Analysis of spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors of ethnicminority villages in China using geospatial technology and statistical models

This study aims to reveal the spatial structural characteristics of 1,652 Ethnic-Minority Villages(EMV)in China and to analyze the mechanisms driving their spatial heterogeneity.EMV are a special type of settlement space that preserve a large number of historical traces of the ethnic culture of ancient China.They are important carriers of China’s excellent traditional culture and are key to the implementation of rural revitalization strategies.In this study,1652 EMV in China were selected as the research subjects.The Nearest Neighbor Index,kernel density,and spatial autocorrelation index were employed to reveal the spatial structural characteristics of minority villages.Neural network models,spatial lag models,and geographical detectors were used to analyze the formation mechanism of spatial heterogeneity in EMV.The results indicate that:(1)EMV exhibit significant spatial differentiation characterized by“single-core with multiple surrounding sub-centers,”“polarization between east and west,”“decreasing quantity from southwest to east coast to northeast to northwest,”and“large dispersion with small agglomeration.”(2)EMV are mainly distributed in areas rich in intangible cultural heritage,with high vegetation coverage and low altitude,far from central cities,and having limited arable land and an underdeveloped economy and transportation,particularly in shaded or riverbank areas.(3)Distance from the nearest river(X3),distance from central cities(X8),national intangible cultural heritage(X9),and NDVI(X10)were the main driving factors affecting the spatial distribution of EMV,whereas elevation(X1)and GDP(X5)had the weakest influence.As EMV are a relatively unique territorial spatial unit,the identification of their spatial heterogeneity characteristics not only deepens the research content of settlement geography,but also involves the assessment,protection,and development of Minority Villages,which is of great significance for the inheritance and utilization of excellent ethnic cultures in the era.

Optimization of water-urban-agricultural-ecological land use pattern:A case study of Guanzhong Basin in the southern Loess Plateau of Shaanxi Province,China

Extensive land use will cause many environmental problems.It is an urgent task to improve land use efficiency and optimize land use patterns.In recent years,due to the flow decrease,the Guanzhong Basin in Shaanxi Province is confronted with the problem of insufficient water resources reserve.Based on the Coupled Ground-Water and Surface-Water Flow Model(GSFLOW),this paper evaluates the response of water resources in the basin to changes in land use patterns,optimizes the land use pattern,improves the ecological and economic benefits,and the efficiency of various spatial development,providing a reference for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.The research shows that the land use pattern in the Guanzhong Basin should be further optimized.Under the condition of considering ecological and economic development,the percentage change of the optimum area of farmland,forest,grassland,water area,and urban area compared with the current land use area ratio is+2.3,+2.4,-6.1,+0.2,and+1.6,respectively.The economic and ecological value of land increases by14.1%and 3.1%,respectively,and the number of water resources can increase by 2.5%.

Reactive Transport Process of Earthquake-induced Hydrochemical Changes in Guanding Thermal Spring,Western Sichuan,China

Earthquake-related hydrochemical changes in thermal springs have been widely observed;however,quantitative modeling of the reactive transport process is absent.In the present study,we apply reactive transport simulation to capture the hydrochemical responses in a thermal spring following the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 and Lushan Ms 7.0 earthquakes.We first constrain deep reservoir geothermal fluid compositions and temperature by multicomponent geothermometry,and then a reactive geochemical transport model is constructed to reproduce the hydrochemical evolution process.The results show that the recharge from the shallow aquifer increases gradually until it reaches a peak because of the permeability enhancement caused by the Lushan earthquake,which may be the mechanism to explain the earthquake-related hydrochemical responses.In contrast to the postseismic effect of the Wenchuan earthquake,the chemical evolution can be considered as hydrochemical anomalies related to the Lushan earthquake.This study proves that the efficient simulation of reactive transport processes is useful for investigating earthquake-related signals in hydrochemical time series.

Opportunity and shift of nitrogen use in China

It is never an easy task for China to feed 1.4 billion people with only 7%of the world's arable land.With nearly 30%of the world's nitrogen(N)fertilizer applied,China achieves high crop yields while facing N pollution result-ing from excessive N input.Here,we calculate the farmland N budget on the national and regional scales.The N use efficiency(NUE)in China increased by 28.0%during 2005-2018.This improvement is due to the reduction in fertilization and the improvement of crop management.The fragmented farmland is changing to large-scale farmland with the increase in cultivated land area per rural population and the development of agricultural mech-anization.This opportunity brings more possibilities for precision farmland management,thus further improving NUE.The goal of an NUE of 0.6 may be achieved in the 2040s based on the current development trend.This striking N use shift in China has important implications for other developing countries.

Identified the hydrochemical and the sulfur cycle process in subsidence area of Pingyu mining area using multi-isotopes combined with hydrochemistry methods

Groundwater serves as an important water source for residents in and around mining areas.To achieve scientific planning and efficient utilization of water resources in mining areas,it is essential to figure out the chemical formation process and the ground water sulfur cycle that transpire after the coal mining activities.Based on studies of hydrochemistry and D,^(18)O-H_(2)O,^(34)S-SO_(4)isotopes,this study applied principal component analysis,ion ratio and other methods in its attempts to reveal the hydrogeochemical action and sulfur cycle in the subsidence area of Pingyu mining area.The study discovered that,in the studied area,precipitation provides the major supply of groundwater and the main water chemistry effects are dominated by oxidation dissolution of sulfide minerals as well as the dissolution of carbonate and silicate rocks.The sulfate in groundwater primarily originates from oxidation and dissolution of sulfide minerals in coal-bearing strata and human activities.The mixed sulfate formed by the oxidation of sulfide minerals and by human activities continuously recharges the groundwater,promoting the dissolution of carbonate rock and silicate rock in the process.

Go-Ahead Element of Domestic Architecture:Socio-Economic and Cultural Characteristics of the Residents in Benin

The domestic architecture of a traditional settlement is greatly influenced by the socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics of its residents.Benin City which is the focus of the paper is a case of a traditional settlement undergoing domestic architectural evolution with the changing times influenced by factors of growth and development.The paper has examined the effect of socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics as factors that partly determine the design,style,pattern,space use,organization,location and meaning as well as land use of the domestic architecture of Benin.The study employed the use of questionnaire administered to residents across the cross-section of the city.In the end,descriptive frequency tables were used to analyse the data collected from the residential zones in Benin.The research has been able to corroborate the theory that socio-economic and socio-cultural factors are some of the determinants/elements of domestic architecture of a people.

An overview of studies of observed climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH hereafter) region is characterized by mountainous environments and a variety of regional climatic conditions. High-altitude regions in the HKH have the recent warming amplifications, especially during the global warming hiatus period. The rapid warming cause solid state water (snow, ice, glacier, and permafrost) to shrink, leading to increase in meltwater and there have been found more frequent incidences of flash floods, landslides, livestock diseases, and other disasters in the HKH region. Increasing awareness of climate change over the HKH region is reached a consensus. Meanwhile, the HKH region is often referred to as the water towers of Asia as many highaltitude regions store its water in the form of snow and/or glacier, feeding ten major large rivers in Asia. Therefore, the impacts of climate change on water availability in these river basins have huge influences on the livelihood of large number of population, especially in downstream regions. However, the scarcity of basic hydro-meteorological observations particularly in high-altitude regions of HKH limits rigorous analysis of climate change. Most studies used reanalysis data and/or model-reconstructed products to explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of hydro-meteorological processes, especially for extreme events. In this study, we review recent climate change in the HKH region, and the scientific challenges and research recommendations are suggested for this high-altitude area.

Interactions between Soil Characteristics, Environmental Factors, and Plant Species Abundance: A Case Study in the Karst Mountains of Longhushan Nature Reserve, Southwest China

The ability to manage and restore plant communities in the face of human-induced landscape change may rely on our ability to predict how species respond to environmental variables.Understanding this response requires examining factors or their interactions that have influence on plant and resource availability.Our objective was to analyze the relationships between changes in plant abundance and the interaction among environmental habitat factors including soil, geological(rock type), and other environmental variables in the Longhushan karst mountains ecosystem.Species density and dominance were examined using ANOVA, ANCOVA,and Generalized Linear Models to establish the single or combined effects of these groups of factors.The results showed that trends in abundance were mainly affected by rock type(related to the percentage content of dolomite and calcite), soil characteristics in association with topography.Both plant indices were higher in dolomite dominated areas and varied positively with moisture, and elevation, but negatively with organic matter, while density also increased with slope degree.The results demonstrate that significant variations in species abundance was produced with the combination of variables from soil, geological, andenvironmental factors, suggesting their interaction influence on plants.We postulate that spatial variations in plant abundance in karst ecosystem depends on the carbonate rock type in addition to water and nutrient availability which are mainly controlled by topography and other factors such as soil texture and temperature.The study suggests that in karst areas carbonate rock type, in addition to local environmental variables, should be taken into account when analyzing the factors that have impact on plant communities.

Causes of the record-low Antarctic sea-ice in austral summer 2022

2022年夏季(2021年12月至2022年2月)南极海冰面积达到历史新低,西南极减少最显著.2021年8~10月南半球环状模接近历史最强和7~9月海洋性大陆附近海温显著增暖是两个关键因素.由于平流层臭氧破纪录减少使得前者维持历史最强或接近最强,导致阿蒙森低压(ASL)加深并向西南移动,有利于海冰减少.后者持续到夏季,有利于拉尼娜的发展,通过激发罗斯贝波列加深ASL.在热力上,臭氧减少导致向下净短波辐射增加,引起西南极增暖.此外,净短波辐射-海温-云形成正反馈,与埃克曼输送一起,放大表面增暖,从而促进海冰融化.

The Environmental Impact of Industrial Agriculture in Rwanda:The Case of Mulindi Tea Plantations

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of industrial agriculture on the environment in Rwanda taking Mulindi tea plantations as a case study.Tea is one of the three major crops of Rwandan industrial agriculture apart from coffee and pyrethrum.The results of this study show clearly the impact of tea plantations on the environment in Rwandan in all aspects.Soil samples collected in three zones

Application of 3S techniques in the assessment of eco-environmental impact of the Shennongjia ski field, Hubei Province, China

The Shennongjia ski field lies at the edge of the Shennongjia nature reserves. The construction of the ski field will change the landscape pattern of the assessment district, and the production capacity and stability of the regional ecosystem in a certain degree, and will exert an influence on the ecological integrality of animal and plant habitats. This paper assesses the structure and function of the landscape ecosystem in the Niuchangpin ski field at Shennongjia, by using the theory and method of landscape ecology and 3S techniques. Through the calculation and comparison of landscape diversity indices and landscape aggregation indices, the influence imposed by the ski field project on the regional ecological integrality and relevant sensitive ecological issues is predicted. The results indicated that biomass of the natural system would decrease by 430.26 t, and correspondingly the average Net Primary Productivity would drop to 881.55 g/m2·a. The construction of the ski field would not change the matrix status of woodland and, however, it has a strong ability to control the quality of ecosystem. Combining 3S techniques with landscape-ecological theory will help turn the qualitative assessment into the quantitive one on the eco-environment impact. In this study a significant exploration has been conducted in the aspect of ecological impact assessment of construction projects.

Modulation of the Wind Field Structure of Initial Vortex on the Relationship between Tropical Cyclone Size and Intensity

This study investigates the modulation of initial wind field structure on the relationship between the size and intensity of a simulated vortex.A series of idealized experiments are conducted by varying the radius of maximum wind(RMW)and shape parameter of the initial vortices.The size–intensity relationship is quantified by the linear regression coefficient of the azimuthally-averaged gale-force wind radius against the maximum wind during the development stage,reflecting the degree of size expansion at the same intensity increment.The regression coefficient increases with increased RMW and decreased,with the RMW being the primary constraint.The effect of lowering on the elevation of the regression coefficient gradually stands out when the initial RMW is large.Enlarging the RMW leads to a secondary circulation with a horizontally elongated structure,which retards the intensification while promoting size expansion,thus substantially enhancing size expansion as the vortex intensifies.Broadening the wind field outside the RMW by reducing results in abounding convection in the outer region,which promotes size expansion.Based on the axisymmetric tangential wind tendency and Sawyer–Eliassen equations,when the RMW is large,the active convection in the outer region can weaken the radial inflow induced by the eyewall heating in the inner region,thus retarding the intensification by reducing the radial imports of vorticity near the RMW.

Selective hydrogenation of glucose to sorbitol with tannic acid-based porous carbon sphere supported Ni-Ru bimetallic catalysts

Ni-Ru bimetallic porous carbon sphere(Ni-Ru@PCS) catalysts were synthesized via formaldehyde-assisted, metal-coordinated crosslinking sol-gel chemistry, in which biomass-derived tannic acid and F127 surfactant were used as carbon precursor and soft template, respectively, and Ni2+and Ru3+were used as cross-linkers. In the developed method, Ni-Ru particles became uniformly dispersed in the carbon skeleton due to strong coordination bonds between metal ions(Ni2+and Ru^(3+)) and tannic acid molecules and bimetal interactions. The as-synthesized Ni-Ru10:1@PCS catalyst with a loading Ni:Ru mole ratio of 10:1 was applied for the selective hydrogenation of glucose to sorbitol, and provided 99% glucose conversion with a sorbitol selectivity of 100% at 140℃ in 150 min reaction time and exhibited good stability and recyclability in which sorbitol yield remained at 98% after 4 cycles with little or no metal agglomeration. The catalyst was applied to glucose solutions as high as 20 wt% with 97% sorbitol yields being obtained at 140℃ in 20 h. The developed bimetallic porous carbon sphere catalysts take advantage of sustainably-derived materials in their structure and are applicable to related biomass conversion reactions.

Dynamical Predictability of Leading Interannual Variability Modes of the Asian-Australian Monsoon in Climate Models

The dynamical prediction of the Asian-Australian monsoon(AAM)has been an important and long-standing issue in climate science.In this study,the predictability of the first two leading modes of the AAM is studied using retrospective prediction datasets from the seasonal forecasting models in four operational centers worldwide.Results show that the model predictability of the leading AAM modes is sensitive to how they are defined in different seasonal sequences,especially for the second mode.The first AAM mode,from various seasonal sequences,coincides with the El Niño phase transition in the eastern-central Pacific.The second mode,initialized from boreal summer and autumn,leads El Niño by about one year but can exist during the decay phase of El Niño when initialized from boreal winter and spring.Our findings hint that ENSO,as an early signal,is conducive to better performance of model predictions in capturing the spatiotemporal variations of the leading AAM modes.Still,the persistence barrier of ENSO in spring leads to poor forecasting skills of spatial features.The multimodel ensemble(MME)mean shows some advantage in capturing the spatiotemporal variations of the AAM modes but does not provide a significant improvement in predicting its temporal features compared to the best individual models in predicting its temporal features.The BCC_CSM1.1M shows promising skill in predicting the two AAM indices associated with two leading AAM modes.The predictability demonstrated in this study is potentially useful for AAM prediction in operational and climate services.

A porous Co_(3)O_(4)-carbon paper electrode enabling nearly 100% electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia

Co_(3)O_(4) was synthesized on carbon paper(CP)using a facile method to improve electrochemical nitrate-toammonia conversion efficiency.The resulting Co_(3)O_(4)-CP electrode demonstrated an exceptional Faradaic efficiency of almost 100% across a broad range of application conditions,with a peak NH3 yield of 3.43 mmol h^(-1) cm^(-2)(2.25 mol gCo^(-1) h^(-1)).

Projected relationship between ENSO and following-summer rainfall over the middle reaches of the Yangtze River valley based on CMIP6 simulations

厄尔尼诺—南方涛动(ENSO)对长江中游夏季降水(YRSR)的年际变化影响较大.基于CMIP6模式数据,本文预估了未来ENSO与长江中游夏季降水关系的变化.与1979~2014年相似,SSP5-8.5高排放情景下ENSO-YRSR的关系仍表现为前冬发生厄尔尼诺(拉尼娜)后,长江中游夏季降水为正异常(负异常).同时,仍然受三个物理过程影响:前冬ENSO影响次年夏季印度洋海温(ENSO-TIO SST),印度洋海温异常进而影响菲律宾对流(TIO SST-PSC),菲律宾对流对长江中游夏季降水产生影响(PSC-YRSR).例如,(1)5个CMIP6好模式的中位数和20个EC-Earth3好子集的中位数均预估ENSO-YRSR在2015~2100年大部分时段保持显著正相关关系,因为上述三个物理过程的相关关系在未来也显著.(2)30个CMIP6模式的中位数和56个EC-Earth3子集的中位数预估ENSO-YRSR关系略有增强;主要是因为上述三个物理过程在未来变强.(3)5个CMIP6好模式的中位数预估ENSO-YRSR关系仍强于30个CMIP6模式的中位数结果,主要是因为前者预估的TIO SST-PSC和PSC-YRSR关系更强.未来将关注ENSO-YRSR预估的不确定性来源.

Distinct impacts of two kinds of El Nino on precipitation over the Antarctic Peninsula and West Antarctica in austral spring

本文基于多种再分析资料,研究了中部型(CP)和东部型(EP)ElNino事件对南半球春季(9-11月)西南极和南极半岛降水的不同影响.结果显示,EP和CP事件对阿蒙森-别林斯高晋海的降水具有相似影响,而对威德尔海,特别是南极半岛的降水影响相反.由于EP事件激发两支罗斯贝波列,分别引起罗斯-阿蒙森-别林斯高森海和威德尔海上空的异常反气旋和气旋,从而导致别林斯高晋-威德尔海和南极半岛受到干冷的异常偏南风影响,降水减少.然而,CP事件仅激发一支相对较弱且偏西的罗斯贝波列,分别引起罗斯-阿蒙森海和别林斯高晋-威德尔海上空的异常反气旋和气旋,从而导致南极半岛以西(东)受异常偏南(北)风影响,降水减少(增加).

Effects of acupotomy on the activity of osteoclasts and osteoblasts in the subchondral bone of rabbits with early and mid-stage knee osteoarthritis models

Objective:To investigate whether acupotomy could inhibit subchondral bone remodeling in knee osteoarthritis(KOA)rabbits by regulating the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.Methods:KOA rabbits were prepared by immobilization for 6 and 9 weeks by Videman method.Nine groups of rabbits(control,6 weeks and 9 weeks model,6 weeks and 9 weeks acupotomy,6 weeks and 9 weeks electroacupuncture,and 6 weeks and 9 weeks drug groups)received acupotomy,electroacupuncture and risedronate sodium intervention,respectively,for 3 weeks.Results:Acupotomy can inhibit the activity of osteoclasts and osteoblasts in subchondral bone by reducing the proteins expression of cathepsin K(CK)and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP)and decreasing the proteins expression of osteocalcin(OCN)and alkaline phosphatase(ALP),to intercept the abnormal bone resorption and bone formation of subchondral bone in 6-week and 9-week immobilization-induced KOA rabbits.Conclusion:These findings indicated that acupotomy may be more advantageous than risedronate sodium intervention in modulating subchondral bone remodeling in KOA rabbits,especially in 9-week immobilization-induced KOA rabbits.

Source analysis of dissolved heavy metals in the Shaying River Basin,China

Over the years,the Shaying River Basin has experienced frequent instances of river pollution.The presence of numerous critical pollutant discharge enterprises and sewage-treatment plants in the vicinity of the Shaying River has transformed it a major tributary with relatively serious pollution challenge within the upper reaches of Huaihe River Basin.To study the sources of manganese(Mn),chromium(Cr),nickel(Ni),arsenic(As),cadmium(Cd)and lead(Pb)in Shaying River water,123 sets of surface water samples were collected from 41 sampling points across the entire basin during three distinct phases from 2019 to 2020,encompassing normal water period,dry season and wet season.The primary origins of heavy metals in river water were determined by analyzing the heavy metal contents in urban sewage wastewater,industrial sewage wastewater,groundwater,mine water,and the heavy metal contributions from agricultural non-point source pollution.The analytical findings reveal that Mn primarily originates from shallow groundwater used for agricultural irrigation,While Cr mainly is primarily sourced from urban sewage treatment plant effluents,coal washing wastewater,tannery wastewater,and industrial discharge related to metal processing and manufacturing.Ni is mainly contributed by urban sewage treatment plant effluents and industrial wastewater streams associated with machinery manufacturing and metal processing.Cd primarily linked to industrial wastewater,particularly from machinery manufacturing and metal processing facilities,while Pb is predominantly associated with urban sewage treatment plant effluents and wastewater generated in Pb processing and recycling wastewater.These research provides a crucial foundation for addressing the prevention and control of dissolved heavy metals at their sources in the Shaying River.

Toward a Learnable Climate Model in the Artificial Intelligence Era

Artificial intelligence(AI)models have significantly impacted various areas of the atmospheric sciences,reshaping our approach to climate-related challenges.Amid this AI-driven transformation,the foundational role of physics in climate science has occasionally been overlooked.Our perspective suggests that the future of climate modeling involves a synergistic partnership between AI and physics,rather than an“either/or”scenario.Scrutinizing controversies around current physical inconsistencies in large AI models,we stress the critical need for detailed dynamic diagnostics and physical constraints.Furthermore,we provide illustrative examples to guide future assessments and constraints for AI models.Regarding AI integration with numerical models,we argue that offline AI parameterization schemes may fall short of achieving global optimality,emphasizing the importance of constructing online schemes.Additionally,we highlight the significance of fostering a community culture and propose the OCR(Open,Comparable,Reproducible)principles.Through a better community culture and a deep integration of physics and AI,we contend that developing a learnable climate model,balancing AI and physics,is an achievable goal.