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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged as a major global challenge since 2019. With the fast rise in the infected cases and deaths worldwide, many environmental and climate-related myths and fallacies spreaded fast. These fallacies include virus cannot spread in hot and humid conditions, cold weather can inhibit the virus, drinking hot water and sunlight can help cure the COVID-19, ultraviolet (UV) disinfectant lamps and UV rays from sunlight can kill the virus, use of hairdryers and hot showers for virus prevention, etc. Social norms and mindset of the people in the world towards a pandemic are quite similar. The primary purpose of this article is to enlighten the readers regarding these climatological misconceptions and social fallacies, helping spread proper knowledge and manage the outbreak of this deadly pandemic.
Ambar Farooq; Uttam Kumar; Junaite Bin Gais Uddin; Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid; Matoor Mohsin Gilani; Taimoor Hassan Farooq; Awais Shakoor; Matloob Ahmad. Climatological and social fallacies about COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental Sustainability 2021, 1 -6.
AMA StyleAmbar Farooq, Uttam Kumar, Junaite Bin Gais Uddin, Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid, Matoor Mohsin Gilani, Taimoor Hassan Farooq, Awais Shakoor, Matloob Ahmad. Climatological and social fallacies about COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental Sustainability. 2021; ():1-6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmbar Farooq; Uttam Kumar; Junaite Bin Gais Uddin; Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid; Matoor Mohsin Gilani; Taimoor Hassan Farooq; Awais Shakoor; Matloob Ahmad. 2021. "Climatological and social fallacies about COVID-19 pandemic." Environmental Sustainability , no. : 1-6.
Intercropping is one of the most widely used agroforestry techniques, reducing the harmful impacts of external inputs such as fertilizers. It also controls soil erosion, increases soil nutrients availability, and reduces weed growth. In this study, the intercropping of peanut (Arachishypogaea L.) was done with tea plants (Camellia oleifera), and it was compared with the mono-cropping of tea and peanut. Soil health and fertility were examined by analyzing the variability in soil enzymatic activity and soil nutrients availability at different soil depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–30 cm, and 30–40 cm). Results showed that the peanut–tea intercropping considerably impacted the soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nutrient availability, and soil enzymatic responses at different soil depths. The activity of protease, sucrase, and acid phosphatase was higher in intercropping, while the activity of urease and catalase was higher in peanut monoculture. In intercropping, total phosphorus (TP) was 14.2%, 34.2%, 77.7%, 61.9%; total potassium (TK) was 13.4%, 20%, 27.4%, 20%; available phosphorus (AP) was 52.9%, 26.56%, 61.1%; 146.15% and available potassium (AK) was 11.1%, 43.06%, 46.79% higher than the mono-cropping of tea in respective soil layers. Additionally, available nitrogen (AN) was 51.78%, 5.92%, and 15.32% lower in the 10–20 cm, 20–30 cm, and 30–40 cm layers of the intercropping system than in the mono-cropping system of peanut. Moreover, the soil enzymatic activity was significantly correlated with SOC and total nitrogen (TN) content across all soil depths and cropping systems. The depth and path analysis effect revealed that SOC directly affected sucrase, protease, urease, and catalase enzymes in an intercropping system. It was concluded that an increase in the soil enzymatic activity in the intercropping pattern improved the reaction rate at which organic matter decomposed and released nutrients into the soil environment. Enzyme activity in the decomposition process plays a vital role in forest soil morphology and function. For efficient land use in the cropping system, it is necessary to develop coherent agroforestry practices. The results in this study revealed that intercropping certainly enhance soil nutrients status and positively impacts soil conservation.
Taimoor Farooq; Uttam Kumar; Jing Mo; Awais Shakoor; Jun Wang; Muhammad Rashid; Muhammad Tufail; Xiaoyong Chen; Wende Yan. Intercropping of Peanut–Tea Enhances Soil Enzymatic Activity and Soil Nutrient Status at Different Soil Profiles in Subtropical Southern China. Plants 2021, 10, 881 .
AMA StyleTaimoor Farooq, Uttam Kumar, Jing Mo, Awais Shakoor, Jun Wang, Muhammad Rashid, Muhammad Tufail, Xiaoyong Chen, Wende Yan. Intercropping of Peanut–Tea Enhances Soil Enzymatic Activity and Soil Nutrient Status at Different Soil Profiles in Subtropical Southern China. Plants. 2021; 10 (5):881.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaimoor Farooq; Uttam Kumar; Jing Mo; Awais Shakoor; Jun Wang; Muhammad Rashid; Muhammad Tufail; Xiaoyong Chen; Wende Yan. 2021. "Intercropping of Peanut–Tea Enhances Soil Enzymatic Activity and Soil Nutrient Status at Different Soil Profiles in Subtropical Southern China." Plants 10, no. 5: 881.
This paper assesses the interrelationship between poverty, climatic and non-climatic shocks, and shock coping strategies adopted by farm-based rural households in Nepal. An analysis is based on a comprehensive data set collected from 300 randomly selected households from three purposively chosen villages of Gandaki province. The study utilizes binary and ordered probit regression models to analyze the determinants of poverty, shocks, and coping strategies. Findings reveal that the Dalit (ethnic group), large-sized, and agricultural households are more likely to be characterized as poor. The study further shows that majority of the households are exposed to the severe shock of climatic types. Patterns of shock exposure vary with the household’s characteristics. In particular, poor households in the hills primarily dependent on forest for livelihood are more likely to experience severe shocks. Further analyses indicate that the households ex-post choose dissaving, borrowing, shifting occupation, and migration to cope with severe climatic shocks. The analyses also reveal that the nature of shocks, socio-economic, demographic, geographic contexts, and factor endowments effect adopting a particular coping strategy. Findings suggest household level-specific support should be provided to mitigate the effects of shock, and appropriate measures are taken to protect their means of living.
Narayan Gautam; Nirmal Raut; Bir Chhetri; Nirjala Raut; Muhammad Rashid; Xiangqing Ma; Pengfei Wu. Determinants of Poverty, Self-Reported Shocks, and Coping Strategies: Evidence from Rural Nepal. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1790 .
AMA StyleNarayan Gautam, Nirmal Raut, Bir Chhetri, Nirjala Raut, Muhammad Rashid, Xiangqing Ma, Pengfei Wu. Determinants of Poverty, Self-Reported Shocks, and Coping Strategies: Evidence from Rural Nepal. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (4):1790.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNarayan Gautam; Nirmal Raut; Bir Chhetri; Nirjala Raut; Muhammad Rashid; Xiangqing Ma; Pengfei Wu. 2021. "Determinants of Poverty, Self-Reported Shocks, and Coping Strategies: Evidence from Rural Nepal." Sustainability 13, no. 4: 1790.
Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb) Hook) is a commercially valuable timber species that is widely planted in southern China and accounts for 6.1% of the global plantation forests. However, appropriate planting density that ensures high plantation productivity is largely unexplored in this species. The aim of the study was to examine tree growth, biomass production, and its allocation among different organs in relation to initial planting density, and to examine whether planting density has an impact on root development. Mortality, diameter at breast height and tree-height of all trees were determined and measured in wider (2.36 × 2.36 m), intermediate (1.83 × 1.83 m) and narrow (1.44 × 1.44 m) spacing with stand density of 1450 trees ha−1, 2460 trees ha−1 and 3950 trees ha−1, respectively. In each stand, three plots of 20 × 20 m at a distance of 500 m were delineated as the sampling unit. Biomass was determined by destructive sampling of trees in each stand and developing allometric equations. Root morphological traits and their spatial distribution were also determined by carefully excavating the root systems. The results showed an increase in diameter of trees with decreasing stand density while tree height was independent of stand density. Biomass production of individual trees was significantly (p < 0.05) less in high-density stand (32.35 ± 2.98 kg tree−1) compared to low-density stand (44.72 ± 4.96 kg tree−1) and intermediate-density stand (61.35 ± 4.78 kg tree−1) while stand biomass production differed significantly in the order of intermediate (67.63 ± 5.14 t ha−1) > high (57.08 ± 3.13 t ha−1) > low (27.39 ± 3.42 t ha−1) stand density. Both average root length and root volume were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the high-density stand than stands with low and intermediate density. Analysis of spatial distribution of root systems revealed no overlap between roots of neighboring trees in the competition zone in low-density stand, a subtle overlap in the intermediate density stand and larger overlap in the high-density stand. It can be concluded that better growth and biomass production in intermediate density stand could be explained by better root structural development coupled with minimal competition with understory vegetation and between trees; thus intermediate stand density can be optimal for sustaining long-term productivity and may reduce the management cost in the early phase of the plantation.
Taimoor Hassan Farooq; Wenjing Wu; Mulualem Tigabu; Xiangqing Ma; Zongming He; Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid; Matoor Mohsin Gilani; Pengfei Wu. Growth, Biomass Production and Root Development of Chinese fir in Relation to Initial Planting Density. Forests 2019, 10, 236 .
AMA StyleTaimoor Hassan Farooq, Wenjing Wu, Mulualem Tigabu, Xiangqing Ma, Zongming He, Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid, Matoor Mohsin Gilani, Pengfei Wu. Growth, Biomass Production and Root Development of Chinese fir in Relation to Initial Planting Density. Forests. 2019; 10 (3):236.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaimoor Hassan Farooq; Wenjing Wu; Mulualem Tigabu; Xiangqing Ma; Zongming He; Muhammad Haroon U. Rashid; Matoor Mohsin Gilani; Pengfei Wu. 2019. "Growth, Biomass Production and Root Development of Chinese fir in Relation to Initial Planting Density." Forests 10, no. 3: 236.
Acacia nilotica is an important agroforestry specie, which is used in both compact and linear forms. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of compost on the growth performance and biomass production of A. nilotica. Completely randomized design (CRD) was used to analyze the variations among several growth morphological traits. Two parallel trials, pot trial (seedlings), field trial (saplings) were conducted simultaneously. Compost and litter mixture were applied in mentioned trials. Following treatments were used: T0 – control; T1 - 25% of compost and 75% of nursery soil; T2 - mixture of 50% nursery soil and 50% compost; T3 - mixture of 75% compost and 25% of nursery soil; T4 - where 100% compost was applied. Increase in plant growth was observed with the increases in the amount of compost mixture. In field trial maximum plant height, shoot length, root length, rootshoot ratio and biomass production was observed when 100% compost level was applied, while minimum was observed without any compost appli-cation. In pot trials, the maximum plant height, rootshoot ratio and biomass production was recorded when 75% compost level was applied. Overall, Acacia performed better with 100% of compost application in field trail and 75% of compost application in pot trial. The results of this study demonstrated the positive effects of compost on the growth of Acacia. The seedling development was improved considerably with different levels having greater percentage of organic fertilizer and it was concluded that compost improves soil fertility and it should be used as organic fertilizer in farming and forestry practices for improving crop growth and yield.
H.M.U. Saqib; I. Ahmad; M.H.U. Rashid; Taimoor Hassan Farooq; M. Asif; M. Kashif; A. Iqbal; M.F. Nawaz. Effect of Compost Application on the Growth of Acacia nilotica. Cercetari Agronomice in Moldova 2019, 52, 66 -73.
AMA StyleH.M.U. Saqib, I. Ahmad, M.H.U. Rashid, Taimoor Hassan Farooq, M. Asif, M. Kashif, A. Iqbal, M.F. Nawaz. Effect of Compost Application on the Growth of Acacia nilotica. Cercetari Agronomice in Moldova. 2019; 52 (1):66-73.
Chicago/Turabian StyleH.M.U. Saqib; I. Ahmad; M.H.U. Rashid; Taimoor Hassan Farooq; M. Asif; M. Kashif; A. Iqbal; M.F. Nawaz. 2019. "Effect of Compost Application on the Growth of Acacia nilotica." Cercetari Agronomice in Moldova 52, no. 1: 66-73.