True Geese (genera Anser and Branta) are an important food source and a valuable indicator species across their wide geographic ranges. We conducted a review of contaminants in True Geese that compiled research from 56 journal articles, five reports, and three theses published between 2000 and 2024. These studies suggested that geese are at relatively low risk of deleterious health consequences from current levels of exposure to most legacy pesticides and metal contaminants. The exception was lead from lead shot and industrial pollution, which was considered a contaminant of concern for several species including Canada geese (Branta canadensis), snow geese (Anser caerulescens), and greylag geese (Anser anser) in 11 countries. Most studies we reviewed focused on geese in the southern parts of their ranges. Arctic-breeding ranges were underrepresented, despite substantial harvest and consumption of geese in Arctic communities. Furthermore, while metals and legacy contaminants such as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were well-quantified, few studies monitored contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), such as microplastics, plastic additives or perfluorochemicals (PFCs). We found no studies on the cumulative effects of contaminants on goose health. To better understand the sources and fate of contaminants in True Geese, we recommend four directions for future research. (1) Quantify CECs in geese near suspected hotspots (e.g., wastewater treatment plants, airports). (2) Sample eggs for multi-year monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), breast feathers for non-lethal assessment of metals, and muscle and liver for evaluating human consumption risk. (3) Conduct multi-year monitoring of geese across their full annual cycle to characterize annual fluctuations in contaminant loads associated with migration, moulting, and egg-laying, and link these contaminants to geographic sources. (4) Establish participatory biomonitoring networks in Arctic communities to fill geographical gaps and inform human health discussions.

The pervasive discharge of high-density microplastics (HDMPs) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) into aquatic ecosystems represents a critical environmental and engineering challenge. While conventional WWTPs achieve moderate removal efficiencies (60–99%), their performance is highly variable for larger, denser particles (e.g., PVC, PET) due to complex interactions between particle characteristics (size distribution, shape anisotropy, biofilm colonization), fluid dynamics (turbulent kinetic energy, shear stresses), and process design parameters (retention times, tank geometries). This review systematically evaluates the fate and transport dynamics of HDMPs in WWTPs, highlighting the underexplored role of dimensionless parameters (e.g., Shields parameter θ, Particle Reynolds number Rep, Stokes number St, Densimetric Froude number Fr', Particle shape factors ψ, Rouse number Z, Biofilm buoyancy number Bf) in predicting their behavior across treatment stages and post-discharge environments. The study critically assesses knowledge gaps in existing removal technologies, ranging from membrane bioreactors (fouling risks) to emerging techniques such as electrocoagulation (energy costs), and identifies methodological shortcomings in sampling, analysis, and reporting that hinder global comparability. Key findings reveal that particle-fluid interactions (e.g., resuspension thresholds, turbulent mixing) are poorly quantified for HDMPs, necessitating the development of revised hydrodynamic models that incorporate shape factors and biofilm effects. Additionally, synergistic stressors (e.g., temperature, co-pollutants) are found to exacerbate ecological risks but remain understudied. Meanwhile, standardised protocols for HDMP characterisation and dimensionless parameter frameworks are urgently needed to unify research and policy efforts. The study proposes three priority research directions: (i) development of cost-effective, scalable hybrid systems (e.g., coagulation-membrane bioreactors); (ii) integration of dimensionless parameters into WWTP design and outfall modelling; and (iii) long-term studies on HDMPs’ ecological impacts under realistic exposure scenarios. By bridging fundamental hydrodynamics with applied engineering, this review provides a roadmap to mitigate HDMP pollution through science-informed policy and innovation.

Drought is one of the most elaborate and destructive natural calamities to affect agriculture, water resource management, and socio-economic stability. Being a rainfed country, India is highly prone to drought-related hazards in the agricultural sector, placing soil moisture and crop productivity at a rapid fall, reporting a loss of approximately 33 per cent or more from the 35 million hectares of cropped land between 2016-17 and 2021-22. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the meteorological and remote sensing indices used for drought monitoring, with a specific focus on their application in India. Meteorological indices derived from historical climate data, along with remote sensing technologies, enhance drought assessment by identifying severity and spatial extent through satellite imagery and vegetation indices. The limitation with each procedure, however lies in its requirement for data availability as well as resolution concerns. This review also alludes to the possibility of integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence that might monitor and enhance drought management. However, this is not yet free from regional disparities in data gathering and access to technology in under-resourced areas. For instance, the more developed states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, benefit from dense meteorological networks, observation stations and detailed agricultural records, enabling a more robust drought monitoring and assessment. In contrast, majority of the northeastern states often lacks sufficient ground-based stations and consistent historical data, making reliable drought monitoring more difficult. This disparity affects the effectiveness of advanced techniques, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, which rely on robust datasets for accurate drought prediction and management. This could be addressed by interdisciplinary collaboration and international best practices-India can improve its preparedness and drought resilience.

The growth of the fast fashion industry has accelerated over the last 5 decades, leading to serious environmental repercussions, including immense production of wastewater and greenhouse gases, in addition to landfill contributions. The fashion industry has been credited with generating 20% of global wastewater and 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this systematic review, we explore the research gaps in the top garment-producing countries, specifically China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey, India, and Indonesia. We aim to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the predominant environmental impacts and research areas in each of the top garment-producing countries as a result of the fast fashion industry?; 2) What are the knowledge gaps hindering improved environmental practices?; and 3) What are the primary barriers to implementing sustainable garment production in the top garment-producing countries?. First, we identified 2318 studies related to the environment and fast fashion in the top 6 garment-producing countries published between March 2008 and October 2023 using Web of Science and Scopus. Next, the titles and abstracts were screened using the inclusion criteria, from which articles received a second round of full-text screening. Subsequently, full-text analysis was conducted on the resulting 68 articles. We identified policy, sustainability, and wastewater as key research areas across all the top garment-producing countries. A lack of empirical research methods and consumer knowledge on the environmental impacts of fast fashion are key knowledge gaps hindering improved environmental practices. Investments in education and infrastructure will aid in the progression towards a more sustainable garment-producing industry.

Thermal refuges in river systems play a vital role in safeguarding aquatic organisms, particularly cold-water poikilotherms, during extreme temperature events. These refuges are characterized by localized temperature anomalies under the influence of different natural meteorological, hydrological and geomorphological factors or human activities. The identification, prediction and protection of thermal refuges have gained importance due to the rising impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on river temperatures. Models have become increasingly used for addressing related concerns and applied questions in river science. This review examines various modeling approaches of thermal refuges, focusing on deterministic and statistical/stochastic models applicable in river environments. Deterministic models provide a process-based understanding of thermal dynamics, while statistical/stochastic models offer insights into spatial and temporal patterns by correlating thermal refuges/plumes to different controlling parameters. By analyzing the strengths and limitations of these methodologies, this review highlights their complementary roles in advancing thermal refuge research and management. Emerging opportunities, such as integrating thermal infrared imagery and machine-learning algorithms, underscore the potential for enhancing predictive capabilities in this critical field.

Forest degradation resulting from human disturbance is a global concern that contributes to biodiversity loss, climate change, and reduced human health and well-being. The objective of this paper is to develop a framework for measuring and responding to forest degradation, and to identify a suite of indicators of forest change and describe their potential utility. The most significant challenges associated with measuring and responding to degradation are the lack of an agreed upon reference condition, the attribution of indicator change to specific pressures, and the integration of multiple indicators. We make 7 recommendations that will improve our capacity to measure and respond to degradation including using a phased and adaptive process that integrates research with monitoring, and the integration of field-based research and remote sensing with ecosystem models to evaluate outcomes in relation to multiple policy scenarios. In addition, we recommend the use of multiple indicators to capture a wide range of forest characteristics at multiple spatial scales. We recognize that ecological and biophysical state indicators are the most informative for identifying forest degradation, but that measuring drivers, pressures, and responses are also necessary for weighing trade-offs and to support policy change as a response to degradation.

While they are important, local or catchment-level conservation efforts are by themselves unlikely to bend the curve of dramatic global scale biodiversity loss in rivers, lakes, and freshwater wetlands. Other interventions will also be required, especially those that address the underlying socio-economic drivers of freshwater ecosystem degradation. Such drivers often manifest through decisions made at national or international scales by policy makers and business leaders in sectors including water resource management, agriculture and food production, energy generation, and inland fisheries. Few analyses have traced the impacts of such decisions on freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, and the evidence base provides scant insight into effective approaches for addressing these underlying drivers. We begin to address this strategic knowledge gap by describing key policy and business sectors that the conservation and science communities should engage with in order to address the systemic drivers of global freshwater biodiversity loss. Drawing on diverse experiences of international policy and business discourses and applied freshwater sciences, we provide an overview of international sector-specific risks and opportunities for freshwater conservation and propose potential priorities for engagement. We reflect on actions the freshwater sciences community can take to respond to these risks and opportunities, and we suggest priorities to shape a more systemic, driver-focused approach to freshwater conservation research that can support the integration of freshwater biodiversity considerations into policy and business decisions.

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems are among the most important and least understood natural environments on the planet and are currently known as components of the connected groundwater systems that are in turn a part of complex socioecological systems. In these ecosystems in South America, contamination processes are little studied, but contamination infiltration can be fast and hard to manage, which makes them particularly vulnerable and puts their ecological structure and function at risk. Ecotoxicological studies in groundwater environments are few and scattered, with most assessing the occurrence of trace elements in crustaceans of subterranean habitats. Therefore, the implementation of biological indicators as a tool to assess the ecological impacts of human associated environmental risks is an important step for the management of these vulnerable ecosystems. Here we use a combination of literature review and the compilation of distribution information to build a case for the suitability of the burrowing crayfish of the family Parastacidae as a candidate biological indicator of groundwater associated environments in South America. Our investigation found that these burrowing crayfish meet a number of criteria for their utility in this context, including their key role in the transfer of energy between different trophic groups, serving as a good model to assess the levels of bioaccumulation of trace elements and other contaminants and their consequent effects on the food chain and the food security and economy of human communities that depend on this crayfish as a resource. Therefore, these burrowing crayfish can serve as valuable tools for understanding complex socioecological systems, biomonitoring groundwater quality, and improving management of ecosystem services provided by groundwater-dependent ecosystems. We conclude by outlining a framework for moving toward implementation of this biomonitoring tool into surveillance and conservation efforts for these native and endemic species in South America.

Trees contribute to the livability of cities. To preserve the urban forest, many governments have turned to regulatory mechanisms, ranging from local bylaws and ordinances to state and federal legislation. To understand the history, scope, perspectives, successes, and challenges of disincentive-based tree protection legislation, a systematic review was conducted using PubMD, EBSCOHost, Web of Science, and Scopus. The review, which was not geographically constrained but contained only English-language articles, included 114 publications. The literature highlights that the history of urban forest legislation is long. However, tree protection regulations were popularized more recently, built on years of more general environmental policies. While the adoption processes for tree protection legislation vary across both cities and countries, it is often driven by appreciation of urban forests and led by municipalities with the support of the public and non-governmental organizations. Tree protection legislation defines what trees are to be protected, typically based on size, species, or land use, although cultural or heritage trees are often protected as well. Some tree protection legislation includes replanting clauses and enforcement procedures to increase their effectiveness. The protection of large, culturally important trees and replanting requirements are largely supported by both the public and urban foresters, although support is greater in urban areas. However, whether the legislation actually works is unclear. Conflicting evidence and study limitations preclude direct causal relationships, although areas where tree protection legislation was removed experienced subsequent tree loss. On-going challenges at the local level include underenforcement, conflicting legislation, and underfunded programs. Tree protection legislation is also vulnerable to socio-political changes that prioritize private property rights and development over private tree protection. Amidst widespread urban tree loss, further research that provides a better understanding of the successes of tree protection legislation will help justify their continued use in urban forestry programs globally.

E-waste, or electronic waste, has become a growing concern in developing countries due to the rapid increase in electronic device usage and the lack of proper waste management systems. This review examines the public perception and awareness of e-waste management in developing nations, highlighting key challenges, and exploring opportunities for sustainable solutions. Findings reveal that a significant portion of the population in these regions remains unaware of the health and environmental risks associated with improper e-waste disposal. Socioeconomic and cultural factors, combined with limited access to formal recycling infrastructure, contribute to the reliance on informal, and hazardous recycling methods. Additionally, weak regulatory frameworks further hinder the implementation of effective e-waste management practices. Despite these challenges, there are opportunities to improve public perception and behavior through targeted education campaigns, stronger government policies, and greater involvement from the private sector. Shifting public attitudes towards viewing e-waste as a valuable resource, rather than simply as waste, is crucial for fostering more sustainable practices. This review underscores the need for collaborative efforts between governments, industry, and the public to address the e-waste crisis and to establish systems that ensure both environmental protection and public health.