Environmental Advances最新文献

{"title":"Road-traffic emissions of ultrafine particles and elemental black carbon in six Northern European cities","authors":"Simonas Kecorius ,&nbsp;Leizel Madueño ,&nbsp;Kristina Plauškaitė ,&nbsp;Steigvilė Byčenkienė ,&nbsp;Mario Lovrić ,&nbsp;Valentino Petrić ,&nbsp;Manuel Carranza-García ,&nbsp;Manuel J. Jiménez-Navarro ,&nbsp;María del Mar Martínez-Ballesteros ,&nbsp;Gaudentas Kecorius","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100661","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban air pollution from vehicular emissions remains a pressing public health concern, particularly in Eastern Europe, where data gaps hinder effective mitigation. This study, conducted in the summer of 2024, presents the first detailed analysis of ultrafine particle (UFP) and equivalent black carbon (eBC) emissions from road traffic across Lithuania’s six major cities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, and Alytus. We used a custom mobile laboratory to capture real-world emissions, revealing stark spatial disparities. Panevėžys and Vilnius topped eBC levels (10400 ng/m³ and 10200 ng/m³, respectively), driven by aging vehicle fleets and a diesel prevalence of 70 % in Panevėžys, which also recorded the highest UFP concentration (97800 particles/cm³). Emission factors, calculated using an adapted Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM), identified Vilnius’ light-duty vehicles as leading in particle number emissions (8.90 × 10¹⁴ particles/(km·veh)), likely due to the prevalence of gasoline direct injection engines. At the same time, Panevėžys dominated eBC emissions (150 mg/(km·veh). Heavy-duty vehicles, including buses and trucks, exhibited emission factors up to five times higher than those of their light-duty counterparts, thereby amplifying their impact in urban areas. These findings illuminate emission dynamics in an understudied region, providing policymakers with precise and actionable insights for targeted interventions, such as fleet upgrades or the establishment of low-emission zones. By addressing a critical knowledge gap, this study empowers the scientific community and public health advocates to devise strategies that combat vehicle-related pollution, reduce exposure to harmful pollutants, and foster healthier urban environments across Eastern Europe and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100661"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144685751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the spatial variability of airborne bacterial and fungal communities: A comparative study across five central Mediterranean areas","authors":"Mattia Fragola ,&nbsp;Salvatore Romano ,&nbsp;Dalila Peccarrisi ,&nbsp;Leke Pepkolaj ,&nbsp;Ivano Ammoscato ,&nbsp;Roberta Claudia Calidonna ,&nbsp;Luana Malacaria ,&nbsp;Giorgia De Benedetto ,&nbsp;Mark M. Scerri ,&nbsp;Anastasios Kalimeris ,&nbsp;Adamantia Kampioti ,&nbsp;Lucio Maruccio ,&nbsp;Pietro Alifano ,&nbsp;Adelfia Talà ,&nbsp;Gianluca Quarta ,&nbsp;Lucio Calcagnile","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100660","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100660","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study the distribution of airborne bacterial and fungal communities was investigated in five different areas of the Central Mediterranean (Salento Peninsula and Lamezia Terme in South Italy, Albania, Malta, and Zakynthos in Greece). Advanced DNA-based approaches and compositional data analysis (CoDa) were used to explore microbial community compositions and their spatial variability associated with the different types of sampling site (urban, rural, and coastal). Analytical results revealed distinct patterns of the airborne microbial community mainly shaped by geographic and environmental features. Among the identified airborne bacterial genera, <em>Sphingomonas</em> was found in all the selected sites, while <em>Brevundimonas, Geodermatophilus</em>, and <em>Rubrobacter</em> were prevalent in coastal and rural locations. Among the airborne fungal genera, <em>Cladosporium</em> and <em>Alternaria</em> were abundant in rural and coastal areas. The clustering of detected samples by geographic characteristics and monitoring site type was further highlighted by the Aitchison distance-based dendrograms and principal component analysis biplots by utilizing singular value decomposition. This statistical approach allowed proving that some specific microbial genera were associated with different environmental characteristics related to the selected sampling areas. Therefore, this study points out the complex relationship between spatial variability and microbial distributions, underlining that environmental and geographic variations can significantly contribute to microbial community composition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100660"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occurrence and distribution of glyphosate, polar pesticides and their metabolites in honeybees (Apis mellifera): a monitoring study in six different Italian regions","authors":"Mara Gasparini ,&nbsp;Marialuisa Borgia ,&nbsp;Tommaso Pacini ,&nbsp;Emanuela Verdini ,&nbsp;Serenella Orsini ,&nbsp;Katia Russo ,&nbsp;Tabita Mauti ,&nbsp;Ivan Pecorelli","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of agrochemicals has raised concerns about their impact on non-target species, particularly pollinators such as honeybees (<em>Apis mellifera</em>). This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of glyphosate, other polar pesticides, and their metabolites in honeybees across six regions of northern and central Italy: Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, and Marche. Honeybees serve as effective bioindicators of pesticide contamination, offering insights into environmental and ecosystem health. A total of 314 bee samples were analyzed and categorized into two groups: dead/dying bees and live bees from healthy hives. Advanced analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and ion chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (IC<img>HRMS), were used to detect glyphosate, fosetyl, glufosinate, ethephon, and their metabolites. Results revealed glyphosate contamination in 33.4 % of the samples, predominantly in Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, where herbicide use is highest. Fosetyl residues were also detected but were more localized. Notably, there was no significant difference in glyphosate presence between dead/dying and live bees, suggesting chronic exposure rather than acute toxicity. However, higher pesticide concentrations in dead/dying bees indicate potential sublethal effects contributing to colony distress. This study underscores the importance of monitoring polar pesticides in pollinator populations and advocates for more sustainable agricultural practices. Honeybees can effectively serve as bioindicators of environmental contamination, reinforcing the One Health approach, which links environmental, animal, and human well-being. Continuous surveillance is crucial to mitigating pesticide risks and ensuring pollinator conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100657"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Passive sampling in brackish waters: Monitoring metals and organic pollutants in the Camargue and its application to phytoremediation","authors":"Emmanuelle Boisard ,&nbsp;Amiel Boullemant ,&nbsp;Guillaume Boisard ,&nbsp;Christophe Armand ,&nbsp;Arnaud Bretecher ,&nbsp;Fiorella Lucarini ,&nbsp;Davide Staedler","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Camargue region in southern France, characterized by its unique brackish water ecosystems, faces significant contamination from agricultural runoff, introducing organic pollutants and metals into the environment. This study presents a four-seasonal monitoring program comprising nine sampling campaigns, using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) and Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films (DGT) to explore the temporal and spatial dynamics of contaminants. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 483 organic pollutants, encompassing a broad spectrum of herbicides, fungicides, their degradation products, and a comprehensive list of heavy metals. By providing time-weighted average concentrations, these techniques allowed to track seasonal variations driven by agricultural cycles and hydrological processes. The results revealed persistent organic pollutants, such as 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), atrazine metabolites, and metolachlor ethanesulfonic acid (ESA), exhibiting clear seasonal peaks aligned with crop applications. Heavy metals, including copper and barium, displayed temporal fluctuations influenced by both anthropogenic activities and natural geochemical processes. To demonstrate the applicability of this monitoring approach, passive samplers were also deployed within an existing phytoremediation system based on <em>Phragmites australis</em>, allowing to assess its effectiveness in contaminant removal. While organic pollutants were reduced by up to 95 %, metal removal remained variable. This study underscores the high suitability of passive sampling for long-term environmental monitoring in brackish water ecosystems, offering a robust methodology to track pollutant dynamics, support regulatory assessments, and evaluate remediation strategies. The findings provide critical insights for future monitoring programs aimed at balancing agricultural productivity with the protection of fragile aquatic environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100656"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144597024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human adipose tissue gene expression signatures indicate an inflammatory response and retinoic receptor activation under persistent organic pollutants exposure","authors":"Tobias Hagemann ,&nbsp;Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk ,&nbsp;Kristin Schubert ,&nbsp;Arne Dietrich ,&nbsp;Martin von Bergen ,&nbsp;Matthias Blüher ,&nbsp;Anne Hoffmann","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adipose tissue (AT) is subject to permanent accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POP) due to their hydrophobic nature. Therefore, AT can be considered as interface between the body and an increasingly complex exposure to the chemical environment. As endocrinologically activate tissue, AT itself secretes adipokines regulating inflammation, insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure among others which are known to be dysfunctional in obesity. This study examined the impact of accumulated POPs 4,4-Diisoopropylbiphenyl (DIPB) and Ethyltetradecanoate (ETD) on human AT function. RNA-sequencing based gene expression analysis was conducted within the Leipzig Obesity Biobank (LOBB) between individuals (<em>N</em> = 43) with positive concentrations of DIPB and ETD in body fat against negative controls in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral AT (VAT) in a sex-specific manner independent of their obesity status. Our study reveals sex- and AT-depot-specific gene expression profiles associated with immune responses, NF-κB signaling, and PPARγ pathways, highlighting POP interaction with immunological reactions in AT independent of obesity. Notably, our findings suggest altered retinoid acid receptor activity, which may influence AT browning. This research provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of POP exposure on human AT function. Importantly, our results indicate that POP exposure can contribute to AT dysfunction independently of obesity, suggesting that external environmental factors, such as POPs, should be considered as potential drivers of AT dysfunction in future obesity-related studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100655"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of personal and residential outdoor fine particulate matter exposure using low-cost sensors in a long-Covid patient population","authors":"Laura Houweling ,&nbsp;Judith C.S. Holtjer ,&nbsp;G.S. Downward ,&nbsp;L.D. Bloemsma ,&nbsp;E.R. Gijsbers ,&nbsp;E.E. de Waard ,&nbsp;A.H. Maitland-Van der Zee ,&nbsp;G. Hoek ,&nbsp;R.C.H. Vermeulen ,&nbsp;P4O2 consortium","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the relationship between residential outdoor and personal PM_2.5 exposure is essential for accurately characterizing individual exposure, identifying key pollution sources, and developing targeted mitigation strategies. This study examines residential and personal PM_2.5 exposure levels and their interrelation in a long COVID population in the Netherlands. Residential outdoor PM_2.5 exposure was monitored using 73 low-cost continuous sensors deployed over an average of 131 days per participant. In parallel, 264 24-hour personal PM_2.5 measurements were collected using an Ultrasonic Personal Air Sampler (UPAS), with multiple measurements per participant spanning different seasons. Participants completed a detailed exposure questionnaires to document potential sources and behavioral patterns. Overall, personal PM_2.5 exposure levels (mean: 25.4 µg/m³) were higher than residential outdoor levels, with a mean difference of 18.4 µg/m³. When twelve influential personal measurements &gt;50 µg/m³ were excluded, the mean difference decreased to 10.1 µg/m³. The 172 paired 24-hour measurements of personal and residential PM_2.5, revealed a moderate overall correlation (r = 0.27), with a stronger longitudinal within-person correlation (r = 0.39). Key contributors to the observed difference between personal and residential outdoor exposure included tobacco smoke exposure, the presence of a fireplace in the home, and increased ambient temperature. These findings suggest that patients in our study are exposed to PM_2.5 concentrations higher than the WHO air quality guidelines (5 ug/m³) potentially exacerbating already existing health problems. Furthermore, we identified environmental and behavioral factors affecting their exposure patterns providing opportunities to mitigate PM_2.5 exposures by long COVID patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100654"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cumulative lead exposure and cognitive performance among the elderly in Johannesburg, South Africa","authors":"Tahira Kootbodien ,&nbsp;Nisha Naicker ,&nbsp;Renee Street ,&nbsp;Angela Mathee","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lead (Pb) is a known neurotoxin, but evidence linking low chronic exposure to cognitive performance, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study examined cumulative bone lead exposure and cognitive performance in older adults living in care facilities located near mines and mine tailings in Gauteng Province, South Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 139 participants aged 60 to 80 years from state-owned elderly assisted living facilities in City of Johannesburg Municipality, Gauteng. Cumulative lead exposure was measured in the tibia using K-X-ray fluorescence (KXRF). Cognitive performance was assessed using the Early Dementia Questionnaire (EDQ) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), focusing on memory, executive function, attention and psychomotor speed. We examined associations between cumulative bone lead levels and cognitive outcomes using multiple regression models, including quadratic terms to test for nonlinearity. Models were adjusted for age, sex, education, and smoking status.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants had a mean age of 69.9 years (54 % male); 30 % reported occupational lead exposure or had been engaged in lead-related activities. Mean bone lead levels were 8.1 µg/g (SD 6.4), and 55 % of participants met criteria for mild cognitive impairment (EDQ ≥ 8). Higher cumulative bone lead levels were associated with poorer cognitive performance: each unit increase in bone lead was associated with a 10 % higher rate in reaction time (RTI) (adjusted IRR = 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.03–1.16). A significant bone lead-sex interaction was observed (<em>p</em> = 0.03), with a stronger association in women (IRR = 1.11, 95 % CI: 1.03–1.19) than in men (IRR = 1.05, 95 % CI: 1.00–1.10), suggesting potential sex-specific effects. A nonlinear association was observed between bone lead and spatial working memory (SWM) errors (β = 0.022, 95 % CI 0.013-0.032), with task errors increasing disproportionately at higher lead levels, indicating worse cognitive performance of memory-related tasks with increasing exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This exploratory study suggests low-level cumulative Pb exposure may be associated with poorer cognitive function in the elderly, particularly affecting executive function and impulse control. Larger studies are needed to confirm these associations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100652"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144557414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and optimization of the low-cost optical monitor for real-time monitoring of atmospheric black carbon","authors":"Sameeullah ,&nbsp;James Schauer ,&nbsp;Madiha Javed ,&nbsp;Michael Howard Bergin ,&nbsp;Khan Alam ,&nbsp;Muhammad Fahim Khokhar","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black Carbon (BC) is a major component of atmospheric aerosol produced from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and solid fuel. About 42 % of BC emissions are from open biomass burning with major contributions from Africa and Asia. A low-cost (&lt;1500 US$) monitoring system is designed for large scale monitoring atmospheric BC near the surface for effective mitigation actions. Carbon Scan includes an air sampler with filtration of particulate matter of size 2.5 micron or less, a color sensor that captures image, and a machine learning (ML) model that retrieves BC concentration. Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) and Neural Network (NN) were trained and evaluated for the retrieval of atmospheric BC and its fraction from biomass burning. Carbon scan is a significant advancement in atmospheric BC monitoring. It achieves great accuracy, with a low RMSE of 1 µg/m³, Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.40 µg/m³, Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 6.76 %, (SMAPE) of 5.84 % and a high R² of 0.97. The sensor provides an opportunity to monitor real time concentrations of atmospheric BC. Carbon scan is a low power, low cost, that ensures continuous air monitoring in remote areas, while capturing large temporal and spatial variations of BC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100653"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144502470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Source-specific multi-pathway human health risk assessment of metals present in clouds over Indian Subcontinent","authors":"Md Abu Mushtaque ,&nbsp;Shahina Raushan Saikh ,&nbsp;Abhishek Biswas ,&nbsp;Gopala Krishna Darbha ,&nbsp;Sanat Kumar Das","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metal in the cloud is a matter of growing concern due to its adverse impact on human health on a wider scale through continental long-range transport. The present study identifies the toxic metals present in non-precipitating clouds during the onset of monsoon over the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas in the Indian subcontinent and quantifies their health risk factors of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Clouds over the Eastern Himalayas are found to have 1.5 times higher pollution levels due to an increase in 40-60% higher loading of toxic metals like Cd, Cu, and Zn emitted from heavy traffic and industrial emissions that cause high health risk factors for carcinogenic diseases. Children are at higher risk of 30% of such toxic metals than adults in India. Inhalation of polluted clouds over Eastern Himalayas containing high concentrations of toxic metals is the most potential route for non-carcinogenic diseases. Health risk for the occurrence of carcinogenic diseases has increased due to inhalation of dissolved Cr present in clouds. Present study highlights that Eastern Himalayas experience higher polluted clouds which contain toxic metals like Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn coming from vehicular and industrial emissions over foothill regions, and inhalation of such polluted clouds is the potential cause of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases in India.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100647"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimating monetary loss of forest ecosystem goods following wildfire in a North Indian mountain state, Uttarakhand: Methodological improvement to capture various losses","authors":"G.C.S. Negi ,&nbsp;Pradeep Singh ,&nbsp;Himanshu Bargali ,&nbsp;S.P. Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envadv.2025.100651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the recent decades forest fire (FF) has become a major issue across the globe causing colossal loss to forest wealth and quality of environment. In the north of India, the mountainous state Uttarakhand is one of the worst sufferers of recurrent FF causing enormous loss to the forest ecosystem goods and services (FES). Hitherto, the monetary loss estimation based on the norms of Forest Deptt. considers only timber, resin and tree regeneration, grossly undermining the other important tangible benefits of forest ecosystems making compensation policy ambiguous. We devised simple methodology to estimate the quantities and monetary value of various forest ecosystem goods (FEGs) lost to FF on per ha forest area basis across three major forest types of Uttarakhand. Study involved a total of 5040 sample plots (840 for trees, 1680 for shrubs and 2520 for herbs) across the 42 study sites (burnt forest and adjacent unburnt control forest) considering severity of FF, slope, aspect and altitude of the forests, classified using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Simple Network Paging Protocol (SNPP) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) satellite data. Monetary loss value of the FEGs thus estimated (mean= Indian Rupee (INR) 1,30,387 ha⁻¹; range= INR 9,595–3,52,752 ha⁻¹) using the Market Price Method for marketed goods and stakeholder’s Contingent Valuation Method for non-marketed goods was found highest for timber (59 % of the total loss), tree regeneration (15 %), fuelwood (8 %), wild edibles (7 %), leaf litter (4 %), resin (3 %), fodder (2 %) and MAPs (1 %). Moderate fire accrued significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.049) greater loss than the low severity fire, and the loss was positively related to altitude (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.048), slope (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.039) and aspect (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.041) of the forests. Thus, the monetary loss due to FF we estimated was 65–90 times greater than it was reported so far in Uttarakhand. We recorded some benefits associated with the FF such as better growth of grasses, plant species richness and yield of a few wild edibles. This pioneering study carried out under the restrictions of Covid-19 will redirect the attention of policy makers, forest managers, the media, and society toward the economic and ecological consequences of FF, and calls for detailed studies to better understand the loss of FES to FF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34473,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Advances","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100651"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144481648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}