Study Area Research Articles

Urbanization-driven forest soil greenhouse gas emissions: Insights from the role of soil bacteria in carbon and nitrogen cycling using a metagenomic approach

Increasing population densities and urban sprawl have induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the soil, and the soil microbiota of urban forests play a critical role in the production and consumption of GHGs, supporting green development. However, the function and potential mechanism of soil bacteria in GHG emissions from forests during urbanization processes need to be better understood. Here, we measured the fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in Cinnamomum camphora forest soils along an urbanization gradient. 16S amplicon and metagenomic sequencing approaches were employed to examine the structure and potential functions of the soil bacterial community involved in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. In this study, the CH4 and CO2 emissions from urban forest soils (sites U and G) were significantly greater than those from suburban soils (sites S and M). The N2O emissions in the urban center (site U) were 24.0 % (G), 13.8 % (S), and 13.5 % (M) greater than those at the other three sites. These results were related to the increasing bacterial alpha diversity, interactions, and C and N cycling gene abundances (especially those involved in denitrification) in urban forest soils. Additionally, the soil pH and metal contents (K, Ca, Mg) affected key bacterial populations (such as Methylomirabilota, Acidobacteriota, and Proteobacteria) and indicators (napA, nosZ, nrfA, nifH) involved in reducing N2O emissions. The soil heavy metal contents (Fe, Cr, Pb) were the main contributors to CH4 emissions, possibly by affecting methanogens (Desulfobacterota) and methanotrophic bacteria (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Patescibacteria). Our study provides new insights into the benefits of conservation-minded urban planning and close-to-nature urban forest management and construction, which are conducive to mitigating GHG emissions and supporting urban sustainable development by mediating the core bacterial population.

103 Goats complement cattle in a woody-plant encroached, diverse Cross Timbers rangeland

Abstract Our objectives were to 1) determine diet selection of goats and cattle grazing woody plant-encroached tallgrass prairie, and, 2) determine the effect of the presence of goats on cattle diet selection. In 2019, pastures (n = 6) were allocated to 1 of 2 experimental grazing treatments. Pastures (n = 3) grazed by cattle only (crossbred Angus yearling heifers) were moderately grazed year-round at 4.2 ha per heifer. Pastures (n = 3) grazed by cattle (similar heifers) and goats (Boer x Spanish crossbred mature does) were moderately grazed year-round at 4.7 ha per heifer and 2.3 ha per goat simultaneously. Each pasture was burned in 6 patches (2 patches per year) to facilitate range management objectives. Every 35 d from May 2022 until June 2023, fecal samples were collected from all animals and stored frozen and later composited into 2 composites per animal species per pasture. Composites were then analyzed by a commercial lab with DNA barcoding and high-throughput sequencing. For statistical analysis, the top 50 Exact Sequence Variants (ESVs), representing species of forage, across all treatments were used for analysis. Each ESV was georeferenced to eliminate plants that did not grow in the study area, and assigned to a representative functional group: graminoid, forb, legume, and woody plant. Analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc separation of estimated marginal means were performed to assess the effects of season, grazer species, and the interaction. The interaction of season and grazer species was significant (P < 0.01) for the percentage of diet selected from each functional group of plants. As expected, goats selected a greater percentage of their diet as woody plants in summer (57%) and winter (74%) compared with cattle (27%). Cattle selected more grass in winter (34%) than goats (11%). Goats selected more forbs in spring (33%) than cattle (10%). However, goats selected a lesser percentage of their diet as legumes in summer (16%) than cattle (58%), which was unexpected. Overall, these results indicate that both species of grazers select a diverse diet from these diverse pastures, and selection is dynamic over time. Goat presence in a pasture does not seem to drastically alter cattle selection, actually complementing cattle in these pastures where goats can be used to target species cattle do not prefer.

Deep fault sliding rates for Ka-Ping block of Xinjiang based on repeating earthquakes

Abstract The seismically active Ka-Ping Block within Xinjiang, China, represents a zone of potential earthquake hazards, and existing surface measurements cannot fully reflect the area’s sub-surface slip rates. To determine these slip rates and characterize the level of hazard that the study area may face in future years, using a cross-correlation of waveforms, we identified 432 repeat sequences along large faults (F1–F5) in the Ka-Ping Block between September 2009 and April 2022 and computed the annual slip rate for every sequence with the empirical relationship of the moment and the seismic magnitude. Spatial distribution images and temporal evolution characteristics of deep deformation in fault zones were constructed. We obtained five asperities in the Ka-Ping Block, the western portion of the PiQiang fault (F4) had a larger yearly slide rate than its eastern portion, and the southwest and eastern areas of the KEP station show an elevated risk of seismic activity within the next two years.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of equine herpesvirus type-1/-4 in selected districts of Northwest Amhara, Ethiopia

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, determine the distribution, and identify the epidemiological risk factors of EHV-1/-4 infections in selected districts of Northwest Amhara Region. 460 serum samples were collected from equines using multistage cluster sampling technique, and a competitive Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was performed. Various risk factors for the occurrence of EHV-1/-4 were considered. Statistical analysis was performed using R version 4.3.1. 65.9% (303) equids were tested positive for antibodies against EHV-1/-4. Based on district, the highest prevalence was recorded in Wogera (86.1%), while the lowest was in Debark (47.4%). There was a significant difference (p <0.05; 95% CI: 1.1067993–3.682843) in the prevalence of EHV-1/-4 among species and donkeys are 2.019 times more likely to get an EHV infection than horses. The prevalence of EHV-1/-4 was highest in equids with the age of 3–8 years and lowest in < 3 years, and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05; 95% CI: 1.9812042–6.771820). Statistically significant variation (p <0.05; 95% CI: 1.1173822–2.684013) was also observed between sex of equids in which females had 1.73 times higher chance to get EHV infection than males. Higher prevalence was found in lactating equids (81.6%), followed by pregnant equids (74.6%), and dry equids (66.4%). Generally, this study indicated a high and wide distribution of EHV-1/-4 infection in the study area, which needs due attention. Devising strategies to prevent and minimize the spread and occurrence of the infection is crucial.

Chondrichthyes in the north-western Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean): Species diversity, abundance and spatio-temporal changes

This study provides an updated list of fish in the Class Chondrichthyes sampled during all research projects conducted in the north-western Ionian Sea from 1985 to 2020. A total of 36 Chondrichthyes species belonging to 8 orders and 19 families were detected, most of them distributed over a wide depth range, between shelf and slope. For species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 8 species are listed as Critically Endangered, 3 as Endangered, 6 Vulnerable and 5 as Near Threatened species. The distribution of cartilaginous fish was examined exploring the historical series of MEDITS data (1995–2020. Changes in the species diversity and in their abundance with time and space were detected and some environmental and anthropogenic drivers that could have caused these changes were analysed. An increase in the presence, number of species and biomass of Chondrichthyes was detected from 1995 to 2020. The GAM analyses seem to indicate that the observed increase in species number and biomass is due to the decrease in fishing capacity and increase in salinity and temperature on the bottom. Furthermore, for the most abundant species, Galeus melastomus, an increase of biomass, size and a deeper distribution over the last 26 years were detected. Significant changes in biomass were also observed for other abundant species in the study area (Scyliorhinus canicula and Raja miraletus). The increase in biomass over time, different from several Mediterranean observations, is discussed in relation to the presence of refuge areas in the north-western Ionian Sea.

Erodibility Indices and Soil Loss from Different Land uses in Owukpa and Okaba Bioregion of Lower Coal Measures Geological Sediments of the Anambra Basin, Nigeria

The study on erodibility indices and soil loss from different land uses in Owukpa and Okaba bioregion of lower coal measures geological sediments of the Anambra Basin, Nigeria was conducted forested, cultivated and residential lands. Thirty-nine (39) representative soil samples were collected at a depth of 0 – 20 cm using auger, labeled and preserved to the laboratory for standard laboratory procedures. The percentage of different grain sizes Moisture content, organic carbon, organic matter content, soil pH, bulk density, particle density, porosity, soil structural index, specific gravity, particle size and permeability were verified. The three land uses were predominantly sandy soil and classified as sandy loam, moderate Permeability, low moisture and clay contents. Dispersion, Erosion, Clay and Modified Clay ratios where high, while Water Stable Aggregates was low. Cultivated land use has the highest value of erodibility factor K (0.12) and predicted soil loss was 18.22 tons/ha/yr. Residential land use value of erodibility factor K was 0.10 and the predicted soil loss of 14.80 Tons/ha /yr while forested land use K was lowest (0.08) with predicted soil loss of 11.84 tons/ha/yr. Using one way ANOVA at p ? 0.05 the different land use patterns did not significantly influence erodibility factor and soil loss in the study area.

Global characteristics of cloud macro-physical properties from active satellite remote sensing

Based on the products of joint CloudSat and CALIPSO observations from 2006 to 2017, this study investigates the global cloud macro-physical characteristics, including the spatial differences in cloud height, cloud thickness, cloud type, and cloud phase, along with the spatial-temporal variations and the land-sea discrepancy of the cloud vertical structure variables according to the study areas. The results show that the cloud frequency is higher over oceans than over land globally, but the opposite is true for cloud systems with more than two layers. Seasonal variability of global-average total cloud fraction is small, but large among different latitudinal bands. The global spatial distributions of cloud top height (CTH) and cloud base height (CBH) are similar, showing larger cloud heights over the land than over the ocean. The low clouds are mostly located in the central subtropical region, with CTH among 2.5–7.5 km, While the high clouds are mainly distributed in the equatorial region with CTH about 10–15 km. Meanwhile, the regional and seasonal variability of cloud geometric thickness (CGT) in all study areas are small, and the average thickness of higher clouds is slightly larger than that of lower clouds. By categorizing the clouds into eight types, it was found that the frequency of cirrus (Ci) and stratocumulus (Sc) is higher, followed by altocumulus (Ac), altostratus (As), nimbostratus (Ns) and cumulus (Cu), and the frequency of stratus (St) and deep convective clouds (DC) is the lowest. In addition, the occurrence frequency of clouds in phases was ranked from high to low as ice clouds, liquid clouds and mixed-phase clouds. Ice clouds are concentrated in the tropics and mid-latitudes, and located almost symmetrically around the equator during Mar-Apr-May (MAM) and Sep-Oct-Nov (SON). Liquid clouds are mainly distributed around 30°S and 30°N with large seasonal variability, and their frequency is higher over the ocean than over the land. Mixed-phase clouds are concentrated in the middle and high latitudes, with much less occurring in the equatorial regions.

Assessing the Prediction Accuracy of Frequency Ratio, Weight of Evidence, Shannon Entropy, and Information Value Methods for Landslide Susceptibility in the Siwalik Hills of Nepal

The main objective of this study is to assess the prediction and success rate based on bivariate frequency ratio (FR), weight of evidence (WoE), Shannon entropy (SE), and information value (IV) models for landslide susceptibility in the sedimentary terrain of Nepal Himalaya, as the area is facing threat for sustainable development as well as sustainable resource management. This study also seeks to evaluate the causative factors for landslide susceptibility. Initially, a landslide inventory map was created, consisting of 1158 polygons. These polygons were randomly divided into two sets, with a ratio of 70% for training and 30% for testing data. The multicollinearity approach was evaluated to assess the relevance of selected conditioning variables and their inclusion in the model construction process. The area under the curve (AUC) and other arithmetic evaluation methods were employed to validate and compare the outcomes of the models. In comparison, the predictive accuracy of the FR model surpasses that of the IV and SE models. The success rates, ranked in descending order, are as follows: WoE (79.9%), FR (75.3%), IV (74.4%), and SE (73.2%). Similarly, the success rates of four distinct models, namely WoE, FR, IV, and SE, are 85%, 78.75%, 78.57%, and 77.2%, correspondingly. All models have an accuracy and prediction rate exceeding 70%, making them suitable for assessing landslide susceptibility in the Siwalik Hills of Nepal. Nevertheless, the weight of evidence model provides more precise outcomes than other models. This study is expected to provide important information for road and settlement sustainability in the study area.

Geophysical characterization of groundwater aquifers in the Western Debrecen area, Hungary: insights from gravity, magnetotelluric, and electrical resistivity tomography

The recent study followed a multi-methodological approach integrating gravity, magnetotelluric (MT), and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to investigate the geometry and hydrological characteristics of the main hydrostratigraphical units in the Western Debrecen area, Eastern Hungary. The integration of these methods aims to delineate potential zones for groundwater development and guide effective extraction strategies. In the gravity investigation, the Bouguer anomaly map undergoes spectral analysis for the separation of shallow and deep features, offering a preliminary indication of basement rock depth. Subsequently, gravity data inversion is employed to map variations in basement rock topography, revealing a basin structure, with sediment thicknesses extending up to 2 km. On the other hand, the MT data are modeled using the 1D Occam inversion algorithm to validate the results of the gravity data analysis. This inversion, constrained with lithological logs is further utilized to delineate the main hydrostratigraphical units in the study area. Accordingly, four units are identified, including the Nagyalföld Aquifer, Algyő and Endrődi Aquitards, the Badenian Aquifer, and the Pre-Neogene Aquitard. Consequently, Dar Zarrouk parameters based transmissivity and the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer units are measured. The Nagyalföld aquifer showed a hydraulic conductivity that ranged between 7.9 and 11.9 m/day, while the Badenian aquifer showed an average hydraulic conductivity of 13.1 m/day. The ERT data are employed to map the spatial distribution of the depth to the water table. The shallow water table is observed in regions characterized by an elevated thickness of sedimentary rocks, attributed to their high specific capacity. Integrating these hydrogeophysical methods provided a comprehensive understanding of the subsurface hydrology and enabled better-informed decision-making for groundwater development.

Influence of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers on Bulb Yield and Yield-Related Attributes of Onion (Allium cepa L.) in Fogera Area, Northwest Ethiopia

Aim: Onion is one of the most important vegetable crops grown under irrigation in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. However, its productivity is affected by sub-optimal fertilization. The present research was conducted to investigate the response and economic returns of onion to N and P fertilizers application under irrigation.&#x0D; Study Design: Randomized Complete Block Design in Factorial Arrangement with three replications.&#x0D; Place and Duration of the Study: The research was conducted in 2020 and 2021 in the Fogera area of Northwest Ethiopia.&#x0D; Methodology: Four levels of N (0, 46, 92, and 138 kg N ha-1) and three levels of P (0, 46, and 92 kg P2O5 ha-1) were factorially combined and laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications.&#x0D; Results: The results showed that the yield and yield components of onion were significantly affected by the main effects of N. However, the main effects of P and its interaction with N did not significantly influence the growth and yield of onion. The highest plant height, number of leaves per plant, bulb girth and marketable bulb yield were recorded from the application of N138 statistically at par with N92. The maximum net economic return was obtained from the application of N138.&#x0D; Conclusion: Application of 138 kg N ha-1 was the economic optimum rate for maximum bulb yield of onion in the study area. Further investigation on the response of onion to P is recommended.

Regional scale terrace mapping in fragmented mountainous areas using multi-source remote sensing data and sample purification strategy

As a stepped cross section of farmland built along the contour lines, terrace is widely distributed on hill-slopes. It changes the original surface slope and runoff coefficient, reduces soil nutrient loss, and has become the most important soil erosion control measure in China. Accurate terrace mapping at regional scale is crucial for soil conservation, agriculture sustainability and ecological planning. Due to the influence of cloudy and rainy weather, poor data availability makes it difficult to identify terrace distribution only using optical remote sensing images in mountainous areas. In this study, we incorporated multi-spectral optical and SAR data, features of terrain, texture and time sequence information, and proposed a pixel-based supervised classification method based on sample purification strategy to obtain a 10 m resolution terraced map in a plateau mountainous region. With 610 terrace/non-terrace validation sample data, 10-fold cross-validation was used to test the classification results. For identified terrace, the values of Overall Accuracy (OA), Producer's Accuracy (PA) and User's Accuracy (UA) stay stable above 90 %, the F1 score and Kappa coefficient show the smallest fluctuation and is stable in the range of 0.90–0.93 and 0.81–0.87, respectively. The accuracy evaluation of grid units show that the uncertainty of the terrace distribution is mainly concentrated in the north and south of the study area. Slope cultivated land, low-slope terrace and non-agricultural vegetation are easily mixed due to the heterogeneity of terrace features and the spectrum similarity among these land types. It should be noted that the features of time series and texture play a key role in the terrace recognition process, rather than terrain factors, which is different from previous studies. The sample purification strategy proposed provides a more reliable regional scale terrace distribution map compared to the existing product, and is potentially transferable to other mountainous areas as a robust approach for rapid identification of terrace.

Linkage between Granite Weathering and Gully Erosion in Subtropical Region

Granites, widely distributed in the Earth’s crust, undergo pedogenic processes, shaping diverse soil-mantled landscapes influenced by climatic factors in different regions. Investigating the geochemical signatures in granite weathering profiles across varying climatic conditions provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay between weathering and landscape evolution. In this study, the geochemical features, particularly major and rare earth elements, and the weathering degree of granites across temperate to subtropical regions in China were examined. The results indicated significant variations in the geochemical characteristics of granite weathering profiles, both at a pedon and regional scale (p &lt; 0.01). With increasing hydrothermal conditions from north to south, soil pH shifted from neutral to acidic, accompanied by the leaching of major elements (K2O, Na2O, CaO, and MgO) and the enrichment of Al and Fe. The total rare earth elements (∑REEs) ranged from 75 to 352 ppm, and light rare earth elements (LREEs) from 71 to 317 ppm, exhibiting less significant variations across the study area, while heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) showed higher concentrations in the subtropical region (3 to 35 ppm). Plagioclases dominated the weathering process in temperate regions, with K-feldspar progressively increasing and, eventually, dominating from temperate to subtropic regions, resulting in a shift in clay minerals from 2:1-type in the temperate to 1:1-type in the subtropic. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) and comprehensive weathering index (W) increased from fresh rock to residual soils along the weathering profiles and from north to south across the study area, ranging from 50.72 to 97.44 and 35.11 to 70.62, respectively. The intensified granite weathering degree was significantly influenced by climatic conditions (p &lt; 0.05), especially the multi-year average precipitation (22.4%) and relative humidity (9.1%) (p &lt; 0.01). Gully erosion on the granite weathering mantle was concentrated in granites with a comprehensive weathering index exceeding 52.51, and the spatial variation of the granite weathering degree aligned with the spatial distribution of gully density across the study area.

Level of Awareness on the Usage of Thermal Insulation among Building Professionals: Case of a Tropical City in Nigeria

Adoption of buildings’ thermal insulation in Nigeria is still at the developmental stage; evidence of its usage for high thermal performance buildings and energy efficiency connotes a very low rate as there is very little evidence-based research in this regard. This paper seeks to evaluate the level of awareness on the usage of building thermal insulation among professionals in the building construction sector within Akure, a tropical city in Nigeria, to identify factors that deter its adoption and raise the level of commitment of the professionals within the building construction sector to sustainable practices of reducing buildings’ energy consumption. This is to create a resilient built environment against the challenges of climate change. Well-structured questionnaires were administered to gather data for the investigation. Jupyter Notebook version 6.4.12 was employed for the analysis. Results indicated a fairly good level of awareness among the building professionals while the barriers that affect the level of usage of thermal insulation within the study area are the high cost of procuring thermal insulation materials, non-compliance to building regulations, and governmental policy on construction. The research concluded that a good number of professionals have a high level of awareness of the usage of building thermal insulation, but the cost of the materials and government policy deterred its level of usage in the study area. Consequently, propagation of the usage of thermal insulation should be done through education and training of the stakeholders. Furthermore, the government needs to strengthen policies that support the usage and availability of thermal insulation within the study area

GIS-Enabled Multi-Criteria Assessment for Hospital Site Suitability: A Case Study of Tehran

In developing countries, the interaction between rapid urban expansion and population growth brings forth a host of challenges, particularly concerning essential services like healthcare. While interest in site suitability analysis for identifying optimal hospital locations to ensure equitable and secure healthcare access is on the rise, the absence of a holistic study that encompasses social and environmental aspects in the assessment of hospital site suitability is evident. The objective of this research is to introduce a hybrid methodology that combines Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) weighting methods. This methodology aims to create hospital site suitability maps for districts 21 and 22 in Tehran, taking into account socio-environmental factors. In addition to the conventional Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) weighting method, this study employs two relatively less-explored methods, the Best-Worst Method (BWM) and Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA), to enhance the analysis of hospital site suitability. In the SWARA method, there are minimal variations in weights among criteria, indicating that all socio-environmental factors (e.g., distance from existing hospitals, distance from main roads, distance from green spaces) hold significant importance in the decision-making process. Additionally, the findings indicate that the western part of the study area is the most suitable location for the construction of a new hospital. To achieve the average hospital bed availability in Tehran, an additional 2206 beds are required in the studied area, in addition to the existing facilities. Considering the ongoing urban development, population growth, and the potential for natural disasters and epidemics, it becomes essential to enhance the healthcare system by increasing the number of hospitals and available hospital beds. The sensitivity analysis showed that GIS-based SWARA-WLC was the most suitable and stable model for determining hospital site suitability in the study area. This methodology can be adapted for use in other regions and further improved by incorporating additional criteria. In conclusion, the study recommended three specific alternative sites for establishing a new hospital in the study area.

Integrated Riverside Development Along Adyar River, Chennai

Integrated Riverside Development (IRD) is a planning approach that aims to achieve sustainable development of urban areas located along riverbanks. To implement this IRD with controlled regulations, the study is focused on developing a comprehensive riverside development and river zoning regulatory framework that integrates all five main elements, with particular emphasis on economic, ecological, and social factors, in order to reduce encroachment and pollution in the study area. The objectives of the study include analyzing the current land use, recreational parks, encroachments, pollution levels, sewage disposal patterns, and solid waste dumping zones in the study area, as well as studying the socio-economic and eco-environmental aspects of the area. Additionally, identifying and analyzing the major threats to the river and developing a river zoning regulatory framework using the land use matrix technique is also included in the study objectives. The study area (Adyar River) was chosen based on social, ecological, and economic factors, and data was collected through surveys and from government offices. Using the land use matrix method, proposals for riverside development were made, and the zones were classified into development-prohibited, development-restricted, and development-optimized zones. The zones were classified based on the calculated values of Eco sensitivity for each of the three zones. Proposals were then given based on these classified zones, and the levels of development potential were determined. The proposed zoning regulatory framework is expected to have a significant impact in reducing further encroachments and improving connectivity between the city and the river. By considering socio-economic, ecological, and environmental aspects, the study recommends appropriate zoning regulations for riverfront developments that promote sustainable growth.

Climate changes impact on the distribution of vegetation in Wasit and Nineveh regions of Iraq

Climate changes have a direct or indirect impact on many vital systems, including human and animal, as well as vegetation. The monthly precipitation and temperature for the period (1981-2021) and vegetation images (NDVI) for the period (2000-2022) from the satellite (NASA) for the regions of Ninevah and Wasit of Iraq were used to find out their variations over the space and time. It was found that the temperature was increasing with time, but the precipitation was in a state of turbulent increase in the two study areas. The distribution of vegetation was also in a state of change with time as well as within a region. The vegetation area increased with increase in precipitation which was greater in the Ninevah region than in the Wasit region. When there was a lack of precipitation, the vegetation cover area decreased in the two study areas. The increase in temperature also resulted in a decrease in the density and area of vegetation. It was found that the change in the amount of precipitation was more influential than the change in temperature on the vegetative distribution.

Delineating wildfire burns and regrowth using satellite imagery to assess moose (Alces alces) spatial responses to burns

AbstractClimate change is predicted to increase the frequency and size of wildfires. Wildfire burns can influence wildlife space use, but prior to understanding the relationship between wildlife and burns, the extent of wildfires and the regrowth of burned areas must be determined. We used remotely sensed, multispectral satellite imagery to calculate differenced normalized burn ratios (NBRs) to define areas burned by wildfire and assess temporal trends in burn frequency and extent in central British Columbia. We then used NBRs as an index of vegetation regrowth to model regrowth trajectories within burns. Next, we examined spatial responses to burns by a moose (Alces alces) population that recently declined in abundance. We utilized locations used by and available to collared moose to determine spatial responses as a function of years since wildfire and vegetation regrowth. We also assessed functional responses to burns by moose, dependent upon the proportion of burned areas available to each individual. We hypothesized that (h1) wildfire burns within our study area increased from 1985 to 2017, (h2) that moose increase their use of burns in comparison with availability as burns age as a result of vegetation regrowth, and (h3) that moose demonstrate functional responses to burns (i.e., selection of burns by individual moose declines as the amount of burned areas increases). We observed that the frequency and extent of burns are increasing within our study area. In contrast to h2, moose in summer and fall decreased the selection of burns as burns aged. We, however, observed that moose responded most positively to locations with intermediate vegetation regrowth (i.e., NBR values), which according to burn regrowth trajectories were most likely to be achieved 13 or more years post‐wildfire; given that most burns within our study area were ≤13 years of age, we predict that the use of burns will likely increase as vegetation regrows. Moose only selected for burns in fall, and we did not find support for the presence of a functional response. Our research demonstrated the utility of remotely sensed imagery and NBRs to define burn locations and to reveal current and probable future spatial responses to burns by a wildlife population of concern.

Soil Salinity Estimation by 3D Spectral Space Optimization and Deep Soil Investigation in the Songnen Plain, Northeast China

Saline–alkaline soil is a severe threat to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but it can also be a precious land resource if properly utilized according to its properties. This research takes the Songnen Plain as the study area. The aim is to figure out the saline–alkaline status and mechanisms for its scientific utilization. Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery is used, and a 3D spectral space optimization method is proposed according to the restrictive relationships among the surface soil salinity index (SSSI), vegetation index (VI), and surface soil wetness index (SSWI) to construct a surface soil salinization–alkalization index (SSSAI) for estimation of the surface soil salinity (SSS). It is testified that SSS can be precisely estimated using the SSSAI (R2 = 0.74) with field verification of 50 surface salinized soil samples. Surface water and groundwater investigations, as well as deep soil exploration, indicate that the salt ions come from groundwater, and alkalinization is a primary problem in the deep soils. Fine-textured clay soils act as interrupted aquifers to prevent salt ions from penetrating and diluting downward with water, which is the cause of the salinization–alkalization problem in the study area. Finally, a sustainable solution for the saline–alkaline land resource is proposed according to the deep soil properties.

Determinants Influencing the Environmental Impact Assessment Compliance Rate by Industries in Aba City, Southeast, Nigeria

A United Nations (UN) report on the severity of pollution in cities around the world in 2020 rated Aba City, Nigeria, as the most polluted city in the world. This has become a source of worry and embarrassment for environmental policymakers in the country. The matter of whether industries are efficiently managing their wastes came to the fore, and policymakers questioned the compliance of these industries with environmental laws and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines and the reasons behind the seemingly non-compliance of the industries with these guidelines. The study aimed to investigate the determinants that influence compliance with EIA guidelines by industries in Aba. A survey research method was employed in the study. Questionnaires and interviews were also used to elicit data from industrialists and environmentalists in the study area. 384 industries were sampled in the study. Principal Component Analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The study revealed seven factors that influenced the compliance rate of EIA guidelines by industries, and they include weak public participation (65.5%), ignorance (54.5%), an effective legal system and legislation (42.4%), the cost of compliance (40.5%), weak coordination along the line of departments (town planning officers and consultants) (35.5%), delay in approval (30.5%), and limited scope (28.9%). It was recommended that the government strengthen the legal system as it relates to the implementation of EIA; then, there is a need to involve affected stakeholders in the preparation of EIA documents.

Soil quality evaluation of different land use modes in small watersheds in the hilly region of southern Jiangsu

The Yixing Yuantianjian small watershed is a provincial soil erosion key management area in the hilly region of southern Jiangsu. It has been implemented key national soil erosion control project for small watershed management, which is typical and representative in the region. It is important to quantitatively evaluate the soil quality of the area under different land use modes and then select suitable ecological restoration measures to promote the ecological and economic construction of small watersheds in the hilly region of southern Jiangsu. Used four types of land use (forest land, garden land, arable land and abandoned land) in the Yixing Yuantianjian small watershed as the research object, 13 soil physical and chemical property indicators were screened based on principal component analysis, correlation analysis and Norm value calculation to construct a minimum data set (MDS) for soil quality evaluation. The results showed that the variability of soil chemical indicators of land use modes was higher than that of soil physical indicators in the study area. The MDS indicators affected by soil quality in the small watershed are sand content (Sand), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), total soil porosity (TSP) and bulk density (BD), which provide valid information on soil quality in the area with high accuracy. The soil quality index for different land use modes in the small watershed in the hilly areas of southern Jiangsu was SQI forest land (0.83) > SQI cultivated land (0.74) > SQI garden land (0.66) > SQI abandoned land (0.46), with soil quality at a medium to high level. AN was the key factor limiting the soil quality of this watershed. This study can provide a scientific basis for soil quality enhancement and ecological restoration in the small watersheds of the southern Jiangsu hilly region.