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The editorial discusses the intersection of environmental ethics with the circular economy and waste management, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in sustainable practices. It explores how ethical principles inform decision-making in resource use, waste generation, and product design, highlighting the need for responsible environmental behavior. The editorial also addresses the ethical implications of food waste, consumer choices, and the role of empathy in shaping collective behaviors towards achieving a sustainable future. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to contribute to the discourse on ethical dimensions in waste management and circular economy practices. [Extracted from the article]

Life is invasive, occupying all physically accessible scales, stretching between almost nothing (protons, electrons, and photons) and almost everything (the whole biosphere). Motivated by seventeenth-century insights into this infinity, this paper proposes a language to discuss life as an infinite double cascade of machines making machines. Using this simplified language, we first discuss the micro-cascade proposed by Leibniz, which describes how the self-reproducing machine of the cell is built of smaller submachines down to the atomic scale. In the other direction, we propose that a macro-cascade builds from cells larger, organizational machines, up to the scale of the biosphere. The two cascades meet at the critical point of 10³ s in time and 1 micron in length, the scales of a microbial cell. We speculate on how this double cascade evolved once a self-replicating machine emerged in the salty water of prebiotic earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have unveiled the deep sea as a rich biosphere, populated by species descended from shallow-water ancestors post-mass extinctions. Research on genomic evolution and microbial symbiosis has shed light on how these species thrive in extreme deep-sea conditions. However, early adaptation stages, particularly the roles of conserved genes and symbiotic microbes, remain inadequately understood. This study examined transcriptomic and microbiome changes in shallow-water mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to deep-sea conditions at the Site-F cold seep in the South China Sea. Results reveal complex gene expression adjustments in stress response, immune defense, homeostasis, and energy metabolism pathways during adaptation. After 10 days of deep-sea exposure, shallow-water mussels and their microbial communities closely resembled those of native deep-sea mussels, demonstrating host and microbiome convergence in response to adaptive shifts. Notably, methanotrophic bacteria, key symbionts in native deep-sea mussels, emerged as a dominant group in the exposed mussels. Host genes involved in immune recognition and endocytosis correlated significantly with the abundance of these bacteria. Overall, our analyses provide insights into adaptive transcriptional regulation and microbiome dynamics of mussels in deep-sea environments, highlighting the roles of conserved genes and microbial community shifts in adapting to extreme environments. In situ exposure of shallow-water mussels to deep-sea conditions induced changes in their transcriptome and microbiome, with profiles gradually aligning with those of native deep-sea mussels, highlighting the conserved interplay between evolutionary adaptations and rapid adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article from the Annals of Botany introduces the concept of Anthropogenic Global Change (AGC) and its impact on plant reproduction. It categorizes AGC drivers into two groups: those altering Earth's fluid envelopes and those with regional impacts scaling globally. The text discusses how AGC affects various aspects of plant reproduction, highlighting the vulnerability of plants to AGC drivers. The special issue aims to explore the effects of AGC on plant reproduction comprehensively, emphasizing the importance of understanding these impacts for predicting the future health of species, ecosystems, and the biosphere. [Extracted from the article]

Environmental education and collaboration are key tools used by biosphere regions/reserves to encourage a harmonious relationship between people and the land. The goal of this paper is to examine collaboration among organizations offering environmental education within the Beaver Hills Biosphere of Alberta, Canada. Based on analyses of 23 semi-structured interviews with environmental educators and planners, we describe current mechanisms of collaboration, benefits and drawbacks, enablers and barriers, and future recommendations in the context of collective impact theory. These findings highlight the principles and importance of interagency collaboration throughout all stages of offering environmental education, from creation and leadership, to delivery and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Resolution of Respect: George M. Woodwell (1928–2024)" from the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America pays tribute to George M. Woodwell's significant contributions to ecological science and public affairs. Dr. Woodwell's research focused on natural ecosystems, DDT, ionizing radiation, and climate, emphasizing ecosystem science. He was a respected figure in the field, receiving numerous awards and playing a key role in raising awareness about human-induced climate change. [Extracted from the article]

The rapid climatic and environmental changes observed in the Arctic and across the globe in general call for reliable model projections. In recent years our understanding of ongoing and future changes through ecosystem modelling has increased tremendously. Yet, most ecosystem models do not consider many of the feedback loops at play in natural ecosystems. Particularly those influenced by biota, beyond vegetation and to some extent microbes, are often neglected. As a first step towards a better integration of biotic influences into ecosystem models, we provide a broad overview of the various ways biota may influence feedback loops between the high-latitude biosphere and the atmosphere. We focus specifically on three key feedback loops between tundra and atmosphere (carbon dynamics, albedo and permafrost thaw) and the influences of three key ecosystem compartments (vegetation, decomposers and herbivores) on these. The influences of biota on ecosystem feedback loops are multifaceted and may appear patchy in both space and time. However, biota may still play important roles in modulating ecosystem feedback loops, and by including these dynamics into ecosystem models, magnitude, accuracy and credibility of model projections are likely to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicellularity is one of the major evolutionary transitions, and its rise provided the ingredients for the emergence of a biosphere inhabited by complex organisms. Over the last decades, the potential for bioengineering multicellular systems has been instrumental in interrogating nature and exploring novel paths to regeneration, disease, cognition, and behaviour. Here, we provide a list of open problems that encapsulate many of the ongoing and future challenges in the field and suggest conceptual approaches that may facilitate progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Underground research laboratories (URLs) provide a window on the deep biosphere and enable investigation of potential microbial impacts on nuclear waste, CO2 and H2 stored in the subsurface. We carried out the first multi-year study of groundwater microbiomes sampled from defined intervals between 140 and 400 m below the surface of the Horonobe and Mizunami URLs, Japan. Results: We reconstructed draft genomes for > 90% of all organisms detected over a four year period. The Horonobe and Mizunami microbiomes are dissimilar, likely because the Mizunami URL is hosted in granitic rock and the Horonobe URL in sedimentary rock. Despite this, hydrogen metabolism, rubisco-based CO2 fixation, reduction of nitrogen compounds and sulfate reduction are well represented functions in microbiomes from both URLs, although methane metabolism is more prevalent at the organic- and CO2-rich Horonobe URL. High fluid flow zones and proximity to subsurface tunnels select for candidate phyla radiation bacteria in the Mizunami URL. We detected near-identical genotypes for approximately one third of all genomically defined organisms at multiple depths within the Horonobe URL. This cannot be explained by inactivity, as in situ growth was detected for some bacteria, albeit at slow rates. Given the current low hydraulic conductivity and groundwater compositional heterogeneity, ongoing inter-site strain dispersal seems unlikely. Alternatively, the Horonobe URL microbiome homogeneity may be explained by higher groundwater mobility during the last glacial period. Genotypically-defined species closely related to those detected in the URLs were identified in three other subsurface environments in the USA. Thus, dispersal rates between widely separated underground sites may be fast enough relative to mutation rates to have precluded substantial divergence in species composition. Species overlaps between subsurface locations on different continents constrain expectations regarding the scale of global subsurface biodiversity. Conclusions: Our analyses reveal microbiome stability in the sedimentary rocks and surprising microbial community compositional and genotypic overlap over sites separated by hundreds of meters of rock, potentially explained by dispersal via slow groundwater flow or during a prior hydrological regime. Overall, microbiome and geochemical stability over the study period has important implications for underground storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neglect of population in national and international discourses on environment and development has led to a misleading picture of policy options. This article reconstructs the language in which extreme poverty and economic development are discussed by deploying recent advances in our understanding of the population–consumption–biosphere nexus. The new perspective is applied to examine both the global environmental impact and the effects on local ecosystems of individual choices over consumption and reproduction. The analytical apparatus developed here is then used on wide‐ranging evidence to explain and measure humanity's ecological overreach. The authors study the pressures people impose on their local ecosystems to show why persistently high population growth in the world's poorest regions is undermining their ecosystems, in some cases trapping communities in poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary The global carbon budget provides annual updates to society on the main cause of climate change—CO2 emissions—and quantifies carbon‐uptake ecosystem services provisioned by the biosphere. We show that more consistent assumptions in the estimates of land‐atmosphere carbon exchange results in a global carbon budget that is imbalanced (gains do not equal losses). This imbalance implies that key processes causing land carbon fluxes, especially processes associated with human land management and recovery following abandonment in anthropogenic biomes (anthromes), have been misquantified. This impacts policy for land carbon management across scales and calls for better understanding of carbon cycling in anthromes. Inconsistencies in the calculation of the two anthropogenic land flux terms of the global carbon cycle are investigated. The two terms—the direct anthropogenic flux (caused by direct human disturbance in anthromes, currently a carbon source to the atmosphere) and the indirect anthropogenic flux (caused indirectly by human activities that lead to global change and affecting all biomes, currently an atmospheric carbon sink)—are typically calculated independently, resulting in inconsistent underlying assumptions. We harmonize the estimation of the two anthropogenic land flux terms by incorporating previous estimates of these inconsistencies. We recalculate the global carbon budget (GCB) and apply change‐point analysis to the cumulative budget imbalance. Cumulative over 1850–2018 (1959–2018), harmonization results in a 13% lesser (4% greater) land use source from anthromes and a 20% (23%) lesser land sink. This recalculation yields a greater non‐closure of the GCB, indicating a missing carbon sink averaging 0.65 Pg C year−1 since the early 20th century. The imbalance likely results from a combination of method discontinuity and structural errors in the assessment of the direct anthropogenic land use flux, greater ocean carbon uptake, structural errors in land models, and in how these land terms are quantified for the budget. We caution against overconfidence in considering the GCB a solved problem and recommend further study of methodological discontinuities in budget terms. We strongly recommend studies that quantify the direct and indirect anthropogenic land fluxes simultaneously to ensure consistency, with a deeper understanding of human disturbance and legacy effects in anthromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underlying the thick sediment layer in ocean basins, the flow of seawater through the cracked and porous upper igneous crust supports a previously hidden and largely unexplored active subsurface microbial biome. Subseafloor crustal systems offer an enlarged surface area for microbial habitats and prolonged cell residence times, promoting the evolution of novel microbial lineages in the presence of steep physical and thermochemical gradients. The substantial metabolic potential and dispersal capabilities of microbial communities within these systems underscore their crucial role in biogeochemical cycling. However, the intricate interplay between fluid chemistry, temperature variations, and microbial activity remains poorly understood. These complexities introduce significant challenges in unraveling the factors that regulate microbial distribution and function within these dynamic ecosystems. Using synthesized data from previous studies, this work describes how the ocean crustal biosphere functions as a continuous-flow biogechemical reactor. It simultaneously promotes the breakdown of surface-derived organic carbon and the creation of new, chemosynthetic material, thereby enhancing element recycling and ocean carbon productivity. Insights gained from the qualitative analysis of the extent of biogeochemical microbial activity and diversity across the temperature and chemical gradients that characterize these habitats, as reviewed herein, challenge traditional models of global ocean carbon productivity and provide the development of a new conceptual framework for understanding the quantitative metabolic potential and broad dispersal of the crustal microbial biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After isolation of radioactive waste in deep geological formations, radionuclides can enter the biosphere via slow migration through engineered barriers and host rocks. The amount of radionuclides that migrate into the biosphere depends on the distance from a repository, dominant transport mechanism (diffusion vs. advection), and interaction of dissolved radionuclides with minerals present in the host rock and engineered barrier systems. Within the framework of the European Union's Horizon 2020 EURAD project (https://www.ejp-eurad.eu/), a series of state-of-the-art reports, which form the basis of a series of papers, have been drafted. This state-of-the-art paper aims to provide non-specialists with a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the processes contributing to the radionuclide retention and migration in clay and crystalline host rocks, in a European context. For each process, a brief theoretical background is provided, together with current methodologies used to study these processes as well as references for key data. Owing to innovative research on retention and migration and the extensive knowledge obtained over decades (in the European context), process understanding and insights are continuously improving, prompting the adaptation and refinement of conceptual descriptions regarding safety assessments. Nevertheless, there remains important research questions to be investigated in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines two habitable zones with different physical conditions on exoplanets: planets with liquid water on the surface and conditions close to Earth's ("Goldilocks Zone"), and cold worlds with icy surfaces and subsurface oceans ("Snow Maiden Zone"). The mechanisms of exchange of matter and energy between subglacial oceans and the surrounding space are discussed. It is noted that the biospheres of icy worlds with internal oceans are better protected from unfavorable external cosmic conditions. Subglacial biospheres are weakly dependent on the radiation intensity and flare activity of their parent stars, and the number of planets in the Universe with the physical conditions of the icy Snow Maiden Zone significantly exceeds the number of planets in the very limited Goldilocks Zone. It can be assumed that it is the biospheres of icy oceanic worlds that are much more widespread in the Universe compared to terrestrial-type biospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial biosphere models offer a comprehensive view of the global carbon cycle by integrating ecological processes across scales, yet they introduce significant uncertainties in climate and biogeochemical projections due to diverse process representations and parameter variations. For instance, different soil water limitation functions lead to wide productivity ranges across models. To address this, we propose the Differentiable Land Model (DifferLand), a novel hybrid machine learning approach replacing unknown water limitation functions in models with neural networks (NNs) to learn from data. Using automatic differentiation, we calibrated the embedded NN and the physical model parameters against daily observations of evapotranspiration, gross primary productivity, ecosystem respiration, and leaf area index across 16 FLUXNET sites. We evaluated six model configurations where NNs simulate increasingly complex soil water and photosynthesis interactions against test data sets to find the optimal structure‐performance tradeoff. Our findings show that a simple hybrid model with a univariate NN effectively captures site‐level water and carbon fluxes on a monthly timescale. Across a global aridity gradient, the magnitude of water stress limitation varies, but its functional form consistently converges to a piecewise linear relationship with saturation at high water levels. While models incorporating more interactions between soil water and meteorological drivers better fit observations at finer time scales, they risk overfitting and equifinality issues. Our study demonstrates that hybrid models have great potential in learning unknown parameterizations and testing ecological hypotheses. Nevertheless, careful structure‐performance tradeoffs are warranted in light of observational constraints to translate the retrieved relationships into robust process understanding. Plain Language Summary: Terrestrial carbon cycles simulations commonly focus on either describing the ecological processes with physical yet empirical equations or capturing the statistical relationships between variables using data‐driven techniques. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Process‐based simulations are grounded in scientific principles but may be inaccurate due to imperfect knowledge of the equations. Machine‐learning techniques can potentially capture the complex relationships between environmental variables but can be hard to extrapolate. In this study, we combine the two approaches into a hybrid model by embedding a set of neural networks within a process‐based model. We tested the model at different locations to study whether it can learn how plants respond to water limitations. The results showed the hybrid modeling approach can successfully retrieve the functional relationships between ecological variables. In addition, the overall performance of the hybrid model improved compared to the baseline model due to increased structural flexibility. We envision such a hybrid approach to help in the presence of imperfect knowledge of the governing equations in terrestrial carbon simulations. Instead of prescribing uncertain governing equations for the unknown ecological relationships, we can let the hybrid model learn these functional relationships from data, while preserving the temporal consistency of the model. Key Points: An automatically differentiable hybrid model is developed to learn parameters and functional relationships in land carbon and water cyclesNeural network emulators simulate ecological dynamics well but risk equifinality with limited data due to increased degrees of freedomMonthly soil water impacts on GPP and ET are well‐captured by piecewise linear functions, but finer time effects may need more complexity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, selected examples are presented to demonstrate how microfluidic approaches can be utilized for investigating microbial life from deep geological environments, both from practical and fundamental perspectives. Beginning with the definition of the deep underground biosphere and the conventional experimental techniques employed for these studies, the use of microfluidic systems for accessing critical parameters of deep life in geological environments at the microscale is subsequently addressed (high pressure, high temperature, low volume). Microfluidics can simulate a range of environmental conditions on a chip, enabling rapid and comprehensive studies of microbial behavior and interactions in subsurface ecosystems, such as simulations of porous systems, interactions among microbes/microbes/minerals, and gradient cultivation. Transparent microreactors allow real-time, noninvasive analysis of microbial activities (microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR microspectroscopy, etc.), providing detailed insights into biogeochemical processes and facilitating pore-scale analysis. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities to expand the use of microfluidic methodologies for studying and monitoring the deep biosphere in real time under deep underground conditions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eduard Suess's invention of the word 'biosphere' sparked a trend of coining sphere-words, which has since evolved into something of a craze. Some of these words, such as atmosphere and hydrosphere, are simply name tags for their respective Earth spheres. Others, such as geosphere, are also used mainly as names but they carry more than one meaning. However, many sphere-words, including pedosphere, biosphere, ecosphere, anthroposphere, sociosphere, and technosphere, are far more than just names, bearing as they do, weighty conceptual connotations that fuel considerable debate. At a time when Earth and life scientists are attempting to understand the workings of the planet as a whole by modelling the interaction of its component spheres, and when they are collaborating with sociologists, anthropologists, and members of other human sciences to tackle current environmental challenges, it seems an opportune moment to probe the origin and meaning of words for the Earth spheres they investigate. To be sure, Earth System modelling is helping understand changes resulting from the interaction of all the Earth's spheres, including the anthroposphere, over various time and space scales, while multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary research is helping to address such global problems as sustainable development, climate change, water supply, and biodiversity loss. An awareness of the origin, development, and disputed meanings of many sphere-words that these approaches employ should prove salutary for their multifarious practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Primary themes in intergenerational justice are a healthy environment, the perpetuation of Earth's biodiversity, and the sustainable management of the biosphere. These goals demand transformative changes to biodiversity management, especially when considering the predicted sixth mass extinction. Reproduction and advanced biotechnologies, biobanks of germplasm and somatic cells, and conservation breeding programs (RBCs) provide a transformative change to perpetuate biodiversity irrespective of environmental targets, ecosystem collapses, and other sixth mass extinction drivers. Future potentials for RBCs include assisted evolution, species restoration, and the extension of the biosphere through interplanetary and interstellar colonization. We address these themes with amphibian models to introduce the MDPI Special Issue, The Sixth Mass Extinction and Species Sustainability through Reproduction and Advanced Biotechnologies, Biobanking, and Conservation Breeding Programs. Primary themes in intergenerational justice are a healthy environment, the perpetuation of Earth's biodiversity, and the sustainable management of the biosphere. However, the current rate of species declines globally, ecosystem collapses driven by accelerating and catastrophic global heating, and a plethora of other threats preclude the ability of habitat protection alone to prevent a cascade of amphibian and other species mass extinctions. Reproduction and advanced biotechnologies, biobanking of germplasm and somatic cells, and conservation breeding programs (RBCs) offer a transformative change in biodiversity management. This change can economically and reliably perpetuate species irrespective of environmental targets and extend to satisfy humanity's future needs as the biosphere expands into space. Currently applied RBCs include the hormonal stimulation of reproduction, the collection and refrigerated storage of sperm and oocytes, sperm cryopreservation, in vitro fertilization, and biobanking of germplasm and somatic cells. The benefits of advanced biotechnologies in development, such as assisted evolution and cloning for species adaptation or restoration, have yet to be fully realized. We broaden our discussion to include genetic management, political and cultural engagement, and future applications, including the extension of the biosphere through humanity's interplanetary and interstellar colonization. The development and application of RBCs raise intriguing ethical, theological, and philosophical issues. We address these themes with amphibian models to introduce the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Special Issue, The Sixth Mass Extinction and Species Sustainability through Reproduction Biotechnologies, Biobanking, and Conservation Breeding Programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paper provides an update to Kleidon's [ 14 ] paper on "Life, hierarchy, and the thermodynamic machinery of planet Earth". • Life operates within a hierarchy of energy transformations within the Earth system that are governed by thermodynamics and limits. • This thermodynamic Earth system framework predicts climate processes like temperature and hydrological cycles very well. • Biospheric activity is constrained by transport, not energy conversion efficiencies. • Life evolves to push limits that involve interactions with the planet, shaping the planetary environment. Life is a planetary feature that depends on its environment, but it has also strongly shaped the physical conditions on Earth, having created conditions highly suitable for a productive biosphere. Clearly, the second law of thermodynamics must apply to these dynamics as well, but how? What insights can we gain by placing life and its effects on planetary functioning in the context of the second law? In Kleidon (2010), I described a thermodynamic Earth system perspective by placing the functioning of the Earth system in terms of the second law. The Earth system is represented by a planetary hierarchy of energy transformations that are driven predominantly by incoming solar radiation, these transformations are constrained by the second law, but they are also modified by the feedbacks from various dissipative activities. It was then hypothesised that life evolves its dissipative activity to the limits imposed by this hierarchy and evolves feedbacks aimed at pushing these limits to higher levels of dissipative activity. Here I provide an update of this perspective. I first review applications to climate and global climate change to demonstrate its success in predicting magnitudes of physical processes, particularly regarding temperatures, heat redistribution and hydrological cycling. I then focus on the limits to dissipative activity of the biosphere. It would seem that the limitations by thermodynamics act indirectly by imposing limitations associated with transport and material exchange. I substantiate this interpretation and discuss the broader implications for habitability, the emergence and evolution of life, and the contemporary biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are the frontiers of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Although quantitative methods have been applied to assess cities' sustainability progress, knowledge gaps exist in the differences between inland and coastal cities' performance and their internal variations against common standards. Using the Voronoi-based kaleidoscope diagram embedded in two circular plots, the article visualises the overall sustainability progress of China's inland and coastal cities in economy, society, biosphere and partnership. By measuring overall progress with circular length and individual scores with kaleidoscope area size, triple inland-coastal gaps and trifold intracoastal inequalities were highlighted, as well as city types characterised by economy-society balance and land – sea relation. References for implementing sustainable development transformations for coastal cities were derived, along with the circular-kaleidoscope diagram's potential for checking the pulse of cities' performances in further uses and finishing the circle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Human activity not only creates new materials and technologies, changes the nature of natural geochemical processes, which can have a local impact on the biosphere and the processes in it, as V.I. Vernadsky pointed out, but also creates new types of ecosystems—urban ecosystems, where man builds completely new elements and entire systems of biotopes for the existence of their populations, agroecosystems, where through the use of agricultural technology receives the necessary products of a limited number of species of organisms. It also creates techno-ecosystems, where natural elements together with artificial, technical elements create habitats for organisms. The noospherogenesis, in fact, is the formation of a coexisting system of natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. General ecological principles, which to a greater or lesser extent are addressed in the ‘Concept of balanced (sustainable) development of agroecosystems in Ukraine for the period up to 2025,’ as well as proposals for the creation of the ‘Concept of effective and safe operation of techno-ecosystems’ are considered. It is pointed out that the concept of ‘agroecosystem’ should be considered quite broadly, since it can include not only landscapes, but also aquatic environments. Anthropodependent biotic communities include not only agricultural plants, but also a full spectrum of organisms, from bacteria to mammals. It is pointed out that there is a contradiction between the idea of preserving biodiversity in ecosystems and the high productivity of certain significantly dominant populations. It is noted that technical objects do not exist separately from the environment, but create various techno-ecosystems with natural elements, in which there is a close relationship and mutual influence of technical and biotic elements and factors. The environment is also impacted not by technical systems, but by techno-ecosystems. As one of the factors of scientific and practical support of activities in the field of agroecosystems and techno-ecosystems development management, the directions of scientific research in the concept of research development in the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are considered. Some issues of practical use of the provisions of the EU Water Framework Directive are discussed, namely in the aspect of application to aquatic techno-ecosystems. During military operations, the destructive power of anthropogenic factors increases by many times, the importance of different factors shifts, which should be reflected in the general conceptual provisions of the complexes of interrelations between nature and human activity.

The author discursively thinks through three questions. “What is “man” as a physical system?” “What are the unchanging properties of this physical system, or what is equal to “man”?” “What are the changing properties of this physical system, or what is happiness?” The following results were obtained. (1) “Man” as a physical system is a derivative (emergent) property or relation, which is described by the formula “Psukhe exists/is (eimí) in the “habitual” molecular manner (díken).” (2) The unchanging properties or otherwise légo form the only rightful (themitós) for the molecular physical system that the formula “Zo? breathes/makes cool (psýcho) and in this way/manner (trópos) exists/is (eimí) in the expanding universe” describes. It has been proven that the cryosphere, biosphere, and noosphere are a few equal emergent molecular state-spaces that “move (work) together as one” to advance and protect the hegemonía of the molecular physical system in an expanding universe. (3) The changing properties or otherwise noiéo is the property or attitude to advance “moderate things,” i.e., molecular fields and particles in astronomical, tectonic, and geochemical events, and to protect oneself from “immoderate things,” i.e., anything that destroys molecular identity and individuality. The changing properties produce and guarantee the physical state we call “happiness, well-being, outward prosperity,” i.e. the right and duty to “pull together” equals, but always and only on the basis of what is right/just (díkaios/iustus).

The use of biocide chemicals is crucial for the elimination of microbial species required to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and ensure the safeguarding of animal and human health. Like antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR), anti-biocide resistance (ABR) may be a serious threat to healthcare, agriculture, animal husbandry, pisciculture as well as pharmaceutical and many other industries. Pathways of functioning of the antimicrobial drugs and biocides are alike in many cases, and among the patterns of resistance development in the microbes, such similarities are also found. Reaching such multidrug and multi-biocide resistant microbes in the water bodies and other sectors of the environment may also cause serious effects on ecology, the environment, and the entire biosphere. Framing of strict legislative measures is required for the rational use of biocides by considering their spectrum of activity, effective concentration in different conditions, residue calculation, and after-use destruction. This review aims to explore the use, detection, and regulation of biocidal agents across different contexts, highlighting their application that can contribute to the concurrent development of biocidal resistance and overall antimicrobial resistance among microorganisms.

The rate at which atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) would decrease in response to a decrease in anthropogenic emissions or cessation (net zero emissions) is of great scientific and societal interest. Such a decrease in atmospheric CO2 on the centennial scale would be due essentially entirely to transfer of carbon into the world ocean (WO) and the terrestrial biosphere (TB), which are sink compartments on this timescale. The rate of decrease in excess atmospheric CO2 and the apportionment of this decrease into the two sink compartments have been examined in two prior model intercomparison studies, subsequent either to a pulse emission of CO2 or to abrupt cessation of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The present study examines and quantifies inter-model anticorrelation in those studies in the net rate and extent of uptake of CO2 into the two sink compartments. Specifically, in each study the time-dependent coefficients characterizing the net transfer rate into the two sink compartments (evaluated as the net transfer rate normalized to excess atmospheric CO2 above the pre-pulse amount for the pulse experiment or as the net transfer rate divided by excess atmospheric CO2 above the preindustrial amount for the abrupt cessation experiment) were found to exhibit strong anticorrelation across the participating models. That is, models for which the normalized rate of uptake into the WO was high exhibited low uptake rate into the TB and vice versa. This anticorrelation in net transfer rate results in anticorrelation in net uptake extent into the two compartments that is substantially greater than would be expected simply from competition for excess CO2 between the two sink compartments. This anticorrelation, which is manifested in diminished inter-model diversity, can lead to artificially enhanced confidence in current understanding of the consequences of potential future reductions of CO2 emissions and in the global warming potentials of non-CO2 greenhouse gases relative to that of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem gross primary productivity (GPP) is the largest carbon flux between the atmosphere and biosphere and is strongly influenced by soil moisture. However, the response and acclimation of GPP to soil moisture remain poorly understood, leading to large uncertainties in characterizing the impact of soil moisture on GPP in Earth system models. Here we analyze the GPP-soil moisture response curves at 143 sites from the global FLUXNET. We find that GPP at 108 sites exhibits hump-shaped response curves with increasing soil moisture, and an apparent optimum soil moisture ( SM opt GPP , at which GPP reaches the maximum) exists widely with large variability among sites and biomes around the globe. Variation in SM opt GPP is mostly explained by local water availability, with drier ecosystems having lower SM opt GPP than wetter ecosystems, reflecting the water acclimation of SM opt GPP . This acclimation is further supported by a field experiment that only manipulates water and keeps other factors constant, which shows a downward shift in SM opt GPP after long-term water deficit, and thus a lower soil water requirement to maximize GPP. These results provide compelling evidence for the widespread SM opt GPP and its acclimation, shedding new light on understanding and predicting carbon-climate feedbacks. This study provides compelling evidence for the widespread optimum soil moisture for ecosystem photosynthesis and its acclimation to local water conditions, shedding new light on understanding and predicting carbon-climate feedbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terrestrial ecosystems, carbon (C) transportation and C pool transformation processes both occur at the land-river-estuary continuum. Moreover, C budget and C balance processes are generally critical in achieving the C neutrality of terrestrial ecosystems. This study analyzes key C transportation processes at multiple interfaces that collectively constitute the land-river-estuary continuum, discusses C transportation and sedimentation processes at the land-river interface, and reveals aquatic plant C sequestration coupling processes and associated productivity. Transformation mechanisms of inorganic-organic C pools are also investigated here as well as a systematic evaluation of C transport flux within the different interfaces that constitute the land-river-estuary continuum. Results show that the net C sink of terrestrial ecosystems was 1.70 Pg C yr-1, wherein the gross primary productivity (GPP) of global terrestrial vegetation reached 123 Pg C yr-1, while rock weathering also consumed 0.30 Pg C yr-1 of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Subsequently, the C transported by the land-river-estuary continuum reached 1.70 Pg C yr-1. During this process, 0.20 Pg C is deposited and buried in inland water and 1.00 Pg C escapes from inland water systems each year. Therefore, only 0.85 Pg C is transported to the estuary. Finally, this study clarifies control mechanisms of C transportation and transformation processes at the land-river-estuary continuum. The aim of this study is to provide an important scientific basis for the quantitative analysis of C sources and sinks at the land-river-estuary continuum and C neutrality of the biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the progress in models for coupled human and natural systems, highlighting the reciprocal interaction between humans and the environment. It explores the importance of modeling CHANS in supporting sustainable development and understanding the dynamic complexity of these systems. The text also addresses challenges in studying CHANS, such as bidirectional feedback, deep integration of natural and social sciences, multiscale simulation, and transformative improvement in simulation speed. The article emphasizes the need for adaptive algorithms, integration methods, and quantum computing to enhance decision support and achieve sustainable development goals. [Extracted from the article]

Biogenic sedimentary structures offer a unique perspective for understanding the role of the biosphere in the interaction with other Earth subsystems and the building up of our planet. The record of their ancient equivalents provides a wealth of information for reconstructing the role of bioturbators as ecosystem engineers using multiple ichnological proxies and methods. In this study, we present an overview of how bioturbation has worked across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales from the perspective of ecosystem engineering. Comprehensive and systematic datasets allow analyses at regional and global spatial extents, and especially over long temporal scales where sampling intensity and rock record biases can be considered. Our results underscore the significance of the Cambrian Explosion in the establishment of modern‐style shallow marine ecosystems and of the Ordovician Radiation for their deep marine counterparts, as well as the continuous ecosystem impact of bioturbation during Palaeozoic terrestrialization. Comparable datasets for the rest of the Phanerozoic have not yet been compiled. However, preliminary information indicates that colonization of ultra‐deep tiers, the rise to prominence of regenerators, increased burrowing efficiency, and increased compartmentalization of the endobenthic ecospace, were products of the Mesozoic Marine Revolution. The trace‐fossil record offers hard data to evaluate bioturbation as a driving force in ecosystem re‐structuring and as a key factor in geobiological cycles. Models assessing these fundamental issues should be rooted empirically at different scales, from both autoecological and synecological to macroecological, making the best possible use of the rich and rapidly developing ichnological toolbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a sustainable life-support system for space exploration is a formidable challenge due to the vast distances, high costs, and environmental differences from Earth. Building upon the lessons from the Biosphere 2 experiment, we introduce the novel "Ecosphere" and "Biosealed" systems, self-sustaining ecosystems within customizable, enclosed containers. These systems incorporate terrestrial ecosystems and groundwater layers, offering a potential model for transplanting Earth-like biomes to extraterrestrial environments. Over 4 years, we conducted rigorous experiments and analyses to understand the dynamics of these enclosed ecosystems. We successfully mitigated moisture deficiency, a major obstacle to plant growth, by incorporating groundwater layers. Additionally, we quantified microbial communities proliferating in specific soils, including simulated lunar and Ryugu asteroid regolith, enhance plant cultivation in space environments. Metagenomic analysis of these simulated space soils revealed diverse microbial populations and their crucial role in plant growth and ecosystem stability. Notably, we identified symbiotic relationships between plants and Cyanobacteria, enhancing oxygen production, and demonstrated the potential of LED lighting as an alternative light source for plant cultivation in sun-limited space missions. We also confirmed the survival of fruit flies within these systems, relying on plant-produced oxygen and photosynthetic bacteria. Our research provides a comprehensive framework for developing future space life-support systems. The novelty of our work lies in the unique design of our enclosed ecosystems, incorporating groundwater layers and simulated extraterrestrial soils, and the detailed analysis of microbial communities within these systems. These findings offer valuable insights into the challenges and potential solutions for establishing sustainable human habitats in space, including the importance of microbial management and potential health concerns related to microbial exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document discusses the concept of a circular bioeconomy, emphasizing the importance of utilizing biomass responsibly and effectively to achieve a sustainable future. It highlights the need for regional and local initiatives to promote bio-based circularity, focusing on the Alb-Donau-Kreis district in Germany as an example. The district's bioeconomy strategy aims to transform resource utilization, strengthen innovation, and create a reference framework for bioeconomy implementation at the local level. The document encourages researchers and practitioners to explore the bioeconomy in waste management and circular economy contexts to address global sustainability goals. [Extracted from the article]

The deep continental crust represents a vast potential habitat for microbial life where its activity remains poorly constrained. Organic acids like acetate are common in these ecosystems, but their role in the subsurface carbon cycle - including the mechanism and rate of their turnover - is still unclear. Here, we develop an isotope-exchange 'clock' based on the abiotic equilibration of H-isotopes between acetate and water, which can be used to define the maximum in situ acetate residence time. We apply this technique to the fracture fluids in Birchtree and Kidd Creek mines within the Canadian Precambrian crust. At both sites, we find that acetate residence times are <1 million years and calculated a rate of turnover that could theoretically support microbial life. However, radiolytic water-rock reactions could also contribute to acetate production and degradation, a process that would have global relevance for the deep biosphere. More broadly, our study demonstrates the utility of isotope-exchange clocks in determining residence times of biomolecules with possible applications to other environments. Trapped in rock fractures miles below the surface are saline waters that have been isolated for millions of years. In these most remote environments exists an active turnover of dissolved organic molecules, an active carbon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas play an essential role in the global carbon balance, being responsible for more than 70% of anthropogenic carbon emissions, entering the atmosphere mainly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Another crucial component of the carbon balance of the urban atmosphere is CO2 exchange with the biosphere, expressed in both emission and absorption fluxes. The biosphere component of the net CO2 flux is inseparably linked to the water (H2O) balance due to evapotranspiration. This article presents an estimation of CO2 and H2O net fluxes based on eddy covariance (EC) tower measurements and in‐depth analysis of its temporal and spatial variability for a typical urban site at mid‐latitude of the northern hemisphere. The source area was divided into two sectors, one representing dense urban development with sources of CO2 from traffic and households, and the second containing predominantly recreation and sports areas. Temporal variability analysis of evapotranspiration showed a clear seasonal cycle closely correlated with incoming radiation and air temperature, with the seasonal mean ranging from 0.4 mm·day−1 in winter to 1.6 mm·day−1 in summer. As a result of similar green coverage between the urban and green sectors, spatial variability was statistically insignificant. The net CO2 flux over a seasonal cycle was less pronounced for the total source area with a mean of 5.0 g C·m−2·day−1 in summer and 7.5 g C·m−2·day−1 in winter. However, significant variations between urban and green sectors were observed with the highest seasonal mean difference of 4.5 g C·m−2·day−1 in winter. The results confirm that while on the local, short time‐scale urban vegetation has a potential to mitigate the emissions, it is not able to offset them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence of climate hormesis (low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition by climate change-related stressors), the adaptive response of cells and organisms to moderate, intermittent stress, at community and ecosystem levels, including forest ecosystems with low levels of climate stressors. However, the role of climate hormesis in carbon sequestration by forests and its effects on global processes in the biosphere remains poorly understood. This paper examines this issue based on data for forests of various biomes. The analysis has shown that soil and vegetation are the main carbon pools in forests, which sequester carbon in humus and woody organic matter. Low dose climate stressors (i.e., moderate stressors related to climate change), through hormetic stimulation of growth and photosynthesis, can increase forest productivity and carbon sequestration by ensuring long-term carbon conservation in wood. Climate hormesis can potentially enhance soil carbon stocks by increasing carbon runoff from vegetation. This may have a reverse stimulating effect on the productivity of trees by increasing available minerals, especially nitrogen. At the biosphere level, climate hormesis of forest ecosystems may be a mechanism of self-regulation, compensating for or at least restraining the pace of climate change, increasing the chances of biomes and ecosystems for successful adaptation. However, anthropogenic activities disrupt this mechanism and the buffer capacities of forests in the face of climate change, reducing their area, especially primary forests and their biological diversity. This review demonstrates the importance of hormesis for studying the effects of climate stressors on carbon sequestration by forests and may be used to enhance their buffering properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of the human microbiome are progressing rapidly but have largely focused on populations living in high‐income countries. With increasing evidence that the microbiome contributes to the pathogenesis of diseases that affect infants, children, and adults in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), and with profound and rapid ongoing changes occurring in our lifestyles and biosphere, understanding the origins of and developing microbiome‐directed therapeutics for treating a number of global health challenges requires the development of programs for studying human microbial ecology in LMICs. Here, we discuss how the establishment of long‐term human microbial observatory programs in selected LMICs could provide one timely approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic fires pose a serious threat to many terrestrial ecosystems because they can cause loss of biodiversity and carbon stocks in the biosphere. Specifically, wildfires impacting natural conservation areas such as European Natura 2000 sites (N2K) are of particular concern. The main study objective was to evaluate the long-term effects of wildfires on the organic layer and some physical, chemical and biological properties of the underlying soil mineral layer, linked to soil quality. Here, we studied two coastal Mediterranean Aleppo pine stands within an N2K site differing for the fires' years of occurrence, the time between fires (TBF) and the time since last fire (TSLF) throughout 24 years. Furthermore, in each stand, differences in fire frequency (FF) were considered by selecting three sites—double-fire, single-fire and control (unburnt). Our results show the absence of the O-layer in double-fire sites, indicating a loss of this organic carbon (if compared to control) pool of 204 g m−2 in R2F and 139 g m−2 in M2F. Despite this loss being offset by the Corg increase in soil mineral layer, the disappearance of O-layer may compromise the ecosystem services provided by soil. In each stand, long-term fire effects were evident at both single-fire and double-fire sites for some chemical as well as biological soil properties and depended on TSLF. Increased rates of nitrogen mineralization and nitrification were found at all burned sites, persisting up to 24 years post-fire. Soil quality indicators data highlighted the recovery handicap of the microbial community within the considered period. Since our outcomes showed wildfires enduring consequences, mainly relating to TSLF and FF, on different organic and mineral soil properties, we advocate employing prompt strategies to mitigate recurring fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influential rare biosphere concept in microbial ecology focuses on taxonomic scarcity and treats functional rarity implicitly. Microbes can possess functions distinct from other taxa in a community and can be present at high or low abundances. We define functionally rare microbes as possessing distinct functions and being numerically scarce. Functionally rare microbes can contribute disproportionately to ecosystem multifunctionality. The functional rarity concept helps to mechanistically connect microbial functional diversity, ecosystem functioning, and evolutionary processes. It also highlights the need for conservation of rare functions in microbial communities. The influential concept of the rare biosphere in microbial ecology has underscored the importance of taxa occurring at low abundances yet potentially playing key roles in communities and ecosystems. Here, we refocus the concept of rare biosphere through a functional trait-based lens and provide a framework to characterize microbial functional rarity, a combination of numerical scarcity across space or time and trait distinctiveness. We demonstrate how this novel interpretation of the rare biosphere, rooted in microbial functions, can enhance our mechanistic understanding of microbial community structure. It also sheds light on functionally distinct microbes, directing conservation efforts towards taxa harboring rare yet ecologically crucial functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-sea sediments harbor abundant microbial communities extending vertically up to ~2.5 km below the seafloor. Despite their prevalence, the reasons for their large community sizes and low energy fluxes remain unclear. Particularly, the reliance of fungi, the predominant eukaryotic group, on amino acids in these energy-limited, anaerobic conditions is poorly understood. We investigated the role of amino acids in the growth and development of the fungus Schizophyllum commune 20R-7-F01, isolated from anaerobic sub-seafloor sediments. The fungus efficiently used all amino acids as carbon sources, and some as nitrogen sources, with specific amino acids influencing sexual reproduction and fruit-body formation. Notably, amino acids with hydrocarbon chains or methyl groups appeared crucial for fruit-body production. The upregulation of genes, metabolites, and pathways related to amino acid metabolism in the fungus under anaerobic conditions underscores the significance of amino acids as energy and nutrient sources in such environments. Amino acids not only served as carbon/nitrogen sources but also contributed to fungal fruit-body formation under low oxygen conditions, vital for long-term fungal survival in the energy-limited deep biosphere. This study sheds light on the crucial role of amino acids in fungal growth and reproduction in energy-limited anaerobic conditions. IMPORTANCE In the depths beneath the ocean floor, where darkness, anaerobic conditions, and energy scarcity prevail, life persists against all odds. This study illuminates the pivotal role of amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of life, as a vital energy for deep subseafloor fungi. Our research uncovers how these fungi not only rely on amino acids for survival but also utilize them to reproduce, forming fruit bodies in environments deprived of oxygen and energy. This revelation not only elucidates the mechanisms enabling fungal survival in extreme conditions but also hints at the essentiality of amino acids as nutrients for other deep-sea microbes. By unraveling these mysteries of the hidden biosphere, our study opens new frontiers in understanding the resilience and adaptation of life in the most inhospitable environments on our planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State Biosphere Reserve Neelum (SBRN) is located in northern side of state Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. It is a representative region having an important geographical position being located at Line of Control. It shares its border with Indian Occupied Kashmir and due to prevailing of uncertain ground conditions in the past did not allow to get explore this area for the Odonata species complex. In study area first time detailed surveys were conducted for exploring the diversity of both sub orders of Odonata (Anisoptera and Zygoptera) during the summer season of 2018-2019. A total 346 specimens were collected yielding 20 anisopterous species under 13 genera of 5 families and 7 zygopterous species under 4 genera of 3 families. Among these 8 anisopterous species and 7 zygopterous species were first time recorded from the SBRN. According to the results of surveys, the Libellulidae and Coenagrionidae families looked to be the most prominent. For proper identification help was taken from National Insect Museum, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep subsurface microorganisms constitute over 80 % of Earth's prokaryotic biomass and play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Geochemical processes driven by geothermal heating are key factors influencing their biomass and activities, yet their full breadth remains uncaptured. Here, we investigated the microbial community composition and metabolism in microbial-natural-gas-bearing aquifers at temperatures ranging from 38 to 81 °C , situated above nonmicrobial-gas- and oil-bearing sediments at temperatures exceeding 90 °C. Cultivation-based and molecular gene analyses, including radiotracer measurements, of formation water indicated variations in predominant methanogenic pathways across different temperature regimes of upper aquifers: high potential for hydrogenotrophic–methylotrophic, hydrogenotrophic, and acetoclastic methanogenesis at temperatures of 38, 51–65, and 73–81 °C , respectively. The potential for acetoclastic methanogenesis correlated with elevated acetate concentrations with increasing depth, possibly due to the decomposition of sedimentary organic matter. In addition to acetoclastic methanogenesis, in aquifers at temperatures as high as or higher than 65 °C , acetate is potentially utilized by microorganisms responsible for the dissimilatory reduction of sulfur compounds other than sulfate because of their high relative abundance at greater depths. The stable sulfur isotopic analysis of sulfur compounds in water and oil samples suggested that hydrogen sulfide, generated through the thermal decomposition of sulfur compounds in oil, migrates upward and is subsequently oxidized with iron oxides present in sediments, yielding elemental sulfur and thiosulfate. These compounds are consumed by sulfur-reducing microorganisms, possibly reflecting elevated microbial populations in aquifers at temperatures as high as or higher than 73 °C. These findings reveal previously overlooked geothermal-heat-driven geochemical and microbiological processes involved in carbon and sulfur cycling in the deep sedimentary biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root zone is a vital part of the Earth system and a key element in hydrology, ecology, agronomy, and land surface processes. However, its definition varies across disciplines, creating barriers to interdisciplinary understanding. Moreover, characterizing the root zone is challenging due to a lack of consensus on definitions, estimation methods, and their merits and limitations. This opinion paper provides a holistic definition of the root zone from a hydrology perspective, including its moisture storage, deficit, and storage capacity. We demonstrate that the root zone plays a critical role in the biosphere, pedosphere, rhizosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and cryosphere of the Earth system. We underscore the limitations of the traditional reductionist approach in modelling this complex and dynamic zone and advocate for a shift towards a holistic, ecosystem-centred approach. We argue that a holistic approach offers a more systematic, simple, dynamic, scalable, and observable way to describe and predict the role of the root zone in Earth system science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have become estranged from the cosmic movements, according to Bataille. We are confined by the error linked to the representation of ‘the stationary earth’. We have negated the immersive immanence of the whole and made nature into a fixed world of tools and things. How then do we recognise ourselves as part of the ‘rapture of the heavens’? Bataille urges us to consider life as a solar phenomenon, the free play of solar energy on the earth. This paper argues how Bataille’s cosmic vision anticipates both planetary and ecological thinking. This entails a base materialism of difference based on a radical Nietzschean and Heraclitean theory of becoming and flux. This thought is developed along Bataillean concepts such as the movement of the whole, the labyrinthine, and compound beings, ipseity, as well as the concept of a communifying movement. This materialism paired with Vladimir Vernadsky’s biosphere lays the foundation for the laws of the general economy, which also constitutes an economy inclusive of a general ecology: a tragic vision of Gaia and Dionysos. Finally, poetry is considered, as a way we might reconnect with the universe and stimulate ecological imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and protists, are essential to life on Earth and the functioning of the biosphere. Here, we discuss the key roles of microorganisms in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting recent and emerging advances in microbial research and technology that can facilitate our transition toward a sustainable future. Given the central role of microorganisms in the biochemical processing of elements, synthesizing new materials, supporting human health, and facilitating life in managed and natural landscapes, microbial research and technologies are directly or indirectly relevant for achieving each of the SDGs. More importantly, the ubiquitous and global role of microbes means that they present new opportunities for synergistically accelerating progress toward multiple sustainability goals. By effectively managing microbial health, we can achieve solutions that address multiple sustainability targets ranging from climate and human health to food and energy production. Emerging international policy frameworks should reflect the vital importance of microorganisms in achieving a sustainable future. Microbes are essential to life on Earth and will be core, with the advent of exciting new technologies, to our ability to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spain has one of Europe's most extraordinary biodiverse environments and a significant risk of fires in its forests. At the same time, rural areas are affected by several challenges, such as desertification, population decrease, and loss of income. Fortunately, some green sparks arise on the horizon. Among them, we use critical enabling technologies for fire prevention and extinction, renewable energy, and resilience solutions by adopting a system of systems approach given by the systems engineering frameworks. We analyse recent Research and Development (R&D) projects focused on fire prevention to detect (1) the key enabling technologies used and (2) engineering practices. A motivational case is presented, which evaluates the potential interest of the mineral water industry sector in applied R&D with key enabling technologies, including the replicability potential and the replicability potential for using the R&D results. After that, the authors initialize an innovative R-ISSUES model to promote early interoperability between energy and environment systems engineering towards the shared mission of designing digital and rural jobs to preserve our biosphere. The model is used to answer specific research questions and detect gaps or potential improvements for the model itself by using the recent scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]