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This study aims to explore the income-biodiversity loss nexus in South and Southeast Asian countries covering the period between 2013 and 2019. Negative Binomial regression models are used to deal with the count regressand variable with specific emphasis on different taxonomic groups of threatened species, namely, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, mollusk, other invertebrate, plant, and total threatened species. We find strong support of an inverted U-shaped relationship between income and biodiversity loss in all taxonomic groups of threatened species examined. Additionally, agricultural land has a significant and positive effect on biodiversity loss. Control of corruption and biodiversity loss are found to be negatively associated. The inverted U-shaped EKC suggests that South and Southeast Asian countries are required to identify policy priority areas that could achieve robust economic growth while reducing biodiversity loss. Our findings also provide valuable policy insights to assist the policy makers to better cope with the problem of biodiversity loss via corruption control and agricultural land use., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The increase in the human population causes an increase in the demand for nutritional supplies and energy resources. Thus, the novel, natural, and renewable resources became of great interest. Here comes the optimistic role of bioprospecting as a promising tool to isolate novel and interesting molecules and microorganisms from the marine environment as alternatives to the existing resources. Bioprospecting of marine metabolites and microorganisms with high biotechnological potentials has gained wide interest due to the variability and richness of the marine environment. Indeed, the existence of extreme conditions that increases the adaptability of marine organisms, especially planktons, allow the presence of interesting biological species that are able to produce novel compounds with multiple health benefits and high economical value. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of marine microbial bioprospecting as a growing field of interest. It emphasizes functional bioprospecting that facilitates the discovery of interesting metabolites. Marine bioprospecting was also discussed from a legal aspect for the first time, focusing on the shortcomings of international law. We also summarized the challenges facing bioprospecting in the marine environment including economic feasibility issues., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Basic Microbiology published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Global biodiversity is organised into biogeographic regions that comprise distinct biotas. The contemporary factors maintaining differences in species composition between regions are poorly understood. Given evidence that populations with sufficient genetic variation can adapt to fill new habitats, it is surprising that more homogenisation of species assemblages across regions has not occurred. Theory suggests that expansion across biogeographic regions could be limited by reduced adaptive capacity due to demographic variation along environmental gradients, but this possibility has not been empirically explored. Using three independently curated data sets describing continental patterns of mammalian demography and population genetics, we show that populations near biogeographic boundaries have lower effective population sizes and genetic diversity, and are more genetically differentiated. These patterns are consistent with reduced adaptive capacity in areas where one biogeographic region transitions into the next. That these patterns are replicated across mammals suggests they are stable and generalisable in their contribution to long-term limits on biodiversity homogenisation. Understanding the contemporary processes that maintain compositional differences among regional biotas is crucial for our understanding of the current and future organisation of global biodiversity., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Evaluation of river water quality is one of the most important aspects of water resource assessment. River Umtrew (Digaru), which originated in Meghalaya and runs down to Assam plains before merging with the mighty Brahmaputra, is one of the main drainage systems of this region. Using some physical, chemical and biological indicators of river water, the current study attempted to assesses its environmental integrity. The current study provides a clear image of the health of the river, as well as differences in the river's pollution levels at various locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of chemosynthetic ecosystems at deep-sea hydrothermal vents in 1977 changed our view of biology. Chemosynthetic bacteria and archaea form the foundation of vent ecosystems by exploiting the chemical disequilibrium between reducing hydrothermal fluids and oxidizing seawater, harnessing this energy to fix inorganic carbon into biomass. Recent research has uncovered fundamental aspects of these microbial communities, including their relationships with underlying geology and hydrothermal geochemistry, interactions with animals via symbiosis and distribution both locally in various habitats within vent fields and globally across hydrothermal systems in diverse settings. Although 'black smokers' and symbioses between microorganisms and macrofauna attract much attention owing to their novelty and the insights they provide into life under extreme conditions, habitats such as regions of diffuse flow, subseafloor aquifers and hydrothermal plumes have important roles in the global cycling of elements through hydrothermal systems. Owing to sharp contrasts in physical and chemical conditions between these various habitats and their dynamic, extreme and geographically isolated nature, hydrothermal vents provide a valuable window into the environmental and ecological forces that shape microbial communities and insights into the limits, origins and evolution of microbial life.

Fungi are major ecological players in both terrestrial and aquatic environments by cycling organic matter and channelling nutrients across trophic levels. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) studies of fungal communities are redrawing the map of the fungal kingdom by hinting at its enormous - and largely uncharted - taxonomic and functional diversity. However, HTS approaches come with a range of pitfalls and potential biases, cautioning against unwary application and interpretation of HTS technologies and results. In this Review, we provide an overview and practical recommendations for aspects of HTS studies ranging from sampling and laboratory practices to data processing and analysis. We also discuss upcoming trends and techniques in the field and summarize recent and noteworthy results from HTS studies targeting fungal communities and guilds. Our Review highlights the need for reproducibility and public data availability in the study of fungal communities. If the associated challenges and conceptual barriers are overcome, HTS offers immense possibilities in mycology and elsewhere.

How and why should intercultural education address anthropogenic climate change? The paper argues that anthropogenic climate change threatens "biocultural" diversity, leading to linguistic and species extinction and discusses the twofold preservation of cultural and biological diversity. The paper starts with a limited analysis of the research discourse from 2000 to 2019 on the climate crisis contained in the journal Intercultural Education. Looking for eventual missing links in the research discourse, the paper argues for a need to combine more explicitly both diversities and introduces Escobar's call for alternative political ontology (2016, 2018), in order to reflect further on a Western situated posture. As a position paper, the article points to the need for developing a new line of research within the field of intercultural education (IE) based on the two intertwined dimensions of diversity.

The world (Africa in particular) is in a progressive state of environmental crisis, caused by global warming, loss of biodiversity, human overpopulation, pollution, massive deforestation and desertification, urbanization and many other environmental problems and risk factors. For several commentators and theorists, part of the solution resides in the provision of pertinent and adequate education, including environmental education. The present paper briefly examines the history of environmental education, internationally and in South Africa, and some of its most prominent current trends and issues, before critiquing its general orientation. Arguing against what appears to lie at the heart of environmental education and literacy, namely anthropocentrism (ideas like "education for sustainable development"), the paper urges a radical rethinking of its central concerns and modus operandi, in terms of facilitating learning for the natural environment. In other words, in order to live up to its promise of contributing towards life beyond the twenty-first century, such learning must include the realization that nature matters in and for itself. "The architecture of moral status (adapted from Horsthemke, 1993)" is appended. (Contains 4 footnotes.)

Ambassadors for Biodiversity (EmBio) is an ocean literacy research project that contributes to the improvement of literacy on marine and coastal biodiversity, namely encompassing the areas covered by the Natura 2000 Network, by promoting coastal and oceanic resources conservation and natural and cultural values preservation of the Portuguese western Atlantic coast. This project directly promotes the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of 2030 Agenda developed by the United Nations and adopted by most countries in the world, which define the priorities and aspirations for global sustainable development until the year of 2030, mobilizing a world-wide effort to meet a common set of goals and objectives. This paper contributes to understanding how ocean literacy, and specifically the EmBio research project, fits into the international agenda for sustainable development and the SDGs and its targets. Through an analysis and a comparison between the project EmBio and the SDGs, it was possible to identify connections on 11 out of 17 goals and 31 out of 169 targets, with a special emphasis on the SDG 14--Life Below Water. The results highlight the relevance of this project and, especially, ocean literacy for the accomplishment of the SDGs.

This paper presents students' word associations with terms regarding the Wadden Sea. A continuous free word-association method was used in which the students from secondary schools (n = 3119, average age: 13.54 years) reported their associations with the stimulus words "Wadden Sea," "mudflat hiking tour," and "tides" in written form. Data were collected from students living close to the Wadden Sea and from students living inland. We performed a quantitative content analysis including the corresponding formation of categories. In addition, students' school, out-of-school with the class, and private experiences the Wadden Sea ecosystem were recorded. The study shows that not only subject-related concepts should be considered at different levels, but non-subject-related aspects as well. The associations of the inland and non-inland students are statistically significantly different. The Wadden Sea and its biome were found to be completely unknown to some students. Students' school, out-of-school with the class, and private experiences of the wetlands are also very mixed, regarding their Wadden Sea visitation frequency, and surprisingly cannot be directly derived from their place of residence. This research makes an important contribution towards the design of future biology didactic studies on the Wadden Sea.

Biodiversity education, as part of a broader environmental education is an important topic, not only for politicians, journalists but also teachers. In the educational context, it is now recognized that students have to be taught biodiversity, its conservation and how to use it in a durable. In this paper, we are interested in assessing how biodiversity, as part of environmental education, is understood and presented in compulsory education textbooks in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. We performed a lexicographic analysis on IRaMuTeQ on the programs of natural science and of humanities and social sciences on all levels of education in compulsory education in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Results show that biodiversity is at the heart of the program. Moreover, the program promotes a scientific approach but also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinarity by including terms from geography, history, etc.: the environment is widely mentioned, and the impact of human behavior is addressed, notably regarding resource and energy consumption. This analysis shows that the program adopts a holistic vision of the concept of the living, integrating scientific as well as environmental aspects.

This paper explores how biodiversity is represented at the "Life in Crisis Schad Gallery of Biodiversity" (Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto). Using theoretical perspectives related to science, technology, society and environment (STSE), and biodiversity in science museums, we conducted a qualitative case study of the exhibit. Data collection included records of the exhibit through photos and videos; field notes; in-depth interviews with two museum professionals; and collection of documents and artifacts. The first analytical stage, based on inductive analysis, revealed that biodiversity is being represented as an "'unknown' topic," a "loss" and an "unfinished narrative." The second analytical stage, deductively supported by the STSE framework, reflected a prominent logical reasoning angle, through which biological perspectives are routinary reflected in the exhibit. Our analyses also revealed hints of environmental ethics, stewardship, socio-ecojustice and value-centered views often associated in the exhibit with worldwide environmental issues and the idea of "generic human beings." Our study suggests that the STSE lens can provide a framework to support the work of science museums around topics like biodiversity. It also highlights the importance of bringing local perspectives to the exhibit content, engaging with critical pedagogical strategies and amplifying the concept of sociobiodiversity.

After more than 50 years of exploration and research that has intensified over the past decade, deep‐seabed mining (DSM) remains a controversial subject, resulting mainly from legacy issues of other extractive industries. Moreover, our planet is environmentally challenged, with climate change as one of the major issues that we collectively face. Deep‐seabed mining aims to collect metal resources lying on the deep seabed to help meet increased global demand caused by growth in population and urbanization, and clean energy, in a way that reduces pressures on land, such as deforestation and community relocation. The metals found on the seabed are those needed to address climate change through clean energy technologies. An important question facing us is: How do we, most responsibly, obtain the metals we need with the least impact on the planet we are trying to protect? DSM is one of the options to meet the demand. In this IEAM special series, we set out to present neutral and unbiased perspectives on the environmental implications of DSM. Our aim is to offer readers environmental management considerations learned by researchers around the world and working in diverse aspects of the field, including: population and community assessment, biota ecosystem services, environmental ethics, and rehabilitation and restoration. In consideration of the controversies, fundamental questions still remain: How can a new industry be given the opportunity to "do the right thing"? How do we make evidence‐based decisions about where metals should come from when emotions and possibly fear often seem to drive the debate? Can we assume that decisions and policies are best achieved based on data and evidence? The papers presented in the series help address these questions and cover a range of diverse topics from ethical frameworks to biodiversity assessment to risk assessment to restoration. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:631–633. © 2021 SETAC Key Points: Deep seabed mining (DSM) is one of the options to meet the demand for metals globally.This special series presents neutral and unbiased perspectives on the environmental implications of DSM.Fundamental questions remain: can a new industry be given the opportunity to "do the right thing"; how do evidence‐based decisions about where metals should come from be made, when emotions and fear often drive the debate, and can we assume that decisions and policies are best achieved based on data and evidence.Papers presented in the special series help address key questions and cover a range of diverse topics from ethical frameworks to biodiversity assessment to risk assessment to restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jeff Norris, initially shocked by the Montessorians who are calling technology into question, states that technology can offer a means of development for the child who is concurrently supporting and learning from the rich and overpowering biodiversity of the rainforest. He speaks for the Children's Eternal Rainforest citizen's science as well as the combined visit to the United Nations' University for Peace offered by the Montessori Institute for the Science of Peace. He extols the three-period lesson and independent group research as useful, interpretive-learning approaches that awaken the interest of each student. A bibliography is included. [This paper was presented at the NAMTA conference titled "A Montessori Integrated Approach to Science, Mathematics, Technology, and the Environment" in Portland, OR, Mar 31-Apr 3, 2016.]

Purpose: Invasive species are under the spotlight because of their detrimental effects on biodiversity. However, management of invasions presents multiple dimensions frequently difficult to disentangle. This complex topic has been tackled through a service-learning project on an invasive insect ("Vespa velutina"), a bee-eating species invading Europe. Specifically, this paper aims to assess the educational needs and motivations detected in a local population for the control of "V. velutina," and evaluate the educational achievements of students participating in the project. Design/methodology/approach: The paper illustrates how students prepared the service activity, which consisted in a quiz and interviews to public in a honey festival located in an area that has invested heavily in the control of the hornet. They informed visitors on its biology and impacts, and collected information on visitors' knowledge and attitudes towards the hornet. This information was taken back to the class and discussed in an open debate. Findings: The service activity uncovered important knowledge gaps of the local population and revealed the attachment to controversial control methods. Students acknowledged that the project met a real community need and valued the contact with the public, and the presentation of the project in the Faculty favored a debate on invasions management and biodiversity protection under the framework of campus sustainability. Originality/value: While students are familiar with actions on campus sustainability, they are seldom confronted with the evaluation of management decisions on complex topics involving multiple dimensions. This service-learning project showed a good potential for fostering in-depth debates and promoting student engagement in campus sustainable initiatives.

Scientometric investigation and scientific production analysis are essential for science progress. Although a vast number of studies on Brazilian ant diversity have been carried out, a critical analysis of the advances in its scientific production is still missing. We compiled a comprehensive database on ant diversity papers carried out in the Brazilian territory. Our main research question is: what is the profile of ant diversity studies developed in Brazil? We sorted the studies according to the main terrestrial Brazilian biomes. We compiled 468 papers, which were published in 132 journals and encompassed a time range from 1970 to 2020. Most studies were carried out in Atlantic Forest (143), followed by Amazon Forest (111), Cerrado (106), Caatinga (38), Pantanal (14), and Pampa (4). In all biomes, ant samplings presented a much-aggregated distribution. Most studies had samplings carried out in all seasons in almost all biomes. The three most employed sampling techniques were pitfall traps, direct sampling, and attractive baits. The main subject of papers were ant assemblage diversity and ant fauna surveys. We discussed the implications of ant diversity study profiles regarding all aspects considered, the historical changes in these factors during the time range, and their possible influence on ant diversity paper publications, and provided suggestions for a more efficient use of time and financial resources for future research directions on ant diversity studies. Finally, we propose that our study can be replicated in other world regions, allowing for a comprehensive view on ant diversity research at a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation sector is the largest consumer of fossil fuels; making it a major producer of greenhouse gases. Due to declining fossil fuel reserves and increasingly stringent vehicle emission regulations globally, it is essential to shift to alternative energy sources. Economic and eco-friendly fuel-efficient hybrid, electric, and fuel cell vehicles are regarded as one of the best alternative solutions to cope with the government policies and to reduce the rise in global temperature caused by the automotive sector. Technological advancements in fuel cells, batteries, and chargers have further supported the development of electric vehicles. The major challenges of range and charging time in electric vehicles can be countered by range extension technology and developing all-electric hybrid vehicles. In this review, a comprehensive study of different type of vehicles and their architectures are presented. Insights on energy storage devices and converters of electric vehicles currently in use were also provided. Furthermore, various fuel cell advancements and the technical challenges faced during the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles were highlighted., (© 2021 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Sampling biases in the fossil record distort estimates of past biodiversity. However, these biases not only reflect the geological and spatial aspects of the fossil record, but also the historical and current collation of fossil data. We demonstrate how the legacy of colonialism and socioeconomic factors, such as wealth, education and political stability, impact the global distribution of fossil data over the past 30 years. We find that a global power imbalance persists in palaeontology, with researchers in high- or upper-middle-income countries holding a monopoly over palaeontological knowledge production by contributing to 97% of fossil data. As a result, some countries or regions tend to be better sampled than others, ultimately leading to heterogeneous spatial sampling across the globe. This illustrates how efforts to mitigate sampling biases to obtain a truly representative view of past biodiversity are not disconnected from the aim of diversifying and decolonizing our discipline., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

The ability of poor urban populations in developing countries to adapt to rapid increase in surface temperature and likely health effect of a 1.5 °C increase in global temperature is uncertain. Rapid urbanization and poor socio, economic, and technological development may increase heat vulnerabilities of poor urban populations in tropical cities. This study examines the thermal perception of urban populations in Ibadan, south western Nigeria, and sociodemographic characteristics of individuals that influence thermal perception, self-reported health effects, and coping strategies to heat stress using a purposefully designed questionnaire and interviews with aged individuals in the five local government areas of Ibadan metropolis. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics of respondents such as inequalities in monthly income, occupation, ethnicity, housing characteristics, and length of stay in Ibadan significantly influence thermal perception, self-reported health effects of heat exposure, and coping strategies adopted. Perceived thermal conditions reported were warmer temperatures during the day and night (43.75%), warmer day-time temperatures (40.25%), and warmer night-time temperatures (16%). Dehydration and sweating (56%): heat rash, heat exhaustion, headaches, sleep disturbances and dehydration (15.25%), and sleep disturbance and sweating (12.25%) were major combinations of self-reported health effects. Other effects include fainting, diarrhea, raised blood pressure, and restlessness. Temperature variations (minimum and maximum) examined from 1971 to 2018 shows that warmer conditions are being experienced in Ibadan. Increased heat-health awareness and urban designs that respond to people's thermal perception should be encouraged in developing thermally comfortable environments in Ibadan., (© 2021. ISB.)