The rapid spread of invasive plants presents significant challenges for the management of grasslands. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer a promising solution for fast and efficient monitoring, although the optimal methodologies require further refinement. The objective of this research was to establish a rapid, repeatable, and cost-effective computer-assisted method for extracting Pedicularis kansuensis (P. kansuensis), an invasive plant species. To achieve this goal, an investigation was conducted into how different backgrounds (swamp meadow, alpine steppe, land cover) impact the detection of plant invaders in the Bayanbuluk grassland in Xinjiang using Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) with three feature combinations: spectral band, vegetation index (VI), and spectral band + VI. The results indicate that all three feature combinations achieved an overall accuracy ranging from 0.77 to 0.95. Among the three models, XGBoost demonstrates the highest accuracy, followed by Random Forest (RF), while Support Vector Machine (SVM) exhibits the lowest accuracy. The most significant feature bands for the three field plots, as well as the invasive species and land cover, were concentrated at 750 nm, 550 nm, and 660 nm. It was found that the green band proved to be the most influential for improving invasive plant extraction while the red edge 750 nm band ranked highest for overall classification accuracy among these feature combinations. The results demonstrate that P. kansuensis is highly distinguishable from co-occurring native grass species, with accuracies ranging from 0.9 to 1, except for SVM with six spectral bands, indicating high spectral variability between its flowers and those of co-occurring native background species.
The relevance of the study of Islamist terrorism is due to its destructive impact on national and global security, as well as on the dialogue between Western and Eastern, particularly Muslim, nations since the early 2000s. Islamist terrorism reinforces entrenched prejudices against Islam and Muslims, leading to their demonization and the subsequent prevention of constructive interaction between communities professing different religions, thus hindering the establishment of relations based on mutual trust. This study examines the number of terrorist attacks committed by Islamist groups and their victims between 2000 and 2020, and tests the methodology for scoring their terrorist activities. Based on the Global Terrorism Database and the author’s sample of 155 groups broadcasting Islamist ideology, three stages of the development of Islamist terrorism were identified, a direct proportional relationship between the number of terrorist attacks and the number of victims was proven, and the geography of Islamist terrorist activity was analyzed. Methodologically, this study combines the analysis of terrorism as both a political phenomenon and a religious manifestation, and Islamist terrorist groups themselves are seen as political projects masquerading as religiously motivated communities. In contrast to the destabilization of Iraq, which along with Afghanistan became another platform for training terrorists, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, had little impact on Islamist terrorism. Quantitative analysis revealed that the Middle East and North Africa was mistakenly perceived as the “epicenter” of Islamist terrorism in 2000-2020, as Southeast Asia was the leader in terrorist attacks in 2000, while South Asia occupied 1st place in 2003, 2005-2013, and 2018-2020. It has been confirmed that instability at the local and national levels serves as a fertile ground for Islamist terrorism. The possibilities and limitations of the proposed methodology are outlined, and the prospects for its further application in scientific studies of Islamist terrorism are described.
International relations, Political science (General)
Israel Pedro Dias Ribeiro, Mônica de Moura Pires, Andrea da Silva Gomes
O presente trabalho pretende identificar potencialidades e fragilidades na gestão ambiental dos municípios da Chapada Diamantina, na Bahia, para a implementação do instrumento de Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais (PSA) como política pública de desenvolvimento local e regional. Especificamente, objetiva-se identificar a existência de iniciativas ou articulações para a formulação e/ou implementação do PSA na região, caracterizar os principais aspectos e desafios vivenciados por esses municípios no tocante à gestão ambiental e analisar as fortalezas, fraquezas, oportunidades e ameaças relacionadas ao PSA, a fim de discutir estratégias para a sua promoção. Quanto à metodologia, foram empregados os procedimentos de pesquisa bibliográfica e pesquisa documental. As técnicas de análise de conteúdo e análise SWOT foram utilizadas para a interpretação dos resultados. Verifica-se que a implementação da política de PSA na Chapada Diamantina representa um grande desafio para a gestão ambiental, tendo em vista as dificuldades institucionais e as fortes restrições financeiras enfrentadas pelos municípios, apesar das potencialidades ambientais constatadas. Assim, para promover a difusão do PSA na região, sugerem-se ações coordenadas entre as esferas governamentais e os diversos atores políticos e sociais envolvidos, bem como a integração entre políticas ambientais, considerando a complexidade do cenário de implementação da política pública em questão.
Environmental sciences, Law in general. Comparative and uniform law. Jurisprudence
El presente artículo examina referencias hacia la animalización como una estrategia política para desprestigiar, sexualizar y hasta exaltar ciertas características que generalmente están ligadas a la figura de masculinidad del hombre fuerte y poderoso. Específicamente se analizan estas asociaciones vinculadas a referencias históricas y particularmente a la figura del actual presidente de Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles. Para esto último, se revisaron diversos documentos mediante el análisis crítico del discurso (ACD). Las pruebas históricas muestran evidencias de cómo se utiliza la figura de los animales y de la naturaleza para tratar de subordinar a otras personas. En el caso de Chaves Robles, los usos del vocabulario zoomórfico se ligan a la sexualización de las mujeres, a producir una calificación despectiva de los adversarios políticos, a presentarse como un símbolo de poderío y a buscar alejarse de cualquier tipo de ambigüedad de una relación absolutamente simbiótica entre animales y humanos.
[Objective] The spatial differences and dynamic evolution of carbon ecological security level were analyzed to optimize the overall plan of carbon ecological security in the Yellow River basin (an important “energy basin” in China) in order to objectively reflect the current status and evolution trend of carbon ecological security, and to provide a reference for optimizing the carbon ecological security pattern. [Methods] An evaluation index system for carbon ecological security in the Yellow River basin was constructed under the framework of driving-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) analysis. The technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) model was used to evaluate the level of carbon ecological security, and the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics were analyzed by the kernel density estimation method. [Results] ① Carbon sinks and carbon emissions increased from 2012 to 2021 in the Yellow River basin, and the growth rate of carbon emissions was faster than that of carbon sinks. Carbon sinks were spatially characterized as “higher in the west and lower in the east”, while carbon emissions were “lower in the west and higher in the east”. ② The carbon ecological security level in the Yellow River basin increased over time, from 0.356 in 2012 to 0.639 in 2021. In terms of spatial distribution, the carbon ecological security level in the upstream region was higher than in the middle and downstream regions, and was characterized as “upstream leading, midstream catching up, and downstream surpassing”. In addition, the level of carbon ecological security tended to be good. ③ Based on the kernel density estimation results, the differences in carbon security levels among different regions in the Yellow River basin were gradually narrowing, and were decreasing in the upstream region faster than in the middle and downstream regions. [Conclusion] Based on the current status of carbon ecological security in the Yellow River basin, carbon sink capacity in the upstream region is expected to increase over time, while clean energy industries and technology-intensive industries with high added value should be developed to promote green GDP growth in the middle and downstream regions. In addition, a carbon ecological compensation mechanism should be established to coordinate and resolve cross-regional security issues, and to improve the carbon ecological security level of the entire basin.
Environmental sciences, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Ratna Chrismiari Purwestri, Petra Palátová, Miroslav Hájek
et al.
Abstract In recent years, there has been growing interest in public valuation for forest ecosystem services in policymaking. This paper investigates the public’s perception of the Czech forest ecosystem services, i.e., provisioning, regulating and cultural services, with associated factors (changes in forest cover, production, and respondents’ characteristics). The performance perception of forest ecosystem services was gathered from a nationwide survey in 2020. The Coordination of Information on the Environment Land Cover information in 2000 and 2018 was used for observation of forest cover changes. Coniferous and non-coniferous (broadleaved) roundwood, mushroom, and bilberry production data from the observed years were acquired from the Czech Statistical Office and the Ministry of Agriculture’s annual nationwide surveys. The Bohemia vs. Moravia study areas were also statistically compared. Predictor analysis of the high score of performance perception from individual and cluster forest ecosystems was also performed to answer the research objectives. The group of forest provisioning services received high scores in public evaluation (from 3.9 to 4.2), followed by regulating services (mean range: 3.7–4.1). The highest score was found in forest as a natural habitat for wild animals and plants (mean: 4.6). However, the lowest value was the esthetic value (mean: 2.3). Both are categorized as forest cultural services. The broadleaved and mixed forest areas in 2018 were significantly higher than in 2000, especially in Bohemia. Meanwhile, the total coniferous forested region in 2018 declined substantially compared to 2000 (p = 0.030), especially in Moravian areas. A significantly higher total production of the coniferous and broadleaved roundwood removals in 2018 than in 2000 was reported, in contrast to a marked decrease in collected mushrooms and bilberries. The high score of performance perception of forests as the wood provisioning service was positively and significantly associated with the changes in broadleaved roundwood removals. Older-age and female respondents were the primary predictors of the studied cluster and individual forest ecosystem services. The findings indicate that the social value of the individual forest provisioning services supports the implementation of multi-species and multi-purpose forests; hence, it encourages the implementation of the current Czech forest policy.
The European Union protects over 1,000 Geographical Indications for distinctive regional foods such as Parma ham and Feta cheese. This paper tests whether external protection of Geographical Indica- tions through trade agreements has increased exports of European Union Geographical Indications. The answer matters for trade policy, because the protection of at least some Geographical Indications has been a red line in recent trade negotiations. We use detailed export data for cheeses, covering the 2004 – 2019 period. The analysis uses the latest trade models that take into account the possibility of zero-trade fl ows for certain goods. We fi nd that legal protection of Geographical Indications in trade agreements does not generally lead to signi fi cant additional exports above and beyond the general export-promoting effects of trade agreements. This fi nding should limit international fears of protected Geographical Indications widely displacing comparable products made outside of the European Union. However,althoughthereis no signi fi canteffectacrossthe board,moredetailedanalysesdo fi nd signi fi cant effects. In particular, Geographical Indications of higher quality and with higher market sharesdo bene fi t fromstronger external legal protection. Basedon these fi ndings, the European Union may want to refocus its demands for protection of Geographical Indications during trade negotiations.
Phosphorus (P) runoff from agricultural land plays a critical role in downstream water quality. This article summarizes P and sediment runoff data for both snowmelt and rainfall runoff from 30 arable fields in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. The data were collected from 216 site-years of field experiments, with climates ranging from semi-arid to humid and a wide range of field management practices. In the article, mean annual and seasonal (in terms of snowmelt and rain) precipitation inputs, runoff depths, and P and sediment concentrations and loads are presented, along with ranges of yearly values. In addition, information of field management and soil characteristics (e.g. soil type and soil Olsen P) is also presented for each field. The data have potential to be reused for national and international cross-region comparisons of P and sediment losses, constructing and validating decision-support models and tools for assessing and managing P losses in both snowmelt and rainfall runoff, and informing beneficial management practices to improve agricultural water quality. Interpretation of the data is found in “Phosphorus runoff from Canadian agricultural land: A cross-region synthesis of edge-of-field results” [1].
Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics, Science (General)
Zhenhua Chen, Andre L Carrel, Christina Gore
et al.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have received increasing attention in recent years as BEV technical capabilities have rapidly developed. While many studies have attempted to investigate the societal impacts of BEV adoption, there is still a limited understanding of the extent to which widespread adoption of BEVs may affect both environmental and economic variables simultaneously. This study intends to address this research gap by conducting a comprehensive impact assessment of BEV adoption. Using demand estimates derived from a discrete choice experiment, the impact of various scenarios is evaluated using a computable general equilibrium model. Three drivers of BEV total cost of ownership are considered, namely, subsidy levels, cash incentives by manufacturers, and fuel costs. Furthermore, in light of current trends, improvements in BEV battery manufacturing productivity are considered. This research shows that changes in fuel price and incentives by manufacturers have relatively low impacts on GDP growth, but that the effect of subsidies on GDP and on BEV adoption is considerable, due to a stimulus effect on both household expenditures and on vehicle-manufacturing-related sectors. Productivity shocks moderately impact GDP but only affect BEV adoption in competitive markets. Conversely, the environmental impact is more nuanced. Although BEV adoption leads to decreases in tailpipe emissions, increased manufacturing activity as a result of productivity increases or subsidies can lead to growth in non-tailpipe emissions that cancels out some or all of the tailpipe emissions savings. This demonstrates that in order to achieve desired emissions reductions, policies to promote BEV adoption with subsidies should be accompanied by green manufacturing and green power generation initiatives.