Ecological view of carcinogenesis:Niche-altering(NC3)mechanisms

Over the last 30 years,a new actor in the area of ecology and evolution has emerged:niche construction theory(NCT).The fundamental premise of NCT is that organisms may actively influence evolutionary processes by modifying their circumstances[1].According to Trappes et al.,[2]the concept of niche construction should only be applied to species that alter their environment,which they believe to be its intuitive scope.They add two more terms to describe the ways that organisms engage with their surroundings and so influence their niches:when organisms choose their environment,this is known as niche choice,and when they adapt their phenotype to fit their environment,this is known as niche conformance.These three concepts are often referred to as niche-altering mechanisms,or NC3 mechanisms:niche conformance,niche construction,and niche choice.This is in line with definitions of mechanisms developed in scientific philosophy[2].

Evaluation of carbon emissions associated with land use and cover change in Zhengzhou City of China

Studies on carbon emissions associated with land use and cover change(LUCC)are key to understanding the impact of human activities on regional sustainability.In this study,we analyzed the temporal and spatial changes in carbon emissions associated with LUCC for production,living,and ecological spaces in Zhengzhou City of China.Landsat remote sensing images were used to classify the land use and land cover(LULC)types in Zhengzhou City in 1988,2001,2009,and 2015.Carbon emissions associated with LUCC were evaluated using a spatial gradient model and the niche mechanism.It was found that during 1988-2015,carbon emissions associated with LUCC in Zhengzhou City increased by 17.1×10^(6) t,while the carbon sink resulted from cultivated land,forests,water bodies,and unused land decreased significantly.Most of the increase in carbon emissions associated with LUCC occurred in the center of the city.The peak carbon emissions were located in the northeastern,southeastern,northwestern,and southwestern regions of Zhengzhou City,and carbon emissions varied considerably in the different spatial gradient rings over time.Among the three spaces,carbon emissions associated with LUCC were mainly affected by the living space.The population size and population urbanization rate were negatively correlated with the ecological space and positively correlated with the production and living spaces.Our results highlight that Zhengzhou City should take the new urbanization path of urban transformation development and ecological civilization construction to ensure the realization of the promised carbon emission reduction targets.