Search Results (495)

Understanding how climate and land use interact to shape freshwater quality remains challenging across heterogeneous river basins. This study analysed monthly citizen-science measurements of nitrate (NO₃), phosphate (PO₄), and turbidity, collected between 2016 and 2024, across seven Italian river basins representing contrasting climatic and land-use contexts. A non-parametric analytical framework combining Kruskal–Wallis tests, aligned rank transform analyses, principal component analysis (PCA), and basin-specific Somers’ D statistics was applied to ordinal concentration data. Significant differences among basins revealed persistent spatial structuring of water-quality regimes. PCA identified two largely independent gradients: a dominant nutrient axis defined by NO₃ and PO₄, and a secondary turbidity axis. Urban and industrial land use aligned with higher nutrient categories, while vegetated landscapes were associated with lower concentrations. Climatic effects were basin specific. Precipitation showed opposing relationships with NO₃, suggesting both mobilisation and dilution processes, whereas temperature was positively associated with PO₄ in several basins and negatively related to NO₃. Turbidity displayed variable links with precipitation and temperature, reflecting hydrological and seasonal controls. Overall, results indicate that land use represents the primary structural driver of nutrient variability, while climatic factors modulate basin-specific responses. The integration of citizen science observations with robust non-parametric approaches provides a scalable framework for detecting environmental drivers and supporting the targeted management of Mediterranean river systems. Full article

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) represent a major chronic complication of diabetes mellitus, often leading to severe infection, amputation, and reduced quality of life. Among various factors affecting DFUs, plantar pressure plays a pivotal role in ulcer formation and recurrence. Despite growing interest in this domain, few studies have comprehensively evaluated the research landscape concerning plantar pressure in the context of DFUs from a bibliometric perspective. Aim: To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and visualization of global research trends, hotspots, and collaborative networks in the field of plantar pressure-related diabetic foot studies from 2000 to 2024. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on 16 February 2025, for articles published between 2000 and 2024 using terms related to “diabetic foot” and “plantar pressure”. A total of 2518 records were retrieved, from which 2110 English-language articles and reviews were included. Bibliometric and visual analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel 2021, VOSviewer (v1.6.20), CiteSpace (v6.4.R1), Charticulator, and Scimago Graphica. Analyses included publication trends, country/institution/author collaborations, journal distributions, keyword co-occurrence and clustering, citation bursts, and reference co-citation networks. Results: A total of 2110 publications were identified, showing an overall increase in annual publication output from 2000 to 2024, with some year-to-year fluctuations. The United States led in publication volume (678 articles), citation frequency, and H-index, followed by the United Kingdom and China. Armstrong, David was the most prolific and also had the highest H-index among the listed authors, while the University of Amsterdam was the leading institution. “Journal of Wound Care” had the highest publication count, whereas “Diabetes Care” ranked first in citation frequency. Keyword analysis revealed major research clusters including “diabetic foot”, “plantar pressure”, “wound healing”, “offloading”, and “negative pressure wound therapy”. Recent trends show an increased focus on microcirculation, regenerative medicine, customized footwear, and wound care technologies. Conclusions: The bibliometric analysis reveals research trends and current hotspots in plantar pressure management for diabetic foot ulcers, with a particular focus on managing plantar pressure through personalized offloading strategies and custom footwear. These findings highlight the practical value of tailoring interventions to individual patient needs, emphasizing the importance of biomechanical factors in ulcer prevention and healing. Full article

The natural regeneration of planted forests in karst landscapes is severely constrained by extreme substrate heterogeneity and fragile edaphic conditions. However, the relative importance and interaction pathways of environmental versus stand structural drivers remain poorly quantified. In this study, 54 plots (10 m × 10 m) were surveyed across Cupressus funebris plantations in the karst landscape of the Lijiang River Basin, southern China. To identify the key factors and causal pathways governing regeneration, redundancy analysis (RDA), variation partitioning, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and threshold analyses were applied. Regeneration exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with 42.6% of plots showing complete recruitment failure and a characteristic inverted J-shaped size class distribution. The analysis identified soil rock fragment content (as a negative constraint) and canopy gap area (as a positive driver) as the two dominant predictors. PLS-SEM revealed that environmental factors influence regeneration primarily through an indirect pathway mediated by stand structure ($R^2=0.683$) rather than through direct effects. Threshold analyses identified quantitative benchmarks for key drivers, including a gap area breakpoint of approximately 10 ${\mathrm{m}}^2$ and a presence–absence effect of soil rock fragments. These findings contribute to a more sophisticated mechanistic understanding of forest regeneration in karst ecosystems and provide an empirical foundation for silvicultural management that aims to encourage natural regeneration and ecological restoration of degraded karst plantations. Full article

In the context of rapid urbanization and the pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), cities face multifaceted challenges such as high population density, limited green space, ecosystem degradation, and an insufficient supply of ecological products, all of which undermine urban sustainability. As crucial ecological units, urban park green spaces (UPGS) play a vital role in alleviating environmental pressures and providing cultural ecosystem services (CES) that are essential for human well-being and social sustainability. However, systematic insight into how residents perceive and value CES, along with the underlying drivers, remains underdeveloped, impeding the advancement of refined park management practices. Based on 12,083 social media texts, this study employed BERTopic topic modeling to identify five core dimensions of CES perception: recreational services (RS), aesthetic experiences (AE), health-promoting activities (HA), social interactions (SI), and educational services (ES). Additionally, four underlying drivers with corresponding measurable indicators were also identified: residents’ socioeconomic backgrounds (RSB), external built environment of parks (EBE), internal landscape composition (ILC), and quality of services management (QSM). Subsequently, using 313 valid questionnaires and geographic park data, a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) framework was constructed to analyze the influence mechanisms of EBE, ILC, and QSM on CES perception differences, with residents’ satisfaction with CES serving as the measure of their perceived CES levels. Hierarchical regression analysis was further employed to examine the moderating effects of RSB on these driving pathways. The findings reveal the following: (1) Significant synergies and heterogeneities existed among CES dimensions, with notable synergistic effects observed between AE and SI, as well as between HA and RS. (2) EBE, ILC, and QSM significantly influenced CES perception differences (p < 0.05). EBE affected these differences through pathways such as EBE → ILC → QSM → CES and EBE → QSM → CES. Notably, QSM was identified as the most critical mediating factor affecting CES perception differences. (3) Age exerted a significant positive moderating effect on the QSM → CES pathway, while monthly income showed a marginally significant negative moderating trend on the ILC → QSM pathway. This study elucidates the multi-level driving mechanisms underlying differences in residents’ perceptions of CES in UPGS. A key innovation lies in the integration of large-scale social media text data with questionnaire surveys, combined with the application of the BERTopic model and PLS-SEM to analyze these perceptual differences. The findings offer both theoretical foundations and practical insights for landscape optimization and service enhancement in park planning and management, contributing to the development of more equitable, resilient, and sustainable urban environments. Full article

The cultural services of urban cultural landscape ecosystems are easily perceived by visitors, and their quantitative assessment and exploration of influencing factors can provide a scientific basis for the optimization of urban cultural landscapes. Existing studies rarely reveal the spatial distribution of the social values of urban cultural landscape ecosystem cultural services and the influencing factors of this spatial distribution from the visitors’ perspective. To reveal the spatial distribution pattern of the social values of urban cultural landscape ecosystem cultural services from the visitors’ perspective, explore its influencing factors, and verify the applicability of the SolVES model in urban cultural landscapes, this study obtained the overall perception and preferences of visitors towards Cangzhou Garden Expo Park through a questionnaire survey. Combining the questionnaire survey data with geographical data, the SolVES 3.0 model was employed to conduct quantitative assessments and spatial distribution analyses of six social values of the ecosystem: esthetic, biodiversity, historical, recreation, learning, and life-sustaining values. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) The maximum value index of recreation value and esthetic value were highest, and showed significant spatial concentrated characteristics, with hotspots concentrated at the northeast side of the park. (2) Biodiversity value and historical value were prominent near areas rich in plant resources and industrial heritage sites. (3) The distance to roads and slope significantly influenced the assessment of social values; social values showed a significant negative correlation with distance to roads. (4) The Garden Expo Park had strong advantages in ecological restoration and social value supply, but there were still problems such as inconvenient transportation and uneven value distribution. Based on the above results, this study proposed suggestions for enhancing the social values of the ecosystem services in Cangzhou Garden Expo Park, and further provided targeted optimization suggestions for the construction and management of urban cultural landscapes. The SolVES model showed good performance in assessing the social values of the ecosystem services of an urban cultural landscape, with high reliability and promising application prospects. Full article

Restoring the ecological function of degraded wetlands from the perspective of hydrological connectivity is of great significance for maintaining the stability of wetland ecosystem and biodiversity. Taking Zoige Wetland as the study area, this paper quantitatively analyzed the changing law of hydrological connectivity of wetland from 2000 to 2020 in terms of structural connectivity and functional connectivity by using the landscape index and the landscape connectivity index, and identified the important habitat patches, as well as the main influencing factors of hydrological connectivity. The results showed that functional connectivity increased slightly overall, with Probability of Connectivity (PC) and Integral Index of Connectivity (IIC) showing synchronized interannual fluctuations and higher mean levels in 2010–2020 than in 2000–2009. Patch-importance analysis (dPC) identified connectivity “backbone” areas along the Yellow River main channel and Central Zoige County. Pearson correlations (n = 21) indicated that PC was positively associated with precipitation (r = 0.77) and runoff (r = 0.68), and negatively associated with temperature (r = −0.41), vegetation cover (FVC; r = −0.68), and human disturbance proxy (PAFRAC; r = −0.66). These results help elucidate degradation processes and drivers in the Zoige Wetland and inform protection and restoration. Future studies should combine denser time series with field surveys to reduce uncertainties in remote-sensing water mapping. Full article

Soil erosion intensifies the redistribution and loss of soil nutrients. However, how erosion–deposition processes shape the spatial patterns of soil total nitrogen to total phosphorus (TN:TP) ratio in long-term eroded landscapes remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the spatial variability of TN, TP, and the N:P ratio and their driving factors across a 7-ha sloping black-soil cropland in northeast China. Results showed that mean topsoil concentrations of TN and TP were 1.7 and 0.7 g kg⁻¹, respectively, and the corresponding N:P ratio averaged 5.2, which was 46.6% lower than the Chinese average. Erosion–deposition effects were strongly depth dependent. In the 20–40 cm soil layer, all three variables declined in strongly eroded zones but increased in depositional areas, whereas in the 0–20 cm layer they were lower in depositional zones than in weakly eroded zones, indicating a vertical decoupling of nutrient redistribution under prolonged erosion. Notably, variability in soil N:P was closely associated with TN, soil organic carbon, and silt content, with TN emerging as the dominant control, as reflected by its stronger correlation with N:P (p ≤ 0.001) and higher variability (CV = 21.7–35.8%) relative to TP. Although elevation and slope gradient both influenced N:P spatial variability, only elevation showed a significant negative correlation (p ≤ 0.05). These findings indicate that, compared with TP, TN is more sensitive to long-term soil erosion and deposition and dominates the spatial pattern of the N:P ratio. The enhanced role of TN may increase the risk of N limitation in eroded farmlands. This study provides insights into the mechanisms of nutrient imbalance in eroded black soil regions and offers a scientific basis for formulating targeted soil conservation and fertility enhancement measures. Full article

The Zhang–Wei River served as the Yongji Canal section of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal in Chinese history, with its watershed rich in agricultural land and vegetation resources. Rapid urbanization in China has led to a reduction in the natural landscape base, alterations in landscape patterns, and increased habitat fragmentation within the basin. These changes have resulted in a diminished capacity landscape ecological regulation and an increase in landscape ecological risk levels. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms of landscape ecological risk evolution in the Zhang–Wei River Basin is of great theoretical and practical significance for optimizing land resource allocation in the North China Plain and promoting the restoration of ecological functions in the basin. This study utilizes land use data from the Zhang–Wei River Basin for the years 2000, 2010, 2020, and 2023. Employing the ecological risk index model and the OPGD optimal discretization method, it reveals the spatiotemporal dynamics of landscape ecological risk evolution within the basin and examines the trends and driving factors of this spatiotemporal evolution. The research indicates the following findings: (1) The Zhang–Wei River Basin is primarily characterized by cultivated land and grassland land types. Between 2000 and 2023, both cultivated land and water body areas exhibited negative growth trends, decreasing by 3.6% and 0.05%, respectively. Cultivated land conversion shows the most significant change. The predominant conversion type was construction land. (2) Landscape ecological risks in the Zhang–Wei River Basin have progressively increased over time, exhibiting spatial clustering effects. High-risk zones are concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the Wei River Basin, while low-risk zones are found in the northern and central–southern regions of the Zhang River Basin and the central section of the Wei River Basin. (3) Human activity intensity, land use change, annual precipitation, and population density are the primary single drivers of spatiotemporal differentiation in ecological risks within the Zhang–Wei River Basin. The interactions among these influencing factors within the basin have intensified annually. Notably, in 2020, the interaction between annual precipitation and the Enhanced Vegetation Index shifted from a dual-factor enhancement to a nonlinear enhancement. These results provide scientific basis for land security planning in the Zhang–Wei River Basin and offer valuable insights for safeguarding ecological security in the North China Plain. Full article

Reliable cropland mapping in Karst landscapes is hindered by high topographic heterogeneity and landscape fragmentation. Focusing on the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau in Southwest China, this study evaluates the accuracy and spatial consistency of seven global land cover products (i.e., GlobeLand30, CLCD, GLC_FCS30, CACD, ESA WorldCover, Esri Land Cover, and FROM-GLC10) against the Third National Land Survey released by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources. Furthermore, we employed Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to diagnose key impact factors. The results reveal that the 10 m ESA WorldCover offers superior reliability (OA = 0.81, $R^2$ = 0.84), whereas GLC_FCS30 exhibits the weakest performance among the evaluated datasets (OA = 0.72, $R^2$ = 0.29), highlighting significant uncertainty in this complex terrain. Crucially, MGWR diagnostics (adjusted $R^2=0.923$) uncover how mapping uncertainty is driven by spatially non-stationary environmental constraints. Landscape fragmentation was identified as the primary global driver, exhibiting a consistent negative correlation with accuracy and indicating that the mixed pixel dilemma is the pervasive error source. In contrast, topographic slope operated as a dominant local constraint, with its inhibitory effect intensifying specifically in high-relief gorges where terrain shadowing compromises optical signals. Based on these mechanism diagnostics, we propose a region-adaptive decision framework integrating multi-source fusion and temporal logic to specifically target these topography- and fragmentation-induced uncertainties in future mapping. Full article

The rapid urban expansion (UE) in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) in China has profoundly reshaped landscape patterns and ecosystem functions. Understanding the impact of UE on ecosystem health (EH) across different urban agglomerations is crucial for informing effective ecological governance and sustainability strategies. However, whether UE ultimately promotes or constrains EH across urban agglomerations under multi-scenario remains unclear. This study aims to address this gap by employing the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation model and the Vigor–Organization–Resilience–Service framework to simulate UE and EH in three major urban agglomerations of the YREB, while also examining the mechanisms through which UE influences EH. The results revealed substantial UE under all scenarios, with the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations exhibiting the most pronounced growth. The EH index showed a downward trend, from 0.621 in 2010 to 0.613 in 2020. Bivariate spatial autocorrelation and spatial regression analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between UE and EH. The study identified land fragmentation and occupation due to UE as the primary factors contributing to the deterioration of EH. The findings indicated the necessity of strategic urban planning to mitigate potential ecosystem risks while promoting sustainable urban development. Furthermore, regional cooperation is critical for addressing transboundary ecological challenges and ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of the YREB ecosystem. Full article

Hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2–) breast cancer accounts for approximately two-thirds of all breast cancers. The treatment landscape for HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer has evolved in recent years, with multiple new therapies demonstrating clinical efficacy and improved patient outcomes. To provide evidence-informed guidance on best practices in the management of patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer in Canada, consensus recommendations were developed by Research Excellence, Active Leadership Canadian Breast Cancer Alliance (REAL Alliance), a standing nucleus committee with both clinical–academic oncologists from across Canada and representatives from Breast Cancer Canada, a patient advocacy organization. Recommendations were generated using a modified Delphi approach involving up to three anonymous voting rounds, with a predefined consensus threshold of 75%. These consensus recommendations offer guidance on optimal therapeutic strategies for HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer within the Canadian landscape, including integration of precision oncology and targeted therapies, optimal sequencing of therapies, and the importance of balancing the benefits of treatments with patient quality of life and preferences. Full article

In the context of accelerating worldwide urbanization and ecosystem decline, deciphering the interactions between landscape patterns and habitat quality is essential for biodiversity preservation, particularly within ecologically sensitive zones like the Yellow River Basin. This research investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics, spatial linkages, and nonlinear relationships connecting landscape patterns and habitat quality across the basin. Utilizing land use datasets spanning 1980–2023, we combined the InVEST model, landscape pattern indices, spatial autocorrelation analysis, the XGBoost algorithm, and SHAP interpretability methods. The results show that: (1) Landscape patterns underwent a clear transition around 1995, shifting from regularization and connectivity toward fragmentation and heterogeneity, evidenced by increases in PD, LSI, and SHEI, alongside decreases in LPI and CONTAG. (2) Mean habitat quality progressively declined, exhibited a spatial distribution characterized by “higher in the west, lower in the east.” Low-quality habitat areas expanded from 2.12% to 3.76%, whereas high-quality areas decreased from 23.12% to 22.45%, with better habitats largely maintained in western headwaters and the Qinling Mountains. (3) Significant spatial correlations were observed: LPI positively correlated with habitat quality, while PD, LSI, SHEI, and CONTAG showed negative correlations. Two dominant spatial aggregations emerged—namely “high connectivity–high quality” in the west and “high fragmentation–low quality” in the east. (4) CONTAG was identified as the dominant factor influencing habitat quality, with all landscape indices exhibiting distinct threshold effects. The proposed framework, which integrates spatial statistics, machine learning, and interpretability methods, offers a novel approach for deciphering complex ecological processes. Moreover, the identified thresholds and zonal management strategies offer a scientific foundation for ecological conservation and spatial planning in the Yellow River Basin and other vulnerable river systems worldwide. Full article

The fragile Karst landscapes of southwest China face persistent challenges of soil degradation and rocky desertification. While sustainable land use such as mulberry plantation can support ecological restoration, the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its driving mechanisms across contrasting soil types remain poorly understood, limiting the development of targeted pedogenically aware carbon management strategies. A comparative field study was conducted in central Guizhou, China, over an eight-month mulberry growing season (April to November). We monitored SOC, physicochemical properties, GRSP, and enzyme activities in plantations established on two contrasting limestone-derived soils (Calcisols and Chromic Luvisols). This study aimed to clarify the relationships between SOC and key soil parameters within each soil type and to identify their dominant driving factors. Soil type significantly influenced SOC concentration, dynamics, and its regulatory mechanisms. SOC was significantly higher and exhibited greater seasonal variability in Calcisols (31.51–39.71 g·kg⁻¹) than in Chromic Luvisols (22.50–28.51 g·kg⁻¹), with Calcisols maintaining 1.28–1.57 times the SOC concentration of Chromic Luvisols. Regression analysis revealed that SOC was significantly positively correlated with TN, AN, AK, and GRSP, but significantly negatively correlated with AP. Random forest modeling further identified distinct key correlated factors in each soil type as follows: TN, T-GRSP, and Urease were primary in Calcisols, whereas TN, T-GRSP, and pH dominated in Chromic Luvisols. Partial least squares path modeling confirmed that soil type does not directly associate with SOC but exerts an indirect effect by modulating core biochemical mediators specifically (Alkaline protease, T-GRSP, and TN); The model also indicated that pH and TN exert direct positive effects on SOC accumulation. In Karst mulberry systems, pedogenically distinct soils (Calcisols vs. Chromic Luvisols) shape SOC storage, stability, and regulatory mechanisms through divergent biogeochemical pathways. SOC management should therefore be soil-type-specific, prioritizing nitrogen synergy in Calcisols and pH-mediated stabilization in Chromic Luvisols, rather than applying uniform strategies. This study thereby establishes a mechanistic framework for understanding and managing SOC in heterogeneous Karst landscapes, providing a critical foundation for developing targeted, soil-specific carbon sequestration practices in ecologically vulnerable regions. Full article

The intensifying pressures of urbanization and climate change on coastal zones necessitate a holistic understanding of the interplay between human activity and ecological integrity for sustainable development. However, prevailing methods for assessing coastal vibrancy often overlook direct measures of human presence and fail to quantitatively capture its complex relationship with ecological vulnerability. To address these gaps, this study develops a novel multi-dimensional assessment framework for Coastal Landscape Vibrancy (CLV) and empirically examines its interaction with ecological vulnerability factors in Beihai, China. Moving beyond built-environment-centric approaches, our framework integrates the ‘Crowd’ dimension, directly quantified using Baidu Heat Index data, with the ‘Place’ dimension, characterized by urban features, natural attributes, and visual experience. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to objectively weight these indicators and construct a composite CLV index. We then applied multiple linear regression to analyze the influence of ecological factors constructed based on the Sensitivity-Resilience-Pressure (SRP) model. The results revealed that vibrancy was highly concentrated in urban cores and exhibited significant spatiotemporal variations. Regression analysis revealed that while ecological quality factors like green coverage (β = 0.236, p < 0.001) positively influenced vibrancy, anthropogenic stressors such as slope (β = −0.457, p < 0.001) and the impervious surface index (β = −0.092, p < 0.001) had significant negative impacts, highlighting a critical trade-off between human activity and ecological conditions. The findings provide a quantitative, evidence-based foundation for spatial planning, demonstrating that sustainable coastal vibrancy is achieved through a balanced integration of human activity and ecological conservation, rather than through unchecked development. This framework offers critical insights for formulating strategies that simultaneously enhance ecological resilience and optimize human service facilities. Full article

Spatial openness affects the subjective evaluation of soundscape, landscape, and thermal perceptions, leading to various restoration effects and recreational behaviors. However, the literature lacks studies investigating the effects of multisensory interactions under different levels of spatial openness in plazas on users’ behaviors in urban greenways. Thus, this study contributes to the enhancement of recreational experiences and the environmental design of urban greenways by examining the interaction between multisensory evaluations and recreational behaviors in greenway plazas with different levels of spatial openness. Three types of plazas (enclosed, semi-enclosed, open) were selected along an urban greenway to analyze interactions through in situ measurements, questionnaires, and behavior observation. The results showed that people rated the environment as the quietest and coolest in enclosed plazas, although the sound pressure level of these plazas was the highest. Furthermore, the visual evaluation (VE) was mostly correlated with acoustic evaluation (AE) in plazas with high openness, while the correlation effect between AE and thermal evaluation (TE) was only significant in enclosed plazas. In other words, AE was the key factor targeting the improvement in comfort in greenway plazas. Secondly, improving AE was more effective for stimulating the frequency of interactive activities in enclosed plazas, compared to improving TE. However, AE had a negative effect on the time that people were willing to spend on interactive activities in semi-enclosed plazas. Finally, these findings provide corresponding strategies for creating comfortable audio, visual, and thermal environments in greenway plazas with different levels of openness, as well as strategies for enhancing the recreational experiences of visitors. Full article