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Background Ducks have a typical avian karyotype that consists of macro- and microchromosomes, but a pair of much less differentiated ZW sex chromosomes compared to chickens. To elucidate the evolution of chromosome architectures between ducks and chickens, and between birds and mammals, we produced a nearly complete chromosomal assembly of a female Pekin duck by combining long-read sequencing and multiplatform scaffolding techniques. Results A major improvement of genome assembly and annotation quality resulted from the successful resolution of lineage-specific propagated repeats that fragmented the previous Illumina-based assembly. We found that the duck topologically associated domains (TAD) are demarcated by putative binding sites of the insulator protein CTCF, housekeeping genes, or transitions of active/inactive chromatin compartments, indicating conserved mechanisms of spatial chromosome folding with mammals. There are extensive overlaps of TAD boundaries between duck and chicken, and also between the TAD boundaries and chromosome inversion breakpoints. This suggests strong natural selection pressure on maintaining regulatory domain integrity, or vulnerability of TAD boundaries to DNA double-strand breaks. The duck W chromosome retains 2.5-fold more genes relative to chicken. Similar to the independently evolved human Y chromosome, the duck W evolved massive dispersed palindromic structures, and a pattern of sequence divergence with the Z chromosome that reflects stepwise suppression of homologous recombination. Conclusions Our results provide novel insights into the conserved and convergently evolved chromosome features of birds and mammals, and also importantly add to the genomic resources for poultry studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current urban rail transit systems, nearly 15% of passengers are noncommuter travelers who use single-trip ticket cards (ticket cards). Accordingly, the effective management of ticket cards is of great importance. This article suggests a time series model for use in predicting ticket card storage based on the characteristics of ticket cards collected by an automatic fare collection (AFC) system. The distribution cycle, station types, and distribution volume of each station are also determined. Then, drawing on small package transportation feasibility theory, an unbalanced distribution model between production and demand (unbalanced distribution model), as well as a hybrid distribution model of loading and unloading (hybrid distribution model), is established. Application of these models to the Beijing Subway system is used to verify the efficiency and feasibility of such a hybrid distribution model. The analysis and results offer insights into usage patterns of urban rail transit ticket cards, providing solid evidence for a relative decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality is often assessed using particulate matter (PM) mass concentration without considering its toxicity, thus possibly leading to improper control policies or inadequate health protection. Here, we studied differences in oxidative potentials (OPs) of PM samples collected using automobile air conditioning (AC) filters from 19 global cities, as well as influences from microbial contents. Dithiothreitol (DTT) assay showed remarkable differences in the PM OPs among cities (p -values ≤ 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). For example, the normalized index of oxidant generation (NIOG) of PM samples in San Francisco (2.20 × 10−2, annual average PM 10 = 16 μg/m3) was found to be twice that in Beijing (1.14 × 10−2, annual average PM 10 = 135 μg/m3). Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay found that PM-borne endotoxin ranged from 12.16 EU/mg (Florianopolis, Brazil) to 2518.23 EU/mg (Chennai, India) among cities. Besides, culturing method and real-time qPCR revealed significant differences of up to ∼100-fold in both bacterial and fungal levels among 19 cities. Spearman's correlation analysis implied that PM-borne microbes such as bacteria and fungi as well as metals could strongly influence the PM OP. As an example, our results in Xi'an, China further suggest that the PM 2.5 OP evolves for a particular city over the time, which is attributable to both the urbanization and air pollution control measures. This work highlights the importance in optimizing the current air quality control measures by considering the toxicity factor and its microbial constituents. Image 1 • Ambient PM toxicity per unit of mass was shown to vary greatly with different cities across the world. • PM-borne biologicals were shown to exhibit remarkable differences across major cities, contributing to the difference of PM toxicity. • PM toxicity was shown to evolve over the time as a result of ground human activities as well as air pollution control measures. • This work highlights the need of taking into account of PM toxicity for future air pollution control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol optical properties are important indices for monitoring atmospheric aerosol pollution. In this study, we report the seasonal and diurnal variability of major aerosol optical parameters, including scattering coefficient (σ s), absorbing coefficient (σ a), single scattering albedo (SSA), together with PM 2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and PM 10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm) mass concentrations measured at an urban site in Beijing from September 2017 to August 2019. The relationships between these aerosol properties with meteorological conditions, in particular, the mixing layer height (MLH), wind speed, and wind direction, are further investigated. Results show that the annual average values of PM 2.5 and PM 10 mass concentrations, σ s , and σ a during the study period are 54 ± 54 μg/m3, 100 ± 72 μg/m3, 170 ± 180 Mm−1, 17 ± 15 Mm−1 respectively, which are much lower than those previously reported, indicating the effectiveness of strict pollution control strategies implemented in recent years. SSA is calculated with σ s and σ a , whose annual average value is 0.88 ± 0.07. Seasonally, σ a exhibits dual peaks except in summer, PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations are the highest value in the spring, whereas σ s has the highest value in the summer with a secondary peak in the spring. The diurnal cycle of σ a is highly anti-correlated with that of the MLH. For σ s , PM 2.5 and PM 10 , their diurnal cycles often peak around noon and are in phase with the MLH in the spring and summer, which may be associated with the photochemical production of secondary aerosols. σ s , σ a , PM 10 , and PM 2.5 concentrations are inversely related to wind speed, but PM 10 starts to increase as wind speed exceeds 4 m/s, possibly caused by dust and catkins. The increase in wind speed also weakens the aerosol-MLH relationship. Back trajectory analysis indicates that high aerosol concentrations are mostly associated with southward and westward airmasses. • Seasonal and diurnal variability of aerosol properties in Beijing was analyzed. • Aerosol properties follow an inverse relationship with mixing layer height (MLH). • Increase of wind speed tends to weaken the aerosol-MLH inverse relationship. • South and west airmasses correspond to higher aerosol loading in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For curbing the global climate crisis, China has set an ambitious target of peak carbon emissions by 2030. Beijing, the capital of China, has implemented a carbon reduction policy since 2012. Using the reduced and generalized forms of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), we deduce that both the cubic EKC and the genetic algorithm-based EKC have an N-shape. The first turning point of the three-order EKC occurs around 2011, demonstrating the effectiveness of the carbon reduction policy. However, the time series model predicts that Beijing will reach the second turning point around 2026, when the gross domestic product (GDP) is about CNY 5000 billion and carbon emissions will begin to increase again. Interpretable machine learning is proposed to explore the socio-economic drivers in carbon emissions, indicating that total energy consumption and GDP contribute the most. Therefore, we should accelerate the upgrading of energy consumption and adjust the industrial structure, thus facilitating Beijing to its peak carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region is the most important area for cotton production in China, where recycling of cotton stalks (CS) as a useful resource should be encouraged. This article investigated the technical feasibility of CS as a feed and fertilizer based on the transformation of P. brevitarsis larvae. Decomposition inoculant, fermentation duration, and cattle manure ratio were considered the key factors affecting the transformation capability of P. brevitarsis larvae on CS. The research showed that 40–50% of cattle manure, 0.1% VT inoculant, and a fermentation duration of 25–30 days were the optimal technical parameters. The protein content of the larval body was as high as 52.49%, and the fat content was 11.7%. The organic matter content of frass (larvae dung-sand) was 54.8%, and the content of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (TNPK) was 9.04%, which is twice more than that of the organic fertilizer standard (NY525-2021, Beijing, China, TNPK ≥ 4.0%). The application of CS as feed (larval body) and fertilizer (larvae dung-sand) is feasible, promoting the utilization of both CS and cattle manure. Cotton stalks (CS) are a potential agricultural biomass resource. We investigated the use of CS as a feed for Proteatia brevitarsis Lewis larvae and the resulting frass (larvae dung-sand) as a fertilizer. Based on a three-factor experiment (decomposition inoculant, fermentation duration, and cattle manure ratio), the optimal parameters for the transformation of CS using P. brevitarsis larvae were determined as 40–50% of cattle manure, the use of VT inoculant and a fermentation duration of 25–30 days. Regarding the products of the transformation, the protein content of the larval body was as high as 52.49%, and the fat content was 11.7%, which is a suitable-quality insect protein source. The organic matter content of larvae dung-sand was 54.8%, and the content of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (TNPK) was 9.04%, which is twice more than that of the organic fertilizer standard (NY525-2021, Beijing, China, TNPK ≥ 4.0%), and larvae dung-sand has the potential of fertilizer application. Therefore, CS as a feed and fertilizer based on the transformation of P. brevitarsis larvae is feasible, and it is a highly efficient way to promote the utilization of both CS and cattle manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1972, Nobel laureate Youyou Tu's research team conducted clinical trials on the dried material of Artemisia annua L. from Beijing extracted by ether and then treated with alkali (called "ether neutral dry"), which showed that artemisinin was not the only antimalarial component contained. The biosynthesis of sesquiterpenoids in A. annua has increased exponentially after unremitting cultivation efforts, and the plant resources are now quite different from those in the 1970s. In consideration of emerging artemisinin resistance, it is of great theoretical and practical value to further study the antimalarial activity of A. annua and explore its causes. The purpose of this study is to clarify scientific questions, such as "What ingredients are synergistic with artemisinin in A. annua?", and "Are there non-artemisinin antimalarial ingredients in A. annua?". In this paper, Beijing wild A. annua was used as a control and two representative cultivation species of A. annua were selected to evaluate the antimalarial activity of the herbal medicine. The antimalarial activity of different extracts on mice was studied using the Peters' four-day suppressive test. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to obtain mass spectrum data for all samples, and a UNIFI platform was used for identification. A multivariate statistical method was used to screen the different compounds with positive correlations. The antimalarial activity of different components from the ether extract and alkali treatments was determined and antimalarial components other than artemisinin were obtained. A total of 24 flavonoids, 68 sesquiterpenoids and 21 other compounds were identified. Compounds associated with differential antimalarial activity were identified. The material basis for the antimalarial activity of A. annua was clarified. The antimalarial components of A. annua include two categories: first, artemisinin and non-artemisinin antimalarial active components, of which the non-artemisinin antimalarial active components may include 5α-hydroperoxy-eudesma-4(15),11-diene; second, several antimalarial synergistic ingredients in A. annua, including arteanniun B, arteanniun B analogues and polymethoxy flavonoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PM 2.5 was associated with higher risk of incident OWOB. • PM 2.5 was associated with increased odds of being in larger BMI growth trajectories. • PM 2.5 was associated with increased odds of being in persistent OWOB trajectory. • Constituents including SO 4 2−, BC and OM are particularly relevant for these effects. The association of specific PM 2.5 chemical constituents with childhood overweight or obesity (OWOB) remain unclear. Furthermore, the long-term impacts of PM 2.5 exposure on the trajectory of children's body mass index (BMI) have not been explored. We conducted a longitudinal study among 1,450,830 Chinese children aged 6–19 years from Beijing and Zhongshan in China during 2005–2018 to examine the associations of PM 2.5 and its chemical constituents with incident OWOB risk. We extracted PM 2.5 mass and five main component exposure from Tracking Air Pollution in China (TAP) dataset. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to quantify exposure–response associations. We further performed principal component analysis (PCA) to handle the multi-collinearity and used quantile g-computation (QGC) approach to analyze the impacts of exposure mixtures. Additionally, we selected 125,863 children with at least 8 physical examination measurements and combined group-based trajectory models (GBTM) with multinomial logistic regression models to explore the impacts of exposure to PM 2.5 mass and five constituents on BMI and BMI Z-score trajectories during 6–19 years. We observed each interquartile range increment in PM 2.5 exposure was significantly associated with a 5.1 % increase in the risk of incident OWOB (95 % confidence Interval [CI]: 1.036–1.066). We also found black carbon, sulfate, organic matter, often linked to fossil combustion, had comparable or larger estimates of the effect (HR = 1.139–1.153) than PM 2.5. Furthermore, Exposure to PM 2.5 mass, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, organic matter and black carbon was significantly associated with an increased odds of being in a larger BMI trajectory and being assigned to persistent OWOB trajectory. Our findings provide evidence that the constituents mainly from fossil fuel combustion may have a perceptible influence on increased OWOB risk associated with PM 2.5 exposure in China. Moreover, long-term exposure to PM 2.5 contributes to an increased odds of being in a lager BMI and a persistent OWOB trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HEAVEN-I KrF excimer laser facility is housed at the China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing, China. There are six laser beams at this facility, whose combined energy is up to 100 J with a pulsewidth of 28 ns at a wavelength of 248 nm. The uniformity distribution of laser intensity is less than 2%. The diameter of the focal spots was about $500~\mu \text{m}$ , producing a laser intensity of about 1012 W/cm2. HEAVEN-I’s capability to provide extremely uniform focal profiles and its deep ultraviolet (UV) wavelength facilitate the conducting of experiments with laser-produced shocks with negligible effects from laser imperfections and laser–plasma instability. Thus, the laser facility was used in the research of high-energy-density physics and other related field physical experiments, such as the shock dynamics and the equation of state at high pressure, simulation of space debris, and direct laser-driven quasi-isentropic compression. Sidelight shadow photography and imaging velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) were developed for the purpose of active diagnostics for physical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effect of intensive management and achieving the target control more than 3 times on endpoint events during 9 consecutive years' annual assessment in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients in the Sanlitun Community Health Service Center in Beijing, including blood glucose, blood pressure, lipids profiles, and the joint target control. Methods. In Beijing Community Diabetes Study (BCDS), 224 patients with T2DM from the Sanlitun Community Health Service Center were enrolled in 2008. All patients were randomly assigned to the intensive management group (n = 113) and the standard management group (n = 111). All patients were followed up for nine consecutive years from January 2009 to December 2017. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected as the main indexes, and the endpoint events were also carried out at the same time. The endpoint events were analyzed by using survival analysis (Kaplan–Meier method) based on management grouping and whether achieving the target control more than 3 times or not. Results. During the nine-year follow-up, the abscission number was 35 (14.29%), among which 14 (12.39%) was in the intensive management group and 21 (18.92%) was in the standard management group. The incidence of diabetic retinopathy (6 cases, 5.41%) and diabetic nephropathy (13 cases, 11.71%) in the standard management group was significantly higher than that in the intensive management group (1 case, 0.88%; 5 cases, 4.42%), respectively (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences on the other endpoint events between the two groups (P > 0.05). All-cause death was 23 cases, in which patients who achieved the target control (HbA1c and LDL-C) and the joint target control more than 3 times were significantly lower than that of less than 3 times (P < 0.05). As far as death caused by cardiovascular events, cerebrovascular events, and newly onset coronary heart disease are concerned, there were no significant differences on the aforementioned endpoint events between the two groups based on target control more than 3 times or not (P > 0.05). There were less incidence of new onset cerebrovascular events, stenosis or occlusion of large arteries, and diabetic microvascular complications in patients who achieved target control (HbA1c and LDL-C) and the joint target control more than 3 times than those with target control less than 3 times (P < 0.05). Conclusions. The intensive management can effectively reduce the occurrence of microvascular complications. The incidence of all-cause death and the other endpoint events decreased in T2DM patients who achieved the joint target control more than 3 times during the nine-year management, which improved survival time and life quality. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-TRC-13003978 and ChiCTR-OOC-15006090. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) is critical in affecting the concentration of air pollutants at surface. The relationship between PBLH and surface ozone concentration can be complicated but not entirely clear. In this study, by using observations and WRF-Chem simulations, we explore the relationship between the surface ozone and the PBLH in the summer daytime in Beijing, a major global ozone pollution hotspot. It is found that the surface ozone-PBLH relationship exhibits a three-stage evolution with ozone: first, increasing with PBLH, then keeping steady, and finally falling. The two turning points are around 1000 and 2000 m respectively. This process is likely controlled by the different contributions of chemical production and vertical mixing. Specifically, when PBLH is below ∼1000 m, as PBLH increases, chemical production increases owing to the light enhancement whereas the ozone contribution from vertical mixing remains weak due to the decreased ozone concentration gradient between the surface and the upper layer, resulting in a net gain of surface ozone concentration. When the PBL continues to rise, chemical production contributes less mainly due to the decrease of ozone precursors at the surface, whereas vertical mixing becomes more vigorous that further diluting surface ozone, resulting in a net loss of surface ozone concentration, especially when PBLH reaches above ∼2000 m. Our results contribute to understanding the variability of surface ozone in Beijing area and provide insights for local ozone air quality control. [Display omitted] • Surface ozone first increases with PBLH, then remains stable and finally decreases. • This relationship is jointly determined by vertical mixing and chemical processes. • Vertical mixing of ozone shifts from down to up when PBLH rises. • Chemistry contribution of ozone first increases then decreases when PBLH rises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the capital of China, Beijing is the subject of great concern regarding atmospheric pollution, especially that of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). In winter 2017 (i.e., November 2017 to February 2018), PM 2.5 concentration in Beijing decreased to its lowest value in the past ten years. In this study, we sought to investigate the impacts of meteorology and emission control on this abnormally low pollution phenomenon. Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) simulations show that sensitivity to meteorological factors accounts for approximately 51% of the observed change between winters 2016 and 2017 in Beijing. We further compared the pollution dispersion condition of winters 2016 and 2017 in terms of large-scale circulation patterns and local mixing layer heights (MLHs). The meteorological condition in 2017 was characterized by stronger wind speed (WS) and higher MLH. We classified circulation patterns into two types using the obliquely rotated Principal Component Analysis in T-mode (T-PCA) method. Active weather was found to be associated with high MLH, high near-surface WS, and high ventilation coefficient (VC), which favors the dispersion of pollutants. In contrast, the changes of meteorological variables and pollution conditions are almost opposite for stable weather. Active weather amounted to 73 and 85 days for winters 2016 and 2017, respectively. Stable weather conditions prevailed on 46 days in winter 2016, and 32 days in 2017. Less stable weather during winter 2017 compared with that of winter 2016 possibly favored efficient ventilation of boundary-layer pollution. A lack of persistent stable weather also contributed to low PM 2.5 concentration in 2017. This research is important for air-pollution assessment and regional environmental management. • The impacts on a low pollution phenomenon in Beijing, winter 2017 were investigated. • Fixed-emission simulations indicated a 32% sensitivity to meteorological factors. • Winter 2017 had higher wind speeds and mixing layer heights than winter 2016. • Lack of persistent stable weather contributed to low PM 2.5 concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the chemical speciation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their role in ground-level ozone formation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China, measurements of 56 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and 12 carbonyls were conducted at three sites in summer. Alkanes were the largest group of NMHCs (>50%), followed by alkenes and aromatics. Acetone was the most abundant carbonyl species (>50%). The OH loss rates (L OH ) of VOCs were calculated to estimate their chemical reactivities. Alkenes played a predominant role in VOC reactivity, among which ethene and propene were the largest contributors. Isoprene contributed 11.61–38.00% of the total reactivity of measured VOCs. Alkenes and aromatics were the largest contributors (47.65–61.53% totally) to the total Ozone Formation Potential (OFP) of measured VOCs based on the observed mixing ratio. Isoprene was the most reactive species, but originated mainly from biogenic emissions. Ethene, m/p-xylene, toluene, propene, o-xylene, and 1-butene were considered to play significant roles in ground-level ozone formation in this region. The OFPs of total measured NMHCs increased by 10.20–22.05% when they were calculated based on the initial mixing ratio. Photochemical losses of hydrocarbons and the secondary formation of carbonyls in this region were also determined. Vehicle exhaust emissions contributed substantially to ambient VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure an ongoing and long-term breeding progress of soybean, stable sources of major quality traits across multi-environments need to be identified. Here, a panel of 135 soybean genotypes was tested in three different Chinese environments, including Beijing, Anhui, and Hainan during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons to identify stable genotypes for cultivation under varying environmental conditions. The weighted average of absolute scores biplot (WAASB) for the best linear unbiased predictions of the genotype-environment interaction and multi-trait stability index (MTSI) were utilized to determine the stability of the soybeans for seven seed composition traits viz; protein content, oil content, and five fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids). Based on the WAASB index, the following genotypes were identified as stable genotypes for some specific traits; ZDD12828 and ZDD12832 for protein content, WDD01583 and WDD03025 for oil content, ZDD23040 for palmitic acid, WDD00033 for stearic acid, ZDD23822 for oleic acid, ZDD11183 for linoleic acid, and ZDD08489 for linolenic acid. Furthermore, based on MTSI at a selection intensity of 10%, 14 soybean genotypes were selected for their average performance and stability. Overall, the MTSI was shown to be a powerful and simple tool for identifying superior genotypes in terms of both performance and stability, hence, identifying stable soybean genotypes for future breeding programs of quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to ongoing reductions in economic activity and anthropogenic emissions. Beijing was particular badly affected by lockdown measures during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has significantly reduced the CO2 emission and toxic air pollution (CO and NO2). We use column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 and CO (XCO2 and XCO) observed by a ground-based EM27/SUN Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), the tropospheric NO2 column observed by MAX-DOAS and satellite remote sensing data (GOSAT and TROPOMI) to investigate the variations in anthropogenic CO2 emission related to COVID-19 lockdown in Beijing. The anomalies describe the spatio-temporal enhancement of gas concentration, which relates to the emission. Anomalies in XCO2 and XCO, and XNO2 (ΔXCO2, ΔXCO, and ΔXNO2) for ground-based measurements were calculated from the diurnal variability. Highly correlated daily XCO and XCO2 anomalies derived from FTS time series data provide the ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio (the correlation slope). The ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio in Beijing was lower in 2020 (8.2 ppb/ppm) than in 2019 (9.6 ppb/ppm). The ΔXCO to ΔXCO2 ratio originating from a polluted area was significantly lower in 2020. The reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emission was estimated to be 14.2% using FTS data. A comparable value reflecting the slowdown in growth of atmospheric CO2 over the same time period was estimated to be 15% in Beijing from the XCO2 anomaly from GOSAT, which was derived from the difference between the target area and the background area. The XCO anomaly from TROPOMI is reduced by 8.7% in 2020 compared with 2019, which is much smaller than the reduction in surface air pollution data (17%). Ground-based NO2 observation provides a 21.6% decline in NO2. The NO2 to CO2 correlation indicates a 38.2% decline in the CO2 traffic emission sector. Overall, the reduction in anthropogenic CO2 emission relating to COVID-19 lockdown in Beijing can be detected by the Bruker EM27/SUN Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and MAX-DOAS in urban Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-criteria approach integrating demand for ecological and cultural services. • We quantified the consumption of green spaces using check-in data. • We applied the demand for ES to optimize the ecological security pattern in central Beijing. A growing number of studies have mapped the demand for ecosystem services (ES). Recently, demand for ES has been broadened to include cultural services in addition to ecological services, especially for urbanized areas. In this study, a multi-criteria approach is proposed that synthesizes the available ecological and cultural services to map the demand for ES: including 1) soil erosion sensitivity, 2) geological hazard sensitivity, 3) water management, 4) vegetation coverage, 5) permanent farmland, 6) accessibility, 7) population density, 8) direct use of green spaces, and 9) cultural heritage. The cultural services demand describes the desire or preference, and consumption or direct use of cultural services, e.g. recreation and cultural heritage. Most studies discussed only the desire or preference for cultural services because of the difficulty quantifying the actual consumption of these cultural services. This research gap was filled using the check-in data collected from WeChat (a major social network in China). Each criterion was assigned a weight so that the ecological services demand, the cultural services demand, and the overall ES demand could be quantified. The results suggest that in general, the mountainous areas, farmlands, and suburban areas have high demand for ecological services while public parks in urban areas show high demand for cultural services. However, the ES demand in the availability of some small green spaces in highly urbanized areas may be higher than that for large green spaces in suburban areas. This multi-criteria analysis is necessary to obtain a comprehensive assessment of ES demand, which will contribute to improving the applicability of ES in real-world decision making, e.g. green space planning and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]