Environmental Earth Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Integrated physical property measurements of titanium-bearing and host rocks for mineral exploration","authors":"Bomi Kim,&nbsp;Seungwook Shin,&nbsp;Dongbok Shin,&nbsp;Gilljae Lee","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13140-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13140-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Titanium is a critical mineral whose growing demand requires efficient methods for resource characterization and exploration. This study presents integrated physical property measurements of titanium-bearing ores and associated host rocks from the Myeonsan titanium ore deposit, South Korea. Representative drill-core samples were analyzed using a multi-parameter laboratory approach, including density, porosity, magnetic susceptibility, direct-current electrical resistivity, time-domain induced polarization (TDIP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS; spectral induced polarization, SIP, in geophysical applications), portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), and petrographic observations. Titanium-bearing ores exhibit markedly higher density and chargeability than surrounding host rocks, whereas porosity, resistivity, and magnetic susceptibility provide limited discrimination. EIS (SIP) measurements reveal distinct low-frequency polarization responses associated with rutile-, ilmenite-, and hematite-bearing ores. Integration of geophysical, geochemical, and petrographic measurements provides quantitative criteria for distinguishing ore-bearing rocks from host lithologies and improves understanding of the physical mechanisms controlling their responses. These results demonstrate the value of integrated physical property measurements for quantitative characterization of titanium-bearing rocks and their application to mineral exploration.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13140-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986998","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":"Thermo-hydro-mechanical response of the operation style in a faulted Malm reservoir: Storage triplet vs. hydrothermal doublet","authors":"Ali Dashti,&nbsp;Kai Stricker,&nbsp;Thorsten Hörbrand,&nbsp;Rahim Habibi,&nbsp;Kilian Beichel,&nbsp;Thomas Kohl","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13141-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13141-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The existing heat in the earth can be considered as an abundant source of clean energy. Geothermal applications have extracted this resource via various approaches, such as petro- and hydrothermal systems or heat pumps. In recent years, thermal energy storage systems (ATES), which balance the temporal mismatch of the energy demand and supply were widely developed, primarily in the Netherlands. Herein we compared the fully elastic thermo-hydro-mechanical response of two different geothermal systems: a hydrothermal doublet and a high-temperature (HT) ATES triplet, both located in the karstified and faulted Malm aquifer in the north of Munich (south of Germany). Both systems have a negligible impact on the pressure field of the Malm reservoir due to its high permeability. The geomechanical responses at the scale of the reservoir are primarily governed by thermoelasticity, with only minor poroelastic effects due to low pressure variations. In our linear elastic constitutive framework, the cyclic injection and production of the HT-ATES triplet lead to slightly lower stress-field perturbations than the continuous operation of the hydrothermal doublet under the investigated operating conditions. As a result, lower fault destabilization and smaller induced displacements were computed in the HT-ATES scenario. These differences are attributed to the cyclic thermal loading and reduced cumulative thermal perturbation associated with the storage operation. Additionally, the heterogeneity of the reservoir, represented by differences in the permeability of the layers, has a notable impact on both thermal recovery and the fault stability in the HT-ATES triplet.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13141-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148974831","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":"Serpentinite as a strategic Earth material: geological controls, mineral reactivity, carbon mineralization, geologic hydrogen, and sustainable resource pathways","authors":"Mostafa R. Abukhadra,&nbsp;Seham M. Hamed,&nbsp;Ahmed A. Allam,&nbsp;Mohammad Ahmad Hamdan,&nbsp;Mahmoud Abu Saima","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13127-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13127-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Serpentinite, the hydrated ultramafic lithology formed during serpentinization of mantle peridotites, is increasingly recognized as a strategic yet heterogeneous geomaterial for construction, carbon-management, and energy-related pathways. This review synthesizes knowledge by linking geological origin, serpentine polymorph assemblage, accessory phases, alteration degree, and structure–property–reactivity relationships to application performance. Rather than cataloguing uses, it evaluates serpentinite pathways according to mineralogical control, processing intensity, evidence maturity, functional advantage, scalability, and environmental or occupational risk. Emphasis is placed on how lizardite, chrysotile, antigorite, brucite, magnetite, microstructural heterogeneity, and serpentinization degree govern surface reactivity, Mg accessibility, porosity evolution, mechanical competence, dissolution behavior, carbonation kinetics, and fiber-related constraints. These controls explain serpentinite’s established use as dimension stone, aggregate, and refractory or ceramic feedstock, while supporting process-sensitive pathways such as magnesium-silicate binders, low-carbon construction products, Mg recovery, adsorption media, radiation-shielding concretes, and engineered porous materials. The review assesses its relevance to climate and energy systems, particularly permanent CO₂ sequestration by mineral carbonation and abiotic hydrogen generation through serpentinization-driven redox reactions. Additional opportunities, including enhanced rock weathering, magnesium-chemical production, thermal-management materials, and quarry-residue valorization, are evaluated as lithotype-specific and risk-governed options. Practical deployment remains constrained by mineralogical heterogeneity, carbonation and Mg-extraction kinetics, activation-energy demand, water and reagent requirements, Ni–Cr mobility, and potential chrysotile or elongated mineral-particle occurrence. Future progress requires polymorph- and texture-resolved databases, pilot-scale validation, integrated techno-economic and life-cycle assessment, and risk-aware resource allocation. Overall, serpentinite is best understood as a fit-for-purpose geomaterial platform whose value depends on coupling mineralogical qualification with controlled processing and environmental governance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13127-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927520","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":"Assessing sinkhole hazard at the blue and white golf course, state college, using a combined remote-sensing and field methods approach","authors":"R. C. Bussard,&nbsp;R. Housego,&nbsp;C. Wauthier,&nbsp;M. Marqeuz,&nbsp;Joseph Miller","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13134-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13134-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sinkholes are a common problem faced by golf courses throughout the U.S. due to the large amount of water cycled through and transported beneath them by natural and anthropogenic means. In State College Pennsylvania, the Blue and White Golf Course has experienced sinkholes around the course including a large one by the Blue Course’s Hole 15 in the mid 2000s. Using multi-spectral optical data (Landsat 8/9) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) spanning 2017–2025, this work explores soil moisture and ground motion across the golf course through time and space. In addition to these measurements, pore water samples are taken at different points across the golf course to measure pH and conductivity. The multi-spectral data show the golf course has a higher than average NDMI than the surrounding area, with high values (&gt; 0.15) along fairways for the different holes, while the average velocity map from the InSAR, validated with available GNSS data, shows subsidence across the golf course that heightens to values &gt; 1 cm/yr in the south/southwest region of the Blue Course. Geochemical analysis of the field samples shows that the pH of the golf course pore water is slightly more acidic than control sites, suggesting that dissolution is likely occurring beneath the golf course. Combining these datasets with regional rainfall, local elevation, and previous karst feature data show local features combined with course maintenance have stronger influence over subsidence rates and hydrologic mechanisms (dissolution, infiltration) than regional controls.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13134-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927669","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":"Construction of composite biological soil crusts accelerates early-stage soil restoration in karst rocky desertification areas","authors":"Zixu Chen,&nbsp;Tao Li,&nbsp;Xunyang He,&nbsp;Hui Yang,&nbsp;Fen Huang,&nbsp;Jianhua Cao,&nbsp;Pei Wang,&nbsp;Gaohong Wang","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13121-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13121-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Karst rocky desertification (KRD) represents one of the most severe forms of land degradation globally. Soils in these regions are characterized by structural instability, severe nutrient depletion, and fragmented microbial networks, all of which collectively impose formidable constraints on natural biogeochemical recovery. In this study, we experimentally induced biological soil crusts (BSCs) through the use of moss, algae, and their co-inoculation, which represents a composite BSCs construction strategy, under both controlled and field conditions. We specifically examined how inoculation strategy regulates carbon–nitrogen coupling, nutrient pools, enzyme activities, dissolved organic matter transformation, and microbial community reorganization over 90 days. Results showed that co-inoculation acted as the dominant driver of early-stage ecosystem restoration. It increased Chl <i>a</i> up to tenfold, enhanced total organic carbon, and elevated nitrate concentrations by up to fivefold under controlled conditions, accompanied by a 40–43% rise in urease activity. Coordinated increases in sucrase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase indicated enhanced microbial C-N-P acquisition. Concurrently, DOM shifted toward greater microbial contribution with early-stage humification signals. Microbial richness more than doubled, communities transitioned from unicellular to filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, and saprotrophic <i>Ascomycota</i> became dominant, alongside enrichment of nitrogen-reduction and complex carbon-degradation pathways. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that induced BSCs promote early-stage nutrient accumulation and microbial community reorganization in soils within KRD areas. Moss-cyanobacterial co-inoculation consistently outperformed single inoculation treatments under both indoor and field conditions. The study underscores the potential of induced BSCs technology as a promising ecological strategy for the early restoration of degraded soils within KRD area.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13121-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927443","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":"Projecting climate-induced river erosion for assessing future landslide susceptibility: methodological insights and lessons learned from five Swedish cases","authors":"Gunnel Göransson,&nbsp;Karin Odén,&nbsp;Karin Bergdahl,&nbsp;Per Bolin","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13128-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13128-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rivers worldwide are experiencing accelerating geomorphological change as climate‑driven increases in extreme precipitation and discharge intensify erosion, modify channel morphology, and increase landslide risk. This paper synthesizes more than a decade (2009–2022) of erosion projections used to support probabilistic geotechnical slope‑stability assessments along four Swedish rivers with high landslide susceptibility: the Göta River, Nors River, Säve River and the Ångerman River. The paper provides a synthesis of the applied methodologies and summarises key lessons learned and insights derived from these large‑scale assessments. It further presents a transferable workflow for assessing climate‑sensitive river erosion and associated geotechnical risks relevant to integrated river‑basin management and landslide risk assessment under changing climatic conditions. The work emphasises the need for interdisciplinary collaboration specifically across geomorphology, hydrology, sediment transport, hydraulics, and geotechnics. Case-specific findings suggest that, in rivers subjected to short-term flow regulation, the temporal resolution of discharge data can have a substantial influence on simulated erosion patterns. In heavily regulated systems, erosion associated with hydropower operations may, in some cases, exceed that driven by climate-related changes in discharge, potentially obscuring the effects of climate change. Projecting future erosion over the extended timescales considered in the present study is associated with substantial uncertainty. Consequently, recurrent and systematic monitoring, particularly through comprehensive bathymetric surveys, together with regular updates of the assessment, is essential. This is especially important in the event that a landslide were to occur. The results suggest that the analysis process needs to be dynamic and the management adaptable. By this paper, we hope to stimulate further research toward improving the integration of fluvial erosion processes into assessments of slope stability and future landslide probability, particularly in areas of high social vulnerability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13128-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927658","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":"Changes in soil physico-chemical properties along elevation and precipitation gradients in Northeastern Syria","authors":"Hisen Sulaiman,&nbsp;Abd Al Karim Jaafar,&nbsp;Suleiman Salim,&nbsp;Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13122-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13122-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Soils from arid and semi-arid regions are strongly influenced by climate through interaction among temperature, precipitation, and vegetation. These factors generally affect soil formation and fertility, although data for northeastern Syria remain limited. This study assessed the physicochemical properties of three soil profiles (Al-Hasakah, Al-Qamishli, and Al-Malikiyah) in the Al-Hasakah Governorate (NE Syria) across elevation (300–598 m.a.s.l.) and precipitation gradients (280–650 mm). One profile per site was analyzed for texture, bulk density, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, calcium carbonate, soil pH, electrical conductivity, available phosphorus (Olsen-P), and DTPA-extractable contents of Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu. Al-Hasakah, the driest and lowest site, showed clay loam texture, the lowest clay content (30.4%), and low organic matter content (&lt; 0.77%). Al-Qamishli exhibited intermediate characteristics, while Al-Malikiyah, the site located at the highest elevation, developed clay-rich soils typical of calcareous vertisols, with correspondingly low organic matter content (&lt; 0.98%), consistent with semi-arid and arid soils. The soils exhibited medium to very high cation exchange capacity dominated by Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, while available P was low (&lt; 4 mg kg⁻¹). The DTPA-extractable contents of the micronutrients studied were very low, as expected for semi-arid soils. When these values were assessed against guidelines for semi-arid soils, a moderate availability of Cu, Fe, and Mn was generally observed, while Zn concentrations were low to moderate. The obtained results provide valuable information to farmers, land managers, and researchers working on soil fertility management practices in NE Syria and in regions with similar environmental conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13122-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927471","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":"Unraveling multi-scale drivers of Chl-a dynamics via interpretable machine learning: a case study of Shahu Lake","authors":"Yong Li,&nbsp;Yusheng Huang,&nbsp;Lingjing Lin,&nbsp;Xiangzhen Kong,&nbsp;Zhongyao Liang","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13133-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13133-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Aquatic eutrophication exhibits pronounced temporal variability, yet conventional global interpretation frameworks often fail to capture short-term ecological responses and obscure environmental drivers that dominate only during specific ecological periods. To address this limitation, this study developed a multi-scale interpretable machine-learning framework and applied it to Shahu Lake as a case study. Using high-frequency water-quality monitoring data, an XGBoost model was developed to simulate chlorophyll-a (Chl-<i>a</i>) concentrations, achieving an <span>(varvec{R^2})</span> of 0.889 for the training dataset and 0.810 for the independent testing dataset, indicating both strong predictive accuracy and good generalization performance. Global-scale interpretation showed that water temperature and organic matter mineralization constituted the dominant long-term environmental drivers, while phosphorus remained the fundamental limiting nutrient. Regional-scale interpretation further revealed a distinct seasonal mechanistic shift during the summer bloom period (July–September), when the system transitioned from long-term phosphorus limitation to transient nitrogen limitation under elevated thermal conditions. At the local scale, heterogeneous decision pathways underlying extreme high-Chl-<i>a</i> events were identified, demonstrating that bloom development followed different nutrient-regulation trajectories even under similar environmental backgrounds. These findings suggest that long-term eutrophication management should prioritize phosphorus-load reduction, while adaptive nitrogen management may be required during the summer bloom period. By unraveling ecological mechanisms across global, regional, and local interpretation scales, the proposed framework provides a state-dependent decision-support tool for lake eutrophication management and demonstrates the potential of interpretable machine learning for understanding complex aquatic ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13133-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927468","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":"GNSS monitoring and stability evolution mechanism of the S-J1 deformation body in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River","authors":"Niu Zihao,&nbsp;Shi Anchi,&nbsp;An Xingrong,&nbsp;Jin Kai,&nbsp;Que Xiangcheng,&nbsp;Zhu Shu,&nbsp;Wang Xiang","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13135-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13135-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Catastrophic landslides triggered by reservoir impoundment represent one of the most destructive geohazards in the field of hydropower engineering, posing significant threats to human lives, property, and the long-term operational safety of critical infrastructure. A large hydropower station on the lower Jinsha River, ranked as the world’s second-largest hydropower project, with an annual water-level fluctuation of up to 60 m, creates extreme geological conditions that make reservoir bank stability a particularly critical issue. Based on a comprehensive study of the S-J1 deformation body on the reservoir bank of the reservoir area, this paper systematically analyzes its deformation characteristics, formation mechanism, and stability through field investigation, GNSS monitoring, inclinometer measurements, and stability calculations. Results indicate that the deformation body represents a large-scale potential landslide triggered by reservoir impoundment and periodic water-level fluctuations, with an identified sliding surface at depths between 22 m and 34 m. GNSS monitoring records ongoing slow deformation, accompanied by significant local vertical displacement. Stability calculations demonstrate that the slope remains generally stable to marginally stable under natural and rainfall conditions, but becomes unstable under seismic and rapid drawdown conditions, suggesting a high failure risk. Reservoir impoundment is confirmed as the initial triggering factor, while drawdown-induced seepage is identified as the primary driver of ongoing progressive deformation. Mitigation measures including anchor cable reinforcement, surface drainage, and crack sealing are recommended, supported by a long-term monitoring and early warning system. These findings provide theoretical and practical references for identifying and preventing reservoir-induced landslides under analogous engineering geological conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13135-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927470","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":"Three decades of vegetation change in Jabel Marra: climate drivers and post-conflict vegetation dynamics","authors":"Abdalrahman Ahmed,&nbsp;Kornel Czimber,&nbsp;Saralees Nadarajah,&nbsp;Elmugheira Mockarram Ibrahim Mohammed,&nbsp;Ahmed Abdallah Adam Mohamed,&nbsp;Faisal Ismail Musa","doi":"10.1007/s12665-026-13109-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-026-13109-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding long-term vegetation dynamics in semi-arid and conflict-affected environments is important for sustainable land management and climate adaptation. This study investigated vegetation change and climate variability in the Jabel Marra region of Central Darfur, Sudan, during 1994–2024 using Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), CHIRPS precipitation, MERRA-2 temperature, and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). Long-term vegetation trends were assessed using the Mann-Kendall trend test and Sen’s slope estimator, whereas climate–vegetation relationships were evaluated using correlation analysis. The annual NDVI showed a significant positive trend (Mann–Kendall Z = 4.78, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), with a Sen’s slope of 0.00143 NDVI units year⁻¹, indicating a gradual increase in vegetation greenness. Spatial trend analysis showed that positive vegetation trends were concentrated primarily in mid-to-high elevation vegetated areas. Annual precipitation exhibited substantial interannual variability (R² = 0.06), whereas temperature increased consistently (R² = 0.51). NDVI was positively correlated with precipitation (<i>r</i> = 0.48) and negatively correlated with temperature (<i>r</i> = − 0.57). The SPEI identified recurrent drought episodes before 2018, followed by predominantly wetter conditions thereafter. The findings indicate that vegetation dynamics in Jabel Marra were primarily associated with climatic variability, particularly precipitation and drought conditions, while conflict-related processes were considered contextual because they were not directly analyzed. This study demonstrates the value of integrating long-term satellite observations and climate datasets to monitor vegetation changes in data-scarce dryland environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"85 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-026-13109-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927444","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}