Earth and Environmental Sciences

ABSTRACT This study integrates geomorphometric modelling using the Benthic Terrain Modeler (BTM), Sub-Bottom Profiler (SBP) data, and sedimentological analyses to investigate the morphology and distribution of hard substrates and potential bioconstructions along the outer shelf of the Santos Basin (SE Brazil). The study focuses on the environmental contrast between the northern and southern sectors of the shelf, between 60 and 200 m water depth, aiming to improve the regional mapping of exposed and buried relict features. The BTM-derived classification identified six main geomorphological classes, including elevations, depressions, shelf break, flat plains, gentle slopes, and crests and shoals. SBP profiles revealed a marked contrast between the sectors: the northern shelf is characterized by irregular and rugged morphologies associated with exposed hard substrates and carbonate-rich bioconstructions, while the southern shelf is predominantly covered by acoustically transparent muddy deposits transported by the Brazilian Coastal Current (BCC). In the southern sector, sediment thickness ranges from approximately 6 to 11 m, masking relict morphologies and partially burying hard substrates. However, seismic and geomorphometric analyses identified localized areas of exposed high-relief features and carbonate shoals near the shelf break, likely maintained by sediment reworking associated with the Brazil Current “floor-polisher” effect. The integration of BTM-derived morphology, SBP interpretation, and sediment samples allowed the recognition of previously unreported areas with potential hard substrates and bioconstructions, particularly in the southern sector of the basin. The results contribute to a better understanding of the spatial distribution, burial dynamics, and preservation state of relict carbonate features on the Santos Basin shelf, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining regional geomorphometric modelling with acoustic and sedimentological datasets for broad-scale seabed characterization.

Farm ponds are traditional water conservancy facilities in subtropical China, where precipitation varies considerably across seasons. The farm ponds, though small in area, are significant yet often overlooked sources of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) due to their high numbers. This study combined seasonal in situ monitoring, isotopic tracing, and molecular analysis to quantify N 2 O dynamics and identify production pathways in farm ponds in a subtropical region of China. The type of farm ponds significantly affected the N 2 O emission, with aquaculture ponds (AP) exhibiting higher observed fluxes at 676.7 nmol m -2 h −1 in July during the mid-growing season compared to 193.2 nmol m -2 h −1 in domestic ponds (DP). N 2 O emissions were influenced by both natural seasonal patterns and agricultural practices. Sediment nutrient properties such as TN, TP, and NH 4 + -N had a greater impact on N 2 O emissions than biotic factors including denitrification rates and denitrifier gene abundances. Surface layers were identified as hotspots for N 2 O production based on sediment source-sink indices. During the highest measured emission period in July, isotopic analysis revealed that N 2 O production in AP was dominated by NH 4 + -derived pathways (∼76.5%), while the NO 3 – -derived pathway prevailed in DP (∼92.3%). We estimated that farm ponds in this watershed could emit between 3.7 and 5.0 kg of N 2 O each year. Farm ponds therefore represent significant but often overlooked sources of N 2 O, and it is imperative to incorporate them into greenhouse gas inventories.

The basaltic succession of the Paraná–Etendeka Magmatic Province provides a clear example of how lava emplacement style and post-emplacement processes control volcanic reservoir properties in large igneous provinces. This study integrates petrographic, geochemical, and petrophysical data to evaluate the two lower formations of the Serra Geral Group (SGG) in southern Brazil, focusing on their role as magmatic reservoirs. The Torres Formation (TF), representing the basal unit of the SGG, consists of compound pāhoehoe lava fields composed of small lobes that preserve primary porosity inherited from magmatic vesiculation. These lavas display low permeability, nearly closed-system behavior, limited fluid circulation, and restricted mineral alteration. Accordingly, the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA; 38–51) and Mafic Index of Alteration (MIA (O) ; 34–57) values are low, while petrophysical properties indicate porosity around 1.5%, very low permeability, and P-wave velocities reaching 5.9 km/s. Alteration in the TF is mainly restricted to vesicle margins and fractures, where secondary minerals have only a minor impact on reservoir quality. In contrast, the Vale do Sol Formation (VSF) is composed of thick rubbly pāhoehoe lava flows characterized by glass-rich, autobrecciated upper crusts and massive lava cores, promoting open-system behavior. Porosity is significantly higher (2.0–21.6%, locally up to ~28%), bulk density is lower (2.08–2.50 g/cm 3 ), and acoustic velocities are more variable (V p = 2.96–5.37 km/s). Elevated CIA and MIA (O) values indicate more pervasive alteration, reflected by the precipitation of smectite, celadonite, and zeolites within vesicles and interclastic pores. Across both formations, porosity shows an inverse correlation with V p , demonstrating that elastic properties are controlled by primary emplacement textures and secondary mineralization. These results highlight that contrasting volcanic architectures strongly influence reservoir quality and that rubbly pāhoehoe flows represent the most favorable horizons for subsurface fluid storage within magmatic reservoir systems.

Mega-scale glacial lineations (MSGLs) are streamlined subglacial bedforms usually formed beneath fast-flowing ice streams. While common under modern and ancient ice sheets, MSGLs have never been observed beneath outlet glaciers in the Alps, presumed too slow for such features to form. Using new LiDAR (light detection and ranging) topographic data, we identify elongated, linear to curvilinear ridges made of subglacial traction till in a deglaciated valley of the French Alps. Comparing these ridges to documented streamlined bedforms confirms their morphological and dimensional alignment with MSGLs, marking the first evidence of MSGL formation beneath an outlet glacier in the Alps. We suggest that transient phases of fast ice flow and glacier readvance during the last deglaciation enabled localized bed deformation, creating conditions conducive to MSGL development. These findings broaden the known environmental range of MSGLs and indicate that short-lived episodes of accelerated ice flow may influence nonlinear retreat dynamics and contribute to faster glacier decay in early deglaciation.

We report the first evidence of very shallow crustal seismicity (2−6 km depth) along the West Andean Front at ∼32.8°S, central Chile, in the southernmost part of the Chilean flat-slab segment. Earthquakes cluster along the trace of the Cariño Botado fault system, an active west-vergent reverse fault system previously inferred from geomorphic and paleoseismic observations. Seismicity coincides with density and resistivity contrasts imaged by gravity and magnetotelluric data, suggesting fault-controlled uplift of the forearc basement. This finding challenges the long-standing view of aseismic upper crust at the West Andean Front, where the nearby San Ramón fault (∼33.5°S) remains largely aseismic at shallow depths despite evidence of Quaternary ruptures. We suggest that the distribution of shallow crustal earthquakes may reflect the influence of subduction of the Juan Fernández Ridge and the resulting flat-slab configuration of the segment, which enhances interplate coupling and localizes shortening in forearc structures. Our results indicate that active faults north of Santiago are accommodating present-day strain and may represent a previously unrecognized seismic hazard for nearby urban centers.

Rapid urbanization and climate change have intensified the interconnected challenges of surface heating, air pollution, and declining ecosystem functions, with important implications for regional sustainability. Taking Henan Province, China, as the study area, this study selected 2013, 2018, and 2023 as representative years and used land surface temperature (LST), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), and net primary productivity (NPP) to characterize the thermal environment, air pollution, and carbon sequestration capacity. Pearson correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and XGBoost-SHAP were integrated to examine bivariate associations, independent linear associations, factor importance, nonlinear responses, and potential threshold characteristics associated with natural, ecological, and anthropogenic factors. The results showed marked spatial differences in the four environmental variables. The multiple linear regression models explained 57.4–69.0% of the variation in LST, 23.8–72.0% in O3, 81.0–84.8% in PM2.5, and 57.4–62.5% in NPP. Natural factors generally showed relatively large and temporally stable standardized coefficients. Precipitation and potential evapotranspiration were positively associated with LST, whereas elevation and precipitation were negatively associated with PM2.5 and O3. NDVI showed an environmentally favorable pattern, being negatively associated with LST, PM2.5, and O3 but positively associated with NPP. Anthropogenic variables generally exhibited smaller and less temporally stable coefficients. The XGBoost models demonstrated good predictive performance, particularly for PM2.5, with R2 values of 0.945, 0.920, and 0.905 in 2013, 2018, and 2023, respectively. SHAP analysis identified DEM, PRE, PET, and NDVI as the main contributors to model predictions and revealed nonlinear responses and potential threshold characteristics. These findings indicate that coordinated management of vegetation cover, hydrothermal conditions, and urban development can support heat mitigation, air pollution control, ecosystem productivity, and more sustainable, climate-resilient, and low-carbon development in rapidly urbanizing regions.

The occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments has become an important environmental challenge, encouraging the development of sustainable and low-cost treatment technologies. In this study, eggshell waste in the form of eggshell without membrane (ES) and eggshell with membrane (ESM) was investigated as a biosorbent for the removal of levomepromazine from aqueous solutions. The materials were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM–EDS, TGA, and pHPZC analyses, confirming the predominance of calcite and the presence of functional groups potentially involved in adsorption. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial levomepromazine concentration, and temperature. The adsorption capacity increased with increasing pH, reaching optimum performance under alkaline conditions, while equilibrium was attained within approximately 60 min. Kinetic data were best described by the pseudo-second-order model (R2 > 0.99). Equilibrium studies showed that the Freundlich model provided the best fit to the experimental data, suggesting adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces. Regeneration experiments demonstrated that both adsorbents retained a substantial fraction of their adsorption performance after five adsorption–desorption cycles. FTIR analyses after adsorption and pHPZC measurements suggest that electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding may contribute to levomepromazine uptake. Response surface methodology identified adsorbent dosage and initial concentration as the most influential operating parameters. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of eggshell-derived materials as low-cost biosorbents for levomepromazine removal from aqueous media.

Architectural design studios increasingly emphasize sustainable, people-centered outdoor space, yet students often treat vegetation as ornament rather than as a spatial and environmental device, rarely translating spatial analysis into explicit design decisions. This study examines how intermediate-level architecture students translate space-syntax indicators—choice/betweenness, local integration and visual integration—into strategic vegetation decisions for paths, pause areas, visual filters and comfort in a minimal sustainable shelter. Using an exploratory mixed-methods design, fourteen anonymized student sheets from a design-studio examination at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador), located in Pucará Park, were assessed with a five-criterion analytic rubric (scored out of 1.00), complemented by content analysis coding nine vegetation functions. The mean score was 0.84 (SD = 0.06), with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.93). Achievement differed across criteria (Friedman test, p = 0.014): graphic clarity was highest (87.1%) and the reading of spatial analysis—especially operationalizing choice/betweenness—lowest (82.5%). Spatial-analysis and vegetation-function scores were positively associated (Spearman’s ρ = 0.61). Coupling space syntax with strategic vegetation offers a replicable, evidence-based pedagogical model, while indicating that operationalizing configurational indicators requires more explicit instructional scaffolding.

Carbon emission reduction decisions are subject to risks for shipping carriers. These include policy uncertainty (an upcoming policy may be stringent or lenient) and cost uncertainty (the operation cost may increase or decrease in the future). This paper develops a two-period game model to study the carbon emission reduction strategy choices of two risk-averse shipping carriers facing both policy uncertainty and cost uncertainty, with the goal of advancing sustainable maritime transport. They can choose a high- or low-carbon emission reduction strategy in period 1. Whether they need to upgrade in period 2 depends on the strategy they choose in period 1 and the policy implemented in period 2. The results show that in a deterministic environment, a high-cost strategy translates directly into a high-price strategy. However, in period 2, when the policy is lenient, adopting a high-carbon emission reduction strategy does not always result in a higher price than adopting a low-carbon emission reduction strategy. This result is counterintuitive. In addition, the carrier adopting a high-carbon emission reduction strategy does not necessarily set a higher price than the competitor who adopts a low-carbon emission reduction strategy. The market share plays an important role in shaping the equilibrium. When the possibility of a stringent policy is extremely low or extremely high, both carriers will choose an identical strategy. However, when the possibility is medium, they will choose differentiated strategies. The carrier with a bigger market share can tolerate a higher possibility of an upcoming stringent policy than the competitor. The degree of cost volatility also has a significant impact on the equilibrium. Its influence is particularly pronounced under a moderate probability of a stringent policy. Shippers’ carbon emission sensitivity also has a positive effect on encouraging carriers to choose a greener strategy. Our findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to facilitate the sustainability transition of the shipping sector through appropriate policy design.

Coal-dominated resource-based cities face a structurally embedded carbon-neutrality gap, shaped by the simultaneous pressures of industrial carbon lock-in and ecological fragility. China’s dual-carbon targets impose severe transition pressure on such regions, where carbon-intensive industries, strong path dependence, and limited decarbonization flexibility compound the challenge. Forest carbon sinks offer a cost-effective approach for offsetting residual emissions. However, water scarcity and restricted land-carrying capacity impose hard ecological ceilings on sink expansion in semi-arid areas such as the Loess Plateau. Existing studies have largely focused on national or provincial scales, with few addressing the coupled dynamics of industrial emissions and water-limited sink capacity at the county level. This study examines Shenmu, China’s largest coal-producing county-level city and a national energy-chemical industrial base. Using time-series data spanning 2010–2025, we project multi-scenario carbon emissions via an extended STIRPAT model with ridge regression, estimate forest carbon sink potential through a growing-stock (GS) gradient model cross-validated against GM(1,1), and systematically quantify the resulting carbon-neutrality gap. The results show that energy activities dominate total emissions throughout, consistently exceeding 90% of the aggregate. Under the baseline scenario, emissions reach 407.96 MtCO2eq in 2060 without peaking; under moderate mitigation, emissions peak at 269.39 MtCO2eq in 2050; under strengthened mitigation, emissions peak at 225.80 MtCO2eq before 2040 and subsequently decline. Forest carbon sinks are projected to offset 2.1–11.2% of emissions by 2060 under all scenarios, constrained by climatic aridity, finite afforestation potential, and water–soil carrying capacity thresholds. The carbon-neutrality gap remains structurally positive across every scenario, reflecting a fundamental asymmetry between rigid emission growth and ecologically bounded sink capacity. These findings indicate that only an integrated pathway combining industrial restructuring, energy decarbonization, diversified ecological sinks, and CCUS deployment can substantially narrow the gap; carbon neutrality by 2060 is unattainable through natural sinks alone.

This study evaluates the feasibility of 1% xanthan gum-treated sandy soils (natural sand and recycled glass sand) as sustainable materials for coastal restoration applications. The long-term durability and water erosion resistance of treated soils were systematically investigated through wet–dry cycling, pH durability testing, Erosion Function Apparatus (EFA) tests, and rainfall simulation experiments. Particular attention was given to the combined use of xanthan gum and recycled glass sand (RGS) as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional geomaterials. The results demonstrated that soil gradation and soil type significantly influenced the performance of the xanthan gum–soil matrix. Xanthan gum-treated pure recycled glass sand specimens lost their structural integrity within one day of water immersion, whereas xanthan gum-treated natural sand specimens resisted water erosion for up to 20 days. In contrast, xanthan gum-treated mixed sand (XTMS), prepared using RGS and natural dredged sand, exhibited significantly improved durability and erosion resistance. Although the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of XTMS decreased by approximately 70% after three wet–dry cycles, accompanied by only 0.21% soil loss, the specimens maintained structural integrity throughout the testing period. The UCS results further indicated that XTMS exhibited relatively good durability under artificial seawater conditions but experienced significant degradation under acidic and alkaline environments. EFA results classified XTMS as having medium erodibility, representing a substantial improvement in water erosion resistance compared to untreated sand. In addition, rainfall simulation tests demonstrated that XTMS specimens were capable of withstanding very heavy rainfall conditions (120 mm/h) with minimal soil loss. Overall, the findings suggest that the combined use of xanthan gum and RGS provides a promising, sustainable, and environmentally friendly approach for improving soil stability and erosion resistance in coastal restoration applications.

There is a lack of information about the shark fisheries in Tamaulipas, a coastal state of the Gulf of Mexico, and the species that sustain them. This challenges the development of management and conservation strategies for this group. This study evaluates the ecological vulnerability of elasmobranch species under fishing pressure using a Productivity and Susceptibility Analysis (PSA). PSA was conducted using the literature biological data of the organisms caught in La Pesca, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and semi-structured surveys applied to artisanal fishers. Results indicate that eleven shark species and four ray species sustain this fishery, with biological productivity values ranging from 1.15 to 2.23 and susceptibility values from 1.91 to 2.09. The minimum ecological risk value was observed in Rhizoprionodon terranovae (v = 1.26), and the highest in Gymnura lessae (v = 2.14). Secondary, non-local biological productivity data limit the quality score but not the overall study validity, highlighting the need for primary regional data on Tamaulipas elasmobranchs. Our results rank elasmobranch species by ecological risk in La Pesca, Tamaulipas, helping policymakers prioritize species for research and conservation and determine whether current management matches local artisanal fishery realities or requires regional adjustments. Further regional studies are required to improve biological productivity data for elasmobranchs supporting artisanal fisheries in Tamaulipas.

Achieving balanced development across economic, social, environmental, and agricultural domains remains a critical challenge for emerging economies. This study conducts a comparative assessment of sustainable development in the agro-industrial complex of China, Russia, and India over the period 2000–2023 within an extended SDG-based framework. The methodological approach combines a multi-dimensional indicator system (37 indicators) with the Entropy Weight Method to identify indicators with high temporal information contribution and the Equal Weighting Method to evaluate long-term performance, ensuring both sensitivity to structural changes and cross-country comparability. The results reveal differentiated development trajectories: China demonstrates steady and balanced growth across all dimensions; India shows consistent improvement driven by progress in social and infrastructure-related indicators; Russia exhibits a more volatile pattern with relatively strong social outcomes but persistent weaknesses in agricultural performance. The entropy-based analysis indicates that the indicators contributing most strongly to temporal differentiation vary significantly across countries, with infrastructure and energy transition prevailing in China, natural resource dynamics in Russia, and social and digital factors in India. These findings suggest that long-term development trajectories in the agro-industrial sector are associated with different configurations of resource interdependence, institutional capacity, and resource-use efficiency.

The plastics industry sector is a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, it is important to find alternatives to valorise plastic polymer waste, since 63.0% of the plastics produced between 1950 and 2015 were incinerated or disposed of in landfills. This study aims to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of a polymeric control panel for a domestic boiler. The environmental assessment was conducted using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology from a cradle-to-grave perspective, allowing the identification of the hotspots of the panel under analysis in two scenarios: virgin panel (VP) and recycled panel (RP). The economic evaluation was performed through a techno-economic analysis (TEA) considering both operating expenditures (OpEx) and annualised capital expenditures (CapEx) allocated to the functional unit. The VP scenario used 100.0% virgin polymer, while the RP scenario used 70.0% virgin polymer and 30.0% internal recycled polymer. The analysis shows a clear synergy: substituting a portion of virgin polymer with recycled PC/ABS reduces both environmental impacts and production costs, while also increasing the sustainability. The results support internal recycling as a practical circularity strategy that can improve environmental performance. The RP scenario is both the environmentally preferable and the economically better option. Additionally, the consistency of results across both LCA and TEA indicates that the identified hotspots represent leverage points for future interventions to amplify benefits to further improve sustainability. For instance, further decarbonization of the Portuguese electricity grid or increased reliance on on-site PV electricity would strengthen the environmental profile of both scenarios. At the same time, continued optimisation of recycling processes could enhance cost savings.

Reprocessing historical lead–zinc (Pb–Zn) slag offers a circular-economy pathway for secondary metal recovery, yet it can remobilize legacy contaminants where containment is inadequate, transferring risk to the surrounding land. Sustainable management of such sites requires frameworks that link contamination assessment to actionable remediation. We integrated ICP-OES geochemistry, native-plant biomonitoring, and US EPA RAGS-based risk modeling at an active Pb–Zn slag reprocessing site in Shymkent, Southern Kazakhstan. Twenty-four soil samples along four cardinal transects, two reference samples, and four composite plant samples (Centaurea pseudosquarrosa + Plantago lanceolata) were analyzed for ten metals by ICP-OES. UCC-referenced indices classified six metals as geoaccumulation Class 6 at most points (enrichment factors up to 90,871, confirming an exclusively anthropogenic origin). Peak concentrations reached 9350 mg·kg−1 Pb, 290 mg·kg−1 Cd, and 10,900 mg·kg−1 As—exceeding Kazakhstan MPC by 72×, 290×, and 5450×. Worst-case carcinogenic risk reached 4.3 × 10−3 (43× above the US EPA threshold), driven almost entirely by arsenic (93%); ecosystem risk (RCRtotal = 223) was dominated by cadmium (43%), arsenic (27%), and mercury (16%)—a disconnect between mass-based and toxicity-based prioritization. On this basis we propose a three-tier remediation framework (engineered containment, phytostabilization, monitored attenuation) that couples resource recovery with contamination control, is transferable to analogous Pb–Zn legacy sites, and supports sustainable land use, urban resilience, and responsible secondary-resource use.

Rapid urbanization in arid climates is accompanied by comprehensive degradation of the urban environment, where traditional approaches to greening demonstrate low sustainability due to water scarcity and extreme temperature conditions. This paper presents a systematic review of contemporary concepts, classification approaches, and methods for the quantitative assessment of eco-constructive modules designed for the local rehabilitation of urban systems. A critical synthesis of the evolution of nature-inspired solutions was conducted, revealing conceptual and terminological fragmentation and the absence of climate-adapted classifications for arid regions. The necessity of transitioning from local analytical monitoring to multi-criteria qualimetric assessment is substantiated. As a result, a conceptual matrix for classifying modules based on parameters of function, scale, technological autonomy, and climate adaptation has been developed, and a methodological framework for calculating an integral index of ecological potential has been proposed. The critical role of parametric design and microclimatic modeling in the pre-project validation of solutions is demonstrated. The proposed scientific and applied framework addresses the identified research gaps, providing a reproducible methodology for the design, quantitative assessment, and regulatory integration of modular systems. The results lay the foundation for transforming passive urban surfaces into an active network of local sanitation.

Resource-based cities face complex land-use pressures. Examining the evolution of production–living–ecological spaces (PLESs) and the spatial conflicts associated with this evolution provides an important basis for reducing land-use tensions and promoting more coordinated and sustainable spatial development. Drawing on land-use records spanning 2000–2020, this study integrates a transfer-matrix approach, a PLES conflict assessment model, and spatial autocorrelation analysis to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of PLESs and their conflict patterns in Shenmu City, China. The results show that (1) industrial production land expanded more rapidly than any other land category, mainly through the conversion of agricultural production land. Agricultural production land continued to decrease as it was converted into both industrial production land and ecological land. Grassland served as an important transitional space between production and ecological spaces, with its evolution shifting from rapid expansion in the early period to relative stability in the later period. (2) In terms of spatial conflicts, moderate conflict remained the dominant category and generally increased over time. By contrast, strong and relatively strong conflicts decreased, while weak and relatively weak conflicts gradually increased. Spatially, conflict patterns shifted from highly concentrated areas in the southeastern resource-extraction zone to a more dispersed and balanced regional distribution. (3) Global <!-- MathType@Translator@5@5@MathML2 (no namespace).tdl@MathML 2.0 (no namespace)@ -->