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Phytoplankton community response to extreme climate variability has an important effect on the regional marine ecosystem. The 2015–2016 El Niño event has been the strongest El Niño event on record of the century, which has a high chance of impacting the most productive ecological zone like the Arabian Sea. In this study, we investigated the influence of the 2015–2016 El Niño on the seasonal pattern and its impact on the phytoplankton size class (PSC) distribution in the Arabian Sea based on monthly satellite PSC observations and physical observations from various sources from 2003 to 2019. Results showed that the 2015–2016 El Niño event influenced the physical drivers and consequently weakened the monsoonal pattern that led to the enhancement or inhibition of specific PSC in the Arabian Sea. During the 2015 summer monsoon, the intensity of summer upwelling was weaker than normal, which caused a reduction in the abundance of microplankton to ~8% and an increase in the abundance of picoplankton to ~12%. Similarly, during the 2016 winter monsoon, the weakening of convective mixing and the formation of warm core eddy led to a reduction in the abundance of microplankton to ~6% and an increase in the abundance of picoplankton to ~9%. However, the nanoplankton distribution was observed stable with no significant response to the extreme physical condition due to its ubiquitous nature. The effect of the 2015–2016 El Niño event altered the physical conditions and associated specific PSC distribution in the Arabian Sea. Notably, the distinct response of each PSC to the changing climate and their environmental adaptation was identified in this study. Our results indicated that the phytoplankton community structure and associated marine ecosystem are sensitive to the effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most diversified and economyically significant family in the order Coleoptera is the Chrysomelidae(leaf beetle). The Chrysomelidae family in Sindh region is thoroughly examined in terms of taxonomy and distribution in this study. From January 2020 to December 2023 extensive field surveys and specimen collections were carried out in a variety of Sindhi habitats. Using morphological methods the gathered specimens were recognized and categorized. From single species Chrysoline graminin (Linneaus 1758), 120 speciemens were reported from Lower Sindh Pakistan. The distribution patterns show notable variation between ecological zones underscoring the impact of environmental factors on species richness and diversity. This study also addresses the possible effects of changing climate and agricultural practices on Sindh Chrysomelidae populations. The results lay the groundwork for future ecological and conservation research by advancing our knowledge of the biodiversity and biogeography of leaf beetles in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Entomological data for onchocerciasis surveillance relies on sampling black flies through human landing collectors in the field and laboratory testing of the flies for infection using pooled screening O-150 PCR-ELISA assay. Both techniques require improvements. This study aimed to optimize the Esperanza Window Trap (EWT) for black fly collection. We tested alternative carbon dioxide (CO2) mimics to attract black flies to the traps. Additionally, we evaluated new quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods that target mitochondrial DNA markers and have been proposed to enhance the sensitivity and specificity for detecting Onchocerca volvulus infections in blackflies. Methods: Traps baited with low, medium and high release rates of either 2-butanone or cyclopentanone as CO2 mimics were field tested against traps baited with organically generated CO2 in four ecological zones in Nigeria: Guinea savannah, derived savannah, rainforest and montane forest. The performance of EWTs baited with CO2 or in combination with 2-butanone (low release) were subsequently evaluated against the human landing collection (HLC). Trap scaling was also pilot tested by comparing two EWTs to a single HLC team. Collected black flies were used to test detection of O. volvulus in black flies using Ov ND5 real-time PCR (qPCR) compared to the conventional pool screening O-150 PCR. Results: EWTs baited with 2-butanone caught similar numbers of black flies (Simulium damnosum s.l.) to those baited with CO2, while cyclopentanone collected significantly fewer flies in all locations. The low release of 2-butanone was the most effective overall, although HLCs collected higher numbers of black flies than EWT baited with CO2 either singly or in combination with low-release 2-butanone. The combination of two EWTs baited with CO2 and deployed 100 m apart from each other collected similar numbers of flies as one HLC. More black fly pools were positive for O. volvulus by Ov ND5 qPCR compared with O-150 PCR in derived savannah (31.15 vs. 15.57%), montane forest (11.54 vs. 0%) and rainforest (23.08 vs. 2.56%), with only one positive pool in Guinea savannah detected by both methods. Conclusions: The 2-butanone has potential to be used in xenomonitoring as a standardized replacement for organically generated CO2. Ov ND5 qPCR detected more positive pools than O-150 PCR. The positive pools found in foci hitherto considered to have interrupted/eliminated onchocerciasis highlight the need for more sensitive and specific methods that support programmatic assessments to identify and combat recrudescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services in Liaoning's ecological restoration zones is crucial for strengthening the positioning of ecological restoration zones and optimizing ecosystem services. This study is based on "Liaoning Provincial Land Spatial Planning (2021–2035)" and divides the area into ecological restoration zones. We utilized the InVEST model, ArcGIS Pro, and Geoda in this study to quantify five ecosystem services (Soil Conservation, Carbon Storage, Habitat Quality, Water Yield, and Food Production) and constructed an evaluation framework to assess the trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services at both global and local levels. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The global relationships among ecosystem services in different ecological restoration zones are ranked as: strong trade-offs (35.51%) > weak trade-offs (33.17%) > low synergies (29.09%) > high synergies (2.24%); (2) The area exhibiting synergistic relationships between pairs of local ecosystem services in ecological restoration zones is larger than the area exhibiting trade-offs; (3) The strongest synergy is observed between water yield and soil conservation, while the most significant trade-off occurs between food production and soil conservation. These relationships exhibit similar spatial characteristics in the WSFR, SWCR, and WCR zones; (4) The proportion of areas showing trade-offs and synergies differs between global and local scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Banded sheath blight (Bsb) disease, caused by Rhizoctonia solani , is an emerging problem in barnyard millet cultivation. One of the significant goals of pathogenomic research is to identify genes responsible for pathogenicity in the fungus. Methods: A virulence profiling-based approach was employed and six R. solani isolates were collected from various ecological zones of India. The morphological parameters and virulence of all of the six R. solani isolates were investigated. The most virulent strain was designated as RAP2 and its genome has been sequenced, assembled, and annotated. Results: The RAP2 genome is 43.63 megabases in size and comprises 10.95% repetitive DNA, within which 46% are retroelements, 8% are DNA transposons, and 46% are unidentified DNA. The Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of RAP2 proteins revealed that "phosphorylation", "membrane", and "ATP binding" have the highest gene enrichment in the "biological process", "cellular component" and "molecular function" domains, respectively. The genome comprises a majority of secretory proteins in the pectin lyase fold/virulence factor superfamily, which break down plant cell wall polymers to extract saccharides. The RAP2 genome is comparable to R. solani , which infects maize and rice, but it diverges further from soybean in terms of nucleotide-level genetic similarity. Orthologous clustering of RAP2 protein sequences with R. solani infecting maize, rice, and soybean yields 5606 proteins shared across all genomes. GO analysis of 25 proteins specific to the RAP2 genome found enrichment in the ethylene response, which can cause spore germination and infection in host plants. Discussion: Interestingly, a 28-bp deletion in the RAP2 strain's cutinase domain was discovered in the cutinase protein, which might be important in the infection process, perhaps rendering the enzyme inactive or allowing the pathogen to infect barnyard millet while avoiding host defense. This study sheds light on the genetic makeup of R. solani , allowing researchers to discover critical genes related with pathogenicity as well as potential targets for fungicide development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is a medicinal plant and a member of family Rosaceae. It is native plant of Asia Minor and Europe. It is used in production of jam and jellies and also as a remedy of several ailments. The present study was conducted to evaluate the genetic polymorphism based on morphological and molecular traits. Different varieties of Quince were collected from different ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan and a total of 26 different morphological traits were recorded among studied genotypes. Based on qualitative morphological trait study, the variety collected from Tindodag was unique one with highest fruit weight (328.82 g). The lowest fruit weight (68.38 g) was recorded for Talash genotype. The Charbagh and Tindodag genotypes showed highest seed length (10.6 mm) while genotypes of Chitral was recorded as lowest (8.4 mm). Statistically, significant level of variation was noted with coefficient of variance ranged from 2.23% to 30.38%. Based on correlation analysis, fruit length had strongly correlation with fruit weight (r = 0.89**), Average Fruit width was found significant with fruit weight (r = 0.90**). Similarly, the Core Width was found strongly significant with Core Length (r = 0.95**). ANOVA analysis indicated 10 quantitative characters to be highly significant, 2 significant and 1 insignificant. Principal component analysis was also computed for the 13 quantitative traits with Eigen value of 0.48 and a total variance of 97.78%. The first principal component shows total variation of 52.52%. In PC2 the total variation was 80.15%, PC3 94.06% while in PC4 it was 97.78%. The NCBI BLAST results shows that all the genotypes have similar origin except Tindodag genotype, which shows differences in its origin. Accession number for all other genotypes is MN216014.1, while accession number of Tindodag genotype is KF861967.1. Based on this study, it can be concluded that Tindodag genotype is unique out of the studied localities. NCBI BLAST have provided further support for the drawn conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a vital component of the global carbon pool, soils in arid and semi-arid regions play a significant role in carbon sequestration. In the context of global warming, increasing temperatures and moisture levels promote the transformation of barren land into wetlands, enhancing carbon sinks. However, the overdevelopment of oases and excessive extraction of groundwater lead to the opposite effect, reducing carbon sequestration. This study examines two soil types—meadow soil (MS) and swamp soil (SS)—from Qingtu Lake, an arid lake in western China. It analyzes the sources of soil inorganic carbon, the composition and origin of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and the relationships between microbes, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), mineral composition, and soil texture. The results indicate that inorganic carbon in the study area consists of both primary carbonate minerals and secondary pedogenic carbonates. The DOM primarily consists of two components, both identified as terrestrial humic substances. In meadow soils, bacterial activity drives the weathering of plagioclase, which releases Ca2+ necessary for the formation of pedogenic carbonates. Plagioclase also provides colonization sites for microbes and, along with microbial activity, participates in the soil carbon cycle. Within the soil community, bacteria appear to play a more critical role than fungi. In contrast, microbial contributions to the carbon cycle in swamp soils are weaker, with minerals predominantly interacting with organic carbon to form mineral-associated organic matter, thus promoting the soil carbon cycle. These findings have important implications for understanding soil carbon sinks under different micro-ecological conditions in arid and semi-arid regions. Through targeted human intervention, it is possible to enhance carbon sequestration in these areas, contributing to the mitigation of global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to accurately evaluate the quality characteristics of whole tillage cropland and deepen the knowledge of sub-tillage soil quality evaluation in Jilin Province, China. In this study, top-tillage and sub-tillage soil samples were collected from 185 maize continuous cropping areas in Jilin Province, and 12 physicochemical indexes (pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), sand, silt, and clay) were used to evaluate the whole tillage layer soil quality index (SQI). The results showed that the whole tillage soil physicochemical indexes in Jilin Province were generally above the moderate level, and nutrient contents increased from West to East among the regions. The minimum data set SQI (SQI-MDS) of the top-tillage and sub-tillage layers were 0.22–0.98 (0.46) and 0.23–0.93 (0.55), respectively. The suitable ranges of MDS parameters for reasonable tillage layers were as follows: top-tillage layer SOM ≥ 34.5 g kg−1, 31.5% ≤ sand ≤ 53.5%, AP ≥ 32.1 mg kg−1, and TK ≥ 15.18 g kg−1; sub-tillage layer 31.3% ≤ sand ≤ 51.2%, TN ≥ 1.48 g kg−1, 6.4 ≤ pH ≤ 7.1, and AK ≥ 157.6 mg kg−1. In summary, the SQI and evaluation indexes of the top-tillage and sub-tillage layers in different ecological zones are varied. It is necessary to adjust the evaluation index thresholds in combination with the actual conditions to establish a more accurate evaluation index system of the whole tillage soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the long-term impacts of various forest management practices on the structure and biodiversity of Estonian hemiboreal forests, a unique ecological transition zone between temperate and boreal forests, found primarily in regions with cold winters and moderately warm summers, such as the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. The study examined 150 plots across stands of different ages (65–177 years), including commercial forests and Natura 2000 habitat 9010* "Western Taiga". These plots varied in stand origin—multi-aged (trees of varying ages) versus even-aged (uniform tree ages), management history—historical (practices before the 1990s) and recent (post-1990s practices), and conservation status—protected forests (e.g., Natura 2000 areas) and commercial forests focused on timber production. Data on forest structure, including canopy tree diameters, deadwood volumes, and species richness, were collected alongside detailed field surveys of vascular plants and bryophytes. Management histories were assessed using historical maps and records. Statistical analyses, including General Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs), Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP), and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA), were used to evaluate the effects of origin, management history, and conservation status on forest structure and species composition. Results indicated that multi-aged origin forests had significantly higher canopy tree diameters and deadwood volumes compared to even-aged origin stands, highlighting the benefits of varied-age management for structural diversity. Historically managed forests showed increased tree species richness, but lower deadwood volumes, suggesting a biodiversity–structure trade-off. Recent management, however, negatively impacted both deadwood volume and understory diversity, reflecting short-term forestry consequences. Protected areas exhibited higher deadwood volumes and bryophyte richness compared to commercial forests, indicating a small yet persistent effect of conservation strategies in sustaining forest complexity and biodiversity. Indicator species analysis identified specific vascular plants and bryophytes as markers of long-term management impacts. These findings highlight the ecological significance of integrating historical legacies and conservation priorities into modern management to support forest resilience and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health status of ecosystems is an important prerequisite for ensuring regional ecological security. Exploring the spatiotemporal patterns, driving mechanisms, and zoning regulation pathways of ecosystem health is of great significance for achieving co-ordinated and sustainable regional ecosystems. This study uses China as a case area and applies the InVEST model to measure integrated ecosystem services and incorporates it into an evaluation framework for ecosystem health based on the "Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Ecosystem Services" (VORS) model. It reveals the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of ecosystem health in China from 2000 to 2020 and employs the geodetector and spatiotemporal geographically weighted regression model to analyze the main influencing factors and spatial differentiation characteristics, thereby exploring ecological management zoning and optimization pathways. The study results show that (1) during the study period, the overall ecosystem health level in China showed a declining trend, dropping from 0.397 in 2000 to 0.377 in 2020. (2) Overall, China's ecosystem health exhibits strong spatial positive correlation and spatial clustering characteristics, with a basic pattern of lower values in the northwest and higher values in the southeast. (3) Vegetation coverage, population density, density of road network, and per capita GDP are the main influencing factors of ecosystem health in China. (4) China is divided into five types of Ecological Management Zones: Ecological Conservation Zone, Ecological Enhancement Zone, Ecological Buffer Zone, Ecological Remediation Zone, and Ecological Reshaping Zone, with differentiated strategies proposed for optimizing ecosystem health in each zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the rapid socio-economic development of urban fringe areas, promoting the multi-functional supply of ecosystems and sustainable development is essential. Taking Jiangning District in Nanjing as a case study, this study explores the relationships and spatial clustering characteristics among various ecosystem service values in urban fringe areas, focusing on the trade-offs between ecological and social values. Ecological functional zones were delineated based on the ecosystem service clustering results and regional conjugation principles, followed by an analysis of the trade-offs and synergies among the values within each zone. The findings reveal the following: (1) trade-offs between ecological and social ecosystem service values are prevalent across the entire region, as well as within sub-regions in urban fringe areas; (2) Jiangning District can be divided into five key ecological functional zones—the Vibrant Industry-Urbanization Integration Zone, Important Habitat Conservation Zone, Livable Organic Renewal Zone, Characteristic Rural Landscape Development Zone, and Riparian Recreation and Ecological Conservation Zone. Each zone exhibits significant differences in the types and features of the services provided; and (3) understanding the relationships among ecological and social values within each zone may help to resolve trade-offs between them. This progressive trade-off analysis, from the regional to sub-regional level, enables more precise identification of ecosystem functions, providing reference for decision-making to enhance the overall regional value and guide sustainable planning and management practices in urban fringe areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively and rationally allocating land resources, while coordinating urban expansion with internal renewal strategies, is crucial for achieving high-quality regional development in coastal urban agglomerations. Land-use suitability assessment (LSA) is a key method for coastal land-use planning, but it is primarily used to delineate ecological redlines or areas for urban expansion, often overlooking the spatial analysis needed for urban renewal. This is particularly critical in coastal urban agglomerations facing land scarcity and ecological fragility. Here, we combined land use and the Analytical Hierarchical Process (to consider stakeholder priorities) in a Minimum cumulative resistance model (MCRM) to determine suitable coastal urban growth and renewal based on a suite of 12 indicators relevant to development intensity and stock space. Application to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) indicates a dominance of the Ecological Buffer Zone (70.5%), and the available stock space in the GBA comprises only 9.2% of the total area. Our modeling framework tailored different development strategies for different cities: Huizhou and Zhaoqing had space for urban expansion to varying degrees, while other cities were found to be suitable for urban renewal due to low stock space and high development intensity. Our modeling approach, incorporating stakeholder input and objective evaluation of geographic land-use information, can assist planners in improving ecological security while promoting high-quality developments in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aboveground biomass density (AGBD) estimates from Earth Observation (EO) can be presented with the consistency standards mandated by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This article delivers AGBD estimates, in the format of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 1 values for natural forests, sourced from National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) and Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2), and European Space Agency's (ESA's) Climate Change Initiative (CCI). It also provides the underlying classification used by the IPCC as geospatial layers, delineating global forests by ecozones, continents and status (primary, young (≤20 years) and old secondary (>20 years)). The approaches leverage complementary strengths of various EO-derived datasets that are compiled in an open-science framework through the Multi-mission Algorithm and Analysis Platform (MAAP). This transparency and flexibility enables the adoption of any new incoming datasets in the framework in the future. The EO-based AGBD estimates are expected to be an independent contribution to the IPCC Emission Factors Database in support of UNFCCC processes, and the forest classification expected to support the generation of other policy-relevant datasets while reflecting ongoing shifts in global forests with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape ecological risk assessment and ecological network construction are of great significance for optimizing territorial functions and reducing regional ecological risks. Based on the production-living-ecological space perspective, this study evaluated the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of landscape ecological risk and its driving mechanism in Southwest China and constructed a landscape ecological network. The results showed that the proportions of ecological space, production space and living space to the total space in 2020 were 74.35%, 24.55% and 1.10%, respectively. The industrial production space had the highest growth rate, increasing by 9.8 times from 2000 to 2020. During the study period, the average value of the ecological risk index ranged from 0.2 to 0.21 for the whole landscape. The geographical distribution of ecological risk zones showed significant differences, with risk zones showing a transition from high-risk and low-risk to medium-risk zones. A total of 105 ecological corridors and 156 ecological nodes have been constructed in the 2020 ecological network. The northeastern part of the study area needs better landscape connectivity and should be focused on ecological protection. Random Forest (RF) and Geodetector modeling showed that anthropogenic disturbance and land use levels have strong explanatory power for the evolution of ecological risk in the landscape. The interactions between anthropogenic disturbance, natural climate and regional economy are essential factors in the spatiotemporal differentiation of ecological risk. This study provides scientific references for ecological risk research and the promotion of high-quality development in Southwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehending the triggers, such as turnover and nestedness, in structuring of macrobenthic communities is crucial for informing wetland biodiversity conservation strategies. Previous studies on macrobenthic communities in the Yellow River Delta wetland lacked β-diversity analysis and did not consider the role of turnover and nestedness in different ecological zones. Therefore, we analyzed taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional α- and β-diversities in the Yellow River Delta wetland, intertidal and offshore zones. The study revealed that the intertidal zone had higher polychaete abundance of species, while the offshore zone was dominated by a more mobile crustaceans and fish species. The findings of this study showed that α-diversity metrics for taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional dimensions were higher in offshore stations, whereas β-diversity was higher in intertidal communities. Turnover contributed more significantly to taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional β-diversities, highlighting changes not only happened in species composition but also in phylogenetic relationships and functional traits between the two zones. Additionally, the intertidal zone exhibited higher turnover, while the offshore zone had an increased proportion of nestedness component contribution, especially for functional β-diversity. Correlation analysis indicated significant associations among three β-diversities and their respective turnover and nestedness components. The correlation between taxonomic and phylogenetic aspects was stronger compared to the correlations between taxonomic and functional aspects as well as between functional and phylogenetic aspects. These findings enhance our understanding of the drivers of biodiversity in macrobenthic communities and underscore the importance of considering phylogenetic and functional dimensions in β-diversity studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Soil & Water Conservation (1009-2242) is the property of Institute of Soil & Water Conservation 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 Journal of Soil & Water Conservation (1009-2242) is the property of Institute of Soil & Water Conservation 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.)

Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the environmental gradients‐biotic structuring relationship. Nevertheless, several inconsistencies have arisen when only one hypothesis is chosen to explain the biological diversity patterns. Our aim is to test a multiple hypotheses approach to explain the structure of a coprophilic scarab local guild.Coprophilic Scarabaeoidea beetles were sampled for 33 sites along the study region (Los Chimalapas, Oaxaca, Mexico). Several environmental variables were used to test four hypotheses for geographic gradients: Productivity, ambient energy, habitat heterogeneity and temporal heterogeneity. Generalised linear mixed models were used to test the relationship of the hypotheses on the abundance, species richness and Shannon‐Wiener diversity of the local guild. Moreover, canonical correspondence analysis was performed to analyse the effects on species composition.Abundance was negatively affected by the simultaneous effect between two habitat heterogeneity factors, while both species richness (positive effect) and Shannon‐Wiener diversity (negative effect) were mainly related to productivity, and species composition was mainly explained by habitat heterogeneity.We conclude that multiple hypotheses, both based on species‐energy and heterogeneity, need to be considered to explain biotic setting of communities, ensembles, assemblages, local guilds and other complex biotic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet use among older adults has several beneficial impacts on their health and general wellbeing. However, there are limited studies on internet use among older adults in low- and middle-income countries, including Ghana. Also, studies on internet use among older adults have used surveys rather than census data, which minimises the potential for sampling bias and improves representativeness. Therefore, this study used census data to examine the prevalence and predictors of internet use among Ghanaian older adults. This study utilised the Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census. The data were analysed using Pearson's chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Overall, 52.9% of older adults used the internet 3 months preceding the census. Older adults mainly use mobile phones to access the internet. The significant predictors of internet use were age, sex, educational status, marital status, religious affiliation, place of residence, sight and hearing impairment, household wealth status, and ecological zone. Internet use among Ghanaian older adults was relatively high. Policymakers should consider these intrapersonal (age, sex, educational status, and sight and hearing impairments), interpersonal (marital status and household wealth), institutional (religious affiliation), and community (place of residence and ecological zone) level factors when developing interventions to promote internet use among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Songhua River Basin is an important grain production base and ecological region in China, and studying its water supply and water quantity changes is of great significance for achieving scientific water allocation and ecological environment protection in the basin. This study employed the CSR RL06 Mascon data products derived from the GRACE and GRACE-FO gravity satellites from 2003 to 2020. For the missing data between GRACE and GRACE-FO, published reconstructed data were used to fill the gaps. The accuracy of the data in the study area was validated through comparison with GLDAS simulated water storage data. Based on this, the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of terrestrial water storage in the basin were analyzed using a combination of Theil-Sen and Mann-Kendall trend tests. Additionally, the Pearson correlation coefficient and geographical detector methods were utilized to delve into the influence of various factors, including precipitation (Pre), evapotranspiration (ET), population density (POP), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), ecological zones (Ez), and digital elevation model (DEM), on terrestrial water storage. Furthermore, aiming to address the issue of errors introduced by resampling when performing correlation analysis on remote sensing data of different resolutions, the traditional raster data resampling method was optimized. The research findings indicate the following: 1 The GRACE data products exhibit good accuracy in the study area, and the linear trend range of their changes exhibits a high correlation with GLDAS data. 2 The optimized resampling method is more suitable for spatial studies similar to Pearson correlation analysis, and it significantly improves the accuracy of most data compared to directly using raw data. 3 The water storage in the Songhua River Basin has shown an increasing trend during the study period, with a noticeable increase in the extreme value ratio. By the end of the study period, the spatial distribution of water storage in the region tended to stabilize, exhibiting a basic pattern of more water in the northeast and less in the southwest. 4 The primary individual factors causing changes in water storage in the basin are precipitation and evapotranspiration, and the combined effects of most factors manifest as nonlinear enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the influence of climate change and human activities, riparian ecosystems in arid regions are facing severe challenges such as extensive vegetation death. Meanwhile, conventional reservoir operation and vegetation irrigation have low water use efficiency and unsatisfactory vegetation restoration effect. For improving the efficiency of water resources regulation and protect riparian ecosystems in arid regions, this study proposes a multi-objective reservoir-gate ecological operation model coupled with vegetation priority irrigation. Firstly, based on ecological project layout and riparian vegetation types, ecological irrigation districts and ecological functional zones are divided for precise zoning water regulation, and then the irrigation order of "key protected zones > key restoration zones > ecological sensitive zones" and the water supply priority of irrigation districts are formulated for vegetation priority irrigation. Secondly, a long-term multi-objective reservoir-gate operation model coupled with vegetation priority irrigation is established, and an improved parallel approximate evaluation-based algorithm (RG-PAEM) is proposed for enhancing the search ability and calculation efficiency of optimization model. Finally, ecological operation effects under vegetation priority irrigation are analyzed through a case study of Tarim River basin in northwestern China. Results show that: (1) compared with conventional ecological irrigation, vegetation priority irrigation improves ecological and agricultural water supplies in Tarim River mainstream; (2) under vegetation priority irrigation, annual ecological water supplies of Level I to Level V irrigation districts account for 3%, 15%, 28%, 48%, and 6% of the total, respectively, and monthly ecological water supply reaches the maximum in July; (3) the upper and middle reaches of mainstream are important areas for riparian vegetation protection, the ecological water shortage decreased by 10% and 16% respectively through reservoir-gate ecological operation and vegetation priority irrigation. The study results provide theoretical and technical support for achieving scientific water resources regulation and sustaining desert riparian ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WuShen counties in the hinterland of the Maowusu Sandland are located in the "ecological stress zone" of the forest–steppe desert, with low vegetation cover, a strong ecosystem sensitivity, and poor stability under the influence of human activities. Therefore, it is important to study and analyze the changes in vegetation growth in this region for the purpose of objectively evaluating the effectiveness of desertification control in China's agricultural and pastoral intertwined zones, and formulating corresponding measures in a timely manner. In this paper, the spatial and temporal variations in the vegetation NDVI in the WuShen counties of the Maowusu Sandland and their response relationships with driving factors were investigated by using a trend test, center of gravity transfer model, partial correlation calculation, and residual analysis, and by using the MOD13A3 vegetation NDVI time series data from 2000 to 2020, as well as the precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration data from the same period. The results showed the following: ① The regional vegetation NDVI did not fluctuate significantly with latitude and longitude, and the NDVI varied between 0.227 and 0.375 over the 21-year period, with a mean increase of 0.13 for the region as a whole and an increase of 0.61 for the region of greatest change. Of the area, 86.83% experienced a highly significant increase, and the trend in increase around rivers and towns was higher than that in the northwestern inland flow area, with the overall performance of "low in the west and high in the east". ② Only 2.07% of the vegetation NDVI center of gravity did not shift, and the response with climate factors was mainly characterized by having consistent or opposite center of gravity changes with precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. ③ Human activities have been the dominant factor in the vegetation NDVI change, with 75.89 percent of the area positively impacted by human activities, and human activities in the southwest inhibiting the improvement of vegetation in the area. The impact of human activities on the unchanged land type area is increasing, most obviously in the farmland area, and the impact of human activities on the changed land type area is gradually decreasing in the area where the farmland becomes impervious. The vegetation in the area above 1300 m above sea level is degraded by the environment and human activities. The research results can provide scientific support for the implementation of ecological fine management and the formulation of corresponding ecological restoration and desertification control measures in the Maowusu Sandland. At the same time, it is expected to serve as a baseline for other studies on the evolution of vegetation in agro-pastoral zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Black Irtysh River, a major tributary of the Ob River, traverses diverse ecological zones, influencing the distribution and composition of its floodplain vegetation. This study focused on the Black Irtysh River valley, a key segment of the Irtysh basin, to assess the current state of its plant communities. To compile expedition routes and a preliminary floristic list, a critical revision of more than 1000 herbarium sheets was carried out in the herbarium collections of Kazakhstan (Altai Botanical Garden and Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction). During the field season, a study of plant biodiversity was carried out along the entire coastline of the Black Irtysh. As a result, 217 species of higher vascular plants were identified (55% of those previously found in herbarium archives) from 139 genera and 43 families. The habitats of two Red Book species were discovered: Tulipa patens and Tulipa uniflora. It was found that the flora of the Black Irtysh is similar to the flora of the entire Zaisan depression, and families Poaceae, Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae, and Fabaceae are predominant. Geobotanical surveys revealed that the species composition of plant communities is poor and similar among survey points. Only the western part of the river delta is characterized by high rates of projective cover and reserves of forage plants. The main factors of anthropogenic influence are fires, livestock grazing, and deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf area index (LAI) is a crucial vegetation parameter that characterizes leaf sparsity and canopy structure, and the study of the spatial distribution pattern of the forest LAI and its environmental response can help to reveal the adaptive capacity of forest vegetation to climate change in semiarid areas. In this paper, a remote sensing inversion model of the LAI, which pertains to the forest ecosystem of Xinglong Mountain in the transition zone between the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau and Loess Plateau, was established by combining an optical instrumentation method, a remote sensing inversion method, and a generalized additive model (GAM). The results showed that (1) the Meris terrestrial chlorophyll index (MTCI) linear regression model provided the greatest explanatory power for the LAI in the Xinglong Mountain forest, with R2 = 0.88 and RMSE = 0.32. (2) The LAI was influenced mainly by the altitude, slope, profile curvature, aspect, planform curvature, temperature, precipitation, and evapotranspiration. According to the single-factor GAM, altitude (R2 = 0.43) explained most of the total variation in the LAI, followed by precipitation (R2 = 0.36). According to the multifactor GAM, the above influencing factors could explain 84.2% of the total variation in the LAI, which was significant (P < 0.001). (3) Interaction analysis revealed that the LAI was significantly influenced by the interaction between topographic and meteorological factors (P < 0.001). It was revealed that the topography of Xinglong Mountain is fragmented, the vertical band spectrum of vegetation is notable, and the forest LAI exhibits high spatial heterogeneity under the interaction between topographic and meteorological factors, reflecting the environmental response mechanism of vegetation growth in forest ecosystems in ecological transition zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cultivated land ecological compensation (CLEC) is an important way to solve regional development imbalance and cultivated land problems, and the scientific quantification of the ecological value of cultivated land is the key to CLEC. This study quantified the total amount and urgency of CLEC in China's main grain-producing region using the cropland ecological footprint (EF) and ecosystem service value (ESV) methods. Furthermore, this study analyzed the comprehensive zoning of CLEC considering natural and economic development. The results showed that the spatial distribution of EFs and the ecological carrying capacity of cultivated land in Henan Province are similar, presenting the spatial characteristics of being high in the southeast and low in the northwest; the cultivated land in most of the counties and districts is in a state of ecological surplus, and the cultivated land resources are sufficient to support their own consumption needs. Henan Province as a whole is an ecologically compensated region, with a compensation amount of CNY 1.39 billion, and the total amount of compensation is in a positive value of 94.94%. The Southwest Yu and North Yu economic zone of Henan are the areas of high and low values of cultivated land compensation. The priority compensation region is the most extensive and widely distributed type in the five regions of Henan Province, accounting for 55% of the counties and districts. The degree of compensation is most urgent in the Huanghuai, Southwest Yu, and North Yu economic zones. This study's findings provide new ideas for the development of differentiated ecological compensation policies, and provide references for the participation of multiple market participants and the diversification of compensation forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating ecosystem services (ESs) to delineate ecological functional zones (EFZs) is fundamental in terrestrial spatial planning and ecosystem management. However, existing studies have largely overlooked the refinement of EFZs at local scales, which hinders targeted and multi-scale ecosystem management. This study introduced a "two-step refinement zoning method" to address this gap, first using a self-organizing feature mapping method to delineate EFZs at a township scale, and then applying a hotspot overlay analysis to refine the resulting EFZs by designating them with different grades at the village scale. The proposed method was applied in Wuhan City, dividing it into five types of EFZs with different ES combinations and land use compositions. Furthermore, 5.23% of villages were identified as level I areas of EFZs, serving as advantageous areas of dominant ESs in the study area. On this basis, diversified management strategies and conservation priorities were proposed. This study provides a theoretical and methodological reference for terrestrial spatial planning and sustainable ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest (NPHTR) plays the crucial role of an ecological barrier for Hainan Island. It also serves as a valuable repository of tropical biological heritage for the world. The scientific establishment of an ecological security pattern (ESP) for the NPHTR is therefore essential for ensuring the robustness and stability of this regional ecosystem, safeguarding tropical biodiversity, and promoting sustainable development. This study integrates ecosystem service functions (ESFs) and ecological sensitivity to identify ecological sources (ESs) so that regional integrity is promoted and ecological security is ensured. Ecological corridors (ECs) are established on the basis of a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory. We integrate ESs, nodes, and corridors to construct the ESP of the NPHTR. The areas of extreme importance and sensitivity in the NPHTR account for 25.17% and 25.47% of its overall area, respectively, and are predominantly situated in the higher elevations of its eastern and central regions. Further, the ESs are mainly distributed in its western region, specifically Ba Wangling (BWL), Jian Fengling (JFL), and Ying Geling (YGL), covering an area of 1624.67 km2 (38.06% of the total area) of the NPHTR. After correction, 47 ECs with a distance of 870.9 km have been established, with BWL and YGL serving as the core areas. The ecological pinch- and barrier points in the NPHTR cover areas of 11.49 km2 and 16.35 km2, respectively, primarily consisting of man-made landscapes such as farmlands and buildings. These areas are significantly disturbed by human activities. The NPHTR has an ESP of "one screen, one district, three belts, multiple points, and multiple corridors". BWL and YGL, which contain numerous sources and corridors, are crucial ecological functional zones. To ensure the horizontal connectivity of rare wildlife, such as of Nomascus hainanus and Cervus eldii hainanus, the NPHTR should establish buffer or development zones. These findings offer valuable insights for the development and planning of ecological civilization on Hainan Island, as well as for the establishment and management of the ESP of other national parks and nature reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately identifying ecological compensation areas and scientifically determining appropriate compensation amounts are crucial for establishing a robust ecological compensation mechanism, which in turn is key to promoting the coordinated development of ecological protection and high-quality economic growth. This study innovatively proposes a framework for ecological compensation termed "Accounting of Ecosystem Services Value–Identification of Priorities for Payers and Recipients–Calculation of Ecological Compensation Amount (ESV–PPR–ECA)". It utilizes the InVEST model and the emergy method to assess the value of ecosystem services, constructs the Ecosystem Payment and Recipient Priority Sequence (EPRPS) Model to identify the payers, recipients, and their priorities for ecological compensation, and employs the conversion factor method to calculate the Ecological Compensation Amount (ECA). This framework aims to address the questions of "How should compensation be provided?", "Who should compensate whom?", and "How much compensation is necessary?", ensuring the optimal use of ecological compensation funds and providing a scientific basis for inter-regional ecological compensation. The study's findings indicate that the total Ecological Compensation Amount for the Yellow River Delta in 2020 was 3.848 billion RMB, with the total amount receivable being 4.032 billion RMB and the total amount payable being 184 million RMB. The compensation funds should be prioritized for tideland and the Yellow River, and venture, cropland and industrial land should be the first to contribute compensation. Additionally, the Ecosystem Service Value of the Yellow River Delta showed a declining trend from 2015 to 2020, underscoring the urgent need to establish a horizontal compensation mechanism for the region. Such a mechanism would incentivize environmental protection and the construction of ecological civilization, ultimately enhancing ecosystem service functions. Therefore, we recommend the implementation of horizontal fiscal transfers, where financial assistance is provided from paying areas to recipient areas, offering a scientific reference for the establishment of a horizontal compensation mechanism within the Yellow River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qilian Mountains, a national key ecological function zone in Western China, play a pivotal role in ecosystem services. However, the distribution of its dominant tree species, Picea crassifolia (Qinghai spruce), has decreased dramatically in the past decades due to climate change and human activity, which may have influenced its ecological functions. To restore its ecological functions, reasonable reforestation is the key measure. Many previous efforts have predicted the potential distribution of Picea crassifolia, which provides guidance on regional reforestation policy. However, all of them were performed at low spatial resolution, thus ignoring the natural characteristics of the patchy distribution of Picea crassifolia. Here, we modeled the distribution of Picea crassifolia with species distribution models at high spatial resolutions. For many models, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) is larger than 0.9, suggesting their excellent precision. The AUC of models at 30 m is higher than that of models at 90 m, and the current potential distribution of Picea crassifolia is more closely aligned with its actual distribution at 30 m, demonstrating that finer data resolution improves model performance. Besides, for models at 90 m resolution, annual precipitation (Bio12) played the paramount influence on the distribution of Picea crassifolia, while the aspect became the most important one at 30 m, indicating the crucial role of finer topographic data in modeling species with patchy distribution. The current distribution of Picea crassifolia was concentrated in the northern and central parts of the study area, and this pattern will be maintained under future scenarios, although some habitat loss in the central parts and gain in the eastern regions is expected owing to increasing temperatures and precipitation. Our findings can guide protective and restoration strategies for the Qilian Mountains, which would benefit regional ecological balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, PWN) induces pine wilt disease in Pinaceae plants, causing severe destruction to pine forests. Previous studies report that by 2023, 663 cities across 18 provinces in China had been infested by the PWN, necessitating immediate control measures. To identify the genetic variations associated with the PWN's adaptation to new environments, we conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on 13 indigenous PWN samples from two distinct geographic zones within China, specifically Anhui, Liaoning, and Jiangxi provinces. We identified genetic variants and analyzed the genetic structure of these populations, followed by functional gene enrichment analyses. Our findings reveal genetic variants associated with secretion, immune system function, membrane processes, metabolism, catabolism, and cell wall regulation, supporting the hypothesis that the PWN genome has been shaped by local ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Habitat quality (HQ) serves as a pivotal metric for assessing biodiversity and ecosystem health, with alterations in land use driven by human activities posing direct implications on HQ and ecological sustainability within river basins. Prior research on HQ has predominantly centered on historical land use changes, neglecting the comprehensive consideration of future land use transformations and ecological zoning strategies' influence on HQ. Consequently, this investigation simulates potential land use shifts in the Min River Basin across various future scenarios, leveraging the integration of PLUS and InVEST models, quantitatively dissects HQ's responsiveness to these changes and delves into the spatial differentiation dynamics underlying these responses, while also exploring the drivers behind such differentiation. Synergizing with the Human Footprint Index (HFI), the study devises a rational ecological zoning plan tailored to the region and outlines targeted control measures for each zone. The results of the study showed that: 1) the east-central part of the Min River Basin was subject to a greater degree of human interference, and the trend of interconversion between grassland, forest land, and cropland was relatively significant, with construction land mainly originating from the transfer of cropland; 2) from 2000 to 2020, average HQ scores for priority protected zones, priority recovery zones, and appropriate development zones stood at 0.9372, 0.2697, and 0.6098, respectively, accompanied by a rise in the proportion of low and moderate HQ areas to 15% and 17%; (3) DEM and Slope were the main drivers affecting HQ, and their explanatory power reached 0.519 and 0.426, respectively; (4) in comparison to a natural development scenario (ND), the planning protection scenario (PP) offers greater promise for ecological preservation and sustainable development within the Min River Basin. The research results can provide technical support for the ecological restoration of land resources and the development and protection of national land space in watershed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic extremes, especially extreme droughts, are occurring more frequently and profoundly impacting biogeochemical processes. However, the relative importance of microbial communities on soil nutrient cycling and community maintenance under natural extreme drought events remains elusive. During a record-breaking drought in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) in the summer of 2022, we collected ambient soils and drought-affected bare and vegetated soils in ecological buffer zones from two sites with similar soil and vegetation characteristics along the YRB, and examined the relative contribution of soil bacterial communities in supporting multi-nutrient cycling index (MNCI) involving carbon-, nitrate- and phosphorus-cycling and their associations with microbial network. Extreme drought decreased (p < 0.05) bacterial a-diversity but increased MNCI in vegetated soils at both sites, while both remained unchanged (p > 0.05) in bare soils, possibly as a result of vegetation releasing rhizodeposits under drought which selectively recruited bacterial communities. Bacterial community compositions were shifted (p < 0.05) only in vegetated soils, and they exerted more influence than a-diversity on soil MNCI. Notably, the Anaerolineae, identified as a biomarker enriched in vegetated soils, had close associations with enzyme activities and soil MNCI at both sites, suggesting their potential recruitment by vegetation to withstand drought. Furthermore, key ecological clusters (Module 1) in bacterial co-occurrence networks at both sites supported (p < 0.05) higher MNCI, despite no substantial variation in network structure due to drought. Specifically, the most important taxa within Module 1 for predicting soil MNCI revealed by random forest modeling analysis (R² = 0.44 - 0.63, p < 0.001), such as B1-7BS, SBR1031 and Nocardioides, could be deeply involved in soil nitrogen-cycling, suggesting an essential role of specialized interactions of bacterial communities in maintaining soil multifunctionality. Overall, this study demonstrates that changes in biomarkers and functional taxa under extreme drought may better reflect the biological mechanisms involved in microbial communities impacting ecosystem function, which may aid in forecasting the ecological consequences of ongoing climate change in the ecological buffer zones along the YRB. [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 study of the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of ecosystem service values (ESVs) is an important basis for the coordinated development of the regional nature, economy, and society and the optimization of the ecological environment. The ecological zone is an important component of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal cultural belt. Ecosystem services are a concrete manifestation of land use structure and function. A thorough study of the value of ecosystem services in areas along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal is important for promoting the long-term and stable sustainable development of the regional economy. Based on a revised equivalent factor table, this study selected land use data from 1991, 2006, and 2021 to analyze the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of ESVs along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal. The results show that (1) the ESVs along the Grand Canal first increased and then decreased from 1991 to 2021. The reason for this is the change in land use along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal. Specifically, the conversion of land use types from farmland to water areas contributed to the increase in the value of ecosystem services, while the conversion of farmland and grassland into construction land led to a decrease in the service value of the region. (2) the value of individual ecosystem services along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal from 1991 to 2021 varied greatly. The ESV provided by hydrological regulation was the largest and the ESV provided by maintenance nutrients was the smallest. (3) the areas along the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal exhibited a specific pattern in terms of the value of ecosystem services, with the regions centered in Beijing and Tianjin showing relatively low values, while the middle section of the Grand Canal demonstrated relatively high ESV. According to the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and the leading factor for the changes in ESVs, appropriate policies can be formulated in respective regions to implement ecological protection and land use planning, thereby providing a reference for the adaptation and restoration strategies of the ecosystem along the Grand Canal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of the resilience concept within socioecological systems has recently received much attention. Assessing the characteristics of cocoa agroecosystems in the dry and moist semi-deciduous ecological zones has become critical for resilience analysis in this era of climate change and the constant shrinking of cocoa suitability areas. Previous studies have used one of the dimensions of resilience to analyse complex adaptive systems, excluding critical factors and variables. This study applied a multi-criteria decision-making process, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) that accommodates the three dimensions of resilience, i.e., buffer capacity, adaptive capacity and self-organisation. The AHP is a multi-criteria decision-making tool that proceeds with the design of a hierarchy system for the goal, criteria, attributes and variables. Selected cocoa farmers were assigned weights related to criteria, attributes and variables in a comparison matrix. The resilience of the cocoa agroecosystems in Offinso Municipal and Adansi North Districts was 2.75 ± 0.06 (mean ± SD) and 3.23 ± 0.10 (mean ± SD), respectively. Buffer capacity contributed the highest proportion (44.3%) in the Offinso Municipal District, followed by adaptive capacity (38.7%) and self-organisation (17%). A similar trend was recorded for the Adansi North District: buffer capacity (42.9%), adaptive capacity (42.9%) and self-organisation (14.3%). Across the two study areas, shade trees, crop diversification, soil quality, cocoa variety, farm size, farm age, alternative livelihood, annual income and co-operative membership contributed prominently to the construction of cocoa agroecosystem resilience. The assessment of agroecosystem resilience is location-specific, and the study provides a simplified methodology for evaluating resilience. The paper aims to understand the importance of the components of the cocoa agroecosystem, and a simplified methodology for evaluating its resilience to perturbations. It presents a conceptual and methodological framework for the analysis and measurement of agroecosystem resilience in a participatory manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying ecosystem service functions, clarifying the spatiotemporal trade-offs and synergies of terrestrial ecosystem services and their driving mechanisms, and exploring differentiated ecological functional zoning are crucial steps in achieving healthy regional ecosystem management, and are conducive to developing diversified ecological restoration strategies, establishing a robust cross-regional collaborative management mechanism, implementing differentiated ecological management strategies, and contributing to the construction of a Beautiful China. This paper, based on the InVEST model, Pearson correlation, GeoDetector, and Spatiotemporal Geographically Weighted Regression models, constructs a spatial quantification model of the trade-offs and synergies among five key ecosystem service functions -- habitat quality, soil retention, water conservation, food supply, and carbon sequestration -- of China's terrestrial ecosystems from 2000 to 2020. It explores the influencing factors of terrestrial ecosystem services in China and their spatiotemporal heterogeneity, thereby investigating the future strategies for ecological functional zoning and management of China's national land space. The results indicate that: (1) during 2000-2020, China's food supply and soil conservation have increased. However, the habitat quality, water conservation, and carbon sequestration have decreased. (2) Significant spatial and temporal heterogeneities exist in the key ecosystem services of China's terrestrial ecosystems. (3) Natural, economic, and social factors all impact China's terrestrial key ecosystem services. Among them, slope, annual average precipitation, land development intensity, and vegetation coverage are the main influencing factors, and different factors exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity. (4) Significant trade-offs/synergy effects among critical terrestrial ecosystem services exist in China. (5) China's national territory is divided into four ecological protection functional zones: ecological restoration areas, ecological control areas, resilient development areas, and ecological conservation areas, and explores differentiated zoning optimization control paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a quantitative approach to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of five ecosystem services in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, northwest China from 2000 to 2020. Utilizing K-means clustering analysis, ecosystem service clusters are identified, dominant service functions are determined, and ecological functional zones are delineated based on the functional characteristics within each cluster. Results indicate: (1) Grain production and soil retention exhibit a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease, while water yield demonstrates a rapid increase followed by a slow rise. Habitat quality and carbon sequestration services show a relatively mild decrease. High-value zones for grain production are concentrated in the central and northeastern parts, soil retention in the southern and western areas, and habitat quality and carbon sequestration services in the southern region. (2) Grain production shows a trade-off relationship with other services, while soil retention exhibits synergies with habitat quality and soil retention with carbon sequestration, as well as synergies between habitat quality and carbon sequestration, with varying strengths of inter- service correlations over time. (3) Ecological functional zones are identified as primary grain- producing areas, ecological conservation zones, important urban areas, and ecological balance zones. This study is crucial for maintaining the balance of ecosystems and fostering sustainable economic development, providing guidance for ecosystem management in different functional zones within the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crop and crop wild relative (CWR) checklist of Lithuania was created containing 2630 taxa. The checklist comprises 1384 native taxa including archaeophytes and 1246 neophytes. In total, 699 taxa (26.6%) are defined for food and forage use. A list of 144 CWR priority species with 135 native species and archaeophytes and 9 naturalized species was generated. In total, 53 genera of food and forage species belonging to 15 families are represented by the priority CWR. Two approaches for CWR genetic reserve selection have been employed in this study: (1) CWR-targeted evaluation of preselected sites, including Natura 2000 sites, national protected areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), such as ancient hillfort sites and ecological protection zones of water bodies; (2) analysis of large georeferenced plant databases. Forty-five potential genetic reserve sites have been selected by the first approach covering 83 species or 57.6% of the national CWR priority list. With the second approach, the in situ CWR National Inventory database has been created by combining data from the Database of EU habitat mapping in Lithuania (BIGIS), Herbarium Database of the Nature Research Centre (BILAS), Lithuanian Vegetation Database (EU-LT-001), and Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Hotspot analysis of CWR species richness and number of observations suggested that higher CWR diversity is more likely to be found in protected areas. However, Shannon diversity and Shannon equitability indices showed that the areas outside of the protected areas are also suitable for CWR genetic reserve establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burullus wetland is a vital ecological zone, recognized for its rich biodiversity. It is part of the Burullus Protected Area, which was declared a Ramsar site in 1988 because of its importance as a wetland habitat. This study evaluated the nutrient status and pollution levels of the surface sediments in Burullus wetland, Egypt. Sediment samples from thirty stations covering the area of the wetland were collected and tested for total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations. Results indicated that TOC levels ranged from 1.33 to 4.26%, with the highest concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) at sites impacted by terrestrial runoff and aquaculture zones. TN levels ranged from 0.063 to 0.404%, with maximum values observed near the agricultural runoff areas. TP content varied from 607 to 3541µg/g, with elevated levels at sites affected by anthropogenic sources, such as fertilizers and sewage. These values exceeded environmental background levels (for organic matter, TN, and TP: 1.14, 0.105, and 0.03, respectively), indicating a significant pollution. The highest concentrations of TN and TP were recorded in the eastern and central regions of the wetland, particularly in front of Drain 8, where severe pollution levels were noted. The study employed the organic pollution index (OPI) and enrichment factor (EF) to assess the extent of organic and nutrient pollution. The findings revealed severe nutrient and organic pollution in Burullus wetland, driven by agricultural runoff, aquaculture, and wastewater discharge, with a significant spatial variability across the sampling sites. Elevated levels of total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus increase the risk of eutrophication, highlighting the urgent need for pollution control measures to protect the lake's ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in human activities and the acceleration of urbanization, over-exploitation of natural resources has led to a decline in ecosystem services (ESs), subsequently affecting the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). As the key ecological zone of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the stability and enhancement of ESs in the Hehuang Valley are crucial for achieving SDGs and biodiversity conservation. This study quantifies nine SDGs for the Hehuang Valley in the last twenty years. Four ecological models were utilized to compute key ESs: net primary productivity (NPP), water yield, soil retention, and sand fixation. Panel data were analyzed using a coupling coordination model to quantify the relationship between ESs and sustainable development level (SDL) in each county. Additionally, the Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) model was employed to examine the correlation between ESs and SDL. The results indicate the following: (1) During the period, NPP and water yield first increased and then decreased. The capacity for soil retention and sand fixation showed an overall increase, highlighting substantial variability among counties in their ability to deliver these ESs. (2) The SDL of counties in the Hehuang Valley increased, with Xining City showing slightly higher SDL than other counties. (3) The overall coupling coordination degree among NPP, water yield, soil retention, sand fixation, and SDL in the Hehuang Valley exhibited an upward trend in the last twenty years. SDL demonstrated the highest coordination degree with NPP, followed by soil retention, water yield, and sand fixation. (4) Most counties in the Hehuang Valley exhibited a lag in SDL relative to NPP, water yield, and soil retention in the last twenty years. In the early stage, sand fixation and SDL were primarily lagging in SDL, while in the late stages, sand fixation lagged behind SDL. (5) During the period, there was an increasing negative correlation observed between the four ESs and SDL. The positive contribution of NPP and sand fixation in some counties gradually shifted to a negative effect, and the negative effect of water yield and soil retention on SDL intensified. The impact of human activities on ecosystem function hindered local SDL. This study offers scientific theoretical backing and practical recommendations for promoting SDL and biodiversity conservation in the Hehuang Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Arid Zone Research / Ganhanqu Yanjiu is the property of Arid Zone Research 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 and environmental problems of arid zones have become an urgent global concern. Current research on ecological risk is based mainly on the dominant functions of land use, with a primary focus on land use landscape projections and less consideration of potential risks to ecosystems, system resilience and interactions between nature and future sustainable development. In this study, a potential–connectivity–resilience ecological risk assessment model based on the SDGs was constructed using multisource data to spatially quantify indicators at the grid scale in the Turpan and Hami regions of Xinjiang, China. This model was used as a basis for studying ecological risk in arid zones from a production–living–ecological space (PLES) perspective. The results revealed that, during the period 2000–2020, PLESs in the Turpan and Hami regions presented significant spatial similarity, with an increasing trend in overall risk. The production space in the Turpan and Hami regions showed a parabolic trend of increasing and then decreasing, whereas the living space and ecological space in the Hami region showed continuous linear upward trends. The state of ecological security in the Turpan and Hami regions is gradually deteriorating, and comprehensive ecological protection and restoration measures are urgently needed to rationally allocate the structure and layout of the production-–living-–ecological space. The study of ecological risk from a PLES perspective not only helps in fully understanding the development trend of the arid zone; it also provides new ideas and methods for evaluating regional ecological environmental safety and scientific references for formulating regional sustainable development, ecological risk prevention and control and the rational allocation of resources. [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]

Enhancing regional ecosystem stability and managing land resources effectively requires identifying ecological function zones and understanding the factors that influence them. However, most current studies have primarily focused on ecosystem service bundles, paying less attention to the trade-offs, synergies, and ecological sensitivity, leading to a more uniform approach to functional zoning. This study aimed to analyze and describe the spatial and temporal patterns of four essential ecosystem services, including water yield (WY), net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC), and habitat quality (HQ), in the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer area over the period from 2005 to 2019. Spatial overlay analysis was used to assess ecological sensitivity, trade-offs, synergies, and ecosystem service bundles to define ecological functional zones. Geographic detectors were then applied to identify the primary drivers of spatial variation in these zones. The findings showed a progressive improvement in ecosystem service functions within the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer zone. Between 2005 and 2019, NPP, soil conservation, and water yield all demonstrated positive trends, while HQ displayed a declining trend. There was significant spatial heterogeneity and distinct regional patterns in ecosystem service functions, with a general decrease from southwest to northeast, particularly in NPP and HQ. Trade-offs were evident in most ecosystem services, with the most significant between WY and HQ and most in the northeast and east regions. Ecological sensitivity decreased from southwest to northeast. Regions with a higher ecological sensitivity were primarily situated in the southwestern region, and their spatial distribution pattern was comparable to that of high habitat quality. The spatial overlay analysis categorized areas into various types, including human production and settlement zones, ecologically vulnerable zones, ecological transition zones, and ecological conservation zones, accounting for 17.28%, 22.30%, 7.41%, and 53.01% of the total area, respectively. The primary environmental factor affecting ecological function zoning was identified as precipitation, while the main social variables were human activity and population density. This study enhances the understanding of ecological functions and supports sustainable development in the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer area, offering important guidance for ecological zoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities progress into high-quality developments, the demand for urban parks that enhance residents' well-being and sustainability is increasing. Traditional visual-centric design methods no longer suffice. Given that vision and hearing are the primary sensory pathways through which people perceive their environment, exploring their relationship with landscape experiences offers a novel perspective for optimizing the audiovisual perception quality of urban parks. This study explores the relationship between visual and auditory elements and landscape experiences to optimize urban parks' sensory quality. Using visual perception, soundscape perception, sound source perception, and behavioral vitality, this study evaluates the audiovisual perception quality of a representative wetland park in Chengdu's ring ecological zone. By quantifying relationships between audiovisual characteristics, behavioral vitality, and emotional feedback, several emotional assessment models were constructed. The results show that lawns, pavements, and sound pressure levels significantly impact vitality. A sound pressure level of 77 dB has been identified as a critical threshold in emotional perception models. Consequently, distinct emotional prediction models can be employed to enhance landscape design across various sound pressure level zones. This research provides scientific evidence and flexible strategies for designing urban open spaces that improve landscape experiences based on multisensory perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive approach to ecological functional zoning in the Shenzhen region of China is presented in this study. Through the integration of advanced geospatial analysis tools, multiple data sources, and sophisticated statistical techniques, different ecological functions have been identified and categorized based on a comprehensive set of indicators and spatial analysis techniques. The three-level zoning framework established in this study offers policymakers, urban planners, and environmental managers a nuanced understanding of the region's environmental characteristics, and highlights areas of ecological significance that warrant special attention and protection. It has been demonstrated that the data-driven approach to ecological functional zoning is effective in delineating distinct ecological zones within the study area. This study's findings carry significant implications for future land use planning, conservation efforts, and sustainable development practices in the Shenzhen region. In essence, this study contributes to the broader discourse on ecological planning and environmental management by providing a systematic and data-driven approach to delineating ecological functional zones in urbanizing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought, characterized by frequent occurrences, an extended duration, and a wide range of destruction, has become one of the natural disasters posing a significant threat to both socioeconomic progress and agricultural livelihoods. Large-scale geographical environments often exhibit obvious spatial heterogeneity, leading to significant spatial differences in drought's development and outcomes. However, traditional drought monitoring models have not taken into account the impact of regional spatial heterogeneity on drought, resulting in evaluation results that do not match the actual situation. In response to the above-mentioned issues, this study proposes the establishment of ecological–geographic zoning to adapt to the spatially stratified heterogeneous characteristics of large-scale drought monitoring. First, based on the principles of ecological and geographical zoning, an appropriate index system was selected to carry out ecological and geographical zoning for Yunnan Province. Second, based on the zoning results and using data from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B43, the vegetation condition index (VCI), the temperature condition index (TCI), the precipitation condition index (TRCI), and three topographic factors including the digital elevation model (DEM), slope (SLOPE), and aspect (ASPECT) were selected as model parameters. Multiple linear regression models were then used to establish integrated drought monitoring frameworks at different eco–geographical zoning scales. Finally, the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) was used to evaluate the monitoring effects of the model, and the spatiotemporal variation patterns and characteristics of winter and spring droughts in Yunnan Province from 2008–2019 were further analyzed. The results show that (1) compared to the traditional non-zonal models, the drought monitoring model constructed based on ecological–geographic zoning has a higher correlation and greater accuracy with the SPEI and (2) Yunnan Province experiences periodic and seasonal drought patterns, with spring being the peak period of drought occurrence and moderate drought and light drought being the main types of drought in Yunnan Province. Therefore, we believe that ecological–geographic zoning can better adapt to geographical spatial heterogeneity characteristics, and the zonal drought monitoring model constructed can more effectively identify the actual occurrence of drought in large regions. This research finding can provide reference for the formulation of drought response policies in large-scale regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]