Human Interference Research Articles

Wireless Dosage Monitoring for Donepezil Transdermal Patches as a Novel Concept

AbstractRemote therapy, also known as teletherapy or online therapy, refers to the provision of mental health services through electronic means, such as phone, text, or video conferencing. With the advent of the internet and other digital technologies, it has become increasingly possible for therapists and patients to interact remotely, without the need for in‐person visits.Remote therapy has gained popularity in recent years, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic, as it allows individuals to access mental health support from the safety and convenience of their own homes. It is also a useful option for those who live in rural or underserved areas, where access to in‐person therapy may be limited.Donepezil (cholinesterase inhibitor) is effective for improving the cognitive and global functioning of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. This drug was formulated as transdermal patch by the ethanol based nano carrier & micro gas sensor. Our work intends to create a simple approach to administer Donepezil systemically by applying a transdermal patch, as well as a practical monitoring technique by employing a gas sensor that collects data and wirelessly transmits it to cell phone application. The application depends on short massage services. Wireless technology offers several advantages, including improved data mobility and data transfer via various methods such as Wi‐Fi, internet connection, or Bluetooth to enable continuous medical monitoring. The sensor has the advantages of being small, not battery operated and delivering doses without human interference that reduces error, making the technique favorable for elderly and mentally disabled patients. This innovative technology permits the physician to monitor the drug level in the patch and give an alarm for applying the next doses through cell phone application.In conclusion, remote therapy using the transdermal route of administration is a valuable option for individuals suffering from cognitive disease like Alzheimer’s Disease because it avoids first‐pass effects, reduces adverse symptoms associated with the oral route, and increases the economic benefits of using the correct doses when needed.

Forest Fire Dynamics in Nepal’s Mid-hills: Insights from Spatial Analysis and Risk Mapping of Doti District

Forest fires have significantly contributed to forest degradation and pollution all over Nepal. Despite their high severity, limited studies have been conducted on the spatial-temporal analysis and risk mapping of these fires especially in the Mid-hill region. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data from 2012 to 2022, along with satellite imagery, using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Nine variables, including land class, distance to roads, proximity to settlements, temperature, wind speed, precipitation, slope, aspect, and elevation, were utilized to identify forest fire patterns and create a fire risk map. A multi-parametric hierarchical weighted index model was employed, with multicollinearity checked (VIF<2) to ensure model accuracy and validated by Area Under Curve (AUC=0.787). The study revealed an increasing trend of forest fires, particularly during March to May, in broad-leaved forests near human interference. Out of the total forested area of 1447.58 km2, 42.9%, 46.03%, and 11.07% were classified under high, moderate, and low-risk zones, respectively. The study emphasizes the recurring forest fire problem in often-neglected Mid-hill districts and underscores the need to prioritize them in future strategies.

An Improved Gradient Enhancement Regression Tree Method to Evaluate the Innovation Capability of Energy Companies

In recent years, with the introduction of the innovation-driven development strategy, audit departments across the country have actively responded by arranging audit experts to assess the innovation capabilities of enterprises based on their information. They have also studied the impact of implementation on innovation indicators in energy enterprises, aiming to accurately implements to support enterprises and drive regional development. Traditional manual evaluation methods are inefficient and prone to human interference. By using a gradient boosting regression tree model to construct a scoring prediction model, instead of manual evaluation methods, both accuracy and efficiency can be ensured. Experimental results show that this prediction model outperforms other models such as random forest regression and can guarantee prediction accuracy.

Blood Transcriptome Analysis Provides Responsive Changes in Gene Expression between Ex Situ and Captive Yangtze Finless Porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis)

The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis, YFP) is an endangered species endemic to the Yangtze River in China, and it is the only freshwater whale in the genus Neophocaena. In terms of protection, three effective conservation strategies exist: in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, and artificial breeding, all of which have been implemented by the Chinese government. Of these, ex situ conservation involves the relocation of Yangtze finless porpoises to semi-natural waters with less human interference, and artificial breeding involves the relocation of Yangtze finless porpoises to a controlled environment that is more strictly managed. To compare and analyze the responsive changes in gene expression of the YFPs between the ex situ and controlled environments, we performed the RNA sequencing of blood tissues from these YFPs. A total of 1201 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 423 were up-regulated in the ex situ population and 778 were up-regulated in the controlled-environment population. Gene enrichment analysis showed that 1201 DEGs between the ex situ and controlled-environment populations were generally enriched for vision-, digestion- and immune-system-related pathways. Further analysis revealed that several key immune system pathways, such as the chemokine signaling pathway and B cell receptor signal pathway, were activated in the ex situ population. In addition, the key pathways related to vision, including phototransduction and the inflammatory mediator regulation of TRP channels, as well as the pathways related to the digestive system, such as protein digestion and absorption and salivary secretion, were activated in the controlled-environment population. These results suggest that the ex situ populations may respond to complex environmental conditions in semi-natural waters by enhancing their immune function through the increased expression of immune-related genes and that the visual function and protein digestion of the YFPs were improved compared to those of the ex situ population based on the conditions of artificial feeding, such as the higher transparency of the water and regular feeding. This study provides clues for evaluating the adaptability of YFPs to different environments and is a useful reference for future ex situ conservation and artificial breeding.

Determination of organotin compounds in marine sediments from Arctic Svalbard and West Antarctic Fildes Peninsula

This study investigated the contamination levels of five typical organotin compounds in Arctic and Antarctic marine sediments. Organotin total concentrations ranged from not detected (ND) to 37.9 ng Sn/g dw and from ND to 34.0 ng Sn/g dw in surface sediments of Svalbard and Fildes Peninsula, respectively. Dibutyltin accounted for 11.3 %–100 % of butyltins in Arctic sediments, whilst diphenyltin was the predominant phenyltin species in both Arctic and Antarctic. However, the concentrations of tributyltin and triphenyltin were lower than low-substituted organotins in the study areas, indicating the effectiveness of international ban on the use of triorganotin-based antifouling paints. No significant difference in organotin contamination was found between Arctic and Antarctic, although the time suffered from human interference was shorter in the Antarctic. Overall, these data can provide a diagnosis of recent organotin inputs in polar regions and serve as a baseline for future study assessing their local applications.

A Pyr-loaded polymer microparticle for effectively controlling Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the nest

Human interference and incorrect use of pesticides are easy to induce red imported fire ant (RIFA) escape and migrate from a nest, resulting in ineffective control of RIFA. In order to avoid RIFA alert, we designed an amphiphilic PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH loaded Pyr to make the microparticles with effective controlled release. The investigation showed that the quantity of Pyr released by Pyr@PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH under acidic environment was only 36.40 ± 1.90% at 48 h, whereas the release rate of original Pyr was 75.23 ± 5.71%. And the RIFA mortality rate of 1 ppm Pyr in Pyr@PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH microparticles at 48 h was only 7.78%, which was significantly lower than that of the Pyr (47.78%). Futhermore, the death rate increased sharply after 48 h, and reached 95.84% within a week after using Pyr@PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH microparticles. Moreover, PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH carriers could be absorbed and even transported to crop of the RIFA for subsequent trophallaxis by using fluorescence tracking. In the field experiment, the reduction rate of Pyr@PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH treatment was achieved 99.89% after 7 d. Pyr@PSI-mPEG-Boc-DAH didn’t cause RIFA to be alarmed within 48 h and could kill nearly all of ants in the nest after 7 d, which showed a very good control effect in the field experiment. This work provided a new idea and guidance for the effective control RIFA and the development of sustainable agriculture.

Ecosystem health evaluation of urban rivers based on multitrophic aquatic organisms

The ecosystem health evaluation method of urban rivers is significantly different from natural rivers, because of intensive human interferences and ecological restoration measures. Biotic integrity index (IBI) provides a method to quantify the response of aquatic organisms to environmental stress. Multi-trophic aquatic organisms may exhibit different responses and sensitivities to stress factors, which affects the reliability of the IBIs. This study proposed a hypothesis that the biota with the higher trophic level (whose habitat was not completely destroyed) or that of the biota with the shorter life cycle would be more sensitive in urban rivers. To prove the above hypothesis, the ecosystem health status of urban rivers was evaluated by the IBIs across multitrophic groups, including benthic invertebrates, zooplankton, phytoplankton, periphyton algae and microorganisms. The reliability of the IBIs was assessed by estimating their relationship with water quality index (WQI). The spatial distribution differences of the IBIs were distinguished by spatial autocorrelation analysis. The results showed that the IBI based on benthic invertebrates cannot mask the effects of dredging. Compared with the IBIs from other trophic groups, the correlation coefficients between the IBIs based on zooplankton and microorganisms and WQI were higher. Moreover, the evaluation results of Z (Zooplankton)-IBI and M (Microorganism)-IBI were able to discriminate the least, medium and highly impaired site groups divided by WQI. For the spatial response mode, Z-IBI and M-IBI could identify the high-value river sections under ecosystem restoration projects, and Z-IBI could also identify the low-value river sections under intensive human interferences. Therefore, Z-IBI and M-IBI could be recommended as the priority application in urban rivers. The constructed ecosystem health evaluation framework for urban rivers would play a guiding role in reducing impairments and restoring water ecosystem quality.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of maternal and child health services among hard-to-reach communities in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Background: Recent global reports highlighted the significance of improving the quality of healthcare delivery in all settings, including rural and hard-to-reach communities, as a central strategy for attaining sustainable development goals in universal health coverage. Objectives: This study aimed to assess and document relevant data associated with delivering qualitative Maternal and Child health services in the HTR communities using carefully selected indicators. Methods: The study used a mixed-design approach of quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: This study report high performance on the first antenatal visit (ANC 1), use of modern contraceptives (CPR), Penta 3, measles vaccination coverage, and, Low dropout rate also noticed in Penta 3, thus signifying a generally good performance in all the Local Government areas. Furthermore, Yola South, Fufore, Toungo, Ganye and Michika LGA were found to be the best performing LGAs on the selected maternal and Child indicators, namely: (ANC1), ANC4, ANC8, Institutional delivery rate, and Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR), while Gombi, Guyuk and Madagali LGAs were the poorest performing LGAs. The poor performance of the fore mentioned LGAs was associated with human and environmental interferences: ongoing security challenges, high HTR communities due to mountains and riverine, low level of education, inadequate outreach services during the period under review, poverty, lack of adequate emergency transport system, inadequate HRH, inadequate and poor infrastructure, many communities lack a comprehensive PHC. Conclusion: The assessment highlights LGAs with low utilization of MCH services in HTR communities in Adamawa State, the reasons for the low coverage, and the possible strategies for increased utilization of these services.

An improved hierarchical clustering method based on the k‐NN and density peak clustering

AbstractClustering is one of the most prevalent and important data mining algorithms ever developed. Currently, most clustering methods are divided into distance‐based and density‐based. In 2014, the fast search and find of density peaks clustering method was proposed, which is simple and effective and has been extensively applied in several research domains. However, the original version requires manually assigning a cut‐off distance and selecting core points. Therefore, this article improves the density peak clustering method from two aspects. First, the Gaussian kernel is substituted with a k‐nearest neighbors method to calculate local density. This is important as compared with selecting a cut‐off distance, calculating the k‐value is easier. Second, the core points are automatically selected, unlike the original method that manually selects the core points regarding local density and distance distribution. Given that users' selection influences the clustering result, the proposed automatic core point selection strategy overcomes the human interference problem. Additionally, in the clustering process, the proposed method reduces the influence of manually assigned parameters.

Study on avifauna and species richness in Karanja-Sohol wildlife sanctuary, (MS) India

The present study was carried out during a bird race organized in Karanja-Sohol Wildlife sanctuary Karanja, district Washim Maharashtra, India. The objective of this study was to assess the avifauna of wildlife sanctuaries. Due to the geological and ecological complexity of the area, it has become imperative to conduct research on the region's avian diversity. It is challenging to conduct this assessment, as the wildlife sanctuary is divided into numerous patches by the state highway running through it. Sanctuary is surrounded by numerous villages and agricultural land, which creates human interference and livestock grazing. This checklist will serve as a baseline for further study, as there is no published checklist of this area. In the present investigation, we reported a total of 151 bird species during the exhaustive survey by the authors and accompanied volunteers during the census organized by the wildlife department. The observed species of birds belong to 55 families and 17 orders. They also recorded their residential and IUCN red data status.

Bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae) of Phyllostominae and Stenodermatinae (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) bats from cocoa and natural areas of Amazonia

ABSTRACT Streblidae and Nycteribiidae are ectoparasitic flies exclusive to bats, with an estimated diversity of over 100 species in Brazil. Its distribution and abundance may be influenced by host’s shelter, geographic distribution, behavior, and size. Bat species respond differently to environmental changes, such as changing land use and land cover for cocoa production in the eastern Amazon. We sought to investigate the community of ectoparasite flies (Diptera: Streblidae) on Phyllostominae and Stenodermatinae (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) bats and the parasite-host interactions in cacao plantations and natural areas in the Brazilian Amazon. Twenty-two bats were collected, reaching a total of 54 flies. The observed richness was 15 (estimated in 24) species, with Trichobius dugesioides being the most abundant. The cacao plantations showed greater richness, eight species more than the natural ones, however, showing the absence of a specific distribution pattern for each area. This result may be because human interference in cocoa areas are barely perceptible, at least for the bats studied. In addition, the adoption of cabruca-type cocoa plantations can influence the result, as previously shown in the literature.

A study on the spatial-temporal patterns and influencing factors of atmospheric vulnerability in the Pearl River Delta

Atmospheric environmental assessment has emerged as a prominent area of research due to global climate change and regional atmospheric pollution issues. Accurate evaluation of atmospheric environmental vulnerability characteristics and understanding driving mechanisms are crucial for effective air pollution monitoring and prevention. This study focuses on the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region and employs the Vulnerability-Scoping-Diagram (VSD) model framework to establish an index system for assessing atmospheric environmental vulnerability based on exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability, combining the entropy value method and adopts Geographic Information System (GIS) for the time change and spatial evolution analysis, and finally utilizing the factor detection and interaction in Geodetector to explore the contribution degree of each driving factor of atmospheric environmental vulnerability and the exchange of influencing factors. The findings of this research are as follows: Firstly, the sensitivity index and resilience index of the atmospheric environment of the PRD exhibit an overall upward trend with fluctuations, while the exposure index demonstrates a pattern of initial increase, followed by a decrease, and subsequent increase with significant interannual variability. Secondly, the atmospheric environment vulnerability level of the PRD is primarily categorized as low and mild, with a negligible proportion of moderate vulnerability and no instances of severe or extreme vulnerability. The vulnerability index shows an initial increase followed by a subsequent decline from 2016 to 2020, indicating an overall improvement in the region’s atmospheric environment. Thirdly, notable variations exist in the atmospheric environment vulnerability indices among the nine cities in the PRD, in which moderate vulnerability and low vulnerability are mainly concentrated in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan in the central part of the PRD. lower vulnerability is primarily observed in the eastern and western regions of the PRD characterized by favorable natural environments and limited human interference, such as Huizhou, Zhaoqing, and Zhuhai. Finally, the atmospheric environment vulnerability of the PRD is the result of the combined effect of various driving factors, among which the urban built-up area, PM2.5 concentration, SO2 concentration, population density and the share of tertiary industry in GDP are the key drivers.

Relict stands of Central European oaks: Unravelling autochthony and genetic structure based on a multi-population study

Central European white oaks expanded rapidly after the last glacial period and reached their current distribution range during the early Holocene. They have been an important resource of timber, fuelwood and animal feed for humans, who actively promoted their presence in forests and other landscape types at least since the early historical times. Besides stands with intensive management, putatively relict populations of three native oak species can be found on unproductive sites with restricted accessibility. Here, we apply chloroplast and nuclear microsatellite markers in order to address the autochthony of relict and managed stands and compare the spatial distribution of genetic variation between them. Based on data from more than 150 populations, we demonstrate that oak autochthony was preserved throughout historical times which is likely the result of traditional silvicultural treatment. This is supported by the fact that the spatial pattern of chloroplast haplotype distribution still reflects the post-glacial recolonization in both relict and old managed stands. We observed significant admixture of haplotypes only in stands established after the Second World War, which is attributable to the transfer of reproductive material used for afforestation. In terms of nuclear genetic variation, we observed marked differences among species. Quercus pubescens exhibited a pronounced genetic structure. Genetic drift and limited gene flow among its small and isolated populations in our study area might have contributed to this pattern. Varying extent of genetic introgression with other sympatric oak species could offer an additional explanation. On the contrary, the gene pools of Q. petraea and Q. robur are highly homogenous, displaying only weak isolation-by-distance. We found no significant differences of genetic diversity and differentiation between relict and managed stands. This suggests that seed transfer mostly occurred within our study area, even in those stands established in post-war times, verifying previous findings which point out limited human interference. We recommend consideration of population genetic structure for gene conservation, with a finer resolution of gene conservation units needed for Q. pubescens due to its spatial genetic structure. Both relict and old managed stands, species-pure or mixed, are suitable for conservation, as they host autochthonous gene pools. Coppice-with-standard management could contribute to preservation of autochthony. In the face of climate change, it is also important to maintain the evolutionary potential of the stands, by facilitating generative reproduction and allowing for hybridization in mixed stands.

Quantitative evaluation of the low-temperature pulsed plasma-wound interaction based on splint model

An atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma jet has a promising application prospect in biomedical fields due to its low operating temperature and its ability to act in open space. In this paper, a mouse excisional wound splinting (MEWS) model is developed using a BALB/c strain of mice. A pulsed low-temperature plasma jet close to the human temperature is generated to treat the wound of the mouse skin. We have demonstrated that the pulsed low-temperature plasma jet can effectively promote wound healing. The large number of active particles contained in the plasma, such as reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, etc., may be responsible for its ability to increase the wound healing rate and promote skin tissue regeneration. The MEWS model adopted in this experiment reduces the interference in the evaluation of the wound healing effect caused by skin contraction and wound dressing, and thus is closer to the healing process of human wounds, and the method of wound area acquisition and calculation based on image processing reduces human interference and is more standardized, which can be used to evaluate the effect of the pulsed low-temperature plasma jet on promoting wound healing.

Ultrasonic assessment of cement-stabilized soils: Deep learning experimental results

Soil–cement materials are widely used in civil engineering. Previous studies described problems related to errors in ultrasonic measurements of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of low-strength soil–cements. In the presented experiments, a standard ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) measuring device was equipped with an oscilloscope to extend its functionality. An analysis of the ultrasound signal revealed the phenomenon of masking key elements of the longitudinal wave, which caused difficulties in the detection of noise and the correctness of measurements using classical detection methods (without prediction). The important goals of this study were to build an error removal method and UPV universal detection mechanism without human interference. To improve the measurement efficiency, a deep learning method was implemented. High-quality pulse and strength recognition results were obtained, improving the accuracy of the standard ultrasonic pulse measuring device. Based on the results, the multivariate correlations of UCS with the material UPV, maturation time and cement content are described.

Investigating the correlation between extreme temperature events and the increasing frequency of power outages in the Northern Territory of Australia

It has been claimed that the grid of the Northern Territory of Australia suffers from more frequent blackouts because of the increasing occurrence of extreme events. However, the temperature oscillations have not changed since the time measurements started to be collected at the end of 1800. The time series of the monthly maximum and highest temperatures for the two locations of the Northern Territory of Australia which are spanning 140 years shows temperature extremes are not worsening, being the records detrended. The increasing power outages have many other causes. Some are natural such as cyclones, winds, or lightning. Others are human such as equipment failure, animal or human interference, overload, and maintenance or upgrade. One reason for the more frequent power outages is the reduced resilience of the grid forced to accept a growing share of non-dispatchable, intermittent, and irregular solar energy without appropriate energy storage. Their occurrence may be lessened by improving the resilience of the grid by providing adequate energy storage. The study contributes to the understanding of the complex factors influencing power outages and highlights the importance of resilient grid infrastructure.

Arbovirus surveillance in mosquitoes: Historical methods, emerging technologies, and challenges ahead.

Arboviruses cause millions of infections each year; however, only limited options are available for treatment and pharmacological prevention. Mosquitoes are among the most important vectors for the transmission of several pathogens to humans. Despite advances, the sampling, viral detection, and control methods for these insects remain ineffective. Challenges arise with the increase in mosquito populations due to climate change, insecticide resistance, and human interference affecting natural habitats, which contribute to the increasing difficulty in controlling the spread of arboviruses. Therefore, prioritizing arbovirus surveillance is essential for effective epidemic preparedness. In this review, we offer a concise historical account of the discovery and monitoring of arboviruses in mosquitoes, from mosquito capture to viral detection. We then analyzed the advantages and limitations of these traditional methods. Furthermore, we investigated the potential of emerging technologies to address these limitations, including the implementation of next-generation sequencing, paper-based devices, spectroscopic detectors, and synthetic biosensors. We also provide perspectives on recurring issues and areas of interest such as insect-specific viruses.

Genetic Structure and Diversity of Dalbergia nigra from Brazilian Atlantic Forest Fragments

Dalbergia nigra is a long-living tree endemic to the Atlantic Rain Forest. Due to its high commercial value, this species has been widely exploited for timber production and is now endangered. It is widely known that understanding patterns of genetic structure is paramount for conserving threatened species. We analyzed the genetic diversity of 140 individuals from four different forest fragments in the southern region of Bahia, Brazil, to verify the possible effects of fragmentation on these populations and provide information for conservation initiatives. High polymorphism levels were detected from the genotyping of nine microsatellite loci (mean HE = 0.733). All populations showed high genetic diversity; however, a reduction of genetic diversity was detected in each population (HO < HE). The average fixation index was high and significant (f = 0.167), which could be due to the occurrence of inbreeding, the Wahlund effect, reproductive system, or from null alleles. Genetic differentiation among populations was high (mean θP = 0.118), suggesting strong isolation, a pattern consistent with historically low gene flow. The Bayesian analysis revealed five different genetic groups, among which three groups correspond to three different forest fragments, and two groups showed the genetic subdivision of individuals from the other forest fragment. Based on our results, the suggested conservation strategy for D. nigra populations in the southern region of Bahia, Brazil, involves high environmental investments to protect all sampled forest fragments and individuals. Another strategy would be to collect seeds from all individuals from the sampled fragments and start a new population with human interference in its evolutive history inside a protection unit.

The Minimal Impact of Anthropogenic Disturbances on the Spatial Activities of Leopard Cats in Xinlong, China.

The habitat plays a crucial role in ensuring the survival of wildlife. However, the increasing disturbances caused by human activities present a substantial threat to habitats, especially for species such as the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), which is a significant small predator. Currently, research on leopard cats predominantly focuses on low-altitude regions within its distribution range, leaving plateau areas understudied. To enhance our understanding of the impact of human disturbances on leopard cat habitats, we undertook a study employing infrared camera trappings to monitor leopard cats' activity in Xinlong of southwestern China between 2015 and 2023. We analyzed the spatial distribution and habitat suitability of the leopard cats by utilizing ensemble species distribution models (ESDMs). Moreover, we employed two-species occupancy models to investigate the spatial interaction between leopard cats and human disturbances. The results indicated that (1) the potential suitable habitat area for leopard cats encompassed approximately 1324.93 km2 (14.3%), primarily located along the banks of Yalong river. (2) The distribution of suitable habitat was predominantly influenced by competitors, specifically the yellow-throated marten (YTM), accounting for 52.4% of the influence, as well as environmental factors such as distance to water (DTW) at 12.0% and terrain roughness index (TRI) at 10.0%. Human interference, including cattle presence (4.6%), distance to road (DTD, 4.9%), and distance to settlement (DTS, 3.5%), had a limited impact on the habitat distribution. (3) Within a 5 km radius, habitat suitability increased with proximity to human settlements. (4) Leopard cats exhibited spatial independence from humans and domestic cattle (species interaction factor (SIF) = 1.00) while avoiding domestic horses (SIF = 0.76 ± 0.03). The relatively minor impact of human disturbances in Xinlong could be attributed to traditional cultural practices safeguarding wildlife and the leopard cat's environmental adaptability. We recommend establishing a novel conservation paradigm based on the living dynamics of wildlife communities in Xinlong, thereby offering a more targeted approach to biodiversity preservation in the future.

The future of extreme meteorological fire danger under climate change scenarios for Iberia

Wildfires are disturbances that occur in ecosystems, both naturally and derived from anthropogenic factors, often caused by extreme meteorological conditions, and have recurrently destructive impacts on forests throughout the world. The complex nature of the interactions between wildfires, their dynamics, and human interference from a climate change perspective has motivated a growing number of researchers to address this topic. The fire weather index (FWI) has been extensively used to analyze the link between meteorological fire danger and its local to regional characteristics contributing to the severity of these events, as well as real-time operational monitoring at national and international levels. Recently, a new improved fire danger index that includes the effect of atmospheric instability has been developed, the so-called FWIe. The presence of instability in the atmosphere may be a boost to more energetic wildfires, such as the June 2017 extreme event in central Portugal, making it an important asset in risk monitoring and management. Here, a comprehensive examination of future fire risk on the Iberian Peninsula was performed. Additionally, a comparative analysis between FWI and FWIe was pursued in the context of climate change. We computed both FWI and FWIe using a multi-model ensemble composed of 13 Euro-CORDEX Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations forced by different global climate models. The historical period (1971–2000) and three projected periods of 30 years (2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2 100), under three emission scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) were considered. When assessing modelled FWI and FWIe, results show that summer values tend to substantially increase in the future when assuming the historical period as the benchmark, with an expected extension of the danger period to June and, in a lower magnitude, to September. The north-western region of Iberia, including the north of Portugal and the north-western-to-central Spain are the regions with larger increases in danger in the future, which may be critical since these are the regions with more fire-prone vegetation. This work also points to large differences in fire danger projections among scenarios, calling for a distinct set of adaptation needs that should be timely prepared by stakeholders and authorities.