The article uses a case study approach to investigate the mechanisms of ecological product value realization, and influencing factors. Specifically, we use a case analysis framework based on the “economy-society- natural ecology” perspective to analyze and compare the three batches of “Typical Cases of Ecological Product Value Realization” released by the Ministry of Natural Resources. We find: First, different modes of ecological product value realization exist. Different resource endowments, and institutional and environmental factors affect the selection of the value realization modes. Second, certain obstacles also exist for realizing ecological product value, which are mainly reflected in the fact that the articulation of the individual, society, and government is not yet sufficiently close. Third, to promote the development of regional eco-products’ mode and value conversion, the implementing party needs to guide the synergy between individual concepts, social participation, and governmental top-level design; rationally arrange the allocation of resource elements; mitigate elemental constraints; and propose effective technical means and optimization strategies according to the actual situation.

In the mass tourism era, the rising demand for personalized and high-quality experiences necessitates a distinct urban tourism image. This study examined tourists’ perceptions of Harbin during non-ice and snow seasons using network text analysis within the “cognitive-emotional-overall” framework and a ROST content mining tool. Our analysis of travelogues revealed that Harbin is seen as an exotic, culturally rich destination, yet tourists have limited awareness of its natural resources. While overall emotional responses from tourists were positive, facilities and services received some criticism. The views of tourists were primarily focused on popular urban sites, highlighting the need for diversification. This study contributes to the theoretical discussion on the formation of the city’s tourism image and suggests strategies that will allow Harbin to transition from a season-specific tourism model to a year-round tourism model, thereby enhancing its four-season destination brand in terms of infrastructure, industry innovation and market management.

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.

Agricultural eco-efficiency is a vital indicator for assessing the sustainability of agriculture. Conducting evaluations of agricultural eco-efficiency can provide critical information for policymaking, resource allocation, and the advancement of agricultural sustainable development. While there exists a substantial body of research on the evaluation of agricultural eco-efficiency, its influencing factors, and improvement paths, there remains a paucity of systematic reviews, evaluations, and prospective analyses in this area. This study employed the literature search method to analyze relevant scholarly articles. Chinese literature was sourced from the CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) database, while international literature was obtained from the Web of Science database. The literature search was conducted from 1998 to 2023. The study reviewed the progress of research on agricultural eco-efficiency and outlined the challenges and prospects that lie ahead. The findings of this study indicate that the primary challenges in the field of agricultural eco-efficiency research include refining the evaluation system, integrating macro and micro influencing factors, and ensuring the suitability of models employed. In the future, the research could expand in areas such as deepening the application of artificial intelligence technology in evaluation methods, clarifying the driving factors of agricultural eco-efficiency, and promoting the green transformation of agriculture. This study provides a comprehensive systematic review and could provide critical information for related research expansion.

Sports tourism plays a significant role in the revitalization of rural areas in China. This study analyzed survey responses from 406 rural residents and conducted surveys with 15 village leaders in the Dabie mountain region. The results showed that 85.71% of the rural residents believe that their family’s average income increased by about 19865.93 yuan because of the presence of sports tourism in the area. They also showed that the sports tourists engaged in 17 kinds of consumption activities within the local villages. Additionally, it seems that 86.39% of rural residents see potential benefits from sports tourism, and 85.71% of the residents’ household incomes were increased due to sports tourism. In that regard, the average household annual income increased by 4677.58 yuan, and the average annual income of the residents in the whole area increased by 449000 yuan. Despite the positive impact of sports tourism in generating income for rural residents and contributing to rural revitalization, the tourism industry faces challenges. These include a lack of sufficient market appeal, leading to a new “Matthew effect,” disparities in income distribution that conflict with the goals of rural revitalization, and a deviation from the intended developmental direction. Considering these findings, it is recommended to establish a sports tourism structure that aligns with local characteristics, incorporate sports tourism projects into the Chinese government's public service initiatives, safeguard rural incomes amidst sports tourism development, and strengthen the connection between sports tourism and rural revitalization.

The Mongolian Plateau, a vital ecological barrier in northern China, is of great importance for studying vegetation dynamics in Mongolia against the background of climate warming. Such studies can enhance our understanding of regional vegetation responses to global warming and contribute to the establishment of a stronger ecological barrier in northern China. Here, we analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) in Mongolia using 8 km resolution GIMMS NDVI3g data from 1990 to 2022, along with temperature, precipitation, and elevation data. Trend analysis and correlation methods were used to examine the relationships between the NDVI and temperature, as well as precipitation. The results showed four important aspects of these relationships. (1) The NDVI in Mongolia increased significantly from 1990 to 2022 at a rate of 0.0015 yr^-1 (P<0.05). (2) Mongolia’s NDVI increased from 1990 to 2022 in 60.73% of the country. Of this total, the area with a significant increase accounted for 31.67% and was concentrated on the eastern and western edges. The area experiencing a significant decrease accounted for 15.67% and was mainly located on the southwestern edges. (3) The NDVI analysis revealed significant increasing trends in all regions except for those at elevations of 1500-2000 m. The greatest rate of increase was observed between 500 and 1000 m, and the increasing trend weakened as elevation continued to increase before gradually becoming significant again. Additionally, the NDVI increased significantly across different slopes, and the rate of increase decreased as the slope increased. (4) From 1990 to 2022, Mongolia’s NDVI was mostly negatively correlated with temperature. This occurred over 66.75% of the total land area, with 17.21% of the region exhibiting a significant negative correlation, mainly in the southwest. Conversely, the NDVI demonstrated a positive correlation with precipitation, encompassing 86.71% of the total land area. Approximately 40.44% of the region had a significant positive correlation, primarily in the southwest. In conclusion, throughout the experimental period, the vegetation state in Mongolia improved. However, due to the warming and drying climate, more attention should be paid to vegetation degradation in the south-central region.

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.

Rural tourism plays a crucial role in promoting the process of urban-rural integration and regionally coordinated development. Drawing on theories of tourism system drive and system science, this study constructed a rural tourism system dynamics model with four subsystems: demand, supply, media, and support. Subsequently, we predicted the optimal mechanism for rural tourism development using scenario simulation methods. The findings were four-fold. (1) The rural tourism development dynamics system constructed in this study overcame the limitations of previous subsystem divisions. (2) Under the development scenarios of Natural development mechanism (NDM), Demand driven mechanism (DDM), Supply driven mechanism (SDMe), Media driven mechanism (MDM), Support driven mechanism (SDMu), and Synergistic driven mechanism (SDMy), the rural tourism development index values in 2035 were 0.678, 0.702, 0.755, 0.715, 0.776, and 0.836, respectively. Among these scenarios, SDMy emerged as the ideal mechanism for rural tourism development in Yangshuo County. (3) Based on the characteristics of the rural tourism development index, rural tourism in Yangshuo County has undergone three stages: fluctuating growth, rapid development, and recession. (4) Yangshuo County’s rural tourism supply index grows slowly and is always below 0.8, which is a key link for future structural optimization. This study proposes a direction for rural tourism development in Yangshuo and a later impetus, which can accelerate the process of urban-rural integration in Yangshuo and similar areas.

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.

With the promotion of the rural revitalization strategy, cultural and creative industries of tourism have gradually become an important driving force for rural revitalization. Since the economic level of minority areas is low and the concept of industrial development lags behind, developing the cultural and creative industries of tourism has a positive role in cultural revitalization and economic structure transformation. In recent years, Ebian Yi Autonomous County (Ebian County) has relied on rich intangible cultural heritage resources and achieved fruitful results in the development of cultural and creative products of rural tourism, adding vitality to its rural tourism and rural revitalization. Starting from the economy and the development of cultural and creative industries empowered by intangible cultural heritage (ICH), this study analyzed the impact of related cultural and creative products of Ebian County on its economic development in the five-year period from 2018 to 2022 by means of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Three main conclusions could be drawn. (1) The impact of intangible cultural heritage cultural and creative industries of Ebian County on the economy has been positive and expanding gradually with time. (2) The number of inheritors and workshops, and the business income of workshops are the three major factors affecting the development of cultural and creative industries. (3) Ebian already has a good foundation of cultural and creative industries of intangible cultural heritage, so the investment of funds and training of talents have played a major role in promoting the development of cultural and creative industries of intangible cultural heritage.

Phoenix species, recognized for their profound ecological, economic, and cultural significance, have garnered substantial attention in research across Asia. However, limited studies exist on research trends, status, distribution, ethnobotany, and pharmacological activities of Phoenix species in the region. The objective of this study is to compile pertinent information on these aspects for Phoenix species in Asia. We employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach to systematically examine the literature pertaining to Phoenix species in the Asian region. This comprehensive review analyzes research trends on Phoenix species in Asia from year 2000 to 2023. A total of 42 studies were identified, showcasing a growing interest, with a notable peak in publications in 2019. The temporal distribution suggests fluctuating attention over the years. Geographically, the concentration of studies is limited to 12 out of 48 Asian countries, emphasizing the need for more extensive exploration given the widespread availability of Phoenix species. The research primarily focuses on pharmacology, followed by ethnobotany, morphology, taxonomy, material science, environmental engineering, and ecology. Notably, studies disproportionately concentrate on Phoenix dactylifera, leaving other species underexplored. The analysis of research focus, species distribution, and geographical representation underscores the importance of diversifying research themes and exploring the ecological, economic, and cultural significance of lesser-studied Phoenix species across Asia. The findings highlight both the growing interest and existing gaps in our knowledge, urging for a more comprehensive exploration of the entire genus to unravel its full potential and significance across Asian landscapes.

Tourism scenic spots serve as direct attractions for tourists and crucial drivers for the transformation and upgrading of the tourism industry, so they play an irreplaceable role in the development of the tourism sector. The quantity and grades of A-grade scenic spots are the mainstay of competition in various tourism markets, and their spatial layout is very important for the development of regional tourism. Using 11970 A-grade scenic spots in China as the research sample, and methods such as the Nearest Neighbor Index Method, Kernel Density Estimation Method, and Grid Dimension Method, the spatial distribution, typological structure, and influencing factors of A-grade tourist attractions were analyzed to identify the main natural, economic, and social factors influencing the spatiotemporal pattern of A-grade scenic spots. The results indicated that China’s A-grade scenic spots exhibit clustering characteristics in their spatial distribution. The kernel density center shows a spatial pattern of “multiple cores, with secondary cores surrounding, and a gradual decrease”. The spatial structure is fractal and complex, with significant regional differences and a notable scale-free range. The types of tourist destinations and products exhibit distinct regional features, with a higher concentration of scenic spots in the regions in South China and East China, which are characterized by favorable natural and economic conditions and convenient transportation. A-grade scenic spots are densely distributed around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the eastern regions such as Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces. Analyzing the spatial distribution characteristics of A-grade scenic spots in China contributes to our understanding of the complexity of scenic spot layout and spatial connections, which provides a basis for optimizing the layout of tourism development within regions, the rational allocation of resources, enhancing the quality and efficiency of the tourism industry, and promoting sustained and healthy regional economic development. It is conducive to the strategic work of tourism development and rural revitalization in China, and serves as a reference for decision-making.

Deeply integrated vulnerability and its evaluation framework provide a new perspective for the study of socio-ecological systems in metropolitan suburbs. A new vulnerability evaluation system of ‘exposure-sensitivity- adaptability’ based on the socio-ecological system and vulnerability theory was constructed. Meanwhile, drawing on the concept of ‘spatial trap’, the concept of ‘spatial vulnerability trap’ was tried to put forward. The spatial-temporal interaction characteristics were analyzed, the existence of spatial vulnerability trap was tested and the interaction mechanism of vulnerability dynamic evolution was revealed using spatial-temporal exploration analysis method and geographic detector for socio-ecological system vulnerability of 184 administrative villages in Qingpu District from the year 1998 to 2018. The results showed that: (1) During the study period, the socio-ecological systems vulnerability of Qingpu District increased from 0.518 to 0.621, and the vulnerability level increased from low grade to medium grade. The spatial-temporal pattern showed the dynamic characteristics of first increase and then decrease and high in the East and low in the west. (2) The relative length of the socio-ecological systems vulnerability temporal path movement in Qingpu District from 1998 to 2018 showed a trend of gradual decline from the central region to the surrounding area. The mobility curvature of the vulnerability time path was relatively small, showing the spatial pattern of low in the north and high in south, and the cohesion index of the spatial transition of vulnerability is 0.496. The spatial agglomeration structure had relatively high transfer activity and low path locking. (3) No ‘spatial vulnerability absolute trap’ was detected during the study period, yet the ‘spatial vulnerability relative trap’ highlighted in the 11 administrative villages mainly distributed around the administrative boundary in the north and south of the area. (4) Social capital factor, human capital factor, social factor, economic factor, ecological factor and financial capital factor are the main factors influencing the vulnerability change, but the influence of each factor showed fluctuation and type difference. The main interaction types of socio-ecological system vulnerability differentiation in urban suburbs are the cumulative type of internal and external coupling, the type of endogenous capacity constraint and the external environmental stress type. The results of the study are of great theoretical and practical significance to guide the suburban areas to prevent the vulnerability risk, promote regional coordination to reduce vulnerability and sustainable development.

Natural grasslands are increasingly subjected to the dual stresses of grazing pressures and climate change. However, the contribution of human activities, especially grassland ecology conservation projects, to grassland improvement remains ambiguous. Utilizing MODIS satellite data in conjunction with the VPM model, the gross primary productivity (GPP) changes in the Xilingol grassland from 2000 to 2020 were assessed. Based on GPP data derived from remote sensing, this study quantitatively assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of the impacts of climate change and human activities on the productivity of grassland in the Xilingol League. From 2000 to 2020, the grasslands exhibited a greening trend characterized by a significant annual GPP increment of 2.66 gC m^-2 yr^-1 (P<0.05). Climate change and human activities jointly contributed to this greening trend, with relative contribution rates of 55% and 45%, respectively. However, the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to the trend of GPP varied greatly in different regions. Climate change emerged as the principal driver in the central and eastern regions of Xilingol League with robust grass growth, accounting for more than 65% of the GPP enhancement. Conversely, human activities were the dominant factors in less verdant western regions and the agro-pastoral ecotone, representing more than 60% of the GPP change. Grassland productivity was sensitive to grassland ecological restoration measures, with significant changes in the trends of grassland productivity attributed to human activities in pivotal policy implementation years such as 2005 and 2011. Specifically, measures such as the control of wind/sand sources and returning grazing land to grassland from 2000 to 2005 gradually alleviated the pressure of human activities on grassland productivity, as they significantly improved vegetation growth in high-quality grasslands. Under the forage-livestock balance policy from 2005 to 2011, inadequate compensation for grassland ecological protection led to a significant reduction in GPP, as some herders increased their livestock holdings despite grazing restrictions, and this particularly affected the high-quality grasslands. The implementation of the Grassland Ecological Protection Subsidy and Reward Program from 2011 to 2020 generally promoted the recovery of productivity in eastern and western Xilingol League grasslands, but significant ecological pressure persisted. This study provides theoretical support for optimizing grassland ecosystem management and forming a virtuous cycle of grassland conservation in pastoral areas.

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 present world pattern has undergone major changes, the trend of world multi-polarization is constantly emerging, and peace and development remain the main themes of today’s society. The formal signing and implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is important for meeting the needs of peace and development of many countries and regions. China is in a new era of reform and opening-up, and the RCEP content is in line with China’s concept of pursuing a path of rejuvenation. Based on the locations of important borders, Yunnan Province has become one of the key places for China’s opening-up and development regarding Southeast Asia and South Asia, and the high-quality development of its tourism service trade is of great significance. This study first used the grounded theory analysis method to organize, analyze and process the records of international conferences and government press conferences held in Yunnan Province, as well as important related issues since the signing of RCEP. Then, the social network analysis method was used to analyze the social recognition degree of RCEP in promoting the high-quality development of the tourism service trade in Yunnan Province from the perspectives of different levels and group consensus. The results show that cooperation is the key macro driving force for RCEP in promoting the high-quality development of the tourism service trade in Yunnan Province. Regarding the opportunities and environment of the transportation dividend, policy dividend and investment dividend, port construction, border township construction and exhibition-related construction are important cooperation contents, so they are conducive to the recovery of the tourism industry in a broader development space. Competition can improve the driving force of RCEP in promoting the high-quality development of the tourism service trade in Yunnan Province at the micro level, and has more practical significance. For example, RCEP can better rely on its own geographical advantages and international market competitiveness, optimize the use of resources inside and outside ports, and use high-tech products to form a more green, ecological, organic and sustainable development. In different levels of social identity, RCEP’s power of cooperation is more strongly recognized, while the power of competition is less recognized. However, from the perspective of grouping the various groups, RCEP’s powers of cooperation and competition are jointly recognized by the other groups, indicating that cooperation and competition are necessary for the realization of RCEP’s power. The results of this study provide a certain reference for understanding the dynamics of RCEP in more detail from more angles and for the local implementation of RCEP rules and measures.

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.

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.

Natural and anthropogenic disturbances accelerate land degradation (LD) in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, leading to reduced land quality and productivity, loss of biodiversity, degradation of ecosystem services, and a decline in the quality of life of local people. To address this issue, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has set a target for LD neutrality (LDN). However, quantifying and comparing the status of LD at global or regional scales remains challenging due to the lack of coherent quantitative methods and tools. In this study, we focused on Mongolia, a region with significant LD problems, to examine patterns of LD and changes from 2015 to 2020, accounting for regional differences. Trends.Earth was used, as recommended by the UNCCD. The main findings are as follows: (1) Overall, the degraded land area in Mongolia accounted for 12.11% of the total land area, predominantly located in the southwest desert and desert steppe, gradually spreading to the northeast steppe. (2) The areas showing improvement in the land productivity index and degradation were 17.62% and 11.79%, respectively, with the most severely degraded areas concentrated in the southern desert and desert steppe regions. (3) The areas of improvement and degradation in the land cover index were 1.80% and 0.16%, respectively, with degraded areas scattered across regions of steppe, high mountains, and mountain taiga. (4) The areas of improvement and degradation in the land organic carbon index were 1.54% and 0.22%, respectively, with degradation primarily observed in adjacent areas of mountain taiga, steppe, and desert steppe. (5) The improved area (2.999×10⁵ km²) of LDN are more than the degraded area (1.895×10⁵ km²), indicating a positive trend toward LDN in Mongolia.

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.

Existing studies of tourists’ behaviors of tourism destination focus on place attachment. Although tourists’ attachment is related to tourists’ emotional experiences at the attractions of a tourism destination (ATDs), the role that tourists’ attachment styles play in establishing their emotional experiences and behavioral intentions toward different ATD types have not been verified. This study used the Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village as a typical tourism destination to examine these effects. Based on research on attachment styles, emotional experiences, and behavioral intentions, a conceptual model of the relationships among tourists’ attachment styles, emotional experiences of, and behavioral intentions toward ATDs was constructed. The impact of tourists’ attachment styles between their emotional experiences of and behavioral intentions toward ATDs was then studied empirically. The impact pathways of tourist attachment styles on different ATD types were tested. The results indicate that tourists’ emotional experiences of ATDs had no significant or direct impacts on their behavioral intentions in terms of relationship closeness and diversive exploration. Both their emotional experiences of and their behavioral intentions toward ATDs were affected by the mediating effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance, which were full and partial, respectively. Further, the paths of the mediating effects of tourists’ attachment styles on the emotional experiences of and behavioral intentions toward different types of ATDs varied significantly. Tourists’ emotion-behavior paths when experiencing a TD were clarified, providing a theoretical basis to satisfy their real needs for experiencing ATDs.

The Mongolian Plateau (MP), situated in the transitional zone between the Siberian taiga and the arid grasslands of Central Asia, plays a significant role as an Ecological Barrier (EB) with crucial implications for ecological and resource security in Northeast Asia. EB is a vast concept and a complex issue related to many aspects such as water, land, air, vegetation, animals, and people, et al. It is very difficult to understand the whole of EB without a comprehensive perspective, that traditional diverse studies cannot cover. Big data and artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled a shift in the research paradigm. Faced with these requirements, this study identified issues in the construction of EB on MP from a big data perspective. This includes the issues, progress, and future recommendations for EB construction-related studies using big data and AI. Current issues cover the status of theoretical studies, technical bottlenecks, and insufficient synergistic analyses related to EB construction. Research progress introduces advances in scientific research driven by big data in three key areas of MP: natural resources, the ecological environment, and sustainable development. For the future development of EB construction on MP, it is recommended to utilize big data and intelligent computing technologies, integrate extensive regional data resources, develop precise algorithms and automated tools, and construct a big data collaborative innovation platform. This study aims to call for more attention to big data and AI applications in EB studies, thereby supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals in the MP and enhancing the research paradigm transforming in the fields of resources and the environment.

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.

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.

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.

Among cultural ecosystem services, aesthetic value is one of the most strongly related to humans. The scientific assessment of the aesthetic value of cultural ecosystem services plays a vital role in achieving the refined management of national park ecosystems. In the current study, Qianjiangyuan National Park in China was taken as an example, three typical types of aesthetic ecosystem services (AESs) were extracted, and an AES evaluation index system was constructed by combining the cultural attributes and landscape aesthetic value of national parks. Tourists’ value perception of AESs was analyzed based on 542 valid survey questionnaires, and the influences of various demographic characteristics were explored using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Based on this, the importance and overall level of various AESs in national parks were systematically evaluated using the entropy method and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results reveal the following. (1) Tourists believe that national parks have natural, cultural, and social aesthetic service value. The value perception of physical and mental health services is the highest (2.44), while that of spiritual worship services is the lowest (1.86). (2) Different demographic characteristics have significant impacts on the value perception of aesthetic services. The greater the number of visits to the national park, the higher the tourists’ value perception of primitive wilderness, spiritual worship, folk culture, and human settlement services. Moreover, tourists visiting the national park for research purposes have the highest value perception of natural ASEs. (3) There are cognitive differences in the importance of various AESs: cultural aesthetic services (0.8473) > natural aesthetic services (0.7032) > social aesthetic services (0.5780). Moreover, tourists consider spiritual worship services to be the most important (0.3695). (4) The value perception evaluation of the AESs of the national park is generally high, with a comprehensive evaluation score of 4.11, among which the value of physical and mental health services is the highest (4.44) and that of folk culture aesthetic services is the lowest (3.79). The results of this study are helpful for further improving the management level of national park ecosystems.

Karst regions are the typical areas of interaction between human society and natural ecosystems. Understanding the historical mechanisms of the evolution of social-ecological systems (SES) is crucial for the future sustainable management of karst regions. This study selected Guangxi, a typical karst mountainous region in Southwest China, as the study area, and used population, cropland area, and forest coverage as the SES elements. Based on the framework of SES research in the karst region, it adopted segmented linear regression to identify the stages of the interactions among these elements, to reveal the evolutionary stages of social development from the long-term perspective. In addition, the driving factor indicators were constructed from the aspects of natural environment, social development, government policy, and climate change, and then the feedback changes brought about by the evolution were investigated. The results show that the evolution of SES in Guangxi from 1363-2020 can be divided into seven stages. In the first, second, and early period of the third stages, the government of Guangxi mainly focused on agricultural activities, although the only way to meet the growing demand for food was by expanding the area of cropland, and the timber trade’s pursuit of economic development, resulting in an increase in rocky desertification. In the fourth stage, the ecological environment improved under the implementation of measures such as the control of rocky desertification and the compensation of forest ecological benefits. After the fifth stage, the effect of rocky desertification control has been remarkable. Although the implementation of relevant policies has alleviated the environmental problems to some extent, the continual changes in the structure and function of SES can challenge further progress towards sustainability in karst regions. This study aims to provide a reference for the long-term national spatial planning and the development of environmental policies in karst regions.

Realizing comprehensive green transformation is the necessary path for high-quality and sustainable development in Qinghai Province. We constructed an indicator system for evaluating the green development in Qinghai from five dimensions: resource utilization, environmental protection, ecological protection, growth quality, and green life based on the national green development indicator system; and comprehensively used the entropy method, comprehensive index method, coupled coordination model, and obstacle degree model to evaluate the green development level of Qinghai from 1998 to 2022. The results showed four important points. (1) The green development comprehensive index of Qinghai increased gradually in the past 25 years, but there is still much room for improvement. (2) The focus of green development changed in the three evaluation stages. The focus in 1998-2004 and 2005-2011 was on improving the ecological environment, and in 2012-2022 the focus was on economic and industrial development and the improvement of residents’ living standards. (3) Since 2001, the coupling degree of the five dimensions of green development has maintained a high-level coupling stage, and the coordinated development degree entered a good coordination stage in 2021. (4) The key obstacles hindering the improvement of green development level shifted from growth quality to resource utilization and ecological protection. Therefore, improving the resource utilization level is the primary task for Qinghai to achieve high-quality green development. The study provides methodological support for green development evaluation, and suggestions for directing the formulation of green development policies in Qinghai Province.

The Turpan region serves as a vital transportation hub along the Silk Road, facilitating economic and cultural exchanges between the East and West. Its distinct natural environment, rich historical culture, diverse customs, and delectable fruits have contributed to the development of abundant tourism resources. Statistics show that Turpan boasts 272 tourism resource units and 36 A-level scenic spots, offering significant potential and opportunities for the growth of its tourism industry. This study conducts a SWOT analysis of regional tourism in Turpan and provides an objective evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. The appeal of visiting Turpan lies in its rich historical and cultural heritage, as well as its location in the Huozhou Turpan, known for the country’s highest temperatures and lowest altitude. Additionally, the myths and legends of Journey to the West add to its allure. The region is renowned for its diverse grape varieties and is referred to as the “vineyard of the world,” offering a distinctive tourism experience. However, there are also evident drawbacks to tourism in Turpan. The peak tourist season is limited to July-October, which restricts the development of year-round tourism. Additionally, the distance between scenic attractions is relatively long, and the supporting tourism infrastructure is limited, failing to meet the varied needs of tourists. Additionally, the competitiveness of the tourism industry has not been effectively enhanced by the low brand awareness and loyalty among consumers. In order to ensure sustainable tourism development in the Turpan area, various strategies and approaches must be employed to ensure the unique and diverse growth of regional tourism. This includes creating suitable marketing plans, building a fully functional three-dimensional service management scheme, and enhancing policy support and financial investments. The tourism industry in Turpan is poised to benefit from new opportunities, leading to sustained development and enhancement of its economic, cultural, and social values.

Bracket fungi (Polypores) are a morphologically distinct category of Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota) that are important agents for decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. The species composition and ecology of these fungi in particular forest ecosystems are overlooked in Nepal. Thus, the current study is aimed at assessing the diversity and distribution of bracket fungi in oak-dominated forests in the middle mountains of central Nepal. Regular field visits over a six-year period (2017-2022) were done at nine study sites of oak-dominated forests in Karnabhumi Community Forest (KCF) and Gumalchoki Community Forest (GCF) from Makawanpur and Kathmandu districts respectively. A total of 26 species of bracket fungi belonging to 17 genera and 8 families were reported. The majority of the bracket fungi are known to be saprobic, while Coltricia cinnamomea is the only mushroom found to be mycorrhizal based on its ecology. Most of the bracket fungi were found to be inedible, while Ganoderma lucidum, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus were found to be medicinal. The diversity indices, such as the Shannon Weiner index and the Simpson diversity index, were found to be 0.26 and 0.53 in GCF, respectively, and 0.17 and 0.35 in GCF. This suggest that Oak dominated forests harbor considerable diversity of bracket fungi such that conservation of these forests is necessary.