The restoration of high-Andean ecosystems has become a priority due to increasing environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the decline of essential ecosystem services in the mountainous regions of Peru. Among native tree species, Polylepis racemosa Ruiz & Pavon is recognized for its ecological importance in protecting soils, regulating water resources, and conserving high-altitude biodiversity. However, restoration programs are constrained by the limited availability of vigorous seedlings and the low efficiency of vegetative propagation. This study evaluated the effect of different doses of the ROOT-HOR biostimulant on the vegetative propagation of P. racemosa under high-Andean nursery conditions in Ayacucho, Peru. A randomized complete block design was established with six treatments (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 mL L⁻¹), six replications, and 1,008 cuttings. Survival, morphometric growth, biomass accumulation, and seedling quality were assessed to determine the optimal propagation treatment. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed among treatments for survival, stem height, stem diameter, root length, and biomass production. The 6 and 9 mL L⁻¹ doses produced the most favorable responses, with the highest survival rate reaching 61.42% and the greatest mean stem height of 29.13 cm. These treatments also promoted a more balanced distribution of root and shoot biomass, resulting in greater seedling vigor and improved establishment potential. Overall, the application of 6 mL L⁻¹ of ROOT-HOR proved to be the most effective dose, providing a practical and sustainable strategy to enhance the vegetative propagation of P. racemosa and strengthen reforestation and ecological restoration efforts in high-Andean ecosystems.
Amid global climate change and intense human pressure, the planet’s land cover is undergoing unprecedented transformation. According to the FAO, over 1.66 billion hectares, more than 10% of the world’s land area, have already been degraded through unsustainable use, with over 60% of this occurring on agricultural land. The problem is especially acute in regions affected by military actions and man-made pollution, where physical, chemical, and biological destruction of soils paralyses natural self-purification and the restoration of ecosystem services. This article establishes a comprehensive theoretical and methodological framework for studying anthropogenic soil transformation, systematising global scientific literature and developing an original matrix classification of transformation types that accounts for military and technogenic factors. Through critical analysis of concepts from classical soil science to the modern WRB system, the transition from Anthrosols to Technosols is justified, reflecting anthropogenesis as a dominant factor in soil formation under Anthropocene conditions. Soil microbiota is treated as the most sensitive early bioindicator of anthropogenic stress, capable of determining ecosystems’ restorative potential before visible changes appear. The proposed classification is structured around four axes: nature of impact (mechanical, geochemical, biotic, mixed), degree of reversibility, spatial hierarchy, and functional landscape typology. Results confirm that the microbial consortium’s functional structure is key to assessing reversibility and reclamation effectiveness. The framework holds significant value for monitoring, mapping and restoring degraded soils, particularly in post-conflict Ukraine, advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The current state of Ukraine’s agricultural sector is characterized by the deepening of a systemic crisis driven by the cumulative impact of military, economic, environmental, and social factors, as well as climate change. War-related destabilizing factors, including the temporary occupation of territories, landmine contamination of agricultural lands, destruction of infrastructure and irrigation systems, chemical and mechanical soil contamination, disruption of logistics chains, and shortages of financial, human, and material resources, have significantly intensified environmental challenges. The consequences include mechanical and chemical soil degradation, land erosion, severe disruption of regional water balances, biodiversity loss, and declining resilience of both agroecosystems and natural ecosystems. The study substantiates the crucial role of environmental and conservation principles in the recovery and development of the agricultural sector under conditions of war and global challenges. Overcoming the systemic crisis in agriculture requires a radical paradigm shift - from extractive, resource-depleting farming toward an environmentally oriented model of sustainable development. Alongside mitigating the environmental consequences of war, priority should be given to the transition toward sustainable agricultural practices, the implementation of digital technologies, and adaptation to international standards, particularly those of the European Union.
Air pollution always remains as the major environmental and public health threat, rapidly increasing in many urban areas. The accurate management of Air Quality Index (AQI) is essential for effective environmental protection and policy intervention. This study applied discrete time Markov chain model to investigate the transition behaviour of AQI state based on health standards like Good, Satisfactory, Moderate, and Poor across different monitoring stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) during 2024 – 2025. The transition probabilities were used to understand the persistence, deterioration and recovery patterns of air quality. The study reported that the steady state analysis indicated that Moderate air quality remains persistent in long run condition across monitoring stations. The mean recurrence time indicated that expected number of days required for an AQI category to revisit after leaving that state. It was observed that on an average, the mean return time of Good state was decreased from 2024 to 2025, suggesting favourable air quality recurring more frequently in 2025. However, the comparison between 2024 and 2025 reveals slight improvement in air quality during 2025, characterized by reduced persistence rate of the poor category, longer mean recurrence rate for poor state of pollution and decreased mean transitions from Good to Poor states. Overall, the Markov Chain analysis highlighted a slight improvement in air quality from 2024 to 2025 across the MMR. The results demonstrated that Markov Chain modeling provides valuable insights in developing study specific threshold ranges, offering a statistically robust decision support framework for early intervention strategies and timely implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Such proposed threshold ranges of AQI can support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to sustainable urban planning, by concentrating on reduced vehicular emissions and improving overall air quality.
Microplastic pollution in coastal sediments is a growing concern in tropical Southeast Asia, yet published data for the north coast of West Java remain scarce. This study reports a preliminary survey of microplastic occurrence in surface sediments (0 to 5 cm) at four sites along the northern Cirebon coast, West Java, Indonesia: Kejawanan, Mundu, Gebang and Losari. One composite sample per site was processed by saturated NaCl density separation, filtration and stereomicroscopic examination. Forty-five suspected microplastic particles were recovered from 297.59 g of dry sediment, giving site abundances of 125 to 178 particles per kg dry weight (site mean 152), highest at Losari and lowest at Kejawanan. Fibres dominated the assemblage (29 particles, 64.4 per cent), followed by fragments (11), films (4) and a single pellet. Twenty particles measured below 1 mm, and no colour category was dominant. Because polymer identity was not confirmed spectroscopically, no blanks were processed, and the pooled count is only 45 particles, these values are upper bound estimates rather than verified concentrations, and no ecological risk classification is assigned. The fibre share is the result most exposed to airborne contamination, and two particles separate the highest and lowest sites, so the spread is not read as a gradient. Values fall below those reported for beach sediments elsewhere in Cirebon and for estuarine sediments in Surabaya and Jakarta Bay, most plausibly reflecting methodological heterogeneity. The results give a provisional reference point and identify the steps still required: spectroscopic confirmation, blank correction, larger processed masses and replication.
