Dust-Holding Capacity and Bio-Chemical Changes of Plant Species Growing in an Around Opencast Mining Area of Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

The present study has been carried out on a total of 50 available plant species to assess their dust-capturing capacity and biochemical performances in and around open cast granite mine areas of Jhansi district and Bundelkhand University campus treated as control site. Plant species existing under a polluted environment for a long time may be considered as potentially resistant species and recommended for green belt design in mining areas, especially to cope with dust pollution. Results showed the pollution level, especially of mining-originated dust particles holding capacity of leaves and effects of different biochemical parameters (Total Chlorophyll, Protein and Carotenoid) of existing plant species both from mining areas as well as from Bundelkhand University campus. Based on their performances, Tectona grandis L., Ficus hispida L., Calotropis procera Aiton., Butea monosperma Lam. and Ficus benghalensis L., etc. are highly tolerant species while Ficus infectoria L., Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Ipomoea purpurea L., Allianthus excelsa Roxb. and Bauhinia variegata L. are intermediate tolerant species. T. grandis had shown the highest dust-holding capacity (2.566 ± 0.0004 mg/cm2) whereas Albizia procera (0.018 ± 0.0002 mg/cm2) was found to be the lowest dust-holding capacity. Our findings also showed that the T. grandis and F. hispida have significant dust deposition with minimal effect of dust on their leaf chlorophyll (17.447 ± 0.019 mg/g and 14.703 ± 0.201 mg/g), protein (0.699 ± 0.001 mg/g and 0.604 ± 0.002 mg/g) and carotenoid (0.372 ± 0.003 mg/g and 0.354 ± 0.003 mg/g) content respectively among all selected plant species. Therefore, in the present investigation, plant species with high tolerance to high dust-holding capacity on their leaf surfaces are preferable for green corridors as open cast granite mines and their adjacent areas.

Potential reduction in carbon fixation capacity under climate change in a Pinus koraiensis forest

There has been an increasing recognition of the crucial role of forests, responsible for sequestering atmospheric CO_(2), as a moral imperative for mitigating the pace of climate change. The complexity of evaluating climate change impacts on forest carbon and water dynamics lies in the diverse acclimations of forests to changing environments. In this study, we assessed two of the most common acclimation traits, namely leaf area index and the maximum rate of carboxylation(V_(cmax)), to explore the potential acclimation pathways of Pinus koraiensis under climate change. We used a mechanistic and process-based ecohydrological model applied to a P. koraiensis forest in Mt. Taehwa, South Korea. We conducted numerical investigations into the impacts of(i) Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 2–4.5(SSP2-4.5) and 5–8.5(SSP5-8.5),(ii) elevated atmospheric CO_(2) and temperature, and(iii) acclimations of leaf area index and V_(cmax)on the carbon and water dynamics of P. koraiensis. We found that there was a reduction in net primary productivity(NPP) under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, but not under SSP5-8.5, compared to the baseline, due to an imbalance between increases in atmospheric CO_(2) and temperature. A decrease in leaf area index and an increase in V_(cmax)of P. koraiensis were expected if acclimations were made to reduce its leaf temperature. Under such acclimation pathways, it would be expected that the well-known CO_(2) fertilizer effects on NPP would be attenuated.

Implementation Status and Development Strategies of Study Tour in Primary Schools in Nanchang City : A Case Study of L Primary School

In recent years,with the support and promotion of relevant policies such as the Opinions on Promoting Study Tour for Primary and Secondary School Students jointly issued by the Ministry of Education and 11 other departments,a wave of study tour has been sparked nationwide from individual pilot projects to gradual promotion.In this paper,students and teachers from grades 4 to 6 of L Primary School in Nanchang City,Jiangxi Province were selected as the survey objects.Combining the survey questionnaire,the current situation of conducting study tour in the primary school was sorted out and analyzed in depth from several aspects such as study tour cognition,study tour participation,study tour implementation,etc.Based on the survey results and relevant research,the current problems in conducting study tours in primary schools were summarized,and targeted improvement measures were proposed,in order to promote the healthy development of study tours in primary schools.

Paleoenvironmental changes recorded by grain size of loess/paleosol sequence from the Chifeng City,Northeastern China since the Last Glacial

The accumulation processes of loess in northeastern(NE)China record the varying characteristics of the East Asian Monsoons(EAM)and the evolution of the local environment.In this study,grain size end-member analysis of the Dajiugang(DJG)section deposited since the Last Glacial in Chifeng City,NE China was used to reveal the dynamic depositional characteristics of loess and environmental evolution of NE China.Results showed that the Chifeng loess comprises three grain size end-members(EM),EM1(7.38μm),EM2(49.4μm)and EM3(90.00μm),indicating the three transport dynamics of dust delivered to the region.The EM1 represents atmospheric dust as the background.The EM2,mainly derived from relatively distant-sources deposition,and EM3,material transported over a short distance,correspond to the intensity of southwesterly winds and the East Asian Winter Monsoon(EAWM),respectively.Results of climate reconstruction,combined with other records,showed that the climate was generally cold and dry with a strong EAWM and a weak East Asian summer monsoon(EASM)during the stadial-period[Marine Isotope Stage(MIS)4 and MIS 2 stage].The climate was predominantly warm and humid,with weak EAWM and surface winds and strong EASM in interstadial-period(MIS 3 and MIS 1 stage).Comparisons between indicators,e.g.,EM3,the LR04 benthicδ18O stack and summer insolation at 65°N suggest that the strong EAWM is induced by increasing the Northern Hemisphere ice volume and reduced summer solar radiation.

Design Strategy of Street Space Micro Renewal: A Case Study of Baihuazhou District of Nanchang City

Against the backdrop of incremental planning moving towards stock planning, strengtheningurban public space design to promote high-quality urban development has become a focus of attentionfor domestic scholars. Street is a linear element of urban public space, and it is of great significance forimproving the quality of urban public space by studying the micro renewal design strategy of street space.Based on the interpretation of two urban renewal cases, Wangjing Street in Beijing and Mengzhuiwan inChengdu, taking Baihuazhou area in Nanchang City as an example, this paper analyzes the main problemsin the current situation of street space in Baihuazhou area from three aspects: space use, traffic organization,and waterfront space creation, and explores the micro renewal design strategy of the street space.

Spatiotemporal landscape pattern changes and their effects on land surface temperature in greenbelt with semi-arid climate:A case study of the Erbil City,Iraq

Urban expansion of cities has caused changes in land use and land cover(LULC)in addition to transformations in the spatial characteristics of landscape structure.These alterations have generated heat islands and rise of land surface temperature(LST),which consequently have caused a variety of environmental issues and threated the sustainable development of urban areas.Greenbelts are employed as an urban planning containment policy to regulate urban expansion,safeguard natural open spaces,and serve adaptation and mitigation functions.And they are regarded as a powerful measure for enhancing urban environmental sustainability.Despite the fact that,the relation between landscape structure change and variation of LST has been examined thoroughly in many studies,but there is a limitation concerning this relation in semi-arid climate and in greenbelts as well,with the lacking of comprehensive research combing both aspects.Accordingly,this study investigated the spatiotemporal changes of landscape pattern of LULC and their relationship with variation of LST within an inner greenbelt in the semi-arid Erbil City of northern Iraq.The study utilized remote sensing data to retrieve LST,classified LULC,and calculated landscape metrics for analyzing spatial changes during the study period.The results indicated that both composition and configuration of LULC had an impact on the variation of LST in the study area.The Pearson's correlation showed the significant effect of Vegetation 1 type(VH),cultivated land(CU),and bare soil(BS)on LST,as increase of LST was related to the decrease of VH and the increases of CU and BS,while,neither Vegetation 2 type(VL)nor built-up(BU)had any effects.Additionally,the spatial distribution of LULC also exhibited significant effects on LST,as LST was strongly correlated with landscape indices for VH,CU,and BS.However,for BU,only aggregation index metric affected LST,while none of VL metrics had a relation.The study provides insights for landscape planners and policymakers to not only develop more green spaces in greenbelt but also optimize the spatial landscape patterns to reduce the influence of LST on the urban environment,and further promote sustainable development and enhance well-being in the cities with semi-arid climate.

Impact of coupling coordination development of port and city environments on urban economic competitiveness:Evidence from the coastal port cities in eastern China

Promoting the coupling coordination development of port and its hinterland city environments is an important way to improve urban economic competitiveness.Based on relevant data of 13 coastal port cities in eastern China from 2000 to 2018,this study explores the coupling coordination development of port and city environments and its impact on urban economic competitiveness by constructing the coupling coordination degree model and the panel threshold model.The research results show that:(1)In terms of the coupling coordination development of port and city environments,most coastal ports and their hinterland cities are in a state of moderate or serious disorder.Overall,the degree of coupling coordination of port and city environments needs to be further improved;(2)The coupling coordination degree of port and city environments has a significant impact on urban economic competitiveness,and this effect gradually increases with the development of the ports and the urban economy.Among the variables that impact the urban economic competitiveness,fixed assets investment and foreign trade are significant factors that can enhance urban economic competitiveness.(3)At present,there is a“U-shaped”relationship between the coupling coordination degree of port-city environments and the urban economic competitiveness.This relationship lies on the right side of the inflection point of the“U-shaped”curve.Therefore,following the concept of assigning priority to ecological development,expanding fixed assets investment and actively developing foreign trade can further enhance the urban economic competitiveness.

Application Strategies of Spatial Refinement Design in Ancient Cities Supported by Digital Te-Zhaoyu Ancient City in Qixian County as an Example

Digital technology provides a method of quantitative investigation and data analysis for contemporary landscape spatial analysis,and related research is moving from image recognition to digital algorithmic analysis,providing a more scientific and macroscopic way of research.The key to refinement design is to refine the spatial design process and the spatial improvement strategy system.Taking the ancient city of Zhaoyu in Qixian County,Shanxi Province as an example,(1)based on obtaining the integrated data of the ancient city through the drone tilt photography,the style and landscape of the ancient city are modeled;(2)the point cloud data with spatial information is imported into the point cloud analysis platform and the data analysis is carried out from the overall macroscopic style of the ancient city to the refinement level,which results in the formation of a more intuitive landscape design scheme,thus improving the precision and practicability of the landscape design;(3)Based on spatial big data,it starts from the spatial aggregation level,spatial distribution characteristics and other evaluation index system to achieve the refinement analysis of the site.Digital technology and methods are used throughout the process to explore the refined design path.

Changing Characteristics of Comfort Index of Human Body in Bengbu City in the Past 40 Years under the Background of Climate Change

Based on the daily meteorological data of Bengbu City during 1981-2020,the changing characteristics of three elements needed for the calculation of the comfort index of human body(CIHB)were discussed,and daily CIHB was classified and discussed.The results show that from 1981 to 2020,annual average temperature tended to increase significantly.Annual average wind speed and relative humidity showed a decreasing trend before 2011 but an increasing trend after 2011.The duration of the four seasons in Bengbu City mainly rose in spring,reduced in winter,declined first and then increased in summer,and rose first and then decreased in autumn.As CIHB was at grades 1 and 9(the most uncomfortable),the three factors had different effects on them.For cold weather,the influence of relative humidity and wind speed on CIHB can not be ignored besides temperature.In hot weather,the influence of temperature was dominant,and the change of annual average temperature could well correspond to the change in the number of very hot days.In the context of climate warming,the number of cold days tended to decline generally,but it was larger in the years with fewer very cold days.Under the background of climate warming,there was no obvious change in the number of days of the overall comfort of human body.The number of hot days was closely related to the duration of summer,and the number of days of grade 8 rose significantly in the years with an increase in the duration of summer.

Research on the Challenges and Solutions for Ethnic Tourism Service Management in Xichang City,Liangshan Prefecture in the Regional Tourism Era

With the advent of the regional tourism era,ethnic tourism service management in Xichang City,Liangshan Prefecture,faces new challenges and opportunities.This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of ethnic tourism service management in Xichang City,identifying existing issues such as uneven service quality,an imperfect management system,and the need for improved professional quality among service personnel.To address these problems,the paper proposes several countermeasures,including establishing a service system oriented toward tourists’needs,enhancing professional training for service personnel,and optimizing the management model for tourism service quality.The study aims to promote the sustainable,rapid,and healthy development of tourism in Xichang City,Liangshan Prefecture,and contribute to the prosperity of tourism in Sichuan Province by improving the management level of ethnic tourism services.

Changing Connectivities of Chinese Cities in the World City Network,2010–2016

Against the backdrop of the sizable economic growth of China in recent years, this paper uses the most recent data gathering of the Globalization and World Cities(Ga WC) research network to update and supplement earlier research on the shifting global connectivity of Chinese cities. The update consists of an evaluation of the connectivity of Chinese cities in 2016, the supplement of an analysis of the changing position of Chinese cities in the world city network between 2010 and 2016. To this end, we build on a specification of the world city network as an ‘interlocking network' in which producer services firms play the crucial role in city network formation. Information about the presence of leading producer services firms in cities in 2010 and 2016 is used as the input to a bipartite network projection algorithm in order to measure cities' network connectivity. The first set of results discusses the geographies of urban connectivity in the world city network in 2016. The second set of results discusses standardized measures of change to reveal the major dimensions of the transformations between 2010 and 2016. We find that, with the exception of Hong Kong, Macao and Kaohsiung of Taiwan, all Chinese cities record connectivity gains. This wholesale rise in connectivity is nonetheless geographically uneven, with above all Beijing, Chengdu/Chongqing and Changsha/Wuhan becoming more connected. We conclude that the wholesale rise of Chinese cities in the world city network and their changing trajectories in the post-crisis era are embedded in shifting external and internal political economies.

Monitoring the change in horizontal stress with multi-wave time-lapse seismic response based on nonlinear elasticity theory

Monitoring the change in horizontal stress from the geophysical data is a tough challenge, and it has a crucial impact on broad practical scenarios which involve reservoir exploration and development, carbon dioxide (CO_(2)) injection and storage, shallow surface prospecting and deep-earth structure description. The change in in-situ stress induced by hydrocarbon production and localized tectonic movements causes the changes in rock mechanic properties (e.g. wave velocities, density and anisotropy) and further causes the changes in seismic amplitudes, phases and travel times. In this study, the nonlinear elasticity theory that regards the rock skeleton (solid phase) and pore fluid as an effective whole is used to characterize the effect of horizontal principal stress on rock overall elastic properties and the stress-dependent anisotropy parameters are therefore formulated. Then the approximate P-wave, SV-wave and SH-wave angle-dependent reflection coefficient equations for the horizontal-stress-induced anisotropic media are proposed. It is shown that, on the different reflectors, the stress-induced relative changes in reflectivities (i.e., relative difference) of elastic parameters (i.e., P- and S-wave velocities and density) are much less than the changes in contrasts of anisotropy parameters. Therefore, the effects of stress change on the reflectivities of three elastic parameters are reasonably neglected to further propose an AVO inversion approach incorporating P-, SH- and SV-wave information to estimate the change in horizontal principal stress from the corresponding time-lapse seismic data. Compared with the existing methods, our method eliminates the need for man-made rock-physical or fitting parameters, providing more stable predictive power. 1D test illustrates that the estimated result from time-lapse P-wave reflection data shows the most reasonable agreement with the real model, while the estimated result from SH-wave reflection data shows the largest bias. 2D test illustrates the feasibility of the proposed inversion method for estimating the change in horizontal stress from P-wave time-lapse seismic data.

文旅融合:“Citywalk”热潮下的冷思考

“Citywalk”(城市漫步)强调慢节奏和沉浸式体验,是深受年轻人追捧的文旅消费新范式。“Citywalk”火爆出圈的背后,也存在着产品辨识度不高、利润低、专业性不强、产品更迭慢等问题。“文旅融合”的有效健康发展,需要在资源供给、产品创新、服务品质等方面开展全方位、多领域的合作联动,成果共享才能形成互利共赢新格局。

Preliminary results on a near-real-time rock slope damage monitoring system based on relative velocity changes following the September 5,2022 M_(S) 6.8 Luding,China earthquake

Relative seismic velocity change(dv/v)is important for monitoring changes in subsurface material properties and evaluating earthquake-induced rock slope damage in a geological disaster-prone region.In this paper,we present a rapid damage assessment on three slow-moving rock slopes by measuring dv/v decrease caused by the 2022 M_(S) 6.8 Luding earthquake in Southwest China.By applying the stretching method to the cross-correlated seismic wavefields between sensors installed on each slope,we obtain earthquake-induced dv/v decreases of~2.1%,~0.5%,and~0.2%on three slopes at distances ranging from~86 to~370 km to the epicenter,respectively.Moreover,based on seismic data recorded by 16 sensors deployed on the rock slope at a distance of~370 km away from the epicenter,a localized dv/v decease region was observed at the crest of the slope by calculating the spatial dv/v images before and after the earthquake.We also derive an empirical in situ stress sensitivity of -7.29×10^(-8)/Pa by relating the dv/v change to the measured peak dynamic stresses.Our results indicate that a rapid dv/v assessment not only can help facilitate on-site emergency response to earthquakeinduced secondary geological disasters but also can provide a better understanding of the subsurface geological risks under diverse seismic loadings.

Spatio-temporal variations of shallow seismic velocity changes in Salton Sea Geothermal Field,California in response to large regional earthquakes and long-term geothermal activities

We measure spatio-temporal variations of seismic velocity changes in Salton Sea Geothermal Field,California based on cross correlations of daily seismic traces recorded by a borehole seismic network from December 2007 to January 2014.We find clear co-seismic velocity reductions during the 2010 M 7.2 El Mayor–Cucapah,Mexico earthquake at~100 km further south,followed by long-term recoveries.The co-seismic reductions are larger with longer post-seismic recoveries in higher frequency bands,indicating that material damage and healing process mostly occurred in the shallow depth.In addition,the co-seismic velocity reductions are larger for ray paths outside the active fluid injection/extraction regions.The ray paths inside injection/extraction regions are associated with smaller co-seismic reductions,but subtle long-term velocity increases.We also build 3D transient water flow models based on monthly injection/extraction rates,and find correlations between several water flow parameters and co-seismic velocity reductions.We interpret the relative lack of co-seismic velocity changes within the geothermal region as unclogging of fracture network due to persistent fluid flows of geothermal production.The long-term velocity increase is likely associated with the ground water depletion and subsidence due to net production.

Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

基于统计损伤修正的冻结砂—黏混合土改进Duncan-Chang模型

为描述冻结砂—黏混合土的偏应力—应变关系,进行不同含砂量冻结砂—黏混合土的冻土三轴压缩试验。基于改进的Duncan-Chang模型(D-C模型),引入统计损伤理论,拟合三轴压缩试验结果,分别建立以Mises强度准则和应变发展为微元强度变量的统计损伤修正模型,对比计算结果与试验数据。结果表明:冻结砂—黏混合土偏应力峰值随含砂量的增加而增加,偏应力—应变曲线由应变硬化型逐渐过渡到应变软化型的临界含砂量为50%。当含砂量介于20%~60%时,基于统计损伤理论的修正改进D-C模型能有效拟合应变硬化型曲线和具有轻微应变软化现象的偏应力—应变曲线。当含砂量为90%时,基于应变发展的统计损伤修正模型的偏应力峰值与试验结果相差3%,具有较强适用性。该结果为不同微元强度变量的统计损伤修正模型提供参考。

Landscape Architecture Development Path of Water Resource-Scarcity Cities: Summary of Jinchang City's Efforts in Constructing National Garden City

Jinchang City, a city with scarce water resources, has developed through 32 years of efforts from a small town in the Gobi desert into a medium modern city, and green coverage ratio of the downtown area has risen from 2.6% before the founding of the city to 36.11%. This paper summarized the measures adopted by Jinchang City for building national garden city.

Understanding the Relationship Between Shrinking Cities and Land Prices:Spatial Pattern,Effectiveness,and Policy Implications

Urban shrinkage has emerged as a widespread phenomenon globally and has a significant impact on land,particularly in terms of land use and price.This study focuses on 2851 county-level cities in China in 2005–2018(excluding Hong Kong,Macao,Taiwan,and‘no data’areas in Qinhai-Tibet Plateau)as the fundamental units of analysis.By employing nighttime light(NTL)data to identify shrinking cities,the propensity score matching(PSM)model was used to quantitatively examine the impact of shrinking cities on land prices,and evaluate the magnitude of this influence.The findings demonstrate the following:1)there were 613 shrinking cities in China,with moderate shrinkage being the most prevalent and severe shrinkage being the least.2)Regional disparities are evident in the spatial distribution of shrinking cities,especially in areas with diverse terrain.3)The spatial pattern of land price exhibits a significant correlated to the economic and administrative levels.4)Shrinking cities significantly negatively impact on the overall land price(ATT=–0.1241,P<0.05).However,the extent of the effect varies significantly among different spatial regions.This study contributes novel insights into the investigation of land prices and shrinking cities,ultimately serving as a foundation for government efforts to promote the sustainable development of urban areas.

Global Change in Agricultural Flash Drought over the 21st Century

Agricultural flash droughts are high-impact phenomena, characterized by rapid soil moisture dry down. The ensuing dry conditions can persist for weeks to months, with detrimental effects on natural ecosystems and crop cultivation. Increases in the frequency of these rare events in a future warmer climate would have significant societal impact. This study uses an ensemble of 10 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP) models to investigate the projected change in agricultural flash drought during the 21st century. Comparison across geographical regions and climatic zones indicates that individual events are preceded by anomalously low relative humidity and precipitation, with long-term trends governed by changes in temperature, relative humidity, and soil moisture. As a result of these processes, the frequency of both upperlevel and root-zone flash drought is projected to more than double in the mid-and high latitudes over the 21st century, with hot spots developing in the temperate regions of Europe, and humid regions of South America, Europe, and southern Africa.