Search Results (445)

In celebration of 50 years of the endoreversible Carnot-like heat engine, this work aims to link the thermodynamic success of the irreversible Carnot-like heat engine with the stability dynamics of the engine. This region of success is defined by two extreme configurations in the interaction between heat reservoirs and the working fluid. The first corresponds to a fully reversible limit, and the second one is the fully dissipative limit; in between both limits, the heat exchange between reservoirs and working fluid produces irreversibilities and entropy generation. The distance between these two extremal configurations is minimized, independently of the chosen metric, in the state where the efficiency is half the Carnot efficiency. This boundary encloses the region where irreversibilities dominate or the reversible behavior dominates (region of success). A general stability dynamics is proposed based on the endoreversible nature of the model and the operation parameter in charge of defining the operation regime. For this purpose, the maximum ecological and maximum Omega regimes are considered. The results show that for single perturbations, the dynamics rapidly directs the system towards the success region, and under random perturbations producing stochastic trajectories, the system remains always in this region. The results are contrasted with the case in which no restitution dynamics exist. It is shown that stability allows the system to depart from the original steady state to other states that enhance the system’s performance, which could favor the evolution and specialization of systems in nature and in artificial devices. Full article

(1) Background: The development of professional identity in future educators is a dynamic and multifaceted process, shaped by personal experiences, interpersonal relationships, role models, and the values internalized across diverse learning ecologies. This identity formation is closely intertwined with academic achievement, socio-educational integration, peer interactions, and the underlying motivations for choosing a particular educational and professional trajectory. This study explores the connections between students’ educational experiences and their motivation to pursue careers in pedagogy and social education. (2) Methods: Based on 138 autoethnographic narratives written by undergraduate students enrolled in Anthropology of Education courses at two [Spanish] universities. (3) Results: The analysis reveals how reflective engagement with personal educational histories enables students to reconstruct the relational foundations of their learning paths. These reflections inform their academic and career choices, which are understood not as static decisions, but as evolving trajectories shaped by a generational context characterized by uncertainty and change. (4) Conclusions: The findings highlight how students, through their narratives, articulate both their professional aspirations and a vision of the educator as an agent of change—one who emerges in response to, and often in critique of, the educational structures and practices. Full article

Chrysomya megacephala, as one of the common blowflies, displays biological characteristics, such as ovoviviparity and carrion-feeding adaptation. Thus, this species is generally considered of significant ecological, medical, and forensic importance. However, without a high-quality pseudo-chromosome genome for C. megacephala, elucidating its evolutionary trajectory proved difficult. Herein, we assembled and analyzed a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of the C. megacephala, combined with PacBio HiFi long reads, Hi-C data, and Illumina reads. The pseudo-chromosomes assembly of C. megacephala spans 629.44 Mb, with 97.05% anchored to five chromosomes. Final assembly includes 1056 contigs (N50 = 1.68 Mb), and 97 scaffolds (N50 = 121.37 Mb), achieving 98.90% BUSCO completeness (n = 1367). Gene annotation predicted 17,071 protein-coding genes (95.60% BUSCO completeness), while repeat masking identified 244.26 Mb (38.82%) as repetitive elements. Additionally, 3740 non-coding RNAs were characterized. Gene family analyses resulted in 10,579 gene families, containing 151 gene families that experienced rapid evolution. Comparative genomic analyses showed that the expanded genes are related to reproduction and necrophagous habits. In addition, we annotated the gene family P450s, CCEs, IRs, GRs, and ORs, all of which represent remarkable expansion, playing a crucial role in the mechanism of locating the hosts for forensic insects. Our research establishes a high-quality genome sequence to facilitate subsequent molecular investigations into significant species within forensic entomology. Full article

Ravine forests are key to conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem processes in fragmented landscapes. Here, we evaluated the phenology of plant species in the Los Nogales Nature Sanctuary (Lo Barnechea, Chile) using Sentinel-2 images (2019–2024) and the Alos Palsar DEM (12.5 m). We calculated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Topographic Position Index (TPI), and Diurnal Anisotropic Heat (DAH) to assess vegetation dynamics across different topographic and thermal gradients. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) revealed that tree species exhibited more stable, regular seasonal NDVI trajectories, while shrubs showed moderate fluctuations, and herbaceous species displayed high interannual variability, likely reflecting sensitivity to climatic events. Spatial analysis indicated that trees predominated on steep slopes and higher elevations, herbs were concentrated in low-lying, moisture-retaining areas, and shrubs were more common in areas with higher thermal load. These findings highlight the significant role of terrain and temperature in shaping plant phenology and distribution, underscoring the utility of remote sensing and topographic indices for monitoring ecological processes in complex mountainous environments. Full article

Although measurements of urban shrinkage in China have received much attention, most have relied on statistical yearbook data based on political–administrative city boundaries, and remote-sensing-based quantification is mainly one-dimensional. This has caused problems in incorporating rural areas and spatiotemporal inconsistencies, as well as an inadequate understanding, which has subsequently resulted in an inaccurate shrinkage identification. This study merely utilized the latest multisensory and time-series remote sensing data, including nighttime light, land use, and population grids, to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of multidimensional shrinkage based on the county-level urban entity mapping of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations (YRD-UAs) from 2003 to 2023. County-level urban entities were acquired from a pioneering mapping effort that utilized city-specific commuting distance and land use maps. The results demonstrated that urban entities in 215 counties grew at a generally slowing pace. The degree of economic, population, and space shrinkage was mainly slight, and the shrinking trajectory was dominated by temporary shrinkage. Most counties experienced population shrinkage in their coastal-oriented distribution, whereas economic shrinkage affected the fewest counties, with the lowest spatial clustering occurring northward. Population shrinkage also displayed the highest spatial autocorrelation, but its agglomeration weakened against space shrinkage clustering. This study concluded that the exclusive utilization of remote sensing products to measure urban-entity-based multidimensional shrinkage reduced the uncertainty associated with rural area inclusion and resulted in satisfactory assessment accuracy. The spatiotemporal patterns of multidimensional shrinkage suggested strengthening ecological land allocation within urban entities across the entire region, implementing polycentric development strategies in the north, as well as enhancing county-level economic governance in the northwest. This study presents a spatiotemporally comparable methodology for quantifying the multidimensional shrinking of county-level urban entities at a large scale and contributes to further optimizing the developments of YRD-UAs. Full article

Aboveground biomass (AGB) is a critical indicator for assessing carbon sequestration and ecosystem health in transboundary ecologically fragile areas. High-precision estimation and spatiotemporal inversion of AGB are the key to investigating transition zones. However, inadequate feature selection and complex parameter tuning limit accuracy and spatiotemporal representation in the estimation model. An AGB estimation model that integrates SHAP-based feature selection with a particle swarm optimization-enhanced random forest model (RF_PSO) was proposed. Then AGB trajectory clustering was used to characterize the grassland change pattern. The method was applied to grasslands across the China–Mongolia–Russia (CMR) border area from 2000 to 2020. The results show that (1) the SHAP-RF_PSO model achieved the highest accuracy (R² = 0.87, RMSE = 45.8 g/m²), outperforming other estimation models. (2) AGB improvements were observed in 72.13% of the area, mainly in MN_EA, MN_CE, and CN_NMG, while 27.39% showed degradation, concentrated in CN_NMG and MN_CE. The stable area accounts for 0.48%, which is scattered in RU_BU and RU_ZA.CN_NMG. (3) Four change patterns, namely Fluctuating Low, Stable Low, Fluctuating High, and Stable High, were identified, with major shifts in 2007, 2012, and 2014. (4) Projections indicate that 80% of the region may maintain current trends, 13% may reverse, and 7% remain uncertain, requiring targeted interventions. This study offers a robust tool for high-precision AGB estimation and supports dynamic monitoring in the CMR border area. Full article

This study focuses on a profound paradox in eco-hotel evaluations: why do consumer ratings for location, a static asset, exhibit dynamic fluctuations? To solve this puzzle, we construct a two-stage signal-processing theoretical framework that integrates Signaling Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). This framework posits that the dynamic trajectory of a hotel’s green attributes (encompassing eco-facilities, sustainable practices, and ecological experiences) constitutes a high-fidelity market signal about its underlying quality. We utilized natural language processing techniques (Word2Vec and LSA) to conduct a longitudinal analysis of over 60,000 real consumer reviews from Booking.com between 2020 and 2023. This study confirms that continuous improvements in green attributes result in significant positive spillovers to location scores, while any degradation triggers strong negative spillovers. More critically, consumer environmental involvement (CEI) acts as an amplifier in this process, with high-involvement consumers reacting more intensely to both types of signals. The research further uncovers complex non-linear threshold characteristics in the spillover effect, subverting traditional linear management thinking. These findings not only provide a dynamic and psychologically deep theoretical explanation for sustainable consumption behavior but also offer forward-thinking practical implications for hoteliers on how to strategically manage dynamic signals to maximize brand value. Full article

Soil microbes play a crucial role in driving biogeochemical cycles and are closely linked with aboveground plants during forest succession. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) encroachment into adjacent forests of varying composition is known to alter plant diversity in subtropical and tropical regions. However, how soil microbial communities respond to this vegetation type transformation has not fully explored. To address this knowledge gap, a time-alternative spatial method was employed in the present study, and we investigated the effect of Moso bamboo expansion into subtropical broad-leaved forest and coniferous forest on soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). We also measured the dynamics of key soil properties during the Moso bamboo expansion processes. Our results showed that Moso bamboo encroachment into subtropical broad-leaved forest induced an elevation in soil bacterial PLFAs (24.78%) and total microbial PLFAs (22.70%), while decreasing the fungal-to-bacterial (F:B) ratio. This trend was attributed to declines in soil NO₃⁻-N (18.63%) and soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations (28.83%). Conversely, expansion into coniferous forests promoted soil fungal PLFAs (40.41%) and F:B ratio, primarily driven by increases in soil pH (4.83%) and decreases in SOC (36.18%). These results provide mechanistic insights into how contrasting expansion trajectories of Moso bamboo restructure soil microbial communities and highlight the need to consider vegetation context-dependency when evaluating the ecological consequences of Moso bamboo expansion. Full article

This study employs system theory and dynamic modeling to investigate how rural homestead rights confirmation influences multidimensional urban–rural integration. Through constructing a system dynamics model incorporating environmental, economic, and social sustainability indicators, an analysis of the structural relationships between land tenure security, resource mobility, and balanced regional development is conducted. The findings reveal that formalized property rights act as a systemic intervention triggering three synergistic effects: (1) enhanced rural resource utilization efficiency, (2) accelerated elements market integration, and (3) improved social equity in development opportunities. Scenario simulations project that, under current policy trajectories, urban–rural integration could achieve intermediate coordination by 2035 through sustainable land management practices. A comparative scenario analysis demonstrates that urban-priority models exacerbate spatial inequality, while rural-optimized and coordinated development pathways accelerate convergence toward comprehensive integration through ecological–economic–social multi-dimensional synergy. This research contributes to sustainability science by quantifying the systemic linkages between institutional innovation and spatial justice, providing evidence-based insights for developing countries pursuing integrated rural revitalization and sustainable urbanization strategies. The methodological framework offers replicable tools for assessing institutional reforms’ long-term impacts on territorial sustainability. Full article

Inclusion in play, physical education, outdoor life, organized sports, and other movement-based activities can promote resilience and support physical, emotional, and social well-being. These arenas are particularly important for reducing health disparities and preventing social marginalization across the lifespan. Yet, children and adolescents from vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds encounter persistent barriers to participation, rooted in broader inequalities related to their socioeconomic position, disability, gender, ethnicity, and access to supportive environments. This perspective outlines how inclusive movement contexts, when informed by developmental systems theory and resilience frameworks, can interrupt trajectories of marginalization and promote long-term equity in health, education, and work inclusion. We emphasize the need for interdisciplinary approaches, combining longitudinal and qualitative methods, to uncover how vulnerability and participation interact dynamically over time. By integrating insights from developmental science, education, public health, and spatial ecology, we identify strategic pathways for research and action. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts across sectors and stakeholders to co-create inclusive, context-sensitive interventions. Full article

Tropical forests face increasing threats and are often replaced by secondary forests that regenerate after disturbances. In the Atlantic Forest, this creates fragments of different successional stages. The aim of this study is to understand how soil nutrients and light availability gradients influence the species composition and structure of trees and regenerating strata in remnants of lowland rainforest. We sampled 15 plots for the tree stratum (DBH ≥ 5 cm) and 45 units for the regenerating stratum (height ≥ 50 cm, DBH < 5 cm), obtaining phytosociological, entropy and equitability data for both strata. Canopy openness was assessed with hemispherical photos and soil samples were homogenized. To analyze the interactions between the vegetation of the tree layer and the environmental variables, we carried out three principal component analyses and two redundancy analyses and applied a linear model. The young fragments showed good recovery, significant species diversity, and positive successional changes, while the older ones had higher species richness and were in an advanced stage of succession. In addition, younger forests are associated with sandy, nutrient-poor soils and greater exposure to light, while mature forests have more fertile soils, display a greater diversity of dispersal strategies, are rich in soil clay, and have less light availability. Mature forests support biodiversity and regeneration better than secondary forests, highlighting the importance of preserving mature fragments and monitoring secondary ones to sustain tropical biodiversity. Full article

The remote sensing monitoring of land use changes and future scenario simulation hold crucial significance for accurately characterizing urban expansion patterns, optimizing urban land use configurations, and thereby promoting coordinated regional development. Through the integration of multi-source data, this study systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal trajectories and driving forces of land use changes in the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration (PRD) from 1990 to 2020 and further simulates the spatial patterns of urban land use under diverse development scenarios from 2025 to 2035. The results indicate the following: (1) During 1990–2020, urban expansion in the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration exhibited a “stepwise growth” pattern, with an annual expansion rate of 3.7%. Regional land use remained dominated by forest (accounting for over 50%), while construction land surged from 6.5% to 21.8% of total land cover. The gravity center trajectory shifted southeastward. Concurrently, cropland fragmentation has intensified, accompanied by deteriorating connectivity of ecological lands. (2) Urban expansion in the PRD arises from synergistic interactions between natural and socioeconomic drivers. The Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) model revealed that natural constraints—elevation (regression coefficients ranging −0.35 to −0.05) and river network density (−0.47 to −0.15)—exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity. Socioeconomic drivers dominated by year-end paved road area (0.26–0.28) and foreign direct investment (0.03–0.11) emerged as core expansion catalysts. Geographic detector analysis demonstrated pronounced interaction effects: all factor pairs exhibited either two-factor enhancement or nonlinear enhancement effects, with interaction explanatory power surpassing individual factors. (3) Validation of the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model showed high reliability (Kappa coefficient = 0.9205, overall accuracy = 95.9%). Under the Natural Development Scenario, construction land would exceed the ecological security baseline, causing 408.60 km² of ecological space loss; Under the Ecological Protection Scenario, mandatory control boundaries could reduce cropland and forest loss by 3.04%, albeit with unused land development intensity rising to 24.09%; Under the Economic Development Scenario, cross-city contiguous development zones along the Pearl River Estuary would emerge, with land development intensity peaking in Guangzhou–Foshan and Shenzhen–Dongguan border areas. This study deciphers the spatiotemporal dynamics, driving mechanisms, and scenario outcomes of urban agglomeration expansion, providing critical insights for formulating regionally differentiated policies. Full article

Vegetation is a fundamental component of terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding how vegetation changes and what drives these evolutions is crucial for developing a high-quality ecological environment and addressing global climate change. Extensive evidence has shown that China has undergone substantial vegetation changes, characterized primarily by greening. To quantify vegetation dynamics in China and assess the contributions of various drivers, we explored the spatiotemporal variations in the kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) from 2001 to 2020, and quantitatively separated the influences of climate and human factors. The kNDVI time series were generated from the MCD19A1 v061 dataset based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. We employed the Theil-Sen trend analysis, the Mann-Kendall test, and the Hurst index to analyze the historical patterns and future trajectories of kNDVI. Residual analysis was then applied to determine the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to vegetation dynamics across China. The results show that from 2001 to 2020, vegetation in China showed a fluctuating but predominantly increasing trend, with a significant annual kNDVI growth rate of 0.002. The significant greening pattern was observed in over 48% of vegetated areas, exhibiting a clear spatial gradient with lower increases in the northwest and higher amplitudes in the southeast. Moreover, more than 60% of vegetation areas are projected to experience a sustained increase in the future. Residual analysis reveals that climate change contributed 21.89% to vegetation changes, while human activities accounted for 78.11%, being the dominant drivers of vegetation variation. This finding is further supported by partial correlation analysis between kNDVI and temperature, precipitation, and the human footprint. Vegetation dynamics were found to respond more strongly to human influences than to climate drivers, underscoring the leading role of human activities. Further analysis of tree cover fraction and cropping intensity data indicates that the greening in forests and croplands is primarily attributable to large-scale afforestation efforts and improved agricultural management. Full article

Mangrove forests serve as critical ecological barriers in coastal zones and play a vital role in global blue carbon sequestration strategies. In recent decades, China’s mangrove ecosystems have experienced complex interactions between degradation and restoration under intense coastal urbanization and systematic conservation efforts. However, the long-term spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanisms of mangrove ecosystem health changes remain insufficiently quantified. This study developed a multi-temporal analytical framework using Landsat imagery (1986–2021) to derive kernel normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI) time series—an advanced phenological indicator with enhanced sensitivity to vegetation dynamics. We systematically characterized mangrove growth patterns along China’s southeastern coast through integrated Theil–Sen slope estimation, Mann–Kendall trend analysis, and Hurst exponent forecasting. A Deep Forest regression model was subsequently applied to quantify the relative contributions of environmental drivers (mean annual sea surface temperature, precipitation, air temperature, tropical cyclone frequency, and relative sea-level rise rate) and anthropogenic pressures (nighttime light index). The results showed the following: (1) a nationally significant improvement in mangrove vitality (p < 0.05), with mean annual kNDVI increasing by 0.0072/yr during 1986–2021; (2) spatially divergent trajectories, with 58.68% of mangroves exhibiting significant improvement (p < 0.05), which was 2.89 times higher than the proportion of degraded areas (15.10%); (3) Hurst persistence analysis (H = 0.896) indicating that 74.97% of the mangrove regions were likely to maintain their growth trends, while 15.07% of the coastal zones faced potential degradation risks; and (4) Deep Forest regression id the relative rate of sea-level rise (importance = 0.91) and anthropogenic (nighttime light index, importance = 0.81) as dominant drivers, surpassing climatic factors. This study provides the first national-scale, 30 m resolution assessment of mangrove growth dynamics using kNDVI, offering a scientific basis for adaptive management and blue carbon strategies in subtropical coastal ecosystems. Full article

Amid growing environmental concerns and an increasing push for sustainable development, countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have taken proactive steps toward green growth, energy transition, and technological innovation. As a result, this study examines the effects of green growth, energy transition, technological innovation, financial inclusion, and urbanization on environmental sustainability in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Moreover, this study breaks new ground by exposing the hidden environmental costs of financial inclusion, urbanization, and technological innovation in the MENA region’s development trajectory, thereby providing compelling evidence for rethinking sustainability through an integrated approach that aligns economic ambition with ecological responsibility. Data for the studied variables were sourced from the World Bank database covering the period 1990 to 2021. The results show that green growth and energy transition significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, supporting the idea that economic expansion aligned with environmental priorities can contribute to ecological improvement. However, the impact of technological innovation is statistically insignificant, indicating that innovation in the region has not yet translated into meaningful environmental gains, possibly due to the dominance of non-green or industrial-focused innovation. Financial inclusion is found to increase CO₂ emissions, likely by facilitating greater access to credit and financial services that fuel energy-intensive consumption and production activities. Similarly, urbanization also contributes to rising emissions, reflecting the unsustainable nature of urban growth in many MENA region. Based on this study, we advocate for a coordinated regional approach to climate and energy policy, underpinned by shared governance and collective action. Full article