Environmental Changes Research Articles

Positioning Improvement for Spaceborne Laser Footprint Based on Precisely Terrain Data

Abstract. Spaceborne laser altimetry represents a novel active remote sensing technology applicable to earth observation, which together with imaging spectroscopy and synthetic aperture radar as a core technology for data acquisition in the earth observation systems. However, the accuracy of horizontal positioning for laser footprints from spaceborne laser altimeters declines due to various factors such as the changes in the orbital environment and the deterioration of performance. Moreover, the limited frequency of in-orbit calibration of the spaceborne laser altimeters and the non-disclosure of calibration parameters mean that users are heavily reliant on positioning accuracy of the altimetry data provided. To address this issue, a new algorithm is proposed in this study for enhancing the accuracy of horizontal positioning for laser footprints in the absence of satellite altimeter pointing and ranging parameters. In this algorithm, high-resolution DSM is taken as the reference terrain data to take advantage of the higher precision in elevation over horizontal positioning of the laser footprints. By adjusting the horizontal position of the laser footprint within a small area, the algorithm achieves the optimal alignment of laser elevation data with the reference terrain. Then, the resulting shift in the horizontal position of the laser footprints is referenced to correct their horizontal positioning during that period. Based on the high-accuracy DSM data collected from the Xinjiang autonomous region in China and the data collected by the GF-7 satellite, simulation experiments are performed in this study to analyze and validate the proposed algorithm. According to the experimental results, the horizontal accuracy of the laser footprints improves significantly from 12.56 m to 3.11 m after optimization by the proposed method. With the elimination of 9.45 m horizontal error, accuracy is improved by 75.23%. This method is demonstrated as effective in further optimizing the horizontal position of laser altimetry data products in the absence of altimeter parameters and original data, which promotes the application of spaceborne laser data.

The interaction between Aspergillus brasiliensis and exposed copper circuits in the space microgravity environment

In the space station, filamentous fungi are one of the main potential hazards causing short circuits or corrosion failure of printed circuit boards (PCBs). A 90-day fungal corrosion test was carried out on the China Space Station (CSS), focusing on the interaction between A. brasiliensis and exposed copper circuits. The results showed that the mycelial morphology, ultrastructure, and organic acid accumulation of the test fungi exhibited significant changes in the space microgravity environment. Aspergillus brasiliensis tended to excrete higher levels of oxalic acid in space as a defense mechanism against copper toxicity, which could exacerbate localized corrosion of copper metal.

Coastal Eukaryotic Plankton Diversity of the Southern Adriatic as Revealed by Metabarcoding

Plankton studies serve as a basis for marine ecosystem research, but knowledge of marine plankton is still incomplete due to its extreme taxonomic and functional complexity. The application of metabarcoding is very valuable for the characterisation of the plankton community. The plankton community of the Southern Adriatic is subject to strong environmental fluctuations and changes, which underlines the need for frequent, reliable and comprehensive characterisation of the plankton. The aim of this study was to determine the taxonomic composition and seasonal distribution of eukaryotic plankton in the Southern Adriatic. Plankton samples were collected monthly for one year at the coastal station of the Southern Adriatic and metabarcoding was used for taxonomic identification. The results showed a high taxonomic diversity and dynamic seasonal distribution patterns for both the protist and metazoan plankton communities. Metabarcoding revealed both the core, year-round plankton community and previously unrecorded plankton organisms in the Southern Adriatic. The results provide for the first time a comprehensive overview of the plankton community in this area by metabarcoding. The identified seasonal patterns of plankton genera and species in the Southern Adriatic will contribute to the understanding of plankton interactions and future changes in community diversity characterisation.

Unveiling Urban Evolution: Assessing Patterns of Transformation in Guangzhou's Net Production

Urban evolution refers to the continuous changes and adaptation of urban environments to social, economic, technical, and environmental changes, acknowledging that cities are dynamic systems. Urbanization and land use/cover change (LULCC), which are mostly caused by human activity, which have a big impact on the environment. These two variables also affect urban vegetation when combined with climate change. We choose Guangzhou City to examine how urban growth processes and spatial changes in urban areas affect net production (NP). A Machine learning [ML] approach such as Support Vector Machine (SVM) was utilized to examine the relationship between NP and urbanization intensity. This study examined to analyze urban evolution, focusing on the patterns of change in the NP in Guangzhou City, China. The findings demonstrated between 2011 and 2023, the NP in the studied region decreased overall and had distinct geographic variation. The mean Urban Development Index (UDI) in Guangzhou increased significantly between 2011 and 2023. In both years, metropolitan exurbs constituted the majority of the urban geographic category, but the most notable increase in urban fringe areas, which accounted for about 2,320.24 km2 of the urban exurbs. Regarding UDI and NP, there was an opposite relationship, suggesting that the growing intensity of the growth of urban expansion negatively affected NP. Urban development intensity negatively influenced NP, with urban fringes experiencing the most significant losses due to an increase in urbanization and a decrease in agriculture.

Contributing to ecosystem-based management: a personal scientific journey

Abstract After three decades of working as a research scientist, I am stepping back to consider the events, questions, and principles that have guided my scientific journey. Important questions and research objectives have been how to implement the ecosystem approach to fisheries management in practice, the development of new data uses, the application of new observation methods and models, and estimating and accounting for uncertainty. Stakeholder engagement—why and how—is a topic that has increased in importance over time. While our observation methods did not change much over many decades, they are now changing rapidly due to new technological developments, but also societal and environmental changes.

Transgenerational salinity tolerance plasticity in rice: Unraveling nongenetic phenotypic modifications and environmental influences.

Transgenerational plasticity in plants enables rapid adaptation to environmental changes, allowing organisms and their offspring to adapt to the environment without altering their underlying DNA. In this study, we investigated the plasticity of transgenerational salinity tolerance of rice plants using a reciprocal transplant experimental strategy. Our aim was to assess whether nongenetic environment-induced phenotypic modifications and transgenerational salinity affect the salinity tolerance of progeny while excluding nuclear genomic factors for two generations. Using salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive rice genotypes, we observed that the parentally salt-stressed salt-sensitive genotype displayed greater growth performance, photosynthetic activity, yield performance, and transcriptional responses than did the parentally nonstressed salt-sensitive plants under salt stress conditions. Surprisingly, salt stress-exposed salt-tolerant progeny did not exhibit as much salinity tolerance as salt stress-exposed salt-sensitive progeny under salt stress. Our findings indicate that the phenotypes of offspring plants differed based on the environment experienced by their ancestors, resulting in heritable transgenerational phenotypic modifications in salt-sensitive genotypes via maternal effects. These results elucidated the mechanisms underlying transgenerational plasticity in salinity tolerance, providing valuable insights into how plants respond to changing environmental conditions.

A Review on Bridging Molecular Biology and Ecological Dynamics through Integrative Approaches in Zoology

The integration of molecular biology with ecological dynamics has emerged as a transformative approach in zoology, enhancing our understanding of biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the adaptive responses of species to environmental changes. This review synthesizes key developments and methodological innovations at the intersection of molecular biology and ecological dynamics, highlighting the application of DNA barcoding, environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses, molecular phylogenetics, and advanced computational models in elucidating complex biological interactions and evolutionary patterns. Significant advancements include the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies and CRISPR-Cas systems that have expanded our ability to explore genetic diversity and manipulate genetic material for conservation purposes. The review discusses the predictive capabilities of integrative models that combine genetic with ecological data, offering insights into species resilience and ecosystem stability under varying environmental scenarios. Challenges in data integration, such as issues of scale, complexity, and the necessity for interdisciplinary cooperation, are critically examined. Technical limitations related to data management and ethical considerations in the use of genetic information are also explored. Looking forward, the review identifies emerging technologies and their potential impacts on ecological and conservation biology, emphasizing the need for policies that support sustainable management and conservation strategies. This review underscores the profound impact of integrating molecular biology with ecological dynamics, which not only enhances our scientific understanding but also provides practical frameworks for addressing global environmental challenges.

Automated body length and body condition measurements of whales from drone videos for rapid assessment of population health

AbstractMonitoring body length and body condition of individuals helps determine overall population health and assess adaptation to environmental changes. Aerial photogrammetry from drone‐based videos is a valuable method for obtaining body length and body condition measurements of cetaceans. However, the laborious manual processing of drone‐based videos to select frames to measure animals ultimately delays assessment of population health and hinders conservation actions. Here, we apply deep learning methods to expedite the processing of drone‐based videos to improve efficiency of obtaining important morphological measurements of whales. We develop two user‐friendly models to automatically (1) detect and output frames containing whales from drone‐based videos (“DeteX”) and (2) extract body length and body condition measurements from input frames (“XtraX”). We use drone‐based videos of gray whales to compare manual versus automated measurements (n = 86). Our results show automated methods reduced processing times by one‐ninth, while achieving similar accuracy as manual measurements (mean coefficient of variation <5%). We also demonstrate how these methods are adaptable to other species and identify remaining challenges to help further improve automated measurements in the future. Importantly, these tools greatly speed up obtaining key morphological data while maintaining accuracy, which is critical for effectively monitoring population health.

A nascent riboswitch helix orchestrates robust transcriptional regulation through signal integration

Widespread manganese-sensing transcriptional riboswitches effect the dependable gene regulation needed for bacterial manganese homeostasis in changing environments. Riboswitches – like most structured RNAs – are believed to fold co-transcriptionally, subject to both ligand binding and transcription events; yet how these processes are orchestrated for robust regulation is poorly understood. Through a combination of single-molecule and bulk approaches, we discover how a single Mn2+ ion and the transcribing RNA polymerase (RNAP), paused immediately downstream by a DNA template sequence, are coordinated by the bridging switch helix P1.1 in the representative Lactococcus lactis riboswitch. This coordination achieves a heretofore-overlooked semi-docked global conformation of the nascent RNA, P1.1 base pair stabilization, transcription factor NusA ejection, and RNAP pause extension, thereby enforcing transcription readthrough. Our work demonstrates how a central, adaptable RNA helix functions analogous to a molecular fulcrum of a first-class lever system to integrate disparate signals for finely balanced gene expression control.

Body and Brain Quality-Diversity in Robot Swarms

In biological societies, complex interactions between the behavior and morphology of evolving organisms and their environment have given rise to a wide range of complex and diverse social structures. Similarly, in artificial counterparts such as swarm-robotics systems, collective behaviors emerge via the interconnected dynamics of robot morphology (sensory-motor configuration), behavior (controller), and environment (task). Various studies have demonstrated morphological and behavioral diversity enables biological groups to exhibit adaptive, robust, and resilient collective behavior across changing environments. However, in artificial (swarm robotic) systems there is little research on the impact of changing environments on morphological and behavioral (body-brain) diversity in emergent collective behavior, and the benefits of such diversity. This study uses evolutionary collective robotics as an experimental platform to investigate the impact of increasing task environment complexity (collective behavior task difficulty) on the evolution and benefits of morphological and behavioral diversity in robotic swarms. Results indicate that body-brain evolution using coupled behavior and morphology diversity maintenance yields higher behavioral and morphological diversity, which is beneficial for collective behavior task performance across task environments. Results also indicate that such behavioral and morphological diversity maintenance coupled with body-brain evolution produces neuro-morpho complexity that does not increase concomitantly with task complexity.

Research on Monitoring and Application of Ecological Restoration Engineering in Open Pit Backfilling Mines Based on Satellite Remote Sensing Data

Abstract. The restoration and management of mining ecological environment is an important component of China's ecological civilization construction. The implementation of restoration projects is to avoid the serious impact caused by the continuous deterioration of mining ecological structure, and is a key way to maintain regional ecological security and energy and mineral security. Therefore, efficient and rapid monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of mining ecological restoration is an essential and important link. With the rapid development of remote sensing technology, remote sensing monitoring has become an important means to objectively, quickly, and accurately obtaining changes in the mining environment. It can provide timely and long-term monitoring of mining and backfilling conditions in mining areas. This article uses the multi temporal stereo images of the Resource 3 satellite over four years to monitor the mining and backfilling situation of the Zhungeer open-pit coal mine area in Inner Mongolia. By reconstructing the Digital Surface Model (DSM) of the open-pit mining area, the changes and thresholds of the multi temporal DSM data are statistically analyzed to extract the mining and backfilling areas, and the earthwork volume is calculated. The results showed that from 2013 to 2016, the main large-scale mining faces in the study area of Zhungeer open-pit mining area had a total mining operation of about 563.5 million cubic meters, and a total backfilling operation of about 604.29 million cubic meters; During the period from 2016 to 2018, the main large-scale mining faces in the region had a total of approximately 721.71 million cubic meters of mining operations and a total of approximately 805.42 million cubic meters of backfilling operations. The overall operational intensity increased from 2016 to 2018. The research results show that based on satellite image data, it is convenient and efficient to obtain DSM and corresponding changes of multiple time periods in mining areas. Monitoring results can provide important support for regional environmental governance and protection, as well as safety production in mining areas.

Comparing root-associated microbial communities in Tamarix ramosissima across three Xinjiang basins, China

Analyzing the root-associated microbial communities in desert plants during different seasons may provide a valuable understanding of how desert plants adapt to climate change in harsh environments. Hence, we selected root-associated microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) of Tamarix ramosissima from three regions (Cele, CL; Turpan, TLF; Mosuowan, MSW), focusing on three compartments: root endosphere (RE), rhizosphere soil (RS), and bulk soil (BS). Results indicated that the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Ascomycota of root bacteria and fungi taxa was higher the in three compartments (RE, RS, and BS). In the CL region, there was a decline in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria within the RE followed by RS and BS during the autumn. During both summer and autumn, the relative abundance of Ascomycota declined with increasing sampling distance (from the TLF to the MSW to the CL) in the BS. Furthermore, in spring, the bacterial (BS) and fungal (BS) Chao1 and ACE index decreased in TLF compared to the MSW region. However, MSW had a higher bacterial Chao1 and Shannon index of the RE (in summer) and RS (in autumn) than the CL area. Overall, in spring, summer, and autumn, root-associated bacterial and fungal communities across various regions (CL, TLF, and MSW) were more responsive to climate and soil factors than plant nutrients. This research provides compelling theoretical evidence advocating for the restoration of degraded vegetation within arid environments, underscoring the critical significance of judicious plant management practices in these regions.

Research on the Development and Policies of the Port of Singapore Harbor

The Port of Singapore has long been renowned for its outstanding development and effective policies. This paper delves into a comprehensive study of the key characteristics, infrastructure development, and critical policies formulated by the government for the Port of Singapore. Through both quantitative and qualitative analyses of port development, it reveals the factors contributing to its success as well as the challenges it faces. The paper explores innovative initiatives taken by the Singaporean government in port management, including trade facilitation, digital technology applications, and sustainable development. Emphasizing flexibility in response to changes in the global trade environment highlights the Port of Singapore's ability to maintain competitiveness. Finally, the paper puts forth recommendations to further enhance the competitiveness of the Port of Singapore and foster its position in the global supply chain. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the success of the Singaporean port model, providing valuable insights for the sustainable development of other ports.

Ammonia-Responsive Colorimetric Film of Phytochemical Formulation (Alizarin) Grafted onto ZIF-8 Carrier with Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Sodium Alginate for Beef Freshness Monitoring.

In this study, we devised a photothermally stable phytochemical dye by leveraging alizarin in conjunction with the metal-organic framework ZIF-8 (AL@ZIF-8). The approach involved grafting alizarin into the microporous structure of ZIF-8 through physical adsorption and hydrogen-bonding interactions. AL@ZIF-8 significantly enhanced the photostability and thermostability of alizarin. The nanoparticles demonstrate substantial color changes in various pH environments, showcasing their potential for meat freshness monitoring. Furthermore, we introduced an intelligent film utilizing poly(vinyl alcohol)-sodium alginate-AL@ZIF-8 (PA-SA-ZA) for detecting beef freshness. The sensor exhibited a superior water contact angle (52.34°) compared to the alizarin indicator. The color stability of the film was significantly enhanced under visible and UV light (ΔE < 5). During beef storage, the film displayed significant color fluctuations correlating with TVB-N (R2=0.9067), providing precise early warning signals for assessing beef freshness.

Impact of typhoons on the ecological environment of the Pearl River Estuary in the summer of 2021—a study of an algal bloom event

In the summer of 2021, two typhoons, Typhoon Cempaka and Typhoon Lupit, passed through the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), resulting in a noticeable chlorophyll-a (Chla) bloom event on the west side of the PRE. Utilizing a coupled hydrodynamic-ecological model (ROMS-CoSiNE), we investigated the changes in the marine environment during the two-typhoon period and explored the underlying mechanisms involved. Our model effectively reproduces the spatial characteristics of the typhoon-induced algal blooms. The results suggest that the westward invasion of the Pearl River plume has a predominant impact on the alterations in biochemical elements. For further quantitative analyses, we utilized the model to determine the Chla concentration budget in algal bloom region to assess the dominant mechanism, particularly focusing on horizontal advection. Our findings indicated that algal bloom events are mainly attributed to a straightforward physical mechanism, namely, phytoplankton transportation, rather than to nutrient-induced phytoplankton growth. The study also revealed that the different growth processes of the two simulated phytoplankton species did not contribute positively to the increased Chla concentrations. However, further research is needed to investigate the impacts of different phytoplankton functional groups on the marine ecological environment under the influence of typhoons. This study enhances the understanding of the response of ecological environments in coastal areas to typhoons.

Validation of genomic tools to improve production efficiency, health resilience and the carbon footprint of beef production

Genomic tools and accuracy of molecular breeding values (MBVs) for economically important traits continue to improve and are being applied in commercial crossbred beef cattle. Ge­nomic breed composition and retained heterozygosity of an individual animal can be used to further improve female fertil­ity, stayability, lifetime productivity and calf health resilience. But this is just the first step. Within specific crossbred popula­tions, researchers at Livestock Gentec have used large numbers of cattle phenotypes and genotypes, combined with advanced statistical genomic analyses to generate MBVs for 18 traits with moderate to moderately-high accuracy (0.35 to 0.60). This accu­racy is equivalent to 10 to 20 progeny records. These MBVs are economically balanced into multi-trait profit indices such as the Replacement Heifer Profit Index Score and the Feeder Profit In­dex. The use of these genomic tools will improve the sustainabil­ity of beef production by improving profitability, lowering the carbon footprint, and improving an animal’s ability to adapt to changing environments. The following paper outlines the valida­tion of these genomic tools and their potential benefits.

Modernization in Environmental Change in the Novel “Baitun Nakhil” by Tarek Eltayeb: Greg Garrard’s Ecocritical Study

Abstract. Modernization had a significant impact on environmental change. This change is described in the novel “Baitun Nakhil” and studied by using ecocritical theory. Ecocriticism is a way to describe the relationship between humans and nature in all cultural environments. This study aims to identify ecological narratives related to environmental change as the modernization impact in the novel “Baitun Nakhil” by Tarek Eltayeb based on Garrard’s ecocritical perspective. This study is qualitative descriptive. The data used are narratives and dialogue in the novel “Baitun Nakhil”. Data were collected by reading and note-taking techniques. Data were validated by increasing persistence, triangulation, and discussion. Data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman method, which consists of three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results of the study are the discovery of environmental change as a modernization impact in several scopes according to Garrard as follows: 1) pastoral narratives in the form of spatial and temporal distinction; 2) pollution caused by cigarettes and sirens; 3) wilderness as in mountains and forest; 4) natural disasters in the form of a snowstorm; 5) dwelling adopts the georgic concept as in Wad Al-Kababish; 6) relation between animals and human as shown by the treatment of animals and imitation of bird sounds; and 7) earth changes initiated by the plastic usage and the construction of greenhouse as conservation efforts. This study proves that modernization destroys nature due to the massive exploitation of natural resources. Conversely, modernization makes it easier to campaign and conserve nature with its sophisticated technology. Keywords: Ecocriticism, Environmental Change, Greg Garrard, Modernization, Novel

Patterns and driving factors of functional traits of desert species with different elevational distributions in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas

Variations in functional traits serve as measures of plants’ ability to adapt to environment. Exploring the patterns of functional traits of desert plants along elevational gradients is helpful to understand the responses and adaptation strategies of species to changing environments. However, it is unknown whether the relationship between functional traits and elevation is affected by differences in the species’ elevational distributions (elevation preference and species’ range). Importantly, most researches have concerned with differences in mean trait values and ignored intraspecific trait variation. Here, we measured functional traits of desert plants along a wide elevational gradient in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas and explored functional trait patterns over elevation in species with different elevational distributions. We decomposed trait variation and further investigated characterizations of intraspecific variation. Ultimately, the main drivers of trait variation were identified using redundancy analysis. We found that species’ elevational distributions significantly influenced the relationship of functional traits such as plant height, leaf dry matter content, leaf thickness, leaf nitrogen and carbon content with elevation. Species with a lower elevational preference showed greater trait variation than species with a higher elevational preference, suggesting that species that prefer high elevation are more conservative facing environmental changes. We provide evidence that interspecific trait variation in leaf thickness and leaf carbon content decreased with increasing species’ range, indicating that increased variations in resistance traits within species make greater responsiveness to environmental changes, enabling species a wider range. Elevation, temperature and precipitation were the main drivers of trait variation in species with a low elevational preference, while the effect of precipitation on trait variation in species with a high elevational preference was not significant. This study sheds new insights on how plants with different elevational distributions regulate their ecological strategies to cope with changing environments.

Assessing ecosystem services of mountain lakes

From global to local scales, human-induced environmental changes can impact mountain lakes by, for example, altering species composition, trophic state, and thermal dynamics, thereby affecting ecosystem functions and processes. However, the consequences of these changes on ecosystem services (ES) of mountain lakes are unclear due to a lack of integrative assessments. Therefore, this dissertation adopts an interdisciplinary ES perspective to improve insight into human interactions with mountain lakes and the potential social and ecological impacts of anthropogenic pressures on them. Stakeholder consultations highlighted the importance of regulating, cultural, and provisioning ES of natural mountain lakes, emphasizing habitat, aesthetics, recreation, education and research, and surface water, with nature-based experiences as being a key aspect of human interaction with mountain lakes. Multiple indicators were proposed to quantify potential supply of these ES, revealing variations among case study lakes in the European Alps. These results informed an integrative valuation approach and exposure assessment to anthropogenic pressures, suggesting that ES by mountain lakes are sensitive to climate change-related and human use pressures. Overall, the findings advance a social-ecological understanding of mountain lakes and indicate towards the need for adaptive lake management to maintain ES under potential anthropogenic pressure.

The role and mechanism of epigenetics in anticancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity.

Cardiovascular disease is the main factor contributing to the global burden of diseases, and the cardiotoxicity caused by anticancer drugs is an essential component that cannot be ignored. With the development of anticancer drugs, the survival period of cancer patients is prolonged; however, the cardiotoxicity caused by anticancer drugs is becoming increasingly prominent. Currently, cardiovascular disease has emerged as the second leading cause of mortality among long-term cancer survivors. Anticancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity has become a frontier and hot topic. The discovery of epigenetics has given the possibility of environmental changes in gene expression, protein synthesis, and traits. It has been found that epigenetics plays a pivotal role in promoting cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. In recent years, increasing studies have underscored the crucial roles played by epigenetics in anticancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the role and mechanisms of epigenetics in anticancer drug-induced cardiotoxicity.Author details: Kindly check and confirm whether the corresponding author affiliation is correctly identified.We have checked the corresponding author affiliation is correct.