Search Results (1,711)

Clonal propagation often must incorporate heaters to warm stock plants and stabilize growth. This study investigates the impact that different temperature regimes for stock plants have on the rooting capacity of mini-cuttings derived therefrom. Experiments were conducted in growth chambers using two clones of Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden, with clone A’s rooting being moderately better that that of clone B in commercial production. Root primordia differentiation and elongation were faster in clone A than clone B. Stock plants were maintained for one month under two temperature conditions: Δ0 (26/26 °C day/night) and Δ10 (26/16 °C). The main results indicate that rooting significantly decreased with the reduction in nocturnal temperature. Clone A exhibited a 38% reduction in rooting, whereas clone B showed a more pronounced decrease of 65%. In cold nights, soluble carbohydrates at the cutting bases dropped by approximately 25% considering both clones, and overall foliar nutrients also decreased. Cutting base transcript profiles revealed that cold nights decreased the expression of efflux auxin transporter PIN1, increased expression of auxin catabolism-related enzyme DAO, and that expression of auxin nuclear receptor TIR1 remained stable. Fine management of clonal gardens by adjusting thermal conditions can optimize the physiological status of donor plants and enhance the rooting potential and establishment of the derived cuttings. Full article

Concrete production contributes approximately 4–8% of global cardon dioxide emissions, largely due to Portland cement. Incorporating municipal solid waste (MSW) into concrete offers a pathway to reduce cement demand while supporting circular economy objectives. This study evaluates the mechanical performance, environmental impacts, and optimization potential of concrete incorporating three MSW-derived materials: cardboard kraft fibers (KFs), recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and textile fibers. A maximum 10% cement replacement strategy was adopted. Compressive strength was assessed at 7, 14, and 28 days, and a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using OpenLCA to quantify global warming potential (GWP100) and other midpoint impacts. A surrogate-based optimization implemented using Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) was applied to minimize cost and GWP while enforcing compressive strength as a feasibility constraint. The results show that fiber-based wastes significantly reduce embodied carbon, with KF achieving the largest GWP reduction (19%) and textile waste achieving moderate reductions (10%) relative to the control. HDPE-modified concrete exhibited near-control mechanical performance but increased GWP and fossil depletion due to polymer processing burdens. The optimization results revealed well-defined Pareto trade-offs for KF and textile concretes, identifying clear compromise solutions between cost and emissions, while HDPE was consistently dominated. Overall, textile waste emerged as the most balanced option, offering favorable environmental gains with minimal cost and acceptable mechanical performance. The integrated LCA optimization framework demonstrates a robust approach for evaluating MSW-derived concrete and supports evidence-based decision-making toward low-carbon, circular construction materials. Full article

This study develops an explainable reinforcement learning (RL) control framework for hybrid ventilation in Mediterranean office buildings to enhance thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and long-term climate resilience. A working environment was created Using EnergyPlus to represent an office test cell equipped with natural ventilation and air conditioning. The RL controller, based on Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), was trained exclusively on present-day Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data from Beirut and subsequently evaluated, without retraining, under future 2050 and 2080 climate projections (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5) generated using the Belcher morphing technique, in order to quantify robustness under projected climate stressors. Results showed that the RL control achieved consistent, though moderate, annual HVAC energy reductions (6–9%), and a reduction in indoor overheating degree (IOD) by about 35.66% compared to rule-based control, while maintaining comfort and increasing natural ventilation hours. The Climate Change Overheating Resistivity (CCOR) improved by 24.32%, demonstrating the controller’s resilience under warming conditions. Explainability was achieved through Kernel SHAP, which revealed physically coherent feature influences consistent with thermal comfort logic. The findings confirmed that physics-informed RL can autonomously learn and sustain effective ventilation control, remaining transparent, reliable, and robust under future climates. This framework establishes a foundation for adaptive and interpretable RL-based hybrid ventilation control, enabling long-lived office buildings in Mediterranean climates to reduce cooling energy demand and mitigate overheating risks under future climate change. Full article

Silvopastoral systems in Patagonia (Argentina) aim to synergize forest and grassland productivity through thinning interventions in native forests of Antarctic beech (Nothofagus antarctica (G.Forst.) Oerst.), locally known as ñire, modifying ecosystem dynamics. This study aimed to determine how thinning strategies modify microclimatic conditions (air and soil temperatures, precipitation, soil water content) and modulate the intra-annual radial growth patterns in N. antarctica trees within subpolar deciduous forests of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. We established three treatments: unmanaged mature forest (UF), thinning under crown cover influence (UC), and thinning outside crown cover influence (OC). Microclimate and radial growth were continuously monitored using high-precision dendrometers and associated data loggers during the 2021–2022 and 2023–2024 growing seasons. Data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Principal Component Analysis. OC treatment consistently exhibited the highest total annual radial growth, averaging 1.44 mm yr⁻¹, which was substantially greater than the observed in both the UC (0.56 mm yr⁻¹) and UF (0.83 mm yr⁻¹) across the two seasons. An advanced growth dynamic, with cambial activity starting approximately five days earlier than in UF and UC, was detected. Air temperature was a primary positive driver of daily growth (GLMM Estimates > 0.029, p < 0.001 for all treatments), while soil water content (SWC) was significantly higher in OC (mean 25.4%) compared to UF (22.3%) and UC (15.9%). These findings showed that OC, characterized by higher soil moisture, likely facilitated the trees’ ability to capitalize on warm temperature days. This accelerates and extends the period of radial growth, offering a direct strategy to enhance productivity in these silvopastoral systems, essential for long-term forest sustainability. Full article

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a pillar of the tropical agricultural economy in southern China, yet its production faces increasing instability due to climate change. Traditional agronomic models often fail to capture the complex, non-linear interactions between meteorological drivers and yield formation in perennial fruit trees. To address this challenge, the study constructed a yield prediction framework using an optimized Random Forest (RF) model integrated with interpretable machine learning (SHAP), based on a comprehensive dataset from 17 major production regions in Hainan Province (2000–2022). The model demonstrated robust predictive capability at the provincial scale (R² = 0.564, RMSE = 2.1 t/ha) and high consistency across regions (R² ranging from 0.51 to 0.94). Feature importance analysis revealed that heat accumulation (specifically growing degree days above 20 °C) is the dominant driver, explaining over 85% of yield variability. Crucially, scenario simulations uncovered asymmetric climate risks across phenological stages: while moderate warming generally enhances yield by promoting vegetative growth and ripening, it acts as a stressor during the Fruit Development stage, where temperatures exceeding 26 °C trigger yield decline. Furthermore, the yield penalty for drought during Flowering (−8.09%) far outweighed the marginal benefits of surplus rainfall, identifying this window as critically sensitive to water deficits. These findings underscore the necessity of phenology-aligned adaptation strategies—specifically, securing irrigation during flowering and deploying cooling interventions during fruit development—providing a data-driven basis for climate-smart management in tropical agriculture. Full article

Cities in India experience distinct seasons, including summer, winter and monsoons. the understanding of thermal comfort within modern houses throughout the different seasons is pivotal for determining a passive design strategy for residences, towards carbon neutrality. Long-term investigations were conducted within five typical houses in the warm–humid climate of Kharagpur, India, spanning three seasons from July 2023 to July 2024. These included air temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), indoor wind speed and globe temperature for calculating standard effective temperature (SET*). The SET* was used in thermal comfort evaluation, focusing on the cooling effects of elevated wind speeds. The results showed that indoor ATs were well stabilized among the houses, ranging from 27 to 32 °C in monsoon, 20 to 23 °C in winter and 30 to 32 °C in summer on average, due to the effects of high thermal mass structure with relatively small openings. Overall, both the house-wise differences (1–2 °C) and diurnal differences (0.5–3 °C) were much smaller than the seasonal differences. It was found that the resultant indoor operative temperatures (OTs) did not fall within the required comfort levels during the summer and monsoons, whereas those of the winter months met the required standard. The current modern Indian houses of high thermal mass structure prevented flexible adaptations to the dynamic seasonal changes as well as changes within a day. The occupants tended to reduce the SET* by increasing the wind speeds with the assistance of mechanical air circulation, thus reducing the perceived AT by 5 °C in summers. Separate design strategies should be adopted seasonally and in different parts of the day, to maintain a thermally comfortable environment for the occupants. Full article

Rapid urbanization in China has driven annual food waste production to 130 million tons, posing severe environmental challenges for anaerobic digestate management. To resolve trade-offs among drying efficiency, resource recovery (fertilizer/fuel), and carbon neutrality by optimizing the biodried product (BDP) recycling ratio (0–15%), six BDP treatments were tested in 60 L bioreactors. Metrics included drying kinetics, product properties, and environmental–economic trade-offs. The results showed that 12% BDP achieved a peak temperature integral (514.13 °C·d), an optimal biodrying index (3.67), and shortened the cycle to 12 days. Furthermore, 12% BDP yielded total nutrients (N + P₂O₅ + K₂O) of 4.19%, meeting the NY 525-2021 standard in China, while ≤3% BDP maximized fuel suitability with LHV > 5000 kJ·kg⁻¹, compliant with CEN/TC 343 RDF standards. BDP recycling reduced global warming potential by 27.3% and eliminated leachate generation, mitigating groundwater contamination risks. The RDF pathway (12% BDP) achieved the highest NPV (USD 716,725), whereas organic fertilizer required farmland subsidies (28.57/ton) to offset its low market value. A 12% BDP recycling ratio optimally balances technical feasibility, environmental safety, and economic returns, offering a closed-loop solution for global food waste valorization. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an ethanolic extract from Punica granatum L. (EE-PG) on bovine ovarian tissue vitrification, focusing on follicular morphology, ultrastructure, stromal cell density, collagen distribution, redox status, and mRNA expression of antioxidant-related genes. Bovine ovarian cortex fragments were divided into a fresh control group for in vivo tissue evaluation or vitrified either with the base vitrification solution (αMEM) alone or supplemented with different concentrations of EE-PG (10, 50, and 100 µg/mL), and subsequently stored in liquid nitrogen for 5 days. After warming, fragments were allocated for morphological and oxidative stress analyses or incubated for 24 h to resumption of cellular metabolism. The concentrations of 10 and 100 µg/mL preserved follicular morphology immediately after warming, and were therefore selected for ultrastructural evaluation. Both concentrations mitigated vitrification-induced damage. Gene expression analysis showed decreased levels of catalase (cat), Glutathione Peroxidase 1 (gpx1), and Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (nrf2) compared with the fresh control, whereas Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity increased after incubation with 10 µg/mL EE-PG compared with all experimental groups. Moreover, Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in tissues treated with 10 or 100 µg/mL were comparable to fresh controls after incubation. Overall, EE-PG at 10 or 100 µg/mL in the vitrification solution supported the maintenance of tissue morphology, redox balance—despite the downregulation of essential antioxidant genes, which may be associated with a reduced demand for enzymatic antioxidant defense—and cellular metabolism, indicating potential for improving bovine ovarian tissue vitrification outcomes. Full article

Cool roof and green roof have been acknowledged as effective heat mitigation strategies for fighting against the urban heat island (UHI). However, empirical data in hot–humid climate are still insufficient. Experimental conventional, cool and green roofs (three types) were established to comprehensively investigate the thermal performances in Hong Kong under typical summer conditions, as retrofitting strategies for an office building. The holistic vertical thermal behavior was investigated. The comparative cooling potentials were assessed. The results reveal a “vertical thermal sequence” in peak temperatures of each substrate layer for the conventional, cool and green roofs on a sunny day. However, local reversion in the thermal sequence may occur on a rainy day. Green roof-plot C (GR_C) demonstrates the highest thermal damping effect, followed by plot B (GR_B), A (GR_A) and the cool roof (CR) in summer. On a sunny day, the thermal dampening effectiveness of the substrates in the three green roofs is consistent: drainage > soil > water reservoir > root barrier. The holistic vertical thermal profiling was constructed in a high-rise office context in Hong Kong. The diurnal temperature profiles indicate all roof systems could effectively attenuate the temperature fluctuations. The daily maximum surface temperature reduction (SDMR) was introduced for cooling potential characterization of the cool roof and green roofs with multiple vegetation types. On a sunny day, the cool roof and green roofs all showed significant cooling potential. SDMR on the concrete tile of the best performing system was GR_C (26 °C), followed by GR_B (22.4 °C), GR_A (20.7 °C) and CR (13.3 °C), respectively. The SDMR on the ceiling ranked as GR_C, GR_B, GR_A and CR, with 2.9 °C, 2.4 °C, 2.1 °C and 2.1 °C, separately. On a rainy day, the cooling effect was still present but greatly diminished. A critical insight of a “warming effect at the ceiling” of the green roof was revealed. This research offers critical insights for unlocking rooftop cooling potential, endorsing cool roof and green roof as pivotal solutions for sustainable urban environments. Full article

With the increasing frequency of precipitation events under global warming, understanding rainfall-induced disruptions to urban mobility has become increasingly important. While prior studies primarily focus on road traffic, the lagged and threshold effects of rainfall on urban rail transit (URT) passenger flow remain insufficiently explored. This study analyzes 109 days of automatic fare collection data from Tianhe District, Guangzhou, in combination with hourly meteorological records and station-level built environment attributes. A rainfall threshold-aware gradient boosting framework is proposed to capture nonlinear response regimes, and an explainable learning approach is used to quantify the relative importance of rainfall, temporal factors, and built environment characteristics. The proposed framework outperforms the baseline model, with the root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) reduced by over 5.38% and 5.93%, respectively. Results further indicate that lagged rainfall intensity exerts the strongest influence on passenger flow variation, with impact magnitudes varying systematically across station types. These findings enhance understanding of the nonlinear, time-dependent effects of rainfall on URT demand and provide practical guidance for passenger flow management and operational planning under rainfall conditions. Full article

This study investigates the use of the fine fraction of Brazilian residual kaolin, a material with no pozzolanic activity according to the modified Chapelle test, as a partial cement replacement in rendering mortars. The kaolin was classified into three granulometric fractions (coarse: 150–300 µm, intermediate: 75–150 µm, and fine: <75 µm) and incorporated at two filler contents (10% and 20% by weight). Mineralogical and chemical analyses revealed that the fine fractions contained higher proportions of kaolinite and accessory oxides, while medium and coarse fractions were dominated by quartz. Intensity ratios from XRD confirmed greater structural disorder in the fine fraction, which was associated with higher water demand but also improved particle packing and pore refinement. Fresh state tests showed that mortars with fine kaolin maintained higher density and exhibited moderate increases in air content, whereas medium and coarse fractions promoted greater entrainment. In the hardened state, fine kaolin reduced water absorption by immersion and capillary rise, while medium and coarse fractions led to higher porosity. Mechanical tests confirmed these trends: although compressive and flexural strengths decreased with increasing substitution, mortars containing the fine kaolin fraction consistently exhibited more moderate strength losses than those with medium or coarse fractions, reflecting their enhanced packing efficiency and pore refinement. Tensile bond strength results further highlighted the positive contribution of the kaolin additions, as the mixtures with 10% coarse kaolin and 20% fine kaolin achieved adhesion values only about 7% and 4% lower, respectively, than the control mortar after 28 days. All mixtures surpassed the performance requirements of NBR 13281, demonstrating that the incorporation of residual kaolin—even at higher substitution levels—does not compromise adhesion and remains compatible with favorable cohesive failure modes in the mortar layer. Despite the lack of pozzolanic activity, residual kaolin was used due to its filler effect and capacity to enhance particle packing and pore refinement in rendering mortars. A life cycle assessment indicated that the partial substitution of cement with residual kaolin effectively reduces the environmental impacts of mortar production, particularly the global warming potential, when the residue is modeled as a by-product with a negligible environmental burden. This highlights the critical role of methodological choices in assessing the sustainability of industrial waste utilization. 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

Ginseng is widely regarded as the “King of Herbs” in traditional Chinese medicine. In recent years, escalating global warming and intensified human activities have led to a continuous rise in environmental temperatures, posing a significant threat to ginseng cultivation in China. Therefore, understanding how high-temperature stress affects the photosynthetic performance of ginseng is essential for developing efficient and sustainable cultivation practices. In this study, four temperature regimes were established to systematically investigate the impact of elevated temperatures on the photosynthetic system of ginseng leaves: 25/16 °C (CK), 30/20 °C, 35/24 °C, and 40/28 °C (day/night). The results demonstrated that high-temperature stress significantly inhibited photosynthesis. Specifically, the activities of key chlorophyll biosynthesis enzymes—porphobilinogen deaminase and delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase—were markedly reduced, resulting in the accumulation of critical intermediates in the chlorophyll pathway, including protoporphyrinIX, Mg-protoporphyrinIX, and protochlorophyll. Chlorophyll synthesis was severely impaired as a result. Consequently, the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids declined by 25.38%, 12.52%, and 54.63%, respectively, indicating substantial disruption of the photosynthetic pigment system. Anatomical observations revealed that high-temperatures induced stomatal closure, impairing stomata exchange and further reducing photosynthetic efficiency. Moreover, chloroplast ultrastructure was severely compromised, characterized by excessive accumulation of osmiophilic granules, disorganized and loosely stacked thylakoid membranes, and impaired capacity for light energy capture and conversion. This study provides theoretical insights into the response mechanisms of ginseng leaf photosynthesis under heat stress and establishes a scientific basis for enhancing thermotolerance through breeding programs and improved cultivation management strategies. Full article

The incorporation of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) offers significant environmental benefits; however, its use is often limited by an increased susceptibility to cracking due to the insufficient elasticity of the severely aged RAP binder. This limitation is conventionally mitigated using polymers such as styrene–butadiene styrene, which, despite their effectiveness, are costly and carbon intensive. This paper introduces a low-carbon sulfur-based ternary polymer developed through TiO₂-catalyzed inverse vulcanization of elemental sulfur to be used as a modifier to address the abovementioned challenge at the asphalt mixture level. The sulfur polymer containing waste cooking oil and metal-rich biochar was incorporated into hot-mix asphalt having 25% RAP. The mixture specimens were evaluated before and after accelerated thermal and ultraviolet aging. Cracking resistance was measured using the Indirect Tensile Asphalt Cracking Test (IDEAL-CT), while resistance to rutting and moisture damage were assessed through the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (HWT). IDEAL-CT findings showed improved ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{I}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{x}}$ values for the modified mixture under unaged conditions and after three days of thermal aging, with smaller variations noted after prolonged thermal aging and during the combined thermal–ultraviolet aging process. Results from the HWT test revealed that the addition of the sulfur polymer did not negatively impact resistance to rutting or moisture damage; all mixtures remained significantly below rutting failure thresholds. Furthermore, a simplified environmental analysis indicated that substituting 10 wt% of petroleum binder with the sulfur polymer lowered the binder’s cradle-to-gate global warming potential by around 11%. In summary, study results showed that the newly developed sulfur polymer system has the potential to improve cracking resistance even when exposed to select accelerated aging protocols while decreasing embodied carbon, thus endorsing its viability as a sustainable modifier for asphalt mixtures. Full article

Due to its abundance, bird cherry–oat aphid is the most important vector in Poland of the complex of viruses causing barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). These viruses infect all cereals. During the growing season, cereal plants are exposed to many species of agrophages, which can limit their growth, development and yield. As observed for many years, global warming contributes to changes in the development of many organisms. Aphids (Aphidoidea), which are among the most important pests of agricultural crops, respond very dynamically to these changes. Under favorable conditions, their populations can increase several-fold within a few days. The bird cherry–oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) is a dioecious species that undergoes a seasonal host shift during its life cycle. Its primary hosts are trees and shrubs (Prunus padus L.), while secondary hosts include cereals and various grass species. R. padi feeds directly on bird cherry tree, reducing its ornamental value, and on cereals, where it contributes to yields losses. The species can also damage plants indirectly by transmitting harmful viruses. Indirect damage is generally more serious than direct feeding injury. Monitoring aphid flights with a Johnson suction trap (JST) is useful for plant protection, which enables early detection of their presence in the air and then on cereal crops. To provide early detection of R. padi migrations and to study the dynamics of abundance, flights were monitored in 2020–2024 with Johnson suction traps at two localities: Winna Góra (Greater Poland Province) and Sośnicowice (Silesia Province). The aim of the research conducted in 2020–2024 was to study the dynamics of the bird cherry–oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) population in relation to meteorological conditions as recorded by a Johnson suction trap. Over five years of research, a total of 129,638 R. padi individuals were captured using a Johnson suction trap at two locations (60,426 in Winna Góra and 69,212 in Sośnicowice). In Winna Góra, the annual counts were as follows: 5766 in 2020, 6498 in 2021, 36,452 in 2022, 5598 in 2023, and 6112 in 2024. In Sośnicowice, the numbers were as follows: 6954 in 2020, 9159 in 2021, 49,120 in 2022, 3855 in 2023, and 124 in 2024. The year 2022 was particularly notable for the exceptionally high abundance of R. padi, especially in the autumn. Monitoring crops for the presence of pests is the basis of integrated plant protection. Climate change, modern cultivation technologies, and increasing restrictions on chemical control are the main factors contributing to the development and spread of aphids. Therefore, measures based on monitoring the level of threat and searching for control solutions are necessary. Full article