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

Observations in Romania show that the months of January and February are starting to show an increasing interest for tourists in areas known for winter sports involving snow. This observation is at odds with the period hitherto considered traditional for winter tourism in Romania, i.e., from the end of December to the first few days of January, when school holidays and employee holidays are frequently scheduled. Analysis of the climatic data of recent years shows a shortening of the period when natural weather conditions are favorable for this type of tourism. In this paper it was statistically determined that the maximum share of negative temperature coverage of Romania's territory tends to occur at present in the second half of January. It is therefore necessary to correlate the school and labor law timetables with the new climatic conditions and other measures to adapt to current conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

Tourism climate research is of great significance to the tourism industry because tourism is closely linked to climate. Based on an analysis of related core papers, this paper reviews the research progress on tourism climate in China in terms of research method, research process, and research topic. Research on tourism climate in China started later than similar research in some Western countries and the topics mainly focused on tourism climate resources, climate comfort for tourism, the impact of climate on tourists' behavior and emotion, climate and tourism seasonality, climate change and tourism development, etc. To provide scientific support for the sustainable development of China's tourism industry, we propose the following for future research, based on our review of the literature: (1) strengthening the theoretical study of tourism climatology, (2) constructing and improving the research content system, and (3) enriching relevant research in climate-sensitive areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing resilience against flooding events is of great importance. Eastern Iberian Peninsula coastal areas are well known for high intensity rainfalls known as DANA or "cold drop". Extreme records in 24 h can exceed the annual average of the historical series. This phenomenon occurs normally in autumn due to convective storms generated by the existence of cold air in the upper layers of the atmosphere combined with warm winds coming from the Mediterranean Sea. In many coastal areas of the Eastern Iberian Peninsula, their flat topography, sometimes of a marsh nature, and the natural (e.g., dune ridges) and man-made (e.g., infrastructures) factors, result in devastating flooding events of great potential damage and risk for urban and rural areas. In this context, this paper presents the case study of the town of Oliva (Valencia, Spain) and how in a flooding event the flow tends to spread and accumulate along the flat coastal strip of this populated area, causing great potential damage. From that point, the paper discusses the particular issues that flood studies should consider in such flat and heavy rainy areas in terms of the hydrological and hydraulic models to be conducted to serve as the key tool of a correct risk assessment. This includes the correct statistical simulation of rainfalls, the hydrological model dependency on the return period and the correct geometry definition of all possible water barriers. An analysis of the disturbance that climatic change effects may introduce in future flooding events is also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The characterization and reutilization of agricultural and food waste is an important strategy to ensure the sustainable development of the agricultural and food industries. As a result, the environmental impact of these industries can be reduced, thus contributing to the fight against environmental problems, mainly to those related to a potential mitigation of climatic change. This Special Issue includes five papers that reported important findings from research activities related to the reutilization of by-products from food processing industries, which help to increase the knowledge in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Peat has long been the primary substrate for the production of ornamental and horticultural plants in pots. Today, peat is no longer considered a renewable resource due to its very lengthy regeneration time. Biochar, a solid by-product of biomass pyrolysis, has been proposed as an agricultural soil amendment. We investigated the effects of two types of biochar, namely biochar from pruning wood waste and biochar activated with wood vinegar ("smoked biochar"), on two ornamental plants (Lavandula angustifolia and Salvia rosmarinus) and on strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa). For both types of biochar, we measured the following parameters: the pH, density, electrical conductivity, humidity, calcium carbonate, total carbon, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and water retention. For peat, we measured the following parameters: the pH, electrical conductivity, total carbon, and total nitrogen. Our results showed an overall increase in plant growth, particularly in L. angustifolia when using 10% and 50% biochar concentrations and a 10% concentration of biochar activated with wood vinegar. In S. rosmarinus, we observed a slight increase in the total plant weight with the application of 10% smoked biochar (biochar activated with wood vinegar). Finally, in F. × ananassa, we observed an increase in the plant weight and fruit production when 10% biochar was applied. On the other hand, when high concentrations of biochar (50% and 100%) and especially smoked biochar were applied, we observed a significant reduction in the growth of all plants. We concluded that biochar and biochar activated with wood vinegar showed remarkable biological activity with marked phytotoxicity at high concentrations. They promoted plant growth when applied diluted and their use as partial peat substitutes could help support more sustainable horticultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering Inner Mongolia as the study area, the ecological theory of climate change, and human activities affecting a wide range of biodiversity patterns, MODIS multi-timeseries remote sensing image data were used and the interannual variation index was obtained by the method of fitting the curve to obtain the annual phenological and seasonal indicators. At the same time, the Landsat 8 standard deviation image was calculated to obtain the spatial variation index and generate spatial–temporal remote sensing indices to quantify the threat of climate change to biodiversity. In addition, the impact of human activities on biodiversity was quantified by generating a map of the human footprint in Inner Mongolia. The spatial–temporal remote sensing index and the human footprint index were integrated to identify areas protected from climate change and human activities, respectively. Eventually, the hotspot areas of biodiversity conservation in Inner Mongolia were obtained and priority protected area planning was based on the hotspot identification results. In this study, remote sensing technology was used to identify biodiversity conservation hotspots, which can overcome the limitations of insufficient species data from the past, improve the reliability of large-scale biodiversity conservation analyses, and be used for targeted management actions that have practical significance for biodiversity conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolitical risks have recently escalated due to increased disputes and tensions between nations worldwide. Additionally, "climate change" describes the prolonged alteration of regular weather patterns, mainly due to human activities on Earth, leading to disastrous consequences for human livelihoods, the economy, and natural ecology. This study employs a novel transfer entropy spectrum-based Fourier domain to dynamically analyze the geopolitical risk index and specific climate change factors in Saudi Arabia. Our comprehensive investigation reveals a robust bidirectional causal relationship between the geopolitical risk index and key climate change variables, including total precipitation, relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed and direction. These findings provide compelling evidence of the intricate and complex links between geopolitical concerns and climate change in the region. The study offers policymakers and scholars crucial new insights into addressing the challenges posed by geopolitical instability and climate change by uncovering these causal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how climatic variables impact the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is essential for water resource management, especially considering potential fluctuations due to climate change. Therefore, we used the Sobol' method to analyze the spatiotemporal variations of Penman–Monteith ETo sensitivity to the climatic variables: downward solar radiation, relative humidity, maximum and minimum air temperature, and wind speed. The Sobol' indices variances were estimated by Monte Carlo integration, with sample limits set to the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles of the daily data of 33 automatic weather stations located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The results of the Sobol' analysis indicate considerable spatiotemporal variations in the sensitivity of ETo to climatic variables and their interactions. The dominant climatic variable responsible for ETo fluctuations in Mato Grosso is incident solar radiation (53% to 93% of annual total sensitivity—Stot), which has a more significant impact in humid environments (70% to 90% of Stot), as observed in the areas of the Amazon biome in the state. Air relative humidity and wind speed have higher sensitivity indices during the dry season in the Cerrado biome (savanna) areas in Mato Grosso (20% and 30% of the Stot, respectively). Our findings show that changes in solar radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed are the main driving forces that impact the reference evapotranspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climatic change intensifies the water crisis, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In this regard, the provision of enough water for irrigation is a serious dilemma because the agricultural sector consumes the largest amount of water (70% withdrawal and 90% consumption). In this review, we have summarized recent innovations that have emerged as unconventional techniques to supply adequate water for irrigation purposes. We present the principles and basics of seven approaches: the Sahara Forest Project (SFP), water extraction from the air (WEA), aquifer recharge, the treatment of marginal water using a magnetic field, desalination and wastewater treatment (DWT), electro-agric technology (E-AT), and the Toshka Project. The SFP is currently being utilized in Aqaba, Jordan, and DWT is considered a common practice worldwide, whereas some of these innovations are still under investigation to ensure their feasibility for large-scale applications, such as E-AT. The Toshka Project is considered a wonderful idea that utilizes the water stored behind the High Dam in Lake Nasser, Egypt. Several approaches have been adopted to reduce the amount of water being used for irrigation, as the current amount of freshwater is insufficient for the requirements of increased agricultural consumption, particularly in hot, arid, and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the main climatic controls of productivity differences in different forest ecosystems is beneficial for revealing the patterns of carbon cycle changes in terrestrial ecosystems. Moreover, exploring the differences in their productivity responses to temperature and precipitation at interannual and inter-monthly scales is conducive to identifying the mechanisms of carbon cycle changes in forest ecosystems, which can enhance the study of the forest ecosystem carbon cycle. In addition, the effect of climate factor changes on the net primary productivity (NPP) of typical forest types in subtropical areas remains unclear. Here, we simulated the dynamic changes in the NPP of four typical forest types (evergreen needleleaf forest (ENF), evergreen broadleaf forest (EBF), bamboo forest (BF), and evergreen needleleaf–broadleaf mixed forest (ENBMF)) in the Poyang Lake Basin from 1970 to 2021 using the Biome-BGC model where its parameters were adjusted according to the ecophysiological characteristics of forest types in this study. Then, the correlation between the NPP of the four typical forest types and climate factors was examined at interannual and inter-monthly scales; the response of the NPP of four typical forest types to future temperature and precipitation changes was explored. The results revealed that NPP showed a fluctuating downward trend after 2000 in ENF, EBF, and ENBMF. The NPP of the ENF was primarily driven by precipitation at the interannual and inter-monthly levels (p < 0.01). The impact of precipitation and accumulated temperature (AT) on NPP of EBF is not significant interannually; the NPP of BF demonstrated a minor correlation with AT and no significant correlation with precipitation. However, the NPP variation of EBF and BF was significantly affected by the temperature at the inter-monthly scale (p < 0.01), with R2 of 0.85 and 0.92, respectively. At the interannual scale, the NPP of ENBMF was mainly driven by precipitation (p < 0.01); at the inter-monthly scale, it was driven by precipitation (p < 0.01) and AT (p < 0.01), with R2 of 0.74 and 0.62, respectively. Under designed climate scenarios, the precipitation changes will have a greater impact on NPP of ENF; the NPP changes in the EBF, BF, and ENBMF will be mainly controlled by temperature increase, and only a 10% change in precipitation leads to its smaller impact on their NPP changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogeographical theory suggests that widespread retractions of species' rear edges are expected due to anthropogenic climate change, affecting in a particularly intense way those linked to fragile habitats, such as species' rear edges closely dependent on specific water conditions. In this way, this paper studies the potential effects of anthropogenic climate change on distribution patterns of threatened rear edge populations of five European hydrophyte plants distributed in the Iberian Peninsula. We explored (i) whether these populations occur at the limit of the species' climatic tolerance, (ii) we quantified their geographic patterns of vulnerability to climate change, and in addition, (iii) we identified in a spatially explicit way whether these threatened populations occur in vulnerable environments to climate change. To do this, we simulated the climatic niche of five hydrophyte species using an ecological modelling approach based on occurrences and a set of readily available climatic data. Our results show that the Iberian populations studied tended to occur in less suitable environments relative to each of the species' optimal climates. This result suggests a plausible explanation for the current degree of stagnancy or regression experienced by these populations which showed high sensitivity and thus vulnerability to thermal extremes and high seasonality of wet and temperature. Climatic predictions for 2050 displayed that most of the examined populations will tend to occur in situations of environmental risk in the Iberian Peninsula. This result suggests that the actions aimed at the conservation of these populations should be prioritized in the geographic locations in which vulnerability is greatest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood events have long been very frequent along the Yangtze River in Chongqing, China. A complete sedimentary sequence of alluvia, found in the Yuxi profile (YXP) was applied to explore features of the palaeoflood layers that maintained records related to the contexts of flooding hydroclimate. The AMS14C dating results dependent on animal bones from the YXP validate that the chronology of the palaeoflood layers was dated, between ca. 8200 and 6400 a BP, and multiple cultural layers were intercut among these palaeoflood layers. By means of particle size and end-member analyses for the palaeoflood sediments, the fractions of fine silt and clay in deposits account for a high proportion of the flood sediments, suggesting that the overbank flood was the main power in building the palaeoflood layers. Due to the climatic episodes defined by pollen assemblages, the thickness of the flood layers is positively correlated with soil erosion because of different hydrothermal conditions. The wavelet spectra of the mean particle-size series also suggest that there may be two major palaeoflooding cycles of ~700 and ~30 years. Despite the sustained palaeoflooding, the Yuxi Culture grew from small to big, and was never broken off, in terms of the findings of artificial remains in the YXP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Discoglossus pictus is a North African amphibian that was introduced in southern France early in the 20th century and has spread south and north along the Mediterranean coastal plains up to 170 km. Many studies have demonstrated that D. pictus competes against native species with similar breeding strategies, pointing out abiotic conditions as the main driver tipping the balance in favor of one or another species. This study aims to assess the impact of the spread of D. pictus on native Iberian Discoglossus and other native species, analyzing the potential roles of long-distance dispersal and long-term climate warming in the Iberian Peninsula. The study area covers the western Mediterranean region, including all Discoglossus species in northwestern Africa, Sicily, the Iberian Peninsula, and southern France. Our results show a strong climatic niche overlap between D. pictus and targeted species in the Iberian Peninsula, including endemic Discoglossus species. Future projections of climatic change suggest that climatic suitability will increase for all species, both inside and outside the Natura 2000 network, with the only exception being a moderate and widespread decrease for Pelodytes punctatus. However, these positive trends are reversed within Natura 2000 sites where most species are explicitly targeted, jeopardizing the effectiveness of protected areas in a long-distance dispersal scenario. Discoglossus pictus is a North African amphibian that was introduced in southern France early the 20th century and has spread south and north along the Mediterranean coastal plains up to 170 km. In order to disentangle the conservation implications of the spread of D. pictus for sensitive native species, we examined the impact of long-term climate warming on the basis of niche overlap analysis, taking into account abiotic factors. The study area covered the distribution ranges of all genus Discoglossus species in northwestern Africa (659,784 km2), Sicily (27,711 km2), the Iberian Peninsula, and southern France (699,546 km2). Niche overlap was measured from species environmental spaces extracted via PCA, including climate and relief environmental variables. Current and future climatic suitability for each species was assessed in an ensemble-forecasting framework of species distribution models, built using contemporary species data and climate predictors and projected to 2070′s climatic conditions. Our results show a strong climatic niche overlap between D. pictus and native and endemic species in the Iberian Peninsula. In this context, all species will experience an increase in climatic suitability over the next decades, with the only exception being Pelodytes punctatus, which could be negatively affected by synergies between global warming and cohabitation with D. pictus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the interior of Eurasia, the Mongolian Plateau (MP) is extremely sensitive to global warming and become a critical area for studying precipitation patterns. Based on the monthly data of 135 meteorological stations during 1976–2017, we analyze the spatiotemporal change in precipitation and discuss its response to atmospheric circulation. The results show that: (1) Precipitation shows increasing trends in spring, autumn, and winter, but a decreasing trend at a rate of 5.3 mm/decade in summer. The annual precipitation also shows an overall slight decreasing trend. (2) The spatial distribution is uneven, the annual precipitation in the northern Great Khingan Mountains is more, but it gradually decreases at the rate of 10–30 mm/decade, showing a trend of "wet gets dry"; while there is less in the southwest Gobi Desert region, but it gradually increases with the rate of 10–20 mm/decade, showing a trend of "dry gets wet". (3) Over decades, the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and westerly circulation show a seesaw change in MP. Affected by the weakening of the EASM, the area of arid regions has gradually expanded. The results also demonstrate that the EASM has a higher impact on the annual precipitation change pattern, particularly in the southeastern MP. The conclusion indicated that the variation in the position and orientation between EASM and the westerly circulation may be an explanation for the spatiotemporal precipitation pattern, providing a new viewpoint to the question of circulation mechanisms behind climate change in MP in recent 40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrialization and urbanization have produced large amounts of atmospheric and soil pollutants. Among them, heavy metals are one of the main byproducts that are widely distributed in the atmosphere, water, soil and organisms, which have a great impact on climate. It is of great significance to reduce their enrichment in soil by ecological restoration methods for the sustainable development of urban atmosphere and climate. This study investigated the effects of different garden plants (Festuca arundinacea, Ageratum conyzoides, Trifolium repens) mixed with Brassica parachinensis on plant growth, physiological indexes and Cr (chromium) content in aboveground and underground parts in Cr (the main heavy metal pollution produced by industrialization) contaminated soil. The yield of B. parachinensis was the highest under the mixed cropping mode with T. repens, with the Cr content in edible parts being lower than the standard, suggesting an effective combination of B. parachinensis in community gardens. The mixed cropping of F. arundinacea with Bra decreased B. parachinensis yield. Under the mixed cropping of A. conyzoides, the edible parts of B. parachinensis were aggravated by Cr pollution, which was not recommended for planting. Our results suggest that converting the monoculture mode of vegetables to mixed cropping with garden plants reduced heavy metal pollution of community garden plants and improved soil productivity and environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island of Astypalea (Greece), known for its rich and pristine archeological sites, encompasses a semi-enclosed silled basin that has been very susceptible to global sea levels and regional climate changes due to its relatively modern shallow sill of 4.7 m water deep that connects the Vathy bay with the adjacent Aegean Sea. To identify the causal relationship between regional climate, sea-level trajectories, and environmental change and their potential impact on hominine habitats on the island, we investigated a high-resolution seismic profile together with sediment, stable isotope, geochemical, and biotic proxies retrieved from a marine sediment core (ASTC1). Our results show that the basin was once isolated, and a marine inundation occurred at around 7.3 ka BP, which is older than expected, based on global sea level reconstructions. The entire transition from isolation to full marine conditions was accomplished in three major phases: (1) non-marine isolated conditions between 9–7.3 ka BP, (2) semi-isolated hypersaline marsh and lagoonal conditions between 7.3 and 4.1 ka BP, and (3) semi-isolated shallow marine conditions of today (4.1 ka BP to present). High water alkalinity, elevated organic content, and heavier isotopic signals indicate relatively arid conditions in the region that favored Sr-rich carbonate precipitation within the 7.3–6 ka BP interval. On the other hand, freshwater biota, along with a high Corg/N ratio and lighter isotopic signal, showed wetter conditions, at least for the intervals 8–7.3 ka and 6–5.4 ka BP, in contrast to the aridification trend seen as 4.1 ka to present. Finally, the hominine habitat evolution at around 6 ka BP might be attributed to the wetter conditions and the freshwater source provided by the bay at that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constantly growing human needs for water aiming to supply urban areas or for energy production or irrigation purposes enforces the application of practices leading to its saving. The construction of dams has been continuously increasing in recent years, aiming at the collection and storage of water in the formed reservoirs. The greatest challenge that reservoirs face during their lifetime is the sedimentation caused by debris and by the effects of climate change on water harvesting. The paper presents an investigation on the amount, the position and the height of the debris ending up at the Nipsa reservoir. The assessment of the debris volume produced in the drainage basin was conducted by a geographical information system (GIS) based model, named TopRunDF, also used to predict the sedimentation area and the sediment deposition height in the sedimentation cone. The impact of climate change to the reservoir storage capacity is evaluated with the use of a water balance model triggered by the HadCM2, ECHAM4, CSIRO-MK2, CGCM1, CCSR-98 climate change models. The results predict a significant future decrease in the stored water volume of the reservoir, and therefore several recommendations are proposed for the proper future functioning and operation of the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canola is the second-largest oil seed crop in the world, providing oil mainly composed of long-chain fatty acids (C14 to C20). When mixed with fossil-diesel, canola-based biofuel can be used in passenger vehicles, trucks, or even in aviation. Canola is the most productive type of biofuel due to its oil's long-chain and unbranched fatty acid composition, which makes it more fluid. However, canola yields are constrained by drought and salinity that can aggravate climate change, resulting in negative consequences. Therefore, it is becoming necessary for studies that involved the canola salt-tolerant genotypes to consider soil salinization by use of saline soil or salinized soil by a non-efficient irrigation method. This study was carried out to assess the effects of salinity on seed germination and the effect of CaCl2 (ψs = −1.2 MPa) on the promotion of regenerated plant memory when a new cycle of stress occurs. Our experiment shows that salt-stressed canola plants resulted in a high reduction in chlorophylls and carotenoids, with a high impact on gas exchange and a reduction in the efficiency of the chloroplast electron chain transporter, producing the negative effect of reduced molecules that affect the membrane integrity. However, canola seed priming could produce a memory in the regenerated plants when the second round of salt stress was applied. This research concludes that canola genotypes appear to have a tolerance mechanism against salt stress which could be an important trait for developing high-yielding canola varieties in future breeding programs under salt stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the trend of sea surface wind is important for understanding the response of the marine environment to climate change. Analysis of wind data reveals that the summer wind direction in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) shifts anticlockwise at a rate of −0.36°yr−1 over the past 42 years (1979–2020). The mean wind direction in July shifts from 183.6° (in 1979) to 169.3° (in 2020) and is predicted as 142.1° by 2100. How this long-term wind direction change affects the PRE hydrodynamic circulation structure has not been examined yet. A fully calibrated high resolution 3D hydrodynamic model is used to evaluate the response of local hydrodynamics to wind direction shifting in this study. The model results indicate that both the cross-channel wind-driven transport and along-channel seaward flow are weakened as wind direction shifts. Consequently, the lateral circulation is slowed down significantly while the longitudinal exchange flow is weakened slightly. A remarkable increase in stratification occurs in the coastal sea adjacent to the Modaomen where hypoxia has been frequently reported. The residence time of Lingding Bay increases slightly. The Momentum budget indicates the wind direction shifting can cause major changes in the barotropic pressure term, which is mainly balanced by the baroclinic pressure term and diffusion term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lambayeque Valley on the north coast of Peru offers a cautionary case study on the relation between climatic and cultural change. Three archaeological site complexes dating from late in the first millennium AD to the middle of the second millennium AD rose and were abandoned in sequence. Each abandonment was associated with a conflagration on the main pyramidal mound(s). In this region, El Niño is the most significant climatic disruption now and for millennia past. By tracking proxy records for El Niño intensity, we found that only the first episode of abandonment and burning was associated with a strong peak in El Niño intensity, while the final episode was the outcome of the Spanish Conquest of the Andes, a distinctly non-climatic driver. These records suggest that equifinality is operative and urge caution in over-interpreting climate as culture-changing catastrophe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of nutrient inputs and usage of nuisance biomass as feedstock for bioenergy may be the solution of coastal lagoons eutrophication. We studied the species composition, photosynthetic pigments (Chl-a and Chl-c) and performance (OJIP-kinetics and JIP-test parameters), biochemistry (lipids and carbohydrates composition), and hydrogen production potential of Limnoraphis (Lyngbya) nuisance biomass collected from Lafri lagoon (1.24 km2) in Greece. The results showed that the removal of algal biomass from Lafri lagoon before its sedimentation, characterized by low Fν/Fm (0.42) and PItotal (2.67) values, and transfer of this in a simple, closed bioreactor, has the potential to produce hydrogen (H2), a renewable CO2-neutral energy that can directly be converted into electricity. The free carbohydrates of the lagoon water and that from the algal cells (42g glucose analogs per m3) could be also transferred to alcohols (biofuels), while the rest of the biomass could be used as organic fertilizer. The total lipid content (2.51%) of dry biomass composed primarily by palmitic acid was low. However, the presence of eicosapentaenoic (3.5%), and docosahexaenoic (1.7%), polyunsaturated fatty acids is worth mentioning. By harvesting and conversion of this coastal lagoon nuisance algal biomass to energy or other products, one could improve its water quality and, therefore, biodiversity and fish production; that is a sustainable solution of eutrophication necessary for the ongoing climatic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the impact of climate change on range shifts in climatically suitable habitats of tree species is important for national afforestation planning, which can enhance the adaptation of tree plantation to climate change through movement of tree to follow suitable climatic conditions. Here, we overlap the current and future climate-related ranges of Chinese sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. sinensis), an important tree used for afforestation in China, to estimate the range shift in three geographic dimensions (latitude, longitude and elevation) between 2000 and 2070, which are projected by the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) under current climate conditions and four climate change scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5). Our results show that the performance of the MaxEnt is highly accurate, with test AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) value of 0.91, Kappa value of 0.83 and predicted accuracy of 92%. About 10.7% area of land in China is climatically suitable for Chinese sea buckthorn plantation. Low representative concentration paths will have more effect on loss of climatic range and less effect on expansion of climatic range for Chinese sea buckthorn, while the impacts of high representative concentration path is the opposite. The centroids of climatic ranges will shift westward or northwestward at the rate of 10.4–22 km per decade, and the centroids of altitude will shift upward at the rate of 43–128 m per decade. The expansion area of climatically suitable habitat, covering 2.6–5.2 × 105 km2, is expected to be mainly located in parts of Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, Sichuan, Liaoning, and Jilin provinces; these areas should be monitored for planting of Chinese sea buckthorn in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming causes rapid shrinking of mountain glaciers. New lakes can, thus, form in the future where overdeepenings in the beds of still-existing glaciers are becoming exposed. Such new lakes can be amplifiers of natural hazards to downstream populations, but also constitute tourist attractions, offer new potential for hydropower, and may be of interest for water management. Identification of sites where future lakes will possibly form is, therefore, an essential step to initiate early planning of measures for risk reduction and sustainable use as part of adaptation strategies with respect to impacts from climate change. In order to establish a corresponding knowledge base, a systematic inventory of glacier-bed overdeepenings and possible future lakes was compiled for the still glacierized parts of the Peruvian Andes using the 2003-2010 glacier outlines from the national glacier inventory and the SRTM DEM from the year 2000. The resulting inventory contains 201 sites with overdeepened glacier beds >1 ha (104 m²) where notable future lakes could form, representing a total volume of about 260 million m³. A rough classification was assigned for the most likely formation time of the possible new lakes. Such inventory information sets the stage for analyzing sustainable use and hazard/risk for specific basins or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas cover approximately 41% of the global land area. The human population in drylands, currently estimated at 2.7 billion, faces limited access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food. We discuss the interlinkages among water security, environmental security, energy security, economic security, health security, and food security governance, and how they affect food security in drylands. Reliable and adequate water supply, and the prevention of water contamination, increase the potential for ample food, fodder, and fiber production. Protecting woodlands and rangelands increases food security by buffering the slow onset effects of climate change, including biodiversity loss, desertification, salinization, and land degradation. The protection of natural lands is expected to decrease environmental contamination, and simultaneously, reduce the transfer of diseases from wildlife to humans. Biofuel production and hydroelectric power plants increase energy security but generate land-use conflicts, deforestation, and ecosystem degradation. Economic security generally positively correlates with food security. However, economic growth often degrades the environment, changes tenure rights over natural resources, and stimulates migration to urban areas, resulting in lower food and health security. Moreover, civil unrest, political instability, and armed conflicts disrupt local economies in drylands. Maintaining food security is crucial for health security; conversely, malnourished populations and unresponsive health systems decrease economic security, and adversely affect environmental, energy, and food security. Climate change is expected to deteriorate health security by spreading vector-borne diseases. Effective governance and timely interventions can substantially shorten periods of food insecurity, lower their intensities, and accelerate recovery from inevitable crises, and are therefore crucial in preventing humanitarian crises. Since global drylands population will nearly double by 2050, and since drylands are among the most susceptible areas to climate change, integrated multi-hazard approaches to food security are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been significant changes in weather patterns, mainly caused by sharp increases in temperature, increases in carbon dioxide, and fluctuations in precipitation levels, negatively impacting agricultural production. Agricultural systems are characterized by being vulnerable to the variation of biophysical and socioeconomic factors involved in the development of agricultural activities. Agent-based models (ABMs) enable the study, analysis, and management of ecosystems through their ability to represent networks and their spatial nature. In this research, an ABM is developed to evaluate the behavior and determine the vulnerability in the sugarcane agricultural system; allowing the capitalization of knowledge through characteristics such as social ability and autonomy of the modeled agents through fuzzy logic and system dynamics. The methodology used includes information networks for a dynamic assessment of agricultural risk modeled by time series, system dynamics, uncertain parameters, and experience; which are developed in three stages: vulnerability indicators, crop vulnerability, and total system vulnerability. The development of ABM, a greater impact on the environmental contingency is noted due to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the exponential increase in extreme meteorological phenomena threatening the cultivation of sugarcane, making the agricultural sector more vulnerable and reducing the yield of the harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mopani District Municipality in the northeast of South Africa is largely semi-arid and frequently affected by meteorological droughts. The recent 2015/16 event had devastating impacts on water levels, crop yields, livestock herds and rural livelihoods. We investigated the nature of the drought hazard; its impacts, including vulnerability of rural communities in Mopani District and adaptation strategies they have employed to cope with drought. A mixed methods approach with both quantitative and qualitative datasets was used. The district was divided into two distinct climatic areas: the drier eastern lowveld and the wetter western bushveld. Questionnaires were administered among community members whilst key informant interviews were conducted among relevant government and municipal officials. Climate data was used to characterize historical drought using a Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index whilst vegetation anomaly maps were used to demonstrate impacts. Spatially distinct patterns of drought conditions were evident with harsh and dry conditions towards the east. It was found that nearly half the time there is some form of drought or another in the district mostly linked to the remote El Nino phenomenon. In several areas, rain-fed agriculture is no longer tenable, with a direct impact on rural livelihoods. A Household Vulnerability Index determined variable levels of vulnerability such that different strategies are employed to adapt to drought some of which cause environmental problems. Local government intervention strategies include supply of seeds and fertilisers, providing cheap fodder and supplying water using trucks. The findings of this study contribute to disaster risk reduction efforts in a region that is highly vulnerable to current and future climate-risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted migration of forest tree populations through reforestation and restoration is a climate change adaptation strategy under consideration in many jurisdictions. Matching climates in which seed sources evolved with near future climates projected for plantation sites should help reduce maladaptation and increase plantation health and productivity. For threatened tree species, assisted migration outside of the species range could help avert extinction. Here, we examine lessons, limitations, and challenges of assisted migration through the lens of three assisted migration field trials of conifers in Canada and Mexico: Pinus albicaulis Engelm., an endangered subalpine tree species in the mountains of western North America; the Picea glauca (Moench) Voss × P. engelmannii Parry ex Engelm hybrid complex, of great economic and ecological importance in western Canada, and Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham., a tree species that provides overwintering sites for the monarch butterfly. We conclude that: (a) negative impacts of climate change on productivity of Picea glauca × P. engelmannii may be mitigated by planting seed sources from locations that are 3 °C mean coldest month temperature warmer than the plantation; (b) it is possible to establish Pinus albicaulis outside of its current natural distribution at sites that have climates that are within the species' modelled historic climatic niche, although developing disease-resistant trees through selective breeding is a higher priority in the short term; (c) Abies religiosa performs well when moved 400 m upward in elevation and local shrubs (such as Baccharis conferta Kunth) are used as nurse plants; (d) new assisted migration field trials that contain populations from a wide range of climates tested in multiple disparate climates are needed, despite the costs; and (e) where naturalization of a migrated tree species in recipient ecosystem is viewed as undesirable, the invasive potential of the tree species should be assessed prior to large scale establishment, and stands should be monitored regularly following establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucalyptus grandis and E. dunnii have high productive potential in the South of Brazil, Uruguay, and central Argentina. This is based on the similarity of the climate and soil of these areas, which form an eco-region called Campos. However, previous results show that these species have differences in their distribution caused by the prioritization of Uruguayan soils for forestry, explained by the particular conditions of each site. In this study, the site variables (climate, soil, and topography) that better explain the distribution of both species were identified, and prediction models of current and future distribution were adjusted for different climate change scenarios (years 2050 and 2070). The distribution of E. grandis was associated with soil parameters, whereas for E. dunnii a greater effect of the climatic variables was observed. The ensemble biomod2 model was the most precise with regard to predicting the habitat for both species with respect to the simple models evaluated. For E. dunnii, the average values of the AUC, Kappa, and TSS index were 0.98, 0.88, and 0.77, respectively. For E. grandis, their values were 0.97, 0.86, and 0.80, respectively. In the projections of climatic change, the distribution of E. grandis occurrence remains practically unchanged, even in the scenarios of temperature increase. However, current distribution of E. dunnii shows high susceptibility in a scenario of increased temperature, to the point that most of the area currently planted may be at risk. Our results might be useful to political government and foresters for decision making in terms of future planted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ionian coast of the Basilicata region, southern Italy, is characterized by a remarkable archaeological heritage, valuable crops, and national and international tourism, contributing significantly to the regional economy. In the last two decades, the area has been affected by the heavy recurrence of flooding events, which caused significant damage to agriculture, tourist infrastructure, and archaeological heritage. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of pluviometric, hydrometric, and erosion/deposition dynamics of main rivers have been carried out in order to investigate the role played by natural factors, climate changes, and human activity. The results show that flooding events in the Metaponto plain were certainly caused by extreme rainy events, but man has also played an important role. The Metaponto plain has been involved in a reclamation consisting of the building of an extensive channel network, which provided better land cultivation, easy access to the beaches, and archaeological heritage protection. The human impact related to the absence of channel cleaning has proved to be the most relevant factor that greatly amplified the effects of low-intensity rainfall events, thus triggering flooding events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is among the most sensitive ecosystems to changes in global climate and human activities, and quantifying its consequent change in land-cover land-use (LCLU) is vital for assessing the responses and feedbacks of alpine ecosystems to global climate changes. In this study, we first classified annual LCLU maps from 2001–2015 in QTP from MODIS satellite images, then analyzed the patterns of regional hotspots with significant land changes across QTP, and finally, associated these trends in land change with climate forcing and human activities. The pattern of land changes suggested that forests and closed shrublands experienced substantial expansions in the southeastern mountainous region during 2001–2015 with the expansion of massive meadow loss. Agricultural land abandonment and the conversion by conservation policies existed in QTP, and the newly-reclaimed agricultural land partially offset the loss with the resulting net change of −5.1%. Although the urban area only expanded 586 km2, mainly at the expense of agricultural land, its rate of change was the largest (41.2%). Surface water exhibited a large expansion of 5866 km2 (10.2%) in the endorheic basins, while mountain glaciers retreated 8894 km2 (−3.4%) mainly in the southern and southeastern QTP. Warming and the implementation of conservation policies might promote the shrub encroachment into grasslands and forest recovery in the southeastern plateau. While increased precipitation might contribute to the expansion of surface water in the endorheic basins, warming melts the glaciers in the south and southeast and complicates the hydrological service in the region. The substantial changes in land-cover reveal the high sensitivity of QTP to changes in climate and human activities. Rational policies for conservation might mitigate the adverse impacts to maintain essential services provided by the important alpine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are prevalent in grasslands and shrublands. The objective of this study is to provide land managers with a general overview, by assessing the main impacts of wildfire, including those on plant communities (e.g., secondary succession and species invasion), soil characteristics (e.g., water repellency (hydrophobicity), aggregation and structure stability, and contents of organic carbon and nutrients), and surface processes (e.g., ash deposition, ground surface clogging, water runoff, soil erosion, hillslope debris flow, and dry ravel). Additionally, the study discusses the effects of livestock grazing on the functioning of post-fire grasslands and shrublands. Although mesic regions are mentioned, this review focuses on drylands. The comparatively low-to-moderate fuel loads that characterize grasslands and shrublands generate wildfires of relatively moderate intensity, resulting in moderate burn severity. Yet, it seems that because of decreased soil aggregate stability following burning, the hoof action of livestock that access burnt lands shortly after the fire increases the shearing and detachment of mineral material from the ground surface; this increases soil erodibility, with the possible risk of accelerated land degradation. The review ends with an assessment of general implications for environmental sustainability and health, and provides recommendations on wildfire control in rangelands, and on restoration of burnt lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]