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Commonly the intensification of agricultural practices is regarded not only as one of the established techniques for achieving agricultural and food independence but also as the key instrument for alleviating world hunger. Despite its considerable potential, intensification has become a controversial topic that attracts particular interest due to its substantial negative impact on greenhouse gas emissions, biological diversity and natural habitats. This paper aims to explore and compare the degree of intensificati...

The accelerated evolution of the anthropogenic land use together with the involved dynamics of the land use changes has deepen its environmental impact and increased the population demands. The usage of satellite images became in the last decades a complementary method for obtaining structural information on the urban land use due to major developments in domains such as remote sensing, geographic information systems and photogrammetry. Accurate information on urban built-up area is essential for multiple key area...

The use of Earth observation satellite data is an efficient monitoring method for the state of natural ecosystems disturbed by the development of georesources. A permanent multispectral satellite survey provides an opportunity to study the dynamics of ecological restoration by observing the changes in the spectral reflective properties of the landscape. At the same time, it is problematic to interpret the satellite observation data of the surface being in the shade during the survey, because in the absence of dire...

This paper presents three common and simplified steps in conceptual modeling, which are also proposed as “tools” for project initiation. These steps are: 1) system characterization, 2) system structural analysis, and 3) multi-criteria modeling of alternative scenarios. The main motivation for a standardized approach is that that many projects involve complex systems with diverse stakeholders. Both of these aspects increase the need for effective communication and for including perspectives across disciplines and s...

Object. Measurements via borehole inclinometers have been actively used in geotechnical monitoring for more than forty years. Due to the high sensitivity of MEMS sensors to external factors, the passport accuracy characteristics of such equipment are significantly underestimated. At the same time, the analysis and interpretation of data obtained by inclinometers measurements are associated with an assessment of these measurements quality. Identifying the random and systematic components of the total error is the k...

The number of registered cases of COVID-19 is increasing in the world, and some countries are reporting a second wave of the pandemic. Accurate and real time information about epidemiological situation is therefore urgently needed for managing decisions in the countries, regions and municipalities which are affected. Massive testing of viral presence in people’s saliva, a smear from the nose, nasopharynx and / or oropharynx, bronchial lavage water obtained by fibrobronchoscopy (bronchoalveolar lavage), as well as ...

In this study, based on a relatively high resolution wind database (ERA5), an assessment of the nearshore wind conditions in the western part of the Black Sea was conducted. From the reanalysis of the wind datasets provided by the ERA5 product, significant differences between the onshore and offshore wind power were identified, with the offshore regions being more resourceful than the onshore ones. Generally, the appeal of a site for a wind farm project is determined throughout a classification of the wind classes...

In Russia, turning to the circular economy concept is becoming a new wing of theenvironmental industrial policy. In most Russian regions, the necessity of recyclingindustrial waste co-exists with the challenges of municipal waste management. Thus,according to the official statistics, the amount of solid waste formed in 2019 reached7.75 bln tons, 55-60 mln tons being categorised as municipal waste. In 2010-2019,annual waste generation grew from 3.74 to 7.75 bln tons; about 15 thousand landfillsoccupy the territory ...

Ceramic materials based on titania and zirconia hold much promise in modern nuclear energy applications. Such materials due to their chemical and mineralogical similarity to nature-derived minerals may be used as matrices for radioactive waste immobilization as well as inert matrix fuels in the ‘burn and bury’ fuel cycle. However, sintering of such ceramics into a dense body is still a challenging issue. This paper addresses phase formation processes and sintering patterns of ceramics in TiO2 – Al2O3 – ZrO2 – MgO ...

Covid-19 has turned our world upside down and transformed nearly every aspect of daily life, business and travel. The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe negative impacts on human beings in all spheres of economic, social and even geopolitical life worldwide. The impact of this crisis will be the subject of numerous studies in all fields of scientific research in the coming years. According to all official data, the tourism sector is one of the most affected sectors of the economy. Despite the reported partial recove...