Search Results (2,381)

Accurate quantification of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is essential for monitoring terrestrial carbon stocks. While total AGB estimation is widely practiced, resolving component biomass such as canopy, branches, leaves, and trunks enhances the precision of carbon sink assessments and provides critical structural parameters for ecosystem modeling. Most studies rely on a single SAR sensor or a limited range of SAR features, which restricts their ability to represent vegetation structural complexity and reduces biomass estimation accuracy. Here, we propose a phased fusion strategy that integrates backscatter intensity, interferometric coherence, texture measures, and polarimetric decomposition parameters derived from dual-frequency ALOS-2, GF-3, and Sentinel-1A SAR data. These complementary multi-dimensional SAR features are incorporated into a Random Forest model optimized using an Adaptive Genetic Algorithm (RF-AGA) to estimate forest total and component estimation. The results show that the progressive incorporation of coherence and texture features markedly improved model performance, increasing the accuracy of total AGB to R² = 0.88 and canopy biomass to R² = 0.78 under leave-one-out cross-validation. Feature contribution analysis indicates strong complementarity among SAR parameters. Polarimetric decomposition yielded the largest overall contribution, while L-band volume scattering was the primary driver of trunk and canopy estimation. Coherence-enhanced trunk prediction increased R² by 13 percent, and texture improved canopy representation by capturing structural heterogeneity and reducing saturation effects. This study confirms that integrating coherence and texture information within the RF-AGA framework enhances AGB estimation, and that the differential contributions of multi-dimensional SAR parameters across total and component biomass estimation originate from their distinct structural characteristics. The proposed framework provides a robust foundation for regional carbon monitoring and highlights the value of integrating complementary SAR features with ensemble learning to achieve high-precision forest carbon assessment. Full article

In achieving sustainable development goals, soils play a key role in environmental protection, natural resources, and food security. Peatlands are particularly important here, as they function at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and store large amounts of organic matter. However, organic soils are highly susceptible to transformation and degradation; therefore, their degradation caused by, among others, drainage properties is a high risk to both the environment and agriculture—it disrupts the ecosystems, causes greenhouse gas emissions, and eutrophicates the hydrosphere. Soil degradation in drained peatlands is associated with the transformation of soil organic matter (SOM), which in organic soils is the dominant component of the solid phase of the soil. The aim of our study was to assess the properties and degree of organic matter transformation in drained temperate peatland soils, with particular emphasis on sequential fractionation of SOM and humic acid properties. Due to the fact that in Poland, as many as 90% of non-forest peat bogs have been drained, we compare the mursh horizons that formed after peat bog drainage with the peat horizons that constitute the parent rock (where anaerobiosis occurs and morphological changes in the soil material are absent due to peat bog drainage). Studies were conducted on 11 soil profiles located in central-eastern Poland. Basic physicochemical soil properties were determined: pH, bulk density, contents of ash, SOM, total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN). Sequential carbon fractionation was used to qualitatively analyze organic matter, which allowed for the identification of labile fractions, lipid fractions, humic substances (fulvic and humic acids), and residual fractions. Humic acids (HAs) were extracted using the Schnitzer method and analyzed for their elemental composition and spectrometric parameters in the VIS range. It was demonstrated that SOM transformation in drained temperate peatland soils was correlated with comprehensive changes in the soil’s physical and chemical properties. Compared to peat horizons, topsoil horizons were characterized by higher ash content and density, lower SOM content, and a lower TC/TN ratio. Qualitative SOM transformation during aerobic SOM transformation after draining the studied peatlands consisted of an increase in the amount of labile fractions and humic substances and a decrease in the lipid and residual fractions. The research results have shown that the HAs properties depended on the depth. HAs from topsoil horizons, compared to peat horizons, were characterized by a lower “degree of maturity,” as reflected by the values of atomic ratios (H/C, O/C) and absorbance coefficients (A_4/6 and ΔlogK). It was found that the share of the distinguished SOM fractions and HAs properties were closely correlated with the physical and chemical properties of the soils. The study demonstrated the usefulness of the sequential carbon fractionation method for assessing the effects of dewatered peat transformation. The obtained results could contribute to the development of good practices ensuring high quality of organic matter and stability of ecosystems, as well as to the development of methods for limiting the mineralization of organic matter (SOM), greenhouse gas emissions, and the loss of organic soils in agricultural areas. Full article

The anticipated transition from 5G to 6G is driven not by incremental performance demands but by a widening mismatch between emerging application requirements and the capabilities of existing cellular systems. Despite rapid progress across 3GPP Releases 15–20, the current literature lacks a unified analysis that connects these standardization milestones to the concrete technical gaps that 6G must resolve. This study addresses this omission through a cross-release, application-driven review that traces how the evolution from enhanced mobile broadband to intelligent, sensing integrated networks lays the foundation for three core 6G service pillars: immersive communication (IC), everything connected (EC), and high-precision positioning. By examining use cases such as holographic telepresence, cooperative drone swarms, and large-scale Extended Reality (XR) ecosystems, this study exposes the limitations of today’s spectrum strategies, network architectures, and device capabilities and identifies the performance thresholds of Tbps-level throughput, sub-10 cm localization, sub-ms latency, and 10 M/km² device density that next-generation systems must achieve. The novelty of this review lies in its synthesis of 3GPP advancements in XR, the non-terrestrial network (NTN), RedCap, ambient Internet of Things (IoT), and consideration of sustainability into a cohesive key performance indicator (KPI) framework that links future services to the required architectural and protocol innovations, including AI-native design and sub-THz operation. Positioned against global initiatives such as Hexa-X and the Next G Alliance, this paper argues that 6G represents a fundamental redesign of wireless communication advancement in 5G, driven by intelligence, adaptability, and long-term energy efficiency to satisfy diverse uses cases and requirements. Full article

Plastic pollution poses severe threats to ecosystems, human health, and economies as plastics fragment into macro- and microplastics that accumulate across marine and terrestrial environments. Conventional monitoring is constrained by scale, cost, and resources, particularly in under-resourced regions, whereas citizen science provides an inclusive, community-driven alternative for data collection, analysis, and remediation to support evidence-based policy. This systematic review advances the field through three novel contributions: a refined participatory typology that explicitly prioritizes co-creative models for equitable engagement in the Global South; the first comprehensive synthesis of direct citizen involvement in plastic bioremediation, including community microbial isolation, household biodegradation trials, and real-world testing of biodegradable materials; and a new conceptual framework positioning citizen science as the central nexus linking upstream prevention, technological innovation, bioremediation, and global governance. Findings highlight large-scale geotagged datasets, behavioral change, and policy influence, while persistent challenges include data standardization, digital exclusion, and Global North bias. We therefore advocate institutional mainstreaming through dedicated policy offices, decolonial integration of indigenous knowledge, and hybrid citizen–lab validation pipelines, especially in underrepresented regions such as Africa, establishing citizen science as a transformative mechanism for participatory and equitable responses to escalating plastic pollution. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental pollutants, widely distributed from aquatic ecosystems to the terrestrial food chain, and represent a potential route of human exposure. Although several reviews have addressed MP contamination, a critical synthesis focusing on pathways through which consumer goods directly enter food and beverages, along with corresponding industry and regulatory responses, is lacking. This review fills this gap by proposing the direct release of MPs from common sources such as food packaging, kitchen utensils, and household appliances, linking the release mechanisms to human health risks. The release mechanisms of MPs under thermal stress, mechanical abrasion, chemical leaching, and environmental factors, as well as a risk-driven framework for MP release, are summarized. Human exposure through ingestion is the predominant route, while inhalation and dermal contact are additional pathways. In vitro and animal studies have associated MP exposure to inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and genomic instability as endpoints, though direct causal evidence in humans remains lacking, and extrapolation from model systems necessitates caution. This review revealed that dietary intake from kitchen sources is the primary pathway for MP exposure, higher than the inhalation pathway. Most importantly, this review critically sheds light on the initiatives that should be taken by industries with respect to global strategies and new policies to alleviate these challenges. However, while there has been an upsurge in research commenced in this area, there are still research gaps that need to be addressed to explore food matrices such as dairy products, meat, and wine in the context of the supply chain. In conclusion, we pointed out the challenges that limit this research with the aim of improving standardization; research approaches and a risk assessment framework to protect health; and the key differences between MP and nanoplastic (NP) detection, toxicity, and regulatory strategies, underscoring the need for size-resolved risk assessments. Full article

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems harbor a wealth of underexplored plant biodiversity with untapped ecological and pharmacological potential. This study integrates morphological and molecular barcoding (ITS and rbcL) to confirm the identity of eight wild plant species native to the Saudi Arabian desert: Calligonum crinitum, Tribulus terrestris, Cornulaca monacantha, Cleome pallida, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Cyperus conglomeratus, Indigofera argentea, and Artemisia monosperma. High-resolution GC–MS analysis identified over 25 bioactive compounds across these taxa, grouped into functional classes including hydrocarbons, esters, fatty acids, quinones, terpenoids, and phenolics. Notable compounds such as n-hexadecanoic acid, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, lupeol, and D-limonene were linked to antioxidant activity, desiccation tolerance, and membrane protection under stress. L. pyrotechnica and A. monosperma emerged as chemical outliers with unique metabolite profiles, suggesting divergent strategies for climate resilience. Our results highlight the ecological and bioeconomic value of desert flora, positioning them as candidates for future research in metabolic engineering, dryland restoration, and plant-based pharmaceuticals. This integrative approach underscores the relevance of desert plants for sustainable development in the face of climate change. Full article

The continuous degradation of mangrove ecosystems, considered among the most vulnerable worldwide, reveals multiple threats driven by human activities and climate change. In the Peruvian context, particularly in the Tumbes Mangrove ecosystem, these pressures are intensified by the absence of integrated spatial and educational infrastructures capable of supporting conservation efforts while engaging local communities. In response, this research proposes a Sustainable Interpretation Center for Conservation and Environmental Education in Ecologically Sensitive Areas of the Tumbes Mangrove, Peru. The methodology includes climate data analysis, identification of local flora and fauna, and site topography characterization, supported by digital tools such as Google Earth, AutoCAD 2025, Revit 2025, and 3D Sun Path. The results are reflected in an architectural proposal that incorporates sustainable materials compatible with sensitive ecosystems, including eco-friendly structural solutions based on algarrobo timber, together with resilient strategies addressing climatic variability, such as lightweight structures, elevated platforms, and passive environmental solutions that minimize impact on the mangrove. Furthermore, the proposal integrates a photovoltaic energy system consisting of 12 solar panels with a unit capacity of 450 W, providing a total installed capacity of 5.4 kWp, complemented by a 48 V LiFePO₄ battery storage system designed to ensure energy autonomy during periods of low solar availability. In conclusion, the proposal adheres to principles of sustainability and energy efficiency and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 8, 12, 14, and 15, reinforcing the use of clean energy, responsible tourism, sustainable resource management, and the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Full article

Ants act as keystone species in terrestrial ecosystems, providing important ecosystem services. The large-scale production and application of GO constitute a predominant contributor to its inevitable environmental dispersion. Most GO toxicity studies have focused on plants, animals, and microorganisms, with limited research on ground-dwelling ants. In the study, we used Camponotus japonicus as a model to investigate the toxic effects of GO on ants by integrating physiological characteristics, gut microbiota and transcriptome profiling. Results showed that GO exposure induced mitochondrial dysfunction, as evidenced by mitochondrial ROS accumulation and elevated mitochondrial membrane permeability. Physiological assessments revealed that GO exposure induced oxidative stress. Specifically, GO treatment significantly suppressed superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, while enhancing peroxidase (POD) and carboxylesterase (CarE) activities and increasing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and trehalose. Gut microbiota analyses showed that GO remarkably reduced the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial symbionts (e.g., Candidatus Blochmannia) and destabilized the whole community structure. Furthermore, transcriptome profiling revealed 680 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ants after GO exposure, most of which were significantly enriched in pathways associated with oxidative phosphorylation. This study suggests that GO may compromise ant-mediated ecosystem function and provides a reference for understanding the environmental risks of GO. Our findings also offer new insights for protecting the ecosystem services of ants. Full article

Plastic pollution is a major global challenge, especially nanoplastics (NPs) emerging as harmful pollutants due to their small size, reactivity, and persistence in ecosystems. Among them, cigarette butts composed of cellulose acetate (CA) are one of the most widespread and hazardous sources of terrestrial NPs. In this study, the immunotoxic, biochemical, and histopathological effects of cellulose acetate nanoplastics (CA-NPs) derived from smoked cigarette butts (SCB-NPs), unsmoked cigarette butts (USCB-NPs), and commercial cellulose acetate (CCA-NPs) were evaluated on the earthworm Allolobophora caliginosa. Adult worms were exposed for 30 days to 100 mg/kg CA-NPs in artificial soil under controlled laboratory conditions. Results revealed that SCB-NPs induced the most pronounced alterations, including increased lysozyme and metallothionein levels, reduced phagocytic and peroxidase activities, and depletion of protein and carbohydrate reserves. Histological examination showed vacuoles in epithelial layer vacuolization, space between muscle fiber disruption, and degeneration in gut and body wall, especially under SCB-NP exposure. USCB-NPs and CCA-NPs caused milder but still significant effects. Taken together, these findings highlight that the high toxicity of SCB-NPs is due to the presence of combustion-derived toxicants (nicotine, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals), which exacerbate oxidative stress, immune suppression, and tissue damage in soil invertebrates. This study underscores the ecological risk of cigarette butt-derived NPs and calls for urgent policy measures to mitigate their terrestrial impacts. Full article

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) plays a vital role in the terrestrial carbon cycle and ecosystem functioning. Understanding its spatio-temporal dynamics and driving mechanisms is critical for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. China’s GPP has experienced complex responses due to heterogeneous climate, environment, and human activities, yet their impacts and interactions across ecosystems remain unquantified. This study used the Mann–Kendall test and SHapley Additive exPlanations to quantify the contributions and interactions of climate, vegetation, topography, and human factors using GPP data (2001–2020). Nationally, GPP showed a significant upward trend, particularly in deciduous broadleaf forests, croplands, grasslands, and savannas. Leaf area index (LAI) is identified as the primary contributor to GPP variations, while climate factors exhibit nonlinear interactive effects on the modeled GPP. Ecosystem-specific sensitivities were evident: forest GPP is predominantly associated with climate–vegetation coupling. Additionally, in coniferous forests, the interaction between anthropogenic factors and topography shows a notable association with productivity patterns. Grassland GPP is primarily linked to topography, while cropland GPP is mainly related to management practices and environmental conditions. In contrast, the GPP of savannas and shrublands is less influenced by factor interactions. These findings high-light the necessity of ecosystem-specific management and restoration strategies and provide a basis for improving carbon cycle modeling and climate change adaptation planning. Full article

Diurnally asymmetric warming under global climate change is reshaping terrestrial ecosystems, with important implications for vegetation productivity, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. However, the mechanisms underlying the delayed and differentiated vegetation responses to daytime and nighttime warming, particularly under interacting precipitation regimes, remain insufficiently understood, limiting accurate assessments of ecosystem resilience under future climate scenarios. Clarifying how vegetation responds dynamically to asymmetric temperature changes and precipitation, including their lagged effects, is therefore essential. Here, we analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of growing-season Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) across the Yellow River Basin from 2001 to 2022 using Theil–Sen median trend estimation and the Mann–Kendall test. We further quantified the lagged responses of NDVI to daytime maximum temperature (Tmax), nighttime minimum temperature (Tmin), and precipitation, and identified their dominant controls using partial correlation analysis and an XGBoost–SHAP framework. Results show that (1) growing-season climate in the YRB experienced pronounced diurnal warming asymmetry: Tmax, Tmin, and precipitation all increased, but Tmin rose substantially faster than Tmax. (2) NDVI exhibited an overall increasing trend, with declines confined to only 2.72% of the basin, mainly in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Qinghai. (3) NDVI responded to Tmax, Tmin, and precipitation with distinct lag times, averaging 43, 16, and 42 days, respectively. (4) Lag times were strongly modulated by topography, soil properties, and hydro-climatic background. Specifically, Tmax lag time shortened with increasing elevation, soil silt content, and slope, while showing a decrease-then-increase pattern with potential evapotranspiration. Tmin lag time lengthened with elevation, soil sand content, and soil pH, but shortened with higher potential evapotranspiration. Precipitation lag time increased with soil silt content and net primary productivity, decreased with soil pH, and varied nonlinearly with elevation (decrease then increase). By explicitly linking diurnal warming asymmetry to vegetation response lags and their environmental controls, this study advances process-based understanding of climate–vegetation interactions in arid and semi-arid regions. The findings provide a transferable framework for improving ecosystem vulnerability assessments and informing adaptive vegetation management and conservation strategies under ongoing asymmetric warming. Full article

Grasslands, as dominant terrestrial ecosystems, significantly influence soil microbial communities through alterations in soil properties. However, their effects on spatial patterns of soil microbial communities are still under-investigated. To address this, we quantified taxa–area (TAR) and node–area (NAR) relationships for prokaryotic and fungal communities across temperate steppe (TS), alpine steppe (AS), and alpine meadow (AM). Our findings indicated that the spatial turnover of both prokaryotic and fungal communities were higher in alpine steppe and alpine meadow than in temperate steppe, mirroring the gradient of soil environmental heterogeneity. Notably, overall species richness increased logarithmically with sampling area in all grasslands; in striking contrast, co-occurring richness exhibited an increasing and then decreasing trend in AS and AM, but declined monotonically in TS, indicating that microbial interaction networks collapse once a critical spatial threshold is exceeded regulated by ecosystem type and environmental heterogeneity. In growing season, the stochastic dominance in prokaryotic assembly (Normalized stochasticity ratio = 0.71–0.89) and deterministic dominance in fungal assembly (Normalized stochasticity ratio = 0.23–0.37) can be explained by their differences in niche breadth and migration rate. These scale-dependent biogeographic patterns demonstrate that grassland type impacts distinct interactions and spatial patterns of microbial communities. These findings provide novel insights into a comprehensive understanding of how grassland type mediates soil microbial community. Full article

Microbial communities associated with animal cadaver decomposition play a crucial role in biogeochemical cycles in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, it remains unclear regarding the diversity, succession, and assembly of phosphate-solubilizing microbes during animal cadaver decay. In this study, plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) as mammal degradation models were placed on alpine meadow soils to study diversity, succession and assembly of phosphate-solubilizing microbes using amplicon sequencing of phoC- and phoD-genes during 94 days of incubation. The total phosphorus concentration in the corpse group increased by 8.53% on average. Alpha diversity of both phoC- and phoD-harboring microbes decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group, and the community structure differed between control and experimental groups. Phosphate-solubilizing microbial community turnover time rate (TDR) of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group, indicating corpse decay accelerates the succession of phoC- and phoD-harboring microbial community. Null model revealed that deterministic process dominated phoC microbial community in corpse group, while the stochastic process dominated phoD microbial community. The microbial network in experimental group was more complicated than that in control group of phoC microbial community, while phoD microbial community showed opposite trend. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) showed that phoC-harboring microbial community was mainly influenced by pH, Total carbon (TC) and Total phosphorus (TP), while the phoD microbial community was only regulated by TP. These findings elucidate the ecological mechanism of phosphorus-solubilizing microbial community changes during animal corpse degradation. Full article

Terrestrial ecosystems in Hunan Province have undergone marked yet spatially heterogeneous vegetation changes under concurrent climate change and intensifying human activities. The aim of this study is to resolve how vegetation responses vary among land-use types by quantifying kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) dynamics during 2000–2023 using precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation, coupled with trend analysis and a partial-derivative-based attribution. Mean kNDVI increased overall at 0.0016 yr⁻¹; vegetation improved over 76.30% of the area, whereas 5.72% of the area experienced degradation. Built-up land exhibited the largest degraded fraction (35.04%). Human activities and temperature emerged as the dominant drivers of kNDVI change, contributing 62.25% and 27.92%, respectively, while precipitation (3.08%) and solar radiation (6.77%) played comparatively minor roles. Spatially, human activities primarily controlled vegetation dynamics in plains and urban clusters (~78% of the area), whereas temperature constrained vegetation in high-elevation mountain ranges. Analysis along the human footprint (HFP) gradient reveals that driver composition remains steady in resilient ecosystems (farmland and forest), despite increasing anthropogenic pressure, whereas fragile ecosystems (grassland and bareland) exhibited pronounced volatility and heightened sensitivity to environmental constraints. These findings provide a quantitative basis for developing sustainable ecological security strategies, incorporating region-specific measures such as adaptive afforestation, sustainable agricultural management, and strict ecological protection, to enhance ecosystem resilience by prioritizing the climate resilience of mountain forests and the stability of fragile grassland systems. Full article