Ecological Instability Research Articles

Propagating Terroir Revival in the Negev: How the Wine Industry Can Amplify Its Resilience to Climate Adversity through a Deeper Understanding of Historic Dryland Viticulture

Based on an examination of the outlooks and practices held by past and present Negev desert viticulturists vis-à-vis their environs, the article offers insights into how the wine sector can bolster its response to current climate adversity. The discussion fuses bio-archaeological research on the evolution of ancient grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera) in the Negev with an extensive ethnographic inquiry into the ongoing wine revival in arid southern Israel. Ancient DNA analysis of relic grape material led to the identification of an historical Negev viticulture lineage. The findings provide a temporal framework for contextualizing tphe interrelated anthropological data obtained on contemporary dryland viticulturalists and wine makers in Israel. Since the climate in the Negev has remained relatively stable over the last several millennia, it makes for an apt point of comparison via which to gauge the outlooks held by both historical and modern viticulturalists towards the local landscape. We suggest enacting two evidence-based adjustments to counter ecological instabilities: the holistic revival and applied renewal of historical cultivars, and the attendant agronomic routines that sustained their growth in the past. A more nuanced understanding of the unique terroir arid viticulturalists are operating in, together with the learned incorporation of the hardy genetic traits of age-old cultivars, will benefit wine growers to attune their responses to the array of challenges wrought by climate change on the wine industry. It is therefore our hope that the research methodologies and heritage-oriented horticultural perspectives we present in this paper will prove beneficial to broader wine growing regions (pax-Mediterranean and beyond) who are fortunate to likewise possess their own rich viticultural histories and lineages.

Revitalizing Freshwater Ponds: Assessing Physical Structures, Water Quality Parameters and Sustainable Bio- Recharging Strategies Through Community Engagement

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to revitalize the freshwater ponds by assessing physical structures, water quality parameters and sustainable bio- recharging strategies through community engagement. Research Design: The study employs a combination of exploratory and descriptive research approaches. Sampling was conducted among the individuals who are in direct access with the freshwater ponds. Methodology: Data collection involved direct surveys using a structured questionnaire and the water samples were collected from the selected regions Results: The results reveal that there are ponds that need immediate restoration and rejuvenation in order to sustainably take up the matter of a balanced ecosystem for the better survival and coexistence of individual species along with mankind by proper maintenance of the water body for a better tomorrow. The water quality analysis shows significant causes of deterioration due to ecological instability and overuse of the resources by improper management strategies which resulted in loss of biodiversity and habitat loss. Originality of Research: This study records the revitalization of freshwater ponds by assessing physical structures, water quality parameters, and sustainable bio- recharging strategies through community engagement.

An integrated GEE and machine learning framework for detecting ecological stability under land use/land cover changes

Ecological stability (ES) is recognized as a crucial factor for sustainable development at global and regional scales. However, the importance of this factor was not considered significant. Hence, the main aim of this study was to introduce a new approach that focuses on detecting ES over the Maharloo watershed in Iran. To achieve this goal, we extracted land use and land cover (LULC) data from the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform by applying the random forest (RF) machine learning method, which obtained Kappa statistics of 0.85, 0.86, and 0.87 for the years 2002, 2013, and 2023, respectively. We identified both stable and unstable regions based on LULC changes and employed them using machine learning to forecast the ES. The most important predictors of ES were elevation, soil organic carbon index, precipitation, and salinity. The results of this research revealed that certain areas within the Maharloo watershed have experienced ecological instability in recent years, with gardens showing the highest percentage (60.65 %) of instability among all land-use categories. The performance and validation of our model suggest that the study results are reliable (AUC = 0.86). This study offers detailed maps of ES and trends, offering valuable insights for decision makers to support landscape conservation and restoration efforts. Overall, the findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the ecological dynamics of the Maharloo watershed and provide valuable insights for sustainable development and conservation efforts in other regions.

Unlocking the path to environmental sustainability: navigating economic policy uncertainty, ICT, and environmental taxes for a sustainable future.

The study aims to gauge the impact of economic policy uncertainty, ICT, and environmental tax on environmental sustainability, which is measured by carbon emission and ecological footprint in a panel of 22 nations from 1997 to 2021. The present study has implemented the advanced panel data estimation techniques, including continuously updated fully modified (CUP-FM) and continuously updated bias-corrected (CUP-BC), dynamic seemingly unrelated regressions (DSUR), and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lagged (NARDL) in documenting the elasticities of target variables. Moreover, the directional causality has been tested through the D-H causality test. Study findings documented a positive and statistically significant linkage between EPU and environmental degradation. That is, EPU amplifies the emission of CO2 and ecological instability. The effects of ET and ICT are positively associated with environmental sustainability; that is, ET and ICT control the emission of CO2 and bring ecological improvement. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by conducting a thorough analysis of the relationship between various factors and their impact on environmental degradation. The study emphasizes the significance of every factor in influencing environmental outcomes. It provides policy suggestions to reduce CO2 emissions and promote ecological sustainability. The findings add valuable insights to the ongoing conversation about how to tackle environmental challenges in our constantly evolving world.

Colostrum Supplementation to Rescue Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis and Reduce Long-Term Obesity Risk

The prevalence of metabolic disease in the United States has increased from 30.4% to 41.9% in the past decades, with rising rates among children. Emerging evidence implicates intestinal microbiome function as contributing to metabolic disease risk, with dysbiosis being associated with overweight and obese status. While sometimes lifesaving, antibioticssuch as azithromycin cause microbiota ecological instability and are significantly associated with a greater risk ofmetabolic disease and obesity in children. Since antibiotics are often necessary, the identification of nutritional interventions to restore microbial membership and function has a high potential value for millions of patients. Colostrum is the first milk produced by mammals immediately after birth and shapes intestinal colonization patterns, specifically enriching Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and limiting the colonization of Proteobacteria. Bovine colostrum containsimmunomodulators, lactoferrin, oligosaccharides, bioactive compounds, and macronutrients. The compounds are similar across mammalian species. Considering the impact of colostrum in the sterile early-life gut, we hypothesized that bovine colostrum provided as a supplemental nutraceutical therapy would augment gut microbial recolonization following antibiotic exposures and mitigate long-term metabolic consequences. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) C57BL/6 mice (male, three weeks old, Jackson Laboratory) were housed under standard laboratory conditions with a 45% high-fat diet. Tylosintartrate antibiotic (ABX) was administered to some mice in drinking water 3 days/week over three weeks, with four days washout/week. To examine colostrum, some animals were provided colostrum gavage during or immediately following ABX exposures. After intervention, body composition and metabolic phenotypes were monitored for 16 weeks.Compared with ABX alone, colostrum following ABX maintained similar body composition and glucose tolerance as controls, while colostrum during ABX appeared similar to ABX alone. Examination of the gut microbiome showed unique enrichment of Akkermansia and Sutterella with decreased Enterobacteriaceae in mice treated with ABX followed by colostrum. Analysis of the gut mucosa demonstrated ABX decreased goblet cell numbers per villi (7.2/villus) compared with control (9.8/villus), and colostrum following ABX elevated goblet cells (8.6/villus). These data suggest colostrum may stimulate epithelial responses that foster host-microbial symbiosis at the mucosal surface and play a role in intestinal recolonization to benefit long-term homeostasis. Dairy Innovation Hub, UW-Madison. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Measuring the Doughnut: A good life for all is possible within planetary boundaries

Humanity is continuing a path towards ecological instability. While resource consumption is unprecedented, significant parts of the human population are still deprived of decent living. The safe and just operating space postulates that it is possible to simultaneously stay within ecological limits and fulfil basic needs. However, evidence that such a state can be achieved given existing population and available technologies is lacking. Here, we attempt to show whether a safe and just space exists by modelling material and energy requirements for satisfying basic needs with various technological scenarios. Environmental impacts of a basket of products representing basic needs satisfaction are measured through life cycle analysis and compared to planetary boundaries for the first time. We find that all planetary boundaries considered can be respected for 8.0 and 10.4 billion people with a probability of 81% and 73% respectively. However, this requires a fossil-free energy system, and an essentially vegan diet as well as no additional cropland conversion. To actually create and enlarge a safe and just operating space, carbon dioxide emissions, biodiversity, Phosphorus and Nitrogen emissions would need to be further reduced, mainly by improved agricultural practices and material circularity.Significance StatementThe purpose of this study is to find out if humanity can fulfil basic needs for all humans without destabilizing the Earth system. This information is relevant for identifying pathways to futures in which all humans can live good lives without compromising the livelihoods of future generations. Our results show that it is theoretically possible to satisfy the basic needs of 10.4 billion people within ecological limits. However, large-scale transformations in all sectors and dietary changes are necessary to guarantee safe climate conditions.

Should we consider integrated crop–livestock systems for ecosystem services, carbon sequestration, and agricultural resilience to climate change?

AbstractContemporary agricultural systems can be generalized as highly specialized operations that are fueled by mechanization; supplied with external nutrients to maximize production; crops protected by petrochemicals to fight against weed, disease, and insect pressures; and livestock protected by therapeutics to ward off virus and bacterial infections when managed in confinement. Such specialized systems have led to low levels of diversity, elevated environmental risks from contamination, loss of soil organic matter, ecological instability, and limited adaptability to climate change. More diversified farming systems are possible, but research required to characterize them in a holistic manner as an alternative to contemporary, specialized systems remains challenging to fund and sustain over time, primarily because they require more labor, management skills, and accessible markets to achieve additional ecological, environmental, and social goals. We share some perspectives as to (1) how specialized systems became the norm and (2) what changes could be made to reverse some ecological risks and environmental declines associated with specialization, acknowledging there is no panacea. Strong evidence exists for perennial forages to restore soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen, but system‐level analyses of the net balance in greenhouse gas emissions remain to be characterized in the myriad of potential integrated crop–livestock systems that might be deployed across the diversity of edaphic, environmental, and socio‐economic conditions. We suggest there are abundant opportunities for more sustainable agricultural production to sequester soil organic C, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and develop more climate‐resilient agricultural systems that will be needed in a future dominated by climate change issues.

Impact of Irrigation Dams on Fish Diversity of Budhikhola in Bardiya, Lumbini Province of Nepal

This extensive study describes the current status of freshwater fish diversity in the Budhikhola which is an important branch of the Karnali River that runs through the western region of the Bardiya district covering about 30 km distance in the north-south direction. To examine the effects of irrigation dams on habitat modification and fish variety, fish were collected from the entire Budhikhola stretch, with four sampling stations established depending on habitat structure. The freshwater system of the Budhikhola harbors a diverse and ecologically complex fish community comprising 41 species from 6 orders and 13 families. The dominance of the Cyprinidae family, represented by Barilius barna, Chanda nama, Chagunius chagunio, etc., highlights its ecological significance. On the other hand, the loss of important fish species is proof that the building of irrigation dams has had significant ecological effects. Human-induced hazards such as damming and overexploitation, have adversely impacted the river environment, resulting in reduced water depth, habitat structure changes, and restricted nutrient flow. The majority of the riverbed had been observed to be silt-covered. Significant fish species loss indicates ecological instability brought on by human activity. Changes in the distribution of fish sizes and spatial differences between upstream and downstream areas highlight the complex link between habitat modifications and community functioning. The catch-per-hour seasonal tendency, which peaks in September and falls in March, is correlated with fishing patterns, environmental factors, or breeding seasons. The evenness value (0.96) and high Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (H'= 3.57) show a diverse and harmonious fish community. The relevance of family-level distinctions in implementing effective conservation and management measures is highlighted by major differences among family groups (p<0.001). As the findings make clear, the long-term survival of the diversified fish ecosystem of the Budhikhola depends on addressing and reducing anthropogenic stressors. This study provides valuable insights for informed conservation efforts in the aquatic ecosystems of Nepal.

Determining spatial units for modeling regional nonnative invasive plant species spread in the southern US forestlands: using the state of Alabama as an example.

Nonnative invasive plant species (NNIPS) cause significant damage to the native forest ecosystems in the southern United States forestlands, such as habitat degradation, ecological instability, and biodiversity loss. Taking the state of Alabama as an example, we used more than 5,000 permanent United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots measured between 2001 and 2019 over three measurement cycles to test the suitable modeling unit for quantifying invasion patterns and associated factors for regional NNIPS monitoring and management. NNIPS heavily infest Alabama's forestlands, and forestlands plagued with at least one NNIPS have increased over time: 41.1%, 50.8%, and 54.8% during the past three measurements. Lonicera japonica (Thunb.) was the most abundant NNIPS in Alabama, with at least 26% of its forested lands infested. The FIA data were aggregated with multiple spatial units: five levels of hydrological units, three levels of ecological units, and a county level. Invasion indices were calculated for all spatial units based on NNIPS' presence/absence and average cover in each plot. The best modeling unit was identified based on Moran's test, with the county-level modeling unit providing the best Moran's I value over all measurement periods. Influencing factors of invasion were evaluated based on spatial lag models. Our models show that the invasion index decreased with increases in public forest areas in a county. In contrast, the human population density of neighboring counties positively influenced the invasion index.

Multi-dimensional landscape ecological risk assessment and its drivers in coastal areas

The eastern coastal areas of Japan are threatened by multiple ecological risks due to frequent natural disasters, climate changes, human activities, etc. Identification spatio-temporal variations and driving mechanisms of landscape ecological risk could be used as significant basis for policymakers. In this study, taking the eastern coastal areas of Japan affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster as the study area, the “Nature-Landscape Pattern-Human Society” (NA-LP-HS) multi-dimensional ecological risk assessment framework was established to analyze the spatio-temporal patterns, and identity driving factors using spatial cluster analysis and spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) based on ArcGIS from 2009 to 2021. The findings revealed the distinct geographic patterns in landscape ecological risk, with a noticeable decline from the southwest to the northeast. During the period from 2009 to 2015, the driving factors leading to a sharp risk increase were natural disasters and vegetation coverage. These high-risk areas were concentrated in Sendai Bay and its surroundings. From 2015 to 2021, ecological instability was primarily attributed to a reduction in vegetation coverage, the occurrence of natural disasters, and heightened rainfall erosion. These high-risk areas were mainly clustered within the Tokyo-centered urban agglomeration. Spatial clustering of ecological risks was obvious across all time periods. The key factors contributing to the clustering of high ecological landscape risks focused on the “landscape pattern” criterion, specifically including vegetation coverage, land use land cover. This study demonstrated the ability of multi-dimensional ecological risk assessment to identify high-risk areas and driving factors, and these results could provide a visual analysis and decision-making basis for sustainable development of coastal areas.

Effects of urbanization on the efficiency and composition of vertebrate scavengers

As human populations continue to expand, urbanization will increase and impact ecosystem processes, contribute to habitat fragmentation, and alter community composition of species. While some species can adapt to the rapidly changing environment, urbanization can favor generalist species and reshape food webs, which may result in ecological instability. Determining how wildlife respond to urbanization is necessary for management and city planning purposes in order to create suburban areas where humans and wildlife can coexist. One area that needs more focus is the effects of suburbanization on scavenging species, and how land development can alter scavenging dynamics and the redistribution of carrion-derived nutrients within food webs. We used motion activated cameras to monitor experimentally placed fish carcasses in riparian zones of suburban and rural areas in northeast Georgia, USA. We conducted 300 trials across both landscapes that were scavenged by 7 mammalian, 2 avian, and 2 reptilian species. Our results revealed fish carrion within riparian areas was readily consumed by terrestrial scavengers. However, carcass fate (whether the carcass was scavenged or not) and carcass persistence differed between suburban and rural landscapes. Carcasses were scavenged by vertebrates less often and persisted longer in rural landscapes. Species richness was similar and mesocarnivores were the predominant scavengers in both landscapes. However, scavenging by the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was more prevalent in the suburban landscape relative to the rural landscape (61% and 36% of scavenging events, respectively). While raccoons (Procyon lotor) scavenged carcasses fairly equally across both landscapes, the American black bear (Ursus americanus) and red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) scavenged more frequently in rural areas. Our data suggest that suburban species, especially opossums, may be highly adapted to foraging in an anthropogenic environment. Additionally, nutrients from aquatic carcasses near water sources can readily move into terrestrial environments through scavenging. These results contribute to the growing body of scavenging ecology and the effects of urbanization on wildlife.

Imagining an ecological right to the city in Toronto through drama-based research

ABSTRACT This article explores the possibilities in harnessing drama-based research methodologies in examining youth’s ‘right to the city’ during the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency [Lefebvre (1996). Writings on Cities. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers]. Using ‘auto-topography’ [Heddon (2007). “One Square Foot: Thousands of Routes.” PAJ 29 (2): 40–50. doi:10.1162/pajj.2007.29.2.40] as a drama-based methodological prompt, the research considers how the right to the city is summoned, imagined and articulated by youth in one virtual Grade 6 classroom amid the alienation and isolation of a COVID lockdown in Toronto in November 2020. Specifically, this article attends to how auto-topography brought the ‘real’ and ‘imagined’ city into the virtual classroom, via Deleuze and Guattari’s [(1985). “Kafka: Toward a Minor Literature: The Components of Expression.” New Literary History 16 (3): 591–628] concept of ‘the minor,’ to contest majoritarian constructions of ‘nature,’ ‘culture,’ and urban citizenship. In particular, such ‘minor’ desires for the city, made appreciable by the imaginative and affective capacities of theatre and performance genres, gesture towards a politics of co-flourishing, where enchantment, generosity, gratitude, strangeness, surprise and hilarity– and, crucially, obligation and reciprocity – are integral to youths’ right to the city in these times of pandemic and ecological instability.

Seasonal Spatiotemporal Changes in the NDVI and Its Driving Forces in Wuliangsu Lake Basin, Northern China from 1990 to 2020

In the context of global climate change, many studies have focused on the interannual vegetation variation trends and their response to precipitation and temperature, but ignored the effects of seasonal variability. This study explored the relationship between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and seasonal climate elements in the Wuliangsu Lake Basin area from 1990 to 2020, and quantified the impacts of human activities on vegetation dynamics. We used Landsat series data to analyze the spatial and temporal variation of the NDVI using the trend analysis method, the Theil–Sen median, the Mann–Kendall test, and the Hurst index. Then, we used meteorological data and land use data to quantify the effects of human activities using residual analysis, and correlation methods to determine the driving forces of NDVI variations. The results showed that the NDVI changes presented obvious regional characteristics, with a decreasing trend from southeast to northwest in Wuliangsu Lake Basin. Due to global warming, the start of the growing season (SOS) is 4.3 days (2001 to 2010) and 6.8 days (2011 to 2020) earlier compared with 1990 to 2000. The end of the season (EOS) is advanced by 3.6 days (2001 to 2010), and delayed by 8.9 days (2011 to 2020). Seasonal (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) NDVIs with precipitation and temperature show spatial heterogeneity. Further, changes in grasslands and woodlands were vulnerable to climate change and human activities. Since the beginning of the 21st century, human activity was the driving force for vegetation improvement in the Dengkou, west-central, north and southwest regions, where ecological instability is weak. This finding can provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of the same type of ecological restoration projects and the construction of ecological civilization, and contribute to the regional green and sustainable development.

Dating Agricultural Terraces in the Mediterranean Using Luminescence: Recent Progress and Challenges

Agricultural terraces provide farmers in hilly landscapes with effective ways to increase the area available for crops. They mitigate the risks of soil erosion and promote crop productivity by slowing surface water runoff and retaining moisture. As in other parts of the world, terraces have been constructed and used in the Mediterranean for millennia. The availability of terraced agriculture had important socio-economic, ecological, and environmental implications for past societies. However, the chronology of construction, use, and abandonment of terraces in different regions remains uncertain. A more robust set of chronological data will allow better assessment of whether terrace agriculture was a resilient strategy in the face of past economic or ecological instability and, in turn, inform how terraces could be used to address future agricultural and environmental challenges. In this paper, we review the application of luminescence dating to terrace sediments, the key challenges involved, and the currently published data which include over 250 luminescence ages. We also discuss the use of a multidisciplinary approach involving other geoarchaeological tools (e.g., use of GIS analyses, field-based luminescence readers, and micromorphology) to enhance the ways that past terrace systems can be understood. Terrace systems are inextricably linked to sustainable land use across the Mediterranean. Luminescence dating methods, therefore, have a crucial role to play in understanding the complexities of past and future landscape change.

Effects of financial development, FDI and good governance on environmental degradation in the Arab nation: Dose technological innovation matters?

The motivation of the study is to gauge the impact of financial development, FDI, Technological innovation, and good governance on environmental degradation in the Arab Nation for the period 1991–2019. Several techniques have implemented, including error correction-based cointegration, cross-sectional ARDL, Non-linear ARDL and Heterogeneous causality test for directional causality. The results of Slope of homogeneity, CSD and unit root test following CIPS and CADF, revealed that research variables are exposed with heterogeneity properties, cross-sectionally dependent, and all the variables become stationary after the first difference. The long-run cointegration between explained and explanatory variables established through error correction based cointegrating test. Referring to results derived from CS-ARDL, study exposed financial development has a detrimental effect on environmental sustainability, suggesting the intensification of CO2 emission and ecological instability. On the other hand, the role of FDI, GG, and TI exposed beneficiary in mitigating the environmental adversity. The asymmetric assessment revealed asymmetric association between explained and core explanatory variables which is valid in the long-run and short-run horizon. Finally, the casual association, study unveiled bidirectional causality between FDI, TI and ED [FDI←→ED; TI←→ED]. On the policy note, the study advocated that environmental improvement through financial channels should be efficiently monitored in the case of credit extension and incorporation with existing environmental policies.

Pulse-based cropping systems for soil health restoration, resources conservation, and nutritional and environmental security in rainfed agroecosystems.

Pulses are an important source of energy and protein, essential amino acids, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins, and play a significant role in addressing global nutritional security. The global pulse area, production, and average productivity increased from 1961 to 2020 (60 years). Pulses are usually grown under rainfed, highly unstable, and complex production environments, with substantial variability in soil and environmental factors, high year-to-year output variability, and variation in soil moisture. Since the last six decades, there is not much satisfactory improvement in the yield of pulses because of their cultivation in harsh environments, coupled with their continuous ignorance of the farmers and governments in policy planning. As a result, the global food supplies through pulses remained negligible and amounted to merely ~1.0% of the total food supply and 1.2% of the vegan food system. In this situation, protein-rich food is still a question raised at the global level to make a malnutrition-free world. Pulses are a vital component of agricultural biological diversity, essential for tackling climate change, and serve as an energy diet for vegetarians. Pulses can mitigate climate change by reducing the dependence on synthetic fertilizers that artificially introduce nitrogen (N) into the soil. The high demand and manufacture of chemical fertilizers emit greenhouse gases (GHGs), and their overuse can harm the environment. In addition, the increasing demand for the vegetal protein under most global agroecosystems has to be met with under a stressed rainfed situation. The rainfed agroecosystem is a shelter for poor people from a significant part of the globe, such as Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. Nearly, 83% [over 1,260 million hectares (ha)] of cultivated land comes under rainfed agriculture, contributing significantly to global food security by supplying over 60% of the food. In rainfed areas, the limitation of natural resources with the shrinking land, continuous nutrient mining, soil fertility depletion, declining productivity factor, constantly depleting water availability, decreasing soil carbon (C) stock, augmented weed menace, ecological instability, and reduced system productivity are creating a more challenging situation. Pulses, being crops of marginal and semi-marginal soils of arid and semi-arid climates, require less input for cultivation, such as water, nutrients, tillage, labor, and energy. Furthermore, accommodation of the area for the cultivation of pulses reduces the groundwater exploitation, C and N footprints, agrochemical application in the cropping systems, and ill effects of climate change due to their inherent capacity to withstand harsh soil to exhibit phytoremediation properties and to stand well under stressed environmental condition. This article focuses on the role of pulses in ecological services, human wellbeing, soil, environmental health, and economic security for advanced sustainability. Therefore, this study will enhance the understanding of productivity improvement in a system-based approach in a rainfed agroecosystem through the involvement of pulses. Furthermore, the present study highlighted significant research findings and policy support in the direction of exploring the real yield potential of pulses. It will provide a road map to producers, researchers, policymakers, and government planners working on pulses to promote them in rainfed agroecosystems to achieve the United Nations (UN's) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Hydrothermal treatment of plastic waste within a circular economy perspective

Concentration of plastic waste is increasing rapidly in the environment posing serious threats to the lives of all species and emerging ecological instability. Increased consumption of plastic goods, the ability to generate high revenue, and less availability of recycling methods shift the focus on the plastic economy. Various strategies have been employed to mitigate this problem but the conversion of plastic waste to energy-rich fuels is more promising and can be more supportive in the future. Mechanical recycling, incineration, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal treatment are the conversion technologies that have been adopted over the passage of time for energy production applications. For the success of all these waste to energy technologies, they need to reduce their capital costs and generate some additional revenues may be in form of fuels or other by-products. Thus the circular economy approach can be used to solve the increasing waste problem and to moderate the increasing energy demand by the conversation of waste into energy. In this article details, discussion has been carried out on all the waste to energy conversion technologies in the context of circular economy perspective by highlighting the important research gaps to solidify the new directions for future studies.

“The sparrow loves millet, but labors not”: Energy use and infrastructure in the Senegal Valley, 1450-1760

ABSTRACT This article examines the history of precolonial energy use in the Senegal Valley from 1450–1760, showing how the Wolof kingdoms developed technologically sophisticated systems of energy use to construct an infrastructure of what I call ‘organic refineries’. As co-constructed sites of energy use, technological innovation, and material production, the organic refineries of the Senegal Valley relied on the expertise of peasant farmers, the labor of enslaved workers, and the fertility of arable land to endure long periods of drought and political instability during the era of the transatlantic slave trade. In centering the history of premodern energy use within an African context, this study demonstrates how energy use was not solely confined to the factories, blast furnaces, and coal refineries associated with the proto-industrial economies of the West. The precolonial populations of the Senegal Valley, I argue, developed and deployed a wide range of technical skills, expertise, and systems of labor that coalesced into a resilient infrastructure of agrarian energy systems. These energy regimes enabled them to withstand ecological instability – droughts, locust plagues, and food scarcity – and to compete for control over networks of commercial exchange.

Determination of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in Soil and Plant Due to Husbandry Farming in Parit Rasipan Drainage System

Nutrient flow into waterways and soils has rapidly causing eutrophication, which causes ecological instability, dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion, extinction of aquatic species, and perhaps public health risks. Therefore, this study focuses on the determination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) in soil and plants in the Parit Rasipan drainage system due to the livestock farming area. The water quality of the drainage system is being monitored. Soil and plant at the study area have been collected bygrid sampling method at 4 sampling points on wet and dry seasons for N determination using APHA 4500 NORG-B and PK using US EPA 6010B (ICP OES) methods, respectively. In addition, water quality has been monitored in situ for pH, DO, and temperature by a HI 98192 HANNA multiparameter instrument, while water samples were collected and analyzed for selected parameters including total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) using the HACH DR6000 Spectrophotometer and potassium (K) by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).The results of this study show that the concentrations of TN (3380–6290 mg/kg), TP (450-820 mg / kg) and K (381–931 mg/kg) in the soil are classified as moderate to very high. Due to the high concentration, TN (5270–6870 mg/kg), TP (262-769 mg / kg) and K (10200–16200 mg/kg) concentrations in plants are also high. For water quality monitoring, the data shows (pH 6.1-6.4), (DO 0.8–1.1 mg/L), and (temperature 26.6-29.2 ̊C) both in wet and dry seasons. The concentrations of TN, TP and K (average ± s.d)concentrations in water during the wet season are (TN 43 ± 1mg/L), (TP 0.4 ± 1mg/L) and (K 3.9 ± 0.2mg/L) while during the dry season are (TN 49 ± 1mg/L), (TP 0.7 ± 1mg/L) and (K 4.2 ± 0.2mg/L). In conclusion, from the analysis of the results, the Parit Rasipan drainage system has a high level of NPK in both the wet and dry seasons due to the livestock activities in the area.

Machine learning and network analysis of the gut microbiome from patients with schizophrenia and non-psychiatric subject controls reveal behavioral risk factors and bacterial interactions

Recent findings have supported an association between deviations in gut microbiome composition and schizophrenia. However, the extent to which the gut microbiota contributes to schizophrenia remains unclear. Moreover, studies have yet to explore variations in ecological associations among bacterial types in subjects with schizophrenia, which can reveal differences in community interactions and gut stability. We examined the dataset collected by Nguyen et al. (2021) to investigate the similarities and differences in gut microbial constituents between 48 subjects with schizophrenia and 48 matched non-psychiatric comparison cases. We re-analyzed alpha- and beta-diversity differences and completed modified differential abundance analyses and confirmed the findings of Nguyen et al. (2021) that there was little variation in alpha-diversity but significant differences in beta-diversity between individuals with schizophrenia and non-psychiatric subjects. We also conducted mediation analysis, developed a machine learning (ML) model to predict schizophrenia, and completed network analysis to examine community-level interactions among bacterial taxa. Our study offers new insights, suggesting that the gut microbiome mediates the effects between schizophrenia and smoking status, BMI, anxiety score, and depression score. Our differential abundance and network analysis findings suggest that the differential abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae taxa fosters a decrease in stabilizing competitive interactions in the gut microbiome of subjects with schizophrenia. Loss of this competition may promote ecological instability and dysbiosis, altering gut-brain axis interactions in these subjects.