Article
Environmental Sciences
Sacha M. O'Regan, Stephanie K. Archer, Sarah K. Friesen, Karen L. Hunter
Summary: The effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is increasingly challenged by climate change. While experts have identified clear climate change adaptation principles for MPA management, the adoption of these principles remains largely unquantified. A study analyzing 647 English-language MPA management plans found that climate change is inadequately considered in most plans, with the United States showing better performance in this aspect compared to Canada. Climate change robustness scores have generally improved over time in Oceania, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but have declined in Canada.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Carlos Carroll, Justina C. Ray
Summary: Global commitments to expand protected areas should prioritize protecting climate refugia and ecosystems that store high levels of unrecoverable carbon as effective responses to biodiversity loss and climate change. Despite being responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, the US and Canada have initiated processes for expanding protected areas and recognizing nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation. Coordinated national and regional policies are needed to ensure that new protected areas maximize biodiversity-focused adaptation and nature-based mitigation opportunities.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Thomas Ranius, Lina A. Widenfalk, Meelis Seedre, Ly Lindman, Adam Felton, Aino Hamalainen, Anna Filyushkina, Erik Ockinger
Summary: Climate change poses challenges to conservation strategies for protected areas. Combining strategies for addressing climate warming with traditional biodiversity conservation strategies is necessary to protect future biodiversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rauoof Ahmad Rather, Abdul Waheed Wani, Sumaya Mumtaz, Shahid Ahmad Padder, Afzal Husain Khan, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Almohana, Sattam Fahad Almojil, Shah Saud Alam, Tawseef Rehman Baba
Summary: Bioenergy has advantages in terms of renewability and capacity, making it a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Replacing fossil fuels with biofuels can reduce harmful effects and contribute to energy security. However, the impact of bioenergy production can vary depending on biological sources, land locations, and management practices. Identifying suitable crop growing areas and implementing appropriate management practices are crucial for ecological sustainability.
JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juha Aalto, Ilari Lehtonen, Pentti Pirinen, Kaisu Aapala, Risto K. Heikkinen
Summary: Protected areas (PAs) play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity, and their response to climate change varies across different regions. In this study, we analyzed the changes and variability of key bioclimatic variables in Finland from 1961 to 2020. Our results show significant changes in temperature and precipitation, with the central and northern parts of Finland experiencing increased annual precipitation and water balance. Additionally, we found variations in bioclimatic changes among the studied PAs, indicating differences in climate vulnerability and trends across vegetation zones.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sean A. Parks, Lisa M. Holsinger, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Solomon Z. Dobrowski, Katherine A. Zeller, John T. Abatzoglou, Charles Besancon, Bryce L. Nordgren, Joshua J. Lawler
Summary: Protected areas are crucial for biodiversity conservation, but their effectiveness is challenged by climate change. This study examined disappearing and novel climates within the global protected area network and the potential for transboundary species range shifts. The results showed that 24% of protected lands will lose their protected climates, while 36% will gain novel climates. Moreover, potential transboundary range shifts are widespread and vary across regions. The study provides insights for strategic conservation actions to address the prevalence of novel and disappearing climates within the protected area network and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Business
James Derbyshire, Jamie Morgan
Summary: Climate emergency is the most pressing issue of our time, and reducing carbon emissions quickly is necessary. However, using Bayesian updating to narrow the range of climate sensitivity measures may have counterproductive consequences due to the asymmetric effects of human-induced climate change. Therefore, scenario-focused decision frameworks should be considered.
TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Simon Ludovicy, Jalil Noroozi, Philipp Semenchuk, Dietmar Moser, Johannes Wessely, Amir Talebi, Stefan Dullinger
Summary: Protected Areas (PA) play a crucial role in conservation biology, but climate change poses challenges to their effectiveness. This study assesses the impact of climate change on the endemic mountain flora of the Iranian Plateau and finds that the current Iranian PA network may not adequately protect these species in the future. The study suggests that conservation planning in this biodiversity hotspot should focus on expanding elevational gradients within PAs and prioritizing the protection of narrow range, low and high elevation species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Cori Lopazanski, Bergen Foshay, Jessica L. Couture, Daniel Wagner, Lee Hannah, Emily Pidgeon, Darcy Bradley
Summary: Climate change is a threat to marine systems and poses challenges to managing marine protected areas (MPAs). Existing recommendations for climate-resilient MPAs focus on enhancing ecological resilience and updating management strategies. A review of 172 management plans for 555 MPAs across 52 countries shows that while many plans include principles for promoting resilience, there is variation in how explicitly climate change is incorporated into strategies. Practical examples of activities undertaken by MPA managers to address climate change are also provided.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
James V. Rawson, Jennifer P. Stevens
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainty and disruption to healthcare, posing challenges for strategic planning. Scenario planning is a tool that incorporates uncertainties into the analysis and planning process, helping healthcare leaders develop healthcare delivery strategies. By identifying key variables with uncertain future directions, generating multiple scenarios, and evaluating tactics, scenario planning can determine specific strategies to accommodate the uncertainty in healthcare delivery needs during the COVID-19 era.
ACADEMIC RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brian W. Miller, Gregor W. Schuurman, Amy J. Symstad, Amber N. Runyon, Brecken C. Robb
Summary: The impacts of climate change on natural and cultural resources are extensive and complex. To address the uncertainties, scenario planning has been used as an effective approach to support resource conservation. Participatory climate change scenario planning projects have shown to increase participant confidence and engagement, and the integration of scenarios into strategic actions helps mitigate the impacts of climate change effectively.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Santangeli, Benjamin Weigel, Laura H. Anto, Elina Kaarlejaervi, Maria Haellfors, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Andreas Linden, Maija Salemaa, Tiina Tonteri, Paeivi Merilae, Kristiina Vuorio, Otso Ovaskainen, Jarno Vanhatalo, Tomas Roslin, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Protected areas have mixed impacts on reducing local extinctions, with only a small proportion of species benefiting explicitly. The benefits of protection are related to the size and establishment time of the protected areas, but unrelated to the conservation status or traits of species. Improving coverage, connectivity, and management will be crucial to enhance the effectiveness of protected areas in slowing down biodiversity loss.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaofei Hu, Linfeng Wei, Qi Cheng, Xingqi Wu, Jian Ni
Summary: Climate change poses a threat to ecosystems and their function. This study investigates climate-smart planning for protected areas in the Tibetan Plateau under climate change scenarios. The results show that considering climate impacts in protected area planning can help minimize economic and climate costs but there is still a need to protect 58% of gap areas. Therefore, six adjustable areas in the eastern and southern Tibetan Plateau with complex ecological functions under future climate scenarios have been identified.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Anju Sathyanarayanan, Armin Koehl, Detlef Stammer
Summary: This study investigates mechanisms underlying salinity changes under RCP8.5 forcing conditions using MPI-ESM-MR output data. The research finds that sea surface salinity increases in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, while a basinwide surface freshening is observed in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in future projections.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Charles Maxwell, Robert M. Scheller, Jonathan W. Long, Patricia Manley
Summary: Climate change accelerates forest mortality, and substantial resources are needed for forest managers to maintain multiple objectives. We propose an analytical approach that uses scenario modeling to quantify uncertainties in the Lake Tahoe Basin forest. Our results suggest that extensive forest management activities will not meet all objectives, and both the extent and intensity of management need to increase significantly to cope with predicted climate and wildfire conditions.
ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jeffrey Wade, Christa Kelleher, Barret L. Kurylyk
Summary: This study developed a physically-based water temperature model coupled with the National Water Model (NWM) to assess the potential for water temperature prediction to be incorporated into the NWM at the continental scale. By evaluating different model configurations of increasing complexity, the study successfully simulated hourly water temperatures in the forested headwaters of H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon, USA, providing a basis for integrating water temperature simulation with predictions from the NWM.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Shaun SH. Kim, Lucy A. Marshall, Justin D. Hughes, Lynn Seo, Julien Lerat, Ashish Sharma, Jai Vaze
Summary: A major challenge in hydrologic modelling is producing reliable uncertainty estimates outside of calibration periods. This research addresses the challenge by improving model structures and error models to more reliably estimate uncertainty. The combination of the RBS model and SPUE produces statistically reliable predictions and shows better matching performance in tests.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Juan Pedro Carbonell-Rivera, Javier Estornell, Luis Angel Ruiz, Pablo Crespo-Peremarch, Jaime Almonacid-Caballer
Summary: This study presents Class3Dp, a software for classifying vegetation species in colored point clouds. The software utilizes geometric, spectral, and neighborhood features along with machine learning methods to classify the point cloud, allowing for the recognition of species composition in an ecosystem.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zhi Li, Daniel Caviedes-Voullieme, Ilhan Oezgen-Xian, Simin Jiang, Na Zheng
Summary: The optimal strategy for solving the Richards equation numerically depends on the specific problem, particularly when using GPUs. This study investigates the parallel performance of four numerical schemes on both CPUs and GPUs. The results show that the scaling of Richards solvers on GPUs is influenced by various factors. Compared to CPUs, parallel simulations on GPUs exhibit significant variation in scaling across different code sections, with poorly-scaled components potentially impacting overall performance. Nonetheless, using GPUs can greatly enhance computational speed, especially for large-scale problems.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Ludovic Cassan, Leo Pujol, Paul Lonca, Romain Guibert, Helene Roux, Olivier Mercier, Dominique Courret, Sylvain Richard, Pierre Horgue
Summary: Methods and algorithms for measuring stream surface velocities have been continuously developed over the past five years to adapt to specific flow typologies. The free software ANDROMEDE allows easy use and comparison of these methods with image processing capabilities designed for measurements in natural environments and with unmanned aerial vehicles. The validation of the integrated algorithms is presented on three case studies that represent the targeted applications: the study of currents for eco-hydraulics, the measurement of low water flows and the diagnosis of hydraulic structures. The field measurements are in very good agreement with the optical measurements and demonstrate the usefulness of the tool for rapid flow diagnosis for all the intended applications.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Mariia Kozlova, Robert J. Moss, Julian Scott Yeomans, Jef Caers
Summary: This paper introduces a framework for quantitative sensitivity analysis using the SimDec visualization method, and tests its effectiveness on decision-making problems. The framework captures critical information in the presence of heterogeneous effects, and enhances its practicality by introducing a formal definition and classification of heterogeneous effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Chad R. Palmer, Denis Valle, Edward V. Camp, Wendy-Lin Bartels, Martha C. Monroe
Summary: Simulation games have been used in natural resource management for education and communication purposes, but not for data collection. This research introduces a new design process which involves stakeholders and emphasizes usability, relevance, and credibility testing criteria. The result is a finalized simulation game for future research.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Tao Wang, Chenming Zhang, Ye Ma, Harald Hofmann, Congrui Li, Zicheng Zhao
Summary: This study used numerical modeling to investigate the formation process of iron curtains under different freshwater and seawater conditions. It was found that Fe(OH)3 accumulates on the freshwater side, while the precipitation is inhibited on the seaward side due to high H+ concentrations. These findings enhance our understanding of iron transformation and distribution in subterranean estuaries.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Grant Hutchings, James Gattiker, Braden Scherting, Rodman R. Linn
Summary: Computational models for understanding and predicting fire in wildland and managed lands are becoming increasingly impactful. This paper addresses the characterization and population of mid-story fuels, which are not easily observable through traditional survey or remote sensing. The authors present a methodology to populate the mid-story using a generative model for fuel placement, which can be calibrated based on limited observation datasets or expert guidance. The connection of terrestrial LiDAR as the observations used to calibrate the generative model is emphasized. Code for the methods in this paper is provided.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Saswata Nandi, Pratiman Patel, Sabyasachi Swain
Summary: IMDLIB is an open-source Python library that simplifies the retrieval and processing of gridded meteorological data from IMD, enhancing data accessibility and facilitating hydro-climatic research and analysis.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Pengfei Wu, Jintao Liu, Meiyan Feng, Hu Liu
Summary: In this paper, a new flow distance algorithm called D infinity-TLI is proposed, which accurately estimates flow distance and width function using a two-segment-distance strategy and triangulation with linear interpolation method. The evaluation results show that D infinity-TLI outperforms existing algorithms and has a low mean absolute relative error.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2024)
