Ensuring secure access to food and energy worldwide relies on win-win share of sectoral use of constrained natural resources such as land and water, taking also into account the crucial role of ...ecosystems and their services. The increase in global population and the related growing demand for food and other services are exerting unsustainable pressures on natural resources, compromising their use within the ecosystems’ carrying capacity. Progressively, studies and initiatives have been developed with the aim of identifying win-win share strategies, which may compensate the sectoral demands of natural resources, addressing the need of a holistic and interdisciplinary nexus approach. In this study, thus emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach and highlighting the fundamental role of ecosystems, we propose a synthesis matrix system that describes the complex and closely bound relationship between natural resources use for food (specifically water, land), energy (defined as ecosystem service flows in our matrix system) and ecosystems, along the lines of the concept of ecosystem-water-food-land-energy nexus. The synthesis matrix system could be defined for different scales, both from the global to the local scale and has been designed to include impacts and nexus with climate change. The matrix aims at integrating quantitative and qualitative aspects, which are often neglected in traditional approaches of impact assessment. The complexity of the interactions between the different components of the nexus requires relying not only on quantitative evidences but also on expert judgment. A sensitivity check has been conducted to illustrate how to verify the convergence of expert-judgment from different experts. Moreover, being the matrix meant for supporting holistic assessment of supply chain, in the present study, the integration of the matrix within life cycle assessment (LCA) is proposed. However, in order to support the analysis of interconnections among impacts, further methodological development of the LCA methods is needed. An illustrative example related to the competition for water, land and food bioenergy production is depicted. The matrices show that there are predominantly negative impacts given by sectoral uses of resources on the provision of ecosystem services, an issue that requires most focus on resource efficiency and on the environmental and economic impacts of natural resources use while reducing the trade-offs between the sectoral demands.
•Assessment of nexus between ecosystem, water, food, land and energy is crucial for sustainability.•We propose a holistic approach coupling qualitative and quantitative impact assessment in a synthesis matrix.•Key drivers of impacts and connections among them are based on expert-judgment.•The approach is suitable for being use to complement life cycle assessment of bio-based systems.
Water, food and energy are at the core of human needs and there is a boundless complex cycle among these three basic human needs. Ecosystems are in the center of this nexus, since they contribute to ...the provision of each component, making it imperative to understand the role of ecosystems in securing food, water and energy for human well-being. In this study we aimed to map and assess water provisioning services and associated benefits to support the ecosystem–water–food–energy nexus by taking into account environmental flow requirements for riverine ecosystems using the hydrological model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). We developed a framework that includes indicators of renewable water (capacity of ecosystem to provide water) and water use (service flow) and we applied it in the Danube river basin over the period 1995–2004. Water scarcity indicators were used to map the possible water scarcity in the subbasins, and analyze the spatial match of water availability and water use. The results show that modelling is instrumental to perform the integrated analysis of the ecosystem–water–food–energy nexus; and that spatial mapping is a powerful tool to display environmental availability of water provisioning and regulatory services delivered by ecosystems, and can support the nexus analysis.
•Efficient water management requires spatial knowledge of water availability and use•We develop an approach for assessing and mapping water provisioning services•We implement the approach in the Danube river basin.•The approach can support assessments and policies related to the ecosystem–water–food–energy nexus
•An integrated nexus approach is used to assess impacts of sectoral policies on ecosystems services.•A two-dimensional multi-criteria analysis was used to assess policies under two different groups ...of criteria.•Sectoral policies had different impacts on the Ecosystem Water Food Energy (EWFE) nexus.•Restoring ecosystems ranked among the best policies from an integrated perspective.
Increasing demand and the current unbalanced sectorial attribution of natural resources induce drastic depletion of natural capital. There is a need for bridging sectoral policies into interdisciplinary sustainable management strategies in the Mediterranean region. The complex interactions between ecosystems, food, energy, and water sectors are calling for an integrated approach for supporting impact assessments and decision-making. We aimed to investigate the coherence among the sectoral policies, either supporting or conflicting with each other, on cross-cutting strategies and their impacts on ecosystem and their services. We address ecosystem services as a fourth component besides energy, water, and food sectors in the nexus approach. We collected expert opinions on eleven sectoral policies that cover different disciplines (water, agriculture, energy, economy, and environment). Based on the opinion of the experts, we developed several multi-criteria analyses (MCA) to assess sectoral policy impacts on cross-sectoral strategic targets. Considerable consistency was found in ranking the eleven policies when considering using nexus or cross-cutting strategies criteria, or when considering positive or negative impacts. The EWFE nexus dimension allowed to better distinguish potential synergies or conflicts between sector policies because it provided a framework in which the role of ecosystem service was more explicit. Interestingly, restoring ecosystem and green infrastructures policy ranks among the top policies in all MCAs but according to the experts its probability of successful implementation is among the lowest. The results show that sustainable use of ecosystem services and conservation of the biodiversity are an indispensable pillar to achieve successfully sectoral development goals.
Scenarios are a useful tool to explore possible futures of social-ecological systems. The number of scenarios has increased dramatically over recent decades, with a large diversity in temporal and ...spatial scales, purposes, themes, development methods, and content. Scenario archetypes generically describe future developments and can be useful in meaningfully classifying scenarios, structuring and summarizing the overwhelming amount of information, and enabling scientific outputs to more effectively interface with decision-making frameworks. The Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) faced this challenge and used scenario archetypes in its assessment of future interactions between nature and society. We describe the use of scenario archetypes in the IPBES Regional Assessment of Europe and Central Asia. Six scenario archetypes for the region are described in terms of their driver assumptions and impacts on nature (including biodiversity) and its contributions to people (including ecosystem services): business-as-usual, economic optimism, regional competition, regional sustainability, global sustainable development, and inequality. The analysis shows that trade-offs between nature's contributions to people are projected under different scenario archetypes. However, the means of resolving these trade-offs depend on differing political and societal value judgements within each scenario archetype. Scenarios that include proactive decision making on environmental issues, environmental management approaches that support multifunctionality, and mainstreaming environmental issues across sectors, are generally more successful in mitigating trade-offs than isolated environmental policies. Furthermore, those scenario archetypes that focus on achieving a balanced supply of nature's contributions to people and that incorporate a diversity of values are estimated to achieve more policy goals and targets, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi targets. The scenario archetypes approach is shown to be helpful in supporting science-policy dialogue for proactive decision making that anticipates change, mitigates undesirable trade-offs, and fosters societal transformation in pursuit of sustainable development.
The concept of “Ecosystem Services (ES)” has gained global importance since the 1990s. Today its link to sustainable development and human welfare is well documented. However, the level of know-how ...and the scale and effectiveness of practices differ significantly around the globe. The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) National Network of Turkey aims to fill gaps in ES research and foster collaboration among experts in the public and academic sectors and non-governmental organizations. Therefore, a comprehensive review of ES studies was carried out with rigorous literature research. The review of 247 publications showed that ES research has advanced in the last two decades principally as a result of academia's impetus but increasing efforts in the science-policy interface have also supported its integration into diverse policy sectors. Among all ES, regulating ES were studied more intensely due to the growing effects of climate change on leading economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and water management. Monetary valuation and trade-off knowledge have remained low, based on the difficulties in data availability and assessment methods. Although protected areas are critical to biodiversity conservation, the ES concept has not been integrated into protected area management. Therefore, the ES knowledge in Turkey needs to be scaled up to cover the national level, with higher stakeholder engagement and more focused implementation driven by political will.
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•A quantitative review of 247 publications on ecosystem services (ES) in Turkey•Regulating ES studies are prominent as the country is situated in vulnerable geography.•Existing ES knowledge mostly addresses nature conservation and forestry sectors.•The ES concept needs clear definitions and classification in Turkish.•The concept does not show any tangible impacts on environmental outcomes on the ground.
The aim of this study is to develop a methodology for determining sunflower cultivated areas with the help of high resolution SENTINEL-2A satellite images time series representing the phenological ...stages of the crop growth cycle, and its application in Kırklareli province. Spectral information representing phenological periods was obtained with the help of satellite images and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series, and an object-oriented classification approach was developed based on this spectral information database. Segmentation and classification decision tree algorithms were produced by using this spectral information database, object shape criteria and other auxiliary thematic maps. The best performance in segmentation was achieved by increasing the weight coefficient of the "Canny edge” layer, which is the edge determination layer defined in the multiresolution method of "Canny edge” algorithm to define the agricultural parcels. Object-oriented classification was carried out based on the this segmented parcels. First, summer, winter, fallow and continuous green areas were determined through the classification decision tree algorithms. The summer and winter crops were classified using the parcel spectral information of the crop-based learning samples that allocated in field work. The crops for which class definition could not be made were passed through a second elimination in the "unclassified" group and later assigned to their classes. In the last stage, parcels whose class definition could not be made were named as "other" class. According to the confusion matrix and accuracy analysis results, sunflower, which was determined in two classes as early and late sowing, was classified at 98% and 92% accuracy, respectively.
Bu çalışmadaki amaç, ürün gelişme döngüsü fenolojik dönemlerini temsilen, yüksek çözünürlüklü SENTINEL-2A uydu görüntüleri zaman serisi yardımı ile ayçiçeği ekiliş alanlarının belirlenmesine yönelik bir metodolojinin geliştirilmesi ve Kırklareli ili bazında uygulanmasıdır. Uydu görüntüleri ve bitki vejetasyon indisi (NDVI) zaman serileri yardımı ile fenolojik dönemleri temsil eden spektral bilgiler elde edilmiş ve bu bilgilere dayalı olarak nesne tabanlı sınıflandırma yaklaşımı geliştirilmiştir. Bu spektral bilgilerin yanında, nesne biçim kriterleri ve yardımcı diğer tematik haritaların kullanılmasıyla segmentasyon ve sınıflandırma karar ağacı algoritmaları üretilmiştir. Segmentasyonda en iyi performans “multiresolution” yönteminde, “Canny edge” tarım parselleri kenar belirleme katmanının etki ağırlık katsayısının artırılmasıyla sağlanmıştır. Elde edilen parselasyon üzerinden nesne tabanlı sınıflandırma gerçekleştirilmiştir. Oluşturulan sınıflandırma karar ağacı algoritmaları ile önce yazlık, kışlık, nadas ve sürekli yeşil alanlar belirlenmiştir. Daha sonra yazlık ve kışlık ürünler kendi içlerinde, koordinatları arazi çalışmasında belirlenen ürün bazlı öğrenme örnekleri parsel spektral bilgilerine göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Sınıf tanımı yapılamayan ürünler “sınıfsız” grubunda tekrar ikinci bir elemeden geçirilmiş ve sınıflarına atanmıştır. Son aşamada sınıf tanımı yapılamayan parseller “diğer” sınıfı altında toplanmıştır. Standart hata matrisi ve doğruluk analizi sonucuna göre erken ve geç ekim olarak iki sınıfta belirlenen ayçiçeği % 98 (erken ekim) ve %92 (geç ekim) doğruluk seviyesinde sınıflandırılmıştır. Bu çalışma metodolojik yaklaşımı itibari ile yüksek radyometrik ve alansal çözünürlüklü uydu görüntüleri zaman serileriyle, CBS ve uzaktan algılama teknolojilerinin birlikte kullanılması, ürün uzmanları tarafından gerçekleştirilen arazi gözlemlerinin de algoritmalara dahil edilmesiyle, ürün ekiliş alanlarının daha hassas belirlenebileceğini, ancak büyük alanlarda bölgesel algoritmaların geliştirilmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymuştur.
Scenarios are a useful tool to explore possible futures of social-ecological systems. The number of scenarios has increased dramatically over recent decades, with a large diversity in temporal and ...spatial scales, purposes, themes, development methods, and content. Scenario archetypes generically describe future developments and can be useful in meaningfully classifying scenarios, structuring and summarizing the overwhelming amount of information, and enabling scientific outputs to more effectively interface with decision-making frameworks. The Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) faced this challenge and used scenario archetypes in its assessment of future interactions between nature and society. We describe the use of scenario archetypes in the IPBES Regional Assessment of Europe and Central Asia. Six scenario archetypes for the region are described in terms of their driver assumptions and impacts on nature (including biodiversity) and its contributions to people (including ecosystem services): business-as-usual, economic optimism, regional competition, regional sustainability, global sustainable development, and inequality. The analysis shows that trade-offs between nature’s contributions to people are projected under different scenario archetypes. However, the means of resolving these trade-offs depend on differing political and societal value judgements within each scenario archetype. Scenarios that include proactive decision making on environmental issues, environmental management approaches that support multifunctionality, and mainstreaming environmental issues across sectors, are generally more successful in mitigating tradeoffs than isolated environmental policies. Furthermore, those scenario archetypes that focus on achieving a balanced supply of nature’s contributions to people and that incorporate a diversity of values are estimated to achieve more policy goals and targets, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi targets. The scenario archetypes approach is shown to be helpful in supporting science-policy dialogue for proactive decision making that anticipates change, mitigates undesirable trade-offs, and fosters societal transformation in pursuit of sustainable development.
The purpose of this study was to predict and compare salt accumulation in the soil profile under drained and undrained conditions. The water management simulation model, Drainmod (Ver. 6.1) was used ...to determine the optimal drainage system design parameters, which will decrease soil profile salinity and provide maximum crop yields in Ankara-Bala Basin of Turkey. Soil sampling points were coordinated with the Global Positioning System (GPS). Soil, crop and site parameters were obtained as an input. The model was run for 5 years from 2005 to 2010 to simulate optimum drainage design parameters (drain depth, drain spacing) while controlling soil salinity in the root zone. Soil water conditions and soil salinity level were simulated for crop rotation of corn (Zea mays) and winter wheat (Triticum). Yield of individual crops was predicted for each growing season. The results of the simulations were analyzed to identify alternatives of subsurface drainage system that would satisfy maximum crop productions. According to the simulation results, the drain spacing of 130 m and drain depth at 160 cm are recommended for Bala Basin. Soil salinity maps were created for undrained and drained conditions. Results showed that the soil salinity level and salinity stress can be reduced and yield increased by installing a drainage system.
In this study, the effect of metformin on boron levels and oxidative brain damage in rats due to diabetes and prostate cancer was investigated for the first time. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and ...the amount of DNA were investigated as tissue oxidative and toxic damage parameters. In Copenhagen rats, Dunning prostate cancer was induced using high metastatic MAT-Lylu cells and diabetes was induced by single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Metformin was administered for 14 days after diabetes and prostate cancer induced. The rats were divided into six groups as follows: control group, diabetic group (D), cancer group (C), diabetic + cancer (DC) group, cancer + metformin (CM) group, diabetic + cancer + metformin (DCM) group. At the end of the experiment, brains were removed. Significant decrease of brain boron levels and significant elevation of MPO activity and DNA levels were observed in D, C, and DC groups as compared to control group. The effect of diabetes induction on the brain boron levels was much more than prostate cancer induction. The administration of metformin with CM and DCM obviously declined MPO activity and increased brain boron levels almost near to control group level. In conclusion, this study shows that the protective effect of metformin against brain damage in STZ-induced diabetic rats with Dunning prostate cancer may also be related to increased boron levels. The boron levels may be a novel indicator of reduced toxic and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the distribution and mechanism of action of boron should be clarified.
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