AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02246-1
Naomi L. J. Rintoul-Hynes
{"title":"Environmental considerations for post-war reconstruction of Gaza","authors":"Naomi L. J. Rintoul-Hynes","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02246-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13280-025-02246-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The environment is often the silent victim of war, but environmental degradation resulting from war is poorly understood. Since the environmental legacy of war can last decades or centuries, environmental peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts must consider the impacts of war on the environment. In the case of the Israel-Palestine conflict, far-reaching and severe environmental damage has been documented. Three key environmental considerations for Gaza are discussed: (I) environmental pollution, (II) habitat degradation and (III) habitat fragmentation. Based on the environmental issues highlighted, recommendations regarding post-war reconstruction efforts are presented.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":"54 11","pages":"1979 - 1984"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13280-025-02246-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02236-3
David Brown, Jennifer Gabrys
{"title":"Community-led landscape regeneration: A review of and framework for engagement in restoration initiatives.","authors":"David Brown, Jennifer Gabrys","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02236-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02236-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With growing calls for people-centred and equitable approaches to regeneration and restoration, this review paper contributes to enhancing understanding of the role of communities in restoring landscapes across the world. Addressing the lack of clarity around tangible pathways for equitable and inclusive forms of landscape regeneration, we focus on exploring the practices and forms through which communities engage with landscape regeneration and restoration. We undertake a systematic review of an international selection of community-based landscape regeneration initiatives worldwide to better understand how communities engage with, manage and lead regeneration practices. We map landscape regeneration and restoration initiatives across international contexts based on four themes around community organisation, land ownership, engagement and land values. Borne out of this review, we propose an analytical framework for community-based landscape regeneration in order to support and mobilise more democratic and socially just approaches to ecological regeneration initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145090828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02244-3
Hyun Seok Yoon, James C Mingie, Seong-Hoon Cho, Narayani Barve, Paul R Armsworth
{"title":"Land market feedback from land acquisition influences the prioritization of protected area networks.","authors":"Hyun Seok Yoon, James C Mingie, Seong-Hoon Cho, Narayani Barve, Paul R Armsworth","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02244-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02244-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conservation organizations face budget constraints and must prioritize land acquisitions carefully. Market responses to conservation actions can shift land prices and relocate development. We examine how variations in local land markets affect decisions about where to protect land. Using a protected area prioritization framework, we evaluated how spatial differences in market feedback influence the conservation return-on-investment (ROI) of acquisitions and the optimal distribution of acquisition budgets. Using simulations and parameters for southern Appalachian forests, we find that areas with elastic demand and inelastic supply yield higher conservation ROI. Our results indicate that failing to account for local market feedback can reduce conservation effectiveness, incurring opportunity costs of 7%. Only 49% of the optimal budget allocation matched when local feedback was considered versus not. These findings stress the importance of incorporating spatial market data into protected area planning to maximize ecological returns.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145090869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-13DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02245-2
Jéssica Fernandes de Melo, Daniel Tregidgo, Anamelia Jesus, Jesem Douglas Yamall Orellana
{"title":"Plastic pollution in the Amazon: The first comprehensive and structured scoping review.","authors":"Jéssica Fernandes de Melo, Daniel Tregidgo, Anamelia Jesus, Jesem Douglas Yamall Orellana","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02245-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02245-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plastic pollution is a global One Health crisis, yet research has focused largely on marine environments. The Amazon-the world's largest drainage basin and second most plastic-polluted river-has received limited scientific attention. This scoping review is the first to apply a systematic protocol (PRISMA-ScR) to assess plastic contamination across Amazonian ecosystems. We reviewed 52 peer-reviewed studies reporting plastic litter and fragments in terrestrial and aquatic environments of the biome. Most evidence concerns microplastics in Brazilian sites along the main Amazon River, with a focus on fish. However, plastics were also found in sediments, plants, and diverse fauna including birds, reptiles, and mammals. No studies reported nanoplastics. The contamination of key food and water sources poses a major One Health risk for traditional populations. We identify urgent research gaps-especially in non-fish fauna, tributaries, and other Amazonian countries-and highlight the need for targeted mitigation through waste management and education.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145051508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-12DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02232-7
Vanessa Taveras-Dalmau, Susanne Becken, Ross Westoby
{"title":"From paradigm blindness to paradigm shift? An integrative review and critical analysis of the regenerative paradigm.","authors":"Vanessa Taveras-Dalmau, Susanne Becken, Ross Westoby","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02232-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02232-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amid growing concerns over sustainable development failures, scholars are exploring the 'regenerative paradigm' as a pathway for systemic change; yet, its paradigmatic foundations remain underexamined. Using thematic analysis, we analyse the regenerative knowledge field through an integrative review of 320 cross-disciplinary articles on regenerative approaches, synthesising findings into an interactive Regenerative Paradigm Map with 7 principles, 33 themes, and 253 specific elements. We assess all Map components against an analytical framework of 14 paradigm criteria to evaluate whether regeneration constitutes a paradigm, finding it meets several criteria but not others. We interpret results through the lens of paradigm blindness, interpreted as entrenched worldviews impacting all paradigms. We conclude with a critical reflection on how select Map components may support a shift away from growth-oriented systems and conceptualise the Tensions of Paradigm Shifts to discuss blind spots in scholarly interpretations of regeneration, which may contribute to paradigm blindness within the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02239-0
André de Palma, Robin Lindsey, Stef Proost, Yannick Riou, Alain Trannoy
{"title":"Why combating climate change is so challenging.","authors":"André de Palma, Robin Lindsey, Stef Proost, Yannick Riou, Alain Trannoy","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02239-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02239-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper explores the obstacles to implementing climate change policies, emphasizing the interplay of economic, social, and political factors. Important barriers are the non-enforceability of international agreements and politicians motivated by a short-run goal of retaining office. A stable national legal framework is required that integrates clear principles, enforceable regulations, proactive judicial oversight, and inclusive public participation to bridge the gap between ambitious goals and feasible outcomes. Social acceptability of efficient instruments such as carbon taxes is also a constraint. Implementation problems are illustrated using the European automobile sector. The European Union has imposed a ban on the sale of new thermic vehicles after 2034. The ban will lead to job losses, regional economic disparities, and potential social unrest. Electric vehicles are still more costly than thermic vehicles, and they do not address congestion, safety, and parking externalities. Ultimately, a multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and inclusive approach is vital for combating climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145032527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-10DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02243-4
Sara Anamaghi, Massoud Behboudian, Mohammad Javad Emami-Skardi, Elisie Kåresdotter, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira, Georgia Destouni, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Anna Tengberg, Fabian Stenzel, Ingo Fetzer, Najmeh Mahjouri, Reza Kerachian, Zahra Kalantari
{"title":"Research efforts and gaps in the assessment of forest system resilience: A scoping review.","authors":"Sara Anamaghi, Massoud Behboudian, Mohammad Javad Emami-Skardi, Elisie Kåresdotter, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira, Georgia Destouni, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Anna Tengberg, Fabian Stenzel, Ingo Fetzer, Najmeh Mahjouri, Reza Kerachian, Zahra Kalantari","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02243-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02243-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates how the seven core resilience principles are integrated into assessments of forest system resilience to natural or human-induced disturbances across engineering, ecological, and social-ecological resilience concepts. Following PRISMA guidelines, a literature search in the Web of Science database using the keywords \"resilience\", \"forest\" and \"ecosystem services\" yielded 1828 studies, of which 330 met the selection criteria. The most commonly used criterion was diversity, a sub-criterion of \"diversity and redundancy\", appearing in 50% of studies. The results indicate that social and governance-related principles, learning and experimentation (7%), participation (11%), and polycentric governance (9%) have not been frequently addressed. Although numerous studies have employed various principles for assessing forest resilience, none have considered all seven principles jointly. This highlights a significant research gap, emphasising the need to quantify these principles in forest systems. Understanding forest-community dynamics is essential for enhancing the long-term resilience and sustainability of both systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145032603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-03DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02234-5
Pedro Medrado Krainovic, João Paulo Romanelli, Angélica Faria de Resende, Laura Helena Porcari Simões, Ana Flávia Boeni, Lukas Rodrigues Souza, Cássio Augusto Patrocinio Toledo, Vinicius Castro Souza, Joannès Guillemot, Rens Brouwer, Frans Bongers, Paulo Guilherme Molin, Rafael Barreiro Chaves, Klécia Gili Massi, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Sergio de-Miguel, Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion
{"title":"Bioeconomic opportunities in restored tropical forests.","authors":"Pedro Medrado Krainovic, João Paulo Romanelli, Angélica Faria de Resende, Laura Helena Porcari Simões, Ana Flávia Boeni, Lukas Rodrigues Souza, Cássio Augusto Patrocinio Toledo, Vinicius Castro Souza, Joannès Guillemot, Rens Brouwer, Frans Bongers, Paulo Guilherme Molin, Rafael Barreiro Chaves, Klécia Gili Massi, Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues, Sergio de-Miguel, Pedro Henrique Santin Brancalion","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02234-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02234-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forest restoration faces financial constraints due to land opportunity costs and delayed returns from ecosystem services and timber production. A socially fair bioeconomy of non-timber products from native species is a promising pathway to overcome these challenges. We investigated the bioeconomic potential of native species in the reforested lands of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. A forest inventory across 46 plots (41 400 m<sup>2</sup>) in regenerating forests revealed 5181 individuals and 329 species. A review of 603 articles showed 167 species (59%) with bioeconomic potential. Medicinal (58%), cosmetic (12%), and food (5%) uses predominated. Leaves were the most used plant part. Of 2520 patents, we found 78 species patented in 61 countries (8% in Brazil). Only 13% of studies reached the final product stages. The palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana and Euterpe edulis) and the conifer (Araucaria angustifolia) highlight how native species synergistically improve the restoration's supply of resources to the biotech industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-03DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02235-4
Miguel Ballesteros, Klara Řehounková, Kris Decleer, Carolina Martínez-Ruiz, Josu G Alday, Rodolfo Gentili, Alice Nunes, Pedro A Salgueiro, Gregory Mahy, Samuel Bouchoms, Anita Kirmer, Sabine Tischew, Vicenç Carabassa, Nina Nikolic, Rob Marrs, Karel Prach
{"title":"Maximising biodiversity potential in Europe's mines and quarries: A key role for EU Nature Restoration Regulation targets.","authors":"Miguel Ballesteros, Klara Řehounková, Kris Decleer, Carolina Martínez-Ruiz, Josu G Alday, Rodolfo Gentili, Alice Nunes, Pedro A Salgueiro, Gregory Mahy, Samuel Bouchoms, Anita Kirmer, Sabine Tischew, Vicenç Carabassa, Nina Nikolic, Rob Marrs, Karel Prach","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02235-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13280-025-02235-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Amid the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the EU's Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), which aims to restore degraded areas in the coming decades, post-mining sites must be integrated into biodiversity and ecosystem recovery strategies as key contributors. While mining, quarrying, and other extractive activities have considerable environmental impacts, they also present massive opportunities to create valuable habitats, support biodiversity, guide restoration efforts, and contribute to conservation. A strong foundation of scientific and practical knowledge is already in place, yet implementation gaps persist, and regulatory frameworks remain under-utilised for restoring these degraded areas. Under-exploited pathways exist to reconcile development needs with NRR restoration goals. To maximise the biodiversity potential of post-mining sites, we emphasise the need for: (1) Site-specific scientific assessments and long-term monitoring; (2) Practical restoration guidelines for European habitats; (3) The strategic use of restored site networks as demonstration areas; (4) Active stakeholder engagement; and (5) Supportive policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AmbioPub Date : 2025-09-03DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02238-1
Kristy M Ferraro, Toryn Whitehead
{"title":"Rewilding relationships: Principles for forging relationships in social-ecological systems.","authors":"Kristy M Ferraro, Toryn Whitehead","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02238-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13280-025-02238-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rewilding deliberately forges new relationships within complex socio-ecological systems. Yet, many rewilding initiatives proceed without fully considering the multitude of relationships at play. In this paper, we advance a framework that reimagines rewilding as a relationship-centered process, emphasizing that success depends on fostering connections from individual to collective levels for humans and non-humans alike. To illustrate this, we focus on species (re)introductions, identifying the various collective and individual relationships that shape rewilding outcomes. We then propose five principles for effectively forging these relationships: (1) reconsider values and perceptions of nature; (2) embrace a collective and individual-oriented approach; (3) place local communities at the heart of rewilding initiatives; (4) cautiously revive lost relationships; and (5) strengthen the connection between science and policy. Our framework demonstrates that identifying and fostering these relationships is not just essential but transformative, paving the way for rewilding practitioners to create ethical, interconnected, and resilient socio-ecological systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}