Changing Global Conditions Research Articles

Role of jellyfish in mesozooplankton community stability in a subtropical bay under the long-term impacts of temperature changes

To understand zooplankton community changes in the context of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances, we analyzed mesozooplankton samples from four seasons in the subtropical Daya Bay, which is susceptible to perceived disturbances in the South China Sea. The zooplankton community was found to be divided into two clusters, namely the Outer-bay Cluster (OC) comprising Noctiluca scintillans, Temora turbinata, and Paracalanus spp., and the Inner-bay Cluster (IC) which was dominated by Pseudevadne tergestina, Oikopleura rufescens, and Paracalanus spp. The OC was recorded in waters with low Chl a concentrations and high salinity, coinciding with open seawater intrusion. The IC occurred in waters with high Chl a concentrations, low salinity, with terrestrial inputs from the Dan'ao River. The dominant cladoceran species has changed in spring from Penilia avirostris to Pseudevadne tergestina owing to suitable temperature conditions and the low wind speed in this region. Most of the keystone species recorded during all seasons were found to be copepods based on co-occurrence network analysis. Numbers of keystone jellyfish (cnidaria) species, such as Geryonia proboscidalis, Chelophyes contorta, and Aeginura grimaldi were significantly higher in summer than in other seasons due to a low-temperature seawater intrusion, which can result in the highest stability of community structures and affect coastal food webs and fishery resources. Our results highlight that zooplankton community succession may occur with long-term temperature changes in the subtropical Daya Bay under global climate change conditions.

Analyzing the Multidimensional Inequality in Access to Health Care Services in Pakistan

Health inequality is a global issue since the lack of one or more aspects of the essential health services still exists in 90% of the countries due to changing global economic conditions, political decisions and societal norms. The objective of the current study is to assess the effect of a set of socioeconomic, demographic, severity & non-severity and hospital fixed effects variables on multidimensionality health inequality in Pakistan. We measure multidimensional health inequality by combining eight dimensions of health inequalities and constructing the Multidimensional Health Inequality Index using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Then multiple regression techniques are applied to empirically assess the impacts of selected variables on the response variable. The results show that social reference (-0.713), no. of doctors available (-0.109), type and severity of disease (-0.85 &-0.163), no. of diagnostic tests completed during the treatment process (-0.093), residential area (-0.097) and gender of the patient (0.170) significantly contribute towards the reduction of inequality among patients. The findings have strong policy recommendations for striving efforts to reduce health inequality to achieve “Good health and Well-being” the 3rd goal under the United Nations agenda on Sustainable Development.

Mathematical modeling of the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and the possibilities of their self-cleaning at the conditions of global climate change

A detailed review of mathematical models of pollution dispersion in air, water and soil is presented in the article. The models are represented by the systems of differential equations and used for water resources management on urban landscapes. Detailed three-dimensional equations of mass, momentum and heat transfer, averaged two-dimensional dispersion models on terrain maps, one-dimensional dispersion models in river systems and zero-dimensional compartmental models have been considered. The biotic component and the impact of the effects of gradual global climate change have been taken into account. The tasks for external quality management of water, air and soil, as well as the possibilities of the ecosystem for self-management have been considered. The problems of fuzzy data for validation as well as the usage of mathematical models for practical purposes have been discussed.

The Functional Zoning of the Syr Darya River’s Delta

The article presents the results of the functional zoning of the delta of transboundary river Syr Darya, which is located in an ecological disaster zone and is the only watercourse in modern conditions that supplies the remained part of Aral Sea. Under the conditions of global climate change, the territories of river deltas in arid regions are subject to active degradation processes, which are associated both with decrease of their water content and increase of anthropogenic impact. To determine the current condition of Syr Darya river delta landscapes, a component-by-component analysis of its main components was carried out. Based on the assessment of use of delta natural resource potential, the degradation processes associated with the types and intensity of anthropogenic impact in the conditions of arid climate were identified. The conducted studies formed the basis for the functional zoning of the territory of Syr Darya river delta, which is a spatial planning of sustainable land use and landscapes preservation. The developed scheme of functional zoning of Syr Darya River delta allowed to propose a number of measures with allocation of landscapes recommended for conservation, restoration, or sustainable use by the certain type of land use with the minimization of degradation processes.

Neodymium isotopes of central Mediterranean phosphatic hardgrounds reveal Miocene paleoceanography

Abstract Understanding the causes of the formation of hardgrounds provides insights on the oceanographic evolution of a basin. Phosphate-rich hardground formation interrupted carbonate ramp deposition in the Mediterranean during the Miocene. We analyzed the εNd record of three central Mediterranean hardgrounds to identify the origin of the phosphate-rich waters that formed them within the frame of Mediterranean Miocene paleoceanographic evolution. The Nd isotopes suggest that eastern Mediterranean deep waters were controlled by runoff, in contrast to Atlantic and Indian Ocean waters. This Nd isotope record attests to the weakening of Mediterranean circulation during the Miocene due to closure of the Indian Gateway. Limited exchange with Atlantic shallow seawater led to long residence times for deep waters in the basin. This record indicates the role of upwelling in formation of phosphate hardgrounds and shows the influence of global climate change and local paleoceanographic conditions.

Sustainable («Green») Development of Agriculture in the Context of Climate Change: Legal Experience of Russia and India

In modern conditions of climate and other global changes, topical issues are the reduction of the anthropogenic load on the environment with an increase in agricultural production, as well as the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. The paper examines the legal experience of building a model of sustainable («green») agriculture of the two BRICS countries — Russia and India. The current state of agriculture, environmental problems caused by climate change are considered. The regulatory legal acts and documents of strategic planning in the field of agriculture in Russia and India, international documents of the UN and FAO aimed at adapting agriculture to climate change are analyzed. The author substantiates that digitalization and organic production of agricultural products can act as tools for adapting agriculture in Russia and India to climate change. The directions of legal regulation of sustainable development of agriculture are formulated based on the conceptual model of legal regulation of sustainable («green») development of agriculture.

ORGANIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY OF DRIP IRRIGATION OF COTTON CROP AND THEIR TYPES

Rational use of Water Resources in the conditions of Global climate change, further improvement of the system of use of Water Resources, increasing the efficiency of irrigation and melioration works, water saving, wide introduction of innovative technologies of saving irrigation is topical. two-thirds of the Earth's sphere is covered with water, 98% of which is depleted salt water. Of the available water resources there are 2,0% fresh water reserves, 79% of which are eternal glaciers, 20% groundwater and 1,0% Lake and river waters. In this article, ideas and opinions are made about the organization of the technology of drip irrigation of cotton crops and their types.

Об особенностях пространственно-временной изменчивости характеристик волн тепла последних трех десятилетий (Араратская долина, Армения)

The aim of this work to study, identify the repeatability and duration of heat waves of the study area. For it were suggested and decided the following tasks: Findings. The study of regularities of variability of the spatial-temporal distribution of characteristics of heat wave in conditions of regional and global changes of climate is current task of modern geographical science. Extremely high temperatures and heat waves of study area excessively conditioned by the influence of secondary thermal depressions from the Arabian Peninsula, a number of cases that last for 2-3 decades are significantly increased. Tropical thermal depression, forming of extreme hot summers and heat waves, have cycles of activation and weakening, periodicity of which is estimated at 20-22 years. Starting from July (sometimes from the second half of June) to the last ten days of August (sometimes to first half of September), weather conditions of Ararat valley are formed under influence of thermal depression. The invasion of southern and south-eastern tropical warm and dry air currents from the Arabian deserts is increasing. As a result in some years the air temperature in Ararat valley is increased to 40-43 °C, and relative humidity is low than 30%. Heat waves are dangerous weather phenomena, is threat for live and activity, are characterized with some negative consequences. They can be accompanied by droughts and dry winds, forest fires, desertification, disruption of the natural ecosystem, economic damage, decreased working capacity, psychological and sociological consequences, even deaths. Temporal tendencies in course of values of the characteristics of heat wave for last 2-3 decades have positive unambiguous character, more frequent heat waves and extremely warm summers. Heat waves of low and medium intensity have a particularly high frequency. The probability of strong waves is less. The study area is distinguished a characteristic regime and an almost uniform spatial distribution of summer extreme high temperatures. They range from 41,5 to 42,6 °C. The entire study area is vulnerable to heat waves. Heat waves can cause dangerous meteorological phenomena such as droughts or dry winds, which cause great damage to various sectors of the economy, especially agriculture. Therefore the results of the work can be used in the field of agriculture, mitigating and reducing the consequences of possible damage caused. They can also be used in agrometeorological forecasts. In the study area, summer conditions become warmer and drier, which should be taken into account when developing strategic programs for the future development of this area.

Response of Cymodocea nodosa to ocean acidification and warming in the Canary Islands: Direct and indirect effects

As detected in warming and ocean acidification, global change can have profound impact on marine life. Its effects on seagrasses are becoming increasingly well-known, since several studies have focused on the responses of these species to global change conditions. However a few studies have assessed the combined effect of temperature and acidification on seagrasses. Overall in this study, the combined effects of increased ocean temperature and pH levels expected at the end of this century (+5 °C and pH 7.5) on Cymodocea nodosa from Canary Islands, were evaluated for one month through manipulative laboratory experiments. Growth, net production, respiration, gross primary production, chlorophyll-a concentration and its vulnerability to herbivory were quantified. Results showed a positive effect of decreased pH on growth and gross primary production, as well as greater vulnerability to consumption by the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. In contrast, increased temperature limited net and gross primary production. This study shows than in future scenarios, C. nodosa from the Canary Islands may be a losing species in the global change stakes.

Blazing the trail: Social innovation supporting wildfire-resilient territories in Catalonia (Spain)

Mediterranean territories have co-evolved and been shaped by fire throughout history. However, global environmental change conditions are increasing the size, intensity and severity of wildfires, which have gone from a regular natural disturbance to a serious threat for civil protection, surpassing firefighting capacities. Therefore, building resilience in fire-prone territories is an increasingly relevant policy and management objective. However, the notion of resilience has been criticized for paying insufficient attention to key social issues such as socio-political dynamics, power imbalances and societal change. At the same time, social science contributions to wildfire research are still rather limited. In this paper, we bridge social innovation theory to resilience theory in order to create a territorially embedded and socially sensitive framework for assessing socio-ecological resilience. From this perspective, we then examine how Forest Defence Groups (ADFs, by their Catalan acronym) have evolved from grassroots, bottom-up initiatives to well-established bottom-linked institutions and we evaluate their contributions to socio-ecological resilience in the territories where they operate. Our results show that ADFs contribute in several aspects to socio-ecological resilience and that the pave the way for opening up spaces of dialogue and collaboration through which local communities can engage with the issues that directly affect them, such as wildfires.

Digital Twins of the Soil Microbiome for Climate Mitigation

Recent advances in computation power have enabled the creation of digital twins of the microbiome (DTM) to substantially curb soil greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions under global change conditions [...]

Loss of transcriptional plasticity but sustained adaptive capacity after adaptation to global change conditions in a marine copepod

Adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity will fuel resilience in the geologically unprecedented warming and acidification of the earth’s oceans, however, we have much to learn about the interactions and costs of these mechanisms of resilience. Here, using 20 generations of experimental evolution followed by three generations of reciprocal transplants, we investigated the relationship between adaptation and plasticity in the marine copepod, Acartia tonsa, in future global change conditions (high temperature and high CO2). We found parallel adaptation to global change conditions in genes related to stress response, gene expression regulation, actin regulation, developmental processes, and energy production. However, reciprocal transplantation showed that adaptation resulted in a loss of transcriptional plasticity, reduced fecundity, and reduced population growth when global change-adapted animals were returned to ambient conditions or reared in low food conditions. However, after three successive transplant generations, global change-adapted animals were able to match the ambient-adaptive transcriptional profile. Concurrent changes in allele frequencies and erosion of nucleotide diversity suggest that this recovery occurred via adaptation back to ancestral conditions. These results demonstrate that while plasticity facilitated initial survival in global change conditions, it eroded after 20 generations as populations adapted, limiting resilience to new stressors and previously benign environments.

Interannual adjustments in stomatal and leaf morphological traits of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) demonstrate its climate change acclimation potential.

The current projections of climate change might exceed the ability of European forest trees to adapt to upcoming environmental conditions. However, stomatal and leaf morphological traits could greatly influence the acclimation potential of forest tree species subjected to global warming, including the single most important forestry species in Europe, European beech. We analysed stomatal (guard cell length, stomatal density and potential conductance index) and leaf (leaf area, leaf dry weight and leaf mass per area) morphological traits of ten provenances from two provenance trials with contrasting climates between 2016 and 2020. The impact of meteorological conditions of the current and preceding year on stomatal and leaf traits was tested by linear and quadratic regressions. Ecodistance was used to capture the impact of adaptation after the transfer of provenances to new environments. Interactions of trial-provenance and trial-year factors were significant for all measured traits. Guard cell length was lowest and stomatal density was highest across beech provenances in the driest year, 2018. Adaptation was also reflected in a significant relationship between aridity ecodistance and measured traits. Moreover, the meteorological conditions of the preceding year affected the interannual variability of stomatal and leaf traits more than the meteorological conditions of the spring of the current year, suggesting the existence of plant stress memory. High intraspecific variability of stomatal and leaf traits controlled by the interaction of adaptation, acclimation and plant memory suggests a high acclimation potential of European beech provenances under future conditions of global climate change.

Human capacity development in the conditions of global change

Among the priorities for the development of countries, the determining one is the development of human potential and the growth of the quality of life of the population. ThTh e main provisions of the concept of human development as a theory and methodology of complex economic, social and political development are based on the fact that people are not only a means, but also the main goal of development. ThTh e article examines the socioeconomic, environmental and technological criteria for human development. It is concluded that an important indicator of the success (failure) of socio-technical co-evolution is the worldview of people, which represents a system of values, beliefs and orientations of subjects, the integration of which determines a common understanding of the new socio-technical reality, and also performs the functions of assessing the progress (regression) of technical and technological and social and cultural development. Adequate human development activities are required on the basis of ecological culture, thinking and worldview.

Ökosystemleistungen in Instrumenten der Stadt- und Regionalplanung

Land-use in complex urban regions and their future development is uncertain, especially in view of (global) change conditions and the planetary boundaries discussed. An encompassing discussion and weighting within planning is necessary, on what ecosystems offer which kind of services to urban and regional societies and how this current supply and further potentials can be sustainably used. This is essential to contribute to a resilient urban and regional development. Scientific discussions on the role of ecosystem services in spatial planning do partly investigate the current status-quo of references to ecosystem services. This paper presents results from two German case study regions on the extent of references to ecosystem services in existing spatial planning instruments. Both binding as well as non-binding regional and urban development concepts were considered. Although none of the planning instruments explicitly uses the term “ecosystem services”, references to ecosystem services can be identified in all instruments. However, the majority of classified ecosystem services is not linked to specific objectives. This evokes questions on if spatial planning is oriented on keeping options open to act in the future and what the detected blind spots tell about the interpretation of the vision of sustainable spatial development.

PRIORITY DIRECTIONS OF ADAPTATION OF UKRAINE'S WATER RESOURCES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL

The tendencies and character of changes in the state of water resources of the state in the conditions of global climate changes are analyzed. Recommendations on priority areas for adaptation to climate change in Ukraine's water resources in the context of international commitments and the implementation of the European Green Deal are provided.

Habitat Suitability for Small Mammals in Mediterranean Landscapes: How and Why Shrubs Matter

Fires are usually seen as a threat for biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean, but natural afforestation after abandonment of traditional land uses is leading to the disappearance of open spaces that benefit many species of conservation interest. Fires create open habitats in which small mammals can live under more favourable conditions, such as lower predation, interspecific competition, and higher food availability. We analysed the role of changes in shrub cover and shrub preference by small mammals along the Mediterranean post-fire succession. We used data (period 2008–2018) from 17 plots woodlands and post-fire shrublands present in the study area (Barcelona’s Natural Parks, Catalonia, NE Spain), and vegetation structure was assessed by LiDAR technology for modelling ground-dwelling small mammal preferences. The diversity, abundance, and stability of Mediterranean small mammal communities negatively responded to vegetation structural complexity, which resulted from the combined effects of land abandonment and recovery after wildfires. We suggest that biotic factors such as vegetation profiles (providing food and shelter) and their interaction with predators and competitors could be responsible for the observed patterns. Considering the keystone role of small mammals in the sustainability of Mediterranean forest, our results could be useful for management under the current global change conditions.

Система гражданско-правовых договоров, способствующих снабжению покупателей (потребителей) электроэнергией

Relevance. Under the conditions of global changes in the world economy and geopolitical situation, sufficient supply of domestic power market needs guarantees national security of the Russian Federation. High quality of legal regulation of contractual structures is one of the fundamental factors that contribute to the sustainable development of the power market. At the same time, neither the legislator, nor law enforcers, nor representatives of civil science have not developed a unified classification of elements of the system of civil law contracts that contribute to the supply of customers (consumers) with electricity, which makes it timely and expedient to study this issue in a comprehensive way. Purpose. The study is to develop a classification of civil contracts that contribute to the supply of electricity cus-tomers (consumers) as elements of a unified system. Objectives to study the currently developed classifications of contracts in the retail and wholesale electricity market, to identify the specific features of the legislative approach to the system of civil law related to electricity. Methodology of the study is represented by the dialectical-materialistic method, the systematic method, as well as the analysis, synthesis and formal-legal method were applied. Results. Developed the author's version of the system of civil contracts contributing to the supply of buyers (consumers) of electricity: contracts regulating the wholesale electricity market; contracts regulating the retail electricity markets; service contracts that ensure the functioning of the above-mentioned contracts; organizational contracts that contribute to the production, delivery and consumption of electricity. Conclusion. General provisions of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation on contracts and obligations, their performance and responsibility are fully valid for contractual forms serving wholesale and retail power markets of our country, but taking into account principles, norms and rules of energy legislation. It is proposed to introduce into the energy legislation a provision that power supply contracts on the wholesale and retail power markets are possible only with participation of commercial organizations or individual entrepreneurs within the framework of civil law supply contract.

Extreme Level Fluctuations in the Seas of the Russian Arctic in the Context of Global Climate Change

The presented article is devoted to the results of detailed studies of the features of extreme sea level fluctuations in the Russian Arctic under the conditions of global climate change. Estimates of the rate of mean sea level rise in the Arctic are obtained from the monthly mean sea level data at coastal tide gauges and satellite altimetry. It was found that for the Arctic Ocean coast from the Kara to the Chukchi Seas, the highest tides take place in the Khatan- ga Bay (Preobrazheniya Island), 131 cm. In the White, Kara, Laptev and Chukchi Seas, the seasonal variability of harmonic tidal constants was studied; it occurs due to changes in hydrometeorological conditions during the year. The ADCIRC hydrodynamic model was adapted for the conditions of the Laptev Sea. Numerical modeling of sea level oscillations from 1980 to 2000 was performed. According to the simulation results, the maximum ranges of residual sea level fluctuations are observed both for the total level and at the mouth of the Khatanga (489 cm) and Oleneksky Bay (444 cm). Based on the data of coastal observations and numerical modeling, the authors obtained estimates of extreme level fluctuations with different recurrence periods.

Technical and technological foundations of soil cultivation in conditions of climate change

Purpose. To determine promising directions for the development of the technical and technological foundations of soil cultivation in the conditions of climate change. Methods. Monographic, abstract-logical, graph-analytical, induction and deduction, regression analysis of results. Results. Modern soil cultivation technologies are considered, their advantages and disadvantages, development trends are defined. It has been established that climate change will significantly affect the terms of execution of works, the conditions of interaction of working bodies of technical means with the soil environment. The parabolic relationship between traction resistance and soil moisture means that climate change will increase fuel costs for tillage. Therefore, the further search for new technical and technological solutions should be aimed at reducing energy consumption and preventing physical degradation of soils, substantiating structural and functional schemes of technical means for soil cultivation, parameters of working bodies and modes of operation, under which the number of dust particles in the surface layer of the soil will be minimal. Conclusions. The main direction of the development of the technical and technological base for the production of plant products in the conditions of climate change is the harmonization of the interaction of the working bodies of tillage machines with the soil, which will ensure the reduction of physical soil degradation and energy consumption to create a favorable environment for plant development and crop formation. In the conditions of global climate change, agricultural production is being reoriented towards precision farming systems, therefore, crop production technologies should be based on targeted tillage with the simultaneous introduction of a full dose of mineral nutrition into the seed sowing area for the planned harvest, sowing of seeds and preservation of plant residues on the surface of the soil for protection it from overheating and loss of moisture. Keywords: technical means, soil cultivation technologies, interaction of working bodies with the soil, soil moisture, soil resistance, energy consumption, physical soil degradation.