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The Watercone is a solar powered water desalinator that takes salt or brackish water and generates freshwater. Source: https://www.pinterest.es/pin/238198267772861766/visualsearch/
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Agriculture main issues are the reduction in water availability and the loss in water quality. If the population is increasing, the demand for food will increase, but the amount of water available to produce food does not increase. It would be a huge problem for the future. This study explores the alternative method in biomimicry to provide suffici...
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... A thorough analysis of the impacts of hydrometeorological phenomena on the existing trends in agricultural production is a crucial starting point for breaking the information gap and contributing to a decision-making tool based on facts. This analysis is even more critical for rainfed agriculture [21] since it contributes to the highest food production in the world [22], Mexico, and especially Veracruz [8]. Therefore, DD records could be a valuable tool to link hydrometeorological hazards with productive crop values, especially when they register decrements or losses. ...
Hydrometeorological hazards are considered the most important phenomena affecting crop production in the Eastern regions of Mexico, where the State of Veracruz is located. However, more information about their consequences on these sites needs to be studied. This research aims to determine the effects of hydrometeorological phenomena on the most important crops cultivated in the State of Veracruz. The methodology involved analyzing the State's crop production database from 2001 to 2020 and comparing this data with the National Hydrometeorological Disaster Declarations database. Multivariable correlation analysis and geographic information systems were applied to geographically analyze 42 rainfed crops plus the five most valuable ones in the State to determine their production related to climatic phenomena. The results found that the most affected crops are corn, soy, sorghum, beans, and rice, with more than 10,000 lost hectares. Droughts caused total damage to corn, soy, and beans and decreased productivity in corn, orange, lemon, wheat, coffee, and sesame. For the most valuable crops, tropical cyclones caused the highest production decrements in corn, sugar cane, and pineapple, while droughts caused the same effects in lemon and orange. We conclude that tropical cyclones are the most critical phenomena negatively impacting Veracruz, with high implications on the agrifood system.
... Rural water (RW) supply capacity showed a significant positive correlation with AEE, which is consistent with previous findings [79,93,94]. This suggests that the regional AEE can be improved by increasing the rate of piped water supply in rural areas, and the effect of this improvement is significant. ...
... With the development of agriculture and the growth of the rural population, the demand for water is increasing [102]. According to previous studies, rural water supply capacity often has a great impact on agricultural productivity, with lower water supply requiring more resources to sustain agricultural productivity [79], while improved accessibility to water resources can enhance productivity and contribute to environmental protection [93,94]. Therefore, this study used rural piped water penetration rate as a proxy for rural water supply capacity. ...
To cope with global carbon reduction pressure, improved agricultural production efficiency, and optimize regional sustainability, we constructed a data-driven evaluation and optimization method for agricultural environmental efficiency (AEE) under carbon constraints. This study constructs a comprehensive input-output AEE evaluation index system, incorporates carbon emissions from agricultural production processes as undesired outputs, and optimizes their calculation. The Minimum Distance to Strong Efficient Frontier evaluation model considering undesired output, and the kernel density estimation, are used to quantitatively evaluate AEE from static and dynamic perspectives. Tobit regression models are further used to analyze the driving influences of AEE and propose countermeasures to optimize AEE. The feasibility of the above methodological process was tested using 2015–2020 data from the Anhui Province, China. Although there is still scope for optimizing the AEE in Anhui, the overall trend is positive and shows a development trend of “double peaks”. The levels of education, economic development, agricultural water supply capacity, and rural management are important factors contributing to AEE differences in Anhui. Data and regression analysis results contribute to the optimization of AEE and proposes optimization strategies. This study provides extensions and refinements of the AEE evaluation and optimization, and contributes to sustainable development of regions.
... Biomimicry term is made up of two words where bio that means life and mimicry or mimesis means imitating. To produce a sustainable design by using biomimicry, this requires studies related to nature by emulating natural forms processes, and ecosystems (Othmani et al. 2021). In biomimicry, most of the design are using shape or form of the organisms, and according to Mirniazmandan and Rahimianzarif (2017), using organic materials and natural processes is a new paradigm of sustainable. ...
... In biomimicry, most of the design are using shape or form of the organisms, and according to Mirniazmandan and Rahimianzarif (2017), using organic materials and natural processes is a new paradigm of sustainable. The designers were able to deepen their knowledge of biomimicry by inspired the nature into a design (Othmani et al. 2021). ...
There have been many studies on bio-inspired research, where biomimicry capabilities facilitating sustainable designs are in dearth. For a sustainable design, it is necessary to consider water efficiency, zero waste, thermal environment, and energy supply. This paper investigates how biomimicry is adopted in the sustainable design of buildings. A thorough content analysis of eight case studies focused on the built environment and how biomimicry integrated with the design of a building was executed. The selection of cases study was based on the concept of biomimicry by taking inspiration from nature and applying them in the everyday built environment. Thus, the building designs are more ecologically sustainable than conventional ones, where biomimicry approaches and principles are adopted. The findings suggest that the design of a building can inspire society with new ecological morals, where understanding of biological morphogenesis can inspire design to resolve challenges and essentially help create a healthy environment. Biomimicry harnesses and replicates the principles found in nature to create a built environment that benefits people and other living creatures and safeguards biodiversity. Thus, adopting biomimicry in designing a building will help to develop a culture of active environmental design.
... Practical interventions include agriculture 4.0, IoT, and biomimetic agriculture. This review focuses on the potential of the latter, given the former was extensively reviewed by [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. The link between global food security and biomimetic research is grounded on the progress made using biomimetic approaches to address water scarcity, using inexpensive and scalable Warka and water cone water from the atmosphere [28]. ...
... This review focuses on the potential of the latter, given the former was extensively reviewed by [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. The link between global food security and biomimetic research is grounded on the progress made using biomimetic approaches to address water scarcity, using inexpensive and scalable Warka and water cone water from the atmosphere [28]. Additionally, biomimetic approaches have led to the development of biomimetic phosphate scavengers via quantum chemical studies of phosphate anions on small, intrinsically disordered peptides [29]. ...
... The latter study demonstrated that it was possible to improve global food security using phosphate scavengers while minimizing the negative effect of phosphate compounds on the environment. The biomimetic-related innovations highlighted by Othmani et al. [28] and Gruber et al. [29] were but a microcosm of the various innovations that could transform the future of agriculture. ...
Biomimetics is the interdisciplinary cooperation of biology and technology that offers solutions to practical problems by analyzing biological systems and transferring their principles into applications. This review article focused on biomimetic innovations, including bio-inspired soft robots and swarm robots that could serve multiple functions, including the harvesting of fruits, pest control, and crop management. The research demonstrated commercially available biomimetic innovations , including robot bees by Arugga AI Farming and the Robotriks Traction Unit (RTU) precision farming equipment. Additionally, soft robotic systems have made it possible to mitigate the risk of surface bruises, rupture, the crushing destruction of plant tissue, and plastic deformation in the harvesting of fruits with a soft rind such as apples, cherries, pears, stone fruits, kiwifruit, mandarins , cucumbers, peaches, and pome. Even though the smart farming technologies, which were developed to mimic nature, could help prevent climate change and enhance the intensification of agriculture, there are concerns about long-term ecological impact, cost, and their inability to complement natural processes such as pollination. Despite the problems, the market for bio-inspired technologies with potential agricultural applications to modernize farming and solve the above-mentioned challenges has increased exponentially. Future research and development should lead to low-cost FEA robotic grippers and FEA-tendon-driven grippers for crop harvesting. In brief, soft robots and swarm robotics have immense potential in agriculture.
This study systematically evaluates biomimicry research within the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs) to discern the interdisciplinary interplay between biomimicry and SDGs. The alignment of biomimicry with key SDGs showcases its interdisciplinary nature and potential to offer solutions across the health, sustainability, and energy sectors. This study identified two primary thematic clusters. The first thematic cluster focused on health, partnership, and life on land (SDGs 3, 17, and 15), highlighting biomimicry's role in healthcare innovations, sustainable collaboration, and land management. This cluster demonstrates the potential of biomimicry to contribute to medical technologies, emphasizing the need for cross-sectoral partnerships and ecosystem preservation. The second thematic cluster revolves around clean water, energy, infrastructure, and marine life (SDGs 6, 7, 9, and 14), showcasing nature-inspired solutions for sustainable development challenges, including energy generation and water purification. The prominence of SDG 7 within this cluster indicates that biomimicry significantly contributes to sustainable energy practices. The analysis of thematic clusters further revealed the broad applicability of biomimicry and its role in enhancing sustainable energy access and promoting ecosystem conservation. Emerging research topics, such as metaheuristics, nanogenerators, exosomes, and bioprinting, indicate a dynamic field poised for significant advancements. By mapping the connections between biomimicry and SDGs, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the field's trajectory, emphasizing its importance in advancing global sustainability efforts.
Rainfed agriculture ensures global food security. However, periodic droughts and floods endanger rainfed crop productivity. This work aims to identify drought and flood risks in rainfed agriculture using conditional probabilities and to reduce food losses caused by drought and floods. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index is produced from 1996 to 2020 using meteorological data from the three northeastern provinces and is used to establish four time-scale drought indicators. The Pearson correlation coefficient is then used to identify drought indicators related to rainfed crop production. The Copula-Bayesian conditional probabilities were used to calculate the probability of yield reduction of rainfed crops when drought indicators indicate varied drought and flood conditions. The results show that: (1) Droughts from May to July and floods from January to March had the most significant impact on rainfed crops in the three northeastern provinces. (2) The cities of Huludao, Changchun, Baishan, Baicheng, Yanbian, Hegang, and Jiamusi face a more significant danger of drought in rainfed crops. In contrast, Yichun and Suihua face a higher risk of flooding in rainfed crops. (3) When drought monitoring indicators decreased by one unit, rainfed crop output declined the most in Fuxin city; when the drought indicator increased by one unit, rainfed crop yield decreased the most in Liaoyuan city. The study’s findings can provide quantitative direction for food security work in China’s three northeastern regions.
