eChapters

This chapter introduces the biological and physiological foundations of forest ecosystems, focusing on the structure, growth, development, adaptation, and survival of trees. It examines tree growth and development, photosynthesis, respiration, water transport, nutrient uptake, and plant responses to environmental stresses. The chapter also explores forest biodiversity, forest–atmosphere interactions, forest ecology, microbiology, entomology, and pathology. Particular attention is given to physiological, morphological, and anatomical responses of woody plants to drought, flooding, temperature extremes, salinity, and other abiotic stresses. These concepts provide a scientific basis for understanding tree health, forest productivity, adaptation, conservation, and sustainable forest management.

This chapter introduces the scientific principles underlying the structure, properties, processing, preservation, and utilization of wood. It examines the anatomical organization and chemical composition of wood and explains relationships between structure and important physical and mechanical properties. The chapter also discusses moisture interaction, dimensional behaviour, mechanical performance, durability, seasoning, preservation, and wood-processing technologies. Engineered wood products and modern approaches to wood utilization are considered as important components of forest-product development. Together, these topics provide an understanding of wood as an important renewable material and its efficient, durable, and sustainable utilization.

This chapter introduces the scientific, biological, chemical, and economic importance of medicinal and aromatic plants associated with forest and allied systems. It examines their classification and diversity, chemical constituents, harvesting practices, processing, value addition, and extraction techniques. The chapter highlights the potential of these plants as valuable biological resources and explores approaches for their productive utilization. Sustainable harvesting, appropriate processing, and value addition are important for improving their economic potential while supporting conservation and responsible management of plant resources.

This chapter introduces the close relationship between climate change and forest ecosystems and examines how changing temperature, rainfall, drought, extreme weather, fires, pests, and diseases affect forest health and productivity. It discusses the importance of forests in carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and ecosystem services. The chapter also examines climate-change mitigation through sustainable forest management, afforestation, reforestation, and initiatives such as REDD+. Particular attention is given to the Indian scenario, conservation policies, government initiatives, and challenges associated with forest degradation and climate change

INTRODUCTION

The debate on climate change is going on. From the report of the Inter Governmental Panel on climate change (IPCC), a premier organization set up in 1998 by the World Meteorological Organisation and United Nations Environment Programme, it is known that the average surface temperature has increased over the 20th century by about 0. 6ºC. The number may seem insignificant but it is an unprecedented rise. In the past 150 years, the 11 hottest years were witnessed. It says that 1990s was the warmest decade and 1998 the warmest year since 1861. Worse, the Artic is warming twice as rapidly as the rest of the world and there is a distinct possibility of the Greenland Ice Sheet collapsing altogether and pushing up sea levels by several metres. It is predicted that 2035 is the year when Himalayan glaciers may totally disappear causing catastrophic disruptions. Unfortunately, India is among the countries that will suffer the most serious consequences as a result of global warming. Following is the probable effect of global warming.

INTRODUCTION

Of an estimated 142 mha of net cultivated areas in India, about 67 % is rainfed and only 45 mha is irrigated. The NCA (1976) predicted that even when the full irrigation potential of the country is exploited by 2013 AD, over 50% of arable land would continue to remain rainfed in future. It is the rainfed belt where cultivation of 91 % coarse cereals (Sorghum, Pearl millet and Finger millet), 91% pulses (Chickpea and Pigeon pea), 80% oilseeds (Groundnut, Rapeseed, Mustard and Soybean) and 65% cotton have predominated. Even the crop that formed the backbone of green revolution such as rice and wheat, still have 50% and 19% area under rainfed condition, thus emphasing the importance of rainfed agriculture in India. Inadequate resource (soil and rain water) management coupled with traditional farming practices are responsible for subsistence farming. Monocropping, traditional crops and their varieties, low and imbalance nutrients and inadequate crop establishment, in past, had been the major cause for poor development of dryland agriculture in the eastern region.

INTRODUCTION

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been defined as a “system that, in the context of the environment and the population dynamics of the pest species, utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in as compatible manner as possible that maintain the pest populations at levels below those causing economic injury” (Glass 1975). The Inter society Consortium for Plant Protection (ICPP) has defined integrated pest management as “the use of multiple tactics in a compatible manner to maintain pest population at levels below those causing economic injury while providing protection against hazards to humans, domestic animals, plants and the environment”. The term ’integrated’ means it is a broad interdisciplinary approach taken using scientific principles of plant protection of variety of management strategies and tactics to fuse into a single system. The terms ‘pest’ means all biotic agents which adversely affect plant production. This includes insects, mites, nematodes, weeds, bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasitic seed plants and vertebrates. The term ‘management’ indicates to keep the pest population below some level based on economic criteria. It does not mean complete eradication of entire pest population.

INTRODUCTION

One of the most important changes in the global environment which affects the existence of all living things , is the climate change. The climate change globally and locally also changes the aquatic habitat which, in turn directly and indirectly affects the environment. Anyway, the changes in climate are certain to occur and may be inevitable. The only possible way is to analyze the situation and find out the reasons for such changes and take immediate steps to minimize the impact of these climate changes. Global warming has eventually become synonymous with climate change because almost all the variables of the ecosystem are influenced directly or indirectly at different levels.

Aquatic environment is extremely diverse and influenced by the climate changes to a large extent both locally and globally. The changes in the ocean and its life are well studied at different levels with all possible details compared to the freshwater habitats. Unlike agriculture and animal husbandry, the vast majority of the fish production still comes from the natural habitat or the wild collections. Agriculture and animal husbandry usually focus on few important species but for fisheries, all the species of fishes including most of the aquatic living organisms are commercially important. The media (water) in which the aquatic organisms dwell, is much more important to all living organisms of the earth and so the influence by climate changes on water becomes very much relevant in the present situation. Freshwater habitats are limited and are much more complex to investigate in respect of climate changes due to the variability and diverse micro and macro level interactions. A holistic approach to deal with all these problems has not got much attention both globally and locally even though , it is the need of the hour to address the issues of impact of climate changes in the aquatic environment.

A weather hazard is an extreme weather event that threatens people or property. There are various weather hazards that affect agricultural productions. These hazards vary from one climatic zone to another and occur at different times, although some regions are more vulnerable to certain hazards than other. These weather hazards depend on the latitude of the place on the world map. These hazards affect crops and agricultural productivity negatively if they are not checked. Every agricultural zone has one particular hazard that is associated with it and in most cases affects the crop productions and reduces the annual crop yield. Weather hazards include cyclones, droughts, f loods, hailstorms, heat-waves and cold-waves.

The hazard is distinguished from an extreme event and a disaster. An extreme event is simply an unusual event; it does not necessarily cause harm. A disaster is an event that does cause harm in significant amounts. Weather hazards are often called as natural hazards. The natural hazards become natural disasters when people’s lives and livelihoods are destroyed.

Hydrologic hazards are the result of either excess or a severe lack of water, i.e., flood or drought. Hydrometeorological hazard is a process or phenomenon of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. Human and material losses caused by natural disasters are a major obstacle to sustainable development. By issuing accurate forecasts and warnings in a form that is readily understood and by educating people about how to prepare against such hazards, before they become disasters, lives and property can be protected.

Moisture plays by far the most important role in soils as regards vegetation. It is through the medium of water that the plants obtain their quota of mineral food vital for their growth. If water is gradually withheld from the soil, at a certain stage, the plant will begin to wilt and soon dry up. The soil may still contain some moisture but the plant is unable to make use of it. The minimum moisture in the soil below which wilting will take place is called the Wilting Coefficient and at one time great importance was attached to it. The determination of this Coefficient, however, is tedius. One must grow a number of plants and slowly watch them wilt and determine the moisture content at that point. Moisture content of the soil is determined by heating a weighed quantity of the sample in an oven kept at 100-110 ^oC. The moisture is expressed as percentage on the oven-dry soil.

2.1 Geological and accelerated erosion

Erosion has always taken place, and always will. The surface of the earth is constantly changing, with mountains rising, valleys being cut deeper and wider, the coast line receding here and advancing there. The physical pattern of the surface of the earth which we see today is not the result of some single cataclysmic sculpturing but the result of changes so infinitely slow that only after centuries is the effect noticeable. Erosion is simply one of the aspects of the constant process of change. It is fundamental to the formation of alluvial soils and sedimentary rocks. Man’s activities seldom slow down or halt the process but frequently speed it up. We usually refer to geological erosion or normal erosion, or natural erosion when we mean that which results only from the forces of nature, and to accelerated erosion when the process is influenced by man.

When trying to predict the probable severity of man-made erosion it helps to consider the rate of geological erosion. If the conditions of climate and topography are such that geological erosion is quicker than usual, then these sameronditions will also lead to particularly severe accelerated erosion. Extreme examples of both kinds of erosion are shown in plates 2.1 and 2.2.

A large number of genetic resources, species, and ecosystems are under severe threat. Many species have gone extinct and many more are being pushed towards extinction. Most of the ecosystems have also gone into what we can call functional extinction. The major factors becoming threats to biodiversity are anthropogenic. Human activities, in essence, are not benevolent for biodiversity to flourish in natural systems. Burgeoning human populations are the root cause of biodiversity destruction. Changing human lifestyles fed by a materialistic economy are further acting as catalysts for the ever-increasing human populations to destroy biodiversity evolved over millions of years amid terrestrial conditions favorable for the origin and prevalence of an astonishing variety of life forms on Earth.

There is hardly any threat to biodiversity due to natural factors except those inherent in the designs of natural evolution. A species at a certain point of time in its evolutionary history is destined to vanish, but the void in nature created due to this loss is filled by the evolution of new life forms. Not only the void is filled, the nature gradually goes on enriching itself 

Overview
Humanity has produced trash since the beginning of time, whether it is from the bones and other parts of the animals they kill for food or the wood they harvest to build their carts. As civilization developed, garbage was produced that was increasingly sophisticated in character. The world of consumers emerged around the close of the 19thcentury as a result of the industrial revolution. The production of non-biodegradable solid waste led to an increase in pollution not just in the air but also on Earth itself. The rise in solid waste was also primarily caused by urbanization and population growth.
Definition of Solid Waste
Glass crockery containers, plastic containers, sludge, vehicle parts, and mounds of crop wastes are among the solid waste materials. These gather in public areas and hinder people’s regular activities.
Every family produces waste or rubbish on a daily basis. We usually toss away items that we no longer need or have any use for, which puts them in the garbage category. Depending on where it comes from, solid waste can take several forms. Understanding the proper ways to handle the trash produced has become crucial in today’s dirty world. One crucial technique for managing municipal solid waste is segregation. Representation provides a good understanding of segregation at source. Composting is a crucial waste management and treatment technique.

Imagine the lifeblood of a nation’s energy grid thinning to a trickle. This is the stark reality when prolonged droughts grip regions heavily reliant on the oncemighty force of hydroelectric power. While the allure of clean, renewable energy from flowing water has positioned hydropower as a cornerstone of electricity generation globally, its dependence on a consistent and abundant water supply renders it exceptionally vulnerable to the increasingly frequent and intense droughts sweeping the planet. This chapter embarks on a critical exploration of the intricate and often strained relationship between these two forces: the essential need for water in sustaining hydroelectric power and the devastating impact of its absence during drought conditions Moving beyond a simple definition, we will delve into the multifaceted ways in which droughts cripple hydroelectric facilities, from dwindling reservoir levels that starve turbines to the cascading effects on energy security, economic stability, and ecological balance. We will traverse the globe, examining compelling case studies from drought-stricken regions, revealing the tangible consequences for communities and industries. Furthermore, this chapter will unpack the complex interplay of factors that exacerbate

Hypothesis testing enables researchers to determine whether apparent climatic or agricultural differences are statistically meaningful. Parametric tests are appropriate when data satisfy assumptions such as normality and homogeneity, whereas non-parametric tests are useful for irregular, ranked or non-normally distributed observations. This chapter discusses commonly used procedures, assumptions, selection criteria and interpretation. Applications include comparing weather conditions, evaluating crop responses, detecting rainfall or temperature trends and assessing environmental change. Methods such as t-tests, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Kendall tests are relevant to agroclimatic research. Appropriate test selection improves analytical reliability and supports evidence-based decisions concerning climate variability, crop performance and agricultural adaptation.

The march of weather factors during crop period is never smooth and regular. Agriculture, because of its dependance on climate is inevitably subjected to unpredictable long and short term fluctuation characteristic of atmosphere conditions. Climate introduces an element of risk in farming which makes it particularly hazardous occupation.

A Weather hazard in this context can be defined as any type of extreme weather condition that can damage the crops and animals leading to abnormal decrease in production and income. The extent to which these hazards create risk depends on the time of occurrence, intensity and duration of the hazard besides the age, stage of development and inherent resistance of the crop or livestock involved. Major abnormalities affecting the crop production are:

Introduction

In the recent years, climate change emerged as the single most pressing problem globally, and accordingly received an increased attention (Berrang-Ford et al., 2011). It is evident that human activities are responsible for the climate change. Natural processes may also lead to climate variability and change. The climate change forecasts resulted from simulation models indicate that the future climate is likely to turn into more capricious nature with more occurrences of extreme events (IPCC, 2013b). Future projections according to the World Bank (2010) reveal the need of raising food production by 1.8% per annum between 2005 and 2050 due to climate change rather than 1% per annum if there were no impact of climate change. The effect of climate change can be seen on the quantity and quality of various components in the global hydrologic cycle (Milly et al., 2005; Bates et al., 2008).

In South Asia, vulnerabilities to the climate change are the largest in semi-arid and arid countries, where rainfall is concentrated over a few monsoon months, year to year variations are high, and where water resources are decreasing (Lenton, 2004). Cruz et al. (2007) indicated that climate trends and variability can be characterized by increased air temperatures, which are more pronounced during the winters compared to the summers. Across the entire Asia, both spatial and temporal variability in rainfall trends observed during the past few decades may be attributed to climate change. It is likely to happen that climate change will extend the dry season when negligible or very low flows occur, which particularly affects the water management process due to inability to rely on water storage reservoirs or groundwater resources situated at great depths (Giertz et al., 2006).

Abstract

In Gadilam river basin, groundwater is found in both hard rock and sedimentary terrain and is the most important source of rural/urban drinking water supply. Gadilam river basin has gained its importance due to the presence of Neyveli Lignite open cast mine (NLC), group of industrial estate (SIPCOT), extensive depressurization of Cuddalore aquifer and boreholes of New Veeranam Scheme (NVS) in the downstream of the basin. A total of 178 water samples were collected in four different seasons at various lithologies. The collected samples were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters using standard procedures. Geochemical indicators of groundwater were used to identify the chemical processes that control hydrogeochemsitry. Interpretation of hydrogeochemical data suggests that leaching of ions followed by weathering and anthropogenic impact controls the chemistry of the groundwater. Isotopic study reveals that recharge from meteoric source in sedimentary terrain and rock water interaction with significant evaporation prevails in hard rock region. This thorough understanding helps us to make judicial usage and to maintain the quality of this commodity.

Abstract

Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) consisting of water soluble organic molecules and by products of organic decomposition and chemical degradation processes, constitutes a critical link in carbon and nutrient cycles. The quality, or chemical and physical character, of DOC affects the degree to which it is transformed by biological and chemical processes. The significance of DOC was studied in layered coastal aquifers of the Pondicherry region during four different seasons. Pondicherry region has varied geological set up ranging from Cretaceous to Recent formations. A total of 52 groundwater samples were collected from various aquifers like Alluvium, Tertiary(Upper Cuddalore, Lower Cuddalore) and Cretaceous for two different seasons of pre- monsoon(PRM), and post-monsoon (POM). The samples were analyzed for major ions and DOC. The range of DOC in the study area is 0-14 mg/l. Very high DOC concentrations were measured during PRM in the samples from Alluvium and Lower Cuddalore Formation. The samples of these formations were compared with pH, Ionic strength, log pCO₂ and carbonate minerals concentration. The alluvial aquifer shows that pH governed dissolution along the coastal tracts and in Upper Cuddalore formation it’s based on interaction between aquifer matrix and groundwater.

Abstract

Groundwater is most favored as a source of drinking water in all over world. It is often thought to be cleaner and easier to treat when compared with surface water and as a result, many wells have been sunk. Uranium and other radionuclides in water can lead to health problems if present in higher concentrations. In order to study the behavior and to understand the influence of lithology in groundwater of Madurai district, a study was conducted by collecting a total of 216 samples of different seasons (Premonsoon, South west monsoon, Northeast monsoon and Post monsoon) with respect to lithology and the number of samples was depending upon their spatial coverage in the study area. The groundwater samples were analysed for U, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃^-, Cl^-, SO₄^2-, PO₄^3-, NO₃^-, F^-, H₄SiO₄, pH, EC, TDS. It was identified that the higher concentration of Uranium (156 ppb) were noted in the northern part of the study area. They are chiefly restricted to the Granitic terrain and nearby Charnockitic regions. The weathering process induces the release of higher U ions from the granitic terrain and the evaporated recharge water from the tank /reservoir  also induces the release of U ions from the rock matrix, it may also be due to fertilizer enriched agricultural return flows. The key source for all these processes and hydrogeochemical processes is identified to be lithology which inturn controls all the other processes in the study area.

Abstract

Amongst all types of major land-use change, extending irrigated agriculture using a surface-water source has the greatest influence on groundwater – both significantly increasing recharge and changing water quality as excess irrigation water infiltrates into shallow aquifers. Hence, in order to understand the impact of the landuse on the groundwater system the study has been aimed to understand the process by adopting geophysical, geochemical and microbial analysis of groundwater samples. The study has been conducted in Chidambaram taluk, with a total area of 92.51Sq.km. A total of 39 groundwater samples were collected for the analysis of major cation and anion along with the microbial analysis, like Total Coliform, Total Viable Counts, Fecal coliforms, Vibrio cholera and Total Streptococci. The geochemical studies reveal that there is no correlation between these parameters and the microbial population. The migration of the water from the elevated regions (urban region) is witnessed and the concentration of the microbial population is higher in these regions except in the southern region which has impermeable clay and this arrest the movement of water.

Composting is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as fertilizer and soil conditioner. It is a natural process of decomposition and recycling of organic material into humus rich soil amendment.

At the simplest level, the process of composting requires making a heap of organic material sprinkled with water which break down to humus after a period of weeks or months. However, modern bio composting is a multi-step, closely monitored process with measured inputs of water, air and carbon and nitrogen rich (in proper C:N ratio) materials.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly used in our everyday lives. It is used in a variety of industries from gaming, journalism/media, to finance, as well as in the research fields from water resources to robotics. In this chapter concept and applications of AI are discussed in brief.

6.1 Historical Background

After World War II, a number of people worked independently on intelligent machines. The English mathematician Alan Turing was the first who explained the concept of intelligent machines through a lecture in 1947. He stated that intelligent machines could be developed by programming computers rather than by building machines. Since late 1950 many researchers are working on intelligent machines, mostly on programming computers

Introduction

In a technology that consistently maintains a fantastic development curve with capabilities doubling up year-to-year, freezing the hardware specification is not easy or very meaningful. GIS (not geography) owes to its genesis and progress to the developments in information technology front. It may be asserted that any and all upgrade in the hardware industry will only add to its own ability to effectively process more and more data and handle more complex routines. The personal computers of today are seen to be adequate to run typical GIS software. A reference hardware specification is discussed here. GIS software development is an involved process but then the software developers have made good use of hardware capabilities available and have released upgrades consistently. Hardware developments are such that they defy a static spcification. However a reference specification as on 2009. An overview of various software packages used in the past as well as present is attempted. ESRI released a new version in 2002 and claimed that their ArcGIS is an “integrated collection of GIS software products for building a complete GIS that enable users to deploy GIS functionality wherever it is needed, in desktops, servers, or custom applications; over the Web; or in the field.” The details are discussed below. While a number of software overviews are available, this text is not aimed at providing a tutorial to any of the software packages nor do the comparisons made are to promote any particular software. Similarly, it is presumed that the reader is familiar with the hardware elements and functionality. Lot of information about the software packages are available on their respective web sites and the reader is exhorted to look for current, additional and in depth information required in the pages. A brief discussion on Liveware or human resource can be found at the end of the chapter.

Introduction

The globally growing demand for water has ushered the need for its efficient and judicial utilizations in all fields, and agriculture in particular being a single largest consumer of water. The majority of irrigation projects in India perform at a very low efficiency, which calls for application of efficient water management technologies for meeting the increasing water demands. Estimation of soil moisture or crop evapotranspiration from climatic parameters provides objective criteria for irrigation management. Methods to estimate evapotranspiration require huge climatic data, which are seldom available and not applied by common crop growers. Determining crop water requirement through soil moisture measurement at several locations is time consuming, destructive exercise, and may not give proper assessment of crop water need. The plant based indicator approach considers the plant water status for scheduling irrigation. This might be considered as the ideal criterion because the plant water is a good integrator of the soil, water and climatic parameters.

Experiment

An experiment is a planned inquiry to obtain new facts or confirm or deny the result of previous experiment. Such inquiry can aid in an administrative decision, such as recommending a variety, a feed, a cultural practices, a fertilizer, a pesticide or a fungicide etc.

Type of Experiments

    1.     Preliminary experiments : Here investigator tries out large number of treatments in order to obtain leads for future work. Here replications are not taken for such treatments tried e.g. number of pesticides for control of diseases - take single observation for each treatment and take decision that some of them worth trying for use.

11.1 Global Warming

Definition : Global warming is defined as an increase in the earth’s temperature due to the use of fossil fuels and other industrial processes leading to a build-up of green house gases (CO2, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons) in the atmosphere.

11.2 Who Coined the Term Global Warming?

The principle of global warming was first put fourth by S. Arrhenius in his paper on “the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground” in 1869. This concept gained ground in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it was found that the earth’s temperature had warmed over the past century, because of increased carbon dioxide emission.

Abstract

Alleviating plant salt stress and remediating saline soils are of great economic interest. Beneficial microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), etc. are associated with many plant species including trees. These beneficial microbes can cope up with salinity and help the plants to survive in such soils. Diversity status of beneficial microbes from the samples collected from different salt affected areas was investigated by many researchers. They screened and identified the efficient PGPR isolates isolated from saline areas for plant growth hormone (IAA) production and phosphate solubilization. The significance and highlights of the recent research as well as the past understanding of beneficial microbes and their role in reclamation of saline areas is discussed in this paper.

Abstract

Since the first oil well drilled successfully in 1859, crude oil has been a serious problem around world, including Indonesia. As a source of all petroleum products, crude oil is very complex component and divided into aliphatic, aromatic, resin and asphaltene. Petroleum products have been used for daily life and created large amounts of pollutants in environment and ecosystems around the globe. The pollutants should be treated by certain method; among them, bioremediation has several advantages to resolve the problem. In 2003, Ministry of Environmental (MoE) – Republic Indonesia was endorsed with a new regulation about biological treatment or bioremediation for crude oil contaminated soil (MoE regulation No. 128/2003). The most important to be noted in bioremediation process is the presence of microbes with certain metabolite capabilities. The degradation rate also can be improved and sustained by ensuring the adequate required factors. This article describes the removal of crude oil by utilization of microbial potentials, factors affecting biodegradation, and how they are applied in Indonesia.

Abstract
 
Mention about the Great Himalayan river of Vedic Period (10000-8000 BC) is found in ancient Indian literature. The river called as ‘Saraswati’ in India and ‘Hakra’ in Pakistan, was flowing with full majesty through Thar Desert around 6000 BC and dried up during 3000 BC due to climatic and tectonic changes in Himalayan region. The relict of this lost river is still found as palaeochannels in this region. Large numbers of archaeological sites of Harappan civilization occur along the dry river bed. 

Abstract

Land degradation is defined as human induced or natural process that negatively affects the lands to function effectively. It is temporary or permanent lowering of the productive capacity of land (UNEP, 1992). Several definitions of land degradation have been suggested by different authorities to express the degree of deterioration in potential of land in terms of physical, chemical and biological aspects. It has both environmental and economic consequences. The information on land degradation is needed for a variety of purposes such as to improve productivity levels in degraded lands through reclamation programmes, rational land use planning and also to bring more areas under cultivation.

Introduction

Agriculture contributes to 29.93% of India's GDP with a share of 27% of the world's agriculture production. India is ranked 6th in the world. In Rajasthan significant portion of economy of is agrarian. The agriculture sector of the state accounts for 22.5% share of agriculture in GSDP which is estimated to 18.39% in 2009-10. About 80% of the total population resides in rural area and largely dependent on agriculture as the source of their livelihood. The hot arid region of western Rajasthan occupies 61% of the total geographical area and 39.51% population of the state. During the last four decades the burgeoning human and livestock population and increased societal demands for land based products led to  significant expansion and intensification of agriculture by putting even marginal lands under plough, excessive exploitation  of ground water and importing of surface water for irrigation.

Abstract

Population of Rajasthan as per Census 2011 is 68,621,012 persons which is much higher than census 2001 that records 56,507,188. It includes 12 districts of Rajasthan. Western Rajasthan covers about 61% area of the total geographical area and 39.51% population of the total population of the Rajasthan. The growth rate of population is much higher than that of the Rajasthan State. In the census 1981 Western Rajasthan had registered a phenomenal increase of 35.48 per cent over 1971 population. Regional pattern of growth rate in western Rajasthan shows that extreme hot arid region district (Barmer) is on top having 32.55 per cent growth rate whereas Indira Gandhi Canal Region (Ganganagar) district has least population growth of 10.06 per cent only. In 1981, the average urban growth rate had been 54.52 per cent. In 2001, the rural density of population was 83 persons per sq. km.

Abstract

The paper presents an approach of selecting suitable areas for artificial groundwater recharge structures through remote sensing and integrated terrain analysis by statistical method. The study area “Ayyar basin” is an aquifer system of gneisses and charnockite litho-units in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu. The area has witnessed a steady decline in groundwater table. Hence, the scope for artificial groundwater recharge was studied in this area with the help of Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCS&T).

Broad dhaniya (Eryngium foetidum L.: Umbelliferae - Apiaceae) is an underutilized leafy vegetable and aromatic plant used for seasoning food items and source of medicine. It is a shade loving plant of tropical regions.  It has got status of a promising cash crop with huge export potential particularly in United Kingdom, USA and Middle East markets. Its medicinal and seasoning properties are well known in various countries like Vietnam, India and in the Amazon region (De Gumao et al., 2002). Broad dhaniya is relatively unknown in many other parts of the world and is often mistaken and misnamed for its close relative Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.).

The edible speciality mushrooms are mushrooms that are generally not grown and available commonly in the market. Any mushroom other than popularly grown white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) falls under the specialty category, and these mushrooms are generally not available over the counter or in departmental stores in India or other countries in the world. The mushrooms under this group include the different types of commonly grown Oyster mushrooms like grey, black, white, pink, yellow oyster mushrooms, King Oyster mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, Black Ear mushroom, Shimeji mushroom, Enokutake mushroom, Milky mushroom, the Portabella brown, Cremini mushroom , Straw mushrooms and others. This paper will describe in detail biology and cultivation of these mushrooms as grown under controlled environment conditions or under seasonal growing conditions, where ever possible.

Introduction

Although both maps and aerial photos present a “bird’s-eye” view of the earth, aerial photographs are NOT maps. Maps are orthogonal representations of the earth’s surface, meaning that they are directionally and geometrically accurate (at least within the limitations imposed by projecting a 3-dimensional object onto 2 dimensions). Aerial photos, on the other hand, display a high degree of radial distortion. That is, the topography is distorted, and until corrections are made for the distortion, measurements made from a photograph are not accurate. Nevertheless, aerial photographs are a powerful tool for studying the earth’s environment. 

Because most GISs can correct for radial distortion, aerial photographs are an excellent data source for many types of projects, especially those that require spatial data from the same location at periodic intervals over a length of time. Typical applications include land use surveys and habitat analysis. 

This unit discusses benefits of aerial photography, applications, the different types of photography, and the integration of aerial photographs into GISs.

ABSTRACT
The rapid industrialisation and speedy progress towards urbanisation across the world have created the huge demand for energy moreover creating enormous quantity of wastes. The latter is in charge for polluting the environment in an exponential manner, resulting out of the harmful and poisonous compounds released by them. In recent years, there has been a pattern change from ‘waste-to-wealth’, considering the value of high organic fraction accessible in the wastes. The best-accomplished methods are that of anaerobic digestion; contribute to the production of methane (CH₄). Similar biotransformation has partial net energy harvests. Recently, fermentation industries steering their interest towards the production of value added products, viz., biohydrogen (H₂), biopolymers, ethanol, vitamins, acetic acid, enzymes, butanediols, etc. from carbon rich organic waste like cellulosic substrates have been envisioned to flourish in a multi-step process, such as the ‘Biorefinery’. A contemporary development in fermentation technology holds the key to overcome the constraints for such processes that may lead to a sustainable economy. One related technology is electrofermentation that has attracted significant attention recently owing to its capacity to boost the metabolic activities of microbes by means of extracellular electron transfer.

India, as a developing country has reasons to be concerned about the adverse impact of climate change on its economy. A large part of its population depends on climate sensitive sectors for livelihoods which makes it highly vulnerable to climate change. Climate change can have serious impact on its crops, forests, coastal regions, etc. which can in turn affect the achievement of its important national development goals. The issue of climate change cannot however be taken up without linking it to developmental needs such as poverty, health, energy access and education. Traditionally climate change experts have focused on mitigation measures, adaptation measures have also been acknowledged of late as effective and equitable means to deal with climate change impacts. Most of the mitigation measures are high in terms of technology and capital. Therefore, while developed economies choose to mitigate climate change by making heavy investments, developing economies choose to adapt (Monika and Hooda, 2018). There is increasing recognition that the world’s current progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not occurring rapidly enough to avoid impacts from climate change in the coming century. Because of this, the world is “committed” to a certain level of global warming and therefore,

Climate change is one of the most important global environmental challenges facing humanity and as per the instrumental records, the earth’s climate system has demonstrably changed on both global and regional scales since the preindustrial era. Further evidence shows that most of the warming (of 0.1°C per decade) observed over the last 50 years, is attributable to human activities. The levels of greenhouse gases namely carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) have increased markedly as a result of human activities. The CO₂ concentration in atmosphere is now more than 400 ppm and the decadal increase is from 0.86 ppm per year to 1.99 ppm per year (Table 16.1) which is the highest ever. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) projects that the global mean temperature may increase between 1.4 and 5.8 oC by 2100. This warming of the earth-atmosphere system is expected to have severe impacts on the global hydrological system, ecosystems, sea level, crop production and related processes. Agriculture sector is the most vulnerable entity in light of the global warming and its impacts.

The State of Himachal Pradesh encompasses a geographical area of 55.7 lakh ha and is situated between 31°22’40" and 33°12’40"N latitude and 75°45’55" and 77°10’20"E longitude. The state is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west, and Haryana on the south-west (Fig. 19.1). About 12 per cent of the state area is under agriculture which is mostly (80 per cent) rain fed. Wheat, maize, rice, and barley are the principal crops. In state, there are 12 districts, viz., Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur and Una. About 20 per cent of the area is under forest cover. It is rich in biodiversity of flora and fauna. Nearly 27 per cent of the area of the state is covered under permanent pastures. The state is endowed with a wide range of physiography/landform, climate, vegetation and geology which have influence on genesis of soils. The soils are mostly shallow, medium deep to deep, well/excessively drained, sandy, sandy-skeletal, loamy-skeletal, coarse-loamy and fine-loamy, calcareous as well as non-calcareous with low available water capacity. The State is the biggest montane ecosystem in India situated in northern part of the country. It is seventeenth largest state in terms of area and twentieth in population of which 65 per cent people are dependent on agriculture and 60 per cent of GDP comes from agriculture sector. Increasing temperature and reducing rainfall affecting the crop growth and crop production is a major issue everywhere in the world nowadays and this state has also not remained untouched by these prime issues of climate change. For sustainable development of agriculture in state, there was/is a need to identify and quantify climatic change where agriculture has a significant influence on both the economy and livelihood.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines Climate Change as a change the weather parameters attributed directly or indirectly to human activity, altering the composition of the global atmosphere. Human activity includes the pollution that arises from industrial activity and other sources that produce greenhouse gases. These gases, such as carbon dioxide, have the ability to absorb the spectrum of infrared light and contribute to the warming of our atmosphere. Once produced, these gases can remain trapped in the atmosphere for tens or hundreds of years.

Introduction

The major environmental issue of global nature is increasing green house effect, which is warming earth. Enhanced green house effect is mainly due to increased emission of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and CFCs. Because of the increasing concentrations of these greenhouse gases, there is much concern about future changes in our climate and direct or indirect effect on agriculture (Arora et al. 2011). Increases in atmospheric concentrations of green house gases and additional anthropogenic perturbations of the climate system affect the spatial and temporal distribution of weather regimes which contribute to shaping the diversity of agricultural activities throughout the world (Havlik et al. 2015). Consequences of changing climatic attributes such as rainfall, moisture regimes, temperature etc. affect qualitative and quantitative production of agricultural crops as well as livestock population by altering pasture quality and yield (Thornton et al. 2009). In the context of climate change mitigation, now a days adoption of climate smart agriculture work as an effective practice.

Introduction

Agriculture has always been vulnerable to fragile environmental conditions of dry areas, where droughts of varying amplitude and frequency influenced by insufficient and uncertain rainfall are common features. Recent anthropogenic activities have accelerated the rate of green house gas (GHGs) accumulation in atmosphere influencing atmospheric temperature and local patterns of temperature and precipitation, which ultimately affect agricultural production and food securities. About 35.5 percent of the total world’s population resides in dry areas, which is facing the problems of land degradation and food securities.

Introduction

A number of researchers have used morphological descriptors such as growth habit, leaf, shoot, flower, fruit morphology to classify and discriminate different varieties/cultivars and or detect inter and intra-specific variations in different tree species of economic importance (Saran et al. 2006; Holland et al. 2009). Such morphological descriptors are quite homogenous and often found insufficient to distinguish varieties within morphological groups. The choice of suitable cultivars is of paramount importance for its success. The lack of breakthrough has been due to under utilization of genetic variability for superior quality and high yield potential. Most of the fruit tree species demonstrates a rich genetic diversity mainly through natural cross pollination due to self incompatibility (Godara 1980). The elite plant types with desirable traits have been released as varieties, mass multiplied and propagated through standard vegetative multiplication. However, the authenticity of cultivar identification remains unclear (Devanshi et al. 2007).

Key facts

    
•    The use of chemicals has many benefits, however, there are potential risks that some of these chemicals may cause harm to organisms and human health if they enter into the environment.
    
•    Harmful chemicals are those chemicals which are persistent, bio-accumulative, as well as toxic (PBT). 
    
•    Environmental or ecological risk assessment (ERA) consists of hazard identification, effect assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterization, risk classification, risk-benefit analysis, risk reduction and monitoring.
    
•    The five types of environmental monitoring are: chemical monitoring, bio-accumulation monitoring, biological effect monitoring, health monitoring and ecosystem monitoring. 
    
•    An integrated monitoring program is a coordinated monitoring activity comprising of both chemical and biological measurements in a variety of environmental compartments. There are four different monitoring levels in an integrated ERA, these are: suborganismals (biomarkers), organisms (bioassays), populations (bio-indicators) and ecosystems (ecological indicators).

1.1 Introduction

Greenhouse effect, regulated by the presence of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere, is a natural process that plays a major part in shaping the earth’s climate. A continued rise in concentration of the greenhouse gases has led to enhanced greenhouse effect resulting in global warming and global climate change. The impact of human activities on greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission through fossil fuel burning, agriculture and industrial processes is important and familiar to people. This chapter addresses basic principles and physics of greenhouse effect and the role of Indian agriculture in GHG emissions. Agriculture is a potential source and sink to GHGs in atmosphere. It is a source for three primary GHGs: CO₂, N₂O and CH4 and sink for atmospheric CO₂ . Management of agricultural land, land use change and forestry has a profound influence on atmospheric GHGs concentration. The two broad anthropogenic sources of GHGs emission from agriculture are the energy use in agriculture (manufacture and use of agricultural inputs and farm machinery) and the management of agricultural land. Large sections of the India’s population depend on biomass resources like wood, crop residues and cattle dung for energy. In the agriculture sector, besides the CO₂ emissions due to burning of crop and animal waste, India’s large ruminant population and rice fields are significant contributors to CH₄ emissions. An understanding of GHG emissions by sources and removal by sinks in agriculture is important to take appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies and to estimate and create inventory of GHGs.

11.1 Introduction

Agriculture sector contributes 19% to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in India. Combined with land use change and forestry (LUCF), it is the second largest source of GHG emission in India. Initial efforts at dealing with the problem of global warming concentrated on mitigation, with the aim of reducing and possibly stabilizing the GHG concentrations in the atmosphere (UNFCCC, 1992). Even if this stabilization was achieved, sea level rise and global warming would continue to increase over centuries because of the inertia of the earth systems. Mitigation activities are traditionally employed as natural resources conservation measures, but they generally serve the dual purposes of reducing the emission of GHG from anthropogen sources, and enhancing carbon ‘‘sink’’. Forestry sector holds the key to the success of mitigation efforts, and has great potential to sequester carbon through reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), afforestation and reforestation, and forest management. India’s vast area of croplands, through cropland management, could be an important area for sequestering carbon in soils. India being the largest producer of rice and livestock in the world, appropriate management can contribute to a reduction of methane emission from rice production and enteric fermentation.

12.1 Introduction

The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere has been rising from historical levels, primarily due to fossil-fuel burning and land-use changes. These gases have the potential to trap energy from the sun, which may result in global warming, and this has sparked a world-wide concern that emissions of these gases should be reduced below the 1990 levels by the year 2012 (Kyoto Protocol). The international community has recognized the need to stabilize/reduce CO₂ and other GHG emission. The types of farm power, farm equipment and machinery have a significant influence on intensification and optimization outcomes, and on profit. However, until now, agricultural intensification generally had a negative effect on the quality of many of the essential resources such as soil, water, land, biodiversity and the ecosystem services which caused a decline in the yield and factor productivity growth rates. Another challenge to agriculture is its environmental food print and climate change. Agriculture is responsible for about 30% of the total greenhouse gas emissions, while being directly affected by the consequences of a changing climate. It is estimated that global conversion of all croplands to conservation tillage (CT) could sequester 5 billion tones of carbon annually.

In India significant efforts are underway to develop and popularize agricultural machinery and tools for resource conservation through the combined efforts of several State and National Institutions, particularly Rice-Wheat Consortium for Indo Gangetic Plains. The new technologies are encouraging the farmers to take up innovative ways of managing their resources for higher productivity and also providing a way to the scientific community to solve emerging problems of climate change. The farm machinery in conservation agriculture (CA) can reduce the emissions of fossil fuels compared to conventional agriculture by up to 60%. However, the largest contribution to mitigate climate change with CA can be obtained from carbon (C) sequestration and the storage of atmospheric carbon in the soil. The C -sink potential of soils varies depending on climate and production system. On an average 0.1-0.5 t. ha^-l y^-l of organic carbon can be sequestered under humid temperate conditions. Farm equipments like straw shavers and rotavators play a role in residue incorporation in the soil.

Introduction

Global food production, already under the credit crunch, must double by 2050 to level off hunger. According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), this will be possible only if food security is given top priority. The food security has become a complex issue influenced by climate and non-climate induced stressors which operate independently or in combinations are tackled appropriately. This climate induced stress is further augmented by climate change which affects agriculture and food production in complex ways. It affects food production directly through changes in agro-ecological conditions and indirectly by affecting growth and distribution of incomes, and thus demand for agricultural produce. Climate change has emerged as a major challenge in achieving goals of sustainable agriculture. Climate change refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or/and as a result of human activity (IPCC, 2007). Agriculture impacts climate change with greenhouse gas emissions, and is at the same time impacted by effects of climate change as well. Amongst elements of climate change, the most important relate to increasing uncertainty in availability of water due to increasing frequency of drought and/or excess water events resulting in uneven water availability over time and space. Drought is a normal, recurring feature of the climate in most parts of the world. Drought is defined as the absence of rainfall or supplemental irrigation for a period of time sufficient to deplete soil moisture and injure plants. According to USDA drought occurs when annual precipitation is 75 percent of normal, or monthly precipitation is 60 per cent of normal. Drought stress results when water loss from the plant exceeds the ability of roots to absorb water and when the plant’s water content is reduced enough to interfere with normal plant processes.