Search Results (726)

To ensure food security, integrated mulching and irrigation practices are widely used in arid maize fields. Mitigating climate change is vital for sustainable agricultural development. Yet, few studies have examined how different mulching and irrigation methods affect farmland carbon fluxes, particularly with maize variety shifts under policy guidance. In this study, we conducted experimental observations over five growing seasons using eddy covariance systems in maize fields (including seed maize fields and grain maize fields), where drip irrigation under plastic mulch (DM) and border irrigation under plastic mulch (BM) were employed in Northwest China. Results revealed that the multi-year mean gross primary productivity (GPP), net ecosystem productivity (NEP), and ecosystem respiration (ER) in maize fields under DM were 16.70%, 15.63% and 17.52% higher than those under BM, respectively. The changes in cumulative GPP, cumulative NEP and cumulative ER caused by the alteration of maize varieties were 7.64, 13.34 and 4.20 times, respectively, compared to the changes caused by the irrigation method. After mechanical harvesting, net biome productivity (NBP) was negative in seed maize fields but positive in grain maize fields. However, after the straws were returned to the fields, the NBP of both types of maize fields became positive. Interestingly, the carbon fluxes of seed maize and grain maize, respectively, exhibit strong dependence on soil temperature and leaf area index. Our study will provide important insights for the green and sustainable development of agriculture and the advancement of ecosystem models. Full article

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide low-cost, liquid access to broad equity and fixed-income exposures, including rapidly growing Asian and Asia-focused markets. Yet the academic evidence on Asian ETF portfolio construction remains fragmented, often limited to narrow country samples and centered on mean–variance trade-offs and standard performance statistics, with comparatively less emphasis on downside tail risk and on implementable long-only versus long–short designs under leverage constraints. This study examines the performance and risk characteristics of 29 Asian and Asia-focused ETFs over 2014–2025 and evaluates whether optimization using variance-based and tail-sensitive risk measures improves portfolio outcomes relative to a simple, implementable benchmark. We construct Markowitz mean–variance and conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) efficient frontiers and implement six optimized portfolios at the 95% and 99% tail levels under long-only and long–short configurations with leverage up to 30%. Performance is evaluated relative to an equally weighted Asian ETF benchmark using the Sharpe ratio and tail-sensitive measures, including the Rachev ratio and the stable tail adjusted return (STARR), complemented by fat-tail diagnostics based on the Hill tail-index estimator. The empirical results show that optimization improves efficiency relative to equal weighting in risk-adjusted terms and that moderate leverage can increase returns but typically amplifies volatility, dispersion, and drawdowns. Taken together, the evidence indicates that risk-measure choice materially affects portfolio composition and realized outcomes, with tail-based optimization generally producing more robust allocations than mean–variance approaches when downside risk is a primary concern. Full article

The imbalance between water supply and demand in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China has become increasingly severe, highlighting the urgent need to develop and utilize unconventional water resources. Return flow, originating from canal leakage and field drainage, is widely distributed in these regions. However, as it contains a certain amount of salts, long-term use of return flow can lead to soil salinization and degradation of soil structure. Therefore, the scientific utilization of return flow has become a key issue for achieving sustainable agricultural development and efficient water use in arid areas. This study was conducted in the Yinbei Irrigation District, Ningxia, northwest China. Water samples were collected from the main and branch drainage ditches and analyzed to evaluate the feasibility of using return flow irrigation in the area. In addition, based on two years of continuous field monitoring and HYDRUS model simulations, the long-term dynamics of soil salinity under moderate return flow irrigation over the next 20 years were predicted. The results show that the total salinity of the main return ditches consistently remained below the agricultural irrigation water quality standard of 2000 mg/L, with Na⁺ and SO₄²⁻ as the predominant ions. Seasonal variations in return flow salinity were notable, with higher levels observed in spring compared to summer. Simulation results based on field trial data indicated that soil salinity displayed regular seasonal fluctuations. During the rice-growing season, strong leaching kept the salinity in the plough layer (0–40 cm) low. However, after irrigation ceased, evaporation in autumn and winter led to an increase in surface soil salinity, creating annual peaks. Long-term simulations showed that soil salinity throughout the entire profile (0–100 cm) followed a pattern of “slight increase—gradual decrease—dynamic stability.” Specifically, winter salinity peaks slightly increased during the first two years but then gradually declined, stabilizing after approximately 15 years. This indicates that long-term return-flow irrigation does not result in the accumulation of soil salinity in the plough layer. Full article

Access to ecologically grown, nutritious food remains limited in low-income U.S. communities due to cost, structural inequities, and the dominance of industrial food systems. Stone Barns Center’s Leading an Ecological and Accessible Food System (LEAF) program—developed through a community-based participatory partnership in the South Bronx—aims to address these challenges through biweekly distributions of regeneratively grown produce, seasonal gardening kits, and culturally responsive nutrition education. This study presents findings from the first two years (2023 and 2024) of a multi-timepoint repeated cross-sectional evaluation using six household-level surveys (n = 79–80 families per round). The surveys captured changes in fruit and vegetable consumption, gardening comfort, emotional well-being, participation in SNAP and WIC programs, food purchasing behaviors, and unmet needs. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed across key outcomes: mean fruit and vegetable intake increased from 3.8 to 4.5 (1–5 scale), comfort with growing food increased from 3.1 to 4.6, emotional response to gardening from 4.1 to 4.6. SNAP participation increased from 15% (12 of 79 households) to 33% (26 of 79 households), and purchasing shifted toward local access points. Notably, 99% (79 of 80 households) of Year 1 families returned for Year 2, reflecting strong engagement and trust. These results highlight the potential of integrated, community-partnered, and climate-aligned interventions to advance health equity, ecological literacy, and food justice. The LEAF program offers a replicable model that may support pathways towards more sustainable and community-aligned food systems in other under-resourced settings. Full article

Over the past two decades, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology has evolved from early National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-led airborne laser altimetry into commercially mature systems that now underpin vegetation remote sensing across scales. Continuous advancements in laser engineering, signal processing, and complementary technologies—such as Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)—have yielded compact, cost-effective, and highly sophisticated LiDAR sensors. Concurrently, innovations in carrier platforms, including uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), mobile laser scanning (MLS), Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) frameworks, have expanded LiDAR’s observational capacity from plot- to global-scale applications in forestry, precision agriculture, ecological monitoring, Above Ground Biomass (AGB) modeling, and wildfire science. This review synthesizes LiDAR’s cross-domain capabilities for the following: (a) quantifying vegetation structure, function, and compositional dynamics; (b) recent sensor developments encompassing ALS discrete-return ${(ALS}_D)$, and ALS full-waveform $\left({ALS}_{FW}\right)$, photon-counting LiDAR (PCL), emerging multispectral LiDAR (MSL), and hyperspectral LiDAR (HSL) systems; and (c) state-of-the-art data processing and fusion workflows integrating optical and radar datasets. The synthesis demonstrates that many LiDAR-derived vegetation metrics are inherently transferable across domains when interpreted within a unified structural framework. The review further highlights the growing role of artificial-intelligence (AI)-driven approaches for segmentation, classification, and multitemporal analysis, enabling scalable assessments of vegetation dynamics at unprecedented spatial and temporal extents. By consolidating historical developments, current methodological advances, and emerging research directions, this review establishes a comprehensive state-of-the-art perspective on LiDAR’s transformative role and future potential in monitoring and modeling Earth’s vegetated ecosystems. Full article

Growing cooling demand and environmental concerns motivate research into alternative technologies capable of converting low-grade heat into useful cooling. This study proposes a regression-assisted multi-objective optimisation framework using the Ant Lion Optimiser and its multi-objective variant to jointly maximise the coefficient of performance (COP), cooling capacity ($Q_{cc}$) and waste-heat recovery efficiency (${\eta }_e$). Pareto-optimal solutions exhibit a one-dimensional ridge in which ${\eta }_e$ declines, and COP and $Q_{cc}$ increase simultaneously. Within the explored bounds, non-dominated ranges span COP = 0.674–0.716, $Q_{cc}=$ 18.3–27.5 kW and ${\eta }_e=$ 0.118–0.127, with a practical compromise near COP ≈ 0.695, $Q_{cc}$ ≈ 24 kW and ${\eta }_{e }\approx$0.122–0.123. Compared to the typical reported COP band for single-stage silica-gel/water ADCs, the practical compromise solution (COP ≈ 0.695) offers a conservative COP improvement of approximately 16% when benchmarked against COP = 0.6, while the compromise $Q_{cc}$ ($Q_{cc}$ ≈ 24 kW) represents a conservative increase of approximately 20% relative to the upper product-class reference (20 kW). A one-at-a-time sensitivity analysis with re-optimisation identifies the hot- and chilled-water inlet temperatures and exchanger conductance as the dominant decision variables and maps diminishing-return regions. This framework can effectively utilise low-grade heat in future low-carbon buildings and processes, supporting the configuration of ADC systems. Full article

Municipal animal shelters play a crucial role in rescuing abandoned animals, managing free-roaming populations, and promoting animal welfare. This seven-year retrospective study analyzed 2291 animals (1132 dogs, 1159 cats) admitted to a Portuguese municipal shelter (CVM Feira) between 2018 and 2024 to identify predictors of live outcomes. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed on 1325 adoptable animals. Adoption occurred for 58.9% of these animals, while 41.1% remained in long-term housing, reflecting growing shelter capacity pressures. Length of Stay (LOS) was the strongest predictor of adoption, with extended stays markedly reducing adoption odds and contributing to overcrowding. For dogs, female sex and owner or animal protection association (APA) surrender increased adoption likelihood. Microchipped animals were 71 times more likely to be returned to their owners, although only a small proportion entered the shelter with identification. The overall Live Release Rate (LRR) was 79.7% and Save Rate (SR) 84.7%, highlighting effective life-saving efforts, while the Population Balance Calculation (PBC) of 75.6% revealed challenges in population flow-through. These findings provide evidence that data-driven strategies, including reducing LOS, enforcing microchipping, and applying species-specific management, are essential to optimize municipal shelter operations and improve animal welfare, with insights applicable to broader European and international contexts. Full article

A longstanding debate in finance concerns the impact of social responsibility actions on firms’ long-term profitability. This study provides a broad analysis on the relationship between ESG, its components, and stock returns. Using a dataset that spans from December 2014 to December 2023, this research analyzes an annual average of around 2260 publicly traded companies from Europe and the United States. The findings consistently show a negative link between ESG ratings, their components, and stock returns, a result that is possibly explainable by the mixed effect of a reduction of risk (lower risk premium) from social responsibility, and lower profitability from associated costs. The coefficients for ESG and its pillars in explaining stock returns are generally consistent, with a few exceptions for the environmental and governance components. The environmental pillar has a stronger influence in Europe, across firm sizes, while in the US, the effect is limited to larger companies. For governance, variations align with differing ownership structures across regions and changing investor priorities as firms grow, with stronger influence in Midcaps of both regions and in U.S. Large Caps. The effects of overall ESG scores and individual pillars on stock returns across regions, firm sizes, and their interaction, provide a more comprehensive perspective on their relationship. Full article

Acacia melanoxylon R.Br. demonstrates strong biological nitrogen–fixation capacity and favourable economic returns, making it a promising candidate for the development of subtropical forestry in South Asia. It is a fast–growing leguminous tree species widely promoted for cultivation in China, and it is also one of the ideal tree species for improving soil fertility in forest lands. What are the synergistic mechanisms between A. melanoxylon-Eucalyptus stands and pure Eucalyptus spp.? Current theories regarding A. melanoxylon–Eucalyptus systems remain relatively fragmented due to the lack of effective silvicultural measures, resistance studies, and comprehensive ecological–economic benefit evaluations. The absence of an integrated analytical framework for holistic research on A. melanoxylon–Eucalyptus systems makes it difficult to summarise and comprehensively analyse their growth and development, thereby limiting the optimisation and widespread application of their models. This study employed CiteSpace bibliometric analysis and qualitative methods to explore ideal tree species combination patterns, elucidate their intrinsic eco–economic synergistic mechanisms, and reasonably reveal their collaborative potential. This study systematically reviewed silvicultural management, stress physiology, ecological security, and economic policy using the Chinese and English literature published from 2010 to 2025. The narrative synthesis results indicated that strip intercropping (7:3) is widely documented as an effective model for creating vertical niche complementarity, whereby canopy light and thermal utilisation by A. melanoxylon species improve subsoil nutrient cycling by enhancing stand structure. A conceptual full–cycle economic assessment framework was proposed to measure carbon sequestration and timber premiums. Correspondingly, this conversion of implicit ecological services into explicit market values acted as a critical tool for decision–making in assessing benefit. A three–dimensional “cultivation strategy–physiological ecology–value assessment” assessment framework was established. This framework demonstrated how to move from wanting to maximise the output of an individual component to maximising the value of the whole system. It theorised and provided guidance on resolving the complementary conflict between “ecology–economy” in the management of sustainable multifunctional plantations. Full article

Background: Life for women drastically altered after the 2021 US-NATO military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Methods: Applying a gendered general strain theory (GGST) model, this paper presents mixed-method findings from a 2023 semi-structured digital survey of 29 Afghan women, identifying key shared hardships concerning the daily lives of Afghan women (ages 18–65) and psychosocial stress. Results: A thematic analysis of their responses indicates that support for the Taliban’s return to power ranges among women; however, respondents experience diminished quality-of-life (DQOL) factors like persistent food insecurity that affect their views of the current government and affect their psychosocial health. Furthermore, most struggle with financial insecurity and growing governmental restrictions, particularly gender discrimination policies (GDP), further increasing their stress as they try to acclimate to the new political environment. Additionally, we triangulate the key qualitative findings with a statistical analysis to help illustrate emerging patterns between DQOL factors, GDP experiences, and psychosocial stress (PSS). Conclusions: This study is one of the first known semi-structured surveys conducted within the country of Afghanistan after the Taliban reseized control, offering crucial insights into life of Afghan women through their own intimate experiences and perspectives. Full article

Northeast British Columbia (54–60° N latitude, 120–123° W longitude) has 10+ M ha of complex conifer–broadleaf forest, which is a unique forest type in the province. Current management practice is to remove competing broadleaf species to promote the growth of more commercially valued conifers. This approach ignores the species silvics and results in forest simplification, thus reducing species and structural diversity, habitat value, and overall stand resilience to future events such as climate change and wildfires. These practices also negatively impact traditional First Nation treaty rights. Three trials were established across the region in 5-to-18-year-old post-logging mixed species stands where broadleaves had not been removed. Competition-free radii of 0, 1, 2, and 4 m were established around white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) crop trees. The objective was to investigate the impact of broadleaf (aspen Populus tremuloides Michx. or paper birch Betula papyrifera Marsh.) competition on crop tree growth with respect to the free-to-grow (FTG) standard. Except at extreme broadleaf densities (>10,000 SPH), crop tree DBH growth was not impacted when trials were established. After at least 11 growing seasons, except at the competition-free 4 m radius, DBH was not impacted by competition. Spruce DBH in the mixed stand at all radii was greater than the expected BC model projections for a pure spruce stand on these sites. Our findings suggest that the current FTG management approach in northeast BC only has a positive result if taken to an extreme. It has a low return on investment and reduces stand resilience and total productivity. An alternative forest management approach for the region is presented. Full article

In the context of the growing prominence of socially responsible investment, the debate over whether sustainable corporate practices translate into sustained shareholder value has intensified. As a key tool for aligning their investment portfolios with responsible/sustainable corporate practices, investors rely on listed companies’ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings. This study aims to investigate the long-term impact of ESG practices on the stock performance of listed companies. We perform a Q1 2000–Q1 2025 backtest to analyse the comparative performance of a Best-in-Class ESG portfolio, constructed by the top 30 listed companies with market capitalisations above USD 2 billion ranked by Morningstar Sustainalytics’ ESG Risk Ratings as of 31 March 2025 against the S&P 500 Total Return index. We found that ESG leaders exhibited superior risk-adjusted performance, outperforming the S&P 500 Total Return Index. The BiC portfolios achieved a substantially higher CAGR and Sharpe ratio, while maintaining maximum drawdowns that remained comparable to the benchmark S&P 500 Total Return index. We also found that ESG advantages were more pronounced in market downturns, with the Best-in-Class ESG portfolio showing better CAGR and Sortino ratios. The findings of this study demonstrate that responsible governance and management create benefits for all stakeholders, including investors, society and nature, in the broadest sense of these terms. Full article

Drought remains one of the most damaging natural hazards to agricultural production and is projected to continue posing substantial risks to food security in the future, particularly in major rice-growing regions. Based on the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios under CMIP5, this study used a process-based crop growth model to simulate the growth of rice in China in different future periods (short-term (2031–2050), medium-term (2051–2070), and long-term (2071–2090)). We fitted rice vulnerability curves to evaluate the rice drought risk quantitatively according to the simulated water stress (WS) and yield. The results showed that the drought hazard in major rice-growing areas in China (MRAC) were low in the middle and high in the north and south. The areas without rice yield loss will decline in the future, while the areas with a high yield loss will increase, especially in southwestern China and the middle and lower Yangtze Plain (MLYP). Owing to the markedly increased evaporative demand and the reduced moisture transport caused by a weakening East Asian summer monsoon, northeastern China will be a high-risk area in the future, with the expected yield loss rates in scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 being 39.75% and 45.5%, respectively. In addition, under the RCP8.5 scenario, the yield loss rate of different return periods in south China will exceed 80%. A significant gap between rice supply and demand affected by drought is expected in the short-term future. The gaps will be 67,770 kt and 78,110 kt under the RCP4.5-SSP2 and RCP8.5-SSP3 scenarios, respectively. The methodology developed in this paper can support the quantitative assessment of drought loss risk in different scenarios using crop growth models. In the context of the future expansion of Chinese grain demand, this study can serve as a reference to improve the capacity for regional drought risk prevention and ensure regional food security. Full article

In recent years, awareness of environmental issues has grown significantly. This awareness is evident in the increase in academic research on this topic, social initiatives that focus on environmental issues, and programs promoting environmental literacy. At the same time, there is growing recognition of the accumulating environmental damage caused by individuals’ choices and habits and the threat this poses to ecosystems and sustainability. Numerous studies have explored various facets of environmental literacy to promote pro-environmental behavior, which is essential for tackling the environmental challenges of the 21st century. Over the past few decades, research in the social sciences has investigated the influence of war on crime and delinquency rates. Additionally, studies have measured the impacts of war, terrorism, and stress on mental health and social relationships. Ecological research has also examined the relationship between war and environmental degradation, highlighting the impact on ecosystems, infrastructure destruction, and the long-term environmental consequences. To the best of our knowledge, however, no research has examined how stress and war influence individuals’ sense of environmental responsibility. The aim of this qualitative research was to examine the influence of stress and war on both environmentally engaged individuals and those indifferent to the environment, focusing on their sense of environmental responsibility and its practical expressions. Twenty-four participants were categorized into two groups: environmentally engaged and environmentally indifferent. The findings indicate that the commitment of environmentally engaged individuals to environmental protection decreased during periods of stress and war. This decline can be attributed to more immediate concerns for survival. The participants reported that this change was temporary; as calm returned, their level of commitment reverted to its previous state. Among the environmentally indifferent, no change occurred in their level of commitment to environmental protection, which was consistently low before, during, and after situations of stress and war. Additional findings indicate that the social environment plays a crucial role in fostering environmental responsibility and protection. A supportive social environment has a positive influence on individuals, while indifference or opposition can harm their sense of environmental responsibility. Our research findings also suggest that both environmentally oriented and environmentally indifferent individuals primarily focus on recycling and waste separation when they refer to pro-environmental behavior. Full article

Flooding is one of Africa’s most impactful natural disasters, significantly affecting human lives, infrastructure, and economies. This study examines the spatial and temporal distribution of historical flood events across the continent from 1927 to 2020, with a focus on fatalities, affected populations, and economic damage. Data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), the fifth generation of bias-corrected European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis (ERA5), and the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) observational datasets were used to calculate extreme precipitation indices—Consecutive Wet Days (CWD), annual precipitation on very wet days (R95PTOT), and Annual Maximum Precipitation (AMP). Spatial analysis tools and the Mann–Kendall test were used to assess trends in flood occurrences, while Pearson correlation analysis identified key meteorological drivers across 16 African capital cities for 1981–2019. A flood frequency analysis was conducted using Weibull, Gamma, Lognormal, Gumbel, and Logistic probability distribution models to compute flood return periods for up to 100 years. Results reveal a significant upward trend with a slope above 0.50 floods per year in flood frequency and impact over the period, particularly in regions such as West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana), East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania), North Africa (Algeria, Morocco), Central Africa (Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo), and Southern Africa (Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa). Positive trends (at 99% significance level with slopes ranging between 0.50 and 0.60 floods per year) were observed in flood-related fatalities, affected populations, and economic damage across Regional Economic Communities (RECs), individual countries, and cities of Africa. The CWD, R95PTOT, and AMP indices emerged as reliable predictors of flood events, while non-stationary return periods exhibited low uncertainties for events within 20 years. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing robust flood disaster management strategies, enhancing flood forecasting systems, and designing resilient infrastructure to mitigate growing flood risks in Africa’s rapidly changing climate. Full article