•The local ecosystems of the Ionian Islands may be affected by intense human pressure.•Relationships among ecosystem services (ES), and their supply and demand, were explored.•Random Forest was used ...to reveal the factors that contribute to ES bundles.•Landscape structure, topography, and population contributed to the supply bundles.•Topography and population contributed to the demand bundles.
Mediterranean islands are widely recognized as biodiversity hotspots, with a long history of human activities shaping multi-functional landscapes. Socioeconomic and environmental factors are among the most important factors driving the creation of diverse landscapes, with a high supply of ecosystem services (ES). However, these factors, along with climate change, could also have irreversible consequences on local ecosystems. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the importance of socio-ecological factors in shaping ES bundles to manage natural resources efficiently and enhance human well-being. Using the Ionian Islands as a case study, we explored the relationships among multiple ES, including their supply and demand indicators. We identified bundles of ES to distinguish regions in which supply and demand exhibit different characteristics. An ensemble machine learning method (Random Forest - RF) was used to identify the most important socio-ecological variables out of 17 tested that contribute to ES bundles. Our results produced five bundles of ES supply and six bundles of ES demand. The most important variables for the distribution of ES supply bundles were landscape heterogeneity, elevation, slope, landscape connectivity, and population. In comparison, variables representing elevation, slope, and population were among the most important variables contributing to ES demand bundles. RF exhibited both good classification and predictability, which was supported by the accuracy measures. Our findings demonstrated that research on ES should account for underlying socio-ecological drivers that influence the supply and demand of ES to improve our understanding of the possible impacts of future management decisions regarding the diverse Mediterranean landscapes of the Ionian Islands.
Identifying factors that influence the land surface temperature (LST) of urban forests can help improve simulations and predictions of spatial patterns of urban cool islands. This requires a ...quantitative analytical method that combines spatial statistical analysis with multi-source observational data. The purpose of this study was to reveal how human activities and ecological factors jointly influence LST in clustering regions (hot or cool spots) of urban forests. Using Xiamen City, China from 1996 to 2006 as a case study, we explored the interactions between human activities and ecological factors, as well as their influences on urban forest LST. Population density was selected as a proxy for human activity. We integrated multi-source data (forest inventory, digital elevation models (DEM), population, and remote sensing imagery) to develop a database on a unified urban scale. The driving mechanism of urban forest LST was revealed through a combination of multi-source spatial data and spatial statistical analysis of clustering regions. The results showed that the main factors contributing to urban forest LST were dominant tree species and elevation. The interactions between human activity and specific ecological factors linearly or nonlinearly increased LST in urban forests. Strong interactions between elevation and dominant species were generally observed and were prevalent in either hot or cold spots areas in different years. In conclusion, quantitative studies based on spatial statistics and GeogDetector models should be conducted in urban areas to reveal interactions between human activities, ecological factors, and LST.
•A quantitative analytical method that combines spatial statistical analysis with multi-source observational data.•Human activities and ecological factors jointly influence LST in clustering regions of urban forests.•The main factors contributing to urban forest LST were dominant tree species and elevation.•Interactions between human activity and specific ecological factors linearly or nonlinearly increased urban forest LST.
Interactions between human activity and specific ecological factors linearly or nonlinearly increase LST in urban forests.
•The current study is the first to use LPA to identify patterns of smartphone addiction in relation to multiple ecological factors.•Smartphone addiction formed three profiles of adolescents: “low ...smartphone addiction group” (52.1%), “moderate smartphone addiction group” (35.7%), and “high smartphone addiction group” (12.2%).•Adolescents with negative parent-adolescent attachment were significantly more likely to be in the high smartphone addiction group than in the low smartphone addiction group.•Deviant peer affiliation predicted adolescents’ likelihood of being in the moderate and high smartphone addiction group compared to the low smartphone addiction group.
Smartphones are a ubiquitous means of communication and entertainment, and adolescents are at risk of becoming addicted to their use. The purpose of the current study was to identify latent profiles of adolescent smartphone addiction and to test whether these profiles could be predicted by factors in the multiple contexts of family (parent-adolescent attachment, parental monitoring), peers (deviant peer affiliation, peer relationships), and school (teacher-adolescent relationships, school bonding). Participants were 554 students (45.8 % girls, aged 11–17 years) from two middle schools in Changsha, China. The latent profile analysis revealed three smartphone addiction patterns: “low smartphone addiction group” (52.1%), “moderate smartphone addiction group” (35.7%), and “high smartphone addiction group” (12.2%). Members of the three profiles differed in parent-adolescent attachment and deviant peer affiliation. Specifically, compared to the low smartphone addiction group, adolescents who perceived low parent-adolescent attachment were more likely to be in the high smartphone addiction group, while adolescents who perceived higher deviant peer affiliation were more likely to belong to the moderate and high smartphone addiction group. The current study is the first to identify patterns of adolescent smartphone addiction in relation to multiple ecological factors, and the results may inform targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
The spatio-temporal complexity of groundwater storage change is a result of interconnected impact of socio-ecological factors. Previous research indicates several socio-ecological factors (e.g. human ...extraction, land cover change, and climate change) that may result in groundwater depletion. However, we seldom have empirical studies that provide spatio-temporally explicit information on the main drivers among these factors that determine regional groundwater change. This research explored a spatio-temporally explicit understanding on the socio-ecological determinants on the changes of groundwater storage in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) of north China. We selected this basin because the spatial heterogeneity of this basin complicates the relationship between socio-ecological factors and groundwater resources, whose changes would in turn fundamentally affect the socio-ecological system in the YRB. We collected annual (time resolution) data between 2003 and 2016 (time scope) with 1° × 1° grid (space resolution) about 18 social-ecological factors that might affect groundwater storage change in the YRB (space scope). Using this data and groundwater storage information from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment database, we determined best predictors, highly-performed predictive models, and dominant drivers for temporal and spatial changes of groundwater storage. Temporal changes of groundwater in the YRB between 2003 and 2016 were mainly contributed by anthropogenic factors, including population density, plantation, and irrigation water consumption over time. The spatial groundwater change across the YRB was determined by both the geographical location (e.g. indicated by longitude) and urbanization level (e.g. indicated by the domestic and industrial water consumption). The knowledge about socio-ecological determinants on groundwater dynamics in space and time in the YRB can help determine main levers to control regional change of groundwater storage and assist in a sustainable use of groundwater resource.
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•We identified predictors and determinants of groundwater change in the Yellow River Basin (YRB).•We developed predictive models for spatio-temporal changes of groundwater storage in the YRB.•Anthropogenic factors dominated temporal changes of groundwater in the YRB between 2003 and 2016.•Nature and human collectively determined the spatial changes of groundwater in the YRB.
•Lake Dianchi was enriched with stable P, but depleted in potential mobile P.•Internal P loading became more important when anthropogenic P input was effectively controlled.•BD-P, NaOH-nrP and ...NaOH-rP played a major role in the sedimentary P release.•Dynamics of sedimentary P-binding forms were affected by the succession of “grass-algae” type.
With the transformation of lake ecosystem from "clear water" to "turbid water", the residual phosphorus (P) accumulated in sediments may slow down the process of aquatic ecological restoration, and the related mechanisms are complex and need to be better understood. In this study, high-resolution systematic investigation and analysis of P-binding forms in the sediments showed that Lake Dianchi, the largest plateau lake in Southwest China, was enriched with NaOH-rP, HCl-P and Res-P, but depleted in NH4Cl-P, BD-P and NaOH-nrP. The BD-P, NaOH-nrP and NaOH-rP were the main contributors to potential P release from sediments, while the release potential of NH4Cl-P was relatively weak (<1%). When the external P loading gradually decreased, the internal P loading of Lake Dianchi was estimated to be 522 mg P/(m2•a) in the past 30 years. The succession of "grass-algae" type in Lake Dianchi coincided with reduced absorption and transformation of potential mobile P and decreased accumulation of stable P, especially the Res-P. Meanwhile, the temporal variation of potential mobile P was a good predictor of ecological degradation and reduced ecosystem sustainability in Lake Dianchi.
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Nematodes are the most diverse and highly significant group of soil-inhabiting microorganisms that play a vital role in organic material decomposition and nutrient recycling.
Diverse geographical ...locations and environmental gradients show a significant impact on the diversity of nematodes. Present study aims to assess the effects of ecological (altitude, temperature, moisture) and edaphic (soil pH, nutrients, soil patches) factors on the soil nematode diversity and structure at five different landscape patches (forests, apple orchards, rice fields, pastures, and alpine zone) from ten different sites of Kashmir valley (India). Differences in the altitudinal gradients results in the shift of generic nematode population. Among the soil patches, highest nematode diversity was observed in forest soil and least in alpine soil; however, bacteriovorous nematodes dominated all the soil patches. The temperature and moisture have a significant effect on nematode diversity, the highest nematode trophic levels were observed above 21°C temperature, and 30% moisture. Nematode abundance decreased from alkaline to acidic pH of the soil. Soil nutrients such as, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have shown a detrimental effect in nematode richness at each site, where nematode diversity and richness of genera were higher at abundant soil N and P but decreased at low soil nutrients. Ecological indices like diversity index (DI), Shannon-Wiener Index (H'), enrichment index (EI), and maturity Index (MI) values demonstrated forest soil more favourable for nematodes and high soil health status than other soil patches. This study suggested that these indices may be helpful as soil monitoring tools and assessing ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity.
Raising crop yields and quality through plant ecological research has become an important approach to sustainably improving crop products. Stevia rebaudiana is widely introduced and cultivated around ...the world because of the continuous increase in demand for steviol glycosides. When selecting regions or plots suitable for high-yield and high-quality cultivation, it is necessary to understand the main ecological factors that contribute to the formation of S. rebaudiana yield and quality. In this study, sampling plots from different geographic and climatic regions in Xinjiang and Jiangsu were selected for S. rebaudiana cultivation. The geographic, climatic and soil ecological factors were analyzed based on a PLSR (partial least squares regression) model to discover the potentially influential factors in the yield and quality formation of the crop. The results suggest that not all geographic and climatic ecological factors contributed to yield formation; however, these factors, such as latitude, altitude and annual sunshine duration, had high or moderate influences on the concentration of each steviol glycoside and total steviol glycoside. Soil organic matter (OM), total potassium (TK), available potassium (AK), zinc (Zn), and catalase (CAT) had high or moderate effects on the concentrations of each steviol glycoside and total steviol glycoside. However, the other soil factors showed variability in the extent to which they drove the steviol glycosides. The study contributes to a more profound understanding of the ecological driving mechanisms of S. rebaudiana yield and quality formation. The yield or steviol glycoside concentrations of sweetleaf may be improved by modifying certain key ecological factors.
•Application of PLSR model found potential drivers of sweetleaf yield and quality.•Some key ecological factors driving yield and steviol glycoside formation.•The PLSR model provide explanations and predictions for sweetleaf cultivation.•Sweetleaf yield and quality can be improved based on PLSR model results.
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