Field Of Ecology Research Articles

Waterlogging Effect on Growth, Yield and Physiological Responses of Blackgram (Vigna Mungo L.) Genotypes

Waterlogging is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect growth, yield and physiological traits of blackgram. To evaluate the performance of six different blackgram genotypes imposed under waterlogging stress, a pot experiment was conducted in a two factor randomized complete block design with three replications in the Agroforestry and Environmental Science field lab at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Plastic pots with 30 days old plants were placed into a brick water chamber with waterlogging depth of 3-5 cm top of soils for 7 days to simulate waterlogging. Significant reduction was observed for plant height, number of leaves, SPAD value, nodule number, pod length, seeds per pod, yield per plant and the degree of reduction varied prominently over the blackgram genotypes. The number of leaves and SPAD value were higher in BARI Mash-3 which was 5.0 and 46.03 SPAD units in waterlogging situation. Among the six genotypes, BARI Mash-1 performed the best in respect of grain yield (5.04 g/plant) production followed by BARI Mash-3 (4.58 g/plant) under waterlogging condition. Stress tolerance index (STI) and yield index (YI) were highest in BARI Mash-2 (1.87) and BARI Mash-1 (1.67). Hence, these varieties can be added in the existing cropping pattern as a short-term waterlogging tolerant plant. In the future, waterlogging stress tolerant varieties with more suitable genetic base of blackgram plants needed to identify and utilize the novel traits of donors are now required in breeding programs.

Generative AI as a tool to accelerate the field of ecology.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models specializing in the generation of new data with the statistical patterns and properties of the data upon which the models were trained has profoundly influenced a range of academic disciplines, industry and public discourse. Combined with the vast amounts of diverse data now available to ecologists, from genetic sequences to remotely sensed animal tracks, generative AI presents enormous potential applications within ecology. Here we draw upon a range of fields to discuss unique potential applications in which generative AI could accelerate the field of ecology, including augmenting data-scarce datasets, extending observations of ecological patterns and increasing the accessibility of ecological data. We also highlight key challenges, risks and considerations when using generative AI within ecology, such as privacy risks, model biases and environmental effects. Ultimately, the future of generative AI in ecology lies in the development of robust interdisciplinary collaborations between ecologists and computer scientists. Such partnerships will be important for embedding ecological knowledge within AI, leading to more ecologically meaningful and relevant models. This will be critical for leveraging the power of generative AI to drive ecological insights into species across the globe.

Reviving diversity: cryoprotectants and culturing methods enhance recovery of mammalian gut microbes from field samples

Abstract The field of microbial ecology is increasingly recognizing the need for methods to isolate and culture gut microbes to better understand how these microorganisms impact animal physiology, especially in mammalian hosts. Currently, there is a lack of clear methods to store microbial samples for cultivability, especially when samples are collected from the field, transported to the laboratory, and preserved under long-term storage for weeks to months compared to mere days in the biomedical field. Here, the cecal contents of groundhogs (Marmota monax) were processed and stored with or without various preservation solutions at −80 °C for at least 2 months. All microbial samples were then grown in distinct nutrient media in liquid and plate conditions and were incubated under anaerobic and aerobic environments. Treatment comparisons revealed that the samples stored in preservation solutions containing 1 or more cryoprotectants provided the greatest and most consistent bacterial densities. To test the long-term storage efficacy of the preservation solutions, we inventoried taxonomic identities and abundances of these cultures using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Our findings highlight that: (1) preserved samples containing cryoprotectants exhibited the highest microbial richness and diversity and resembled the original cecal samples the most when grown under anaerobic conditions; and (2) the effect of individual animal identity was detectable in the membership of cultured communities, irrespective of preservation solutions. Our study is the first to demonstrate the importance of preservation solutions containing multiple cryoprotectants for long-term storage and further microbial culturing and novel isolation. Understanding and improving storage methods that preserve microbial physiology and conserve their compositional diversity is essential for field-collected samples useful in mammalian microbiome and culturomics studies, promoting a better comprehension of the identity and function of wild host-associated microbiomes.

A comprehensive analysis of R's application in ecological research from 2008 to 2023

Abstract The field of ecology has been greatly enhanced by the integration of computational tools and statistical methods, with the programming language R emerging as a pivotal and flexible tool for ecological inquiry. As ecological research accelerates, understanding the prevalent trends and specific usage patterns of R in recent studies is crucial. Our investigation explored the use of R and its packages in 125,494 scholarly articles across 40 ecology journals from 2008 to 2023. A considerable number of articles, 52,658 (41.96%), designated R as their principal analytical tool, demonstrating a steady linear growth in its utilization from 10.31% in 2008 to 66.88% in 2023. Twelve R packages, including "lme4," "vegan," "nlme," "MuMIn," "ape," "ggplot2," "car," "mgcv," "MASS," "raster," "multcomp," and "lmerTest," each played a pivotal role in contributing to more than 1,000 scholarly articles. The highest usage rate of the lme4 package indicates that mixed-effect models have a particularly important role in ecological research, and the application of these models has helped ecologists solve many important scientific problems. Journal-specific package preferences aligned with their scientific domains, while the rise in the average number of R packages per article signals a trend towards more complex analytical methods in ecology. Our findings indicate a reciprocal relationship between the development of R and ecological research, underscoring the need for collaboration among quantitative ecologists, R developers, and ecologists to further advance both the language and the field.

Systematic Composition and Ecology of Species of the Genus Nepeta L. Flora of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

The systematic composition of the genus Nepeta L. of the flora of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is presented. This is one of the most widespread genera of the flora of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The genus Nepeta is a perennial herbaceous plant cultivated in many regions of the world, especially in mountainous and semi-desert zones. The section is represented by 31 genera and 135 species. In Azerbaijan, 26 species of this genus are found. Nepeta L. is common on rocky-stony and roadside roadsides of the region. The species included in the genus are used in medical, ecological, decorative and cosmetic practice. As a result of the studies, it was established that 15 species of this genus were found in the flora of the Nakhchivan Republic. The species belonging to the genus are used in medical, ecological, decorative and cosmetic fields.

Effects of Stand Structural Characteristics, Diversity, and Stability on Carbon Storage Across Different Densities in Natural Forests: A Case Study in the Xiaolong Mountains, China

The carbon storage in forest ecosystems is closely linked to biomass, and its dynamic changes are of significant importance for assessing forest structure and function, as well as their response to global climate change. Recently, the research on the influencing mechanism of forest carbon storage has been a hotpot in the field of forest ecology. However, it remains unclear on the relationships among stand structure, stand stability, and carbon storage. The issues needed to be answered are as follows: How are tree density, tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, stand stability, and carbon storage correlated? Is there a direct or indirect effect between tree density, tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, stand stability, and carbon storage? Do these factors have an impact on stand stability, and, subsequently, carbon storage? What is the crucial factor in the mechanism that influences carbon storage? Here, the natural Quercus mongolica forests in the Xiaolong Mountains were taken as the research object. Several methods, including Pearson’s correlation, the best-fitting SEM, and multiple regression, were used to examine the relationships among tree density, tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, stand stability, and carbon storage. Our results show that there were correlations between tree density, tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, stand stability, and carbon storage. Tree density not only directly affects stand stability but also indirectly influences it through the mediation of tree species diversity and stand structural characteristics. Meanwhile, tree density also indirectly influences carbon storage through the mediation of tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, and stand stability. Crown volume exerts the greatest influence on stand stability, while carbon storage is mostly impacted by stand stability. Overall, the combination of tree density, tree species diversity, stand structural characteristics, and stand stability influences carbon storage (66.4%). Therefore, it is important to consider stand stability when assessing carbon sequestration potentials; furthermore, the importance of tree density, tree species composition, and stand structural characteristics should be emphasized. Our research provides a scientific basis for conservation and management decision-making in natural forests and offers novel insights as well as a scientific reference for future large-scale carbon storage investigations.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in terrestrial extreme environments: implications for life detection beyond Earth.

Covering: 1961 to 2024Discovering and identifying unique natural products/biosignatures (signatures that can be used as evidence for past or present life) that are abundant, and complex enough that they indicate robust evidence of life is a multifaceted process. One distinct category of biosignatures being explored is organic compounds. A subdivision of these compounds not yet readily investigated are volatile organic compound (VOCs). When assessing these VOCs as a group (volatilome) a fingerprint of all VOCs within an environment allows the complex patterns in metabolic data to be unravelled. As a technique already successfully applied to many biological and ecological fields, this paper explores how analysis of volatilomes in terrestrial extreme environments could be used to enhance processes (such as metabolomics and metagenomics) already utilised in life detection beyond Earth. By overcoming some of the complexities of collecting VOCs in remote field sites, a variety of lab based analytical equipment and techniques can then be utilised. Researching volatilomics in astrobiology requires time to characterise the patterns of VOCs. They must then be differentiated from abiotic (non-living) signals within extreme environments similar to those found on other planetary bodies (analogue sites) or in lab-based simulated environments or microcosms. Such an effort is critical for understanding data returned from past or upcoming missions, but it requires a step change in approach which explores the volatilome as a vital additional tool to current 'Omics techniques.

Global scientific performance and research trends of the interrelation between climate change and economic growth

This paper conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the existing literature on the interrelation between climate change and economic growth through the prism of environmental policies. Utilising both VOSviewer and Bibliometrix software, we analyse 2,131 articles from the Web of Science database between 2000 and 2024, focusing on the fields of Economics, Social Sciences, and Environmental Science. Our investigation identifies key trends, research hotspots, patterns, and gaps in the literature, highlighting the significant impact of climate change on the macroeconomic environment. Bibliometric networks created on account of keywords such as “climate change risks,” “macroeconomy,” and “environmental policy” reveal strong interconnections among research clusters, particularly emphasising the role of public policy in managing climate-related risks. Notably, our findings evidence the geographical distribution of research on this topic, which is more prominent in non-EU countries despite the European Union’s recent policy focus on sustainability. This paper underscores the necessity for targeted research and policy measures to address the economic implications of climate change, emphasising the role of consumer behaviour, uncertainty, and expectations with a country-specific focus. Our research contributes to the existing literature by providing a detailed mapping of the intellectual landscape and suggesting directions for future research to support effective climate policies.

Design and process optimization of a new reaction chamber for microwave synthesis of MOFs materials.

Based on the application demand of metal-organic framework (MOFs) materials in environmental science, energy conversion, biomedicine and other fields, its efficient synthesis method has attracted much attention. Microwave method has become one of the most competitive and potential methods because of its low cost, high efficiency and green environmental protection. However, the traditional microwave assisted synthesis of MOFs materials mostly uses microwave oven as the reaction chamber, or small-scale microwave reactor. There are many problems such as uneven heating, low microwave utilization rate and low one-time synthesis yield. In view of the above problems, the design and process optimization of a new type reaction chamber for microwave synthesis of MOFs materials were studied in this paper. A material synthesis reactor using waveguide as microwave source was designed. The structure model of the reactor was optimized by multi-physics numerical simulation, and better heating uniformity and microwave utilization were obtained. At the same time, the optimization test of key process parameters was designed by orthogonal method, and the optimal process parameter combination of this model for the synthesis of MOFs materials was obtained: microwave power is 200W, irradiation time is 100min, and reagent concentration is 50mM/L. This study will promote the microwave method to achieve more efficient and uniform MOFs material synthesis, which is of great significance for further improving material yield and properties and industrial practical applications.

Study on the SERS Effect and Mechanism of Vertically Oriented MoS<sub>2</sub> Nanosheet Composite with Ag Substrate

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can provide rich molecular structure information with ultra-sensitive, non-destructive, and rapid detection down to the single-molecule level. It has been widely applied in physics, chemistry, biomedicine, environmental science, material science and other fields. Combining the advantages of metals and 2D nanomaterials, various 2D/metal composite structures have been proposed for SERS. However, the contribution of 2D nanomaterials in Raman enhancement is often limited. In this work, vertically aligned MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheet composite with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was proposed for SERS detection. Large-area vertically aligned MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheets, which were grown directly on molybdenum (Mo) foil using hydrothermal method, can effectively enhance molecular adsorption, light absorption, and provide dual electromagnetic and chemical enhancement. Furthermore, annealing treatment of the MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheets significantly improves the efficiency of charge transfer between Ag NPs and MoS<sub>2</sub>, thereby increasing the chemical contribution to SERS. The results demonstrate that the annealed MoS<sub>2</sub>/Ag substrate exhibits outstanding SERS performance, with a detection limit for R6G molecules as low as 10<sup>-12</sup> M, which is four orders of magnitude lower than that of the unannealed substrate. The enhancement factor (EF) is calculated to be approximately 1.08×10<sup>9</sup>, approaching the sensitivity required for single-molecule detection. Additionally, the substrate performs high signal reproducibility at low concentrations, enabling ultra-sensitive detection of pesticide residues in aquatic products.

Urban terrain, mountain landscape, and housing price: A heterogeneous investigation of the amenity effects in a mountainous city (Guiyang) from the vertical dimension

Urban residents benefit from the fresh air, green landscapes, and recreational venues offered by mountainous cities with undulating topography and rich mountain resources. Taking Guiyang, China as case study, this study employs a hedonic pricing model to examine the amenity effects of urban terrain and mountain landscapes on housing prices from a vertical dimension. On average, housing prices increase by 1.6% for every 1 km decrease in distance from the mountain landscape, and by 0.7% for every 1 km2 increase in the mountain landscape area. Furthermore, the slope of the terrain negatively affects housing prices, with a 0.4% discount in housing value for every degree of slope. Altitude, in contrast, has a negligible impact on housing prices. Notably, there is a nonlinear relationship between mountain landscape and housing prices, as terrain slop weakens the effects of proximity to mountain landscape and serves as a moderating factor. Vertical heterogeneity is also evident, with the mountain landscape distance contributing up to 4% price premium for houses located at floors above 7. Buyers of higher-priced houses place greater value on larger mountain landscape but are less sensitive to proximity. The GWR model further reveals spatial heterogeneity in amenity effects, with old urban areas showing a particularly strong positive relationship between mountain landscapes and housing prices. This study not only enhances our understanding of the amenity effects of mountain urban environments, but also contributes to the theoretical fields of mountain urban planning and urban ecology, providing new perspectives and empirical evidence for these disciplines.

Quantifying animal social behaviour with ecological field methods.

Field studies of social behaviour are challenging due to the need to record or infer interactions between multiple individuals, often under suboptimal environmental conditions or with potential disturbance by observers. Due to the limited field techniques available, we present a novel method to quantify social behaviours in the field by comparing the counts of individuals caught in traps across multiple locations sampled simultaneously. The distribution of individuals between traps gives the extent of aggregation, and phenotypic data allow for inference of non-random assortment. As a case study, we applied this method to populations of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in freshwater ponds, using minnow traps. As expected, we observed a strong trend for aggregation. We were able to describe the ecological drivers of aggregation, comparing environmental and phenotypic conditions across sites. Aggregation was not related to environmental parameters, but was negatively associated with the proportion of breeding males caught during the breeding season. No evidence for phenotypic assortment based on body size was found. These results demonstrate that widely available ecological equipment can address questions related to social behaviour. This cost-effective approach, avoiding the tagging of individuals and minimizing extended observer disturbance, can be applied across various habitats and species.

Key concepts and a world-wide look at plant recruitment networks.

Plant-plant interactions are major determinants of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. There is a long tradition in the study of these interactions, their mechanisms and their consequences using experimental, observational and theoretical approaches. Empirical studies overwhelmingly focus at the level of species pairs or small sets of species. Although empirical data on these interactions at the community level are scarce, such studies have gained pace in the last decade. Studying plant-plant interactions at the community level requires knowledge of which species interact with which others, so an ecological networks approach must be incorporated into the basic toolbox of plant community ecology. The concept of recruitment networks (RNs) provides an integrative framework and new insights for many topics in the field of plant community ecology. RNs synthesise the set of canopy-recruit interactions in a local plant assemblage. Canopy-recruit interactions describe which ("canopy") species allow the recruitment of other species in their vicinity and how. Here we critically review basic concepts of ecological network theory as they apply to RNs. We use RecruitNet, a recently published worldwide data set of canopy-recruit interactions, to describe RN patterns emerging at the interaction, species, and community levels, and relate them to different abiotic gradients. Our results show that RNs can be sampled with high accuracy. The studies included in RecruitNet show a very high mean network completeness (95%), indicating that undetected canopy-recruit pairs must be few and occur very infrequently. Across 351,064 canopy-recruit pairs analysed, the effect of the interaction on recruitment was neutral in an average of 69% of the interactions per community, but the remaining interactions were positive (i.e. facilitative) five times more often than negative (i.e. competitive), and positive interactions had twice the strength of negative ones. Moreover, the frequency and strength of facilitation increases along a climatic aridity gradient worldwide, so the demography of plant communities is increasingly strongly dependent on facilitation as aridity increases. At network level, species can be ascribed to four functional types depending on their position in the network: core, satellite, strict transients and disturbance-dependent transients. This functional structure can allow a rough estimation of which species are more likely to persist. In RecruitNet communities, this functional structure most often departs from random null model expectation and could allow on average the persistence of 77% of the species in a local community. The functional structure of RNs also varies along the aridity gradient, but differently in shrubland than in forest communities. This variation suggests an increase in the probability of species persistence with aridity in forests, while such probability remains roughly constant along the gradient in shrublands. The different functional structure of RNs between forests and shrublands could contribute to explaining their co-occurrence as alternative stable states of the vegetation under the same climatic conditions. This review is not exhaustive of all the topics that can be addressed using the framework of RNs, but instead aims to present some of the interesting insights that it can bring to the field of plant community ecology.

DAVLAT EKОLОGIK NAZОRATINI AMALGA ОSHIRISHNING TASHKILIY-HUQUQIY JIHATLARI

The activities of specially authorized bodies carrying out control in the field of ecology and environmental protection, ensuring the rational use of natural resources, are of great importance. Today, the deterioration of the existing environmental situation in our country indicates the low effectiveness of control in the sphere, as well as the improper organization of the activities of regulatory bodies. The need to ensure environmental sustainability and address existing problems in this area requires an analysis of the scientific and legal foundations of the activities of regulatory bodies. This article analyzes the activities of specially authorized bodies that exercise oversight in this area. According to the author, if the financial support of a specific supervisory authority is decided by the executive body or if the normative legal act regulating its activities is approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as if it is created within the structure of a certain ministry, the possibility of directly influencing its activities remains. This, in turn, negatively affects the effectiveness of state environmental control. Therefore, it is proposed that the body exercising state control in the field of ecology should be established under the President, not within the Cabinet of Ministers or any other ministry. Also, at the end of the article, proposals were developed to improve the legislation.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Phortica okadai, a vector of Thelazia callipaeda

Phortica okadai, known as the vector of Thelazia callipaeda in Asia, is of concern to public health in the past few decades. We generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of P. okadai with a size of 263.82 Mb and a contig N50 of 15 Mb, scaffold N50 of 47.45 Mb, combining PacBio HiFi, Illumina short-reads, and Hi-C sequencing data. Approximately 98.5% of 100 contigs could be properly ordered and oriented into 6 pseudo-chromosomes and a total of 15,052 protein-coding genes were obtained from the P. okadai genome, of which 91.76% were functionally annotated. BUSCO analysis revealed that 96.20% of 1315 predicted genes were clearly covered the conserved invertebrate genes within the database. Additionally, 302 rRNAs, 377 tRNAs, 52 miRNAs, 40 snRNAs and 21 snoRNAs were detected. In conclusion, this high-quality chromosome level reference genome will be a valuable resource for furthering the fields of ecology, genetics, evolution and functional genomics of P. okadai.

Validation of otolith daily increment formation and early growth analysis of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

The Japanese flounder is a vital economic species among East Asian released and cultured fish. Here, we sought to validate daily increment formation and analyze the early morphological development of sagittal otoliths and lapillus in Japanese flounder larvae and juveniles over 50 days. Our analysis focused on the otolith shapes, the number of daily rings present, and their length and width measurements. The results revealed that sagittal otoliths and lapillus formed before the fertilized eggs hatched. During the larval and juvenile stages, sagittae evolved gradually, transforming from nearly round to oval structures, eventually adopting arrow- or pear-shaped forms. Similarly, lapillus transformed from nearly round to mussel-shaped structures. The first daily ring became evident on the 5th-day post-hatching, demonstrating a daily periodicity during the larval phase. We observed a direct relationship between incubation days (D) and the number of daily otolith increments (n), expressed as D = n + 5. This deposition trend exhibited a daily periodicity for both sagittae and lapillus. We also noted exponential correlations between the length (Ls, μm) and width (Ws, μm) of the sagittae and the total length (TL, mm). Contrastingly, the lapillus measurements demonstrated linear correlations. Furthermore, a linear relationship emerged between the sagittae and lapillus lengths: Ll = 0.3028Ls + 28.534 (R2 = 0.9366). Additionally, we found a similar linear relationship between the sagittae and lapillus widths: Wl = 0.3791Ws + 21.508 (R2 = 0.9426). The formation pattern of daily increments in lapillus was notably more distinct than that in sagittae, making it highly suitable for age identification and group recognition. This study not only contributes to the field of fish ecology but also provides a foundational understanding for future research. It can assist in reconstructing early life histories and inferences about the spawning periods and grounds of stocked Japanese flounder.

(Ne)prijazni zmaji v službi polonistične ekoglotodidaktike

The article focuses on the Polish cultureme of the Vistula River as defined by Maciej Rak as well as the ecoglottodidactic educational potential resulting from the juxtaposition of the Polish legend of the Wawel dragon and the Slovenian legend of the dragon and the Argonauts. The selected folk texts become a stimulus for conversations with students about the Vistula and the Sava and Ljubljanica rivers flowing through Slovenia. The text follows the postulates of environmental humanities, promoting a non-anthropocentric view of the world as well as intercultural and outdoor education. The theoretical reflection is complemented by a proposal of an ecological field game, titled “In the footsteps of centuries-old dragons”, based on an aquatic theme and adapted to the needs of Polish language learners at B1-B2 level. The use of information and communication technology such as QR codes, interactivity and digital flipbooks ensures the attractiveness of educational activities and allows correlating the teaching of a foreign/second or heritage language with the objectives of sustainable development.

EDITORIAL

With great enthusiasm, we present Volume 57, Issue 1, of the journal Arquivos de Ciências do Mar, reaffirming the commitment of this publication to the dissemination of highquality scientific research in the fields of oceanography, marine ecology, and coastal studies. In this volume, we have assembled a diverse selection of 10 original articles, 3 critical reviews, and 1 scientific note that offer significant contributions to the understanding and management of marine and coastal ecosystems, with a special focus on biodiversity and the socioenvironmental challenges of tropical and subtropical regions. The original articles in this issue explore emerging and multidisciplinary topics, including fungal contamination on beaches and its impact on environmental quality, the development of tools to assess ocean literacy, and studies on environmental perception as a tool for coastal management. We also highlight research on the gametogenic cycle of Lytechinus variegatus, population dynamics modeling of Ucides cordatus, and advances in understanding the ontogenetic development of otoliths in coastal fish. Additionally, this volume includes systematic reviews that expand knowledge about the Serranidae family in the Atlantic and the life history parameters of snapper species (Lutjanidae), as well as a comprehensive analysis of bycatch of non-target species in Brazil, a crucial topic for marine conservation. In the scientific notes, we highlight contributions to the knowledge of length-weight relationships of threatened shark species from the Brazilian Amazon coast, underscoring the importance of baseline data to support conservation and management strategies. This issue reflects the dedication of researchers and reviewers, as well as the commitment of the editorial team to ensuring the quality and relevance of the published works. We hope the contents presented here inspire new research, promote knowledge exchange, and support informed decision- aking for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. We thank the authors for sharing their findings and the readers for their trust in our publication. We invite everyone to explore this issue and actively participate in the scientific dialogue it fosters. Enjoy your reading!

Measuring Researcher Impact in the Environmental Science Field

Measuring Researcher Impact in the Environmental Science Field

Utilizing large language models for identifying future research opportunities in environmental science.

Facing pressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, and environmental pollution, the field of environmental science urgently needs innovative research methods. However, identifying meaningful and cutting-edge research topics is a significant challenge, as it requires a thorough understanding of existing literature and the ability to discern knowledge gaps. Traditional bibliometrics often fall short of capturing nascent interdisciplinary fields. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) offer potential solutions to this challenge. This study explores the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) in identifying and analyzing emerging research opportunities in environmental science. We employ a text retrieval method based on word embeddings, utilizing the emergent reasoning abilities of LLMs combined with embedded search techniques to dynamically integrate the latest literature. By comparing the GPT-3.5 API with supplementary literature, ChatGPT, and GPT-4, we find that the GPT-3.5 API provides a more comprehensive, detailed, and current analysis of cutting-edge environmental science, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dynamics and timeliness of the field. Our findings underscore the critical role of interdisciplinary research, AI, and big data in addressing urgent environmental challenges. LLMs can serve as valuable tools for researchers, offering guidance and inspiration for future directions in environmental science research.