Search Results (827)

The coupling and coordination of humans and natural systems, as the core of geographical research, is an important issue that social development needs to confront and explore. The study of the coupling and coordination of the human–natural system in Xinjiang, as well as the obstacles, is of great significance for its ecological environment and social development. This study establishes a multidimensional index system for the coupling of the human–natural system in Xinjiang. The comprehensive evaluation index and coupling coordination degree of the human–natural system from 2013 to 2020 were calculated, using weighted methods and a coupling coordination evaluation model. The main obstacles to the development of coupling and coordination in Xinjiang were identified, with the aid of a barrier model. The study indicates: (1) the human–natural system composed of ecological environment, urban–rural livability, cultural characteristics, civil harmony, and green development reflects the comprehensive development level of Xinjiang; (2) from 2013 to 2020, the sustainable development of the human–natural system in Xinjiang was good, with an upward trend in the evaluation index; (3) from 2013 to 2020, the level of coupling and coordination of the human–natural system in Xinjiang improved, transitioning from low to high levels; (4) from 2013 to 2020, the main factors impeding the coordinated development of the human–natural system changed. In addition to urban–rural differences and water resource conditions, medical conditions and carbon emissions also became major influencing factors on the coupling and coordination degree of the human–natural system in arid regions. Therefore, the research on the coupling and coordination relationship of the human–natural system and the analysis of obstacles in Xinjiang can provide scientific basis for the high-quality sustainable development and the construction of a beautiful Xinjiang. Full article

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the electricity grid through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology represents a promising opportunity to improve energy efficiency and stabilize grid operations in the context of building sustainable cities. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature to assess the status of the research and identify the road ahead. Using bibliometric analysis and systematic assessment, the critical factors that influence the charging behavior of electric vehicles, the adoption of V2G, and the effective use of EVs as dynamic energy resources are identified. The focus is particularly on the ecological transitions toward sustainability, travel characteristics, technical specifications, requirements, and barriers in real use, and the behavioral and psychological aspects of stakeholders. The results lay the foundation for accurate forecasts and the strategic implementation of V2G technology to support the needs of the electric grid. They emphasize the importance of considering the psychological and behavioral aspects of users in the design of V2G strategies and define the key factors to predict the demand for electric vehicle charging. Furthermore, they highlight the main barriers to V2G adoption, which are primarily related to concerns about battery degradation and economic issues. Privacy and security concerns, due to data sharing with electric vehicle aggregators, also limit the adoption of V2G. Addressing these challenges is essential for the successful integration of electric vehicles into the grid. Full article

Common or European carp (Cyprinus carpio) were eliminated from Lake Winona during a 1973 lake reclamation project. Multiple efforts to prevent their return and eliminate spawning opportunities have failed. Carp have remained in the lake for the past 50 years, but more recent observations of spawning activity in the lake suggest that their numbers have increased. We used shoreline electrofishing data from Lake Winona (2005–2021), along with carp abundance and effects models, to estimate the abundance of carp in Lake Winona, and to evaluate the need for future carp management within the lake. Carp size (mean TL = 614 mm, mean weight = 3.42 kg) did not differ between eastern and western basins, but densities were three times higher in the western basin (105 compared to 34 fish/hectare), and carp had significantly higher relative weights in the western (117%) versus the eastern (107%) basin. Carp biomass estimates for the eastern (116 kg/hectare) and western (360 kg/hectare) basins suggest that the lake may soon experience significant declines in macrophyte cover and other ecological damage associated with that loss. With an estimated adult carp population of >6900 fish and a carp biomass (23,750 kg) 1.5 times greater than the biomass of all carp killed during the 1973 reclamation, carp management activities (e.g., fish removal and spawning migration barriers) should be initiated soon to protect the Lake Winona game fish community. Full article

A Carbon Footprint (CF) is defined as the total emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and is a specific type of Environmental Footprint that measures human impact on the environment. Carbon dioxide emissions are a major contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gases driving climate change. Wood, as a renewable and ecological material, has relatively low carbon emissions. The study aimed to review and analyze the criteria influencing the feasibility of constructing modern zero-carbon wooden buildings. The review was conducted in two phases: (i) a literature review and (ii) an assessment of existing buildings. The preliminary research led to (i) narrowing the focus to the years 2020–2024 and (ii) identifying key criteria for analysis: sustainable material sourcing, carbon sequestration, energy efficiency, life cycle assessment (LCA), and innovative construction practices. The study’s findings indicate that all these criteria play a vital role in the design and construction of new zero-carbon wooden buildings. They highlight the significant potential of wood as a renewable material in achieving zero-carbon buildings (ZCBs), positioning it as a compelling alternative to traditional construction materials. However, the research also underscores that despite wood’s numerous potential benefits, its implementation in ZCBs faces several challenges, including social, regulatory, and financial barriers. Full article

The assessment of soil erosion in a region can provide an effective reference for local ecological environment management. The Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau54 is an important ecological security barrier in southwest China, owing to its unique climatic and environmental characteristics and superior natural resource endowment. The current research focus is the spatial analysis of a certain area. In this study, soil erosion in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau during 2000–2030 was analyzed and predicted from two aspects of structure and spatial layout by coupling several models. The report also analyzes the shift in the center of gravity of land use and analyzes the drivers of soil erosion, analyzing soil erosion by land use type. The study shows a decreasing trend in the soil erosion modulus from 2000 to 2020 from 1183.69 to 704.58 t·hm⁻²·a⁻¹, but it is expected to have an increasing trend in the future and will increase to 877.72 t·hm⁻²·a⁻¹. Analyzing the drivers of soil erosion allows for testing whether the factor affects the spatial distribution of the independent variable and to what extent it explains that dependent variable. This study showed that elevation had the highest explanatory power for soil erosion. Relatively high mountainous areas are often subject to greater soil erosion due to their steep topography, resulting in poorer vegetation cover. The north–south offset distance is greater than the east–west offset distance for forested land, water and unutilized land, and the east–west offset distance is greater than the north–south offset distance for cropland, grassland and built-up land in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The purpose of this study is to identify areas of serious soil erosion vulnerability in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and to analyze the driving factors affecting soil erosion vulnerability, so as to provide a basis for regional soil erosion management, and, at the same time, to provide a reference for the government to formulate soil and water conservation measures. Full article

The use of atropine is currently one of the most effective methods used to prevent myopia progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate atropine adherence in preschool children with myopia, to explain the context of treatment through caregivers, and to identify barriers and facilitators of using atropine. We conducted in-depth interviews with 60 caregivers of children (parents, kindergarten teachers and nurses) in four different areas ranging from large cities to rural areas in Taiwan. Based on the social ecological theory model, the recorded text was systematically analyzed, extracted, edited and indexed by NVivo 12 Plus. After interviewing caregivers, we determined the barriers and facilitators at the four levels of influence (children, parents, school, and hospital and society). Barriers included the side effects, parental neglect, lack of understanding of long-term drug use, lack of conducive environment, and lack of friendly medical services. Facilitators included overcoming side effects, parental responsibility, myopia progression on treatment adherence, teacher support, management by nurses, navigation by ophthalmologists, and model learning. Hence, establishing a social support network, discussing the experience of individualized drug use in preschool children, and establishing a friendly medical intervention strategy can raise awareness among parents regarding myopia, and improve atropine adherence in preschool children. Full article

Evidence of detour ability to reach a salient goal in marine fishes (Chromis viridis, Chrysiptera parasema, Dascyllus aruanus) and freshwater fishes (Xenotoca eiseni, Danio rerio) has been observed using a “four-compartment box task” with an opaque barrier. The first experiment investigated this ability in marine fishes (Chromis viridis, Chrysiptera parasema, Dascyllus aruanus). Fish were placed in a four-compartment box, with social stimuli not accessible due to an opaque barrier. Two symmetrical apertures midline in the corridor allowed the fish to temporarily abandon the goal’s view and attempt to circumvent the barrier. Marine fish showed searching behavior in the two compartments near the social stimuli. In the second experiment, the detour abilities of a marine fish (Dascyllus aruanus) and two freshwater fishes (Xenotoca eiseni, Danio rerio) were compared using a modified version of the apparatus, with elongated compartments continuing further from the obstacle barrier and social stimuli. This enabled the evaluation of the dependence on effective distance to achieve the social goal. Both marine and freshwater fish exhibited detour skills. Additionally, Danio rerio’s differential spatial explorations inside compartments supported an active interest in searching for conspecifics, suggesting possible social object permanence retention. Overall, these results highlight the ecological salience of detour skills in fishes, irrespective of species-specific adaptations. Full article

Despite the ecological importance of giant clams (Tridacninae), their effective management and conservation is challenging due to their widespread distribution and labour-intensive monitoring methods. In this study, we present an alternative approach to detecting and mapping clam density at Pioneer Bay on Goolboddi (Orpheus) Island on the Great Barrier Reef using drone data with a combination of deep learning tools and a geographic information system (GIS). We trained and evaluated 11 models using YOLOv5 (You Only Look Once, version 5) with varying numbers of input image tiles and augmentations (mean average precision—mAP: 63–83%). We incorporated the Slicing Aided Hyper Inference (SAHI) library to detect clams across orthomosaics, eliminating duplicate counts of clams straddling multiple tiles, and further, applied our models in three other geographic locations on the Great Barrier Reef, demonstrating transferability. Finally, by linking detections with their original geographic coordinates, we illustrate the workflow required to quantify animal densities, mapping up to seven clams per square meter in Pioneer Bay. Our workflow brings together several otherwise disparate steps to create an end-to-end approach for detecting and mapping animals with aerial drones. This provides ecologists and conservationists with actionable and clear quantitative and visual insights from drone mapping data. Full article

The acceleration of urbanization has resulted in varying degrees of impact on the stability and health of high-density urban ecosystems. Building urban ecological networks is crucial for safeguarding biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem vitality. In this study, the city of Foshan was selected as the study area, which is a prime representative of a high-density water network city. Additionally, a morphological spatial pattern analysis was employed to identify the ecological source. We built an ecological resistance surface using geographic, natural, and behavioral elements, adjusting it based on the density of the water network and the building height. Following this, the circuit theoretical model was utilized to create an ecological network by identifying ecological corridors. There were three key findings. First, the ecological network consisted of 30 ecological source sites and 53 ecological corridors, and 103 ecological “pinch points” and 193 ecological barrier points were identified. Second, the ecological sources were predominantly situated in the southwestern and northern parts of Foshan City. Meanwhile, the suburbs of Foshan City contained the primary ecological barrier points, mainly stemming from new construction sites, while the key ecological “pinch points” were concentrated at river junctions. The third outcome was the recommendations to (a) boost the connectivity of the ecological network in the suburbs, (b) improve the connection of the water network in urban areas, and (c) focus on enhancing landscape connectivity. The objective was to develop approaches for optimizing urban ecological networks, leading to better connectivity and improved ecological network quality. Full article

Massive waste generation linked to overconsumption is considered one of the most significant socio-ecological issues today, becoming a challenge for health and well-being and a barrier to achieving sustainability. Education is key to raising awareness and involving citizens in the adoption of responsible consumption habits, facilitating the recognition of the relationship between our daily activities and the production of waste. The aim of this exploratory study is to analyse the perceptions and commitments of future secondary school teachers (FTs) toward this issue and to explore the educational approaches they propose to address it in the classroom (n = 138). In this work, a mixed-methods approach was used based on quantitative and qualitative data collected through a questionnaire. The results show that FTs have difficulties in recognising the different factors involved in the problem of massive waste generation. However, they incorporate the health and ecological vision, which is close to the holistic vision of the One Health approach. The majority of them take personal responsibility for the problem, although they opt for low-effort options. Regarding the educational proposals they design, only a minority can do it following a commitment-oriented approach. Full article

The sustainable growth of income for farming households in pastoral areas represents a crucial challenge not only for China but also for other developing nations in the process of transition to ecologically friendly models. The scarcity of assets available for collateral, along with vulnerable production conditions and developmental shortcomings, pose significant barriers to the consistent expansion of herdsmen’s income. This paper analyzes the impact of digital financial inclusion on the income of herdsmen in ethnic minority regions using panel data models from nine major pastoral provinces in China from 2011 to 2022. Through a fixed-effects model approach, the analysis delves into the influence of digital financial inclusion and subjects it to multi-dimensional and robustness tests to ensure the reliability of the findings. Furthermore, the research explores the underlying mechanisms through which digital financial inclusion contributes to income enhancement for herdsmen in these areas, employing mediation effect techniques to provide deeper insights into the relationship between digital financial services and economic upliftment in remote ethnic communities. The research findings indicate that digital financial inclusion has a positive impact on the income of herdsmen in ethnic minority regions. The breadth of coverage, depth of usage, and level of digitalization of digital financial inclusion all play a significant role in enhancing the income levels of herdsmen. In terms of the degree of influence, the impact of digital finance on the income of ethnic minorities follows this order: depth of usage > degree of digitalization > breadth of coverage. Notably, through financial backing that catalyzes a shift in herdsmen’s production methodologies and propels industrial upgrading, there is a profound potential to increase herdsmen’s output efficiency. This, in turn, alleviates the ecological strain on China’s environmentally delicate zones. Moreover, financial backing can condense the breeding periods for herdsmen, thereby ameliorating the ecological degradation associated with excessive grazing in pastoral regions. A mediating-effect analysis reveals that digital financial inclusion can boost economic development in ethnic minority regions by increasing wage income, raising per capita GDP levels, and promoting industrial structure upgrading. This, in turn, leads to an improvement in the income of herdsmen in these regions. This is particularly pertinent in China, where the eco-fragility of pastoral regions coincides with the modest income of herdsmen, underscoring the critical importance of herdsmen’s finance. To foster sustainable progress in these regions, financial backing is imperative to elevate herdsmen’s income and to induce a transformative shift in production approaches and industrial layout, paving the way for the sustainable development of these pastoral regions. Full article

In areas of high human-elephant conflict, cultivating crops that are less attractive to elephants can be a viable strategy for coexistence. Farmers in these regions often grow crops like pineapple, which are palatable to elephants and attract them into human-dominated landscapes. This study, conducted in Ruam Thai Village, adjacent to Kuiburi National Park in Thailand, evaluated the socio-economic factors affecting farmers’ interest in alternative crop cultivation and assessed the impact of elephants and environmental threats on plots containing pineapple and alternative crops. Our findings revealed that 70% of households (N = 239) rely on pineapple cultivation as their primary source of income. However, 49% of interviewed pineapple farmers reported that their cultivation was not profitable, largely owing to the high costs of agro-chemical inputs. The majority (91%) of farmers experienced negative consequences from living near wild elephants, and 50% expressed interest in cultivating alternative crops. Farmers who frequently experienced elephant visits, felt they could coexist with elephants, and perceived both positive and negative consequences from them were more likely to be interested in alternative crop cultivation. Elephants eliminated over 80% of the pineapple but less than 6% of any alternative crop species across all test plots. Using a crop scoring system based on ecological, economic, and social factors, we identified lemongrass and citronella as the most suitable alternative crop species for the study site. This multidisciplinary study highlights interventions needed to reduce barriers and increase motivators for local farmers to adopt elephant-friendly agriculture as a sustainable human–elephant coexistence strategy. Full article

The term “sustainable urbanism” has been criticized over its inconsistent and imprecise definition, leading to challenges in implementing actionable reforms and achieving urban sustainability goals. A clearer approach may be to identify its opposite: specifically, forms of urbanism that cause an unacceptable buildup of toxic or climate-altering emissions, deplete resources beyond sustainable levels, progressively destroy critical ecologies, and cause other identifiable sources of potentially catastrophic harm to human and urban welfare. Here, we present a model of such an “unsustainable urbanism”, and we further observe that it is in fact the dominant model of urban structure to this day. Its features include an over-reliance on low-occupancy vehicular transport, at the expense of other modes including walking; inefficient envelope, size, orientation and adaptability of buildings; ecologically destructive infrastructure systems for handling water, energy and other resources; and—under-appreciated but fundamentally important, as we will explore—the decline of a well-connected, walkable, functionally and aesthetically appealing public realm. This model remains dominant in spite of the many goals, agendas and declarations on sustainable urbanism at the highest policy level. We observe that the lack of progress is in large part the result of system “lock-in”—economic and professional incentives and disincentives, standards, laws, codes, and other forms of feedback that reinforce “business as usual” and create barriers to reform. Therefore, the agenda ahead must address the specific levers of change to overcome this systemic lock-in, drawing insights from economics, technology and the social sciences to do so. We present the outlines of this agenda and make conclusions for the necessary steps ahead. Full article

Vegetation plays an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide and accelerating the achievement of carbon neutrality. As the ecological barrier of North China, the Taihang Mountains are pivotal to the ecological construction project of China. Nevertheless, the dynamic development of the vegetation carbon sink in the region and the impact factors on the sink have not been systematically evaluated. This study employed a comprehensive approach, utilising remote sensing technology and meteorological and topographic data, in conjunction with the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) estimation model to reveal the characteristics of vegetation carbon sinks in the Taihang Mountain, and then revealed the dynamics evolution of the NEP and the inter-annual trend by using Theil–Sen Median slope estimation, the Mann–Kendall test, and the coefficient of dissociation and analysed the driving roles of the influencing factors by using the parameter optimal geographic detector. Our findings suggest that the NEP in the Taihang Mountain area has a clear growth trend in time, the average value of NEP in the Taihang Mountain area is 289 gC-m⁻²-a⁻¹ from 2000 to 2022, and the spatial distribution shows the characteristics of high in the northeast and low in the middle and west, with a gradual increase from the northeast to the southwest; the areas with high fluctuation of NEP are mainly distributed in the areas around some cities that are susceptible to the interference of natural or anthropogenic factors. The vegetation carbon sinks in the Taihang Mountains are influenced by a variety of natural factors, among which the explanatory power of each natural factor is as follows: DEM (0.174) > temperature (0.148) > precipitation (0.026) > slope (0.017) > slope direction (0.003). The natural factor DEM had the strongest explanatory power for NEP changes, and the two-by-two effects of the natural factors on vegetation carbon sinks were all significantly stronger than the effects of a single factor, in which the interaction between DEM and precipitation had the strongest explanatory power; distinguishing from climate change factors, the contribution of anthropogenic activities to NEP changes in more than 90% of the area of the Taihang Mountainous Region was more than 60%, and the driving force of anthropogenic factors on NEP changes in the Taihang Mountainous Region was significantly stronger than that of natural climate change. The contribution of anthropogenic factors to NEP changes in the Taihang Mountains was significantly stronger than that of natural climate change. The results of this study can not only provide a reference for carbon reduction and sink increase and ecological restoration projects in the Taihang Mountains but also benefit the research paradigm of vegetation carbon sequestration in other regions. Full article

Soil erosion in coastal areas, driven by global change and human activity, poses a significant threat to ecological and economic stability. This research investigates water erosion in the southeast of the Ría de Arosa (Pontevedra, Spain), utilizing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model and Geographic Information System technologies. Key factors analyzed include rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, topography, land cover, and conservation practices. High-resolution maps (1 × 1 m pixels) identified areas at high risk of erosion. Vulnerable zones, such as coastal cliffs and vineyards, show severe erosion rates exceeding 50 t/ha/year (>5 mm/year), with the most extreme zones reaching up to 200 t/ha/year (>200 mm/year). These results emphasize that intervention could be required or recommended. Suggested measures include reforestation, effective agricultural land management, or the implementation of vegetative barriers to reduce erosion. These areas, characterized by steep slopes and sparse vegetation, are particularly susceptible to soil loss, necessitating specific conservation efforts. The results underscore the need for sustainable coastal management practices and preventive strategies to protect this vulnerable coastal zone. Implementing these measures is crucial to mitigating the impacts of soil erosion, preserving natural resources, and ensuring long-term ecological and economic resilience in the region. Full article