Ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation for Sustainable Development: a special issue of sustainability

The world is facing unprecedented biodiversity loss due to rampant ecosystem degradation that is further accelerated by climate change. This loss has accelerated the impact of climate change on marginalized and vulnerable societies with consequences for human health, livelihoods, and well-being. The effective implementation of ecological restoration at local, regional and national level can bring diverse benefits not only for the environment but also promote social and economic sustainability to communities. Ecosystem restoration is the supremely important science for the Anthropocene and requires collaboration of experts from diverse disciplines such as social sciences, economics, life sciences, earth and environmental studies, along with policy makers and industrial partners can bring in pragmatic solutions to halt and/or reduce biodiversity loss and protect natural resources from further degradation. This approach is required to address the climate crisis and biodiversity emergency and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It will also contribute to, the Nationally Determined Targets, the Post 2020 global biodiversity targets, focusing on developing a mutually beneficial relationship between people and nature, the UBCCD targets for Land Degradation Neutrality and the success of the UN-Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). It is of paramount importance that integrated, participatory collaborative efforts are made to establish a hybrid knowledge framework that includes scientific, as well indigenous and traditional knowledge, to maximize the success of restoration efforts at local level. This must be effectively integrated in governance instruments and policy planning to enhance institutional capacity to tackle the complex challenges of ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss and strengthen the global agenda of living in harmony with nature. This special issue invites contributions in the form of original research papers, critical reviews, or opinion articles linking various disciplines, as outlined above, related to the development of integrated sustainable solutions for ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation

Ion conducting and paramagnetic d-PCL(530)/siloxane-based biohybrids doped with Mn 2+ ions

Amorphous α,ω-hidroxylpoly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL(530))/siloxane ormolytes doped with manganese perchlorate (Mn(ClO4)2) (d-PCL(530)/siloxanenMn(ClO4)2) with n = 20, 50, and 100), thermally stable up to at least 200 ºC, were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Ionic conductivity values up to 4.8×10−8 and 2.0×10−6 S cm−1 at about 25 and 100 ºC, respectively, where obtained for n = 20. FT-IR data demonstrated that the hydrogen bonding interactions present in the non-doped d-PCL(530)/siloxane host hybrid matrix were significantly influenced by the inclusion of Mn(ClO4)2 which promoted the formation of more oxyethylene/urethane and urethane/urethane aggregates. In addition, the Mn2+ ions bonded to all the “free” C=O groups of the urethane cross-links and to some of the “free” ester groups of the amorphous PCL(530) chains. In the electrolytes, the ClO4 − ions were found “free” and bonded to the Mn2+ ions along a bidentate configuration. The magnitude of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) hyperfine constant of the analyzed samples (A ≈ 90×10-4 cm−1 ) suggested that the bonding between Mn2+ ions and the surrounding ligands is moderately ionic. The synthetized d-PCL(530)/siloxanenMn(ClO4)2 biohybrids have potential application in paramagnetic, photoelectrochemical and electrochromic devices.This work was supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Feder (contracts PTDC/CTM-BPC/112774/2009, PEst-OE/QUI/UI0616/2014 and PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013) and COST Action MP1202 "Rational design of hybrid organic-inorganic interfaces". R.F.P.P. acknowledges FCT for a grant (SFRH/BPD/87759/2012). M.M.S. acknowledges CNPq (PVE grant 406617/2013-9), for a mobility grant. The financial support of the Brazilian agencies Capes and CNPq are gratefully acknowledged. Research was partially financed by the CeRTEV, Center for Research, Technology and Education in Vitreous Materials, FAPESP 2013/07793-6.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Barbarians at the British Museum: Anglo-Saxon Art, Race and Religion

A critical historiographical overview of art historical approaches to early medieval material culture, with a focus on the British Museum collections and their connections to religion