Search

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, currently used as a set of standards by socially conscious investors to evaluate a company's operations before investing, are becoming an important global trend today. In particular, environmental and ecological crises are increasingly being seen as issues that will determine the sustainability of human civilization. Scholars of religion have been paying more attention to the issue as well. In fact, religion and environmentalism have emerged as sub-disciplines in, among others, religious ethics, religious studies, the sociology of religion, and theology. In view of this development, this paper aims to reexamine Minjung theology, literally meaning "the people's theology", which arose as a form of liberation theology in South Korea in the 1970s, from an ecological perspective, particularly focusing on the former's view on the relationship and interrelationship between the individual and the environment. The paper pays special attention to the work of Ahn Byung-Mu, a founding scholar of Minjung theology, shedding light on the connection between his concept of gong, literally meaning "publicness", and ecology, the characteristics of his ecological thoughts and their relevance to his view of god, and his views on bapsanggongdongche, literally meaning "the table community". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The call for papers for this Special Issue Iidentifies contemporary humanity as experiencing a global "biogeochemical ... political, economic, technological, ethical, and therefore, biocultural" crisis and asks scholars to consider how "religion may function as an adaptive or maladaptive presence" in response. Unasked is the adaptive capacity of scholarship as a crisis response. When buildings fall in earthquakes, or cities burn in wildfires, or second stories flood, few people just keep on doing what they were doing, "with a change of focus". This is "studying Rome while it burns". It's time to put out the fire if we can and survive it if we cannot. We scholar/teachers can't go on doing the same things and expecting different results. Unprecedented circumstances call for unprecedented actions in response. What would actual crisis responses on our part look like? What steps do we need to take as human beings in response to this crisis? How will that affect us as professionals? Seeking an ecology, rather than unanimity, of action and thought, and guided by Brian Walker's resilience theory and a number of Indigenous scholars, I suggest a process of reintegration, analogous to regenerative agriculture, which is at once both socio-cultural and ecological. This process, necessarily rooted in place, progressively situates us experientially in a dynamic, creative, and relational world characterized by connection, collaboration, and relation. As scholars, we will find forms of discovery, discussion, and dissemination that share these qualities. As teachers, we will model this world to our students and embody it in our classrooms and curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, new findings and new methods (stable isotopes of oxygen, zinc, and nitrogen; 2D and 3D modeling; and geometric morphometric analyses of the teeth) have enhanced our knowledge of the Neogene shark fauna and its paleobiology. Several papers deal with the large Otodus (Megaselachus) species, including the construction of a 3D model, as well as insights into its lifestyle and diet. In addition, the skeletal remains of Carcharias gustrowensis, Carcharodon hastalis, and Keasius parvus and a natural tooth set of Carcharodon hubbelli have been described in the last 13 years, and the dentition of the Neogene species Carcharoides catticus, Megachasma applegatei, and Parotodus benedenii has been reconstructed. Stable isotope analyses of the teeth from the Neogene species of Araloselachus, Carcharias, Carcharodon, Galeocerdo, Hemipristris, and Mitsukurina have given insights into the trophic positions of these genera during the Neogene, and shark teeth preserved near the skeletal remains of prey animals (mammals) and shark bite traces on these remains provide direct evidence of trophic interactions. The tooth shape, fossil locality, and paleoenvironment have been used to better understand the taxa Carcharhinus dicelmai, Megalolamna paradoxodon, Pachyscyllium dachiardii, and P. distans. Among extant species, Galeorhinus galeus can be traced back to the Eocene. Alopias superciliosus, Rhincodon typus, and possibly A. vulpinus can be traced back to the Oligocene. Species present by the Miocene include Alopias vulpinus, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides, C. amblyrhynchos, C. albimarginatus, C. amboinensis, C. brachyurus, C. brevipinna, C. falciformis, C. glaucus, C. leucas, C. limbatus, C. longimanus, C. macloti, C. obscurus, C. perezi, C. sealei, Centrophorus granulosus, Cetorhinus maximus, Dalatias licha, Deania calcea, Galeocerdo cuvier, Glyphis glyphis, Heptranchias perlo, Isurus paucus, Lamna nasus, Negaprion brevirostris, Odontaspis ferox, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai, Sphyrna media, S. mokarran, and possibly Carcharodon carcharias. First appearing in the Pliocene are Scymnodon ringens, Somniosus rostratus, and Zameus squamulosus. For some extant species (Carcharias taurus, Hexanchus griseus, Isurus oxyrinchus, Notorynchus cepedianus, and Sphyrna zygaena), it is not clear whether the assigned Neogene teeth represent the same species. The application of new methods to more fossil shark taxa, a detailed search for shark fossils, and better knowledge of the dentition of extant species (especially those with minute-sized teeth) will further enhance our knowledge of the evolution and paleobiology of sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few decades, the number of published papers that include search terms such as thermodynamics, entropy, ecology, and ecosystems has grown rapidly. Recently, background research carried out during the development of a paper on "thermodynamics in ecology" revealed huge variation in the understanding of the meaning and the use of some of the central terms in this field—in particular, entropy. This variation seems to be based primarily on the differing educational and scientific backgrounds of the researchers responsible for contributions to this field. Secondly, some ecological subdisciplines also seem to be better suited and applicable to certain interpretations of the concept than others. The most well-known seems to be the use of the Boltzmann–Gibbs equation in the guise of the Shannon–Weaver/Wiener index when applied to the estimation of biodiversity in ecology. Thirdly, this tendency also revealed that the use of entropy-like functions could be diverted into an area of statistical and distributional analyses as opposed to real thermodynamic approaches, which explicitly aim to describe and account for the energy fluxes and dissipations in the systems. Fourthly, these different ways of usage contribute to an increased confusion in discussions about efficiency and possible telos in nature, whether at the developmental level of the organism, a population, or an entire ecosystem. All the papers, in general, suffer from a lack of clear definitions of the thermodynamic functions used, and we, therefore, recommend that future publications in this area endeavor to achieve a more precise use of language. Only by increasing such efforts it is possible to understand and resolve some of the significant and possibly misleading discussions in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present essay, we want to show how the Canticle of the Creatures, which we might call "The Canticle of Universal Brotherhood", is much more than the Canticle of Brother Sun or of a single man. The author himself is much more than the exceptional case of a nature-friendly medieval saint who, therefore, continues to inspire the promoters of ecology and, especially after the papal encyclical Laudato Si', constitutes the ecumenical matrix for the care of our common home. To this end, in this paper, we focus on two moments that, in the construction of the tutelary figure of Francis of Assisi, constitute a kind of diptych or portals which open and recapitulate the reconstructive intuition he bequeathed to us: (1) the vocational moment: Go and repair my house; and (2) the testamentary moment, in which the Founder, who never wanted to found anything, legates his manifesto for building the common home as a universal brotherhood, turning the "stones" into a canticle. Above all, we want to highlight the relevance of Franciscan spirituality, expressed particularly in the Canticle of the Creatures, and thus the Franciscan aesthetics for the modern ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review was to analyze to what extent the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR), environment and energy has been addressed in the specialized literature and which are the deficient segments in this regard. VOSviewer was used for data extraction, mapping and grouping the articles from journals that have been indexed in Web of Science (WOS). A total of 102 papers were found approaching the topic of corporate social responsibility, environment and energy policy, 5192 research papers for CSR and the environment and 320 on CSR and energy policy. Following the bibliometric analysis, we can conclude that we are facing a shortage of works that analyze the relationship between the three fields together. The number of published articles was reduced to establish the direction of influence between the three variables, as well as the impact between them. However, the advantage that emerges from this lack of works is that there are many opportunities to find news on this subject and to discover solutions to improve the quality of life. This study can be used as an impetus for researchers to examine the trends of this research topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges faced by Brazilian distribution utilities to enable the connection and operation of microgrids (MGs) is the absence of a solid set of technical standards in the country. An alternative has been to use and adapt existing standards applied to micro- and mini-distributed generation. In this context, this paper presents an analysis of the development status of norms, standards, and general requirements for the connection and operation of microgrids, as well as a proposal for the regulation and structuring of technical and operational requirements related to the implementation of microgrid projects. Some critical points highlighted in the paper include: the modes of operation, the minimum requirements for the different modes of operation, interoperability of systems, a conceptual model with attribution of responsible actors for the decentralized management of microgrids adapted to the institutional standards of the Brazilian sectorial model, a proposal for a standard connection structure considering the point of connection (PoC) implanted using multifunctional relay and recloser, procedures for technical feasibility assessment (operational studies) of MGs connection, and, finally, a discussion of operational issues of storage systems in a microgrid environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroelectric dams create new ecosystems such as reservoirs. Several hydroelectric dams forming shallow reservoirs were built on the Angara River flowing out of Lake Baikal. The first of them in downstream Angara is Irkutsk Reservoir, with several shallow bays. Since silica-scaled chrysophytes are effective bioindicators for aquatic ecosystems, this paper aimed to determine their distribution, taxonomic structure and species richness in South Baikal and Irkutsk Reservoir, which have different environmental parameters. Thirty-one species were found using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Only seven of them inhabited South Baikal in June 2023 at 3.66–4.51 °C and pH 7.80–8.24, with Chrysosphaerella baicalensis, Spiniferomonas trioralis f. cuspidata and Mallomonas alpina being prevalent. Only one species (M. alpina) was dominant in Irkutsk Reservoir at all stations at a water temperature of 5.33–11.55 °C and pH 8.10–8.52, alongside three other abundant species, Synura cf. glabra, Mallomonas acaroides and M. crassisquama. The maximum number of species (23) was found in a shallow bay of the reservoir at maximal values of temperature (11.5 °C) and pH (8.57) and minimal values of phosphate and nitrate concentrations during the study. The enrichment of Irkutsk Reservoir in species of silica-scaled chrysophytes was due both to cosmopolitan widespread and polyzonal species as well as to rare boreal, arctic–boreal, and unknown, possibly new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to share more information about cumacean crustaceans, specifically their presence, biogeographical distribution, and preferred sediment type in the Italian Seas. Samples were collected on the soft bottom at different sites, ranging from 3 to 158 m in depth, from 2001 to 2021. The specimens collected represented a total of 29 species belonging to 5 families (Bodotriidae, Leuconidae, Nannastacidae, Diastylidae, and Pseudocumatidae). The results were compared with the most recent Italian fauna checklists and the available scientific literature on this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dolphins are among the most popular animals in zoos and aquariums around the world. Recently, however, a paper suggested that environments for dolphins in zoos and aquariums might be "impoverished", leading to possible problems for their brain and cognitive functioning. This review directly examines that hypothesis in light of the existing scientific literature relevant to dolphin welfare in zoos and aquariums. The results of this analysis—based on the documented standards of modern professional zoological organizations, the results of a multi-national study on dolphin welfare, and the behavior of dolphins in modern zoos and aquariums—show that this claim is clearly false. However, as "not impoverished" would be a ridiculously low bar to set as an animal welfare standard, additional strategies are suggested for providing cognitive challenges in zoos and aquariums to optimize dolphins' cognitive well-being. Numerous studies have demonstrated the negative effects of impoverished environments versus the positive effects of enriched environments on animals' cognitive and neural functioning. Recently, a hypothesis was raised suggesting that conditions for dolphins in zoological facilities may be inherently impoverished, and thus lead to neural and cognitive deficits. This review directly examines that hypothesis in light of the existing scientific literature relevant to dolphin welfare in zoological facilities. Specifically, it examines how dolphins are housed in modern zoological facilities, where the characteristics of such housing fall on the continuum of impoverished-to-enriched environments, and the extent to which dolphins show behavioral evidence characteristic of living in impoverished environments. The results of this analysis show that contrary to the original hypothesis, modern zoological facilities do not inherently, or even typically, house dolphins in impoverished conditions. However, it also notes that there is variation in animal welfare across different zoological facilities, and that "not impoverished" would be a particularly low bar to set as an animal welfare standard. To optimize cognitive well-being, strategies for providing additional cognitive challenges for dolphins in zoological facilities are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most serious threats to humankind today are environmental and ecological problems. The global warming in particular is generally perceived as a serious threat to the survival of humanity and this sense of urgency has given us a chance to consider our place in the ecosystem and question our anthropocentrism. Various faiths acknowledge human obligations to protect the environment and preserve biodiversity. In the Korean context, while the eco-friendly worldviews of Buddhism are well-known, very little is known about other Korean religions' views on the environment. This paper examines whether representative new religions of Korea, namely Donghak and Won Buddhism, can contribute as "religious mechanisms" in alleviating ecological problems. The paper particularly focuses on the former's doctrine of samgyeong or "the Threefold Respect" and the latter's philosophy of saeun or "the Fourfold Grace," examining their relevance for religious governance. The paper argues that these two doctrines are permeated with an ecological view implying the need for all living things, including humans, animals and plants as well as the natural environment, to coexist. The paper also argues that these two religions, complete with guidelines for actions or practices, provide a path for building the possibility of religious governance through religious awakening of believers, mutual respect and mutual trust, and mutual communication and reflective cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last century, science fiction has become an incredibly powerful tool in depicting alternative social imaginaries, particularly those of the future. Extending beyond their fictious nature is a commentary on the stark realities of modern society. The 'cyberpunk' subgenre, for example, offers a dystopian critique on the dangers of technological dependence and hypercapitalism. In studying science fiction, future imaginaries can be developed as utopian goals for governance systems to strive for. In contrast to cyberpunk, the subgenre of 'solarpunk' depicts a utopian society where humanity lives locally, sustainably, and in harmony with nature. This paper deconstructs solarpunk media to describe three guiding principles of solarpunk: anarchism, ecology, and justice. As an anarchist community, solarpunk strives for a post-scarcity, post-capitalist society devoid of hierarchy and domination. As an ecological community, solarpunk strives for local, self-sufficient, and sustainable living where both the human and non-human flourish. Finally, as a just community, solarpunk strives to rid society of marginalization and celebrate authenticity. These three principles can be used to guide humanity towards a utopian, solarpunk future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The genus Diopatra is a major driver in sedimentary systems, altering the structure of habitats and changing the frequency of refugia and predator access to prey. It is taken as prey by a variety of shorebirds, crustaceans, and fish and used worldwide as bait. Diopatra are quite charismatic, with iridescent colour patterns and a willingness to be fed by hand by entranced biologists, and their larvae can only be described as 'cute'. One might expect then that given their importance to sedimentary systems, the bait trade, etc. that we would know more than we do about their reproductive modes, physiological tolerances, etc. than we do. The recent discovery that the predominant onuphid of the very well-known Atlantic coast of Europe, D. neapolitana, is a protandric sequential hermaphrodite is startling. This special volume dedicated to Diopatra will hopefully stimulate more investigations and further insights. The annelid genus Diopatra occurs in all major oceans but is best represented in the shallow depths of warmer waters, where it lives in elaborately decorated tubes. This paper provides an introduction to the animals, discussing their history and diversity. We describe and illustrate its morphology and geographic distribution. While they were thought to be predominantly gonochoristic, recent reproductive studies show that several species are protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites. Development is by broadcast spawning with a brief pelagic stage or direct development in the parental tube or egg mass attached to it. Diopatra is a key ecosystem engineer, altering water flow and deposition and increasing the availability of refugia. We also discuss its harvesting as fishing bait, its role as an alien or introduced species, its capacity to regenerate, its therapeutic potential, and its applications as a bioindicator species for climate change, geographic distribution changes, and dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil food webs are extremely complex as they contain diverse organisms. Feeding preference, also known as prey selection, is an important determinant of soil community compositions. However, the feeding preferences of nematodes are commonly ignored in ecology research. In this paper, the population dynamics and feeding preferences of three bacterial-feeding nematodes (i.e., Caenorhabditis elegans, Protorhabditis spp., and Acrobeloides spp.) for eight bacterial prey species were evaluated. Protorhabditis and Acrobeloides were isolated from a paddy soil in subtropical China. C. elegans, the most common model system for biological research, was used as a control in this study, and it was revealed that C. elegans could feed on all the eight bacteria strains. Protorhabditis could only survive when fed E. coli and Bacillus thuringiensis. Acrobeloides could only survive when fed E. coli and B. aryabhattai. During 10 days of culture, C. elegans populations reached the maximum in 5–7 days, and most C. elegans populations exceeded 10,000 individuals. The two Protorhabditis populations on E. coli and Bacillus thuringiensis included less than 800 individuals during 10 days of culture. Acrobeloides population on B. aryabhattai reached the maximum (7799 individuals) on day 8, while on E. coli was its population included less than 500 individuals. These results indicate that different nematode species indeed have distinct feeding preferences. In addition, the population dynamics of the two soil nematodes isolated from soil could not fully match with their inferred life-history strategies (i.e., cp values, and a 1-5 colonizer-p-ersister series that range from r-strategists to K-strategists). Our findings highlights the existing deficiencies in the understanding of the feeding behavior and the life-history strategies of soil nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary turns a critical lens on the perspectives of labour in the potential green transition. It shows what changes when we focus on worldwide social labour—the labour which most of humanity currently performs—and its worldwide impact, going beyond climate to damages from mining and to biodiversity and other elements of the ecology. Such an optic forces scepticism about approaches which only consider the North when it comes to a large-scale green transition. Indeed, this paper argues, using illustrative examples, how such approaches rely on suppressing the historical role of colonialism and imperialism in making First World (core) development possible. It shows how lenses such as "social reproduction" or policies such as "universal health care" focused only on the core reproduction of worldwide patterns of domination. It then puts forward the outlines of an alternative approach to decent work in the context of a worldwide green transition toward a non-hierarchical world system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous promotion of China's electricity market reform, the introduction of competition in the power generation market provides a new research direction for the generation expansion planning (GEP) problem, which is of great significance in the promotion of the optimization of the power energy structure. In the context of marketization, the electricity price expectation during the planning period is a key factor of GEP for independent power generation groups. There is some literature showing that the electricity price expectation in the planning period can be estimated according to certain laws of market supply and demand, while it seems to us that a future Pay as Bid (PAB) mechanism is better to determine the electricity price expectation. In this paper, to explore the impact of these two different electricity price formation mechanisms on the evolution of the generation market, a multi-agent framework is first established to describe the interaction process among the generation market agents; then, a GEP model for independent power generation groups is developed in the market competition environment, and four representative scenarios are finally designed for detailed comparative studies. Based on these case studies, the conclusion can be summarized as: (1) the PAB bidding mechanism has a lower electricity price and higher market installed capacity almost all the time during the whole planning period for all four scenarios; (2) it is more important that PAB can reduce the impact of parameter uncertainty in the laws of market supply and demand, which can obtain more reliable and reasonable results regarding the long-term evolution of the generation market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review provides the state of the art of energy management systems (EMS) and organizational structures of prosumers. Integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into the household brings new challenges in optimal operation, power quality, participation in the electricity market and power system stability. A common solution to these challenges is to develop an EMS with different prosumer organizational structures. EMS development is a multidisciplinary process that needs to involve several aspects of observation. This paper provides an overview of the prosumer organizational and control structures, types and elements, prediction methods of input parameters, optimization frameworks, optimization methods, objective functions, constraints and the market environment. Special attention is given to the optimization framework and prediction of input parameters, which represents room for improvement, that mitigate the impact of uncertainties associated with RES-based generation, consumption and market prices on optimal operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing pandemic has driven the attention of both policy makers and professionals of the building sector towards the need for proper ventilation of the indoor environment. Despite accurate ventilation control only being available with mechanical ventilation systems, in several countries worldwide the renovation of indoor air relies mainly on natural solutions. In this context, in the design of new or renovated buildings, conventional natural ventilation rates are typically assumed to be in agreement with available technical standards, sometimes regardless of the actual external conditions. For instance, local wind speed and direction, as well as buoyancy-driven air displacements, are not considered, even if they can significantly affect the ventilation efficacy for the designed buildings. Moreover, the local outdoor temperature and the presence of pollutants are rarely accounted for, even though they can represent interesting inputs not only for naturally ventilated buildings but also for mechanical ventilation systems. In the framework described above, this review paper aims to provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art of the research regarding air displacement and conditions in the urban context, focusing on the main methods, parameters and metrics to consider in order to ensure a deeper and more accurate modelling of natural ventilation potential in the urban built environment. The analysis of the literature includes both experimental and numerical studies. As regards the latter ones, the features of the chosen urban areas—real or parametric ones—the adopted turbulence models and the indexes calculated as simulation outputs were analysed, with the purpose of defining a common framework to support future extensive numerical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An updated checklist of freshwater gastropods of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including 144 species and subspecies from 59 genera and 17 families, is presented in this paper. Hydrobiidae is the most diverse family, representing ~50% of the species richness in the country. In total, ~38% of the recorded taxa are endemic. The highest number of species was recorded from underground waters and/or springs, followed by rivers and standing waters. This inventory includes 18 crenobiotic taxa, of which 9 are endemic to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country is divided between the Dniester–Lower Danube and Dalmatia ecoregions. The Dalmatia ecoregion has the highest overall diversity, i.e., 82 species and subspecies. Three invasive species are recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our study reveals that most species still lack conservation assessments, and only five species are nationally protected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Daisyworld model illustrates the concept of biological homeostasis in the global environment by establishing a connection between the biota and environment, resulting in a single intertwined system known as Gaia. In essence, the Daisyworld model represents life by daisy populations whereas temperature represents the environment, establishing a population dynamics model to represent life–environment ecological interactions. The recent occurrence of extreme weather events due to climate change and the critical crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are strengthening the arguments for the revenge of Gaia, a term used to describe the protective response of the global biota-environment system. This paper presents a novel Daisyworld parable to describe ecological life–environment interactions including the revenge of Gaia and the greenhouse effect. The revenge of Gaia refers to a change in the interplay between life and environment, characterized by the Gaia state that establishes the life-environment state of balance and harmony. This results in reaction effects that impact the planet's fertile regions. On the other hand, the greenhouse effect is incorporated through the description of the interactions of greenhouse gases with the planet, altering its albedo. Numerical simulations are performed using a nonlinear dynamics perspective, showing different ecological scenarios. An investigation of the system reversibility is carried out together with critical life–environment interactions. This parable provides a qualitative description that can be useful to evaluate ecological scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explore the public dimension of religion in Korea. First, it examines the Western and East Asian contexts on the concept of 'public', noting that the gap in notions of public is large between East Asian and Western traditions. The following section discusses Habermas' 'institutional translation proviso' in relation to the notion 'public'. The institutional translation proviso serves as the basis for further discussion on rethinking the public role of religion in Korea in the era of climate crisis. We argue that 'secular' translations of religious convictions can help religious citizens and communities engage in public discourses on ecological challenges. We then consider major limitations of Habermas' understanding of religion. In the following section, we move on to discuss Albert Schweitzer and process theology in order to demonstrate how religious languages can be reinterpreted on the basis of modern experiences of ecological challenges. We then consider Buddhist alternatives for overcoming the climate crisis. The final section introduces José Casanova's account of public religions and discusses its implication for envisioning the public role of religious organizations in ecological efforts. Reviewing the contributions made by religious organizations to the Korean society, we suggest that 'ecological publicness' of religion can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The story of Noah is the story of a near-total biocide. And yet, in popular imagination, it appears as more of a floating petting zoo, a charming menagerie that follows the far more serious Edenic storylines of Genesis 1–5. In this paper, the ark, and midrash it inspired, acts as a guide for a set of speculations and arguments about the role Jewish philosophy might play during the present ecological disaster. These speculations are guided by the following claim: Jewish philosophy best responds to ecological crises when it does not attempt to provide an ecological ethics "out of the sources of Judaism"—making expansive normative and metaphysical claims—but instead explores enclosures and spaces; when it thinks about our relation to disasters, rather than trying to prevent or solve them. In other words, there is an element of Jewish thought which attempts to think enclosures and protect small but important things in the midst of disasters, and it is this I wish to highlight. My goal is to demonstrate that this kind of thinking presents viable possibilities for ecological thought. Specifically, I will argue that Mara Benjamin's work gives us an indication of where such philosophy can go and how it might get there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor positioning and navigation have been attracting interest from the research community for quite some time. Nowadays, new fields, such as the Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, and augmented reality, are increasing the demand for indoor positioning solutions capable of delivering specific positioning performances not only in simulation but also in the real world; hence, validation in real-world environments is essential. However, collecting real-world data is a time-consuming and costly endeavor, and many research teams lack the resources to perform experiments across different environments, which are required for high-quality validation. Publicly available datasets are a solution that provides the necessary resources to perform this type of validation and to promote research work reproducibility. Unfortunately, for different reasons, and despite some initiatives promoting data sharing, the number and diversity of datasets available are still very limited. In this paper, we introduce and describe a new public dataset which has the unique characteristic of being collected over a long period (2+ years), and it can be used for different Wi-Fi-based positioning studies. In addition, we also describe the solution (Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) + mobile unit) developed to collect this dataset, allowing researchers to replicate the method and collect similar datasets in other spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a literature review of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and the knowledge accumulated by Romanian foresters and researchers, covering species propagation, stand management, and vulnerability issues. As highlighted by numerous authors, black locust manifests dual features, both as an exogenous species and one that is already naturalized. The main drivers for this species' expansion in Romania is its ecological adaptability on degraded lands, fast growth, and high biomass yields, in addition to other economic benefits. Black locust plantations and coppices also offer an important range of ecosystem services such as CO2 sequestration, landscape reclamation, fuel wood, or maintaining traditional crafts in regions with little to no forest cover. Highlighted disadvantages include short lifespan, invasiveness when introduced on fertile sites, and dieback in drought/frost prone areas. The results of extensive research and studies are captured in technical norms, although aspects such as species genetics, invasive potential, and adaptation to climate change dynamics call for more research and optimizing in species management. As Romania rallies its efforts with those of the international community in order to address climate change and desertification, black locust stands out as a proven solution for reclaiming degraded lands when native species are not an alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating gyroscopes have gained a lot of attention over the last two decades because of their low power consumption, easy integration, and low fabrication cost. The usage of the gyroscope equipped with an inertial measurement unit has increased tremendously, with applications ranging from household devices to smart electronics to military equipment. However, reliability issues are still a concern when operating this inertial sensor in harsh environments, such as to control the movement and alignment of mini-satellites in space, tracking firefighters at an elevated temperature, and assisting aircraft navigation in gusty turbulent air. This review paper focuses on the key fundamentals of the MEMS vibrating gyroscopes, first discussing popular designs including the tuning fork, gimbal, vibrating ring, and multi-axis gyroscopes. It further investigates how bias stability, angle random walk, scale factor, and other performance parameters are affected in harsh environments and then discusses the reliability issues of the gyroscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry-based internet of things (IIoT) describes how IIoT devices enhance and extend their capabilities for production amenities, security, and efficacy. IIoT establishes an enterprise-to-enterprise setup that means industries have several factories and manufacturing units that are dependent on other sectors for their services and products. In this context, individual industries need to share their information with other external sectors in a shared environment which may not be secure. The capability to examine and inspect such large-scale information and perform analytical protection over the large volumes of personal and organizational information demands authentication and confidentiality so that the total data are not endangered after illegal access by hackers and other unauthorized persons. In parallel, these large volumes of confidential industrial data need to be processed within reasonable time for effective deliverables. Currently, there are many mathematical-based symmetric and asymmetric key cryptographic approaches and identity- and attribute-based public key cryptographic approaches that exist to address the abovementioned concerns and limitations such as computational overheads and taking more time for crucial generation as part of the encipherment and decipherment process for large-scale data privacy and security. In addition, the required key for the encipherment and decipherment process may be generated by a third party which may be compromised and lead to man-in-the-middle attacks, brute force attacks, etc. In parallel, there are some other quantum key distribution approaches available to produce keys for the encipherment and decipherment process without the need for a third party. However, there are still some attacks such as photon number splitting attacks and faked state attacks that may be possible with these existing QKD approaches. The primary motivation of our work is to address and avoid such abovementioned existing problems with better and optimal computational overhead for key generation, encipherment, and the decipherment process compared to the existing conventional models. To overcome the existing problems, we proposed a novel dynamic quantum key distribution (QKD) algorithm for critical public infrastructure, which will secure all cyber–physical systems as part of IIoT. In this paper, we used novel multi-state qubit representation to support enhanced dynamic, chaotic quantum key generation with high efficiency and low computational overhead. Our proposed QKD algorithm can create a chaotic set of qubits that act as a part of session-wise dynamic keys used to encipher the IIoT-based large scales of information for secure communication and distribution of sensitive information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What benefits, from the point of view of the energy and ecological performance of a multisource drive system, can be gained for a particular control criterion through the use of appropriate secondary energy source parameters (accumulator volume V g and initial gas pressure p g ) for a given work cycle of a machine working in closed spaces? This paper describes a method of determining energy and ecological efficiency for a selected multisource drive system control criterion and presents potential benefits resulting from a proper choice of secondary energy source parameters for a selected control criterion. Using, as an example, a multisource hydrostatic drive system with a combustion engine as the primary energy source, the energy consumption and the ecological parameters (nitrogen oxides N O x emissions, carbon monoxide C O emissions and opacity D Y M ) were analysed for selected work cycles and different hydraulic accumulator parameters, i.e., initial gas pressure ( p g ) and accumulator volume ( V g ). The investigations showed that the optimal parameters for the secondary energy source for energy performance criteria are different from those for the ecological criteria. It can be concluded that when a bank of accumulators is used, it will be possible to select a secondary energy source capacity that is optimal for the given work cycle, thereby improving the energy balance or the ecological balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present several study cases focused on marine, oceanographic, and atmospheric environments, which would greatly benefit from the use of a deployable system for small satellite observations. As opposed to the large standard ones, small satellites have become an effective and affordable alternative access to space, owing to their lower costs, innovative design and technology, and higher revisiting times, when launched in a constellation configuration. One of the biggest challenges is created by the small satellite instrumentation working in the visible (VIS), infrared (IR), and microwave (MW) spectral ranges, for which the resolution of the acquired data depends on the physical dimension of the telescope and the antenna collecting the signal. In this respect, a deployable payload, fitting the limited size and mass imposed by the small satellite architecture, once unfolded in space, can reach performances similar to those of larger satellites. In this study, we show how ecology and Earth Observations can benefit from data acquired by small satellites, and how they can be further improved thanks to deployable payloads. We focus on DORA—Deployable Optics for Remote sensing Applications—in the VIS to TIR spectral range, and on a planned application in the MW spectral range, and we carry out a radiometric analysis to verify its performances for Earth Observation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper presents an extended version of the Cox regression model to examine heterogeneous effects of risk factors on disease subtypes defined by a continuous biomarker. This approach can be easily applied to cancer studies and is accessible to researchers via user-friendly R scripts. Molecular pathologic diagnosis is important in clinical (oncology) practice. Integration of molecular pathology into epidemiological methods (i.e., molecular pathological epidemiology) allows for investigating the distinct etiology of disease subtypes based on biomarker analyses, thereby contributing to precision medicine and prevention. However, existing approaches for investigating etiological heterogeneity deal with categorical subtypes. We aimed to fully leverage continuous measures available in most biomarker readouts (gene/protein expression levels, signaling pathway activation, immune cell counts, microbiome/microbial abundance in tumor microenvironment, etc.). We present a cause-specific Cox proportional hazards regression model for evaluating how the exposure–disease subtype association changes across continuous subtyping biomarker levels. Utilizing two longitudinal observational prospective cohort studies, we investigated how the association of alcohol intake (a risk factor) with colorectal cancer incidence differed across the continuous values of tumor epigenetic DNA methylation at long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1). The heterogeneous alcohol effect was modeled using different functions of the LINE-1 marker to demonstrate the method's flexibility. This real-world proof-of-principle computational application demonstrates how the new method enables visualizing the trend of the exposure effect over continuous marker levels. The utilization of continuous biomarker data without categorization for investigating etiological heterogeneity can advance our understanding of biological and pathogenic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address "wicked problems" that threaten the good ecological status of the Baltic Sea such as climate change with diverse stakeholder values and complex solutions, new interdisciplinary knowledge that incorporates citizen science is urgently needed. This paper scrutinizes environmental heritage in the Baltic Sea region by exploring what it means to persons living in the Baltic Sea environment. It asks the question, what is environmental heritage? It uses a qualitative research method using both texts and photographs--collected in an open competition--to consider humanistic viewpoints of persons living in the changing climate in the Baltic Sea Region. A thematic content analysis was utilized to identify emerging themes in the text and visual inquiry was used to decipher what meanings related to environmental change were conveyed in submitted the photographs. Some of the findings include that environmental heritage is perceived as experiences of living and interacting with the Sea and other non-human actors like animals, but also as material objects in the environment such as sustainable architecture. It also found that environmental heritage is articulated as a source of conflict, between users and uses and the traditional and new ways of life. Resolution of this conflict is important in guiding effective solutions to the challenge of climate change. It is thus important to develop interdisciplinary methods that facilitate the merging of different knowledge systems in order to generate effective solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial symbiosis (IS) is a term used to describe a network of diverse organizations that make use of different byproducts to improve their ability to achieve common goals, improve environmental conditions, and/or improve business and technical processes. In this paper, we propose a model for evaluation of the possibilities of the establishment of such IS on a regional level. This paper studied a benchmark of seven IS examples, which are used to build a qualitative multi-criteria decision model for evaluation of the development of IS network model. Through these examples, where two are the best known IS cases in the world, we demonstrate the importance of social actors' involvement in IS in their industrial or non-industrial technological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to use the limited precision of remanufactured parts to assemble higher-quality remanufactured products is a challenge for remanufacturing engineering under uncertainty. On the basis of analyzing the uncertainty of remanufacturing parts, this paper takes tolerance redistributing of the reassembly (remanufactured assembly) dimensional chain as the research object. An entropy model to measure the uncertainty of assembly dimensional is built, and we quantify the degree of the uncertainty gap between reassembly and assembly. Then, in order to make sure the uncertainty of reassembly is not lower than that of assembly, the tolerance redistribution optimization model of the reassembly dimensional chain is proposed which is based on the tolerance of the grading allocation method. Finally, this paper takes the remanufactured gearbox assembly dimension chain as an example. The redistribution optimization model saves 19.11% of the cost with the assembly precision of remanufactured products. It provides new technical and theoretical support to expand the utilization rate of remanufactured parts and improve reassembly precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetics increasingly occupies a pivotal position in our understanding of inheritance, natural selection and, perhaps, even evolution. A survey of the PubMed database, however, reveals that the great majority (>93%) of epigenetic papers have an intra-, rather than an inter-generational focus, primarily on mechanisms and disease. Approximately ~1% of epigenetic papers even mention the nexus of epigenetics, natural selection and evolution. Yet, when environments are dynamic (e.g., climate change effects), there may be an "epigenetic advantage" to phenotypic switching by epigenetic inheritance, rather than by gene mutation. An epigenetically-inherited trait can arise simultaneously in many individuals, as opposed to a single individual with a gene mutation. Moreover, a transient epigenetically-modified phenotype can be quickly "sunsetted", with individuals reverting to the original phenotype. Thus, epigenetic phenotype switching is dynamic and temporary and can help bridge periods of environmental stress. Epigenetic inheritance likely contributes to evolution both directly and indirectly. While there is as yet incomplete evidence of direct permanent incorporation of a complex epigenetic phenotype into the genome, doubtlessly, the presence of epigenetic markers and the phenotypes they create (which may sort quite separately from the genotype within a population) will influence natural selection and, so, drive the collective genotype of a population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological approach studied in this paper is a new level of information studies. It allows for achieving a better understanding of information processes in society as well as more efficient creation of information processing systems. At first, in Section 2, we describe and analyze ecological studies in different areas ranging from biology to technology to sociology to knowledge and information. Then, in Section 3, we present elements of general ecology building methodological and philosophical foundation for information ecology. In Sections 4 and 5, we elaborate a concise definition of information ecology and further develop information ecology as a methodological base for information studies in general based on the concepts and principles of the general theory of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, coastalscapes have been seriously threatened by the rising effects of climate change such as sea level rise, coastal degradation and extreme flooding. To cope with these threats, since 1992, international development organisations have promoted Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and its implementation in particular in coastal regions of the "Global South". Inspired by a political ecology of development approach, this paper analyses coastalscape metabolism and community level socio-environmental transformations in relation to ICZM implementation politics in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. ICZM was designed to integrate management of coastal regions and to promote socio-economic and environmental sustainability. By adopting the concept of metabolism to coastalscapes, and reflecting on their interactions, data were collected through qualitative field-research at the community level in the Mekong Delta. Research shows that ICZM and its development initiatives implementation slightly shaped coastalscape governance and communities relations, merely influencing policy-making and state bureaucratic structure and legitimation. Rather, the Mekong Delta coastalscape was reconfigured by complex metabolic socio-environmental transformations which embed global political-economic processes, shifting water flows and climate change dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization and quantification of ecological interactions and the construction of species' distributions and their associated ecological niches are of fundamental theoretical and practical importance. In this paper, we discuss a Bayesian inference framework, which, using spatial data, offers a general formalism within which ecological interactions may be characterized and quantified. Interactions are identified through deviations of the spatial distribution of co-occurrences of spatial variables relative to a benchmark for the non-interacting system and based on a statistical ensemble of spatial cells. The formalism allows for the integration of both biotic and abiotic factors of arbitrary resolution. We concentrate on the conceptual and mathematical underpinnings of the formalism, showing how, using the naive Bayes approximation, it can be used to not only compare and contrast the relative contribution from each variable, but also to construct species' distributions and ecological niches based on an arbitrary variable type. We also show how non-linear interactions between distinct niche variables can be identified and the degree of confounding between variables accounted for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes a water resources vulnerability framework based on sensitivity, natural resilience and artificial adaptation, through the analyses of the four states of the water system and its accompanying transformation processes. Furthermore, it proposes an analysis method for water resources vulnerability based on connection entropy, which extends the concept of contact entropy. An example is given of the water resources vulnerability in Anhui Province of China, which analysis illustrates that, overall, vulnerability levels fluctuated and showed apparent improvement trends from 2001 to 2015. Some suggestions are also provided for the improvement of the level of water resources vulnerability in Anhui Province, considering the viewpoint of the vulnerability index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatiotemporal pattern of soil moisture is of great significance for the understanding of the water exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. The two-satellite constellation of the Sentinel-1 mission provides C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observations with high spatial and temporal resolutions, which are suitable for soil moisture monitoring. In this paper, we aim to assess the capability of pattern analysis based on the soil moisture retrieved from Sentinel-1 time-series data of Dahra in Senegal. The look-up table (LUT) method is used in the retrieval with the backscattering coefficients that are simulated by the advanced integrated equation Model (AIEM) for the soil layer and the Michigan microwave canopy scattering (MIMICS) model for the vegetation layer. The temporal trend of Sentinel-1A soil moisture is evaluated by the ground measurements from the site at Dahra, with an unbiased root-mean-squared deviation (ubRMSD) of 0.053 m³/m³, a mean average deviation (MAD) of 0.034 m³/m³, and an R value of 0.62. The spatial variation is also compared with the existing microwave products at a coarse scale, which confirms the reliability of the Sentinel-1A soil moisture. The spatiotemporal patterns are analyzed by empirical orthogonal functions (EOF), and the geophysical factors that are affecting soil moisture are discussed. The first four EOFs of soil moisture explain 77.2% of the variance in total and the primary EOF explains 66.2%, which shows the dominant pattern at the study site. Soil texture and the normalized difference vegetation index are more closely correlated with the primary pattern than the topography and temperature in the study area. The investigation confirms the potential for soil moisture retrieval and spatiotemporal pattern analysis using Sentinel-1 images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation of remote sensing reflectance from coastal waters at different wavelengths of light yields valuable information about water column constituents, which in turn, gives information on a variety of processes occurring in coastal waters, such as primary production, biogeochemical cycles, sediment transport, coastal erosion, and harmful algal blooms. The Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) is well suited to produce global, seasonal maps and specialized observations of coastal ecosystems and to improve our understanding of how phytoplankton communities are spatially distributed and structured, and how they function in coastal and inland waters. This paper draws from previously published studies on high-resolution, hyperspectral remote sensing of coastal and inland waters and provides an overview of how the HyspIRI mission could enable the retrieval of new aquatic biophysical products or improve the retrieval accuracy of existing satellite-derived products (e.g., inherent optical properties, phytoplankton functional types, pigment composition, chlorophyll-α concentration, etc.). The intent of this paper is to introduce the development of the HyspIRI mission to the coastal and inland remote sensing community and to provide information regarding several potential data products that were not originally part of the HyspIRI mission objectives but could be applicable to research related to coastal and inland waters. Further work toward quantitatively determining the extent and quality of these products, given the instrument and mission characteristics, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: NATURA 2000 species, Paracossulus thrips is one of the locally distributed, least studied moth species and is currently considered an endangered species in several European countries, even though the risk factors and its biology and ecology are not well known. In our study, conducted in Transylvania, Romania, we confirm the host plant as Phlomis tuberosa and describe the habitat type of P. thrips; we also present four new populations and the first DNA barcoding sequences for the species. Our study provides baseline knowledge on the biology and ecology of P.thrips, relevant for conservation, and for establishing management measures. Paracossulus thrips (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) is one of the locally distributed and endangered species. In Europe, it is also one of the few protected moth species, through Annexes II and IV of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Annex II of the Bern Convention. To date, little is known about the biology and ecology of this species. Our study was conducted in Transylvania, Romania. Romania hosts some of the strongest populations of the species in the European region. As part of the study, we conducted field observations, vegetation analyses, and genetic analyses. In our paper, we show the habitat types where we encounter P. thrips in Transylvania and confirm Phlomis tuberosa as a host plant. Furthermore, a piece of important information for habitat conservation is given. In this paper, we present the eggs and larvae of P. thrips, the first DNA barcoding sequences, and four new populations of P. thrips in Romania. Our study provides baseline knowledge about the biology and ecology of P. thrips, which is important for conservation and establishing management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) wind observations provide fine structural information for tropical cycles and could be assimilated into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. However, in the conventional method assimilating the u and v components for SAR wind observations (SAR_uv), the wind direction is not a state vector and its observational error is not considered during the assimilation calculation. In this paper, an improved method for wind observation directly assimilates the SAR wind observations in the form of speed and direction (SAR_sd). This method was implemented to assimilate the sea surface wind retrieved from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in the basic three-dimensional variational system for the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF 3DVAR). Furthermore, a new quality control scheme for wind observations is also presented. Typhoon Lionrock in August 2016 is chosen as a case study to investigate and compare both assimilation methods. The experimental results show that the SAR wind observations can increase the number of the effective observations in the area of a typhoon and have a positive impact on the assimilation analysis. The numerical forecast results for this case show better results for the SAR_sd method than for the SAR_uv method. The SAR_sd method looks very promising for winds assimilation under typhoon conditions, but more cases need to be considered to draw final conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the quality of a reconstructed hyperspectral image (HSI) is of significance for restoration and super-resolution. Current image quality assessment methods such as peak signal-noise-ratio require the availability of pristine reference image, which is often not available in reality. In this paper, we propose a no-reference hyperspectral image quality assessment method based on quality-sensitive features extraction. Difference of statistical properties between pristine and distorted HSIs is analyzed in both spectral and spatial domains, then multiple statistics features that are sensitive to image quality are extracted. By combining all these statistics features, we learn a multivariate Gaussian (MVG) model as benchmark from the pristine hyperspectral datasets. In order to assess the quality of a reconstructed HSI, we partition it into different local blocks and fit a MVG model on each block. A modified Bhattacharyya distance between the MVG model of each reconstructed HSI block and the benchmark MVG model is computed to measure the quality. The final quality score is obtained by average pooling over all the blocks. We assess five state-of-the-art super-resolution methods on Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and Hyperspec-VNIR-C (HyperspecVC) data using our proposed method. It is verified that the proposed quality score is consistent with current reference-based assessment indices, which demonstrates the effectiveness and potential of the proposed no-reference image quality assessment method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for hypothetical optimal solutions of landscape composition is a major issue in landscape planning and it can be outlined in a two-dimensional decision space involving economic value and landscape diversity, the latter being considered as a potential safeguard to the provision of services and externalities not accounted in the economic value. In this paper, we use decision models with different utility valuations combined with weighted entropies respectively incorporating rarity factors associated to Gini-Simpson and Shannon measures. A small example of this framework is provided and discussed for landscape compositional scenarios in the region of Nisa, Portugal. The optimal solutions relative to the different cases considered are assessed in the two-dimensional decision space using a benchmark indicator. The results indicate that the likely best combination is achieved by the solution using Shannon weighted entropy and a square root utility function, corresponding to a risk-averse behavior associated to the precautionary principle linked to safeguarding landscape diversity, anchoring for ecosystem services provision and other externalities. Further developments are suggested, mainly those relative to the hypothesis that the decision models here outlined could be used to revisit the stability-complexity debate in the field of ecological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological process of exploitation of mineral resources and processing of mined ores to cater to the market results, among other things, in a large amount of tailings deposed on tailing ponds. Because of the chemical composition of the material, the increasing amount of waste, and the mismanagement of recovery and reclamation of ponds, these ponds have become a significant element of negative impact on the surrounding ecosystem. Economics was behind the discharging of this material, resulting in tailing ponds created in inappropriate areas. There is an ongoing process of depositing tailings on old tailing ponds, although no special attention has been paid to the subsequent effect on the environment. Application of intelligent multi-criteria analysis AHP and PROMETHEE has been performed in this paper for the purpose of ranking the degree of negative impact on the environment of tailing ponds. Analysis is performed for five tailing ponds of MMCC (Mining Metallurgy Chemical Combine) "Trepča", whereby two of the ponds are active and three inactive. The ponds are in relatively close proximity to the municipalities of Zvečan and Kosovska Mitrovica, to the north of Kosovo and Metohija, Republic of Serbia. In order to achieve the most objective results, the AHP and PROMETHEE methods were applied. By using these methods for calculations, the following ranking for the flotation tailing waste deposits was obtained, regarding their environmental impact: Žitkovac, Tvrđanski Do, Bostanište, Gornje Polje and Žarkov Potok. This result can contribute to the decision-making process of a prioritizing strategy for rehabilitation and remediation of these five flotation tailings. The analysis illustrates that application of intelligent multi-criteria analysis is a useful environmental management tool to be included in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing, the science of obtaining information via noncontact recording, has swept the fields of ecology, biodiversity and conservation (EBC). Several quality review papers have contributed to this field. However, these papers often discuss the issues from the standpoint of an ecologist or a biodiversity specialist. This review focuses on the spaceborne remote sensing of EBC from the perspective of remote sensing specialists, i.e., it is organized in the context of state-of-the-art remote sensing technology, including instruments and techniques. Herein, the instruments to be discussed consist of high spatial resolution, hyperspectral, thermal infrared, small-satellite constellation, and LIDAR sensors; and the techniques refer to image classification, vegetation index (VI), inversion algorithm, data fusion, and the integration of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-growing development of sensor technology brings new opportunities to investigate impacts of the outdoor environment on human health at the individual level. However, there is limited literature on the use of multiple personalized sensors in urban environments. This review paper focuses on examining how multiple personalized sensors have been integrated to enhance the monitoring of co-exposures and health effects in the city. Following PRISMA guidelines, two reviewers screened 4898 studies from Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Embase, and PubMed databases published from January 2010 to April 2021. In this case, 39 articles met the eligibility criteria. The review begins by examining the characteristics of the reviewed papers to assess the current situation of integrating multiple sensors for health and environment monitoring. Two main challenges were identified from the quality assessment: choosing sensors and integrating data. Lastly, we propose a checklist with feasible measures to improve the integration of multiple sensors for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: There are no existing laws that regulate data usage in the dairy industry in the U.S. Therefore, challenges regarding data management, availability, use, and security are a growing concern. These concerns are especially important in the light of the growing dependency and monetization of such data. Although some codes of practices have been published, these are voluntary, which makes them legally vulnerable and without guarantees under the law. Thus, in this paper, we propose creating a Farmers Bill of Rights to standardize data governance and data regulations and to promote an equitable relationship of dairy data governance between farmers, industry professionals, and companies. Data governance is a growing concern in the dairy farm industry because of the lack of legal regulation. In this commentary paper, we discuss the status quo of the available legislation and codes, as well as some possible solutions. To our knowledge, there are currently four codes of practice that address agriculture data worldwide, and their objectives are similar: (1) raise awareness of diverse data challenges such as data sharing and data privacy, (2) provide data security, and (3) illustrate the importance of the transparency of terms and conditions of data sharing contracts. However, all these codes are voluntary, which limits their adoption. We propose a Farmers Bill of Rights for the dairy data ecosystem to address some key components around data ownership and transparency in data sharing. Our hope is to start the discussion to create a balanced environment to promote equity within the data economy, encourage proper data stewardship, and to foster trust and harmony between the industry companies and the farmers when it comes to sharing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover mapping in mountainous areas is a notoriously challenging task due to the rugged terrain and high spatial heterogeneity of land surfaces as well as the frequent cloud contamination of satellite imagery. Taking Southwestern China (a typical mountainous region) as an example, this paper established a new HC-MMK approach (Hierarchical Classification based on Multi-source and Multi-temporal data and geo-Knowledge), which was especially designed for land cover mapping in mountainous areas. This approach was taken in order to generate a 30 m-resolution land cover product in Southwestern China in 2010 (hereinafter referred to as CLC-SW2010). The multi-temporal native HJ (HuanJing, small satellite constellation for disaster and environmental monitoring) CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) images, Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) images and topographical data (including elevation, aspect, slope, etc.) were taken as the main input data sources. Hierarchical classification tree construction and a five-step knowledge-based interactive quality control were the major components of this proposed approach. The CLC-SW2010 product contained six primary categories and 38 secondary categories, which covered about 2.33 million km2 (accounting for about a quarter of the land area of China). The accuracies of primary and secondary categories for CLC-SW2010 reached 95.09% and 87.14%, respectively, which were assessed independently by a third-party group. This product has so far been used to estimate the terrestrial carbon stocks and assess the quality of the ecological environments. The proposed HC-MMK approach could be used not only in mountainous areas, but also for plains, hills and other regions. Meanwhile, this study could also be used as a reference for other land cover mapping projects over large areas or even the entire globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the impact of livestock grazing on grassland above-ground net primary production (ANPP) is essential for grass yield estimation and pasture management. However, since there is a lack of accurate and repeatable techniques to obtain the details of grazing locations and stocking rates at the regional scale, it is an extremely challenging task to study the influence of regional grazing on the grassland ANPP. Taking Zoige County as a case, this paper proposes an approach to quantify the spatial and temporal variation of grazing intensity and grazing period through time-series remote sensing data, simulated grassland ANPP through the denitrification and decomposition (DNDC) model, and then explores the impact of grazing on grassland ANPP. The result showed that the model-estimated ANPP while considering grazing had a significant relationship with the field-observed ANPP, with the coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.75, root mean square error (RMSE) of 122.86 kgC/ha, and average relative error (RE) of 8.77%. On the contrary, if grazing activity was not considered in simulation, a large uncertainty was found when the model-estimated ANPP was compared with the field observation, showing R² of 0.4, RMSE of 211.51 kgC/ha, and average RE of 32.5%. For the whole area of Zoige County in 2012, the statistics of the estimation showed that the total regional ANPP was up to 3.815 × 105 tC, while the total regional ANPP, without considering grazing, would be overestimated by 44.4%, up to 5.51 × 105 tC. This indicates that the grazing parameters derived in this study could effectively improve the accuracy of ANPP simulation results. Therefore, it is feasible to combine time-series remote sensing data with the process model to simulate the grazing effects on grassland ANPP. However, some issues, such as selecting proper remote sensing data, improving the quality of model input parameters, collecting more field data, and exploring the data assimilation approaches, still should be considered in the future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to progressive political movements, the programs of many religious and spiritual groups today are converging around a shared commitment to address the impending global ecological crisis. The paper explores this convergence by looking at the impact of environmentalist thought on religious discourses in modern Indonesia, the author's primary research area, and comparing the findings to similar trends elsewhere. The research shows that the environmental movement is causing a transformation in how people understand the character and practical relevance of religion and spirituality today, in Indonesia and beyond. For some eco-spiritual groups, a heightened environmental awareness has become the central tenet of their monistic religious cosmology. The more significant phenomenon, however, is a socially much broader shift toward more science-friendly and contemporary religious cosmologies within the mainstream of major world religions. Islam and Christianity now officially accept that other forms of life have a right to exist and that humanity has a custodial obligation to protect nature. This new outlook rectifies the previous tendency within dualist religions to view nature as vastly inferior and servile to human interests. It simultaneously is a rejection of materialist-scientific cosmologies widely prevalent in late modern consumer societies, which deny any notion of the sacred. This trend in the world's religions toward a re-evaluation of the cosmological status of humanity in relation to nature and the sacred, I argue, will enhance the prospects of the global environmental movement's campaign for environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]