Environmental and Earth Sciences

Abstract: This article describes the mineralogical and geochemical features of the Marsyaty sedimentary deposit of Fe and Mn ores in the Northern Urals (Russia). Oolitic ironstones are localized in coastal sandstones of the Cenomanian age. Сarbonate Mn ores lies within siliciclastic sediments of the Lower Paleocene and are separated from the oolitic ironstone by a layer of gravel. Authigenic iron oxyhydroxides, chamosite/bertierite and superimposed siderite predominate in the ironstones; kaolinite, apatite, perhamite, calcite and dolomite are minor and rare. Rhodochrosite and rencieite are major minerals of the Mn ore; layer Mn-silicates (caryopilite, parsettensite?) are minor and rare. Both ore types contain authigenic glauconite, montmorillonite, sulfides (sphalerite/wurtzite, galena, pyrite), gibbsite/boemite, REE phosphates. The detrital component of both types of ores is represented by clasts of quartz, ilmenite, zircon, monazite, epidote, titanite, muscovite, and feldspars. The δ13Сcarb varies from -18.5 to -23.3 in carbonate ironstone and -10.0 to -41.0 ‰ PDB in manganese ore. The light isotopic composition of carbon and numerous organic relics indicate the participation of microbes in both types carbonate ore formation process. It is concluded that iron and manganese ores belong to a joint transgressive series of sedimentary rocks that arose sequentially during the evolution of the West-Siberian basin. The unique feature of the Marsyaty deposit is that, within a limited area and over a short geological period, favorable conditions were realized first for the accumulation of iron and manganese, and then only for manganese.

Abstract: In the UK, contaminated land risk assessments using the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) model rely on soil organic matter (SOM) values to determine acceptable thresholds for contamination caused by anthropogenic pollution for human health. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total organic carbon (TOC) or loss on ignition (LOI) are routinely used as a proxy for SOM in the industry, both by contaminated land consultants and laboratories who rely on conversions such as the Van Bemmelen factor. Many standard laboratory methods for measuring SOC or TOC do not differentiate between natural organic carbon and petroleum hydrocarbons. This study investigates the interference of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) on SOC measurements by analysing 2,375 brownfield soil samples. A positive correlation was observed between the two variables; an addition of 1,000 mg/kg of TPH inflates reported SOC by 0.46 percentage points. When converted to SOM for risk assessment purposes using the Van Bemmelen factor, this artificial increase rises to 0.79 percentage points calculated SOM per 1000mg/kg TPH. This can push soils into higher assessment bands, generating less stringent Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC). The study finds that relying on SOC as a proxy for SOM in hydrocarbon-impacted soils masks the absence of the natural organic matter required to sorb contaminants, leading to an underestimation of human health risks in contaminated land risk assessments.

Abstract: To reveal the influence of water accumulation in open pits on the stability of boundary coal-rock pillars, this study investigates a boundary coal-rock pillar between an underground coal mine and an adjacent open pit in western China. Coal-rock physical property tests, hydrochemical analysis, permeability tests, and theoretical calculations of water-resisting coal-rock pillars were conducted to examine seepage channel development, physical property changes, and stability evolution under long-term water accumulation. The results show that the mechanical strength of coal and rock specimens decreases under the saturated state. The average uniaxial compressive strength reduction of rock specimens exceeds 40%, while that of coal specimens is 7.6~18.2%. The tensile and shear strengths decrease by 30.0~57.1% and 7.5~34.6%, respectively. The hydraulic conductivity of intact specimens is mostly 10-4~10-3m/d, whereas that of fractured specimens increases to 10-3~10-2m/d. The calculated width of water-resisting coal pillars increases by 19.7~21.9% under long-term water accumulation. Long-term water accumulation in the open pit changes the external hydraulic boundary of the boundary coal-rock pillar, allowing water to migrate inward along bedding planes, joints, primary fractures, mining-induced fractures, and coal seam pores. This process promotes pore-fracture connection and seepage channel formation, weakens particle cementation and structural-plane shear resistance, and reduces the structural integrity, bearing capacity, and water-resisting capacity of the coal-rock pillar. Therefore, the stability deterioration of boundary coal-rock pillars is a continuous process involving channel formation, sustained seepage, strength degradation, fracture development, permeability enhancement, and further stability reduction.

Abstract: Mangrove ecosystems are significant blue carbon sinks but can also act as sources of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), due to complex sediment biogeochemical processes. This study quantified the influence of seasonal and tidal variability on soil–atmosphere CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes in mangrove ecosystems of the Lamu Archipelago, Kenya. Field measurements were conducted across wet and dry seasons and varying tidal heights, alongside key environmental parameters including temperature and humidity. Non-parametric statistical analyses revealed that CH₄ fluxes were significantly influenced by temperature variability (p < 0.05), whereas CO₂ fluxes were significantly associated with humidity (p < 0.05). Both gases exhibited significant seasonal variation (p < 0.05), with elevated CO₂ emissions during the dry season and higher CH₄ emissions during the wet season, reflecting shifts between aerobic and anaerobic sediment conditions. Tidal height exerted a significant effect on both CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes (p < 0.05), underscoring the role of tidal inundation in regulating redox dynamics and gas exchange processes. These findings demonstrate the strong coupling between climatic and meteorological parameters in controlling mangrove GHG fluxes and highlight the importance of incorporating temporal variability into blue carbon assessments. The study provides empirical data to refine greenhouse gas inventories and improve the representation of tropical coastal wetlands in climate models and mitigation frameworks.

Abstract: This review argues that the sustainability challenge of the Anthropocene extends beyond climate warming to encompass interacting crises of water disruption, biodiversity loss, pollution, disease, inequality, and governance failure. Building on the Earth at Risk framework, we synthesize recent evidence that global warming is accelerating, marine heatwaves are restructuring ocean ecosystems, terrestrial carbon sinks are weakening, and the hydrological cycle is being destabilized by continental drying, groundwater depletion, and intensifying precipitation extremes. These physical changes increasingly intersect with public health risks, including heat-amplified air pollution, expanding vector- and waterborne disease, microplastic contamination, and degraded ecosystem services that once buffered pollution and pathogens. We emphasize that vulnerability is not determined by exposure alone, but by unequal access to infrastructure, wealth, governance capacity, and political power. The review identifies a widening gap between scientific knowledge and institutional response, arguing that fragmented governance and growth-dependent economic systems remain poorly suited to cascading Earth-system risks. We propose an integrated sustainability agenda centered on rapid decarbonization, ecological restoration, water-centered governance, pollution and disease mitigation, and justice-based institutional reform. A viable future requires societies capable of sustaining human dignity, equity, and resilience within planetary boundaries.

Abstract: Achieving carbon neutrality requires transformative changes across multiple sectors, including food systems. Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) have been increasingly proposed as mechanisms capable of reducing transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while promoting more resilient forms of rural development. This study examines the potential contribution of SFSCs to carbon-neutral rural development using Galicia (Spain), with particular attention to the territories of Ferrolterra and As Pontes de García Rodríguez, as a case study. A scenario-based approach was employed to compare Regional Short Food Supply Chains and Conventional Long Supply Chains, assuming average transport distances of 80 km and 800 km, respectively. Transport-related greenhouse gas emissions were estimated using a ton-kilometre methodology based on European freight transport emission factors, while sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the findings under alternative assumptions. The results indicate that Regional Short Food Supply Chains generated approximately 90% lower transport-related emissions than Conventional Long Supply Chains, corresponding to an estimated reduction of 44.64 kg CO₂e per tonne of food transported. These differences remained stable across all sensitivity scenarios. The findings suggest that territorially embedded food systems may represent complementary instruments within broader climate-neutral development strategies, particularly in rural territories undergoing socioeconomic transitions associated with the decline of carbon-intensive activities. Although transport represents only one dimension of food-system sustainability, integrating regional food initiatives into climate and rural-development policies may contribute to reducing avoidable emissions while strengthening territorial resilience.

Abstract: The San Rafael Swell, Utah, hosts eight critical mineral mining districts; uranium, vanadium, copper, titanium, and zirconium, and adjacent coalfields with rare earth element (REE) enrichment in coal-adjacent strata, yet remains unevaluated by modern satellite remote sensing. This study derives and validates 13 Sentinel-2 band-ratio indices targeting four deposit types: U-V roll-fronts, Cretaceous Ti-Zr paleoplacers, REE carbonaceous shales, and polymetallic gossans. Validation against a 247-location USGS MRDS deposit database within a 500 m tolerance radius yielded correlations of 50-85%; uranium-targeting indices averaged 73% versus 57% for contextual indices. A composite scoring framework identified Temple Mountain (92/100; Tier 1), San Rafael Swell (87/100; Tier 1), and San Rafael River (80/100; Tier 1) as highest-priority U-V targets. Coal Cliffs (70/100; Tier 2) returned an inverted spectral signature; Ti proxy 82%, bleaching 20%, V redox 15%, distinguishing Cretaceous paleoplacer from the roll-front system: a deposit-type discriminant unavailable from single-index analysis. Carbonaceous shale flanking coal seams (mean 245 mg/kg REE) were highlighted as a potential primary REE host over the coal seams (mean 85 mg/kg), with the index correctly mapping this REE-prospective lithology at surface. Results demonstrate that a multi-index Sentinel-2 framework provides quantitative critical mineral prioritization across deposit types at reconnaissance cost.

Abstract: River avulsion, the sudden relocation of a river channel to a new course from the parent channel, is a geomorphic process with direct implications for floodplain evolution, ecosystem dynamics, and infrastructure vulnerability. This review article discusses how sandbar migration acts as a precursor to avulsion by altering hydraulic geometry, redirecting flow paths, modifying sediment transport patterns, and affecting the development of incipient channels. The morphodynamical evolution of sandbars, influenced by sediment supply, flow regime, vegetation, and anthropogenic influences such as dams and sand mining, plays a central role in creating avulsion. Different methods, such as field measurements, remote sensing imagery (including multispectral, SAR, LiDAR and UAV), physics-based numerical models, machine learning, and deep learning techniques, which are used to evaluate river sandbar and river avulsion, are also thoroughly evaluated for efficacy and fit for purpose.

Abstract: Concentric (ring-shaped) structures expressed in surface morphology and in potential-field data are widespread at the junction of the Tien Shan orogen and the Fergana Depression in Eastern Uzbekistan, yet their deep architecture and origin remain debated. Here we integrate regional gravity, aeromagnetic, and deep seismic sounding (DSS) data with radially averaged power-spectrum depth analysis, three-dimensional (3D) inversion, and geographic information system (GIS) mapping to reconstruct the crustal distribution of density and magnetic susceptibility to depths of about 25 km, and to test whether these structures are rooted endogenic features or surficial landforms. The 3D inversion resolves concentric low-density cores (density contrasts of 150–350 kg/m³) and magnetic susceptibilities of (1–8) × 10⁻³ SI that are spatially coincident with inferred Palaeozoic–Mesozoic magmatic centres and with intersections of deep-seated faults of the Talas–Fergana system. DSS profiles place the Conrad and Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuities at 15–25 km and 35–55 km, respectively, and show that the concentric features extend coherently into the lower crust. The absence of shock-metamorphic indicators, together with smooth radial gradients and deep fault-controlled roots, excludes an impact origin and supports a tectono-magmatic model of mantle upwelling, magmatic differentiation, and repeated post-collisional fault reactivation. The results refine the regional geodynamic model and inform seismic-hazard and mineral-prospectivity assessment in Central Asia.

Abstract: Maritime navigation efficiency is commonly assessed using isolated indicators such as route deviation, speed variation, fuel-related metrics, or traffic density, which do not fully reflect the operational context of a voyage. This study proposes a context-aware framework for assessing maritime navigation efficiency using GPS–AIS data fusion, planned-route geofencing, metocean integration, and AIS-based encounter validation. The methodology introduces the Navigation Efficiency Resilience Index (NERI), which combines target achievement, response cost, and disturbance intensity into a bounded and interpretable time-resolved indicator. The framework was demonstrated using a Singapore–Montevideo container ship voyage with GPS data sampled at 30 s, AIS traffic information, corridor-specific cross-track limits, and collocated metocean variables. The voyage-level mean NERI was 0.679, while the 10th percentile was 0.519, indicating that short-term low-efficiency episodes were concentrated mainly in constrained waters, approach areas, and metocean-intensive transition zones. Open-sea legs achieved higher mean NERI values, with 0.704 in the Indian Ocean and 0.736 in the South Atlantic, whereas lower values were obtained in the Malacca–Singapore TSS and Montevideo approach legs. GPS-based trajectory assessment provided more stable own-ship motion indicators than AIS-based assessment, whereas AIS remained essential for traffic-density estimation and CPA/TCPA conflict-window validation. Encounter-based validation showed that the full NERI formulation outperformed single-dimensional baseline indicators, achieving an AUROC of 0.83 and an AUPRC of 0.41 for conflict-window classification. The proposed framework provides a reproducible analytical layer for voyage monitoring, post-voyage diagnostics, and intelligent maritime decision-support systems.

Abstract: The cycling of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in soils is fundamentally regulated by molecular oxygen, and trees restructure the local O₂ landscape through root macropore networks, rhizosphere oxygen demand, and canopy-mediated moisture redistribution, generating spatially structured redox transitions that govern CO₂, N₂O, and CH₄ fluxes across distances of just a few meters from the stem. Despite this inherent spatial heterogeneity, most studies measuring soil GHG emissions in tree-based systems report fluxes from single locations without documenting distance from trees, effectively assuming spatial homogeneity where none exists. We introduce triproximity, a conceptual framework that considers tree–soil GHG interactions across three spatial dimensions: (i) horizontal distance from tree stems, (ii) vertical soil profile depth, and (iii) structural position relative to tree components, including the stem itself as a gas conduit. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed 107 field-based studies published between 2010 and 2025 spanning shelterbelts, agroforestry, orchards, silvopastoral systems, and riparian buffers across temperate, subtropical, and arid climates. Only 37.4% of studies explicitly reported measurement distance from trees, a proportion that has not improved despite a near four-fold increase in publication volume since 2020. Methane uptake showed the most consistent spatial response, with higher oxidation rates in the near-tree zone across diverse system types, most plausibly reflecting root-mediated improvements in soil aeration and methanotrophic activity. Nitrous oxide responses were context-dependent, governed by competing substrate availability and moisture controls that the triproximity dimensions help disentangle. Carbon dioxide fluxes showed no universal spatial pattern, yet were responsive to specific proximity dimensions once the dominant source term was identified. Stem-level gas transport was virtually unmeasured across the dataset, likely biasing ecosystem GHG budgets toward underestimation. We propose a minimum triproximity-based sampling protocol specifying horizontal distances, vertical depths, structural positions, and replicate requirements for five major tree-based system types, and call for journals to adopt spatial reporting as a minimum submission standard for GHG studies in tree-based agricultural systems.

Abstract: Fruit and vegetable wastes are important organic resources that can be recycled into value-added agricultural products through microbial fermentation. However, the characteristics of fermentation broths (FBs) derived from different fruit and vegetable substrates and their effects on soil ecological processes remain insufficiently understood. In this study, FBs were produced from 14 common fruit and vegetable wastes through anaerobic fermentation, whose characteristics were systematically analyzed in terms of nutrient composition, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure. Five representative FBs derived from garlic, tomato, sweet potato, apple, and lettuce were selected for pot experiments to evaluate their effects on soil properties and the growth of Brassica chinensis. The results showed significant differences among the FBs in nutrient contents, enzyme activities, and microbial community composition. The application of garlic FB exhibited the highest concentrations of ammonium nitrogen (309.81 mg/L), total phosphorus (327.73 mg/L), total potassium (1365.8 mg/L), and organic matter (28.99 g/L) in the pot soil, together with significantly higher activities of acid phosphatase, urease, protease, and catalase in the soil than the other treatments (P < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis revealed that the soil treated with garlic FB was dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with Lactiplantibacillus, Lentilactobacillus, and Levilactobacillus accounting for approximately 79% of the microbial community. The application of FBs significantly improved the availability of soil nutrients and the activities of enzymes. Among all the treatments, the application of garlic FB showed the strongest effects, increasing the activities of catalase, urease, acid phosphatase, and β-glucosidase in the soil by 83.34%, 180.72%, 112.34%, and 21.95%, respectively. Furthermore, the application of FBs reduced the incidence of pests and diseases, and promoted the growth of Brassica chinensis. Compared with the other treatments, the garlic FB treatment produced the highest vegetable biomass. It was concluded that the application of the FBs manufactured from fruit and vegetable wastes enhanced soil fertility and crop performance through the regulation of microbial communities, stimulation of soil enzyme activities, and promotion of nutrient cycling. For comparison, the application of Garlic FB exhibited the greatest potential as a sustainable biofertilizer for vegetable production and organic waste recycling.

Abstract: Sediment internal nutrient loading is a major cause of surface water eutrophication. Adding organic amendments to dredged sediments may improve their potential reuse but also risk enhancing nutrient leaching. This column study investigated the effect of adding compost (25% v/v), freshwater algae suspension (2.5% v/v), or their combination (22.5% compost + 2.5% algae) to reservoir bottom sediments on the leaching of orthophosphate (PO₄³⁻) and nitrate‑nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N) under three simulated weekly rainfall events. The control was unamended sediment. Leachates were analyzed for PO₄³⁻ and NO₃⁻-N. Compost‑amended sediment showed the highest PO₄³⁻ concentrations in leachates, but levels stabilized over time, whereas nitrate‑nitrogen concentrations decreased rapidly. Algae alone reduced both orthophosphate and NO₃⁻-N leaching compared to the control. The combination of compost and algae further decreased leachate volume and enhanced the retention of several elements but did not fully mitigate phosphorus leaching. The progressive hydration of organic material increased water holding capacity, reducing percolation. Compost promoted nitrogen transformation processes (e.g., immobilization or denitrification), while algae likely acted through nutrient uptake. We conclude that organic amendments have a dual role: compost increases phosphorus availability but stabilizes its release, whereas algae reduce leaching of both nutrients. The choice of amendment should align with specific water quality targets. Longer‑term and field‑scale studies are needed to confirm these trends.

Abstract: Urban parks are widely recognized for their mental health benefits, especially among frequent visitors. However, the factors underlying regular park use among older urban residents remain poorly understood. This study examined park features, motivations, and barriers associated with park visitation frequency among Florida residents aged 45 and older. Using an online survey panel, data were collected from 1,237 participants across Florida's urban areas. Respondents were classified as frequent visitors (≥ once per week; 33.0%) or infrequent visitors (< once per week; 67.0%). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between perceived features, barriers, motivations, and visitation frequency. Among all barriers tested, only perceived distance significantly predicted infrequent visitation (OR = 1.99, p = .002), while commonly cited obstacles such as lack of time and weather did not reach significance. Among individual motivations, exercise (OR = 2.31, p < .001) and walking dog (OR = 2.10, p < .001) were significant predictors of frequent visitation. Connection with nature (60.9%), stress relief (56.3%), and exercise (48.3%) were the most commonly reported motivations overall. Frequent visitors were more likely to prioritize active features such as walking and biking paths and open spaces, while infrequent visitors favored quiet environments, safety and visibility, and seating areas. Older age and being male were significant sociodemographic predictors of frequent visitation. Natural vegetation and tree cover did not significantly predict visitation frequency. These findings suggest that park programming and design strategies aimed at building motivational pull, particularly by supporting structured physical activity, may be more effective at promoting regular engagement with urban green spaces than focusing primarily on barrier removal.

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Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) leaves and branches represent promising lignocellulosic residues for biorefinery and bioenergy applications. This study evaluated the effect of autohydrolysis at different temperatures and residence times on the chemical composition, structural properties, and higher heating value (HHV) of both biomass fractions. The initial characterization revealed that leaves were richer in extractives and lignin, whereas branches contained higher amounts of α-cellulose and hemicelluloses. Autohydrolysis promoted the selective solubilization of biomass components, reaching maximum values of approximately 38% for leaves and 32% for branches. Increasing treatment severity enhanced hemicellulose removal and resulted in a relative enrichment of lignin and cellulose in the solid residues, while FTIR analysis showed that the main lignocellulosic structure was largely preserved. Temperature had a stronger influence than residence time, particularly for leaf deconstruction. Liquefaction produced more pronounced chemical transformations and significantly improved the fuel properties of the resulting solids, achieving maximum HHVs of 30.08 MJ kg⁻¹ for leaves and 29.46 MJ kg⁻¹ for branches at 180 °C for 30 min. Overall, the results indicate that autohydrolysis is a suitable strategy for the selective extraction of hemicellulose-rich fractions and the production of lignin-enriched solid residues. This process contributes to the sustainable valorization of bay laurel biomass within an integrated biorefinery framework.

Abstract: Rapid urbanization along transportation corridors is a key driver of land transformation and landscape homogenization in developing mega-cities. This study analyzes land use and land cover (LULC) change within a 5-km buffer, from Gulberg to T-Chowk, along the Islamabad Expressway, Pakistan, from 2010 to 2024, using multi-temporal Landsat imagery (2010, 2015, 2020, 2024) and landscape metrics. Built-up area increased by 190.8% (51.02 to 148.34 km²) between 2010 and 2024. The expansion is accompanied by sharp declines in vegetation (−36.0%; 89.17 to 57.06 km²), barren land (−93.8%; 63.88 to 3.94 km²), and water bodies (−64.2%; 8.20 to 2.93 km²). All class-area estimates were derived from the R landscapemetrics pipeline and independently verified against visual inspection of the classified rasters, confirming correct class labelling throughout. Landscape structure shifted towards homogenization, with Shannon’s Diversity Index decreasing from 1.19 to 0.74, Patch Density from 74.39 to 21.08 patches per 100 ha, and Edge Density from 219.65 to 99.78 m/ha. LULC maps achieved an accuracy greater than 96% (κ>0.96), it was performed separately for all classified LULC maps ( 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024) using confusion/error matrices generated from validation samples for each year, and metric estimates showed cross-platform agreement between R and FRAGSTATS within ±5%. These findings indicate rapid corridor-scale consolidation associated with infrastructure-led growth, reducing landscape heterogeneity and potentially weakening ecological resilience. Unlike previous city-scale studies in the Islamabad–Rawalpindi region, this study adopts a transportation-corridor perspective to quantify both land-cover change and ecological fragmentation. The study underscores the necessity for integrated, corridor-scale land-use governance to balance urban expansion with ecosystem sustainability.

Abstract: While Thermal Infrared (TIR) sensors are standard for monitoring volcanic activity, their efficacy is severely compromised by meteorological clouds and dense volcanic ash. To overcome these optical limitations, we present the first ground-based application of a passive microwave radiometer for continuous volcano monitoring. Operating in the 10–12 GHz band, our Total Power Microwave Receiver is stationed 12 km from Mount Etna's active craters to measure thermal emissions from eruptive hotspots. Unlike traditional TIR imaging, this low-cost, automated system exploits the atmospheric transparency of microwave wavelengths, enabling uninterrupted observation regardless of weather or solar illumination. We detail the system's design and report its successful detection of volcanic phenomena during the 2023–2025 eruptive cycles, including the transit of a high-temperature ash cloud that triggered a significant radiometric peak. Our findings demonstrate that fixed-point microwave radiometry provides a reliable, all-weather thermal signature of eruptive activity, offering a pioneering and highly accessible tool for the next generation of global volcanic early warning systems.

Abstract: The potential existence of distinct geographical zones across the island of Great Britain, distinguished by differential extents to which climate change is responsible for changes in high streamflows is investigated. A probabilistic separation of the climate change and land use change signals as drivers of streamflow change through time is applied to river systems in Great Britain, and the behaviour of the climate change/land use proportions through time and across catchments is then used to identify geographic regions across Great Britain. Different zones may be defined by the presence or absence of synchronous changes in the climate change/land use change proportions in the sub-catchments comprising the parent systems. Frequently, a number of non-nested sub-catchments which do not share flow within a given river system form a set showing synchronous changes in the proportion to which climate change is driving change in high streamflow. Parent river systems in the north and west of Great Britain tend to show greater internal synchrony in the behaviour of their component non-nested sub-catchments than do the components of parent river systems in the south and east. Parent river systems in the north and west also tend to show more synchrony with other parents in the same region, whereas parent river catchments in the south and east do not show much mutual synchrony. The trajectories of the climate change/land use change proportions through time in northern and western parent catchments also tend to show mutual similarities, and dissimilarity to those trajectories from southern and eastern parent catchments. The north-west/south-east geographical division is also, firstly, present in the proportions themselves to which climate change is a driver of streamflow change in the parent catchments of river systems in Great Britain, and, secondly, in the degree to which the proportion of climate change as a driver of streamflow change correlates with catchment size.

Abstract: The integrity and accuracy of brightness temperature (BT) are critical prerequisites for reliable high-precision retrieval products. The Microwave Radiation Imager (MWRI) onboard the FY-3D satellite is capable of providing all-weather BT observations. However, constrained by orbital gaps, extreme weather and instrument detection er-rors, brightness temperature observations are prone to widespread missing values and anomalous noise, greatly limiting their practical application. To address the above da-ta defects, this study constructs a U-Net-based convolutional neural network and pro-poses a targeted reconstruction method for MWRI brightness temperature data. Con-sidering that the low-frequency channels of MWRI are highly sensitive to complex underlying surface conditions, the proposed network incorporates static prior con-straints, including terrain elevation and vegetation type, alongside dynamic physical constraints, such as diurnal temperature variation and latitudinal/longitudinal gradi-ents. Utilizing the 10.7 GHz vertically polarized channel BT data of FY-3D MWRI from 2023, ablation studies and accuracy evaluations are conducted. The results demon-strate that the incorporation of physical constraints significantly improves the model's restoration performance and effectively resolves the discontinuity issue in the recon-structed BT. Validations demonstrate that guided by synchronous land surface tem-perature (LST), the proposed method not only accurately reconstructs the spatial dis-tribution of the original BTs but also faithfully captures their instantaneous dynamic states. The mean biases in the land and ocean test regions are -0.580 K and -0.064 K, respectively. Furthermore, the annual average standard deviation of the bias is 1.163 K for the land and reaches 0.598 K for the ocean. The reconstruction network proposed in this paper effectively enhances the completeness and reliability of FY-3D MWRI BT data, thereby providing a robust data foundation for the subsequent retrieval of oce-anic, atmospheric, and land surface parameters.

Abstract: Desalination is an urgent response to global freshwater shortages, serving more than 300 million people by 2025. However, it is a technology that still raises several sustainability concerns. Through this study, we aim to propose a systematic review based on the PRISMA methodology, analyzing 45 studies published between 2015 and 2026. The results show that brine discharges, reaching 40-75 g/L, lead to the emergence of hypersaline plumes that cause biodiversity loss, particularly in Posidonia oceanica meadows and coral reefs. From a health perspective, residual contaminants, such as boron (1.8 mg/L) and bromate (25 µg/L), exceed WHO recommended standards, posing potential risks to public health. Economically, the levelized cost of desalinated water remains high (USD 0.5–2.0/m³) due to the high energy consumption of up to 15 kWh/m³ in thermal processes. This study proposes several mitigation strategies, including diffuser optimization, integration of renewable energies, and brine recovery through the extraction of strategic minerals. The originality of this study lies in its integrated approach, combining health, environmental, energy, and economic dimensions, all addressed together in previous reviews. These results demonstrate the need for regional governance and consistent international standards to achieve sustainable water desalination that combines water security and ecosystem conservation.