Rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and reliance on fossil fuels cause serious air pollution. Air pollution affects public health, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Pakistan is among the most affected nations, particularly its major urban centers, which experience recurrent seasonal smog episodes. This study assesses the effectiveness of Sentinel-5P satellite products integrated with Google Earth Engine (GEE) for monitoring spatiotemporal variations of key air pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃) in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Gujranwala from 2018 to 2023. Monthly, seasonal, and annual composites of cloud-filtered Sentinel-5P TROPOMI data were analyzed using GEE, and statistical regression and correlation analyses were applied to examine relationships between pollutant concentrations and land surface temperature (LST). The results reveal pronounced seasonal variability in air pollutant levels, with elevated NO₂ and CO concentrations during winter due to intensified anthropogenic emissions and atmospheric stability, while O₃ concentrations peaked during spring and summer due to enhanced photochemical reactions driven by high temperatures and solar radiation. Quantitatively, wintertime NO₂ concentrations reached approximately 0.009 mol m⁻², whereas summer O₃ concentrations peaked at about 0.30 mol m⁻². Strong temperature–pollutant relationships were observed in highly urbanized cities such as Lahore and Faisalabad, reflecting the combined effects of dense infrastructure, industrial activity, and urban heat island intensity. Additionally, the COVID-19 lockdown period provided evidence of temporary reductions in pollutant concentrations and LST, highlighting the dominant role of anthropogenic activities in air quality degradation. Overall, the findings demonstrate that Sentinel-5P data, combined with automated cloud-based platforms such as GEE, provides a robust, cost-effective framework for large-scale air quality monitoring. This approach can support informed policymaking, targeted mitigation strategies, and sustainable urban planning to reduce smog intensity and protect public health in Pakistan.

Subterranean habitats, those found beneath the surface of nonmarine environments such as caves, aquifers, and other underground voids, are more widespread and ecologically significant than often assumed. These environments are functionally linked to the adjacent surface ecosystems, sharing hydrological, geochemical, and biological connections. Despite their global distribution and ecological importance, subterranean habitats remain among the least-explored and least-understood ecosystems. However, the scientific neglect of these environments is not limited to species inventories or basic ecological descriptions. This note highlights the near-complete absence of long-term ecological research (LTER) conducted on subterranean ecosystems. While LTER programmes are increasingly recognized as essential for understanding ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity trends, and the impacts of environmental change in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems, this kind of study appears to be extremely rare in subterranean environments. The lack of reference long-term studies hinders our ability to detect and interpret temporal changes in community composition, species interactions, and evolutionary processes within these unique environments. Nevertheless, there are compelling scientific reasons to promote the development of long-term ecological research in subterranean ecosystems. In fact, these simplified and relatively buffered habitats offer unique opportunities to study community interactions and adaptations under relatively stable climatic conditions. Furthermore, subterranean environments may serve as natural laboratories for investigating evolutionary processes such as ecological adaptation, morphological convergence, speciation and gene flow, especially when compared to the more variable surface environments with which they are functionally linked.

The Boreal Owl is one of the owl species that has been observed to increase its range, mainly in Central Europe. This paper presents information on the diet diversity of solitary males in newly colonised areas in northern Poland. The authors believe that colonised commercial forests represent suboptimal habitats in terms of nutritional conditions. The research was carried out in a commercial forest with old-growth pine stands being left intact for Black Woodpecker tree holes. Pellets were collected under a Norway spruce tree near a tree hole occupied by a solitary male; no females or young were observed during this period. The analysis of pellets revealed that the diet of owls consists mainly of small mammals. However, they consume significantly fewer voles (Microtus and Myodes) compared to Boreal Owls from the north of the species’ range, and representatives of insectivores (Sorex araneus and S. minutus) predominate in their diet in terms of relative abundance. Among rodents, Apodemus sylvaticus is the most abundant in the owls’ diet and, together with other murids, dominates in terms of biomass consumed. Boreal Owls also supplement their diet with birds and small bats, which indicates food plasticity. This also suggests a possible strategy of males inhabiting the few tree hollows in this area and successful breeding in years with more abundant rodent populations, which has been confirmed by other studies carried out in this area.

Climate variability is a major challenge for humanity, especially in agricultural countries, like Pakistan. Crop production in Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to climate variability. The current research addresses the Spatio-Temporal impact of climate variability on crop production using the Mann-Kendall trend model (MKTM) within the Potohar region, Pakistan. The trends in temperature and resulting changes in rainfall patterns and crops production in this region have a strong relationship with temperature changes, as the agriculture of the Potohar region depends solely on rainfall. There are no alternative means of cultivation in the area so agriculture depends only on the amount and duration of rainfall. To conduct this study, metrological data was collected from the Pakistan Meteorological Department for the three meteorological stations located in the Potohar region. ArcGIS software was used to analyze the satellite images from four different times to observe changes in vegetation cover during this period. Normalize difference vegetation index (NDVI) and Soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) from Landsat 5 and 8 were used to assess the levels of vegetation and soil moisture. The MKTM method was applied to demonstrate the fluctuations in annual temperature and rainfall. Rainfall data showed a decrease in annual rainfall and rise in temperature in Rawalpindi and Chakwal districts. The Mann Kendall trend model indicated that there is no significant trend detected in both rainfall and temperature data. The combination of indices identified periods where drought is affecting cultivation. The results showed that significant changes occurred in vegetation cover, with image classification showed the low vegetation cover in recent years. The analysis further explains that the observed deviation in climate data is attributed to the climate variability in this region. Weather factors such as air temperature, humidity, and soil temperature also support the normal growth of crops, ensuring normal crop yields. However, significant changes in rainfall and temperature will affect crop yield in the future.

The work presents the relationship between the degree of pollution of water bodies and changes in the structure of internal organs of the marsh frogs, Pelophylax ridibundus complex, inhabiting these bodies of water. To determine this relationship, two natural lakes and one artificial water reservoir located in an industrialised area near the city of Astana in Kazakhstan were investigated and conclusions were drawn regarding the gradient of anthropogenic pollution. In addition, histological examinations of the gastrointestinal tract of frogs caught from these water bodies differing significantly in the gradient of heavy metal concentration were carried out. It was found that of the analyzed organs, the stomach and liver were the most sensitive to pollution. The concordance of the intensity of damage to these organs with the degree of pollution of the lakes and the reservoir, as determined by physicochemical analysis of the water, indicate that the studied species can be considered a bioindicator of early pollution of aquatic biotopes.

Regeneration will determine the success of forest restoration and affect the sustainability of future forest ecosystems. Research has been conducted to evaluate the characteristics of the regeneration storey and their spatial distribution on the ground. The study has established 10 plots (100 m x 100 m) for secondary forests, 10 plots for old-growth forests. Sub-plots (2 m x 2 m) were set up systemically to investigate the regeneration. The results showed that 148 species in secondary forest and 130 species in old-growth forest were found. The number of families in the secondary forest was lower than in the old-growth forest by 3 families. The Simpson index of both forest states was high (0.9769 and 0.9799 respectively). Canonical correspondence analysis exposed that species composition of both species and families between the two types of stages was significant dissimilar. There were clear groups of species and families appeared together with similar frequency in plots proved by hierarchical classification. In both stages, the height frequency distribution was inverse-J shape forms. And these distributions were different in studied types. The good regeneration in two studies states of forests were 67.9% and 55.7%. Regeneration quality was significant associated with height and light classes. The number of regenerating trees generated in each 1-hectare plot of the secondary forest was almost twice that of the old-growth forest. In the secondary forest, most plots illustrated that the spatial pattern was random at all scales. Contrary, in the old-growth forest, the patterns were much more complicated.

Soil fertility and productivity can increase with the addition of organic fertilizer. The continuous cropping, long-term use of inorganic fertilizer, soil erosion, and overgrazing may lead to a decline in soil organic matter. Soil fertility can be enhanced by using organic substances such as humic acid (HA) and root-associated bacteria like plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The study aimed to compare the impact of organic (HA and PGPR) and inorganic (RDF- Recommended dose of fertilizer) fertilizer on the soil’s physicochemical parameters during the winter seasons at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pant Nagar in the year of 2020-21 and 2021-22. This study used a randomized block design (RBD) with ten treatments and three replicates. The contents of the treatments used are as follows: T1; Control (Only RDF), T2; HA- 2.5 kg/ha (soil application), T3; Seeds treated with HA -20 g/kg of soil), T4; seeds treated with PGPR - 20 g/kg of seed, T5; RDF (NPK mixture), T6; RDF + HA (soil application), T7; RDF +HA (seed treatment), T8; RDF +PGPR (Seed treatment), T9; HA (soil application) +PGPR (seed treatment), T10; RDF + HA (soil application) + PGPR (seed treatment). The results showed that T10 (RDF+ HA-soil application + PGPR) had the most significant impact on the soil’s particle density (PD), water retention, organic carbon content (OC), and accessible nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content in the soil during both years of experiment. The detailed research concluded that applying humic acid, PGPR, and RDF positively improved soil properties.

The global devastating effect of COVID-19 has also wrapped up the mega city of Pakistan-Karachi. The study was conducted to reveal the effects of limited anthropogenic activities, in terms of national lockdown, on the environmental pollution in Karachi. No study has been conducted to monitor the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on levels of PM2.5 and noise in Karachi so far. The levels of PM2.5 and noise were monitored before and during the imposition of the COVID-19 lockdown with the help of a particulate monitor and environmental meter, respectively. The monitoring was conducted for 12 hours at 25 locations. The spatial distribution of mean PM2.5 and noise levels were represented by thematic maps. Statistical evaluation revealed a significant decrease in PM2.5 and noise pollution by 53.55% and 24.98%, respectively. The percentage of locations where the mean PM2.5 level was surpassing the Sindh environmental quality standards before the lockdown had dropped from 56% to 8% during the lockdown. Similarly, the percentage of locations where the mean value of noise exceeded the standard values before lockdown had descended from 96% to 24 % for residential areas; 72% to 12% for commercial areas; and 44% to 0% for industrial areas, during lockdown.

Due to the natural engagements of citizen scientists, they have the advantage of species encounters, thus leveraging their significance in biodiversity studies. When a citizen scientist reports a suspected new species, an investigation may first require studies on taxonomy and biological analysis. There are cases, however, when their reports pertain to already known species that may still need investigations (species’ occurrence and distributions), considering different ecological viewpoints. With this premise, we conducted a field survey (station-based visual data collection) to probe the extent of the distribution of two species described with citizen science engagements. We also explored the species-associated cultural practices in the community. Our results reveal the presence of the two species with distributions varying in spatiotemporal contexts, validating the contribution of citizen science to the distribution record. With ecological management perspectives, we provide the following notions: conservation plans for the “rare” species and eradication programs for the invasive species on the island.

In the fast urbanizing world, it has become vital to study urban ecology so as to understand where and how anthropogenic activities impair the urban environment, including air quality; and how living conditions can be improved by urban planning without mortifying urban ecology. This may require innovative technological ideas to efficiently and judiciously utilize the limited urban space. Air quality mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) provides one such effective tool to urban planners to identify and target specific areas for air quality management in urban setting. In the present study, the air quality mapping of a well-planned city of Chandigarh (India) with proper environmental management zoning has revealed that the air quality index (AQI) of the city falls under “Moderately Polluted (101-200)” category primarily due to annual average concentrations of (range: 44.17-68.87; overall: 56.64) and (range: 99.32-129.39; overall: 111.92) being higher than the permissible levels of 40 and 60 respectively as per Indian standards at all locations as well as for overall city. The study has identified vehicular traffic as the primary reason responsible for the moderately polluted air quality of the city that has the highest vehicle density (878 per 1,000 population) in India. The paper has also suggested measures that may be incorporated during designing and developing the physical and social infrastructures in the city so as to judiciously and efficiently utilize the limited urban space.