Ecosystem Management Research Articles

Seasonal hypoxia enhances sediment iron-bound phosphorus release in a subtropical river reservoir.

Dams worldwide commonly accelerate the eutrophication of reservoirs. While the seasonal hypoxia in deep reservoirs is widely acknowledged, there is limited research on its impact on benthic phosphorus (P) cycling and P fraction release from the reservoir sediments. Here we show that seasonal hypoxia enhances sediment P release and P fluxes at the sediment-water interface (SWI) which might alter P dynamics in deep reservoirs. We conducted a detailed measurement of sediment P fractions through the SEDEX approach, combined with a labile P gradient analysis using the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique to understand P cycling patterns in sediments during the transition period from spring (oxic) to late summer (hypoxic) conditions. The sediment P pool was predominantly composed of iron-bound phosphorus (FeP, 76-80 %), primarily due to the widespread occurrence of lateritic red soil (rich in Fe2O3/MnO2) in subtropical areas. More organic-P was observed in summer compared to spring. A significant increase in labile P occurred at the depth of 0-4 cm and 0-1 cm in spring and summer, respectively, where sediment P release was primarily governed by the reduction of FeP and the generation of S2-. A higher apparent fluxes of phosphate across the SWI were observed in summer characterized by higher temperature and lower oxygen levels. The current results suggest that seasonal hypoxia was a crucial factor affecting P cycling and diffusion in deep reservoirs. These findings present important implications for the ecology and management of the watershed-coast ecosystem.

Spatial distribution and assembly processes of bacterial communities in riverine and coastal ecosystems of a rapidly urbanizing megacity in China.

Rapid urbanization has precipitated significant anthropogenic pollution (nutrients and pathogens) in urban rivers and their receiving systems, which consequentially disrupted the compositions and assembly of bacterial community within these ecosystems. However, there remains scarce information regarding the composition and assembly of both planktonic and benthic bacterial communities as well as pathogen distribution in such environments. In this study, full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to investigate the bacterial community composition, interactions, and assembly processes as well as the distribution of potential pathogens along a riverine-coastal continuum in Shenzhen megacity, China. The results indicated that both riverine and coastal bacterial communities were predominantly composed of Gammaproteobacteria (24.8±12.6%), Alphaproteobacteria (16.1±9.8%), and Bacteroidota (14.3±8.6%), while sedimentary bacterial communities exhibited significantly higher diversity compared to their planktonic counterparts. Bacterial community patterns exhibited significant divergences across different habitats, and a significant distance-decay relationship of bacterial community similarity was particularly observed within the urban river ecosystem. Moreover, the urban river ecosystem displayed a more complex bacterial co-occurrence network than the coastal ecosystem, and a low ratio of negative:positive cohesion suggested the inherent instability of these networks. Homogeneous selection and dispersal limitation emerged as the predominant influences on planktonic and sedimentary bacterial communities, respectively. Pathogenic genera such as Vibrio, Bacteroides, and Acinetobacter, known for their roles in foodborne diseases or wound infection, were also identified. Collectively, these findings provided critical insights into bacterial community dynamics and their implications for ecosystem management and pathogen risk control in riverine and coastal environments impacted by rapid urbanization.

Organic Agriculture in Turkey and the World

Organic agriculture is an alternative production system that supports soil structure, fertility and conservation by protecting the ecological balance, using biological control methods against diseases and pests; based on the sustainability of living life, aiming for the highest yield with the maximum use of natural energy resources. In this context, it covers a different production process from conventional agriculture. While intensive input applications in conventional agriculture aim for the highest yield, organic agriculture prioritizes sustainability. Sustainable agriculture is defined as an agricultural practice that protects soil, water and biodiversity while meeting food, energy and natural resource needs. To ensure that organic agriculture contributes to sustainability goals, organic regulations need to focus more on environmental and best practices. Increasing demands day by day have positively affected the sustainability of organic agriculture. The common feature of most of the definitions of organic agriculture is that the products should be produced in accordance with the basic standards and that every stage from the land to the table is regularly controlled. The fact that every stage of organic agriculture is audited and documented, and that the practices operate in accordance with legal procedures are other noteworthy elements. These legal procedures provide protection at many points. Organic agriculture is not only limited to safe food production to protect human health; it is also an agricultural and ecosystem management that is environmentally friendly, effective in reducing ecological pollution, protection of water resources, prevention of erosion, protection of biodiversity, agricultural sustainability and agricultural development.

Spatial response of urban land use intensity to ecological networks: a case study of Xi'an Metropolitan Region, China.

In the face of the persistent degradation of ecological environments and fragmentation of ecological networks brought about by rapid urbanization, this study focuses on examining the interaction between urban land use intensity and ecological networks in the Xi'an Metropolitan Region (XAMR), China, and their impact on ecological equilibrium and sustainable development. By comprehensively evaluating the changes in land use intensity in XAMR from 2010 to 2020, the aim is to underscore the pivotal role of ecological networks in maintaining urban ecological balance and promoting sustainable development. The findings indicate a transition in land use intensity in the XAMR from low to high concentration, reflecting an intensification in land resource utilization during urbanization. However, the establishment and management of ecological networks can significantly enhance urban ecological security and biodiversity. Notably, this research identified crucial ecological corridors and source areas, augmenting the connectivity of urban green infrastructure and providing vital support for urban biodiversity. Additionally, a significant finding of this study is the spatial spillover effects generated by socioeconomic factors such as the proportion of tertiary and secondary industries and per capita GDP through the ecological network, which have profound impacts on land use intensity in the surrounding areas. These insights offer a novel understanding of the complex interactions within urban ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of incorporating ecological network construction in urban planning. Overall, through a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the ecological network and land use intensity in the XAMR, this study proposes new directions for urban ecosystem management and land use planning, highlighting the significance of scientific ecological network planning and management in achieving long-term sustainable development in urbanization processes.

Warming and shifts in litter quality drive multiple responses in freshwater detritivore communities

Aquatic detritivores are highly sensitive to changes in temperature and leaf litter quality caused by increases in atmospheric CO2. While impacts on detritivores are evident at the organismal and population level, the mechanisms shaping ecological communities remain unclear. Here, we conducted field and laboratory experiments to examine the interactive effects of changes in leaf litter quality, due to increasing atmospheric CO2, and warming, on detritivore survival (at both organismal and community levels) and detritus consumption rates. Detritivore community consisted of the collector-gathering Polypedilum (Chironomidae), the scraper and facultative filtering-collector Atalophlebiinae (Leptophlebiidae), and Calamoceratidae (Trichoptera), a typical shredder. Our findings reveal intricate responses across taxonomic levels. At the organismal level, poor-quality leaf litter decreased survivorship of Polypedilum and Atalophlebiinae. We observed taxon-specific responses to warming, with varying effects on growth and consumption rates. Notably, species interactions (competition, facilitation) might have mediated detritivore responses to climate stressors, influencing community dynamics. While poor-quality leaf litter and warming independently affected detritivore larvae abundance of Atalophebiinae and Calamoceratidae, their combined effects altered detritus consumption and emergence of adults of Atalophlebiinae. Furthermore, warming influenced species abundances differently, likely exacerbating intraspecific competition in some taxa while accelerating development in others. Our study underscores the importance of considering complex ecological interactions in predicting the impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystem functioning. Understanding these emergent properties contributes to a better understanding of how detritivore communities may respond to future environmental conditions, providing valuable insights for ecosystem management and conservation efforts.

Sustainable water–ecosystem management using the Bayesian network and variable relationship analysis

ABSTRACT Under the pressures of global climate change and human activities, the carrying capacity of water and soil resources in agricultural lands has decreased, and the traditional models of agricultural development are no longer sustainable. Land degradation, groundwater quality reduction and ecosystem instability are the consequences of agricultural development without considering sustainability indicators. This article aims to investigate the use of variable relationship analysis and Bayesian network methods to analyze and investigate the relationship between irrigation in agriculture and the sustainability of the groundwater ecosystem. Descriptive statistics of agriculture including cultivation pattern, time, precipitation, irrigation, and land slope were analyzed and combined with the simulated characteristics of groundwater including specific yield, hydraulic conductivity and hydrodynamic diffusion coefficients. Five crops of wheat, barley, paddy, alfalfa, and potato were studied to evaluate the effect of plants on the pattern of nitrate release due to irrigation and fertilization in agriculture. The results showed that managing the amount of fertilizer and the volume of irrigation can positively affect the nitrate distribution pattern in the groundwater even in a short period of time.

Spatiotemporal changes and drivers of ecological security based on an improved ecological footprint model: The case of Hubei Province, China

Abstract The increasing contradiction between resource supply and demand has brought ecological security (ES) to the forefront. Research on the changes of ES pattern and their driving factors is crucial for coordinating the regional ecological and economic development. Hubei Province in China exhibits uneven distribution of resources and a fragile ecological environment. In this study, an improved ecological footprint (EF) model was employed to analyze the changes in the ES pattern of Hubei Province. And the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) model was introduced to analyze the corresponding driving factors. The results showed that (1) from 2000 to 2020, the ecological footprint per capita (ef), the ecological carrying capacity per capita (ecc), and the ecological deficit per capita (ed) of Hubei Province increased by 47.11%, 2.71%, and 51.72%, respectively. In 2020, the cities in the province were in a state of ecological deficit (ED), and the spatial distribution was "high in the central part of the province and low in the east and west". (2) Each ef type showed an increasing trend. The increase in ef mostly came from the increase in fisheries ef, fossil energy ef and cropland ef, with a contribution of 76.70%. The increase in ecc is mainly due to the increase in freshwater ecc, with a contribution of 274.87%. (3) The ecological pressure in the province continued to rise and has been in a state of being completely unsafe. The efficiency of ecological resource use has increased, and the ecological structure tends to be rationalized, but the ecological-economic coordination has weakened. (4) The overall EF growth in the province is mostly driven by economic, population and footprint structure factors, while footprint intensity suppresses EF growth. Therefore, it's advised to boost investment in eco-friendly tech, foster green economy growth, and prioritize renewable energy development. This study can provide a reference basis for policy formulation on environmental sustainability and ecosystem management.

An Examination of the Ways in Which Transdisciplinary Research Could Be Used to Incentivize Local Communities to Combat the Illegal Wildlife Trade

The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is currently one of the most critical conservation concerns, given its direct impact on biodiversity loss, endangering local ecosystems, and adding pressure to all species at a point when they face dangers like deforestation and mass extinctions. This industry also significantly impacts local communities, many of which are compelled to engage in it as a result of their precarious socioeconomic conditions. While effective countermeasures to this global issue have been identified, successful implementation of these countermeasures require diverse disciplines and collaborators. This paper argues that a transdisciplinary approach that converges knowledge and skills from social and socioecological fields of study is required to develop strategies that effectively incentivize communities to combat the IWT. This is true because A) at the social level, criminal justice is needed for the retraining and participation in law enforcement efforts to mitigate support for poaching; B) at the socio-ecological level, environmental economics and ecosystem management are needed for the validation of community assets and profitable management of local wildlife; and C) ecology and business administration are needed for the implementation of conservation initiatives like ecotourism. This paper not only presents the implementation of a transdisciplinary approach but also details the most important disciplines needed, provides a review of the correlation between this industry and the locals who live in close proximity to wildlife and conservation areas, and proposes workable recommendations to supporting initiatives that combat the IWT and serve as pillars for sustainable action. Without adopting and reinforcing the position argued for in this research, the IWT would continue to pose a threat to local ecosystems, populations, and economies. This is a major risk to global sustainability and will exacerbate the loss of biodiversity that is already recognized as an imminent threat by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Enhancing Soil Moisture Forecasting Accuracy with REDF-LSTM: Integrating Residual En-Decoding and Feature Attention Mechanisms

This study introduces an innovative deep learning model, Residual-EnDecode-Feedforward Attention Mechanism-Long Short-Term Memory (REDF-LSTM), designed to overcome the high uncertainty challenges faced by traditional soil moisture prediction methods. The REDF-LSTM model, by integrating a residual learning encoder–decoder LSTM layer, enhanced LSTM layers, and feedforward attention, not only captures the deep features of time series data but also optimizes the model’s ability to identify key influencing factors, including land surface features, atmospheric conditions, and other static environmental variables. Unlike existing methods, the innovation of this model lies in its first-time combination of the residual learning encoder–decoder and feedforward attention mechanisms in the soil moisture prediction field. It delves into the complex patterns of time series through the encoder–decoder structure and accurately locates key influencing factors through the feedforward attention mechanism, significantly improving predictive performance. The choice to combine the feedforward attention mechanism and encoder–decoder with the LSTM model is to fully leverage their advantages in processing complex data sequences and enhancing the model’s focus on important features, aiming for more accurate soil moisture prediction. After comparison with current advanced models such as EDLSTM, FAMLSTM, and GANBiLSTM, our REDF-LSTM demonstrated the best performance. Compared to traditional LSTM models, it achieved an average improvement of 13.07% in R2, 20.98% in RMSE, 24.86% in BIAS, and 11.1% in KGE key performance indicators, fully proving its superior predictive capability and potential application value in precision agriculture and ecosystem management.

Interruption after Short-Term Nitrogen Additions Improves Ecological Stability of Larix olgensis Forest Soil by Affecting Bacterial Communities

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition can alter soil microbial communities and further impact the structure and function of forest ecosystems. However, most studies are focused on positive or negative effects after nitrogen addition, and few studies pay attention to its interruption. In order to investigate whether interruption after different levels of short-term N additions still benefit soil health, we conducted a 2-year interruption after a 4-year short-term nitrogen addition (10 and 20 kg N·hm−2·yr−1) experiment; then, we compared soil microbial diversity and structure and analyzed soil physicochemical properties and their correlations before and after the interruption in Larix olgensis forest soil in northeast China. The results showed that soil ecological stabilization of Larix olgensis forest further improved after the interruption compared to pre-interruption. The TN, C:P, N:P, and C:N:P ratios increased significantly regardless of the previous nitrogen addition concentration, and soil nutrient cycling was further promoted. The relative abundance of the original beneficial microbial taxa Gemmatimonas, Sphingomonas, and Pseudolabrys increased; new beneficial bacteria Ellin6067, Massilia, Solirubrobacter, and Bradyrhizobium appeared, and the species of beneficial soil microorganisms were further improved. The results of this study elucidated the dynamics of the bacterial community before and after the interruption of short-term nitrogen addition and could provide data support and a reference basis for forest ecosystem restoration strategies and management under the background of global nitrogen deposition.

Seasonal changes in ecosystem health and their spatial relationship with landscape structure in china's Loess plateau

Environmental managers have sought to optimize landscape structure to maintain regional ecosystem health (EH). However, we still lack a full understanding of the effects of changing landscape structure on EH, especially in terms of shorter time scales (e.g., monthly or seasonal scales) and spatial heterogeneity. To address this gap, this study used the vigor-organization-resilience-services (VORS) model to assess the annual and seasonal variation of EH in the Loess Plateau (LP) during 2000–2015, and then applied the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to investigate the spatial effects of different aspects (i.e., landscape composition and configuration) of the landscape structure change on EH over time. Our results showed that the EH level in the LP from 2000 to 2015 displayed temporal non-stationarity at annual and seasonal scales, and a spatial pattern of decreasing from southeast to northwest. The effects of landscape structure on EH had obvious spatial and temporal heterogeneity, depending on the local landscape composition and configuration. In general, landscape configuration exerted a greater impact on EH than landscape composition apart from Shannon’s diversity index and percentage of forestland area, but the intensity and direction of the impact displayed higher temporally instability and therefore should receive more attention. Furthermore, regulation of the dominant patch size, landscape connectivity and forest spatial spacing is the optimal choice for regional ecosystem management. The results suggest that EH responses to changes in landscape structure in the LP vary by time and place, and that the integrating temporal variation and spatial characteristics can help decision-makers make precise spatial arrangements and temporal adjustments to keep the negative ecological impacts within reasonable limits.

Opportunities and hindrances for promoting interdisciplinary learning in schools

ABSTRACT Background Influential philosophers have suggested that interdisciplinarity is crucial for ecosystem management and scientific practice, and for education to democracy. However, a historical review of the rise of disciplines points at their compartmentalization in schools. An analysis of core construct categories of three disciplines, shows that this compartmentalization may decrease when dialogic argumentation is enacted. This background led us to launch an interdisciplinary program in schools. In previous publications, we identified multiple constraints in its implementation and listed design principles for affording interdisciplinary dialogic argumentation. Method We adopt a narrative approach to analyze classroom talk, and ask whether and how interdisciplinary processes emerge in this talk. Findings Students maintain dialogic argumentation around Interdisciplinary Social Dilemmas, but guidance is necessary for integrating knowledge from different disciplines. When the teacher is attentive to student’s unarticulated references to disciplinary ideas, she may subtly guide the emergence of interdisciplinary dialogic argumentation. Often, the teacher misses those opportunities and declaims the integration of knowledge in a non-dialogic talk. Contribution Dialogic Education is crucial for the success of interdisciplinary programs in schools, but the actual emergence of interdisciplinary processes depends on the handling of organizational and institutional constraints, on huge design efforts, and on subtle guidance.

Effect of plant-soil system on the restoration of community stability after wildfire in the northeast margin of Qinghai-Tibet plateau

Wildfires, as an environmental filter, are pivotal ecological disturbances that reshape plant communities and soil dynamics, playing a crucial role in regulating biogeographic patterns and ecosystem services. In this study, we aim to explore the effects of wildfires on forest ecosystems, specifically focusing on the plant-soil feedback mechanisms within the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Utilizing Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM), we investigated the interrelationships among soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, species diversity, and community stability at varying post-fire recovery stages (5, 15, and 23 years). Results indicated that in the early recovery stages, rapid changes in soil properties such as decreased pH (p < 0.001) and increased nutrient availability facilitate the emergence of early successional species with high resource utilization traits. As the ecosystem evolved toward a climax community, the soil and vegetation exhibit increased stability. Furthermore, soil enzyme activities displayed dynamic patterns that corresponded with changes in soil nutrient content, directly influencing the regeneration and diversity of plant communities. Importantly, our study documented a transition in the influence of soil properties on community stability from direct positive effects in initial recovery phases to negative impacts in later stages, while indirect benefits accrue through increased species diversity and enzyme activity. Vegetation composition and structure changed dynamically with recovery time during community succession. Plant nutrient absorption and accumulation affected nutrient dynamics in the soil, influencing plant regeneration, distribution, and diversity. Our results underscore the complex interactions between soil and vegetation that drive the recovery dynamics post-wildfire, highlighting the resilience of forest ecosystems to fire disturbances. This study contributes to the understanding of post-fire recovery processes and offers valuable insights for the management and restoration of fire-affected forest ecosystems.

Geomorphological Evolution in the Tidal Flat of a Macro-Tidal Muddy Estuary, Hangzhou Bay, China, over the Past 30 Years

Tidal flat plays an important role in coastal development because of its ecological and spatial resources. We take the southern tidal flat in the macro-tidal turbid Hangzhou Bay as an example to study the long-term (1990–2020) evolution of the muddy tidal flat, using remote sensing data and field observational data. The detailed bathymetric elevation of the tidal flat is obtained, using remote sensing images of Landsat and Sentinel-2, combined with the real-time kinematic (RTK) data. The correlation coefficient between the remote sensing data and the RTK data is 0.73. The tidal flat and vegetation areas are affected by reclamation. The total tidal flat area decreased by 467.78 km2. The vegetation area declined from 64.98 km2 in 2000 to 13.41 km2 in 2015 and recovered to 41.62 km2 in 2020. The largest change in tidal flat slope occurs in the eastern and western sides of the tidal flat, compared with the wide middle part. The total length of tidal creeks decreased to 45.95 km in 2005 and then increased to 105.83 km in 2020. The middle- and low-grade tidal creeks accounted for 91.4%, with a curvature slightly larger than 1 in 2020. High-grade tidal creeks occur inside the vegetation areas, with less bending and fewer branch points. Vegetation promotes the development of tidal creeks but limits the lateral swing and bifurcation. These results provide a basis for the management of global tidal flat resources and ecosystems.

Impact of land use evolution on the value of ecosystem services in the returned farmland area of the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi

The Grain-for-Green Program (GGP) has been contributing to changes in the nationwide use of land and vegetation, further changing ecosystem services (ESs). However, the influence of GGP on ESs, in terms of land use evolution remains elusive. This study is conducted based on a dataset collected every five years for the past 30 years. This dataset includes land use statistics and is obtained from Landsat images and the random forest algorithm. Land use evolution in the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi from 1990 to 2020 is systematically analyzed. The interest transfer method is adopted to compute the ecosystem service value (ESV), and the willingness and economic affordability are included in the evaluation model. Finally, a cross-sensitivity coefficient is specified to reveal the effects of land use evolution on the ESV in the studied area. The results are as follows: (1) Land use changes mainly occurred on farmland, forest, and orchards. In the past 30 years, the area of cultivated land showed a decreasing trend, whereas the land areas used for other purposes increased. (2) In the same period, the ESV of the investigated plateau continued to rise, increasing by 5.12 billion USD in total. Additionally, the ESV provided by secondary services increases in the following order: regulating services > supporting services > provisioning services > cultural services. (3) The cross-sensitivity coefficient showed that the net transition among forest, grassland, orchard, and unused land in the studied region is relatively sensitive, and a larger transition span of land utilization leads to a stronger effect on the ESV. This study offers crucial data for the compensation of interregional ecology and provides model cases for other regions for ecosystem management.

Integration of Airborne Laser Scanning data into forest ecosystem management in Canada: Current status and future directions

Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) has been the subject of decades of applied research and development in forest management. ALS data are spatially explicit, capable of accurately characterizing vegetation structure and underlying terrain, and can be used to produce value-added products for terrestrial carbon assessments, hydrology, and biodiversity among others. Scientific support for ALS is robust, however its adoption within environmental decision-making frameworks remains inconsistent. Cost continues to be a principal barrier limiting adoption, especially in remote, forested regions, however added challenges such as the need for technical expertise, unfamiliarity of data capabilities and limitations, data management requirements, and processing logistics also contribute. This review examines the current status of the integration of ALS data into forest ecosystem management in a Canadian context. We advocate for continued inter-agency acquisitions leading to integration of ALS into existing natural resource management decision pathways. We gauge the level of uptake thus far, discuss the barriers to operational implementation at provincial scales, and highlight how we believe ALS can support multiple objectives of forest and environmental management in Canada. We speak to potential benefits for supporting inter-agency terrain generation, ecosystem mapping, biodiversity assessments, silvicultural planning, carbon and forest health evaluations, and riparian characterizations. We conclude by providing key considerations for developing capacity using ALS and discuss the technologies future in the context of Canadian forest and environmental management objectives.

Multiple‐stressor effects on leaf litter decomposition in freshwater ecosystems: A meta‐analysis

Abstract Recent years have witnessed a surge in research on the effects of multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems. While studies have increased, the synthesis of their findings into a broader understanding of ecosystem‐level effects remains an ongoing endeavour. Leaf litter decomposition, a frequently investigated and pivotal ecosystem function in freshwaters, is sensitive to changes in abiotic conditions and biotic communities, and therefore susceptible to multiple‐stressor effects. Here, we synthesize findings from 27 manipulative experimental studies encompassing 61 responses of litter decomposition to paired stressors such as warming, nutrient enrichment and emerging pollutants in freshwater ecosystems. We calculated the individual and overall interaction effect sizes resulting from two stressors occurring simultaneously. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of moderator variables in the size and direction of interaction effect sizes using a meta‐analytical approach. Although the vote‐counting method showed additive interactions to dominate individual observations (91.8%), weighted random‐effects meta‐analysis revealed an overall antagonistic interaction between stressors (i.e. the cumulative effect of paired stressors on litter decomposition was less than the sum of their single effects). Our results emphasized the influence of experimental characteristics such as macroinvertebrate involvement, habitat type (lentic vs. lotic) and litter quality (assumed from plant mycorrhizal association) in shaping the responses of litter decomposition to multiple stressors. Our meta‐analysis highlights the need to incorporate local ecological complexities in manipulative experiments to improve predictions of multiple‐stressor effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. The present study underscores the importance of considering biotic interactions and adopting the metacommunity framework in conservation and restoration actions to support the management of freshwater ecosystems in an era of rapid global change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

How low is too low? Partnering with stakeholders and managers to define ecologically based low‐flow thresholds in a perennial temperate river

AbstractManaging aquatic ecosystems for people and nature can be improved by collaboration among scientists, managers, decision‐makers, and other stakeholders. Many collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches have been developed to address the management of freshwater ecosystems; however, there are still barriers to overcome. We worked as part of a regional stakeholder group comprising municipal water utility operators, conservation organizations, academic partners, and other stakeholders to understand the effects of low‐flow and drought on ecological functions of the upper Flint River, Georgia (USA), a free‐flowing river important for municipal water supply, recreation, and native biota. We used published literature and locally targeted studies to identify quantitative flow targets that could be used to inform water management and drought planning. Drawing from principles of Translational Ecology, we relied on an iterative process to develop information needs for the group and maintained communication and engagement throughout data collection, analysis, and synthesis. We identified three quantitative flow benchmarks to evaluate the ecological impacts of drought in the river. The results were valuable to both the water utilities represented in the working group and State regional water planning, which is used to guide water management strategies and permitting for the basin. We identified principles that were important for the successful engagement in the working group and helped to overcome the challenge of working across sectors and without direct authority guiding the implementation of our work. Interdisciplinary work and creative solutions are crucial to plan for and adapt to greater pressure on our water resources.

Livelihood Alternatives in Restored Peatland Areas in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Livelihood loss and lower income because of peatland mismanagement are crucial issues that must be resolved in peatland areas. Although many studies have assessed farmers’ livelihoods and income enhancement, progress in addressing these problems remains inadequate. To address this issue, this study aimed to analyze various existing alternative livelihoods in the peatland community in Ogan Komering Ilir District, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia, and analyze scenarios for creating livelihoods and increasing people’s incomes through changes in peat ecosystem management and peatland restoration programs. This study used a survey method conducted in South Sumatra Province’s OKI District, one of the four priority peat-restoration districts in the province. We used three sampling stages, while descriptive, tabulated, and mathematical methods were used for analysis. We analyzed the feasibility of livelihoods that used benefit-cost analysis. The results showed that Sonor cultivation of paddies and catching fish in Rawang (swamp) were the livelihoods of farmers in peatlands. The community has also been processing peatland commodities into other products, such as Purun woven, and Gula Puan (buffalo milk processing). Several alternative livelihood scenarios that are financially profitable and can be developed include salted and smoked fish, Purun woven handicrafts, paludiculture, and agrosilvofishery, which can provide farmers with short-, medium-, and long-term income opportunities. This study can contribute to policymaking by fully considering the role of peat resources in rural livelihoods.

Environmental Studies Based on Lake Sediment Records in China: A Review

Lake sediment records are of great importance for understanding the evolution of watershed environments. Various studies have been carried out to determine the depositional ages of lake sediments and to examine their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. The aim is to construct the historical vegetation, environment, and climate patterns in Chinese lake watersheds. In this review, we obtained relevant studies on lake sediment records by searching the key word ‘age-depth’ from the following databases: Web of Science and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, the largest Chinese academic database). We analyzed the literature based on its type (published in a Chinese/English journal or as a Master’s/PhD thesis), period of publication, journal (if published in a journal), key authors, study area, dating scale, and main aims. The results suggest that the lakes in the plateau regions are the most popular research topic, typically covering 100–200 years (short-term) and 500–30,000 years (long-term). The literature focuses on a wide range of topics, from past environmental evolution in watersheds to lake ecology, and it provides a solid foundation for a better understanding of the regional climate change and the preservation of lake environments and ecosystems. In the future, the resulting data obtained from environmental reconstructions with lake sediments will need to be integrated with emerging information processing technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence and meta-analysis) to disentangle the complex interplay between the Earth’s surface processes and global climate change; furthermore, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration will deepen our comprehension of the man-land relationship and promote the sustainable management of lake ecosystems in the context of global climate change.