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Nematodes occupy different niches in soil and play important roles in plant growth. However, the dynamic responses of nematode community to fertilization at the aggregate scale and the relationships between key nematode indices and crop production are still unclear. A long-term field experiment with different fertilization regimes (CK, no fertilizer; NPK, synthetic fertilizers alone; BCNPK, biochar + synthetic fertilizers; OMNPK, pig manure + synthetic fertilizers; RSDNPK, crop straw + synthetic fertilizers) was conducted to link nematode and crop production. Higher total nematode abundance, biodiversity, and nematode metabolic footprint (NMF) were observed in the wheat season, while increased maturity index (MI), plant parasite index (PPI), and structure index (SI) were found in the maize season. The nematode community in the wheat season was more enriched and mature, especially in large macroaggregates. The composition of the nematode community was shifted by RSDNPK in both crop seasons, as indicated by the principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). Additionally, the 1.5-fold higher enrichment index (EI) under RSDNPK in comparison with other treatments in the wheat season also indicated a significantly differentiated nematode community. Compared with NPK, the wheat yield of RSDNPK (2265 kg ha−1) was 26 % lower, while the maize yield of this treatment (5776 kg ha−1) was >13 % higher. The PPI and SI in the seedling period of winter wheat and the PPI in the silking period as well as the variation of the nematode community in the maize season were key nematode indices that strongly correlated with the yields of corresponding crops. Crucial nematodes also exhibited notable positive or negative relationships with crop yields (P < 0.05). Overall, the combined application of synthetic fertilizers and crop straw can improve soil health through its positive effects on nematode community, which has the potential to propel crop production. • Nematode indices increased by fertilization diversified in wheat and maize seasons. • The soil food web was more enriched and mature in wheat season. • The composition of soil nematode communities was shifted by RSDNPK in both seasons. • Nematode indices were strongly correlated with crop yields. • Specific nematode genera showed strong impacts on crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Soil microaggregates accommodate co-occurrence network with more edges. • Specific taxa correlate with soil N supply are important to wheat yield. • Most taxa affecting soil N and yield differ from those impacting network topology. • Nematodes and/or protists are found among these vital taxa across aggregate classes. Crop production is strongly impacted by soil nitrogen supply, which is regulated by soil micro-food webs consisting of nematodes, protists, fungi and bacteria. However, responses of soil micro-food webs to fertilization at the aggregate scale and their relationships with soil nitrogen supply and crop yield remain unclear. To address these knowledge gaps, we investigated soils subjected to typical fertilization treatments in a long-term field experiment, which included: no fertilizer control (CK); synthetic fertilizers (NPK); partial synthetic nitrogen replacement with pig slurry (OMNPK) or crop straw (RSDNPK) and incorporating biochar with synthetic fertilizers (BCNPK). The composition of different biological groups was changed significantly by fertilization, with bacteria under RSDNPK being more responsive than other groups. The co-occurrence network of the soil micro-food web had more edges in microaggregates than those in large and small macroaggregates due to the significantly higher nodal degree of bacteria and fungi. On average, 76 % of the topologically important (TI) taxa in the networks were bacteria. In modules where nematodes and protists were present, 8 %-100 % of them were attributed to TI taxa while the ratio for bacteria was 3 %-7 %. Specific assemblages of functionally important (FI) taxa covering all tested biological groups at the aggregate scale were positively associated with soil labile nitrogen, related enzymes and crop yield. Random forest regression further indicates the high importance of these FI taxa to crop yield. However, less than 20 % of them were attributed to TI taxa of the networks. In summary, distinct assemblages of taxa covering multiple trophic levels regulate network topology and soil nitrogen supply + crop yield, which provides insights for targeted manipulation of soil micro-food webs through knowledge-based fertilization to harness the biological potential of cropland soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) levels via improved fertilization strategies can promote soil health and support sustainable crop production. While bacteria and fungi play a key role in SOC accumulation, the effects of soil micro-food webs that include organisms from higher trophic levels remain uncertain. We sought to narrow this knowledge gap by clarifying the associations between SOC accumulation and soil micro-food webs at the aggregate scale under long-term (18 years) fertilization treatments, which included a no-fertilizer control (Ctrl), synthetic fertilizers (NPK), and partial synthetic nitrogen replacement with pig slurry (OMNPK) or crop straw (RSDNPK). The concentration of SOC was significantly increased by fertilization following the order RSDNPK (13.1 g kg−1) > OMNPK (11.4 g kg−1) > NPK (9.1 g kg−1) > Ctrl (6.4 g kg−1). Nematodes and protists accounted for approximately 20% of all nodes in the multitrophic networks. Fertilization increased network complexity at the aggregate scale by 1–4 times across different sampling dates (P < 0.05). In all aggregate classes, the functionally important (FI) nematodes, protists, and bacterial taxa involved in soil carbon cycle had higher relative abundances under the fertilization treatments than under the Ctrl (P < 0.05). Structural equation modeling further indicated that besides soil microbes, network complexity, FI nematodes and protists were important to SOC accumulation. Compared with NPK, the key moments during which these soil biological attributes strongly regulated SOC under OMNPK and RSDNPK were delayed to late growth stages of maize. In conclusion, the increased network complexity and relative abundance of functionally important organisms from higher trophic levels of the soil micro-food webs at certain periods are vital contributors to effective SOC accumulation under fertilization regimes that include organic amendments. [Display omitted] • Nematodes and protists make up 20% of soil micro-food web taxa. • Fertilization is an effective measure to increase multitrophic network complexity. • Functionally important (FI) taxa linked to carbon cycle respond to fertilization. • Multitrophic network complexity and high trophic FI taxa aid SOC accumulation. • Organic amendments delay the key moments that soil organisms affect SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new species of the genus Bifurcia are described: B. kangding sp. nov. (♂♀), B. labahe sp. nov. (♂), B. luding sp. nov. (♂♀), B. shuangqiao sp. nov. (♂♀), and B. xiaojin sp. nov. (♂♀) from western Sichuan, China. A distribution map of the species and illustrations of genital characters are provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four morphologically similar species of the Pholcus yichengicus species group, occurring in geographic proximity of China's Qinling Mountains, were recognised, based on morphology and four methods of molecular species delimitation. They comprise two new species, namely Pholcus ankang sp. nov. and P. baoji sp. nov. and two previously described species: P. ovatus Yao & Li, 2012 and P. taibaiensis Wang & Zhu, 1992. Their DNA barcodes were obtained to estimate p-distances and K2P distances. In addition, an identification key for the four closely-related species is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, eight new species are described from the subtropical parts of Yunnan Province in southwestern China: Belisana honghe Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. jiuxiang Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. lincang Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. luxi Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. tengchong Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. tongi Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), B. yongsheng Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂), and B. yunnan Zhang, Li & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀). They add up to a total of 31 Belisana species from Yunnan in an updated list provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child care is essential infrastructure. Without child care—or without adequate access to child care—parents and household caregivers are unable to work or conduct other critical activities, which can adversely affect their outcomes. In the U.S., child care supply has long fallen short of demand, with variations across neighborhoods that differ by income, race, and ethnicity. Yet there is relatively little research on child care access, use, and travel. In this study, we test the relationship between formal child care supply and households' use of formal care and home-to-child-care travel distances in California. Using a two-step floating catchment area method, we develop a time-weighted spatial measure of child care access and apply this measure in statistical models to predict two outcome measures: the likelihood of making a home-to-child-care trip and travel distance to the child care center, controlling for other factors. We find that child care access is associated with an increased likelihood of using formal child care—and among households that use such care, access is associated with shorter travel distances. Our analysis underscores the importance of policies to address spatial barriers to child care, particularly in neighborhoods—low-income, Latinx, non-urban—where child care supply is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report 18 spider species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 from a survey in the Qinling Mountains of central China. They belong to four species groups and include seven species new to science: Pholcus jiaozuo Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀) in the taishan species group; P. luonan Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), P. luoyang Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), P. lushan Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), P. shangluo Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀), P. weinan Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀) and P. yuncheng Yang & Yao, sp. nov. (♂♀) in the yichengicus species group. Detailed diagnoses, descriptions, photomicroscopy images and DNA barcodes of all new species are provided. Our study will make a significant contribution to understanding species diversity and zoogeography of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • KGCatboost outperforms other benchmark models from multiple datasets. • The favorable multi-step ahead prediction capability of the KGCatboost model is verified. • The conclusions derived from explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) align with the actual physics laws. • pH and water temperature have the most significant impact on dissolved oxygen concentration. • A regulation mechanism is applied to alleviate the disasters caused by low dissolved oxygen concentration. Accurate water quality prediction is crucial for effective environmental management and decision-making. However, previous studies have solely relied on historical data to simulate water quality, overlooking the potential discrepancies between predicted values and actual observations. Additionally, the opacity of machine learning models has posed challenges to the credibility of their predictions. Hence, considering the excellent nonlinear fitting ability of ensemble tree models, especially the Categorical Boosting (Catboost) model, this study proposes a knowledge-guided Catboost (KGCatboost) model for predicting the dissolved oxygen concentration, one of the vital water quality indicators, in 15 river sections of the Yangtze River Basin in Yunnan Province, China. Furthermore, to enhance the model's interpretability, we employ the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to analyze the contributions of each input variable within the water body. The results demonstrate that on the test set of each dataset, the mean Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) value of KGCatboost is 0.874, which has improved by 0.34% and 3.07% compared to Catboost and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (Xgboost). In addition, this study reveals that pH has the most significant impact on DO concentrations. Specifically, as the pH increased, the DO concentration increased significantly. A regulatory mechanism has also been developed to alleviate the hazards caused by low DO concentrations. The KGCatboost model can provide valuable guidance for water resource management processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-mode linear ultrasonic motors (SMLUMs) have the advantages of excellent accuracy, long travel distance, single vibration mode and simple driving scheme, which have been applied in precision positioning and micro/nano manipulation actuators. However, it is still challenging to accurately and efficiently analyze such motors due to their complicated electro-mechanical coupling behaviors under contact-based operating conditions. This paper proposed an improved equivalent circuit model for a single-mode linear ultrasonic motor considering the real contact-based operating conditions, where a new actuation mode of the V-shape transducer is adopted. The electro-mechanical coupling characteristics of the stator under contact-based boundary condition is modeled by a modified admittance-type equivalent circuit, where the variable contact stiffness and loss are characterized between the stator and the mover. The friction drive mechanism is modeled by a thyristor rectifying circuit to characterize the intermittent actuation characteristics, and the nonlinear relationship between the motor characteristics and the contact-based operating conditions is initially characterized from the circuit viewpoint. The merits and the applications of the circuit-based model are exemplified by parameter identification and modification, losses segregation, admittance characteristics analysis and output and control characteristics evaluation for such SMLUMs. [Display omitted] • The real contact-based operating conditions are considered in equivalent circuit modeling. • The friction drive mechanism is initially characterized and clarified from circuit viewpoint. • A circuit-based method is proposed to conduct segregation and evaluation of various losses. • The motor output and control characteristics can be evaluated by the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of leguminous green manure (LGM) crops in place of bare fallow in summer enhances soil fertility, which can positively impact soil life in the agroecosystem. An improvement in soil life, in turn, can promote soil fertility and agricultural sustainability. Based on an ongoing field trial in the Loess Plateau, China, we investigated the long-term effects of LGM crops and nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil mesofaunal community and analyzed the interrelationships among the various mesofaunal groups and soil fertility under dryland conditions. The results showed that the long-term growth of the LGM crops significantly increased the soil fertility and the abundance, richness, and diversity of the soil mesofaunal community compared to the fallow system. A total of 14 mesofaunal groups were identified only in the LGM system, mainly due to the high root biomass of the LGM crops. Among the three tested LGM crops, soybean and Huai bean performed better than mung bean in providing growth benefits and stable abiotic environments for the soil mesofaunal community. In addition, the long-term application of N fertilizer had an overall negative effect on the soil mesofaunal community under dryland conditions. Moreover, the abundance, richness, and diversity of the soil mesofaunal community were strongly correlated with soil fertility indicators. Hence, the analysis of the soil mesofaunal community can be used as a bioindicator of soil fertility in agroecosystems. The long-term growth of the LGM crops instead of bare fallow efficiently built a more sustainable and fertile soil in the agricultural ecosystem, thus providing a theoretical basis and guiding field management strategies for the development of sustainable agriculture in local and other similar dryland regions. [Display omitted] • Growth of LGMs promoted the mesofaunal community by enhancing soil fertility. • N fertilizer had overall negative effects on the soil mesofaunal community. • The mesofaunal community was strongly correlated with soil fertility in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Substantial evidence suggests that all types of water, such as drinking water, wastewater, surface water, and groundwater, can be potential sources of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Thus, it is critical to thoroughly investigate all possible preconditioning methods to enhance the recovery of H. pylori , improve the reproducibility of subsequent detection, and optimize the suitability for various water types and different detection purposes. In this study, we proposed and evaluated five distinct preconditioning methods for treating water samples collected from multiple urban water environments, aiming to maximize the quantitative qPCR readouts and achieve effective selective cultivation. According to the experimental results, when using the qPCR technique to examine WWTP influent, effluent, septic tank, and wetland water samples, the significance of having a preliminary cleaning step becomes more evident as it can profoundly influence qPCR detection results. In contrast, the simple, straightforward membrane filtration method could perform best when isolating and culturing H. pylori from all water samples. Upon examining the cultivation and qPCR results obtained from groundwater samples, the presence of infectious H. pylori (potentially other pathogens) in aquifers must represent a pressing environmental emergency demanding immediate attention. Furthermore, we believe groundwater can be used as a medium to reflect the H. pylori prevalence in a highly populated community due to its straightforward analytical matrix, consistent detection performance, and minimal interferences from human activities, temperature, precipitation, and other environmental fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater level (GWL) prediction is important for ecological protection and resource utilization; it helps in formulating policies for artificial groundwater recharge, modifying the number of extraction wells, etc., and can support sustainable human development as well as inform water resource management decisions. However, climate change, anthropogenic impacts, and the complex coupling between surface water and groundwater increase the difficulty of predicting groundwater levels. The model proposed in this paper combines external data as well as multiple models. The method leverages long and short-term memory (LSTM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) models, combined with secondary modal decomposition and slime mould algorithm (SMA), together with an adaptive weight module (AWM). The study applies this method to predict GWL for three different hydrological conditions in China, specifically for the Jinan Baotu Spring, Heihu Spring, and Zhongtianshe watershed of Taihu Lake. A comparison of metrics such as mean absolute error and Nash efficiency coefficient for single and hybrid models shows that the model in this paper is more advantageous than the single model and other hybrid models. The interpretability of the model is enhanced by SHAP values that demonstrate the degree of contribution of the input variables. This paper uses SHAP analyses to identify the key drivers affecting groundwater levels. These factors must be detected in order to develop groundwater resource protection measures. [Display omitted] • Multivariate fusion data including hydrology and meteorology are used as model input. • A secondary modal decomposition module for historical groundwater level data was utilized. • The neural network hyperparameters are optimized using the slime mould algorithm. • Aggregate subsets of prediction with adaptive modules rather than linear summation. • The interpretable SHAP model measures the degree of influence of external variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A timetable synchronization problem of high-speed railway and air transportation systems with passenger routing is proposed. • Based on train unit circulation and aircraft rotation plan, the problem is transformed into a multi-commodity flow model. • Some real-world requirements including train overtaking, train headways, flight spacing requirements at airports and seat capacity are considered. • An ADMM decomposition approach on the problem is designed. • A real-world case study (Shijiazhuang-Zhengding Airport in China) with shuttle buses is conducted. The design of synchronized services is of great significance to the development of intermodal transportation. In the planning of Air and High-Speed Railway (HSR) integration services (AHIS), the operators aim to synchronize flight and train schedules and determine the possible transferring options for intermodal passengers. This paper attempts to design an intermodal timetable for train and flight services considering the time-dependent passenger demand. Different transferring modes are further considered in this paper including both shuttle and rapid walking services. The synchronization problem of "train unit flows", "aircraft flows", "shuttle flows" and "passenger flows" is formulated using a multi-commodity flow model in a time–space network. Based on the Lagrangian relaxation method, we first decompose the original problem into four types of routing subproblems associated with train units, aircrafts, shuttle buses and passengers, respectively. Then the coordination of the four different types of flows is achieved through both the pricing mechanism and Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) method. The proposed model and solution approach are validated using both hypothetical and real-world cases and the results show that the synchronized timetables are able to serve more intermodal passengers and shorten their travelling times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]