Tempo de escarificação e adoção do sistema plantio direto e a relação com a densidade do solo máxima.

Os diferentes sistemas de manejo do solo podem provocar alterações nas propriedades físicas do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a densidade do solo máxima em função do tempo de escarificação, umidade do solo, e de adoção do sistema plantio direto em um Latossolo Vermelho. A densidade final do solo foi obtida a partir da carga de 1600 kPa pelo teste de compressibilidade do solo com base em cinco sistemas de manejo do solo: sistema preparo convencional (SPC); sistema plantio direto (SPD) com escarificação a cada ano (SPDE1); SPD com escarificação a cada três anos (SPDE3); SPD contínuo por 11 anos (SPDC11); SPD contínuo por 24 anos (SPDC24). A partir da umidade gravimétrica e da densidade do solo foram determinadas curvas de compactação do solo em três profundidades, onde verificou-se ajustes das curvas ao modelo quadrático. A partir da analise das curvas verificou-se que a influencia do tempo sem revolvimento do solo favoreceu a redução da densidade do solo máxima

Retenção e perda de água por evaporação de um Latossolo Vermelho sob diferentes níveis de compactação.

A distribuição do tamanho de poros no perfil do solo é influenciada pela compactação do solo, alterando a continuidade dos poros, e consequentemente reduzindo o fluxo de água no solo. A hipótese deste trabalho é que solos com maior grau de compactação tenham maior microporosidade e consequentemente, maior retenção e menor perda de água por evaporação. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o volume de água armazenada no solo em diferentes níveis de compactação. O trabalho foi conduzido em Londrina/PR, sobre um Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico cultivado em sistema plantio direto (SPD) desde 1996. Os tratamentos foram: SPD escarificado (SPDE); SPD sem escarificação e sem compactação adicional (SPDNC); e SPD com compactação adicional pelo tráfego de colhedora autopropelida de grãos, em quatro diferentes intensidades, representados por: 4 passadas (SPDC4); 8 passadas (SPDC8); 10 passadas (SPDC10) e 20 passadas (SPDC20). O grau de compactação do solo influencia no processo de perda de água do solo. Na ausência de plantas, a maior perda de água ocorre em níveis intermediários de compactação. Maior grau de compactação do solo resulta em maior retenção de água na camada de 0-0,20 m

Mechanistic framework to link root growth models with weather and soil physical properties, including example applications to soybean growth in Brazil

Background and aimsRoot elongation is generally limited by a combination of mechanical impedance and water stress in most arable soils. However, dynamic changes of soil penetration resistance with soil water content are rarely included in models for predicting root growth. Better modelling frameworks are needed to understand root growth interactions between plant genotype, soil management, and climate. Aim of paper is to describe a new model of root elongation in relation to soil physical characteristics like penetration resistance, matric potential, and hypoxia.MethodsA new diagrammatic framework is proposed to illustrate the interaction between root elongation, soil management, and climatic conditions. The new model was written in Matlab®, using the root architecture model RootBox and a model that solves the 1D Richards equations for water flux in soil. Inputs: root architectural parameters for Soybean; soil hydraulic properties; root water uptake function in relation to matric flux potential; root elongation rate as a function of soil physical characteristics. Simulation scenarios: (a) compact soil layer at 16 to 20 cm; (b) test against a field experiment in Brazil during contrasting drought and normal rainfall seasons.Results(a) Soil compaction substantially slowed root growth into and below the compact layer. (b) Simulated root length density was very similar to field measurements, which was influenced greatly by drought. The main factor slowing root elongation in the simulations was evaluated using a stress reduction function.ConclusionThe proposed framework offers a way to explore the interaction between soil physical properties, weather and root growth. It may be applied to most root elongation models, and offers the potential to evaluate likely factors limiting root growth in different soils and tillage regimes

From MDGs to SDGs: The need for Global Thinking and Local Actions in the Nigerian Water Sector

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) elapsed in 2015, reports show that the endeavour was a huge success; however, some targets were not achieved in many developing countries, for example “halving the population without access to improved sanitation. This was found to be due to late commencement and low access to funding among others. Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the livelihoods of billions. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which commenced in January 2016 provides another opportunity for Nigeria to ensure that water and related resources are managed in support of human well-being and ecosystem integrity in a robust economy. Sufficient and safe water should be made available to meet every person’s basic needs, with healthy lifestyles and behaviours easily upheld through reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services, in turn supported by equitably extended and efficiently managed infrastructure. This cannot be achieved if water resources management, infrastructure and service delivery are not sustainably financed, provided and maintained

A review of the SDG 6 synthesis report 2018 from an education, training, and research perspective

In 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Commonly known as the ‘water goal’, SDG 6 went well beyond the limited focus on water supply and sanitation in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and recognized the importance of all aspects of the water cycle in development and that water was embedded directly and indirectly in all 17 SDGs. In 2018, the UN published a report: “Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation 2018” (referred to in this paper as ‘the report’) that reviewed progress with SDG 6 at global and regional levels. Overall, the report concluded there was progress, but it was too slow, and the world was not on track to achieve SDG 6 by 2030 without a significant change of gear. The report was written primarily for those working in sustainable development to guide finance and resource allocation, but there was much embedded in the report that was of value to those engaged in research and in developing the much-needed capacity to plan and manage water resources, particularly in developing countries. This paper attempts to distill these issues and to ask how those involved in education, training, and research could contribute to enabling and accelerating progress towards achieving SDG 6. Three key areas of engagement were identified: the urgent need for more data and improved monitoring to assess SDG 6 progress and to enhance decision-making, the need to address the serious lack of human and institutional capacity that was constraining progress, and the challenge of taking research into policy and practice. Note: This paper is a review of selected aspects of the report (in which production the authors were chiefly involved as coordinators and editors), and as such most of the facts, figures, and discussion in this review are taken from the report. For this reason, we have not continually attributed them to the report to avoid repetition. However, in some cases, we have attributed report material to the primary sources where we considered it important to do so. We have also attributed material we have included, and which is not cited in the report. A review inevitably depends, to some extent, on the views of the reviewers and as such we have tried to make it clear where we are expressing our personal views rather than those expressed in the report. The report contains full references to all the primary sources

A review of the SDG 6 synthesis report 2018 from an education, training, and research perspective

In 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. Commonly known as the ‘water goal’, SDG 6 went well beyond the limited focus on water supply and sanitation in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and recognized the importance of all aspects of the water cycle in development and that water was embedded directly and indirectly in all 17 SDGs. In 2018, the UN published a report: “Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation 2018” (referred to in this paper as ‘the report’) that reviewed progress with SDG 6 at global and regional levels. Overall, the report concluded there was progress, but it was too slow, and the world was not on track to achieve SDG 6 by 2030 without a significant change of gear. The report was written primarily for those working in sustainable development to guide finance and resource allocation, but there was much embedded in the report that was of value to those engaged in research and in developing the much-needed capacity to plan and manage water resources, particularly in developing countries. This paper attempts to distill these issues and to ask how those involved in education, training, and research could contribute to enabling and accelerating progress towards achieving SDG 6. Three key areas of engagement were identified: the urgent need for more data and improved monitoring to assess SDG 6 progress and to enhance decision-making, the need to address the serious lack of human and institutional capacity that was constraining progress, and the challenge of taking research into policy and practice. Note: This paper is a review of selected aspects of the report (in which production the authors were chiefly involved as coordinators and editors), and as such most of the facts, figures, and discussion in this review are taken from the report. For this reason, we have not continually attributed them to the report to avoid repetition. However, in some cases, we have attributed report material to the primary sources where we considered it important to do so. We have also attributed material we have included, and which is not cited in the report. A review inevitably depends, to some extent, on the views of the reviewers and as such we have tried to make it clear where we are expressing our personal views rather than those expressed in the report. The report contains full references to all the primary sources

Socio-Hydrological Approach to the Evaluation of Global Fertilizer Substitution by Sustainable Struvite Precipitants from Wastewater

Despite Africa controlling the vast majority of the global phosphate it also faces the greatest food shortages – partially due to a lack of access to the fertilizer market. A more accessible source of phosphorus comes from wastewater flows, which is currently lost through the discharge to open surface waters. Analysing the potential phosphorus production of urban and livestock wastewater in meeting partial agricultural demand for phosphorus can improve food security, reduce consumption of unrenewable phosphorus, reduce pollution, and aid the transitioning to a circular economy. In this study, a global overview is provided where a selection of P-production and P-consumption sites have been determined using global spatial data. Distances, investment costs and associated carbon footprints are then considered in modelling a simple, alternative trade network of struvite phosphorus flows. The network reveals potential for increasing the phosphorus security through phosphorus recycling in particularly the South Africa, Lake Victoria and Nigeria regions. Given Africa's rapid urbanization, phosphorus recovery from wastewater will prove an important step in creating sustainable communities, protecting the environment while improving food security, and so contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development