Environmental Management最新文献

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a highly invasive aquatic species that significantly impacts ecosystems and livelihoods, particularly in rural communities reliant on fisheries and agriculture. The study investigates the impact of water hyacinth proliferation on the livelihoods of communities in coastal Kerala, India, by utilizing the potential of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) for developing sustainable management strategies. Employing qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and PRA tools such as resource mapping and seasonal calendars, the research gathered data from farmers, fishermen, and community leaders to explore community-led intervention strategies for sustainable water hyacinth management. The findings reveal that water hyacinth proliferation disrupts water transportation, depletes fish stocks, increases agricultural labor costs, and degrades water quality, leading to biodiversity loss and hindering economic activities, particularly in agriculture and fishing. The study found that 85% of community members identified the impact on fisheries (reduced catch and income) as a primary concern, while 70% reported water transportation disruption due to dense hyacinth mats. Water quality degradation, including increased turbidity and reduced dissolved oxygen levels, was reported by 65% of respondents. The study demonstrates that the utilization of water hyacinth as biofertilizer resulted in a 20% increase in crop yield over a four-month trial period. These findings align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 8, 11, and 15 by promoting sustainable water management, economic growth, and ecosystem restoration.

Effective management of trade-offs among ecosystem services (ES) remains a persistent challenge in social-ecological research, particularly in data-scarce, semi-arid regions. This study integrates participatory social valuation with spatial analysis to identify key anthropogenic drivers influencing trade-offs among provisioning, regulating, and supporting ES. We assessed a range of services-including livestock capacity, fuelwood, pollination, water regulation, soil formation, and habitat provision-based on both ecological data and local community perceptions. Spatial mapping revealed uneven distributions of trade-offs across the landscape, highlighting spatial mismatches between ecological processes and social priorities. Path analysis showed that dirt roads, urbanization, and agricultural expansion differentially shape the nature and intensity of ES interactions (p < 0.001). By combining relative social values with ecological indicators, we quantified the weighted impact of human activities on ES dynamics. Our findings highlight the importance of place-based, community-coordinated management strategies to address trade-offs and promote equitable ecosystem governance in vulnerable dryland systems.

Cyanobacterial blooms in lakes are a complex and challenging environmental issue worldwide. However, many existing studies on cyanobacterial bloom prediction were constrained by limited data availability, which poses significant challenges to the development of reliable predictive models. To address these limitations, in our previous study, an integrated model combining machine learning and remote sensing was developed, considering physical, chemical, climatic, and hydrologic factors. In this study, a future scenario framework was developed considering water transfer, climate change, and pollution discharge conditions. Then, the integrated model was used to predict blooms trends in Lakes Hongze and Luoma, two typical inter-basin water transfer lakes in China. The study found that an increase in the water transfer scale in the future will promote blooms growth in April and May. Climate change will increase blooms by 5.33% in Lake Hongze and 3.20% in Lake Luoma, while sewage treatment can counteract the negative effects of climate change on blooms. In addition, temperature and solar radiation were demonstrated as appropriate early-warning factors for blooms. For temperature, the thresholds for Lakes Hongze and Luoma were 16.1 °C and 15.7 °C, respectively. For solar radiation, the thresholds for two lakes were 126 W/m² and 111 W/m², respectively. This study proposed a method to improve the prediction performance of machine learning models. In addition, satellite remote sensing data were incorporated into the construction of prediction models, which provide an effective approach for managing and forecasting blooms in lake regions lacking adequate monitoring data.

This study presents a data-driven framework for supporting conservation planning through the extraction of actionable ecological insights using association rule mining (ARM). Focusing on 13 fish species within Romania’s Natura 2000 protected areas, we apply the FP-Growth algorithm to ecological and management datasets to uncover frequent co-occurrence patterns among conservation actions. By encoding expert-evaluated habitat indicators into binary transactional data, we identify 44 high-confidence association rules that reveal interdependent management measures crucial for maintaining favorable species conservation statuses. These rules provide evidence-based guidance for designing integrated, synergistic conservation strategies, enhancing decision-making efficiency for stakeholders and policymakers. Our approach demonstrates the utility of ARM in ecological modeling, offering a scalable and replicable method for adaptive management in complex protected area networks. Furthermore, by aligning our findings with foundational ecological theories such as ecosystem-based management and metapopulation dynamics, we enhance the ecological interpretability and theoretical grounding of the extracted rules.

Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) have been operating under unsolved theoretical puzzles related to policy coherence and practical coordination. In particular, the mismatch between national policies and ground operations warrants a thorough policy and functional coherence assessment, which remains underexplored in TFCAs. Through a qualitative comparative analysis of strategic park policy documents and twenty key informant interviews, this study examines the extent of policy and functional coherence between Kruger and Gonarezhou National Parks within the Greater Limpopo TFCA (GLTFCA). The study applied a theme-based coding method to assess alignment across functional policy domains. Our findings reveal a moderate policy alignment (3.6 out of 5) with strong coherence in themes aligned to international frameworks and global norms. In contrast, themes related to governance, institutional efficiency, and transboundary cooperation showed the weakest coherence, highlighting implementation gaps and fragmented accountability. These weaknesses correspond closely to key coordination dimensions, particularly those related to institutional alignment and knowledge-sharing mechanisms. These findings underscore that while policy intent aligns, functional coherence is constrained by disparities in power, institutional capacity, the complexities of legal pluralism, and fragmented coordination mechanisms. The findings underscore that aligning policy intent is insufficient without addressing functional coherence and call for greater attention to political, institutional, and legal asymmetries in TFCAs. This research also contributes to ongoing efforts for policy harmonization within the GLTFCA by offering a practical, theme-based method for diagnosing alignment gaps and overlaps across strategic conservation policies. It provides empirical insights into the current disconnect between policy provisions and operational realities, highlighting critical areas in need of immediate attention and resource allocation.

With the mass production and use of plastic products, Microplastic (MP) pollution is worsening due to widespread plastic use. Urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) fail to fully remove MPs, making their effluents a key source of aquatic MP pollution. This study compared MP removal efficiencies across four Kunming WWTPs using different processes (AAO-V, BIOCOS-D, AAO-MBR, AAO-D filters) to identify optimal treatments for future plants. Removal efficiencies ranked: AAO-MBR (99.9%) > BIOCOS-D (96.1%) > AAO-D (92.1%) > AAO-V (88.6%). AAO-MBR showed the highest efficiency, with biofilm filtration and adsorption as the main removal mechanisms. Future WWTP design should prioritize high MP removal efficiency alongside nitrogen and phosphorus removal, with AAO-MBR recommended as the optimal process. The removal rate of MPs should be properly considered along with those of nitrogen and phosphorus when developing future wastewater plants, and processes with high MP removal rates should be selected when possible.

This study proposes an innovative methodology for evaluating and selecting green infrastructure (GI) in urban areas with semi-arid conditions, employing an adapted version of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This systematic approach facilitates the classification of various types of GI based on their capacity to manage water and provide ecosystem services (ES) tailored to specific environmental characteristics. The effectiveness of alternatives such as infiltrative gardens, infiltration trenches, and wetlands, among others, is analyzed to address critical challenges like water scarcity and flooding while ensuring their long-term viability through environmental and social benefits. The study emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach that considers both technical aspects and the social and cultural perceptions of communities, ensuring that implemented solutions are both accepted and effective. Adapting the AHP methodology to the specific characteristics of semi-arid climates establishes a framework that can be applied to other regions with similar conditions, thereby contributing to the development of resilient and sustainable cities on a global scale. The applicability of the methodology fosters a sense of connection and shared purpose among urban planners, environmental engineers, and policymakers worldwide. Moreover, the importance of promoting community participation in the design of GI is highlighted to enhance social equity and optimize the use of natural resources, ensuring the effective integration of GI in urban planning at a global scale.

Despite significant resource allocations to thwart invasive species introduction and spread, they remain a significant issue for environments and economies alike. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are of particular interest given the value of water within and across societies. AIS prevention activities typically include outreach and education campaigns reliant on static signage which leave opportunities for greater engagement. Addressing a primary pathway for AIS spread, this project compared the impact of static and dynamic message mediums on boating anglers’ intentions to perform AIS prevention behaviors and assessed the impact of various variables on the likelihood to perform AIS prevention behaviors. Survey results of boating anglers in one U.S. Midwestern state revealed very high self-reported intentions for prevention behaviors and no significant differences across message mediums (sign, augmented reality or simple AIS definitions). Therefore, judicious evaluation of decisions about management communication efforts remains essential across new and existing mediums.

The Mediterranean Sea, although a biodiversity hotspot, is one of the most affected seas by non-indigenous species (NIS). This problem is worsened by rising sea temperatures due to climate change, which promotes the spread of thermophilic species. Among the NIS scyphozoan jellyfish species recorded in the Mediterranean, Cassiopea andromeda – commonly known as the “upside-down jellyfish”– is a notable example. Observadores del Mar (OdM) is the leading platform for marine citizen science in Spain and works towards ocean conservation and health. It is a well-established tool for generating knowledge in marine research and has successfully provided early warning of NIS reports in the Mediterranean, while also serving as an effective network for the monitoring of NIS and other indicators. Three reports of C. andromeda from Almeria, southern Spain, have been reported in OdM and thanks to the involvement of its community, 12 samples were collected for phylogenetic analysis and monitoring was done for 15 months in the study area. The results confirmed the first record of C. andromeda in Spanish Mediterranean waters representing the westernmost record in the basin. Monitoring also suggests the species establishment in the area. This study contributes to the knowledge of C. andromeda invasiveness and highlights the importance of marine citizen science in the detection and monitoring of NIS. It also underscores the collaboration and commitment already established between scientists and citizens, which will allow further progress in the fields of biological invasions, management, and policy.