3D hierarchically fractal structure stabilized anode for achieving long-term cycle life of aqueous Zn-ion batteries.

The cycling stability of aqueous Zn-ion battery (AZIB) is a serious issue for their successful application, mainly due to the considerable growth of Zn dendrites and the existence of side effects during operation. Herein, the hierarchically three-dimensional (3D) fractal structure of the ZnO/Zn/CuO@Cu (ZZCC) anode is prepared by a two-step process, where CuO nanowires are prepared on Cu foam by thermal oxidation method and Zn layer and ZnO surface are formed by plating. This fractal structure increases the electrodynamic surfaces and reduces the local current density, which can regulate Zn plating and inhibit dendritic growth and side effects.

Structural Design of π-d Conjugated TM B N S (x=2, 3) Monolayer Toward Electrocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted wide attention to be acted as potential electrocatalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). However, the coordination environment of the single transition metal (TM) atoms is essential to the catalytic activity for NRR. Herein, we proposed four types of 3-, 4-coordinated and π-d conjugated TM B N S (x=2, 3, TM=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Hf, Ta, W, Re and Os) monolayers for SACs.

The novel π-d conjugated TMBNS (TM = Mo, Ti and W) monolayers as highly active single-atom catalysts for electrocatalytic synthesis of ammonia.

Recently, single-atom catalysts (SACs) are receiving significant attention in electrocatalysis fields due to their excellent specific activities and extremely high atomic utilization ratio. Effective loading of metal atoms and high stability of SACs increase the number of exposed active sites, thus significantly improving their catalytic efficiency. Herein, we proposed a series (29 in total) of two-dimensional (2D) conjugated structures of TMBNS (TM means those 3d to 5d transition metals) and studied the performance as single-atom catalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) using density functional theory (DFT).

Climatic factors and human disturbance influence ungulate species distribution on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Due to human activities and climate change, the habitats of ungulate species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been greatly affected in recent decades. In this study, the distribution patterns of 19 ungulate species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were identified based on MaxEnt model in the past (1960-1990) and current periods (2000-2015). Then the changes of their habitat distribution and the species richness in different periods were compared.

Identification of key priority areas under different ecological restoration scenarios on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

With the intensification of climate warming and human activities, the ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are facing increasing threats which leads to extensive ecological degradation. Ecological restoration measures need to be implemented to improve biodiversity and ecosystem services to mitigate the impact of climate change and human disturbances. However, the key priority areas (KPAs) for ecological restoration are not clear on the QTP, and the benefits of ecosystem services for ecological restoration are often ignored.

Composition and Diversity of Soil Microbial Community Associated With Land Use Types in the Agro-Pastoral Area in the Upper Yellow River Basin.

The microorganisms of soil are sensitive to their living microenvironment, and their community structure and function will change with the environmental conditions. In the agro-pastoral area on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, revealing the diversity of the soil microbial communities and its response to different soil physicochemical properties and environmental factors are important for ecosystem management. The microbial (bacteria and archaea) community composition and diversity under different land use types (cultivated land, grazing grassland and planted forest) were analyzed by 16S rRNA (V4 region) method in a typical agro-pastoral region in the upper Yellow River basin.

MnCoO/NiS nanocomposite for hybrid supercapacitor with superior energy density and long-term cycling stability.

MnCoO is regarded as a good electrode material for supercapacitor due to its high specific capacity and good structural stability. However, its poor electrical conductivity limits its wide-range applications. To solve this issue, we integrated the MnCoO with NiS, which has a good electrical conductivity, and synthesized a MnCoO/NiS nanocomposite using a two-step hydrothermal process.

Long-term dynamics of nitrogen flow in a typical agricultural and pastoral region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its optimization strategy.

Nitrogen (N) plays a central role in livestock development and food production in agricultural and pastoral regions, while its flow and loss can affect environmental quality, biodiversity and human health. A comprehensive understanding of the sources, patterns and drivers of N flow helps to alleviate its negative effects and promote sustainable management. We developed a county-scale N flow model to quantitatively analyze the N use efficiency (NUE), N losses and their driving forces in the food production and consumption system (FCPS) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP).

Effects of the interaction among climate, terrain and human activities on biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Disentangling the driving factors of biodiversity is critical for understanding biogeographical patterns of vegetation and ecosystem function. However, the biotic and abiotic attributes that shape biodiversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are still not been quantified. Previous studies have not distinguished the direct and indirect effects of climate, terrain, and human disturbance on biodiversity.

The cost-benefit evaluation based on ecosystem services under different ecological restoration scenarios.

The effects of ecological restoration based on ecosystem services (ES) have attracted more and more attention, while the simulation and cost-benefit analysis of ecological restoration scenarios are not well investigated. In this study, four ecological restoration scenarios were simulated at a typical watershed on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) based on the land use conversion. Scenario 1 was only grassland restoration, Scenario 2 and 3 were mainly farmland to shrub, and Scenario 4 was mainly grassland restoration with bare land converting to forest and shrub.

Spatial differentiation of the NPP and NDVI and its influencing factors vary with grassland type on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Grasslands are the dominant ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), and they play an important role in climate regulation and represent an important ecological barrier in China. However, the spatial differentiation characteristics of net primary productivity (NPP) and normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and the main influencing factors that vary with grassland type on the QTP are not clear. In this study, standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), digital elevation model (DEM), precipitation, temperature, slope, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and grazing intensity were considered the driving factors.

Air pollution and cause-specific mortality: A comparative study of urban and rural areas in China.

Air pollution increases the risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and respiratory mortality across China. However, the urban-rural differences in the associations between air pollution and mortality have not been clearly identified. In this study, a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to examine whether the air pollutants-mortality associations vary between urban and rural areas.

Assessing NO-related health effects by non-linear and linear methods on a national level.

Exposure to NO pollution has a significant adverse effect on residents' health. However, few studies have assessed the health effects associated with NO pollution. Compared with PM pollution, the harmfulness of NO pollution has not been quantitatively studied or clearly identified.

Spatio-temporal variations and coupling of human activity intensity and ecosystem services based on the four-quadrant model on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Human activities have an impact on the structure and function of ecosystems, which in turn affects ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand. Based on the four-quadrant model of human activities and ecosystem services, this study evaluated the ecological quality at the county scale on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Results showed: (1) Human activity intensity (HAI) showed great spatio-temporal variations across the QTP.

Electronic Modulation of Nickel Disulfide toward Efficient Water Electrolysis.

Developing highly efficient earth-abundant nickel-based compounds is an important step to realize hydrogen generation from water. Herein, the electronic modulation of the semiconducting NiS by cation doping for advanced water electrolysis is reported. Both theoretical calculations and temperature-dependent resistivity measurements indicate the semiconductor-to-conductor transition of NiS after Cu incorporation.

The spatio-temporal patterns of the topsoil organic carbon density and its influencing factors based on different estimation models in the grassland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The grassland soils of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) store a large amount of organic carbon because of the cold, humid climate, and topsoil organic carbon is quite sensitive to global climate changes. However, the spatio-temporal dynamics and factors that influence the soil organic carbon (SOC) on the QTP's grassland are not understood well. Moreover, there are few comparative analyses of different approaches to estimate the QTP' SOC.

The alpine meadow around the mining areas on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau will degenerate as a result of the change of dominant species under the disturbance of open-pit mining.

Mining is well-known as one of the most aggressive human disturbances leading to massive and irreversible damages to natural ecosystems. However, the influence mechanisms of open-pit mining on plant communities and soil properties of alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are not well understood. In this study, we used structural equation modeling (SEM) to study the influence mechanisms in the disturbed areas of the Qulong copper mine.

Transition metal atom (Ti, V, Mn, Fe, and Co) anchored silicene for hydrogen evolution reaction.

Non-noble element catalysis for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a promising pathway for mass hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting. In this work, the catalytic performance of metal (alkali, alkali-earth, and transition metal) atoms anchored to silicene was investigated by density functional theory. Results showed that all the studied metal atoms are energetically favorably absorbed on the silicene with large binding energies.

Spatio-temporal evolution scenarios and the coupling analysis of ecosystem services with land use change in China.

Ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand are affected by changes in land use and the supply of specific ecosystem services for human consumption, respectively. Future spatio-temporal dynamics and their coupling relations with land use in China have not been well analysed. In this study, based on future land use scenarios of Li's database, ES supply, demand and balance (supply minus demand) were revealed utilizing land use and land cover (LULC) matrix model in China in 2010, 2050 and 2100.

Identifying the contributions of multiple driving forces to PM pollution in urban areas in China.

Economic development and urban expansion have accelerated particulate matter pollution in urban areas in China. Particulate matter-driven haze poses a serious threat to human beings from a public health point of view. Substantial evidences had linked adverse health effects with exposures to PM, but recent research indicated that PM also had great risk.