Search Results (5,794)

The Natura 2000 site “Bosco Pantano di Policoro e Costa Ionica Foce Sinni” (SPA/SCI IT9220055), located along the Ionian Arc, is one of the remaining areas in Southern Italy characterized by the coexistence of a lowland forest and coastal dune habitats. The interaction between coastal dynamics and hydrological processes generates high environmental heterogeneity, supporting a complex habitat mosaic. The aim of this study is to document the vegetation composition and characterize the plant landscape of the coastal belt, assessing habitat conservation status and impact of the main pressures and threats. To this end, phytosociological analyses and vegetation transects were employed to identify the plant communities and describe their distribution along the sea–inland gradient. Floristic and structural diversity were assessed using the Shannon, Simpson, and HDUNE indices. The results highlight the high environmental heterogeneity of the study area and the occurrence of numerous habitat types of Community interest. The analyses also identified the main pressures affecting the area, particularly coastal erosion and alterations to the hydrological regime, causing the simplification of the vegetation mosaic. These processes represent the main conservation concerns for the reserve’s habitats and underline the need for management strategies aimed at maintaining hydrological balance and the natural dynamics of dune systems. Full article

Urban parks, as shared public spaces, play a crucial role in fostering social integration, providing recreational opportunities, and enhancing residents’ quality of life. However, effective operation requires ensuring user safety, particularly in areas with elevated geological risk. This study assesses slope stability and rockfall risk in Bednarski Park in Kraków, established within a former limestone quarry—a site with unique natural and cultural value. The research used numerical modelling with the Finite Element Method (FEM) and rockfall trajectory analysis with the Rockfall Block Impact Model (RBIM) and Discrete Element Method (DEM), covering eight sectors of the park. The analysis focused on evaluating the Factor of Safety (FS), as well as displacement and rebound parameters of rock blocks, to identify zones with increased landslide susceptibility and local rockfall hazards. The results revealed significant spatial variability in stability conditions. The findings form the basis for developing design recommendations that reconcile geotechnical safety requirements with social expectations. Public consultations conducted alongside the scientific investigation enabled adaptation of planned mitigation measures to the park’s cultural and landscape values. The study underscores the need for a balanced approach to urban green space revitalisation, in which user safety is a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the social functions and openness of public spaces. By integrating geotechnical risk assessment with community expectations and landscape conservation, the study supports a sustainable approach to the revitalisation and long-term management of post-extractive urban green spaces. Full article

Wetlands regulate hydrological processes, maintain biodiversity, and moderate local climate. However, long-term evidence on hydroclimatic variability and anthropogenic pressure in West African coastal wetlands remains limited. This study assesses rainfall, land surface temperature (LST), and land use/land cover (LULC) change in the Keta Lagoon Complex (KLC) and Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site (MPRS) from 2000 to 2024. Mann–Kendall tests and Sen’s slope estimators were applied to annual and seasonal rainfall, while Landsat observations were used to evaluate seasonal LST and classify LULC. The indicators were compared across sites and through time to assess their correspondence without attributing causality. Annual rainfall trends were weak and not statistically significant, although minor rainy-season rainfall increased significantly at KLC (p = 0.018). MPRS showed greater thermal variability, with some major rainy season LST values exceeding 44 °C. Built-up cover increased by 9.89 percentage points at KLC and 8.34 percentage points at MPRS, while natural vegetation at MPRS declined from 27.56% to 7.25%. These concurrent patterns indicate stronger landscape modification and lower apparent buffering capacity at MPRS. The findings support site-specific controls on land conversion, restoration of vegetation buffers, improved waste management, and protection of hydrological connectivity. Because the study is comparative rather than causal, the results identify co-variation among indicators but do not quantify the relative contributions of climatic and anthropogenic drivers. Full article

RNA activation (RNAa), mediated by small activating RNAs (saRNAs), upregulates endogenous gene expression through recruitment of the Argonaute proteins to the promoter, natural antisense transcripts, or other noncoding RNAs. This mechanistically distinct modality addresses an unmet need, as few RNA therapeutics currently function to activate endogenous gene expression. Three saRNA therapeutics are now in clinical trials; however, broader application remains constrained by largely empirical candidate screening and limited design guidelines, particularly in terms of saRNA targets. Unlike siRNAs, for which extensive sequence–activity relationships and computational design strategies exist, saRNA activity remains comparatively difficult to predict. Here, we assembled an updated and annotated database of publicly available saRNA sequences and paired it with an overview of the RNAa principles, the clinical and preclinical landscape of saRNA utility and current saRNA design guidelines. Finally, we outline opportunities for artificial intelligence-assisted rational design, highlighting how machine learning trained on curated saRNA datasets could accelerate discovery of novel saRNA candidates. Consolidation of saRNA records into a unified resource will hopefully enable systematic analysis of sequence features associated with activity and lay a foundation for moving saRNA design from largely empirical screening toward more rational design. Full article

Coastal areas are complex territorial systems where natural processes and anthropogenic pressures interact, generating vulnerable yet culturally significant landscapes. While remaining attractive for tourism and urban development, they are among the areas most exposed to the impacts of climate change, requires resilient and adaptive planning approaches. This study assesses vegetation-related environmental changes associated with the regeneration of the Portici Maritime Park, Italy, through a comparison of Sentinel-2 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data acquired before and after the intervention. Mean NDVI decreased from approximately 0.245 in 2018 to 0.167 in 2026, indicating a reduction in vegetation-related conditions associated with the conversion of previously vegetated or partially vegetated surfaces into paved areas. Based on this empirical evidence and on the environmental characteristics of the site, the study proposes the integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), including permeable surfaces, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), multifunctional Mediterranean and halophytic green strips, and ecological nourishment. These measures are framed within the proposed Waterfront 4.0 concept, which integrates ecological regeneration, digital environmental monitoring, participatory governance, and adaptive management. By linking ex-post remote-sensing assessment with NBS-oriented planning, the study provides a conceptual and case-study-based approach for improving the climate resilience and ecological performance of highly urbanized Mediterranean waterfronts. Full article

Against the backdrop of industrialization and urbanization, China’s cropland resource utilization has changed significantly, yet existing research lacks integrated zoning and formation mechanisms. Taking the Huang–Huai–Hai region as a case, this study constructed an indicator system covering quantitative endowment, landscape morphology, natural background, and production functions from the perspective of dominant and recessive land-use transitions. Based on the general characteristics and spatiotemporal evolution of different cropland resource utilization forms, we used 3S technology and the CART algorithm to classify the 52 cities in the Huang–Huai–Hai region into five cropland resource utilization patterns. From 2000 to 2020, these patterns evolved from fragmented and extensive to large-scale, intensive, and functional. Market reforms and land tenure interventions were closely associated with this evolution, as they affected labor allocation, property rights, farming practices, technology, and farmers’ risk aversion. This study enriches cropland resource utilization theory and supports territorial optimization for high-quality agriculture in the region. Full article

Restoring contaminated and degraded land, including post-mining sites, industrial areas, and urban brownfields, is central to sustainable land management, and nature-based solutions (NBSs) such as phytoextraction can combine soil remediation with wider landscape-restoration goals. This screening-stage pot study evaluated how three mobilising agents, potassium iodide (KI), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), and ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl), applied at 20, 50, and 80 mg kg⁻¹ against a common citric-acid background, affect the uptake and translocation of 27 potentially toxic elements and critical raw materials in Brassica juncea and Cichorium intybus grown on a met-al-contaminated post-mining substrate from Srednogorie, Bulgaria, which is used as a model of severely degraded technogenic material relevant to industrial and urban brownfield conditions. Bioconcentration and translocation factors were calculated from XRF measurements of the substrate, root, and leaf tissue and examined descriptively with exploratory principal component analysis and clustering, since each combination was one composite sample. Plant species identity, rather than reagent, was the strongest determinant of accumulation: Brassica juncea more often retained Y, Sr, Th, and Zn in roots, whereas C. intybus translocated Rb, Sr, Pb, and Cu more readily to leaves. KI produced the most distinct profile, increasing root and, at the highest dose, shoot enrichment of V, whereas CaCl₂ and NH₄Cl mainly enhanced root retention with limited, non-monotonic effects on shoot transfer. These species- and element-specific strategies indicate screening-stage potential for phytoextraction, pending validation with replicated biomass and yield data. Full article

To address the challenge of dynamic target allocation in multi-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial games, this paper proposes a hierarchical solution method that combines matrix game dimensionality reduction with the Eigen-Crossover Differential Evolution (ECDE) algorithm. Assuming that both parties’ UAV platforms are identical, we first model the aerial game as a two-player zero-sum mixed-strategy matrix game, and introduce target value factors and mutual-confrontation cross term to characterize the coupling between target value and antagonism. Second, by performing fast dimensionality reduction on the utility matrix through convex hull vertex enumeration, we effectively compress the strategy space while preserving the strategic information relevant to the original game equilibrium. Finally, we designed ECDE to find the Nash equilibrium in a dimensionality-reduction game. This algorithm uses elite covariance eigendecomposition to rotate the crossover operation into the natural coordinates of the fitness landscape, and combines parameter adaptation with population size reduction strategies to balance search efficiency and convergence stability. Experimental results show that in the CEC2022 test suite, ECDE achieved the top overall ranking among 13 compared algorithms for both D = 10 and D = 20; in the 3v2 adversarial scenario, it achieved an average decision time of only 0.026 s and a Nash equilibrium solution accuracy of the 10⁻¹⁵ order of magnitude, while maintaining efficient solution capabilities across matrices of varying sizes. The proposed method meets real-time decision-making requirements while ensuring solution accuracy, demonstrating engineering value. Full article

The escalating environmental crisis has intensified scholarly attention on literature that inquiries into the relationship between humans and nature. This study addresses an existing gap in ecocritical research by applying Deep Ecology to selected passages from Easterine Kire’s novels, Son of the Thundercloud (2016), Don’t Run, My Love (2017), A Respectable Woman (2019), and Spirit Nights (2022), to analyse the portrayal of nature’s intrinsic value and biodiversity. Through close analysis of selected passages, the analysis investigates how Easterine Kire’s narratives represent landscapes, plants, animals, and ecological relationships as living, primary factors. The selected passages question anthropocentric perspectives by foregrounding the interconnectedness of all life forms and advocating an ecocentric worldview. The study highlights how Kire’s Fiction represents profound ecological ethics and sustainable human–environment relationships through culturally grounded ecological perspectives. Full article

For decades, post-mining sites were considered biological deserts requiring intensive technical reclamation. This statement is increasingly challenged by evidence demonstrating that mineral extraction creates heterogeneous, nutrient-poor habitats capable of supporting self-organizing ecosystems with high conservation value. In urban-industrial landscapes, where eutrophication and habitat homogenization dominate, oligotrophic mineral substrates represent increasingly rare environmental conditions that promote functional diversity and ecosystem resilience. Their spatial heterogeneity and broad hydrological gradients generate a mosaic of ecological niches that facilitate spontaneous succession and the establishment of diverse terrestrial and aquatic communities, including numerous rare and protected species. Despite growing recognition of post-mining sites as novel ecosystems, research has primarily focused on species composition, whereas ecosystem functioning, functional traits, and long-term resilience remain insufficiently understood. Moreover, the contribution of mineral habitat heterogeneity to biodiversity maintenance and ecosystem multifunctionality has not been adequately incorporated into management frameworks or environmental policy. This review hypothesizes that mineral post-mining habitats constitute critical reservoirs of ecosystem functions within urban-industrial landscapes and argues that spontaneous succession should be recognized as a legitimate, nature-based management pathway. Integrating functional ecology with the novel ecosystem concept offers a robust scientific framework for developing evidence-based, biodiversity-oriented management strategies for urban-industrial landscapes. Full article

The Biophilic Quality Matrix (BQM) evaluates natural-element criteria in relation to intervention scales. This study applied its published 10 × 10 structure to examine document-supported biophilic integration in three completed Singapore hospital environments. Twenty-five trained raters independently assessed case-specific public documentation, organized under a common template, for all 100 C × S cells. Median ratings yielded hospital-specific BQM profiles for the three cases, and cross-hospital screening identified 67 shared candidate cells. Rater-level bootstrap analysis retained 47 high-stability cells at an inclusion-frequency cutoff of 0.95, and the study-defined high-priority rule further retained 18 cells with a median of 4 in at least two hospitals. Exploratory semantic organization of the retained cells distinguished criterion-anchored groups centered on plants, ecological systems, sunlight, and earthly materials from scale-anchored groups centered on direct use and on sensory perception and variability. The retained relationships were then traced across the three hospitals to documented spatial configurations, including pond–courtyard–bridge systems, water-and-plant respite gardens, planted terraces and roof gardens, landscape-facing building interfaces, and landscaped routes across the hospital campus. These spatial comparisons support candidate design interpretations for precedent analysis. The findings describe what the reviewed records support and do not establish measured environmental performance, realized user experience, restorative effects, or clinical outcomes. Full article

This paper offers a diachronic and ecoanthropological analysis of the existence, function, and treatment of sacred waters within Macedonian monasteries, from the High Middle Ages and Byzantine rule (eleventh century) to the National Revival period of the nineteenth century. Across this centuries-long span, the sanctity of water underwent a significant ontological and spatial transformation, shaped by complex relationships of ecclesiastic, cultural, historical, social and political factors. The paper’s central argument traces a shift from a strictly ecclesiastic and theological framework toward a vernacularized, folkloric sacrality of the water. In the medieval period, the sanctity of water depended chiefly on the liturgical act of epiclesis, the institutionalized consecration effected through invocation of the Holy Spirit, whereas in the period from the late 18th to the beginning of the 20th century happened an unprecedented proliferation of localized “holy water” springs. Their sanctity was regarded as immanent, independent of sacerdotal phenomena. Where medieval hagiasmata were dedicated predominantly to the Theotokos and to the Life-giving Spring (Baloukli), the 19th century brought a marked democratization of sacred waters. The sacral topography of monasteries came to include springs dedicated to a wide pantheon of saints or to specific days of the week (Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday waters, associated with St. Paraskevi, St. Nedela/Kyriaki, St. George, and St. Demetrius). This diversification finds little grounding in official theological doctrine; its sources lie instead in the deep syncretism of folk religion and in enduring traces of pre-Christian belief. Read through an ecoanthropological lens, the paper argues that the sacralization of water functioned not only as a religious phenomenon but also as a cultural mechanism for establishing a sustainable, reciprocal relationship between human communities and the natural environment. Sacred springs operated as biocultural reservoirs in which spiritual ethics contributed directly to the long-term conservation of vital hydrological resources and sacred landscapes. Full article

Against the backdrop of the coordinated development of biodiversity conservation, the preservation of ethnic cultures, and public environmental education, the traditional environmental education model in national forest parks—which primarily focuses on showcasing natural landscapes and one-way knowledge dissemination—struggles to fully address the practical needs of dynamic ecosystem conservation and the sustainable preservation of local cultures. This paper focuses on the objectives, content, and implementation mechanisms of environmental education in national forest parks that integrate ethnic cultures. It analyzes the intrinsic connections among digital technology, community collaboration, traditional ecological knowledge, and hands-on environmental education and constructs a “Hub” model centered on the integration of digital knowledge and collaborative governance. This model employs digital technology, community collaboration, and hands-on environmental education as its three primary implementation pathways. Through a cyclical mechanism of “knowledge collection—digital integration—community validation—educational transformation—ecological practice—feedback optimization,” it connects ethnic cultural knowledge, modern ecological science, and public participatory conservation actions. In this model, digital technology primarily serves to record, integrate, and disseminate ecological data and ethnic cultural archives; community collaboration emphasizes the leading role of ethnic communities in knowledge interpretation, curriculum design, ecological practices, and conservation decision-making; and environmental field education promotes the transformation of learners from ecological awareness and cultural identity toward environmental responsibility and conservation behavior through nature observation, cultural experiences, ecological field studies, and community participation. This paper argues that this model can drive the transformation of environmental education in national forest parks from static displays and one-way communication toward knowledge co-creation, scenario-based learning, and adaptive governance, thereby providing a theoretically grounded framework and practical pathway—tailored to local contexts—for achieving the coordinated development of biodiversity conservation, the preservation of ethnic cultural heritage, and the enhancement of public ecological literacy. Full article

Natural hazards significantly influence landscape patterns and ecological processes, yet their integration into land-use simulation remains limited. This study incorporates landslide susceptibility into the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to evaluate the effect of construction restrictions on future landslide exposure in Nanbu County, Sichuan Province, China. Landslide susceptibility was assessed using the certainty factor–logistic regression (CF-LR) model based on multi-period historical data, while future land-use changes (2020–2050) were projected with the PLUS model under two scenarios: a baseline scenario (without landslide constraints) and a susceptibility-constrained scenario (where high-susceptibility zones are restricted for construction). The results indicate that landslide-prone areas are spatially heterogeneous, with non-high-susceptibility zone concentrated in the west and northwest, and high-susceptibility zones clustered in the central area near the county seat. Under the baseline scenario, construction land within high-susceptibility zones increases by 107.47% over the 2020–2050 period. By contrast, the susceptibility-constrained scenario reduces construction land in these zones by 56.6% relative to the baseline 2050 projection, and by 10.01% relative to its own 2020 level. Ecosystem service value (ESV) assessment reveals that the two scenarios achieve nearly identical total ESV (with only a 0.09% difference), but the susceptibility-constrained scenario preserves 10.36 km² of high-value ecosystems within high-susceptibility zones compared to the baseline scenario. These findings demonstrate that incorporating landslide susceptibility as a spatial constraint reduces future landslide exposure without compromising ecosystem service value, providing a practical, science-based framework for decision makers to inform land-use planning in mountainous regions prone to landslides. Full article

The prefectures and cities along the Yunnan–Vietnam border constitute a key cultural corridor connecting China and ASEAN. Under the dual pressures of globalization and modernization, the regional cultural landscape is undergoing profound structural transformation. This study takes 194 traditional villages and 942 municipal-level and above intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items in Honghe, Wenshan, and Pu’er as the research objects. Kernel density estimation, the standard deviation ellipse, and the gravity center model were employed to identify their spatial distribution patterns, while the spatial mismatch index and GeoDetector were used to examine their spatial coupling relationship and influencing mechanisms. The results indicate the following: (1) traditional villages exhibit a single-core clustered distribution concentrated in the Ailao Mountains-Honghe River Basin of Honghe Prefecture, whereas ICH displays a one-core-two-cluster pattern with relatively weak agglomeration, and the gravity centers of the two heritage systems are separated by 61.21 km; (2) a significant systematic spatial mismatch exists between traditional villages and ICH, with Honghe characterized as a high negative mismatch region, while Pu’er and Wenshan represent positive mismatch regions; (3) their spatial relationship is jointly shaped by nonlinear interactions among natural geographical, socioeconomic, and historical-cultural factors, forming an interaction mechanism dominated by the ecological constraints of hydrothermal conditions and topography together with the spatial organizational effects of border ports and transportation networks. This study reveals the spatial reorganization pattern of cultural heritage elements in the three prefectures and cities along the Yunnan–Vietnam border and provides a scientific basis for the coordinated conservation and spatial optimization of traditional villages and intangible cultural heritage. Full article