Search Results (322)

Global climate warming has intensified in recent years, with extreme weather events occurring more frequently and severely impacting ecosystems and social production. According to the “China Climate Change Blue Book (2023),” China’s temperature rise rate exceeds the global average, with increasingly significant impacts on ecosystems. Hyphantria cunea, an invasive forest pest first discovered in China in 1979, has spread widely, causing serious damage to forestry and agriculture and posing a significant threat to China’s ecological security. To address this threat, this study employed seven modeling algorithms (GLM, GBM, CTA, ANN, SRE, FDA, MARS, RF, and MaxEnt) from the R Biomod2 package to develop an ensemble model. The core research objective of this work is to quantify climate-driven range shifts of H. cunea under ongoing global climate change. Previous nationwide SDM studies on invasive forest pests have consistently demonstrated that climatic variables dominate broad-scale nationwide suitable habitat patterns at the macro-regional level. Supplementary topographic, vegetation cover, and human land-use disturbance layers were incorporated to capture fine-scale habitat filtering effects and long-distance pest dispersal facilitated by human activities, which together fully characterize the suitable regional environments of this pest. By integrating climate, topography, vegetation, and human disturbance data, we predicted the potential geographical distribution of H. cunea in China under four future climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5). The ensemble model achieved excellent performance with TSS and ROC values of 0.901 and 0.984, respectively. Currently, highly suitable areas for H. cunea are concentrated in 12 provinces, including Shandong, Jiangsu, Hebei, Henan, and Anhui, covering 56.33 × 104 km², with Shandong showing the highest proportion (25.48%). The suitable habitat range is projected to expand northeastward, with significant increases under high emission scenarios (SSP5-8.5). Analysis of environmental variables reveals that nighttime light brightness, precipitation in the warmest season, the seasonal temperature variation coefficient, and average temperature in the driest season are key factors influencing H. cunea distribution. Nighttime light brightness shows the highest contribution (27.7%), indicating significant human impact on species spread. Response curves suggest that H. cunea favors warm, humid areas with pronounced seasonal changes. This study demonstrates that climate change will increase H. cunea expansion risk, necessitating strengthened cross-regional monitoring and biological control techniques. These findings provide a scientific foundation for understanding H. cunea spatiotemporal distribution patterns under future climate scenarios and for developing effective prevention and control strategies. Full article

Road transport is an important source of carbon emissions worldwide, yet the factors driving these emissions may differ under varying geographical conditions. Plateau regions are characterized by high altitude and strong spatial constraints, but their transport carbon emission mechanism remains insufficiently understood. Taking Qinghai Province on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau as a case, this study estimates road transport CO₂ emissions from 2003 to 2022 using annual statistical data. It constructs a multidimensional indicator system covering economic development, industrial structure, energy use, and road transport activity, and applies correlation analysis, PCA, and LASSO regression to diagnose variable relationships and identify key drivers. The results show that GDPI, VATSP, CVO, and TPT have stable positive effects on road transport CO₂ emissions, indicating that economic expansion, transport services, vehicle ownership, and passenger mobility are the dominant drivers. Industrial and energy-related variables have more indirect and stage-dependent effects: NMI and NFMO are negatively associated with emissions, whereas NMEC has a weak positive effect. These findings suggest that, under the dispersed spatial development and long-distance transport dependence of plateau regions, emissions are more directly shaped by economic and transport activity than by short-term changes in energy structure. Low-carbon transport policy in Qinghai should therefore combine transport-demand management, more efficient transport organization, public-transport improvement, and gradual transport electrification. The results provide evidence for emission-reduction strategies in high-altitude and ecologically fragile regions. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study examines the relationship between user preferences, spatial accessibility, and the financial sustainability of long-term care (LTC) systems, with a focus on Slovenia and the Posavje region. The analysis compares different care models, including long-term home care (LTHC), institutional care, and community-based housing solutions such as sheltered housing and “silver villages”. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining qualitative interviews, survey data, spatial analysis, mobility-related operational assessment, and cost estimation. The survey included 1005 individuals, of whom 475 provided valid responses. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square tests and the Agresti–Caffo method to examine differences in care preferences and selected proportions across respondent groups. Results: Statistically significant differences in LTC preferences across age groups were identified. Most respondents preferred care options located close to their homes, with the majority unwilling to relocate more than 10 km and a substantial share preferring distances below 5 km. The findings further indicate that travel-related costs for care providers in rural areas are considerable and, in the Municipality of Krško, comparable to the estimated monthly housing costs in specialized community-based units. Cost comparisons suggest that reductions in travel-related operational costs could offset a substantial share of the estimated housing-related costs. Conclusions: The results indicate that sustainable LTC systems require not only adequate service capacity and funding but also spatially coordinated care models aligned with user preferences and long-term sustainability. The findings contribute to strategic LTC planning and support the development of integrated, community-based care systems in geographically dispersed regions. Full article

This article reconsiders the methodological primacy of representation in early modern art history by shifting attention from image to material. Taking Rembrandt’s Polish Nobleman (1637) as its point of departure, it argues that narrative interpretation—long central to the discipline—has obscured the material conditions that make images possible. Rather than assembling meaning from pictorial elements, the essay follows the painting’s support: a Baltic oak panel sourced from the woodlands of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. From this perspective, the artwork emerges not simply as an autonomous image but as the endpoint of an extractive chain linking forestry, peasant labour, river transport, and long-distance trade. Drawing on agronomic manuals, estate records, and economic histories, the article reconstructs these dispersed threads as “story matter”: fragments that, brought into relation, begin to cohere into an alternative mode of narration. In doing so, it advances “material literacy” as a methodological reorientation—an attunement to substances, processes, and infrastructures that precede and exceed representation. Recovering these histories does not replace interpretation but expands its scope, opening art history to ecological and infrastructural forms of storytelling. Full article

During flotation, the hydration behavior of collector head groups plays an important role in determining collector hydrophilicity and interfacial adsorption behavior. However, although computation-assisted flotation studies have extensively investigated collector–mineral interactions, systematic comparisons of the intrinsic hydration characteristics of different collector head groups under unified computational conditions remain limited. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the B3LYP functional with Grimme dispersion correction were conducted to investigate the hydration interactions between water molecules and representative head groups of five sulfide mineral collectors, including xanthate (X), dithiocarbamate (DTC), dithiophosphate (DTP), dithiophosphinate (3418A), and thiocarbamate (Z-200), and five oxide mineral collectors, including oleate (OA), oxidized paraffin soap (OPS–C₁₂), dodecyl sulfonate (DS), styrene phosphonic acid (SPA), and salicylhydroxamic acid (BHA). The results show that oxide mineral collectors exhibit significantly stronger hydration interactions than sulfide mineral collectors. Sulfide collectors mainly form weak S···H–O hydrogen bonds with relatively long H-bond distances (2.27–2.61 Å), whereas oxide collectors predominantly form stronger O···H–O hydrogen bonds with shorter distances (1.66–2.24 Å). The total hydration binding energies of sulfide collectors range from −150 to −290 kJ/mol, while those of oxide collectors range from −244 to −491 kJ/mol. Among the studied collectors, SPA exhibits the strongest hydration tendency due to its highly charged phosphonate group, whereas Z-200 shows the weakest hydration interaction. The results indicate that hydration behavior is strongly influenced by head group type, charge state, and hydrogen-bond characteristics. Full article

Large-scale disasters can result in chronic pollution of coastal environments with unanticipated and poorly quantified impacts, such as the reshaping of marine connectivity. A recent example is the collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in 2015, which released about 50 million m³ of mine waste into the Doce River, affecting one of Brazil’s largest estuarine–mangrove systems. Here, we combine a high-resolution CROCO hydrodynamic simulation with an individual-based Lagrangian model (Ichthyop) to track the dispersal of mangrove crab (Ucides cordatus) larvae from four estuaries along the southeastern Brazilian margin between 2022 and 2024. Trajectories crossing seasonal msPAF fields derived from in situ water-quality measurements were used to quantify larval exposure to contaminants from mine waste. These fields were based on measured concentrations of As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, and Al. Results show that surface shelf flow and mesoscale activity in the vicinity of the Doce River mouth contribute to offshore export of larvae, while the reef-dominated Abrolhos shelf promotes retention. Interannual variability alternates between long-distance export and local retention, associated with regional climate variability. Larval mortality rates caused by offshore advection and lethal temperature are high (65–75%). In addition to these modeled mortality sources, surviving cohorts frequently crossed areas with elevated msPAF values during transport, indicating potential exposure to metal(loid) mixtures. This suggests that the regional connectivity of U. cordatus is under chronic stress that likely compromises the integrity and resilience of coastal populations, since southern estuaries depend strongly on northern larval sources. The integration of Lagrangian simulations with in situ contaminant monitoring and spatially explicit exposure metrics demonstrates that transport pathways regulate not only connectivity among estuaries but also the duration and intensity of larval exposure to pollutants. Full article

Coal mine dust is a critical hazard that can trigger explosions and cause pneumoconiosis, thereby severely threatening mine safety and occupational health. Although long-forcing and short-exhausting ventilation are commonly adopted in long-distance heading faces, their parameters are often determined empirically, leading to suboptimal dust control efficiency. This study utilizes numerical simulations via FLUENT to investigate dust migration patterns under five key ventilation parameters in the 2-2 Upper Coal Working Face of the Xintai Taigemiao Mining Area. The results reveal a zonal distribution of dust: a high-concentration accumulation zone within 0–15 m, a medium-concentration transition zone between 15 and 35 m, and a low-concentration settling zone beyond 35 m. Diffusion rates vary significantly across zones under different ventilation settings. The optimized parameters for the 20 m² cross-section roadway in this study include: exhausting duct set 0.3 m from the return-side wall, exhausting inlet at a distance of 4 m (0.9√A, A is the roadway cross-sectional area) from the face, forcing inlet at 20 m (4.5√A) from the face, duct installation height of 0.75 times the roadway height, and a forcing-to-exhausting air volume ratio between 1.2 and 1.6. Compared with the non-optimized scheme, this configuration reduces the average dust concentration in the breathing zone (1.2 m height) by up to 62.3%, and restricts 85% of the high-concentration dust within 0–15 m from the heading face, effectively suppressing dust dispersion to the rear roadway. This study provides a quantitative reference and theoretical strategy for engineering applications of dust prevention in similar large-section long-distance heading faces within the scope of numerical simulation. Full article

Understanding how agricultural soil management affects soil fungal communities is essential for assessing the resilience of biodiversity hotspots such as the Brazilian Cerrado. In this study, we characterized fungal community structure across three contrasting land-use systems within the same agricultural landscape: a native Cerrado remnant, a cover-cropping system, and a spatially isolated potato monoculture field. The soil’s chemical and enzymatic characteristics differed from one another and were clustered by area. However, the same pattern was not observed for the fungal community. Alpha-diversity indices did not differ significantly among sites, although native Cerrado soils showed slightly higher richness and evenness. Beta-diversity analyses based on Bray–Curtis and Jaccard distances, supported by NMDS, ANOSIM, beta-dispersion, and PERMANOVA, indicated no significant compositional differences among communities. Core-mycobiota analysis identified 157 shared ASVs, including genera such as Fusarium, Cladosporium, Chrysosporium, Trichoderma, and Clonostachys. As a preliminary assessment based on a limited spatial design and sequencing-based inference, these findings should be interpreted with caution. These results underscore the need for further research on the mechanisms driving fungal dispersal, edge effects, and the long-term impacts of agricultural land-use on fungal diversity and ecological integrity in the Cerrado. Full article

Odor source localization (OSL) using mobile robots in indoor ventilated environments remains challenging due to turbulent dispersion, uneven concentration distribution, and weak robustness in conventional algorithms. This paper proposes an efficient OSL strategy for wheeled mobile robots by integrating time-varying smoke plume modeling, particle filtering (PF), and information entropy. A multi-sensor fusion perception system is developed, including an LDS-02 LiDAR, ultrasonic anemometer, and PMS5003 particle sensor. The proposed method employs a plume model to characterize odor particle propagation, uses particle filtering to estimate the posterior distribution of the source location, and introduces information entropy to quantify perceptual uncertainty and optimize robot path planning. Comparative simulations and real-world experiments are conducted in a 5 m × 3 m indoor ventilated environment against the traditional gradient–bionic hybrid algorithm. Results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm significantly reduces the average search time and improves the localization success rate. The long-distance localization success rate exceeds 90%, and the positioning error is controlled within 0.5 m. The proposed strategy provides a reliable and practical solution for OSL in indoor ventilation environments. Full article

The particle size distribution of backfill aggregate is a key factor affecting the performance of the -long-distance pipeline transport of backfill slurry. However, the understanding of its impact on slurry flow behavior, transportation resistance, and particle distribution mechanisms remains incomplete and calls for further investigation. This study first obtained the rheological parameters of slurry and their variation laws under the influence of particle size distribution through rheological experiments. Subsequently, CFD numerical simulations are used to investigate the flow characteristics of slurry under long-distance transportation conditions. The findings demonstrate that a reduction in the mixed aggregate particle size leads to a significant increase in both the yield stress and plastic viscosity of the backfill slurry. The conveying distance shows a positive correlation with the slurry transportation resistance. Furthermore, the slurry exhibits plug flow behavior in both the horizontal and vertical pipe sections, whereas this plug flow pattern is no longer observed in the bend section. The tailings particles exhibit a distinct stratified distribution within the pipeline. In the horizontal pipe section, the graded tailings predominantly settle at the bottom, whereas the fine tailings remain suspended near the top. In contrast, in the vertical pipe section, the graded tailings tend to accumulate in the central zone of the pipe, while the fine tailings are dispersed along the pipe wall. As the content of graded tailings increases from 30% to 50%, both the zones with increased and decreased particle volume fractions expand, while the steady flow zone correspondingly shrinks. Meanwhile, the volume fraction of graded tailings at the bottom of the pipe rises significantly from 0.12 to 0.61. This research provides important theoretical support for the optimized matching and rational application of tailings particle size distribution in the design of long-distance pipeline transportation systems for mine backfill. Full article

Thisarticle develops and analyzes a fractional-order Leslie–Gower prey–predator–parasite system incorporating two discrete delays and nonlocal spatial diffusion. The model’s central novelty lies in the simultaneous integration of three biologically realistic features that have not previously been combined: (i) fractional-order memory effects via a Caputo derivative of order $\alpha \in (0,1]$, (ii) two distinct biological delays—an infection transmission delay ${\tau }_1$ and a predator handling delay ${\tau }_2$—and (iii) nonlocal spatial dispersal modeled through fractional Laplacian operators ${(-\Delta )}^{\gamma /2}$. This triple integration enables the model to capture long-range temporal memory, delayed biological responses, and nonlocal spatial interactions simultaneously, offering insights into dynamics that are challenging to capture with classical integer-order or single-delay formulations. The fractional Laplacian generalizes classical diffusion by allowing long-range dispersal events (Lévy flights), where individuals can occasionally move over large distances with heavy-tailed step-size distributions—a phenomenon observed in many animal movement patterns but absent from standard diffusion models. We provide rigorous proofs of solution existence, uniqueness, non-negativity, and boundedness in both temporal and spatiotemporal settings. Local asymptotic stability conditions are derived for all feasible equilibrium states via characteristic equation analysis. The coexistence equilibrium undergoes a Hopf bifurcation when either delay crosses a critical threshold, with fractional order $\alpha$ modulating the bifurcation point and post-bifurcation oscillation frequency. A Lyapunov functional demonstrates global asymptotic stability of the infection-free equilibrium under biologically interpretable conditions. Turing instability analysis reveals conditions for spontaneous pattern formation, with the fractional exponent $\gamma$ controlling pattern wavelength and correlation length. Numerical simulations validate theoretical predictions, including spatial patterns, traveling waves, and chaos. To bridge theory with potential applications, we outline a statistical framework for parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification, suggesting that $\beta$, $\alpha$, and ${\tau }_1$ may be priority targets for parameter estimation. Full article

The clover cutworm, Anarta trifolii (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), constitutes a polyphagous pest known for causing sporadic, local outbreaks that significantly damage Beta vulgaris, Gossypium hirsutum, Brassica oleracea and others. Evidence supports the occurrence of seasonal migration in this species, but the determinants of A. trifolii flight performance remain unexplored. Understanding the species’ flight performance is essential for predicting its long-distance dispersal, identifying source and sink populations, and improving regional pest forecasting. We characterized flight performance and its influencing factors via computer-monitored flight mills. Maximum flight performance was achieved in A. trifolii adults at two days, followed by a significant decline with increasing age. At 24 °C and 80% relative humidity (RH), in a 12 h test, males and females aged two days achieved total flight distances of 38.90 ± 1.21 km and 31.70 ± 1.56 km, respectively. In a 24 h test, three-day-old adults reached a maximum flight speed of 19.68 km/h, a sustained flight duration of 17.38 h, a total flight duration of 23.89 h, a sustained flight distance of 69.64 km, and a total flight distance of 96.56 km. The flight performance of A. trifolii was significantly affected by both temperature and RH, with the maximum flight capacity achieved at 18–28 °C and 35–80% RH. Flight performance was significantly enhanced when A. trifolii were fed honey or sucrose. Moreover, the wingbeat frequency of A. trifolii adults varied among age groups, ranging from 31.90 to 57.65 Hz. In females, the wingbeat frequency peaked at 2 days old (46.72 ± 0.25 Hz), whereas in males it peaked at 10 days old (47.18 ± 0.66 Hz). These results advance the fundamental understanding of A. trifolii migration and offer practical applications, including improved pest management strategies, optimized use of chemical insecticides and biological control agents, and enhanced decision-making in integrated pest management programs. Full article

Floating seaweeds can be an effective dispersal vector for non-buoyant seaweeds. An under-explored aspect is the examination of seaweed rafts and their non-buoyant seaweed community after the floating journey ends. In this study, we analyzed 476 entire stranded specimens of the floating seaweed Durvillaea incurvata and their associated epiphytes, which were collected during winters and summers of 2023–2025 at four sites along the continental coast of Chile (between 31° S and 41° S). A total of 57 species of epiphytic seaweeds were found, with a higher predominance of Rhodophyta (71.9%). The most representative morpho-functional group was coarsely branched (29.1%). The species Lessonia spicata, Antithamnionella ternifolia, Corallina chilensis, Gelidium rex, G. chilense, and G. lingulatum were found frequently, and 67% of all epiphyte specimens found were reproductive. A higher taxonomic richness of epiphytes was observed at the southern-central sites compared to the northern site, being higher in summer than in winter. These results confirm that epiphytes associated with floating seaweeds are common and that many of these have reproductive structures. Co-occurrence analysis suggests that interactions among morpho-functional groups of epiphytes facilitate long-distance dispersal events. Future studies should assess the physiological viability and ability to reproduce of epiphytes after extensive floating journeys. This would contribute to understanding the effectiveness of rafting dispersal by floating seaweeds on the connectivity of raft-associated algal populations. Full article

This study presents the results of monitoring the endangered gastropod Patella ferruginea within a Marine Protected Area in Sardinia. A detailed map of the species distribution was created, and individual density and population structure were analysed by comparing data collected during monitoring campaigns in 2014, 2018, and 2023. A total of 206, 203, and 109 individuals were recorded in 2014, 2018, and 2023, respectively. In 2014 and 2018, 24 and 26 specimens with a maximum diameter of ≥6 cm were observed, while in 2023, only 11 individuals reached this size, with a single specimen measuring 6.5 cm. Linear density showed an average reduction of approximately 37% in the latest campaign compared to the previous one. The coastline under analysis was divided into five sectors based on the degree of protection and exposure to prevailing winds. The overall decline of approximately 50% in the population indicates a decrease affecting all size classes, although it is more pronounced in the larger size classes. Furthermore, analyses of spatial structure using the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST), Clark and Evans’ R index, and Nearest Neighbour Distance (NND) indicate a dispersed distribution already in 2018, which became more pronounced in 2023. These results indicate that current protection measures within the MPA may not be sufficient to ensure long-term population stability, suggesting that conservation strategies for this species should be assessed on a site-specific basis. Full article

To meet the stringent requirements of broadband operations, high stability and low dispersion in high-power microwave systems, this paper proposes a broadband linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive wave generation method based on a filter-equivalent circuit model. A metasurface structure centered at 75 GHz is designed for this method, which enables the generation of linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive beams in the 60–90 GHz band with a 40% relative bandwidth and a maximum non-diffractive distance of 120 mm. By optimizing the metasurface’s phase response through the equivalent circuit model, the proposed method effectively suppresses the dispersion effects that limit bandwidth utilization in existing designs. Simulation results confirm that the generated beams maintain excellent stability across the entire operating band, with minimal variations in the maximum non-diffractive distance. This work fills the research gap in broadband achromatic linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive beams, and its relative bandwidth outperforms all previous linear polarization designs. It thus provides a reliable technical solution for long-distance, high-efficiency electromagnetic wave transmission in defense, industrial and medical applications that rely on high-power microwave technology. Full article