Soil moisture determines effects of climates and soil properties on nitrogen cycling: Examination of arid and humid soils.

While soil moisture has a significant effect on nitrogen (N) cycling, how it influences the dependence of this important biological process on environmental factors is unknown. Specifically, it is unclear how the relationships of net N mineralization (N) and soil moisture vary with soil properties and climates. In turn, how the relationships of N vs.

Nitrate-Photolysis Shortens the Lifetimes of Brown Carbon Tracers from Biomass Burning.

Biomass burning is an important source of brown carbon (BrC) aerosols, which influence climate by affecting the Earth's radiative balance. However, the transformation pathways of BrC chromophores, especially in the presence of photochemically active species, such as nitrate, are not well understood. In this study, the nitrate-mediated aqueous-phase photooxidation of three typical BrC chromophores from biomass burning was investigated, including 4-nitrocatechol, 3-nitrosalicylic acid, and 3,4-dinitrophenol.

Modeling the Global Impact of Chlorine Chemistry on Secondary Organic Aerosols.

Simulation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in models has been an uncertain component in determining the impacts of atmospheric aerosols on air quality and climate. Recent studies have shown that reactive chlorine can rapidly oxidize volatile organic compounds (VOCs), trigger SOA formation, and alter other oxidants, thus having a potentially significant effect on SOA, which has not been thoroughly investigated at the global scale. Here, we developed a chlorine-SOA simulation within a global chemical transport model along with updated anthropogenic continental chlorine emissions.

Unraveling Reactive Nitrogen Emissions in Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles across Evolving Standards and Cheating Tactics.

Reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions significantly affect air quality and the nitrogen cycle in ecosystems. Heavy-duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs), as major sources of these emissions, exhibit complex emission characteristics because of the combined effects of different driving conditions and aftertreatment technologies. This study first investigated the emission factors (EFs) of Nr species, including NO, NO, HONO, NO, and NH, from HDDVs under different emission standards (China IV/V/VI) and cheating strategies, with a particular focus on the impact of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems.

Bacterial consortium amendment effectively reduces Pb/Cd bioavailability in soil and their accumulation in wheat.

Microbial remediation can maintain the sustainability of farmlands contaminated with heavy metals (HMs). However, the effects of bacterial consortium on crop growth and potential risks under HM stress, as well as its mechanisms, are still unclear compared with a single microorganism. Here, we investigated the effect of a bacterial consortium consisting of some HMs-resistant bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Herbaspirillum huttiense, on plant growth promotion and inhibition of Pb/Cd accumulation within different contaminated soil-wheat systems through pot experiments.

The Pivotal Role of Heavy Terpenes and Anthropogenic Interactions in New Particle Formation on the Southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Aerosol particles originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) readily reach the free troposphere, potentially affecting global radiation and climate. Although new particle formation (NPF) is frequently observed at such high altitudes, its precursors and their underlying chemistry remain poorly understood. This study presents direct observational evidence of anthropogenic influences on biogenic NPF on the southeastern QTP, near the Himalayas.

Variations and driving factors for concentrations and carbon isotopes of dissolved CO in lake water across different Chinese lakes.

Carbon dioxide (CO) stands as the primary driver of Earth's greenhouse effect, and it's suggested that the global contribution of CO emissions from lakes cannot be ignored. Despite the numerous estimations of CO fluxes from lakes, limited focus has been directed towards the carbon isotopes (δC) of dissolved CO in lake water. Particularly, the potential use of δC values in tracing the CO concentrations in lake water remains as an understudied area, warranting further exploration and investigation.

Understanding the variability of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter over the Tibetan plateau with data-driven approach.

The Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Third Pole", is susceptible to ground-level ozone (O) and fine particulate matter (PM) pollution due to its unique high-altitude environment. This study constructed random forest regression models using multi-source data from ground measurements and meteorological satellites to predict variations in ground-level O and PM concentrations and their influencing factors across seven major cities in the Tibetan Plateau over two-year periods. The models successfully reproduced O and PM levels with satisfactory R-squared values of 0.

Unexpected response of terrestrial carbon sink to rural depopulation in China.

China is experiencing large-scale rural-urban migration and rapid urbanization, which have had significant impact on terrestrial carbon sink. However, the impact of rural-urban migration and its accompanying urban expansion on the carbon sink is unclear. Based on multisource remote sensing product data for 2000-2020, the soil microbial respiration equation, relative contribution rate, and threshold analysis, we explored the impact of rural depopulation on the carbon sink and its threshold.

Effects of carbon limitation and carbon fertilization on karst lake-reservoir productivity.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are universally recognized as limiting elements in the eutrophication processes affecting the majority of the world's lakes, reservoirs, and coastal ecosystems. However, despite extensive research spanning several decades, critical questions in eutrophication science remain unanswered. For example, there is still much to understand about the interactions between carbon limitation and ecosystem stability, and the availability of carbon components adds significant complexity to aquatic resource management.

Calcium regulates the interactions between dissolved organic matter and planktonic bacteria in Erhai Lake, Yunnan Province, China.

In recent years, the global carbon cycle has garnered significant research attention. However, details of the intricate relationship between planktonic bacteria, hydrochemistry, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in inland waters remain unclear, especially their effects on lake carbon sequestration. In this study, we analyzed 16S rRNA, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and inorganic nutrients in Erhai Lake, Yunnan Province, China.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal interactions bridge the support of root-associated microbiota for slope multifunctionality in an erosion-prone ecosystem.

The role of diverse soil microbiota in restoring erosion-induced degraded lands is well recognized. Yet, the facilitative interactions among symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, rhizobia, and heterotrophic bacteria, which underpin multiple functions in eroded ecosystems, remain unclear. Here, we utilized quantitative microbiota profiling and ecological network analyses to explore the interplay between the diversity and biotic associations of root-associated microbiota and multifunctionality across an eroded slope of a plantation on the Loess Plateau.

Obscured Contribution of Oxygenated Intermediate-Volatility Organic Compounds to Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Gasoline Vehicle Emissions.

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from gasoline vehicles spanning a wide range of emission types was investigated using an oxidation flow reactor (OFR) by conducting chassis dynamometer tests. Aided by advanced mass spectrometric techniques, SOA precursors, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and intermediate/semivolatile organic compounds (I/SVOCs), were comprehensively characterized. The reconstructed SOA produced from the speciated VOCs and I/SVOCs can explain 69% of the SOA measured downstream of an OFR upon 0.

Salinity decreases methane concentrations in Chinese lakes.

Lakes are important sources of methane (CH), and understanding the influence of environmental factors on CH concentration in lake water is crucial for accurately assessing CH emission from lakes. In this study, we investigated CH concentration in two connected Tibetan Plateau lakes, Lake Keluke (an open freshwater lake) and Lake Tuosu (a closed saline lake), through in-situ continuous measurements taken in different months from 2021 to 2023. The results show substantial spatial and seasonal variations in CH concentrations in the two lakes, while the CH concentrations in Lake Keluke are consistently higher than those in Lake Tuosu for each month.

Widespread 2013-2020 decreases and reduction challenges of organic aerosol in China.

High concentrations of organic aerosol (OA) occur in Asian countries, leading to great health burdens. Clean air actions have resulted in significant emission reductions of air pollutants in China. However, long-term nation-wide trends in OA and their causes remain unknown.

Measurement of the vertical distributions of atmospheric pollutants using an uncrewed aerial vehicle platform in Xi'an, China.

Vertical observations of atmospheric pollutants play crucial roles in a comprehensive understanding of the distribution characteristics and transport of atmospheric pollutants. A hexacopter uncrewed aerial vehicle equipped with miniature monitors was employed to measure the vertical distribution of atmospheric pollutants within a height of 1000 m at a rural site in Xi'an, China, in 2021. The concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) showed generally decreasing trends with increasing height.

Molecular-Level Insights into the Relationship between Volatility of Organic Aerosol Constituents and PM Air Pollution Levels: A Study with Ultrahigh-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Volatility of organic aerosols (OAs) significantly influences new particle formation and the occurrence of particulate air pollution. However, the relationship between the volatility of OA and the level of particulate air pollution (i.e.

Plant diversity increases spatial stability of aboveground productivity in alpine grasslands.

Plant diversity can significantly affect the grassland productivity and its stability. However, it remains unclear how plant diversity affects the spatial stability of natural grassland productivity, especially in alpine regions that are sensitive to climate change. We analyzed the interaction between plant (species richness and productivity, etc.

Reconstructing atmospheric I deposition over 170 years with the varved sediment in the Sihailongwan Maar Lake, northeast China.

Long-term deposition of atmospheric radioactive iodine-129 (I) is important for assessing the impact of human nuclear activities (HNAs), but still not well understood in East Asia. In this study, we quantitatively reconstructed the deposition history of airborne I using varved sediment from Sihailongwan Maar Lake (SHLW) in northeast China. Our results revealed significant increases in I concentrations and I/I atomic ratios since the 1950s, indicating the influence of HNAs on the environment and marking the onset of the Anthropocene.

Exploring the neurotoxicity of chiral dinotefuran towards nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: Enantioselective insights into species selectivity.

Dinotefuran is a chiral neonicotinoid that is widely distributed in environmental matrices, but its health risks to different organisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the neurotoxic responses of honeybee/cotton aphid nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to chiral dinotefuran at the enantiomeric scale and demonstrated the microscopic mechanism of species selectivity in nAChR-mediated enantioselective neurotoxicity. The findings indicated that (S)-dinotefuran had a higher affinity for honeybee nAChR than (R)-dinotefuran whereas both enantiomers exhibited similar bioactivity toward cotton aphid nAChR.