Search Results (15,848)

Environmental changes driven by land use and climate variability profoundly affect basin water balance, yet their separate and combined effects remain poorly understood in data-scarce regions. This study investigates the individual and combined impacts of land use/land cover (LULC) and climate change on seasonal runoff in the Rokel-Seli River Basin (RSRB), Sierra Leone, over two periods (1965–1990 and 1991–2016). Using LULC maps derived from 1988 and 2013 Landsat imagery and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), we simulated hydrological responses under four scenario frameworks. The results reveal a marked expansion of urban, bare, and agricultural land at the expense of forest cover. The SWAT model satisfactorily captured streamflow dynamics during calibration and validation. Land use change alone increased wet-season runoff by 6.55% and decreased dry-season runoff by −13.15%, whereas climate change contributed changes of +24.87% and −31.43%, respectively. A double mass curve analysis and Budyko framework further revealed a regime shift toward higher runoff efficiency (runoff coefficient increased from 0.67 to 0.69), indicating a loss of basin retention capacity. Notably, land use change partially masked the full hydrological deficit induced by climate change, acting as a counter-buffering mechanism. This study provides critical evidence for water resource authorities and local stakeholders to develop adaptive land use and water conservation strategies in data-scarce tropical basins, emphasizing the need to consider both climatic and anthropogenic drivers in seasonal water availability assessments. Full article

With the continuous implementation of the national dual carbon target and the refined control of operating costs in civil buildings, the issue of cleaning and regenerating high-consumption air filter materials in civil buildings has become a hot research topic. This study took rGO air filter material as the research object from the perspective of commercial cost optimization and, using water as the cleaning medium, compared and analyzed the changes in filtration efficiency, airflow resistance, comprehensive performance, and full dimension economy during five cycles of regeneration using water cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning methods. The results showed that ultrasonic cleaning can better maintain the microscopic morphology and structural integrity of the rGO filter, exhibiting more stable filtration performance and slower performance attenuation during repeated regeneration. After the first cleaning, the filtration effectiveness following water cleaning was higher than that following ultrasonic cleaning, with filtration efficiencies 1.21%, 0.18%, and 1.11% higher for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_1.0, respectively. After the 2nd to 5th cleaning cycles, the filtration efficiency following ultrasonic cleaning was higher than that following water cleaning, with increases of 3.79%, 2.18%, 2.20%, and 6.49% for PM₁₀; 3.20%, 1.22%, 2.96%, and 3.25% for PM_2.5; and 1.90%, 2.02%, 2.02%, and 6.21% for PM_1.0, respectively. The counting filtration efficiency of the ultrasonic cleaning method is relatively high for particle sizes roughly between 0.35 and 2.5 μm, while the difference between large particles is small. The filtration resistance value of the water cleaning method is higher than that of the ultrasonic cleaning method. The QF of the ultrasonic cleaning is always higher than that of the water cleaning method. After five washes, the QF values of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_1.0 under the ultrasonic cleaning method were 2.26, 2.04, and 2.37 times higher, respectively, than those under the water washing cleaning method. When the replacement frequency is the same, the cost of using ultrasonic cleaning is lower than that of water cleaning. It can effectively reduce the operating costs and asset replacement costs of the fresh air system and is more suitable for the landing and long-term cost control needs of large-scale civil construction projects. Therefore, it is recommended that ultrasonic cleaning be used to recycle rGO air filter materials. These findings provide reference value for the large-scale use of rGO air filter materials and the creation of low-carbon indoor environments. Full article

This study examines the landscape characteristics of high-suitability habitats for the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) during the non-breeding season in inland and coastal wetlands of the middle and lower Yangtze River regions, and seeks to elucidate the distribution patterns and their drivers. Using the MaxEnt model and landscape analysis, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) High-suitability habitats for the Black-tailed Godwit cover approximately 128,800 km² and are primarily distributed across the middle and lower Yangtze River regions. (2) The dominant environmental variables were identified as elevation, distance to water source, slope, distance to paddy field, land use classification, and minimum temperature of the coldest month. (3) Landscape fragmentation, habitat connectivity, human disturbance, and climate change were found to be associated with the shift in the Black-tailed Godwit’s distribution from coastal to inland areas. (4) The distribution of the Black-tailed Godwit in the Nanji Wetland showed significant moderate positive correlation with shallow-water area (r = 0.38, p < 0.05) and significant moderate negative correlation with deep-water area (r = −0.48, p < 0.01). (5) At large spatial scales (coastal and inland wetlands), habitat connectivity and fragmentation were found to exert a greater influence, whereas at smaller spatial scales (Nanji Wetland) land use areas (wetlands and shallow-water areas) and food resources were found to exert greater influence on the Black-tailed Godwit’s distribution. This study synthesizes findings from multiple sources and aims to provide a reference for the conservation of the Black-tailed Godwit. Full article

Mangrove ecosystems provide critical coastal protection, biodiversity support, and carbon storage, yet they remain vulnerable to degradation caused by coastal development, pollution, and climate-related pressures. This study monitors mangrove dynamics in Al-Birk, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia, using Google Earth Engine (GEE), multi-temporal Landsat imagery, spectral indices, and Random Forest (RF) classification. Landsat imagery from 2016 to 2021 was processed to derive NDVI, MSAVI2, EVI, and NDWI, and supervised RF classification was applied to map annual mangrove extent and associated land-cover classes. The RF classifier achieved an overall accuracy of 92.5% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.89. Results indicate that classified mangrove extent increased from approximately 1069 ha in 2016 to 1540 ha in 2021, representing a net gain of 471 ha and a 44% increase over the study period. A localized decline was detected between 2020 and 2021, indicating spatially uneven vegetation dynamics. The findings provide a spatial baseline for monitoring mangrove change and supporting coastal conservation planning in Saudi Arabia. While the detected expansion is temporally consistent with ongoing restoration initiatives, the study does not establish direct causality between policy interventions and observed spatial changes. Full article

Coastal cities are typical regions where economic growth, population agglomeration, and eco-environmental pressures are strongly coupled. Assessing the coordination between urban development and the eco-environment is therefore important for regional sustainability. This study selected seven representative coastal cities in China—Dalian, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Zhuhai—and integrated multisource remote sensing data with statistical yearbook data to construct a comprehensive evaluation system for urban development level (UDL) and eco-environmental quality (EEQ). An ecologically enhanced indicator system incorporating vegetation condition index (VCI), biological richness index (BRI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and dynamic habitat index (DHI) was developed. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) model was then used to evaluate urban sustainable development from 2014 to 2023. In addition, an EWM–MLP adaptive weighting strategy was applied to refine entropy-derived weights, and Random Forest was used to identify variables associated with CCD prediction. The results show that CCD values generally increased during the study period, indicating improved coordination between urban development and the eco-environment. However, the evolutionary pathways differed markedly among cities, and UDL and EEQ changes were not fully synchronized. The EWM–MLP strategy introduced adaptive numerical refinements to CCD values while maintaining the overall stability of coordination-level classification. Random Forest analysis showed that CCD prediction was mainly associated with a limited number of high-contribution indicators. For all indicators combined, approximately 7–10 top-ranked variables were generally required to exceed 80% of the total importance, whereas the UDL and EEQ subsystems reached this threshold with fewer indicators. UDL-related variation was mainly associated with land-use structure, population agglomeration, and economic activity, whereas EEQ-related variation was related to ecological conditions, land-cover composition, and environmental pressure. The high-importance indicators exhibited clear inter-city heterogeneity, suggesting the need for differentiated governance strategies. The proposed framework provides methodological support for sustainable development assessment and differentiated governance in coastal cities. Full article

Intensive agriculture, deforestation, and frequent land-use changes contribute to increased soil erosion and sediment transport from both arable and non-arable lands into minor river channels. These factors directly and indirectly influence riverbank erosion and, in turn, sediment transport in rivers. Evidence on anthropogenic land-use/land-cover (LU-LC) change impact remains limited in both quantitative and spatial terms within the Danube River Basin. The study area includes research results from 17 locations concerning satellite-derived LU-LC changes along the Romanian sector of the Danube River, as well as validation results with particular highlighting on the Corabia area, Romania. According to results derived from combining LU-LC products based on Copernicus satellite data (comparing the years 2000 and 2018) and validated in the field through UAV flights conducted in 2025, the conversion of riparian vegetation into cultivated or uncultivated land accelerates bank failure. This is particularly evident where agricultural areas are located in the immediate vicinity of riverbanks. Such bank failures can be attributed to a reduction in root cohesion and a decrease in soil–bank structural stability. As a consequence, sediment delivery to the river channel increases via overland flow. The workflow proposed in this study offers a transferable and adaptable solution for areas with similar characteristics for a multitemporal approach regarding the influence of agricultural lands especially on sediment transport and riverbank erosion. Full article

Soil degradation driven by inappropriate soil management is a serious global challenge, while climate change-induced yield declines are increasing the conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural land. This review examines how soil structure influences soil health, focusing on organo-mineral complexes derived from microbial biomass and soil organic carbon-to-clay (SOC/Clay) ratio as an indicator of structural quality. Regenerative agriculture based on conservation farming practices helps mitigate SOC depletion and aligns with the nature-based solutions framework. In Hokkaido, Japan, 10 years of clean agricultural applications (cover crops and organic matter application) increased SOC storage in farmland affected by volcanic eruption. This was associated with improved bulk density, porosity, cation exchange capacity, and phosphate absorption capacity, indicating improved soil health. The increased SOC rose SOC/Clay ratio to levels comparable with unaffected farmland (≥1/13). When the SOC/Clay ratio exceeded 1/13 (soil carbon storage level of 30 t C/ha/15 cm), carbon sequestration rate became negative. This suggests that improved soil health and structural quality may promote carbon saturation and stimulate microbial decomposition of existing SOC. While the threshold for SOC/Clay ratio varies depending on soil type, vegetation type, climatic conditions, and land use, changes in the SOC/Clay ratio can provide insights into changes in soil health and structural quality. Full article

Soil salinization is increasingly threatening global agricultural productivity and food security, currently affecting over 6% of the world’s land and one-third of irrigated areas. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), a major vegetable crop worldwide, exhibits moderate sensitivity to salinity, which limits both its yield and fruit quality. In recent years, epigenetic regulation has gained attention as a key mechanism enabling flexible and reversible control of gene expression without altering DNA sequences. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the epigenetic control of salt stress responses in tomato, focusing on three interconnected levels: DNA methylation dynamics, RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM), and histone modifications. We explore how DNA methyltransferases reshape the methylome under salinity, using examples such as PKE1 and SlGI to illustrate functional gene-body methylation. The RdDM pathway is discussed with emphasis on the unexpected role of SlAGO4A as a negative modulator of stress tolerance and the growing evidence for RdDM-mediated regulation of transcription factors. We also examine the balanced regulation of histone acetylation and deacetylation, highlighting the conserved role of GCN5 in maintaining cell wall integrity and the diverse functions of histone deacetylases, such as SlHDA1, SlHDA3, and SlHDA5, in stress adaptation. Additionally, insights from wild tomato species and grafting-induced epigenetic changes are presented, revealing new dimensions of stress memory. Collectively, these epigenetic mechanisms constitute a complex regulatory framework that integrates stress responses with growth and development, providing potential targets for epigenetic breeding of salt-tolerant tomatoes. Full article

Promoting low-carbon agricultural development has become increasingly important in the context of climate change and sustainable development. Using panel data for 30 provincial-level regions in China from 2012 to 2023, this study employs a two-way fixed-effects model to examine the effect of agricultural new quality productivity (ANQP) on total agricultural carbon emissions (TACE) and the channels through which this effect operates. The results show that ANQP significantly reduces TACE. Mechanism analysis further indicates that this effect operates mainly through agricultural technological innovation, higher rural labor productivity, and improved agricultural land productivity. In addition, the carbon-reduction effect of ANQP displays significant regional heterogeneity and is stronger in the central and western regions, major grain-producing areas, and regions with relatively weak digital infrastructure. Overall, this study provides new empirical evidence on the environmental implications of ANQP and clarifies the conditions and channels through which productivity upgrading can contribute to low-carbon agricultural transformation. Full article

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a fundamental process within the water cycle and the agricultural water balance, optimizing resource allocation, maintaining soil health, and enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change. Because ET represents a primary consumptive use of irrigation on agricultural lands, enhancing water-use efficiency and sustainable water management requires accurate estimation of evapotranspiration to support long-term sustainability and productivity. This study offers an effective means to visualize spatial and temporal patterns of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) across various vegetation management practices. This study examined the impacts of agroforestry buffers (ABs), grass buffers (GBs), biofuel crops in an agroforestry watershed (BCa), and biofuel crops in a grass buffer watershed (BCg) on ETo, compared to a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation (RC) for claypan soil in Northern Missouri, USA. The experimental watersheds were located at the Greenley Memorial Research Center, Missouri, USA. Campbell Scientific sensors and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) smart sensors were installed to measure net radiation, anemometers, humidity, and air temperature. All instruments were mounted on masts at a height of 2 m above ground level in crop, tree, grass, and biofuel areas. Measured meteorological data were recorded hourly from April to October during 2017 and 2018. Daily ETo predictions were calculated using the Penman–Monteith model. These ETo predictions were displayed across the landscape using Python-based GIS for selected dates (each Saturday) for the watersheds. The methodology was implemented using the software programs of Python 2.7.10 and ArcGIS 10.3.1. The results indicated that ETo increased by 11%, 17%, 18%, and 25% in 2017, and by 7%, 9%, 14%, and 20% in 2018 for AB, BCa, BCg, and GB, respectively, compared to RC management. This process may improve soil water recharge in perennial management systems. Accurate estimation of ET in agricultural regions is critical for understanding water balance, hydrological and ecosystem processes, and climate variability. Given that agriculture constitutes the majority of global water consumption, precise ET estimation is particularly significant for sustainable water management, especially in regions experiencing water scarcity. These outcomes may support effective planning and management of agricultural water resources by enabling optimized irrigation and agricultural production. Full article

Rapid and reliable detection of landslides is essential for disaster response, hazard assessment, and environmental monitoring, particularly in environments where timely information is critical. Recognizing the need, this study proposes a unified framework that integrates pixel-based LULC classification with landslide detection using multispectral satellite imagery. In this framework, landslides are identified as vegetation-to-bare land transitions constrained by temporal, terrain, and morphological conditions, making detection dependent on accurate classification of vegetation and bare land. An optimal classifier configuration was selected through a statistical scheme based on three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to ensure reliable classification and applied to pre- and post-event imagery to derive landslide candidate areas. To improve detection reliability, terrain and morphological filters were applied, including a slope constraint selected through sensitivity analysis and a length-to-width (L/W) ratio to reduce false detections. The classification accuracies achieved across the two study sites ranged from 0.85 to 0.89, supporting the detection of approximately 70% of the total landslide area, with precision up to 0.93 and F1-scores of 0.77–0.79. Lower slope thresholds improved detection completeness, while higher thresholds increased omission errors. These findings suggest that the proposed integration of optimized LULC classification and constrained change detection may provide a practical and potentially transferable framework for improving landslide detection performance under varying environmental conditions. Full article

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is widely used to track vegetation cover and ecological change. However, in arid watersheds where irrigated farmland and natural vegetation coexist, it remains unclear how irrigation changes the relative effects of climate, terrain, and soil on vegetation growth. Using the Hetao irrigation district watershed in Inner Mongolia, this study analyzed NDVI dynamics and their environmental controls from 2001 to 2024 through trend analysis, spatial autocorrelation, XGBoost-SHAP, GeoDetector, and geographically weighted regression. NDVI increased significantly across the watershed at 0.0035 yr⁻¹, but the increase was much stronger inside the irrigation district (mean NDVI = 0.58; slope = 0.0061 yr⁻¹) than outside it (mean NDVI = 0.26; slope = 0.0015 yr⁻¹). Global Moran’s I values remained above 0.86, showing persistent spatial clustering. The main drivers also differed by zone. DEM, SOC, and precipitation were most important for the whole watershed; SOC, TP, pH, and TN were more important inside the irrigation district; and precipitation and DEM were more important outside it. GeoDetector confirmed that paired drivers strengthened each other, including SOC ∩ DEM at the watershed scale and DEM ∩ TP outside the irrigation district. GWR further showed that rainfall effects were stronger outside the irrigation boundary, while soil-related effects were stronger in the irrigated agricultural belt. These results show that irrigation not only increases NDVI but also changes how vegetation responds to environmental conditions by weakening direct rainfall limitation and strengthening soil-related controls in managed landscapes. The findings provide evidence for zone-specific vegetation restoration and land-water management in dryland irrigation watersheds. Full article

Reconstructing historical land use intensity and analyzing its driving forces are crucial for understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment. This review systematically assesses the research on reconstructing historical land use intensity in China, focusing on four dimensions: land use type, harvest frequency, input intensity, and output intensity. The analysis reveals significant imbalances in the development of these dimensions, with reconstruction methods for land use types being the most mature, while quantitative methods for input intensity remain the weakest. The approaches are generally evolving from qualitative to quantitative analysis. Furthermore, studies on the driving forces behind intensity changes are predominantly qualitative, lacking integrated quantitative analyses of multiple factors. To overcome these limitations, the paper proposes that future research should integrate multi-source proxy indicators to construct a comprehensive, multi-dimensional assessment system. This would enable the spatiotemporal reconstruction of land use intensity and facilitate quantitative analysis of its driving forces using spatial data analysis and machine learning methods. Full article

Climate change, depleting fossil fuel reserves, and instability in petroleum prices are driving developing economies to explore cost-effective, efficient, and sustainable energy sources such as hydropower. However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the relevance, suitability, and impact of mega-dams. Much of the existing research on mega-dams examines this debate through the lens of development theories. However, mega-dams impact a wide range of stakeholders at local, national, regional, and global levels, necessitating exploration of their role from a socioeconomic perspective. This interdisciplinary case study draws knowledge from management, sociology, and economics and provides a comprehensive account of multi-stakeholder perspectives on the impact of a mega-dam and addresses the research question: How do stakeholders perceive the impact of the Merowe Dam on agricultural livelihoods, and how do they interpret the role of governance processes? Participants included farmers, a focus group with 10 members from the affected communities, and 32 key informant interviews from non-governmental organizations, political actors, academics, businessmen and leaders in the catchment areas of the Merowe Dam, Sudan. The findings suggest that despite some concerns about motivations and processes of mega-dam commissioning, these projects are perceived as beneficial for long-term and sustainable socioeconomic growth and gaining support for renewable energy use in developing economies. The participants reported that modernization of agriculture, following the establishment of the dam, increased crop yields, e.g., wheat production has increased per hectare. Farmers’ income and irrigated land have increased substantially per family due to an increase in land sizes allocated to relocated communities, leading to an overall increase in land size. Therefore, with improved processes in both pre- and post-commissioning stages, transparency, accountability, and deeper stakeholder engagement, mega-dams can facilitate a smoother transition from fossil fuels to large-scale hydropower on one hand and livelihood enhancement through agriculture and other income generating activities on the other. Full article

This study comprehensively explores the environmental implications of two feeding strategies in pig farming, focusing on three scenarios: Brazilian tables (BT-2017), NRC (NRC-2012), and AGPIC (AGPIC-2021). The comparison involves conventional phase-feeding (CON) and the daily fit model (DFM). The five-phase system provided the same diet to all pigs within a group during each proposed phase. In contrast, the DFM adjusted the diet based on the nutritional requirements of pigs, anticipating subsequent diets through daily adjustments. We employed a cradle-to-gate approach, with the functional unit defined as one barrow with an initial body weight of 20.61 ± 0.85 kg, raised to 138.94 ± 0.90 kg over a 120-day growing-finishing period. Input data were sourced from observed commercial records from pig farms in Brazil, including over 1,000,000 data points from pigs raised under standard industry conditions. We evaluated the impact of the life cycle by considering factors such as acidification, climate change, ecotoxicity, eutrophication, land use, resource use, and water use. The OpenLCA software (version 1.11.0) and the Environmental Footprint 3.0 impact assessment method were used. Our results indicate that the DFM consistently outperforms the CON strategy in terms of reducing environmental impacts. Among the three scenarios, BT-2017 results in higher environmental impact reductions compared with NRC-2012 and AGPIC-2021. This is due to the higher concentration of corn and soybean meal in diets. Notable reductions include in relation to land use-related climate change impacts (12.55%), freshwater eutrophication (6.21%), mineral and metal resource depletion (6.11%), and fossil resource use (4.88%). These findings highlight that even modest adjustments to feeding strategies can effectively reduce the environmental footprint of pig farming. Full article