Land use structure is an important factor affecting carbon emissions. Taking the Urban Agglomeration in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYRUA) as an example, this study uses transfer matrix, the carbon emission coefficient method, spatial analyses and geo-detectors to analyze the carbon emission effects of land use changes, as well as their spatial evolutionary characteristics and driving factors, based on the data of 31 cities during 2010-2020. This analysis led to three outcomes. (1) The carbon sinks are insufficient to counterbalance the carbon sources, and net carbon emissions continued to grow from 144.88 million t in 2010 to 160.37 million t in 2020 due to the expansion of construction land. (2) The high-value areas of net carbon emissions shifted from dispersed to concentrated, while low-value areas shifted from concentrated to dispersed and decreased in number. The spatial agglomeration pattern is dominated by High-High agglomeration (H-H) and Low-Low agglomeration (L-L) areas. (3) The spatial differentiation of carbon emissions from land use (LUCEs) is primarily influenced by population density, carbon emission intensity, and technological innovation. Moreover, the interactive effects of land use, energy-efficient technologies, population status, industrial structure, and economic development significantly amplify their individual impacts.

Soil salinization is a type of soil degradation phenomenon caused by the gradual accumulation of salt in soil due to natural processes or improper irrigation practices. Understanding the spatial variations of salinization is the basis for salinized land management and resource utilization. Taking Yinbei Plain irrigation area of Ningxia as the research area, 154 sampling points were set up and soil samples were collected at depths from 0-100 cm in six layers to determine the pH value and total salt content of the soil. Then geostatistics and GIS were used to study the spatial variations of soil pH and total salt content in the irrigation area. The results show three important aspects of this system. (1) The soil in the study area is alkaline soil with pH values ranging from 8.18 to 10.22, and the pH increases with increasing soil depth. The pH values of soil at 0-10 cm are significantly higher than at depths of 10-20 cm and 20-80 cm (P<0.05). The variation coefficients of the soil pH value in each layer are less than 10%, which is characterized as weak variability. The total salt content of soil decreases with increasing soil depth, ranging from 0.24 to 14.95 g kg^-1. The total salt content of soil in the surface layer at 0-10 cm was significantly higher than in the lower soil layers (P<0.05). The coefficient of variation of total salt content showed moderate variability except at depths of 10-20 cm and 80-100 cm. Other layers have variabilities of more than 100%, indicating strong variability. (2) The semi-variance function fitting of pH and total salt showed that the soil pH value in each soil layer depth block base ratio ranged from 28.1% to 61.2%, which indicates a medium spatial correlation, and the spatial variability was mainly influenced by the joint action of human activities and natural factors. The total salt block base ratio of each soil layer ranged from 5.5% to 13.3%, which indicates strong spatial autocorrelation. The variation among soil samples is mainly caused by natural structural factors such as parent material, topography, soil and groundwater level. (3) Kriging interpolation was used to obtain the spatial distribution of soil pH values and total salt contents in the study area, and the results showed that the overall pH distribution was high on the eastern and western sides and low in the middle. The total salt distribution was patchy and uneven, and the saline soil was mainly distributed in the surface layer. As the depth increased, the total salt content declined, and the proportions of saline soil and severely salinized soil decreased. In the whole study area, mild salinized soil was the main category, the total salt content increased from south to north, and the profile characteristics of total salt content were mainly surface clustering. This study investigated the distribution and spatial heterogeneity of soil salinization in the Yinbei Irrigation Area, and provides theoretical guidance for the formulation of soil salinization control measures in this area.

Promoting the coordinated development of ecological human settlements and the happiness levels of residents will help to promote people-centered high-quality development. This study was based on the 2011-2021 data of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, and constructed an evaluation index system of ecological human settlements and the happiness levels of residents. The entropy value method, coupling coordination degree model, Dagum Gini coefficient and Geodetector model were used to explore the coupling coordination relationship and influencing factors of these two systems. The findings indicate that ecological human settlements and the happiness levels of residents in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration have shown an upward trend over time. By 2021, the overall level of the region had significantly improved. The coupling coordination level between these two systems has gradually increased, showing a spatial distribution pattern of high in the east and low in the west. The Dagum Gini coefficient shows a fluctuating downward trend in the overall and intra-regional differences, with the largest inter-regional difference between Shanghai and Anhui, and the inter-regional difference is the main source of the spatial differences. Economic development level (Eco) was the main factor influencing the coupling coordination of the two systems from 2011 to 2021. The results of this study provide references for constructing ecological human settlements and enhancing the happiness levels of residents.

The intersection of environmental conservation and urban development has garnered global attention. This study aims to contribute to the theoretical foundation and policy recommendations for the collaborative governance of territory and the natural environment in metropolitan agglomerations. Employing a comprehensive Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) approach, this research analyses and overlays various indicators, constructing an integrated evaluation system based on “natural resource management and conservation, land use, and ecological network assessment”. Our findings reveal that: (1) The overall collaborative degree between the spatial configuration and natural environment in the Ecological Green Integration Development Demonstration Zone (EGIDDZ) is relatively high and still needs improvement at the micro level. Notably, regions characterised by elevated synergy levels exhibit considerable spatial overlap with ecological green cores outlined in territorial planning. (2) The selection and distribution of land use patterns are pivotal factors influencing collaborative levels, with multiple land use types favouring enhanced collaboration. By exploring the interplay between metropolitan territory and the natural environment using MSPA, this study seeks to provide holistic evaluation methodologies and governance insights for advancing sustainable urban planning and development.

This study investigates the effects of tourism development perception, adaptive capacity, and transformation capacity on the residents’ livelihood resilience in a national park. Using the Yellow River Source Park in Sanjiangyuan National Park, China as a case study, this study simultaneously used the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) to explore the linear and nonlinear dynamic impacts among the variables. PLS-SEM analysis revealed that adaptive capacity and transformation capacity positively affect livelihood resilience; tourism development perception negatively affects livelihood resilience but positively affects adaptive capacity and transformation capacity. Tourism development perception and adaptive capacity can positively influence livelihood resilience through transformation capacity. The fs/QCA revealed that simple antecedent variables do not constitute a necessary condition for promoting residents' high livelihood resilience, which depends on the conditions combined with another element. The analysis identified two combination paths of high livelihood resilience and three combination paths of low livelihood resilience, where adaptive and transformation capacity are essential for triggering high livelihood resilience, and tourism development perception is a significant driver of low livelihood resilience.

Abuse of chemical fertilizer and pesticide will not only impair the quality of agricultural products, but also damage the agricultural ecological environment. From the perspective of cooperatives’ socialized services, this paper studies agricultural households’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use behavior, attempting to provide references for the government’s formulation of relevant policies and cooperatives’ adjustment of their operation strategies. The survey data of 518 agricultural households in Zigui County and Badong County, Hubei Province, China are used to examine the influence of cooperatives and their socialized services on agricultural households’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity via propensity score matching. Research reveals that: (1) Joining cooperatives has a significantly negative influence on agricultural households’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity, and the average treatment effect is -341.505 yuan mu^-1. (2) Agricultural materials supply services and technical support services can significantly bring down agricultural households’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity, and the average treatment effect is -225.966 yuan mu^-1 and -163.580 yuan mu^-1, respectively. While the influence of agricultural products sale services on chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity is not significant. (3) Grouped investigation is carried out by age, education years and planting scale, and the influence of socialized services on agricultural householders’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity is obviously varied among different groups. The influence of agricultural materials supply services on agricultural households who are elder, with smaller education years and small planting scale is significant; the influence of technical support services on agricultural households who are younger, with higher education years and small planting scale is significant; the influence of agricultural products sale services on agricultural households who are elder is significant. It is necessary to improve the percentage of agricultural households joining cooperatives, increase the supply level of cooperatives’ socialized services, and make socialized services of cooperatives more targeted. All this can contribute to further reduction of agricultural households’ chemical fertilizer and pesticide use intensity.

Accurately identifying the spatial differences in the response of regional runoff to climate and land use changes can clarify the mechanism of regional runoff changes and provide a scientific basis for adopting the appropriate water resource protection policies. In this study, based on the Budyko theory, we quantitatively evaluated the spatial differences in the response of runoff to climate and land use changes in the Yiluo River Basin after 2000; calculated the sensitivity of runoff changes to precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (E₀) and land use changes; and quantified the contributions of those three factors to runoff changes. The findings revealed that with decreasing elevation, precipitation gradually decreases, potential evapotranspiration gradually increases, and runoff gradually decreases in the Yiluo River basin. Influenced by the population density, both cultivated land and construction land are widely distributed with the middle and lower reaches of the basin, while the upper reaches are dominated by forest land. Compared with the base period (1985-1989), precipitation and potential evapotranspiration in the watershed during the change period (2000-2017) basically showed decreasing and increasing trends, respectively, with obvious spatial differentiation. P increased significantly in the upper reaches of the Yi River, with an average of 35.2 mm (‒83.8-84.7 mm), while P increased and decreased in the other five subbasins, but the decreasing trend was more prominent. Among the subbasins, the upper and middle reaches of the Luo River showed the largest reductions in P, with an average of ‒34.2 mm (‒145.9-20.6 mm), whereas the middle reaches of the Yi River showed the smallest reduction in P, with an average of ‒10.9 mm (‒84.2-59.5 mm). The E₀ in the different regions during the change period showed an increasing trend, and the increase in E₀ gradually decreased from the upper reaches to the lower reaches. The E₀ in the upper reaches of the Luo River showed the largest change, with an average of 45.3 mm (38.2-48.3 mm), while the lower reaches of the Yiluo River showed the smallest change, with an average of 7.3 mm (‒3.2-17.1 mm). Land use changes were primarily from cultivated to construction land in the middle and lower reaches. Runoff changes were positively correlated with precipitation changes and negatively correlated with potential evapotranspiration and land use changes. The absolute values of the sensitivity coefficients of runoff to these environmental factors decreased with lower altitude, indicating a reduced responsiveness of the basin runoff under a warming and drying climate trend. Reductions in precipitation and changes in potential evapotranspiration have led to reductions in runoff ranging from 4.7 to 17.4 mm and from 0.7 to 9.1 mm, respectively, while land use changes led to corresponding runoff reductions of 23.0 to 46.5 mm, suggesting that land use changes are more likely to trigger runoff changes in the basin than climatic fluctuations. Given the dominance of cultivated land, especially in the middle and lower reaches, and the region’s high susceptibility to human activities, there has been a significant reduction in runoff in recent years. The contribution of land use change to the runoff reduction in the Yiluo River Basin was greater at lower elevations, up to 86.1%, while climatic effects were more significant at higher elevations, up to 27.8%. Therefore, promoting the implementation of projects such as water ecological restoration and returning farmland to forests are of great significance to curb the over-exploitation of groundwater, to formulate scientific management and scheduling policies in order to realize the transformation of the water balance in the river basin from a non-steady state to a steady state, and to promote the integrity of the ecosystem of the lower reaches of the Yellow River and ensure its sustainable development.

Cropland abandonment is common and widely distributed in hilly and mountainous areas. Clarifying the current situation and development of cropland abandonment can provide reference for the rational and classified management of cropland abandonment in hilly and mountainous areas. Taking Jiangxi Province as the study area, and using the Google Earth Engine and Landsat data, the scale and years of abandoned cropland from 2002 to 2020 were calculated by using the random forest classifier and rules for identifying cropland abandonment. The spatio-temporal pattern of cropland abandonment at the county level was analyzed. The results indicated that the overall accuracy of land use classification was over 90%. The cropland abandonment rate ranged from 3% to 5.5% from 2002 to 2020, while the cropland abandonment rate was highest in 2013 and showed a downward trend after 2017. Among the years, the area of first-time abandoned cropland was the largest in 2005. The distribution of the cropland abandonment rate was low in the middle and north, but high in the surrounding area and the south. A notable positive spatial correlation was observed in the cropland abandonment rate, with a gradual intensification of spatial clustering. The LISA cluster map revealed a significant north-south disparity, exhibiting an incremental trend over time in the characteristics of the “High-High” cluster in the Southeastern Mountainous Area and the “Low-Low” cluster in the Poyang Lake Hilly Plain in Jiangxi. The results of this study can provide data for extracting spatial information and analyzing the driving factors of cropland abandonment in hilly and mountainous areas, and they can also provide a basis for the development of policies for the utilization and classification management of abandoned cropland.

This study employs the Tourism Ecological Footprint Model to meticulously evaluate the green development status of mountainous scenic areas, specifically focusing on the Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area. The overarching aim is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the ecological impact stemming from tourism activities. The evaluation encompasses complex calculations and analyses of the ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity, and ecological surplus. In the case study of Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area, the findings indicate a notable state of ecological surplus in the current stage of tourism development. The specific quantitative results reveal a surplus, indicating that the ecological impact of tourism activities is well within the sustainable carrying capacity of the region. This implies that despite substantial tourism activities, the ecological environment of the Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area remains effectively protected and maintained. The ecological surplus signifies a balance between tourism development and the preservation of the local ecosystem, which is crucial for the sustainable development of the region. Moreover, this study delves into the nuances of the ecological components, providing detailed breakdowns of the ecological footprints attributed to various tourism-related activities, including accommodation, transportation, dining, sightseeing, and shopping. These specifics offer a nuanced understanding of the ecological dynamics associated with diverse tourism-related factors. The meticulous assessment of Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area's green development status has several significant implications. Decision-makers can draw insights into the delicate balance that is required between tourism promotion and environmental conservation. The ecological surplus suggests that current practices align with sustainable development goals andprovide a positive model for similar regions. However, this study also draws attention to some critical limitations in the Tourism Ecological Footprint Model. The detailed results highlight challenges related to model applicability, data collection, and calculation methods, stressing the need for further refinement and validation. Acknowledging these limitations is crucial for refining the model and ensuring its robust application in diverse geographical contexts. In conclusion, this study delivers a granular understanding of the green development status of mountainous scenic areas, specifically the Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area. The detailed results serve as a rich reference for decision-makers and researchers, offering new insights into specific aspects of tourism-related ecological impacts. As avenues for future research, refining the evaluation indicators and improving the data collection and analysis methodologies will be pivotal for advancing the precision and reliability of green development assessments.

Local community participation in forest management is pivotal since they are familiar with the forest environment. In the successful management of community forestry (CF), both males and females along with the representation of poor and disadvantaged groups are of vital importance. This research compares the users’ perception in community forest management (CFM) activities, and socio-economic variables influencing participation in studied community forestry user groups (CFUGs). Primary data were collected through reconnaissance surveys, interviewing key informants, focus group discussions, and household surveys. Secondary data were collected from the division forest office, CFUGs’ operational plan (OP) and Constitution, internet, and authenticated websites. The chi-square (χ²) test was applied to test separately association variables like gender, caste, age class, education level, and wealth ranking with participation. Using ordered logit regression, the variables affecting participation in OP and constitution-making, Silvicultural activities, Forest products collection, and CF fund mobilization were quantified. Gender and Education were found to be the most promising factor influencing participation in Jagriti CFUG and Jhankrikhola CFUG respectively. In general, higher caste, older age, and rich people dominate the major decision-making activities. However, lower caste and poor people have been involved comparatively more in Forest product collection.

Against the background of rapid climate warming, frequent and severe flooding disasters significantly impact socio-economic development and human life. In 2023, due to the northward movement of Typhoon Doksuri, extreme precipitation occurred in northern China, which resulted in a massive flood event in the Haihe River basin. Seven flood detention basins (FDBs) in North China were successfully implemented to effectively alleviate the downstream flood pressure. Leveraging all available Chinese satellite data, we monitored the flooding process daily, focusing on reviewing the flooding in the Dongdian FDB. The results indicate that since the activation of Dongdian FDB on August 1, the flood reached the urban area of Tianjin in just nine days and inundated the entire detention basin. Flooding persisted in the detention basin for about a week before gradually receding. The total maximum inundated area in the whole region was 307.5 km², including 240.5 km² of arable land, 7.0 km² of greenhouse land, and 9.7 km² of built-up land, with an average inundation duration of 19 days. The total cumulative inundated arable land area was 240.5 km², with an average inundation time of 21 days. This study shows that multi-source Chinese satellite data can provide comprehensive information and adequate references for post-disaster assessments.

Although the relationship between the size of urban industrial land use and pollutant emissions has been widely discussed from different perspectives (e.g., the scale and crowding effects), the results of various studies have revealed positive, negative, and combined impact relationships. However, how the expansion of urban industrial land use affects SO₂ emissions remains unknown. We need to clarify this relationship in order to facilitate the realization of China’s pollution reduction and emission reduction goals. This study used the panel data from 294 cities spanning from 2011 to 2019 to construct a spatial econometric model. The objective was to explore the correlation between the scale of urban industrial land and sulfur dioxide emissions in China. The results show that a large scale of urban industrial land use corresponds to lower sulfur dioxide emissions per unit of industrial added value. By gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between the scale of urban industrial land use and sulfur dioxide emissions, policymakers can further reduce pollutant emissions by rationalizing the planning of urban industrial land use and industrial layout. In addition to promoting industrial agglomeration and economies of scale in cities with extensive industrial land use, this strategy can support the development of efficient and environmentally friendly industries in areas with limited industrial land use. Optimizing the technology and encouraging the development of green industries can help reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable urban development.

The Tibetan Plateau is vital for animal husbandry in China, and relies heavily on its natural grasslands. However, grassland degradation, increasing livestock numbers, and uneven grazing practices are exacerbating the grass-livestock imbalance. Cultivated grasslands are a key strategy to address this issue. In this review, we evaluate the current status, challenges, and suggestions for developing and managing Tibetan Plateau cultivated grasslands. While discernible advancements have been made in the cultivated grasslands in this region, persistent challenges exist. These challenges stem from issues like low awareness and enthusiasm among farmers and herders, uneven cultivated grassland distribution, and limited scientific and technological contributions. Based on these challenges, we propose strengthening the promotion of artificial forage, implementing a rationalized grassland layout, and improving the scientific and technological contributions to forage species selection, sowing, management, and storage. In summary, cultivated grasslands in the Tibetan Plateau offer promising prospects but still face significant challenges. Overcoming these obstacles will require innovative approaches to unlock the full potential of cultivated grasslands in this unique ecological niche.

Under global change and climate variations, determining the impacts of climate change and human activities on cropland net primary productivity (NPP) in Bangladesh, India and Myanmar (BIM) is of great significance for identifying yield-limiting factors, making adaptive agricultural management plans, and improving yields. Based on the GLOPEM-CEVSA model, through an integration of remote sensing data and LAI simulation, we investigated the impacts and spatiotemporal changes of water and human activities on BIM from 1982 to 2015. Three types of cropland NPPs were considered: actual NPP (NPP_A), NPP affected by temperature and water (NPP_WT), and NPP only affected by temperature (NPP_T). Our analysis revealed that the water factor plays a predominant role in determining the NPP level in the BIM. Temperature variability was found to be conducive to NPP_T, exhibiting an increasing trend of 10.66 g C m^-2 yr^-1. However, this trend was partially offset by precipitation variability, resulting in a net increase of 0.96 g C m^-2 yr^-1. In comparing temperature-driven NPP to temperature and water-driven NPP, water stress caused NPP_T to decrease by 65.46% compared to NPP_WT for the entire region. Cropland NPP in northwestern India and the central Deccan Plateau were significantly affected by water stress. Moreover, the influence of water on NPP in the BIM exhibited a substantial upward trend from 1982 to 2015, with Myanmar experiencing the most significant increase. The gap between NPP_WT and NPP_A in BIM demonstrated a notable decreasing trend during the same period, underscoring the positive impact of human activities on NPP. Inferences drawn from our findings suggest that with the implementation of rational and efficient crop management practices, there is a 36.80% potential improvement in NPP_A compared to NPP_WT in the BIM region, with India and Myanmar showing potential increases of 39.20% and 38.29%, respectively. These insights provide guidance for practical measures aimed at water resource management to enhance cropland productivity in the BIM, and they present a methodology for quantifying the effects of climatic changes and human activities at a regional scale.

As an important hub on the East Asian-Australian Flyway (EAAF), Hongze Lake is an important migratory stopover and wintering site for hundreds of thousands of birds. However, research on bird community diversity in this area is still lacking. We conducted a bird survey from July 2020 to June 2021 using the line transect method on the terrestrial habitat, as well as the fixed-point method in the lake wetland at the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve located in northwestern Hongze Lake, and analyzed the temporal-spatial variation in the bird community. The results showed that a total of 170432 detections of 215 bird species belonging to 18 orders and 55 families were recorded. In terms of species composition, the proportion of terrestrial birds was relatively high, followed by waterfowl richness, with high numbers of Anatidae species and shorebirds. For bird species abundance, waterfowl had the highest abundance of common coot (Fulica atra), belonging to the Rallidae family, followed by Anatidae and Ardeidae species. The abundance of shorebirds was extremely low, and that of non-waterfowl was also low. In terms of temporal patterns, the number of bird species and richness index were higher in spring and autumn but lower in winter and summer. The bird abundance was the highest in winter, and the remaining three seasons were similar in terms of bird abundance. The diversity index and evenness index were higher in spring, summer and autumn, and lowest in winter. For the spatial pattern, the open water in the western part of the reserve included the most densely distributed areas for birds, and the number of bird species and their abundance were both the highest in that part. There were significant differences in the bird community structures among the four habitats. The species number and richness index of birds in the reed habitat were the highest, and the bird abundance was also high, but the diversity index and evenness index were low. Although the bird abundance in the lake habitat was much higher than in the other habitats, the diversity index, evenness index and richness index were the lowest. The numbers of bird species and individuals in tourist attraction land and farmland were low, but the diversity index, evenness index and richness index were high. Our results reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of bird species diversity and abundance in Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve, and reflect the effects of different habitat types on bird diversity.

One of the major management problems in and around protected areas is the intensifying conflict between local people and wildlife, especially large carnivores. Livestock depredation and human fatalities caused by attacks of carnivores are found to be serious obstacles in conflict management. This study aims to explore the patterns, costs, causes and perceptions of human large carnivore conflict in the Nawalpur area of Chitwan National Park. The patterns of livestock loss and human casualties due to large carnivores (Panthera tigris and Panthera pardus) were analysed using the secondary data reported to Chitwan National Park from 2001 to 2019. To understand the people’s perception towards carnivores and wildlife conservation, 150 victim respondents were asked, with one household selected from each grid. During 19-year study period, a total of 521 incidents caused by large carnivores were reported, which included 33 human casualties and 488 livestock depredations. Tiger was responsible for the maximum conflict incidents in Nawalpur. The total relief provided for human deaths and injuries was US\$17524.41, whereas US\$13702.18 was used to compensate for livestock depredation in the Nawalpur area by authorities of the Chitwan National Park. More than 64% of the respondents liked the presence of carnivores in their area and had a positive attitude toward the conservation of large carnivores, even though the carnivores were responsible for livestock depredation and human injury and death. People’s satisfaction with the relief scheme provided by the government depended on ethnicity, gender, age class, occupation, education, insurance, and livestock ownership, but they believed the scheme was not effective. Hence, an effective relief scheme and awareness about the process of relief funding should be conducted in conflict areas. Conducting awareness programs for local communities about large carnivores, their behavior, and preparing predator-proof corrals would be helpful in minimizing conflict in the study area.

Human settlement is a necessary factor for human survival and development. The scientific assessments of the natural suitability and appropriateness of human settlements contribute to addressing the discord between ecological environments and economic development and fostering sustainable development in the relationship between humans and nature. Building upon established methods for assessing human settlement suitability, this study investigated the natural suitability of the living environment in the urban agglomeration of mid-southern Liaoning. Based on this exploration, the suitability of the degree of human settlements for the population distribution in the study area from 2000 to 2020 was calculated. The results revealed three important points. (1) Nearly one-fifth of the study area, the area around the offshoot of Changbai Mountain, is a critically suitable area. More than half of this area, generally the buffer zone connecting the Liaohe Plain and the offshoot of Changbai Mountain, is generally suitable for human settlements. The proportion of suitable areas is only 25.53%, mostly on the Liaohe Plain along the Liaodong Peninsula by the Yellow Sea. (2) The overall spatial distribution of human settlement exhibits a pattern that is moderate-low in the middle and high on both sides; and higher in the southern part and lower in the northern part. (3) The human settlement suitability degree is higher in the western regions and lower in the eastern regions, with Shenyang and Panjin in the west having the highest suitability, while Benxi in the east exhibits the lowest habitat suitability. From 2000 to 2020, except for Shenyang and Panjin where suitability remained constant, the suitability degree of other cities has improved. Among them, Dandong experienced the most significant increase in suitability.

Promoting industrial carbon reduction is an inevitable step for achieving the Chinese carbon peak and neutrality targets. Based on the industrial energy consumption data of Shaanxi Province from 2011 to 2020, this study uses the IPCC calculation method to calculate the industrial carbon emissions in Shaanxi Province. The prediction model for industrial carbon emissions in Shaanxi Province was constructed based on the STIRPAT model from three aspects: population, economy, and technology. By setting three scenario models, the industrial carbon emissions from 2021 to 2035 and the time to achieve peak carbon neutrality were then predicted. The results show that the industry in Shaanxi Province cannot achieve a carbon peak under the baseline scenario, although it can achieve carbon peaking in 2030 under a low-carbon scenario or in 2025 under an enhanced low-carbon scenario. The predicted carbon peak values are 209.11 million t and 188.36 million t, respectively. Based on the results of this study, four policy recommendations are proposed: (1) strengthen publicity and education efforts to increase public participation in energy conservation and emission reduction; (2) promote the green transformation of industry and develop a green economy, including the active development of energy-saving and emission reduction technologies; (3) accelerate the implementation of industrial carbon reduction; and (4) promote the development and utilization of clean energy and increase efforts to adjust the energy structure.

Based on the panel data of Guangxi from 2005 to 2017, the spatiotemporal characteristics and determinants of urban carbon emissions in Guangxi were analyzed using the extended STIRPAT model and the Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) model. The main findings of our research can be summarized as follows. While the total carbon emissions of cities in Guangxi consistently increased from 2005 to 2014, the growth trend slowed after 2014, leading to a stabilization in the total emissions. In addition, there are significant differences in the total carbon emissions among the cities. The central and northeastern regions have higher emissions, while the southwestern region has lower emissions. Finally, there are variations in the degrees and directions of the impacts that factors have on carbon emissions among the different time periods and cities. Urban land use is a key factor driving carbon emissions, and it has a negative impact on most cities in Guangxi. Meanwhile, factors such as industrial structure, population urbanization, population concentration, and economic growth have significant positive effects on carbon emissions in Guangxi. The influence of urban roads on carbon emissions is generally positive, while the degree of openness to the outside world and environmental regulations has relatively weaker impacts on emissions. In summary, in order to promote the low-carbon transition of Guangxi and achieve high-quality development, the cities in Guangxi should implement differentiated urban carbon reduction strategies that are focused on optimizing urban land use and industrial structure.

Poplar has gained popularity among farmers of Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and the foothills of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh due to their fast growth rate and suitability for industrial uses such as pulp and timber production. Integrating poplar trees into agroforestry systems optimizes land resources and economic gains, as successful techniques have been developed to coordinate crop timing and arrangements effectively. Integrating poplar trees with agricultural crops provides additional income streams for farmers and contributes to soil conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and other environmental benefits. Farmers in these regions typically employ effective spacing of 5 m×4 m for block plantation and 1 m×3 m for row plantation. In the present study, a systematic literature review encompassing 137 English-language journal articles was conducted to assess the economic benefits of Poplar using discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, considering short-rotation poplar (SRC) and very short-rotation poplar (vSRC) plantations alongside annual crops. The findings revealed that increasing canopy density led to a decline in crop yields by 37%, 70%, and 99% at canopy densities of 30%, 60%, and 90%, respectively, from early spring to harvest. Cost-benefit analysis in Saharanpur district, India, indicated average annual net returns of USD 346.36 for Poplar-based agrisilviculture, while monoculture yielded USD 140.73 per annum. Furthermore, economic analysis in Yamunanagar and Haridwar districts showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from 2.35 to 3.7. Additionally, Poplar block and boundary plantations were found to sequester significantly more carbon in long-lived biomass, serving as substitutes for fossil fuels (5.45 and 1.84 t ha^-1 yr^-1) in poplar-based systems with block and boundary plantations. The study suggested expanding spacing between tree rows may mitigate resource competition between plantations and crops. The study inferred that Poplar-based agroforestry may play a crucial role in climate mitigation programs by effectively sequestering atmospheric carbon and offering fuel, fodder, timber, and wood products, thereby alleviating pressure on existing natural forests.

In recent years, the “power restriction” measures were taken in many localities, industrial electricity consumption was interrupted, mainly in the “two high” (high energy consumption and high pollutant emission) enterprises. Take the “power restriction” event in 2021 as an example, this event affected a wide range of regions and disrupted people’s livelihood. It not only refers to the power switch and rationing measures taken by individual regions, but also includes differentiated policies implemented by over 20 provinces to limit power supply and industrial production. This paper investigated in detail and summarized the different requirements of power restriction across the country, through the comparison of annual growth rates of power generation and industrial added value，the comparison results of energy intensity, electricity production, power consumption and the industrial growth rate in each province are analyzed. Industrial enterprises and related industrial chains were most heavily affected by the “power restriction” event，mainly in steel, cement, electrolytic aluminum, industrial silicon, textile printing and dyeing, chemical fiber, chemical and other enterprises with high energy consumption and high pollutants emission. The measures to limit electricity will affect the normal production of enterprises to a certain extent, leading to not only the decrease of production efficiency, but also the increase of energy consumption and pollutant emission per unit product. Energy management measures such as differentiated electricity price have limited effect on the output of “two high” industrial products, and the economic leverage of differentiated electricity price is gradually being diluted by the price rise of end products. This paper analyzed the reasons and explored several key problems that need special attention. then recommended certain countermeasures for its appropriate application in the future.

Coastal wetlands are of paramount importance as major reservoirs of blue carbon (C), playing a crucial role in providing nature-based solutions to mitigate climatic changes. This research aimed to analyse the dynamics of total blue C (TBC) and its components; viz. soil organic C (SOC), below ground C, and above ground C; as well as how they are influenced by land use/ land cover (LULC) categories and wetland situations. Subsequently, study sites were identified as one restored wetland and another degraded wetland in the Medinipur Coastal Plain, India. The LULC categories were analyzed using Pleiades 1A and 1B satellite imagery, corresponding to the restored and degraded wetland, respectively. The quantification of SOC was based on point-specific sample data collected from both wetlands (n_r=250; n_d=84). Above ground biomass (AGB) was appraised employing allometric relationships involving field-measured dendrometric variables. Below ground biomass values were calculated using indirect allometric equations that take into account the AGB values. Integrating all the components, TBC stock of the restored and degraded wetlands were estimated at 246710.91 Mg and 7865.49 Mg, respectively. In the restored wetland, dense mangrove and open mangrove exhibited higher concentrations of blue C components, while other LULC categories demonstrated moderate to low densities. In the degraded wetland, the open mangrove category recorded high densities of C pools, whereas herbaceous vegetation, bare earth and sand, and waterbody exhibited lower concentrations. The results portrayed significant disparities (P<0.05) in blue C pools among different LULC categories in both wetlands. Furthermore, it was evident that wetland type and LULC category had notable (P<0.001) impacts on TBC dynamics, both individually and in combination. Overall, this research may aid in effective management of coastal wetlands as blue C sinks, emphasizing their significance as essential elements of climate change mitigation strategies.

In areas with a high geological background of heavy metals, some edible plants could pose a serious threat to human health. In order to find effective methods to remove heavy metals or reduce their harm, this study investigated the enrichment conditions of five soil heavy metals, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cr, in four edible plants in a mining area, Baoshantao, in eastern China that has a high geological background of metals, and two groups of experiments were designed to investigate the effects of passivators on their enrichment. The results showed that the soil heavy metal content in the study area has a certain degree of spatial variability. The five heavy metal element contaminants in the soil are in the order of Cd>Cu>Zn>Pb>Cr. The enrichment coefficients and the transfer coefficients of different edible plants were different for the different heavy metals. The two groups of passivators showed better passivating effects with an increase in passivating agent dosage. The smaller the enrichment coefficient of water spinach, the lower the bioavailability. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for the restoration of soil heavy metal pollution and the safe use of land in areas with a high geological background of heavy metals.

To investigate the impact of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) treatment with different processing duration on tomato continuous cropping soil, a total of eight treatments were designed, which included two treatment temperatures of 10 ℃ and 30 ℃, and four treatment times of 3, 4, 5 and 7 weeks (w). The results showed that whether the temperature was 10 ℃ or 30 ℃, the pH values, TOC and available K contents in the soil treated by the ASD method were significantly increased (P<0.05), while the EC values and NO₃^- contents in soils treated by ASD were significantly reduced compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). The Fusarium oxysporum population in soils treated by ASD decreased with the extension of the treatment time. When the treatment temperature was 30 ℃, the effect on the removal of the NO₃^- that had accumulated in soils treated by ASD was significantly better than the treatment temperature of 10 ℃ (P<0.05). When soil was treated by ASD for more than 5 w at 30 ℃, the NH₄⁺ content in soil was significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with the untreated soil. In conclusion, NO₃^- accumulation in soils could not be completely eliminated with treatment by ASD, even when the treatment time at 10 ℃ was prolonged. Whether the treatment temperature was 10 ℃ or 30 ℃, the F. oxysporum population in soils treated by ASD decreased significantly with the extension of the treatment time to more than 5 w compared with treatment only for only 3 w.

People’s health is the basis for the progress of social civilization and an important symbol of national prosperity and national strength. Using the entropy method, spatial autocorrelation, spatio-temporal geographic weighted regression and other methods, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the high-quality development level of public health in Guizhou Province from 2011 to 2020 and an evolutionary analysis of the spatio-temporal divergence. The results revealed four key aspects of the state of public health in Guizhou Province. (1) The overall level of public health is constantly improving, but structural imbalance is prominent. (2) From the spatial dimension, the spatial differences in the level of public health have gradually moved from significant to a state of equilibrium. The northeastern cities were more strongly driven by the radiation of the peripheral cities, while this effect was weaker in the southwestern cities. From the time dimension, the spatial pattern shows a clear gradient, with a faster vertical growth rate. (3) The overall spatial correlation of the level of public health is weak, with more cold spots than hot spots, showing a distribution pattern of “strong in the northeast and weak in the southwest”. (4) The new rural cooperative medical care participation rate, (rural) per capita health expenditure, and the electronic health record creation rate have become the most important drivers affecting the high-quality development of public health in Guizhou Province.

To investigate the potential impact of emission reduction measures on ozone (O₃) formation under the carbon neutrality target, we examined the changes in O₃ concentration and their sensitivity to various parameters in the urban and suburban areas of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). In this study, we used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) and the Community Multi-scale Air Quality Modeling system (CMAQ) air quality model to simulate O₃ formation in three key years of 2020, 2030 and 2060, based on the Ambitious-pollution-Neutral-goal scenario data from the Dynamic Projection for Emissions in China (DPEC) model. The decoupled direct method (DDM) module embedded in CMAQ was used to calculate the first-order sensitivity coefficients of O₃ to nitrogen oxides (S_{O3_NOx}) and volatile organic compounds (S_{O3_VOC}). The results show several important trends in the O₃ concentrations and sensitivity. (1) For the changes in O₃ concentrations, in terms of different seasons, the O₃ concentration in the GBA region shows an increasing trend in winter in both 2030 and 2060 compared to 2020. In terms of different cities, the O₃ concentration in Shenzhen shows a significant increasing trend compared to the other cities. (2) For changes in O₃ sensitivity, S_{O3_NOx} shows an increasing trend, with the negative area declining and the positive area increasing. In 2030, the negative absolute value of S_{O3_NOx} is reduced, indicating that the NO_x titration effect will be weakened. In 2060, S_{O3_NOx} becomes positive in most areas of the GBA region. For S_{O3_VOC}, the future scenario shows positive values throughout the study area for all years, but a decreasing trend.

The High-Altitude Bhagirathi Valley (HA-BV) in Garhwal Himalaya is a region of significant ecological and cultural importance, which is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Community-based approaches to climate change adaptation (CB-CCA) have emerged as an important strategy to build resilience and sustain the local community's economic and social well-being. This paper aims to examine the CB-CCA and livelihood security initiatives in HA-BV, focusing on the strategies implemented to address the challenges posed by climate change. The paper analyzes the successes and challenges of these approaches and contributes to the discourse on sustainable development in the Himalayan region. The study findings can inform future efforts to build climate resilience and livelihood security in similar contexts. This research demonstrates the potential of CB-CCA to enhance the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and provides insights into the co-benefits of sustainable development and climate resilience in HA-BV.

The research was conducted within the Kulekhani Watershed with the objective of examining changes in Land Use Land Cover (LULC) dynamics and soil erosion across various LULC categories spanning from 2000 to 2020. The findings regarding the LULC classification in the Kulekhani Watershed revealed a steady rise in forested land, escalating from 60.72% in 2000 to 62.43% in 2010, and ultimately reaching 64.75% of the total area by 2020. The extent of water bodies exhibited a marginal increase from 1.07% in 2000 to 1.08% in 2020. Correspondingly, barren land expanded from 0.21% to 0.26%, eventually reaching 0.35% over the successive time intervals. Conversely, agricultural land dwindled over these periods, comprising 38% in 2000, 36.24% in 2010, and ultimately declining to 33.82% by 2020. The utilization of the Revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney (RMMF) model for soil loss estimation demonstrated a declining trend in weighted average soil loss during the years 2000 to 2010, followed by a slight increase between 2010 and 2020. The calculated soil loss values were recorded as 8.64 t ha^-1 yr^-1, 7.12 t ha^-1 yr^-1, and 7.30 t ha^-1 yr^-1 for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020 respectively. Similarly, the erosion susceptibility map illustrated a rising pattern in the very low-risk soil erosion zone from 2000 to 2020, primarily prominent within forested regions, while exhibiting a low to moderate susceptibility in agricultural zones. Moreover, barren areas displayed a moderate to high susceptibility to soil erosion. To address these concerns, future endeavors are recommended to encompass afforestation initiatives in barren regions, implement conservation farming practices in agricultural areas, and adopt appropriate measures for road stabilization.

Ecological security and its patterns are hot topics for regional ecological protection. In the subtropical coast mountainous area with high precipitation, complex topography, and frequent typhoons, does the construction of a Power Transmission Line (PTL) affect local ecological security? Taking Fujian Tangyuan PTL as an example, this study examined changes in the Ecological Security Pattern (ESP) at regional and local scales by using Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) and the Gravity model. The results showed that within the PTL timelines (before, during and after building the PTL), the ecological source area occupied 14.21%, 11.79% and 14.11% of the whole research region; while the important eco-corridors numbered 20, 21 and 16, respectively; and the eco-nodes numbered 168, 123 and 227, respectively. At the local scale, in the PTL buffer space (2 km from the PTL on either side, i.e., the potential ecological impact zone) within the timelines (before-during-after building the PTL), the ecological source area occupied 39.78 km², 27.44 km² and 29.88 km², respectively, and the eco-corridor lengths were 50.78 km, 44.36 km and 67.18 km with 13, 7 and 25 eco-nodes, respectively. Clearly, during the building of the PTL, the ecological “source-corridor” decreased at first and gradually recovered after the construction, while the challenge to the ecological safety from the PTL occurred at the local scale. The results of this study provide a method for evaluating the ecological integrity disturbance by linear projects and scientific protection strategies are proposed.

Earthquakes are one of the major natural disaster threats worldwide and directly cause substantial economic losses and many casualties every year. Research on the resource and environmental carrying capacity in earthquake-prone areas is urgently required for regional earthquake relief efforts and post-disaster reconstruction. This study considered Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Ganzi Prefecture) in Sichuan Province, China, focusing on the impact of the Luding 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Ganzi Prefecture in 2022. An evaluation system for the resource and environmental carrying capacity of earthquake-prone areas was established. A total of 23 indicators were selected that cover ecological, social economical, and geological aspects, and the weight of each index was determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The relative ranking of the resource and environmental carrying capacities of each county and city were calculated using the weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Consequently, the post-disaster reconstruction strategy of Ganzi Prefecture was evaluated and analyzed. The results show that the resource and environmental carrying capacities of each administrative area differ regionally. Evidence shows that the resource and environmental carrying capacity in southeastern Ganzi Prefecture is generally higher than in the northwest, owing to the joint influence of the social economy and ecological and geological environment. This study provides carrying capacity assessment data and support methods for earthquake-prone areas.