Search Results (546)

Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a 3GPP-standardised low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology designed for massive machine-type communications in challenging propagation environments. Despite its growing deployment, empirical channel data for Thailand’s diverse terrain—urban dense, urban outdoor, suburban, rural, and forest/mountain—remains limited in the open literature. This paper presents a composite channel characterisation study encompassing sixteen measurement sites across five environment classes in central and western Thailand. A composite channel model combining log-distance path loss, log-normal shadowing, and Nakagami-m fast fading is applied across all sites, yielding 8000 reference signal received power (RSRP) samples. Path loss exponents range from n = 2.2 (rural) to n = 4.0 (forest/mountain), back-calculated Nakagami-m parameters from m = 0.44 to m = 3.51, and shadowing standard deviations from σ_sh = 4.16 to 8.38 dB; ECL distributions are derived for all five environment classes. The back-calculated Nakagami-m parameters reveal a coherence gradient from sub-Rayleigh forest terrain (m < 1) through urban Rayleigh (m = 1.00) to near-Rician rural conditions (m > 2)—a fading hierarchy not previously reported for NB-IoT in Thailand. Results confirm that the composite channel model accurately characterises RSRP distributions and provides actionable network planning parameters for NB-IoT deployment in varied Thai terrain. Full article

Maintaining regional landscape ecological stability and enhancing rural landscape ecosystem services are critical research priorities. This study selected Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture (XXAP), a representative mountainous region in Southwestern (SW) China, as the case study area. This study aims to construct a rural landscape ecological risk (RLER) evaluation index system based on five-period remote sensing data (2000–2020), analyze the spatio-temporal characteristics of RLER, and provide a scientific basis for landscape ecological management and rural spatial governance. The results show that the RLERI exhibited a balanced multi-ring development trend, decreasing slightly from 0.295 in 2000 to 0.282 in 2020, suggesting a slight alleviation of overall risk. Medium-risk areas of the RLERI consistently accounted for the largest proportion (over 37%). Notably, the share of high-risk areas remained relatively stable, fluctuating narrowly between 7.98% and 8.73%. Meanwhile, high-risk areas of the landscape disturbance degree (LDD) expanded markedly from 1.87% to 10.28%. Correspondingly, high-risk areas of the landscape fragility degree (LFD) also increased significantly, rising from 0.93% to 2.8%. Spatially, RLER displayed significantly positive spatial autocorrelation, with high–high (H-H) clusters concentrated in the central-southern part and low–low (L-L) clusters distributed in the northern and southern margins, indicating pronounced spatial differentiation. In conclusion, this study provides a transferable framework for ecological risk assessment in mountainous regions. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of optimizing landscape patterns in ecologically fragile areas, strengthening ecological risk management, and mitigating ecological risks in rural settings. Full article

The restoration of karst rocky desertification is reflected not only in the reduction in severely degraded areas but also in the stability of the restoration process and the potential risk of future reversal. Taking southeastern Yunnan, China, as the study area, this study constructed a six-period rocky desertification grade sequence for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024 using Landsat imagery, CLCD land-cover data, and DEM-derived slope constraints. Area change analysis, grade-transition matrices, Sen–MK trend analysis, coefficient of variation (CV), Markov–PLUS scenario simulation, scenario-sensitivity analysis, and PLUS driver contribution assessment were integrated into a process-oriented diagnostic framework to examine rocky desertification recovery from three dimensions: grade-structure adjustment, trend-variability stability, and potential future reversal risk. The results indicate that rocky desertification in southeastern Yunnan generally weakened from 2000 to 2024. The proportion of moderate-and-above rocky desertification decreased from 50.32% to 28.58%, while non-rocky desertification and potential rocky desertification expanded substantially. Grade transitions were dominated by gradual conversions among adjacent classes, with the most evident improvement occurring during 2010–2015, when the proportion of improvement transitions reached 44.16%. The trend-variability analysis indicated that while improvement dominated the study area overall, the northern, northwestern, central mountainous, and parts of the southwestern areas still exhibited relatively strong variability and localized deterioration risk. Hindcast validation showed relatively high map-level consistency between simulated and historical patterns, with an overall accuracy of 0.9354 and a Kappa coefficient of 0.9153. The three-scenario comparison further showed that the proportion of moderate-and-above rocky desertification varied from 28.07% to 29.41% in 2030 and from 26.85% to 29.06% in 2035 under different transition-probability assumptions. Specifically, the ecological restoration enhancement scenario reduced projected moderate-and-above rocky desertification, whereas the degradation pressure scenario increased it relative to the baseline scenario. These findings indicate that rocky desertification recovery in southeastern Yunnan is not a continuous or linear process, but is characterized by stage-specific adjustment, spatial differentiation, and local variability. Therefore, future rocky desertification control should focus not only on reducing high-severity areas, but also on maintaining restoration stability, identifying variability-sensitive transitional zones, and strengthening differentiated management in areas where terrain constraints, land-cover proximity, and historical variability jointly increase reversal risk. Full article

The traditional urbanization path based on scale expansion is unsustainable in karst mountainous regions due to fragmented topography and ecological fragility. Taking Guiyang City as a case study, this paper constructs two evaluation indicator systems for urban–rural development and environmental support. Employing the entropy method, coupled coordination degree model, Grey relational analysis, Geodetector, and multi-source spatial analysis methods to examine the evolutionary trajectory, driving mechanisms, and spatial responses of the human–land system from 2000 to 2024. The results show three main findings. First, the comprehensive score of Guiyang’s urban–rural human–land system increased from 0.054 to 0.826, and the coupling coordination degree rose from 0.223 (relative imbalance) in 2000 to 0.903 (high-quality coordination) in 2024, while the environmental support system deviated from the classic environmental Kuznets curve. Second, the driving force has shifted from economic scale to green well-being. The interaction analysis using Geodetector shows that all interaction types fall under the category of two-factor enhancement, among which the interaction coefficient between the number of broadband internet subscribers and other driving factors has the highest explanatory power, with a q-value of 0.949. Third, spatially, the light center distribution stabilized after 2015, and the land use ecological transition index dropped from 0.162 to 0.050 while the D-value continued rising, showing a significant negative correlation (r = −0.89, p < 0.05). Construction land was concentrated in low-slope (0–6°) and mid-elevation (1000–1400 m) basin areas, overlapping with high-quality farmland, and the synchronization rate between economically active areas and construction expansion was 50%. These findings reveal a digital–ecological co-evolution path in karst regions and provide an empirical basis for urban–rural integration governance. Full article

A solid-state C-band weather radar has been on a trial run in Hong Kong for around three months for detecting intense convective weather, particularly its features in the atmospheric boundary layer. It serves to supplement the long-range surveillance weather radars working at the mountain tops of Hong Kong, a city with rather hilly terrain. Through a number of case studies, this paper demonstrates the application values of the low-elevation angle scans of this weather radar in two major aspects, namely, construction of a three-dimensional wind field extending down to a height of 1 km above sea level, and detection of hail through comparison with ground reports. The wind field at lower altitudes, which could not be obtained before from the mountain-top weather radars alone, is found to provide timely alerts to squalls associated with rainbands (such as bow echoes) and to monitor orographic precipitation. In a hail event over the Pearl River Estuary, the low-elevation scans of the radar are found to detect the occurrence of hail consistent with ground reports. The estimated maximum hail sizes from this radar are also found to be generally comparable with the limited number of actual observations. With lower power consumption, the solid-state radar is more robust and may be deployed at more locations over Hong Kong, particularly the remote locations such as outlying islands and rural areas. It opens up the possibility of building a network of weather radars to monitor the atmospheric boundary layer conditions associated with intense convective weather in an area with hilly terrain. Full article

Cropland and rural settlements are core components of rural human–environment systems, and their coordinated development is crucial for regional sustainability, particularly in China’s major agricultural production regions. Taking the Huang-Huai-Hai region as the study area, this study systematically investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of cropland and its coupling relationship with rural settlements using land use data from 1990 to 2020. Grid-based analysis and multiple spatial modeling methods were employed. The results show that: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the cropland in the region decreased by a net total of 21,021.94 km², with annual dynamic degrees ranging from −0.13% to −0.28%. Cropland conversion to other land uses far exceeded conversion from others, with construction land being the primary destination. Among these, rural settlements and urban construction land accounted for 43.75% and 55.58% of the total cropland loss, respectively. (2) The spatial distribution of cropland exhibited a distinct pattern of “hot in the center and south, cold in the periphery and north” (Moran’s I = 0.232, p < 0.001), indicating significant positive spatial autocorrelation. Hot spot areas clustered in the North China Plain and the Huang-Huai Plain, while cold spot areas were distributed in the Yanshan–Taihang mountains and the hilly regions of the Shandong Peninsula, clearly controlled by topography. (3) Cropland change exhibited stage-specific characteristics. The pattern was relatively stable during 1990–2000. During 2000–2010, cropland conversion to other uses intensified, with high-value conversion areas concentrated around urban agglomerations. In the 2010–2020 period, these high-value conversion areas diffused from the core plain areas to urban fringe zones. (4) The spatial coupling between cropland and rural settlements was predominantly characterized by the Moderately Coordinated Type (MCT), accounting for 48.38–58.44% of the area. However, the proportion of Rural Settlement-Dominant Type (RC) increased from 15.51% to 21.58%, indicating a trend toward intensifying human–environment conflicts. Overall, the Huang-Huai-Hai region experienced significant cropland changes. While its spatial pattern remains relatively stable, the coupling relationship between cropland and rural settlements is deteriorating, posing challenges to regional food security and rural sustainable development. Full article

Existing studies have paid limited attention to the spatial integration of cultural heritage resources in mountainous regions. To fill this gap, this study analyzes 1479 cultural heritage sites in the Qinling–Bashan Mountains. The kernel density analysis results reveal a spatial agglomeration pattern characterized by high-density clusters, medium- to low-density extensions, and scattered peripheral areas. This study integrates the cultural corridor spatial potential model (CCSPM), the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model to identify the potential diffusion range of cultural heritage and assess the suitability of cultural heritage corridor construction. On this basis, an integrated cultural heritage corridor pattern is proposed, featuring “one corridor, two belts, two cores, and six zones.” On this basis, this study proposes targeted conservation strategies for cultural heritage corridors from four perspectives: cultural–ecological synergistic protection, cross-regional collaborative governance, digital revitalization of rural cultural tourism, and socio-economic governance. Overall, this study contributes methodological support for the systematic conservation of mountainous cultural heritage and provides a practical reference for rural cultural revitalization and the sustainable utilization of heritage resources in China. Full article

Background: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) can improve outcomes following refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); however, access is constrained by geography and resources. This study compared two strategies against the current system in Nara Prefecture, Japan: a two-stage hospital model using chest-pain network hospitals as ECPR-initiation sites, and a prehospital ECPR model using physician-staffed ambulances from two extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-ready hospitals. Methods: A geographic information system (GIS)-based simulation was conducted using emergency medical service (EMS) records of witnessed cardiac-origin OHCA cases (2017–2022). Isochrone analyses estimated areas reachable within a 60 min arrest-to-ECMO target. In the two-stage hospital model, patients located within a 15 min transport radius from chest-pain network hospitals were considered geographically covered. In the prehospital ECPR model, a physician-staffed ambulance was assumed to reach arrest sites within a 25 min travel-time radius from ECMO-ready hospitals. The study outcome was geographic coverage, defined as the proportion of cases within each service area; the two strategies were compared using McNemar’s test for paired proportions. Results: Among 1476 included cases, the coverage rate was as follows: current system, 28.7%; two-stage hospital model, 65.2%; prehospital model, 70.4% (p < 0.001). Certain eastern and southern mountainous regions remained outside both coverage areas. Conclusions: Using real-world EMS data, a mobility-focused prehospital ECPR strategy provided broader potential geographic access without requiring additional fixed hospital infrastructure than expanding hospital-based initiation sites. Optimization of prehospital deployment may represent a geographically feasible approach to expanding ECPR access in mixed urban–rural regions, though operational feasibility and cost-effectiveness require further evaluation. Full article

Assessing the contribution of tropical cyclones to regional precipitation variability is essential for understanding the associated hydrometeorological benefits and risks. This study quantifies the contribution of tropical cyclones to annual precipitation in the northernmost part of South America from 2016 to 2025, utilizing data from surface rain gauges. Simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, configured with 2 km grid spacing and 38 vertical levels, estimate the influence of relative humidity at 850 hPa and ambient temperature at 500 hPa on precipitation over the continental region when each convective system is nearest to the coastline. During Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Melissa (2025), contributions to the annual average precipitation reached 51% and 47%, respectively, with the highest values observed near the northern South American coastline. The contributions of Harvey (2017), Iota (2020), Julia (2022), and Beryl (2024) to annual precipitation were 0–26%, 0–18%, 0–12%, and 0–19%, respectively. Precipitation distribution was heterogeneous during the passage of tropical storms. The extent of accumulated precipitation was influenced by the cyclone’s trajectory and proximity to mountainous regions. Patterns of relative humidity at 850 hPa did not correspond to a uniform precipitation distribution. Between 6% and 30% of rain gauges did not record precipitation during the analyzed tropical cyclone events. These findings highlight that tropical cyclone-induced precipitation is strongly influenced by complex interactions between atmospheric dynamics and topography. Future research should assess the contributions of these systems to groundwater and surface reservoirs that support indigenous communities in rural areas. Full article

Against the backdrop of intensifying global uncertainties, enhancing the livelihood resilience of urban and rural residents is of paramount importance for promoting balanced regional development. This research establishes a 29-indicator evaluation system based on a three-dimensional analytical framework encompassing “buffering, adaptive, and transformative capacities”. resilience capacities. Utilizing county-level panel data from five pivotal former revolutionary base areas, specifically the Jiangxi–Fujian–Guangdong Former Central Soviet Area, Sichuan–Shaanxi Revolutionary Base Area, Shaanxi–Gansu–Ningxia Revolutionary Base Area, Dabie Mountains Revolutionary Base Area, and Zuojiang–Youjiang Revolutionary Base Area regions spanning from 2011 to 2023, through the integrated application of methodologies, including entropy weighting, kernel density estimation, the Theil index, and convergence analysis, we systematically examine the spatio-temporal variations and evolutionary mechanisms of livelihood resilience. Research findings indicate a general enhancement of livelihood resilience in old revolutionary base areas, albeit with notable regional disparities, presenting a tiered pattern characterized by Jiangxi–Fujian–Guangdong leading, Dabie Mountains and Sichuan–Shaanxi regions being intermediate, while Shaanxi–Gansu–Ningxia and Zuojiang–Youjiang areas lag behind. Buffering capacity predominates, while regenerative capacity constitutes the critical driver of regional disparities. The overall regional disparities are primarily driven by internal differences, with significant conditional β-convergence observed in livelihood resilience. This study proposes sustained advancement in infrastructure development to consolidate buffering capacity, a reinforcement of public services and technological innovation to enhance adaptive and regenerative capabilities, and the implementation of differentiated governance strategies, thereby fostering an overall improvement in livelihood resilience and coordinated regional development in old revolutionary base areas. Full article

The management of European mountain landscapes is increasingly threatened by rural abandonment and escalating environmental risks. This study investigates an innovative Stewardship–Renewable Energy Communities model for the Central Apennines, exploring how post-seismic public reconstruction can serve as a financial engine for territorial maintenance. Utilizing Open Data Sisma administrative records and Photovoltaic Geographical Information System irradiation metrics, this research assesses the solar potential of 18 municipalities within the Sibillini seismic crater. To ensure a reliable baseline, a Building Suitability Coefficient was introduced as a conservative proxy for the public reconstruction sector. Results indicate that the implementation of a distributed network of 6.5 MWp across 325 public nodes, with a specific yield of 1390 kWh/kWp on the entire area, could generate 9 GWh/year. This translates to approximately EUR 1.08 million in annual revenue from energy incentives and sharing. This economic surplus provides a Stewardship Capacity sufficient to fund the active maintenance of 789.77 hectares per year through Nature-Based Solutions, based on a regional rate of 1200 EUR/ha. The novelty of this study lies in bridging post-disaster energy policy with landscape resilience, demonstrating that distributed rooftop solar portfolios represent a non-invasive, self-funding mechanism. By leveraging the reconstructed public stock, mountain territories can transition from passive neglect to active, energy-backed stewardship, offering a reproducible template for high-value cultural landscapes. Full article

Accurate mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) in mountainous forests is essential for carbon stock assessment and ecological management, yet remains challenging due to the difficulty of linking local high-precision observations with regionally continuous coverage. To address this issue, we developed a hierarchical framework integrating local reference construction, UAV–GEDI bridging, footprint-level modeling, and regional continuous mapping, applied to the mountainous forests of Simao District, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, China. Field plot measurements and UAV-borne LiDAR data were first used to construct a local AGB reference product, which was then transferred to the GEDI footprint scale through geolocation correction and footprint-scale quality control, yielding 252 valid bridging samples across three UAV flight zones, with approximately 65% originating from the TYH zone. Among five candidate models evaluated for GEDI footprint-level AGB estimation, the Stacking ensemble model performed best, with a pooled out-of-fold R² of 0.736 and RMSE of 24.15 Mg ha⁻¹, and was subsequently applied to 89,579 GEDI footprints across the study area. For regional continuous mapping, the empirical Bayesian kriging regression prediction (EBKRP) scheme combining Landsat TCW, Sentinel-2 IRECI, and the Sentinel-1 polarization ratio achieved the best external validation performance, with R² of 0.622 and RMSE of 26.05 Mg ha⁻¹ based on 61 independent field plots. These results indicate that the proposed hierarchical framework effectively bridges local high-precision observations and regional continuous AGB mapping in complex mountainous forest environments, offering a systematic methodological reference for GEDI-based forest carbon monitoring. Full article

Blue-green spaces are critical for diversified landscape planning. However, rapid urbanization and habitat fragmentation continue to disrupt ecological connectivity in river-basin landscapes. This study focuses on the Xiu River Basin, a major tributary of Poyang Lake and a key node of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. We developed a multi-guild avian ecological network framework to support biodiversity-oriented landscape planning. Birds were classified into four functional guilds: aquatic resident, aquatic wintering, forest resident, and forest wintering. For each guild, we designed a specific set of environmental variables. We integrated MaxEnt and InVEST to identify ecological sources by combining habitat suitability with habitat quality. The results showed that 68.75% of the basin qualifies as good-quality habitat, although suitable habitats remained highly heterogeneous and fragmented among guilds. We identified 1839.93 km² of ecological sources, 157 corridors, 215 pinchpoints, and 344 barriers, revealing clear differences in the connectivity requirements between aquatic and forest birds and between resident and wintering birds. We further delineated four ecological priority areas and proposed targeted restoration strategies for wetlands, river–lake systems, forested mountains, and urban–rural transition zones. Overall, this study demonstrates that multi-guild connectivity analysis can provide a spatial framework for informing urban forest conservation, blue-green infrastructure planning, and diversified landscape planning in complex basin landscapes. Full article

Background: Stunting remains a major public health problem among ethnic minority children in mountainous areas of Vietnam. Picky eating has been suggested as a potential behavioral risk factor for poor child growth, but evidence from vulnerable rural populations remains limited. This study examined the association between picky eating and stunting among ethnic minority children aged 12–35 months in Vietnam. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2025 in two communes of Phu Tho province, formerly part of Lac Son District, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam. A total of 341 children aged 12–35 months and their caregivers were included. Data were collected using structured interviewer-administered questionnaires on feeding practices and child characteristics. Picky eating was assessed based on caregiver-reported behaviors. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standard procedures, and height-for-age Z-scores were calculated using the WHO Child Growth Standards. Zinc status was assessed in a subsample of children. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with stunting. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were reported. Results: The prevalence of picky eating was 39.6%, while 24.9% of children were stunted. Zinc deficiency was identified in 41.9% of children with available blood samples. In multivariable analysis, picky eating was significantly associated with increased odds of stunting (AOR = 3.63; 95% CI: 1.71–7.70). Snacking before main meals was also independently associated with stunting (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.01–3.24). In contrast, zinc deficiency was associated with stunting in crude analysis but was not statistically significant after adjustment. Other factors, including child age, sex, caregiver identity, and timing of complementary feeding, were not independently associated with stunting. Conclusions: Picky eating was common and was independently associated with stunting among ethnic minority children in this mountainous setting. These findings suggest that behavioral feeding practices, particularly picky eating and pre-meal snacking, warrant attention in nutritional programs targeting this population; however, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the direction of this relationship. Full article

The construction sector accounts for approximately 36% of global final energy consumption and close to 40% of total CO₂ emissions, making it a primary target of international climate policy. Despite this growing attention, the indigenous building traditions of the Ecuadorian Andes remain virtually absent from the international scientific literature on vernacular sustainability. This study presents a systematic field documentation and bioclimatic assessment of vernacular bahareque dwellings in the Kichwa-Saraguro community of Ilincho, canton of Saraguro, province of Loja, Ecuador (2700 m a.s.l.). A field survey of 30 dwellings identified five morphological typologies—I-1P, I-2P, 2B, L, and C—with typology C, a compact C-shaped block with a three-sided portal, accounting for 53.3% of the sample. A structured multi-criteria framework of 48 bioclimatic indicators distributed across eight categories, adapted to the cold-temperate mountain climate of the study area, was applied to quantify each typology’s bioclimatic performance. All typologies exceeded 75% overall compliance on the global Bioclimatic Performance Index (BPI), with typology C achieving the highest value (88.5%). Categories F (Materials and construction) and H (Cultural and social aspects) scored 100% across all typologies, reflecting system-level properties of the bahareque constructive system rather than morphological differences between typological variants; a supplementary morphological BPI restricted to Categories A–E and G is reported. An exploratory, uncalibrated energy simulation of typology C provided indicative evidence consistent with the expected thermal behavior of a high-thermal-mass bahareque envelope, with simulated minimum temperatures in the sleeping area within the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 55-2013 comfort range (T-min 18.80 °C). Collectively, these findings contribute quantified bioclimatic documentation of vernacular bahareque architecture in Ilincho, identifying attributes—encompassing solar control, spatial compactness, high-thermal-mass envelope performance, and use of locally sourced low-embodied-energy materials—that may inform sustainable rural housing discussions in the Ecuadorian Andes and comparable high-altitude mountain contexts. Its documentation in the indexed scientific literature constitutes a step toward recognizing this constructive heritage as a practical resource for low-carbon building policy. Full article