Earth

Sea-level rise, population growth, and changing land-use patterns will further constrain Florida’s already scarce groundwater and surface water supplies in the coming decades. Significant investments in water supply and water demand management are needed to ensure sufficient water availability for human and natural systems. Section 403.928 (1) (b) of the Florida Statutes requires estimating the expenditures needed to meet the future water demand and avoid the adverse effects of competition for water supplies to 2040. This study considers the 2020–2040 planning period and projects (1) future water demand and supplies; and (2) the total expenditures (capital costs) necessary to meet the future water demand in Florida, USA. The uniqueness of this study compared with the previous studies is the introduction of a probabilistic-based approach to quantify the uncertainty of the investment costs to meet future water demand. We compile data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Florida’s Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Florida’s Water Management Districts, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to project the future water demand and supplies, and the expenditures needed to meet the demand considering uncertainty in the costs of alternative water supply options. The results show that the total annual water demand is projected to increase by 1405 million cubic meters (+15.9%) by 2040, driven primarily by urbanization. Using the median capital costs of alternative water supply projects, cumulative expenditures for the additional water supplies are estimated between USD 1.11–1.87 billion. However, when uncertainty in the project costs is accounted for, the projected expenditure range shifts to USD 1.65 and USD 3.21 billion. In addition, we illustrate how using Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) can increase the efficacy of investment planning to develop alternative water supply options. The results indicate that using MPT in selecting the share of each project type in developing water supply options can reduce the standard deviation of capital costs per one unit of capacity by 74% compared to the equal share allocation. This study highlights the need for developing more flexible funding strategies on local, regional, and state levels to finance additional water supply infrastructure, and more cost-effective combinations of demand management strategies and alternative water supply options to meet the water needed for the state in the future. Full article

Due to the limited reach of the drinking-water delivery network, Yaoundé’s surrounding communities (such as Nkoabang) rely on well water, boreholes, and springs. This study conducted a Thornthwaite water-balance analysis in the watershed in order to understand its hydrology capability and investigated the influence of the flows and infiltrations on the recharge of the aquifer of Nkoabang (Centre Region, Cameroon). The methodology of this work consisted of updating the rainfall and temperature data of the Mvan meteorological station in Yaoundé to carry out the hydrological and water balances of the Nkoabang aquifer and performing the piezometric monitoring of seven wells and one spring in the dry season and the rainy season. The average rainfall height for the period between 1951–2017 was 1577 ± 222 mm, while the monthly temperatures ranged from 22.8 (July) to 25.4 °C (February) for an average of 24.1 °C ± 0.8 °C. The average interannual infiltration was 137 mm, corresponding to an infiltration coefficient of 8.68%. The value of the piezometric levering varies between 706 and 718 m for an average of 711.76 m during the dry season. It fluctuates between 706 and 719 m during the rainy season for an average of 712.95 ± 4.09 m. Irrespective of the season, the highest and lowest values are those of P6 and P3, respectively. Piezometric level values vary little from one season to another but are higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. Wells in the study area generally show small variations in piezometric level amplitude, ranging from 0.4 to 3.3 m with an average of 1.19 ± 1 m. The analysis of the piezometric map of the Nkoabang aquifer shows a flow in the NE-SW direction; storage areas south of the study areas and the water supply area in the peaks and NE of Nkoabang. The daily indicative flow rates of the spring (S) are 0.15 m³ (dry season), which can supply in the dry and rainy seasons 36 to 46 people, respectively, based on a ratio of 0.1 m³ per day per habitant. Full article

Globally, the seasonal snow cover is the areal largest, the most short-lived and the most variable part of the cryosphere. Remote sensing proved to be a reliable tool to investigate their short-term variations worldwide. The medium-resolution sensor MODIS sensor has been delivering daily snow products since the year 2000. Remaining data gaps due to cloud coverage or polar night are interpolated using the DLR’s Global SnowPack (GSP) processor which produces daily global cloud-free snow cover. With the conclusion of the hydrological year 2022 in the northern hemisphere, the snow cover dynamics of the last 23 hydrological years can now be examined. Trends in snow cover development over different time periods (months, seasons, snow seasons) were examined using the Mann–Kendall test and the Theil–Sen slope. This took place as both pixel based and being averaged over selected hydrological catchment areas. The 23-year time series proved to be sufficient to identify significant developments for large areas. Globally, an average decrease in snow cover duration of −0.44 days/year was recorded for the full hydrological year, even if slight increases in individual months such as November were also found. Likewise, a large proportion of significant trends could also be determined globally at the catchment area level for individual periods. Most drastic developments occurred in March, with an average decrease in snow cover duration by −0.16 days/year. In the catchment area of the river Neman, which drains into the Baltic Sea, there is even a decrease of −0.82 days/year. Full article

We hypothesized that neotropical Myrtaceae could be organized into groups that are naturally less or non-responsive to NO₃⁻, and that use other N forms, such as amino acids, for internal N transport. Ecophysiological tests were conducted to measure nitrate reductase activity (NRA), NO₃⁻ content, total N, δ¹⁵N natural abundance, the C:N ratio in leaves, free amino acid, and NO₃⁻ transport via xylem sap. We showed that Myrtaceae tree species have a relatively low NRA, in addition to little NO₃⁻ in leaves and free NO₃⁻ in the xylem sap during the wet and dry seasons. We suggested a possible compartmentalization of N use, wherein plants derive their internal N from and use their transport mechanism to move N between below-ground and above-ground parts, assimilating and transporting more N and C through amino acids such as glutamine, arginine, and citrulline. Evidence of low NO₃⁻ availability in tropical soils is important when trying to understand forest species’ N-use strategies, given their importance to plant nutrition. Differences in the responses of some Myrtaceae species to the seasonality of environmental factors suggest the need for further studies concerning N in natural forests, for example, to help understand the problem of N deposition ecosystems. Full article

Improving the quality of atmospheric precipitation measurements is crucial in the view of minimizing the uncertainty in weather forecasting, climate change impact assessment, water resource assessment and management, and drought and flood prediction. Remote sensing technology has considerably improved the spatio-temporal assessment of precipitation. Despite the advancement in the remote sensing technology, there is a need to investigate the robust approach towards integrating ground-based-measured and satellite-product precipitation to better understand the hydrologic process of any basin. Several data-merging methods have been proposed; however, the application of merged precipitation products for hydrological simulation has rarely been investigated. Thus, in this review, technical characteristics including basic assumptions, along with their procedures, are discussed. Moreover, the limitations of eight commonly used merging approaches, (1) Multiple Linear Regression, (2) Residual Inverse Distance Weighting, (3) Linearized Weighting, (4) Inverse Root-Mean-Square Error Weighting, (5) Optimal Interpolation, (6) Random-Forest-Based Merging Procedure, (7) Bayesian Model Averaging, and (8) the Kriging Method, and their advances with respect to hydrological simulation are discussed. Finally, future research directions towards improving data merging approaches are recommended. Full article

Urban areas can be differently anthropized; often, high-density populations lead to higher amounts of pollution. Nowadays, ornamental plants can represent important living components of urban areas, and if appropriate species are used, they can provide important ecosystem services. The relationships between green infrastructures and ecosystem services have been recognized for a long time, but the role of ornamental plant species has not been studied as much. In this frame, the different ecosystem services of ornamental plants, i.e., provisioning (e.g., food, air, and water cleaning), regulating (e.g., rain water, climate, nutrient recycling, pollination, and the formation of fertile soils), and cultural (e.g., recreation opportunities or the inspiration we draw from nature) will be critically analyzed to select the most suitable ornamental plant species able to assure the better performance. The action mechanisms will also be analyzed and discussed to individuate the best ideotypes of plant species able to better assure water purification, air quality, space for recreation, climate mitigation and adaptation, human wellbeing, and health. This information is suitable to ensure that the protection, restoration, creation, and enhancement of green infrastructure become integral parts of urban spatial planning and territorial development. Full article

Water-regulating ecosystem services (ESs) are a key factor in water supply for the population and the economy. In recent years, these ESs have been intensively included in regional and global assessments. However, the degree of knowledge of various water-regulating ESs and the availability of models for their estimation and mapping vary greatly. For example, most regional assessments currently do not take into account the ESs of moisture and precipitation recycling by forests which can lead to erroneous decisions on land use and forest management. To what extent is it possible to make adequate decisions on the basis of a partial assessment of the ESs? In this article, we discuss this problem using the example of boreal forests in the catchment of the Lake Kenozero in the north of the European part of Russia. Using the InVEST model, two ESs were quantified and mapped: water yield regulation due to evapotranspiration and water quality assurance due to prevention of soil erosion. The reduction in water yield due to evapotranspiration was estimated at 125 mm/year, and the prevention of soil erosion was estimated at 9.56 t/ha/year. Forest felling in the study area from 2007 to 2021 led to an increase in runoff and soil erosion by 6 mm/year and 0.03 t/ha/year, respectively. The hypothetical total instantaneous forest loss could lead to an increase in runoff and soil erosion by 71 mm/year and 2.44 t/ha/year, respectively. A tradeoff between these ESs was predictably identified as deforestation led to an increase in water yield and a deterioration in water quality due to soil erosion. The significance of a number of other water-regulating ESs for making regional decisions was expertly assessed. In particular, the importance of the ESs of precipitation recycling of sludge under climate change was discussed. Expanding the range of ESs under consideration increases the likelihood of choosing a protection strategy instead of a harvesting one in forest management. Full article

Plastics are a precious, versatile set of materials. The accumulation of plastic waste threatens the environment. Recycling plastic waste can produce many new products. The many opportunities for using plastic waste create pressure for a strategy to develop or improve current waste management systems to reduce the negative impact on humans, fauna and flora. The objective of this review paper is to consider an opportunity to recycle plastic; to convert plastic waste into plastic sand bricks. This would reduce the impact of the four emerging crises (plastic pollution, unemployment, the shortage of affordable housing and climate change) identified in South Africa as a threat to sustainability. This paper reviews studies utilising plastic waste to manufacture materials for the construction industry. The feasibility of using plastic waste to manufacture bricks revealed high compressive strength, low water absorption and weighed considerably lower compared to traditional bricks. Plastic sand bricks, therefore, can provide a solution that can be used to curb the four emerging crises and contribute to sustainability. Full article

In this era of globalization, with social problems extending across social and geographical boundaries, partnerships between governments and international organizations are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Agriculture is essential to reducing poverty in Cameroon. Since 2002, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has contributed to agricultural development through various projects in Cameroon. However, research has not been conducted to determine the contributions of agricultural development to poverty reduction. The aim of this study is to outline current agricultural problems and international cooperation projects in Cameroon. A social inquiry involving the collection of qualitative and quantitative data was conducted to assess whether agricultural projects have contributed to increasing income and alleviating other multidimensional indicators of poverty amongst the beneficiaries. In this paper, we provide useful recommendations with respect to solving the problem of poverty and achieving the SDGs. The analysis revealed that agriculture projects have significantly contributed to an increase in income, wellbeing and standard of living of the project beneficiaries. African countries, such as Cameroon, need to address poverty by improving the agricultural sector because these nations cannot currently maintain a stable crop production. International cooperation in the agricultural sector can help to increase crop yields, incomes and quality of life. Full article

Groundwater is a useful source of water for various uses in different places. The major challenge in the use of this resource is how to manage and protect it from contamination. The current study was conducted in Morogoro Municipality to identify vulnerable groundwater areas by using DRASTIC-LU/LC model. The study applied eight input parameters, i.e., depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, hydraulic conductivity and land use/land cover patterns, which were overlaid in GIS to generate groundwater vulnerable map. The model used rating (R = 1–10) and weighting (W = 1–5) techniques to assess the effect of each parameter on groundwater contamination. The DRASTIC-LU/LC Vulnerability Index map was classified into low- (area = 29.2 km²), moderate- (area = 120.4 km²) and high-vulnerability zones (area = 124.4 km²). Nitrate analysis was conducted using the cadmium reduction method (DR 890) to assess the validity of the model and it was observed that 55%, 15% and 50% of the samples with unacceptable (>50 mg/L), high (29–50 mg/L) and moderate (14–28 mg/L) nitrate concentrations, respectively, fall into the high-vulnerability zone. Furthermore, 45%, 70% and 50% of the samples with unacceptable, high and moderate nitrate concentrations, respectively, fall into the moderate-vulnerability zone. In the low-vulnerability zone, only 15% of samples were found with a high nitrate concentration. Full article

The article describes the paleobiogeographic history of the modern subfamilies so-called “crown deer” of the family Cervidae (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) in the world from the late Miocene to the late Pleistocene. The study overviews the taxonomic diversity and evolutionary radiation of Cervidae from all zoogeographic realms where this systematic group is present in the paleontological record. The evolutionary diversification of the fossil Cervidae is based on the estimations of species body masses that are regarded here as a proxy of occupied ecological niches. The study reveals two important evolutionary radiations of Cervidae during the late Miocene of Eurasia that gave the origin of the modern subfamilies Cervinae and Capreolinae. The evolutionary radiation of Capreolinae during the Pleistocene in South America shows a range of diversity comparable to the late Miocene radiations of Old World deer and provides multiple examples of evolutionary convergences with Eurasian Pleistocene cervids. The article discusses factors that shaped the modern biogeographic distribution of representatives of the subfamilies Cervinae and Capreolinae. Full article

Due to rapid urbanization and population growth, identification and management of illegal dump sites has been a global challenge. In this study, satellite imagery and geographic information system were used to map potential illegal dump sites (PIDS). An original analytical approach was developed to identify PIDS using a set of remote sensing indices and vector files. The Network Analysis tool was used to prioritize PIDS considering driving distance between PIDS and neighboring populated points. A total of five variables (Landfills, LST, HCHO, Highways, and EVI) were considered. A study area in Saskatchewan, Canada, was selected, and the identified PIDS account for about 37.3% of the total area. Road network intensity and accessibility appear important to the occurrence of PIDS. Overall road densities in identified PIDS ranged from 0.098 to 0.251 km/km². All five variables have observable effects on the occurrence of PIDS; however, LST and highways are recommended for future studies due to their higher membership grade and spatial sensitivity. The combination of multiple remote sensing indices and network analysis on PIDS prioritization is advantageous. The proposed PIDS mapping and prioritization method can be easily employed elsewhere. Full article

Ecosystem services, like water provision or pollination, may increase both agricultural productivity (that is, the capability of the sector to increase the output in volume and value) and alleviate poverty (for instance, through food provision). In addition, increased agricultural productivity can help alleviate poverty by increasing the profitability of the sector, the income of the farmers, and the rates of return on (natural and other) capital investments. However, those beneficial effects come at the cost of (possible) deterioration of existing ESs, that, prima facie, represented the main driver for the generation of benefits. This paper, therefore, identifies and discusses the implications (and possible remedies) of a critical issue that, to our knowledge, is under-studied in an integrated context and methodological approach. Full article

Globally, wildfires and prescribed fires are becoming more prevalent and are known to affect plant and animals in diverse ecosystems. Understanding the responses of animal communities to fire is a central issue in conservation and a panacea to predicting how fire regimes may affect communities and food webs. Here, a global meta-analysis of 2581 observations extracted from 208 empirical studies were used to investigate the effect of fire on aboveground and belowground fauna (e.g., bacteria, fungi, small mammals, arthropods). Overall, results revealed that fire had a negative effect on biomass, abundance, richness, evenness, and diversity of all faunas. Similarly, when considering wildfires and prescribed fires the data revealed that both fire regimes have negative effects on fauna. Similarly, fire had negative impacts on aboveground and aboveground fauna across most biomes and continents of the world. Moreover, there was little evidence of changes in pH, moisture and soil depth on soil organisms suggesting that other factors may drive community changes following a fire disturbance. Future research in fire ecology should consider the effects of fire across several species and across larger geospatial scales. In addition, fire effects on faunal community structure must be studied under contrasting global fire regimes and in light of the effects of climate change. Full article

Solanum elaeagnifolium, one of the world’s most widespread invasive weeds, thrives in the regions of Tunisia with a semi-arid climate. An enhanced understanding of its biological traits could be useful for its management. For this purpose, S. elaeagnifolium vegetative propagation, flowering, fruiting, and spread patterns were assessed under semi-arid environmental conditions at Chott Mariem (Tunisia) over three years (2013–2015). Our results revealed that S. elaeagnifolium showed an active vegetative growth phase during the spring (March–May). Thereafter, the plant stopped its vegetative growth in June–August in favor of flowering and fruiting. The vegetative growth resumed during September–October and declined in November, announcing its dormant period. Thanks to its vigorous rhizomatous system, S. elaeagnifolium was able to emit offshoots within a radius of 1.5 m from parent shoots by 30 months after its establishment. These findings could inform and improve dedicated management control options for S. elaeagnifolium. Silverleaf nightshade should be controlled before the full-flowering stage in spring and following the first autumnal rainfall to prevent vegetative propagation and fruiting. Full article

A variety of elements in nature, from a pine cone’s bracts to a spiral galaxy, are described by a unique mathematical relationship described by Fibonacci as adhering to the “golden ratio”. In forest management, various models are used to achieve a balance between forest use and conservation that meets societal expectations in both ecological and economic terms. In Central European countries, where forest management has been subordinated to the timber industry, such a transition is still in progress, and people continue to look for an acceptable balance between forest conservation and management. The main objective of this paper is to review approaches to forest management in Central Europe with the aim of contributing to current discussions on forest management models in Europe. We anticipate that the new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 will implement the billion-tree afforestation program with appropriate consideration of forest potential based on the tenets of sustainable management and that the future climate will be neutral. We hope that the forestry aspects of the strategy will provide a positive impetus to forest management by finding effective compromises between forest conservation and forest use in furthering the aims of sustainable development. Full article

Soil temperature is a crucial parameter in surface emissions of carbon, water, and energy exchanges. This study utilized the soil temperature of 836 national basic meteorological observing stations over China to evaluate three soil temperature products. Soil temperature data from the China Meteorology Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA-Interim), and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) during 2017 are evaluated. The results showed that soil temperature reanalysis datasets display a significant north-to-south difference over eastern China with generally underestimated magnitudes. CLDAS data perform soil temperature assessment best at different depths and can be reproduced well in most areas of China. CLDAS slightly overestimates soil temperature in summer. The most significant deviation of ERA-Interim (GLDAS) appears in summer (summer and autumn). As soil depth increases, the soil temperature errors of all three datasets increase. The CLDAS represents the soil temperature over China but owns a more considerable bias in barren or sparsely vegetated croplands. ERA-Interim performs poorest in urban and built-up and barren or sparsely vegetated areas. GLDAS overall owns an enormous bias at the mixed forest, grassland, and croplands areas, which should be improved, especially in summer. However, it performs better in open shrublands and barren or sparsely vegetated areas. The ST of mixed forests shows better results in the south region than the north region. For grasslands, smaller MEs are located in the north and northwest regions. The ST of croplands shows the poorest performance over the northwest region. Full article

Hydroclimatic processes such as precipitation, temperature, wind speed and dew point are usually considered to be independent of each other. In this study, the cross–correlations between key hydrological-cycle processes are examined, initially by conducting statistical tests, then adding the impact of long-range dependence, which is shown to govern all these processes. Subsequently, an innovative stochastic test that can validate the significance of the cross–correlation among these processes is introduced based on Monte-Carlo simulations. The test works as follows: observations obtained from numerous global-scale timeseries were used for application to, and a comparison of, the traditional methods of validation of statistical significance, such as the t-test, after filtering the data based on length and quality, and then by estimating the cross–correlations on an annual-scale. The proposed method has two main benefits: it negates the need of the pre-whitening data series which could disrupt the stochastic properties of hydroclimatic processes, and indicates tighter limits for upper and lower boundaries of statistical significance when analyzing cross–correlations of processes that exhibit long-range dependence, compared to classical statistical tests. The results of this analysis highlight the need to acquire cross–correlations between processes, which may be significant in the case of long-range dependence behavior. Full article

Bush encroachment is a habitat change phenomenon that threatens savanna and grassland ecosystems worldwide. In Africa, large carnivores in bush encroached landscapes must adjust to increasing woody plant cover and biomass, which could affect predation success at multiple stages through complex and context-dependent pathways. We highlight, interpret, and compare studies that assessed how bush encroachment or related habitat parameters affect the predation stages of large African carnivores. Bush encroachment may directly or indirectly affect predation success in various ways, including by: (1) altering habitat structure, which may affect hunting efficiency and prey accessibility; (2) changing prey abundance/distribution, with smaller species and browsers being potentially favoured; (3) influencing interference competition within the carnivore guild. For habitat or dietary specialists, and subordinate predators that are vulnerable to both top-down and bottom-up ecosystem effects, these alterations may be detrimental and eventually incur population fitness costs. As the threat of bush encroachment continues, future studies are required to assess indirect effects on competitive interactions within the large African carnivore guild to ensure that conservation efforts are focused. Additionally, to better understand the effects of bush encroachment across Africa, further research is necessary in affected areas as overall little attention has been devoted to the topic. Full article