Search Results (3,521)

Methanol is the simplest C1 oxygenated compound possessing the highest hydrogen-to-carbon ratio and can therefore be used as an effective hydrogen carrier. Furthermore, it can be easily transported by land and sea because it is liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Methanol can be converted into hydrogen via methanol steam reforming (MSR), aqueous-phase reforming of methanol (APRM), or aqueous methanol dehydrogenation (AMDH). In this review, various catalysts for MSR, APRM, and AMDH are summarized. Highly active and stable catalysts that can operate under low steam-to-methanol ratios are needed to increase the economics of the MSR process. Compared with the MSR process, the APRM process is rather simple because the water–gas shift reaction can occur simultaneously; however, more constraints exist in the selection of active metals and supports to ensure high activity and stability under APRM conditions. The inherently low reaction rate compared to MSR and the structural vulnerability of the catalyst under severe hydrothermal conditions are obstacles that the APRM catalysts must overcome. The low intrinsic catalytic activity and the high cost of homogeneous catalysts represent fundamental limitations inherent to AMDH catalysts. Based on a literature survey of MSR, APRM, and AMDH catalysts, some future research directions are also discussed. Full article

Fiji, with its many islands and mountainous terrain, has only about 11% of its total land area (2000 km²) suitable for cultivation. Therefore, it aims to meet both energy and food production simultaneously through agricultural photovoltaic (APV) systems. This study proposed an optimal agricultural management of APV system to increase farm income and solve the problem of low vegetable production. The practice is planned based on the data from farmer surveys, field study, simulation analysis, and agricultural market analysis. Firstly, a farmer survey was conducted to gather data on the agricultural activities and income of local farmers. Based on the survey results, field studies with various vegetables were conducted in an APV system. In simulation, yields of lettuce, taro, long bean, and cucumber were estimated in the APV system with different cropping management techniques (planting schedule and plant density). With the average yields of lettuce, taro, long bean, and cucumber at highest plant densities being (72.4, 71.1, 3.9, and 10.8) Mg/ha, respectively, according to economic analysis, the highest gross margin was achieved in taro in the APV system. This study shows that the APV system can increase farmers’ annual household income by 1.19 to 1.38%, which represents a meaningful absolute gain given the low average income levels identified in the farm survey. Full article

Improved conservation efforts in China have contributed to the recovery and range expansion of the Asian elephant, increasing spatial overlap between humans and elephants and intensifying the pressure of human–elephant coexistence. Understanding human tolerance toward Asian elephants has therefore become an important pathway for promoting conservation and coexistence. Using survey data from 873 farm households collected in Xishuangbanna Prefecture and Pu’er City in Yunnan Province, this study measures tolerance toward Asian elephants across five dimensions: types of elephant-related damage, economic loss, population size, spatial distance, and activity frequency. Independent-sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to examine differences in tolerance among different groups of farm households. The results show that: (1) the overall tolerance toward Asian elephants among farm households is relatively low (mean = 2.40); (2) within types of elephant-related damage, tolerance is lowest for crop loss and cash crop loss, followed by loss of working time and risk of human injury, while tolerance is relatively higher for damage to houses and property, loss of stored food, and damage to vehicles; (3) farm households showed low levels of tolerance across the dimensions of economic loss, population size, spatial distance, and activity frequency; (4) higher tolerance is observed among male respondents, Dai farm households, those engaged in wildlife protection-related occupations, and households located in Pu’er City, and tolerance increased as cultivated land area decreased, household income increased, and agricultural dependence declined. These findings provide empirical evidence for understanding farm households’ tolerance toward Asian elephants and offer policy insights for improving tolerance, optimizing human–elephant conflict (HEC) management, and promoting the social sustainability of human–elephant coexistence. The study also contributes China-based evidence to discussions on flagship species conservation and community coexistence under the SDG 15 and CBD frameworks. Full article

Shifting cultivation remains a primary farming system in Myanmar’s mountainous regions. However, population growth and economic pressures have disrupted its traditional balance. This study aimed to clarify historical land-use patterns and evaluate vegetation recovery in Lailenpi by integrating field surveys with multitemporal Sentinel-2 imagery from 2019 to 2025. We identified cultivation plots using NDVI differences and quantified recovery trajectories with a Bayesian hierarchical nonlinear model. Results confirmed that a systematic eight-year rotational cycle was maintained. However, the total cultivated area expanded from 0.93% to 3.13%, shifting toward steeper terrain. Bayesian modeling showed that canopy greenness recovered within 24 to 36 months. Despite this resilience, the shift to rugged terrain suggested mounting land-use pressure and soil degradation risks. These findings highlight the importance of combining field surveys with high-resolution monitoring to ensure the long-term ecological sustainability of tropical mountain regions. Full article

Urban accessibility is commonly evaluated using static spatial indicators, which assume stable travel conditions throughout the day. Road congestion, network saturation, and service variability change the function and experience of the built environment (BE). This study tests the Temporal City Framework (TCF) by examining how time of day (TOD) reshapes urban accessibility and travel behaviour with varying levels of congestion. Using 30,288 trip records from the 2022 US National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), duration is operationalised as a sixth dimension of the BE. A time-normalised impedance metric, measured in minutes per mile (MPM), is used that captures realised congestion independently of distance. Temporal impedance (TI) varies strongly with TOD, with substantially higher MPM during peak and midday periods than at night. Compared with nighttime conditions, midday travel requires approximately 19% more time per mile. This indicates a measurable contraction in functional accessibility under identical BE conditions. The TI model outperforms duration-only models, with impedance remaining dominant when both measures are included. These results support interpreting duration as a structural dimension of urban accessibility. TI significantly increases the relative likelihood of active and public transport compared to private cars, even after accounting for absolute trip duration. Hired transport modes (taxi and ride-hailing services) are most prevalent at night, reflecting a greater reliance on on-demand services outside regular daytime schedules. This study tests duration as a structural dimension of the BE by operationalising time-normalised TI. Associations are interpreted as trip-level behavioural constraints rather than causal effects. Planning frameworks based on static travel times systematically misrepresent exposure, equity, and travel mode feasibility. Time-stratified accessibility metrics should therefore be integrated into transport and land-use evaluation and associated policies. Full article

This study examined the distribution and feeding ecology of Grey Crowned Cranes (GCCs) (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps) in the Rushebeya–Kanyabaha wetland watershed in southwestern Uganda, focusing on changes in land use and land cover (LULC) between 1986 and 2022. We documented crane distribution and foraging behaviors through field surveys and analyzed Landsat data of 1986, 1998, 2010, and 2022 using supervised classification. The findings revealed significant changes in LULC, with an increase in built-up areas and subsistence farms, while grassland, bushland, and wetland coverage steadily declined. As the human population increased, leading to a demand for food, subsistence farming emerged as the predominant land use starting in 1998. Data on crane distribution indicates that wetlands are a vital habitat for roosting and breeding; nests are typically located within 140 m of water, along the edges of wetlands, and in vegetation that averages 2.6 m in height. Subsistence farmland, primarily growing beans, potatoes, and sorghum, serves as a key food source for the cranes. The study highlights that while agricultural landscapes provide important foraging sites, crane populations are at risk due to ongoing habitat degradation and disturbances. To effectively conserve these populations, strategies that integrate sustainable land use planning within the catchment area and wetland protection will be essential. Full article

As rural residents face the dual challenges of transforming dietary structures and addressing nutritional health burdens, establishing a resilient food consumption system for rural households has become an urgent priority. Drawing on micro-level data from the China Land Economic Survey (CLES) for the period 2020–2022, this study employs two-way fixed effects models, an instrumental variable (IV) approach, and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) techniques to examine the impact of agricultural production diversity on household food expenditure and dietary diversity, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results reveal that agricultural production diversity yields a significant and robust dual-dividend effect within household food consumption systems: it not only reduces per capital food expenditure but also enhances dietary diversity. Mechanism analysis indicates that diversified production increases food self-sufficiency, thereby reducing cash outflows for essential food items, while simultaneously improving dietary diversity through increased agricultural income and greater agricultural commercialization. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that these effects are more pronounced in villages lacking rural industrial support and among non-ageing households. These findings suggest that, in contexts where market mechanisms remain underdeveloped, the uncritical pursuit of absolute agricultural specialization may not align with the livelihood and nutritional needs of rural residents. From the perspective of fostering a healthy and resilient food system, China should adopt differentiated agricultural support policies, encourage rural households to maintain an appropriate degree of production diversity, and strengthen local agricultural market infrastructure. Full article

The reallocation of production factors, particularly labor, is central to understanding economic development and household welfare. This paper investigates how the transfer of farmland, a fundamental shift in factor endowment, affects rural household financial vulnerability, with a specific focus on the mediating role of labor mobility. While factor market liberalization is theorized to enhance efficiency, the micro-level pathways through which land transactions influence financial resilience remain underexplored. Utilizing a unique household survey dataset from Shaanxi Province, China, and employing ordered Probit model alongside propensity score matching (PSM), the impact of farmland transfer-out on the financial vulnerability of rural households is revealed. The results show that farmland transfer-out significantly reduces household financial vulnerability. Mechanism analysis confirms that this effect operates primarily by releasing surplus agricultural labor and promoting its shift into non-farm employment, thereby expanding both the sectoral and geographic scope of household labor supply. Heterogeneity analysis further reveals that the responsiveness of labor mobility to land transfer is more pronounced among households with older heads, higher human capital, and stronger social networks. However, the ultimate mitigating effect on financial vulnerability is consistent across diverse household types. These findings contribute to the literature on factor market integration and household finance in developing economies and offer direct policy implications for designing land institutions and labor policies that synergistically enhance rural economic resilience. Full article

Sediment accumulation in reservoirs represents a critical challenge for sustainable water resources management in semi-arid regions. In Jordan, accelerated sedimentation threatens the operational capacity of major dams, including the King Talal Dam (KTD), which serves as a key water resource in the Amman–Zarqa Basin (AZB). This study assesses sediment yield and erosion risk at the catchment scale using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) integrated with the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE). The AZB was subdivided into 31 sub-basins and 586 Hydrological Response Units (HRUs) based on land use, soil characteristics, topography, and slope. The model was calibrated for the period 1993–2002 and validated for 2003–2012 using hydrological and sediment observations from 17 monitoring stations. Long-term simulations covering more than two decades were conducted to quantify spatial and temporal sediment yield patterns across the basin. Results indicate a mean annual sediment yield of 2.79 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, corresponding to approximately 0.59 MCM yr⁻¹ of sediment inflow to the reservoir. These estimates closely agree with bathymetric survey results reported by the Jordan Valley Authority, which indicate sedimentation rates of 2.59 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (0.55 MCM yr⁻¹). Overall, the model demonstrates strong agreement between observed and simulated sediment loads, confirming its reliability for sediment dynamics assessment. The findings are relevant to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 (clean water and sanitation) and 15 (life on land) by informing sustainable watershed and soil erosion management practices. Full article

This article uses two waves of panel data from China Land Economic Survey (CLES) in Jiangsu Province and employs a fixed-effects two-stage least squares (FE-2SLS) approach to identify pension effects on farmers’ labor allocation and land transfer decisions. In the FE-2SLS models, pension is instrumented by the average pension of other households in the same village. The results show that pension promotes land transfer-out, reduces household farm labor input, and increases household off-farm labor input. We further identify intra-household heterogeneity behind the pension effects. Specifically, pensioners in a household tend to leave farming activities without transitioning to off-farm employment, while non-pensioners shift the labor from farm to off-farm employment. We also examine heterogeneity by household budget pressure using two grouping strategies based on shortage experience and a composite budget-constraint indicator. The results show that the pension effects are more clearly observed among households without budget shortage. The estimates for households with budget shortage are less precise. These findings suggest that pension effects are complex in driving farmers’ resource allocation in their households. However, Jiangsu Province provides a substantial number of off-farm employment opportunities and features a well-developed land transfer market. The estimated pension effect in this area may not be applicable to less developed regions. Full article

Wooden, nature-based barrier structures are widely implemented after wildfire in Mediterranean forests to reduce runoff connectivity and trap sediment, yet their ecological footprint on early plant recovery remains poorly quantified in Greece. We assessed two-year vascular plant recovery in forest landscapes burned during the 2021 wildfire season (Parnitha, Attica; Mavrolimni, Corinthia/Peloponnese) using repeated field surveys in 2022 and 2023. Sixteen permanent plots were established within operational rehabilitation works and assigned to the dominant structure types: wattles (brush/branch piles), contour-oriented hillslope log barriers, and channel log dams. In each year, vascular plant composition and recovery endpoints (species richness and diversity indices, density, cover, and aboveground biomass) were quantified using standardized quadrat sampling. Vegetation cover and biomass increased strongly from 2022 to 2023 at both sites, indicating rapid early reassembly. Against this dominant year effect, structure type was associated with pronounced biodiversity and compositional differences, most clearly in Parnitha where log barriers exhibited markedly reduced diversity in 2022 and community turnover patterns differed among structures. Plot-level PERMANOVA on Bray–Curtis dissimilarities calculated from log(x + 1)-transformed abundances did not detect a statistically significant structure type effect in either year (p > 0.05), whereas descriptive Bray–Curtis heatmaps suggested compositional contrasts among structure type × year combinations. Indicator–species analysis further identified a limited set of taxa associated with specific structures, suggesting provisional structure-linked microsite filtering during early assembly. By quantifying community composition and indicator taxa alongside structural recovery, this study provides operational-scale evidence that common wooden post-fire measures may be associated with early biodiversity signals in the first two years after fire, although these patterns should be regarded as provisional given the short monitoring period and limited replication. Incorporating these signals into post-fire land management can improve intervention design and placement, aligning risk reduction with biodiversity recovery in Mediterranean landscapes. Full article

Indigenous territories in Amazonia sustain forest cover through the practice of swidden-fallow agriculture, yet declining land availability threatens both the ecological sustainability of this agricultural system and its contributions to community livelihoods. While scholars recognize land scarcity’s potential to drive transformations in shifting cultivation systems, we lack a systematic understanding of how local institutional frameworks shape heterogeneous responses to resource constraints. This study examines how land access mechanisms, distribution dynamics and property regimes among Indigenous communities mediate experiences of and adaptations to land scarcity in the Peruvian Amazon. We conducted a comparative case study of Solidaridad and Tamboruna, two land-scarce Indigenous communities in Peru’s Napo River basin, employing mixed methods including household surveys (n = 74), plot-level assessments, and qualitative interviews with community leaders. Our findings reveal three critical pathways through which institutions mediate scarcity outcomes. First, land access mechanisms determine whether scarce resources produce equitable constraint or acute land inequality. Second, land use intensification emerges not from scarcity alone but from accumulated inequality and household labor capacity, with land accumulated over lifecycles showing stronger associations with management practices than initial endowments. Third, where scarcity manifests as extreme polarization, it precipitates renegotiation of land property norms shaped by Indigenous sociability and moral economies, defying straightforward trajectories toward either resource privatization or collective governance. These results demonstrate that land scarcity produces divergent trajectories mediated by community-specific institutions, with swidden-fallow systems likely diminishing their capacity to sustain forest regeneration in Indigenous communities where scarcity leads to acute land inequality. Rather than uniform solutions, sustainability policy must therefore tailor interventions to local institutional contexts—prioritizing territorial expansion, facilitating communities’ own governance development, and supporting household adaptive capacity to resource scarcity. Full article

The geomorphological characterization of coastal–marine environments is essential for environmental management and biodiversity conservation. The objective of this study was to model the geomorphological diversity of the Punta de Coles National Reserve, located in Puerto de Ilo, Moquegua, Peru, using GNSS geodetic receivers, integrating topographic and bathymetric data to continuously represent both the emerged and submerged relief. The methodology involved establishing two “C”-order geodetic control points, implementing a closed polygon with 13 vertices, conducting a topographic survey, and recording bathymetric data along coastal transects extending 1 km offshore using an echo sounder and GNSS positioning. The data were processed in a GIS environment to generate a Coastal–Marine Digital Terrain Model (CM-DTM) with metric resolution. The results showed a total area of 171.451 ha, with elevation variations ranging from sea level to 71.617 m above sea level. Distinct geomorphological units were identified, such as coastal plains (0–5% slope), hills (15–35%), and cliffs (>45%), in addition to 16 rocky islets covering 1.537 ha. In the underwater environment, the model made it possible to identify submerged terraces, slopes, and local depressions down to a depth of −115 m, revealing a continuous transition between the land and sea topography; additionally, areas with a higher susceptibility to erosion and areas of high ecological importance were identified. This study’s contribution lies in the integration of GNSS geodetic data with topobathymetric surveys, which enabled the generation of a high-precision continuous model in an area with limited prior information, establishing a scientific baseline for coastal and marine management and conservation. Full article

This study presents the vegetation of a Mediterranean area in Croatia, abandoned by the military three decades ago after two centuries of use. From 2023 to 2025, 97 phytosociological relevés were taken using the Braun–Blanquet approach. Based on numerical classification, we identified seven plant associations, two subassociations, and two communities within nine floristically and ecologically distinct vegetation classes. Military presence shaped the landscape in several ways. Large parts of the peninsula remain near-natural, covered by high maquis with minimal disturbance. Plateau shooting ranges, formerly grasslands, now represent rare habitats due to ongoing succession. Within former barracks, plantings included low-maintenance species providing rapid greening and visual screening. Evergreen conifers were favored for year-round greenery, while deciduous trees and ornamental shrubs provided shade and aesthetic value. Given current neglect and ongoing successional trends, the site requires a carefully planned management program aimed at habitat restoration, control of shrub encroachment, and maintenance of open and semi-open vegetation to preserve biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity. Full article

The way land is managed and utilized restricts agricultural development and food production. The fragmentation of arable land, characterized by “many plots and small areas,” is unfavorable for moderate-scale agricultural management and food production supply. Based on survey data of grain farmers in the Yellow River Basin, this study employs methods such as 2SLS, PSM, and IVQR to analyze the impact of average plot size on farmers’ grain production efficiency and its mechanisms. It also examines the differentiated effects of expanding plot size on different types of farmers, regions, and crops. The results show the following: (1) Expanding the arable land plot size (ALPS) helps improve farmers’ grain production efficiency, thereby enhancing the quality and benefits of agricultural development. (2) Expanding plot size can affect grain production efficiency through multiple pathways, including promoting machinery use and agricultural technology adoption, reducing material and labor input costs, and increasing grain yields. (3) Expanding plot size is more beneficial to farmers with higher production efficiency and smaller operation scales, as it both “supports the strong” and has a “pro-smallholders” characteristic, with more benefits for farmers in the western region and those growing wheat. Therefore, in order to promote high-quality agricultural development and ensure national food security, policies should focus on addressing land fragmentation and appropriately expanding the average plot size for farmers, especially smallholders. Full article