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.

Historical Changes,Contemporary Characteristics,and Five Transformations of Environmental Design in China

Starting from the characteristics of modernization in three different historical stages since the founding of the People’s Republic of China,this paper analyses the internal changes in the professional name,subordinate disciplines and categories,and professional mission of the environmental design profession,and summarizes the changes in the characteristics of the environmental design profession in 10 aspects such as subordinate disciplines,design objects,design types,cultural characteristics,and aesthetic values on the basis of the results of the analysis,and explores five transformations of the environmental design profession in the process of China’s development in the future.The five transformations in the future development of China are to serve the harmony and beauty of the three major urban and rural spaces with“small and micro-renewal and reconstruction”;to serve the transmission of Chinese culture and the spread of Chinese civilization with“spatial heritage and innovation”;to serve the balance and sufficiency of the four functions of urban and rural settlements with“friendliness and equilibrium”;to serve the intelligence,wisdom,and enjoyment of indoor and outdoor living environment space with“scientific and technological achievements”;and to serve the co-construction,co-management,and sharing of indoor and outdoor public space in urban and rural areas with“public participation.”

Is economic fitness helpful in achieving environmental sustainability in BRICS economies?A risk exposure perspective

A country’s ability to create complex goods and diversify its lines of products is essential for addressing all types of vulnerabilities.Quantifying a country’s vulnerability to extreme climatic events,such as droughts,superstorms,and other natural disasters,and its capacity for successful adaption,is an essential global need that has been ignored.This study examines the role of economic fitness(EF)in addressing climate change risk ex‐posure in BRICS countries in the context of the environmental Kuznets curve using panel data from 1995 to 2015.Panel threshold methodology is employed to ascertain the nonlinear relationship between EF and climate change risk exposure(i.e.,Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index(ND-GAIN)).In addition,empirical associations were estimated using panel-corrected standard errors,Driscoll-Kraay standard errors,and feasible generalized least squares estimation techniques.These findings demonstrated an inverted N shaped link between EF and ND-GAIN.Moreover,even after controlling for significant ND-GAIN influencing variables such as gross domestic product per capita,financial development,and urbanization,our robustness checks revealed significant and consistent findings.

Social and Economic Considerations for Creating Sustainable Climate Change Haven Communities

As Climate Change Haven Communities are constructed across the Northern Hemisphere, it will be necessary to attract two types of migrants to populate them. The first group consists of professionals and companies in eco-sustainable businesses, such as law firms, insurance companies, investment firms, banking, technological innovation, mass media, medical research and pharmaceutical research. The second group will consist of persons engaged in organic/eco-sustainable agriculture whose crops and animal husbandry practices can be transferred successfully to Climate Change Haven regions. The present research focuses on the social and economic variables that must be taken into account to insure that each new Climate Change Haven Community becomes successfully integrated with the local population and forms a cohesive, harmonious social structure. Examples are given from the United States, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Responses of breeding waterbird communities to environmental changes in subsidence wetlands in the North China Plain

In the context of global degradation and loss of natural wetlands,waterbirds have been increasingly using artificial wetlands as alternative habitats.However,waterbirds are facing various threats in these artificial wetlands,due to dramatic environmental changes induced by anthropogenic activities.Exploring the effects of these changes on the temporal dynamics of the waterbird communities can help understand how waterbirds adapt to environmental changes and thus formulate effective management and conservation plans.In this study,we carried out field surveys on waterbirds and environmental factors across 20 subsidence wetlands created by underground coal mining in the Huainan coal mining area in the breeding seasons of 2016 and 2021.We predicted that the waterbird assemblages(i.e.,number of individuals,species richness,Shannon-Wiener diversity,Pielou evenness and species composition) differed between the two years,and that these differences were correlated with the temporal changes in environmental factors.Across the surveyed wetlands,we recorded 26 waterbird species in 2016 and 23 in 2021.For individual wetlands,the number of waterbird individuals and species richness increased by 71.6% and 20.1%,respectively,over the five years,with no changes in Shannon-Wiener diversity and Pielou evenness.The overall increase in the number of bird individuals was mainly caused by an increase in vegetation gleaners and gulls that adapt well to anthropogenic activities.The species composition was significantly different between the two years,which was mainly caused by changes in the number of individuals of dominant species under influence of changes in human activities.For most wetlands,the temporal pairwiseβ-diversities could be explained by species turnover rather than nestedness,probably due to high mobility of waterbird species and dramatic changes in local environments.Our study suggests that waterbird communities could respond to environmental changes in subsidence wetlands,providing important implications for waterbird conservation in human-dominated artificial wetlands.

Challenges and Countermeasures for Integrating the Protection of Environmental Rights into Actions for Addressing Climate Change

Climate change,which is the result of human activities,has wide-ranging impact.It poses a serious threat to human rights.Environmental rights are where the protection of the ecological environment and the development of human rights intersect.In view of the close relationship between the actions for addressing climate change and environmental rights,China should integrate the protection of environmental rights into the actions for addressing climate change,so as to achieve simultaneous development of both.In the process of coping with climate change,the right to climate stability that mainly pursues a“harmless”environment and the right to a more livable climate that pursues a“beautiful eco-environment”are specific manifestations of environmental rights and should be the priority of protection efforts.However,there are still some obstacles to achieving the coordinated development of the efforts to address climate change and the protection of environmental rights because traditional rights protection methods mainly give individuals subjective rights with the power to claim and are thus difficult to meet the needs of environmental rights protection in the context of climate change,and there are inherent value differences between responding to climate change and the realization of other human rights.Building a multi-level national obligation system to address climate change,giving full play to the role of courts in responding to climate change through moderate judicial activism,and coordinating the efforts to cope with climate change and the development of human rights under the guidance of a holistic system view are effective ways to overcome the aforementioned difficulties.

Environmental change since mid-Pleistocene recorded in Shangshan achaeological site of Zhejiang

At about 173 ka BP of the late period of mid-Pleistocene, the second terrace of the river had been formed as a result of uplift happening in Shangshan area because of the climate, sea level change and tectonic action. Between 173-75 ka BP, aeolian deposited on the terrace, a layer of reticulate red clayey soil about 80-100 cm thick deposited and developed under the warmer and higher temperature. In the last glacial period, the drop of the temperature and the decrease of the precipitation induced the dust-storms increased, A layer of Xiashu loess about 1.0-1.5 m thick accumulated on Shangshan terrace in the last glacial, which has the reticulate red clayey soil buried. At the beginning of the Holocene （11500 a BP-）, temperature went higher gradually and precipitation got more, the pre-persons moved on the Shangshan terrace （11,400-8600 a BP）, which is one of the most important archaeological sites, and can connect the paleolithic culture with Neolithic culture. It could be assumed from the results that the lower reaches of the Yangtze River are the home of rice cultivation, too. The lower place to the west of the Shangshan site experienced the two cycles process of the fluvial facies and the lacustrine facies, indicating that the water source of the pre-historical Shangshan is the river water or lake water. Two AMS 14C age proved the water source disappeared more than 1000 years ago.

Environmental changes during modern period from the record of Gaoyou Lake sediments, Jiangsu

Based on analysis of parameters of cores taken from Gaoyou Lake, including magnetic susceptibility, grain-size characteristics and sedimentary rate, environmental changes during the modern period were examined with the assistance of historical records and Gaoyou Lake water level materials. It is concluded that during the modern period a higher value of magnetic susceptibility and a lower sediment grain size coincided with a wet climate, while a lower value of magnetic susceptibility and a higher grain size were related with a dry climate. The results indicate that the climate in the 123 years period from 1880 to 2003AD can be divided into four stages： two low water level stages （1880-1915AD, 1948-1981AD） and two high water level stages （1915-1948AD, 1981-2003AD）. It appears that the regional climate generally underwent a dry-wet-dry-wet pattern in 30-year cycles. At present, it is at the end of a wet period, so the regional climate is expected to become dry in the near future. This conclusion corresponds with the climate records in the historical literature of the Gaoyou area, and it also matches with the climatic changes in North Jiangsu area.

Population growth，economic growth，technology changes in relation to environmental changes──A theoretical modelling analysis of environmental changes

This paper mainly deals with the impact of three major factors , namely population growth,economic growth and technology changes, on the changes of environmental quality. It presents a curve ofenvironmental changes in relation to demographic transition and process of industrialization. It concludesthat a major way of improving environmental quality is to intensify pollution decreasing technical factorsand that control of population growth will also reduce the pressure on the environment.

Recent sedimentary records in the East China Sea inner shelf and their response to environmental change and human activities

The East China Sea continental shelf is a unique area for the study of land-sea interactions and paleoenvironmental change because it receives a large amount of terrestrial material inputs. In recent decades, human activities and global climate change have greatly aff ected river discharges into the sea. However, changes in the deposition process caused by these factors in the East China Sea continental shelf are unclear. We collected eight short sediment cores from the East China Sea inner shelf(ECSIS) using a box core sampler in 2012 and 2015. The grainsize, 2 10 Pb, and 1 37 Cs of these cores were analyzed in order to reconstruct the deposition history since the 1950 s, and to reveal human activity and climate change influences on sediment deposition in the ECSIS. Results indicated that sediment grain size became finer after 1969, turned coarser after 1987, and then further coarser since 2003, corresponding well to the three steps of sediment load drop in the Changjiang(Yangtze) River, which are mainly caused by human activities(particularly the closure of the Three Gorges Dam). Simultaneously, the East Asian Monsoon influenced the deposition process in the ECSIS by changing the intensity of coastal currents. Mean grain size variations in the fine-grained population(divided by grain size vs. standard deviation method) coincided with that of the East Asian Winter Monsoon strength and reflected its weakness in 1987. Abrupt changes in sediment grain size over a short time scale in these sediment cores were generally caused by floods and typhoons. Spectral analyses of the sediment cores showed periodicities of 10–11 and 20–22 years, corresponding to the periodicity of solar activity(Schwabe cycle and Hale cycle). Mean grain size time series also displayed a 3–8 year periodicity corresponding to El Ni?o Southern Oscillation periodic change.

Sediment records of environmental changes in the south end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area during the past 100 years

Previous studies carried out in the East China Sea （ECS） mud area focused on long-term environmental changes in sedimentary records during the Holoeene, especially during the mid-Holocene high-stand water levels period. These results indicate that sensitive grain size groups can be used as a sedimentary proxy to reconstruct the evolution of the East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM）. The studies have been carried out mainly in the northern and middle portions of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud, however, similar research in the southern portion and the comparison between sedimentary proxy and modern measured data of EAWM are lacking. In this paper, we focused on a sedimentary record of the past 100 years with an enhanced resolution of 1.8 years. Investigations of the southern end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area were conducted on the basis of 21~Pb chronology, grain-size analysis and chemical element analysis. The correspondence between the mean grain size （Mz） of sediment sensitive grain size and the measured EAWM was confirmed for the first time. We found that during the recent 100 years, the variation of the mean grain size of the sensitive population in the southern portion of the Zhejiang-Fujian mud was mainly controlled by the EAWM intensity changes; and not directly related to changes in the sediment discharge from Datong station of the Changjiang River （DTSD）. Finally, recent changes in the content of heavy metals in study area reflect the impact of human activities on the environment.

Assessing the impacts of ecological-living-productive land changes on eco-environmental quality in Xining City on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

The Ecological-living-productive land(ELPL)classification system was proposed in an effort to steer China's land pattern to an ecological-centered path,with the development model shifting from a single function into more integrated multifunction land use.The focus is coordinating the man-land contradictions and developing an intensive,efficient and sustainable land use policy in an increasingly tense relationship between humans and nature.Driven by socioeconomic change and rapid population growth,many cities are undergoing urban sprawl,which involves the consumption of cropland and ecological land and threatens the ecological balance.This paper aims to quantitatively analyze the critical effects of ELPL changes on eco-environmental quality according to land use classification based on leading function of ecology,living and production from 1990 to 2015 with a case study of Xining City.Also,four future land use scenarios were simulated for 2030 using the Future Land Use Simulation(FLUS)model that couples human and natural effects.Our results show a decrease in productive land(PL)and an increase in ecological land(EL)and living land(LL)in Xining City.Forestry ecological land(FEL)covered the top largest proportion;agriculture productive land(APL)showed the greatest reduction and urban and rural living land(U-RLL)presented a dramatic increase.The eco-environmental quality improved in 1990-2010,mainly affected by the conversion of APL to FEL and GEL.However,the encroachment of U-RLL into APL,other ecological land(OEL)and FEL was the main contributor to the decline in eco-environmental quality in 2010-2015 as well as the primary reason for the increase area of lower-quality.The Harmonious Development(HD)-Scenario,characterized by a rational allocation of LL and PL and a better eco-environment,would have implications for planning and monitoring future management of ELPL,and may represent a valuable reference for local policy-makers.

Sediment record of environmental change at Lake Lop Nur (Xinjiang, NW China) from 13.0 to 5.6 cal ka BP

Lake Lop Nur is located in the eastern part of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang,northwestern China.A 220-cm-long sediment core was collected from the center of the ear-shaped depression forming the basin and dated with AMS^(14)C.Grain size,total organic matter(TOC),total nitrogen(TN),and TOC/TN(C/N)analyses were used to reconstruct climatic conditions from 13.0 to 5.6 cal ka BP.The results showed fi ve main climatic stages.Zone I(13.0–11.3 cal ka BP)was a wet–dry environment,whereas Zone II(11.3–8.9 cal ka BP)consisted of a primarily wet environment.Zone III(8.9–7.7 cal ka BP)was subdivided into Zone IIIa(8.9–8.2 cal ka BP)that indicated lake constriction and dry climate,and Zone IIIb(8.2–7.7 cal ka BP)in which the proxies indicated wet conditions.In Zone IV(7.7–6.6 cal ka BP),the climate presented a bit wet conditions.In Zone V(6.6–5.6 cal ka BP),abundant glauberite is present in the sediment and silt dominates the lithology;these results indicate the lake shrank and the overall climate was dry.Abrupt environmental events were also identifi ed,including six dry events at 11.0,10.5,9.3,8.6,8.2,and 7.6 cal ka BP and one fl ood event from 7.8 to 7.7 cal ka BP in the Early–Middle Holocene.

Land cover change and eco-environmental quality response of different geomorphic units on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Land cover in the Chinese Loess Plateau has undergone dramatic changes since the late 1980s.Revealing the trend in land cover change and eco-environmental quality response of different geomorphic units in this stage is a realistic requirement for promoting sustainable development of the Chinese Loess Plateau.Based on the data of geomorphic units and land cover in 1990,2000,2010 and 2018 of the Chinese Loess Plateau,we studied the trend of land cover change and eco-environmental quality response of different geomorphic units by using a significance index of land cover change,a proportion index of land cover change and an eco-environmental response model.The results indicated that from 1990 to 2018,the areas of forestland and construction land substantially increased,whereas those of cropland,grassland,wetland and unused land considerably decreased.Land cover change exhibited large geomorphic differences,and the main conversion of land cover was from cropland into other land types.Unstable trend of land cover change in the loess tablelands and sandy loess hills declined,whereas the unstable trends in the other geomorphic units enhanced.Eco-environmental quality varied among different geomorphic units.The expansion of construction land and degradation of forestland,grassland and wetland resulted in the deterioration of eco-environmental quality.The conversion of cropland and unused land into forestland and grassland,and the conversion of grassland into forestland were the main factors that drove the improvement of eco-environmental quality.The findings of this study may provide theoretical reference and support decision making for the optimization of land use structure and the improvement of eco-environmental quality on the Chinese Loess Plateau.

Visualizing Relationships between Drivers of Environmental Change and Pressures on Land-Based Ecosystems

The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.

Study on Index System of the Environmental Change and Ecological Security for a River Basin Based on DPSIR Model

[ Objective] The research aimed to study index system of the environmental change and ecological security for a river basin based on DPSIR model. [Method] Based on considering each influence factor of the environmental change and ecological security for a river basin, DPSIR model as framework, the basic framework, principle and related method of index system of the environmental change and ecological security for a river basin under influence of the multi-level development were put forward. [ ]Result] Index system of the environmental change and ecological se- curity for a river basin based on DPSIR model included driving force indicator, pressure indicator, state indicator, influence indicator and response indicator. Each indicator type also had many sub-indicators. [ Conclusion] The research provided theoretical support and method reference for as- sessment of the ecological security and execution of the ecological environment management for a river basin in China.

Reconstructing Environmental Changes of a Coastal Lagoon with Coral Reefs in Southeastern Hainan Island

Coastal lagoons with small catchment basins are highly sensitive to natural processes and anthropogenic activities. To figure out the environmental changes of a coastal lagoon and its contribution to carbon burial, two sediment cores were collected in Xincun Lagoon, southeastern Hainan Island and (210) ~Pb activities, grain size parameters, total organic carbon(TOC), total nitrogen(TN), total inorganic carbon(TIC) and stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C) were measured. The results show that in 1770–1815, the decreasing water exchange capacity with outer open water, probably caused by the shifting and narrowing of the tidal inlet, not only diminished the currents and fined the sediments in the lagoon, but also reduced the organic matter of marine sources. From 1815 to 1950, the sedimentary environment of Xincun Lagoon was frequently influenced by storm events. These extreme events resulted in the high fluctuation of sediment grain size and sorting, as well as the great variation in contributions of terrestrial(higher plants, soils) and marine sources(phytoplankton, algae, seagrass). The extremely high content of TIC, compared to TOC before 1950 could be attributed to the large-scale coverage of coral reefs. However, with the boost of seawater aquaculture activities after 1970, the health growth of coral species was severely threatened, and corresponding production and inorganic carbon burial flux reduced. The apparent enhanced inorganic carbon burial rate after 1990 might result from the concomitant carbonate debris produced by seawater aquaculture. This result is important for local government long-term coastal management and environmental planning.

Environmental changes during the past 13500 cal. a BP deduced from lacustrine sediment records of Lake Qinghai, China

A 475-cm long sediment core (QH-2005) from Lake Qinghai was used to carry out multi-proxy analysis of δ18O and body length of ostracod valves and redness and grain size of sediments, in order to reconstruct environ-mental changes during the past 13500 cal. a BP. The age model was based on 6 14C dates for bulk orgnic carbon (BOC) and 2 14C dates for lignin. The lignin 14C dates are apparently younger than the corresponding layers' BOC 14C dates, indicating that the reservoir age varied from 728 to 1222 a since the Late Glacial and from 2390 to 2490 a immediately before the pre-bomb era. Hence, the 14C age model for Core QH-2005 was corrected by the changing reservoir age. Ostracod δ18O values were primarily related to dilution and evaporative enrichment of the lake water. The reconstructed salinity based on ostracod body length coincides well with ostracod δ18O values. High redness and mean grain size (MZ) values indicate increased riverine supply to Lake Qinghai associated with increasing monsoon rainfall. Multi-proxy results show that climate during 13500-10900 cal. a BP was relatively cold and dry with fre-quent short-term fluctuations; a warm and wet climate began at about 10900 cal. a BP and culminated around 6500 cal. a BP as a result of monsoon strengthening; the climate became cold and dry afterwards and has remained rela-tively stable since 3400 cal. a BP. Our data also reveal short-term (millennial/centennial timescales) climatic fluctua-tions including: Younger Dryas events, ice-rafting events 8 and 1 (by ～11000 cal. a BP and ～1600 cal. a BP respec-tively), 8200 cal. a BP cold event, Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period.

Environmental Changes Analysis of Hongjiannao Lake During Recent Fifty Years——Based on the Data of Lake Sediments

Particle size, the contents of carbonate and TOC were analyzed on lake sediments from a short core in Hongjiannao Lake to discuss the environmental changes during the past decades. On the basis of the records in lake sediments and comparison with the meteorological data of Yulin region, the environmental changes in Hongjiannao Lake were approximately divided into two stages. In stage A （1957 -1996）, the lake evolution and the environmental change were mainly influenced by natural factors. It contains three sub-stages： A1 （1957-1969）, a period of lake expansion, A2 （1969-1990）, a stable period with high lake levels, and A3 （1990 -1996）, a period of gradual extraction of the lake. In stage B （1996 -2005）, the lake area still keeps diminishing. During this period, organic matter increased rapidly due to the input of nutrient elements in the catchment. The carbonate content, however, decreased. As the precipitation was decreasing and the temperature was increasing, the decrease of carbonate content could not be explained by either temperature or precipitation change.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Environmental Effects from Land Change in Hotan Oasis,Xinjiang

[Objective] This study aimed to evaluate the environmental effects coming from land changes in Hotan oasis during 1980-2010. [Method] Based on the Driving Force-State-Response model, expert weight method and entropy method were used to determine weight, and then the composite indexes of environmental effects （CIE for short） were calculated. [Result] During the period from 1980 to 2010, CIE had presented a rising trend whether expert weight method or entropy method in the study area, while the CIE presents downtrend basically in lower reaches. [Conclu- sion] It was the arable land expansion in middle reaches that led to serious land degradation in lower reaches, and may endanger ecosystem safety in Hotan River green corridor. Therefore, it is suggested that the agricultural land use should be restructured, such as reducing the sown areas of some crops with large amount of water consumption. Meanwhile, the effective measures should be taken to distribute water resources and utilize them reasonably. In addition, the oasis-desert ecotone, as well as the groundwater resources, should be also protected.