Sugarcane ethanol

Zuurbier, P. J. P.; Vooren, J.G. van de

doi:10.3920/978-90-8686-652-6

Cited by 53 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, we found that environmental similarity connectivity will remain comparable to current values, facilitating migration from the macroclimatic perspective. In contrast, due to the historical and continuous expansion of sugar cane fields in the southern portion of the region (Zuurbier & Van de Vooren 2008), forest patches in the area are highly fragmented, making it difficult for species to move across large distances. This is because dispersal through crop fields makes species not only more vulnerable to predators but also to dehydration, as trees maintain a higher humidity and lower temperature in the forest understory (Denslow 1980).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Impacts of Climate Change on Small-Ranged Amphibians of the Northern Atlantic Forest

2018

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Climate change is shifting species distribution all around the world. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to these environmental changes, as they are highly sensitive to fluctuations in rainfall and temperature. While previous studies have shown that climate change may increase amphibian species extinctions worldwide, few have tested how these changes may impact small-ranged species. Here, we use simple Euclidean distance methods to evaluate how changes in climatic conditions predicted for 2050 and 2070 may impact ten small-ranged amphibians of Northern Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Specifically, we focused on changes in temperature and precipitation regimes during the breeding season of all target species. Our results indicate that future climatic conditions will be less favorable for the evaluated species. Environmental conditions similar to the ones currently experienced by the species may shift to southwestern regions. Likewise, we expect favorable climatic conditions to move in altitude, but without a common trend among species. In spite of these impacts, the most favorable climatic conditions for each species will keep the same connectivity patterns as observed in the present. Taken together, these findings suggest that small-ranged amphibians of the Northern Atlantic Forest will be negatively affected by climate change, mainly by the reduction and shifts of suitable climatic conditions. Finally, our results also indicate that actions to decrease greenhouse gas emissions would reduce the impact on these small-ranged species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Impacts of Climate Change on Small-Ranged Amphibians of the Northern Atlantic Forest

2018

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“…We constructed replicated artificial ponds at different distances from a source wetland and experimentally simulated a gradient of chemical intensification by treating artificial ponds as if they were embedded in savannas (i.e., no agrochemical use), pastures (i.e., use of fertilizer), and sugarcane fields (i.e., use of fertilizer and pesticides). We chose to simulate pastures and sugar cane fields because they are two of the most abundant land uses in Brazil, the largest country in the neotropical region and the most important sugarcane-producing region of the world (Zuurbier & van de Vooren, 2008). Pastures occupy around 20% of the Brazilian territory (~173 million hectares; MapBiomas, 2020), while sugarcane represents the third largest planted area in Brazil (~9 million hectares), only behind soybeans (~30 million hectares) and maize (~16 million hectares; IBGE, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of agrochemical intensification on the assembly and reassembly of a mainland-island model metacommunity

Pelinson¹,

Br²,

Em³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Many lentic aquatic environments are found embedded in agricultural fields, forming complex metacommunity structures. These habitats are vulnerable to contamination by agrochemicals, which can differentially affect local communities depending on the intensity and variability of species dispersal rates. We conducted a field experiment to assess how agrochemical intensification simulating the conversion of savannas into managed pastures and sugarcane fields affects freshwater community structure at different levels of spatial isolation. We constructed forty-five 1,200-L artificial ponds in a savanna landscape at three distances from a source wetland (30 m, 120 m, and 480 m). Ponds were spontaneously colonized by aquatic insects and amphibians and treated with no agrochemicals (savanna treatment), fertilizers (pasture treatment), or fertilizers and a single pulse of the insecticide fipronil and the herbicide 2,4-D (sugarcane treatment) following realistic dosages and application schedules. The experiment encompassed the entire rainy season. Pasture communities were only slightly different from controls largely because two predatory insect taxa were more abundant in pasture ponds. Sugarcane communities strongly diverged from other treatments after the insecticide application, when a decrease in insect abundance indirectly benefitted amphibian populations. However, this effect had nearly disappeared by the end of the rainy season. The herbicide pulse had no effect on community structure. Spatial isolation changed community structure by increasing the abundance of non-predatory insects. However, it did not affect all predatory insects nor, surprisingly, amphibians. Therefore, spatial isolation did not change the effects of agrochemicals on community structure. Because agrochemical application frequently overlaps with the rainy season in many monocultures, it can strongly affect temporary pond communities. Ponds embedded in pastures might suffer mild consequences of fertilization by favoring the abundance of few predators through bottom-up effects. Ponds in sugarcane fields, however, might experience a decline in the insect population, followed by an increase in the abundance of amphibians tolerant to environmental degradation. Furthermore, we found no evidence that isolation by distance can change the general effects of chemical intensification, but future experiments should consider using real crop fields as the terrestrial matrix since they can represent different dispersal barriers.

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“…The sustainability debate on biofuels exploded around 2007-2008, as the demand for biofuels grew rapidly even as food prices increased substantially. This led to very intense global debates about food versus fuel use of (energy) crops, whereby the major concern was that biofuel for the developed countries would undermine the availability of food in poorer regions by driving up the prices (Rice, 2010;Searchinger, 2009;Zuurbier and van de Vooren, 2008). Also, the assertion that biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, compared to the use of fossil fuels, is under continuous scrutiny.…”

Section: Statement Of the Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofuel governance in Brazil and the EU

Stattman¹

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This PhD is the end of a long journey. The project started in 2009 and over the course of writing this thesis, many people in different ways have helped and supported me. Not only with the research, interviews and contacts at various times and locations, but also with background support for a process that took longer and was more complicated than I originally anticipated. I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to many of them. My interest for the topic originated from looking for a subject for my MSc thesis in 2007. During a debate in 'Hotel de Wereld' in Wageningen, I met Prem Bindraban who (quite spontaneously) invited me to join his research sabbatical in Brazil. Just two-and-a-half weeks later our adventure in Brazil began. During this trip we visited many people and projects varying from farmers, researchers, government officials and multi-stakeholder initiatives. We discovered the broad variety of the country and its very kind people. Therefore, thank you Prem for this amazing opportunity! It has been the basis of insights and information that has been invaluable in the whole process. Also, muito obrigada, Catarina Pezzo. We met during my first trip when you were appointed to show me around the WUR campus in Piracicaba and were finishing your own thesis. I am glad we have stayed in touch and met each other again in Brazil and the Netherlands where I could return the favour of hospitality. I would like to continue by expressing my gratitude to my promotors Arthur Mol and Aarti Gupta for their continuing support and persistence. Arthur Mol gave me the chance to pursue my research interest as a PhD student at the Environmental Policy group. His supervision and feedback always improved the quality of my work and in spite of a bumpy road, he has remained patient and allowed me to finish this thesis in my own time. I am also incredibly grateful to Aarti Gupta, because she has kept me going (one way or another). Without her guidance and support this project would probably never have been finished. Thank you! Many thanks also to ENP colleagues and fellow PhD candidates. You inspired me during many presentations and countless hallway discussions. Therefore, I would like to thank:

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Sugarcane ethanol

Abstract: Contributions to climate change mitigation and the environment edited by Peter Zuurbier Jos van de Vooren A vision proposed by experts in sustainability.

Cited by 53 publications

References 35 publications

Impacts of Climate Change on Small-Ranged Amphibians of the Northern Atlantic Forest

Impacts of Climate Change on Small-Ranged Amphibians of the Northern Atlantic Forest

Impacts of agrochemical intensification on the assembly and reassembly of a mainland-island model metacommunity

Biofuel governance in Brazil and the EU

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