Landscape Stability Research Articles

EARLY EFFECTS OF THE LATE PALEOZOIC CLIMATE TRANSITION ON SOIL ECOSYSTEMS OF THE APPALACHIAN BASIN (CONEMAUGH, MONONGAHELA, AND DUNKARD GROUPS): EVIDENCE FROM ICHNOFOSSILS

ABSTRACT The late Paleozoic transition is well represented by the upper Pennsylvanian to lower Permian Conemaugh, Monongahela, and Dunkard groups of the western Appalachian Basin (U.S.A.). These units contain abundant paleosols possessing suites of ichnofossils that serve as indicators of soil moisture, soil organic content, water table level, precipitation, and landscape stability. Analysis of these units can, therefore, be used to refine the details of how late Paleozoic terrestrial landscapes changed through time. A study along a 50 km west-east and a 40 km north-south transect through southeast Ohio and southwest West Virginia resulted in the recognition of 24 pedotypes with distinct ichnofossil assemblages. Ichnofossils include rhizoliths, Planolites, Palaeophycus, Taenidium, Scoyenia, Macanopsis, Skolithos, Cylindricum, cf. Psilonichnus, Arenicolites, mottles, and coprolites produced by various plants, gastropods, and larval-to-adult soil arthropods. Soil-forming environments include palustrine, levee, proximal to distal floodplain, interfluve, backswamp, marsh, and fen settings. An up-section shift in pedotypes from Argillisols to Vertisols and Calcisols as well as an overall increase in the diversity of pedotypes recorded a change in soil-forming conditions, resulting in a diverse landscape that changed significantly as mean annual precipitation rose and fell. An up-section increase in ichnofossil diversity in the paleosols and changes in ichnocoenoses suggests an increased dependence on the soil as a refuge and as a food resource. Overall, growing instability of the climate during the Pennsylvanian–Permian transition led to a more heterogeneous landscape that helped to promote colonization of a more diverse assemblage of soil organisms.

Agroecosystem composition and landscape ecological risk evolution of rice terraces in the southern mountains, China

Mountain rice terrace agriculture is a critical land use practice in southern China. Analyzing the vertical structure of rice terraces systems and the coupled evolution of their human-land relationship from a mountainous stereoscopic perspective is significant to regional resource use and sustainable agricultural development. This study took the Xijiang Township and Jiabang Township in the mountainous area of Southwest China as the research object, based on the unique rice farming environment in the mountainous region, to divide the typical types of the four-element isomorphic (FEI) of the regional forest, village, river, and rice terraces from the perspective of vertical differentiation. The spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of rice terraces based on the view of the social-ecological system were explored by using the land use data of Jiabang Township from 1962 (1977 in Xijiang Township) to 2020, and methods such as mathematical statistics, sample transect analysis. The ecological risk model was also employed to analyze the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and landscape stability of ecological risk in mountain rice terraces systems. The study showed that: (1) The rice terraces showed the “forest-terraces-village-river” (F-T-V-R), “forest-village-terraces-river” (F-V-T-R), and “forest-terraces-village-terraces-river” (F-T-V-T-R), and the rice terraces in each differentiation type experienced a continuous evolutionary feature of “development-stabilization-local shrinkage and shifted.” (2) The mixed production trend of “main rice and the auxiliary dry land” in the rice terraces landscape was gradually highlighted, and the degree of landscape abandonment and fragmentation was deepened, and the “F-T-V-T-R” structure had the highest landscape stability in long-term development. (3) The ecological risks of each landscape type showed the characteristics of “increase-stabilization-decrease” in different time series evolution. (4) Although the “F-T-V-T-R” landscape types in the two areas were at a high-risk level in the long term, the long-term changes are less fluctuating, and the landscape security stability is the highest. The research results comprehensively reflected the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the landscape spatial pattern of rice terraces, and revealed the reflection of the FEI vertical differentiation structure on the regional social ecosystem and human-land relationship, which can help us to promote the optimal utilization of traditional rice terraces resources in the mountains and promote the sustainable development of rice agriculture.

Impact of CaSO4-rich soil on Miocene surface preservation and Quaternary sinuous to meandering channel forms in the hyperarid Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is the driest and oldest desert on Earth. Despite the abundance evidence for long-term landscape stability, there are subtle signs of localised fluvial erosion and deposition since the onset of hyperaridity in the rock record. In the dry core of the Atacama Desert, pluvial episodes allowed antecedent drainage to incise into uplifting fault scarps, which in turn generated sinuous to meandering channels. Incision of ancient alluvial fan surfaces occurred during intermittent fluvial periods, albeit without signs of surface erosion. Fluvial incision during predominantly hyperarid climate periods is evident from these channels in unconsolidated alluvium. The absence of dense vegetation to provide bank stability and strength led us to investigate the potential role of regionally ubiquitous CaSO4-rich surface cover. This has enabled the preservation of Miocene surfaces and we hypothesize that it provided the required bank stability by adding strength to the upper decimetre to meter of incised alluvium to allow high sinuosity of stream channels to form during pluvial episodes in the Quaternary.

Landscape Analysis of Runoff and Sedimentation Based on Land Use/Cover Change in Two Typical Watersheds on the Loess Plateau, China.

Understanding sedimentation and runoff variations caused by land use change have emerged as important research areas, due to the ecological functions of landscape patterns. The aims of this study were to determine the relationship between landscape metrics (LMs), runoff, and sedimentation and explore the crucial LMs in the watersheds on the Loess Plateau. From 1985 to 2010, grassland was the dominant landscape in the Tuweihe (TU) and Gushanchuan (GU) watersheds. Unused land and cropland experienced the greatest transformations. The landscape in the study area tended to become regular, connected, and aggregated, represented by increasing of the Shannon's diversity index and the largest patch index, and decreasing landscape division over time. The landscape stability of the TU watershed was higher than that of the GU watershed. Annual runoff and sedimentation gradually decreased and a significant relationship was found between water and soil loss. Due to larger cropland area and lower landscape stability in the GU watershed, the sedimentation of the two watersheds were similar, even though the runoff in the TU watershed was greater. There were stronger effects of LMs on runoff than that on sedimentation yield. The Shannon's evenness and the patch cohesion index was identified as the key factors of influencing water and soil loss, which had the greatest effects on runoff and sedimentation. Results indicated that regional water and soil loss is sensitive to landscape regulation, which could provide a scientific understanding for the prevention and treatment of soil erosion at landscape level.

Geographic object‐based image analysis (GEOBIA) of the distribution and characteristics of aeolian sand dunes in Arctic Sweden

AbstractCurrent climate change in the Arctic is unprecedented in the instrumental record, with profound consequences for the environment and landscape. In Arctic Sweden, aeolian sand dunes have been impacted by climatic changes since their initial formation after the retreat of the last glacial ice sheet. Dune type, location and orientation can therefore be used to explore past wind patterns and landscape destabilisation in this sensitive area. However, knowledge of the full spatial extent and characteristics of these dunes is limited by their inaccessibility and dense vegetation cover. Geographic object‐based image analysis (GEOBIA) permits the semi‐automatic creation of reproducible parameter‐based objects and can be an appropriate means to systematically and spatially map these dunes remotely. Here, a digital elevation model (DEM) and its derivatives, such as slope and curvature, were segmented in a GEOBIA context, enabling the identification and mapping of aeolian sand dunes in Arctic Sweden. Analysis of the GEOBIA‐derived and expert‐accepted polygons affirms the prevalence of parabolic dune type and reveals the coexistence of simple dunes with large coalesced systems. Furthermore, mapped dune orientations and relationships to other geomorphological features were used to explore past wind directions and to identify sediment sources as well as the reasons for sand availability. The results indicate that most dune systems in Arctic Sweden were initially supplied by glaciofluvial and fluvial disturbances of sandy esker systems. Topographic control of wind direction is the dominant influence on dune orientation. Further, our approach shows that analysing the GEOBIA‐derived dune objects in their geomorphological context paves the way for successfully investigating aeolian sand dune location, type and orientation in Arctic Sweden, thereby facilitating the understanding of post‐glacial landscape (in)stability and evolution in the area.

Агроэкологическая типология земель сельскохозяйственного землепользования засушливой степи Алтайского Края

Introduction. Issues related to increasing the sustainability of agricultural land in the Altai Krai are very relevant, modern and practically significant, since about 90 % of the territory is more or less subject to degradation processes. They reduce soil fertility and, as a result, the productivity of agricultural land, which is largely due to the landscape specificity of the territory. The solution to the problem is possible on the basis of adaptive landscape land management, which is the basis for organizing sustainable agricultural land use. When designing agricultural landscapes, on the one hand, we take into account and preserve the natural properties of the territory, and on the other hand, we limit the anthropogenic impact on it. By designing sustainable, capable of self-regulation and self-reproduction of agricultural landscapes, it is possible to optimize agricultural land use. The purpose of the study: to conduct an agro-ecological typology of agricultural lands (agro-landscapes) of the arid steppe of the Altai Krai to optimize the existing agricultural land use and increase its sustainability. Research methods. System analysis has become the main scientific method for analyzing the relationships and mutual influences within landscapes. When studying and comparing the physical and geographical characteristics of the territory, comparative geographical and ecological landscape methods were used using the cartographic method and GIS technologies. Research results. The allocation of agro-ecological groups of lands is based on the leading agro-ecological factors (moisture supply, erosion, waterlogging, periodic flooding, salinization, alkalinity), the degree of their manifestation and related limiting factors. As a zonal agro-ecological group, we identified upland lands, which occupy 22 % of the study area. Slope (or erosional) lands in the arid steppe occupy a significant proportion (59 % of the area) and are located on slopes with a steepness of up to 3°, in some places 5°. Taking into account the wide spatial development of deflation processes (44 % of the subzone area), the authors of the work singled out a special agroecological group of lands – deflationary lands in the composition of eroded lands. The deflationary lands were divided into three agro-ecological groups: weakly, medium and strongly deflated lands. Insignificant territories (less than 1% of the subzone area) are combined into a group of waterlogged lands, which differ in the degree of hydromorphism and have a common feature – ecological waterlogging, which makes it difficult or excludes the possibility of cultivating crops. The territories in the soil cover of which solonets occupy more than 10 % of the area are combined into a group of solonetz lands, which occupy slightly more than 4 % of the area of the zone. The group of solonetzic lands is divided into two parts – solonetzic-automorphic and solonetzic-hydromorphic. Also, a group of lands of the ravine-beam complex was identified, which are limited, since the depth of the dissection of the territory does not exceed 10 m, and the density is insignificant or weak (1-2,5 km and more than 2,5 km). In nine municipal districts that are part of the arid steppe, the identified types of land are found in different proportions. For the sustainable development of agricultural land use, its optimization is necessary, associated with a reduction in the area of agricultural land by 14,5 thousand hectares with fluctuations in districts from 0,7 (Suetsky district) to 2.3 thousand hectares (in Blagoveshchensky and Rubtsovsky districts) and an increase in the area of industrial land (by 12,4 thousand hectares) due to the allocation of protected zones along railways and roads, green protective zones around settlements, as well as shelterbelt forest belts. Conclusions 1. An agro-ecological typology of agricultural lands in the arid steppe of the Altai Krai was produced; 2. It has been established that the main limiting factors affecting the productivity of agricultural land are the degree of deflation, relief, the presence and density of hydrographic objects, the degree of waterlogging and salinity, which significantly affect landscapes under different management conditions; 3. For the municipal districts of the arid steppe, the change in the ratio of lands was calculated, taking into account limiting factors, as well as the stability of agricultural landscapes as a result of the transformation of the structure of sown areas, lands, and crop rotations; 4. The obtained research results can be used by regional and municipal authorities in long-term planning and management of land resources, their economic assessment, and collection of fiscal payments, as well as agricultural producers in the organization and optimization of agricultural landscapes.

Growing of the Containerized Seedlings of English Oak (Quercus robur L.) to Establish Sustainable Plantations in Forest-Steppe Ukraine

The topical issues for elaboration of new approaches to grow English oak (Quercus robur L.) seedlings with the purpose to establish sustainable plantations in forest-steppe Ukraine. The goal of the research is to elaborate a technology for growing the containerized seedlings of English oak. Oaks are among the most common tree species found throughout the world. Throughout history, oaks have provided humans and wildlife with shelter, and food. However Ukrainian forests face multiple natural and anthropogenic pressures. Climate change generates a particular threat for Ukrainian forests and stability of agroforestry landscapes. This paper considers the impacts of expected climate change on vulnerability of Ukrainian forests, especially for oaks. In response to forest depletion, stricter forest management practices emerged to replant, protect and maintain forest cover and the multi-functionality of forests in terms of wood production. Even though oaks have wide ecological amplitudes of suitable growing conditions, Ukrainian forests dominated by oaks often fail to regenerate naturally. In this regard, it is necessary to increase the cultivation of crops in containers. Field germination of oak seedlings in containers with different substrate composition was identified in the case study in the conditions of Ukrainian Left-bank Forest-Steppe. The height and diameter values of the seedlings were investigated and summarized including the influence of the root ball substrate composition. We tested different compositions of the substrate containing low-land peat, which is rich in nutrients and mixtures with different ratios of soil, humus and sawdust. The advantage over the control in germination ability, survival and condition has been experimentally proved for variants with the use of peat in the substrate and, to a large extent, for the variant with the use of soil, humus and sawdust. Among tested substrates, the peat-containing variant with equal portions of dark gray wooded middle loamy soil and peat (peat:soil = 1:1) and the variant of the three-component mixture soil:humus:sawdust = 4:2:1 are the most balanced in the basic soil parameters (acidity and nutrient content). In the same time they are the best among the studied ones for the productive growing of English oak seedlings. The use of containerized planting stock allowed foresters not only to significantly extend the terms of forest planting, which is particularly topical for Ukraine, but also to increase the root-taking of planting stock up to nearly 100% in forest-cultivated areas.

Bibliometric Analysis of Soil and Landscape Stability, Sensitivity and Resistivity

In times of global change, it is of fundamental importance to understand the sensitivity, stability and resistivity of a landscape or ecosystem to human disturbance. Landscapes and ecosystems have internal thresholds, giving them the ability to resist such disturbance. When these thresholds are quantified, the development of countermeasures can help prevent irreversible changes and support adaptations to the negative effects of global change. The main objective of this analysis is to address the lack of recent studies defining terms like sensitivity, resistivity and stability in reference to landscapes and ecosystems through a Bibliometric analysis based on Scopus and Web of Science peer-reviewed articles. The present research also aims to quantify landscape statuses in terms of their sensitivity, stability and resistivity. The term “landscape stability” is mainly related to quantitatively measurable properties indicating a certain degree of stability. In contrast, the term “landscape sensitivity” is often related to resilience; however, this definition has not substantially changed over time. Even though a large number of quantification methods related to soil and landscape stability and sensitivity were found, these methods are rather ad hoc. This study stresses the importance of interdisciplinary studies and work groups.

Using the latest construction technologies to reduce the harmful effects on inert components of the landscape

The aim of the article is to analyze the influence of the construction technology of rapidly assembled buildings (SMB) on the inert components of the landscape in the territory of Ukraine. The main material. The authors consider the possible solution to the problems of rapid reconstruction of destroyed industrial and warehouse buildings in post-war Ukraine using the construction technology of prefabricated buildings (PFB). The article analyses design features and best practices of modern metal frame construction (PFB) as well as the influence of such construction on the inert components of the landscape. The authors have proved minimum influence of the construction of metal frame buildings (PFB) with maximum factory readiness on the inert components of the landscape. With the beginning of the armed aggression, more and more attention is paid to the formation of belligerent landscapes. However, we see the relevance of our article in the study of prospects for post-war reconstruction of destroyed territories, in particular, based on the use of the latest, more efficient construction technologies. It is obvious that the main volume of construction will be carried out with the funds of foreign institutions or investors, Thus, preference will be given to the construction technologies or materials with a minimal impact on the environment. We consider the separate aspects of our research novelty to be a greater detail of both the modern classification of anthropogenic landscapes (in particular, a more detailed study of industrial landscapes (or, as a more narrowed version, «urbolandscapes»), and an in-depth study of the impact of construction technologies on the inert components of the landscape Why is this important? First of all, the lithogenic basis of any landscape largely determines the ways of its further economic development. Buildings and structures, as a rule, cover a large area, block natural processes, reduce the ecological stability of soils and landscapes, significantly reducing biodiversity in the built-up area. The process of capital construction on the site completely destroys natural environment. Deep pits and trenches are built during extensive excavations, the natural layered structure, the integrity of the soil and the geological environment, as well as the underground ecosystem are disturbed. Dense development of territories with buildings and structures blocks the migration of animals, microorganisms, moisture transfer, infiltration, evaporation, as well as the warming of the soil by sunlight. Such aggressive intervention in the natural geological environment leads to its ecological degradation. Conclusions. In the conditions of the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, the attention of geoscientists to the landscapes formed as a result of the construction industry should be strengthened due to the need for construction minerals and intensity of restoration construction works on destroyed objects. Most likely, the zoning of anthropogenic landscapes accepted today will lose its relevance during the restoration of man-made structures destroyed by military actions.

Paleoenvironmental dynamics in central‐eastern Brazil during the last 23 000 years: tropical peatland record in the Cerrado biome

AbstractThe Cerrado biome is the second largest in Brazil, but the evolution of the Cerrado during the late Quaternary is not yet fully known. This study identifies paleoenvironmental changes during the last 23 000 years, based on a tropical mountain peatland record, in the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional in central‐eastern Brazil. A multi‐proxy approach was used that involved palynological analysis, stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N), geochemistry, radiocarbon dating and multivariate statistics derived from a peatland core from Rio Preto (Minas Gerais state). The study reveals a very humid and cold climate during the late Pleistocene, with an increase in temperature and decrease in humidity at the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. During this period there was strong instability in the landscape (episodes of erosion). At the beginning of the Holocene there was a reduction in humidity with greater landscape stability. The current sub‐humid climatic conditions seem to have been established in the mid‐/late Holocene, with periods of landscape instability. Our findings agree with other Cerrado records that contradict previously established hypotheses, such as the Amazonian Refuge and the Pleistocene Arc.

Prolonged landscape stability sustained the continuous development of ancient civilizations in the Shuangji River valley of China's Central Plains

The continuous development of the Neolithic to Bronze-Age cultures on China's Central Plains is well contested by archaeological and historical research. Environmental factors that sustained such an exceptionally long cultural continuity are, however, poorly understood. The evolution of fluvial landscapes and its relationship with cultural developments are key to disentangle the close interaction between the environment and civilizational discourse on the Central Plains. Here, we present OSL and AMS 14C ages and other environmental data collected from a range of typical geomorphological locations in the Shuangji River valley, which is situated at the heartland of the Central Plains and long considered to be one of the most important regions for the rise of the Chinese civilization. Combining the OSL and 14C dates, results of particle size and soil/sediment micromorphological analyses, and geoarchaeological field observations, we reconstructed the evolution of Holocene geomorphological landscape in the Shuangji River valley. The results show that the Neogene alluvial fan was incised into a wide valley during the early Pleistocene. Subsequent alluvial processes were constrained within this general framework of regional landform. The period of 20 ka BP and 10–8 ka BP saw two episodes of basin-scale alluvial incision, which created two alluvial terraces (i.e., T4 and T3), respectively. Despite the occurrence of episodic floods and some large-scale alluvial siltation during 8–3 ka BP, the alluvial surfaces remained stable for a prolonged period of time and thus provided optimal living conditions for prehistoric inhabitation. We argue that the geomorphological foundation and prolonged landscape stability were instrumental to the continuous cultural developments on the Central Plains as seen in the Shuangji River valley as a representative of such long-term human-environment interactions. Our geoarchaeological survey for the first time reveals basin-scale evidence on the mechanism responsible for this distinctive relationship between alluvial landscape and cultural development, in which the terrace-surface stability, alongside many other cultural factors, profoundly shaped the celebrated cultural continuity on prehistoric Central Plains.

Lithostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, and sedimentary environments of the middle Miocene Quebrada Honda Basin in southern Bolivia and implications for Andean climate and uplift

The late middle Miocene Quebrada Honda Basin of southern Bolivia has long been studied for its diverse fossils of terrestrial vertebrates and, more recently, for its record of paleoelevation and paleoclimate in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes Mountains. This paleobiological and paleoenvironmental archive is constrained by high resolution radioisotopic ages linked to paleomagnetic reversal stratigraphy in multiple areas within the basin. Nevertheless, studies of the basin's stratigraphy have been limited and questions remain about how the sedimentary deposits and fossil horizons in different parts of the basin relate to each other. We confirm the identification of three lithostratigraphic units, show that the units extend across the basin, and examine the distribution of sedimentary and pedogenic facies and volcanic tuffs within them. We identify different styles and stages of pedogenic development that correspond to mappable differences in outcrop character. Volcanic tuffs and sedimentary and pedogenic facies exhibit high lateral continuity consistent with accumulation on a low relief basin floor. In contrast, sedimentary and pedogenic features change vertically over multiple scales reflecting secular variations in aridity and stability over seasonal to multimillennial scales. Erosional truncation of lithostratigraphic units and a ~ 700,000-year gap in the ages of superimposed strata delineate an erosional unconformity with >50 m of relief that was cut ~12 million years ago. Breach of the basin margin along a boundary between local structural blocks may account for the development of localized incision during a period when landscapes of the Eastern Cordillera were stable with little deformation or erosion. Regional landscape stability at that time has been attributed to low elevation or a position behind an orographic precipitation barrier. The sedimentary and pedogenic facies, faunal communities, and intraformational unconformity of the Quebrada Honda Basin favor a low elevation setting, which has implications for the timing and mechanisms of uplift of the Bolivian Andes.

Territorial zoning of agricultural land on ecological and landscape basis

Aim – to analyze methodological approaches to the functional zoning of the territory of agro-businesses on a landscape-ecological basis in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan for the purposes of land management. Methods – monographic, settlement-constructive, grouping, graphic modeling. Results – relevant problems of greening the land use of the republic, which needs to update the design methodology for the use and protection of agricultural land, taking into account the criteria for environmental protection, are shown. Typical objects are selected – agribusinesses of the steppe landscape zone, in which studies were carried out. An analysis of the resources of this area is given, ecological stability of agricultural landscape, an important component of which is erosion processes, is determined. Maps have been developed that characterize landscape and ecological features of a given area and are the basis for territorial zoning: a landscape hypothesis map with identification of elementary natural territorial complexes, a map of ecological stability of the territory and a map of the functional zoning of the area. The principles of agri-relief planning are justified, including the unification of morphological structural units of the landscape into a single land types in terms of ecological state and expediency of using land types with implementation of appropriate measures for each ecological landscape group. An experimental project has been developed in which a territorial organization is made on the example of economic entities of agricultural specialization in the steppe zone on ecological landscape substance. Conclusions – the basis for development of land management projects for agricultural structures should be a scientifically based system of organizational and economic measures for reconstruction of land area of agricultural enterprises on a landscape basis, which implies the design of environmentally sustainable and costeffective forms of land management.

Abstract 476: Predicting response to treatment in early breast cancer using dynamic integrative multi-omic profiling

Abstract Aim: We recently published the first machine learning framework that integrates multi-omic data derived from the pre-therapy breast tumor ecosystem to accurately predict response to neoadjuvant systemic therapy (Sammut et al, Nature 2021). We aimed to extend this framework to incorporate serially acquired multi-omic data to further improve response predictions and model tumor biology as it is perturbed by treatment. Methods: Breast tumor core biopsies were acquired at diagnosis from 168 women that went on to receive pre-operative chemotherapy (or chemotherapy plus anti-HER2 targeted therapy). Serial tumor core biopsies were obtained midway (n=78) and on completion (n=69) of neoadjuvant systemic therapy. Response was assessed at surgery using the Residual Cancer Burden score. Core biopsies were molecularly profiled by shallow whole genome, exome and RNA sequencing and their histological architecture characterized using digital pathology. Baseline clinical, molecular, and digital pathology imaging features associated with response were identified and their dynamics modelled throughout therapy. Results: At baseline, a total of 34 features derived from multi-omic data were associated with response to neoadjuvant therapy. These included: tumor mutation and neoantigen burden, subclonal diversity, HRD and chromosomal instability. A suppressed immune response, typified by the presence of T-cell dysfunction and immune exclusion, was associated with extensive chemoresistance. The changes in abundance of these features across the serially sampled on-therapy tumors were then mapped to response outcomes. An early increase in adaptive and innate immune infiltration and activation was associated with a linear decrease in expressed neoantigens, tumor proliferation and loss of subclonal mutational and copy number diversity, indicating early response to therapy. Conversely, a stable tumor and microenvironment transcriptional landscape throughout treatment, corresponding to a minimal change in tumor clonal architecture and microenvironment composition, was associated with a poor response to therapy. Notably, tumors with LOH HLA failed to engage a productive immune response during treatment and this was associated with resistance. A dynamic framework that models the change of these on-therapy features and extends the functionality of the published static machine learning model is being developed. Conclusion: Response to neoadjuvant therapy is determined by the baseline characteristics of the tumor ecosystem. During therapy, both the tumor and its microenvironment follow distinct evolutionary trajectories that can be mapped to outcome. The change in enrichment of features derived from the tumor and its microenvironment can be integrated within machine learning frameworks that leverage dynamic data from the entire therapy time course for more accurate response prediction. Citation Format: Stephen-John Sammut, Mireia Crispin-Ortuzar, Suet-Feung Chin, Elena Provenzano, Wei Cope, Ali Dariush, Sarah-Jane Dawson, Paul D. Pharoah, Florian Markowetz, Oscar M. Rueda, Helena M. Earl, Carlos Caldas. Predicting response to treatment in early breast cancer using dynamic integrative multi-omic profiling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 476.

From sink to source: Late Quaternary landscape evolution and fluvial dynamics of the Hautapu River catchment, New Zealand

Landscapes are dynamic and respond to a range of internal and external processes that influence the balance between erosion and sedimentary preservation. Documenting past depositional and erosional events is fundamental to understanding processes of landscape formation and unpacking the interplay between stream power and sediment supply. Here, we focus on a paleo-landscape reconstruction of the Hautapu River valley in New Zealand, with the aim of investigating the influence of volcanic activity, uplift, and climate on fluvial and landscape dynamics. The study area is characterized by Pliocene marine sediments superimposed by a suite of Late Pleistocene river terraces and associated cover beds. Volcaniclastic deposits of the Mataroa Formation, derived from partial collapse of the Mt. Ruapehu stratovolcano, overlie the oldest terrace level and are used to reconstruct the paleo-landscape. Depth of incision is obtained by comparing remnant terrace surfaces to present day topography. An early channel switching event after c. 125–150 ka is correlated to increased sediment supply and resultant fluvial aggradation following emplacement of the Mataroa Formation. Remobilization of volcaniclastic material resulting in blockage and channel avulsion is considered to have redirected the flow of the Hautapu River into the Mangoiwa Stream valley, evidenced by the gentle gradient, wide and more deeply incised valley geomorphology. A more recent channel abandonment event at c. 15 ka is correlated to subsidence of the Ruapehu Graben and piracy by the Whangaehu River, effectively isolating the Hautapu catchment from Mt. Ruapehu and its active source of volcaniclastic sediment. Simultaneous abandonment of the Mangoiwa Stream valley and re-establishment of the Hautapu River into its former channel is attributed to uplift, pre-existing valley morphology and strength contrasts between the valley fill and its underlying marine succession. Accelerated erosion during cold climate phases is considered to have effectively stripped regolith from deforested highlands leading to a reset of the landscape, greatly increased sediment yields and fluvial aggradation. Subsequent landscape stabilization and ongoing regional uplift during climate amelioration is associated with a reduction in sediment supply and excess stream power, leading to incision and knickpoint retreat.

Expanding beaver pond distribution in Arctic Alaska, 1949 to 2019

Beavers were not previously recognized as an Arctic species, and their engineering in the tundra is considered negligible. Recent findings suggest that beavers have moved into Arctic tundra regions and are controlling surface water dynamics, which strongly influence permafrost and landscape stability. Here we use 70 years of satellite images and aerial photography to show the scale and magnitude of northwestward beaver expansion in Alaska, indicated by the construction of over 10,000 beaver ponds in the Arctic tundra. The number of beaver ponds doubled in most areas between ~ 2003 and ~ 2017. Earlier stages of beaver engineering are evident in ~ 1980 imagery, and there is no evidence of beaver engineering in ~ 1952 imagery, consistent with observations from Indigenous communities describing the influx of beavers over the period. Rapidly expanding beaver engineering has created a tundra disturbance regime that appears to be thawing permafrost and exacerbating the effects of climate change.

Dynamics of landscape ecological quality based on benefit evaluation coupled with the rocky desertification control in South China Karst

Human uncontrolled land use is the main cause of ecosystem degradation and increased rock desertification in karst areas of Southern China. Landscape ecological quality assessment (LEQA) based on land use plays a significant role in promoting sustainable ecological restoration in karst rocky desertification areas. This paper selects the karst plateau canyon rocky desertification comprehensive control demonstration area in South China as the research object to accurately quantify the impact of ecological management on landscape ecological quality changes (LEQ). Based on the characteristics of the karst ecological environment, the basic theory of spatial heterogeneity and landscape pattern is applied to evaluate the ecological quality of the study area at three levels: landscape stability, landscape disturbance degree, and ecological restoration and reconstruction ability. The results showed that the comprehensive score of regional ecological quality increased from 0.539 to 0.662 from 2015-2020. However, the ecological quality level of unused land and mining areas was still poor, and unsound production activities such as ore mining were the main hindrances to improvements in landscape ecological quality. Areas of better ecological quality were mainly distributed to the north and south of the study area. Treatment measures such as returning farmland to forest and agroforestry effectively improved the ecological environment quality of these areas, but the ecological benefits brought by the treatment in different areas varied significantly. The current analysis results show that the land use-based landscape ecological quality evaluation method is applicable in karst areas with special ecological environments. This work provides a new quantitative research method for the unique ecological environment in karst areas; it can accurately identify trends in ecological environment quality changes and provide a basis for sustainable ecological restoration.

An assessment of landscape‐ecological stability in agricultural regions of Ural and West Siberia

Aim . An assessment and cartographical analysis of landscape‐ecological stability in agricultural regions of Ural and West Siberia, subjects of Asian Russia, using eight steppe areas as an example. Material and Methods . An assessment of landscape‐ecological stability through calculating the coefficient of the ecological stability of a landscape on the base of the conjugate analysis of 13 indicators grouped into two blocks – stable and unstable landscape components. Monitoring of the state of an agricultural area using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of crops on the base of Earth remote sensing. Results . Specific territorial features and inter‐regional relations were determined according to separate landscape components. A schematic map reflecting the state of ecological stability was formulated; it was shown that this rises the more easterly the location. Conclusion . The Tyumen region is distinguished by clearly expressed ecological stability, which is also well expressed in the Novosibirsk region. Most other regions are characterized by a conditionally stable state. The Orenburg region’s landscapes are in an unstable state. Arable lands are characterized by the most instability among unstable components of a landscape. The coefficient of landscape ecological stability (CESL) is tightly connected with the proportion of tillage in a region’s total area. It rises with the reduction of a tillage area in 74% of cases studied. Withdrawal from cultivation of unstable and degraded lands during the intensification of agriculture in highly fertile areas and transfer to fodder lands (including protected areas), which contribute to an increase in the proportion of stable landscape elements, can be considered as the main direction for increasing their stability and preserving biological diversity.

Testing post-IR-IRSL dating on Armenian loess-palaeosol sections against independent age control

Loess-palaeosol sections (LPS) in northern Armenia exhibit at least three alternating loess and pedocomplex units, indicative of an environment changing between erosional/depositional and stable conditions. The LPS they are located in a central key position between loess in Europe, central Asia and the Russian/Ukrainian Plains. Since an accurate chronology is crucial for any palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and correlation with other proxy records, we establish a post-IR-IRSL chronology for two loess sections in the Sevkar loess area and compare it with independent age control. This is mainly based on an 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age of a tephra encountered in the L-2 loess layer from the penultimate glacial, which is dated to 194.0 ± 8.5 ka. Further checks on the accuracy are provided by the expected stratigraphy and comparison with other palaeoenvironmental records. The comparison indicates that a fading correction is necessary for the older samples within the L-2 loess layer but when correcting for fading with fading rates measured in the laboratory, the ages are clearly overestimated. Therefore, it is tentatively suggested using a reduced fading rate by subtracting a fixed percentage of the measured fading rate as surrogate for a laboratory artefact. In our study, we reduce all fading rates by 1%/decade and yield fading corrected pIRIR ages which are in agreement with the independent age control. The resulting chronology reaches down to at least MIS8 and shows that loess deposition in northern Armenia occurred during global cold phases, whereas global warm phases are associated with landscape stability and soil formation.

A dynamic evaluation of landscape transformations based on land cover data

The present era is characterized by unprecedented levels of human activity, which adapt the world to our needs and induce transformations in landscape morphology and physiognomy. The Anthropocene is a remarkable epoch, where changes in space are not only visible, but also confirmed by an extensive body of research. Human activities lead to the creation of numerous tools for measuring the scale of anthropogenic pressure. Satellite and photogrammetric data that broaden our field of vision and change the scale of reference from local to global or even beyond global. These data support observations of the present condition of the surrounding space as well as the rate of changes in space. In the present study, land cover data were used to monitor changes in the surrounding landscape. A system for classifying evolutionary changes in space was proposed to monitor land-use transformations and describe landscape stability. The applicability of CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data for such analyses was evaluated. The research hypotheses and the proposed procedure were tested in the Mazovian (Polish: Mazowieckie) Voivodeship and the city of Warsaw, the Polish capital and the central point of the analyzed voivodeship which generates continuous changes in space. The results of the study confirmed the research hypotheses and demonstrated that CLC data are suitable for monitoring spatial changes.