible lines of research now that rose has entered the genomics era, and attempts to partially answer the question that arises after the completion of any draft genome sequence: ‘Now that we have “the” genome, what’s next?’. Having access to a genome sequence will allow both (fundamental) scientific and (applied) breeding-orientated questions to be addressed. We outline possible approaches for a number of these questions

Green natural zeolite catalyst-preparation, characterization and acid catalytic performance

Natural clinoptilolite zeolite-CLIN was acidified by ammonium ion exchange followed by calcination and HCl treatment under soft conditions. The influence of the modification type and treatment conditions on the structure, morphology and acidity was studied by XRD, SEM, FTIR, ICP-AES, TG/DSC, ammonia-TPD, 1H, 27Al and 29SI MAS NMR and N2-ads-des. High temperature calcination of NH4-CLIN and concentrated acid has a more severe impact on the clinoptilolite structure. H-CLIN catalysts are potential and active acid catalysts and synthesis-structure-porosity-acidity-activity relationship was found

Innovative geomaterials for a sustainable agriculture and Agri-Food traceability

The overuse and low efficiency of fertilizers led to an increased interest in innovative and eco-friendly strategies to improve the sustainability of agriculture. The use of geologic materials, such as zeolitite, is a well-established technique to face this challenge. Thanks to their properties, zeolitites are considered soil improvers and they are applied in soil to retain and slowly release nutrients and water, improving plant growth and reducing nutrient losses in the environment. They are also sprayed as particle film on plant leaves and fruit to protect them from pests and environmental stresses. However, strategies which imply the modification of the soil properties may also induce changes in the geochemical fingerprint of the plant. Therefore, the geochemical and isotopic compositions were studied in plants and final products with a food traceability approach to identify the geochemical footprint and to identify the product according to the agricultural practices and the geographical origin. The work has been organized into two experiments focusing on olive growing and grapevine where large quantities of N fertilizer and pesticides are still used. To improve the sustainability of agriculture, the ZeOliva project experimented the use of a zeolitite as soil amendment to reduce the input of N fertilizers. In three fields in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), young olive trees grown on zeolite-amended soil (<50% of N-input) were compared to trees grown on unamended soil (100% N-input). Results showed no significant differences between the two treatments, although the control received twice the N-input from fertilization. Based on these results, it is proposed that the use of zeolitite in olive growing allows a reduction in the amount of fertilizer by up to 50%, with many environmental benefits. Moreover, the demand for geographical identification of agri-food products and eco-friendly agricultural practices has become of great interest. Thereby, geochemical and isotopic analyses of soil, leaf, olive and olive oil from different sites in Italy were performed aiming at identifying geochemical fingerprints to determine 1) the geographical origin and 2) the effect of different foliar treatments. Principal Component Analysis and Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis highlighted a good distinction between the sites, and leaves and olives showed that it is possible to discriminate different foliar treatments thanks to trace elements. PCA and PLS-DA also showed a good separation from different sites thanks to the carbon signature of olive oil Fatty Acids (FAs), revealing stearic, linolenic and oleic acids as the best discriminators. Also the influence of foliar treatments gave a good separation from groups, proving that agricultural practices can influence the isotopic fingerprints of FAs. Based on trace element analyses and isotopic composition, it can be put forward that 1) the geographical origin could be discriminated and 2) different foliar treatments can be recognized, which means that farmers can develop a method to pinpoint their product through geochemical markers. The combination of agricultural practices and water stress conditions was investigated in grapevine to discriminate their effects on the final product. The use of zeolitite as soil amendment was tested on normally irrigated plants and under water stress. Water stress conditions highlighted their influence on plant physiological status and TC in leaves, as well Δ13C, with lower values in water-stressed than well-watered plants. Zeolitite showed meaningful effects on the geochemical composition of soils and leaves. PCA and PLS-DA of data confirmed the separation due to the agricultural practices and highlighted the importance of zeolitite in the geochemical composition. Based on these results, it is suggested that the use of zeolitite in grapevine allows discrimination in the trace element composition of leaf samples, which could be detected in grapes.A causa dell’uso eccessivo di fertilizzanti con bassa efficienza, c’è stato un crescente interesse per lo sviluppo di nuove pratiche agricole ecosostenibili. L’uso di materiali geologici, tra cui le zeolititi, ha avuto uno sviluppo tra le tecniche in grado di fronteggiare questa sfida poiché le zeolititi sono considerate dei fertilizzanti a lento rilascio e permettono di adsorbire/desorbire lentamente i nutrienti e l’acqua, migliorando la crescita delle piante e riducendo le perdite nell’ambiente. Possono anche essere applicate come trattamento fogliare creando una pellicola su foglie e frutti e proteggendoli dai parassiti e dagli stress ambientali. Inoltre, l’applicazione di prodotti può portare a cambiamenti significativi nell’impronta geochimica delle piante. Sono quindi state studiate le composizioni geochimiche e isotopiche nell’ottica della tracciabilità alimentare per distinguere i prodotti finali grazie alle pratiche agricole e all’identificazione geografica. Il lavoro è stato organizzato in due esperimenti nel campo dell’olivicoltura e della viticoltura, nei quali sono ancora oggi utilizzati grandi quantità di fertilizzanti e pesticidi. Per migliorare la sostenibilità nell’olivicoltura, il progetto Zeoliva ha sperimentato la zeolitite come ammendante del suolo per ridurre l’input di N dai fertilizzanti. Nei tre siti sperimentali in Emilia-Romagna (Italia), sono stati confrontati l’uso delle pratiche tradizionali (100% di input di N) e l’uso della zeolitite con una riduzione dei fertilizzanti (<50% di input di N) su olivi giovani. I risultati, nonostante la riduzione dell’input di N nella tesi con zeolitite, non hanno evidenziato nessuna differenza tra i trattamenti, suggerendo che l’uso di zeolititi può effettivamente portare a un miglioramento delle pratiche agronomiche con una riduzione fino al 50% dei fertilizzanti applicati, con conseguenti benefici ambientali. Inoltre negli ultimi anni è cresciuta la necessità di un’identificazione geografica e pratiche agricole ecosostenibili. È stata quindi studiata la composizione geochimica e isotopica di suoli, foglie, olive e oli provenienti da diverse località italiane per determinare 1) l’area di provenienza e 2) gli effetti dei trattamenti fogliari. Le Principal Component Analysis e Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis hanno permesso di discriminare molto bene sia la provenienza geografica che i trattamenti fogliari grazie agli elementi in traccia contenuti in suoli, foglie e olive. Le PCA e PLS-DA hanno anche mostrato una buona separazione geografica e dei trattamenti fogliari grazie alla firma isotopica del carbonio negli acidi grassi degli oli, rivelando che gli acidi stearico, linoleico e oleico sono stati i più discriminanti. In conclusione, sulla base delle analisi degli elementi in traccia e degli isotopi, è stato possibile 1) identificare la provenienza geografica e 2) individuare un’importante strumento per identificare i prodotti grazie ai trattamenti fogliari, consentendo agli agricoltori di sviluppare un metodo “personalizzato” per identificare in maniera univoca il loro prodotto. Nell’ambito della viticoltura è stata testata la combinazione di diverse pratiche agricole (uso della zeolitite) e delle condizioni di stress idrico per discriminare il prodotto finale. Lo stress idrico ha avuto effetti sullo stato fisiologico delle viti, sul TC e Δ13C delle foglie, mentre l’uso della zeolitite come ammendante del suolo ha influenzato la composizione geochimica dei suoli e delle foglie. Le PCA e PLS-DA dei campioni hanno confermato la separazione dei gruppi in funzione delle pratiche agricole ed hanno evidenziato l’importanza della zeolitite nella composizione geochimica. Da questi risultati si è potuto ipotizzare che l’uso della zeolitite nella viticoltura permette una discriminazione nelle foglie grazie agli elementi in traccia, con probabili effetti anche sui grappoli

'Figured Paper for Hanging Rooms': The manufacture, design and consumption of wallpapers for English domestic interiors, c.1740-c.1800

This thesis focuses on paper hangings, an hitherto understudied material in comparison to other components of the Eighteenth century domestic interior. Drawing on recent theories of consumption and the nature of domestic space, the thesis uses study of extant and reconstructed schemes, surviving papers and archival material to illuminate the material's increasingly important role in decoration during the second half of the century. Papers studied include Chinese papers and English papers in the Chinese style, English papers imitating architectural, sculpted and painted ornament and late century English and imported prints and panelled schemes. Three key issues are examined. Firstly, the thesis focuses attention on the structure of the trade, constructing a new model for understanding the way in which the manufacture, retailing, distribution and hanging of papers was organised. Examining the role of imports as well as the rapid expansion of the domestic trade, the thesis argues that control of this trade was contested by both new, and established, trades involved in decoration. Secondly, the role of design is analysed, particularly in terms of the relationship between imitation and innovation. Study of papers' sources further illuminates this issue, for example by examining how far English manufacturers sought to imitate Chinese originals and also how some Chinese papers rework European models. The relationship with other types of wall decoration and three dimensional ornament is also considered; the argument here is that far from merely copying printed designs, papers appropriated design sources from stucco, ceramics and textiles. Thirdly, and finally, aspects of consumption are examined. The thesis investigates how far the selection of paper supports the argument that the period witnessed increased differentiation of space, by gender or function. It questions easy distinctions between the choices of male and female consumers, arguing that both negotiated the materials' positive and negative associations

Advances in plant gene-targeted and functional markers: a review

Public genomic databases have provided new directions for molecular marker development and initiated a shift in the types of PCR-based techniques commonly used in plant science. Alongside commonly used arbitrarily amplified DNA markers, other methods have been developed. Targeted fingerprinting marker techniques are based on the well-established practices of arbitrarily amplified DNA methods, but employ novel methodological innovations such as the incorporation of gene or promoter elements in the primers. These markers provide good reproducibility and increased resolution by the concurrent incidence of dominant and co-dominant bands. Despite their promising features, these semi-random markers suffer from possible problems of collision and non-homology analogous to those found with randomly generated fingerprints. Transposable elements, present in abundance in plant genomes, may also be used to generate fingerprints. These markers provide increased genomic coverage by utilizing specific targeted sites and produce bands that mostly seem to be homologous. The biggest drawback with most of these techniques is that prior genomic information about retrotransposons is needed for primer design, prohibiting universal applications. Another class of recently developed methods exploits length polymorphism present in arrays of multi-copy gene families such as cytochrome P450 and β-tubulin genes to provide cross-species amplification and transferability. A specific class of marker makes use of common features of plant resistance genes to generate bands linked to a given phenotype, or to reveal genetic diversity. Conserved DNA-based strategies have limited genome coverage and may fail to reveal genetic diversity, while resistance genes may be under specific evolutionary selection. Markers may also be generated from functional and/or transcribed regions of the genome using different gene-targeting approaches coupled with the use RNA information. Such techniques have the potential to generate phenotypically linked functional markers, especially when fingerprints are generated from the transcribed or expressed region of the genome. It is to be expected that these recently developed techniques will generate larger datasets, but their shortcomings should also be acknowledged and carefully investigated.Peer reviewe