Coexistence or contradiction? GM crops versus alternative agricultures in Europe

Agricultural biotechnology (agbiotech) has intersected with a wider debate about ‘sustainable agriculture’, especially in Europe. Agbiotech was initially promoted as an alternative which would avoid or remedy past problems of intensive agriculture, but such claims were soon challenged. Agbiotech has extended the dominant agri-industrial paradigm, while critics have counterposed alternatives corresponding to an agrarian-based rural development paradigm. Amid controversy over environmental and health risks in the late 1990s, an extra issue emerged − the prospect that genetically modified (GM) material would become inadvertently mixed with non-GM crops. In response the European Commission developed a policy framework for ‘coexistence’ between GM, conventional and organic crops. This policy has aimed to ensure that farmers can freely choose among different production systems, which would develop side by side, yet specific proposals for coexistence rules favour some choices over others. Such rules have been contested according to different policy agendas, each promoting their model of future agriculture. Moreover, a Europe-wide network of regional authorities has promoted ‘GM-free zones’ as a territorial brand for green, localised, high-quality agri-food production, whose diverse qualities depend upon symbolic, immaterial characteristics. This alternative has been counterposed to the agri-industrial production of global commodities - symbolised by the European Union, especially its product authorisation procedure for the internal market. ‘Coexistence’ policy was intended to mediate policy conflicts over GM crops, yet it has become another arena for contending agricultural systems, which may not so readily co-exist in practice. Wherever an agrarian-based rural development paradigm gains local support, its alternative agricultures are in contradiction rather than coexistence with GM crops.     

Coping strategies in rural areas of the Buzau Sub–Carpathians

This paper focuses on the Sub–Carpathian region which has traditionally maintained a large rural population and is today suffering acute economic and social stress. During the present transition phase the rural population is struggling to survive by combining elements of the modern and traditional economies and research has been undertaken to clarify a range of household strategies. After profiling the communes of the Buzau Carpathians the problem is tackled at two levels on the basis of questionnaire work carried out during 1998–1999. First there is a general overview to outline conditions in Patarlagele commune, including some local contrasts between settlements on main transport axis along the Buzau valley and those in the hills and side valleys. Second there is a consideration of in-depth profiles of specific households in villages in the wider area including Panatau as well as Patarlagele commune. It remains to be seen to what extent the district will be able to safeguard its social capital when growth resumes in large towns especially Brasov and Buzau with which Patarlagele has the best contacts. It is also an open question how far the remoter settlements will retain a viable population, assuming that the services remain relatively poor while disadvantage persists with regard to both employment opportunities and physical security. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On the expulsion of rural inmigrants from Greater Khartoum — the example of the Dinka in Suq el Markazi

The magnitude of housing demand and the inadequacy of public housing in most cities of the Third World have led to the emergence of types of housing which, while having different names, are classified as squatter settlements. In Khartoum, the expansion of squatter settlements has mainly been due to political processes that resulted in dramatic urban needs generated by uneven development, widespread migration, demographic growth and income inequalities. In the recent years, however, rural recession, civil war, drought, floods and famine combined to turn the Sudanese capital city into a reception centre for a considerable number of displaced people from areas affected. Here the bulk of the displaced persons found accommodation in huts that they built themselves. The government responded to such a situation by embarking on a large scale deportation programme. Attempts to bargain, resist, or to cope with the political system, on the part of the displaced people, proved to be in vain. Available estimates suggest that at least two thirds of the two or more million migrants who moved to Khartoum during the last sixteen years, have now been forcibly driven back to rural areas.     

The significance of quality of life and sustainability at the urban–rural fringe in the making of place-based community

Understandings of community in urban–rural fringe locations in Ireland are explored in this paper. As a specific space at the interface between the urban and the rural the fringe incorporates processes of rapid physical, social, and demographic change. These give rise to a range of complex and often competing dynamics, that impact on people and place in a variety of ways. Among the main preoccupations and concerns in these rapidly evolving fringe locations are those relating to what can broadly be described as ‘quality of life’. How this concept is understood across different groups situated within the spatial setting of the fringe, and how it influences the development of a sustainable community there, are central to this discussion. Drawing on household interviews from four case-study locations surrounding Galway City, Ireland, this paper examines how quality of life is experienced across a range of social and spatial dimensions that relate to these locations, and the extent to which they provide a common set of interests around which community may be built. From a wider knowledge perspective, it contributes to debates about how the concept of community provides explanatory power regarding the way in which individuals are associated with one another on the basis of a set of shared interests or concerns within a particular spatial setting.     

Application of the cBΩ model to the calculation of diffusion parameters of He in olivine

The validity of the thermodynamic cBΩ model is tested in terms of the experimentally determined diffusion coefficients of He in a natural Fe-bearing olivine (Fo₉₀) and a synthetic end-member forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) over a broad temperature range (250–950 °C), as reported recently by Cherniak and Watson (Geochem Cosmochim Acta 84:269–279, 2012). The calculated activation enthalpies for each of the three crystallographic axes were found to be (134 ± 5), (137 ± 13) and (158 ± 4) kJ mol^?1 for the [100], [010] and [001] directions in forsterite, and (141 ± 9) kJ mol^?1 for the [010] direction in olivine, exhibiting a deviation of <1 % with the corresponding reported experimental values. Additional point defect parameters such as activation volume, activation entropy and activation Gibbs free energy were calculated as a function of temperature. The estimated activation volumes (3.2–3.9 ± 0.3 cm³ mol^?1) of He diffusion in olivine are comparable with other reported results for hydrogen and tracer diffusion of Mg cations in olivine. The pressure dependence of He diffusion coefficients was also determined, based on single experimental diffusion measurements at 2.6 and 2.7 GPa along the [001] direction in forsterite at 400 and 650 °C.     

“Differentiated citizenship” and the persistence of informal rural credit systems in Amazonia

In the Brazilian Amazon, the long-distance river trading system known as aviamento has linked commodity producers in remote areas to markets in urban centers since the colonial period. Based on a case study from the rural municipality of Lábrea, this article explores continuities and changes in river trading from the point view of riverine residents and river traders. Geographic isolation and seasonal productive needs continued people’s dependence on river traders in 2008–2009, but they had greater choices due to increased access to information, mobility, and alternate markets. Expanded citizenship rights provided access to the vote and to education and other government services, but in a “differentiated” manner that still excluded many rural Amazonians. Given that agroindustry is currently the economic focus for Amazonian development, instead of forest product extraction, these rural producers continued to be forced to rely on informal river traders to meet their needs.     

Performance of structures in the rural area during the March 8, 2010 Elazığ-Kovancılar earthquake

Numerous studies demonstrated the possibility of utilizing fly ash in the construction of embankments, road subgrades and stabilization of a wide range of soils. The present investigation aims at determining the optimum fly ash (OFA) for mechanical stabilization of expansive soils. Four different soils were tested for compaction characteristics and unconfined compressive strength with and without the addition of fly ash to determine the OFA. The liquid limit (LL) and the fraction coarser than 425 μ (CF) of these soils range from 50 to 120 and 25 to 70%, respectively. An experimental strategy called two-factor factorial design was adopted in the conducting experiments. LL and CF present in the soil are the two factors considered to influence the OFA content. Factorial experimentation enables relative quantification of the effect of each factor as well as their interaction with the OFA. The OFA was found to range from 5 to 40% depending upon the two factors. The LL and the CF were found to have dominating influence on OFA content in that order, whereas the interaction effect of these two factors was marginal to fair. A statistical regression model was developed for determination of the OFA in terms of the influencing factors. The validity of the model developed was verified by conducting laboratory tests on two more soils that were not used in the development of the model. Swell potential and swelling pressure of expansive soils were reduced to non-critical levels when treated with OFA.     

The occurrences of the rare earth elements and the platinum group elements in relation to base metal zoning in the vicinity of Rote Fäule in the Kupferschiefer of Poland

The concentrations of the lanthanide rare earth elements (REE) and Pt group elements (PGE) were measured in the Kupferschiefer from the Polish Zechstein Basin at, and in proximity to, the Rote Fäule near the Lubin Mining District. The Rote Fäule is a zone of post-depositional oxidation characterized by the presence of extensive amounts of Fe(III) oxides replacing syn-sedimentary framboidal pyrite. Outward from the Rote Fäule, the remainder of the Kupferschiefer is composed of Cu- and Pb/Zn-mineralized shale surrounding the Rote Fäule and a non-mineralized pyritic black shale in the central basin.The leading hypothesis explaining the high concentrations of PGE, and REE in the Kupferschiefer states that PGE, REE and the associated base metals were mobilized by oxidizing Cl⁻ brines which migrated outward from the Rote Fäule into the reduced Kupferschiefer. According to available thermodynamic data, PGE were in all likelihood present as chloro-complexes in these oxidizing brines, as geologically realistic concentrations of Pt, Pd and Au could be transported as chloro-complexes. The Eh of these brines decreased as they migrated further from the Rote Fäule and into the Kupferschiefer. Base metals and PGE were precipitated in the order of their decreased solubility in these brines. As a result, the concentrations of least soluble PGE (Pt) are highest in the Rote Fäule and in the transition zone adjacent to the Rote Fäule (e.g. [Pt]=202–537 ppb) while the concentrations of the more soluble metals in these brines (Ag, Cu, Pb, and Re) are highest in the reduced-mineralized Kupferschiefer. The sources of the PGE and REE are enigmatic. It is likely that the metals were derived either from the underlying Rotliegendes sandstones and volcanics, the Variscan basement rocks, or the Kupferschiefer shale whose metals were mobilized by saline, oxidizing fluids released during intra-continental rifting in the Triassic period.     

Identifying urban–rural differences in social vulnerability to natural hazards: a case study of China

Identifying and analyzing the urban–rural differences of social vulnerability to natural hazards is imperative to ensure that urbanization develops in a way that lessens the impacts of disasters and generate building resilient livelihoods in China. Using data from the 2000 and 2010 population censuses, this study conducted an assessment of the social vulnerability index (SVI) by applying the projection pursuit cluster model. The temporal and spatial changes of social vulnerability in urban and rural areas were then examined during China’s rapid urbanization period. An index of urban–rural differences in social vulnerability (SVI_D) was derived, and the global and local Moran’s I of the SVI_D were calculated to assess the spatial variation and association between the urban and rural SVI. In order to fully determine the impacts of urbanization in relation to social vulnerability, a spatial autoregressive model and Bivariate Moran’s I between urbanization and SVI were both calculated. The urban and rural SVI both displayed a steadily decreasing trend from 2000 to 2010, although the urban SVI was always larger than the rural SVI in the same year. In 17.5% of the prefectures, the rural SVI was larger than the urban SVI in 2000, but was smaller than the urban SVI in 2010. About 12.6% of the urban areas in the prefectures became less vulnerable than rural areas over the study period, while in more than 51.73% of the prefectures the urban–rural SVI gap decreased over the same period. The SVI_D values in all prefectures had a significantly positive spatial autocorrelation and spatial clusters were apparent. Over time, social vulnerability to natural hazards at the prefecture-level displayed a gathering–scattering pattern across China. Though a regional variation of social vulnerability developed during China’s rapid urbanization, the overall trend was for a steady reduction in social vulnerability in both urban and rural areas.

     

Impacts of wastewater irrigation on soils and crops in suburban area of Shiraz, Iran

This preliminary work reported here dealt with potential impacts of wastewater irrigation on soils and crops sampled along the Koshk River canal in the suburban area of Shiraz City, Iran. It also attempts to assess the extent of heavy metal contamination in soils and crops and human exposure risk. For this purpose, samples including soils and plants were collected from two wastewater irrigated sites and a tubewell-irrigated site （marked by A, B and C）. Concentrations of the six heavy metals Ni, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr and Cu were determined by AAS. Physical and chemical properties of soil samples were also determined. The PLIs and CF for soils and HQ （Hazard quotient） for some vegetables were calculated. The results showed that organic matter content increased from 22% to 30 % in wastewater-irrigated soils as compared to tubewell water irrigated and admixture water irrigated ones. The soil pH was raised by 2 units as a result of wastewater irrigation at site A compared to sites B and C. Wastewater irrigation also result in relatively high concentrations of Ni, Pb and Zn （275.5, 441.3 and 177 mg/kg, respectively） in wastewater irrigated soils over tubewell water irrigated soils. These levels are higher than the maximum permissible limits in unpolluted soils, indicating that a degree of contamination has occurred. This was confirmed by calculated PLIs and contamination factors in soil samples, The results also showed some crops cultivated at sites A and B contained high levels of Ni and Cd beyond the maximum permissible concentrations and those cultivated at site C. The concentrations of these heavy metals are within or very close to the critical levels. HQ indices and daily intake calculated in respect of metal contents in some vegetables （spinach, lettuce and celery） showed that toxic risk due to Cd in these vegetables and crops was greater than one. This study generally concludes that although the content of heavy metals did not reach toxic level, extensive use of untreated wastewater drawn from the Koshk River has obviously increased the contamination of Ni and Pb in soils and Cd in some vegetables cultivated along the canal, causing potential health risk in the long-term scense for consumers or local residents.     

Changes in the temperatures of perennially frozen rocks due to pollution of the earth’s surface by coal dust in the territory of the Pechorsk coal basin

A quantitative estimate of the influence on the temperature mode of perennially frozen rocks in the Pechorsk coal basin caused by pollution of the surface by coal dust was undertaken.     

Sedimentary Evolution of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in Cenozoic and its Response to the Uplift of the Plateau

We have studied the evolution of the tectonic lithofacies paleogeography of Paleocene–Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau by compiling data regarding the type, tectonic setting, and lithostratigraphic sequence of 98 remnant basins in the plateau area. Our results can be summarized as follows. (1) The Paleocene to Eocene is characterized by uplift and erosion in the Songpan–Garzê and Gangdisê belts, depression (lakes and pluvial plains) in eastern Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil, and the Neo-Tethys Sea in the western and southern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. (2) The Oligocene is characterized by uplift in the Gangdisê–Himalaya and Karakorum regions (marked by the absence of sedimentation), fluvial transport (originating eastward and flowing westward) in the Brahmaputra region (marked by the deposition of Dazhuka conglomerate), uplift and erosion in western Kunlun and Songpan–Garzê, and depression (lakes) in the Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. The Oligocene is further characterized by depressional littoral and neritic basins in southwestern Tarim, with marine facies deposition ceasing at the end of the Oligocene. (3) For the Miocene, a widespread regional unconformity (ca. 23 Ma) in and adjacent to the plateau indicates comprehensive uplift of the plateau. This period is characterized by depressions (lakes) in the Tarim, Qaidam, Xining–Nanzhou, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. Lacustrine facies deposition expanded to peak in and adjacent to the plateau ca. 18–13 Ma, and north–south fault basins formed in southern Tibet ca. 13–10 Ma. All of these features indicate that the plateau uplifted to its peak and began to collapse. (4) Uplift and erosion occurred during the Pliocene in most parts of the plateau, except in the Hoh Xil–Qiangtang, Tarim, and Qaidam.     

Did natural fission of 235U in the earth lead to formation of the supercontinent Columbia?

Steady decline in the percentage of 235U in terrestrial uranium made natural fission impossible after about 1.8 Ga.Fission before 1.8 Ga disturbed the lead isotope system at various places worldwide,su...     

Phlogopite Formation in the Orthopyroxene–Garnet System in the Presence of H2O–KCl Fluid in Application to the Processes of Mantle Metasomatism

Doklady Earth Sciences - The results of experimental studies are presented for reactions in the orthopyroxene–garnet–phlogopite system in the presence of H2O–KCl fluid at...     

The Characteristics of Fluorine in the Groundwater of North China and the Significance of Fluorite-Water Interaction to Fluorine Transportation

This paper approaches the transportation of fluorine in the groundwater ofepigene Quarternary aquifer by calculation and laboratory studies.The conclusionthat the enrichment and saturation abilities of fluorite are related to the transpor-tation of fluorine in groundwater is reached.They would be conducive to findingthe cause of regional fluorine distribution in the groundwater of North China.     

Territory and territorial transformation: the rural properties of the Dávalos-Bracamontes family in the Compostela region (Seventeenth Century)

This investigation seeks to analyse the territorial transformations, land uses, and land tenures in the region of Compostela, Nueva Galicia during the seventeenth century, using land grants for sites of cattle and sheep husbandry and farmland granted as the rural properties to the Dávalos-Bracamontes family, who in 1690 obtained the title of the Counts of Miravalle. The novohispanas haciendas served as territorial control mechanisms of the use and incorporation of new forms of exploitation of the area’s natural resources. The methodology is based on the analysis of the archival data, historical cartography, supplemented by information collected in fieldwork and use of historical modality of geographic information systems. The haciendas of La Lagunilla, Miravalle and San José were located and together represented 33,736.60 ha of land for livestock and agriculture. The territorial extension was possible due to the disappearance of villages, parse indigenous populations in the surroundings and commitments made by the Spanish Crown to the Dávalos-Bracamontes family.

     

Hydrogeochemical processes of thallium in a rural area of Southwest Guizhou, China

The water system in a rural area of Lanmuchang in Southwest Guizhou is facing a risk of thallium (Tl) contamination due to Tl mineralization around the area. The major trace elements and Tl in the water system are studied to understand the hydrogeochemical processes of Tl constrained by Tl mineralization. The results showed that the dispersion pattern of Tl follows a descending order in concentration from mine groundwater (deep groundwater) →stream water→shallow groundwater→background water, reflecting the impact of Tl mineralization on the hydrogeochemical composition. Tl concentrations in stream water in both regimes are remarkably higher (2-30 fold) downstream than up- and mid-streams, probably caused by the unidentified discharge of deep groundwater. Low Tl levels are detected in the current drinking water, however, the highly elevated Tl in stream water and ground water may pose a potential environmental risk through daily washing and agricultural irrigation. This study suggests that human activities, such as agricultural irrigation, could intensify the environmental risk of Tl.     

Erratum to: “Criteria for the detection of hydrothermal ecosystem faunas in ores of massive sulfide deposits in the Urals”

The ore-formational, ore-facies, lithological, and mineralogical-geochemical criteria are defined for the detection of hydrothermal ecosystem fauna in ores of the volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits in the Urals. Abundant mineralized microfauna is found mainly in massive sulfide mounds formed in the jasperous basalt (Buribai, Priorsk, Yubileinoe, Sultanov), rhyolite—basalt (Yaman-Kasy, Blyava, Komosomol’sk, Sibai, Molodezhnoe, Valentorsk), and the less common serpentinite (Dergamysh) formations of the Urals (O—D₂). In the ore-formational series of the massive sulfide deposits, probability of the detection of mineralized fauna correlates inversely with the relative abundance of felsic volcanic rocks underlying the ores. This series is also marked by a gradual disappearance of colloform pyrite, marcasite, isocubanite, pyrrhotite, and pyrite pseudomorphoses after pyrrhotite; increase of the amount of bornite, fahlores, and barite; decrease of contents of Se, Te, Co, and Sn in chalcopyrite and sphalerite; and inсrease of Tl, As, Sb, and Pb in the colloform pyrite. Probability of the detection of mineralized fauna in the morphogenetic series of massive sulfide deposits decreases from the weakly degraded sulfide mounds to the clastic stratiform deposits. The degradation degree of sulfide mounds and fauna preservation correlates with the attenuation of volcanic intensity, which is reflected in the abundance of sedimentary and volcanosedimentary rocks and the depletion of effusive rocks in the geological sections.