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This article focuses on the Ukrainian experience of legal support for the concept of ecosystem services, which is recognized as one of the most promising and popular areas of science and practice. The article outlines the general principles of the concept of ecosystem services, including the history of its formation and development, its essence and significance, analyses the main international legal and European documents, which reflect this concept in one way or the other, and provides the current state and prospects for its implementation in Ukraine. Thorough review led to a conclusion about the insufficient level of development of the specified concept in Ukrainian environmental legislation. The article has suggested possible ways to overcome the gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) is the main pest of citrus fruits, which can also infect other economically priority fruit plant species in an integrated global environment. Numerous populations of this insect contribute to the spread of fungi and microbes that cause secondary damage, such as fruit rot. Infestation of citrus orchards can lead to significant annual losses in crop size and quality. As a quarantine pest with high reproductive potential and spreading ability, the Mediterranean fruit fly is difficult to control and poses a serious threat to Albanian citrus exports due to concerns about infection or insecticide residues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of integrated management of the Mediterranean fruit fly on citrus plants in the Konispol region, using innovative approaches. As part of this objective, the dynamics of the Mediterranean fruit fly population were studied using Trimedlure bait traps. The potential of organic integrated agricultural fruit production in the aspect of pest control was analysed. Integrated pest control programmes were described in detail, including a range of modern, safe population control methods and positioned as innovative, effective strategies for controlling the Mediterranean fruit fly. The study analysed the potential of modern tools and technologies for pest control. The areas of minimising the share of chemical protective equipment in the agricultural management system were outlined. As a result of the experiment, the effectiveness of the technique of mass trapping of pests was established. Comparative analysis of monitoring results at different farm plots was carried out. Based on the obtained data, the potential of management and technological measures to minimise the load on citrus plantations, combining the principles of environmental safety and economic feasibility, with the introduction of the latest systems for controlling and monitoring pest populations, was analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of population, wealth, and increased demand for beach holidays, in parallel with climate change, have made coastal ecosystems the most vulnerable on the planet and require developing a well-thought-out plan for their sustainable management. The aim of this study is to investigate the state of coastal ecosystems of semi-desert zones, to identify the main factors of the destructive impact of anthropogenic load on these systems, as well as to predict the development of the situation at the local and regional levels and to develop preventive measures to mitigate existing risks. The study was conducted using Google Earth Pro and ArcGIS 10.5.1 software tools. In the research, the ecological state of natural coastal systems in the regions of semi-desert landscape was analyzed, and the dynamics of destructive consequences of the destruction of natural complexes depending on various factors of influence was presented, optimal and real for implementation measures for sustainable management of specific landscape complexes were developed to reduce the negative anthropogenic impact on the state of coastal ecosystems and public health, as well as to improve the overall environmental situation in the region. In addition, the possibilities of applying modern management and technological measures to minimize the load on the natural system, based on the synergy of environmental safety and economic efficiency, with the introduction of modern innovative control systems and monitoring environmental pollution have been studied. The results of the study have significant practical significance for the development and modernization of the system of sustainable management of natural complexes at the national and regional levels, creation of vector programs of preventive actions, as well as can be used as an effective tool for further analysis of the risks of negative consequences of anthropogenic impact on the balance in coastal ecosystems, biodiversity, and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I recount my personal history, beginning as a young fisherman, becoming an academic fisheries biologist, and ultimately a leader of institutions dedicated to marine and polar research, higher education, and advising policymakers. After my dissertation in the early 1990s, I embarked on an active research career at the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Bergen, Norway, developing a sonar method to estimate the abundance of schooling, pelagic fish. My career then transitioned to middle leadership—15 years as Section Leader and Research Director at IMR—followed by >10 years as a top leader for The University Centre in Svalbard, the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, and finally the Norwegian Polar Institute. I describe the major challenges, opportunities, and processes these leadership roles have entailed. I hope to send a positive message about the influential role of science, and the necessity of clear communication of results and advice at a time when there is a sense of urgency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove forest is an ecosystem‐based solution for disaster risk reduction in the Philippines, but its historical deforestation has hampered its capacity to protect coastal communities. With the increasing occurrence of storm surge in the Philippines, mangrove reforestation projects have received renewed attention, but many have failed. Community participation was deemed to be essential in those projects that did well. Hence, this paper examines successful mangrove restoration and rehabilitation projects in the Philippines to find out how community participation contributed to the accomplishments. The study found that while the transfer of science‐based ecological knowledge from project managers to the community is an important factor in ensuring successful initial planning and implementation, its integration into existing local ecological knowledge—'localisation' of science‐based ecological knowledge or hybrid ecological knowledge formation—helped to facilitate long‐term community‐based mangrove management beyond project duration by empowering community members and enabling project acceptance and ownership. Still, continuous local institutional support is a necessary anchor for community resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open data that can be easily incorporated into analyses are essential for developing ecosystem approaches to marine ecological management: a common goal in fisheries policy in many countries. Although it is not always clear what constitutes an ecosystem approach, it always involves scientists working with a large variety of data and information, including data from physical and oceanographic sampling, multispecies surveys, and other sources describing human pressures. This can be problematic for analysts because these data, even when available, are often held in disparate datasets that do not necessarily correspond at appropriate temporal and spatial scales. Data can often only be obtained by specific requests to individuals in governmental agencies who are delivering on an increasing number of data requests as interest grows in practical ecosystem approach implementation. This data access model is not sustainable and hinders the momentum for ecosystem approach development. We describe a data bundling R package that makes data and climate projections available at appropriate scales to facilitate development of an ecosystem approach for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. This approach integrates closely with the present workflow of most government analysts, academics in fisheries, and scientists in private industry. The approach conforms with open data initiatives and makes data easily available globally while relieving some of the burden of data provision that can fall to some individuals in government laboratories. The structure and approach are generic, adaptable, and transferable to other regions and jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture supplies high-quality and healthy proteins. With the increasing human demand for aquaculture production, intensive pond aquaculture developed rapidly and results in environmental deterioration. To solve this problem, the eco-substrate (ES), which is the biofilm carrier, has been utilized in aquaculture ponds. Studying the ecological mechanisms of ES from the perspective of the ecosystem may be conducive to the sustainable development of aquaculture. In this study, it was evaluated how ES makes a difference to the trophic structure, energy flow, and system characteristics of two different aquaculture pond ecosystems via the ecopath model. Three aquaculture ponds with ES were designed as the treatment ecosystem and three aquaculture ponds without ES were designed as the control ecosystem. There were 13 and 14 functional groups in the control and treatment ecosystems, respectively. The results showed that (1) the macrozooplankton and microzooplankton showed strong effects on the ecosystem in the keystoneness index; (2) energy transfer pathways in the treatment system with ES increased by 26.23% compared to the control system; (3) the ES improved the utilization rate of detritus, which was 14.91% higher than that of the control ecosystem; (4) the material and energy flow index and network information characteristics demonstrated the ES enhanced the complexity and stability of the treatment system. To improve the energy utilization efficiency, filter feeders can be introduced to ES ponds. Overall, the ES can alter the trophic structure, improve the energy utilization efficiency, and enhance the stability and maturity of aquaculture ecosystems, representing a sustainable practice. Considering the total area of aquaculture ponds on the earth reaching more than 5 million hectares, the application prospect of ES is broad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the Russian Federation, everyone has the right to a favorable environment, the quality of which is ensured, inter alia, by the standards for permissible withdrawal of environmental components. Such standards should provide for proper consumption of material and energy resources, be balanced to meet human needs and ensure the preservation and self-recovery of natural systems. The purpose of this publication is to assess the shortcomings of the approaches prevailing in the Russian natural resources legislation to establishing standards for permissible withdrawal of environmental components and identify ways to overcome them. Methods: dialectical, analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, historical-legal, formal-legal. Results: the paper reveals defects in the differentiated approach to rationing permissible withdrawal of environmental components in theory and legislative practice. Based on the analysis of the current legislation and expert opinions, options for their correction are proposed.

Degradation of the natural world and associated ecosystem services is attributed to a historical failure to include its ‘value’ in decision-making. Uncertainty in the quantification of the relationship between natural capital ‘assets’ that give rise to critical societal benefits and people is one reason for the omission of these values from natural resource management. As this uncertainty increases in marine systems and further still with distance from the coast, the connection between society and natural capital assets is less likely to be included adequately in decision-making. Natural capital assets of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), including those of the deep sea, are distant but are known to generate many benefits for society, from the diffuse and broad-scale benefits of climate regulation to the provision of wild fish for food. While our understanding of the precise relationships (the status of asset stocks, ecosystem functions and processes) that control the availability of ecosystem services and the flows of benefits is limited, this does not preclude opening a discourse on how these natural capital assets could best be managed to continue to benefit society. Here we apply a natural capital approach to the South East Atlantic ABNJ, one of the least scientifically understood regions of the planet, and develop a framework for risk assessment. We do this by describing the benefit flows from the natural capital assets of the region, appraising how activities are creating pressures on these flows and whether the controls for these pressures protect them. Our risk register highlights how governance currently favours the protection of direct (extractive) benefit flows from natural capital assets of the region, which are primarily targeted for financial benefit. Without a systems-based framework that can account for the cumulative pressures on natural capital assets their status, associated ecosystem services and benefits are at risk. Such an approach is essential to capture and protect the foundational and often diffuse connections between marine natural capital and global society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the landscape of education evolves, there is a growing need to understand and adapt to the changing dynamics of partnerships and collaborations within the educational sector. While previous studies have predominantly focused on spiral models, social networks, and platform models, little attention has been given to the emerging new institutional design in education. Through an extensive analysis of open sources, this research identifies the roles played by both conventional and non-conventional actors in shaping the educational landscape and their contributions to community development. The study reveals the evolving roles of universities, highlighting their active engagement in fostering entrepreneurship, creating vibrant communities, and supporting lifelong learning. As a result of our study, we propose a mapped scheme illustrating the relationships between the university and other actors within the educational space and illustrating the university's potential to gain ecosystem leadership. In summary, by capitalizing on the identified opportunities, both parties (universities and non-conventional actors) can foster a thriving ecosystem, driving community development, lifelong learning, and local entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the role and functions of agents in the context of entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Theoretical aspects of agent role have been reflected and main functions that agents perform in entrepreneurial ecosystem of region highlighted. The article highlights importance of agents as key players that ensure functioning of ecosystem. The research methodology is based on the methods of assessing fulfillment of agent functions by means of ranking analysis in the context of the proposed indicators. A comparative assessment of agents’ functioning in entrepreneurial ecosystems of regions has been carried out in the Republic of Tatarstan, the Chelyabinsk Region, the Tomsk Region, the Trans-Baikal Territory, and the Amur Region. The analysis of regional ecosystems in comparison with the reference region (Tatarstan) made it possible to identify dysfunctions in the work of agents in underdeveloped regions. It has been revealed that functions of supporting start-ups and research and innovation functions are not fully implemented in some regions.

For Van Rensselaer Potter (1911–2001), Global Bio-Ethics is about building on the legacy of Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), one of the most notable forest managers of the twentieth century who brought to light the importance of pragmatism in the sciences and showed us a new way to proceed with environmental ethics. Following Richard Huxtable and Jonathan Ives's methodological 'Framework for Empirical Bioethics Research Projects' called 'Mapping, framing, shaping,' published in BMC Medicine Ethics (2019)), we propose operationalizing a framework for Global Bio-Ethics by hybridizing approaches in empirical bioethics and ecosystem management. We explain this framework using the metaphor of forest management. This mixed approach is articulated through three phases: (1) mapping the "landscape" to build a working theory, (2) framing the "scene" to prepare the fieldwork, and (3) shaping bioethics "tools" to stimulate cooperation. Applying this methodology, an adaptive management cycle is outlined to help ensure that political processes are sustainable and socially acceptable, still based on strategic and ethical thinking, but also capable of reshaping failing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Celtic Seas ecoregion (CSE) is undergoing climatic and ecosystem changes, which can induce changes in fish productivity. Globally, the productivity of many stocks has shown evidence of change over decadal timescales. Varying factors might drive these dynamics in the CSE, but for many stocks, these mechanisms have not been fully understood to be included in management advice. We study dynamic productivity for 28 stocks in the Celtic Seas by tracking integrated stochastic signals in the relationship between stock size and recruitment using state-space modelling applying Peterman's Productivity Method. Our research objectives were to (i) fit Ricker stock–recruitment models with time-varying parameters to all age- or length-based assessed stocks in the CSE, (ii) evaluate which parameters vary in time, (iii) examine temporal characteristics of historical recruitment productivity, and (iv) evaluate productivity correlation across stocks. For 22 out of 28 stocks, at least one of the three time-varying parameter models had a better fit than the time-invariant model. In the CSE, fish productivity has diverse temporal patterns, with some stocks displaying relevant long-term decreasing productivity trends. Getting insight into temporal changes in recruitment productivity is very valuable and has important implications for sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global economy is increasingly focusing on the Oceans to meet its needs, for which maritime spatial planning is being fostered to promote this is done sustainably. Thus, assessing the current state and future development trends of the maritime sectors is key to evaluating the performance of the planning process. This is the aim of this study, in which the main maritime sectors related to the blue economy present in the archipelagos of the European Macaronesia Sea Basin, i.e. the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain), were identified and studied. The following maritime sectors were analysed: fisheries, marine aquaculture, marine biotechnology, coastal and maritime tourism, maritime transport, ship repair and maintenance, extraction of aggregates, deep-sea mining, offshore oil and gas, renewable ocean energies, and desalination. As part of the PLASMAR project, partners undertook in 2017–19 a literature review gathering scientific papers, official statistics and reports, which were complemented by interviews with experts from the economic sectors and public administration departments. Results show that while some maritime sectors are well established, others are emerging sectors with varying long-term growth potential. Besides, development patterns vary across the archipelagos. This study represents the first effort in the Macaronesia Sea Basin to set the basis of the current and future development conditions of the blue economy in applicability to maritime spatial planning processes at a regional level. The future post-pandemic context will provide a unique opportunity to promote the blue economy sectors and activities through the support provided by the EU Green Deal and Recovery and Resilience Plans, as well as with the actions envisioned under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). The European Macaronesia example –given its wide maritime territory, commitment, and capacities in terms of expertise and networking– presents a great potential to act as a good practice to extrapolate the new approach for a sustainable blue economy to other similar geographical settings such as island regions/states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unclear, contested definitions and high complexity have been used to explain why ecosystem-based management (EBM) has been hard to implement. This still seems to be a problem, judging from the unspecific references to it in recent international instruments and other approaches being preferred. This article argues that an essential definition of EBM that captures its indispensable roles can clarify its meaning. Beyond that, a wide diversity can be found due to adaptations to different ecological, social, and political contexts. In short, EBM entails managing human activities for sustainable use, so the cumulative impacts of uses are kept below critical thresholds for the ecosystem to be managed. The specific integrative role of EBM is integration across ecosystem components, governance arrangements, and broad strands of knowledge in support of management. This understanding should not be controversial and is supported by approaches to implementing EBM in Norway and the EU. Their approaches to EBM for the oceans share key characteristics: They operate on similar spatial scales; use strategic planning; define cyclic, adaptive processes with similar content; and apply management by objectives. With the proclaimed nature crisis, renewed attention to the definition and implementation of EBM is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy marine ecosystem is a fully functioning system, able to supply ecosystem services whilst still maintaining resilience to human-induced environmental change. Monitoring and managing the health of resilient marine ecosystems requires indicators that can assess their biodiversity state and food web functioning. Plankton are crucial components of pelagic habitats, occupying the base of the pelagic food web. Larger plankton have long been used to monitor ecosystem productivity and biodiversity due to their identification via traditional light microscopy. In contrast, the regular monitoring of pico- and nanoplankton (

Increasing development activities have led to a reduction in habitat quality and biodiversity loss. Utilization of industrial and mining capacities and the development of infrastructure are among the most important components of habitat quality decline in Kerman province. In this study, the quality and destruction of habitats in Kerman province were modeled using Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The habitat quality map of the ungulates was valued using the cost compensation method, and the average habitat quality value was used as an independent variable in the regression analysis to predict the economic value of the habitat. The results showed the highest degradation of the habitats in the northwest of the province, where most of the threat factors are present. The northeastern parts of the province have experienced the least degradation. The highest-quality and most valuable areas, which cover 42.8% of the province, have the highest level of habitat degradation. These habitats are mainly cover by dense forests and rangelands. The total habitat value of Kerman was estimated at 2437 billion Tomans. The final habitat valuation map can be used as a decision-making criteria in environmental management for locating development projects, estimating damages, and updating the boundaries of protected areas.

The article examines a new non–traditional actor in higher education: educational bloggers “studytubers” who being students themselves record informal and non-professional videos on the topic of learning, productivity, popular science, and education in general. The objectives of this study included a description of the phenomenon of the studytube itself, its history, context, specifics, then in revealing the ways educational bloggers work and, finally, in fixing its role in the ecosystem of higher education. The phenomenon of studytube was considered through an ecosystem approach, the framework of the “participatory culture”, and the concept of “micro-celebrity”. It was empirically studied through the methodology of digital ethnography and methods of nonparticipant observation, visual analysis of video materials, thematic analysis of texts. The results showed the main thematic repertoire of the educational bloggers, the stylistic features of their work, the affective nature of the work of educational bloggers, ways of interacting with subscribers, and monetization models. Recommendations are also offered to universities for the involvement of the studytube community into the development of the university environment.

Noise pollution is recognized globally as a genuine environmental pollutant. Its effects are not limited to just terrestrial ecosystems, they can also affect aquatic environments at different levels. The scientific community has provided ample evidence of this. It is essential that legal systems and environmental protection regulations reflect this understanding. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of international legislation concerning noise pollution, as a response by legislative bodies to the environmental impacts it can have. These impacts have been classified on the basis of the ecological studies which are the subject of the analysis. Thus, the possible configuration of some types of noise pollution as criminal is analysed according to the concept of Green Criminology. The ecological damage generated at the different levels of the ecosystem approach is the focus of this analysis. This classifying system could allow us to configure an appropriate criminal response to the effects generated by this polluting activity.

ABSTRACTFor Van Rensselaer Potter (1911–2001), Global Bio-Ethics is about building on the legacy of Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), one of the most notable forest managers of the twentieth century who brought to light the importance of pragmatism in the sciences and showed us a new way to proceed with environmental ethics. Following Richard Huxtable and Jonathan Ives's methodological 'Framework for Empirical Bioethics Research Projects' called 'Mapping, framing, shaping,' published in BMC Medicine Ethics (2019)), we propose operationalizing a framework for Global Bio-Ethics by hybridizing approaches in empirical bioethics and ecosystem management. We explain this framework using the metaphor of forest management. This mixed approach is articulated through three phases: (1) mapping the “landscape” to build a working theory, (2) framing the “scene” to prepare the fieldwork, and (3) shaping bioethics “tools” to stimulate cooperation. Applying this methodology, an adaptive management cycle is outlined to help ensure that political processes are sustainable and socially acceptable, still based on strategic and ethical thinking, but also capable of reshaping failing policies.

Human-driven nutrient inputs into aquatic ecosystems must be managed to preserve biodiversity and to ensure that valued fishery and water quality services are not compromised by hypoxia and harmful algal blooms. Aiming for nutrient inputs that achieve an intermediate level of ecosystem productivity is expected to provide both high fish yield and good water quality. However, we argue that such an intermediate "optimum" may not exist for many aquatic ecosystems that support multiple fisheries with differing tolerances to eutrophication and that must provide multiple water quality services. We further support this argument with an empirical case study of nearly a century (1915-2011) of change in the productivity of Lake Erie and its lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), walleye (Sander vitreus), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fisheries. We discuss and show how the harvest of each fishery has been historically maximized at different levels of ecosystem productivity. Additionally, we examine how anticipated management efforts to improve water quality by reducing nutrient inputs (i.e., oligotrophication) may favor certain fisheries over others, resulting in no single optimal range of nutrient inputs that achieves all valued fishery and water quality objectives. Our synthesis and case study illustrate how the need to balance multiple services in aquatic ecosystems can create a wicked management problem with inevitable trade-offs. To navigate these trade-offs, we recommend the use of ecosystem-based management approaches, which can help decision makers identify and resolve complex trade-offs by facilitating cooperative research and communication among water quality regulators, fisheries managers, and end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ecosystem approach to wetland management is a strategy for integrated management of water, land, and livelihood resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in a balanced manner. For implementing this approach, commercial mechanisms, and incentives, especially the "Payment for Ecosystem Services Mechanism" (PES) that can ensure the internalization of environmental externalities, are increasingly proposed as a promising mechanism. This study aims to investigate the acceptance rate of this mechanism among the communities affecting Anzali wetlands as a case study. The required legal rules were also identified and surveyed among the statistical population. This study is a "descriptive-correlation" study, and the sample members were selected by purposive sampling. These sample members were selected from among three groups of Anzali wetland communities. There were 21, 750, and 972 people in the community of governors, positive and negative beneficiaries, respectively, and 21, 254, and 275 of them responded to the questionnaire. The statistical analysis of the results showed that, with a probability of 95% confidence, the payment for ecosystem services mechanism through appropriate legal frameworks could be useful and effective for implementing the ecosystem approach. Also, with a probability of 95% confidence, the acceptability of "proposed legal rules" was not the same among the target communities, and based on the results, the average index of "proposed legal rules" in negative beneficiaries is higher than positive beneficiaries, and in positive beneficiaries is more than governors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Himalayan countries face many ecological challenges, including biodiversity loss and the many threats of climate change. In response, these countries are implementing Nature-based Solution to minimize these challenges and promote sustainable development. In this article we analyze the NbS programs implemented across the Himalayan region and assess the limitations of these NbS using the IUCN standard criteria of adherence to NbS for selected articles. We perform a systematic review of articles using the PRISMA methodology, through the Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate databases and followed by screening through the Rayyan web interface. Articles were screened out based on the location and lack of biodiversity and human well-being outcomes of NbS intervention. Nature-based Solutions in the Himalayas primarily use a sustainable management approach (35.29%), followed by restoration (23.53%), conservation (11.76%), holistic management (11.76%), eco-DRR (11.76%) and green infrastructure (5.88%) to address societal and climatic challenges. Institutional execution of NbS was 29.41% more common compared to the implementation of NbS by community or farmer groups. Pineapple based agroforestry (83.04%), forest restoration (78.57%), spring water storage (83.04%), spring restoration (86.61%), groundwater recharge (82.14%), bio-fertilizer and pesticides (77.68%), watershed restoration (78.57%), community-based watershed management (77.68%), community-based DRR (81.25%), community-based forest management (81.25%), sustainable harvest of medicinal plants (77.68%) and wetland restoration (82.14%), adhere to the IUCN criteria. In addition, some interventions adequately meet IUCN criteria, such as ice stupas (72.32%), forest restoration through plantation (73.21%), eco-safe roads (65.18), blue-green infrastructure (68.75%), and traditional ecological knowledge (72.32%). Our evaluation noted that NbS interventions can be improved by precise planning and design before implementation, engaging multiple stakeholders, comparing alternative solutions, and periodic monitoring of the impacts on the environment and society. This study shows that NbS in the Himalayas are contributing to biodiversity conservation and climate risk management. Tackling the limitation of this present review, mainly the exclusion of research not addressing biodiversity and human well-being, will yield more precise outcomes for climate actions and sustainable development.

Increasing development activities have led to a reduction in habitat quality and biodiversity loss. Utilization of industrial and mining capacities and the development of infrastructure are among the most important components of habitat quality decline in Kerman province. In this study, the quality and destruction of habitats in Kerman province were modeled using Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The habitat quality map of the ungulates was valued using the cost compensation method, and the average habitat quality value was used as an independent variable in the regression analysis to predict the economic value of the habitat. The results showed the highest degradation of the habitats in the northwest of the province, where most of the threat factors are present. The northeastern parts of the province have experienced the least degradation. The highest-quality and most valuable areas, which cover 42.8% of the province, have the highest level of habitat degradation. These habitats are mainly cover by dense forests and rangelands. The total habitat value of Kerman was estimated at 2437 billion Tomans. The final habitat valuation map can be used as a decision-making criteria in environmental management for locating development projects, estimating damages, and updating the boundaries of protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy makers require a knowledge-based support to identify effective interventions for the socio-economic sustainability of human activities at sea. When dealing with anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems, we deal with a complex and faceted system which has high variability in terms of environment, regulation, governance, industrial activities, and geo-political scenarios. We analyzed the conceptual scientific framework adopted to address underwater noise as a polluting component of the marine environment. We identified the scientific paths that can provide useful contributions towards comprehending the impacts on the native ecosystem. In order to furnish relevant clues towards the properties of the interconnection of signals, we briefly reviewed an example from a different discipline (helioseismology). We describe a new approach on how acoustic energy in the sea could be detected and analyzed to understand its role in the functioning of the ecosystem. We propose a change of perspective in the observation strategy of underwater noise, promoting a knowledge transfer from other disciplines, which in turn will enable a better understanding of the system. This will allow researchers and policy-makers to identify feasible and effective solutions to tackle the negative impacts of underwater noise and the conservation of the marine ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION. The international legal content of the concept of sustainable development, so common in international treaties and sometimes expressed in different terms, undoubtedly requires modern clarification, as well as its place in the system of international law. Firstly, it is interesting to answer the question of how ideas of sustainable development have resulted in their crystallization as a concept of international law. Secondly, using treaty sources of the international law of the sea, where this notion is particularly common, it is meaningful to identify the intentions of States parties to such treaties to consider sustainable development clauses as legal obligations. Thirdly, it is important to determine whether these clauses now constitute a principle of the international law of the sea or whether they retain the status of separate treaty obligations that are not interrelated. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The article is based on the analysis primarily of the norms of the international law of the sea, in which the term «sustainable development» is applied, with reference to the scientific and legal literature and judicial decisions relevant to the topic. The research involves methods of legal construction, legal modeling, analysis and synthesis, systematic, struc­tural-functional, formal-logical, formal-legal, histori­cal and chronological methods. RESEARCH RESULTS. The analysis of international treaties and other international legal instruments applicable to the issue has shown that the long-standing ideas of «sustainable development» are now normatively well-established; that the provisions of international treaties on sustainable development have already developed as an inter-branch (cross-cutting) principle of international law at the intersection, primarily, of the international law of the sea and international environmental law; that States undertake in practice explicit obligations and exercise relevant rights in the framework of upholding this cross-cutting principle. The authors’ vision of the content of this principle is offered and its various manifestations in the international law of the sea are shown. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. The study critically evaluates the prevailing view in the Western international legal literature that the idea of sustainable development was suggested by the 1987 Report «Our Common Future» (the Brundtland Report). It has been shown that the idea predates this report, and that the initial mechanisms for sustainable development had already been reflected in existing interna­tional treaties by 1987. The suggestion is made that the international legal concept of sustainable development has several cumulative components that together define its content. Among these there are elements that are part of this concept primarily because they are means of achieving sustainable development goals, having a much narrower scope if interpreted in isolation. The international legal principle of sustainable development seeks to resolve the tensions primarily between the States’ right to development and their duty to protect the environment, serving as a nexus that ensures that neither the one nor the other is neglected. Its social dimension is undoubtedly significant, although it has been interpreted very differently in the interna­tional legal literature. In the context of contemporary international law, it is expedient to assert an inter-branch (cross-cutting) nature of the sustainable development principle: its legal content extends beyond the scope of specific branches of international law, including international law of the sea, international environmental and economic law. However, most international treaties of a universal and especially regional character that contain some form of sustainable development clauses currently refer to sources of the international law of the sea, which may certainly change in the future.

New ideas are constantly being produced as a changing world demands solutions to new problems. International environmental regimes often present ideas to reduce negative human effects on the environment. Implementation of ideas has often been studied through diffusion theory, where ideas are expected to be implemented in their original version. Translation theory from New Scandinavian Institutionalism allows for an analysis of how ideas invented to solve problems change from introduction to implementation. Ideas heralded through UN processes may face a very long route from introduction to local implementation, during which the idea can become radically changed. Through a thorough study of documents, this article follows the trajectories of the idea of Ecosystem Approach (EA), from its first limited practical application in the US during the 1980s and 90s, during its travels in different United Nations fora, and ending up implemented locally through the 2006 Norwegian Barents Sea Management Plan. The novelty of this study is that the analyses cover a long timeframe combined with a focus on all the different steps of translation combined. This also allows for possible drivers of change to be identified. The results show that there are changes made to the idea to such an extent that what is finally implemented is something quite different from the original idea, and more like “business as usual”. According to the theory, discrepancies do not necessarily mean the idea has not been successful; on the contrary, ideas that can be changed may be more likely to become institutionalized. Responsible Editor: Øyvind Ravna, Faculty of Law, UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Ecosystem approach involves the understanding of the relationships among structures, processes and ecosystem services. Therefore, the article designs and applies a procedure to assess spatial-temporal variability, which may be present, in a support process to ecosystem services. Specific sites of assimilable phosphorus are used in a soil under sugarcane cultivation, to quantify a cost for excess phosphoric fertilizer. Differences in economic values between categories of this element in the soil are provided. This emphasizes the management and adaptation to the spatial-temporal variability of the nutrient availability process, for the sustainability of the sugar agribusiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) is considered one of the key management approaches for addressing global resource decline and promoting the health and resilience of ecosystems. This paper explores how the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), which manages tuna fisheries, has incorporated the ecosystem approach into its management and decision-making system. This study finds that (1) the WCPFC lacks incentives to adopt EAFM as a whole due to its management priorities on target species and some key bycatch species; (2) inadequate scientific information on associated species and the environment hinders ecosystem risk assessments, leading to delays in EAFM-related decisions; and (3) the organization has given little consideration to human factors. The authors suggest developing an EAFM vision with a clear roadmap to guide the implementation of EAFM and applying area-based management tools in cases where there is limited data and scientific information. The proposed coordination mechanism aims to address growing concerns about labor issues by involving multiple stakeholders in the development of a management measure on labor standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that due to the growth of urbanization and related environmental problems of cities, a separate direction has emerged in modern scientific knowledge - urban ecology or urban ecology, within which the term "urban ecosystems" is used. The environmental consequences of human economic activity, which are observed everywhere, are especially noticeable in urbanized areas, and this explains the interest in the study of urban problems in ecology and the development of such a science as urban ecology. The article discusses the strategy for the development of urban ecology in the modern spatial and subject environment. The problems of studying urban ecology have been studied by such scientists as: V. Voronkova, V. Kucheriavyi, B. Cherkes, S. Linda, V. Nabyvach, H. Petryshyn, I. Ryzhova, S. Loze, O. Pavliuk, and others. The realization of this goal requires solving such tasks as outlining different approaches and solutions to understanding the problems of urban ecology in the context of the development of mentality and culture. Research methods. To analyze the strategy for the development of urban ecology in the modern spatial and subject environment, the methods of structural-systemic and structural-functional analyzes are widely used. Methods of structural and systemic analysis are used to solve complex problems related to the activities of people in the city, and are also aimed at identifying the structure of the city as a dynamic system that promotes the selfdevelopment of society and the individual. The methods of structural-functional analysis are based on the interaction of interstructural components of the spatial and subject environment and their connection with the functions of the system. The result of the study. To solve the strategy of urboecology development in the modern spatial and subject environment, it is necessary to create a concept of a sustainable development strategy aimed at cooperation with leading companies in this industry and the production of domestic analogues in accordance with world standards. Conclusions. Thus, the city development strategy is the most relevant innovative tool that can combine the efforts of the municipality and society to maintain the competitiveness and sustainable development of the city. The practical significance of the research topic is that the strategy of sustainable development of urban ecology in the modern spatial and subject environment, which is differentiated in the cultures of the information society, is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is an active digital transformation of management practices and processes in the world, associated with the emergence of an ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach is being actively implemented in all spheres of the economy and society. This phenomenon has not bypassed the education sphere. The article considers the priority tasks and trends in the development of education that meet the global challenges of the changing world economy, and aimed at developing a new paradigm of training throughout life. The purpose of the study is to analyze the factors influencing the creation of an educational ecosystem of the future, designed to form and develop a culture of lifelong learning, and, consequently, to the need for the introduction of network models based on elements of joint and voluntary learning. The research methods are comparative and causal analysis of management decisions. As a result of the study, the authors identify the elements of the educational and personnel ecosystems that affect the business processes of an organization in the context of digital transformation. It will significantly accelerate the possibilities of cooperation between the real sector of the economy, the educational ecosystem and the state within the framework of the above changes. The ecosystem transformation of education will allow to educate a new generation that will lead the transition to the effective and harmonious development of world civilization. The ecosystem approach will change the traditional ways of learning, discovering, acting on the principles of cooperation. These changes are aimed at dialogue in terms of business training in the conditions of digitalisation of the economy between the educational ecosystem and the business environment. Therefore, it is the personnel service for business processes that should be given increased attention to representatives of the real sector of the economy, the scientific community and educational institutions.