Monitoring ecosystem dynamics in arid regions requires robust indicators that can capture spatial heterogeneity and diverse ecological drivers. In this study, we introduce and evaluate two novel ecological indices: the Arid-region Remote Sensing Ecological Index (ARSEI), specifically designed for desert environments, and the Composite Remote Sensing Ecological Index (CoRSEI), which integrates both desert and non-desert systems. These indices are compared with the traditional Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) in the Tarim River Basin from 2000 to 2023. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that RSEI maintained the highest structural compactness (average PCA1 = 87.49%). In contrast, ARSEI (average PCA1 = 78.62%) enhanced sensitivity to albedo and vegetation (NDVI) in arid environments. Spearman correlation analysis further demonstrated that ARSEI was more strongly correlated with NDVI (ρ = 0.49) and precipitation (ρ = 0.62) than RSEI, confirming its improved responsiveness under water-limited conditions. CoRSEI exhibited higher internal consistency and spatial adaptability (mean values ranging from 0.45 to 0.56), with slight ecological improvements observed between 2000 and 2023. Ecological drivers varied across habitat types. In desert areas, evapotranspiration, precipitation, and soil moisture were the main determinants of ecological status, showing high coupling and synchrony. In non-desert regions, soil moisture and precipitation remained dominant, but vegetation indices and disturbance factors (e.g., fire density) exerted stronger long-term influences. Partial dependence analyses further confirmed nonlinear, region-specific responses, such as the threshold effects of precipitation on vegetation growth. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of differentiated ecological modeling. ARSEI enhances sensitivity in desert ecosystems, whereas CoRSEI captures landscape-scale variability across desert and non-desert regions. Both indices contribute to more accurate long-term ecological assessments in hyper-arid environments.

Adakites are magmatic rocks with specific geochemical characteristics and specific dynamics that provide important clues to understanding the magmatic-tectonic evolution of orogenic belts. We studied the Early Triassic Nanpo adakitic pluton of the Luang Prabang-Loei tectonic belt in the Eastern Tethys domain (Laos Sarakan) using detailed petrological, zircon U-Pb chronological, whole-rock geochemical, and zircon Lu-Hf isotope studies to constrain their petrogenesis. The rocks are predominantly diorites and granodiorites with Early Triassic zircon U-Pb emplacement ages ranging from 247.9 ± 1.0 to 249.0 ± 2.4 Ma. Moderate SiO₂ (56.26–65.95 wt%) and Na₂O (3.24–5.00 wt%) contents, with Na₂O/K₂O values between 1.76 and 2.51 and A/CNK values between 0.81 and 0.94, indicate that the rocks belong to the metaluminous calc-alkaline rock series. The high Sr content (590–918 ppm), low Y (6.30–11.89 ppm) and Yb (1.99–3.44 ppm) contents, intermediate Mg# (42–50) values, and high Sr/Y and (La/Yb) _N ratios (Sr/Y = 24–41, (La/Yb) _N = 6.84–13.8) are typical for adakites. Zircon Hf isotope analysis shows a significant variation in the εHf(t) values (6.7–12.0), with a mean value of 9.4 and a T_DM2 of 512–845 Ma. Geochemical evidence indicates that the Nanpo adakitic rock was formed by the partial melting of the thickened lower crust in the plate-breaking environment and has an important contribution to the underplated mantle-derived magma. We propose that the Early Triassic adakites in the Luang Prabang-Loei tectonic belt formed during the transition from subduction to a continental collision, and the mixing of crust- and mantle-derived magmas is the main mechanism for the growth of continental crust in the Paleo-Tethys orogenic belt of southeastern Asia.

The Sarakan Gold Deposit is located in the vicinity of the Songsanu and Napafa villages, north of Sarakan County, Vientiane Province, Laos. It forms part of the Luang Prabang–Loei polymetallic metallogenic belt, and its metallogenic geological conditions are good and mineral resources are abundant. At present, most orebodies (mineralization) are deeply buried and greatly vary in terms of their characteristics; furthermore, the distribution and output of orebodies (mineralization) are not clear, which makes it difficult to find minerals in the area. Based on the comprehensive geological characteristics, geophysical anomalies, and interpretation results in the study area, it is believed that the Sarakan Gold Deposit is closely related to Indosinian felsic substance magmatic intrusions and is controlled by their structure. The type of deposits in the belt are brittle–ductile, shear structured, Quartz-pyrite, vein-type gold deposits. In this study, we carried out comprehensive geophysical methods, including the high-precision magnetic survey, induced polarization survey, and the transient electromagnetic measurement. Based on the characteristics of geophysical anomalies, geological inference, and interpretation, the integrated geophysical and geochemical prospecting criteria of the ore area have been determined: high magnetism, high polarization, and medium–high resistance are the signs pointing to concealed mineralization bodies in the study area, and this provided the best framework for us to discuss the deep geological bodies in the study area. The drilling verification results are consistent with the abnormalities delineated by the magnetic and electrical measurements. Our geophysical exploration results revealed the coupling relationship between the concealed intrusive body of the Sarakan Gold Deposit and the metallogenic structure, which provided a great opportunity for finding potentially similar deposits in the Luang Prabang–Loei polymetallic metallogenic belt.

This study employs a sequential mediation model to investigate the cognitive mechanisms linking Earth science education to sustainable behavior. Grounded in construal level theory and temporal cognition research, we hypothesize that geological time perception mediates the relationship between Earth science education and temporal construal level, which in turn affects sustainable behavior. Structural equation modeling, based on data from 280 participants, validated the proposed model. It confirmed geological time perception as a second-order construct with four dimensions: time span perception, understanding of geological processes, time depth perception, and continuity of geological change. The results indicated significant indirect pathways. Earth science education influenced the temporal construal level via geological time perception (β = 0.325), and the temporal construal level mediated the relationship between geological time perception and sustainable behavior (β = 0.306). The sequential mediation path (β = 0.215) suggests that Earth science education promotes sustainable behavior by recalibrating temporal cognition and construal processes. This finding illuminates how educational interventions can address the temporal asymmetry in environmental decision-making by developing specific cognitive capacities rather than simply imparting knowledge.