Advancing Open Science

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to global biodiversity, with birds serving as critical indicators of ecosystem responses. This study assessed the impacts of climate change on 29 endangered bird species in South Korea, a critical stopover region within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Using Random Forest models, we predicted current (2010 baseline) and future species distributions under two climate scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) for four time periods (2030s, 2050s, 2070s, and 2090s). Model performance was robust, with a mean AUC of 0.844 ± 0.122 across all species and 72.4% of species achieving AUC ≥ 0.80. Elevation emerged as the most influential predictor for 44.8% of species, followed by precipitation of the driest month (17.2%) and distance to water bodies (10.3%). Current species richness patterns showed spatial heterogeneity, with higher concentrations along coastal wetlands, particularly in the western and southern coasts and Jeju Island. Under SSP2-4.5, species richness patterns remained relatively stable through 2090, while SSP5-8.5 projected more dramatic shifts, particularly after 2070. Coastal regions and national parks exhibited differential responses, with some areas showing increases and others experiencing declines in species richness. High-elevation national parks, including Mt. Hallasan, Mt. Seoraksan, and Mt. Odaesan, demonstrated potential to serve as climate refugia, maintaining relatively stable species richness under both scenarios. Our spatial analysis at municipality and national park levels identified priority conservation areas and emphasized the need for climate refugium identification, habitat connectivity along elevational gradients, and adaptive management strategies. The findings provide actionable guidance for science-based conservation planning and contribute to international efforts to protect migratory birds along the EAAF. Urgent conservation measures are needed to safeguard coastal wetlands and establish ecological corridors to facilitate species range shifts under changing climatic conditions.

The Songliao River Basin, as a core area of multicultural integration in Northeast China, still lacks systematic research on the spatial distribution of religious sites and their influencing factors. This study integrates spatial pattern analysis methods (kernel density, standard deviation ellipse, imbalance index) and spatial econometric models (spatial error model, geographically weighted regression model) to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of 1288 religious sites in the basin and the influencing mechanisms of natural, socio-economic, and cultural factors. Results: (1) Religious sites in the basin show a clustered distribution of “higher density in the south than the north, one main cluster and two sub-cores”, with a northeast–southwest trend and poor balance at the prefectural-city scale. (2) Cultural factors are the core driver; cultural memory and social capital in traditional villages promote the agglomeration of religious sites and shape the “one village, multiple temples” pattern. Intangible Cultural Heritage, Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, and religious sites form a tripartite symbiotic spatial relationship of “cultural practice—spatial carrier—institutional identity”; natural factors lay the basic pattern of spatial distribution. (3) Policy factors have a significant impact: A-rated Tourist Attractions and Performing Arts Venues show a positive effect, while museums exhibit spatial inhibition due to functional competition. (4) Economic, Population, and Transportation factors had no statistically significant effects, indicating that their spatial distribution is driven primarily by endogenous cultural mechanisms rather than external economic drivers. This study fills the gap in research on the spatial distribution of religious sites in Northeast China. By integrating multiple methods, a quantitative demonstration of the coupling mechanism of multiple factors was conducted, providing scientific support for religious cultural heritage protection policies and sustainable development strategies amid rapid urbanization.

Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) are promising for applications such as air compressors due to their robust structure and fault tolerance, but suffer from high torque ripple and radial electromagnetic forces that cause vibration and noise. This paper proposes a game-theoretic multi-objective design optimization framework to enhance electromagnetic performance by simultaneously maximizing average torque and minimizing radial force. The optimization problem is transformed into a game model where objectives are treated as players with strategy spaces derived through fuzzy clustering and correlation analysis. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is employed to solve the payoff functions under both novel cooperative and non-cooperative game scenarios of SRMs’ structural design. Finite element analysis (FEA) validates the optimized motor topology, showing that the cooperative game model achieves a balanced performance with high torque density and reduced vibration, meeting the requirements for air compressor drives. The proposed method effectively resolves the weight selection challenge in traditional multi-objective optimization and demonstrates strong engineering feasibility.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of crude protein (CP) levels and antibiotics in feed on the growth performance, body composition, nutrient digestion and absorption, gut health, and microbiota of weaned piglets. A total of 100 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, weaned at day 21) with an initial weight of 6.39 ± 0.03 kg were randomly assigned to four treatments and fed with 18% CP antibiotic-free diets, 18% CP with antibiotics diets, 24% CP antibiotic-free diets, and 24% CP with antibiotics diets for 0–14 d (S1). Furthermore, the piglets were fed with an identical diet (19% CP and without antibiotics) starting day 15 until they reached 25 kg (S2). Results indicated that the average daily gain (ADG) and gain feed ratio (G:F) during the S1 phase as well as BW at day 14, were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the 18% CP group compared with the 24% CP group. Similarly, piglets in the 18% CP group showed a significantly decreased body protein content and body water, protein deposition rates at the S1 phase, and significantly improved the body lipid content and deposition rate but not (p > 0.05) at the S2 phase. The 18% CP group demonstrated significantly increased (p < 0.05) serum concentrations of Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, and Lysine in weaned piglets during the S1 phase, while Glycine concentration significantly decreased, and no significant (p > 0.05) effects were observed in the S2 phase. Furthermore, dietary antibiotic supplementation had no effect on (p > 0.05) piglet growth performance, body composition, nutrient digestion, and metabolism throughout the entire trial period. In the absence of antibiotics, compared to the 24% CP diet group, the piglets fed with an 18% CP diet significantly increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the colon of weaned piglets upon reaching 25 kg BW (p < 0.05). Compared to the diet without added antibiotics, the addition of antibiotics to the diet significantly decreased the relative abundance of Pseudoramibacter in the colon of weaned piglets on day 14. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed in intestinal morphology or gastrointestinal pH among the groups. In conclusion, lower dietary protein levels in the early post-weaning period reduced growth performance and promoted gut microbiota balance, and compensatory growth occurred after returning to higher protein levels two weeks after weaning.

South Africa’s wine industry has traditionally concentrated on developed nations as its principal export markets. In recent years, regional markets within East Africa have emerged as promising areas for growth. However, these markets have not been examined, with existing research predominantly centred on the export of unprocessed agricultural commodities. This study investigates the factors influencing South Africa’s wine exports to Kenya, Tanzania, and Mauritius, considering wine as a final, value-added agricultural product. A trend analysis was conducted to examine export performance from 2010 to 2022, and an augmented gravity model was employed to identify key factors. The results show a steady increase in wine exports to these markets, with strong demand in Kenya and Tanzania. The gravity model demonstrates that higher production capacity in South Africa, larger populations in the importing countries, advantageous import duty structures, and a depreciated exchange rate positively influence exports, whereas high inflation rates significantly constrain export volumes. Consequently, strategies focused on increasing production, maintaining favourable trade conditions, and leveraging market opportunities could enhance export performance. Additionally, mitigating the effects of inflation through strategic pricing policies and industry collaboration could further strengthen South Africa’s wine export position within East African markets.

The genetic mechanism of high-quality reservoirs in the tight sandstone of the Shaximiao Formation, Sichuan Basin, remains poorly understood, hindering effective exploration. This study integrates petrographic analysis and fluid inclusion homogenization temperature measurement to reconstruct the diagenetic sequence and restore porosity evolution. This approach reveals the controlling factors of reservoir densification and their interplay with hydrocarbon charging. We find that reservoir heterogeneity results from the competing effects of densifying processes (compaction and cementation) and porosity-enhancing dissolution. The critical control is identified as the timing of hydrocarbon charging relative to densification, leading to a new three-type reservoir classification. Based on the temporal relationship between hydrocarbon charging and densification, reservoirs are classified into three types: Type I (“hydrocarbon charging before densification”), Type II (“synchronous charging and densification”), and Type III (“densification before charging”). Type I (high-quality) reservoirs are primarily controlled by the synergistic effects of high-energy depositional facies and early chlorite coatings. The ‘deposition-diagenesis-hydrocarbon charging’ model elucidates high-quality reservoir mechanisms. These findings offer a genetic model and a predictive tool for pinpointing sweet spots, with significant implications for reducing exploration risk in this and similar tight gas basins worldwide.

Sustainable renovation is a critical aspect for designing energy-efficient buildings with reasonable cost and high indoor living standards. The objective of this paper is to investigate various renovation scenarios for an old, uninsulated building with a floor area of 100 m² located in Athens, aiming to determine the global optimal solution through a multi-criteria analysis. The multi-criteria analysis considers energy, economic, and thermal comfort criteria to perform a multi-lateral approach. Specifically, the criteria are: (i) maximization of the energy savings, (ii) minimization of the life cycle cost (LCC), and (iii) minimization of the mean annual predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD). These criteria are combined within a multi-criteria evaluation procedure that employs a global objective function for determining a global optimum solution. The examined retrofitting actions are the addition of external insulation, the replacement of the existing windows with triple-glazed windows, the addition of shading in the openings in the summer, the application of cool roof dyes, the use of a mechanical ventilation system with a heat recovery unit, and the installation of a highly efficient heat pump system. The interventions were examined separately, and the combined renovation scenarios were studied by including them in the external insulation because of their high importance. The present study encompassed the investigation of a baseline scenario and 26 different renovation scenarios, conducted through dynamic simulation on an annual basis. The results of the present analysis indicated that the global optimal renovation scenario, including the addition of external insulation, the installation of highly efficient heat pumps, and the use of shading in the openings in the summer, saved energy by 74% compared to the baseline scenario. The LCC was approximately EUR 33,000, the simple payback period of the renovation process was around 6 years, the annual CO₂ emissions avoidance reached 4.6 tn_CO2, and the PPD was at 9.7%. An additional sensitivity analysis for determining the optimal choice under varying weights assigned to the criteria revealed that this renovation design is the most favorable option in most cases. These results prove that the suggested renovation scenario is a feasible and viable solution that leads to a sustainable design from multiple perspectives.

The Veracruz Reef System National Park (VRSNP), located in the central Gulf of Mexico, is one of the country’s most ecologically and economically significant coral systems. Despite its high biodiversity and ecosystem functionality, it is affected by anthropogenic inputs such as fluvial discharges, urban effluents, and port and tourism activities that contribute organic and bacteriological loads. This study aimed to identify the presence of Enterococcus spp. and Vibrio spp. during three climatic seasons—dry, rainy, and north winds—at two water column depths (surface and bottom) across three reefs (Enmedio, Chopas, and Gallega) within the VRSNP during the 2022 annual cycle. Samples were analyzed according to national and international standards. Results showed that Vibrio spp. were influenced mainly by temporal factors, with higher values during north winds and the dry season (>1100 MPN/100 mL); otherwise, rainy conditions reported the lowest load (184.89 ± 15.00 MPN/100 mL). While Enterococcus spp. exhibited greater spatial influence, particularly in surface waters, Enmedio Reef recorded the highest load (478.34 ± 37.28 CFU/100 mL); in addition, Chopas Reef reported the lowest at the bottom (12.43 ± 1.26 CFU/100 mL). The findings highlight the need to strengthen microbiological monitoring protocols in marine coastal ecosystems to assess water quality, public health risks, and the ecological integrity of coral reef environments, as well as the implementation of molecular identification techniques.