The agro-biodiversity present in agro-ecosystems is fundamental in guaranteeing sustainability and resilience. However, there are very few proposals for evaluating it and, even less, ones that include indicators to analyze the influence of the structural and spatial configuration of a landscape in order to favor agro-biodiversity connectivity to productive systems, management and conservation practices, and the producer (farmer)’s perceptions, awareness and ability to favor it on his farm. The Main Agro-ecological Structure MAS is redefined as an environmental agro-biodiversity index. New indicators are established for a total of 10 criteria and 29 indicators of systems that describe the agro-biodiversity of agro-ecosystems. Methodologies for its evaluation are also described, and the possibility of adapting certain indicators according to the ecological and cultural contexts where the farms are located is discussed.

Due to a lack of knowledge about arthropod biodiversity in Egyptian organic agro-ecosystems; the study aimed to introduce information on the diversity, richness, and distribution of insect and mite species in two organic agro-ecosystems, also, to investigate the impact of plant-arthropod interactions. Samples collected from two organic farms, i) Shampoliah farm, Fayoum (GCS 29°21'07.4"N 30°44'17.8"E), and ii) SEKEM farm, Sharkia (GCS 18 30°22'56.1"N 31°39'17.4"E). Results shown 39 species recorded in Shampoliah farm, and 35 species in SEKEM of mite, insect, medicinal, and weed species. When 14 species shared among two sites. Study has measured the H', D and 1/D indices within each location, and the similarity/dissimilarity between locations. The study hypothesized the possible plant-arthropod interactions that explain why diversity differs from an ecosystem to another; due to; plant size, plant morphological characters, soil fertilization, plant nutritional content, and the prey-predator interactions. The added hypothesis; is to show that the importance of natural habitat is supporting natural enemies and distribution of arthropods, which could vary dramatically with the type of pest species, IPM, and landscape type considered.

'Cv 'Doña María' table grape is a high-quality table grape variety included in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the European Union "The bagged grape of the Vinalopó." The PDO stipulates that grape clusters must be protected with paper bags from inclement weather and insects, which helps enhance the final grape quality. However, 'Doña María' is a variety prone to high shattering in the late stages of ripening on the vine and during postharvest. Inorganic calcium treatments are one of the most commonly used tools to reduce this disorder, but the translocation of this mineral from veraison onward has been questioned. In this study, five applications were performed, from veraison to harvest, using sorbitol-chelated calcium (0.7 % + 1.0 %), Ca(NO3)2 (Ca) at 0.7% and sorbitol at 1%. It was observed that bagged grapes (not wetted with the solutions) only increased the concentration of total and bound calcium when treated with Sorbitol-Ca. This resulted in reduced berry drop during cultivation and postharvest and improved fruit firmness. Additionally, it reduced grape metabolism indicators such as respiration rate, weight loss, malic acid degradation, prevented abscisic acid (ABA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and favored the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as total polyphenols, increased antioxidant activity, and sugar content. The application of sorbitol-chelated calcium is an effective and safe tool that enhances fruit quality and prevents losses due to shattering during postharvest.

Climate change poses a serious threat to the ancient Magnoliaceae family, particularly for the endangered Yulania trees. Until now, little is known about the suitable geographical range of Yulania zenii, and about how it responds to past and future climate scenarios. Here, we first employed ten models from Biomod2 to preliminarily simulate its potential distribution in China and selected MaxEnt for final modeling. The results showed that among the key environmental factors influencing its distribution, the top three factors were Bio2 (Mean diurnal range), Bio15 (Precipitation seasonality of variation coefficient) and Elevation. Its current suitable distribution were primarily concentrated in southern Anhui, central Hubei, eastern Hunan, southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangxi, and northern Zhejiang. The total suitable area of Yulania zenii was 14.68 × 104 km2, only taking 1.53% of China's total territory, which is larger than known. During the Last Interglacial and Middle Holocene, its suitable habitats were larger than currently, exhibiting a relatively continuous distribution. Under various future climate scenarios, its suitable habitats may averagely decrease by 20.26% compared with the current, and these habitats become more fragmented. Collectively, the centroid of Yulania zenii is expected to migrate towards the southeast in the future. Therefore, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that climate change takes an adverse effect on this species in distribution from the past to current till future. Our study can contribute to the conservation and management of Yulania zenii in China, and can provide reference for other endangered Yulania species of this country under the condition of climate change.

Agroforestry practices evolve with the development of basic and advanced facilities, changes in natural and artificial factors of land use change. The study aims to examine the socioeconomic characteristics and compare satisfaction levels across forest products and vegetable farming of the agroforestry community in Khost Province. Data were collected from 662 farmers and was analyzed using univariate Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variances (MANOVA). The results found that forest and vegetable products, including fruits, berries, herbs, mushrooms, wild animals, oils, wood, honey, okra, eggplant, carrot, cucumber, pine nuts, pepper, and timber has different impact in terms of satisfaction with basic and advanced facilities, knowledge about land use and impacts, natural and artificial factors of land use change, and positive and negative impact of land use change. The limitation of the study included an absence of exogenous factors in the model such as climate change, financial conditions, market fluctuations, regulatory system, an area in which the study is selected, research design, and current condition of endogenous factors. Overall, agroforestry practices can improve the socioeconomic development of agroforestry-dependent communities in Khost Province, Afghanistan. This study provided useful insights for policymakers and development practitioners to promote agroforestry practice adoption and improve the socioeconomic development of agroforestry-dependent communities. Future works could explore the implications of agroforestry practices on the socioeconomic development of other dependent communities in Afghanistan.

More than 20 years after the discovery of the first anelloviruses (AVs), they still remain a mysterious group of viruses. To date, there is no clear understanding of their impact on the host organism, although information is emerging about their participation in various pathologies. However, it is well known that AVs are an important component of the human virome. In the current study we assessed the abundance of AVs in viromes from four nasal and pharyngeal samples from children with respiratory symptoms using a metagenomic approach. It is worth noting that three patients had known respiratory viruses and one did not have any. Regarding AVs, they were detected in all samples, namely Torque teno mini virus (TTMV). The greatest abundance and diversity of AVs (Torque teno virus (TTV), TTMV and Torque teno midi virus (TTMDV)) were shown in a diseased patient with an absence of respiratory viruses, which may indicate the potential involvement of AVs in the maintenance of respiratory symptoms. An activated immune system to combat the main pathogens, against the background of which the number of AVs decreases, is discussed as a possible reason for the reduced diversity of anellome in other patients. We also compared the results of the metagenomic approach and qPCR for major respiratory viruses, which were in agreement. In addition, metagenomic sequencing made it possible to obtain additional data on viral genomes in order to establish their taxonomic identification and characterize individual viral profiles in patients from the Siberian part of Russia.

Biodiversity has become an issue of global anxiety over the past decades due to its rapid decline worldwide. Bangladesh as one of the most densely populated countries in the world is no more exception. The country, although, was once very rich in biodiversity, during the last few decades as a consequence of the rapid reduction in forest area, urbanisation, habitat modification, unsustainable natural resources use and collection and overall climate change it has decreased alarmingly. Of late, the government, as a signatory of various regional and international conservation treaties, has taken various initiatives to improve country’s dwindling biodiversity. This paper reviews the present situation of biodiversity in Bangladesh, management trends and major causes of biodiversity loss. A separate statutory body is fundamental to ensure conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arisen from biodiversity in the country.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity and low phosphorus availability (LP) are the top two co-existing edaphic constraints limiting agriculture productivity in acid soils. Plants have evolved versatile mechanisms to cope with the two stresses alone or simultaneously. However, the specific and common molecular mechanisms, especially those on flavonoids and carbohydrate metabolism, are still unclear. Laboratory studies were conducted on two wheat genotypes, Fielder (Al-tolerant and P-efficient) and Ardito (Al-sensitive and P-inefficient), exposed to 50 μM Al and 2 μM Pi (LP) in hydroponic solutions. After 4 days of stress, wheat roots were analyzed via transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic techniques. A total of 2296 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 1535 up and 761 down) under Al and 3029 DEGs (1591 up and 1438 down) under LP were identified in Fielder. Similarly, 4404 DEGs (3191 up and 1213 down) under Al and 1430 DEGs (1176 up and 254 down) under LP were identified in Ardito. The GO annotation analysis results that 4079 DEGs annotated to the metabolic processes term. These DEGs were significantly enriched in the phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism pathways by performing the KEGG enrichment analysis. The targeted metabolome analysis detected 19 flavonoids and 15 carbohydrate components in Fielder and Ardito under Al and LP. More responsive genes and metabolites were involved in flavonoid metabolism under LP than Al in the Fielder, while an opposite trend in the Ardito. In the carbohydrate metabolism pathway, the genes and metabolites were higher in Fielder than in Ardito. The combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed that the flavonoid and carbohydrate genes and metabolites differed between Fielder and Ardito under Al and LP, which may be an important reason for Fielder’s high Al and LP resistance. The results of this study lay a foundation for pyramiding genes and breeding multi-resistance varieties.

Increased anthropogenic pressure on forest resources leads to deforestation and forest degradation, significantly limiting the regeneration capacity of native woody species and consequently the restoration of miombo woodlands in anthropized habitats within the rural area of Lubumbashi. This study assessed the diversity and natural regeneration capacity of miombo species through floristic inventories in three different habitats (unexploited forests, degraded forests, and post-cultivation fallows). The results reveal that for the adult’s stratum unexploited and degraded forests exhibit higher dendrometric (density, mean square diameter, basal area) and floristic parameter (taxa, genera, families) values compared to post-cultivation fallows. Furthermore, the regeneration of miombo woody species is higher in degraded forests (21 taxa; 105 juveniles/plot). However, regarding the sapling’s stratum (1 cm ≤ dbh < 10 cm), the three habitats display nearly similar situations. Additionally, the floristic composition and diversity of unexploited and degraded forests show a significantly higher similarity (76.50%) among them compared to these habitats and the post-cultivation fallows (56.00%). These findings indicate that miombo woodlands have the potential to regenerate and maintain floristic diversity. To sustain this natural regeneration capacity of miombo woody species and promote the restoration of forest mass and its floristic diversity, it is imperative to determine the rotation period after habitat exploitation and regulate anthropogenic activities and late bush fires, particularly in anthropized habitats at the village level.

In forests, the microbial populations living in the soil can directly affect the carbon decomposed by the surface plants, and promote carbon storage and stability. In this study, 3 plots of 25.82 m×25.82 m were set up in 5 stand types, respectively. Soil samples were collected from 0~20 cm, 20~40 cm and 40~60 cm layers. Soil microbial composition, organic carbon component, pH, water content, bulk density, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other physicochemical indexes and correlations were determined, and the correlations between soil carbon components and soil microbial functional modules in different mixed modes were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The SOC of the same soil layer varied significantly, which also showed significant differences on the composition of soil bacteria and fungal microbial communities. Moreover, the bacterial community was more sensitive to the vegetation change environment, and the fungal community structure was more resistant to the influence of soil environment changes. (2) Fun_mod 1,6 and Bac_mod 7 were the microbial functional modules that played a decisive role in the process of soil carbon pool change, and the diversity and composition of bacterial community had more positive effects on soil organic carbon than that of fungal community. (3) Linear fitting and RDA results showed that POC in soil had the strongest correlation with SOC content, indicating that soil microorganisms affected the storage and stability of soil carbon mainly by regulating the conversion of surface plants (carbon sources) into POC. The soil environment of different mixed modes has different effects on soil carbon accumulation. Soil microorganisms affect soil carbon storage and stability mainly by regulating the conversion of surface plants (carbon sources) into POC forms.

Mangrove forests provide a wide range of goods and services that sustain communities around the world. This paper explores utilization patterns of extractable mangrove resources by communities within the proposed Kenya – Tanzania Transboundary Conservation Area (TBCA). Some 152 household surveys and 12 Nominal Group Technique discussions were carried out. At least 16 direct use products were reported to be extracted from the mangroves, with 90% of households found to use mangrove products. Changing patterns of mangrove use in the areas and accessibility point towards unsustainable utilization and promote illegal activities. Overharvesting of mangrove wood products was reported to be the major threat facing the forests. Patterns of mangrove use in the study site reveal a high level of mangrove-dependence by communities for their livelihood. There is a need to address the problems of open access through capacity building and awareness creation, development and implementation of harvest plans as well as introduction of alternative livelihood options to the communities in the area.

The mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in animals remains a central focus of reproductive and developmental biology research, and the regulation of sex differentiation in amphioxus remains poorly understood. Cytochrome P450 Family 19 Subfamily A member 1 (CYP19A1) is a crucial sex differentiation gene that catalyzes the conversion of androgens into estrogens. In this study, we identified two aromatase-like genes in amphioxus: cyp19-like1 and cyp19-like2. Cyp19-like1 is more primitive and may represent the ancestral form of cyp19 in zebrafish and other vertebrates. Cyp19-like2, on the other hand, is likely the result of gene duplication within am-phioxus suggesting its potential role as a key gene in sex differentiation. To gain further insights into the expression patterns of these two aromatase-like, we examined their expression in different gonad tissues and during different stages of gonad development. While the expression patterns of the two genes differ in gonad tissues, both are highly expressed in the gonad primordium and are primarily localized to microsomal membrane systems. However, as development proceeds, their expression levels decrease significantly. This study enhances our understanding of sex dif-ferentiation mechanisms in amphioxus and provides valuable insights into the formation and evolution of sex determination mechanisms in vertebrates.

Although the influence of climate on the fire regime is unanimously recognized, most publications are studies on this influence are at the global scale. Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the role of climate in the incidence of wildfires at the country and regional scale using statistical analysis and machine learning methods. Mainland Portugal was chosen as a case study due to its climate and because it is the European region most affected by wildfires. Results demonstrate the climate signature in the spatial and temporal distribution of the wildfire incidence. The conclusions of the study include (i) the existence of two pyro-regions, with different types of climate (Csb and Csa) composed of NUTS II regions: the northern region composed of the Norte and Centro regions and the southern region composed of Alentejo and Algarve; (ii) the intra-annual variability in the incidence of wildfires, characterized by two peaks, one in spring and the other in summer, are a consequence of the country's type of climate; and, (iii) how the annual cycle of wildfire incidence varies over the years depends on the weather conditions throughout each year. These results are of fundamental importance for wildfire managers, especially in the context of climate change.

We generalize the point information gain (PIG) and derived quantities, i.e., point information gain entropy (PIE) and point information gain entropy density (PIED), for the case of the Rényi entropy and simulate the behavior of PIG for typical distributions. We also use these methods for the analysis of multidimensional datasets. We demonstrate the main properties of PIE/PIED spectra for the real data on the example of several images, and discuss further possible utilizations in other fields of data processing.

The protection and regulation of international trade of Australia’s native species is legislated by its Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999. In response to overwhelming evidence that the Act is ineffective at protecting biodiversity, the Australian Government is currently reforming its environmental laws. One problematic component of the Act is in cases where threatened species interact with multiple regulatory and management frameworks, such as commercially fished marine species that are traded as seafood. Here, we analyzed international seafood trade data and found that Australia exports four threatened fish species listed under the Act and additional species acknowledged as globally threatened. In light of our analysis, we have three recommendations for Australia’s new environmental legislation: 1) apply the same precautions to commercially harvested species as to other threatened species; 2) review the status of all threatened species annually; and 3) assess species listed on global conservation conventions. These recommendations will help ensure that Australia’s marine biodiversity is protected, despite its commercial value.

Thanks to several Vitis vinifera backcrosses with an initial V. vinifera L. × V. rotundifolia (previously Muscadinia rotundifolia) interspecific cross, the MrRUN1/MrRPV1 locus (resistance to downy and powdery mildews) was introgressed in genotypes phenotypically close to V. vinifera varieties. To check the consequences of introgressing parts of the V. rotundifolia genome on gene expression during fruit development, we conducted a comparative RNA-seq study on single berries from different V. vinifera cultivars and V. vinifera × V. rotundifolia hybrids, including ‘G5’ and two derivative microvine lines, ‘MV102’ (resistant) and ‘MV32’ (susceptible) segregating for the MrRUN1/RPV1 locus. RNA-Seq profiles were analyzed on a comprehensive set of single berries from the end of the herbaceous plateau to the ripe stage. Pair-end reads were aligned both on V. vinifera PN40024.v4 reference genome, V. rotundifolia cv ‘Trayshed’ and cv ‘Carlos’, and to the few resistance genes from the original V. rotundifolia cv ‘52’ parent available at NCBI. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) led to classifying the differentially expressed genes into 15 modules either preferentially correlated with resistance or berry phenology and composition. Resistance positively correlated transcripts predominantly mapped on the 4-5 Mb distal region of V. rotundifolia chromosome 12 beginning with the MrRUN1/MrRPV1 locus, while the negatively correlated ones mapped on the orthologous V. vinifera region, showing this large extremity of LG12 remained recalcitrant to internal recombination during the successive backcrosses. Some constitutively expressed V. rotundifolia genes were also observed at lower density outside this region. Genes overexpressed in developing berries from resistant accessions, either introgressed from V. rotundifolia, or triggered by these in the vinifera genome, spanned various functional groups, encompassing calcium signal transduction, hormone signaling, transcription factors, plant–pathogen-associated interactions, disease resistance proteins, ROS and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. This transcriptomic insight provides a foundation for understanding the disease resistance inherent in these hybrid cultivars and suggests a constitutive expression of NIR NBS LRR triggering calcium signaling. Moreover, these results illustrate the magnitude of transcriptomic changes caused by the introgressed V. rotundifolia background in backcrossed hybrids, on a large number of functions largely exceeding the ones constitutively expressed in single resistant gene transformants.

Despite of being an exceptionally biodiversity rich country, the forest coverage of Bangladesh is declining at an alarming rate. Declaration and management of protected areas in this regard is one of the efforts from government side to tackle the loss of biodiversity. The limited numbers of forest-protected areas (FPA), established to conserve the dwindling forest biodiversity of the country with high pressure on them for timber, non-timber forest products, and fuelwood - makes their management challenging. Moreover, most of the FPAs of the country declared only in the recent decades with very limited infrastructure, manpower and policy support for monitoring and governance. Some people-centred approaches for the management of FPAs and alternative livelihood and income generation subsidies although made available through a few project interventions, their number are still inadequate and performance remains less than satisfactory. This chapter provides a critical review of the FPAs of Bangladesh looking at their role in biodiversity conservation, management challenges, and key lessons from previous management interventions with recommendations for the future. It has been revealed that the FPA system of Bangladesh still poorly represents the diverse forest ecosystems with relatively small forest size and lack of corridors for the movement of wildlife. There are ample opportunities to render co-management of FPAs an effective strategy to minimize the conflicts in FPAs management in the country. It is, however, important to ensure the access of local forest-dependent people to different alternative income generating options that may adequately support their livelihoods.

Drought affects human and natural systems, human and animal life and health, and socioeconomic activities. Drought consequences depend on its type and class, but also on the preparedness and resistance of communities to this climate disturbance. In the last decades, droughts accounted for about 16% of the total number of disasters but were responsible for 95% of the number of deaths and 26% of economic losses in Africa. This study aims to assess the drought regime in Southern Africa based on drought and vegetation indices. The SPI and SPEI were calculated at different timescales, using ERA5 data for the 1971 – 2020 period. The spatiotemporal distribution of drought descriptors was analyzed and compared with the patterns of the NDVI, EVI and VCI vegetation indices. The results reveal (i) the occurrence of droughts of various classes and at different timescales throughout the study period and region, (ii) high spatial variability in the number, duration, severity and intensity of drought, which tends to decrease with increasing timescale, (iii) high spatial-temporal agreement between drought and vegetation indices that confirm the dryness of vegetation during drought. These results aim to support policymakers in defining legislation to manage drought and water resources.

This paper examines the marketing mix of rattan canes businesses, with a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Rattan cane enterprises rely on both domestic and international sources for raw materials, and the market is largely unorganized, with individual-level operations dominating the industry. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the marketing mix in relation to the 7Ps framework, which includes price, product, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence. A simple random sampling method was employed to select participants from rattan processing enterprises. A questionnaire survey was then conducted among 46 rattan entrepreneurs, representing a total of 66 enterprises, including rattan processing industries, rattan traders, and Community Forest User Groups. The findings of the study indicate that, among the seven Ps, place and process are relatively stronger aspects of service delivery, while price and people are considered moderate. However, product, promotion, and physical evidence are identified as weak areas in terms of service delivery within the rattan business. It is concluded that rattan processing industries continue to rely on traditional tools and technologies, which has resulted in a lack of competitiveness in penetrating both national and international markets. Furthermore, poorly segmented distribution channels have hindered their sales efforts, while limited promotional activities have restricted awareness of their products among potential customers. In conclusion, the study highlights the need for rattan businesses to modernize their operations and adopt more effective marketing strategies in order to enhance their competitiveness and expand their market reach.

Abstract: Dispersal strategies of a species can affect its invasion success. Investigation into the dispersal strategies of invasive species in relation to different factors helps our understanding of the invasion mechanisms and provides knowledge for population management and invasion evaluation. Tetranychus ludeni Zacher (Acari: Tetranychidae) is an invasive species, which is native to Europe but now cosmopolitan. Here, we examined the effects of age and density on dispersal in mated females. Our results show that older females with more eggs were more likely to disperse and moved longer distances than younger ones with fewer eggs. Older females spread most of their eggs out of the natal habitats and over longer distances, which reduced competition and increased offspring fitness. Females significantly increased dispersal probability and distance with the increase of population density to avoid crowding. The synchronization of dispersal and reproduction, along with the positive density-dependent dispersal strategy, may facilitate habitat colonization and invasion speed of T. ludeni.

Hemicellulose is one of the most important natural polysaccharides in nature. Hemicellulose from different sources varies in chemical composition and structure, which in turn affects the modification effects and industrial applications. Grain and oil by-products (GOBP) are important raw materials for hemicellulose. This article reviews the modification methods of hemicellulose in GOBP. The effects of chemical and physical modification methods on the properties of hemicellulose biomaterials were evaluated. The potential applications of GOBP hemicellulose in films, hydrogel, Three-dimensional (3D) printing and adsorbent are discussed. Future research directions and recommendations are also proposed to provide theoretical foundations and technical support for the efficient utilization of these by-products.

Agro-meteorology is the relationship between agriculture and weather. All farm activities are affected by weather. Therefore it is always necessary to monitor the weather as a forecast. The aim of the research was to monitor the weather and rainwater samples obtained at Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. For the eight months periods, results were obtained. The mean results for the physicochemical parameters were: TDS (12.25 mg/L), temp (28.13 ^oC), pH (6.63), EC (24.25µS/cm), Free CO₂ (24.38mg/L), nitrate (0.16mg/L), phosphate (0.17mg/L), sulphate (0.18mg/L). The rainwater was colorless and had no odor. The mean meteorological data: The prevailing wind directions were from SE, mostly in May, June, July and November and NE. The dry and wet temperatures were 22-29 ^oC and 20-26 ^oC respectively. The maximum value was observed in the month of July. The correlation matrix showed that there were many strong correlations in the physicochemical properties. The months of May, June and July had the highest wind speed. In these months there would be a need to use a windbreaker around the crops planted to avoid soil erosion and damaging of plants.

Silver ion (Ag+) are recognized for their potent antibacterial properties; however, their utilization in food preservation is restricted by factors such as inadequate stability, a transient antibacterial impact, and the potential for human absorption. Hydrogel-based antibacterial agents are capable of exerting their antibacterial effects by establishing appropriate microenvironments, which facilitate the efficient delivery of antimicrobial molecules to the contaminated regions of food. In previous studies, we observed that chitosan (CS) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) were able to reduce Ag+ to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with enhanced antibacterial properties. This not only significantly extended the stability of the antibacterial agent but also demonstrated exceptional inhibitory capabilities against pathogenic bacteria, including common grape contaminants such as P. expansum, A. niger, and B. cinerea. Utilizing ultrasound-induced complexation technology, this study has successfully synthesized a chitosan-silver (CS-AgNPs) hydrogel. The efficacy of this hydrogel against the pathogenic fungus responsible for jujube black spot disease has been thoroughly investigated. The morphology structures of CS-AgNPs hydrogels were characterized by TEM, FTIR and UV-vis. The results indicated that AgNPs ranging from 80 to 110 nm were uniformly dispersed within the gel matrix and remained stable for extended periods at room temperature. In vitro antibacterial assays and fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) studies revealed that the pronounced antibacterial efficacy of the CS-AgNPs hydrogel was primarily attributed to the additive antibacterial effect of CS and AgNPs. These insights underscore the significant potential of CS-AgNPs hydrogels in combating fungal diseases of jujube, offering innovative strategies and materials for the management of agricultural pathogens.

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of thermocompression conditions on lignocellulosic biomass such as sugarcane bagasse (SCB) in the production of 100% binderless bio-based materials. Five parameters were investigated: pressure applied (7-102 MPa), molding temperature (60-240°C), molding time (5-30 min), fiber/fine particle ratio (0/100-100/0) and moisture content (0-20%). These parameters affected the properties and chemical composition of the materials. The density ranged from 1198 to 1507 kg/m3, the flexural modulus from 0.9 to 6.9 GPa and the flexural strength at breaking point from 6.1 to 43.6 MPa. Water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS) respectively ranged from 21% to 240% and from 9% to 208%. Higher mechanical properties were obtained using SCB with fine particles, low moisture content (4-10%), high temperature (≥ 200°C) and pressure (≥ 68 MPa), while water resistance was improved using more severe thermocompression conditions with the highest temperature (240°C) and time (30 min) or a higher moisture content (≥ 12.5%). Correlations were noted between the mechanical properties and density, while the material obtained with only fine particles had the highest mechanical properties and density. Material obtained with a 30 min molding time had the lowest WA and TS due to internal chemical reorganization followed by hemicellulose hydrolysis into water-soluble extractables.

The backwater lowland habitats of large rivers, like the Mississippi River in North America, present complex often inaccessible environments for traditional capture-based fish biodiversity sampling. Our knowledge of the assemblages of fishes that occupy such habitats are often incomplete, and this can compromise management efforts. We employed environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding methods to sample a Mississippi River bottom wetland system to assess ichthyofaunal diversity, and assemblage structure across habitat types, and we compared our results to capture-based survey records for the same habitats. We collected water samples in spring and fall of 2022 from slough, ditch, shallow lake and bayou habitats that varied in depth, vegetation, seasonal variability, and connectivity to the Mississippi River channel. We detected a diverse array of fish species that included 51 taxa. Nearly all species previously documented in the habitats were detected by eDNA metabarcoding, and we increased the number of documented species by more than a third. Most of the species were ubiquitous across the range of habitats, but there was also substantial assemblage structure, with some species exhibiting clear habitat specificity. Fall sampling was limited to the deeper bayou habitats where seasonal variation between spring and fall was minimal. eDNA metabarcode sampling was demonstrated to be effective at detecting invasive species as well as uncommon species, which included several species of conservation concern.

Dearth of information on extent of genetic variability in cassava limits the genetic improvement of cassava in Sierra Leone. This study aimed at assessing the genetic variability and relationships within 103 cassava genotypes using agro-morphological and culinary markers. A field trial was conducted in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences research site. The experiment was laid in an augmented randomized block design. Morphological classification based on qualitative and quantitative traits categorized the germplasm into three different groups. A total of ten principal components (PCs) in the qualitative and six PCs in the quantitative trait sets accounted for 66.74% and 67.27% of the total genetic variation, respectively. Traits with significantly strong and positive correlations included presence of fruit (PFRT) and presence of seed (PSE)(r = 0.86***),root yield per plant (RYPP) and number of storage root (NSR) (r = 0.76***), RYPP and number of commercial root (NCR) (r = 0.68***), length of leaf lobe (LLL) and width of leaf lobe (WLL) (r = 0.66***),and between NSR and NCR (0.84***). Cooking time, cooking percentage, texture, mealiness, taste and aroma varied widely among the accessions. Findings established that the cassava germplasm possess useful genetic variability that could be exploited through selection for short term release programme, genetic conservation of valuable germplasm and genetic improvement of the crop.

Biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. The study of traditional knowledge related to biological resources is a hot issue in the field of international biodiversity conservation. Xishuangbanna is a key area of biodiversity and a cultural hotspot of international significance. According to the Technical Regulation for Classification, Investigation, and Inventory of Traditional Knowledge Relating to Biological Diversity issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, we investigated and catalogued the traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people who have lived in Xishuangbanna for generations, and collected 490 entries of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people. Drawing on the traditional knowledge diversity index calculation method proposed by Wang Guoping, the overall traditional knowledge α-diversity index of the Jino people is 0.63, indicating that the richness of the traditional knowledge of the Jinuo people is relatively high. The traditional culture related to biodiversity, the traditional knowledge related to agricultural genetic resources, and the traditional technology related to the sustainable utilization of biological resources are relatively rich and diverse. The diversity index is 0.86, 0.82 and 0.79 respectively. In addition, Xishuangbanna has invested a lot of energy in biodiversity protection, including the establishment of nature reserves, botanical gardens, zoos, ecological tea gardens and other species reserves, the promulgation of laws and policies related to biodiversity protection, and has achieved remarkable results in in-situ protection and ex-situ protection. On the basis of analyzing the progress and achievements of biodiversity conservation in Xishuangbanna, this study points out that Xishuangbanna faces challenges such as the loss of traditional knowledge, insufficient conservation efforts, and great changes in land use, and puts forward corresponding suggestions.

The food system, the most important driver of planetary transformation, is in a deep crisis. Therefore, seeking a sustainable and socially-fair transition pathway becomes an issue of utmost priority for our own survival. The consideration of food as a commodity, a social construct that played a central role in driving this crisis, remains the uncontested narrative to lead the different transition pathways what seems rather contradictory. By exploring the normative values in the transition landscape, this paper seeks to understand how relevant is the hegemonic narrative of “food as commodity” and its alternative of “food as commons” to determine transition trajectories and food policy beliefs. Applying the Multi-level Perspective framework and developing the ill-studied “agency in transition”, this research enquired food-related professionals that belong to an online community of practice (N=95) on valuation of food dimensions and agency in food transitions to check whether the valuation of food is relevant to explain personal stances in transition. Results suggest the socially-constructed view of food as commodity is positively correlated to the gradual reforming attitude, whereas food as commons is positively correlated to the counter-hegemonic transformers regardless the self-defined position in the transition landscape (regime or niches). At personal level, there are multiple loci of resistance with counter-hegemonic attitudes in varied institutions of the regime and the innovative niches, many of them holding this discourse of food as commons. Conversely, alter-hegemonic attitudes are not positively correlated to this alternative discourse and they may inadvertently or purportedly reinforce the ‘‘neoliberal narrative’’. Food as commons, a different narrative whose rationale is explained in the paper, seems to be a relevant framework that could enrich the multiple transformative constituencies that challenge the industrial food system and therefore facilitate the convergence of movements that reject the commodification of food.

The term “conservation,” as it relates to biodiversity in a Western context, has a storied past and as conservation science and societal values have evolved, consensus over its precise meaning has remained elusive. The broad scope of contemporary definitions hampers effective communication during a period of environmental crisis and is troublesome for any derivative concept which aims to empirically quantify the efforts of the conservation sector. This presents an avoidable hindrance to the systematic planning of the conservation field. To help remedy this situation, we provide an outcome separation framework that is based on the expected degree of separation between an action’s proximate outcome, from its intended, ultimate outcome for a habitat and/or species. Framing a definition of conservation through this lens of outcome separation allows for conservation-related actions to be clearly categorized into one of three discrete tiers: primary, secondary, and tertiary. A distillation of this tiered framework also provides a new definition of biodiversity conservation that is more rigorous and adaptable to future conceptual evolutions of the field.

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by the city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proved to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the rural-urban gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient are of a great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby, was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy.

Soybean a pulse of considerable nutritional value due to its high protein, fibers and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents, also contains phytoestrogenic compounds that definitely hinder its recommendation for general consumption. Contrarily to ancient times when soybeans were boiled, modern commercial soy-foods can contain up to 150 mg/100g of estrogenic isoflavones. Interestingly, current estimations of isoflavone intake in the literature do not distinguish between the origins of soy-food i.e. home-made or commercial. As a result, the isoflavone exposure in Asian countries may well be over-estimated. This study aims to demonstrate, based on step-by-step monitoring of isoflavones, that traditional and domestic treatments, leveraging isoflavones water-solubility, can indeed significantly reduce their content in soy-foods. Indeed, when compared to commercial foods, the isoflavone contents was found to be 20, 2.6, 4.5 and 9.8 times lower in “home-made” soy-juice, tofu, tempeh and miso, respectively. Additionally, water soaking was found to reduce the isoflavones levels in soy-textured-proteins by more than 70%. Hence, this simple process has the potential to help drastically reduce overall xenoestrogens exposure. This study could serve as a basis for establishing the isoflavones Reference Dose and issuing food safety guidelines.

Biodiversity loss and nature degradation are pressing issues with huge impacts on our society and economy. Businesses, investors, and regulators focus on corporate efforts to support biodiversity and nature positive actions. This review provides a comprehensive overview about the importance of biodiversity in businesses, the materiality of biodiversity and the role of mandatory and non-mandatory regulations on corporate environmental reporting and sustainability disclosure frameworks. The review also discusses descriptive information on the evolution of sustainability frameworks with a comparison of most prominent sustainability frameworks with a key focus on the materiality approach and biodiversity-related disclosure recommendations. Further, we provide suggestions for more holistic approaches to improve the future sustainability frameworks focusing on the biodiversity impact while showing the necessity of more focus on the decision-making paradigm. Further research on measuring biodiversity impact and innovative trends in sustainability reporting are required to better reflect nature-positive outcomes in corporate sector businesses.

Predictive studies are essential to establish fundamental data for monitoring and controlling Xylella fastidiosa infections in our country. Limited knowledge exists about how Xylella fastidiosa interacts with the plant host's immune system, leaving numerous unanswered questions regarding Xylella fastidiosa biology and its interactions with national plant hosts. Key inquiries include understanding of how the plant immune system interfaces with Xylella fastidiosa in the xylem and identifying the specific or shared mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of different hosts. Factors such as the presence of insect vectors, abundance of host plants, and climate suitability play pivotal roles in Xylella fastidiosa dispersal. We recommend that countries identified with relatively high risk, like Portugal, undertake thorough individual risk analyses. The implementation of preventive measures and, if necessary, the enhancement of surveillance systems for early detection of Xylella fastidiosa in plants and insect vectors are crucial steps. Additionally, raising awareness is of equal importance to mitigate socioeconomic and ecological impacts on their ecosystems.

Although charcoal production is a source of income, it is often associated with deforestation due to the felling of trees in rural areas. The study quantifies the yield of carbonization in the rural area of Lubumba-shi, DRC, and identifies its determinants. By analyzing 20 kilns from professional producers in different villages, the study reveals that these charcoal producers build large kilns, containing an average of 46.9±21.5 m3 of wood from 19 species of miombo trees. The average carbonization yield is 10.2%, varying from village to village due to parameters such as kiln size, quantity of wood used, kiln coverage time, wind exposure, substrate type and tree species. It was noted that the moisture content and size of the wood did not correlate significantly with the quantity of charcoal harvested per kiln. Yield improvement should therefore take these parameters into account to enable charcoal producers to increase their income while adopting sustainable production practices.

Invasive species are non-native organisms that are introduced to a particular environment with a potential to spread from the place of introduction and cause biodiversity loss. This research was done in Gullele Botanical Garden with the objective of advancing management strategies for invasive and potentially invasive species by examining their abundance, distribution, impacts. Proportional number of plots with a size of 10m by 10m was laid at each land use types to collect vegetation and environmental data. The impact rank was analysed as a data frame using the R-statics packages, which shows the lower and higher impact rate ranges for the sampled land use types. ArcGIS was used to map the spatial distributions of each species. A total of 2550 individuals from 12 families comprising 16 invasive and potentially invasive species have been recorded in 40 sample plots across all sampled land use types. The highest species abundance appeared near the roadside among the sampled plots. Acacia decurrens, Cyathula uncinulata, and Acacia melanoxylon were the three most predominant species, had a substantial contribution to the high impact on the native species. Either intentionally by planting for their advantageous qualities or unintentionally associated with other seeds or other vectors, invasive and potentially invasive species were introduced into the garden. Although there are various techniques to control invasive species, mechanical controlling mechanisms like hand-weeding, uprooting, cutting, and rehabilitation with native species, along with regular monitoring, are highly recommended for the current challenge in the garden.

A burgeoning body of scholarship identifies and discusses botanic gardens as increasingly important centres of biodiversity conservation and sustainability. Notwithstanding the high quality and richness of this literature, it encompasses relatively autonomous fields of expertise that are neither designed nor expected to promote cross-disciplinary, integrative, accounts of botanic gardens as institutions of conservation and sustainability. Bridging key aspects of the botanic garden literature, this article brings into conversation historical accounts with contemporary scholarship on the matter. In so doing, it unveils dilemmas and challenges faced by botanic gardens as they grapple with their historic legacies, but also renew their relevance in nurturing sustainable socio-environmental futures. The article proceeds by covering three focal points. First, it summarizes the scholarly literature on the history of botanic gardens. Second, it presents accounts of current scientific and biodiversity conservation endeavours as reflexive engagements with their historical legacies. Third, it addresses the recent emergence of socio-cultural missions at botanic gardens as a significant step beyond their historical focus on plants and plant ecosystems.

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is gaining importance in the mountainous regions of southern Europe due to the high value of its fruits. It is essential to establish effective cultivation protocols, considering that this species is still relatively understudied. In this study, we present the outcomes of the initial establishment of a chestnut orchard conducted through a nutrient omission trial for four years. The treatments included a fertilization plan with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and boron (NPKB), the control, and four other treatments corresponding to the omission of each nutrient (-NPKB, N-PKB, NP-KB, NPK-B). The -NPKB and NP-KB treatments showed significantly lower trunk circumferences and canopy volumes compared to the other treatments. The NPK-B treatment resulted in the lowest fruit production, with a total accumulated yield (2020-2022) of 0.56 kg tree–1, a value significantly lower than that of NPKB (1.12 kg tree–1) and N-PKB (1.19 kg tree–1). The assessment of nutrient concentrations in the leaves revealed plants with deficient levels of B and K in treatments that did not receive these nutrients. Conversely, N levels in the leaves in the -NPKB treatment fell within the sufficiency range (20 to 28 g kg–1). This suggests that the sufficiency range should be adjusted to higher values, given the treatment's effect on tree growth. It was also observed that the -NPKB treatment led to lower soil organic matter compared to the other treatments, likely due to reduced herbaceous vegetation development under the canopy, leading to decreased organic substrate deposition in the soil. The main findings of this study are that N and K were crucial elements for the optimal growth of chestnut trees, while B played a significant role in fruit production.

Significant problems have arisen in the last years, such as climate change, global warming, and hunger. These complications are correlated with the depletion and exploitation of natural resources and environmental contamination. Due to overcrowding, the list of challenges for the next few years is growing. A comprehensive approach was made to the agro-industrial production of Avocado (Persea americana) and the management of all its biomass waste. So, bioprocesses and biorefinery can be used to produce high added-value products. A large number of residues are composed of lignin and cellulose. They have many potentials to be exploited sustainably for chemical and biological conversion; physical, chemical, and natural treatments improve the following operations. There are some applications to many fields such as pharmaceutical, medical, material engineering, and environmental remediation. Possible pathways are mentioned to take advantage of Avocado as biofuels, drugs, bioplastics, and even in the environmental part and emerging technologies such as nanotechnology using bioprocesses and biotech. In conclusion, Avocado and its waste could be transformed into high value-added products in industries above to mitigate global warming and save non-renewable energy.

Buckwheat is important not only as a crop that improves soil quality and reduces erosion, but its excellent nutritional profile for usage in functional foods. This study aimed to investigate how long-term storage (3, 6, and 9 months) affects Novosadska variety buckwheat's chemical, nutritional, and antioxidative properties, phenolic acids and bioflavonoids profiles. Standard traditional methods were used for quality determinations, and instrumental (spectrophotometry, reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography) for antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds determination. One-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s HSD post-hoc were performed for statistical data processing. Throughout the storage period, proximate composition and starch content significantly decreased (p<0.05), while total carbohydrates, β-glucan, and energy value significantly increased (p<0.05). Significant decrease in pH and alcoholic acidity of 0.55 pH units, and 0.33% DM, were observed. Total phenol content and antioxidant activity decrease to 5.57 mg GAE/g DM TPC, 22.20 μmol Fe2+/g DM FRAP and 8.12 μmol TE/g DM DPPH, during the storage (p<0.05). Of fifteen phytochemical compounds, gallic, p-coumaric, trans-cinnamic acids, and epicatechin were in high abundance, with a notable decrease in epicatechin (38%). To the authors' knowledge, dihydrocaffeic and phloretic acids, daidzein, naringin, and naringenin were quantified in buckwheat flour for the first time. Easy adaptability to the environment, ability to attract various insects, speedy short-season growing plant for food, many nutritional and health benefits, gives buckwheat potential to be sustainable and biodiversity-friendly crops.

Soil management in orchards can have several economic and environmental implications. In this study, three different soil management systems were compared in a dry-farmed olive grove: conventional tillage (Tillage), glyphosate-based herbicide (Herbicide) and Sheep Walking. The experiment lasted eleven years (2011-2022) and was carried out after a previous trial conducted on the same plot with the same treatments and duration (2001-2011). However, in the earlier trial, the Herbicide and Sheep Walking treatments switched positions in the plot, while the tillage treatment remained in its original place. The average total accumulated olive yields between 2011 and 2022 were 225.1, 230.9, and 245.0 kg tree–1 for the Sheep Walking, Tillage, and Herbicide treatments, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed between the treatments. The levels of total organic carbon in the soil, measured in samples collected in the last year of the study, were 41.3, 33.7, and 37.3 g kg–1, respectively for the same treatments. These findings indicated that the Tillage treatment exhibited lower soil organic matter content and reduced bioavailability of some nutrients, which raises concerns about its sustainability. On the contrary, employing Sheep Walking with an appropriate stocking rate, effectively controlling vegetation in the spring, ensured favourable soil properties and olive yields comparable to the other treatments. Moreover, the Sheep Walking approach provides supplementary advantages to the farmer, including revenue from the sale of animal products and the opportunity to transition to organic farming systems, which better align with the preferences of contemporary societies.

(1) Background: Plasmodium vivax causes the largest malaria burden in Brazil, and chloroquine resistance poses a challenge to eliminating malaria by 2035. Illegal mining in the Roraima Yanomami indigenous territory can lead to the introduction of resistant parasites. This study aimed to investigate mutations in the pvcrt-o and pvmdr-1 genes to determine their potential as predictors of P. vivax chloroquine-resistant phenotypes. (2) Methods: Samples were collected in two health centers of Boa Vista. A questionnaire was completed, and blood was drawn from each patient. Then, DNA extraction, PCR, amplicon purification, and DNA sequencing were performed. After alignment with the Sal-1, the amplified fragment was analyzed. Patients infected with the mutant parasites were queried in the Surveillance Information System. (3) Results: 98% (157/164) of participants were from illegal mining areas. The pvcrt-o was sequenced in 151 samples, and the K10 insertion was identified in 13% of them. The pvmdr1 was sequenced in 80 samples: the MYF haplotype (958M) was detected in 92% of them, the TYF in 8%, while MYL was absent. No cases of recrudescence, hospitalization, or death were found. (4) Conclusions: Mutations in the pvcrt-o and pvmdr-1 genes have no potential to predict chloroquine resistance in P. vivax.

Heavy metals are dangerous contaminants constituting a threat to human health because they persist in soils and are easily transferred into the food chain, causing damages to human health. Among heavy metals, nickel appears to be one of the most dangerous responsible for different disorders. Public health protection requires nickel detection in environment and food chains; a simple, rapid and sensitive method to detect nickel contamination is represented by biosensors. In this paper we report the setup of a whole-cell based system, in which protoplasts, obtained from Nicotiana tabacum leaves, were used as transducers to detect the presence of heavy metal ions and, in particular, nickel ions. Protoplasts were genetically modified with a plasmid containing the GFP reporter gene under the promoter region of a sunflower small HSP gene control. By this device the presence of heavy metal ions was detected. Thus, the possibility to use this whole-cell system as a novel tool to detect the presence of nickel ions in food matrices was assessed.

Both globally and in Hungary, agriculture is one of the industries that is most vulnerable to weather and climate extremes. Intense temperature rises, spatial and temporal variations in precipitation, and significant changes in extreme climatological and weather parameters have contributed to changes in the conditions of cropland, crop losses, and impacts on crop quality in recent years. This paper depicts the transformation of the domestic agricultural sector due to the extreme drought shock of 2022, as well exploring the adaptation strategies applied. The research is based on official agro-climate database and crop data, and the temperature, precipitation, and radiation during the growing season are all examined. The agro-meteorological properties in Hungary had to be investigated for the entire year and all four of its seasons, with indicator analysis projected onto the ever-increasing and dormant seasons. Long-term climate analysis is necessary to understand the historic drought of 2022 and the success of future adaptation and mitigation techniques. The results can help smallholders effectively reduce the adverse impacts of drought conditions, thereby increasing their adaptation to similar shocks.

Extensive green roofs provide for many ecosystem services in urban environments. The efficacy of these services is influenced by the substrate characteristics and vegetational composition. Despite their key role in plant performance and productivity, or their contribution to nitrogen fixation or carbon sequestration, green roof microbial communities have received little attention so far. Here, we investigated whether microbial communities in extensive green roof substrates contain a core community, as well as whether they are affected by green roof plant diversity. Eleven green roofs, planted either with a mixture of grasses, wildflowers and succulents (Sedum spp.), or solely species of Sedum, were seasonally sampled to investigate prokaryotic and fungal communities via metabarcoding. Although Sedum-herbs-grasses roofs contained more plant species, we observed no discriminant microbial communities between both roof types, likely due to sharing the same substrate textures and the vegetational layers that became more similar throughout time. Examining key microbial taxa revealed that most taxa are also dominant phylotypes in soils across different biomes. Many bacterial core taxa are capable of nitrogen fixation and most fungal key taxa are stress-tolerant saprotrophs, endophytes, or both. Microbial community composition further revealed high similarities with aerial samples taken in urban environments. Considering the extreme edaphic conditions that periodically arise in green roof substrates, further investigation is warranted to determine the extent to which the dynamic and intriguing microbial communities are influenced by the aeromicrobiome.

This article presents the analysis of the allocation of important plant areas (IPA), which urgently identifies the most valuable sites for protecting plant objects. The study is based on a comprehensive inventory of the species composition of plants in the flora of the Western Karatau Ridge and the Mangyshlak Peninsula (arid regions)- key sites Akmysh, Samal, and Kogez, considered standard and the best preserved with natural vegetation cover. The flora of these critical sites was analysed using a combination of field surveys, herbarium studies, and a literature review. The results revealed a rich biodiversity, with 104 species from 82 genera and 33 families. Most species belong to 9 families, making up 60.6% of the total taxa. By the nature of life forms, perennial herbaceous plants dominate in all key sites (30 species, 50.0%). The eco-phylogenetic spectrum showed that a significant share of the flora of the studied IPAs is made up of xerophytes (21 species, 35%) and xeromesophytes (9 species, 15%); desert and mountain-steppe species prevail (53.0%). Rare, endangered and Red Book species account for 10-21.3% of those growing in the region. Regarding economic value, fodder, ornamental, honey, medicinal and food species dominate. The Shannon, Simpson, and Jaccard indices assessed alpha-beta and gamma diversity. The index showed that biodiversity in the Samal and Kogez sites is higher and more evenly distributed compared to the Akmysh site. The Whittaker, Harrison and Cody indices confirm significant differences in the species composition between the sites. In light of these compelling results, a clear and urgent call to action is proposed to allocate these areas to the IPA category, a crucial step towards ensuring the long-term existence of natural biocenoses.

The preservation of biodiversity has become a major concern in contemporary society. It is essential to understand teachers' representations of biodiversity to effectively guide educational efforts because of the significant role of education in raising awareness and promoting sustainable behavior. Through a survey of a sample of 118 teachers, we adopted a mixed-method approach combining both a closed questionnaire and interviews. We used these methods to explore teachers' representations of the concept of biodiversity as an integral part of the school curriculum, as well as to gather their views on certain features of its teaching. The results state that the majority of teachers perceive biodiversity as a whole and in its most complex relationships. During their professional experience, they have developed a biocentric and anthropocentric conception of biodiversity. This study provides valuable information to guide future pedagogical practices and educational policies in sustainable education.

Marmosets from the Callithrix genus (six species) are anthropoids distributed in many Brazilian biomes, but anthropogenic pressure is a risk for hybridization and virtually the extinction of some species. Despite this, only a few data are available on reproductive ecology, which is a gap in understanding the physiological modulation of the socio-sexual behavior of free-ranging marmosets. In this study, we characterized fecal concentrations of progesterone, estrogens, and glucocorticoids of six breeding and non-breeding females from two groups of free-ranging C. penicillata, which is the species with the largest geographical distribution and most important in hybridization studies. The fecal progesterone was significantly higher in females who gave birth than non-breeding females, which was linked to reproductive status. The levels of fecal estrogens and glucocorticoids did not differ between breeding and non-breeding females. The data are according to the few studies on steroid values of free-ranging and captive marmosets. This study shows the concentrations of progesterone and glucocorticoids in free-ranging C. penicillata for the first time. Overall, the high levels of progesterone associated with pregnancy in free-ranging C. penicillata as well as levels of estrogens and glucocorticoids close to those reported for other species, suggest a conserved pattern of hormonal secretion between Callithrix species that have been studied in captivity.

Protected and conserved areas are a key area-based strategy to address the biodiversity and climate change crises. Fundamental to understand their performance over time are indicators. The Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) was born in 2013 as a set of open access web services and applications to be used to assess, monitor, and report on protected and conserved areas. For over a decade it has delivered over 50 indicators to support policy processes, national and regional governments, and practitioners. DOPA has also developed a versatile and efficient back-end approach that is widely applicable in other area-based conservation contexts. Here, we describe the methods and workflows behind DOPA´s back end and provide examples of policy relevant questions it can answer. We discuss key advantages and limitations of this systematic and replicable approach and explore the use of this back-end architecture to inform progress in area-based conservation targets for the following decades. This approach, embedded in multiple services provided by the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity of the European Commission (KCBD), can also support the implementation and monitoring of area-based targets of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at international, regional, and national levels.

There is a need to develop tools for mastitis management in goats and to measure the effects of milking machines on teats. Infrared thermography (IRT), as shown in cows, was a good candidate for early detection of mastitis and focusing on milking equipment and settings implicated in potential problems. The aim of this study was to test IRT to detect udder inflammation and the effects of mechanical milking on teats in relation to inflammation status, udder balance and teat shape in Alpine goats. IRT spectra were compared before and after milking in 551 goats from three commercial herds compared to their individual SCC (somatic cell count). We found no regression or trend between logSCC and IRT measurement or response to milking, even in highly inflamed goat udders. The effect of milking was significant (P

Agro-ecotourism is a tourism development activity in a location with ecological and agricultural advantages, leading to business utilization to generate economic value. Agro-ecotourism in West Java has a selling point in the form of natural potential, agriculture, arts, handicrafts, to the traditional culinary processing typical of the village. This research aims to analyze the sustainability level and the sensitive factors or attributes that affect the level of sustainability of community-based agro-ecotourism in West Java. The study used a survey method on 237 agritourist actors. Data were analyzed using Multi-Dimensional Scaling in the Rapid Appraisal-Tourism technique. The study results show that community-based agro-ecotourism in West Java is quite sustainable (57.07). This study analyzed sustainability through economic, social, cultural, institutional, ecological, and technological dimensions. The social dimension has the highest value because agriculture-based village tourism is carried out in the community. Meanwhile, the lowest value is the technology dimension. The availability of infrastructure influenced the value obtained and means of transportation as well as environmentally friendly farming techniques.

This study evaluates the production of biohydrogen from agro industrial waste. The worldwide energy demand is increasing exponentially and the reserves of fossil fuels are depleting, the combustion of fossil fuels has the effect on environment because of CO2 emission. Hydrogen generation market size is forecast to cross 180 billion by 2024, according to a new research report by global market. For the production of biohydrogen. we had chosen groundnut shell as our source, using Tween80 as a surfactant we had undergone pre-treatment studies for (10min,20min,30min,40min,50min) we had estimated the content of cellulose, protein, carbohydrates at (1%,2%,3%,4%,5%) and obtained the optimum value in the form of graph. The production of hydrogen is done by using the rumen fluid of the cow and the quantity of the hydrogen produced by this process is identified by using the analytical instrument Gas Chromatography.

This study maps and quantifies the green infrastructure of the cities of Bujumbura, Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. A remote sensing approach, in conjunction with landscape ecology metrics, characterized this analysis, which was based upon three Landsat images acquired in 2000, 2013 and 2022 for each city. Spatial pattern indices show that green infrastructure was suppressed in the cities of Bujumbura and Kinshasa, in contrast to the city of Lubumbashi, which was characterized by a fragmentation of its green areas. Additionally, the values of the stability, aggregation and fractal dimension metrics suggest that the city of Bujumbura underwent rather intense dynamics and a reduction in the continuity of its green areas, while the city of Kinshasa shows weaker dynamics and tendances of patch aggregation in the study period. The city of Lubumbashi, in its turn, exhibits strong dynamics and an aggregation of its green infrastructure, in a context of a high level of anthropization. The evolution of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index shows a sawtooth evolution of tall vegetation patches for the city of Bujumbura, against a gradual decrease in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. It is advocated that the urban growth of these cities should be planned carefully in order to integrate the presence of sufficient green infrastructure.

Considerable amounts of agro-industrial by-products are discarded or burnt as fuel every year. However, they can be utilized as a valuable source of fiber, phenolics and other useful compounds such as antioxidants. The profile of beneficial compounds can be affected by genotype, locality, orchard management and productive season, adding or decreasing the bioactive potential of by-products. In this study, hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) and walnut (Juglans regia L.) nutshells were investigated for their fiber content and antioxidant capacity as valorized by-products for the industry. Determinations (ORAC, TPC and color asses) were performed in hazelnut and walnut orchards located in Southern Chile during three consecutive seasons (2020/21; 2021/22 and 2022/23). Analyses of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) in nutshells showed the highest ORAC from both species in the season 2020/21 (3217 µmol TE g1DW for hazelnut shells and 4663 µmol TE g DW1 for walnut shells), while variability in the consecutive seasons was lower for hazelnut than in walnut. Total phenolic content in hazelnut shells was positively correlated with L* (R: 0.883) and E (R: 0.924) during 2020/21 season, also with L* for 2022/23 (R: 0.907). While ORAC was negatively correlated with L* (R: 0.922) in 2021/22. In addition, morphological and structural features of both nutshells examined by Scavenging Electron Microscopy (VP-SEM) and Confocal Scavenging Laser Microscopy (CSLM) revealed differential tissue distribution and accumulation patterns of both cellulose and lignin. On the other hand, photo-colorimetric values were determined for both shells and corresponding seasons, and non-significative differences were found both shells and among seasons Finally, these results provide insight into the physicochemical characteristics of two shell types which should be considered together with antioxidant capacity in their valorization as a residual material.

DNA barcoding has emerged as a powerful tool in the field of taxonomy, transforming the way we identify and classify species. This review article aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the advancements in DNA barcoding techniques, their applications, and their impact on taxonomy and biodiversity studies. We will explore the evolution of DNA barcoding, the development of standardized barcode regions, and the challenges and limitations associated with this methodology. Additionally, we will delve into the diverse range of taxonomic groups for which DNA barcoding has been applied, highlighting key case studies and their contributions to our understanding of biodiversity. Furthermore, we will discuss the integration of DNA barcoding with other molecular and bioinformatic approaches, such as metabarcoding and machine learning, to enhance species identification and biodiversity assessment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on how DNA barcoding is reshaping the field of taxonomy and its implications for conservation, ecology, and evolutionary biology.

Despite several decades’ effort to detect and identify phytoplasmas (Tenericutes: Mollicutes) using PCR and Sanger sequencing focusing on diseased plants, knowledge of phytoplasma biodiversity and vector associations remains highly incomplete. To improve protocols for documenting phyto-plasma diversity and ecology, we used DNA extracted from phloem-feeding insects and com-pared traditional Sanger sequencing with a next-generation sequencing method, Anchored Hy-brid Enrichment (AHE) for detecting and characterizing phytoplasmas. Among 22 of 180 leaf-hopper samples that initially tested positive for phytoplasmas using qPCR, AHE yielded phyto-plasma 16Sr sequences for 20 (19 complete and 1 partial sequence) while Sanger sequencing yield-ed sequences for 16 (11 complete and 5 partial). AHE yielded phytoplasma sequences for an addi-tional 7 samples (3 complete and 4 partial) that did not meet the qPCR threshold for phytoplasma positivity or yielded non-phytoplasma sequences using Sanger sequencing. This suggests that AHE is more efficient for obtaining phytoplasma sequences. Twenty-three samples with sufficient data were classified into eight 16Sr subgroups (16SrI-B, I-F, I-AO, III-U, V-C, IX-J, XI-C, XXXVII-A), three new subgroups (designated as 16SrVI-L, XV-D, XI-G) and three possible new groups. Our results suggest that screening phloem-feeding insects using qPCR and AHE sequencing may be the most efficient method for discovering new phytoplasmas.

We evaluated progress towards animal biodiversity research in Georgia, a key area in the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot. By reviewing recently (1990-2018) published articles in all areas of animal diversity research, we unmasked the trends in biodiversity inventory, ecological and biogeographical studies, and conservation issues in Georgia. We concluded that species inventory and biodiversity research in Georgia has significantly increased during the last ten years, however the rate and extent of investigation is far from satisfactory. Major gaps remain in all branches of animal diversity research in Georgia, and consequently existing knowledge is inadequate to address modern challenges related to species and ecosystem conservation. We urge local governmental authorities and international scientific societies to support development of stronger research facilities and cultivate interest in biodiversity inventory and research in Georgia as an important step towards maintaining globally important biodiversity in the Caucasus.

Reducing fertilizer-N rate, applying nitrification inhibitor (NI), and incorporating straw are widely recommended to improve N use efficiency of crops and decrease N losses. However, how these practices affect crop N uptake by regulating the fertilizer-N fate during the growing season is not well understood. We conducted a field 15N tracer study to explore the effectiveness of reduced N application, NI, and straw incorporation on fertilizer-N fates for maize cultivation in Northeast China. The following six treatments were used: 1) no N fertilization (control); 2) 200 kg urea-N ha−1 (100%N); 3) 200 kg urea-N ha−1 and 2400 kg dry-straw ha−1 (100%N+S); 4) 160 kg urea-N ha−1 (80%N, i.e., 20% reduction of N fertilization); 5) 160 kg urea-N ha−1 and nitrification inhibitor (Nitrapyrin) (80%N+NI); 6) 160 kg urea-N ha−1, nitrification inhibitor and 2400 kg dry-straw ha−1 (80%N+NI+S). Our results showed that the five N fertilization treatments yielded 16%–25% more grain and 39%–60% more crop N uptake than the control receiving no N fertilizer, but the differences among the five treatments were not statistically significant. In contrast to plant growth, changes in fertilizer-N fates in soil and plant pools were more pronounced. Compared with the 100%N treatment, 20% fertilizer-N reduction (80%N) decreased 15N concentration in topsoil and plant pools but increased the proportion of plant 15N recovery at harvesting (N use efficiency, NUE15N, 60% vs. 50%) (P < 0.05). Nitrapyrin co-application (80%N+NI) delayed soil nitrification and increased soil 15N retention at harvesting (52% vs. 36%), thereby decreasing NUE15N significantly (P < 0.05). Straw incorporation (100%N+S) decreased fertilizer-N retention compared with NI co-application because it promoted NUE15N significantly (P < 0.05). The combined application of NI and straw (80%N+NI+S) was more conducive to fertilizer-N retention in soil. Our findings demonstrate that NI and straw additions are efficient strategies for stabilizing fertilizer-N in soils and potentially minimizing N loss; however, their effects on NUE15N vary and the related mechanism must be further clarified in long-term trials.

Aquaculture is expected to play a vital role in solving the challenge of sustainably providing the growing world population with healthy and nutritious food. Pathogen outbreaks are a major risk for the sector, so early detection and a timely response are crucial. This can be enabled by monitoring of pathogen levels in aquaculture facilities. This paper describes a photonic biosensing platform based on silicon nitride waveguide technology with integrated active components, which could be used for such applications. Compared to the state of the art, the current system presents improvements in terms of miniaturization of the Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC), and the development of wafer level processes for hybrid integration of active components and for material-selective chemical and biological surface modification. Furthermore, scalable processes for integrating the PIC in a microfluidic cartridge have been developed, as well as a prototype desktop readout instrument. Three bacterial aquaculture pathogens (Aeromonas salmonicida, Vagococcus salmoninarum, and Yersinia ruckeri) were selected for assay development. DNA biomarkers were identified, corresponding primer-probe sets designed, and qPCR assays developed. The biomarker for Aeromonas was also detected using the hybrid PIC platform. This is the first successful demonstration of biosensing on the hybrid PIC platform.

Chymotrypsin from the digestive organs of bigfin reef squid, a major commercial squid species in Thailand, was purified to 41.27-fold with 5.74% yield by a sequential purification process including ammonium sulfate precipitation, size exclusion and ion exchange chromatography. According to SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of purified chymotrypsin was 43 kDa. Native-PAGE analysis revealed a single band for this purified enzyme. Optimum pH and temperature for chymotrypsin activity of the purified enzyme were pH of 7.0 with a temperatures of 55°C. The purified chymotrypsin remained stable throughout a wide range of pH levels (6–11) and at relatively high temperature (50°C). It was significantly inhibited by PMSF and TPCK. The values of the kinetic constants Km and Kcat were found to be 1.33 mM and 31.46 s‒1, respectively. The purified chymotrypsin has the N-terminal amino acid IVGGQEATPGEWPWQAALQV. This study provided new information about the biochemical properties of pure chymotrypsin from bigfin reef squid, which is useful in the future investigation, aquaculture and application of bigfin reef squid.

The preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) involves a variety of chemical and physical methods. These methods use toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals. Consequently, the synthesis of AuNPs using green chemistry has been under investigation to develop eco-friendly nanoparticles. One method to achieve this is the use of plant-derived phytochemicals capable of reducing gold ions to produce AuNPs. The aim of this study was to implement a facile microtitre-plate method to screen a large number of aqueous plant extracts to determine the optimum concentration (OC) to bio-synthesize the AuNPs. Several AuNPs of different sizes and shapes were successfully synthesized and characterized from seventeen South African plants. The characterization was done using Ultra Violet-Visible Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. We also studied the effects of temperature on the synthesis of the nanoparticles and measured its effect on the particle size of the synthesized AuNPs and the data showed that changes in temperatures affect the size and dispersity of the generated AuNPs. Further, some of the synthesized AuNPs were stable upon incubation with different biological solutions in vitro.

The study examines projected changes in dry- and wet-spell probabilities in West Africa using a Markov chain approach. Four simulations of regional climate models from the CORDEX-Africa program were used to analyze projected changes in intraseasonal variability. The results show an increase in the probability of having a dry day, a dry day preceding a wet day and a dry day preceding a dry day, and a decrease in the probability of wet days in the Sahel region under anthropogenic forcing scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The decrease in wet days is stronger in the far future and under the RCP8.5 scenario (up to -30%). The study also finds that the probability of consecutive dry days (lasting at least 7 days and 10 days) is expected to increase in the Western Sahel, the Central Sahel, and the Sudanian Area under both scenarios, with stronger increases in the RCP8.5 scenario. In contrast, the decrease is expected over the Guinea Coast, with the changes more important under the RCP4.5. These changes in dry- and wet-spell probabilities are important for water management decisions and risk reduction in the energy and agricultural sectors. The study also highlights the need for decision-makers to implement mitigation and adaptation policies to minimize the adverse effects of climate change.

The use of edible films has become a topic of great interest in the food and environmental sectors, due to their potential to prevent food deterioration and their biodegradability. In this context, this study aimed to develop and characterize edible films based on camu-camu residue, gelatin and glycerol, evaluating their solubility, thermal, degradability, antioxidant and water vapor permeability properties of the gelatin matrix. This is the first study incorporating camu-camu into a gelatin and glycerol matrix. The films produced with the incorporation of camu-camu residue proved to be manageable and soluble, with the presence of some non-soluble residues, providing a shine and a well-presented appearance. In the biodegradation results the samples 03 and 04 appeared to degrade the most, being two of the three most affected samples in the triplicate. The films showed degradation modifications from the third day of the experiment. In the germination and plant growth analysis, Sample 04 showed satisfactory development compared to other samples, making it the sample with the best overall result in the analyses. These results demonstrate that the produced materials have potential for food packaging applications.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the suitability of agro-wastes and crude vegetable oils for the cost effective production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), to evaluate growth kinetics and PHB production in Alcaligenes faecalis RZS4 and Pseudomonas sp. RZS1 with these carbon substrates and to study the biodegradation of PHB accumulated by these cultures. Alcaligenes faecalis RZS4 and Pseudomonas sp. RZS1 accumulate higher amounts of PHB corn (79.90% of dry cell mass) and rice straw (66.22% of dry cell mass) medium respectively. The kinetic model suggests that the Pseudomonas sp. RZS1 follows the Monod model more closely than A. faecalis RZS4. Both the cultures degrade their own PHB extract under the influence of PHB depolymerase. Corn waste and rice straw appear as the best and cost-effective substrates for the sustainable production of PHB from Alcaligenes faecalis RZS4 and Pseudomonas sp. RZS1. The biopolymer accumulated by these organisms is biodegradable in nature. The agro-wastes and crude vegetable oils are good and low cost sources of nutrients for the growth and production of PHN and other metabolites. Their use would lower the production cost of PHN and the low cost production will reduce the sailing price of PHB based products. This would promote the large scale commercialization and popularization of PHB as ecofriendly bioplastic/biopolymer.

Keywords: Forest ecosystem; Biodiversity; Ecosystem multifunctionality

Rich biodiversity is one of the Philippines’ greatest assets. Unfortunately, there is a continuous decline in the diversity of flora and fauna across the world. This calls for the need to educate people, especially younger generations, to value and protect biodiversity and natural resources. The study aimed to assess the students’ extent of knowledge and identify their perspectives towards biodiversity and its protection and conservation. A total of 268 randomly selected students at Aurora State College of Technology Zabali Campus were involved in the study. Survey questionnaires were used to obtain data and information which were subjected to statistical tests. The students had a moderate knowledge level on biodiversity with a mean score of 6.65 out of 10 items (SD = 1.50). Their perspective on biodiversity was leaning toward its protection and conservation, with a mean score of 7.2 out of 10 items (SD = 1.29). Factors affecting the students’ knowledge were gender (p = .003) and academic department (p = 0.003). Females and those associated with the Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences and Department of Industrial technology were found to have more knowledge than the others. Males, on the other hand, were found to have a more positive perspective towards biodiversity. Knowledge and perspective had a weak correlation with r = 0.39. Students were not well-aware, but were in support of the Philippines’ biodiversity-related laws, which could help shape their mindset and actions towards biodiversity conservation and protection. As an implication, the college administration must revisit the curricula of all degree programs and ensure that students from each degree program are environmentally educated, emphasizing biodiversity conservation.

One of society’s greatest challenges is sequestering vast amounts of carbon to avoid dangerous climate change without driving competition for land and resources. Here we assess the potential of an integrated approach based on enhancement of natural biogeochemical cycles in agro-ecosystems that stimulate carbon capture and storage while increasing resilience and long-term productivity. The method integrates plant photosynthesis in the form of (cover) crops and agroforestry which drives carbon capture. Belowground plant-carbon is efficiently stored as stable soil organic carbon (SOC). Aboveground crop and tree residues are pyrolyzed into biochar, which is applied to the soil reducing carbon release through decomposition. Enhanced weathering of basalt powder worked into the soil further captures and stores carbon, while releasing nutrients and alkalinity. The integrated system is regenerative, through enhanced virtuous cycles that lead to improved plant capture, biomass storage and crop yield, the prerequisites for large-scale carbon sequestration along with food security.

Digital photogrammetry has attracted widespread attention in the field of geotechnical and geological survey due to its low-cost, ease of use and contactless mode. In this work, with the purpose of studying the progressive block surficial detachments of a landslide we developed a monitoring system based on fixed multi-view time-lapse cameras. Thanks to a new-developed photogrammetric algorithm based on the comparison of photo sequences through a structural similarity metric and the computation of the disparity map of two convergent views we can quickly detect the occurrence of collapse events, determine their location and calculate the collapse volume. With the field data obtained at the Perarolo landslide site (Belluno Province, Italy), we have preliminary tested the effectiveness of the algorithm and its accuracy in the volume calculation. The method of quickly and automatically obtaining collapse information proposed in this paper can extend the potentials of landslide monitoring system based on videos or photo sequence and it will be of great significance for further research on the link between the frequency of collapse events and the driving factors.

Это исследование сосредоточено на разработке системы искусственного зрения для гибкого дельта-робота-манипулятора и ее интеграции с межмашинной связью для оптимизации взаимодействия устройств в реальном времени. Эта интеграция направлена ​​на увеличение скорости роботизированной системы и улучшение ее общей производительности. Предлагаемое сочетание системы искусственного зрения с межмашинной связью позволяет обнаруживать и распознавать цели с высокой точностью в режиме реального времени в ограниченном пространстве, предназначенном для позиционирования, дальнейшей локализации и выполнения производственных процессов, таких как сборка или сортировка деталей. . В данном исследовании RGB-изображения используются в качестве входных данных для алгоритма MASK-R-CNN, а результаты обрабатываются в соответствии с особенностями прототипа дельта-манипулятора робота. Данные, полученные от MASK-R-CNN, адаптированы для использования в системе управления дельта-роботом с учетом ее уникальных характеристик и требований к позиционированию. Технология M2M позволяет манипулятору робота быстро реагировать на изменения, например, на перемещение объектов или изменение их положения, что имеет решающее значение для задач сортировки и упаковки. Система была протестирована в условиях, близких к реальным, чтобы оценить ее производительность и надежность.

The possibility of abrupt transitions threatens to poise ecosystems into irreversibly degraded states. Recently, it has been proposed the use of engineered microbiomes in endangered ecosystems to prevent them to cross tipping points and avoid collapse. Potential targets for such interventions include some of the most prominent life-support systems in the biosphere: drylands and coral reefs. Since engineering can require the introduction of microorganisms not present in resident communities, how can we weight the potential outcomes? One way is to use general models of species interactions where the "synthetic" strain is incorporated into a standard multispecies model. Here we follow this approach by modelling a resource-consumer community where one of the species is a modified one that acts by preserving some key resource. We show how the indirect effect of damping the decay of shared resources results in biodiversity increase, and last but not less, the successful incorporation of the synthetic within the ecological network. Further extensions and implications for future restoration and terraformation strategies are discussed.

Sago (Metroxylon spp.) is an important crop in Maluku. This study aims to identify the biodiversity of sago palm and understorey vegetation around sago clumps in Maluku. The research was carried out in six sago area from September 2015 to October 2016. The Sago Plant identification was carried out through the growth phase of sago, i.e. seedlings, saplings, weaning, trunks, and ripening. Vegetation observation was done in radius 100 m2 surrounding sago clumps. The result shows that Metroxylon rumphii Mart type. (Tuni sago), M. sagus Rottb. (Molat sago) and M. Silvester Mart. (Ihur Sago) dominates sago palms area in Seram and Ambon Islands, Maluku. There are significant morphological differences between the types of sago, especially in stem height, midrib width, leaf midrib colour, number of thorns, and flower stalk length, as well as the difference of carbohydrate content. Understorey vegetation of each observation sites diverse consist of 15 families and 20 species. The families that dominate the vegetation under the sago palms are Araceae, Thelypteridaceae, and Athyriaceae. The types of plants from Araceae are taro types and broadleaf, while those from the Thelypteridaceae and Athyriaceae families are types of ferns.

The destruction of natural habitat for cropland and pastures represents a major threat to global biodiversity. Despite widespread societal concern about biodiversity loss associated with food production, consumers access to quantitative estimates of the impact of crop production on the world’s species has been very limited compared to assessments of other environmental variables such as greenhouse gas emissions or water use. Here, we present a consistent dataset of the biodiversity footprints of pastures and 175 individual crops at country level. The data were generated by combining maps of the global distribution of agricultural areas in the year 2000 with spatially explicit estimates of the biodiversity loss associated with the conversion of natural habitat to farmland. Estimates were derived for three common alternative measures of biodiversity – species richness, threatened species richness, and range rarity – of the world’s mammals, birds, and amphibians. Our dataset provides important quantitative information for food consumers and policy makers, allowing them to take evidence-based decisions to reduce the biodiversity footprint of global food production.

Hyperspectral images are an important tool to assess ecosystem biodiversity both on terrestrial and benthic habitats. To obtain more precise analysis of biodiversity indicators that agree with indicators obtained using field data, analysis of spectral diversity calculated from images have to be validated with field based diversity estimates. The plant species richness is one of the most important indicators of biodiversity. This indicator can be measured in hyperspectral images considering the Spectral Variation Hypothesis (SVH) which states that the spectral heterogeneity is related to spatial heterogeneity and thus to species richness. The goal of this research is to capture spectral heterogeneity from hyperspectral images for a terrestrial neo tropical forest site using Vector Quantization (VQ) method and then use the result for prediction of plant species richness. The results are compared with that of Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering (HAC). The validation of the process index is done calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient between the Shannon entropy from actual field data and the Shannon entropy computed in the images. Terrestrial dry forest and marine coastal hyperspectral images with different resolutions have been used for spectral diversity feature validation.

Germplasm is a valuable natural resource in plant diversity that is crucial for its potential use. It provides knowledge about a species genetic composition. Germplasm protection strategies are not just planting hope threatened with extinction, they preserve medicinal and other essential plants on which survival rests. The successful use of genetic plant resources necessitates diligent collection, storage, analysis, documentation, and germplasm exchange. Slow growth cultures, cryopreservation, pollen and DNA banks, botanic gardens, genetic reserves and farmer’s fields are few conservation techniques. However, usage of an in vitro procedure with any chance of genetic instability leads to the destruction of the entire substance. Improved understanding of basic regeneration biology would, in turn, undoubtedly increase the capacity to regenerate plants from in vitro harvested explants, thus expanding selection possibilities. Germplasm conservation seeks to conserve endangered and vulnerable plant species worldwide for future proliferation and development; it is also the bedrock of agricultural production.

The sustainability of agriculture depends as much on the natural resources required for production as it does on the stakeholders that manage those resources. It is thus essential to understand the variables that influence the decision-making process of agricultural stakeholders to design educational programs, interventions, and policies geared towards their specific needs, a required step to enhance agricultural sustainability. We examined the perceptions, experiences, and priorities that influence management decisions of five major groups of agricultural stakeholders (conventional small grain producers, organic small grain producers, organic vegetable producers, extension agents and agro-industry crop consultants, and researchers) across the Montana, United States. Results revealed that while stakeholder groups have distinct perceptions, experiences, and priorities, there were similarities across groups. Specifically, organic vegetable and organic small grain producers showed similar responses that were, in turn, divergent of conventional producers, researchers, and crop consultants. Conventional small grain producers and researchers showed overlapping response patterns while crop consultants formed an isolated group. Our results reinforce the need for agricultural education and programs that address unique and shared experiences, priorities, and concerns of multiple stakeholder groups. This study endorses the call for a paradigm shift from the traditional top-down agricultural extension model to one that accounts for participants’ socio-ecological contexts to facilitate the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems that support environmental and human wellbeing.

Regulation of the diet in terms of the content of soluble and insoluble fibre is of great importance from the point of view of dietetics, microbiology of the gastrointestinal tract and immunology of the organism. Dietary fibre plays an important role in maintaining the balance between the con-tinuity of gut mucus production (intestinal mucosa), the stability of the intestinal microbiome composition, the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium and the immune status within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) are played by pectin and their metabolic products in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. The main purpose of this review was to focus on pectin, their functions, their impact on the human's health and on some of the most promising prebiotics due to their solubility in the gastrointestinal tract in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. They have the properties of pectin, but have also additional features and postbiotics obtained in fermentation process can affect the intestinal microbiome and GALT-related immunity. They can be obtained from plant agro-wastes.

Yeast, crucial in beer production, holds promise as a valuable by-product resource, known as brewer's spent yeast (BSY), with potentially beneficial physiological effects. This study aimed to compare the composition and soluble polysaccharide content of Brewer's spent yeast with those of pure cultured yeast strains, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) and S. boulardii (SB), to facilitate the utilization of BSY as an alternative source of functional polysaccharides. BSY exhibited significantly higher carbohydrate content and lower crude protein content than SC and SB cells. The residues recovered through autolysis were 53.11%, 43.83%, and 44.99% for BSY, SC, and SB, respectively. Notably, the polysaccharide content of BSY residue (641.90 μg/mg) was higher than that of SC (553.52 μg/mg) and SB (591.56 μg/mg). The yields of alkali-extracted water-soluble polysaccharides were 40%, 30%, and 35% for BSY, SC, and SB, respectively, with BSY comprising a higher proportion of water-soluble saccharides than SC and SB, including 49.3% mannan and 20.1% β-glucan. Furthermore, BSY demonstrated antioxidant activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ABTS, and DPPH scavenging potential, suggesting its ability to mitigate oxidative stress. BSY also exhibited a significantly higher total phenolic compound content, indicating its potential as an effective functional food material.

Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) are eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers. However, some intrinsic natural fillers´ properties hinder their widespread implementation as re-inforcement in polymeric matrices and require further investigation. In the scope of this study, the thermal, rheologic, mechanical (tension and flexural modes), morphological properties, water ab-sorption and dimensional stability of the NF polypropylene (PP) based injection moulded compo-sites with the rice husk (rh) and olive pits (op) of 20 wt% and 30% wt%, were investigated. The results suggest that the higher content of the rice husk and olive pits led to a similar reduction of the Melt Flow Index (MFI), independent of the additive type compared to virgin polypropylene (PPv). The melting and crystallization temperatures of the PPrh and PPop composites did not change with statistical significance. The composites are stiffer than the PP matrix by up to 49% and possess higher mechanical strength in what concerns the tension mode at the expense of de-creased ductility. PPrh and PPop have superior flexural modulus in the bending mode, while the flexural strength improvement was accomplished for the PP30%rh. The dimensional stability of the composites was improved as the linear shrinkage in the flow direction was decreased by 49% for PPrh and 30% for PPop, positively correlating with an increase in the filler content and stiff-ness. PPop was less susceptible to water sorption than PPrh due to fibres' composition and larger surface-to-area volume ratios.

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) substrates are commonly used as growth media for greenhouse crops and horticulture production. This study aimed to investigate the responses of physiochemical soil properties, enzyme activities, and microbial community compositions to different cultivation durations and SMC soil treatments on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in plastic greenhouses on the Loess Plateau, China. The experiment included treatments: Two control treatments of non-planting SMC substrates (Sub CK) and continuous mono-cropping soil (Soil CK), and SMC substrate and the surrounding soil after planting at 1, 3, and 7 years. The results revealed that the SMC substrates had higher contents of major nutrients (e.g., total N and total P) than the surrounding soil treatments. The physicochemical soil properties and soil enzyme activities of the SMC substrates were significantly decreased with longer cultivation duration. Microbial alpha-diversity was higher in the SMC substrates regardless of cultivation duration than the control treatment (soil CK and substrate CK). Interestingly, following several years of tomato cultivation, the compositions of bacterial communities had more similarities with fungal communities in both the SMC substrates and surrounding soils. It was observed that many beneficial microbes, such as bacteria of the Deinococcus-Thermus, Halanaerobiaeota, and Nitrospirae phyla, and the fungi of the Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Chytridiomycota phyla were enriched in the SMC substrates. The pathogenic bacterial genus Sphingomonas and fungal genus Fusarium were abundant in the Soil CK treatment, while the potentially beneficial bacterial genera Saccharimonadales, Gaiella, Bacillus, and fungal genera Thermomyces, Kernia, and Mortierella were abundant in both the SMC substrate and surrounding soil. This study demonstrated that agro-based SMC substrates were a suitable growth media for a new grooved cultivation system.

Implementation of the German Climate change Strategy in the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt is discussed in this paper. It shares the requirement and importance of sustainable development. An overview of strategy, The DAS Indicator System is provided with results of a portion of work being done for the ministry of agriculture by Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD). Applicability of the indicator system is also shown by evaluation of results for specific indicators from 1961-2015.

In practice, a post-extractivist vision for farmer communities in the Amazon demands the study and demonstration, in the field, of alternative economic activities that are not based on resource extraction but on adding value to currently generated residual biomass. Following principles of bioeconomy, this study presents an experimental analysis of a retort burner and a pilot-scale auger-type pyrolysis reactor used to convert coffee husks generated in a post-harvesting facility of a farmer´s cooperative into thermal energy and biochar, respectively. The study shows that use of coffee husks, whether for combustion or pyrolysis processes, can supply the thermal energy required by the post-harvesting processes. The combustion or pyrolysis of coffee husks avoids its accumulation and decomposition while replacing the fossil fuels used in post-harvesting operations, reducing costs and making the farmers independent of fossil fuel subsidies. Unlike combustion, the CO concentration in the flue gas during the pyrolysis process was below the eco-design standard of 500 mg/Nm3. According to the European Biochar Certificate, carbonized coffee husks can be regarded as biochar for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. A study is required to assess the ability of cooperatives to generate and trade carbon credits linked with the application of biochar in their cropping systems.

This study aims to contribute to the characterization of Katangese Copperbelt's mining wastes and soils polluted with trace metals, using pollution indices and direct concentration measurements. The study also evaluated the use of these indices in assessing the success of remediation projects. Analytical data from previous studies and samples collected from six types of discharge and one polluted soil were used to address the first objective. Soil and plant samples were collected at Kipushi and Penga Penga for the second objective. The results revealed very high concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn in all mine tailings and polluted soils, compared with local references. The degree of contamination (DC) values (from 72 to 5440) and potential ecological risk (RI) values (from 549 to 162 091) indicate very high-risk situations associated with polluted discharges and soils. Regarding revegetation trials, the results show lower concentrations and RIs in tree rhizospheres compared with unamended areas at both sites. However, trace metal concentrations are higher in tree rhizospheres compared with local references, and RI values are in the considerable risk range for Penga Penga (RI = 533) and very high (>1500) for Kipushi. Bioconcentration factor values are below 1, indicating low accumulation in roots, wood, and leaves, and low risk of contamination of the trophic chain. In this context, it seems that the pollution indices used are unsuitable for assessing the effectiveness of phytotechnology processes based on metal stabilization. Direct plant performance measurements combined with direct measurements of metals in substrates and plants to assess transfer and efficiency are more appropriate.

The influenza virus has been the primary cause of the pandemic, posing a constant threat to human society. Due to its genetic evolution and continuous outbreak, antiviral research currently focuses on exploring a novel lead agent. A comprehensive antiviral screening discovered a marine bacterium whose extract exerted excellent efficacy against influenza viruses. Parerythrobacter sp. M20A3S10, a novel strain under the family Erythrobacteraceae, could produce carotenoids exhibiting antiviral and anticancer activity by enhancing the cellular immune system. Post-treatment of M20A3S10 extract showed outstanding therapeutic indexes: against influenza virus A/PR8 (H1N1) [selectivity index (SI) = 24.0], A/Wisconsin/15/2009 (H3N2) (SI = 30.1) and B/Florida/78/2015 (SI = 38.2). Comparably, the effectiveness was demonstrated against Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus type 2 (DENV2) with an SI of 22.5 and 24.1, respectively, namely broad-spectrum activity. Of note, the antiviral responses resulted from the common replication mechanism between IAV, ZIKV, and DENV2. The stimulation of apoptosis-mediated cellular immunity prevented the viral release and protected the host, suggesting that switching from necroptosis to apoptosis is a novel antiviral target. Although the specific compound affecting the antiviral activity was not identified, its promising efficacy with broad activity will contribute to developing a strategy for preventing future pandemics.

Mounting evidence supports the connections between exposure to environment types––such as green spaces and biodiversity––and human health. However, the mechanistic links that connect biodiversity (the variety of life) and human health, plus the level of supporting evidence, are less clear. Here, we undertook a scoping review to map the links between biodiversity and human health and summarise the levels of associated evidence using an established weight of evidence framework. Distinct from other reviews, we provide additional context regarding the environment-microbiome-health axis, evaluate the environmental buffering pathway (e.g., biodiversity impacts on air pollution), and draw upon expert opinion to provide case studies on three underrepresented linkages. The case studies include (1) biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples’ health, (2) biodiversity and urban social equity, and (3) biodiversity and COVID-19. We observed a moderate level of evidence to support the environmental microbiota-human health pathway and a moderate-high level of evidence to support broader nature pathways (e.g., green space) to various health outcomes, from stress reduction to enhanced wellbeing and improved social cohesion. However, studies of broader nature pathways did not typically include specific biodiversity metrics, indicating clear research gaps. Further research is required to understand the connections and causative pathways between biodiversity (e.g., using metrics such as taxonomy, diversity/richness, structure, and function) and health outcomes. There are well-established frameworks to assess the effects of broad classifications of nature on human health. These can assist future research in linking biodiversity metrics to human health outcomes. Our case studies on underrepresented linkages highlight the roles of biodiversity and its loss on urban lived experiences, infectious diseases, and Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty and livelihoods. More research and awareness of these socioecological interconnections are needed.

The increase in ecosystem biodiversity can be perceived as one of the universal processes converting energy into information across a wide range of living systems. This study delves into the dynamics of living systems, highlighting the distinction between ex-post adaptation, typically associated with natural selection, and its proactive counterpart, ex-ante adaptability. Through coalescence experiments using synthetic ecosystems, we (i) quantified an ecosystem stability, (ii) identified correlations between species richness and the stability, (iii) proposed a mechanism for increasing biodiversity through moderate inter-ecosystem interactions, and (iv) inferred that the information carrier of ecosystems is species composition, or merged genomic information. Additionally, we observed that (v) changes in ecosystems are constrained to a low-dimensional state space, with three distinct alteration trajectories—fluctuations, rapid environmental responses, and long-term changes—converging into this state space in common. These findings suggest that daily fluctuations may predict broader ecosystem changes. Our experimental insights, coupled with an exploration of living systems' information dynamics from an ecosystem perspective, enhance our predictive capabilities for natural ecosystem behavior, providing a universal framework for understanding a broad spectrum of living systems.

The western Himalayan region is a biodiversity hotspot. Although many of the flora and fauna are documented, there are very few studies of the fungal diversity. Here, we present the statistical analyses of the specimen collections from the past 150 years of data in the fungarium of the Forest Research Institute. We found that the host tree species, pine, oak, deodar, and spruce, had very high Shannon diversity (SD) and species richness (SR), while Dalbergia and Rhododendron showed moderate to low SD, SR; Sal, although found at lower altitudes has high SD, SR. Among the fungal families, the highest SD, SR was found in Polyporaceae. Hymenochaetaceae, Peniophoraceae, Coleosporiaceae, and Stereaceae also showed SD with moderate SR. Fomitopsidaceae, Cronartiaceae, Ganodermataceae, and Thelephoraceae have low species diversity and species. Thelesporaceae are distributed above 2000 m altitude, and Ganodermateceae and Hymenochaetaceae have broader ranges, namely 0 - 3500 m and 0 - 5000 m, respectively. The Polyporaceae show diverse variations in species distribution, occurring between 0 and 4500 m; Colesporaceae and Cronartiaceae around 2000 m; and, Stereaceae, Meruliaceae, Peniophoraceae, and Fomitopsidaceae occur between 1700 and 1800 m, with all Stereaceae and Fomitopsidaceae having different distribution ranges up to 5000 m. We found that areas with relatively low rainfall had lower species richness, and vice versa, and high solar radiation also negatively impacted fungal density and SR. Similar studies must be undertaken in other parts of the Himalayas, and the importance of fungi in ethnobotanical needs to be understood for ensuring sustainable use.

Measuring the status and trends of biodiversity is critical for making informed decisions about the conservation, management or restoration of species, habitats and ecosystems. Defining the reference state against which status and change are measured is essential. Typically, reference states describe historical conditions, yet historical conditions are challenging to quantify, may be difficult to falsify, and may no longer be an attainable target in a contemporary ecosystem. We have constructed a conceptual framework to help inform thinking and discussion around the philosophical underpinnings of reference states and guide their application. We characterise currently recognised historical reference states and describe them as Pre-Human, Indigenous Cultural, Pre-Intensification and Hybrid-Historical. We extend the conceptual framework to include contemporary reference states as an alternative theoretical perspective. The contemporary reference state framework is a major conceptual shift that focuses on current ecological patterns and identifies areas with higher biodiversity values, regardless of the disturbance history. The specific context for which we design the contemporary conceptual frame is underpinned by an overarching goal—to maximise biodiversity conservation and restoration outcomes in existing ecosystems. The contemporary reference state framework can account for the inherent differences in the diversity of biodiversity values (e.g., species richness, habitat complexity) across spatial scales, communities and ecosystems. In contrast to historical reference states, contemporary references states are measurable and falsifiable. This ‘road map of reference states’ offers perspective needed to define and assess the status and trends in biodiversity and habitats. Our framework for contemporary reference states provides a tractable way for policy-makers and practitioners to navigate biodiversity assessments to maximise conservation and restoration outcomes in contemporary ecosystems. We illustrate how to define a contemporary reference state using an example from south-eastern Australia.

Maize (Zea mays L.) production in West and Central Africa is constrained by drought, low soil-N and Striga infestation. Breeders in the region have developed and commercialized extra-early and early-maturing hybrids (E-EH and EH), which combine high yield potentials with tolerance/resistance to the three stresses. Hybrids of both maturity groups are new to the farmers; thus, the urgent need to recommend appropriate agronomic practices for these hybrids. We investigated the responses of four hybrids belonging to extra-early and early-maturity groups to plant density (PD) and nitrogen (N) application in five agroecologies. The EHs consistently out-yielded the E-EHs in all the five agroecologies. The hybrids showed no response to N-fertilizer application above 90 kg ha-1. All interactions involving N had no significant effect on all traits except in few cases. The E-EHs and EHs had similar response to PD; their grain yield decreased as PD increased. Contrarily, flowering was delayed and expression of some other agronomic traits such as plant and ear aspects became poorer with increased PD. Optimal yield was obtained at approximately 90 kg N ha-1 and 66,666 plants ha-1. Most of the measured traits indicated high repeatability estimates (i.e. ≥ 60) across the N levels, PDs and environments. Evidently, the hybrids were intolerant of high PD.

This study investigated the physical and combustion properties of briquettes produced from agricultural wastes (groundnut shells and corn cobs), wood residues (Anogeissus leiocarpus) and admixtures of the particles at 15%, 20% and 25% starch levels (binder). A 6 x 3 factorial experiments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was adopted for the study. The briquettes produced were analyzed for density, volatile matter, ash content, fixed carbon and specific heat of combustion. The result revealed that the density ranged from 0.44g/cm³ to 0.53g/cm³, while briquettes produced from groundnut shells had the highest (0.53g/cm³) significant mean density. Mean volatile matter and ash content of the briquettes ranged from 24.35% to 34.95% and 3.37% to 4.91%. A. leiocarpus and corn cobs particles had the lowest and highest ash content respectively. The briquette fixed carbon and specific heat of combustion ranged from 61.68% to 68.97% and 7362kca/kg to 8222kca/kg respectively. Briquette produced from A. leiocarpus particles had the highest specific heat of combustion. In general, briquettes produced from A. leiocarpus particles and admixture of groundnut shell and A. leiocarpus particles at 25% starch level had better quality in terms of density and combustion properties and thus suitable as environmentally friendly alternative energy source.

The application of smartphone-based color evaluation of passive sampling devices for gases has only been sparsely reported. The present review aims to compile available publications with respect to the configuration of the passive samplers, conditions of smartphone photographing, analytical procedure for color detection and quantification (including calibration processes), and their application to different target gases. The performance of the methods - whenever available - is presented regarding the analytical specifications selectivity, sensitivity, and limit of detection in comparison with other color evaluation methods of passive samplers. Practical aspects like requirements of instrumentation and ease of use will be outlined in view of the potential employment in education and citizen science projects. In one section of the review the inconsistent terminology of passive and diffusive sampling is discussed in order to clarify the distinction of information obtained from the uptake of the passive samplers between gas-phase concentration and the accumulated deposition flux of gaseous analytes. Colorimetric gas sensors are included in the review when applied in passive sampling configurations and evaluation is performed with smartphone-based color evaluation. Differences in the analytical procedures employed after the passive sampling step and prior to the detection of the colored compounds are also presented.

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) is a primary contributor to the entanglement of numerous marine species. Utilizing digital media platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram we conducted an assessment of the detrimental effects of ALDFG and plastic litter, on the biodiversity of Italy's marine ecosystem. Our investigation revealed that plastic litter has adverse consequences on various forms of marine life, including reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, along different Italian geographical sub-areas. Several records of interaction between plastic and endangered and vulnerable marine species have been described. Our reports even highlight the impact on marine turtles, mainly on Caretta caretta. This is the first report of entangled with fishing nets in Cetorhinus maximus, Oblada melanura, Serranus scriba, Homarus gammarus, Octopus vulgaris, and Phoenicopterus roseus. Furthermore, we identified that ghost nets have repercussions for endangered and vulnerable marine species. This update sheds light on the ongoing adverse effects of ghost nets on the Italian marine ecosystem, yet it is crucial to acknowledge that the true extent of the problem remains underestimated.

This article delves into the pivotal role that biodiversity of soil microbes plays in bolstering tree health and overall agroecosystem productivity. With the advent of regenerative agricultural practices, there has been a resurgence of interest in understanding the complex interactions between soil microbiota and plant roots, particularly through processes like rhizophagy. Rhizophagy, the digestion of living root cells by soil microorganisms, stands out as a fundamental mechanism in nutrient cycling and overall tree vitality. By examining the impact of enhanced microbial diversity on tree health, we shed light on the practical applications, such as the utilization of the BEAM Inoculant product, which has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in augmenting soil health and, consequently, tree Vigor

Many tropical invasive species have allelopathic effects that contribute to their success in native plant communities. Pyrolyzed biomass (“biochar”) can sorb toxic compounds, including allelochemicals produced by invasive plants, potentially reducing their inhibitory effects on native species. Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum) is among the most important allelopathic invasive species in tropical islands and recognized as the most serious invasive species threat in the global biodiversity hotspot of Mauritius. We investigated the effects of additions of locally produced biochar on native tree species in a field experiment conducted in areas invaded by strawberry guava within Mauritius’ largest national park. Growth and survivorship of native tree species were monitored over 2 ½ years in plots subjected to four treatments: non-weeded, weeded, weeded + 25 t/ha biochar and weeded + 50 t/ha biochar. Native tree growth and survivorship were strongly suppressed by strawberry guava. Biochar treatments dramatically increased native tree performance, with more than a doubling in growth, and substantially increased native tree survivorship and species diversity, while suppressing strawberry guava regeneration, consistent with growth-promoting properties and sorption of allelochemicals. We conclude that biochars, including “sustainable biochars” produced from locally accessible biomass using low-tech pyrolysis systems, have considerable potential to counteract effects of allelopathic invaders and increase the capacity for native species regeneration in tropical island ecosystems.

Governance is one of the most essential instruments for environmental management. Biodiversity is in the core field of environmental governance. Yet environmental authorities are persistently challenged the loss of biodiversity as a very important global issue for several years due to high dependent exposure to risks. The study attempts to relook at the key governance tools that strengthen policies towards managing biodiversity within and around the national park’s survey in Moulvibazar district. The study showed that biodiversity related legislation amended was the highest in Bangladesh for the period of 2010 to 2016. The growth of policy instruments maximized at but in low environmental governance services within the same period. The study assessed that the existing environmental policy instrument is inadequate and sluggish for effective conservation, compared with several others governance tools and various performances are still below par. Governance knowledge is indispensable for biodiversity management but such knowledge is poorly identified. These results reflect the importance of effective governance for transparency that the State provides. The research is to represent a dynamic and adaptable framework that can be applied for collective governance relevant to policy integration, participation and enforcement in order to foster environmental conservation sustainability.

Biowaste management is in the center of attention in recent years, due to the increased focus on Circular Economy practices. Recent management solutions promote exploration for small and medium scale processing and monitoring practices. In this context, two pathways of biowaste valorization are analyzed: composting and anaerobic digestion. This study focuses on energy production with the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of anaerobic residues from biogas production. Lesvos has numerous processing facilities and olive mills, and therefore Olive Mill Wastewater (OMWW) are the main biowaste streams in the island, along with olive tree pruning, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and sludge from wastewater treatment facilities. Most studies present applications on specific types of biowaste, while this study aims to co-treat several biowaste streams. A holistic experimental set-up that combines aerobic and anaerobic treatment strategies was developed taking into consideration the hydrothermal treatment of AD digestate along with locally available biowaste, like OMWW, sludge etc. A main target objective is to investigate if solid fraction could have a high heating potential In addition, HTC was able significantly to reduce the COD of OMWW while resulting in hydrochars with increased heating values.

This study investigates the spatial urban growth patterns of cities along the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia border, a region of significant economic importance characterized by cross-border trade. This activity has led to rapid, but unplanned urban growth. The objective is to quantify the spatial expansion of Congolese cities (Kipushi, Kasumbalesa, Mokambo, and Sakania) bordering Zambia and to evaluate associated landscape changes. The methodology integrates Landsat images from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2023, coupled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and landscape ecology analysis tools. The results reveal substantial landscape transformations in the border cities between 1990 and 2023. These changes are primarily driven by rapid urban expansion, particularly pronounced in Kasumbalesa. Between 1990 and 2023, forest cover declined from 70% to less than 15% in Kipushi, from 80% to 10% in Kasumbalesa, from 90% to 30% in Mokambo, and from 80% to 15% in Sakania. This forest cover loss is accompanied by an increase in landscape element diversity, as indicated by the Shannon diversity index, except in Kipushi, suggesting a transition towards more heterogeneous landscapes. In these border cities, landscape dynamics are also characterized by the expansion of agriculture and savannas, highlighted by an increase in the disturbance index. Spatial pattern changes analysis shows that built-up areas, agriculture, and savannas exhibit trends of patch creation or aggregation, while forests are undergoing processes of dissection and patch attrition. Congolese cities bordering Zambia are undergoing substantial spatial changes propelled by intricate interactions between economic, demographic, and infrastructural factors. Our results highlight the necessity for sustainable development strategies to address challenges such as urban sprawl, deforestation, and fostering cross-border cooperation in border regions.

The presence and localization of plant metabolites are indicative of physiological processes, e.g., under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Further, the chemical composition of plant parts is related to their quality as food or for medicinal applications. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has become a popular analytical technique for exploring and visualizing the spatial distribution of plant molecules within a tissue. This review provides a summary of mass spectrometry methods used for mapping and identifying metabolites in plant tissues. We present the benefits and the disadvantages of both vacuum and ambient ionization methods, considering direct and indirect approaches. Finally, we discuss the current limitations in annotating and identifying molecules and perspectives for future investigations.

In the ongoing work, environmentally sound technologies for converting organic wastes into fertilizers, to improve soil sustainability and crop yield have been identified and assessed. Wet wastes were combined with 50% wood sawdust and 50% 50% wet wastes (Compost 1) or (10% Straw + 90% wet wastes) (Compost 2) to produce soil improvers with a balanced level of nutrients and their effectiveness on soil ecosystem functioning have been tested and compared to horse manure (HM) and nitrogen:phosphorous:potassium (NPK) fertilizers. Unfertilized soil was used as control. Soil chemical and biological properties, have been detected after the harvesting of broccoli and red cabbage (90 days from the initial treatments). Three independent experiments have been conducted in open field in a randomized complete block design with three replications (n=9). Results showed that Compost 1 had the highest C/N ratio and CSC, indicating a better humification of wet material. Compost 1 even if contained a minor amount of organic carbon, as well as a less activity of FDA and DHA than Compost 2, was the most effective in improving soil quality, significantly increasing the labile fraction of organic matter, the oxidative enzyme (DHA), microbial biomass and crop yield. Both composts increased crop productivity.

We enhanced the agro-hydrologic VegET model to include snow accumulation and melt processes and the separation of runoff into surface runoff and deep drainage. Driven by global weather datasets and parameterized by Land Surface Phenology (LSP), the enhanced VegET model was implemented in the cloud to simulate daily soil moisture (SM), actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and runoff (R) for the conterminous United States (CONUS) and the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). Evaluation of the VegET model with independent data showed satisfactory performance, capturing the temporal variability of SM (Pearson correlation r: 0.22–0.97), snowpack (r: 0.86–0.88), ETa (r: 0.41–0.97), and spatial variability of R (r: 0.81–0.90). Absolute magnitudes showed some biases, indicating the need of calibrating the model for water budget analysis. The seasonal Landscape Water Requirement Satisfaction Index (L-WRSI) for CONUS and GHA showed realistic depictions of drought hazard extent and severity, indicating the usefulness of the L-WRSI for the convergence of evidence toolkit used by the Famine Early Warning System Network to monitor potential food insecurity conditions in different parts of the world. Using projected weather datasets and landcover-based LSP, the VegET model can be used not only for global monitoring of drought conditions, but also for evaluating scenarios on the effect of a changing climate and land cover on agriculture and water resources.

Biodiversity conservation is a key factor in meeting sustainable development goals. This is even more important in cities, where green spaces are becoming increasingly scarce. This study analyzes the Kinshasa's proliferating ornamental plant nurseries, known as informal horticultural sites (IHS). The analysis focused on characterizing the profile of horticulturists, their production conditions and the ornamental species produced. Fifteen IHSs were sampled using the "snowball" technique, and 178 horticulturists were surveyed. Based on the socio-professional profile of the horticulturists, five groups of IHS are distinguished after a hierarchical classification on principal components. We found that IHSs exclusively employed men, most of whom were new to the trade, from all levels of education, and most of whom ranged from 19 to 45 years old. Production conditions are relatively similar from one site to another. However, all IHS are characterized by permanent land insecurity, the use of phytosanitary products, plant conditioning methods that are not very diversified and calibrated to growers' investment capacities, and diversified seed acquisition methods. A total of 139 ornamental species, most of them exotic, were identified. Of these, 37% are phanerophytes and 24% are considered potentially invasive. We suggest ways of professionalizing the activity and protecting the urban environment.

The high incidence of psychopathologies recorded in today's human society, correlated with the high percentages of biodiversity loss, point to the need for an interdisciplinary approach of the scientific fields under study – Neurosciences and Biodiversity Conservation. Thus, our approach here pre-sents, in a synergistic manner, the significant correlation between mental health and the increased values of biodiversity in the ecosystems located in the immediate vicinity, especially those located in the middle of cities. Our approach aims to emphasize the importance of biodiversity conservation in the context of preserving mental health and general well-being. There are a series of recent ex-perimental demonstrations that outline the influence of natural elements on the human psyche and implicitly the effects of nature in the prevention and reduction of stress, anxiety and depression. And beyond the cognitive barriers of humanity in relating to the surrounding biodiversity must lie the desire to know the values of biodiversity and the absolute importance of its conservation. The sustainable relationship between man and living nature, seen as a complex of biodiversity, is dealt with by a branch of science called Human Ecology. Therefore, this study emphasizes the crucial need to know and respect the connection between man and nature, based, since time immemorial, on biophilia. And with the regression of ignorance and the correlated approach of several scientific fields, some at the intersection of humanities and natural sciences, one can observe the progress of preserving the dynamic balance within the ecosystems and implicitly the preservation of mental health and human well-being.