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PERCEPTION OF APPLIED ECOLOGY BY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Get PDFApplied ecology is a science that manages ecosystems including conservation, harvesting and animal and plant control. Environmental attitudes of secondary school students include their psychological tendency towards the environment. The study concentrates on secondary school students in the Košice Region, in Slovakia. Using Google Forms a questionnaire was delivered to 1,012 secondary school students from the mentioned region. From the participants 59.3% were female and 40.7% were male students. The most numerous age category was 17-year-old secondary school students. 76.6% were students at a secondary school with a general certificate of secondary education (GCSE), 22.1% at a grammar school and 1.3% at a secondary school without a GCSE. Based on the results of the questionnaire most students are interested in the quality of the environment on average and there is no student absolutely not interested in the quality of the environment regardless of the school type. No students, regardless of the school type, consider there is absolutely no impact of all anthropogenic activities on the quality of the environment. As to the assessment of environmental quality in the place of permanent residence and the knowledge of drinking water quality there is no conformity depending on the type of school. The most students save water on average regardless of the school type. There are no students definitely not saving energy in their households, but there is no compliance on saving energy in the households depending on the type of school. There are no students definitely not separating waste in their households and only a few students that rather not separate waste but most students definitely separate waste regardless of the school type
THE IMPACT OF AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN INVASIVE SPECIES AND WILDFIRE FUELS MITIGATION
Get PDFMillions of acres of public lands in Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming are imperiled by invasive species and wildfires, which reduce ecosystem health, decrease the productivity of public lands for wildlife, diminish recreation assets, and threaten the safety for communities. There is a need to manage public lands to sustain ecosystem services and enhances human safety. Agencies responsible for managing these lands, including the Forest Service, National Park Service, BLM, State Parks, and others, lack the capacity to complete such work and rely on the intervention of AmeriCorps members to mitigate the spread of invasive weeds and reduce wildfire fuel loads that threaten communities and habitat. For this evaluation, Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) is collaborating with a cohort of conservation corps (Public Lands Service Coalition (PLSC)) to conduct a national evaluation. This study is led by Dr. Allie McCreary and Dr. Lily Popova Zhuhadar from Western Kentucky University. This research aims to assess the impact AmeriCorps members may have in reducing invasive species and minimizing wildfire fuel loads on public lands. In this research, we introduce preliminary results of the evaluation method used to assess the impact of AmeriCorps members on natural and recreation resource enhancement
UPPER LIMB MUSCULAR ASSESSMENT IN A WORKSHOP OF WELDING WORKERS - CASE STUDY
Get PDFWelding has one of the highest prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MDS) and clinical diagnosis. According to some studies, the disorders related to the activity are in the shoulders, neck, and low back, primarily by work in static load in postures above the shoulders. This study is focused on welding in joints and prefabs workshops in real working conditions. After an ergonomic diagnosis, and according to the literature, a muscle evaluation was performed using surface electromyography (sEMG) in a sample of three subjects without any upper limb diagnosis. The muscles evaluated were trapezius, deltoids, extensor carpi ulnaris and radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris and radialis in the dominant arm. The measures were 30-60 minutes, depending on the welding piece. The equipment used was the Biometrics DataLOG (MWX8) and six EMG sensors (SX230). The data processing was following the SENIAM standardized norm. As a result of the assessment, the trapezius and the flexor carpi radialis presented the highest mean muscular activity, 20.92% and 24.43%, respectively, according to the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) evaluation. The static load should not exceed 15% of the muscular activity; if it is exceeded, it could lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. It was found that the muscular activity associated with welding is risky, especially in the cervical region. To improve the working conditions in a workshop for muscular activity and the postural condition, it is recommended to implement a hydraulic press to adjust the working height
E-WASTE IN LANDFILLS - SOURCE OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS
Get PDFSoil pollution can have lasting socioeconomic consequences and an impact on the environment. Pollution can seriously affect the ability of soil to carry out some of its essential functions, and it can affect human health by direct contact or by involvement in the food chain. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to get more information about contaminated sites and the pollutants that are found there. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are one of the new emerging pollutants found in the environment due to using the equipment containing flame retardants and as a result of irresponsible and illegal disposal and treatment of electronic waste. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of e-waste improperly disposed of in landfills and some other non-landfill sites. The method for determining PBDE\u27s in soil has been optimized, using chemometric model developed for optimization of extraction conditions and instrumental analysis of PBDE\u27s. Optimal duration of extraction, the best ratio of solvents used for extraction and instrumental conditions that give the best recovery of extraction were defined. The optimized conditions were applied on soil samples taken from the surface layer of soil from 24 locations (near landfills, ex marshalling yard, dump of secondary raw materials and automotive waste) in Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Recovery values of PBDE\u27s congeners ranged between 80% and 115%. Total PBDE\u27s concentrations ranged from 4.4 to 729 μg·kg-1 of absolutely dry soil. Highest contribution to total sum have BDE 99, BDE 47 and BDE 209
A LITERATURE REVIEW OF COMPUTER VISION TECHNIQUES IN WILDLIFE MONITORING
Get PDFWildlife monitoring is critical for reducing poaching activities, tracking instinctive behavior, understanding the habitat, and recording the wild animal population. Biologists and scientists around the world are implementing various techniques to monitor wildlife. Observing animal behavior and supervising species over a large area necessitate extensive manual surveillance at a high cost. However, with technological advancement, data availability, and high computing power, techniques and methods used in monitoring wildlife are changing rapidly. In particular, the use of computer vision in identifying, classifying, and counting animals has been universally adopted in the scientific community because of its efficiency, repeatability, and high-accuracy rates. With the increasing use of computer vision techniques and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, gaps, possibilities, and weaknesses are also being discovered. During our review, we discovered that many researchers are working in the field of deep learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of wildlife monitoring systems. However, we realized that little research is being conducted on the preprocessing of image data captured by camera traps. In this paper, we compared and analyzed different computer vision techniques used in wildlife monitoring. We also evaluated various recent approaches for single and multi-object tracking from 148 different research papers and journals published between 2011 and 2022 on the specific topic of wildlife monitoring systems based on computer vision. Finally, we provide a detailed overview of future directions in designing and implementing computer vision techniques for wildlife monitoring and understanding
THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN REDUCING PESTICIDE USE IN LINE WITH THE GREEN DEAL TARGETS
Get PDFWithin the scope of the green deal, it has been determined that there is an urgent need to reduce the dependence on pesticides in line with the sustainable agriculture goal. However, chemical control is still one of the most preferred methods because it is easier than other control methods and results can be obtained in a short time with less labor. The total amount of pesticide uses in Turkey in 2020 increased by 4.63% compared to 2019 and reached 53,672 tons. Fungicides 38.38%, herbicides 24.69%, insecticides 23.00%, acaricides 4.10%, rodenticides, and molluscicides 0.52%, and others 9.31% constituted of total pesticide use. The provinces with the highest pesticide use in Turkey are Antalya, Manisa, and Adana, where agriculture is also intensive. In the study, the current situation of pesticide uses in Turkey, the issues to be considered for reducing pesticide use, the importance of agricultural extension in reducing pesticide use in line with the green deal targets were analyzed. In addition, the reduction of pesticide use, which is included in the green deal targets, has been evaluated in terms of the EU and Turkey. The research was conducted using secondary data. Agricultural extension is one of the most effective ways to reduce pesticide use by farmers. Agricultural extension accelerates knowledge transfer, helps farmers become better managers, and acts as a bridge to bring knowledge from global research to farmers. Individual, group, and mass extension methods should be used to reduce pesticide use. Especially in Turkey, socio-economic characteristics of farmers and pesticide use vary according to regions. Agricultural extension activities should be carried out with this in mind
INFLUENCE OF AMINO ACID-BASED STIMULANTS ON SELECTED QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PARAMETERS IN BASIL (OCIMUM BASILICUM)
Get PDFThe aim of the work was to verify the effectiveness of selected stimulant based on amino acids. Tecamin Max (dose 2.5 ml.l-1) and Controlphyt ID (3 ml.l-1) preparations were foliarly applied to basil 4 times during vegetation. Two harvests were carried out and the influence of harvest time on selected parameters was also monitored. The change in fresh matter, dry matter, drying ratio and essential oil content in 4 varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. ( ́Genovese ́, ́Letuce Leaf ́, ́Bavires ́, ́Pokemon ́) was monitored. After foliar application of stimulants, the dry matter content and drying ratio were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected. The variety significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the content of fresh and dry matter and the content of essential oils. The time of harvest did not have a significant (P ≤ 0.05) impact on any monitored parameter. The total fresh matter content ranged from 10.83 to 19.64 t.ha-1, the total dry matter content ranged from 1.19 to 3.17 t.ha-1. The drying ratio represents the ratio of fresh to dry matter and ranges from 4.33 to 14.36. The essential oils contained in the dry matter reached values from 0.38 to 1.08 ml per 100 g
THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SOYBEAN (GLYCINE MAX L.) CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION IN HUNGARY
Get PDFDue to its importance in supplying oil and animal feed, soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the four most important crops in the world. Compared with other crops, soybean has superior ability to provide high quality raw material for human consumption as its nutritional values are outstanding. Soybean global production is constantly rising, however, in recent years, a decrease in the interest has been registered in Hungary from 2017. Soybean yield decline can be affected by various biotic and abiotic stress factors in all growing seasons. In addition to this, changes in climatic conditions and abiotic stress factors directly affect the level of yield potential which is very important for improving sustainability of agricultural systems. In order to profitably adapt to a changing climate and guarantee food security in Hungary, improved crop varieties are needed to bring in to cultivation. Due to changing climatic conditions, farmers are interested in growing soybean since crop rotation diversity influences soil microbial communities and often increases crop productivity. The increase in cost of agricultural inputs and loss of soil fertility drive the search for sustainable strategies. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to study the effect of climate change on soybean cultivation and grain yield since this crop plant can be described with high yield stability even under changing weather conditions which adversely affects all ecosystems. Agriculture is one of the most affected branches due to its dependence on the evolution of the weather throughout the entire plants growing season. The variance of climate requests the use of a variety of agronomic strategies and good crop choices. Thus, searching for optimal tillage management is crucial for the maintenance and improvement of soil functions
DETERMINING THE REGIONS WITH METEOROLOGICAL CONSTRAINS FOR AGRICULTURE IN BULGARIA UNTIL 2030-2050
Get PDFAgriculture is a branch that develops entirely outdoors and under the immediate influence of weather conditions. At the same time, the climatic anomalies and changes that are observed everywhere throughout the country and above all in the agricultural regions of the country have increased in frequency and intensity. To be competitive as an industry, agriculture must produce quality and environmentally friendly products in the largest possible quantities to satisfy the local market and for export. Under these conditions, farmers must control all additional costs and especially those related to the need to improve environmental conditions and above all the lack of heat and moisture. The aim of the present research is to analyze the agrometeorological conditions obtained as a result of a simulation with a numerical climate model for the next 30-year period until 2050. In order to get a more concrete idea of these conditions, some agrometeorological indices will be used - transition dates of the average daily temperature during 5 and 10oС, duration of the vegetation period, sum of precipitation during the vegetation and non-vegetation period, values of evapotranspiration (ET) and drought index (AI)
FUNCTIONAL FOOD BASED ON A COMBINATION OF POLYPHENOLS AND POLYSACCHARIDES WITH EMERGENT PROPERTIES FOR HYPOCALORIC DIET
Get PDFThe aim of this work was to develop a functional food used as an adjuvant for hypocaloric diet, based on a combination of polyphenols and polysaccharides extracted from berries pomace and chia seeds, presenting emergent properties. These bioactive compounds were encapsulated into liposomes before being added in the composition of a new protein bar. The antioxidant activity of polyphenols- polysaccharides combinations in different ratios was determined by TEAC and DPPH assays. It was observed that the mixture of polyphenols extracted from berries and polysaccharides extracted from chia seeds in a weight ratio of 5:1 had the highest antioxidant activity. A study of α-amylase inhibition in the presence of polyphenols, polysaccharides and their combinations was also performed to investigate the synergism of these compounds. A liposomal formulation of the selected synergistic combination was obtained in powder form by lyophilization. A final product including the synergistic combination was prepared in the form of a hypoglycemic food bar with amplified antioxidant effects. The product is further recommended for potential application as an adjuvant for a low-calorie diet