Search

Studying long-term precipitation trends is crucial for sustainable development, as the proper utilization of water resources is essential for maintaining a sustainable water supply. The objective and novelty of this paper was to reveal the gradual mutation process of precipitation in China over a century. This study utilized monthly precipitation data from 1901 to 2022 (at a century scale) to analyze and explore the spatiotemporal variability in precipitation across different time scales and regions with a trend analysis, an abrupt change analysis, and gravity center models. The findings indicate that (1) from 1901 to 2022, the precipitation in China generally decreased from the southeast coastal areas toward the northwest inland regions. (2) There were significant differences in the migration of precipitation gravity centers among the different study regions, with the least dispersion being observed in the Liao River basin, while the Hai River basin, various river basins in the northwest, and the Pearl River basin exhibited certain regularities in gravity center movement, and other regions showed periodic variations. (3) Over the period from 1901 to 2022, there was a trend of transitioning from lower to higher precipitation levels. (4) According to continuous long-term abrupt change tests, the timing of precipitation shifts varied across different basins. Precipitation, as a crucial component of natural resources, directly impacts various aspects of socio-economic life. Research findings provide decision support for regional flood control and disaster reduction and offer scientific decisions for ecological security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both catchment geology and land use surrounding a stream will affect the degree of fine sediment deposition from erosion and its consequent impacts on stream macroinvertebrate communities. While geology and land use have been shown to impact stream communities individually, their interaction has received less attention.We investigated the interaction between geology and land use on stream macroinvertebrate communities in the Tairāwhiti Region, New Zealand. The region has streams that drain harder sandstones and softer shales and mudstones, the latter having some of the highest erosion rates in the world. Macroinvertebrates were sampled each year between 2016 and 2018 at 80 sites in exotic forest, indigenous forest and pasture streams that drained hard or soft geology catchments.Conductivity in pasture and exotic forest streams was nearly twice as high as in indigenous forest streams and higher in soft than hard sediment streams. Deposited sediment cover was greater in soft than hard sediment streams, and greater in pasture and exotic forest streams than in indigenous forest streams. Periphyton cover did not differ between land uses but was higher in soft sediment streams.Ecological health was higher in the indigenous forest sites, intermediate in exotic forest sites and lowest in pasture streams. Biological indices were also higher within each land use in streams draining hard than soft sediment streams. Invertebrate communities appear to be determined primarily by the amount of deposited fine sediment and conductivity, both of which are higher in soft than in hard bottom streams, and in exotic forest and pasture streams.Synthesis and applications: Our results illustrate a complex and strong interaction between geology and land use and the consequent impact on stream macroinvertebrate communities. The combination of soft bottom streams with pasture or exotic forest land use is more detrimental than in similar hard bottom streams. Therefore, regulations for the management of any given land use need to be much stricter in catchments dominated by soft sediment geology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Urban ecological health is crucial for the long-term sustainable development of watershed. Accurately evaluating the health level of the ecological environment helps to develop reasonable strategies for ecological environment restoration and resource management. This paper constructed a comprehensive evaluation index system based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework and evaluated the ecological health of eleven administrative regions in the Wei River Basin (WRB), northwest China in 1980, 2000, and 2020 using an evaluation model established by fuzzy mathematics. Further, obstacle degrees were used to quantify the contribution of pressure, state, and response modules, as well as individual indicators to ecological health. Results The comprehensive evaluation system constructed based on the PSR framework could effectively reflect the ecological health conditions of different regions in the WRB. During the study period, the ecological health went through a process of first deterioration and then improvement. By 2020, the ecological health of seven administrative regions reached healthy levels. The state module was the main obstacle module of the PSR framework to the ecological health of the most regions. The population density (P1), patch density of construction land (S5), comprehensive elasticity index (S8), soil erosion index (R1), and per capital GDP (R3) were the most crucial individual indicators affecting the ecological health. For different cities, the main obstacle factors varied. In economically developed cities, the limiting effect of P1 was more significant, while in economically underdeveloped cities, the limiting effect of R3 was stronger. Conclusions In response to the special natural environment and socio-economic conditions of arid and semi-arid areas in the WRB, an ecological health evaluation index system suitable for the characteristics of the basin was constructed. The results indicated that, to improve the levels of urban ecological health, it is necessary to restore the natural ecological environment and control population size while accelerating economic construction. Our results can provide scientific support for the ecological health evaluation and protection of the WRB and even the arid and semi-arid areas in northwest China.

Background: Urban ecological health is crucial for the long-term sustainable development of watershed. Accurately evaluating the health level of the ecological environment helps to develop reasonable strategies for ecological environment restoration and resource management. This paper constructed a comprehensive evaluation index system based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework and evaluated the ecological health of eleven administrative regions in the Wei River Basin (WRB), northwest China in 1980, 2000, and 2020 using an evaluation model established by fuzzy mathematics. Further, obstacle degrees were used to quantify the contribution of pressure, state, and response modules, as well as individual indicators to ecological health. Results: The comprehensive evaluation system constructed based on the PSR framework could effectively reflect the ecological health conditions of different regions in the WRB. During the study period, the ecological health went through a process of first deterioration and then improvement. By 2020, the ecological health of seven administrative regions reached healthy levels. The state module was the main obstacle module of the PSR framework to the ecological health of the most regions. The population density (P1), patch density of construction land (S5), comprehensive elasticity index (S8), soil erosion index (R1), and per capital GDP (R3) were the most crucial individual indicators affecting the ecological health. For different cities, the main obstacle factors varied. In economically developed cities, the limiting effect of P1 was more significant, while in economically underdeveloped cities, the limiting effect of R3 was stronger. Conclusions: In response to the special natural environment and socio-economic conditions of arid and semi-arid areas in the WRB, an ecological health evaluation index system suitable for the characteristics of the basin was constructed. The results indicated that, to improve the levels of urban ecological health, it is necessary to restore the natural ecological environment and control population size while accelerating economic construction. Our results can provide scientific support for the ecological health evaluation and protection of the WRB and even the arid and semi-arid areas in northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass meadows, integral components of global coastal ecosystems, function as biodiversity hotspots and provide essential ecosystem services. Despite their ecological significance, these habitats face increasing threats from anthropogenic activities. This study assesses the species richness and ecological health of seagrass habitats in the Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. We evaluated seagrass coverage, species richness, water transparency, and the cover of epiphytes and macroalgae using the Seagrass Ecology Quality Index (SEQI). Conducted in 2023, our research encompassed nearly all districts within the Bangka Belitung Province that contain seagrass ecosystems. Our findings reveal the presence of 11 out of the 14 seagrass species identified in Indonesia, with an average seagrass coverage of 20.48%±18.10%. Macroalgae and epiphyte coverages were recorded at 1.35%±1.22% and 2.22%±2.58%, respectively. The overall ecosystem health was generally categorized as moderate, with a mean SEQI of 0.68±0.11. Notably, Belitung Regency exhibited the highest SEQI score of 0.77±0.04, categorized as 'Good,' whereas West Bangka Regency had the lowest score at 0.57, categorized as 'Moderate.' Based on these findings, we recommend targeted conservation efforts in areas exhibiting good ecological health and prioritizing restoration initiatives in regions with moderate to poor health. These measures are essential for maintaining ecological balance and ensuring the sustainability of these vital habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves, primarily found along tropical and subtropical coastlines, are crucial ecosystems that offer significant ecological services, including coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity support. However, these ecosystems are under severe threat from human activities such as aquaculture, agriculture, and urban development, leading to deforestation and degradation. This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing the health of mangrove ecosystems using the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model with annual temporal resolution from 2019 to 2023. It consists of three dimensions: Pressure (human activities and natural factors affecting the ecosystem), State (current condition of the ecosystem), and Response (efforts to mitigate adverse effects and restore health). This study incorporates innovative physical and structural parameters alongside traditional indicators to improve the accuracy of the assessment. The method offers advantages such as ease of measurement, low cost, early warning capabilities for ecosystem damage, and high sensitivity to ecological changes. It provides valuable insights for decision-makers and enhances the ability to detect trends in mangrove health over time through a large-scale, multi-temporal analysis. Using remote sensing techniques and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), we identified 12 key indicators. The AHP method was used to determine the weight of each indicator, achieving a consistency ratio (CR) of less than 0.1, which ensures the reliability of the assessment. The evaluation included calculating and analysing the Comprehensive Health Index (CHI), Pressure (PHI), State (SHI), and Response (RHI) health indices. Results indicated that the mangrove ecosystems in the Beibu Gulf region were “healthy” state by 2019 through 2022. However, in 2023, the health status declined to “relatively healthy,” indicating a downward trend. In conclusion, this study presents a robust framework for assessing mangrove ecosystem health using the PSR model. The findings underscore the urgent need for conservation efforts to reverse the declining health trend and ensure the long-term sustainability of mangrove ecosystems in the Beibu Gulf.

IntroductionForests are closely linked to human health, particularly about lung cancer incidence. However, there is currently limited research on how forest coverage and different types of forests influence lung cancer rates. This study aims to address this gap by examining how the coverage of various forest types impacts lung cancer incidence in Southwest China, thereby providing theoretical support for health-oriented forest structure planning.MethodsWe focused on 438 counties in Southwest China, employing spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran’s I) and spatial regression models [including Spatial Lag Model (SLM), Spatial Error Model (SEM), and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM)] to explore the effects of forest coverage and internal forest structure on lung cancer incidence. We used ArcGIS to visualize lung cancer incidence and forest coverage rates across the study area.ResultsThe study found a significant negative correlation between forest coverage and lung cancer incidence. Specifically, for every 1% increase in forest coverage, lung cancer incidence decreased by 0.017 levels. Evergreen forests and mixed forests showed a significant negative impact on lung cancer rates, with evergreen forests having a particularly strong effect; a 1% increase in evergreen forest coverage was associated with a 0.027 level decrease in lung cancer incidence. In contrast, deciduous forests had no significant impact. Additionally, the study revealed a marked spatial heterogeneity in lung cancer incidence and forest coverage across Southwest China: higher lung cancer rates were observed in the eastern regions, while forest coverage was predominantly concentrated in the western and southern regions.DiscussionThis study demonstrates that increasing forest coverage, particularly of evergreen and mixed forests, can help reduce lung cancer incidence. This effect may be related to the ability of forests to absorb harmful gasses and particulate matter from the air. Furthermore, the spatial heterogeneity in lung cancer incidence suggests that regional economic development levels and urbanization processes may also play significant roles in the spatial distribution of lung cancer rates. The findings provide empirical support for the development of targeted forest conservation and development policies aimed at optimizing regional forest structures to reduce the risk of lung cancer.

As a crucial component of transportation networks, major railroad projects inevitably lead to ecological damage during the construction phase. Therefore, early warning systems for ecological health are essential for promoting effective ecological governance. This study proposes an ecological health evaluation index based on the PSR (Pressure-State-Response) model. Furthermore, the study establishes a status warning model for projects using system dynamics theory with a focus on ecology, environment, and resources; and conducts simulation modeling to assess ecological health along the railway lines. The study identified that the water supply increased from 0 to 269.376 million cubic meters, and new soil and water runoff increased from 0 to 992.912 tons from 2015 to 2018. In contrast, construction wastewater and domestic wastewater remained stable at 0.63 tons and 0.32 tons, respectively, throughout the construction period. Ecological restoration improved accordingly and gradually stabilized in the following years. The empirical findings from the railway project indicate that: (1) Expansion of construction land imposes a burden on the region’s natural ecology and with the implementation of ecological protection helping to reduce the extent of ecological damage; (2) Major railroad projects have led to pollution of the regional water environment, necessitating alignment with local policies for comprehensive environmental management throughout the construction process; (3) Economic development drives increased energy consumption and water resource pressures in the construction region, highlighting the importance of resource efficiency for sustainable development. The early warning evaluation model proposed in this study enhances prediction and evaluation tools for the ecological governance of major railways, thereby offering specific preventive and governance measures for ecological and sustainable construction of major transportation projects.

Ecosystem health assessments are crucial to protect the ecological environment and ensure the sustainable ecological functions of alpine ecoregions. At present, few studies evaluating the ecosystem health of the Gannan alpine grassland, China, an ecologically fragile area, based on a remote sensing theoretical framework exist. As such, this study assessed the ecosystem health of the Gannan alpine grassland based on the Remote Sensing-based Ecological Index (RSEI) and provided a comparative analysis of the RSEI and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), extending the study of their spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors. The results suggested that RSEI and GPP showed strong comparability in an ecological sense, with the RSEI better reflecting changes in ecosystem health of the Gannan alpine grassland than the GPP. Overall, the health of the Gannan alpine grassland ecosystem was good (RSEI of 0.61–0.76) and a slow, fluctuating upward trend was seen from 2000 (RSEI = 0.66) to 2020 (RSEI = 0.72). Notably, the RSEI was high in the south and low in the north of the region. Over the past 21 years, 43.92% of the ecologically healthy grassland in the southwest of Gannan has been degrading, while the poor ecological health of 39.04% of the grasslands in the southeast and northeast improved. The model test results show that RSEI could reasonably evaluate the ecosystem health of Gannan alpine grassland. Our assessment results provide important scientific data and information on health monitoring and targeted ecological restoration efforts in the Gannan region.

Soil contamination caused by the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industry is a growing global concern. This study focused on soil contamination in the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industry with 50 years of production history. In order to precisely control pollutants in the nitrogen fertilizer industry, according to overall exceedance of contaminants, the contaminants of concern (COC) have been identified as ammonia nitrogen and arsenic. We have also adeptly utilized spatial interpolation techniques, geodetector, to investigate the spatial distribution patterns of these pollutants and the factors influencing their origins, both anthropogenic and natural. The research findings indicate ammonia nitrogen was concentrated in urea and compound fertilizer production, water treatment, and coal gas production areas. Arsenic was mainly concentrated in the auxiliary areas. Furthermore, the urea-production area significantly influenced the distribution of ammonia nitrogen. The gas-production area had an important effect on arsenic and ammonia nitrogen distribution. Additionally, groundwater considerably influenced the distribution of ammonia nitrogen in the 3–5-m soil layer. Simultaneously, we have conducted human health risk assessment. Human health risk assessment indicated both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks exceeding acceptable limits. The research findings provide theoretical support for nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing enterprises to identify key pollutants and functional areas for priority management, facilitating the implementation of targeted and precise management strategies and prioritization in environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 20 years, a series of problems caused by eutrophication in Taihu Lake, and its surrounding environmental waters has received sustained and widespread attention. With the gradual extinction of submerged plants, which are the important basis for maintaining the aquatic ecological health of lakes, Taihu Lake has shifted from a grass-type clearwater lake to an algae-type turbid lake, posing severe challenges to the aquatic ecological health and security in this region. In addition, the occurrence of herbicides in the environmental waters of the Taihu Lake region has attracted the attention of several researchers. This study reviewed the evolution of submerged plants in Taihu Lake over recent decades. Moreover, the use of herbicides in the Taihu Lake region and their environmental occurrence in the past 20 years were statistically analyzed, and their toxic effects on submerged plants in previous reports summarized. Then, the potential impact of the environmental occurrence concentration of herbicides on submerged plants in the Taihu Lake region was evaluated. In conclusion, according to the results reported in the past paper, the environmental herbicide concentration in Taihu Lake has sometimes reached a level that can affect a variety of submerged plants, especially in the germination stage, which means that as an important cause of the degradation of submerged plants in shallow lakes, the effect of herbicides needs to be paid more attention to. The results of this review offer significant guidance for promoting science-based and standard use of herbicides and preventing their ecological risks in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Global biodiversity is declining at an ever-increasing rate. Yet effective policies to mitigate or reverse these declines require ecosystem condition data that are rarely available. Morphology-based bioassessment methods are difficult to scale, limited in scope, suffer prohibitive costs, require skilled taxonomists, and can be applied inconsistently between practitioners. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding offers a powerful, reproducible and scalable solution that can survey across the tree-oflife with relatively low cost and minimal expertise for sample collection. However, there remains a need to condense the complex, multidimensional community information into simple, interpretable metrics of ecological health for environmental management purposes. We developed a riverine taxon-independent community index (TICI) that objectively assigns indicator values to amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and significantly improves the statistical power and utility of eDNA-based bioassessments. The TICI model training step uses the Chessman iterative learning algorithm to assign health indicator scores to a large number of ASVs that are commonly encountered across a wide geographic range. New sites can then be evaluated for ecological health by averaging the indicator value of the ASVs present at the site. We trained a TICI model on an eDNA dataset from 53 well-studied riverine monitoring sites across New Zealand, each sampled with a high level of biological replication (nD16). Eight shortamplicon metabarcoding assays were used to generate data from a broad taxonomic range, including bacteria, microeukaryotes, fungi, plants, and animals. Site-specific TICI scores were strongly correlated with historical stream condition scores from macroinvertebrate assessments (macroinvertebrate community index or MCI; R² = 0:82), and TICI variation between sample replicates was minimal (CV = 0.013). Taken together, this demonstrates the potential for taxon-independent eDNA analysis to provide a reliable, robust and low-cost assessment of ecological health that is accessible to environmental managers, decision makers, and the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTThe ecological health of River Ringim, Jigawa State, northwestern Nigeria was assessed between November 2018 and March 2019. Key physico-chemical variables alongside macroinvertebrates assemblage were used to achieve the aim of the study. The result of the physico-chemical variables showed that the four stations sampled were relatively perturbed judging from the high values of turbidity, nitrate, phosphate, BOD, TDS, and EC. Twelve (12) taxa and 365 individuals of macroinvertebrates were recorded in the entire study period of five months, confirming the deteriorating state of the river system. Hemiptera which was represented by 126 individuals was the most preponderant macroinvertebrate Order, followed by Coleoptera with 100 individuals. The least represented Order was Crustacea with only five individuals. The result of the diversity indices conducted showed that the Margalef index (1.32), Simpson diversity (0.76), and Shannon-Weiner index (1.59) were highest in Station 1. The results were used to check the implementation of the Chanchaga multimetric index and it showed that that the four stations of River Ringim were of poor water quality with a corresponding D ecological category. This further, confirmed the deteriorating state of the four stations sampled. We recommend that macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index (MMI) be developed for the river using a macroinvertebrates particular to the river instead of using the results in this study in checking the implementation of MMI developed for another river. This will ascertain the actual level of degradation River Ringim is undergoing due to the numerous human disturbances within the river catchments.

Habitat degradation is one of the major reasons for freshwater species decline. Hydrogeomorphological processes (such as sediment transport, bank erosion, and flooding) operate at the catchment scale and determine habitat features in river reaches. However, habitat quality indices and restoration for freshwater fish species are often implemented at small spatial scales of a few hundred metres. The Morphological Quality Index (MQI) considers fluvial processes at larger scales as well as channel forms, human impacts, and historical changes, but few studies have assessed its relevance for ecosystem health. We investigated relationships between the MQI, habitat quality (using the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index, QHEI), land cover, and fish metrics (number of fish species, index of biotic integrity (IBI), and trout biomass) in 26 salmonid streams in Aotearoa New Zealand and Southern Ontario, Canada. We found a significant correlation between the MQI and QHEI, and both metrics were correlated with urban and native forest proportion in the catchment. However, we found no relation between the MQI and the proportion of agricultural land in the catchment, while the QHEI was correlated with agricultural land in the riparian zone, highlighting the importance of vegetated riparian buffers in providing fish habitat. Establishing a strong correlation with fish metrics remains challenging. Nevertheless, a modified MQI targeting ecological health could be used as an effective management tool for aquatic conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pervasive environmental contaminants, with benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) standing out as a prototypical example. B(a)P is a known mutagen and carcinogen that, upon metabolic activation stimulated by cytochromes P450 (CYP1A) with microsomal epoxide hydrolase, reacts with DNA. In this study, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were subjected to three different doses of B(a)P (1µg/kg and 10µg/kg) to investigate the mutagenic effects on B(a)Pderived DNA in vivo. Blood samples were collected, followed by thorough DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction analysis. The findings revealed a pronounced mutational impact of B(a)P on the amplified segment of the CYP1A gene. Specifically, at a concentration of 1µg/kg, B(a)P induced 8 mutations, 3 amino acid alterations, and the emergence of 5 new haplotype patterns. In contrast, at a concentration of 10µg/kg, B(a)P resulted in 21 mutations, 10 changes in amino acids, and the generation of 7 new haplotype patterns. Additionally, alterations in the three-dimensional protein composition were observed in both dosage groups. This study underscores the significant mutagenic potential of B(a)P, shedding light on its capacity to induce genetic changes and protein structure modifications, thereby emphasizing the importance of monitoring and addressing the environmental presence of PAHs for both ecological and human health considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global biodiversity is declining at an ever-increasing rate. Yet effective policies to mitigate or reverse these declines require ecosystem condition data that are rarely available. Morphology-based bioassessment methods are difficult to scale, limited in scope, suffer prohibitive costs, require skilled taxonomists, and can be applied inconsistently between practitioners. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding offers a powerful, reproducible and scalable solution that can survey across the tree-of-life with relatively low cost and minimal expertise for sample collection. However, there remains a need to condense the complex, multidimensional community information into simple, interpretable metrics of ecological health for environmental management purposes. We developed a riverine taxon-independent community index (TICI) that objectively assigns indicator values to amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and significantly improves the statistical power and utility of eDNA-based bioassessments. The TICI model training step uses the Chessman iterative learning algorithm to assign health indicator scores to a large number of ASVs that are commonly encountered across a wide geographic range. New sites can then be evaluated for ecological health by averaging the indicator value of the ASVs present at the site. We trained a TICI model on an eDNA dataset from 53 well-studied riverine monitoring sites across New Zealand, each sampled with a high level of biological replication (n = 16). Eight short-amplicon metabarcoding assays were used to generate data from a broad taxonomic range, including bacteria, microeukaryotes, fungi, plants, and animals. Site-specific TICI scores were strongly correlated with historical stream condition scores from macroinvertebrate assessments (macroinvertebrate community index or MCI; R2 = 0.82), and TICI variation between sample replicates was minimal (CV = 0.013). Taken together, this demonstrates the potential for taxon-independent eDNA analysis to provide a reliable, robust and low-cost assessment of ecological health that is accessible to environmental managers, decision makers, and the wider community.

Freshwater dam reservoirs play a crucial role in water resource management, but their ecological health is often compromised by alterations in natural habitats. To evaluate and manage the ecological potential of these systems, the Fish Index offers a valuable tool. This article explores the application of the Fish Index to assess the ecological health of freshwater dam reservoirs. The Fish Index, a composite metric based on fish community structure and diversity, provides insights into the environmental quality and biological integrity of these aquatic systems. By analyzing various factors such as species diversity, abundance, and habitat suitability, the Fish Index can guide conservation efforts and management strategies aimed at improving reservoir ecosystems. Case studies and methodologies for implementing the Fish Index in reservoir assessments are discussed, highlighting its effectiveness in identifying ecological degradation and informing restoration practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating the responses of aquatic communities to environmental (e.g., chemical, habitat, and flow regime) and biological disturbances is essential to the maintenance and restoration of healthy ecosystems. This study investigated the interactions between environmental and biological disturbance factors and functional indicators of ecological health in 99 sampling sites along a temperate river. Variance tests and multivariate statistical tools, such as non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and generalized linear models (GLMs), were employed to evaluate the responses of functional indicator guilds and ecological river health to various in-stream chemical, physical, habitat, and land-use pattern factors along with the biological impact of invasive alien species (IAS). Variance testing revealed significant variation (χ2 > 6.2 and p

Aquatic macroinvertebrates play significant roles in the benthic zone of the aquatic ecosystem and they have different tolerance level to pollution. Globally, macroinvertebrates are used as bioindicators in determining the ecological health and water quality status of aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, this study focused on the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in River Ugbalo, south-south Nigeria. Macroinvertebrates and physicochemical parameters were sampled in three marked out stations between March 2018 and February 2020. Physicochemical parameters were analyzed following standard procedures, while macroinvertebrates were collected with Kick net and Van Veen grab. Physicochemical parameters showed that the water quality of the three stations sampled were fair considering the values of pH, turbidity, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, DO, BOD, and EC which were within the World Health Organization and Federal Environmental Protection Agency of Nigeria. Cluster analysis based on Bray- Curtis similarity showed that macroinvertebrates were clustered by stations rather than seasons. A total of 5,580 macroinvertebrates individuals were recorded showing high biodiversity in the river. Diptera was the most abundant Order with 2,488 individuals followed by Odonata with 697 individuals. The least represented Order was Lepidoptera with 13 individuals. The diversity indices showed that Margalef index (5.93), Simpson diversity (0.95), Evenness (0.63), and Shannon-Weiner index (3.30) were highest in Station 1. This research work showed that the water quality of the studied stations was fair and station 3 was the most perturbed station. We recommend the enactment and enforcement of policies that will lead to aquatic ecosystem restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mining activities have often been associated with water-, soil- and air-related contaminants. An investigation has been undertaken on the distribution of mineral, major and trace elements of iron ore mining waste. This paper attempts to evaluate the chemical and mineralogical composition of the iron ore mining waste and its association with the potential ecological risks. Methods: Samples of mine waste were collected from eleven locations within an iron ore mine. The samples were subjected to mineralogical analysis using X-Ray diffraction and chemical composition using scanning electron microscopic with energy dispersive X-ray for its microstructure and major oxides. Metallic (major and trace) elements of the samples were also identified, and the potential ecological risk was estimated. Results: The major mineral composition were quartz, anorthite, haematite and magnetite. The major oxides were attributed to Fe2O3 composition of 60-90% and moderate amount of SiO2 between 3.3-40.1%. Fe, Al and Mg were the major metallic elements in the samples. The potential ecological risk and the total risk index due to Zn, As, Cr and Cu was found to be at low risk. Conclusion: Despite being at low-risk, the extent of contamination should be monitored to prevent severe ecological damage and impact on human health. Findings would be useful for current and future mitigation strategies to avoid ecological damage due to mining activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing heavily upon the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an SDG–pressure–state–response (PSR)–ecological–economic–social (EES) model and an index system for wetland ecosystem health assessment were constructed from the three dimensions of environment, economy, and society. By using the Yinchuan Plain urban wetlands in the Yellow River Basin of China as a case study, their ecological health status from 2000 to 2020 was systematically evaluated by integrating information from remote sensing technology, geographic information technology, field sampling, information entropy (IE), a landscape index, and a Comprehensive Evaluation Index. The results show that the restoration and protection of wetland ecosystems have achieved remarkable results in the Yinchuan Plain. The wetland ecological health index has significantly increased from 0.26 to 0.67, which is an increase of 157.7%, and the health level increased from poor (II) to sub-healthy (IV). Factors restricting the healthy development of wetland ecology in the Yinchuan Plain include wetland construction, investment, population density, the number of tourists, and fertilizer use. The research results show that the wetland restoration and protection have achieved specific environmental, economic, and social results in the Yinchuan Plain. However, we also need to pay attention to increasing the investment in wetland environmental governance, strictly controlling the intensity of land use and the total amount of chemical fertilizer applied in various regions, scientifically carrying out wetland restoration and protection, reasonably coordinating the relationship between environment and society, and providing technical and decision-making support for wetland management and protection. This study provides a reference for the ecological governance and sustainable development of wetlands in large river basins worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 20 years, a series of problems caused by eutrophication in Taihu Lake, and its surrounding environmental waters has received sustained and widespread attention. With the gradual extinction of submerged plants, which are the important basis for maintaining the aquatic ecological health of lakes, Taihu Lake has shifted from a grass-type clearwater lake to an algae-type turbid lake, posing severe challenges to the aquatic ecological health and security in this region. In addition, the occurrence of herbicides in the environmental waters of the Taihu Lake region has attracted the attention of several researchers. This study reviewed the evolution of submerged plants in Taihu Lake over recent decades. Moreover, the use of herbicides in the Taihu Lake region and their environmental occurrence in the past 20 years were statistically analyzed, and their toxic effects on submerged plants in previous reports summarized. Then, the potential impact of the environmental occurrence concentration of herbicides on submerged plants in the Taihu Lake region was evaluated. In conclusion, according to the results reported in the past paper, the environmental herbicide concentration in Taihu Lake has sometimes reached a level that can affect a variety of submerged plants, especially in the germination stage, which means that as an important cause of the degradation of submerged plants in shallow lakes, the effect of herbicides needs to be paid more attention to. The results of this review offer significant guidance for promoting science-based and standard use of herbicides and preventing their ecological risks in this region.

The existence of cascade reservoirs in complex ecosystems not only assists humans to regulate and use water resources efficiently, but the presence of hydropower also contributes to reducing carbon emissions. In recent decades, the ecology of the water sources comprising cascade reservoirs has been subject to a wide range of threats. Assessing these threats is essential for sustainable operation and management strategies of cascade reservoirs. This paper aimed to propose an ecological security assessment framework using an improved Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response model to assess a typical riverine cascade reservoir located in the subtropical region of Zhejiang, China. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods to describe the indicators involved in social, economic, ecological, and management. Simultaneously, the degree of deviation from the standard state of ecological security in the study area is assessed with the help of the ecological security index. The analysis shows that the ecological security index of the study area for the four years increased from 81.67 in 2019 to 90.14, where the lowest value has been the socio-economic impact index, indicating that the study area is in a state of ecological security with a score higher than 90.00, but the impact of socio-economic activities on the study area is more pronounced in comparison with other aspects. The model shows that control management with a score of 92.70 in 2022 plays a vital connecting role. Good control management increases socio-economic growth by 16.82%, improves ecological health by 10.23%, and enhances ecosystem services by 5.25% compared to 2019.

Wetlands are often referred to as the Earth's kidneys. However, wetlands worldwide are still negatively affected due to a lack of comprehensive understanding of wetland landscape ecological health (WLEH). Based on this background, we analyzed and compared the conceptual definitions, research progress, contents (in terms of structural, functional, and process health), and methods (indicator species approach, ecological integrity assessment, conceptual model evaluation including the vigor–organization–resilience (VOR), pressure–state–response (PSR), and ecological feature–function–socioeconomic (EFFS) models, and water–gas CO2 calculation) over the past 20 years (2000–2022). Moreover, the concept definition and research progress of ecosystem health (EH) and landscape ecological health (LEH) and WLEH research outlook were analyzed. In this study, it was shown that WLEH could be considered a LEH subset, while the LEH is a specific EH perspective. These three concepts share a common focus on ecosystem conditions, functions, and services while considering ecological processes and habitat characteristics. However, they differ in the scope and specific types of ecosystems considered. This review may provide references for ecological conservation and restoration of artificial and restored wetland landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland paddy agro-ecosystems are recognized as important humanmade wetland systems. Realizing that paddy lands are important ecological systems, the state of Kerala in southern India passed an act in 2008 preventing their conversion to other uses. The state provides subsidies and production bonuses to encourage paddy farmers and imposes penalties for non-compliance. However, the economic benefits associated with the conversion of paddy lands are considerably higher than the current subsidies and bonuses. As such, the conversion of paddy lands continues unabated despite the incentives and disincentives provided in the act. This study examines the ecological rationale for preventing paddy land conversion through a comparative assessment of the ecological health of paddy lands against that of lands with competing uses. Ecological health is assessed in terms of the amphibian population--specifically, frog abundance and diversity across different land uses, as frogs are considered bio-indicators of ecological health. The results reveal that the conversion of paddy lands adversely affects the survival of amphibians, especially frogs, thus emphasizing the role of paddy lands in maintaining the ecological health of a region. The study also provides empirical evidence for creating "Pigouvian subsidies" or ecological incentives for paddy farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theoretical foundation of ecological health, this paper explores the manifestations and causes of imbalance in English education in colleges and universities in different ecological niches to analyze its ecological factors and ecological characteristics in a targeted manner, and carries out macro-ecological research on English education in colleges and universities from the cross-sectional perspective of system science. Using the inclusiveness of ecology as a research tool, the benign factors of the college English ecological curriculum are explored, and the college English ecological teaching model is constructed through the introduction of systematic teaching design. The results of the application of the ecological teaching model of college English showed that the positive nutrient conversion t=4.850 and the negative nutrient conversion t=3.327 for the ecological teaching model in the posttest, indicating that the implementation of the ecological teaching model had more positive than negative effects on students' English proficiency. It can be seen that the ecological teaching model of college English improves and optimizes the design of college English teaching and pursues the harmonious, balanced and sustainable development of college English courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under pressure from existing and emerging contaminants, lotic ecosystems are becoming increasingly susceptible to ecological deterioration. Therefore, investigations of the impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals on riverine fish health, water quality, and biotic integrity are critical. We examined the effects of 52 POPs and heavy metals on ecological health and land use, based on the monitoring of fish assemblages and river water quality from 2007 to 2014. Among the 52 chemical species, 35 were present in water and fish tissues, including eight heavy metals. The concentrations of these POPs and heavy metals in 12 fish species are presented. Most POPs were either undetected or present at negligible levels in fish tissues, although a few polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes and heptachlor epoxide) were detected above the screening values (SVs). Hg, As, and Cd were detected in most water samples and fish species at concentrations above their SVs. Among the fish species in the investigated trophic guild, heavy metal contents were in the order of Zn < Cr < Cu < Pb < Se, while trophic levels were in the order of insectivorous < omnivorous < carnivorous. Agricultural cover showed an association with endosulfan II (R2 = 0.50, r = 0.70), followed by alachlor (R2 = 0.43, r = 0.66). For PAHs, all detected substances showed significant relationships with forest cover. Ecological health assessment revealed that most river sites are in poor condition, indicating the direct impacts of pollutants. In conclusion, of the 28 POPs detected, 16 PAHs and 3 OCPs (hexachlorobenzene, lindane, and heptachlor epoxide) were of significant concern, such that action is needed to curb their inflow to the riverine environment. The studied river basin is under substantial threat from harmful POPs that endanger ecological health and fish biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological health of two waterbodies i.e., cistern-made and ‘natural’ earthen-made waterbody was compared in the present study based on temporal variations of physicochemical and biological parameters. Number of physicochemical parameters [transparency, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO), total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA), biochemical oxygen demands (BOD), nitrate, phosphate and chlorophyll a (Chl a)], and biological parameters, e.g., zooplankton community and aquatic macrophytes were studied seasonally. Zooplankton communitiy comprised six arthropods and two rotifers. SIMPER analysis depicted that Moina sp., Daphnia sp., and Cyclops sp. were dominant species in cistern pond while Cyclops sp., Daphnia sp., Keratella sp. and Brachionus sp. were dominant in earthen natural pond. Abundance of species was highest in summer followed by post-rainy and winter in both the ponds while maximum abundance of zooplankton was recorded in summer. Species richness peaked in winter in natural pond, while in cistern pond species richness and diversity raised in summer. Multivariate analyses depicted significant temporal variation in zooplankton species in both the conditions. RELATE analysis revealed that temporal variation in species distribution and zooplankton community was significantly correlated with environmental parameters. Moreover, biological-environmental best matching (BIO-ENV) analyses indicated that water temperature, pH, TH and BOD (for cistern pond) and water temperature, EC and TSS (for earthen natural pond) were the main driving forces for temporal variations in species distribution and zooplankton community. Additionally, correlation analysis depicted that Moina sp., Daphnia sp., Diaptomus sp., Cyclops sp., Cypris sp., Bosmina sp., and species abundance was positively (significant) correlated with transparency, water temperature, and Chl a in natural pond. On the other hand, correlation analysis depicted that zooplankton species, species abundance, evenness and diversity were positively correlated with water temperature, DO, BOD and Chl a in cistern pond. Moreover, abundance of aquatic macrophytes were limited in three basic groups, namely free floating [(Lemna sp. (Major), Lemna sp. (Minor), Azolla sp., Pistia sp. and Eichhornia sp.], rooted submerged [Hydrilla sp., Ceratophyllum sp.] and rooted emerged [Nymphaes sp. and Ipomoea sp.]. Further, trophic state index (TSI) value revealed that both the ponds are hyper-eutrophic (‘natural’ waterbody > cistern waterbody) with a strong temporal variations. Therefore, these data could be used as water quality community-based bio-assessment tool as well as basis of water quality management plans to monitor the pollution level or conservation of aquatic ecology.

Benthic aquatic insects receive the most direct impact when surface waters are perturbed. However, scarce data and understanding about activities’ effects on surface water ecosystems remain a critical challenge for water resource managers and policymakers in tropical regions. In this study, we surveyed the implications of deteriorating physical and chemical parameters on aquatic insects’ structural assemblage to ascertain the ecological health of River Hadejia in North-Western Nigerian. We sampled aquatic insects and physicochemical parameters in three stations influenced by various land-use activities such as informal settlements and agricultural activities for six months. The two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed physicochemical parameters such as transparency, depth, and nitrate were not significantly affected by sites’ land-use activities (p > .05) in the six months sampled. However, mean electrical conductivity was lowest in Station 3 (104.3 ± 8.04 µS/cm). Dissolved oxygen (DO), five days biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) values recorded portray a relatively perturbed water system. We recorded four aquatic insects orders belonging to 11 families and taxa. Dytiscus sp. was the most abundant taxon in the study area. A total of 44, 37, and 35 individuals of aquatic insects were recorded in stations 1, 2, and 3 in the river. The Post hoc test performed for all the diversity indices were not significantly different between the studied stations (p > .05). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed poor relationship between the physicochemical parameters and the aquatic insects. However, Gyrinus sp. was positively affected by increased water depth, showing a strong negative association with depth. Cluster analysis revealed that aquatic insects’ assemblage structures were mainly grouped by temporal factors (months) rather than spatial differences between the sites. Overall, this study provides further insights and understanding regarding land-use impacts on the ecological health of the River Hadejia, and we recommend more stringent regulations to control human pressure on the river systems within the studied area to enable surface waters in the area to sustain the provision of desired and valued ecosystem services.

Catching is one way to get Short necked-clam so the demand also increases. The Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) of short necked-clam is a study to maintain the availability of short-necked-clam in waters. Another thing that can be obtained from this study is to know its relation to the ecological status (quality of water, substrate, and the abundance of plankton) in the waters of Sedati, Indonesia. The strategy utilized in deciding the choose point is based on the purposive inspecting strategy did some time recently with attempting to take samples at a few point within the range of brief necked-clam angling ground. To decide the relationship of the environmental status with Gonadosomatic Record (GSI) used regression, and correlation is further illustrated by descriptive statistical analysis. Based on the regression analysis, water quality has a relationship to the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) of short-necked clam either directly with a value of -0.1278 or through nutrients that are worth 0.6813. While the nutrient has a relationship to the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) of -0.99583 and substrate of 0.2525. The results showed ecological status that correlates most strongly is plankton abundance of 94,39% (very strong) but negative correlated, with dissolved oxygen (DO) of 83,92% (very strong) and with the temperature of 62,98% (strong).

Bay areas are special ecological transition zones where land and sea meet, and the ecological health of the region is an essential foundation for sustainable development. Therefore, it is crucial to establish an ecological health evaluation index system to assess the ecological health sustainability in bay areas for developing coastal zone management plans. This study proposes a cross-jurisdiction framework for assessing the ecological health in Xiamen Bay at multi-scales and multi-levels. The entropy weight and comprehensive index methods are then used to evaluate the ecological health in Xiamen Bay coupling ecological integrity and biodiversity with ecosystem services. Finally, a system dynamics model was established to analyze the sustainability of ecological health in Xiamen Bay. The results show that the overall ecological health level in Xiamen Bay continuously maintained

For the bioassessment of tropical marine ecosystem, a survey of protozoa colonizing artificial substrate was conducted in the coastal waters of northern Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Protozoan samples were collected using glass slides from 1 and 2 m water depths at time intervals of 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 days during winter and monsoon seasons. Thus, the colonization processes of protozoa were assigned into three stages namely the initial (3 days), transitional (7 days), and equilibrium stages (10–28 days) at two depths in two seasons. Regression analyses demonstrated that the colonization dynamics of protozoa were well fitted to the MacArthur-Wilson model and logistic equation. Species richness reached equilibrium after 10–14 days and species abundance was maximum at a depth of 1 m. These results suggest that samples of protozoa can be collected at 1 m depth in winter season for monitoring the ecological health of tropical marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation is an attempt for environmental characterization of two ecologically distinct oxbow lakes using zooplankton taxonomic indices following a comparative approach. These closed and seasonally open oxbow lakes are subjected to eutrophication, impacting their nutrient concentration and eco-hydrological characteristics. The zooplankton are closely linked with environment throughout their life cycle, hence are a potential indicator of eutrophication. The study examined the assemblage pattern of zooplankton community and trophic state of two ecologically distinct oxbow lakes based on eco-hydrological factors and community structure of rotifers and planktonic crustaceans. Comprehensive trophic state index (mTSI), rotifer trophic state indices (mTSIROT) and crustacean based indices (TSICR) were used to assess the degree of eutrophication. The Kruskal–Wallis test confirmed the heterogeneity in eco-hydrological factors between the oxbow lakes. The studied lakes were in transition from high meso-eutrophic to moderately eutrophic state. The mTSI, mTSIROT and mTSICR for Khalsi (seasonally open) and Akaipur (closed) were 54.90 ± 11.71, 56.95 ± 15.64, 59.55 ± 4.54 and 60.26 ± 4.48, 55.79 ± 4.76, 60.00 ± 4.03 respectively. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed NO3−N, water temperature and pH positively impacted abundance of eutrophication indicator species Brachionus and Keratella. An overview of worldwide use of rotifer and crustacean based indices in assessment of TSI has also been discussed. The use of these zooplankton indices to evaluate the trophic status of the ecologically distinct lakes is highly recommended for water quality assessment and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional trait and biological integrity approaches in stream ecology enable the determination and prediction of aquatic community responses to a variety of environmental stressors, such as chemical pollution, habitat disturbance, and biological invasion. Here, we used multi-trait based functional groups (FGs) to predict the functional responses of fish assemblages to the physicochemical and ecological health gradients in a temperate stream. The multi-metric biological integrity model (mIBI model) was used to evaluate stream ecological health. The FGs were derived from the distance matrix of trophic, tolerance, and physical habitat traits among fish species. The leading water quality indicators (conductivity [EC], total suspended solids [TSS], and chlorophyll-a [CHL-a]) varied conspicuously with the stream gradient and anthropogenic pollution. The multi-metric water-pollution index (mWPI) showed differences in chemical health from upstream to downstream. Monsoon precipitation may have affected the variations in fish species and associated changes linked to irregular chemical health. The fish FGs varied more by space (longitudinal) than by season (premonsoon and postmonsoon). Functional metrics, which reflected trophic and tolerance traits, as well as vertical position preference, were strongly correlated with water quality degradation downstream. Changes were evident in FG (II, III, and IV) combinations from the upstream to downstream reaches. Furthermore, the structure of the fish assemblages from FG-II and FG-III was significantly correlated with chemical (R2 = 0.43 and 0.35, p < 0.001) and ecological health (R2 = 0.69 and 0.66, p < 0.001), as well as the metrics of mWPI. In conclusion, the results indicate significant variations in both trait-based FGs and biological integrity among stream-fish communities, influenced by chemical water quality gradients. The causes included longitudinal zones and intensifying degradation of water quality downstream. Therefore, multi-trait based FGs can facilitate ecological health assessment and develop the mIBI model based on fish assemblages by reflecting the prevailing chemical health status of streams and rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ecological optimization project (semi-closed reclamation project) was implemented to control the invasion of Spartina alterniflora, and optimize the habitat of the Chongming Dongtan wetland, in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary. After project implementation, a macrobenthic ecological survey was conducted in a natural tidal flat and a semi-closed reclamation restoration area within the Chongming Dongtan wetland from 2019 to 2020. Compared with historical data before reclamation, findings showed that the groups, numbers, and species diversity of the macrobenthos increased significantly, and the ecological optimization project resulted in good ecological benefits. In addition, compared to the natural tidal flat, the number of collected macrobenthic phyla, and the macrobenthic density and biomass were significantly lower in the restoration area. Furthermore, the biodiversity index and functional redundancy of natural tidal flats were generally higher, indicating that the community composition and function of natural tidal flats were relatively more stable. Even though the species composition differed between a number of restoration areas and natural tidal flats, there was no difference in functional diversity, indicating that the effect of restoring ecological functions in restoration areas was optimal. Among them, the biodiversity and functional redundancy of Site S2 were significantly reduced, and the ecosystem function was extremely unstable. Habitat heterogeneity, vegetation community and decreasing salinity were the main factors that affected the ecological functions of macrobenthos. The ecological quality was also evaluated; the Transects N3 and N4 showed good quality. The overall ecological quality of the restoration area was generally high, but that of Site S2 was poor and that of Site S2E was merely good, which was mainly due to modifications of the ecological function of macrobenthos. It is suggested that reeds mowing and freshwater species release should be adopted in restoration areas to improve the community function and the environmental disturbance resistance of the macrobenthos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ecological health of the railway line was assessed using the PSR model and system dynamics, focusing on influencing factors and environmental impacts. • Empirical analysis revealed significant impacts of railway construction, including a rise in water supply from 0 to 269.376 million cubic meters and an increase in new soil runoff to 992.912 tons from 2015 to 2018. • Simulation modeling, extending to 2032 and concentrating on ecology, environment, and resource, demonstrated that ecological protection measures can mitigate construction-related ecological damage. As a crucial component of transportation networks, major railroad projects inevitably lead to ecological damage during the construction phase. Therefore, early warning systems for ecological health are essential for promoting effective ecological governance. This study proposes an ecological health evaluation index based on the PSR (Pressure-State-Response) model. Furthermore, the study establishes a status warning model for projects using system dynamics theory with a focus on ecology, environment, and resources; and conducts simulation modeling to assess ecological health along the railway lines. The study identified that the water supply increased from 0 to 269.376 million cubic meters, and new soil and water runoff increased from 0 to 992.912 tons from 2015 to 2018. In contrast, construction wastewater and domestic wastewater remained stable at 0.63 tons and 0.32 tons, respectively, throughout the construction period. Ecological restoration improved accordingly and gradually stabilized in the following years. The empirical findings from the railway project indicate that: (1) Expansion of construction land imposes a burden on the region's natural ecology and with the implementation of ecological protection helping to reduce the extent of ecological damage; (2) Major railroad projects have led to pollution of the regional water environment, necessitating alignment with local policies for comprehensive environmental management throughout the construction process; (3) Economic development drives increased energy consumption and water resource pressures in the construction region, highlighting the importance of resource efficiency for sustainable development. The early warning evaluation model proposed in this study enhances prediction and evaluation tools for the ecological governance of major railways, thereby offering specific preventive and governance measures for ecological and sustainable construction of major transportation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As river ecosystems continue to face environmental pressures, it is crucial to develop and apply new biologically relevant statistical tools to support river health assessments. This study aimed to test the potential significance of nonmetric ordination scores and multidimensional functional indices of fish communities for analyzing river ecological health linked to variations in environmental factors. We conducted a nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to derive ordination scores based on twenty fish ecological entities (FEs) that we newly defined, along with their relative abundance (RA). These FEs were determined through a unique combination of trophic, habitat, and tolerance guilds. Additionally, we calculated the functional diversity and identity (F-Ide) indices using the RA-weighted distances between FEs defined by the guild identities in a multidimensional space. The results showed that these novel analyses were helpful in assessing river ecological health and spatial changes in the environment. The dominant F-Ide in each community was largely responsible for the variation of river health scores, driven by the combined impact of chemical water quality, alterations in substrate composition, land use changes, and the gradient of elevation. These environmental factors significantly influenced the site scores in the first axis of NMDS, F-Ide indices, and river health scores. Therefore, our study highlights the practical value of utilizing nonmetric scaling ordination scores of FEs and F-Ide indices as tools for evaluating the health of river ecosystems. By elucidating fish community variance, these tools can aid in determining the extent of river health degradation attributable to environmental stressors, including chemical water pollution and changes in substrate resulting from changes in land use and at different elevations. • The extended novel approach for river health assessments was developed. • Functional community differences were identified by nonmetric scaling ordination. • Multidimensional indicators precisely predicted the ecosystem degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the potential ecological risk posed by organochlorine pesticide dichloro diphenyl trichloroethanes(DDTs)on the migratory red-crowned crane(Grus japonensis),annual change of DDTs residues in the eggshell and feathers of migratory red-crowned crane in China from 2004 to 2021 were examined by one-way ANVOA method in this study.Results show that DDTs residues in the eggshells of 2020 and 2021 decreased significantly compared to that in 2004,2009 and 2014(F=10.13,P=0.005); similarly,DDTs residues in the feathers of 2020 and 2021 were lower than that in 2009 and 2014(F=18.13,P=0.001).The maximal level of DDTs in the eggshell was found at sampling site S5 in 2009 with 35.6 ng/g,nevertheless,the levels in the eggshells after 2020 were below the detection level; similarly,the DDTs residue in the feathers in 2009 was above 1,500 ng/g,but declined to below 100 ng/g in 2020 and 2021.The residue in the tissues of egg left by the crane(7.5 ng/g)was far below the risk threshold level 3,000 ng/g to decrease breeding success rate.The DDTs residues in the sediment of the habitat of the red-crowned crane and its typical food(Cipangopaludina chinensis,Cybister japonicus,and Cyprinus carpio with body length less than 15 cm)were generally lower than the risk threshold level.The ecological risk on the red-crowned crane posed by DDTs residue from the environment of Zhalong wetland was relatively low in the present,and which could not lead to a significant change in their population size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Catching is one way to get Short necked-clam so the demand also increases. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) of short necked-clam is a study to maintain the availability of short-necked-clam in waters. Another thing that can be obtained from this study is to know its relation to the ecological status (quality of water, substrate, and the abundance of plankton) in the waters of Sedati, Indonesia. The strategy utilized in deciding the choose point is based on the purposive inspecting strategy did some time recently with attempting to take samples at a few point within the range of brief necked-clam angling ground. To decide the relationship of the environmental status with GSI used regression, and correlation is further illustrated by descriptive statistical analysis. Based on the regression analysis, water quality has a relationship to the gonadosomatic index of short-necked clam either directly with a value of -0.1278 or through nutrients that are worth 0.6813. While the nutrient has a relationship to the gonadosomatic index of -0.99583 and substrate of 0.2525. The results showed ecological status that correlates most strongly is plankton abundance of 94.39% (very strong) but negative correlated, with dissolved oxygen of 83.92% (very strong) and with the temperature of 62,98% (strong). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use patterns influence water quality in lotic ecosystems worldwide; consequently, deteriorating water quality affects fish communities and composition and the ecological health of water bodies. This study aimed to evaluate how land use, stream order, and elevation regulate water quality and ecological health in 64 streams based on the following four land cover types: namely, forest, agriculture, urban upstream, and urban downstream regions. Spatial analysis revealed that urban downstream areas had higher nutrient concentrations [total phosphorus (TP) as follows: 117 µg/L; total nitrogen (TN): 5.57 mg/L] and organic pollutants [chemical oxygen demand (COD): 7.71] than other regions. Empirical analysis indicated that TP (R2 = 0.46) had a high relation with chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) compared to TN (R2 = 0.23) and TN:TP (R2 = 0.20). Elevation, stream order, and monsoon season significantly impact nutrients, organic matter, suspended particles, ionic content, and algal chlorophyll concentrations. The index of biotic integrity (IBI) was significantly positively correlated with elevation (R2 = 0.387), indicating that forest streams (high elevation) had better water quality and ecological health than lower-elevation streams. The proportion of insectivore species shows a significant negative relationship with biological oxygen demand (BOD) (R2 = 0.123) and TP (R2 = 0.155). The multi-metric index of biotic integrity (IBI) model suggested that the ecological health of forest streams was in fair condition. In contrast, agricultural streams were in poor condition, and urban upstream and downstream were in very poor conditions. The outcomes of this study indicated that land-use patterns and elevation largely regulate the water quality and ecological health of the streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Forests are closely linked to human health, particularly about lung cancer incidence. However, there is currently limited research on how forest coverage and different types of forests influence lung cancer rates. This study aims to address this gap by examining how the coverage of various forest types impacts lung cancer incidence in Southwest China, thereby providing theoretical support for health-oriented forest structure planning., Methods: We focused on 438 counties in Southwest China, employing spatial autocorrelation analysis (Moran's I ) and spatial regression models [including Spatial Lag Model (SLM), Spatial Error Model (SEM), and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM)] to explore the effects of forest coverage and internal forest structure on lung cancer incidence. We used ArcGIS to visualize lung cancer incidence and forest coverage rates across the study area., Results: The study found a significant negative correlation between forest coverage and lung cancer incidence. Specifically, for every 1% increase in forest coverage, lung cancer incidence decreased by 0.017 levels. Evergreen forests and mixed forests showed a significant negative impact on lung cancer rates, with evergreen forests having a particularly strong effect; a 1% increase in evergreen forest coverage was associated with a 0.027 level decrease in lung cancer incidence. In contrast, deciduous forests had no significant impact. Additionally, the study revealed a marked spatial heterogeneity in lung cancer incidence and forest coverage across Southwest China: higher lung cancer rates were observed in the eastern regions, while forest coverage was predominantly concentrated in the western and southern regions., Discussion: This study demonstrates that increasing forest coverage, particularly of evergreen and mixed forests, can help reduce lung cancer incidence. This effect may be related to the ability of forests to absorb harmful gasses and particulate matter from the air. Furthermore, the spatial heterogeneity in lung cancer incidence suggests that regional economic development levels and urbanization processes may also play significant roles in the spatial distribution of lung cancer rates. The findings provide empirical support for the development of targeted forest conservation and development policies aimed at optimizing regional forest structures to reduce the risk of lung cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yu, Wang, Huang, Yue, Chu, Sun, Gao, Yang and Zhang.)

Indigenous peoples in Canada are disproportionately exposed to environmental contaminants and may face elevated health risks related to their unique cultural, spiritual, and economic relationships with the land, including the use of traditional food systems. However, to date, institutionalized approaches to assess risks to human and ecological health from contaminants have not been well developed or implemented with Indigenous community contexts in mind. There is regulatory interest in developing new approach methods for risk assessment, and thus an opportunity to increase their relevance to Indigenous communities in which they will be ultimately applied. Therefore, we conducted an anonymous mixed-methods survey of those involved with risk assessment in Indigenous communities in Canada to: (1) understand risk assessment practice in Indigenous communities, (2) explore challenges with conventional assessment methods and compare these across sectors, and (3) gather perspectives on the development of new approaches. In all, 38 completed survey responses were received (14% response rate). Respondents were from Indigenous community environment and health offices (21% of respondents), Indigenous governments (8%), federal and provincial governments (21%), and academia (45%). Risk communication was seen as the most challenging part of risk assessment (71% responded "difficult"), and nearly all respondents agreed that time (86%), cost (76%), and resource availability (86%) were "moderate" to "serious" problems. Few respondents (16%) had heard of "new approach methods" for risk assessment, and 76% of respondents (and 100% of community-based respondents) agreed on the need to develop improved risk assessment approaches. To modernize risk assessment, respondents recommended advancing cumulative risk assessment methods, improving risk communication, and promoting Indigenous leadership and Traditional Knowledge in assessment activities. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1677-1692. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)., (© 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).)

This study is the first of its kind in Mongolia to make an ecological health assessment of birch forest, based on the composition of soil algae species. The Chlorophyta consisted of 54.5 percent of the total algae species. In Jargalant-Tain pass, Bogdkhan Mountain, the ground of the birch forest is drying up. Deterioration of forest soil ecology and the onset of aridity indicate the process of deforestation. Therefore, reforestation is urgently needed.