Search Results (13,232)

The Mediterranean Sea is both a global biodiversity hotspot and the world’s most heavily invaded marine region, where non-indigenous species arrivals are accelerating under intensifying shipping, Suez Canal traffic, aquaculture, and climate warming. Yet, despite rapidly growing research activity, a comprehensive synthesis of the scientific literature on Mediterranean marine invasions has been lacking. This study provides the first Mediterranean-wide combined bibliometric and topic-modeling analysis of invasive marine species research, using 3521 unique documents retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. We quantify temporal growth in publications and citations, map the conceptual structure of the field through co-citation, co-word, and topic modeling, and reveal pronounced regional and thematic biases. Latent Dirichlet Allocation resolves 13 coherent topics, dominated by first records of non-native species, invasive macroalgae, alien species diversity, and ecological impacts, with strong signals for Lessepsian migration and climate-driven range shifts, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean. Spatial and thematic analyses reveal pronounced regional biases, with invasion hotspots in the Aegean and Levantine seas contrasted by comparatively sparse coverage of western and central sub-basins, and notable gaps in predictive modeling and socioeconomic assessments. The results underscore the need to rebalance effort toward under-studied regions and themes, while leveraging existing collaboration networks and methodological advances to support MSFD (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) implementation, International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments, and broader ecosystem-based management. The reproducible framework presented here offers a baseline for periodically tracking research evolution and guiding adaptive, transboundary governance of Mediterranean marine bio-invasions. Full article

Shellfish aquaculture can alter sediment conditions and affect benthic ecosystem functioning, so dredging is widely applied as a management strategy to mitigate sediment deterioration. However, its ecological effectiveness remains uncertain. This study evaluated ecological quality under the disturbance of dredging in shellfish farming areas of Gamak Bay, South Korea, using multiple macrobenthic indices. Macrobenthic samples and environmental data were collected before (May 2025) and after dredging (August 2025). Five macrobenthic indices, including the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), BENTIX, Benthic Polychaete/Amphipod ratio (BPA), Benthic Pollution Index (BPI), and Multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI), along with a composite index, were used to assess ecological quality. Temporal changes within groups were tested using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and differences between dredged and control stations were examined using Mann–Whitney U tests. Multivariate analyses were used to explore environmental gradients and community responses. Results showed clear seasonal variation in environmental conditions and macrobenthic community structure. Most indices indicated a decline in ecological quality after dredging, with higher AMBI values and lower BENTIX, BPI, and M-AMBI values at dredged stations. However, these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05), suggesting limited short-term effects of dredging. The proportion of stations with acceptable ecological status decreased slightly from May to August. Seasonal factors, particularly temperature and salinity, played a dominant role in structuring benthic communities. Overall, the findings indicate that the short-term dredging effects were weaker than seasonal environmental variability. A multi-index approach is recommended for robust ecological assessment, and long-term monitoring is necessary to fully evaluate the effectiveness of dredging in shellfish aquaculture systems. Full article

Urban green spaces provide essential ecosystem services, yet mismatches between subjective perceptions and objective assessments may constrain effective planning. This study examines the correspondence between perceived and measured ES across two contrasting urban green spaces in Shanghai: Century Park, a managed urban park, and Sanlin Green Space, a naturalistic urban forest. Objective ecosystem services (regulating, supporting, and cultural) were quantified using UAV-based biotope mapping and indicators including biophysical metrics (Net Primary Production, Water Retention, PM10 removal, and Land Surface Temperature), structural diversity indices (Shannon Diversity of land cover, vegetation, and tree structure), and visual–spatial proxies (Green View Index, Sky View Index, Water View Index, color metrics, and spatial openness). Subjective perceptions were derived from panoramic image-based questionnaires, with perception scores predicted using XGBoost and aggregated via SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Correlation analyses, spatial regression models, and partial least squares structural equation modeling were applied to explore relationships and pathways. Results show weak but significant positive associations in the urban park, whereas no overall correspondence was observed in the urban forest. Spatial mismatches were concentrated in biotopes with distinctive visual–ecological features and in fragmented areas. Green View Index is associated with higher perceptions in both sites, while the Sky View Index reduced perception in the forest context. These findings highlight strong context dependence in perceived–measured ecosystem service relationships and underscore the importance of integrating ecological structure and visual legibility in the design and management of the studied urban green spaces in Shanghai. Full article

The Andean walnut (Juglans neotropica Diels), locally known as tocte, is a keystone tree species of major socio-ecological importance in South American mountain ecosystems, facing severe anthropogenic pressure associated with genetic erosion, habitat fragmentation, and unregulated selective logging. This article presents a case study applying a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine the power relations and institutional failures shaping the sustainable management of its value chain in Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Drawing on 21 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key actors (including woodcarvers, sawyers, traders, and environmental authorities) conducted between March and September 2025 until theoretical saturation was achieved, and supported by thematic analysis in ATLAS.ti, we identified five thematic categories revealing the tension between cultural valuation and market pressure. The findings confirm the existence of a value paradox, whereby high timber demand paradoxically accelerates resource depletion rather than incentivizing conservation, as premature harvesting of young trees undermines the viability of non-timber forest products such as nuts and accelerates the loss of local genetic resources. We conclude that the long-term conservation of the species requires a transition toward polycentric stewardship, community forestry enterprises, and integrated landscape management in which the standing tree is formally recognized as carrying greater ecological and economic value than harvested timber. Full article

River fragmentation caused by dam construction threatens global fish conservation. Mediterranean ecosystems are particularly affected, and the Iberian Peninsula, with its highly fragmented rivers, exemplifies this challenge. Endemic allopatric congeneric barbels (Luciobarbus bocagei and L. sclateri) are particularly vulnerable cyprinids because they rely on river connectivity for migration. Despite the deployment of fishways, their effectiveness in Mediterranean rivers with variable hydrology and high endemism remains unclear. This study compares the passage of L. bocagei (Duero basin) and L. sclateri (Segura basin) across two fishway types: Vertical Slot and Submerged Notch with Bottom Orifice. Passage trials were analysed using standardised metrics, motivation, ascent success, and transit time, under a time-to-event framework. Results suggest that species, size, ecohydrological context, and fishway interact to shape passage outcomes. L. sclateri exhibited higher motivation and faster passage attempts, likely reflecting adaptation to ephemeral flows. Ascent success was similar between species and fishway type. Larger individuals demonstrated greater motivation and shorter transit times, regardless of species or fishway. These findings highlight the importance of integrating ecohydrological context and behavioural variability into fishway assessment. Adaptive management accounting for species- and site-specific traits is essential to enhance connectivity and support endemic populations under growing anthropogenic and climatic pressures. Full article

Concerns regarding the safety, environmental impacts, and long-term sustainability of pesticide-dependent crop protection have intensified interest in biological control, which suppresses pest populations using natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, and pathogens) within integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This bibliometric study maps the development of biological control research from 2000 to 2025 using records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The publication trends, collaboration structures, leading countries and institutions, core journals, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, citation bursts, and influential cited references were examined using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The results show a pronounced increase in publication output after 2011, indicating rapid expansion and consolidation of the field in the last decade. Keyword analyses reveal a thematic shift toward ecosystem-based framing, reflected by the growing prominence of terms such as ecosystem services, habitat management, and ecological intensification, which emphasize landscape- and management-oriented approaches to enhancing pest suppression. Cited-reference patterns highlight the persistent influence of the foundational literature on habitat manipulation, landscape complexity, and conservation biological control. Despite the field’s growth, research gaps remain in integrating biological control with emerging bioengineering tools and explicitly accounting for climate-driven variability across regions and production systems. Full article

Invasive alien species such as Lantana camara L. impact native species and soil properties, but context-specific effects in transfrontier conservation areas remain poorly understood. Understanding these effects is essential for biodiversity conservation and management. We assessed associations between L. camara presence and native woody species composition and structure, as well as soil nutrients, in protected and communal areas within the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), Zimbabwe. The study hypothesised that invasion effects on vegetation are stronger in communal areas due to higher disturbance, and that soil changes are influenced by land-use intensity. We used stratified random sampling to select 60 plots across invaded and uninvaded sites. Woody vegetation was assessed for species composition and richness, stem density, canopy cover %, height, and diameter at breast height. Soil samples were analysed for nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, and pH. The presence of L. camara was negatively associated with native species richness, density, height, and canopy cover %, with stronger effects in communal plots. Invaded plots had lower pH (e.g., 6.1 in Park areas) and higher levels of some soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus and organic carbon, though patterns varied by land-use type. These results suggest that anthropogenic disturbance amplifies invasion impacts. We conclude that L. camara reduces native vegetation diversity and structure in this species-rich transfrontier area. Management should prioritise control at communal edges to support woody species resilience, ecosystem services, and biodiversity, with strategies adapted to local land-use conditions. Full article

To address ship-sourced water pollutant issues resulting from shipping industry growth and achieve precise supervision and effective management in coastal ports, this study develops a method for calculating and predicting the generation volume of oily sewage, domestic sewage and solid waste based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. First, a questionnaire survey (“Survey on Ship Water Pollutants”) is designed and implemented. Through analysis of questionnaire data, the ranges of values for the generation of oily sewage, domestic sewage, and solid waste from different ship types at China’s coastal ports are established. Additionally, onboard sampling is conducted to determine average emission factors for domestic sewage and oily sewage from typical ship types. Second, ship activities are derived from AIS data and combined with the established generation volume ranges for spatiotemporal calculation. Finally, a ConvLSTM (Convolutional Long Short-Term Memory) model is developed to predict the generation volume of water pollutant based on their spatiotemporal characteristics. Taking a major Chinese port area as a case study, the results indicate that pollutant generation volumes are significant in coastal port zones and main navigation channels, particularly between 15:00 and 16:00. chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (SS), and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) levels in domestic sewage exceeded China’s national regulatory limits by 0.35 times, 2.88 times and 1.07 times, respectively, which can easily lead to a decrease in dissolved oxygen content in the water, affecting the respiration and survival of aquatic organisms. Petroleum content in oily sewage remained below the standard threshold. For pollutant generation volume prediction, the proposed ConvLSTM model achieved MAE and RMSE values of 0.0824 and 0.1433, respectively, outperforming other prediction models such as LSTM and CNN-LSTM. This research provides technical support for the prevention and control of water pollution from ships in coastal ports. The proposed AIS-driven framework and ConvLSTM prediction method are transferable and globally applicable, offering a reference for the environmental sustainability of port ecosystems, the global maritime pollution prevention, and the sustainable development of the shipping industry worldwide. Full article

Evaluating whether zoning-based management is associated with measurable ecosystem function benefits is crucial for China’s national park system reform, yet most existing assessments emphasize greening or productivity alone. Here, we evaluate zoning-associated patterns in the Three-River Headwaters Region by combining MODIS-derived carbon use efficiency (CUE = NPP/GPP; 2001–2024), a boundary–buffer comparison with environmental matching, and an explainable machine learning attribution framework. NPP increased across all zones, whereas CUE remained stable to slightly declining, indicating a productivity–efficiency decoupling in the remote sensing record. Core and Buffer zones maintained higher long-term median CUE than the Outside zone, but matched boundary contrasts were heterogeneous, and the Experimental–Outside CUE contrast, although robust in sign, was small in magnitude. Zone–year attribution (2002–2020) suggests that interannual CUE variability is dominated by climate and land surface structure/change, while human pressure shows a smaller negative association; these grouped SHAP contributions should be interpreted as indicative rather than precise estimates. Post-2020 climate baseline residuals show persistent negative CUE anomalies in Buffer and Experimental zones, suggesting additional non-climatic influences but not demonstrating causality. Given the temperature-sensitive structure of MOD17 and the representativeness limits of QC-filtered 500 m observations, we interpret these results as management-consistent patterns rather than stand-alone causal proof. The findings support incorporating carbon use efficiency into zonal monitoring and may inform differentiated, efficiency-oriented management review. Full article

The unchecked expansion of tea plantations onto steep, forest-adjacent slopes in subtropical mountains engenders a conflict between agricultural productivity and ecosystem integrity, particularly by exacerbating habitat fragmentation and soil erosion. While precise monitoring is essential to navigate this trade-off for sustainable management, accurate inventorying remains a challenge due to the plantations’ strong phenological variability, heterogeneous canopy structures, and high spectral confusion with surrounding vegetation. This study proposes a feature-optimized deep learning framework for mapping and characterizing tea plantations in complex landscapes, using Xinyang City, China, as a study area. The framework integrates multi-temporal Sentinel-1/2 observations with a sequential Jeffries-Matusita (JM)-Pearson feature filtering strategy. This approach effectively condenses a 132-variable high-dimensional pool (including optical spectra, vegetation indices, textures, and SAR polarimetry) into a compact 28-feature subset (a 78.8% reduction), preserving critical phenological and structural cues while minimizing redundancy. These optimized predictors drive a hybrid VGG16–UNet++ segmentation network, which couples transfer-learning-based semantic encoding with detail-preserving dense skip fusion. Extensive experiments across 18 model–feature configurations demonstrate that the optimal setting achieves an Overall Accuracy of 97.82%, an F1-score of 0.9093, and a mean IoU of 0.7968. Notably, the method significantly reduces misclassification in rugged, cloud-prone terrain, yielding a User’s Accuracy of 91.14% for tea. Based on the generated wall-to-wall map, we derived two decision-support indicators: multi-threshold steep-slope exposure and a normalized tea–forest interface density. This framework provides actionable, high-precision spatial products to support slope-based zoning, ecological restoration, and sustainable management in fragile mountain agroforestry systems. Full article

The estuarine and coastal regions of India and Taiwan are under increasing threat from pollutants such as microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals including cadmium (Cd). These contaminants are known to have adversely affect biodiversity and water quality. In this study, the combined toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and Cd were evaluated using Poecilia sphenops, a euryhaline fish species, selected for its adaptability to varying salinity conditions. P. sphenops were exposed to Cd (20, 40, and 60 μg/L), MPs (8, 16, 24 mg/L), and co-exposure combinations ranging from Cd 5 μg/L + MPs 4 mg/L to Cd 20 μg/L + MPs 16 mg/L Results showed significant (p< 0.05) negative effects on growth parameters including body weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate. Hematological analysis revealed significant (p< 0.05) decreases in hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBCs), and white blood cells (WBCs), indicating impaired oxygen transport and compromised immune function. Elevated blood glucose levels indicated physiological stress, while reduced total protein levels suggested a compromised nutritional status. Antioxidant enzyme activities, including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the toxicant-treated groups compared with the control. Digestive enzyme activities (proteases, amylases, and lipases) were also reduced, suggesting impaired digestion and nutrient assimilation. The study also included a comparative assessment of water quality between the exposed and control tanks. Water quality parameters such as turbidity, salinity, hardness, alkalinity, chloride, fluoride, and total suspended solids (TSSs) were elevated in the toxicant-treated media, accompanied by a notable decline in dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated pollution control and water quality monitoring, particularly in coastal regions vulnerable to desalination discharges and plastic contamination. Sustainable management strategies must address these complex interactions between multiple pollutants to protect aquatic ecosystems. Full article

Anticipating the socio-environmental impacts of spatial planning strategies is a prerequisite for sustainable development pathways. Land change models are increasingly employed to evaluate the impacts of spatial planning on land use and land cover, and their subsequent effects on ecosystem services and environmental resources. Nevertheless, modelling land use and land cover changes, and their interactions, at a fine scale to preserve future landscape patterns has been identified as a key challenge in the land change science community. This paper presents an innovative process-based model—the FORecasting landscapE SCEnarios Model (FORESCEM)—designed to spatially simulate fine-scale future land use and land cover changes (LUCC) based on narratives developed through participatory or expert-driven approaches. By clearly distinguishing land covers and land uses as two different but related inputs, its conception and architecture enable the assessment of interactions among LUCC within human-managed landscapes. It relies on conventional functions and properties of LUCC models, and aims at completing the existing land change models. Applied on a French case study, the validation results demonstrate the model’s capability to replicate LUCC dynamics, effectively simulating trend-based and trend-breaking LUCC trajectories under contrasting scenarios. More broadly, this paper questions and discusses the validation of land change models used for simulating future LUCC. Full article

Natural resource management and area-based conservation are increasingly recognised as outcomes of complex interactions between ecological conditions and social systems, shaped by local knowledge, governance arrangements, and environmental pressures. The Social-Ecological Systems Framework (SESF), developed by Elinor Ostrom, provides a comprehensive framework to analyse these dynamics; however, most applications remain context-specific, limiting cross-site comparability. This study introduces the Conservation and Human Use Index (CHUI), a standardised diagnostic tool that operationalizes SESF principles for comparative analysis across conservation-important areas. CHUI comprises 134 qualitative questions structured across four equally weighted dimensions: (i) Natural Values and Ecosystem Services, (ii) Threats and Pressures, (iii) Governance, and (iv) Social Perceptions. Using an ordinal 0–3 scale with a “Not Applicable” option, the Index enables consistent, flexible application through both desk-based assessments and participatory processes. It generates aggregate and disaggregated outputs that help identify pressure hotspots, governance gaps, and conservation-use synergies. CHUI’s primary innovation lies in translating SESF into a pragmatic and participatory instrument that supports real-world decision-making. Rather than replacing detailed ecological or socio-economic assessments, it functions as a collaborative diagnostic compass to guide targeted investigation and intervention. Its participatory design fosters shared learning, transparency, and co-production of context-specific management pathways, supporting adaptive stewardship and community empowerment. Developed within the Horizon Europe PRO-COAST project and tested across ten European coastal case studies, CHUI advances both the operationalization of SESF and the practice of inclusive, adaptive conservation management. Full article

The first golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), specimens in North America were discovered on 17 October 2024 at the Port of Stockton on the lower San Joaquin River in California (United States). The golden mussel is native to southern China and is one of the highest-risk aquatic invasive species worldwide. Golden mussels colonize hard surfaces and cause significant biofouling, affecting vital infrastructure such as hydroelectric plants and water delivery systems. It spreads rapidly through hydrological connectivity and human-mediated transport, with water conveyance systems functioning as invasion highways. The Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta is vital to endangered species and provides water to 30 million people and 790,000 ha of farmland in central and southern California, but faces severe ecological and economic threats from this invasion. The detection of golden mussels was received with concern due to their impact on ecosystems and infrastructure. One year after detection, the invasion front moved 545 km south of the initial detection site (in a straight line) into Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County near Los Angeles. By April 2026, the invasion front had already advanced 707 km south to the Sweetwater Reservoir in San Diego County (detection date: 15 January 2026). The invasion path coincides with California’s major water delivery systems. Ballast water was the most likely introduction vector, further underscoring the inefficiency of well-intentioned ballast water management policies and the need to implement better ones. This article addresses five objectives: (1) document the introduction and current distribution; (2) highlight key invasive traits to guide management; (3) assess putative impacts in California; (4) review tested management strategies; and (5) propose an innovation-driven framework for golden mussel management. Full article

Streamflow and sediment yield are key components of river systems and are strongly influenced by anthropogenic land use changes. Soil erosion remains a critical environmental concern, degrading crop productivity, water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and river morphology. Sediment transported from croplands to rivers and reservoirs introduces contaminants and exacerbates water pollution. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Nagavali and Vamsadhara watersheds using a calibrated and validated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, targeting high sediment-yielding areas. BMP scenarios—including filter strips, sedimentation ponds, contour farming, and contour stone bunding—were assessed at watershed and sub-watershed scales. At the watershed scale, 10 m filter strips reduced sediment yield by 29% and 53% in the Nagavali and Vamsadhara watersheds, respectively. Combined BMP implementation further reduced sediment yield by 37% and 72%, and streamflow by 16.5% and 54%, respectively. These reductions persisted under future climate scenarios. The results highlight the potential of targeted BMP implementation to enhance watershed sustainability and support informed land and water management decisions. Full article