Environment and Natural Resources Journal

Factors in Community Adaptation for Climate Change Mitigation in Thailand

Tipmol Traiyut — 2024-05-08

This study reflects the experiences of communities who have adapted to climate change in three different geological locations in the country of Thailand: by the riverside, coast, and in the mountains. The communities presented the lessons learned and identified key adaptation factors. The study used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, with results showing that the community’s learning and adaptation to climate change were at a high level. The results broaden understanding of climate change in these locations and provide information for resource management approaches. Among the seven factors, five factors illustrated that they were highly adapted, including: (1) applying knowledge about nature, ecosystems, and traditional wisdom; (2) management that allowed the use of adaptations; (3) a shared vision of success; (4) collaboration; and (5) having a variety of options and approaches. Two factors that illustated that the community was only moderately adapted included: (1) learning about violent events and disasters; and (2) following government guidelines. It was found that a lack of information about the ecosystems and environmental resources they required for large-scale infrastructure construction caused issues. This is a problem, and the government must consult with local communities when setting long-term plans and assessing needs, because communities have diverse livelihoods and depend on natural resources. Hence, future studies should include climate change awareness and understanding of what is required by adding community needs linked to climate change adaptation into state development plans as well as utilizing the wisdom and traditional knowledge involving ecology held by these communities into sustainability plans.

Seagrass Community Structure and Ecosystem Carbon Stocks Along the Shoreline of Semujur Island, Bangka Belitung Province, Indonesia

Aldina Himmarila Muliawati — 2024-04-02

Seagrass meadows serve as vital blue carbon ecosystems, sequestering significant amounts of CO₂ and playing a crucial role in climate change mitigation. Semujur Island, located in the Bangka Belitung Province, exemplifies numerous small Indonesian islands boasting extensive seagrass meadows lining their shores. This research seeks to (1) describe the community structure of seagrass on Semujur Island, (2) assess the carbon storage within the seagrass ecosystem, and (3) analyze the relationship between seagrass community structure and carbon reserves across three distinct sites. According to the results of this study, there are eight species of seagrass on Semujur Island, i.e., Cymodocea rotundata, Enhalus acoroides, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis, Oceana serrulata, Syringodium isoetifolium, Thalassia hemprichii, and Thalassodendron ciliatum. Diversity indices varied among sites, ranging from 1.48 to 1.72. Species evenness indices varied between 0.83 and 0.92, while dominance indices varied between 0.20 and 0.28. The highest estimated carbon stock was obtained at the site dominated by the species H. uninervis (75.11 MgC/ha); followed by the site dominated by T. hemprichii (50.55 MgC/ha). The correlation between seagrass community structure, including density and coverage, and carbon stocks demonstrated a moderate positive correlation, with coefficients of 0.430 and 0.528, respectively (p<0.05). This research highlights the significance of integrating ecological dynamics into the management of seagrass ecosystems to enhance climate change mitigation efforts. Additionally, it offers valuable data as a reference for the restoration and conservation of seagrass ecosystems.

Characteristics of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Chemical Composition in the North Jakarta Industrial Area

Zeni Anggraini — 2024-05-09

Air pollution around industrial area has become a serious concern for both the public and local government. Thus, research on PM_2.5characterization is urgently needed. This study identifies the concentration and chemical characteristics of PM_2.5to provide an in-depth understanding of the composition of these particles around the largest industrial complex in North Jakarta. Sixty samples of PM_2.5 were collected from residential sites around industrial areas in North Jakarta. Samples were collected on Teflon filters using a SuperSASS instrument during the period from February to July 2023, representing the wet and dry seasons. Mass concentrations of PM_2.5, black carbon, and 19 chemical elements were determined. The average mass concentration of PM_2.5 in the wet and dry seasons was 27.81±11.82 µg/m³ and 46.63±14.37 µg/m³, respectively. Although the concentration of PM_2.5 was lower during the wet season, the concentrations of black carbon and certain elements did not decrease significantly. This shows that pollutants play an important role in both seasons in the study location. Sulfur is the most abundant element with the average concentration in the dry season (2,727.89 ng/m³) higher than in the wet season (1,983.18 ng/m³). The PM_2.5mass reconstruction results show that ammonium sulfate and black carbon have the largest portion of PM_2.5 mass. The results are expected to be used as a scientific reference in studying air pollution problems in this region and assist in formulating air protection policies to reduce PM_2.5emissions.

Exergy Analysis of Waste-to-Energy Technologies for Municipal Solid Waste Management

Nuhu Caleb Amulah — 2024-04-30

In recent years, there have been increasing concerns over the detrimental effects of irreversible linear patterns of material and energy consumption, which have led to an enormous generation of municipal solid waste (MSW). Concepts like waste-to-energy (WtE) and recycling have gained increasing recognition and support as responses to these challenges. This study assessed the exergetic potential of four WtE technologies (landfill gas-to-energy, anaerobic digestion, incineration, and plasma gasification) in the context of the MSW characteristics of Maiduguri, Borno State. The population of Maiduguri, waste generation rate, waste composition, and the ultimate and proximate analysis of the MSW were used for the assessment. Exergetic potential in the form of electrical energy generation and three exergy-based indicators (exergy efficiency, exergy defect, and improvement potential) were evaluated for each WtE option. The results reveal that anaerobic digestion and plasma gasification are viable options based on the exergetic potential and the measured exergy performance indicators. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and waste management authorities, facilitating informed decisions to address environmental concerns and promote resource-efficient urban development in Maiduguri and similar regions.

Willingness to Pay Estimation for the Restoration of Water Quality of a Eutrophic Lake

Mc Jervis Soltura Villaruel — 2024-05-07

Lakes are recognized as highly susceptible to the impacts of various anthropogenic activities, making them one of the most vulnerable aquatic ecosystems. These ecosystems frequently experience degradation due to the lack of policies recognizing the importance of their often overlooked regulating ecosystem services. A contingent valuation approach was employed to assess the stakeholders’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the restoration of the water quality of a eutrophic lake using the case of Tadlac Lake, situated within the municipality of Los Baños, Laguna Province, Philippines. The findings of the study revealed that households in the area expressed a WTP of Php 95.88/household/month or Php 1,150.56/household/year (1 USD=55.89 Php), with 72.30% of respondents indicating their readiness to support efforts to improve the water quality of Tadlac Lake. The likelihood of a positive response significantly varied depending on factors such as the offered price, gender, educational attainment, duration of residency, household size, income, and the method of questionnaire administration (cheap talk vs. non-cheap talk). These results underscore the community’s favorable disposition towards investing in improving Tadlac Lake’s water quality. This valuation study contributes a fresh perspective on lake management strategies. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of environmental education regarding social-ecological dynamics as a crucial requirement for crafting comprehensive policies that will steer sustainable management of natural lake resources.

Phenolated Alkali Lignin/Magnetite Composite as an Adsorbent for Methyl Violet 6B in Wastewater

Mary Sheenalyn P. Rodil — 2024-05-20

Methyl violet 6B (MV6B), found in wastewater, poses hazardous effects to aquatic ecosystems and human health; therefore, it must be removed immediately. In response, this study pioneered the development of a dye adsorbent by incorporating phenolated alkali lignin (PAL) into magnetite (Fe₃O₄), offering a solution for MV6B removal. Lignin was extracted from coconut husk through alkali extraction, chemically modified using phenolation, and integrated onto the magnetite surface. SEM and FTIR spectroscopy were used to characterize the adsorbent, and various parameters were optimized, along with evaluations of the adsorption kinetics and isotherm models, as well as the adsorbent’s reusability. PAL was successfully deposited onto the magnetite based on the characterization. The experimental results revealed that the optimal conditions for the removal of MV6B using PAL/Fe₃O₄ composite are pH 4, a temperature of 313 K, a dosage of 0.10 g PAL/Fe₃O₄ per 15 mL of MV6B, and a contact time of 150 minutes. MV6B’s equilibrium removal rate was 95.1%, with an adsorption capacity at equilibrium of 6.42 mg/g. The adsorption of MV6B followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich model isotherm. A thermodynamic study showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. PAL/Fe₃O₄ was highly reusable after three cycles without the need for desorption. Hence, this study has demonstrated that the PAL/ Fe₃O₄ adsorbent is practical, economical, and efficient for wastewater treatment.

Demography, Structure, and Composition of a Low-Disturbance Forest in Luzon, Philippines

Jeri E. Latorre — 2024-05-21

Tropical forests continue to face deforestation in countries such as the Philippines. To look at the long-term behavior of forests in response to intrinsic and extrinsic factors, continual monitoring of forest dynamics is needed. To do this, we established a 2-ha permanent tropical forest plot in a low-disturbance area in Maluyon, Philippines. We addressed three main questions: 1) How does the plot change through time? 2) How do different species in the plot change through time? 3) Would the responses differ by tree size? We measured, mapped, and identified all trees >1 cm in diameter in 2011. In 2015, we re-measured surviving trees and measured, mapped, and identified recruits. A total of 177 tree species were found in the plot. The forest exhibited a mean growth rate of 0.054 cm/year, mortality rate of 0.011%/year, and recruitment rate of 0.019%/year. Overall growth and mortality rates were lower in Maluyon than in other plots, possibly due to the forest’s high tree density and low disturbance. Species-specific rates revealed the presence of both the growth-survival and the stature-recruitment trade-offs. Size class analysis showed higher growth rates in large-sized than in small-sized trees. In contrast, small-sized trees exhibited a higher mortality rate compared to large-sized trees, likely due to density dependence. Key findings of the study may be utilized to increase the success rate of restoration efforts in this watershed. Using a mix of fast-growing, generalist species with high survival rates (e.g., Allophyllus cobbe and Anisoptera thurifera) is highly recommended.

Formulation of Novel Microbial Consortia for Rapid Composting of Biodegradable Municipal Solid Waste: An Approach in the Circular Economy

P. A. K. C. Wijerathna — 2024-05-21

Urbanization and rapid industrialization have led to the escalation of municipal solid waste generation and accumulation. Composting is widely recognized as a sustainable solution for solid waste management. However, its long-term investment is considered a disadvantage. The present research study discusses the rapid biotransformation of solid waste into valorized compost. Bacteria were isolated from soil, solid waste, and leachate samples from open dump sites. From the 18 different bacterial consortia created using potential isolates, the five most promising consortia were selected based on concurrent different enzyme production. These selected consortia were incorporated into typical compost bins with Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Daily monitoring of enzymatic activity, pH, conductivity, bulk density, moisture, and temperature, along with other composting parameters, was conducted. The study’s results demonstrated that consortium No. 5, comprising Bacillus haynesii, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Bacillus safensis, exhibited significant (p<0.05) enzyme activity of cellulase, amylase, lipase and proteinase enzymes during composting compared to the control and other treatment setups. Consortium No. 5 also facilitated rapid and successful composting, as evidenced by significant alterations of composting parameters by exhibiting a shorter average composting time, reducing it from 110±10 days to 20±3 days, showcasing the potential applicability of formulated bacterial consortium as a sustainable and greener approach to the global solid waste problem. The novelty of this study lies in the isolation of local bacterial strains from open dump sites soil, MSW, and MSW leachate samples, which were then utilized in the composting organic fraction of MSW, enhancing the potential for effective waste management.