Search Results (41)

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO₂) can alleviate oxidative damage in plants subjected to abiotic stress, interfere with related gene expression, and change metabolite content. Polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics can inhibit plant growth, induce oxidative stress in plant cells, and alter the biophysical properties of rhizosphere soil. In this study, untargeted metabolomics (LC-MS) and RNA-seq sequencing were performed on radish root cells exposed to nano-TiO₂ and PLA. The results showed that nano-TiO₂ alleviated the growth inhibition of radish roots induced by PLA. Nano-TiO₂ alleviated PLA-induced oxidative stress, and the activities of SOD and POD were decreased by 28.6% and 36.0%, respectively. A total of 1673 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 844 upregulated genes, and 829 downregulated genes) were detected by transcriptome analysis. Metabolomics analysis showed that 5041 differential metabolites were involved; they mainly include terpenoids, fatty acids, alkaloids, shikimic acid, and phenylpropionic acid. Among them, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis as well as flavone and flavonol biosynthesis were the key metabolic pathways. This study demonstrates that nano-TiO₂ mitigates PLA phytotoxicity in radish via transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. These findings provide important references for enhancing crop resilience against pollutants and underscore the need for ecological risk assessment of co-existing novel pollutants in agriculture. Full article

The Australian agriculture sector currently relies on imported fertilizers, which poses risks to price stability and increases the potential for supply chain disruptions. This study aims to investigate the trends and factors affecting fertilizer consumption in Australia, considering the moderating effects of agricultural GDP and agri R&D expenditure. The econometric models, including ARDL bound tests, Granger causality tests, and FMOLS, were used to analyze quarterly data from 2000 to 2023. The findings confirm that a significant long-run relationship exists among the variables of agricultural GDP, crop production, arable land, agricultural export–import ratio, and agricultural R&D expenditure. The moderating effects of agricultural GDP and agricultural R&D expenditure on fertilizer consumption were also found to be significant. The Granger causality test results indicate that bidirectional causality exists between agricultural GDP and fertilizer consumption, arable land and fertilizer consumption, employment and fertilizer consumption, and the export–import ratio and fertilizer consumption. The findings from the robustness checks confirm that all variables are co-integrated with fertilizer consumption. Thus, policymakers are advised to prioritize investment in agricultural R&D to promote sustainable fertilizer consumption and enhance agricultural value addition in Australia. Full article

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs), while pivotal for agricultural productivity, pose severe environmental and health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulation. Existing detection methods, such as chromatography and spectroscopy, face limitations in field adaptability, cost, and operational complexity. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel dual-mode photoelectrochemical–electrochemical (PEC-EC) sensor based on a Co,N-TiO₂@ZrO₂/3DGH nanocomposite. The sensor synergistically integrates zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) for selective OP capture via phosphate-Zr coordination, cobalt-nitrogen co-doped titanium dioxide (Co,N-TiO₂) for visible-light responsiveness, and a three-dimensional graphene hydrogel (3DGH) for enhanced conductivity. In the PEC mode under light irradiation, OP adsorption induces charge recombination, yielding a logarithmic photocurrent attenuation with a detection limit of 0.058 ng mL⁻¹. Subsequently, the EC mode via square wave voltammetry (SWV) self-validates the results, achieving a detection limit of 0.716 ng mL⁻¹. The dual-mode system demonstrates exceptional reproducibility, long-term stability, and selectivity against common interferents. Parallel measurements revealed <5% inter-mode discrepancy, validating the intrinsic self-checking capability. This portable platform bridges the gap between laboratory-grade accuracy and field-deployable simplicity, offering transformative potential for environmental monitoring and food safety management. Full article

Aethina tumida, commonly known as the small hive beetle, poses a threat to honeybee populations, particularly Apis mellifera, across several European regions. Originating in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a risk of the infestation spreading from Calabria, a region in the south of Italy. The essential role played by Apis spp. in pollination biodiversity preservation, agricultural productivity, and the overall economy is related to the dangers posed by the invasion of Aethina tumida. Current detection methods often fail to identify infestations early, leading to significant colony losses. We focused on creating a biosensor to improve the detection of Kodamaea ohmeri, a recently identified yeast that coexists symbiotically with Aethina tumida. The biosensor was designed to exploit the highly sensitive quartz crystal microbalance to identify a specific peptide linked to Kodamaea ohmeri in honey specimens. Its gold-plated surface over quartz was functionalized with an antibody effective in recognizing the peptide associated with Kodamaea ohmeri, a potential warning for detecting Aethina tumida. Preliminary results support the possibility of using such biosensor technology to detect infestation and enhance colony management techniques for honeybees, enabling beekeepers to implement prompt and focused treatments. In addition, reducing the size and cost of these biosensors and offering user training would be very helpful in having them used in beekeeping. Full article

Conflicts between humans and Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) have intensified due to urban and agricultural expansion, reducing natural habitats and pushing macaques into human settlements. This review examines strategies for managing human–macaque coexistence in Japan. Since the 1970s, urbanisation and deforestation have led to increased macaque migration into populated areas, resulting in property damage, crop loss, and, in some cases, aggressive encounters. The growing macaque population underscores the urgency of effective management programmes. Strategies include preventive measures, such as weeding to limit food sources, habitat modification, and community-based interventions to reduce attractants. Non-lethal deterrents, including visual and auditory scare tactics, trained guard animals, and electric fences, have been implemented to discourage macaques from entering human spaces. Physical barriers, such as fences and buffer zones, provide long-term mitigation but require maintenance and community cooperation. Fertility control, including sterilisation and hormonal contraception, offers a long-term population management solution but presents logistical challenges. Lethal control and capture-relocation, though controversial, remain options for particularly problematic individuals. Additionally, integrating One Health and One Conservation approaches into macaque management allows for a holistic strategy that considers disease risks, ecological balance, and ethical implications. A balanced management plan that incorporates multiple strategies, community participation, and continuous monitoring is crucial for mitigating conflicts and fostering sustainable coexistence between humans and macaques. Full article

The water quality of centralized drinking water sources (CDWSs) in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) has received widespread public attention. Regrettably, due to the lack of large-scale and high-frequency monitoring data, the trends, sources, and risks of heavy metals (HMs) in the water of CDWSs in the YRB are still unclear. In addition, the correlation between HMs and water quality parameters in natural water has not been established, which greatly affects the efficiency of water management. Herein, we collected data for eight HMs and twelve water quality physical–chemical parameters from 114 CDWSs in 71 prefecture-level cities in the YRB region. An unprecedented spatial distribution map of HMs in the YRB region was drawn, and the response of HMs to water quality and nutrient levels was studied. Overall, the level of HM pollution was low, but the threat of chloride, nitrogen, and phosphorus still exists. The detection rates of the eight HMs ranged from 60.00% (Ti) to 99.82% (Fe), and the mean concentrations were ranked as follows: Fe (36.576 ± 36.784 μg/L) > Mn (7.362 ± 7.347 μg/L) > Ti (3.832 ± 6.344 μg/L) > Co (2.283 ± 3.423 μg/L) > Se (0.247 ± 0.116 μg/L) > Cd (0.089 ± 0.286 μg/L) > Be (0.054 ± 0.067 μg/L) > Tl (0.015 ± 0.012 μg/L). In the large geographic area, the total concentrations of the eight HMs exhibited a fluctuating decay trend over time from 2018 to 2022. Geographically, industrial and agricultural production and geological coupling factors led to significant spatial heterogeneity in HM concentrations in the following order: midstream > downstream > upstream. Importantly, this study proved that Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, nitrogen, and phosphorus may drive the absorption and transfer of HMs in natural water. Fortunately, exposure to the eight HMs does not cause adverse health effects in humans. Full article

Soil heavy metal pollution is one of the hottest topics in soil environmental research. There are a large number of small abandoned metal mines in China. Due to the lack of timely restoration and treatment, the heavy metal concentration in the soil within these mining areas often exceeds the local background levels, facilitating pollution spread to other natural factors such as precipitation, resulting in a wider extent of continuous contamination. This paper investigates the current status of heavy metal pollution in an abandoned small lead-zinc mine, particularly examining the concentrations of 10 specific heavy metals (V, Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cu, Co) in soil samples. Additionally, it explores the extent of contamination caused by these heavy metals within the area. Besides, principal component analysis and positive matrix factorization model (PMF) were adopted to determine the sources of these heavy metals. The risk assessment of the pollution status was also carried out. The provision of a scientific basis for mining area management under similar conditions holds significant importance. The results indicate a significant positive correlation among the majority of these 10 heavy metals in soil. The presence of these heavy metals in the soil within the concentrator and tailings reservoir area primarily stems from mining operations, construction activities, and discharges from the power system. Hg, Pb, Zn, and As in the surrounding agricultural land mainly come from the heavy metal spillover from the mining area. Furthermore, the area is plagued by severe contamination from As and Pb. The Nemerow comprehensive index method has confirmed substantial pollution in both the concentrator and tailings reservoir. Additionally, there exists a substantial ecological risk ranging from moderate to high. Full article

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has had a global impact, affecting millions over the last three years. Pre-existing lung diseases adversely affect the prognosis of infected COVID-19 patients, and agricultural workers routinely exposed to inhalable organic dusts have substantial increased risk for developing chronic lung diseases. In previous studies, we characterized the protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent airway inflammation mediated by organic dust extract (ODE) derived from dust collected from swine confinement facilities in in vitro and in vivo models. Here, we studied the effect of ODE on SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviral infection in mice and human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). In wild-type (WT) and transgenic mice expressing the human angiotensin I-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor (SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor), ODE increased ACE2 shedding by ADAM-17 in the lungs. After repeated ODE treatments, the increased soluble ACE2 correlated to higher pseudovirus titer in the mouse lungs. In the human bronchial epithelial cells, ODE augmented PKCα activity in WT cells, and membrane ACE2 expression was diminished in PKCα-dominant negative cells. Unlike in the mice, increasing membrane ACE2 levels by treating with PKCα or ADAM-17 inhibitors and a low dose of ODE enhanced pseudoviral entry in vitro. Following viral entry, IL-8 secretion by the cells was diminished in a PKCα- and ADAM-17-independent manner. Together, the complex mechanisms involved in the synergistic effects of agricultural dust and SARS-CoV-2 highlight the importance of studying dust-mediated changes to immunity against circulating pathogens. Full article

Maintaining biodiversity in agricultural landscapes is a major challenge for environmental protection in Europe. Vineyards rely heavily on agrotechnical interventions such as herbicide use and tillage for weed control, which affect biodiversity and can lead to soil erosion and resistant weed populations. The fragmentation of agricultural landscapes affects biodiversity by altering community composition and often reducing plant population sizes and genetic diversity. However, it can also increase the abundance of certain species and enhance population resilience to environmental change. Vineyards can support high levels of biodiversity and provide ecosystem services due to their semi-natural habitat structure. This research evaluates vegetation biodiversity using phytosociological relevés in different vineyards. Our results show that species richness and biodiversity are significantly influenced by vineyard age and management type. This study highlights differences in the representation of plant functional groups, with perennial taxa in grassy inter-row contributing to anti-erosion functions and serving as food sources for pollinators. The root zone around vine trunks shows an increase in invasive species with vineyard age, posing a risk to the agroecosystem. Vineyards predominantly follow a ruderal ecological strategy, using nutrients and light efficiently, while tolerating management disturbances. Understanding these dynamics is critical for developing sustainable vineyard management practices that support biodiversity and ecological resilience, counteract the homogenization of agricultural landscapes, and promote the coexistence of viticulture and species-rich ecosystems. Full article

Climate and anthropogenic change, particularly agricultural runoff, increase blue-green algae/cyanobacteria blooms. This article researches cyanobacteria alert-level identification, management, and risk communication in Lake Hume, Australia. Two methods, document and content analysis, evidence contamination events and risk communication, reflect water governance and data management limitations. Results found that Lake Hume had amber or red alerts for only one week, December 2021–December 2022. This failed to prevent government tourism promotion of recreational usage, contravening water authority red alert advice. Lake-use restrictions lacked compliance enforcement. Events during amber alerts lacked risk communication to vulnerable populations (children). Lake Hume’s governance by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority restricted risk communication to one authority that reproduced generic advice in minimal outlets/time points. Geophysical signage failed to address diversity needs (language, literacy, age, and disabilities). No risk communication was found for residents with diseases exacerbated by aerosolization. Despite WHO promoting cyanotoxin investigation, Australian research is absent in international literature. Further, Lake Hume cyanobacteria produce potentially carcinogenic microcystein. This coexists with census data revealing cancer rates higher than the national average in a waterside town. The results demonstrate the need to incorporate robust public health risk assessments, communication, and management into water management and advocate international legislation changes based on evidence-based research to reduce blooms and prevent agricultural runoff. Full article

Climate change has increased the vulnerability of many communities and ecosystems, including those on islands. This study evaluates the patterns of scientific publication and visualises network connections between countries and keywords by presenting four sets of bibliometric analyses of publications related to “climate change and vulnerability”, “climate change and island”, “vulnerability and island”, and “vulnerability, climate change, and island”, as obtained from the Scopus database. Based on the combinations of keywords in the article, the study retrieved 1768 documents for “climate change and vulnerability”, 501 documents for “climate change and island”, 270 documents for “vulnerability and island”, and 37 documents for “vulnerability, climate change, and island” for further analysis using various tools. Microsoft Excel was used to conduct the frequency analysis, and Harzing’s Publish or Perish and VOSviewer were used for the citation metrics analysis and data visualisation, respectively. The results are reported using standard bibliometric indicators, such as the annual growth of publications, publications by subject, prolific authors, most active institutions, active journals, highly cited articles, co-authorship by countries, and co-occurrence keyword analysis. The findings revealed that there has been continuous growth in the number of publications on all four research topics since the first publication, and the main subject found on Scopus for all topics in Environmental Science. For “climate change and vulnerability”, the most productive author is James D. Ford, and the most active journal is Climatic Change. The most-cited document has received 3243 citations. Meanwhile, for “climate change and islands”, the most productive author and most active journals are Patrick D. Nunn and Regional Environmental Change, respectively, while the most cited document has received 285 citations. Subsequently, the most productive authors for “vulnerability and island” and “climate change, vulnerability, and island” received 627 citations and 154 citations, respectively. The country with the most links and highest total link strength was the United States of America, according to co-occurrence analysis between countries. Current themes are discussed, and future possible research is suggested based on the clustering of the keywords. Among the clusters that emerged from the network visualisations are those focused on the ecosystem, adaptation, water resources, human and health risk assessments, coastal vulnerability and management, and agricultural and resource management. This study will benefit policymakers, researchers, environmental practitioners, and the public because it provides a comprehensive overview of existing research, potential research directions, and the current state of knowledge on the topic, allowing a better understanding of the research landscape. Full article

Climate change has altered precipitation regimes with concomitant influences in hydrology. For a complex assemblage of ungulates, these water-level fluctuations might alter habitat partitioning thought to be crucial for coexistence in response to livestock introduction. We placed camera traps in three habitat types along the Mayanja River in central Uganda to evaluate space use by native and domestic ungulates. For each species, we assessed the difference in the proportion of days with camera-trap detections during three water-level conditions (low in 2017, normal in 2015, and high in 2016). Sitatunga was the only species regularly using wetlands; their use of remote wetlands remained consistent regardless of water-level conditions, and their use of forest habitats decreased during the study. In the forest, warthogs showed no change in use, while proportion of days with detections increased over time for all other ungulates. Our results indicate that ungulate community space use appears to be independent of hydrologic condition, and that risk for competitive exclusion between native and domestic ungulates is tempered by dietary and habitat use differences. Adaptations to dynamic hydrology appears to buffer consequences for ungulate communities; more serious are habitat losses to agriculture and development. Full article

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of polyethylene (PE), a broadly utilized polymer type, on soil properties and lettuce growth. Two Zn- and Cd-contaminated soil samples were obtained from urban and rural areas of Greece, respectively. PE fragments (<5 mm) were added at different concentrations (2.5%, 5% w/w). Lettuce seeds were then planted in the pots in a completely randomized experiment. Plant growth patterns and tissue metal accumulation were investigated. The presence of PE in soils resulted in a reduction in pH, significantly enhanced the organic matter content, and increased the cation-exchange capacity. The availability of both metals was also increased. Metal migration from soil to plant was determined using appropriate tools and indexes. A higher metal concentration was detected in lettuce roots compared with that in the edible leaves. The presence of PE MPs (2.5% w/w) increased the amount of available Zn more than that of Cd in highly contaminated soils. When PE MPs were added to agricultural soil, Zn concentrations increased in the plant leaves by 9.1% (2.5% w/w) and 21.1% (5% w/w). Considering that both metals and microplastics cannot be easily and quickly degraded, the fact that the less toxic metal is more available to plants is encouraging. Taking into account the physicochemical soil features, decision makers may be able to limit the risks to human health from the coexistence of heavy metals and microplastics in soils. Full article

The spread of COVID-19 is geographically uneven in agricultural regions. Explanations proposed include differences in occupational risks, access to healthcare, racial inequalities, and approaches to public health. Here, we additionally explore the impacts of coexisting modes of agricultural production across counties from twelve midwestern U.S. states. In modeling COVID-19 spread before vaccine authorization, we employed and extended spatial statistical methods that make different assumptions about the natures and scales of underlying sociospatial processes. In the process, we also develop a novel approach to visualizing the results of geographically weighted regressions that allows us to identify distinctive regional regimes of epidemiological processes. Our approaches allowed for models using abstract spatial weights (e.g., inverse-squared distances) to be meaningfully improved by also integrating process-specific relations (e.g., the geographical relations of the food system or of commuting). We thus contribute in several ways to methods in health geography and epidemiology for identifying contextually sensitive public engagements in socio-eco-epidemiological issues. Our results further show that agricultural modes of production are associated with the spread of COVID-19, with counties more engaged in modes of regenerative agricultural production having lower COVID-19 rates than those dominated by modes of conventional agricultural production, even when accounting for other factors. Full article

One of the most recent and pressing issues for policymakers to address is the presence of wild boars in urban and rural areas. Their aggressive spread and invasion of human-populated areas have created an alarming problem as the coexistence of wild boars and people poses serious threats to human life and property. Human-caused factors, such as residential zone expansion and land use change, have exacerbated this problem. Furthermore, natural factors, such as predator reduction and climate change effects, create favorable conditions for population growth. This study sought to gain insights into citizens’ perspectives on a current issue, specifically wild boar colonization and coexistence in urban and rural settings. Between September 2021 and November 2022, a survey was conducted in two communities of northern and central Greece, addressing 800 citizens in total. Obtained through hierarchical log-linear analysis, factor analysis and two-step cluster analysis, the findings indicate that rural citizens appear to be more concerned about agricultural production losses and the high risk of road accidents, while the invasion-level perception was high in both areas. Intensive hunting has gained widespread acceptance as a management tool for wild boar populations in both urban and rural areas, while anthropocentric (EGO) and ecocentric (ECO) social groups have emerged. Full article