ABSTRACT With the increasing alignment of rural tourism development with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 focused on sustainable communities, enhancing outdoor thermal comfort in traditional villages has become imperative. Yet, prior research has insufficiently explored the seasonal correlations between street and alley morphology and thermal performance. This study addresses this gap by investigating Xidi Village in Huizhou, where the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) index is innovatively employed to evaluate sustainable microclimate regulation. Through mobile and fixed monitoring, a multiple linear regression model was constructed to quantify the influence of seven morphological parameters, such as aspect ratio and orientation. Winter and summer field measurements demonstrated the model’s statistical significance, identifying context-specific reference ranges for this region – such as an aspect ratio of 3–5 and an orientation of 30°–60°—that seasonally balance PET values. These thresholds serve as adaptable guidelines rather than universal rules. The results provide a quantitative basis for designing street layouts in traditional villages, thereby advancing low-carbon human settlements and supporting sustainable habitat optimization.

This study aims to analyze the position and limits of the attribution authority of the Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK) of Bengkulu Province in protecting Rafflesia arnoldii as an endemic flora, and to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of legal protection instruments in addressing the threat of habitat destruction and illegal exploitation. The research method used is normative juridical with a legislative and conceptual approach, supported by limited empirical data through literature study. The results show that DLHK has strong and independent attribution authority based on the Law on Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and the Law on Regional Government, with the scope of regulatory, supervisory, law enforcement, and coordination functions. However, the implementation of legal protection for Rafflesia arnoldii has not been optimal. This is due to the high level of habitat destruction due to human activities, the persistence of illegal exploitation, limited institutional resources, and weak supervision and law enforcement. In addition, low public awareness also exacerbates this condition. Therefore, more comprehensive efforts are needed through strengthening institutional capacity, improving law enforcement, sustainable habitat protection, and community involvement in conservation activities. Thus, it is hoped that protection of Rafflesia arnoldii can be more effective and sustainable.

Thermomechanical Properties of Bio-sourced Composite Materials Based on Cement and Plaster Binders with Varying Proportions of Typha Fibers/Reinforcement for Sustainable Habitat Construction

The purpose of this study was to provide science teacher candidates with an interdisciplinary learning experience that combines biology, engineering, and technology, and to examine their views on this experience. We developed the activity based on the engineering science approach. The candidates were asked to design a sustainable habitat to support the development of tadpoles as a solution to the growing problem of wetland pollution. To this end, the teacher candidates used sensors and data loggers to investigate the effects of environmental factors (UV, pH, temperature) on the metamorphosis process of the common toad (Bufo bufo). The tadpole was observed over 5 days, and its development was documented through photographs and note-taking. Teacher candidates discussed the activity’s challenges and benefits in the virtual meeting platform as a focus group. The transcribed opinions were coded by the researcher using content analysis. The findings indicated that the teacher candidates made positive gains in areas such as applying scientific process skills and engaging in experiential learning. However, they encountered challenges related to tradeoff applications, cost calculation, decision-making, and detailed design. Overall, the study highlights that such activities not only raise environmental awareness but also enhance the cognitive and emotional skills of teacher candidates.

Residents’ preference for sustainable habitats through choice experiments using 3D visualisations: Evidence from Rural Western Sichuan, China

Urbanization in secondary Indian cities is reshaping local thermal environments by converting natural and agricultural surfaces into impervious built-up areas. This study examines three decades of changes in land use and land cover and their influence on land surface temperature in Ballia City, Uttar Pradesh, using Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI TIRS imagery for the years 1994, 2004, 2014 and 2024. Supervised classification with the Maximum Likelihood algorithm was used to map land use transitions, and standard thermal retrieval procedures were applied to extract land surface temperature. Multispectral indices, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Built-up Index, Modified Normalized Difference Water Index, and Modified Normalized Difference Bare Soil Index, were computed to examine biophysical controls. Linear regression was performed to quantify the relationships between land surface temperature and spectral indices. The results show that built-up area expanded from 26.4 percent to 59.7 percent of the city’s area, while agricultural land declined from 47.1 percent to 23.3 percent, vegetation from 12.3 percent to 7 percent, and water bodies from 2 percent to 0.3 percent. Mean land surface temperature increased from 27.3 °C in 1994 to 34.2 °C in 2024, indicating a total rise of 6.9 °C. Thermal zone analysis shows the disappearance of cooler classes below 25.5 °C and the emergence of extreme heat zones above 35.8 °C that now cover 7.8 percent of the city. Vegetation exhibited a consistent negative association with land surface temperature, while built-up surfaces were moderately and positively associated with higher temperatures. Water bodies and bare soil showed weak negative relationships, indicating their limited cooling influence under expanding urban pressure. Overall, rapid urbanization is the dominant driver of surface warming in Ballia, increasing thermal stress and reducing ecological resilience. Strengthening green corridors, restoring wetlands, and promoting peri urban agroforestry in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 11 and India’s Sustainable Habitat Mission can help mitigate rising temperatures. These findings underscore the need for locally tailored land use policies to balance urban growth with environmental sustainability.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the interconnected roles of environmental conditions and public health beyond conventional medical explanations. The One Health (OH) perspective offers a collaborative and interdisciplinary perspective that integrates humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment to achieve optimal health outcomes. The 12 cities in Hubei Province that experienced lockdown during the peak phase of COVID-19 (February 1 to March 4, 2020) provided unique samples. In this study, land cover was selected as the environmental variable, and the COVID-19 growth rate was used as the infectious disease indicator to examine their relationship, thereby investigating the potential role of environmental factors in epidemic control.MethodsThe Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used to identify the most influential variables for subsequent analyses. Spatial autocorrelation was assessed using Moran’s I in RStudio, while spatial dependence was explicitly modeled through the Spatial Autoregressive (SAR) and Spatial Lag of X (SLX) models to evaluate the effects of explanatory variables while accounting for spatial interactions. All results were interpreted within the One Health perspective, considering the source of infection, routes of transmission, and susceptible populations.ResultsLASSO regression identified wetland, cultivated land, orchard land, forest land, and population density as the main factors associated with the COVID-19 growth rate. Wetland coverage exhibited a significant positive association with growth rate, whereas cultivated land showed a negative but marginally significant relationship. Orchard land and forest land were associated with weak negative effects.ConclusionThe statistical results indicate that variations in land cover influence the growth rate of COVID-19 cases, suggesting that environmental management, including wetland and wastewater control, agricultural landscape configuration, forest vegetation preservation, and control population density, may help mitigate infectious disease growth. From the One Health perspective, sustainable habitat design and planning strategies and land use policies were proposed for future research.

The Gunung Botol Resort is a conservation area in West Java that is crucial for the protection of key wildlife such as the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas Cuvier, 1809). The presence of the Javan leopard plays a crucial role in the ecosystem. Data on its potential is essential for efforts to maintain the sustainability of its population in the ecosystem. This study aims to determine the presence of Javan leopard prey at the Gunung Botol Resort in the TNGHS. This study was conducted using camera traps. Analysis of the obtained photographic data was carried out using the Jim Sanderson application. The results of the study produced 133 images, there were 8 types of Javan leopard prey animals that were successfully caught by Camera traps, namely forest rats (Rattus sp) 27 images, barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) 25 images, wild boar (Sus scrofa) 19 images, linsang (Prionodon linsang) 17 images, jungle cats (Prionaliurus bengalensis) 16 images, squirrels (Tupaia javanica) 16 images, skunk teludu (Mydaus javanica) 10 images and Javan barking quail (Arborophila javanica) 3 images. These results indicate the availability of diverse natural food for Javan leopards as top predators functioning as umbrella species. This finding is important to support ecological-based conservation strategies, especially in maintaining the stability of top predator populations through sustainable habitat management and food chains.

Creating sustainable habitats on the Moon and Mars requires converging advances in construction technologies, human-robot collaboration (HRC), and workforce development. This paper synthesizes insights from a transdisciplinary workshop that focuses on three main themes: (1) trust-calibrated HRC systems for latency-laden and safety-critical tasks; (2) construction technology for extraterrestrial applications, for example, those challenges of dust mitigation, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and planetary protection; and (3) immersive and AI-assisted training that incorporates the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities for the future-ready workforce. Participants involved in this transdisciplinary workshop identified regolith-based additive manufacturing, high-fidelity HRC testbeds, adaptive extended-reality (XR) training, and modular energy opportunities as near-term priorities. This study presents a converging roadmap that focuses on a series of prioritized, scalable steps over 1–15 years, incorporating technology, human, and ethical considerations to inform endeavors like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis Program and the European Space Agency (ESA) Moon Village concept. The framework positions extraterrestrial construction as a socio-technical endeavor by providing actionable steps toward sustainable extraterrestrial habitation.

Chengdu, China, is endowed with abundant ancient and famous trees as well as historical habitats, which are crucial for sustaining urban biodiversity and cultural continuity. This study focuses on the historical habitats along the Second Ring Road and develops a comprehensive evaluation system across five dimensions: ancient and famous trees, species diversity, historical habitat quality, historical habitat health, and historical-cultural value. Twelve representative historical habitats were analyzed using fishnet analysis, image segmentation, and plant diversity surveys to characterize biodiversity patterns and develop strategies for optimizing urban biodiversity conservation and sustainable habitat management. Results indicate: (1) significant variation among historical habitat types, with Huanhuaxi Park achieving the highest overall quality; (2) except in park habitats, comprehensive quality shows no significant correlation with the density of ancient and famous trees, while habitat size exerts a strong influence; (3) the evaluation index system still requires refinement. This research provides practical guidance for the conservation of ancient trees and the sustainable management of historical habitats. At the theoretical level, it underscores the relevance of an “ecology–society–culture” framework, revealing how historical habitats simultaneously sustain ecological functions, support social practices, and embody cultural expression. Overall, the study offers a new perspective for integrating urban biodiversity conservation with cultural heritage protection.

This study investigated the ecological and demographic characteristics of Synodontis koensis (Pellegrin, 1934), an endemic species of the Sassandra River Basin (Côte d’Ivoire), in order to provide baseline data for its conservation and sustainable habitat management. Sampling was conducted from November 2024 to March 2025 at five stations along the N’Zo River, a major tributary of the Sassandra. Physico-chemical parameters of the water (temperature, pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and depth) were measured in situ, and a total of 329 individuals were collected for morphometric and weight analyses. Results revealed favorable environmental conditions for aquatic life, with water temperature ranging from 27.3 to 29.5 °C, slightly alkaline pH (7.65–7.95), and low conductivity (51–68 µS/cm). Standard lengths of fish ranged from 35 to 110 mm (mean = 77.48 ± 13.63 mm) and body weights from 2 to 31 g (mean = 11.71 ± 5.73 g), indicating a unimodal size structure dominated by medium-sized classes (60–90 mm). The length–weight relationship followed the model P=aLbP, with b=1.93b = 1.93b=1.93, showing a negative allometric growth pattern (b < 3), meaning that body length increases faster than weight. The condition factor (K) ranged from 1.10 to 9.26 (mean = 2.59 ± 1.57), suggesting good overall physiological condition. These findings indicate that S. koensis inhabits an environment that remains favorable but is increasingly affected by anthropogenic pressures. The study provides essential baseline information to guide conservation strategies and sustainable management of endemic fish populations within the Sassandra Basin.

Pakistan is blessed with rich and diverse natural resources; including sindh Delta is habitat for mangrove ecosystem which develops from the muddy to sandy coast. Pakistan has 0.6 million hectares of mangrove ecosystem, one among the top ten in the world. Indus River delta and its mangroves are fencing for their longevity and endurance, due to scarcity of fresh water from several decades. The degradation of mangroves causes people to migrate away from the locality. After conducting the interviews with local people, it is concluded that viability and life on delta are interfacing a set of problems, uniquely the delta’s Flora and Fauna as they mainly rely on the constant flow of fresh water. Salinity in sea water is expanding on the surfaces facing the coastal regions of the Sindh. The fertile land is being converted to infertile land and local citizens are migrating from the area. Delta provides the beneficial condition for fishing growth; approximately 100,000 people rely on Indus delta and deltaic aquaculture and fishing industry. Since many years the deltaic region remained declined and its capability was disregarded. About 42% area of mangrove forests has been shrunk in past twenty years, due to the negligence and scarcity of the water. As a result of that, coastal culture is vanishing day by day to a greater extent; therefore, it is proposed to cease such activity for the development of sustainable habitats.

This study investigates eight cementitious materials for lunar construction to support sustainable habitats in the Moon’s extreme environment. The materials, geopolymer, sintered material, polymer-bound regolith, regolith-based magnesium oxychloride, Ordinary Portland cement (OPC), sulfur concrete, microbial-induced calcite precipitation, and geo-thermite products, were evaluated using fifteen criteria, including availability, water use, curing time, temperature resilience, strength, durability, and radiation shielding. The Entropy Weight Method (EWM) was used to assign objective weights, identifying temperature as the most critical factor. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, TOPSIS, VIKOR, and WASPAS, ranked materials based on normalized data and stakeholder input. Geopolymer and sintered material emerged as top performers, followed by polymer-bound regolith and magnesium oxychloride. OPC, sulfur concrete, microbial calcite, and geo-thermite ranked lower. This rigorous, transparent framework enables informed selection of efficient, durable materials for lunar infrastructure, advancing long-term space exploration. The methodology is adaptable and minimizes bias, offering a reliable path toward resilient extraterrestrial construction.

Plastisphere characterization and ecological implications of plastic pollution in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, China.

The ecological environment of Inner Mongolia plays a significant role in the construction ecological community of northern China. Utilizing Google earth engine （GEE） and MODIS data， this study developed the annual remote sensing ecological index （RSEI） long time-series for Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2022. Combined with the Theil-sen & Mann-Kendall trend test and Hurst and Moran's I， the spatial and temporal evolution pattern of habitat quality in Inner Mongolia was comprehensively analyzed， and the influencing factors of RSEI were quantified from the perspective of spatial differentiation by using a geographical detector and a multi-scale geographically weighted regression model （MGWR）. The results indicated： ① There was a slight improvement in habitat quality in Inner Mongolia over the past 23 years， although the overall quality remains low. The annual growth rate was 0.0006 a-1 （P>0.05）， showing a nonsignificant upward trend and spatially decreasing from northeast to southwest. ② Improved habitat quality areas over the past 23 years made up 62.90% of the region， with a future trend likely dominated by continued degradation. Although 9.16% of the area is expected to see improvement. ③ The global Moran's I exceeded 0.9240， signifying a high positive spatial correlation in RSEI distribution. The eastern region predominantly exhibited high-high clustering， whereas the western region showed low-low clustering. ④ The habitat quality of Inner Mongolia was mostly affected by temperature， precipitation， evaporation， elevation， and land use， and the interaction between them had stronger explanatory power than a single factor. ⑤ The explanatory power of various driving factors significantly varied across regions， with each playing a dominant role in the spatial differentiation of RSEI. Therefore， zoning management is essential for achieving sustainable habitat quality.

Our study investigates the dynamic variation of bacterial populations within the Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS), a critical component for sustainable habitats in extraterrestrial environments supporting human survival. We utilized the ground-based BLSS test platform, referred to as "Lunar Palace 1" (LP1), to examine bacterial dynamics in an ecosystem integrating plant production, human cultivation, and equipment maintenance. Our findings reveal distinct bacterial compositions among crew members and functional areas within the LP1 system while preserving temporal stability across the 370-day experiment. Importantly, we observed a low abundance of potential pathogens, minimal antibiotic resistance, and negligible impact of the isolated bacterial strains on equipment materials, suggesting favorable biosafety attributed to plant integration. Our work enhances the understanding of microbial communities in BLSS and underscores the importance of incorporating green plants to bolster environmental biosafety and sustainability in long-term space exploration missions.

Survey data on fishermen perception of marine protected areas in West Coast of Malaysia

This study aims to identify raptor species, map ideal habitat characteristics, and estimate potential habitat areas in Sabang City. The method includes field exploration to collect data on raptor species and spatial analysis using ArcMap 10.8 and Google Earth Engine to download environmental variable data. This study found seven identified species namely: Pernis ptilorhynchus, Accipiter soloensis, Accipiter gularis, Butastur indicus, Halieentus leucogaster, Ichtyophaga ichtyaetus, and Falco peregrinus where five species are migratory and two species are residential. Ideal habitat characteristics include surface temperature of 26–30 °C, NDVI values between 0.43 and 1.00, land slope of 0–2 %, 0–200 m above sea level, and rainfall of 1.500–2.000 mm/year. The total area of potential habitat identified was 674 hectares or 5.51% of the total area of Sabang City. These findings can support sustainable habitat management and raptor conservation, and provide valuable information on management policies to protect migratory birds in the area.

The sustainability of tiger habitats is critical to the long-term survival of the species and the preservation of biodiversity-rich ecosystems. This study evaluates the potential and limitations of the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) in Rajasthan, India, as a sustainable habitat for tigers. Using an integrated methodology combining SWOT analysis, geospatial tools (NDVI, LULC, DEM, slope, aspect, and drainage), and secondary data sources, the research identifies key ecological, geographical, and socio-economic factors influencing habitat viability. The results highlight significant strengths, including diverse landscapes, prey availability, legal protection, and increasing community awareness. However, limitations such as habitat fragmentation, seasonal water scarcity, human-wildlife conflict, and inadequate infrastructure pose challenges to tiger conservation. Strategic interventions formulated through the TOWS matrix suggest targeted approaches like habitat restoration, corridor development, eco-tourism, and technological monitoring. The study concludes that while KWS holds substantial potential, a coordinated and adaptive management framework is essential to overcome existing limitations and establish the sanctuary as a viable and sustainable habitat for tigers.

Coastal lagoons are diverse habitats with significant ecological gradients, which provide crucial ecosystem services but face threats from human activities such as invasive species and pollution. Among the species inhabiting the lagoons, the critically endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is an emblematic species strongly impacted by contamination and parasitism. Several indicators were developed to assess the quality of eel at a large geographic scale. Most indicators are based on the concentration of individual pollutant and/or abundance of parasites separately without considering individual variations. This study assessed the quality of 59 eels captured at three different sites inside a Mediterranean lagoon complex (the Camargue, South of France), by integrating multiple degradation factors (POPs, TEs, and A. crassus infestation) and considering individual eel characteristics (length, age, growth rate, and sex). Using multivariate TOPSIS analysis including these degradation factors, this study found that eel quality decreased with age but did not significantly vary between sites. When focusing on each degradation factor, A. crassus infestation rates were lower in older eels, independently to the site; however, the POPs and TEs contaminations were lower in the Grandes Cabanes site compared to the Vaccarès and Fumemorte sites even if smallerand younger eels were more contaminated by POPs. These findings reveal the fine-scale spatial variability in eel quality, with TOPSIS analysis providing a robust method to rank and score scenarios. This approach enhances the understanding of habitat degradation sources affecting eel contamination and parasitic infestation, supporting more effective strategies for sustainable habitat management.