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The forest ecosystems are essential for human well-being development and reduction of the risk of natural disasters. Maintaining forest growth and ecosystem services is dependent on soil sustainability. The content of heavy metals is the main parameter determining the degree of soil contamination and degradation. The objective of the study was to assess the extent of soil contamination and identify the sources of potential anomalies. The content of the cadmium, lead, manganese and chromium (using atomic emission spectroscopy with induction-coupled plasma), as well as granulometric composition, pH value and nitrogen and total carbon content, were conducted on soil samples taken from the surface layer (0–10 cm) in the protected area of the Kampinos National Park in Poland. The soil quality assessment was conducted by calculating indicators of contamination including the geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, degree of contamination, ecological risk of individual heavy metals and potential ecological risk index. The results exhibited that the tested soils were very acidic or acidic sands. The content of the determined elements did not exceed the permissible limits as outlined in Polish standards, which are 2 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg for cadmium, lead and chromium, respectively. The indicators show differences in the degree of contamination of the surface soil layer in the studied area, which is predominantly uncontaminated by heavy metals. However, the geochemical index values equal 0.42, 0.71 and 0.98 for certain samples suggesting the anthropogenic impact on the soils of the Kampinos National Park. The pollution appears to have been generated by the metallurgical industry, heating and power plants in the Warsaw agglomeration and transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and ecosystem degradation have achieved unprecedented levels nowadays. In this context, assessing restoration projects to recover native vegetation and ecosystem services is fundamental to understanding the success of these initiatives. This study evaluated the effects of different restoration techniques on the basal area, diversity, and composition of regenerating and planted species in a restoration area in the Atlantic Forest, Southeast Brazil. The experiment consisted of three treatments: row planting (ROW, 2 × 2 m spacing); nucleation (NUC, 13 individuals/nucleus, 5 × 5 m spacing); and control with passive restoration (PAS). The active restoration techniques had different planting densities at project implementation (NUC: 5,200 seedlings ha-1; ROW: 2,177 seedlings ha-1). A floristic survey was carried out within 8 sampling units (15 × 15 m) per treatment 10 years after implementation of the project, including all planted and regenerating individuals with a diameter at ground level > 2.5 cm. The abundance, basal area, and species richness of the planted and regenerated communities were estimated. The active restoration techniques (ROW and NUC) resulted in higher values of basal area, abundance and species richness compared to passive restoration (PAS). A higher abundance of natural regeneration was observed in ROW than in NUC. Additionally, the rarefaction curves suggested a trend toward higher diversity indices in ROW. Regarding the successional trajectory, greater variation in species composition was observed in ROW after 10 years of planting. The species composition was similar in ROW and NUC and differed from the composition in PAS. The species identified as indicator species in each treatment were Annona glabra L. in ROW, Trema micranthum (L.) Blume in NUC, and Vernonanthura polyanthes (Sprengel) Vega & Dematteis in PAS. Our study revealed that active restoration techniques, such as seedling planting in rows and nuclei, were more effective in restoring ecological indicators than passive restoration. These results emphasize the importance of restoration techniques in enhancing plant community diversity and structure in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review summarizes the information about the properties of postagrogenic soils with a focus on the composition of soil organic matter (SOM) during the natural self-revegetation. Within one landscape zone, the contrast in the changes in acidity, SOM content, its stock, and enrichment of humic substances in N decreases from the chronosequences of the arable horizon with the poorest substrate to the richest. This trend is also typical of the series of postagrogenic soils, namely, (sub)taiga sandy and sandy loam soils–(sub)taiga clay loam soils– (forest-)steppe clay loam soils. The pH value and mobile K content decrease in the old arable horizon of the (sub)taiga in the course of natural self-revegetation but remains unchanged in the (forest-)steppe. The content of mobile P and exchangeable Ca and Mg somewhat decreases in the sandy soils of (sub)taiga and is constant in the loamy soils of (sub)taiga and (forest-)steppe. The content of SOM and total N follows different patterns during postagrogenic succession in the sandy soils of boreal and temperate forest biomes. As for the clay loam soils of (forest-)steppe biomes, their content increases or remains at almost the same level during self-revegetation. The nonsilicate compounds of transition metals and mobile calcium compounds, as well as reactive oxygen species produced by soil microorganisms play an important but still vague role in SOM stabilization and decomposition. In the context of postagrogenic regradation changes in soils, only pilot assessments of the transformation of SOM composition are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Eastern Europe, near-natural forest patches are decreasing and are gradually replaced by non-native plantations. Tree plantations are commonly thought to be simple ecosystems with low conservation value, although this conclusion is mainly based on simple taxonomic diversity indices, which ignore functional and phylogenetic diversity. In this study, our objective was to compare species composition, diagnostic species, taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, as well as naturalness status between two near-natural forest types (Quercus-Tilia and Populus alba) and two common plantation types (non-native Pinus sylvestris and non-native Robinia pseudoacacia) in the Deliblato Sands, Serbia. Our results showed that the species composition significantly differed in the four habitats. Each habitat had some species that were significantly concentrated in them. Most of the diagnostic species in the Quercus-Tilia forests were forest specialist plant species, while those in Populus alba forests were species associated with warmer and drier habitats, whereas the plantations hosted diagnostic species with broader ecological tolerances. Native species richness, total species diversity, and functional and phylogenetic diversity were similar in the four studied habitats, which can be explained by the combined effects of light regime and naturalness. We assessed low naturalness (i.e. high degradation) in plantations, which can be expected to reduce diversity. However, higher light availability was probably able to compensate for this effect. Non-native plantations, especially Robinia pseudoacacia plantations, were the most degraded and hosted the highest non-native species richness, implying that they are ecologically undesirable. In light of our results, we suggest that near-natural forest stands should be protected and efforts to restore these forests should be given high priority. Furthermore, it is advisable to continue with a forestry strategy that involves replacing non-native plantations with native ones, such as Tilia tomentosa, in the Deliblato Sands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The extent of the stable nitrogen (N) isotope ratio (δ 15N) of mangrove leaves reflects the anthropogenic N accumulation potential of mangroves. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the N accumulation potential of Okinawa mangroves in Japan using three ecological indicators from four mangrove watersheds. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration in mangrove creeks, the leaf δ 15N and the soil δ 15N are considered immediate indicators, short-term indicators, and long-term indicators, respectively. The four mangrove watersheds are classified into two groups, human-affected and forested mangroves, based on the relative land use ratio (%) of the watersheds. The observed values of the ecological indicators were subsequently compared between two groups of watersheds to determine the relative ecosystem conditions. The results showed that both the leaf δ 15N (0 to 9 ‰) and the soil δ 15N (1.5 to 8.0 ‰) values are significantly greater in human-affected mangroves than in forested mangroves. The DIN of creek water samples does not indicate an immediate risk of excess N input from human perturbation in mangroves. However, the significant relationships among the indicators reflect the anthropogenic N accumulation potential of mangroves in Okinawa, Japan. These findings are highly important, especially for policymakers, environmentalists, and related stakeholders, for initiating conservation and management practices for mangroves. Controlled, limited, and/or restricted human perturbation; proper management of municipal wastes; and planned use of agrochemicals upon necessity may help reduce anthropogenic N inputs in mangrove ecosystems in Okinawa.

Recent studies have explored the ecological relationship between native urban forests and self-sown non-native forests in large cities and metropolises but further research efforts dedicated to analyzing this relationship in small cities are still needed. To improve our understanding of the ecology of urban native and alien forests in Mediterranean small cities, we analyzed the woody species richness, the community-weight mean of moisture and nitrogen ecological indicators, and soil disturbance indicators in the main urban wood types of the city of Campobasso (Italy), as well as their spatial distribution pattern across a gradient of cover and aggregation of green areas. The study showed that both native oak forests and Robinia pseudoacacia forests contributed to the maintenance of woody species richness. If we exclude the riparian environment, R. pseudoacacia forests occupied small marginal patches, tolerating soil disturbance and a high disturbance frequency, thus occupying habitats where the native oak forests could not grow. Conversely, R. pseudoacacia forests shared the ecological niche with the native riparian forests, which calls for action to prevent the spread of this alien species along river banks. Our results highlighted that urban remnant forests should be considered important assets for the planning and upkeep of urban green areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries have committed to conserving and restoring ecosystems after signing the Kunming‐Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) will serve as a headline indicator to track countries' progress toward achieving this goal. Using Kenyan coral reefs, we demonstrate how nations implementing the GBF can use standardized estimates of ecosystem degradation from RLE assessments to support site‐specific management decisions. We undertook a reef‐by‐reef analysis to evaluate the relative decline of four key ecosystem components over the past 50 years: hard corals, macroalgae, parrotfish, and groupers. Using the two benthic indicators, we also calculated standardized estimates of state to identify reef sites which maintain a better condition through time relative to adjacent sites. Kenya's coral reefs have degraded across all four ecosystem components. At more than half the monitored sites parrotfish and grouper abundance declined by more than 50%, while coral cover and macroalgae‐coral ratio declined by at least 30%. This resulted in an Endangered threat status for coral reefs in Kenya (under criterion D of the RLE). The results can guide management actions related to 9 of the 23 GBF targets. For example, we identified several sites with relatively healthy benthic and fish communities as candidate areas for protection measures under Target 3. The RLE has a key role to play in monitoring and meeting the goals and targets of the GBF, and our work demonstrates how using the wealth of data within these assessments can inform local‐scale ecosystem management and amplify the GBF's impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Shivalik Hills of Chandigarh, India, encompasses several freshwater ecosystems, including ponds, streams, and marshes. The objective of this study is to fill the current information void regarding the populations of aquatic beetles in the sanctuary. During the period from June to September 2023, a comprehensive study was conducted in the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, resulting in the identification and documentation of 164 specimens of aquatic Coleoptera. These specimens belonged to six species, five genera, and two families in which the Dytiscidae family was found to be the most prevalent. The study findings offer significant insights into the population magnitude and geographical dispersion of aquatic beetles within the investigated settings and show the need for comprehensive surveys to understand the intricate interplay of factors governing beetle distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The Gulf of Maine (GOM) northern shrimp, Pandalus borealis, once supported a significant winter fishery, but a moratorium has been placed on the fishery since 2014 because of a population collapse and recruitment failures that have been attributed to unfavorably warm water temperatures. The GOM is at the southernmost end of the northern shrimp's range, suggesting its population dynamics and distribution may be vulnerable to warming water temperatures. In this study, we used survey data to estimate spatial indicators for GOM northern shrimp at four life history stages to identify possible temporal trends and examine relationships between the indicators and northern shrimp abundance and bottom temperature. We observed patchier distributions over time, which were related to declining population abundance, and a distributional shift northward that was associated with warming bottom water temperatures. Northern shrimp habitat distribution was strongly associated with bottom temperature. Shrimp of all life stages were found in bottom waters cooler than the station's average bottom temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Transitional Water Eutrophication Assessment Method (TWEAM) is a multi-index set up for assessing the eutrophication risk and trend in transitional waters. It includes a selection of environmental variables, an ecological status indicator (i.e., Macrophyte Quality Index, MaQI) and the Transitional Water Quality Index (TWQI). Possible outcomes of the TWEAM include three trophic classes in terms of eutrophication risk: (i) eutrophic; (ii) non-eutrophic; (iii) mesotrophic. The method was applied on data collected at 28 stations in the Venice Lagoon over four triennial monitoring cycles (MC I-IV) in the period 2011–2022. The spatial variability and medium-term trend of eutrophication risk were investigated, highlighting a general improvement in trophic conditions over time, with a decrease in mesotrophic stations (representing 46% of total in MC-I and 25% in MC-IV) in favor of non-eutrophic stations (46% of total in MC-I and 73% in MC-IV). The main driver of observed positive changes is related to the colonization of sensitive macroalgae and aquatic angiosperms, resulting in an increase in the percentage of stations with MaQI in good/high ecological status from 25% in MC-I to 54% in MC-IV. Eutrophic sites showed a non-linear trend, particularly in choked areas of the central lagoon, with anthropogenic disturbances and low water renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent of the stable nitrogen (N) isotope ratio (δ15N) of mangrove leaves reflects the anthropogenic N accumulation potential of mangroves. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the N accumulation potential of Okinawa mangroves in Japan using three ecological indicators from four mangrove watersheds. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration in mangrove creeks, the leaf δ15N and the soil δ15N are considered immediate indicators, short-term indicators, and long-term indicators, respectively. The four mangrove watersheds are classified into two groups, human-affected and forested mangroves, based on the relative land use ratio (%) of the watersheds. The observed values of the ecological indicators were subsequently compared between two groups of watersheds to determine the relative ecosystem conditions. The results showed that both the leaf δ15N (0 to 9 ‰) and the soil δ15N (1.5 to 8.0 ‰) values are significantly greater in human-affected mangroves than in forested mangroves. The DIN of creek water samples does not indicate an immediate risk of excess N input from human perturbation in mangroves. However, the significant relationships among the indicators reflect the anthropogenic N accumulation potential of mangroves in Okinawa, Japan. These findings are highly important, especially for policymakers, environmentalists, and related stakeholders, for initiating conservation and management practices for mangroves. Controlled, limited, and/or restricted human perturbation; proper management of municipal wastes; and planned use of agrochemicals upon necessity may help reduce anthropogenic N inputs in mangrove ecosystems in Okinawa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to develop a conceptual framework for the analysis of the diversity of coastal plant species of the Baltic Sea in relation to adaptation to specific conditions and participation in the provision of ecosystem services. The possibilities of coastal plant classification for further analysis of their properties will be described, concentrating on both opportunities and weaknesses of each particular system. These will include approaches related to aspects of taxonomy, life forms and functional strategies, geographical- and habitat-related distribution, ecological indicators, species associations forming vegetation, dependence on landforms as well as provision of ecosystem services. All of these approaches make important contributions to the context of coastal plant occurrence. However, at the level of distribution of individuals of plant species, the perspective is in analysis of their relationship with coastal landscape elements, landforms. Abiotic and biotic aspects of the ecological niche should also be taken into account for the analysis of plant functional diversity, together with the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of individuals. The importance of plants in the functional diversity of coastal ecosystems should be linked to their contribution to ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations anticipates that by 2050, around two-thirds of the global population will reside in urban areas, necessitating a concerted effort to elevate the benchmarks guiding living standards in sustainable cities. The pursuit of sustainable urban development necessitates the identification of robust socio-ecological indicators to ensure the synchronous optimization of human well-being and environmental integrity. Therefore, the study explores the existing quality-of-life indicators grounded in ecosystem services within the urban parks of Lahore. For this, a field survey was conducted in the parks of Lahore, primarily focusing on identifying key measures to enhance living standards. The study was collected by identifying quality-of-life indicators from ecological, social, and economic perspectives and analyzed in MS Excel and ArcGIS version 10.8. The results illustrate that nearly all the examined parks contribute significantly to the quality-of-life key indicators by regulating the air quality and reducing noise and temperature. Jallo Park and Bagh-e-Jinnah have sufficient areas and are adequately maintained, which is a key indicator of the quality of life, but only Gulberg town aligns with global standards (9 to 50 m2) for per capita green space (25.523 m2). So, it is concluded that the urban parks of Lahore support sustainable living with their proper mountainous and sufficient green area. Therefore, a critical need for proactive green infrastructure initiatives is recommended, particularly addressing the shortfall in per capita green space. A strategic intervention in urban planning and green development is a key recommendation for policymakers for a sustainable future in Lahore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Freshwater mussels are important keystone and indicator species of aquatic ecosystems. Recent advances in sensor technology facilitate applications to individually track mussels and to record and monitor their behavior and physiology. These approaches require the attachment of sensor devices as “backpacks” to the outer shell surface. The interpretation of such data makes it necessary to understand the influence of these attachments on the horizontal and vertical movement behaviors of freshwater mussels. Over a series of mesocosm experiments, this study systematically investigated the effects of three size- and wiring-specific variants of artificially attached backpacks on the horizontal and vertical movement behavior of Anodonta anatina. Results Across all experiments, equipping mussels with backpacks did not result in a significant influence on horizontal movement for any of the backpack variants. In contrast to this finding, the big backpacks with a high ratio between backpack volume and mussel length resulted in a significantly negative effect on vertical movement, indicating a potential for adverse effects of such devices on mussels, especially in natural settings. Conclusions The findings of this study show that assessing the effects of attached devices on mussels requires a species-specific evaluation of potential impacts on the endpoints of interest. Especially for vertical movement patterns, selection of the smallest available devices appears mandatory.

Developing frameworks to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize research on diet studies in marine fish species is critical, as this knowledge is required for ecosystem-based management. We applied a framework in central Patagonia, Argentina, which faces a demand for gap assessments in diet knowledge and ecosystem management due to changes in marine fish assemblages' structure and function linked to industrial fishing and tropicalization. Our framework effectively identified gaps by examining the history of research efforts regarding spatial and temporal coverage, sampling sizes, fish life stages, and information quality of studies per species. We found critical gaps in local diet studies, particularly for mostly bony, Petromyzonti, and Myxini species, whereas elasmobranchs received the best coverage of the diet described. Most studies lack evaluation of ontogenetic diet changes and prey cumulative curves. Fixing these shortcomings improves research quality and reduces data uncertainties in community assessments. The prioritization framework identified high-priority species as those that require updated diet information, had shifted ranges, and lacked data. Our framework can be tailored to other biological traits and regions based on specific contextual needs to identify research gaps and priorities for fish assemblages impacted by global change while disseminating knowledge from diverse sources and languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food web robustness is a critical aspect of ecosystem stability and has been extensively studied in ecology. However, the potential of machine learning techniques in predicting food web robustness and the identification of key network structure indicators have not been fully explored. We compared the suitability of different machine learning methods and assessed the relative importance of network structure indicators for predicting the robustness of food webs. We utilized a variety of food web datasets spanning different ecosystems to calculate network structure indicators, which include average distance (AD), betweenness centrality (BC), directional connectivity (C), closeness centrality (CC), diameter (D), degree centrality (DC), edge betweenness centrality (EBC), number of links (L), linkage density (LD), and number of nodes (N). We then compared the performance of machine learning methods, including artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and decision tree (DT), and evaluated the relative importance of network structure indicators on robustness predictions. The results demonstrate that the RF model has the best performance (MAE = 0.0178, RMSE = 0.0263, R2 = 0.9063). Meanwhile, the CC indicator has a significant impact in predicting robustness of food webs. It is suggested that both the RF model and the CC indicator should be considered seriously in predicting food web robustness. This research elucidates the differential outcomes when various machine learning methodologies and indicators are employed to predict the robustness of food webs. It significantly enhances our understanding by demonstrating the precise capability of machine learning models in forecasting the robustness of food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kerosene is widely used in various types of anthropogenic activities. Its environmental safety is mainly discussed in the context of aerospace activities. At all stages of its life cycle, aerospace activity impacts the environment. In aviation, the pollution of atmospheric air and terrestrial ecosystems is caused, first of all, by jet fuel and the products of its incomplete combustion and is technologically specified for a number of models in the case of fuel leak during an emergency landing. In the rocket and space activities, jet fuel enters terrestrial ecosystems as a result of fuel spills from engines and fuel tanks at the crash sites of the first stages of launch vehicles. The jet fuel from the second and third stages of launch vehicles does not enter terrestrial ecosystems. The fuel components have been studied in sufficient detail. However, the papers with representative data sets and their statistical processing not only for the kerosene content, but also for the total petroleum hydrocarbons in the soils affected by aerospace activity are almost absent. Nevertheless, the available data and results of mathematical modeling allow us to assert that an acceptable level of hydrocarbons, not exceeding the assimilation potential, enters terrestrial ecosystems during a regular aerospace activity. Thus, the incoming amount of jet fuel disappears rapidly enough without causing any irreversible damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work was conducted to evaluate the chromium contamination and its relationship with soil components of the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, Syria. Various areas were chosen in the terms of chromium content analysis. Soil samples were collected from these areas to a depth of 60 cm from the three layers, at intervals of 20 cm. The results showed that the levels of total and CrVI were within the normal limits in Al-Maamouniye (uncontaminated with chromium), Jobar (agricultural land), and Ein Tarma (agricultural land). While it exceeded the maximum permissible limit (MPL) as per FAO and WHO on the area of Tanneries (Dabagat). The soil content of CrIII (536.99, 474.34, 415.77 mg kg–1) and CrVI (0.12, 0.51, 0.75 mg kg–1) were determined in the layers of 0–20, 20–40, 40–60 cm, respectively. The results also showed that 80% of chromium was associated with organic matter in the soil of Al-Dabagat region. In contrast, approximately 85% of chromium was available in the remaining part of the Mamounia soil. It was noted the content of chromium, which is associated with iron and manganese oxides, were high. Although chromium was exchangeable and bounded to CaCO3, however, its quantity was negligible. The results showed that the concentration of CrVI increased with depth at all the selected areas, in contrast to CrIII which decreased with the depth of soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global policies increasingly focus on the importance of maintaining or improving the integrity of ecosystems, but defining, assessing, and monitoring integrity in marine protected areas (MPAs) remains a challenge. In this paper, we conceptualized ecological integrity along dimensions of heterogeneity and stability containing seven components: physical structure, diversity, function, persistence, resistance, resilience, and natural variability. Through a structured literature search, we identified indicators and metrics used for quantifying ecosystem status components in the marine environment, then reviewed MPA management plans worldwide for inclusion of these components. We evaluated 202 papers applying 83 ecological indicators built from 72 metrics. Ecosystem components were most comprehensively addressed by metrics of taxa presence, organisms count, and area occupied by benthic organisms, and community structure, biomass, and percent cover indicators. Of the 557 MPA management plans we reviewed globally, 93% used at least one ecosystem status term or its synonym in an ecologically relevant context, but 39% did not address any components of stability. In particular, resistance was mentioned in only 1% of management plans, but in some cases it may be inferred from indicators and metrics used to track the best addressed component in management plans, diversity. Plans for MPAs with both an ecological/biological purpose and a research and education purpose contained ecosystem status terms more frequently than other plans, suggesting that engagement with the scientific community may have improved the application of these terms. An improved understanding of how to operationalize and measure ecological integrity can help MPA monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Freshwater mussels are important keystone and indicator species of aquatic ecosystems. Recent advances in sensor technology facilitate applications to individually track mussels and to record and monitor their behavior and physiology. These approaches require the attachment of sensor devices as "backpacks" to the outer shell surface. The interpretation of such data makes it necessary to understand the influence of these attachments on the horizontal and vertical movement behaviors of freshwater mussels. Over a series of mesocosm experiments, this study systematically investigated the effects of three size- and wiring-specific variants of artificially attached backpacks on the horizontal and vertical movement behavior of Anodonta anatina. Results: Across all experiments, equipping mussels with backpacks did not result in a significant influence on horizontal movement for any of the backpack variants. In contrast to this finding, the big backpacks with a high ratio between backpack volume and mussel length resulted in a significantly negative effect on vertical movement, indicating a potential for adverse effects of such devices on mussels, especially in natural settings. Conclusions: The findings of this study show that assessing the effects of attached devices on mussels requires a species-specific evaluation of potential impacts on the endpoints of interest. Especially for vertical movement patterns, selection of the smallest available devices appears mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Chernozems are among the most fertile soils in the world, the study of their degradation is of great interest. However, the microstructure and composition of the soil organic matter (SOM) in eroded Chernozems have not yet been sufficiently studied. We studied the SOM and aggregate states of eroded Chernozems using the example of two catenas with arable Haplic Chernozems in the Kursk region of Russia. In the plow horizons (the part of the soil most susceptible to water erosion), we determined the mean-weighted aggregate diameter (MWD), structure and water stability coefficients (SC and WS; dry and wet sieving, respectively), soil organic carbon (SOC) content, and SOM composition and content (qualitative and quantitative micromorphological analyses, respectively). It was shown that with an increase in the degree of erosion, the content of SOC decreased significantly, according to both chemical and micromorphological methods of evaluation. No significant relationships were found between the degree of erosion and the indicators of the structure (except for WS, which was significantly lower in non-eroded Chernozem than in slightly and moderately eroded soils). With the increasing degree of erosion, the humus state of these soils deteriorates at the microlevel, the intensity of humification decreases, the depth of the appearance of assimilated biogenic aggregates with finely dispersed calcite in the profile increases, the structure is destroyed, lumpy aggregates form, and the proportion of planar voids increases. The downslope transport of the soil solid phase under the impact of erosion is accompanied by the accumulation of the transformation products of carbohydrates in the Chernozems in the lower part of the catena. In the Chernozems located in the transit position of the slope, the composition of SOM is characterized by the predominance of lipids and nitrogen-containing compounds. Our unique results contribute to a deeper understanding of the formation of structure and water resistance in eroded soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used 16S high-throughput sequencing to investigate the effects of uranium mining on the rhizospheric bacterial communities and functions of three local plant species, namely, Artemisia frigida, Acorus tatarionwii Schott., and Salix oritrepha Schneid. The results showed that uranium mining significantly reduced the diversity of rhizospheric bacteria in the three local plant species, including the Shannon index and Simpson index (P < 0.05). Interestingly, we found that Sphingomonas and Pseudotrichobacter were enriched in the rhizosphere soil of the three local plants from uranium mining areas, indicating their important ecological role. The three plants were enriched in various dominant rhizospheric bacterial populations in the uranium mining area, including Vicinamidobacteriaceae, Nocardioides, and Gaiella, which may be related to the unique microecological environment of the plant rhizosphere. The rhizospheric bacterial community of A. tatarionwii plants from tailings and open-pit mines also showed a certain degree of differentiation, indicating that uranium mining is the main factor driving the differentiation of plant rhizosphere soil communities on the plateau. Functional prediction revealed that rhizospheric bacteria from different plants have developed different functions to cope with stress caused by uranium mining activities, including enhancing the translational antagonist Rof, the translation initiation factor 2B subunit, etc. This study explores for the first time the impact of plateau uranium mining activities on the rhizosphere microecology of local plants, promoting the establishment of effective soil microecological health monitoring indicators, and providing a reference for further soil pollution remediation in plateau uranium mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation status of an ecosystem can be measured by its ecological value. As part of a series of regulations within the framework of the National Environmental Impact Assessment System, the Environment Ministry of Peru has published the methodologie to calculate the ecological value of highland ecosistems in the "Complementary Guide for Environmental Compensation: High Andean Ecosystems". Currently, there are guides for assessing the status of conservation of certain types of ecosystems; however, there is still no guide that defines the ecological indicators and attributes for coastal wetlands. This study proposes eight indicators, considered as suitable for calculating the ecological value of coastal wetlands in Peru, selected through a suitability index. As an application example, the ecological value of four wetlands in Lima and Callao were calculated: Pantanos de Villa, Ventanilla, Santa Rosa and Puerto Viejo, using information from secondary and primary sources (interview with experts). Considering Pantanos de Villa, as the reference ecosystem with a "very good" ecological value, it was found that Santa Rosa, Ventanilla and Puerto Viejo Wetlands presented a "good" ecological value. In addition, a positive correlation, although non-significant, was found between the ecological value and the environmental management level. The proposed ecological indicators can be used to calculate the ecological value of other wetlands along the coast of Peru, to prepare technical documents or researches on the state of conservation, monitoring, rehabilitation, restoration or compensation of coastal wetlands, contributing to their proper management and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating the ecosystem services (ES) approach into soil ecological risk assessment (ERA) has been advocated over the years, but implementing the approach in ERA faces some challenges. However, several researchers have made significant improvements to the soil ERA, such as applying the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) to discern chemical effects on the soil ecosystem. Despite the considerable contributions of SSD to ERA, SSD fails to relate chemical impact on individual species to ES and account for functional redundancy as well as soil ecosystem complexity. Here, we introduce the Eco‐indicator Sensitivity Distribution (EcoSD). An EcoSD fits ecological functional groups and soil processes, termed "eco‐indicators," instead of individual species responses to a statistical distribution. These eco‐indicators are related directly to critical ecosystem functions that drive ES. We derived an EcoSD for cadmium as a model chemical and estimated a soil ecosystem protection value (EcoPVSoil) based on the eco‐indicator dataset for cadmium from the literature. The EcoSD identified nitrogen cycling as the critical process disrupted by cadmium. A key advantage of EcoSD is that it identifies key ecological and chemical indicators of an ES effect. In doing so, it links chemical monitoring results to sensitive ecological functions. The estimated EcoPVSoil for cadmium was slightly more protective of the soil ecosystem than most regional soil values derived from this study's dataset and soil guideline values from the literature. Thus, EcoSD has proven to be a practical and valuable ES concept with the potential to serve as an initial step of the tiered ERA approach. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1166–1179. © 2023 SETAC Key Points: The proposed Eco‐indicator Sensitivity Distribution (EcoSD) demonstrated that cadmium significantly affected soil's eco‐indicators of nitrogen cycling.Soil processes were the most sensitive eco‐indicators of cadmium toxicity in soil.The EcoSD approach should be adopted to better understand the soil ecological pathways of chemical effects on ecosystem function and service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems of mining waste management at industrial enterprises and increasing the economy of production are among the most urgent ones, especially for the Arctic ecosystems, characterized by high sensitivity to external factors and the complexity of recovery. The research was conducted on the example of large industrial corporations directly operating in the Arctic, including PJSC PhosAgro, PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, Severstal Resource division of PJSC Severstal and PJSC NOVATEK. The key indicators related to waste management for 20182022 were analyzed. The trend of increasing volumes of mining waste in the Arctic was revealed, while the level of its utilization remained practically unchanged. It is proposed to intensify scientific research in the field of rational use of mining waste and to develop technologies for their processing, taking into account the impact on the Arctic ecosystems. It is suggested to create research and production centers for each industrial enterprise using the experience of the balanced “triple helix” model. It is recommended to actively participate in the Interdepartmental Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the development of the mineral resource base and its rational use, created in 2023, to develop the scientific foundations for the extraction and processing of minerals and accelerate import substitution.

This research concentrated on the soil nematode communities inhabiting a reclaimed municipal waste landfill situated in Giedlarowa, southeastern Poland. The landfill, which was layered with natural soil in 2008 and cultivated with grass, served as the primary focus of the study. Samples for analysis were taken four times (October 2020 (Pf1), March 2021 (Pf2), October 2021 (Pf3), and March 2022 (Pf4)), with each time comprising three repetitions. The analysis was conducted employing microscopic examination, which enabled the identification of up to five trophic groups and species of plant-parasitic nematodes. During the assessment of nematode activity in the initial and subsequent growing seasons, it was found that Pratylenchus crenatus emerged as the predominant species among herbivorous nematodes in the plant-parasitic nematode (PPNs) community. Criconemoides informis, another nematode species, held a significant rank as well; their population during the third growing season formed the most substantial group among the PPN organisms dwelling in the soil. Nevertheless, interesting results were also obtained by populations of nematodes of the genus Hemicyclophora and Loofia, which were characterized by high densities. The analyzed soil environment showcased a C:N ratio spanning from 0.69 to 3.13. Furthermore, the soil samples exhibited variations in phosphorus content (P2O5), ranging from 4.02 mg/100 g to 10.09 mg/100 g. Criconemoides informis, Longidorus attenuates, Mesocriconema spp., and Bitylenchus maximus exhibited a positive correlation with soil mineral levels of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article proposes indicators to evaluate a thermal insulation investment in a building, such as net present value (NPV), profitability index, discounted payback period, and ecological cost efficiency. Economic and ecological aspects were taken into account. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used in the ecological analysis. The following heat sources in the building were considered: condensing gas boiler and heat pump. The developed indicators also depend on the pre-set temperature in residential premises. A methodology to determine the optimum thermal insulation thickness for both economic and ecological reasons was also proposed. A case study was analyzed, and a reference building, typical for Polish construction conditions, was used for research. Various solutions were suggested regarding the type of thermal insulation material and heat sources. The values of the indicators were determined for the proposed variants and for the economically and ecologically optimum thermal insulation thicknesses. Based on the conducted research, it was found that air temperatures maintained in the rooms of the building undergoing thermal modernization should be taken into account in the energy audit. The energy demand of the building for a room temperature of 26 °C is higher by 61% compared to the demand for the same building at the design temperature (20 °C). The innovation in the proposed approach to the economic and ecological assessment of a building is the combination of a wide range of temperatures potentially maintained in living spaces with ecological cost-effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological indicators are widely used to assess vegetation attributes and can be quantified through field-based and/or remote sensing data. Particularly, advances in remote sensing have allowed monitoring of dry forest attributes across multiple spatiotemporal scales. The objectives were to analyze the recent state-of-the-art in using remote sensing data as ecological indicators to assess dry forest attributes; identify the data source of remote sensing indicators used; and identify the geographical distribution of these studies. A systematic search was conducted for original research articles that used remote sensing data as ecological indicators of dry forests attributes. Composition indicators were assessed with the same frequency at species/population and landscape/region hierarchy levels. However, structural indicators were mainly assessed at the species/population level, and function indicators at the community/ecosystem level. Over 60 % of the articles considered one ecological indicator, 20.45 % two, and 18.18 % used three indicators. Over 47 % considered field surveys and remote sensing data to assess dry forest attributes, and more than 52 % only had remote sensing data. Four out of the 88 articles analyzed report a weak relationship between field surveys and remote sensing data. Landsat and MODIS products were the most frequently used, with South America being the most studied continent. Observations and products from a single sensor, as well as using only one ecological indicator or one hierarchy level, would not be enough to represent the complexity of dry forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus, which is native to the western Atlantic coast and listed among the 100 most invasive alien species in the Mediterranean Sea, is attracting a great deal of interest because of its rapid colonisation of new areas, the significant increase in its population, and the impacts it may have on ecosystems. Outside its natural distribution range, the species was first found on the European coasts of the Atlantic in the early 1900s, and a few decades later, it was introduced into the Mediterranean Sea, probably through maritime traffic. Currently, it is found in almost the entire Mediterranean Basin and is also expanding into the Black Sea and along the north African and Iberian Atlantic coasts. This study describes the distribution of the Atlantic blue crab in Northwest Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, and in adjacent waters through a series of ecological indicators elaborated using spatial–temporal statistics. The main results highlight that the species is expanding in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters, while in northern Europe, the population remains confined in some areas. The main species detection methods are analysed, finding that traps and nets are the most used methods, and management suggestions are provided. The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus, which is native to the western Atlantic coast and listed among the 100 most invasive alien species in the Mediterranean Sea, is attracting a great deal of interest because of its rapid colonisation of new areas, the significant increase in its population, and the impacts it may have on ecosystems and ecosystem services. Outside its natural distribution range, the species was first found on European Atlantic coasts in the early 1900s and was introduced into the Mediterranean Sea a few decades later, probably through ballast water. Currently, it is found in almost the entire Mediterranean Basin and is also expanding into the Black Sea and along the north African and Iberian Atlantic coasts. Based on a systematic review of C. sapidus occurrences, this study describes its distribution, aggregation patterns, and spatial structure in Northwest Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and adjacent waters through a series of ecological indicators elaborated using GIS spatial–temporal statistics. The main results highlight that the species is expanding in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters, while in northern Europe, the population remains confined in some areas. Furthermore, the main species detection methods are analysed, finding that traps and nets are the most frequently used methods, and management suggestions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byblos, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as one of Lebanon's most ancient urban centers, known for its expansive green spaces. However, ongoing urbanization threatens these valuable areas. This study uses a multi-faceted approach to evaluate the structure and landscape attributes of Byblos' urban and peri-urban forests (UPFs). Landscape canopy cover, diversity indices, forest structure, and a silhouette perceptual test were assessed across 24 streets in the city center, residential zones, and areas with heavy vehicular traffic. Findings reveal that 28% of Byblos' canopy cover is concentrated mostly in the northeastern region. Native tree species account for 30% of the total, and a notable variation in tree diversity exists among different land-use types (Shannon diversity index (H) was 1.02 for the city center, 1.35 for residential streets, and 0.64 for vehicular areas). Additionally, a normal J-shaped distribution of tree diameters was identified across all street types. This study highlights a correlation between tree silhouettes and visual preferences, with densely spreading canopies being favored. Residential trees demonstrate the highest structural diversity and varied blossoming seasons. This research represents the first investigation into the current state of urban forestry in Byblos and offers recommendations for sustainable management and planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern peatlands provide key climate regulating services by sequestering and storing atmospheric carbon as peat, but also provide habitat for specialised plant and animal species. Ecosystem-wide monitoring of the functions associated with these services is necessary to better inform policy and management and facilitate carbon financing schemes. Mapping peatland vegetation as an ecological indicator of their functions using drones has proven promising herein, yet the absence of standardised methods limits implementation.We developed drone-derived vegetation maps and compared them with two types of field-based ground-reference maps: 1) habitat distribution (ecotopes) and 2) habitat quality (status) for five Irish peatlands (35–124 ha). We also explored spatial transferability of our mapping approach across peatlands. First, orthomosaics and digital terrain models (DTM) were derived from drone imagery, after which plant functional types and microforms were separately classified. Second, ecotope and status maps were classified using the proportions of the fine-scale vegetation and the range in DTM within 20x20m grid cells as input predictor variables.Drone-derived ecotope and status maps captured the overall vegetation zonation of the conventional maps well, with the least mismatches for the peatlands displaying clear concentric zonation. Classification performance ranged between 88% for status and 72% for ecotope maps between peatlands. The lower classification performance for ecotopes was partly an artifact from gridding the conventional polygon-shaped ground-reference maps. Further classification errors resulted from artificial landscape features, variable plant phenology, and inaccuracies in the detrended DTM data at peatland-scale. Spatial transferability of the mapping approach was limited. Particularly, using pooled ground-reference data for classification decreased model performance with 5% for status and 10% for ecotope maps, largely because microform and plant functional type proportions associated with peatland habitat classes in the conventional maps varied between peatlands.Our findings highlight that both fine-scale vegetation patterns and habitats can be classified consistently on the peatland-scale using drone-derived imagery products and machine learning classifications. Yet, status is currently mapped notably more accurately than ecotopes. Also, peatland-specific ground-reference data is required until the conventional vegetation classes are more standardised across a wider variety of peatlands and peatland types.

On October 11, 2018, in the Ulytau region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle carrying a crewed MS-10 spacecraft failed, creating two areas where rocket propellants spilled and soil condition was monitored in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. This article presents data on the content of pollutants, namely unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH), nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), total N, organic carbon, exchangeable Ca and Mg, water-soluble NO3–, NO2–, HCO3–, CO32–, SO42–, Cl–, K+, Na+, pH values, cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity of the water extract in disturbed and background Aridisols (more than 200 samples in total). This data set contains information on interseasonal (autumn 2022 and spring 2023) differences in the content and vertical differentiation of some soil properties in Aridisols in Central Kazakhstan. In autumn, the content of TPH, water-soluble Cl– and SO42– and alkalinity from CO32– is 1.4, 235, 201, and 2 times higher, respectively, and the content of total N and water-soluble NO3– and NO2–, alkalinity from HCO3– is 2.4, 1.4, 6.4 and 1.9 times lower, respectively (p < 0.05). In spring and autumn, the content of exchangeable Ca and Mg, cation exchange capacity did not differ significantly. The presented materials can be used to optimize restoration of disturbed arid ecosystems and future monitoring work at sites of regular landing of the first stages and emergency crash sites of launch vehicles.

The sponge city is a new concept of stormwater management for ecological city construction, which aims to restore water-cycle processes and reduce runoff. Cities in coastal districts are suffering from serious instability due to high population density, urbanization, and land-use changes. However, previous research contains few evaluations of balancing urban ecological indicators of sponge city performance, including geographical, environmental, economic, and social factors, and their effect on resilience at a macro level to develop low-impact development schemes. In this study, we developed an integrated framework using factor analysis, geographical statistics, multi-objective analysis, and remote sensing methods to extract the factors influencing sponge city resilience and to establish spatial pattern schemes. The results indicated that the urbanization degree and plant adaptability had the greatest impact on sponge city performance, with weights of 45 and 27%, respectively. Sponge city spatial pattern schemes performed the best in the combination scenario of 14.8–46.8% green roofs (by area ratio) supported by grooves and rain barrels +10% herbaceous basins divided into units by ecological tree pools +10% permeable pavements and sidewalks. This scenario balanced facilities and cost to optimize the spatial pattern, which improved sponge city adaptability and urban ecological conditions. HIGHLIGHTS An integrated evaluation system analyzing urban resilience was proposed.; We first established a link between sponge city and urban ecological resilience.; Factors of urbanization degree and plant adaptability possessed the most impact.; Green roofs were suitable for applying in high urbanized areas with dense buildings.; The framework could provide designers with valid experience in urban management.;