Earth Sciences Pakistan (ESP)

Climate change impacts communities worldwide and is Pakistan’s top social-ecological challenge. As a predominantly agricultural country in a vulnerable region, Pakistan faces rising temperatures, sea level rise, glacier melting, and increased flooding. These changes pose a threat to social and ecological stability. A survey assessed public understanding and the impacts of climate change across different regions. Respondent reported suffering from floods, droughts, heatwaves, shifting rainfall patterns, displacement, and the need for coping strategies. Many, 33.3%, are dissatisfied with government policies and call for increased awareness to address human causes. Forecasts show these problems will worsen. Understanding these impacts and implementing effective adaptation and mitigation are crucial. The government should launch awareness programs and policies to reduce climate risks.

This study used the rainfall dataset collected for 1978-2015 in 8 rain stations located in Ha’il region. The purpose of this study is to analyze the variations and trends of rainfall events through a statistical analysis of data recorded. The analyze the rainfall variability has been processed using the coefficient of variation (CV) and Standardized Analyze Index (SAI) and plotted. While the rainfall trends have been analyzed by three statistically methods widely used: Simple Moving-Average (SMA), Homogeneity of variance (Hartley’s Fmax￾ratio) and Semi-averages. The trends analysis of annual rainfall shows that the fluctuations or variations in climatic parameters is a recurring phenomena in the studied stations. Inter-annual variability of rainfall and the cumulative frequency of rainy days are characterized by the high coefficients of variation. In addition, the values of Chi square test reveals the significant Standardized Anomaly Index (SAI) of rainfall. Accordingly, the results contain a total of 18 increasing trends (37.5%) and 30 decreasing trends (62.5%). These results indicate that the warming climate of Ha’il region is accelerating in recent decades, which may have severe socioeconomic repercussions in many sectors especially the agriculture and surface water resources.

This study combines field observations, petrographic descriptions, geochemical data, and heavy mineral analysis to better understand the provenance, tectonic setting, and depositional environment of the Gombe Formation sandstones at Wuro Biriji in the Gongola Sub-basin, Northeastern Nigeria. Lithic arkose and feldspathic litharenite make up the majority of the sandstones, dominated by quartz (54–62%), with notable amounts of feldspar (6–17%) and lithic fragments (10–19%). Accessory minerals such as zircon, rutile, and tourmaline provide important provenance clues. Geochemical results show SiO₂ contents ranging from 53.26% to 78.96%, with Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratios between 2.05 and 7.14. The samples are also enriched in Fe₂O₃, pointing to contributions from both felsic and minor mafic sources. Weathering indices (CIA: 54.42–89.43; PIA: 70.63–96.59) reveal moderate to severe chemical weathering, indicating that the source rocks from which the sediments were formed were exposed to warm, humid paleoclimatic conditions. High concentrations of Zr (up to 8,950 ppm) and Hf (up to 32 ppm) reflect strong recycling and a predominantly felsic source, while trace amounts of Cr (90–280 ppm) and V (70–145 ppm) show some mafic input. The heavy mineral fraction is dominated by zircon, rutile, and tourmaline, with ZTR indices of 28.6–63.5% and RZi values of 15.0–85.7%. These results indicate a polycyclic, felsic-dominated provenance with a minor metamorphic contribution. Sandstones in the continental block and recycled orogen fields are regularly shown in discrimination diagrams, with a small overlap into settings of active continental margins. Deposition in a fluvial to deltaic system influenced by shallow marine conditions is shown by sedimentological evidence such as heterolithic facies, cross-bedding, and ripple marks. A tectonically dynamic basin’s heterogeneous felsic and mafic contributions, deposited under fluctuating energy conditions, are reflected in the Gombe Sandstone. These results add to a better knowledge of the Upper Benue Trough and offer important new information about the stratigraphic development of the Gongola Sub-basin.

Mechanical and chemical analyses of soil samples were applied in the study of soils in the gully erosion sites to determine their susceptibility to gully erosion. Mechanical analysis includes the determination of texture and sand + silt/clay ratio, while the chemical analysis includes the determination of pH, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and organic matter (OM) content values of topsoil and subsoil. The topsoil has percentages of sand > 76.85% and clay < 15.64% and is classified as sandy soil, while subsoil was classified as heavy clay soil with percentages of sand < 29.71% and clay > 59%. The pH of soils ranged from 4.34 to 6.42, indicating acidic soils. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of topsoil and subsoil ranged from 2.08 to 2.25 and 2.33 to 2.53, respectively. Therefore, the soils can be described as saline and dispersive, with dispersiveness increasing from topsoil to subsoil. The total organic matter (TOM) and organic carbon (OC) ranged from 0.25 to 0.86 meq/100g and 0.16 to 0.56 meq/100g, respectively. The generally low values of OM content indicate unstable soil aggregates and poor structure that cannot resist erosion. The average monthly rainfall amount/intensity is enough to induce water saturation of soils. Slope level ranged from 4° to 6.4°. Therefore, based on high SAR, low OM, gentle slope and high rainfall amount/intensity, the topsoil and subsoil are susceptible to gully erosion when the former is exposed to the raindrops with vegetation removal and the latter is exposed to runoff with the erosion of the topsoil.

Twelve latest Maastrichtian planktic foraminiferal species of the genus Plummerita in the Late Maastrichtian P. hantkeninoides Range Zone are recorded and illustrated from the Northern and Southern Tethys (USA, Caribbean, Trinidad, Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq and India). Six planktic foraminiferal evolutionary lineages in the assemblage were produced by gradualistic evolutionary trends which observed within this assemblage. These trends are: (1) Plummerita elkefensis Anan & Orabi → P. hantkeninoides (Brönnimann), (2) P. safaae Anan, n. sp. → P. haggagae Anan, (3) P. salimi Anan, n. sp. → P. hodae Anan, (4) P. kellerae Anan & Orabi → P. caribbeanica Anan, (5) P. inflata (Brönnimann) → P. tunisica Anan, (6) P. costata (Brönnimann) → P. spainica Anan. Two of the recorded species is treated here as new: Plummerita safaae and P. salimi. These lineages help to define the major faunal changes in the Late Maastrichtian warm water Gene Pool.

The hydroclimate of the Western Himalayas is governed by a complex interplay between cryospheric dynamics, atmospheric circulation, and seasonal precipitation regimes. This short review synthesizes recent insights from observational, mechanistic, and modeling perspectives to explore how Himalayan glaciers modulate regional rainfall variability. (Salerno et al. 2023) highlighted the localized cooling and drying effects induced by glacial processes under global warming, while (Ali et al. 2018) documented conflicting wet and dry trends in monsoonal and winter rainfall over Punjab, Pakistan—suggesting a seasonally asymmetric response to large-scale forcings. Complementing these findings, (Wang et al. 2024) reviewed the modeling challenges in representing glacio-hydrological interactions across the complex terrain of the Tibetan Plateau and adjoining Himalayan ranges. Together, these studies underscore the need for integrated frameworks that account for glacier–atmosphere coupling and its feedback on precipitation patterns under future climate scenarios.

This study has focused on the distribution, diversity and systematic paleontology are presented with more emphasis on their modern nomenclatural aspects and ecology of 174 Miliolid foraminiferal species, belonging to 39 genera, were identified from two marine bodies: Mediterranian Sea (MS) and Red Sea (RS). One hundred and nine of these species (~ 63 %) are recorded from MS, while the other species from RS (~37%). One hundred and fifteen Miliolids species (~69%) belong to nine diagnostic genera: 39 species to Quinqueloculina, followed by 16 to Spiroloculina, 11 to Triloculina and Adelosina, 10 to Siphonaperta, 9 to Pyrgo and Cycloforina, 8 to Milliolinella and Pseudotriloculina, while the other 52 species are distributed to the other thirty genera. Twenty of these species are treated here as new: Adelosina cimermani, A. langeri, Spirophthalmidium mediterranensis, Siphonaperta italica, S. longata, Cycloforina cherifi, C. hewaidyi, Quinqucloculina bassiounii, Q. moradi, Milliolinella cimermani, M. langeri, Pseudotriloculina khetamae, P. nashwae, Pyrgo anani, P. haggagae, P. strougoi, Triloculinella hamimii, Sigmoilinita akmali, S. wagehi, and Nummoloculina boukharyi. According to the present study, the Miliolid foraminiferal assemblage has more favorable environment in the Mediterranean Sea (MS) than Red Sea (RS), which may due to more active surface water and less water salinity in MS than RS.

This study deals with taxonomic consideration of one new genus: Ornatodella Anan (2023) from Pakistan, and also thirteen benthic and two planktic foraminiferal species were erected from two countries in the Southern Tethys: Pakistan and India. The recorded foraminiferal species belong to thirteen benthic genera and two planktic genera (one from Pakistan and the other from India). Fifteen species of the recorded assemblage are from Pakistan (⁓94%), while only one species from India (⁓6%). One of the recorded species belongs to Suborder Textulariina, 2 to Miliolina, 1 to Lagenina, 12 to Rotaliina, while 2 species to Globigerinina. Some of the recorded species present an evolutionary foraminiferal lineages.

Coal consists of mainly organic materials and minor inorganic constituents. These components determine coal’s possible value in the metallurgical, power generation, and other sectors. Coal is one of the most affordable and dependable energy sources used to produce electricity globally. Geological mapping of Okobo coal in the Anambra Basin of Nigeria was carried out and coal samples taken and subjected to proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, calorific value determination, and free swelling index test in order to source coking coals for metallurgical industries and thermal coals for power generation in the nation. The average composition of the coal, according to the results of the proximate analysis, is 11.94% moisture, 5.66% ash, 36.73% volatile matter, and 45.67% fixed carbon. The ultimate analysis also showed that the average composition of coal is as follows: 60.20% carbon, 4.46% hydrogen, 1.59% nitrogen, 15.52% oxygen, 0.65% sulphur, and 0.027% phosphorus. The coal samples have an average heating (calorific) value of 10452 Btu/1b (24311 kj/kg) and a free swelling index (FSI) of zero (0). These traits imply that coal is non-coking and unsuitable for use in the production of iron and steel in the metallurgical sector. The coal, however, is suitable for boilers, industrial heating ovens, and the production of power.

This research compares ordinary kriging (OK) and inverse distance weighting (IDW) techniques in the estimation of volume, tonnage, average grade, and ounces of gold within the alluvial gold deposit located in the northern part of the Kibi-Winneba gold belt, Ghana, to ascertain the technique that yields results that align more closely with actual production values. The deposit contains fine nuggets of gold in gravel profiles covered by sharply contrasted overburden materials. Overburden and gravel layers from 219 hand-dug pits were logged, while the gravel portions were sampled and assayed by washing to determine the gold grade of each pit. Implicit modelling of the deposit using wireframes was carried out in Datamine Studio RM software. The block model and resource estimates were compared and accurately reflected the input sample grade. At a cutoff grade of 0.4 g/m3, the resource has 12.453 million cubic metres of auriferous gravel at an average grade of 0.51 g/m3. This is expected to produce about 204238 ounces of gold after mining and extraction. Different block models and resource estimates using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) approach were used to compare the OK estimate. The IDW2 correlated well with the OK model. Hence, a resource estimate was generated using the IDW2 and the difference in the expected ounces of gold was calculated to be 2.02% lower than that of the OK estimate.