Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the 21st century

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include: warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land-use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large scale water withdrawals, land use and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that Integrated Assessment Models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts

Influence of environmental factors on the spatial distribution and diversity of forest soil in Latvia

This study was carried out to determine the spatial relationships between environmental factors (Quaternary deposits, topographical situation, land cover, forest site types, tree species, soil texture) and soil groups, and their prefix qualifiers (according to the international Food and Agricultural Organization soil classification system World Reference Base for Soil Resources [FAO WRB]). The results show that it is possible to establish relationships between the distribution of environmental factors and soil groups by applying the generalized linear models in data statistical analysis, using the R 2.11.1 software for processing data from 113 sampling plots throughout the forest territory of Latvia.A very high diversity of soil groups in a relatively similar geological structure was revealed. For various reasons there is not always close relationship between the soil group, their prefix qualifiers and Quaternary deposits, as well as between forest site types, the dominant tree species and specific soil group and its prefix qualifiers. Close correlation was established between Quaternary deposits, forest site types, dominant tree species and soil groups within nutrient-poor sediments and very rich deposits containing free carbonates. No significant relationship was detected between the CORINE Land Cover 2005 classes, topographical situation and soil group

From USSR to EU: 20 years of rural landscape changes in Vidzeme, Latvia

Landscape changes have been observed throughout rural Europe over the past decades in relation to intensifying agriculture and land marginalisation. This is particularly true for Central and Eastern Europe as drastic political and socio-economic changes have taken place over the past century, as is the case for Latvia. Using a detailed time series of high-resolution remotely sensed images spanning from 1988 to 2007, the landscape structure (composition and configuration) in Vidzeme, central Latvia, is examined and compared between periods. Major recent events for the country, such as independence and entry into the European Union are covered. The effect on landscape structure of various socio-economic, infrastructure, physical variables, and national and European subsidies for agriculture is also investigated for the period 2000–2007. This analysis indicated that subsidies play a major role in maintaining agriculture, mostly by restoring the intensively used landscape developed during the Soviet era. The government is also shaping the landscape through its forest management. The 20-year span of the analysis underlines the non-linearity and reversibility of changes observed in the aftermath of independence. ⺠Latvia underwent major political and socio-economic changes over the last 30 years. ⺠We examined landscape structure changes in Vidzeme, from 1988 to 2007. ⺠The changes were compared to socio-economic, infrastructure, and physical variables. ⺠National and European subsidies play a key role in agricultural activities. ⺠The polarised landscape structure from the Soviet era was restored in various places

Makna Fenomena Kematian Massal Di Tengah Pandemi Covid-19 Berdasarkan Refleksi Dari Ayub 1: 1-22

The phenomenon of mass death that occurred amid the Covid-19 pandemic made people reflect on death's meaning. Job 1: 1-22 contained a reflection on death when Job lost all of his children simultaneously to death. This research's main objective is to find the meaning of the phenomenon of mass death in the midst of a pandemic based on the book of Job 1: 1-22. The method used is qualitative with a phenomenological and hermeneutic approach. This study found the meaning of mass death amid the Covid-19 pandemic based on Job 1: 1-22 is 1). the form of God's power, which must be recognized and accepted by humans; 2). the test of faith that God allows to occur in human life