Landscape Change Research Articles

Rapid landslide detection from free optical satellite imagery using a robust change detection technique

In the last decades, the availability of multi-source, multi-scale, and multi-resolution remote sensing data and the consequent progress of processing techniques brought a significant positive impact for landslide detection. As a result, nowadays also public institutions dealing with geo-hazard management worldwide regularly use satellite data and products in landslide investigations. Due to the complexity of the phenomenon which might involve the displacement of massive rocks, soil, and both wet and dry vegetation from hillslopes, and the significant impact on the safety of the population and road infrastructure, the development of specific procedures for the rapid detection of landslides is extremely challenging. This is particularly important in the first phases of landslide risk management to evaluate the extension of the area involved by the movement and proceed with an initial delimitation of the so-called alarm zone, where preventive evacuation must be applied. In this study, the wide-ranging Tasseled Cap Transformation (TCT) is proposed as a not-sophisticated and rapid method able to detect different land-change features simultaneously by processing only two (pre- and post-event) Sentinel-2 images. The RGB color composite image obtained by stacking δTCTBrightness, δTCTGreenness, and δTCTWetness, as the intensity of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) was able to provide information on landscape changes supported by the physical nature of the TCT indices, by associating the colors to the physical characteristics of the changes. The method tested over the Pomarico site in Basilicata region (Southern Italy), was able to define the footprint of a landslide occurred in 2019 with a good accuracy (ACC = 0.95). Therefore, the proposed procedure is effective to detect landslides involving land-surface spectral changes (the majority), without the need of additional in-situ information. Furthermore, the free availability of the Sentinel-2 database and its frequent revisit times guarantee its global exportability.

EXPRESS: Advanced cancer perineural invasion induces profound peripheral neuronal plasticity, pain, and somatosensory mechanical deactivation, unmitigated by the lack of TNFR1. Part. 1: Behavior and single-cell in vivo electrophysiology.

Patients with cancer perineural invasion (PNI) report greater spontaneous pain and mechanical allodynia. Here, we examine the impact of the disease on the peripheral sensory system, the excitability changes induced by PNI at the dorsal root ganglia, and the potential protective role of the absence of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Receptor 1 (TNFR1). To study these effects, we use a murine model generated by injecting mouse oral cancer squamous cell carcinoma (MOC2) into the sciatic nerve (MOC2-PNI) in both male and female mice. We found that MOC2-PNI induces a profound change in the somatosensory landscape by deactivating/blocking the peripheral inputs while modulating the afferent's sensibility (tactile desensitization with concurrent nociceptive sensitization) and demyelination without inducing spontaneous activity. All these changes caused by MOC2-PNI are unmitigated by the absence of TNFR1. We conclude that MOC2-PNI induces an aberrant neuronal excitability state and triggers extreme gender-specific neuronal plasticity. These data allow us to speculate on the role of such plasticity as a powerful defense mechanism to prevent terminal sensory dysfunction, the rise of chronic pain, and extend animals' survivability.

Exploring the influence of habitat, ground refugia and behavioral strategies on the overwintering success of Drosophila suzukii, Matsumura.

The overwintering biology of Drosophila suzukii is poorly understood. While thermal tolerance studies suggest that winter morphotype females likely survive harsh winters given physiological changes that lead to cold-hardening, additional factors such as habitat selection are likely important but poorly understood. In the present study, we conducted a field study at three vineyard sites to investigate winter habitat selection, a semi-field study to measure survival outcomes depending on various ground refugia, and a laboratory study to evaluate vertical movement in response to simulated flood conditions often observed in winter. Our results showed three things. First, Drosophila suzukii was most abundant in wooded areas of vineyards and near pomace piles. Few were captured in the vineyard itself and even fewer were captured in the winery facilities. Second, insulating ground cover such as straw was beneficial to improving survivability. Third, while insulating ground cover was beneficial during stable periods below freezing, during warm-up periods where snow melts and subsequently floods the ground, fly mobility and vertical movement was critical for survival. Cold acclimated flies are active participants in their environment, even at freezing temperatures, navigating changing landscape features and adjusting their position in response to temperature and ground conditions. Our data showed for the first time that cold acclimated flies are capable of vertical movement even at freezing temperatures as water levels rise at the ground level during thaw events. Thus, the overwintering behavior and ecology of D. suzukii is more complex than previously thought, and there are likely several factors in addition to physiological cold hardening that contribute to overwintering success. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Public Health Communication Approaches for Building Common Ground.

Changes in the information landscape and increasing polarization in society over recent decades have made it more difficult to establish common ground, which poses a profound challenge to effective health communication and public health in general. We highlight the importance of assessing health communication approaches for their potential to bring people together and reduce polarization. We outline several communication approaches that use existing common ground (e.g., appeals to shared values, shared identity, common goals, social norms) or cultivate common ground (e.g., dialogue to bridge divides, trust-focused communication, efforts to humanize scientists), positing that by furthering common ground, these approaches can serve to increase a shared understanding of contentious health topics and foster greater trust in science and evidence-based health information. We end by cautioning against the use of approaches that may be shown to be effective on some measures but may also inadvertently create further polarization, such as the use of certain fear appeals, disparaging humor, or stigmatizing language. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print February 6, 2025:e1-e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.308003).

How Ancient Trees and Botanical Indicators Evidence Both Change and Continuity

Knowledge of ancient trees and tree-forms helps inform understanding of landscape continuity and change. Information analysis of tree-form and growth rates may be combined with precise aging through dendro-chronology and carbon dating. Until recently, much of the information has been neglected, and indeed, there was an absence of accepted methodologies. Assessments of both coppice trees and pollards, for example, now suggest that trees achieve great age (for example, 500 years+ to 1500 years or more). These trees reflect both natural processes and human management. Examined within a robust conceptual and analytical framework, these trees generate insight into landscape evolution over centuries. Tree analysis combined with archival sources and site archaeological information, including mapping of ‘botanical indicator species’, soils, and other sediments, generate reliable timelines of human–environment interactions. Drawing together diverse approaches and insights into landscape evolution helps the formulation of new concepts of historical ecology and environmental history. Importantly, such emerging paradigms trigger new ways to demonstrate how understanding past landscape evolution both informs knowledge of contemporary ecologies and may guide future site planning. However, there is a rider to these observations since case studies in Great Britain highlight the vulnerability of such historic landscapes and show how they are being rapidly erased from the countryside.

A Village-Scale Study Regarding Landscape Evolution and Ecological Effects in a Coastal Inner Harbor

The development of inner harbors has been accompanied by the destruction of natural landscapes, which in turn has led to numerous ecological problems. However, the temporal and spatial relationships between changes in the inner harbor landscape and ecological effects are not yet clear, and there are relatively few studies at smaller scales such as villages. In this study, we investigated Xieqian Harbor in Xiangshan County, along the eastern coast of China, and then analyzed the landscape change and evolutionary characteristics of the effects of carbon storage, soil conservation, and water yield at the village scale for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020. We then used the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model to explore the spatiotemporal relationships between landscape variables and ecological effects. The results showed that the fragmentation and diversity of landscape patches increased from 2000 to 2020 due to reclamation and aquaculture, tourism development, and harbor construction, as reflected by the edge density (ED) and the Shannon diversity index (SHDI), which increased by 11.31% and 2.82%, respectively. This change resulted in a notable reduction of 572.6 thousand tons in carbon sequestration, 853 million tons in soil conservation, and 19 million cubic meters in water yield over the past 20 years. When temporal non-stationarity and spatial heterogeneity were combined, the relationship between landscape change and ecological effects became highly intricate, with varying responses across different time periods and locations. The area-weighted mean patch shape index (AWMSI) was a key factor affecting the three ecological effects. Our research confirmed that there was significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the effects of different landscape variables on ecological effects in inner harbors at the village scale. Compared with larger-scale studies, the results of village-scale studies revealed more precisely the impacts of localized landscape changes on ecological effects, providing support for the sustainable management of inner harbors and providing a new approach to integrating GTWR into landscape ecological time–space analysis research.

A Study on Security and Privacy in E-Banking

This content highlights the importance of “Security and Privacy in E-Banking” and explores the balance between security and user privacy in digital finance. To examine the changing landscape, Discovery has implemented various security measures, including encryption systems, multi-factor authentication and fraud devices, primarily in electronic banking systems. It also examines emerging privacy issues, including data breaches, identity theft, and misuse of personal information. In addition to analysis, the review will also focus on strategies that will respond to the company's income in order to reduce these problems. Focus on your customers and build trust. This includes a comprehensive assessment of technological advances, regulatory compliance and customer education measures. By understanding and solving these problems, banks aim to strengthen their digital processes and create a safe and reliable online financial transaction.

Responsible AI in biotechnology: balancing discovery, innovation and biosecurity risks

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in protein design presents unparalleled opportunities for innovation in bioengineering and biotechnology. However, it also raises significant biosecurity concerns. This review examines the changing landscape of bioweapon risks, the dual-use potential of AI-driven bioengineering tools, and the necessary safeguards to prevent misuse while fostering innovation. It highlights emerging policy frameworks, technical safeguards, and community responses aimed at mitigating risks and enabling responsible development and application of AI in protein design.

Walking with Ines – Sensing Urban Transformation

This article examines a walk-along interview conducted in the new district of Linnakaupunki in Turku, Finland. We aim to find out what elements in the urban environment affect the well-being of one resident and how she perceives these factors along the route she chose. In this study, we pay attention to the method itself: how does our method of a walk-along interview, conducted with a wearable action camera, help us distinguish these different factors of well-being? We view the walk-along interviews as an entanglement where the method, the technique used, and the bodily senses intertwine.In our study, the walk creates a frame for the interview allowing place-related thoughts to arise in a specific moment. Walking makes the connection to places immediate. The Linnakaupunki area combines different time layers, creating the spirit and atmosphere of the place. The wearable camera can document the route in detail, record time levels and landscape changes, and capture the interviewee’s affective experiences and responses.

Has It Never Been a Better Time to Play? Opportunity, Empowerment and Contested Terrains of Women’s Grassroots Football in Australia

The introduction of the semi-professional Australian Rules Football League for Women (AFLW) in 2017 was indicative of a broader ‘boom’ for women and girls’ sport in Australia. The ‘boom’ promised not only newly created, or enhanced, professional pathways for elite women athletes but also a commensurate change in the community sport landscape, backed by a gender equality framework, that would offer women and girls new, and supported, opportunities to play sport. This paper investigates what happens when these opportunities are taken up by examining the experiences of a senior women’s football team in a community-level Australian Rules football club in Melbourne, Australia. Drawing on 11 semi-structured interviews with players, we consider the transformative potential, for these individuals and for gendered power relations, that might be generated from women’s participation in traditionally masculine sporting spaces. The findings reveal contradictory moments of both emancipation and empowerment on one hand with ambivalence and disempowerment on the other. Women’s participation in Australian Rules Football is a contested terrain that is simultaneously embodied, cultural, and social, and we note the experiences and strategies that women utilize to negotiate their engagement with football. We argue that increasing “opportunities” for women to play football is not enough for the transformative promise of the AFLW to be met, and as such, further highlight the ongoing contested terrain of women’s sport.

Empowering Teachers through the 'Bestari' Learning Community : Enhancing Pedagogical Competence at SMKN Campalagian

This study aims to analyze the role of the Bestari learning community in enhancing the pedagogical competence of teachers at SMKN Campalagian, Luyo District, Polewali Mandar Regency. This qualitative research uses a descriptive approach. The subjects of the study include the head of the learning community, the school principal, two IPAS subject teachers, and two vocational subject teachers who are also members of the Bestari community. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, while data analysis involved data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing/verification. The results show that the Bestari learning community significantly contributes to improving teachers' pedagogical competence. Through intensive collaboration, relevant training, and deep reflection, teachers have become more confident and innovative in addressing educational challenges. Strategic solutions, such as fostering collaboration, promoting the use of technology, and strengthening the community’s role, helped overcome the challenges teachers faced in the classroom. This initiative not only bolstered teachers’ ability to design and implement effective teaching strategies but also empowered them to adapt to changes in the educational landscape, significantly improving their overall pedagogical skills.

Do Positive Environmental Changes Impact Residents’ Intention of Rural Development? Role of Leisure and Quality of Life

Leisure activities positively impact community development including benefits related to enhancing physical health, improving mental health, developing social skills, encouraging creativity, and enhancing quality of life. However, the relationship between leisure activities’ benefits and residents’ motivation to participate in community building remains little explored. To fill the gap, this study constructed structural equation modeling including positive environment changes, residents’ participation, leisure activities, and improving quality of life. The results found three key implications of positive environmental changes in boosting the intention of community participation, including the following: (1) positive environment changes including making more green space, enhancing the aesthetics of community layout, and building more open spaces significantly boost recreational activity demand; (2) leisure activities and their multifaceted impacts lead to improved quality of life contributing to the residents’ intention of community development; (3) the intention of community development participation is strongly influenced by perceptions of the positive changes in physical landscapes and by the mediating role of leisure activities and benefits of the quality of life. The findings provide insight and perspective for policymakers and planners toward sustainable living environments. Additionally, they emphasize the critical role of diverse, accessible recreational opportunities in enhancing the overall quality of life in dynamic residential contexts.

Consumer Behavior's Evolution, Emergence, and Future in the AI Age Through the Lens of MR, VR, XR, Metaverse, and Robotics

ABSTRACTA critical discussion of the evolution of consumer behavior, ethical consideration, and encouraging the new future directions in the AI era, we highlight the ten main ideas regarding the evolution, emergence, and future of consumer behavior in the AI Age through the lens of immersive technologies and their significance in the changing landscape of consumer behavior research. In light of the significant gaps in understanding how immersive technologies influence consumer behavior, the urgent need for in‐depth knowledge in this area in the AI era is emphasized. Analytically, (1) the literature findings based on critical studies, (2) the connection of several thought‐provoking specific and nuanced research questions, comprehensive theories, frameworks, and contextual examples and suggestions of new frameworks or adaptations for each immersive technology, and (3) the overview of the new research directions, thrusts, and methodological approaches per study area within consumer behavior literature related to metaverse, automation, and robotics serve as a crucial foundation for our objectives and expected contributions of our article. The organization of these ideas logically allows us to see a clear progression from the transformative impact of AI and immersive technologies on consumer behavior to the need for interdisciplinary research and a focus on corporate responsibility in the digital age.

Patterns of activity and travel by koalas in a disturbed urban landscape in Queensland

Habitat loss and fragmentation threaten koala persistence in south-east Queensland, intensifying the challenges posed by climate change and disease to koala survival. Adaptation to modified landscapes may mediate species’ persistence, so we collected location and accelerometery data for 10 koalas in a changing landscape in the Moreton Bay region of Queensland, using remote global positioning system (GPS) collars and manual tracking. We investigated whether ambient temperature influenced how active koalas were and how far they moved, and compared area of use estimated by manual tracking and remote GPS uploads. Accelerometric data showed that koalas were more active at night, and GPS data showed that males moved further than females, but accelerometers measuring activity were not indicative of total distance travelled. Distance moved by koalas per day and night was greatest from May through August and least during March for both males and females. Remotely uploaded GPS locations described a not significantly larger total area of use by each koala compared to manual VHF tracking. There was no general trend in the relationship between day temperature and koala activity or distance moved.

Single-cell landscape of dynamic changes in CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and exhausted T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma has a high incidence and poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the value of T-cell-related genes in prognosis by single-cell sequencing data in hepatocellular carcinoma. Twelve cases of hepatocellular carcinoma single-cell sequencing were included in the study. The high dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis (hdWGCNA) was used to identify gene modules associated with CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and exhausted T cells. Altered signaling pathway activity in exhausted T cells was uncovered by the AUCell algorithm. xCELL, TIMER, QUANTISEQ, CIBERSORT and CIBERSORT-abs were performed to explore immune cell infiltration. Immune checkpoint inhibitor genes and TIDE methods were used to predict immunotherapy response. Finally, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR were used to verify gene expression. The hdWGCNA algorithm identified 40 genes strongly associated with CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and exhausted T cells. Seven genes were finally selected for transcriptome data modeling. The results of the three independent datasets suggested that the model had strong prognostic value. Model genes were critical factors influencing CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell infiltration in patients. The efficacy of PD-1 immunotherapy was higher in patients belonging to the low-risk group. Alterations in signaling pathways’ activity within exhausted T cells were crucial factors contributing to the decline in immune function. Differential expression of seven genes in CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and exhausted T cells were key targets for improving immunotherapy response in HCC.

Waterbird community response to wetland and climate changes in the Liaohe River Estuary wetlands, China.

The Liaohe River Estuary (LRE) wetland is a critical stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), vital to coastal ecological balance and biodiversity. However, the drivers of changes in waterbird diversity remain unclear. This study utilised random forests to produce reliable time-series wetland mapping from 2010 to 2023. Spatial and temporal changes in wetlands and landscape structures were analysed using landscape pattern indices-the Alpha and Beta diversity analyses were based on monitoring records that assessed waterbird diversity and community structure. The response of waterbirds to wetland, landscape, and climate changes was quantified using a Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Model (GLMM). Between 2010 and 2023, 78 species of waterbirds from 8 orders and 14 families were recorded. In 2023, waterbird counts reached 1,014,908, marking an increase of 868,102 compared to 2010. Over 14 years, waterbird diversity consistently increased, with community structure becoming more stable. Positive responses to climatic factors, such as seasonal precipitation and mean temperatures (both year and seasonal), were observed, while extreme weather inhibited recovery, like heavy precipitation and strong winds. Changes in Suaeda salsa (Sua) and forested areas significantly impacted waterbird diversity compared to other land cover types. These findings highlight the strong influence of climate, wetland, and landscape changes on waterbird diversity and community structure. Managers are encouraged to prioritise monitoring temperature, precipitation, Sua, and forested landscapes while enhancing artificial wetland management to support waterbird diversity and ecological balance in the LRE.

Utilizing the cloud-based satellite platform to explore the dynamics of coastal aquaculture ponds from 1986 to 2020 in Shandong Province, China.

Coastal pond aqua farming is critical in aquaculture and significantly contributes to the seafood supply. Meanwhile, the development of aquaculture ponds also threatens vulnerable wetland resources and coastal ecosystems. Accurate statistics regarding the distribution and variability of coastal pond aquaculture are crucial for balancing the sustainable development of coastal aquaculture and preserving the coastal environment and ecosystems. Satellite imagery offers a valuable tool for detecting spatial-temporal information related to these coastal ponds. Furthermore, integrating multiple remote sensing images to acquire comprehensive spatial information about the coastal ponds remains challenging. This study utilized a decision-tree classifier applied to Landsat data to detect the spatial distribution of coastal ponds in Shandong Province from 1986 to 2020, with data analyzed at five-year intervals, primarily based on the Google Earth Engine cloud platform. A pond map in 2020, extracted from Sentinel-2 imagery, was used as a reference map and combined with the results from Landsat data to explore the landscape changes of coastal ponds. The results indicated that Shandong Province's coastal pond area underwent significant expansion before 1990, followed by slower growth from 1990 to 2010 and eventual shrinkage after 2010. Specifically, the pond area expanded from 428.38km2 in 1986 to a peak of 2149.51km2 in 2010 before contracting to 2012.39km2 in 2020. The region near Bohai Bay emerged as the epicenter of Shandong's coastal aquaculture, encompassing 62% of the total pond area in 2020. The government policies previously promoted the expansion of coastal pond farming but shifted to curbing the uncontrolled development of aquaculture ponds.

A Changing Landscape in Surgical Treatment of Basilar Thumb Arthritis: Is the Rate of Denervation Increasing?

The purpose of this study was to assess the evolving landscape of surgical interventions for basilar thumb arthritis. Using a national insurance claims database spanning from 2016 to 2022, patients undergoing surgical treatment for thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis were identified through International Classification of Disease 10 and Current Procedural Terminology codes. The incidence of each type of surgical procedure was collected and normalized to the 2016 level. The total percentage change in incidence and linear regression trendline was calculated over the 7-year period. Multiple variable logistic regression assessed factors associated with thumb CMC denervation. Among 64,281 surgically treated patients, trapeziectomy with interposition arthroplasty was the most common (83.8%). Although thumb CMC denervation was the least common surgery and accounted for only 1.0% of all surgery, the incidence of denervation increased over the study period from 0.47 to 1.30 per 1,000,000, alongside a 41% rise in trapeziectomy alone. Regression analysis revealed male sex, Western US region, and concomitant carpal tunnel syndrome as associated factors for thumb CMC denervation. The study indicates a notable shift in surgical approaches for basilar thumb arthritis. Although CMC denervation was the least commonly performed basal joint surgery, there was an increase in denervation procedures from 2016 to 2022. Denervation was not associated with patient age and was most strongly associated with male sex. Therapeutic IV.

Echinocandin Adaptation in Candida albicans Is Accompanied by Altered Chromatin Accessibility at Gene Promoters and by Cell Wall Remodeling

Infections by the major opportunistic pathogen of human Candida albicans are commonly treated with echinocandin (ECN) drugs. However, C. albicans can adapt to grow in the presence of certain amounts of ECNs. Prior studies by several laboratories have defined multiple genes, as well as mechanisms involving induced aneuploidy, that can govern this. Still, the mechanisms of ECN adaptation are not fully understood. Here, we use genome-wide profiling of chromatin accessibility by ATAC-seq to determine if ECN adaptation is reflected in changes in the chromatin landscape in the absence of aneuploidy. We find that drug adaptation is coupled with multiple changes in chromatin accessibility genome-wide, which occur predominantly in gene promoter regions. Areas of increased accessibilities in promoters are enriched with the binding motifs for at least two types of transcription factors: zinc finger and basic leucine zipper. We also find that chromatin changes are often associated with differentially expressed genes including genes with functions relevant to the ECN-adapted phenotype, such as cell wall biosynthesis. Consistent with this, we find that the cell wall is remodeled in ECN-adapted mutants, with chitin up and glucan down and increased cell surface exposure. A full understanding of ECN adaptation processes is of critical importance for the prevention of clinical resistance.

Impact of water diversion practices on spatiotemporal changes in hydrologic and hydrochemical landscapes of surface and groundwater

Impact of water diversion practices on spatiotemporal changes in hydrologic and hydrochemical landscapes of surface and groundwater