Food, energy and water are important basic resources that affect the sustainable development of a region. The influence of food–energy–water (FEW) nexus on sustainable development has quickly become a frontier topic since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were put forward. However, the overall context and core issues of the FEW nexus contributions to SDGs are still unclear. Using co-citation analysis, this paper aims to map the knowledge domains of FEW nexus research, disentangles its evolutionary context, and analyzes the core issues in its research, especially the progress of using quantitative simulation models to study the FEW nexus. We found that (1) studies within the FEW nexus focused on these following topics: correlation mechanisms, influencing factors, resource footprints, and sustainability management policies; (2) frontier of FEW studies have evolved from silo-oriented perspective on single resource system to nexus-oriented perspective on multiple systems; (3) quantitative research on the FEW nexus was primarily based on spatiotemporal evolution analysis, input–output analysis and scenario analysis; (4) the resource relationship among different sectors was synergies and tradeoffs within a region. In general, current research still focuses on empirical data, mostly qualitative and semiquantitative analyses, and there is a lack of research that can systematically reflect the temporal and spatial contribution of the FEW nexus to multiple SDGs. We believe that future research should focus more on how FEW nexus can provide mechanistic tools for achieving sustainable development.

In recent years, the widespread of microplastics in the food chain and environment became a topic of much research. This article focused on the knowledge and awareness of people with higher education levels&mdash:mostly young ones. The aim of this study is to analyze to what extent consumers know about and are aware of the source of microplastics, the level of exposure, and potential health hazards connected to the contamination of food and water with microplastics. The test group, consisting of 410 people, is mostly able to correctly characterize what microplastics mean and knows its sources. A majority of the group is aware of potential presence of microplastics in water: however, the knowledge about contamination of other elements of the environment seems to be gradually lowering. The majority of the people taking part in the research know that microplastic might be present in foods, and they are aware that after entering the human body, it might accumulate in internal organs. Moreover, when asked about potential health hazards, the group chose mostly tumors and gastrointestinal disorders, while disorders of the reproductive system were chosen less frequently. Consumers&rsquo: knowledge regarding the sources and health hazards of microplastics seems to be more common among women, in groups living in cities and among people who studied physics-related subjects and medicine.

This special issue aims to provide a knowledge base that is focused on geospatial mapping approaches for a better understanding of spatiotemporal dynamics of agricultural intensification from food/water security standpoints. This issue is of special importance to researchers engaged in applications of geospatial technologies in various agricultural science and engineering disciplines including agronomy, hydrology, geography, climatology, computer science, and engineering | Mahesh Rao, Chandrashekhar Biradar, Sudhanshu Panda. (1/1/2017). Agricultural Intensification: Combating Food/Water Security Challenges Using Remote Sensing and GIS

A key challenge for sustainability is protecting water-related ecosystems and the services (WESs) they provide while enhancing food security. Food production usually drives land use change, which results in ecosystem services provision being altered. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear and relevant research is scarce. In this study, a spatio-temporal assessment framework was developed to assess the impact of food production-driven land use change on WESs and to analyze tradeoffs between food production and WESs provision, taking Songhua River Basin (SRB) as a case study. The results showed that: 1) food production increased from 0.497×108tons to 0.798×108tons despite area of cultivated land decreasing from 23.61×104km2 to 23.40×104km2 during the study period (2000–2015). 2) Water yield and soil retention both showed a downward trend, while nitrogen and phosphorus exports showed an increasing trend, in 2000–2015.3) Food production showed a trade-off relationship with soil retention and water yield, but a synergistic relationship with nitrogen and phosphorus export. This is important empirical evidence of the impact of food production-driven land use change on WESs. For simultaneous development of food production and WESs, a form of sustainable agricultural production must be established, with intensification of existing land use and establishment of farmland shelterbelts. This critical knowledge can be applied in developing practical ecosystem protection measures and land management strategies for food security in China and beyond.

Fresh water and arable land are essential for agricultural production and food processing. However, managing conflicting demands over water and land can be challenging for business leaders, environmentalists and other stakeholders. This paper characterizes these challenges as wicked problems. Wicked problems are ill-formed, fuzzy, and messy, because they involve many clients and decisions makers with conflicting values. They are also not solvable, but rather must be managed. How can agribusiness leaders effectively manage wicked problems, especially if they have little practice in doing so? This paper argues that a Community of Practice (CoP) and its tripartite elements of domain, community and practice can be effective in helping businesses manage wicked problems by focusing on the positive links between environmental stewardship and economic performance. Empirically, the paper examines three agribusinesses to assess the extent in which CoP is used as a strategy for sustainable water management.