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We examined the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) for identifying tsunami deposits in the geological record using lake-bottom sediments in the Tohoku region, Japan. The presence of eDNA from marine organisms in a lacustrine event deposit provides very strong evidence that the deposit was formed by an influx of water from the ocean. The diverse DNA assemblage in the deposit formed by the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami included DNA of marine origin indicating that eDNA has potential as an identifying proxy for tsunami deposits. Subsequently, we examined the applicability of eDNA for recognizing paleo-tsunami events using the deposits formed by the 869 CE Jogan tsunami and a prehistoric event (2400–2900 cal year BP). The taxa detected in the tsunami deposits were markedly different from those of the background sediments. Many taxa that were represented in the Jogan tsunami deposit were also detected in the layer immediately above the tsunami deposit. This layer was indistinguishable from the overlying peat by visual observation, but the eDNA results suggest that it is likely to be a muddy tsunami deposit. The results of this study indicate that eDNA has the potential to elucidate the origin of event deposits that have been difficult to identify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate harmful compound levels in Shikaripara stone mines' cultivated land, which is renowned for stone quarrying in Jharkhand, India. Sixteen samples were collected from the mines in Dumka district, each at varying distances from the others. The soil samples contain Pb, As, Zn, Mn, Cd, Cu, Hg, and Fe. An Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer was used to determine the total concentrations of the metals (ICPMS). Calculations of the Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Contamination Factors (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Nemerow Index, and ecological Risk Index (RI) PLI, RI, and Nemerow Index values, considering various toxic substances' effects on soils overall, revealed significant metal contamination in 50 % of the sampled areas. Agricultural soils exhibited significant contamination with Cu, As, and Zn as a result of nearby copper mining activities. Results advocate regular soil examination and efficient management to reduce metal pollution. Compared to other areas, contamination levels in the study region are relatively lower, emphasizing the need for continued monitoring and management. The report delves into ecological services, assessing the impacts of plastic particles and heavy metals. It sets the stage for further research on the combined effects of these substances and plastic debris on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dilemas Contemporáneos: Educación, Política y Valores is the property of Dilemas Contemporaneos: Educacion, Politica y Valores 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.)

From June 1783, an unusual fog enveloped large parts of Europe. This fog was dry, not wet, and lasted for several weeks. At the end of June, the gaseous concentrations peaked: In some regions, contemporaries perceived a sulfuric smell, vegetation withered overnight, metallic surfaces became green, and people complained about respiratory conditions. Inspired by the Enlightenment, contemporary naturalists speculated about the cause of the unusual weather and developed numerous explanations. In Europe, it was unknown that on Iceland the Laki fissure had erupted. It was a flood basalt event, which produced the largest volume of lava of any volcano on planet Earth in the last millennium. In my dissertation, I pursued an interdisciplinary approach, which combined environmental history with geology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Patearoa saline site in Maniototo basin has developed on variably clay-altered Otago Schist. Decomposition and sedimentary redistribution of schist outcrop components has led to formation of bare soil-free substrates (upper metre scale) with contrasting permeability to rain and shallow groundwater percolation. Relatively impermeable clay-rich substrates, with a surface crust (cm scale) of detrital clay and muscovite, are saline with electrical conductivity (EC) of 1–35 mS/cm and locally hyperalkaline (pH > 10), with evaporative mineral accumulations. These saline substrates are downslope of more permeable substrates consisting of coarse schist debris and fractured outcrops, which have lower salinity (EC < 1 mS/cm) and lower pH (<7). A salt line can be mapped at metre scale between these substrate types on hillsides. The geochemical contrasts across the salt line have strong effects on plant communities that are colonising bare ground. Initial colonisation of bare saline substrates by some plants changes the geochemical signatures of the surficial few centimetres to form proto-soil with lower EC and pH. Proto-soil development facilitates further colonisation by pasture grasses, but the underlying substrates remain saline and highly alkaline. Salt lines similar to the one at Patearoa are mappable elsewhere in the Otago area and constitute fundamental geoecological boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Black Sea, a unique semi-enclosed marine ecosystem, is the eastern maritime boundary of the European Union and holds significant ecological importance. The present study investigates anthropogenic noise pollution in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive's Descriptor 11, with a particular emphasis on the criteria for impulsive sound (D11C1) and continuous low-frequency sound (D11C2) in Romanian ports, which handle a substantial share of regional cargo traffic, and impact maritime activities and associated noise levels. The noise levels from shipping activity vary across Romanian waters, including territorial waters, the contiguous zone, and the Exclusive Economic Zone. These areas are classified by high, medium, and low ship traffic density. Ambient noise levels at frequencies of 63 Hz and 125 Hz, dominated by shipping noise, were established, along with their hydrospatial distribution for the 2019–2020 period. Furthermore, predictive modeling techniques are used in this study to assess underwater noise pollution from human sources. This modeling effort represents the first initiative in the region and utilizes the BELLHOP ray-tracing method for underwater acoustic channel modeling in shallow-water environments. The model incorporates realistic bathymetry, oceanography, and geology features for environmental input, allowing for improved prediction of acoustic variability due to time-varying sea variations in shallow waters. The study's findings have important implications for understanding and mitigating anthropogenic noise pollution's impact on the Black Sea marine ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 10th International Conference on Serpentine Ecology was held in Nancy, France on June 12–16, 2023. The main goals of the conference were to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences and to promote scientific dialogue among scientists from numerous fields who share expertise in the study of ultramafic habitats worldwide. The proceedings of the conference are being published as two Special Issues of Ecological Research, of which this is the second. In this article, we present the major topics and provide some highlights of the contributions to the 10th International Conference on Serpentine Ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Geohazard' has become one of the classic terms of engineering geology, a contraction of the term geological hazard. It seems that everyone knows what a geohazard is, but then seems to offer examples that betray significant differences of opinion. In this paper, we examine how the almost parallel emergence of the term through different disciplines, such as geography (disaster management), geology (environmental and urban geology) and geotechnical engineering, has led to a wide diversity of perspectives. We describe the diversity of geohazard classification and discuss how geohazards should be best viewed in the context of risk (the potential for undesirable consequences). Attention is drawn to the way in which geohazards are addressed in current guidance, notably IAEG C25 and Eurocode 7. In conclusion, we present the key points underpinning the concept of a geohazard. [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.)

Objectively evaluating the ecological efficiency of grassland animal husbandry is an important link in promoting sustainable and modern agricultural development. Select 30 provincial panel data from 2013 to 2022, and use the super efficiency SBM Undesirable model and Tobit model to verify the ecological efficiency and influencing factors of grassland animal husbandry in China. The results showed that during the research period, the overall ecological efficiency of grassland animal husbandry in China showed a fluctuating upward trend, and there is still significant room for improvement. The ecological efficiency of grassland animal husbandry in China shows obvious spatial non-equilibrium characteristics, with the highest in the eastern region, followed by the northeast and central regions, and the lowest in the western region. The level of economic development, urbanization rate, financial support, labor productivity of grassland animal husbandry, and infrastructure construction in rural areas can significantly improve the ecological efficiency of grassland animal husbandry in China. Among them, the promotion effect of infrastructure construction in rural areas is the most significant. Based on this, policy recommendations are proposed to focus on cultivating new types of grassland animal husbandry operators, vigorously promoting infrastructure construction in rural areas, and implementing differentiated grassland animal husbandry development strategies, in order to provide reference for improving the ecological efficiency of grassland animal husbandry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemically distinctive features such as high salinity, low nutrient contents, and extremes of pH can limit the development of a vegetation cover on soil-free bare ground. This study synthesises our previous work on the geoecology of numerous chemically distinctive bare sites in the South Island and adds a temporal component within the last century. The rates of development of surficial cover on decadal time scales have been traced from available historical aerial photography of varying but adequate quality. Rates are highly variable but range between zero and 2 metres per year laterally, with some sites showing localised expansion of bare ground at times. Cover evolution involves the development of a cm-scale proto-soil layer that is at least partially biologically mediated. Geochemical thresholds in surficial substrates control the biological components of encroaching cover. Dynamic surface environments, especially steep and actively eroding slopes, help to maintain bare ground and resist cover development. Some chemically distinctive bare ground, and evolving adjacent proto-soil areas, host specialist tolerant native plant communities and shrinkage of these areas threaten this biodiversity. In contrast, some bare ground sites have elevated arsenic and/or highly acidic pH, and the development of proto-soil and vegetation cover is environmentally positive from a human perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove wetlands are among the four most productive tropical and subtropical ecosystems. They are also a core component of the coastal blue carbon ecosystem, which is of great ecological significance to human beings, plants, animals, and the global carbon balance. There has been a global decrease in the distribution of mangrove forests, and their ecological function has gradually degenerated since the Holocene. Sediment from coastal mangrove wetlands can provide records of climate change and human activities, and multiple proxies including palynology, leaf fossil, biomarkers, DNA, phytolith and stable isotopes, can be used to reconstruct the evolutionary stages of paleo-mangroves and to identify the effect of natural processes and human activities on the distribution and evolution of mangroves. This information can provide theoretical support for mangrove protection and for improving carbon sequestration capacity. This paper summarizes and compares the multiple proxies for mangrove reconstruction, reviews progress in the study of natural succession of global mangroves since the Holocene, expands on the influence mechanisms of human activities on mangrove growth and development and uses past information to lay a foundation for a model to predict future mangrove development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nomological basis of any science, which consists of its laws and regularities, forms its scientific foundation. Nomology (from the Greek nomos: law and logos: word, doctrine) is a section of the methodology that studies methods for formulating patterns and laws and creating scientific theories of a given science on these principles. In the field of environmental geology, the nomological foundations have not been fully developed due to the young age of this science and the uncertainty of many methodological issues of its structure, problems, etc. This paper aims to analyze the current state of nomological foundations of environmental geology and suggest new additions to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletin de Geologia is the property of Universidad Industrial de Santander 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.)

Conodonts, as a biotic group, next to ammonoids, pollen and spores, crustaceans and vertebrates, provide proxy clues for environment and age assessments of the rocks in which they occur. Conodonts are widely used for Triassic marine biostratigraphy. However, there are various discussions about their multielement taxonomy and evolutionary lineages (e.g., generation, speciation). Although first studies reported that most Triassic conodont species were unimembrate, studies carried out in the following years maintained that all Triassic conodonts were multimembrate. Although statistical reconstructions of a number of Triassic apparatuses were attempted, the discovery of fused clusters and natural assemblages has subsequently demonstrated that Triassic conodonts are indeed multimembrate, and all of the elements exist together in the same apparatus. The present paper aims to clarify the evolutionary relationship and array of some Lower Triassic conodonts. Columbitella dagisi n. sp. is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural complexities of hydrocarbon reservoirs make it difficult to correlate geological and petrophysical properties. A successful field development depends on accurately mapping the spatial distributions of reservoir key parameters. In this study, we present results on rock type analysis, estimation, and uncertainty evaluation of geological and petrophysical data of 33 wells in one of the south Iranian gas fields. This paper is divided into two parts. In the first part, we used a reservoir rock classification theme based on identifying electrofacies (EFs) and hydraulic flow units by analyzing both log and core data. In the second part of the paper, we performed estimation, uncertainty evaluation, and assessment of the porosity–thickness relationship of the high-quality EFs using geostatistical techniques. We used sequential simulation schemes to map the spatial distributions of porosity and thickness of the high-quality EFs across the field. Using probabilistic approaches, the generated multiple realizations were used to quantify the local and spatial uncertainties. Variogram analysis showed that property distributions had a higher continuity and minimum variance in the NW–SE direction. Based on spatial uncertainty analysis, we found that the indicator-based sequential simulated maps exhibited less spatial uncertainty. Furthermore, the obtained probability maps indicated that the SE part of the study area is more suitable for drilling and production scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are the industrial “Vitamins” because of the high-technology based modern uses and their anthropogenic inputs in natural environment, this study mainly focused on Geogenic variability and anthropogenic imprints of Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE), in the recently deposited sediments of the Ganga Alluvial Plain. All the Sediment samples were analyzed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). LREE comprises about ~91% of total REE in the Gomati River Sediments and Cerium (300 µg/g) was the most abundant LREE in the bedload sediments. Average LREE concentrations in bedload (170 µg/g) and suspended load (184 µg/g) sediments of the Gomati River were observed higher than the Average Sediments and the World Major Rivers Suspended Sediments and therefore, characterizing the LREE contamination in sediments. This contamination level assessed on the basis of Potential Ecological Risk Assessment (PERI), Contamination Factors (CF), Degree of Contamination (CD) and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), the trend of element contamination showed that Sm>La>Pr>Ce>Nd and PERI shows that LREE pose moderate to strong ecological risk, mostly by Pr and Sm in the study area. The spatial and temporal enrichment of LREE in sediments were observed in the Basin since last two decades. This paper mainly highlights the effects of socio-economic development linked modern high-tech processes on LREE contamination in the river sediments and cycling by the sub-tropical fluvial environment of southern Asia; where rivers supply ~30% of the global sediment input to the world’s ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent research efforts to explore the co-occurrence patterns of diverse microbes within soil microbial communities, a substantial knowledge-gap persists regarding global climate influences on soil microbiota behaviour. Comprehending co-occurrence patterns within distinct geoclimatic groups is pivotal for unravelling the ecological structure of microbial communities, that are crucial for preserving ecosystem functions and services. Our study addresses this gap by examining global climatic patterns of microbial diversity. Using data from the Earth Microbiome Project, we analyse a meta-community co-occurrence network for bacterial communities. This method unveils substantial shifts in topological features, highlighting regional and climatic trends. Arid, Polar, and Tropical zones show lower diversity but maintain denser networks, whereas Temperate and Cold zones display higher diversity alongside more modular networks. Furthermore, it identifies significant co-occurrence patterns across diverse climatic regions. Central taxa associated with different climates are pinpointed, highlighting climate's pivotal role in community structure. In conclusion, our study identifies significant correlations between microbial interactions in diverse climatic regions, contributing valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of soil microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skeletons of long-lived bamboo coral (Family Keratoisididae) are promising archives for deep-water palaeoceanographic reconstructions as they can record environmental variation at sub-decadal resolution in locations where in-situ measurements lack temporal coverage. Yet, detailed three dimensional (3D) characterisations of bamboo coral skeletal architecture are not routinely available and non-destructive investigations into microscale variations in calcification are rare. Here, we provide high-resolution micro-focus computed tomography (µCT) data of skeletal density for two species of bamboo coral (Acanella arbuscula: 5 specimens, voxel size, 15 µm (central branch scans) and 50 µm (complete structure scan); Keratoisis sp.: 4 specimens, voxel size, 15 µm) collected from the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay deep-water basins, Eastern Canadian Arctic. These data provide reference models useful for developing methods to assess structural integrity and other fine-scale complexities in many biological, geological, and industrial systems. This will be of wider value to those investigating structural composition, arrangement and/or composition of complex architecture within the fields and subdisciplines of biology, ecology, medicine, environmental geology, and structural engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and quantification of the ecological risks, sources and distribution of heavy metals in purple soils are essential for regional pollution control and management. In this study, geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), potential ecological risk index (RI), principal component analysis (PCA) model and geographical detector (GD) were combined to evaluate the status, ecological risk, and sources of heavy metals (HMs) in soils from a typical purple soil areas of Sichuan province. The results showed that the average contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in purple soil were 7.77, 0.19, 69.5, 27.9, 0.077, 30.9, 26.5 mg/kg and 76.8 mg/kg, and the Igeo, EF and RI of topsoil Hg and Cd in designated area was the highest, and the average contents of Hg and Cd in topsoil were obviously greater than respective soil background value in Sichuan province and purple soil. The hot spots for the spatial distribution of 8 HMs were mainly focused in the southwest and northeast of the designated area, and there were also significant differences for 8 HMs distribution characteristics in the profile soil. Cu comes from both anthropogenic and natural sources, Zn, Ni and Cr mainly come from natural sources, but As, Pb, Hg and Cd mainly derived from human activities. GD results showed that soil texture (X18), altitude (X4), total nitrogen (TN), clay content (X3), sand content (X2) and silt content (X1) had the greatest explanatory power to 8 HMs spatial differentiation.This study provides a reference for understanding the status and influencing factors of HM pollution in typical purple soil, and lays a theoretical foundation for the environmental treatment of purple soil in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of human health and agricultural production depends on the quality of farmland soil. Risk assessment of heavy metal pollution sources could effectively reduce the hazard of soil pollution from various sources. This study has identified and quantitatively analyzed pollution sources with geostatistical analysis and the APCS-MLR model. The potential ecological risk index was combined with the APCS-MLR model which has quantitatively calculated the source contribution. The results revealed that As, Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu were enriched in soil. Geostatistical analysis and the APCS-MLR model have apportioned four pollution sources. The Mn and Ni were attributed to natural sources; As and Cr were from agricultural activities; Cu and Zn were originated from natural sources; Cd and Pb were derived from atmospheric deposition. Atmospheric deposition and agricultural activities were the largest contributors to ecological risk of heavy metals in soil, which accounted for 56.21% and 36.01% respectively. Atmospheric deposition and agricultural activities are classified as priority sources of pollution. The combination of source analysis receptor model and risk assessment is an effective method to quantify source contribution. This study has quantified the ecological risks of soil heavy metals from different sources, which will provide a reliable method for the identification of primary harmfulness sources of pollution for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantification and mapping of surficial seabed sediment organic carbon have wide-scale relevance for marine ecology, geology and environmental resource management, with carbon densities and accumulation rates being a major indicator of geological history, ecological function and ecosystem service provisioning, including the potential to contribute to nature-based climate change mitigation. While global analyses can appear to provide a definitive understanding of the spatial distribution of sediment carbon, regional maps may be constructed at finer resolutions and can utilise targeted data syntheses and refined spatial data products and therefore have the potential to improve these estimates. Here, we report a national systematic review of data on organic carbon content in seabed sediments across Canada and combine this with a synthesis and unification of the best available data on sediment composition, seafloor morphology, hydrology, chemistry and geographic settings within a machine learning mapping framework. Predictive quantitative maps of mud content, dry bulk density, organic carbon content and organic carbon density were produced along with cell-specific estimates of their uncertainty at 200 m resolution across 4 489 235 km 2 of the Canadian continental margin (92.6 % of the seafloor area above 2500 m) (10.5683/SP3/ICHVVA, Epstein et al., 2024). Fine-scale variation in carbon stocks was identified across the Canadian continental margin, particularly in the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean regions. Overall, we estimate the standing stock of organic carbon in the top 30 cm of surficial seabed sediments across the Canadian shelf and slope to be 10.9 Gt (7.0–16.0 Gt). Increased empirical sediment data collection and higher precision in spatial environmental data layers could significantly reduce uncertainty and increase accuracy in these products over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ chemical injection technology is widely used in groundwater contamination remediation projects because of its high efficiency and low disturbance. Hydrodynamic dispersion is the basis for reagent transport in groundwater. Efficient diffusion and directional delivery processes of reagents in contaminated groundwater areas are key to controlling remediation efficiency. The complex subsurface environment and the limited efficacy of existing treatment technologies pose significant challenges for groundwater contamination remediation. Inhomo-geneous hydrodynamics in groundwater channels with heterogeneous media lead to significant uncertainties in the migration of reagents. Here, we conducted a systematic review to assess the nonideal transport behavior of remediation reagents under convection-dispersion, the blocking effect of heterogeneous media pores, and the kinetic process of reactive migration in saturated aquifers. The dilemma problems of low migration rate, unknown directionality, and nontargeted reactions encountered by reagents in porous groundwater media are systematically discussed from an environmental geological perspective. On this basis, we emphasize the strategies for the targeted control of reagent transport based on the regulation of the anthropogenic hydrodynamic flow field and density effects, an auxiliary strategy for regulating the target action of remediation to reduce nontarget reactions. Finally, future research needs are proposed to advance the development of engineering practices for green and sustainable in situ remediation technologies for contaminated groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dilemas Contemporáneos: Educación, Política y Valores is the property of Dilemas Contemporaneos: Educacion, Politica y Valores and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Peshawar Basin is a part of the lower Himalayas that contains an enormous amount of groundwater storage. The evaluation of groundwater potential in the southern Peshawar district was done using well logging, lithostratigraphic properties, and combined hydrogeological and geophysical techniques. A total of 13 Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) profiles were utilised to assess potential groundwater zones for surface resistivity studies. The aquifer system was delineated by comparing the data from five boreholes with the VES findings. An exploration of super-saturated groundwater potential was conducted, utilising parameters such as transmissivity (T), hydraulic conductivity (K), storativity, and the Dar Zarrouk analysis. The Dar Zarrouk analysis yielded average values of transverse resistance (TR), longitudinal conductance (S), and anisotropy (λ), which were determined to be 8069.12, 0.51, and 0.561, respectively. Similarly, average values of transmissivity (T), hydraulic conductivity (K), and storativity were obtained, resulting in 28.67, 0.24, and 0.000177, respectively. The saturated confined layer, characterized by highly saturated zones, was identified to begin at a depth of approximately 119 m and extend down to the lower boundary of the aquifer. The examined aquifer is composed of clay, sand, gravel, boulders, and loose layers of lacustrine mud that are interlayered to form an unconsolidated groundwater aquifer system. The aquifers in the region are highly developed and consisted of unconfined, semi-confined, and confined aquifer systems. As a result, it is possible to use the aquifer for groundwater development in the study area because of its low -to-medium discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As emerging persistent pollutants, microplastics cause global environmental problems that cannot be ignored. Research on microplastics pollution in soil is lagging and lacking compared in water environment. This paper reviews the research progress of source, analytical method, environmental behavior, and ecological effects of microplastics in soil environment and urgent problems of microplastics in soil environment. The source and input path of microplastics in soil were introduced in detail. The separation and analysis methods of microplastics in soil and the advantages and disadvantages were summarized. The environmental behavior of microplastics in soil was analyzed, including migration, degradation and interaction with other pollutants in soil. The ecological effects of microplastics in soil were described, including the effects on soil physi cal and chemical properties, soil microorganisms, soil animals and plants. The future research directions and emphases on microplastics in soil environment were prospected. The source control of microplastics in soil, the law and mechanism of interaction with other pollutants, and the risk assessment of combined pollution on human health are the difficulties and focuses in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aero‐terrestrial algae are ecologically and economically valuable bioresources contributing to carbon sequestration, sustenance of soil health, and fertility. Compared to aquatic algae, the literature on subaerial algae is minimal, including studies of distinctive habitats such as forest soils, agricultural fields, deserts, polar regions, specific subaerial zones, artificial structures, and tropical soils. The primary goal here was to identify the gaps and scope of research on such algae. Accordingly, the literature was analyzed per sub‐themes, such as the "nature of current research data on terrestrial algae," "methodological approaches," "diversity," "environmental relationships," "ecological roles," and "economic significance." The review showed there is a high diversity of algae in soils, especially members belonging to the Cyanophyta (Cyanobacteria) and Chlorophyta. Algal distributions in terrestrial environments depend on the microhabitat conditions, and many species of soil algae are sensitive to specific soil conditions. The ecological significance of soil algae includes primary production, the release of biochemical stimulants and plant growth promoters into soils, nitrogen fixation, solubilization of minerals, and the enhancement and maintenance of soil fertility. Since aero‐terrestrial habitats are generally stressed environments, algae of such environments can be rich in rare metabolites and natural products. For example, epilithic soil algae use wet adhesive molecules to fix them firmly on the substratum. Exploring the ecological roles and economic utility of soil and other subaerial algae could be helpful for the development of algae‐based industries and for achieving sustainable soil management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are undergoing significant changes due to their sensitivity to climate. The largest lake in Tibet, Siling Co, has expanded most dramatically during recent decades. Using Landsat, GRACE and meteorological data, the expansion of Siling Co was detailed in four stages and the process was further explained. The results show that the lake area increased from 1 647.30 km2 in 1972 to 2 438.99 km2 in 2020. It experienced a slow growth at a rate 6.03 km2/yr from 1972 to 1988, while fluctuating at 1.44 km2/yr during 1989–1997, then accelerated at 60.28 km2/yr between 1998 and 2005, and expanded slowly again at 11.40 km2/yr since 2006. The continued expansion led to its merger with nearby Yagain Co in 2003. Terrestrial water storage (TWS) increase was also observed from GRACE (0.65 cm/yr), with about 0.75 coefficient of determination between the TWS and lake area during 2002–2020. The long-term expansion of Siling Co is related to the increasing trends of temperature and precipitation, but their contributions vary with time span. Specifically, the accelerated stage between 1998 and 2005 can be explained by the increased temperature and precipitation accompanied by a drop in evaporation, while the slow expansion since 2006 was due to the decrease in precipitation and temperature and the rise in evaporation. There is no obvious mass loss of glaciers revealed by GRACE during 2002–2020, which may be related to the negative trend of the temperature. Furthermore, the precipitation may still make a major contribution in this phase, as its average is about 93.9 mm higher than that in 1988–1997. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study attempts to identify the flood footprint of river Keleghai, a tributary of river Haldi, in West Bengal, India. Keleghai basin is known for recurrent flooding that causes severe damage to the socioeconomic infrastructure. So far, no attempt has been made for the identification of flood inundation footprints and flood risk zones in Keleghai river basin through remote sensing and multi-criteria decision-making process. Initially, a flood susceptibility or vulnerability map has been prepared, and secondly, flood footprints have been identified in the said river basin. For the preparation of flood vulnerability map with the help of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the elevation, slope, rainfall, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use and land cover (LULC) and distance from river and topographical wetness index (TWI) of the concerned river basin have been used. To prepare the flood footprints synthetic aperture radar (SAR), data have been processed on Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The result shows that more than 50% of the basin area belongs to high risk zone, and the other 40% comes under the moderate risk category. The central, northern and eastern parts of the basin present the highest susceptibility to flood hazard. This area is characterised by moderate-to-low elevation, gentle slope, moderate rainfall and less vegetative cover. This outcome can effectively be utilised in hazard management purpose for Keleghai as well as other river basins. This study will help in identifying the most vulnerable zones of the basin in terms of flood hazard assessment. On the other hand, correlating the empirical model with the real world data will provide excellent opportunity to testify the applicability of the model in decision-making purpose that could lead to a way of resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the phenomenon of turtle races in the United States and its potential threat to North American turtle populations. Turtle races involve the racing of locally collected box turtles, with the practice originating in 1924. The article highlights the widespread nature of turtle races, the impact on turtle populations, and the need for reform or elimination of the practice to ensure the conservation of turtle species. Additionally, the article presents a case study of gastroesophageal intussusception in the Japanese Giant Salamander, a threatened species in Japan, providing insights into the physiological responses of amphibians to ingesting unsafe substances. [Extracted from the article]

The Zagros Fold‐Thrust Belt is a tectonically active region within the Alpine‐Himalayan orogenic system resulting from ongoing convergence between Afro‐Arabian and Central Iranian plates. The presence of various geomorphic features in this region provides an ideal natural case for identifying deformed landforms resulting from active tectonics. The relative tectonic activity along the Lar and Didehban faults within the Zagros Fold‐Thrust Belt, SW Iran was evaluated using six DEM‐derived geomorphic indices: the stream‐gradient index (SL), drainage basin asymmetry (AF), hypsometric integral (HI), valley floor width‐valley height ratio (Vf), drainage basin shape (Bs), and mountain‐front sinuosity (Smf). These indices were combined to yield the relative active tectonics index (Iat) that allows the variation of tectonic activity along the Lar and Didehban faults to be related to variations in rates of incision, tectonic tilting and uplift. This variable tectonic activity was characterized by different Iat values along the faults. The low to high relative tectonic activity (class 1: 1 < Iat < 1.5, class 2: 1.5 < Iat < 2, class 3: 2 < Iat < 2.5, class 4: 2.5 < Iat) correlates with variable geomorphic features along the faults. The results of this study present an approach for assessing the effects of active tectonics and also for sustainable land use planning over a large area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this inquiry is to illuminate the attributes of heavy metal contamination and evaluate the potential ecological hazards inherent in the surface soil of Chenzhou City. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 600 systematically collected soil samples within the study area, utilizing enrichment factors, geo-accumulation indices, comprehensive pollution indices, potential ecological hazard indices, and health risk assessment models to evaluate the degree of heavy metal contamination in the soil, potential ecological risks, and associated health hazards. The findings reveal that the average enrichment factor (EF) for each heavy metal is below 2, with the hierarchy from highest to lowest being Hg > Cd > Cu > Pb > Ni > Zn > Cr > As. Approximately 78.67% of soil samples exhibit no pollution to weak pollution levels based on heavy metal enrichment factors. Moreover, the comprehensive pollution index (IPIN) indicates that 95.17% of soil samples are within safe and pollution-free levels, indicating an overall environmentally secure setting. However, 2.67% of samples display heightened potential ecological risk levels, primarily concentrated in the southwestern region of the study area, influenced by nearby industrial activities. Additionally, it is noteworthy that both the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health hazards emanating from soil heavy metals to adult individuals lie within tolerable thresholds. Among these, arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) have been discerned as the principal non-carcinogenic agents. It is of particular significance that only a solitary soil specimen, located in the southwestern quadrant of the investigative region, manifests detectable health perils for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considered Shilin World Geopark as the research object and constructed a landscape ecological risk assessment model based on the landscape pattern index by using remote sensing image data during five periods between 2000 and 2020. In addition, it analyzed the spatial and temporal changes of landscape ecological risk in the region. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was utilized to study spatial differences in the landscape ecological risk in the park. The results showed that during the study period, (1) cultivated land, forest land, and rocky desertification land were the main landscape types, different landscape types differed, and the area of rocky desertification land and building land increased by 37.47 km2 and 14.29 km2, respectively, while the area of cultivated land and grassland decreased significantly, with changes of 34.11 km2 and 18.67 km2; (2) landscape ecological risk of the park showed significant spatial differences, the 'highhigh' risk areas have been concentrated mainly in the central and northern parts of the park, the 'low-low' risk areas have been concentrated in the central part and the southwest-southeast area of the park; and (3) landscape ecological risk of the geopark has been increasing, with the degree of landscape ecological risk being spatially positively correlated. The results of the study are of great significance for maintaining ecosystem health of the Shilin World Geopark and optimizing the ecological risk management of the park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional evaluation methods for the state of agricultural environmental geological system mainly use the support vector regression (SVR) model to process the evaluation samples, which is vulnerable to the influence of the sensitive loss function, resulting in the high difference of the evaluation entropy. Therefore, a new evaluation method for the state of agricultural environmental geological system needs to be designed based on the optimized particle swarm optimization algorithm. That is to say, combining with the evolution process of regional agricultural environmental geology, the accurate state evaluation target is selected, the state evaluation system of agricultural environmental geology system is constructed, and the state evaluation model of agricultural environmental geology system is designed combined with the optimized particle swarm optimization algorithm, so as to complete the state evaluation of geological system. The results demonstrated the suggested methodology assesses the state of an agricultural environmental geological system. Key factors included soil texture (0.254), soil nutrient (0.118), and soil pH (0.256). It showed that the designed evaluation method of agricultural environmental geological system state based on optimized particle swarm optimization algorithm has good evaluation effect, reliability and certain application value, and has made certain contributions to the formulation of reasonable agricultural ecological protection scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment, as well as human production and survival, is intrinsically dependent on soil. This study comprehensively assessed the pollution status, health risks, and sources of trace metals in the middle reaches of the River Gui Basin (MRGB) utilizing the geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk index (PERI), and human health risk evaluation method. The findings of this study provide the following key insights: (1) only Cu and Pb levels in the MRGB soils did not exceed the background values established for soils in Weifang City (WFC). (2) The geoaccumulation status in most areas of the MRGB ranged from non-polluted to mildly polluted, with the overall ecological risk classification ranging from mild to moderate. (3) The cumulative non-carcinogenic risk for humans in the MRGB remained within acceptable limits, whereas the carcinogenic risk indices fell within tolerable levels. Oral ingestion emerged as the primary exposure pathway for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. (4) Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cr concentrations in MRGB soils primarily stemmed from natural sources associated with parent rocks, with Zn exhibiting additional influence from anthropogenic factors. In contrast, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As concentrations were predominantly driven by anthropogenic sources. Although the soils in the MRGB typically exhibited mild-to-moderate contamination levels, the contamination levels of Hg and Cd were notably more severe. As and Cr were significant health hazards. Most soil contamination sources are attributed to anthropogenic factors, warranting heightened attention from the relevant authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are two conflicting conclusions on the research of water leakage hazards in Dianchi lake. One is that the hidden danger points of water leakage in Dianchi lake have rapidly changed and is at a critical point, so there is a high risk of water leakage disasters. The other is that the view of hidden dangers of water leakage is not true, and hence there is no risk of water leakage disasters in Dianchi lake. Although people of both sides have done a large amount of analytic demonstration and published their research results. However, there are still more or less conceptual, systematic and normative errors or deficiencies. These deficiencies are mainly reflected as follows: unclear geological concepts and terms, insufficient hydrogeological investigation, weak research on the history of lake basin formation and evolution, and lack of verification by hydrogeological exploration, which may lead to insufficient basis for both sides to make a precise deduction. First, the terminological phrase "structural leakage" needs a clear expression. If a strong earthquake occurs in the Kunming area, it is likely to cause faults, leading to karst collapse of the funnel at the bottom of Dianchi lake, and then leading to the probable fault and connection of underground karst caves. This process will contribute to the catastrophic water leakage in Dianchi lake. Therefore, the risk of water leakage disasters may be originated from karst collapses at the lake bottom. However, the idea that the occurrence of a huge water leakage through the fault structure and the conversion of runoff between karst pipelines and faults may contradict the basic knowledge and reality of hydrogeology. It is not objective, reasonable and accurate to use the phrase "structural leakage" to express the hidden danger and its mechanism of water leakage in Dianchi lake. In addition, "funnel" is a karst term of karstology, referring to a funnel-shaped or saucer-shaped closed depression usually with a diameter of less than 100 m. At the bottom of a funnel, there are usually sinkholes leading to the underground, which can play a role of water drainage. However, the previous studies refer to the shallow and gentle low-lying landform formed on the loose cover layer of Dianchi lake as "funnel", which is obviously misused. This kind of landform is inconsistent with a funnel regardless of its formation background, genesis and components. If "funnel" is misused in this case, it is likely to cause cognitive errors and barriers in academic communication. Second, the geology, hydrogeology, engineering geology and environmental geology of the karst plateau in eastern Yunnan have been fully investigated and explored. The surveys of 1:200,000 and 1:50,000 have covered the whole area, and many detailed surveys and exploration with high precision have been carried out in the Dianchi basin. However, previous studies are far from enough for us to collect the detailed and reliable results of these surveys, so the inference of many phenomena and problems deviates from the reality. For example, with continuous surface divide and groundwater basin boundary, the eastern and southern parts of the Dianchi basin are blocked by thick surface divides, multi-layer Cenozoic viscous soil layers, and weak permeable layers of basalt, clastic rock and metamorphic rock. Moreover, the Jinsha river has been the most strongly invaded in this region since Pleistocene. Therefore, there are no hydrogeological conditions for the development of huge underground river channels across basins in these two parts. Third, the analysis of geological history is indispensable to understand the process and law of geological evolution. For example, through the analysis of the development and evolution of the Dianchi lake basin since Miocene, it can be found that the development of karst underground river system related to the depression at lake bottom may initially take the Hanjiacun depression as the discharge basis, and finally change to the Tanglang river as the discharge basis through the Haikou river. However, in the study of the hidden water leakage in Dianchi lake, the research in this aspect is very weak, leading to insufficiency of the basis for analysis and inference of the formation and evolution of depression at lake bottom, its genetic mechanism, and the water leakage path of Dianchi lake. Fourth, due to the complexity of geological phenomena and the multiplicity of geophysical exploration results, the conclusions drawn by geophysical exploration and geological inference are not final because they have not been verified by drilling tests. Although the thickness of Cenozoic overburden layer at the lake bottom is the key to the prediction and evaluation of water leakage hazards in Dianchi lake, it is speculated only based on the results of regional gravity measurement. The structure of overlying soil layer, physical and mechanical properties, and developmental characteristics of basement karst in the depression lack the drilling and experimental testing. The absence of drilling and testing data makes it impossible to calculate and analyze the characteristics and mechanisms of sediment consolidation of settlement at the lake bottom. If there are karst funnels and sinkholes in the basement of depression and their shapes, scales, and characteristics and locations of the blocking material are unknown, it is impossible to accurately analyze the instability mechanism of the blocking body, and thus it is also impossible to calculate and evaluate its stability and the so-called critical point of collapse. Therefore, the conclusion that "the hidden danger points of water leakage in Dianchi Lake have rapidly changed and is at a critical point of leakage disasters" is speculative. Currently, all deductions made need to be verified through drilling tests before they can be finalized. For these problems, this study makes an in-depth analysis one by one. According to the current research and data of regional physical geography, geology, hydrogeology, engineering geology and environmental geology, and combined with practical work experience, this study puts forward specific suggestions for the improvement of future research, such as standardizing basic concepts of geology, carrying out drilling tests, monitoring the depression deformation at the lake bottom, and systematically carrying out comprehensive research and field verification. It is pointed out that in order to reach the final conclusion of the hidden danger of leakage in Dianchi lake, the key is to find out the possibility of the karst collapse of depression at the lake bottom, so drilling verification must be carried out. Because the technology of underwater drilling test is difficult and the fragile environment of plateau lake cannot be disturbed excessively, the conduction of drilling test should be carefully planned and one hole can be drilled for different purposes. For sufficient representativeness and pertinence, it is appropriate to carry out drilling tests, monitor the two depressions studied, and provide specific technical suggestions for geophysical exploration, drilling test, dynamic monitoring of lake water and groundwater, and monitoring of the deformation of lake overburden layer at the lake bottom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an essay in the field of earth sciences. The lithium belt in West Sichuanis the richest area of hard rock lithium resources in China, but the ecological and geological environment in the belt is fragile, so the coordinated development of resources, environment and economy has been a difficult problem for the deep development of regional resources. This paper systematically compares the natural resources, mineral resources, geological environment characteristics and the main environmental geological problems in the lithium belt, constructs an ecological and geological environment carrying capacity evaluation index system based on three subsystems: geological environment, ecological environment and social environment, selects and obtains 19 basic evaluation index data information, and carries out a region-wide carrying capacity evaluation. The results show that: the geological environment of the west Sichuan lithium belt is relatively safe and stable, the existing mining activities in the belt do not have a significant impact on the regional ecological environment, and the impact of human production and life is limited in scope. The proportion of the country area with medium and above carrying capacity reaches 79.16%, the ecological and geological environment carrying capacity in the lithium resource concentration area is high, and the overall ecological and geological environment is in good condition.

The contamination of the ionic rare earth mine tailings has severe negative consequences on the surrounding ecology. But there still inadequate researches on the topic. Thereby, we sampled from the surface soil of paddy field in the valley downstream of an ionic rare earth in-situ leaching area and samples from the surrounding mining area as a control. We analyzed the distribution characteristics of rare earth in the surface soil of the downstream paddy field following in-situ leaching and discussed the ecological risks of leaching mining. The results showed that the rare earth content in the paddy field soil in the in situ leaching area was higher than that in the control area, which was 3.26 times the background value, and the rare earth content in the paddy field soil around the mining area was 2.10 times the background value. Except for the deficiency of La, the distribution of rare earth elements was consistent with the background value, and mining had little effect on the distribution of rare earth elements in paddy field. The geoaccumulation index method shows that the downstream paddy field soil is moderately polluted, and the potential ecological risk assessment shows that the rare earth elements in the surface soil of the paddy field in the in-situ leaching area show a strong potential ecological risk, and the specific risk is relatively strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural land have caused serious environmental problems, resulting in severe contamination of the food chain and posing potential health threats. This study aims to investigate the pollution levels and potential ecological risks of HMs in farmland soils in central China, taking into account atmospheric deposition. Several indices were used to assess the status of HMs and compare surface soil with deeper soil. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and UMAP clustering methods were utilized to identify the characteristics of HMs. Additionally, stepwise linear regression models were employed to quantify the contributions of different variables to the potential ecological risks of HMs. The results showed that the average content of Zn in surface soil (289.41 ± 87.72 mg/kg) was higher than in the deeper soil (207.62 ± 37.81 mg/kg), and similar differences were observed in the mean values of related Igeo (1.622 ± 0.453 in surface soil and 1.183 ± 0.259 in deeper soil) and PEI (0.965 ± 0.292 in surface soil and 0.692 ± 0.126 in deeper soil) indices. This indicates that surface soil is more heavily polluted. The UMAP results confirmed the high variability of HMs in the surface soil, while PCA results suggested the importance of pollution and ecological risk indices. The stepwise linear model revealed that different variable structures contribute differently to the risk. In conclusion, Cr and Zn were found to be the major contaminants in the local farmland soil, with higher concentrations in the surface soil. The geoaccumulation and total potential ecological risk were classified as low risk. High variability of HMs was observed in the surface soil. Therefore, HM-related pollution indices and ecological risk indices are important for assessing the contamination status of local HMs. The local potential ecological risk can be attributed to specific heavy metals, each of which can have different effects on the local ecological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in the Northern transect of Bangalore, Karnataka, India, aiming to map the spatial variability of soil properties using geospatial techniques. Surface soil samples (0-15 cm) were collected from two villages Kachahalli and Karanalu using GPS. Laboratory measurements were performed to determine the physico-chemical properties of the soil. The accuracy of various ordinary kriging methods was executed and compared in this research. Semivariogram analysis was employed to quantify the spatial variability of soil properties and surface maps were generated using ordinary kriging. The exponential model demonstrated a good fit with the experimental semivariograms of pH, organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), potassium (K2O), sulfur (S) and zinc (Zn). The coefficient of variation for soil properties exhibited considerable variability, with the highest variation observed in K2O (60.57). OC, N, P2O5 and K2O displayed moderate spatial variation, while pH showed the smallest variation (13.43%). In the case of P2O5, the goodness of prediction (G) had a negative value, whereas N, P2O5, K2O, pH, Zn and S displayed positive values. Cross-validation of the krigged maps demonstrated that spatial prediction of soil nutrients using semivariogram parameters outperformed assuming the mean of observed values for unsampled locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “Vajont disaster” of 9 October 1963, a paradigm of the catastrophe of human origin, is illustrated through the exceptional photos taken by Edoardo Semenza before and immediately after the event, presented in a new English exhibition. Edoardo Semenza was a geologist and one of the Italian leading landslide researchers. He put his distinctive mark on the understanding of the Alps, making original contributions to the geology, tectonics and geomorphology of the Dolomites. Semenza was the geologist who discovered that an ancient landslide mass was present on the southern side of the Vajont valley upstream from the reservoir under construction, before the first movements occurred on the slope. In the images shown in the thirteen roll-ups that make up the exhibition (Fig. 1), the intuitions, growing awareness, and sense of urgency of the man who first recognized the existence of the ancient landslide become evident. They reveal his “mente et malleo” (“with the mind and the hammer”) approach, which allowed him to develop a model of the slope and what today we call risk scenarios. His discovery was immediately taken into consideration by the designer and project managers of the dam, albeit only as a hypothesis to be verified with follow-up research and investigations. Unfortunately, his work, which lasted until 1961, did not prevent the disaster from taking place. The hundreds of photos of the landslide and of the valley taken by Semenza between 1959 and 1963, allow us to access both his intimate and personal, and professional dimensions. A part of these materials, taken from the volume and CD “The photos of the Vajont landslide” and from Edoardo Semenza’s book on the landslide, is shown in the roll-up banners, and constitutes a contribution to the discussion. Texts, images and captions are selected and adapted from these two publications. Through this exhibition and a renewed attention to Semenza’s work we hope to raise awareness on the fundamental role that the knowledge of geology holds for the respect and protection of the environment. The first version of the exhibition “La storia del Vaiont: la conoscenza della frana attraverso le foto di Edoardo Semenza” was organized by AIGA and the National Council of Geologists (CNG) on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the landslide (Genevois & Prestininzi, 2013). It was hosted by over 30 university campuses, several high schools, research centers, and museums. Launched in Naples during the National Conference of Young Researchers in Engineering Geology in February 2013, it continued its journey throughout Italy. By the end of 2014, it had been visited by several thousand students. Surrounding it, the departments or museums that hosted it organized significant events of a educational/scientific nature. It contributed to the spread of geological culture in general. It also received extensive coverage in national and local media and newspapers. In 2023, a renewed graphical version of the exhibition, in English, was realized by the Italian Association of Engineering and Environmental Geology (AIGA - Associazione Italiana di Geologia Applicata e Ambientale) and presented to the public on the occasion of the 6th World Landslide Forum in Florence for the sixtieth anniversary of the Vajont disaster. The landslide is still today the subject of debate and scientific reflection, due to the extraordinary amount of data available, as well as to the corpus of memories, stories, and testimonies that affected communities preserve and continue to build. Semenza repeatedly stressed the need to collect field data to understand slope failure conditions as a basis of correct landslide modelling. He strongly believed both in the role of geology and geomorphology as fundamental support to any engineering project and in the importance of a good communication between the various specialists working on large projects. In these aspects, just like in his research work, he was a pioneer and a leader for the whole geological community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the problem of implementation of the regulatory provision established by the Water and Land Codes of Ukraine regarding coastal protection strips. This problem has several aspects: practical, legal, scientific and hydrological. The problem is analysed by comparing the actual free protective strips with potential coastal protective strips, the position of which was determined taking into account the location of the indigenous shores. The research objects are the Stavchanska and Kitsmanska rivers. The analysis was carried out using GIS technologies and technologies for analysing remote sensing data. It was found that in the Sovytsia Kitsmanska basin, only 39.5 % of the ponds met the legal requirements for a coastal protection zone, while in the Sovytsia Stavchanska basin, this compliance was 44.5 %. Between 2018 and 2024, the condition of the area around the ponds changed significantly. In the Sowytsia Kitsmanska river basin, only 24 % of the ponds were found to meet the requirements of the riparian protection zone legislation, while in the Sowytsia Stawczanska river basin, the figure was 39.5 %. This indicates a progressive decrease in the compliance of the riparian protection zone of ponds in both basins. The analysis of spectral images of the ponds using Sentinel-2 confirmed the problems with the ecological condition. In particular, the images showed siltation and eutrophication of the ponds, which can have a serious impact on the water resources and biodiversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is devoted to the application of remote sensing in the context of the natural and technical geosystem of the Dniester PSPP. The main emphasis is placed on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and thermographic data to determine the factors that may cause abnormal thermal load on hydraulic structures. The study is aimed at identifying and analysing temperature gradients that may influence the occurrence of thermal anomalies. The study is aimed at identifying potential causes, mechanisms and factors affecting water manifestations. The subject of the analysis is also the relationship between the temperature gradient on the surface of structures and the presence of water leakage, as well as the impact of temperature on geological, hydrological and engineering systems of the structure. The analysis process is based on the interpretation of thermographic data reflecting the local heating of the surface of the hydraulic structure and the geotechnical characteristics of the soils, taking into account the design features of the hydraulic structure The research provides valuable insights that can be used to optimise the design and construction of earthen dams. Analysis of thermal processes is an important step in understanding and predicting their impact on the geological structure and hydrogeological properties of the environment. Man-made soils placed in the protective layers of a dam are subject to significant uneven heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, 30 soil samples were collected from the agricultural area of Huainan of Anhui Province, China. The concentrations of six toxic trace elements were determined, the distribution characteristics and chemical speciation were analyzed, the pollution status and potential ecological risk of trace elements were comprehensively evaluated by single factor index, geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), the potential ecological risk index and RAC code method. Results showed that the average concentrations of Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd in soil were 20.19±8.20, 18.17±4.67, 37.61±10.85, 10.76±3.73, 40.61±15.06, 0.14±0.05 mg/kg, respectively. With increasing soil depth, the concentration of Cr increases while Cd and Pb decrease. It is speculated that Cd and Pb were affected by anthropogenic activities. All the trace elements mainly associate with the residual fraction indicating lower mobility and Cd exists in a relative higher carbonate bound form suggesting it pose a great mobility and bioavailability. The single factor index and the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) indicate that pollution caused by Cd to a certain degree of pollution, while pollution caused by other elements belong to the level of uncontaminated. The results of the potential ecological risk index and RAC also shows that Cd has an extremely strong potential ecological risk. Attention should be paid to the pollution caused by Cd. This study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of soil pollution and for agricultural products safety in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the long-term results of the study concerning the problem of substantiation of biological methods for restoring the protective functions of forest areas contaminated with toxic solid waste from the mining industry for the creation of forest plantations. The object of research was a technogenic system, including waste, technology, recultivated and non-recultivated forest areas within the boundaries of the Amur-Primorsky coniferous-broadleaf forest region of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. A comprehensive geoecological assessment of the impact of waste within the boundaries of non-recultivated sites on the environment and human health using various methods, namely, using mathematical apparatus and GIS technologies, made it possible to assess the ecological state of the studied area as critical and catastrophic. Biological methods have been developed to restore the protective functions of technogenically polluted forest areas with the use of microorganisms and humic preparations for the rehabilitation of areas disturbed by tin mining. The novelty of the proposed methods is confirmed by Patents of the Russian Federation. For 30 years, the technogenic landscape has been developing soils according to soil-ecological functions as close as possible to the background soils. In the same direction, the formation of not only embryozems, but also the formation of a complex plant community and the restoration of the protective functions of forest areas were found, which indicates the possibility of using recultivated areas to create forest plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of velocity–resistivity relationships has been utilized in various geologic terrains and under different conditions. The approach is yet to be exploited in tropical granitic terrains, with no definitive empirical relationships being developed. The empirical relationships are critical for rapidly delineating subsurface petrophysical, geomechanical, hydrogeological, and soil–rock features. As a result, a novel approach has been used in this study to develop velocity–resistivity relationships for tropical granitic environments, combining complex collocated velocity (Vp) and resistivity (ρ) models with simple linear regression analysis. The granitic terrain of Penang Island, Malaysia, was chosen as the study area. The geotomographic results delineated three layers, which include the residual soils (topsoil and completely weathered granite), highly to relatively weathered granitic unit (including fractures), and integral/fresh granitic bedrock. Due to the complexity, ruggedness, and varying weathering and fracturing conditions of the subsurface lithologic units in tropical regions, the supervised regression modeling successfully developed a unified and other three specific velocity–resistivity empirical relations for the lithologic units. The derived velocity–resistivity empirical relations have high practical prediction accuracies to predict Vp data. The predicted Vp data and models from the velocity–resistivity relations had good lithological and structural correlations with their observed models. The overall performance of the results indicated that the velocity–resistivity empirical relations could delineate the subsurface geologic variabilities distinctively because they are resistivity-dependent. Hence, the developed comprehensive methodological and SLR workflows and the velocity–resistivity empirical relations were posited for use in granitic terrains with similar geology to the study area, especially in areas with shallow overburden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the main results of the joint academic atlas mapping of the transboundary Baikal region obtained by the Sochava Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), and the Institute of Geography and Geoecology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences with the participation of other academic institutions and universities. A structural–semiotic analysis of the created atlases is carried out, and it is shown that the number of information–semiotic modules in each atlas can vary and depends on its subject matter, territorial coverage, and purpose. The analysis of the internal semiotic structure of atlases is carried out through the prism of a unified system of syntactic classification of conventional signs and methods of graphic display on the example of a number of atlases. The system of structural–semiotic organization of atlases is proposed to be methodically and practically supported with the help of geoportal methods and technologies for their use in creating new digital atlas projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]