Ecological Areas Research Articles

Implementation of sustainability and circular economy aiming for performance in the context of Industry 4.0 projects

This research aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the scientific knowledge produced through publications that associate sustainability, the circular economy, and performance in the context of Industry 4.0 projects. For this purpose, a systematic and bibliometric review was conducted using articles published in the Scopus database from 2013 to 2024. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined, resulting in 61 selected articles. The results show that studies focus on the areas of environmental science, business, management, accounting, and engineering. Additionally, they indicate that research on these topics has grown exponentially in recent years, evolving and deepening significantly during this period. This study directly contributes to researchers seeking references, concepts, gaps, and trends in research on these topics, as well as to managers interested in implementing sustainability and the circular economy, ensuring or even enhancing the performance of their companies through disruptive projects that utilize Industry 4.0 technologies.

Spatio-temporal Variation in Monthly Vegetation NPP and Its Responses to Climate and Terrain Factors in Chang-Zhu-Tan Green Heart Area

The Chang-Zhu-Tan ecological Green Heart area is the largest urban agglomeration Green Heart area in China. To clarify the spatiotemporal changes and driving factors of net primary productivity （NPP） of vegetation in the Chang-Zhu-Tan Green Heart area, an improved Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach （CASA） model was used to estimate the monthly vegetation NPP from 2011 to 2020 based on measured and remote sensing data. With the help of ArcGIS 10.2 software, linear regression and spatial partial correlation analysis were used to explore the spatiotemporal variations in monthly vegetation NPP and its responses to climate and terrain factors. The results showed that the monthly vegetation NPP in the Chang-Zhu-Tan Green Heart area showed an overall trend of first increasing and then decreasing, with an average vegetation NPP growth rate （measured in C, the same below） of 5.75 g·（m2·month）-1 from January to July and a monthly decrease rate of 2.64 g·（m2·month）-1 from August to December. The spatial distribution of monthly vegetation NPP in the Green Heart area showed a significant difference, with a coefficient of variation ranging from 34.52% to 48.76%. The high values of vegetation NPP in each month were concentrated in the ecological core areas of the central and eastern parts in the Green Heart area, whereas the low values were mainly distributed along the Xiangjiang River in the western part and in the narrow and elongated areas in the southern part of the Green Heart Area. The impact of climate and terrain factors on the monthly NPP of vegetation in the Green Heart area had both positive and negative inhibitory effects. Among climate factors, solar radiation was the major controlling factor for monthly vegetation NPP changes. The impact of terrain factors on vegetation NPP was relatively weak, with slope orientation having a greater positive impact on vegetation NPP than altitude and slope.

National Park Double Boundary Delimitation: A Synergy-Based Approach Integrating Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services—An Example of Proposed Ailaoshan–Wuliangshan National Parks in China

The demarcation of national park boundaries is crucial for comprehensive planning, effective management, and maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and biodiversity. This research uses the proposed ‘Ailaoshan–Wuliangshan’ National Park (AWNP) in Yunnan Province, China, as the study area and adheres to the principles of systematic conservation planning (SCP). It employs the Marxan 2.43, MaxEnt 3.4.4, and InVEST 3.14.2 models to predict suitable distribution areas for key endangered species within the AWNP, identifies core ecological source areas, priority conservation areas, and conservation gaps, and constructs a double boundary protection framework. The study’s findings indicate that the potentially suitable habitats for the major rare and endangered species, as predicted by the MaxEnt model, are predominantly located in the Ailaoshan and Wuliangshan areas, with a smaller portion distributed in the Konglonghe area. The InVEST model assessment of habitat quality revealed that the total area of the core ecological source areas is 4775.26 km2, accounting for 35.34% of the total study area. The Marxan model identified a total area of 1064.22 km2 as priority conservation areas, constituting 7.90% of the total study area. Additionally, it revealed conservation gaps of 302.1 km2, which represent 2.20% of the total area. Ultimately, by integrating biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, the boundaries of the AWNP were optimized into a double boundary delineation model: the inner boundary, characterized by rigid control, spans an area of 1076.20 km2, while the outer boundary, characterized by elastic management, covers an area of 3056.92 km2. Corresponding management recommendations are proposed for the different areas. The double boundary delineation method proposed in this study can, to a certain extent, reconcile the conflict between biodiversity conservation and resource utilization, providing an appropriate reference for the demarcation and dynamic management of national park boundaries in China.

Identifying the Key Protection Areas of Alpine Marsh Wetlands in the Qinghai Qilian Mountains, China: An Ecosystem Patterns–Characteristics–Functions Combined Method

The alpine marsh wetlands in the Qilian Mountains of Qinghai (QMQ) are under constant threat from the effects of climate change and human activities. Identifying the key ecological protection areas (KEPAs) of marsh wetlands is the prerequisite for formulating protection strategies and executing spatial planning programs. The current study developed a novel method to identify the KEPAs of marsh wetlands by following the ecosystem pattern–characteristics–functions (EPCFs) combined method and the ecological source–ecological corridor–ecological node research paradigm. More specifically, an evaluation system for ecological resistance was constructed by integrating the drivers of EPCFs in the marsh wetlands. Additionally, the marsh wetland degradation disturbances were analyzed through the drivers of EPCFs incorporated with a field survey. The findings indicated the following: (1) The marsh wetlands had a total water yield of approximately 3.96 × 108 m3. The soil conservation rate and habitat quality per unit area were calculated to be 52.92 t·hm−2·a−1 and 0.992, respectively, with higher values observed on the southern bank and lower values on the northern bank of the river in the QMQ. (2) The KEPAs for the marsh wetlands covered a total extent of 996.53 km2 in the QMQ, encompassing 40 ecological sources, 39 ecological corridors, and 40 ecological nodes, predominantly located in the river source regions. (3) The KEPAs were restructured into an ecological framework comprising two ecological axes, four ecological belts, four ecological cores, and multiple nodes in the QMQ. In response to the factors contributing to the degradation of marsh wetlands, adaptive measures including prioritizing natural restoration, modifying grazing strategies, executing ecological restoration projects as a minimum, and designating protected areas have been recommended. This research could contribute to enhancing the efficiency of regional territorial planning and offer a theoretical foundation for improving the ecological protection framework of regional marsh wetlands.

Identification of key ecological restoration areas based on ecological security patterns and territorial spatial ecological restoration zoning: A case study of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China

Amidst the implementation of ecological civilisation development and the deepening national spatial planning, the identification and research of key ecological restoration areas are of great significance. This article takes the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China as an example to construct an ecological security pattern based on ecosystem service evaluation and circuit theory. First-level ecological restoration zones are identified based on the dominant functions of ecosystem services, and secondary ecological restoration zones are identified based on the results of an ecological vulnerability assessment. The final comprehensive ecological security pattern, first-level ecological restoration zones and secondary ecological restoration zones are then used to identify key ecological restoration areas. A total of 15 ecological source areas, 22 ecological corridors, 93 ecological nodes and 26 ecological obstacle points are identified in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China. The study area mainly comprises soil and water conservation areas, which account for 39.89% of the entire area. The secondary ecological restoration zones are divided into ecological conservation areas, general restoration areas and key restoration areas, which account for 34.45%, 48.44% and 17.12% of the study area, respectively. A total of 31 key ecological restoration areas are identified, including 23 first-level and 8 secondary key areas. Targeted ecological restoration suggestions are then proposed based on the characteristics of these key areas to provide a reference for the ecological restoration of the national land space.

The precise implementation of the ecological water transfer project effectively promotes the enhancement of desert riparian ecosystem service value in the mainstream of Tarim River

Ecosystem service value (ESV), as a crucial indicator concerning human and regional ecological well-being, has always been a hot topic in academia. Selecting appropriate assessment factors for arid areas to comprehensively explore the spatial–temporal heterogeneity of ESV and proposing pathways for ESV enhancement are currently challenging in research. This study incorporates three driving indicators, namely, human disturbance intensity (HDI), vegetation growth status (NIRv), and hydrological wetness condition (TVDI), into ESV calculation, efficiently improving the pixel-scale spatial heterogeneity manifestation of ESV. The study was conducted in a representative desert region of the Tarim River Basin (TRB), where ecological water transfer has effectively facilitated vegetation restoration. Based on this analysis, the total ESV in the TRB grew by 12.73 % between 2000 and 2022. Among them, ESVHDI, ESVNIRv, and ESVTVDI increased by 4.10 %, 58.25 %, and 18.78 % respectively. ESV in the four source rivers and mainstream of TRB increased by 4.36 % (YR), 60.77 % (TR), 2.94 % (AR), 3.88 % (HR), and 2.11 % (KR), with the ESV enhancement areas highly coinciding (coincidence degree is as high as 60.64 % of the mainstream of TRB) with the Populus euphratica forest water transfer area. ESV in the ecological water transfer area increased by 51.27 %, especially in the mainstream of the TRB water transfer area, where ESV increased by 62.32 %. Based on the perspectives of water use benefit (ESV/ET) and efficiency (ET/NIRv), to improve the ecological water use efficiency and ESV even further, the water supply thresholds of forests, grasslands, and wetlands should be controlled within the ranges of [495.37 mm-553.45 mm], [474.25 mm-528 mm], and [1011.68 mm-1070.64 mm], respectively. This study not only provides new insights for ESV calculation in arid areas but also offers scientific guidance for precise management of arid ecosystem.

The dynamic patterns of critical ecological areas in the Yellow River Basin are driven primarily by climate factors but threatened by human activities

While the identification of critical ecological areas (CEAs) has been limited by the availability of resources, funds, and land space, these areas are central for maintaining the contributions from nature and ecosystem biodiversity. Thus, in this study, CEAs were systematically identified and classified via long-term ecosystem assessment with a multifunctionality–stability–integrity framework in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). The intensity and pathways of the driving factors of CEA dynamics were also determined by the geographical detector model (GDM) and the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The results revealed a gradual decrease in the proportion of CEAs in the upper and lower reaches from 2005 to 2020, in contrast with a significant increase in the middle reaches. The CEAs were distributed mainly in the Sanjiangyuan and Ziwuling regions and the Qingling, Qilian, Lvliang and Taihang Mountains. The areas with low, medium, and high levels of CEAs accounted for 12.48%, 17.73% and 12.54%, respectively, of the YRB. Moreover, climate factors, especially precipitation, were the foremost drivers influencing the dynamic patterns of CEAs. However, notably, the CEAs in the YRB experienced continuous degradation from 2005 to 2020 due to intensified human activities. Our results confirmed the important role of climate factors in determining the distribution of CEAs while underscoring the necessity of mitigating human disturbances to maintain ecosystem functions. These investigations of the dynamics and drivers of CEAs based on long-term multi-dimensional ecosystem assessments could provide useful insights for developing ecological conservation and sustainable development strategies.

Ecological Security Pattern Construction in Typical Oasis Area Based on Ant Colony Optimization: A Case Study in Yili River Valley, China

Establishing Ecological Security Pattern (ESP) is crucial for the harmonious development of society and the environment. Currently, the principal challenges in ecological planning include large contiguous ecological source areas and the accurate determination of ecological corridor widths. This study utilized the InVEST-MSPA-Conefor model, circuit theory, MATLAB, and the ArcGIS platform to analyze the Yili River Valley’s ESP, assess habitat quality, and identify habitat patch types. Results indicate that: (1) Habitat quality is higher in the southern and eastern parts of the river valley. The core area, vital for ecological connectivity, constituted 50.69 % of the study area. (2) Increased ecological resistance was predominantly observed in valley hills and near major transportation routes. (3) Seventy ecological corridors were identified, covering 3671.68 km2 of major and 6968.31 km2 of potential corridors, thus expanding the analysis from “source-line-point” to “source-line-point-plane” and strengthening ecological protection and management strategies. (4) The study proposes an optimization and management strategy of “Three Belts, Two Axes, and One Cluster” grounded in ESP results and local policies. The study advances the understanding of the Yili River Valley’s ecosystem structure, provides strategies for biodiversity conservation and ecological service optimization, and emphasizes the value of integrated, multi-dimensional modeling in ecological planning.

Study on the Evolution of the Mountain Ecological Environment Based on Remote Sensing and Water Footprints: Case Study of Northwestern Sichuan, Southwest China

The unique geographical conditions in southwestern China lead to a fragile ecological balance and uneven geographical distribution of water resources. This study takes the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture as its research subject, investigating the connection between water resources and the ecological environment in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, which is of paramount importance. Given this, the current study constructs the remote sensing ecological index and water footprint for the period spanning from 2000 through 2020, analyses the coordination status of the two by using the coupling coordination degree, and then combines it with a detector to determine the primary drivers impacting the state of the ecological environment. The outcomes reveal that: (1) The ecological environment of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture gradually improved from 2000 through 2020, and the excellent ecological environment area observed within the study’s scope is primarily focused in the eastern part. The poor ecological environment area is focused mainly in the northwestern part within the study’s scope. (2) The total water footprint of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture has increased year by year, with agricultural water consumption comprising an immense 78% proportion, dominating the total water footprint. (3) The coupled coordination degree of the remote sensing ecological index and the water footprint shows a rising trend in general, turning from a barely coordinated stage to an intermediate coordinated stage. (4) The geodetector results show that all factor interactions were dual-factor enhancement or nonlinear enhancement, and the WET, NDBSI and NDVI factors contributed the most. The above results can provide important guidance for utilizing water resources and protecting the ecological environment in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.

Research on the Development and Management of Ecological Agriculture Characteristic Tourism Based on Artificial Intelligence Technology for Water Resources

In order to improve the effectiveness of ecological agriculture tourism development and management of water resources, this article combines artificial intelligence technology to study the development and management of ecological agriculture tourism. This article conducts a hierarchical analysis based on the characteristics of tourism symbol aggregation and spatial distribution patterns within a certain period of time, determines the threshold for extracting the optimal tourism behavior boundary, and strives to solve the problems caused by the complexity and dynamism of tourism behavior. In addition, this article also developed an intelligent water resources agricultural characteristic tourism management system to improve the development effect of agricultural characteristic tourism and promote precise control of water conservancy irrigation systems in ecological agricultural tourism areas. Finally, this article combines the proposed algorithm model to construct an ecological agriculture characteristic tourism development and management system. Simulation evaluation shows that the ecological agriculture characteristic tourism development and management model based on artificial intelligence technology proposed in this paper has good effects.

Machine learning applications to reveal the difference in Robinia pseudoacacia growth and its drivers on China’s Loess Plateau: A synthesis

Abstract The decline in tree growth has become a global issue. It is critically important to explore the factors affecting tree growth under the background of global climate change to understand tree growth models. A database was established based on R. pseudoacacia growth and its driving factors on China’s Loess Plateau. Linear regression and three machine learning methods, including support vector machine, random forest (RF) and gradient boosting machine were used to develop R. pseudoacacia growth models considering forest age, density, climate factors and topographic factors. The root mean square deviation method was adopted to quantitatively assess the relationship between tree growth and soil properties. The average tree height of R. pseudoacacia on the Loess Plateau was 8.80±0.08 m, the average diameter at breast height (DBH) was 10.41±0.13 cm, and the average crown diameter was 3.21±0.06 m. The RF model was a fast and effective machine learning method for predicting R. pseudoacacia growth, which showed the best simulation capability and could account for 67% of tree height variability and 55% of DBH variability. Model importance indicated that forest age and stand density were the main factors predicting R. pseudoacacia growth, followed by climate factors. The trade-off between R. pseudoacacia growth and soil properties revealed that soil texture and soil pH were the primary determinants of R. pseudoacacia growth on this region. Our synthesis provides a good framework for sustainable forest management in vulnerable ecological areas under future climate change.

Endscrapers Variability and Differential Use of Landscapes During the Late Holocene in Central-Western Santa Cruz, Patagonia

ABSTRACT In the last 2500 years BP the environment of Southern Patagonia was affected by significant climatic changes. In this scenario, in the central-western portion of Santa Cruz province (Patagonia, Argentina), hunter-gatherer populations made a complementary use of the different ecological areas (highlands and lowlands). Differences in artefactual assemblages have been recorded in these areas. Within this context, we analyze variability in the most frequent lithic artifact from the region: endscrapers. We assess morphology and compare results between different sectors from highlands and lowlands. The question is whether the morphology of endscrapers also differs between ecological areas. Quantitative (length, width and thickness) and qualitative variables (raw material and blank type) were measured on 514 endscrapers. Results show that there are no statistical differences between highlands and lowlands. Variability in dimensions is only detected for some raw materials. Indeed, standardization in the morphology of this type of tool is proposed for the period under study.

Evaluation of Effectiveness and Multi-Scenario Analysis of Land Use Development Strategies and Ecological Protection Redlines on Carbon Storage in the Great Bay Area of China Using the PLUS-InVEST-PSM Model

Land use change is a key factor affecting the carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems. Most studies focus on formulating different land development strategies to mitigate the adverse impacts of land development, while fewer discuss the effectiveness of these strategies. In the context of varying socio-economic development and limited budgets for ecological conservation, evaluating effectiveness is essential for selecting the most suitable land development strategy. This research proposed a Patch-Generating Land Use Simulation-Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs–Propensity Score Matching (PLUS-InVEST-PSM) model to evaluate the effectiveness of different land use development strategies in the Greater Bay Area of China as a case study. Specifically, this study analyzed the historical land use changes from 2000 to 2020 and mapped the multi-scenario patterns of land use and carbon storage with the PLUS and the InVEST models from 2030 to 2050. Then, this study employed the PSM model, along with a series of criteria (i.e., similar ecological backgrounds and parallel historical trends), to evaluate the effectiveness of the ecological development strategy and ecological protection redlines on carbon storage compared with the natural development strategy. The results indicate that the ecological development strategy and the ecological protection redline can prevent the decline in carbon storage. However, in the ecological development strategy, implementing the ecological redline policy may hinder the growth of carbon storage within the ecological redline area. Compared with the PLUS-InVEST-PSM model, the comparison between the subregions could underestimate the efficiencies of evaluation, partly due to underestimating the negative impact of urban development on carbon storage. These findings will help governments develop comprehensive and systematic land use policies to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Also, the approach would help to further explore the broader impacts of land use development strategies on the overall regional ecological environment, such as biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Length–Weight Relationship and Spatiotemporal Distribution Pattern of Three Schizothoracinae Fishes Along the Nujiang River in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a unique ecological area that has faced issues like diminishing ecosystem stability and increasing pressures on resources and the environment. These issues have arisen as a result of the combined impact of global warming and human activities in recent times. The study of the growth and distribution patterns of schizothoracinae fishes can support guiding policy decisions about the conservation of aquatic species and ecological habitats in the QTP. The investigation on fish resources was carried out in the QTP section of the Nujiang River during the spring and autumn seasons of 2017, 2018, and 2019. A total of seven sampling sites were established based on variations in elevation. According to length–weight relationship (LWR) analysis, Schizothorax nukiangensis mainly displayed a negative allometric growth while Ptychobarbus kaznakovi and Schizopygopsis thermalis mainly showed near isometric growth or positive allometric growth in the QTP section of the Nujiang River. Due to temperature and food abundance, the three schizothoracinae fishes showed better growth performance in autumn than spring. Spatial heterogeneity exhibited a greater influence on the LWR of S. nukiangensis and P. kaznakovi than seasonal variation. In contrast, seasonal variation on S. thermalis showed greater influence than spatial heterogeneity. According to the linear mixed effect model (LMM), both spatial factors and seasons had influence on fish growth in the QTP. Schizothorax nukiangensis was identified as the predominant species from CWL to BS, spanning an altitude range of 1800 to 2700 m. Ptychobarbus kaznakovi was identified as the main species at LL, BB, and BR, occupying an altitude range of 2700 to 3800 m. Schizopygopsis thermalis is primarily distributed at altitudes beyond 4000 m and along the tributary river Yuqu. Principal coordinates analysis (PCOA) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) divided schizothoracinae fish populations into three clusters by spatial differences. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and Monte Carlo Permutation analysis revealed that habitat elevation and water temperature had a significant impact on schizothoracinae fish distribution. This article enhances our understanding of the distribution and environmental adaptation of indigenous fish in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Research on the design and image perception of cultural landscapes based on digital roaming technology

The preservation and advancement of cultural heritage continue to present significant challenges, arising from conflicting objectives, concepts, methodologies, and limited resources. Image perception not only serves as an observational tool for cultural heritage but also as a research method to uncover deeper meanings and implications. To explore the complex dynamics of cultural heritage and address the risks of its deterioration, this study employed virtual engine software (Unity 2019) to create digital landscapes for immersive exploration. An image perception evaluation framework was established through field surveys and behavioral synthesis experiments across five key areas, including ancient tree ecosystems and architectural sites. Our findings revealed that participants showed the greatest interest in the ancient tree ecological area, indicating a strong attachment to historical continuity and natural progression. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis further demonstrated that participants experienced positive emotional responses, suggesting that well-designed cultural landscapes can enhance mental well-being and uplift mood. Additionally, participants expressed a strong willingness to discuss the ancient tree eco-region, with image perception playing a crucial role in motivating information sharing and driving conservation efforts. This study introduces an innovative model—Design Practice, Immersive Experience, and Image Perception Evaluation—which offers a new perspective for the preservation and enhancement of cultural heritage sites.

The dynamic adjusted system of sea use fees: An empirical research on the sea use management in Zhejiang province

To prevent excessive exploitation of sea resources by developers, countries around the world have established systems for managing sea use. The system of sea use fees in China is continually improving, but it cannot reflect the full value of marine natural resources. Therefore, an optimization mechanism for dynamic adjustment which considered the value of marine natural resources and the adjustment coefficient of sea area fees was constructed in the study. This study explored the difference between marine resources zoning and the dynamic adjustment standard of sea use fees collection and took Zhejiang province as an example. The results showed that the comprehensive scores of coastal marine resources were generally higher than those of the open sea in Zhejiang province. Furthermore, the comprehensive scores of important ecological areas such as bays and islands were higher than those of other marine areas, and the comprehensive score of Ningbo sea area was significantly higher than those of other sea areas. On the basis, there are six classes of the adjustment range of the sea use fees standard were divided in Zhejiang province in the study. The overall increase of fee was 3.9–8.0 %. The results of study can assist decision-making by evaluating the value of marine resources and the adjustment of sea area usage royalties, which will help to improve the efficiency of sea area management.

Spatial Relationship between Eco-environment Quality and Land Use Change in Guangdong Province-Hong Kong-Macao, China Based on Remote Sensing-based Ecological Index

The relationship between eco-environment quality and land use change is an important guarantee for regional sustainable development. Guangdong Province-Hong Kong-Macao have always been closely linked and are now entering a period of accelerated development, but there is a lack of research on the spatial relationship between eco-environment quality and land use change integrated among the three places. Based on historical land use data and Google earth engine （GEE）, MODIS images from the summer of 2000 to 2020 （from June 1 to September 1） were selected （with a time span of five years）. The remote sensing-based ecological index （RSEI） was calculated to characterize the status of eco-environment quality and explore the spatial relationship between eco-environment quality and land use change. The results showed that： ① The land use type in the study area was mainly forest land, which was the base of the northern ecological development area （ecological area） and the northwestern landscape of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area （the Greater Bay Area）. The land use degree presented a spatial pattern of "high in the middle, low in the periphery," "high in the south and low in the north," and "high in the southwest and northeast." The intensity of land use change was the least in the ecological area. ② According to RSEI, the regions with an eco-environment quality from low to high were the Greater Bay Area, the eastern wing of the coastal economic belt （east wing）, the western wing of the coastal economic belt （west wing）, and the ecological area. ③ There was a strong negative correlation between eco-environment quality and land use degree. The distribution range of high to low （H-L） cluster was relatively stable, mainly concentrated in the center of the Greater Bay Area, while the distribution of low to high （L-H） cluster was relatively unstable, mainly distributed in the ecological region, and there was no significant correlation between the eastern and western counties, Hong Kong and Macao. ④ The low-value patches of ecological environment quality in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao centers were consistent with artificial surface expansion. The center of Foshan in Guangzhou, the eastern part of Shantou, and the southwestern part of Zhanjiang were mainly coupled, while the ecological area, the central part of the east wing, the eastern part of the west wing, and the northwestern part of the Greater Bay Area were mainly uncoupled. Land use change and eco-environment quality were closely related in space. The eco-environment quality of the study area mainly presented a spatial pattern of "high in the middle and low in the north" and "a certain low value in the east." The Greater Bay Area had the lowest eco-environment quality, followed by that of the eastern wing. In the past 20 years, the expansion of low-value eco-environment quality in the center of the Greater Bay Area had formed a continuous landscape base of low-value eco-environment quality. The ecological area had most of the high value areas of eco-environment quality, which provided a large area of ecological environment of good patches for the study area. From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant negative correlation between land use degree and eco-environment quality in the study area, with regional heterogeneity. Land use change is an important factor in the change in eco-environment quality, so it is necessary to focus on the whole planning and layout of land use structure to improve the eco-environment quality.

Ecosystem Service Value Estimation and Ecological Security Pattern in Heilongjiang Province

To maintain ecosystem functions and ensure ecological security, estimating the value of ecosystem services and constructing an ecological security pattern are necessary. Considering the lack of systematic research on the estimation of ecosystem service value and the construction of ecological security pattern, this study extracted the ecological source based on the analysis of ecosystem service value and morphological spatial pattern. According to the natural conditions such as geographical location and altitude, land use type, landscape pattern type, elevation, slope, and normalized difference vegetation index were selected to establish the resistance surface. The minimum cumulative resistance model was used to identify potential ecological corridors, so as to construct the ecological security pattern of Heilongjiang Province, and longitudinal analysis was conducted from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that： ① The overall value of ecosystem services in Heilongjiang Province showed an upward trend （with an amplitude of 42%）, the value of hydrological regulation services accounted for the largest proportion among different service types （approximately 30%）, and the value of forest land services accounted for the largest proportion among different land use types （up to 70%）. ② Eight ecological source areas were extracted, mainly distributed around Greater Khingan Mountains, Lesser Khingan Mountains, Changbai Mountain, and Wanda Mountain, with the largest area of ecological source in Greater Khingan Mountains. ③ Twenty-eight potential ecological corridors were identified, mainly distributed in the northeastern side of the line from Heihe City to Mudanjiang City, forming densely populated areas in Qitaihe City, northern Mudanjiang City, and southern Jixi City. ④ An ecological security network pattern in Heilongjiang Province was constructed with Greater Khingan Mountains Region, Mudanjiang City, and Shuangyashan City as endpoints and Yichun City as the center, finding that the main problem faced at that time was uneven spatial distribution. The research results are helpful to formulate and establish more reasonable ecological environment protection measures and policies and can provide reference value and scientific basis for provincial ecosystem protection and optimization.

A Review of Policy Progress in China's Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone

Under the background of increasing urbanization rate and global warming, China urgently needs to address the issue of promoting economic growth while reducing the intensity of carbon emissions to achieve harmony between economic growth and environmental protection and promote sustainable development. This study takes China's ecological civilization demonstration areas construction policy as the main object of analysis. The literature review method would summarize the specific pathways of this policy to achieve carbon emission reduction in terms of eco-economy and eco-institution. By classifying and analyzing its existing carbon reduction pathways, this study found that reforms and innovations were made in this policy, mainly in eco-economy and eco-institution. China's Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zones (ECDZs) policy, to achieve carbon emission reduction and carbon neutrality, has used both green technological innovation and economic reforms to upgrade the industrial structure and improve the energy structure. However, the above policies are broad and cannot meet the regional differences. Therefore, this paper gives the corresponding recommendations: to increase the support of financial and financing policies, optimize the energy infrastructure in urban areas, and develop green transport and green buildings.

Interview with Professor Colin Murrell

Prof. Colin Murrell, a distinguished microbiologist and Emeritus Professor at the University of East Anglia, UK, is well known for his contributions to various areas of environmental microbiology and microbial ecology. Prof. Murrell has received several awards, including election to membership of the European Molecular Biology Organisation, the European Academy of Microbiology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Distinguished Professor (Einstein) Award. He was awarded a highly prestigious European Research Council Advanced Grant and has been member of many editorial boards of leading microbiological journals including Environmental Microbiology and the ISME Journal. He has graduated over 60 PhD students and supervised around 150 researchers throughout his career. His research interests are immense, extending from the development of analytical tools in molecular microbial ecology to their testing in the field, which is reflected in his extensive publication list of over 350 highly cited papers in prestigious journals. His pioneering research has significantly improved our understanding of microbial processes in diverse environments, from soil to aquatic and marine ecosystems. More recently, he has extended his scientific curiosity to karst and caves, in particular to the Movile Cave in Romania, which represents a cornerstone for understanding the role of chemolithoautotrophy in caves.