Search Results (1,431)

Insect pollination, a critical ecological process, pre-dates the emergence of angiosperms by nearly 200 million years, with fossil evidence indicating pollination interactions between insects and non-angiosperm seed plants during the Late Paleozoic. This review examines the symbiotic relationships between insects and gymnosperms in pre-angiosperm ecosystems, highlighting the complexity of these interactions. Fossil records suggest that the mutualistic relationships between insects and gymnosperms, which facilitated plant reproduction, were as intricate and diverse as the modern interactions between angiosperms and their pollinators, particularly bees. These early pollination systems likely involved specialized behaviors and plant adaptations, reflecting a sophisticated evolutionary dynamic long before the advent of flowering plants. The Anthropocene presents a dichotomy: while climate change and anthropogenic pressures threaten insect biodiversity and risk disrupting angiosperm reproduction, such upheaval may simultaneously generate opportunities for novel plant–insect interactions as ecological niches are vacated. Understanding the deep evolutionary history of pollination offers critical insight into the mechanisms underlying the resilience and adaptability of these mutualisms. The evolutionary trajectory of bees—originating from predatory wasps, diversifying alongside angiosperms, and reorganizing after mass extinctions—exemplifies this dynamic, demonstrating how pollination networks persist and reorganize under environmental stress and underscoring the enduring health, resilience, and adaptability of these essential ecological systems. Full article

Protecting aquatic biodiversity while ensuring reliable hydropower production and water supply remains a core challenge for both water security and biosecurity. In this PRISMA-based systematic review, we synthesize evidence from 96 studies on fish guidance and deterrence at hazardous water intakes. We examine non-physical barriers, including acoustic and light cues, electric fields, bubble curtains, and chemical stimuli, as well as physical barriers such as racks, guidance structures, and nets or screens that aim to divert fish away from intakes and toward selective passage routes. Overall, guidance and deterrence performance is strongly species- and site-specific. Multimodal systems that combine multiple cues show the highest mean guidance efficiency (~80%), followed by light-based deterrents (~77%). Acoustic, electric, and bubble barriers generally achieve intermediate efficiencies (~55–58%), whereas structural devices alone exhibit lower mean performance (~46%), with substantial variability among sites and designs. Physical screens remain effective for larger size classes but can increase head loss and debris accumulation. By contrast, non-physical systems offer more flexible, low-footprint options whose success depends critically on local hydraulics, the sensory ecology of target species, and ambient environmental conditions. We identify major knowledge gaps relating to underlying sensory and behavioral mechanisms, hydraulics-based design rules, and standardized performance metrics. We also highlight opportunities to integrate advanced monitoring and AI-based analytics into adaptive, site-specific guidance systems. Taken together, our findings show that carefully selected and tuned barrier technologies can provide practical pathways to enhance water security and biosecurity, while supporting sustainable fish passage, improving invasive-species control, and reducing ecological impacts at water infrastructure. Full article

Root exudates are key mediators of plant–soil–microbe interactions, shaping rhizosphere dynamics and influencing agroecosystem resilience. Comprising diverse primary and secondary metabolites, these compounds are actively secreted through specific transport pathways and are modulated by intrinsic plant traits and environmental conditions. Root exudates serve as chemical signals that recruit and structure microbial communities, facilitating nutrient mobilization, microbial feedbacks, and the regulation of plant growth and stress responses. By modulating soil chemical, physical, and biological properties, exudates contribute to carbon cycling, soil health, and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Moreover, they play multifunctional roles in enhancing plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses, while also mediating interactions with neighboring plants. This review provides a holistic perspective on root exudation, encompassing their mechanisms and drivers, roles in rhizosphere ecology and plant stress adaptation, and methodological advances, while highlighting opportunities to harness these processes for resilient, productive, and sustainable agroecosystems. Full article

Mozambique’s rapidly urbanizing landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 and 11, which aim to ensure access to clean energy and sustainable cities. This study employs the HESPECT analytical framework—emphasizing Historical, Economic, Social, Political, Ecological, Cultural, and Technological dimensions of the energy context—to examine the factors shaping renewable energy transitions in Mozambican cities. The analysis reveals a dual dynamic: facilitating factors such as abundant solar and wind potential, expanding urban energy demand, and growing policy support; and inhibiting factors including deforestation-driven ecological stress, poverty, infrastructural deficits, and uneven access to technology and education. By linking renewable energy development to urban planning, service delivery, and social inclusion, the study underscores how energy systems shape the sustainability and livability of Mozambique’s cities. The paper concludes that advancing Mozambique’s renewable energy agenda requires targeted interventions to mitigate constraints while leveraging enabling factors to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance social inclusion, and accelerate progress toward guaranteeing clean and affordable energy to all (SDG 7) and livable, sustainable cities (SDG 11). Full article

The production of essential oils generates substantial quantities of solid post-distillation residues, a largely unutilized waste stream rich in bioactive compounds (e.g., phenolics, flavonoids) as well as polysaccharides. Managing this organic waste presents both environmental and economic challenges. This review critically examines environmentally friendly green innovations and resource-efficient technologies within circular bio-economy strategies for valorizing these residues, focusing on four primary conversion pathways: physico-mechanical, thermochemical, biological, and chemical methods. We highlight their potential for practical applications, including the extraction of active compounds for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, utilization in agriculture, incorporation into construction materials and wastewater treatment. Despite these opportunities, wider industrial adoption remains limited by high processing costs and the lack of scalable, cost-effective technologies. Key research gaps included the need for methods applicable at the farm level, optimization of the residue-specific conversion process, and life-cycle assessments to evaluate environmental and economic impacts. Addressing these gaps is crucial to fully exploit the economic and ecological potential of post-distillation solid residues and integrate them into sustainable circular bio-economy practices through various processes. Full article

Background and Objectives: The growing number of patients seeking medical care in the internal medicine departments over the past decades has been accompanied by an increase in the bed occupancy rate. This is associated with a heavier work burden among the professional staff members, which may lead to a lower quality of care. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between the bed occupancy rate and staff compliance with hand hygiene regulations. Materials and Methods: This ecological study included 9 internal medicine departments (~300 beds) in a single medical center between 01/2017 and 12/2019. Routine hand hygiene performance was evaluated randomly, and the association between the bed occupancy rate and the staff’s compliance with the hospital regulations was studied. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed by the generalized estimating equation model. Results: The study included 12,736 episodes that warranted hand hygiene practices (“opportunities”). The overall hand hygiene performance rate was 78.3% (physicians 76.2%, nurses 80.7%, and healthcare assistants 76.9%). There was an approximately 2% decline in staff compliance for each 10% increase in bed occupancy rate (adjusted IRR 0.98, 95%CI 0.97–0.99, p < 0.001). Stratification by staff members showed a significant decline in routine hand hygiene practices among physicians (adjusted IRR 0.97, 95%CI 0.95–0.99, p < 0.001) and healthcare assistants (adjusted IRR 0.97, 95%CI 0.96–0.99, p < 0.001) but not among nurses (adjusted IRR 0.99, 95%CI 0.98–1.01, p = 0.392). Conclusions: An increase in bed occupancy rate is associated with a decrease in the hospital staff’s compliance with hand hygiene and therefore may lead to a lower quality of care. Full article

Small pelagic fish, including sardines, are essential to global fisheries and aquaculture feed production. However, these species are increasingly exposed to intense exploitation. In Chile, the common sardine (Strangomera bentincki), endemic to the Humboldt Current System, supports major industrial and artisanal fisheries. Landings are expected to reach 300,000 tons by 2025, mostly for fishmeal production. As a keystone species, S. bentincki is highly sensitive to environmental variability during early development, which can reduce recruitment and threaten long-term population sustainability. This interdisciplinary approach integrates ecological and biotechnological perspectives to assess the feasibility of controlled juvenile sardine production in land-based Ecological Aquaculture (EA) systems, including Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), which are designed to reduce environmental impacts. These systems enable precise control of temperature, feeding regimes, and water quality, facilitating investigations into larval and juvenile survival, growth performance, and physiological responses under variable thermal and nutritional conditions. Emphasis is placed on fatty acid metabolism during ontogeny, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are essential for somatic growth, reproductive development, and thermal tolerance. Developing standardized protocols for juvenile S. bentincki culture addresses key gaps in husbandry and physiology (temperature threshold, nutrient density, larval growth rate, etc.) while introducing a novel ecological–aquaculture integration framework. This approach links early-life ecology with applied rearing techniques to support stock enhancement, strengthen artisanal fisheries, and promote sustainable aquaculture diversification under increasing environmental variability. Full article

Coastal ecological regulation plays a crucial role in coordinating the human–environment system and promotes sustainable development, yet it often imposes constraints on the livelihoods of local farmers. Drawing on questionnaire survey data from Chinese coastal farmers, this study quantifies farmers’ opportunity loss through the expectation function and entropy method. Subsequently, a Multinomial Logit model and Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) are employed to systematically investigate the mechanisms through which ecological regulation-induced opportunity loss influences coastal farmers’ livelihood transition between 2013 and 2023. The findings reveal that greater opportunity loss significantly inhibits the fishing households’ livelihood transition, exhibiting a ‘livelihood stickiness’ effect. This inhibitory effect is partially mediated by a narrowing of farmers’ psychological distance from environmental issues. Specifically, social distance, reflecting community attachment and identity, plays a dominant mediating role. Furthermore, regulation intensity significantly amplifies this inhibitory effect. Notably, in the absence of substantive compensation or alternative livelihood support, greater policy publicity further reinforces this inhibitory impact. These findings underscore the need for policy interventions that provide compensation and alternative livelihood support commensurate with farmers’ opportunity loss. Enhancing community participation is also crucial to better reconcile coastal conservation objectives with the sustainable livelihoods of local communities. Full article

The global demand for argan oil has grown considerably in recent years, creating economic opportunities while raising concerns about ecosystem degradation and the sustainability of production systems. To support long-term viability, several initiatives have promoted environmentally friendly practices and fair value-chain models. However, the effective market integration of these initiatives depends on understanding consumer behavior and preferences toward sustainable products. This study aims to identify the determinants influencing consumers’ purchase intention for sustainable argan oil using an extended framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A structural equation modeling approach was applied to analyze responses from adult consumers with a minimum education level of secondary education. The results show that consumer attitude, perceived behavioral control, and willingness to pay have significant positive effects on purchase intention, while ecological literacy exerts an indirect influence through attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and willingness to pay. In contrast, ecological literacy has no significant direct impact. These findings improve the understanding of behavioral mechanisms underlying green product consumption and offer insights into designing marketing strategies that align with sustainability values and promote responsible consumer choices. Full article

Understanding the movement behaviour of male ruffs (Calidris pugnax) during the breeding season requires integrating recent telemetry data with long-standing theory on conditional reproductive strategies, lek dynamics, and behavioural polymorphism. A large-scale tracking study revealed extensive within-season movements among many males, with individuals visiting 1 to 23 sites, but also documented prolonged residency, with site tenures exceeding 40 days. Such variation is not contradictory but expected in a species whose reproductive system combines genetically fixed alternative strategies, governed by a supergene, with flexible conditional tactics expressed in response to ecological and social cues. Here, I synthesize movement ecology, state-dependent decision models, lekking theory, and previous empirical work to show that spatial behaviour in ruffs reflects a continuum of tactics rather than a homogeneous nomadic mode. Telemetry data thereby enrich our understanding of how individuals navigate fluctuating environments, competitive pressures, and mating opportunities. Embracing behavioural heterogeneity is essential for interpreting movement patterns and for understanding how reproductive diversity evolves and is maintained in lekking systems. Full article

Magnesium–sulfur (Mg-S) batteries represent a novel category of multivalent energy storage systems, characterised by enhanced theoretical energy density, material availability, and ecological compatibility. Notwithstanding these benefits, the practical implementation of this approach continues to be hindered by ongoing issues, such as polysulfide shuttle effects, slow Mg²⁺ transport, and significant interfacial instability. This study emphasises recent progress in utilising transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) as cathode materials and modifiers to overcome these challenges. We assess the structural, electrical, and catalytic characteristics of TMCs such as MoS₂, CoSe₂, WS₂, and TiS₂, highlighting their contributions to improving redox kinetics, retaining polysulfides, and enabling reversible Mg²⁺ intercalation. The review synthesises results from experimental and theoretical studies to offer a thorough comprehension of structure–function interactions. Particular emphasis is placed on morphological engineering, modulation of electronic conductivity, and techniques for surface functionalisation. Furthermore, we examine insights from density functional theory (DFT) simulations that corroborate the observed enhancements in electrochemical performance and offer predictive direction for material optimisation. This paper delineates nascent opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced materials discovery and hybrid system design, proposing future trajectories to realise the potential of TMC-based Mg-S battery systems fully. Full article

Peru is currently distinguished by its remarkable biodiversity, which is characterized by a high level of endemism and a wide array of ecological niches. In the context of biodiversity, the genus Theobroma spp. is particularly noteworthy, encompassing the species Theobroma cacao, Theobroma grandiflorum and Theobroma bicolor, which are collectively referred to as cacao, cupuaçu, and macambo, respectively. The primary economic value of these species is derived from their mucilage-rich pulp and beans. In recent years, the mucilage of the genus Theobroma has gained economic relevance due to its flavor, floral and fruity aroma. The present review article aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of Theobroma spp. mucilage, addressing its characterization and potential applications. The present study investigates aspects related to its origin, cob morphology, proximal composition, bioactive compounds, volatile profile and its application in the food industry. The study highlights a high content of polysaccharides such as reducing sugars, organic acids, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, antioxidant capacity, presence of polyphenols and methylxanthines. Through this comprehensive review, a prospective vision is proposed on the opportunities for innovation and sustainable development around the Theobroma mucilage industry, highlighting its relevance not only as a agri-food byproduct, but also as a valuable resource in the productive circular economy and the sustainability of biodiversity. Full article

Saxitoxin (STX) is one of the most potent marine neurotoxins, produced by several species of freshwater cyanobacteria and marine dinoflagellates. Although omics-based approaches have advanced our understanding of STX biosynthesis in recent decades, the origin, regulation, and ecological drivers of STX in dinoflagellates remain poorly resolved. Specifically, dinoflagellate STX biosynthetic genes (sxt) are extremely fragmented, inconsistently expressed, and unevenly distributed between toxic and non-toxic taxa. Environmental studies further report inconsistent relationships between abiotic factors and STX production, suggesting regulation across multiple genomic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels. These gaps prevent a comprehensive understanding of STX biosynthesis in dinoflagellates and limit the development of accurate predictive models for harmful algal blooms (HABs) and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning and deep learning, offers new opportunities in ecological pattern recognition, molecular annotation, and data-driven prediction. This review explores the current state of knowledge and persistent knowledge gaps in dinoflagellate STX research and proposes an AI-integrated multi-omics framework highlighting recommended models for sxt gene identification (e.g., DeepFRI, ProtTrans, ESM-2), evolutionary reconstruction (e.g., PhyloGAN, GNN, PhyloVAE, NeuralNJ), molecular regulation (e.g., MOFA+, LSTM, GRU, DeepMF), and toxin prediction (e.g., XGBoost, LightGBM, LSTM, ConvLSTM). By integrating AI with diverse biological datasets, this novel framework outlines how AI can advance fundamental understanding of STX biosynthesis and inform future applications in HAB monitoring, seafood safety, and PSP risk management in aquaculture and fisheries. Full article

Equine yards represent a substantial yet often overlooked land-use category in Europe, with potential to contribute to biodiversity and environment conservation. This study explored behavioral drivers and barriers to biodiversity implementation on Dutch equine yards using the COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation—Behavior). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 yard owners, covering both private and commercial operations ranging from <3 hectares to >3 hectares. Data were analyzed thematically using a deductive COM-B framework, with coded responses quantified to assess the relative weight of barriers and enablers. Reflective motivation emerged as a consistent enabler, grounded in values such as equine welfare, sustainability, and responsible land use. However, barriers were more prevalent overall, particularly within physical and social opportunity. Small yards faced constraints related to time, labor, and land tenure, while larger yards reported challenges integrating biodiversity into routines and navigating regulatory complexity. Psychological capability was not a major constraint, though yard owners expressed a clear need for externally sourced, informed advice. These findings suggest that while motivation is high, structural barriers limit implementation. Unlocking the ecological potential of equine yards will require targeted, size-sensitive policy support, recognition of their land stewardship role, and better integration of biodiversity into daily management practices. Full article

Global food security and dietary diversity depend on identifying novel and sustainable food sources. Wild edible plants (WEPs) traditionally used in Mediterranean regions offer considerable potential due to their rich history of use. Here, ethnobotanical knowledge was systematically compiled for the fruits and cones of five taxa (Arbutus unedo, Prunus spinosa, Quercus spp., Pinus spp. and Rosa spp.), documenting alimentary uses, preparation and conservation methods across diverse food categories. Analysis of over 2800 traditional use reports identified 54 distinct alimentary uses from 16 categories, with raw consumption and sweet preserves being the most prevalent. Rosa spp. exhibited the highest diversity of uses (36), whereas the family Pinaceae showed the lowest (19). Statistically significant associations between individual fruits and specific food preparations were also observed, offering guidance for innovative product development. Information on processing methods that preserve nutritional components, along with documentation of potential harmful effects and the methods to mitigate them, was collected, providing essential guidance for developing safe and functional alimentary products. Together, traditional knowledge, regulatory adherence, and sustainable practices create new opportunities to develop innovative, safe, culturally grounded, and sustainable food products that enrich diets and preserve cultural and ecological heritage. Full article