Freshwater fish invasions are major drivers of global ecological change, disrupting native biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, many invasive fish hold significant socioeconomic value, resulting in conflict over their management. Centrarchidae, which are globally distributed and are important for sportfishing and aquaculture, are now potentially becoming a global threat. Yet, no comprehensive appraisal exists across taxa and regions integrating taxonomy, pathways, impacts and risk analysis for Centrarchidae. To address these gaps, we compiled published literature and leveraged publicly available databases to critically evaluate the current global status of non-native Centrarchidae, finding 30 species established outside their native ranges with 17 being outside of North America. Largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans) and pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) are the most widely introduced centrarchids. Reported impacts of Centrarchidae introduction are mostly ecological, with predation, competition, hybridisation, and disease transmission as major mechanisms. Conversely, socio-economic and cultural effects are underreported. Currently, only ten species have undergone rapid risk screening, with 90% flagged as high risk. However, risk analyses remain sparse, confounded by taxonomic uncertainties (including hybridisation) and context dependence of impacts. With the changing climate and other anthropogenic disturbances in freshwaters, habitat suitability is expanding for centrarchids. Although concerning, Centrarchidae form a highly human-mediated invasion complex with predictable pathways and tractable leverage points, so limiting propagule pressure and standardizing assessments can curb their future spread while informing balanced and evidence-based fisheries policy that reconciles socioeconomic benefits with environmental costs.
We explore how nonreligious tourists cocreate meaningful experiences at religious heritage sites, focusing on the Royal Mosque of Isfahan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iran. Adopting a tourist-centered and constructivist approach, this research investigates how individuals who do not engage in institutional religious practice nevertheless experience cognitive, emotional, and spiritual engagement within sacred spaces. Using a qualitative design and grounded theory methodology, data were collected through semistructured interviews and direct observations. The analysis identified seven experiential dimensions that shape visitors' cocreated experiences: (1) pull-push motivations, (2) prior knowledge and planning, (3) interaction with physical settings, (4) presence of people, (5) self-directed cocreation, (6) personal activity and participation, and (7) peace and place attachment. The findings suggest that visitors actively personalize experiences through introspection, solitude, and aesthetic-spiritual immersion, rather than religious devotion or ritual practice. The study offers practical recommendations for tourism managers and heritage site planners, advocating for visitor-centered design that supports autonomy, emotional resonance, and reflective engagement. By examining the experiential agency of nonreligious tourists this research contributes to a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of contemporary religious tourism.
Delving into the persistent impacts of colonialism within the sphere of modern science, we explore some of the deep-seated disparities between the Global North and South with regards to the scientific enterprise. Central to this inequality are the hurdles of language and financial support. As such, this work discusses the often-overlooked obstacles that Global South scientists face, including the additional efforts non-native English speakers must invest in reading and publishing, their higher rejection rates, and the widespread neglect of publications in languages other than English. These challenges not only hinder the advancement of science but also deepen existing divides. Furthermore, we examine the double-edged sword of and the geopolitical limits of open science. While these policies democratize access to scientific knowledge, they can inadvertently exacerbate the North-South inequalities due to, for example, the prohibitive costs associated with open-access publishing-a financial burden that is often unmanageable for researchers with limited funding. This funding gap severely restricts the Global South's scientific capabilities and impact, affecting everything from conducting comprehensive research to attending scientific meetings. The culmination of these disparities not only diminishes the impact of Global South researchers in their fields but also traps them in a cycle of reduced funding and limited global networking opportunities. In addressing these complex issues, the contributions in this work highlight some of the most common and pronounced issues related to scientific inequalities, as well as suggesting possible ways of bridging these gaps in order to reach a more equitable distribution of resources and recognition in the global scientific community.
The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review of the extant literature on mentoring for social inclusion with refugee mentees in high-income countries. A scoping review was conducted to assess the existing literature on the subject. A systematic search of relevant bibliographic databases and online repositories for peer-reviewed studies identified 28 articles employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods that met the inclusion criteria. Mentoring has been identified as a promising practice to overcome the barriers to refugee integration by fostering social connections and enhancing linguistic and cultural competencies. However, the evidence on intervention outcomes is scarce. A number of articles have underscored the reciprocal advantages for mentors and mentees, as well as the potential of this intervention to challenge the prevailing narratives of exclusion and indifference. A notable limitation of extant literature pertains to the fragmentation of theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and intervention implementation. Future research should prioritise the development of rigorous methodologies to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. Moreover, the conceptualisation of mentoring should be expanded to encompass a broader perspective, one that takes into account its community, societal, and policy ramifications. L'obiettivo di questo studio era condurre una revisione della letteratura esistente sul mentoring per l'inclusione sociale dei rifugiati nei paesi ad alto reddito. & Egrave; stata condotta una revisione di scopo per esaminare la letteratura sull'argomento. Una ricerca sistematica di studi sottoposti a revisione tra pari presenti nelle banche dati bibliografiche pertinenti e negli archivi online ha individuato 28 articoli che hanno utilizzato metodi qualitativi, quantitativi e misti e che soddisfacevano i criteri di inclusione. Il mentoring & egrave; stato descritto come una pratica promettente per superare le barriere all'integrazione dei rifugiati, favorendo le relazioni sociali e migliorando le competenze linguistiche e culturali. Tuttavia, le prove sull'efficacia dell'intervento sono scarse. Diversi studi hanno sottolineato i vantaggi reciproci per i mentori e i mentee, nonch & eacute; il potenziale di questo intervento nel contrastare le narrazioni prevalenti di esclusione e indifferenza nei confronti dei rifugiati. Un limite significativo della letteratura esistente riguarda la frammentazione teorica, metodologica e nell'implementazione dell'intervento. La ricerca futura dovrebbe dare priorit & agrave; allo sviluppo di metodologie rigorose per valutare l'efficacia di tali interventi. Inoltre, la concettualizzazione del mentoring dovrebbe essere ampliata per abbracciare una prospettiva pi & ugrave; ampia che tenga conto delle sue ripercussioni a livello comunitario, sociale e politico.
Many inland waters are shrinking due to shifts in climate and water diversion for human uses. As they dry out, their exposed sediments emit large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. However, current global estimates of CO2 emissions from dry inland waters are derived exclusively from bare sediment dark-chamber measurements that do not account for the colonization of desiccated areas by vegetation. To understand the impact of vegetation on CO2 emissions from dry sediments, we analyzed 164 dry inland water bodies across five climatic regions and five inland water body types (lakes, ponds, reservoirs, streams and wetlands). On average, within vegetated zones, vegetation occupied 47 +/- 35% in measured biomass quadrants. Light-induced decreases in instantaneous CO2 emissions in vegetated dry sediments were lower (mean +/- SD = -3.7 +/- 12.9 mmol CO2 m-2 hr-1) than increases during dark conditions (14.7 +/- 20.1 mmol CO2 m-2 hr-1). Diel (24-hr) CO2 emissions from dry, vegetated sediments (mean +/- SD = 100 +/- 261 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1) were 25% lower than in bare sediments (133 +/- 245 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1). These results indicate that vegetation can partially off-set sediment respiration, although the magnitude of this effect is insufficient to switch dry beds from net sources to net sinks of carbon.
