Water Quality Trading and Offset Initiatives in the U.S.: A Comprehensive Survey

This document summarizes water quality trading and offset initiatives in the United States, including state-wide policies and recent proposals. The following format was used to present information on each program. We attempted to have each program summary reviewed by at least one contact person for program accuracy. In the cases where this review occurred, we added the statement "Reviewed by.." at the end of the case summary

Determination of kinetic data of sugarcane bagasse deslignification and of the enzymatic hydrolysis with pretreatment with calcium hydroxide

Orientadores: Aline Carvalho da Costa, Rubens Maciel FilhoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia QuimicaResumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi a otimização do pré-tratamento de bagaço de cana com hidróxido de cálcio para facilitar a hidrólise enzimática posterior visando a produção de etanol de segunda geração, além da obtenção de dados cinéticos experimentais na etapa do pré-tratamento e de hidrólise enzimática para posteriores estudos de modelagem. O pré-tratamento foi realizado de acordo com um planejamento composto central 23,com o objetivo de avaliar a influência do tempo de pré-tratamento (h), temperatura (°C) e concentração de hidróxido de cálcio (p/p) na liberação de açúcares após hidrólise. A máxima produção de glicose foi de 228,45 mg/g biomassa seca, correspondentes a 409,9 mg/g de biomassa seca de açúcares redutores totais (ART), com o pré-tratamento realizado a 90 °C, durante 90 h e com uma carga de cal de 0,4 g/g biomassa seca. A cinética do pré-tratamento foi obtida para diferentes temperaturas (60, 70, 80 e 90°C) e um modelo cinético foi determinado para a deslignificação do bagaço com cal como uma função da temperatura. A energia de ativação da reação de deslignificação foi estimada como 31,47 kJ/mol. A determinação dos dados cinéticos durante a hidrólise enzimática foi realizada com bagaço pré-tratado nas condições ótimas, variando a carga de sólidos de 1 a 5% (p/v), com uma concentração fixa de enzima de 500 FPU/L de celulase e 500 CBU/L de ß-glicosidase. Os resultados mostraram rendimentos glicosídicos próximos aos estequiométricos para a carga de sólidos de 1%. Experimentos adicionais foram realizados fixando a concentração de bagaço em 3% e variando as concentrações de celulase e ß-glicosidase de acordo com um planejamento 22 + configuração composto central. Esta análise mostrou que o aumento das concentrações de celulase e ß-glicosidase tiveram efeito positivo até 475 FPU/L e 750 CBU/L, respectivamente, e a partir deste ponto um aumento das concentrações resultou em uma diminuição de rendimentoAbstract: The objective of this work was the optimization of the pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse with calcium hydroxide to enhance the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis aiming at the production of second generation ethanol, as well as the determination of experimental kinetic data of the pretreatment stage and of the enzymatic hydrolysis for posterior modeling studies. The pretreatment was performed, according to a 23 central composite design, in order to evaluate the influence of pretreatment time (h), temperature (°C) and calcium hydroxide concentration (Ca(OH)2).The maximum glucose yield was 228.45mg/g raw biomass, corresponding to 409.9 mg/g raw biomass of total reducing sugars (TRS), with the pretreatment performed at 90 °C, for 90 h and with a lime loading of 0.4g/g dry biomass. Kinetic data of the pretreatment were obtained for different temperatures (60, 70, 80 and 90 °C) and a kinetic model for bagasse delignification with lime as a function of temperature was determined. The kinetic model was empirically established as a first-order reaction corresponding to the bulk phase for pretreatment time up to 108 h. The activation energy for the delignification reaction was estimated at 31.47 kJ/mol. The kinetic data of the enzymatic hydrolysis were obtained with bagasse pretreated in the optimal conditions, varying solids loading from 1 to 5% (m/v) with 500 FPU/L of cellulase and 500 CBU/L of ß-glucosidase. The results show that glycosidic yields next to the stoichiometric are attained for solids loading of 1%. Additional experiments were performed fixing the bagasse concentration at 3% and varying celulase and ß-glucosidase concentrations according to a 22 + star configuration factorial design. This analysis shows that an increase in the concentrations of cellulase and ß-glucosidase have a positive effect until up to a point and from this point up (475 FPU/L and 750 CBU/L, respectively), increasing concentrations resulted in a decrease in the yieldMestradoDesenvolvimento de Processos QuímicosMestre em Engenharia Químic

Evaluation of modis-aqua and olci chlorophyll-a products in contrasting waters of the southwestern Atlantic ocean

Satellite chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) estimations provide a valuable tool to study marine phytoplankton dynamics with unprecedented spatial and temporal coverage. Standard empirical Chl-a algorithms perform well where phytoplankton is the dominant optically active component in seawater, but usually fail in those regions where there is a high optical influence from multiple dissolved and particulate components that are not covariant with Chl-a (Prieur and Sathyendrenath, 1981). Therefore, in coastal regions, where colored dissolved and suspended particulate matter are dominant, it is crucial to perform an accuracy assessment of satellite Chl-a products to ensure their reliable use.Fil: Delgado, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Pratolongo, Paula Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Dogliotti, Ana Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina. Instituto Franco-Argentino sobre Estudios del Clima y sus Impactos; ArgentinaFil: Arena, Maximiliano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Celleri, Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; ArgentinaFil: Garzon Cardona, John Edison. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química; Argentin

Alternativas para el proceso de recuperación de suelos contaminados por el uso de agroquímicos en el cultivo del tomate en el municipio de Gramalote departamento Norte de Santander Colombia.

Los suelos contaminados por agroquímicos utilizados en los cultivos de tomate, actualmente son una de las problemáticas más relevantes debido a que estos cultivos son susceptibles a diversas plagas, enfermedades y virus, por lo cual son controladas por medio del manejo de insecticidas, fungicidas y plaguicidas. Este documento enfatiza las diversas alternativas para el tratamiento de suelos contaminados por agroquímicos utilizados en el cultivo del tomate en Gramalote, Norte de Santander. Se realiza un análisis de los problemas desencadenados por el uso de pesticidas, plaguicidas y fungicidas en las actividades agrícolas correspondientes al establecimiento y producción del cultivo del tomate. Así mismo se analizan los efectos de estos productos contaminantes presentes en los suelos, en el ambiente y en la salud humana. Se analiza una metodología de tratamiento para los suelos afectados por los contaminantes, en la búsqueda de alternativas amigables con el medio ambiente que contribuyan al mejoramiento de estas prácticas que deterioran poco a poco la composición y condiciones fisicoquímicas y microbiológicas del suelo además de los ecosistemas autóctonos de la zona de influencia del cultivo.Soils contaminated by agrochemicals used in tomato crops are currently one of the most relevant problems because these crops are susceptible to various pests, diseases and viruses, for which they are controlled through the management of insecticides, fungicides and pesticides. This document emphasizes the various alternatives for the treatment of soils contaminated by agrochemicals used in tomato cultivation in Gramalote, Norte de Santander. An analysis of the problems triggered by the use of pesticides, pesticides and fungicides in agricultural activities corresponding to the establishment and production of tomato crops is carried out. Likewise, the effects of these polluting products present in soils, the environment and human health are analyzed. A treatment methodology for soils affected by pollutants is analyzed, in the search for environmentally friendly alternatives that contribute to the improvement of these practices that little by little deteriorate the composition and physicochemical and microbiological conditions of the soil in addition to the native ecosystems. of the zone of influence of the crop

Sustainable agricultural practices and their adoption in sub-Saharan Africa: A selected review

Africa is currently only producing about 10% of global agricultural output while estimated to possess 25% of the world’s arable land. That said, the estimated additional available agricultural land is probably lower than what is generally assumed given the trend in rising rural population density, which, in places is comparable to Asian levels. Moreover, most soils are fragile with low nutrients and organic matter concentration.A "great balancing act" is needed between the increasing and diversifying food and nutrition security (FNS) needs and the resources available. More generically, reaching FNS faces both conventional (demographics) and emerging challenges (climate change). The debate on the sustainability of agriculture requires translation into specific approached and practices. The report gathers a conventional literature review of existing publications (Peer-reviewed journals, major reports and relevant project documents). The material consulted was mostly in English with references to French documents particularly for West and Central African experiences. The key databases consulted were Scopus and Google Scholar.The challenges faced by Africa’s agriculture are very diverse considering a sustainable approach in responding to the regions’ FNS needs. As such, there is no single solution (‘silver bullet’) allowing the sector to sustainably increase its contribution to food supply. Ultimately, opting for a coherent set of approaches or more targeted agricultural practices depends on the great diversity of local contexts (environmental, institutional, seasonal, etc.) as well as characteristics and motivation of individual farmers and their communities. Collective action in the uptake of key practices has been recorded as having produced more sustainable benefits. When looking at each newly adapted practice as innovations it is essential to look towards more coherent, and more importantly, effective sustainable production systems. For FNS intervention to be sustainable, intervention would benefit from adopting a landscape framework so that the various objectives of sustainability can be coherently negotiated alongside pure FNS objectives. Considering land sharing could be particularly relevant for areas with potential agriculture frontier (e.g. Sahel countries, RDC) but also to those were forest "encroachment" is the only remaining frontier given the rising population density. Management approaches that could improve soils emerge as a prerequisite to conventional intensification. As it is the case for input-based intensification of agriculture, the results from the different management-based approaches are not universal and absolute responses cannot be derived from the cases reviewed (including the meta-analyses). Careful targeting and local adaptation remain fundamental ingredients for both improved performance and the long-term adoption of any of the principles and associated practices. A general challenge for adoption is that of timing. Any new practice or approach promoted is expected to provide at least a perceivable improvement in the objectives of farmers in the short-term, when they are generally most sensitive to.JRC.D.4-Economics of Agricultur

Farm size-performance relationship: A review

The report assesses the relationship between size and performance (i.e. direct, inverse or non-monotonic) and aims to shed light on the debate by providing a qualified answer to the question in the developing world. Farm and plot performance data was gathered through an exhaustive review of mostly peer-reviewed publications over the last 21 years (1997-2017) in English, French and Spanish. Following the screening of the material, a selection of 421 papers was reviewed, creating a pool of over 1000 individual observations or cases. Both specific and general agricultural economics studies using land area as explaining variable in their performance estimates were explored. Three groups of indicators (i.e. gross output, net value and efficiency) were analysed according to area size in an effort to go beyond the too often used yield or gross value per area as performance indicators. Analyses based on farm data show that there has been a revival of interest on the question, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), given the increased rate of specific literature publications. Such production is highly concentrated within multilateral bodies (i.e. World Bank, IFPRI and associated research institutions in developed countries), in contrast, for example with the material developed in Asia mostly originating from regional research institutions. The review looked for evidence documenting the various possible relationships that could relate the size of an agricultural holding to its performance. The main explanations shaping the size-performance relationship were explored, namely: the contextual rural input market imperfections but also methodological shortcomings hampering the relevance of the existing literature on the subject. On the one hand, IR is clearly the dominant type of interaction between crop land area and agricultural performance using the most common performance indicator group used (gross output mainly populated by yield or total value). However, part of the literature has clearly demonstrated that the use of this type of indicator of performance, and the physical volumes in particular, are generally ill-advised in assessing the farm size performance relationship. On the other hand, the less frequent but more global productivity indicator group of "efficiency" and "net values" do not report such a clear cut relationship. As a matter of fact, cases using "efficiency" performance indicators are more likely to record a direct relationship than IR. Moreover, the emergence of non-monotonic relationships needs to be highlighted showing that the relationship may not be constant. Tests conducted on the existing material clearly associate a number of rural factor market imperfections with the prevalence of the IR. Hence, IR is more likely to be a symptom of imperfections and lack of opportunities for rural labour than an advantage of a given type of farms. In turn, methodological reasons explored also indicate that narrower ranges of farm size in a given study increase the reporting of IR, particularly in SSA and when analysing partial performance indicators. From being an established stylised “fact” in development economics, IR cannot be taken for granted because of empirical complexities in accurately assessing it but also because there is evidence that such a relationship depends on the performance indicator analysed. Hence, IR may not necessarily be considered systematic, continuous, stable through time, irreversible or universal. From a broader development intervention perspective, and on the basis of the review results, the recommended performance indicators (i.e. net value and efficiency) show that larger farms tend to be more performant than smallholders. This does not suggests the abandonment of smallholders by policy as there are both critical economic and social justifications for the direct improvement of the living conditions of a large share of the population in most of the developing world.JRC.D.4-Economics of Agricultur

Sistematización de la experiencia de práctica profesional con el desarrollo de estrategias pedagógicas que permiten fortalecer la inteligencia emocional en los niños de cuatro años de la fundación Cai Albert Einstein para mejorar la convivencia escolar

Desarrollar Estrategias Pedagógicas que permitan fortalecer la inteligencia emocional en los niños de cuatro años de la fundación CAI Albert Einstein para mejorar la convivencia escolarEsta sistematización está basada en la experiencia de tres estudiantes en formación de licenciatura en pedagogía infantil de la corporación universitaria minuto de Dios. Desde las experiencias establecidas por las prácticas profesionales en la Fundación Caí Albert Einstein del barrio terra grande, como metodología de la intervención, creación, motivación, innovación y creatividad en un proceso vivido con un número de (Nueve) niños y niñas para el proceso de desarrollo de estrategias pedagógicas para disminuir la convivencia escolar en los niños de la fundación. En el presente documento está plasmado un paso a paso de la recopilación de datos y resultados que se obtuvo en el proceso de sistematización, y las diferentes perspectivas de los autores que hicieron el fuerte en este proyecto, desde luego, Oscar Jara lo tenemos como ruta metodológica. Aun así, se habla de Daniel Goleman quien aporta la Inteligencia Emocional como desarrollo de estrategias

Sistematización de la experiencia de práctica profesional con el desarrollo de estrategias pedagógicas que permiten fortalecer la inteligencia emocional en los niños de cuatro años de la fundación Cai Albert Einstein para mejorar la convivencia escolar

Desarrollar Estrategias Pedagógicas que permitan fortalecer la inteligencia emocional en los niños de cuatro años de la fundación CAI Albert Einstein para mejorar la convivencia escolarEsta sistematización está basada en la experiencia de tres estudiantes en formación de licenciatura en pedagogía infantil de la corporación universitaria minuto de Dios. Desde las experiencias establecidas por las prácticas profesionales en la Fundación Caí Albert Einstein del barrio terra grande, como metodología de la intervención, creación, motivación, innovación y creatividad en un proceso vivido con un número de (Nueve) niños y niñas para el proceso de desarrollo de estrategias pedagógicas para disminuir la convivencia escolar en los niños de la fundación. En el presente documento está plasmado un paso a paso de la recopilación de datos y resultados que se obtuvo en el proceso de sistematización, y las diferentes perspectivas de los autores que hicieron el fuerte en este proyecto, desde luego, Oscar Jara lo tenemos como ruta metodológica. Aun así, se habla de Daniel Goleman quien aporta la Inteligencia Emocional como desarrollo de estrategias