Environmental Management最新文献

{"title":"Mapping the Evidence for Cumulative Adverse Effects of Offshore Wind Installations on Birds","authors":"Leon A. Green-Tkacenko,&nbsp;Michael C. Allen,&nbsp;Julie L. Lockwood","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02599-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02599-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Offshore wind (OSW) energy is rapidly expanding worldwide as countries aim to decarbonize their electrical grids. However, as OSW scales up to meet increasing demand, concerns about cumulative environmental effects have mounted. Over the past decade, empirical and theoretical studies on cumulative effects, especially on birds, have increased apace. We conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature on birds stored in the energy impact repository <i>Tethys</i> to determine how often different categories of evidence identified as important for understanding cumulative adverse effects have been measured. We used an evidence-mapping approach, aligning measurements recorded in <i>Tethys</i> with a published typology of evidence for cumulative adverse effects. Although many frameworks for understanding cumulative effects exist, rigorous quantification of measured outcomes is lacking. Our findings show that most empirical studies have identified which bird species are vulnerable to OSW effects (46%) or provided baseline data for species prior to OSW construction (40%), both of which are fundamental to understanding cumulative effects. In contrast, only 1% examined the nature of effect pathways (additive, synergistic, countervailing), and less than 3% sought to identify acceptable mortality thresholds for species populations affected by OSW. Additionally, there is a strong geographic bias toward the North Atlantic Ocean. Our analysis highlights critical gaps in the evidence required to understand the cumulative adverse effects of OSW on birds, guiding future research toward key areas where evidence is lacking.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02599-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Quantification, Valuation and Mapping of Carbon Stocks in Relation to Land Cover Dynamics in Ghana","authors":"Kwadwo Kyenkyehene Kusi,&nbsp;Comfort Nkrumah,&nbsp;Beatrice Darko Obiri","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02590-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02590-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Land use and land cover (LULC) change is a major driver of carbon emissions and ecosystem transformation, with significant implications for climate change mitigation and sustainable development. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of LULC dynamics from 2018 to 2024, with projections to 2030 under a Business-as-Usual scenario, and quantifies their impacts on carbon storage, sequestration, and the economic value of carbon in Ghana. Environmental Systems Research Institute global land cover data at 10 m resolution was reclassified for Ghana; future LULC was projected using the MOLUSCE plugin in QGIS, and the InVEST carbon model was used to estimate carbon stocks and their monetary value. Results show Trees Outside Forests (TOF) declined by 14% (11981 km²) between 2018 and 2024 and is projected to decline a further 6% (5113 km²) by 2030, while forest reserves remained stable. This decline contributed to a reduction in total carbon storage to 7227 million t C (301.7 t C ha⁻¹) in 2024. Projections show a partial recovery to 7563 million t C (315.7 t C ha⁻¹) by 2030, driven by a projected expansion of the forest reserves; however, no net sequestration was observed relative to the 2017 primary baseline (8055 Mt C). This persistent carbon deficit is primarily driven by the decline in TOF, which acted as the main catalyst for the national carbon loss signal, whereas protected forest reserves remained relatively stable. Economic losses are profound, totaling US$12,032 million (US$662/ha) in 2024 and a projected US$5,398 million (US$347/ha) in 2030. Although losses slowed by 55%, this deceleration does not signify recovery. The national carbon Net Present Value remains consistently negative through 2030, yielding no net economic gains relative to the baseline. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted land management policies, especially for TOF, to enhance carbon sequestration and support Nationally Determined Contribution targets.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148783181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Grassroots Governance for Sustainable Environmental Planning: Examining Manila Bay as Limit Case for Participatory Policy Implementation","authors":"Odessa Gonzalez Benson,&nbsp;Nicolás Juárez","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02541-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02541-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In governance and social policies for environmental planning, communities are often engaged for decision-making, aspiring to fulfill democratic ideals. However, community participation is usually limited to decision making; policy implementation seems outside the scope and mandate of the community, considered separate from the governance body. This study takes up a limit case whereby community is inherent to governance. Drawing from the Philippines, we posit the <i>barangay</i> as a hybrid of sorts: local grassroots community while simultaneously formalized as ‘lowest government unit’. Using critical policy discourse analysis, we examine the 2022 Manila Bay Sustainable Development Plan for how participatory implementation is discursively planned and produced. We argue that what seems discursively produced is a devolution of state responsibilities without sufficient sharing of power, resources and knowledge needed for devolution to follow empowerment as paired logic. Yet, deliberative engagement, capacity-building and technical assistance were unmistakable, opening possibilities for participatory implementation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02541-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Sustainable Behavior Change Interventions for Women in Water Consumption Management: Urban Water Experts’ Insights","authors":"Elham Esmaeili Alavijeh,&nbsp;Esmail Salehi,&nbsp;Lobat Zebardast,&nbsp;Rezvan Hakimzadeh","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02586-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02586-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Women are key agents in driving sustainable behavior change in households and communities, particularly in managing water consumption. However, their specific role and the perceptions of executive authorities regarding effective interventions remain underexplored. This study employed a Grounded Theory approach and interviewed 27 urban water managers and experts in Karaj, Iran. The resulting paradigmatic model—based on expert perceptions, not observed behaviors—outlines the causal, contextual, and intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences influencing women’s sustainable water-use behaviors. Key intervening conditions include intrinsic motivation and creativity, mutual empowerment between educator and learner, children’s influence on mothers, creativity in message design and the educational process, household opposition (husbands and children), and the counterproductive effects of delegating roles without adequate infrastructure. Core strategies comprise participatory governance, persuasion—scientific, emotional, and nudge-based—and infrastructure provision prior to any responsibility delegation. Interpreting the findings through the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior) model revealed that the opportunity component is the most significant contributor, relative to capability and motivation. This model assists policymakers, urban managers, and environmental educators in aligning their strategic objectives.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Macroinvertebrate Habitat Dynamics under Frequent Hydropower-Induced Discharge Fluctuations: Patch-Scale Metrics to Quantify Effects of Hydropeaking and Morphological Complexity","authors":"Aude Lecrivain,&nbsp;Giovanni De Cesare,&nbsp;Christine Weber,&nbsp;Nico Bätz","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02574-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02574-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hydropeaking, driven by intermittent hydropower production, induces frequent and rapid sub-daily discharge fluctuations that alter riverine habitats and cause biodiversity loss worldwide. Benthic macroinvertebrates are particularly vulnerable due to their limited mobility, complex life cycles, and sensitivity to rapid hydraulic change. Yet, tools to quantify hydropeaking impacts on macroinvertebrate habitats at ecologically relevant spatio-temporal scales remain limited. Here, we present and evaluate a patch-scale approach to quantify macroinvertebrate habitat dynamics under hydropeaking. Using high-resolution hydrodynamic modelling (0.5 m spatial, 10 min temporal resolution) in a 1 km alpine river reach, we generated a habitat time-series and derived four complementary metrics: habitat probability, habitat shifts, drift risk, and desiccation risk. We analyzed metric interactions, applied multimetric clustering to identify recurring habitat–risk regimes, and related these to local morphology-driven structural complexity. Results show that hydropeaking increases habitat dynamics, with frequent habitat shifts occurring even in patches with highest habitat probabilities. Structurally complex areas generally support higher habitat probability and lower drift risk, but may remain exposed to desiccation, revealing trade-offs among key hydraulic stress mechanisms. These patterns demonstrate that the metrics capture ecologically relevant habitat responses, while confirming that structural complexity alone cannot eliminate the stress induced by frequent hydropeaking. Overall, the proposed metrics provide an ecologically meaningful framework to study macroinvertebrate habitat dynamics under hydropeaking. By explicitly linking hydraulic stress mechanisms, habitat dynamics, and morphological context, the framework supports process-based river management in regulated rivers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02574-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Upscaling Chamber-measured Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Rewetted Peat Extraction Sites Using Drone and Satellite Imagery","authors":"Aleksi Isoaho,&nbsp;Milla Niiranen,&nbsp;Eveliina Väyrynen,&nbsp;Aleksi Räsänen,&nbsp;Maarit Liimatainen","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02582-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02582-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from rewetted peat extraction sites are largely unknown. While the emissions can be quantified with chamber measurements, spatial upscaling is needed to quantify the emissions over the whole rewetted areas. Therefore, we developed a method to upscale chamber-measured GHG emissions with drone and satellite imagery. We measured GHG fluxes in five different surface types within three rewetted peatlands in northern Finland across two growing seasons. We spatially classified surface types within drone mapped areas with random forest classifier and further upscaled the surface type %-covers outside the drone areas with multitemporal Sentinel-2 imagery using extreme gradient boosting regression. With predicted surface type %-covers, we calculated total and area-normalised GHG flux sums for each measurement moment. The drone-based surface type classifiers performed well (class specific F-scores 0.28–0.97, overall accuracies 0.76–0.85) as did the satellite-based surface type %-cover models (R² = 0.38–0.99). Predicted surface type covers appeared realistic and followed topographical gradient observed from the high-resolution classification. Upscaled and area-normalised GHG fluxes ranged from 0.24 to 5.91 g CO2-C m^–2 d^–1, 0.01 to 0.34 g CH4-C m^–2 d^–1 and -98 to 61 μg N2O-N m^–2 d^–1 depending on site and time. High water and reed %-cover reduced overall emissions due to higher emission factors in drier surface types but due to lack of gross primary production estimations, no conclusion could be drawn about net ecosystem carbon balances. Our results indicate that combination of field measurements, drone flights, and satellite imagery can be used to upscale surface area estimates and GHG fluxes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02582-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148782871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Environmental Risk Assessment as a Tool to Enhance Maritime Spatial Planning in the Mediterranean Sea: The Case Study of the Gulf of La Spezia (North-Western Italy)","authors":"Alessandro Sebastiani,&nbsp;Andrea Peirano,&nbsp;Mattia Barsanti,&nbsp;Chiara Lombardi,&nbsp;Luca Appolloni,&nbsp;Tiziana Ciuffardi,&nbsp;Cristian Chiavetta,&nbsp;Elisabetta Salvatori","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02559-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02559-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Maritime Spatial Planning is a pivotal tool for the sustainable development of coastal areas and the implementation of the blue economy. It requires a spatially explicit environmental risk assessment, including risk identification, analysis and evaluation, following the principles of Ecosystem-Based Management. This study aims to test an Environmental Risk Assessment approach using the InVEST Habitat Risk Assessment model to enhance Maritime Spatial Planning in the northern Mediterranean Sea. The model requires spatial data representing the distribution of habitats and stressors, and user-provided tabular data describing their interactions; it then produces quantitative, spatially explicit risk estimates, useful to prioritize actions for risk mitigation. The approach was applied in the Gulf of La Spezia (Italy), one of the most critical areas for Maritime Spatial Planning implementation in the Northwestern Mediterranean. Indeed, the gulf is a hotspot for marine biodiversity, hosting three Marine Protected Areas with valuable habitats like the Mediterranean coral <i>Cladocora caespitosa</i>, <i>Posidonia oceanica</i> meadows, <i>Cymodocea nodosa</i> seagrass beds, and animal forests. Nonetheless, several economically important human activities are located in the area, such as shipping, shipbuilding industries, Navy bases and arsenals, aquaculture plants, fishing and diving centres, as well as ports and other nautical facilities. Results show that risk is concentrated near coastlines (within the first 250 metres from the coast) and around islands, reflecting the spatial overlap between susceptible habitats and anthropogenic activities. The major stressors are activities/infrastructures connected with nautical tourism and coastal urbanization, such as leisure boat anchorage areas, sewage pipelines, tourist ports, and nautical facilities. A set of management actions is discussed for risk reduction, including stricter local enforcement of existing regulations and the installation of eco-friendly moorings. The proposed approach has proven to be suitable to understand habitat vulnerabilities and criticalities in a Mediterranean marine test site, providing relevant evidence-based information that could eventually steer stakeholders in defining actions for risk management. Its transparency and ease of replication make it a sound choice to build ecosystem-based knowledge, which is essential for balancing socio-economic targets with the preservation of biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02559-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice: Assessing Two Decades of Methodological Procedures and Reporting Omissions in Roadkill Studies of The Brazilian Cerrado","authors":"Natalia de Quadros Pereira,&nbsp;Carine Firmino Carvalho-Roel","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02564-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02564-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This review assesses two decades (2000–2024) of Road Ecology research in the Brazilian Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot. We analyzed 63 studies on four major vertebrate groups to quantify trends, methodological procedures, omissions, and road mortality, drivers that could compromise the evidence base for environmental management. While research output has expanded temporally, it remains geographically concentrated in established states (Goiás, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo), leaving high-deforestation frontiers like the Matopiba region (Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, and Bahia) severely under-represented. Methodologically, the prevailing reliance on high-speed vehicle surveys (48% of studies; mean 53 km/h) and the scarcity of foot-based monitoring lead to a systematic underestimation of small-bodied taxa. Furthermore, 90% of the studies failed to report at least one key methodological procedure; specifically, 51% omitted the number of observers, 49% failed to report traffic volume, and even the total distance monitored and monitoring frequency were not specified in 11% and 16% of the studies, respectively. While methodological reporting has improved over time, omissions remain influenced by bibliometric drivers; specifically, larger authorship scales and articles often constrain methodological disclosure. Observed roadkill rates (ranging from 0.008 to 0.030 ind/km/day) reflect detection and carcass persistence biases rather than ecological reality, with highly detectable mammals and birds dominating records. To bridge the gap between theory and applied science, we propose a Minimum Reporting Checklist. It ensures data reporting and comparability, providing a universal standard to enhance the technical rigor of academic research, environmental licensing, and wildlife mitigation policy globally.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02564-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Perspectives of Technical Assistance Providers on Nature-Based Solution Practices in North Carolina, USA","authors":"Courtney B. Deviney,&nbsp;Rajan Parajuli,&nbsp;Frederick W. Cubbage,&nbsp;Erin O. Sills,&nbsp;Robert E. Bardon,&nbsp;Stephanie Chizmar,&nbsp;Kathleen McGinley","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02570-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02570-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly promoted in agricultural and forestry policy, yet their effectiveness depends on technical assistance providers (TAPs) who translate policy guidelines into land management decisions. Drawing on Diffusion of Innovations and Value–Belief–Norm frameworks, this study examines how TAPs’ professional backgrounds, organizational affiliations, regional contexts, and management experiences shape their knowledge, perceived importance, and promotion of NBS. A web-based survey of 101 TAPs in North Carolina was analyzed using Spearman correlations and logistic regression. While 79% of respondents reported familiarity with NBS, only about half of them actively promoted these practices. Adoption pathways varied across sectors. In agriculture, recent management experience was linked to greater emphasis on ecosystem services and higher likelihood of promoting NBS. In forestry, engagement was stronger for establishment and periodic management practices than for timber-oriented activities. These findings highlight the need for sector-specific outreach strategies that account for TAPs’ professional contexts and institutional settings to improve NBS adoption on working lands.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00267-026-02570-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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 the Targeting Efficiency of Clean Water Subsidies Under Uncertainty","authors":"Hannah Williams,&nbsp;Sreedhar Upendram,&nbsp;James Mingie,&nbsp;Seong-Hoon Cho","doi":"10.1007/s00267-026-02581-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00267-026-02581-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Access to affordable clean water remains a critical challenge for many communities in the United States, particularly those with limited fiscal capacity. This study evaluates the risk-return efficiency of Clean Water State Revolving Fund principal forgiveness in Tennessee from 2019 to 2022 using a Modern Portfolio Theory framework. The analysis explicitly incorporates uncertainty arising from year-to-year changes in community economic and demographic conditions and from potential shifts in how economic distress is weighted in state program priorities. Expected return is defined as the alignment with economic distress (represented by the inverse of a county’s affordability score), so higher returns correspond to greater socioeconomic need, while risk is measured as the standard deviation of portfolio returns across uncertainty scenarios. These measures are used to construct an efficient frontier representing optimal subsidy targeting. Results show that historical allocations consistently fell below the efficient frontier, with the efficiency gap widening over time as portfolio risk increased more rapidly than expected returns. Although alignment with economic distress improved modestly, these gains were accompanied by greater variability in allocation performance, indicating declining reliability in need targeting. The findings demonstrate that substantial improvements in risk–return efficiency and alignment with economic distress were theoretically achievable without increasing exposure to outcome uncertainty, particularly by reallocating funds toward counties with lower affordability scores. Because the unconstrained frontier represents an infeasible theoretical upper bound, these results indicate the direction and scale of potential gains rather than specific targets. Overall, uncertainty-aware frameworks help refine eligibility rules and direct limited public resources toward communities facing the greatest economic strain.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":543,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Management","volume":"76 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}