Environmental and Earth Science

Environmental and earth science lie at the heart of addressing the most pressing planetary challenges—from the climate crisis and biodiversity loss to resource depletion and pollution. Against the backdrop of accelerating global change and interconnected environmental risks, the Environmental and Earth Science Section of this journal was established as a dedicated platform for publishing high-quality, impactful research that advances both fundamental understanding of Earth systems and practical solutions for sustainability.

The core intention of this section is to bridge Earth system science with real-world policy and action. We welcome contributions spanning the entire research spectrum, including works on planetary modeling, environmental monitoring (e.g., via drone and remote sensing technologies), ecosystem restoration, carbon cycle dynamics, and climate adaptation. Special emphasis is placed on studies that reveal clear human–Earth system interactions, scalable conservation strategies, and cross-disciplinary innovation integrating natural sciences, data analytics, and policy.

The scope of this section encompasses all sub-disciplines of environmental and earth sciences and their interdisciplinary intersections, including, but not limited to, the following research areas:

1. Atmospheric Sciences
• Monitoring, modeling, and assessment of atmospheric pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
• Studies on atmospheric dispersion, air quality dynamics, and the impacts of human activities on atmospheric composition.
• Research on climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, climate variability, and their links to atmospheric processes.
2. Marine Sciences
   • Monitoring, modeling, and assessment of coastal and open‑ocean pollution, including nutrient loading, microplastics, and chemical contaminants.
   • Studies on oceanographic processes that influence ecosystem health, such as circulation patterns, water-column stratification, and biogeochemical cycling.
   • Research on marine climate interactions, focusing on ocean warming, acidification, sea-level rise, and their effects on marine organisms and habitats.
3. Hydrogeology and Water Sciences
• Water quality assessment, pollution control, and the impacts of climate change on aquatic microorganisms and drinking water safety.
• Hydrological modeling, flood risk assessment, and flow characteristics of levees under overtopping conditions.
• Water resource management, conservation strategies, and policy development for sustainable water use.
4. Terrestrial and Soil Sciences
• Land use/land cover change, soil erosion, and the impacts of agricultural activities on soil health.
• Soil biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, and the development of eco-friendly fertilizers, such as the use of liquid biofertilizers from livestock waste or physical amendments as biochar.
• Land restoration, desertification control, and sustainable land management practices.
5. Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation
• Global change ecology, including the effects of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Biodiversity monitoring, conservation biology, and the protection of endangered species and habitats.
• Ecological restoration, ecosystem services assessment, and the role of biodiversity in maintaining planetary stability.
6. Environmental Pollution and Remediation
• Monitoring and assessment of pollution in air, water, and soil environments.
• Development and application of environmental remediation technologies for contaminated sites and soils.
• Studies on the environmental fate and transport of pollutants, emerging pollutants, as well as their ecological and human health impacts.
7. Environmental Modeling and Technologies
• Spatial interpolation techniques such as inverse distance weighting (IDW) and their optimization for environmental data analysis.
• Atmospheric dispersion models like the Gaussian plume model, and hydrological and ecological modeling for environmental prediction.
• Development of environmental monitoring technologies, including remote sensing and sensor networks.
8. Environmental Management and Policy
• Environmental impact assessment, risk management, and sustainable development strategies.
• Policy formulation for environmental protection, pollution control, and natural resource management.
• Environmental economics, including cost–benefit analysis of environmental projects and green policy incentives.
9. Agriculture, Food Security, and Climate-Smart Systems
• The interconnectedness of agricultural commodities under climate stress and market volatility.
• Climate-smart agriculture, sustainable agri-food systems, and strategies for enhancing food security.
• Research on organic farming, precision agriculture, and the reduction of agricultural carbon footprints.
10. Earth System Science and Geosciences
• Geomorphology, sedimentology, and the study of Earth’s surface processes and landforms.
• Geophysics, including the study of Earth’s interior, seismic activity, and tectonic processes.
• Integrated Earth system modeling to understand interactions between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
11. Social-Ecological Systems
• Impacts of Earth changes on social structure, social policies, and social landscape.
• Negative environmental consequences for people and environmental justice.
• Role of environmental and earth sciences in urban planning and disaster risk reduction.