Environmental Research Research Articles

The BDNF-Interactive Model for Sustainable Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Humans: Synergistic Effects of Environmentally-Mediated Physical Activity, Cognitive Stimulation, and Mindfulness

This paper bridges critical gaps through proposing a novel, environmentally mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-interactive model that promises to sustain adult hippocampal neurogenesis in humans. It explains how three environmental enrichment mechanisms (physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and mindfulness) can integratively regulate BDNF and other growth factors and neurotransmitters to support neurogenesis at various stages, and how those mechanisms can be promoted by the physical environment. The approach enables the isolation of specific environmental factors and their molecular effects to promote sustainable BDNF regulation by testing the environment’s ability to increase BDNF immediately or shortly before it is consumed for muscle repair or brain update. This model offers a novel, feasible method to research environment enrichment and neurogenesis dynamics in real-world human contexts at the immediate molecular level, overcoming the confounds of complex environment settings and challenges of long-term exposure and structural plasticity changes. The model promises to advance understanding of environmental influences on the hippocampus to enhance brain health and cognition. This work bridges fundamental gaps in methodology and knowledge to facilitate more research on the enrichment–neuroplasticity interplay for humans without methodological limitations.

Exploring Opportunities for Global Retirement in Thailand

This research paper delves into the rapidly growing trend of global retirement to the beautiful country of Thailand to shed light on its undeniable appeal as a highly desirable destination for expatriates in search of a truly fulfilling retirement lifestyle. With the population having grown older, especially in the United States, and the number of retirees within it continuing to become increasingly prominent in the developed world, it should come as no surprise that demand for affordable, yet attractive retirement options abroad has surged to unprecedented levels. Among a host of other attractive attributes, Thailand has a very affordable cost of living, an exquisite warm climate, and high-quality medical services that are readily available. Little surprise it is, then, that Thailand has rightly emerged as a profoundly favorable choice for many retirees in pursuit of spending their golden years in a paradisiacal environment. This paper extends the analysis with a view to closely examining a myriad of influential factors that eventually influence the retirees' decision to relocate to Thailand. These range from considerations of minute details of economic aspects, captivating cultural experiences, and complex legal frameworks that regulate the retirement visa procurement process. From interesting case studies, it provides insightful and valuable glimpses into reasons behind their coming, current living conditions, and integration challenges faced by the expatriate retirees amidst the complex Thai tapestry. While Thailand is a country that offers many advantages to the retirees who come to its land, such as extremely rich cultural heritage to immerse themselves in and a very close-knit and supportive expatriate community to lean on, the paper also prudently acknowledges and confronts various potential problems that may arise in such a transformative journey. These include, but are not limited to, economic fluctuations that may present proximate challenges for retirees to the fundamental issue of healthcare accessibility and the mechanism in place to ensure retirees receive the best medical attention. It concludes with a set of well-thought-out recommendations addressed to future retirees, stressing the absolute importance of deep personal reflection and precise advanced planning in preparation for this great adventure to be living abroad. It ultimately gives a face to Thailand as probably the most unmatched up-and-coming retirement haven, while strongly encouraging further research and exploration in the ever-evolving dynamic environment of this Southeast Asian enchanted country. Put differently, the extended text is over-the-top in emphasizing that Thailand can boast of exceptional potential as an emerging and unstoppable retirement haven, while confident calls are made for further research into the field of expatriate experiences within the grand scale of this exquisite, overwhelming, and utterly captivating environment.

Water Trash Detection System: An Innovative Approach to Monitoring Aquatic Pollution

Abstract: Water pollution, particularly from non-biodegradable waste such as plastics, is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing aquatic ecosystems today. This paper presents an innovative solution for detecting and classifying waste in water bodies using machine learning techniques, specifically You Only Look Once (YOLO) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The Water Trash Detection System (WTDS) can process both static images and real-time video streams to efficiently detect various types of aquatic trash, including plastic bottles, bags, and fishing debris. The system generates detailed reports on detected waste, providing environmental organizations and researchers with actionable data for monitoring and cleaning polluted water bodies. The combination of YOLO for real-time object detection and CNNs for waste classification allows the WTDS to deliver high accuracy and real-time processing, which is essential for effective environmental management.

On measuring change in networked publics: a case study of United States election publics on Twitter from 2020 to 2022

ABSTRACT Networked publics are the imagined communities that form on technologically-mediated spaces, often to deliberate on current events and enduring issues. Measuring change in networked publics is practically difficult because of the different ways that change in such communities can be operationalized. Yet measuring how networked publics are changing is particularly pressing, as researchers, platforms, and civil society have proposed interventions to curb some of their behaviors in the wake of digitally-mediated disinformation and incitement to violence. Here, I propose a tri-factor model for measuring change in publics centered on creators, audiences, and platforms, and demonstrate this model on a case study of United States ‘networked election publics’ on Twitter from 2020 to 2022. Analyzing over 600M posts from 2020 to 2022, I find that right-leaning creators and audiences decreased in their activity relative to left-leaning publics in 2022, and faced increased platform moderation via suspensions and shadowbanning. However, these negative signs are offset by a relative growth in the size of right-leaning publics due to higher user entry, and a sustained interest in non-election topics. I discuss these changes as well as the uses and limitations of this model within a research and policy environment increasingly concerned with intervening in networked publics.

Building capacity for maternal, newborn and child health research in low-income country settings: A research fellowship experience in Ethiopia.

There is a need to build research capacity to improve maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To address this gap, we co-designed the HaSET (meaning 'happiness' in Amharic) MNCH Research Fellowship programme for academics and policymakers in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and academic institutions in Ethiopia. Based on interviews and focus group discussions regarding a landscape analysis of the MNCH research environment, we developed an innovative 'learning by doing' model in which fellows identified research questions, developed proposals, obtained institutional review board (IRB) approvals, conducted research, analysed data, disseminated their findings, and developed policy briefs. Postdoctoral fellows were paired with policymakers and health professionals at the MoH to facilitate the translation of research findings into policy and programmes. Each pair received mentorship from a member of the HaSET's scientific advisory group (SAG) who had expertise in research methods, data analysis, dissemination, and translation of evidence into policy. The HaSET MNCH Research Fellowship curriculum included 10 modules covering topics from biostatistics to study operations and professional development. From March 2021 to July 2023, five postdoctoral fellows from local universities and four policymakers from the MoH and government research institutes underwent the HaSET programme, where they learned to gather high-quality evidence on priority research questions and guide the implementation of national policies and programmes. Leveraging existing data, the fellows produced 15 manuscripts and 11 policy briefs. The programme established a functional research link between the MoH, regional health bureaus, and local universities, while utilising the SAG's expertise in mentorship. This robust and comprehensive HaSET MNCH Research Fellowship produced the first cohort of dedicated fellows trained in evidence-based medicine and mentored them to become effective public health professionals. They conducted high-quality studies to inform policy decisions on MNCH interventions in Ethiopia. Given its sustainability and scalability, researchers and academic institutions can further adapt the fellowship curriculum within capacity-building programmes to educate the next generation of research leaders in LMICs.

Global Trends and Slovak Republic Focus on Environmental, Social and Governance Research

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research to identify global trends and specific focuses within the Slovak Republic. The analysis aims to explore the impact of ESG factors on corporate performance by examining 23,916 publications from 1990 to 2023. The study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the relationship between ESG factors and corporate performance through a systematic analysis of academic publications. The integration of ESG factors into investment decisions and corporate strategies has gained increasing attention in recent decades due to the growing importance of sustainable and responsible business practices. This study identifies the overall trends in ESG research on a global scale and focuses on the developments within the Slovak Republic, offering valuable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities related to ESG factors in the Slovak business environment. The findings of this analysis can enhance policymakers' and corporate leaders' understanding of ESG factors' impact on corporate performance in both a global and local context, and aid researchers in investigating the most relevant and significant ESG research topics.

Landscape Character Classification with a Deep Neural Network: A Case Study of the Jianghan Plain

Grounded in the theoretical and methodological frameworks of landscape character identification from the European Landscape Map (LANMAP) and landscape character assessment (LCA), this study developed an AI-based tool for landscape character analysis to classify the Jianghan Plain’s landscape more effectively. The proposed method leveraged a deep learning model, the artificial intelligence-based landscape character (AI-LC) classifier, along with specific naming and coding rules for the unique landscape character of the Jianghan Plain. Experimental results showed a significant improvement in classification accuracy, reaching 89% and 86% compared to traditional methods. The classifier identified 10 macro-level and 18 meso-level landscape character types within the region, which were further categorized into four primary zones—a lake network river basin, a hillfront terrace, surrounding mountains, and a lake network island hill—based on natural and social features. These advancements contributed to the theoretical framework of landscape character assessment, offering practical insights for landscape planning and conservation while highlighting AI’s transformative potential in environmental research and management.

Using Direct Decarbonization Strategies to Plan for a Resilient and Fossil Fuel-Free Future

UC Davis has a vision for a fossil fuel-free future. The university released the Fossil Fuel-Free Pathway Plan (FFFPP) to address the climate crisis by reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions. The FFFPP outlines strategies to eliminate 95% of fossil fuel use, based on 2019 levels, from university operations by 2040. The plan includes the Davis campus, UC Davis Health, Aggie Square, Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Bodega Marine Laboratory, and multiple outlying and leased properties. UC Davis has already broken ground on the Big Shift, a fossil fuel-free conversion project that will allow the campus to heat buildings with electricity rather than natural gas and reduce the Davis campus’s fossil fuel consumption by 80%. The FFFPP aligns with broader climate goals and initiatives set by the University of California (UC). The Pathways to a Fossil-Free UC Task Force was created to investigate the challenge of accelerating efforts to decarbonize each UC campus. To further support these efforts the UC recently adopted stronger climate action goals that prioritize direct emission reductions. UC Davis participates in the UC President’s Bonnie Reiss Leading on Climate Student Fellowship Program, which funds student-generated projects that reinforce the UC-wide climate action goals. UC Davis students in the program are playing an important role in climate resiliency on campus.

APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ENHANCING FACULTY RESEARCH PRODUCTION TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: AN EVIDENCE FROM A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY OF SAUDI ARABIA

Objectives: The purpose of present study was to identify the role of ICT to achieve sustainable development goals of university by enhancing faculty research production at PNU. Theoretical Framework: Information Communication Technology (ICT) has impacted faculty research productivity in higher education. Any university's Sustainability and ranking depend on the caliber of its research output and the quality of the instruction they provide. High-quality research output raises a university's stature and reputation nationally and internationally. Hence faculty research productivity of any university helps to achieve the sustainable development goals of any educational institute. Methods: Both primary and Secondary data were used for the study. Secondary data included the examination of databases of Scopus and Web of science to examine the Published research. Primary data included a survey in the form of interviews. Interviews were conducted among faculty members selected randomly from 2500 faculty members teaching different college courses. Interviews were conducted in the various departments of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University with a minimum of two faculty from each college. Results and Discussions: It was found that although there is a significant association between the ICT integration by faculty in research activities and their research productivity, researcher characteristics and institutional support also played a significant role in enhancing faculty research productivity at PNU. The results indicated that the integration of ICT had a positive and significant impact on faculty Research Productivity. However, institutional support such as Funding, Research Environment, Rewards and Promotion, and teaching load had the highest impact on Research Productivity. Research Implications: The findings of the study are useful for educational institutes and university to frame their research policies to encourage faculty research.Implementing proper research Funding policies is essential to encourage research productivity in the university, The findings suggest that although teachers are ICT skilled, the institute must provide adequate research training workshops to create awareness about various ICT tools and software for research analysis. Originality/Value: Universities are taking numerous steps worldwide to encourage the research culture among their academic personnel. The present research is providing measures for improving ICT utilization among the academic staff in higher education in Saudi Arabia.

First evidence of benzothiazoles in arctic aerosols: Seasonal trend and sources attribution

Benzothiazoles are a class of compounds with wide-ranging applications, particularly in industrial chemistry. They are used as accelerators in the vulcanization process in the rubber industry, and have applications in pharmaceuticals, due to their antimicrobial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. This class of compounds can be considered emerging contaminants due to their persistence in the environment, and some of them may pose toxicological risks to aquatic life and potentially to human health. The transport mechanisms and environmental fate of these compounds are poorly investigated, particularly in aquatic compartments such as wastewater, and research has been limited to urban areas.For the first time, eight benzothiazoles were found in Arctic atmospheric aerosol over an entire sampling year, from February 2022 to March 2023. A comparison of the seasonal trends of benzothiazoles with specific markers (i.e., major ions, methanesulfonic acid (MSA), levoglucosan, and arabitol) and the employment of a chemometric approach allowed us to identify three key findings: i) two benzothiazoles (BTH-OH and BTH-NH2) can be linked to a local natural source; ii) soil resuspension is another possible source of two other species (BTH-SH and BTH-MeS); and iii) long-range atmospheric transport sources are associated with BTH and BTH-SO3H. The species present in the Arctic aerosol have different abundances compared to urban areas, confirming the necessity to improve research in different environments to better understand their transport mechanisms and environmental fate.

A multilevel dataset of landform mapping and geomorphologic descriptors for the Loess Plateau of China

The Loess Plateau is a region of importance in geomorphologic research because of its typical loess layers and intense surface erosion. Analysing the landforms on the Loess Plateau is helpful for understanding changes in the surface environment. However, geomorphologic data with high resolution are lacking for the Loess Plateau, which limits the progress of geomorphologic studies at finer scales. This study provides the first 30 m resolution landform classification and characteristics dataset for the Loess Plateau (LPL30). Considering morphological characteristics, dominant dynamics, and material conditions, the landforms on the Loess Plateau were categorized into three levels with 28 landform types. Moreover, we calculated 6 metrics to quantify the spatial distribution and category composition of the landforms in 16 analytical units with different scales and shapes, resulting in 96 geomorphologic descriptors. This dataset provides fundamental data for the study of landform formation processes and evolution mechanisms at various scales and can be employed as a geomorphological gradient to support ecology and environmental research.

Using positionality and reflexivity to support equity in partnership-driven research.

Social and economic position and power shape everyone, including scientists and researchers. The way researchers do conservation science and the voices centered in the process are a result of researcher upbringing, experiences, access to resources, and values and are a manifestation of positionality. Positionality is a concept that can help one think about one's position and power in one's work. Creating a successful research partnership requires careful thinking about how equity, diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility are accounted for in the research environment. We drew on our own experiences as early career, mid-career, and Indigenous researchers to explore researcher positionality and how understanding one's positionality can bring to the fore power dynamics in conservation science and research. We focused on the use of reflexive practice to recognize diverse roles and responsibilities, build strong project governance, and enrich relationships. We considered 2 large research partnerships, Apoqnmatulti'k (Mi'kmaw for we help each other) and the SakKijânginnaniattut Nunatsiavut Sivunitsangit (Inuttitut for Sustainable Nunatsiavut Futures) project, to examine moments of tension and interrogation of power and the ways in which this interrogation led to stronger relationships and better research. We advise that large transdisciplinary and cross-cultural research teams use positionality and reflexivity to explicitly make choices about power dynamics in the context of executing partnership-driven work. This can be accomplished through personal and collective interrogation of the power dynamics at play in project administration, research questions, and interpersonal relationships.

Artificial intelligence and microbiome research: Evolution of hotspots, research trends, and thematic-based narrative review.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and microbiome have emerged in recent years as transformative fields with far-reaching implications for various biomedical domains. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis examining the intersection of AI and the microbiome (AIM). The study aims to provide information on this interdisciplinary field's research landscape, trends, and emerging topics. Using a systematic approach, data-driven studies were extracted from the Scopus database on 23 November 2023 and analyzed using the VOSviewer and Bibliometrix applications. The regression coefficient of 0.94 and the yearly growth rate of 7.46% in AIM production indicate a consistent increase over time. Identification of essential contributors, organizations, and nations illuminated cooperative networks and research hotspots. The trend themes are the gut microbiome, disease prediction, machine learning, transfer learning, categorization, big data, artificial neural networks, chronic rhinosinusitis, epidemiology, COPD, and bronchoalveolar lavage. These hot issues in AIM reflect the present emphasis on research and developments in our knowledge of the microbiome's function in health, sickness, and individualized treatment. The findings give researchers, policymakers, and industry experts a thorough picture of the research environment and guide future paths in AIM's fascinating and promising subject.

Selenophene-containing silicon-rhodamine: A novel near-infrared fluorescent probe for Hg2+ detection and its application in cell imaging

Monitoring of mercury ion (Hg2+) pollution is one of the eternal themes due to its notorious toxicity. Herein, we elaborately designed a novel fluorescent probe N’-((selenophen-2-yl)methylene)Si-rhodamine B hydrazide (Se-SiRH) by integrating 2-formylselenophene with Si-rhodamine B hydrazide. Se-SiRH exhibited an excellent near-infrared response towards Hg2+ in MeOH/PBS solution (1:1, v/v, pH = 7.0) and superior specificity towards Hg2+ than other metal ions. Meanwhile, striking sensitivity towards Hg2+ was found and the limit of detection in fluorescence measurement was calculated to be 2.1 × 10−9 mol·L−1. What’s more, Hg2+-binding mechanism was confirmed with Job-plot measurement, HR-MS and theoretical calculation. Importantly, the success in detecting Hg2+ in real water samples and visualizing Hg2+ in HepG2 cells validated its eye-catching application capability in environmental and biological research.

Research culture influences in health and biomedical research: Rapid scoping review and content analysis

Research culture is strongly influenced by academic incentives such as the pressure to publish in academic journals, and can influence the nature and quality of the evidence we produce. The purpose of this rapid scoping review is to capture the breadth of differential pressures and contributors to current research culture, drawing together content from empirical research specific to the health and biomedical sciences. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for empirical studies of influences and impacts on health and biomedical research culture, published between January 2012 to April 2024. Data charting extracted the key findings and relationships in research culture from included papers such as: workforce composition; equitable access to research; academic journal trends, incentives, reproducibility; erroneous research; questionable research practices; biases vested interests and misconduct. A diverse author network was consulted to ensure content validity of the proposed framework of i) inclusivity, ii) transparency, iii) rigour and iv) objectivity. A growing field of studies examining research culture exists ranging from the inclusivity of the scientific workforce, the transparency of the data generated, the rigour of the methods used and the objectivity of the researchers involved. Figurative diagrams are presented to storyboard the links between research culture content and findings. The wide range of research culture influences in the recent literature indicates the need for coordinated and sustained research culture conversations. Core principles in effective research environments should include inclusive collaboration and diverse research workforces, rigorous methodological approaches, transparency, data sharing and reflection on scientific objectivity.

On the need to better integrate the social environment in research on climate change and health: recommendations and thinking tools

Social inequality impacts health, is aggravated by the consequences of climate change, and may be influenced by inappropriate policy responses. These interdependent effects create a self-perpetuating loop exacerbating the impact of climate dysregulation on health in an uncontrolled and poorly understood way. Holistic approaches to public health such as One Health, EcoHealth or Planetary Health are well suited to tackling the considerable and complex environmental and social issues underlying climate dysregulation. However, the extent to which research using such frameworks investigates social determinants of health is not clear. In this paper we discuss the ways in which the social environment has so far been considered in the literature to problematize and analyze the relationship between climate dysregulation and health within holistic frameworks and provide tools and recommendations to facilitate their apprehension. Social factors are investigated empirically only in a minor fraction of studies addressing the relation between climate and health in holistic frameworks, and not systematically. Barriers to such approaches are discussed. This work also provides two analytical tools (a process diagram and a knowledge framework) and a set of recommendations to help include the social environment more meaningfully in such frameworks. They are meant to facilitate our understanding of the current status of this type of research and to encourage trans-disciplinary and trans-sectorial endeavors towards directions which need to be taken to ensure societal factors and inequalities are placed at the center of research on climate and health and the ensuing policy response.

A Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Noise Studies Between 2015 and 2024

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, have gained widespread use due to their affordability and versatility across various domains, including military, commercial, and recreational sectors. Applications such as remote sensing, aerial imaging, agriculture, firefighting, search and rescue, infrastructure inspection, and public safety have extensively adopted this technology. However, environmental impacts, particularly noise, have raised concerns among the public and local communities. Unlike traditional crewed aircraft, drones typically operate in low-altitude airspace (below 400 feet or 122 m), making their noise impact more significant when they are closer to houses, people, and livestock. Numerous studies have explored methods for monitoring, assessing, and predicting the noise footprint of drones. This study employs a bibliometric analysis of relevant scholarly works in the Web of Science Core Collection, published from 2015 to 2024, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) data collection and screening procedures. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Aerospace Science and Technology, and the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America are the top three preferred outlets for publications in this area. This review unveils trends, topics, key authors and institutions, and national contributions in the field through co-authorship analysis, co-citation analysis, and other statistical methods. By addressing the identified challenges, leveraging emerging technologies, and fostering collaborations, the field can move towards more effective noise abatement strategies, ultimately contributing to the broader acceptance and sustainable integration of UASs into various aspects of society.

Solar Power Supply for Sensor Applications in the Field: A Guide for Environmental Scientists

The move toward sophisticated sensor networks in ecological applications requires a substantial amount of energy. Energy storage solutions based simply on batteries are often not sufficient to cover the energy needs, so a standalone power supply using solar energy harvesting is generally required. However, designing an appropriate solar power supply without oversizing and avoiding output power disruption all year long is not a trivial task. This paper provides a set of guidelines as well as useful information and advice for environmental researchers and other non-experts to select the right components when designing their own autonomous solar power supply for a range between 10 mW and 10 W. The design steps are compiled into a comprehensive document, free of irrelevant information yet still presenting a general overview of the solar power supply design process, in order to make this task more accessible and understandable for non-experts. The methodology for simple initial dimensioning was carried out and applied to a real-life use case by using the estimated or measured daily consumption combined with free meteorological data of the deployment site provided by various websites. Next, an hourly simulation completed the first sizing. A year of experimental results validated the methodology.

Insights from the international workshop on "Adapting agriculture to climate change and air pollution".

An international workshop on "Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change and Air Pollution" took place at Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China, during 23-27 October, 2023. Experts working in various multi-disciplinary areas of agroecosystem and environmental research gathered for academic communication and discussions. Two discussion groups focused on "agriculture under air pollution and climate change: current challenges and priorities for the future" and "adapting agriculture to air pollution and climate change: current status and next steps." Insights derived from the discussions are summarized in this article and include opinions about current issues, knowledge gaps' identification, and potential priorities and actions that could be taken. The first discussion mainly addresses ozone impact estimates; ozone metrics for impact and risk assessments; ozone monitoring; air pollution impacts and policy; and thepivotal role of agriculture and consumer choices. The second discussion covers adaptation and mitigation; greenhouse gases and energy efficiency; concerns about the link between adaptation and mitigation; local food, planetary-health diets and carbon footprint; irrigation and climate change adaptation; scientific evidence and policy-making; air pollution and crop adaptation; machine learning and crop modeling; and challenges faced by smallholder farmers and large-scale enterprises. Hence, this report could be useful for reseach, educational, and policy purposes, collating opinions of experts working in diverse research areas.

A new method for estimating the soil-water diffusivity of unsaturated soils based on the Boltzmann transform and the principle of stationary action

Accurately measuring the nonlinear soil–water diffusivity remains a complex and time-consuming task. This study extended a simple method for estimating the soil–water diffusivity of unsaturated soils based on the Boltzmann transform and the principle of stationary action. The power relationship between the Boltzmann transform variable and diffusivity is explicitly expressed, with the corresponding power exponent commonly assigned a value between 1 and 3. By comparing the analytical and numerical results, it was found that the predictions are consistent when the power exponent is taken as 2. The proposed method in this study is more concise and convenient for computation when compared to the existing methods. It directly describes the relationship between the soil–water diffusivity and the water content distribution profiles. The proposed theoretical model has limited predictive ability for certain soil types, such as loam and clay. To improve the methodology, more data from different soil types should be collected in the future to better predict soil–water diffusivity. In conclusion, the method proposed in this paper provides a concise and effective method that will have a wide range of applications in future practice in the fields of soil science, agricultural engineering, and environmental research.