Search Results (1,752)

Urbanization intensifies microclimatic heterogeneity along the urban–forest gradient, where built morphology, vegetation structure, and hydrological processes interact to shape local thermal conditions. This systematic review synthesizes advances in IoT-based microclimate monitoring across open urban environments, urban forests, and peri-urban forest ecosystems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 426 records were identified, of which 63 met the eligibility criteria, and 34 core studies were analyzed in depth. In open urban environments, air temperature and relative humidity are predominantly governed by urban morphology and radiative properties. In contrast, forest microclimate is regulated through structural and ecohydrological mechanisms, where canopy structure, edge effects, and water availability determine the stability and depth of microclimatic buffering. Structural simplification and disturbance reduce buffering capacity, whereas canopy continuity enhances thermal stability. IoT-based and low-cost sensor networks enable high-resolution, multi-scale monitoring of these dynamics; however, methodological heterogeneity limits cross-site comparability. By integrating urban climate research with forest microclimate ecology, this review proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for designing distributed sensor networks capable of capturing microclimatic variability along the urban–forest gradient and supporting climate adaptation strategies. Full article

Coastal cities are typical regions where economic growth, population agglomeration, and eco-environmental pressures are strongly coupled. Assessing the coordination between urban development and the eco-environment is therefore important for regional sustainability. This study selected seven representative coastal cities in China—Dalian, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Zhuhai—and integrated multisource remote sensing data with statistical yearbook data to construct a comprehensive evaluation system for urban development level (UDL) and eco-environmental quality (EEQ). An ecologically enhanced indicator system incorporating vegetation condition index (VCI), biological richness index (BRI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and dynamic habitat index (DHI) was developed. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) model was then used to evaluate urban sustainable development from 2014 to 2023. In addition, an EWM–MLP adaptive weighting strategy was applied to refine entropy-derived weights, and Random Forest was used to identify variables associated with CCD prediction. The results show that CCD values generally increased during the study period, indicating improved coordination between urban development and the eco-environment. However, the evolutionary pathways differed markedly among cities, and UDL and EEQ changes were not fully synchronized. The EWM–MLP strategy introduced adaptive numerical refinements to CCD values while maintaining the overall stability of coordination-level classification. Random Forest analysis showed that CCD prediction was mainly associated with a limited number of high-contribution indicators. For all indicators combined, approximately 7–10 top-ranked variables were generally required to exceed 80% of the total importance, whereas the UDL and EEQ subsystems reached this threshold with fewer indicators. UDL-related variation was mainly associated with land-use structure, population agglomeration, and economic activity, whereas EEQ-related variation was related to ecological conditions, land-cover composition, and environmental pressure. The high-importance indicators exhibited clear inter-city heterogeneity, suggesting the need for differentiated governance strategies. The proposed framework provides methodological support for sustainable development assessment and differentiated governance in coastal cities. Full article

In this review, the virulence factors involved in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) colonization and pathogenesis are analyzed, with an emphasis on colonization factors, enterotoxins and antigenic diversity as central challenges in vaccine development. ETEC remains a major cause of diarrhea worldwide, particularly in vulnerable populations. Despite extensive research, no broadly protective licensed vaccines are available largely because of antigenic heterogeneity and the limited understanding of immune correlates of protection. We identified critical knowledge gaps in antigen prioritization and host–pathogen interactions and translational limitations that have hindered vaccine success. We critically evaluated emerging platforms (including mRNA vaccines, nanoparticles, multiepitope strategies, and reverse vaccinology) for their potential to overcome variability and increase immunogenicity. We examined the roles of ecological environmental reservoirs associated with human and animal systems, in addition to antimicrobial pressure, in shaping ETEC evolution and vaccine effectiveness within a One Health framework; moreover, we propose an integrated approach that links genomic surveillance-based vaccine ecology and next-generation vaccine technologies to support adaptive immunogen design. This review provides actionable recommendations for the development of broadly protective and translationally viable ETEC vaccines from the One Health perspective. Full article

Under the global sustainable development agenda, urban ecological resilience serves as a key indicator of park city. This study established a framework of “Retrospective Evaluation–Prospective Simulation–Zoning Control”. The study chose Chengdu and analyzed land-use changes occurring at three-year intervals from 1999 to 2023. A defense–adaptability–recovery framework was applied to assess urban ecological resilience (UER). The study further simulated land use and urban ecological resilience patterns for 2035 under three scenarios, including natural development, ecological conservation, and park city development scenarios. Finally, it coupled UER with land development intensity to delineate ecological zones and propose differentiated strategies. The results showed that (1) historical UER declined then rose, with low UER concentrated in built-up areas and relatively low UER accounting for the largest share. (2) The park city development scenario yielded the highest UER, but showed limited improvement in existing low-resilience built-up areas. (3) Zoning patterns across scenarios were highly similar, dominated by Potential Development Zones. This study identifies the optimal scenario for enhancing UER and offers zoning strategies that can inform park city development in other cities. Full article

Helminth infections remain a major constraint to livestock productivity, particularly in regions where domestic animals and wildlife share grazing habitats. This study investigated the molecular diversity and transmission dynamics of helminth communities in sheep (Ovis aries) and saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) in West Kazakhstan. A total of 35 animals (20 sheep and 15 saiga) were examined, and helminths were identified using polymerase chain reaction targeting the ITS1 region of ribosomal DNA for nematodes and the mitochondrial cox1 gene for cestodes. Of the 20 analyzed samples, 80% were successfully identified at the molecular level. Detected species included Haemonchus contortus, Trichuris ovis, Chabertia ovina, Moniezia expansa, and Avitellina centripunctata. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Chabertia ovina isolates from both hosts clustered within a single monophyletic clade, indicating high genetic similarity and supporting potential cross-species transmission. Mitochondrial markers provided higher resolution for cestode differentiation, whereas ITS1 was effective for nematode identification. The predominance of Chabertia ovina in saiga suggests ecological adaptation and efficient transmission within wild populations. These findings highlight the epidemiological significance of shared grazing ecosystems and underscore the need for integrated parasite control strategies that consider both livestock and wildlife reservoirs. Full article

Duolang sheep, an indigenous breed of southern Xinjiang, are significant for their agricultural systems due to their adaptation to arid and semi-arid environments. This review integrates recent advancements in Duolang’s reproductive biology, genomic studies, and management strategies to address the breed’s reproductive efficiency under challenging ecological conditions. Reproductive traits such as puberty onset, estrous cycle characteristics, and seasonal breeding are influenced by complex genetic and several environmental factors. Numerous remarkable genomic findings highlight key loci related to fecundity, including the Booroola FecB mutation, as well as genes involved in steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis, and HPG axis regulation. Despite the genetic potential for increased prolificacy, Duolang sheep often exhibit low litter sizes, largely constrained by detrimental environmental factors and management practices. This review emphasizes the significance of integrating genetics, nutrition, and reproductive management to optimize productivity. Strategies such as nutritional flushing, hormone-based estrous synchronization, and selective breeding for increased litter size are discussed, with a focus on minimizing the risks associated with early puberty and lamb survival. Furthermore, the review explores the potential of genomic selection, marker-assisted breeding, and advanced reproductive technologies to enhance the breed’s performance. Finally, the review outlines future research directions, necessitating the development of genomic resources, precise breeding programs, and field trials on reproductive interventions to accelerate genetic gains in Duolang sheep. This integrated approach promises to improve reproductive outcomes, with implications for sustainable sheep production in Xinjiang and similar environments across the globe. Full article

Insects represent powerful experimental systems for investigating host–microorganism interactions, providing valuable insights into bacterial pathogenicity, immune regulation, symbiosis, and antimicrobial discovery. This review examines the complex relationships between insects and bacteria, focusing on the mechanisms that control infection, immune activation, and microbial adaptation. Particular attention is given to the routes of pathogen entry and to the conserved innate immune pathways that coordinate host defenses, including the Toll, Imd, Duox, and Jak/Stat signaling cascades. The review illustrates how bacterial pathogens exploit toxins, immune evasion strategies, and metabolic adaptation to overcome host defenses, while insects rely on tightly regulated cellular and humoral responses, antimicrobial peptides, melanization, and microbiota-mediated homeostasis. Interactions between pathogenic and commensal bacteria in the insect gut are discussed in the context of immune tolerance, dysbiosis, and ecological adaptation. The dual role of bacterial virulence factors in both pathogenesis and symbiosis is highlighted through examples involving entomopathogenic bacteria such as Photorhabdus spp., Xenorhabdus spp., and Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition, the review summarizes the use of insect models, including Drosophila melanogaster, Galleria mellonella, Bombyx mori, and Apis mellifera, in experimental infections aimed at studying virulence mechanisms, host immune responses, and antimicrobial efficacy. Finally, multi-omic approaches, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and single-cell technologies are discussed as transformative tools for dissecting host–microbe interactions at molecular and systems levels. Overall, insect–bacteria interactions emerge as dynamic and evolutionarily shaped systems in which immunity, metabolism, microbiota composition, and environmental factors are closely interconnected, offering important perspectives for both basic research and the development of sustainable biocontrol and antimicrobial strategies. Full article

BK and JC Polyomaviruses (BKPyV and JCPyV) are ubiquitous human pathogens capable of establishing lifelong, asymptomatic persistence in the majority of the global population. While decades of research have focused on their lytic replication cycles and the development of severe diseases, such as polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) caused by BKPyV and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) caused by JCPyV, their primary evolutionary strategy is one of persistence rather than pathogenesis. This review shifts the perspective from a replication-centric framework towards an evolutionary persistence model, detailing the multi-layered host and viral determinants that maintain the homeostatic balance. At the cellular level, viral genomes are restricted by chromatinization into minichromosomes and host S-phase licensing. These constraints are reinforced by innate immune sensing and adaptive T-cell and antibody responses that curtail systemic dissemination while permitting periodic, low-level urinary shedding, which is essential for horizontal transmission. In addition to these host barriers, the viruses utilize intrinsic regulatory mechanisms to prevent excessive replication and immune detection, including the stable archetype non-coding control region (NCCR), viral microRNAs that downregulate early gene expression, and the small t antigen (STAg). Finally, we address unresolved questions regarding the full spectrum of cellular reservoirs, the molecular triggers of reactivation, and the ecological factors shaping their transmission routes. Understanding these maintenance mechanisms is crucial for refining clinical interventions and managing the rare, devastating transitions from silent persistence to lytic disease. Full article

Global water scarcity constitutes a critical sustainability challenge, particularly in agricultural and rural contexts exposed to climate variability. Beyond technical and infrastructural solutions, collective and community-based water management practices have gained increasing relevance as sustainable alternatives grounded in local and ancestral knowledge. This study presents a systematic qualitative review of collective practices for alternative water management implemented worldwide between 2018 and 2023, following the PRISMA methodology, and based on a screening of the Scopus database, 31 peer-reviewed studies were selected and analysed through thematic synthesis. The systematic review identified five interconnected dimensions: (1) water management and governance, (2) conservation and storage, (3) hydrological restoration, (4) efficient water use, and (5) recognition of local knowledge. The results show that collective water management practices contribute to water security, ecological resilience, and adaptive capacity in rural territories, particularly when aligned with local socio-environmental conditions. The study highlights the importance of integrating scientific and community-based knowledge to advance context-specific and sustainable water management strategies, contributing to ongoing debates on sustainability, rural development, and adaptive water governance. Full article

Climate change poses significant threats to Mediterranean plant species, including Laurus nobilis L., an ecologically and economically important tree. This study evaluates potential shifts in its suitable distribution areas across Türkiye under future climate scenarios [Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 2-4.5 (SSP2-4.5) and 5-8.5 (SSP5-8.5)] using an ensemble species distribution model incorporating ten algorithms. Key environmental drivers—elevation, annual mean temperature (Bio1), and evaporation including sublimation and transpiration (evspsbl)—were identified as critical factors influencing habitat suitability. Results indicate substantial spatial redistributions, with habitat losses projected in inland transition zones toward continental climates, particularly in parts of the Aegean and Black Sea regions. The current suitable distribution area across the country, approximately 18.48%, could rise to 18.55% by 2040 under the SSP2-4.5 scenario and to 18.76% by 2060 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. However, without human intervention, the species’ establishment in these new suitable distribution areas is not considered possible. Moreover, it has been determined that the suitable distribution area of the species could decrease to 17.48% by 2060 under the SSP2-4.5 scenario and to 17.31% by 2080 under the SSP5-85 scenario. This result indicates that there could be a loss of more than 8% of the suitable distribution area between 2060 and 2080, according to the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Conversely, limited expansions may occur in specific areas, including the northern Aegean and the Hatay-Antep region. By 2100, despite periodic fluctuations, a net decline in suitable habitats is expected under both scenarios. Notably, spatial analysis reveals that while some newly suitable areas may emerge, natural migration will likely be insufficient for population persistence, necessitating human-assisted adaptation strategies. These findings underscore the need for proactive conservation measures, such as identifying climate-resilient provenances, assisted migration, and targeted reforestation in future suitable zones. Given that most Turkish forests are state-managed, collaboration with the General Directorate of Forestry is essential to integrate climate adaptation into long-term management plans. This study provides a framework for mitigating climate-induced habitat loss in L. nobilis while offering insights applicable to other vulnerable Mediterranean species facing similar threats. Full article

The Dwarf Ombú, Phytolacca tetramera, is a rare and highly unusual plant endemic to the northeastern Pampean grasslands of Argentina and is currently considered of high conservation priority. In order to better understand its biology, ecology, and conservation requirements, we studied its anatomy, reproductive traits, life history, and distribution based on field observations and herbarium material. Our results show that P. tetramera possesses a combination of traits consistent with the concept of ecological anachronism. The species produces large fleshy fruits whose size and shape are comparable to those interpreted as adapted for dispersal by extinct megafauna. In addition, the plant exhibits morphological and ecological adaptations associated with intense grazing, trampling, and drought tolerance, including robust underground structures and a growth pattern comparable to underground trees from seasonally dry open habitats. These findings suggest that P. tetramera evolved under ecological conditions markedly different from those existing today, including megafaunal disclimax environments that disappeared after the late Pleistocene extinctions. This ecological mismatch may help to explain its present rarity, fragmented distribution, and low population numbers. Our results also indicate that current conservation strategies for P. tetramera should consider the role of disturbance regimes and extinct ecological interactions in shaping the biology of this species. Full article

Scientifically assessing ecosystem health and optimizing ecological source areas (ESAs) are essential for effective environmental management, particularly in ecologically strategic mountain barrier regions. However, existing studies face challenges in identifying and optimizing ESAs. To address these limitations, this study integrated the contribution–vigor–organization–resilience (CVOR)-based ecosystem health framework, a genetic algorithm (GA), and circuit theory to assess ecosystem health, optimize ESAs, and identify ecological corridors (EC) and restoration priorities in the Daiyun Mountain Rim. The results demonstrate the following: (1) a significant ecosystem health decline from 2012 to 2022, evidenced by a 38.97% to 21.09% reduction in high-priority ecological zones accompanied by increased landscape fragmentation; (2) delineation of 90 GA-optimized ESA and 248 EC (2164.71 km), forming an interconnected ecological network; (3) enhanced connectivity metrics through GA optimization, showing α-index improvements of 0.15–0.23 and β-index gains of 0.05–0.08 compared to the traditional large-patch and morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA)-based ESA selection methods; (4) development of a tiered spatial strategy featuring primary/secondary restoration clusters and a “three-belt–one area–multiple clusters” framework for adaptive landscape governance. Although uncertainties remain due to the selected study period, parameter settings, and lack of field-based validation, this framework provides a useful reference for ecological planning, restoration prioritization, and ecosystem management in similar mountainous ecological barrier regions. Full article

Impervious surfaces are an important land surface indicator of urbanization level and human activity intensity, playing a crucial role in urban development monitoring and ecological environment assessment. However, in complex high-altitude regions such as the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, the identification accuracy of existing medium-resolution impervious surface products remains limited at the regional scale due to complex land surface backgrounds, sparse distributions of impervious surfaces, and their generally small spatial extent. To address this challenge, this study proposes a Seed-Driven Grid Adaptation (SDGA) framework for large-scale impervious surface mapping over the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau. The proposed method uses the Google Satellite Embeddings (GSE) dataset as the primary input features and incorporates a 10 m impervious surface prior (P10) derived from a 2 m high-resolution impervious surface product to provide spatial constraints. Based on this prior information, a Prior-guided Hybrid Active Sampling (PHAS) strategy is developed to automatically construct high-value training samples through uncertainty-based positive sample mining and cluster-based negative sample mining. The framework first builds an initial seed knowledge base in the Lhasa seed area and subsequently performs local adaptive expansion within a 2° × 2° grid system, enabling automated impervious surface mapping across the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau. Experimental results show that, with only a small number of initial samples, the PHAS strategy significantly improves model performance, increasing the F1 score for impervious surface identification in the Lhasa seed area from 65.02% to 82.22%. During the grid-level adaptation stage, approximately 67% of the grids achieved improved accuracy, with an average F1 score increase of 0.1109 across the study area. Ultimately, the SDGA framework produced a 10 m resolution impervious surface product for the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau (SDGA-ISC10m), achieving an overall F1 score of 0.8223. Compared with seven existing medium-resolution impervious surface datasets, the proposed method demonstrates improved recognition performance under complex plateau environments, particularly in detecting sparsely distributed and small-scale impervious surfaces. The results indicate that integrating remote sensing embedding features with active learning strategies can effectively reduce the need for manual annotation and provide a new technical pathway for large-scale impervious surface mapping in complex regions. Full article

With the rapid development of global aquaculture, the frequent occurrence of fish diseases has had a serious impact on the efficiency of aquaculture and the ecological environment. Antimicrobial peptides, as a kind of natural immune active substance existing in organisms, participate in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Due to their extensive antibacterial properties and low toxicity, they have gradually become a hot topic in scientific research. This article reviews the classification, tissue distribution, mechanism of action, extraction, and synthesis techniques of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from fish, as well as their applications in disease prevention in aquaculture, product preservation, and antibiotic substitution. Although antimicrobial peptides are expected to become alternatives to antibiotics, challenges such as environmental stability, production costs, and regulatory frameworks remain to be addressed. This article holds that antimicrobial peptides derived from fish are a feasible strategy for sustainable aquaculture. The future development direction lies in biotechnology-driven optimization, carrier innovation, and combined application with traditional antibiotics. Full article

Biological invasions and environmental pollution are the two primary threats facing contemporary agricultural ecosystems, and their interaction exacerbates agroecological risks and undermines agricultural sustainability. This study was conducted to systematically elucidate how heavy metals (HMs) and microplastics (MPs) alter the relative advantages of invasive plants in ecosystems, clarify the ecological processes involved, and propose recommendations for the protection of farmland ecosystems. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Pollution acts as an environmental filter that negatively affects native species, including crops, while creating relative advantages for invasive plants with high tolerance and adaptive physiological mechanisms. (2) Pollution stress enables invasive plants to gain a competitive advantage over native plants through highly plastic resource allocation strategies, prioritization of growth, and more powerful allelopathic effects. (3) Pollution systematically amplifies the advantage of invasive plants by altering the strength of plant–soil feedback (PSF) and driving the restructuring of rhizosphere microbial communities. (4) Invasive plants can be used to produce biochar, which can then be applied in farmland ecosystems for the control of invasive plants and remediation of soil pollution. The framework constructed in this study indicates that heavy metal and microplastic pollution may enhance the invasion of alien plants, posing a serious threat to agroecosystem health and food security. However, using invasive plants as feedstock to produce biochar may offer a solution to the intertwined challenges of plant invasion and environmental pollution. Full article