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Global production and use of food packaging have steadily increased since the 1960s. Packaging waste is now considered one of the world's most urgent environmental problems. Most responses to the problem have focused on recycling or the introduction of biomass-based materials. Whilst useful, these approaches focus on managing the symptoms and do not address why the food system has become reliant on single-use packaging. In this paper we use systems method to understand the drivers for the food packaging problem. We apply the first two steps of the systems method to develop a Causal Loop Diagram representing variables and feedback loops that influence the use of food packaging. The modelling process has been supported by a narrative literature review and by the analysis of the behaviour over time. The results show that there are three main interlinked subsystems that drive food packaging use: the globalisation, the expansion of supermarkets and the constraints on households' time. In order to reduce food packaging, structural changes are required. Shifting away from a growth-driven food economy towards a degrowth economic model may reduce the need for food packaging. Redesigning and decentralising food systems are just some of the potential solutions. • Current solutions tackling food packaging environmental impacts remain ineffective. • This study uses systems method to understand the drivers of food packaging use. • Globalisation, supermarket and household dynamics lead to food packaging growth. • The food packaging problem is a food system problem, not a packaging problem. • Food systems within an economic degrowth framework could curb food packaging use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land reclamation involves extracting fill from some areas (which in the tropics are commonly mangrove and seagrass ecosystems) and transporting and depositing it into zones being reclaimed as land for housing or industrial development. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are produced at various stages of the process (including for instance, from fuel used in dredging equipment). One substantial and site-dependent source of GHG emissions is associated with carbon stock losses resulting from the disturbance and extraction of fill from vegetated marine ecosystems. In this article we focus on these sources of GHG emissions and assess, for the first time, the potential carbon loss from mangrove ecosystems caused by land reclamation activities. To this end, we take a case study of a regionally significant, large-scale reclamation project in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia. The extent of mangroves likely to be impacted by the project was estimated by analysing land satellite (LANDSAT) imagery in the period before and after the start of reclamation activities. The carbon stored in the affected areas was then estimated using field measurements to determine total stocks (biomass and soil organic carbon). Mangroves in the study area at Serang (where sand mining is designated) and Angke (adjacent to deposition site) were estimated to store on average 203.64 Mg C ha−1, and 531.53 Mg C ha−1 respectively. The lower carbon stocks at Serang are a consequence of sand mining that occurred there in 2003. The regrown mangroves at Serang are smaller than that at Angke. The near-surface soil organic carbon (SOC) content at Serang was less than at Angke, 17% and 43% of the total respectively. Results also reveal that around 75% of total carbon stocks in both sites are in the form of SOC. We suggest that collating this sort of information about carbon stocks in sites impacted by land reclamation activities can help development planners identify opportunities to reduce GHG emissions. To illustrate, long-term carbon losses due to land reclamation in the case study area could be reduced if dredging is limited to 1 m depth and mangrove areas are actively rehabilitated. Image 1 • Jakarta Bay land reclamation is potentially destroying mangroves. • Satellite mapping shows increases of mangroves with cessation of sand mining. • Carbon stocks at the quarry can be saved (up to 71%) by limiting mining depth. • The carbon management approach is useful to foreshadow the land reclamation's impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A systematic literature review of factors affecting rubber production. • Identified three general types of decision support systems in rubber production. • Discussion on factors that have been incorporated into the decision support systems. • The current decision support systems primarily incorporate biophysical factors. • Despite their importance, social and institutional factors are largely ignored. Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is the primary source of natural rubber, an important raw material for industrial and non-industrial products. Smallholders account for 85% of global rubber production. This highlights the impact of increased volatility in global rubber prices on smallholders' livelihoods. Decision support systems have been widely applied in agriculture to address complex issues and maintain profitability in crop production. They can facilitate the improvement of production through enhanced farm management practices and the development of effective smallholder-oriented policies. However, little attention has been paid to the potential role of decision support systems can play in smallholder rubber production. Here, we conduct a two-part systematic literature review to identify the factors that influence rubber production and explore how they has been incorporated in the design of existing decision support systems. We discuss the current role of decision support systems in improving smallholder rubber production and identify the limitations and opportunities for future improvements. Despite being a smallholder crop, there is a paucity of research on the influence of social and institutional factors on rubber production. To date, decision support systems in rubber production have been focused on predicting growth and yield, assessing profitability and viability, evaluating alternative farm management practices under uncertainties, and formulating policies for sustainable rubber production. We identified three main limitations: (1) the extensive data requirement; (2) the lack of incorporation of social and institutional factors; and (3) the difficulty of communicating model results to smallholders. We developed a framework and suggest improvement strategies for the development of improved decision support systems in rubber production. This framework aims to enhance the decision-making process by the key stakeholders to improve smallholder rubber production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A globally implemented unified phylogenetic classification for human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) below the subgroup level remains elusive. We formulated global consensus of HRSV classification on the basis of the challenges and limitations of our previous proposals and the future of genomic surveillance. From a high-quality curated dataset of 1,480 HRSV-A and 1,385 HRSV-B genomes submitted to GenBank and GISAID (https://www. gisaid.org) public sequence databases through March 2023, we categorized HRSV-A/B sequences into lineages based on phylogenetic clades and amino acid markers. We defined 24 lineages within HRSV-A and 16 within HRSV-B and provided guidelines for defining prospective lineages. Our classification demonstrated robustness in its applicability to both complete and partial genomes. We envision that this unified HRSV classification proposal will strengthen HRSV molecular epidemiology on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Internal disorders (IDs) of mango are a widespread problem for the industry across the globe. • This review summarises and establishes a 'common language' for academic and industry sectors of the mango community. • Causal agents of IDs can be more obscure due to complex interactions of multiple factors. • Considering complex interplays of variables, consistent production of robust quality mango fruit requires a holistic approach. • A causal loop diagram is proposed to organise and help understand the interplay of factors affecting mango internal quality. The expression of internal disorders is a complex phenomenon due to the interaction of genotype, environment, and management practices at the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of factors associated with, and have been investigated in relation to, the susceptibility and expression of internal disorders in mango. In this context, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify, extract, and analyse the most pertinent data. Six hundred and fifty-seven studies were sourced from three databases. Of these, 72 were relevant after screening based on exclusion-inclusion criteria. An additional nine relevant studies were identified through manual searches and included in the final data synthesis. From the 81 studies, the prevalent disorders were spongy tissue and jelly seed, followed by flesh browning and soft nose. 'Alphonso' expressed only spongy tissue disorder. By contrast, 'Tommy Atkins' simultaneously expressed multiple disorders, viz., soft nose, jelly seed, and stem-end cavity. Mineral composition of flesh and exposure to heat post-harvest (viz., sunlight, phytosanitary heat treatment, and elevated storage temperature) were prominent in association with IDs expression. Relatively high N, N/Ca, Mg/Ca, and K/Ca ratios and relatively low Ca and B were related to most disorders. With K and Mg, studies inconsistently suggested positive and inverse relationship with a particular disorder. While individual studies suggest casual relationships, there was a relative dearth of pre-harvest work on soil characteristics, growing conditions (e.g., temperature, rain, and VPD), crop physiology (e.g., age and biennial bearing) and management practices (e.g., fertilisation and irrigation) in the literature. This review provides a benchmark against which future research might adopt holistic approaches to contiguously ascertain predisposition of mango fruit to internal disorders across the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]