Ecological Issues Research Articles

Non-green ecological conservation: right-wing ecology in contemporary Germany

ABSTRACT After the rise and mainstreaming of the modern ecological movement, the right-wing ecological ideology has not gradually died out, and right-wing ecologists are still very active today. They not only actively participate in ecological debates and activities, but also combine their ideological concepts with practice, and focus on right-wing land grabbing in rural areas. As ecological issues tend to blur the boundaries between political camps, right-wing ecological conservation in ‘green’ garb is extremely misleading and harmful, and therefore needs to be studied in depth. Firstly, this article analyses the ideological basis of right-wing ecology in contemporary Germany from three aspects: historical view, human view and worldview. Secondly, by analyzing the basic positions of right-wing ecologists in the three main fields of ecological conservation, namely species protection, animal protection, green genetic engineering and organic agriculture, and their specific modes of action, this article identifies the motives of the right-wing ecologists’ participation in ecological conservation in terms of historical reasons and practical needs, and analyses the characteristics of their argumentation. Finally, on the basis of the above research, this article specifies the essential differences between right-wing ecological conservation and modern, civilized and scientific ecological conservation and its harms.

Dalit Echoes, Green Stories: Understanding the Caste-Environment Nexus in South Indian Raps

The southernmost Indian state of Kerala has recently experienced a massive engagement with rap music, unlike another region in the global south. These raps have been at the forefront of addressing social, ecological, and political issues. In India, caste is a significant social, political, and ecological issue that greatly hinders cultural sustainability. Caste, a deeply ingrained social hierarchy, significantly influences access to natural resources, living conditions, and environmental health, perpetuating social inequalities. Though caste and nature are interwoven inextricably, their discussions in the academic space are limited. However, discussions on the ecology of caste have found their space in the rap music of Kerala. This paper focuses on how this new-age digital manifestation explores human and intra-human relationships within the context of caste and has generated a discourse of resistance in the process of reclaiming Dalit rights and agency as ecological beings. The theoretical framework of Dalit hip hop ecology devised through the integration of ‘hip hop ecologies’ and ‘Dalit ecologies’ aids in conceptualising the relationship between caste, environment, and rap music. This brings in a new dimension of reading Dalit environmental politics through the lens of music, exploring its resistive and transformative potential as these raps not only reflect but also challenge and resist caste-based environmental injustices.

The Construction of Chinese Ecological Discourse Power from the Multimodal Translation Perspective: A Case Study of the Documentary Amazing China

The global contest for discourse power over environmental and ecological issues has a long history, with nations vying to establish their own paths in the global competition for a voice on ecological civilization. Ecological documentary, by virtue of its authenticity, narrative feature, and communicative superiority, has emerged as effective vehicles for constructing ecological discourse. This paper, focusing on the documentary Amazing China, examines China's efforts in building its ecological discourse power through a multimodal translation perspective. It not only dissects the multimodal relationships and translation strategies employed in Amazing China, but also analyzes the constructed ecological discourse of China presented in Amazing China from three dimensions: the practices of China’s ecological civilization construction, the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and the concept of a community of life. This study contributes a fresh perspective to the creation of ecological documentaries and the advancement of multimodal translation theory, while also offering new insights into establishing China's ecological discourse power.

Beyond anthropocentrism: A Watsujian ecological ethic

ABSTRACT In this article, an ecological ethic is developed from the ethical philosophy and environmental phenomenology of the Japanese ethicist Watsuji Tetsurō. More specially, it is illustrated that reading Watsuji’s ethics and concept of fūdo (風土) in tangent and drawing out the implications of his ontology of emptiness, provides the means to overcome the ecological issue of anthropocentrism. The ecological ethic developed here also goes beyond Watsuji’s account by criticising his focus on land and advocates the importance of the sea for environmental ethics. Not only is it argued that a fully functional ecological ethic must account for all habitats, but that the sea can be seen to be more fundamental than the land in the formation of Watsuji’s concept of fūdo.

Why do people purchase plant-based meat products from retail stores? Examining consumer preferences, motivations and drivers

Plant-based meats (PBMs) are being projected as novel and sustainable alternative protein sources amid rising ecological and health issues associated with traditional meat production and consumption. Notably, the plant-based meat retail market is at its nascence stage, and there remains a dire need to comprehend the meat-eater's perceived green values, attitudes, and intentions towards PBM for its commercial success. To discern the complex psychological mechanism of meat eaters' perceptions toward PBM, the current study aims to extend and integrate the theory of consumption values (TCV) and the theory of value-attitude-behavior (VAB) in the PBM context. Partial least square-based structural equation modelling was used to analyze cross-sectional data collected from a sample comprising 458 meat eaters approached through the mall intercept technique. Consumers' green perceived values (GPV) emerged as a vital background factor in influencing consumers' involvement and attitude towards PBMs. Also, consumers' involvement showed a significant partial mediating effect between their GPV and attitude towards PBM. Further, consumers' attitudes towards PBM displayed a relatively substantial positive impact on addition intention compared to replacement intention. This study provides retailers with a nuanced understanding of the value proposition of PBMs through the lens of green consumption values, which may facilitate the value-based positioning of PBM products. Further, it may help policymakers project PBMs as a novel alternative to traditional meat, which can potentially address consumers' ecological (e.g., carbon emissions, excessive land and water usage) and health concerns associated with conventional meat production and consumption.

Impact of land-use change on ecological vulnerability in the Yellow River Basin based on a complex network model

The Yellow River Basin in China, which is characterized by significant soil erosion and arid to semi-arid conditions, has experienced severe ecological issues due to prolonged excessive development and land-use changes. Studies on ecosystem vulnerability have become a major basis for supporting the sustainable and healthy development of watershed ecosystems. Based on the land-use data of 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, this study used a complex network model to identify the key types of land-use transformation in the Yellow River Basin. The cascade failure model was used to evaluate the impact of land-use transformation on ecological vulnerability in the Yellow River Basin of China. The land-use changes in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020 exhibit significant heterogeneity in both quantity and direction. Among them, the total area of agricultural land showed a downward trend as a whole, and the area rebounded slightly from 2000 to 2015. The growth trend of construction land area is obvious, with a year-on-year increase of 46.81 % in 20 years. Through network identification, we found that ecological land types such as forest, grassland, and dryland are the primary factors contributing to land area outflow. Conversely, artificial land types including urban land, rural residential land, and other built-up land predominantly serve as factors for land area inflow. The Yellow River Basin experiences frequent land-use transitions, resulting in the poor stability of the land transfer network. However, the study reveals that the ecosystem service value increases as the areas of paddy fields, dryland, urban land, rural residential land, and bare land decrease; this trend contributes to mitigating ecological vulnerability. To ensure the overall stability of the ecosystem and implement healthy and sustainable development, the maximum reduction in the areas of dryland, forest, paddy, and grass should be limited to 40 %, 30 %, 50 %, and 50 %, respectively, in future planning and design processes. In conclusion, the land-use transformation in the Yellow River Basin of China has profound implications for ecological vulnerability. The research findings can provide valuable references for future ecological research on areas facing similar challenges in protecting ecological fragility.

Enhancing Sustainable Development Goal Integration in Chilean Citizenship Education: A Thematic Analysis of Textbook Content and Instructional Strategies

This study examines the integration level of the three dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (social, economic, and environmental) in Chilean citizenship education textbooks for third and fourth grades’ students in high schools, aiming to identify gaps and propose a comprehensive model for thematic instruction. Utilizing the citizenship education student textbook designed by the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the San Sebastián University in Chile, this research employs thematic analysis to assess the representation of the SDGs within the educational content. The results reveal a positive aspect: the textbooks showcase all three SDG dimensions, highlighting their potential to foster comprehensive SDG comprehension. However, the emphasis predominantly lies on social inclusion, with economic and environmental dimensions receiving less attention. This imbalance could impede the provision of holistic sustainability education, especially as critical ecological issues and certain goals (SDGs 2, 7, 12, 14, and 15) remain under-represented. The proposed thematic instruction model merges sustainability with citizenship education through concept mapping, structured lesson plans, and active collaboration, enhancing SDG literacy. This research contributes to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by providing a comprehensive framework that transforms sustainability education globally, cultivating knowledgeable and proactive individuals prepared to address and resolve pressing global challenges.

ChemFREE: a one-stop comprehensive platform for ecological and environmental risk evaluation of chemicals in one health world.

Addressing health and safety crises stemming from various environmental and ecological issues is a core focus of One Health (OH), which aims to balance and optimize the health of humans, animals, and the environment. While many chemicals contribute significantly to our quality of life when properly used, others pose environmental and ecological health risks. Recently, assessing the ecological and environmental risks associated with chemicals has gained increasing significance in the OH world. In silico models may address time-consuming and costly challenges, and fill gaps in situations where no experimental data is available. However, despite their significant contributions, these assessment models are not web-integrated, leading to user inconvenience. In this study, we developed a one-stop comprehensive web platform for freely evaluating the eco-environmental risk of chemicals, named ChemFREE (Chemical Formula Risk Evaluation of Eco-environment, available in http://chemfree.agroda.cn/chemfree/). Inputting SMILES string of chemicals, users will obtain the assessment outputs of ecological and environmental risk, etc. A performance evaluation of 2935 external chemicals revealed that most classification models achieved an accuracy rate above 0.816. Additionally, the $Q_{F1}^2$metric for regression models ranges from 0.618 to 0.898. Therefore, it will facilitate the eco-environmental risk evaluation of chemicals in the OH world.

Selective Upcycling of Polyethylene over Ru/H-ZSM-5 Bifunctional Catalyst into High-Quality Liquid Fuel at Mild Conditions.

It has been known that plastics with undegradability and long half-times have caused serious environmental and ecological issues. Considering the devastating effects, the development of efficient plastic upcycling technologies with low energy consumption is absolutely imperative. Catalytic hydrogenolysis of single-use polyethylene over Ru-based catalysts to produce high-quality liquid fuel has been one of the current top priority strategies, but it is restricted by some tough challenges, such as the tendency towards methanation resulting from terminal C-C cleavage. Herein, we introduced Ru nanoparticles supported on hollow ZSM-5 zeolite (Ru/H-ZSM-5) for hydrocracking of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) under mild reaction conditions. The implication of experimental results is that the 1Ru/H-ZSM-5 (~1 wt % Ru) acted as an effective and reusable bifunctional catalyst providing higher conversion rate (82.53 %) and liquid fuel (C5-C21) yield (62.87 %). Detailed characterization demonstrated that the optimal performance in hydrocracking of PE could be attributed to the moderate acidity and appropriate positively charged Ru species resulting from the metal-zeolite interaction. This work proposes a promising catalyst for plastic upcycling and reveals its structure-performance relationship, which has guiding significance for catalyst design to improve the yield of high-value liquid fuels.

Hidden invasiveness of non-native Schlegel's Japanese gecko (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) and three-way competition among natives and non-natives in Japan.

In this study, we investigated the invasiveness of Gekko japonicus, a prevalent gecko species in Japan and an ancient non-native species, focusing on its competition with both the undescribed endemic Gekko species (referred to as Nishiyamori in Japanese) and G. hokouensis. These species are co-distributed with G. japonicus, leading us to hypothesize that G. japonicus was invasive upon its initial introduction. We employed niche analysis and population genetics through ddRAD-seq to assess the historical invasiveness of G. japonicus by comparing regions with and without interspecies competition. Our niche analysis across the Goto Islands, Hiradojima Island (colonized by G. japonicus) and the Koshikishima Islands (not colonized by G. japonicus) indicated that endemic Gekko sp. alter their microhabitat usage in response to invasions by other gecko species, despite having similar suitable habitats and microhabitat preferences. Population genetic analysis revealed significant population declines in Gekko sp. within areas of introduced competition, in contrast to stable populations in areas without such competition. These findings suggest a tripartite competitive relationship among the gecko species, with G. japonicus and G. hokouensis invasions restricting the distribution of the endemic Gekko sp. Consequently, G. japonicus may have historically acted as an invasive species. Acknowledging the historical dynamics of current biodiversity is crucial for addressing complex ecological issues and making informed conservation decisions.

Language Maintenance and Shift in Multilingual Ecologies: A Case Study of Ethnic Minorities in Yunnan

This study aims to address the phenomenon of language maintenance and shift in multilingual ecologies, specifically the ethnic minority communities of Yunnan province in China. The case study focuses on language ecological issues, i.e., language use, language shift, and language preservation, which resulted from language contact and cultural contact between the dominant Chinese communities and the inferior minorities across the region of Yunnan. The smaller language groups have been overlooked in favour of the larger competing languages in previous research concerning linguistic dynamics in Yunnan. By analyzing and evaluating at language competency levels, usage patterns, and skill sets among speakers from the Chinese communities, this paper seeks to restate this omission. Through the integration of language ecology approaches, the survey on everyday use of language, attitudes and transition from questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively pertaining to the impact of evolving sociodemographic factors on language retention and change in the context of Chinese communities. In this study, data regarding linguistic habits were gathered by a questionnaire survey, skill levels, and repertoires within these communities. As part of the research approach, sociolinguistic background data, language repertoires, language usage patterns, and attitudes toward various languages were all examined. The study utilized qualitative data that was collected through semi-structured interviews through the Zoom online platform and direct observations. The research illustrated the dynamic relationship between individual agency and social cause that shapes language attitudes and behaviors of different actors. It is hoped that the research findings contribute to the understanding of linguistic diversity in China, particularly in contemporary multilingual settings which may serve as concrete evidence for policymakers to revitalize ehnic minority languages. The research implies that language change on the formation of individual, group and collective identity, social cohesion within a community, and cultural heritage preservation.

INSIGHTS INTO MICROPLASTICS POLLUTION IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM: A SHORT REVIEW OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS METHODS

The prevalence of microplastics in the environment and their potential adverse impacts on wildlife and human well-being make them a pressing global ecological issue. The objective of this review is to provide better understanding prevalence and distribution of microplastics, factors influencing their concentration and transport, the sampling technique and polymer identification analysis used in various studies and future research needs. The identification of microplastic polymer types is also explored, including techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. It also points out the many types of sampling equipment and materials, as well as sample preparation and analysis. Sampling method and polymer identification analysis of microplastics may vary on the circumstances of the location and question of the research. Suitable and standardize for both methods should be prioritized to ensure reliable and precise collection of data regarding the microplastic in river and estuarine.

Eco-Islam: Integrating Islamic Ethics into Environmental Policy for Sustainable Living

This article explores the ecological ethics of Islam, grounded in the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, and their relevance to contemporary environmental challenges. It examines the guiding principles provided by Islamic teachings for the relationship between humans and the rest of creation, emphasizing stewardship, moderation, justice, and compassion. The paper discusses how these principles can be revitalized through education, integrated into modern environmental policies to address global ecological issues. By highlighting the intrinsic value of all creation and the moral responsibility of humans as stewards of the earth, the study underscores the potential of Islamic ecological ethics to contribute significantly to environmental protection and sustainable development. The research methodology includes qualitative and content analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the application of these principles. The findings suggest that Islamic teachings offer valuable insights and solutions for achieving harmony with nature and addressing pressing environmental concerns.

Dynamics of Land use and Land cover in the Belitung Island, Indonesia

Belitung Island, situated in the Southeast Asian tin belt, experiences substantial transformations in land use and land cover (LULC) driven by mining activities, impacting both local economic growth and the ecosystem. This study aims to elucidate the dynamic LULC changes on Belitung Island and evaluate deforestation trends. LULC data spanning from 1990 to 2020 were acquired from The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), employing supervised classification of satellite imageries. The dataset demonstrated an overall accuracy ranging from 0.79 to 0.92 and was reclassified into six types based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC's classes, encompassing forest, cropland, grassland, other land, settlements, and wetlands. Our research unveiled a notable reduction of over 25 % in forest cover within the past 30 years. Notably, 2020 exhibited instances of reforestation, which subsequently transformed into cropland (0.57 %), grassland (0.32 %), and other lands (0.39 %). Belitung Island grapples with challenges related to sustainable development, environmental conservation, and food security. Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) emerges as a potential strategy to address some of the socioeconomic and ecological issues.

Eco Criticism: Exploring the Interplay between Literature and Environment

Eco-criticism is a multidisciplinary field that delves into the intricate interplay between literature and the environment. This paper examines that how literary works, spanning various genres and periods, reflect and shape our perceptions of nature and ecological issues. By analyzing the portrayal of landscapes, animals, and the natural world in literature, eco-critics shed light on humanity's relationship with the environment and the consequences of our actions. This field recognizes that literature has the power to influence our environmental consciousness and inspire change by fostering empathy, raising awareness, and challenging dominant narratives. Eco-criticism not only explores the ecological themes and motifs present in literary texts but also consider the socio-political contexts within which these works were produced. This paper delves into the key principles and contributions of Eco criticism, highlighting its significance in today's environmental discourse. As eco criticism critically examines the diverse ways in which humans perceive and interact with the natural world it also sheds light on the spectrum of human-nature relationships, ranging from domination and exploitation to harmonious coexistence. This paper also emphasizes the importance of understanding the environmental implications of literature and promotes sustainable and harmonious interactions with nature through its critical analysis.

God Bless the Grass”: The Environmental Songs of Malvina Reynolds

The American folk singer and activist Malvina Reynolds (1900-1978) was truly instrumental in spreading awareness of environmental and ecological issues through her songs. Reynolds only began composing in her forties and performing in her fifties, but soon made a name for herself, starting in the early 1960s, with her topical protest songs touching on a range of issues, most notably the environment. Her compositions have been covered and popularized by folk and pop giants such as Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte and many others. This paper will focus on her most well-known ecological songs: God Bless the Grass, What Have They Done to the Rain, Little Boxes, etc. With her white hair and granny glasses, Reynolds did not at all fit the image of the beatnik folk singer of the 1950s or the hippie movement which followed. She did, however, pioneer the embracing of environmental protection as an important theme in folk music and popular culture in general.

CFPG: Creating a Common Fungal Pathogenic Genes Database through Data Mining

Fu ngal pathogenicity is one of the most vigorously tackled ecological and medicinal issues facing many scientists. Comparative genomics is an extremely important methodology and tool used to understand fungal pathogenicity, and it allows the development of early diagnostic tools for fungal-inflicted diseases across different host organisms. However, comparative genomics depends heavily on readily available fungal pathogenic gene databases to enable downstream genomics study and the development of new diagnosis and detection methods. Here, we have developed the Common Fungal Pathogenic Genes Database through comparative genomic analysis using 86 publicly available fungal genomic data against fungal pathogenicity-related databases, such as Pathogenic-Host Interaction Database (PHI-base), Carbohydrate-Active enZymes Database (CAZy), and Database of Fungal Virulence Factory (DFVF).

Development Strategy of Rural Revitalization from the Perspective of Social Innovation: A Case Study of Jiyingweigong in Xiamen

Rural revitalization, as one of Chinas important development strategies, has attracted widespread attention in recent years. The Jiyingweigong project in Gangtou Village, Xiamen, takes public welfare as its core, creating a micro-ecosystem where public welfare and business interact, successfully activating the overall development of Gangtou Village. Based on the theory of social innovation design, this study summarizes the research path of social innovation design driving sustainable development of rural revitalization through the combing and summarizing of classic rural innovation cases. By applying the method of social innovation design, this study deeply analyzes the development strategy and effect of Gangtou Village. Social innovation design thinking, as one of the engines driving social change, plays a key role in rural revitalization. It is concluded that social innovation design, as a concept of transformative innovation, can systematically and reasonably address economic, cultural, ecological, and other issues in rural areas in both theory and practice, helping local areas to obtain sustainable endogenous power.

A Comparative Study of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) Change Detection: A Case Study of Tehsil Babuzai, Swat (Pakistan)

Tehsil Babuzai, District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has experienced a fast population increase, substantially influencing land use and land cover (LULC), raising ecological and environmental issues. This study examines changes in LULC between 2001 and 2020 using US Geological Survey (USGS) satellite images. The paper analyses six primary land cover classes: farmland, built-up area, woodland, water bodies, rangeland, and barren Land using maximum likelihood supervised classification. The findings show a significant rise in rangeland (from 49.1% to 53.7%), built-up areas (from 8.5% to 13.7%), and barren Land (from 5.1% to 11.1%). On the other hand, there is a noticeable decline in the number of water bodies (from 2.1% to 1.6%), agriculture (from 21.2% to 12.2%), and forest cover (from 13.7% to 7.5%). These alterations underscore the detrimental consequences of urban growth on the area's natural resources, demanding prompt and deliberate planning to protect the ecosystem and guarantee sustainable development. This research is crucial for understanding land use changes' dynamics and impacts, providing valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners. It highlights the need for sustainable land management practices to mitigate adverse environmental effects and promote balanced regional development.

Nature, ideology, and the ecocritical enterprise: Wangari Maathai’s The Green Belt Movement and Nadine Gordimer’s Get a Life

The dominant knowledge about African environments informed by Western literature—scientific reports, travelogues, memoirs, journalism, and fiction—has constructed an image of Africa as a pristine wilderness of exotic biodiversity on the verge of destruction due to Africa’s ignorance-based environmental culture. Contrary to this, Wangari Maathai’s and Nadine Gordimer’s environmental discourse, in The Green Belt Movement (2003) and Get a Life (2005), respectively, reveal Africa’s environmental decline as the direct consequence of the long history of colonial and capitalist exploitation of its natural resources, and the transformation of its environment into a resource base for industrial production. Drawing on the theoretical concepts of post-colonial ecocriticism, this article argues that environmental representations are mediated by the ideological configurations that generate them. Consequently, Maathai’s and Gordimer’s environmental discourse repudiates the dominant knowledge of African environments, offering alternative ways of engaging with its ecological issues while highlighting the dangers of capitalist resource exploitation on Africans’ environments, lives, and livelihoods. The image of the environment, in their works, ties politics and ecology together, providing an understanding of how the environment enables a rethinking of socio-political justice in dealing with Africa’s ecological crisis. (This article is published in the thematic collection ‘African ecologies: literary, cultural and religious perspectives’, edited by Adriaan von Klinken, Simon Manda, Damaris Parsitau and Abel Ugba.)