Search Results (2,942)

Bauxite mining causes severe soil degradation in the ecologically fragile karst region of Southwest China, yet targeted vegetation restoration schemes remain poorly developed. This study aimed to screen promising selected restoration species and preliminarily explore their soil improvement characteristics in karst bauxite mine wastelands through a field observational survey. We investigated six vegetation-soil conditions at 0–10 cm topsoil (two-year monocultures of Robinia pseudoacacia, Ligustrum lucidum, Zea mays, Miscanthus sinensis, topsoil from >15-year Z. mays with straw return, and unvegetated bare land), alongside paired 10–20 cm subsoil from the same long-term Z. mays stand as a depth-profile reference, and analyzed soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and bacterial/fungal communities via high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that vegetation cover neutralized strongly acidic mine soil and significantly increased soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), and available nutrients compared with the bare control (p < 0.05). The long-term Z. mays cropland showed the strongest soil nutrient accumulation, with topsoil SOM, available phosphorus, and available potassium, increased by 428.6%, 250.0%, and 65.3%, respectively, relative to the bare control. Notably, the subsoil of long-term Z. mays also maintained high nutrient levels, but its absolute values are not directly comparable with topsoil treatments due to different sampling depths. All vegetation conditions elevated soil enzyme activities and microbial alpha diversity and significantly shifted bacterial and fungal community structure (beta diversity) compared with the control. Several bacterial phyla (including Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria) that have been associated with carbon-cycling functions in prior studies were relatively more abundant in revegetated soils; however, their functional roles in this system remain to be verified. Redundancy analysis identified SOM, TN, and available potassium as key environmental correlates of bacterial community variation. Overall, the long-term crop–straw return pattern shows comprehensive soil improvement effects, providing observational baseline data and reference for ecological restoration of karst bauxite mining areas in Southwest China. Full article

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and epidemiological projections indicate that its incidence will continue to increase. Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most frequently diagnosed malignant neoplasms. Quality of life is a key component of oncology care and is significantly influenced by nutritional status and dietary habits. Methods: The study included 52 adult patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer. Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire based on the QEB (Questionnaire of Eating Behaviour) and WHOQOL-BREF (World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF) instruments, supplemented with questions regarding changes in dietary habits and the use of dietary counseling following diagnosis. Nutritional knowledge, dietary habits, and quality of life across four domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental) were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and appropriate tests of statistical significance. Results: Cancers of the colon and rectum—reported either as unspecified colorectal cancer or as separately specified colon or rectal cancer—together accounted for the largest share of diagnoses (26 diagnoses, representing 44.8% of the 58 total reported diagnoses). Quality-of-life assessment revealed the lowest scores in the physical domain and the highest scores in the social domain. The youngest participants achieved the highest scores in the psychological domain, whereas the lowest scores across all domains were observed among individuals aged over 60 years. Following diagnosis, 63.5% of participants reported reviewing and modifying their dietary habits; however, the majority had not received dietary counseling. Women reported higher fruit and vegetable consumption than men, while higher educational attainment was associated with greater self-assessed nutritional knowledge. Conclusions: Among patients with gastrointestinal cancers surveyed in this study, the physical domain of quality of life had the lowest WHOQOL-BREF score. Most participants reported modifying their dietary habits after diagnosis, although most had not received formal dietary counseling. Higher educational attainment was associated with higher self-assessed nutritional knowledge. Given the small convenience sample and cross-sectional design, these findings should be considered exploratory. Full article

Fine-scale habitat data for alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) remain scarce across the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, limiting evidence-based conservation. We deployed 221 camera stations at approximately 10 km grid spacing in Baqing County, Nagqu, Tibet, from August to November 2023, and analyzed 1004 independent detections (30 min threshold) with single-season occupancy models that account for imperfect detection, complemented by logistic and negative binomial models and circular activity analyses. Musk deer were detected at 123 of 221 stations (55.66%). Occupancy was negatively associated with elevation (β = −0.70, 95% CI: −1.02 to −0.38) and positively associated with slope (β = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.24–0.92), while detection probability increased with survey effort; the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and distances to roads, settlements, and water showed weak and unstable support across all frameworks. Activity was broadly cathemeral with a moderate diurnal tendency (Rayleigh test, p = 0.001), and activity timing differed among months and between stations near versus far from roads and settlements. These results provide the first occupancy-based evidence of alpine musk deer habitat use on the central Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and identify relatively low-elevation, steep terrain as priorities for conservation planning. Full article

Urban parks can act as refuges for biodiversity, but their ecological value depends on the structure and composition of the vegetation they contain. This study evaluated the relationship between vegetation attributes and bird diversity in urban parks of metropolitan Arequipa, Peru, while considering daily variation across three time periods. Vegetation and bird communities were jointly characterized in 12 urban parks using point counts, alpha-diversity metrics, mixed models, multivariate ordinations, taxonomic beta diversity, and functional diversity metrics. We recorded 21 bird species and 17,591 individuals in 291 surveys. Bird richness responded mainly to integrated gradients of park size, tree-shrub structure, and shrub-herbaceous vegetation cover, whereas Shannon diversity increased with the total number of plant families and declined toward the afternoon. Bird composition was associated with vegetation gradients, and taxonomic beta diversity was high and dominated by species turnover. Floristically dissimilar parks also supported more differentiated bird communities. Abundance-weighted functional indices responded to the shrub-herbaceous gradient. These findings indicate that vegetation structure and floristic quality are key to enhancing the ecological value of urban parks in arid cities. Full article

This paper shows an AI-assisted workflow supported by a Large Language Model for the geometric and informative reconstruction of masonry arch bridges from multi-source input data. The proposed methodology combines point cloud preprocessing, vegetation filtering, AI-based or semi-automatic segmentation, geometric feature extraction, 3D mesh generation, and parametric Heritage Building Information Modeling integration. The study specifically aims to examine how the quantity and type of input information influence the reconstruction process and the reliability of the resulting HBIM model. The input data considered include Point Clouds (PC), photographic images, and descriptive information related to the bridge geometry, construction features, and visible architectural components. Particular attention is given to the initial geometric characteristics of the point cloud, including its point density, spatial distribution, level of completeness, and overall number of points, to assess how point cloud numerosity affects the accuracy and level of detail of the reconstructed geometry. Starting from a dense 3D survey, the workflow identifies and reconstructs the main architectural and structural components of a masonry arch bridge, including the arch, intrados, parapets, masonry walls, roadway surface, abutments, and cutwaters. The extracted geometry is converted into a clean 3D mesh and subsequently structured into parametric HBIM objects suitable for documentation, conservation, structural assessment, and future monitoring activities. A Cloud-to-Mesh comparison is performed to evaluate the geometric accuracy of the reconstructed model with respect to the original point cloud. The results demonstrate the potential of hybrid AI and geometric approaches to improve the efficiency, repeatability, and reliability of Scan-to-BIM processes for historical masonry bridge heritage. Furthermore, they show that the geometric quality of the HBIM model depends primarily on the density, spatial distribution and completeness of the structural points, rather than on their total number. Well-distributed point clouds, in fact, allow for more reliable reconstructions than larger datasets characterised by uneven coverage. Full article

The green peach aphid, M. persicae (Sulzer), is one of the most important pests of horticultural crops worldwide. In Chile, M. persicae causes severe losses in peach and herbaceous crops. Understanding aphid population dynamics across its primary (peach) and secondary (weed) hosts is fundamental to developing a more effective pest control strategy. To investigate the spatial genetic connectivity of M. persicae populations between cultivated and non-cultivated hosts, we conducted a longitudinal survey in three commercial peach orchards in central Chile. Apterous aphid colonies were repeatedly sampled from peach trees and weed hosts located both within and outside orchards, and population genetic structure and clonal diversity were characterized using six polymorphic microsatellite loci. Genetic differentiation was low between weed populations inside and outside orchards, whereas greater differentiation was observed between peach trees and weeds outside orchards. Three recurrent multilocus genotypes persisted across multiple seasons, orchards, and host plants, indicating substantial spatiotemporal persistence of particular clonal lineages. Comparison with insecticide-resistance profiles further showed that neutral population structure and resistance-associated variation were not necessarily concordant. These findings support an important role for non-cultivated hosts in maintaining recurrent M. persicae lineages within peach agroecosystems and highlight the value of considering surrounding vegetation in integrated pest management. Full article

Impervious surfaces create heterogeneous planting sites for urban trees, but whether crown-scale sealing is associated jointly with leaf economics and reproductive dispersal morphology remains unclear. We aimed to test these associations in mature female Populus tomentosa while treating impervious surface area (ISA) as a composite indicator of site context rather than a direct measure of thermal or hydrological stress. In a single-season, cross-sectional survey of 180 trees in Beijing (60 per low-, mid-, and high-ISA descriptive stratum), we measured crown-scale ISA, short-term midday ground-surface temperature, a pervious-soil access-moisture index (PSAMI), eight leaf traits, and five reproductive traits, and analyzed continuous associations, group contrasts, effect sizes, and multivariate patterns. Greater ISA was associated with lower PSAMI (R² = 0.581) and higher land surface temperature (R² = 0.845). Compared with low-ISA trees, high-ISA trees had lower specific leaf area (117.5 ± 29.1 vs. 90.9 ± 19.0 cm² g⁻¹; Hedges’ g = −1.07, 95% CI [−1.50, −0.71]) and longer seed hairs (0.564 ± 0.067 vs. 0.727 ± 0.078 cm; g = 2.24, 95% CI [1.82, 2.78]), together with greater fuzz biomass and lower seed mass. Multivariate analyses showed coordinated shifts in mean leaf and reproductive phenotype without stronger within-stratum cross-module integration. We conclude that the study’s principal contribution is the joint description of vegetative economics and reproductive dispersal morphology on the same mature urban trees. Because ISA co-varied with land use and management and PSAMI includes structural zeros, the findings are preliminary and do not establish causal stress mechanisms, plant-available water status, airborne exposure, or management effects; multi-year matched-site validation is required. Full article

Ucides cordatus, a key species in Brazilian mangroves, supports both ecological processes and traditional extractive practices. Some mangrove areas in Northeastern Brazil are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic stressors. We evaluated the population density, size structure, extractive potential, and morphological maturity of this species in Acupe (state of Bahia), integrating environmental and human disturbance variables. Surveys conducted in 2018–2019 revealed a high proportion of undersized individuals (93.1% below the legal minimum catch size), with larger crabs concentrated in warmer months and near the estuarine fringe. Although solid waste and tree cutting were evident throughout the study area, no statistically significant association was detected with crab abundance or forest structure. Maturity estimates were a carapace width of 54.6 mm for males and 50.7 mm for females, suggesting early reproductive investment in females. Principal Component Analysis indicated that crab density and extraction potential correlated with rainfall, temperature, and vegetation structure, rather than local anthropogenic pressures. Despite moderate densities, the predominance of immature individuals and signs of overfishing highlight the need for improved management. We recommend that L. racemosa-dominated mangrove sectors, generally associated with high proportions of undersized crabs, should be considered priority areas for no-take or recovery zones. Full article

River ecosystems play a key role in both natural and urbanized environments, acting as essential links in ecological systems. However, they are increasingly exposed to the synergistic effects of anthropogenic pressure and hydrological instability. This study aims to identify and assess changes in land use and their impact on the phytosociological structure and functioning of ash-alder (Fraxino-Alnetum) patches in floodplains. Based on cartographic analyses (1941, 1961, 2025) and detailed geobotanical surveys (2024–2025) conducted at six representative sites, the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and vegetation habitat conditions were evaluated using ecological indicator values. The results indicate a substantial landscape transformation: a transition from areas dominated by agricultural and forest ecosystems to zones heavily altered by urban expansion, transport infrastructure, and industrialization. Phytosociological analyses show that while species richness remains relatively stable, floristic composition is changing due to hornbeam succession and the emergence of mesophilous species. The presence of non-native species indicates ongoing anthropization in plant patches. Furthermore, hydromorphological modifications, including bank reinforcement and channel deepening in the vicinity of sports and railway infrastructure, have hindered natural river dynamics and accelerated floodplain drainage. The observed changes indicate that ash-alder forests in the Biała Przemsza valley are in a transitional phase between riparian and oak-hornbeam communities, with a clear oak-hornbeam transformation evident in many areas, driven by changes in water relations. This study highlights the urgent need to implement integrated restoration strategies that account for both hydrological catchment recovery and the mitigation of urban pressure to ensure the long-term resilience of riparian ecosystems. Full article

The adoption of agroecological practices has recently gained increasing attention. However, significant disparities persist between farmers’ awareness and actual implementation. This study addresses this gap by developing an integrated analytical framework to identify farmer typologies and explain the heterogeneity of agroecological adoption among Romanian tomato growers, considered as a case study within the broader context of Romanian vegetable production. Based on a survey of 196 active cultivators, the analysis combines principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis to identify latent behavioral dimensions and classify farmers into distinct typologies. In addition, an Agroecological Adoption Index (AAI) is constructed to assess and compare adoption levels across groups. The results reveal four statistically distinct farmer typologies: informed farmers with low adoption, practice-oriented low-constraint farmers, high-adoption agroecological farmers, and pragmatic adopters. The findings demonstrate that adoption is not solely determined by knowledge levels but is strongly shaped by perceived barriers, particularly limited access to information, financial constraints, and uncertainty. By moving beyond single-factor explanations, this study highlights the multidimensional nature of agroecological adoption and provides empirical evidence of the interaction between cognitive, economic, and structural determinants. The results offer important policy implications, suggesting that effective interventions should combine targeted training, advisory services, and financial support tailored to specific farmer profiles within horticultural production systems. Full article

Wildlife baiting sites represent localized disturbance hotspots within natural habitats and may substantially alter plant diversity. We investigated these effects in the Mátra Mountains (Hungary) by surveying 20 baiting sites across two regions and two elevational zones. Vegetation was sampled using 1 × 1 m quadrats positioned along 20 m transects. Results revealed a highly significant (p < 0.001) degradation gradient centered around bait stations. Management intensity appeared to override natural environmental gradients, as invasive species cover differed significantly between regions (p < 0.001), with higher values in Western Mátra (1.88%) than in Eastern Mátra (1.15%). Weed cover showed a similar, although non-significant trend (15.66% vs. 7.84%). Landscape-level analysis identified the surrounding road network as a key dispersal corridor, with road density positively correlated with weed cover. Sites equipped with automatic baiting systems recorded significantly higher weed cover (16.15%) than traditional sites (7.36%). The frequent occurrence of crop species (Zea mays L., Triticum aestivum L.) together with invasive plants (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Xanthium spinosum L.) suggests that agricultural forage serves as a major pathway for the introduction of non-native seeds. As management intensity was more strongly associated with these patterns than environmental gradients, anthropogenic factors appear to be the primary drivers of localized changes in plant community composition and biodiversity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by variants in the ALDOB gene, resulting in aldolase B deficiency. Symptoms occur after the ingestion of fructose, sucrose, or sorbitol, leading to metabolic toxicity. Management is exclusively dietary, but clinical practice remains highly variable. This survey aimed to investigate current Italian dietary management practices for patients with HFI. Methods: A cross-sectional centre-level survey was conducted using a 29-item questionnaire distributed to metabolic dietitians within the Italian Society for the Study of Inherited Metabolic Diseases network between April and May 2026. Results: Data from 27 dietitians across 15 Italian inherited metabolic disease centres were analysed. Over half of the centres (53.3%) provided care for both paediatric and adult patients, and all centres (100%) supplied structured educational materials for the fructose-, sucrose-, and sorbitol-restricted diet. Marked heterogeneity was observed in dietary practices, particularly in the classification of sugars and sweeteners, recommendations for cereal-based products, and fibre supplementation strategies. Cereal-based dietary guidance was provided by 10/15 centres (66.7%), ranging from no specific recommendations (5/15, 33.3%) to a preference for refined grains (7/15, 46.7%) or fibre-based restrictions (2/15, 13.3%). With regard to sugars and sweeteners, consensus was observed only for maltitol and sorbitol, which were classified as prohibited by all centres (15/15, 100%). Mannitol and isomalt were prohibited in 14/15 centres (93.3%). All other compounds showed variable recommendations across centres, including xylitol (prohibited 46.7%, permitted 40.0%), erythritol (permitted 60.0%), and sucralose (prohibited 33.3%, permitted 20.0%, restricted 20.0%, unspecified 26.7%). Vitamin C (100%) and folic acid (86.6%) were the most commonly prescribed supplements. One-third (33%) of the centres required the use of fibre supplements or osmotic laxatives to manage chronic constipation, with wide variability in the specific type of fibre recommended. Conclusions: These findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in dietary management of HFI across specialised Italian centres and support the development of evidence-based, standardised nutritional guidelines to improve the consistency of care, nutritional adequacy, and patient outcomes. Full article

Brassica crops, encompassing globally important vegetables and oilseeds, face severe threats from diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant secondary metabolites constitute the chemical foundation of defence, and metabolomics has emerged as an effective systems biology tool for comprehensively dissecting stress-induced metabolic changes. Recent progress in applying metabolomics to elucidate defence mechanisms in Brassica crops is systematically synthesised here. Major stresses confronting Brassica crop production and the metabolic basis of plant defence are first outlined. Current analytical platforms, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, ion mobility spectrometry, and mass spectrometry imaging, are critically evaluated alongside data processing workflows and multi-omics integration strategies. Key defence-related metabolite classes identified in Brassica crops, notably glucosinolates (GSLs) and their hydrolysis products, phenolic compounds, and lipid-derived signalling molecules, are surveyed with emphasis on their respective functions in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Metabolomics has been instrumental in revealing distinct metabolic reprogramming patterns triggered by diverse stresses, including pathogen infection, insect herbivory, drought, salinity, temperature extremes, and heavy metal stress. Metabolomics-informed crop improvement strategies, including marker-assisted breeding, genetic and metabolic engineering, and precision agronomic practices, are discussed together with current technical bottlenecks and future directions involving artificial intelligence, metabolic modelling, and spatial metabolomics. The compiled knowledge provides a comprehensive reference for leveraging metabolomics to enhance stress resilience and sustainable production of Brassica crops. Full article

This article presents a spatial assessment of rangeland productivity, forage resources, and the potential carrying capacity of saiga (Saiga tatarica (L., 1766)) habitats within the Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve (Kazakhstan). This research integrated field geobotanical surveys, remote sensing data, and spatial modelling approaches. During fieldwork conducted in July 2025, 44 geobotanical descriptions were completed. Long-term Sentinel-2 imagery (2015–2025), spectral vegetation indices, and ensemble machine learning algorithms (Random Forest and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees) were used to model rangeland productivity. The study area includes 16 types of rangelands. The forage resource base is primarily formed by dry-steppe communities dominated by Stipa, Festuca, and Artemisia. At the same time, halophytic vegetation containing Atriplex, Bassia, and Halocnemum provides additional forage resources under arid and saline conditions. The total annual forage reserve was estimated at 3,308,921.2 centners, and the potential annual carrying capacity was calculated at 363,033 saiga individuals across 313,868 ha. These values represent the theoretical forage-carrying capacity of the territory and should not be interpreted as actual population estimates. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating remote sensing, field observations, and machine learning methods for assessing forage resources and spatial heterogeneity of rangeland ecosystems in the steppe regions of Kazakhstan. Full article

Open-pit mines contain rapidly changing terrain, discontinuous bench structures, and mixed artificial–natural objects, which complicate automated three-dimensional mapping. This study presents a dual-module workflow for UAV LiDAR point clouds. Module A characterizes local geometry using normal and curvature descriptors, constructs local plane support through RANSAC fitting, and detects candidate bench-line points using an angular-gap criterion, followed by regional grouping and Kalman-filter refinement. Qualitative overlay with the orthophoto showed coherent correspondence with principal platform–slope transitions. Module B segments buildings, roads, and vegetation using a PointNet++ network enhanced by local Transformer self-attention and inverted residual feature transformation. Under a fixed spatial hold-out setting, the network achieved an overall accuracy of 97.6% and a mean intersection over union of 96.4%. It obtained the highest overall accuracy, mean intersection over union, and class-wise intersection over union among the selected baselines, whereas Point Transformer achieved a slightly higher mean class accuracy. The two independently operated modules provide complementary structural and semantic information for open-pit mine mapping. Broader applicability requires reference-based bench-line assessment and evaluation across additional mines and survey periods. Full article