Search Results (315)

Acacia mearnsii De Wild. has been introduced to over 150 countries for its economic value. However, it easily escapes from plantations and establishes monospecific stands across plains, hills, valleys, and riparian habitats, including protected areas such as national parks and forest reserves. Due to its negative ecological impact, A. mearnsii has been listed among the world’s 100 worst invasive alien species. This species exhibits rapid stem growth in its sapling stage and reaches reproductive maturity early. It produces a large quantity of long-lived seeds, establishing a substantial seed bank. A. mearnsii can grow in different environmental conditions and tolerates various adverse conditions, such as low temperatures and drought. Its invasive populations are unlikely to be seriously damaged by herbivores and pathogens. Additionally, A. mearnsii exhibits allelopathic activity, though its ecological significance remains unclear. These characteristics of A. mearnsii may contribute to its expansion in introduced ranges. The presence of A. mearnsii affects abiotic processes in ecosystems by reducing water availability, increasing the risk of soil erosion and flooding, altering soil chemical composition, and obstructing solar light irradiation. The invasion negatively affects biotic processes as well, reducing the diversity and abundance of native plants and arthropods, including protective species. Eradicating invasive populations of A. mearnsii requires an integrated, long-term management approach based on an understanding of its invasive mechanisms. Early detection of invasive populations and the promotion of public awareness about their impact are also important. More attention must be given to its invasive traits because it easily escapes from cultivation. Full article

Traps are central to petroleum exploration, where hydrocarbons accumulate during migration. Reservoirs are likewise an essential petroleum system element and serve as the primary medium for hydrocarbon storage. The buried hill is a geological formation highly favorable for reservoir development. However, the factors influencing hydrocarbon accumulation in buried hill reservoirs are highly diverse, especially in areas with complex, active fault systems. Fault systems play a dual role, both in the formation of reservoirs and in the migration of hydrocarbons. Therefore, understanding the impact of complex fault systems helps enhance the exploration success rate of buried hill traps and guide drilling deployment. In the Beibuwan Basin in the South China Sea, buried hill traps are key targets for deep-buried hydrocarbon exploration in this faulted basin. The low level of exploration and research in buried hills globally limits the understanding of hydrocarbon accumulation conditions, thereby hindering large-scale hydrocarbon exploration. By using drilling data, logging data, and seismic data, stress fields and tectonic faults were restored. There are two types of buried hills developed in the Beibuwan Basin, which were formed during the Late Ordovician-Silurian period and Permian-Triassic period, respectively. The tectonic genesis of the Late Ordovician-Silurian period buried hills belongs to magma diapirism activity, while the tectonic genesis of the Permian-Triassic period buried hills belongs to reverse thrust activity. The fault systems formed by two periods of tectonic activity were respectively altered into basement buried hills and limestone buried hills. The negative structural inversion controls the distribution and interior stratigraphic framework of the deformed Carboniferous strata in the limestone buried hill. The faults and derived fractures of the Late Ordovician-Silurian period and Permian-Triassic period promoted the diagenesis and erosion of these buried hills. The faults formed after the Permian-Triassic period are not conducive to calcite cementation, thus facilitating the preservation of the reservoir space formed earlier. The control of hydrocarbon accumulation by the fault system is reflected in two aspects: on the one hand, the early to mid-Eocene extensional faulting activity directly controlled the depositional process of lacustrine source rocks; on the other hand, the Late Eocene-Oligocene, which is closest to the hydrocarbon expulsion period, is the most effective fault activity period for connecting Eocene source rocks and buried hill reservoirs. This study contributes to understanding of the role of complex fault activity in the formation of buried hill traps within hydrocarbon-bearing basins. Full article

Traditional villages are irreplaceable cultural heritages, embodying complex human–environment interactions. This study uses historical geography analysis, kernel density estimation, centroid migration modeling, and Geodetector techniques to analyze the 2000-year spatiotemporal evolution and formation mechanisms of 224 nationally designated traditional villages in China’s Qinling-Daba Mountains. The findings are as follows: (1) These villages significantly cluster on sunny slopes of hills and low mountains with moderate gradients. They are also closely located near waterways, ancient roads, and historic cities. (2) From the embryonic stage during the Qin and Han dynasties, through the diffusion and transformation phases in the Wei, Jin, Song, and Yuan dynasties, to the mature stage in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the spatial center of these villages shifted distinctly southwestward. This migration was accompanied by expansion along waterway transport corridors, an enlarged spatial scope, and a decrease in directional concentration. (3) The driving forces evolved from a strong coupling between natural conditions and infrastructure in the early stage to human-dominated adaptation in the later stage. Agricultural innovations, such as terraced fields, and sociopolitical factors, like migration policies, overcame environmental constraints through the synergistic effects of cultural and economic networks. Full article

With the availability of more ground-based remote-sensing meteorological equipment at Hong Kong International Airport, many more interesting features of terrain-disrupted airflow have been observed, such as the applications of short-range Doppler LIDAR. This paper documents a number of new features observed at the airport area, such as the hydraulic jump-like feature, vortex, and extensive mountain wake/reverse flow. The technical feasibility of using a numerical resolution weather prediction model to simulate such features is also explored. It is found that the presently available input data and numerical model may not be able to capture the fine features of the atmospheric boundary layer, and thus they are not very successful in reproducing many small-scale terrain-disrupted airflow features downstream of an isolated hill. On the other hand, more larger-scale terrain-disrupted flow features may be better captured, but there are still limitations with the available turbulence parameterization schemes. This paper aims at documenting the newly observed flow features at the Hong Kong International Airport, enhancing the understanding of low-level windshear, and evaluating the outputs of numerical resolution simulations for reproducing such observed features and its technical feasibility on short-term forecasting. Full article

Sulfur (S) fertilizer is routinely applied together with other macronutrients by farmers across all regions to improve grain yield and quality, but its distinct effects on grain yield and aroma intensity in fragrant rice remain inadequately studied, especially when applied under varying existing soil S levels. This study aimed to determine the effects of S fertilizer application on grain yield and aroma intensity (2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline, 2AP) in fragrant rice grown under varying soil S levels (very low, low, and medium). The premium Thai fragrant rice cultivar KDML105 was grown under field conditions during two cropping seasons in 2021 and 2022 in Surin province, northeastern Thailand. Sulfur fertilizer in the form of (NH4)₂SO₄ was applied at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg S ha⁻¹ at one time with the basal fertilizers phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) under varying soil S levels, using the same protocol in both cropping seasons. Plant growth parameters were evaluated at the tillering stage, and grain samples were harvested at maturity to evaluate grain yield and aroma intensity. The results showed that applying S at rates between 60 and 90 kg ha⁻¹ to soils with very low and low S increased grain yield from 4 to 20% compared to no S application, while no effect of S application was observed for the medium soil S level. The results were primarily attributed to the number of tillers and panicles per hill and the 1000-grain weight in both cropping seasons. Dissimilar effects of S application rates and soil S level were found for grain 2AP content. There was a higher grain 2AP content in the low and medium soil S levels compared to very low S, but the pattern varied according to the S application rate. Applying the appropriate rate of S fertilizer can significantly improve rice productivity, especially when cultivated under S-deficient soil, and higher soil S levels can promote the grain 2AP content of fragrant rice. Full article

The role of vitamin D in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk remains debated despite growing evidence. Prospective observational studies consistently show that low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations (below 40–50 nmol/L [16–20 ng/mL]) are associated with the highest risk of CVD incidence. In addition, a large prospective observational study found that serum 25(OH)D concentration was inversely correlated with CVD mortality rate to over 100 nmol/L. Randomized controlled trials have not generally demonstrated benefit due to faulty study designs, such as enrolling participants with baseline 25(OH)D levels > 50 nmol/L. However, a major trial found that 60,000 IU/month of vitamin D₃ supplementation reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events for participants with predicted 25(OH)D concentrations ≥ 50 nmol/L or taking statins or CV drugs by ~13 to ~17%. In addition, vitamin D supplementation studies have found modest reductions in several CVD risk factors. Other observational studies of vitamin D supplementation have reported reduced CVD risks (e.g., ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and myocardial infarction). Temporal ecological studies further support this relationship, revealing that CVD incidence rates are lowest in summer and CVD mortality rates are significantly higher in late winter—when 25(OH)D concentrations are lowest—compared to late summer. A previously reported analysis using eight of Hill’s criteria for causality in a biological system further strengthens the biological plausibility of vitamin D’s role in CVD risk reduction. Its role in modulating inflammation and oxidative stress, improving endothelial function, and reducing several cardiometabolic risk factors supports its inclusion as part of a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to cardiovascular health. Therefore, vitamin D should be considered an integral component in the prevention and management of CVD. Preferably, it should be used in combination with other nutritional supplements, a heart-healthy diet, and prescription medications to reduce the risk of CVD incidence. People should consider vitamin D₃ supplementation with at least 2000 IU/day (50 mcg/day) (more for those who are obese) when sun exposure is insufficient to maintain serum 25(OH)D concentrations above 75 nmol/L. To reduce CVD mortality rates, higher doses to achieve higher 25(OH)D concentrations might be warranted. Full article

The search for sustainable and health-promoting food sources has increased interest in edible insects, which are rich in proteins and bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical applications. In this study, we evaluated the bioactive properties of protein hydrolysates derived from Aegiale hesperiaris (maguey white worm, WW) and Comadia redtenbacheri (maguey red worm, RW), two culturally and economically significant insect species in Mexico. Hydrolysates were obtained via enzymatic treatments: either single hydrolysis with pepsin (PH) or sequential hydrolysis with pepsin followed by trypsin (PTH). The PTH hydrolysates exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical inhibition above 90% and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity between 75–85%. Additionally, they showed significant angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, reaching IC₅₀ values of 0.35 and 0.017 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/mL for WWPH and RWPH, respectively—the latter outperforming the commercial drug Enalapril (IC₅₀ = 0.11 $\mathsf{\mu }$g/mL). SDS-PAGE analysis revealed low molecular weight peptides (<10 kDa), especially between 5–9 kDa, associated with enhanced bioactivity. Peptides from RW also showed low Hill coefficients, suggesting a gradual and sustained interaction with ACE. These findings support the use of insect-derived hydrolysates as promising multifunctional ingredients for the development of functional foods targeting cardiovascular health. Full article

Traditional villages contain rich natural and humanistic information, and exploring the spatial distribution characteristics and cultural landscape zoning of traditional villages can provide scientific support for their centralized and continuous protection and renewal and sustainable development. In this study, 326 traditional villages in the northern Henan region were taken as the research object, followed by analyzing their spatial distribution characteristics by using geostatistical methods, such as nearest-neighbor index, imbalance index, geographic concentration index, etc., combining the theory of cultural landscape to construct the traditional villages’ cultural factor index system, extracting the cultural factors of the traditional villages to form a database, and adopting the K-means clustering method to divide the region. The results show that the spatial distribution of traditional villages in northern Henan tends to be concentrated overall, with an uneven distribution throughout the region. The density is highest in the northwestern part of Hebi City and lower in the central and southern parts of Xinxiang City, Neihuang County, and Puyang City. Based on the cultural factor index system, the K-means algorithm divides the traditional villages in northern Henan into six clusters. Among them, the five cultural factors of topography and geomorphology, building materials, courtyard form, structural system, and altitude and elevation are the most significant, and they are the cultural factors that dominate the landscape of the villages. There is a significant correlation between topography, altitude, and other cultural factors, while the correlation between the street layout and other factors is the lowest. Based on the similarity between the clustering results and the landscape characteristics, the traditional villages in northern Henan can be divided into the stone masonry building culture area along the Taihang Mountains, the brick and stone mixed building culture area in the low hills of the Taihang Mountains, the brick and wood building culture area in the North China Plain, and the raw soil building culture area in the transition zone of the Loess Plateau. Full article

This review studies the potential relationship between the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR) and otitis media with effusion (OME) in both adults and children, applying the modified Bradford Hill criteria. While AR and OME are distinct conditions, several epidemiological and experimental studies suggest a significant association, primarily through allergic mechanisms such as Th-2 immune responses, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and inflammatory mediators in the middle ear. Given the substantial diversity and, in many instances, the “low quality” of related studies when assessed against the standards of modern evidence-based medicine, employing a structured framework like the modified Bradford Hill criteria is beneficial for investigating and establishing causality. This approach, which allows a wide range of diverse studies to be classified as direct, mechanistic, or parallel evidence, supports the notion that management of the allergic immune response may improve OME outcomes, although the inconsistencies among studies require further research. Despite current guidelines recommending against the use of antiallergic medications, the application of the above criteria suggests that proper diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis should be strongly considered in adults and children with OME. Full article

In order to better understand the micropore structure of shale reservoir in Jiyang Depression, permeability damage test, low temperature nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were carried out on six cores in the target block. The adsorption isotherms were analyzed by Frenkel–Halsey–Hill (FHH) model, and the fractal dimensions of different layers were calculated. The results show that the shale pore system is mainly composed of organic nanopores, inorganic nanopores and micro-fractures. The inorganic pores are mainly distributed around or inside the mineral particles, while microcracks are commonly found between mineral particles or at the organic–mineral interface. Organic pores are located within or between organic particles. The results of nitrogen adsorption show that the shale pores are mainly H2/H3 hysteresis loops with wedge, plate or ink bottle shapes. The pore structure is highly complex, and the fractal dimension is high. The mean D1 fractal dimension, which represents pore surface roughness, is 2.3788, and the mean D2 fractal dimension, which represents pore structure complexity, is 2.7189. The fractal dimension is positively correlated with specific surface area and total pore volume and negatively correlated with average pore radius. The permeability damage rates of the N layer, B layer, and F layer are 17.39%, 20.2%, and 21.6%, respectively. The contact Angle of the core decreases with the increase in water skiing time. In this study, the micropore structure of different formations in Jiyang Depression is compared and analyzed, which provides valuable insights for the optimization and differentiated development of shale oil and gas resources. Full article

This study aimed to elucidate the specific role of low NaCl concentrations, particularly 10 and 20 mM, in stimulating cotyledon growth in Chinese white radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus Bailey) seedlings. Chinese white radish seeds were cultivated in sand culture and subjected to daily watering with solutions containing 0, 10, 20, 50, or 100 mM NaCl. Growth, water status, aquaporin gene expression, ion contents, and physiology-related parameters were assessed 4 days after sowing. Applying 10 and 20 mM NaCl significantly promoted the growth of 4-day-old seedlings. Notably, the cotyledons exhibited the most significant growth, achieving a rate of 177% compared with the 125–138% growth observed in the hypocotyl and root parts. This substantial enhancement in cotyledon growth, including biomass, cotyledon area, cotyledon thickness, and mesophyll cell size, was induced by an optimal concentration of 10 mM NaCl. This induction correlated with the increased water content, degree of succulence, and expression of aquaporin genes, specifically within PIP1-1, PIP1-2, PIP2-1, PIP2-2, and TIP1-1, in addition to the maintenance of the Hill reaction, heightened free radical scavenging, and the elevated accumulation of Na⁺, Cl⁻, K⁺, proline, total N, and C. These findings suggest a beneficial role of low NaCl levels in optimising early-stage seedling growth. Full article

This study assesses the current status of selected soil properties of an expanding equatorial agricultural region (Arauca, Colombia) across six landscapes, with the final focus being on evaluating overall soil quality. Field surveys, morphological descriptions, and laboratory analyses of 133 soil profiles were investigated. The landscapes include mountains (25 profiles), foothills (17), hills (11), alluvial plains (43), alluvial plains with dunes (21), and alluvial valleys (16). Soils are classified into six Reference Soil Groups (WRB FAO): Gleysols, Acrisols, Arenosols, Ferralsols, Leptosols, and Cambisols. The findings indicate high acidity, low fertility, and deficient exchangeable bases. Indeed, pH ranges from extremely acid to slightly acid (3.5–6.4), and exchangeable acidity saturation percentage (%SAI) values reach 100% in some areas. Soil textures vary from clay loam to sandy loam and clay. Nutrient contents are ranked in the order Cambisols > Gleysols > Arenosols > Ferralsols > Acrisols > Leptosols. Correlation analysis reveals that clay content positively influences the exchangeable basis percentage, while organic matter (OM) negatively correlates with the nutrients phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. This study highlights that landscape position influences soil quality, with lower landscape positions having better quality than upper ones. These results provide insights into soil fertility and nutrient availability, which helps to predict suitable plant cultivation areas when increasing areas for agricultural use versus forestry in Arauca. The inclusion or maintenance of diverse tree species is a key element in maintaining the production of organic matter and, consequently, generating better soil quality. Full article

Prescribed fires are a management strategy involving the controlled application of fire to achieve specific ecological objectives. In the pine–oak forests in west-central Mexico, we conducted an experimental low-severity prescribed fire to assess its effects on hummingbird diversity. We hypothesized that low-severity prescribed fire would enhance both taxonomic and functional diversity by modifying understory vegetation structure and increasing floral resource availability. To test this, we performed point count censuses in both low-severity prescribed fire and fire-suppressed sites where wildfire had been excluded for over 40 years. Taxonomic diversity was assessed using Hill numbers to estimate true diversity across different abundance weights, while functional diversity was evaluated through indices such as functional richness, functional evenness, and functional divergence. Our results indicated that low-severity prescribed fires did not affect overall hummingbird diversity as both low-severity prescribed fire sites and fire-suppressed sites exhibited comparable species richness. However, sites with low-severity prescribed fire and concave summits showed a significantly higher abundance of common and highly abundant species. Notably, species richness did not align with functional richness, as the fire-suppressed site exhibited the highest functional diversity. These findings suggest that hummingbird community structure is influenced by a combination of fire history, topography, vegetation structure, and floral resource availability. We recommend maintaining a heterogeneous forest matrix, incorporating patches with fire suppression, and areas subjected to prescribed fires of varying severity. This multifaceted approach enhances both taxonomic and functional biodiversity, promoting habitat heterogeneity and ensuring the persistence of diverse hummingbird assemblages in fire-prone ecosystems. Full article

Terrestrial small mammal species typically assemble according to plant communities, but multiple factors, including large-scale geographic patterns, influence their assemblage structure. Despite their ecological significance, small mammals are often underrepresented in biodiversity assessments, and many Polish national parks lack comprehensive surveys. This is also the case for Wolin National Park (WNP), Poland’s only national park on a coastal marine island, which is known for its unique bat fauna. Here, we surveyed small mammals in WNP using live and pitfall trapping, identifying only nine species—the lowest richness among the five regional national parks (which host 11–13 species based on trapping data alone). Rarefaction analysis indicated a very low probability of detecting additional species with further sampling. This unexpectedly low richness is likely linked to insular isolation and the park’s location at the edge of the regional distributions of three species. Cluster analysis revealed a key pattern in WNP’s small mammal assemblages: a division between two distinct landscape units—moraine hills and the alluvial delta—where Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus agrarius were the predominant species, respectively. This division had a greater influence on assemblage clustering than local vegetation. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of altitude on the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and mineral content of multifloral honeys collected in three different areas (plain, hill and mountain areas) of the Basilicata region. Our results show that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the multimineral profile were influenced by the altitudes of the different agro-climatic areas which are characterized by different soil characteristics and floral biodiversity. There was a negative correlation between altitude and total phenols, but there was a positive correlation between altitude and total flavonoids. Furthermore, altitude is closely related to antioxidant activities. Furthermore, the low correlations between antioxidant activities and polyphenols indicate that antioxidant activity is not only promoted by polyphenols but also by other biologically active substances (catalase, ascorbic acid and proteins) which contribute to the antioxidant activity of honey. This research demonstrates how different altitudes influence the analyzed parameters, confirming the uniqueness of honey with respect to the area of origin. Full article