Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Wegman Report
The Wegman Report (officially called the Ad Hoc Committee Report on the 'Hockey Stick' Global Climate Reconstruction) was prepared in 2006 by three statisticians led by Edward Wegman at the request of Rep. Joe Barton of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce to validate criticisms made by Stephen McIntyre and Ross McKitrick of reconstructions of the temperature record of the past 1000 years, in particular the reconstructions by Mann, Bradley and Hughes which had become the focus of the hockey stick controversy.
  • 1.9K
  • 08 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Biofortification
Biofortification is the process of increasing the number of vitamins and minerals in a crop; it can be carried out via agronomic techniques, transgenic technology, or plant breeding. The most practical and sustainable method for addressing the nutritional issue is biofortification, which involves enhancing the nutrients in common foods. This method is likely to reach rural residents who have limited access to a range of dietary options or other micronutrient therapies by the use of biofortified crops. 
  • 1.9K
  • 21 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Civitas (Think Tank)
Civitas: The Institute for the Study of Civil Society is a United Kingdom think tank working on issues related to democracy and social policy.
  • 1.9K
  • 22 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Analytical Methods for Dithiocarbamate Detection
Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are a group of chemicals used primarily as fungicides, although they are exploited for various other applications. DTCs represent one of the oldest classes of broad-spectrum fungicides employed worldwide to control fungal diseases on many crops. Due to their ease of synthesis, low production costs (cheap and readily available starting materials) and a fungicidal activity with a multi-site mode of action, they are still among modern agriculture’s most extensively used pesticides. Although the environmental degradation in air, water, and soil is relatively rapid due to photolysis and/or hydrolysis, they are among the most frequently detected pesticides in the European Union (EU), also with a high frequency of maximum residue level (MRL) exceedances.
  • 1.9K
  • 27 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Natural Resource Management (NRM)
Natural capital is the wealth of nations that determine their economic status. Worldwide, vulnerable people depend on natural capital for employment, salaries, wealth, and livelihoods and, in turn, this determines the developmental index of the nation to which they belong. In this short review, we have tried to sum up the ideas and discussions over natural capital’s role in ascribing economic status to countries as well as the need for natural resource management and sustainability. This paper aimed to discuss how humanity’s prosperity is intertwined with the services that ecosystems provide, and how poor natural resource management (NRM) has adversely affected human well-being. Our preselected criteria for the review paper led us to evaluate 96 peer-reviewed publications from the SCOPUS database, which is likely the most comprehensive archive of peer-reviewed scientific literature as well as WoS, PUBMED, and Google Scholar databases. Our review revealed that the availability of ecological services is crucial for clean water and air, food and fodder, and agricultural development. We further discussed important concepts regarding sustainability, natural capital and economics, and determinants of human well-being vis-à-vis the intergenerational security of natural wealth. To ensure current and future human well-being, we conclude that an in-depth understanding of the services that ecosystems provide is necessary for the holistic management of the Earth system. 
  • 1.9K
  • 14 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Cathode Materials of Sodium-Metal Chloride Batteries
The widespread electrification of various sectors is triggering a strong demand for new energy storage systems with low environmental impact and using abundant raw materials. Batteries employing elemental sodium could offer significant advantages, as the use of a naturally abundant element such as sodium is strategic to satisfy the increasing demand.
  • 1.9K
  • 08 Nov 2023
Topic Review
EcoHealth
EcoHealth (also referred to as Health Ecology) is an emerging field of study researching how changes in the earth’s ecosystems affect human health. It has many prospects. EcoHealth examines changes in the biological, physical, social and economic environments and relates these changes to human health. Examples of these changes and their effects abound. Common examples include increases in asthma rates due to air pollution, PCB contamination of game fish in the Great Lakes of the United States , and habitat fragmentation leading to increasing rates of Lyme disease. Recently virulent new infectious diseases such as SARS, Ebola virus, Nipah virus, bird flu and hantavirus have all been found to result from ecosystem change created by humans. These diseases have high death rates and very few effective therapies. EcoHealth is bringing together physicians, veterinarians, ecologists, life scientists, social scientists, agricultural scientists, landscape and urban planners, and others to study how ecosystem changes affect human health. EcoHealth strives to provide innovative, practical solutions to reduce or reverse the negative health effects of ecosystem change, and to use the salutogenic effects of functional ecosystems to improve public health.
  • 1.9K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Economics of Global Warming
The economics of global warming concerns the economic aspects of global warming; this can inform policies that governments might consider in response. A number of factors make this a difficult problem from both economic and political perspectives: it is a long-term, intergenerational problem; benefits and costs are distributed unequally both within and across countries; and both scientific and public opinions need to be taken into account. One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Around 20% of carbon dioxide which is emitted due to human activities can remain in the atmosphere for many thousands of years. The long time scales and uncertainty associated with global warming have led analysts to develop "scenarios" of future environmental, social and economic changes. These scenarios can help governments understand the potential consequences of their decisions. The impacts of climate change include the loss of biodiversity, sea level rise, increased frequency and severity of some extreme weather events, and acidification of the oceans. Economists have attempted to quantify these impacts in monetary terms, but these assessments can be controversial. The two main policy responses to global warming are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (climate change mitigation) and to adapt to the impacts of global warming (e.g., by building levees in response to sea level rise). Another policy response which has recently received greater attention is geoengineering of the climate system (e.g. injecting aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight away from the Earth's surface). One of the responses to the uncertainties of global warming is to adopt a strategy of sequential decision making. This strategy recognizes that decisions on global warming need to be made with incomplete information, and that decisions in the near term will have potentially long-term impacts. Governments might choose to use risk management as part of their policy response to global warming. For instance, a risk-based approach can be applied to climate impacts which are difficult to quantify in economic terms, e.g., the impacts of global warming on indigenous peoples. Analysts have assessed global warming in relation to sustainable development. Sustainable development considers how future generations might be affected by the actions of the current generation. In some areas, policies designed to address global warming may contribute positively towards other development objectives. In other areas, the cost of global warming policies may divert resources away from other socially and environmentally beneficial investments (the opportunity costs of climate change policy).
  • 1.9K
  • 19 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Blockchain Technology in Waste Management
Implementing blockchain technology in waste management is a novel approach to environmental sustainability and accountability challenges in our modern world. Blockchain, a technology that enables decentralized and immutable ledgers, is being re-imagined as a tool to revolutionize waste management. This innovative approach aims to improve waste management transparency, traceability, and efficiency, resulting in significant environmental and economic benefits.
  • 1.9K
  • 11 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Wetland Resources in South Africa
Wetlands are important ecosystems with physical and socioeconomic benefits. A wetland is defined as an area of soil covered with water or has water close to its surface all year or at some periods of the year. They are necessary for people’s livelihoods but not usually considered important.
  • 1.9K
  • 13 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Heavy Metal Soil Contamination Detection Using Geochemistry and Field Spectroradiometry
Technological advances in hyperspectral remote sensing have been widely applied in heavy metal soil contamination studies, as they are able to provide assessments in a rapid and cost-effective way. The present work investigates the potential role of combining field and laboratory spectroradiometry with geochemical data of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) in quantifying and modelling heavy metal soil contamination (HMSC) for a floodplain site located in Wales, United Kingdom. The study objectives were to: (i) collect field- and lab-based spectra from contaminated soils by using ASD FieldSpec® 3, where the spectrum varies between 350 and 2500 nm; (ii) build field- and lab-based spectral libraries; (iii) conduct geochemical analyses of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd using atomic absorption spectrometer; (iv) identify the specific spectral regions associated to the modelling of HMSC; and (v) develop and validate heavy metal prediction models (HMPM) for the aforementioned contaminants, by considering their spectral features and concentrations in the soil. Herein, the field- and lab-based spectral features derived from 85 soil samples were used successfully to develop two spectral libraries, which along with the concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd were combined to build eight HMPMs using stepwise multiple linear regression. The results showed, for the first time, the feasibility to predict HMSC in a highly contaminated floodplain site by combining soil geochemistry analyses and field spectroradiometry. The generated models help for mapping heavy metal concentrations over a huge area by using space-borne hyperspectral sensors. The results further demonstrated the feasibility of combining geochemistry analyses with filed spectroradiometric data to generate models that can predict heavy metal concentrations.
  • 1.9K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Climate-Smart Agriculture of Hungarian Agribusiness
Climate change and agriculture interact with each other in many ways and have a complex impact. The agriculture sector needs to be prepared to adapt to the expected effects of climate change, and emphasis must be placed on prevention to achieve emission reduction targets. The research explores the current situation in the agricultural sector, the risks of climate change, as well as the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) solutions that appear at Hungarian agribusiness. Examining the climate innovation activities of farms shows a coherence of the practical application. The research is based on a questionnaire survey of Hungarian agribusiness and the country directorates of the National Chamber of Agriculture. The investigation confirmed that although farmers are susceptible to Agri-Innovation, they only partly exploit the potential of digitalization. For agriculture, the spread of agricultural digitalization and technology transfer is an excellent opportunity to increase agricultural production, maintain and improve its market position, and increase its digital maturity, which can also enhance the integration of climate innovation and sustainability aspects supporting the green economic development.
  • 1.9K
  • 24 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is an organic pollutant with persistence and carcinogenicity. They are universally present in the environment and food processing. Biological approaches toward remediating PAHs-contaminated sites are a viable, economical, and environmentally friendly alternative compared to conventional physical and/or chemical remediation methods. Recently, various strategies relating to low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) have been developed to enhance the microbial degradation of PAHs. However, the remaining challenge is to reveal the role of LMWOAs in the PAHs biodegradation process, and the latter limits researchers from expanding the application scope of biodegradation.
  • 1.9K
  • 24 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Biodegradable Polymer-Supported Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts
During the past two decades, immobilization of titanium dioxide (TiO2), a well-known photocatalyst, on several polymeric substrates has extensively gained ground since it limits the need of post-treatment separation stages. Taking into account the numerous substrates tested for supporting TiO2 photocatalysts, the use of biodegradable polymer seems a hopeful option owing to its considerable merits, including the flexible nature, low price, chemical inertness, mechanical stability and wide feasibility. 
  • 1.9K
  • 12 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Individual and Political Action on Climate Change
Individual and political action on climate change can take many forms. Many actions aim to build social and political support to limit, and subsequently reduce, the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, with the goal of mitigating climate change. Other actions seek to address the ethical and moral aspects of climate justice, especially with regard to the anticipated unequal impacts of climate change adaptation.
  • 1.9K
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
ESG and Digital Transformation for Healthcare Systems
Organizations worldwide have confronted these new challenges of sustainable finance by incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors and digital transformation (DT) in their innovation business strategies. 
  • 1.9K
  • 17 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Biological Quality of Soils
As is it known, soil is the basis of all activity in which man is involved. At the same time, it is the key factor for the development of the life and biodiversity of the planet's flora and fauna. Hence, as result of global warming and climate change, ecological research has recently increased its importance on the bases that extensive forest areas, act as carbon sinks mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. But no less important for investigation should be to inquire under this plant cover. Because there is a totally unimaginable and diverse world that remains in constant interactions to keep alive and from the green covering habitat to the diverse forms from small mammals to man. Man in its early days learned to manage the soil with the aim of producing food. Afterwards the exponential growth of the population was produced, and a high demand for food, caused the expansion of livestock borders, caused the devastation of large areas of forests, and generated a great impact to the soil and ecosystem. As a result, the change in land use and the application of chemicals impoverished and impairs the soil and the life that inhabits it. This is why this work highlights the importance of the biological component of soil to the context of the Amazon of Ecuador. For this reason, is important to consider different organisms as Essential Indicators of Soil Quality, mainly for the tropical soil field. In order to reach this objective, we compiled information presenting it in tables. They facilitate the interpretation of the importance of species of organisms and parameters from a biological point of view. At the same time, they can be used as a theoretical basis for the development of projects and research aimed to the management of biological soil composites.
  • 1.8K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are a dominating group of insecticidal compounds that have been used for a long time and are still being used today, due to their potency and their variability. From natural pyrethrins, which can be utilized especially for their biodegradable properties, to the synthetic derivatives, pyrethroids, which may be used for their potency, this class of organic insecticides displays a lot of variability. It must be acknowledged that without plants, and plant metabolites, a great area of the insecticide compound class would be missing.
  • 1.8K
  • 15 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Dairy Buffalo Behavior: Calving, Imprinting and Allosuckling
Maternal behavior, in water buffalo and other ruminants, is a set of patterns of a determined species, including calving, imprinting, and suckling. Since the success of dairy farms depends on parturition, lactation, and the welfare of both the dam and the calf, calving behavior in water buffalo is a research area that could help researchers understand this process.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cleaning Technologies for Indoor Air Quality Improvement
If outdoor air is more polluted, or in certain situations where ventilation is not possible, other strategies need to be applied, such as source control and pollutants extraction. The latter incorporates air cleaning technologies, one of the emergent areas of indoor air quality. Various air treatment technologies can be used to control contaminants, including physicochemical technologies and biological technologies.
  • 1.8K
  • 28 Sep 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 51
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback