Impact Of Environmental Changes Research Articles

A surplus no more? Variation in krill availability impacts reproductive rates of Antarctic baleen whales.

The krill surplus hypothesis of unlimited prey resources available for Antarctic predators due to commercial whaling in the 20th century has remained largely untested since the 1970s. Rapid warming of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) over the past 50 years has resulted in decreased seasonal ice cover and a reduction of krill. The latter is being exacerbated by a commercial krill fishery in the region. Despite this, humpback whale populations have increased but may be at a threshold for growth based on these human-induced changes. Understanding how climate-mediated variation in prey availability influences humpback whale population dynamics is critical for focused management and conservation actions. Using an 8-year dataset (2013-2020), we show that inter-annual humpback whale pregnancy rates, as determined from skin-blubber biopsy samples (n= 616), are positively correlated with krill availability and fluctuations in ice cover in the previous year. Pregnancy rates showed significant inter-annual variability, between 29% and 86%. Our results indicate that krill availability is in fact limiting and affecting reproductive rates, in contrast to the krill surplus hypothesis. This suggests that this population of humpback whales may be at a threshold for population growth due to prey limitations. As a result, continued warming and increased fishing along the WAP, which continue to reduce krill stocks, will likely impact this humpback whale population and other krill predators in the region. Humpback whales are sentinel species of ecosystem health, and changes in pregnancy rates can provide quantifiable signals of the impact of environmental change at the population level. Our findings must be considered paramount in developing new and more restrictive conservation and management plans for the Antarctic marine ecosystem and minimizing the negative impacts of human activities in the region.

Macro-moth (Lepidoptera) Diversity of a Newly Shaped Ecological Corridor and the Surrounding Forest Area in the Western Italian Alps

In addition to the compilation of biodiversity inventories, checklists, especially if combined with abundance data, are important tools to understand species distribution, habitat use, and community composition over time. Their importance is even higher when ecological indicator taxa are considered, as in the case of moths. In this work, we investigated macro-moth diversity in a forest area (30 ha) in the Western Italian Alps, recently subjected to intense management activities. Indeed, an ecological corridor, which includes 10 clearings, has been shaped thanks to forest compensation related to the construction site of the Turin–Lyon High-Speed Railway. Here, we identified 17 patches (9 clearings and 8 forests), and we conducted moth surveys using UV–LED light traps. A total of 15,614 individuals belonging to 442 species were collected in 2020 and 2021. Two and fifteen species are new records for Piedmont and for Susa Valley, respectively. In addition to the faunistic interest of the data, this study—using a standardized method—provides geo-referenced occurrences, species-richness, and abundance values useful to compile a baseline dataset for future comparisons. Indeed, the replicable and easy shareable method allows us to make comparisons with other research and thus assess the impact of environmental changes.

The Environmental Impact of Changes in the Structure of Electricity Sources in Europe

The limited use of non-renewable energy sources facilitates a reduction in the negative environmental impact of electricity production. The policies of European countries aim to change the structure of electricity sources, focusing particularly on non-renewable sources. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the structure of electricity generation depending on the energy sources used in 34 European countries in the years 1990–2020 in terms of their environmental impact. This study was conducted using cluster analysis: a method applied in multivariate comparative analyses. Such an approach provided a new, broader outlook on changes in the structure of electric energy production in Europe. A total of nine homogeneous groups of countries were distinguished in terms of energy transformation. The ecological scarcity method 2013 was applied to assess the environmental impact of electricity production in the analyzed countries. In the investigated period, the negative environmental impact of electricity production in European countries decreased. The median of the volume of this impact, determined based on the structure of production in 1990, for the analyzed countries was 464 UBP/1 kWh. In the following years, the value of the median dropped to 413 UBP/1 kWh (2000), 322 UBP/1 kWh (2010), and 204 UBP/1 kWh (2020), respectively. The diversification of the countries in this respect also decreased, which resulted in a reduction in the number of clusters from eight in 1990 to two in 2020.

The impact of environmental changes on the revenues and costs of Hungarian CEP companies

The emergence and steady growth of e-commerce and its impact are of particular importance for many sectors of the Hungarian economy. One such sector is CEP, i.e., Courier, Express, Parcel. CEP is one of the sectors which, in addition to e-commerce, have been positively affected by the measures taken under COVID-19. In our research, we are looking at the impact of environmental changes in recent years on the revenues and costs of three leading Hungarian companies with an international background. The aim of the research is to describe the changes in the financial situation of these Hungarian companies. We have used publicly available financial data. The CEP market is characterised by the outsourcing of services. This is confirmed by their cost structure. Due to this high level of outsourcing, changes in the global market (such as the increase in fuel prices or the EU's 2019 motor vehicle regulation) have not directly affected companies' costs. It was also found that companies were able to be very flexible in their pricing relative to their costs.

The Influence of Environmental Change on Pharmaceutical Companies -- Analysis of Opportunities for Pharmaceutical Companies, Take Roche Inc., Pfizer, and Merck. as an example

The impact of natural environment change on biological pharmaceutical companies has become a growing concern in recent years. In response, re-searchers have employed various models to analyze the relationship between natural environment changes and the financial performance of these companies. This paper will use the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and Fama-French Three-Factor Model (FF3F) to estimate the impact of natural environment changes on biological pharmaceutical companies. Using secondary data from past studies, this paper conducts a literature review to analyze the impact of natural environmental changes on these companies, particularly in terms of their risk and return tradeoffs. Results from previous research indicate that both CAPM and FF3F models can be used to measure the risk and return trade-offs in the context of natural environmental changes. The CAPM model has been used to identify factors such as natural disasters and climate change that influence the risk of these companies, while the FF3F model has been used to measure the effect of regulatory changes on their stock prices. Overall, this paper brings together previous insights and findings, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of the impact of natural environment change on biological pharmaceutical companies. It concludes that further research is needed to investigate other factors that can influence the performance of these companies in the face of natural environmental changes.

The Environmental Changes of Regentschap Pemalang in The Colonial Era

The environment is an important issue that continues to be discussed from the past, now, and even in the future. One important aspect of environmental problems is environmental change. In a historical context, the environmental conditions are the impact of human behavior in the past. Environmental changes are not only targeting urban areas but also rural areas, including the Regentschap Pemalang area during the colonial era. This research examined environmental changes in the Regentschap Pemalang during the colonial era from 1870 to 1942. It focused on three main aspects, there were background, process, and the impact of environmental change. The method used in this research was the historical method. The results of this research indicated that the background to environmental changes in Regentschap Pemalang was the activity of colonialism and capitalism. The colonial government as the ruler at that time issued policies that supported the activities of colonialism and capitalism. The presence of private capital and the desire to gain large profits led to massive exploitation of natural resources which then changed the environmental structure in Regenstcap Pemalang. These changes had an impact on environmental damage. It caused floods and droughts. Environmental changes during the colonial period in Regentschap Pemalang were a necessity because they were in the grip of exploitative colonial power.

Precision diagnostics in children.

Medical practice is transforming from a reactive to a pro-active and preventive discipline that is underpinned by precision medicine. The advances in technologies in such fields as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics and artificial intelligence have resulted in a paradigm shift in our understanding of specific diseases in childhood, greatly enhanced by our ability to combine data from changes within cells to the impact of environmental and population changes. Diseases in children have been reclassified as we understand more about their genomic origin and their evolution. Genomic discoveries, additional 'omics' data and advances such as optical genome mapping have driven rapid improvements in the precision and speed of diagnoses of diseases in children and are now being incorporated into newborn screening, have improved targeted therapies in childhood and have supported the development of predictive biomarkers to assess therapeutic impact and determine prognosis in congenital and acquired diseases of childhood. New medical device technologies are facilitating data capture at a population level to support higher diagnostic accuracy and tailored therapies in children according to predicted population outcome, and digital ecosystems now tailor therapies and provide support for their specific needs. By capturing biological and environmental data as early as possible in childhood, we can understand factors that predict disease or maintain health and track changes across a more extensive longitudinal path. Data from multiple health and external sources over long-time periods starting from birth or even in the in utero environment will provide further clarity about how to sustain health and prevent or predict disease. In this respect, we will not only use data to diagnose disease, but precision diagnostics will aid the 'diagnosis of good health'. The principle of 'start early and change more' will thus underpin the value of applying a personalised medicine approach early in life.

Application and analysis of a model with environmental transmission in a periodic environment

<abstract><p>The goal of this paper is to introduce a non-autonomous environmental transmission model for most respiratory and enteric infectious diseases to study the impact of periodic environmental changes on related infectious diseases. The transmission and decay rates of pathogens in the environment are set as periodic functions to summarize the influence of environmental fluctuations on diseases. The solutions of the model are qualitatively analyzed, and the equilibrium points and the reference criterion, $ R_0 $, for judging the infectivity of infectious diseases are deduced. The global stability of the disease-free equilibrium and the uniform persistence of the disease are proved by using the persistence theory. Common infectious diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, dysentery, pertussis and tuberculosis are selected to fit periodic and non-periodic models. Fitting experiments show that the periodic environmental model can respond to epidemic fluctuations more accurately than the non-periodic model. The periodic environment model is reasonable and applicable for seasonal infectious diseases. The response effects of the periodic and non-periodic models are basically the same for perennial infectious diseases. The periodic model can inform epidemiological trends in relevant emerging infectious diseases. Taking COVID-19 as an example, the sensitivity analysis results show that the virus-related parameters in the periodic model have the most significant influence on the system. It reminds us that, even late in the pandemic, we must focus on the viral load on the environment.</p></abstract>

Progress and prospects of the research on the impact of Arctic climate and environmental changes on the tertiary sector

Progress and prospects of the research on the impact of Arctic climate and environmental changes on the tertiary sector

Environment and chronic disease in rural areas of Heilongjiang, China (ECDRAHC)

PurposeEnvironmental factors such as long-term exposure to cold can increase the risk of chronic diseases. However, few studies have focused on the impact of environmental factors and lifestyle changes on...

Key factors of nature-based tourism future development in less-developed nature destinations: Case study: Ardabil province of Iran

The study examines key factors influencing nature-based tourism (NBT) development in less-developed nature destinations, selecting Ardabil province of Iran as a case study. It employed a qualitative approach involving fifteen semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The study identified seven factors contributing to the development of NBT: tourism development requirements, new managerial initiatives, political support and planning, democratic approach, destination management, sustainability and awareness. The study highlights the importance of sustainability in shaping the future of NBT, which must be considered in policymaking and planning and environmental and climate change impact management. The study recommends knowledge circulation for effective future-based planning. The findings provide valuable insight into the factors required for NBT development at macro and micro levels and can assist DMOs and policymakers of less-developed nature destinations better underrated NBT destination management, allowing them to be better prepared for the future.

Experimental Evaluation of the Impact of Rapid Environmental Changes on Stress Distribution in Tablet Coatings.

Drying-induced cracks in tablet coatings are undesirable as they not only affect tablet's appearance, but they may also interfere with its function. While it is well known that tensile stresses in the coating are responsible for coating failures, few have measured the stress in tablet coatings, especially when exposed to rapid environmental changes. In this study, two commercial tablet coatings based on Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) and Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) are exposed to rapid variations in temperature and humidity to observe the variation in residual stress. Reducing temperature at a fixed humidity or reducing humidity at fixed temperature, both lead to high residual stresses. When both the humidity and temperature were reduced together, the residual stresses were very high causing delamination in the PVA-based film and cracking in the HPMC-based film. The changes in residual stress are almost instantaneous for the HPMC-based film while it is slower for the PVA-based film. The results highlight the importance of environmental conditions on the residual stress in the film and the resulting coating failure.

Commerson’s dolphin population structure: evidence for female phylopatry and male dispersal

A key in species conservation is understanding the amount and distribution of genetic diversity and how environmental changes that occurred in the recent past may have influenced current patterns of population structure. Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, has two subspecies, one of which is endemic to South America (C. commersonii commersonii) and little is known about its population genetics. Our objective was to investigate the population genetics of this subspecies throughout its distribution. Using 70 skin samples and information available in GenBank, 308 mitochondrial DNA sequences and 28 species-specific microsatellites were analyzed. The species presented low genetic diversity when compared to other dolphin species, but was consistent with other species within the genus. Strong population structure based on mitochondrial DNA was exhibited throughout its entire distribution, a pattern consistent with female philopatry. However, this pattern was not detected when using microsatellites, suggesting male-mediated gene flow. Demographic tests suggested a population expansion beginning approximately 15,000 years ago, after the Last Glacial Maximum. In a climate change scenario, we recommended considering each sampling location as an independent population management unit in order to evaluate the impact of possible environmental changes on the distribution of genetic information within the species.

Impact of Rapid Environmental Changes on Stress Distribution in Tablet Coatings: Simulations

Immediate-release film coatings, also known as "non-functional" film coating, are applied to core tablets to improve product appearance and swallowability, impart taste-masking properties, improve handling and stability of the dosage form, and reduce exposure to active drug substance for caregivers. The coatings have no measurable impact on bio-performance of the drug product but they protect tablets from negative effects of environment such as humidity, oxidation, and light. The mechanical stability and integrity of tablet coatings are therefore important to maintain drug product quality attributes such as appearance and stability. Therefore, environmental conditions under which these coatings may crack are important to understand so as to prevent their occurrence. In this work, we present a novel computational framework to assess the mechanical integrity of tablet coatings exposed to rapid variations in environmental conditions. We perform detailed stress and strain analysis of tablet coatings on tablet surfaces with debossed regions and identify conditions for cracking. Coatings with both elastic and viscoelastic properties are considered. Rapid changes in environmental temperature and humidity can cause differential expansion/contraction of coating and tablet core resulting in stresses that are higher than those experienced during the drying process in a coater. Debossed regions on the tablet surface with sharp surface curvatures act as stress concentrators that nucleate cracks. Small changes in the design of the debossed regions lead to modest reductions in the peak stress. Stress calculations show that coatings that are well bonded to tablet surface can crack only under very extreme conditions.

The impact of environmental change on landslides, fatal landslides, and their triggers in Pakistan (2003–2019)

The actual impact of landslides in Pakistan is highly underestimated and has not been addressed to its full extent. This study focuses on the impact which landslides had in the last 17 years, with focus on mortality, gender of deceased, main triggers (landslides and fatal landslides), and regional identification of the hotspots in Pakistan. Our study identified 1089 landslides (including rockfalls, rockslides, mudslides, mudflows, debris flows) out of which 180 landslides were fatal and claimed lives of 1072 people. We found that rain (rainfall and heavy rainfall)-related landslides were the deadliest over the entire study period. The main trigger of landslides in Pakistan is heavy rainfall which comprises over 50% of the triggers for the landslide, and combined with normal rainfall, this rate climbs to over 63%. The second main reason for landslide occurrence is spontaneous (due to rock instability, erosion, climate change, and other geological elements) with landslides accounting for 22.3% of all the landslides. Landslides caused by rain-related events amounted to 41.67% of the fatalities, whereas spontaneous landslides caused 29.44% of the deaths and the human induced events accounted for 25.5% of the fatalities. The fatal landslides accounted for 19.53% deaths of the children. Our study also found that more than 48% of the deadly landslides occurred between the months of January to April, whereas the least fatal landslides occurred in the month of June which accounted for only 3% of all the fatal landslides in Pakistan.

Influence of salinity on the diversity and composition of carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen and sulfur cycling genes in lake surface sediments.

Exploring functional gene composition is essential for understanding the biogeochemical functions of lakes. However, little is known about the diversity and composition of biogeochemical cycling genes and their influencing factors in saline lakes. In this study, metagenomic analysis was employed to characterize the diversity and composition of microbial functions predicted from genes involved in carbohydrate metabolisms, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles in 17 surface sediments of Qinghai-Tibetan lakes with salinity ranging from 0.7 to 31.5 g L-1. The results showed that relative abundances of carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZy), nitrogen, and sulfur cycling genes were 92.7-116.5, 15.1-18.7, 50.8-63.9 per 1,000 amino acid coding reads, respectively. The Shannon diversity indices of CAZy and sulfur cycling genes decreased with increasing salinity, whereas nitrogen cycling gene diversity showed an opposite trend. Relative abundances of many CAZy (i.e., carbohydrate-binding module and carbohydrate esterase), nitrogen (i.e., anammox and organic degradation and synthesis) and sulfur (i.e., dissimilatory sulfur reduction and oxidation, link between inorganic and organic sulfur transformation, sulfur disproportionation and reduction) cycling gene categories decreased with increasing salinity, whereas some CAZy (i.e., auxiliary activity), nitrogen (i.e., denitrification) and sulfur (i.e., assimilatory sulfate reduction and sulfur oxidation) gene categories showed an increasing trend. The compositions of CAZy, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling genes in the studied lake sediments were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by environmental factors such as salinity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, with salinity having the greatest influence. Together, our results suggest that salinity may regulate the biogeochemical functions of carbohydrate metabolisms, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles in lakes through changing the diversity and composition of microbial functional genes. This finding has great implications for understanding the impact of environmental change on microbial functions in lacustrine ecosystems.

Ex Situ Approaches for the Conservation of Genetic Resources in the Superorder Xenarthra.

Xenarthra-a superorder of placental mammals endemic to the Neotropics-is represented by armadillos, anteaters, and sloths. Considering their long history in the Americas, extant xenarthrans represent an important group for understanding the impact of past environmental changes on species diversification and serve key ecological functions as ecosystem engineers. Unfortunately, most wild xenarthran populations are at risk, due primarily to anthropogenic activities, necessitating urgent conservation efforts. Moreover, the paucity of information on some species has rendered population estimation and, consequently, conservation management challenging. In addition, relatively few groups are researching this superorder, perhaps because fieldwork with armadillos, anteaters, or sloths and their captive care are challenging tasks. Nevertheless, dedicated research and efforts to ensure the long-term conservation of these animals are deemed essential. In this context, cryobanks are a practical approach for breeding and maintaining genetic diversity in wildlife, and they are important tools for assisting and improving both ex situ and in situ conservation strategies. Therefore, cryopreservation of biological resources may be a promising strategy for conserving xenarthrans. Specifically, semen cryopreservation, which has already been applied in some species, may be the most effective strategy for this group. The present article provides an overview of ex situ conservation of xenarthrans, which will contribute to the development and implementation of additional strategies for protecting these unique mammals.

Tracing environmental impacts of grain losses along the supply chain in the North China Plain: An integrated framework

Grain loss is a key barrier to promote food security and sustainable development. To assess grain losses in the supply chain and their associated environmental impact, we developed an integrated methodological framework combining material flow analysis, life cycle assessment and environmental footprint approaches. The framework was applied to Shanghe county, which is one of the national advanced grain production counties in North China. Results show that around 7% of wheat and maize was lost during the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest periods. The wheat and maize losses have caused serious waste of water and land resource, and additional carbon emissions. The application also shows that environmental impact of changes in material flows caused by relevant stakeholders’ decision could be easily assessed using the framework. In conclusion, the framework can help policy makers to better explore grain loss management and reduction strategies in China and can be expanded to other developing countries.

Antarctica's vegetation in a changing climate

AbstractAntarctica plays a central role in regulating global climatic and oceanographic patterns and is an integral part of global climate change discussions. The functioning of Antarctica's terrestrial ecosystems is dominated by poikilohydric cryptogams such as lichens, bryophytes, eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria and there are only two native species of vascular plants. Antarctica's vegetation is highly adapted to the region's extreme conditions but, at the same time, it is potentially highly susceptible to climatic fluctuations. Biological responses to shifts in temperature, water availability, wind patterns, snow, and ice cover are complex, taxa‐specific and act on different temporal and spatial scales. In maritime Antarctica, where warming and mass loss of outlet glaciers have been mainly observed, the vegetation is expected to show increases in productivity, abundance, and cover. In continental Antarctica, observational and experimental evidence is still sparse, but it is pointing toward even drier and harsher conditions for survival. We need more information on what the observed and predicted changes in Antarctic vegetation are for different regions and ecosystems. This will inform us how environmental change and human impact will shape the future of these ecosystems, and whether the speed and magnitude of change have habitat‐specific effects and implications. Antarctica's unique ecosystems are changing and in this review, we describe the current situation, tools to measure, and evaluate change and how change is likely to look in the future.This article is categorized under: Climate, Ecology, and Conservation &gt; Observed Ecological Changes Assessing Impacts of Climate Change &gt; Evaluating Future Impacts of Climate Change Climate, Ecology, and Conservation &gt; Modeling Species and Community Interactions Assessing Impacts of Climate Change &gt; Observed Impacts of Climate Change

Sustainability of Floodplain Wetland Fisheries of Rural Indonesia: Does Culture Enhance Livelihood Resilience?

Preserving small-scale fisheries is the main concern of governments in sustainable growth development because more than 90% of fishers and workers make a living in this business including in floodplain wetlands currently affected by external shocks. Applying the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) and framework, this research aimed to analyse the impact of environmental changes on fishing livelihoods in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Questionnaire administration and in-depth interviews were employed as data collection methods, and structural equation modelling was tested on samples of 550 fishers. We found that environmental changes in natural conditions and human activities had adverse effects on the sustainability of fishing livelihoods. Fishers found massive development disruptive to their fishing activities, putting their livelihoods at risk and making them vulnerable. The findings further acknowledge cultural significance with livelihood resilience. Since The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines culture as “the entire and distinguishing way of society life”, this dimension is integrated into the study’s well-recognised framework. The government is recommended to re-evaluate its approach to balancing economic, social, environmental, and cultural factors.