Search Results (19,293)

Eucalypt plantations have expanded across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions and now play an important role in the global supply of wood and renewable biomass, while remaining at the center of debates on water use, biodiversity, and socio-economic trade-offs. This review examines whether these plantations can deliver ecological, social, and technological benefits under appropriate management. This review synthesizes evidence from nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, and books covering environmental services, livelihood outcomes, and emerging bio-based applications of Eucalyptus species. The literature shows that well-planned plantations can deliver clear benefits. High biomass production supports carbon sequestration, while improvements in soil structure, nutrient cycling, and the recovery of degraded lands are frequently reported. Effects on water, often described in general terms as negative, vary widely with climate, soils, stand age, and previous land use, and are documented to play roles in biodrainage, salinity control, erosion reduction, and local microclimate regulation under suitable conditions. From a socio-economic perspective, Eucalyptus, a widely planted species, supports rural development by generating income, strengthening value chains for wood products and bioenergy, and offering smallholders a fast-growing resource. Technological work on materials and bioproducts, including nanocellulose, essential-oil formulations, biochar-based applications, and wood vinegar, further illustrates this versatility. Overall, while outcomes remain site-specific and dependent on governance, the evidence indicates that, under science-based management and careful landscape planning, eucalypt plantations can contribute to climate mitigation, rural livelihoods, and the circular bioeconomy. Full article

Open-set recognition of wild plants in natural complex scenes is an important task for plant conservation, ecological monitoring, and precision agriculture. Traditional closed-set learning methods struggle to handle unseen species not covered by the training set and complex environmental interferences, while existing open-vocabulary methods lack knowledge-driven reasoning capabilities and cannot provide interpretable recognition for unknown categories. This research proposes the Reasoning-Aware Perceptual Framework that integrates open-vocabulary vision-language models, foundation mask-generation tools, and domain knowledge reasoning to achieve known/unknown category recognition, online perception, and interpretable reasoning of unknown wild plant species. Centered on a five-stage closed loop of Perception-Retrieval-Reasoning-Decision-Iteration, the framework captures open concepts through vision-language feature alignment, completes evidence-based reasoning and confidence evaluation in combination with a botanical domain knowledge base, and finally outputs species classification decisions, interpretable reasoning reports with family/genus-level taxonomic affinity, and uncertainty-calibrated confidence scores. The unknown category estimation with family/genus-level taxonomic affinity in this framework refers to a general unknown label combined with taxonomic affinity at the family/genus level, which can clearly reflect the evolutionary relationship between unknown species and known species. Experiments on the self-constructed WildPlantOpenSet-10K dataset and public benchmark datasets report an F1-score of 84.7% for unknown species recognition, AUROC of 0.93 for known/unknown discriminability, and mean F1 of 87.0% across all categories. This framework focuses on open-set wild plant recognition and interpretable reasoning, using off-the-shelf instance extraction to acquire visual features for downstream reasoning. It maintains stable robustness in complex scenarios such as occlusion, strong light, and multi-species coexistence, and can adapt to the open-world environment without relying on large-scale pixel annotations, providing a research prototype for interpretable open-set recognition in complex natural environments. Full article

To mitigate the effects of climate change, the world must significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels to lower greenhouse gas emissions. The nuclear power and renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, water, waste, and geothermal energy, emit minimal to no greenhouse gases or pollutants during operation. These sources are considered crucial for combating climate change and supporting sustainable development. However, the production of electricity, like most industries, generates waste. Comparisons show clear differences: fossil fuel plants produce the largest total waste mass (primarily combustion ash, flue gas desulfurization residues, and wastewater sludge), while nuclear facilities generate a minimal volume but high-activity spent fuel and long-lived radioactive materials. Solar PV systems generate significant end-of-life electronic waste and glass encapsulant, and wind turbines yield moderate composite blade residues. Hydropower sediment management and geothermal scaling contribute unique waste streams of local concern. Regardless of the energy source, responsible waste management is critical to minimize environmental impacts. This article explores the sustainability of low-carbon energy sources, specifically focusing on waste management with the aim of highlighting the need of implementing targeted strategies such as advanced recycling and material substitution in order to minimize environmental impacts and enhance the circularity of low-carbon energy systems. Full article

Cannabis sativa L. is a medicinal plant cultivated globally due to its remarkable historical and scientific relevance. Through the consumption of its flowers, also referred to as inflorescences, which contain a high content of cannabinoids, terpenes and polyphenols, the therapeutic properties of C. sativa can be harnessed. This study therefore aimed to determine the chemical profile, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils (EOs) obtained from the fresh and dried flowers of two C. sativa cultivars, Lifter and Cherrywine, grown in Komga, South Africa, to assess which cultivar has greater biological potential. The chemical profiles of the hydro-distilled EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of the EOs was analyzed using the DPPH and EAD methods, respectively. The identified constituents from the EOs were molecularly docked against NOX2 and NIK (NF-κB-inducing kinase) protein, which are implicated in oxidative stress. The afforded EOs were yellow (pale and bright yellow) in color with a sweet to mildly sweet aroma description. A total of 51 constituents were identified in both fresh and dry oils from the Lifter cultivar, while the Cherrywine cultivar contained a total of 44 constituents. Eighteen compounds, were found to be the main chemical constituents consistent in the flower EOs of both cultivars, notably, caryophyllene (10.71–19.96%), levo-β-pinene (1.37–13.21%), humulene (5.88–9.77%), caryophyllene oxide (4.32–7.49%), D-limonene (1.40–5.48%), α-pinene (2.22–5.22%), nerolidol (0.63–4.97%), cis-β-ocimene (0.22–4.37%), linalool (1.12–4.28%), selina-3,7(11)-diene (0.15–4.23%), humulene-1,2-epoxide (1.23–3.32%), guaiol (0.17–2.60%), (+)-β-selinene (1.20–2.51%), trans-α-bergamotene (0.68–2.37%), β-ocimene (0.90–2.27%), fenchol exo- (0.15–1.27), terpineol (0.14–1.38%) and α-terpineol (0.19–0.75%). The fresh Lifter flower oil (LFO) showed 50% inhibition at 100 μg/mL, with an IC₅₀ of 69.50 ± 4.05 µg/mL against DPPH, suggesting moderate to low radical scavenging activity. The maximum percentage inhibition response of DLFO, CFO and DCFO remained below 50% at all concentrations. The antioxidant activity of fresh LFO may be attributed to its overall chemical composition. The flower oils showed in vitro inhibition of protein denaturation; however, the high standard deviation relative to the mean IC₅₀ values limited the ability to rank the samples’ potencies. Further in silico studies on the putative constituents in the Lifter and Cherrywine cultivars revealed β-bisabolene and α-curcumene as potential molecular targets, with binding energy scores of −7.7 and −7.9 kcal/mol, respectively. Thus, the study findings highlight the promising biological importance of C. sativa inflorescences in the management of oxidative stress-related conditions. Further studies may investigate the influence of environmental growing conditions on their chemical composition, total ROS analysis, pharmacokinetic properties, and in vivo efficacy against oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and lipids. Evaluating the toxicity of the flower EOs is also recommended. Full article

The roles of proline in stress tolerance, energy metabolism, immune function, and ecology across organisms suggest a broader relevance in orchard agroecosystems than is often recognized. In fruit trees, stress-induced proline accumulation reflects a complex regulatory network, while evidence also indicates that inter-organ transport contributes to protective responses under abiotic stress. In insects, proline functions as an oxidative substrate priming the rest-to-flight metabolic transition in pollinators and pests, a cryoprotective osmolyte and a structural element of conserved classes of antimicrobial peptides against microbial threats. These roles create paradoxical orchard-scale feedbacks while a stress-protective molecule both intensifies herbivore pressure and enhances pollination and biocontrol services. The orchard environment represents a meeting point of plant, environmental, animal and human health, reflecting the integrative logic of the One Health framework, where proline emerges as a highly water-soluble and bioactive compound. The functional homology between insect and human proline catabolism emerges governance-critical issues across tree physiology, insect immunity and human dietary exposure. The targeted application offers a unifying framework for farmers, scientists and policymakers to advance Sustainable Development Goal commitments across food security, human health, climate resilience and biodiversity. We conclude that proline supplementation in orchards requires regulatory monitoring across ecophysiological and pharmaceutical dimensions. Full article

Marine incursions can profoundly alter biological input and environmental conditions in transitional sedimentary basins, yet their ecological effects remain insufficiently understood in the northern Central Myanmar Basin (CMB). Here, we investigate Upper Cretaceous to Eocene mudrocks from the northern CMB using integrated organic biomarker and elemental geochemical analyses to reconstruct biological precursors, depositional environments, and ecosystem responses during seawater incursions. The biomarker assemblages, including n-alkanes, isoprenoids, tricyclic terpanes, and C₂₇–C₂₉ regular steranes, indicate persistent mixed inputs of marine algal organic matter and terrestrial higher-plant debris. In particular, the upward increase in C₂₉ steranes from the Upper Cretaceous to the Eocene suggests a progressive strengthening of terrestrial input through time. Elemental proxies, including Sr/Ba, Th/U, Y/Ho, (Zn + Ni)/(Ga × 5), Sr/Cu, Rb/Sr, and V/(V + Ni), indicate that deposition occurred under marine-influenced, brackish to locally saline, warm–humid, and predominantly weakly reducing to reducing conditions. We interpret these patterns as evidence that marine incursions reorganized habitat conditions and biological input in a near-equatorial transitional ecosystem. The increasing contribution of terrestrial biomass was likely linked to the progressive uplift and exhumation of the Indo-Burman Ranges, which expanded exposed land area and enhanced the supply of land-derived organic matter to the basin. These results provide a biomarker-based perspective on how marine incursions and paleogeographic reorganization jointly shaped ecosystem dynamics and organic-matter preservation in the northern CMB. Full article

Metal accumulation in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) cultivation represents an important agronomic and food-safety concern, particularly in acidic tropical soils where cadmium (Cd) and other trace metals can become bioavailable and translocate to plant tissues. Green magnetic nanomaterials offer a potential strategy for reducing metal mobility in agricultural substrates, but their performance depends on surface chemistry, dose, and plant genotype. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated MCRES, defined here as a maghemite–Citrus reticulata extract system, a biofunctionalized γ-Fe₂O₃-based nanosystem prepared by coupling iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with a 3% (w/v) Citrus reticulata peel extract. The objective was to determine whether citrus-mediated biofunctionalization could produce a scalable magnetic nanoamendment capable of modifying Cd and naturally occurring Ni partitioning in cacao seedlings. MCRES was recovered magnetically and dried, yielding 8.44 g of product from 10 g of precursor. Rietveld analysis performed in X ray diffractograms confirmed phase-pure cubic γ-Fe₂O₃ with a lattice parameter of 0.8332 nm, a crystallite size of 11.3(1) nm, and satisfactory refinement quality (χ² ≈ 1.34). Transmission electron microscope images showed quasi-spherical NPs with a log-normal size distribution centered at 7.5 nm. Magnetic measurements showed superparamagnetic-like behavior at 300 K, high saturation magnetization values of 62 emu g⁻¹ at 300 K and 71 emu g⁻¹ at 5 K, and elevated effective anisotropy values obtained from the Law of Approach to Saturation fitting. MCRES was applied at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 g pot⁻¹ to cacao seedlings containing Cd-amended Ultisol with naturally occurring Ni. Plant responses were genotype and dose dependent: TSH-1188 genotype showed limited dose sensitivity for most biometric variables, whereas ICS-95 genotype showed significant dose effects, with maximum growth at the 2 g pot⁻¹ treatment. Metal-partitioning results indicated that Cd remained comparatively mobile toward shoots, whereas Ni was preferentially retained in roots. In TSH-1188 genotype, the Ni translocation factor decreased from 3.07 in the control to 0.85–1.00 at higher MCRES doses. Compared with previous work on non-biofunctionalized nanomaghemite, these results suggest that citrus-mediated biofunctionalization produces a distinct Cd/Ni partitioning response. Overall, MCRES is recommended as a promising nursery-scale green nanoamendment for reducing metal mobility in cacao cultivation, but its agronomic use should be optimized according to genotype and dose. Future work should include side-by-side comparisons with unfunctionalized γ-Fe₂O₃, Citrus reticulata extract alone, and non-contaminated controls under field conditions to validate its long-term effectiveness and environmental safety. Full article

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important interfaces for the persistence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. This study investigated colistin resistance and the presence of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes in Enterobacterales isolated from a poultry slaughterhouse WWTP in Brazil. Samples were collected from raw sewage, an equalization tank, and treated effluent. A total of 27 Enterobacter spp. isolates were identified, of which 70.4% showed resistance to colistin (MIC range: 2 to ≥512 mg/L). PCR screening detected mcr-1 in two isolates and mcr-10 in three isolates distributed across all treatment stages, including the final effluent. Whole-genome sequencing of a representative isolate from treated effluent identified Enterobacter vonholyi ST3343, carrying a plasmid-borne mcr-10 gene on an ~107 kb IncFII(Yp) plasmid, along with additional resistance determinants. Phylogenetic analysis supported the classification of this gene as a novel allele, mcr-10.6. The persistence of a clonal lineage harboring mcr-10.6 throughout the treatment system indicates that conventional wastewater treatment may not effectively eliminate clinically relevant ARGs. These findings highlight treated effluent as a potential route for environmental dissemination of colistin resistance and reinforce the need for improved monitoring and mitigation strategies within a One Health framework. Full article

Rising global temperatures, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events, with associated growth of agricultural land use and urban expansion, represent critical drivers of biodiversity loss. Within this framework, urban areas are particularly vulnerable due to environmental stressors such as the heat-island phenomenon, soil sealing and depletion, and the accumulation of heavy metals and other pollutants. Recent sustainability-oriented urban policies recognize the strategic role of green infrastructures in mitigating these impacts by delivering essential ecosystem services, including phytoremediation. Here, the focus on herbaceous plants allows the selection of species with short life cycles and high colonization rates in marginal or disturbed urban habitats (e.g., roadside verges, compacted soils, and limited-volume planting areas). Therefore, the present review systematically examines herbaceous plant species with documented phytoremediation capabilities, focusing on Mediterranean native taxa evaluated under urban or peri-urban conditions. A total of 29 species met the selection criteria: taxonomically, Asteraceae represented the most frequent family (35%), followed by Fabaceae (21%), Brassicaceae, and Poaceae (each accounting for 10%). From a functional-trait perspective, hemicryptophytes dominated the dataset (66%), followed by therophytes (31%). Of the selected taxa, 55% primarily exhibited phytoextraction, 14% showed phytostabilization, and 31% demonstrated dual functionality, through combined extraction and stabilization pathways. These traits, combined with ecological adaptability to Mediterranean climatic regimes, support their application in Mediterranean urban environments. Full article

Poplar (Populus) trees are indispensable to various industries and environmental sustainability efforts. They are widely utilized for paper production, timber, and windbreaks, while also playing a significant role in carbon sequestration. Given their economic and ecological importance, the effective management of diseases is crucial. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), renowned for their ability to process visual data, are pivotal in accurately detecting and classifying plant diseases. This study presents a domain-specific dataset of manually collected images of diseased poplar leaves from Uzbekistan and South Korea, ensuring geographic diversity and broader applicability. The dataset includes four disease classes, i.e., “Parsha (Scab),” “Brown spotting,” “White-Gray spotting,” and “Rust,” which represent common afflictions in these regions. To advance research efforts, this dataset will be made publicly accessible, providing a valuable resource for the scientific community. Leveraging the cutting-edge YOLOv9c model, a state-of-the-art CNN architecture, we applied the Histogram Equalization technique as a preprocessing step to enhance the image quality to increase the accuracy of disease detection. This method not only improves the diagnostic performance of the model but also provides a scalable solution for monitoring and managing poplar diseases. By ensuring the health of poplar trees, this approach supports the sustainability of these critical resources. To our knowledge, this is the first publicly available dataset specifically focused on diseased poplar leaves, making it a significant contribution to global research efforts. It offers an invaluable resource for researchers and practitioners, enabling further advancements in early disease detection and sustainable forestry management. Full article

Wood vinegar is a naturally acidic liquid produced during the pyrolysis of agricultural and forestry residues, which contains a complex mixture of bioactive components, including organic acids, phenolics, ketones and so on. As a multifunctional biomass-derived product with considerable potential, wood vinegar has attracted widespread attention in agroforestry and environmental research. This review summarizes recent research progress on the roles of wood vinegar in plant disease resistance, plant growth promotion, and soil improvement. The inhibitory effects of wood vinegar against various plant pathogens and the potential mechanisms involved are discussed, as well as two major pathways through which wood vinegar promotes plant growth. In addition, the roles of wood vinegar in improving soil fertility are examined, particularly through regulating soil salinity and enhancing soil chemical and biological properties. Recent advances in its practical applications across different agricultural fields are also summarized, and safety considerations associated with its use are analyzed. Despite these advances, current studies remain largely focused on phenomenological observations, with limited investigation in forestry applications. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying the biological activities of wood vinegar and the long-term ecological risks associated with repeated applications remain insufficiently understood. This review provides perspectives on further exploration of the mechanisms of action of wood vinegar and the potential risks associated with its long-term application, with the aim of providing a scientific reference for the safe and efficient utilization of wood vinegar in sustainable agriculture and ecological restoration. Full article

Forest tree provenances have evolved diverse and complex mechanisms to acclimate to changes in environmental conditions. Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), along with other European tree species, is increasingly exposed to the adverse effects of climate change, particularly prolonged drought periods and severe drought stress. Understanding the species’ capacity to acclimate to expected environmental changes requires knowledge of key functional traits linked to drought tolerance, such as leaf structure and gas exchange. To explore the acclimation mechanisms of pedunculate oak provenances to repeated drought events, a study was conducted under controlled conditions with plants from nine provenances spanning a north–south gradient across eastern Europe, from Estonia to Italy. The study consisted of two parts: first, leaf structural traits were analyzed after three years of experimentally induced drought by comparing drought and control treatments; second, both treatments were subjected to subsequent drought to analyze differences in gas exchange trait responses. Results demonstrated ecotypic differentiation among provenances in morphological, but not in gas exchange traits, suggesting that provenance adaptedness to drier habitats is more closely associated with structural than physiological traits. Provenances originating from drier habitats showed lower specific leaf area but also different acclimation to repeated drought events, including a stronger reduction in stomatal density and a smaller increase in leaf dry matter content, compared to provenances from more humid habitats. Gas exchange acclimation occurred through a shift in the strategy of photosynthesis down-regulation. These findings emphasize the importance of investigating multiple functional traits rather than focusing solely on individual key traits. Full article

The performance of native landraces of Capsicum annuum L. under contrasting production systems remains poorly understood, limiting their evaluation under locally relevant production scenarios. This study evaluated the phenological and productive responses of five genotypes (four native landraces and one commercial cultivar) under two systems representing locally relevant production conditions: open-field (OF) and a substrate-based hydroponic system under low-technology, passively ventilated tunnel-type greenhouse conditions (GH), to describe genotype-specific responses under contrasting production conditions during the 2023 growing season in Puebla, Mexico. Agroclimatic and agronomic variables were analyzed using independent ANOVA by system and canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The GH system exhibited restrictive microclimatic conditions, with maximum temperatures exceeding 48 °C and photosynthetically active radiation reduced by approximately 53% compared to OF conditions. Environmental conditions were not standardized between systems; therefore, the results reflect the contrasting microclimates of locally relevant production systems and provide a context-specific assessment of genotype performance. Under the specific conditions evaluated, yield was lower in GH compared to OF across all genotypes. The commercial cultivar Serrano Tampico achieved the highest yield (1.118 kg per plant under OF), while Mixteco Largo and Cola de Ratón produced the highest number of fruits. The CCA identified genotype-specific associations between environmental and agronomic variables, suggesting distinct performance patterns under contrasting production conditions, with native landraces exhibiting better agronomic performance under OF conditions. Overall, the results provide a context-specific characterization of genotype performance under contrasting production conditions. Full article

Flotation is a fundamental unit operation in mineral processing; however, achieving high selectivity while reducing the environmental impact of reagents remains a major challenge in phosphate ore beneficiation. Conventional depressants often exhibit limited selectivity and may pose environmental concerns, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. This study reports, for the first time, the application of starch nanostructures derived from potato pulp processing residues as a depressant in phosphate flotation, representing an innovative and eco-friendly approach. An exploratory and experimental methodology was adopted, including nanostarch synthesis via acid hydrolysis followed by centrifugation and sonication, as well as comprehensive physicochemical characterization. The primary objective was to evaluate the selective depressant performance of the nanomaterial in apatite–calcite flotation systems. The synthesized nanostructures exhibited particle diameters ranging from 179 to 443.6 nm. Microflotation tests conducted in a Hallimond tube using pure mineral samples under alkaline conditions (pH ≈ 9), at a depressant dosage of 500 mg/L and in combination with a plant-based fatty acid collector, revealed a pronounced selectivity window, resulting in an approximately 77% difference in flotation recovery between apatite and calcite. These findings demonstrate that nanostarch derived from agro-industrial residues is a promising, biodegradable, and sustainable depressant capable of enhancing selectivity in phosphate flotation. The results contribute to the advancement of greener mineral processing Technologies, although Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying interaction mechanisms. Full article

Acantholyda posticalis (Hymenoptera: Pamphiliidae) is a forestry pest in China. They primarily infest pine trees, causing serious ecological damage. The research aims to identify the key environmental factors influencing the suitable distribution area of Acantholyda posticalis and their optimal conditions, and investigate the impacts of climate change and possible impacts of its main host plants on the distribution of Acantholyda posticalis. By utilizing the MaxEnt model, we predict the potential distribution of Acantholyda posticalis and its main host plant, Pinus tabuliformis, under current and future climatic conditions. The results indicate that under current climatic conditions, the suitable areas for Acantholyda posticalis in China are extensive in the Loess Plateau and North China Plain regions and have extensive overlapping area with the distribution of Pinus tabuliformis. The dominant environmental factors influencing the distribution of suitable areas for Acantholyda posticalis are the Minimum Temperature of the Coldest Month, Precipitation of the Wettest Quarter, Altitude and Temperature Seasonality. Under the SSP126 and SSP585 climate scenarios for the period 2081–2100, the overall suitable area for Acantholyda posticalis is projected to follow a decreasing trend, exhibiting a tendency to extend toward the southern and eastern regions. Meanwhile, the moderately and highly suitable areas are more concentrated and extensive. The research provides a theoretical foundation for the control of Acantholyda posticalis and the protection of the ecological environment. Full article