Environmental Management最新文献

Riverine flooding is increasing in frequency and intensity, requiring river management agencies to consider new approaches to working with communities on flood mitigation planning. Communication and information sharing between agencies and communities is complex, and mistrust and misinformation arise quickly when communities perceive that they are excluded from planning. Subsequently, riverfront community members create narratives that can be examined as truth regimes-truths created and repeated that indicate how flooding and its causes are understood, represented, and discussed within their communities-to explain why flooding occurs in their area. To better understand community perceptions of river management related to repeated flooding, we employed a qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews with 112 community members in 3 communities on the Missouri River, USA. Discourse analysis of the interviews revealed three dominant truth regimes that shape perceptions of river management in these communities: (1) upstream reservoir releases are driven by recreational aims, such as fishing and boating within reservoirs, instead of downstream flood control; (2) endangered species protection surpasses other river values and flood management; and (3) river navigation for commerce is no longer prioritized. For environmental managers, understanding the truth regimes circulating within local affected communities can help moderate mistrust of and frustration with governing bodies, guide project messaging to disarm false truth regimes, and improve the communication of river science, management options and policy implementation.

Cyanobacterial blooms in shallow lakes pose a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for advanced predictive methodologies. As impounded lakes along the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, Lakes Hongze and Luoma play a key role in water resource management, making the prediction of cyanobacterial blooms in these lakes particularly important. To address this, satellite remote sensing data were utilized to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms in these lakes. Subsequently, a precise machine learning model, integrating the Projection Pursuit Model and Random Forest (PP-RF) algorithms, was developed to predict the extent of cyanobacterial blooms, considering a range of influencing factors, including physical, chemical, climatic, and hydrologic variables. The findings indicated pronounced seasonal fluctuations in cyanobacterial blooms, with higher levels in summer than in other seasons. Key determinants for cyanobacterial blooms prediction included solar radiation, temperature and total nitrogen for Lake Hongze, while for Lake Luoma, significant predictors were identified as temperature, water temperature, and solar radiation. Compared with traditional data preprocessing methods, PP-RF model has advantages in addressing multicollinearity. This study provides a feasible method for predicting cyanobacterial blooms in impounded lakes within inter-basin water transfer projects. By inputting region-specific data, this model could be applied broadly, contributing to against the adverse effects of cyanobacterial blooms and provide scientific guidance for the protection and management of aquatic ecosystems.

The Nature Restoration Law adopted by the European Union in 2024 aims to implement measures to restore at least 20% of its land and sea by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050, focusing on among others agricultural land, forests, urban, marine, freshwater, and wetlands areas. The goal is to enhance the natural and semi-natural habitats' role in achieving climate targets and preserving biodiversity. Member States must submit detailed national restoration plans, outlining specific actions and mechanisms for monitoring progress. However, these plans should align with the ongoing Common Agricultural Policy and National Energy and Climate Plans objectives. Using data from European Commission reports and applying a semantic interval scale methodology, this study quantifies each Member State's ambitions and effectiveness under the National Energy Climate Plans and Common Agricultural Policy and establishes a benchmark for reporting under the Nature Restoration Law. The findings reveal the National Energy Climate Plans' wide disparities in implementing decarbonization measures, climate change adaptation and the implementation of nature-based solutions. The Common Agricultural Policy Plans exhibit only partial commitment to greening agriculture, yet their alignment with Nature Restoration Law objectives varies. Therefore, timely coordination between the three strategies is crucial to avoid conflicting goals, overlapping efforts, and wasting time and resources, ensuring the success of restoration actions.

Formulating a consistent standard for ecosystem service value (ESV) estimation and incorporating it into government decision-making is an important way to achieve balanced ecological-economic development. Taking the ecologically vulnerable areas in Northwest China as an example, this paper uses the value transfer method to estimate the ESV of cropland, forest, grassland, waters, and unused land; analyzes the spatio-temporal characteristics of the increment of ESV (△ESV) and ecological-economic harmony (EEH) index in each city; as well as identifies their key influential factors. The results suggest that value transfer is a feasible approach to developing a consistent standard for ESV estimation. The ecological-economic system is limited by the natural environment, economic growth, local government, population, and the development of agriculture and livestock. The main factors that affect unit ESV, total ESV, and EEH are connected but vary across space. The findings can provide a reference for estimating ESV across regions, formulating policies for land management and ecological protection, and promoting sustainable development.

As biodegradable and bio-based plastics increasingly replace conventional plastics, the need for a comprehensive understanding of their ecotoxicity becomes more pressing. This review systematically presents the ecotoxicity of the microplastics (MPs) from different biodegradable plastics and bioplastics on various animals and plants. High doses of polylactic acid (PLA) MPs (10%) have been found to reduce plant nitrogen content and biomass, and affect the accumulation of heavy metals in plants. Their phytotoxicity becomes more pronounced when blended with polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) MPs. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) MPs show lower phytotoxicity than PLA MPs. At high doses, PLA and PHB MPs may cause dose-dependent developmental toxicity to aquatic organisms. Nano-PLA could induce oxidative stress and genetic damage in insects, indicating its toxicity could be size-dependent and affected by weathering. PBAT MPs have been observed to affect plant growth at lower concentrations (0.1%) than PLA MPs, while polycaprolactone (PCL) affected seed germination only at high temperatures. PCL MPs and extracts could also cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, alter metabolisms, and induce oxidative stress in aquatic organisms at high concentrations. Polypropylene carbonate (PPC) ( > 40 g/kg) MPs have caused earthworm behavioral changes. Non-biodegradable bioplastics are potentially toxic to embryos, larvae, immune systems, reproductive systems, and endocrine systems of animals. However, it is important to note that toxicity studies are still lacking for biodegradable and bio-based plastics, particularly PHB, PBS, PCL, PPC, starch-based, and non-biodegradable bioplastics. More research into the MPs of these plastics is essential to better understand their ecotoxicity and applicability.

Deforestation and forest degradation are key drivers of biodiversity loss and global environmental change. Ecosystem restoration is recognized as a global priority to counter these processes. Forest restoration efforts have commonly adopted a predominantly ecological approach, without including broader socioeconomic variables and the characteristics of the rural context. In this study, we developed a spatially-explicit modelling method to identify priority areas for forest restoration at a landscape scale, integrating both ecological and socioeconomic variables. This framework was applied to a case study in the Chilean temperate forests. We used a multicriteria analysis to assess the ecological suitability and socioeconomic feasibility of forest restoration. The approach and methodology were structured into four main steps: (i) defining potential areas for restoration in deforested lands and degraded forest; (ii) assessing and mapping the ecological suitability for restoration, including both potential biodiversity values and provision of ecosystem services; (iii) assessing and mapping the socioeconomic feasibility of restoration; and (iv) combining suitability and feasibility maps to identify priority areas. Restoration priorities were identified as areas consistently showing the highest values under scenarios representing differing restoration priorities. While the case study presented is context-specific, the approach and methodology used can be readily adapted to various contexts and objectives.

The cumulative effects of human activities and natural pressures pose significant threats to ecosystem functioning and global biodiversity. Assessing the cumulative impact of multiple stressors-whether acting simultaneously or sequentially and directly or indirectly-is challenging due to their complex interactions. Consequently, these interactions may be unintentionally overlooked or disregarded in management decisions. While existing reviews have focused on coastal and freshwater ecosystems, analyses specifically targeting salmonids as a focal group are lacking. This research presents the first quantitative and qualitative assessment of stressor interactions affecting salmonid biology and physiology. A focused literature search identified 118 experimental trials with multiple stressors on salmonids. From these, 46 cases were considered suitable for the quantitative analysis. We calculated Hedges' g effect sizes to classify the interactions between multiple stressors as additive, synergistic, or antagonistic. Our findings revealed that additive effects were found most frequently (50% of interactions), followed by synergistic (30.5%) and antagonistic (19.5%) interactions. Additionally, we performed a network analysis including cases focusing on the influences of multiple stressors interactions (n = 38). Our qualitative analysis identified temperature, metals, and pesticides as the most paired stressors across the three types of interactions. The findings of this research highlight the potential vulnerabilities of salmonids and their habitats by identifying key interactions between multiple stressors, and priorities for future research. Understanding these interactions and cumulative effects, particularly in the context of climate change, can inform targeted conservation and management strategies, contributing to the preservation of these important fish species and their ecosystems, which are vital to local human communities.

Collaborative management of hydrological ecosystem services (HES) is crucial for their conservation and involves diverse stakeholders at three levels: environmental and land-use management (ELM), harvesting and physical access (HPA), and appropriation and appreciation (AA). This study analyzes collaborative networks within and between these levels in the Copalita-Huatulco watershed, Mexico, using a monoplex and multiplex social network approach to understand stakeholder interactions. Results indicate that the ELM and AA networks are diverse and polycentric, with NGOs occupying an influential role. In contrast, the HPA network is centralized and dominated by government stakeholders. From a multiplex perspective, non-local stakeholders, such as government agencies, have greater coordination potential, while locals, such as NGOs and communities, are multiplex knowledge brokers. The establishment of governance schemes should prioritize the promotion of stakeholders' diversity among actors, polycentricity, and empowered decision-making. Additionally, fostering stronger relationships and interconnectedness among networks is crucial to facilitating collaboration and adaptability in the HES management. This study contributes to the understanding of collaborative management of HES and offers recommendations to improve their effectiveness, sustainability, and resilience.

We investigate the governance and environmental justice (EJ) outcomes from the hazard reclassification of ethylene oxide (EtO) by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2016. In response to EtO pollution after 2018, federal and state regulators engaged constituents to respond to complaints about EtO but adhered to a cost-benefit governance approach that ultimately inhibited risk mitigation. We argue risk mitigation was constrained by path dependent approaches that simultaneously enabled recognition of constituent concerns about EtO pollution while minimizing the costs of institutional change. Drawing on data from government documents and interviews, we analyze governance responses in Illinois and Georgia, selected due to their cross-cutting exposures to EtO and public mobilization in response to EtO risk. Our research reveals how structural and political factors limit risk mitigation and create a mismatch between environmental outcomes and public expectations. Drawing from theories of environmental justice and risk society, we show how this acceptance of EtO risk aligns with Ulrich Beck's theory of a risk society while generating significant justice concerns for its inability to consider how risk experiences vary according to social class.