Ecology

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of applying modified bone char by sulfur (MBC) with humic acid and co-applying bone char (BC) with sulfur (S) or humic acid (HA) on chemical properties, phosphorus (P) availability, and spinach growth in calcareous sandy soil. This pot experiment has twelve treatments: Control (CK), bone + S (BS), bone + HA (BHA), BC + S (BCS), BC + HA (BCHA), MBC, MBC + HA (MBCHA), acidified BC with 0.1 N H2SO4 (0.1ABC), acidified BC with 1 N H2SO4 (1ABC), rock phosphate (RP), RP + S (RPS), and RP + HA (RPHA). The B, BC, MBC, 0.1ABC, 1ABC, and RP were added at 300 mg P kg− 1 soil doses. Spinach was grown in this experiment. Applying all treatments significantly increased soil phosphorus availability. Available phosphorus increased from 11.61 mg kg− 1 (CK) to 19.70, 19.76, 21.82, 22.25, 22.45, 26.09, 19.58, 21.01, 15.26, 18.95, and 17.77 mg kg− 1 for BS, BHA, BCS, BCHA, MBC, MBCHA, 0.1ABC, 1ABC, RP, RPS, and RPHA, respectively. The effectiveness of the treatments in this study on the available phosphorus improvement was in the order of MBCHA > MBC > BCHA > BCS > 1ABC > BHA > BS > 0.1ABC > RPS > RPHA > RP > control. Compared to the control treatment, applying BHA, BCS, BCHA, MBC, MBCHA, 1ABC, RPS, and RPHA to the soil significantly increased the fresh shoot of the spinach plant. Fresh shoot of spinach increased from 46.02 g pot− 1 for CK to 54.41, 54.36, 56.94, 50.39, 51.91, 48.83, 54.24, and 49.52 g pot− 1 for BHA, BCS, BCHA, MBC, MBCHA, 1ABC, RPS, and RPHA, respectively. The effectiveness of treatments in improving the fresh weight of spinach was in the order of BCHA > BHA ≈ BCS > RPS > MBCHA > MBC > RPHA > 1ABC > control > RP > BS > 0.1ABC. Our results concluded that co-applying bone char with sulfur is optimal for enhancing soil quality indicators and improving fresh and dry shoots of spinach. Due to its cheaper price, it is preferable to add sulfur with bone char rather than humic acid.

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Data availability

The datasets used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Abbreviations0.1ABC:
Acidified BC with 0.1 N H2SO4
1ABC:
Aacidified BC with 1 N H2SO4
B:
Bone
BHA:
Bone + humic acid
BS:
Bone + sulfur
BC:
Bone char
BCHA:
Bone char + humic acid
BCS:
Bone char + sulfur
C:
Carbon
Ca:
Calcium
CaCO3
:
Calcium carbonate
CK:
Control
Cl:
Chloride
EC:
Electrical conductivity
H:
Hydrogen
H2O2
:
Hydrogen peroxide
H2SO4
:
Sulfuric Acid
ha:
Hectare
HA:
Humic acid
HCl:
Hydrochloric acid
HCO3
:
Bicarbonate
K:
Potassium
MBC:
Modified bone char
MBCHA:
Modified bone char + humic acid
Mg:
Magnesium
N:
Nitrogen
Na:
Sodium
NaOH:
Sodium hydroxide
O.M:
Organic matter
P:
Phosphorus
p:
Probability
RP:
Rock phosphate
RPHA:
Rock phosphate + humic acid
RPS:
Rock phosphate + sulfur
S:
Sulfur
SO4
:
Sulfate
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Abu El-Eyuoon Abu Zied Amin.Ethics declarations

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KeywordsBone charHumic acidModified bone charSpinachSulfurSustainable agriculture More

AbstractTelecommunication networks, including 5G New Radio (5G-NR), emit these fields and consequently expose many insects. To quantify the potential effect of RF-EMF exposure on insects, a study was designed examining the development of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a major vector of dengue and other pathogens, as model organism exposed to RF-EMFs at 3.6 GHz. A custom exposure setup, a reverberation chamber, was designed, built, and characterized. Numerical simulations made it possible to calculate doses received by the larvae during the exposure. Larvae were reared on two feeding regimes, differing in nutritional value, and exposed for 5 days. At an RF exposure level of 46.2 V/m and absorbed power of 1.2 (upmu)W, a slower development occurred, especially for weakened larvae. At an RF exposure level of 182.6 V/m and 18.7 (upmu)W absorbed power, dielectric heating changed development timing and adult size.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The 3D model generated and/or analysed during the current study is available in the Zenodo repository, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13881907.
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Download referencesAcknowledgementsThis work was funded by the FWO under grant agreement no. G033220N (A.T.). Ghent University Special Research Fund is acknowledged for the financial support through projects BOF.EXP.2017.0007 and BOF.COR.2022.008 (M.N.B.) and through grant BOF.CDV.2024.0064.01 (E.D.).Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsDepartment of Information Technology, Ghent University – Imec, Ghent, 9000, BelgiumEline De BorreSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, 4123, SwitzerlandCharles De Massia & Pie MüllerUniversity of Basel, Basel, 4001, SwitzerlandCharles De Massia & Pie MüllerCentre for Xray Tomography (UGCT), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, BelgiumMatthieu N. BoonePhotonics Initiative, Advanced Science and Research Center, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, 10030, USAArno ThielensAuthorsEline De BorreView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCharles De MassiaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMatthieu N. BooneView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarPie MüllerView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarArno ThielensView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsE.D., C.D., P.M., A.T. conceived the experiments, E.D. and C.D. conducted the experiments, E.D. and C.D. analysed the experimental results, E.D. conducted the simulations and characterized the RC, M.N.B. scanned the insect and created the 3D model. E.D. wrote the main manuscript text, all authors reviewed the manuscript.Corresponding authorsCorrespondence to
Eline De Borre or Arno Thielens.Ethics declarations

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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleDe Borre, E., De Massia, C., Boone, M.N. et al. Exposure to 5G-NR electromagnetic fields affects larval development of Aedes aegypti mosquito.
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KeywordsYellow fever mosquitoRadio-frequencyElectromagnetic ExposureReverberation ChamberInsect Development5G More

Abstract

A hundred years ago Karl von Frisch and his students demonstrated that honey bees use time-memory to schedule their daily foraging flights. However, till today little is known about molecular processes and functional interactions between memory centers and the circadian clock underlying the capability to form time-memories in animals. Combining feeder time-training of foragers with time-series RNA sequencing and RNAscope labeling revealed molecular features associated with the expectation of foraging activity: (i) anticipatory activation of the transcription factor Egr1 and the receptor for pigment dispersing factor (pdfr) in the small-type Kenyon cells (KCs), (ii) synchronized peak-expression of more than 850 genes including Egr1 downstream genes and well-known memory-related genes during training time, and (iii) groups of KCs and cells associated with the central complex co-expressing per and cry2. With respect to earlier studies characterizing behavioral correlates of time-memory, we speculate that anticipatory initiation of physiological and transcriptional activity in the small-type KCs might function in preparing the worker bee for its foraging activity including reactivation and reconsolidation of foraging related memories. The expression of clock genes in addition to pdfr in KCs suggests an unexpected complexity of functional interactions between memory centers and the clock in honey bees.

Data availability

The RNA-seq data generated and/or analyzed during the current study have been deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) under the Accession Number GSE263576.
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Download referencesAcknowledgementsWe thank Gene E. Robinson, Wulfila Gronenberg, and Charlotte Helfrich-Förster for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. We also thank the Next Generation Genomics Facility at NCBS, particularly Awadhesh Pandit for assisting with the RNA-seq run. We are grateful to the Central Imaging and Flow Cytometry Facility (CIFF) and the instrumentation team at NCBS for their support. We acknowledge the technical advice and support from Zeiss Microscopy team and Advanced Cell Diagnostics (ACD). Further, we thank Dimple Notani and Sheeba Vasu for their advice and Abhishek Bhattacharya for support in maintaining access to experimental facilities. We are thankful to Lukumoni Das, Sukrithi N Venu and Sripriya Bulusu for helping with the behavioral experiments.FundingOpen access funding provided by Department of Atomic Energy. This study was supported by funding to TR (TIFR graduate student fellowship), NCBS-TIFR institutional funds to AB (No. P4167 and N1158) and the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India (No. 12-R&D-TFR-5.04–0800 and 12-R&D-TFR-5.04–0900).Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsNational Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, IndiaTiyasa Roy & Axel BrockmannAix-Marseille Université – CNRS UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée and Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille, FranceRikesh JainAuthorsTiyasa RoyView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRikesh JainView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarAxel BrockmannView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsConceptualization: T.R., A.B.; Methodology: T.R., A.B.; Investigation: T.R.; Visualization: T.R., R.J., A.B.; Formal analysis: T.R., R.J., A.B.; Funding acquisition: A.B.; Supervision: A.B.; Writing-original draft: T.R., A.B.; Writing-review and editing: T.R., A.B.Corresponding authorsCorrespondence to
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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleRoy, T., Jain, R. & Brockmann, A. Transcriptional responses in feeder time-trained foragers suggest diverse interactions between the circadian clock and mushroom bodies in honey bees.
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KeywordsTime-memoryCircadian clockMushroom bodiesKenyon cellsCentral complexTime-series RNA sequencingRNAscope labelingHoney bees More

AbstractWildfire is a major ecological disturbance with profound implications for forest ecosystems, particularly through its effects on soil quality and structure. This study examined the impacts of a severe wildfire (2019) on soil physical, chemical, and micromorphological properties in a mountainous forest region of Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Soil samples were collected from post-fire and adjacent control sites at three depths (0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm) and analyzed using a factorial design. Results indicated that the most pronounced fire-induced alterations occurred in the surface layer (0–5 cm). Post-fire soils exhibited increased sand content but reduced clay content, porosity, and field capacity. Chemically, wildfire increased soil pH while reducing electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) in the surface horizon, with limited changes in deeper layers. Micromorphological observations revealed modified aggregate structures, carbonized root fragments, dispersed fungal hyphae, and an abundance of charcoal particles, reflecting both physical and biological disturbances. The soil mass fractal dimension (D) also increased in post-fire soils, indicating greater structural fragmentation and aggregate breakdown. This increase in D is consistent with the observed decreases in porosity and aggregate stability, reflecting a more heterogeneous and degraded pore network. These findings demonstrate that wildfire predominantly affects surface soil horizons, altering infiltration capacity, nutrient dynamics, and microbial activity. Integrating physical, chemical, and micromorphological assessments offers a more comprehensive perspective on fire-induced soil changes, and may provide a useful foundation for post-fire management strategies aimed at supporting the resilience of forest ecosystems under increasing wildfire frequency and intensity.

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Download referencesFundingNo funding was obtained for this study.Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsSchool of Atmosphere and Remote Sensing, Wuxi University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214105, ChinaYongchao DuanSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, ChinaZhibin LiuAuthorsYongchao DuanView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarZhibin LiuView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsYongchao Duan, Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, data curation, Methodology, Software, writing – original draft, writing – review & editing; Zhibin Liu, Formal analysis, Investigation, data curation, Methodology, Software, writing – review & editing.Corresponding authorCorrespondence to
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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleDuan, Y., Liu, Z. Wildfire-Induced alterations in soil physical, chemical, and micromorphological properties in forest ecosystems of Yunnan, Southwestern China.
Sci Rep (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33913-8Download citationReceived: 18 October 2025Accepted: 23 December 2025Published: 25 December 2025DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33913-8Share this articleAnyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:Get shareable linkSorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.Copy shareable link to clipboard
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KeywordsFractal dimensionMicromorphologyPost-fireSoil properties More

AbstractThe elevated heavy metal concentrations and acidic pH conditions characteristic of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) pose significant environmental challenges, necessitating the development of effective remediation strategies. This study systematically evaluated the performance of a surface-flow constructed wetland system in Ma’anshan, China, for AMD treatment through comprehensive physicochemical characterization and microbial community analysis. The multi-stage wetland system, comprising four interconnected units vegetated with Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, and Arundo donax, was monitored for water quality parameters, sediment characteristics, and microbial diversity. Results demonstrated significant improvements in water quality, with pH increasing from 5.18 to 7.41 and substantial removal efficiencies observed for heavy metals: complete (100.00%) removal of Fe, 92.00% removal of Zn, 61.80% removal of Mn, and 63.60% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD). Sequential extraction analysis revealed that residual fractions constituted the predominant form of sediment-bound heavy metals (65.70%-70.20% for Fe). Proteobacteria make up 58% of the microbial community. Sulfuricurvum combines denitrification and sulfide oxidation, while SRB like Desulfuromonas convert sulfate to sulfide. Nitrospinae oxidizes ammonia to nitrate, Thaumarchaeota oxidizes ammonia to nitrite, and Parkl vularcula facilitates denitrification. In order to maintain cycles and support wetland function and AMD treatment, hydrolytic bacteria break down organic materials. These findings establish the effectiveness of constructed wetlands (CWS) in AMD remediation through synergistic phytoremediation and microbial metabolic processes, offering an ecologically sustainable approach for the restoration of mining-impacted areas.

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Download referencesFundingThis research work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (2023AH04019, 2024AH0509086, 2024AH040132) and the University Natural Science Foundation (2024xjyq02).Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsSchool of Environment and Life Health, Anhui University of Applied Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui Province, P. R. ChinaJing Guo, Lei Cheng, Miao Yang & Zhenli WangAuthorsJing GuoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarLei ChengView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMiao YangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarZhenli WangView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsJing Guo.Lei Cheng and Miao Yang wrote the main manuscript text and Zhenli Wang prepared Figs. 3 and 4. All authors reviewed the manuscript.Corresponding authorsCorrespondence to
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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleGuo, J., Cheng, L., Yang, M. et al. Physicochemical characteristics and microbial community analysis of a wetland system treating acid mine drainage.
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KeywordsAcid mine drainageConstructed wetlandsHeavy-metal removalMicrobial remediationPhytoremediation More

AbstractThe family Pieridae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) is known for its ecological and conservation significance; however, little is known about its spatial distribution pattern and climate vulnerability in mainland China, complicating the formulation of effective conservation strategies. Pierinae and Coliadinae are widely distributed across most parts of the research zone, especially in the southern regions. Conversely, Dismorphiinae is mainly distributed in the west-central and northeastern parts. Pierinae and Coliadinae flourished over a wider range of elevations in open environments with warmer and more humid habitats, whereas Dismorphiinae is restricted to a narrow elevation range in forested areas with cooler and drier habitats. Therefore, it was necessary to study their distribution patterns separately. The MaxEnt model was applied to analyze the influence of bioclimatic variables on their distribution throughout three historical eras: the Last Interglacial (LIG), the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and the Current (1970–2000). Pierinae and Coliadinae showed a uniform increase in overall highly suitable habitats, while Dismorphiinae showed an initial increase and then a decrease. Due to global warming, all three subfamilies might experience contraction in highly suitable habitats. Most Pieridae species are projected to experience shrinkage in highly suitable habitats, leading to decreased species diversity. These findings highlight divergent historical distribution patterns and habitat preferences among Pieridae subfamilies, yet project a shared vulnerability to future habitat contraction under climate warming.

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The data presented in this study are available on request from both corresponding authors.
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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleHussain, R., Miao, P., Rehman, A. et al. Species richness and Spatial distribution of three Pieridae subfamilies across mainland China under past and future climates.
Sci Rep (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21555-9Download citationReceived: 27 February 2025Accepted: 22 September 2025Published: 25 December 2025DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21555-9Share this articleAnyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:Get shareable linkSorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.Copy shareable link to clipboard
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KeywordsPierinaeColiadinaeDismorphiinaeMaxEnt modelSpecies richnessDistribution patternClimate change More

Abstract

This study examined the synergistic and independent effects of soil properties, vegetation cover, conservation practices, and slope on the spatial distribution characteristics of soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed in 2024. Soil samples have been collected and analyzed in the laboratory, along with high-resolution satellite imagery, meteorological data, and digital elevation model (DEM) data. The findings indicate that soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed in 2024 was minimal, with a progressively increasing severity from north to south. In the studied area, grassland accounts for over 50% of soil erosion, with regions with vegetation coverage > 30% as the primary contributors, all of which are influenced by slope. Moreover, the enhancement of vegetation in the lower strata of the basin and in grasslands, especially on slopes ranging from 10° to 45°, along with the conversion of sloping woodlands and grasslands into terraces, has proven an effective strategy for mitigating soil erosion in the Abu-Ghraibat watershed. The present study has demonstrated that the RUSLEGIS integrated model may serve as an effective instrument for quantitatively and spatially mapping soil erosion at the watershed level in the Abu-Ghraibat, while accounting for the provision of landscape services.

Data availability

Data is available by contacting the corresponding author.
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KareemDepartment of Applied Geology, University of Babylon, Hillah, 51001, Babil, IraqJaffar H. Al-ZubaydiDepartment of Civil, Environmental, and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, 97187, SwedenNadhir Al-AnsariDepartment of Geography, University of Fayoum, Fayoum, 63511, EgyptMohamed Alkhuzamy AzizDepartment of Geography, University of Wasit, Wasit, 52001, IraqDhia Alden A. AL-QuraishyFaculty of Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering and Built Environment Department, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 5UX, UKBan AL-Hasani, Mawada Abdellatif & Iacopo CarnacinaRemote Sensing Center, University of Mosul, Mosul, 6231, AZ, IraqRayan G. ThannounDepartment of Geology, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, 10001, IraqManal Sh. Al-KubaisiFaculty of Science, Department of Environmental Sustainability, Lakehead University, 500 University Avenue, Orillia, ON, L3V 0B9, CanadaSama S. Al-MaarofiAuthorsBashar F. MaaroofView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarHashim H. KareemView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarJaffar H. Al-ZubaydiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarNadhir Al-AnsariView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMohamed Alkhuzamy AzizView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarDhia Alden A. AL-QuraishyView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarBan AL-HasaniView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMawada AbdellatifView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarIacopo CarnacinaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRayan G. ThannounView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarManal Sh. Al-KubaisiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarSama S. Al-MaarofiView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsBashar F. Maaroof: Project administration, conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, supervision, validation, visualization, software, writing – original draft. Hashim H. Kareem: Supervise, visualize, methodology, resources, validate, write, review, and edit. Jaffar H. Al-Zubaydi: Supervision, data curation, formal analysis, validation, visualization, methodology, writing – review and editing. Nadhir Al-Ansari: Supervision, data curation, formal analysis, methodology, software, writing, review, and editing. Mohamed Alkhuzamy Aziz: Supervision, data curation, formal analysis, methodology, software, writing, review, and editing. Dhia Alden A. AL-Quraishy: Visualization, data curation, formal analysis, methodology, software, writing, review, and editing. Ban AL-Hasani: Formal analysis, methodology, validation. Mawada Abdellatif: Formal analysis, methodology, validation. Iacopo Carnacina: Formal analysis, methodology, validation. Rayan G. Thannoun: Data curation, formal analysis, methodology, validation. Manal Sh. Al-Kubaisi: Formal analysis, methodology, validation. Sama Al-Maarofi: Formal analysis, methodology, validation.Corresponding authorCorrespondence to
Nadhir Al-Ansari.Ethics declarations

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Reprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleMaaroof, B.F., Kareem, H.H., Al-Zubaydi, J.H. et al. Estimating soil erosion utilizing geospatial method and revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) of Abu Ghraibat Watershed, Eastern Misan Governorate, Iraq.
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KeywordsGeohazardsSoil degradationGISRUSLEAbu ghraibat watershed More

AbstractChelonid exploitation – including tortoises and freshwater turtles – has been increasingly recognised as a significant element of Palaeolithic subsistence in the Mediterranean and Iberian Peninsula. This study offers an experimental assessment of fire’s role in processing these reptiles, contrasting raw and roasted specimens to evaluate impacts on butchery efficiency, surface modifications, skeletal representation and lithic use-wear. The roasting process markedly reduced disarticulation effort and time, irrespective of the operator’s experience. Cut marks and percussion traces were more frequent in raw-processed individuals, while burnt specimens displayed extensive thermal damage, particularly on carapace plates. However, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed limited diagnostic potential for low-intensity thermal exposure. Conversely, lithic tools used in processing exhibited macroscopic edge damage and minor polishes, paralleling wear patterns documented in the butchery of other small fauna. These results align with archaeological evidence from multiple Iberian and Mediterranean sites, suggesting a culturally structured practice of in-shell roasting and anatomical disarticulation. The finds highlight fire’s role in labour optimisation and knowledge transmission, supporting broader discussions on small game exploitation and cognitive planning in early human behaviour.

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The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the CORA repository and can be accessed through the following links https:/dataverse.csuc.cat/dataset.xhtml?persistentId = doi%3A10.34810%2Fdata2413 and https:/dataverse.csuc.cat/dataset.xhtml?persistentId = doi%3A10.34810%2Fdata2412 Our study does not involve human participants in the usual sense. All individuals who appear in the images are the authors of the study and no other identifiable persons or patient data are included. For this reason, we consider a formal informed-consent statement from study participants not applicable. All authors explicitly agree to the publication of these images and any associated information in an online open-access format.
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Download referencesAcknowledgementsWe acknowledge the use of the Vertebrate Reference Collection (Osteoteca) of the Archaeosciences Laboratory of the Património Cultural I.P, in Lisbon, Portugal. We also extend our gratitude to the PRISC infrastructure (Portuguese Research Infrastructure of Scientific Collections) for their support.FundingFinancial support has been provided by the research project “PALAEO.WEST.IBERIA – Contrasting Dietary Patterns and Adaptive Responses among Modern Humans, Neanderthals and Pre-Neanderthals in the Atlantic Façade of Iberia” funded through the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) Scientific Research and Technological Development (IC&DT) call across all scientific domains, Call Reference MPr-2023–12, project number 2023.16301.ICDT. This research was also funded by Mariana Nabais’ postdoc contract for project “SMALLPREY – Neanderthal and Anatomically Modern Human interactions with small prey in Atlantic Iberia throughout the changing environments of the Pleistocene”, as part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101034349, and from the State Research Agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Program Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence (CEX2019-000945-M). Additional support has been given by Portuguese funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the framework of the project “UID/00698/2025 (doi.org/https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/00698/2025): Centre for Archaeology. University of Lisbon”. Ruth Blasco develops her work within the project PID 2022-138590NB-C41 funded by MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE and the projects 2021-SGR-01237 and CLT009/22/000045 funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya. Ruth Blasco is supported by a Ramon y Cajal research contract by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC 2019–026386-I). Valentina Lubrano is beneficiary of a FCT Doctoral Grant (reference: 2021.05263.BD). Anna Rufà is currently a beneficiary of a CEEC – 3rd Edition research contract promoted by the Portuguese FCT (reference: 2020. 00877.CEECIND) and her research is also funded in part by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT, https://ror.org/00snfqn589) under the grant UID/0421. Mariana Nabais, Ruth Blasco, Valentina Lubrano and Anna Rufà also participate in the Spanish MICINN project NEANDIVERSITY2, PID2022-138590NB-C41.Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsUNIARQ – Centre for Archaeology, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, PortugalMariana Nabais & Marina IgrejaSWAD – South-West Archaeology Digs, Moura, PortugalMariana NabaisIPHES-CERCA – Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution, Tarragona, SpainRuth BlascoDepartment of History and Art History, Área de Prehistòria, Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, SpainRuth BlascoAutónoma University of Madrid, Madrid, SpainIratxe BonetaArqueozoo S.L, Madrid, SpainIratxe BonetaLARC – Archaeosciences Laboratory (LARC), Património Cultural I.P, Lisbon, PortugalDavid Gonçalves & Marina IgrejaResearch Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalDavid GonçalvesCentre for Functional Ecology, Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PortugalDavid GonçalvesCIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, Porto, PortugalMarina IgrejaICArEHB – Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, PortugalValentina Lubrano & Anna RufàPACEA UMR 5199, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, FranceAnna RufàAuthorsMariana NabaisView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRuth BlascoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarIratxe BonetaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarDavid GonçalvesView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMarina IgrejaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarValentina LubranoView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarAnna RufàView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarContributionsConceptualisation: MN Data curation: MN Formal analysis: MN, MI, DG Funding acquisition: MN, AR, RB Investigation: MN, MI, DG Methodology: MN, IB, MI, DG Resources: MN, AR, MI, DG Visualisation: MN, MI, DG Writing – original draft: MN, MI, DG Writing – review & editing: MN, AR, IB, MI, VL, RB, DG.Corresponding authorCorrespondence to
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KeywordsExperimental archaeologyTaphonomySubsistence strategiesLithic use-wearFTIRChelonids More