Economic Importance Research Articles

Winners and Losers: Pastoralist Futures in Senegal

Abstract: Young herders of Senegal's Ferlo region are grappling with a quickly changing natural and economic environment, and these conditions affect how they view the future. Research suggests that a decreasing natural-resource base is restricting the number of those who will successfully continue in the pastoral economy. Drawing on opinions gathered from young FulBe herders regarding the future viability of pastoral livestock management as an economically sound vocation, this article argues that improved policy support and material infrastructure are contributing to a greater sense of national belonging among herders, but they need policies that recognize the potential economic importance of mobile livestock production to the national economy and food security. Diversification of economic activities is important: herders' capacity to invest in diverse productive activities, including urban networking, makes a difference.

Microscopic detection and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis miescheriana in wild boars (Sus scrofa): first report from Greece.

The genus Sarcocystis includes protozoan parasites with an indirect life cycle. Sarcocystis spp. can infect various animal species and humans, causing sarcocystosis, a parasitosis of economic importance and zoonotic concern. Wild boars can act as intermediate hosts for Sarcocystis miescheriana and the zoonotic Sarcocystis suihominis that infects humans by consumption of raw or undercooked infected swine meat. In the present study, the diaphragmatic muscle tissue of 123 wild boars hunted in Greece was examined to determine the frequency of Sarcocystis spp. The samples were examined by tissue compression and molecular techniques. Under light microscopy, 34 out of 123 (27.6%) wild boars tested positive for Sarcocystis spp., while a higher infection prevalence (75%) was revealed by multiplex PCR performed in 100 of the samples. The partial mtDNA cox1 gene (~ 1100bp) of 20 samples tested positive for S. miescheriana by multiplex PCR was amplified and sequenced. Sarcocystis miescheriana was identified as the only species involved in these infections. This is the first study on the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in wild animals in Greece. Further, large-scale surveys are needed to assess the prevalence and species of this parasite in Greece and to design efficient control and preventive measures in a One Health perspective.

Economic Impact and Adaptive Responses in the Global Hotel Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has become a challenge of unprecedented scale for various industries, and the hotel industry has not escaped the waves of economic uncertainty. Economic indicators in the hotel industry, which once reflected growth and prosperity, abruptly turned into indicators of crisis and the need for adaptation. The main aim of the presented article is the evaluation, categorization, and comparison of hotel-type accommodation facilities in selected countries based on their economic indicators in the pandemic period. Comparison and categorization of countries will be carried out using a multivariate statistical method – cluster analysis. All investigated indicators were obtained by the method of sociological inquiry in the form of a questionnaire. The application of cluster analysis identified the economic importance and potential in the countries in question using the investigated economic indicators in the hotel industry. The results showed a significant economic difference between the countries. The analysis divided the requested countries into five clusters – categories from the lowest (Turkey) to the highest impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic situation in the hotel industry (Slovak Republic). Since the prevention of crises in the hotel industry is a key aspect that can minimize negative consequences and ensure the sustainability of operations, at the end of the presented article we have outlined the measures that accommodation establishments should apply in their normal practice.

Integrative tissue-resolved proteomics and metabolomics analysis of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) fruit provides insights into stilbenoid biosynthesis at the interface of primary and secondary metabolism

The oil palm fruit produces highly valuable edible oil from its fleshy mesocarp and seed. Aside from the palm oil and palm kernel oil of economic importance, the non-oil components of the oil palm fruit hold great potential as natural and sustainable products. Most studies focus on the molecular mechanisms regulating the oil palm lipid production and accumulation but little is known about secondary metabolism, specifically stilbenoids in the fruit tissues. This work aims to profile the proteomes and metabolomes of the exocarp, mesocarp, shell and kernel at the ripening stage and to identify the enzymes and metabolites associated with stilbenoid biosynthesis. From a total of 1964 proteins, the mesocarp and exocarp tissues were characterized by high abundance of proteins related to fatty acid, glycolysis and secondary metabolism. Proteins more abundant in the kernel and shell tissues were linked to storage and triacylglycerol synthesis. The enzymes directly involved in stilbenoid biosynthesis are 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL), hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA: shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) and trans-resveratrol di-O-methyltransferase (ROMT) which were highly expressed (p < 0.05) in the exocarp, mesocarp and shell tissues but not in the kernel. Trans-resveratrol was detected in the shell and mesocarp from comprehensive metabolome screening, with piceatannol in the shell, exocarp and kernel as well as trans-piceid in the exocarp. The oil palm fruit key proteins reveal tissue-specific cellular functions for primary and secondary metabolism in corroboration with the metabolome profiles, prospective for further quality improvement and optimum utilization of this rich resource.

The future is fermented: Microbial biodiversity of fermented foods is a critical resource for food innovation and human health

BackgroundFermented foods and beverages have been a key component of the human diet for thousands of years, and play an important nutritional, cultural, and economic role in most human societies. Differences in ingredients, local practices, and environmental conditions can impact microbial communities in fermented foods resulting in distinct flavors, textures, and nutritional properties. Despite their ancient roots, omnipresence, potential health benefits, recent hype, and the plethora of tools to study microbial diversity, the microbial and functional diversity of most fermented foods currently remain unknown, while changing lifestyle practices threaten the loss of some fermented foods, with dire implications for gastrointestinal health. Scope and approachIn this commentary we discuss the nutritional, cultural, and economic values of fermented foods and (i) introduce FermDB, the largest interoperable database and map of fermented foods to date (https://bokulich-lab.github.io/FermDB/), intended as an extensible community resource for documenting and studying food fermentations; (ii) provide a consistent fermented food ontology for classification of these foods; and (iii) estimate global production values and biomass of some of the most common fermented foods to contextualize the social and economic importance of microorganisms for human food production. Key findings and conclusionsWe provide a new perspective on global diversity of fermented foods and associated microbial communities as a resource for sustainable food production. Additionally, the introduced database and ontology can act as a roadmap to the path toward conserving microbial biodiversity of traditional foods and studying their associated health benefits.

Winners and Losers: Pastoralist Futures in Senegal

Abstract: Young herders of Senegal's Ferlo region are grappling with a quickly changing natural and economic environment, and these conditions affect how they view the future. Research suggests that a decreasing natural-resource base is restricting the number of those who will successfully continue in the pastoral economy. Drawing on opinions gathered from young FulBe herders regarding the future viability of pastoral livestock management as an economically sound vocation, this article argues that improved policy support and material infrastructure are contributing to a greater sense of national belonging among herders, but they need policies that recognize the potential economic importance of mobile livestock production to the national economy and food security. Diversification of economic activities is important: herders' capacity to invest in diverse productive activities, including urban networking, makes a difference.

Dormancy of a specialist herbivore, Anthonomus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in a dry tropical forest.

The life history aspects of dormancy of the weevil Anthonomus rufipennis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were studied a 57-month period in a seasonally dry tropical forest of central Mexico. Weevil populations and their physiological status were monitored on both the reproductive host tree, Senna polyantha (Collad.) H.S: Irwin & Barneby(Fabales:Fabaceae) and the highly favored refuge host, Tillandsia recurvataL.(Poales:Bromeliaceae) or "ball moss." During the dry season, weevils were only found on the refuge host with a mean total density of 1.014±2.532 individuals/ball moss (N = 1,681). Weevil densities on T. recurvata between early and late dry seasons were not significantly different, suggesting that dry season survival was relatively high. Weevils collected during these seasons revealed little reproductive development and relatively high-fat accumulation in both sexes. During 5 of 6 yr, densities of the weevils in T. recurvata dropped significantly during the early rainy seasons, when the reproductive host trees leafed out and began producing oviposition sites (flower buds). At this time, more males than females initially moved to vegetative trees and showed significant signs of reproductive development. Recolonization of ball moss by weevils began during the late rainy season when oviposition sites (flower buds) were still available. A proportion of the weevils remained on the reproductive host, suggesting that A. rufipennis is facultatively multivoltine. The methodologies and results of the study can serve as a model system for future studies of the dormancy of other insects in dry tropical forests and provide insight into the dormancy of other anthonomine weevils of economic importance.

Kelp forest food webs as hot spots for the accumulation of microplastic and polybrominated diphenyl ether pollutants

Kelp forests (KFs) are one of the most significant marine ecosystems in the planet. They serve as a refuge for a wide variety of marine species of ecological and economic importance. Additionally, they aid with carbon sequestration, safeguard the coastline, and maintain water quality. Microplastic (MP) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) concentrations were analyzed across trophic levels in KFs around Todos Santos Bay. Spatial variation patterns were compared at three sites in 2021 and temporal change at Todos Santos Island (TSI) in 2021 and 2022. We analyzed these MPs and PBDEs in water, primary producers (Macrocystis pyrifera), grazers (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), predators (Semicossyphus pulcher), and kelp detritus. MPs were identified in all samples (11 synthetic and 1 semisynthetic polymer) and confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy–attenuated total reflectance (μ-FTIR-ATR). The most abundant type of MP is polyester fibers. Statistically significant variations in MP concentration were found only in kelps, with the greatest average concentrations in medium-depth kelps from TSI in 2022 (0.73 ± 0.58 MP g−1 ww) and in the kelp detritus from TSI in 2021 (0.96 ± 0.64 MP g−1 ww). Similarly, PBDEs were found in all samples, with the largest concentration found in sea urchins from Punta San Miguel (0.93 ± 0.24 ng g−1 ww). The similarity of the polymers can indicate a trophic transfer of MPs. This study shows the extensive presence of MP and PBDE subtropical trophic web of a KF, but correlating these compounds in environmental samples is highly complex, influenced by numerous factors that could affect their presence and behavior. However, this suggests that there is a potential risk to the systems and the services that KFs offer.

Polyphased gold enrichment as a key process for high-grade gold formation: Insights from the 10 Moz Jundee-Bogada camp (Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia)

AbstractHigh-grade (&gt; 10 g/t) gold mineralization in orogenic gold deposits is of significant economic importance. Understanding the formation of such enriched ore zones is critical for gold exploration success. The world-class Jundee-Bogada gold camp in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia comprises both high-grade (avg. &gt; 10 g/t, Jundee deposit) and low-grade (avg. &lt; 3 g/t, Bogada prospect) lodes, despite shared host stratigraphy. The paragenetic framework established for the Jundee gold deposit suggests that the overall gold endowment developed over three deformation events. An early episode of low-grade gold mineralization is associated with colloform-crustiform veins that formed during extensional deformation (DJB2A). A switch to transtensional deformation (DJB2B) resulted in brecciation of the colloform-crustiform veins and coeval deposition of native gold. Late reverse faults record evidence for a third mineralization stage resulting from a NE-SW-directed shortening (DJB3). Mineralization during this late stage was dominantly low-grade, with local occurrences of ultra-high-grade ore zones (&gt; 100 g/t). Each event records transient changes in fluid chemistry during continued hydrothermal activity that spanned local deformation histories. We argue that at the Jundee gold deposit, protracted gold enrichment during three polyphased mineralization episodes resulted in the formation of high-grade gold ores. Whereas the complete metallogenic history is recorded at the Jundee deposit, gold within the Bogada prospect was introduced solely during the late contractional stage (DJB3), resulting in a bulk low-grade endowment. We hypothesize that gold enrichment in high-grade orogenic gold deposits is a direct consequence of the spatial superimposition of protracted ore-forming events.

Socio-Ecological Consequences of Irrational Nature Use in the North of Western Siberia in the 1990s

The article is devoted to the analysis of environmental problems that arose as a result of the industrial development of the North of Western Siberia in the 1990s. The consequences of active, irrational use of natural resources in North-West Siberia for water, land resources and the atmosphere are considered. Based on the analysis of previously unpublished archival materials of the environmental prosecutor’s office of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, the author has established that the period of the 1990s had many environmental problems, including those related to the oil and gas production complex and human negligence. It is concluded that the main pollutant in the studied region was oil and oil products. Among the environmental problems, a special place is occupied by the pollution of soils and water resources, the violation of the balance of the ecosystem. Against this background, social problems arise: problems with the health of the population, a decrease in the quality of life, a decrease in opportunities for recreation, nature tourism and recreation; the emergence of additional factors of social inequality and social tension. At the same time, the author does not deny the economic importance of oil production and proposes to more actively introduce mechanisms for sustainable environmental management. The author’s research contributes to the development of ecological history in the North of Western Siberia.

Distribution and host ranges of Ceratitis rosa and Ceratitis quilicii (Diptera: Tephritidae) in South Africa.

Two fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species of economic importance: Ceratitis rosa Karsch and Ceratitis quilicii De Meyer, Mwatawala & Virgilio are present in South Africa. The two species were considered as one species prior to 2016, but were subsequently separated. In this study, the distribution and abundance of the two species were quantified in seven provinces in South Africa through trapping with Enriched Ginger Oil as an attractant. Trapping was conducted over three seasons across two years (2020 and 2021): late summer, autumn-winter, and spring-early summer. Host ranges of the two species were investigated by fruit sampling in and outside of trapping sites. Ceratitis quilicii was more widely distributed than C. rosa with the latter being recorded in only three north-eastern provinces. There were geographical limits for both species with no records of them in Northern Cape Province. Catches of C. quilicii were higher in summer with average temperatures varying from 15 to 27°C while for C. rosa, catches remained low and consistent between seasons. Ceratitis quilicii catches decreased at lower rates than those of C. rosa at temperatures below 15°C. The two species were reared from 13 plant species from nine families. Four of these hosts were infested by both C. quilicii and C. rosa in the same province where they occurred. Preferred hosts of the two species belonged to the Myrtaceae family. The characterisation of the distribution, abundance and host ranges of these pests will provide a baseline for pest status determination and implementation of management actions.

Centralization of environmental administration and air pollution: Evidence from China

This paper studies how centralizing environmental administration affects air pollution in China. China launched a reform in 2016 to empower upper-level environmental protection bureaus to administer lower-level bureaus vertically through personnel control. Exploiting a stacked difference-in-differences strategy, we find that the reform significantly reduced air pollution. The effect was stronger in places where pollution was less likely to be affected by spillovers from other provinces, where local governments initially paid less attention to environmental protection, and where there was less economic importance. Further analysis shows that the reform reduced pollution by strengthening the pollution reduction incentives of local environmental officials, increasing the intensity of local environmental inspection, and promoting environmental compliance by polluting firms.

Strategic Regionalism of the Pacific Alliance: An Outlook throughout the Investment

The Pacific Alliance (PA) is considered a strategic regionalism in Latin America due to the pragmatic policy trade of the members. One of these pragmatic elements is investment. This article analyzes intra-regional investment flows in the PA in the period 2010–2021 as evidence of strategic regionalism. This article examines the characteristics of the strategic regionalism and the theoretical approaches to foreign direct investment (FDI) from the perspective of capital localization and the internationalization processes of companies. Based on official statistics from the countries, annual FDI and intra-regional investment flows are studied, along with a qualitative analysis of the Pacific Alliance Investment Facilitation Initiative. It concludes that the PA's intra-regional investment is explained by the internationalization and economic importance of multilatina companies, and that it should consider alliances with Chinese enterprises.

Ecogeography and Climate Change in Forage Grasses from Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Mexico

Arid and semi-arid areas are highly productive ecosystems that have a great diversity of species, among which grasses stand out. These species have ecological, environmental, and economic importance. The objective was to identify the ecological descriptors of 15 native species of grasses and diversity patterns through multivariate analysis techniques (principal component analysis, PCA, and cluster analysis, CA), in addition to identifying potential distribution areas (current and future) and regions of high and low diversity from 3841 accessions and 21 climatic variables. Among the main results, the extreme values, coefficient of variation, and median for each species could be determined. PCA determined that, with 10 variables, it was possible to explain 54.36% of the variation between the analyzed species. CA resulted in the formation of four statistically significant groups, with specific climatic characteristics. Regarding potential distribution areas and climate change, a reduction in distribution is expected (2050) on most of the current surface, with a possible opportunity zone in the north of the country. Finally, two hotspots (high diversity areas) and four coldspots (low diversity areas) were identified among the analyzed species. These results can be used to create strategies for sustainable use and the conservation of these resources.

Soil Health of Rubber Plantations in Southern Côte D'ivoire: The Case of Cnra Anguédédou Rubber Plantations

The rubber tree, a species of Amazonian forest tree, is cultivated for its natural rubber-rich latex. Its cultivation is of economic, social, climatic and environmental importance. However, it has been criticized as a soil-destroying crop. To clear up this ambiguity, a study was launched to assess the health of soils under rubber cover in southern Côte d'Ivoire. The methodology involved selecting rubber plantations of [1 to 5 years], [6 to 10 years], [11 to 20] and [20-40 years], and two (02) 42-year-old rubber tree plantations, abandoned for 8 years, were compared to those of a forest. In these biotopes, soil samples were taken using an auger and a metal cylinder, then analyzed in the laboratory to determine soil fertility and ecological parameters. The results showed that the saturated soils of young plantations aged 6 to 10 years are poor in organic matter and cation exchange capacity, mainly calcium and magnesium. However, organic carbon stocks are high in abandoned plantations (182.38 mg/ha) and plantations over 20 years old (164.5 mg/ha). The assessed deterioration index reveals that soils in young plantations aged 6 to 10 years are degraded, with an SDI = -40%. These soils recovered as the plantations aged, with a SDI of 151% in abandoned plantations.

Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis L.)—A Versatile Grass: A Review

Smooth brome (Bromus inermis L.) is a species of perennial grass with growing economic importance. Initially, this species had attracted interest as a source of animal feed. Over the years, the interest in smooth brome increased significantly due to the growing knowledge about its advantages. The aim of this study was to explore the contemporary significance of smooth brome. This plant is characterized by a high tolerance to many negative environmental factors, such as periodic droughts, low temperatures and salinity, which contributes to its constant presence in the landscape of many countries. The moderate soil requirements of smooth brome, combined with the effective use of soil resources and rational nutrient utilization, contribute to high biomass yields that can reach 13 t/ha DM. The usefulness of this grass species in various management systems has been recognized in numerous research studies. Smooth brome can generate benefits in many branches of the economy. This efficient energy plant is used in paper production, and it is also recommended for the protection of fallow land or the reclamation of degraded land. Smooth brome prevents erosion, enhances biodiversity, and provides shelter for many animal species. This species fits well into the current assumptions of agricultural policy and increasingly demanding environmental standards. According to the latest guidelines, modern agriculture should pursue economic and environmental goals simultaneously. In this context, smooth brome constitutes a valuable link in sustainable development. Due to its numerous advantages, smooth brome not only provides high-quality feed and biomass but also effectively sequesters CO2, improves soil fertility and enhances biodiversity, which makes it an important element of agriculture and environmental protection.

Harnessing the Transcriptomic Resources of Millets to Decipher Climate Resilience and Nutrient Enrichment Traits

Rich nutrients, climate resilience, and the economic importance of millets are believed to ensure food security for future generations. Millets have the habit of growing against abiotic stresses (particularly drought stress). Millets show much better climate resilience and nutrient supplementation properties compared to other major cereals. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of genes that respond to stresses and nutrient transport will help understand the tolerance mechanism and improve against both stresses. Genome sequences are currently available for two major (sorghum and pearl millet) and eight minor millets (foxtail millet, finger millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, job’s tear, fonio millet, and tef). Five minor millets (little millet, kodo millet, brown top millet, guinea millet, and raishan) do not have genome sequences to date. Transcriptome studies help to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), mine genes induced in a particular stress and develop several molecular markers for all plants, including millets. Some millets have reports on transcriptome datasets for plants exposed to various biotic and abiotic stresses and for nutritional traits. Unfortunately, the transcriptome datasets of millets have not been adequately leveraged to explore genes associated with traits such as climate resilience, nutrient enrichment, and crop improvement. This underutilization stems from a lack of high-resolution studies and limited exploration within the field. As a result, the potential insights and genetic understanding offered by these datasets remain largely untapped. Through this review, we plan to elucidate the current status of transcriptome resources on millets and draw future insights on the utilization of these resources. This review will motivate researchers to utilize the available transcriptome resources for millet improvement.

First Report of White Mold Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Echeveria gigantea in Mexico.

Echeveria gigantea, native of Mexico (Reyes et al. 2011), holds economic importance as it is marketed as a potted plant and cut flower due to its drought-tolerant capabilities and aesthetic appeal. In September 2023, a field sampling was conducted at the Research Center in Horticulture and Native Plants (18°55'56.6" N, 98°24'01.5" W) of UPAEP University. Echeveria gigantea cv. Quilpalli plants with white mold symptoms were found in an area of 0.5 ha, with an incidence of 40% and severity of 50% on severely affected stems. The symptoms included chlorosis of older foliage, necrosis at the base of the stem, and soft rot with abundant white to gray mycelium and abundant production of irregular sclerotia resulting in wilted plants. The fungus was isolated from 30 symptomatic plants. Sclerotia were collected, sterilized in 3% NaOCl, rinsed with sterile distilled water (SDW), and plated on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) with sterile forceps. Subsequently, a dissecting needle was used to place fragments of mycelium directly on PDA. Plates were incubated at 23 °C in darkness. A total of 30 isolates were obtained using the hyphal-tip method, one from each diseased plant (15 isolates from sclerotia and 15 from mycelium). After 6 days, colonies had fast-growing, dense, cottony-white aerial mycelium forming irregular sclerotia of 3.67 ± 1.13 mm (n=100). Each Petri dish produced 32.47 ± 7.5 sclerotia (n=30), after 12 days. The sclerotia were initially white and gradually turned black. The isolates were tentatively identified as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum based on morphological characteristics (Saharan and Mehta 2008). Two isolates were selected for molecular identification. Genomic DNA was extracted using the CTAB protocol. The ITS region and the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) gene were sequenced for two randomly selected isolates (White et al. 1990; Staats et al. 2005). The ITS and G3PDH sequences of the SsEg9 isolate were deposited in GenBank (ITS-OR816006; G3PDH-OR879212). BLAST analysis of the partial ITS (510 bp) and G3PDH (915 bp) sequences showed 100% and 99.78% similarity to S. sclerotiorum isolates (GenBank: MT101751 and MW082601). Pathogenicity was confirmed by inoculating 30 120-day-old E. gigantea cv. Quilpalli plants grown in pots with sterile soil. Ten sclerotia were deposited at the base of the stem, 10 mm below the soil surface. As control treatment, SDW was applied to 10 plants. The plants were placed in a greenhouse at 23 °C and 90% relative humidity. After 16 days, all inoculated plants displayed symptoms similar to those observed in the field. Control plants did not display any symptoms. The fungus was reisolated from the inoculated stems, fulfilling Koch's postulates. The pathogenicity tests were repeated three times. Recently S. sclerotiorum has been reported causing white mold on cabbage in the state of Puebla, Mexico (Terrones-Salgado et al. 2023). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of S. sclerotiorum causing white mold on E. gigantea in Mexico. Information about diseases affecting this plant is very limited, so this research is crucial for designing integrated management strategies and preventing spread to other production areas.

Assessing and segmenting salt-affected soils using in-situ EC measurements, remote sensing, and a modified deep learning MU-NET convolutional neural network

A study revealed that the Siwa Oasis faces high soil salinity, which negatively impacts agricultural areas and crop productivity, despite its significant economic and agricultural importance. The current research proposes an approach to detect and segment salinity and vegetation areas at Siwa Oasis, Egypt, by combining remote sensing and building a deep learning neural network model-based U-NET algorithm to detect salinity change areas, anticipate further degradation, and predict soil quality indicators. To locate changes among the available images, standard image improvement, classification, and change detection methods have been used. We applied a deep learning modified U-Net (MU-NET) algorithm to segment and produce salinity maps. The MU-NET architecture is a two-level nested U-structure merged with a residual U-block (RUb), which consists of an encoder and a decoder. We applied RUb, which consists of several layers and skip connections. Different combinations of the salinity and vegetation indices were added to the original image to improve segmentation precision. The model was validated and trained using actual data samples collected over a 10-year period from the Landsat 8 satellite, which can monitor and analyse present land cover changes. The dataset consisted of 91 OLI and TIRS spectral images. Each one consists of eleven bands with a spatial resolution of 30 m for bands 1 to 7 and 9. A field survey was used as the main source of data for comparing the proposed model's outputs to assess the error rate. The study region is experiencing an increase in soil salinity in all directions, particularly with regard to the spatial distribution of saline soils, not just the quantitative increase in salt-affected soils. These findings supported the acceleration of soil salinization and vegetation death. The proposed model achieved the highest performance results among the other models and literature and was based on applying method 12 using 13 image layers, with the highest accuracies of 91.27% and 90.83% for salinity and vegetation, respectively.

Genome evolution in intracellular parasites: Microsporidia and Apicomplexa.

Microsporidia and Apicomplexa are eukaryotic, single-celled, intracellular parasites with huge public health and economic importance. Typically, these parasites are studied separately, emphasizing their uniqueness and diversity. In this review, we explore the huge amount of genomic data that has recently become available for the two groups. We compare and contrast their genome evolution and discuss how their transitions to intracellular life may have shaped it. In particular, we explore genome reduction and compaction, genome expansion and ploidy, gene shuffling and rearrangements, and the evolution of centromeres and telomeres.