Search Results (45,991)

Globally, lakes are increasingly recognized as sensitive indicators of climate change and ecosystem stress. Qaraoun Lake, Lebanon’s largest artificial reservoir, is a critical resource for irrigation, hydropower generation, and domestic water supply. Over the past 25 years, satellite remote sensing has enabled consistent monitoring of its hydrological and environmental dynamics. This study leverages the advanced cloud-based processing capabilities of Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze over 180 cloud-free scenes from Landsat 7 (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) (ETM+) from 2000 to present, Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS) from 2013 to present, and Landsat 9 OLI-2/TIRS-2 from 2021 to present, quantifying changes in lake surface area, water volume, and pollution levels. Water extent was delineated using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), enhanced through pansharpening to improve spatial resolution from 30 m to 15 m. Water quality was evaluated using a composite pollution index that integrates three spectral indicators—the Normalized Difference Chlorophyll Index (NDCI), the Floating Algae Index (FAI), and a normalized Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) band—which serves as a proxy for turbidity and organic matter. This index was further standardized against a conservative Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) threshold to reduce vegetation interference. The resulting index ranges from near-zero (minimal pollution) to values exceeding 1.0 (severe pollution), with higher values indicating elevated chlorophyll concentrations, surface reflectance anomalies, and suspended particulate matter. Results indicate a significant decline in mean annual water volume, from a peak of 174.07 million m³ in 2003 to a low of 106.62 million m³ in 2025 (until mid-November). Concurrently, pollution levels increased markedly, with the average index rising from 0.0028 in 2000 to a peak of 0.2465 in 2024. Episodic spikes exceeding 1.0 were detected in 2005, 2016, and 2024, corresponding to documented contamination events. These findings were validated against multiple institutional and international reports, confirming the reliability and efficiency of the GEE-based methodology. Time-series visualizations generated through GEE underscore a dual deterioration, both hydrological and qualitative, highlighting the lake’s growing vulnerability to anthropogenic pressures and climate variability. The study emphasizes the urgent need for integrated watershed management, pollution control measures, and long-term environmental monitoring to safeguard Lebanon’s water security and ecological resilience. Full article

Mandibular prognathism (Class III malocclusion) is a craniofacial anomaly characterized by an anteriorly positioned mandible, a concave facial profile and impaired mastication, and appears unusually frequently in Dolang sheep (Ovis aries). We combined clinical phenotyping and three-dimensional (3D) genome profiling to investigate this trait in a Dolang sheep flock. We examined 959 animals using standardized criteria, estimated a local prevalence of 10.3%, and assembled a 200 affected/200 unaffected case–control cohort for genomic analyses. As an exploratory pilot study of 3D genome architecture, we generated in situ Hi-C datasets from mandibular bone of two affected and two control sheep. At 40 kb resolution, global topologically associating domain (TAD) organization and boundary strength were broadly conserved between groups, but sliding-window analyses identified a small number of 1 Mb hotspots where affected animals showed increased TAD-boundary density and strengthened insulation. These UNDER-enriched windows lay near genes with plausible roles in craniofacial development, including ROBO2, COL27A1, VRK2 and a cytokine cluster (IL22/IL26/IFNG with MDM1). Together, our data indicate that mandibular prognathism in Dolang sheep is associated with localized remodeling of chromatin insulation at a restricted set of gene-proximal loci and highlight candidate regions and mechanisms for integration with whole-genome sequencing, association and transcriptomic data. Full article

Grasslands occupy 24% of the Earth’s surface. In most areas of the world these are either destroyed, fragmented or converted into cultivated fields. In Africa, their biodiversity is still insufficiently known. This study reports on the avian assemblages associated with grasslands in South African Highveld and Lesotho Drakensberg. Special attention was paid to the species richness, diversity, and population densities and dominance of particular species. Birds were counted by means of the Line Transect Method in three distinguished grassland types: Dry Cymbopogon-Themeda Grassland (transect length: 28 km), Wet Cymbopogo-Themeda Grassland (27 km) km, and Mountain Themeda-Festuca Grassland (31 km). In total, 86 bird species were recorded. While cumulative dominance was similar between the Dry and Wet Grassland (61–65%), these two were much different from that in the Mountain Grassland (46%). However the dominance index was similar in all three grassland types compared (0.25–0.33). Only one species, the long-tailed widow Euplectes orix was a common dominant species for all three grassland types. African stonechat, wing-snapping cisticola Cisticola ayresii, Levaillant’s cisticola Cisticola tinniens and yellow bishop Euplectes capensis were dominant only in the Mountain Grassland; northern black korhaan Afrotis afroides and the eastern clapper lark Mirafra fasciolata—only in the Dry and Wet Grassland; ostrich Struthio camelus, cloud cisticola Cisticola textrix, African quailfinch Ortygozpiza atricollis and pied starling Spreo bicolor—only in the Dry Grassland, while the helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris, zitting cisticola Cisticola juncidis and African pipit Anthus cinnamomeus—only in the Wet Grassland. Despite these obvious differences in dominance and population densities of species, Diversity and evenness indices were similar in all three grassland types. Shannon’s Diversity Index (H’) varied between 1.22 and 1.35; Simpson Diversity Index between 0.91 and 0.94, while Pielou’s Evenness Index (J’) varied between 0.33 and 0.36. However, Sørensen Similarity Index between the three grassland types was low, ranging between 0.07 and 0.26. Proportions of ecological guilds were similar in the Dry and Wet Grassland but differed from mountain Grassland. In comparison with other tropical grassland, avian communities in southern Africa are characterized by higher species richness and higher its variance between particular grassland types. Full article

To enhance the monitoring and conservation efforts for China’s Class II endangered species, specifically the wild giant salamander and its ecosystems, this study addresses the urgent need to counteract the rapid decline of its wild population caused by habitat loss and insufficient surveillance. We present an innovative localization system based on passive Ultra-High-Frequency Radio Frequency Identification (UHF RFID) technology, employing a Double-Transform (D-Tr) methodology that integrates an enhanced 3D LANDMARC algorithm with GAIN generative adversarial networks. This system effectively reconstructs missing Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data due to environmental barriers by applying a log-distance path loss model. The D-Tr framework simultaneously generates RSSI sequences alongside their first-order differential characteristics, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of spatiotemporal signal relationships. Field tests conducted in the Hubei Xianfeng Zhongjian River Giant Salamander National Nature Reserve reveal that the positioning error consistently remains within 10 cm, with average accuracy improvements of 20.075%, 15.331%, and 12.925% along the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively, compared to traditional time-series models such as long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU). This system, designed to investigate the behavioral patterns and movement paths of farmed giant salamanders, achieves centimeter-level tracking of their cave-dwelling activities. It provides essential technical support for quantitatively assessing their daily activity patterns, habitat choices, and population trends, thereby promoting a shift from passive oversight to proactive monitoring in the conservation of endangered species. Full article

The leaf area index (LAI) serves as a critical parameter for assessing wetland ecosystem functions, and accurate LAI retrieval holds substantial significance for wetland conservation and ecological monitoring. To address the spatial constraints of traditional ground-based measurements and the limited accuracy of single-source remote sensing data, this study utilized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne hyperspectral and LiDAR sensors to acquire high-quality multi-source remote sensing data of coastal wetlands in the Yellow River Delta. Three machine learning algorithms—random forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Categorical Boosting (CatBoost)—were employed for LAI retrieval modeling. A total of 38 vegetation indices (VIs) and 12-point cloud features (PCFs) were extracted from hyperspectral imagery and LiDAR point cloud data, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis and the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method were integrated to identify and select the most informative VIs and PCFs. The performance of LAI retrieval models built on single-source features (VIs or PCFs) or multi-source feature fusion was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE). The main findings are as follows: (1) Multi-source feature fusion significantly improved LAI retrieval accuracy, with the RF model achieving the highest performance (R² = 0.968, RMSE = 0.125). (2) LiDAR-derived structural metrics and hyperspectral-derived vegetation indices were identified as critical factors for accurate LAI retrieval. (3) The feature selection method integrating mean absolute SHAP values (|SHAP| values) with Pearson correlation analysis enhanced model robustness. (4) The intertidal zone exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity in the vegetation LAI distribution. Full article

Biotechnological tools have emerged as key alternatives for the protection, improvement, and sustainable use of forest species. This paper analyzes the main biotechnological strategies applied to the European chestnut, a species of significant ecological, economic, and cultural importance in many temperate regions. However, in recent decades, it has been seriously threatened by various factors, including devastating diseases such as chestnut blight and ink disease, as well as the impacts of climate change. First, classical and assisted breeding techniques are discussed, including controlled hybridization and the use of molecular markers to accelerate the selection of genotypes of interest. In the field of molecular biotechnology, studies related to the identification of key genes, the development of genetic markers (e.g., SSRs and SNPs), and the omics characterization of chestnut are reviewed. The use of micropropagation techniques for the clonal multiplication of elite individuals is also included. Furthermore, advances in genetic modifications are explored, highlighting the introduction of resistance genes through transgenic and cisgenic approaches, as well as emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9. In the future, the integration of classical breeding with advanced genomics will enable the precise selection and accelerated development of European chestnut varieties, combining traditional trait improvement with genomic tools such as marker-assisted selection, genomic prediction, and gene editing to enhance disease resistance and climate resilience. Full article

The SE Baltic area, the former Eastern Prussia, is renowned for complex natural history. Over the past millions of years, the area experienced major geological events and geomorphic landscape transformations, resulting in the present relief configuration. Past climates and environments gave rise to the specific life-forms that proliferated in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic–Early Cenozoic shallow sea/lacustrine basins, and the Late Cenozoic riverine and continental settings. During the Paleogene, forested sub-tropical lands and deltaic settings of coastal sea lagoons gave rise to the famed amber formations (Blue Ground) hosting inclusions of resin-sealed insect and other small invertebrates that offer an unprecedented look into the 35–34 million-year habitats. Ferruginous sandstones, formed in shallow waters incorporating remains of thermophilous fauna—bivalves and gastropods, bryozoans, and sea urchins, among others—lie above the amber-bearing deposits. Oligocene–Miocene continental (riverine, lacustrine, and palustrine) conditions relate to the “Brown Coal Formation”, embedding a variety of fossil plants. Finally, the Quaternary Period brought dramatic geo-environmental shifts, with cyclic interstadial sea transgressions and massive glacial erosion events delivering fossiliferous erratics with an array of primitive Paleozoic and later Mesozoic life-forms. Overall, the extraordinary paleontology of the SE Baltic area adds, within its geological context, to the European geoheritage and the world natural heritage. Full article

Microwaves have been used as a heat source in various chemical processes, and their application range is expanding to include high-temperature processes. Existing microwave-based methods for glass syntheses predominantly involve coating and drying. Moreover, microwaves have rarely been applied to glass melting, which consumes a large amount of energy. In this study, the raw materials required for preparing optical glass were heated using microwaves to reduce the energy consumption of the glass-melting process. Microwaves were applied to the raw materials of a typical optical glass, i.e., borosilicate crown glass (BK7). The results indicated that the raw materials rapidly reached the target temperature of 1000 °C and were heated particularly well at temperatures above 500 °C. This was reflected in the high microwave absorption of BK7 above 500 °C, as confirmed by dielectric-constant measurements in the high-temperature range using resonance perturbation. Additionally, BK7 was heated on a 100 g scale in a large microwave-concentrated hexagonal furnace. The obtained glass exhibited a refractive index of 1.5155 (d-line of helium: λ = 587.56 nm), which is comparable to that obtained via conventional heating. Our findings are expected to help reduce the time needed for glass melting considerably and conserve energy, thus contributing to a sustainable society. Full article

Industrial heritage, as a vital carrier of industrial civilization, is a key resource for advancing regional sustainable development. Understanding its spatial distribution and influencing factors is essential for effective conservation and revitalization. This study examines 207 industrial heritage sites in Hebei Province, one of the birthplaces of modern industry in China. By integrating multiple spatial analytical methods, it explores the spatial patterns and influencing factors of industrial heritage. A progressive analytical framework combining GeoDetector, Ordinary Least Squares, and Geographically Weighted Regression models was established to interpret formation mechanisms from factor identification to global and local heterogeneity. Results show that industrial heritage in Hebei forms high-density clusters along the eastern coast and southwestern hinterland, with lower densities in the north and central regions. The spatial centroid shifted from the center to the northeast, then to the southwest, and finally returned to the center. The distribution is shaped by the synergistic interaction of multiple factors: railway networks exert the strongest influence, natural conditions provide fundamental constraints, cultural factors play a reinforcing role, and historical development and policy orientation act as regulatory forces. Region-specific strategies are proposed to guide the conservation and sustainable transformation of industrial heritage in old industrial cities. Full article

Elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) is a globally important C4 perennial forage crop valued for its high biomass yield and tolerance to heat and drought. However, its poor cold tolerance severely limits its cultivation in temperate regions. The bZIP (basic region-leucine zipper) transcription factors are known to regulate abiotic stress responses; however, their role in elephant grass’s cold response is unclear. This study aimed to identify and characterize the CpbZIP gene family on a genome-wide scale and analyze its expression patterns under low-temperature stress. Through phylogenetic analysis, we classified 158 putative CpbZIP genes into 13 subgroups, a classification supported by conserved gene structures and motifs. The family expanded primarily through segmental duplication and has been shaped by strong purifying selection. Promoter analysis revealed numerous cis-acting elements associated with hormone signaling and abiotic stress, including low temperature, suggesting the family’s potential role in stress adaptation. Subsequent expression analysis and RT-qPCR validation identified six cold-induced genes. Of these, CpbZIP38 and CpbZIP86 exhibited high basal expression in roots and were significantly upregulated under cold stress. These findings identify promising candidate genes for the cold tolerance regulatory network in elephant grass and lay the groundwork for breeding cold-tolerant varieties. Full article

Eight species of the medically important scorpion genus Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 have been reported in Iran, three of which are responsible for most of the severe clinical cases of envenomation. However, morphological similarity complicates species delimitation in this genus, hindering the identification of species implicated in envenomations. The present study integrates morphology, DNA sequences, and ecological niche modeling to clarify the taxonomy and distribution of Hemiscorpius in southern Iran, providing taxonomic insights relevant to public health and biodiversity conservation. Morphometric analyses were performed to evaluate size and shape differences; molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I gene; and species distribution models, based on occurrence records and bioclimatic variables, were developed. Morphometric analyses revealed significant interspecific differences and sexual dimorphism. A new species was identified and described as Hemiscorpius aratta sp. n. Molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed the distinctiveness of the new species and revealed intraspecific variation in the type species, Hemiscorpius lepturus Peters, 1861, suggesting possible cryptic diversity. Southern Iran, particularly the coastline of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, represents a diversity hotspot for Hemiscorpius. Topographical barriers such as the Jebal Barez, Makkoran, and Zagros Mountain ranges promoted isolation and speciation, leading to high levels of endemism in the genus. Ecological niche models revealed that the distributions of Hemiscorpius species are strongly influenced by temperature and precipitation. Coastal species are restricted to thermally stable maritime habitats, whereas semi-arid species occupy regions with higher temperature seasonality. Range-restricted species are habitat specialists, vulnerable to environmental change. This study reinforces the importance of integrating morphological, molecular, and ecological data for resolving taxonomic ambiguity. Full article

Fruit production in passionfruit species is primarily associated with cross-pollination, but the role of herkogamy, the spatial separation between stigmas and anthers, in reproductive success remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the influence of style deflexion on fruit set in Passiflora cincinnata Mast., a native species of the Brazilian Caatinga, using accessions conserved in a Passionfruit Germplasm Bank (BAG). Flowers were classified into three morphotypes: stigmas positioned below the anthers, stigmas aligned with the anthers, and stigmas positioned above the anthers. Pollen viability was evaluated using subsamples of randomly selected flowers within each floral morphotype. Across all accessions, 41.75% of flowers displayed stigma below the anthers, 26.32% exhibited aligned the stigma with the anthers, and 31.93% had stigma positioned above, with pollen viability consistently high (96.4–96.7%). Flowers in which stigmas were located below the anthers (negative deflexion) showed the highest fruit set under hand pollination (73.3%), whereas flowers with aligned or elevated stigmas produced only a few fruits (4.7%) in heterotypic crosses. These findings demonstrated that herkogamy strongly shapes reproductive outcomes in P. cincinnata. Integrating this knowledge into germplasm management, conservation, and breeding initiatives will be essential for improving passionfruit cultivation and promoting sustainable agricultural practices in semiarid ecosystems. Full article

High-Mobility Group B (HMGB) proteins are conserved non-histone nuclear proteins involved in DNA replication, transcription, recombination, repair; plant growth and development; and stress responses. In this study, we identified nine ClHMGB genes in watermelon using genome-wide search. Phylogenetic and homology analyses classified them into four distinct classes. Synteny analysis revealed that ClHMGB genes share closer evolutionary relationships with dicots than with monocots. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed that eight ClHMGB members exhibit higher transcript levels in female and/or male flowers, suggesting that they play essential roles in floral organ development. Under drought, low-temperature, and salt stresses, ClHMGB members displayed distinct expression patterns. For instance, ClHMGB4 and ClHMGB8 were downregulated under drought and low-temperature stress but upregulated under salt stress, indicating potential functional specialization in response to different abiotic stresses. The highly virulent Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 (Fon R2) induced the upregulation of more ClHMGB genes than the less virulent race 1 (Fon R1). Four members (ClHMGB1, 4, 6, and 7) were consistently upregulated by both races, suggesting that they may play fundamental roles in disease resistance. This study provides a foundation for further investigation into the roles of ClHMGB genes in growth, development, and stress responses of watermelon. Full article

Rainfall characteristics proven to trigger general erosive events (EE) and rill erosion events (RE) under reference experimental conditions of soil type, slope, and land use—previously established at a test site in central Italy—are applied as likely thresholds to characterize their spatiotemporal variability across Umbria using 24 years of semi-hourly data from 53 stations. Marked spatial patterns emerge, with mean EE frequencies per station ranging from 1.14 to 2.36 per month, while mean RE frequencies per station vary between 0.04 and 0.45 per season. No significant temporal trends are observed over the study period. Monthly and seasonal comparisons between EE and RE frequencies often deviate from the corresponding USLE R-factor dynamics, highlighting limitations of relying solely on this parameter. These findings are contextualized within common soil conservation practices—such as cover crops—to identify critical periods during which maintaining soil cover. For example, winter—when cover crops are typically present in Central Italian agroecosystems—is among the seasons with the highest EE frequency (4.45 yr⁻¹), second only to autumn (6.47 yr⁻¹). However, when focusing on REs, winter shows the lowest mean frequency (0.08 yr⁻¹). In contrast, the mean RE frequency increases in summer (0.24 yr⁻¹) and reaches its maximum in autumn (0.26 yr⁻¹), when bare soil or poorly developed cover crops are common. Overall, results provide actionable insights for aligning protective measures with high-impact erosive event probabilities. Full article

We investigate the teleparallel Robertson–Walker (TRW) $F\left(T\right)$-gravity solutions for a cosmological electromagnetic source in the current paper. We use and solve the TRW $F\left(T\right)$-gravity field equations (FEs) for each value of the k-parameter $(-1,0,+1)$ and the electromagnetic equivalent of the equation of state (EoS), leading to new teleparallel $F\left(T\right)$ solutions. For the $k=0$ cosmological case, we find new teleparallel $F\left(T\right)$ solutions for any scale factor n. For $k=\pm 1$ cosmological cases, we find exact and far-future approximated new teleparallel $F\left(T\right)$ solutions for slow, linear, fast and infinitely fast universe expansion summarized by analytical functions. All the new solutions are relevant for future cosmological applications, implying any electromagnetic source processes, such as the cosmological plasma models. Full article