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	Author	Ysebaert, T.; Samson, R.; Denys, S.
	Title	Revisiting dry deposition modelling of particulate matter on vegetation at the microscale			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Air quality, atmosphere & health	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
	Abstract	Dry deposition is an important process determining pollutant concentrations, especially when studying the influence of urban green infrastructure on particulate matter (PM) levels in cities. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of PM capture by vegetation are useful tools to increase their applicability. The meso-scale models of Zhang et al. (Atmos Environ 35:549-560, 2001) and Petroff and Zhang (Geosci Model Dev 3(2):753-769, 2010) have often been adopted in CFD models, however a comparison of these models with measurements including all PM particle sizes detrimental to health has been rarely reported and certainly not for green wall species. This study presents dry deposition experiments on real grown Hedera helix in a wind tunnel setup with wind speeds from 1 to 4 m s(-1) and PM consisting of a mixture of soot (0.02 – 0.2 mu mu m) and dust particles (0.3 – 10 mu mu m). Significant factors determining the collection efficiency (%) were particle diameter and wind speed, but relative air humidity and the type of PM (soot or dust) did not have a significant influence. Zhang's model outperformed Petroff's model for particles < 0.3 mu mu m, however the inclusion of turbulent impaction in Petroff's model resulted in better agreement with the measurements for particles > 2 – 3 mu mu m. The optimised model had an overall root-mean-square-error of similar to 4% for collection efficiency (CE) and 0.4 cm s-1 for deposition velocity (nu d), which was shown to be highly competitive against previously described models. It can thus be used to model PM deposition on other plant species, provided the correct parameterisation of the drag by this species. A detailed description of the spatial distribution of the vegetation could solve the underestimation for particle sizes of 0.3 – 2 mu mu m.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001125841300001	Publication Date	2023-12-14
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1873-9318; 1873-9326	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	5.1	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 5.1; 2023 IF: 3.184
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:201986			Serial	9086
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Vervloessem, E.
	Title	The role of pulsing and humidity in plasma-based nitrogen fixation : a combined experimental and modeling study			Type	Doctoral thesis
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	358 p.
	Keywords	Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	Nitrogen (N) is an indispensable building block for all living organisms as well as for pharmaceutical and chemical industry. In a nutshell, N is needed for plants to grow and beings to live and nitrogen fixation (NF) is the process that makes N available for plants as food by converting N2 into a reactive form, such as ammonia (NH3) or nitrogen oxides (NOx), upon reacting with O2 and H2. The aim of this thesis is to elucidate (wet) plasma-based nitrogen fixation with a focus on (1) the role of pulsing in achieving low energy consumption, (2) the role of H2O as a hydrogen source in nitrogen fixation and (3) elucidation of nitrogen fixation pathways in humid air and humid N2 plasma in a combined experimental and computational study. Furthermore, this thesis aims to take into account the knowledge-gaps and challenges identified in the discussion of the state of the art. Specifically, (1) we put our focus on branching out to another way of introducing water into the plasma system, i.e. H2O vapor, (2) we de-couple the problem for pathway elucidation by starting with characterization of the chosen plasma, next a simpler gas mixture and building up from there, (3) we include modelling, though not under wet conditions and (4) we focus on also analyzing species and performance outside liquid H2O. Firstly, based on the reaction analysis of a validated quasi-1D model, we can conclude that pulsing is indeed the key factor for energy-efficient NOx- formation, due to the strong temperature drop it causes. Secondly, the thesis shows that added H2O vapor, and not liquid H2O, is the main source of H for NH3 generation. Related to this, we discuss how the selectivity of plasma-based NF in humid air and humid N2 can be controlled by changing the humidity in the feed gas. Interestingly, NH3 production can be achieved in both N2 and air plasmas using H2O as a H source. Lastly, we identified a significant loss mechanism for NH3 and HNO2 that occurs in systems where these species are synthesized simultaneously, i.e. downstream from the plasma, HNO2 reacts with NH3 to form NH4NO2, which decomposes into N2 and H2O. This reduces the effective NF when not properly addressed, and should therefore be considered in future works aimed at optimizing plasma-based NF. In conclusion, this thesis adds further to the current state of the art of plasma-based NF both in the presence of H2O and in dry systems.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:197038			Serial	9088
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Peeters, H.
	Title	Solar active photocatalytic self-cleaning coatings based on plasmon-embedded titania			Type	Doctoral thesis
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	XX, 125 p.
	Keywords	Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:201390			Serial	9093
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Dingenen, F.
	Title	Solar-driven H2 production from seawater using stabilized plasmon-enhanced photocatalysts			Type	Doctoral thesis
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	XXXVIII, 210 p.
	Keywords	Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology
	Abstract	As natural gas prices proved to be very volatile, sustainable alternatives are highly needed. Water-derived H2 was revealed as a promising substitute, allowing to produce a green energy carrier with a minimum of harmful emissions. Direct splitting of earth-abundant seawater provides an eco-friendly route for the production of clean H2, but is hampered by selectivity and stability issues due to the presence of salts.Photocatalytic seawater splitting is particularly promising for this purpose, as it seems less affected by adversary seawater effects and might rely on free and renewable solar power. Unfortunately, the benchmark photocatalyst, TiO2, still suffers from its low solar light activity. It is only actived upon illumination with energetic ultraviolet light (<5% of the sunlight). In order to broaden the activity window to the visible light, the concept of the 'plasmonic rainbow' was explored. Here, TiO2 is modified with various gold-silver composites that possess the unique optical phenomenon of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). This phenomenon enables the absorption of light at very specific wavelengths, depending on the metal type, size, shape and dielectric environment. The light energy might then be converted into hot carriers, strong local electromagnetic fields and/or heat. By combining multiple composites with various sizes and compositions, a broadband absorption could be obtained, resulting in significantly enhanced activity in photocatalytic model reactions under simulated sunlight. The major disadvantage of these plasmonic nanoparticles is their tendency to oxidize and deactivate. To overcome this, polymer shell stabilization strategies were found to be effective to protect the metal cores. Both conductive and non-conductive polymers were studied. For the former, a mix-and-wait strategy generating polyaniline shells of 2-5 nm was used, whille the latter was based on a Layer-by-Layer approach, allowing (sub) nanometer thickness control. For the actual H2 production experiments, the plasmonic loading was optimized in a pure water:methanol scavenger (7:1) mixture and initially the stabilization strategies proofed to be effective for simulated seawater (0.5M NaCl), even after 2 years. However, in real seawater, the activity decreased drastically due to aggregation of the photocatalyst in the presence of multivalent cations. Finally, facile immobilization strategies using 3D printing showed to be able to yield stable, solar active photocatalyst for real seawater splitting.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:203196			Serial	9094
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Menegaldo, B.; Aleccia, D.; Nuyts, G.; Amato, A.; Orsega, E.F.; Moro, G.; Balliana, E.; De Wael, K.; Moretto, L.M.; Beltran, V.
	Title	Stories of the life of Saint George : materials and techniques from a Barbelli mural painting			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Studies in conservation	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-14
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Art; History; Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab)
	Abstract	Gian Giacomo Inchiocchio (1604-1656), better known as Barbelli, was one of the main exponents of Lombard painting of the seventeenth century. A large body of work is attributed to him, encompassing a wide range of drawings, murals, and oil paintings. However, despite his broad production, there are still many open questions regarding his painting techniques and materials. In this paper, a multi-analytical study of the cycle Stories of the life of Saint George that originally decorated the presbytery of the parish church of Casaletto Vaprio (Cremona, Italy) was performed, combining non-invasive techniques with the characterisation of selected micro samples. Results show that Barbelli used a very limited number of inorganic pigments, often mixing them together to create different colours and shades. Remains of caseinate and degradation products (i.e. weddellite and whewellite) related to the strappo intervention were also highlighted. The study helped to decipher the materials and technique of this painting, providing data that can be used as a reference to study his extensive production.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001080139100001	Publication Date	2023-10-04
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	0039-3630; 2047-0584	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	0.8	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 0.8; 2023 IF: 0.578
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:200302			Serial	9098
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Grünewald, L.; Chezganov, D.; De Meyer, R.; Orekhov, A.; Van Aert, S.; Bogaerts, A.; Bals, S.; Verbeeck, J.
	Title	Supplementary Information for “In-situ Plasma Studies using a Direct Current Microplasma in a Scanning Electron Microscope”			Type	Dataset
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	Dataset; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	Supplementary information for the article “In-situ Plasma Studies using a Direct Current Microplasma in a Scanning Electron Microscope” containing the videos of in-situ SEM imaging (mp4 files), raw data/images, and Jupyter notebooks (ipynb files) for data treatment and plots. Link to the preprint: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2308.15123 Explanation of the data files can be found in the Information.pdf file. The Videos folder contains the in-situ SEM image series mentioned in the paper. If there are any questions/bugs, feel free to contact me at lukas.grunewaldatuantwerpen.be
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access	Not_Open_Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:203389			Serial	9100
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Biondo, O.
	Title	Towards a fundamental understanding of energy-efficient, plasma-based CO<sub>2</sub> conversion			Type	Doctoral thesis
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	221 p.
	Keywords	Doctoral thesis; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
	Abstract	Plasma-based CO2 conversion is worldwide gaining increasing interest. The aim of this work is to find potential pathways to improve the energy efficiency of plasma-based CO2 conversion beyond what is feasible for thermal chemistry. To do so, we use a combination of modeling and experiments to better understand the underlying mechanisms of CO2 conversion, ranging from non-thermal to thermal equilibrium conditions. Zero-dimensional (0D) chemical kinetics modelling, describing the detailed plasma chemistry, is developed to explore the vibrational kinetics of CO2, as the latter is known to play a crucial role in the energy efficient CO2 conversion. The 0D model is successfully validated against pulsed CO2 glow discharge experiments, enabling the reconstruction of the complex dynamics underlying gas heating in a pure CO2 discharge, paving the way towards the study of gas heating in more complex gas mixtures, such as CO2 plasmas with high dissociation degrees. Energy-efficient, plasma-based CO2 conversion can also be obtained upon the addition of a reactive carbon bed in the post-discharge region. The reaction between solid carbon and O2 to form CO allows to both reduce the separation costs and increase the selectivity towards CO, thus, increasing the energy efficiency of the overall conversion process. In this regard, a novel 0D model to infer the mechanism underlying the performance of the carbon bed over time is developed. The model outcome indicates that gas temperature and oxygen complexes formed at the surface of solid carbon play a fundamental and interdependent role. These findings open the way towards further optimization of the coupling between plasma and carbon bed. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that “warm” plasmas (e.g. microwave or gliding arc plasmas) can yield very high energy efficiency for CO2 conversion, but typically only at reduced pressure. For industrial application, it will be important to realize such good energy efficiency at atmospheric pressure as well. However, recent experiments illustrate that the microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure is too close to thermal conditions to achieve a high energy efficiency. Hence, we use a comprehensive set of advanced diagnostics to characterize the plasma and the reactor performance, focusing on CO2 and CO2/CH4 microwave discharges. The results lead to a deeper understanding of the mechanism of power concentration with increasing pressure, typical of plasmas in most gases, which is of great importance for model validation and understanding of reactor performance.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:197213			Serial	9108
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Fabri, C.; Tsagris, M.; Moretti, M.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Adaptation to climate change : the irrigation technology mix of Italian farmers			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Applied economic perspectives and policy	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-22
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Economics; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Farmers should increasingly adopt more water‐efficient irrigation technologies—such as drip irrigation—as a result of climate warming and aggravating water scarcity. We analyze how Italian farmers adapt to climate change by changing their irrigation technology mix. We apply a two‐stage econometric model to data from 5876 Italian farms. We find that farmers' initial reaction to increasing temperatures is reducing their surface‐irrigated fractions. When temperatures increase further, farmers switch toward more sprinkler irrigation. Our results show that farmers are not autonomously moving to drip irrigation in response to climate change, suggesting that government incentives are needed to encourage this transition.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001125360800001	Publication Date	2023-12-16
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	2040-5790	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	5.8	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 5.8; 2023 IF: 1.361
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:201688			Serial	9184
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Verbruggen, S.; Van Acker, M.; Furlan, C.; Mercelis, S.; Durt, A.
	Title	ATLANTES : the mATeriaL spAtial dimeNsion of wasTE flowS: visualising waste streams in the Province of Antwerp			Type	Minutes and reports
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	Minutes and reports; Economics; Engineering sciences. Technology; Internet Data Lab (IDLab); Research Group for Urban Development; Henry van de Velde
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:199837			Serial	9187
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Chekol Zewdie, M.; Moretti, M.; Tenessa, D.B.; Van Passel, S.
	Title	Farmers' preferences and willingness to pay for improved irrigation water supply program : a discrete choice experiment			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Environment, development and sustainability	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-24
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	This study examines smallholder farmers' preferences and willingness to pay for an improved irrigation water supply program in northwest Ethiopia. We employed a discrete choice experiment with five attributes and three levels. Data were collected from randomly selected sample households of both irrigation users and non-users. A total of 379 respondents participated, and a mixed logit model was used to analyze the household-level survey data. The result indicates that to deviate from the business-as-usual scenario, smallholder farmers are willing to pay between 3,228 and 8,327 Ethiopian Birr per hectare of irrigated land. Furthermore, the results showed a strong public preference for access to produce cash crops, followed by irrigation water availability in the dry season, and adequate access to improved farm inputs. The results also provide useful information for policymakers and suggested possibilities for generating finance from farmers to cover the operation and maintenance costs of irrigation schemes. Also, this study result reveals that irrigation development and expansion must be integrated into a comprehensive support package that combines irrigation water with access to improved farm inputs and access to produce cash crops on farmers' farm plots.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001048896000004	Publication Date	2023-08-14
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1387-585x; 1573-2975	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
	Impact Factor	4.9	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.9; 2023 IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198283			Serial	9204
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Van Oijstaeijen, W.
	Title	Green infrastructure and local implementation : (green) bridging the gap between research and practice			Type	Administrative Services
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	xvii, 194 p.
	Keywords	Administrative Services; Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Climate change is an ever-increasing threat to our planet, with the urbanisation of previously open spaces exacerbating the issue. The loss of open space leads to a decrease in ecosystem services, which negatively impacts the liveability in urbanised environments, and beyond. The incorporation of green infrastructure (GI) into the built environment is acknowledged as an effective and multi-functional measure to make our living environment resilient and future-proof. Notwithstanding that the local level is essential for effective GI implementation, research into local decision making is very limited. This thesis therefore aims to address two significant gaps in the implementation of GI. The first objective is to bridge the science-policy gap by integrating scientific knowledge on ES and GI into local decision-making processes. In this context, the policy dimension within this thesis involves the process of translating overarching policy objectives into practical actions within local decision-making practices, abstracting from the intricacies of higher-level policymaking itself. The second objective focuses on the people-policy gap, which involves understanding stakeholders' perspectives and priorities regarding GI and its associated ecosystem services. Through stated preference valuation techniques (discrete choice experiments and a best-worst scaling experiment), multi-stakeholder GI perceptions are gathered. Finally, a novel tool to GI valuation is developed, acknowledging the different stakeholder views and building on the insights of collaborative tool development and design. By gaining insights into the demand, prioritisation, and provision of GI from the two most important stakeholder groups at the local level (residents and local decision-makers), this research aims to foster effective communication and alignment between public preferences and policy implementation. Ultimately, addressing these gaps will contribute to more informed planning and decision-making practices related to green infrastructure. The overall goal of this thesis is to enhance the uptake of GI knowledge in the local decision-making context, proposing pathways to facilitate and optimise investments in public GI.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN	978-90-5728-814-2	Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:199925			Serial	9206
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Vervoort, P.; Grymonprez, H.; Bouckaert, N.; Derijcke, D.; De Wael, W.
	Title	Ruimte en gezondheidsongelijkheid aanpakken : een kwestie van sociale rechtvaardigheid			Type	H2 Book chapter
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	H2 Book chapter; Sociology; Law; Centre for Research on Environmental and Social Change
	Abstract	De bijdrage gaat dieper in op de relatie tussen ruimte en gezondheidsongelijkheid, bespreekt gezondheidsongelijkheid vanuit een rechtenperspectief en illustreert een aantal praktijken waarin de aandacht voor ruimte en gezondheidsongelijkheid samenkomen.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN	978-2-509-04324-5	Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:200534			Serial	9225
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Labey, E.; Fonteyn, F.; Wilmot, A.; El Amouri, S.; Gjurova, A.; De Cock, W.; De Wael, F.
	Title	Shaping utopia through law: how the law does (not) provide an answer to societal challenges			Type	ME2 Book as editor or co-editor
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	210 p.
	Keywords	ME2 Book as editor or co-editor; Law; Government and Law
	Abstract
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN	978-94-000-1654-5	Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198938			Serial	9227
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Gebremariam, Y.A.; Dessein, J.; Wondimagegnhu, B.A.; Breusers, M.; Lenaerts, L.; Adgo, E.; Van Passel, S.; Minale, A.S.; Nyssen, J.
	Title	Undoing the development army : a paradigm shift from transfer of technology to agricultural innovation system in Ethiopian extension			Type	A1 Journal article
	Year	2023	Publication	Environment, development and sustainability	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-27
	Keywords	A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM)
	Abstract	Appropriate use of agricultural technologies and diversifying the farming activities is critical to addressing food security problems in Africa, including Ethiopia. The country is experimenting with the new Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) approach alongside the well-established Transfer of Technology (ToT) approach. This paper analyzes the gaps between policy discourses (as reflected in policy documents and strategic orientation documents) and extension practices (as reflected in the daily exchanges between farmers and the frontline staff of the Ethiopian extension system). It provides insights into the challenges faced and emphasizes the need for better coordination between policy formulation and implementation to enhance extension services. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers can benefit from the valuable perspectives the findings offer. The study contributes to understanding the relationship between policy discourses and extension practices, and its implications can inform policy design and implementation in similar contexts. A qualitative research approach was deployed to analyze policy discourse and practice. Data were collected in Fogera, a district in Northwest Ethiopia, between August 2018 and February 2019. The data for the paper were obtained from 23 Focus Group Discussions conducted with men and women. 13 Informant Interviews (KIIs) were also carried out with personnel at different levels of government agricultural services and departments. Transcripts of recordings of the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were analyzed using a deductive approach. The study focuses on rice crops in the Fogera district, which are crucial for food security and reducing poverty. Although the geographic area is limited, the results can be used to improve the extension system in other areas facing similar challenges. Specifically, the study suggests switching from the traditional transfer of technology approach to the agricultural innovation system approach. Furthermore, the study's techniques, such as qualitative interviews, may have limitations and not fully capture the intricacies of policy and extension practices. The findings demonstrate that, although the policy documents strongly adhere to agricultural innovation system principles, top-down transfer of technology approaches continues to dominate in practice. Moreover, we have found potential discrepancies between the training content delivered and the specific needs of smallholder farmers. Practically, prescriptive systems are still used because agricultural innovation system approaches are not well understood by the Extension Agents. To realize a genuine agricultural innovation system, Ethiopia's extension apparatus should move forward with building committed and robust relationships between farmers, extension agents, researchers, private sectors, and non-governmental organizations. To this end, more research, enhanced training, and improved institutions are needed on what genuine agricultural innovation system could look like at the grass-roots level. This also includes understanding the roles that different actors within Ethiopia's development army should assume how a multi-actor policy dialogue can be organized.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos	001126500500006	Publication Date	2023-12-19
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN	1387-585x; 1573-2975	ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record; WoS full record
	Impact Factor	4.9	Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: 4.9; 2023 IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:202804			Serial	9238
Permanent link to this record



	Author	Li, L.
	Title	Untangling microbial community assembly in rainforest and grassland soils under increasing precipitation persistence			Type	Doctoral thesis
	Year	2023	Publication		Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	179 p.
	Keywords	Doctoral thesis; Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research (IMPRES); Plant and Ecosystems (PLECO) – Ecology in a time of change
	Abstract	Climate change is causing alterations in precipitation patterns, leading to adverse ecological consequences in many ecosystems. Recently, an increasingly persistent weather pattern has emerged, characterized by lengthening the duration of alternating dry and wet periods, which is more complex than exclusively drought or increasing precipitation. It is currently unclear how soil microbial communities respond to these new regimes in relation to their interactions with plants, especially in precipitation-sensitive ecosystems, such as tropical rainforests and grasslands. In this thesis, we explored responses of soil bacterial and fungal communities to increasing weather persistence in rainforests and grasslands, using high throughput sequencing technology. We firstly investigated the resistance and resilience of microbial communities to prolonged drought in a mature seasonal tropical rainforest which experiences unusually intensive dry seasons in the current century. Through excluding rainfall during and after the dry season, a simulated prolongation of the dry season by five months was compared to the control. Our results indicate that as rain exclusion progressed, the microbial communities increasingly diverged from the control, indicating a moderate resistance to prolonged drought. However, when the drought ceased, the composition and co-occurrence patterns of soil microbial communities immediately recovered to that in the control, implying a high resilience. To further investigate the ecological roles of soil microbial communities in response to increasing weather persistence, we set up grassland mesocosm experiments. In these experiments, precipitation frequency was adjusted along a series, ranging from 1 to 60 consecutive days alternating of dry and wet periods, while keeping the total precipitation constant. Our results show that microbial community assembly tended to be more stochastic processes at intermediate persistence of dry and wet alternations while more deterministic processes dominated at low and high persistence within 120 days regime exposure. Moreover, more persistent precipitation reduced the fungal diversity and network connectivity but barely impacted that of bacterial communities. The prior experiences of persistent weather events for one year caused legacy effects. The soil microbial legacy induced by soil microbial communities subjected to prior persistent weather events was more enduring in subsequent fungal communities than bacterial communities, likely due to slower growth of fungi compared to bacteria. However, a minor effect of soil microbial legacy was observed on plant performance. In addition, we kept the grassland mesocosm experiment for two growing seasons. The effects of precipitation persistence on soil microbial communities increased in the second year. The dissimilarities of microbial communities between the first and second year were less with more persistent precipitation, potentially resulting in more vulnerable microbial communities, due to some taxa disappearing and a reduction in functional redundancy under more persistent weather. To conclude, our findings provide a comprehensive theoretical understanding of soil microbial communities in response to the current and future climate change, drawing from both natural and experimental systems. It helps in predicting and managing the impacts of future climate change on ecosystems mediated by microbial communities. Additionally, the findings of microbe-mediated legacy effects on grassland ecosystems can provide practical guidance for their application in agriculture, specifically for using an inoculum to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher		Place of Publication		Editor
	Language		Wos		Publication Date
	Series Editor		Series Title		Abbreviated Series Title
	Series Volume		Series Issue		Edition
	ISSN		ISBN		Additional Links	UA library record
	Impact Factor		Times cited		Open Access
	Notes				Approved	Most recent IF: NA
	Call Number	UA @ admin @ c:irua:198498			Serial	9240
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