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In order to understand the spatial distribution, influencing factors, pollution level and sources of heavy metals in black soil profiles in Northeast China, black soil profile samples were collected from five sampling points in Haicheng City, Liaoning Province, with the deepest profile depth of 50m. The contents of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil at different depths were analyzed, and the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of heavy metals in black soil profiles were analyzed. The pollution level of heavy metals in soil was evaluated based on the geo-accumulation index method and enrichment factor method, and the sources of heavy metals in soil were analyzed based on principal component analysis. The results show that the content ranges of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in the surface soil of the five profile sampling points are 7.74–16.5μg/g, 0.14–0.38μg/g, 75.4–104μg/g, 20.6–36.1μg/g, 0.031–0.20μg/g, 27.8–45.6μg/g, 28.5–45.6μg/g and 56.8–158μg/g, respectively. The Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb contents in the surface soil of the five profiles all exceeded the soil background values in Liaoning and China. Except for profile HCZK02, the contents of 8 heavy metals generally decrease with increasing depth. As the depth of profile HCZK02 increases, As, Hg and Pb show a decrease-increase-decrease change; Cd and Cr show a decrease change and Ni shows a zigzag change; Cu and Zn show a decreasing-increasing-decreasing-increasing trend. Corg, N, TC and TFe2O3 in the profile soil have a very significant impact on the vertical distribution characteristics of heavy metals. There are certain differences in the pollution degree of heavy metals in the surface soil of different profiles. Except for profile HCB01, where Cd and Hg in the surface soil are at moderate pollution levels, the heavy metals in the surface soil of the other profiles are at non-pollution to mild pollution levels. Principal component analysis results show that As, Cr, Cu and Ni belong to natural sources, Cd and Hg belong to anthropogenic sources from agricultural activities-atmospheric deposition, and Pb and Zn have both sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the temporal and spatial variation characteristics and driving factors of carbon reserves in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River urban agglomeration is crucial for achieving sustainable development and regional ecological conservation against the backdrop of the "double carbon" plan. Based on three periods of land use data from 2000 to 2020, combined with the InVEST model(Version 3.14.2), the spatiotemporal changes in carbon storage in the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River were analyzed. The PLUS model (Version 1.3.5) was used to predict three scenarios of natural development, urban development, and eco-development in the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in 2035 and estimate the carbon storage of the ecosystems under different scenarios, and it used optimal parameter GeoDetectors (Version 4.4.2) to reveal the driving factors affecting the spatiotemporal differentiation of carbon storage. The results show that farmland and construction land area increased and forestland area continued to decrease from 2000 to 2020. Carbon storage decreased by 1 × 106 t, with forestland conversion to farmland and construction land being the main decreasing drivers. The carbon storage of natural and urban developments decreased by 0.26 × 106 t and 0.32 × 106 t, while it increased by 0.16 × 106 under ecological development. The results of the factor detector showed that the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) had the highest explanatory power on the spatiotemporal variation in carbon storage (q = 0.588), followed by the slope (q = 0.454) and elevation (q = 0.391), and the explanatory power of natural environmental factors on the spatiotemporal variation in of carbon storage was dominant. The interaction detector results showed that the spatiotemporal variation in carbon storage was affected by multiple factors, the interaction intensity between each driving factor was stronger than that of a single factor, and the synergy between the NDVI and slope was the strongest, at q = 0.646. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba L. was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1771; a "living fossil" with immense medicinal and conservation value, it is a nationally first-class protected wild plant. However, many Ginkgo populations are under threat from habitat destruction, human exploitation, and over-harvesting, which have limited their numbers and range. Using an optimized MaxEnt model in R, this study analyzed Ginkgo distribution points and 22 ecological factors in China to explore the key environmental factors affecting its geographical distribution. The study also predicted the spatial distribution patterns and centroid changes of potential suitable areas under three different carbon emission pathways: current conditions, 2021–2040 (2030s), 2041–2060 (2050s), and 2061–2080 (2070s). The findings are as follows: (1) The optimal combination of model parameters (RM = 3.2, FC = LPH) reduced model complexity and overfitting and achieved very high prediction accuracy with an optimized AUC value of 0.928. (2) The key environmental factors influencing Ginkgo growth include precipitation in the driest month (20–175 mm), minimum temperature in the coldest month (−4 to 3 °C), precipitation in the hottest quarter (450–2500 mm), and a temperature seasonal variation deviation greater than 580. (3) Under the three future climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), the potential suitable habitat area for Ginkgo in China was increased, with the distribution range migrating to higher latitudes, Under the three different development models, the total suitable area followed this order: SSP126 > SSP245 > SSP585. Highly and moderately suitable areas are concentrated in the Yangtze River Basin. This study is highly significant for the ecological protection of Ginkgo, aiding in the rational planning of potential suitable areas, enhancing the monitoring of key conservation areas, and developing effective protection strategies in a timely manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing an ecological security pattern in ecologically fragile areas is crucial for maintaining regional ecological stability. This study focuses on the Kunlun Mountain region, identifying ecological sources based on habitat suitability assessments and ecosystem services. An ecological resistance evaluation index system is constructed, considering topography, land use, and habitat quality. The minimum cumulative resistance model is then applied to identify ecological corridors, with areas exhibiting higher ecological currents designated as ecological nodes. By integrating the spatial characteristics of ecosystem services, an ecological security pattern is established. The results are as follows: (1) The ecological source area covers approximately 11.30% of the study area. (2) The cumulative length of ecological corridors is 21,111 km, mainly distributed along valleys, gentle slopes, and oasis areas. (3) The areas of ecological nodes and ecological barriers are 126.75 km2 and 46.75 km2, respectively. Ecological nodes are mainly distributed on both sides of the Kunlun Mountains, while ecological barriers are primarily located in the central mountainous area of the Kunlun Mountains. (4) The findings recommend establishing an ecological security pattern consisting of "2 horizontal and 4 vertical corridors and 5 zones" to ensure the ecological security of the Kunlun Mountains. The integration of ecological corridors and ecosystem services in constructing a regional ecological security pattern provides valuable decision-making tools for protecting ecosystems and species in fragile areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ephedra sinica (E. sinica) holds significant economic and medicinal importance and is predominantly found in arid areas. Due to the limitations of environmental variables, growth habits, and human activities, the production and suitability areas of E. sinica have significantly decreased, especially in the five northwestern provinces of China. In this study, 212 distribution points of E. sinica and 40 environmental variables were obtained to project the habitat suitability of E. sinica under different emission scenarios in the future. It identified precipitation in the wettest month, monthly mean of the diurnal temperature difference, and solar radiation intensity in April and July as the primary environmental factors affecting the suitability of E. sinica in the region. The areas of high, medium, and low suitability in the region cover 103,000 km2, 376,500 km2, and 486,800 km2. Under future scenarios, the suitability areas from 2021 to 2100 will decrease by 20%, with high suitability areas decreasing by 65% to 85% particularly. With comprehensive environmental variables, the suitability areas of E. sinica from 2021 to 2100 are projected, filling the gap in the projection of E. sinica suitability areas in the five northwestern provinces of China over long time period. The suitability areas show a significant decreasing trend. This research provides valuable insights into the suitability areas and crucial environmental factors, offering theoretical support for future protection and management efforts for E. sinica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread and complex formation of saline soils in China significantly affects the sustainable development of regional ecosystems. Intense climate changes and regional land use further exacerbate the uncertainties faced by ecosystems in saline areas. Therefore, studying the distribution characteristics of typical halophytic vegetation under the influence of climate change and human activities, and exploring their potential distribution areas, is crucial for maintaining ecological security in saline regions. This study focuses on Tamarix chinensis, Tamarix austromongolica, and Tamarix leptostachya, integrating geographic information systems, remote sensing, species distribution models, and landscape ecological risk (LER) theories and technologies. An optimized MaxEnt model was established using the ENMeval package, incorporating 143, 173, and 213 distribution records and 13 selected environmental variables to simulate the potential suitable habitats of these three Tamarix species. A quantitative assessment of the spatial characteristics and the area of their potential geographical distribution was conducted. Additionally, a landscape ecological risk assessment (LERA) of the highly suitable habitats of these three Tamarix species was performed using land use data from 1980 to 2020, and the results of the LERA were quantified using the Landscape Risk Index (LERI). The results showed that the suitable areas of Tamarix chinensis, Tamarix austromongolica, and Tamarix leptostachya were 9.09 × 105 km2, 6.03 × 105 km2, and 5.20 × 105 km2, respectively, and that the highly suitable habitats for the three species were concentrated in flat areas such as plains and basins. Tamarix austromongolica faced increasing ecological risk in 27.22% of its highly suitable habitat, concentrated in the northern region, followed by Tamarix chinensis in 16.70% of its area with increasing ecological risk, concentrated in the western and northern highly suitable habitats; Tamarix chinensis was the least affected, with an increase in ecological risk in only 1.38% of its area. This study provides valuable insights for the protection of halophytic vegetation, represented by Tamarix, in the context of China's national land development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in atmospheric CO2 leads to global warming and ecological environment deterioration. Carbon storage modeling and assessment can promote the sustainable development of the ecological environment. This paper took Xinjiang as the study area, analyzed the spatial and temporal evolution of land use in four periods from 1990 to 2020, explored the spatial relationship of carbon stocks using the InVEST model, and coupled the GMOP model with the PLUS model to carry out multiple scenarios for the future simulation of land use in the study area. We found (1) Over time, the types with an increasing area were mainly impervious and cropland, and the types with a decreasing area were grassland, snow/ice, and barren; spatially, the types were predominantly barren and grassland, with the conversion of grassland to cropland being more evident in the south of Northern Xinjiang and north of Southern Xinjiang. (2) The evolutionary pattern of terrestrial carbon stocks is increasing and then decreasing in time, and the carbon sink areas are concentrated in the Tarim River Basin and the vicinity of the Ili River; spatially, there are differences in the aggregation between the northern, southern, and eastern borders. By analyzing the transfer in and out of various categories in Xinjiang over the past 30 years, it was obtained that the transfer out of grassland reduced the carbon stock by 5757.84 × 104 t, and the transfer out of Barren increased the carbon stock by 8586.12 × 104 t. (3) The land use layout of the sustainable development scenario is optimal under the conditions of satisfying economic and ecological development. The reduction in terrestrial carbon stocks under the 2020–2030 sustainable development scenario is 209.79 × 104 t, which is smaller than the reduction of 830.79 × 104 t in 2010–2020. Land optimization resulted in a lower loss of carbon stocks and a more rational land-use layout. Future planning in Xinjiang should be based on sustainable development scenarios, integrating land resources, and achieving sustainable economic and ecological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of soil erosion in a region can provide an effective reference for local ecological environment management. The Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau54 is an important ecological security barrier in southwest China, owing to its unique climatic and environmental characteristics and superior natural resource endowment. The current research focus is the spatial analysis of a certain area. In this study, soil erosion in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau during 2000–2030 was analyzed and predicted from two aspects of structure and spatial layout by coupling several models. The report also analyzes the shift in the center of gravity of land use and analyzes the drivers of soil erosion, analyzing soil erosion by land use type. The study shows a decreasing trend in the soil erosion modulus from 2000 to 2020 from 1183.69 to 704.58 t·hm−2·a−1, but it is expected to have an increasing trend in the future and will increase to 877.72 t·hm−2·a−1. Analyzing the drivers of soil erosion allows for testing whether the factor affects the spatial distribution of the independent variable and to what extent it explains that dependent variable. This study showed that elevation had the highest explanatory power for soil erosion. Relatively high mountainous areas are often subject to greater soil erosion due to their steep topography, resulting in poorer vegetation cover. The north–south offset distance is greater than the east–west offset distance for forested land, water and unutilized land, and the east–west offset distance is greater than the north–south offset distance for cropland, grassland and built-up land in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The purpose of this study is to identify areas of serious soil erosion vulnerability in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and to analyze the driving factors affecting soil erosion vulnerability, so as to provide a basis for regional soil erosion management, and, at the same time, to provide a reference for the government to formulate soil and water conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems offer natural resources and habitats for humans, serving as the foundation for human social development. Taking the Tianshan Mountains as the study area, this study investigated the changing trends, hot spots, and driving factors of water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), carbon storage (CS), and habitat quality (HQ), in the Tianshan region, from 1990 to 2020. To determine the trade-offs and synergies between the ESs, we employed the Spearman correlation coefficient, geographically weighted regression, the self-organizing map (SOM), and other methods. Five main results were obtained. (1) There were similar spatial distribution patterns for WY, HQ, CS, and SC, with high-value areas mainly concentrated in grassland zones, forest zones, river valleys, and the intermountain basins of the mountain range, while regions with low value were clustered in desert zones and snow/ice zones. (2) According to the hotspot analysis, areas with relatively strong ES provisioning for WY, HQ, CS, and SC, were primarily concentrated in the BoroHoro Ula Mountains and Yilianhabierga Mountains. In contrast, areas with relatively weak ES provisioning were mainly located in the Turpan Basin. (3) Precipitation was the primary explanatory factor for WY. Soil type, potential evapotranspiration (PET), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were the primary explanatory factors for HQ. Soil type and NDVI were the primary explanatory factors for CS. PET was the primary explanatory factor for SC. (4) There were synergistic relationships between the WY, HQ, CS, and SC, with the strongest synergies found between CS–HQ, WY–HQ, and WY–SC. (5) Six ES bundles were identified through the SOM method, with their composition varying at different spatial scales, indicating the need for different ES management priorities in different regions. Our analysis of ESs, from various perspectives, offers insights to aid sustainable ecosystem management and conservation efforts in the Tianshan region and other major economic areas worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of forest-dominant tree species is crucial for ecosystem assessment. Remote sensing monitoring requires annual ground sample data, but consistent field surveys are challenging. This study addresses this by combining sample migration learning and machine learning for multi-year tree species classification in the Three Gorges Reservoir area in China. Using the continuous change detection and classification (CCDC) algorithm, sample data from 2023 were successfully migrated to 2018–2022, achieving high migration accuracy ( R 2 = 0.8303, RMSE = 4.64). Based on migrated samples, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) algorithms classified forest tree species with overall accuracies above 70% and Kappa coefficients above 0.6. XGB. They outperformed other algorithms, with classification accuracy of over 80% and Kappa above 0.75 in almost all years. The final map indicates stable distribution from 2018 to 2023, with eucalyptus covering over 40% of the forest area, followed by horsetail pine, fir, cypress, and wetland pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality is a critical aspect of environmental health, affecting ecosystems, human health, and economic activities. In recent years, increasing pollution from industrial, agricultural, and urban sources has raised concerns about the deterioration of water quality in surface water bodies. Therefore, this study investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of water elements, human health risks of surface water, and pollutant sources at the confluence of the Wei River and the Yellow River. Using 80 samples collected during both wet and dry seasons, the content of the 22 water chemistry indicators was tested. A statistical analysis, Piper diagram, and entropy water quality index were employed to analyze the chemistry indicator content, hydrochemical composition, and water environmental quality of the surface water in the area. Moreover, the health risk assessment model was utilized to evaluate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks associated with heavy metal elements in surface water. Finally, correlation heatmaps and a principal component analysis were used to identify potential pollution sources in the study area. The results indicated that C r (VI) and N H 3 - N were the main pollutants during the wet season, while surface water quality during the dry season was mainly influenced by F − . The hydrochemical type in the study area was mainly S O 4 C l - C a M g . The health risk assessment revealed a high carcinogenic risk in the study area, with C r (VI) being the primary heavy metal element contributing to health risks. The correlation and principal component analysis results show that the surface water environment in the study area was influenced by soil characteristics (soils containing F − in the Dalí region, soils containing heavy metals in the Tongguan region), native geological environment (mineral resources and terrain conditions), and industrial activities (ore smelting). This study identified the key pollution indicators, the priority control areas, and the extent of the human health impact of the surface water at the confluence of the Wei River and the Yellow River, guiding targeted management of surface water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating the characteristics and underlying mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen mineralization in the context of sludge addition is vital for enhancing soil quality and augmenting the carbon sink capacity of soil. This study examined the chemical properties, enzyme dynamics, and organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization processes of soil from degraded grasslands on the Loess Plateau at various incubation temperatures (5, 15, 25, and 35 °C) and sludge addition rates (0%, 5.0%, 10.0%, and 20.0%) through a laboratory incubation experiment. The results showed that incubation temperature, sludge addition, and their interactive effects significantly altered the soil enzyme C:N, C:P, and N:P stoichiometries. The cumulative mineralization rates of SOC and nitrogen increased significantly with increasing incubation temperature and sludge addition rate. Principal component analysis revealed a significant linear correlation between cumulative SOC and nitrogen mineralization. Random forest analysis indicated that β-1,4-Glucosidase (BG), β-1,4-N-acetyglucosaminidase (NAG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), ammonium nitrogen (NO3−), enzyme C:P ratio, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and incubation temperature were crucial determinants of cumulative SOC mineralization. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that sludge addition, NO3−, NAG, ALP, and enzyme C:P positively impacted SOC mineralization, whereas dissolved organic carbon and BG had negative impacts. Conversely, incubation temperature negatively affected soil nitrogen mineralization, whereas NO3−, available phosphorus, and ALP contributed positively. Sludge addition and temperature indirectly modulated soil net nitrogen mineralization by altering soil chemical properties and enzyme activities. These findings underscore the role of SOC and nitrogen mineralization as indicators for evaluating soil nutrient retention capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxus chinensis var. mairei is an endangered tree species endemic to China; it has important ornamental, timber, and medicinal value. In this work, based on a MaxEnt model, the Jiangnan hilly region was used as the study area, and geographic, climatic, soil, and vegetation data were synthesized to simulate the present area of suitable habitat for T. chinensis; the key environmental factors that constrain its habitat expansion were also explored. Additionally, the potential future distribution of this species under different climate-change scenarios was predicted. The results showed that the six variables making the highest contribution to T. chinensis habitat suitability were the precipitation of the warmest quarter (14.2%), precipitation seasonality variation coefficient (9.1%), aspect (8.2%), altitude (8%), maximum temperature of the warmest month (7.4%), and base saturation (6.6%). Ideal areas have middle elevations, northeastern or northwestern slopes, warmest quarterly precipitation of 508.3–629.2 mm, maximum temperature in the warmest month of 34.6–35.9 °C, and relatively moist soil. The current area of suitable habitat is 6.09 × 105 km2, of which the area of high suitability is 7.56 × 104 km2; this is mainly concentrated in the southwestern part of Hunan, the southwestern part of Jiangxi Province, and the northern part of Zhejiang. Under the SSP2-4.5 climate scenario, the area of high habitat suitability increases; under both the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios, the suitable habitat area expands similarly. The direction of the center-of-mass migration of T. chinensis under different climate scenarios is somewhat different from that caused by the uncertainty of human activities and climate warming. This paper clarifies the distribution of suitable habitat and future potential for T. chinensis in the Jiangnan hilly region, providing a theoretical basis for habitat management of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevational climatic heterogeneity, complex terrains, and varying subsurface properties affect the sensitivity of evapotranspiration (ET) in dryland mountain forests to hydrometeorological changes. However, the elevational distribution of ET sensitivity and its major influencing factors remain poorly understood. This study focused on the mid-altitude zone (1000–3500 m) forests in the Chinese Western Tianshan Mountains and assessed ET sensitivity to multiple climate variables, including precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET), from 2000 to 2020. To evaluate the multi-year mean and trends in ET sensitivity, multi-source remote sensing data and regional survey data were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient, the sliding window method, and Kendall's test. Furthermore, the relative importance of environmental variables (topography, geology, soil, and vegetation) was investigated. P and PET showed no significant trends, while ET exhibited a significant increasing trend (5.81 mm/yr, p < 0.01), particularly at elevations above 2000 m. Most forests (93.5%) showed a positive sensitivity of ET to P, and 70.0% showed a positive sensitivity of ET to PET, mainly at elevations of 1500–2500 m. Additionally, the trend in ET sensitivity to P decreased with an increasing elevation, with 64.5% showing a positive trend. Meanwhile, the trend in ET sensitivity to PET increased with elevation, with 88.1% showing a positive trend. Notably, 53.2% of the forests showed increasing ET sensitivity trends to both P and PET, primarily at elevations of 2000–3000 m with a mean normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of 0.56. Geological factors, particularly the hydrological properties of weathered bedrock, contributed the most (~47%) to mean sensitivity. However, geological and vegetative factors, including the NDVI and root zone water availability, were the main contributors (35% each) to the sensitivity. This study highlights the elevation-dependent sensitivity of dryland mountain forests to hydrothermal changes, with higher-elevation forests (>2000 m) being more sensitive to global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the paucity of research on synchronous mafic rocks in the Tarim Basin, the late Paleozoic–early Mesozoic tectonic development of this region is not well defined. The Halaqi region is situated on Tarim's northwest edge, and numerous mafic dikes can be found cross-cutting the Permian strata. The whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U–Pb age, and Sr–Nd isotopic signature of these mafic rocks have never been reported before, and this contribution can offer geochronological and petrogenetic investigations that provide fresh insight into the geodynamic development of the area. Major oxide contents in the Halaqi mafic rocks vary, including SiO2 (45.74–50.31 wt.%), Al2O3 (13.28–14.8 wt.%), FeOT (16.48–19.19 wt.%), MgO (7.58–10.32 wt.%), CaO (7.19–12.39 wt.%), Na2O (2.97–4.50 wt.%), K2O (0.24–0.63 wt.%), TiO2 (1.11–1.29 wt.%), MnO (0.14–0.16 wt.%), and P2O5 (0.13–0.17 wt.%). The mafic rocks are enriched in high-field-strength elements (e.g., Zr and Hf) and large-ion lithophile elements (e.g., Sr, Th, and U) but depleted in Nb, Ta, and P. The total REEs in the rocks are lower (ΣREE = 72.80–86.85 ppm), and HREEs are somewhat depleted in comparison to LREEs, with positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 1.05–1.17) but weak negative Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 0.91–0.93). Zircon U–Pb ages of 201–247 Ma were obtained from a total of 18 magmatic zircon grains found in the mafic rocks that were studied. These results point to a middle-to-late Triassic emplacement. The mafic dikes exhibit somewhat enriched Nd isotopic compositions (εNd(t) = –1.6~–0.2) and an older Nd model age (TDM = 1.24–1.37 Ga). The Halaqi middle–late Triassic mafic dikes are thought to have originated from the same tectonic background as the Permian Tarim Large Igneous Province, along with similar geochemical and isotopic compositions. This suggests that they are all products of the interaction between asthenospheric and lithospheric mantles in an intraplate extensional environment. Research indicates that the Triassic mafic magmatism in northwest Tarim could be the product of the continuous thermal pulse of the Tarim mantle plume and be a part of the Tarim LIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat quality has great significance in terms of regional ecological conservation and human welfare. In this study, we evaluated the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use and habitat quality in the temperate desert sub-region of the Ordos Plateau using patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) and integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs (InVEST) models. From 2000 to 2020, the areas of grassland, cropland, and unused land in the study area increased significantly; the areas of water bodies and woodland increased slightly; and the area of wasteland decreased significantly. Moreover, the habitat quality in the temperate desert subzone of the Ordos Plateau showed a trend of initial increase and then decrease between 2000 and 2020. The areas of lower and low habitat quality first decreased and then increased, and the overall area decreased over time. Conversely, the areas of high and higher habitat quality initially increased and then decreased, and the overall area increased over time. The area of medium habitat quality first decreased and then increased, although the overall change was minimal. Based on the PLUS model, the predicted habitat quality of the study area in 2025 under the natural development scenario was compared to that predicted under the ecological conservation scenario. The comparison of results showed higher habitat quality and lower habitat degradation under the ecological conservation development scenario. These results can be used to provide a scientific basis and decision reference for the sustainable use of land resources and encouragement of high-quality socio-economic development in the temperate desert sub-region of the Ordos Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area was the Hulunbuir Plateau in northeastern China, based on a natural resource element observation study. The assessment of the spatial and temporal variation of soil erosion is crucial for implementing environmental management in the fragile ecosystem of the Hulunbuir Plateau. The study provides an interesting basis for soil erosion control on the Hulunbuir Plateau and other areas with similar climatic conditions, with the aim of providing sound data to support environmental protection policies in the study area. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations in soil erosion in the region from 2000 to 2020 were quantitatively assessed using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. Furthermore, the patch-generating land use simulation model predicted future soil erosion. Land use prediction data were examined using Kappa coefficients. The prediction of future land use types using CMIP6 data and natural social data in the PLUS model were used to predict soil erosion for different future scenarios. The results showed that the soil erosion rate on the Hulunbuir Plateau showed a significant increasing trend in time from 2000 to 2020. Spatially, soil erosion increases gradually from the west to the east. Soil erosion occurs mainly on grasslands, while cultivated lands show a significant increasing trend by 2020. Slope erosion occurs mainly in areas between 15° and 35°. From 2020 to 2050, soil erosion will increase significantly due to increased precipitation. The soil erosion in SSP2–4.5 is better than the other scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change and human activities, the eco-environment quality (EEQ) of eco-fragile regions has undergone massive change, especially in the Tibet Plateau. The Qilian Mountains (QLM) region is an essential ecological function zone in the northeastern Tibet Plateau, which plays a vital role in northwestern China's eco-environmental balance. However, EEQ changes in the QLM during the 21st century remain poorly understood. In this study, the spatiotemporal variations of the EEQ in the QLM were analyzed from 2000 to 2020 using a remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). The EEQ driving factors are identified by the geographic detector, and the spatial influence of critical factors is represented by a geographically weighted regression model. The results show low EEQ in the QLM. From 2000 to 2020, the EEQ initially slightly improved, then deteriorated, and finally gradually recovered. Spatially, the EEQ shows an increasing trend from northwest to southeast. Moran's I of EEQ remains at around 0.95, representing high spatial aggregation. "High–High" and "Low–Low" clustering features dominate in the local spatial autocorrelation, indicating the EEQ of the QLM is polarized. Precipitation is the dominant positive factor in the EEQ, with a q statistics exceeding 0.644. Furthermore, the key factors (precipitation, distance to towns, distance to roads) affecting EEQ in different periods vary significantly in space. From results we can draw the conclusion that the natural factors mainly control the spatial patterns of EEQ, while the human factors mainly impact the temporal trend of EEQ, the EEQ in the QLM has been significantly improved since 2015. Our findings can provide theoretical support for future eco-environmental protection and restoration in the QLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human muscle bundle generates versatile movements with synchronous neurosensory, enabling human to undertake complex tasks, which inspires researches into functional integration of motions and sensing in actuators for robots. Although soft actuators have developed diverse motion capabilities utilizing the inherent compliance, the simultaneous-sensing approaches typically involve adding sensing components or embedding certain-signal-field substrates, resulting in structural complexity and discrepant deformations between the actuation parts with high-dimensional motions and the sensing parts with heterogeneous stiffnesses. Inspired by the muscle-bundle multifiber mechanism, a multicavity functional integration (McFI) approach is proposed for soft pneumatic actuators to simultaneously realize multidimensional motions and sensing by separating and coordinating active and passive cavities. A bio-inspired interweaving foldable endomysium (BIFE) is introduced to construct and reinforce the multicavity chamber with optimized purposive foldability, enabling 3D printing single-material fabrication. Performing elongation, contraction, and bidirectional bending, the McFI actuator senses its spatial position, orientation, and axial force, based on the kinematic and sensing models built on multi-cavity pressures. Two McFI-actuator-driven robots are built: a soft crawling robot with path reconstruction and a narrow-maneuverable soft gripper with object exteroception, validating the practicality in stand-alone use of the actuator and the potential for intelligent soft robotic innovation of the McFI approach., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)