Hasil untuk "Environmental Science"

David U Hooper, D. Bignell, V. Brown et al.

Jessica L. Green, B. Bohannan, Rachel J. Whitaker

K. Brown, W. Adger, P. Devine‐Wright et al.

Abstract Sustainability science recognises the need to fully incorporate cultural and emotional dimensions of environmental change to understand how societies deal with and shape anticipated transformations, unforeseen risks and increasing uncertainties. The relationship between empathy and sustainability represents a key advance in understanding underpinning human-environment relations. We assert that lack of empathy for nature and for others limits motivations to conserve the environment and enhance sustainability. Critically, the relationship between empathy and sustainability is mediated by place and identity that constrain and shape empathy’s role in pro-environmental sustainability behaviour. We review emerging evidence across disciplines and suggest a new model exploring interactions between place, identity and empathy for sustainability. There are emerging innovative methodological approaches to observe, measure and potentially stimulate empathy for sustainability.

Taisija Gricenko, Alise Zommere, Jorens Kviesis et al.

Berry press residues represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins and polyphenols, which exhibit strong antioxidant properties. Berry press residues have wide application potential in food systems due to their health benefits as well as colouring capabilities. However, the effects of drying on anthocyanin stability are not fully understood across berry species and drying methods. This study evaluated the effects of conventional hot air and vacuum drying at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 °C, as well as freeze drying, on the total polyphenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), and individual anthocyanin profiles in press residues from 10 berry species. Freeze drying preserved the highest levels of both TPC and TAC, while vacuum drying at moderate temperatures (30–60 °C) demonstrated comparable stability and outperformed conventional drying. All thermal methods showed accelerated degradation of anthocyanins above 75 °C, with notable compound losses at 90 °C. Species-specific responses were observed, with chokeberries and honeysuckle berries being particularly susceptible to high-temperature degradation. Chromatographic analysis revealed that rutinoside and glucoside anthocyanins were more thermally stable than sambubioside and diglucoside forms. Strong correlations were found between TPC and antioxidant activity (r = 0.89), whereas the contribution of anthocyanin was more variable (r = 0.66). This study provided a systematic cross-species comparison of 10 berry press residues dried under identical conditions, revealing species-specific degradation thresholds and demonstrating vacuum drying as a method for the substitution of freeze drying. Clear structure-stability relations across 24 individual anthocyanins were demonstrated, offering novel mechanistic insights for optimisation of industrial anthocyanin-rich by-product valorisation. Future research should explore the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin degradation and assess process scalability for industrial applications. Optimising drying protocols may enable sustainable upcycling of berry by-products into high-value functional ingredients.

Li Zhang, Wei Yu, Cui Han et al.

Hosokawa N, Tajima S, Kobayashi H et al.

Nitrogen (N) is a critical element for tree growth in forest ecosystems. As trees absorb inorganic N, the soil N mineralization process is a key process for their development. Although the spatial pattern of soil N mineralization is expected to relate to tree growth, the difference between the upper and lower positions within a small-scale slope is unclear. Therefore, we compared annual and seasonal soil N mineralization rates in Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa [Siebold & Zucc.] Endl.), which stands at both the upper and lower positions on a slope. We used the resin-core method to estimate in situ soil N mineralization rates. Additionally, the litter decomposition rate and inorganic N passed through the litter layer, which are primary sources for soil N mineralization, were investigated using the litter bag and resin-core methods. Our findings revealed that the annual soil N mineralization rate at the lower position was 5 times higher than that at the upper position. Moreover, seasonal variations in soil N mineralization rate tended to be higher at the lower position than at the upper position. The temporal change in input ammonium passed through the litter layer was similar to that of the nitrification rate in the soil at the lower position, except for winter. Notably, high nitrification in winter at the lower position may be related to soil frost, which can accelerate the decomposition of organic matter. Despite these differences, the litter decomposition rate was similar between the slope positions. The higher soil N mineralization rate and substrate input may result in higher tree growth at the lower position on a slope.

Castillo-González, Humberto, Slot, Jason C., Yarwood, Stephanie et al.

Fungal endophytes play a pivotal role in tropical forest dynamics, influencing plant fitness through growth stimulation, disease suppression, stress tolerance, and nutrient mobilization. This study investigates the effects of region, leaf developmental stage, and tissue type on endophyte communities in tropical plants. Young and mature leaves were collected from 47 Rubiaceae species, and sapwood from 23 species, in old-growth forests of Golfito and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Fungal diversity and composition were assessed through metabarcoding of the ITS2 nrDNA region. Most identified ASVs belonged to the phylum Ascomycota. The orders Botryosphaeriales and Glomerellales significantly contributed to endophytic assemblages, without detection of host-specific communities. We observed significant differences in species richness across regions, confirming distinct compositions through beta diversity. No statistically significant variances were found between mature and juvenile leaf tissues. In contrast, leaves exhibited richer and more diverse assemblages than sapwood. As plants experienced diverse environments over time and space, our results may be influenced by changing structural and chemical properties through ontogeny. Given the potential impact of these fungi on agricultural and forest ecosystems, ongoing research is crucial to discern the roles of hosts, endophytes, and other ecological mechanisms in apparent colonization patterns.

M. Kent

Kevin Ummel, Miguel Poblete-Cazenave, Karthik Akkiraju et al.

AbstractSocial science often relies on surveys of households and individuals. Dozens of such surveys are regularly administered by the U.S. government. However, they field independent, unconnected samples with specialized questions, limiting research questions to those that can be answered by a single survey. The presented data comprise the fusion onto the American Community Survey (ACS) microdata of select donor variables from the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) of 2015, the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) of 2017, the American Housing Survey (AHS) of 2019, and the Consumer Expenditure Survey - Interview (CEI) for the years 2015–2019. This results in an integrated microdataset of household attributes and well-being dimensions that can be analyzed to address research questions in ways that are not currently possible. The underlying statistical techniques, designed under the fusionACS project, are included in an open-sourceRpackage, fusionModel, that provides generic tools for the creation, analysis, and validation of fused microdata.

Stephen Wu, Yu Otake, Yosuke Higo et al.

This paper elucidates the challenges and opportunities inherent in integrating data-driven methodologies into geotechnics, drawing inspiration from the success of materials informatics. Highlighting the intricacies of soil complexity, heterogeneity, and the lack of comprehensive data, the discussion underscores the pressing need for community-driven database initiatives and open science movements. By leveraging the transformative power of deep learning, particularly in feature extraction from high-dimensional data and the potential of transfer learning, we envision a paradigm shift towards a more collaborative and innovative geotechnics field. The paper concludes with a forward-looking stance, emphasizing the revolutionary potential brought about by advanced computational tools like large language models in reshaping geotechnics informatics.

Zhenli He, J. Shentu, Xiaoe Yang et al.

1 University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA 2 College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China 3 Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resources Science, Zhejiang University at Zijingang, Hangzhou, China 4 USDA-ARS-Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA 5 Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada

Khawla A. Mohammed, Mustafa I. Umer , Yasir M. Alyazichi

The high concentration of nitrogen (N) compounds in wastewater was found to be creating a reason of eutrophication, effect the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems and human health. The aim of this study is to reduce harmful N forms from wastewater by biological nitrogen transforming (BNT) bacteria and to investigate the fluctuation of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB), nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), and pathogenic bacteria during this process, so compost representative. A sample of municipal wastewater was taken, and then subjected to the treatment process of BNT, which was subdivided into three stages of ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification. The result revealed that nitrifying bacteria were flocculated during biological nitrogen transformation, like AOB and NOB isolated until obtaining colonies during the nitrification process, by liquid mineral solution and Agar-Agar then calculated. The AOB count was 468 CFU/ml and NOB was 2130 CFU/ml in the sample. The existence of coliform bacteria, especially E. coli raises the possibility of water contamination by pathogens bacteria that cause many serious illnesses in human. Therefore, Mac-Conkey agar was used for the isolation of total coliform bacteria through the BNT process because it is selective and also differentiating agar that specialized in the growth of gram- negative bacteria. Total coliform bacteria decreased gradually, before ammonification (556 CFU/ml), after ammonification (226 CFU/ml), after nitrification (154 CFU/ml) and after denitrification (45 CFU/ml) that have been determined and indicated that further chemical disinfection like chlorination or ozonation were required for complete sterilization of pathogenic bacteria. The study concluded that all harmful forms of N and total coliform bacteria that cause human and ecosystem deleterious were reduced by BNT.

Markos Mathewos, Zelalem Mamo

Establishing exclosures has become common rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands in Ethiopia. This study examined the effects of exclosure on identified soil physical and chemical properties, and woody diversity at the Wamole sub-watershed. Representative soil samples were taken from the open grazing land and eight-year-old exclosure. Six transects and 18 plots, with an area of 20 m × 20 m and containing nine from each open grazing ground and nine from the exclosure, were constructed alongside to sample the vegetation. From every plot, by ‘X’ design, composite soil samples were collected for investigation of total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil pH and soil organic carbon content (SOC), and the bulk density (BD) of the soil, 18 undisturbed soil samples were taken from 0 to 20 cm deep. 34 and 28 woody species belonging to 25 and 20 families were registered between exclosure and adjacent open grazing land respectively. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher Index Shannon-Wiener (3.36) in the exclosure indicated better species diversity in the exclosure than in the open grazing land (3.13). Soil properties such as available phosphorus, pH, OC, TN, and CEC showed significant differences (p < 0.05) across different land uses. Exclosures facilitated to reclaim of degraded lands by re-establishing vegetation and improving soil nutrient status in a comparatively short period. It suggests that further research on socio-economic aspects of exclosures has to bring livelihood improvement in the locality to establish additional degraded open grazing lands in the research sub-watershed.

Shahzaib Ashraf, Shahzad Noor Abbasi, Muhammad Naeem et al.

The main objective of this study is to identify the green suppliers that would most effectively assist manufacturing producers in implementing green manufacturing production while including uncertainty and reliability in their decision-making. For this firstly, we justify and manifest the idea of Pythagorean Fuzzy Z-numbers (PyFZNs). It has significant implications for improving the effectiveness of decision-making processes in several theories of uncertainty. It can more flexibly explain real-world data and human cognition due to its capacity to express imprecise and reliable information. Thus it is a more accurate mathematical tool for addressing accuracy and uncertainty. Secondly, we defined the Pythagorean fuzzy Z-number arithmetic aggregation operators and geometric aggregation operators. Thirdly, based on the proposed operators and EDAS (Evaluation based on distance from average solution) approach, a fast decision model is designed to deal with the issue of multi-criteria decision-making. Finally, using PyFZN data we also provide a numerical example to demonstrate the usability of the created multicriteria decision-making (MDM) approach. Moreover, a case study also proves its efficacy.

Jacobo Tabla-Hernandez, Alejandro V Dellepere, Ernesto Mangas-Ramírez

This work shows the results for the first time of calibrating and validating a mathematical model, capable of predicting the amounts of O _3 and O _2 necessary to reduce pollution levels in a lake based on the chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD _5 ), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and fecal coliforms (FC) concentrations. The model was designed to treat a natural or artificial lake as though it were an aerated lagoon operating as an idealized continuous flow complete-mix reactor. The O _3 yield constant for eliminating the non-biodegradable fraction of COD and for deactivating fecal coliforms were laboratory derived and calibrated with field values. Based on the field parameters, the model accurately predicted a reduction in BOD _5 , COD, TN, TP and FC of 53%, 51%, 39%, 42% and 98%, respectively. The model proved to be effective in predicting O _2 and O _3 demand and time of recovery of a polluted water body.

Vivek S. Kale, Shilpa Patil Pillai

The present exposures of the (Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic) Purana basins of Peninsular India occupy nearly 1.5 × 105 km2 area in the Indian subcontinent, with an equal area being concealed under younger cover or lost to ensuing erosion. These extensional basins evolved on the margins (& with basement) of the existing cratonic blocks during the ‘boring billion years’ of Earth history. They host nearly 0.8 million km3 of epicratonic compacted and lithified sediments derived by weathering and erosion of the adjoining cratonic blocks and deposited on their fringes.The volumetric contents of these basins and their temporal distribution are compiled. The relative distribution and secular variations of sediment contents from these basins appear to synchronise with global Proterozoic supercontinental assembly and dispersal cycles. A comparison of mass-transfer by the erosion of the provenance area and sedimentation in continent margin basins shows that the volumes preserved in the Purana basins are at least 2 magnitudes larger than what can be derived from adjoining cratonic areas within the Indian Subcontinent. Much wider continental masses as well as exhumation (aided by uplift) of km-scale magnitudes of the provenance areas are required to reconcile their volume. Possible linkages with other cratonic blocks within the contemporary supercontinental assemblies are required to resolve this discrepancy.

Holly E. Jenkins, Holly E. Jenkins, Florence Atherden et al.

Calanoid copepods comprise around 90% of Arctic zooplankton biomass and are fundamental to the ecological and biogeochemical functioning of high-latitude pelagic ecosystems. They accumulate lipid reserves during the productive months and represent an energy-rich food source for higher trophic levels. Rapidly changing climate in the Arctic may alter the quantity and composition of the food environment for one of the key copepod species, Calanus finmarchicus, with as yet unquantified effects on its production. Here we present rates of feeding and egg production in female C. finmarchicus exposed to the range of feeding conditions encountered across the Fram Strait in May/June 2018. Carbon (C) budgets were constructed and used to examine the relationship between feeding and growth (= egg production) in these animals. C-specific ingestion rates (mean ± standard deviation) were highly variable, ranging from 0.015 ± 0.004 to 0.645 ± 0.017 day-1 (mean = 0.295 ± 0.223 day-1), and were positively correlated with food availability. C-specific egg production rates ranged from 0.00 to 0.049 day-1 (mean = 0.012 ± 0.011) and were not correlated with either food availability or ingestion rate. Calculated gross growth efficiencies (GGE: growth/ingestion) were low, 0.12 ± 0.13 (range = 0.01 to 0.39). The assembled C budgets indicate that the average fraction of ingested food that was surplus to the requirements for egg production, respiration and losses to faecal pellets was 0.17 ± 0.42. We suggest that this excess occurred, at least in part, because many of the incubated females were still undergoing the energetically (C-) expensive process of gonad maturation at the time of sampling, an assertion that is supported by the relatively high C:N (nitrogen) ratios of the incubated females, the typically low egg production rates, and gonad maturation status. Ontogenetic development may thus explain the large variability seen in the relationship between egg production and ingestion. The apparently excessive ingestion rates may additionally indicate that recently moulted females must acquire additional N via ingestion to complete the maturation process and begin spawning. Our results highlight the need for improved fundamental understanding of the physiology of high-latitude copepods and its response to environmental change.