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Objectives: To assess the effect of Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) in the prevalence of dental caries and dental fluorosis in 12-year-old children living in Israel. Considering that CWF is important in the prevention of dental caries. Between 2002 and 2014, the water in communities of at least 5,000 individuals was fluoridated. In 2014, CWF in Israel stopped. Method and materials: Data on 12-year-old children from all areas in Israel from the national cross-sectional epidemiological survey conducted in 2011 to 2012 were stratified by city water fluoridation and by city and school socioeconomic status. Two dependent variables were defined: (1) DMFT index of caries experience in the permanent dentition; (2) dental fluorosis in central incisors using the Thylstrup-Fejerskov classification of fluorosis. Results: Data from 2,181 12-year-olds were analyzed. The average DMFT was 1.17 ± 1.72, and 49% were caries-free. Based on DMFT, the caries experience was significantly higher in nonfluoridated cities (1.38 vs 0.98 in fluoridated cities) and there were more caries-free children in fluoridated cities (56.4% vs 40.6% in nonfluoridated). DMFT was higher in cities with lower socioeconomic status than high socioeconomic status (1.29 vs 1.05, respectively, P < .001) and there were fewer caries-free children in low socioeconomic status cities (44.5% vs 53.0% in high socioeconomic status cities, P < .0001). Almost all the 10.3% of children with signs of fluorosis (scoring at least 1 in the Thylstrup-Fejerskov index), had questionable to mild fluorosis (9.3%). Conclusions: CWF is a cheap, simple method of dental health protection that reaches all socioeconomic levels, and cessation of water fluoridation reduced the health of Israel's children. Clinical significance: Water fluoridation provides substantial caries prevention, by reaching a substantial number of people. The relevance of this work is for policymakers to consider CWF as clinically proven method for reducing health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain ecosystems play an important role globally as centers of biodiversity and in providing ecosystem services to lowland populations, but are influenced by multiple global change drivers such as climate change, nitrogen deposition, or altered disturbance regimes. As global change is accelerating and the consequences for humans and nature are intensifying, there is an increasing demand for understanding and predicting the impacts and implications of global change on mountain ecosystems. Manipulation experiments are one of the major tools for testing the causal impacts of global change and establishing a mechanistic understanding of how these changes may transform the global biota from single organisms to entire ecosystems. Over the past three decades, hundreds of such experiments have been conducted in mountainous regions worldwide. To strengthen the experimental evidence for the possible ecological consequences of global change, we systematically reviewed the literature on global change experiments in mountains. We first investigated the spread of manipulation experiments to test the effects of different global change drivers on key biological and ecological processes from the organism to the ecosystem level. We then examined and discussed the balance of evidence regarding the impact of these global change drivers on biological and ecological processes, and outlined the possible consequences for mountain ecosystems. Finally, we identified research gaps and proposed future directions for global change research in mountain environments. Among the major drivers, temperature was manipulated most frequently, generally showing consistent strong impacts between biological and ecosystem processes, functional groups, and habitat types. There is also strong evidence suggesting that changes in water and nutrient availability have a direct impact on the life history and functioning of mountain organisms. Despite these important findings, there are several gaps that require urgent attention. These include experiments testing adult trees in tropical and boreal regions, assessing animal responses and biotic interactions, and investigating aquatic environments and soil systems more extensively. A broader approach that integrates experimental data with field observations and relies on international collaboration through coordinated experiments could help address these gaps and provide a more consistent and robust picture of the impacts of global change on mountain ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's Losses Plateau (LP) is one of the ecologically vulnerable and the most severe soil erosion regions. Thus, knowing spatiotemporal changes in evapotranspiration (ET) and its components (soil evaporation, E; transpiration, T; and vegetation interception evaporation, EI) and revealing the underlying mechanisms are vital for ecosystem and water resources sustainability for this region. Here, we investigate the spatiotemporal changes in ET and its components and then quantify the impacts of climate variables (i.e., precipitation, radiation, temperature, and relative humidity) and vegetation dynamics (e.g., land use/cover changes [LUCC] and changes in leaf area index [LAI]) on their annual trends, by using a process‐based terrestrial ecosystem model and a joint‐solution method with multiple sensitivity numerical experiments. Results show that over 67% of the study region experienced significant (p < 0.05) increases in annual ET, T, and EI, with regional average rises of 4.05, 3.67, and 0.74 mm·year−1, respectively. However, there are significant (p < 0.05) decreases in regional mean E of 0.38 mm·year−1, and the negative trend covers 35.8% of the study area. E, T, and EI changes dominate the annual ET trends over 11.8%, 87.3%, and 0.9% of the study area, respectively. Attribution analyses highlight the increased LAI as the critical factor governing these trends across most of the LP (>58%). At the same time, precipitation and LUCC play a more dominant role in the remaining areas. This study emphasizes the spatial heterogeneity in the drivers of changes in ET and its components and highlights the critical role of vegetation dynamics. These findings provide valuable insights for understanding the ET processes and guiding sustainable water resource management in the LP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Redistribution of precipitation across seasons is a widespread phenomenon affecting dryland ecosystems globally. However, the impacts of shifting seasonal precipitation patterns on carbon (C) cycling and sequestration in dryland ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a 10‐yr (2013–2022) field manipulative experiment that altered the timing of growing‐season precipitation peaks in a semi‐arid grassland. We found that the delayed precipitation peak suppressed plant growth and thus reduced gross ecosystem productivity, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem productivity due to middle growing‐season water stress. Surprisingly, shifting more precipitation to the early growing season can advance plant development, increase the dominance of drought‐tolerant forbs, and thus compensate for the negative impacts of middle growing‐season water stress on ecosystem C cycling, leading to a neutral change in grassland C sink. Our findings indicate that greater precipitation and plant development in spring could act as a crucial mechanism, maintaining plant growth and stabilizing ecosystem C sink. This underscores the urgent need to incorporate precipitation seasonality into Earth system models, which is crucial for improving projections of terrestrial C cycling and sequestration under future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor menstrual hygiene practices are one of the major public health problems in Nepal. Due to persistent taboos and socio-cultural constraints, adolescent girls are often unaware of scientific facts, knowledge, and practices related to menstrual hygiene. This paper aims to assess the effects of health education intervention on menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among adolescent girls in Pokhara Metropolitan, Nepal. Materials and methods: A true experimental study was conducted in two government basic schools in Pokhara Metropolitan, Nepal. The study population was adolescent girls who had attended the menarche. Firstly, a pretest with the help of a self-administered questionnaire was done to find out the socio-demographic information, knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene. Next, health education sessions were conducted among the intervention group. Finally, after one month of intervention, a post-test was conducted among the intervention and non-intervention group. Data analysis was done through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings showed significant improvement in the knowledge and practice level of adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene after health education intervention. Participants in the intervention group showed a significant increase in knowledge scores from 10.0% to 67.0%, while the non-intervention group remained unchanged at 7.5%. Good menstrual hygiene practices scores in the intervention group increased significantly from 22.5% to 67.0%, whereas the non-intervention group saw a slight rise from 20.0% to 22.5%. Regarding observed practice scores in menstrual hygiene, significant improvement was observed in the intervention group (45.0% to 100.0%) in contrast to the non-intervention group (25.0% to 27.5%). Conclusions: This study highlights the crucial role of school health education interventions in promoting menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls. It emphasizes the importance of comprehensive educational programs tailored to early teenage girls, addressing timing, content, and delivery methods alongside ensuring the availability of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The root cortical senescence (RCS) is closely associated with root absorptive function. However, characteristics and responses of RCS to drought stress in cotton have received little attention. This study subjected the drought‐tolerant variety ‘Guoxin 02’ and the drought‐sensitive variety ‘Ji 228’ to drought stress (8% PEG6000) and no‐stress (0% PEG6000) treatments to determine the characteristics and responses of cotton RCS to drought stress. The results showed that the greater the distance from the root tip, the more severe the RCS occurrence under drought stress compared with non‐stress treatment. The occurrence of RCS in ‘Guoxin 02’ increased by 14.03%−20.18% compared to ‘Ji 228’ under drought stress. The RCS was negatively correlated with root respiration but positively correlated with root length and leaf water potential. The silencing of RCS‐related genes (GhSAG12 and GhbHLH121) can mitigate the drought‐induced RCS phenomenon in cotton; however, reduced drought tolerance. Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment can promote RCS generation. Conversely, ABA synthesis exhibits contrasting effects. In summary, endogenous hormones regulated RCS, which reduced the root metabolic and seemingly achieved more resource redistribution to new roots, thereby fully utilize deep water resources. Thus, the study demonstrates the potential of RCS in improving the drought stress tolerance of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safe and enduring water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for all is the key target of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Despite progress in global WASH monitoring to support SDG 6, significant data gaps persist, especially in urban informal settlements in the Melanesian Pacific Region. This study aimed to improve understanding of existing sanitation systems, residents' preferences, and climate hazard exposure in these areas. Household surveys were conducted with 393 households in Suva (Fiji) and Port Vila (Vanuatu). Water availability for sanitation was high in Suva (99%) and Port Vila (70%), with noted improvements in sanitation superstructure. However, dry pits without slabs remain significant (15%) in Port Vila. The preference for water-based systems highlights the need for a resilient sanitation service chain, including adequate faecal sludge management, which was problematic in both locations. Reports of climate-driven hazard damage were more frequent in Vanuatu, with one in three respondents reporting impacts on their sanitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germinating seedlings emit light in the visible range spontaneously, and these emissions are related to metabolism and reactive-oxygen species (ROS) processes. Several series of germination tests had such biological autoluminescence (BAL) recorded in controlled conditions, fostering applications for the non-invasive, real-time evaluation of a seedling's germinability and vigor when submitted to chemical and/or physical perturbations. However, long-term analysis of the BAL time-series of control samples conducted in different locations around the globe reveals that their BAL signals (and thus their metabolism) appear to follow the local gravimetric tide (g-tide) time profile. This indicates that the small daily and monthly variations in gravity acceleration due to the relative positioning of the Sun and Moon with respect to the Earth's surface influence these signals. The gravimetric tide is a natural phenomenon that affects all things, fluid or solid, and is an uncontrollable variable in normal laboratory settings on Earth's crust. All things on Earth have evolved under these pervasive cycles, with periods ranging from ~12.2 h up to 28 d, which correspond to the Moon cycle. Tide-like cycles occur in living beings of different types, from the simplest bacteria to the most complex human beings, and we speculate that water availability at the molecular level could be a significant physical factor in modulating bio-activity by enabling protein folding and all metabolic pathways that require a synchronized organization to adapt to external environmental conditions. In this study, we summarize published results of a seedling's BAL with cycle patterns resembling the g-tide in Limeira/BR, Prague/CZ, Leiden/NL, and Hamamatsu/JP and discuss the possible implications of this phenomenon for chronobiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a new way of designing water supply networks for fire safety using ideas from graph theory, focusing on a method called certified domination. Ensuring a good water supply is crucial for fire safety in communities, this study looks at the rules and problems in Poland for how much water is needed to fight fires in different areas and how this can be achieved at a lowest possible cost. We present a way to plan water supply networks for fire protection as a graph, where each point (node) is a place that needs water, and the lines (links) show where water can go between these points. The main idea is to find the best places to put pumping stations and wells in the network to save money and still meet all the fire safety requirements. Our approach assumes that it costs more to build a pumping station than a well. We use some examples to show how this method can find cost-effective solutions for water supply networks, while ensuring that they meet fire safety requirements and are not too expensive to build. This approach is a new and efficient way to improve the design of water supply networks for fire safety. Key challenges that are solved in this paper are a linear time algorithm finding an optimal solution for networks without cycles and a BLP (Binary Linear Programming) algorithm solving the problem in arbitrary networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely predicted that climate change's adverse effects will intensify in the future, and along with inadequate agricultural practices, settlement development, and other anthropic activities, could contribute to rapid wetland degradation and thus exert significant negative effects on local communities. This study sought to develop an approach based on the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the Ruzizi Plain, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where adverse effects of the climate change are increasingly recurrent. Initially, we analyzed the trends of climate data for the last three decades (1990–2022). Subsequently, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) approach was employed on two contrasting watersheds to estimate current and future water demands in the region and how local wetlands could serve as reservoirs to meeting water demands. Results indicate that the Ruzizi Plain is facing escalating water challenges owing to climate change, rapid population growth, and evolving land-use patterns. These factors are expected to affect water quality and quantity, and thus, increase pressure on wetland ecosystems. The analysis of past data shows recurrence of dry years (SPI ≤ − 1.5), reduced daily low-intensity rainfall (Pmm < 10 mm), and a significant increase in extreme rainfall events (Pmm ≥ 25 mm). The WEAP outcomes revealed significant variations in future water availability, demand, and potential stressors across watersheds. Cropland and livestock are the main water consumers in rural wetlands, while households, cropland (at a lesser extent), and other urban uses exert significant water demands on wetlands located in urban environments. Of three test scenarios, the one presenting wetlands as water reservoirs seemed promising than those considered optimal (based on policies regulating water use) and rational (stationary inputs but with a decrease in daily allocation). These findings highlight the impact of climate change in the Ruzizi plain, emphasizing the urgency of implementing adaptive measures. This study advocates for the necessity of the IWRM approach to enhance water resilience, fostering sustainable development and wetland preservation under changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article examines how and why water privatization has been in place for nearly three decades in Mozambique, expanding from cities to towns despite a lack of conclusive evidence of its merits. Drawing on primary data and secondary sources, the article argues that powerful actors driving water privatization in Mozambique ‘produced success’ out of what has been a messy and problematic process of implementing water privatization in cities in the 2000s. This strategy is cultural, in that actors constructed and mobilized a success narrative to legitimize the retention of water privatization in cities and to widen its spatial scope to towns. Yet, because water privatization in cities was not actually successful — quite the contrary — the retention and expansion of water privatization necessarily relied on a political economic process that buttressed this cultural production of success. That is, proponents expended power and resources in critical decision‐making moments to ensure water privatization and its underlying neoliberal water imaginary would be sustained, at the expense of alternative (post‐neoliberal) modes of water supply. As such, this article concludes that water privatization in Mozambique represents an exemplary case of neoliberal resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing challenge centers on the limited application of single‐purpose flood control reservoirs transitioning to multi‐purpose reservoirs, which, despite their potential, often fall short in addressing the escalating demands for diverse water resource management. These challenges are compounded by outdated operational rules and changing environmental conditions. This research develops a framework to enhance the dual functionality of reservoirs, initially designed for flood control, to also support water supply through the determination of maximum safe water levels (MSWLs). Utilizing historical inflow data and reservoir simulation models, the study identifies opportunities for optimizing United States Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District reservoirs. It highlights certain reservoirs as ideal for augmenting water supply capabilities without compromising flood control performance. Others remain critical for flood management due to limited water supply potential, underscoring the importance of maintaining a focus on flood control. The findings illuminate the intricate balance required between managing flood risks and enhancing water supply, indicating that precise operational adjustments can significantly improve reservoir sustainability and efficiency. This method offers a viable pathway to convert single purpose reservoirs into multi‐purpose reservoirs, meeting growing water demands while ensuring robust flood mitigation, and making a step toward better water utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous hydrogels have been developed to be highly efficient interfacial solar vapor generation materials for obtaining affordable freshwater supplies. However, realizing hydrogel materials with portability, adequate water supply, and durable mechanical properties remains challenging. Herein, a scalable and portable hydrogel with 3D‐shaped recovery, highly efficient water transport, and robust mechanical stability is reported, which is prepared by foaming polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and modification of phosphotungstic acid (PTA). Due to the interconnected porous structure and highly permeable polymer network, the PVA/PTA‐PH hydrogel has good repetitive compressibility and rapid shape recovery when in contact with water. Combined with light‐absorbing nanoparticles, the PVA/PTA‐PH hydrogel presents an impressive solar evaporation rate of 3.876 kg m−2 h−1 and a photothermal conversion efficiency of ≈94% under 1‐sun irradiation. With 3D‐shape recovery and highly efficient water transport, the compressed hydrogel can be quickly unfolded without human intervention and restored to five times the original size for the working state. The good portability, excellent seawater desalination performance, and simple preparation process are anticipated to make the PVA‐/PTA‐PH hydrogel a promising material to continuously and conveniently produce pure water from seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Kingdon’s Multi-Stream Framework sheds light on the foundational conditions under which public policies get formulated and implemented. The coupling of the Problem, Policy, and Politics streams along with efforts by Policy Entrepreneurs opens the Opportunity Window for policy realization. Interpreting Kingdon’s MSF, a rich scholarship exists, which found evidence in support of this framework. Some instances of the opening up of multiple windows are found in MSF. However, two aspects remain unclear. First, what happens when multiple windows open, some of them could be opened by the opposing side simultaneously to the policy window? Second, no literature exists that discusses the application of multiple windows of the MSF. In this context, this paper takes the idea of multiple windows seriously along with illustrations from Delhi, India where we find that although a window of opportunity existed for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, it could not privatize water supply. Our argument is that multiple windows opened up, some by the opposition that thwarted water privatization attempts of the state government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the joint influence of human activities and climate change, lakes experience significant shrinkage or expansion, posing enormous challenges for water resource management and the ecological balance of lake ecosystems. As an important region abundant in water resources in China, the balance of water resources in the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin (MLY) is crucial for region sustainable development. However, to date, few studies have quantitatively analysed the lake area during heat waves in the MLY. To fill this gap, this study selected the summer of 2022, which encountered unprecedented heat waves, to analyse the changes of lake area in the MLY. Specifically, Sentinel-1 images were used as data sources, and the Random Forest (RF) model was applied to extract the monthly area of 62 lakes (area >10 km2) in the MLY from 2019 to 2022. The results showed that: (1) Compared to the Support Vector Machine (SVM) model and the Otsu method, the RF model had the highest accuracy, with its accuracy and Kappa coefficient in the testing samples of 97.14% and 0.94, respectively. During the period from June to September in 2022, the total area of 62 lakes decreased by 3475.50 km2. (2) Compared to the same period in the summer of 2019–2021, 23 lakes (37.10%) were observed to experience shrinkage. Among them, the area of Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake decreased to the level of the previous winter dry seasons in August 2022. (3) Temperature was the most important meteorological factor that caused changes in the lake area in the MLY, compared to precipitation, evaporation, and runoff. This research can help understand the impact of climate change on lakes and provide references for decision-making in the MLY to formulate the strategies of water resource management under the changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Main Location Taxon Methods Results Conclusions Animals not only forage for abundant and nearby resources, but their diets can also be influenced by abiotic and geographic factors. This often results in non‐random interactions among species. We investigate how seed density, distance from nest, abiotic (e.g., climate stability, temperature, precipitation) and geographic factors (e.g., latitude, elevation and continental hemisphere) influence the removal of food items (i.e., seeds and dead arthropods) by Pogonomyrmex species.South and North America, from Patagonia to the Rocky Mountains.Genus Pogonomyrmex (Formicidae: Hymenoptera).Conducting standardised experiments, we performed a seed removal experiment and an assessment of the items retrieved by ant workers of 160 nests from eight Pogonomyrmex spp. at 16 sites extending the American continent.Pogonomyrmex ants native to North America removed more seeds than their South American counterpart. In general, results align with optimal foraging theory, indicating a higher probability of seed removal near ant nests. High climate stability correlated with lower seed predation rates, emphasising seed consumption's significance in historically arid environments. Increased precipitation and temperature led to reduced removal of food resources, suggesting reduced water availability and lower mean temperatures increases the consumption of seeds by harvester ants.Overall, Pogonomyrmex ants' food resource use is influenced by a combination of factors such as region, distance from the nest and climate. This study underscores harvester ants' potential impact on plant distribution over large spatial scales consuming seeds from the immediate proximity of their nest and preventing establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical substances, a pill for every ill, have become a sweet poison by remarkably boosting the global economy as well as human and animal wellness and at the same time causing environmental pollution, especially in the aquatic ecosystem, and this has led to a fatal diminution in the availability of clean water and upsurge in water insecurity. Notably, traditional techniques and materials have been employed to clean up pharmaceutical pollutants (PP) from aquatic bodies; however, they have come under controversy because they require hazardous chemicals and cannot fully mineralize stubborn PPs. Interestingly, the photocatalytic degradation approach employing eco‐benign biosynthesized nanoparticles (BNP) is an avant‐garde practice and has shown to be an eco‐sustainable method that can fully mineralize PPs into harmless molecules. Thus, this study critically explores the application of BNPs for the photocatalytic degradation of PPs. The review revealed that the greatest degradation efficacy of BNPs was greater than 80% in most cases, and that the least amount of time required was around 10 min. In addition, the oxygen‐containing functional groups found in the biological sources used for the fabrication of BNPs contributed to the supremacy of •OH and O2• radicals in the degradation operation. Also, the photocatalytic degradation kinetic data was well modeled by pseudo‐first order, and this indicates that •OH was more involved in the PPs degradation operation than O2•. Moreso, BNPs have excellent reusability potential (>5 rounds) while maintaining inherent structural integrity. Techno‐economic analysis revealed that BNPs are cost‐effective, costing about $1.5/1,000,000 mL of pharmaceutical wastewater on average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streamflow generation and biochemical hotspots are significantly influenced by groundwater contributions distributed along the drainage network. However, identifying the geomorphic landscape features that drive groundwater‐surface water interactions remains challenging. In this study, we investigate the role of knickpoints in controlling these interactions in a mountainous stream in Switzerland. We employ a combination of synoptic sampling of environmental tracers, endmember mixing calculations, and groundwater flow simulations. Our findings reveal substantial groundwater seepage concentrated near the knickpoint of the main river stem. Using parsimonious groundwater flow modeling, we validate the hypothesis that the topographical shape of the knickpoint enhances local groundwater discharge rates. We quantify that approximately 20% of the total catchment streamflow originates from around the knickpoint. These results indicate that knickpoints are significant hotspots for groundwater seepage and physicochemical mixing, providing a clear method for identifying major localized sources of streamflow generation. Plain Language Summary: In ice‐free catchments, groundwater is the main water source maintaining streamflow during extended dry periods. In addition to its importance for water resources, locations where groundwater contributes to surface stream water are important hotspots where interactions between biological and chemical processes occur, that have major implications for aquatic ecosystems. However, those hotspots remain difficult to identify. Specifically, our understanding on the relationships between landscape and groundwater discharge in streams remains limited. In our study of a Swiss Alpine catchment, we sampled a stream for water chemical analysis and used statistical and numerical models to find where groundwater emerges into the stream. We discovered that most groundwater enters the stream around a "knickpoint", a location where the stream profile becomes steeper. According to our calculations, this knickpoint, although of minimal extent, contributed one fifth of the total streamflow in the catchment. Although our results are site‐specific, knickpoints are ubiquitous in mountain areas, thus they might be important when predicting water availability and biogeochemical fluxes at regional scale. Key Points: We highlight the sporadic nature of groundwater seepage hotspots along a river profileKnickpoints influence groundwater flow patterns, creating preferential mixing zones between groundwater and surface watersBiogeochemical hotspots are influenced by knickpoints in mountainous hydrographic network [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation δ18O has offered valuable insights into the evolution of the Asian monsoon. Recent researches focusing on precipitation Δ′17O has enhanced our understanding by offering new perspectives beyond those of δ18O, revealing insights into vapor sources and continental recycling. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of interannual triple oxygen isotope data, particularly in the Asian monsoon region. In this study, we analyzed the triple oxygen isotopes and hydrogen isotopes in monthly precipitation samples collected from Chongqing in Southwest China between 2019 and 2022 A.D. Seasonal variations in δD, δ18O, δ17O, and d‐excess values were observed, with lower values during the rainy season and higher values during the dry season, highlighting the impact of changes in moisture sources and local meteorological conditions on seasonal shifts in δD, δ18O, and δ17O. While, mean Δ′17O values were higher in rainy season and lower in dry season. Notably, during rainy season, there is a negative correlation between monthly Δ′17O values and the RH of the vapor source area, as well as a positive correlation with d‐excess. Recalculated Δ′17O values based on RH of oceanic moisture source, are higher than the measured values for this period, indicating the contribution of terrigenous moisture to precipitation in SW China. Precipitation Δ′17O values provide a more precise reflection of changes in moisture source, continental recycling, and evapotranspiration processes that drive water cycling compared Integrating modeling works in future will facilitate the use of precipitation Δ′17O values to quantify the impact of different moisture source on precipitation. Plain Language Summary: In the context of climatic warming, changes in water vapor source areas have substantial implications for the stability of regional water resources. Despite the importance of these changes, few studies have analyzed them using precipitation data from SW China. We conducted monthly measurements of isotopic compositions in precipitation samples collected in monsoonal SW China between 2019 and 2022 A.D. Seasonal variations in δD, δ18O, δ17O, and d‐excess revealed low values during the rainy season (May–October) and significantly higher values during the dry season (November–April). These variations are primarily attributed to different water vapor sources in distinct seasons. Moreover, we observed a negative correlation between precipitation Δ′17O and relative humidity in the source area of the water vapor during the rainy season, suggesting that Δ′17O contains valuable information about the water vapor's source area. Additionally, the relatively higher Δ′17O values observed in the rainy season imply the influence of continental recycling and evapotranspiration processes. Key Points: Characteristics of triple oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in precipitation were analyzed based on a 4‐year monitoring period in Southwest ChinaTriple oxygen isotopes in precipitation serve as indicators of the extent of isotopic fractionation in water vapor between different seasonsChanges in precipitation Δ′17O show a negative correlation with relative humidity from the moisture source area during the rainy season [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dry months, there are acute water shortages as a result of reservoir water being released to improve reliability based on the full supply of needs in certain months. This study provides a method that stores some water from rainy months in the reservoir to be released during dry months to reduce failure during those times. The method is based on reservoir zoning and uses a multi-objective optimization system. The multi-objective gray wolf optimization (MOGWO) and multi-objective reptile search algorithm (MORSA) are connected to the WEAP simulator model and contrasted for this purpose. The primary goal of this type of system is to propose a solution that raises the proportion of demand supplied during dry months while maintaining an acceptable level of demand supply reliability across the entire duration. Ultimately, the role curve is assessed using the outcomes of two scenarios: the OS and the RS (depending on the actual circumstances). The findings demonstrate that MORSA outperforms MOGWO in terms of response quality and convergence time. The RS results show that in many dry years, particularly the last planning years, the percentage of supply for demand in three to five consecutive months is equal to zero in most uses, and in the remaining low-water years, it is less than five percent in the same months. In the best-case scenario, the percentage of demand during these months ranges from 30 to 60% thanks to optimization of the dam's rule curve using MORSA. Furthermore, in low-water months, the OS increases the proportion of meeting downstream environmental obligations. This study demonstrates that applying this strategy results in appropriate reservoir management and lessens the degree of failure when providing different uses during low-water months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) is the basis for sustainable regional development and an important indicator of core competitiveness, and its quantitative assessment and comparison is a key link in clarifying the development capacity of the region. The study comprehensively considers economic, social, resource, environmental and ecological factors, constructs a WRCC evaluation index system based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model, adopts the entropy value method to assign weights to each index, and utilizes the set-pair analysis method and the obstacle diagnostic model to evaluate WRCC of the urban agglomerations in central Yunnan (UACY) in the period from 2008 to 2020. The results show that the comprehensive development of WRCC of UACY is characterized by stage-by-stage evolution in the time dimension, with a decreasing trend in the carrying capacity from 2008 to 2012, and an overall fluctuating upward development trend from 2013 to 2020. In the spatial dimension, Kunming's WRCC is generally poor, and Honghe and Yuxi have the greatest advantages in water resources storage and conservation capacity. The stress of water use in Kunming is higher, but Kunming has advantages in industrial structure and water resources development and utilization rate. Through the diagnosis of obstacle degree, the main obstacle factors of WRCC have large differences among cities (states), but the main subsystems constraining WRCC are all pressure subsystems. The results of the study can provide data support for water resources related policies and rational water resources dispatching in the UACY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quarrying of rock aggregates generates produced water that, if not handled properly will be a source of pollution for nearby water bodies, thus affecting the chemistry of the water. This study examined the chemistry, impact of quarrying activities on water resources and the health consequences/risks posed by ingestion of the water by humans in the Akamkpa quarry region in southeastern Nigeria. Thirty (30) water samples consisting of pond water, stream water, hand dug wells, and borehole samples were collected and analyzed for their physicochemical parameters using standard methods. The results obtained from the analyses indicated that the water was moderately acidic, fresh, and not salty, with many parameters below the recommended standards with Ca2+, and HCO3− being the dominant ions present in the water resources. Rock weathering processes including silicate weathering as illustrated by hydrochemical facies, cross plots, and Gibbs diagrams are the dominant mechanisms influencing the quality and major ions chemistry of the water resources with minor contributions from dissolution, anthropogenic activities, and ion exchange. Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl and Na–K-HCO3− are the most important water types. Although the water quality index shows that the water is suitable for human use and irrigation, the mean values of As, Cd, Pb, and Se are above the acceptable limits. Additionally, the calculated contamination factor revealed the water resources are moderate to highly contaminated by As, Cd, Cr, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Se, and are therefore unsuitable for consumption with regards to these parameters. However, the residual sodium carbonate and water hazard index (WHI) values showed that 38% to 90% of sites in the quarry area were unsuitable for cultivation, 10–30% were in the low to medium impact category, and 60% were classified as risky and are from high to very high impact category. A non-cancer study of inhabitants living in the vicinity of the quarry area indicated that 6.7% of the sites have values greater than one, indicating that it may endanger the health of the people. Therefore, constant monitoring of the water quality is recommended as long-term use of contaminated water can harm humans, plants, and soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discontinuous hydration and dehydration (HD) cycles refer to controlled imbibition followed by dehydration before seed germination. Here, we investigated whether the level of imbibition before HD cycles affects the physiology of Tabebuia heterophylla seeds and seedlings. Seeds were imbibed for 10 h (T1; phase I of imbibition) or 35 h (T2; phase II), dehydrated, and progressively rehydrated one to four times (HD cycles). Germination and biochemical parameters (membrane integrity; total soluble, reducing, and nonreducing (NRS) sugars; proteins, amino acids, proline, H2O2, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity) were quantified at the last rehydration step of each cycle. Biometric and biochemical parameters (including pigments) were analysed in seedlings 60 days after germination. HD cycles at T1 led to reduced seed germination and greater plasma membrane damage, higher enzyme activity (catalase and glutathione reductase) and accumulation of NRS, total amino acids, and proline compared to the controls and T2 treatment. Cellular damage became more severe with more HD cycles. HD cycles at T2 synchronized germination regardless of the number of cycles and also had a priming effect. T2 seeds had less NRS, total amino acids, and proline content than T1. HD cycles at T1 produced seedlings with higher carotenoid and total chlorophyll content than controls and T2, while seedlings from HD cycles at T2 had higher amounts of osmoprotectants. HD cycles at T2 benefited seeds and seedlings more than at T1. This suggests that the physiological and biochemical effects of HD cycles in seeds modulate seedling plasticity, depending on water availability, potentially promoting increased tolerance to recurrent droughts that will be intensified with ongoing climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the bias adjustment and downscaling to a resolution of 1 × 1 km of daily temperature, precipitation and solar radiation of a multimodel ensemble of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) GCMs with the local observational data set BhutanClim for Bhutan and an analysis of the results for 1996–2100. The GCMs were selected based on their ability to reproduce local temporal and spatial precipitation patterns, resulting in a total of 14 models for each shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP). The results are shown for five global warming levels (GWLs) 1.5, 2, 3, 4 and 5°C, providing insight into the projected impacts of climate change at different warming levels. The daily temperature and precipitation data are publicly available, which is of great benefit for climate impact studies, such as ecological, hydrological or infrastructure‐related studies. In this paper, we discuss showcase climate indicators. Peak‐over‐threshold climate indicators such as hot days above 30°C are relevant for human health. In the capital city of Thimphu, these are currently rare, at 4 days per year, but might increase to more than 80 for GWL5.0. Precipitation increases in the summer months, but slightly decreases in the drier winter months. Accordingly, the 3‐month SPEI drought index is projected to increase in summer, but strongly decreases in the winter months, mostly pronounced in February. The increasing severity of late‐winter and spring droughts might have a negative impact on vegetation, wildfires and water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions To describe worldwide distribution of mammalian cradles and museums using the rates of phylogenetic lineage turnover as a surrogate. Additionally, we investigated the influences of current water–energy dynamics, climate instability, past climate changes and elevational ranges on the distribution of these evolutionary zones.Global.Current.Terrestrial mammals.We developed a new methodology that consists of calculating the spatial phylogenetic turnover for non‐overlapping temporal segments of phylogenetic trees. By calculating the relative turnover in each tree segment, we quantified the rate of accumulation of phylogenetic turnover through time. We depicted cold and hotspots of rates of lineage turnover using bivariate maps and examined the effects of environmental factors using a path model.The distributions of cradles and museums of biodiversity are primarily driven by water–energy dynamics. Environments with higher water availability than energetic demand predominantly act as cradles, as seen in tropical rainforests, while xeric‐like environments predominantly serve as museums. Conversely, regions undergoing higher historical climate changes become cradles, such as in higher northern latitudes, while climatically stable areas function as museums. Mountains play a dual role, acting as both cradles and museums by generating new lineages along their elevation bands while simultaneously providing climate refuges for ancient mammal lineages.Our findings demonstrate that cradles and museums are not merely a dichotomy but exist along an evolutionary continuum. Furthermore, they reveal how spatial patterns of mammalian cradles and museums are intricately shaped by biogeographical processes governed by environmental forces. Uncovering these hidden effects provides insights into the ecological mechanisms by which ongoing climate changes continually shape evolutionary assemblages over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The driving forces of transpiration are not only atmospheric evaporation but also root zone water supply and stomatal regulation among species. However, the biophysiological drivers of transpiration remain incompletely understood in heterogeneous karst habitats. This study investigated the commonly coexisting tree species Mallotus philippensis and Celtis biondii in two typical karst habitats: rock‐dominated (RD) habitat and control soil‐dominated (SD) habitat. Over 2 years, soil moisture, transpiration, root distribution, and leaf water potential were measured. The results showed that soil moisture in the RD habitat was significantly lower than in the SD habitat. Transpiration patterns also differed between habitats, with species‐specific distinctions driven by biophysiological traits. M. philippensis showed small hydroscape areas and its root system mainly distributed in the soil zone in both habitats. The isohydric behaviour and lower root density in the RD habitat drove M. philippensis to reduce transpiration in response to soil water deficiency. Conversely, C. biondii had large hydroscape areas and roots capable of penetrating bedrock. It transpired higher relying on ample accessible water through anisohydric behaviour and having a more robust root system both in soil and bedrock zones in the RD habitat. Our study highlights the critical role of root water accessibility and leaf iso/anisohydric tendencies in driving transpiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biological monitoring (biomonitoring) to assess water quality is recognised alongside the use of chemical and physicochemical parameters due to its ability and efficiency in providing information about both current and long-term changes. Indeed, biomonitoring is applied in several developed and developing countries. Nevertheless, some developing countries, such as Rwanda, are yet to adopt such a monitoring system. This paper presents results of an assessment of the knowledge and perceptions by water resource managers about the use of biomonitoring and bioindicators, and challenges to their integration into existing routine water quality monitoring systems in Rwanda. Qualitative research, using semistructured interviews, was conducted with nine water resource practitioners from six water governance institutions between August and November 2021. The results show that participants are aware that macroinvertebrates, algae and fish are bioindicators that have potential applications in Rwanda to complement the chemical and physicochemical parameters already being collected in the country’s water monitoring system. The main challenges for integration of biological indicators, as indicated by participants, include the need for equipment, funding, technical skills and taxonomic knowledge. Training in the use of bioindicators and taxonomy are needed to raise the awareness and skills of staff from the institutions involved in freshwater ecosystem management in Rwanda, and to encourage integration of biomonitoring results into national water monitoring frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is the sustainable provisioning of clean water and sanitation services. The sustainable management of water resources strengthens resilience, protects livelihoods, fosters economic growth, and contributes to poverty reduction. This paper reviews the challenges faced by Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with a focus on water resource management. While the Caribbean region is seemingly blessed with water resources, with more than 90% of Caribbean residents having access to improved water, it faces challenges due to inefficient management and diverse geographical realities, creating spatial disparities. Furthermore, economic and physical scarcity coexist with some islands lacking proper infrastructure and others nearing the exhaustion of natural freshwater reserves. Climate change intensifies these issues through variable precipitation patterns and extreme weather events. Additionally, the region's dependence on tourism and susceptibility to environmental pressures necessitates a focus on targets related to SDGs 1 and 8. To address increasing water stress within the region, it is becoming increasingly urgent to identify root causes and develop targeted solutions that consider socioeconomic and environmental factors. The promotion of Integrated Water Resource Management is a key strategy for encouraging increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure and fostering sustainable financing practices. Article Highlights: Caribbean islands face water scarcity due to climate change, population growth, and outdated infrastructure. Effective water management strategies are crucial for ensuring access to clean water and supporting local economies. Collaborative efforts and investments in resilient infrastructure can enhance water security across the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canopy leaf abundance of Amazon rainforests increases in the dry season but decreases in the wet season, contrary to earlier expectations of water stress adversely affecting plant functions. Drivers of this seasonality, particularly the role of water availability, remain debated. We introduce satellite-based ecophysiological indicators to demonstrate that Amazon rainforests are constrained by water during dry seasons despite light-driven canopy greening. Evidence includes a shifted partitioning of photosynthetically active radiation toward more isoprene emissions and synchronized declines in leaf and xylem water potentials. In addition, we find that convective storms attenuate light-driven ecosystem greening in the late dry season and then reverse to net leaf loss in the wet season, improving rainforest leaf area predictability by 24 to 31%. These findings highlight the susceptibility of Amazon rainforests to increasing risks of drought and windthrow disturbances under warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary It is well‐known that the mycorrhizal type of plants correlates with different modes of nutrient cycling and availability. However, the differences in drought tolerance between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) plants remains poorly characterized. We synthesized a global dataset of four hydraulic traits associated with drought tolerance of 1457 woody species (1139 AM and 318 EcM species) at 308 field sites. We compared these traits between AM and EcM species, with evolutionary history (i.e. angiosperms vs gymnosperms), water availability (i.e. aridity index) and biomes considered as additional factors. Overall, we found that evolutionary history and biogeography influenced differences in hydraulic traits between mycorrhizal types. Specifically, we found that (1) AM angiosperms are less drought‐tolerant than EcM angiosperms in wet regions or biomes, but AM gymnosperms are more drought‐tolerant than EcM gymnosperms in dry regions or biomes, and (2) in both angiosperms and gymnosperms, variation in hydraulic traits as well as their sensitivity to water availability were higher in AM species than in EcM species. Our results suggest that global shifts in water availability (especially drought) may alter the biogeographic distribution and abundance of AM and EcM plants, with consequences for ecosystem element cycling and ultimately, the land carbon sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities around the world rely on snowmelt to meet water demands, and periods of lower than normal snow accumulation, snow droughts, can decrease water supplies. Leveraging 172 minimally disturbed and seasonally snow-covered watersheds, we developed an approach to examine the effects of cool & dry, warm & dry, and warm & wet snow droughts on streamflow timing and magnitude by hydrologic region. Our results showed all types of snow droughts in all regions correlate with lower annual streamflow, lower maximum and minimum flows, and lower runoff ratios, with more numerous low flow days and earlier streamflow timing. However, departures from non-snow drought conditions differed substantially between drought types and regions. Consecutive snow droughts further reduced runoff ratios and increased low flow days, likely due to additional subsurface storage depletion. With warm snow drought occurrence expected to increase, we discuss impacts for water management systems whose design specifications may not reflect the changing hydroclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially explicit, near real time information on surface water dynamics is critical for understanding changes in water resources, and for long-term water security planning. The distribution of surface water across the African continent since 1984 and updated as every new Landsat scene becomes available is presented here, and validated for the continent for the first time. We applied the Water Observations from Space (WOfS) algorithm, developed and well-tested in Australia, to every Landsat scene acquired over Africa since the mid 1980s to provide spatial information on surface water dynamics over the past 30+ years. We assessed the accuracy of WOfS using aerial and satellite imagery. Four regional geospatial organisations, coordinated through the Digital Earth Africa Product Development Task Team, conducted the validation campaign and provided both the regional expertise and experience required for a continental-scale validation effort. We assessed whether the point was wet, dry, or cloud covered, for each of the 12 months in 2018, resulting in 34,800 labelled observations. As waterbodies larger than 100 km² are easy to identify with Landsat resolution data and can thus boost accuracy, these were masked out. The resulting overall accuracy of the water classification was 82%. WOfS in Africa is expected to be used by ministries and departments of agriculture and water across the continent, by international organisations, academia, and the private sector. A large-scale collaborative effort, which included regional and technical skills spanning two continents was required to create a service that is regionally accurate and is both hosted on, and implemented operationally from, the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inadequate water supply, poor sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools, insufficient puberty education and a lack of hygienic menstrual hygiene management (MHM) items (absorbents) cause girls in developing countries like Ethiopia to view menstruation as shameful and uncomfortable. However, there was little evidence of female MHM practice and associated factors among secondary school girls in eastern Ethiopia. Objective: To assess MHM practice and associated factors among secondary school girls in eastern Ethiopia. Design: Institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted. Methods: A total of 473 secondary schoolgirls were selected using a stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire, double-entered to Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Descriptive analysis was computed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviations. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the association of the school water, sanitation and hygiene facilities with MHM. Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval was computed to show the strength of the association between dependent and independent variables. The goodness of fit of the model was tested by the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness of fit test. Results: Out of 473 study participants, 72.93% of them (95% CI: 68.74–76.76) reported good MHM practices. The study also found that availability of continuous water supply (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI: (1.42–4.01)); types of toilet (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: (1.20–3.40)), confined space (AOR = 3.02, 95% CI: (1.49–4.76)) and having females' toilets alone inside in the school (AOR = 2.70, 95% CI: (1.20–4.40)) were significantly associated with female students' good MHM practice. Conclusion: The survey revealed that some of the secondary schoolgirls practiced poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM), which needs further improvement. The study also found that the availability of continuous water supply in the school, types of toilet facility in the school, availability of private space to manage periods at school, learning about MHM in schools and availability of female toilets kept locked inside were factors significantly associated with MHM practice of students, which require integration of Zonal Health and education bureau to jointly work towards the improvement of school WASH facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the historical context and current dynamics of the transboundary water issues between India and China. Both countries share multiple transboundary river basins, with the Brahmaputra River being one of the most significant. The importance of the Brahmaputra River to both nations goes beyond just providing resources. It has implications for national security, regional stability, and human livelihoods. However, China's upstream control over the river and its extensive dam-building projects have raised concerns in downstream India and Bangladesh about potential impacts on water availability, agriculture, and livelihoods. The river system is critical for the socioeconomic well-being of millions of people, yet the competing demands for water resources have led to geopolitical tensions. The paper highlights China's strategic use of water resources, including plans for large-scale dams, which India views as a potential threat to its water security. It also underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of hydropolitics, emphasizing the need for human security, particularly water security, in addressing these challenges. It argues that while "water wars" are unlikely, "water tensions" are significant and must be addressed through comprehensive bilateral agreements and collaborative efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is essential to determine the dominant/indicator species and their ecological preferences to develop a comprehensive bioassessment strategy for rivers. The objective of this work was to provide dependable ecological evaluation techniques for ecosystems that experience significant human-induced disruptions, with the Hari Rud River (a transboundary water resource) serving as a case study during the May (wet) and July (dry) periods of 2023. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen, ortho-phosphate (P O 4 3 - ), and nitrate (N O 3 - ) had substantial impacts on the spatial distribution of diatom species in the basin. Relatively pollution-tolerant species, including Nitzschia brevissima, N. capitellata, N. umbonata, N. palea, N. dissipata, and Navicula cryptocephala, had close relationships with EC and P O 4 3 - , integrated with Joi Injil and Karbar streams. Of the sampling stations, especially Hari Rud River1 and Hari Rud River2, exhibited pollution-sensitive diatom species, Cymbella excisa, Achnanthidium minutissimum, Diatoma moniliformis, Cymbella affinis, and Meridion circulare. Various eco-regional diatom metrics exhibited distinct scores, indicating a range of ecological status from high to bad in the Lower Hari Rud River basin. European diatom indices revealed good ecological status for Hari Rud River 1 and 4, but poor or bad ecological statuses for Joi Injil and Karbar streams. The findings of the current study emphasize the requirements of autecological studies to understand the regional diatom compositions and their ideal survival ranges in different locations before considering using non-regional diatom indices to evaluate the ecological status of lotic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reduced water content in the soil triggers physiological, biochemical, and morphological damage to plants, aggravated by nutritional deficiency. One possible strategy to mitigate this damage comprises the use of silicon (Si). This study investigated whether Si can mitigate the damage caused by water deficit through nutritional mechanisms in bean plants grown under field conditions. Furthermore, it investigated whether the effectiveness of Si is influenced by water availability in the soil and the Si dose supplied. Methods: Therefore, two split-plot experiments were carried out: with and without K supply. In both experiments,the treatments comprised a 3 x 4 factorial scheme. Treatments included three water regimes: 80% (no water deficit), 60% (moderate water deficit), and 40% (severe water deficit) of the soil's water retention capacity. Moreover, they comprised four doses of Si supplied via fertigation-0 kg/ha, 4 kg/ha, 8 kg/ha, and 12 kg/ha-arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. Results and discussion: The appropriate dose of Si to be applied increased with the severity of the water deficit, with the recommended dose being 6 kg/ha, 7 kg/ha, and 8 kg/ha of Si for adequate water conditions, moderate water deficit, and severe water deficit, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms inhabiting gypsum have been observed in environments that differ greatly in water availability. Gypsum colonized by microorganisms, including cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, and diverse heterotrophic communities, occurs in hot, arid or even hyperarid environments, in cold environments of the Antarctic and Arctic zones, and in saline and hypersaline lakes and ponds where gypsum precipitates. Fossilized microbial remnants preserved in gypsum were also reported. Gypsum protects the endolithic microbial communities against excessive insolation and ultraviolet radiation, while allowing photosynthetically active radiation to penetrate through the mineral substrate. We here review the worldwide occurrences of microbially colonized gypsum and the specific properties of gypsum related to its function as a substrate and habitat for microbial life on Earth and possibly beyond. Methods for detecting and characterizing endolithic communities and their biomarkers in gypsum are discussed, including microscopic, spectroscopic, chemical, and molecular biological techniques. The modes of adaptation of different microorganisms to life within gypsum crystals under different environmental conditions are described. Finally, we discuss gypsum deposits as possible targets for the search for microbial life or its remnants beyond Earth, especially on Mars, where sulfate-rich deposits occur, and propose strategies to detect them during space exploration missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender and social dimensions of access to and use of water resources are often overlooked in policy and programming despite their importance in shaping water security. This study examines factors affecting water security in urban Pakistan through a gender lens. We surveyed 560 men and women in two towns in Islamabad and Rawalpindi facing water and sanitation challenges. Through a binary logit model and marginal effects analysis, we analyzed the relationship between water security and multiple variables, including gender, education, age, employment status, payment for water, urban wealth quintile, drinking water source, individual water concern level, water satisfaction, and water quality perception. While more than 50 percent of both genders experience water insecurity, the prevalence of water insecurity is notably higher among women. Men in the surveyed population had higher levels of employment wealth, and education levels compared to women. The regression analysis across both genders reveals that paying for drinking water negatively and significantly impacts water security, while concern about future water issues, satisfaction with drinking water, and water quality significantly and positively impact water security levels. For women specifically, access to improved drinking water sources higher education levels, and employment significantly improve their water security level, underscoring the importance of promoting women's education and economic empowerment. For men, age and wealth levels emerged as significant factors impacting their water security, with older men more vulnerable to water insecurity than younger men and women. These findings underscore the complex interplay of individual, social and structural dynamics shaping water security experiences, emphasizing the need for gender-responsive and intersectional approaches to water interventions in urban Pakistan and beyond Equitable water policies and programs necessitate the collection of more disaggregated data. This study marks the first application of the Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (IWIE) Scale used in Pakistan's urban context with recommendations for its broader implementation to improve decision-making that can lead to sustainable water solutions across gender and social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) has received unprecedented attention as a future water and energy platform. However, the water productivity of SAWH systems is still constrained by the slow sorption kinetics at material and component levels and inefficient condensation. Here, we report a facile method to prepare hygroscopic interconnected porous gel (HIPG) with fast sorption-desorption kinetics, high scalability and stability, and strong adhesion property for highly efficient SAWH. We further design a solar-wind coupling driven SAWH device with collaborative heat and mass enhancement achieving continuous water production. Concentrated sunlight contributes to enhancing the desorption and condensation synergistically, and natural wind is introduced to drive the device operation and improve the sorption kinetics. The device demonstrated record high working performance of 14.9 Lwater m−2 day−1 and thermal efficiency of 25.7% in indoor experiments and 3.5–8.9 Lwater m−2 day−1 in outdoor experiments by solar concentration without any other energy consumption. This work provides an up-and-coming pathway to realize highly efficient and sustainable clean water supply for off-grid and arid regions. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH), despite great promise, is constrained by slow sorption kinetics and inefficient condensation. Here the authors synthesize a hygroscopic interconnected porous gel with excellent sorption kinetics and high scalability and adopt solar concentration strategy for efficient continuous SAWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued threat from climate change and human impacts on water resources demands high-resolution and continuous hydrological data accessibility for predicting trends and availability. This study proposes a novel threefold downscaling method based on machine learning (ML) which integrates: data normalization; interaction of hydrometeorological variables; and the application of a time series split for cross-validation that produces a high spatial resolution groundwater storage anomaly (GWSA) dataset from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its successor mission, GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO). In the study, the relationship between the terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA) from GRACE and other land surface and hydrometeorological variables (e.g., vegetation coverage, land surface temperature, precipitation, and in situ groundwater level data) is leveraged to downscale the GWSA. The predicted downscaled GWSA datasets were tested using monthly in situ groundwater level observations, and the results showed that the model satisfactorily reproduced the spatial and temporal variations in the GWSA in the study area, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) correlation coefficient values of 0.8674 (random forest) and 0.7909 (XGBoost), respectively. Evapotranspiration was the most influential predictor variable in the random forest model, whereas it was rainfall in the XGBoost model. In particular, the random forest model excelled in aligning closely with the observed groundwater storage patterns, as evidenced by its high positive correlations and lower error metrics (Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 54.78 mm; R-squared (R²) of 0.8674). The downscaled 5 km GWSA data (based on random forest) showed a decreasing trend in storage associated with variability in the rainfall pattern. An increase in drought severity during El Niño lengthened the full recovery time of groundwater based on historical storage trends. Furthermore, the time lag between the occurrence of precipitation and recharge was likely controlled by the drought intensity and the spatial recharge characteristics of the aquifer. Projected increases in drought severity could further increase groundwater recovery times in response to droughts in a changing climate, resetting storage to a new tipping condition. Therefore, climate change adaptation strategies must recognise that less groundwater will be available to supplement the surface water supply during droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of water resource usage, correlated with changes in land use and cover as well as climate variability, has led to significant alterations in the hydrological cycle, impacting water availability in basins. This study assesses hydrological trends in the section of the Janeiro River basin located in the Brazilian savannah (Cerrado biome), focusing on the influence of anthropogenic activities and climate variability between 1985 and 2017. Using precipitation, actual evapotranspiration, streamflow, land use and cover, and water use authorization data, we applied statistical tests (Mann–Kendall, Sen's slope, Pettitt, and RHO Spearman) to identify trends, abrupt changes, and correlations. The results show a decreasing trend in average and minimum flows, with reductions of 30 to 40%, respectively, compared to the historical series average, not attributable to significant changes in precipitation but rather to an expansion of agricultural areas and an intensification of water consumption for irrigation. There was a reduction from 76.5% to the sum of Natural and Forest Formation areas and an increase of 71.1% in Agricultural areas. The correlation between land use changes and streamflows suggests that the conversion of natural vegetation into agricultural lands is directly associated with the decline in water availability. This study highlights the need for sustainable planning and management of water resources, considering the seasonality of water availability and agricultural demands, to mitigate the negative impacts on the hydrological cycle and ensure water sustainability in the Brazilian savannah region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presence of contamination and microorganisms at any stage of processing renders a method unsafe, leading to a high risk of cross-transmission and cross-infection. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the cleaning quality of aspirator instruments used in neurosurgical procedures. Methods: The experimental study was conducted at the materials and sterilization center, as well as the microbiology laboratory, of a philanthropic hospital in Brazil. A study protocol was implemented, which involved the analysis of 10 samples of Yasargil aspirators with varying dimensions. The samples were subjected to protein tests to detect the presence of organic matter and microbiological analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The results indicated that 40% of the instruments tested positive for protein after manual cleaning. Furthermore, after automated cleaning, samples showed an increased microbiological load, with Escherichia coli accounting for 20% and Klebsiella aerogenes for 10% of the identified microorganisms. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of failures in the cleaning process of healthcare products and highlights the presence of biofilm in the pipes, thereby compromising the drinking water quality standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity, a challenge expected to worsen with climate change, significantly hinders native plant community restoration. Enhancing seed‐based restoration requires methods to increase the water availability for seeds and seedlings. Surfactants and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can improve soil water‐holding capacity and infiltration, but their use in seed enhancements remains underexplored. We investigated whether pellets containing surfactants or SAPs could improve seedling emergence of two native species (Rytidosperma caespitosum and Chrysocephalum apiculatum) common in temperate grasslands in south‐eastern Australia under different watering treatments. We used a randomized block design with five watering treatments to simulate predicted changes in precipitation for south‐eastern Australia: ambient, two reducing overall water volume, and two reducing watering frequency while increasing watering volume to maintain ambient treatment water volume. We explored four enhanced pellets (two containing surfactants and two containing SAPs) and non‐pelleted seeds. Our results showed that watering events with larger volumes but reduced frequency increased seedling emergence. Under these conditions, block co‐polymer surfactants further increased seedling emergence of C. apiculatum, while synthetic SAP pellets promoted emergence of R. caespitosum. Block co‐polymer surfactants decreased R. caespitosum emergence, and both SAPs reduced C. apiculatum emergence under reduced watering frequency. A 50% reduction in overall water volume significantly reduced seedling emergence for both species, regardless of seed enhancement. These findings suggest that surfactants and SAP pellets can improve the success of seed‐based restoration under ambient conditions and when rainfall events are larger in volume but reduced in frequency, but not when the overall volume of rainfall is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important grain crops in the world. Drought caused by climate change in recent years may greatly threaten water supply and crop production, even if the drought only lasts for a few days or weeks. Therefore, effective daily drought monitoring for maize is crucial for ensuring food security. A pivotal challenge in current related research may be the selection of data collection and the methodologies in the construction of these indices. Therefore, orthorectified reflectance in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) band, which is highly sensitive to variations in vegetation water content, was daily obtained from the MODIS MCD43A4 product. Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) calculated using the NIR and SWIR bands and days after planting (DAP) were normalized to obtain the Vegetation Water Index (VWI) and normalized days after planting (NDAP), respectively. The daily dynamic threshold model for different agricultural drought grades was constructed based on the VWI and NDAP with double-logistic fitting functions during the maize growing season, and its specific threshold was determined with historical drought records. Verification results indicated that the VWI had a good effect on the daily agricultural drought monitoring of spring maize in the "Golden Maize Belt" in northeast China. Drought grades produced by the VWI were completely consistent with historical records for 84.6% of the validation records, and 96.2% of the validation records differed by only one grade level or less. The VWI can not only daily identify the occurrence and development process of drought, but also well reflect the impact of drought on the yield of maize. Moreover, the VWI could be used to monitor the spatial evolution of drought processes at both regional and precise pixel scales. These results contribute to providing theoretical guidance for the daily dynamic monitoring and evaluation of spring maize drought in the "Golden Maize Belt" of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive livestock farming plays a crucial role in the economy of agrosilvopastoral systems of the southwestern Iberian Peninsula (known as dehesas and montados in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively) as well as providing essential ecosystem services. The existence of livestock in these areas heavily relies on the effective management of natural resources (annual pastures and water stored in ponds built ad hoc). The present work aims to assess the water availability in these ponds by developing equations to estimate the water volume based on the surface area, which can be quantified by means of remote sensing techniques. For this purpose, field surveys were carried out in September 2021, 2022 and 2023 at ponds located in representative farms, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with RGB sensors and survey-grade global navigation satellite systems and inertial measurement units (GNSS-IMU). These datasets were used to produce high-resolution 3D models by means of Structure-from-Motion and Multi-View Stereo photogrammetry, facilitating the estimation of the stored water volume within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The Volume–Area–Height relationships were calibrated to allow conversions between these parameters. Regression analyses were performed using the maximum volume and area data to derive mathematical models (power and quadratic functions) that resulted in significant statistical relationships (r2 > 0.90, p < 0.0001). The root mean square error (RMSE) varied from 1.59 to 17.06 m3 and 0.16 to 3.93 m3 for the power and quadratic function, respectively. Both obtained equations (i.e., power and quadratic general functions) were applied to the estimated water storage in similar water bodies using available aerial or satellite imagery for the period from 1984 to 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China is the world's largest water transfer project, aiming to address water shortages in northern China by channeling water from the water-rich southern regions. Water resources in Tianjin have long been in severe deficit, with excessive groundwater extraction causing significant surface subsidence, negatively impacting urban infrastructure and economic development. As a result, Tianjin has become a key beneficiary of this water diversion project. To investigate the current situation of surface subsidence, we obtained the vertical displacement time series from 21 GNSS stations across Tianjin from 2011 to 2021 and analyzed overall subsidence changes and rehabilitation status. Results indicate that no clear surface subsidence was observed in the northern regions of Tianjin due to groundwater extraction mainly in unconfined aquifers. The southwestern region experienced the most significant surface subsidence due to overexploitation of deep groundwater, with peak cumulative subsidence exceeding 600 mm during the study period. The central, eastern, and southeastern coastal regions also faced severe surface subsidence with cumulative amounts ranging from 100 mm to 400 mm. The alleviation of subsidence predominantly benefits from continuous water supply from the South to North Water Diversion Project, which resulted in most stations significantly slowing down or even stabilizing their settlement rates after 2018. Therefore, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project plays a crucial role in addressing the persistent water resource shortage and mitigating long-term surface subsidence in Tianjin by ensuring a continuous water supply and significantly reducing the need for groundwater extraction. Our findings indicate positive measures, such as water diversion projects and water management policies, can serve as valuable references for other regions around the world facing similar water scarcity and groundwater overexploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate river ice mapping is crucial for predicting and managing floods caused by ice jams and for the safe operation of hydropower and water resource facilities. Although satellite multispectral images are widely used for river ice mapping, atmospheric contamination limits their effectiveness. This study developed river ice mapping models for the Han River in South Korea using atmospherically uncorrected Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral reflectance data, addressing atmospheric influences with a Random Forest (RF) classification approach. The RF-based river ice mapping models were developed by implementing various combinations of input variables, incorporating the Landsat-8 multispectral top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance, normalized difference indices for snow, water, and bare ice, and atmospheric factors such as aerosol optical depth, water vapor content, and ozone concentration from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer observations, as well as surface elevation from the GLO-30 digital elevation model. The RF model developed using all variables achieved excellent performance in the classification of snow-covered ice, snow-free ice, and water, with an overall accuracy and kappa coefficient exceeding 98.4% and 0.98 for test samples, and higher than 83.7% and 0.75 when compared against reference river ice maps generated by manually interpreting the Landsat-8 images under various atmospheric conditions. The RF-based river ice mapping model for the atmospherically corrected Landsat-8 multispectral surface reflectance was also developed, but it showed very low performance under atmospheric conditions heavily contaminated by aerosol and water vapor. Aerosol optical depth and water vapor content were identified as the most important variables. This study demonstrates that multispectral reflectance data, despite atmospheric contamination, can be effectively used for river ice monitoring by applying machine learning with atmospheric auxiliary data to mitigate atmospheric effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite imagery has become a widespread resource for modeling variability in lake surfaces. However, the extended monitoring of a lake's perimeter faces significant challenges due to atmospheric obstacles that cannot be rectified. Due to the atmosphere's everchanging opacity, only half of the acquired satellite images have reliable qualitative accuracy making it possible to identify a lake's contour. Consequently, approximately 50% of the monthly lake outline values can be determined using remote sensing methods, leaving the remaining 50% unknown. This situation is applicable to three lakes in Morocco (Abakhan, Ouiouan, and Tiglmanine), the subjects of the current research for the period between 1984 and 2022. What can we do if, during a period of time in which we monitored the evolution of the surface of a lake by satellite means, we obtain only about 50% of the possible images? Shall we just settle for this and stop the analysis? Although it may be challenging to believe, the present study introduces two statistical methods for interpolating and validating the monthly values of the lake outline: the iterative ratio method based on the autocorrelation of the monthly water balance and the Kalman filter. We estimated the reconstruction errors of the missing values and validated the methodology using an inverse philosophy, reconstructing the initial data from the table of the simulation results. Given that the difference between the initial values and the reconstructed initial values resembles white noise or an AR (1) process with a low coefficient, we deemed the methodological approach acceptable. Several comparison criteria between the two interpolation methods were employed, yet determining the more appropriate one remains challenging. Based on our surface reconstruction method, Lake Abakhan, with an average area of 22 hectares, experienced significant fluctuations, ranging from a maximum of 34 hectares in 2010 to a minimum of 0.8 hectares in 2022. Lake Ouiouan, with an average area of 14 hectares, displayed much lower variation, with a maximum of 17 hectares in 2020 and a minimum of 6.5 hectares in 1988. Lake Tiglmanine showed a pattern similar to that of Lake Abakhan but with less pronounced fluctuations. With an average area of 6.1 hectares, its maximum was 9.2 hectares in 2011 and its minimum was 4.1 hectares in 1984. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Effective communication between farmers and veterinarians enables the careful assessment of biosecurity aspects, often leading to mutual agreement over on-farm changes. Coaching is a learner-driven process in which the coach is not simply providing advice or direction but rather enabling the learner to identify a goal and find solutions. Farmers' readiness to accept changes is pivotal to biosecurity applications, and the recognition of the barriers to change is highlighted in the study. Numerous farmers in this study have embraced the action plan, indicating that offering tailored guidance through direct face-to-face coaching in a few specific areas has the potential to be an effective approach for disseminating biosecurity information. The farmers showed a positive response to the individualized coaching, particularly considering that it came from individuals who were not their usual source of biosecurity information. The authors have found success in enhancing farm biosecurity procedures with coaching using the two complementary scoring tools ADKAR® (Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium) and Biocheck.UGentTM (Dentergem, Belgium). Veterinary coaching was tested to assess its efficacy in promoting adherence to biosecurity procedures. Poultry farmers (n = 13) in Belgium were profiled using ADKAR®, coached and audited prior to and 6 months after coaching. The ADKAR® (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement) profiling technique identified 5/13 participating farmers with relatively low scores (≤3) for one or more elements that block change (biosecurity compliance in this case). Education was the only demographic variable that influenced knowledge scores. Through the Biocheck.UgentTM methodology, farm biosecurity was assessed and benchmarked to allow for tailored guidance. The farmer, farm veterinarian, and coach defined a farm-specific action plan that covered infrastructure, site access, staff/visitors, purchase policies, transport and depopulation, feed and water supplies, flock management, cleaning and disinfection between flocks, and measures between houses. From a total of 49 proposed actions, 36 were adopted. Purchasing policy had the highest (100%) and cleaning and disinfection had the lowest compliance (38%). Time, cost, and feasibility (e.g., inadequate farm layout) were the main reasons cited for not implementing action points. Overall, biosecurity improved significantly (p = 0.002) from 67.1 ± 5.7% to 70.3 ± 5.7% (mean ± Std. dev). The study, hence, presents convincing proof of how coaching can lead to new solutions not previously considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing shortage of water resources and the aggravation of water pollution, solar-driven interfacial steam generation (SISG) technology has garnered considerable attention because of its low energy consumption, simple operation, and environmental friendliness. The popular multi-layer SISG evaporator is composed of two basic structures: a photothermal layer and a support layer. Herein, the support layer underlies the photothermal layer and carries out thermal management, supports the photothermal layer, and transports water to the evaporation interface to improve the stability of the evaporator. While most research focuses on the photothermal layer, the support layer is typically viewed as a supporting object for the photothermal layer. This review focuses on the support layer, which is relatively neglected in evaporator development. It summarizes existing progress in the field of multi-layer interface evaporators, based on various polymers and biomaterials, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, mainly polymer-based support layers are reviewed, including polymer foams, gels, and their corresponding functional materials, while biomaterial support layers, including natural plants, carbonized biomaterials, and other innovation biomaterials are not. Additionally, the corresponding structure design strategies for the support layer were also involved. It was found that the selection and optimal design of the substrate also played an important role in the efficient operation of the whole steam generation system. Their evolution and refinement are vital for advancing the sustainability and effectiveness of interfacial evaporation technology. The corresponding potential future research direction and application prospects of support layer materials are carefully presented to enable effective responses to global water challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]