Search Results (6,999)

Water scarcity is a major constraint to agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions, yet its implications for communal goat production systems remain insufficiently documented. This study assessed communal goat farmers’ perceptions of water scarcity and identified factors influencing this challenge in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A structured questionnaire was administered to 218 smallholder goat farmers, and data were analysed using SPSS (v29). A ranking index was employed to prioritise production constraints, goat functions, and water sources. Additionally, water samples from dams, streams, and rainwater were analysed for key physicochemical parameters. Results showed that theft (index = 0.233) was the most important production constraint, followed by parasites/diseases (0.219), predators (0.211), and water scarcity (0.187), which consistently ranked fourth across seasons. Despite this ranking, farmers perceived water scarcity to have substantial impacts on production, including increased disease prevalence (46.3% severe), mortality (45.0% severe), reduced weight at maturity (61.9% severe), increased trekking distance to water sources (59.2% severe), and reduced feed quality (54.6% severe). Farmers generally perceived water as clean and non-saline; however, laboratory analysis revealed poor quality, with pH values ranging from 9.14 to 10.72 and turbidity exceeding recommended thresholds (<5 NTU) in most dam and stream samples. Water accessibility was limited, with goats travelling an average of 5.85 km to dams and 7.71 km to streams. Key drivers of water scarcity included reduced rainfall (50.9%), lack of government intervention (49.1%), and drying of dams (40.4%). The study highlights a critical mismatch between perceived and actual water quality and demonstrates the multidimensional impacts of water scarcity on goat health, productivity, and welfare. Future research requires longitudinal studies linking water quality to goat health outcomes, intervention research on farmer education, low-cost water-treatment technologies, governance studies of water infrastructure, and economic analyses quantifying productivity losses. Full article

Optimizing cultivation methods is crucial for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of protected agriculture in water-limited regions. This study systematically evaluated the effects of three cultivation methods—bucket, non-woven bag, and underground trough cultivation—on the root-zone environment, growth, yield, and quality of greenhouse-grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Provence’) in a Gobi Desert facility. Key root-zone parameters (substrate temperature, moisture, and electrical conductivity) and plant agronomic traits (plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and SPAD) were monitored throughout the growth cycle. Final yield and fruit quality indicators (lycopene, soluble sugars, and vitamin C) were analyzed. The results demonstrated that bucket and underground trough cultivation created a more stable root-zone environment, with better moisture retention and temperature regulation than bag cultivation. These methods significantly improved plant growth, with yield per plant increasing by 23.18% and 18.18% under bucket and underground trough cultivation, respectively, alongside enhanced fruit quality metrics. In conclusion, bucket and underground trough cultivation effectively optimize the root-zone environment, leading to superior tomato growth, yield, and quality compared to traditional non-woven bag cultivation. These methods show significant potential for application in arid and semi-arid regions to support sustainable and efficient greenhouse production. Full article

Genetic resources of small ruminants are essential for food security in arid regions; however, basic data for each breed in Saudi Arabia remain incomplete. This study establishes a comprehensive national database through a systematic survey of 104 farms, covering 21,214 heads of livestock (sheep and goats) across the kingdom’s primary agro-ecological zones between January and October 2025. Although national census data indicate that major breeds of sheep such as Naeemi, Najdi, Arabi, and Harri or goats such as Ardi exceed the FAO’s numerical thresholds for “not at risk,” our analysis reveals a fundamental paradox of “genetic vulnerability,” defined as a high risk of inbreeding depression and genetic stagnation despite high census numbers. The results show significant regional variations in prolificacy (p < 0.05), with the southern region displaying a substantial productivity gap compared to the central and eastern regions, mainly due to reliance on traditional grazing (46.7%) and limited infrastructure. This vulnerability is driven by a high risk of systematic inbreeding, with 65.7% of breeders acquiring sires from their own herds, a situation worsened by a severe 80% shortage of high-quality breeding males in the central region. Furthermore, selection criteria heavily emphasize esthetic phenotypic traits (over 80%) rather than production indicators (less than 8%), hindering genetic progress. Correlation analysis showed that higher farmer education levels were negatively associated with reproductive challenges (r = −0.216), while high feed prices remained a near-universal obstacle (97.1%). To mitigate these risks, we recommend implementing region-specific sire exchange programs to break closed breeding loops and establishing a national performance recording system to shift selection focus from phenotypic traits to measurable productivity. This study provides a vital, evidence-based framework for transitioning toward data-driven, resilient conservation and breeding strategies. Full article

Characterized as one of the most controversial and widely used grasses in various regions, buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link) is considered a significant and problematic invasive exotic species and an adaptable and resilient forage source with relatively high biomass production and resistance to harsh agroecological conditions. Objective: The objective of this documentary research is to present a systematic review of buffelgrass dynamics, focusing on its global management and specifically on the arid regions of Mexico, particularly Sonora. This review highlights its forage potential, invasive capacity, adaptability, and the different scales of its multifactorial relationship within the productive-environmental sphere. Methods: Information on buffelgrass in various regions of the world, with an emphasis on arid regions, was reviewed and summarized. This information was gathered from a selection of 59 articles, considering common aspects such as appropriate methodologies, location within the geographical limits of aridity, and originating from Web of Science repositories. The search criteria included “Pennisetum ciliare and Cenchrus ciliaris”, “invasion”, “livestock”, “forage”, “sustainability”, and “restoration”, among other key concepts, with a timeframe limited to the year 2026. This allowed for the definition of thematic axes for the descriptions presented. Main results: The results highlight various treatments in agriculture and livestock farming, its use in combination with other grasses, and the implementation of adjuvants, which improves its performance. In this regard, its use as a substitute for primary forage with 500 mm of annual irrigation is emphasized, achieving biomass production levels of up to 18.4 t ha⁻¹. Conclusions: Buffelgrass in vulnerable arid territories, such as Sonora, Mexico, could improve soil cover, nutrient content, and biological presence; however, in a state of equilibrium, it can cause alterations that are difficult to reverse and that compromise local ecology and water resources. Full article

Optimizing orchard mulching regimes is a pivotal strategy for mitigating the detrimental effects of water scarcity and soil degradation on kiwifruit productivity in the Guanzhong Plain, China. To characterize the integrated effects of varying mulching patterns, a two-year field study was conducted in a kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) orchard, evaluating four treatments: (1) FG: intra-row fabric with inter-row grass (multiple mulch); (2) FN: intra-row fabric with inter-row bare soil; (3) NG: intra-row bare soil with inter-row grass; and (4) NN: intra-row bare soil with inter-row bare soil. Understanding the impacts of these regimes on the edaphic environment, photosynthetic performance, and sugar metabolism is essential for improving kiwifruit production under semi-arid conditions. The results demonstrated that the FG treatment significantly improved soil water storage (SWS), with an increase of 1.83–55.16 mm, and enhanced the soil nutrient content (NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, and soil organic matter), thereby optimizing the rhizosphere environment. During the critical phenological stages, the FG treatment increased the leaf photosynthetic parameters, such as the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (Gs), while reducing the intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci). Specifically, grass mulching (FG and NG) elevated the chlorophyll a content during early growth and carotenoids levels throughout reproduction, whereas fabric mulching (FG and FN) enhanced the chlorophyll b content throughout the entire reproductive period. Collectively, these improvements bolstered photosynthetic efficiency and may have contributed to improved carbon allocation and sugar accumulation. All three mulching treatments (FG, FN, and NG) significantly improved the fruit yield-related parameters, including the total fruit number per plant (PFN), single fruit weight (SFW), and yield (Y), as well as the fruit sugar-related indices, such as soluble solids content (TSS), total soluble sugar content (TS), reducing sugar (TRS), and the sugar–acid ratio (SAR). The partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed that these improvements were primarily driven by the synergistic optimization of SWS and photosynthetic productivity. Notably, the model identified a physiological trade-off between yield formation and sugar accumulation, while the overall fruit quality exerted a strong positive influence on sugar metabolism. The correlation analysis indicated that the higher fruit sucrose accumulation under the FG and FN treatments were associated with increased sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activities, suggesting a potential link between mulching-induced improvements in plant physiological status and sucrose metabolism. These findings suggest that the combined use of intra-row fabric and inter-row grass mulching (FG) provides a sustainable strategy for enhancing soil conditions and fruit quality in water-limited kiwifruit orchards. Full article

Central Asia is a typical arid region where surface water resources are scarce and primarily sustained by westerly precipitation and glacier meltwater. Lakes and their drainage basins therefore play a critical role in sustaining fragile oasis ecosystems, and their responses to climatic variability and human activities provide key insights into regional environmental change. Aibi Lake, a representative terminal lake in arid Central Asia, is surrounded by abundant nebkhas developed on the dried lakebed. These landforms reflect the coupled vegetation-aeolian processes. However, their formation and evolution remain poorly constrained due to limited high-precision chronology. Here we establish a robust chronology for nebkha development in the southeastern Aibi Lake basin by integrating single-grain K-feldspar pIR₅₀IR₁₅₀ dating with Cs-137 measurements, and reconstruct environmental changes using grain-size distributions and magnetic susceptibility. Internal checks indicate that the single-grain pIR₅₀IR₁₅₀ protocol is suitable for dating young nebkha sediments. Cs-137 is mainly concentrated in the upper ~30 cm, within which two fallout horizons (1963 and 1986) are identified despite the relatively coarse sampling resolution in the uppermost section. The K-feldspar pIR₅₀IR₁₅₀ age at ~30 cm agrees with the independent Cs-137 constraint, further supporting the reliability of the established chronology. The combined age control indicates that the main nebkha body accumulated over the past ~200 years, whereas the underlying deposits likely reflect erosion and reworking of inter-nebkha surfaces during nebkha development. The recent nebkha formation initiated around ~200 years ago, followed by slow accretion under weak aeolian conditions, rapid growth since the mid-20th century driven by intensified aridification and accelerated lake shrinkage, and a recent decline in sediment accumulation associated with surface stabilization. These results demonstrate that young Nitraria nebkhas can serve as sensitive archives for reconstructing recent aeolian activity and environmental change at decadal-to-centennial timescales in arid terminal lake basins. Full article

This study analyzes changes in temperature, precipitation, and drought conditions on three small islands in the southern Adriatic (Vis, Lastovo, and Mljet) over the period 1981–2024, to identify the spatial and seasonal heterogeneity of the climate signal and its relationship with drought occurrence. The analysis reveals a statistically significant and consistent increase in mean annual air temperature at all analyzed stations, with warming being strongly seasonally asymmetric and most pronounced during the summer months. In contrast, precipitation trends are weak, spatially heterogeneous, and statistically insignificant in most cases, with a locally pronounced increase in precipitation in the interior and more orographically complex areas of Mljet. Drought conditions were assessed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the New Drought Index (NDI). The annual SPI exhibits strong interannual variability without a clear long-term trend, and in some cases an apparent increase driven by episodic extremely wet years. In contrast, the NDI clearly detects a systematic increase in aridity, particularly during the warm part of the year, reflecting the combined effect of rising temperatures and unfavourable precipitation distribution. June emerges as a key transitional month with a regionally coherent and statistically significant drying signal, whereas October shows weak and inconsistent trends due to the dominance of episodic precipitation extremes. The results confirm that drought assessment on small Mediterranean islands based solely on precipitation may be misleading, and that integrated indices incorporating the energy aspect of climate provide a more realistic representation of changes in aridity. Full article

This study presents the first systematic evaluation of the capability of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite Level-2 High Rate Pixel Cloud (L2_HR_PIXC) product for retrieving topography in reservoir drawdown zones under varying terrain conditions in arid and semi-arid regions. Three representative reservoirs in southern Xinjiang, China—characterized by plain, canyon, and pocket-shaped canyon morphologies—were selected to establish a terrain-dependent validation framework. A novel multi-feature clustering strategy integrating elevation and radar backscatter coefficients was explored to reduce the misclassification of wet mudflats as water pixels in the PIXC product, aiming to improve DEM accuracy in reservoir drawdown zones. Based on this framework, multi-cycle SWOT-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) were generated and quantitatively evaluated against high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) DEMs. Results demonstrate a strong terrain dependency in SWOT-derived elevation accuracy. In low-relief environments, sub-meter accuracy is achieved, with the root mean square error (RMSE) below 0.25 m, confirming the suitability of SWOT for high-precision monitoring. However, errors increase significantly in steep and complex terrains, reaching up to ±6 m, primarily due to interferometric decorrelation, geometric distortion, and slope-induced biases. Despite these limitations, multi-temporal observations exhibit generally similar spatial error patterns across terrains, indicating reasonable repeatability under the tested conditions. This study reveals the performance boundaries of SWOT-derived DEMs in dynamic land–water transition zones and provides a robust methodological framework for improving DEM extraction in similar environments. The findings contribute to advancing the application of SWOT data in hydrological monitoring and geomorphological analysis at regional scales. Full article

Soil salinization is one of the most severe forms of land degradation in arid and semi-arid regions, posing substantial threats to agroecosystem stability and food security. In this study, saline–alkali soil collected from the Wuding River Basin in Yulin, Shaanxi Province was used to construct a three-factor amendment system comprising superabsorbent polymers (SAP), biochar, and humic acid. A systematic assessment was conducted to elucidate their combined effects on soil water–salt transport and crop growth. Results from one-dimensional constant-head infiltration experiments using indoor soil columns demonstrated that the application of amendments significantly increased cumulative infiltration and improved the uniformity of wetting-front advancement. Specifically, the treatments regulated the redistribution of salts within the soil profile; while surface salinity reduction varied, the leaching efficiency was significantly enhanced in the A2B2C2 treatment. Soil bulk density (BD) showed dynamic fluctuations during the growth cycle, peaking at 1.628 cm⁻³ during the branching stage, while high-rate biochar (A3) reduced BD by up to 13.64% compared to the control by the initial flowering stage. Fitting results based on the Philip and Kostiakov models further indicated that the combined amendment strategy—particularly the A2B2C2 treatment (30 kg/ha SAP, 15,000 kg/ha biochar, and 600 kg/ha humic acid)—markedly enhanced both the initial infiltration rate and the steady infiltration capacity. Field experiments corroborated the indoor findings: plant height and dry biomass of Melilotus officinalis (L.)Lam. were significantly higher under amendment treatments than in the control, driven by improved water availability, mitigated salt stress, and enhanced soil structure. Single-factor and multi-factor interaction analyses revealed that SAP exerted pronounced effects during early growth stages, whereas biochar and humic acid contributed more substantially during the middle to late stages through sustained regulatory functions. Collectively, the results demonstrate that the combined application of SAP, biochar, and humic acid improves the water–salt regime of saline–alkali soils through a coupled “water–salt–structure–plant” mechanism, ultimately enhancing crop productivity. This study provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance for the amelioration of saline–alkali soils. Full article

As a strategic node of the Silk Road Economic Belt and a prototypical valley-type city, Lanzhou is subject to the dual constraints of rapid urbanization and an inherently fragile ecological foundation, making the coordination between urban expansion and ecosystem services a critical issue for regional sustainability. Drawing upon multi-temporal land use remote sensing datasets provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Resource and Environment Science Data Center, in conjunction with soil, meteorological, and socio-economic data, this study integrates a land use transition matrix, the InVEST model, a modified coupling coordination degree model, and the geographic detector to comprehensively examine land use dynamics, the spatiotemporal evolution of urban expansion, and the spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem services (i.e., carbon storage, water yield, habitat quality, and soil conservation) in Lanzhou. In addition, the coupling coordination relationship and its underlying driving mechanisms are systematically explored. The results demonstrate the following: (1) Between 1980 and 2020, urban land area in Lanzhou increased from 103.87 km² to 286.83 km², accounting for 2.17% of the total area, with cropland constituting the dominant source of expansion and exhibiting a fluctuating “high–low–high” conversion trajectory. (2) Ecosystem services exhibit pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with carbon storage and habitat quality displaying a pattern of “low in the southeast and high in the northwest”, water yield showing an increasing gradient from southeast to northwest, and soil conservation characterized by “lower values in central areas and higher values in peripheral regions”; (3) Urban expansion has accelerated significantly, with Yongdeng County and Gaolan County emerging as principal expansion hotspots during 2010–2020. (4) The dominant driving mechanism gradually shifted from natural factors to the synergistic interaction between natural and socioeconomic factors, and the interaction among driving factors markedly enhanced the explanatory power for ecosystem service evolution. (5) The coupling coordination degree has transitioned from widespread imbalance to a spatially differentiated pattern, characterized by relatively coordinated conditions in peripheral areas and persistent imbalance within the central urban core. These findings provide a robust scientific basis for territorial spatial optimization and the synergistic development of ecological and economic systems in valley-type cities, and offer important implications for sustainable development in arid and semi-arid regions. Full article

Cropping systems and agronomic practices play a critical role in regulating soil organic matter dynamics and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which are key components of the global carbon cycle and climate change mitigation. However, the combined effects of tillage practices and seasonal climatic variability on CO₂ fluxes in chernozem soils (chernozems, WRB classification; highly fertile, humus-rich soils typical of steppe regions) of Northern Kazakhstan remain insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to quantify soil CO₂ emissions under conventional tillage, no-till, and bare fallow systems during spring wheat cultivation on ordinary chernozems. Field experiments were conducted between 2023 and 2025 in the Kostanay Region (Kazakhstan). Soil CO₂ fluxes were measured using a chamber-based method, while soil temperature, moisture, and microbial community structure were monitored simultaneously. The results revealed pronounced seasonal and interannual variability in CO₂ emissions, ranging from 2 to 27 g CO₂·m⁻²·day⁻¹. Conventional tillage resulted in higher peak emissions due to increased soil aeration and accelerated organic matter mineralization, whereas no-till systems exhibited a more stable seasonal pattern and lower temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q₁₀ = 2.40 for no-till and 3.25 for conventional tillage). The application of machine learning techniques (Random Forest) significantly improved the prediction accuracy of CO₂ fluxes (R² = 0.67; RMSE = 3.37 g CO₂·m⁻²·day⁻¹) compared to linear models. These findings provide a scientific basis for the development of climate-smart agricultural practices aimed at improving carbon management in semi-arid steppe agroecosystems. Full article

Strengthening the carbon sequestration function of agriculture and reducing carbon emissions during production are critical for enhancing the carbon neutrality capacity of agricultural systems. This study focuses on Lanzhou City in the arid northwest region of China, and uses the emission factor method to analyze carbon emissions and crop carbon sequestration within the local agricultural production system (2000–2023). The results indicate that plastic film and fertilizers, as agricultural production inputs, contribute substantially to the total carbon emissions of the planting industry, while the annual average carbon emissions from sheep account for approximately half of the total annual carbon emissions from animal husbandry. The annual average carbon sequestration of crops is 366,057 tons, with an average annual growth rate of 1.1%. The ratio of crop carbon sequestration to the total carbon emissions from planting and animal husbandry is approximately 2.1:1. Although the carbon sequestration of crops has increased over time, its average annual growth rate remains lower than that of carbon emissions from planting and animal husbandry, resulting in an Agricultural Sustainable Development Index of 54%. Therefore, further efforts are needed to control carbon emissions and increase the carbon sequestration capacity of crops to improve the sustainability of agriculture development in the region. Finally, the Monte Carlo algorithm is used to simulate and predict future carbon emissions from animal husbandry within the agricultural production system, thereby obtaining the relative trends in total carbon emissions from pigs, cows, and sheep over a given period. Limiting the scale and growth rate of major livestock populations can help limit the increase in carbon emissions from animal husbandry. Full article

A growing global demand exists for natural alcoholic beverages produced through spontaneous fermentation with reduced use of commercial additives. In this context, the present study evaluated the impact of bee pollen addition as a nutrient source for wild yeasts on the physicochemical composition, color, phenolic compound profile, and antioxidant capacity of mead. Three distinct meads were produced by applying spontaneous fermentation of Apis mellifera honey: a control (honey diluted in water to 22 °Brix); honey diluted in water and supplemented with bee pollen (30 g L⁻¹); and honey diluted in water and supplemented with a commercial fermentation activator composed of ammonium phosphate (0.4 g L⁻¹). The use of nitrogen sources for wild yeasts reduced the fermentation time by up to 14 days. Notably, only bee pollen caused darkening of the mead, resulting in a more yellowish color. Seventeen phenolic compounds were identified in the meads, including phenolic acids, flavonols, and flavanols. The mead supplemented with bee pollen exhibited higher antioxidant capacity and a greater content of identified phenolic compounds, particularly quercetin-3-β-D-glucoside, at a concentration 100 times higher than that in the control (23.5 mg L⁻¹). These findings indicate that bee pollen acts as a multifunctional fermentative modulator, improving the fermentative performance of wild yeasts and promoting phenolic enrichment, thereby supporting its application in the development of mead. Full article

Plant diversity is a key indicator of ecosystem structure, function, and restoration status, yet its rapid assessment remains challenging in sandy ecosystems where vegetation is sparse, spatially heterogeneous, and strongly affected by exposed soil backgrounds. In such environments, conventional greenness-based spectral indices may not adequately capture species-level variation because plant communities are controlled not only by photosynthetic biomass but also by soil moisture, micro-topography, and dune-related habitat heterogeneity. This study evaluated the potential of Sentinel-2-derived spectral indices for estimating plant α-diversity in the Hunshandak Sandland, northern China. Based on field observations from 888 plots collected during 2017–2024, four α-diversity metrics—species richness, Shannon–Wiener index, Simpson index, and Pielou evenness index—were calculated and compared with 21 spectral indices using correlation analysis, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and random forest (RF) models. The results showed that model performance varied substantially among diversity metrics. Species richness was estimated with the highest accuracy, whereas Shannon–Wiener, Simpson, and Pielou indices showed weaker predictability, indicating that remotely sensed spectral indices were more sensitive to species number than to abundance distribution and evenness. Moisture- and soil-background-sensitive indices, including the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), Bare Soil Index (BSI/BRI), and Chlorophyll Absorption Ratio Index (CARI), showed relatively stable relationships with plant diversity across different vegetation gradients. Although the overall explanatory power was moderate rather than high, the results demonstrate the practical value of Sentinel-2 spectral indices for regional screening of plant diversity patterns in sandy ecosystems. This study provides empirical evidence for biodiversity monitoring and ecological restoration assessment in semi-arid sandy landscapes and highlights the need to integrate environmental covariates, multi-source remote sensing, and phenological information in future studies. Full article

Belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, the Jatropha genus is a promising source for the discovery of antitumor compounds. Jatropha ribifolia is a traditionally used species in folk medicine in the semi-arid region of Brazil, with a few chemical and pharmacological reports. Based on that, the aim of the current work is to isolate, structurally characterize, and assess the cytotoxic activity of isolated compounds through in vitro and in silico analyses. To achieve these main goals, the underground parts were dried, extracted and purified using classical and instrumental chromatographic techniques, leading to the isolation of 16 compounds. Altogether with HR-ESI-MS, IR, one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments, eight previously unreported diterpenes, named ribifolones A-H, along with eight known compounds, were obtained and are herein described. Regarding their activity against melanoma (SK-MEL-28) and colorectal cancer (HCT-116) cell lines, jatrophone was the most potent with IC₅₀ values of 6.19 µM and 10.09 µM, followed by ribifolone C that exhibited a moderate cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ values of 50.71 µM and 33.39 µM, respectively. Network pharmacology analysis suggests the involvement of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in the activity of both compounds; meanwhile, molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrate the main interactions with key proteins in the pathway, indicating putative targets. This work opens new perspectives for the discovery of bioactive compounds found in Euphorbiaceae species, especially from those occurring in Caatinga. Full article