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Rivers used for drinking water production might be subject to anthropogenic pollution discharge upstream of the intake point. This problem was investigated in the case of the Moselle River, used for water production in Nancy (350,000 inhabitants) and which might be impacted by industrial activities 60 kmupstream. The arsenic flux of a pulp and paper mill discharging in the Moselle River at this location has been more specifically investigated. The main sources of arsenic in that mill seemed to be the recovered papers and the gravel pit water used as feed water. The arsenic input related to wood and bark was limited. The main arsenic outputs from the plant were the paper produced on site and the deinking sludge. The arsenic concentration in the effluent of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was not correlated to the one in the gravel pit water, but may depend on the operating conditions of the WWTP or the changes in processes of the mill. The impact of this anthropogenic source of arsenic on the Moselle River was slightly larger in summer, when the flowrate was lower. Globally the impact of the paper mill on the Moselle River water quality was limited in terms of arsenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: With around 15% of all described freshwater fish species in the world, the Amazon Basin is by far the most fish species‐rich freshwater ecosystem on the planet. In this opinion paper, a rough evaluation is given on just how vulnerable Amazonian freshwater fishes are to ongoing climate change. And to argue that current anthropogenic threats through rapid expansion of human infrastructure and economic activities in the basin could be a far greater threat to fish communities than those anticipated by any future climate change. Conservation actions in the Amazon Basin should focus preferentially on reducing the impacts of present‐day anthropogenic threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term changes in the quantitative and structural characteristics of bacterio-, phyto-, zooplankton, and macrozoobenthos are studied in a water body subject to pollution by effluents of pulp and paper production. The key effect on the state of biocenoses is shown to be due to anthropogenic load and the qualitative changes in the composition of industrial wastes after nature protection measures taken at the plant. Differences are revealed in the character, stages, and direction of transformations in planktonic and benthic communities. The most significant changes in biota have taken place after the commissioning of biological treatment facilities and diffusing wastewater discharge, resulting in accelerated eutrophication of the basin and redistribution of transformed biocenoses over areas within the water body. A decrease in the load during production decline demonstrated the possible deeutrophication of the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the importance of groundwater quality in coastal areas, particularly in China. It highlights the impact of geogenic contaminants and human-induced pollutants on groundwater quality, which is crucial for sustaining agriculture, industries, and drinking water services. The research papers in this special issue explore various aspects of groundwater quality, including the occurrence of fluoride and nitrate in agricultural areas, the impact of land use on groundwater quality, the natural background levels of contaminants, and the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in different regions. The studies suggest that agricultural contamination and infiltration of domestic sewage and industrial wastewater are significant factors affecting groundwater quality in coastal areas. The findings recommend measures to address nitrate contamination and seawater intrusion, and emphasize the importance of considering organic contaminants in coastal groundwater. [Extracted from the article]

Digital Twin is a contemporary digital representation paradigm that is capable of encompassing the complex interactions within the natural environment. By building biodiversity Digital Twin solutions we may reveal anthropogenic effects that cause loss in biodiversity and discover the pathways that can better uncover, diminish or prevent these effects. Developing Digital Twin Applications for biodiversity has unique challenges, like the hybrid and heterogeneous nature of biodiversity modelling, model co-simulation, the demand for highly variable computational power and the incorporation of data and models to existing research infrastructures. In this paper a state of the art survey is provided with application to the field of biodiversity. We identify broad categories of challenges that need to be tackled to deliver reliable, sustainable and scalable Digital Twin solutions. Moreover, we propose a disciplined approach towards using the Digital Twin paradigm and related terminologies methodically and responsibly. • Digital Twin for biodiversity research still grapples with some engineering challenges. • Digital Twin technology delivers real-time biodiversity insights and enables strategy testing in simulations. • Biodiversity digital twins illuminate the anthropogenic impact on biodiversity loss and identify intervention pathways. • Adaptable digital twins capture ecological relationships across different scales. • Hybrid biodiversity modelling with Digital Twin promotes FAIR, scalable solutions for ecological complexities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the process of entanglement at the 25th International Philosophy of Nursing Conference (IPNC) at University of California at Irvine held on August 18, 2022. Representing collective work from the US, Canada, UK and Germany, our panel entitled 'What can critical posthuman philosophies do for nursing?' examined critical posthumanism and its operations and potential in nursing. Critical posthumanism offers an antifascist, feminist, material, affective, and ecologically entangled approach to nursing and healthcare. Rather than focusing on the arguments of each of the three distinct but interrelated panel presentation pieces, this paper instead focuses on process and performance (per/formance) and performativity as relational, connected and situated, with connections to nursing philosophy. Building upon critical feminist and new materialist philosophies, we describe intra‐activity and performativity as ways to dehierarchise knowledge making practices within traditional academic conference spaces. Creating critical cartographies of thinking and being are actions of possibility for building more just and equitable futures for nursing, nurses, and those they accompany—including all humans, nonhumans, and more than human matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document summarizes a collection of research papers on the effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change on harmful algal blooms (HABs) in marine and freshwater ecosystems. The papers discuss topics such as the discharge of nutrients into water systems, eutrophication, and the increase in frequency and severity of HABs worldwide. They also explore the diversity, growth, toxins, and toxicity of harmful algae, as well as mitigation strategies. The studies provide valuable insights into the impact of human activities on HAB-forming species and the need for further research and mitigation efforts. [Extracted from the article]

This document discusses the role of remote sensing technology in geomorphological research, specifically in landscape dynamics and erosion monitoring. Over the past two decades, advancements in remote sensing technologies such as RADAR, LiDAR, and UAVs have provided high-resolution data, enabling researchers to detect, quantify, and model changes in topography with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. The integration of GNSS, IMU, AI, and machine learning techniques has further enhanced the ability of remote sensing to assess topographic changes. The document highlights ten research papers in a special issue of Remote Sensing that demonstrate the various applications of these advanced techniques, including neotectonic investigations, analyses of ephemeral channels, and the quantification of soil erosion in vineyards. The document also discusses studies focusing on gully erosion and presents a review of process-based soil erosion models. Overall, these contributions showcase the advancements in these methodologies and provide insights into landscape dynamics across a variety of geomorphological and tectonic contexts. The document concludes by highlighting three areas that will form the basis of future research in remote sensing techniques: the use of AI and machine learning, real-time monitoring with high spatial and temporal resolution, and the democratization of high-accuracy data acquisition techniques. [Extracted from the article]

Data from the standard cloud physics payload during the NSF/NCAR High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) campaigns provide a snapshot of unusual wintertime microphysical conditions in the boundary layer over the Southern Ocean. On 29 June 2011, the HIAPER sampled the boundary layer in a region of pre-frontal warm air advection between 58 and 48° S to the south of Tasmania. Cloud droplet number concentrations were consistent with climatological values in the northernmost profiles but were exceptionally high for wintertime in the Southern Ocean at 100-200 cm-3 in the southernmost profiles. Sub-micron (0.06-3. Analysis of back trajectories and atmospheric chemistry observations revealed that while conditions in the troposphere were more typical of a clean remote ocean airmass, there was some evidence of continental or anthropogenic influence. However, the hypothesis of long range transport of continental aerosol fails to explain the magnitude of the aerosol and cloud droplet concentration in the boundary layer. Instead, the gale force surface winds in this case (wind speed at 167 m above sea level was >25 m s-1) were most likely responsible for production of sea spray aerosol which influenced the microphysical properties of the boundary layer clouds. The smaller size and higher number concentration of cloud droplets is inferred to increase the albedo of these clouds, and these conditions occur regularly, and are expected to increase in frequency, over windy parts of the Southern Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among papers stating a position on anthropogenic global warming (AGW), 97 % endorse AGW. What is happening with the 2 % of papers that reject AGW? We examine a selection of papers rejecting AGW. An analytical tool has been developed to replicate and test the results and methods used in these studies; our replication reveals a number of methodological flaws, and a pattern of common mistakes emerges that is not visible when looking at single isolated cases. Thus, real-life scientific disputes in some cases can be resolved, and we can learn from mistakes. A common denominator seems to be missing contextual information or ignoring information that does not fit the conclusions, be it other relevant work or related geophysical data. In many cases, shortcomings are due to insufficient model evaluation, leading to results that are not universally valid but rather are an artifact of a particular experimental setup. Other typical weaknesses include false dichotomies, inappropriate statistical methods, or basing conclusions on misconceived or incomplete physics. We also argue that science is never settled and that both mainstream and contrarian papers must be subject to sustained scrutiny. The merit of replication is highlighted and we discuss how the quality of the scientific literature may benefit from replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The human-primate interface is an increasingly relevant theme in primatological research. To understand the extent of ethoprimatological studies in contemporary primatology, we explored 7 years of primatological literature through a systematic review. We reviewed original research papers published in the American Journal of Primatology, the International Journal of Primatology, Primates, and Folia Primatologica between January 2010 and December 2016 for the presence of 14 search terms relevant to the ethnoprimatological approach. We sorted research papers into topical categories to identify trends in the recent primatological literature. Of the 1551 papers that met the criteria for inclusion in this review, 12 papers (0.8%) self-identified as an ethnoprimatological study by using the term in the title or keywords, and only 17 papers (1.1%) used the term anywhere in their text. However, the presence of other relevant keywords—anthropogenic (16.3%), crop (9.1%), disturbance (18.7%), conflict (6.2%), human-nonhuman (0.5%), human-primate (1.0%), interface (1.5%), perception (2.5%), culture (2.6%), ethnography (0.1%), trade (6.8%), provision (16.1%), and tourism (4.6%)—in a variety of research papers suggests that the human-primate dimension is salient for many, if not most, areas of primatological interest. The ethnoprimatological approach is relevant to every research trend we identified in today’s primatology. We highlight existing literature that exemplifies ethnoprimatological engagement and present potential research questions in each area, demonstrating that primatology as a whole would benefit from greater attention to the human dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global extent of agriculture demands a thorough understanding of the ways it impacts the Earth system through both the modification of the physical and biological characteristics of the landscape as well as through emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols. People use fire to manage cropland and pasture in many parts of the world, impacting both the timing and amount of fire. So far, much previous research into how these land uses affect fire regimes has either focused on individual small regions or global patterns at annual or decadal scales. Moreover, because pasture is not mapped globally at high resolution, the amount of fire associated with pasture has never been quantified as it has for cropland. The work presented here resolves the effects of agriculture - including pasture - on fire on a monthly basis for regions across the world, using globally gridded data on fire activity and land use at 0.25° resolution. The first global estimate of pasture-associated fire reveals that it accounts for over 40 % of annual burned area. Cropland, generally assumed to reduce fire occurrence, is shown to enhance or suppress fire at different times of year within individual regions. These results bridge important gaps in the understanding of how agriculture and associated management practices influence vegetation fire, enabling the next generation of vegetation and Earth system models more realistically incorporate these anthropogenic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simultaneous analysis of 13 years of remotely sensed data of land cover, fires, precipitation, and aerosols from the MODIS, TRMM, and MISR satellites and the AERONET network over Southeast Asia is performed, leading to a set of robust relationships be- tween land-use change and fire being found on inter-annual and intra-annual scales over Southeast Asia, reflecting the heavy amounts of anthropogenic influence over land use change and fires in this region of the world. First, we find that fires occur annually, but with a considerable amount of variance in their onset, duration, and intensity from year to year, and from two separate regions within Southeast Asia from each other. This variability is already partially understood from previous works, including the impacts of both inter-annually and intra-annually occurring influences such as the Monsoon and El-Nino events, but yet there are other as of yet unknown influences that also are found to strongly influence the results. Second, we show that a simple regression-model of the land-cover, fire, and precipitation data can be used to recreate a robust representation of the timing and magnitude of measured AOD from multiple measurements sources of this region using either 8-day (better for onset and duration) or monthly based (better for magnitude) measurements, but not daily measurements. We find that the reconstructed AOD matches the timing and intensity from AERONET measurements to within 70 to 90% and the timing and intensity of MISR measurements from to within 50 to 95%. This is a unique finding in this part of the world, since could-covered regions are large, yet the robustness of the model is still capable of holding over many of these regions, where otherwise no fires are observed and hence no emissions source contribution to AOD would otherwise be thought to occur. Third, we determine that while Southeast Asia is a source region of such intense smoke emissions, that it is also impacted by transport of smoke from other regions as well. There are regions in northern Southeast Asia which have two annual AOD peaks, one during the local fire season, and the second smaller peak corresponding to a combination of some local smoke sources as well as transport of aerosols from fires in southern Southeast Asia, and possibly even from anthropogenic sources in South Asia. Conversely, we show that southern Southeast Asia is affected exclusively by its own local fire sources during its own local fire season. Overall, this study highlights the importance of taking into account a simultaneous use of land-use, fire, and precipitation for understanding the impacts of fires on the atmospheric loading and distribution of aerosols in Southeast Asia over both space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the impacts of anthropogenic ocean acidification requires knowledge of present-day and future environmental conditions. Here, we present a simple model for upwelling margins that projects anthropogenic acidification trajectories by combining high-temporal resolution sensor data, hydrographic surveys for source water characterization, empirical relationships of the CO2 system, and the atmospheric CO22 record. This model characterizes CO2 variability on timescales ranging from hours (e.g. tidal) to months (e.g. seasonal), bridging a critical knowledge gap in ocean acidification research. The amount of anthropogenic carbon in a given water mass is dependent on the age, therefore a density-age relationship was derived for the study region, and was combined with the 2013 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change CO2 emission scenarios to add density-dependent anthropogenic carbon to the sensor time series. The model was applied to time series from four autonomous pH sensors, each deployed in the surf zone, kelp forest, submarine canyon edge, and shelf break in the upper 100m of the Southern California Bight. All habitats were within 5 km of one another, and exhibited unique, habitat-specific CO2 variability signatures and acidification trajectories, demonstrating the importance of making projections in the context of habitat-specific CO2 2signatures. In general, both the mean and range of pCO2 increase in the future, with the greatest increases in both magnitude and range occurring in the deeper habitats due to reduced buffering capacity. On the other hand, the saturation state of aragonite (ΩAr) decreased in both magnitude and range. This approach can be applied to the entire California Current System, and upwelling margins in general, where sensor and complementary hydrographic data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large watercourses are characterised by significant spatial and temporal changes in water quality due to both natural and anthropogenic impacts. The paper analyses changes in the Danube's spatial and seasonal water quality in its middle part at five monitoring stations for the period 2018–2022. Examined water quality parameters include oxygen saturation (Os), ammonium (N-NH4), pH, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3), orthophosphates (P-PO4), suspended solids (SS), electrical conductivity (EC), and water temperature (WT). Furthermore, the analysis took into account the influence of two additional factors: air temperature (AT) and discharge (D). Throughout the entire period under study, all parameters were characterised by low concentration values, which met the environmental objective of good ecological status. The use of multivariate statistical methods allowed for the identification of EC, N-NH4, WT, Os, SS, and N-NO3 as determining the greatest spatio-seasonal variability of water quality in a selected section of the Danube. Regression models determined WT, EC and nitrogen nitrate changes as depending on AT, flow, and exposure time. Knowing models not only gives a better understanding of the dynamics of changes in water quality in the stretch of the Danube under study but potentially allows the prediction of these parameters based on easily measurable environmental variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, great research efforts have been made to understand how specific anthropogenic drivers impact coastal marine ecosystems and their services. Nevertheless, we still lack a synthesis of the existing knowledge on single and multiple anthropogenic drivers impacts to coastal marine systems, which is necessary to guide future work.The objective of this paper is to assess the current knowledge on the impacts of anthropogenic drivers and their interactions on coastal marine ecosystem services, with emphasis on abiotic drivers as dissolved nutrients (eutrophication or de‐eutrophication), temperature (warming), pH (acidification) and oxygen (hypoxia). We performed a systematic review of the literature consisting of 164 papers using the PRISMA method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses). We only include English‐written papers, we exclude non‐English papers to avoid potential errors in representing or interpreting scientific information due to language limitations among the authors.The results show that coastal marine ecosystem service research has largely focused on single drivers, while multiple driver assessments are less common.Assessments partially integrate multiple driver complexity, but they do not consider (1) relations and feedbacks between drivers; 2() social processes dynamics; and (3) temporal and spatial scales.Synthesis and applications. We have reviewed the current scientific knowledge on how human drivers affect coastal marine ecosystem services. We found that understanding the combined effects of different drivers and considering various time and space scales is still a pending issue. Ignoring multiple drivers, their interactions and time and space scales limits our understanding of reality, and results in high levels of uncertainty. This affects policies and actions, as they rely on uncertain information. Thus, incomplete knowledge leads to poor management of coastal ecosystem services. To improve this, we propose research framework to better consider multiple drivers and time and space factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoamerican cloud forests are important centres of biodiversity, but are under severe pressure from anthropogenic activities. Protected areas have been established to conserve remaining areas of this habitat, but it is debatable how effective these underresourced 'paper parks' are in preserving biodiversity. This study investigates this issue utilising species-level data, examining composition of avifaunal communities within an undermanaged cloud forest park. Research was conducted in the Parque Nacional Cusuco, North-West Honduras. Results indicate that overall avian species richness is greater in the less heavily protected buffer zone than the nominally inviolate core zone. However, core zone areas are shown to be effective in preserving threatened and range-restricted species. Results therefore demonstrate that buffer zone forest has a comparably reduced conservation value, but the overall park system appears to be effective in conserving the core zone. These findings should be taken into account when considering extensions to protected area networks in Mesoamerica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation is a widely used water management practice that is often poorly parameterized in land surface and climate models. Previous studies have addressed this issue via use of irrigation area, applied water inventory data, or soil moisture content. These approaches have a variety of drawbacks including data latency, accurately prescribing irrigation intensity, and conservation of water volume for soil moisture approach. In this study, we parameterize irrigation fluxes using satellite observations of evapotranspiration (ET) against ET from a suite of land surface models without irrigation. We then apply this water flux into the Community Land Model (CLM) and use an iterative approach to estimate groundwater recharge and partition the water flux between groundwater and surface water. The ET simulated by CLM with irrigation matches the magnitude and seasonality of observed satellite ET well, with a mean difference of 6.3 mm month-1 and a correlation of 0.95. Differences between the new CLM ET values and observed ET values are always less than 30 mm month-1 and the differences show no pattern with respect to seasonality. The results reinforce the importance of accurately parameterizing anthropogenic hydrologic fluxes into land surface and climate models to assess environmental change under current and future climates and land management regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the world's most essential natural environmental resources are wetlands. In Iraq, the Mesopotamia marshes are considered as among the most significant swamplands worldwide. They are situated in the massive flood plains of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates in the lower basin of Mesopotamia. In this paper, there will be a thoughtful study of the effect of climate and microclimate change on these Marshes. The main sources of data and scientific knowledge will be gathered and summarized from almost all previous research conducted in the area. Most of the papers involved in this summarized study are those related to remote sensing, since remote sensing tends to be the most effective approach as it is less costly and consumes less time. Most of the reviewed papers that have studied the marshland circumstances of the area showed a deterioration in the level of the area's water bodies due to climate change. However, there are other factors that influence and degrade these marshlands other than the effects of climate change. These extra factors are represented by the political and military actions conducted by the previous Iraq regime during the middle of the 1980s. According to most of the most research implemented in the area, the water system in Iraq is experiencing significant challenges, thus increasing concerns about the Mesopotamian marshes that have been sustaining the region for thousands of years and which may possibly vanish soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental conditions evolve with rapidly increasing atmospheric CO2, biologicalcommunities will change as species reorient their distributions, adapt, or alter theirabundance. In the surface ocean, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) has been increasingover the past several decades as anthropogenic CO2 dissolves into seawater, causing acidification (decreases in pH and carbonate ion concentration). Calcifyingphytoplankton, such as coccolithophores, are thought to be especially vulnerable toocean acidification. How coccolithophores will respond to increasing carbon input hasbeen a subject of much speculation and inspired numerous laboratory and mesocosm experiments, but how they are currently responding in situ is less well documented. In this study, we use coccolithophore pigment data collected at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site together with satellite estimates (1998-2014) of surfacechlorophyll and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) to show that coccolithophore populationsin the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre have been increasing significantly over the past two decades. Over 1991-2012, we observe a 37% increase in euphotic zoneintegratedcoccolithophore abundance at BATS. We further demonstrate that variabilityin coccolithophore abundance here is positively correlated with variability in DIC (and especially the bicarbonate ion) in the upper 30m of the water column. Previous studieshave suggested that coccolithophore photosynthesis may benefit from increasing CO2, but calcification may eventually be hindered by low pHT (< 7.7). Given that DIChas been increasing at BATS by ~ 1.4 μmol kg-1 yr-1 over 1991 to 2012, we speculatethat coccolithophore photosynthesis and perhaps calcification may have increased inresponse to anthropogenic CO2 input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe datasets and a methodology to quantify all major components of the global carbon budget, including their uncertainties, based on the combination of a range of data, algorithms, statistics and model estimates and their interpretation by a broad scientific community We discuss changes compared to previous estimates, consistency within and among components, alongside methodology and data limitations. CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, respectively, while emissions from Land-Use Change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on combined evidence from land-cover change data, fire activity associated with deforestation, and models. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its rate of growth (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The mean ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) is based on observations from the 1990s, while the annual anomalies and trends are estimated with ocean models. The variability in SOCEAN is evaluated with data products based on surveys of ocean CO2 measurements. The global residual terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) is estimated by the difference of the other terms of the global carbon budget and compared to results of independent Dynamic Global Vegetation Models forced by observed climate, CO2 and land cover change (some including nitrogen-carbon interactions). We compare the variability and mean land and ocean fluxes to estimates from three atmospheric inverse methods for three broad latitude bands. All uncertainties are reported as ±1σ, reflecting the current capacity to characterise the annual estimates of each component of the global carbon budget. For the last decade available (2004-2013), EFF was 8.9±0.4GtCyr-1, ELUC 0.9±0.5GtCyr-1, GATM 4.3±0.1 GtCyr-1, SOCEAN 2.6±0.5GtCyr-1, and SLAND 2.9±0.8GtCyr-1. For year 2013 alone, EFF grew to 9.9 ± 0.5 GtCyr-1, 2.3% above 2012, contining the growth trend in these emissions. ELUC was 0.9 ± 0.5 GtCyr-1, GATM was 5.4 ± 0.2 GtCyr-1, SOCEAN was 2.9± 0.5 GtCyr-1 and SLAND was 2.5 ± 0.9 GtCyr-1. GATM was high in 2013 reflecting a steady increase in EFF and smaller and opposite changes between SOCEAN and SLAND compared to the past decade (2004-2013). The global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 395.31 ± 0.10 ppm averaged over 2013. We estimate that EFF will increase by 2.5 % (1.3-3.5 %) to 10.1 ±0.6 GtC in 2014 (37.0± 2.2 GtCO2 yr-1), 65% above emissions in 1990, based on projections of World Gross Domestic Product and recent changes in the carbon intensity of the economy. From this projection of EFF and assumed constant ELUC for 2014, cumulative emissions of CO2 will reach about 545 ± 55GtC (2000 ± 200 GtCO2) for 1870-2014, about 75% from EFF and 25% from ELUC. This paper documents changes in the methods and datasets used in this new carbon budget compared with previous publications of this living dataset (Le Quéré et al., 2013, 2014). All observations presented here can be downloaded from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aromatic hydrocarbons are associated with direct adverse human health effects and can have negative impacts on ecosystems due to their toxicity, as well as indirect negative effects through the formation of tropospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosol that affect human health, crop production and regional climate. Measurements were conducted at the Welgegund measurement station (South Africa) that is considered to be a regionally representative background site. However, the site is occasionally impacted by plumes from major anthropogenic source regions in the interior of South Africa, which include the western Bushveld Igneous Complex (e.g. platinum, base metal and ferrochrome smelters), the eastern Bushveld Igneous Complex (platinum and ferrochrome smelters), the Johannesburg-Pretoria metropolitan conurbation (>10 million people), the Vaal Triangle (e.g. petrochemical and pyrometallurgical industries), the Mpumalanga Highveld (e.g. coal-fired power plants and petrochemical industry) and also a region of anti-cyclonic recirculation of air mass over the interior of South Africa. The aromatic hydrocarbon measurements were conducted with an automated sampler on Tenax-TA and Carbopack-B adsorbent tubes with heated inlet for one year. Samples were collected twice a week for two hours during daytime and two hours during night-time. A thermal desorption unit, connected to a gas chromatograph and a mass selective detector was used for sample preparation and analysis. Results indicated that the monthly median total aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations ranged between 0.01 to 3.1 ppb. Benzene levels did not exceed local air quality standards. Toluene was the most abundant species, with an annual median concentration of 0.63 ppb. No statistically significant differences in the concentrations measured during daytime and night-time were found and no distinct seasonal patterns were observed. Air mass back trajectory analysis proved that the lack of seasonal cycles could be attributed to patterns determining the origin of the air masses sampled. Aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were in general significantly higher in air masses that passed over anthropocentrically impacted regions. Interspecies correlations and ratios gave some indications of the possible sources for the different aromatic hydrocarbons in the source regions defined in the paper. The highest contribution of aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations to ozone formation potential was also observed in plumes passing over anthropocentrically impacted regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of organosulfates in ambient aerosols provide insight to the extent of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from mixtures of biogenic gases and anthropogenic pollutants. Organosulfates have, however, proved analytically challenging to measure. This study presents a sensitive new analytical method for the quantification of organosulfates based upon ultra-performance liquid chromatography with negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The separation is based upon hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with an amide stationary phase that provides excellent retention of carboxy-organosulfate and methyltetrol-derived organosulfates. The method is validated using six model compounds: methyl sulfate, ethyl sulfate, benzyl sulfate, hydroxyacetone sulfate, lactic acid sulfate, and glycolic acid sulfate. A straight forward protocol for preparation of highly pure organosulfate potassium salts for use as quantification standards is presented. This highly efficient method of separating and quantifying organosulfates is used to evaluate the efficiency and precision of two methods of ambient PM2.5 sample extraction. Spike recoveries averaged 98±8% for extraction by sonication and 98±10% for extraction by rotary-shaking. Sonication was determined to be the superior method for its better precision. Analysis of ambient PM2.5 samples collected 10-11 July 2013 in Centreville, AL, USA during the Southeast Atmosphere Study (SAS) confirms the presence of hydroxyacetone sulfate in ambient aerosol for the first time. Glycolic acid sulfate was the most abundant compound measured (ranging 8-14 ngm-3), followed by hydroxyl acetone sulfate (2.7-5.8 ngm-3) and lactic acid sulfate (1.4-2.9 ngm-3). Trace amounts of methyl sulfate were detected, while ethyl sulfate and benzyl sulfate were not detected. Future research will focus on the development of additional organosulfates standards, expansion of this UPLC-MS/MS to include more target molecules, and the application of this method to assess temporal variations in organosulfates in ambient environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes and ponds experience anthropogenically forced changes that may be non-linear and sometimes initiate ecosystem feedbacks leading to tipping points beyond which impacts become hard to reverse. In many cases climate change is a key driver, sometimes in concert with other stressors. Lakes are also important players in the global climate by ventilating a large share of terrestrial carbon (C) back to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases and will likely provide substantial feedbacks to climate change. In this paper we address various major changes in lake ecosystems and discuss if tipping points can be identified, predicted, or prevented, as well as the drivers and feedbacks associated with climate change. We focus on potential large-scale effects with regional or widespread impacts, such as eutrophication-driven anoxia and internal phosphorus (P) loading, increased loading of organic matter from terrestrial to lake ecosystems (lake "browning"), lake formation or disappearance in response to cryosphere shifts or changes in precipitation to evaporation ratios, switching from nitrogen to phosphorus limitation, salinization, and the spread of invasive species where threshold-type shifts occur. We identify systems and drivers that could lead to self-sustaining feedbacks, abrupt changes, and some degree of resilience, as opposed to binary states not subject to self-propelling changes or resilience. Changes driven by warming, browning, and eutrophication can cause increased lake stratification, heterotrophy (browning), and phytoplankton or macrophyte mass (eutrophication), which separately or collectively drive benthic oxygen depletion and internal phosphorus loading and in turn increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Several of these processes can feature potential tipping point thresholds, which further warming will likely make easier to surpass. We argue that the full importance of the vulnerability of lakes to climate and other anthropogenic impacts, as well as their feedback to climate, is not yet fully acknowledged, so there is a need both for science and communication in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses a critical gap in understanding anthropogenic influences on tropical climate dynamics by investigating the impact of aerosol‐cloud interactions on large‐scale circulation. Despite extensive research on greenhouse gas‐induced warming and its effects on tropical circulation, the impact of aerosols, particularly their interactions with clouds, on large‐scale circulation remains understudied. Utilizing large‐domain radiative convective equilibrium cloud‐resolving simulations, this research demonstrates that increasing aerosol concentration intensifies tropical overturning circulation, evaluated at the mid‐troposphere (I) $(\mathcal{I})$, strongly correlating with domain mean cloud and radiative properties. Employing a weak temperature gradient approximation, I attribute variations in I $\mathcal{I}$ to changes in clear‐sky radiative cooling rather than stability. These radiative cooling changes are linked to humidity changes driven by warm rain suppression by aerosols. This study's findings underscore the need to take into account microphysical changes, particularly aerosol concentrations, when studying anthropogenic effects on tropical circulation. Plain Language Summary: Clouds intricately couple with the large‐scale overturning circulation in the tropics. Aerosols, small particles suspended in the atmosphere, interact with clouds. Thus, changes in aerosols concentration (Na) have the potential to affect cloud properties and by that the large‐scale circulation, with important implications for tropical climate and climate change. Despite this crucial relationship, the subject has been insufficiently explored. In this paper, I use a simplified, yet realistic, representation of the tropical atmosphere—radiative convective equilibrium large‐domain cloud‐resolving simulations—to investigate the effect of aerosol‐cloud interaction on overturning tropical circulation. By varying Na under diverse sea surface temperatures, I demonstrate that the strength of the overturning circulation intensifies with increasing Na. Utilizing a semi‐analytical expression for subsidence strength in clear‐sky tropical regions, I show that the intensified overturning circulation with increased Na can be attributed to heightened humidity in the mid‐troposphere, leading to intense radiative cooling. This mid‐tropospheric humidification can be explained by warm rain suppression by aerosols, which fosters stronger humidity mixing between clouds and their surroundings. These findings underscore the need to consider aerosol concentration changes when examining anthropogenic impacts on tropical circulation. Key Points: The overturning tropical circulation intensifies with aerosol concentration in a radiative convective equilibrium modelChanges in circulation strength can be explained by changes in diabatic subsidence driven by radiative changesRadiative changes can be explained by increased humidity at the mid‐troposphere due to warm rain suppression [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pearl River is one of China's large rivers, the second-largest river and the fourth-longest river in China. Its unique geography, landform, and climate conditions create unique fluvial geomorphological processes. Affected by human activities and climate change, the fluvial geomorphological processes in the Pearl River Basin have undergone significant changes in recent decades, seriously affecting the river's sustainable development. This paper critically reviews changes in fluvial geomorphological processes and analyzes influencing factors in the Pearl River Basin with a focus on possibilities for policy overhaul and strategic adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass and seaweed meadows hold a very important role in coastal and marine ecosystems. However, anthropogenic impacts pose risks to these delicate habitats. This paper analyses the multitemporal impact of the construction of the largest industrial port in the Canary Islands, near the Special Area of Conservation Natura 2000, on Cymodocea nodosa seagrass meadows (sebadales) of the South of Tenerife, in the locality of Granadilla (Canary Islands, Spain). Very-high-resolution WorldView-2 multispectral satellite data were used for the analysis. Specifically, three images were selected before, during, and after the construction of the port (2011, 2014, and 2022, correspondingly). Initially, advanced pre-processing of the images was performed, and then seabed maps were obtained using the machine learning K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) supervised classification model, discriminating 12 different bottom types in Case-2 complex waters. The maps achieved high-quality metrics with Precision values of 85%, 81%, and 80%, recall of 76%, 77%, and 77%, and F1 scores of 80%, 79%, and 77% for 2011, 2014, and 2022, respectively. The results mainly show that the construction directly affected the seagrass and seaweed habitats. In particular, the impact of the port on the meadows of Cymodocea nodosa, Caulerpa prolifera, and maërl was assessed. The total maërl population was reduced by 1.9 km2 throughout the study area. However, the Cymodocea nodosa population was maintained at the cost of colonizing maërl areas. Furthermore, the port sedimented a total of 0.98 km2 of seabed, especially Cymodocea nodosa and maërl. In addition, it was observed that Caulerpa prolifera was established as a meadow at the entrance of the port, replacing part of the Cymodocea nodosa and maërl areas. As additional results, bathymetric maps were generated from satellite imagery with the Sigmoid model, and the presence of a submarine outfall was, as well, presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes data on the chemical composition of wetland waters, groundwaters, and river waters in the catchment area of Poyang Lake, which were obtained in the course of Russian–Chinese hydrogeochemical studies in 2013–2022. The bulk of the laboratory work was carried out at Tomsk Polytechnic University using the mass spectrometric method with inductively coupled plasma. It is shown that wetlands that are not used economically are a source of organic substances and their transformation products entering the groundwater of the upper hydrodynamic zone. An anthropogenic impact on surface and groundwaters has also been established, which manifests itself in a rather sharp increase in the concentrations of certain chemical elements and their compounds. However, at the same time, a significant ability of the region's water bodies to self-purify has been revealed. Thus, in the low-water periods of 2019 and 2022, a decrease in the contents of As, Cd, Ni, Sb, V, Mo, and W in the waters of the Jinjiang River was noted, which is 17–120 times and more just 100–200 m downstream from wastewater outlets. Based on the analysis of measurement results, thermodynamic calculations, mathematical modeling of hydrogeochemical processes, and published materials of other authors, it is concluded that the most likely explanation for this ability is a combination of the following factors: the precipitation of poorly soluble substances (calcium and magnesium humates and carbonates and clay minerals) with the total content of dissolved salts amounting to more than 300–400 mg/dm3; the coprecipitation of a number of microelements, which increases with a decrease in the effective diameter of sediment particles (0.003 mm or less); and the involvement of substances removed from the solution in biogeochemical processes, the intensity of which increases under favorable climatic conditions (such as in the catchment area of Poyang Lake). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern scientific research in the field of geoecology, urban ecology, and urban planning focuses on the issues of geoecological assessment and the management of sustainable development of urban systems (urban geosystems). This research paper highlights both traditional methods of geoecological assessment, including environmental risk assessment and a comparison of MPC and MPL indicators, as well as modern methods such as remote sensing of the earth (analysis of satellite images) and modeling—a fractal analysis of urban geosystems. In addition, the article uses data from state statistics and environmental monitoring of the city and data from its own field research. It has been revealed that, in order to solve the problems of urban planning and management of territories based on the principles of sustainable development, such a system of geoecological assessment is required that would reflect the degree of development of the structure of urban geosystems, including the deviation of the development of urban geosystems from the optimum in conditions of multicomponent anthropogenic loads and risks of disruption of the sustainable functioning of the urban geosystem. Using the fractal modeling of the impact of anthropogenic factors, data on the deficit or redundancy of their impact were calculated. The advantage of territorial planning and the proposal of measures for the sustainable development of the city of Vidnoe based on fractal analysis consists of justifying the optimal degree of construction and the development of the transport network, reducing the risk of chaotic sprawl of the district and problems (first and foremost, traffic congestion and the pollution of environmental components), and achieving a minimum level of spatial fragmentation of the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is a mountainous country with highly developed road geologic hazards, which pose a great threat to the construction and operation of highways, bridges, and tunnels and to the safety of people and property. This paper discussed the types, basic features, formation, and prevention conditions of road geologic hazards in China based on field research and study data collected thus far. The study considered an urban area of a city in southwest China as the center and a geological field investigation was performed over a total of 282 km on three important lifeline projects. The results show: Types of geologic hazards along the highways are mainly avalanches, debris flows, and landslides, respectively. Among them, the landslips are mainly distributed along the roads, with slip, dumping, and wrong break types as the main ones; the debris flows are widely distributed, mainly concentrated in the river valleys; and the unstable slopes are relatively few in number. Geological disasters are characterized by large-scale and concentrated triggering in time and space, and a single disaster can easily trigger other disasters, thus forming a chain of disasters. Neotectonic movement, seismic activity, topography, climatic conditions, stratigraphic lithology, and human activities are important factors leading to geologic hazards in the study area. This study is of great practical significance for reducing the occurrence of roadbed diseases and prolonging the service life of highways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spillover effects of climate change require the exploration and implementation of appropriate ways to reduce ecological issues while simultaneously maintaining economic and social well-being. The expansion of green energy allows for a reduction in the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment without restricting economic growth or social welfare. However, the expansion of green energy necessitates additional green investment. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of studies on the interactions between green energy and green investment. The study is based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and employs Scopus Tools Analysis and VOSviewer version 1.6.20 software. The metadata for the investigation were compiled from scientific databases in Scopus. The findings allow for the identification of the most prolific countries and authors and their collaborative efforts, which contribute to the theoretical landscape of green energy and green investment. The study also illustrates the evolution of the investigation of the linkages between green energy and green investment. Furthermore, the results enable the identification of core scientific clusters in the analysis of green energy and green investment: the first cluster focuses on renewable energy and sustainable development; the second on government and green energy; and the third on green investment as the catalyst for green energy. The results of the meta-analysis facilitate the identification of new research areas related to the connection between green investment and green energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) are a key geochemical tracer used in a wide range of fields including archaeology, ecology, food and forensic sciences. These applications are based on the principle that the Sr isotopic ratios of natural materials reflect the sources of strontium available during their formation. A major constraint for current studies is the lack of robust reference maps to evaluate the source of strontium isotope ratios measured in the samples. Here we provide a new dataset of bioavailable Sr isotope ratios for the major geologic units of France, based on plant and soil samples (Pangaea data repository doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.819142). The IRHUM (Isotopic Reconstruction of Human Migration) database is a web platform to access, explore and map our dataset. The database provides the spatial context and metadata for each sample, allowing the user to evaluate the suitability of the sample for their specific study. In addition, it allows users to upload and share their own datasets and data products, which will enhance collaboration across the different research fields. This article describes the sampling and analytical methods used to generate the dataset and how to use and access of the dataset through the IRHUM database. Any interpretation of the isotope dataset is outside the scope of this publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella is not a priority pathogen for wild boar health. However, it poses a hazard for meat safety. This paper presents the results of our multi-year research on the prevalence and epidemiology of Salmonella in hunting grounds in Vojvodina, Serbia. In total, 425 wild boars (25.3% of the total population) were studied. The overall Salmonella prevalence in Vojvodina boars was not high (3.1%) and was quite similar to findings from Spain, Germany and Japan. However, the prevalence in some hunting grounds was very high (13.3-33.3%). The anthropogenic impact is significant, as the prevalence is statistically significantly higher in open hunting grounds where animals have contact with domestic animals and access to animal waste. The pulsotype (PFGE) profiles confirmed a link between isolates from wild pigs and domestic animals. The category of wild boars in which Salmonella was most commonly found was sows older than 36 months and weighing more than 75 kg, which is a direct consequence of their increased need for protein during the lactation period when they exhibit scavenging and cannibalistic behaviour. The measures taken against Salmonella in hunting grounds need to incorporate biosecurity measures that prevent anthropogenic influence. The hygienic and sanitary measures for the control of caught animals should also include enhanced measures when processing risk categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulating the variability that exists in the natural landscape prior to disturbance should be a goal of soil reconstruction and land reclamation efforts following resource extraction. Long-term ecosystem sustainability within reclaimed landscapes can only be achieved with the re-establishment of biogeochemical processes between reconstructed soils and plants. In this study, we assessed key soil biogeochemical attributes (nutrient availability, organic matter composition, and microbial communities) in reconstructed, novel, anthropogenic ecosystems covering different reclamation treatments following open-cast mining for oil extraction. We compared the attributes to those present in a range of natural soils representative of mature boreal forest ecosystems in the same area of northern Alberta. Soil nutrient availability was determined in situ with resin probes, organic matter composition was described with 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and soil microbial community structure was characterized using phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Significant differences among natural ecosystems were apparent in nutrient availability and seemed more related to the dominant tree cover than to soil type. When analyzed together, all natural forests differed significantly from the novel ecosystems, in particular with respect to soil organic matter composition. However, there was some overlap between the reconstructed soils and some of the natural ecosystems in nutrient availability and microbial communities, but not in organic matter characteristics. Hence, our results illustrate the importance of considering the range of natural landscape variability, and including several soil biogeochemical attributes when comparing novel, anthropogenic ecosystems to the mature ecosystems that constitute ecological targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanced budgets for dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and particulate N (PN) were constructed for the Strait of Georgia (SoG), a semi-enclosed coastal sea off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. The dominant control on the N budget is the advection of DIN into and out of the SoG via Haro Strait. The annual influx of DIN by advection from the Pacific Ocean is 29 990 (±19 500) Mmolyr-1. The DIN flux advected out of the SoG is 24 300 (±15 500) Mmolyr-1. Most of the DIN that enters the SoG (~23 400 Mmolyr-1) is converted to particulate N (PN) in situ by primary production. However, most of the PN produced by primary production is remineralized (~22 000 Mmolyr-1) back into DIN within the top 50 m. The PN budget for the SoG was further constrained by nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) that indicated regional differences in the source of PN. The southern Strait receives a much higher proportion of terrigenous PN, relative to marine PN, than does the northern Strait. The difference is due to the influence of the Fraser River, which discharges 1950 Mmolyr-1 of PN and 1660 Mmolyr-1of DIN into the southern Strait. The overall anthropogenic contribution of PN and DIN to the SoG is minimal relative to natural sources (> 30000 Mmolyr-1). It is unlikely that the Strait will be affected by eutrophication in the near future, although anthropogenic N sources, such as wastewater outfalls, may have significant local effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean acidification and carbonation, driven by anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), have been shown to affect a variety of marine organisms and are likely to change ecosystem functioning. High latitudes, especially the Arctic, will be the first to encounter profound changes in carbonate chemistry speciation at a large scale, namely the under-saturation of surface waters with respect to aragonite, a calcium carbonate polymorph produced by several organisms in this region. During a CO2 perturbation study in 2010, in the framework of the EU-funded project EPOCA, the temporal dynamics of a plankton bloom was followed in nine mesocosms, manipulated for CO2 levels ranging initially from about 185 to 1420 µatm. Dissolved inorganic nutrients were added halfway through the experiment. Autotrophic biomass, as identified by chlorophyll a standing stocks (Chl a), peaked three times in all mesocosms. However, while absolute Chl a concentrations were similar in all mesocosms during the first phase of the experiment, higher autotrophic biomass was measured at high in comparison to low CO2 during the second phase, right after dissolved inorganic nutrient addition. This trend then reversed in the third phase. There were several statistically significant CO2 effects on a variety of parameters measured in certain phases, such as nutrient utilization, standing stocks of particulate organic matter, and phytoplankton species composition. Interestingly, CO2 effects developed slowly but steadily, becoming more and more statistically significant with time. The observed CO2 related shifts in nutrient flow into different phytoplankton groups (mainly diatoms, dinoflagellates, prasinophytes and haptophytes) could have consequences for future organic matter flow to higher trophic levels and export production, with consequences for ecosystem productivity and atmospheric CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In our paper, we explored the impact of different anthropogenic stressors, namely, mussel farming, methane extraction platforms, and summer mass tourism, on the epipelagic microbiomes of the North- Western Adriatic Sea. Methods: By 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we provided the epipelagic microbiome layout from selected sites corresponding to each of the considered impacts. As an unimpacted reference, we used already published 16S rRNA sequencing data. Results: According to our findings, each one of the anthropogenic stressors resulted in a peculiar increase of specific epipelagic microbial components, including copiotrophic R-strategists and host-restricted bacteria, as well as some pathobiome components, the latter being detected exclusively in impacted sites. Particularly, potentially harmful pathogenic species such as Legionella impletisoli and Staphylococcus epidermidis have been detected in proximity to the mussel farms, and Escherichia coli and Campylobacter ureolyticus were present close to the methane extraction platform and at the summer mass tourism site, respectively. Particularly, C. ureolyticus is an emerging human gastrointestinal pathogen, capable of destroying intestinal microvilli. Discussion: In addition to providing evidence supporting the existence of recognizable and impact-driven fingerprints on the epipelagic marine microbiome peculiar to the different anthropogenic stressors, our findings also raise concern about the ecological relevance of the observed changes, in terms of possible loss of ecosystem services and also for the potential release of pathogenic microorganisms in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities are responsible for degrading rivers and decreasing their capacity to offer ecosystem services. This paper reports the findings of a study carried out to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities in Pinyinyi River water quality using physicochemical parameters. BOD, COD, phosphate, pH, EC, TDS, turbidity, DO and nitrate were analysed. Anthropogenic activities around Lake Natron Ramsar Site also documented. pH, EC, TDS, turbidity and DO measure in-situ using potentiometric method (HANNA HI 9829). Phosphate and nitrate analysed using photometric method (HACH DR/2700). BOD and COD analysed using bottle incubation method for five days (BOD incubator) and dichromate method (COD digester) respectively. Structured questionnaires used to collect data about anthropogenic activities taking place around Lake Natron Ramsar Site. DO, BOD, COD and turbidity were above the permissible limit. Phosphate, pH, EC, TDS and nitrate were within permissible limit. Irrigation, livestock keeping, fishing, bathing, washing, deforestation, water diversion, sand mining, making bricks along the river, tourist guidance, soda ash harvesting and selling soda ash are the anthropogenic activities taking place around Lake Natron Ramsar Site. River water was found to be unsafe for drinking purposes and was found to be safe for irrigation purposes. The study recommends sustainable anthropogenic activities along Pinyinyi River and mitigation measure to restore the lost ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windthrow is a phenomenon that causes major changes to tree stand evolution by blowing down or breaking either isolated trees or entire tree stands, with a strong ecological, social and economic impact. Both scattered and large-scale windthrow occurred in spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) tree stands of Romania. They affected surfaces of various dimensions from harvestable forests. Such a phenomenon took place in the Curvature Carpathians in February 2020. Large-scale windthrow occurred in this area in 1995 as well, in the upper watershed of Bâsca river. Using the climate data from February 2020, this paper aims to identify the manner in which factors such as climate and site conditions together with tree stand characteristic and the anthropogenic factor impacted and influenced the occurrence of windthrow. The results showed that the intensity of this phenomenon had maximum effects when the wind coming from north/northeast reached the maximum speed of 32 m·s−1. Pure spruce tree stands situated on slopes with an inclination between 16 and 30° were mainly affected. Their position was counter to the wind direction, at an altitude between 1300 and 1500 m, on cambisols and spodosols. The analysis and statistical interpretation of data in the case of scattered and large-scale windthrow from the two management units showed that the same factors studied influence the variation of windthrow intensity in a different manner, or sometimes they do not influence it at all or they can only account for a small part of this variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean coastal lagoons provide important ecological functions and nature's contribution to people, but they are particularly vulnerable to multiple pressures due to their location at the land-sea interface and the many activities they host. Numerous research and monitoring programs have been conducted to study the functioning of Mediterranean coastal lagoons and to improve their ecological and chemical status, especially since the 2000s with the EU Water Framework Directive. However, many coastal lagoons still had not achieved a good ecological status by 2018. The soft-bottom benthic ecosystem plays a crucial role in the functioning of shallow coastal lagoons, regulating among others nutrient and oxygen fluxes, and hosting a high biodiversity. The alteration of this compartment by anthropogenic pressures is therefore a major problem. Through a literature review, this paper aims to summarize information available on the impacts of the five main human-induced pressures — i.e. exploitation of natural resources, habitat destruction, climate change, pollution and alien invasive species — on the soft-bottom benthic ecosystem in Mediterranean coastal lagoons (period 2000—2022), and to identify perspectives for future research that can contribute to the improvement of monitoring programs. Our review shows that resource exploitation and nutrient pollution have been the two most studied pressures whereas research is still underdeveloped on the impacts of climate change, invasive alien species, and contaminants of emerging concern. We also found that the recording and quantification of pressures is still poor, and that their cumulative effect is poorly understood. In terms of indicators, the microbial and microphytobenthic compartments are being overlooked and functional approaches could be strengthened. This review could help scientists realign research on pressures of priority interest and thus better assist stakeholders in managing coastal lagoons in times of global changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) are caused by several factors, including climate change, socio-demographic dynamics, human pressures and urban sprawl. These factors alter the structure and functionality of ecosystems and their capacity to provide ecosystem goods and services to society. The study of LULC changes is important for understanding the dynamics of relationships between environmental, social and economic components and for analyzing the factors affecting natural capital. Including ecosystem services (ES) in spatial planning tools and sectoral policies is useful for improving governance. In this paper, the impact of LULC changes on ES provision has been estimated. To this end, we carried out a literature review (Step 1) to select the biophysical and economic coefficients of ES supply by land cover classes and collect them in a database (Step 2). We subsequently aggregated the economic and biophysical coefficients by macro classes (Step 3) and, using the benefit transfer approach, we estimated the change in the supply of ESs concerning permanence and transition phenomena in Italy from 1990 to 2018 (Step 4). The transition phenomena analysis also allowed us to evaluate the consequences of urbanization and urban green space governance on ES supply. Indeed, these urban green spaces can help reduce risks to people's health and safety and mitigate the effects induced by climate change. In total, approximately 800 coefficients (biophysical and economic) of ESs supplied by Corine Land Cover classes were acquired. The results show a reduction in the annual supply of ecosystem services of EUR 927 million (2022) caused by LULC changes between 1990 and 2018. This research proposes a methodology to improve knowledge of ESs concerning anthropogenic impacts and to support land-use planning policies regarding Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban areas of Pakistan exhibit some of the world's highest levels of air pollution, primarily due to sub-2.5 μm particulate emissions. This issue significantly impairs both the country's economy and the quality of life of its residents. Road transport is a significant contributor to anthropogenic air pollution but there are discrepancies about the extent of its share. Source apportionment and sectoral inventory studies attribute anywhere between 5 and >80% of the total air pollution to vehicular sources. This uncertainty propagates into the transport policy interventions that are informed by such studies and can thus hinder the achievement of desired pollution mitigation targets. In an effort to reconcile such discrepancies and guide future studies and policy-making efforts, this paper critically reviews source apportionment studies conducted in the urban centres of Pakistan over the past two decades. The strengths and weaknesses of different approaches are compared, and results from the studies are discussed based on the emissions profile of Pakistan's automotive fleet that emerges. Inconsistencies in the reporting of pollutant concentrations and interpreting their impacts without accounting for the relative disease burden of different pollutant species are found to be the major reasons for the large variations in the reported sectoral shares. At the end, a framework for regular air pollution monitoring and source tracking is proposed in which high-fidelity receptor-based studies inform lower-fidelity but economical sectoral inventory assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying and quantifying the sources of climate impacts from land use and land cover change (LULCC) is necessary to optimize policies regarding LULCC for climate change mitigation. These climate impacts are typically defined relative to emissions of CO2, or sometimes emissions of other long-lived greenhouse gases. Here we use previously published estimates of the radiative forcing (RF) of LULCC that include the short-lived forcing agents O3 and aerosols, in addition to long-lived greenhouse gases and land albedo change, for six projections of LULCC as a metric for quantifying climate impacts. The LULCC RF is attributed to three categories of LULCC activities: direct modifications to land cover, agriculture, and wildfire response, and sources of the forcing are ascribed to individual grid points for each sector. Results for the year 2010 show substantial positive forcings from the direct modifications and agriculture sectors, particularly from India, China, and southeast Asia, and a smaller magnitude negative forcing response from wildfires. The RF from direct modifications, mainly deforestation activities, exhibits a large range in future outcomes for the standard future scenarios implying that these activities, and not agricultural emissions (which lead to more consistent RFs between scenarios), will drive the LULCC RF in the future. We show that future forest area change can be used as a predictor of the future RF from direct modification activities, especially in the tropics, suggesting that deforestation-prevention policies that 20 value land based on its C-content may be particularly effective at mitigating climate forcing originating in the tropics from this sector. Although, the response of wildfire RF to tropical land cover changes is not as easily scalable and yet imposes a non-trivial feedback onto the total LULCC RF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first high-resolution (500 m x 500 m) gridded methane (CH4) emission inventory for Switzerland, which integrates the national emission totals reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and recent CH4 flux studies conducted by research groups across Switzerland. In addition to anthropogenic emissions, we also include natural and semi-natural CH4 fluxes, i. e., emissions from lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, wild animals as well as uptake by forest soils. National CH4 emissions were disaggregated using detailed geostatistical information on source locations and their spatial extent and process- or area-specific emission factors. In Switzerland, the highest CH4 emissions in 2011 originated from the agricultural sector (150 GgCH4yr-1), mainly produced by ruminants and manure management, followed by emissions from waste management (15 GgCH4yr-1) mainly from landfills and the energy sector (12 GgCH4yr-1), which was dominated by emissions from natural gas distribution. Compared to the anthropogenic sources, emissions from natural and semi-natural sources were relatively small (6 GgCH4yr-1), making up only 3% of the total emissions in Switzerland. CH4 fluxes from agricultural soils were estimated to be not significantly different from zero (between -1. 5 and 0 GgCH4yr-1), while forest soils are a CH4 sink (approx. -2. 8 GgCH4yr-1), partially offsetting other natural emissions. Estimates of uncertainties are provided for the different sources, including an estimate of spatial disaggregation errors deduced from a comparison with a global (EDGAR v4. 2) and a European CH4 inventory (TNO/MACC). This new spatially-explicit emission inventory for Switzerland will provide valuable input for regional scale atmospheric modeling and inverse source estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities are resulting in an increase on the use and extraction of heavy metals. Heavy metals cannot be degraded and hence accumulate in the environment having the potential to contaminate the food chain. This pollution threatens soil quality, plant survival and human health. The remediation of heavy metals deserves attention, but it is impaired by the cost of these processes. Phytoremediation and biochar are two sound environmental technologies which could be at the forefront to mitigate soil pollution. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge phytoremediation and biochar application to remediate heavy metal contaminated soils, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of both individual approaches. Research to date has attempted only in a limited number of occasions to combine both techniques, however we discuss the potential advantages of combining both remediation techniques and the potential mechanisms involved in the interaction between phytoremediators and biochar. We identified specific research needs to ensure a sustainable use of phytoremediation and biochar as remediation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The incorporation of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes into electronic, optical and consumer products will inevitably lead to the presence of these anthropogenic compounds in the environment. To date, there have been few studies isolating these materials from environmental matrices. Here we report a method commonly used to quantify black carbon (BC) in soils, the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method, for measurement of two types of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), two types of fullerenes and two forms of soot. The distribution of BC products (BPCAs) from the high pressure and high temperature oxidation illustrates the condensed nature of these compounds because they form predominantly fully substituted mellitic acid (B6CA). The conversion of carbon nanoparticles to BPCAs was highest for fullerenes (average of 23.2±4.0% C recovered for both C60 and C70) and lowest for non-functionalized SWCNTs (0.5±0.1% C). The recovery of SWCNTs was 10 times higher when processed through a cation-exchange column, indicating the presence of metals in SWCNTs compromises the oxidation chemistry. While mixtures of SWCNTs, soot and sediment revealed small losses of black carbon during sample processing, the method is suitable for quantifying total BC. The BPCA distribution of mixtures did not agree with theoretical mixtures using model polyaromatic hydrocarbons, suggesting the presence of a matrix effect. Future work is required to quantify different types of black carbon within the same sample. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The behavioral responses of autochthonous organisms have recently been used for a system to monitor the state of fresh and sea waters for bioindication. The advantage of using the behavioral responses of mesozooplankton is determined by the higher sensitivity of such responses compared with changes in the composition of biota or the death of organisms. Earlier, we developed and tested in laboratory conditions and in freshwater reservoirs a submersible digital holographic camera as part of a hydrobiological probe, which allows one to determine the dimensions, shape and recognition of plankters in situ, as well as define the concentration of plankters in the working volume and perform photostimulation with attractive radiation with different levels of illuminance. This paper presents the data obtained during the expedition to the Barents Sea. The variability with regard to the immersion depth of the phototropic response and the interspecific and intraspecific diversity was determined. It was shown that within the framework of natural variability in natural factors (temperature, salinity, hydrostatic pressure, oxygen content, illumination) there are no reliable changes in the indicator response, unlike changes in the concentration of plankton associated with tidal currents. The anthropogenic distortion of water quality was modeled by introducing a saturated salt solution dropwise. There were no significant changes in the intraspecific and interspecific diversity index during the external impact, and the rhythms of tidal changes in the concentration of plankters were suppressed. The fact of increased phototropic sensitivity in crustaceans with a size of less than 120 μm was found. It was established that the most essential marker of the alternating factor was the suppression of the phototropic response. The identified patterns of behavioral responses of autochthonous zooplankton make it possible to create a network of continuous control over the environmental health of water bodies subject to increased anthropogenic impact (oil production zones beyond the Arctic Circle, estuaries and deltas of rivers carrying industrial waste). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents evidence that a biogeochemical approach should be applied in analyzing interactions in the system society–nature when the biosphere is affected by anthropogenic impacts, whose key indicator is the health status of the human population. The basic principles and tasks of multilevel medico-ecological monitoring are described, which make it possible to systematically proceed from the qualitative assessment of the state of the human population health and ecological situation to the quantitative assessment of the ecological health risks and regional standards for permissible levels of technogenic factors, with regard to the probable changes in their effects due to the biogeochemical conditions of the environment. The paper provides verification results of the monitoring methods applied at a regional (Republic of Crimea), subregional (in the cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol), and local (individual cohorts of the urban population) levels. Although the official statistics received from various state departments is less informative for the regional research, it nevertheless allowed us to outline (at a reasonable probability level) territories with contrastingly different parameters of environmental health risk. Subregional (within settlements) biomonitoring in Sevastopol and Simferopol has revealed a spatial heterogeneity and loci with higher contents of some heavy metals and other chemical elements in the environment and biosubstrates (soil and plants). Cohort studies of residents of these cities and assessment of 29 chemical elements in the human organism were followed by the examination of the functional state of target systems in humans belonging to risk groups. Results of correlation and regression analysis allowed us to estimate the physiological significance of the elements and the effects of their complex influence at a background exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]