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The article is devoted to topical issues of ensuring measures for restoration of agricultural land. The article notes that in recent years there has been a further deterioration in the quality of agricultural land. It is emphasized that the aggravation of the crisis phenomena regarding the current state of land is largely due to the hostilities in the country. The article analyses new types of soil degradation that have become widespread as a result of Russian military aggression. The article focuses on the fact that agricultural land is subject to the greatest degradation compared to other categories of land. It is established that there are preliminary and basic legal measures for land restoration. It is substantiated that preliminary land restoration measures include: application of mineral fertilisers, bio-fertilisers; washing of saline soils, their irrigation; planting of trees, sowing of herbaceous plants. Attention is paid to the introduction of crop rotation, which is an important measure for restoring agricultural land. The article also examines the responsibilities of land owners and users in the field of land restoration. Based on the results of the analysis of legislation, it is proved that the main organisational and legal measures for the restoration of agricultural land are as follows: reclamation of disturbed lands, conservation of degraded, low-productive and technogenically polluted lands, and land reclamation of lands with disturbed water regime. It is stated that the implementation of the above measures has received proper legal support. The author highlights the considerations that today land restoration measures are being implemented, which have not received proper legal support. The author examines the peculiarities of implementation of bioremediation (divided into two types: biostimulation and bioaugmentation), phytoremediation based on the use of properties of certain plant species, and de toxification of contaminated land. The author makes proposals for improving land legislation by legislating such land restoration measures as bioremediation, phytoremediation, land detoxificatio n and environmental requirements for their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of land suitability for agricultural production is a complex process that requires specialized information and expert analysis. This paper introduces the Soil Suitability Evaluation (SSE) model, a computer program designed to assess land suitability for agriculture. The model considers soil surface conditions (erosion, micro-relief, and slope), physical characteristics (texture and depth), and chemical properties (salinity, sodicity, fertility, and calcium carbonate). It involves calculating these soil characteristics along with their respective weights. Compared to other land suitability evaluation methods, the SSE model provides realistic and practical results including assessments of soil and crop suitability. It serves as a simple and useful tool for decision-makers to determine land quality for agricultural use and proposed some recommendations for land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land reclamations often demand large quantities of fill materials. However, many countries commonly engaged in land reclamation are facing an escalating scarcity of natural fill sources. To address this issue, this study proposes a sustainable land reclamation approach that involves dredged marine sediments as fill materials. The dredged marine sediments are improved by a combined method that incorporates the use of horizontal drains with vacuum preloading for preliminary soil treatment and vertical drains with vacuum preloading for further improvement. A field trial has been designed and conducted to verify the performance of the proposed preliminary treatment of marine sediment slurry using prefabricated horizontal drains (PHDs) and vacuum preloading under a "membrane-free" condition. Field measurements, including settlement, pore pressure, effective earth pressure, vacuum pressure, water content, and undrained shear strength, were systematically recorded during the field trial period. After a four-month treatment, the average water content of the filled soil was slightly below 50%, which is one-third of the initial water content. Owing to the combined effect of the vacuum preloading and drying process, a crust layer with the undrained shear strength of 40 kPa was formed on the top of the treated soil. Below the crust layer, the average undrained shear strength of the treated marine deposits was approximately 32 kPa. Overall, the notable effect of using PHDs and the "membrane-free" vacuum preloading method to rapidly consolidate marine deposits slurry has been successfully demonstrated with field monitoring under the site trial condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review focused on the benefits of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) for human well-being. It examines the intellectual structure of knowledge of these benefits to identify knowledge gaps for future research and explore sustainable management practices to manage IAPS. The screening of bibliometric data from 1601 publications in Scopus based on the PRISMA protocol resulted in the identification of 69 publications for detailed review. The findings show an increasing trend in studies on IAPS benefits for human well-being since 2009. These benefits include provisioning services (food, medicines, fodder, bioenergy, and construction materials), regulating services (bioagents and shades), cultural services (aesthetics and ornamentals) and supporting services (soil and land reclamation). Additionally, the findings reveal geographical disparity in the distribution of research produced by researchers from different regions, with most research produced in Europe and limited to Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. The findings also show skewness in the management practices of IAPS, though some of them enhance IAPS benefits. Furthermore, there are limited applications of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the benefits of IAPS for human well-being. Employing interdisciplinary mixed methodologies may help to generate new knowledge with a better understanding of complex interactions between IAPS and human well-being. Given the unique sociocultural, economic, and ecological settings of the IAPS, future research is expected to include comparative perspectives on how different countries and regions use the IAPS for their benefit while considering both the positive and negative impacts of the IAPS on human well-being to develop sustainable management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vacuum preloading technique is extensively employed for ground improvement, particularly for slurry ground characterized by high‐water content and low strength. Such ground frequently exhibits a delay in pore water pressure dissipation when treated with prefabricated vertical drains. To clarify the drainage and consolidation behaviour of high‐water content slurry ground under vacuum preloading, this study proposed a two‐stage combined model that integrates both filtration and consolidation processes. Initially, an axisymmetric filtration model was used to describe the formation of the soil column through the radial migration and compaction of the particles. The end‐of‐filtration radial distributions of void ratio, permeability coefficient, and effective pressure served as initial conditions for the consolidation stage analysis. This stage was depicted using a large strain consolidation model based on the free strain condition. The results showed the necessity of incorporating the filtration stage to capture the overall drainage mechanism and characteristics of slurry ground with vacuum preloading treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on historical documents, population data, published results, remote sensing data products, statistical data, and survey data, this study reconstructed the cropland area and the spatial pattern changes at 28 time points from 1000 to 2020 in Northeast China. The period from 1000 to 1600 corresponds to historical provincial-level administrative districts, while the period from 1700 to 2020 corresponds to modern county-level administrative districts. The main findings are as follows: (1) the cropland in Northeast China exhibited phase changes of expansion–reduction–expansion over the past millennium. (2) The cropland area in Northeast China increased from 0.55×104 km2 in 1000 to 37.90×104 km2 in 2020, and the average cropland fraction increased from 0.37 % to 26.27 %; (3) from 1000 to 1200, the cropland area exhibited an increasing trend, which peaked in 1200. The scope of land reclamation was comparable to modern times, but the overall cropland fraction remained low. The cropland area significantly decreased between 1300 and 1600, with the main land reclamation area being reduced southward into Liaoning province. From 1700 to 1850, the cropland area increased slowly and the agricultural reclamation gradually expanded northward. After 1850, there was almost exponential growth, with the cropland area continuously expanding to the whole study area, and this growth trend persists until 2020; (4) the dataset of changes in the cropland of administrative districts in Northeast China, reconstructed based on multiple data sources and improved historical cropland reconstruction methods, significantly enhances time resolution and reliability. Additionally, the dataset shows relatively better credibility assessment results, which can provide a refined database for historical land use and land cover change (LUCC) dataset reconstruction, carbon emission estimation, climate data construction, etc. The dataset can be downloaded from 10.6084/m9.figshare.25450468.v2 (Jia et al., 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - This study was undertaken to analyze the relationship between perceived negative impacts on land reclamation (LR) and support for coastal ecotourism within fishing communities (CE), with environmental awareness (EA) as the mediating variable. Methodology - This study utilized a convenience sampling technique to distribute questionnaires to 400 domestic tourists in coastal areas. Data analysis was conducted using Hayes's PROCESS in IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS v25.0). Findings - Results showed that LR had a direct effect on CE [ß= 0.183; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.095-0.270; P= 0.000 <0.05]. Furthermore, a statistically significant indirect effect between LR and CE via EA was also observed (ß= 0.269; 95% CI =0.192-0.351; P= 0.000<0.05), indicating partial mediation. Novelty - These findings highlight that EA is important and essential to be promoted when considering sustainable development in both land reclamation and coastal ecotourism in fishing communities. Affected communities, usually with high environmental awareness, will comprehend the impacts of land developments and react to conserve the environment. In this case, as significant stakeholders with high environmental awareness, tourists are more inclined to support ecotourism, advocate for environmental conservation, and preserve local fishing cultures for appreciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an indispensable part of the marine ecosystem, the health status of the sea affects the stability and enhancement of the overall ecological function of the ocean. Clarifying the future land and sea utilization pattern and the impacts on the carbon stocks of island ecosystems is of great scientific value for maintaining marine ecological balance and promoting the sustainable development of the island ecosystem. Using Pingtan Island as an example, we simulate and predict changes in island utilization and carbon stocks for historical periods and multiple scenarios in 2030 via the PLUS-InVEST model and the marine biological carbon sink accounting method. The results show that (1) from 2006 to 2022, the carbon stock of Pingtan Island decreased by 7.218 × 104 t, resulting in a cumulative economic loss of approximately USD 13.35 million; furthermore, from 2014 to 2018, the implementation of many reclamation and land reclamation projects led to a severe carbon stock loss of 6.634 × 104 t. (2) By 2030, the projected carbon stock under the three different policy scenarios will be greater than that in 2022. The highest carbon stock of 595.373 × 104 t will be found in the ecological protection scenario (EPS), which will be 4.270 × 104 t more than that in 2022. With the strong carbon sequestration effect of the ocean, the total social carbon cost due to changes in island utilization is projected to decrease in 2030. (3) The factors driving changes in island utilization will vary in the design of different future scenarios. The results of this study not only provide a solid scientific basis for the sustainable development of island areas, but they also highlight the unique contribution of islands in the field of marine ecological conservation and carbon management, contributing to the realization of the dual-carbon goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Saline–alkali land is an important cultivated land reserve resource for tackling global climate change and ensuring food security, partly because it can store large amounts of carbon (C). However, it is unclear how saline–alkali land reclamation (converting saline–alkali land into cultivated land) affects soil C storage. We collected 189 adjacent pairs of salt-affected and cultivated soil samples (0–30 cm deep) from the Songnen Plain, eastern coastal area, Hetao Plain, and northwestern arid area in China. Various soil properties, the soil inorganic C (SIC), organic C (SOC), particulate organic C (POC), and mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) densities, and plant- and microbial-derived C accumulation were determined. Saline–alkali land reclamation inconsistently affected the SIC density but significantly (P < 0.001) increased the SOC density. The SOC, POC, and MAOC densities were predicted well by the integrative soil amelioration index. Saline–alkali land reclamation significantly increased plant-derived C accumulation and the plant-derived C to microbial-derived C ratios in all saline–alkali areas, and less microbial transformation of plant-derived C (i.e., less lignin degradation or oxidation) occurred in cultivated soils than salt-affected soils. The results indicated that saline–alkali land reclamation leads to plant-derived C becoming the dominant contributor of SOC storage. POC storage and MAOC storage were strongly linked to plant- and microbial-derived C accumulation, respectively, caused by saline–alkali land reclamation. Our findings suggest that saline–alkali land reclamation increases C storage in topsoil by preferentially promoting plant-derived C accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, sedimentological and geochemical data from six cores are presented and discussed in order to better understand the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution of the coastal plains of the Pecora and Cornia Rivers (southern Tuscany, Italy). Overall, the stratigraphies show a general upward trend in the evolution of the sedimentary succession of lagoonal environments (low Zr/Rb, high EC values) connected or partially connected to the sea (low EC values), to a seaward progradation of marshy-swampy environments (Mn/Ti, high TOC values) and finally to continental environments with the progradation of distal alluvial plains (high Zr/Rb, low EC values) influenced by runoff phenomena or local water stagnation. This trend is closely related to the increasing input of sediments from inland due to soil erosion processes and, especially in the last two centuries, land reclamation works. In the Cornia coastal plain, the chronologies indicate that lagoonal environments were already present before ca. 8.2ka BC and started receding seaward at around 3.7ka BC. On the other hand, chronologies from ca. 0.5ka BC to ca. 0.6ka AD point to a persistence of lagoonal environments only in areas very close to those already identified as such in historical cartography. In the Pecora coastal plain, the chronologies show that the lagoon environments had already disappeared before ca. 3.3ka BC, whilst the peripheral environments were characterised by abundant vegetation. The latter gradually degraded in favour of the development of shallow to very deep, unvegetated marshlands, which persisted until ca. 1ka AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• C&DW's Technosols support native tree growth. • C&DW's Technosols combined with compost enhance plant growth. • Technosols are sustainable solutions to address C&DW disposal. • C&DW's Technosols presents a high soil health index. • Technosols offer a green solution for degraded lands. Population growth has driven an increased demand for solid construction materials, leading to higher amounts of construction and demolition waste (C&DW). Efficient strategies to manage this waste include reduction, reuse, and recycling. Technosols—soils engineered from recycled waste—can potentially help with environmental challenges. However, there is a critical need to explore the potential of Technosols constructed with C&DW for land reclamation, through the growth of native vegetation. The objective of this study was to investigate this potential by studying two Brazilian native tree species (Guazuma ulmifolia and Piptadenia gonoacantha). Technosols were created using C&DW, with and without organic compost and a liquid biofertilizer. A soil health index (SHI) was applied to evaluate the soil quality regarding physical, chemical, and biological indicators of Technosols compared to a control soil (Ferralsol). The results showed that P. gonoacantha plants presented the same height and total biomass in all treatments, while G. ulmifolia plants exhibited greater height and total biomass when grown in Technosols. The enhanced plant development in the Technosols was primarily associated with higher cation exchangeable capacity and nutrients concentration in plant tissues. Technosols with added compost provided higher fertility and total organic carbon. Additionally, Technosols presented higher SHI (∼0.68) compared to control (∼0.38) for both studied species. Our experiment reveals that construction and demolition waste (C&DW) have significant potential to form healthy Technosols capable of supporting the growth of native Brazilian trees. This approach offers a promising alternative for addressing C&DW disposal challenges while serving as a nature-based solution for land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractInterest in using native plant species for land reclamation and ecological restoration continues to increase. Yet sufficient knowledge of characteristics of native species for revegetation, specifically their response in field settings, continues to lag. Thus our study was conducted to determine whether the richness of native seed mixes impacted plant community development following reclamation in the Aspen Parkland ecoregion of Alberta, Canada. Four seed mixes were used: mix I with 6 grasses, mix II with 10 grasses, mix III with 6 grasses and 10 forbs, and mix IV with 10 grasses and 10 forbs. Each seed mix was designed with equal amounts of pure live seed for each species. After two growing seasons, seed mix richness generally had little or no effect on seeded species richness, individual seeded species, density, non-seeded species density, and ground cover, except for seeded forbs. Seed mixes II and III, with moderate species richness, provided the most benefit for developing species rich communities. Seeding with high species richness is more expensive, sometimes difficult to procure seed, and may not associate with communities of greater species richness, negating their need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanmen Bay (SMB) is one of the important harbors in Zhejiang Province. It is a semi-enclosed shallow bay that has undergone large-scale land reclamation activities. Long-term reclamation has changed the hydrodynamic conditions of SMB, such as tide, residual current, tidal prism, water exchange capacity, and tidal asymmetry. In this study, three typical periods of numerical models, based on historical charts and remote sensing, were established to investigate the influence of reclamation activities on the hydrodynamic conditions of SMB from 1971 to 2020. These model results reveal that the amplitude and phase of M2, the main tidal components in SMB, decreased by ~0.1-0.3 m and ~ 5°-15°, respectively, over the last half-century. Additionally, under the influence of ~200 km2 reclamation, many hydrodynamic conditions in SMB also changed. This includes the reduction of a residual current and tidal prism, an increase in residence time, and a change in tidal asymmetry characteristics. The residence time in nearby Xiayangtu exhibited a downward trend from 2003 to 2020, because land reclamation squeezed, and thus, enhanced the residual current eddy. The water-exchange capacity of the bay became weaker with the reduction of tidal prism to one-third and an increase in residence time. The tidal asymmetry characteristic of SMB changed from half of flood dominant to fully flood dominant by the influence of shoreline and bathymetry, which raised the flood risk. Research on the response of the hydrodynamic environment to reclamation activities in SMB reminds the local government to reassess the impact of land reclamation on the hydrodynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying social impacts and responses to historical extreme climate events can offer valuable insights into coping with major disaster events and adapting to climate change better. This paper developed a model of the processes and responses to extreme drought-induced famines in ancient China. Based on this, the study explored the differences in famine causation and response effectiveness between Chenghua Drought (1483–1486 CE) and Wanli Drought (1585–1588 CE). The findings are as follows: (1) By the time of Wanli Drought, the increase in land reclamation and introduction of American crops had enhanced societal defence, preventing many drought-affected counties from experiencing famine. Even in cases where famines did occur, their severity was lower than during the Chenghua Drought. (2) State emergency measures, including exemption and relief, proved effective in mitigating famines. The stronger finance and economy during the Wanli Drought enabled more robust relief efforts, resulting in lower famine severity. (3) Famine response capabilities varied regionally. Shandong, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei demonstrated strong defensive capabilities and effective state emergency responses, while Shanxi had weaker defensive abilities, making it more vulnerable to famine. The defensive capabilities in Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia showed significant improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change and persistent droughts lead to soil desertification, posing significant challenges to food security. Desertified lands, characterized by high permeability, struggle to retain water, thereby hindering ecological restoration. Sand, a natural resource abundant in deserts, inspired our proposal to design hydrophobic sand and construct Air-permeable Aquicludes (APAC) using this material. This approach aims to address issues related to the ecological restoration of desertified lands, food security, and the utilization of sand resources. Reclamation of desertified land and sandy areas can simultaneously address ecological restoration and ensure food security, with soil reconstruction being a critical step. This study investigated the effects of constructing an Air-permeable Aquiclude (APAC) using hydrophobic sand on rice yield and lodging resistance, using clay acquitard (CAT) and plastic aquiclude (PAC) as control groups. The APAC enhanced soil oxygen content, increased internode strength, and improved vascular bundle density, substantially reducing the lodging index and increasing yield. This research finds that the APAC (a) increased internode outer diameter, wall thickness, fresh weight, and filling degree; (b) enhanced the vascular bundle area by 11.11% to 27.66% and increased density; (c) reduced the lodging index by 37.54% to 36.93% (p < 0.01); and (d) increased yield to 8.09 t·hm−2, a rise of 12.05% to 14.59% (p < 0.05), showing a negative correlation with lodging index. These findings suggest that APAC has very good potential for desertified land reclamation and food security. In conclusion, the incorporation of hydrophobic sand in APAC construction considerably strengthens rice stem lodging resistance and increases yield, demonstrating considerable application potential for the reclamation of desertified and sandy land and ensuring food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest–grassland ecotone (FGE) has essential ecological and economic value. Unfortunately, it is impacted greatly by environmental changes and anthropogenic disturbance, and is considered one of the most severely threatened biomes in China. To protect Chinese FGE, identifying its exact boundary and exploring its landscape structure dynamic are badly needed, especially on nationwide scale at one‐year temporal resolution. Here, we mapped the annual FGE distribution of China from 1990 to 2020, investigated its changing trends of area, location and landscape patterns, and revealed the underlying driving factors. Our results showed that FGE area over the 31 years totaled 1 011 870 km2, covering about 10.54% of China's land. The FGE area first increased from 1990 and peaked in 1999, and then kept decreasing until 2020. The FGE gravity center has moved accumulatively 590.15 km over the 31 years, with the net moving distance of 228.76 km southwestward. From 1990 to 2020, forest area increased continuously while grassland and cropland area decreased, but these three landscape types had been dominating the FGE. The increase in forest area was largely converted from grassland. The decline in grassland mainly resulted from its conversion into cropland and forest. Meanwhile, the conversion of cropland to grassland supplemented grassland loss to a certain extent. At landscape level, the total area with decreased fragmentation is larger than that with increased fragmentation. Returning Farmland to Grassland Project and land reclamation were primary drivers for changes of fragmentation in the northern and middle part of the FGE, while temperature and precipitation were primary drivers in southern part. Our results will improve the understanding into the dynamic trends of distribution and pattern of FGE at nationwide scale, and thus help to optimize the designing of ecological projects and protective schemes for FGE as a unique and integral biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, marine reclamation land needs to be improved by a large margin before the construction of civil structures in coastland due to poor geotechnical properties of the dredged slurry. The combination of vacuum preloading (VP) and dynamic consolidation (DC) has been developed for application in such projects. However, the effect of the combined VP and DC method is mainly controlled by the start-up time of DC (time of first tamping); in this study, the start-up time was determined by the degree of consolidation (DOC), and the DOC under VP was estimated by pore water pressure (PWP). According to a series of previously studied laboratory test results, the DC can be applied when DOC is greater than or equal to 60%. Thus, DOCs of 60%, 65%, 70%, and 75% were considered as the judgment index of start-up time. During the model tests, the settlement and PWP were monitored and measured. The water content and vane shear strength of the dredged slurry were also measured after the completion of tests. The start-up time of DC was determined when an optimal DOC was 70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated reserved land resources are pivotal for achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development. However, existing research on these resources often grapples with issues such as the lack of current data and underutilization of available data. This study focuses on Haishu District in Ningbo City of China, an economically developed area, and uses the third national land survey data to identify potential agricultural and construction lands suitable for conversion to cultivation. Through the application of the limiting factor method and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the results indicate that the potentials of reserved cultivated land and the reclamation potential of construction land in Haishu District are estimated at 503.07 and 1527.50 ha, respectively. These lands are primarily rated as generally suitable and marginally suitable for agriculture, suggesting a moderate overall quality of reserved cultivated resources. This study emphasizes the practice of surveying reserved cultivated land, to boost effective land management and strategic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-enclosed bays are significantly influenced by the interactions between land and sea, as well as human activities. One notable human activity, land reclamation, impacts water exchange within these bays. However, the variability of sediment transport and cross-bay transport following reclamation remains poorly understood. This study aims to enhance the understanding of sediment dynamics and the responses of cross-bay transport to reclamation. A well-validated three-dimensional numerical model was developed in the Laizhou Bay (LB). Following reclamation, tidal currents suspended sediment concentration, and erosion increased seaward, while these factors decreased landward. In LB, surface and bottom subtidal currents flowed in opposite directions, with the direction of volume transport primarily determined by bottom currents. In the western LB, volume and sediment transport exhibited an anticyclonic pattern, with pronounced seasonal variations observed elsewhere. During summer, volume and sediment transport predominantly occurred from the northeast to the southwest. In winter, volume transport in northern LB was directed westward, while it was eastward in the southern part; sediment transport was primarily eastward. Advection played a significant role in sediment transport dynamics. The pathway of cross-bay sediment transport was primarily located in the central part of the bay. Notably, the cross-bay sediment transport flux in winter was approximately 3.5 times greater than in summer, with reclamation resulting in a reduction in cross-bay transport flux by about 22.17%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last sixty ears, Singapore has expanded its land footprint over twenty-five percent by reclaiming land from the sea. Its outsized demand for sand to resource these projects has rendered regional sand markets precarious, and successive countries have banned sand exports to Singapore. Nevertheless, the Singapore government has committed to spending $SG one billion (US$ 767 million) a year until 2100 to mitigate sea level rise. While this includes a range of strategies, from improving drainage infrastructure to exploring adaptive solutions, in the main this involves reclaiming vast amounts of land from the sea to act as a bulwark against rising tides. These plans for resilience will be examined through the spectre of Long Island, a proposed project that will act as a barrier against sea level rise and incorporate nature-based solutions that are emblematic of resilience fetishism, all the while obscuring the more foundational element of this resilience, which is sand that will be obtained through granular arbitrage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries worldwide have been altered by anthropogenic modifications including land clearing, dredging, and land reclamation, which impact sediment routing and accumulation on tidal flats. Numerous studies have explored tidal flat and marsh vulnerability to submergence or "drowning" under accelerating sea-level rise, but recent work along the Oregon coast suggests estuaries are maintaining positive accretionary balances (at least in marshes) despite ongoing sea-level rise. In this study, accretion rates (sediment accumulation rates) were evaluated from 210Pb profiles at eight sites on broad intertidal flats in Coos Bay, one of the largest estuaries on the U.S. West Coast and a site of substantial development and logging since the mid-1800s. Based on the century-scale record of sediment accretion represented by 210Pb profiles, tidal flats have been accreting at rates of ~ 1–3 mm/yr with little spatial relationship to relative sea-level rise or patterns of tectonic uplift. Thus, accretion is generally not accommodation- or supply-limited, and therefore likely not regulated by sea-level rise. Peaks in sediment accretion are well-preserved from the last 30 years, and accretion rates averaged over this more modern time span tend to be four times greater than rates averaged over the whole-core (century-scale) 210Pb records. It is unclear whether the higher, more modern rates represent a real change in estuarine accretion patterns over the past decades or a Sadler effect (i.e., an apparent but not real increase in accretion in younger sediments). The results highlight the spatial variability in accretion rates within a single estuary, the potential resiliency of this tectonically active estuary to sea-level rise (in the form of a positive accretionary balance), and raise the issue of whether management decisions are best made based on century-scale accretion rates or multi-decadal accretion rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Changjiang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay system has experienced river damming and estuarine engineering in the last decades. However, few studies focused on the shifts in its sediment dynamics due to such human activities. In this study multi-decadal development of sediment dynamics in the transitional zone of the two large estuaries was analyzed, based on the synchronous hydrographic data in the winter of 2023, 2014 and 1983. The results revealed significant changes in regional hydrodynamics and suspended sediment transport, despite the continuous good correlations between the current velocity, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), water/sediment fluxes and tidal range. Specifically, the current velocity has been decreased by 8 - 21% after 2014, mainly due to the land reclamation (implemented around 2016) with several groins stretching into deep water and altering alongshore hydrodynamics. The SSC has decreased further by 29 - 38% in addition to the significant decrease during 1983 - 2014. The SSC changes are related to the combination of river damming which induced sediment load reduction and land reclamation which enclosed a large amount of sediment. Furthermore, the sediment transport from Changjiang Estuary to Hangzhou Bay decreased by 36% - 53%, explaining the observed bed erosion in the northern bay mouth in recent years. The findings are also relevant for studies on sediment dynamics in other large estuaries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its unique geographical location and rapid urbanization, Xiamen is particularly susceptible to geological disasters. This study employs 80 Sentinel-1A SAR images covering Xiamen spanning from May 2017 to December 2023 for comprehensive dynamic monitoring of the land subsidence. PS-InSAR and SBAS-InSAR techniques were utilized to derive the surface deformation field and time series separately, followed by a comparative analysis of their results. SBAS-InSAR was finally chosen in this study for its higher coherence. Based on its results, we conducted cause analysis and obtained the following findings. (1) The most substantial subsidence occurred in Maluan Bay and Dadeng Island, where the maximum subsidence rate was 24 mm/yr and the maximum cumulative subsidence reached 250 mm over the course of the study. Additionally, regions exhibiting subsidence rates ranging from 10 to 30 mm/yr included Yuanhai Terminal, Maluan Bay, Xitang, Guanxun, Jiuxi entrance, Yangtang, the southeastern part of Dadeng Island, and Yundang Lake. (2) Geological structure, groundwater extraction, reclamation and engineering construction all have impacts on land subsidence. The land subsidence of fault belts and seismic focus areas was significant, and the area above the clay layer settled significantly. Both direct and indirect analysis can prove that as the amount of groundwater extraction increases, the amount of land subsidence increases. Significant subsidence is prone to occur after the initial land reclamation, during the consolidation period of the old fill materials, and after land compaction. The construction changes the soil structure, and the appearance of new buildings increases the risk of subsidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTraditional vacuum combined with surcharge preloading (TVSP) is commonly used for treating soft ground. However, the extensive use of sand as a horizontal drainage system poses a challenge due to its high demand for infrastructure construction and land reclamation. The straight-line vacuum combined with surcharge preloading (SVSP) is a technical improvement and innovation of the TVSP. It eliminates the sand cushion with the PVDs being directly connected to the vacuum pump through the main and branch pipes. This case presents the initial application of the SVSP for expressway ground treatment. The results indicate that the vacuum pressure in SVSP is 11 kPa greater than in TVSP. The SVSP induces a higher consolidation degree and higher settlement of soil ground. The higher vacuum pressure in the ground treated by SVSP also leads to a faster dissipation rate and a lower value of porewater pressure. Removing the sand cushion alters the boundary conditions for ground consolidation, leading to a lower consolidation degree for shallow ground than TVSP, and a higher consolidation degree for deep ground. The improvement depth progressively increases over time from the surface towards deeper layers. Additionally, the SVSP offers a cost saving of 20.1% compared to TVSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in October 1941, a rumour circulated in the occupied territories and in the press of the free world that Jews deported from the ghettos were being sent to the Pripet Marshes for land reclamation. In reality, this was fake news created by the Nazis to cover up the ongoing Holocaust. The false claims reached the West through the Jewish Telegraph Agency, which in turn relied on reports from the Swedish newspaper Social Demokraten and the Ukrainian-language Nazi newspaper Krakivs'ki Visti. The article analyzes the sources of these false claims and attempts to explain the reasons for their persistence; for not only did the belief that Jews were sent to the marshes rather than the death camps persist during the war, but the rumour is now being exploited by Holocaust deniers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin mining operations on the Jos Plateau have left a lasting impact on the environment, resulting in derelict land, mine spoils, and over a thousand abandoned mining ponds. These ponds have become potential hazards, endangering unsuspecting members of the public. This study aims to provide a comprehensive geochemical and geotechnical characterization of the mine spoils to assess their suitability for the reclamation and restoration of the degraded mined lands. The geochemical analysis reveals that the mine spoils exhibit a moderate to strong level of acidity, with a pH range of 3.91 to 5.90 (average: 4.85). Furthermore, they display deficiencies in essential nutrients such as phosphorus (average: 0.02%) potassium (average: 0.31%), as well as copper (average: 19.15 ppm). Notably, the mine spoils are enriched in iron (average: 6.31%), manganese (average: 165.15 ppm) and zinc (average: 53.24 ppm). These findings highlight the inadequate presence of both micronutrient and macronutrient elements which are necessary for successful revegetation which is a crucial component of reclamation. Results from the geotechnical tests indicate that the mine spoils possess an average fines content of 56.03%, a mean liquid limit of 38.06%, and a mean plasticity index of 15.52%. Additionally, the average linear shrinkage value is measured at 10%. The average values for maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC) are 1.65 g/cm³ and 19%, respectively. The unsoaked California bearing ratio (CBR) averages 34.64%, while the coefficient of permeability for the spoil is approximately 1.24x10−3mm/sec. Furthermore, the spoils average cohesion (C) was measured to be 12.150 while the mean angle of internal friction (ϕ) is 30.77 KN/M². These results collectively indicate that mechanical and chemical stabilization, involving the use of lime, fly ash, and other soil-stabilizing agents is imperative for the effective reclamation of the degraded lands using the mine spoils. Such measures if adopted and implemented will mitigate the risk of accidents and drowning incidents from mining ponds and other abandoned pits involving unsuspecting members of the public and will contribute to the overall environmental restoration efforts in the Jos-Bukuru Tin Field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and land claim trends for agriculture have led to land use/land cover (LULC) changes, acting as driving forces for several natural environment alterations. The ecosystem services (ES) concept links ecosystem degradation with direct adverse effects on human welfare, emphasizing the importance of balancing human activities and ecosystem health. LULC changes and their impacts on ES are crucial for nature conservation and decision-making. To support sustainable management, a historical (75-year) assessment of Nestos Delta lagoons was conducted, using aerial photos and satellite images, providing valuable insights into the drivers and trends of these changes. Until 1960, water-related Biomes were affected the most, in favor of agricultural (Nestos River incubation) and urban ones, but anthropogenic activities development rate reduced after land reclamation. Since their inclusion in the Natura 2000 network and designation as a National Park, they have been protected from rapid development. Over the past two decades, they have increased the economic value of their cultural ES, while deteriorating regulating and having a minimal impact on provisioning services, resulting in a cumulative loss exceeding USD 30 million during the study period. This study strongly indicates the vital importance of legislative protection and the integration of the ES approach in priority habitat management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate influences near-surface biogeochemical processes and thereby determines the partitioning of carbon dioxide (CO2) in shale, and yet the controls on carbon (C) weathering fluxes remain poorly constrained. Using a dataset that characterizes biogeochemical responses to climate forcing in shale regolith, we implement a numerical model that describes the effects of water infiltration events, gas exchange, and temperature fluctuations on soil respiration and mineral weathering at a seasonal timescale. Our modeling approach allows us to quantitatively disentangle the controls of transient climate forcing and biogeochemical mechanisms on C partitioning. We find that ~3% of soil CO2 (1.02 mol C/m²/y) is exported to the subsurface during large infiltration events. Here, net atmospheric CO2 drawdown primarily occurs during spring snowmelt, governs the aqueous C exports (61%), and exceeds the CO2 flux generated by pyrite and petrogenic organic matter oxidation (~0.2 mol C/m²/y). We show that shale CO2 consumption results from the temporal coupling between soil microbial respiration and carbonate weathering. This coupling is driven by the impacts of hydrologic fluctuations on fresh organic matter availability and CO2 transport to the weathering front. Diffusion-limited transport of gases under transient hydrological conditions exerts an important control on CO2(g) egress patterns and thus must be considered when inferring soil CO2 drawdown from the gas phase composition. Our findings emphasize the importance of seasonal climate forcing in shaping the net contribution of shale weathering to terrestrial C fluxes and suggest that warmer conditions could reduce the potential for shale weathering to act as a CO2 sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reclamation from the sea is a method of expanding urban area, but it also faces the problem of difficult treatment of soft soil foundation by hydraulic reclamation. Therefore, a soft soil consolidation method that combines vibration pressure boosting drainage and piled-load static pressure stacking is now proposed. To verify the effectiveness of this method, a consolidation test based on soft soil samples was designed and conducted in the study. The test results showed that when the sampling height was 240mm, the overall moisture content of the consolidated soil sample was the highest, 44.3%, and the consolidation effect was the worst. When the sampling height was 140mm, the overall moisture content obtained from the test was the lowest, 43.1%, and the consolidation effect was the best. The displacement of corner 2 and center point at the intersection of the preceding and following periods was greater, with values of 37.1 mm and 39.2 mm, respectively. At this point, the displacement of corner 1 was significantly smaller, at 30.9 mm. In the later loading stage, the slope of the vertical displacement curve significantly increased. When the experimental time reached 7000 min, the mixed method designed in this study had a drainage rate of 0.53 ml/min, which was significantly higher than other traditional methods. The experiment outcomes indicated that the method designed in this study had certain application potential for improving the consolidation effect of soft soil foundation in hydraulic fill sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive crop is considered one of the crops most exposed to negative impacts as a result of climate change, such as increased rates of evaporation and water consumption due to high temperatures, which led to a decrease in agricultural productivity of the olive crop in Siwa Oasis. Therefore, the research aimed to identify the impact of the most important climate factors on olive productivity in Siwa Oasis, evaluate some agricultural practices for adapting to climate changes or reducing them for olive production in Siwa Oasis, and finally provide some recommendations for the necessary measures to reduce the negative effects of climate changes on olive productivity in Siwa Oasis. The research relied on descriptive and quantitative analysis methods and the use of some statistical methods such as simple and multiple regression equations. The research also relied on published and unpublished secondary data issued by the Directorate of Agriculture in Matrouh Governorate, the Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate, and the Economic Affairs Sector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term storage of coal gangue (CG) mountains causes serious environmental problems such as water and air pollution. Thus, sustainable reclamation practices are urgently needed to minimize the environmental impacts brought by CG mountains. Pikovskaya medium was employed to screen microorganisms, which were subsequently utilized to promote the solubilization of CG. XRF, SEM, XRD, and HPLC techniques were employed to characterize the CG before and after bacterial treatment. In this study, we have successfully isolated and purified a bacterial strain, identified as Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7, which possesses the ability to facilitate the solubilization of nutrient elements from CG. Factors including initial inoculation ratio, incubation time, CG particle size, CG concentration, pH, and temperature were examined to investigate their effects on the biosolubilization of CG. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the CG solubilization was also probed. Our data demonstrated that low-molecular-weight organic acids, such as acetic acid and formic acid, may harbor a crucial role in promoting the solubilization of CG. Lastly, we found that Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7, in conjugation with CG, can increase the alfalfa seed germination percentage and promote the growth of alfalfa. Together, these data provide evidence that bacterial-treated CG can be utilized for soil improvement and land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the accumulation, distribution, and mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in the sediments of a low‐lying coastal drainage network (Ravenna, Italy). The aim is to understand the geochemical processes occurring between drainage water and canal bed sediments and assess factors affecting and driving PTE distribution and enrichment in these environments. A geochemical database resulting from the analysis of 203 drainage sediment samples was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis and compared to undisturbed near‐surface sediment samples from the same depth and depositional environment. The results reveal PTEs exceeding national regulation limits. Distance from the sea, electrical conductivity of drainage water, and fertilizer use were identified as the main driving factors. The primary mechanisms for PTE precipitation (As, Co, Mo) and subsequent enrichment in the sediments is attributed to the absorption on Fe‐ and Mn‐oxyhydroxides (HFO and HMO), particularly in high salinity areas near the coast. While Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, and V also have affinity for HFO and HMO, their adsorption efficiency decreases due to the competition with salt‐derived cations during ongoing salinization processes. Anthropogenic sources, including agriculture, hunting activities, traffic dust, and railways, contribute to the local abundance of other elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Sn). This paper's significant progress lies in assessing the concurrent interactions of chemical and physical processes that drive PTE distribution and accumulation in reclaimed low‐lying coastal plains. The findings are significant for assessing PTE accumulation risks and sediment toxicity in coastal areas affected by water salinization, drainage, and subsidence, providing valuable information to water management institutions globally. Plain Language Summary: This study investigates the presence of harmful substances called Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in the sediment of the drainage canals in Ravenna's coastal area (Northern Italy). Researchers want to understand how these substances accumulate and spread in the sediment and what factors influence their distribution. They collected sediment samples from the bottom of the drainage canals and compared them to natural sediment samples. The results show that the PTE levels exceed the national and international limits. The distance from the sea, the water salinity, and the fertilizers are found to be the main factors affecting the distribution of PTEs. The researchers also discover that some PTEs (Arsenic, Cobalt, and Molybdenum) are absorbed by certain minerals in the sediment, especially in areas with high salinity close to the coast. However, other harmful elements, like copper, zinc, lead, chromium, and vanadium are not as strongly absorbed due to competition with salt‐related substances. The abundance of other elements like chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, lead, and tin come from human activities like agriculture, hunting, traffic, and railways. These findings are important for understanding the risks associated with these substances in the sediment, particularly in low‐lying coastal areas that have been reclaimed for human use. Key Points: First study on Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) enrichment in drainage canal sediments of reclaimed low‐lying coastal areaKey roles of (i) Fe‐ and Mn‐oxyhydroxides in PTE enrichments and (ii) salt‐derived cations in adsorption efficiencyDistance from the sea, salinity of drainage water, and use of fertilizers are the main factors affecting the distribution and enrichment of PTEs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reclamation of disturbed lands worldwide is a difficult and increasing problem. In the Mountain West region of the United States, mining activities commonly occur in zones dominated by native woody plants. The restoration of woody plants in these areas is challenging, and direct seeding efforts result in poor seedling emergence and establishment. Therefore, seedling transplants are often used, but they frequently experience high mortality during the first year, particularly due to summer stresses. We evaluated if the Groasis Waterboxx device could be used to mitigate drought stress on seedling transplants and improve their establishment on a reclaimed waste rock dump. The Waterboxx device collects precipitation into a polypropylene reservoir and slowly dispenses water onto the soil next to the seedling. To test such a hypothesis, 400 seedlings from five native woody plants (Atriplex canescens, Cercocarpus ledifolius, Pinus edulis, Purshia tridentata, and Rhus glabra) were planted with and without a Waterboxx. The Waterboxx device improved soil water potential, at 40 cm, it took 1 month longer to go below −1 MPa under a Waterboxx. Survival increased 30–65% in four of the five species, and seedling vigor increased for three of the five species. Vigor was higher with all plant species at both planting times and was significantly better in 50% of comparisons. Results support the use of the Waterboxx for improving seedling establishment on mineland overburden sites in the semiarid mountain west. The effectiveness of the Waterboxx device provides merit for future testing where drought challenges seedling establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the study of the problems of the institute of reclamation of lands that were violated due to the extraction of minerals and geological study of the subsoil. The article analyzes the legal regulation of land reclamation in Ukraine and the reclamation of lands that have been violated as a result of mineral extraction and geological exploration of the subsoil, the ways of improving the legal regulation of the said institute are established. The article states that mining activity has significantly changed the surrounding natural environment, including some natural regions of Ukraine. It was established that mining and geological exploration of the subsoil caused significant changes in the geological environment of the country. It was found that one of the main factors of negative impact on the environment is the extremely high concentration of mining enterprises and the consequences of mineral extraction. It has been established that one of the necessary steps contributing to the improvement of the condition of lands that have been disturbed as a result of mining is land reclamation. The choice of the method and methods of reclamation of disturbed lands depends on the type of mineral, the method of its extraction, and the soil conditions of the region. It was found that the processes of reclamation of disturbed lands in the field of subsoil use are divided into: mining and biological stages. It is noted that the legal definition of reclamation of disturbed lands does not fully reflect the content of the said institution and its legal nature. The article defines the reclamation of lands disturbed as a result of mining operations and geological study of the subsoil and substantiates the expediency of supplementing the legislation with the specified concept. The article proposes: to supplement Chapter VI of the Law of Ukraine «On Land Protection» with the provision «land protection during the geological study of the subsoil and mining operations», to adopt the Law of Ukraine «On Land Reclamation», one of the sections of which should be a section devoted to «land reclamation during geological study of the subsoil and mining operations». It was concluded that the institute of reclamation of damaged lands is important for improving the condition of soils, as one of the important means of land protection. It has been proven that the reclaimed territories should constitute an optimally formed and ecologically balanced landscape area with mandatory landscape mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In many cities, coastal land reclamation (CLR) is viewed as essential due to the impacts of urbanisation and to address the challenges of land scarcity. However, these approaches often involve complex environmental concerns, technological challenges, and community conflict. This study aims to explore socio-spatial conflicts that occur across different levels of cities in Indonesia, considering their unique characteristics and differences in geography, population (homogeneous, mesogeneous, and heterogeneous), and city status (megapolitan and metropolitan). This research focuses on three cities in Indonesia that have proposed CLR solutions to urbanisation: Jakarta, Makassar, and Denpasar. Data were gathered through observations and a desktop literature review. These data were then qualitatively analyzed using the directed content analysis method with ATLAS.Ti software. The study underscores that political interests significantly influence discussions on land reclamation in heterogeneous cities. In contrast, mesogeneous cities are driven by economic and legal factors, while traditional customs and practices dominate homogeneous areas. Comprehending the issues surrounding reclamation will inform the priorities of government policies based on the area's context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peculiarities of variability of forms and sizes of the gregarine Stylocephalus oblongatus (Hammerschmidt, 1838) Watson, 1916 in the intestines of the Opatrum sabulosum (Linnaeus, 1761) from the sites of reclamation of lands disturbed by mining industry in the south of the area of the Steppe Dnipro were investigated. This is a new record for the protozoan fauna of Ukraine. The prevalence of host infection was 7.44 %. To determine the limits of variability, a sample of 71 specimens was used. Gamonts of S. oblongatus were analysed by 15 linear characteristics and 18 indices of the ratio of these characteristics. For linear parameters, the average coefficient of variation was 33 %. The minimum values of the coefficient of variation were characteristic for the lengths of the gamont, protomerite and their ratio. The principal component analysis identified 4 principal components, the value of which was greater than 1. Together they explained 73 % of the variability. Cluster analysis identified 4 clusters that can be explained as 2 morphotypes and 2 morphosubtypes. The greatest contribution to the overall variability of S. oblongatus gamonts is made by the position of the cell nucleus of the gamont in relation to the septum, the width of the septum and protomerite and the distance from the posterior end of the deuteromerite to the axis of its maximum width. The observed morphological differences can be explained by different degrees of host infection. It is important to compare the obtained information on intraspecific variability of S. oblongatus with similar data from natural ecosystems, as well as from agrocenoses and urban populations of O. sabulosum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF) contains numerous abandoned mine sites left over from eastern Kentucky's history of coal mining, many of which are leaching contaminants into the environment. The United States Forest Service is acting to reclaim these sites to mitigate negative impacts. There are several other governmental and non-governmental actors in Appalachia with different conceptualizations of reclamation's purpose. This research examines the mine land reclamation process on a protected area within a region with a history of resource extraction and builds on previous work to understand different conceptualizations of abandoned mine land reclamation in Appalachia. Content analysis was conducted on DBNF project documentation, interviews, and documentation from state and federal agencies, and NGOs. These documents indicate that government entities tend to conceptualize reclamation and its purpose in a siloed manner. This research also reveals that non-governmental actors tend to conceptualize reclamation in a holistic manner but are less able to exert control over an area. The DBNF largely conceptualizes the purpose of reclamation as achieving ecosystem restoration but may benefit from working more closely with NGOs and adopting a similarly holistic approach. Opening a dialogue between these actors could help address the knowledge gap present at the DBNF's sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is a global threat to the productivity of arable land. With the impact of population growth and development of social economy in China, the area of arable land has been shrinking in recent decades and is approaching a critical threshold of 120 Mha, the minimum area for maintaining the national food security. Saline-alkaline land, as important backup reserve, has been receiving increased attention as an opportunity to expand land resources. This review first summarizes the general principles and technologies of saline soil reclamation to support plant growth, including leaching salts or blocking the rise of salts, and soil fertility enhancement to improve the buffering capacity. Then the progress in this area in China is described including the customization of technologies and practices used in different saline-alkali regions. Following the soil management strategies, the concept of selecting crops for saline soil is proposed. This encompasses halophyte planting, salt-tolerant crop breeding and the application of saline-adapted functional microorganisms to improve the adaptation of crops. Finally, the current problems and challenges are evaluate, and future research directions and prospects proposed for managing this major soil constraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Menoufia Journal of Agricultural Economic & Social Science is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The first systematic attempts to straighten the River Inn in Tyrol for shipping and land reclamation date back to the middle of the 18th century. A dedicated hydraulic engineering authority—the so-called Main Ark Inspection—was established to realize this challenging task. The one-man authority was unable to straighten the Alpine river through the period of its existence up to 1792. The reasons for this were by no means related to a lack of technical resources and knowledge. On the contrary, a micro- and environmental-historical analysis of the attempts to straighten the River Inn highlights the complexity of the causes, which were mutually reinforcing and multifactorial. In this paper, four key causes are examined in more detail: (1) the social organization of water engineering, (2) social conflicts between riparian communities among themselves and with the hydraulic engineering authority, (3) conflicts between Tyrol and Bavaria at the wet border downstream of Kufstein, and (4) increased bedload discharge into the main river by tributaries. To illustrate the causes mentioned above, historical river maps are analyzed in great detail, drawing on contemporaneous written sources. The approach thereby highlights the overall complexity of pre-modern hydraulic engineering in all its facets, be they social, technical, natural, administrative, or organizational. To conclude, the results of this environmental history research are embedded and discussed in the context of integrated river management in the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In tidal environments, implementation of sustainable erosion management and land reclamation programs demands prior understanding of morphodynamic baseline. To address this, detailed field measurements along a tidal reach of the Pyra river in the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) system followed by systematic evaluation of associated flow-sediment parameters are presented here. Different sensors such as Eco-sounder, ADCP, OBS, and GPS coupled with total station were deployed to measure the spatial and temporal nature of flow and sediment transport related parameters. The measurements reveal that the tidal amplitude varies between 1.25 to 2.5 m (daily) and 1 to 1.25 m (seasonally), while, the maximum ebb and flood discharges varies between 3640–3860 m3/s and 2500–3060 m3/s respectively, peak ebb and flood velocities varies between 0.62–0.64 m/s and 0.38–0.45 m/s respectively with ebb period 8 h and flood period 4 h. Accordingly, the estimated bed shear velocity (5–8 cm/s), is found greater than threshold for erosion and suspension (1.2–1.3 cm/s for bed materials and 0.80–0.82 cm/s for bank materials respectively). Further, the measured SSC varies between 725 and 750 mg/l during ebb and 480–540 mg/l during flood. The above baseline data revealed the site as ebb dominating and hence in every cycle, the net residual current and sediment moves towards the seaward direction, and hence, sediment trapping potential will be higher during ebb phase. These findings will be useful to devise effective sediment management strategy for tidal river and to calibrate and validate related numerical models within the GBM system. Plain language summary: Stronger fluid force causes significant erosion and suspension of very fine bed and bank materials and moves mostly as suspended load. Erosion > deposition in a tidal cycle and net undeposited sediment transport occurs in seaward direction as the site is ebb dominated. Erosion management and land reclamation strategy may be achieved by managing this sediment through appropriate structural intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migrations of Indigenous people across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa can be seen as a pattern that is both dispersal and arrival: the paradox of being native and in diaspora. The experiences of people who express Indigenous genders (breaking colonial binaries) while away from our ancestral homelands are an intersection of (not) belonging that hatch 'knew' strategies for body/land reclamation. Drawing on Indigiqueer, Black Trans* Feminist and land epistemologies, I collaborated with a small group of bakla, takatāpui and irawhiti artists in Aotearoa/New Zealand to ask: is it possible for Indigenous people to be in diaspora if our bodies are made of our original lands and waters? We wanted to understand how our embodied Indigiqueer and trans* knowledge impacted our navigation of body/land sovereignty. Using a creative practice research approach that drew on somatic listening, on-site ritual and performance, we built a bahay kubo (traditional Filipino bamboo dwelling), according to original teachings, and moved it through the streets of Wellington in search of rest. Over the course of this six-month ritual, when we learned to build and transport the bahay kubo from our building site (Kirikiriroa, 'Hamilton') to Te Whanganui-a-Tara ('Wellington') for an ephemeral installation and performance, we externalised our experiences as Indigiqueer people in diaspora and homeland. In return for offering our vision of home despite displacement, we uncovered a 'kinstellation' (Recollet & Johnson, 2019) in unexpected places. This is a story of the Indigi-Trans* power to transform binaries of (not) belonging into ground for (re)connection and (re)clamation of land/body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air-booster vacuum preloading (AVP) without sand blanket and surcharge vacuum preloading (SVP) methods were used to treat two adjacent areas in a foundation reinforcement project on Donghai Island, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province, China. In this study, engineering characteristics of the AVP foundation were obtained through analyzing monitoring data. Results showed that the AVP method obtained superior foundation consolidation results compared to SVP method. This study proposed a new simplified mechanical model for AVP, with a single PVD (prefabricated vertical drain) centered and the air-booster pipes symmetrically distributed around the PVD, applied equivalent air-booster pressure to the drainage boundary. Furthermore, this study established a mathematical analytical model for predicting consolidation settlement based on the proposed simplified model. By comparing the theoretical settlement value with the measured value, this paper verifies the rationality of the analytical solution. Finally, this study analyzed the effects of well resistance, smearing effect, compression index, and permeability index ratio on consolidation characteristics. Land reclamation projects will generate a large amount of dredged ultrasoft soil foundation. The AVP method can achieve superior foundation treatment effects by injecting gas into soil mass through air-booster pipes. The results of this case study demonstrate that the AVP method has substantial advantages compared to the conventional vacuum preloading method. The AVP method can increase foundation settlement, shorten the time for foundation treatment construction, and improve the foundation reinforcement effect. In addition, the AVP method can alleviate PVD clogging and maintain soil permeability, while simultaneously avoiding the excessive use of dredging sand. Therefore, the AVP method can lead to potential economic benefits and protect the natural environment, and it is a method worth considering. Moreover, the mathematical model for predicting consolidation settlement of the AVP method was proposed based on new mechanical assumptions, which can be applied as a reference for settlement prediction in relevant engineering, and the rationality has been verified through comparison with measured settlement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use change is an important factor affecting terrestrial carbon balance, and it is crucial to explore the response of terrestrial carbon stocks to land-use change, especially in the Songnen Plain, which faces a fierce conflict between the rapid growth of production activities and ecosystem degradation. In this study, we measured soil organic carbon and vegetation biocarbon stocks in the Songnen Plain based on IPCC-recommended methodologies, and explored the characteristics of carbon stock changes in land-use trajectories, land-use drivers, and specific land-use change scenarios (cropland cultivation, returning cropland to forests, the expansion of land for construction, deforestation, greening, and land degradation). The results showed that soil organic carbon stock in the Songnen Plain decreased by 1.63 × 105 t, and vegetation biocarbon stock increased by 2.10 × 107 t from 2005 to 2020. Human factors and natural factors jointly contributed to the land-use change, but the extent of the role of human factors was greater than that of natural factors. The increase in land-use trajectory led to the decrease in soil organic carbon stock and the increase in vegetation biocarbon stock. There was no difference in the effects of human-induced and natural-induced land-use changes on vegetation biocarbon stocks, but the effects on soil organic carbon stocks were diametrically opposite, increasing by 43.27 t/km2 and decreasing by 182.02 t/km2, respectively. The reclamation of arable land, returning cropland to forests, and greening led to a net increase in terrestrial carbon stocks (+813,291.84 t), whereas land degradation, deforestation, and land-use expansion led to a decrease in terrestrial carbon stocks (−460,710.2 t). The results of this study can provide a reference for the adjustment of land-use structure and the increase in terrestrial carbon stock in the Songnen Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different world views and ontologies require different technologies to deal with environmental issues. Land reclamation plans in Bali's south, meant to open up new space for tourist development, triggered strong but varied responses in the Balinese population, from rejection to enthusiasm. All actors claim to aim towards a prosperous Bali, and at the protection of a degrading environment, but notions of prosperity and protections and the means and technologies used differ tremendously which leads to ethical conflicts. This paper identifies three actor groups based on the technologies they use to mediate relationships in the ecologies they inhabit. Drawing on modern interventionist technology and development and implied universal moralities, scientists aim to manage environment and normalize ecologies for economic benefits or environmental protection. In contrast, religious Balinese actors, for whom environments are dwelling places of spirits and gods, make use of their bodies as means of mediation to communicate with the non-human and restore the balance between environment, humans and god. A third kind of technology used in the reclamation case is a broad mix of media, from traditional theatre to new social media, that are meant to mediate between locally rooted ontologies and global activism, communicate resistance to a broad public, and thus save a (sacred) environment and Bali. In the Bali case, technologies appear ambivalent as they contain contradictory forces and their relationship with the environment is highly complex, which makes consequences quite unpredictable and ethics quite diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caohai Nature Reserve is one of the three major plateau freshwater lakes in China. Since the 1950s, human activities such as land reclamation and population relocation have greatly damaged Caohai. A rapid evaluation of the spatiotemporal evolution trend of the ecological quality of the Caohai Nature Reserve is significant for the maintenance and construction of the ecosystem in this area. The research is based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) remote sensing cloud computing platform. Landsat TM/OLI images from May to October in five time periods; 2000 - 2002, 2004 - 2006, 2009 - 2011, 2014 -2016, and 2019 - 2021 were obtained to reconstruct the optimal cloud image set by averaging the images in each time period. By constructing four ecological indicators; Greenness (NOVI), Wetness (Wet), Hotness (LST), and Dryness (NDBSI), and using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method to obtain the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) for the corresponding years, the spatiotemporal variation of ecological quality in the Caohai Nature Reserve over 20 years was analyzed. The results indicate; (D the mean value of RSEI increased from 0. 460 in 2000 -2002 to 0. 772 in 2019 - 2021, a 67. 83% increase, indicating a significant improvement in the ecological quality of the reserve over the 20 years; from the perspective of functional zoning of the Caohai Nature Reserve, the ecological quality of the core area showed a degrading trend, while the ecological quality of the buffer zone and experimental wne significantly improved; with the implementation of ecological restoration projects, the ecological quality of the reserve gradually recovered and improved from 2014 to 2021. The trend of RSEI value changes is well correlated with human interventions, indicating that the PCA-based RSEI model can be effectively used for ecological quality assessment in lake areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries have great ecological and economic value and sustain both population and economic growth. Global‐scale analyses suggest that human activities drive estuarine area change but these projections neglect direct human‐estuary interactions and socio‐economic feedbacks. Here, we quantified area changes of 2,396 estuaries in response to recent human impacts (e.g., land reclamation, estuarine dam construction) and economic development between 1984 and 2019, and find that estuarine area shrank by 5,372 km2 whereas upland submergence created 5,015 km2 of estuarine area elsewhere. Approximately 44% (n = 1,046) of today's estuaries have been directly altered through land reclamation, estuarine dam construction, or a combination of both, and ∼250,000 acres (1,027 km2) of estuarine area have been directly converted to urban or agricultural fields. Nearly 90% (923 km2) of land reclamation occurred in Asia linked to recent advances in economic development during the middle‐income stage. Additional historical mapping and 5‐year interval analyses revealed that while human alterations were insignificant during the low‐income stages, estuaries were predominantly altered during their middle‐income stages, where estuarine degradation is a common consequence of economic growth. However, this trend stabilizes in high‐income countries with the adaption of conservation laws and policies. Together, our results indicate that large‐scale estuarine loss can be avoided by preserving estuaries in low‐ and mid‐income countries in the early stages of economic development. Plain Language Summary: Estuaries are indentations along the coastline, where rivers meet the ocean. Estuaries are often called "nurseries of the sea" as not only animals but also humans commonly rely on them for nesting and breeding as well as tourism, fisheries, and recreational activities. The world's biggest cities are therefore often found in close proximity to an estuary. Historically, humans have actively altered estuaries through land reclamation or the construction of dams in an effort to create new land available for agriculture, infrastructure, housing, and/or industries so that estuaries have dramatically decreased in size throughout the last few decades and centuries. Interestingly, these changes mostly occurred during a country's middle‐income stage, when conservation incentives were lacking, while human alterations were minimal during the low‐income stage due to the lack of economic means. Concurrently with the country's economic success, estuaries tended to stabilize as increasing income allowed for more protective and renaturalization measures. Future preservation efforts should therefore focus on preserving estuaries in low‐ and middle‐income countries in order to avoid ecosystem degradation. Key Points: Globally, nearly ½ of today's estuaries have been directly altered by humansLand reclamation has resulted in the loss of ∼250,000 acres (1,027 km2) of estuarine surface area during the last 35 yearsMost human alterations and ecosystem loss happened in middle‐income stages due to lacking conservation laws and policies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the historical occurrence of wetland ecosystems in Greece by using recurring Phragmites australis (common reed) burnings as an indicator. Phragmites australis, a plant closely associated with wetlands, provides excellent insights into wetland distribution. We establish a substantial association between reed fires and historical wetland existence in Greece using geographical and statistical analysis, with these fires exhibiting remarkable constancy across time. Using Corine land-cover (CLC) data, we extend our analysis into land-use dynamics, demonstrating that places with the highest reed-bed-fire rates were originally wetlands, particularly those converted into permanent irrigated land and areas with complex agriculture patterns. We find spatial commonalities between reed fires and past wetland existence by analyzing fire occurrence across three main categories: reed fires, agricultural land fires, and grassland fires. Historical records of wetland conversion into agricultural land (or land reclamation works) in locations such as Yianitsa and Kopaida give context to our findings. Visualizations confirm the clustering of reed fires around these converted agricultural regions. In summary, our study offers a unique indicator based on Phragmites australis burnings that can be used to identify previous wetland-type ecosystems, with Mediterranean-wide implications. Despite data constraints, this study adds to the conversation about wetland preservation and sustainable land-use management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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