Le Zhang, Junyun Zhang, Zhen Gong, Changchun He, Jun Feng, Bo Xiang, Yufei Zhang, Fuzhou Gao
{"title":"Safety performance evaluation of a gently dipping bedding slope containing multiple weak interlayers in Southwest China","authors":"Le Zhang, Junyun Zhang, Zhen Gong, Changchun He, Jun Feng, Bo Xiang, Yufei Zhang, Fuzhou Gao","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13178-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13178-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The failure modes and safety assessment methods of gently dipping bedding slopes containing multiple weak interlayers (GBSWs) are critical issues in engineering construction. In this study, engineering geological investigations and laboratory direct shear tests on undisturbed samples were conducted to elucidate the strength degradation mechanism and the evolution of strength parameters of the weak interlayers, while finite element simulations were employed to investigate the slope failure modes. Based on the laboratory test results and numerical simulations, a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model was developed to enable rapid assessment of the operational safety of engineering slopes. The results indicate that the shear strength of the weak interlayers decreases significantly with increasing water content, while both cohesion and the internal friction angle exhibit an exponential decay. The bedrock–overburden interface and the weak interlayers within the slope constitute unfavorable interfaces. Following excavation-induced unloading, slope deformation develops preferentially along these interfaces, resulting in an overall stepped sliding–tensile cracking failure mode. Staged excavation, together with the timely implementation of protective measures after excavation, can effectively control the factor of safety (<i>F</i>s) and the maximum horizontal displacement (|<i>U</i>x|<sub>max</sub>) of the slope. Comparative trial calculations showed that the 5–10–2 BPNN architecture exhibited the best performance, yielding the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) and the highest coefficient of determination (R²). For GBSWs, an analytical limit equilibrium method applicable to the engineering feasibility study and preliminary design stages, together with a predictive assessment method based on machine learning for the safe operation stage, was proposed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13178-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"Analysis of bottom hole pressure instability in ultra deep fracture-vuggy type condensed gas reservoirs","authors":"Yang Zuoming, Zhao Renbao, Liu Hailong","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13144-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13144-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Accurate bottomhole pressure is crucial for tracking gas well performance. However, ultra-deep fracture-vuggy reservoirs are characterized by a complex mix of matrix, fractures, and vugs, plus condensate gas phase changes, which makes interpretation difficult. To solve this, unsteady pressure buildup data and production data were combined to build a well test interpretation model. A new pseudo-pressure function based on mass flow was used, and the wellbore storage model was updated based on pressure gauge depth. The well-vug part was solved directly and the fracture-vug-fracture part was solved step by step. The final theoretical chart was verified against existing literature. It is shown by our analysis that early flow is mainly affected by wellbore storage and skin factor; the linear flow stage is controlled by fracture zone length and flow conductivity; the storage stage is influenced by vug volume; and the timing of linear flow is shifted by two-phase, adsorption, and dry gas zones that are created by condensate degree. Real production data are closely matched by the model, and our understanding of these complex reservoirs is deepened, and better gas field development is supported.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13144-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"ASTER-based mapping of iron skarn mineralization in Keban (Elazığ), Eastern Türkiye: Insights from mineralogical, geochemical, and spectral validation","authors":"Melek Ural, Sedat İnal, Mustafa Eğri","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13162-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13162-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the iron-bearing mineral deposits and contact-metamorphic skarn zones associated with magmatic intrusions in the Keban region (Elazığ, Eastern Türkiye), focusing on the Aşvan (Muratçık), Fatmalı, Üçağaç, and Ulupınar (Birvan) areas. The primary objective is to delineate the spatial extent of Fe-bearing zones using ASTER imagery and to evaluate their multi-stage paragenetic evolution through integrated field verification, mineralogy, petrography, and geochemistry. Advanced image processing techniques specifically ASTER band ratios B2/B1 ferric iron, B5/B4 (iron silicates), and B4/B5 (lateritic zones) were applied using statistical thresholding to map iron anomalies. The spatial distribution of spectral anomalies was quantitatively cross-validated with field samples (MEU series) and reference datasets (MS series) and historical exploration data. Petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses demonstrate a distinct chemical variation across the skarn system, with total iron contents shifting sharply from dioritic/gabbroic endoskarn contacts (1–15 % FeO) and exoskarn zones (14–24 % FeO) up to high-grade skarn/oxide mineralization (> 45–52 % FeO). These geochemical markers, accompanied by high Loss on Ignition (LOI up to 8.99%), mobile trace element enrichments (Cu up to 145.42 ppm, Zn up to 185.32 ppm), and XRD identification of nontronite and jarosite, confirm that the Keban system experienced a multi-stage evolution: high-temperature prograde skarn formation, late-stage low-temperature retrograde hydrothermal overprinting, and subsequent supergene lateritization. Notably, the precise spatial overlap between pre-mining 2003 ASTER anomalies and post-2012 open-pit excavations demonstrates that this remote sensing methodology acts as a powerful predictive tool for mapping surface micro-leakage signatures of blind (buried) mineralization. Overall, this study confirms the efficacy of integrating spectro-mineralogical satellite mapping with empirical ground-truthing for iron ore prospection in rugged, geologically complex skarn terrains.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13162-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"Source apportionment and evolutionary characteristics of groundwater in the alpine gorge region of the tibetan plateau based on unsupervised machine learning and isotopic tracing: a case study of the zheduotang area, kangding","authors":"Chongqin Zhao, Chunchao Zhang, Changchang Fu, Xiangquan Li, Jianfei Ma, Zhenxing Wang, Jiazhong Qian, Xianyu Chen","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13126-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13126-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Groundwater in the alpine canyon regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is influenced by multiple recharge sources and geological structures, resulting in complex recharge processes and evolution mechanisms. This study focuses on the alpine canyon region of Zheduotang and integrates unsupervised machine learning with isotope tracers (δD, δ¹⁸O, and ³H) to systematically identify groundwater sources and their evolutionary processes. By integrating self-organizing maps (SOM) and K-means clustering, the water samples are classified into four groups, highlighting variations in hydrochemical facies, mineralization levels, and dominant ion sources among different water bodies. The results indicate that groundwater hydrochemical evolution is jointly governed by lithology and water-rock interaction intensity. Groundwater in the granite-dominated area is characterized by low-TDS Ca-HCO₃ and Ca-Mg-HCO₃, suggesting rapid shallow recharge, whereas groundwater in the metamorphic sandstone–slate area exhibits higher TDS with enriched Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻, indicative of longer flow paths and stronger water-rock interactions. Isotopic evidence indicates that groundwater and surface water are predominantly recharged by atmospheric precipitation and snow-ice meltwater, with recharge elevations ranging from 3594 to 5103 m, typically 400–800 m higher than their corresponding discharge elevations. Groundwater recharge in the study area occurs through three principal modes: direct recharge via high-elevation fractures, sustained input from alpine glacial lakes, and river leakage, and is strongly controlled by geological structures overall.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13126-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Nayab Ismaeel, Jiwen Ge, Ziwei Liu, Asmat Ali, Shiyu Yang, Ye Liu
{"title":"Extreme drought stress diminished soil carbon sequestration and restructured microbial communities at the Dajiuhu subalpine peatland, Central China","authors":"Nayab Ismaeel, Jiwen Ge, Ziwei Liu, Asmat Ali, Shiyu Yang, Ye Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13158-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13158-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Peatlands store approximately 30% of global terrestrial soil carbon, yet how subalpine peatlands respond to extreme drought remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of the historically severe 2022 Yangtze River Basin drought by comparing carbon fluxes, soil nutrients, and soil bacterial communities with those of the pre-drought year (2021). The research was conducted in the Dajiuhu subalpine peatland (1,760 m a.s.l.), Shennongjia, Central China, using eddy covariance (EC) measurements, soil physicochemical analyses, and 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing during 2021 (pre-drought) and 2022 (drought year). Annual carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) uptake by 81.58% (from 1304 to 240.14 g·m<sup>− 2</sup>), while methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions decreased by 20.59% (not statistically significant, <i>P</i> > 0.05), resulting in an 83.32% decline in net carbon sequestration (from 345 to 57.5 g·m<sup>− 2</sup>). Because net CO<sub>2</sub> exchange was not partitioned into gross primary productivity and ecosystem respiration, this decline cannot be assigned directly to altered photosynthesis or respiration. Paired comparisons of the 24 soil samples showed lower TP and TS in 2022 (Holm-adjusted <i>P</i> < 0.001), whereas TOC and TN did not differ significantly. Microbial community composition differed between years (PERMANOVA, <i>P</i> < 0.01), with higher relative abundance of Chloroflexi and lower relative abundance of Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria in 2022. FAPROTAX-based predictions indicated higher putative potential for methanotrophy and methylotrophy and lower putative potential for chemoheterotrophy; these predictions do not measure realized process rates. Mantel tests and variance partitioning showed associations between the measured environmental gradients and carbon-flux variation, whereas no single measured environmental variable was significantly associated with the community shift. The 2022 drought was therefore associated with a markedly weaker net carbon sink and concurrent microbial community restructuring at this site.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13158-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Sang-Ho Moon, Yongcheol Kim, Hee Sun Moon, Hyoung Chan Kim, Soonyoung Yu, Jaehoon Jung
{"title":"Long-term spatiotemporal assessment of stable isotopic composition of precipitation across South Korea (2019–2023)","authors":"Sang-Ho Moon, Yongcheol Kim, Hee Sun Moon, Hyoung Chan Kim, Soonyoung Yu, Jaehoon Jung","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13169-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13169-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mainland South Korea is a humid temperate peninsula characterized by strong seasonal climatic contrasts, complex topography, and a pronounced monsoon influence. The region comprises four major river basins (Han, Geum, Nakdong, and Yeongsan–Seomjin) and is influenced by both maritime and continental air masses. Precipitation is highly seasonal and strongly influenced by stationary fronts and typhoons, with over half of the annual precipitation occurring during the summer monsoon. Spatiotemporal trends in the stable isotopic compositions (δ¹⁸O and δD) of precipitation were investigated. A total of 617 samples collected from 24 monitoring stations between July 2019 and December 2023 were used in this study. Local meteoric water lines (LMWLs) were established for the entire dataset and for each season. Amount-weighted mean isotopic values were calculated to evaluate controlling factors. Strong seasonal controls on isotopic composition were observed. Summer precipitation follows the Global Meteoric Water Line, indicating near-equilibrium condensation under humid conditions. In contrast, winter precipitation shows lower LMWL slopes and higher intercepts, reflecting non-equilibrium processes and elevated deuterium excess associated with dry continental air masses and/or continental recycling over the Yellow Sea. Distribution patterns of δ values reveal continental, latitudinal, longitudinal, and altitudinal effects, except at three coastal and/or isolated stations (i.e., Gs, Kr, and Ph). This study provides the first long-term isotopic baseline for mainland South Korea, supporting future isotope-based hydrological studies, including groundwater recharge and water source identification.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13169-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"Wettability alteration of CO2-water-shale system: state of the art and future directions","authors":"Chao Luo, Xin Yin, Biying Zeng, Jialin Yuan, Xinlei Huo, Hun Lin, Nanxin Yin","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13163-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13163-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wettability serves as a fundamental petrophysical property governing hydrocarbon recovery efficiency and determining the geological storage security of injected CO<sub>2</sub> within shale formations. This work systematically reviews the recent advances in wettability alteration (WA) of shale induced by CO<sub>2</sub> flooding. First, the classification criteria of reservoir wettability are summarized, and the respective merits and limitations of prevailing experimental and numerical characterization approaches for wettability quantification are critically discussed. Thereafter, key controlling factors encompassing in-situ reservoir conditions, formation water salinity, inherent mineralogy, total organic carbon (TOC) content and geochemical interactions are elaborated, with detailed assessment on how these variables modulate the WA behaviors of CO<sub>2</sub>-brine-shale ternary systems. On this basis, the urgent research demands toward multi-scale quantitative characterization and in-depth mechanistic exploration of WA are highlighted. Additionally, the pivotal role of WA in guiding CO<sub>2</sub> storage site screening and long-term geological safety evaluation is emphasized. This comprehensive review clarifies current research bottlenecks and delivers instructive references for preferential formation optimization and subsequent feasibility evaluation of field-scale CO<sub>2</sub> geological sequestration projects in shale reservoirs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13163-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Li-Feng Ren, Jie chong, Xiao-Xia Zhao, Qing-Wei Li, Fan Tao, Xiao-wei Zhai, Bo-bo Song
{"title":"Experimental study on similar simulation of overburden fracture evolution in shallow-buried coal fire zones","authors":"Li-Feng Ren, Jie chong, Xiao-Xia Zhao, Qing-Wei Li, Fan Tao, Xiao-wei Zhai, Bo-bo Song","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13137-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13137-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To investigate the fracture evolution law of overlying strata in coalfield fire zones, physical similarity simulation tests and high-temperature triaxial mechanical tests on siltstone were carried out according to the geological conditions of shallow buried fire areas in Baitata Coal Mine, Shenmu City. An equivalent numerical model was established by means of UDEC to systematically explore the influences of coal seam thickness, damage advancement rate and temperature on the development of overlying fractures, as well as the evolutionary characteristics when fractures penetrate the ground surface to form air leakage channels. The results indicate that in physical similarity simulation experiments, primary fractures penetrate through to the ground surface to form air leakage channels with a length of 62.1 cm when the coal seam damage advancement distance reaches 160 cm. Moreover, the caving interval after the formation of surface-penetrating fractures is larger than that before penetration. During the damage propagation, the overlying strata undergo continuous dynamic subsidence. Measuring lines farther from the simulated ground surface record larger displacement magnitudes with smoother variation trends, and the maximum subsidence of the simulated ground surface is approximately 73.2 mm at a damage advancement distance of 280 cm. High temperature induces fluctuating variations in both the elastic modulus and peak stress of siltstone. Poisson’s ratio varies within the range of 0.1–0.3 and reaches its maximum lateral deformability at 300 °C. The mechanical properties of rock fluctuate with temperature, rendering the rock prone to deformation and failure. Numerical simulation results indicate that a greater coal seam thickness, slower coal seam damage advancement rate, and higher temperature lead to earlier formation and greater length of surface-penetrating fractures. For a given overburden height, the coal seam damage advancement rate exerts a more significant influence on the coal seam damage advancement distance required for overburden fractures to develop to the surface.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13137-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"A response surface-based calibration framework for accurate soil water content determination under saline conditions: a case study in Guangdong Province, China","authors":"Tong Wang, Ran Tong, Yonghao Chen, Xue Wu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13168-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13168-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding soil water content dynamics under saline conditions remains a major challenge for effective soil and water management in agricultural systems. This study aimed to optimize the correction of soil water content measurements obtained from gypsum blocks under the combined effects of salinity and matric suction using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Soil samples were collected from agricultural fields in Guangdong Province, China, representing three distinct soil textures: sandy loam, clay, and clay loam. The samples were exposed to seven salinity levels ranging from 2 to 24 dS m⁻¹. Calibration of the gypsum blocks involved establishing the relationship between electrical resistance and soil matric potential, followed by developing a second-order polynomial model to predict the soil water content correction value (Δθ = predicted−measured). Statistical analysis showed that the model provided strong predictive performance within the experimentally investigated domain (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.98, RMSE = 0.021, CRM ≈ 0, indicating negligible bias). The interaction between salinity and matric suction significantly influenced the sensor response; higher salinity levels progressively degraded uncorrected reading accuracy. Across the three soil textures (sandy loam, clay, and clay loam), the proposed RSM calibration reduced the root mean square error (RMSE) by more than 95% relative to uncorrected raw sensor readings. These results demonstrate that RSM is an effective empirical approach for correcting gypsum block data under saline regimes, offering a practical solution for improving soil water content estimation and irrigation management in saline agricultural environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13168-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}