Summary

Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment. Today, it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems. Environmental studies are incorporating more of the social sciences in order to understand human relationships, perceptions and policies towards the environment. This entry collection features information about design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect.

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Topic Review
Livestock Management in Fire-Prone Shrublands of Atlantic Iberia
In the humid northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, large rural areas are being abandoned, mostly in less-favoured areas dominated by shrublands of low nutritive quality for livestock production. The high wildfire incidence has very negative environmental and economic effects. Aspects on wildfire occurrence and the potential of grazing livestock to reduce woody mass and fire risk whilst maintaining quality production and preserving biodiversity are summarized. Sustainable grazing systems are affordable in shrubland–grassland mosaics by selecting appropriate livestock species and breeds for quality production, thus favouring rural economies and lowering fire risk.
  • 281
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
IoT-Enabled Smart Agriculture
The growth of the global population coupled with a decline in natural resources, farmland, and the increase in unpredictable environmental conditions leads to food security is becoming a major concern for all nations worldwide. These problems are motivators that are driving the agricultural industry to transition to smart agriculture with the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data solutions to improve operational efficiency and productivity. The IoT integrates a series of existing state-of-the-art solutions and technologies, such as wireless sensor networks, cognitive radio ad hoc networks, cloud computing, big data, and end-user applications. IoT is defined as the network of all objects that are embedded within devices, sensors, machines, software and people through the Internet environment to communicate, exchange information and interact in order to provide a comprehensive solution between the real world and the virtual world.
  • 1.2K
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Low-Level Jets in Heavy Rainfall in Taiwan
During the early summer rainy season over Taiwan, three types of low-level jets are observed, including a synoptic low-level jet (SLLJ) situated in the 850–700 hPa layer in the frontal zone, a marine boundary layer jet (MBLJ) embedded within the southwesterly monsoon flow over the northern South China Sea at approximately the 925 hPa level, and an orographically induced jet at approximately the 1 km level off the northwestern Taiwan coast (e.g., barrier jet (BJ)).
  • 450
  • 31 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Method for Management and Reducing Plastic Waste
Plastic waste generation has increased dramatically every day. Indiscriminate disposal of plastic wastes can lead to several negative impacts on the environment, such as a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. Products from the pyrolysis process encompassing of liquid, gas, and solid residues (char) can be turned into beneficial products, as the liquid product can be used as a commercial fuel and char can function as an excellent adsorbent. The char produced from plastic wastes could be modified to enhance carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption performance.
  • 636
  • 26 Mar 2022
Topic Review
The Metal Removal Capability of Endemic Chilean Species
Among the species studied, Cistanthe grandiflora and Puya berteroniana can accumulate Cr and Zn but not translocate them, showing their potential to phytostabilize these elements, obtaining a bioconcentration factor for Zn close to 1.2 for both species, 1.5 in the case of Cistanthe grandiflora for Cr, and 1.7 for Puya berteroniana for the same metal. Oxalis gigantea only showed the ability to concentrate Zn in the roots, with a BCF close to 1.2, similar to the value obtained with the other species. In the case of Ni, its bioconcentration factor was under 1 in all species.
  • 509
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Effects of Environmental Changes in the Amazon Region
Environmental changes caused by human activities alter the water, energy, and carbon cycles in the Amazon region. This has resulted in biological changes across several plant species, some of which are used in both regional and global trade and represent important sources of food and income for people. Reports from local people and scientific studies point to the effects of deforestation, forest degradation, and climate change on native plant species. Indeed, people who are typically dependent on natural resources and ecosystem services are the most threatened by plant species productivity and geographical distribution changes. However, there is a lack of scientific literature concerning the effects of environmental changes on plant species and forest-dependent communities in the Amazon region.
  • 1.3K
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Environmental Nanotechnologies in Wastewater Treatment
Nanotechnologies (NTs) are nowadays well established on both private households and commercial markets. NTs are fully accepted in several sectors such as medicine and pharmacy, or in industry such as chemistry, electricity, food production, military, and other commercial branches due to their unique properties. With regard to the growing demands on environmental resources caused through still growing worldwide population, application of NTs is an extremely important new branch in the environmental sector delivering several advantages. The entry provides a comprehensive overview on current developments in environmental remediation, wastewater treatment, drinking water treatment and agriculture. More in detail, in the section environmental remediation, the application on NTs towards enhanced reductive dechlorination,  removal of heavy metals and remediation of oil spills were reviewed. Developments towards adsorption of heavy metals and persistent substances, advanced photocatalytic degradation of common wastewater pollutants, and improvements in membrane filtration processes were predominantely highlighted. On the one hand, nanotechnologies (NTs) refer to nanostructure techniques, such as nanolithography and nanomanipulation, but also to nanomaterials (NMs) on the other hand. NMs refer commonly to nanoparticles (NPs), nanotubes, nanofilms, and others. The engineered era of NTs combines different application sectors, including biological, biotechnological, chemical, medical, pharmaceutical, food and agriculture, environmental, electronic, material engineering, and other industrial processing technologies, and other branches.
  • 760
  • 01 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Carbon Dioxide Capture
Carbon capture is among the most sustainable strategies to limit carbon dioxide emissions, which account for a large share of human impact on climate change and ecosystem destruction. This growing threat calls for novel solutions to reduce emissions on an industrial level. Carbon capture by amorphous solids is among the most reasonable options as it requires less energy when compared to other techniques and has comparatively lower development and maintenance costs. In this respect, the method of carbon dioxide adsorption by solids can be used in the long-term and on an industrial scale. Furthermore, certain sorbents are reusable, which makes their use for carbon capture economically justified and acquisition of natural resources full and sustainable. Clay minerals, which are a universally available and versatile material, are amidst such sorbents. These materials are capable of interlayer and surface adsorption of carbon dioxide. In addition, their modification allows to improve carbon dioxide adsorption capabilities even more. 
  • 588
  • 28 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Municipal Solid Waste Landfilling Approaches
Finding a sustainable approach for municipal solid waste (MSW) management is becoming paramount. However, as with many urban areas in developing countries, the approach applied to MSW management in Karachi is neither environmentally sustainable nor suitable for public health. Due to adoption of an inefficient waste management system, society is paying intangible costs such as damage to public health and environment quality. In order to minimize the environmental impacts and health issues associated with waste management practices, a sustainable waste management and disposal strategy is required. 
  • 901
  • 25 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Tetranychus urticae in Northern Africa
In North Africa, Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 represents one of the most destructive generalists among mite herbivores. Unfortunately, it is a source of important annual casualties in crop production. It is a phytophagous mite that can feed on hundreds of host plants and produces significant damage. The control of Tetranychus urticae in North Africa has been principally based on acaricide sprays. However, new alternative methods have shown effective results, such as artificial ultraviolet-B, natural enemies, and the introduction of new genetic methods.
  • 703
  • 30 Mar 2022
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