Search Results (237)

The scarcity of land resources has become a bottleneck restricting the development of photovoltaic (PV) energy, and it is imperative to expand PV layout into the ocean. However, existing studies lack a refined site selection framework for large-scale sea areas. This study takes the Northwest Pacific coastal waters as the research area and constructs a three-stage evaluation framework for the suitability of offshore PV site selection, which includes “resource potential–spatial exclusion–multi-criteria assessment”. The results show that the theoretical power generation potential is generally “higher in the south and lower in the north”, with some deviations in local areas due to differences in temperature and wind speed. Only 4.3% of the sea area is feasible for development. The high-suitability areas are concentrated in the southeast coast of Vietnam and the northwest side of Taiwan Island. The South China Sea has superior development potential, while the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea are relatively less suitable. This study generates the first offshore PV site selection map covering the research area, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of differentiated development strategies for regional offshore PV. It has important practical value for promoting the sustainable development of blue energy. Full article

Coin spiders of the genus Herennia Thorell, 1877 are species-rich nephilids distributed across South, East, and Southeast Asia and Australasia. They are notable for ladder-shaped arboricolous webs, extreme sexual size dimorphism, and complex sexual behaviors. The most recent revision recognized 11 species, only 4 of which were described from both sexes. Here, we present a taxonomic revision integrating new morphological and molecular data and recognize 14 species. We describe three new species—H. eva Kuntner from Sulawesi, H. maj Kuntner from Vietnam, and H. tsoi Kuntner et al. from Taiwan—and document previously unknown males of H. oz Kuntner, 2005 from Australia and H. tone Kuntner, 2005 from the Philippines. We also extend the known distribution of H. papuana Thorell, 1881 from New Guinea to Australia. Although several molecular species-delimitation analyses suggest H. oz and H. etruscilla Kuntner, 2005 may be conspecific, consistent and diagnostic morphological differences support their recognition as distinct species. We provide an updated identification key to all valid Herennia species. Additional undescribed endemics are likely to occur across the Asian mainland and the rapidly disappearing forests of Southeast Asian and Australasian islands. The genus’ biogeographic pattern, shaped by an ancestrally broad distribution spanning the Wallace Line, may reflect repeated loss and regain of ballooning, a hypothesis that warrants experimental and comparative testing. Full article

This study provides a systematic analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution and trends in the frequency of significant wave height (SWH) exceeding level 5 (SWH > 2.5 m) and level 7 (SWH > 6 m) in the Northwest Pacific (NWP) for 1993–2024, which are defined as f₅ and f₇, respectively, as well as their correlations with major climate indexes. Our results indicate that (1) the high-value zones for the annual mean f₅ and f₇ are both located in the south waters of the Aleutian Islands, with maximum values of 58.0% and 6.4%, respectively. Winter’s contribution is greatest (maximum values of 96.9% and 16.8% per year), while summer’s is the smallest. (2) f₅ exhibits a significant decline trend across the entire NWP basin (of −0.15 to −0.30%/yr), with the steepest decline occurring in autumn (−0.69%/yr) and the shallowest in summer. f₇ exhibits a significant linear decrease in the open ocean east of Japan (−0.08%/yr) while showing a significant linear increase in the waters east of the Kamchatka Peninsula (0.08%/yr). Both variations peak in winter (maximum values of −0.27% and 0.30% per year) and are smallest in summer. (3) Seasonal and regional variations in climate index–f₅ and f₇ relationships reflect large-scale atmospheric modulation of waves. For example, the Oceanic Niño Index shows a predominantly negative correlation with f₅ in winter (maximum correlation coefficient r_m = −0.70) around the Luzon Strait, shifting to a significant positive correlation in summer (r_m = 0.70) across the extensive region east of Taiwan Island and the Philippines. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation index shows a significant positive correlation with f₇ in summer and autumn (r_m = 0.69) east of Taiwan Island and a strong negative correlation in winter (r_m = −0.77) to the east of Kamchatka Peninsula. Full article

Investigating plant responses to climate change is critical for understanding phylogeography and devising conservation strategies. This study focuses on the Lycoris aurea (L’Hér.) Herb. complex in East Asia, a system characterized by high cytotype diversity (2n = 12–16), to test whether ecological niche differentiation drives its spatio-temporal evolution. We integrated dynamic niche modeling to reconstruct distribution dynamics from the Last Interglacial (LIG) to the future (2100). Results indicate that mainland China populations have expanded northward since the LIG, establishing their current patterns, while island populations (Taiwan, Ryukyu) remained relatively stable due to geographic constraints. Under future warming scenarios, the complex is projected to further expand northward. We identified key migration corridors, with high inter-cytotype connectivity in the Sichuan-Hubei region and intra-cytotype migration in the Yunnan Plateau and Nanling region. Although the two dominant cytotypes currently exhibit niche equivalency, they show distinct climatic sensitivities—Cytotype II is driven by precipitation and Cytotype IV by temperature—and are projected to diverge spatially in the future. These findings elucidate the evolutionary history of L. aurea and provide a reference for the conservation and utilization of Lycoris germplasm. Full article

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PESs) have become a central instrument in global biodiversity finance, yet endangered species-specific PESs remain rare and poorly understood in implementation terms. Taiwan provides a revealing case: a three-year program paying farmers to conserve four threatened species—Prionailurus bengalensis, Lutra lutra, Tyto longimembris, and Hydrophasianus chirurgus—in working farmland across Taiwan and Kinmen island. Through semi-structured interviews with farmers, residents, and local conservation actors, we examine how payments are interpreted, rationalized, enacted, and emotionally experienced at the ground level. This study adopts Colaizzi’s data analysis method, the primary advantage of which lies in its ability to systematically transform fragmented and emotive interview narratives into a logically structured essential description. This is achieved through the rigorous extraction of significant statements and the subsequent synthesis of thematic clusters. Participants reported willingness to continue not only because subsidies offset losses, but because rarity, community pride, and the visible arc of “we helped this creature survive” became internalized rewards. NGOs amplified this shift by translating science into farm practice and “normalizing” coexistence. In practice, conservation work became a social project—identifying threats, altering routines, and defending habitat as a shared civic act. This study does not estimate treatment-effect size; instead, it delivers mechanistic insight at a live policy moment, as Taiwan expands PESs and the OECD pushes incentive reform. The finding is simple and strategically important: endangered-species PESs work best where payments trigger meaning—not where payments replace it. Full article

The East China Sea (ECS) is a globally active region for internal solitary waves (ISWs); however, its overall spatiotemporal distribution remains poorly understood. To address this gap, this study proposes a deep learning method based on multi-source remote sensing imagery (MODIS and SAR) for the intelligent identification and pixel-level segmentation of ISWs in the ECS. We adopted the TransUNet model, which combines the global context-capturing capability of Transformers with the fine-grained segmentation advantages of U-Net to effectively handle the large-scale continuous characteristics of ISWs. The model achieved a Dice coefficient of 71.0% and a precision of 72.7% on the test set, significantly outperforming existing models such as FCN, SegNet, DeepLabV3+, and U-Net. Using this automated framework, multi-source satellite data from 2002 to 2024 were processed to generate the first high-resolution spatiotemporal map of ISWs covering the entire ECS. The map reveals two spatial hotspots: a primary one at the shelf break northeast of Taiwan and a secondary one in the waters southwest of Jeju Island. Furthermore, ISWs exhibit a marked seasonal cycle in both occurrence frequency and properties, peaking in summer and minimizing in winter. This seasonal pattern aligns closely with the physics of internal tide generation via body forcing. By providing the first long-term, high-resolution ISW dataset for the entire ECS, this study demonstrates the potential of deep learning techniques for ISW research in complex marginal seas. Full article

Permeable pavement is commonly used for urban stormwater management and urban heat island mitigation. It has been proven that permeable pavement has such benefits; however, the clogged permeable pavement could lose its function, and there are relatively few studies on its long-term monitoring. This study monitored an in-use permeable sidewalk in central Taipei City, Taiwan, and presented its four-year performance. In the study area, the permeable sidewalk occupies nearly half of the drainage area. The onsite data showed that the average runoff reduction rate in the first year (2021) was 41.2% but decreased to 28.8% in the fourth year (2024). The differences in runoff reduction rate between different rainfall patterns are also discussed. If the permeable pavement is not cleaned, it might lose its permeability after 7 years. The results of the surface temperature monitoring show that the average surface temperature of permeable pavement is maintained at 28.8 °C over the four-year period, whereas the surface temperature of impermeable pavement increases annually. This finding verified that permeable pavement is helpful in stabilizing surface temperatures in urban areas, thereby combating the warming environment. In addition, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) was tested in this study. The results of WBGT showed that the WBGT above the permeable pavement is lower than that on impermeable pavements by about 1–2 °C from 12 p.m. to 16 p.m. This implies that permeable pavement may contribute to a comfortable thermal environment for the public. The results of this study provide crucial information for maintaining permeable pavement and enhancing its beneficial functions. Full article

Kinmen Island, historically known as Quemoy, holds significant historical and geopolitical importance due to its strategic location in the Taiwan Strait, just a few kilometers from the Chinese mainland. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of soil erosion and deposition on Kinmen, providing a scientific foundation for future land conservation and sustainable development initiatives. It also addresses the underrepresentation of small-island environments in soil erosion modeling by adapting the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Unit-Stream-Power-based Erosion Deposition (USPED) models for coarse-textured soils under limited rainfall conditions, offering insights into the reliability and limitations of these models in such contexts. The rainfall–runoff erosivity factor (${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{m}}$) was derived from precipitation data at four stations, while soil samples from ten locations were analyzed for the Soil Erodibility Factor (${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathrm{m}}$). Topographic factors, including the Slope Length and Steepness ($\mathrm{LS}$) and the Topographic Sediment Transport (${\mathrm{LS}}_{\mathrm{T}}$) factors, were computed from a 20 m DEM (Digital Elevation Model), and the Cover-Management Factor ($\mathrm{C}$) was obtained from land use classification. The RUSLE estimated a mean soil erosion rate of 2.17 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, while the USPED results varied with parameterization, ranging from 0.87 to 3.79 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for erosion and 1.39 to 6.51 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for deposition. The results were compared with studies from the neighboring Fujian Province and contextualized through two field expeditions. This pioneering research advances the understanding of erosion and deposition processes in a strategically located island environment and supports evidence-based policies for land conservation, contributing to SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Full article

Coral reefs, with their high biodiversity and ecological service functions, face significant threats due to climate change, overfishing, and pollution. The South China Sea (SCS) hosts rich coral biodiversity, particularly Acropora hyacinthus, a critical species for reef restoration. However, the region’s coral reefs are increasingly degraded, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts. In the present study, the genetic diversity and population structure of A. hyacinthus were examined based on two types of data: double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing data and mitochondrial putative control region DNA (mtCR) sequences. Coral tissue samples were collected from 74 colonies inhabiting two inshore reefs (Sanya) and three offshore reefs (Xisha islands), and 748 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 74 mtCR sequences were obtained and utilized for downstream analysis. The results were consistent in analyses and did not cluster into two geographical groups for the inshore and offshore sites. Phylogenetic analysis showed that individuals of A. hyacinthus inhabiting the five detected sites were likely cryptic species HyaD. Furthermore, AMOVA and pairwise F_ST estimations based on both data types revealed no differentiation among five populations and between inshore and offshore reefs, which could be due to the reproductive mode of broadcast spawning for this species. However, a prevalent low level of genetic diversity was observed when compared with nearby Taiwan regions and Japan, and the geographic history results showed that the effective population size (N_e) had been decreasing for the past 300 years. Thus, we speculated that the populations of A. hyacinthus inhabiting the SCS lack the potential to cope with future climate change adequately, and multiple conservation measures should be implemented based on considering genetic diversity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a common commensal bacterium that has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen. Its multi-antibiotics resistance presents substantial therapeutic challenges in healthcare settings worldwide. Despite its growing clinical relevance, most investigations into antimicrobial resistance determinants have been focused on Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis, leaving S. haemolyticus comparatively understudied. This study aimed to elucidate the genetic basis of multi-drug resistance by characterizing mobile genetic elements associated with predominant S. haemolyticus clones circulating in Taiwan. Methods: From 2010 to 2017, 140 clinical targeted isolates of S. haemolyticus were obtained from individual patients. Two representative strains, SH53 (ST3) and SH51 (ST42), were sequenced using the PacBio^TM platform. The structural organization of SCCmec cassettes and phage-associated resistance islands in the remaining 138 isolates was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specifically designed primers. Results: Of the 140 isolates, 92 (65.7%) were ST42 and 48 (34.3%) were ST3. PCR analysis showed that over two-thirds harbored heavy metal resistance genes. cadD, cadX, arsC, arsB, and arsR occurred in 90.2% of ST42 isolates, with copA in 71.7%. In ST3, these five genes were present in 89.6%, and copA in 64.6%. Fusidic acid (FA) resistance was more frequent in ST42 (46.7%) than ST3 (22.9%) (p = 0.015). Only one ST42 isolate carried fusC. The remaining 52 FA-resistant isolates contained a type I aj1–leader peptide (LP)–fusB structure downstream of smpB, except for a single ST42 isolate with the type IV structure. Conclusions: MDR ST42 S. haemolyticus carrying SCCmec cassettes with heavy metal resistance genes and phage-related islands carrying type I aj1–leader peptide (LP)–fusB structures may represent emerging opportunistic pathogens in Taiwan. Continued longitudinal surveillance is warranted to track the evolution of resistance-associated mobile elements under selective antimicrobial pressure. Full article

Taiwan, located in a subtropical region, has experienced continuous warming in recent years, making the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect one of its most pressing environmental challenges. Importantly, UHI is not confined to Taipei, the most populous city, but is also present in other metropolitan areas. This study investigates UHI effects in the five largest cities in Taiwan and examines climate-related news attention using web crawling. Cross-city comparisons are further conducted through Urban Heat Island Intensity (UHII) and correlation analysis. The results reveal that Taipei records the highest number of UHI-related news reports, particularly during summer, and its UHII is about 1.5 °C to 3 °C higher than in the other four cities. In addition, UHII in Taipei shows a marked increase between 2021 and 2023, suggesting a worsening impact on citizens’ living conditions. Meanwhile, news coverage in Taipei dominates nationwide attention, creating a spatially uneven distribution of media focus. This imbalance may undermine efforts to promote UHI mitigation and adaptation strategies in cities outside Taipei. Overall, this study highlights that UHI is not solely a problem of Taipei but a widespread issue across Taiwan’s urban areas. The findings provide useful references for policymakers and government agencies, emphasizing the need for equitable attention and broader public engagement through media channels to raise awareness and foster comprehensive climate adaptation actions. Full article

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) pose a serious threat to the marine ecosystems and fishery resources in the East China Sea (ECS). Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature High Resolution version 2 data, this study investigated the regional divergence in long-term trends of MHWs in the ECS from 1982 to 2023. The principal findings were as follows. Concerning MHWs, the coastal waters of China from northern Jiangsu coast to northeast of Taiwan Island experienced a relatively high annual average frequency, the longest duration, largest number of total days, strongest intensity, and the most pronounced seasonal signals. Additionally, the areas along the Kuroshio path showed significant levels of frequency, duration, and total days, but with comparatively weak intensity. In the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, EOF1 of the total days and cumulative intensity exhibited notable variation along the path of the Kuroshio and its offshoots, and in Chinese coastal areas. EOF2 showed significantly more conspicuous variation in areas extending from the Yangtze River Estuary to the northern Jiangsu coast. Furthermore, the MHW indices generally showed a positive trend in the ECS from 1982 to 2023. Importantly, the regions with high annual average MHW indices were also characterized by a significantly positive increasing trend. Moderate (79.10%) and strong (19.94%) events were most prevalent, whereas severe (0.82%) and extreme (0.14%) events occurred infrequently. The enhanced solar radiation and the reduced latent heat loss were the main contributing factors of MHWs in the ECS. These findings provide valuable insights into the ecological environment and resources of the ECS as a marine pastoral area. Full article

The survival status of Lumnitzera littorea is near threatened globally and critically endangered in China. Clarifying its global distribution pattern and its changing trends under different future climate models is of great significance for the protection and restoration of its endangered status. To build a model for this purpose, this study selected 73 actual distribution points of Lumnitzera littorea worldwide, combined with 12 environmental factors, and simulated its potential suitable habitats in six periods: the Last Interglacial (130,000–115,000 years ago), the Last Glacial Maximum (27,000–19,000 years ago), the Mid-Holocene (6000 years ago), the present (1970–2000), and the future 2050s (2041–2060) and 2070s (2061–2080). The results show that the optimal model parameter combination is the regularization multiplier RM = 4.0 and the feature combination FC (Feature class) = L (Linear) + Q (Quadratic) + P (Product). The MaxEnt model has a low omission rate and a more concise model structure. The AUC values in each period are between 0.981 and 0.985, indicating relatively high prediction accuracy. Min temperature of the coldest month, mean diurnal range, clay content, precipitation of the warmest quarter, and elevation are the dominant environmental factors affecting its distribution. The environmental conditions for min temperature of the coldest month at ≥19.6 °C, mean diurnal range at <7.66 °C, clay content at 34.14%, precipitation of the warmest quarter at ≥570.04 mm, and elevation at >1.39 m are conducive to Lumnitzera littorea’s survival and distribution. The global potential distribution areas are located along coasts. Starting from the paleoclimate, the plant’s distribution has gradually expanded, and its adaptability has gradually improved. In China, the range of potential highly suitable habitats is relatively narrow. Hainan Island is the core potential habitat, but there are fragmented areas in regions such as Guangdong, Guangxi, and Taiwan. The modern centroid of Lumnitzera littorea is located at (109.81° E, 2.56° N), and it will shift to (108.44° E, 3.22° N) in the later stage of the high-emission scenario (2070s (SSP585)). Under global warming trends, it has a tendency to migrate to higher latitudes. The development of the aquaculture industry and human deforestation has damaged the habitats of Lumnitzera littorea, and its population size has been sharply and continuously decreasing. The breeding and renewal system has collapsed, seed abortion and seedling establishment failure are common, and genetic variation is too scarce. This may indicate why Lumnitzera littorea is near threatened globally and critically endangered in China. Therefore, the protection and restoration strategies we propose are as follows: strengthen the legislative guarantee and law enforcement supervision of the native distribution areas of Lumnitzera littorea, expanding its population size outside the native environment, and explore measures to improve its seed germination rate, systematically collecting and introducing foreign germplasm resources to increase its genetic diversity. Full article

The high spatial resolution of radar data enables the detailed resolution of typhoon vortices and their embedded structures; the assimilation of radar data in the initialization of numerical weather prediction exerts an important influence on the forecasting of typhoon track, intensity, and structures up to at least 12 h. For the case of typhoon Morakot (2009), Taiwan radar data was assimilated to adjust the dynamic and thermodynamic structures of the vortex in the model initialization by the three-dimensional variation data assimilation system in the Advanced Region Prediction System (ARPS). The radial wind was directly assimilated to tune the original unbalanced velocity fields through a 3-dimensional variation method, and complex cloud analysis was conducted by using the reflectivity data. The influence of radar data assimilation on typhoon prediction was examined at the stages of Morakot landing on Taiwan Island and subsequently going inland. The results showed that the assimilation made some improvement in the prediction of vortex intensity, track, and structures in the initialization and subsequent forecast. For example, besides deepening the central sea level pressure and enhancing the maximum surface wind speed, the radar data assimilation corrected the typhoon center movement to the best track and adjusted the size and inner-core structure of the vortex to be close to the observations. It was also shown that the specific humidity adjustment in the cloud analysis procedure during the assimilation time window played an important role, producing more hydrometeors and tuning the unbalanced moisture and temperature fields. The neighborhood-based ETS revealed that the assimilation with the specific humidity adjustment was propitious in improving forecast skill, specifically for smaller-scale reflectivity at the stage of Morakot landing, and for larger-scale reflectivity at the stage of Morakot going inland. The calculation of the intensity-scale skill score of the hourly precipitation forecast showed the assimilation with the specific humidity adjustment performed skillful forecasting for the spatial forecast-error scales of 30–160 km. Full article

This study aims to (1) analyze thermal comfort at outdoor sport events held outside of fixed venues or locations; (2) establish a method for evaluating environmental thermal comfort for large-scale, long-term outdoor activities; and (3) provide suggestions for the arrangement of shifts in routes and participants for heat warning and mitigation. Taiwan ReAnalysis Downscaling (TReAD) data, Sky View Factors (SVFs), GSV2SVF tool, and RayMan Pro were applied to analyze and evaluate thermal comfort at the 2021 Torch Relay Round the Island, Taiwan. In this study, modified Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (mPET), Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were estimated and selected as thermal indicators for the purpose of obtaining a more comprehensive perspective. We also define and present thermal performance with a simple traffic light symbol (green: comfortable/yellow: warm/red: hot) and try to go beyond the concept of heat and visualize it in an easy-to-understand way. Full article