Trade Networks Research Articles

Highly radiogenic lead in Shandong bronzes (5th-3rd century BC) and lead mines provides evidence of a metal road from China to Korea and Japan

The origin of the lead materials containing highly radiogenic lead (HRL) isotopes found in bronzes dating back to the 4th–2nd century BCE in Korea and Japan remains enigmatic. The lead isotope analysis conducted on 111 bronzes, slags, and lead ores from Shandong, China, has provided valuable insights into the establishment of the metal trade network in Northeast Asia. The findings reveal a notable transition in the source of lead material used in Shandong from the early to the middle and late Warring States periods. Initially, Shandong bronzes heavily relied on imported lead materials from Central China; however, during the middle and late Warring States periods, there was a shift towards the utilization of HRL (206Pb/204Pb range: 18.6–23.1) and lead with low 206Pb/204Pb ratios, which were uncommon in other regions of China contemporaneously. The isochron relationship (2.29 Ga) between the 207Pb/204Pb-206Pb/204Pb of the HRL bronzes from Shandong, Japan-Korea, and the HRL lead ores of the Xiliang lead mine in Yishui, Shandong, demonstrates a strong correlation, suggesting that the HRL metal materials prevalent in Northeast Asia during the 4th–2nd century BCE likely originated from the Tai-Yi Mountains in Shandong Province.

Online Illegal Cryptomarkets

Cryptomarkets—online markets for illegal goods—have revolutionized the illegal drug trade, constituting about 10% of all drug trades and attracting users to a greater variety of and more addictive substances than available in offline drug markets. This review introduces the burgeoning area of sociology research on illegal cryptomarkets, particularly in the realm of drug trade. We emphasize the expanding role of illicit online trade and its relevance for understanding broader exchange challenges encountered in all illegal trade settings. Examining the effects of online illegal trade on consumption and supply-side policing, we also discuss the harm and potential benefits of moving drug exchange from offline to online markets. We argue for a network perspective's efficacy in this research domain, emphasizing its relevance in assessing trade and discussion networks, technical innovation, and market evolution and vulnerabilities. Concluding, we outline future research areas, including market culture, failure, and the impact of online illegal trade on stratification.

Trade networks and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from Chinese resource-based enterprises

Trade network connects enterprises together, while its impact on corporate ESG performance is unknown. Drawing on unbalanced panel data of resource-based enterprises in China from 2009 to 2021, this study decomposes the trade network into purchasing network and sales network based on trade directions, and explores their impact on corporate ESG performance and the mechanisms involved. The findings indicate that: (1) The trade networks exhibit a negative correlation with corporate ESG performance. Meanwhile, purchasing network demonstrates a more pronounced adverse impact on corporate ESG than sales network. After a series of endogeneity tests, the above results still hold. (2) Heterogeneity analysis shows that trade networks have a more significant effect on the ESG performance of state-owned enterprises, mature enterprises and heavily polluting enterprises. And the most pronounced negative effect is observed in the governance (G) component of ESG. (3) Mechanism analysis reveals that trade networks negatively influence corporate ESG performance by impeding the progress of green innovation and internal control. (4) Accelerating digital transformation and intensifying government environmental regulations can mitigate the inhibitory impact of trade networks on corporate ESG performance. This study provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for resource-based enterprises to enhance ESG performance while reinforcing trade linkages.

Statuary Qualities of White and Black Göktepe Identified in the Hispanic Valdetorres de Jarama Marble Collection

This paper focuses on the role of the most common mineralogical techniques applied to the identification of the different statuary qualities in white, grey, and black Göktepe marble. For this purpose, the case of a Roman sculpture marble collection from the rural villa of Valdetorres de Jarama (central Iberia), dating to the 4th century AD, is presented. The mythological statuary, combining white, grey, and black marbles, is one of the most outstanding marble collections in the Aphrodisian style found in Hispania. The analytical results (achieved through Petrography, Cathodoluminescence, C and O isotopes, and Sr and Mn concentration) support the identification of two varieties of “black” Göktepe, traditionally referred to as bigio morato and bigio antico, as well as the best statuary quality of white Göktepe. In addition, the analytical identification of other Asiatic marbles in the Valdetorres collection, a white coarse-grain originally from the quarries of Aphrodisias city, and one small piece identified as Carian red from Iasos, corroborates the already suggested strong connection existing between artists and the stone material they chose for their works. Finally, the identification carried out on the marble of the bases that served as seats for the sculptures is noteworthy, as it is a white marble of lower quality whose analytical characteristics are consistent with the Microasiatic marble of Denizli. The use of these exotic and exceptional raw materials confirms the taste for luxury and decorative richness in Late Antique Hispanic rural villae and contributes to a better understanding of the distribution of Aphrodisian production and trade networks with the Western Roman provinces.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ И ПРИНЦИПЫ РАЗВИТИЯ СЕЛЬСКИХ АГЛОМЕРАЦИЙ

Agglomeration is a form of territorial space and is one of the tools for the sustainable development of rural territories, and their stable development provides the necessary conditions for the for-mation of the social sphere, infrastructure and the creation of additional jobs. One of the factors for the effective development of rural territories is rationally organized local government, one of the activities of which is the creation of rural agglomerations. The rural agglomeration is charac-terized by a high proportion of the population engaged in agriculture. Farmers, entrepreneurs, and specialists of various fields work here, who are engaged in the production and processing of manufactured products. The territory houses warehouses, processing and packaging plants. The rural agglomeration supplies agricultural products, raw materials and food to the trading net-works of cities, thereby playing an important role in the development of the country and increasing the economic well-being of rural territories.

China’s agricultural trade networks and its influencing factors

ABSTRACT This study employs the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC rev.3) to categorize agricultural products and examines the overall and each type of agricultural trade networks in China. It utilizes Social Network Analysis and the Quadratic Assignment Procedure to explore pattern changes and identify influencing factors. The findings indicate that between 2000 and 2019, China’s agricultural trade networks experienced expansion in scale and density, with China positioned at the network’s centre. However, challenges exist, such as insufficient control and over-reliance on specific trading partners. Key factors influencing the networks include the business environment (BUE), regional trade agreements (RTA), and government governance capacity (GOC). Differences in BUE and GOC are negatively associated with the development of trade networks, while RTAs are positively associated with trade network connectivity. Economic and demographic differences are also positively associated with the closeness of trade networks. Based on these findings, policy recommendations are proposed to address the identified issues.

Microbe surveillance in the amphibian pet trade: Results from a pilot study

AbstractRegional and global trade of live animals can contribute to the spread and emergence of novel pathogens, including several important pathogens of amphibians. However, understanding the spread or even frequency of infections in large, complex amphibian trade networks has been difficult, in part because businesses tend to be reluctant to participate in surveillance programs. Thus, we developed a novel approach to surveillance in which anonymous participating businesses were sent surveillance kits through a trusted trade advocacy partner, samples were returned to researchers via anonymous prepaid envelopes, and results were provided via a secure website with access regulated by a unique personal identification number (PIN) created by the business. We tested samples for the amphibian pathogens, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and Ranavirus spp. (Rv), as well as the beneficial microbe, Janthinobacterium lividum (Jliv), using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Out of 120 businesses invited to complete an anonymous socioeconomic survey, 24 volunteered to participate in pathogen surveillance, of which 14 were sent surveillance kits. Eight of these businesses returned samples consisting of swabs collected from amphibians in 78 terrestrial habitats and water filters from 49 aquatic habitats. Copies of a highly conserved vertebrate gene (EBF3N), quantified using qPCR, were consistently low (<100 copies) in returned samples, but similar to those collected by researchers, indicating comparable sample quality. Three samples (from two facilities) had detectable levels of Bd DNA; Bsal, Rv, and Jliv were not detected. This pilot study provides evidence that information about pathogens in pet trade networks can be acquired by developing partnerships with industry, and business participation might be enhanced by ensuring anonymity and inclusion of a trade advocacy partner.

Uncovering the structure and evolution of global virtual water and agricultural land network

The effective management and allocation of water and land resources is pivotal for ensuring global food security and facilitating the transition towards sustainable development. Combining multi-regional input-output analysis and complex network modelling, this study examining the spatial-temporal evolution and topological structures of multi-layer virtual water and agricultural land networks, analyzed the network characteristics of different countries/regions, and tested the network vulnerability between virtual water trade network and virtual agricultural land network. From the results, it is revealed that 30.9 %—34.14 % of global water resources and 32.9 %—40 % of global agricultural land are associated with international trade. Meanwhile, the geographical distribution of this trade has shifted from low-income countries to middle and high-income countries, showing three distinct fluctuations in their instability levels. Additionally, quantitative network analysis indicates that resource trade networks exhibit small-world characteristics with increasing trends in network density, clustering coefficient, and average path length values over time. Among the two disturbance scenarios, both virtual water and virtual agricultural land networks were more vulnerable under deliberate assault than under random failure, however, the agricultural land network demonstrates greater toughness compared to the virtual water network. These findings highlight the importance of sustainably managing global water and land resources within a framework for sustainable development which aims at promoting both worldwide food security and environmental protection simultaneously.

Detection of minimal extended driver nodes in energetic costs reduction.

Structures of complex networks are fundamental to system dynamics, where node state and connectivity patterns determine the cost of a control system, a key aspect in unraveling complexity. However, minimizing the energy required to control a system with the fewest input nodes remains an open problem. This study investigates the relationship between the structure of closed-connected function modules and control energy. We discovered that small structural adjustments, such as adding a few extended driver nodes, can significantly reduce control energy. Thus, we propose MInimal extended driver nodes in Energetic costs Reduction (MIER). Next, we transform the detection of MIER into a multi-objective optimization problem and choose an NSGA-II algorithm to solve it. Compared with the baseline methods, NSGA-II can approximate the optimal solution to the greatest extent. Through experiments using synthetic and real data, we validate that MIER can exponentially decrease control energy. Furthermore, random perturbation tests confirm the stability of MIER. Subsequently, we applied MIER to three representative scenarios: regulation of differential expression genes affected by cancer mutations in the human protein-protein interaction network, trade relations among developed countries in the world trade network, and regulation of body-wall muscle cells by motor neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans nervous network. The results reveal that the involvement of MIER significantly reduces control energy required for these original modules from a topological perspective. Additionally, MIER nodes enhance functionality, supplement key nodes, and uncover potential mechanisms. Overall, our work provides practical computational tools for understanding and presenting control strategies in biological, social, and neural systems.

Caribbean timber supply for the Spanish Navy: Shipbuilding and maintenance of war vessels in the Maritime Department of Cadiz (1729–1759)

This article constitutes an introduction to the Caribbean timber supply for the service of the Spanish state shipbuilding industry in the context of the reforms of the naval sector promoted by the early Bourbon administration. The selected case study focuses on the hardwoods from Cuba (as well as Mexico, Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo) shipped to Cadiz during the reigns of Philip V and Ferdinand VI, between the late 1720s and 1750s. This supply was facilitated by the naval infrastructures established in Havana and Veracruz, as well as the trade networks of the Carrera de Indias and naval squadrons that took charge of its transport. From the state shipbuilding programmes to the repair and maintenance activities motivated by the participation of vessels in the warfare dynamics of the post-Utrecht and Aix-la-Chapelle geopolitical orders, the rhythm of this transatlantic timber supply was the result of multiple factors that had a direct influence on the metropolitan demand for timber.

Cotton in the Indo-Pacific: Historical Origins, Linguistic Diffusion, and Socioeconomic Impacts

This study investigates the historical origins, linguistic diffusion, and socioeconomic impacts of cotton (Gossypium spp.) in the Indo-Pacific region. By reviewing secondary data from historical texts, linguistic databases, and archaeological reports, the research explores how Gossypium species, domesticated in both the Old and New Worlds, spread through complex trade networks and cultural exchanges. The study analyzes the dissemination patterns of cotton-related terminology across various language families and examines the socioeconomic effects of cotton cultivation and trade, including its influence on labor systems, economic structures, and cultural practices. While the findings highlight cotton’s significant role in shaping global markets and cultural inter-actions, the study’s limitations – such as its reliance on secondary sources, a two-month research duration, and a focus on a specific geographical area – warrant cautious interpretation. These constraints may limit the comprehensiveness and depth of the analysis, suggesting the need for future research to incorporate primary data collection, a broader geographical scope, and an extended study period. Despite these limitations, the study contributes to a nuanced understanding of cotton’s historical, economic, and cultural significance, emphasizing the need for sustainable agricultural practices in contemporary cotton production.

Sino-European Porcelain Trade: Globalization and Orientalism Perspectives

Chinese export porcelain serves as a critical cultural and economic bridge between the East and the West, making it a fascinating subject of study. This study examines the historical interactions between East and West through the trade of Chinese export porcelain, highlighting a shift from an Orientalist perspective to a more interconnected and equitable global view. The research explores the cultural significance and economic impact of Chinese export porcelain, analyzing its role as a medium of cross-cultural exchange. Utilizing historical data, scholarly articles, and contemporary theories, the study investigates how Chinese artisans adapted to and influenced Western tastes. The findings reveal a complex interplay of power and knowledge, underscoring the need for a more inclusive and mutual model of globalization. This approach not only enriches our understanding of historical trade networks but also promotes a more just and sustainable global community.

Data-driven evaluation for quantifying energy resilience in distribution systems with microgrids and P2P energy trading

Electrical distribution systems (EDS) face the major issue of complete interruption of power when the supply end of the electrical grid encounters extreme events. The integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) at the residential level has opened the path to building energy resilience within these systems, enabling them to withstand such incidents at the load end. To further enhance energy resilience, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading networks could be established at the community level. While several researchers have developed models to implement energy trading in the P2P network with DERs, enabling prosumers to benefit from cost savings, the impact of both DERs and P2P energy trading on the system’s resilience has not been evaluated with a quantifiable measure. In this work, we propose a methodology introducing a quantifiable measure for evaluating energy resilience in electrical distribution systems with DERs and P2P energy trading by calculating the percolation threshold (PT) using complex networks for both univariate and multivariate data. We employ cooperative game theory to model P2P energy trading, ensuring that all prosumers participate rationally. We consider the formation of microgrids in a standard IEEE-123 node test feeder system integrated with renewable energy sources. The improvement in energy resilience with trading of energy in the P2P network is analyzed for the most resilient microgrid in the distribution system. The results demonstrate a 67.91% total cost benefit and a 25.07% improvement in the resilience of the microgrid due to the integration of DERs and P2P energy trading for a period of one year.

Research on the influencing factors of evolution of oil trade network based on TERGM model

This paper constructs a trade network using global oil trade data from 2001 to 2021, and uses TERGM model to explore the factors influencing the evolution of oil trade network. We found that the structures mutual, transitive closure, 3-outstars and 3-instars all boost the evolution of the oil trade network while cycle closure structure impede the evolution of the oil trade network. In addition, the level of national economic development inhibits the change of oil trade relations. Finally, geographical distance has little effect on the evolution of oil trade network, and the national border and common language have positive effect on the evolution of oil trade network.

Green Laser Inter-Satellite Link Planning in Satellite Optical Networks: Trade off Battery Lifetime and Network Throughput Using Numerical Quantization

Green Laser Inter-Satellite Link Planning in Satellite Optical Networks: Trade off Battery Lifetime and Network Throughput Using Numerical Quantization

Ferdinand Magellan's Circumnavigation: Revolutionizing Global Navigation, Trade, and Cultural Exchange

Ferdinand Magellan's first circumnavigation of the globe marked a pivotal moment in worldwide exploration, profoundly shaping navigation, geography, and trade. This study examines the motivations behind Magellan's voyage, focusing on the strategic and economic significance of the Moluccas, and explores how the expedition revolutionized European understanding of global geography. Utilizing primary sources, particularly Antonio Pigafetta's detailed accounts, the research highlights Magellan's journey's contributions to cartography, the establishment of new trade routes, and the cultural exchanges between Europeans and indigenous peoples. The findings underscore the expedition's role in enhancing global trade networks and expanding scientific knowledge, paving the way for future explorations and integrating a globalized world.

Tracing the geographic origin of Atlantic cod products using stable isotope analysis.

Increasing demand for fish and seafood means that the traceability of marine products is becoming ever more important for consumers, producers and regulators. Highly complex and globalised supply networks create challenges for verifying a stated catch region. Atlantic cod is one of the most commercially important species in the northeast Atlantic. Several regional fisheries supply cod into the trade network, of which some are at greater risk of overexploitation than others. Tools allowing retrospective testing of spatial origin would significantly assist sustainable harvesting of fish, reducing incentives for illegal fishing and fraud. Here, we investigate whether stable isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur can be used to retrospectively identify the catch region of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). We measured the isotopic composition of muscle tissue from 377 cod from 10 catch regions across the northeast Atlantic and then applied three different assignment methods to classify cod by region of most likely origin. The assignment method developed was subsequently tested using independently sourced, known-origin samples. Individual cod could be traced back to their true origin with an average assignment accuracy of 70-79% and over 90% accuracy for certain regions. Assignment success rates comparable to those using genetic techniques were achieved when assigning among restricted and pre-selected regions. However, assignment accuracy to the fishery region estimated from independent samples across the whole geographic range of cod averaged ~25% overall, highlighting the need for careful application of isotope-based approaches. Stable isotope techniques can provide effective tools to test for origin in Atlantic cod, but not all catch regions are isotopically distinct. Stable isotopes could be combined with genetic techniques to result in higher assignment accuracy than could be achieved using either method independently. Assignment potential can be estimated from reference datasets, but estimates of realistic assignment accuracy require independently collected data.

Trade Creation or Diversion?—Evidence from China’s Forest Wood Product Trade

In recent years, trade protectionism and unilateralism have prevailed, and countries around the world have imposed restrictions on log exports. It has also become more difficult for China to import wood resources and export deep-processed wood forest products. Based on panel data from 2000 to 2019, this study uses social network analysis to measure the level of the Chinese wood forest product trade network, takes the Chinese free trade agreements (FTAs) as the natural experiment, and uses the multi-stage double-difference method to investigate the impact of the signed FTAs on China’s wood forest product trade. The study finds that the trade network of Chinese wood forest products is becoming increasingly complex, and the central position of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the network is increasing year by year. The signing of FTAs has had a significant positive impact on the trade of wood forest products in China and a significant trade creation effect. This finding remains true after conducting the placebo test and propensity score-matched regression control. At the same time, the import of wood forest products in China will have a significant trade transfer effect due to the signing of FTAs, and this will not affect exports. Although FTAs show significant trade creation and trade transfer effects in China’s wood forest product trade, they also increase, to a certain extent, the mismatch of forest resources worldwide.

Upgrading the industrial structure for optimizing water-energy-carbon nexus in regional trade network

To take actions for the SDGs (Goals 6, 7, 9, 12, and 13), the world is undergoing intense industrial transformation and upgrading. However, there has been limited analysis of water-energy-carbon (WEC) nexus within regional trade network to uncover the effects of industrial restructuring. Here, this study explores the trade-related WEC flows in the Yangtze River Delta area (YRD) from 2012 to 2017 by four aspects (spatiotemporal status, sectors, WEC flowing synergies, and environmental-economic trade-off) based on an environmentally extended input-output analysis. The main results show that the resource supply network in the YRD has been optimized, with enhanced synergies of WEC flows. Resource trade in the YRD has shifted from traditional heavy industry (HV Ⅰ) to high-tech manufacturing industry (HV Ⅱ). The share of trade-related WEC in demand of HV Ⅱ among all sectors increased by 10, 5, and 15 percentages, while the share in demand of HV Ⅰ decreased by 15, 10, and 10 percentages during this transition period. This study also discloses an environmental-economic contradiction arising in regional trade: low-carbon and high-value-added economic development in some regions may be premised on relocating environmental resource pressures. Hence, this study could assist policymakers in analyzing sustainable industrial transition models for regional integration clusters and in formulating targeted interregional resource trade policies to alleviate development gaps.

The food security risks in the Yangtze River Delta of China associated with water scarcity, grain production, and grain trade

Grain production consumes a large amount of water and is affected by the degree of water scarcity and participation in the grain trade in various regions. The grain trade has changed the food security risks in regions where grain exports and imports. Therefore, it is crucial to consider regional water scarcity to understand food security risks from the grain trade network. Here, we construct a new framework for measuring regional food security risks associated with water scarcity, grain production, and grain trade based on a cross-city grain trade network combined with virtual water flows to evaluate the regional food security risks in the Yangtze River Delta region (YRD) of China in 2017. The results show that under the current domestic grain trade pattern in China, the YRD and its four provincial-level administrative regions are in a net grain import state. The grain trade within the YRD is concentrated in exports from the two major grain-producing areas of Anhui and Jiangsu to Zhejiang and Shanghai, especially from northern Jiangsu to southeastern Zhejiang. The net import results of virtual blue water in most cities indicate that the YRD has shifted its water resource pressure to other grain exporting regions in China, with Shanghai and Zhejiang being the greatest beneficiaries. Extreme risk only exists in Shanghai, and severe and moderate risks are concentrated in Jiangsu. The current grain trade has reduced the overall food security risk in the YRD by 1.3 % but increased the risks in Shanghai and Zhejiang by 2.1 % and 0.8 % respectively. This study highlights the potential risks that excessive production of food in water-scarce areas in the grain trade system may bring to a stable food supply, providing useful information for a comprehensive understanding of the food and water security situation and for future trade-offs.