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Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Wirginia Rozumowska,

Michał Soliwoda,

Jacek Kulawik,

Aistė Galnaitytė,

Agnieszka Kurdyś-Kujawska

Abstract: The European Green Deal, including the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies, assume an increase in the area under organic farming to 25% by 2030. In order to achieve this purpose, it is important to understand the factors that lead to the development of organic farming. Data from Lithuanian and Polish Farm Accountancy Data Network datasets and logistic regression was used to evaluate factors influencing the adoption of organic farming in two neighboring countries – Lithuania and Poland – which have quite different agricultural sectors. Study period was 2009-2019.The results indicated that multiple factors affected the probability of adopting organic farming in both Lithuania and Poland. However, the results were somewhat different at the beginning and at the end of the research period. The findings also demonstrated an important role of subsidies in the adoption of organic farming. These findings are particularly important for policy makers to design effective policies and programs aimed at supporting the development of organic farming in both Lithuania and Poland.
Review
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Saadia Afridi,

Lucie Laporte-Devylder,

Guy Maalouf,

Jenna M. Kline,

Samuel G. Penny,

Kasper Hlebowicz,

Dylan Cawthorne,

Ulrik Pagh Schultz Lundquist

Abstract: Drones are becoming increasingly valuable tools in wildlife studies due to their ability to 1 access remote areas and offer high-resolution information with minimal human interference. Their 2 application is, however, causing concern regarding wildlife disturbance. This review synthesizes the 3 existing literature on how animals within terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic environments are impacted by 4 drone disturbance in relation to operational variables, sensory stimulation, species-specific sensitivity, 5 and physiological and behavioral responses. We found that drone altitude, speed, approach distance, 6 and noise levels significantly influence wildlife responses, with some species exhibiting increased 7 vigilance, flight responses, or physiological stress. Environmental context and visual cues are also 8 involved in species detection of drones and disturbance thresholds. Although the short-term response 9 to behaviour change has been well documented, long-term consequences of repeated drone exposure 10 remain poorly known. This paper identifies the necessity for continued research into drone-wildlife 11 interactions, with an emphasis on the requirement to minimize disturbance by means of improved 12 flight parameters and technology.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Fangfang Sun,

Chengcheng Dong,

Longlong Zhao,

Jinsong Chen,

Li Wang,

Ruixia Jiang,

Hongzhong Li

Abstract: The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is one of China’s three major urban agglomerations. Over the past thirty years, the region has undergone intensive economic development and urban expansion, resulting in significant changes in its eco-logical conditions. Due to the region’s humid and rainy climate, traditional remote sens-ing ecological index (RSEI) struggle to ensure consistency in long-term ecological quality assessments. To address this, the study developed a Unified RSEI (URSEI) model, incor-porating optimized data selection, composite index construction, normalization using invariant regions, and multi-temporal principal component analysis. Using Landsat im-agery from 1990 to 2020, the study examined the spatiotemporal evolution of ecological quality in the GBA. Building on this, spatial autocorrelation analysis was applied to ex-plore the distribution characteristics of URSEI, followed by Geodetector analysis to in-vestigate its driving factors, including temperature, precipitation, elevation, slope, land use, population density, GDP, and nighttime light. The results indicate that: (1) URSEI effectively mitigates the impact of cloudy and rainy conditions on data consistency, producing seamless ecological quality maps that accurately reflect the region’s ecological evolution; (2) Ecological quality showed a “decline-then-improvement” trend during the study period, with the URSEI mean dropping from 0.65 in 1990 to 0.60 in 2000, then rising to 0.63 by 2020. Spatially, ecological quality was higher in the northwest and northeast, and poorer in the central urbanized areas; (3) In terms of driving mechanisms, nighttime light, GDP, and temperature were the most influential, with the combined effect of “nighttime light + land use” being the primary driver of URSEI spatial heterogeneity. Human activity-related factors showed the most notable variation in influence over time.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Tiejun Zhang,

Peng Xiao,

Zhenqi Yang,

Jianying Guo

Abstract: Maowusu sandy land is characterized by fragile ecological environment and extreme sensitivity to external disturbances such as climate change and human activities. Identifying and zoning ecological spaces in this region are crucial for maintaining eco-environmental safety and promoting sustainable regional development. With Maowusu sandy land as the study object, the temporal and spatial characteristics of land use and the driving forces were explored via spatial analysis technology—geographic information system. Then, a 2D relation judgment matrix was constructed by evaluating the importance of ecosystem service functions and ecological sensitivity. Next, restoration zoning of natural ecological space was performed, and relevant restoration suggestions were put forward accordingly. Results show that the land use in Maowusu sandy land has changed obviously in the past 30 years, with construction land and forest continuously expanded, cropland and grassland squeezed, and some areas of unutilized land effectively developed. Ecological service functions tend to weaken from southwest to northeast, whereas the ecologically sensitive zones are mainly distributed in the middle of Maowusu sandy land. The high-importance and high-sensitivity zones of natural ecological space account for 3.60% of the total area of natural ecological space, mainly distributed near Ejin Horo Banner. The comprehensive restoration project of soil and water conservation should be conducted in this zone to alleviate soil erosion and maintain the management and restoration of ecological protection red lines. Moderately important sensitive zones account for the largest proportion (80.42%) of the total area of natural ecological space, being widely distributed. In such zones, water resources should be taken as constraints, with the emphasis on ecological protection and improvement measures. Low-importance and low-sensitivity zones account for the smallest proportion, in which ecosystem protection, near-natural restoration, and moderate development and utilization should be carried out. This study aims to provide a scientific basis for reasonably protecting natural ecological resources and promoting the healthy and ordered development of natural ecosystems.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Michelle Ballesteros,

Danilo, Jr. Olalo,

Michael Atrigenio

Abstract: The fluctuations in fish biomass within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are critical to the conservation efforts and the management of fisheries in the Philippines. Observational data was used to estimate the fish biomass doubling time in specific MPAs of the Philippines. Starting biomass, MPA area, duration of strict protection, and governance quality were some of the factors included in the analysis. The recovery and spillover effects of MPAs on surrounding fishing areas were assessed using exponential and logistic growth models. Incorporating these factors affects the doubling time of biomass, but not drastically. With regard to the logistic growth model, which includes the MPA area, duration of strict protection, and governance level, we found the average biomass doubling time to decrease compared to the exponential growth model. The average biomass doubling time for each MPA ranged from four to twenty years. This study used the historical concept of doubling time to merge modern approaches to MPAs with the aim of increasing fish biomass and biodiversity within the protective zones.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

R Boldbayar,

Qun Guo,

Ch Javzandolgor,

B Dul,

M Urtnasan,

A Dashtseren,

Shenggong Li

Abstract: The increase in livestock numbers and insufficient precipitation have led to a decline in pasture biomass, resulting in grassland carrying capacity (GCC) and pasture degradation. In this study, net primary productivity (NPP) data, which were derived from the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets spanning from 1982 to 2020, were firstly converted into aboveground biomass (AGB) and then used to estimate and assess long-term trends of GCC across Mongolia. Between 1982 and 2020, Mongolia's climate exhibited a warming and drying trend. Although livestock number have generally increased since 1982, certain years experienced declines due to winter dzud and summer droughts. These climatic changes reduce net primary productivity (NPP), further weakening the regenerative capacity of grasslands. Simultaneously, the increasing livestock number intensifies grazing pressure, surpassing the GCC. Finally, this grassland carrying capacity exceeded (GCCe) leads to reduced vegetation cover and desertification of grassland. Spatially, vegetation productivity and precipitation exhibited a declining gradient from north to south, whereas temperature increased progressively from to north to south. GCC assessments revealed that the eastern region of Mongolia could support current livestock number sustainably. In contrast, the western and southern regions, as well as parts of northern Mongolia, exhibited moderate to critical levels of grassland utilization. This study enabled a detailed analysis of grassland dynamics and climatic impacts, providing an assessment of temporal changes in Mongolia's GCC.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Dominick A. DellaSala,

Kaia Africanis,

Bryant C. Baker,

Matthew Rogers,

Diana Six

Abstract: The 8.19M ha Northern Rockies Ecoregion (NRE) of western Montana, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho, USA, includes the 159,822 Yaak River Watershed (YRW) in northwest Montana, a proposed climate refugium. Regional climate projections show the NRE heating up, experiencing reduced summer precipitation, lowered spring snowpack, and increased wildfires, especially under a very high emissions pathway. Large-scale conservation proposals have stalled for decades, in part, due to the lack of an integrated approach to conservation target setting (e.g., 30% protected by 2030, 50% by 2050) that simultaneously addresses climate change planning and especially wildfire risk reduction. We conducted a comprehensive ecoregional conservation assessment that showed overall protection levels were quite low in the NRE (2.2% in GAP 1 or 2) and even lower in the YRW (1% of national forests, the USDA Forest Service manages most of the area). Approximately 32% of NRE forests are mature but only 2.4% is protected (GAP 1 or 2) with just 0.25% of mature forests protected within the YRW. Of the 8 focal forest species examined, habitat protection for all of them were well-below conservation targets with only wolverine (Gulo gulo) meeting the targets if roadless areas were better protected. Most (~75%) Forest Service fuel reduction treatments were >1 km from structures despite congressional funds aimed at the wildland-urban interface/intermix. Increased roadless area protections would close the lower bound (30%) conservation target for most ecosystem types, mature forests, and focal species but fall short of higher targets. We recommend coupling conservation targets with strategic investments in fuel reductions aimed at the innermost buffer around structures, while reducing logging and roadbuilding in priority areas.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Richard Mazebedi,

Thomas Hesselberg,

Kefeletswe Majoka

Abstract: Subterranean habitats in general and caves in particular harbour a unique set of organisms that are adapted to the dark and nutrient-limited environment. The high selection pressure and limited geneflow between semi-isolated caves have generally resulted in a high level of endemicity among the depauperate cave fauna. The cave fauna is vulnerable to a range of anthropogenic factors including mining and excessive usage as show caves. The awareness of the need for conservation of this unique habitats has been growing in recent years, but not uniformly. In this paper, we use Web of Science to look at how the research output in the ecology and conservation area in Southern Africa compares to the rest of the world. We find that while Africa as a whole has a disproportionality low publication rate, Southern Africa is relatively well represented, though driven exclusively by South Africa. However, unlike the development in the rest of the world the number of publications has not risen much in recent years and is mainly focussed on vertebrates. In this paper, we discuss the reason for this discrepancy and use well known show caves in the region as case-studies to identify research priorities and promote more awareness of the conservation need of caves in Southern Africa.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Dong Uk Kim,

Hye Yeon Yoon

Abstract: Land-use change driven by urbanization has led to considerable habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, underscoring the need for spatially explicit assessment tools. This study evaluates habitat quality and threat intensity in Gochang-gun, South Korea, by integrating a biotope map with the Habitat Quality module of the InVEST model. Land cover was classified using detailed biotope types, and sensitivity values were assigned to each based on their vulnerability to specific threats such as urban areas, roads, and agricultural activity. Spatial modeling revealed high habitat quality in forested and protected zones like Seonunsan Provincial Park and the Dongrim Reservoir, whereas urban and agricultural regions exhibited substantial degradation. Correlation analysis confirmed a significant inverse relationship between habitat quality and degradation, and scenario-based simulations identified urban development and roads as the most detrimental factors. The removal of these threats led to the largest improvements in overall habitat condition. These findings provide actionable insights for biodiversity conservation planning and highlight the utility of biotope maps as a data source for ecosystem service models. The study supports the application of spatial tools for prioritizing conservation zones and formulating nature-based strategies for sustainable land management.
Review
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Yinglong Chen,

Pengbing Pei,

Muhammad Aslam,

Muhamad Syaifudin,

Ran Bi,

Ping Li,

Hong Du

Abstract: Microorganisms play an essential role in the biogeochemical processes of macroalgal cultivation ecosystems by participating in a complex network of interactions, significantly influencing the growth and development of macroalgae. This study used bibliometric analysis and VOSviewer based on Web of Science data to provide an overview by tracing the developmental footprint of the technology. Countries, institutions, authors, keywords, and key phrases were tracked and mapped accordingly. From 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2023, 619 documents by 2,516 authors from 716 institutions in 51 countries were analyzed. Keyword co-occurrence network analysis revealed five main areas of research on microbes in macroalgal cultivation ecosystems: (1) identification of microbial species and functional genes, (2) biogeochemical cycling of carbon in microbial communities, (3) microbial influences on macroalgae growth and development, (4) bioactivities, and (5) studies based on database. Thematic evolution and map research emphasized the centrality of microbial diversity research in this direction. Over time, the research hotspots and the core scientific questions of the microorganisms in the macroalgal cultivation ecosystems have evolved from single-organism interactions to the complex dynamics of microbial communities. The application of high-throughput techniques had become a hotspot, and the adoption of systems biology approaches had further facilitated the integrated analysis of microbial community composition and function. Our results provide valuable guidance and information for future research.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Jinyang Dong,

Liyan Zhang,

Xiaoli Wang,

Yanru Zhang,

Mengzhe Zhu,

Haiyan Jiang

Abstract: Climate change and human activities are profoundly reshaping species distributions, yet their combined impacts on plants with dual ecological-economic roles remain poorly understood. This study investigates Xanthium strumarium, a medicinal-invasive plant, across China using an integrated framework of species distribution modeling (Biomod2), niche dynamics (Ecospat), and rhizosphere microbiome analysis (Tax4Fun). Results reveal that human footprint (66.6% contribution), elevation, and slope dominate its distribution, with suitable habitats projected to expand by 8.9–28.6% under future scenarios (SSP1-2.6 to SSP5-8.5), particularly in Yunnan, Guangdong, and Inner Mongolia. Despite high niche conservatism (Schoener’s D = 0.8986–0.9338), ecological adaptability slightly declines under high emissions. Rhizosphere microbial communities, dominated by Proteobacteria and enriched in nitrogen-cycling taxa (Nitrospira, Verrucomicrobia), enhance adaptability through metabolic and environmental response functions, enabling colonization of disturbed soils. These findings highlight the synergistic roles of climate-driven habitat shifts and microbiome-mediated resilience in shaping X. strumarium’s invasion success. The study provides critical insights for managing its dual roles, advocating for strategies that address both anthropogenic drivers and microbial ecology in biodiversity conservation under global change.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Muhammad Pramulya,

Cico J.K. Simamora,

Jumiati Jumiati,

Nelly Wahyuni

Abstract: Port activities such as loading and unloading goods are reported to cause negative impacts on the aquatic environment. In this context, aquatic biodiversity is greatly impacted due to routine operational activities. This is because ports carry out sustainable management to protect the environment (ecoport) by minimizing damage to water biodiversity. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a complementary or alternative method of conventional sampling used to improve the detection of elusive and cryptobenthic fish species missed by traditional surveys. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the conservation value using environmental DNA metabarcoding mapping at Tanjungpura Port, Mempawah, East Kalimantan. Sampling was carried out in the marine conservation area of Tanjungpura Port, Mempawah, West Kalimantan. The results showed that biodiversity analysis was performed using metabarcoding method through molecular markers 18S rRNA and C Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI). The taxonomic annotation of COI gene produced 24 taxa groups at the phylum level. The identities of OTUs or DNA seqs (reads) groups could not be determined, namely X_Unclassified_Eukaryota and X_Unclassified. The taxonomic annotation of OTUs gen 18S using the SILVA release 138 databases led to 54 phyla, including uncultured, unclassified, and unassigned groups. The biodiversity of the animal group consisted of the phylum Annelida, Arthropoda, Chordata, Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Nemertea, and Porifera. Meanwhile, algae/microalgae comprised Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Chrysophyceae, Dinophyceae, Haptophyta, Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta, and Schizocladia. This showed the potential use of eDNA as an efficient tool for mapping and monitoring biodiversity in Mempawah Port environment.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Ruiyang Zhao,

Haiming Kan,

Hengkang Xu,

Chao Chen,

Guofang Zhang,

Zhuo Pang,

Weiwei Zhang

Abstract: Water resource management is crucial for sustainable agricultural and ecological development, particularly in regions with complex land use patterns and sensitive eco-systems. The Bashang region of Zhangjiakou city, located in the agropastoral ecotone of northern China, is an ecologically fragile area undergoing significant land use and climate changes. Despite the importance of understanding the interplay between land use, climate change, and water conservation, few studies have comprehensively evaluated their combined effects on regional water resources. This study addresses this gap by investigating the spatiotemporal changes in water yield (WY) and water conservation capacity (WCC) under different land use and climate scenarios for the year 2035. The research employs the FLUS model to predict future land use and the InVEST model to estimate WY and WCC under Natural Development Scenario (NDS), Agricultural Production Scenario (APS), Ecological protection Scenario (EPS) and Land Planning Scenario (LPS). The results reveal that WCC is primarily influenced by precipitation, land use, and topography. The study finds that scenarios focusing on ecological protection and land use optimization, such as the EPS and LPS, significantly enhance water conservation capacity. Notably, the LPS scenario, which limits urban expansion and increases ecological land, provides the best balance between water yield and conservation. The findings highlight the need for integrated approaches to land use and water resource management, particularly in agro-pastoral transitional zones. The unique contribution of this research lies in its comprehensive modeling approach, combining land use, climate data, and water resource analysis, which provides valuable insights for sustainable land and water management strategies.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Matan Yuval,

Franklin Terán,

Wilson Iñiguez,

William Thomas Bensted-Smith,

Inti Keith

Abstract: Corals in the Galápagos present diverse reef configurations from biogenic coral reefs to coral communities growing on rocks and sand. These corals have experienced decades of disturbances including recurring El Niño and mass bleaching events. However, traditional methods in ecology have limited capacity in describing coral demographic trends across large spatial scales. Therefore, the adverse effects of climate change on these reefs remains unclear. To bridge this gap we surveyed seven reef sites across the archipelago using underwater photogrammetry. We present new methods for 3D annotation and fractal dimension calculation. Our findings reveal variation in coral cover, diversity, and structural complexity across the archipelago. Our results align with previous studies in the region and add important information on reef structural complexity which was not measured here before. We release a unique dataset: Galápagos_3D, including seven 3D models and over 17,000 annotated images from the region. Our study provides an important baseline for long-term monitoring, research, and conservation in the Galápagos. Such studies can lead to new discoveries in coral ecology regarding for example recovery capacity and resilience, and help to establish evidence-based policies in the region and beyond.
Review
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Theodoros Mavraganis

Abstract: Fish physiology is a key field of study in fisheries science, providing a solid foundation for understanding aquatic ecosystems and driving innovation in the aquaculture sector. As aquaculture continues to be a key source of food worldwide, study in this subject has increasingly focused on the implications of climate change, which poses considerable threats to fish and other aquatic species. This review outlines current studies on fish physiological responses to several stressors related with climate change, such as changes in temperature, salinity, disease occurrence, and oxygen levels. The combination of these abiotic and biotic variables is vital, as climate change accelerates pathogen fate and dispersion and alters nutrient dynamics, influencing fish growth and survival. This study also reviews mesocosm experiments and modelling research to illustrate the significance of these interactions in developing sustainable fisheries management and enhancing aquaculture methods. Furthermore, the study identifies current research trends and recommends areas for future research to address the ongoing problems posed by climate change to aquatic resources.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Borui Zou,

Hongjuan Hu,

Jia Jia,

Weiju Wu,

Xin Li,

Xiaofei Chen,

Honghui Zeng,

Zhi Wang,

Chenxi Wu

Abstract: The Liangzi Lake, a typical shallow lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, is important for water resource and biodiversity conservation. With the development of urbanization, anthropogenic activities have posed serious threats to the water quality and biodiversity of Liangzi Lake. To assess the aquatic ecosystem health of Liangzi Lake, the structure, environmental response, and interactions of plankton were investigated in 2022 and 2023. Results indicated that water temperature was a pivotal factor regulating plankton dynamics, while plankton assemblage patterns were predominantly shaped by phytoplankton species, which was Bacillariophyta in spring and Chlorophyta in summer. In terms of phytoplankton, dissolved oxygen, and N:P ratio significantly affects cyanobacteria distribution, and a high biomass and abundance of them in summer highlighted the potential risk of harmful algal blooms. In contrast to phytoplankton, zooplankton exhibited enhanced resilience to changes of the surrounding environment. Rotifera was the dominant group in summer in terms of both abundance and biomass. Most core genera of plankton were jointly identified by eDNA metabarcoding and microscopical analysis, and eDNA metabarcoding has advantages in revealing a higher diversity. However, some taxa among rotifers, such as Liliferotrocha, were only identified using the microscopical analysis. Therefore, a combination of both methods is recommended to better understand the structuring mechanisms of plankton assemblages in lake ecosystems.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Héritier Khoji Muteya,

Dieu-donné N’tambwe Nghonda,

Jonas Yona Mleci,

François Malaisse,

Olivia Lovanirina Rakotondrasoa,

Quentin Ponette,

Yannick Useni Sikuzani,

Jan Bogaert

Abstract:

Miombo woodlands in the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (LCPB) provide critical ecosystem services and harbor biodiversity essential to both rural and urban populations. However, increasing energy demands intensify anthropogenic pressures, threatening their long-term sustainability. This study evaluates the principal anthropogenic drivers and biodiversity disturbance indicators across three developmental stages (7, 14, and 21 years) of miombo woodlands within the LCPB. Transect-based inventories assessed disturbance gradients, while plot-based surveys examined floristic composition and structure. Functional trait data were obtained from specialized online ecological databases. Results indicate that forest degradation within the LCPB is primarily driven by charcoal-related wood harvesting, fire events, and agricultural expansion, whereas exotic species invasion, debarking, and artisanal mining exert comparatively minor impacts. Disturbance patterns did not correlate significantly with proximity to villages, despite logging, fire, and agriculture being strongly interrelated. Analysis of the developmental stages revealed significant variations in biodiversity and dendrometric indicators. The highly degraded 7-year-old stage exhibited low floristic diversity, dominated by species such as Isoberlinia angolensis (abundance = 22), Julbernardia paniculata (18), and Brachystegia wangermeeana (6), and had poor structural metrics (90 individuals, 51 trees/ha, average DBH of 11.56 cm, average height of 4.47 m). The intermediate 14-year-old stage showed increased species diversity, notably B. wangermeeana (83), Brachystegia spiciformis (56), and Albizia adianthifolia (48), alongside improved structural values (456 individuals, 285 trees/ha, average DBH of 18.83 cm, average height of 6.31 m). The least degraded 21-year-old stage had the highest floristic diversity and structural values, with dominant species Marquesia macroura (88), Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (64), and Julbernardia globiflora (71), totaling 519 individuals, 323 trees/ha, average DBH of 24.20 cm, and average height of 9.64 m. Furthermore, ecosystem condition influenced functional traits, with disturbed areas favoring zoochorous dispersal and natural regeneration, but reducing wood density and nitrogen fixation. These findings underscore severe threats to LCPB woodlands and emphasize the importance of forest degradation stages in woodland development and resilience. Immediate action is recommended to regulate wood harvesting strictly, criminalize uncontrolled fires, monitor agriculture, and protect degraded areas to foster miombo woodland regeneration.

Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Dunia Lisbet Dominguez-Galvez,

Martha Johana Alvarez-Alvarez

Abstract:

Reservoir sedimentation presents a critical challenge to sustainability, impacting operational capacity and increasing maintenance costs. This study analyzes the impact of sediment accumulation in La Estancilla Reservoir, located in Manabí, Ecuador, and proposes sustainable strategies to mitigate its effects. Simulations using AutoCAD Civil 3D project a 45.06% loss of active capacity by 2024 and sediment accumulation exceeding 103% by 2042. The Carrizal River basin, which feeds the reservoir, exhibits physiographic characteristics that enhance sediment transport, exacerbated by land-use changes and intensive agricultural activities. Proposed solutions include reforestation with native species, sediment traps, and continuous monitoring with drones and LiDAR sensors. These strategies not only improve the operational sustainability of the reservoir but are also replicable in other regions facing similar challenges.

Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Wendi Chen,

Junsan Zhao,

Guoping Chen,

Yilin Lin,

Haibo Yang,

Qiaoxiong Chen

Abstract: Rapid urbanization has greatly altered urban ecological spaces and habitat quality functions, threatening regional biodiversity and the sustainability of landscapes. Therefore, constructing a comprehensive ecological network and ecological safety patterns is crucial for ecosystem management and regional development. However, simple quantification of ecological networks fails to meet the construction needs of ecological safety patterns, and most studies focus solely on network quantification analysis, thus overlooking the importance of spatial analysis. This study proposes a method of ecological network quantification assessment combined with hotspot analysis and coupled with standard deviational ellipse spatial analysis, which not only satisfies quantitative analysis but also adds spatial analysis methods, facilitating a more comprehensive construction of safety patterns. Firstly, through Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity indices, ecological source areas in the main urban area of Kunming were identified, integrating various resistance factors and corrective factors to construct an ecological resistance surface. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model was used to identify potential ecological corridors, and their importance was evaluated using the gravity model, thus establishing an ecological network. Secondly, based on network structure indices, the ecological network was assessed and optimized. On this basis, combined with hotspot analysis coupled with standard deviational ellipse spatial analysis, an ecological safety pattern was constructed. The results show: the core area of the study region is 2402.28 km², accounting for 52.07% of the total area; there are 13 ecological source areas totaling 2102.89 km², accounting for 45.58% of the total area; there are 178 potential ecological corridors, including 15 level one ecological corridors and 19 level two ecological corridors; 103 ecological nodes, 70 'stepping stones', and 48 ecological breakpoints were identified. In terms of ecological network optimization, 6 new ecological source areas were added, covering an area of 16.22 km², and the potential ecological corridors increased to 324, including 11 new level two ecological corridors, 51 new ecological nodes, 15 'stepping stones', and 24 major ecological breakpoints. After optimization, the network closure index (α), network connectivity index (β), and network connectivity rate index (γ) improved by 15.16%, 24.56%, and 17.79%, respectively. Based on the network structure quantitative analysis and hotspot analysis coupled with the standard deviational ellipse's spatial analysis, an 'one axis, two belts, five zones' ecological safety pattern was constructed.
Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Ecology

Niko Tutland,

Zachary Cope,

Steven Flanagan,

Adam Atchley,

Zachary Robbins,

E. Louise Loudermilk

Abstract:

Background: Fire modeling is a key prescribed fire planning tool, but there are limited operational tools for integrating current models of forest change and fire behavior.AimsWe sought to integrate a widely used forest succession model, LANDIS-II, with a powerful fire behavior model, QUIC-Fire, into a flexible workflow for assessing fire behavior in projected future fuel conditions. MethodsUsing aboveground biomass, we matched LANDIS-II data to cohorts of trees in Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data by predicting tree age across all FIA data using Random Forest modeling. We then voxelized those tree crowns along with surface fuels to create 3D fire model inputs. Key ResultsWe presented L2-QF, a novel crosswalk methodology between cohort-based LANDIS-II successional outputs and individual tree characteristics to create three-dimensional fuel arrays for QUIC-Fire. We demonstrated L2-QF by modeling forest change through time in multiple climate and management scenarios, then used the projected future fuel conditions to model fire behavior and effects.ConclusionsL2-QF can be used by fire practitioners to inform adaptive management, as highlighted by our workflow demonstration. ImplicationsBy integrating long-term ecosystem changes into everyday fire planning, L2-QF allows fire managers to stay proactive in variable future conditions.

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