Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on clay mineral... more Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on clay minerals and peat; (2) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on kaolinite; (3) influenc of sulfate additions from acid precipitation on soil; (4) dissolved organic carbon levels in soil as influenced by acid precipitation; (5) spatial variability of pH and organic matter in forest plantations; (6) soil pH
... Related research. Adaptation to climate change and climate variability in Europeanagriculture... more ... Related research. Adaptation to climate change and climate variability in Europeanagriculture: The importance of farm level responses. Pytrik Reidsma, Frank Ewert, Alfons Oude Lansink, Rik Leemans in European Journal of ...
This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has... more This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as
Yield response to climate, management, and genotype: a large-scale observational analysis to iden... more Yield response to climate, management, and genotype: a large-scale observational analysis to identify climate-adaptive crop management practices in high-input maize systems To cite this article: Elizabeth K Carter et al 2018 Environ. Res. Lett. 13 114006 View the article online for updates and enhancements.
Public provision of water and wastewater services in urban India has been a noteworthy failure, o... more Public provision of water and wastewater services in urban India has been a noteworthy failure, often providing service that ranges from non-existent to unreliable. Over the past decade, a number of reforms were undertaken that focused on infrastructure construction and urban governance, including broader use of public–private partnerships (PPPs). We examine a new data set of 163 water and wastewater PPP contracts initiated during 1999-2012 to study the determinants of a city’s decision to invite varying amounts of private participation though a PPP agreement. Cities with larger populations, better PPP regulatory environments, regional party rule, and lower sanitation scores are associated with higher levels of private participation through PPPs. Indian municipalities have often failed to engage the public before and during contract discussions, sometimes resulting in lukewarm public support for PPPs. Our findings highlight the role of cities’ socioeconomic indicators in determining the type of PPP contract undertaken.
Cornell researchers 2 Todd Walter and Art DeGaetano for their capacity to perform effectively und... more Cornell researchers 2 Todd Walter and Art DeGaetano for their capacity to perform effectively under current and future precipitation conditions. They discovered that 23-56 percent of culverts were undersized for current 1-year storm runoff. A prototype web-based tool was developed that will help municipalities and local agencies plan for culvert replacement to minimize flood risk.
This data set reports the carbon and nutrient stocks of above-ground vegetation and soil pools at... more This data set reports the carbon and nutrient stocks of above-ground vegetation and soil pools at three locations where post-pasture secondary forest recovery ranged from 0 to 14 years since abandonment. These sites are located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, along the road BR-174 north of the city of Manaus within three fazendas (cattle ranches) now in various stages of grazing, pasture abandonment, or pasture reclamation: Fazenda Rodao (km 46), Embrapa-District of SUFRAMA (DAS) pasture research site (km 53) and Fazenda Dimona (km 72). From September 2000 to July 2001, measurements were obtained for aboveground biomass (cite ND-04 Sec For Recovery), foliage and wood samples were collected and analyzed for total nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations, and soil samples from 0 to 45 cm depth were collected and analyzed for total nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations. Total carbon (C) and nutrient stocks were calculated for various vegetation and soil pools to gain an understanding of the dynamics of nutrient and C buildup in regenerating secondary forests in central Amazonia (Feldpausch et al., 2004). There are 2 comma-delimited ASCII data files with this data set.
This data set reports measurements of the canopy and structure of secondary forests regenerating ... more This data set reports measurements of the canopy and structure of secondary forests regenerating from abandoned pastures. These secondary forests are located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, along the road BR-174 north of the city of Manaus within three fazendas (cattle ranches) now in various stages of grazing, pasture abandonment, or pasture reclamation: Fazenda Rodao (km 46), Embrapa-District of SUFRAMA (DAS) pasture research site (km 53), and Fazenda Dimona (km 72). Ten secondary forest study sites were selected within the three fazendas where post-pasture forest recovery ranged from 0 to 14 years since abandonment. From 2000-2001 estimates of leaf area index (LAI) and canopy cover were derived from hemispherical canopy digital photographs, and estimates of aboveground biomass and basal area were derived utilizing allometric equations from diameter at breast height (DBH) measurements. Estimates were classified by growth-form and diameter class. See Feldpausch et al. (2005) for more information. There are four comma-delimited data files with this data set and one companion file with information regarding the allometric equations relating diameter at breast height (for dbh > 5 cm) to dry weight for biomass calculations.
and decisions on infrastructure issues. However, like any other topic, public opinion on infrastr... more and decisions on infrastructure issues. However, like any other topic, public opinion on infrastructure and government involvement is malleable, responsive to events, and subject to issue framing. In 2012, we included three questions on W&WI in the Cornell National Social Survey to identify public opinion on certain key issues against the backdrop of aging infrastructure. The survey was conducted over phone, yielded 1000 respondents (18% response rate), and is broadly representative of public opinion nationally.
We review and build on a growing literature assessing small dam removal outcomes to inform future... more We review and build on a growing literature assessing small dam removal outcomes to inform future dam removal planning. Small dams that have exceeded their expected duration of operation and are no longer being maintained are at risk of breach. The past two decades have seen a number of small dam removals, though many removals remain unstudied and poorly documented. We summarize socioeconomic and biophysical lessons learned during the past two decades of accelerated activity regarding small dam removals throughout the United States. We present frameworks for planning and implementing removals developed by interdisciplinary engagement. Toward the goal of achieving thorough dam removal planning, we present outcomes from well-documented small dam removals covering ecological, chemical, and physical change in rivers post-dam removal, including field observation and modeling methodologies. Guiding principles of a dam removal process should include: (1) stakeholder engagement to navigate the complexity of watershed landuse, (2) an impacts assessment to inform the planning process, (3) pre-and post-dam removal observations of ecological, chemical and physical properties, (4) the expectation that there are short-and long-term ecological dynamics with population recovery depending on whether dam impacts were largely related to dispersion or to habitat destruction, (5) an expectation that changes in watershed chemistry are dependent on sediment type, sediment transport and watershed landuse, and 6) rigorous assessment of physical changes resulting from dam removal, understanding that alteration in hydrologic flows, sediment transport, and channel evolution will shape ecological and chemical dynamics, and shape how stakeholders engage with the watershed. Keywords Dam removal Á Small dams Á Run-of-river dams Á Low-head dams Á Impoundment Á Channel evolution Á River restoration
Water utilities that generally provide continuous and reliable service to their customers may som... more Water utilities that generally provide continuous and reliable service to their customers may sometimes issue an advisory notification when service is interrupted or water quality is compromised. When the contamination is biological, utilities or the local public health agencies issue a 'boil water advisory' (BWA). The public health effectiveness of a BWA depends strongly on an implicit public understanding and compliance. In this study, a meta-analysis of 11 articles that investigated public compliance to BWA notifications was conducted. Awareness of BWA was moderately high, except in situations involving extreme weather. Reported rates of compliance were generally high, but when rate of awareness and non-compliant behavior such as brushing teeth were factored in, the median effective compliance rate was found to be around 68 percent. This does not include situations where people forgot to boil water for some part of the duration, or ingested contaminated water after the BWA was issued but before they became aware of the notification. The two-thirds compliance rate is thus an overestimate. Results further suggest that timeliness of receipt, content of the advisory, and number of sources reporting the advisory have a significant impact on public response and compliance. This analysis points to improvements in the phrasing and content of BWA notices that could result in greater compliance, and recommends the use of a standard protocol to limit recall bias and capture the public response accurately.
Urban infrastructure in the United States is ageing, but media portrayal of this phenomena has be... more Urban infrastructure in the United States is ageing, but media portrayal of this phenomena has been insufficient. Failures such as water main breaks are a daily occurrence in many cities. In addition, citizens are regularly reminded of the costs through increases in water and sewer rates. To explore media discourse on this issue, a content analysis of print media articles on water main breaks (Breaks), and water and sewer rate increases (Rates) for the period 1999–2012 was conducted. The analysis of approximately 500 randomly drawn articles on each topic found that media coverage of water infrastructure is an episodic affair with little attention to ongoing issues. Rates articles contained more details and a focus on governance, while Breaks articles addressed business concerns and were concentrated in older cities. The article concludes that media stories are not providing sufficient information to serve the needs of democratic governance of urban infrastructure issues.
A glasshouse experiment was performed with Acacia auriculiformis seedlings to investigate the eff... more A glasshouse experiment was performed with Acacia auriculiformis seedlings to investigate the effects of decreased soil water potential on phyllode extension, abscission and solar conversion efficiency, e. Six-month-old seedlings were subjected for 39 days to one of four treatments: well watered (soil water potential maintained above -0.5 MPa), moderately drought stressed (soil water potential maintained above -1.5 MPa), severely drought stressed (soil water potential maintained above -2.5 MPa) and well watered but pruned to maintain a leaf area approximating that of the severely drought-stressed treatment. Aboveground biomass accumulation decreased by 21% below that of the well-watered controls in the moderately drought-stressed seedlings and by 47% in the severely drought-stressed seedlings as a result of both decreased interception of solar radiation and lower e. Differences in phyllode extension rate, rather than in phyllode abscission, were primarily responsible for the differences in interception of solar radiation among treatments. Decreases in phyllode extension rate and water use occurred simultaneously in response to decreasing soil water potential. Specific leaf area decreased and water use efficiency increased in response to drought stress.
Honeylocust seedlings (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were grown in cylinders containing soil adjusted... more Honeylocust seedlings (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were grown in cylinders containing soil adjusted to pH 4, 5 or 6, and harvested every 10 days for 40 days for dry weight and leaf mineral analysis. Total weight of plants grown at pH 4 was less than that of plants grown at pH 5 or 6. Root weight accounted for a greater proportion of total weight in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6. Root growth as a function of total plant growth was higher in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6, whereas leaf growth as a function of total plant growth was less in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6. However, the relationships between root biomass and root length and between leaf biomass and leaf area were the same in all treatments. An analysis of total leaf concentrations of Ca, P, K, Mg, Mn and Al indicated that Al accumulation in leaves was significantly related to a decrease in plant growth at pH 5. A leaf tissue aluminum concentration of 35 microg g(-1) was associated with toxicity symptoms and a 25% reduction in total plant weight.
Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on clay mineral... more Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on clay minerals and peat; (2) mechanism of aluminum adsorption on kaolinite; (3) influenc of sulfate additions from acid precipitation on soil; (4) dissolved organic carbon levels in soil as influenced by acid precipitation; (5) spatial variability of pH and organic matter in forest plantations; (6) soil pH
... Related research. Adaptation to climate change and climate variability in Europeanagriculture... more ... Related research. Adaptation to climate change and climate variability in Europeanagriculture: The importance of farm level responses. Pytrik Reidsma, Frank Ewert, Alfons Oude Lansink, Rik Leemans in European Journal of ...
This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has... more This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as
Yield response to climate, management, and genotype: a large-scale observational analysis to iden... more Yield response to climate, management, and genotype: a large-scale observational analysis to identify climate-adaptive crop management practices in high-input maize systems To cite this article: Elizabeth K Carter et al 2018 Environ. Res. Lett. 13 114006 View the article online for updates and enhancements.
Public provision of water and wastewater services in urban India has been a noteworthy failure, o... more Public provision of water and wastewater services in urban India has been a noteworthy failure, often providing service that ranges from non-existent to unreliable. Over the past decade, a number of reforms were undertaken that focused on infrastructure construction and urban governance, including broader use of public–private partnerships (PPPs). We examine a new data set of 163 water and wastewater PPP contracts initiated during 1999-2012 to study the determinants of a city’s decision to invite varying amounts of private participation though a PPP agreement. Cities with larger populations, better PPP regulatory environments, regional party rule, and lower sanitation scores are associated with higher levels of private participation through PPPs. Indian municipalities have often failed to engage the public before and during contract discussions, sometimes resulting in lukewarm public support for PPPs. Our findings highlight the role of cities’ socioeconomic indicators in determining the type of PPP contract undertaken.
Cornell researchers 2 Todd Walter and Art DeGaetano for their capacity to perform effectively und... more Cornell researchers 2 Todd Walter and Art DeGaetano for their capacity to perform effectively under current and future precipitation conditions. They discovered that 23-56 percent of culverts were undersized for current 1-year storm runoff. A prototype web-based tool was developed that will help municipalities and local agencies plan for culvert replacement to minimize flood risk.
This data set reports the carbon and nutrient stocks of above-ground vegetation and soil pools at... more This data set reports the carbon and nutrient stocks of above-ground vegetation and soil pools at three locations where post-pasture secondary forest recovery ranged from 0 to 14 years since abandonment. These sites are located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, along the road BR-174 north of the city of Manaus within three fazendas (cattle ranches) now in various stages of grazing, pasture abandonment, or pasture reclamation: Fazenda Rodao (km 46), Embrapa-District of SUFRAMA (DAS) pasture research site (km 53) and Fazenda Dimona (km 72). From September 2000 to July 2001, measurements were obtained for aboveground biomass (cite ND-04 Sec For Recovery), foliage and wood samples were collected and analyzed for total nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations, and soil samples from 0 to 45 cm depth were collected and analyzed for total nutrient (C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations. Total carbon (C) and nutrient stocks were calculated for various vegetation and soil pools to gain an understanding of the dynamics of nutrient and C buildup in regenerating secondary forests in central Amazonia (Feldpausch et al., 2004). There are 2 comma-delimited ASCII data files with this data set.
This data set reports measurements of the canopy and structure of secondary forests regenerating ... more This data set reports measurements of the canopy and structure of secondary forests regenerating from abandoned pastures. These secondary forests are located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, along the road BR-174 north of the city of Manaus within three fazendas (cattle ranches) now in various stages of grazing, pasture abandonment, or pasture reclamation: Fazenda Rodao (km 46), Embrapa-District of SUFRAMA (DAS) pasture research site (km 53), and Fazenda Dimona (km 72). Ten secondary forest study sites were selected within the three fazendas where post-pasture forest recovery ranged from 0 to 14 years since abandonment. From 2000-2001 estimates of leaf area index (LAI) and canopy cover were derived from hemispherical canopy digital photographs, and estimates of aboveground biomass and basal area were derived utilizing allometric equations from diameter at breast height (DBH) measurements. Estimates were classified by growth-form and diameter class. See Feldpausch et al. (2005) for more information. There are four comma-delimited data files with this data set and one companion file with information regarding the allometric equations relating diameter at breast height (for dbh > 5 cm) to dry weight for biomass calculations.
and decisions on infrastructure issues. However, like any other topic, public opinion on infrastr... more and decisions on infrastructure issues. However, like any other topic, public opinion on infrastructure and government involvement is malleable, responsive to events, and subject to issue framing. In 2012, we included three questions on W&WI in the Cornell National Social Survey to identify public opinion on certain key issues against the backdrop of aging infrastructure. The survey was conducted over phone, yielded 1000 respondents (18% response rate), and is broadly representative of public opinion nationally.
We review and build on a growing literature assessing small dam removal outcomes to inform future... more We review and build on a growing literature assessing small dam removal outcomes to inform future dam removal planning. Small dams that have exceeded their expected duration of operation and are no longer being maintained are at risk of breach. The past two decades have seen a number of small dam removals, though many removals remain unstudied and poorly documented. We summarize socioeconomic and biophysical lessons learned during the past two decades of accelerated activity regarding small dam removals throughout the United States. We present frameworks for planning and implementing removals developed by interdisciplinary engagement. Toward the goal of achieving thorough dam removal planning, we present outcomes from well-documented small dam removals covering ecological, chemical, and physical change in rivers post-dam removal, including field observation and modeling methodologies. Guiding principles of a dam removal process should include: (1) stakeholder engagement to navigate the complexity of watershed landuse, (2) an impacts assessment to inform the planning process, (3) pre-and post-dam removal observations of ecological, chemical and physical properties, (4) the expectation that there are short-and long-term ecological dynamics with population recovery depending on whether dam impacts were largely related to dispersion or to habitat destruction, (5) an expectation that changes in watershed chemistry are dependent on sediment type, sediment transport and watershed landuse, and 6) rigorous assessment of physical changes resulting from dam removal, understanding that alteration in hydrologic flows, sediment transport, and channel evolution will shape ecological and chemical dynamics, and shape how stakeholders engage with the watershed. Keywords Dam removal Á Small dams Á Run-of-river dams Á Low-head dams Á Impoundment Á Channel evolution Á River restoration
Water utilities that generally provide continuous and reliable service to their customers may som... more Water utilities that generally provide continuous and reliable service to their customers may sometimes issue an advisory notification when service is interrupted or water quality is compromised. When the contamination is biological, utilities or the local public health agencies issue a 'boil water advisory' (BWA). The public health effectiveness of a BWA depends strongly on an implicit public understanding and compliance. In this study, a meta-analysis of 11 articles that investigated public compliance to BWA notifications was conducted. Awareness of BWA was moderately high, except in situations involving extreme weather. Reported rates of compliance were generally high, but when rate of awareness and non-compliant behavior such as brushing teeth were factored in, the median effective compliance rate was found to be around 68 percent. This does not include situations where people forgot to boil water for some part of the duration, or ingested contaminated water after the BWA was issued but before they became aware of the notification. The two-thirds compliance rate is thus an overestimate. Results further suggest that timeliness of receipt, content of the advisory, and number of sources reporting the advisory have a significant impact on public response and compliance. This analysis points to improvements in the phrasing and content of BWA notices that could result in greater compliance, and recommends the use of a standard protocol to limit recall bias and capture the public response accurately.
Urban infrastructure in the United States is ageing, but media portrayal of this phenomena has be... more Urban infrastructure in the United States is ageing, but media portrayal of this phenomena has been insufficient. Failures such as water main breaks are a daily occurrence in many cities. In addition, citizens are regularly reminded of the costs through increases in water and sewer rates. To explore media discourse on this issue, a content analysis of print media articles on water main breaks (Breaks), and water and sewer rate increases (Rates) for the period 1999–2012 was conducted. The analysis of approximately 500 randomly drawn articles on each topic found that media coverage of water infrastructure is an episodic affair with little attention to ongoing issues. Rates articles contained more details and a focus on governance, while Breaks articles addressed business concerns and were concentrated in older cities. The article concludes that media stories are not providing sufficient information to serve the needs of democratic governance of urban infrastructure issues.
A glasshouse experiment was performed with Acacia auriculiformis seedlings to investigate the eff... more A glasshouse experiment was performed with Acacia auriculiformis seedlings to investigate the effects of decreased soil water potential on phyllode extension, abscission and solar conversion efficiency, e. Six-month-old seedlings were subjected for 39 days to one of four treatments: well watered (soil water potential maintained above -0.5 MPa), moderately drought stressed (soil water potential maintained above -1.5 MPa), severely drought stressed (soil water potential maintained above -2.5 MPa) and well watered but pruned to maintain a leaf area approximating that of the severely drought-stressed treatment. Aboveground biomass accumulation decreased by 21% below that of the well-watered controls in the moderately drought-stressed seedlings and by 47% in the severely drought-stressed seedlings as a result of both decreased interception of solar radiation and lower e. Differences in phyllode extension rate, rather than in phyllode abscission, were primarily responsible for the differences in interception of solar radiation among treatments. Decreases in phyllode extension rate and water use occurred simultaneously in response to decreasing soil water potential. Specific leaf area decreased and water use efficiency increased in response to drought stress.
Honeylocust seedlings (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were grown in cylinders containing soil adjusted... more Honeylocust seedlings (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were grown in cylinders containing soil adjusted to pH 4, 5 or 6, and harvested every 10 days for 40 days for dry weight and leaf mineral analysis. Total weight of plants grown at pH 4 was less than that of plants grown at pH 5 or 6. Root weight accounted for a greater proportion of total weight in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6. Root growth as a function of total plant growth was higher in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6, whereas leaf growth as a function of total plant growth was less in plants grown at pH 4 than in plants grown at pH 5 or 6. However, the relationships between root biomass and root length and between leaf biomass and leaf area were the same in all treatments. An analysis of total leaf concentrations of Ca, P, K, Mg, Mn and Al indicated that Al accumulation in leaves was significantly related to a decrease in plant growth at pH 5. A leaf tissue aluminum concentration of 35 microg g(-1) was associated with toxicity symptoms and a 25% reduction in total plant weight.
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