| 1. |
- Cornelissen, Johannes H C, et al.
(author)
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Global negative vegetation feedback to climate warming responses of leaf litter decomposition rates in cold biomes
- 2007
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In: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 10:7, s. 619-627
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Whether climate change will turn cold biomes from large long-term carbon sinks into sources is hotly debated because of the great potential for ecosystem-mediated feedbacks to global climate. Critical are the direction, magnitude and generality of climate responses of plant litter decomposition. Here, we present the first quantitative analysis of the major climate-change-related drivers of litter decomposition rates in cold northern biomes worldwide.Leaf litters collected from the predominant species in 33 global change manipulation experiments in circum-arctic-alpine ecosystems were incubated simultaneously in two contrasting arctic life zones. We demonstrate that longer-term, large-scale changes to leaf litter decomposition will be driven primarily by both direct warming effects and concomitant shifts in plant growth form composition, with a much smaller role for changes in litter quality within species. Specifically, the ongoing warming-induced expansion of shrubs with recalcitrant leaf litter across cold biomes would constitute a negative feedback to global warming. Depending on the strength of other (previously reported) positive feedbacks of shrub expansion on soil carbon turnover, this may partly counteract direct warming enhancement of litter decomposition.
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| 2. |
- Cornelissen, C, et al.
(author)
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Global change and arctic ecosystems : is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass?
- 2001
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In: Journal of Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0022-0477 .- 1365-2745. ; 89:6, s. 984-994
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1 Macrolichens are important for the functioning and biodiversity of cold northern ecosystems and their reindeer-based cultures and economics. 2 We hypothesized that, in climatically milder parts of the Arctic, where ecosystems have relatively dense plant canopies, climate warming and/or increased nutrient availability leads to decline in macrolichen abundance as a function of increased abundance of vascular plants. In more open high-arctic or arctic-alpine plant communities such a relationship should be absent. To test this, we synthesized cross-continental arctic vegetation data from ecosystem manipulation experiments simulating mostly warming and increased nutrient availability, and compared these with similar data from natural environmental gradients. 3 Regressions between abundance or biomass of macrolichens and vascular plants were consistently negative across the subarctic and mid-arctic experimental studies. Such a pattern did not emerge in the coldest high-arctic or arctic-alpine sites. The slopes of the negative regressions increased across 10 sites as the climate became milder (as indicated by a simple climatic index) or the vegetation denser (greater site above-ground biomass). 4 Seven natural vegetation gradients in the lower-altitude sub- and mid-arctic zone confirmed the patterns seen in the experimental studies, showing consistent negative relationships between abundance of macrolichens and vascular plants. 5 We conclude that the data supported the hypothesis. Macrolichens in climatically milder arctic ecosystems may decline if and where global changes cause vascular plants to increase in abundance. 6 However, a refining of our findings is needed, for instance by integrating other abiotic and biotic effects such as reindeer grazing feedback on the balance between vascular plants and lichens.
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| 3. |
- Tan, S. T., et al.
(author)
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Energy and emissions benefits of renewable energy derived from municipal solid waste : Analysis of a low carbon scenario in Malaysia
- 2014
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In: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 136, s. 797-804
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ineffective waste management that involves dumping of waste in landfills may degrade valuable land resources and emit methane gas (CH4), a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2). The incineration of waste also emits polluted chemicals such as dioxin and particle. Therefore, from a solid waste management perspective, both landfilling and incineration practices pose challenges to the development of a green and sustainable future. Waste-to-energy (WtE) has become a promising strategy catering to these issues because the utilisation of waste reduces the amount of landfilled waste (overcoming land resource issues) while increasing renewable energy production. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the energy and carbon reduction potential in Malaysia for various WtE strategies for municipal solid waste (MSW). The material properties of the MSW, its energy conversion potential and subsequent greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are analysed based on the chemical compositions and biogenic carbon fractions of the waste. The GHG emission reduction potential is also calculated by considering fossil fuel displacement and CH4 avoidance from landfilling. In this paper, five different scenarios are analysed with results indicating a integration of landfill gas (LFG) recovery systems and waste incinerator as the major and minor WtE strategies shows the highest economical benefit with optimal GHG mitigation and energy potential. Sensitivity analysis on the effect of moisture content of MSW towards energy potential and GHG emissions are performed. These evaluations of WtE strategies provides valuable insights for policy decision in MSW management practices with cost effective, energy benefit, environmental protection.
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| 4. |
- Tan, S. T., et al.
(author)
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SMART : An Integrated Planning and Decision Support Tool for Solid Waste Management
- 2014
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In: Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 1570-7946. ; 33, s. 271-276, s. 271-276
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Solid waste management (SWM) system combined waste streams, waste collection, treatment and disposal methods are critically important to a regional, to achieve environmental economic and societal benefits. Decision-makers often have to rely on optimization models to examine a cost effective, environmentally sound waste management alternative. This paper presents a new systematic framework for long term effective planning and scheduling of SWM. This framework has been converted into software called Solid Waste Management Resource Recovery Tool (SMART). SMART is a first-of-a-kind SWM tool to facilitate the tradeoffs analysis between technical, economical, and environmental at national, regional, state, province, or community level. This simple tool is useful for decision makers for the selection of MSW technology including incineration, landfill, composting and recycling are while minimising the costs and meet CO2 reductions target. The developed tool was applied in Iskandar Malaysia as a case study.
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| 5. |
- Peng, Jinqing, et al.
(author)
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Solar energy integration in buildings
- 2020
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In: Applied Energy. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 264
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 6. |
- Roelands, Marc, et al.
(author)
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The diy smart experiences project
- 2011
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In: Architecting the Internet of Things. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 9783642191572 ; , s. 279-315
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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