Global Change Research Articles

Relationships between charcoal property and post fire productivity in the boreal forest

Fire disturbances are increasing under global climate change and ecological transformations of forests are occurring. Specifically, shifts from productive closed-canopy feather moss forests to low-productivity open-canopy lichen (Cladonia spp.) woodlands have been observed in boreal forests of eastern Canada. It has been hypothesized that high severity of fires would be the cause of this change, but this is difficult to validate a posteriori on mature forest stands. Because charcoal properties are affected by fire severity, we have put forward the hypothesis that the amount and physicochemical properties of charcoal (C, N, H, O, ash, surface area) would be different and indicative of a greater fire severity for open-canopy forests compared to closed canopy ones. Our hypothesis was partly validated in that the amount of charcoal found on the ground of closed-canopy forests was greater than that of open-canopy forests. However, the physicochemical properties were not different, albeit a greater variability of charcoal properties for open canopy stands. These results do not allow us to fully validate or reject our hypothesis on the role of fire severity in the shift between open and closed canopy stands. However, they suggest that the variability in fire conditions as well as the amounts of charcoal produced are different between the two ecosystem types. Furthermore, considering the role that biochar may play in improving soil conditions and promoting vegetation restoration, our results suggest that charcoal may play a role in maintaining these two stable alternative ecosystem states.

Deep Learning for Weather Forecasting: A CNN-LSTM Hybrid Model for Predicting Historical Temperature Data

As global climate change intensifies, accurate weather forecasting has become increasingly important, affecting agriculture, energy management, environmental protection, and daily life. This study introduces a hybrid model combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to predict historical temperature data. CNNs are utilized for spatial feature extraction, while LSTMs handle temporal dependencies, resulting in significantly improved prediction accuracy and stability. By using Mean Absolute Error (MAE) as the loss function, the model demonstrates excellent performance in processing complex meteorological data, addressing challenges such as missing data and high-dimensionality. The results show a strong alignment between the prediction curve and test data, validating the model's potential in climate prediction. This study offers valuable insights for fields such as agriculture, energy management, and urban planning, and lays the groundwork for future applications in weather forecasting under the context of global climate change.

A Test of Functional Balance Theory for Wetland Biomass Allocation in a Global Change Experiment

AbstractForecasts of root growth and carbon sequestration under global change are compromised by uncertainty in how plants will allocate biomass between above and belowground pools. Here, we develop a simple model to assess whether functional balance theory can explain a complex biomass allocation response observed in a brackish marsh under experimental warming and elevated CO2. Our model shows how treatment‐driven changes in nitrogen supply and demand can explain divergent observations of root growth (i.e., maximum responses under intermediate warming and elevated CO2). The model also reveals a surprising interaction between warming and eutrophication, where enhanced N loading to coastal marshes may reduce adverse impacts of warming on root growth. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for incorporating biomass allocation into forecast models of marsh evolution. They also provide a general example of using ecological theory to decompose complex net responses observed in multi‐factor global change experiments into constituent processes.

Understorey-nesting bird community responses to land use in the Korup National Park, an Afrotropical rainforest in South-Western Cameroon

Tropical forest biodiversity is under immense pressure due to a combination of global and local factors, including climate change and intensive land use. Birds play an important role in tropical forest ecosystems, contributing significantly to various ecosystem services. This study examined the impact of deforestation on the richness and abundance of understorey-nesting bird communities along a land-use intensification gradient in the peripheral zone of Korup National Park, Southwest Cameroon. We selected 30 sampling plots, each covering 4 ha, across five habitat types: near-primary forest, secondary forest, disturbed forest, cocoa/coffee plantations, and annual food crop fields. A total of 236 understorey bird nests were identified, representing 16 species. Our findings revealed that land use intensity significantly influenced bird species richness and abundance. Primary and secondary forests provided 75% of the nesting species and 71% of the nests. However, 19% of the species either appeared or increased in cocoa/coffee plantations and annual crop fields. Among the feeding groups, frugivores were the most sensitive group to deforestation. This study corroborates the adverse effects of forest destruction on birds communities and highlights the urgent need to address the rapid and extensive forest conversion occurring within Korup National Park. Allowing secondary forests to regenerate and preserving large patches of primary forest are essential strategies to help understorey-nesting bird communities mitigate the impacts of global changes.

The Aquatic Metatron: A large‐scale experimental facility to study the combined effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on aquatic meta‐ecosystems

Abstract Revealing the effects of multiple global change drivers on ecosystem dynamics and functioning is a crucial endeavour, which necessitates the use of appropriate tools. Here, we present the Aquatic Metatron, a unique mesocosm facility providing a large‐scale experimental resource to study the combined effects of global change components, in particular climate change and habitat fragmentation, on the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. The Aquatic Metatron consists of 144 mesocosms of 2 m3 each that can be connected to each other with aquatic corridors, and—for a subset of them—with aerial corridors. This enables effective control of dispersal across meta‐ecosystems. In addition, the temperature in each mesocosm is supervised and precisely controlled, either through a heating (all mesocosms) or a cooling (72 mesocosms) system. All mesocosms can be monitored automatically for abiotic and biotic factors (pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity and chlorophyll a) allowing for long‐term experimentation. We tested the platform by conducting three experiments involving the manipulation of various components of global change: climate warming, biodiversity loss, eutrophication and aquatic/aerial fragmentation. The technical innovations of the platform have been validated, in particular its capacity to accurately recreate multiple climatic scenarios (e.g. heatwaves, warming, cooling) and the possibility of using aerial and water corridors to simulate fragmented landscapes. The Aquatic Metatron is located in the south‐west of France (https://sete‐moulis‐cnrs.fr/fr) and is part of AnaEE France and AnaEE‐ERIC (https://www.anaee.eu/), which are large‐scale research infrastructures. The Aquatic Metatron is a research facility accessible to external researchers and projects.

Coping with Climate Change: Exploring Key Predictors

Recent times have seen the occurrence of severe weather events at much higher rates with ever-increasing severity. These severe weather events have been attributed to global climate change. Thus, the climate change phenomenon is now a reality and poses a significant threat to society. Therefore, necessitating effective coping strategies. Motivated by Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour, this study examines the determinacy of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, concern about climate change, and observed climate change, towards an individual’s ability to cope with climate change. Also, the study investigates involvement with environmental organisations for moderating effect. The online survey was distributed to university students, a group with some climate change knowledge, and a total of 160 responses were collected. Results indicate that concern about climate change, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control significantly influence their ability to cope with climate change. However, attitude towards climate change and having observed climate change did not emerge as significant predictors. Furthermore, the involvement of environmental organizations has a moderating effect on the relationship between the predictors and coping abilities. This suggests that environmental activism may amplify the impact of certain predictors on coping capabilities. This study advances our understanding of individual reactions to climate change by identifying the factors that influence coping ability. The findings lead to potential initiatives to improve our capacities to address the effects of climate change and develop community resilience. These findings have consequences for policymakers, researchers, and environmentalists who want to encourage good coping techniques and increase society's climate resilience.

Low average shoreline change rate in 51 years on the raised Aldabra Atoll

Atolls are at risk of losing their ability to physically adapt due to rising sea levels and coral reefs’ reduced sediment supply, resulting in faster erosion of reef islands. This research examines Aldabra, a raised atoll and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Indian Ocean with diverse coastal ecosystems, to track shoreline changes against a regional sea level rise of 2–3 mm yr−1. Aerial and satellite images in 1960 and 2011 were used to study 85% of the atoll’s shoreline through a Digital Shoreline Analysis System. Over 51 years, 61% of the shoreline remained unchanged, while 24% changed at an average rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 m yr−1, a low rate compared to global atoll changes. Among the areas that did change, rates of accretion and erosion in absolute values were nearly balanced and affected similar percentages (12%) of the shoreline. However, localized changes were pronounced: for example, part of the lagoon shoreline transformed from a sandy beach to a mangrove habitat, accreting by 214 m over the period. Erosion occurred at crucial turtle nesting sites and the research station. The lagoon shoreline underwent more rapid changes than the erosion-resistant ocean shoreline, particularly in areas exposed to wind and waves. Despite its dynamic shoreline, Aldabra maintained its net shoreline and likely total land area over the past 51 years, akin to other Indo-Pacific atolls—underscoring its adaptive capacity. Our research suggests that current knowledge of geomorphological processes of low reef islands is transferable to the raised Aldabra Atoll, reconfirming similar mechanisms of island-building processes at the island crest. These insights highlight an urgent need to minimize local impacts on sediment availability and transfer that might alter the natural dynamics of the shoreline of reef islands and hence limit adaptation potential. Ongoing shoreline monitoring will remain crucial for informing timely adaptation strategies for the conservation of Aldabra’s unique ecosystem.

Exploring the factors influencing the carbon sink function of coastal wetlands in the Yellow River Delta

Understanding the mechanisms of the coastal wetland ecosystem carbon sink function is crucial for adapting to, mitigating, and predicting global climate change. Landscape metrics and Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model were used to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of soil organic carbon (SOC) and vegetation carbon sequestration (VCS) in the Yellow River Delta (YRD). GeoDetector model was used to explore the effects of various factors influencing VCS. The results showed that: (1) From 1999 to 2020, the area of natural wetlands and non-wetlands decreased, while the area of artificial wetlands increased. (2) The SOC stock in the 0 ~ 100 cm depth in 1999 and 2020 were about 7.8871 Tg C and 7.0521 Tg C, respectively. The amount of VCS increased from 0.2309 Tg C in 2000 to 0.3681 Tg C in 2020, with a significant annual increase of 6532 Mg C. In the past 21 years, the total carbon sink in the YRD was 6.0952 Tg C. The amount of VCS was equivalent to 2.93% of SOC stock in 1999, rising to 5.22% by 2020. (3) Vegetation cover has the greatest influence on the carbon sink function in the YRD, followed by precipitation and biodiversity. From 2000 to 2020, the effect of biodiversity on the carbon sinks of natural wetlands and artificial wetlands increased. The synergistic effect of wetland type and vegetation cover on carbon sink effect was replaced by the synergistic effect of biodiversity and vegetation cover. The identification of the primary factors that influence VCS in the YRD is significant to the understanding of the spatiotemporal evolution of carbon sink effect in coastal wetland ecosystems, and to the guidance of the rational development and protection of coastal wetlands and promote sustainable ecosystem development.

Detection of tree destruction induced by heavy rainfall in the afforested loess catchment of China

Rainstorm events are becoming increasingly frequent due to the impacts of global warming, which results in widespread erosion disasters and related tree destruction. However, previous corresponding studies of forest damage have focused on typhoons or wildfires, ignoring the increasing risk of rainstorm erosion-induced tree destruction. It is unclear what scale of tree destruction can be caused by heavy rainfall. In this study, we used a tree segmentation method based on airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology to accurately quantify the tree destruction during heavy rainfall in a representative afforested catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Additionally, topographic changes were calculated using pre- and post-heavy rainfall LiDAR datasets, and tree destruction was assessed by combining terrain information and tree structural parameters. The results showed that 3253 trees in the catchment (0.9 km2) were destroyed due to rainstorm erosion, among which 2845 trees were located on gully slope landform, accounting for 87.4 % of all destroyed trees. Tree destruction on steep gully slope (slope: 45.5°-50.5°) was mainly induced by rainstorm erosion, while that on both sides of the gully bed (altitude: 1137 m-1147 m) was mainly induced by sediment deposition. In the catchment, the deposition area that resulted in tree destruction (21265 m2) was greater than the erosion area (20020 m2). However, the damage caused by erosion was more destructive than that caused by deposition. There was a significant linear relationship between tree structural parameters and terrain in the forestland catchment. Our study provides a reference methodology for studies of forest damage due to extreme weather events worldwide, and has significant implications for ecosystem management and reforestation in the context of global change.

Nutrient addition alters drought resistance and resilience via forb abundance in a temperate grassland

Nutrient addition has resulted in profound effects on grassland ecosystems. Yet, the response and ecological mechanisms of grassland community resistance (the ability to maintain ecosystem function during drought) and resilience (the capacity to recover after drought) in relation to nutrient addition are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of nutrient addition on resistance and resilience of a temperate grassland experiencing a drought year. Our findings demonstrated that the resistance of both the whole community and forb species decreased under nitrogen (N) addition, while only forb resistance significantly decreased under phosphorus (P) addition. Interestingly, N addition also hindered the community and forb resilience, whereas community resilience significantly enhanced under P addition. Unexpectedly, even although nutrient addition significantly affected grass biomass, grass resistance and resilience were not significantly altered by nutrient addition. Furthermore, structural equation models revealed that nutrient addition affect community drought resistance and resilience via the abundance of forb species. Our outcomes highlight the crucial function of forb in sustaining grassland community stability in the face of global change. It provides crucial scientific evidence for the scientific management and sustainable preservation of ecosystem services in grassland ecosystems under global change.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for energy strategies: Advancing global economic policies and hydrogen production in the transition to a low-carbon economy

The need for non-conventional energy forms is another factor that has been pointing to the need for Fortran's s-ports for new forms of energy and indeed transportable energy that carriers such as Hydrogen. This investigation employs artificial intelligence to promote international economic policies and hydrogen manufacturing, defining hydrogen export competitiveness globally from 1991 to 2024. An overall index constructed from twenty-one benchmarks in four areas: financial and economic viability, political and regulatory position, industrial experience, and resource availability and prospects were created and further tested with experts' interviews and questionnaires. AI specifically played a very important role in data analysis and the index in assigning the appropriate weights and providing the right evaluation. This paper reveals the countries that have a competitive hydrogen industry and gives policy suggestions for improving the generation and exportation productivity of Hydrogen. Through this integrated project development approach, it is intended to spark the hydrogen economy and renewable energy, including environmentally sustainable uses. As a result, by employing AI to develop the energy strategy, this research provides practical recommendations for creating a low-carbon economy, filling the existing gap in the issue of limited sustainable energy sources and contributing to the development of the global economy. The purpose is to provide specific guidance for the effective stimulation of the hydrogen market in the context of global changes in the renewable energy area and sustainable development.

Physiological and biochemical response of strawberry cv. diamond to nano zeolite soil application and cinnamic acid foliar application

The increasing global population and climate change are pressing challenges that necessitate innovative agricultural solutions to ensure food security. One promising approach is the use of nano fertilizers and foliar spraying techniques, which enhance nutrient delivery to plants. The purpose of this research was to examine how three different concentrations of nano zeolite (0, 30, and 60 mg L− 1) applied to the soil through irrigation and three different concentrations of cinnamic acid (0, 100, and 200 µM) applied topically affected the physiological and biochemical characteristics of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. diamond, as well as the crop’s yield and quality of its fruits. A factorial system with three replications was used in the experiment, which was designed in a completely randomized design. According to the data, all features except stomatal conductivity were considerably impacted by soil application of nano zeolite and foliar spraying of cinnamic acid. Moreover, cinnamic acid (200 µM) spray combined with soil application nano zeolite (60 mg L− 1) decreased electrolyte leakage, transpiration rate, and malondialdehyde, while enhanced chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, leaf dry matter, relative water content, fruit length and diameter, yield, and fruit quality parameters.

Dust- versus cloud-radiation impacts on the diurnal temperature range for long-lasting dust weather over the Taklimakan Desert

The diurnal temperature range (DTR), determined by the difference between daily maximum and minimum air temperature, is an important index of global climate change. The dust direct radiative effect on DTR in cloudy conditions in the Taklimakan Desert (TD) area is still unclear. Based on springtime ground observation data from 2002 to 2013, the DTR variation in dust/cloudy days and the DTR-visibility relationship in dust days in TD were analyzed and summarized. The mean DTR was proportional to the mean visibility, with a slow DTR increase in the southwestern TD caused by cloud-induced radiation when visibility was 4–10 km; the DTR difference between cloudy and cloudless dust days was more significant (1.8–4.2 °C) when visibility was >6 km. The simulation of a long-lasting dust-cloud coexisting event (4 days) with the factor separation technique showed that both pure dust- and cloud-radiation impacts reduced DTR but their synergistic radiation impact mostly increased DTR in TD. Both simulated and observed results indicated that when the daily visibility of dust weather increased from 4-6 km to 6–10 km, the important pure dust impact on DTR weakened whereas the cloud impact became significant.

Avian abundance and diversity in three urbanized university campuses at different elevations in Northern Mindanao, Philippines

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of urbanization and elevation on avian diversity across three university campuses in the Philippines. Urbanization, a significant driver of global environmental change, negatively affects biodiversity by altering natural habitats. Birds, frequently used as bioindicators, are vital subjects for studying urban impacts due to their visibility and sensitivity to environmental changes. This research compares the abundance of bird families across campuses at different elevations, revealing significant variations influenced by urban structure, vegetation, and resource availability. Line transect, point count, and mist-netting methods were employed to survey the birds in the study area following established methods. The family Pycnonotidae is most abundant in the low-elevation urban campus (University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines - Cagayan de Oro), while families like Nectariniidae and Cuculidae are more prevalent in the high-elevation campus (USTPClaveria). These findings underscore the importance of habitat diversity and resource availability in supporting avian communities. The study highlights the potential of urbanized university campuses to serve as refuges for biodiversity if managed appropriately. Enhancing habitat complexity, maintaining green spaces, and ensuring diverse food resources are crucial for sustaining bird populations. The results emphasize the need for targeted conservation efforts within urban campuses to preserve and promote avian diversity in increasingly urbanized landscapes.

Impact of global climate change on the living conditions of small indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic

Impact of global climate change on the living conditions of small indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic

Global Change in Psychotherapy: Influences of Current Social Change on Mental Health and Therapy

Global change affects both individual life situations and social coexistence in a variety of ways. However, the effects of social events on mental illness and psychotherapy are only recorded and included in psychotherapy research in individual areas. The aim of this study is to explore current problems and concerns of patients in Germany on the basis of practical experience reports, to collect possible social causes and to bundle considerations for therapeutic treatment. To this end, psychotherapists (n=10) and psychotherapy patients (n=12) were interviewed in qualitative interviews and these were analyzed using grounded theory. After evaluating the collected perspectives, five main effects of current social events and the consequences of globalization were identified. From the perspectives of psychotherapists and patients, these include increasing anxiety about the future, decreasing social inclusion, increased questions about goals and identity as a concern for psychotherapy, increased psychological stress as a result of political divide and an increased demand for diversity-sensitive psychotherapy. In addition to expanding the scope of action, therapeutic approaches primarily include providing contact, guidance, orientation, emotional support and bonding experiences. The inclusion of knowledge from psychotherapists and patients as well as findings from social science can be helpful for identifying current problems and developing new therapeutic approaches or bundling, linking, and effectively using existing ones.

Trends in fish diversity in Portuguese estuaries in the past decades and predictions in face of global changes

Coastal transition ecosystems like estuaries are amongst the most productive aquatic ecosystems on the planet, recognized worldwide as a fundamental component of coastal areas in terms of biological relevance and anthropogenic use. Estuaries along the Portuguese coast differ in their geomorphological and hydrological characteristics. These systems play a crucial role in terms of nursery areas for economically important fish species. Although several authors have observed high specific variability in estuarine fish communities along the Portuguese coast, few studies explore the factors that influence it. Most of these studies focus on a single estuary and, when several are addressed, only a single factor is used to assess the specific variability of the communities. The presente work aims to analyze the ecological role played by these estuaries for fish communities, namely in terms of their species richness, using a 30 year historical database provided by the Portuguese Coastal Monitoring Network Research Infrastructure (CoastNet RI). To this end, a generalized additive model (GAM) was developed to analyze the variation of species richness as a function of a set of temporal, spatial and environmental characteristics from the nine principal estuarine systems on the Portuguese coast. A total of 142 species from 45 families were identified. The Tejo, Mira, and Sado estuaries had the highest species counts (92, 72, and 64 species, respectively), while Minho and Ria de Aveiro had the lowest (26 and 27 species, respectively). The GAM model explained 35.1% of the variance in species richness and demonstrated significant differences in fish species richness in space (among the nine study estuaries) and time (at annual and monthly scales), and these differences were influenced by abiotic factors such as salinity and temperature. Species richness decreased with higher latitudes and varied yearly, showing a downward trend post-2002. Monthly variations showed increases in February–March and September–October. Higher species richness correlated with salinity levels between 25 and 37 and temperatures between 14 and 25 °C. Possible scenarios of future variations caused by the effects of climate change on the significant factors are also discussed. These GAMs could be useful as a preliminary tool to prepare long-term conservation plans for national legislation.

A systematic review of teaching Comparative and International Education (CIE) in higher education: themes, contexts, and methods

ABSTRACT This paper scrutinises the teaching of Comparative and International Education (CIE) in higher education, addressing the gap in the discourse on how CIE is taught. Utilising the latest ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses’ (PRISMA) guidelines, we selected 10 articles from the past decade across six databases for a detailed review. Our examination focuses on the ‘what, who, and how’ of CIE teaching practice, including research methods, contextual applications, and the validity and limitations of the chosen literature. We introduce a Critical Comparative and International Education Pedagogy (CCIEP), advocating for advancing dialogue beyond theoretical recognition towards proactive engagement in CIE knowledge exchange and transformation in order to respond to global changes more effectively and responsibly.

Effects of tillage practices on water storage and soil conservation in red soil slope farmland in Southern China

Under the current conditions of global climate change, many unreasonable tillage practices exacerbate soil erosion and seasonal drought in agriculture. The red soil slope farmland makes up a significant portion of agricultural land in southern China. It is crucial to enhance the water storage and soil conservation effects (WSE) by adopting appropriate agronomic practices on the red soil slope farmland, which ensures regional agriculture’s sustainable development. Therefore, this study employed a combination of experimental plot positioning observations and artificially simulated rainfall experiments to analyze the WSE of four tillage practices: Conventional tillage (CT), Downslope ridge tillage (DT), Cross-slope ridge tillage (RT), and Plastic Mulching (PM). This study proposed the optimal tillage practices based on a comprehensive evaluation of their effects. The results indicate that there is a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between tillage practices and growth stages on soil water retention and infiltration characteristics. Under the same growth stage conditions, PM can reduce soil bulk density by 0.03–14.29% (p < 0.05) and increase temperature, soil moisture content, and total porosity by 4.00–6.67%, 0.68–18.23%, and 1.30–13.47% (p < 0.05), respectively, demonstrating the best water retention capabilities among the four tillage practices. However, during the rainfall-runoff process, the surface runoff amount (SRA) generated by PM and DT accounts for 68.15% and 90.83% of the total runoff, respectively, which is detrimental to soil water infiltration during rainfall. Both practices exhibit poor resistance to soil erosion and demonstrate low water storage and soil conservation effect index (WSEI) values of 0.38 and 0.33, respectively. Secondly, RT’s SRA constitutes only 9.42% of the total runoff, which is beneficial for increasing the cumulative soil water infiltration amount (CIA) during rainfall. Among the three tillage practices, namely RT, DT, and CT, RT demonstrates strong soil water retention capabilities. It can significantly reduce the kinetic energy of soil erosion, enhance soil erosion resistance, and exhibit the highest WSEI of 0.84. Furthermore, CT exhibits a moderate WSEI of 0.75. In summary, from the perspective of WSEI, RT is the tillage practice that should be prioritized for promotion in the cultivation process of red soil slope farmland. Our research results can provide a scientific basis for constructing optimal tillage mode and improving the WSE of southern China’s red soil slope farmland.

Impact of green finance on green total factor productivity: New evidence from improved synthetic control methods

Although green finance policy is essential for sustainable development, its impact on green development is often underestimated. Using city-level data in China from 2009 to 2022, this study identifies the causal effect of green finance policy on green total factor productivity (GTFP) through an improved synthetic control method. The findings are as follows: First, green finance positively influences GTFP growth, and this effect increases over time. Second, the baseline results remain robust when tested using alternative estimation methods and information criteria. Third, the mechanism analysis shows that green finance policy enhances GTFP through the optimization of energy structure and technological innovation. This study provides new evidence that green finance promotes green development and contributes to addressing global climate change.