Ecological Degradation Research Articles

Effect of heavy metals contamination due to leachate migration from uncontrolled dumpsites: A comprehensive analysis on soil and groundwater

In the contemporary era, the widespread practice of open dumping persists as a major method for municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal, contributing significantly to global environmental degradation and posing severe health risks. Deficient waste management systems result in over 90% of waste being openly discarded or burned at numerous unregulated dumpsites, particularly in developing nations like India. This research focuses on the active waste dumping site, Bhandewadi Dumpsite in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, aiming to assess soil and groundwater contamination caused by the release of toxic elements into the surrounding region. Various parameters, such as the index of geoaccumulation, contamination factor, potential ecological risk, heavy metal pollution index, and water metal index were employed to evaluate the impact of the dumpsite. Results indicated heavy contamination in soil and groundwater samples, particularly from Bidgoan Road and Pardi, with elevated levels of metals, such as Cr, Ni, and Pb within 2 km radius of Bhandewadi dumpsite, Nagpur (India). The principal component analysis confirmed these locations as highly polluted, emphasizing the influence of leachate migration from the uncontrolled dumpsite. The findings underscore the urgent need to improve waste management strategies at municipal landfills and highlight the importance of policy measures to control environmental pollution and the introduction of scientific methods to curb the migration of metals into the environment.

Water Quality Assessment using Selected Macroinvertebrate Based Indices and Water Quality Index of Sungai Air Hitam Selangor

A study was conducted from July to December 2022 at Sungai Air Hitam, a small tributary of the Selangor River located within the Tanjung Karang Sub-basin in Malaysia (coordinates: 3° 24' 27" N, 101° 25' 54" E to 3° 28' 14" N, 101° 26' 59" E). This confluence is situated near three major downstream water treatment plants. The study assessed six water quality parameters—pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia (NH3), and suspended solids (SS)—to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI). Macroinvertebrates were sampled simultaneously using the dipping net method to obtain biotic indices for further evaluation of water quality. The results indicated that the WQI classified Sungai Air Hitam as Class III, with scores ranging from 56.9 to 64.6, suggesting the river is suitable for water supply and fisheries. However, the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) index categorized the water quality as poor, with scores between 30 and 42. Similarly, the Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) ranged from 3.25 to 5.25, indicating pollution or environmental impact, while the Family Biotic Index (FBI) further classified the river as having poor to very poor water quality, with scores between 6.57 and 8.11. Overall, the study suggests that Sungai Air Hitam has experienced some degree of ecological degradation. These findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring and remediation efforts to preserve and restore water quality.

Environmental degradation in geopolitical risk and uncertainty contexts for India: A comparison of ecological footprint, CO2 emissions, and load capacity factor

This study assesses the role of geopolitical risk and uncertainty in the degradation of the environment by forming the functions for ecological footprint, CO2 emissions, and load capacity factor for the period 1990-2019 in India. Besides, the specified function endogenizes economic growth, renewable energy consumption, and natural resource rent as the additional covariates. The use of the autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) confirms the long-run relationship between study variables. Further, the dynamic simulations of the autoregressive distributed lag model (DYNARDL) outcomes show that geopolitical risk improves the quality of the environment by reducing the ecological footprint and CO2 emissions. However, it degrades the environment by reducing the load capacity factor. Furthermore, the uncertainty improves the environmental quality by reducing the CO2 emissions and ecological footprint, but the reduced load capacity factor due to uncertainty implies the degradation of environmental quality in India. Given these findings, the study proposes different environmental conservation policies.

Factors Influencing Industrial Waste Applying Information Technology and Managing Information Systems Towards Minimizing Waste Management

This study explores the surging of demand for manufactured products with the increasing of world’s population. While the manufacturing sector is essential in meeting this demand, it also faces the significant challenge of reducing the environmental impact of industrial waste. Manufacturing industrial waste primarily arises from by-products, over-extraction of natural resources, and inefficient production processes. Poor management of manufacturing processes would lead to adverse social impacts to human health, natural resources depletion, ecosystem destruction, and contribute to global warming and climate change. Additionally, improper waste disposal can result in financial losses and legal penalties for non-compliance with environmental regulations. Hence, it is imperative for the manufacturing sector to leverage emerging technologies and management strategies to mitigate these challenges. Therefore, this study used a quantitative approach to analyse primary data collected from the survey questionnaire to examine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Combination of financial, technical, social, and governmental factors addressed in this project underscores the multifaceted approach required for effective waste management

Exploring the dynamic synergistic effect of combined factors on urban energy efficiency: A set-theoretic configurational approach

Addressing global resource scarcity and environmental degradation requires a focus on enhancing energy efficiency. While previous studies have examined the net impact of single factors on energy efficiency, the dynamic synergistic effects of interactive factors remain underexplored. This paper addresses this gap by integrating the Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) framework with the Co-evolution Theory. Utilizing the dynamic Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis technique, this study examines 108 Chinese cities to identify configurational pathways for improving energy efficiency while considering social factors such as technological innovation, governmental oversight, demographic scale, foreign capital, economic development, industrial composition, and urban sustainability. Our empirical findings indicate that no single factor is sufficient for achieving energy efficiency independently; rather, it depends on the dynamic interplay and collaboration among these factors. Notably, technological innovation emerges as a critical component in enhancing energy efficiency. This research offers deeper insights into the configurational aspects of energy efficiency and underscores the importance of synergistic dynamics among influencing factors.

Pollution of water bodies and related impacts on aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services: the case of Ghana’s booming ‘galamsey’ industry

Galamsey is a Ghanaian jargon from the phrase “gather and sell,” coined from how gold was mined with simple tools by natives and sold afterwards, is deeply rooted in culture. Despite its socio-economic benefits, a significant upsurge in galamsey has been widely associated with significant environmental impacts viz, destruction of aquatic ecosystems and ecosystems services. This paper discuses impacts of galamsey on aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework in combination with the quantitative defensible impact characterization approach to establish the cause-and-impact relationships between pollutants associated with galamsey, the extent to which aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services are impacted while answering the questions what is happening to the environment and why it is happening (compilation and analysis of status and trends of key environmental indicators) and what the consequences are for the environment (analysis of impacts of environmental change on ecosystem services). There were highly significant differences (P<0001) between the analysed mean Hg, As and turbidity levels and the permissible levels in surface water with the potential of affecting ecosystem services including water for drinking, water for recreational, water for irrigational, and water for aqua culture purposes. Spiritual values, symbolic values, recreation, aqua culture and fish harvest were among ecosystem services highly impacted with a high impact significance ranged 101-125 (++++orange) while aesthetic experience was very highly impacted with a very high impact significance ranged between 126-150 (+++++red). Discolouration by silt, and hydromorphological alteration had a medium-high impact significance ranged from 76-100 (+++yellow) while spiritual value had a low-medium impact significance ranged from 51-75 (represented by ++green). It is recommended that efforts are made to promote responsible cleaner operations in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector through the provision of subsidized eco-friendly tools for gold amalgamation in addition to regular capacity building training on the impacts of galamsey on ecosystems, ecosystem services and human health using cycle of cause-effect-outlook relationship.

Technogenically Disturbed Lands of Coal Mines: Restoration Methods

The issues of human impact on the environment are evident and pose a threat to the health and well-being of future generations. Technogenic disturbances in coal mining sites, such as open pits, excavations, and industrial waste, pose risks to both human health and the environment. Open-pit coal mines not only frequently cause the destruction of natural ecosystems, including landscapes, vegetation, and biodiversity, but they also significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Addressing the carbon footprint necessitates not only the use of renewable energy but also the restoration of disturbed landscapes and vegetation, including trees and shrubs. All of this is achieved by implementing biological remediation within technogenically disturbed territories. This process fosters a return of biological balance and establishes favorable conditions for plant and animal life, while at the same time reducing carbon footprint indicators. The biological remediation of areas affected by the mining activities of coal mines can create new economic opportunities. The reclaimed land can be utilized for various purposes such as agriculture, forestry, park development, and tourism, thereby contributing to local economic growth and job creation. When planning measures for land bioremediation, it is essential to analyze all quality indicators of the land. In this case, the selection of technologies such as plants, fertilizers, and microorganisms can effectively restore territories.

Environmental regulation, R&D subsidies, and industrial green total factor productivity

In the face of worsening global environmental degradation, significant attention has been devoted to the greening of industrial transformation and development, specifically by improving industrial green total factor productivity (GTFP). We explored the impact of environmental regulations on industrial GTFP and the moderating influence of R&D subsidies. We established a theoretical model in which environmental regulations affect industrial GTFP, and this relationship is moderated by R&D subsidies. The results revealed that the impact of environmental regulations on industrial GTFP is U-shaped and that the current level of environmental regulation is insufficient to boost industrial GTFP. Green technological innovation plays a mediating role in the effect of environmental regulations on industrial GTFP. Furthermore, R&D subsidies nonlinearly moderate the relationship, resulting in a steeper U-shaped curve and accelerating the arrival of the tipping point. These findings provide theoretical support and a reference for government policies that promote industrial greening.

Macrophyte species composition and abundance of hydrogeologically connected wetlands in upper Abbay river basin, Ethiopia

Macrophytes are key components of aquatic ecosystems including wetlands that have considerable ecological importance. The role of macrophytes is closely linked to their structural attributes like species composition and abundance. Therefore, this study aimed to assess macrophyte species composition, abundance and diversity of six hydrogeologically connected wetlands in the upper Abbay River basin, Ethiopia. The studied wetlands (Gudera, Geray, Zindib, Kurt Bahir, Infranz and Wonjeta) are found in west Gojjam administrative zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted at the end of September 2021 and February 2022. Quadrat sampling technique was employed to collect macrophyte samples following protocols for sampling aquatic macrophytes in freshwater wetlands. A total of 41 species of macrophytes belonging to 16 families were identified across the wetlands. The wetlands were dominated by emergent macrophytes, with the Poaceae and Cyperaceae families being particularly abundant. The physicochemical water quality status, water level fluctuations and level of human interventions might be the reason for the variation in the macrophytes composition, abundance and diversity across the wetlands. The low macrophyte diversity index value and the presence of pollution-tolerant taxa such as Pistia stratiotes and Azolla africana indicate an overall ecological degradation of the wetlands. Therefore, this study highlights the potential role of macrophyte monitoring to identify anthropogenic pollution. Application of appropriate land use planning and the development of macrophyte based multimetric indices are recommended for their sustainable management.

Socio-hydrological lock-in; an emergent phenomenon in the face of anthropogenic drought

This study investigates the drought of three major terminal lakes: Great Salt Lake, Salton Sea, and Lake Urmia, driven by socio-hydrological lock-in—a phenomenon characterized by feedback loops between human activities and environmental processes. Previous research has linked this drying to socio-hydrological lock-in, where rational actions by individuals collectively lead to suboptimal outcomes, exacerbating water scarcity and ecological degradation. Despite existing studies, a critical knowledge gap remains in understanding how these feedback mechanisms operate across different socio-economic and ecological contexts. This research seeks to address this gap through an integrative analysis of historical data and case studies, highlighting the interplay between increased water demand for agriculture, population growth, and governance challenges. The resultant shrinkage of these lakes exposes saline playas, generating salt-rich dust with severe ecological and health impacts, including soil salinization and respiratory illnesses. By comparing the socio-hydrological lock-in across diverse regions, this study provides insights into preventing and mitigating these cycles. It emphasizes the necessity for holistic water management strategies that integrate both supply and demand-side measures. The key contribution of this research lies in its systematic exploration of the feedback mechanisms driving socio-hydrological lock-ins, offering a foundation for developing sustainable water resource management policies globally. This work aims to influence policy and practice by highlighting the need for integrated, long-term strategies that balance economic pursuits with environmental sustainability, ensuring resilience in water management amidst mounting environmental challenges.

Energy: An Overview of Type, Form, Storage, Advantages, Efficiency, and Their Impact

ABSTRACTRecently, energy has been a research area due to increasing awareness of its advantages. Energy is essential for all daily activities and helps the mind and body grows; it has the ability to determine the growth of an economy and the development of a country. However, energy has its disadvantages. Nonrenewable energy is energy such as fossil fuel, which is the main cause of air pollutant emissions, such as carbon dioxide, synthetic fluorinated gases, water vapor, and methane gases; and nuclear energy, its wastes are the main cause of air pollutant. They are also the main cause of global warming, human health, climate change, and environmental degradation from the extraction up to use. Nowadays, fossil fuel energy is used in production and use of energy in all sectors of the world. Nuclear energy is the most powerful energy source. Renewable energy, such as solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, tidal, wave, and hydrogen energy, produces zero greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels, reducing air pollution and combating climate change, improving public health, mitigating smog and acid rain, and long‐term sustainability. The production and use of this renewable energy has been increasing, but it is not sufficient to meet the demand of all sectors in the world. Hydrogen energy is the future of fossil fuels and nuclear energy, free of CO2 emissions, and radioactive waste. The hydrogen economy envisions using hydrogen as a clean, versatile, and sustainable energy carrier to replace fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We must control the impacts of energy first by knowing the types of energy and their impact, and then totally replace nonrenewable energy with renewable energy in the future by increasing the efficiency of renewable energy. To increase the efficiency of energy production, energy storage (storing high amount of energy in a small space) uses nanomaterials and green nanomaterial technologies. International cooperation and policy alignment will be essential for driving global transition to a sustainable energy future. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), the energy sector becomes more sustainable, efficient, and resilient, supporting the transition toward a low‐carbon future. Harmonizing energy policies, sharing best practices, and aligning climate commitments can facilitate the development of a coordinated approach to addressing energy challenges on a global scale. By incorporating these considerations into energy planning and decision‐making, stakeholders can work toward building a future energy system that is sustainable, resilient, and capable of meeting the energy needs of a rapidly changing world. In this study, a critical review of the type, form, storage, advantages, efficiency, respective, and their impact are reviewed. The amounts of energy produced by each type in different years are discussed.

The Spatiotemporal Evolution of Vegetation in the Henan Section of the Yellow River Basin and Mining Areas Based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

The Yellow River Basin is rich in coal resources, but the ecological environment is fragile, and the ecological degradation of vegetation is exacerbated by the disruption caused by high-intensity mining activities. Analyzing the dynamic evolution of vegetation in the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin and its mining areas over the long term run reveals the regional ecological environment and offers a scientific foundation for the region’s sustainable development. In this study, we obtained a long time series of Landsat imageries from 1987 to 2023 on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and utilized geographically weighted regression models, Sen (Theil–Sen median) trend analysis, M-K (Mann–Kendall) test, coefficient of variation (CV), and the Hurst index to investigate the evolution of vegetation cover based on the kNDVI (the normalized difference vegetation index). This index is used to explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of vegetation cover and its future development trend. Our results showed that (1) The kNDVI value in the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin exhibited a trend of fluctuating upward at a rate of 0.0509/10a from 1987 to 2023. The kNDVI trend in the mining areas of the region aligned closely with the overall trend of the Henan section; however, the annual kNDVI in each mining area consistently remained lower than that of the Henan section and displayed a degree of fluctuation, predominantly characterized by medium–high variability, with areas of moderate and high fluctuations accounting for 73.5% of the total. (2) The kNDVI in the study area showed a significant improvement in vegetation cover and its future development trends. We detected a significant improvement in the kNDVI index in the area; yet, significant improvement in this index in the future might cause vegetation degradation in 87% of the study area, which may be closely related to multiple factors such as the intensity of mining at the mine site, anthropogenic disturbances, and climate change. (3) The vegetation status of the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin shows a significant positive correlation with distance from mining areas, accounting for 90.9% of the total, indicating that mining has a strong impact on vegetation cover. This study provides a scientific basis for vegetation restoration, green development of mineral resources, and sustainable development in the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin.

Hotspots in peril: Misalignment of conservation efforts and ecological values in a shallow coastal sea

Abstract Misalignment between the location of marine protected areas (MPAs) and ecologically valuable areas, here defined as low conservation conformity, may arise due to conflicting socioeconomic and ecological demands, diminishing MPA effectiveness. Such conflicts are especially found in coastal areas with high human population density and high natural productivity. Here, we aim to provide a framework to quantitatively and qualitatively assess conservation conformity using multiple indicators to identify hotspots of ecological quality. We use the subtidal Dutch Wadden Sea as a case study due to its unique natural, cultural, and economic values and the availability of high‐resolution spatial data. We focus on macrozoobenthic communities (larger animals living in and on the seafloor), a vital group experiencing significant ecological degradation due to a long history of human activity. A complex set of restrictions has been implemented to prevent further macrozoobenthos degradation and to stimulate recovery. We first spatially overlay and translate the different protection measures to international standards. We then determine hotspots of ecological quality based on nationally and internationally used indicators of biodiversity and seafloor status and map their overlap with protected areas. We found that in 2024, 37% of the 134,466 ha subtidal Dutch Wadden Sea has some level of protection. However, due to the poor spatial overlap of implemented measures, the IUCN‐based guidelines would classify only 10% as an MPA, while only 2% of the subtidal is truly free of human bottom‐disturbing activities. Of this total subtidal area, 19% was classified as an ecological hotspot based on multiple indicators. However, the protection measures in place overlapped very poorly with these ecological hotspots. Overall, only in 2% of the total subtidal area, IUCN‐classified MPAs overlapped with locations identified as ecological hotspots for at least six indicators, indicating poor overlap of MPAs with ecological hotspots. Because the whole Wadden Sea is subject to several international protection schemes (e.g. Natura 2000, OSPAR convention, Ramsar Convention, and UNESCO World Heritage), these results call for substantial adjustment of the current conservation layout. We thus emphasise the importance of quantitatively evaluating potential misalignment between protected areas and ecologically valuable areas in coastal zones. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of Urban Construction Land in Resource-Exhausted Cities: An Empirical Study of Puyang, China

Resource-depleted cities face challenges of land structure imbalance and ecological environmental degradation, necessitating relevant research. Clarifying the land use evolution path and exploring the rationality of urban expansion are of significant importance for the sustainable development of resource-depleted cities. This study employs a comprehensive approach utilizing the land use transfer matrix, expansion intensity, expansion speed, and the equal fan analysis method to investigate the evolution characteristics of construction land in Puyang, a typical resource-exhausted city in China, from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, it identifies the driving factors based on a comprehensive approach combining the variance inflation factor (VIF), grey relational analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis. The main findings include the following: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the cultivated land area in Puyang decreased by 181,296 hectares, while the newly added construction land amounted to 24,846.30 hectares, primarily converted from cultivated land. (2) Puyang comprises five counties and one district. Among them, Hualong District exhibited the highest expansion intensity, speed, and area, whereas Taiqian County showed the lowest. This disparity is attributed to resource-centered land development and utilization. (3) From 1990 to 2020, urban expansion in Puyang primarily concentrated in the northeast direction, exhibiting a concentric outward expansion pattern. (4) Socioeconomic factors positively influenced the expansion of construction land, with the “year-end total population” having the most significant impact. Conversely, land use and natural resource factors negatively impacted construction land expansion, with “cultivated land area” being the most prominent. Additionally, policy and institutional frameworks played a regulatory and restrictive role in the evolution of construction land, while topography and location served as fundamental conditions for urban expansion. This study provides methodologies for sustainable development research in resource-exhausted cities and offers a foundation for land use planning research in resource-based regions of China.

Evaluating the impact of urban sprawl on the urban ecological status using GIS and remote sensing from 2000 to 2021: a case study of Herat City, Afghanistan.

Urbanization often incurs environmental costs, as fertile agricultural and forested lands are converted into urban areas. Herat City is currently undergoing significant urban transformation. This research aims to assess the impact of urban sprawl on Herat City's urban ecological status during 2000, 2013, and 2021, using GIS and remote sensing. The urban expansion intensity index was used to measure urban sprawl. The Mean Remote Sensing Ecological Index (MRSEI), integrating known granulation entropy (KGE) and comprehensive distance-based ranking (COBRA) algorithms, was utilized to evaluate urban ecological status. The random forest (RF) supervised machine learning-based algorithm was used to classify the study area into four categories (Built-up, Bare-land, Water, and Vegetation). Findings indicate rapid development from 2000 to 2013, followed by moderate expansion until 2021. Urban ecological quality degradation is observed in various directions over time, with the southeast consistently demonstrating excellent status. Interestingly, while good and excellent urban ecological status decreases over two decades, poor and very poor conditions improve. The research underscores an inverse relationship between urban expansion intensity and ecological status, highlighting the need for improved strategies to mitigate environmental decline. These findings will inform Afghan governmental bodies and international organizations, enabling them to better address resource consumption, ecological disruptions, social inequalities, and foster sustainable development.

Ecological status and type of alteration determine the C-balance and climate change mitigation capacity of Mediterranean inland saline shallow lakes

Saline shallow lakes may play an important role in carbon exchange with the atmosphere, but their alteration may change carbon balance and greenhouse gas emissions patterns. This study investigated the relationship between carbon metabolic processes and environmental factors, focusing on alterations in salinity, hydroperiod length, and trophic status. The results revealed that disruptions to natural salinity patterns, driven by hydrological changes and ecological degradation, enhanced carbon greenhouse gas emitting metabolisms. In contrast, well-preserved lakes demonstrated significantly higher carbon retention and climate mitigation capacities (–188 ± 412 g C m−2 yr−1) compared to lakes with hydrological and trophic disturbances (–30 ± 141 g C m−2 yr−1). These findings emphasize the relevance of the metabolic activity of saline shallow lakes and highlight the need for targeted management and restoration efforts to maximize their climate regulation potential. The insights gained from this study may also be applicable to similar ecosystems in other regions.

Historical Analysis of Environmental Degradation in Pakistan: A Narrative Review

The degradation of the environment in Pakistan has become worse through historical, socio-economic, and geopolitical interactions. This narrative review considers burning issues like deforestation, water shortage, and soil and water pollution, which can be linked to colonialism, industrial change, and urbanization. The review is an analysis that takes into consideration the political ecology approach, which demonstrates how political power has led to resource capture and environmental unfairness. This approach enhances the aspect of sustainability, stating measures be drawn from other nations to avoid further harm to ecology. While policy compliance is weak, promoting industrial development has brought negative impacts, according to the review of policy solutions such as afforestation programs, integrated management, and sustainable policies. The recommendations include reinforcing and promoting environmental legislation, improving intersectoral cooperation, and finding sustainable development that would help strengthen Pakistan's ecological base.

Integral recovery of an urban watershed through the implementation of nature-based solutions

Unplanned urban expansion in Latin America has profoundly disturbed the natural hydrological processes of watersheds, particularly in tropical regions with extreme weather conditions. This has resulted in substantial runoff volumes, necessitating extensive engineering interventions to avoid damage. Urbanization has led not only to flooding problems, but also to a lack of recreational spaces for residents and an ecological degradation, negatively affecting the watersheds health. This study shows a methodology for creating scenarios making use of available sites for Nature-based-Solutions (NbS). Taking account of existing land cover, the methodology harnesses NbS multifunctionality to achieve hydrological, ecological and social benefits counteracting the threats to the health of a 23 km2 urban tropical watershed located in Costa Rica. In these scenarios, suitable public roads in residential areas were used as sites for implementing permeable pavement, bioretention cells, infiltration trenches and street planters, while appropriate flat roofs and car parks were converted into green roofs and permeable pavements in industrial areas. In addition, several green public spaces were transformed into multifunctional storage areas. Hydrological and hydraulic modeling was used to evaluate the performance of each scenario, while the increase in green area of each scenario was used as an indicator of the ecological and social benefits. The concurrent implementation of the residential, industrial and green space scenarios provides an area available for NbS of 165.3 ha (7.2% of the watershed area), potentially leading to a decrease of up to 63.7% in peak flow and up to 46.2% in runoff volume for a specific rainfall event. As haphazard urban growth is a common feature of most urban watersheds in Latin America, this methodology, based on the use of different land cover types to create scenarios for NbS implementation, is transferable to and adaptable for other tropical urban watersheds.

Modulation of environmental dispersion due to ecological degradation in a two-zone width-dominated wetland flow

ABSTRACT Flow and environmental dispersion are necessary in water management systems. To better understand contaminant transport in wetland flows with adjacent aquatic vegetation and riparian buffers, a two-zone-model wetland is considered to characterize the water flow and environmental dispersion. Many researchers developed a dispersion model to characterize the mean concentration subject to the first-order degradation effect, present study attempts to derive an analytical dispersion model to discuss the transverse mean concentration of pollutants subject to second-order degradation effects in a width-dominated wetland flow. In addition, this study attempts to highlight the effect of environmental parameters like vegetation, viscous friction, and relative width on flow velocity. Also, the transverse mean concentration in the longitudinal direction is derived based on Mei’s multi-scale perturbation approach and analyzed with different degradation reaction rates. In a second-order reaction, higher degradation rate at a high concentration zone, contaminants degrade more effectively at the source than in a first-order reaction. It is conveyed that the pollutant transport is influenced by various parameters such as Peclet number, tortuosity, vegetation constraint, and dispersion time. For a specific water quality standard in wetlands, the maximal length and duration of the affected area for the common pollutant lead (Pb) is assessed and presented graphically; also, compared with a single zone.

Factors Responsible for Environmental Sustainability in G-20 Nations: A Panel Data Analysis

Deleterious external consequences of various productive activities have impacted the quality of the environment in all countries worldwide. These productive activities damage the environment by emitting greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, excessively using natural resources and producing solid pollutants or waste. Since these significantly contribute to environmental deterioration, policymakers should take appropriate action to reduce the external effects of these three outcomes of productive activities. In light of this challenging situation, the present study considers environmental impact (EI)—a combined external effect of three factors—as a representative of ecological degradation and examines the impact of four driving forces on the environmental effect across all G-20 nations from 1990 to 2019 based on the STIRPAT model. This study employs several econometric methodologies, including ARDL-PMG and FMOLS, to investigate the causal relationship between the four forces and EI. The primary conclusion of the analysis is based on the ARDL-PMG results, which reveal that while urbanisation and gross capital formation (GCF) have positive effects, GDP per capita and population levels have a long-term negative impact on EI. The results also demonstrate that population growth and productive activities pose the most significant obstacles to long-term improvements in environmental sustainability.