Ecosystem Resilience Research Articles

High-throughput 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing reveals the functional divergence of halophilic bacterial communities in the Suaeda salsa root compartments on the eastern coast of China

The rhizosphere environment of plants, which harbors halophilic bacterial communities, faces significant challenges in coping with environmental stressors, particularly saline soil properties. This study utilizes a high-throughput 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing to investigate the variations in bacterial community dynamics in rhizosphere soil (RH), root surface soil (RS), root endophytic bacteria (PE) compartments of Suaeda salsa roots, and adjoining soils (CK) across six locations along the eastern coast of China: Nantong (NT), Yancheng (YC), Dalian (DL), Tianjin (TJ), Dongying (DY), and Qingdao (QD), all characterized by chloride-type saline soil. Variations in the physicochemical properties of the RH compartment were also evaluated. The results revealed significant changes in pH, electrical conductivity, total salt content, and ion concentrations in RH samples from different locations. Notably, the NT location exhibited the highest alkalinity and nitrogen availability. The pH variations were linked to HCO3− accumulation in S. salsa roots, while salinity stress influenced soil pH through H+ discharge. Despite salinity stress, enzymatic activities such as catalase and urease were higher in soils from various locations. The diversity and richness of bacterial communities were higher in specific locations, with Proteobacteria dominating PE samples from the DL location. Additionally, Vibrio and Marinobacter were prevalent in RH samples. Significant correlations were found between soil pH, salinity, nutrient content, and the abundance and diversity of bacterial taxa in RH samples. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the prevalence of halophilic bacteria, such as Bacillus, Halomonas, and Streptomyces, with diverse metabolic functions, including amino acid and carbohydrate metabolisms. Essential genes, such as auxin response factor (ARF) and GTPase-encoding genes, were abundant in RH samples, suggesting adaptive strategies for harsh environments. Likewise, proline/betaine transport protein genes were enriched, indicating potential bioremediation mechanisms against high salt stress. These findings provide insight into the metabolic adaptations facilitating resilience in saline ecosystems and contribute to understanding the complex interplay between soil conditions, bacterial communities, and plant adaptation.

Population genetics assessment of two pocilloporid coral species from the northern red sea: Implications for urbanized reef sustainability

Understanding the genetic makeup of key coral species is vital for effective coral reef management, as heightened genetic diversity directly influences long-term survival and resilience against environmental changes. This study focused on two widespread Indo-Pacific branching corals, Pocillopora damicornis (referred as Pocillopora cf. damicornis (as identified only morphologically) and Seriatopora hystrix, by genotyping 222 and 195 colonies, respectively, from 10 sites in the northern Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea, using six and five microsatellite markers, respectively. Both species exhibited low observed heterozygosity (0.47 for P. cf. damicornis, 0.32 for S. hystrix) and similar expected heterozygosity (0.576 for P. cf. damicornis, 0.578 for S. hystrix). Pocillopora cf. damicornis showed minimal deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and low but positive F values, indicating high gene flow, while S. hystrix exhibited higher diversion from HWE and positive F values, suggesting isolation by distance and possible non-random mating or genetic drift. As the Gulf of Eilat undergoes rapid urbanization, this study highlights the anthropogenic impacts on the population genetics of key ecosystem engineering species and emphasizes the importance of managing genetics of Marine Protected Areas while implementing active coral reef restoration. The differences in reproductive traits between the two species (S. hystrix being a brooder, while P. cf. damicornis a broadcast spawner), underscore the need for sustainable population genetics management of the coral reefs for the future and resilience of the coral reef ecosystem of the northern Red Sea region.

Microtopographic Variation as a Potential Early Indicator of Ecosystem State Change and Vulnerability in Salt Marshes

As global climate change alters the magnitude and rates of environmental stressors, predicting the extent of ecosystem degradation driven by these rapidly changing conditions becomes increasingly urgent. At the landscape scale, disturbances and stressors can increase spatial variability and heterogeneity — indicators that can serve as potential early warnings of declining ecosystem resilience. Increased spatial variability in salt marshes at the landscape scale has been used to quantify the propagation of ponding in salt marsh interiors, but ponding at the landscape scale follows a state change rather than predicts it. Here, we suggest a novel application of commonly collected surface elevation table (SET) data and explore millimeter-scale marsh surface microtopography as a potential early indicator of ecosystem transition. We find an increase in spatial variability using multiple metrics of microtopographic heterogeneity in vulnerable salt marsh communities across the North American Atlantic seaboard. Increasing microtopographic heterogeneity in vulnerable salt marshes mirrored increasing trends in variance when a tipping point is approached in other alternative stable state systems — indicating that early warning signals of marsh drowning and ecosystem transition are observable at small-spatial scales prior to runaway ecosystem degradation. Congruence between traditional and novel metrics of marsh vulnerability suggests that microtopographic metrics can be used to identify hidden vulnerability before widespread marsh degradation. This novel analysis can be easily applied to existing SET records expanding the traditional focus on vertical change to additionally encapsulate lateral processes.

Conservation and management of Himalayan biodiversity in climate change perspectives

Diverse agro-ecosystems are the bedrock of life-sustaining goods and services, ranging from water and energy to food production and the facilitation of energy and nutrient cycling. These ecosystems not only benefit humanity but also play a crucial role in supporting the balance of ecosystems worldwide. Biodiversity conservation and management are paramount as they directly impact the suitability and resilience of ecosystems, ultimately affecting the livelihoods of both human and non-human species. The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) boasts extraordinary biodiversity; however, efforts to conserve and harness its bio-resources for technological advancements or useful products lag behind many other nations. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, affecting every aspect of agriculture and biodiversity across tropical and subtropical regions. In response to this urgent context, there is a pressing need to review existing conservation and management strategies while identifying areas for improvement. Analyzing the diverse requirements and methods of conserving biodiversity involves prioritizing the sustenance of natural processes and features inherent in our natural resources and associated ecosystems. Recognizing that natural solutions exist within these resources, landscapes, and ecosystems is pivotal. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts and institutional synergy among various stakeholders, including researchers, local communities, resource managers, and policymakers. Collaboration is essential to conserve biodiversity while leveraging existing or newly created opportunities and resources within ecosystems. Furthermore, revising and updating legal frameworks, policy guidelines, and other instruments are crucial steps to ensure the sustained protection of biodiversity and ecosystems. This includes safeguarding the livelihoods and food production avenues of local communities, thereby fostering sustainable development practices that prioritize both human well-being and environmental integrity.. KEYWORDS :Himalayan Biodiversity, Climate change, Conservation and Management.

Predicting seagrass ecosystem resilience to marine heatwave events of variable duration, frequency and re‐occurrence patterns with gaps

AbstractBackgroundSeagrass, a vital primary producer habitat, is crucial for maintaining high biodiversity and offers numerous ecosystem services globally. The increasing severity and frequency of marine heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, pose significant risks to seagrass meadows.AimsThis study acknowledges the uncertainty and variability of marine heatwave scenarios and aims to aid managers and policymakers in understanding simulated responses of seagrass to different durations, frequencies and recurrence gaps of marine heatwaves.Materials and MethodsUsing expert knowledge and observed data, we refined a global Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) model for a specific case study on Halophila ovalis in Leschenault Estuary, Australia. The model evaluates the potential impact of marine heatwaves on seagrass resilience, examining stress resistance, recovery and extinction risk.ResultsSimulations of different marine heatwave scenarios reveal significant impacts on seagrass ecosystems. Scenarios ranged from 30‐ to 90‐day heatwaves, with longer durations causing more significant biomass decline, reduced resistance, higher extinction risk and prolonged recovery. For instance, recovery time may increase from 18 to 26 months with four 60‐day and from 24 to 47 months with four 90‐day marine heatwave events. Increasing the frequency of marine heatwaves from one to four annual events, with no gaps between occurrences, could raise extinction risk from 11% to 55% for 60‐day events and from 17% to 83% for 90‐day events. However, introducing gaps between heatwaves enhanced resilience, with spaced events showing lower extinction risks and quicker recovery than consecutive yearly events.DiscussionThe study demonstrates the DBN model's utility in simulating the impact of marine heatwaves on seagrass, providing tools for risk‐informed assessment of management and restoration efforts. While these simulations align with existing research on temperature impacts on seagrass, they are not empirical.ConclusionFurther research is necessary to expand our understanding of climate change effects on seagrass ecosystems, guide policy and develop strategies to strengthen marine ecosystem resilience.

A link between evolution and society fostering the UN sustainable development goals.

Given the multitude of challenges Earth is facing, sustainability science is of key importance to our continued existence. Evolution is the fundamental biological process underlying the origin of all biodiversity. This phylogenetic diversity fosters the resilience of ecosystems to environmental change, and provides numerous resources to society, and options for the future. Genetic diversity within species is also key to the ability of populations to evolve and adapt to environmental change. Yet, the value of evolutionary processes and the consequences of their impairment have not generally been considered in sustainability research. We argue that biological evolution is important for sustainability and that the concepts, theory, data, and methodological approaches used in evolutionary biology can, in crucial ways, contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We discuss how evolutionary principles are relevant to understanding, maintaining, and improving Nature Contributions to People (NCP) and how they contribute to the SDGs. We highlight specific applications of evolution, evolutionary theory, and evolutionary biology's diverse toolbox, grouped into four major routes through which evolution and evolutionary insights can impact sustainability. We argue that information on both within-species evolutionary potential and among-species phylogenetic diversity is necessary to predict population, community, and ecosystem responses to global change and to make informed decisions on sustainable production, health, and well-being. We provide examples of how evolutionary insights and the tools developed by evolutionary biology can not only inspire and enhance progress on the trajectory to sustainability, but also highlight some obstacles that hitherto seem to have impeded an efficient uptake of evolutionary insights in sustainability research and actions to sustain SDGs. We call for enhanced collaboration between sustainability science and evolutionary biology to understand how integrating these disciplines can help achieve the sustainable future envisioned by the UN SDGs.

Extreme Planktic Foraminiferal Dwarfism Across the ETM2 in the Tethys Realm in Response to Warming

AbstractPronounced warming negatively impacts ecosystem resilience in modern oceans. To offer a long‐term geological perspective of the calcareous plankton response to global warming, we present an integrated record, from two Tethyan sections (northeastern Italy), of the planktic foraminiferal and calcareous nannofossil response to the Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 hyperthermal (ETM2, ∼54 Ma). Our study reveals pronounced changes in assemblage composition and a striking dwarfing of planktic foraminiferal tests of up to 40% during the event, impacting both surface and deeper dwellers. The increased abundance of small placoliths among calcareous nannofossils is interpreted as community size reduction. Literature and our foraminiferal size data from Sites 1263 and 1209 (Atlantic and Pacific Oceans) highlights that the pronounced dwarfism is restricted to the Tethyan area. The ETM2 is characterized by warm sea surface temperatures as indicated by our δ18O data, but this warming is of global extent and cannot explain the unique dwarfism. Excluding evolutionary modifications, other potential drivers of dwarfism (eutrophication, deoxygenation, metabolic adaptation) cannot explain the exceptional dwarfism by themselves. The smallest sizes are in close temporal association with peaks in volcanic derived Hg/Th‐Hg/Rb recorded just before and at the ETM2 which could not have been brought into our sections through weathering. In contrast, size reductions are absent below and above the ETM2 at Hg peaks where δ18O data do not show warm conditions. We speculate that the local input of toxic metals from submarine volcanic emissions could have acted synergistically to warming, causing the unique dwarfism.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF SOIL VULNERABILITY TO WATER EROSION IN THE THIES PLATEAU

This study was carried out in the watershed located between the municipalities of Tassette and Notto, where soil water erosion is one of the most dangerous threats in the region.This work aims to quantify the degree of soil erodibility in the Thiesplateauand then draw up an erosion risk map using the improved boyoucoss method. Interpretation of the experimental results reveals that the erodibility index varies between 1.62 and 14.10, with an average value of 5.6. This variation in the erodibility index shows areas of high, moderate and very high vulnerability, respectively 59%, 18.2% and 18% of the areas studied. The progressive degradation of soils by water erosion is also amplified by inappropriate human activities, weakening the resilience of ecosystems and communities.

Biodiversity Analysis of Protected Forests in Central Kalimantan: Implications for Conservation and Sustainable Management

Protected forests in Central Kalimantan are vital reservoirs of biodiversity, housing diverse flora and fauna crucial for local and global ecosystems. Despite their ecological significance, these forests face imminent threats from deforestation, illegal encroachment, and climate change, jeopardizing their biodiversity and ecological integrity. This study aims to assess the biodiversity of Central Kalimantan's protected forests and explore its implications for conservation and sustainable management. The research methodology employs a comprehensive approach, integrating field surveys, laboratory analysis, and community engagement. Field surveys involve transect walks, camera traps, and direct observations to inventory flora and fauna. Soil and water analyses assess habitat conditions, while participatory approaches engage local communities in forest management. Findings reveal a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including rare and endemic species such as Shorea stenoptera and Dipterocarpus grandiflorus. High Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices indicate a healthy ecosystem, but deforestation and illegal encroachment pose significant threats, fragmenting habitats and disrupting species survival. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, necessitating adaptation strategies for ecosystem resilience. Community participation emerges as pivotal in conservation efforts, leveraging traditional knowledge and fostering sustainable livelihoods. Collaboration among stakeholders is essential for effective forest management, emphasizing the need for holistic conservation strategies. In conclusion, this study underscores the urgent need for conservation action to safeguard the biodiversity of Central Kalimantan's protected forests. By integrating scientific research with community engagement, policymakers and stakeholders can develop effective strategies to conserve these invaluable ecosystems, ensuring their sustainability for future generations.

Impacts of Deforestation on Soil Quality and Water Resources in Tropical Forest Areas of Sumatra

Deforestation poses a significant threat to the tropical forest regions of Sumatra, impacting soil quality and water resources crucial for ecosystem health and human well-being. This paper synthesizes the multifaceted impacts of deforestation on soil and water in Sumatra and proposes strategies for sustainable land management. Deforestation leads to a decline in soil organic matter, nutrient levels, and microbial diversity, affecting soil fertility and erosion susceptibility. Additionally, the loss of forest cover disrupts the hydrological cycle, altering water availability, quality, and distribution. Increased surface runoff and sedimentation degrade water bodies, threatening aquatic biodiversity and community water supplies. Integrated analysis highlights the interdependencies between land cover change, soil degradation, and hydrological processes, emphasizing the need for holistic management approaches. Reforestation, agroforestry, and community engagement are proposed as essential strategies for mitigating deforestation impacts and promoting ecosystem resilience in Sumatra.

A Critical Analysis of Machine Learning Techniques for Online Transaction Security

The widespread adoption of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as the preferred digital transaction method has led to a sharp increase in fraudulent activities, presenting a considerable challenge to the security and reliability of online payments.Top of Form To address this pressing concern, our project focuses on developing a sophisticated fraud detection system tailored specifically for UPI transactions. We utilize Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), an advanced deep learning architecture, to intricately capture the sequence of operations involved in UPI transaction processing. Through extensive data collection and preprocessing, we curate a diverse dataset comprising various transaction types, amounts, and temporal patterns, ensuring comprehensive coverage of transaction behaviour. The CNN is meticulously trained on this dataset, leveraging its innate ability to discern subtle patterns and dependencies within transaction sequences. Notably, our approach emphasizes the importance of minimizing false positives to prevent genuine transactions from being erroneously flagged as fraudulent. In real-time, incoming UPI transactions are subjected to scrutiny by the trained CNN, which evaluates their conformity to learned normal behaviour patterns. Transactions exhibiting deviations indicative of potential fraud are promptly flagged for further investigation, thus enabling proactive mitigation of fraudulent activities. Most importantly, our study contains a comprehensive comparative analysis that compares the efficacy of conventional machine learning methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests, and Logistic Regression with CNN-based fraud detection. Through meticulous evaluation, we demonstrate the superior efficacy of CNNs in detecting fraudulent UPI transactions, owing to their inherent capacity to capture intricate spatial and temporal dependencies. Our findings underscore the transformative potential of deep learning techniques in bolstering the security and resilience of digital payment ecosystems, thereby safeguarding users and fostering trust in online transactions.

Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention

The main objective of this study is to investigate the supply of ecosystem services (ESs) within peri-urban watersheds (PUWs) across Greece, utilizing earth observation (EO) data and empirical models. To achieve these goals, several open-access geospatial datasets were utilized and processed within a GIS environment. Specifically, the supply of soil conservation and water retention services was assessed at the watershed scale. The results indicates that the supply soil conservation service withing the examined PUWs range from 44.41 t ha−1 y−1 to 441.33 t ha−1 y−1 with an average value of 161.99 t ha−1 y−1. Water retention services vary from 35.09 to 154.63 mm within the PUWs, with an average of 91.45 mm. Additionally, the variation in ES values across distinct altitudinal zones and ecosystem types provides useful insights for implementing protection and management measures. It is evident from the analysis that the soil conservation service gradually increases with elevation, with alpine and subalpine areas exhibiting the highest values. Moreover, mountainous and semi-mountainous regions demonstrate higher values compared to the estimated average soil conservation services of the entire study area. Furthermore, the provision of water retention services varies across different altitudinal zones. Specifically, the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas exhibit the highest values, followed by the subalpine and hilly regions, while lower values are observed in the lowland and alpine regions. The analysis also reveals distinct patterns in ecosystem services across various ecosystem types within the PUWs. Woodland and forest, along with heathland and shrubs, demonstrate higher values in terms of both soil conservation and water retention services. Our findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of ESs in PUWs, highlighting their significance for sustainable land management, and informing policy decisions aimed at preserving ecosystem health and resilience.

Land use and river-lake connectivity: Biodiversity determinants of lake ecosystems

Lake ecosystems confront escalating challenges to their stability and resilience, most intuitively leading to biodiversity loss, necessitating effective preservation strategies to safeguard aquatic environments. However, the complexity of ecological processes governing lake biodiversity under multi-stressor interactions remains an ongoing concern, primarily due to insufficient long-term bioindicator data, particularly concerning macroinvertebrate biodiversity. Here we utilize a unique, continuous, and in situ biomonitoring dataset spanning from 2011 to 2019 to investigate the spatio-temporal variation of macroinvertebrate communities. We assess the impact of four crucial environmental parameters on Lake Dongting and Lake Taihu, i.e., water quality, hydrology, climate change, and land use. These two systems are representative of lakes with Yangtze-connected and disconnected subtropical floodplains in China. We find an alarming trend of declining taxonomic and functional diversities among macroinvertebrate communities despite improvements in water quality. Primary contributing factors to this decline include persistent anthropogenic pressures, particularly alterations in human land use around the lakes, including intensified nutrient loads and reduced habitat heterogeneity. Notably, river-lake connectivity is pivotal in shaping differential responses to multiple stressors. Our results highlight a strong correlation between biodiversity alterations and land use within a 2–5 km radius and 0.05–2.5 km from the shorelines of Lakes Dongting and Taihu, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of implementing land buffer zones with specific spatial scales to enhance taxonomic and functional diversity, securing essential ecosystem services and enhancing the resilience of crucial lake ecosystems.

Flood susceptibility mapping leveraging open-source remote-sensing data and machine learning approaches in Nam Ngum River Basin (NNRB), Lao PDR

Frequent floods caused by monsoons and rainstorms have significantly affected the resilience of human and natural ecosystems in the Nam Ngum River Basin, Lao PDR. A cost-efficient framework integrating advanced remote sensing and machine learning techniques is proposed to address this issue by enhancing flood susceptibility understanding and informed decision-making. This study utilizes remote sensing geo-datasets and machine learning algorithms (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Artificial Neural Networks, and Long Short-Term Memory) to generate comprehensive flood susceptibility maps. The results highlight Random Forest’s superior performance, achieving the highest train and test Area Under the Curve of Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) (1.00 and 0.993), accuracy (0.957), F1-score (0.962), and kappa value (0.914), with the lowest mean squared error (0.207) and Root Mean Squared Error (0.043). Vulnerability is particularly pronounced in low-elevation and low-slope southern downstream areas (Central part of Lao PDR). The results reveal that 36%–53% of the basin’s total area is highly susceptible to flooding, emphasizing the dire need for coordinated floodplain management strategies. This research uses freely accessible remote sensing data, addresses data scarcity in flood studies, and provides valuable insights for disaster risk management and sustainable planning in Lao PDR.

EXPLORING THE EVOLUTION OF SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS

Objective: The objective of this study are to investigate what and how existing sustainability programs are, to group and map these sustainability programs' main ideas to gain a more constructive and integrated understanding, and to find clues or opportunities to improve efforts to achieve sustainability. Theoretical Framework: The concept of sustainable development remains complex, ambiguous, and challenging to implement. The global environmental situation is worsening, leading to disasters and unfavorable climate change. Despite numerous efforts such as seminars, research, conferences, and work programs, both locally and globally, the understanding and implementation of sustainability remain unclear. There are differing views on the focus and strategy needed to address the development paradox, indicating a lack of consensus on the true meaning of sustainability. Method: This qualitative descriptive research employs a two-tiered literature review approach. The first focuses on the historical correlation between development and sustainability, examining early human civilization's development activities during the Neolithic era. The second tier analyzes and categorizes existing sustainability programs, reviewing various research articles on environmental preservation, natural resource protection, impact reduction, and social equity programs since the first industrial revolution. The findings are synthesized critically and comprehensively to identify common themes and core ideas. Results and Discussion: This study acknowledges the complexity and challenges of sustainability, emphasizing the ongoing relevance of conservation and resilience as core concepts. To address the dichotomy of development, new sustainability programs must also consider the revitalization of natural resources, continuity of ecosystem services, biodiversity maintenance, and resilience building. Approaches such as ecosophy and predictive methods based on dynamic phenomena can contribute (as a clue) to achieving sustainability goals by encouraging holistic thinking, balancing human and environmental needs, and promoting co-evolution. Research Implications: The complexity and constellation of diverse and intricate sustainability programs can be seen through this research. Although limited, these findings are expected to contribute to Sustainability science through a more comprehensive and constructive understanding of sustainability history and knowledge that has been described. Originality/Value: This study conducts a comprehensive research method covering various disciplines and a broad scope of sustainable development, including its evolution since the industrial revolution and aspects related to history of development. The research result creates a visual map representing the structure of existing sustainability programs, serving as a guide for proposing new research initiatives. This knowledge facilitates aligning new proposals with existing themes, bridging gaps in theories, and fostering the exploration and development of innovative sustainability ideas.

Structural heterogeneity predicts ecological resistance and resilience to wildfire in arid shrublands

ContextDynamic feedbacks between physical structure and ecological function drive ecosystem productivity, resilience, and biodiversity maintenance. Detailed maps of canopy structure enable comprehensive evaluations of structure–function relationships. However, these relationships are scale-dependent, and identifying relevant spatial scales to link structure to function remains challenging.ObjectivesWe identified optimal scales to relate structure heterogeneity to ecological resistance, measured as the impacts of wildfire on canopy structure, and ecological resilience, measured as native shrub recruitment. We further investigated whether structural heterogeneity can aid spatial predictions of shrub recruitment.MethodsUsing high-resolution imagery from unoccupied aerial systems (UAS), we mapped structural heterogeneity across ten semi-arid landscapes, undergoing a disturbance-mediated regime shift from native shrubland to dominance by invasive annual grasses. We then applied wavelet analysis to decompose structural heterogeneity into discrete scales and related these scales to ecological metrics of resilience and resistance.ResultsWe found strong indicators of scale dependence in the tested relationships. Wildfire effects were most prominent at a single scale of structural heterogeneity (2.34 m), while the abundance of shrub recruits was sensitive to structural heterogeneity at a range of scales, from 0.07 – 2.34 m. Structural heterogeneity enabled out-of-site predictions of shrub recruitment (R2 = 0.55). The best-performing predictive model included structural heterogeneity metrics across multiple scales.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that identifying structure–function relationships requires analyses that explicitly account for spatial scale. As high-resolution imagery enables spatially extensive maps of canopy heterogeneity, models for scale dependence will aid our understanding of resilience mechanisms in imperiled arid ecosystems.

CULTIVATING ABUNDANCE AND HARMONY: EXPLORING THE ECOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF NATURAL FARMING: A LITERATURE REVIEW

In response to mounting concerns over the environmental impacts of conventional agriculture, the concept of natural farming has gained prominence as a sustainable alternative. This literature review critically examines the multifaceted implications of natural farming, drawing insights from a range of scholarly sources. The review explores its ecological benefits, economic viability, integration of traditional knowledge with modern science, and cultural significance. The findings emphasize natural farming's ability to enhance soil health, promote biodiversity, and foster resilient ecosystems. Economic assessments reveal its potential for reduced input costs and improved resource efficiency. The integration of indigenous wisdom and contemporary insights is recognized as a dynamic pathway toward agricultural innovation. Moreover, the literature underscores the need for further research in areas such as long-term ecological impact, socioeconomic dynamics, agroecological contextualization, and policy support. In conclusion, natural farming emerges as a transformative approach that harmonizes with nature, offering solutions to challenges in agriculture while nurturing ecological health, economic stability, and cultural heritage.

Low functional redundancy revealed high vulnerability of the subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests to environmental change

Anthropogenic-induced environmental changes threaten forest ecosystems by reducing their biodiversity and adaptive capacity. Understanding the sensitivity of ecosystem function to loss of diversity is vital in designing conservation strategies and maintaining the resilience of forest ecosystems in a changing world. Here, based on unique combinations of ten functional traits (termed as functional entities; FEs), we quantified the metrics of functional redundancy (FR) and functional vulnerability (FV) in 250 forest plots across five locations in subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests. We then examined the potential impacts of species loss on functional diversity in subtropical forest communities along environmental gradients (climate and soil). Results showed that the subtropical forests displayed a low level of functional redundancy (FR < 2). Over 75 % of the FEs in these subtropical forest communities were composed of only one species, with rare species emerging as pivotal contributors to these vulnerable FEs. The number of FEs and functional redundancy both increased with the rise in species richness, but functional vulnerability decreased with increasing species richness. Climatic factors, especially mean diurnal range, played crucial roles in determining the functions that the forest ecosystem delivers. Under variable temperature conditions, species in each plot were packed into a few FEs, leading to higher functional redundancy and lower functional vulnerability. These results highlighted that rare species contribute significantly to ecosystem functions and the highly diverse subtropical forest communities could show more insurance effects against species loss under stressful environmental conditions.

Reference ecosystem construction and adaptive restoration effect evaluation: A case study of a small watershed in the loess hilly region

AbstractThe loess hilly region is one of the most fragile areas in China. Many ecological restoration projects in this region are equivalent to simple afforestation and grass planting, with large investment and low benefits. Based on the concept of reference ecosystem, this study uses remote sensing data and vegetation community survey of Wanhuigou catchment, and applies methods such as redundancy analysis and GeoDetector to explore the characteristics of topography, soil, and vegetation of reference ecosystem, so as to provide restoration standards for damaged or degraded ecosystems in a small watershed. Thirteen typical and representative areas are selected to evaluate the degree of ecosystem damage and resilience, and divided into four categories according to the evaluation results and characteristics of ecosystems. Corresponding restoration measures such as protection and conservation, natural restoration, auxiliary regeneration, and ecological reconstruction are adopted for ecosystems under different scenarios with reference ecosystems as the target, and the effectiveness of implementation is assessed. The results show that the combination conditions of elevation and slope have a very important influence on the distribution of ecosystems. In the process of ecological restoration, it is necessary to deeply grasp the characteristics of soil and species diversity within the same community and among different communities, as well as their interrelationships. Adaptive restoration measures for ecosystems in different situations are conducive to the sustainability and effectiveness of ecosystem restoration. Given the complexity and diversity of habitat conditions and plant community types in Wanhuigou catchment, the results have certain universality, which can provide reference for the comprehensive management of other small watersheds in the loess hilly region, so as to achieve sustainable construction and restoration of ecosystems as well as harmonious development between humans and nature.

Dynamic process of ecosystem water use efficiency and response to drought in the Yellow River Basin, China

Ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial indicator of the impact of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, reflecting the balance between biological processes (photosynthesis and transpiration) and physical processes (evapotranspiration). However, the response mechanisms and driving processes of WUE to drought remain to be further understood. In this study, we analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics and response mechanisms of WUE in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) using data on Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), Evapotranspiration (ET) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), which revealed the cumulative effect of drought on WUE and assessed the ecosystem's resilience. The study results showed that (1) GPP, ET and WUE in the YRB exhibited a significant increasing trend, with 63.04 % of the area showing a marked increase in WUE. (2) GPP was the dominant factor influencing WUE in 65.36 % of the area, particularly in cropland and grassland, while ET was more influential in forested areas. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was identified as the principal driver affecting vegetation GPP in semi-arid and semi-humid regions of the YRB. In contrast, soil moisture (SM) was the limiting factor in arid areas. (3) 71.00 % of the WUE in the basin was affected by drought cumulative effects, with an average cumulative duration of 4.5 months. Arid regions experienced the most extended duration of 7.29 months, compared to 3.05 months in semi-humid regions. (4) 74.85 % of the regional ecosystems exhibited ecological resilience to drought, particularly in the source areas of the western basin of the YRB. Shrublands have the highest drought resilience among vegetation types, while grasslands have the lowest. The resilience of each climatic zone was in the order of semi-humid, semi-arid, and arid order. This study comprehensively analyzed of the spatial and temporal dynamics and response mechanisms of WUE in the YRB, offering a new perspective and scientific basis for understanding and predicting the ecosystem response to climate change.