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Advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology allow for development of new tools for analytics and management which present new opportunities in field of environmental protection. The following study showcases usage of Machine Learning (ML) techniques as a complementary method for water status assessment of water bodies. Since the main goal of Water Framework Directive (WFD) is to improve the quality of water and reach good status in all the water bodies across Europe intensive monitoring program was launched together with water status assessment procedure. Based on requirements of the European Union's WFD concerning ecological status assessment it is presented how ML can be used for assessment of Polish unmonitored river water bodies. Due to the absence of monitoring data, the foremost challenge lay in securing relevant alternative data which was set to be anthropogenic pressures. The pivotal solution was implementation of ML techniques which enable processing of seemingly unrelated information concerning pressures in the catchment. Decision Tree, Random Forest, KNN, Support Vector Machine, Multinomial Naive Bayes, XGBoost models have been tested and the results indicated most suitable techniques. Study shows highest efficiency of XGBoost and Random Forest algorithms for classification of unmonitored water bodies. The models were compared by their overall accuracy (OA) reaching approximately 93% for binary classification and 72% for comprehensive classification as well as partial class accuracies and the Probability of Misclassification (PoM) parameter. The analyses demonstrates a practical application of AI in assessment of unmonitored water bodies in case of binary classification used for reporting water status objectives of WFD as well as possible usage of full classification for planning and operational uses. OA and PoM are postulated as the best measures of goodness of classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale heat pumps (LSHP) have seen a rapid proliferation in recent years, with projects and initiatives aimed at integrating electrically driven LSHP into existing district heating networks (DHN). The financial advantages have driven most LSHP installations to be powered by electricity generated by on-site cogeneration (CHP), given CHP's dominant role in DHN. This LSHP + CHP combination poses the question, to what extent ecological improvements, measured as a reduction in specific CO2 emissions through LSHP operation can be achieved, contingent on the source of electricity and heat source employed. In this paper, the LSHP + CHP combination was generally analysed under usage of exergy analysis and a 2nd law derived method is presented. This method allows to evaluate the magnitude of CO2 reduction through LSHP operation across all common heat sources in 1st to 4th generation DHNs in conjunction with CHP. Results show, that in LSHP + CHP combination, heat from LSHP using either of the 2 heat sources ambient air or surfaced water, inevitably comes with higher specific CO2 emissions over the CHP heat. Only when using a sufficiently hot and emissions-free heat source, the LSHP heat from a LSHP + CHP combination can yield to an annual best case of half the CO2 emissions of the CHP. Importantly, the choice of power source has a far more significant impact, as LSHP powered by electricity from renewable energy sources achieve more than an eight-fold reduction in emissions compared to the LSHP + CHP combination. Therefore, power consumption with sufficiently low specific CO2 emissions out of external source is imperative to fully realize the ecological benefit of LSHP in DHN, underlining that the successful heat transition through LSHP relies heavily on the transformation of the electricity supply. Highlights: Based on the 2nd law a methodology is derived around exergy analysis, that enables a universal assessment of the ecological benefit of LSHP powered by CHP (Chapter 3). Graphs to determine every possible combination are presented (Chapter 4). Results are drawn for the most common CHP & LSHP including the most common types of heat source to grasp the scope of the discussed problematic. Ecological impact of LSHP in DHN are shown for comparison for most common types of CHP and LSHP- heat sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological vulnerability assessment is crucial for environment protection, ecological restoration and resource utilization. However, many former studies have limitations in the indicator system of the assessment, which were not comparable for different types of ecologically vulnerable areas. It is difficult to apply directly to the ecological vulnerability assessment of different types and in various regions. Aiming to solve these problems, the study proposed a well-established and comprehensive indicator system for ecological vulnerability assessment and conducted ecological vulnerability assessment application of five types of typical ecologically vulnerable areas of China based on remote sensing, meteorological, geographic and other data. The results show that the average EVIs value of Zhangbei County ranging from 0.525 to 0.559 are the highest among the five research areas during the four periods, followed by Zoige region and Xiamen bay. However, the region with the lowest average EVI value varies. In 2005 and 2015, it was Taihe County, while in 2010 and 2020, it was the Sanjiangyuan region. The variation of average EVIs in the five typical areas presents slight fluctuation and remains generally stable from 2005 to 2020. It indicates that the environmental protection measures and projects undertaken by the Chinese government in recent years have had a striking effect, curbing the trend of ecological environment deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoëtes are iconic but understudied wetland plants, despite having suffered severe losses globally mainly because of alterations in their habitats. We therefore provide the first global ecological assessment of aquatic Isoëtes to identify their environmental requirements and to evaluate if taxonomically related species differ in their ecology.The assessment resulted in an extensive new database on aquatic Isoëtes, ecological niche analyses, and descriptive species accounts. We compiled a global database that includes all known environmental data collected from 1935 to 2023 regarding aquatic Isoëtes. We then evaluated the environmental drivers of 16 species using 2,179 global records. Additionally, we used hypervolume analysis to quantify the ecological niches of the two species with the greatest number of records, finding significant differences and evidence that Isoëtes echinospora occupies a wider ecological niche than Isoëtes lacustris.Fifty‐nine species (30% of the c. 200 Isoëtes species known today) were categorised as aquatic and were mainly reported in the Americas and northern Europe. About 38% of the aquatic species are threatened with extinction or are endemic to a small region, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List in 2023. Many species were determined to be sensitive to certain water physical and chemical factors, generally preferring oligotrophic conditions such as low total phosphorus, moderate total nitrogen, moderate to low pH, and low conductivity.This analysis includes ecological data in the assessment of rare/threatened aquatic plants globally. This new database and the ecological analyses completed defined the ecological requirements of several species and identified knowledge gaps, which can aid management actions and future research.This paper highlights ecological significance and environmental sensitivities of aquatic Isoëtes. The current level of knowledge is inadequate for a large proportion of known taxa. We affirm the extreme need to support global, collaborative initiatives on which to build future conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological assessment of the contents of Cr, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As in arable soils and crops grown in the central chernozemic region of Russia was carried out by the example of Belgorod oblast. It was found that average bulk contents of Cr, Pb, As, Cd, and Hg in leached arable chernozem were 19.8, 10.0, 4.15, 0.22, and 0.021 mg/kg; in typical arable chernozems, 20.0, 10.3, 4.18, 0.23, and 0.022 mg/kg; and in ordinary chernozems 20.9, 11.2, 5.48, 0.35, and 0.023 mg/kg, respectively. The average contents of mobile forms of Pb, Cr, and Cd were 0.52, 0.14, and 0.06 mg/kg in leached arable chernozems; 0.46, 0.13, and 0.05 mg/ka in typical arable chernozems; and 0.55, 0.13, and 0.04 mg/kg in ordinary chernozems, respectively. These elements did not exceed the established maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs) and tentative permissible concentrations (TPCs) for the studied soils. Organic fertilizers were found to be the main source of heavy metals in the arable soils of Belgorod oblast. Average concentrations of Cr, Pb, As, Cd, and Hg in cattle manure were 0.90, 0.78, 0.277, 0.060, and 0.0084 mg/kg, respectively. Among studied crops, sunflower seeds had the highest concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Cr, while winter wheat grains had the highest concentrations of Hg and As. Soybeans contained the lowest average contents of Pb, Hg, and As, and the corn grain had the lowest average contents of Cr, Cd, and As. In the grains of winter wheat, corn, soybeans, and sunflower seeds, the contents of Pb, Cd, Hg, and As did not exceed MPCs established for products intended for food purposes, and the concentration of Cr did not exceed the MPC established for feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological sensitivity is an essential indicator for measuring the ecological environment's level, and its assessment results have significant reference value for regional ecological environment protection and resource development and utilization. Taking Xifeng County as the study area, we selected a total of 12 assessment factors in terms of ecological environment, geological environment, and human environment, including average annual rainfall, average annual temperature, average annual wind speed, river density, vegetation coverage, soil erodibility, elevation, slope, geological disaster susceptibility, road density, land use, and night light index, and explored the spatial distribution patterns of ecological sensitivities and the characteristics of the differences in the study area based on the coefficient of variation method and machine learning. The results show that the overall spatial distribution pattern of ecological sensitivity in Xifeng County shows a low sensitivity in the north and a high sensitivity in the south. 41.90% of the regional ecological sensitivity intensity is classified as very high and high sensitivity, mainly distributed in mountainous and hilly areas, while 35.51% is classified as very low and low sensitivity, mainly distributed in plains and low mountainous areas. The assessment results are consistent with the actual situation, enriching the ecological sensitivity assessment methods and models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Changwang, Meishe, and Wuyuan are urban rivers in Haikou City, Hainan Island. They are vital water sources, serving various purposes, from farmland irrigation to domestic and industrial use. Unfortunately, anthropogenic activities have influenced these "rivers," negatively impacting water quality and ecological functions; however, there is limited research on their ecological status. Thus, this study assessed the zooplankton community structure and developed the zooplankton index of biotic integrity (Z-IBI) to evaluate the ecological status. Samples were collected and analyzed seasonally in 2019. Generally, 159 zooplankton species belonging to 85 genera, 55 families, and 3 phyla were identified, dominated by Rotifer and Protozoa, followed by Arthropoda (groups of Copepod and Cladocera). The zooplankton density varied from 0.00 to 126.04 ind L−1, with averages of 19.49 ind L−1, 31.40 ind L−1, and 20.38 ind L−1 in Changwang, Meishe, and Wuyuan, respectively. The zooplankton density varied seasonally as summer > spring > winter > autumn. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) indicated a significant seasonal difference (R = 0.070, p < 0.001) in zooplankton community but not spatially (R = 0.004, p = 0.413). Thus, SIMPER revealed that Brachionus forficula, Didinium nasutum, Keratella valga, Nauplius, and Polyarthra vulgaris contributed to the seasonal differences. The redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed environmental factors, including total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, pH, Chl-a, and electrical conductivity (EC) influenced zooplankton species. The Z-IBI was established using Zooplankton abundance, Protozoa abundance, Copepod abundance, Cladoceran biomass %, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index. Based on Z-IBI evaluation, ecological status was "moderate" in Changwang and Wuyuan, while it was "low" in Meishe. Seasonally, the ecological status in autumn was better than in summer and spring. The Z-IBI showed that parameters, including pH, EC, CODMn, TN, TP, and Chl-a, decreased with improving water quality, while water transparency increased with improved water quality. Thus, the "rivers" ecological status could be adequately assessed using the Z-IBI to guide their water quality monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of mesozooplankton is critical in assessing the health of an estuarine ecosystem. Reports on the spatial and temporal dynamics of mesozooplankton community in estuarine and backwaters of the Southern parts of India are scanty. In this scenario, we appraised the community structure of mesozooplankton and their spatio-temporal dynamics based on various multivariate statistical assessments. A total of 31 taxa were identified and the abundance was principally dominated by Copepoda followed by Luciferidae during three sampling seasons. The most abundant species were: Paracalanus parvus parvus, Pseudodiaptomus aurivillii, Temora stylifera, and Pseudodiaptomus serricaudatus. Canonical correspondence analysis and Spearman's correlation coefficients underlined that salinity, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and nutrients were the principal environmental variables strongly linked with mesozooplankton dynamics in Munroe Island. The highest abundance of mesozooplankton was recorded in MoN (monsoon), followed by PrM (pre-monsoon), and PoM (post-monsoon). Hierarchical clustering confirmed that the grouping of sampling stations is based on the estuarine and freshwater influences on mesozooplankton abundance. During the entire investigation, various ecological indices were observed in good condition. Moreover, the optimum environmental conditions during the PoM season are marked with the highest indices values. Overall, multivariate investigations undoubtedly proved the suitability of mesozooplankton communities as potential bioindicators for spatial and seasonal ecological assessments. Our investigation emphasizes the high assemblages of mesozooplankton and their responses to various environmental variables and highlights the significance of long-term ecological monitoring in a threatened ecosystem like Munroe Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This study proposes a new method for assessing the spatial and temporal changes in the ecological quality in resource cities. The rapid and effective assessment of ecological quality changes in resource cities was realized. This study provides valuable data support and a policy reference for the ecological protection and sustainable development of resource cities. In coal-dependent urban economies, the dichotomy between resource exploitation and ecological conservation presents a pronounced challenge. Traditional remote sensing ecological assessments often overlook the interplay between mining activities and urban environmental dynamics. To address this gap, researchers developed an innovative Resource-Based City Ecological Index (RCEI), anchored in a Pressure–State–Response (PSR) framework and synthesized from six discrete ecological indicators. Utilizing geodetic remote sensing data, the RCEI facilitated a comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of Jincheng City's ecological quality from 1990 to 2022. The findings corroborated the RCEI's efficacy in providing a nuanced portrayal of the ecological state within mining regions. (1) Jincheng City's ecological quality predominantly sustained a mudhopper-tier status, exhibiting an overarching trend of amelioration throughout the study period. (2) Disparities in ecological landscape quality were pronounced at the county level, with Moran's Index exceeding 0.9, signifying a clustered ecological quality pattern. High–high (H–H) zones were prevalent in areas of elevated altitude and dense vegetation, whereas low–low (L–L) zones were prevalent in urban and mining sectors. (3) Further, a buffer zone analysis of two coal mines, differing in their mining chronology, geographical positioning, and operational status, elucidated the ecological impact exerted over a 32-year trajectory. These insights furnish a robust scientific and technical foundation for resource-centric cities to fortify ecological safeguarding and to advance sustainable development stratagems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies on the vulnerability assessment of ecological drought often focus on analyzing vegetation phenotypic characteristics, overlooking the impact of drought on ecosystem services. This study proposes an ecosystem vulnerability assessment method under ecological drought stress from the perspective of ecosystem service value (ESV), considering the characteristics and interactions of hazard-causing factors and hazard-bearing bodies. The spatiotemporal evolution of ecological drought, the spatial characteristics of ecosystem vulnerability, and the vulnerability characteristics of different ecosystem types in the North China region from 1991 to 2021 were evaluated. The results showed that: (1) ecological drought exhibited a trend of intensification followed by alleviation, with the most severe droughts occurring between 2002 and 2011, affecting up to 64.3% of the region; (2) ESV was mainly influenced by vegetation cover and precipitation gradients, displaying a spatial pattern of high values in the southeast and low values in the northwest, with total ESV averaging CNY 18.23 trillion; (3) grasslands exhibited higher sensitivity to drought compared to forests, and the sensitivity was higher in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. This method assessed the vulnerability of ecological drought from the perspective of ecosystem services, providing a new approach for a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of drought on ecosystem service functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downstream pebble variability in river systems is assessed through various methods, with recent emphasis on efficient, time-saving semi-automatic processes involving photography and digital analysis. The Inaouène valley, however, lacked a comprehensive survey of its main channel using either manual or image-based methods. This study bridges this gap by combining both approaches to analyze the downstream evolution of surface pebbles' morphometric parameters along approximately 60 km of the Inaouène's middle reach. Our research focuses on two key aspects: grain size and particle shape. Results reveal a general downstream trend of size fining, increasing circularity and decreasing elongation, primarily attributed to abrasion and travel distance. Notably, this pattern is interrupted by localized variations associated with tributary inputs and sediment recycling processes. This study significantly contributes to the understanding of fluvial sediment dynamics in the Inaouène Valley. Its findings have broad implications, supporting ecological assessment and restoration efforts, while also informing decision-making in river engineering and management. By providing a comprehensive analysis of pebble characteristics and their downstream evolution, this research establishes a foundation for future geomorphological studies and practical applications in river system management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern Continental shallow lakes are specific with their higher nutrient concentration compared to other lentic water bodies with similar specifications. Nonetheless, their phytoplankton and macrophyte assessment systems used more often than others within state monitoring programs, are weakly influenced by nutrient concentrations, unlike all other lake types in Europe. In this study, we used all available data for Eastern Continental shallow lakes on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria from the state monitoring for 14 years (2008-2021). The goal was to find how environmental variables influence the ecological status assessment by phytoplankton and macrophyte-related indices. Likewise, it was important to understand the studied parameter's interrelations within Dourankoulak Lake and the lake complex Shabla-Ezerets. The most important environmental parameters were determined with principal component analysis since it helps find the hidden relationships. Afterwards, those variables were used for univariate linear regression testing because of its simplicity and reliability. The aim was to find the best-suited parameters for the ecological status explanation by different biological indices, which can be used for further predictions of the ecosystem condition. In addition, nitrogen--phosphorus dependency, where possible was investigated, confirming conclusions from mesocosms studies from water bodies with similar characteristics. The algae group index or the so-called "Catalán Index", in its original form of representing results and considering its ecological quality ratio values, was influenced by conductivity concentrations the most in Ezeretsko Lake and weaker at Dourankoulak Lake. Nutrient relationship with biological quality elements was not found, confirming results on a European level. In Shablensko Lake a dose-dependent relation between nitrates and phosphates was found, which shows that augmenting the quantity of nitrogen is related to the increasing concentration of phosphates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify and mitigate biodiversity decline, it is necessary to develop and implement appropriate ecological assessment methods. This particularly relevant in ecosystems under strong human pressure, such as riverine environments, in which ecological assessment requires several standardized methods useful in a wide range of riverine characteristics and habitats. In this work, we related otter diet composition with a set of environmental variables in representative river reaches of two contiguous river basins with a high diversity of habitats and varying degrees of human alteration. Our goal was to determine to what extent otter prey communities were sensitive to habitat characteristics and human pressures. Our results suggest that otter prey community in heavily anthropized rivers vary significantly across three gradients: habitat productivity, habitat structure and habitat stability. We also compared the results obtained from the otter diet with those obtained from electrofishing. Overall, the otter diet changed spatially in a similar way to the fish community sampled by electrofishing, but both methods showed disagreements that suggest different biases in some habitats and for some species. We conclude that otter diet analysis is a potential supplementary method for assessing river ecological status and that human alterations related to habitat structural simplification and water extraction can prevent freshwater biodiversity recovery in human‐dominated landscapes despite improvements in biochemical water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding seabirds challenge the concept of niche segregation among competing species because similar competitors with comparable life histories can coexist in large multi‐species colonies. This makes them an ideal model organism for studying the Hutchisonian niche model, which proposes interspecific niche segregation, across n‐dimensions. Recent advances in assessment of ecological niches have improved our understanding of the mechanisms leading to at‐sea segregation. We examine 152 published studies investigating one or more of three niche spaces in breeding seabirds: dietary items, stable isotopes (isotopic niche) and spatial distribution (horizontal and vertical). Most studies focused on one rather then multiple niche spaces in combination. When multiple niche spaces were combined, higher segregation than overlap was reported, compared with when niche spaces were assessed individually, as is predicted by the n‐dimensional hypervolume concept. Studies investigating vertical (diving) foraging dimensions in addition to the more traditional horizontal (spatial) assessment reported more spatial segregation than overlap, compared with studies focusing only on horizontal or vertical dimensions. Segregation increased with colony size, suggesting an effect of competition. Segregation also increased during chick‐rearing, when taxa were more phylogenetically distant, and when foraging ecology was more similar. To gain a comprehensive understanding of sympatric competitors' interactions and their ecological niche space, it is important to combine approaches and standardize methodologies. Embracing multidimensional approaches to assess niche segregation in seabird species can inform effective conservation and management practices in marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient post‐drought recovery of growth and assimilation enables a plant to return to its undisturbed state and functioning. Unlike annual plants, trees suffer not only from the current drought, but also from cumulative impacts of consecutive water stresses which cause adverse legacy effects on survival and performance. This review provides an integrated assessment of ecological, physiological and molecular evidence on the recovery of growth and photosynthesis in trees, with a view to informing the breeding of trees with a better ability to recover from water stress. Suppression of recovery processes can result not only from stress damage but also from a controlled downshift of recovery as part of tree acclimation to water‐limited conditions. In the latter case, recovery processes could potentially be activated by turning off the controlling mechanisms, but several obstacles make this unlikely. Tree phenology, and specifically photoperiodic constraints, can limit post‐drought recovery of growth and photosynthesis, and targeting these constraints may represent a promising way to breed trees with an enhanced ability to recover post‐drought. The mechanisms of photoperiod‐dependent regulation of shoot, secondary and root growth and of assimilation processes are reviewed. Finally, the limitations and trade‐offs of altering the photoperiodic regulation of growth and assimilation processes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research of Soil & Water Conservation is the property of Institute of Soil & Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Water Resources and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to the uncertainties posed by climate change, resilience has become an increasingly important variable for evaluating regional ecosystem stability. The assessment of Ecological Network Resilience (ENR) is crucial for establishing mitigation strategies and sustainable socioeconomic development in arid regions. Shiyang River Basin is an arid watershed in Northwest China with complex characteristics, its ENR and spatial differentiation characteristics in 2020 were investigated in this work based on the Complex Adaptive System (CAS) theory. The results indicated that the mean Ecological Network Resilience Index (ENRI) value for the Shiyang River Basin was 0.390 in 2020, and the mean values in the southern mountainous, middle oasis, and northern desert regions of the basin were 0.598, 0.461, and 0.237, respectively, demonstrating evident spatial differences. Additionally, the ENR of the basin exhibited distinct distribution characteristics across different dimension, whereas the trend of the integrated ENR of the basin was consistent with that of elemental, structural, and functional resilience, indicating the constructed three-region ENR model based on the logical relationship of element-structure-function was suitable for evaluation of the ENR in arid inland river watersheds. Furthermore, strategies for enhancing regional ENR were proposed from the perspective of adapting to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jilin Province is a crucial region of interest for agricultural and forestry development in China. The deterioration of its ecological environment could have a severe impact on agricultural production and ecological conservation. A systematic assessment of ecological environment quality in Jilin Province is essential for its sustainable development. In this study, we utilized Landsat data from 1990 to 2020 (every 5 years) to construct the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) for Jilin Province. We applied the Sen's slope estimator and the Mann-Kendall trend test to examine the spatiotemporal changes in ecological environment quality over a 30-year period. Additionally, we employed the Geo-detector to explore the socioeconomic and natural factors influencing ecological environment quality. The results revealed: 1) From 1990 to 2020, the average RSEI index in Jilin Province ranged from 0.586 to 0.699, indicating overall good ecological environment quality. Spatially, ecological environment quality gradually declined from east to west. 2) The RSEI in Jilin Province exhibited an initial increase, followed by a decrease, and then another increase trend. This improvement can be attributed to the implementation of government policies, which reversed the expansion of saline-alkali land. Ecological environment quality significantly improved in the western region of Jilin Province over the 30-year period. 3) Socioeconomic and natural factors both influence ecological environment quality in Jilin Province. Among these factors, vegetation coverage has the most significant impact on the ecological environment quality in the study area, with natural factors exerting a more significant influence than socioeconomic factors. Our research can provide relevant data support for policy-making in Jilin Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences is the property of Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The ecological security of the water environment is a key element in evaluating the dynamic balance and ecological service functions in the construction of urban ecological civilizations. Through the regional study of water resources in Huizhou, we selected 24 indicators in five dimensions of the DPSIR theory, such as "driving force-pressure-state-impact-response", and constructed an ecological evaluation index system of the water environment. Combined with the entropy weight TOPSIS model, the analysis was carried out for spatial differentiation features and spatio-temporal deduction features, and the results showed that the weight coefficients of the spatial differentiation features for the guideline layer exhibited significant stratification characteristics. The overall spatial and temporal interpretation characteristics of the water's environmental ecology in the Huizhou region from 2016 to 2021 showed a pull-up enhancement effect. The relative proximity value showed a 63.43% increase from 0.361 in 2016 to 0.590 in 2021 over the six-year period. The region is characterized by regional differences in the ecological carrying capacity of the water environment, which is high in the south-east and low in the north-west. The top three areas in the quantitative calculation of the ecological carrying capacity of the water environment are Shexian County, Jixi County, and Qimen County, in that order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater target detection is of great significance in underwater ecological assessment and resource development. To better protect the environment and optimize the development of underwater resources, we propose a new underwater target detection model with several innovations based on the YOLOv8 framework. Firstly, the SAConv convolutional operation is introduced to redesign C2f, the core module of YOLOv8, to enhance the network's feature extraction capability for targets of different scales. Secondly, we propose the RFESEConv convolution module instead of the conventional convolution operation in neural networks to cope with the degradation of image channel information in underwater images caused by light refraction and reflection. Finally, we propose an ESPPF module to further enhance the model's multi-scale feature extraction efficiency. Simultaneously, the overall parameters of the model are reduced. Compared to the baseline model, the proposed one demonstrates superior advantages when deployed on underwater devices with limited computational resources. The experimental results show that we have achieved significant detection accuracy on the underwater dataset, with an mAP@50 of 78% and an mAP@50:95 of 43.4%. Both indicators are 2.1% higher compared to the baseline models. Additionally, the proposed model demonstrates superior performance on other datasets, showcasing its strong generalization capability and robustness. This research provides new ideas and methods for underwater target detection and holds important application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental indicators, phytoplankton community variations often indicated the effects of anthropogenic activities on aquatic ecosystem. Efficient and accurate monitoring of phytoplankton is of great significance for water ecological assessment and conservation. We aimed to explore the impacts of anthropogenic activities on an urban river ecosystem via environmental DNA metabarcoding biomonitoring of eukaryotic phytoplankton communities at Panlong River in Kunming, Yunnan, China. 257 Species/genera eukaryotic phytoplankton were detected, and distinct spatial and seasonal variations of phytoplankton community (e.g., ASVs number, dominant taxon, the relative abundances) were observed in Panlong River. The species number (170 species/genera in dry period and 236 species/genera in wet period) and the abundances of Cryptophyta increased from dry period to wet period, while the relative abundances of Bacillariophyta and Dinophyta decreased. The diversities were higher in wet period than in dry period, and there were also significant differences among upstream, midstream and downstream. Redundancy analysis showed the water temperature was the key environmental stressor affecting phytoplankton community structures both in dry and wet periods, while the influences of other environmental factors varied in different periods and different sites. This study provides insights on phytoplankton diversity monitoring and the management of urban rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing superstatistical methods and machine learning, we analyze time series data of water quality indicators for the River Thames (UK). The indicators analyzed include dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, ammonium, turbidity, and rainfall, with a specific focus on the dynamics of dissolved oxygen. After detrending, the probability density functions of dissolved oxygen fluctuations exhibit heavy tails that are effectively modeled using q-Gaussian distributions. Our findings indicate that the multiplicative Empirical Mode Decomposition method stands out as the most effective detrending technique, yielding the highest log-likelihood in nearly all fittings. We also observe that the optimally fitted width parameter of the q-Gaussian shows a negative correlation with the distance to the sea, highlighting the influence of geographical factors on water quality dynamics. In the context of same-time prediction of dissolved oxygen, regression analysis incorporating various water quality indicators and temporal features identify the Light Gradient Boosting Machine as the best model. SHapley Additive exPlanations reveal that temperature, pH, and time of year play crucial roles in the predictions. Furthermore, we use the Transformer, a state-of-the-art machine learning model, to forecast dissolved oxygen concentrations. For long-term forecasting, the Informer model consistently delivers superior performance, achieving the lowest Mean Absolute Error (0.15) and Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error (21.96%) with the 192 historical time steps that we used. This performance is attributed to the Informer's ProbSparse self-attention mechanism, which allows it to capture long-range dependencies in time-series data more effectively than other machine learning models. It effectively recognizes the half-life cycle of dissolved oxygen, with particular attention to critical periods such as morning to early afternoon, late evening to early morning, and key intervals between the 16th and 26th quarter-hours of the previous half-day. Our findings provide valuable insights for policymakers involved in ecological health assessments, aiding in accurate predictions of river water quality and the maintenance of healthy aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the original RSEI model (including greenness index, humidity index, heat index and dryness index) and their contribution rate (%) are used to evaluate the change of ecological environment. To study how natural and anthropogenic changes in ecological environment affect ecosystem function and how these factors interact, CASA model was used to estimate the correlation between the net primary productivity of vegetation (NPP), population density and land use. This could reveal the influence factors of ecological environment change in the Wanjiang River Basin from 2000 to 2022. The results show that the combing RSEI and CASA models can effectively show the spatial-temporal variation and spatial distribution of NPP of vegetation in Wanjiang Basin. During this period, RSEI of the basin showed an overall upward trend, and the RSEI increased by about 0.1/ 10 a. The vegetation productivity in most areas was gradually improved, the ecological environment was restored, and the ecological environment quality was gradually improved. The average annual NPP simulated by CASA was 266.81 g C-m-2-a-1 The variation trend of NPP in vegetation showed a slight decrease, but the overall NPP level was basically unchanged. There is a significant correlation between NPP and population density, a negative correlation between NPP and population density areas such as city centers, and a positive correlation between NPP and population density in areas with frequent agricultural activities. From 2010 to 2020, there is a significant positive correlation between population density and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical harvesting has become crucial for cotton production in India due to increasing labor costs. This study aimed to identify suitable genotypes with moderate plant height and compact plant architecture for mechanization. Eight multilocation yield trials were conducted across central and southern India between 2019 and 2021. The combined ANOVA, LSD test, genotype plus genotype-environment interaction (GEE biplots) and correlation analysis was carried out using data from five genotypes for different plant architecture and yield traits. The results revealed significant variability (p = 0.01) in both plant height (PH) and seed cotton yield (SCY) among promising genotypes. Environmental factors had the most significant influence on PH (67.41%) and SCY (78.57%), followed by genotypes and genotype-environment interaction. Plant architecture traits and SCY were studied within the range of 75 to less than 140 cm plant height, which is suitable for mechanical harvesting. Surprisingly, a significant negative correlation (r = -0.42) was found between height and yield, which varied with years, genotypes, and location. Principal components PC1 and PC2 accounted for a remarkable 94.11% and 77.56% of the total variation in plant height and seed cotton yield, respectively. Utilizing GGE biplot analysis, genotype TVH 002 displayed high yield potential and short plant height with stability across multiple locations, making it an ideal choice for mechanized harvesting. Additionally, genotype RHCHD 1312 showed promise as a compact genotype. The study recommends the integration of these genotypes into breeding programs for mechanical harvesting in rainfed areas of central and southern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Remote Sensing for Natural Resources is the property of Remote Sensing for Natural Resources Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Remote Sensing for Natural Resources is the property of Remote Sensing for Natural Resources Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study aimed to assess the pollution of Bulgarian brackish lakes based on their ability to accumulate the heavy metals Cd, Zn and Ni. Physicochemical parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity and salinity of the waters, were determined by potentiometric methods. The heavy metal content of the water and crustacean samples was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The highest pH in the investigated lakes (Atanasovsko Lake, Poda and Pomorie Lake) in the period May–September 2021 was found in the month of September, in the waters of Atanasovsko Lake (8.84). The concentrations of Cd measured in Atanasovsko Lake in the fall were in the order of 0.0125 µg/L—the highest value recorded for all the studied water bodies. The concentrations of zinc and nickel in the waters did not exceed the norms in Bulgarian legislation. The dynamics of biogenic elements (Zn and Ni) in crustaceans were inversely proportional to those found in the waters. The levels of the toxicant cadmium as well as the metals zinc and nickel in the species Gammarus spp. and Atremia spp., inhabiting all analyzed water bodies, were significantly lower than those specified in the Bulgarian and European legislation. The pH and electrical conductivity parameters of the tested waters, as well as the concentrations of the heavy metals, cadmium, zinc and nickel, were within the recommended values. High positive correlations were determined between the content of nickel, on the one hand, and cadmium and zinc, on the other, in the organism of the investigated crustaceans. A longer period of research is needed to accurately determine the degree of contamination of these waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to routinely assess the river ecological status using community-based indices. However, there is still a lack of published WFD-compliant methods for the French West Indies, especially using diatom-based indices. Martinique and Guadeloupe exhibit diverse landscapes shaped by their complex geological history and tropical climatic conditions. These strong particularities make the existing indices developed for the European mainland unusable. Based on diatom sampling from to 2013 (607 samples) and through multivariate analyses, we developed the Indice Diatomique des Antilles (IDA). We first identified the key abiotic factors influencing diatom communities on both islands, and then characterized taxon sensitivity by considering their presence probability along a pressure gradient.. The index was based on the presence and relative abundance of these taxa in each sample. The last step consisted of using new data from the 2014–2022 sampling surveys (457 samples) as a validation dataset to verify IDA accuracy. Our results suggest that the IDA methodology is well designed to assess the ecological status of rivers in the West Indies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological environment quality reflects the overall condition and health of the environment. Analyzing the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of ecological environment quality across large regions is crucial for environmental protection and policy-making. This study utilized the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to efficiently process large-scale remote sensing data and construct a multi-scale Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) based on Landsat and Sentinel data. This approach overcomes the limitations of traditional single-scale analyses, enabling a comprehensive assessment of ecological environment quality changes across provincial, municipal, and county levels in Fujian Province. Through the Mann–Kendall mutation test and Sen + Mann–Kendall trend analysis, the study identified significant change points in the RSEI for Fujian Province and revealed the temporal dynamics of ecological quality from 1987 to 2023. Additionally, Moran's I statistic and Geodetector were employed to explore the spatial correlation and driving factors of ecological quality, with a particular focus on the complex interactions between natural factors. The results indicated that: (1) the integration of Landsat and Sentinel data significantly improved the accuracy of RSEI construction; (2) the RSEI showed a consistent upward trend across different scales, validating the effectiveness of the multi-scale analysis approach; (3) the ecological environment quality in Fujian Province experienced significant changes over the past 37 years, showing a trend of initial decline followed by recovery; (4) Moran's I analysis demonstrated strong spatial clustering of ecological environment quality in Fujian Province, closely linked to human activities; and (5) the interaction between topography and natural factors had a significant impact on the spatial patterns of RSEI, especially in areas with complex terrain. This study not only provides new insights into the dynamic changes in ecological environment quality in Fujian Province over the past 37 years, but also offers a scientific basis for future environmental restoration and management strategies in coastal areas. By leveraging the efficient data processing capabilities of the GEE platform and constructing multi-scale RSEIs, this study significantly enhances the precision and depth of ecological quality assessment, providing robust technical support for long-term monitoring and policy-making in complex ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permafrost-affected regions in the Russian Arctic are a critical study area for studying the sources of metal elements (MEs) in soils originating from geological/pedogenic processes or from anthropogenic sources via atmospheric transport. In the Nadym region of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, we investigated the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and MEs across different soil types and horizons, explored the source apportionment of MEs, and assessed local ecological risks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The results showed that (1) the contents of SOC and TN in Histic Cryosols (8.59% and 0.27%) were significantly higher than in Plaggic Podzols (Arenic, Gelic, and Turbic) (2.28% and 0.15%) and in Ekranic Technosols (Umbric) (1.32% and 0.09%); (2) the concentrations of MEs in the Nadym region were lower than in other Arctic regions; (3) the primary sources of MEs were identified as geological processes (36%), atmospheric transport (23%), agricultural activities (21%), and transportation (20%); and (4) the permafrost-affected soils in the Nadym region exhibited low ecological risks from PTEs. These results underscore the critical role of geological and anthropogenic factors in shaping soil conditions and highlight the relatively low ecological risk from PTEs, providing a valuable benchmark for future environmental assessments and policy development in Yamal permafrost regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic ecosystems are affected by multiple stressors, including hydrological and morphological degradation, high nutrient loading, and chemical pollution. To improve freshwater habitats, hydromorphological restorations have been increasingly implemented. However, follow‐up assessments often show little to no improvement in ecological status, even years after restoration measures have been implemented. The success of restoration projects can be compromised by other stressors, such as insufficient water and sediment quality, which often receive less attention compared to nonchemical stressors. In this study, the impact of chemical stress on the outcome of five river restorations was evaluated ecologically, chemically, and ecotoxicologically. Overall, the habitat structure was considerably improved through the restoration measures, whereas the species communities did not show a consistent trend toward an improved ecological status. Effect‐based methods were used for an integrative assessment of the exposure to chemical mixtures in water and sediment samples of restored stream sections. Differences in toxicity between restored and non‐restored sections were found but did not show a consistent trend among the applied assays. In contrast, the chemical analysis showed that the sections of the same stream were similar in their chemical composition, and differences within a stream were primarily due to sediment contamination. The results of this study suggest that chemical pollution is a relevant factor preventing the success of restoration measures and, ultimately, the improvement of the ecological status of rivers. They also demonstrate the applicability of EBMs in water quality monitoring to detect mixture toxicity in streams and link chemical and ecological assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ditches are widespread and common elements of the agricultural landscape. Although they can provide habitats for aquatic biodiversity, their ecosystem integrity and processes are generally limited or even unknown due to anthropogenic pressures and the paucity of studies on this type of aquatic ecosystem. This study aimed to enhance the knowledge on the biodiversity, ecosystem attributes and ecological status of agricultural ditches by analyzing the macroinvertebrate communities of six different ditches and those of the main river in the same area. While negligible differences in taxonomic richness were observed, macroinvertebrate community composition significantly varied among sites as a function of the heterogeneous habitat conditions. These compositional differences strongly affected the relative abundance of functional feeding groups among sites and their derived ecosystem attributes. Moreover, the ecological status assessment depicted different scenarios depending on the biomonitoring indices applied. By means of a multifaceted, but still poorly adopted, analysis of the macroinvertebrate community, ranging from the taxonomic and functional diversity to ecosystem attributes and biomonitoring indices, the results obtained in this study offer useful information on the ecology of agricultural ditches with potential insights to improving their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent anthropogenic activities have escalated human exploitation of riparian zones of river ecosystems, consequently diminishing aquatic biodiversity. This intensification of land use is also causing water quality degradation and changes in water environmental factors, evidenced by increased nutrient levels and adversely impacting the community structure and diversity of aquatic organisms. Notably, the Weihe River Basin, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, has demonstrated signs of significant anthropogenic pressure. Despite this, comprehensive investigations examining the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic organism diversity in this watershed remain limited. In this study, the environmental impacts and macroinvertebrate diversity under high-intensity and low-intensity land-use scenarios within the Weihe River Basin were investigated through field surveys conducted during the spring and autumn seasons. Our results demonstrated that areas under high-intensity land use exhibited elevated nutrient concentrations (e.g., total nitrogen) compared to those under low-intensity land use. These environmental changes significantly influenced the macroinvertebrate community structure, reducing functional and phylogenetic diversities in high-intensity land-use watersheds. Hydrological factors (water depth, river width, and discharge) have a significant impact on macroinvertebrate taxonomic diversity. Thus, understanding the effects of land-use intensity on aquatic biodiversity is essential for ecological assessments of impacted watersheds and developing management strategies for the sustainable use and planning of riparian lands in the Weihe River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

According to European Union guidelines, the assessment of the ecological status of Transitional Water Systems (TWSs) should be based on the monitoring of biological communities rather than physico-chemical parameters and pollutants. Macrophytes, including aquatic angiosperms and macroalgae, are organisms that respond more quickly to environmental changes by varying the structure and biomass of their assemblages. There are several ecological indices based on macrophytes, among them the Macrophyte Quality Index (MaQI), which has been intercalibrated with water and sediment parameters, nutrient concentrations, and pollutants and is used to determine the ecological status of Italian TWSs. In the Venice Lagoon, it was applied to 87 stations, showing a significant score increase over the last ten years of monitoring (2011–2021) due to progressive lagoon environmental recovery. The dominant taxa assemblages, previously dominated by Ulvaceae, were replaced by species of higher ecological value, with an increase in the number and distribution of sensitive species, as well as the spread and cover of aquatic angiosperms. The rise in the Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) determined by the MaQI confirms the key role of macrophyte monitoring in detecting environmental changes in TWSs. In fact, a simple check of the presence or absence of aquatic angiosperms and sensitive species is sufficient for an initial rapid assessment of the ecological status of these environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hexi region, located in a sensitive and fragile ecological zone in northwest China, requires a scientific assessment of ecosystem services and their interactions. Identifying the main factors influencing spatial distribution is crucial for the sustainable development and effective management of the region. This study evaluates key ecosystem services, including regulating services (water conservation, soil conservation, carbon storage) and provisioning services (NPP), using Spearman's correlation and pixel-by-pixel spatial analysis to calculate spatial trade-offs and synergies. Geographic detectors were used to uncover the underlying driving mechanisms. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, soil conservation, NPP, and carbon storage showed fluctuating growth, while water conservation declined. Spatially, high-value areas of water conservation, carbon storage, and NPP were concentrated in the central and southern areas, while high values of soil conservation services were mainly in the northwest and southeast regions. (2) The trade-offs and synergies among various ecosystem services exhibit temporal shifts, along with spatial scale effects and heterogeneity. In the study area, the proportion of pixels showing a trade-off relationship between water conservation and soil conservation, and between water conservation and NPP, accounts for 48.21% and 21.42%, respectively. These trade-offs are mainly concentrated in the central and southeastern regions, while the northwestern counties predominantly exhibit synergies. (3) Precipitation was the dominant factor for water conservation, carbon storage, and NPP, as well as for the trade-offs among these services. Among natural factors, climatic factors were significantly more influential than socio-economic factors, and the interaction between two factors had a greater explanatory power than single factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection and restoration projects of the mountain-river-forest-field-lake-grass (MRFFLG) system are the mainstream focus of China's current ecological environment protection. A reasonable method for calculating ecosystem service values (ESVs) is a prerequisite for determining the ecological service functions of a watershed. However, how to effectively implement and evaluate the systematic nature of the ecological protection and restoration of the MRFFLG system remains one of the pressing issues. This paper takes the protection and restoration project of the MRFFLG system in the Hunjiang River Basin (HRB) of Jilin Province, China, as an empirical case. Firstly, it constructs an ESVs system to quantify the comprehensive ecological protection and restoration effects of the MRFFLG system. The results show that the forest ecosystem in the HRB has the highest ecological value. Furthermore, by introducing the interval planning method, an uncertain optimization model is constructed with the objective function of maximizing the ecosystem service value of the HRB, and constraints such as restoration costs, unit restoration price, and restoration area. The results show that the total ESVs has increased, with a maximum increase of 348,413.79 × 104 CNY. Finally, the introduction of the fuzzy method reduced the total interval of ESVs by 49.89%, effectively shortening the assessment interval. This study applies the interval-fuzzy method to the protection and restoration projects of the MRFFLG system, effectively measuring the comprehensive management effects of the MRFFLG system in the HRB. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the development of subsequent MRFFLG projects and offers theoretical references for promoting the ecological environment assessment of the comprehensive MRFFLG system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the Kadalundi estuary, Kerala's first community reserve, investigating the prevalence and impacts of microplastics on both the estuarine environment and selected fish species. This study presents the initial evidence indicating the consumption of microplastic particles by 12 commercially important edible fish species inhabiting the Kadalundi estuary. Analysis revealed significant accumulations of microplastic fibers within the surface water. In examining 12 fish species from demersal and pelagic habitats, microplastics were found in both the gastrointestinal tracts and gills. In the digestive tracts, microplastic fragments constituted the highest proportion (46%), while in the gills, microplastic fibers were dominant (52.4%). This study observed a prevalence of blue microplastics over other colors in both water and fish samples. Notably, demersal species showed a higher incidence of ingested microplastics. Polymer analysis identified Polypropylene (PP), Nylon, Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene isotactic (iPP), PE 1 Octene copolymer, and Rayon in water samples, while fish samples predominantly contained LDPE, PP, PE, and Nylon. Risk assessment utilizing the Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) categorized certain polymers as posing minor to moderate risks. Pollution Load Index (PLI) computations indicated moderate to high levels of microplastic contamination across various sampling sites in the estuary. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a lack of correlation between fish size and microplastic ingestion, underscoring environmental factors' influence on microplastic intake. The study emphasizes the implications of microplastic pollution on the fragile ecosystem of the Kadalundi estuary, posing potential risks to biodiversity and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the best circumstances, achieving or sustaining optimum ecological conditions in estuaries is challenging. Persistent information gaps in estuarine data make it difficult to differentiate natural variability from potential regime shifts. Long-term monitoring is critical for tracking ecological change over time. In the United States (US), many resource management programs are working at maximum capacity to address existing state and federal water quality mandates (e.g., pollutant load limits, climate impact mitigation, and fisheries management) and have little room to expand routine sampling efforts to conduct periodic ecological baseline assessments, especially at state and local scales. Alternative design, monitoring, and assessment approaches are needed to help offset the burden of addressing additional data needs to increase understanding about estuarine system resilience when existing monitoring data are sparse or spatially limited. Research presented here offers a pseudo-probabilistic approach that allows for the use of found or secondary data, such as data on hand and other acquired data, to generate statistically robust characterizations of ecological conditions in estuaries. Our approach uses a generalized pseudo-probabilistic framework to synthesize data from different contributors to inform probabilistic-like baseline assessments. The methodology relies on simple geospatial techniques and existing tools (R package functions) developed for the US Environmental Protection Agency to support ecological monitoring and assessment programs like the National Coastal Condition Assessment. Using secondary estuarine water quality data collected in the Northwest Florida (US) estuaries, demonstrations suggest that the pseudo-probabilistic approach produces estuarine condition assessment results with reasonable statistical confidence, improved spatial representativeness, and value-added information. While the pseudo-probabilistic framework is not a substitute for fully evolved monitoring, it offers a scalable alternative to bridge the gap between limitations in resource management capability and optimal monitoring strategies to track ecological baselines in estuaries over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological monitoring is a vital tool to help us assess habitat condition and understand the mechanism(s) for habitat change. Yet many countries struggle to meet their monitoring requirements in part due to the high assessment workload. Rapid ecological assessment methods may have an important role to play in this regard. Following their success within several European habitats (e.g., semi-natural grasslands), they are now being developed for additional habitats such as heathlands, peatlands, and other agri-associated areas. Whilst some rapid assessments using ecological scorecards have been shown to be accurate compared to traditional ecological monitoring, less is known about the functionality of these scorecards in heterogenous landscapes. In this study, we selected four existing scorecards to test alongside a prototype. We assessed how these different scorecards measured habitat condition on the same heathland sites. We found that the choice of metrics, their score weighting, and the thresholds used for categorical scores cause scorecards to assess the same site with substantial variation (37%). Vegetation metrics were the primary cause of score variation, with vegetation structure and positive indicator species being the leading causes. Our study indicates that whilst current scorecards may be representative of project-specific goals, they may not be suitable for wider monitoring uses in their current form. Ecological scorecards have great potential to drastically increase the extent of monitoring, but caution is needed before adapting existing scorecards beyond the purposes from which they were designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban forests face multiple human-mediated pressures leading to compromised ecosystem structure and functioning. Therefore, understanding ecosystem structure in response to ongoing pressures is crucial for sustaining ecological integrity and human well-being. We aim to assess the disturbance and its effects on the vegetation structure of urban forests in Chandigarh using a combination of remote sensing techniques and vegetation surveys. The disturbance was evaluated as a change in NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) from 2001 to 2021 by applying the BFAST (Breaks For Additive Season and Trend) algorithm to the MODIS satellite imagery data. A vegetation survey was conducted to compare the species composition, taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity as measures of forest vegetational structure. While signals of disturbance were evident, the changes in vegetation structure were not well established from our study. Further, this analysis indicated no significant differences in vegetation composition due to disturbance (F1,12 = 0.91, p = 0.575). However, the phylogenetic diversity was substantially lower for disturbed plots than undisturbed plots, though the taxonomic diversity was similar among the disturbed and undisturbed plots. Our results confirmed that disturbance effects are more prominent on the phylogenetic than taxonomic diversity. These findings can be considered early signals of disturbance and its impact on the vegetation structure of urban forests and contribute to the knowledge base on urban ecosystems. Our study has implications for facilitating evidence-based decision-making and the development of sustainable management strategies for urban forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work was carried out to find the length-weight relationship and condition factor of two Teraponid fishes (Terapon jarbua and T. puta) from Karachi coast, Pakistan. The value of coefficient b in LWR equation for T. jarbua indicates isometric growth pattern (b=3.014) in combined sexes, positive allometric growth in males (b=3.119) and negative allometric growth (b=2.933) in females. Whereas for T. puta, the values of coefficient b were examined higher than the ideal value (b=3.486 for combined sexes, b=3.324 for males and b=3.482 for females) shows the positive allometric growth pattern. The isometric pattern illustrates that the body shape of T. jarbua remains same with an increase in its length, while positive allometric growth shows that T. puta gets rounder with an increase in its length. The results of condition factor (K) were observed 1.43, 1.42 and 1.44 for combined, male and female sexes of T. jarbua. The condition factor (K) was obtained as 1.20, 1.18, 1.21 for combined, male and female sexes of T. puta. The higher K-values then the ideal value (K=1) shows that environmental conditions of Karachi coast, Pakistan which is supports the good health of Teraponid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot ichthyological index was developed for use within the Water Framework Directive in the area of Central and Eastern Europe for dam reservoirs, which are heavily modified water bodies. This is the first approach to assessing this water body type based on ichthyofauna in Poland. Various fishing gear types were used. The tested dam reservoirs were scattered throughout the country, from lowland to mountainous areas, with very diverse hydrological and morphological characteristics and pressure ranges based on the TSI index. In preliminary work, a correlation matrix with the TSI index's pressure indicator was tested based on the abundance or biomass of fish species, fish families present, fishing gear used, and fishing depth range for a total of 588 cases. As a result of the tests carried out, the preliminary indicator was based on the ratio of the number of the two families Cyprinidae and Percidae. The correlation between the developed indicator and the pressure index was strong (r = 0.77; p < 0.001). The Percidae family exhibited a strong correlation with the most connections in the matrix. Based on the obtained results, the principle of using already confirmed relationships, such as the ratio between Cyprinidae and Percidae fish families, in the assessment of eutrophication was confirmed to be effective, guaranteeing the effective initial assessment of ecological potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change not only affects the water resource system but also has a great impact on the aquatic ecosystem, which is complexly linked to various organic and inorganic matter. It is difficult to simulate the current aquatic ecosystem and predict the future system due to the immensity and complexity of aquatic ecosystems; however, a spatial analysis of future aquatic ecological health is necessary if we are to adapt and take action against future climate change. In this study, we evaluated the aquatic ecological health of the Han River basin under the future climate change RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios using three indices: fish assessment index (FAI), trophic diatom index (TDI), and benthic macroinvertebrate index (BMI). For this, we developed the SWAT-XGBoost linkage algorithm, and the algorithm accuracy for the FAI, TDI, and BMI was 89.3~95.2%. In the case of the FAI and BMI assessment of aquatic ecological health, the upstream Han River was classified as a hot spot. In the case of the TDI, the downstream area of the Han River was classified as a cold spot. However, as the current TDI downstream was classified as grades D and E, continuous management is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of population, society and economy, human activities have caused serious adverse impacts on the environment, ecosystems and landscape patterns over the long term. In order to address the series of impacts of human activities on the environment, territorial space and resource use, the study of Production–Living–Ecological Space (PLES) and ecological security have all become academic frontiers in the field of sustainable development. In this study, we applied multi‐source data and GIS technology to construct an ecological security evaluation model based on the results of PLES delineation and the Pressure‐State‐Response (PSR) framework, and carried out the three‐period PLES ecological security evaluation for 2000, 2010 and 2020 at the county and grid scales in Yunnan Province. The PLES pattern in Yunnan Province is dominated by ecological space, which accounts for 75%, followed by 23% of production space, with ecological space shrinking from 2000 to 2020. Ecological security in ecological space and living space shows an improving trend from 2000 to 2020. The ecological security of production space improved in 2010 compared to 2000 but then showed a decreasing trend in 2020. Ecological security in ecological space shows that north‐western and southern Yunnan is safer than central Yunnan, while ecological security in living space is safer in central Yunnan, and ecological security in production space is better in southern Yunnan than in northern Yunnan. Comparison with related research results shows that the ecological security evaluation results of PLES in Yunnan Province in this study are scientific and reasonable. The ecological security evaluation model of PLES constructed in this study solves the problem of complex and incomplete ecological security evaluation indexes in the past, and the results of the study are more refined and precise, which provides new ideas for the study of regional ecological security. Based on the functional attributes of land, the evaluation model of ecological security of Production–Living–Ecological space was constructed. Yunnan Province has the largest proportion of ecological space at 75%, but it has been shrinking in the last 20 years. In the past 20 years, the ecological security of ecological space and living space in Yunnan Province has shown an improvement trend, while production space has risen and then declined. This study analyses ecological security at different scales so that it can better reveal its spatial heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity net gain is a policy focus worldwide, acknowledging ongoing losses of biodiversity to development, and a commitment to offsetting any residual impacts on biodiversity elsewhere. At least 37 countries have mandatory offsetting policies, and a further 64 countries enable voluntary offsets. Offsets rely on credible and evidence‐based methods to quantify biodiversity losses and gains.Following the introduction of the United Kingdom's Environment Act in November 2021, all new developments requiring planning permission in England must demonstrate a biodiversity net gain of at least 10% biodiversity net gain from 2024, calculated using a statutory biodiversity metric framework. The metric uses habitat as a proxy for biodiversity, scoring habitats' intrinsic distinctiveness and current condition.We carried out a study of the metric's performance across England in terms of outcomes for biodiversity. We used generalized linear mixed models to regress baseline biodiversity units against five long‐established single‐attribute proxies for biodiversity (species richness, individual abundance, number of threatened species, mean species range and mean species range/population change). Data were gathered for species belonging to three commonly used indicator taxa (vascular plants, butterflies and birds) from 24 sites, including all terrestrial broad habitats except urban.In baseline assessments, metric‐derived biodiversity units correlated with most plant biodiversity variables, but not with any of the bird or butterfly biodiversity variables used in this study. Plant species recorded in habitats with higher baseline biodiversity units had slightly more restricted ranges (slope −16.22 ± 1.52, p < 0.001) on average and had shown stronger past declines (slope −0.02 ± 0.00, p < 0.001) than those in habitats with lower baseline biodiversity units. Each additional baseline biodiversity unit was associated with a 1% increase in plant species richness (p < 0.01).Synthesis and applications: Using the statutory biodiversity metric to define 10% biodiversity net gain without additional species‐focused conservation management is likely to translate into small gains for plant biodiversity, and negligible gains for birds and butterflies. We make specific recommendations to improve the metric's efficacy in achieving desirable biodiversity outcomes. Our results provide a valuable case study for other countries interested in developing metrics to support biodiversity net gain policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplains are crucial components of river landscape, essential for the biodiversity and ecological integrity of large rivers. However, they are often overlooked and underestimated when assessing the ecological status of the main river channel.The main objective of this study was to identify the most relevant scheme for assessing the ecological status of side arms in the Danube floodplain (Slovakia) based on benthic invertebrates.The calculation of ecological status for the Danube main channel was adapted to the environmental conditions of the floodplain as a measure of the evaluation accuracy of six taxonomically different floodplain indexes. The study was based on a comprehensive survey of benthic invertebrate diversity conducted at 19 sampling sites, covering eupotamal and parapotamal side arms.Three floodplain indexes that significantly correlated with ecological status were categorised based on predicted values in relation to status class thresholds. The floodplain index based on Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, Mysida, Isopoda and Amphipoda (FI_P) showed the best result, aligning closely with the commonly used classification of lateral habitats. Although it divides the eupotamon into two subclasses, a main channel and a side arm, the inclusion of two different eupotamal habitats in the classification supports the geomorphological variability of side arms and their degree of ecological succession.The shortcomings of the assessment based on the lateral habitat classification scheme are discussed, emphasising the importance of applying this method for the assessment of floodplain waters and their conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the rapid urbanisation, the ecological environment of plateau lake basins faces significant challenges. To better coordinate the relationship between urbanisation development and ecological environment construction, this paper conducts an analysis and assessment of the ecological resilience and urbanisation coupling coordination in Dali Prefecture based on sociogeographical spatial data. Initially, an assessment model for ecological resilience is established using resilience theory. Subsequently, the urbanisation development level is evaluated based on panel data. Finally, a coupling coordination model is employed to calculate the coupling coordination between the two aspects. The results indicate: (1) a rapid increase in basin urbanisation from 2010 to 2019, particularly between 2010 and 2015; (2) a continuous expansion of lowvalue ecological resilience areas across the entire basin, with a predominance of townships experiencing fluctuating decreases or stagnation, leading to an overall negative trend in ecological resilience indices; (3) evident spatial and temporal disparities in coupling coordination between the two systems in the basin's villages and towns, primarily reflected in differences in coupling coordination types, with a few towns consistently exhibiting environmental lag. This study introduces a customised ecological resilience model for the Erhai Basin, enhancing comprehension of urbanisation-ecological resilience dynamics in plateau lake basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological Evaluations support Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service by federal action agencies, such as the USEPA, regarding impacts of federal activities on threatened or endangered species. However, they are often time‐consuming and challenging to conduct. The identification of pollutant benchmarks or guidance to protect taxa for states and tribes when USEPA has not yet developed criteria recommendations is also of importance to ensure a streamlined approach to Clean Water Act program implementation. Due to substantial workloads, tight regulatory timelines, and the often‐protracted length of ESA consultations, there is a need to streamline the development of biological evaluation toxicity assessments for determining the impact of chemical pollutants on ESA‐listed species. Moreover, there is limited availability of species‐specific toxicity data for many contaminants, further complicating the consultation process. New approach methodologies are being increasingly used in toxicology and chemical safety assessment to rapidly and cost‐effectively provide data that can fill gaps in hazard and/or exposure characterization. Here, we present the development of an automated computational pipeline—RASRTox (Rapidly Acquire, Score, and Rank Toxicological data)—to rapidly extract and categorize ecological toxicity benchmark values from curated data sources (ECOTOX, ToxCast) and well‐established quantitative structure–activity relationships (TEST, ECOSAR). As a proof of concept, points‐of‐departure (PODs) generated in RASRTox for 13 chemicals were compared against benchmark values derived using traditional methods—toxicity reference values (TRVs) and water quality criteria (WQC). The RASRTox PODs were generally within an order of magnitude of corresponding TRVs, though less concordant compared with WQC. The greatest utility of RASRTox, however, lies in its ability to quickly and systematically identify critical studies that may serve as a basis for screening value derivation by toxicologists as part of an ecological hazard assessment. As such, the strategy described in this case study can potentially be adapted for other risk assessment contexts and stakeholder needs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:2203–2217. © 2024 Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. KEY POINT: The development of an automated hazard assessment tool, RASRTox, represents a novel strategy integrating new approach methodologies to complement and support federal biological evaluations with broader potential use in other ecological risk assessment contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]