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Based on the species‐rich avifaunas from Early Neolithic sites across Upper Mesopotamia (southeast Türkiye, northern Syria, northern Iraq), we compared seven species' Early Holocene distribution patterns with that of their modern species ranges. The avifaunal remains from four sites were analysed by the authors and bird identifications from 10 additional sites were extracted from published reports. In the case of the Common Crane Grus grus, Grey Partridge Perdix perdix and Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus, shifts in distributions relate to significant changes in climate marking the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. In contrast, the massive decline of the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus represents a more recent phenomenon related to anthropogenic impact on their habitats and food sources. For the Black‐bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis and the Pin‐tailed Sandgrouse P. alchata, changes in distributional range from the Early Holocene to the present could not be detected. Finally, a single bone of Macqueen's Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii at Göbekli Tepe is unexpected and conceivably we are dealing with the remains of a rare vagrant, more likely to be found in dry steppe and desert habitats, which were located south of the study area at that time. This study highlights the value of archaeozoological finds in helping to understand how species distributional ranges have changed over time. Similarly, our work suggests that authors studying archaeozoological data should not assume that present‐day distributional ranges of taxa of interest represent the ranges of these species in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southwest China is an important carbon sink area in China. It is critical to track and assess how human activity (HA) and climate change (CC) affect plant alterations in order to create effective and sustainable vegetation restoration techniques. This study used MODIS NDVI data, vegetation type data, and meteorological data to examine the regional and temporal variations in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in Southwest China from 2000 to 2020. Using trend analysis, the study looks at the temporal and geographical variability in the NDVI. Partial correlation analysis was also used to assess the effects of precipitation, extreme climate indicators, and mean temperature on the dynamics of the vegetation. A new residual analysis technique was created to categorize the effects of CC and HA on NDVI changes while taking extreme climate into consideration. The findings showed that the NDVI in Southwest China grew at a rate of 0.02 per decade between 2000 and 2020. According to the annual NDVI, there was a regional rise in around 85.59% of the vegetative areas, with notable increases in 36.34% of these regions. Temperature had a major influence on the northern half of the research region, but precipitation and extreme climate had a notable effect on the southern half. The rates at which climatic variables and human activity contributed to changes in the NDVI were 0.0008/10a and 0.0034/10a, respectively. These rates accounted for 19.1% and 80.9% of the variances, respectively. The findings demonstrate that most areas displayed greater HA-induced NDVI increases, with the exception of the western Sichuan Plateau. This result suggests that when formulating vegetation restoration and conservation strategies, special attention should be paid to the impact of human activities on vegetation to ensure the sustainable development of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover cropping is practiced in conservation agriculture to preserve soil and water resources, alleviate soil compaction, sequester organic carbon, and control weeds. Meanwhile, cover cropping is rarely used in forestry, probably due to the lack of awareness of this management practice. In this short essay, we discuss the concept of utilizing cover crops to prepare degraded lands for afforestation or reforestation projects. The benefits of this practice are similar to those in agriculture. The risks of this practice are mostly related to plant-plant interactions, and particularly, to the potential competition for resources with the target trees. As such, this practice should be implemented cautiously, to prevent adverse impacts on the forest system. Also, attention should be paid to ensure the delivery of ecosystem services and functions by the target land. Further, the co-use of complementary practices may be considered to accelerate the success rate of cover cropping in degraded lands designated for afforestation and reforestation. Among these practices, application of soil additives, such as composts, manures, and biochars, may be useful in increasing soil concentrations of organic carbon and nutrients, thus improving soil quality and fertility. Additional complementary active practices may be the direct seeding or planting of nurse shrubs and trees, as well as the inoculation of soil surface with biocrust slurries, aimed to increase ecosystem complexity by forming a multi-story vegetation structure. Recommendations and guidelines for implementing cover crops in forestry should be site-specific and case-dependent, and consider both the desired benefits and potential risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of landscape patterns in the context of carbon neutrality can significantly influence regional carbon emissions. Also at stake is the effectiveness of global ecological protection. The researchers used Cite Space visualization software to analyze 7758 documents related to the Web of Science Core Collection database. The period was 2001 to 2024. The results of the study show that: (1) research in this field can be divided into three periods: germination(2001–2007), fluctuation(2008–2019), and rapid development(2019–2024). The core authors are Li Wei, Wang Kai, and Liu Yang. (2) Through in-depth analyses of research in this field, we have found that the study of landscape patterns in the context of carbon neutrality is interdisciplinary. For example, it is closely related to the disciplines of environmental science, energy and fuels, green and sustainable science and technology, and environmental studies. (3) Changes in keywords of landscape pattern research in the context of carbon neutrality in the same period. The main research directions include Carbon dioxide, Optimization, Management, etc. The frontier areas include carbon neutrality, CO2 emissions, carbon emission, etc. The future research directions include environmental quality, environmental regulations, urban agglomeration, etc.

The climatic change is a reality that today affects the individual and social life of the human being and „enters” the political scene: the political power must take into account this „new actor” and identify policies answering the specific climatic issues and their effects on the economic and social fields. The ecological ideology searches its place within the frame of consecrated ideologies. The institution of the State must adapt and redefine itselfaccording to the climatic challenges, in a manner allowing new theoretical and practical solutions, but also saving a continuity with the „traditional” state institution profile. This article explores some axes of the climatic issue as a political stake with the support of the theoretical concept of “ecostate”, as explained in the specific academic literature.

This research aims to assess the climatic temporal suitability over the year and identify the appropriate season for open-air tourism in ten Romanian cities. It was evaluated using the Enhanced Tourism Climatic Index on a temporal scale of one day and then aggregated to 10 days over 61 years (1961–2021). Daily mean and maximum temperature, mean and minimum relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, and sunshine hours were employed in the investigation. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope were used for trend detection in the frequency, season duration, and first/last suitable day during the year for outdoor tourism. Acceptable or better weather conditions usually begin in the last part of April and end in mid-October, with Good or better conditions lasting between 260 and 310 days/year. The trend shows a shift of Good conditions earlier in the year (0.3–9.0 days/decade), resulting in a longer season duration (0.8–13.0 days/decade) for open-air activities. The trend is statistically significant mainly for the extra-Carpathian regions. Big differences in open-air events number during the climatically suitable season have been identified among the cities considered (2–19 events/year). This study is useful for better planning open-air events and activities for tourism and recreation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to winemaking techniques, wine's quality and typicity are linked to the place where the grapes are grown. Climate, soil and the cultivar are major drivers of the terroir's expression. Moreover, climate change is affecting the distribution of grapevine varieties in different wine-growing regions because changes in climatic conditions over the past years is affecting grape production. This study investigated the influence of some terroir parameters on the volatile composition of Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Eight wines from vineyards sited in Argentina, Spain and Portugal with altitudes between 2400 and 77 m above sea level (a.s.l.) with different soils and climatic conditions were selected. The results suggested that the vineyard's place significantly modified the volatile composition of Cabernet Sauvignon wines because all chemical groups of volatiles quantified were affected. Volatile acids, C6 compounds, aldehydes, esters and terpenes showed the highest concentrations at 2400 m a.s.l., where the highest thermal amplitude was observed. In Portugal, where the vineyard studies were sited at lower altitudes (77 m a.s.l.) and under warm climatic conditions, high concentrations of alcohols and lactones were observed. Alcohols also showed high concentrations in wines from vineyards sited at 413 and 155 m a.s.l. (Spain). Principal component analysis showed the positive correlation of Cabernet Sauvignon wines located at higher altitudes with terpenes. On the contrary, wines from grapes grown at lower altitude conditions exhibited a correlation with alcohols and lactones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding population genetic structure and its possible causal factors is critical for utilizing genetic resources and genetic breeding of economically important plants. Although Torreya grandis is an important conifer producing nuts in China, little is known about its population structure, let alone the causal factors that shaped its genetic variation pattern and population structure. In this work, we intended to characterize the genetic variation pattern and population structure of the nut-yielding conifer T. grandis throughout its whole geographical distribution and further explore the potentially causal factors for the population structure using multiple approaches. A moderate level of genetic diversity and a novel population structure were revealed in T. grandis based on eleven robust EST-SSR loci and three chloroplast fragments. Alien genetic composition derived from the closely related species T. nucifera endemic to Japan was detected in the Kuaiji Mountain area, where the seed quality of T. grandis is considered the best in China. Demography history and niche modeling were inferred and performed, and the contribution of geographic isolation to its population structure was compared with that of environmental isolation. Significant demographic changes occurred, including a dramatic population contraction during the Quaternary, and population divergence was significantly correlated with geographic distance. These results suggested that early breeding activities and demographic changes significantly contributed to the population structure of T. grandis. In turn, the population structure was potentially associated with the excellent variants and adaptation of cultivars of T. grandis. The findings provide important information for utilizing genetic resources and genetic breeding of T. grandis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic carbon in grassland mainly exists in the soil, and root production and turnover play important roles in carbon input into the soil. However, the effects of climate change on plant root dynamics in desert steppe are unknown. We conducted an experiment in a desert steppe, which included ambient temperature (T0); temperature increased by 2 °C (T1); temperature increased by 4 °C (T2); natural precipitation (P0); precipitation increased by 25% (P1); precipitation increased by 50% (P2); and the interaction between warming and increased precipitation. Plant community aboveground characteristics; root production; and root turnover were measured. We found that the root length production of the T0P2; T1P1; T2P0; and T2P1 treatments were significantly higher than that of the T0P0 treatment, with an increment of 98.70%, 11.72%, 163.03%, and 85.14%, respectively. Three treatments with temperature increased by 2 °C (T1P0; T1P1; and T1P2) and significantly increased root turnover rate compared to the T0P0 treatment, with increases of 62.53%, 42.57%, and 35.55%, respectively. The interaction between warming and increased precipitation significantly affected the root production of the community (p < 0.01), but this interaction was non-additive. Future climate warming will benefit the accumulation of root-derived carbon in desert steppe communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion of common ragweed in Slovakia was analysed based on 1635 collected records. More than 70 years have passed since the first record was sampled in 1949. Since then, it has spread in two waves, first in the lowlands, next to farmland and human settlements, and later in the mountains, on the roadsides. In the present, it is probably expanded in half of the territory of Slovakia. It is changing habitat preferences and adapting to new environments. Using eleven environmental and geographical variables, the species distribution modelling was performed to obtain probability of occurrence in high resolution (30 s) in Slovakia. Four predictions were calculated based on two models. The first prediction was based on the first model trained on ragweed records before the start of the second expansion wave in 2000. The second prediction is based on the first model and predicts the present distribution according to current climatic conditions, which have changed in twenty years. The third prediction was based on the second model, trained on all 1635 collected records from 1949 to 2022. The fourth prediction based on the second model shows the potential distribution in 2040–2061. Comparing the predictions, the climatic changes explain current expansion of common ragweed in mountains since the air temperature is the main factor shaping distribution of common ragweed in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) loss is a significant source of water quality pollution in alluvial watersheds. However, the mechanisms linking N loss and elevated CO2 concentration (eCO2) are not well recognized. In this study, we comprehensively calibrated the SWAT model equipped with a dynamic CO2 input and response module to investigate the response mechanisms between multiform N losses and eCO2 in a representative large‐scale watershed. Results revealed nitrate loss under eCO2 exceeding 100% in some upstream zones under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario (P < 0.05) compared to the constant CO2 concentration. This was directly related to the great increase in hydrological variables, which were the carriers of N losses, and the intensive inputs of N fertilizer. Results also found that nitrate leaching was greater than the other two processes for future periods, peaking at 309.3%, as compared to the baseline period. The findings suggested reducing fertilizer inputs by 10%–20% was promising, especially for reducing nitrate loss through runoff and leaching by up to 17.7% and 12.2%. This study explored the mechanisms of increased N loss in response to eCO2 and provided scientific evidence for early warning and making decisions to improve water quality at a large watershed scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the biocontrol potential of Meyerozyma guilliermondii (CECT13190), an endophytic yeast, and its role in mitigating the adverse effects of abiotic and biotic stress in cucumber plants. The relevance of this study lies in addressing the threat of Fusarium wilt, a major fungal disease that impacts cucumber crop productivity, as well as the exacerbation of food scarcity caused by climate change-induced abiotic stress factors such as high temperatures and drought. The study was conducted in a greenhouse environment where Cucumis sativus seedlings were exposed to biotic (F. oxysporum inoculation) and abiotic stress conditions (heat and water deficit). The impact of M. guilliermondii on treated plants' physiology, growth, development, and flowering was assessed. The study confirmed the biocontrol activity of M. guilliermondii against F. oxysporum and highlighted its positive effects as a plant growth promoter. It enhanced overall plant health, activated natural defense mechanisms against F. oxysporum, and alleviated the detrimental impacts of abiotic stress. Notably, M. guilliermondii also induced early flowering in cucumber plants. This research underscores the potential of M. guilliermondii as a biocontrol agent for managing Fusarium wilt, enhancing stress tolerance, promoting early flowering, and offering promising prospects for sustainable crop production amidst fungal diseases and climate change-induced stressors. The findings emphasize the importance of utilizing M. guilliermondii to improve cucumber crop productivity and address food scarcity challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard ticks (Ixodidae) play a critical role in transmitting various tick-borne diseases (TBDs), posing significant global threats to human and animal health. Climatic factors influence the abundance, diversity, and vectorial capacity of tick vectors. It is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of hard ticks, pathogens, eco-epidemiology, and the impact of climatic changes on the transmission dynamics of TBDs. The distribution and life cycle patterns of hard ticks are influenced by diverse ecological factors that, in turn, can be impacted by changes in climate, leading to the expansion of the tick vector's range and geographical distribution. Vector competence, a pivotal aspect of vectorial capacity, involves the tick's ability to acquire, maintain, and transmit pathogens. Hard ticks, by efficiently feeding on diverse hosts and manipulating their immunity through their saliva, emerge as competent vectors for various pathogens, such as viruses, parasites and bacteria. This ability significantly influences the success of pathogen transmission. Further exploration of genetic diversity, population structure, and hybrid tick vectors is crucial, as they play a substantial role in influencing vector competence and complicating the dynamics of TBDs. This comprehensive review deals with important TBDs in India and delves into a profound understanding of hard ticks as vectors, their biology, and the factors influencing their vector competence. Given that TBDs continue to pose a substantial threat to global health, the review emphasizes the urgency of investigating tick control strategies and advancing vaccine development. Special attention is given to the pivotal role of population genetics in comprehending the genetic diversity of tick populations and providing essential insights into their adaptability to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare and endangered species have narrow geographical distributions and are vulnerable to environmental changes. Studying the impact of future climate change on their distributions and identifying areas of high conservation priority are key to halting biodiversity loss. In this study, we combined a species distribution model with systematic conservation planning to simulate the suitable distributions of rare and endangered vascular plants and vertebrates in Inner Mongolia in the current and future (the 2050s), analyzed the vulnerability of species, and identified areas with high conservation priority. Currently, species richness (SR) of vascular plant was high in the Greater Khingan Mountains, and SR of vertebrates was high on the Hulunbuir Plateau, which are two species-rich areas. By 2050, 41.8% to 54.6% of vascular plants will have a reduced suitable distribution area, versus 46.8% to 51.1% for vertebrates. Vascular plant SR increased significantly in the Mu Us Desert, which became a new species-rich area. Vertebrate SR increased in western Inner Mongolia, but species-rich areas changed little. Species-rich areas are also potentially affected by future land use change, particularly in grassland, forest, and cropland areas with high SR. The current priority biodiversity conservation area covers 12.27 × 104 km2, of which 80.6% is located outside existing protected areas. By 2050, this percentage may increase to 83.4%. Our study revealed the potential pressure of existing protected areas in protecting biodiversity under future climate change, which helps decision-makers develop the most appropriate development strategies in advance to promote China's sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Carbon uptake by vegetation plays a vital role in the global carbon cycle. Annual gross primary productivity (AGPP) represents the total amount of carbon compounds produced by vegetation photosynthesis over a year and is a crucial metric for quantifying vegetation carbon uptake. Although some theories have been developed to explain the spatiotemporal variation in AGPP, they often overlook the seasonal differences in photosynthesis across vegetation phenological periods. This gap highlights the need for a more reasonable representation of vegetation phenology in AGPP modelling. Therefore, we developed a novel theoretical AGPP model that decomposes AGPP into detailed vegetation phenological periods (green-up, maturation, and senescence) and investigated the effects of climatic factors on the seasonal components of AGPP. Compared with existing models, our model considers the length of the multiple vegetation phenological periods, rather than just the length of the carbon uptake period. When evaluated against flux tower data, our model outperformed the comparative model, with a higher determination coefficient and lower root mean square error. The analysis also demonstrated that the developed model can reproduce spatial and temporal variations in satellite-based global AGPP. In addition, we identified distinct differences in the responses of AGPP's seasonal components to climatic factors: shortwave radiation predominantly affected the seasonal component of AGPP during senescence, air temperature during green-up, and vapor pressure deficit during maturation. Our study proposes a potential mechanism for AGPP estimation and highlights the importance of accurately representing vegetation phenology in AGPP modelling.

Abstract The study aimed to assess the effects of water salinity on the sperm parameters, levels of cortisol, LH, FSH, testosterone and antioxidants as well as the testes’ histopathology in Barki rams. Fifteen healthy Barki rams (1–1.5 years) were divided into three equal depending on the type of drinking water for nine months. The rams in the tap water group (TW, water that contained 350 ppm of total dissolved salts (TDS). Males in the high saline water group (HSW) were permitted to consume high saline water with 8,934 ppm TDS, whereas those in the second group were permitted to have moderately saline water (MSW, 4,557 ppm TDS). High salt concentration in drinking water had adverse effect on sperm viability, morphology and sperm cell concertation. Nitric oxide and malondialdehyde concentrations in blood were significantly higher in the MSW and HSW groups than in TW. There was a significant decrease in glutathione concentration as well as superoxide dismutase activity in TDS and HSW. Cortisol was most highly concentrated in the HSW, next in the MSW, and least in TW. The testosterone, LH, and FSH concentrations in the HSW and MSW groups were significantly lower than in TW. As the salt concentration in drinking water increases, damage to testicular tissue. The MSW group demonstrating vacuolation of lining epithelial cells with pyknotic nuclei in the epididymis and necrosis and desquamation of spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules while HSW group displaying desquamated necrotic cells and giant cell formation in the epididymis, as well as damage to some of the seminiferous tubules and showed congestion, vacuolation of spermatogenic epithelium of seminiferous tubules, and desquamated necrotic spermatogenic epithelium. In conclusion, the salinity of the water has detrimental impacts on the sperm morphology, viability and concentration, hormones and antioxidant levels in Barki rams.

Crop yield variations in the Orinoquía region, Colombia, are primarily associated with extreme precipitation events. Therefore, studying crop water supplies under naturally variable climate conditions is fundamental in an actual climatic change context. Rainfall data collected in the Quenane basin were analyzed to understand the soil water dynamics in the Orinoco catchment. The basin covers 179 km2 and consists of the piedmont landscape (Eastern Mountain Range) of the Villavicencio Municipality, Department of Meta. This study analyzes the rainfall variability using Pearson correlation analysis, the Mann–Kendall trend analysis, and soil water balance to determine the implications of these factors in crop performance at the basin scale. The results indicated that the spatial distribution of rainfall in the basin responds to a longitudinal average variation of precipitation and that this response is more accentuated (i.e., greater rainfall) toward the west of the basin. Despite the basin being located in the tropical zone, no evidence was found regarding the effect of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on rainfall patterns. Yet, the temporal analysis revealed some years with extreme rainfall values and high-uncertainty levels during transitions between wet and dry periods. During these transition periods, a greater potential for effects on farm yields exists due to the variable cumulative rainfall observed during recent years. The time series trend analysis revealed changes in rainfall patterns at different scales (weekly and yearly) and distribution based on the decrease of rainy days per week and year. This trend is much more accentuated during the second half of the year, generating uncertainty and reducing farm yields throughout the basin.

The study aimed to assess the effects of water salinity on the sperm parameters, levels of cortisol, LH, FSH, testosterone and antioxidants as well as the testes' histopathology in Barki rams. Fifteen healthy Barki rams (1–1.5 years) were divided into three equal depending on the type of drinking water for nine months. The rams in the tap water group (TW, water that contained 350 ppm of total dissolved salts (TDS). Males in the high saline water group (HSW) were permitted to consume high saline water with 8,934 ppm TDS, whereas those in the second group were permitted to have moderately saline water (MSW, 4,557 ppm TDS). High salt concentration in drinking water had adverse effect on sperm viability, morphology and sperm cell concertation. Nitric oxide and malondialdehyde concentrations in blood were significantly higher in the MSW and HSW groups than in TW. There was a significant decrease in glutathione concentration as well as superoxide dismutase activity in TDS and HSW. Cortisol was most highly concentrated in the HSW, next in the MSW, and least in TW. The testosterone, LH, and FSH concentrations in the HSW and MSW groups were significantly lower than in TW. As the salt concentration in drinking water increases, damage to testicular tissue. The MSW group demonstrating vacuolation of lining epithelial cells with pyknotic nuclei in the epididymis and necrosis and desquamation of spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules while HSW group displaying desquamated necrotic cells and giant cell formation in the epididymis, as well as damage to some of the seminiferous tubules and showed congestion, vacuolation of spermatogenic epithelium of seminiferous tubules, and desquamated necrotic spermatogenic epithelium. In conclusion, the salinity of the water has detrimental impacts on the sperm morphology, viability and concentration, hormones and antioxidant levels in Barki rams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Mediterranean forests are experiencing the deleterious effects of global warming, which mainly include increased temperatures and decreased precipitation in the region. Relict Abies pinsapo fir forests, endemic in the southern Iberian Peninsula, are especially sensitive to these recent environmental disturbances, and identifying the genes involved in the response of this endangered tree species to climate-driven stresses is of paramount importance for mitigating their effects. Genomic resources for A. pinsapo allow for the analysis of candidate genes reacting to warming and aridity in their natural habitats. Several members of the complex gene families encoding late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEAs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been found to exhibit differential expression patterns between wet and dry seasons when samples from distinct geographical locations and dissimilar exposures to the effects of climate change were analyzed. The observed changes were more perceptible in the roots of trees, particularly in declining forests distributed at lower altitudes in the more vulnerable mountains. These findings align with previous studies and lay the groundwork for further research on the molecular level. Molecular and genomic approaches offer valuable insights for mitigating climate stress and safeguarding this endangered conifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Quaternary climatic fluctuations and long‐distance seed dispersal across the sea are critical factors affecting the distribution of coastal plants, but the spatiotemporal nature of population expansion and distribution change of East Asian coastal plants during this period are rarely examined. To explore this process, we investigated the genome‐wide phylogenetic patterns of Euphorbia jolkinii Boiss. (Euphorbiaceae), which grows widely on littoral areas of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Methods: We used plastome sequences and genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms in samples across the species range to reveal phylogeographic patterns and spatiotemporal distributional changes. We conducted ecological niche modeling for the present and the last glacial maximum (LGM). Results: Genetic differentiation was observed between the northern and southern populations of E. jolkinii, separated by the major biogeographic boundary, the Tokara Gap. These two groups of populations differentiated during the glacial period and subsequently intermingled in the intermorainic areas of the central Ryukyu Islands after the LGM. Ecological niche models suggested that the potential range of E. jolkinii was restricted to southern Kyushu; however, it was widespread in the southern Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan during the LGM. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of genetic differentiation among coastal plant populations separated by the prominent biogeographical boundary. Although coastal plants are typically expected to maintain population connectivity through sea‐drifted seed dispersal, our findings suggest that genetic differences may arise because of a combination of limited gene flow and changes in climate during the glacial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop yield variations in the Orinoquía region - Colombia, are primarily associated with extreme precipitation events. Therefore, studying crop water supplies under naturally variable climate conditions is fundamental in an actual climatic change context. Rainfall data collected in the Quenane sub-basin were analyzed to understand the soil water dynamics in the Orinoco catchment. The basin covers 179 km2 and consists of the piedmont landscape (Eastern Mountain Range) of the Villavicencio Municipality, Department of Meta. This study analyzes the rainfall variability using Pearson correlation analysis, the Mann-Kendall trend analysis, and soil water balance to determine the implications of these factors in crop performance at the basin scale. The results indicated that the spatial distribution of rainfall in the basin responds to a longitudinal average variation of precipitation and that this response is more accentuated (i.e., greater rainfall) toward the west of the basin. Despite the basin being located in the tropical zone, no evidence was found regarding the effect of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on rainfall patterns. Yet, the temporal analysis revealed some years with extreme rainfall values and high-uncertainty levels during transitions between wet and dry periods. During these transition periods, a greater potential for effects on farm yields exists due to the variable cumulative rainfall observed during recent years. The time series trend analysis revealed changes in rainfall patterns at different scales (weekly and yearly) and distribution based on the decrease of rainy days per week and year. This trend is much more accentuated during the second half of the year, generating uncertainty and reducing farm yields throughout the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the population genetics and distribution patterns of Artemia populations from ten inland salt lakes in China. A total of 1,274,698 Artemia single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The results showed that these populations could be geographically and genetically divided into four distinct groups, and that the Tibetan populations were further divided into two subpopulations with a trend of decreasing genetic diversity from west to east. The Tibetan population had the highest genetic diversity, whereas the Shanxi population had the lowest. There was moderate genetic differentiation between the Tibetan populations and greater genetic differentiation between the Xinjiang and Shanxi populations. IBD (isolation by distance) suggested that geographical isolation contributes to genetic differentiation. In addition, there was some degree of gene flow among the ten populations, with A. sinica showing unidirectional gene flow in all populations in the eastern Nagri region. Species distribution modeling showed that mean annual temperature, temperature seasonality, and annual precipitation were the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of Artemia populations and suitable habitats for Tibetan populations will be further reduced in the future. It is necessary to strengthen the protection of germplasm resources and formulate scientific protocols for the sustainable development and utilization of Artemia resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic simulation models are indispensable tools in agricultural research and management. Modeling makes possible to investigate the consequences of probable future scenarios and to be ready for the changes before they occur. The objective of this study is to predict corn yields in Red Ferralitic soil in Alquizar region under the SSP1-2.6 climate change scenario and the Hadgem3, Mpi-esm1 and Mri-esm2 models with the use of the AquaCrop simulation model. To select the hydrological years, a study of a series of 28 years (2023-2050) was carried out for the period November-April (crop development period) for each model. The possibility of achieving potential yields of 8.6 t·ha-1 and an agronomic water productivity of 3.08 kg·m-3 in corn is evident, if the crop is not subject to any type of limitation except plant genetics, solar radiation and temperature, and rainfalls are sufficient in this dry period. If irrigation is applied only to guarantee corn germination under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, yields are estimated at 4.4 t·ha-1 and biomass at 14.6 t·ha-1, achieving a productivity of 2.37 kg·m-3, with reductions with respect to potential performance of 44 %. The comparative study of yields in the SSP1-2.6 climate change scenario and the different models demonstrates the influence of these conditions on the crop response. The results show the AquaCrop model as an alternative to evaluate the impact of climate change on crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop cultivation suitability plays a vital role in determining the distribution, quality, and production of crop and can be greatly affected by climate change. Therefore, evaluating crop cultivation suitability under climate change and identifying the factors influencing it can optimize crop cultivation layout and improve production and quality. Based on comprehensive datasets including geographical distribution points, climate data, soil characteristics, and topography, our study employed the MaxEnt model to simulate the potential distribution of Pu'er tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) cultivation suitability in Yunnan Province from 1961 to 2020. Furthermore, we assessed the consistency between the simulated suitable areas and the actual production of Pu'er tea. The results showed that precipitation of the warmest quarter, precipitation of the driest month, and average temperature in January were the three dominant environmental variables affecting the cultivation distribution of Pu'er tea. The high suitable areas for Pu'er tea cultivation in Yunnan Province were mainly distributed in the western and southern regions, accounting for 13.89% of the total area of Yunnan Province. The medium suitable areas are mainly distributed in the central and western regions of Yunnan Province, accounting for 20.07% of the total area of Yunnan Province. Over the past 60 years, the unsuitable area for Pu'er tea has increased, while the suitable area has shown a trend of migration to the southwest. Changes in precipitation and temperature were found to be the main drivers of the changes in the distribution of suitable areas for Pu'er tea. We also found a mismatch between the cultivation suitability and the actual production of Pu'er tea. Our study provides an accurate assessment and zoning analysis of the suitability of Pu'er tea cultivation in Yunnan Province, which can help optimize the layout of Pu'er tea cultivation and reduce potential climate risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the most important national agricultural production bases, and its agricultural water dynamics are essential for food security and sustainable agricultural development. However, the dynamics of long-term annual crop-specific agricultural water and its crop type and climate impacts remain largely unknown, compromising water-saving practices and water-efficiency agricultural management in this vital area. Thus, this study used multi-source data of the crop type, climate factors, and the digital elevation model (DEM), and multiple digital agriculture technologies of remote sensing (RS), the geographic information system (GIS), the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-SCS) model, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Penman–Monteith (FAO P-M) model, and the water supply–demand index (M) to map the annual spatiotemporal distribution of effective precipitation (Pe), crop water requirement (ETc), irrigation water requirement (IWR), and the supply–demand situation in the NEC from 2000 to 2020. The study further analyzed the impacts of the crop type and climate changes on agricultural water dynamics and revealed the reasons and policy implications for their spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The results indicated that the annual average Pe, ETc, IWR, and M increased by 1.56%/a, 0.74%/a, 0.42%/a, and 0.83%/a in the NEC, respectively. Crop-specifically, the annual average Pe increased by 1.15%/a, 2.04%/a, and 2.09%/a, ETc decreased by 0.46%/a, 0.79%/a, and 0.89%/a, IWR decreased by 1.03%/a, 1.32%/a, and 3.42%/a, and M increased by 1.48%/a, 2.67%/a, and 2.87%/a for maize, rice, and soybean, respectively. Although the ETc and IWR for all crops decreased, regional averages still increased due to the expansion of water-intensive maize and rice. The crop type and climate changes jointly influenced agricultural water dynamics. Crop type transfer contributed 39.28% and 41.25% of the total IWR increase, and the remaining 60.72% and 58.75% were caused by cropland expansion in the NEC from 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2020, respectively. ETc and IWR increased with increasing temperature and solar radiation, and increasing precipitation led to decreasing IWR in the NEC. The adjustment of crop planting structure and the implementation of water-saving practices need to comprehensively consider the spatiotemporally heterogeneous impacts of crop and climate changes on agricultural water dynamics. The findings of this study can aid RS-GIS-based agricultural water simulations and applications and support the scientific basis for agricultural water management and sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The integrated analysis method for understanding the main driving factors shaping forested areas proposed in this paper can provide helpful insight into sustainable and long-term land use systems in Senegal. Understanding the factors influencing the vulnerability of forested areas is crucial for human well-being and effective governance of ecosystem supply and demand. Based on remote sensing data, this study also considered ten natural and human variables as indexes to explore the main influencing factors that may impact the vulnerability of the Thies region's forested areas. The 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 satellite image data were processed using ArcGIS 10.6 and ENVI 5.1 software. The methodology includes using the transfer matrix approach and calculating the geographic landscape index to describe the dominant morphology of forested areas. Furthermore, a mixed linear regression model was built to establish the connection between forested areas and the potential contributing components. Our study revealed that the forested areas led to relative fragmentation, with an average of 88 patches for Aggregation Index (AI), 3.25 for Largest Patch Index (LPI), 2.50 for Patch Density (PD), and 112 for Landscape Shape Index (LSI) between 2005 and 2020. In addition, the transfer matrix indicated that the loss of forestry areas was about −78.8 km2 for agricultural land, −127.8 km2 for bare land, and −65.3 km2 for artificial surfaces. The most critical factors that influenced forested areas were agricultural and manufactural added value, rainfall (p < 0.05), slope, distance to the road, and agricultural sown area (p < 0.001). Overall, this investigation has revealed that the effective management of forested areas in the Thies region requires an understandable assessment. It was observed that both human anthropogenic and natural factors significantly contribute to the decline in forested areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing climatic scenarios has been recognized as a prominent threat to biodiversity globally. Given the decline in biodiversity, there are more and more local, national, and global awareness campaigns as well as legislative initiatives devoted to biodiversity conservation. The present study aims to increase our knowledge and understanding of the distribution of six medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in Jammu Kashmir, India under present and future climatic scenarios using an ensemble species distribution modelling approach. Results of the present study revealed changes in the habitat range of the plant species due to changing climatic scenarios leading to the expansion or contraction of their distribution range. A significant decline in the suitable habitats of Arisaema jacquemontii, Lamium album, Phytolacca acinosa and Urtica dioica is predicted. Podophyllum hexandrum and Thymus linearis are predicted to expand their distribution ranges, however, losing their currently suitable habitats. Thus, the present study recommends that these MAPs should be prioritized for conservation and abrupt appraisal of their present population status and updated IUCN categorization should be carried out. Furthermore, to provide more reliable information for conservation decision-making under future climate scenarios, more thorough models that take into account both the biotic and abiotic factors contributing to species persistence should be used.

In Pakistan, agriculture is one of the most common and least lucrative professions. It provides between 18% and 25% of Pakistan’s overall gross domestic product (GDP). The majority of Pakistan’s crops, like cotton, are completely weather-dependent. Regarding this, farmers are constantly attempting to implement new techniques and technology to boost crop yields. Technology-based approaches to crop yield analysis, such as machine learning (ML) and data mining, are causing a boom in the agricultural sector by altering the revenue scenario through the growth of the best crop. By utilizing ML algorithms to analyze agriculture climatic data, it is possible to increase crop yields. The proposed research was carried out in two dimensions. Initially, field observations were made to determine the effects of daily variations in meteorological parameters, such as rainfall, temperature, and wind, on plant growth and development at each phonological stage of cotton crop production. Throughout the Kharif Seasons 2005-2020, various phonological stages of the cotton crop grown in the fields of the Ayyub Agriculture Research Institute in Faisalabad (Central Punjab) were monitored using meteorological and phonological observations, as well as soil data. Finally, the cotton prediction framework as Random Forest Extreme Gradient (RFXG) has been proposed to predict cotton production based on observed data. RFXG concentrates on the quantification of machine learning algorithms and their practical application. The workings of RFXG have been divided into two phases. In the very first phase of data collection, preprocessing, attribute selection, and data splitting have been presented. In the following phase, prediction and evaluation were developed. The comparative results show that the prediction results of the proposed RFXG using the optimization algorithm are significantly improved by 0.05 RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) in comparison to the traditional Extreme Gradient Boost (XGB) model, which has a RMSE of 0.07. Proposed technique also compared with some baseline approaches of cotton predication. Comparison shows that proposed technique achieves better results as compared to baseline approaches. The proposed RFXG model (ensemble-based method) can bag, stack, and boost, making it fast and efficient predications as compared with existing approaches. Bagging averages, the results of numerous decision tree fit to different subsets of the same dataset to increase accuracy. The proposed study will be very useful in the future to close the gap between the current yield obtained and the potential yield of this cultivar, which is grown in Pakistan and other cotton-growing locations.

Southwest China is an important carbon sink area in China. It is critical to track and assess how human activity (HA) and climate change (CC) affect plant alterations in order to create effective and sustainable vegetation restoration techniques. This study used MODIS NDVI data, vegetation type data, and meteorological data to examine the regional and temporal variations in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in Southwest China from 2000 to 2020. Using trend analysis, the study looks at the temporal and geographical variability in the NDVI. Partial correlation analysis was also used to assess the effects of precipitation, extreme climate indicators, and mean temperature on the dynamics of the vegetation. A new residual analysis technique was created to categorize the effects of CC and HA on NDVI changes while taking extreme climate into consideration. The findings showed that the NDVI in Southwest China grew at a rate of 0.02 per decade between 2000 and 2020. According to the annual NDVI, there was a regional rise in around 85.59% of the vegetative areas, with notable increases in 36.34% of these regions. Temperature had a major influence on the northern half of the research region, but precipitation and extreme climate had a notable effect on the southern half. The rates at which climatic variables and human activity contributed to changes in the NDVI were 0.0008/10a and 0.0034/10a, respectively. These rates accounted for 19.1% and 80.9% of the variances, respectively. The findings demonstrate that most areas displayed greater HA-induced NDVI increases, with the exception of the western Sichuan Plateau. This result suggests that when formulating vegetation restoration and conservation strategies, special attention should be paid to the impact of human activities on vegetation to ensure the sustainable development of ecosystems.

Genetic structure and distribution patterns of modern floras are strongly affected by climatic change and geographical isolation. In the present study, we applied restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to analyze the genetic structure and to simulate the demographic history of two extant Cryptomeria species in Japan (C. japonica) and Southeastern China (C. japonica var. sinensis). Thirteen natural populations representing the entire species distributed in East Asia were collected from Japan and China. At the species level, the genetic diversity of Cryptomeria was moderate (Ho = 0.217, He = 0.203) with a significant genetic differentiation among populations (85.30%, P < 0.001), especially between Japan and China lineages (FST = 0.147). Except for the Lushan (LS) population in China, all populations were clustered into two lineages (Japanese and Chinese), which was consistent with their geographical distribution. Approximate Bayesian computations (ABC) model indicated that the current two geographical lineages diverged from a common ancestral lineage, and that their divergence time was about 0.417 ~ 0.139 million years ago (Mya). Geographical isolation, climate change in the Quaternary, and human disturbance played important roles in genetic variation and distribution patterns of Cryptomeria in East Asia. Our results shed light on the speciation processes of Cryptomeria and provide a reference for the conservation of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme droughts. Researching tree growth responses to drought helps assess the potential of forest adaptation and ecological stability under changing climate conditions. Here, we investigated tree growth resilience components (resistance, recovery, and resilience) to extreme drought events of two mainly distributed species, Pinus tabulaeformis and Picea wilsonii, on the Gannan Plateau, the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Tree-ring width data from 510 trees at 20 plots along the elevation gradients were employed to analyze the tree resilience components at the individual tree level. The results showed that P. tabulaeformis had a lower growth resistance and a higher recovery capacity to drought than P. wilsonii, which might be related to the different strategies for combating drought of the two species. In addition, the tree growth response of P. tabulaeformis to drought changed significantly along the elevation gradient due to its higher drought sensitivity than that of P. wilsonii. Overall, the long-term correlation between tree growth and drought index, tree size, and soil water content had implications for tree growth resistance, recovery, and resilience. Given the observed differences in tree growth resistance to drought among different species and environmental conditions, a well-thought-out and tailored strategy would better support forest management on the Gannan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal sea in the western Pacific, fed by large Asian rivers, characterized by substantial volumes of sediment derived from surrounding Asian continents and islands. This study utilizes the rare earth elements (REEs), Sr isotopes (87Sr/86Sr), and Nd isotopes (ƐNd) in detritus fractions of MD05-2901 sediments in northwestern SCS, to evaluate the relative contribution among the Mekong River, the Red River, the Pearl River, and rivers in SW Taiwan over the last 32 ka. This deep-sea core is located off the coast of central Vietnam, an upwelling region with only minor continental inputs, and this study is important for a better understanding of the main sources of terrigenous material and their temporal variations in the region. In addition, potential particle exchange is examined using the same proxies in the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide fractions. The obtained records are systematically compared with the available climatic archives in the region. The REEs in the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides support the argument of water mass signature separation in bulk sediments by chemical leaching procedures. These 87Sr/86Sr in the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides phase fall in a range between 0.709262 and 0.709313, deviating significantly from the modern seawater. ƐNd values vary >3Ɛ, being more radiogenic in the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides, where the lowest value occurred in the Bølling/Allerød (B/A) and higher values occurred during the Younger Dryas (YD). The latter implies increased contribution of loess dusts or Taiwanese rivers under dry/cold climatic conditions, compared with the situation in modern times. The Red River and the Mekong River together may have contributed >60% during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and YD. In contrast, the Pearl River components have increased sharply to ~60% during the warm B/A. These results demonstrate that the MD05-2901 sediments sensitively record changes in weathering intensity on land and transport pathways in the coastal regions in the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinization, as one of the foremost abiotic stresses, is an intensifying problem in many agroecosystems. Climatic changes, along with altering land use and also salinity of irrigation water all lead to enhanced soil salinity in agricultural lands. Changes in plant characteristics, as a result of raising soil salinity, may impose bottom‐up impact on plant‐feeding insects. We assessed the bottom‐up impact of salinity stress on demographic traits of the western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on cherry tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme (Solanaceae) plants under greenhouse conditions (27 ± 2 °C, 65 ± 5% r.h., and L16:D8 photoperiod). Our results indicated that salinity stress interfered with the immature development period, adult longevity, and sex ratio of WFT. Salinity stress biased the sex ratio in favor of males. Significant concentration‐dependent differences were observed in the intrinsic (r) and finite (λ) increase rates and the net reproduction rate (R0) of WFT at different salinity levels. Salinity adversely influenced WFT development; nonetheless, population projection forecasted an ascending WFT population growth under moderate salinity stress of 100 mM (2.8 dS m−1 of NaCl), whereas severe salinity stress of 150 mM (4.7 dS m−1 of NaCl) resulted in remarkable fitness costs in WFT. This study demonstrates that WFT has the potential to become problematic in regions with moderate salinity. Therefore, it might exacerbate the detrimental impact of salinity on tomato production. The current survey provides information on the abundance of WFT on saline‐stressed tomato plants, thereby contributing to developing environmentally friendly measures to manage this notorious species in ecosystems under salinity stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat poses a significant risk to human health, particularly for vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, older individuals, young children and people with pre-existing medical conditions. In view of this, we formulated a heat stress-avoidant routing approach in Heidelberg, Germany, to ensure mobility and support day-to-day activities in urban areas during heat events. Although the primary focus is on pedestrians, it is also applicable to cyclists. To obtain a nuanced understanding of the needs and demands of the wider population, especially vulnerable groups, and to address the challenge of reducing urban heat stress, we used an inter- and transdisciplinary approach. The needs of vulnerable groups, the public, and the city administration were identified through participatory methods and various tools, including interactive city walks. Solution approaches and adaptation measures to prevent heat stress were evaluated and integrated into the development of a heat-avoiding route service through a co-design process. The findings comprise the identification of perceived hotspots for heat (such as large public spaces in the city centre with low shading levels), the determination of commonly reported symptoms resulting from severe heat (e.g., fatigue or lack of concentration), and the assessment of heat adaptation measures that were rated positively, including remaining in the shade and delaying errands. Additionally, we analysed and distinguished between individual and community adaptation strategies. Overall, many respondents did not accurately perceive the risk of heat stress in hot weather, despite severe limitations. As a result, the heat-sensitive routing service (available in prototype form during publication) that has been created serves as a readily available and accessible source of assistance to combat the effects of heat stress in individuals' daily lives during periods of intense heat. The findings served as input for the calibration of heat stress-avoidant routing and supported the development of local heat protection plans without investing in large-scale adaptation of the built environment. It is crucial to involve the population, particularly vulnerable groups, in the development of the tool to ensure it meets their needs. This study employed a transdisciplinary multi-method approach, which considers practical framework conditions by involving the city administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), has its origin in the Amazon and is usually grown under the shade of trees and or in full sun exposure. This variability in light conditions makes physiological responses different between cocoa cultivars. In the coming decades, an inevitable increase in global temperature is expected. By 2050, it is estimated that in the Latin American tropical region these increases will lead to reductions in precipitation greater than 10%, that is, we will have drier environments, which will undoubtedly affect cocoa cultivation. There is uncertainty in the possible effects of changes in temperature on cocoa due to the lack of information and the few cultivars that have been evaluated. The information collected in this review serves as a basis for understanding the responses of cocoa to light and temperature conditions and it is undeniable that more research is required to achieve a greater understanding of the complexities of climate changes and their effects on cocoa production. One aspect that stands out is a focus on research that must be carried out in field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative analysis of spatio-temporal variations of vegetation cover and its correlation with climate are of great significance for understanding of ecological environment, ecological civilization construction, and sustainable development in semi-arid areas. We investigated the spatio-temporal variations of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and its response to climate change during 2000-2020 in Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia, by using trend analysis, regression analysis and partial correlation analysis based on the data of MODIS-NDVI, temperature, precipitation, digital elevation model. The results showed that vegetation cover in Xilin Gol had been increased from 2000 to 2020, which generally included three phases, i.e., stable fluctuation, rapid growth, and steady growth. The mean NDVI showed a zonal increasing distribution from southwest to northeast, and had a strong correlation with elevation and population density in Xilin Gol region. The high values of NDVI were mainly in the east, with a significant increasing trend, and the low values were in the southwest, with a local degradation. The sensitivity of vegetation cover to climate change showed spatial and temporal variations. The spatial variation of vegetation was more sensitive to temperature and the interannual variation was sensitive to annual precipitation. In summary, vegetation cover improved overall in Xilin Gol, but there was degradation in some areas. We should formulate differentiated and precise vegetation restoration and ecological environmental protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and sustainable development have become among the most important global changes that have attracted the attention of the scientific community around the world. We aimed to remodel a simulation model to study the potential effect of rising temperatures because of the climatic change on the generation's number of cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Tinsley) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Firstly, generation numbers among three periods including reference period (2021 and 2022), current temperature effect, nearby future (2021-2040), and a far-future (2041-2060), were studied using the future climatic data obtained based on GHG-emissions scenarios (SSP-4.5). Our result highlights that there is a statistically significant difference in the mean quantities among the various levels of climate and generation in the Qalubiya, Beheira and El-Fayoum governorates, respectively. Moreover, there is significant differentiation in the data distribution among DDUs-values in the future than those during the current climatic state compared to 2021,2040 and 2060 in different locations. These results show great differentiation of needed DDUs for each generation in 2021-2040 and 2041-2060 compared with the current climatic state and among each other. This is mostly related to the expected temperature rise with mention to the significant differentiation from DDUs needed for the first generation compared to the consecutive following generation. The value of DDUs in the future compared to those under the current climatic state differs in the data distribution. These findings offer knowledge that will influence how future modifications to the pest will be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Shrubs are the main dominant plants in arid desert systems and play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity, ecosystem services and stability of desert ecosystems. Studies have shown that the survival of a large number of shrub species in desert areas under the influence of climate change is significantly threatened, with different species showing different response strategies. To test the tolerance of different shrub species to climate change, this study selected 10 dominant shrub species (ancient relict shrub species and regional endemic shrub species) in the Alashan desert area as the research object. Based on a field survey of species distribution, a species distribution model was developed to simulate the suitable distribution area of shrub species under current conditions and under future climate change scenarios. The distribution changes of ancient relict and regional endemic shrub species under the climate change scenarios were tested, and the tolerance of the two types of shrub to climate change was analyzed. The results showed that under different climate change scenarios, except for Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, the total suitable area of four out of the five relict plants was relatively stable, the potential distribution area of Tetraena mongolica increased, and the future distribution pattern was basically consistent with the current distribution. However, the suitable area of typical desert plants was unstable under different climate change scenarios. Except for Kalidium foliatum, the suitable distribution areas of four out of the five shrubs showed different degrees of reduction, and the distribution location showed significant migration. Based on the research results, climate change will lead to the reduction and displacement of the distribution area of typical desert shrubs, while relict shrubs will be less affected by climate change. This is because, compared to desert species, relict plants have a longer evolutionary history and have developed a wider range of adaptations after experiencing dramatic environmental changes. This study provides a scientific basis for actively responding to the impacts of climate change on desert ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in atmospheric CO2 levels and the advance of desertification due to soil degradation across our planet is becoming one of humanity's most serious concerns. The restoration and development of soil management techniques are becoming widespread tools to protect soils. The Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain) is an area that has suffered historically severe deforestation, but it was reforested in an extensive program 50 years ago. In this study, an evaluation of the soils in the restored area was carried out. For this purpose, the chemical composition of the different soil organic matter fractions was characterized using infrared and UV-vis spectroscopies. The results showed a large increase in carbon stocks in the topsoil (0–10 cm) (about 30 Mg·ha−1 more than the area not reforested) after reforestation 50 years ago. There was also an increased level of transformation of organic carbon into resilient humic structures, which are resistant to degradation. Reforestation activities within the National Park have greatly increased the humification rates of organic matter, resulting in the accumulation of high-quality organic carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the rapidly changing environment of international entrepreneurship. The force behind the change is diverse comprising environmental, socio-economic, and technological, including the emergence of intelligent robotics, 3-D printing, the Internet of all things (IOTs), generative artificial intelligence (AI), and the rapid transformation the WWW to WWW.03, amongst other evolving forces, each with profound impact on the iSMEs embedding ecosystems and operating environment. Introduction briefly introduces a selective list of the influential forces and a range of their potential affects, while the "Further development and literature review" section further examines them within their respective contexts of the emerging crises, and their operational, strategic, and theoretical frameworks as the unfolding influential forces evolve with challenging impacts on the internationalized, or internationalizing, SMEs' (iSMEs') pool of capabilities and resources with direct effects on their global competitiveness, and growth at home and internationally. The "Discussion" section, in three parts, explores the combined effects of forces of change on the iSMEs' top management team (TMT) to analyse their strategic posture, the potency of their firm' resources, and dynamic capabilities, to take potent decisions for leading to potentially non-trivial organizational and strategic change, including fundamental business model innovation (BMI). "Conclusions, implication, and suggestions" further examines the adverse impacts of the recent crises in three parts, ranging from the 2008–2009 global financial crisis (GFC), COVID pandemic, and the unfolding challenges of the climatic change as discussed in the recent COP 28 meetings, and its suggestion for undertaking remedial actions at the corporate, social, and public policy levels. Combined, the necessary change my result in significant architectural and structural change in many common worldwide aspects without sparing anyone, anything, and any location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides' lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides' experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate of water infiltration, surface runoff, and overland flow are all affected by soil water repellency (SWR), i.e., the reduced affinity for water caused by hydrophobic coatings on soil particles. SWR impacts water balance, which in turn affects ecosystem’s function and watersheds hydrology, but little is known about changes of these properties along elevation gradient. Here, we investigate variation in SWR along four elevation gradients in four Italian mountain peaks, encompassing different land use and vegetation types from Mediterranean to temperate and alpine ecosystems. A total of 240 soil samples were collected for 48 ecosystems, and SWR was determined using the molarity of an ethanol droplet test. Soil characteristics were assessed using texture, pH, organic matter content, and soil salinity. Climate data were obtained using WorldClim, and their relationship with SWR was examined. SWR showed a unimodal pattern along the four elevation levels and in all cases peaked at mid-elevations between 1000 and 2500 m a.s.l.. SWR was highest under coniferous and deciduous forests and lowest for arable and bare soil. Soil organic matter and pH were the main determinants of SWR, with a positive and negative correlation, respectively. As for climate, mean annual temperature showed a hump-shaped relationship with SWR. In detail, we found that soil was hydrophilic at the extremes of elevation gradient where mean annual temperatures are less than −3.4 °C for alpine bare soils and higher than 12.7 °C for arable soils. This study allowed us to show how land use, soil chemistry, and climate are related to SWR along an elevation gradient. Further research is needed to concretely evaluate the effect of SWR on erosion risk at the watershed scale in the context of climate change.

Using large volumes of synthetic chemical fertilizers is a general practice in modern agriculture at a high economic and environmental cost. Biostimulants have become an alternative to this routine due to their ability to stimulate plant physiological processes without polluting soil and water. In Ecuador, however, little research has been carried out on the effect of biostimulants on the yield of crops of agricultural interest. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of foliar application of a biostimulant based on bovine manure vermicompost (VCLB) leachates on physiological variables and the yield of corn, cotton, and peanuts under field conditions and chard and five pepper hybrids in semi-protected cultivation under the agro-climatic conditions of the province of Manabí, Ecuador. The nine experiments carried out with the species and hybrids included various dilutions of VCLB and controls consisting of fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, depending on the species, and soil without fertilizer. In all species, VCLB-induced plant length, chlorophyll content, and crop yield exhibit equal or higher statistical differences than those achieved under chemical fertilization (NPK). These results demonstrate the potential of this biostimulant as a sustainable alternative to produce these crops, reducing potentially the adverse effects of production on the environment under the tropical conditions of Manabí, Ecuador. We recommend corroborating these results with production-scale research.

Abstract Climate change and biological invasions of insect pests are interlinked global concerns that drive shifts in the distribution of invasive insects. The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata Saunders, is one of the most economically important Tephritidae species that attack several host plants and causes serious damage in Asia and Africa. Currently, B. zonata is absent from many countries and regions but has a risk of invasion. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the impact of climate change on the global potential distribution of B. zonata. In this study, we used MaxEnt and CLIMEX models to estimate the risk area for B. zonata under near current and future climate conditions. The MaxEnt and CLIMEX results showed that the south of North and Central America was suitable for B. zonata. The European countries were slightly suitable for B. zonata. In Asia, the highly suitable regions of B. zonata included Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Moreover, China, Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan showed highly climate suitability for B. zonata. The climate suitability of B. zonata was increasingly high in the projection under climate change. The result of the two models showed that the climatic suitability for B. zonata will increase under climate change in China. Taken together, these predictive results support the quarantine of B. zonata for high-risk countries and provide in-depth information on how climatic changes may affect its possible geographic range.

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides’ lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides’ experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally.