Regional Environment Research Articles

Deciphering genetic characteristics of South China and North China indigenous pigs through selection signatures

BackgroundIndigenous pig breeds in China have accumulated significant genetic diversity due to regional selection pressures. Investigating the selection signatures of these populations helps to understand their adaptive evolution and contributes to genetic improvement programs.ResultsWe collected whole-genome sequencing data from 133 individuals, including South China and North China indigenous pigs and Asian wild boars. After data filtering, we retained 31,521,978 high-quality SNPs. Population structure analysis using PCA revealed distinct genetic clustering among these populations. Selection signature detection identified 5,227 loci under selection in South China indigenous pigs and 5,800 in North China indigenous pigs compared to Asian wild boars. Candidate genes were enriched in immune response pathways, reproductive traits, and pigmentation pathways. South China indigenous pigs exhibited selection signals for fat deposition and immune responses, while North China indigenous pigs showed stronger signals related to growth, blood physiology, and reproductive performance. Additionally, key genes such as MC1R and KIT were associated with coat color variation, and IGF1R and IGF2R were linked to growth regulation.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that indigenous pigs in China have undergone selection for distinct traits aligned with their regional environments and farming systems. South China indigenous pigs have been selected for traits related to fat deposition and immunity, while North China indigenous pigs have been selected for growth and reproductive traits. The findings offer crucial insights into the genetic architecture of indigenous pig breeds, providing a valuable foundation for future genetic breeding programs.

Urban Built Environment as a Predictor for Coronary Heart Disease—A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Machine Learning

The relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and complex urban built environments remains a subject of considerable uncertainty. The development of predictive models via machine learning to explore the underlying mechanisms of this association, as well as the formulation of intervention policies and planning strategies, has emerged as a pivotal area of research. A cross-sectional dataset of hospital admissions for CHD over the course of a year from a hospital in Dalian City, China, was assembled and matched with multi-source built environment data via residential addresses. This study evaluates five machine learning models, including decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), and support vector machine (SVM), and compares them with multiple linear regression models. The results show that DT, RF, and XGBoost exhibit superior predictive capabilities, with all R2 values exceeding 0.70. The DT model performed the best, with an R2 value of 0.818, and the best performance was based on metrics such as MAE and MSE. Additionally, using explainable AI techniques, this study reveals the contribution of different built environment factors to CHD and identifies the significant factors influencing CHD in cold regions, ranked as age, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), house price (HP), sky view factor (SVF), and interaction factors. Stratified analyses by age and gender show variations in the influencing factors for different groups: for those under 60 years old, Road Density is the most influential factor; for the 61–70 age group, house price is the top factor; for the 71–80 age group, age is the most significant factor; for those over 81 years old, building height is the leading factor; in males, GDP is the most influential factor; and in females, age is the most influential factor. This study explores the feasibility and performance of machine learning in predicting CHD risk in the built environment of cold regions and provides a comprehensive methodology and workflow for predicting cardiovascular disease risk based on refined neighborhood-level built environment factors, offering scientific support for the construction of sustainable healthy cities.

The palaeoecological conditions of the tidal channel network of the Zwin region (Flanders, Belgium)

The northeastern coastal plain of Belgium was a well-developed region during the late medieval period when Bruges and a series of smaller harbours became connected to the North Sea via the Zwin tidal channel. Yet, ecological data related to the evolution of the regional environment of the former Zwin region are still lacking. Diatoms, pollen, and macrobotanical remains have been studied for the first time from two cores drilled in the surroundings of the lost harbour of Hoeke. The sediments in both cores were deposited in four successive tidal channel systems spanning the pre-Roman to late medieval periods. Marine tychoplanktonic and planktonic diatoms were dominant and confirmed the presence of open marine tidal channels, while marine epipsammic diatoms were specific to channel deposits (systems 1 and 4) and marine epipelic diatoms characterised channel and accretion deposits (systems 2 and 3). The sediments of the late medieval Zwin main channel and tributary (system 4) are both characterised by marine tychoplanktonic and epipsammic species. The palynomorphs were typical of marine tidal deposits and (reworked) peat, while macroremains pointed to freshwater plants growing in the vicinity. The palynomorphs (system 4) suggest a more open landscape associated with the extensive reclamation and embankment of the Zwin region. Diatoms in the superjacent tidal deposits indicate that the late medieval Zwin silted up rapidly.

The shadow economy's impact on the sustainability of the regional business development

Subject. This article discusses the problems of strategic planning and entrepreneurship as one of the drivers of socio-economic development at the levels of the country and regions. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the interrelations and interdependencies between the level of the shadow economy and the sustainability of the development of regional entrepreneurial systems. Methods. For the study, I used economic and statistical methods. Results. The article finds that the shadow economy has a significant impact on the sustainability of the development of regional entrepreneurial systems, including the possibilities of functioning of entrepreneurial structures, as well as on the state of the external (regional) environment. In turn, the entrepreneurial system directly affects the shadow sector, increasing or neutralizing the incentives of various economic agents to develop their activities outside the formal economy. Conclusions. The existence of a two-way relationship between the shadow economy and the entrepreneurial system of the region predetermines the need to take into account the scale of the shadow sector when developing measures to achieve the strategic socio-economic and environmental goals of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The lack of such accounting has a negative impact on the objectivity of assessing the effectiveness of regional socio-economic policy. The development of regional strategies and programmes, taking into account the established interrelations, will make it possible to legalize the funds concentrated in the shadow sector and use them to implement measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the development of systems at different levels.

Evolution of China's Role in the Asia-Pacific Region

In the 30 years since China joined APEC, China has actively participated in various forms of economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, and has been a firm and active supporter of Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. China has closely integrated Asia-Pacific economic cooperation and its own development. China has become the second largest economy in the world, and its role is also changing significantly. By promoting China's economic development - it has promoted economic development and social progress, improved people's living standards and made great contributions to development in the Asia-Pacific region. China is playing an increasingly important role in the world. It has played an active role in building an open world economy, supporting the multilateral trading system and guiding the development of economic globalization. China's rapid consolidation of its comprehensive state power has shattered the original power structure in the Asia-Pacific region and changed the original territorial pattern. Against this background, key economies in the region, such as the US, Japan and ASEAN, are also making strategic adjustments that have a significant impact on the order in the Asia-Pacific region. In recent years, the US has been trying to create a group political environment in the Asia-Pacific region in order to suppress and isolate China. The final shape of the changing order in the Asia-Pacific depends on the great power competition and the degree of China's development. Ultimately, the role China hopes to play may also be achieved.

The influence of NOx, temperature, wind and total radiation on the level of ozone concentration in the Upper Silesian agglomeration

In 2019, ozone was responsible for about 365,000 premature deaths worldwide (6.21 million healthy life years lost) and acute ozone exposure led to 16,800 premature deaths in the European Union. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of NO, NO2, wind direction (WD) wind speed (WS), air temperature (TA), and total radiation (GLR) on ozone concentration levels. Data provided by 3 automatic air quality monitoring stations of the Regional Environmental Protection Inspectorate in Katowice, were used in this study. The measurements were conducted in from January 1 2009 to December 31 2017. The data obtained from the measuring stations were statistically analysed. The study showed that the strongest influencing factors for O3 values are air temperature and total radiation, with each showing a high correlation with ozone concentration. NO and NO2 had a dual effect on O3 concentration, causing an increase in ozone concentration at low NO and NO2 concentrations and a decrease in ozone concentration at higher NO and NO2 concentrations. We noted that the direction of the wind had very little effect on the concentration of O3. The influence of wind speed on the O3 level was also small, but stronger than that of the wind direction. The research shows that in the analysed years for selected measuring stations the strongest factors influencing O3 concentration are air temperature and total radiation, the NO and NO2 concentrations had a dualistic effect on the O3 concentration.

Seeing Through a “Nuclear” Glass Darkly: Envisioning Irreversible Nuclear Disarmament in the Middle East

ABSTRACT Applying the concept of “Irreversible Nuclear Disarmament” (IND) to the Middle East presents several challenges. Conceptually, the key frameworks for addressing the nuclear challenge in the region – namely the establishment of a zone free from all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East (MEWMDFZ) – lacks a robust disarmament pillar to anchor IND. A further challenge is structural and relates to the markedly different nuclear context prevailing in the Middle East to that which governed the evolution of the IND concept. Although still at a nascent stage, the conceptual and political frameworks underpinning irreversibility at the global level have evolved within the relatively stable context of strategic interactions between the Nuclear Weapons States and a well-defined global discourse regarding nuclear arms control and disarmament. Attempting to transpose frameworks of irreversibility as they have developed in this relatively stable context to the more complex, unstable and fluid regional setting of the Middle East is fraught with difficulty. This paper presents a “first-cut” attempt to address these challenges. It argues that the most viable approach for applying IND to the Middle East is through a regional multilateral framework embedded in the MEWMDFZ. However, the zone framework as it has been formulated thus far, requires further development. Specifically, there is a need to incorporate a viable disarmament pillar, as well as provisions aimed at mitigating regional nuclear hedging and latency dynamics in order to provide for a more conducive regional nuclear environment to achieve high levels of irreversibility.

Synthesis of the Arts with the Region

Some of Juraj Neidhardt’s most emblematic projects are situated in pristine, non-urban settings. From the Ski House in the pine forests of the Bosnian hills to the Hotel Agava immersed in the Mediterranean shrubbery of the Adriatic Coast, his designs in the landscape were key for him to define his architecture as seeking proximity to and harmony with nature. The design strategy that Neidhardt utilized to realize this ambition was, however, far from constant. While in the 1950s, he relied solely on the “unwritten laws” of the vernacular models to define techniques of new design integration into the specific regional environment, in the 1960s, he produced a series of striking artistic compositions of natural and architectural visual elements, which he described with the notion of “phantasy in tourism.”This paper analyzes Neidhardt’s writings and several projects of the 1950s and 1960s in order to situate his 1960s architecture excursus into the visual arts within the post-war discourse of the “synthesis of the arts.” Under the influence of his and Dušan Grabrijan’s geography-informed understanding of the unity between art, life, and the regional environment and his research in the regional planning of tourism (both presented in the book Architecture of Bosnia and the Way towards Modernity (Grabrijan & Neidhardt, 1957), Neidhardt developed an original architectural language that synthesized not only architecture and sculpture but also the specific regional landscape into one harmonious visual whole. This aesthetic synthesis, however, communicated a deeper synthesis between architecture, geographic region, and modern state economy, facilitated by the emerging regional planning as the ultimate absorption of the total environment into the comprehensive kind of modernism.

How does Climate Technology Contribute to Economy? Empirical Evidence from Provinces in China

Existing study has extensively explored nexus between climate change on economy. However, effect of climate technology has received limited attention, which adjust relationship between climate and economy in various scenarios. Hence, this study examined Chinese provinces from east to west, incorporating impact of climate technology from 1997 to 2022 by ARDL model. The long-run results demonstrate significant role of climate technologies on economy in reducing drawbacks of climate. Moreover, negative influence of climate is moderated in middle and west provinces through climate technology. Policymaker concern to what extent climate technology affect desert environment and local economy in middle and western regions, providing incentives to make policy. These findings imply that climate technology is imperative to ensure long-term sustainable growth, need further promoted and widely applied.

The coupling effect and ecological risk assessment of iron, manganese, and arsenic in the water environment of the central Yangtze River Basin, China.

Excessive heavy metal in drinking water are harmful to human body. Groundwater was still the drinking water resource in most of rural areas in the central of the Yangtze River Basin. Heavy metals of Fe, Mn, and As in the low plain region of the Yangtze River Basin significantly exceeded the standard, resulting in 16.67% and 5.00% of water samples in the area reaching moderate and severe heavy metal pollution states. However, the coupling effect and ecological risks of iron, manganese, and arsenic in the water environment are unknown. This paper found that the dissolution of iron-bearing and manganese-bearing minerals into groundwater affected each other, when the burial depth of groundwater was less than 20m. Conversely, the dissolution of minerals containing iron and arsenic into the groundwater interacted with each other when the groundwater depth was greater than 20m. The precipitation of siderite (FeCO3) and rhodochrosite (MnCO3) may control the dissolved Fe and Mn in groundwater. The area between Yangtze River and Han River was more affected by industrial activities, and the south area of the Yangtze River was more affected by agricultural activities. This paper not only strengthened the understanding of the risk of heavy metal pollution in local groundwater, but also provided important scientific basis for the protection of regional groundwater ecological environment.

Comparative analysis of water quality index based on seasonal differences in the upstream Citarum watershed

ABSTRACT The Upstream Citarum Watershed is the largest watershed in West Java Province that supports the activities and livelihoods of its surrounding communities. Thus, continuous monitoring of the Citarum River's water quality is essential, with the water quality index (WQI) as an effective tool for assessing its status. Various methods can be used, such as the National Sanitation Foundation WQI (NSF-WQI), the Prati index, and the Dinius index. This study aims to compare these three methods based on secondary data in the form of water quality data from the Regional Environmental Management Agency of West Java Province (2013–2022) collected at four monitoring points, namely, Wangisagara, Koyod, the area after the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Cisirung, and Nanjung. Additionally, primary data from sampling conducted at the same monitoring points were analyzed. The data obtained were categorized based on wet–dry months, wet–dry years, monitoring points, and monitoring years. Based on this study, the water quality status of the Upper Citarum River Basin was obtained in the form of 'Good' and 'Moderate' by the NSF-WQI method; 'Excellent', 'Acceptable', 'Slightly Polluted', and 'Polluted' by the Prati index method; and 'Excellent', 'Good', 'Moderate', 'Bad', and 'Very Bad' by the Dinius index method.

Field and physical properties of carbonatoblastites (known as carbonatites): rock forests

Until today, it was known that carbonites developed in the form of magmatic origin intrusions, carbonatite dykes, pegmatitic, heads, stocks, veins and lenses, which are rarely seen in nature. However, as a result of our research (field, petrography, mineralogy etc.), it was determined that carbonatites are definitely not magmatic in origin. On the contrary, carbonatites are formed from pure-impure carbonate/limestones with different units of metamorphic, rootless, primary source rocks derived in solid phase and in-situ within the regional dynamo-thermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle. Within the regional dynamothermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle, different age, environment and origin primary rock units (cosmic upper mantle peridotites, terrestrial magmatic rock series/ocean crust series/ophiolite series, volcanosedimentary series, different volcanic and different sedimentary rocks etc.) were enriched and dominated by granite mineralogical rock-forming main-secondary-trace crystalloblast neominerals and were formed, metamorphic origin, rootless leucocratoblastic metablastic rock series and their derivatives / metablastites / metablastic rocks (known as granite/granitoid, gabbro/gabbroid, diorite/dioritoid, charnockite/charnockite and carbonatite/carbonatoid intrusion, pluton and batholith type magmatic origin plutonic/plutonic rocks) were determined to be a type of new modern metamorphic rock. For this reason, it has been determined and suggested that carbonatoblastic rock series and their derivatives / carbonatoblastites / carbonatoblastic rocks are a type of metablastic rocks with different primary rocks. Carbonatoblastites (known as carbonatites of magmatic origin, rarely seen in nature); developed in the second and last stage of the regional dynamothermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle, and developed in the changing physical conditions (P/T) of the facies and sub-facies of Abukuma type reversed regional regressive dynamothermal metamorphism, where temperatures are effective compared to pressures (T>P, T: Temperature; P: Pressure; Temperatures put their stamp/seal on metamorphism). They are derived from the pure and impure carbonate/limestones, which are the primary source rock units, and the pure and impure marbles, which are the metamorphic equivalents of the regional progressive dynamothermal metamorphism of the Barrow type, where the pressures are effective in proportion to the temperatures developed in the first phase of the regional dynamothermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle of the primary source rock units (P/T, pressures put their stamp on the metamorphism), in solid phase and in situ from the mentioned rock units. Carbonatoblastites are metamorphic equivalents of pure-impure carbonate/limestones with different primary source rocks, metamorphic origin, rootless, new type of metamorphic rocks, modern metablastic rock series and their derivatives / metablastites / metablastic rocks (known as granite/granitoid, gabbro/gabbroid, diorite/dioritoid, charnockite/charnockite, carbonatite/carbonatoid intrusion, pluton, batholith type magmatic origin pluton/deep rocks) defined and named under the general name, forming different types. Under the name of carbonatoblastites, many carbonatoblastite type metablastic rocks (alkali metablastites, syenitoblastite, monzonitoblastite, calcitoblastite, calcito-dolomitoblastite, dolomitoblastite, sideritoblastite, stroncianitoblastite etc.) and carbonate-originated rock-forming main-secondary-trace crystalloblast neominerals (calcitoblast, dolomitoblast, witheritoblast, stroncianitoblast etc.) forming different carbonatoblastites have been etymologically redefined, named, classified and their physical-chemical properties have been determined. Depending on the compositions and contents of pure-impure carbonate/limestones which are primary source rocks and pure-impure marbles which are metamorphic equivalent rock units of the mentioned primary source rock units, different pure-impure carbonatoblastite type metablastic rocks which are rootless, metamorphic origin, a kind of new modern metamorphic rocks develop. Depending on the mineralogical composition of carbonatoblastites; especially calcitoblastite-dolomitoblastite type metablastic rock types formed by calcitoblast-dolomitoblast crystalloblast neominerals, pure-impure carbonatoblastites formed by two or more main rock-forming carbonatoblast crystalloblast neominerals with different physical properties, develop strange vertical structural geomorphological shapes in topography/morphology (eroded cone stalagmites, fairy chimneys etc.) as a result of different erosions, meltings and dissolutions due to external factors (wind, snow-rain water etc.). Because the physical properties of the rock-forming main calcitoblast and dolomitoblast crystalloblast neominerals are different and their resistance to external factors will be different, they cause the development of different karst formations (erect cones, caves, grooves, abrasions, cavities, etc.) on the outer surface of the carbonatoblastite type rock they form due to different abrasion/erosion, melting and dissolution in the calcitoblastite-dolomitoblastite type carbonatoblastite type metablastic rocks they form. In addition, carbonatoblastites are a new type of 3rd generation metablastic rock types of modern metamorphic origin, developed within the regional dynamothermal Tarhan metamorphism cycle, and correspond to the 5th classical state of matter, which developed spontaneously in nature and can be seen in every phase of our daily lives. Such geomorphological formations are known as "rock forests", which are widely developed in many countries. In addition, pure and impure carbonatoblastites contain precious and semi-precious stones, ornamental stones (Gemology), radioactive and heavy and light rare earth elements/REE, the world's richest potential metablastic ore/mineral deposits. They contain carbonate-based metallic-non-metallic ores and strategic minerals.

Hydrochemical characteristics and salinity formation mechanism of different water bodies in the southern Tibet, China.

Understanding the hydrochemical evolution of surface water and groundwater is crucial for protecting regional ecological environments. Currently, there are few quantitative studies on the relative contributions of different processes to salinity enrichment of water bodies. In this study, sixty-seven water samples were collected for chemical, and isotopic analysis, along with simulation calculations. The results reveal distinct hydrochemical types of river water, phreatic water, lake water and hot spring water in the investigated area are Ca-Mg-HCO3, Na-Ca-HCO3, Na-SO4-HCO3 and Na-HCO3, respectively. Average temperature and depth of geothermal water storage are 196℃ and 1338m, respectively. Average arsenic (As) content in hot spring water (298μg/L) higher than that in lake water (39.2μg/L), river water (9.59μg/L) and phreatic water (4.02μg/L). The ∑REEs content of river water in the study area is much higher than that of phreatic water and lake water. Result of δD and δ18O indicate that atmospheric precipitation is the source of recharge for all water bodies in the study area. Quantitative calculations indicate that evapo-concentration significantly enriches lake water salinity, contributing on average 90% of its salt content. In contrast, mineral dissolution contributes predominantly to the salinity of hot spring water (90.7%), phreatic water (65.8%), and river water (45.2%). Evapo-concentration emerges as the dominant mechanism for lake water salinity, while carbonate mineral dissolution primarily affects river water. Phreatic water and hot spring water are mainly controlled by the weathering and dissolution of silicate. The results can provide a theoretical basis for the study of the formation mechanism of water salinity in other regions with similar geological environment in the world.

Characteristics of road freezing-thawing environments in China oriented towards construction and maintenance

Abstract Road infrastructure suffers irreversible damage during service due to periodic or seasonal freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles, resulting in significant economic losses to the nation. However, systematic evaluation parameters for the entire road F-T environment are lacking, and there is insufficient understanding and short-term prediction of the underlying F-T environment changes and distribution. In this study, 13 F-T environmental parameters in three categories were summarized by combining meteorological parameters and multi-field evaluation parameters. Taking Shiquan River Town as an example, the statistical probability of road F-T environmental parameters was clarified by using the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. The study also clarified the spatiotemporal characteristics of road F-T environment across regions based on key F-T environmental parameters. The frequency of F-T events in China increases from south to north and from east to west, and F-T processes are influenced by regional altitude and latitude. Meanwhile, the temporal variation of the F-T environment in China shows significant seasonality. The F-T environment transitions from short-duration, high-frequency F-T cycles to longer-duration, low-frequency F-T cycles. The initial moisture condition of the road F-T environment in the northeastern regions increases, but the additional moisture during the F-T process decreases. This study provides critical insights into understanding the underlying mechanisms and short-term prediction of the road F-T environment changes, which can be used as a basis for the planning, construction, and maintenance of road infrastructure in China.

Coupling-Coordination Analysis of Water Resources–Social Economy–Ecological Environment in the Yellow River Golden Triangle Area

Water resources, the social economy, and the ecological environment are interrelated and interacting complex systems, and the relationship among them affects the sustainable development of a region. To explore the interactive relationship and driving factors between water resources, the social economy, and the ecological environment, the Yellow River Golden Triangle region is taken as the research object in this paper. By constructing a coupling-coordination evaluation index system of water resources, the social economy, and the ecological environment system, the coupling-coordination development of this region from 2011 to 2021 is studied using the coupling-coordination degree model, and the influencing factors of coupling-coordination development are identified by gray relational analysis. The results show that from 2011 to 2021, the comprehensive evaluation index of the water resources, social economy, and ecological environment in the Yellow River Golden Triangle region shows a trend of steady development followed by a gradual increase. The water-resources subsystem restricts the development of the coupling system. The coupling-coordination degree increased from a barely coordinated stage in 2011 to a well-coordinated stage in 2021. The social economy subsystem and water-resources subsystem are the main factors affecting the coordinated development of the coupling system.

Freeze-thaw resistance and deterioration mechanism of alkali-activated filling grouts prepared from full industrial solid wastes for tunnels

To promote the application of the proposed alkali-activated grout (AAG) prepared from full solid wastes in cold-zone tunnel projects located at high altitudes and latitudes, it is imperative to fully recognise its endurance to the repeated freezing and thawing in specific service scenarios. For this purpose, two groups of representative AAG were selected as subjects for this study, and a typical OPC-based grout was chosen as the control group. Freeze-thaw cycle tests were carried out on grout samples after 28 days of standard curing using the slow-freeze method to simulate the harsh service environment in cold regions. The deterioration impact of freeze-thaw cycling on the grout samples were evaluated by monitoring the changes in visual appearance, mass loss, mechanical strength, and damage coefficient after 20, 40, 60 and 80 freeze-thaw cycles. Furthermore, the deterioration mechanism of various grout samples under the action of freeze-thaw cycling was revealed by multi-technique characterization methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The results show that at the same number of freeze-thaw cycles, the surface deterioration, mass loss and strength damage of AAG were obviously better than that of the OPC-based grout, suggesting that AAG exhibited greater resistance to freezing and thawing than the OPC-based grout. The mass loss ratio increased with the increase of the number of freeze-thaw cycles, following a roughly power function pattern. The deterioration in the flexural strength of grout samples caused by freeze-thaw cycles was more severe than the deterioration in their compressive strength. The gel products of AAG were mainly C-A-S-H and N-A-S-H, which showed stronger resistance to freeze-thaw damage than the gel products of the OPC-based grout, C-S-H and portlandite. Compared with the OPC-based grout, AAG samples possessed a denser microstructure with lower porosity and a smaller proportion of large-sized harmful pores, which was not favourable for the pore water holding and migration of during freeze-thaw cycling and the development of osmotic and frost heave stresses, thus providing better resistance to freezing and thawing. A variety of macroscopic characterisations and microstructural tests have demonstrated the good durability of AAG against the freeze-thaw cycles, which can serve as a scientific foundation for its future engineering uses.

Diversity of primary vegetation species of lake shore impacts largely carbon emissions in thermokarst lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

Terrestrial organic matter from surrounding primary vegetation is critical for carbon cycling in thermokarst lakes. However, the characteristics and contribution of this vegetation in shaping microbial community and affecting carbon emissions in thermokarst lakes remain poorly understood. This study quantifies the influence of lakeshore primary vegetation characteristics on microbial community and carbon emissions across lakes with different vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Our findings indicate that methane (CH4) diffusion and ebullition emissions increase significantly from alpine desert (AD), alpine steppe (AS), alpine meadow (AM) to swamp meadow (SM). Specifically, diffusion fluxes in lakes averaged 1.7 mmol m‌‌-2 d-1 (ranging from 0.04 to 5.7 mmol m-2 d-1), and ebullition fluxes in lakes averaged 14.5 mmol m-2 d-1 (ranging from 0.18 to 99.1 mmol m-2 d-1). Carbon dioxide (CO2) diffusive emissions in SM, AM, AS were significantly higher than AD, with fluxes ranging from -14.12 mmol m-2 d-1 to 51.33 mmol m-2 d-1. The primary vegetation diversity also showed a significant increase from AD (3.17 ± 1.33), AS (5.33 ± 1.63), AM (4.5 ± 1.05) to SM (9.2 ± 1.40). Lake shore primary vegetation diversity indirectly enhances CH4 and CO2 emissions by altering water pH. Additionally, it influences methane-cycling microorganisms through pH regulation, further promoting CH4 emissions. Greater vegetation diversity also increases CH4 emissions by affecting sediment microbial carbon. These results underscore the importance of integrating vegetation diversity and microbial community patterns into carbon cycling models to improve the predictions of thermokarst lake carbon emissions in a warming and greening future, emphasizing the urgent requirement to protect the pristine environments of permafrost regions.

Evaluation of adaptive capacity of slope regulation and storage measures on the Loess Plateau under drought stress

The study evaluated the adaptive ability of slope regulation and storage measures (SRASM) under drought stress, providing scientific basis for improving water resource management and ecological protection in the arid environment of the Loess Plateau region. Four SRASM including afforestation on the hilltop (forestland engineering), returning farmland to forest on the hillside (grassland engineering), building terraces on the hillside (terraced fields engineering) and damming and silting on the valley floor (silting dam engineering) can effectively solve the problem of water and soil loss on the Loess Plateau. However, it is still unclear how the adaptive capacity (resistance and resilience) of these SRASM under drought stress. This study took the above four SRASM as the study object, used the performance of the four SRASM after drought and rehydration events as the basis for judging the adaptive capacity under drought stress. It proposed evaluation methods for drought and rehydration events, as well as calculation methods for resistance and resilience. Furthermore, it analyzed the adaptive capacity of different SRASM and different sub-basins in the middle reaches of the Yellow River under drought stress, as well as the impact of slope on adaptive capacity. The results showed that when light and moderate drought occurred, four SRASM recovered to their normal state after rehydration. In terms of resilience, forestland engineering > grassland engineering > terraced fields engineering > silting dam engineering, and grassland engineering had the most prominent ability to resist drought. As the slope increased, the adaptive capacity decreased. From a spatial perspective, the resilience in the western part of the middle reaches of the Yellow River was lower than that in the eastern, and the spatial distribution of resistance in the middle reaches of the Yellow River generally decreased from northwest to southeast.

Assessing Seasonal Thermal Environment of Two Tree Species: Integrating Modeling and In-Situ Data in Hot-Summer and Cold-Winter Climates

Trees significantly contribute to improving the outdoor thermal environment during hot summers. However, their negative impacts during the winter months in hot-summer and cold-winter regions should also be considered. The current study investigates the seasonal effects of two common tree species on the thermal environment in such climates. In-situ measurements and numerical simulations were conducted on an open campus, and idealized experiments were designed based on the observations. Strategies involving tree selection to optimize the thermal environment year-round were proposed. Our findings show that evergreen broad-leaved trees, with their denser canopies, provide a more extensive and intense cooling effect throughout the year compared to deciduous broad-leaved trees. The benefit threshold for the canopy coverage of evergreen broad-leaved trees is 40%, and the efficiency threshold of deciduous broad-leaved trees is 10%. At the same canopy coverage, deciduous broad-leaved trees create a larger area of suitable thermal comfort throughout the year and conserve more heating energy in winter (8.24 × 109J/ha) compared to evergreen broad-leaved trees. We suggest that the use of deciduous broad-leaved trees is a more effective strategy for improving the thermal environment in hot-summer and cold-winter regions.

Analyzing the Xinjiang Elements in Sun Yiqiang's Piano Work Spring Dance

Spring Dance, composed in the 1980s by Sun Yiqiang, who was born in 1948 in Shanghai, is a piano piece with distinct Chinese national characteristics. At the invitation of his friend Liu Shikun, Sun Yiqiang traveled to Xinjiang to conduct field research on local music. He was particularly inspired by observing the joyful scenes of people dancing and riding horses after work, which became the foundation for his composition. The music reflects Suns genuine emotional response to these experiences, blending both gentle and passionate tones, creating dynamic contrasts throughout the piece. It incorporates the musical elements from Xinjiang, giving the composition a regional flavor. The listener can almost feel the warmth of the Xinjiang people and the beauty of the regions environment through the music. The analysis of these elements in Spring Dance enable foreign piano enthusiasts to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, particularly the musical characteristics of ethnic minorities in that border region. This, in turn, helps promote Chinese culture as a bridge of friendship both domestically and internationally.