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Monogenea is a Class of ecologically and economically significant platyhelminth parasites of freshwater and marine hosts. Contamination of the environment has been shown to variably affect parasites resulting in alterations at the population and organismal levels. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of published data to assess similarities among responses of monogeneans to pollution and estimate effect sizes of contaminant exposure on these parasites. Effect size was calculated according to Cohen’s d based on reported mean abundance for monogeneans from individual studies. A total of 57 studies were used in the present study. Each Monogenea–contaminant record represented a single data point in the meta-analysis, and this accounted for a total of 217 useable records. Most studies were concerned with species belong to Gyrodactylidae, Diplozoidae, Ancyrocephalidae and Dactylogyridae. Assessment of the effects of specific pollutants on monogeneans have mostly been restricted to exposure to eutrophication, pulp-mill effluent and metals. Comparison of effect sizes showed strong negative effects for metals and strong positive effects for eutrophication on monogeneans. Other contaminant types had weak effect sizes on monogeneans. Comparison of effect sizes among monogenean families showed that none of the effect sizes calculated were significant but metals and disturbance contaminants showed strong negative and positive effects respectively for Gyrodactylidae. The current comparisons were based on changes in the population structure and infections of monogeneans, however, organ level effects associated with exposure to poor water quality have also been noted. In this instance, exposure has been suggested to result in asymmetry of the attachment organs of some monogeneans. Despite numerous records of impacts of pollution exposure at the population level, understanding of the physiological effects and mechanisms employed by Monogenea to survive and adapt to changes in the environment are yet to be explored. Study of these aspects would enable better understanding of the variation in the trends observed at a population level for monogeneans in relation to the quality of the macroenvironment.

Yang and Meng (2020) used sub-optimal search keywords and methods to publish a bibliometric paper in Ecological Indicators. There are two questionable parts to the original paper: a filter could be used to retrieve a more accurate set of data and the use of sub-optimal search keywords. There is a big difference between the two results that were searched using search keywords ("carbon footprint", "carbon footprints", and "carbon footprinting") which we suggested and ("carbon footprint") which authors used. Finally, an appropriate method and search keywords were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Northeast (NE) China, the largest commodity grain base and natural forest area in China, both agricultural production and ecological protection require attention. In recent years, land degradation in NE China has increased, seriously affecting the production-ecology synergy. In this paper, four key ecosystem services (ESs) in NE China are quantified: provisioning, water conservation (WC), soil conservation (SC) and sand fixation (SF), and the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and trade-offs and synergies (T&S) of ESs are analyzed. The driving factors of provisioning services and the characteristics of T&S are considered, and the county zoning scheme and the corresponding production-ecological function synergistic optimization paths are proposed. The results show that (1) the provisioning, WC and SF services in NE China have slightly increased in the past 20 years, and the provisioning in the Greater-Khingan-Mountains-Region (GKMR) and Lesser-Khingan-Mountains-Region (LKMR), the WC in the LKMR, and the SF in the Liao-River-Plain (LRP) have more obviously increased. The SC service has slightly decreased, especially in the Changbai-Mountains-Region (CBMR). (2) The provisioning service in NE China mainly shows a synergistic relationship with WC and SF, accounting for 79.1 % and 62.9 % of the area, respectively, and a trade-off relationship with SC, accounting for 52.54 % of the area. (3) Human activities (HA) are the dominant driving factor of the provisioning service change in NE China, with an impact degree of 62.65 %. The LKMR is an exception, as climate change (CC) dominates. The LRP, Songnen-Plain (SNP) and GKMR have high degrees of HA. (4) The number of synergistic optimized (SO), light optimized (LO) and trade-off limited (TL) counties accounted for 19.0 %, 61.7 % and 19.3 %, respectively. Among them, the SO type counties should prioritize improving provision and grain production capacity, the LO type counties should protect basic farmland and decrease trade-offs between ESs, and the TL type counties should improve ecological functions and strengthen ecological protection and restoration. This paper clarifies the main contradictions of ESs in NE China and provides an important scientific basis for ecological protection and restoration, which is important for ensuring food and ecological security and realizing the ecological and efficient sustainable utilization of black soil.

Maintaining and restoring ecological connectivity (EC) are important measures of mitigating habitat isolation caused by urbanization. Considering the prominent contradiction of land use in highly urbanized areas, the EC protection measures proposed in the previous studies, such as expanding the ecological sources and widening the ecological corridors, are unrealistic. By using the stepping-stone and complex network theories, this paper simulated the ecological network (EN), evaluated the centrality of each ecological source and stepping-stone, and analysed the network robustness under different damage scenarios, then identified the optimal strategy and key patches for EC maintaining. Meanwhile, this paper evaluated whether the key patches are protected by China’s new policies, which are, Ecological Protection Red Line (EPRL) and the Three Lines One Permit (TLOP). The results were as follows: (1) The EN is composed of 53 ecological sources and 291 stepping-stones, with 591 links between them. (2) The network stability can be optimally maintained by prioritizing the protection of stepping-stones with high centrality. (3) The 53 ecological sources and 51 stepping-stones with the highest centrality can ensure the stable operation of the EN, that is, they are key patches for EC maintaining. (4) Compared with EPRL, the protection rate for ecological sources and stepping-stones are significantly improved by TLOP; however, stepping-stones with high centrality require stronger protection. This study enriched the research cases of complex network theory applied in landscape ecology, and provided references for the improvement of policies in the future.

Rivers originating from the Himalayas play a crucial role as primary water sources for a significant proportion of the population in Asia downstream. This paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of hydrogeochemical data, incorporating major ions and trace elements from 153 papers spanning 2000 to 2023, with a detailed analysis of 20 papers specific to Nepal Himalayan rivers. To bridge the research gap due to sparse data, we aimed to enhance inclusivity by amalgamating both seasonal and one-time datasets, computing mean values for singular instances, and employing grand means for multiple seasonal data points. Our findings highlight varied research attention across different river basins, with the eastern Koshi Basin receiving extensive attention, while the middle Gandaki and Bagmati Basins garner moderate attention, and data scarcity observed in the western Karnali Basin. Predominant ionic composition, notably Ca2+ and HCO3–, reflect lithological influences, primarily driven by rock weathering. Although anthropogenic impacts remain minimal in most basins, certain lowland areas with higher population densities exhibit increasing significance. Trace element contamination, notably Cd, Cu, Sr, and Zn, poses ongoing threats, both from natural and anthropogenic sources. Water quality assessments conducted for agricultural and drinking suitability indicated good status, except in the densely polluted urban Bagmati stem. Health and ecological risks are low, as determined by pollution indices such as Pi, NPI, HI, and CI. The Bagmati River's middle segment, with high population density and moderate agricultural activity, shows pronounced anthropogenic footprints, while downstream areas exhibited greater impacts. Additionally, this article proposes the potential use of a Water Quality Index tool to comprehensively assess water quality across all parameters in Himalayan water bodies, providing a roadmap for future environmental conservation in the Himalayas. This pioneering review represents a significant effort to understand Himalayan rivers geochemistry on a large geographical scale and emphasizes the need for integrated observation and consideration of river water quality across the entire Himalayan region, from high mountains to lowlands.

Unconventional water serves as a bridge to water sustainability. However, many developing nations still have a long way to go in terms of unconventional water utilization. Different regional characteristics lead to different consumption capacities for unconventional water. Consequently, more unconventional water use (UWU) may not necessarily be positive for alleviating water poverty. However, there is a significant research gap in this field. This paper aims to answer three key questions: “Whether UWU consistently alleviates water poverty?” “Is this effect spatially heterogeneous?” and “What role do economic factors play in addressing water poverty?” For that, this paper focused on 30 provinces in China, with the sample period spanning from 2006 to 2021. To identify the mechanisms through which UWU alleviates water poverty, this paper employed a panel fixed-effects model using the Water Poverty Index (WPI) as the dependent variable and the square of UWU amount as an independent variable. The results indicate a non-linear impact of UWU on WPI, with the significance of impact influenced by GDP per capita (PGDP). Furthermore, threshold regressions were conducted with PGDP as the threshold variable. The results revealed a double-threshold effect of PGDP in the impact of UWU on WPI, displaying “U” or inverted “U” shape as PGDP develops: When PGDP is less than or equal to RMB 13,574, UWU demonstrates a negative effect on WPI; when PGDP ranges from RMB 13,574 to RMB 53,653, the effect turns positive; however, when PGDP exceeds RMB 53,653, the effect turns back to negative. The findings confirm that more UWU is not always better. Sustainable utilization plans of water resources must be tailored to local conditions, especially considering the unique characteristics of the regional economy.

Increasing countries are articulating ambitious goals of carbon neutrality. However, large inequalities in regional emissions within a country may hinder progress toward a carbon–neutral future, as the unequal distribution of reduction responsibilities among regions could impair just transition and exacerbate uneven development, which necessitates an in-depth understanding of the mechanism of multi-scale carbon inequalities within country, region, and city. Yet, the evolution of carbon inequalities within urban agglomerations and the differences between adjacent or distant urban agglomerations have not been well understood, especially in countries undergoing rapid urbanization. Using the data of 89 cities in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) during 2006–2021, this paper quantifies carbon emissions inequality (CEI) at different scales in a systematic regional-urban agglomeration-city hierarchical structure. Then, under the integrated mean logarithmic deviation-logarithmic mean Divisia index (MLD-LMDI) decomposition framework, multi-scale CEIs are perfectly decomposed into six interrelated drivers, i.e., industrial emission structure, energy emission intensity, industrial energy mix, energy intensity, industrial structure, and economic development. The results show that economic development, energy intensity, and industrial energy mix disparities are the main determinants accounting for CEIs at different scales. The decreasing CEI in YREB is mainly due to the changes in industrial structure and economic development, while the energy intensity effect partially hinders the mitigation of CEI. In the upper reaches of the YREB, the energy intensity effect accounts for over 94% growth of CEI during 2006–2021, while the decline in CEIs in middle and lower reaches is primarily caused by the effects of industrial energy mix and industrial structure, respectively. Further spatial decomposition analysis reveals more refined city-level heterogeneous effects and emphasizes the prioritized emission reduction direction for each city. This paper offers implications for reducing carbon inequality and insights into coordinated carbon emissions mitigation at the regional level for a carbon–neutral future.

Land disputes pose significant challenges to social stability and development. In this paper, land dispute intensity (LDI) is measured at the provincial level in China from 2009 to 2018 and its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors are explored. The ordinary least squares(OLS), spatial durbin model (SDM), geodetector model, and panel threshold model are used to explore the spatial spillover effects of LDI and its potential non-linear relationship with socio-economic factors. The results reveal that LDI is spatially distributed in a decentralized form, with local areas showing the structural characteristics of “single core, multiple clusters”. The LDI exhibits a significant positive spatial autocorrelation and follows a “logarithmic” upward trend over time. The urbanization rate (UR), social security expenditures (SSE), and the number of land and resources institutions (NLRI) are important driving forces affecting LDI. The SSE and NLRI have a single threshold effect on the LDI, with a “V” shaped weakening trend, and the UR is an important factor causing nonlinear effects. Interestingly, the effect shifts from inhibition to stimulation when the SSE and NLRI cross the corresponding threshold value. This paper can provide new insights into the governance of land disputes.

An integrated water sustainability assessment is conducive to realizing the optimal allocation and efficient water utilization, and alleviating the water crisis. Existing research mainly appraises water quantity and water quality as unidimensional or in combination, without considering the water benefit, and few studies have assessed the regional water sustainability based on an integrated evaluation multidimensionally. Therefore, this paper innovatively introduces water benefit to construct a three-dimensional quantity-quality-benefit model (QQBM) to evaluate water sustainability in line with the water footprint (WF) theory and water resources balance sheet (WRBS). The impact of the coupled coordination relationship among water quantity, water quality, and water benefit on the water sustainability evaluation is further analyzed by introducing the coupled coordination degree model (CCDM). This paper takes the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example and makes a spatio-temporal analysis of the water sustainability in its 11 provincial capitals during 2010-2021 from a single dimension and a three-dimensional perspective, respectively. The results found that: (1) From a single dimension, the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals in the YREB during 2010-2021 is at a medium level, with better water benefit sustainability, moderate water quantity sustainability, and horrendous water quality sustainability. Among them, the water sustainability is the best in Guiyang and Hangzhou, while the worst in Shanghai. (2) From a three-dimensional perspective, the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals from 2010 to 2021 is horrific. Among them, the water sustainability is the best in Kunming, Changsha, Nanjing and Shanghai, while the worst in Wuhan and Hefei. (3) The degree of coupling coordination between water quantity, water quality and water benefit significantly influence the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals of the YREB. The three-dimensional assessment model QQBM constructed in this study is more comprehensive and objective than the single perspective assessment. The findings in this paper can help other regions to conduct similar water sustainability assessments and inform policy recommendations.

The invasion of exotic ant species in China presents significant challenges to ecosystems, agriculture, and the economy. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of China's ongoing battle with exotic ants, examining the factors contributing to their introduction and establishment. It explores the responses implemented by the decision makers, including capacity building, establishment of research institutions, and legislative measures. Limitations and gaps in the current strategies are identified, highlighting the need for regional collaboration, increased awareness, and strengthened early detection and response systems. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the importance of conducting research to understand various exotic ant species' ecological and economic impacts, facilitating the development of targeted and effective management approaches. By adopting a comprehensive and coordinated approach, China can mitigate the impacts of ant invasions and safeguard its biodiversity, agriculture, and economy. This analysis underscores the significance of collective efforts in addressing the ongoing battle with exotic ants and preserving the well-being of ecosystems, economies, and the society.

The balance between the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESSD) is important for sustainable regional development. The hilly regions of south China have rich natural resources and are rapidly being urbanized, which significantly impacts sustainable development in the region. Therefore, how to analyze ESSD from the perspective of social ecology is imperative. Ganzhou region, which is a typical hilly region in southern China, as an example, this paper creatively integrated ESSD into the social-ecological system (SES) framework, analyzed the spatial and temporal changes of ESSD in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, and constructed a system of indicators from the SES, and analyzed the driving factors of ESSD, so as to provide a reference for balancing ESSD. Based on the classical SES framework proposed by Ostrom, this study first analyses the social-ecological system profile of the Ganzhou region at the macro-scale and constructs an SES indicator system. The innovation of combining the SES framework and ecosystem services lies in integrating the social and ecosystem perspectives and merging these two concepts to understand better and manage the relationship between humans and the natural environment. It provides a comprehensive analytical approach and decision support tool for achieving sustainable development. Our results demonstrate that: (1) From 2005 to 2020, ecosystem services in the study area were highly valued, lower areas had homogeneous distribution characteristics, total demand displayed spatial differentiation, there were high-value areas in the midwest, and low-value areas were concentrated in the region’s boundary. (2) There are obvious supply and demand deficits in the southeast and east of the study area, while supply–demand is equal in the north and supply exceeds demand in other regions. From 2005 to 2020, the overall coupling coordination degree of ESSD in the study area was lower than 0.5, indicating a mild to moderate imbalance. (3) The supply of ecosystem services (ESS) was primarily driven by carbon storage, habitat quality, and water yield, while the demand was primarily driven by forest and grassland areas. Factors related to the ecosystem, resource unit, resource system, social system, governance system, and actor all have experienced two-factor interactions, which can explain up to 99% of ESSD. Based on the SES framework, this paper studies the relationship between ESSD in typical areas of the southern hills to provide a reference for research on ESSD in relevant areas and provide a scientific basis for the Chinese government to evaluate ecological protections and improve compensation policies, which is important for ensuring China's ecological security.

Urban green spaces have long been cherished as the “lungs of the city”, it can not only improve air quality and enhance residents' health. The impact of urban green spaces on air pollution and residents' health has attracted great attention. In this paper, we select 31 provinces in China as research samples and use ArcGIS software to draw spatial distribution maps of urban green spaces, air pollution, and residents' health in China, characterizing their spatiotemporal changes in order to explore whether there is a correlation among the three. On this basis, this paper utilizes panel data of Chinese provincial-level from 2010 to 2020 and conducts empirical tests through a two-way fixed effect model and a threshold regression model. The research findings are as follows: (1) Urban green spaces not only bring environmental benefits, but also health benefits, and the health benefits are greater than the environmental benefits. (2) There is a health risk of air pollution in northern China, and the health benefits of urban green spaces are not significant. Conversely, there is no health risk of air pollution in southern China, and the health benefits of urban green spaces are significant. (3) Although environmental regulations can enhance the health benefits of urban green spaces, the role of environmental regulations in enhancing the health benefits of urban green spaces may be further weakened as the economy develops.

Adopting ecological agricultural technologies (EATs) is an effective way to guarantee food security and protect the environment. With the advancement of the digital village strategy, the continuous integration of the digital economy with the rural economy has gradually become an emerging driving force for sustainable agriculture. However, few studies have examined the impact of farmers’ participation in the digital economy in different links of the agricultural industry chain on EATs adoption from a micro perspective. Using data from 2,825 grain farmers from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey, this paper applies the treatment effect model and the mediating effect model to empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of participation in the digital economy on farmers’ EATs adoption from an ecological effect perspective. This paper characterizes farmers’ participation in the digital economy in terms of digital production, digital sales, and digital finance. The results show that participation in the digital economy significantly promotes farmers’ EATs adoption. The sub-dimensional test found that participation in digital production, digital sales, and digital finance significantly promotes farmers’ EATs adoption. The above findings remain robust after a series of robustness tests, such as changing the estimation method and replacing the dependent variable. Mechanism analysis shows that participation in the digital economy, especially digital sales and digital finance, could promote farmers’ EATs adoption by increasing the demand for agricultural machinery services, improving information availability, and enhancing food safety cognition; participation in the digital production could promote farmers’ EATs adoption by increasing the demand for agricultural machinery services. Results of heterogeneity analysis show that the promotion effect of participation in the digital economy on EATs adoption is more substantial among farmers with higher digital literacy and larger cultivated land scales. The findings of this paper provide insights for China and other countries to effectively use digital technology to promote sustainable agriculture under the pressure of achieving sustainable development goals.

Grassland ecological restoration is an important cornerstone to maintain the sustainable development of grassland ecosystem. One of the goals of financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration is whether the ecological benefits of grassland are fully realized, and grassland vegetation coverage is the main index to measure the ecological benefits. This paper aims to analyze whether the financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration has improved the vegetation coverage of grassland. and then verify whether there is room for improvement in the fiscal effect of grassland ecological protection and restoration? Based on the panel data of 54 animal husbandry and semi-agricultural and semi-animal husbandry counties in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, this paper adopts a bidirectional fixed effect model and cross-fixed effect model to introduce natural factors affecting grassland vegetation coverage into the model and systematically examines the financial effects of ecological benefits of financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration. The main findings are as follows: (1) there is a nonlinear relationship between financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration and grassland vegetation coverage when natural factors are taken into account in the model. (2) different fiscal expenditure structure has a heterogeneous response to the impact of grassland ecological protection and restoration on ecological benefits. (3) the degree of fiscal decentralization and the relative performance of the government have a significant positive moderating effect on the ecological benefits of fiscal support for grassland ecological protection and restoration.

• A practical and feasible protection strategy for EC maintaining in highly urbanized areas was proposed. • Key patches for EC maintaining were identified by using stepping stone and complex network theories. • The protection rate for key patches by the new policies were assessed. Maintaining and restoring ecological connectivity (EC) are important measures of mitigating habitat isolation caused by urbanization. Considering the prominent contradiction of land use in highly urbanized areas, the EC protection measures proposed in the previous studies, such as expanding the ecological sources and widening the ecological corridors, are unrealistic. By using the stepping-stone and complex network theories, this paper simulated the ecological network (EN), evaluated the centrality of each ecological source and stepping-stone, and analysed the network robustness under different damage scenarios, then identified the optimal strategy and key patches for EC maintaining. Meanwhile, this paper evaluated whether the key patches are protected by China's new policies, which are, Ecological Protection Red Line (EPRL) and the Three Lines One Permit (TLOP). The results were as follows: (1) The EN is composed of 53 ecological sources and 291 stepping-stones, with 591 links between them. (2) The network stability can be optimally maintained by prioritizing the protection of stepping-stones with high centrality. (3) The 53 ecological sources and 51 stepping-stones with the highest centrality can ensure the stable operation of the EN, that is, they are key patches for EC maintaining. (4) Compared with EPRL, the protection rate for ecological sources and stepping-stones are significantly improved by TLOP; however, stepping-stones with high centrality require stronger protection. This study enriched the research cases of complex network theory applied in landscape ecology, and provided references for the improvement of policies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecosystem services are quantified at large scales and long time series in NE China. • The trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services are characterized. • Human activities are the dominant driving factors of provisioning services. • Synergistic optimization paths of production-ecological functions are proposed. In Northeast (NE) China, the largest commodity grain base and natural forest area in China, both agricultural production and ecological protection require attention. In recent years, land degradation in NE China has increased, seriously affecting the production-ecology synergy. In this paper, four key ecosystem services (ESs) in NE China are quantified: provisioning, water conservation (WC), soil conservation (SC) and sand fixation (SF), and the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and trade-offs and synergies (T&S) of ESs are analyzed. The driving factors of provisioning services and the characteristics of T&S are considered, and the county zoning scheme and the corresponding production-ecological function synergistic optimization paths are proposed. The results show that (1) the provisioning, WC and SF services in NE China have slightly increased in the past 20 years, and the provisioning in the Greater-Khingan-Mountains-Region (GKMR) and Lesser-Khingan-Mountains-Region (LKMR), the WC in the LKMR, and the SF in the Liao-River-Plain (LRP) have more obviously increased. The SC service has slightly decreased, especially in the Changbai-Mountains-Region (CBMR). (2) The provisioning service in NE China mainly shows a synergistic relationship with WC and SF, accounting for 79.1 % and 62.9 % of the area, respectively, and a trade-off relationship with SC, accounting for 52.54 % of the area. (3) Human activities (HA) are the dominant driving factor of the provisioning service change in NE China, with an impact degree of 62.65 %. The LKMR is an exception, as climate change (CC) dominates. The LRP, Songnen-Plain (SNP) and GKMR have high degrees of HA. (4) The number of synergistic optimized (SO), light optimized (LO) and trade-off limited (TL) counties accounted for 19.0 %, 61.7 % and 19.3 %, respectively. Among them, the SO type counties should prioritize improving provision and grain production capacity, the LO type counties should protect basic farmland and decrease trade-offs between ESs, and the TL type counties should improve ecological functions and strengthen ecological protection and restoration. This paper clarifies the main contradictions of ESs in NE China and provides an important scientific basis for ecological protection and restoration, which is important for ensuring food and ecological security and realizing the ecological and efficient sustainable utilization of black soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Integrated dataset of major ions and trace elements for Nepal Himalayan rivers basin. • Rock weathering is the primary factor controlling ion concentrations. • Anthropogenic impacts become significant in densely populated lowland basins. • Water in most rivers is safe for drinking, except for densely polluted urban Bagmati. • A uniform and comparable Himalayan Water Quality Index is proposed. Rivers originating from the Himalayas play a crucial role as primary water sources for a significant proportion of the population in Asia downstream. This paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of hydrogeochemical data, incorporating major ions and trace elements from 153 papers spanning 2000 to 2023, with a detailed analysis of 20 papers specific to Nepal Himalayan rivers. To bridge the research gap due to sparse data, we aimed to enhance inclusivity by amalgamating both seasonal and one-time datasets, computing mean values for singular instances, and employing grand means for multiple seasonal data points. Our findings highlight varied research attention across different river basins, with the eastern Koshi Basin receiving extensive attention, while the middle Gandaki and Bagmati Basins garner moderate attention, and data scarcity observed in the western Karnali Basin. Predominant ionic composition, notably Ca2+ and HCO 3 –, reflect lithological influences, primarily driven by rock weathering. Although anthropogenic impacts remain minimal in most basins, certain lowland areas with higher population densities exhibit increasing significance. Trace element contamination, notably Cd, Cu, Sr, and Zn, poses ongoing threats, both from natural and anthropogenic sources. Water quality assessments conducted for agricultural and drinking suitability indicated good status, except in the densely polluted urban Bagmati stem. Health and ecological risks are low, as determined by pollution indices such as Pi, NPI, HI, and CI. The Bagmati River's middle segment, with high population density and moderate agricultural activity, shows pronounced anthropogenic footprints, while downstream areas exhibited greater impacts. Additionally, this article proposes the potential use of a Water Quality Index tool to comprehensively assess water quality across all parameters in Himalayan water bodies, providing a roadmap for future environmental conservation in the Himalayas. This pioneering review represents a significant effort to understand Himalayan rivers geochemistry on a large geographical scale and emphasizes the need for integrated observation and consideration of river water quality across the entire Himalayan region, from high mountains to lowlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Most of China still faces notable water poverty with obvious spatial variations. • Unconventional water use does not always have a positive impact on water poverty. • The impact shows an inverted U-shaped tendency as per capita GDP increases. • Sustainable water management plans should be tailored to local economy. Unconventional water serves as a bridge to water sustainability. However, many developing nations still have a long way to go in terms of unconventional water utilization. Different regional characteristics lead to different consumption capacities for unconventional water. Consequently, more unconventional water use (UWU) may not necessarily be positive for alleviating water poverty. However, there is a significant research gap in this field. This paper aims to answer three key questions: "Whether UWU consistently alleviates water poverty?" "Is this effect spatially heterogeneous?" and "What role do economic factors play in addressing water poverty?" For that, this paper focused on 30 provinces in China, with the sample period spanning from 2006 to 2021. To identify the mechanisms through which UWU alleviates water poverty, this paper employed a panel fixed-effects model using the Water Poverty Index (WPI) as the dependent variable and the square of UWU amount as an independent variable. The results indicate a non-linear impact of UWU on WPI, with the significance of impact influenced by GDP per capita (PGDP). Furthermore, threshold regressions were conducted with PGDP as the threshold variable. The results revealed a double-threshold effect of PGDP in the impact of UWU on WPI, displaying "U" or inverted "U" shape as PGDP develops: When PGDP is less than or equal to RMB 13,574, UWU demonstrates a negative effect on WPI; when PGDP ranges from RMB 13,574 to RMB 53,653, the effect turns positive; however, when PGDP exceeds RMB 53,653, the effect turns back to negative. The findings confirm that more UWU is not always better. Sustainable utilization plans of water resources must be tailored to local conditions, especially considering the unique characteristics of the regional economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Measure carbon emission inequalities (CEIs) of urban agglomerations under rapid urbanization. • Identify the key factors determining CEIs within the three urban agglomerations. • Account for the differences between adjacent or distant urban agglomerations. • The declining CEI is mainly due to changes in industrial structure and economic development. • CEI in the upper reaches of the YREB increases due to the changes in energy intensity. Increasing countries are articulating ambitious goals of carbon neutrality. However, large inequalities in regional emissions within a country may hinder progress toward a carbon–neutral future, as the unequal distribution of reduction responsibilities among regions could impair just transition and exacerbate uneven development, which necessitates an in-depth understanding of the mechanism of multi-scale carbon inequalities within country, region, and city. Yet, the evolution of carbon inequalities within urban agglomerations and the differences between adjacent or distant urban agglomerations have not been well understood, especially in countries undergoing rapid urbanization. Using the data of 89 cities in China's Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) during 2006–2021, this paper quantifies carbon emissions inequality (CEI) at different scales in a systematic regional-urban agglomeration-city hierarchical structure. Then, under the integrated mean logarithmic deviation-logarithmic mean Divisia index (MLD-LMDI) decomposition framework, multi-scale CEIs are perfectly decomposed into six interrelated drivers, i.e., industrial emission structure, energy emission intensity, industrial energy mix, energy intensity, industrial structure, and economic development. The results show that economic development, energy intensity, and industrial energy mix disparities are the main determinants accounting for CEIs at different scales. The decreasing CEI in YREB is mainly due to the changes in industrial structure and economic development, while the energy intensity effect partially hinders the mitigation of CEI. In the upper reaches of the YREB, the energy intensity effect accounts for over 94% growth of CEI during 2006–2021, while the decline in CEIs in middle and lower reaches is primarily caused by the effects of industrial energy mix and industrial structure, respectively. Further spatial decomposition analysis reveals more refined city-level heterogeneous effects and emphasizes the prioritized emission reduction direction for each city. This paper offers implications for reducing carbon inequality and insights into coordinated carbon emissions mitigation at the regional level for a carbon–neutral future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China seeks to transition to a high-quality economic development model, improving its capital allocation efficiency serves as a means to revitalize the capital stock and facilitate a shift from an investment-driven growth approach to an innovation-driven one. By exploring the relationship between air pollution and capital allocation efficiency, new avenues for promoting high-quality economic development can be identified. This paper develops a theoretical analysis framework that posits the mechanisms by which air pollution affect capital allocation efficiency through innovation activities and human capital channels. Based on the data from prefecture-level cities in China from 2003 to 2019, this paper introduces an innovative method to evaluate capital allocation efficiency. Further, using a panel two-way fixed-effects model to examine the impact of air pollution on capital allocation efficiency and its mechanisms. The findings show that ① the intensification of air pollution reduces capital allocation efficiency and the above findings pass the robustness tests. ② The results of heterogeneity analysis show that there is significant heterogeneity in the effect of air pollution on capital allocation efficiency. The intensification of the air pollution significantly inhibits capital allocation efficiency in inland areas, small and medium-scale cities, after 2013, and in areas with high foreign economic dependence. ③ The results of mechanism analysis shows that the intensification of the air pollution will inhibit capital allocation efficiency by suppressing innovation activities and human capital accumulation channels.

The global system of nature reserves is facing adjustment and restructuring towards the goal of harmonizing ecological conservation with regional development. We use multiple ecoregion data at both global and national scales as ecological indicators to explore the gap areas of China's nature reserves, which can help to build a global network of nature reserve systems and lay a spatial foundation for global biodiversity conservation. This paper comprehensively resorts to the ideas and modeling approaches involved in gap analysis, conservation prioritization analysis and eco-region planning. After identifying in both global and national scales the potential areas with gaps in national nature reserves in China, it proposes conservation priority areas and optimization strategies. The study finds that in a global extent, the areas with the gaps in China cover a large area and are distributed widely, mostly on the both sides of the Tengchong-Heihe Line. The conservation priority areas are concentrated in mid-subtropical humid areas, plateau subtropical sub-humid areas and semi-arid areas, and plateau temperate humid/sub-humid areas. These areas are usually not sufficiently protected due to their diversified landforms, complex ecosystems and lack of protection measures. The results have verified and identified the areas with gaps in the building of Chinese national nature reserve system. They may make a unique and important contribution to global ecological conservation efforts in terms of protected area system optimization and conservation network building. Synopsis: This paper analyses the conservation gaps in China's national nature reserves and proposes conservation priority areas for optimising the layout of the nature reserve network.

To realize the coordinated development of urbanization and ecological environment is a research hotspot in recent years. There is a very complicated relationship between them. Understanding their relationship is key to realize their coordinated development. In this paper, the long-term dynamic balance behavior between urbanization and ecological environment was studied by means of long-term equilibrium model and error correction model (ECM) based on the data of Shandong Province. In order to comprehensively reflect urbanization and ecological environment, this paper employed comprehensive evaluation model to construct comprehensive index of urbanization and ecological environment respectively, and used coupling coordination degree (CDE) and relative development degree model (RDE) to study the dynamic changes of the two. The results showed that: (1) The relationship between urbanization and ecological environment in Shandong Province is becoming more and more harmonious, and the coupling coordination type between them has gradually developed from extremely uncoupling (EUC) type to highly coupling (HC) type; (2) In the long run, there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between urbanization and ecological environment in Shandong Province, and this equilibrium can be achieved through short-term dynamic adjustment. Therefore, a correct understanding of the short-term and long-term development laws between them can provide the corresponding theoretical basis for policy makers, and shorten the time for urbanization and ecological environment to reach an equilibrium state.

Logistics performance has a significant impact on the natural environment. The paper analyses it from a broad macro perspective of European Union countries. Also, it proposes the methodology of creation and possibilities of use of the Green Logistics Performance Index (GLPI) to deepen the analyses and compare countries. The paper's primary goal is to introduce and justify the implementation of the GLPI. First, a literature review is provided, covering the concept of green logistics and environmental problems. Next, the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) are described in detail as the components of GLPI, and the methodology of GLPI creation is presented. Finally, the GLPI is calculated for all European Union countries in 2018 (the latest data) and 2010 to compare the differences and see the progress or regress. This part of the paper gives an overview of GLPI as a benchmarking tool, pointing out the positives and negatives, and transferring the best environmental practices from leading counties to others. In the end, the benefits of GLPI are described together with its utility suggestions.

Land use transition (LUT) impacts regional land use and the ecological environment. To reveal LUT and its ecological effects in karst mountain areas (KMA) of Southwest China, this paper first constructs a correlation model between LUT and ecological restoration in the region and carries out an example verification in the typical KMA, the Huajiang Canyon. The study demonstrates that: (1) LUT has occurred in KMA of Southwest China, mainly, the area of sloping cropland has decreased, and the forest land has increased. Land use patterns have shifted from traditional farming to modernized economic and fruit forestry; (2) The driving forces of LUT in KMA of Southwest China can be summarized into three factors: socio-economic, natural, and policy, among which natural factors are the basic conditions of LUT, socio-economic factors play a decisive role in the process of LUT, and policy factors provide policy guarantee for LUT; (3) LUT in KMA of Southwest China has curbed land degradation, promoted ecosystem restoration, and made a certain contribution making China greener, which is conducive to achieving the goal of sustainable development. This paper explores the characteristics of LUT and its driving forces in KMA of Southwest China from the coupling analysis of LUT and ecosystem, reveals the effects of LUT in KMA of Southwest China, and provides some theoretical references for the balance between high-quality development and ecological protection in KMA of Southwest China from the perspective of LUT.

Assessing the risk of cropland abandonment in mountainous area is essential for ensuring food security. However, the current evaluation indicator system is incomplete, and the reliability analysis of the results is lacking. This paper proposes a spatially comprehensive assessment method of cropland abandonment risk based on AHP and PCA using multi-source data of land use, abandoned cropland, administrative area, population density, GDP, cropland soil information, and climate, and applies the method to Yunnan Province in China. Firstly, 14 indicators were selected from four aspects, including social factors, farming conditions, cropland quality, and climate factors, to construct a three-layer indicator system of “target-criteria-indicator”. Fuzzy membership was used to calculate the indicator layer, and then the PCA method was applied to calculate the first principal component for the criterion layer. Finally, the AHP method was used to calculate the weighted superposition of the criterion layer. The proposed method showed good reliability in the study areas. In Yunnan Province, 33.03% of cropland is at high risk of abandonment, 37.52% is at medium risk, and 29.45% is at low risk. The high risk area is mainly distributed in the Lancang River Basin and Honghe River Basin. Social factors were found to play the greatest role in the risk of cropland abandonment in Yunnan Province. Factors such as low population density, large shape coefficient of cropland, and low annual average precipitation were identified as the main drivers of cropland abandonment in this region. The research results of this paper can provide decision-making reference for preventing and controlling cropland abandonment in mountainous areas.

Reducing carbon emissions and improving vegetation carbon sequestration (VCS) have long been recognized as the key ways to address the aim of carbon neutrality, requiring global effort and typical regional experiences. This paper develops an assessment framework for measuring the net carbon sink efficiency (NCSE) based on the concept of net-zero carbon sink to depict both carbon emission and VCS simultaneously. This paper primarily runs a spatial autocorrelation analysis to explore spatial characteristics of urbanization and NCSE of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRD) in China from 2000 to 2020, followed by employs a spatial econometric model to investigate the spatial spillover effect of urbanization on NCSE. The results show that NCSE in YRD exhibits clear spatial disparities, descending from the southern part dominated by mountainous hills to the flatter northern region. The spatial evolutionary trend of urbanization and NCSE has a significant positive correlation, manifested as H-H and L-L agglomeration, covering most counties in southeast coastal areas and northern plains, respectively. The NCSE can improve even during the continued urbanization in YRD. Specifically, for every 1% increase in urbanization, NCSE will increase by 0.164%, of which 0.118% in direct and 0.046% in indirect growth, respectively. In addition, GDP per capita, industrial structure, technological progress, road area and direct foreign investment are benefit for NCSE. In contrast, population density, environmental regulation, and built-up area tend to decline NCSE. These findings may help to formulate the urban sustainable development planning and differentiated carbon neutrality policies.

This paper shows a novel approach of assessing landscape elements and their contribution to CES using two methods of data collection. The paper attempts to bridge the identification gap between CES and structures providing them by introducing different methods of 1) field evaluation, allowing interaction in person and 2) through an online survey, which, although restrictive in terms of interaction, facilitates the processing of the collected data. A checklist of landscape elements important for CES is proposed and investigated – which elements are highly valued, where they are valued, and how they are valued across Slovenia as a case example. The sequence of methods includes literature review, field surveying in 18 test areas, and validation through an online questionnaire. The results indicate that identity is the common denominator of landscape elements' CES value, linked to both widespread and region-specific elements assessment. Vegetation and water elements are strongly associated with CES of aesthetic and health. The built elements and cultivated elements are associated with heritage and traditional knowledge.Both field research and online surveying have their strengths and limitations. However, conclusions can be drawn about landscape elements important for identity and other CES. The study highlights the complexity of individual perceptions and the need for different evaluation methods, including in-person and online surveys. The methodology used can be applied, with some adaptations, to specific sites depending on the planning problem, as well as a research approach for fundamental or detailed CES and landscape evaluation studies.

Decentralization is essential for the sustainable socio-economic development of megacities. In the context of the decentralization of noncapital functions in Beijing, the renewal of inefficient urban industrial land (UIL) into urban green space (UGS) is an important way to improve the quality of the city. This paper analyzes the urban industrial land use efficiency (UILUE) and its urban green space suitability (UGSS) of 865 study units in Daxing District, Beijing, and combines bivariate spatial autocorrelation with cluster analysis. The results show that (1) the distribution of UIL in Daxing District is “dense in the north and sparse in the south”, and UILUE shows a spatial pattern of “high in the west and low in the east”, with a high-efficiency area of 985.85 ha, accounting for 12.06 % of the study area, and a low-efficiency area of 507.77 ha, accounting for 6.21 % of the study area. (2) Among the existing UIL, the high suitable area is 1106.46 ha, accounting for 13.57 % of the study area, and the low suitable area is 439 ha, accounting for 5.38 % of the study area. (3) Through bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis, four types of UIL were identified, among which the low–high cluster area had the greatest potential for land conversion, with 175 study units and an area of 1335.22 ha, accounting for 16.28 % of the study area. Finally, this paper proposes recommendations for the renewal and utilization of UIL in Daxing District to provide guidance and suggestions for the decentralization of other megacities in the world.

High-quality urban and rural development is an essential topic of China’s development and has clarified the new direction of urbanization development. Meanwhile, industrial green transformation is an essential industrial support for promoting new urbanization. This paper primarily discusses the economic and environmental effects of the new durbanization on the high-quality development in urban and rural areas, and further evaluates its structural effects from the perspective of green industry-driven growth. This paper conducts econometric research on sample data through breakpoint regression, impulse response, and dummy variable Tobit models. The main conclusions are: (1) In the long run, the new urbanization is not conducive to income balance and pollutant emission reduction between urban and rural area. In the explosive growth stage, new urbanization began to play a “diffusion effect.” In the steady deepening stage, new urbanization significantly promoted the reduction of solid waste emissions. (2) Driven by the industrial green transformation, the steady state of new urbanization shows a marginal increase in urban–rural income balance. In contrast, the explosion stage shows the characteristics of a marginal decrease in carbon emissions and wastewater discharge. (3) Based on the diversity of policy transmission, in the transmission path of industrial green transformation, new urbanization has the most prominent impact on the high-quality development of urban and rural. (4) Based on the regional perspective of policy implementation, the “polarization” effect of new urbanization and industrial green transformation on urban and rural income in the eastern and northern coasts is prominent.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is an integral part of the ecology and economy of northern China. Unique geographical factors closely interlink the regions; however, limited attention has been paid to urban clusters' ecological and economic spatial linkages. Therefore, this paper introduces Ecosystem service value and Ecological-economic coordination degree, considering extensive spatial spillover effects within the region under study. This paper adopts spatial autocorrelation and the spatial Durbin model to detect the coordination relationship. Moreover, examine the influence of population growth, sales of consumer goods, health facilities, green areas, and Tertiary Industry on Ecological-economic coordination. The relationship is tested economic growth, using the internal and external Thus, it determines that the change of coordination degree shows a “V”-shaped development in time and space and gradually realizes the overall coordinated development. It affirmed the judgment that the Ecological-economic coordination degree of each region has an obvious spatial spillover effect. Policy reforms, improved functions, and development mechanisms can enable the balanced and healthy development of the region's ecological and economic systems.

As urbanization and industrialization accelerate, the imbalance in agricultural land use between economic development, social security, and ecological protection becomes increasingly apparent. To achieve sustainable utilization of agricultural land, it is essential to promote the coordinated development of economic, social, and ecological benefits. To this end, this paper constructs an evaluation index system for agricultural land utilization benefits (ALUBs) based on three dimensions of economy, society, and ecology and adopts the Mechanical Equilibrium Model to analyze the spatial–temporal evolution of ALUBs and their tradeoffs/synergies in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region at the county scale from 2000 to 2020. The results indicate that: (1) economic, social, and comprehensive benefits increased significantly, while the ecological benefit remained relatively stable; (2) the overall coordination degree of ALUBs increased continuously, albeit with evident spatial differences; (3) with the rapid growth of social benefit, the deviation types shifted from economic and ecological benefit dominant areas to social benefit dominant areas. Corresponding suggestions for sustainable agricultural land use are also proposed based on the characteristics of ecologically fragile areas, core urbanization areas, and major grain-producing areas, respectively. This paper can serve as a useful reference for the sustainable utilization and management of agricultural land.

Industrial Park is a part of urban development and plays an indispensable role in promoting regional economic development. However, the high consumption of resources and the concentrated emission of pollution pose a great threat to the ecological balance and human health. Therefore, the future of industrial park needs to be balanced with economic growth while realizing resource conservation and environmental improvement as much as possible. However, there is still a research gap in analyzing the relationship between ecological environment quality (EEQ) and economic development (ED) at the industrial park scale. This paper first constructs the new remote sensing ecological index (RSEInew) model to measure the EEQ of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) from 2000 to 2020. Then this study constructs an ED index system to evaluate its economic situation. Finally, this paper utilizes the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model and the coupled coordination degree (CCD) model to deeply analyze the relationship between EEQ and ED. The results show that: (1) The average annual growth rate of EEQ in SIP is −1.50 %, with a general downward trend. Over the past 20 years, the ecological environment of SIP has not deteriorated extensively. (2) The ED of SIP is steady and rising, with an average annual growth rate of 10.17 %. (3) From 2000 to 2020, the EKC between EEQ and the ED of the SIP takes on an inverted “N” shape, with its CCD rising from barely coordinated to highly coordinated. This study can provide a reference for studying the quality development of areas at the industrial park level.

Based on the natural resource endowment perspective, this paper examines how landscape patterns change over time and how ecosystem service value (ESV) responds to these changes, which plays an important role in rationalizing land use to make international wetland cities more sustainable. To identify the spatial and temporal variations in landscape patterns and ESV in Nanchang City and to investigate their relationships between them, six periods of land use data and associated socio-economic data from 1995 to 2020 were chosen as a sample of international wetland cities. The findings demonstrated that during the study period, the land use pattern of Nanchang City formed a landscape pattern dominated by cropland and supplemented by wetland, construction land, and woodland. And the ESV increased from 18,887.96 to 20,900.44 million yuan, with a total increase of 10.66 % in 25 years. Among them, the contribution of wetlands to the ESV was more than 71 %. The study also discovered that changes in landscape patterns significantly affect the ESV in Nanchang City, and the impact of landscape changes on the ESV varies among lands. In addition, although the ESV in Nanchang City has increased, there is still a risk of landscape fragility. This paper proposes relevant suggestions for increasing the ESV in Nanchang City by identifying key landscape pattern characteristics.

With the rapid economic development, the imbalance between the economy and the environment is evident for Chinese cities. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) between urban land use efficiency (ULUE) and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) represents resource-intensive societies and is a significant tool for assessing sustainable development. Therefore, scientific evaluation of the coordinating relationship between ULUE and ECC is essential for optimizing the quality of urbanization and improving the state of the ecological environment. However, current studies on the CCD of ECC and ULUE lack quantitative assessment of the effect of ECC subsystems on overall CCD and have not yet evaluated the urban development stages. In this paper, taking 12 cities in Inner Mongolia as an example, a framework for CCD evaluation that includes comprehensive index analysis, coupling coordination quantification, coupling type identification, and coordination influence evaluation was created. This paper attempts to clarify the distinctions throughout cities and to propose distinctive development suggestions. The results indicate that the ULUE of Inner Mongolian cities has risen significantly, whereas their ECC levels fluctuate, growing at a slower rate than ULUE. As the level of coordination between the two systems increases, it changes from “basic disorders” to “basic coordination”. In terms of spatial distribution, the CCD in Inner Mongolia has a pattern of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. The pressure subsystem primarily performs a reverse blocking role in the CCD between ULUE and ECC, while the rest of the ECC subsystems exhibit different patterns over time. Additionally, the stages of urban development were investigated based on the temporal variations in ECC and ULUE, and several focused suggestions were provided.

Since land resources are essential to human survival, the over-exploitation and unreasonable utilization of land threatens the sustainability of human society. This paper uses the well-developed Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region as a case study, and adopts an improved Mixed-cell Cellular Automata Model (MCCA) to simulate the potential utilization of land resources in 2025 and 2035. Then, the paper attempts to construct a comprehensive assessment system that integrates multiple indicators, and evaluates regional risk changes at a micro patch-cell level and a macro city. The results suggest that (1) The utilization of land resources varies greatly in the YRD region from 2020 to 2035. While Shanghai will continue to make use of available built up land resources, the majority of land resources in Jiangsu Province will shift away from being agricultural in nature. Since forests make up a majority of the land resources in Zhejiang Province, and forests and agricultural land make up a majority of land resources in Anhui Province, the change in land utilization in these two provinces will be more gradual. (2) Changes in land utilization are also likely to cause ecological risks. The risk level in Shanghai is the highest, it is relatively high in Zhejiang but is likely to decrease, relatively low in Jiangsu but likely to increase, and Anhui has the lowest risk level. (3) The K-means clustering method obtained three ecological risk zones of the YRD, and the overall risk level is the highest in the central-eastern zoning ③, followed by the southern zoning ②, and the lowest in the northern zoning ①. Furthermore, the agglomeration pattern of the three zones transforms from L-L to H-H. (4) This paper puts forward corresponding suggestions and countermeasures for four aspects, including the strengthening of agricultural land protection, the regulation of built-up land use expansion, the coordination of an all-rounded approach of urban development, and the fostering of regional sustainable development, in hopes of optimizing land usage and alleviating ecological risk levels. Scientific estimations of potential ecological risks are critical to avoiding future ecological crises thus contributing to more sustainability.

• This paper constructs the MRIO of YEB. • This paper constructs the spatial–temporal pattern of virtual water trade in the YEB. • This paper discovers that the virtual water trade pattern is contrary to the virtual water strategy hypothesis because of productivity. Cross-regional water allocation within the river basin, coupled with the development of specialized industries based on comparative advantages, can effectively mediate overall water use efficiency. The uneven distribution of water resources and structural contradictions in water usage hinder the sustainable development of water resources in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB). This study aims to address these issues from the perspective of virtual water trade, to facilitate cross-regional water resource allocation and guide structural adjustments in industrial water use, ensuring water security. In this study, we developed a dynamic multi-regional input–output model (MRIO) to explore dynamic change of virtual water trade pattern in the YEB that evolves over time. This model sheds light on evolving virtual water transfer patterns and the nuances of water resource pressure transmission. Additionally, it quantifies sectoral water use variations, pinpointing the cornerstone industries across different regions. The findings are as follows: (1) The pattern of virtual water transfer predominantly towards the developed downstream regions remains unchanged, but regional disparities are gradually diminishing. (2) The upstream regions of the YEB transfer more water resource pressures externally, while the downstream regions do not experience excessive external transfers of water resource pressures. (3) The pattern of Agriculture-driven virtual water transfers is gradually being disrupted. While the upstream regions continue to rely on Agriculture as their pillar industries, the downstream regions are progressively shifting towards tertiary industries such as Service. These results indicate that economic development is the primary driver of changes in the the pattern of virtual water transfer, and economic disparities are a key factor in shaping the latest virtual water transfer. Based on existing policies, there is a need for comprehensive coordination of water resource allocation and strengthening of virtual water trade exchanges between regions to address the uneven distribution of water resources. Additionally, it is necessary to resolve structural water use conflicts by developing specialized economic strengths based on the main industries for virtual water in each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revealed the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of Chinese marine environmental quality and driving factors during 2003–2021. [Display omitted] • Spatial distribution: South China Sea > East China Sea > Yellow Sea > Bohai Sea. • Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian and Hainan maintain high-pollution-low-investment model. • Jiangsu maintains low-pollution-low-investment model. • Typical correlation between Environmental Quality and Socioeconomic is 0.960. • GOP and Per Capita GDP show significant correlation with excellent water quality. As land and sea integration continues to accelerate, it will inevitably have an effect on the marine ecological environment. However, the study on spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of Chinese marine environmental quality and its driving factors was lacking. This paper employs Regression Analysis, Spearman Correlation Analysis, Canonical Correlation Analysis, Boston Consulting Group Matrix and Environmental Kuznets Curve to examine the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics and correlation factors of Chinese jurisdictional sea areas environmental quality. The environmental quality of the waters under China's jurisdiction improved on average from 2003 to 2021, the area of sea with excellent water quality increased by 7.21 × 104 km2. The spatial distribution showed "South superior, North inferior" trend. The accumulated red tide area is 2.01 × 105 km2, and the green tide has the average maximum area of distribution is 3.13 × 104 km2. The marine dumping area's volume of waste has a three stages of slow rise (2003–2007), steady (2008–2014) and rapid rise (2015–2021). The average percentage of seawater bathing areas with good water quality is 82.10 %. Urban Environmental Infrastructure Investment and Urban Drainage Construction Investments are positively correlated with excellent water quality and negatively correlated with light-sewage water quality. The typical correlation for the group "Environmental Quality/Environmental Governance" is 0.911, and the strongest correlation is between excellent water quality and urban drainage construction investment. The typical correlation coefficient for the "Environmental Quality/Socioeconomic" group is 0.960, and the strongest correlation is between excellent water quality and per capita GDP. The Gross Ocean Product, Per Capita GDP, Proportion of Non-agricultural Industries, Year-end Resident Population, and excellent water quality are positively correlated whereas light-sewage water quality is negatively correlated. Liaoning, Tianjin, Shandong and Guangdong shift from high-pollution-low-investment to low-pollution-low-investment model. Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian and Hainan maintain high-pollution-low-investment model, Hainan maintains high-pollution-high-investment model. Jiangsu maintains low-pollution-low-investment model. Hebei and Guangxi shift from low-pollution-low-investment to low-pollution-high-investment model. Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Guangxi and Shanghai show inverted "N" shape, Jiangsu shows positive "N" shape, Zhejiang and Fujian show monotonic decline shape, Guangdong and Hainan show positive "U" shape. The results could provide valuable suggestions for coastal provinces to accomplish economic development and environmental improvement, which to prevent the old way of "pollution first and treatment later". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Measure the land dispute intensity (LDI) at the provincial level in China. • The geodetector model, OLS, and SDM models are used to explore the spillover effects of LDI. • Panel threshold model is applied to explore the non-linear relationship between socioeconomic factors and land disputes. Land disputes pose significant challenges to social stability and development. In this paper, land dispute intensity (LDI) is measured at the provincial level in China from 2009 to 2018 and its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors are explored. The ordinary least squares(OLS), spatial durbin model (SDM), geodetector model, and panel threshold model are used to explore the spatial spillover effects of LDI and its potential non-linear relationship with socio-economic factors. The results reveal that LDI is spatially distributed in a decentralized form, with local areas showing the structural characteristics of "single core, multiple clusters". The LDI exhibits a significant positive spatial autocorrelation and follows a "logarithmic" upward trend over time. The urbanization rate (UR), social security expenditures (SSE), and the number of land and resources institutions (NLRI) are important driving forces affecting LDI. The SSE and NLRI have a single threshold effect on the LDI, with a "V" shaped weakening trend, and the UR is an important factor causing nonlinear effects. Interestingly, the effect shifts from inhibition to stimulation when the SSE and NLRI cross the corresponding threshold value. This paper can provide new insights into the governance of land disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The definition of water sustainability is further expanded. • A water sustainability assessment model regarding quantity-quality-benefit is innovatively built. • The impact of coupled coordination relationships between the three subsystems is considered. • Water sustainability is evaluated from the single and three-dimensional perspective simultaneously. • Three-dimensional water sustainability assessment is more objective and scientific. An integrated water sustainability assessment is conducive to realizing the optimal allocation and efficient water utilization, and alleviating the water crisis. Existing research mainly appraises water quantity and water quality as unidimensional or in combination, without considering the water benefit, and few studies have assessed the regional water sustainability based on an integrated evaluation multidimensionally. Therefore, this paper innovatively introduces water benefit to construct a three-dimensional quantity-quality-benefit model (QQBM) to evaluate water sustainability in line with the water footprint (WF) theory and water resources balance sheet (WRBS). The impact of the coupled coordination relationship among water quantity, water quality, and water benefit on the water sustainability evaluation is further analyzed by introducing the coupled coordination degree model (CCDM). This paper takes the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example and makes a spatio-temporal analysis of the water sustainability in its 11 provincial capitals during 2010-2021 from a single dimension and a three-dimensional perspective, respectively. The results found that: (1) From a single dimension, the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals in the YREB during 2010-2021 is at a medium level, with better water benefit sustainability, moderate water quantity sustainability, and horrendous water quality sustainability. Among them, the water sustainability is the best in Guiyang and Hangzhou, while the worst in Shanghai. (2) From a three-dimensional perspective, the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals from 2010 to 2021 is horrific. Among them, the water sustainability is the best in Kunming, Changsha, Nanjing and Shanghai, while the worst in Wuhan and Hefei. (3) The degree of coupling coordination between water quantity, water quality and water benefit significantly influence the water sustainability in the 11 provincial capitals of the YREB. The three-dimensional assessment model QQBM constructed in this study is more comprehensive and objective than the single perspective assessment. The findings in this paper can help other regions to conduct similar water sustainability assessments and inform policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive ants threaten China's ecosystems and agriculture. Our review highlights the challenges faced and diverse strategies employed to combat these invaders, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation for safeguarding the environment and public well-being. [Display omitted] • Ecological & Economic Challenges of Exotic Ant Invasion in China. • In-Depth Analysis of China's Struggle with Exotic Ants. • Factors Behind Introduction & Establishment of Exotic Ants. • National Responses: Capacity Building, Research, Legislation. • Addressing Limitations, Enhancing Ant Invasion Strategies. The invasion of exotic ant species in China presents significant challenges to ecosystems, agriculture, and the economy. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of China's ongoing battle with exotic ants, examining the factors contributing to their introduction and establishment. It explores the responses implemented by the decision makers, including capacity building, establishment of research institutions, and legislative measures. Limitations and gaps in the current strategies are identified, highlighting the need for regional collaboration, increased awareness, and strengthened early detection and response systems. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the importance of conducting research to understand various exotic ant species' ecological and economic impacts, facilitating the development of targeted and effective management approaches. By adopting a comprehensive and coordinated approach, China can mitigate the impacts of ant invasions and safeguard its biodiversity, agriculture, and economy. This analysis underscores the significance of collective efforts in addressing the ongoing battle with exotic ants and preserving the well-being of ecosystems, economies, and the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integrating ESSD into the socio-ecological systems framework. • Building a Socio-ecological indicators framework to analyze the drivers of ESSD. • The surging demand for public-good contributed to a significant increase in ESV. • The maximum explanatory power of factor interaction for ESV was 99%. The balance between the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESSD) is important for sustainable regional development. The hilly regions of south China have rich natural resources and are rapidly being urbanized, which significantly impacts sustainable development in the region. Therefore, how to analyze ESSD from the perspective of social ecology is imperative. Ganzhou region, which is a typical hilly region in southern China, as an example, this paper creatively integrated ESSD into the social-ecological system (SES) framework, analyzed the spatial and temporal changes of ESSD in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, and constructed a system of indicators from the SES, and analyzed the driving factors of ESSD, so as to provide a reference for balancing ESSD. Based on the classical SES framework proposed by Ostrom, this study first analyses the social-ecological system profile of the Ganzhou region at the macro-scale and constructs an SES indicator system. The innovation of combining the SES framework and ecosystem services lies in integrating the social and ecosystem perspectives and merging these two concepts to understand better and manage the relationship between humans and the natural environment. It provides a comprehensive analytical approach and decision support tool for achieving sustainable development. Our results demonstrate that: (1) From 2005 to 2020, ecosystem services in the study area were highly valued, lower areas had homogeneous distribution characteristics, total demand displayed spatial differentiation, there were high-value areas in the midwest, and low-value areas were concentrated in the region's boundary. (2) There are obvious supply and demand deficits in the southeast and east of the study area, while supply–demand is equal in the north and supply exceeds demand in other regions. From 2005 to 2020, the overall coupling coordination degree of ESSD in the study area was lower than 0.5, indicating a mild to moderate imbalance. (3) The supply of ecosystem services (ESS) was primarily driven by carbon storage, habitat quality, and water yield, while the demand was primarily driven by forest and grassland areas. Factors related to the ecosystem, resource unit, resource system, social system, governance system, and actor all have experienced two-factor interactions, which can explain up to 99% of ESSD. Based on the SES framework, this paper studies the relationship between ESSD in typical areas of the southern hills to provide a reference for research on ESSD in relevant areas and provide a scientific basis for the Chinese government to evaluate ecological protections and improve compensation policies, which is important for ensuring China's ecological security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urban green spaces have direct and indirect effects on improving residents' health. • The health benefits of urban green spaces exhibit regional heterogeneity. • Economic development weakens the health benefits of urban green spaces. • Environmental regulations can enhance the health benefits of urban green spaces. Urban green spaces have long been cherished as the "lungs of the city", it can not only improve air quality and enhance residents' health. The impact of urban green spaces on air pollution and residents' health has attracted great attention. In this paper, we select 31 provinces in China as research samples and use ArcGIS software to draw spatial distribution maps of urban green spaces, air pollution, and residents' health in China, characterizing their spatiotemporal changes in order to explore whether there is a correlation among the three. On this basis, this paper utilizes panel data of Chinese provincial-level from 2010 to 2020 and conducts empirical tests through a two-way fixed effect model and a threshold regression model. The research findings are as follows: (1) Urban green spaces not only bring environmental benefits, but also health benefits, and the health benefits are greater than the environmental benefits. (2) There is a health risk of air pollution in northern China, and the health benefits of urban green spaces are not significant. Conversely, there is no health risk of air pollution in southern China, and the health benefits of urban green spaces are significant. (3) Although environmental regulations can enhance the health benefits of urban green spaces, the role of environmental regulations in enhancing the health benefits of urban green spaces may be further weakened as the economy develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adopting ecological agricultural technologies is an effective way to achieve sustainable agriculture. • The ecological effect of digital economy empowerment should be emphasized. • We analyze how farmers' participation in the digital economy affects their adoption of ecological agricultural technologies. • The treatment effect model is used to address the endogeneity issue. • Farmers' participation in the digital economy can promote ecological agricultural technologies adoption. Adopting ecological agricultural technologies (EATs) is an effective way to guarantee food security and protect the environment. With the advancement of the digital village strategy, the continuous integration of the digital economy with the rural economy has gradually become an emerging driving force for sustainable agriculture. However, few studies have examined the impact of farmers' participation in the digital economy in different links of the agricultural industry chain on EATs adoption from a micro perspective. Using data from 2,825 grain farmers from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey, this paper applies the treatment effect model and the mediating effect model to empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of participation in the digital economy on farmers' EATs adoption from an ecological effect perspective. This paper characterizes farmers' participation in the digital economy in terms of digital production, digital sales, and digital finance. The results show that participation in the digital economy significantly promotes farmers' EATs adoption. The sub-dimensional test found that participation in digital production, digital sales, and digital finance significantly promotes farmers' EATs adoption. The above findings remain robust after a series of robustness tests, such as changing the estimation method and replacing the dependent variable. Mechanism analysis shows that participation in the digital economy, especially digital sales and digital finance, could promote farmers' EATs adoption by increasing the demand for agricultural machinery services, improving information availability, and enhancing food safety cognition; participation in the digital production could promote farmers' EATs adoption by increasing the demand for agricultural machinery services. Results of heterogeneity analysis show that the promotion effect of participation in the digital economy on EATs adoption is more substantial among farmers with higher digital literacy and larger cultivated land scales. The findings of this paper provide insights for China and other countries to effectively use digital technology to promote sustainable agriculture under the pressure of achieving sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper analyzes whether the financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration has improved the vegetation coverage of grassland. • There is a nonlinear relationship between financial support for ecological restoration and grassland vegetation coverage. • Different fiscal expenditure structure has a heterogeneous response. • The degree of fiscal decentralization has a significant positive regulatory effect on the ecological benefits. Grassland ecological restoration is an important cornerstone to maintain the sustainable development of grassland ecosystem. One of the goals of financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration is whether the ecological benefits of grassland are fully realized, and grassland vegetation coverage is the main index to measure the ecological benefits. This paper aims to analyze whether the financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration has improved the vegetation coverage of grassland. and then verify whether there is room for improvement in the fiscal effect of grassland ecological protection and restoration? Based on the panel data of 54 animal husbandry and semi-agricultural and semi-animal husbandry counties in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, this paper adopts a bidirectional fixed effect model and cross-fixed effect model to introduce natural factors affecting grassland vegetation coverage into the model and systematically examines the financial effects of ecological benefits of financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration. The main findings are as follows: (1) there is a nonlinear relationship between financial support for grassland ecological protection and restoration and grassland vegetation coverage when natural factors are taken into account in the model. (2) different fiscal expenditure structure has a heterogeneous response to the impact of grassland ecological protection and restoration on ecological benefits. (3) the degree of fiscal decentralization and the relative performance of the government have a significant positive moderating effect on the ecological benefits of fiscal support for grassland ecological protection and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird diversity plays an important role in ecological balance, and bird song identification is of great practical significance. The spectrum generated by feature extraction shows good performance on classification. However, the information extracted by the filter in the process of spectrogram generation can cause information loss, which limits the learning ability of birdsong recognition. This study proposes a feature fusion network (MFF-ScSEnet) to solve this problem. The audios of the birdsong extracted the Mel-spectrogram with low-frequency feature advantage by the Mel-filter, and the Sinc-spectrogram with timbral feature advantage by the Sincnet-filter, respectively, and perform the early fusion strategy. The ScSEnet attention module is introduced into the backbone network ResNet18 to enhance the sound ripple information of the spectrogram, reduce the influence of spectrogram noise information on the recognition and improve the recognition performance of the network. Based on the feature fusion network MFF-ScSEnet in this paper, the accuracy of the experimental results on the self-built birdsong dataset (Huabei_dataset), the public datasets of Urbansound8K and Birdsdata reached 96.28%, 98.34%, and 96.66%, respectively. The results indicated that the method proposed in this paper is superior to the recent and latest birdsong recognition method.

In the context of urban quality enhancement, resilience focus, and the promotion of human-centered urbanization, a well-structured mixed land-use layout plays a pivotal role in intensifying conservation land use, enhancing land use efficiency, and improving residents' living environments. The existing research on measuring mixed land parcels is hampered by a lack of area and category data for POI point data, and some methods neglect the variations in function quantities. This paper establishes an optimal calculation model by incorporating the weighted optimization of POI data, introduces the concept of land gravity to supplement the entropy method, and computes the distribution of mixed land-use patterns. This paper analyzes both the spatial patterns of mixed land-use in urban areas and the potential laws governing the combination of internal functions. The results demonstrate that mixed-use parcels exhibit a spatial pattern resembling a “1 + n” pole-axis structure and a “T-type” development trend. Regarding the internal function combination, mixed-use parcels are generally found to include commercial and transportation functions. The paper provides suggestions and discussions on optimizing the layout and function structure of mixed land-use, offering a reference for current urban mixed land-use planning.

Traditional villages are invaluable cultural heritage sites in China, reflecting a rich historical and cultural legacy. However, rapid urbanization has led to the destruction and loss of numerous traditional villages. The remaining traditional villages also face challenges in preserving their original living environment. In order to assess human settlement suitability and identify potential factors, this paper proposes a village-scale model for assessing human settlement suitability. This paper used an eight-factor evaluation system, multi-criteria decision analysis and spatial visualization methods to evaluate the scores and spatial characteristics of human settlement suitability of 688 traditional villages in Hunan Province. This paper also examines the factors affecting cluster suitability using geographic detectors and multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) models. This study found that the quality of human settlement suitability varied widely. The overall quality is low and very few areas achieve medium or higher scores. Among them, the traditional villages in Huaihua city, Zhangjiajie junction, southern Hengyang city, northwestern Yongzhou city, central Chenzhou city and Changsha city exhibit higher scores. Secondly, the commercial facility density and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are important factors driving the spatial changes. And there is a significant interaction effect between them. Additional factors impacting spatial variation include annual average temperature, per capita disposable income, and average house price. This comprehensive assessment reveals spatial characteristics and potential influencing factors. The results of the study provide an empirical basis and decision-making foundation for the protection and development of traditional villages, which will ultimately contribute to the sustainable development of China's rural areas.

Collaborative efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions are a notable feature of the current era. Achieving the “pollution reduction” and “carbon reduction” dual-driven new development model is the inevitable requirement and significant practical measure for building a new development pattern and realizing a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. The synergistic effects between pollution reduction and carbon reduction (PRCR) have been demonstrated. However, the measurement and quantitative analysis of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of PRCR have not received enough attention. Therefore, the evaluation index system was constructed based on the scientific connotation of PRCR, and the CCD of PRCR in cities along the Yellow River Basin (YRB) from 2009 to 2018 was measured quantitatively by constructing the coupling coordination model in this paper. In addition, we comprehensively investigated its spatial pattern, distribution characteristics, and evolution trend using ESDA, Kernel density estimation, and Markov chain. The primary findings can be summarized as: (1) PRCR levels and their CCD fluctuated and increased in the YRB, with “east-high and west-low” spatial differentiation characteristics, and the coupling phenomenon of “pollution reduction is hindered and carbon reduction is lagging”. (2) There is a phenomenon of “spatial club” clustering in the coordination degree of PRCR in the YRB, with most cities in the downstream areas belonging to the type of high-high clustering, while the middle and upstream areas had the opposite type. (3) The CCD of PRCR in the whole and upper reaches of the YRB have transformed from low-level divergence to high-level convergence. (4) Spatial geographic factors have a significant spillover effect on the evolution of the CCD of PRCR, and there is a phenomenon of the “Matthew effect”. This paper provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing the synergistic effects between PRCR, and the research findings can also provide insights for other regions.

The accelerated urbanization process has led to the deterioration of the originally fragile coastal ecosystem, whose slight changes in ecological environment may destroy the original coastal urban ecosystem. The construction of the ecological security pattern can effectively balance the development of coastal urban areas and the protection of ecological environment. This study proposes a new framework for constructing ESP in coastal urban areas: surfaces (ecological sources) - lines (ecological networks) - points (pinch points, barrier points). The ecological sources were identified by morphospatial pattern analysis and landscape connectivity. Then, the ecological network and ESP were constructed by the circuit theory. Take Qingdao, a typical coastal urban area with a very fragile ecological environment, as the subject of the study. The results indicate that: (1) the landscape connectivity of ecological source sites identified in 2017 and 2021 has decreased significantly; (2) the total length of extracted ecological corridors has decreased dramatically; (3) the ESP of Qingdao was constructed from the perspective of surfaces - lines - points. The results of this paper can provide scientific planning guidance for the conservation and protection of ecological security in Qingdao. The research framework proposed in this paper provides some reference for the conservation of the ecological environment in coastal urban areas.

Encouraging farmers to adopt environmentally friendly technology through the rational use of social learning and agricultural technology extension is an effective way to overcome the bottleneck caused by the slow diffusion of environmentally friendly technology. Based on expanding the existing objects of research on farmers’ technology adoption behavior, this paper examines the influence of social learning and agricultural technology extension on farmers’ environmentally friendly technology adoption behavior from a dynamic perspective. In doing so, it enriches theoretical and empirical research on farmers’ technology adoption behavior. Specifically, this paper takes fertigation technology as an example, constructs a dynamic analysis framework that is independent of the case study, and finds that social learning and agricultural technology extension, as the main channels for farmers to obtain technical information, can shorten the duration from awareness to the adoption of fertigation technology. Then, based on survey data, this paper uses the discrete-time cloglog model to conduct an empirical test. The empirical analysis supports the theoretical analysis results, and there is a complementary effect between social learning and traditional and new agricultural technology extension. Heterogeneity analysis shows that social learning and new agricultural technology extension have a greater marginal improvement effect on farmers’ fertigation technology adoption behavior in the middle-aged to young group, middle and high education degree group and above median land scale group. This paper provides not only new empirical evidence to explain farmers' technology adoption behavior under the background of the internet revolution but also a decision-making reference for how to accelerate the construction of multivariate complementary, collaborative and efficient agricultural socialized service systems.