Optimizing nitrogen management for pollution control in Lake Baiyangdian following water replenishment.

Eutrophication is an ecological process showing the state shift of a lake. This shift could be triggered when the external nitrogen (N) loads exceed N thresholds. Meanwhile, external water inputs and the resulting changes in lake water depth could affect N thresholds.

Tomato SlARF5 participate in the flower organ initiation process and control plant height.

Plant height is a critical agronomic trait closely linked to yield, primarily regulated by Gibberellins (GA) and auxins, which interact in complex ways. However, the mechanism underlying their interactions remain incompletely understood. In this study, we identified a tomato mutant exhibiting significantly reduced plant height.

Trade optimality and micro-nutrient productivity: Assessing the impact of crop trade on nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency.

Intensification of agricultural practices has been pivotal in meeting the nutritional demands of a burgeoning global population. However, the widespread application of nitrogen (N) fertilisers has contributed to environmental pollution. In this study, we quantitatively assessed the role of international crop trade in optimising the productivity of micro-nutrients and its implications for N fertiliser use.

Decline in carbon emission intensity of global agriculture has stagnated recently.

Using global data for around 180 countries and territories and 170 food/feed types primarily derived from FAOSTAT, we have systematically analyzed the changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity (GHG) (kg CO per kg protein production) over the past six decades. We found that, with large spatial heterogeneity, emission intensity decreased by nearly two-thirds from 1961 to 2019, predominantly in the earlier years due to agronomic improvement in productivity. However, in the most recent decade, emission intensity has become stagnant, and in a few countries even showed an increase, due to the rapid increase in livestock production and land use changes.

Nonbiodegradable microplastic types determine the diversity and structure of soil microbial communities: A meta-analysis.

As an emerging contaminant, microplastics (MPs) have received considerable attention for their potential threat to the soil environment. However, the response of soil bacterial and fungal communities to MPs exposure remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 95 publications and 2317 observations to assess the effects of nonbiodegradable MP properties and exposure conditions on soil microbial biomass, alpha and beta diversity, and community structure.

Holistic food system innovation strategies can close up to 80% of China's domestic protein gaps while reducing global environmental impacts.

China's imports of livestock feed, particularly protein-rich feeds, pose challenges to global environmental sustainability. Achieving protein self-sufficiency for food and feed in China without exceeding environmental boundaries requires integrated measures and optimization of China's food system. Here we propose holistic food system innovation strategies consisting of three components-technological innovation, integrated spatial planning and demand-side options-to reduce protein import dependency and promote global environmental sustainability.

A global assessment of glyphosate and AMPA inputs into rivers: Over half of the pollutants are from corn and soybean production.

Glyphosate is widely used in agriculture for weed control; however, it may pollute water systems with its by-product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). Therefore, a better understanding of the flows of glyphosate and AMPA from soils into rivers is required. We developed the spatially explicit MARINA-Pesticides model to estimate the annual inputs of glyphosate and AMPA into rivers, considering 10 crops in 10,226 sub-basins globally for 2020.

An optimized crop-livestock system can achieve a safe and just planetary boundary for phosphorus at the sub-basin level in China.

The contribution of crop and livestock production to the exceedance of the planetary boundary for phosphorus (P) in China is still unclear, despite the country's well-known issues with P fertilizer overuse and P-related water pollution. Using coupled models at sub-basin scales we estimate that livestock production increased the consumption of P fertilizer fivefold and exacerbated P losses twofold from 1980 to 2017. At present, China's crop-livestock system is responsible for exceeding what is considered a 'just' threshold for fertilizer P use by 30% (ranging from 17% to 68%) and a 'safe' water quality threshold by 45% (ranging from 31% to 74%) in 25 sub-basins in China.

Modified lignin can achieve mitigation of ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions simultaneously in composting.

The constant ammonia gas (NH) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions were considered as a deep-rooted problem in composting which caused air pollution and global climate change. To achieve the mitigation of NH and GHG, a novel additive derived from wasted straw, with modified structure and functional groups, has been developed. Results showed that the adsorption capacity of modified lignin (ML) for both ammonium and nitrate was significantly increased by 132.

Meta-analysis addressing the potential of antibiotic resistance gene elimination through aerobic composting.

The significant increase in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in organic solid wastes (OSWs) has emerged as a major threat to the food chain. Aerobic composting is a widely used technology for OSW management, with the potential to influence the fate of AGRs. However, the variability of the ARG elimination effects reported in different studies has highlighted the uncertainty regarding the effects of composting on ARGs.

Spatio-temporal variation and drivers of blue carbon sequestration in Hainan Island, China.

Blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangrove, seagrass bed and salt marsh, have attracted increasing attention due to their remarkable capacity for efficient carbon sequestration. However, the current threat posed by human activities to these ecosystems necessitates the characterization of their changes and identification of the primary driving factors in order to facilitate the gradual restoration of blue carbon ecosystems. In this study, we present an analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics and primary influencing factors governing carbon sequestration in mangrove and seagrass beds located in Hainan Island.

Co-benefits for net carbon emissions and rice yields through improved management of organic nitrogen and water.

Returning organic nutrient sources (for example, straw and manure) to rice fields is inevitable for coupling crop-livestock production. However, an accurate estimate of net carbon (C) emissions and strategies to mitigate the abundant methane (CH) emission from rice fields supplied with organic sources remain unclear. Here, using machine learning and a global dataset, we scaled the field findings up to worldwide rice fields to reconcile rice yields and net C emissions.

Foliar N O emissions constitute a significant source to atmosphere.

Nitrous oxide (N O) is a potent greenhouse gas and causes stratospheric ozone depletion. While the emissions of N O from soil are widely recognized, recent research has shown that terrestrial plants may also emit N O from their leaves under controlled laboratory conditions. However, it is unclear whether foliar N O emissions are universal across varying plant taxa, what the global significance of foliar N O emissions is, and how the foliage produces N O in situ.

Precision co-composting of multi-source organic solid wastes provide a sustainable waste management strategy with high eco-efficiency: a life cycle assessment.

With the increase of organic solid wastes (OSWs), current waste management practices, such as landfill, incineration, and windrow composting, have shown weaknesses in both resource recycling and environmental protection. Co-composting has been used to achieve nutrient and carbon recycling but is accused of high ammonia emission and low degradation efficiency. Therefore, this study developed a precision co-composting strategy (S3, which adds functional bacteria generated from food processing waste to a co-composting system) and compared it with the current OSW treatment strategy (S1) and traditional co-composting strategy (S2) from a life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective.

Setting goals for agricultural nitrogen emission reduction to ensure safe air and groundwater quality: A case study of Quzhou, the North China Plain.

Setting nitrogen (N) emission targets for agricultural systems is crucial to prevent to air and groundwater pollution, yet such targets are rarely defined at the county level. In this study, we employed a forecasting-and-back casting approach to establish human health-based nitrogen targets for air and groundwater quality in Quzhou county, located in the North China Plain. By adopting the World Health Organization (WHO) phase I standard for PM concentration (35 μg m) and a standard of 11.

Electric field as extracellular enzyme activator promotes conversion of lignocellulose to humic acid in composting process.

To promote efficient conversion of lignocellulose to humus (HS) during composting, a novel bio-electrochemical technology was applied and explored the effect and mechanism of electrification on carbon conversion during different composting periods. The results showed that supplementary electric field played different roles during composting. In the early stage, organic matter mineralization was significantly accelerated under electric field application, that was embodied in a 29.

Impacts of subsidy for export of pig to domestic market on the spatial distribution of pig production and related nitrogen losses in China.

The uneven distribution of pig production may create pollution hotspots and severe environmental costs at the local level; however, there is little information available about the socioeconomic driving forces behind the spatial distribution of pig production and its potential environmental costs. Here, we collected time series data (1990, 2012 and 2017) of pig production and multiple socioeconomic indicators from 2333 counties in China to remedy this knowledge gap. Our results indicate that, the poverty level, pork self-sufficiency rate, feed availability per head and environmental pollution risk were all played negligible roles in determining the spatial distribution of pig production at the county level in China between 1990 and 2017.

Investing in mini-livestock production for food security and carbon neutrality in China.

Future food farming technology faces challenges that must integrate the core goal of keeping the global temperature increase within 1.5 °C without reducing food security and nutrition. Here, we show that boosting the production of insects and earthworms based on food waste and livestock manure to provide food and feed in China will greatly contribute to meeting the country's food security and carbon neutrality pledges.

Global food nutrients analysis reveals alarming gaps and daunting challenges.

Eliminating both overt and hidden hunger is at the core of the global food and nutrition security agenda. Yet, the collective state of nutrition security at the population level is not known. Here we quantify food-based availability of 11 essential nutrients for 156 countries using a food production-consumption-nutrition model, followed by assessment of the nutrient availability status as a ratio of recommended intake.

Estimating food nitrogen and phosphorus footprints and budgeting nitrogen and phosphorus flows of Rwanda's agricultural food system during 1961-2020.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are limiting factors for crop production in Rwanda where food security is susceptible to inadequate agricultural techniques, especially fertilization. Understanding N and P footprints for food and their budgets under different fertilized scenarios may help to improve the nutrient use efficiency and crop yield in Rwanda, however, with little information available yet. Here, we estimated food N and P footprints and their budgets for agri-food system in Rwanda using adjusted N-P-Calculator model under fertilized, unfertilized and combined scenarios during 1961-2020.

Mechanisms of mitigating nitrous oxide emission during composting by biochar and calcium carbonate addition.

To investigate the mechanisms underlying effects of biochar and calcium carbonate (CaCO) addition on nitrous oxide (NO) emissions during composting, this paper conducted a systematic study on mineral nitrogen (N), dissolved organic carbon (C) and N, sources of NO, and functional genes. Biochar and CaCO addition decreased NO emissions by 26.5-47.

Agricultural trade impacts global phosphorus use and partial productivity.

The spatio-temporal distribution, flow and end use of phosphorus (P) embedded in traded agricultural products are poorly understood. Here we use global trade matrices to analyse the partial factor productivity of P (output per unit of P input) for crop and livestock products in 200 countries and their cumulative contributions to the export or import of agricultural products over 1961-2019. In these six decades, the trade of agricultural P products has increased global partial factor productivity for crop and livestock production and has theoretically saved 67 Tg P in fertilizers and 1.

Sources of nitrogen in reservoirs of the Haihe basin (China) 2012-2017.

Nitrogen (N) is essential for agricultural production. However, too much N can pollute waters. The Chinese government published several policies to reduce N losses from agricultural production to waters since 2015, which may influence river export of N to reservoirs and lakes and their pollution sources.