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The phenomenon of arable land non-agriculturalization has become increasingly severe, posing significant threats to the security of arable land resources and ecological sustainability. This study focuses on Dachang Hui Autonomous County in Langfang City, Hebei Province, a region located at the edge of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei metropolitan cluster. In recent years, the area has undergone accelerated urbanization and industrial transfer, resulting in drastic land use changes and a pronounced contradiction between arable land protection and the expansion of construction land. The study period is 2016–2023, which covers the key period of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei synergistic development strategy and the strengthening of the national arable land protection policy, and is able to comprehensively reflect the dynamic changes of arable land non-agriculturalization under the policy and urbanization process. Multi-temporal Sentinel-2 imagery was utilized to construct a multi-dimensional feature set, and machine learning classifiers were applied to identify arable land non-agriculturalization with optimized performance. GIS-based analysis and the geographic detector model were employed to reveal the spatio-temporal dynamics and driving mechanisms. The results demonstrate that the XGBoost model, optimized using Bayesian parameter tuning, achieved the highest classification accuracy (overall accuracy = 0.94) among the four classifiers, indicating its superior suitability for identifying arable land non-agriculturalization using multi-temporal remote sensing imagery. Spatio-temporal analysis revealed that non-agriculturalization expanded rapidly between 2016 and 2020, followed by a deceleration after 2020, exhibiting a pattern of “rapid growth–slowing down–partial regression”. Further analysis using the geographic detector revealed that socioeconomic factors are the primary drivers of arable land non-agriculturalization in Dachang Hui Autonomous County, while natural factors exerted relatively weaker effects. These findings provide technical support and scientific evidence for dynamic monitoring and policy formulation regarding arable land under urbanization, offering significant theoretical and practical implications. Full article

Wellington, New Zealand, is highly vulnerable to disaster-induced food security crises due to its geography and geological characteristics, which can disrupt transportation and isolate the city following disasters. Urban agriculture (UA) has been proposed as a potential alternative food source for post-disaster scenarios. This study examined the potential of urban agriculture for enhancing post-disaster food security by calculating vegetable self-sufficiency rates. Specifically, it evaluated the capacity of current Wellington’s community gardens to meet post-disaster vegetable demand in terms of both weight and nutrient content. Data collection employed mixed methods with questionnaires, on-site observations and mapping, and collecting high-resolution aerial imagery. Garden yields were estimated using self-reported data supported by literature benchmarks, while cultivated areas were quantified through on-site mapping and aerial imagery analysis. Six post-disaster food demand scenarios were used based on different target populations to develop an understanding of the range of potential produce yields. Weight-based results show that community gardens currently supply only 0.42% of the vegetable demand for residents living within a five-minute walk. This rate increased to 2.07% when specifically targeting only vulnerable populations, and up to 10.41% when focusing on gardeners’ own households. However, at the city-wide level, the current capacity of community gardens to provide enough produce to feed people remained limited. Nutrient-based self-sufficiency was lower than weight-based results; however, nutrient intake is particularly critical for vulnerable populations after disasters, underscoring the greater challenge of ensuring adequate nutrition through current urban food production. Beyond self-sufficiency, this study also addressed the role of UA in promoting food diversity and acceptability, as well as its social and psychological benefits based on the questionnaires and on-site observations. The findings indicate that community gardens contribute meaningfully to post-disaster food security for gardeners and nearby residents, particularly for vulnerable groups with elevated nutritional needs. Despite the current limited capacity of community gardens to provide enough produce to feed residents, findings suggest that Wellington could enhance post-disaster food self-reliance by diversifying UA types and optimizing land-use to increase food production during and after a disaster. Realizing this potential will require strategic interventions, including supportive policies, a conducive social environment, and diversification—such as the including private yards—all aimed at improving food access, availability, and nutritional quality during crises. The primary limitation of this study is the lack of comprehensive data on urban agriculture in Wellington and the wider New Zealand context. Addressing this data gap should be a key focus for future research to enable more robust assessments and evidence-based planning. Full article

Since the onset of industrialization, the safety of arable land has become a pressing global concern, with soil salinization emerging as a critical threat to agricultural productivity and food security. To address this challenge, the cultivation of economically valuable salt-tolerant plants has been proposed as a viable strategy. In the study, we investigated the physiological and molecular responses of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. to varying NaCl concentrations. Results revealed a concentration-dependent dual effect: low NaCl levels significantly promoted seed germination, while high concentrations exerted strong inhibitory effects. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying these divergent responses, a combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics was applied to identify key metabolic pathways and genes. Notably, salt stress enhanced photosynthetic efficiency through coordinated modulation of ribulose 5-phosphate and erythrose-4-phosphate levels, coupled with the upregulation of critical genes encoding RPIA (Ribose 5-phosphate isomerase A) and RuBisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). Under low salt stress, L. ruthenicum maintained intact cellular membrane structures and minimized oxidative damage, thereby supporting germination and early growth. In contrast, high salinity severely disrupted PS I (Photosynthesis system I) functionality, blocking energy flow into this pathway while simultaneously inducing membrane lipid peroxidation and triggering pronounced cellular degradation. This ultimately suppressed seed germination rates and impaired root elongation. These findings suggested a mechanistic framework for understanding L. ruthenicum adaptation under salt stress and pointed out a new way for breeding salt-tolerant crops and understanding the mechanism. Full article

To ensure water source security and sustainability of the national major strategic project “South-to-North Water Diversion”, this study aims to evaluate the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of the ecosystem service value (ESV) in its water source area from 2002 to 2022. This study reveals its changing trends and main influencing factors, and thereby provides scientific support for the ecological protection and management of the water source area. Quantitative assessment of the ESV of the region was carried out using the Equivalence Factor Method (EFM), aiming to provide scientific support for ecological protection and resource management decision-making. In the past 20 years, the ESV has shown an upward trend year by year, increasing by 96%. The regions with the highest ESV were Garzê Prefecture and Aba Prefecture, which increased by 130.3% and 60.6%, respectively. The ESV of Xinlong county, Danba county, Rangtang county, and Daofu county increased 4.8 times, 1.5 times, 12.5 times, and 8.9 times, respectively. In the last two decades, arable land has decreased by 91%, while the proportions of bare land and water have decreased by 84% and 91%, respectively. Grassland had the largest proportion. Forests and grasslands, vital for climate regulation, water cycle management, and biodiversity conservation, have expanded by 74% and 43%, respectively. It can be seen from Moran’s I index values that the dataset as a whole showed a slight positive spatial autocorrelation, which increased from −0.041396 to 0.046377. This study reveals the changing trends in ESV and the main influencing factors, and thereby provides scientific support for the ecological protection and management of the water source area. Full article

Reducing post-harvest losses of cereal crops is a key challenge for ensuring global food security amid the limited arable land and growing population. This study investigates the effectiveness of electron beam irradiation (5 MeV, ILU-10 accelerator) as a physical decontamination method for various cereal crops cultivated in Kazakhstan. Samples were irradiated at doses ranging from 1 to 5 kGy, and microbiological indicators—including Quantity of Mesophilic Aerobic and Facultative Anaerobic Microorganisms (QMAFAnM), yeasts, and molds—were quantified according to national standards. Experimental results demonstrated an exponential decline in microbial contamination, with a >99% reduction achieved at doses of 4–5 kGy. The modeled inactivation kinetics showed strong agreement with the experimental data: R² = 0.995 for QMAFAnM and R² = 0.948 for mold, confirming the reliability of the exponential decay models. Additionally, key quality parameters—including protein content, moisture, and gluten—were evaluated post-irradiation. The results showed that protein levels remained largely stable across all doses, while slight but statistically insignificant fluctuations were observed in moisture and gluten contents. Principal component analysis and scatterplot matrix visualization confirmed clustering patterns related to radiation dose and crop type. The findings substantiate the feasibility of electron beam treatment as a scalable and safe technology for improving the microbiological quality and storage stability of cereal crops. Full article

Salinization of olive orchards constitutes a front-line agronomic challenge for farmers, consumers, and the scientific community as food security, olive logistics, and land use become more unsustainable and problematic. Plantlets of two olive varieties (var. Kalamon and var. Koroneiki) were tested for their performance under soil saline conditions, in which L-methionine, choline-Cl, and L-proline betaine were applied foliarly to alleviate adverse effects. The ‘Kalamon’ variety ameliorated its photosynthetic rates when L-proline betaine and L-methionine were administered at low saline exposure. The stressed varieties achieved higher leaf transpiration rates in the following treatment order: choline-Cl > L-methionine > L-proline betaine. Choline chloride supported stomatal conductance in stressed var. Kalamon olives without this pattern, which was also followed by var. Koroneiki. Supplementation regimes created a mosaic of responses on varietal water use efficiency under stress. The total phenolic content in leaves increased in both varieties after exogenous application only at the highest levels of saline stress. None of the substances applied to olive trees could stand alone as a tool to mitigate salinity stress in order to be recommended as a solid agronomic practice. The residual exploitation of amino acids by the olive orchard microbiome must also be considered as part of an environmentally friendly, integrated strategy to mitigate salinity stress. Full article

Using LULC change detection analysis, it is possible to identify changes due to urbanization, deforestation, or a natural disaster in an area. As population growth and urbanization increase, real-time solutions for the effects of urbanization on land use are required to assess its implications for food security and livelihood. This study seeks to identify and quantify recent LULC changes in Limbe, Cameroon, and to measure rates of conversion between agricultural, forest, and urban lands between 1986 and 2020 using remote sensing and GIS. Also, there is a deficiency of research employing these data to evaluate the efficiency of LULC satellite data and a lack of awareness by local stakeholders regarding the impact on LULC change. The changes were identified in four classes utilizing maximum supervised classification in ENVI and ArcGIS environments. The classification result reveals that the 2020 image has the highest overall accuracy of 94.6 while the 2002 image has an overall accuracy of 89.2%. The overall gain for agriculture was approximately 4.6 km², urban had an overall gain of nearly 12.7 km², while the overall loss for forest was −16.9 km² during this period. Much of the land area previously occupied by forest is declining as pressures for urban areas and new settlements increase. This study’s findings have significant policy implications for sustainable land use and food security. It also provides a spatial method for monitoring LULC variations that can be used as a framework by stakeholders who are interested in environmentally conscious development and sustainable land use practices. Full article

Land consolidation (LC) is a sustainability-oriented policy tool designed to address land fragmentation, inefficient spatial organization, and ecological degradation in rural areas. This research proposes a Production–Living–Ecological (PLE) spatial utilization efficiency evaluation system, based on an integrated methodological framework combining Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Entropy Weight Method (EWM), Attribute-Weighting Method (AWM), Linear Weighted Sum Method (LWSM), Threshold-Verification Coefficient Method (TVCM), Jenks Natural Breaks (JNB) classification, and the Obstacle Degree Model (ODM). The framework is applied to Qian County, located in the Guanzhong Plain in Shaanxi Province. The results reveal three key findings: (1) PLE efficiency exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity. Production efficiency shows a spatial pattern characterized by high values in the central region that gradually decrease toward the surrounding areas. In contrast, the living efficiency demonstrates higher values in the eastern and western regions, while remaining relatively low in the central area. Moreover, ecological efficiency shows a marked advantage in the northern region, indicating a distinct south–north gradient. (2) Integrated efficiency consolidation potential zones present distinct spatial distributions. Preliminary consolidation zones are primarily located in the western region; priority zones are concentrated in the south; and intensive consolidation zones are clustered in the central and southeastern areas, with sporadic distributions in the west and north. (3) Five primary obstacle factors hinder land use efficiency: intensive utilization of production land (PC1), agricultural land reutilization intensity (PC2), livability of living spaces (PC4), ecological space security (PC7), and ecological space fragmentation (PC8). These findings provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for formulating tar-gated LC strategies, optimizing rural spatial structures, and advancing sustainable development in similar regions. Full article

Moringa oleifera (MO), a nutritionally and pharmacologically potent species, is emerging as a sustainable candidate for applications across bioenergy, agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and biomedicine. This review explores recent advances in MO-based biotechnologies, highlighting novel extraction methods, green nanotechnology, and clinical trial findings. Although MO’s resilience offers promise for climate-smart agriculture and public health, challenges remain in standardizing cultivation and verifying therapeutic claims. This work underscores MO’s translational potential and the need for integrative, interdisciplinary research. MO is used in advanced materials, like electrospun fibers and biopolymers, showing filtration, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties—important for the biomedical industry and environmental remediation. In textiles, it serves as an eco-friendly alternative for wastewater treatment and yarn sizing. Biotechnological advancements, such as genome sequencing and in vitro culture, enhance traits and metabolite production. MO supports green biotechnology through sustainable agriculture, nanomaterials, and biocomposites. MO shows potential for disease management, immune support, metabolic health, and dental care, but requires further clinical trials for validation. Its resilience is suitable for land restoration and food security in arid areas. AI and deep learning enhance Moringa breeding, allowing for faster, cost-effective development of improved varieties. MO’s diverse applications establish it as a key element for sustainable development in arid regions. Full article

African hydrological systems are incredibly complex and highly sensitive to climate variability. This review synthesizes observational data, remote sensing, and climate modeling to understand the interactions between fluvial processes, water cycle dynamics, and anthropogenic pressures. Currently, these systems are experiencing accelerating warming (+0.3 °C/decade), leading to more intense hydrological extremes and regionally varied responses. For example, East Africa has shown reversed temperature–moisture correlations since the Holocene onset, while West African rivers demonstrate nonlinear runoff sensitivity (a threefold reduction per unit decline in rainfall). Land-use and land-cover changes (LULCC) are as impactful as climate change, with analysis from 1959–2014 revealing extensive conversion of primary non-forest land and a more than sixfold increase in the intensity of pastureland expansion by the early 21st century. Future projections, exemplified by studies in basins like Ethiopia’s Gilgel Gibe and Ghana’s Vea, indicate escalating aridity with significant reductions in surface runoff and groundwater recharge, increasing aquifer stress. These findings underscore the need for integrated adaptation strategies that leverage remote sensing, nature-based solutions, and transboundary governance to build resilient water futures across Africa’s diverse basins. Full article

With the emergence of Survey 4.0, the oil and gas (O & G) industry is now considering spatial digital twins during their field design to enhance visualization, efficiency, and safety. O & G companies have already initiated investments in the research and development of spatial digital twins to build digital mining models. Existing studies commonly adopt surveys and case studies as their evaluation approach to validate the feasibility of spatial digital twins and related technologies. However, this approach requires high costs and resources. To address this gap, this study explores the feasibility of the informed argument method within the design science framework. A land survey data model (LSDM)-based digital twin prototype for O & G field design, along with 3D spatial datasets located in Lot 2 on RP108045 at petroleum lease 229 under the Department of Resources, Queensland Government, Australia, was selected as a case for this study. The ISO/IEC 25010 model was adopted as a methodology for this study to evaluate the prototype and Digital Twin Victoria (DTV). It encompasses eight metrics, such as functional suitability, performance efficiency, compatibility, usability, security, reliability, maintainability, and portability. The results generated from this study indicate that the prototype encompasses a standard level of all parameters in the ISO/IEC 25010 model. The key significance of the study is its methodological contribution to evaluating the spatial digital twin models through cost-effective means, particularly under circumstances with strict regulatory requirements and low information accessibility. Full article

Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, a hotspot for biodiversity, are seriously threatened by deforestation and the loss of woodland cover. The loss of woodland cover has been associated with decreased access and availability of woodfuel for nearby communities, which may have detrimental effects on household energy security and livelihoods. This study, which employs geospatial techniques, looks at woodland change in the Eastern Arc Mountains region between 2001 and 2020 to prioritize areas that need more sustainable land use practices. We employed a “mixed methods” remote sensing approach linked to Landsat thematic mapper data to assess woodland change. The results showed that the Same District experienced a considerable loss of woodland, making up 37.4% of the total area lost between 2001 and 2020. These results suggest that access to woodfuel may become more difficult for the residents of Same District. Full article

The global population is increasing rapidly and, according to the United Nations (UN), it is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. The demand for food is also increasing with a growing population. Food shortages, land scarcity, resource depletion, and climate change are significant issues raised due to an increasing population. Meat is a vital source of high-quality protein in the human diet, and addressing the sustainability of meat production is essential to ensuring long-term food security. To cover the meat demand of a growing population, meat scientists are working on several meat alternatives. Bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae have been identified as sources of microbial proteins that are both effective and sustainable, making them suitable for use in the development of meat analogs. Unlike livestock farming, microbial proteins produce less environmental pollution, need less space and water, and contain all the necessary dietary components. This review examines the status and future of microbial proteins in regard to consolidating and stabilizing the global food system. This review explores the production methods, nutritional benefits, environmental impact, regulatory landscape, and consumer perception of microbial protein-based meat analogs. Additionally, this review highlights the importance of microbial proteins by elaborating on the connection between microbial protein-based meat analogs and multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

In mining areas with high groundwater levels, intensive coal mining has led to the accumulation of substantial surface water and significant alterations in regional landscape patterns. Reconstructing the ecological security pattern (ESP) has emerged as a critical focus for ecological restoration in coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. This study employed the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model to predict the landscape evolution trend of the study area in 2032 under three scenarios, combining environmental characteristics and disturbance features of coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. In order to determine the differences in ecological network changes within the study area under various development scenarios, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity analysis were employed to identify ecological source areas and establish ecological corridors using circuit theory. Based on the simulation results of the optimal development scenario, potential ecological pinch points and ecological barrier points were further identified. The findings indicate that: (1) land use changes predominantly occur in urban fringe areas and coal mining subsidence areas. In the land reclamation (LR) scenario, the reduction in cultivated land area is minimal, whereas in the economic development (ED) scenario, construction land exhibits a marked increasing trend. Under the natural development (ND) scenario, forest land and water expand most significantly, thereby maximizing ecological space. (2) Under the ND scenario, the number and distribution of ecological source areas and ecological corridors reach their peak, leading to an enhanced ecological network structure that positively contributes to corridor improvement. (3) By comparing the ESP in the ND scenario in 2032 with that in 2022, the number and area of ecological barrier points increase substantially while the number and area of ecological pinch points decrease. These areas should be prioritized for ecological protection and restoration. Based on the scenario simulation results, this study proposes a planning objective for a “one axis, four belts, and four zones” ESP, along with corresponding strategies for ecological protection and restoration. This research provides a crucial foundation for decision-making in enhancing territorial space planning in coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. Full article

Objectives: The major sugarcane-producing regions of Guangxi represent a critical agricultural zone in China. Investigating the mechanisms of land use change and carbon storage dynamics in this area is essential for optimizing regional ecological security and promoting sustainable development. Methods: Employing the land use transfer matrix, the InVEST model and the Geodetector model to analyze carbon storage changes and identify key driving factors and their interactive effects. Results: (1) From 2011 to 2022, Guangxi’s major sugarcane-producing regions experienced significant land use changes: reductions in cultivated land, grassland and water bodies alongside expansions of forest, bare land and construction land. (2) The total carbon storage in Guangxi’s major sugarcane-producing regions has increased from 2011 to 2018 by 0.99%, representing 1627.03 and 1643.10 million tons, while it has decreased by 0.1% in 2022 (1641.47 million tons) compared to 2018. (3) Cultivated land proportion and forest coverage rate were the primary drivers of spatial heterogeneity, followed by average slope and land urbanization rate. (4) Interaction analysis revealed strong synergistic effects among cultivated land proportion, forest coverage rate, NDVI and average slope, confirming multi-factor control over carbon storage changes. Conclusions: Carbon storage in the Guangxi sugarcane-producing regions is shaped by land use patterns and multi-factor interactions. Future strategies should optimize land use structures and balance urbanization with ecological protection to enhance regional carbon sequestration. Full article