Search Results (3,613)

Reverse osmosis (RO) desalination is a major technology for freshwater production in arid regions, but its energy demand becomes more challenging when the system is supplied by variable renewable energy. This study presents an offline digital-twin-assisted decision-support framework for dynamic RO under Kuwait solar-availability conditions. Within this framework, the predictive models are driven primarily by the dynamic RO process variables, while NASA Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) data provide the Kuwait solar-availability context, and the PV power margin serves as a scenario-level energy indicator. The purpose is to predict instantaneous permeate flow rate, estimate specific energy consumption, and identify energy-efficient operating conditions using machine learning. Kuwait City was used as the solar case-study location. Hourly solar and meteorological data were obtained from NASA POWER, while dynamic RO membrane data were obtained from the open experimental wave desalination dataset published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) through Data.gov and the Marine and Hydrokinetic Data Repository. The RO dataset includes steady-state, ramp, sinusoidal, and Wave Energy Converter SIMulator (WEC-Sim) pressure/flow experiments. The process-flow image used in the system description was also taken from the same NREL dataset and is cited in the figure caption. The raw RO files were cleaned, harmonized, and transformed into a process-informed modeling dataset. Derived features included pressure rate, recovery ratio, salt rejection, estimated pump power, specific energy consumption (SEC), PV power margin, and rolling pressure/flow features. Three supervised regression models were tested: Gradient Boosting, Random Forest, and XGBoost. A representative subset of 60,000 records was used to preserve the main experimental conditions while reducing redundancy in the densely sampled sequential data. Results show that permeate flow rate can be predicted with high accuracy using Gradient Boosting (R² = 0.981; RMSE = 0.161 L/min). The moderate energy prediction performance yielded an R² of 0.654 and RMSE of 7.570 kWh/m³ for Random Forest. The accuracy of permeate conductivity predictions was lower (R² = 0.257; RMSE = 245.44 µS/cm) because membrane and feed characterizing parameters should be included for an adequate water quality control. The proposed approach is best suited as an offline decision-support framework for dynamic RO process analysis. Full article

Keratin is an abundant, recalcitrant structural protein that constitutes the primary component of several animal wastes, particularly chicken feathers. Because of their potential and availability, various technologies, such as anaerobic biodigestion, have been used to degrade keratin and transform feathers into biogas and other value-added products. However, due to their fibrous architecture and rigid structure, keratinous materials are elastic, water-insoluble, and enzymatically resistant, which makes natural degradation difficult. In this sense, before using chicken feathers as feedstock in biodigesters, the keratin in the residue must be cleaved in pretreatment steps. Whether as a single substrate or in co-digestion processes, the keratin breakdown is critical for enhancing biogas production from feathers. In this context, there is growing emphasis on developing pretreatment methods to facilitate protein hydrolysis and digestion, thereby improving biogas generation. To evaluate progress in recycling waste keratin, a bibliometric analysis of original scientific publications on the pretreatment of chicken feathers for anaerobic digestion was conducted using the Scopus database. The findings indicate that researchers apply chicken feathers in processes, including standard biodigestion, co-digestion with food waste, animal manure, and slaughterhouse waste, for biomethane and biohydrogen production. Across the evaluated studies, the pretreatment methods showed notable improvements in feather solubilization and subsequent biogas yield; however, they still encounter key limitations, including ammonia (NH₃) inhibition, high chemical/reagent costs, and high energy demand. Full article

Biochar (BC) and hydrochar (HC) have attracted increasing attention as sustainable soil amendments for improving soil water retention and mitigating agricultural water stress. This review synthesizes and compares the current state of knowledge on the production, physicochemical properties, and hydraulic performance of slow-pyrolysis BC, hydrothermal carbonization hydrochar (HTC HC), and hydrothermal liquefaction hydrochar (HTL HC). The mechanisms governing soil water retention are first examined, followed by a comprehensive review of the effects of amendment properties, feedstock type, thermochemical conversion conditions, particle size, application rate, and soil characteristics on field capacity, permanent wilting point, plant-available water, and water-holding capacity. The available evidence demonstrates that BC generally provides the most consistent improvement in soil hydraulic properties, particularly in coarse-textured soils, whereas the performance of HTC HC is considerably more variable and strongly dependent on hydrothermal conversion conditions and soil characteristics. HTL HC remains largely unexplored but shows promising hydraulic performance and exceptional resistance to biodegradation. Apparently contradictory findings among published studies are shown to arise largely from interactions among feedstock and conversion conditions, resulting amendment properties, soil characteristics, application conditions, and differences in hydraulic evaluation, highlighting the need for integrated mechanistic frameworks rather than interpretation based on individual factors. A comparative assessment of the three materials further considers ecotoxicity, biodegradation, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic analysis. Overall, BC is currently the most mature soil amendment technology, HTC HC offers important advantages for wet biomass utilization, and HTL HC represents a promising but underdeveloped alternative. Future research should emphasize standardized evaluation methods, long-term field validation, and integrated mechanistic approaches linking production conditions, amendment properties, soil characteristics, and application conditions to enable predictive, application-specific design of carbonaceous soil amendments for sustainable soil water management. Full article

Quantifying groundwater storage in karst aquifers remains challenging because of their heterogeneous structure and the scarcity of direct observations. This study proposes a pragmatic approach for characterizing storage and water availability in karst systems at the regional scale using long-term hydrographs from 16 Swiss karst springs and rivers. We distinguish between seasonal storage, associated with recharge events, and low-water storage, which sustains discharge during periods without significant recharge. Seasonal storage was estimated at approximately 30–70 mm for most investigated systems, while total storage reached up to about 140 to 180 mm at some sites, based on recharge–discharge modelling. Low-water storage was estimated to be on the order of 200 mm across most investigated systems, despite differences in hydrogeological settings. Analysis of low-water recession curves showed that most natural springs analyzed in this study followed a similar master recession curve, with low-water conditions defined as beginning at a specific transition discharge of 11.25 L s⁻¹ km⁻². This similarity provides the basis for a regional drought index that estimates the volume of remaining groundwater storage and forecasts discharge several weeks in advance. The results also support a conceptual model in which epikarstic, epiphreatic, and deeper storage compartments attenuate short-term discharge variability while sustaining low-water discharge over prolonged periods. Comparison with non-karst catchments shows that karst hydrogeological systems dampen peak flows but sustain baseflow through distinct storage reservoirs. This approach delivers quantitative indicators to assess drought, manage groundwater, and foresee water shortages in karst regions. Future work will test its validity outside the Swiss dataset. Despite discussed uncertainties in discharge measurements and catchment delineation, results demonstrate that dedicated hydrograph-based analyses can yield robust and transferable insights into karst groundwater storage at regional scales. Full article

El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) modulates tropical South American rainfall, but its Colombian expression is filtered by terrain, rainfall regime, moisture pathways, and atmospheric state. We quantify ENSO-related sensitivity of standardized precipitation anomalies in the Colombian Andes and Orinoquia using Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS v2.0; 1981–February 2026), station records from Colombia’s Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), ERA5 atmospheric fields, and 1981–2010 climatologies. CHIRPS reproduced station-derived standardized anomalies ($r=0.94$ in the Andes; $r=0.91$ in Orinoquia), supporting regional anomaly analysis while retaining cautious comparison framing. Lagged associations with the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) were evaluated for lags 0–6 months using effective sample size, block-bootstrap confidence intervals, and maximum-lag tests. ENSO sensitivity was stronger and more coherent in the Andes: annual lag-1 ONI–precipitation correlation was $-0.374$, with marked December–February and June–August responses. El Niño minus La Niña composites of column water vapor, 850-hPa moisture-flux convergence, 500-hPa vertical velocity, and Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) revealed seasonally heterogeneous moisture and convergence responses, but coherent positive $\omega$ anomalies over the Andes in DJF and JJA, consistent with reduced ascent. CAPE was significantly higher in MAM–SON, whereas the positive DJF difference was not statistically significant, showing that thermodynamic instability alone did not determine rainfall. Orinoquia did not exhibit a comparably consistent four-variable atmospheric signature. An elevation-stratified analysis showed a modest lowland-to-upland strengthening that plateaued above approximately 1000 m. A strictly antecedent ONI-lag model retained modest fixed-split skill in the Andes ($R^2=0.138$) but negligible skill in Orinoquia ($R^2=0.003$). The results support regional diagnosis, not causal or operational claims. Full article

Wetland degradation alters soil nutrient cycling and microbial functioning, yet how microorganisms adjust resource-use strategies after wetland conversion remains poorly understood. This study examined the effects of wetland degradation-induced land-use conversion on soil-microbial quotients (qMBC, qMBN, qMBP) and soil-microbial stoichiometric imbalance (C:Nimb, C:Pimb, N:Pimb) in the A’er Xiang lake marsh wetland, northeastern China. Five sites were compared: native wetland, 5- and 10-year forestland converted from wetland, and 5- and 10-year cropland converted from wetland. The qMBP increased from 11.15% in native wetland to 30.40% in 10-year cropland, while qMBC rose from 5.97% to 9.81%, indicating that microbial P and C quotients were highly sensitive to wetland conversion. C:Nimb increased to 2.93 in 10-year cropland, whereas N:Pimb rose from 4.93 in native wetland to 13.79 and 10.59 in 5-year and 10-year forestland, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that soil, microbial, and enzyme stoichiometry jointly regulated microbial quotients. Specifically, C:Nimb was strongly and negatively correlated with N:Pimb (r = −0.839, p < 0.01), and microbial biomass showed contrasting responses, being positively correlated with C:Nimb but negatively correlated with C:Pimb and N:Pimb. These indicators can guide future land-use decisions by integrating water availability with microbial adaptation in degraded sandy wetland regions. Full article

Annamocarya sinensis is a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations (PSESP) of great ecological and research value. Water conditions serve as a key environmental factor that profoundly shapes its growth, physiological homeostasis and stress adaptation. WRKY transcription factor families constitute the core molecular regulatory modules orchestrating plant responses to water-related stresses and environmental fluctuations. This study performs a systematic identification and bioinformatics analysis of the WRKY gene family in A. sinensis, combined with RT-qPCR to verify and analyze its expression patterns under water stress. The results identified a total of 92 WRKY genes unevenly distributed across 16 chromosomes, classified into three distinct subfamilies with obvious conservation of conserved motifs; the gene promoters were enriched with drought cis-elements, and fragment duplication drove the expansion of the family; this family had a high collinearity with the homologous genes of Arabidopsis thaliana, and its evolutionary function was conserved. RT-qPCR confirmed that AsWRKY3, AsWRKY11, AsWRKY17, AsWRKY53 and AsWRKY72 showed differential expression under water stress and were involved in regulating the processes of drought and waterlogging tolerance. Under drought stress, all five genes exhibited an upregulation trend, albeit with slightly varying response intensities; under waterlogging stress, AsWRKY3 and AsWRKY17 demonstrated strong enhanced responses, AsWRKY11 and AsWRKY53 showed early-response patterns, whereas AsWRKY72 exhibited a downregulation trend. In summary, fragment duplication and family differentiation enhanced the functional diversity of the WRKY family, providing a genetic basis for the adaptation of A. sinensis to changes in water availability. The research findings not only provide crucial theoretical clues for exploring the potential environmental adaptation and molecular evolution mechanisms of extremely small population plants, but also offer essential genetic resources and scientific foundations for species conservation, restoring wild populations, and conducting stress-resistant molecular breeding. Full article

Cellulose acetate (CA) is a promising bio-derived membrane material for water treatment; however, its limited availability of active functional sites can restrict its affinity toward dissolved pollutants. In this study, a cellulose acetate membrane was fabricated by phase inversion and subsequently functionalized through novel direct graft copolymerization with bio-based itaconic acid (IA) using potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator in an aqueous medium. The grafting approach introduced carboxylic functional groups into the CA matrix, providing additional active sites for pollutant removal. The successful grafting was confirmed by UV–Vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy, while XRD indicated changes in the structural organization of the polymer matrix. SEM/EDS characterization further revealed morphological changes associated with grafting, and cross-sectional SEM showed the development of finger-like, continuous pore channels within the modified membrane. The effects of reaction time, IA concentration, and KPS concentration on the grafting percentage were systematically evaluated, with grafting increasing up to an optimum range before declining at excessive monomer or initiator concentrations. Thermal analysis demonstrated improved stability after grafting, with the 6.6% grafted CA-g-IA membrane exhibiting an initial decomposition temperature of 351 °C and a reduced weight loss of 85% at 500 °C, compared with 344 °C and 91%, respectively, for pristine CA. The 6.6% CA-g-IA membrane was subsequently evaluated for the removal of Cu(II) and methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. Cu(II) uptake was strongly influenced by contact time, solution pH, initial concentration, and grafting percentage, with the highest performance observed around pH 6 and 240 min contact time. The membrane also maintained its Cu(II)-binding performance over four regeneration cycles following HNO₃ treatment. Overall, direct IA grafting provides a simple bio-based functionalization strategy for enhancing the pollutant-binding functionality of cellulose acetate membranes, demonstrating potential for the removal of metal ions and cationic dyes from contaminated water. Full article

Climate change increasingly threatens Mediterranean ornamental horticulture and green infrastructure through elevated temperatures, prolonged drought conditions, soil salinity, and more frequent extreme weather events. As a result, plant growth, phenology and landscape sustainability are significantly affected. This systematic review aimed to identify and qualitatively synthesize the available evidence on the responses of ornamental plants and their production and end use systems to climate-related stress, with emphasis on Mediterranean native species and their potential contribution to climate-resilient landscaping. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020. An adapted Population–Exposure–Outcome framework was used to operationalize the overarching review question and guide eligibility assessment. Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection were systematically searched for peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 1 January 2001 and 31 May 2026. Eligible publications examined ornamental plants, floricultural species, or native and endemic taxa with potential ornamental or landscape use and addressed climate-related stressors, plant resilience, adaptation strategies, cultivation or propagation practices, green-infrastructure applications, or related ecological trade-offs in Mediterranean-relevant contexts. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, and full texts using predefined eligibility criteria. The review used a structured qualitative narrative synthesis organized into thematic domains to systematically identify, select, and synthesize the available evidence. Meta-analysis was not undertaken because of substantial heterogeneity in plant material, environmental stressors, study designs, and reported outcomes. A total of ninety studies were included and organized into five domains: climate stress and plant responses (n = 14), native Mediterranean ornamental species (n = 21), adaptation and resilience strategies (n = 16), urban landscaping and green infrastructure (n = 25), and ecological risks and invasive species (n = 14). The review revealed that several native Mediterranean plants possess morphological, physiological, or ecological characteristics associated with tolerance to drought, salinity, and other climate-related stresses, supporting their potential use in sustainable ornamental horticulture. Water-efficient irrigation, alternative water sources and substrates, nursery preconditioning, non-microbial biostimulants, and genotype or physiological screening showed adaptation potential, but their effectiveness depended on species, genotype, intervention intensity, and application context. Evidence remained limited for compound stresses, combined interventions, nursery-to-landscape transfer, long-term field performance, commercial scalability, and environmental trade-offs. Overall, climate-resilient ornamental horticulture requires the integration of plant selection, propagation, production, controlled stress screening, landscape validation, and ecological-risk assessment. This review proposes an evidence-to-application framework to support research, nursery production, landscape planning, and the responsible deployment of climate-adapted ornamental plants. Full article

Microbial fertilizers may improve phosphorus availability and pH in acidic soils, but field evidence linking these changes with medicinal plant biomass and specialised metabolite accumulation remains limited. Here, a one-season field experiment was conducted in acidic yellow soil in Guizhou Province, China, using four fertilization regimes for Lonicera macranthoides: an organic fertilizer plus compound fertilizer control (CK), a bacterial consortium (T1), a simplified bacterial combination (T2), and a fungal agent (T3). Soil chemical properties, soil aggregate composition, flower-bud biomass, and chlorogenic-acid-related compounds were measured. T1 and T3 increased soil available phosphorus and pH at the pre-flowering stage and increased the proportion of water-stable macroaggregates (>5 mm). Both treatments also increased fresh and dry biomass. T1 showed the highest numerical chlorogenic acid content, whereas T3 was more favourable for the accumulation of isochlorogenic acids A and C. Across plot-level observations, available phosphorus was positively correlated with fresh weight (r = 0.804) and dry weight (r = 0.781), and pH was positively correlated with chlorogenic acid (r = 0.687). Univariate regression and redundancy analysis further indicated that available phosphorus and pH were the soil factors most closely associated with biomass and chlorogenic acid accumulation. These findings provide preliminary field indications that microbial fertilizers may improve yield and medicinal quality in acidic-soil L. macranthoides production. However, the single-season, single-site nature of the experiment warrants cautious interpretation and further validation across broader conditions. The observed associations are consistent with, but do not prove, a mechanistic pathway involving microbe-mediated phosphorus transformation and acidity regulation. Full article

Since arable-land availability is limited worldwide, research on other sustainable practices to improve crop productivity is needed. Seaweed extracts are known for their crop growth- and yield-promoting properties and as a sustainable solution. The application of three seaweed extract brands (Acadian, Afrikelp, and Kelpak) was tested on three crops under field (common bean) and screen-house (bell pepper and tomato) conditions for two consecutive seasons/crops. The study was conducted as an RCBD with five blocks using a drip irrigation system. The three seaweed extracts + water-only (control) treatments were randomly distributed in each block. The extracts were applied to the foliage five times in each growing season at a 1:75 extract/water dilution rate and all crops received N-P-K fertilizer based on the recommended rates for each crop. Analysis of variance and Tukey’s mean separation were conducted on the collected data. All three extracts significantly outperformed the control across all crops and seasons. For bush bean, seaweed treatments significantly increased SPAD, yield, and protein content, with the treatment order Afrikelp > Acadian ≥ Kelpak > Control. For tomato, significant improvements were observed in SPAD, yield, and fruit weight, with yield increases driven primarily by fruit count and average; the treatment order was Afrikelp > Kelpak ≥ Acadian > Control. For bell pepper, SPAD, yield, and BRIX were significantly increased, with the treatment order Afrikelp > Kelpak > Acadian > Control. Overall, Afrikelp consistently produced the highest responses across all crops, achieving up to 48.8, 60.3, and 58.6% yield increases for bush bean, tomato, and bell pepper, respectively. The results showed that seaweed extract can serve as a sustainable amendment for crop improvement. Full article

Hydrophobic and superhydrophobic coatings have attracted considerable attention due to their ability to provide water repellency, self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, anti-icing, and anti-fouling properties, making them promising for a wide range of industrial applications. This review summarizes recent advances in the development of hydrophobic and superhydrophobic coatings, with particular emphasis on wetting mechanisms, material selection, coating formation approaches, durability issues, commercial implementation, and environmental aspects. The analysis examines the principal classes of materials used for coating fabrication, including polymeric materials, inorganic compounds, and composite systems. The mechanisms responsible for the formation of hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces are discussed in terms of surface chemistry modification and hierarchical roughness generation. Attention is devoted to factors limiting long-term performance, such as mechanical wear, chemical degradation, ultraviolet exposure, climatic effects, hydrodynamic erosion, and adhesion-related failures, as well as to current strategies for improving durability. Commercially available technologies and their application areas are reviewed, and the environmental challenges associated with fluorinated compounds are considered. The analysis demonstrates that the combination of controlled surface morphology and reduced surface energy remains an effective approach for achieving durable hydrophobicity, with optimized coating systems reaching contact angles of 160–170° and retaining superhydrophobic properties for more than 500 h under demanding operating conditions. Future developments are expected to focus on environmentally friendly, multifunctional, and long-lasting coating systems. Full article

The formation of oil–water emulsions following reservoir-water breakthrough is widely observed during oil production. The viscosity of these polydisperse systems may increase sharply with increasing water cut, creating substantial operational difficulties in well-gathering systems and increasing hydraulic pressure losses. The rheological behaviour of oil emulsions is influenced by the phase ratio, flow velocity, degree of dispersion, temperature and several other parameters. However, no generally applicable model is currently available for describing the rheological behaviour and predicting the properties of oil emulsions, which are anomalous and rheologically complex systems. Therefore, developing a reliable method for estimating the viscosity of stable emulsions while accounting for increasing water content is of considerable practical importance. This study evaluates existing empirical correlations used to characterise the rheological properties of oil emulsions. The analysis shows that their application under oilfield conditions is associated with several limitations and that, in many cases, they are unsuitable for solving practical engineering problems. Accordingly, a mathematical model was developed and validated for estimating and predicting the viscosity of structurally stable oil emulsions as a function of water cut. The proposed model demonstrated good agreement with the experimental data and may be used for engineering calculations related to the production and transportation of water-cut oil. Full article

Underutilised indigenous crops (UICs) are increasingly recognised for their potential to contribute to climate-resilient agriculture, dietary diversification, and household food security among smallholder farmers in South Africa. However, evidence regarding farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward these crops remains limited. This study examined the KAP of smallholder farmers toward UICs and assessed factors associated with their adoption in selected municipalities of South Africa. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 205 smallholder farming households using a structured questionnaire. Respondents were selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure involving purposive, snowball, and stratified sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression, binary logistic regression, and bootstrap mediation analysis. Results showed that smallholder farmers generally possessed positive knowledge and attitudes toward UICs, particularly regarding their nutritional value, adaptability to local climatic conditions, and contribution to household food security. However, utilisation practices remained uneven across households. Age, farming experience, water availability, extension support, and market access were significantly associated with adoption. Formal bootstrap mediation analysis (1000 simulations) did not support attitudinal mediation of the knowledge-adoption relationship (ACME = −0.007, 95% CI: −0.079 to 0.059, p = 0.802), suggesting that knowledge operates through mechanisms other than attitudinal change. The study concludes that UICs possess significant potential to contribute to food security and climate adaptation in the study areas, but stronger institutional support, extension services, and market development are required for wider adoption. Full article

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems are being reshaped by climate variability and human interventions, but increases in individual ecosystem indicators do not necessarily translate into coherent gains in ecosystem multifunctionality. Inner Mongolia is a representative region for examining this issue because it spans a sharp transition from humid forested mountains to arid grassland, desert, and plateau systems and serves as an important ecological security barrier in northern China. Using multi-source remote sensing, meteorological, ecological observation, land-use, and socioeconomic data, we assessed changes in net primary productivity, soil conservation, water conservation, habitat quality, and a comprehensive ecological benefit index from 2001 to 2020. We found that ecosystem service capacity did not follow a uniform recovery trajectory. High values were persistently concentrated in the northeastern forested mountains, whereas western arid regions remained the main low-value areas. Temporal changes also differed among indicators: soil conservation increased most clearly, water conservation fluctuated strongly between years, NPP varied unevenly among ecological regions, and habitat quality changed only slightly at the regional scale. The integrated index further revealed a contrast that single indicators could not fully capture: the Loess Plateau–Loess Hilly Subregion and the Yinshan Mountains showed the strongest gains in comprehensive ecological benefits, whereas the Greater Khingan Mountains, despite having the highest baseline value, showed a decline. Spatial explanatory-factor analysis indicated that vegetation water consumption and precipitation showed high conditional spatial explanatory power for NPP, water conservation, habitat quality, and CEBI, whereas soil conservation was more strongly associated with nonlinear enhancement among factors; these q-statistics represent spatial associations rather than independent causal effects. These findings support region-specific management: maintain the stability of high-value northeastern forests, match restoration density to water availability in western drylands, and evaluate grazing and erosion-control measures using multiple services rather than vegetation greenness alone. Full article