Environmental Management最新文献

Invasive alien species pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in protected areas (PAs) worldwide. This study examines ecological impacts of invasive weeds Lantana camara and Mesosphaerum suaveolens on plant species diversity, community composition and soil chemical properties in Parsa and Shuklaphanta National Parks (NPs), Nepal. In total, we sampled 180 pairs of 5 m × 5 m plots, comprising 45 pairs (3 sites × 15 pairs) for each invasive species in each NP. Across all sampling sites, these weeds consistently reduced species diversity (Shannon, Simpson indices), despite the species- and site-specific variations in species richness and soil characteristics. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and Canonical correspondence analysis revealed substantial modifications in plant species composition, along with shifts in indicator species and an increase in the relative cover of established alien plants in invaded plots. While the effects of invasions on soil properties were inconsistent, L. camara significantly increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in Parsa, whereas M. suaveolens had no measurable impact on soil parameters except soil pH in either PA. These results suggest that species diversity indices and changes in species composition serve as reliable ecological indicators for assessing impacts of invasive weeds and monitoring ecological restorations. The decline in species diversity and alterations in plant community composition can have cascading effects on ecosystem processes and livelihoods of local communities. Given the increasing threats of plant invasions in Nepal’s PAs, urgent and effective management interventions are needed to prevent further spread, mitigate ecological and socio-economic impacts, and restore invaded habitats.

Global warming is affecting aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Recreational anglers could contribute to essential data collection as citizen scientists, serving as a prerequisite for adaptive environmental management. Based on a telephone-diary survey, this study investigated German anglers’ views on climate change impacts on aquatic ecosystems and identified social predictors of these views. The majority of anglers acknowledged the phenomenon of global warming, associating it with extreme weather events, increased aquatic plant growth, and phytoplankton blooms. Only a minority recognised or suspected an impact of global warming on their target fish species. Neither age nor education level significantly influenced anglers’ perceptions of climate warming. Angling motives, gender, angling water, and club membership had little effect, while higher environmental awareness increased the likelihood of recognising climate impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This suggests that environmentally aware anglers may be suitable candidates for environmental monitoring, despite their heterogeneity. The partial inconsistency between anglers’ awareness of climate change and their observed and anticipated future impacts highlights the need for appropriate training as precondition for successfully involving anglers in climate-related environmental monitoring.

Concrete walls and metal or vinyl sheet pilings are commonly used in freshwater systems, including lakes and rivers. Such hardened shorelines are used as a means of reclaiming land for development or as erosion control measures and are typically flat surfaces void of structural complexity. Natural systems, however, have high levels of habitat complexity that yield high volumes of surface area and interstitial space that can be used for refuge, feeding, or other important ecological functions by diverse freshwater organisms. Over the last few decades, there have been innovations in marine systems where hardened shorelines are being augmented by bio-inspired sea walls that include features (ranging from holes and crevasses to simulated mangrove prop roots) to achieve conservation gains for marine life. Freshwater biodiversity is in crisis, with habitat loss and degradation representing one of the most significant drivers of decline. Drawing on lessons learned from similar initiatives in marine environments, new pilot-stage work in freshwater systems have started investigating ways to integrate habitat complexity into hardened shorelines. These interventions offer a promising opportunity to improve conservation in landscapes that has been altered. This paper summarizes the extent of hardened shoreline use in freshwater systems and its contribution to the freshwater biodiversity crisis, presents a case study to develop, deploy, and test alternative structures (embracing learnings from the marine realm), and identifies practical considerations and research needs that must be overcome for such efforts to be widely embraced.

Structures made by humans are shaped by regional culture, history, climate, and social needs. Although such structures are not designed for wildlife, birds often use them as nesting sites, suggesting that human infrastructure can unintentionally influence avian behaviour and population dynamics. This study examined a striking example of this in Arrow poles widely installed in Hokkaido, Japan. Developed as a winter road-safety feature in the 1980s, Arrow poles consist of a hollow horizontal aluminium pipe that is often left open-ended, creating cavities for bird nesting. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic assessment of these structures as avian nesting sites. Focusing on Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) and Russet Sparrows (Passer rutilans), we used Google Street View (February 2024) and field surveys (June 2023) to estimate Arrow pole numbers, nest occupancy rates, and total nest numbers. Of the approximately 281,560 poles estimated across Hokkaido, 5.0% may be occupied by Eurasian Tree Sparrows and 7.67% by Russet Sparrows, corresponding to 2.52% and 8.80% of the total nest numbers for each species, respectively. These estimates were derived from Monte Carlo simulations to incorporate uncertainty. Further analysis using long-term bird monitoring data (1997–2002 and 2016–2020) and statistical comparisons (Mann–Whitney U test and linear regression) suggested that Russet Sparrow populations have increased more in Hokkaido than in mainland Japan, particularly along roads with Arrow poles. These findings highlight how infrastructure developed for human use can unintentionally support wildlife and highlight the potential for integrating biodiversity considerations into infrastructure planning.

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in free surface constructed wetlands (FSCWs) by combining qualitative insights from literature with machine learning-based quantitative analysis. Key factors influencing CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions were identified, with a focus on the effects of seasonal variation, vegetation, substrate, and influent characteristics. The qualitative review highlights vegetation and substrate as critical drivers, noting that specific plant traits, such as root oxygenation, significantly impact methane dynamics. Influents with high nutrient loads, such as agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater, were found to increase GHG emissions, underscoring the importance of influent composition in emissions management. The machine learning analysis, using tree-based models (Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, CatBoost, and XGBoost), further quantified variable importance, revealing that presence of vegetation and All Sky Surface Shortwave Downward Irradiance (SW DNI) are primary drivers for CO₂ and CH₄ emissions, while the age of the Wetland is an important determining factor for N₂O emissions due to its impact on nitrogen cycling. Earth skin temperature, the thermal metric used in this study, showed low importance. This may reflect the fact that SW DNI better captures surface energy inputs that influence microbial activity, or that different thermal variables, such as air temperature, are more relevant in other contexts. These findings emphasize the need for targeted management strategies to optimize GHG mitigation in FSCWs, supporting sustainable wetland design that balances wastewater treatment with climate mitigation goals.

Protected areas (PAs) are the main strategy for area-based nature conservation, and they provide opportunities for rural development through tourism and recreation. Economic policy instruments help PAs to manage commercial activities by regulating visitor flows and providing revenues to strengthen infrastructure and oversight. We employ Icelandic National Parks as a case study of the challenges, opportunities and constraints associated with introducing a concession system to regulate commercial tourism. We summarize and review how the legal framework is used and conduct 21 semi-structured interviews to elicit PA manager and business stakeholder views regarding concessions. Our study answers the literature calling for more studies on concessions and is novel in the context of the Nordic rights to roam. Our results show Iceland has introduced a comprehensive, legally-binding framework for concessions. Stakeholders generally agree that commercial activities need to be regulated, and concession revenues are an important source of financing for the PAs. However, concessions have been introduced primarily with economic motives, and the main challenge is to integrate holistic sustainability into concession contracts with social and environmental criteria. Overlaps and conflicts in the legal regulatory framework contribute to this challenge and could be initially addressed by clear policies providing guidance and interpretation.

Biodiversity and ecosystem services are essential to human well-being, yet their complex interactions remain poorly understood, particularly in highly urbanized areas subject to significant anthropogenic disturbances. This study investigates the spatial relationships between biodiversity and five key ecosystem services: crop production, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, water yield, and habitat quality across the rapidly urbanizing Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration (BTHUA). We utilize a biodiversity index based on species richness and an ecosystem services index that integrates the value of these five services to examine their spatial distribution and coupling coordination. A coupling coordination degree model is applied to assess interactions between the two systems. Our results indicate that most ecosystem services are positively associated with biodiversity, with habitat quality showing the strongest correlation. In contrast, water yield is negatively associated with crop production, primarily due to urban expansion and hydrological constraints that limit agricultural output. Coupling coordination analysis reveals stronger coordination at broader spatial scales. Land use and Average annual precipitation are identified as the dominant drivers, especially in coastal areas. These findings fill a crucial gap in understanding the spatial dynamics of ecosystem services and biodiversity, offering valuable insights for regional ecological management and policy-making.

Graphical Abstract

Soil heavy metal (HM) contamination from mining activities poses a threat to fragile alpine ecosystems. However, comprehensive risk assessments and quantitative source apportionment for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) remain insufficient. In this study, we investigated a typical alpine acidic mine and integrated regional data to evaluate the characteristics, ecological risks, and sources of HM contamination. Results revealed that high-intensity mining activities led to elevated topsoil HM concentrations. The mean total potential ecological risk index (TRI) reached 188.75, indicating a medium-high ecological risk level, with Cu, Cd, and Pb identified as the primary pollutants. A comparative analysis across the QTP further disclosed widespread HM contamination risks in metal mining areas, particularly for Cu, Cd, and Pb. By integrating positive matrix factorization (PMF) and Spearman correlation analysis, five contamination sources were quantified. Among these, copper mining (Cu-dominant, 41.13%) and mining-induced sulfide dust emissions (Pb/Cd-associated, 19.73%) were the dominant contributors, collectively accounting for 60.86% of the total HM contamination. Our results emphasize the necessity of implementing prioritized control measures for these mining-driven sources and provide a critical scientific basis for targeted remediation strategies in alpine metal mining areas.

The health and integrity of freshwater ecosystems are significantly affected by anthropogenic pressures. Understanding the ecological conditions of freshwater ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies. In this study, we developed a new multimetric index, the Karun Fish-Macroinvertebrate Index (KFMI), that incorporates data on fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages to assess the ecological conditions of the Karun River basin, in Iran. We sampled 53 sites and collected data on fish and macroinvertebrate communities, physicochemical parameters, and habitat characteristics. We used physicochemical and physical habitat characteristics data to identify reference conditions using the concept of least-disturbed condition and based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We calculated 54 fish and 363 macroinvertebrate metrics to represent different aspects of ecosystem health. We created multiple KFMIs by combining specific core metrics through a stepwise process that assessed metric stability, responsiveness to environmental variables, and redundancy. The final KFMI consisted of seven metrics (3 fish and 4 macroinvertebrate) related to taxa richness, community composition, functional diversity indices, functional feeding groups, reproduction status, and habitat preferences. The index showed good discrimination efficiency (92%) and precision in classifying sites into different ecological health categories and highlights the value of incorporating multiple biological assemblages in multimetric indices to support ecosystem assessment and management strategies.

In Türkiye, where nearly all forests are publicly owned, the government exercises substantial authority over forest management and utilization. This study examines how legislative and regulatory changes in forestry have shaped local outcomes, focusing on the tension between economic priorities and ecological sustainability. Methodologically, the study combines Hamilton’s institutional approach, highlighting the role of legal frameworks, administrative routines, and authority structures in shaping governance, with Foucault’s concept of governmentality, which emphasizes how power is exercised through norms, regulations, and technical knowledge. This dual framework is applied through a qualitative document analysis of forestry laws, development plans, and policy papers. The findings show that while official statistics suggest an overall expansion of forest area, regional patterns reveal increasing pressures on natural forests to supply industrial raw materials, and growing reliance on non-forestry permits within forest boundaries. These outcomes demonstrate that governance mechanisms and legislative amendments have systematically prioritized economic utilization. The study concludes that the Turkish case illustrates how institutionalized governance choices, mediated through law and regulation, may simultaneously enable resource mobilization and accelerate long-term forest degradation. These insights emphasize the need for policy frameworks that better balance economic development with ecological preservation, offering lessons for sustainable forest governance globally.