DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e183515

Authors: Antonio Hoguane

Abstract: African estuaries are critical ecosystems that serve as vital interfaces between terrestrial and marine environments, playing indispensable roles in regional and global sustainability. Africa possess the second largest river in the world, the Congo river. This review article synthesizes expert perspectives on the multifaceted importance of these dynamic systems, highlighting their ecological, economic, and social contributions. We explore their significance as biodiversity hotspots, nurseries for commercially important species, natural filters for pollutants, and buffers against climate change impacts. Furthermore, the article examines the threats facing African estuaries, including pollution, habitat degradation, overexploitation, and climate change, and discusses the implications for human well-being and ecosystem resilience. By integrating current research and expert insights, we underscore the urgent need for integrated management strategies and conservation efforts to safeguard these invaluable natural assets for present and future generations.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e182452

Authors: Emad Al-Helaly

Abstract: This study utilizes multi-temporal remote sensing images and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze and document significant land cover changes in the Bahr Al-Najaf depression, Najaf Governorate, Iraq, over a 23-year period (2002–2025)1.A systematic methodology was employed, featuring the use of Landsat series (TM, ETM+, OLI/TIRS). Following rigorous preprocessing for radiometric and geometric consistency 3, the images were subjected to supervised classification using the robust Random Forest algorithm4. The primary land cover classes analyzed include shallow water, deep water, dry soil, wet soil, and buildings. The post-classification comparison method was applied across multiple time intervals (e.g., 2002 vs. 2015, 2023 vs. 2025) to quantify the dynamics of change. The results were validated with field visits to document classification accuracy and identify water sources.The findings reveal a highly dynamic environment, marked by severe fluctuations in water bodies. The study documents periods of significant drought and water scarcity, particularly noting the near-disappearance of shallow water and increased dry land presence by 2015. This decline is attributed to reduced rainfall, excessive groundwater depletion from random drilling, and high evaporation rates exacerbated by temperatures reaching 500 C. Conversely, the analysis also notes an expansion in water area between 2003 and 2023, considered the largest in decades. Furthermore, there has been an evident increase in anthropogenic changes, specifically the growth of built-up areas (buildings), driven by agricultural and tourism projects, which has led to waterlogging, deterioration of vegetation cover, and potential conflict with efforts to establish the area as a nature reserve. Continuous monitoring is essential for controlling the fate of this biologically and ecologically vital area.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e180508

Authors: Christopher John Topping, Noa Simon Delso, James Henty Williams, Johan Axelman

Abstract: EU chemical regulation remains slow, costly, and prone to “ecological surprises” such as unforeseen negative impacts, delayed neonicotinoid bans and ongoing pollinatordecline. Current approaches create silos, overlook cumulative impacts, and trap decisions in binary “safe/unsafe” categories.A systems-first, tools-second approach can deliver faster, cheaper, and more effective decisions by prioritising simulation and systems understanding before developing regulatory tools forEnvironmental Risk Assessment (ERA).Horizon Europe’s PollinERA project demonstrates how this can work in practice: building a prototype One Systemworkflow with interoperable data and models for pollinator risk assessment; an approach that can be expanded to other environmental domains.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e173693

Authors: Tom Breeze, W. Daniel Kissling, Maria Lumbierres, Joana Santana, Alejandra Morán-Ordóñez, Roy Van Grunsven, Tim Hirsch, Tree Robionson, Simon Potts, Ian McCallum, Ute Jandt, Cesar Capinha, Andres Marmol-Guijarro, Jessica Junker, Pavel Stoev, Camino Liquete, Henrique M. Pereira

Abstract: Although biodiversity monitoring costs are widely cited as a constraint, there have been very few assessments of these costs and even fewer studies have assessed the potential benefits of this monitoring. Here, we synthesise available evidence, alongside a comprehensive assessment of the costs of proposed biodiversity monitoring to explore the relative costs, benefits risks and opportunities in biodiversity monitoring. We find that the costs of biodiversity monitoring, €0.5bn-€3.6bn/year, are greatly outweighed by the combined economic benefits and opportunities arising from the availability of co-ordinated, high-quality data, which are estimated to be >€25.2bn/year.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e167014

Authors: Dorota Kołbuk, Julie Bremner, Ashley Cahillane, Valentina Di Gennaro, Tasman Crowe

Abstract: In this study we apply the bow-tie risk analysis framework to map the causes and consequences of decline or loss of five key Irish Sea ecosystem components: intertidal sandflats and mudflats, burrowing fauna including Dublin Bay prawn Nephrops norvegicus, blue mussel Mytilus edulis, commercially harvested fish, and wintering waterbirds. Main activities exerting multiple pressures on the Irish Sea ecosystem include energy production from offshore wind farms, tourism and leisure, fishing, transport, agriculture, urban and industrial uses, and waste treatment and disposal. All of them can contribute to decline in condition or loss of critical habitats and biota, leading to significant ecological, economic and sociocultural consequences. Understanding these consequences is essential for designing appropriate management responses. The bow-tie approach allows to identify management risks and highlights the most impactful control points for intervention to prevent or mitigate adverse biodiversity events.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e166451

Authors: Lorenzo Latini, Giorgio Massaro, Stefania Coppa, Jacopo Giampaoletti, Giuseppe de Lucia, Alessia Dinoi, Paolo Magni

Abstract: The Gulf of Oristano Area, located on the central-western coast of Sardinia (Italy, Mediterranean Sea), is a highly diverse and ecologically valuable region. This area features a mosaic of habitats, supports rich biodiversity, and sustains traditional fishing practices. It is also protected under various international and EU conservation frameworks. However, despite its ecological importance, the Gulf Area faces growing pressures from human activities such as overfishing, eutrophication, habitat loss, and the introduction of non-native species. This study applies a bow-tie risk analysis framework to identify key drivers, pressures, and consequences associated with three central ecological events: species decline and loss, habitat change, and increased competition with non-native species. Stakeholder consultations and standardized classification systems inform the assessment, highlighting the interplay between legal fishing, tourism, aquaculture, pollution, and infrastructure development. The analysis identifies both prevention and mitigation measures, such as spatial planning, environmental monitoring, citizen science, and sustainable tourism and fisheries initiatives. While the environmental regulation of the Gulf of Oristano Area provides a basis for ecosystem protection, persistent challenges – such as enforcement, fragmented governance, and low stakeholder engagement – hinder effectiveness. To ensure ecological integrity and socio-economic resilience in the central-western Sardinian coast, this study underscores the need for strengthened integrated coastal zone management, alignment with EU strategies, and investment in adaptive and participatory conservation approaches.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e144181

Authors: Manfred Asiedu, Gideon Twieku, Rhoda Lims

Abstract: We propose to explore an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to malaria control by employing fish as biological agents to reduce mosquito populations. Given the rising challenges of insecticide resistance and the environmental concerns associated with chemical interventions, this project investigates the effectiveness of fish species in consuming mosquito larvae, thereby lowering the prevalence of malaria vectors. Through a combination of laboratory experiments, ecological assessments and community engagement in malaria-endemic regions, the project will identify optimal fish species for this purpose, assess their impact on local ecosystems and gauge community perspectives on adopting fish-based malaria control methods. Key objectives include evaluating predation efficiency, determining ecological compatibility, quantifying the reduction in malaria transmission and fostering local involvement to enhance sustainability. This innovative approach has the potential to provide a scalable, environmentally conscious solution for malaria management, contributing to global public health efforts and advancing sustainable disease control strategies.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e134026

Authors: Claudia Fornarini, Alessandra D'Alessio, Jeremy Dertien, Néstor Fernández, Francisco Moreira, Anandi Sarita Namasivayam, Louise O'Connor, Henrique Pereira, Peter Verburg, Carlo Rondinini

Abstract: A key goal of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is the design of a connected Trans European Nature Network (TEN-N), that helps to build a coherent and resilient network of protected areas across Europe. The TEN-N will need to consider and integrate societal perspectives on future biodiversity protection in Europe, accounting for multiple values and perspectives of nature. The NaturaConnect project, through a process of co-design with stakeholders, is developing narratives on future nature protection in Europe using the Nature Futures Framework (NFF). In this framework. three value perspectives of nature are presented at each corner of a triangle: Nature for Nature, Nature as Culture, and Nature for Society. By using this framework, NaturaConnect aligns with global efforts on scenario development auspicated by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). This report outlines the development of scenario narratives for Europe of the NaturaConnect project. The development of the narratives considered the global and European policy context as a starting point, and included a stakeholder engagement process conducted to elicit stakeholders' preferences and visions in relation to future nature conservation and management in Europe. These narratives present contrasting perspectives and priorities for seven themes: Protected areas, Connectivity and Restoration, Forestry, Freshwater ecosystems, Urban system, Agriculture, Energy. These topics are key to building a more positive future for nature and people. Besides specificities for each narrative, we also identify commonalities across the three perspectives, including macroeconomic trend assumptions, biodiversity strategic goals of the European Union and shared solutions that are necessary to achieve any positive nature future.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e128158

Authors: Helge Bruelheide, Ute Jandt, Néstor Fernández, Andres Marmol-Guijarro, Bruno Smets, Marcel Buchhorn, Lori Giagnacovo, Giorgia Milli, Borja Jimenez-Alfaro, Jose Manuel Álvarez-Martínez

Abstract: The report demonstrates the potential workflows to leverage monitoring data on biodiversity to assess the status of two selected habitats of the Habitats Directive, Nardus grasslands (EU habitats directive Annex I 6230*) and forest dominated by Fagus sylvatica on acidic soils (habitat 9110).

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e124640

Authors: Julian Lopez Gordillo, Patrik Lauha, Ari Lehtiö, Ossi Nokelainen, Anis Rahman, Allan Souza, Jussi Talaskivi, Gleb Tikhonov, Aurélie Vancraeyenest, Otso Ovaskainen

Abstract: Bird populations respond rapidly to environmental change making them excellent ecological indicators. Climate shifts advance migration, causing mismatches in breeding and resources. Understanding these changes is crucial to monitor the state of environment. Citizen science offers vast potential to collect biodiversity data. We outline a project that combines citizen science with AI-based bird sound classification. The mobile app records bird vocalizations that are classified by AI and stored for re-analysis. Also, it shows a shared observation board that visualizes collective classifications. By merging long-term monitoring and modern citizen science, this project harnesses both approaches’ strengths for comprehensive bird population monitoring.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e116667

Authors: Benjamin Beuster, Hilde Orten

Abstract: The paper focuses on the technical workflow description of EOSC Future’s Science Project 9 'Climate Neutral and Smart Cities', using reputable data sources such as the European Social Survey (ESS), the European Environmental Agency (EEA), and Copernicus ERA5.A significant contribution of this project to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) is its demonstration of cross-domain data integration using the DDI-CDI metadata standard. This serves as a practical example of how the DDI-CDI Process model can offer a standardised methodology for detailing integration processes, thereby ensuring clarity for researchers dealing with integrated data and computed variables.The paper outlines the key elements of the CDI-Process model selected for this approach, which includes around 10 classes such as 'Activity,' 'Step,' and 'Parameter.' These classes form the structural framework for the data integration steps.Additionally, a tool developed under the project visualises the entire workflow as outlined in the CDI workflow description

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e115047

Authors: Arofan Gregory, Joachim Wackerow, Hilde Orten

Abstract: The Climate Neutral and Smart Cities project is part of the EOSC Future WP 6.3, exploring the best approaches for sharing data within cross-domain research projects. This paper looks at the implications for metadata exchange in a cross-domain research project, as explored in the project prototype. Cross-domain standard metadata is meeded to support collaborative research teams combining a mix of expertise, particularly around data lineage.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e114675

Authors: Hilde Orten, David Rayner, Eirik Stavestrand, Iris Alfredsson, Ilze Lace, Irena Vipavc Brvar, Maja Dolinar, Joachim Wackerow, Hannah Clark

Abstract: Knowledge of how personal experience with climate and air quality influence personal attitudes, concerns, and actions about environmental issues is increasingly important. A solid foundation for such studies is to combine interview or survey data on respondents’ attitudes and beliefs with indices created from independent meteorological or environmental monitoring data matched to the respondents location.In this project, indicators of climate and air pollution were integrated with data from the European Social Survey for a selection of large European urban regions. A prototype provenance description application was also developed for describing the workflow for creating indicators and integrating data.Our main focus was on creating indicators that represent regional anomalies in local air quality and weather for a range of time windows up-to-and-including the dates of the interviews. The goal is to facilitate investigation of relationships between urban citizen’s attitudes and behaviors as represented in the survey responses and the conditions in their local environment.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e107872

Authors: Bodil Agasøster, Eric Harrison, Hilde Orten

Abstract: The main objective of the Science Project (SP) Climate Neutral and Smart Cities is to demonstrate that environmental data and data about people’s attitudes, behavior and involvement can be combined for social, political and scientific analysis. In the project, scientists from the Social Sciences & Humanities Open Cloud (SSHOC) and Environmental Research Infrastructures (ENVRI) community work together with the aim of producing new and useful outputs for the benefit of the research community, such as indicators related to environmental indices, and methods and workflows for computing them. The environmental variables will be integrated with data from the European Social Survey for a selection of big European city regions. Data and metadata from the project will be accessible through a new prototype application that will be made available as an exploratory “labs” service from the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Portal and the EOSC Marketplace. This will allow easy access to cross-domain data for scientific analysis and their provenance, as well as to other deliverables from the project.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e106369

Authors: Christos Arvanitidis, Ron Dekker, Andreas Petzold, Niklas Blomberg, Giovanni Lamanna, Rudolf Dimper, Cristina Isabel Huertas Olivares, Ana Mellado, Matthew Viljoen, Sally Chambers, Montserrat González, Sophie Viscido

Abstract: The Special Collection of articles on the Science Projects of the EOSC Future project, funded by the European Commission, refers to one of the essential components of the project. This editorial article explains how the Science Projects fit to the EOSC Future, the way their concept has been developed and evolved during the preparation and the implementation of the project and it also makes an introduction to the templates developed by the Science Projects as a plan to carry out their activities.

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e93911

Authors: Norbert Zanga, Victor Pwema Kianfu, Shango Mutambwe, Dieudonné Musibono Eyul’Anki, Victorine Mbadu Zebe, John Tembeni Makiadi, Nseu Bekeli Mbomba, Jean Micha

Abstract: Background. Clupeidae, Nannothrissa stewarti (Poll & Roberts 1976) endemic to Lake Mai-Ndombe is one of most heavily fished fish groups using practices and nets not allowed by the country's legislation. Objective of this study was to determine some aspects of reproductive biology of N. stewarti in Lake Mai-Ndombe.Materials and methods. Fish were sampled monthly from November 2020 to October 2021 breeding parameters were determined : Gonado-somatic index (GSI), Size at first sexual maturity, Absolute fecundity and the relationship between total weight (WT) and total length.Results. Results obtained showed that the sex ratio was in favor of females (1 : 0.8). Estimated absolute fecundity was between 227 and 4080 oocytes for females of total length between 23 and 35 mm with an average of 923 ± 664 g oocytes and a relative fecundity varying between 25115 and 155457 oocytes kg-1. Average oocyte diameter was 0.20 ± 0.14 mm. Distribution of oocyte diameters observed in the population as well as monthly variations of the Somatic Gonado Index (SGI) indicate that the species has two main clutches during the year. LT50 size at first sexual maturity is 27.6 mm for males and 25.5 mm for females.Conclusion. N. stewarti from Lake Mai-Ndombe has multiple reproduction throughout year with however two maximum peaks at the beginning of peak rainfall (February-March and September-October).

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DOI: 10.3897/arphapreprints.e81207

Authors: Henrique M. Pereira, Jessi Junker, Néstor Fernández, Joachim Maes, Pedro Beja, Aletta Bonn, Tom Breeze, Lluís Brotons, Helge Bruehlheide, Marcel Buchhorn, César Capinha, Cher Chow, Karolin Dietrich, Maria Dornelas, Grégoire Dubois, Miguel Fernandez, Mark Frenzel, Nikolai Friberg, Steffen Fritz, Ivelina Georgieva, Anne Gobin, Carlos Guerra, Sigrid Haande, Sergi Herrando, Ute Jandt, W. Daniel Kissling, Ingolf Kühn, Christian Langer, Camino Liquete, Anne Lyche Solheim, David Martí, Juliette G. C. Martin, Annett Masur, Ian McCallum, Marit Mjelde, Jannicke Moe, Hannah Moersberger, Alejandra Morán-Ordóñez, Francisco Moreira, Martin Musche, Laetitia M. Navarro, Alberto Orgiazzi, Robert Patchett, Lyubomir Penev, Joan Pino, Gabriela Popova, Simon Potts, Anna Ramon, Leonard Sandin, Joana Santana, Anna Sapundzhieva, Linda See, Judy Shamoun-Baranes, Bruno Smets, Pavel Stoev, Leho Tedersoo, Liis Tiimann, Jose Valdez, Sara Vallecillo, Roy H. A. Van Grunsven, Ruben Van De Kerchove, Dani Villero, Piero Visconti, Claudia Weinhold, Annika M. Zuleger

Abstract: Observations are key to understand the drivers of biodiversity loss, and the impacts on ecosystem services and ultimately on people. Many EU policies and initiatives demand unbiased, integrated and regularly updated biodiversity and ecosystem service data. However, efforts to monitor biodiversity are spatially and temporally fragmented, taxonomically biased, and lack integration in Europe. EuropaBON aims to bridge this gap by designing an EU-wide framework for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem services. EuropaBON harnesses the power of modelling essential variables to integrate different reporting streams, data sources, and monitoring schemes. These essential variables provide consistent knowledge about multiple dimensions of biodiversity change across space and time. They can then be analyzed and synthesized to support decision-making at different spatial scales, from the sub-national to the European scale, through the production of indicators and scenarios. To develop essential biodiversity and ecosystem variables workflows that are policy relevant, EuropaBON is built around stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange (WP2). EuropaBON will work with stakeholders to identify user and policy needs for biodiversity monitoring and investigate the feasibility of setting up a center to coordinate monitoring activities across Europe (WP2). Together with stakeholders, EuropaBON will assess current monitoring efforts to identify gaps, data and workflow bottlenecks, and analyse cost-effectiveness of different schemes (WP3). This will be used to co-design improved monitoring schemes using novel technologies to become more representative temporally, spatially and taxonomically, delivering multiple benefits to users and society (WP4). Finally, EuropaBON will demonstrate in a set of showcases how workflows tailored to the Birds Directive, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, Climate and Restoration Policy, and the Bioeconomy Strategy, can be implemented (WP5).

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