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Paddy fields serve as significant reservoirs of soil organic carbon (SOC) and their potential for terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration is closely associated with changes in SOC pools. However, there has been a dearth of comprehensive studies quantifying changes in SOC pools following extended periods of rice cultivation across a broad geographical scale. Using 104 rice paddy sampling sites that have been in continuous cultivation since the 1980s across China, we studied the changes in topsoil (0–20 cm) labile organic C (LOC I), semi‐labile organic C (LOC II), recalcitrant organic C (ROC), and total SOC. We found a substantial increase in both the content (48%) and density (39%) of total SOC within China's paddy fields between the 1980s to the 2010s. Intriguingly, the rate of increase in content and density of ROC exceeded that of LOC (I and II). Using a structural equation model, we revealed that changes in the content and density of total SOC were mainly driven by corresponding shifts in ROC, which are influenced both directly and indirectly by climatic and soil physicochemical factors; in particular temperature, precipitation, phosphorous (P) and clay content. We also showed that the δ13CLOC were greater than δ13CROC, independent of the rice cropping region, and that there was a significant positive correlation between δ13CSOC and δ13Cstraw. The δ13CLOC and δ13CSOC showed significantly negative correlation with soil total Si, suggesting that soil Si plays a part in the allocation of C into different SOC pools, and its turnover or stabilization. Our study underscores that the global C sequestration of the paddy fields mainly stems from the substantial increase in ROC pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear species boundaries are crucial for plans and actions on biodiversity conservation. However, morphological similarities among allied species can result in taxonomic difficulties, thus impeding conservation efforts. In China, Cinnamomum japonicumSiebold is a well‐known endangered plant, yet suffers from longstanding taxonomic issues. Here, we explicitly evaluate whether C. japonicum, C. chenii, and C. chekiangense are the same phylogenetic species on the basis of a multi‐individual sampling strategy. We identified three sets of low‐copy orthologous genes from 19 Lauraceae taxa for phylogenetic inferences. Both the concatenation and coalescent‐based phylogenies supported that C. chenii individuals were embedded in the C. japonicum clade, indicating these two taxa are conspecific. Meanwhile, C. chekiangense accessions formed a monophyly which was not sister to C. japonicum. This result, together with the morphological differences that the leaves of C. japonicum are glabrous with a faveolate pattern of venation while those of C. chekiangense have trichomes and inevident lateral veins, led us to consider both as two distinct species. Based on 17 728 neutral single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the ADMIXTURE analysis suggested that the Chinese C. japonicum populations in Zhoushan Archipelago (=C. chenii) were genetically differentiated from the Japanese and Korean ones. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling predicted that the present distribution area of Chinese C. japonicum is likely to be unsuitable under global warming scenarios. Together with its limited distribution and genetic uniqueness, we recommend that Chinese C. japonicum deserves conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique names have commonly been viewed as undesirable. However, our studies (total N = 6049) suggest the opposite: unique names are perceived as favourable to creativity in occupational contexts. Generally, people held a perception that unique‐named individuals are more creative (albeit less likable) and therefore more suitable for jobs requiring greater creativity (Studies 1–2). Accordingly, participants tended to select candidates with more unique names for creative positions (Study 3) and recommend more unique names to workers in creative jobs for a name change (Study 4). Furthermore, real‐world archival data revealed that artists (typical creative professions) tended to adopt more unique new names, which was replicated cross‐culturally in American, British, and Chinese samples (Study 5), and that Chinese movie directors with more unique names received higher evaluations for the movies they directed (Study 6). Our findings demonstrate a novel form of name stereotype and its behavioural manifestations and real‐world consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fostering human–wildlife coexistence necessitates a thorough and nuanced grasp of local attitudes toward wildlife. Attitudes can vary substantially based on the sociodemographic backgrounds of individuals within a society. This study examines Tibetan attitudes toward large carnivores, emphasizing the importance of contextualization in discerning the effects of sociodemographic factors on attitudes. We began by analyzing existing research on Tibetan attitudes toward wildlife in China, identifying previously studied sociodemographic variables. We then executed an online survey to evaluate the affective, behavioral, cognitive, and overall attitudes of ethnic Tibetans in China toward snow leopards (Panthera uncia), gray wolves (Canis lupus), and brown bears (Ursus arctos). Our findings show that while factors such as gender, age, religious identity, and level of education shape these attitudes, their influence differs depending on the specific attitude component and the target animal under examination. Therefore, making broad generalizations about sociodemographic differences in attitudes can be misleading. It is imperative for attitude research to clearly define the attitude component (what type of attitude), object (attitude toward what), and circumstance (attitude in which situation) being studied. Conducting ethnographic fieldwork in collaboration with local cultural experts can deepen our understanding of local perspectives and the ways sociodemographic factors influence attitudes. Such insights are pivotal for developing conservation strategies attuned to local sociocultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Increasing evidence suggests that fungal communities are key components of biogeochemical cycles in coastal ecosystems. However, at a regional scale, the major drivers of the seasonal and spatial distribution of fungi in areas impacted by mariculture remain largely unknown. Intensive aquaculture takes place in Dongshan Bay of Fujian, China, a typical subtropical marine ecosystem with multiple environmental gradients extensively perturbed by anthropogenic activities. To better understand the consequences of mariculture on fungal community composition and activities, we simultaneously evaluated the temporal (four different seasons) and spatial dynamics in total (DNA) and active (RNA) fungal communities of Dongshan Bay in relation to several major physicochemical properties. Our results revealed that fungal communities in the Bay were highly diverse, but showed the ubiquitous dominance of Dikarya and the occasional predominance of Glomeromycota, Mucoromycota, Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota, Olpidiomycota, and Rozellomycota. Fungal diversity varied much more with season than with the degree of aquaculture activity, for both total and active communities. This notion is supported by co‐occurrence networks exhibiting a clear seasonal pattern. Furthermore, fungal community structure in coastal waters showed distinct relationships with environmental factors varying both with season and in space. For both total and active fungal communities, a combination of environmental variables including temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nitrite exhibited the greatest impact on community structure. Our study demonstrates a distinct spatiotemporal dynamics of both total and active fungi and provides a foundation to better understand the ecological roles of marine fungi in coastal ecosystems in relation to mariculture activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding local encounters with large carnivores is important for promoting sustainable coexistence. The use of smartphones and social media in geographically remote areas offers a novel avenue to study human–wildlife encounters from a local perspective. We conducted a content analysis of mobile videos on social media (n = 207) to characterize human encounters with snow leopards, gray wolves, and brown bears on the Tibetan Plateau in China. We also used ethnographic interviews to understand the backgrounds and motivations of videographers. Results show large carnivore encounters are not necessarily conflictual. Over half of encounters are neutral without observable interference between people and predators. The likelihood of a "negative encounter" is significantly associated with the target species, the distance between the videographer and the animal, the level of human influence in the surroundings, and the presence of other animals (i.e., dogs and livestock). Local Tibetan herders document unusual encounters with carnivores using videos for various reasons, but what is deemed unusual is context‐dependent and fluid. Our study demonstrates that social media videos can provide valuable insights into the diversity and complexity of human–wildlife interactions. We encourage conservationists to develop visual participatory programs to better engage local people in conservation knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among developing countries, China is the world's largest foreign direct investment (FDI) destination. A significant portion of the FDI in China comes from multinational corporations' (MNCs) subsequent investments of retained earnings or additional capital contribution. However, the characteristics of MNCs' subsequent investment have not been systematically studied. This study attempts to examine MNCs' subsequent investment in China both conceptually and empirically. Conceptually, the study approaches three levels of determinants: firm, location, and international, within an integrated model. Empirically, the study considers whether origin, experience, initial location, and other related factors significantly affect subsequent investment of MNCs after their initial entry into the Chinese market. Through empirical analyses, this study identifies some statistically significant factors around MNCs' subsequent investment decisions in China. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]