Agriculture neutralization:perspective from intelligent agricultural machinery

Against the background of climate change,exploring avoidable greenhouse gas emission from agriculture practices has gained public attention in the context of global energy transition.Intelligent agricultural machinery plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions in agriculture systems,and through the use of new energy,smart plant protection,and IoT technologies,carbon emissions can be significantly reduced.The focus of our debate is on the key role those intelligent technologies play,and what are the principles and shortcomings behind their effectiveness.What are the potential impacts of unmanned farms on agricultural carbon reduction and human survival issues in the future?

Spatial distributions of tropical tree species in northern Vietnam under environmentally variable site conditions

Ecological interactions of species and thus their spatial pat- terns may differ between homogeneous and heterogeneous forests. To account for this, techniques of point pattern analysis were implemented on mapped locations of tree individuals from two 1-ha tropicalforest plots in Vietnam. We analyzed the effect of environmental heterogeneity on tree distributions; spatial distribution patterns of dominant species; inter-specific associations; and conspecific associations between life stages. Our analyses showed that： environmental conditions were homo- geneous at plot 1 but heterogeneous at plot 2; in both plots, all six domi- nant species were aggregated at various scales up to 30 m, and tree spe- cies were aggregated at larger scales in the homogeneous site than in the heterogeneous site; attraction between pairs of species was remarkably higher at the homogeneous site while negative associations were more frequent in the heterogeneous site; some species, H. kurzii, T. ilicifolia （homogeneous plot） and D. sylvatica, S. wightianum （heterogeneous plot） showed a lack of early life-stage individuals near conspecific adults. Moreover, additional clustering of young individuals was independent from conspecific adults, except D. sylvatica in both sites. These findings are consistent with the Janzen-ConneU hypothesis. Overall, habitat het- erogeneity influences spatial patterns and inter-specific associations of the tree species and evidences of self-thinning are shown in most species.

Artificial intelligence for geoscience:Progress,challenges,and perspectives

This paper explores the evolution of geoscientific inquiry,tracing the progression from traditional physics-based models to modern data-driven approaches facilitated by significant advancements in artificial intelligence(AI)and data collection techniques.Traditional models,which are grounded in physical and numerical frameworks,provide robust explanations by explicitly reconstructing underlying physical processes.However,their limitations in comprehensively capturing Earth’s complexities and uncertainties pose challenges in optimization and real-world applicability.In contrast,contemporary data-driven models,particularly those utilizing machine learning(ML)and deep learning(DL),leverage extensive geoscience data to glean insights without requiring exhaustive theoretical knowledge.ML techniques have shown promise in addressing Earth science-related questions.Nevertheless,challenges such as data scarcity,computational demands,data privacy concerns,and the“black-box”nature of AI models hinder their seamless integration into geoscience.The integration of physics-based and data-driven methodologies into hybrid models presents an alternative paradigm.These models,which incorporate domain knowledge to guide AI methodologies,demonstrate enhanced efficiency and performance with reduced training data requirements.This review provides a comprehensive overview of geoscientific research paradigms,emphasizing untapped opportunities at the intersection of advanced AI techniques and geoscience.It examines major methodologies,showcases advances in large-scale models,and discusses the challenges and prospects that will shape the future landscape of AI in geoscience.The paper outlines a dynamic field ripe with possibilities,poised to unlock new understandings of Earth’s complexities and further advance geoscience exploration.

Changes of composition and antibiotic resistance of fecal coliform bacteria in municipal wastewater treatment plant

The dynamics of the composition and antibiotic resistance of the fecal coliform bacteria(FCB)in a typical wastewater treatment plant(WWTP)were investigated concerning the seasonal changes.Results showed that WWTP could remove the FCB concentration by 3∼5 logs within the effluent of 10^(4)∼10^(5)CFU/L,but the antibiotic resistant rate of FCB species increased significantly after WWTP.The dominant FCB changed from Escherichia coli in the influent(∼73.0%)to Klebsiella pneumoniae in the effluent(∼53.3%)after WWTP,where the Escherichia coli was removed the most,while Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most persistent.The secondary tank removed the most of FCB(by 3∼4 logs)compared to other processes,but increased all the concerned antibiotic resistant rate.The potential super bugs of FCB community showing resistance to all the target antibiotics were selected in the biological treatment unit of WWTP.The FCB showed the highest multiple antibiotic resistance(92.9%)in total which even increased to 100%in the effluent.Klebsiella has the highest antibiotic resistant rate in FCB,with a multiple antibiotic resistance rate of 98.4%.These indicated that the Klebsiella pneumoniae not just Escherichia coli should be specially emphasized after WWTP concerning the health risk associated with FCB community.

Approaches and tools for user-driven provenance and data quality information in spatial data infrastructures

Geospatial data are fundamental in most global-change and sustainability-related domains.However,readily accessible information on data quality and provenance is often missing or hardly accessible for users due to technical or perceptual barriers,for example,due to unstructured metadata information or missing references.Within an interdisciplinary process encompassing perspectives of data users,data producers,and software developers,we identified major needs to facilitate effectivefitness-for-use assessments by data users and developed approaches to address these.We provided a stylized analysis of large-scale land use data to showcase selected approaches.To support data users,interoperable quality and provenance information need to be meaningfully represented.Data producers need efficient workflows and tools supporting them in creating high-quality,structured and detailed quality and provenance information.Our newly developed approaches to increase the availability of structured metadata synthesize new and existing tools to extract metadata or to generate provenance data during processing.Within our approaches to improve interoperability and accessibility we present novel tools to support(i)the creation of curated and linked registers of data quality indicators and thematic terms,and(ii)linked visualization of data quality and provenance information.Following our approaches increases transparency,facilitatesfitness-for-use assessments,and ultimately improves research quality.

Substituting nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer with optimal amount of crop straw improves rice grain yield,nutrient use efficiency and soil carbon sequestration

Crop straw return after harvest is considered an important way to achieve both agronomic and environmental benefits.However,the appropriate amount of straw to substitute for fertilizer remains unclear.A field experiment was performed from 2016 to 2018 to explore the effect of different amounts of straw to substitute for fertilizer on soil properties,soil organic carbon(SOC)storage,grain yield,yield components,nitrogen(N)use efficiency,phosphorus(P)use efficiency,N surplus,and P surplus after rice harvesting.Relative to mineral fertilization alone,straw substitution at 5 t ha^(-1)improved the number of spikelets per panicle,effective panicle,seed setting rate,1000-grain weight,and grain yield,and also increased the aboveground N and P uptake in rice.Straw substitution exceeding 2.5 t ha^(-1)increased the soil available N,P,and K concentrations as compared with mineral fertilization,and different amounts of straw substitution improved SOC storage compared with mineral fertilization.Furthermore,straw substitution at 5 t ha^(-1)decreased the N surplus and P surplus by up to 68.3 and 28.9%,respectively,compared to mineral fertilization.Rice aboveground N and P uptake and soil properties together contributed 19.3%to the variation in rice grain yield and yield components.Straw substitution at 5 t ha^(-1),an optimal fertilization regime,improved soil properties,SOC storage,grain yield,yield components,N use efficiency(NUE),and P use efficiency(PUE)while simultaneously decreasing the risk of environmental contamination.

Challenges and strategies for the visual exploration of complex environmental data

In this opinion paper,we,a group of scientists from environmental-,geo-,ocean-and information science,argue visual data exploration should become a common analytics approach in Earth system science due to its potential for analysis and interpretation of large and complex spatio-temporal data.We discuss the challenges that appear such as synthesis of heterogeneous data from various sources,reducing the amount of information and facilitating multidisciplinary,collaborative research.We argue that to fully exploit the potential of visual data exploration,several bottlenecks and challenges have to be addressed:providing an efficient data management and an integrated modular workflow,developing and applying suitable visual exploration concepts and methods with the help of effective and tailored tools as well as generating and raising the awareness of visual data exploration and education.We are convinced visual data exploration is worth the effort since it significantly facilitates insight into environmental data and derivation of knowledge from it.

解读德国生物质能的长期前景和角色

德国能源的长期发展一直是政府、行业、独立利益团体的研究主题。这些研究对于理解生物质能在国家能源系统中的长期角色至关重要。然而,要为政策和研究提供清晰可溯的路径,就需要对这些研究进行深入探讨和批判性评估。文章旨在为更好地理解能源前景提供信息,解读生物质能在2050年可能的角色。首先,该研究根据明确的标准,选择18个长期能源前景,详细分析它们的目标、方法、数据和结果。此外,选取4个和生物质能相关的具体指标对选定的研究进行量化分析和解读。4个指标的结果显示出很高的不确定性,即到2050年德国生物质能发展的未来有多种可能性,例如,国内可持续生物质能的潜力在350到1700拍焦之间。生物质能占总能源消费的比例在5%到28%之间,这些差异主要是由于各研究不同的关键性问题、方法以及不同的动因。该研究的目的是为使用者评估前景研究的质量(例如研究方法和数据的透明性和可追溯性),并具体分析各研究结论。

Microbial electricity-driven anaerobic phenol degradation in bioelectrochemical systems

Microbial electrochemical technologies have been extensively employed for phenol removal.Yet,previous research has yielded inconsistent results,leaving uncertainties regarding the feasibility of phenol degradation under strictly anaerobic conditions using anodes as sole terminal electron acceptors.In this study,we employed high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to investigate the anaerobic phenol degradation pathway.Our findings provide robust evidence for the purely anaerobic degradation of phenol,as we identified benzoic acid,4-hydroxybenzoic acid,glutaric acid,and other metabolites of this pathway.Notably,no typical intermediates of the aerobic phenol degradation pathway were detected.One-chamber reactors(t0.4 V vs.SHE)exhibited a phenol removal rate of 3.5±0.2 mg L^(-1) d^(-1),while two-chamber reactors showed 3.6±0.1 and 2.6±0.9 mg L^(-1) d^(-1) at anode potentials of t0.4 and t 0.2 V,respectively.Our results also suggest that the reactor configuration certainly influenced the microbial community,presumably leading to different ratios of phenol consumers and microorganisms feeding on degradation products.

Electrogenic sulfur oxidation mediated by cable bacteria and its ecological effects

At the sediment-water interfaces,filamentous cable bacteria transport electrons from sulfide oxidation along their filaments towards oxygen or nitrate as electron acceptors.These multicellular bacteria belonging to the family Desulfobulbaceae thus form a biogeobattery that mediates redox processes between multiple elements.Cable bacteria were first reported in 2012.In the past years,cable bacteria have been found to be widely distributed across the globe.Their potential in shaping the surface water environments has been extensively studied but is not fully elucidated.In this review,the biogeochemical characteristics,conduction mechanisms,and geographical distribution of cable bacteria,as well as their ecological effects,are systematically reviewed and discussed.Novel insights for understanding and applying the role of cable bacteria in aquatic ecology are summarized.

Customized molecular tools to strengthen metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are promising oxygenic phototrophs for the production of various compounds.For their(photo)biotechnological exploitation,molecular tools are required,such as,for the introduction and expression of heterologous genes,or the modulation of enzyme activities or entire pathways.Concepts and strategies for the development of photosynthetic biomanufacturing technologies based on cyanobacteria have been extensively reviewed,as well as certain specialized aspects of their genetic manipulation.However,options for metabolic engineering of specific cyanobacterial cells are still less developed than those for other bacteria of biotechnological relevance.In addition to the standard genetic toolbox for“classical”metabolic engineering,we emphasize certain aspects,including recently developed vector systems for the extrachromosomal maintenance of genes and approaches based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)interference.We highlight the development of custom molecular tools for specific strains or products,discuss the emerging use of small regulatory proteins that appear promising for advanced metabolic engineering approaches to promote specific product formation,and provide an overview of suitable online resources.Furthermore,we discuss the current trends in this field and indicate their potential,such as using suitable product sensors that enable systematic screening,and optimization approaches.

A water quality model applied for the rivers into the Qinhuangdao coastal water in the Bohai Sea, China

The water quality of all rivers into the Qinhuangdao coastal water was below the grade V in 2013. In this study, an inte- grated MIKE 1 l water quality model is applied to deal with the water environment in the rivers into the Qinhuangdao coastal water. The model is first calibrated with the field measured chemical oxygen demand （COD） concentrations. Then the transport of the COD in the rivers into the Qinhuangdao coastal water is computed based on the model in the water environmental monitoring process. Numerical results show that the COD concentration decreases dramatically in the estuaries, from which we can determine the positions of long-term monitoring stations to monitor the river pollutions into the coastal water. Furthermore, different scenarios about the inputs of the point sources and the non-point sources are simulated to discuss the model application in the water enviro- nmental control, and simplified formula are derived for assessing the water quality and the environmental management of rivers.

On the combined effect of soil fertility and topography on tree growth in subtropical forest ecosystems—a study from SE China

Aims The aim of our research was to understand small-scale effects of topography and soil fertility on tree growth in a forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning(BEF)experiment in subtropical SE China.Methods Geomorphometric terrain analyses were carried out at a spatial resolution of 5×5 m.Soil samples of different depth increments and data on tree height were collected from a total of 566 plots(667 m2 each).The soils were analyzed for carbon(soil organic carbon[SOC]),nitrogen,acidity,cation exchange capacity(CEC),exchangeable cations and base saturation as soil fertility attributes.All plots were classified into geomorphological units.Analyses of variance and linear regressions were applied to all terrain,soil fertility and tree growth attributes.Important Findings In general,young and shallow soils and relatively small differences in stable soil properties suggest that soil erosion has truncated the soils to a large extent over the whole area of the experiment.This explains the concurrently increasing CEC and SOC stocks downslope,in hollows and in valleys.However,colluvial,carbon-rich sediments are missing widely due to the convexity of the footslopes caused by uplift and removal of eroded sediments by adjacent waterways.The results showed that soil fertility is mainly influenced by topography.Monte-Carlo flow accumulation(MCCA),curvature,slope and aspect significantly affected soil fertility.Furthermore,soil fertility was affected by the different geomorphological positions on the experimental sites with ridge and spur positions showing lower exchangeable base cation contents,especially potassium(K),due to leaching.This geomorphological effect of soil fertility is most pronounced in the topsoil and decreases when considering the subsoil down to 50 cm depth.Few soil fertility attributes affect tree height after 1-2 years of growth,among which C stocks proved to be most important while pH_(KCl)and CEC only played minor roles.Nevertheless,soil acidity and a high proportion of Al on the exchange complex affected tree height even after only 1-2 years growth.Hence,our study showed that forest nutrition is coupled to a recycling of litter nutrients,and does not only depend on subsequent supply of nutrients from the mineral soil.Besides soil fertility,topography affected tree height.We found that especially MCCA as indicator of water availability affected tree growth at small-scale,as well as aspect.Overall,our synthesis on the interrelation between fertility,topography and tree growth in a subtropical forest ecosystem in SE China showed that topographic heterogeneity lead to ecological gradients across geomorphological positions.In this respect,small-scale soil-plant interactions in a young forest can serve as a driver for the future development of vegetation and biodiversity control on soil fertility.In addition,it shows that terrain attributes should be accounted for in ecological research.

Virtual geographic environments for water pollution control

Due to extensive water pollution in Chinese rivers and lakes,large efforts have to be made to improve the quality of drinking water and manage the sewage water treatment process.We propose a general workflow for integrating a large number of heterogeneous data sets relating to various hydrological compartments into a Virtual Geographic Environment(VGE).This allows both researchers and stakeholders to easily access complex data collections in a unified context,find interrelations or inconsistencies between data sets and evaluate simulation results with respect to other observations or simulations in the same region.A prototype of such a VGE has been set up for the region around Chao Lake,containing more than 20 spatial data sets and collections as well as first simulation result.The prototype has been successfully presented to researchers and stakeholders from China and Germany.

Preservation of nucleic acids by freeze-drying for next generation sequencing analyses of soil microbial communities

Aims Soil sample preservation is a challenging aspect in molecular studies on soil microbial communities.The demands for specialized sample storage equipment,chemicals and standardized protocols for nucleic acid extraction often require sample processing in a home laboratory that can be continents apart from sampling sites.Standard sampling procedures,especially when dealing with RNA,comprise immediate snap freezing of soils in liquid nitrogen and storage at−80℃until further processing.For these instances,organizing a reliable cooling chain to transport hundreds of soil samples between continents is very costly,if possible at all.In this study we tested the effect of soil sample preservation by freeze-drying with subsequent short-term storage at 4℃or ambient temperatures compared to−80℃freezing by comparative barcoding analyses of soil microbial communities.Methods Two grassland soil samples were collected in Central Germany in the Biodiversity Exploratory Hainich-Dün.Samples were freeze-dried or stored at−80℃as controls.Freeze-dried samples were stored at 4℃or ambient temperature.Investigated storage times for both storage temperatures were 1 and 7 days.Total DNA and RNA were extracted and bacterial and arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)fungal communities were analyzed by amplicon 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S(V4-V5 variable region)and 18S(NS31-AM1 fragment)of ribosomal RNA(rRNA)marker genes,respectively.Important Findings Bacterial communities were sufficiently well preserved at the rDNA and rRNA level although storage effects showed as slightly decreased alpha diversity indices for the prolonged storage of freeze-dried samples for 7 days.AM fungal communities could be studied without significant changes at the rDNA and rRNA level.Our results suggest that proper sampling design followed by immediate freeze-drying of soil samples enables short-term transportation of soil samples across continents.

Optimizing selective withdrawal strategies to mitigate hypoxia under water-level reduction in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir

Water-level reduction frequently occurs in deep reservoirs,but its effect on dissolved oxygen concentration is not well understood.In this study we used a well-established water qual-itymodel to illustrate effects of water level dynamics on oxygen concentration in Rappbode Reservoir,Germany.We then systematically elucidated the potential of selectivewithdrawal to control hypoxia under changing water levels.Our results documented a gradual decrease of hypolimnetic oxygen concentration under decreasing water level,and hypoxia occurred when the initial level was lower than 410 m a.s.l(71 m relative to the reservoir bottom).We also suggested that changes of hypoxic region,under increasing hypolimnetic withdrawal discharge,followed a unimodal trajectory with themaximum hypoxic area projected under the discharge between 3 m^(3)/sec and 4 m^(3)/sec.Besides,our results illustrated the extent of hypoxia was most effectively inhibited if the withdrawal strategy was applied at the end of stratification with the outlet elevation at the deepest part of the reservoir.Moreover,hy-poxia can be totally avoided under a hybrid elevation withdrawal strategy using surface withdrawal during early and mid stratification,and deep withdrawal at the end of strat-ification.We further confirmed the decisive role of thermal structure in the formation of hypoxia under water-level reduction and withdrawal strategies.We believe the conclusions from this study can be applied to many deep waters in the temperate zone,and the results should guide stakeholders to mitigate negative impacts of hypoxia on aquatic ecosystems.

Microbial diversity and oil biodegradation potential of northern Barents Sea sediments

The Arctic,an essential ecosystem on Earth,is subject to pronounced anthropogenic pressures,most notable being the climate change and risks of crude oil pollution.As crucial elements of Arctic environments,benthic microbiomes are involved in climate-relevant biogeochemical cycles and hold the potential to remediate upcoming contamination.Yet,the Arctic benthic microbiomes are among the least explored biomes on the planet.Here we combined geochemical analyses,incubation experiments,and microbial community profiling to detail the biogeography and biodegradation potential of Arctic sedimentary microbiomes in the northern Barents Sea.The results revealed a predominance of bacterial and archaea phyla typically found in the deep marine biosphere,such as Chloroflexi,Atribacteria,and Bathyarcheaota.The topmost benthic communities were spatially structured by sedimentary organic carbon,lacking a clear distinction among geographic regions.With increasing sediment depth,the community structure exhibited stratigraphic variability that could be correlated to redox geochemistry of sediments.The benthic microbiomes harbored multiple taxa capable of oxidizing hydrocarbons using aerobic and anaerobic pathways.Incubation of surface sediments with crude oil led to proliferation of several genera from the so-called rare biosphere.These include Alkalimarinus and Halioglobus,previously unrecognized as hydrocarbon-degrading genera,both harboring the full genetic potential for aerobic alkane oxidation.These findings increase our understanding of the taxonomic inventory and functional potential of unstudied benthic microbiomes in the Arctic.

Instream coliform gradients in the Holtemme, a small headwater stream in the Elbe River Basin, Northern Germany

The Holtemme is a small headwater stream in North Germany＇s Elbe River Basin. According to German and European legislation, hygienic monitoring is not mandatory for such water bodies which are neither drinking water sources nor categorized as bathing waters. Consequently, relatively little is known about the occur- rence of-potentially pathogenic- bacteria and viruses in Germany＇s streams and rivers. The Holtemme was selected for a case study because it is relatively well monitored for both chemical water quality and aquatic ecology, but not for hygiene. Originating in the mountains of Harz Nature Park, the 47 km long Holtemme is characterized by a strong longitudinal gradient in chemical water quality, which is related to different land uses and the influx of treated wastewater from two urban areas （Wernigerode and Halberstadt）. Waste water loads received by the Holtemme are comparatively high when compared to similarly small streams. In 2015, total coliform concentrations between more than 200 and 77,010 bacteria per 100 mL, and fecal coliform concentrations between 5 and 24,060 bacteria per I00 mL were observed in the Holtemme＇s main channel. The highest concentrations were typically found below the outlets of the two wastewater treatment plants. The treated wastewater contained total and fecal coliform concentra- tions of up to 200,500 and 83,100 per 100 mL, respectively; however, there were significant temporal variations. While the observed concentrations are unpro- blematic from a legal perspective （because no maximum permissible limits are defined for streams in Germany）, they would exceed the tolerable limits for bathing waters in the EU, indicating moderate to critical pollution limits.

Barriers and Drivers for Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Risks: The Case of South Korea

Nature-based solutions(NBS)are seen as a promising adaptation measure that sustainably deals with diverse societal challenges,while simultaneously delivering multiple benefits.Nature-based solutions have been highlighted as a resilient and sustainable means of mitigating floods and other hazards globally.This study examined diverging conceptualizations of NBS,as well as the attitudinal(for example,emotions and beliefs)and contextual(for example,legal and political aspects)barriers and drivers of NBS for flood risks in South Korea.Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 experts and focused on the topic of flood risk measures and NBS case studies.The analysis found 11 barriers and five drivers in the attitudinal domain,and 13 barriers and two drivers in the contextual domain.Most experts see direct monetary benefits as an important attitudinal factor for the public.Meanwhile,the cost-effectiveness of NBS and their capacity to cope with flood risks were deemed influential factors that could lead decision makers to opt for NBS.Among the contextual factors,insufficient systems to integrate NBS in practice and the ideologicalization of NBS policy were found to be peculiar barriers,which hinder consistent realization of initiatives and a long-term national plan for NBS.Understanding the barriers and drivers related to the mainstreaming of NBS is critical if we are to make the most of such solutions for society and nature.It is also essential that we have a shared definition,expectation,and vision of NBS.

Combining European Earth Observation products with Dynamic Global Vegetation Models for estimating Essential Biodiversity Variables

Global,fast and accessible monitoring of biodiversity is one of the main pillars of the efforts undertaken in order to revert it loss.The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network(GEO-BON)provided an expert-based definition of the biological properties that should be monitored,the Essential Biodiversity Variables(EBVs).Initiatives to provide indicators for EBVs rely on global,freely available remote sensing(RS)products in combination with empirical models and field data,and are invaluable for decision making.In this study,we provide alternatives for the expansion and improvement of the EBV indicators,by suggesting current and future data from the European Space Agencýs COPERNICUS and explore the potential of RS-integrated Dynamic Global Vegetation Models(DGVMs)for the estimation of EBVs.Our review found that mainly due to the inclusion of the Sentinel constellation,Copernicus products have similar or superior potential for EBV indicator estimation in relation to their NASA counterparts.DGVMs simulate the ecosystem level EBVs(ecosystem function and structure),and when integrated with remote sensing data have great potential to not only offer improved estimation of current states but to provide projection of ecosystem impacts.We suggest that focus on producing EBV relevant outputs should be a priority within the research community,to support biodiversity preservation efforts.