Search Results (210)

The Baleysky gold deposit in Eastern Transbaikalia is a classic example of the long-term environmental legacy of gold mining. The cessation of industrial wastewater discharge in 1995 led to the accumulation of more than 3 million m³ of acidic water with high concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids. These waters contain concentrations many times higher than the maximum permissible levels for fishery waters (Mn up to 6594, Al—1473, Zn—486, and Cu—414), posing a significant threat to the ecosystem of the Unda River and the health of the local population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the artificial geochemical barrier method for treating such waters under laboratory conditions. Column experiments were conducted using local soil and the commercial carbonate sorbent taurite at a sorbent-to-filtrate ratio of 1:5. Taurite demonstrated a significantly higher sorption capacity than soil, substantially reducing the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu and raising the pH from 2.90 to 7.96–8.03. Although health risks associated with both carcinogenic (CR) and non-carcinogenic effects (HI) decreased significantly after treatment with taurite, residual risk levels remained unacceptably high (CR ≈ 10⁻³, HI > 1). The results show that engineered geochemical barriers have great potential for reducing anthropogenic contamination at abandoned mining sites, although further optimization of this technology is necessary to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental contaminants of growing concern for soil ecosystems, yet their effects on the humoral arm of innate immunity in soil invertebrates remain poorly characterized. Here, we used the earthworm Eisenia fetida to screen 31 legacy and emerging PFAS congeners for their ability to modulate the hemolytic activity of cell-free coelomic fluid, a functional readout of soluble immune effectors including the pore-forming toxin lysenin. Earthworms were exposed under OECD 207 contact-filter conditions at two concentrations (0.6 and 229 µM) for 72 h, after which decellularized coelomic fluid was tested against sheep erythrocytes. To dissect direct biochemical interference from organism-mediated regulation, the same panel was also applied ex vivo (2.5 µM) to coelomic fluid from unexposed earthworms. In vivo, PFASs produced markedly heterogeneous, congener-specific responses: PFBS, PFBA and PFMOPrA suppressed hemolytic activity, whereas PMDA, PFHxA and HFPO-DA enhanced it. In contrast, ex vivo exposure produced a consistent, broad inhibition of hemolysis, indicating a direct interaction of PFASs with soluble immune proteins. Proteomic profiling of the lysenin family under PFOA and HFPO-DA suggested isoform-level reweighting rather than uniform abundance shifts, although effects did not survive multiple-testing correction. Together, these data show that PFASs act as congener-specific immunomodulators of extracellular humoral defense in E. fetida and identify candidate congeners for confirmatory mechanistic studies. Full article

Aridification and hotter droughts are triggering forest die-off events characterized by high mortality rates and declines in forest productivity. The western Mediterranean Basin is a climate change hotspot where many of these die-off events have affected several tree and shrub species in recent decades. Yet, the responses of canopy greenness and cover, radial growth, and gross primary productivity (GPP) to climate in these die-off sites remain poorly understood across species and biomes. Here, we examined 44 sites across Spain, covering humid, dry sub-humid, and semi-arid biomes, and including nine tree and one shrub species. We obtained and correlated monthly climate data, satellite-derived vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index), tree-ring metrics (basal area increment, ring-width indices), and GPP. We assessed climate trends and relationships between climate, vegetation indices, growth, GPP, and resilience after five extreme drought years in the period 1984–2023. Climate warming impacted all sites, increasing vapor pressure deficit and reducing soil moisture availability, with semi-arid sites warming the most. Vegetation indices and growth showed the largest declines during extreme droughts in dry sub-humid and semi-arid sites. Correlations with climate variables highlighted strong sensitivity to drought stress, particularly regarding growth metrics. During die-off events, GPP significantly declined in the growing season, but no legacy effects were observed afterwards. Vegetation indices and growth partially recovered one year after drought, with resilience peaking for GPP in semi-arid sites. Hotter droughts constrain GPP and growth, especially in dry sub-humid and semi-arid forests. Forests and shrublands experiencing die-off are diagnostic monitors of drought-induced thresholds in ecosystem productivity. Full article

Introduction: Aquatic ecosystems are major reservoirs for both legacy and emerging contaminants, facilitating their distribution throughout the environment and bioaccumulation across different trophic levels. As such, wildlife acts as a valuable tool for biomonitoring these contaminants and serves as a key indicator of environmental pollution within the One Health framework. Despite this, knowledge regarding the application of this framework alongside the assessment of aquatic contaminants using wildlife species remains fragmented. Objective: This study aims to synthesize current evidence on aquatic contaminants using wildlife as sentinels of environmental pollution and to explore how the One Health concept is applied in this field. Methodology: A systematic database search was conducted in SCOPUS, and the retrieved studies were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, as well as their relevance to the One Health concept. Results: Despite its timely relevance, only fourteen studies have adopted the One Health approach to assess contaminants in aquatic species. The selected studies focused mainly on plastic particles (53.33%), such as macro- and microplastics; heavy metals (26.67%), such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se); persistent organic pollutants (13.33%), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and dioxin/furans; and metalloid (6.67%) arsenic (As). These contaminants were evaluated across four different taxonomic groups: fishes (61.54%), waterbirds (23.08%), mollusks (7.69%) and crustaceans (7.69%). Most studies were conducted in Portugal (37.5%) and the United States of America (18.75%), whereas other countries, including Canada, Australia, Ecuador, Mexico, Indonesia, and Turkey, were mentioned in only one study each (6.25%). Conclusions: Monitoring levels of contaminants in wildlife is essential not only to understand the dynamics of environmental pollution, but also to preserve the integrity of ecosystems while safeguarding animal and human health. However, the limited number of studies adopting a One Health perspective results in an incomplete representation of contaminant classes and affected taxa. These findings highlight the urgent need to expand wildlife-based monitoring strategies within a One Health framework, aiming to improve environmental risk assessment and deepen our understanding of the impacts of pollution across ecosystems, animals and humans. Full article

The increasing interconnectivity and digital transformation of Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) systems have expanded their attack surface, rendering traditional perimeter-based security models inadequate for protecting these critical infrastructures. Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), founded on the principle of “never trust, always verify,” offers a paradigm shift towards continuous, context-aware security. This paper presents a literature review investigating the application of ZTA principles to secure modern CNS ecosystems, following the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) through its Cybersecurity Strategy and Plan. We analyze the alignment of ZTA core tenets—such as least-privilege access, micro-segmentation, and continuous authentication—with the unique operational requirements of CNS systems. This paper also presents a cybersecurity framework, under development within the Future Communications Digital Infrastructure (FCDI) project of the SESAR JU program, which aims to assist CNS stakeholders in collaboratively identifying cybersecurity threats within their scope of responsibility. The review critically examines implementation challenges for specific CNS subsystems: secure aeronautical communications (e.g., LDACS), resilient PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) services, and integrated surveillance networks (e.g., ADS-B, multilateration). Furthermore, we identify and evaluate domain-specific challenges, including integration with legacy avionics and ground systems, managing stringent latency and reliability constraints, and protecting against sophisticated threats targeting supply chains and data fusion processes. By synthesizing current research and practical deployment insights, this review aims to provide a foundational reference for aerospace engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and policymakers, offering a roadmap to enhance the cyber-resilience of vital CNS infrastructure in an era of evolving digital threats. Full article

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs), ubiquitous plasticizers and recognized endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pose a protracted threat to aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. However, current ecotoxicological assessments often focus on isolated chemicals at exceedingly high laboratory doses, failing to reflect true environmental risks. This review systematically evaluates and compares the multisystemic toxicological effects of six priority PAEs (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DNOP, DEP, and DMP) using the zebrafish biological model. The synthesized evidence reveals a distinct structure–activity relationship, where long-chain and highly hydrophobic congeners exhibit substantially higher toxicity than their short-chain counterparts. Exposure to these PAEs induces severe developmental, cardiovascular, neurobehavioral, and reproductive anomalies. Specifically, DBP and BBP display the most potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic effects, while DEHP and DBP drive profound reproductive decline and endocrine disruption at concentrations as low as 0.5–20 μg/L. Crucially, comparative environmental relevance assessments indicate that real-world PAE concentrations in industrial hotspots frequently meet or exceed these laboratory-derived lowest observed effect concentrations. These findings underscore the severe ecological risks posed by PAE contamination and position the zebrafish as a vital biological sentinel. Future ecotoxicological evaluations must prioritize chronic, low-dose mixture exposures and transgenerational toxicity to fully characterize the protracted legacy of these pollutants on zebrafish populations. Full article

Environmental contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) originating from industrial activities represents a major global challenge, necessitating the development of sustainable remediation strategies. While remediation of legacy (post-industrial) contamination has been relatively well studied, the remediation of ecosystems surrounding operating facilities subjected to increasing PTE loads remains insufficiently investigated. Therefore, the present study evaluated the efficacy of biochar derived from post-phytoremediation Miscanthus × giganteus (M×g) biomass to optimise the phytoremediation process using soil from an operating facility in a pot system. Valorisation of 29.0 kg of waste biomass yielded 12.8 kg of biochar (44.2%) with a high specific surface area (672 m² g⁻¹). Despite PTE enrichment during pyrolysis, the biochar was classified safe according to IBI thresholds. A pot experiment was conducted using contaminated and local background soils, amended with 3% (w/w) Miscanthus-derived biochar. Biochar application significantly improved plant performance in contaminated soil, increasing plant height, aboveground biomass, and root parameters by up to 208%, while restoring chlorophyll content and reducing stress indicators such as proline. Furthermore, biochar reduced PTE accumulation in plant tissues and supported the production of less contaminated biomass. These findings demonstrate that post-phytoremediation biomass-derived biochar enhances phytomanagement efficiency and supports sustainable biomass valorisation within a circular economy framework. Full article

This study investigated the pollution characteristics, ecological risks, and sources of six trace elements in the water, riparian soils, and benthic sediments of the Taohuajiang lead–zinc mining area, Guangxi. Water, soil, and sediment samples were evaluated using pollution indices and source apportionment models. The results show zinc (Zn) is the primary water pollutant, spatially correlated with mining sites. Conversely, both soils and sediments exhibit severe composite contamination, with cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), Zn, and silver (Ag) significantly exceeding background values. Notably, sediment trace elements accumulate intensely downstream of the mining zone and at river meander bends driven by hydrodynamic deposition. The area is classified as an extremely high risk zone (mean ecological risk index > 1200), predominantly driven by Cd. Source apportionment identified three factors governing the soils and sediments: legacy mining constitutes the principal source of Pb, Zn, Cd, Ag, and copper (Cu); natural geological processes govern arsenic (As); and agricultural/domestic activities partially contribute to Cu and Ag. Overall, historical mining primarily drives the regional contamination across multi-phase media, which is further exacerbated by agriculture, collectively threatening the local benthic and terrestrial ecosystem. Full article

Agricultural land abandonment is widespread in high-latitude regions, yet its effects on soil microbial communities in permafrost ecosystems remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we used a 0–25 year chronosequence of abandoned soils in the Yamalo–Nenets Autonomous Okrug to analyze the succession of soil microbial communities and compared them with mature reference Podzols. Soil physicochemical properties, microbial community composition, and potential functional changes were systematically assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multivariate statistical analyses, and functional prediction. The results showed that, in mature soils, SOC was the key factor driving microbial community variation, whereas in agricultural and abandoned soils, available nutrients were the main factors influencing microbial community structure. The abandonment process also constrained soil microbial mineralization. The dominant microbial phyla mainly included Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Verrucomicrobiota, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota, while the relative abundances of other taxa differed markedly among land-use stages. Agricultural soils were dominated by copiotrophic microbial groups, whereas microbial communities in abandoned soils gradually shifted toward oligotrophic groups with increasing recovery time, and some taxa associated with the degradation of complex carbon substrates also increased in abundance. Functional analysis further indicated that carbon and phosphorus cycling functions in soil microbial communities exhibited a certain degree of functional redundancy, whereas nitrogen-cycling functions depended more strongly on specific microbial taxa. Land abandonment promoted an increase in the abundance of genes related to microbial carbon metabolism in soil. However, even after 25 years of abandonment, microbial community composition and functional potential had not fully recovered to the level of mature reference Podzols, indicating that agricultural disturbance exerts long-term legacy effects on soil microbiomes in permafrost-affected regions. Full article

Traditional agenda-setting theory, which is centered on legacy news outlets, now operates in a fragmented ecosystem shaped by platforms, algorithms, and networked intermediaries. Existing agenda-setting models only partially integrate algorithmic gatekeeping and audience agency, thus limiting their capacity to explain contemporary patterns of issue salience. This study revisits classic, second-level, and network agenda-setting research. It synthesizes recent work on big data, social media, and AI-driven curation to propose an agenda-setting ecosystem conceptual model for hybrid liberal-democratic media systems that links macro-level institutions and infrastructure, meso-level networked intermediaries, and micro-level cognitive and behavioral processes. Two analytical concepts have been advanced: flash agendas, defined as rapid and short-lived spikes in public attention, and agenda leadership, defined as the capacity of specific actors to trigger, steer, and sustain such spikes across platforms. This article outlines the methodological and ethical challenges of studying these dynamics, including data access, measurement validity, and transparency of algorithmic systems. It identifies directions for empirical research and policy, with particular attention to cross-platform diffusion and feedback loops. The framework aims to support more robust theory building and measurement in hybrid, algorithmically mediated media environments. Full article

Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination of soils remains a persistent environmental problem in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, where oil extraction, pipeline transportation, fuel storage, industrial legacy sites, and diesel-dependent infrastructure coexist with fragile cold-climate ecosystems. Remediation in these regions is constrained by low temperatures, short thaw seasons, permafrost, waterlogged active layers, slow vegetation recovery, limited infrastructure, and high mobilization costs, which limit the direct transferability of conventional temperate-zone technologies. This study presents a structured narrative review of international and Russian evidence on petroleum-contaminated soil management in cold regions, focusing on monitoring as a basis for remediation decision-making. Peer-reviewed studies, technical guidance documents, regulatory frameworks, and regional case studies were analyzed across key domains, including environmental constraints, hydrocarbon behavior, monitoring methodologies, and remediation technologies. Particular attention is given to chemical analysis, hydrocarbon fractionation, bioavailability-oriented methods, ecotoxicological bioassays, and microbial indicators as tools linking contamination assessment with remediation strategy selection. Reliance on total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration as a primary endpoint is shown to be insufficient, especially in cold-region soils where strong sorption and limited mass transfer decouple concentration from biological exposure. Multi-endpoint monitoring systems provide a more reliable basis for assessing contaminant risk, treatment effectiveness, and soil recovery. For the Russian Arctic, the integration of national recultivation frameworks with risk-based assessment and ecotoxicological monitoring is identified as a key pathway for improving remediation outcomes. A decision-oriented framework is proposed that links environmental conditions, contaminant properties, and monitoring data to support the selection and optimization of remediation strategies. This study supports a transition from concentration-based cleanup toward risk-informed and ecosystem-oriented management of petroleum-contaminated soils in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments. Full article

The San Juan Islands are one of the few places where native temperate grasslands are found in western Washington State. These ecosystems are important reservoirs of biodiversity and sources of ecosystem services, support many rare and endemic species, and have profound cultural significance to the Coast Salish peoples. These ecologically and culturally valuable ecosystems have become scarce due to the combined pressures of changes in land use, the introduction of non-native invasive species, and the exclusion of fire from the landscape. A lack of historical context and ecological baseline knowledge has made it impossible to fully understand the long-term trends in the extent and distribution of this ecosystem. To address this knowledge gap, we used historical land cover data and multispectral imagery to create a high-resolution, spatially explicit database of grassland extent on the San Juan Islands at multiple time periods since the early years of Euro-American colonization. Our spatial analysis of these data revealed significant decreases in grassland extent between time periods, with an overall 77% net decrease in the extent of non-agricultural grasslands and a loss of 93% of the area of persistent, old-growth grasslands since 1890 across the region. These changes are primarily a result of conversion to agriculture and conifer encroachment or succession to forest. The spatial data and analyses created in this study help to develop the historical baseline of native temperate grasslands on the San Juan Islands, adding to our understanding of the lingering legacy that changes in land use have had on this ecosystem, with the potential to aid in the development of effective conservation and restoration practices. Full article

Global land degradation metrics often rely on trend-based categories that miss cumulative severity, frequently misclassifying degraded areas as stable. To overcome this, we developed a Land Degradation Index (LDI) to assess degradation across Brazil on a 500 m grid for 2001 and 2021. The LDI integrates land-cover change legacy (deforestation age), ecosystem functioning (Gross Primary Productivity), and soil condition (Soil Organic Carbon) into a six-level gradient ranging from conserved to highly degraded. Results reveal that between 2001 and 2021, Brazil lost 50.5 million hectares of conserved land, while intermediate and severe degradation expanded by 53.5 million hectares. Conservation remained concentrated in the Amazon and Pantanal, whereas degradation intensified across the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Caatinga, particularly along agricultural frontiers. Furthermore, while Indigenous Lands and Quilombola Territories act as vital conservation cores, the LDI reveals intensified degradation in their immediate surroundings, highlighting the intersection of biophysical decline, land conflicts, and socio-environmental vulnerability. The proposed index advances beyond conventional indicators, such as SDG 15.3.1, by incorporating both the intensity and variation of degradation processes into a unified analytical framework, providing a robust, reproducible framework to support Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets, inform public policies, and guide inclusive territorial planning. Full article

Intensive pesticide application sustains global agriculture but poses poorly characterized risks to complex soil ecosystems. Here, we quantitatively evaluated pesticide residues and utilized high-resolution environmental DNA (eDNA) metagenomics to decode multi-trophic community responses across a typical major grain-producing region located in China. Among 39 targeted pesticides, 26 were detected with total concentrations ranging from 27.9 to 478.8 ng/g. While herbicides and fungicides dominated the residual mass, insecticides posed the most severe ecological threat. Notably, the neonicotinoid imidacloprid exhibited high-risk levels (RQ = 1.78 ± 1.49) at >61.1% of the sampling sites. eDNA profiling and Procrustes analyses revealed a clear trophic-dependent sensitivity gradient (p < 0.01). Lower-trophic microbial communities were significantly altered in composition; pesticide stress was strongly associated with profound non-target suppression on keystone plant-beneficial bacteria (e.g., Nocardioides). Concurrently, the fungal eDNA profiles indicated that the soil mycobiome harbored an alarming 34.7% of potential phytopathogenic fungi (e.g., Aspergillus and Colletotrichum), intrinsically driving the massive fungicide reliance. In contrast, higher-trophic soil metazoa (Rotifera, 40.4%) and weed communities (e.g., Digitaria sanguinalis) exhibited significant spatial stability, reflecting robust environmental buffering and herbicide-driven ecological escapes. Furthermore, co-occurrence networks decoupled target from non-target toxicities, uniquely revealing that persistent herbicide metabolites (desethylatrazine) induce prolonged legacy toxicities on specific soil fauna. Collectively, this study unveils the deep, cross-kingdom ecological disruptions caused by current pesticide regimes, underscoring the urgency of integrating eDNA biomonitoring to guide precision pest management and safeguard soil health in vital agricultural hubs. Full article

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain a major concern in marine ecosystems, where bioaccumulation in fish occurs as complex congener mixtures whose dynamics challenge conventional indicator approaches. This study develops and evaluates a data-driven framework for refining mixture-based indicators of PCB contamination by integrating ensemble machine learning with explainable artificial intelligence. Focusing on PCB-138 as a target indicator of cumulative PCB burden, we analyse concentrations of 24 organochlorines together with biological covariates in four Mediterranean edible pelagic fish species (sardine, anchovy, horse mackerel, and chub mackerel). Comparative evaluation of indicator performance shows that alternative congener combinations, including i4 PCBs (-138, -153, -170, -180), i6 PCBs (-138, -153, -170, -180, -118, -123), and mixtures incorporating DDD and DDE, more effectively represent total PCB burden than traditional indicator groups. Clustering identifies two distinct bioaccumulation settings, characterized by high-concentration coherent congener effects and low-concentration heterogeneous responses, demonstrating that indicator performance depends on concentration range and mixture context. The study illustrates how interpretable machine learning approaches can serve as formal tools for indicator evaluation and optimisation, strengthening long-term monitoring and management of legacy contaminants in marine ecosystems, particularly under conditions of persistent exposure and renewed inputs from sediment remobilization and riverine transport. Full article