Ecological State Of Environment Research Articles

A novel framework to generate plant functional groups for ecological modelling

An effective way to reduce complexity in ecological modelling is by grouping species that share similar characteristics into functional groups or types. Often, the creation of plant functional groups (PFGs) is carried out for each case study in an ad-hoc way using a small set of traits. This limits the transferability of these PFGs to other geographical areas or study systems. We propose a novel generic framework to generate PFGs that considers the most important ecological dimensions, is applicable to case studies globally, and that emerges from patterns of functional redundancy across species. Based on most relevant and measured plant characteristics, we designed a multi-step process that includes: i) data harmonisation and missing values imputation; ii) species clustering based on multiple characteristics encompassing the main ecological dimensions featured in plant community ecological models (i.e., dispersal, competition, and demography) and iii) the combination of ecological dimension-specific groups into comprehensive PFGs. We demonstrate this framework by applying it to a global dataset of plant characteristics including a functional traits dataset and a plant-soil co-occurrence dataset for 19,102 species. Lastly, to test the ability of generated PFGs to summarise species’ functional variation within plant communities, we correlate taxonomical and functional diversity indices calculated at the species and at the PFGs level across a global dataset of plant communities (sPlotOpen). Our framework generated 465 global, robust data-driven PFGs with non-overlapping combinations of traits for each ecological dimension divided by growth form. The validation returned positive correlation values between PFGs and species-level diversity metrics, supporting the ability of the obtained PFGs to capture functional and taxonomic diversity patterns across a variety of plant communities worldwide. The framework allows for the easy integration of newly available species characteristics data. The obtained global PFGs, covering all main known ecological processes and environmental conditions at small resolution, can increase the predictive power and accuracy of process-based models and help furthering varying-scale ecological studies.

Composition and distribution of nutrients and environmental capacity in Dapeng Bay, northern South China Sea

Seawater physicochemical parameters and environmental capacity are important ecological indicators and typical features of the marine environment. It has great significance in the marine material cycle and ecological health. In September 2021 (wet season) and March 2022 (dry season), two voyage investigations were conducted at 12 stations (D1-D12) on Dapeng Bay (DPB), northern South China Sea. The distribution of nutrient, water-quality status, environmental capacity, and impact of ecological environment were discussed. Results showed that NH4-N was the main form of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) during the wet season, with concentrations ranging from 0.008 mg/L to 0.109 mg/L, accounting for ~53 % of DIN. Conversely, NO3-N was the main form of DIN during the dry season, with concentrations ranging from 0.005 mg/L to 0.117 mg/L, accounting for ~50 % of DIN. The DIP concentration ranged from 0.002 mg/L to 0.019 mg/L, accounting for ~51 % and 31 % of the total dissolved phosphorus in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The distributions of NH4-N, NO3-N, NO2-N, and DIP were relatively similar, decreasing from the inner bay to the outer bay. The eutrophication indices of 12 stations <1, indicating a poor eutrophication state. Single-factor indices including chemical oxygen demand (COD), DIN, and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) were less than the class I seawater-quality standard. However, except for station D1, the overall water quality was good. Dissolved oxygen with DIP had a significantly negative correlation during the dry season, indicating that DIP was primarily dominated by marine biological activity and organic-matter decomposition. The remaining environmental capacities of COD, DIN, and DIP in DPB were calculated to be 13,742, 1418, and 141 tons, respectively. Based on the functional-zone division of the sea area, the remaining environmental capacities of COD, DIN, and DIP were exceeded 75 % of the total environmental capacity. This study provided a scientific basis for the protection of marine ecological environment and the sustainable development of DPB.

Study on the susceptibility of debris flow disasters in southeast Tibet based on the information content model and random forest model

Linzhi, in southeast of the Tibetan Plateau, has high mountain and gorge terrain. Recently, with rapid changes in climate and fast development of engineering construction in Tibet, the fragile ecological environment in Linzhi has been further damaged, resulting in a sharp increase in debris flow disasters in the region. This poses a serious threat to local social and economic development and safety of lives and property. We divided the study area into multiple watershed units, and explored the reliability of the information content model (ICM), random forest model (RF), and their coupled model (ICM-RF) in the evaluation of debris flow disaster susceptibility. Through remote sensing interpretation, field investigations, and data collection, data on debris flow disasters and evaluation indicators in the study area were obtained. Using multicollinearity analysis, 16 evaluation indicators were selected from 7 major categories including topography, geological conditions, meteorological and hydrological conditions, ecological environment conditions, human engineering activities, seismic activities, and watershed characteristics; a debris flow disaster susceptibility evaluation index system was constructed. Prediction performance of the three models was tested using ROC curves. ICM-RF model had better prediction performance than single models, indicating its superiority for predicting debris flow disaster susceptibility.

Multi-Factor Coral Disease Risk: A new product for early warning and management.

Ecological forecasts are becoming increasingly valuable tools for conservation and management. However, there are few examples of near-real-time forecasting systems that account for the wide range of ecological complexities. We developed a new coral disease ecological forecasting system that explores a suite of ecological relationships and their uncertainty and investigates how forecast skill changes with shorter lead times. The Multi-Factor Coral Disease Risk product introduced here uses a combination of ecological and marine environmental conditions to predict the risk of white syndromes and growth anomalies across reefs in the central and western Pacific and along the east coast of Australia and is available through the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coral Reef Watch program. This product produces weekly forecasts for a moving window of 6 months at a resolution of ~5 km based on quantile regression forests. The forecasts show superior skill at predicting disease risk on withheld survey data from 2012 to 2020 compared with predecessor forecast systems, with the biggest improvements shown for predicting disease risk at mid- to high-disease levels. Most of the prediction uncertainty arises from model uncertainty, so prediction accuracy and precision do not improve substantially with shorter lead times. This result arises because many predictor variables cannot be accurately forecasted, which is a common challenge across ecosystems. Weekly forecasts and scenarios can be explored through an online decision support tool and data explorer, co-developed with end-user groups to improve use and understanding of ecological forecasts. The models provide near-real-time disease risk assessments and allow users to refine predictions and assess intervention scenarios. This work advances the field of ecological forecasting with real-world complexities and, in doing so, better supports near-term decision making for coral reef ecosystem managers and stakeholders. Secondarily, we identify clear needs and provide recommendations to further enhance our ability to forecast coral disease risk.

Does Urban Digital Construction Promote Economic Growth? Evidence from China

In order to explore the causal relationship between the level of urban digital construction and urban economic growth, this paper takes 280 cities in China as the research object and constructs a comprehensive indicator evaluation system covering digital infrastructure, overall economic level, innovation development level, digital industry development status, and ecological environment conditions. Using the entropy method to weigh various indicators, this paper has obtained the evaluation results of the digital construction level of each city from 2011 to 2021. Furthermore, a panel data regression model is used to empirically analyze the impact of urban digital construction level on urban economic growth. The results show that for every 1% increase in the level of urban digital construction, the GDP will increase by 0.974. Through the above research, we hope to further enrich the theoretical and empirical research in the field of the digital economy, provide a scientific and reasonable method for quantitatively evaluating the level of urban digital construction, and provide decision-making references for improving the level of urban digital construction and promoting sustainable urban development.

Remote Sensing Revolution: Mapping Land Productivity and Vegetation Trends with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Abstract: This review paper offers a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in various domains, showcasing their transformative impact in addressing complex challenges. The evaluation of cloud-based UAV systems' stability reveals their robustness and reliability, underlining their significance in numerous industries. Additionally, their role in enhancing robot navigation in intricate environments signifies a substantial advancement in robotics and automation. The integration of blockchain technology for secure Internet of Things (IoT) data transfer emphasizes the critical importance of data integrity and confidentiality in the IoT era. Furthermore, the optimization of energy-efficient data collection in IoT networks through UAVs demonstrates their potential to revolutionize data-driven decision-making processes, particularly in fields reliant on data accuracy and timeliness. The paper also highlights the application of deep reinforcement learning to enhance UAV-assisted IoT data collection, showcasing the synergy between advanced machine learning techniques and UAV technology. Finally, the discussion underscores the pivotal role of UAVs in precision agriculture, where they facilitate ecological farming practices and monitor environmental conditions, contributing to the pursuit of sustainable and efficient agriculture. This review reaffirms UAVs' status as transformative tools, reshaping industries and unlocking new frontiers of innovation and problem-solving. With ongoing technological advancements, UAVs are poised to play an increasingly central role in a wide range of applications, promising a future marked by ground breaking possibilities. Key findings include the dominance of the United States and China in the field, exploration of characteristics such as crop production, and innovative UAV-based methods for grassland mapping, maize growth assessment, and Arctic plant species monitoring. The research underscores the potential of UAVs in bridging field data and satellite mapping, providing valuable insights into diverse applications, from soil analysis to yield predictions, highlighting their transformative role in environmental monitoring and precision agriculture

Assessment of aquatic macro-invertebrates communities and water quality parameters of River Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan.

Environmental stress caused by pollution is often assessed by diversity of macro-invertebrate species in specific aquatic habitat. To find out seasonal fluctuations in various macro-invertebrates communities and different water quality parameters of River Zhob, a research trial was conducted on River Zhob, Balochistan. Samples of macro-invertebrates and water were taken from four different stations of River Zhob. A total 18 taxa of various macro-invertebrates were identified from the area. Phylum Arthropoda constitute 94.8% of the total population followed by Mollusca (3.6%) and Annelida (1.4%). A large number of arthropods were belonged to order Diptera (1148), while the order Trichoptera was stood second with respect to macro-invertebrate´s number (441). The maximum numbers of macro-invertebrates were observed in the month of January. All physico-chemical parameters of River Zhob such as air temperature, water temp, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and total dissolved solids (TDS) were within the range, suitable for the healthy growth of macro-invertebrates. Diversified populations of various macro-invertebrates confirm good ecological condition of environment and water in the studied site especially ample concentration of DO in River. The documented data on macro-invertebrates in studied site will provide a baseline for future research.

Assessment and analysis of the balance between economic development and ecological environment protection and its implementation strategy derived from spatial planning—Take three heterogeneous and representative provinces in China as an example

Balancing ecological environment protection (EEP) and economic development (ED) (balance for short) is a difficult problem that must be solved in the development of modern society, particularly important for realizing UN Sustainable Development Goals. How to assess the regional balance situation and reveal the spatial and temporal heterogeneous characteristics of the balance (especially for the vast China) and its influencing factors are the primary scientific problems and realistic needs. Taking Zhejiang, Hunan and Gansu Provinces in the eastern, central and western region of China as a regional representative, an index system characterizing EEP and ED were established, which were processed by extreme difference method and entropy weight method. The coupling characteristics, stress factors and coordination type from 2010 to 2019 in the 3 provinces were assessed and analyzed by means of the coupling coordination model and the grey correlation degree model. Balance is the mission and responsibility of the spatial planning system for spatial planning is of the source, whole-region and comprehensiveness of public strategy, therefore, the balance strategies and its integration approaches are constructed in the 3 provincial spatial planning based on the assessment and analysis of balance characteristics. Research results show that: (1) the 3 provinces' coupling coordination degree is rising year by year, coordination type is more and more better indicating that the balance of EEP and ED is getting better and better, but coordination type differentiates at one level between 3 provinces at the east, central, western region of China, Zhejiang province is from nearby imbalance to primary coordination, Hunan Province is from nearby imbalance to narrow coordination, and Gansu Province is from medium imbalance to nearby imbalance. (2) The ED have same strong stress on EEP in the 3 provinces, and the constraints of EEP on ED are different, the current balance characteristics of Zhejiang, Hunan and Gansu province are the types of ecological environment pressure constraints primary coordination, ecological environment pressure constraints narrow coordination, and ecological environment condition constraints nearby imbalance. (3) The coordination types are the co-environmental pressure constraints primary coordination (Zhejiang Province), eco-environmental pressure constraints narrow coordination (Hunan Province) and eco-environmental condition constraints nearby imbalance (Gansu Province), and corresponding balanced planning strategy system are to promote ecological modernization, implement ecological industrialization and adhere to the ecological fundamentalization.

Evaluation of Water Resources Carrying Capacity of Zhangye City Based on Combined Weights and TOPSIS Modeling

According to the natural condition of water resources and the economic, social, and ecological environment status of Zhangye City, the water resources carrying capacity of Zhangye City is evaluated by using the water resources carrying capacity Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) model with combination assignment. The results show that: (1) From 2010 to 2020, the water resources carrying capacity of Zhangye City was generally stable at the macro level, ranking at grades III and IV. However, from the micro level, the water resources carrying capacity fluctuates to a certain extent and shows an increasing trend year by year. (2) The steady improvement of economic and social conditions is the main driving force for the improvement of the comprehensive water resources carrying capacity of Zhangye City, and the changes in the ecological environment are also important factors affecting the carrying capacity of water resources. The results provided a decision basis for future comprehensive development and utilization of water resources in Zhangye City and a reference for water resource carrying capacity and water resource security assessment in other arid and semi-arid areas in our country.

Significance of variation in wildlife red deer carcass yields

ABSTRACT Deer hunting has traditionally had great relevance due to the diversity of resources obtained from it, such as meat. Our aim has been to analyse the total post-mortem weight, dressed carcass weight and carcass yield, as well as their variations as a function of years, sex, age and hunting season (autumn vs. winter). Also, predictive equations for carcass weight from total weight were performed. A total of 947 red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) of both sexes, hunted from 1989 to 1993 in the Quintos de Mora National Reserve, Spain, were analysed. Seasonal and interannual differences were detected in all weight measures and carcass yield, conditioned by sex, age and climatic factors such as temperature. In general, to obtain a higher meat yield deer extractions should be carried out in autumn. In addition, carcass weight variation (measured on cold carcasses dressed without head and feet, keeping skin, lateral diaphragm portions, fat deposits and legs) can be considered a good indicator of body condition that integrates seasonal nutritional gains and/or losses and long-term nutritional legacies. This index provides information on the animal's natural history and ecological environment conditions, making its standardized record an essential tool for monitoring wild game populations.

Coordination or contradiction? The spatiotemporal relationship between ecological environment and tourism development within the tourism ecological security framework in China

Tourism ecological security (TES) can be used to determine the health and quality of tourism ecosystems. Investigating the interaction between the ecological environment (EE) and tourism development (TD) status within the tourism ecosystems is an important scientific issue for exploring the regional TES level. This study constructed a theoretical framework for regional TES from the perspectives of TD and EE. The spatiotemporal dynamics pattern, coupling coordination degree, and influencing factors of provincial TES in China were measured and characterized using panel data for China from 2000 to 2019. The results indicated that the TES levels exhibited significant spatial variability across China, with high values observed in the eastern and southern provinces, while lower concentrations were found in the western and northern regions. 54.84% of the provinces showed synergistic growth in TES. Provinces with significant synergistic growth were primarily concentrated in the south-central and southeastern regions, while the northeastern region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and Tibet did not demonstrate equivalent levels of growth. The EE and TD in provinces along the eastern coast exhibited a notable degree of coupling coordination, whereas those in the northern, northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern regions displayed a relatively lower degree of coupling coordination. Factors such as regional economic development, ecological system quality, traffic carrying capacity, tourism potential, tourism load, and tourism reception capacity could influence the coupling coordination between EE and TD. Finally, this study provided some management guidelines to improve the regional TES level and coupling coordination degree between EE and TD.

Controlling for the effects of environmental availability when testing how the environment determines community compositional uniqueness

Abstract Identifying the drivers that promote unique species compositions (i.e. ecological uniqueness) is crucial to understanding the mechanisms underpinning diversity patterns and for effective conservation planning. Environmental conditions are often sampled differentially in datasets, which can lead to rarer environments having unique species compositions, provided that environmental differences increase compositional differences. This effect, however, will be undesirable when a study aims to test the direct impact of environments rather than their availability. We developed an approach to reduce the effects of environmental availability in ecological uniqueness analyses through calculating expected pairwise compositional dissimilarities for each unique environmental condition. We further used simulations to assess the performance of our methods by randomly generating communities from two hypothetical environments with non‐overlapping species pools. Additionally, we used a dataset of 50 tree communities to demonstrate how environmental availability could impact relationships between environmental conditions and ecological uniqueness in empirical studies. Our simulations revealed that uniqueness metrics based on observed values are sensitive to environmental availability, while our approach correctly concluded that there were no differences among environments under the unbalanced design. Our analysis of tree communities produced divergent conclusions between the two approaches, as increasing slope reduced ecological uniqueness after controlling for their low availability in the dataset only. This suggests that low environmental availability inflated the ecological uniqueness of sites with high slope, which opposed its direct negative effects on ecological uniqueness, leading to a weak relationship based on observed values. To achieve a more mechanistic understanding of ecological uniqueness patterns, the effects of environmental availability must be considered. We recommend that studies use both uncorrected and corrected analyses to identify not only the direct effects of environmental conditions but also the degree to which their availability influences the observed relationships between ecological uniqueness and environment conditions. Our approach should be most necessary and applicable in unbalanced designs, which is a common characteristic in empirical studies.

Virus diversity and activity is driven by snowmelt and host dynamics in a high-altitude watershed soil ecosystem

BackgroundViruses impact nearly all organisms on Earth, including microbial communities and their associated biogeochemical processes. In soils, highly diverse viral communities have been identified, with a global distribution seemingly driven by multiple biotic and abiotic factors, especially soil temperature and moisture. However, our current understanding of the stability of soil viral communities across time and their response to strong seasonal changes in environmental parameters remains limited. Here, we investigated the diversity and activity of environmental soil DNA and RNA viruses, focusing especially on bacteriophages, across dynamics’ seasonal changes in a snow-dominated mountainous watershed by examining paired metagenomes and metatranscriptomes.ResultsWe identified a large number of DNA and RNA viruses taxonomically divergent from existing environmental viruses, including a significant proportion of fungal RNA viruses, and a large and unsuspected diversity of positive single-stranded RNA phages (Leviviricetes), highlighting the under-characterization of the global soil virosphere. Among these, we were able to distinguish subsets of active DNA and RNA phages that changed across seasons, consistent with a “seed-bank” viral community structure in which new phage activity, for example, replication and host lysis, is sequentially triggered by changes in environmental conditions. At the population level, we further identified virus-host dynamics matching two existing ecological models: “Kill-The-Winner” which proposes that lytic phages are actively infecting abundant bacteria, and “Piggyback-The-Persistent” which argues that when the host is growing slowly, it is more beneficial to remain in a dormant state. The former was associated with summer months of high and rapid microbial activity, and the latter with winter months of limited and slow host growth.ConclusionTaken together, these results suggest that the high diversity of viruses in soils is likely associated with a broad range of host interaction types each adapted to specific host ecological strategies and environmental conditions. As our understanding of how environmental and host factors drive viral activity in soil ecosystems progresses, integrating these viral impacts in complex natural microbiome models will be key to accurately predict ecosystem biogeochemistry.2RJdjcjTGzDNGfvgvrWr_YVideo

A Comprehensive Overview of Plant Pathology Understanding Disease Mechanisms and Control

The realm of plant pathology stands at the crossroads of rising challenges and groundbreaking innovations. This review delves deep into the ever-evolving landscape of threats and strategies in plant diseases, examining the myriad factors influencing this dynamic field. We first dissect the emergence and re-emergence of plant pathogens, attributing their evolution to a combination of ecological disruptions, global trade, and changing environmental conditions. Climate change is then spotlighted, revealing its multifaceted impact on the interplay between plants and pathogens. The cascading effects of rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and frequent extreme weather events reshape the vulnerabilities and resistances in the plant kingdom. Concurrently, the critical role of biosecurity in an interconnected world is elucidated, emphasizing the need for predictive and reactive measures to prevent inadvertent pathogen spread across borders. In juxtaposition to these challenges, the review shines a light on the promise held by technological advancements. The potential of drones equipped with advanced sensors, the analytical prowess of artificial intelligence, and the genetic wizardry of tools like CRISPR offer glimpses into a future where disease detection, management, and control are not just efficient but also sustainable. The prospects of nanotechnology in delivering targeted treatments herald a new era in plant disease management, minimizing collateral environmental impacts. In essence, while the challenges in plant pathology are formidable, spurred by natural processes and human actions, the wheels of innovation offer robust countermeasures. This comprehensive exploration underscores the importance of holistic approaches, integrating traditional knowledge with technological advancements, and fostering global collaborations. It is through these synergies that the health and prosperity of our ecosystems can be ensured in the face of dynamic threats. The narrative thus crafted serves as a clarion call for collective action, ensuring that the balance between plants and pathogens remains harmonious, securing a sustainable future for generations to come.

Integrating land use functions and heavy metal contamination to classify village types

Identifying the dynamic processes of socio-economic development and environmental sustainability is an important measure to prevent environmental degradation and improve human well-being in village areas. However, there is currently a lack of analytical frameworks that integrate socio-economic and environmental security indicators in village areas, making it difficult to accurately identify the ecological environmental status of village areas at different stages of development. This study quantified the multifunctional land use and heavy metal pollution risks of different village areas using land use data and soil samples collected in the field. It then integrated land use functions and heavy metal pollution risks into the analytical framework using hierarchical clustering, which identified different types of village areas. The results show that: (1) The applicability and accuracy of this analytical framework are validated by a sample verification, which classifies village areas into traditional village, productive village, comprehensive village and ecotype village. (2) Most village areas belong to the traditional village with single production and life functions. With the development of village industries, some traditional villages become productive villages. Those closer to cities or with policy support continue to develop into comprehensive villages. In this process, the village socio-economy develops, land use functional services become more diverse, but heavy metal risks gradually increase. (3) Traditional villages should prevent pollution risks from Cd, Zn and other heavy metals. Productive villages should prevent Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr and other heavy metals from industrial and domestic wastewater. Comprehensive villages should strengthen soil remediation and remediation of heavy metal contaminated sites, adjust industrial layout. Ecotype villages should avoid the impact of exogenous pollutants on the region and develop ecotourism industries. Through the classification results and discussion of village area types, this study effectively reveals the differences in environmental risks faced by socio-economic development in typical village areas in China, and provides a basis for governments to formulate functional planning and environmental protection policies suitable for different types of villages.

Long-Term Ecological Environment Quality Evaluation and Its Driving Mechanism in Luoyang City

The quality of the ecological environment determines human well-being, and the degree of ecological environment quality has a significant impact on regional sustainable development. Currently, the assessment content of ecological environment quality in Luoyang is relatively single-indicator-based and is insufficient to comprehensively reflect the changes in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city. Therefore, the study aims to use the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), a comprehensive evaluation model, with Landsat remote sensing images and statistical yearbooks as the data sources, to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city from 2002 to 2022 through trend analysis and mutation testing; the study employs geographical detectors to analyze the driving factors about the changes in ecological environment quality. The study found that: (1) the average RSEI value in Luoyang city has increased by 0.102 in the past 20 years, indicating an overall improvement in the ecological environment quality of Luoyang city. (2) The northern region of the study area has lower RSEI values, while the southern region has better ecological environment quality, which corresponds to the fact that the northern part of Luoyang city has intensive human activities, while the southern part is characterized by higher vegetation coverage in mountainous areas. (3) The proportion of areas with medium and above ecological environment quality grades have increased from 47.2% to 67.5%, indicating a positive trend in future ecological environment quality changes. (4) The population change was the strongest single factor influencing the ecological environment quality change in Luoyang city. The interaction between temperature and GDP was relatively the strongest. The current ecological environment status in the study area is the result of the combined effects of natural and anthropogenic factors. The research conclusions contribute to improving regional ecological environment quality and are of great significance for the regional ecological environment planning and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Deep residual convolutional neural network based on hybrid attention mechanism for ecological monitoring of marine fishery

Understanding the ecological environment, population abundance, and growth status of marine organisms in the marine fishery is important to promote its sustainability. However, existing manual detection methods can cause some damage to marine ecology and are difficult to meet the demand for fast and accurate detection. In addition, light, shadows, and disturbances in the marine ecosystem can affect the effectiveness of intelligent detection methods. To address these problems, a deep residual convolutional neural network (DRCNN) based on hybrid attention mechanism (HAM) is proposed to detect marine organisms. The hybrid attention mechanism obtains key information from both channel and space dimensions of the input image. And the residual module is added to the deep convolutional neural network to iteratively extract image features while avoiding error accumulation. It is demonstrated experimentally that the HAM-DRCNN model achieves 93.17% image localization accuracy with a processing speed of 20.95 frames/s. Compared with the YOLOv5 and Faster R-CNN, the mean average precision of species classification is 91.36%, which is an improvement of 0.93% and 9.39%, respectively. In addition, excellent results are achieved on two other benchmark datasets. The method can accurately locate and complete the classification of marine organisms in underwater images and has practical application value.

Ecological and navigational impact of the construction and operation of the Qingyuan dam

Dam construction has important impact on the ecological environment and navigation conditions of a river. Therefore, evaluating the degree of impact of such engineering constructions and seeking the optimum management are vital. This study considered the example of the construction of the Qingyuan Dam on the Beijiang River (China). The flow condition was calculated using a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, and a habitat suitability model and navigation risk indicators were used to conduct quantitative assessment of the impact of different scenarios. The spawning ground habitat of Megalobrama terminalis was taken as an ecological measurement index. The gray correlation analysis method was used to quantify the influence of four flow indexes (i.e., water surface slope, backflow, flow velocity, and water depth) on navigation safety. The simulation results showed that construction of the Qingyuan Dam had serious negative impact on the ecological environment in the dry season, but that dry season navigation conditions have been improved greatly. Following construction of the dam, with increase in the Feilaixia Hydro-junction discharge, the ecological and navigable usable area both first increased and then decreased. With comprehensive consideration of the usable area and the spatial distributions of habitat suitability and navigation risk, when the Feilaixia Hydro-junction discharge is 3000 m3/s and the water level in front of the Qingyuan Dam is 10 m, the ecological and navigation benefits of the studied river reach were determined to be optimal. These research results could provide guidance for the management of the Feilaixia–Qingyuan river section, and help deliver optimum ecological and navigational benefits.

A Study on the Spatial and Temporal Variation of Summer Surface Temperature in the Bosten Lake Basin and Its Influencing Factors

The land surface temperature (LST) is an important indicator reflecting the ecological environment condition. As a sensitive area to climate change, mastering the spatial and temporal changes of summer LST in the Bosten Lake basin (BLB) helps gain insight into the evolution of the thermal environment in the Bosten Lake basin and for long-term monitoring of the basic ecological changes in the basin. Based on MOD11A1 data from 2005 to 2020, this paper investigates the diurnal LST spatiotemporal series variation and its influencing factors in the Bosten Lake basin by using surface temperature class classification, trending analysis, the Hurst index, and geographic probes. The results show that (1) the wetland grasslands in and around the Bayinbruck steppe in the northwestern part of the study area exhibit a heat island effect during the day, while the opposite is true at night. In terms of temporal changes, LST changes in the BLB fluctuate widely, having a general rising and then decreasing trend. (2) The decreasing trend of LST from 2005 to 2020 is significant during the daytime and vice versa at night, and the change at night is greater than during the day. The areas with significantly higher diurnal LST in the future have all expanded compared to the area occupied by them now, with an overall trend of a steady increase. (3) The dominant factor of LST variation has the strongest explanatory power when altitude and NDVI are combined during the daytime and the strongest explanatory power when NPP and temperature are combined at night.

Research Progress of Ecological Quality in the Yellow River Basin under the Background of High-quality Development

The ecological and environmental problems of the Yellow River are becoming more and more serious. The research on the ecological and environmental problems of the Yellow River is of great significance to promote the high-quality development of the Yellow River. In this paper, the research status of the Yellow River ecological environment at home and abroad is reviewed, and the research status of the Yellow River ecological quality, restrictive factors, the relationship between economic development and ecological environment, ecological restoration and protection are discussed, and the future development trend is pointed out.