Saudi Arabia consists mainly of desert land. However, it has big and small natural wetlands and artificial wetlands. Most of these wetlands are seen along the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf coastal regions. Al-Asfar Lake, located in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia, is one of the historical landmarks of Al-Ahsa province. The primary lake water source is agricultural drainage water, which some refer to as an artificial lake. This paper mainly aims to reflect shade on the wetlands in Saudi Arabia in general and to show in detail the environmental impacts of Al-Asfar Lake on the ecosystem and biodiversity of the study area. The analytical review of the previous studies conducted in Al-Asfar Lake was adopted in this article. Hence, the impact of the lake on the land-use system, water quality and biodiversity was illustrated as the main outputs of the review analysis. However, the sustainable management of Al-Asfar Lake requires the stakeholders to adopt the wetland ecosystem health concept, which might lead to improving the lake's environmental conditions.

Capturing and storing CO2 (CCS) was once regarded as a significant, urgent, and required option for reducing the emissions of CO2 from coal and oil and gas industries and mitigating the serious impacts of CO2 on the atmosphere and the environment. This recognition came about as a result of extensive research conducted in the past. The CCS cycle comes to a close with the last phase of CO2 storage, which is accomplished primarily by the adsorption of CO2 in the ocean and injection of CO2 subsurface reservoir formation, in addition to the formation of limestone by the process of CO2 reactivity with reservoir formation minerals through injectivities. CCS is the last stage in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) cycle and is accomplished chiefly via oceanic and subterranean geological sequestration, as well as mineral carbonation. The injection of supercritical CO2 into geological formations disrupts the sub-surface's existing physical and chemical conditions; changes can occur in the pore fluid pressure, temperature state, chemical reactivity, and stress distribution of the reservoir rock. This paper aims at advancing our current knowledge in CO2 injection and storage systems particularly CO2 storage methods and the challenges encountered during the implementation of each method and analyses on how key uncertainties in CCS can be reduced. CCS sites are essentially unified systems; yet, given the scientific context, these storage systems are typically split during scientific investigations based on the physics and spatial scales involved. Separating the physics by using the chosen system as a boundary condition is a strategy that works effectively for a wide variety of physical applications. Unfortunately, the separation technique does not accurately capture the behaviour of the larger important system in the case of water and gas flow in porous media. This is due to the complexity of geological subsurface systems, which prevents the approach from being able to effectively capture the behaviour of the larger relevant system. This consequently gives rise to different CCS technology with different applications, costs and social and environmental impacts. The findings of this study can help improve understanding of selecting a suitable CCS application method and can further improve the efficiency of greenhouse gas emissions and their environmental impact, promoting the process sustainability and helping to tackle some of the most important issues that human being is currently accounting global climate change. Though this technology has already had large-scale development for the last decade, some issues and uncertainties are identified. Special attention was focused on the basic findings achieved in CO2 storage operational projects to date. The study has demonstrated that though a number of CCS technology has been researched and implemented to date, choosing a suitable and acceptable CCS technology is still daunting in terms of its technological application, cost-effectiveness and socio-environmental acceptance.

The anthropogenic deterioration of aquatic ecosystems affects water resources due to agricultural malpractices, pollution from domestic septic tanks, recreational activities, and poor watershed management, among others. This study examines the management of Las Curias Reservoir (176,974 m2), San Juan, Puerto Rico, post the 2016 arrival of the invasive aquatic fern Salvinia molesta. In December 2019, a community-led initiative introduced the Cyrtobagous salviniae weevil, an effective biological control agent for S. molesta, and commenced a mechanical removal campaign using an aquatic harvester. Limnological sampling (September 2019 to March 2022) and drone flights were employed to measure physicochemical and floating plant cover changes, respectively, in the reservoir. Monitoring of weevils in the reservoir demonstrated a rapid establishment and dispersal, which resulted in visible damage including browning of plants and eventually sinking of entire mats. By January 29, 2021, 71% (125,652 m2) of the reservoir surface was covered by salvinia. In 2022, the reservoir recorded an average dissolved oxygen concentration of 2.38 mg/L -1 (± 0.021, n = 144), the highest in the study period and indicative of ecosystem recovery. After three years of control efforts, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance returned to levels recorded prior to Salvinia molesta introduction. This ecosystem recovery, a first in Puerto Rico, could be attributed to an early use of mechanical control and a long-term impact of biological control.

We studied peat stratigraphy at the Mukhrino peatland, which is a typical ombrotrophic bog for the middle taiga zone of Western Siberia, to gain insights about its history, hydrology and carbon fluxes. Seven cores were collected from locations chosen to represent the typical present-day vegetation types, for dating of separated dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) organic carbon fractions using the Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon ($^{14}$C) method. The oldest peat was found at the bottoms of an underlying lake (10,053 cal. year BP) and an ancient riverbed (10,989 cal. year BP). For the whole history of the peatland the average peat accumulation rate was estimated to be 0.067±0.018 cm yr-1 (0.013-0.332 cm yr-1) and the carbon accumulation rate was 38.56±12.21 g m-2yr-1 (28.46–57.91 g m-2 yr-1). There were clear age differences between the separated samples of DOC and POC. DOC was older than POC in the uppermost 150 cm of the peat deposit, and younger in the deeper layers. The difference in age increased with depth, reaching 2,000–3,000 years at the bottom of the peat deposit (depth 430--530 cm). Following consideration of a range of factors that could potentially cause the dating discrepancy, we hypothesised that DOC continuously moves down into the mineral sediment beneath the peat, as an additional carbon flux that results in mixing of younger and older carbon. On this basis we estimated the apparent rate of DOC downward movement and the associated rate of carbon loss. The first estimate of the average rate of DOC downward movement in Western Siberia is 0.047±0.019 cm yr-1.

Antarctica and its surrounding environment are considered untouched and thought that it is free from microplastics (MPs) pollution. However, recent studies and science projects have reported MPs in both water and sediment in the South Polar Regions. The reports state that the MP’s pollution occurs in this region due to fishing, tourism, and research activities by the nearby countries and nature's circulation is also part of it. The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) has received attention on MP’s pollution and initiated research on it. MPs are tiny plastic particles with a size of less than 5 mm. It has two types, 1. Primary MPs have been manufactured directly for various applications like cosmetics and scrubbing etc 2. The secondary MPs are generated by photochemical degradation of large plastics.Although several studies have been done there is a quite gap in our understanding of the concentration, characteristics, and impact of plastics on the ecosystem of the Antarctic Region. The impact of MP’s pollution in this region may be very high. The presence of MP is a serious issue that is affecting not only the aquatic environment but also humans. It is an alarming situation that causes environmental damage. The main objective of this paper is to review MP's introduction, occurrence, sources, harmful effects, and detection methods. This review highlighted the various methodologies and analyses like density separation, microscope observation of MP’s properties Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectrometer respectively, and urged for more research in the future and gave several recommendations to maintain the pristine region near Antarctica.

Coastal ecosystems provide a wide range of goods and services for the lives of human beings and aquatic species. Nevertheless, climate-induced extreme events cause unprecedented impacts on these areas, instigating a reduction of aquatic goods and services, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of human lives. Hence, this review investigated the impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards and adaptation responses. A systematic review method was used to address the objectives of this literature review. The main data sources were Research Gate, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. A total of 40 research articles (2012-2023) were selected using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020) methodology. The findings of this review revealed that Bangladesh was the leading country based on the number of studies published on the impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards and coastal adaptations (20%), followed by the USA, which accounts for about 15%. Sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and climate change and variability were the most studied climate-induced coastal hazards, each accounting for 55%, 52.5% and 52.5% respectively. Coastal hazards have had significant impacts on the fishery, water, coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. Besides, they caused migration and death of humans and animals. About 35% of the articles explored the assessment of vulnerability to climate-induced hazards. Moreover, 32.5% of the articles investigated anticipated climate-induced hazards. Hard, soft, ecosystem-based, and hybrid adaptation measures were used to adapt to the impacts of diverse climate-induced coastal hazards. In conclusion, developing countries are more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards than developed countries. The coastal area’s vulnerability to climate change risks will continue unless all stakeholders act proactively. Thus, it is suggested that the adaptation policies of vulnerable coastal areas should give due attention to nature-based solutions to reduce the adverse impacts of coastal hazards sustainably.

The whitefly leads extensive damage to plants through direct feeding, honeydew secretion, plant physiological disorders, and vectoring plant viruses. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological characteristics of susceptible and resistant soybean cultivars to B. tabaci. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse. Eleven soybean cultivars were selected and infested with 100 adults of B. tabaci at the V3 stage. The evaluation of photosynthetic parameters, such as photosynthetic rate, leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance, and internal CO2 concentration, revealed that B. tabaci infestation influenced gas exchange in soybean plants. The photosynthetic rate was higher in cultivars AS3810 and M8349 during the V6 stage. Infestations led to alterations in photosynthetic parameters, suggesting increased energy demand to maintain photosynthetic activity. However, the response to infestation varied among different cultivars, indicating varying levels of resistance and tolerance to the whitefly's damage. Additionally, the impact of infestation was more significant during the vegetative phenological. In conclusion, B. tabaci infestation affects soybean plants' physiology, leading to changes in gas exchange parameters and water use efficiency. The response to infestation varied among soybean cultivars, suggesting potential differences in resistance to the pest. The study highlights the importance of evaluating the physiological impact of whitefly infestations on soybean.

Non-exhaust fine particles such as tires and brakes emitted from vehicles have a significant impact on air pollution and human harm, and regulations on emissions are being discussed in earnest, starting with the introduction of brake wear particles emission standards in Euro 7. Various indoor and outdoor experiments were conducted, such as analysis of the amount of wear on tires and brakes, and analysis of the physical and chemical properties of fine particles, as fundamental data for the introduction of emission standards and the development of low wear tires and brakes to meet regulations. Recently, international standardized indoor experimental methods for brakes have been announced, and indoor and outdoor experimental methods for tires have been continuously studied to develop international standardized methods. In particular, tire-break-road wear particles are usually mixed with each other in the non-exhaust particles from a vehicle driving on real roads, and in-depth research is being performed on the accurate classification and characteristic analysis. In this study, the characteristics of the volatile organic components (VOCs) and marker substances for tire and tire-road wear fine particles were analyzed. A system capable of measuring non-exhaust wear fine particles was installed on the vehicle, and samples were collected from the vehicle running on the two different driving conditions, various constant speeds in the proving ground road and real driving roads. The VOCs contained in tires and tire-road-wear particles (TRWPs) under the specific temperature conditions with a thermogravimetric analyzergas chromatography/mass analysis (TGA-GC/MS). In addition, the correlations between VOCs and tire rubber components were analyzed through marker analysis using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass analysis (GC/MS). In VOCs, n-Hexane, n-Dodecane, and 1-Butene were measured relatively much in both constant-speed and real-drive tests. In addition, marker substances of synthetic rubber and natural rubber were not detected in the collected background fine particles.

Derelict asbestos mine sites in South Africa pose a considerable risk to human, environmental and socio-economic health. Comprehensive mineralogical and geochemical datasets for the existing hazardous geological materials still exposed in Southern African derelict asbestos mines remain largely non-existent, as very little published and up-to-date literature is available. In this study three representative types of asbestos mineral fibres from derelict asbestos mines in Southern Africa, namely chrysotile from Havelock mine, amosite from Penge mine and crocidolite from Prieska mine are characterized mineralogically and geochemically to critically evaluate real-life hazards in rural and asbestos-fibre contaminated regions. The samples were examined using polarising light microscopy, X-ray fluorescence (major and trace elemental analysis), X-ray diffraction (including Rietveld refinement), specific surface area analyses and bio-durability tests. Data are discussed in view of their potential toxicities on both human health and the environment in the context of developing countries. Finally, information on the mineralogical and geochemical status of asbestos mine waste and its importance as baseline data for rehabilitation considerations is also evaluated.

Photosynthesis response curves were carried out using different light intensities in 14 olive cultivars subjected to moderate and severe water deficits. For each cultivar, the electronic transfer ratio in response to light was also obtained. The mathematical adjustment of these response curves allowed calculating, with a correlation coefficient above 0.95, parameters such as photosynthetic efficiency, the slope of the curves, the number of electrons required to fix a CO2 molecule, and the number of photons to assimilate a molecule of CO2, among others, as well as their variation with the lack of water. This work represents the first contribution of the response of photosynthesis in olive cultivars to different light intensities in moderate and severe drought conditions for a considerable number of cultivars. The parameters described, and the results provided, pave the road for subsequent work related to plant physiology and other areas of science and technology, and allow the tolerance to water stress to be objectively compared in these fourteen olive cultivars.

The protection of all environmental compartments (water, soil, air) is of great interest for the normal functioning of life on Earth. Namely, the environment is systematically polluted with different concentrations of physical, biological and chemical pollutants. For the purpose of environmental protection, numerous in situ and ex situ biological, chemical and physical remediation techniques have been developed. Most techniques have limitations such as high costs, processing time and environmental feasibility. In general, biological techniques have proven to be the most environmentally friendly compared to chemical and physical techniques. Furthermore, remediation is an extremely complex procedure due to the complexity of the pollutant composition. Therefore, the implementation of individual physical, biological or chemical remediation techniques is often not sufficient for adequate remediation of the polluted environment. Accordingly, for more economical and efficient environmental remediation, it is recommended to use a combination of techniques that should meet the requirements of efficiency and treatment duration. Ultimately, this short review presents a concise overview of the recent application of physical, biological and chemical remediation techniques to all compartments of the polluted environment (water, air, soil). A critical review of existing knowledge on environmental remediation through a search of relevant literature helped to assess the basic challenges and limitations that arise in the issue of environmental remediation, as well as providing recommendations and guidelines for future research.

The paper proposes an innovative solution for managing and ensuring high energy efficiency of power supply systems at high non-linear loads. This is realized by maintaining optimal value of reliability indicators and high quality of power supply. The validation is carried out using analyzes and tests of quality of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for increased number of powered frequency converters. It has been proven that the effective use and reduction of energy consumption can be achieved thanks to the unique technological features of the employed electrical devices. This enables a normal operation of the system with decreased power and adequate control of energy processes. The problem of predicting power losses under changing conditions in a decentralized electrical network has been solved based on the theory of electromagnetic compatibility. The influence of the mains mode parameters and the indices of instantaneous distortion of current and voltage waveforms caused by the operation of converters on the resonance phenomena in power supply systems were investigated. Recommendations were developed for the selection of proper parameters of compensators for 6-10 kV and 0.4-0.66 kV circuits based on the analysis of the optimization problem when minimizing active power losses. Results of our findings may aid parties involved in designing and maintaining power networks in various applications, such as mines, etc.

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) has undergone complex geological development within a multi-island faulted basin, shaped by the interplay of regional tectonic movements, Quaternary sea-level fluctuations, and fluvial-marine interactions. Despite a great number of studies on the Holocene sedimentary sequences and spatial difference of lithofacies and environments, scant attention has been paid to the overarching human influence on deltaic evolution and coastline modifications since the Neolithic epoch. To further elucidate the spatial variation in Holocene sedimentation and its underlying basement topography shaped during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), we compiled a comprehensive dataset incorporating borehole data from over 2,800 cores within the PRD. Subsequently, high-resolution isobath maps of Quaternary deltaic deposits were generated, offering unprecedented insights into sediment distribution. This dataset facilitated a nuanced reconstruction of pre-Holocene topography, revealing a zone characterized by elongated, deep-incised valleys governed by NW-SE fault orientations. Further, we delineated coastline shifts since the period of maximum marine transgression (~7000 years BP), contributing to an enhanced understanding of the formation and evolutionary patterns of the delta and the river network oscillations. Our findings illuminate increasing anthropogenic impact on the rate of fluvial sedimentation and land growth, particularly accentuated over the last two millennia, favoring deltaic accretion. The current study has considerable implications for understanding the dynamic interplay between land-sea interactions and anthropogenic activities in shaping the delta, and stands to significantly inform land and resource management strategies, as well as future urban planning within the delta's bay areas.

Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) have been indiscriminately used in animal feed for the past five decades to increase and ensure profits with negligible environmental considerations. The VAs amoxicillin (AMX), chlortetracycline (CTC), and oxytetracycline (OTC), which can be unintentionally introduced by irrigation water during rice cultivation, were evaluated for their phytotoxic effects, absorption-translocation into plants, and soil residues using a randomized complete block design. It was found that exposure to VAs can severely affect the photosynthetic pathway of rice plants. The uptake and translocation of VAs by rice plants varied significantly. CTC and OTC translocated more easily than AMX, a member of the β-lactam class, which accumulated at the lowest concentration compared to CTC and OTC across all treatments. Rice yield was about 4.3 - 5.7% lower in the experimental plots that received fifty-fold the background levels of VAs compared to the control. The findings indicate that these widely used veterinary antibiotics can hamper crop production, leave residues in the soil, and constitute a risk to human health if introduced into the agro-ecosystem unintentionally.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems are widely used in many forest-related fields owing to their cost-intensive and precise surveying technology. This study classified erosion susceptibility (ES) in a timber harvesting area using machine learning (ML) and statistical approaches. In dataset generation for the training and testing process, the digital surface model (DSM) of difference (DoD) for July–June was utilized as a dependent variable, and six terrain maps of the DSM for June were used as independent variables. The ES threshold was set at 5 cm for the binary classification of ES pixels while processing using ML (e.g., random forest and extra gradient boost [XGB]) and statistical (e.g., logistic regression) algorithms for model development. The overall accuracy (OA), receiver operating characteristics, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated for model accuracy and validation. Although the AUC of all models did not appear acceptable (AUC > 0.7), the XGB model showed the best performance regarding time duration, OA, and AUC by 2 h, 64%, and 0.63, respectively. Despite the low AUC and accuracy of the XGB model, the wheel tracks and edges of the operation road were determined to be susceptible areas in the ES map of the XGB.

Towards better understanding of factors controlling carbon (C) exchange between inland waters and atmosphere, we addressed inorganic carbon cycle in semi-arid lakes of Central Eurasia, subjected to strong impact of on-going climate change. For this, we assessed the hydrochemical vari-ability and quantified its control on formation of authigenic carbonate minerals, occurring within the upper layer of sediments in 43 semiarid lakes located in the southwest of Western Siberia (Central Eurasia). Based on measurements of pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), cationic and anionic composition, dissolved organic and inorganic C, as well as textural and mineralogical characterization of bottom sediments using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, we demonstrate that lake water pH and TDS are primarily controlled by both lithological and climatic context of the lake watershed. We have not revealed any direct relationships between lake morphology and water chemistry. The most common authigenic carbonates scavenging atmospheric CO2 in the form of insoluble minerals in lake sediments were calcite, aragonite, Mg-calcite, dolomite and hydro-magnesite. The calcite was the most common component, aragonite mainly appears in lakes with sediments enriched in gastropod shells or artemia cysts, while hydromagnesite was most common in lakes with high Mg/Ca molar ratios, as well at high DIC concentrations. The relationships between mineral formation and water chemistry established in this study can be generalized to a wide suite of arid and semi-arid lakes in order to characterize current status of inorganic C cycle and predict its possible modification under on-going climate warming such as water temperature rise and change of hydrological connectivity, primary productivity and nutrient regime.

Soil washing is a rapid and efficient method for heavy metals removal. In this study, in order to prove the feasibility of leaching remediation technology for remediation of lead-contaminated soil around a smelter, intermittent oscillating washing tests and extensive continuous tests were conducted to remediate Pb contaminated soils. Plant growth tests with wheat (Bainong Aikang 58) were also conducted to investigate the effects of leaching on plant growth and the Pb content of stems and leaves. The results revealed that in soils, Pb mainly exists in the forms of PbCO3, Pb5(PO4)3Cl2, PbSO4, and in small amounts of PbS. The intermittent oscillating washing tests showed that a lower liquidsolid(L/S) ratio and a higher leaching temperature and time were related to increased Pb removal efficiency. The Pb removal efficiency rates in the oscillating washing tests and the extensive continuous tests were 72.50% and 69.94%, respectively. In addition, the chemical and physical characteristics of the soil were basically unchanged after the leaching regimes. The results of the plant growth tests showed that the leaching regimes did not have a negative effect on the survival rate and growth of the wheat, and the heavy metal contents of the stem and leaf were effectively reduced. This study provides a reference for the large-scale remediation of contaminated soils.

Land surface temperature (LST) is a crucial parameter in climate and ecology, exerting significant influence on meteorological conditions, ecosystems, and human life. LST data sources are diverse, with remote sensing being the prevailing means of acquisition. FY-4A/AGRI offers high-quality LST products for East Asia. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the product in Hunan Province and conducted refined analysis of surface heat resources based on the 4km/1h resolution product over a two-year period. The results demonstrate that the FY-4A LST product effectively captures surface temperature (R=0.893), albeit with a relatively high error level (Bias=-6.295℃; RMSE=8.58℃), particularly in capturing high LST values. The performance of this product is superior in the eastern flat terrain area of Hunan Province compared to its performance in the western mountainous region due to environmental conditions causing systematic errors that contribute to instability in detection deviation for this product. Surface heat resources are more abundant in eastern Hunan Province than in mountainous areas located west and southwardly, and the detailed distribution of them at finer scales is mainly influenced by the terrain and climate conditions. There is no obvious seasonal difference in the distribution of heat resources except in winter, and rapid urbanization within Chang-Zhu-Tan urban agglomeration during two years has significantly altered the spatial distribution pattern of surface heat resources across Hunan Province. These findings provide a quantitative baseline for assessing FY-4A satellite's detection capability while serving as a reference for further application of its LST products and establishing foundations for divisional classification and utilization strategies pertaining to surface heat resources within Hunan Province.

Morphological study of lakes defines the sensitivity of their watershed. Moreover, it plays important role in safeguarding the lake’s ecosystem services through proper planning and utilization of the lakes’ resources. In the last few decades, the morphology of lakes in Ethiopian and Kenyan Rift (EKR) valley are experiencing contradicting morphological changes. Being in the same system, some are shrinking and others are expanding beyond their natural boundaries. The objective of this review is to shed light on the trends in spatio-temporal water level fluctuation and their contributing factors for lakes to the academia and decision makers. Peer reviewed article journals, conference proceedings, thesis, and book chapters collected from online sources and supplied by authors on request formed a database of 346 documents where 226 are critically assessed. The review indicated that lakes in Ethiopian rift are shrinking and expanding, while Kenyan lakes are expanding. The en-dorheic lakes suffered the most fluctuations due to anthropogenic factors at the expense of loss of forest and woodlands in their watershed. While the lakes’ water quality related to the morphological changes are given less attention, the predicted 12 m drop of Lake Turkana due to projects in the Omo catchment did not materialize.

The study investigates the impact of globalization, renewable energy consumption and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 26 European Union (EU) countries for the period 1990-2020. The second-generation panel unit root tests are applied, the Westerlund cointegration test is used, and panel Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) techniques are employed to estimate the long-term relationship between variables. The causality relationship among variables under investigation is identified by the heterogeneous Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality test. It is found that globalization and renewable energy consumption contributed to the carbon emissions mitigation, while economic growth induced their increase. The results are robust when control variables (i.e., financial development, foreign direct investment and urbanization) are added in the model. Foreign direct investment and urbanization are contributors to carbon emissions increase whereas financial development induce their decrease. The effect of variables under consideration on carbon emissions is differentiated by the economic development and institutional quality level. Unidirectional causalities relationships were identified from globalization to carbon emissions and from carbon emissions to foreign direct investment and bidirectional relationships between economic growth, renewable energy consumption, financial development and carbon emissions. Policy implications of the findings are also discussed.

The macro-litter (plastic) sea bottom pollution of 14 city harbors and marinas in North Africa and in the western Baltic Sea was investigated using a new simple mobile underwater camera system. The study was complemented by a harbor manager survey and 3D-hydrodynamic transport simulations. The average pollution in German marinas was 0.1 particles/m² sea floor (0.04–1.75). The pollution in North African marinas on average was 7 times higher (0.7 particles/m²) and exceeded 3 particles/m² in city center harbors. The resulting >100,000 litter particles per harbor indicate the existence of a problem. With 73%-74%, plastic particles are dominating. Existing legal and management frameworks explain the lack of plastic bottles and bags on sea floors in Germany and are one reason for the lower pollution levels. Items that indicate the role of untreated sewage water were not found. Harbor festivals seem not to be quantitatively relevant for open sea bottom pollution. Our method tends to underestimate the pollution level. Model simulations indicate that storms can cause litter reallocations and sediment cleanings. However, marina sea floor monitoring is recommendable, because it addresses pollution hot-spots, is cost-effective and takes place close to emission sources. Further, the effectiveness of land-based pollution reduction measures can easily be assessed.

Mining activities often generate important amounts of extractive waste, and as a consequence, environmental impacts that affects all factors to a greater or lesser extent. Depending on a variety of variables, the impact can be permanent or temporary, reversible or irreversible, negative or positive. This study conducted research on the status of closure and remediation processes of mining areas in Romania, specifically in the counties of Maramureș, Suceava, Harghita, Alba, Hunedoara, and Caraș-Severin. Furthermore, based on the type and level of pollution, the degree of application of remediation techniques for water and soil pollution in the investigated mining areas was studied. From the analysed information, it is evident that although the closure and remediation process started in Romania over 20 years ago, unfortunately, to this day, the technical projects, technical assistance, and execution of closure and remediation works have not yet completely solved the complex environmental issues in the mining sector. Most of the tailing ponds and waste piles of former mines continue to pose permanent specific risk to the environment and the population. This study concludes that the mining sector in Romania, although it has the necessary techniques and technologies for the ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands related to the Extractive Waste Facilities and the elimination of negative impacts on the environment and public health, has not yet been able to fully concretize its remediation efforts.

Cobalt (Co) is a transition metal and is classified as a beneficial metal for plants, but its benefits for plants remain obscure. Cobalt has been reported to negatively affect plant physiochemical processes both at higher (toxic) and lower (deficient) applied levels. High concentrations of cobalt in plant organs cause irreversible changes to the plant cells, mainly via enhanced production of reactive radicals. Moreover, Co and its compound play an essential role in humans as they are the central atoms of cobalamin, a co-enzyme precursor whose absence causes anemia. Hence, the optimum Co supply to plants is critical for customary plant metabolic workings. Henceforth, monitoring Co behavior in the soil-plant-human system is highly imperative. This review highlighted the latest literature on (i) Co in soil and plants; (ii) its mobility and phyto-availability in soil; (iii) phytouptake and translocation towards shoot tissues; (iv) toxic and deficient effects of Co on plants; (v) plant detoxification mechanisms under increased Co levels inside plants; and (v) its role in the human body. For this purpose, 1026 plant observations from literature data were analyzed related to Co biogeochemical behavior in the soil-plant system. The data analysis revealed an overall increase in 567 observations and a decrease in 381 observations. However, these general trends in plant responses vary significantly for different types of plant species and physiological attributes. Overall, the current review delineates an updated and critical representation of the biogeochemical behavior of Co in the soil-plant-human system, supported by up-to-date 9 main tables, 14 supporting tables, and 3 figures. The authors believe that the literature presented here can be of great interest to scientists, researchers, policymakers, and graduate-level students.

Solar geoengineering (SG) solutions have many advantages compared to the difficulty of carbon removal (CR): SG produces fast results, is shown here to have much higher efficiency than CR, is not related to fossil fuel legislation, and is something we all can participate in brightening the Earth with cool roofs, and roads. SG requirements detailed previously to mitigate global warming (GW) have been concerning primarily because of overwhelming goals and climate circulation issues. In this paper, the advantages of annual solar geoengineering (ASG) to mitigate yearly global warming increases are explored and detailed as it provides higher feasibility in geoengineering applications. ASG area modification requirements found here are generally 50 to possibly higher than 150 times less compared to the challenge of full SG GW mitigation reducing circulation concerns. Results indicate that there are mixed technologies that can help meet annual mitigation Earth brightening goals. As well, results show much higher feasibility for L1 space shading compared to prior literature estimates for full GW mitigation. However, stratosphere injections appear challenging in the annual approach. Because ASG earth brightening area requirements are much smaller than those required for full mitigation, we have concerns that worldwide negative SG would interfere with making positive advances for several reasons. Negative SG currently dominates yearly practices with the application of dark asphalt roads and roofs. This issue is discussed.

Due to the expansion of applications of rare earth elements (REE) in various technological pro-cesses, increasing amounts of these metals pollute the environment, including the marine one. Very little is known about the bioaccumulation and toxicity of REE in marine organisms. In the present work, we assessed the contents of these metals, including yttrium and scandium, in rhizomes and leaves of the widespread seagrass Zostera noltei and in the nearby sediments from the Black Sea coast. The total REE content in the sediments was found to be much higher than in Z. noltei. The order of decrease in the major REE contents in the sediments and the seagrass rhizomes was identical, except for La and Y: La was the most abundant in the sediments and Y in the rhizomes. The contents of all REE in rhizomes of Z. noltei were 1.5–10 times higher than in leaves. The greatest difference in the REE contents was found for the minor heavy elements (Sm–Lu). Translocation coefficients for Sc and the minor elements (excluding Tb) from sediments to rhizomes and from rhizomes to leaves turned out to be pairwise equal, which indicate the similarity of the REE translocation mechanisms. Comparing our results with the literature data, it is possible to conclude that the seagrass Z. noltei does not have an advantage in the REE accu-mulation over marine macroalgae. However, large coastal deposits of this seagrass after storms allow it to consider as a possible resource of REE.

A global existential and interlocking environmental, climate and cooperation/equity polycrisis is being faced, which increasingly impacts and is impacted by water and land systems. As a result, transformations in response are gaining increasing traction. Advances in approaches to visualising and communicating how innovations and changes in landscape features enable shifts, transformations and transitions are more crucial than ever before. Visions help focus actions, collaboration and alignment of multiple actors in working towards a common purpose, whilst also entering people’s consciousness at the deep level of values, transforming beliefs and consequently, thinking and action. They give direction on effort and pull on transformational innovation. The evidence-based ‘Water Visions Visualisation Platform’ presents an innovative and accessible way to illustrate, communicate and support future water visioning and strategizing at the landscape scale based on composite paradigms, scenarios, horizons and concepts. Plausible visions of the future are envisioned, illustrated, narratively described and qualitatively assessed, as well as connected with real-world examples and resources through the interactive Platform. This paper outlines the co-creation methodology, the architecture and the co-development of the Platform, as well as a preliminary evaluation through literature-based criteria and the sharing of the Platform with a number of audiences.

The optical complexity of coastal waters is mostly caused by the water discharged from land carrying optical components (such as dissolved and particulate matter) into coastal bays and estuaries, and increasing the attenuation of light. This paper aims to investigate the links between in-water optical properties in four Swedish bays (from the northern Baltic proper up to the Bothnian bay) and the land use and land cover (LULC) and the hydrology in the respective catchment of each bay. The optical properties were measured in situ over the last two decades by various research and monitoring groups while the LULC in each bay was classified using the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service based on Landsat 8 and Sentinel-3 data. The absorption coefficient of coloured dissolve organic matter at 440 nm, aCDOM (440), and its spectral slope factor, SCDOM, were mostly correlated to natural land cover classes (Wetland, Meadow) acting as sources of CDOM, while Agricultural and Urban classes seem to act as sinks. The Agricultural class was also found to be a sink for suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) whilst Coniferous and Mixed Forests as well as Meadows acted as a sources. SPOM seems to mostly originate from Natural classes, possibly due to the release of pollen and other organic matter. Overall, the methods applied here allow for a better understanding of effects of land used and land cover on the bio-optical properties, and thus coastal water quality, on a macroscopic scale.

Evidence shows how food system activities from production to consumption underpin food security. However, studies exploring climate impacts on food security in northern Ghana have overly focused on production systems, neglecting post-production activities that loom large in food security. This paper addresses the research need to comprehensively analyze how climate change affects post-production activities and exacerbates food insecurity risks in northern Ghana. The study collects and analyzes data on climate hazards, impacts, and food system vulnerabilities using questionnaires and participatory engagement with farming households in northern Ghana. Results show that climate-induced food insecurity risks in northern Ghana are not just products of persistent climate impacts on food production in the region. Instead, risks are inextricably connected to the vulnerability contexts within which food is harvested, processed, stored, and marketed. Specifically, the results reveal that climate hazard events such as floods, extreme temperatures, and droughts damage stored grain, disrupt food supply to the market, and cause seasonal volatilities in food prices. However, these impacts are not solely externally generated circumstances. The food system is highly vulnerable; most households lack access to threshing and grinding machines, warehouse storage, post-harvest management information, and transportation services. These underlying characteristics of the post-food-production system of northern Ghana, which is ultimately quite remote from climate change, exacerbate household-level food insecurity risks.

Modern technologies can satisfy human needs only with the use of large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides that are harmful to the environment. For this reason, it is possible to develop new technologies for sustainable agriculture. The process could be made by using endophytic microorganisms with a (possible) positive effect on plant vitality. Bacterial endophytes have been reported as plant growth promoters in several kinds of plants under normal and stress conditions. In this study, isolates of bacterial endophytes from the roots and leaves of Miscanthus giganteus plants were tested for the presence of plant growth-promoting properties and their ability to inhibit pathogens of fungal origin. Pantoea ananatis and Pseudomonas libanensis were the predominant bacteria in leaves whereas other pseudomonads prevailed in roots. Selected bacterial isolates were able to solubilize inorganic phosphorus, to fix nitrogen, and to produce IAA, ACC deaminase and siderophore. Leaf bacterial isolate Pantoea ananatis 50 OL 2 had high production of siderophores and weak capabilities for phytohormone production. The root bacterial isolate of Pseudomonas libanensis 5 OK 7A showed the best results of phytohormone production. Four fungal cultures - Fusarium sporotrichioides DBM 3229, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum SS-01, Botrytis cinerea and Sphaerodes fimicola were used to test the antifungal activity and these cultures were selected for their representatives of known pathogenic fungi families, especially for crops. All selected roots endophyte isolates significantly inhibited the pathogenic growth of Fusarium sporotrichoides with a mean inhibition diamater (zone ≥ 5 mm). These results demonstrated that the root endophytic Pseudomonas sp. could be used as biofertilizer for crops.

Abstract: In recent years, the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in China has decreased significantly, whereas the concentration of surface ozone (O3) has increased. The formation regime of ozone is closely related to the ratio of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to nitrogen oxides (NOx). To reveal the reasons for this increase in ozone, we determined the sensitivity of ozone generation by determining the regional threshold of the ratio of formaldehyde to nitrogen dioxide (HCHO/NO2) in the satellite troposphere. The different FNR(HCHO/NO2) ratio ranges indicate three formation regimes: VOC-limited, transitional, and NOx-limited. The range of the transitional regime plays a crucial role in identifying the regime of ozone formation. Currently, the key threshold for ozone generation in China remains unclear. Polynomial fitting models were used to determine the threshold range for the transitional regime in the BTH region [2.0,3.1]. The ozone formation regime in the BTH region mainly exhibited a transitional and NOx-limited regime, and the overall concentration changes of the HCHO and NO2 columns in the BTH region showed a fluctuating trend from 2019 to 2022. However, compared to 2019, the ozone precursors and FNR showed varying degrees of decline in 2022. The concentration changes of NO2 were high in winter and low in summer, whereas the trend of HCHO and FNR changes was the opposite to that of NO2, being high in summer and low in winter. The concentrations of HCHO and NO2 in the BTH region showed a trend of urban agglomeration areas>urban expansion areas>non-urban areas in different land types from 2019 to 2022, whereas the FNR showed an opposite trend in urban agglomeration areas<urban expansion areas<non-urban areas.

Deforestation brings vast and detrimental impact on the environment, economy, and social aspects of community. Thus, it is important to assess and analyze deforestation to inform the decision maker that oversees issued policy and development strategies. The present study aims to characterize deforestation in Central Kalimantan between 2006 - 2020. Utilized land cover map issued by Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, we analyzed the change in natural forest cover using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) to find the rate the trend, location, and land cover replacement of deforestation in Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. The research found that during the period Central Kalimantan lost 1.5 million ha of natural forest with the rate of deforestation 117,000 ha/year. In general, the deforestation shown decrease trend and fluctuated during the period. Deforestation majority takes place at secondary swamp and dry forest that are located at south part of the island. Most of deforestation resulted shrubs, plantations, and agriculture land. The finding of this research could be used as a base to determine the target location for rehabilitation strategy and approach to prevent further deforestation.

The body of knowledge on ocean acidification gives a better understanding of biological sensitivity to low pH. Key parameters such as life-history strategies or local adaptation were identified as keys to predict species sensitivity and resolve previously some of the unexplained species- and population-specific differences. Encapsulation has been suggested as one of these keys as it exposed the embryo to low pH conditions, or ontogenetic hypercapnia, leading to physiological adaptation. We tested this hypothesis on the nudibranch Aeolidiella glauca by exposing their egg-strings containing large number of eggs to two different pH (8.1 and 7.3). The fertilized eggs developed 1 egg-cell, over early cleavage up to morula, blastula, gastrula, rhomboid-shaped rotating gastrula, early rotating veliger larvae with developed shell, to free-swimming well developed veliger larvae. Despite a corrosive environment, the exposure to low pH had no significant effect on the developmental rate. The only significant effects were a slightly smaller and narrower shell in larvae raised at low pH as compared to the high pH. Our results showed a remarkable resilient to low pH in a calcifying mollusc and support the idea that ontogenic hypercapnia is leading to low sensitivity to ocean acidification.

The Savu Sea holds significant importance as a conservation area in Indonesia, providing sustenance and livelihoods for local communities. It is situated within the Coral Triangle, a critical hotspot for marine biodiversity worldwide. However, the Savu Sea is currently facing various threats, including overfishing, pollution, and the impacts of climate change. Effective management of this conservation area relies heavily on the active participation of local communities. Therefore, this study aims to address this issue by analyzing how factors within these communities, such as the socio-economic condition of coastal households, environmental awareness, the existence of community-based conservation areas, attitudes towards activities within the conservation area, and participation in multistakeholder institutions, contribute to a positive perception of the benefits provided by the Savu conservation area. To determine the complex causal conditions that influence the outcome of perception, the study employs the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) method, specifically using crisp set QCA (csQCA). A survey was conducted among 22 coastal villages surrounding the Savu Sea, resulting in the identification of 14 different combinations of pathways that contribute to varying levels of perception regarding conservation. Valuable lessons can be drawn from this study to enhance the design of policies aimed at effectively managing the Savu conservation area.

Estuaries are excellent environments of identifying pollution episodes that have affected river basins, as their sediments are the final destination of some of the pollutants. This paper studies the geochemical evolution of five elements (As, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn) in a core extracted from the middle estuary of the Tinto River (SW Spain). Results are based on facies interpretation, ICP Atomic Emission Spectrometry analysis, the application of a regional background to obtain the geoaccumulation index and dating. Four pollution episodes have been detected at ~5.8 cal. kyr BP (acid mine drainage?), 4.7-4.5 kyr BP (first mining activities), the 1850-1960 interval (intensive mining) and the second half of the 20th century (intensive mining and industrial inputs). All episodes show an increase in one or more of these elements, as well as changes in their geochemical classes deduced from the geoaccumulation index.

Considering that traditional energy sources such as fossil fuel are about to deplete during the following decades, governments try to turn to renewable energy. It is commonly known that Greece has a natural advantage of abundant solar energy and wind power due to its geographical location and characteristics.The main focus of this study is to examine how wind energy potential across the Aegean Sea and continental Greece can provide a promising field for investments in Greece, considering the economic crisis, current trends and future perspectives.We firstly focus on current legislation framework considering that laws associated with such types of investment in Greece are very complex and rapidly changing. Furthermore, a case study for a hypothetical investment plan concerning a wind park located in an Aegean island will be presented. RetScreen which is a software made by the Canadian government, will be used as a decision support tool for analyzing the potential investment scenario and a financial report will follow with estimation of the overall cost, depreciation, upcoming benefits, and payback period of the investment.Data analysis concludes that wind parks still prove to be an economically viable investment, although incentives considering the guaranteed price per kwh and faster investment times must be provided by the government.

The overexploitation of forest resources in the charcoal production basin of the city of Lubum-bashi (DR Congo) is reducing the resilience of miombo woodlands and threatening the survival of the riparian as well as urban human populations that depend on it. We assessed the socio-economic value and availability of plant-based non-timber forest products NTFPs in the rural area of Lubumbashi through ethnobotanical (100 respondents) and socio-economic (90 respondents) interviews, supplemented with floristic inventories, in two village areas selected on the basis of the level of forest degradation. The results show that 60 woody species, including 46 in the degraded forest (Maksem) and 53 in the intact forest (Mwawa), belonging to 22 families are used as sources of NTFPs in both villages. Among these species, 25 are considered priority species. NTFPs are collected for various purposes, including handcrafting, hut building, and traditional medicine. Moreover, the ethnobotanical lists reveal a similarity of almost 75%, indicating that both local communities surveyed use the same species for collecting plant-based NTFPs, despite differences in the level of degradation of the miombo woodlands in the two corresponding study areas. However, the plant-based NTFPs that are collected from miombo woodlands and traded in the urban markets have significant economic value, which ranges from 0.5 to 14.58 USD per kg depending on the species and uses. NTFPs used for handicraft purposes have a higher economic value than those used for other purposes. However, the sustainability of this activity is threatened due to unsustainable harvesting practices that include stem slashing, root digging, and bark peeling of woody species. Consequently, there is a low availability of plant-based NTFPs, particularly in the village area where forest degradation is more advanced. It is imperative that policies for monitoring and regulation of harvesting, and promoting sustainable management of communities’ plant-based NTFPs priority, be undertaken to maintain their resilience.

The water quality index (WQI) and irrigational index for groundwater were studied in the northeastern section of the Manipur Valley in northeast India. Water samples were collected in 2022 during the pre-monsoon season. To compute the water quality index for drinking water, the basic chemical parameters of total hardness, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, Ca2+, Na+, Fe, Mg2+, Mn, Cl-, and HCO3, were used. The assessment of bacteriological quality is also done, which is crucial for overall water quality evaluation, alongside physical and chemical analyze. For determining irrigation suitability, irrigational indices such as sodium absorption ratio, sodium percentage, and magnesium hazard were calculated. WQI, %Na+, SAR, magnesium hazard, permeability Index and total hardness indicate that most water samples are harmless for irrigation and drinking purpose. They have affirmative relationships indicating that these characteristics are interdependent. Approximately 25% of the Piedmont zone groundwater is found to be unfit for agricultural and drinking usage. The encrustation of gypsum, halite, and evaporation into the Disang shares accelerate the dissolution of ions in Piedmont water, resulting in quality degradation. According to Gibbs plots, Durov Scatter Plot, and Hill Piper Trilinear Diagram of water dominated the rock-weathering process, while hydro chemical facies progressed from the beginning to the intermediate stage of Chadha's graphical representation illustrates the progression of hydro chemical processes in surface water. Therefore, proper integrated water resource management and development are required for effective water resource utilization, particularly around the Piedmont zone. To prevent a water crisis, groundwater resources must be managed sustainably. The current study also concentrated on a bibliometric examination of groundwater management and access to gauge the state of the field.

The perception of the impacts of climate risks on health systems in the Grand Lomé region of Togo is diverse. This study was carried out based on information collected in the field. The investigation was based on a questionnaire, individual interviews and field observations. Data collection was carried out in a purposive manner in twenty-four (24) health facilities with a total of 112 health service people and 13 resource people affected. This article presents the results on the perception of the impacts of climate change on health personnel, the environment and buildings. The results show that 92.31% of respondents attest that climate change has impacts on health personnel; 84.62% on the environment and 84.62% on buildings and other health infrastructure. This study shows that climate change has real consequences on human health. It is therefore urgent that those responsible for health systems in the Grand Lomé region, which is home to the capital of Togo, can focus on finding adaptation measures in relation to each health structure and according to its intervention platform.

Buildings can play an important role in reducing GHG emissions through increased energy efficiency. The European Commission issued a proposal in 2021 suggesting that all new buildings should be “zero-emission Buildings” (ZEB), aiming at a zero GHG emission building stock by 2050.The extent to which ZEB can contribute to reduced GHG emissions, however, varies between countries, due to different energy systems. It is also important to consider other environmental effects to avoid that climate benefits come with unintended consequences.Here, we explore the life-cycle environmental performance for a ZEB in a case where electricity and heating is largely fossil-free. The assessment concentrates on i) environmental impact of the use stage in relation to the product stage, ii) the interrelation between different energy sources, with attention on household electricity, and iii) the performance for more impact categories than primary energy use and climate change. While our results generally support the use of ZEBs from an environmental perspective, they also show that the climate benefit in this setting is marginal. However, given that energy systems are connected and energy savings in one place can reduce the demand for fossil energy elsewhere, the climate benefit of ZEBs is likely underestimated. Besides methdological implications for future studies, this indicates that current EU policy is promising, as incentives for implementation of ZEBs is unaffected by domestic effects.

The probability distribution of the interevent time between two successive earthquakes has been subject of numerous studies due to its key role in seismic hazard assessment. In recent decades, many distributions have been considered and there has been a long debate about the possible universality of the shape of this distribution when the interevent times are suitably rescaled. In this work we aim to find out if there is a link between the different phases of a seismic cycle and the variations in the distribution that best fits the interevent times. To do this, we consider the seismic activity related to the Mw 6.1 L’Aquila earthquake that occurred on April 6, 2009 in central Italy by analyzing the sequence of events recorded from April 2005 to July 2009, and then the seismic activity linked to the sequence of the Amatrice-Norcia earthquakes of Mw 6 and 6.5 respectively and recorded in the period from January 2009 to June 2018. We take into account some of the most studied distributions in the literature: q-exponential, q-generalized gamma, gamma and exponential distributions and, according to the Bayesian paradigm, we compare the value of their posterior marginal likelihood in shifting time windows with a fixed number of data. The results suggest that the distribution providing the best performance changes over time and its variations may be associated with different phases of the seismic crisis.

Wastewater treatment from oils and oil products, organic mixtures are a very relevant topic that can be successfully used to solve problems of serious environmental pollution, such as oil spills, industrial oily wastewater discharges and water treatment in the water treatment process. In this work, we have developed new superhydrophobic magnetic polyurethane (PU) sponges functionalized with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), MgFe2O4 nanoparticles, and silicone oil (SO) as a selective and reusable sorbent for purification and separation of wastewater from oils and organic solvents. The surface morphology and wettability of the sponge surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a contact angle analysis system, respectively. The results showed that the obtained PU sponge PU/RGO/MgFe2O4/SO had excellent mechanical and water-repellent properties, reusable properties (more than 20 cycles), as well as fast (immersion time 20 sec) and excellent adsorption capacity (16.61- 44.86 g / g), and good magnetic properties made it easy to separate the sponge from the water with a magnet. And the presence of RGO in the composition of the nanomaterial improves the separating and cleaning properties of materials, and also leads to an increase in the absorption capacity of oil and various organic solvents. The synthesized PU sponge has great potential for practical applications due to its facile fabrication and excellent oil-water separation property.

The decline of fossil fuels, the increase of greenhouse gases and the global demand for energy are driving the search for alternative energy sources. Anaerobic digestion is a promising technology because it can convert organic biomass into biogas. As the climate warms, there is an increase in biomass of plant origin in water bodies, and ecosystems are unable to clean themselves. This work aims to show that macroalgae and aquatic plants can be an excellent raw material for biogas production. By mixing them with co-substrates such as cattle manure, higher biogas and methane yields can be obtained. When Cladophora glomerata and Zostera marina macroalgae are mixed with cattle manure, the biogas yield is up to 458.8 mL/gVS and 397.9 mL/gVS, respectively. Methane concentration remained high and reached 62.4%–64.1%. The obtained research results show the high energy value of biogas and the energy potential of biomass. Macroalgae increased the energy potential of biogas to 22.9 MJ/m3, and the energy potential of biomass reached 2.40 MJ/Kg. Due to its high energy value, biogas produced from the considered substrates can be an excellent alter-native to fossil fuels. Integrating aquatic macroalgae into anaerobic digestion is a promising approach for a waste-free marine and freshwater system.

Participatory landscape conservation is an innovative approach that weaves theory and practice to bridge the gap between theoretical models and practical applications. Intertropical regions as the case of Mexico face challenges to conciliate regional governability, social justice, and nature conservation. The State of Michoacan is one of these regions where the challenges exacerbate since nature conservation is last due to its ongoing territorial disputes. We implemented the participatory landscape conservation approach by creating a complementary form of protected areas with ongoing conflicts, drought conditions, and extreme poverty. We conducted participatory mapping and land cover/use analyses as main methodological tools to reach consensus among stakeholders. We integrated, macro, micro and social scales to provide sound arguments to integrate local, scholar and policy makers perceptions. The outcomes of the participatory mapping analyses were assessed. The present papers provide evidence of the positive outcome of using a Participatory Landscape Conservation to establish a Biosphere Reserve, safeguarding one of the most biologically diverse and delicate ecosystems consisting of seasonally dry tropical forests within a rather disputed region. We discussed the relevance of our findings and compared them to ongoing regional and global trends in the light of other forms of establishing protected areas.

The research employs both literature and experimental data to develop reasonable strategies for melon fly control. The objects of research were sierozem soils of the Zhanakorgan region (Kyzylorda region), bentonite clays of the Sauran region (Turkestan region), vermicompost obtained at the production site of the Research Institute "Ecology" at the International Kazakh-Turkish University named after Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The competitive agent 'Vermiserbent' was developed by combining sulphur-perlite-containing waste (SPCW), vermicompost (VC), and natural bentonite clay. When incorporated into the soil, it serves as both an insecticide and a fertiliser recovery agent. Disinfection and enrichment of barren Sierozem soils in southern Kazakhstan could provide an eco-friendly approach to protect cucurbits (melon, watermelon, and pumpkin) against the melon fly. The average yield of watermelon treated with vermiserbent increased by 2.3 t/ha compared to the control, melon by 4.6 t/ha, pumpkin by 5.6 t/ha. The marketability of gourds as watermelons and melon after treatment with fertilizer increased by 1.2 times, and pumpkin by 1.1 times. The findings of studies conducted in agricultural fields in the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions have shown that it is possible to produce environmentally sound gourds using a mixture of vermicompost, bentonite, and SPCW.

The rapid growth of urban areas is a major challenge facing cities around the world. This growth can have a significant impact on the local climate, leading to higher temperatures and other changes. In desert climates, the effects of urban expansion can be particularly pronounced. This study investigated the impact of urban expansion on land surface temperature (LST) in Baghdad, Iraq. Notably, this study employs a sophisticated artificial intelligence method known as Random Forest for Land Use Land Cover (LULC) classification, utilizing three Landsat images spanning the temporal spectrum from 1985 to 2021 to meticulously monitor land use transformations and associated LST variations. The results showed that vegetated areas declined by 46.8% during the study period, while built-up areas increased by 124.7%. This decline in vegetation was accompanied by an increase in LST, with bare soil recording the highest temperatures. The study also found that LST has a strong inverse relationship with vegetation and moisture. This means that areas with more vegetation and moisture tend to have lower LSTs. These findings suggest that urban expansion can lead to higher LSTs in desert climates, which can have implications for the health and wellbeing of residents. The study has important implications for urban planners and policymakers in Baghdad and other cities in desert climates. By identifying the main factors that control LST, the study provides insights into strategies for mitigating the effects of urban expansion on temperature.

Many factors drive land desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the numerous driving factors of desertification make analyses computer expensive. Cloud computing comes along to address this problem, especially in developing countries. The objective of this work was to assess the sensitivity of the East Atlantic Basin, Brazil, to desertification using the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) model and Google Earth Engine (GEE). The model is composed of four environmental Quality Indices (QIs) associated with soil (SQI), vegetation (VQI), climate (CQI) and management (MQI), and contains factors influencing the desertification process. Digital databases of the factors were pre-processed and uploaded to GEE for analysis. We report Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and Environmentally Critical Factors (ECF) maps of the East Atlantic Basin, which showed that most of the basin is in either critical (49.4%) or fragile (35.7%) state of sensitivity. In contrast, only a smaller portion of the area is unaffected (5%) or potentially affected (10.1%). Sensitivity to desertification was inversely correlated with the presence of vigorous vegetation. A joint analysis of ESAs and ECF shed light on the importance of each factor in the sensitivity to desertification. The East Atlantic Basin shows a high degree of sensitivity to desertification, thereby demanding more attention and establishment of measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the desertification process.

Many factors drive land desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the numerous driving factors of desertification make analyses computer expensive. Cloud computing comes along to address this problem, especially in developing countries. The objective of this work was to assess the sensitivity of the East Atlantic Basin, Brazil, to desertification using the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) model and Google Earth Engine (GEE). The model is composed of four environmental Quality Indices (QIs) associated with soil (SQI), vegetation (VQI), climate (CQI) and management (MQI), and contains factors influencing the desertification process. Digital databases of the factors were pre-processed and uploaded to GEE for analysis. We report Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and Environmentally Critical Factors (ECF) maps of the East Atlantic Basin, which showed that most of the basin is in either critical (49.4%) or fragile (35.7%) state of sensitivity. In contrast, only a smaller portion of the area is unaffected (5%) or potentially affected (10.1%). Sensitivity to desertification was inversely correlated with the presence of vigorous vegetation. A joint analysis of ESAs and ECF shed light on the importance of each factor in the sensitivity to desertification. The East Atlantic Basin shows a high degree of sensitivity to desertification, thereby demanding more attention and establishment of measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the desertification process.

In this study, the apparent variation range of acoustical parameters were investigated in a concert hall. The initial time delay gap (ITDG) was evaluated in terms of its just noticeable difference (JND) through two instruments, the cello and the trumpet. Even though the IDTG values were prolonged over the measurements and were not significantly varied, an ITDG range of 22 - 220 ms in increments of 91 steps was produced electro-acoustically in an anechoic chamber with a loudspeaker. The result of JNDc ((delta gap/gap) was rated 0.059 and 0.081 at 50% “different” judgement ranges for the cello and trumpet tracks, respectively. The effective duration of the autocorrection function (ACF) of the continuous brainwaves (CBWs) within the alpha (8-13 Hz) frequency range on the left hemisphere responding to 91-step ITDG increments revealed that the continuous ratio minimum Tauee e of CBW was approximately equal to 0.28 s on the trumpet. The continuous ratios of Tauee e_min ((Tauee e_min_rear - Tauee e_min_front)/ Tauee e_min_front) of CBWs were constantly at 0.4. Furthermore, a homologous period of resonance between the subjective JNDc and Tauee e values of the ACF of CBWs in the alpha range allowed us to conclude that the subjective JND of the ITDG in a room is related to the W_IACC value of the interaural cross-correlation function, which reflect the characteristics of source signal themselves and arouse the activities of brain on the right hemisphere (p < 0.01).

Date palm trees generate large amounts of various types of waste, including leaf sheath fibers which can be used as a low-cost, precursor for production of biochar including activated carbon (AC) that can be employed for adsorption of contaminants. In the current study, activated carbon was made from leaf sheath fibers of date palm (LSDPFAC) by use of chemical activation with K2CO3, combined with microwave irradiation, characterized and evaluated for its adsorptive capacity of lead ions (Pb2+). The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, Langmuir surface area, total pore volume and average pore diameter of LSDPFAC were 560.20 m2/g, 744.31 m2/g, 0.29 cm3/g and 2.47 nm respectively. When the initial concentrations of Pb2+ were increased from 1 to 10 mg/L, Pb2+ adsorption increased from 0.97 to 8.76 mg/g, dry mass (dm) while the percent of Pb2+ removed decreased from 96.70 to 87.60%. The greatest removal of Pb2+ occurred at pH 13 with adsorption capacity of 9.15 mg/g, dm. Results of isotherm and kinetic studies demonstrated that adsorption of Pb2+ onto LSDPFAC was best described by the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order (PSO) models. Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity, Qm was 14.10 mg/g. Thermodynamic parameters of H°, S°, G° and Ea were 6.39 kJ/mol, 0.12 kJ/mol.K, -31.28 kJ/mol and 15.90 kJ/mol, respectively, which demonstrated that adsorption of Pb2+ by LSDPFAC was endothermic, spontaneous and governed by physisorption.

This research aims to develop an inexpensive ocean observation instrument with a project name is NOBEL (Nusantara Oceanography Backdoor Experiment Laboratory)-BOX. The device can be installed on all types of vessels and placed in a specific area to map the water conditions, providing accurate data for managing a marine area specifically to water quality. The principle of NOBEL-BOX is to attach sensors in a container connected to a microcontroller and then measure directly. The method employed includes experimental design, laboratory and field tests, and data evaluation to produce the necessary system and instruments. The design process involves the construction of the instrument and the fabrication of the device. This process includes creating three-dimensional sketches/drawings, designing microcontrollers and data transmission systems, and power capacity. The sensors attached to this device are surface water temperature, air temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and TDS. The testing phase includes data validation, testing of the device in the laboratory, and field testing. The laboratory and field tests showed that the device worked and provided data that can be used to analyze the seawater condition spatially and over time.

Digital technology makes energy systems more dynamic, efficient, reliable and sustainable. Promoting the digital governance of renewable energy is not only a key part of energy transformation, but also an important initiative to cope with the global energy crisis, which provides a new impetus for realizing the goal of net-zero emissions. In order to achieve the "dual-carbon" goal, China has been actively promoting energy reform and enhancing the wide application of digital technologies in the development and utilization of renewable energy. The digital governance system and governance capacity of renewable energy is an important support for the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Although the digital governance of renewable energy in China has better policy support and advantages, the dilemmas it faces are still relatively prominent, including unsound laws and policies, insufficient governance capacity, and security loopholes in digital technology, etc. Therefore, this paper proposes a problem-oriented approach to the digital governance of renewable energy. Therefore, this paper puts forward problem-oriented optimization suggestions to innovate the legal system of renewable energy digital governance, promote the digital transformation of China's renewable energy industry, provide development space for renewable energy digital governance in a diversified mode, and enhance the digital governance capacity by improving the renewable energy security system.

With the gradual improvement of coal mining efficiency, the disturbance of groundwater system caused by the high-intensity mining mode also increases, which is a more severe challenge to the prevention of mine safety and the protection of water resources in mining areas. How to accurately describe the dynamic changes of the groundwater system under mining and quantitatively predict mine water inflow is a major problem in the current research. Based on the full analysis of the response characteristics of groundwater system to the extraction disturbance, this paper forms a kind of method to establish a mine hydrogeological conceptual model that can accurately represent the water inrush process, and uses the MODFLOW non-structural division grid to accurately characterize the formation structure, and finally make accurate water inflow prediction. Taking the Caojiatan Coal Mine in Shaanxi Province, China as an example, a numerical model of unstructured mine water inrush was established for the first time, and the changes of water inflow source and water inflow intensity were quantitatively evaluated. Compared with the traditional water inflow prediction method, it is found that the prediction accuracy is improved by 12%~17% by detailing the response characteristics of complex groundwater system under high-strength coal seam mining conditions. The method is of great significance and promotion value for the comprehensive understanding of the disturbance characteristics of human underground engineering activities, such as coal mining, on the groundwater system, and for accurately predicting water inflow.

Carbon (C) cycle n inland waters, including its concentrations and carbon dioxide (CO2) emis-sions from water surfaces are at the forefront of biogeochemical studies, especially in the re-gions, strongly impacted by on-going climate change. Towards better understanding of C stor-age, transport and emission in Central Asian mountain regions, extremely poorly studied until now, here we carried out systematic measurements of dissolved C and CO2 emissions in 15 riv-ers and 5 lakes located along a macro-transect of various natural landscapes in the Sayan-Altai mountain region, from high mountains of the Western Sayan in the northwest of Tyva to arid (dry) steppe and semi-deserts in intermountain basins of the southeast of Tyva, the border with Mongolia. New data on major hydrochemical parameters, CO2 fluxes by floating chambers, dis-solved organic and inorganic carbon concentrations collected over four main hydrological sea-sons allowed to assess the current C biogeochemical status of these water bodies in order to judge possible future changes under climate warming. We further tested the impact of perma-frost, river watershed size, lake area and climate parameters as well as ‘internal’ biogeochemical drivers (pH, mineralization, organic matter quality and bacterial population) on CO2 concentra-tion and emissions in lakes and rivers of this region, and compared them with available data on other subarctic and mountain settings.

In coastal areas around the world, seagrass meadows play a crucial ecological and economic role. A large amount of seagrass beds dominates primary production and contributes to the high secondary productivity of this ecosystem. The microbial loop (consuming bacterial biomass by grazers and using seagrass-derived detritus by bacteria) may be an important mechanism for transferring seagrass-derived organic matter to the aquatic food chain. This study aims to improve our understanding of how bacterial growth and mortality (grazing and viral lysis rates) differ in seagrass and adjacent unvegetated meadow habitats. We found that viral lysis and grazing caused similar mortality rates of bacteria in a seagrass environment during the summer. It has been found, however, that bacterial production is controlled by the availability of resources (bottom-up control) and is cycled within the bacteria-virus-DOC loop in adjacent unvegetated waters. Our study region may be affected by this shift in organic matter fate and cycling.

Microbial-mediated biogeochemical cycling of iron is widespread in anaerobic environments such as sediments and deep Earth aquifers, and is one of the major pathways for metabolising iron in nature. Organic matter containing quinone groups can act as electron shuttles to transfer electrons between microorganisms and Fe(III) oxides, facilitating the biotransformation of iron; this process also influences the transport transformation of pollutants. In this paper, the reduction of Fe(III) oxides by aniline in the heterogeneous iron-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 mediated by the electron shuttle AQS was investigated. The results showed that aniline significantly promoted the reduction of Fe(III) by MR-1 in the AQS-mediated reaction, and the best Fe(III) reduction was achieved in the reaction group of "GT+MR-1+0.5mM AQS+3μM aniline", in which the Fe(II) production was significantly higher than that in the reaction groups of only microorganisms and no aniline reaction. The amount of Fe(II) produced was significantly higher than that of the microorganism-only and aniline-free reaction groups, and the addition of aniline also significantly increased the consumption of sodium lactate by MR-1 in the reaction system. The solid mineral Fe(II)-O content increased to 41.32% after the reaction. However, the structure of needle ferrite is relatively stable, and the surface morphology did not change significantly by SEM, and the generation of other secondary minerals was not observed in the XRD results. The results of this experimental study can help to understand the biogeochemical cycle of iron in multicomponent reactions and are of great significance for environmental management.

The study focuses on solving urban challenges such as temperature reduction, urban stormwater management, noise reduction, air quality improvement, and CO2 concentrations reduction, and suggests terrestrial and freshwater habitat types (HTs) found in Europe, as innovative forms of nature-based solutions (NBS) for them. Establishment of native HTs in different urban environments to solve urban challenges would enhance biodiversity at different levels and integrate this aspect in urban planning. This contribution builds on the recognition that surfaces of vegetated terrain are the most versatile NBS in addressing the broadest range of environmental problems in urban areas and that the processes running within these green spaces offer the key to socio-ecological improvements of such areas. Employing narrative literature review, qualitative content analysis, and interdisciplinary expert discussion this paper defines why and how native HTs of unchanged nature can be implemented as NBS in the urban environment, indicate potential HTs for specific urban challenges and presents an approach to the inclusion of HTs as NBS into spatial planning documents at national, regional, and local levels. The proposed planning approach attributes added value to HT, and by linking the concepts of NBS and HT integrates them into urban planning.

The lower reaches of the Changhua River are located in the northwest of Hainan Island, and the shallow groundwater in this area is the main water source for residents living at both sides of the river. In order to sustain the exploitation and use of water resources in this area, it is essential to clarify the chemical characteristics and the formation mechanism of the groundwater. We collected 100 sets of shallow groundwater samples from the lower reaches of the Changhua River, and analyzed the chemical characteristics of the groundwater in shallow aquifers as well as its controlling factors by means of the methods including descriptive statistical analysis, Piper diagram, Gibbs diagram, and ion ratio. The results show that the overall characteristics of groundwater in the study area are near-neutral to weakly alkaline nature, indicating a generally oxidized environment. The groundwater involves in 56 chemical types, and the most predominant types are Ca•Na-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3, respectively. NO- 3 has become a macro component exceeding SO2- 4in most of the sampling groundwater, suggesting a significant impact of human activities in this area. At the same time, the chemical characteristics of groundwater in the study area are mainly affected by the water-rock interaction, while the water-rock interaction is mostly affected by the dissolution of silicate rocks and less by the dissolution of carbonate rocks and evaporite rocks. According to the ion ratio results, Na+ and K+ in the study area are mainly from the leaching of silicate rocks, Ca2+ and Mg2+ are mainly from the dissolution of carbonate rocks, in addition to a certain degree of cationic exchange. NO- 3 is mainly related to human activities, and the human activities are more affected by agricultural activities and domestic sewage than by industrial and mining activities. This study can provide a reference for the development and protection of shallow groundwater in the lower reaches of the Changhua River.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) pose one of the most significant threats to native biodiversity. Swietenia macrophylla, or big leaf mahogany, is among the most threatening invasive plants in the Philippines. This article aimed to formally document the presence of S. macrophylla along the edges of Mt. Banahaw de Nagcarlan, a protected area on Luzon Island, Philippines. The study also sought to identify the management strategies being implemented by various government institutions for addressing big leaf mahogany and other invasive plants. A total of 1591 individuals of S. macrophylla were documented in mixed land-use areas and roadsides. These were found to have been introduced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 1991 as a reforestation species. Fortunately, no individuals were observed beyond the buffer zone towards the protected area. The identification of management strategies for big leaf mahogany and other IAPS revealed that there is no established approach specifically addressing the presence of S. macrophylla at the site. However, some institutions advocate for the conservation of native plants through tree planting activities and educational campaigns. Furthermore, no collaborative efforts were observed among stakeholders and institutions. The results of this study highlight the urgent need for managing the S. macrophylla population. Planning and enforcement of strategies require collaborative efforts among stakeholders to prevent its entry into the protected area and ensure the preservation of native biodiversity.

Bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are increasingly used as substitutes for bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastic industry, driven by concerns over the adverse effects of BPA. However, there is a lack of infor-mation on the extent of exposure to these chemicals in children. This study aims to assess the extent of BPA, BPF, and BPS exposure and determine factors that influence such exposure. A group of Thai children (age 6-13 years, n=358) were recruited between October 2019-2020. Two first morning void was collected one week apart. Demographic and exposure-related information was gathered. Urinary concentrations of bisphenols were analyzed by liquid-chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Correlation between bisphenol concentrations and various factors was determined using generalized estimating equations with linear model. BPA, BPF, and BPS were detected at 79.6%, 31.0%, and 16.8%, with geometric mean (GM) concentrations of 1.41, 0.013, and 0.014 ng/mL respectively. Younger children aged < 10 years exhibited 1.3-1.6 times higher GM levels of all bisphenols compared to older children. Exposure to food stored in plas-tic containers were associated with higher levels of BPF and BPS. In conclusion, BPA was the most fre-quently detected bisphenol in urine samples from Thai children, followed by BPF and BPS.

With the changes in the spatial structure of China's economic development, urban clusters have become the primary carriers of China's regional economy and green growth. The article uses annual data from 2010 to 2021 to study the carbon emission characteristics and carbon reduction pathways of 36 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region. Firstly, cities in the Yangtze River Delta region are divided into six carbon emission types based on decoupling elasticity coefficient and carbon intensity indicators. Then, the STIRPAT model is used to regress the panel data of different carbon emission types for 11 years, analyze the driving factors of carbon emissions, and develop differentiated carbon emission reduction paths for cities with six carbon emission types. According to the results, the city of Type I needs to accelerate low-carbon technology innovation, Type II needs to improve energy efficiency and strengthen low-carbon technology research and development, Type V needs to suppress foreign investment in high energy consumption and high emission projects in the local area, Type VI needs to accelerate the process of new urbanization and optimize industrial structure. Types III and IV have not received effective emission reduction paths, and further research is required on other emission reduction policies and measures.

Due to increasing concerns about global warming and energy crisis, intensive efforts have been made to explore renewable and clean energy sources. Single-atom metals and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted extensive attention in the fields of energy and environment because of their unique electronic structures and excellent properties. In this review, we sum-marize the state-of-art progress on the single-atom metal supported at 2D MoS2 (single-atom metal/2D MoS2) for electrochemical CO2 reduction and water splitting. First, we introduce the advantages of single-atom metal/2D MoS2 catalysts in the fields of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction and water splitting, followed by the strategies for improving electrocatalytic performances of single-atom metal/2D MoS2 hybrid nanomaterials and the typical preparation methods. Further, we discuss the important applications of the nanocomposites in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction and water splitting via some typical examples, particularly focusing on their synthesis routes, modification approaches, and physiochemical mechanisms for improving their electrocatalytic performances. Finally, our perspectives on the key challenges and future directions of exploring high-performance metal single-atom catalysts are presented based on recent achievements in the development of single-atom metal/2D MoS2 hybrid nanomaterials.

The Canadian Prairies are associated with high natural hydroclimatic variability including the frequent periodic occurrence of droughts and pluvials. These extremes carry various risks in-cluding significant damage to the economy, environment and society. The well-documented level of damage necessitates further risk assessment and planned reductions to vulnerability, particu-larly in light of a warming climate. A logical starting point involves awareness and information about the changing characteristics of such climate extremes. We focus on the compound occurrence of droughts and pluvials as the risks from this type of event are magnified compared to the hy-droclimatic extremes in isolation. Also, research on compound droughts and pluvials is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to synthesize recent literature concerning the risks of com-pound droughts and pluvials, including examples of past occurrences, with a focus on the Cana-dian Prairies. Since literature from the Prairies is limited, global work is also reviewed. Rela-tionships between drought and pluvials are characterized using the SPEI Global Monitor for the Prairies, emphasizing the recent past, and through synthesis from the Prairie literature. That re-search mostly considers drought and pluvials as separate events, but is integrated here to charac-terize the relationships of these extremes. Examples of periods of compound droughts and exces-sive rainfall provide insights into the regional hydroclimatic variability. Furthermore, most lit-erature on future projections strongly suggests that this variability is likely to increase, mainly driven by anthropogenic climate change. These findings suggest means of decreasing vulnerabil-ity and associated damages. Although the study area is the Canadian Prairies, the work is rele-vant to other regions that are becoming more vulnerable to increasing risks of and vulnerabilities to such compound extremes.

This article presents an analysis of monthly precipitation totals based on the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre database and monthly mean temperatures based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data for 377 catchments located around the world. Data sequences covering 110 years from 1901 to 2010 were analysed. The long-term sequences of precipitation and temperature were used to assess the variability of climate extremes, referred to here as polarisation. Measures of polarisation used in the natural sciences are discussed. A simple measure of polarisation was presented and applied to long-term sequences of monthly precipitation totals and monthly mean temperatures. Due to the nature of the proposed polarisation measure, other characteristics of precipitation and temperature sequences are also presented as a background for the discussion of the polarisation index. The study showed the existence of trends related to the polarisation of temperature and precipitation phenomena. As a result of the analysis, trends of polarisation factors in the area of precipitation and temperature were identified in 11 catchments out of the 377 analysed catchments. The trend analysis used Mann-Kendall tests at a level of significance of 5%. The Pettitt test was used to determine the point of trend change for precipitation and temperature data. The whole investigation is supported by rich graphical analyses, and the results are presented in tabular form.

A land cover map of two arctic catchments, nearby the Abisko Scientific Research Station, was obtained from a classification of a Sentinel-2 satellite image and a ground survey performed in July 2022. The two contiguous catchments, Miellajokka and Stordalen, are covered by various ecotypes, from boreal forest to alpine tundra and peatland. Two classification algorithms, support vector machine and random forest, were tested and gave very similar results. The percentage of correctly classified pixels was over 88% in both cases. The developed workflow relies solely on open source software and acquired ground observations. Space organization was directed by the altitude as demonstrated by the intersection of the land cover with the topography. Comparison between this new land cover map and previous ones based on data acquired between 2008 and 2011 shows some trends of vegetation cover evolution in response to climate change in the considered area. This land cover map is key input data for permafrost modeling, and hence for the quantification of climate change impacts in the studied area.

Flood inundation causes socioeconomic losses for coastal tourism under climate extremes, progressively attracting global attention. Mapping, evaluating, and predicting the flood inundation risk (FIR) is significant for coastal tourism. The study develops a spatial tourism–aimed framework integrating a weighted k-Nearest Neighbors (WkNN), Geographic Information Systems, and flood-related spatially environmental criteria such as precipitation, elevation, soil, and drainage systems. These model inputs were standardized and weighted using distance, and integrated into WkNN to infer regional probability and distribution of FIR. Zhejiang province, China, was selected as a case study. The resulting map was pictured to denote the likelihood of the criteria at various risk categories, which was validated by historical Maximum Inundation Extent (MIE) extracted from World Environment Situation Room. The result indicates 80.59% of WkNN results reasonably confirm the MIE. Precipitation and elevation make a negative contribution to high-medium risk, and drainage systems positively alleviate the regional stress of FIR. The results can help stakeholders make suitable strategies to protect coastal tourism, and also weigh WkNN is superior to kNN in FIR assessment. The framework provides a productive way to yield a reliable assessment of FIR and can also be extended to other risk-related environmental studies under climate change.

The Hwangdo tidal flat is an intertidal landform located in Cheonsu Bay, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, on the west coast of Korea. The topographical characteristics of the semi-enclosed bay on the eastern side of the study area include waterways, sandbars, small islands, and tidal flats. In this study, data were acquired from tide gauges installed on the Hwangdo Bridge, and the height of the ellipsoid was measured using a real-time kinematics global positioning system (RTK-GPS). Digital elevation model (DEM) using Matrice 300 drone data were also acquired after processing. The geochemical sediment characteristics in the study area were analyzed, together with tidal-flat exposure-time characteristics based on environmental factors. Sediment data (n = 107) collected from October 25 to 28, 2022 (Korean local time) were used to classify sediment particles according to Folk and Ward (1957). Sedimentary facies ranged from coarse sand (sand:mud ratio = 9:1) to sandy silt (sZ) followed by muddy sand (mS) and slightly gravelly sandy mud ((g)sM). Total organic carbon (TOC) in the surface sediments were also characterized based on a particle-size analysis. The mean change in tidal height measured at Hwangdo Bridge during the sampling period was ~7.53 m (minimum: –3.86 m, maximum: +3.67 m). Based on the Boryeong's sea level measurement tide data in 2022, the tidal area in the drone images ranged from 6.362 m² (0.006 km²) at DEM +4.0 to 4,841,078 m² (4.841 km²) at DEM –4.0 m, indicating an increase in the tidal-flat area according to the tidal level of up to ~800-fold. The daily average exposure time was 9.0 h (minimum: 1.5 h, maximum: 17.9 h). Based on the results of multivariate analysis using exposure times and a geochemical dataset, four groups were identified: upper, middle, and lower intertidal zones and regions with a relatively high organic-matter concentration. A determination of the main characteristics of the Hwangdo tidal flat according to their spatial distribution showed that, among various environmental factors, changes in the sand or clay sediment composition were determined by community factors. The results of this study demonstrate the four statistically processed groups of marine environmental characteristics in the Hwangdo tidal flats. Changes in sedimentary patterns, rather than in the exposure time, accounted for the differences in the sediment compositions of the upper, middle, and lower stations, a response that is expected to continue.

Modern agriculture requires technology to give precise measures about relevant parameters such as pest control. Here, we developed an algorithm model as base for bait spray intervention, by monitoring the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), with conventional traps, in 24.3 Hectares of non-irrigated Baladi olive cultivars, in Hassbaya region. We installed 49 yellow sticky traps with ammonium bicarbonate. The adults, males and females were monitored, on weekly basis. The traps and the trees were georeferenced, and the parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, tree phenology (BBCH), and fruit load rate were compiled. The results showed that the infested fruits were correlated as much with the fruit load rate as with the number of adults captures which were correlated more to the temperature than the relative humidity. The number of the males captured was higher than the females all over the cultivation period. The first symptoms of the fruits were observed from 22 September when the BBCH was equal to 85%, with an average of adult captures lesser than 5 adults by trap by 7 days.

Panama possesses multiple wetlands designated as protected areas and zones of internationally recognized importance, one amongst them, the Bahía de Panamá wetland Ramsar site, which represents approximately 21% of the national mangrove surface coverage. Due to the major ecological and economic relevance of mangrove ecosystems and their vulnerability to the effects of a changing climate it is considered necessary to perform in situ studies that evaluate the changes in sensitive meteorological parameters. This research was carried out with the objective of measuring air temperature and relative humidity values in a section of the Panama Bay wetland for the 2017-2018 period. This section, neighboring urban development projects, houses since the year 2015 the first tower for determining eddy covariance and measuring micrometeorological parameters in mangrove forests in Panama. We determined monthly and yearly mean values for the studied variables and determined the correlation between them with the use of Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results show that both parameters still remain at tolerable levels for this type of ecosystems, with both years having very similar annual mean temperatures (27.47 ± 0.32°C for 2017 and 27.48 ± 0.67°C for 2018) and the annual mean relative humidity for 2018, being 85.35%.

We found out main regularities of surface waters pollution by diesters of о-phthalic acid (PAEs) at the background level of concentrations. Lake Baikal was selected as a model for our studies. The composition of PAEs in Baicalins waters is represented by dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Their concentrations are assessed in statistically valuable average values and ranges: 0.02 (0.01 – 0.02), 0.07 (0.06 – 0.09), 0.55 (0.47 – 0.66), 0.30 (0.26 – 0.34), µg/L, respectively. Main factors determining PAEs concentration are found out: year and season of sampling. The distribution of PAEs in the water body meets their hydrophobicity and is characterized by: i) even distribution of minor hydrophilic congeners DMP and DEP in the whole water area; ii) maximal concentrations of hydrophobic congeners DnBP and DEHP in the upper and near-bottom layers of the water column; iii) decrease of concentration of hydrophobic congeners in the near-shore zone. The contribution of near-shore sources of PAEs into the pelagic site is minimal, the main pollutants source is atmospheric transfer. A valuable contribution of DEHP from biogenic sources into the background level of PAEs is shown. Within RQ coefficients, we assessed the environmental risk for Baicalins biota.

In this study, the shape and size of a combustion cavity with a fracture zone in the gasified coal seam was determined with use control boreholes and a ground-penetrating radar (BGPR) test. The underground coal gasification (UCG) field-scale experiment was performed in Carboniferous strata in coal seam 501 at a depth of approx. 460 m in the Wieczorek hard-coal mine in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland. After the termination of the UCG reactor, five coring boreholes were drilled to identify the geometry of the resulting combustion cavity and the impact of the UCG process on the surrounding rock mass. Borehole ground-penetrating radar measurements were performed using a 100 MHz antenna in three boreholes with a length of about 40-50 m. This enabled the identification of the boundaries of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone in the coal seam. The fracture zones of rock layers and lithological borders near the control borehole were also depicted. As a result, the cavity was estimated to have a length of around 32 m, a width of around 7 m and a height of around 5 m. The analyses performed with the control boreholes and the BGPR provided sufficient information to determine the geometry of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone.

TiO2-based building materials have air purification, auto-cleaning and sterilization functions, and these innovative green building materials have great potential for energy-saving and emission reduction applications in the future. However, there are still great challenges in improving photocatalytic efficiency and stability from laboratory to practical applications. In recent years, researchers have done a lot of work to improve the efficiency and stability of TiO2-based building materials. This paper briefly discussed the air purification principle by photocatalytic building, and the preparation techniques of TiO2-based building materials and the strategies to improve the efficiency of TiO2. Moreover, this paper has outlined the key factors that affect the photocatalytic building performance in practical applications, and analyzed the limitations and future development trends. Finally, we proposed some suggestions for further research on photocatalytic buildings and its application in practice, aiming to provide an efficient reference for developing highly efficient and stable photocatalytic building materials. The aim of this paper is to provide effective guidance for the application of TiO2-based photo-catalysts in the field of green buildings, helping to develop more efficient and stable low-carbon buildings for the development of sustainable cities.

Determining accurate PM2.5 pollution concentrations and understanding their dynamic patterns is crucial for scientifically informed air pollution control strategies. Traditional reliance on linear correlation coefficients for ascertaining PM2.5 related factors only uncovers superficial relationships. Moreover, the invariance of conventional prediction models restricts their accuracy. To enhance the precision of PM2.5 concentration prediction, this study introduces a novel integrated model that leverages feature selection and a clustering algorithm. Comprising three components - feature selection, clustering, and integrated prediction, the model first employs the non-dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-III) to identify the most impactful features affecting PM2.5 concentration within air pollutants and meteorological factors. This step offers more valuable feature data for subsequent modules. The model then adopts a two-layer clustering method (SOM+K-means) to analyze the multifaceted irregularity within the dataset. Finally, the model establishes the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) weak learner for each classification, integrating multiple weak learners using the Adaboost algorithm to obtain a comprehensive prediction model. Through feature correlation enhancement, data irregularity exploration, and model adaptability improvement, the proposed model significantly enhances the overall prediction performance. Data sourced from 12 Beijing-based monitoring sites in 2016 were utilized for an empirical study, and the model's results compared with five other predictive models. The outcomes demonstrate that the proposed model significantly heightens prediction accuracy, offering useful insights and potential for broadened application to multifactor correlation concentration prediction methodologies for other pollutants.

Hay and straw are commonly used materials in agriculture. They are organic materials and therefore flammable. This article examines the behaviour of hay and straw when exposed to radiant heat. The objective of this study is to experimentally determine the ignition temperature of hay and straw under the influence of radiant heat. The research investigates the effects of sample type (hay and straw) and sample quantity on the thermal degradation process, temperature increase within the samples, and ignition temperature of the samples as a function of time. The ignition temperature of hay was determined to be higher (407°C) compared to straw (380°C). The results did not demonstrate a significant correlation between sample type and the thermal degradation process or the ignition temperature of hay and straw.

Wildlife tourism and wildlife trade may appear juxtaposed, but are two, potentially aligning, in-come generators that could benefit conservation in developing countries. Utilising data sets collated from Madagascar’s Ministère du Tourisme and CITES respectively for the period 2007 to 2018, this study estimated levels of income from wildlife tourism and wildlife trade for Madagascar. Between 2007-2018, tourism reported yearly incomes ranging from a low of US \$1.4 million up to a high of US \$15.7 million. However, it was unclear what percentage of this figure flowed to benefit local communities. Alternatively, using reported networks for the live wildlife trade, the estimated eco-nomic value reaching collectors and/or intermediaries on Madagascar was US $72,299.80 for the period 2007 to 2018. Both revenue generators operated within different geographical areas, with tourism opportunities presenting themselves to communities adjacent NPs, while wildlife trade networks were not restricted to National Parks and operated sporadically across Madagascar. Hence, the economic benefits reached different Malagasy participants across the country. The management of both activities needs great care to ensure that environmental impacts and sus-tainability are core measures on any such activities. Whilst this study shines light on economic values and novel perspectives regarding these two trade types, it also highlighted knowledge gaps. Thus, indicating where much greater research attentions was required to allow better understanding of the specific benefits and risks from engaging with both trade types for local Malagasy people and their environments.

Water is one of the most critical factors affecting environmental health. For this reason, estimating and monitoring the behavior of water in nature and preventing water pollution before it occurs are advantageous to avoid problems that may occur in terms of environmental health. In order to predict the behavior of water, the hydrological cycle needs to be evaluated on a basin basis. At this point, hydrological models can be used to make mathematical representations of hydrologi-cal processes. These models play an essential role in predicting and monitoring problems such as poor water quality, pollution, particle and sediment transport, and proliferation of oil and petro-leum derivatives among frequently encountered issues in environmental health. In this study, a 2D surface water model was created using soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to simulate the lotic ecosystem and existing water quality in Tatlıçay Basin and to propose solutions for im-proving environmental health in Cankiri provincial center in Türkiye. The accuracy of the input data and the validity of the model were checked with the calibration and validation studies by using the monthly or 3-monthly observation data of the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works’ flow observation & water quality stations from 2016 to 2020. The aim was to provide the opportunity to produce fast, accurate, and practical solutions in the face of negative scenarios with this model. This modelling study obtained successful results in the calibration and valida-tion process with very few observed data. With this study, a significant contribution to the litera-ture on environmental health is made, as there aren't many examples of hydrological modeling from the Middle East.

The vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are complex and diverse, and the ecological environment is fragile and sensitive. It is very important to study the dynamic changes in vegetation and the main factors related to these changes to grasp the present state of the regional ecosystem, maintain the balance of the ecosystem and promote the sustainable development of the ecosystem. Therefore, this paper is based on SPOT/VEG NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) data, land use data, topographic data and meteorological data from 1999 to 2019. The spatiotemporal variation in the NDVI over the Tibetan Plateau in the last 21 years and its response to different driving factors were investigated by using the Sen slope method, Mann–Kendall mutation test, partial correlation analysis and geographical detector method. The results showed that (1) the vegetation coverage on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau showed an increasing trend from 1999 to 2019, with increases in approximately 67.00% of the plateau area. (2) The spatial differences in vegetation coverage were large; notably, low-density vegetation areas decreased obviously, moderate-density vegetation areas accounted for approximately 50% of the total area, high-density vegetation areas were the least common, and the overall growth rate was significant. (3) The NDVI was positively correlated with temperature and precipitation, and a positive correlation was observed in more than 66% of the region. (4) The order of the influence of single driving factors on the NDVI was as follows: precipitation > soil type > altitude > temperature > gradient > slope > population density > GDP. (5) The effect of multiple factors was significantly higher than that of single driving factors, with a notable nonlinear influence. The interactions between meteorological factors, such as precipitation, and topographic factors, such as altitude, were important, with a q value over 0.79.

Environmental pollution management combined with food safety represent two of the main important challenges of the last decades. Soil and water contamination. have historically threatened food safety. As ubiquitous pollutants, microplastics (MPs) have attracted increasing attention over the last few years, due to their impact on the socio-ecological system. These particles can affect the balance of terrestrial, aquatic and aerial ecosystems. Their negative impacts are intensified when they adsorb and carry toxic chemicals. They can circulate through organisms and accumulate in the human food chain. Physiological dysfunctions in living beings continue to be reported, both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The question that remains is on what scale this might be affecting the global production of food. The present article addresses issues related to the food industry, including agriculture, livestock, and fish farming. In doing so it seeks to provide subsidies for the evaluation of the real impact of MP dispersion through the different world environments and the resulting effects on global food production.

Water scarcity is a worldwide concern, considering that water is a limited resource and essential for life. In Brazil, approximately 30% of its population lives in one of the areas that most suffer from lack of water, the semi-arid region covering about 20% of the country's territorial extension. The lack of water, mainly in the northeast of the country, has been a problem for years, where people who live in this territory have been suffering for months from the lack of water and the poor distribution of the resource, which increases the degree of inequality between the regions of the country. The research aims to show the effect of the hydrological cycle on the quality of vegetation and how such processing can end up affecting people's lives and the environment. The municipality of Floresta is within the scope of sub-basin 73, the territory is part of the municipalities benefited from the PISF- São Francisco River integration project works, and the study has raised discussion on the part of the scientific community regarding the effectiveness of the population project and the possible risks caused to the environment. This study carried out a temporal analysis, 1961-2021, to investigate water availability and how the hydrological system can affect society, raising the degree of its importance for a better quality of life and consequently reducing hydric inequalities. It was also evaluated how climate changes can interfere with these environmental changes and the quality of life at the local scale. The hydrological model system used to assess water availability was the Pernambuco Hydrological Response Units SUPer-System. In addition, this system helped to understand the changes that occurred in the studied sub-basin. Yet was used UAV-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to view relationship between lives in house and environment conditions. The study can obtain accurate and necessary information to understand the dynamics of the hydrological system and the possible changes of social hydric inequalities. Thus, it is concluded that climate change will have different impacts on small scales and lives conditions due to different characteristic's environment. It is very important to carry out studies on a detailed scale to provide better public policies for mitigating the effects of climate change on people's lives.

Given the problem of climate change caused by fossil fuels, there is a need to seek efficient alternative energies that have a lower impact on the environment and are obtained from renewable resources. Biomass gasification technology is attracting constant interest in sustainable energy research as an alternative to traditional combustion technology. Its numerous advantages include the availability of raw materials, reduction in harmful emission streams, performance, and costs. In gasification, thermochemical conversion of the raw material is carried out, obtaining a gaseous product of great interest known as synthesis gas. As this is a growing topic within the global energy framework, it is necessary to achieve the maturity of this technology by working on its weaknesses, mainly in terms of efficiency. The objective of this project was to study the hydrogen production process from the simulation of glucose gasification as a biomass model compound through a static model and a dynamic model, in order to determine the maximum concentration of the resulting components in each model studied. Since glucose is the most abundant component in biomass, it was used as a composite model, these models were built, and the basis for the adaptability of subsequent studies of optimization present one was laid. A H_2:CO ratio of 2.2 and molar fluxes were obtained for H_2,〖CO,CO〗_(2,) 〖CH〗_4 and H_2 O as would generally occur in an organic matter gasification process.

Among the main elements that contribute to climate change are degradation processes and the ecological level of the landscape. These two topics have been discussed and researched for many years and many studies have been conducted. The idea of the article is to determine the correlation between the ecological stability of the territory and the intensity of degradation processes and find out how the ecological stability affects the intensity of soil erosion and vice versa. The ecological stability was calculated based on various methods during the years analyzed, i.e., 1990, 2006, 2012, and 2018. The soil water erosion was performed for the same period in order to identify the relationship between the ecological stability and intensity of soil erosion. The investigated area is located in the Slovak Republic while each year reflects different management of the territory reflecting the current situation in the catchment according to the year evaluated. The intensity of the erosion process was conducted using a phycially-based EROSION-3D model and based on the precipitation derived using Community Land Model (the CLM model). In addition to identifying the relationship between the level of ecological stability and the intensity of erosion, this study also describes the development the ecological stability during the evaluated period together with changes in soil erosion processes.

Plants have the ability to decrease the pollution level from the environment by absorbing inorganic/organic pollutants through their roots. After that, these pollutants are translocated or accumulated in less toxic forms in various parts of plants. This ability of plants is known as phytoremediation. It is an eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach for controlling environmental pollution. It can provide a sustainable way to improve the economics of developing countries. However, the biomass formed during this process can re-contaminate the environment through secondary pollutants. The contamination due to heavy metals (HMs) has become an environmental challenge globally. Metals such as cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), etc. can enter the water and soil largely through anthropogenic activities as well as other natural processes. After that, these metals pose a severe threat to living organisms. Due to their non-biodegradable nature, these metals can remain as such for a long time. These metals can initiate oxidative pressure in plants as a result affects agricultural production and yield. To mitigate this problem, phytoremediation has come forward as a safe, affordable, and ecologically sustainable solution than conventional physicochemical decontamination methods. Initially, several edible crops had been identified for the remediation. But at the present time, scientists are focusing on non-edible crops like aromatic/medicinal plants. There is no risk of food contamination by using these plants. This chapter describes the classification & uses of Tulsi and the phytoremediation mechanism of plants in detail.

We enhanced the agro-hydrologic VegET model to include snow accumulation and melt processes and the separation of runoff into surface runoff and deep drainage. Driven by global weather datasets and parameterized by Land Surface Phenology (LSP), the enhanced VegET model was implemented in the cloud to simulate daily soil moisture (SM), actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and runoff (R) for the conterminous United States (CONUS) and the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). Evaluation of the VegET model with independent data showed satisfactory performance, capturing the temporal variability of SM (Pearson correlation r: 0.22–0.97), snowpack (r: 0.86–0.88), ETa (r: 0.41–0.97), and spatial variability of R (r: 0.81–0.90). Absolute magnitudes showed some biases, indicating the need of calibrating the model for water budget analysis. The seasonal Landscape Water Requirement Satisfaction Index (L-WRSI) for CONUS and GHA showed realistic depictions of drought hazard extent and severity, indicating the usefulness of the L-WRSI for the convergence of evidence toolkit used by the Famine Early Warning System Network to monitor potential food insecurity conditions in different parts of the world. Using projected weather datasets and landcover-based LSP, the VegET model can be used not only for global monitoring of drought conditions, but also for evaluating scenarios on the effect of a changing climate and land cover on agriculture and water resources.

The rapid development in industries manufacturing plastic bags is taking serious consideration to save the environment and human health, one way or the other. This study examines the composition of degradable and non-degradable plastic bags collected from the markets of different sectors of Islamabad. Hundred samples of both Degradable and non-degradable plastic bags were collected from the open market. The concentrations, proportion, and patterns of different heavy metals (additives) were used in the production of both degradable and non-degradable plastic bags by using the standard method with the help of Hands Held X-Ray Fluorescent (HHXRF) instrument. Samples results of the study showed Titanium, Calcium and Copper used in massive amounts, some of the toxic metals i.e., Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium and Mercury were also detected. This study also reveals that degradable plastic bags might be more hazardous than non-degradable plastic bags because due to the Photolytic properties of additives used in degradable plastic bags when the chains of polymers break, the heavy metals are released in environment and become the part of it. So, concern department like Ministry of climate change and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency should take serious step to control these serious issues.

Mangroves play an important role as a carbon sink and in mitigation of climate change. This study aimed to assess the anthropogenic activities, water and soil quality, mangrove diversity, and carbon sequestration potential of mangrove trees in the Kaingen River, Kawit, Cavite. The sampling period was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023 with the established three sampling sites. The DENR Administrative Order (DAO)- 2016-08 was used as a standard for water quality parameters, except for phosphates which used DAO-2021-19. The soil parameters were identified using the soil test kit from the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) and at the BSWM laboratory. Mangrove species were identified using The Field Guide for Philippine Mangroves and were verified by experts. The carbon sequestration potential was obtained using an allometric equation for Southeast Asian mangroves. There are three mangrove species found in Kaingen Riverine such as Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia alba, and Xylocarpus granatum. Based on species importance value Rhizophora mucronata is the dominant mangrove species. The result for carbon sequestration of each mangrove species showed that Rhizophora mucronata yielded the highest carbon stored (35.16 tC/ha) and carbon sequestered (128.92 tCO₂/ha). Among all the sampling sites, site 3 yielded the highest carbon stored (30.76 tC/ha) and carbon sequestered (112.81 tCO₂/ha) in Kaingen River. Overall, the results of the study showed that Kaingen River can potentially store carbon at 71.89 tC/ha and CO2 sequestered at 263.62 tCO₂/ha. This urges to practice conservation and protection measures for the mangroves forest of Kaingen River.

In this paper, COMSOL Multiphysics software was used to simulate and analyze the process of cleaning oily sludge by high-speed stirring rotor. The physical phenomena such as velocity field, pressure field, heat dissipation and cavitation generated by the rotor during the process of the oily sludge cleaning were analyzed. The results showed that in the process of cleaning the oily sludge by high-speed stirring rotor, the shear force, heat dissipation and pressure increased with the enhance in the rotor speed. Cavitation occurs in the impeller area of the rotor because of the change of pressure, so the cavitation bubbles were formed. Shear force, heat dissipation and cavitation contributed to the separation of oil phase in oily sludge. Meanwhile, the simulation results were verified by experiments.

Understanding how climatic variables impact the reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is essential for water resource management, especially considering potential fluctuations due to climate change. Therefore, we used the Sobol method to analyze the spatiotemporal variations of Penman-Monteith ETo sensitivity to the climatic variables: downward solar radiation, relative humidity, maximum and minimum air temperature, and wind speed. The Sobol’s indices variances were estimated by Monte Carlo integration, setting the sample limits to 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles of the daily data of 33 automatic weather stations located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The results of the Sobol analysis indicate considerable spatiotemporal variations in the sensitivity of ETo to climatic variables and their interactions. The dominant climatic variable responsible for ET0 fluctuations in Mato Grosso is incident solar radiation, which has a more significant impact in humid environments, as observed in the areas of the Amazon biome in the state. Air relative humidity and wind speed have higher sensitivity indices during the dry season in the areas of the Cerrado biome (Savanna) in Mato Grosso. Our findings show that changes in solar radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed cannot be ignored when analyzing changes in reference evapotranspiration.

water resources in Morocco have been severely influenced by climate change (CC) and pro-longed drought, particularly, in the pre-Saharan zone. The Tafilalet region faces increasing pres-sure due to high demographic growth, increased demand for water, excessive groundwater con-sumption, and investment in agriculture. Using the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP), this study assessed land cover and elevation and created future scenarios using the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standard Groundwater Level Index (SGI) to monitor hy-droclimate drought conditions in the Ziz watershed from 1989 to 2022. Results show decreasing precipitation, particularly from 2010-2020, with the last four years being the most challenging (SPI<-2). SPI and SGI have a high correlation, suggesting precipitation impacts groundwater in-dicators. Future scenarios predict a high risk of CC, with a 30% decrease in annual precipitation accumulation by 2100 under the optimistic scenario SSP126. Minimum temperature is expected to increase by 1.08°C (SSP126) and 2.61°C (SSP585), and maximum temperature by 1.05°C (SSP126) and 2.93°C (SSP585). Keywords: Climate Change, Water Resources, SPI, SGI, WEAP, Ziz watershed, Drought

In 2021 an acute energy crisis inflicted severe damage on the global economy, leading to escalated prices for electricity, gas, and fuel. In order to shield individuals and businesses from the mounting energy expenses, governments have been compelled to implement policy measures, including tax reductions, price restrictions or discounts, and subsidies. This research paper examines these policy responses through the lens of energy sufficiency. Energy poverty poses a significant threat to social cohesion and support for climate-related initiatives. Therefore, it is imperative to employ compensatory measures. However, the design of such solutions must carefully consider the incentives to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. The findings of the analysis demonstrate that the escalation of energy costs holds promise for achieving energy sufficiency. Nevertheless, the government's response to the surge in energy prices and energy poverty falls short and lacks precision. Most of the policy changes primarily focus on regressive energy cost subsidies and nudging households away from fossil fuels, but they fail to generate the necessary impetus for achieving energy sufficiency, which involves the elimination of energy poverty and excessive energy consumption.

In the Cerrado-Amazonian ecotone in the State of Mato Grosso, intensely altered by anthropic action, the knowledge and processes of energy conversion and energy balance are still incipient, making the monitoring and modeling of diffuse radiation essential for several applications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seasonality of the diurnal evolution and estimate the hourly diffuse radiation (Hdh) incident radiation in the horizontal plane, between June 2011 and October de 2016. The instantaneous measurements (5 minutes) of diffuse radiation underwent geometric, astronomical, and anisotropic corrections, with subsequent hourly integrations. The seasonality of diffuse radiation and its radiometric fractions was evaluated. The estimates were made considering total and seasonal data groupings (water stations in the region) and in different cloudiness classes (atmospheric transmissivity index - KTh). The diurnal behavior of diffuse radiation (Hdh) was similar to that of global radiation and at the top of the atmosphere, with maximum values at solar noon. The correlations between Kdh and KTh showed third-order polynomial behavior, with maximum observed values of Kdh ranging from 0.8 to 0.9, for KTh less than 0.2. Estimation equations based on radiometric fractions underestimated the values of diffuse radiation, with a better performance presented by models adjusted in annual data groupings. Among the parameterized models for estimating diffuse radiation obtained in the literature, those calibrated regionally in this study, together with those developed for tropical regions, presented better statistical performances.

Increasing levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in watercourses in the Northern hemisphere is mainly due to reduced acid rain, climate change, and changes in agricultural practices. However, their impacts vary in time and space. To predict how DOM respond to changes in environmental pressures we need to differentiate between allochthonous and autochthonous sources, as well as identify anthropogenic DOM. In this study we distinguish between allochthonous, autochthonous, and anthropogenic sources of DOM in a diverse watercourse network using DOM characterization tools and by assessing effects of land cover on water quality. Main sources of DOM are forests discharging allochthonous humic DOM, autochthonous fulvic DOM, and runoff from urban sites and fish farms with high levels of anthropogenic DOM rich in protein like material. Specific UV absorbency (sUVa) distinguish allochthonous DOM from autochthonous and anthropogenic DOM. Anthropogenic DOM differ from autochthonous fulvic DOM by containing elevated levels of protein like material. DOM from fishponds is distinguished from autochthonous and sewage DOM by having high sUVa. DOM characteristics thus provide valuable tools for deconvoluting the various sources of DOM allowing water resource managers to predict future trends in DOM and detect anthropogenic sources of DOM.

Using the Super-SBM method, this study calculates the carbon emission efficiency (CEE) of 30 provinces in mainland China from 2011 to 2019. Then, using the systematic GMM model, spatial Durbin model, and mediating effect model, it examines the direct effect, spatial effect, and influence mechanism of the digital economy (DE) on CEE. It was found that (1) the DE significantly promoted regional CEE, but had a negative effect on CEE in provinces with high economic correlation; (2) mechanism studies showed that the DE improved CEE by reducing energy intensity, promoting industrial upgrading and green technology innovation; (3) regional heterogeneity analysis found that the DE significantly improved CEE in eastern provinces, but not in central and western provinces. DE improves CEE in provinces with high level of economic development, but decreases CEE in provinces with low level of economic development.This paper provides some empirical and theoretical references for the development of DE to improve CEE.

This study investigated the presence and characteristics of Juglans neotropica in three ecosystems in Southern Ecuador: Montane Evergreen Forest, Evergreen Seasonal Lower Montane Forest, and Semideciduous Foot Montane Forest. The main focus was on the species' multipurpose nature as both a fruit and timber source. Six study sites, totaling at least 0.5 hectares each, were established, with four in Loja province and two in Zamora Chinchipe province.The results showed significant differences in dendrometric variables across the sites, with the most favorable growth recorded in The Tundo, where trees exhibited an average diameter at breast height (DBH) of 45.16 cm, basal area (G) of 1.41 m2, total height (TH) of 19.22 m, canopy height (CH) of 13 m, cubic volume (CV) of 3.55 m3, and total volume (TV) of 5.22 m3. The species displayed a clumped distribution pattern, as indicated by a Morisita index greater than 1. Regarding abundance, the highest density of 297 trees per hectare was found in Argelia, while Victoria had the lowest density of 46 trees per hectare. This research highlights the importance of Juglans neotropica as a multipurpose species, providing both valuable fruits and wood resources in the studied ecosystems of Southern Ecuador.

Sudden water pollution accident is a tough environmental challenge to solve due to its uncertainty, unpredictability and destructiveness. Therein, the dangerous goods transportation accidents on the cross-tributary bridges are increasing worldwide with the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, posing threats to the water ecological environment and human health. To prevent and control the risk, this study evaluated the risk of sudden water pollution accidents associated with dangerous goods transportation on the cross-tributary bridges by using the expert judgment fuzzy language method and Bayesian network model. Baiyangdian lake as the largest freshwater shallow lake in North China was chosen as a study case. Different accident scenarios were simulated to put forward risk prevention and control measures. The results showed that the primary risk factors were divided into five categories: personnel factors, vehicle factors, tank factors, weather factors, and road environment factors. The probability of dangerous goods transportation accidents was a possible event (P=0.115), with a high risk level. Furthermore, the Baiyangdian lake would suffer from serious environmental pollution and water quality degradation without prevention and control measures by simulating the oil leakage accident. Therefore, emergency prevention and control measures are expected to be formulated and implemented before and after the occurrence of the sudden water pollution accidents. This study provides useful insights into risk prevention and control strategies for sudden water pollution accidents, and the framework can be made applicable to other rivers facing similar risk challenges worldwide.

Tributyltin (TBT) is an environmental contaminant present on all continents, including Antarctica, with a potent biocidal action. Its use began to be intensified during the 1970s, being effectively banned in 2003, but remaining in the environment to this day due to several factors that increase its half-life and misuse despite the bans. In addition to the endocrine disrupting effect of TBT, that may lead to imposex induction in some invertebrate species, there are several studies that demonstrated that TBT also has an immunotoxic effect. The immunotoxic effects that have been observed experimentally in vertebrates using in vitro and in vivo models involve different mechanisms, but mainly alterations in the expression and/or secretion of cytokines. In this review, we summarize and update the literature on the impacts of TBT on the immune system, as well as discuss what still needs to be done to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the impact of this endocrine disrupting-chemical on immune system homeostasis.

Indonesia's government anticipates waste problems by managing them through a large number of waste reduction programs. From a governance perspective in Indonesia, it is known that actors from diverse governmental levels and across sectors are involved in waste management, and their involvement largely depends on their institutional goals and problems. Hence, they are expected to coherently collaborate together by developing and implementing sustainable instruments and resources for improving waste management problems. However, it is necessary to understand how supportive and restrictive the governance of waste reduction programs is to encourage successful trash reduction. This study is designed to evaluate and examine the application of Community-Based Solid Waste Management (CBSWM) in Makassar. In this research, The Governance Assessment Tool (GAT) was applied to analyze the governance context of the waste reduction programs in Makassar qualitatively. From the assessment, contexts can be described as either supportive or restrictive of the processes of implementing public policies on waste management. As a result of such an assessment, this study shed light on some opportunities to improve the governance of waste management implementation's impact on reducing waste in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The conclusion of this study depicts that the most important actors are affiliated with the local government and the community. Moreover, this study shows that the assessment of contextual governance is predominantly restrictive.

The status of vegetation and the impacts of mammalian herbivores on rangelands are complex, and such studies in Kenya are scanty. We investigated the dynamics of ground cover vegetation in Hell’s Gate National Park in relation to mammalian herbivory. Removal of palatable vegetation is postulated to enhance the development of invasive plant species. We investigated the influence of mammalian herbivores on vegetation diversity and dynamics in this rangeland. Three sampling blocks approximately 3 Km apart measuring 100 m x 50 m were established, each divided into three belt-transects (100 m x 10 m), and separated by a 10 m buffer zone. 2 m by 2 m quadrats at 20 m intervals were established in each transect. We measured composition the richness of plant and mammal species, and herbivory levels four times for six months (September 2018 to February 2019). Plant cover (P&lt; 0.001) and species diversity (P&lt; 0.001) differed significantly among sampling blocks and between seasons (P&lt; 0.001). Non-metric multidimensional scaling of plant species and herbivores showed co-occurrence of Zebras with Sida tenuicarpa and giraffes with Solanum incunum. We conclude that the removal of preferred plants through herbivory may be giving an edge to invasive species in the park.

Air pollution is a man-made environmental-related problem and has importance globally among all environmental issues. It is described as an atmospheric situation in which several components appear at high attention above their ambient level and generate a quantifiable effect on vegetation, animals, and people. Air pollution and its control are a universal problem and have become an issue of great trouble for us in current years. However, monitoring and measurement of the concentration of air pollutants are most difficult in assessment to monitoring other components in the environment. Air pollutants are transported to polar regions by different mechanisms such as long-range atmospheric transport or grasshopper effects and via anthropogenic activities. After reaching the polar regions, they settle down and remain as such for a long-time due to their persistent nature. They can distress the environment and wildlife of the polar regions. Generally, dangerous chemicals may cause a risk of well-being effects, whereas lethal pollutants focus on one physiological reaction. We reviewed the available information on air pollution (occurrence, sources, and harmful effects) in the polar regions.

The pre-emergent herbicide indaziflam is efficient in the management of weeds in eucalyptus crops, but this plant may develop less in soil contaminated with it. The objective was to evaluate the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR), growth and dry matter of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144, in clayey soil, contaminated with the herbicide indaziflam and the leaching potential of this herbicide. The design was completely randomized in a 3 x 5 factorial scheme, with four replications. Chlorophyll a and b contents, apparent electron transport rate (ETR), height growth and dry matter of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144 were evaluated. The leaching of indaziflam in the clayey soil profile (69% clay) was evaluated in a bioassay with Sorghum bicolor, a plant with high sensitivity to this herbicide. The visual intoxication and height of this plant were evaluated at 28 days after sowing (DAS). Chlorophyll a and b contents and ETR, height and stem dry matter of Clone I144 were lower in soil contaminated with indaziflam residues. The dose of indaziflam, necessary to cause 50% (C50) of intoxication and the lowest height of sorghum plants, was 4.65 and 1.71 g ha-1 and 0.40 and 0.27 g ha-1 in clayey soil and sand, respectively. The sorption ratio (SR) of this herbicide was 10.65 in clayey soil. The herbicide indaziflam leached up to 30 cm depth at doses of 37.5 and 75 g ha-1 and its residue in the soil reduced the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR) and the growth of Clone I144.

White oak mortality is a significant concern in forest ecosystems due to its impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Understanding the factors influencing white oak mortality, particularly the soil properties, is crucial for effective forest management and conservation efforts. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatial pattern of white oak mortality and examine the influence of soil properties on mortality rates. Multicycle Forest Inventory and Analysis data were compiled to capture all white oaks across the eastern US. White oak tree mortality data were collected across plot systems that utilized Diameter at Breast Height between two periods. Soil variables were analyzed to assess soil properties. Spatial analysis techniques, including geostatistics and regression modeling, were used to analyze the relationship between white oak mortality and soil characteristics. Results found clustered spatial patterns of white oak mortality across a broad scale depicting the significant effects of coarser soil textures (p = 0.00), nutrient-deficient sites, and extreme soil moisture levels (p <0.1). Our findings demonstrated the importance of soil properties in shaping the spatial pattern of white oak mortality rate. This idea can inform forest management practices for the conservation of white oak populations. Future research is needed for comprehensive soil assessment including biotic and abiotic factors for forest management strategies at a broader scale aimed at mitigating white oak mortality.

The opportunities and potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Environmental Assessment (EA) are often mentioned. However, do we in the EA field understand the implications of what is happening in other biological sciences, and are we preparing for the changes that are coming? This interdisciplinary letter focuses on AI-driven developments in biodiversity data and analysis as a starting point for stimulating discussion about what AI means in practice for the field of EA. We highlight implications for training, transformation of practice and decision making as first steps in a research agenda.