A heavy armed conflict erupted in Tigray region of Ethiopia in 2020, and the crisis continued up to 2022. This study investigates the impacts of this crisis on the status of natural resources, and Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) efforts. We collected primary data through field observations, measurements, interviews and group discussions during the wartime. We also reviewed published articles and official archives to complement the primary data, which were often challenging to obtain due to the war. We found that vegetated landscapes were damaged by artillery fire and bombings. The average depth of the surveyed bomb craters along the asphalts was 1.15 +/- 0.47 m (n 1/4 16), whereas the average surface diameter of the craters and their rim was 2.66 +/- 0.67 m. In addition, the construction of numerous military trenches along croplands and hillsides exposed the soil particles into erosion and water pollution. The conflict also halted SWC efforts on various land uses, which were carried out annually during peacetime. For instance, 20,591 km/year of stone bunds were not constructed per year due to the crisis. Moreover, terraces and stone bunds were demolished to construct temporary ground fortifications. Indirectly, the critical energy crisis further increased pressure on forests. In this context, the poor farmers shift their livelihood strategies from the long-term sustainability to immediate economic recovery during the critical time. To conclude, the pathways of the warfare undermined the status of natural resources, and the ongoing decades of re-greening programs. Therefore, our ground-based findings can be used to prioritize and rehabilitate the war-damaged landscape services. (c) 2024 International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation, China Water and Power Press, and China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY- NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

The idea of green mining has attracted much attention over the past decade. Accurate identification of key elements of ecological restoration in mining areas is an important prerequisite for ecosystem restoration and reconstruction and improving the quality of ecological environment. The goal of this study is to develop a five-factor index system for ecological restoration in mining areas, with the Huojitu well serving as a case study of a typical western shallow-buried high-intensity mining area in China. The factors include vegetation cove, soil, ecological landscape, land damage and site condition. An obstacle factor diagnosis model based on the coupling of obstacle degree and Shefold restriction law has been established in this research. This model is used to identify the obstacle factors and analyze the key elements of ecological restoration in the mining area. The key elements of ecological restoration are identified by combining the obstacle degree of each obstacle factor. According to the findings, out of all the areas included in the study, the one pertaining to soil conditions was the biggest at 35.29 km2, or 31.91% of the total, followed by land damage condition (21.25 km2 similar to 19.20%), site condition (19.74 km2 similar to 17.84%), vegetation cover (3.34 km2, similar to 3.02%), and ecological landscape (31.08 km2 similar to 28.03%). Based on the identification results of critical elements in mining area ecological restoration, this study proposes targeted remediation strategies and formulates corresponding site-specific rehabilitation measures to facilitate efficient ecosystem recovery in mining regions. This approach not only advances the practical implementation of ecological restoration technologies but also provides a valuable reference framework for sustainable ecosystem management in post-mining landscapes.

Urgent action is needed in the Amazon to halt deforestation, repair agricultural damage, and restore forests to revive ecosystemic functions such as carbon (C) storage and soil health. A critical and demanding challenge, especially in sandy soils, is ceasing the slash-and-burn in smallholder farming livelihoods to preserve ecosystem services of primary and secondary forests. Here, we examined (i) the recovery of secondary forests in structure, litter layer, and soil health, as well as C storage post-agricultural abandonment of extremely sandy Amazonian soils (> 89 % sand), and (ii) the extent of loss of these gains when a secondary forest is burned for agricultural reconversion. We tracked secondary forests at 2, 5, 10, and 20 years, including slash-and-burning the 20-year-old forest. Our methods included analyzing C stocks in soil, litter, and plants, forest vegetation ecological indexes, litter quality assessed through nitrogen (N), C, and lignocellulose contents, delta C-13 to indicate organic matter origin, and seven additional soil health indicators. Soil delta C-13 ranged from-27.1 to-28.8 parts per thousand across the sites, indicating a negligible influence of tropical grasses on the soil's organic matter and suggesting that pastures were not previously cultivated in these areas. Secondary forest growth accumulated 0.24 and 2.97 Mg C ha(- 1 )y(- 1 ) in litter and trees, respectively. Yet, soil C stocks did not show significant changes during 20 years of forest regeneration. Over 18 years, the forest increased the vegetation diversity fourfold and litter N by 41 %, improving forest structure and litter quality. This progress in organic matter aboveground contributed to improved soil biological activity and nutrient storage, facilitating soil health and multifunctionality regeneration as the forest aged. However, slash-and-burn resulted in a 67.6 Mg C ha(- 1 ) loss, reverting levels below those of the 2-year-old forest. Returning to agriculture also depleted soil cation exchange capacity, bulk density, and fauna activity, degrading soil's chemical, physical, and biological functions to levels comparable to or worse than those in the youngest forest. We conclude that Amazonian lands abandoned after long-term agriculture still offer potential for ecological restoration, with secondary forests capable of regenerating multiple ecosystem functions, even in sandy soils. However, a single slash-and-burn reverses 20 years of progress and degrades soil health further. Recognizing smallholder farmers' poverty and reliance on slash-and-burn, we advocate for educational and socioeconomic support to stop fires and encourage sustainable agriculture, including bioeconomy incentives and environmental compensation to sustain the perpetuation and benefits of secondary forests in the Amazon.

Deep-seated landslides can have significant and long-lasting impacts on surrounding ecosystem by altering topography and destabilizing the ground. This study presents a quantitative investigation of the impacts of deepseated landslides, which have actively supplied sediments for more than one hundred years, on damaged trees, incorporating various factors such as distance from landslide borders, slope gradient, factor of safety (FS), Wind Exposure Index (WEI), Convergence Index, and plan curvature in four landslides in Japan (Shichimenzan, Senmai, Sarugare, and Akakuzure). The study aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between landslides and vegetation, providing valuable insights for landslide management and ecological restoration. Using a combination of field surveys and high-resolution UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) images from 2020 and 2023, a total of 2057 damaged trees were identified across all four study landslide areas. Statistical analysis (OneWay ANOVA) show there is significant differences among different damaged tree types in studied variables in 99 % of confidence level. Analysis of the distance from landslide borders revealed significant differences among damaged tree types. The average distance of Fallen and Green (FG) trees from the landslide borders was found to be 7.3 m, indicating their proximity to the affected area. Furthermore, the density of FG trees within the expanded area of the landslide was observed to be higher. Stand and Dead (SD) trees, in contrast, were situated at an average distance of 68.6 m from landslide border, suggesting their vulnerability to animal-related damages. Fallen and dead (FD) trees were associated with steep slope gradients, averaging 40.8 degrees, and exhibited low FS values (0.87), indicating their susceptibility to slope instability. Stand and Dead partially trees (SDP) and SD trees demonstrated higher FS values suggesting their presence in areas with superior slope stability. In addition, results show, FG, SD, and SDP trees were predominantly located in wind-exposed higher elevation areas. FD trees were primarily situated in areas with negative Convergence Index values (-0.7), indicating slope convergence. FG and SDP trees were found in areas with positive values, suggesting slope divergence. The findings enhance our understanding of the complex and long-lasting landslide impacts on forests, informing landslide management and ecological restoration strategies.

Overgrazing is the primary human-induced cause of soil degradation in the Caatinga biome, intensely threatening lands vulnerable to desertification. Grazing exclusion, a simple and cost-effective practice, could restore soils' ecological functions. However, comprehensive insights into the effects of overgrazing and grazing exclusion on Caatinga soils' multifunctionality are lacking. This study examines (i) how overgrazing impacts multiple soil indicators, functions, and overall soil health (SH) and (ii) whether natural early forest growth post-grazing exclusion enhances critical soil functions for ecosystem restoration. We compared preserved dense forests, longterm overgrazed pastures (over 30 years), and young fenced-off open forests (three years old) along a longitudinal transect in the Caatinga biome: 36 degrees W (Sao Bento do Una), 37 degrees W (Sertania), and 40 degrees W (Araripina). Soil samples from the 0-20 cm layer were analyzed for thirteen physical, chemical, and biological indicators for a structured SH assessment, calculating index scores based on soil functions. Forest-to-pasture transition and subsequent overgrazing consistently compacted the soils and decreased nitrogen, carbon (C), microbial biomass C, and glomalin protein, thus degrading the soil's physical, chemical, and biological functions. Regionally, this conversion depleted 14.7 Mg C ha(-1) and reduced overall SH scores by 18%, severely impacting biological functions ( e.g.,-43% for sustaining biological activity). No significant differences in functions or SH were found between grazed pastures and open forests. SH scores and C stocks were highly interrelated (r > 0.5; p < 0.001), suggesting that C losses and SH deterioration were closely aligned. We conclude that overgrazing degrades soil multifunctionality and health across the Caatinga biome, with biological functions most severely damaged and legacies obstructing soil recovery for up to three years of grazing exclusion. Future SH studies should include open forest chronosequences with older ages and active restoration practices ( e.g., planting trees or green manure) to enhance Caatinga's ecological restoration knowledge and efforts.

Mining activities have emerged as major contributors to environmental damage. This paper offers an analyse of the actual situation of environmental damages caused by mining activities in Europe. Alarmingly, pollution from mining activities in the European Union is increasing. Surface and underground mining have detrimental effects on air and water quality, land degradation, waste disposal, noise pollution, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, endangered species, microbiota, economy, and health. Moreover, the risk of dam destruction because of climate change is increased. Globally this fact ranked Europe in second place in terms of dangerousness. The situation of protected species is critical and their status remains poor. The rehabilitation cost is exorbitant, and enforcement of regulations is lacking. It is evident that, due to economic demand for metals, mining will playa central role in EU's future despite the growing emphasis on green initiatives and transition. Unfortunately, public awareness regarding environmental impact of mining activities is insufficient, and their voices are often disregarded. In order to reduce the negative impact of mining on the environment, economy and public health, it is necessary to take urgent political and technical measures. This paper aims to present a comprehensive overview and offer suggestions for future actions.

Land degradation threatens environmental and agricultural development in the 21st century. To alleviate this problem, bench terracing has been implemented in eastern and southern Ethiopia. This paper investigates how farmers perceive the attributes and effectiveness of bench terracing in Ethiopia. A Multi-stage sampling techniques were applied to select 384 sample households. For this study, data were collected through primary and secondary sources, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis methods. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, focus groups, and key informant interviews; secondary data came from local authority reports. We found that bench terraces restored damaged land and improved crop yield where they were aptly implemented and maintained. The findings also disclose that 57.3% of farmers perceived that bench terracing was more cost-effective; 60.7% responded that it is compatible with the socio-cultural context; and 59.8% perceived Its outcomes are observable to others. However, when a farmer lacks sufficient social, human, or financial capital holdings and capabilities, it often fails. We conclude that the technology was adopted through a multifaceted process, promoted or hindered by both its attributes and effectiveness. Policy-makers and Planners should center those restraints on designing, implementing, and maintaining bench terracing. [GRAPHICS]

Introduction Wetlands are ecosystems that have a significant impact on ecological services and are essential for the environment. With the impacts of rapid population growth, wetland reclamation, urbanization, and land use change, wetlands have undergo severe degradation or loss. However, the response of soil fungal communities to wetland degradation remains unknown. It is crucial to comprehend how the diversity and population dynamics of soil fungi respond to varying levels of degradation and ecological progression in the wetlands of the Songnen Plain.Methods In this study, high- throughput sequencing technology to analyze the variety and abundance of soil fungi in the undegraded (UD), light degraded (LD), moderate degraded (MD), and severe degraded (SD) conditions in the Halahai Nature Reserve of Songnen Plain. This study also explored how these fungi are related to the soil's physicochemical properties in wetlands at various degradation levels.Results The findings indicated that Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the primary phyla in the Songnen Plain, with Ascomycota increasing and Basidiomycota decreasing as wetland degradation progressed. Significant differences were observed in soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN),and soil total potassium (TK) among the succession degradation stages. With the deterioration of the wetland, there was a pattern of the Shannon and Chao1 indices increasing and then decreasing. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis indicated that the fungal community structures of UD and LD were quite similar, whereas MD and SD exhibited more distinct differences in their fungal community compositions. Redundancy analysis (RDA) results indicated that Soil Water content (SWC) and total nitrogen (TN) were the primary environmental factors influencing the dominant fungal phylum. According to the FUNGuild prediction, Ectomycorrhizal and plant pathogens gradually declining with wetland degradation.Discussion In general, our findings can offer theoretical support develop effective solutions for the preservation and rehabilitation of damaged wetlands.

Quantifying surface cracks in alpine meadows is a prerequisite and a key aspect in the study of grassland crack development. Crack characterization indices are crucial for the quantitative characterization of complex cracks, serving as vital factors in assessing the degree of cracking and the development morphology. So far, research on evaluating the degree of grassland degradation through crack characterization indices is rare, especially the quantitative analysis of the development of surface cracks in alpine meadows is relatively scarce. Therefore, based on the phenomenon of surface cracking during the degradation of alpine meadows in some regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, we selected the alpine meadow in the Huangcheng Mongolian Township, Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, Qinghai Province, China as the study area, used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sensing technology to acquire low-altitude images of alpine meadow surface cracks at different degrees of degradation (light, medium, and heavy degradation), and analyzed the representative metrics characterizing the degree of crack development by interpreting the crack length, length density, branch angle, and burrow (rat hole) distribution density and combining them with in situ crack width and depth measurements. Finally, the correlations between the crack characterization indices and the soil and root parameters of sample plots at different degrees of degradation in the study area were analyzed using the grey relation analysis. The results revealed that with the increase of degradation, the physical and chemical properties of soil and the mechanical properties of root-soil composite changed significantly, the vegetation coverage reduced, and the root system aggregated in the surface layer of alpine meadow. As the degree of degradation increased, the fracture morphology developed from linear to dendritic, and eventually to a complex and irregular polygonal pattern. The crack length, width, depth, and length density were identified as the crack characterization indices via analysis of variance. The results of grey relation analysis also revealed that the crack length, width, depth, and length density were all highly correlated with root length density, and as the degradation of alpine meadows intensified, the underground biomass increased dramatically, forming a dense layer of grass felt, which has a significant impact on the formation and expansion of cracks.

Indian forests, having sixteen types of vegetation, provide various ecosystem services. Forests reduce water erosion of soil, reduce floods and conserve low river flow during dry seasons. Present study estimated annual sedimentation, texture, soil organic carbon control service of forests of India using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) approach through GIS technique along with identifying important drivers responsible for erosion in forests. The soil erosion control service was based on five factors viz., rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, crop management, conservation practice factor and SDR across the various forest dominated river basins. Geo-detector modelling was performed to evaluate environmental drivers responsible for soil erosion. Valuation of soil control service of the India's forests was estimated based on damage and replacement cost method. Annual soil loss rate was maximum in Tropical Thorn Forest and in Ganga River basin. Maximum sediment control and SOC conservation against the soil erosion control service by India' forests were due to Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest with a total annual sedimentation control and SOC conservation of 33,056,560 tonnes and 3,31,115.06 tonnes, respectively. The conservative estimate of the economic value of soil conservation service by the forests of India was US$ 535.6 M with an average of 4.40 US$ ha-1 and a maximum share of value for Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest i.e. 294.18 million US$ and average maximum value for Littoral and Swamp Forest (28.91 US$ ha-1). The soil erosion in Tropical and Sub-tropical Forest was influenced by the interactive effects between NDVI and Bulk Density. In contrast, soil erosion in the temperate and alpine area was influenced by anthropogenic activity in combination with climatic factors. Present study accounts the role of India's forests for the soil conservation service and may provide inputs to implement forest and reservoir management strategies besides providing information for Integrated Watershed management and Catchment Treatment Plans.