Ecological Control Research Articles

RNA Virus Discovery Sheds Light on the Virome of a Major Vineyard Pest, the European Grapevine Moth (Lobesia botrana)

The European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) poses a significant threat to vineyards worldwide, causing extensive economic losses. While its ecological interactions and control strategies have been well studied, its associated viral diversity remains unexplored. Here, we employ high-throughput sequencing data mining to comprehensively characterize the L. botrana virome, revealing novel and diverse RNA viruses. We characterized four new viral members belonging to distinct families, with evolutionary cues of cypoviruses (Reoviridae), sobemo-like viruses (Solemoviridae), phasmaviruses (Phasmaviridae), and carmotetraviruses (Carmotetraviridae). Phylogenetic analysis of the cypoviruses places them within the genus in affinity with other moth viruses. The bi-segmented and highly divergent sobemo-like virus showed a distinctive evolutionary trajectory of its encoding proteins at the periphery of recently reported invertebrate Sobelivirales. Notably, the presence of a novel phasmavirus, typically associated with mosquitoes, expands the known host range and diversity of this family to moths. Furthermore, the identification of a carmotetravirus branching in the same cluster as the Providence virus, a lepidopteran virus which replicates in plants, raises questions regarding the biological significance of this moth virus to the grapevine host. We further explored viral sequences in several publicly available transcriptomic datasets of the moth, indicating potential prevalence across distinct conditions. These results underscore the existence of a complex virome within L. botrana and lay the foundation for future studies investigating the ecological roles, evolutionary dynamics, and potential biocontrol applications of these viruses in the L. botrana–vineyard ecosystem.

Water Hyacinth Invasion: Ecological Impacts, Control Strategies, and Future Management Approaches

Water Hyacinth Invasion: Ecological Impacts, Control Strategies, and Future Management Approaches

Design and Application of Agricultural Integrated Management System Based on TLINK

With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the era of the Internet of Everything has arrived. Agricultural management is becoming more and more intelligent and refined. Agricultural Internet of Things technology is vital in data collection, transmission, user management, etc. To achieve a highly integrated and low-cost smart agriculture with data display. This paper designs an intelligent agricultural management system based on low-cost ESP8266 WIFI Internet of Things technology, aiming to transform traditional agricultural management into a smart, remote, and data-user collaborative mode. The system integrates sensor nodes such as temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide to replace traditional industrial sensors for real-time agricultural environmental data collection, which can realise the automation of irrigation, ventilation, temperature control, lighting, etc. It can start the ecological control system through local voice control. WIFI data transmission, data management through the TLINK cloud platform, PC or mobile phone APP, online remote data viewing and control at any time for agricultural management. The experimental results show that the system has good stability, reliability, high integration, strong environmental adaptability, accurate data, and less packet loss. It dramatically reduces the cost of intelligent agricultural management and construction difficulty, bringing users higher economic benefits.

Technical approaches to addressing ecological red-line management challenges in ecological security

As rapid industrialization, urbanization, and globalization heighten the urgency for ecological security worldwide, China faces a critical challenge in balancing economic development with environmental preservation. In response, China has implemented various ecological initiatives, with the establishment of ecological red lines as a cornerstone of its environmental governance and a fundamental strategy to safeguard ecological security. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the evolution of ecological protection red lines and the recent release of the Technical Guidelines for the Delineation of Ecological Protection Red Lines to develop a technical plan for regional ecological protection red-line management and control. It focuses on ecological security concerns, and the key considerations encompass defining essential concepts, highlighting the adverse impacts of human activities to justify the adoption of restrictive systems, recognizing regional disparities in resources, environment, and socioeconomic context, and employing multi-scale research methodologies for comprehensive data acquisition. The study addresses diagnosing ecological security issues, establishing prevention objectives and management goals, categorizing types of regional ecological protection red-line management and control, delineating spatial boundaries, and incorporating historical insights to propose scientifically grounded response strategies. These strategies aim to address ecological security challenges threatening ecological protection red lines while integrating extensive social feedback to ensure practicality and effectiveness.

A comprehensive assessment of meteorological–hydrological indicator changes and their driving forces from a multi-temporal and spatial scale perspective

ABSTRACT Runoff is a pivotal ecohydrological cycle feature. Investigating watershed runoff change and its influencing factors from multi-temporal and spatial angles is crucial for water ecology control. The study analyzes hydrological and meteorological changes using the indicators of hydrological alteration and the range of variation approach (IHA–RVA) and RClimDex to explore their dynamic relationship. Finally, using the soil and water assessment tool to quantify climate and human contributions to runoff temporally and spatially, with validation using Budyko-based elasticity coefficients. Results showed that (1) most of the meteorological indices show an upward trend, a change attributable mainly to strong human activity and global warming. The overall hydrological indicators show a moderate degree of change (50.70%). (2) PRCPTOT (the annual total precipitation) and 30-day minimum demonstrate a negative correlation coefficient of 0.91 in the meteorological–hydrological response. (3) On annual/seasonal scales, human activities such as hydraulic projects and land use/cover changes (LUCC) dominate runoff changes. On a monthly scale, climate change prevails in March and November due to temperature/rainfall fluctuations, while human activities dominate other months. Spatially, climate change and LUCC mainly impact runoff in the southeast. The study offers references to improve water management in the Jialing River Basin, effectively addressing the negative impacts of human activities on runoff.

Response of Yields, Soil Physiochemical Characteristics, and the Rhizosphere Microbiome to the Occurrence of Root Rot Caused by Fusarium solani in Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.

Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. is considered an important medicinal herb with extremely high economic value and medicinal value due to its various effects, including anti-oxidation, sedative action, hepatoprotection, and invigorating blood circulation. However, L. chuanxiong cultivation is hampered by various plant diseases, especially the root rot caused by Fusarium solani, hindering the sustainable development of the L. chuanxiong industry. The occurrence of soil-borne diseases is closely linked to imbalances in the microbial community structure. Here, we studied the yields, rhizosphere microbiota, and soil physiochemical characteristics of healthy and diseased L. chuanxiong plants affected by root rot with high-throughput sequencing and microbial network analysis, aiming to explore the relationships between soil environmental factors, microbiomes, and plant health of L. chuanxiong. According to the results, L. chuanxiong root rot significantly decreased the yields, altered microbial community diversity and composition, enriched more pathogenic fungi, recruited some beneficial bacteria, and reduced microbial interaction network stability. The Mantel test showed that soil organic matter and pH were the major environmental factors modulating plant microbiome assembly. The root rot severity was significantly affected by soil physiochemical properties, including organic matter, cation exchange capacity, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and pH. Furthermore, two differential microbes that have great potential in the biocontrol of L. chuanxiong root rot were dug out in the obtained results, which were the genera Trichoderma and Bacillus. This study provided a theoretical basis for further studies revealing the microecological mechanism of L. chuanxiong root rot and the ecological prevention and control of L. chuanxiong root rot from a microbial ecology perspective.

Ecological Gate Water Control and Its Influence on Surface Water Dynamics and Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study from the Middle Reaches of the Tarim River

Ecological Gate Water Control and Its Influence on Surface Water Dynamics and Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study from the Middle Reaches of the Tarim River

Ecological cooperative merging control of heterogeneous electric vehicle platoons.

Vehicle platooning improves energy savings via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Ecological cooperative adaptive cruise control (Eco-CACC) is implemented in platoons for merging task by using regrouped platoon models. The merging positions are selected in the middle and tail of an original platoon with a two-vehicle sub-platoon. The distributed nonlinear model predictive controller based on signal temporal logic (DNMPC-STL) approach is developed to model the Eco-CACC merging strategy. The performance of the Eco-CACC merging strategy is modeled by objective control for a predecessor-leader following (PLF) topology. The results demonstrate that merging positions located in the tail exhibit superior performance and can be used to improve stability, tracking performance, energy consumption efficiency and SOC of battery.

Accumulation of Heavy Metals in the Leaves of Some Woody Plants in Osh City

Pollution of the environment with harmful substances occupies a leading place among global environmental problems. This phenomenon is closely related to anthropogenic activity, especially in cities. The origin and chemical nature of harmful substances are different, but heavy metals occupy a special place among them. Over the past ten years, research aimed at studying the distribution of heavy metals in the environment and their accumulation in plants has significantly developed. Because the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN in 2015 provide for by 2030, to reduce the negative environmental impact of cities per capita, including by paying special attention to air quality and the removal of urban and other waste. The purpose of our research was to determine the characteristics of the accumulation of heavy metals in the leaves of trees and shrubs growing in the park areas of Osh. The trees selected as objects were Salix babylonica L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Populus ×canescens (Aiton) Sm., Platanus orientalis L., Juniperus virginiana L., planted in park areas near highways. The concentration of heavy metals was determined by the atomic absorption method in the Central Laboratory State Enterprise under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Control of the Kyrgyz Republic. Quantitative analysis revealed the presence of some heavy metals: manganese, copper, lead, strontium and zinc in all plant samples. Laboratory tests showed a high concentration of copper, exceeding the MAC. Based on the research results, we note the need to continue studying the influence of heavy metals on the physiological processes of various tree species in Osh and expanding the geography of research in the city’s microdistricts.

Deciphering differences in microbial community characteristics and main factors between healthy and root rot-infected Carya cathayensis rhizosphere soils.

Fusarium-induced root rot of Carya cathayensis (C. cathayensis) is a typical soil-borne disease that has severely damaged the Carya cathayensis industry in China. Understanding the interaction among soil microbial communities, soil characteristics, and pathogenic bacteria is very important for the ecological prevention and control of Carya cathayensis root rot. We used Miseq Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology to study the microbial community in the rhizosphere soil of healthy and diseased C. cathayensis, quantified the abundance of bacteria, fungi, and pathogenic fungi, and combined these with soil chemistry and enzyme activity indicators to analyze the characteristics of healthy and diseased rhizosphere soils. We found that the pH, soil organic carbon(SOC), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK),N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) β-glucosidase (BG), fungal gene copy number, bacterial community diversity and network complexity of the diseased soil were significantly lower (p < 0.05), while Fusarium graminearum copies number levels increased (p < 0.05). Additionally, the study found that healthy soils were enriched with beneficial bacteria such as Subgroup_7 (0.08%), MND1 (0.29%), SWB02 (0.08%), and Bradyrhizobium (0.09%), as well as potential pathogen-suppressing fungi such as Mortierella (0.13%), Preussia (0.03%), and Humicol (0.37%), were found to be associated with the growth and development of C. cathayensis. In summary, this research comprehensively reveals the differences in environmental and biological factors between healthy and diseased soils, as well as their correlations. It provides a theoretical basis for optimal soil environmental regulation and the construction of healthy microbial communities. This foundation facilitates the development of multifaceted strategies for the prevention and control of C. cathayensis root rot.

Formation of single-dominant-species patches of Dicranopteris dichotoma primarily influenced by understory light intensity.

The Dicranopteris dichotoma fern community plays vital roles in nutrient sequestration, succession regulation, and ecological threshold control. However, the mechanisms underlying the formation of the D. dichotoma-dominant community remain unclear. This study established four different community types to investigate the effects of environmental factors on the formation of a D. dichotoma-dominant community. We found that climate was the primary factor affecting the formation of patches dominated by D. dichotoma at the regional scale. Specifically, higher annual mean temperature and annual mean precipitation were associated with larger single-dominant-species patches of D. dichotoma. Understory light intensity was the major factor affecting the formation of the D. dichotoma community at the community scale. Light intensity ranging from 200 to 500 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ was most conducive to the development of a large D. dichotoma community. Additionally, understory light intensity enhanced the importance value of D. dichotoma in the herb community by decreasing its biomass proportion of support modules and increasing its biomass proportion of photosynthetic and reproductive modules. Soil properties and D. dichotoma characteristics showed interactions with each other. Acidic red-yellow soil was most suitable for the formation of single-dominant-species patches of D. dichotoma, and the growth of D. dichotoma further decreased the soil pH. Soil total phosphorus content was identified as a limiting factor for formation of the D. dichotoma community. In summary, the formation of single-dominant-species patches of D. dichotoma is mainly influenced by a combination of climate, community, and soil.

Mechanisms by which growth and succession limit the impact of fire—A comment on Zylstra et al.'s model

Abstract Zylstra et al. (2023) hypothesise that ecological controls contribute to a decline in the potential behaviour and severity of fires burning in tall open eucalypt forests unburnt for multi‐decadal periods (&gt;52 years). They model potential flame height in forests dominated by Eucalyptus jacksonii in southwestern Australia and argue that self‐thinning of understorey shrubs leads to a decline in suspended litter (woody necromass), which in turn leads to reduced flame heights in older fuels. Forest floor and suspended litter were not sampled as part of their field survey, and instead they describe the dynamics of these fuel components by fitting equations to data reported from previous studies. The form of equation they use to describe the accumulation of suspended litter does not account for the contributions of woody necromass other than from understorey shrubs. In particular, twig fall from the forest overstorey is likely to make an important contribution to suspended litter and is much slower to decompose than leaves and necromass from understorey shrubs. Their assumption of a decline in suspended litter is inconsistent with published research on fuel dynamics in tall open forests in southwestern Australia, which demonstrates that dead fine fuel loadings do not decline when the forest remains unburnt. In the absence of field data to support their assumption of decline in suspended litter, the broader conclusions of Zylstra et al. (2023) regarding changes in potential behaviour and severity of fires in E. jacksonii dominant forest unburnt for &gt;52 years remain open to question. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The persistent DDT footprint of ocean disposal, and ecological controls on bioaccumulation in fishes

Globally, ocean dumping of chemical waste is a common method of disposal and relies on the assumption that dilution, diffusion, and dispersion at ocean scales will mitigate human exposure and ecosystem impacts. In southern California, extensive dumping of agrochemical waste, particularly chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants such as DDT, via sewage outfalls and permitted offshore barging occurred for most of the last century. This study compiled a database of existing sediment and fish DDT measurements to examine how this unique legacy of regional ocean disposal translates into the contemporary contamination of the coastal ocean. We used spatiotemporal modeling to derive continuous estimates of sediment DDT contamination and show that the spatial signature of disposal (i.e., high loadings near historic dumping sites) is highly conserved in sediments. Moreover, we demonstrate that the proximity of fish to areas of high sediment loadings explained over half of the variation in fish DDT concentrations. The relationship between sediment and fish contamination was mediated by ecological predictors (e.g., species, trophic ecology, habitat use), and the relative influence of each predictor was context-dependent, with habitat exhibiting greater importance in heavily contaminated areas. Thus, despite more than half a century since the cessation of industrial dumping in the region, local ecosystem contamination continues to mirror the spatial legacy of dumping, suggesting that sediment can serve as a robust predictor of fish contamination, and general ecological characteristics offer a predictive framework for unmeasured species or locations.

Mangrove afforestation as an ecological control of invasive Spartina alterniflora affects rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community in a subtropical tidal estuarine wetland

Background The planting of mangroves is extensively used to control the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetlands. Different plant species release diverse sets of small organic compounds that affect rhizosphere conditions and support high levels of microbial activity. The root-associated microbial community is crucial for plant health and soil nutrient cycling, and for maintaining the stability of the wetland ecosystem. Methods High-throughput sequencing was used to assess the structure and function of the soil bacterial communities in mudflat soil and in the rhizosphere soils of S. alterniflora, mangroves, and native plants in the Oujiang estuarine wetland, China. A distance-based redundancy analysis (based on Bray–Curtis metrics) was used to identify key soil factors driving bacterial community structure. Results S. alterniflora invasion and subsequent mangrove afforestation led to the formation of distinct bacterial communities. The main soil factors driving the structure of bacterial communities were electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (AK), available phosphorus (AP), and organic matter (OM). S. alterniflora obviously increased EC, OM, available nitrogen (AN), and NO3−-N contents, and consequently attracted copiotrophic Bacteroidates to conduct invasion in the coastal areas. Mangroves, especially Kandelia obovata, were suitable pioneer species for restoration and recruited beneficial Desulfobacterota and Bacilli to the rhizosphere. These conditions ultimately increased the contents of AP, available sulfur (AS), and AN in soil. The native plant species Carex scabrifolia and Suaeda glauca affected coastal saline soil primarily by decreasing the EC, rather than by increasing nutrient contents. The predicted functions of bacterial communities in rhizosphere soils were related to active catabolism, whereas those of the bacterial community in mudflat soil were related to synthesis and resistance to environmental factors. Conclusions Ecological restoration using K. obovata has effectively improved a degraded coastal wetland mainly through increasing phosphorus availability and promoting the succession of the microbial community.

Role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment and natural capital stocks in achieving net-zero carbon emission

This study investigates the role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment and natural capital stocks in achieving net-zero carbon emissions, focusing on the Chinese economy. This study uses the data from 2013 to 2022 and applies correlation analysis, quantile process estimation, quantile-factor augmented vector autoregressive, quantile dimension regression, and robustness analysis techniques. The results confirmed that ESG investment has a significant role in net-zero carbon emission and fosters natural capital stocks in the Chinese ecosystem. The results further established that natural capital stocks significantly benefit the Chinese ecosystem and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, CO2 emission – gaseous fuel, CO2 emission – solid fuel, and carbon intensity. Moreover, natural capital stocks have a significant role in achieving net-zero carbon emissions and it accelerates gross tree cover and green agricultural yield. The study is of great interest to corporations, Chinese banks, and the government in planning and achieving net-zero carbon emissions as per Prudential Financial regulation and accounting reporting systems. Achieving net-zero carbon emission is a process-based approach; therefore, the study recommends that policymakers customize investment mechanisms and natural capital accounting standards as per the territorial requirements and execute an ecological control system to make it sustainable.

Insights into the RNA Virome of the Corn Leafhopper Dalbulus maidis, a Major Emergent Threat of Maize in Latin America

The maize leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis) is a significant threat to maize crops in tropical and subtropical regions, causing extensive economic losses. While its ecological interactions and control strategies are well studied, its associated viral diversity remains largely unexplored. Here, we employ high-throughput sequencing data mining to comprehensively characterize the D. maidis RNA virome, revealing novel and diverse RNA viruses. We characterized six new viral members belonging to distinct families, with evolutionary cues of beny-like viruses (Benyviridae), bunya-like viruses (Bunyaviridae) iflaviruses (Iflaviridae), orthomyxo-like viruses (Orthomyxoviridae), and rhabdoviruses (Rhabdoviridae). Phylogenetic analysis of the iflaviruses places them within the genus Iflavirus in affinity with other leafhopper-associated iflaviruses. The five-segmented and highly divergent orthomyxo-like virus showed a relationship with other insect associated orthomyxo-like viruses. The rhabdo virus is related to a leafhopper-associated rhabdo-like virus. Furthermore, the beny-like virus belonged to a cluster of insect-associated beny-like viruses, while the bi-segmented bunya-like virus was related with other bi-segmented insect-associated bunya-like viruses. These results highlight the existence of a complex virome linked to D. maidis and paves the way for future studies investigating the ecological roles, evolutionary dynamics, and potential biocontrol applications of these viruses on the D. maidis—maize pathosystem.

Cryptofaunal communities are influenced by benthic cover and fish abundance in a large Caribbean coral reef system

Small-sized invertebrates inhabiting hard substrates in coral reefs (a.k.a. cryptofauna) contribute substantially to reef biodiversity, but their patterns of distribution and ecological controls are poorly understood. Here, we characterized the cryptofauna community and explored “bottom-up” and “top-down” controls by benthic cover and fish abundance, respectively. We sampled the cryptofauna inhabiting the reef terrace from 13 sites along 200 km in Jardines de la Reina (Cuba), a well-preserved and protected area in the Caribbean. We counted 23,959 invertebrates of 14 higher taxa, being the most abundant Copepoda (54%), Nematoda (21%), Mollusca (7%), Ostracoda (5%), Polychaeta (5%), and Amphipoda (3%). Richness, abundance, and community structure varied across the reefs without any geographical gradient of distribution. One-third of the variance occurred at site scale (~ 10 km), and half occurred at quadrat scale (~ 1 m). Algal cover promoted cryptofauna richness and abundance likely providing substrate and food, while live coral cover negatively influenced nematode abundances, potentially due to coral defenses. Relationships between cryptofauna and reef fishes were also present, with invertivores and herbivores negatively affecting cryptofauna abundance likely due to direct or indirect predation pressures. This research highlights the important roles of bottom-up and top-down controls, by algal/coral cover and fishes, respectively, on cryptofauna and in extension to coral reef biodiversity. Current threats by climate change are expected to alter these controls on cryptofauna resulting in changes to diversity, trophodynamics and energy flows of coral reefs.

Designing of Ecological Model Predictive Control Algorithm for Electric Trucks Platoons with Optimal Energy Consumption

Abstract In response to the problem of motor vehicle exhaust emissions pollution, the development of new energy in China’s truck industry will be an inevitable trend. At present, the penetration rate and market share of pure electric trucks are constantly increasing. The research on electric truck platoons has strong practical significance. This article focuses on the ecological control strategy of pure electric truck platoons. Firstly, a platoon model of four electric trucks is established in Trucksim. The leading vehicle designs an ecological optimal speed dynamic programming algorithm, and in terms of following vehicle tracking control, the battery SOC state motor speed is considered to be improved, Designed an ecological model predictive control algorithm for electric truck platoon with optimal energy consumption. Using real road slope data in the mining area, a Trucksim/Matlab/Simulink joint simulation was conducted. The simulation results showed that compared with traditional constant speed cruise control, the proposed ecological predictive cruise control algorithm for pure electric commercial vehicle platoons saved 9.2577% of the overall battery SOC.

Co-optimization on Ecological Adaptive Cruise Control and Energy Management of Automated Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Electrified drive systems and eco-driving technologies play a crucial role in promoting energy conservation. Eco-driving for hybrid electric vehicles(HEVs) is an intricate problem involving intertwined speed planning and energy management. In this context, an ecological adaptive cruise control (eco-ACC) and powertrain energy management strategy considering Signal Phase Timing Message (SPaT) can enhance both performance and real-time implementation. Specifically, this study develops a novel co-optimization method based on Pontryagin's minimum principle (PMP) that combines car-following control rules with the SPaT for a parallel HEV. The methodology involves the following steps: firstly, the parallel HEV model is established; secondly, the safe following distance model is constructed and the car-following control rules are devised to ensure safe driving. Subsequently, the co-optimization method based on PMP is then presented to simultaneously optimize the eco-driving problem of an ego-vehicle by converting the inter-vehicle distance constraint of the lead-vehicle into the limitation of the speed of the ego-vehicle. Finally, simulations are conducted under different scenarios for both fused SPaT and non-fused SPaT strategy. The simulation results demonstrate a reduction in fuel consumption by 6.27% and 5.69% in two different scenarios, respectively, and a shorter driving time for the fused SPaT strategy compared to the non-fused SPaT strategy.

Ecological Management of Stored Grain Pests: Global Insights and Future Directions

Abstract Post-harvest losses due to pests in cereals and pulse warehouses represent a major challenge to global food security. These losses have widespread negative impacts on the food supply chain, leading to the widespread use of synthetic insecticides to control the spread of pests in stored commodities. Although these chemicals are initially effective against warehouse pests, their prolonged use leads to increased resistance, resulting in increased health and environmental risks. In addition, the residues left by these synthetic insecticides can alter the quality of stored food, thereby posing a threat to human and animal health. In response to this problem, several studies have focused on ecological management aimed at combating warehouse pests without compromising the quality of stored grain. These studies include an assessment of traditional, ecological, and modern approaches as well as a summary of technological advances in cereal storage. This analysis describes new emerging ecological methods such as varietal resistance, use of semiochemicals, and physical and biological control methods. The challenges and research prospects associated with ecological practices were also discussed. It is emphasized that ecological control is not only safer and more sustainable in the long term but also contributes to the preservation of the environment and human health by reducing exposure to harmful substances.