Mountains represent a major challenge for conservation, as they tend to concentrate high levels of biodiversity and cultural landscapes of huge interest linked to traditional and community practices. In this context, the traditional system of ditches of Sierra Nevada Biosphere Reserve (Spain) is a paradigmatic example of a hydraulic infrastructure that articulates ecological, productive, and cultural functions at the landscape scale. The objective of this study is to analyze how five socio-ecological scenarios resulting from rural abandonment and current socioeconomic changes condition the multifunctionality of the landscapes associated with these irrigation channels. To this end, we conducted a literature review and qualitative analysis of the effects that the scenarios of Agricultural intensification, Agrosystems based on traditional knowledge, Strict conservation, Ecotourism, and Sports tourism would have on the ecosystem services associated with the irrigation ditch system if these scenarios were to operate dominantly in the region. The results suggest that the ditches system is a central axis of the socio-ecological system, sustaining services such as water regulation, soil fertility, food production, habitat conservation, and a sense of belonging to the territory. The scenario of Agrosystems based on traditional knowledge best preserves the multifunctionality of the landscape. However, it may need to be combined with responsible Ecotourism activities to guarantee livelihoods for local people. In contrast, Agricultural intensification, Strict conservation, and Sports tourism, with little or no contribution to the maintenance of ditches, seriously compromise this multifunctionality. This analysis underscores the importance of developing conservation approaches that consider the complexity of socio-ecological systems, which is key to integrating biodiversity, human well-being, and social justice. Innovative instruments, such as payments for environmental services, can support this process by highlighting the asymmetries between those who maintain the landscapes and those who benefit from them.
The La Val fossil site in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula preserves a valuable record of late Oligocene (Chattian) plant communities in southern Europe. We present a revision of 1413 plant macrofossils collected between 2012 and 2017, significantly expanding previous knowledge of the site. The assemblage includes ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, revealing a diverse flora dominated by riparian and mesophytic taxa. Several species, including Platanus neptuni and Ailanthus confucii, are recorded for the first time in the Iberian fossil record. Palaeobotanical and sedimentological evidence indicate the presence of vegetation adapted to warm temperate conditions with seasonal water availability, associated with alluvial fan and fluvial depositional systems. Comparisons with contemporaneous Central European floras reveal biogeographic connections across the Paratethys region during the late Oligocene. The revision of previous taxonomic assignments provides new species- level identifications and refine palaeoenvironmental interpretations of the La Val flora, improving our understanding of vegetation patterns in Europe during the Cenozoic.
To investigate the mechanisms governing hydrochemical evolution in coastal geothermal waters under prolonged exploitation, this study examines the Baoquan hot spring—a representative granitic fracture-controlled geothermal system in Weihai’s coastal area—through integrated hydrochemical and isotopic analyses spanning 2000, 2014, and 2020. The results indicate that the exploitation induced a significant decline in total dissolved solids (TDS), which decreased by 73.83
The natural environment, as well as human production and survival, is intrinsically dependent on soil. This study comprehensively assessed the pollution status, health risks, and sources of trace metals in the middle reaches of the River Gui Basin (MRGB) utilizing the geoaccumulation index, potential ecological risk index (PERI), and human health risk evaluation method. The findings of this study provide the following key insights: (1) only Cu and Pb levels in the MRGB soils did not exceed the background values established for soils in Weifang City (WFC). (2) The geoaccumulation status in most areas of the MRGB ranged from non-polluted to mildly polluted, with the overall ecological risk classification ranging from mild to moderate. (3) The cumulative non-carcinogenic risk for humans in the MRGB remained within acceptable limits, whereas the carcinogenic risk indices fell within tolerable levels. Oral ingestion emerged as the primary exposure pathway for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks. (4) Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cr concentrations in MRGB soils primarily stemmed from natural sources associated with parent rocks, with Zn exhibiting additional influence from anthropogenic factors. In contrast, Pb, Cd, Hg, and As concentrations were predominantly driven by anthropogenic sources. Although the soils in the MRGB typically exhibited mild-to-moderate contamination levels, the contamination levels of Hg and Cd were notably more severe. As and Cr were significant health hazards. Most soil contamination sources are attributed to anthropogenic factors, warranting heightened attention from the relevant authorities.
