Environmental Research Communications最新文献

{"title":"Characteristics and influencing factors of carbon source/sink variations in the Zoige grassland wetland ecological function zone on the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Bin Guo, Chao Chen, Yanmei Pang, Yu Luo","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad6b05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad6b05","url":null,"abstract":"Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) refers to the portion of net primary productivity (NPP) that is available for carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems after subtracting photosynthetic carbon consumed by heterotrophic respiration. The amount of the NEP reflects the size of carbon sinks/sources in terrestrial ecosystems, holding great significance for the research of climate change and global carbon cycle. In this study, the NEP of the Zoige grassland wetland ecological function zone (ZGW) on the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau from 2001 to 2020 is estimated by using the improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model for NPP and a statistical model for soil heterotrophic respiration, based on the meteorological data, vegetation data and socioeconomic data. Additionally, the spatio-temporal variations of the NEP are analyzed, and the influences of natural factors and anthropogenic activities on the NEP are investigated. The results indicate that the ZGW overall plays a role as a carbon sink, and the carbon sink area accounts for approximately 99.3% of the whole ZGW. The annual average NEP in the study area is 447.9 g·m⁻², showing a gradual increase at a rate of 5.0 g·m⁻²·a⁻¹, although the increasing trend is not significant. The carbon sink capacity increased in 93.5% of the ZGW, remained relatively stable in 5.9% of the ZGW, and decreased and significantly decreased in 0.6% of the ZGW. Climate warming and humidifying promote the enhancement of carbon sink capacity in the ecosystem of the ZGW, and precipitation is the dominant climatic factor influencing NEP variations. Natural factors are the determinants of NEP variations, while anthropogenic activities play a secondary role. The implementation of ecological restoration and management projects in the areas along the Yellow River, around the main roads and the core area of wetlands, as well as the continuation of green and coordinated development policies of orderly developing grassland resources, is conducive to enhancing vegetation carbon sink capacity of the ZGW.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142214812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"50 years of mining-induced environmental changes: topography, hydrology, and vegetation health in Kazreti, Georgia","authors":"M Avkopashvili, I Avkopashvili, G Avkopashvili, A E Ayo-Bali","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad6b06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad6b06","url":null,"abstract":"Globally, prioritizing short-term economic gains from mineral extraction has led to a critical dilemma: a planet rich in resources struggles with environmental degradation and a diminishing ability to sustain future generations. Open-pit mining exemplifies this paradox, causing significant environmental damage. In Georgia, this extractive industry presents environmental problems. Despite these known consequences, the long-term impacts of mining activities remain understudied. This study addressed this gap by analyzing the effects of open-pit mining on terrain morphology, and water dynamics in the Kazreti region over a 50-year period (1970–2020) and vegetation health over 35-year period (1987–2022). By integrating water quality assessment, spatial analysis and remote sensing, we revealed the significant human-induced changes to the region’s ecosystem. Spatial analysis results suggested that over 156.7 million cubic meters of bedrock have been fragmented by mining in southern East Georgia, with 125.5 million cubic meters deposited in valleys. Consequently, discernible shifts in the trajectories of water flow were observed based on the hydrological model. Additionally, a comparative analysis of NDVI and EVI values revealed a decline in vegetation health near mining zones, while remote forest areas remained stable. June typically showed healthier vegetation due to cooler temperatures and optimal growing conditions, while August presented lower vegetation health due to increased heat stress. Water quality revealed significant loadings of Cu (58–1855 μg l⁻¹), Zn (54–2582 μg l⁻¹), Mn (1–2167 μg l⁻¹), and Cd (0.1–4.5 μg l⁻¹), in local river systems, which are higher than the Georgian official guideline values (Cu - 1000, Zn - 1000, Mn—100, Cd—1 μg l⁻¹). This study highlighted the need for a broader long-term monitoring strategy to assess the migration of these contaminants within the food web and the consequent socio-economic impact.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142214813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Examining the confluence of climate change and conflicts on agricultural and livestock exports in Somalia","authors":"Abdikafi Hassan Abdi, Abdisalan Aden Mohamed, Mohamed Okash Sugow and Dhaqane Roble Halane","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad5cce","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad5cce","url":null,"abstract":"Climate-induced extreme weather events and conflicts are jointly contributing to disruptions in agricultural supply chains and destabilizing global food trade. Since the literature has identified that variations in climatic conditions hamper farming and animal raising, it is necessary to explore the consequences of climate change on crop and livestock exports in order to implement policies that mitigate the exposure and enhance exports. In this context, this study aims to examine the confluence of climate change and conflicts—internal and external—on agricultural and livestock exports in Somalia during 1985–2017. The evidence from the cointegration analysis verified the presence of a consistent long-run cointegration between the variables. The empirical results of the ARDL approach indicate that average rainfall enhances agricultural and livestock exports in Somalia in the short-run and long-run, while mean temperature particularly hampers agricultural exports in the long-run. Despite livestock production was found to be statistically insignificant, crop production positively contributes to agricultural exports. In addition, increases in rural population enhance both export categories in the short-run and long-run. A striking finding from the study indicates that internal and external conflicts decrease crop and animal exports in the long-run, although the coefficients of external conflicts were statistically insignificant. The long-run findings were validated using the FMOLS cointegration approach. Moreover, the causality findings demonstrate a unidirectional causality from agricultural exports to precipitation, temperature fluctuations, and internal conflicts. Furthermore, the study shows that agricultural labor Granger causes farm and livestock exports. To this end, this study recommends policymakers promote product diversification, foster sustainable land management practices, facilitate market access, and invest in resilient farming systems.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141776346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"The African fulcrum to bend the curve of the climate crisis to a just transition","authors":"Oluwagbemisola D Akinsipe and Daniel M Kammen","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad61c3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad61c3","url":null,"abstract":"From a current impact of under 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, rapid industrialization and population growth in Africa could dramatically change the continent’s emissions profile. In this study, we develop an analytic framework to quantify future scenarios and project that, in mid- and green-growth scenarios, Africa’s emissions would amount to just 4%–13% of the planned carbon savings in major economies. However, in a high-growth scenario without climate-conscious development, African emissions could jeopardize global mitigation efforts. Less than 20 nations could account for 80%–90% of the continent’s emissions, highlighting the critical role of green growth pathways centered on rapid clean energy adoption in just a few countries to transform the continent’s energy landscape. A 20-fold increase in investment and project completion rates is required to meet the renewable energy targets in these countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Our analysis underscores the need for nuanced country-specific strategies that prioritize equity and financial support for optimal climate and development progress in Africa.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141753977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"The effects of land subsidence and its mitigating measures on shallow groundwater salinization in the low-lying coastal plain of East Japan","authors":"ChiSan Tsai, Yuka Ito, Jiaqi Liu and Tomochika Tokunaga","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad5951","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad5951","url":null,"abstract":"Land subsidence in low-lying coastal regions results from geological and human factors, causing inundation during high tides. Mitigation measures, like pumping stations and ditch systems, aim to address this challenge. However, their impact on groundwater salinity near tidal rivers is understudied. Using a coupled surface-subsurface model, we investigate this issue in the lower Nabaki River region, Shirako Town, Japan. The simulation reveals adverse effects of pumping stations that induce intrusion of saline water from the tidal river into surrounding groundwater. While they are designed to prevent floods, these stations and ditches may inadvertently raise groundwater vulnerability to saltwater contamination. Despite 2D model limitations, it offers valuable insights into coastal groundwater dynamics and salinization. This study provides important information for policymakers and land managers to better understand the consequences of flood mitigation strategies on groundwater quality in vulnerable coastal areas.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141740101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Socio-Demographic Patterning of Urinary Mono-ethyl Phthalate Levels among Children and Adults in the U.S. (1999-2018)","authors":"Gabrielle Husted, Susan Cassels, Elizabeth Ackert, Stuart Sweeney","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad6403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad6403","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Background: Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics flexible and durable. They are found in clothes, varnishes, toys, pharmaceuticals, containers, and personal care products. Phthalates make their way into human bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption, and the breakdown of them within bodies can be measured as phthalate metabolites in urine. They pervade all aspects of the environment and our bodies, contributing to negative health outcomes. Education, SES, and gender influence where people live (their built environment), time-use patterns, occupation, treatment at healthcare facilities, and purchasing patterns; all affect phthalate exposures, and therefore phthalate metabolites in urine are also likely to vary by socio-demographic characteristics. Objectives: To study how levels of mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP) in urine samples of children and adults in the U.S. vary among key socio-demographic groups. We expect that disadvantaged groups will have the highest levels of phthalates. Methods: Using quantitative methods, we analyze levels of urinary MEP as a biomarker indicating exposure to phthalates. Within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (1999-2018) participants, we compare MEP levels across the following socio-demographic groups: age, gender, education, race/ethnicity, family income to poverty level, citizenship status. We use multivariate regression models to adjust results for differences in other factors that potentially influence MEP levels. Results: Historically disadvantaged groups – women, Non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican Americans, Other Hispanics, and those with lower educational attainment – have higher predicted phthalate levels, even when holding all covariates that could be related to differences in phthalate levels by socio-demographic factors constant. Discussion: Our results suggest differences in socio-demographic factors could be leading to unequal exposures to phthalates and MEP excretions in their urine. This research contributes to understanding health experiences outside of clinical definitions, drawing attention to structural vulnerabilities and the way that environmental toxicants are embodied in individuals and populations.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141641226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Land use patterns influence in the soil microbial composition","authors":"Donglin Zong, Yefu Zhou, Jing Zhou, Xiaokang Hu, Tao Wang","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad5b3e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad5b3e","url":null,"abstract":"Studies on the impact of land-use patterns on soil health and sustainability have indicated that land-use changes and unsuitable agricultural practices are key driving factors in the degradation of soil. However, the impact of land-use patterns on soil microbial diversity is not entirely consistent or known, and the specific effects of environmental factors need to be further considered. This study explored the impact of three different land-use patterns—rotation land (RL), garden land (GL), and uncultivated land (UL)—on soil health in a farming region by analyzing the soil physicochemical properties and the diversity of the soil bacterial and fungal communities. In this study, the results showed that the soil pH of GL was significantly lower than that of RL and UL, total nitrogen was lowest in GL, and available potassium and soil organic carbon were higher in RL and GL than in UL. The impact of the land-use patterns on microbial diversity was somewhat inconsistent, but greater on soil bacteria than fungi, with 17 bacterial and 4 fungal metabolic pathways showing significant differences. In particular, a decrease in the relative abundance of dominant bacteria was observed in GL. The land-use patterns had little impact on fungal functional genes; however, plant pathogen-related fungi were significantly higher in GL than in RL and UL. Overall, these results indicate that while the soil basic nutrients in different land-use patterns were high, long-term single planting (GL) still had a negative impact on the health and sustainability of the soil, especially owing to low soil pH. Therefore, when evaluating the effect of different planting systems on soil health, it is necessary to consider the true effect of local agricultural measures on soil properties and microbial community composition, and monitor for microbial diseases in the field to determine the impact of land-use patterns on crop production.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141881140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Sensitivity changes of US maize yields to extreme heat through timely precipitation patterns","authors":"Haidong Zhao, Lina Zhang, Nenghan Wan, Tom J. Avenson, Stephen M. Welch, Xiaomao Lin","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad6404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad6404","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Warm temperatures due to increases of greenhouse gas emissions have changed temperature distribution patterns especially for their extremes, which negatively affect crop yields. However, the assessment of these negative impacts remains unclear when surface precipitation patterns are shifted. Using a statistical model along with 23,944 county-year maize-yield data during 1981-2020 in the US Corn Belt, we found that the occurrence of timely precipitation reduced the sensitivity of maize yields to extreme heat by an average of 20% during the growing season with variations across phenological periods. Spatially across the US corn belt, maize in the northern region exhibited more significant benefits from timely precipitation compared to the southern region, despite the pronounced negative effects of extreme heat on yields in cooler regions. This study underscores the necessity of incorporating timely precipitation as a pivotal factor in estimating heat effects under evolving climates, offering valuable insights into complex climate-related challenges.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141643168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Evaluation of SENTINEL-2 products-based algorithms in estimating water pollutants of the River Niger in Bamako","authors":"Nana Coulibaly, Souleymane Sanogo, Abdramane Ba","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad62c4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad62c4","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Monitoring surface water quality on a spatio-temporal scale is of paramount importance. Several algorithms have been calibrated and validated using satellite observations to assess pollutants in surface waters in many localities worldwide. This study assessed the potential of sentinel-2 data to estimate the spatiotemporal distribution of chlorophyll-a, organic matter, and total suspended matter in the water of the Niger River in Bamako. Among the Sentinel-2 bands containing the spectral signatures of the considered pollutants, three spectral indices (based on the ratio of the characteristic band reflectance) were selected from the literature. Multivariate analysis was then used to set_up Algorithms between these indices and the in-situ measured concentrations. The most optimal index was thus identified and applied to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of water pollutants in the Niger River in Bamako and its surroundings. The results of this study showed seasonal variability in the water pollutants in the Niger River. This highlights the potential of Sentinel-2 products for water quality analysis.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141652176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}

{"title":"Remote effect of tropical south Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies on April–June accumulated cyclone energy over the western North Pacific","authors":"Jinjie Song, P. Klotzbach, Na Wei, Yihong Duan","doi":"10.1088/2515-7620/ad62c5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad62c5","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Global processes and their teleconnections, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), have been shown to be a large driver of interannual changes in accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) of western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclones (TCs), with higher ACE during El Niño and lower ACE during La Niña. However, it remains uncertain whether interannual changes in WNP TC ACE are modulated by sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in other oceans. This study finds a significant negative correlation between WNP TC ACE during the early season (April–June) and simultaneous SSTAs over the tropical south Atlantic (TSA) in 1970–2021. On average, in warm TSA years, basinwide April–June ACE is significantly lower, with significant ACE decreases mainly occurring over the region spanning 5°–30°N, 115°–150°E. This is a result of reduced TC frequency, intensity and duration, due to a remote modulation of WNP environmental conditions by TSA SSTAs. In warm TSA years, there are significant decreases in 700–500-hPa relative humidity, 850-hPa relative vorticity and 200-hPa divergence and significant increases in 850–200-hPa vertical wind shear over the portion of the WNP with significant ACE reductions. These environmental changes can be linked to an anomalous Walker circulation induced by TSA SSTAs.","PeriodicalId":48496,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research Communications","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141653694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}