Human Natural Systems Research Articles

Competence in Unsustainability Resolution—A New Paradigm

Environmental unsustainability in coupled human–nature systems is accumulating. Yet, there is no accreditation requirement for unsustainability resolution competency in higher education. Thus, a new and complete representation of the pedagogy for unsustainability resolution competence has been induced, using what is already available and working. The nature of unsustainability problems points to collaboration and holism attitudes. Resolution requires social skills, namely participation, perspective taking, and the generation of social capital, and cognitive skills, namely project management, knowledge building, and modeling. Resolution is scaffolded in three successive steps during the collaborative process within a systems approach: (i) collapse complexity; (ii) select a path/trajectory; and (iii) operationalize a plan. The hierarchically cumulative abilities toward unsustainability resolution competence are to source data and information about the coupled human–nature system (SEARCH); simplify the dynamics of the human–nature system (SIMULATE); generate and test alternative paths and end points for the coupled human–nature system (STRATEGIZE); chose a favorable path among the available alternatives (SELECT); operationalize the favorable path into a plan (strategy–program–project) with measurable management and policy objectives (IMPLEMENT); and develop criteria/indicators to monitor and adjust when necessary the implementation of the plan toward system goals (STEER). For each one of these learning objectives, the Bloom’s taxonomy and a progression from behaviorist through cognitivist to constructivist tools apply. The development of mastery requires the comparison and contrast of many similar cases with the same unsustainability problem and project-based learning with specific cases for deep learning. In this way, it is the resolutions of unsustainability in human–nature systems that will be accumulating.

Evaluation of Coupled Human–Natural System Coordination in Xinjiang and Analysis of Obstacle Factors

The coupling and coordination of humans and natural systems, as the core of geographical research, is an important issue that social development needs to confront and explore. The study of the coupling and coordination of the human–natural system in Xinjiang, as well as the obstacles, is of great significance for its ecological environment and social development. This study establishes a multidimensional index system for the coupling of the human–natural system in Xinjiang. The comprehensive evaluation index and coupling coordination degree of the human–natural system from 2013 to 2020 were calculated, using weighted methods and a coupling coordination evaluation model. The main obstacles to the development of coupling and coordination in Xinjiang were identified, with the aid of a barrier model. The study indicates: (1) the human–natural system composed of ecological environment, urban–rural livability, cultural characteristics, civil harmony, and green development reflects the comprehensive development level of Xinjiang; (2) from 2013 to 2020, the sustainable development of the human–natural system in Xinjiang was good, with an upward trend in the evaluation index; (3) from 2013 to 2020, the level of coupling and coordination of the human–natural system in Xinjiang improved, transitioning from low to high levels; (4) from 2013 to 2020, the main factors impeding the coordinated development of the human–natural system changed. In addition to urban–rural differences and water resource conditions, medical conditions and carbon emissions also became major influencing factors on the coupling and coordination degree of the human–natural system in arid regions. Therefore, the research on the coupling and coordination relationship of the human–natural system and the analysis of obstacles in Xinjiang can provide scientific basis for the high-quality sustainable development and the construction of a beautiful Xinjiang.

Fertilizer use and agricultural practices in the paradox of maize crop production and environmental sustainability

The enduring existence of pollution presents a substantial danger to human health, natural systems, and social welfare. Human activities mostly generate greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide, which negatively impacts the environment. This study used annual datasets to examine the association between maize crop production, maize yield, fertilizer consumption, agricultural land use, and environmental quality in China. In order to identify the positive and negative shocks with the assessment of short- and long-run dynamics, the study used an asymmetric Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach. A Robust Least Squares method was also used to locate the parameters nexus in order to assess the series' robustness. Results from the long-run interaction indicate that the maize crop production and agricultural land use has a positive impact on CO2 emissions with probability values of (0.000), (0.000), and (0.001), (0.780), respectively, via both positive and negative interruptions. Additionally, maize yield exposed a detrimental effect on environmental quality. Results of the robust least squares analysis showed that maize crop production, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural land use had a positive influence on environmental quality, with probability values of (0.000), (0.004), and (0.949), respectively. However, there is an unfavourable relationship between variable maize yields and CO2 emissions. China should play a significant role in seeking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and adopt the beneficial policies necessary to ensure the environment's long-term sustainability, since these emissions are now a rising issue around the world.

Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Homestays on Chongming Island: A Systemic Analysis in the Context of World-Class Eco-Island Development

As the development of world-class eco-islands progresses, the homestay sector on Chongming Island has burgeoned, emerging as a pivotal catalyst for rural tourism and economic prosperity. This study, leveraging Chongming Island as a case study, systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution of homestays across island-wide, township, and village scales, employing methodologies such as the spatiotemporal evolutionary tree model. It delves into the intricate systemic framework underpinning homestay development, elucidating the dynamics of interaction mechanisms. Furthermore, it examines the evolving roles of diverse stakeholders throughout various developmental phases, grounded in stakeholder theory. The study reveals that (1) Chongming’s homestays on the island, townships, and village scales show very obvious agglomeration characteristics, mainly concentrated in the A-level scenic spots and in and out of the island traffic junction. (2) The growth of homestays in Chongming shows an increasing trend year by year, with the growth rate slowing down after 2020, and can be divided into four main phases, which are closely related to the construction phase of the eco-island. (3) The evolution of Chongming Island’s homestay is a multifaceted natural–human system intricately shaped by a confluence of five interdependent subsystems: natural ecology, social culture, multiple stakeholders, geographical location, and transport infrastructure. At different stages of development, under the synergistic effect of multiple stakeholders, the homestays on Chongming Island eventually formed a governance structure led by the government and co-managed by the development company, external entrepreneurs, and local villagers. These insights not only augment the scholarly discourse on stakeholder dynamics within the homestay industry but also offer pragmatic enlightenment for strategic planning and the advancement of holistic urban–rural integration in Chongming and the broader Shanghai region.

A framework for using community determined iconic species to advance socio-ecology connections and promote nature-based solutions

The community value and resonate with some species and ecological systems more than others and therefore can be used to engender broader public support for nature positive outcomes. Yet many of these are not the scientifically-derived indicator species or ecological communities used by conservation scientists to determine and report on the pressures or condition of the environment nor by those implementing programs or actions needed to reverse biodiversity loss. Urban environments represent the intersection of two complex systems, human and natural, and yet this socio-ecological or coupled human-natural system nexus remains elusive within conservation law and policy and the dominant paradigm of grey infrastructure in cities. New approaches are needed to tether environmental policies and practices, such as nature based solutions, to the values and interests of individuals and their place. This article offers a novel framework through which nature-based solutions may achieve policy traction when tied to iconic species that the community value. The iconic species framework is founded on validity theory and the relevance of community-selected species in supporting nature positive outcomes. In parallel, the framework satisfies the data driven outcomes on which science and conservation policy relies upon and the use controls that direct nature-based rather than conventional engineering approaches. The iconic species framework is situated between the indicator species framework, whereby taxa are selected on the basis of their ecological sensitivity, and flagship species, that are largely emblematic. It links numerous ecological and environmental requirements of the species that are preferred by the community to develop nature-positive policy and practice outcomes.

Global Review on Environmental Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy in the Field of Tension between Human Societies and Natural Systems

Deploying onshore wind energy as a cornerstone of future global energy systems challenges societies and decision-makers worldwide. Expanding wind energy should contribute to a more sustainable electricity generation without harnessing humans and their environment. Opponents often highlight the negative environmental impacts of wind energy to impede its expansion. This study reviews 152 studies to synthesize, summarize, and discuss critically the current knowledge, research gaps, and mitigation strategies on the environmental impacts of onshore wind energy. The investigated effects comprise impacts on the abiotic and biotic environment, with birds and bats in particular, noise and visual impacts. Effects are discussed in the context of social acceptance, other energy technologies, and wind energy expansion in forests. This review illustrates that many effects are highly case-specific and must be more generalizable. Studies are biased regarding the research focus and areas, needing more standardized research methods and long-term measurements. Most studies focus on the direct mortality of birds and bats at wind farms and are concentrated in Europe and North America. Knowledge gaps persist for many impact categories, and the efficacy of mitigation strategies has yet to be proven. More targeted, unbiased research is required that allows for an objective evaluation of the environmental impacts of wind energy and strategies to mitigate them. Impacts, such as those on biodiversity, need to be addressed in the context of other anthropogenic influences and the benefits of wind energy. This forms the basis for a socially acceptable, efficient, and sustainable expansion of wind energy.

An integrated framework for improving green agricultural production sustainability in human-natural systems

Water scarcity, land pollution, and global warming are serious challenges and crises facing the development of sustainable or green agriculture and need to be addressed using efficient and environmentally friendly management strategies. This paper proposed an integrated framework appropriate for agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) assessment coupled with microscopic and mesoscopic perspectives under water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, which generated scientific and reasonable strategies for green and low-carbon agriculture from internal core factors and peripheral environmental impacts to improve green agricultural production sustainability. Taking the Lianshui irrigation district (LID) with three sub-areas as the object, internal core factors were explored by partial least squares regression (PLSR) and the external impact path through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicated that AGTFP in LID was the smallest (0.818) compared to the three sub-areas and was in a fluctuating state. Meanwhile, AGTFP which was calculated considering undesirable outputs, was closer to tangible productivity. Resource endowments and technical facilities will promote agricultural production, desirable outputs will stimulate green production, and undesirable outputs can inhibit green production. The external influence pathway was shown to be primary environment - > secondary environment - > economic aspects - > social aspects - > AGTFP. The innovative perspectives presented in this study can facilitate preferable decisions and avoid unintended consequences for human-natural systems.

Nature-based solutions for living systems: Connectivity, complexity, community

Ecofeminist artist and landscape designer Betsy Damon advocates for Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) as more effective, resilient, and economical alternatives to conventional infrastructure projects that try to impose human control over natural systems. NBS embraces nature's self-sustaining tendencies by harnessing natural processes to address environmental challenges. Damon examines case studies of NBS from her own career, including her 1998 Living Water Garden, a water-cleaning park in Chengdu, China. Damon also draws lessons from the reforestation of the Loess Plateau, the Indigenous-led restoration of Washington's Elwha River, and the revival of amaranth cultivation in Central Mexico. These cases reveal key principles behind effective NBS engagements: flexibility, complexity, interconnectedness, and memory. Meanwhile, projects that impose single-purpose design often degrade surrounding ecosystems. Damon critiques the common scientific approach of understanding systems only through isolating variables, arguing that isolated thinking leads to isolated design. She advocates for a shift towards radical interconnectedness. She concludes that because NBS don't place human systems and natural systems into separate, conflicting categories, they strengthen resilience on multiple levels. Damon envisions NBS as inextricable from quality of life, climate justice, and Indigenous sovereignty. Throughout, Damon examines water as the medium of nature's flexibility and resilience, from the ecosystem to the molecular level.

Study on the Coupled Human – Natural System in Velingrad municipality, Bulgaria: a resilience perspective

The study presents a new look on the socio-ecological relations in retrospective, focusing on their formation and adaptation over time in Velingrad Municipality, Bulgaria. The dependencies between the main components of the system are outlined and the main disturbances in terms of presses and pulses are examined. Examples of trade-offs and synergies are also offered to better understand the cross-scale dynamics of the studied components. The reaction of the system to pulses in its growth phase of the adaptive cycle is reviewed. In addition, the contemporary state of the main components of the coupled human-natural system is analysed in order to identify the slow and fast variables that determine the trajectory of the system at present. The resilience thinking concept is applied in analyzing the processes within the coupled human-natural system and in identifying the mechanisms that may enhance its capacity to absorb shocks.

Transdisciplinary approaches to local sustainability: aligning local governance and navigating spillovers with global action towards the Sustainable Development Goals

In an evolving world, effectively managing human–natural systems under uncertainty becomes paramount, particularly when targeting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The complexity in multi-actor decision-making and multi-sectoral settings, coupled with intricate relationships and potential conflicting management approaches, makes understanding the local implications of progressing towards the global SDGs challenging. We used a transdisciplinary approach for knowledge co-production with local stakeholders to assess the impact of local action to boost sustainability in the Goulburn–Murray region, Victoria, Australia, and its alignment with global action towards the SDGs. Together, we co-developed 11 local actions geared towards achieving four locally important environmental and socioeconomic SDGs, with a particular emphasis on addressing potential ‘spillovers’—unintended effects that influence SDGs across scales. Through system dynamics modelling, we evaluated the interplay between these local actions and global scenarios, emphasising their synergies, trade-offs, and the resulting impact on SDG indicators. Key findings indicate a predominant synergy between global and local actions across most SDG indicators. However, certain areas like dairy production, riverine algal blooms, and agricultural profit displayed trade-offs. Local actions significantly impacted indicators, such as crop production, dairy output, agricultural land use, and agricultural profitability. Findings highlighted the need for complementary actions in areas, such as water availability management, skilled workforce, and salinity control. This study underscored the importance of harmonising local initiatives with global sustainability objectives and can inspire local governance to champion resilience policies that harmoniously integrate local actions with global sustainability goals, adapting to evolving uncertainty scenarios.Graphical abstract

Assessing the impact of agriculture, coal mining, and ecological restoration on water sustainability in the Mu Us Sandyland

Balancing water demand for socio–economic development and ecosystem stability presents a challenge for regional sustainable management, especially in drylands. Previous studies have indicated that large–scale ecological restoration projects (ERPs) lead to a decline in terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the Mu Us Sandyland (MUS). However, the effects of other human activities (e.g., cropland reclamation, coal mining) on water resources remain unclear, raising concerns regarding water crisis and human–natural system sustainability. Through the utilization of coal mine location data, we found that the impact of coal mass loss on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) products cannot be ignored in MUS, especially in the coal–rich northeastern part. Combining these data with auxiliary datasets, we observed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in TWS (−0.85 cm yr−1) and groundwater storage (GWS, −0.95 cm yr−1) in the MUS, with human activities accounting for 79.23 % of TWS and 90.45 % of GWS reductions, primarily due to increased agricultural and industrial water consumption. Agricultural water consumption increased 2.23 times from 2001 to 2020, attributed to enhanced water use intensity (62.6 %) and cropland expansion (37.4 %). Industrial water consumption in Shenmu, a representative coal county, experienced a 4.16–fold rise between 2001 and 2020. Despite these challenges, local governments have alleviated water stress, ensured food security, and increased household income by comprehensive management strategies, such as enhancing water–saving technology and enforcing stringent policies. Previous studies have overestimated the amount of water resources consumed by ERPs. However, ERPs has played a critical role in stabilizing the regional ecological environment and ensuring the region as a vital food and energy supplier. Our findings can guide for socio-economic development and water management policies in similar regions.

Exploring the food-energy-water nexus in coupled natural-human systems under climate change with a fully integrated agent-based modeling framework

Managing water resources to meet increasing energy and food demands while maintaining environmental sustainability under climate change is a major challenge, especially when this nexus occurred in a coupled natural–human system (CNHS), where heterogeneous human activities affect the natural hydrologic cycle and vice versa. The relevant research has been limited by the lack of models that can effectively integrate human dynamics and hydrologic conditions with spatial details to examine co-evolutionary systems. To address this challenge, this paper develops a modeling framework that integrates an agent-based model (ABM; human behavior model) into a large-scale, process-based distributed hydrologic model to simulate human decisions endogenously in the hydrologic cycle. We then apply the Decision Scaling approach, an ex-post scenario analysis method, with our integrated model to study the bidirectional feedback of the CNHS under future changing climate conditions. With the Columbia River Basin (CRB) selected as the case study area, the calibration results show that the integrated model can simultaneously capture the historical irrigated water consumption and streamflow dynamics. Modeling results show that the trade-off between irrigated water consumption, hydropower generation, and streamflow will become more pronounced under hotter and wetter climate conditions at both the entire basin and regional (states and provinces) levels. Special attention should be given to “temperature thresholds” of different regions when the trade-off pattern started. The trade-off results can potentially inform the Columbia River Treaty renegotiation and provide insights for long-term water management policies.

Assessment of physico chemical characteristics and plankton diversity of Anchuthengu lake ecosystem, Thiruvananthapuram district – South India

Water is the most widespread substance found in the natural environment; liquid, solid and invisible vapour. Fresh water is a crucial resource for human life and natural systems. The quality of water is usually described according to its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Rapid industrialization and use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture are causing heavy and varied pollution in aquatic environments leading to the deterioration in water quality and aquatic biota. Planktons are taxonomically diverse, composed of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses. Globally the biomasses of phytoplankton and zooplankton are about equal, although the doubling time of zooplankton is considerably longer than for phytoplankton. The present investigation was carried out to assess the water quality and plankton diversity in Anchuthengu lake, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Analysis of water quality was done with respect to eleven important physicochemical parameters like air and surface water temperature, pH, TDS, salinity, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, free CO2, DO and BOD. Conductivity shows high positive correlation with alkalinity and hardness. Alkalinity is positively correlated with hardness. The aquatic flora and fauna in the lake may grow well because the DO value in the current study was over 5 mg/L, and the BOD value also indicates that the lake is less contaminated.. The dominated plankton species identified in the present study were Spirogyra, Chlorella, Navicula, Pinnularia, Oscillatoria, Closterium, Cosmerium.

Vegetation change analysis using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Sumedang Regency

Vegetation is a crucial element of livable and healthy cities and has been linked to a number of advantages, such as enhanced human health, habitat provision, and natural system regulation. Planning sustainable cities requires an understanding of and documentation of changes in urban vegetation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)'s spatial variance and driving force are useful for managing natural resources and protecting ecological environments. Using Sumedang Regency as the research area, the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) was computed using Landsat-7 ETM and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS data from 2003 to 2023. The findings show that the high greenness index first declined and subsequently increased between 2003 and 2023. Sumedang Regency's high greenness index shrank in area between 2003 and 2018. In 2003, 144793.17 ha was categorised as high greenness index, but in 2018 the high greenness index was only 122392.08 ha. Furthermore, the index with non-vegetated land increases every year. This shows that Sumedang Regency continues to experience land use change into non-vegetated areas, such as settlements and bare land. This research can provide assistance for the development of a sustainable natural environment in Sumedang Regency.

Characteristics and formation mechanism of spatial association network of coastal human-nature system resilience in the Bohai Rim region

Characteristics and formation mechanism of spatial association network of coastal human-nature system resilience in the Bohai Rim region

Linear and non-linear dynamics of ecosystem services supply, demand, and mismatches across a rapidly urbanizing region

Achieving the sustainability of coupled human-nature systems requires matching the ecosystem services (ES) provided by nature to the needs of society. However, most of the current studies on ES supply–demand relationships focus on spatial mismatches and rarely consider their temporal dynamics. In this study, the year-by-year dynamics (2001–2020) of 12 ESs at multiple spatial scales were investigated by using space–time interaction (STI) analysis, fuzzy C-mean clustering, and emerging hotspot analysis. We found that (1) three forms of temporal dynamics of ES indicators can be identified, including linear dynamics, fluctuating dynamics, and regime shift dynamics. (2) Temporal dynamic patterns of the same ES were not consistent across all counties, showing great spatial heterogeneity. The temporal dynamics of each ES type at each county were spatially explicitly clustered into linear dynamics, fluctuating dynamics, and regime shift dynamics with different means. (3) The ES supply–demand relationships can shift between supply–demand balance, excess supply, and excess demand when the temporal dynamics of ES supply do not match with that of ES demand. Our results suggest that temporal dynamic analysis in ecological restoration effectiveness assessment can help to avoid erroneous results compared to considering only pre- and post-policy ES changes. The identified emerging hotspots of excess supply and excess demand can help decision-makers more accurately identify priority locations for management.

The Spatial and Temporal Evolution Pattern and Influencing Factors of Urban Human Settlement Resilience in Three Provinces of Northeast China

It is widely recognized that urban resilience is one of the core goals of urban development. As an important part of a city, the resilience level of urban human settlements directly affects the development trend of urban resilience. However, at present, research results on the resilience of urban human settlements are very rare, are mainly concentrated in the central region of China, and rarely take into account the economically backward northeastern region. Therefore, in order to better improve the anti-risk ability of the urban human settlement environment system in three provinces of Northeast China, fully implement the strategic goal of “Comprehensive Revitalization of Northeast China”, and achieve high-quality urban development, this paper focuses on 34 prefecture-level cities in three provinces of Northeast China and proposes an urban human settlement resilience evaluation system with 36 indicators in five dimensions, namely, the natural system, human system, housing system, supporting system, and social system. Using the entropy weight method, the Dagum Gini coefficient, and a geographical probe model, the changes in the resilience level of each city from 2005 to 2020 were measured, and the urban living environment was assessed in terms of the adaptability and resilience of the development level in each subsystem based on the temporal and spatial evolution law and its influencing factors. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) The development level of urban human settlement resilience in the three provinces in Northeast China showed an N-shaped development trend from 2005 to 2020, but the regional differences were significant, and the overall spatial pattern was “high in the south and low in the north”. (2) In terms of the overall difference, the overall difference in urban human settlement resilience in the three northeastern provinces of China was small: the inter-regional difference was the main source of the difference, and the intra-regional difference was the secondary source. The regional differences were in the order of Heilongjiang Province &gt; Liaoning Province &gt; Jilin Province, indicating that Jilin Province had the smallest difference and that the resilience level of urban human settlements does not show a balanced development trend. In terms of the average Gini coefficient between regions, the order of difference was Liaoning Province–Heilongjiang Province &gt; Jilin Province–Liaoning Province &gt; Jilin Province–Heilongjiang Province, indicating that the difference between Liaoning Province and Heilongjiang Province was the most significant. (3) The “natural system”, “human system”, “living system”, “supporting system”, and “social system” had significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity and significantly affected the resilience level of urban human settlements in the three provinces in Northeast China. Among them, the “social system” has always been the main factor affecting the resilience level of urban human settlements.

Towards an urban ecosystem model through a cross-cultural Chinese and greek knowledge analysis

PurposeIn the post-pandemic era urban ecosystem planning has become critically important. Given the emphasis on relevant issues concerning the complex interactions between human civilizations and natural systems within urban environments in the new normal, this article aims to enrich the field of knowledge management developing a cross-cultural analysis for clarifying the role of knowledge in planning and urban ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is conceptual in nature. Based on a theoretical foundation built by a critical literature review and data from the China Statistical Yearbook and China’s National Bureau of Statistics, this paper introduces some emerging real-impact topics regarding the connections between humanistic knowledge and urban planning. A comparative analysis between the capital city of Chang’an in the Tang dynasty of China and the capital city of Athens in Ancient Greek was used for explaining the influence of knowledge on successful urban planning.FindingsThe understanding the role of cross-cultural differences in knowledge management and practices for urban ecosystems offer the opportunities for rethinking consolidated approach to the interaction among social, economic, and environmental dimensions in urban settings.Originality/valueThis paper implies a new inter-disciplinary research field of great interest for the real impact KM community by illuminating how knowledge management is central in urban planning and across cultures.

Towards a combined human-natural system approach in the Northern Red Sea Region: Ecological challenges, sustainable development, and community engagement

The northern Red Sea coastal ecosystem is one of the most diverse coastal ecosystems in the world. Fortunately, it has shown extraordinary resilience against climate change and is predicted to survive global warming during the coming decades. However, with warming waters, increased sediment and pollutants, and other human impacts, the ecosystem and consequently thriving reef tourism which forms a pillar of the ongoing economic diversification policies of the northern Red Sea region are under threat. A variety of evidence indicates significant damage has already been done to terrestrial and ocean ecosystems on both sides of the northern Red Sea. Expenditures on ecosystem protection and research lag behind Egypt’s billions in USD revenue from tourism. Unfortunately, the economic drive to generate profit has resulted in sprawling touristic, industrial, and mixed development without careful planning or assessment of the fragility and sustainability of the natural ecosystem. As a result, the future of coastal urban growth is murky. Given its natural, social, and touristic value, the northern Red Sea system requires a special ecological security system with detailed analysis, inclusive development, and proactive governance across coastal cities and their adjacent inland secondary cities. This study identifies the geological research gaps, human-ecological interactions, inclusive urban development challenges, and related literature pertaining to the northern Red Sea. We propose immediate, targeted, multidisciplinary research trajectories and provide policy recommendations to ensure that the region's existing and future developmental pursuits are undertaken in an environmentally sustainable and inclusive approach.

Application of novel hot spring bacterial consortium in Arsenic (III) bioremediation: A model based approach for clean environment

The presence of arsenic in water poses a serious threat to both human health and natural systems, and is a global chronic issue. A comprehensive study on the water sample of Taptapani Hot Spring Odisha, India was carried out to isolate Arsenic (III) bioremediating microbial strains. 42 different bacterial isolates were screened and among them, phylogenetic analysis revealed the strains showing improved metal tolerance test adaptivity at various concentrations of Arsenic (III) to be closely related to Exiguobacterium sp. (SSB11), Alcaligenes faecalis DZ2 (SSB17) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus SI-3 (SSB58) and hence selected. The findings revealed that the consortium of thermophilic isolates was more effective at adsorbing Arsenic (III) than single isolates. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant coefficient of determination value and accurately forecast second order regression. The isotherm model had been applied for the first time to evaluate the arsenic adsorption efficacy of hot spring bacterial isolates, and the data were en suite to pseudo-first and second-order models. The kinetic data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models. The most favorable elimination circumstances have been resolute and under optimal conditions, the adsorption of Arsenic (III) was found to be 50.28%.