Formation and burial of pyrite (iron sulfide) in marine sediments exert a fundamental control on atmospheric oxygenation and seawater buffering over geological timescales. However, little is known about how the formation and delivery of its precursor, reactive iron (Fe) oxide minerals, have evolved throughout Earth history. Secular variability in reactive Fe (including Fe oxides and pyrite) preserved in marine sediments is commonly attributed solely to redox changes. Here, we develop an approach to distinguish redox-driven influences from other controls on sedimentary reactive Fe, including the intensity of continental silicate weathering and the transfer of terrigenous particles to the ocean. We apply this framework to a compilation of reactive Fe data spanning 1,200 My of Earth history. Our results reveal persistently low proportions of reactive Fe from the Mesoproterozoic through the Cambrian, followed by a pronounced mid- to late Paleozoic rise and a subsequent decline in the late Cenozoic. This temporal pattern is inconsistent with a purely redox-driven control. Comparison with independent proxies for continental weathering and land-ocean sediment and solute fluxes suggests a strong coupling between reactive Fe burial, oxidative silicate weathering, and tectonically driven erosion. Notably, the mid- to late Paleozoic rise in reactive Fe coincided with the proliferation of land plants and increasing atmospheric oxygen. We propose a positive feedback where Earth-surface Fe cycling was both amplified by atmospheric oxygenation and contributed to it through its influence on pyrite burial in marine sediments.
Achieving a sustainable energy system for space missions remains challenging due to the continued reliance on Earth-supplied materials. This underscores the importance of in situ resource utilization (ISRU) strategies that convert planetary resources into functional electronic components. In this work, we harness the dielectric characteristics of Martian regolith (MR) simulant to create an MR/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite film with enhanced triboelectric properties. Structural and morphological analyses of the MR reveal multiple oxide-rich phases, which improve both the dielectric properties and the surface microstructure of the MR/PDMS composite film. The resultant MR/PDMS composite film-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) delivers an approximately two-fold increase in open-circuit voltage compared to the pristine PDMS-based TENG. The real-world use of the MR/PDMS TENG is further demonstrated by proof-of-concept applications: a glove-mounted tactile surface sensor with wireless signal transmission and a wearable triboelectric keypad. This work not only showcases advances in MR-based TENG performance but also marks the first demonstration of triboelectric applications using MR simulants as functional triboelectric material. Additionally, we have demonstrated foundational work toward ISRU-oriented tactile interfaces incorporating MR-simulant-derived functional materials for future controlled habitats and robotic platforms relevant to future space exploration.
The seepage of agrochemicals into surface water and groundwater from treated fields poses a serious threat to freshwater ecosystems. The frequently used fungicide Mancozeb degrades in water into a metabolite, Ethylene thiourea (ETU), which is more persistent and often more toxic, with the potential to impact non-target zooplankton. This study evaluates the acute and chronic responses of abundant cladoceran zooplankton Ceriodaphnia cornuta Sars, 1885, through acute and chronic bioassays spanning six generations of continuous exposure. The susceptibility of C. cornuta neonates from the sixth generation was compared to that of neonates with no prior exposure, using an acute bioassay. Our results showed that Mancozeb contamination negatively affected the survival and reproduction of C. cornuta, and the effect was concentration-specific. Notably, exposure to 1.54 μg/L Mancozeb across six generations resulted in a significantly longer life expectancy at birth and higher reproductive rates. In contrast, the sixth-generation neonates (continuously exposed) had a lower 48 h LC50 for Mancozeb compared to naive organisms (no prior exposure). These findings suggest that continuous exposure of C. cornuta to environmental concentrations of Mancozeb across generations leads to increased sensitivity to Mancozeb in the offspring. This highlights the need for further research on the impacts and evolutionary consequences of commercial formulations on non-target crustaceans.
Enamel and enameloid are hypermineralized tissues that can be found on the surface of vertebrates' dental structures. Shared developmental features suggest that minor changes could have driven multiple transitions between dentine-enamel and dentine-enameloid structures. It has been hypothesized that delayed (H1) or prolonged epithelial cell activity (H2), as well as modifications in epithelial cell production rates (H3), could explain such transitions. To test these evo-devo hypotheses, we built a cell-based histogenetic model using simplified properties common to current vertebrates. By varying secreting cell parameters, the simulations can reproduce a wide range of dentine, enameloid, and enamel proportions, allowing exploration of their role in the enameloid-enamel transition. Our exploration of 12 cellular parameters showed that H1, and H3 to a lesser extent, could account for such a transition, whereas H2 likely needs to be associated with one other modification. Our results also suggest that changes in the position and timing of the mineralization front formation are key to constraining enamel-enameloid-dentine development. Thus, beyond the gain or loss of gene function, minor developmental modifications may also have played a key role in the emergence and evolution of dental tissues.
Changes in Arctic tundra vegetation, driven by climate change, may be inducing major shifts in ecosystem services and the Arctic carbon budget, and altering high latitude feedbacks to the climate system. Field-based studies have documented warming-induced shrub expansion, and remote sensing has revealed heterogeneous, but primarily positive, trends in peak summer greenness across the Arctic. However, efforts to move beyond remotely sensed measures of spectral greening to quantify the spatial extent and rate of shrub expansion have been constrained by spectral similarities among tundra vegetation types, limited ground truth data, low revisit frequency of satellite observations, and sub-pixel heterogeneity of land cover at medium spatial resolution (30 m). To address these challenges, we developed a methodology that integrates high spatial resolution (2 m) commercial satellite imagery with Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 observations in a machine learning framework, and used it to produce annual maps for 2016 to 2023 of sub-pixel land cover fractions at 30-m spatial resolution across three Arctic tundra ecoregions spanning 3.35 × 105 km2 between the Seward and Tuktoyaktuk Peninsulas. Uncertainty was quantified at each pixel via Monte Carlo resampling. Independent accuracy assessments yielded good accuracies (mean squared errors of 15.98% and 11.89% for low-stature vegetation and erect shrub cover, respectively), that were comparable to or exceeded previous mapping efforts. Further, repeat commercial satellite image pairs enabled the first assessment of mapped fractional cover change in Arctic tundra (R2 of 0.46 and 0.55, change direction accuracies of 77% and 78% for low-stature vegetation and erect shrub cover, respectively). This novel, scalable, multi-sensor approach to fractional land cover mapping produced the first annual maps of land cover fractions in the Arctic tundra, which support more accurate representation of vegetation dynamics and their linkages to climate change and disturbance processes.
The Anning River, traversing the mineral-rich Panxi region, is highly susceptible to contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs). This study systematically investigated the contamination profiles, source apportionment, and probabilistic human health risks of eight PTEs in the surface sediments of the basin. Index-based evaluations revealed that Cd acts as the dominant ecological threat, exhibiting extreme enrichment, whereas V, Cr, and Ni reflect natural background signatures. Receptor modeling via Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) successfully decoupled four distinct sources: mining and smelting emissions (Cd, Zn), natural lithogenic weathering (V, Cr, Ni), mixed traffic/urban inputs (Pb, Cu), and a Tl-specific mixed source. Crucially, while deterministic approaches suggested safe exposure levels, probabilistic Monte Carlo simulations uncovered hidden vulnerabilities: children face a striking 60.51% probability of exceeding the acceptable total carcinogenic risk (TCR) threshold of 1.0 × 10-4, primarily governed by Cr and Ni. These findings underscore the urgent need for differentiated environmental management in similar mining-impacted basins. Specifically, stringent source controls for Cd must be implemented alongside exposure pathway interruptions to safeguard vulnerable demographics from Cr and Ni.
Carbon (C) released from decomposing plant litter constitutes a major component of soil CO2 efflux at the land surface, yet its contribution is rarely constrained separately from heterotrophic respiration of stable soil organic matter in global C budgets and Earth system model evaluations. We combined a global dataset with high-resolution field observations to quantify the contribution of litter-derived soil respiration (Rs) using litter-input and litter-removal experiments, and to project its current distribution and future dynamics with machine-learning models. On average, litter-derived Rs accounted for 30.9% of total Rs. Higher contributions were estimated for experiments of shorter duration, highlighting the important role of fast-cycling C alongside soil organic matter turnover. Litter-derived Rs varied substantially among ecosystems (grasslands > croplands > forests > wetlands) but did not differ significantly between tropical and temperate climates. Land surface slope exerted a stronger control than climatic or edaphic factors across both mountain and non-mountain regions, suggesting a pronounced topographic regulation. High-frequency field measurements further confirmed this pattern, with litter-derived Rs at mountain ridges being 1.5 times that in valleys. Global projections indicated a higher litter-derived Rs at low latitudes and greater vulnerability in cold climates under SSP 1-2.6 and SSP 5-8.5 scenarios. These findings demonstrate that litter decomposition is a substantial source of soil CO2 flux that is strongly controlled by terrain. Accounting for this CO2 pathway improves our understanding of how landscape heterogeneity influences terrestrial C cycle and enhances future predictions of ecosystem responses to climate change.
Surface water bodies (SWBs) are vital in sustaining regional water storage, ecosystems, and water demands. However, the impact of climate extremes, particularly droughts, on these SWBs in India remains poorly understood. Here, we examine the changes and variability of the 10,476 SWB during 1990-2017 based on the Landsat satellite-derived SWB area, using Trend-Free Pre-Whitening Mann-Kendall (FPW-MK) and Sen's slope tests. We also evaluated the impacts of drought severity (defined using Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index) on SWB. We found that 79% of SWB across India exhibit a significant (p < 0.05) trend, with 44.5% decreasing and 29.4% increasing. Seasonal area anomalies reveal that a dry summer-monsoon causes the highest decline (5%) in SWB, compared to dry winter (2.7%) and dry pre-monsoon seasons (0.65%). Moreover, successive droughts during the summer-monsoon and winter seasons result in 3-fold more shrinkage (∼10%) than a single-season drought. Our findings highlight the critical need for strategies to sustainably manage SWB across India.
Arctic and boreal regions are experiencing rapid environmental changes that include thawing permafrost and increasing disturbances. The NASA Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) sought to better understand these changes through field, airborne, and remote sensing measurements. One key airborne instrument was the Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS), a wide-swath imaging laser altimeter system. LVIS conducted 32 flights during June-August periods of 2017 and 2019, capturing data across more than 91,000 km² of diverse Arctic and boreal ecosystems. The surface topography and vegetation structure data collected throughout Alaska and Northwestern Canada spans boreal forests to Arctic tundra, crossing 12 distinct ecoregions. This airborne collection enables direct comparison with coincident NASA Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) data, extends research beyond the ~52° N limit of NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) sensor, and provides precursor data for future satellite missions, such as NASA's recently selected Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer (EDGE). We summarize detailed information on LVIS data records from ABoVE deployments, including access and visualization using custom open source tools.
The most important quest in Mars exploration is the search for biosignatures. We adopt a Mars System Science approach, calling on information from the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and geologic history for an integrated organizational framework of inquiry. We "follow the water" by focusing on the characteristics of the hydrological system/cycle, their individual component water reservoirs, and their relationships and interconnectedness through time. We examine the ancillary hydrological cycle environments/processes (fluvial, lacustrine, glacial, cryospheric, groundwater) required for a robust, vertically integrated hydrological cycle to support long-duration northern lowlands oceans, arguably the largest proposed water reservoirs in Mars' history. We find that northern lowlands marine environments are likely to be low volume, transient, and short lived, prior to freezing and sublimation. Temporally associated hydrological system components (e.g., valley networks, lakes) are generally poorly integrated and characterized by intermittent, short-duration wet periods. This highly abbreviated hydrological cycle is likely to be not vertically integrated but instead horizontally stratified and thus potentially characterized by a global cryosphere separating the surface from a deeper, subsurface geothermally warmed groundwater system. Evidence for a horizontally stratified hydrological system can be traced back in time to the Late Noachian. The observed high erosion rates and the presence of phyllosilicates in the Early/Middle Noachian may have been predominantly due to the effects of the three most recent large impact basins, Hellas, Isidis, and Argyre, and their accompanying transient global deluges of hot, torrential rainfall. Sub-cryospheric, long-duration (over 4 billion years), warm subsurface groundwater systems and related chemical reactions provide an environment favorable to troglodytic chemotrophic biota in a globally connected martian "deep biosphere." If life developed on Mars, catastrophic release and dispersal of subsurface groundwater and impact excavation mean that biosignatures are likely to have been introduced and preserved globally. Samples of sedimentary environments returned to Earth may therefore offer a robust test of whether Mars ever possessed life.
Alkaline-earth metal ions exhibit distinct hydration behaviors that evolve with coordination number and govern their chemical reactivity, transport properties, and biological functions, yet a unified description linking hydration structure, electronic effects, and steric hindrance remains incomplete. In this work, the Molecular Face Theory (MFT) based on the Kohn-Sham one-electron potential (KSpot) was applied to systematically investigate the structural evolution of gas-phase hydrated clusters M-[(H2O) n ]2+ (M = Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba, n = 1-15). In addition, KSpot was employed to quantify electron density distribution, atomic partitioning, charge transfer, and steric effects during hydration. Across the series, the total water binding energy decreases monotonically with increasing ionic radius (Be2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Sr2+ > Ba2+), reflecting the dominant role of ionic charge density. The depth of the KSpot at the saddle point along a chemical bond (D pb ) for the metal-oxygen coordination bond exhibits a strong negative correlation with bond length (R = 0.98) and a positive correlation with binding energy (R = 0.99), establishing it as a quantitative descriptor of coordination stability. With the increasing hydration number, the first ionization potential decreases continuously, while the molecular face surface areas and volumes display clear inflection points at n = 6-8, elucidating saturation of the first hydration shell. Charge distribution analysis reveals efficient electrostatic screening by the first-shell water molecules, followed by a pronounced saturation behavior upon shell completion. Stereoselective analysis of calcium ion clusters indicates that seven to eight water molecules mark the structural transition from a monolayer to bilayer hydration, where steric hindrance and electrostatic interactions jointly determine conformational stability and promote second-shell formation. These results provide a unified electronic and stereoselective perspective on alkaline-earth metal ion hydration and its shell-by-shell structural evolution.
Isidoidae Heestand Saucier, France & Watling, 2021 is a rare octocoral family currently represented by a single genus and species, Isidoides armataNutting, 1910 recorded in the western Pacific Ocean. The taxonomic status and diversity of Isidoides is unclear, due to the lack of diagnostic taxonomic features and limited taxon sampling. Based on 23 Isidoides specimens obtained from the northwestern to southwestern Pacific, we carried out morphological and phylogenetic analyses to reveal the taxonomic status of new species and develop reliable features for species identification. The 23 specimens could be classified into four well-supported clades by the phylogenomic analysis of ultraconserved elements (UCEs), four groups by 28S rDNA, and two groups by mtMutS-cox1. Integrating morphology and molecular data, we uncovered unexpected diversity of Isidoides composed of the known species Isidoides armata and three new species, viz., I. elegans sp. nov., I. gracilis sp. nov. and I. pseudarmata sp. nov. The morphological analysis showed high intraspecific morphological variation in colony color and the size, shape and arrangement of polyps. By contrast, sclerite forms with their surface sculpturing are more diagnostic features for species identification. Our phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses indicate that UCEs have higher resolution than the nuclear 28S rDNA and the mitochondrial genes mtMutS and cox1 for species discrimination within Isidoidae. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:392485F5-502E-4383-B153-45B167571190.
Fulvic acid (FA), a highly reactive and soluble fraction of dissolved organic matter in cultivated soils, facilitates the formation of stable colloids through complexation with iron (Fe), thereby significantly modulating the environmental mobility of arsenic (As). However, the migration behavior of As associated with FA-Fe colloids in porous media remains insufficiently characterized, particularly regarding the integration of coupled migration processes with quantitative modeling. This study investigated colloid-mediated As(III) migration in saturated porous media using column experiments and a time-fractional advection-dispersion equation (fADE). Increasing FA concentration enhanced As mobility, as evidenced by elevated breakthrough ratios and an increase in the fractional order α from 0.475 to 0.881, signifying the attenuation of memory effects and a transition toward Fickian migration. Conversely, elevated Fe concentrations promoted colloidal aggregation and suppressed As migration, with α decreasing to 0.437, capturing non-Fickian behavior associated with particle retention and deposition. Mechanistically, FA stabilizes FA-Fe colloids through electrostatic repulsion and steric hinderance while competing for adsorption sites, whereas Fe induces aggregation and enhances pore-scale interception, leading to As sequestration via inner-sphere complexation with Fe-OH groups. Under alkaline conditions, surface charge effects strengthened electrostatic repulsion and promoted migration, while elevated ionic strength compressed the electrical double layer, facilitated deposition. These results demonstrate that As migration is governed by the coupling between colloidal stability and interfacial interactions, which is effectively quantified by fADE. These findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding As mobility in subsurface environments and offer critical insights for groundwater remediation strategies involving colloid-facilitated migration.
Accurately identifying the complex provenance of surface soil in wind erosion transition zones provides the scientific foundation for assessing regional ecological sustainability. In such areas, the provenance of surface soil is highly complex, making it particularly challenging to reveal its pedogenesis and compositional characteristics. Given that these areas are predominantly located within agro-pastoral ecotones, the Zhangbei region along the northern margin of North China was selected as the study area. A total of 145 soil samples were systematically collected from 49 profiles. Principal component analysis, rare earth element (REE) distribution patterns, and major and trace element signatures collectively revealed a distinct two-layer structure in the soil profile: an upper layer of allochthonous aeolian deposits overlying weathered parent materials. The consistency of REE patterns with typical aeolian loess, the strong correlation between the Al/Si ratio and silt content, the weathering trend observed in the A-CN-K diagram, and the spatial distribution of the Al/Si ratio collectively suggested that the surface soil is of aeolian origin. The grain size composition and elemental ratios indicated that the aeolian deposits underwent postdepositional wind erosion, which gradually weakened over time. The higher total organic carbon (TOC) content in surface soil and the strong positive correlation between TOC and silt content suggested that the decline in wind erosion intensity was closely linked to vegetation recovery. This study provides scientific evidence and methodological support for using geochemical techniques to determine the provenance of soils with complex origins.
Glaciers play an important role in shaping landscapes because of efficient bedrock erosion at their base. Understanding the contribution of glacial erosion to landscape evolution and the associated feedbacks between climate, erosion, and tectonics requires identifying the factors controlling glacial erosion. However, measuring glacial erosion rates is difficult due to the multifaceted combination of erosional processes occurring in glacial environments. Empirical validation of proposed controls on glacial erosion rates usually rely on indirect measurements of basin-wide sediment yields, which may include remobilized sediment and nonglacial sources of erosion that can obscure the contribution of glacial erosion. Here, we investigate glacial erosion using an alternative proxy: measurements of cosmogenic nuclides in bedrock samples (n = 28) at a glacier in southeastern Alaska. We leverage the spatial arrangement of paired in situ 14C-10Be measurements in bedrock to simultaneously determine the Holocene history of glacial cover and bedrock erosion rates. Measurements of erosion from a glacial landform suggest that quarrying rates are locally five times greater than abrasion rates. The observed spatial variability in abrasion rates (0.01 to 0.44 mm/y) supported by numerical ice-flow model results suggests that glacial erosion depends on a combination of sliding velocity and basal shear stress ("basal power"). Millennial-scale cosmogenic nuclide-derived erosion rates are an order of magnitude lower than sediment-derived erosion rates, which may suggest that sediment-derived values of bedrock erosion are overestimated due to timescale biases and/or contributions from nonglacial sources of sediment.
Bacterial infections remain a significant threat to public health worldwide, driving an urgent need for rapid, accurate, and field-deployable diagnostic techniques. Point-of-care testing (POCT) has emerged as a transformative strategy, providing timely detection, operational simplicity, and portability. Recent studies have aimed at enhancing sensitivity, specificity, multiplexing capability, and automation through the integration of molecular diagnostics with microfluidics and lab-on-chip technologies, alongside the development of low-cost, portable devices equipped with smartphone-based readout and cloud connectivity for real-time surveillance in resource-limited settings. Nonetheless, evidence-based frameworks for selecting optimal detection targets-such as genomic sequences, conserved protein epitopes, or viable whole cells-and matching them to appropriate POCT modalities remain notably underrepresented in the literature. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in POCT strategies for bacterial detection, categorized according to three major types of detection targets, including cellular phenotypic characteristics, surface antigens, and nucleic acids. We discuss the principles, advantages, limitations, and representative applications of key POCT platforms, which include microscopy-based visualization, immunoassays, isothermal amplification, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) systems, and microfluidic biosensors. Critical challenges, such as sample pretreatment, detection sensitivity, and operational simplicity, have been partially addressed through recent innovations. Finally, we outline the main future research directions focused on the development of integrated, automated, and intelligent POCT systems for clinical deployment. 细菌感染已成为全球性重大公共卫生威胁，亟需发展快速、准确、可现场化的诊断技术。即时检测（POCT）技术凭借其检测及时、操作简便和便携等优势，已成为应对细菌感染的变革性技术。POCT通过将分子诊断与微流控芯片技术相结合，提升了细菌检测的灵敏度、特异性、多重检测能力和自动化水平;同时，伴随着低成本、便携式检测装置不断涌现，以及智能手机读取信号与云端传输数据等技术的融合，POCT为在资源受限的场景下实时监测病原菌提供了可行性。然而，如何选择最优检测靶标（例如，基因组序列、保守蛋白表位或存活细胞）并构建与之匹配的POCT技术，相关综述尚不充分。本综述系统总结了用于细菌检测的POCT策略的最新进展，并依据三类主要检测目标（细胞表型特征、表面抗原和核酸）进行分类;评述了可视化显微镜成像技术、免疫检测方法、等温核酸扩增技术、成簇规律间隔短回文重复序列及其关联蛋白系统（CRISPR-Cas）系统以及微流控生物传感器等POCT平台的检测原理、优势、局限性及代表性生物医学应用，展示了POCT技术在样品前处理、检测灵敏度和操作简便性等关键环节上取得的阶段性突破;最后提出了当前POCT技术面向临床实际需求所面临的挑战，并展望了未来聚焦于构建集成化、自动化、智能化POCT系统的发展趋势。.
Remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols has advanced substantially over recent decades, driven by progress in satellite instrumentation and the expansion of ground-based networks such as AERONET. While agreement between satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals and AERONET reference data has improved, our analysis highlights a critical yet underrecognized imbalance in global validation frameworks. Specifically, AERONET sites are disproportionately concentrated in urban and vegetated regions, where fine-mode aerosols over dark surfaces favor retrieval accuracy, while drylands, dominated by coarse-mode aerosols over bright surfaces, are underrepresented by nearly a factor of two. This sampling bias introduces a systematic distortion in global validation outcomes. We show that nearly half of the global grid cells with elevated disagreement between MODIS and POLDER AOD products are located in drylands with angström exponent values below 0.75. In these areas, the mean top-of-atmosphere aerosol radiative cooling is weaker by 0.24 watts per square meter than in other regions and has an associated uncertainty of 22% higher. These findings highlight that, for improving estimation of global aerosol effects on climate, there is a need for a more stratified validation framework based on surface type and aerosol regime and an importance of continuing improving ground-based observations over drylands, with some network expansion if possible.
The potential of planetary atmospheres as habitats is understudied and likely underestimated. Although planetary atmospheres can provide the fundamental physical, chemical, and energetic requirements for life, they also represent unique challenges to survival and biosphere stability. Atmospheric habitats, either self-contained or dependent on surface biospheres, may exist elsewhere in the solar system and on exoplanets. Four hypotheses essential to airborne habitats and their potential importance to astrobiology include: H-I: Earth can host fully airborne life. H-II: Fully airborne microbial life can be experimentally evolved and sustained in the laboratory. H-III: Atmospheres within our solar system can be assessed for a potential aerobiosphere, with Venus the most likely candidate. H-IV: Atmospheres around exoplanets can be modeled, simulated, and observed to assess the likelihood of aerobiospheres. New theory, modeling, observation, and experimentation are required to improve our understanding of the constraints and likelihood of airborne life. Notably, we can neither confirm nor rule out multigenerational airborne life on Earth yet.
We have collected the bacterial communities inhabiting the rhizosphere and seed-surface of selected crop plants ('Panchabrihi' rice, soybean, and bean) in Bangladesh and created a draft genome assembly database of the isolated bacterial strains. Three bacterial isolates were : A1 from the rhizosphere of Panchabrihi rice, A7 and A10 from the surface of soybean and bean seeds. Whole-genome sequencing, draft genome assembly, BLAST comparison with reference genomes, Nucleotide Identity (ANI), digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), Average Amino Acid Identity (AAI), phylogenomic analyses, and annotations using Bakta revealed that the isolates are Bacillus cereus A1, Bacillus subtilis A7, and Acinetobacter soli A10. Paired-end Illumina sequencing data, draft genome assembly, and annotations generated were deposited in the NCBI database under BioProject PRJNA1366070. Afterwards, we have analysed the potential of plant growth-promoting (PGP) capacities using the eggNOG-mapper analysis, COG functional classification, secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene cluster analysis using antiSMASH, and KEGG Orthology (KO) completeness analysis. After manual curation of the functional properties of the predicted genes, we found that all three genomes were associated with PGP functions, including nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, stress tolerance, and root colonization. Additionally, we have also analysed the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements, virulence-associated genes, toxin genes, and pathogenicity genes of the isolated strains, and generated the respective database. The draft genomes were also found to have several antibiotic resistance determinant genes, mobile genetic elements, virulence-associated genes, and human pathogenic genes. Therefore, we have performed a comparative biosafety risk assessment on all three genomes and concluded that Bacillus subtilis A7 (rather than the A1 and A10) will be a safer option for possible sustainable agricultural practices. We have generated a comprehensive metadata table and submitted all relevant databases to Zenodo. Our databases will be useful for future identification of the potential PGP bacterial strains and for assessing the biosafety traits before agricultural application.
Understanding the interplay between climate variability and human activities is essential for assessing long-term river flood hazards. Yet, the relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic drivers to flood magnitude remain poorly constrained due to limited multicentury records and insufficient integration of physical mechanisms with land-use histories. Here, we present the reconstruction of a 500-y history of Yangtze River flood variability using lake sediment archives, historical documents, and high-resolution climate reanalysis data. Our results reveal that flood frequency peaked during the Little Ice Age (~1500-1850 CE), driven by a weakened Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), a southward-shifted Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and enhanced southwesterly monsoonal moisture flux into the basin. These conditions were associated with El Niño-like tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and extratropical Rossby wave activity, highlighting the role of tropical-extratropical coupling in shaping flood-prone circulation regimes. Despite increased atmospheric temperature since 1850 CE, flood frequency declined, coinciding with a strengthened WPSH, a northward-shifted ITCZ, and the dominance of La Niña-like or neutral SST patterns. A nonstationary flood frequency model reveals that embankments and lake reclamation amplified the climate-driven 100-y flood magnitude by around 18% and 8%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that human interventions have intensified, rather than mitigated, the hydrological consequences of climatic forcing. Consistent with the recognition that flood risk is inherently nonstationary, our results provide empirical, multicentennial constraints on how atmospheric dynamics and landscape modification interact to shape flood hazards, highlighting the need for process-informed flood risk assessment in large river basins.