Vertical profiles of the total organic carbon （TOC）, total nitrogen （TN）, phosphorus, susceptibilities, elements and partical size were analyzed in a short ^137Cs-dated sediment core collected from Honghu Lake, Ch...Vertical profiles of the total organic carbon （TOC）, total nitrogen （TN）, phosphorus, susceptibilities, elements and partical size were analyzed in a short ^137Cs-dated sediment core collected from Honghu Lake, China. The average sedimentation rate was 1.55 mm/a. The results indicated that trophic status of Honghu Lake in the historical period had experienced three stages. Before 1840 the lake was characterized with lower productivity, TOC was less than 9.92 g/kg; TN was 0.902 to 1.24 g/kg. During about 1840-1950, population increased quickly, there was an obvious change in TOC with an average of 13.0 g/kg. Since 1950, human impacts have accelerated the lake eutrophication and nutrients enriched in the sediment with TOC of 21.7 to 93.1 g/kg, TN of 1.77 to 8.78 g/kg. The heavy metal concentration profiles presented similar distribution trends except Pb .and Mn. The results from elements analyses indicated that Honghu Lake had not been polluted by heavy metals except lead.展开更多
Since the reform and opening-up program started in 1978,the level of urbanization has increased rapidly in China.Rapid urban expansion and restructuring have had significant impacts on the ecological environment espec...Since the reform and opening-up program started in 1978,the level of urbanization has increased rapidly in China.Rapid urban expansion and restructuring have had significant impacts on the ecological environment especially within built-up areas.In this study,ArcGIS 10,ENVI 4.5,and Visual FoxPro 6.0 were used to analyze the human impacts on vegetation in the built-up areas of 656Chinese cities from 1992 to 2010.Firstly,an existing algorithm was refined to extract the boundaries of the built-up areas based on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System(DMSP_OLS)nighttime light data.This improved algorithm has the advantages of high accuracy and speed.Secondly,a mathematical model(Human impacts(HI))was constructed to measure the impacts of human factors on vegetation during rapid urbanization based on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR)Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)NDVI.HI values greater than zero indicate relatively beneficial effects while values less than zero indicate proportionally adverse effects.The results were analyzed from four aspects:the size of cities(metropolises,large cities,medium-sized cities,and small cities),large regions(the eastern,central,western,and northeastern China),administrative divisions of China(provinces,autonomous regions,and municipalities)and vegetation zones(humid and semi-humid forest zone,semi-arid steppe zone,and arid desert zone).Finally,we discussed how human factors impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.We found that urban planning policies and developmental stages impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The negative human impacts followed an inverted′U′shape,first rising and then falling with increase of urban scales.China′s national policies,social and economic development affected vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The findings can provide a scientific basis for municipal planning departments,a decision-making reference for government,and scientific guidance for sustainable development in China.展开更多
We studied distribution and site conditions of epiphytic orchids in a gradient of human interference in Kathmandu valley, central Nepal. The aim was to understand the recent distribution pattern of epiphytic orchids, ...We studied distribution and site conditions of epiphytic orchids in a gradient of human interference in Kathmandu valley, central Nepal. The aim was to understand the recent distribution pattern of epiphytic orchids, with respect to (i) the micro-site conditions and (ii) the type and intensity of land use. The occurrence of epiphytic orchids was recorded for a grid with 1.5 km cell size. The cells represent different types and intensities of human impact. Site factors such as bark rugosity, bark pH, diameter at breast height (dbh; 1.3 m) of host trees, exposure to wind and sunlight intensity were recorded. With regard to the species richness and abundance of epiphytic orchids, we compared different human impact categories from very strong human impact (settlement area) to very low human impact (national park). Remote sensing was used for a supervised classification of land cover. Ficus religiosa turned out to be the most important host species for orchids in urban areas, while Schima wallichii and Alnus nepalensis significantly host orchids in the other categories. Both species richness and abundance of epiphytic orchids were significantly higher under very low human impact (forest in national park) and also some remaining patches of primary forest than the other regions. Micro-climate is crucial for orchid populations. Host bark pH, bark rugosity, sunlight intensity and host exposure were significantly different for all human impact categories in order to harbour epiphytic orchid species. Habitats with a mixture of mature trees are suitable and essential for the conservation of viable populations of epiphytic orchids in settled areas. The study reveals that to improve the population size of orchids it is essential for future urban forestry to: (i) Protect old trees as carriers of existing epiphytic orchid diversity, (ii) protect medium old trees to ensure that they may become old trees, (iii) plant new host trees for the future, (iv) plant in groups instead of single isolate trees. Trees should especially be planted in areas where orchids still exist to provide more trees for orchid population enlargement (e.g. along riparian system). Native species should be favoured; the pool of such native host species is wide.展开更多
Antarctic environment has valuable baseline information for understanding the global change. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of human activities on Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem. Based o...Antarctic environment has valuable baseline information for understanding the global change. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of human activities on Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem. Based on the investigation results and the sampling analysis of the environment of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, it was shown that there are some artificial radioactive elements—? ? 137 Cs in Antarctic environment: the radioactivity of 137 Cs in the surface soil, the surface moss, the fruticose lichen and the crustaceous lichen are 6 00—14 80, 25 07, 29 04 and 58 07 Bq/kg separately; i.e. the sequence of 137 Cs specific activity is as follows: crustaceous lichen>fruticose lichen>surface moss>surface soil, which demonstrates that the crustaceous lichen is one of the most sensitive monitor ways for the effect of the long term diffusion of 137 Cs. The impacts of the scientific research activities on the partial ecosystem of Fildes Peninsula include: the changes of the landscape and the soil material have made a strong freezing thawing process, which decreases the stability of the ground surface, causes the degradation of the vegetation in the some small areas; some small lakes, runoff and lichens in middle areas of Fildes Peninsula have been affected by the wastes of the stations, in the surrounding areas of the expedition stations, the concentration of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the lichen and the water are higher than that of the contrasting area. Fildes Peninsula is one of the most crowded areas of expedition stations, at some extent, the environment and terrestrial ecosystem have been affected by the human activities. The conservation of the environment and ecosystem should be an important aspect of Antarctic environmental sciences.展开更多
Mansonia altissima is an important West African timber tree species. For the purpose of examining the effect of human impact on its genetic diversity, genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of the species und...Mansonia altissima is an important West African timber tree species. For the purpose of examining the effect of human impact on its genetic diversity, genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of the species under different regimes of human impact were investigated in the Akure Forest Reserve, Nigeria, using 504 amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP） markers. The results indicate a very low genetic diversity in M. altissima within the forest reserve （He = 0.045; PPL = 16.75%; Br = 1.162）. The highest genetic diversity was observed in the primary forest （H e= 0.062; PPL - 21.00%; Br = 1.204）, with the lowest genetic diversity in the isolated forest patch （He = 0.032; PPL = 9.00%; B r= 1.089）. A significant and pronounced spatial genetic structure was found in the logged forest and in the isolated forest patch. In contrast, the primary forest exhibited very weak spatial genetic structuring. As expected, no spatial genetic structure was found in the planted stands of M. altissima. From a conservation point of view, our results suggest that genetic diversity ofM. altissima is at risk in the forest reserve. The scale of human impact in the study area could pose a serious threat to the maintenance of genetic diversity of the species. These results would offer practical applications in the conservation of other tropical tree species.展开更多
Understanding the relationship between modern pollen and vegetation is crucial for interpreting fossil pollen records and assessing human impact on the environment,both of which are essential for effective environment...Understanding the relationship between modern pollen and vegetation is crucial for interpreting fossil pollen records and assessing human impact on the environment,both of which are essential for effective environmental management strategies.Despite numerous studies on fossil pollen records in the Rif landscape,research specifically focusing on modern pollen and its implications for understanding human impact on the natural landscape is notably lacking.This paper presents novel anthropogenic pollen indicators for the Rif Mountains and seeks to evaluate the gradients of human impact on the southern Mediterranean landscape.We employed a combination of modern pollen analysis,vegetation survey,and ordination techniques,incorporating various environmental and land-use variables.Canonical correspondence analysis(CCA)allowed us to evaluate the relationships between pollen types and environmental variables,helping us identify key anthropogenic pollen indicators associated with land use and human activities:Poaceae,Cannabist,Olea-t,and Asteraceae for cultivation;Brassicaceae,Genista-t,Poaceae,Asteraceae and Plantago-t,for grazing;Apiaceae,Urtica-t and Genista-t for slashing and burning.Additionally,an anthropogenic index score(AIS)was calculated for each sampled location.Correspondence analysis(CA)was then used to correlate each specific pollen type with levels of human impact as follows(a)low(e.g.,Cedrus atlantica-t,Quercus canariensis-t),(b)moderate(e.g.,Erica-t,Arbutus unedo-t,Eucalyptus-t),and(c)high(e.g.,Cannabis-t,Brassicaceae,Olea-t,Nicotiana-t).This paper enhances our comprehension of land-use dynamics and impact levels,providing essential insights for evaluating anthropogenic impact trends and human-induced changes in the Rif Mountains landscape.展开更多
The goal of this paper was to present knowledge on changes in the morphodynamic structure of the Ochotnica River(Polish Carpathians)and transformations within its active river zone since the end of the 19th century.Th...The goal of this paper was to present knowledge on changes in the morphodynamic structure of the Ochotnica River(Polish Carpathians)and transformations within its active river zone since the end of the 19th century.The study used a set of archival and contemporary cartographic materials and the results of three-fold field mapping of the morphodynamic structure of the riverbed.Direct and indirect human interference with the natural environment of the catchment and the fluvial system was taken into account in the analysis.Analysis of changes in the morphodynamic structure of the Ochotnica and its active river zone since the end of the 19th century indicated significant changes in the development trend of the riverbed.The contemporary structure of the Ochotnica is more complex than in the 1980s.There has been a fragmentation of the riverbed into sections with different morphodynamic sections.The proportion of erosive sections has increased,which explains the reduced in the width of the active river zone of the Ochotnica.The average width of the active river zone of the river between 1861 and 2022 has changed from 80 m to 18 m.Human impact has been identified as the main reason for the changes in the morphodynamic structure of the riverbed and its active river zone.Currently,only the unregulated sect ion is characterised by free lateral migration of the riverbed and the widest active river zone(~28 m).展开更多
Yangshao culture is the most important mid-Holocene Neolithic culture in the Yellow River catchment, and thus, a study on the impact of human activities on the environment is important. In the current study, the distr...Yangshao culture is the most important mid-Holocene Neolithic culture in the Yellow River catchment, and thus, a study on the impact of human activities on the environment is important. In the current study, the distribution pattern of the cultivated land in late Yangshao culture is reconstructed using GIS tool and site domain analysis （SDA）. The results show that the cultivated land during 5.5-5.0 ka BP was mainly distributed in the Weihe River valley, Luohe River valley, northwestern Henan Plain, Fenhe River valley and eastern Gansu region, especially concentrated in the Xi＇an-Baoji line of the Weihe River valley. At that time, at least 37,000 km2 of lands were reclaimed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and 132,000 km2 of lands were affected by agricultural activities. Human activities had become the driving force of land use/land coverage. Charcoal records indicate that the ancestors of Yangshao culture burnt forests for reclamation, leading to the decrease of arbor pollen at 5 ka BP in core areas of the Yangshao culture. The areas that were significantly affected by human activities accounted for 3.2% of the Yangshao culture influenced area, while the moderately affected areas accounted for 20.1% of Yangshao culture influenced area. Meanwhile, 92% of the land areas on the edge and outside of the Yangshao culture influenced area were not affected by human activities. The arbor pollen in these areas did not decrease until 4.0 ka BP.展开更多
The Lancang-Mekong River in China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam is the soul and heart of mainland Southeast Asia. Over 60 million people depend on the river and its tributaries for food, transportati...The Lancang-Mekong River in China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam is the soul and heart of mainland Southeast Asia. Over 60 million people depend on the river and its tributaries for food, transportation, water, and other necessities of life. The river supports one of the world’s most diverse fisheries, second only to Brazil’s Amazon River. Lancang-Mekong and tributaries are already heavily dammed primarily in China, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, with many more dams planned or under construction. Dams can worsen the impact of periodic droughts in the Lancang-Mekong basin and block the river’s “pulse effect” that spreads water and nutrients needed for fishing and farming onto the floodplains and delta. The headwaters of the Lancang are in China and its waters are considered a national resource. China regards the Lancang, Yangtze and Yellow rivers as a free resource rather than a shared resource. The primary difference between these rivers is the Lancang flows from China into and through other countries and not directly into a sea or ocean. China and Myanmar have not joined the Mekong River Commission (MRC) as full members but have been Dialogue Partners since 1996. Over the past thirty years, China’s Lancang policies and actions have reflected its national resource interests. China has actively engaged with individual transboundary countries at various levels including environmental, conservation, and economic agreements. The primary objective of this study is to assess the environmental and human impacts of all Lancang-Mekong mainstem and tributary dams and the plans by many countries for more hydropower utilizing the potential of the river as the continent’s energy lifeline. Future dams need to include fish ladders and navigation locks to reduce the environmental impacts on fish populations, natural resources, navigation, and livelihoods. Strengthening of international collaboration via the MRC or by individual or multiple country agreements to address Lancang-Mekong’s sustainable transboundary development goals is recommended. When new Lancang-Mekong and tributary dams are built within any of the transboundary watershed countries, additional communities will need to be resettled. Significant environmental and human impacts are observed. Steps will have to be taken by all the concerned countries to prevent these problems and to ensure that people’s livelihoods are restored after resettlement.展开更多
Mobile internet and wireless communication technologies have produced unprecedented location-aware data.Such big geospatial data can be used as a proxy measure of the‘digital footprints’left by us on the planet and ...Mobile internet and wireless communication technologies have produced unprecedented location-aware data.Such big geospatial data can be used as a proxy measure of the‘digital footprints’left by us on the planet and provide a valuable opportunity to understand the dynamic and short-term human disturbance on the nature at fine scales.This study investigated the spatiotemporal variations of human’s digital footprints on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using smartphone-users-generated Tencent’s location request data.The results showed that human’s digital footprints cover less than 5%of Qinghai and Tibet,exhibiting either a U-shaped or an N-shaped temporal change pattern during the major festivals.Spatial changes of the digital footprints manifested a transition process from dispersion to concentration in Xining and Lhasa.Human disturbance assessment of seven large nature reserves on the plateau showed that the Qinghai Lake is the most disturbed one as shown by 14.6%of its area is stained with human digital footprints and the areal average of footprint intensity is 1.59,and the disturbance was significantly escalated during the National Day holiday.By contrast,the Qangtang and Hoh Xil are the least affected nature reserves with the two indices less than 1%and 0.1,respectively.展开更多
The paper presents activity of contemporary geomorphic processes in the Polish Carpathians,taking into account human impact on relief transformation in the past several centuries.Landsliding in the flysch Carpathians ...The paper presents activity of contemporary geomorphic processes in the Polish Carpathians,taking into account human impact on relief transformation in the past several centuries.Landsliding in the flysch Carpathians is a principal process in slope transformation,posing the most serious threat to man,both in the mountains and the foothills.On the other hand,unsuitable housing on slopes initiates mass movements,frequently with catastrophic consequences.Land use changes,in particular deforestation,have over the past 200 years fostered intensive slopewash and linear erosion,with this playing an important role in shaping foothill relief.Following changes in land use and channel regulation initiated at the beginning of the 20th century,a tendency to river bed deepening prevails.Moreover,floods,and not only extreme instances,continue to pose a threat to man,with their effects enhanced by housing in floodplain areas.展开更多
Introduction:Human impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems are increasing in extent and intensity as sea ice shrinks and utilization of marine resources expands.The effects of climate change are being felt across the arct...Introduction:Human impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems are increasing in extent and intensity as sea ice shrinks and utilization of marine resources expands.The effects of climate change are being felt across the arctic while stressors such as commercial fishing and shipping continue to grow as the Arctic becomes more accessible.Given these emerging changes,there is need for an assessment of the current cumulative impact of human activities to better anticipate and manage for a changing Arctic.Cumulative human impacts(CHI)assessments have been widely applied around the world in a variety of ecosystem types but have yet to incorporate temporal dynamics of individual stressors.Such dynamics are funda-mental to Arctic ecosystems.Outcomes:Here,we present the first CHI assessment of an Arctic ecosystem to incorporate sea ice as a habitat and assess impact seasonality,using the Bering Strait Region(BSR)as a case study.We find that cumulative impacts differ seasonally,with lower impacts in winter and higher impacts in summer months.Large portions of the BSR have significantly different impacts within each season when compared to a mean annual cumulative impact map.Cumulative impacts also have great spatial variability,with Russian waters between 2.38 and 3.63 times as impacted as US waters.Conclusion:This assessment of seasonal and spatial cumulative impacts provides an under-standing of the current reality in the BSR and can be used to support development and evaluation of future management scenarios that address expected impacts from climate change and increasing interest in the Arctic.展开更多
Although hunting in the north-eastern Atlantic forest of Brazil began more than 500 years ago, no study to date has evaluated its impacts on the region’s mammalian fauna. For one year we carried out diurnal and noctu...Although hunting in the north-eastern Atlantic forest of Brazil began more than 500 years ago, no study to date has evaluated its impacts on the region’s mammalian fauna. For one year we carried out diurnal and nocturnal surveys using the Line Transect method in seven forest fragments varying from 7.32 ha to 469.76 ha, within a 4000 ha forest island archipelago, in Pernambuco State, Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil. We calculated species density, population size, biomass and synergetic biomass, and recorded direct and indirect human impacts along the study transects. We recorded 44 mammalian species, of which 45.5% (n = 20) went extinct through hunting. The smallest forest fragment had the lowest richness, diversity, population size, and total biomass. It also had no synergetic biomass. The largest fragment had the highest richness, total density, and population size. There was a statistically significant relationship between fragment area and number of gunshots heard and suspended hunting platforms found;between population size and gunshots heard, suspended hunting platforms, free-roaming and feral dogs, and between total density and free-roaming and feral dogs. After more than 500 years of colonization hunting is still devastating, with larger fragments being linked to more hunters. Higher mammal abundances attracted more free-roaming and feral dogs, which have adapted to hunt wildlife on their own. Unless we protect every single forest fragment and create sustainable landscapes, we will not be able to save this hotspot’s hotspot.展开更多
Mapping human footprint(HF)is crucial for understanding the cumulative anthropogenic pressures on the envi-ronment.However,its effectiveness is often hampered by the absence of fine-scale,high-quality spatio-temporal ...Mapping human footprint(HF)is crucial for understanding the cumulative anthropogenic pressures on the envi-ronment.However,its effectiveness is often hampered by the absence of fine-scale,high-quality spatio-temporal datasets.Addressing this gap,we present the first annual HF maps for the Qingzang Plateau(QP)from 1990 to 2020,at a 100 m×100 m resolution,boasting an accuracy exceeding 80%.Our findings reveal that the QP’s human-induced modifications were relatively low,with a median HF of 3.39 in 2020,significantly lower than the global average of 7.56.The northeast and mid-south regions of the QP emerged as hotspots for anthropogenic impact.Notably,over two-thirds(68.2%)of the QP registered an HF score below 4,classifying them as largely intact.However,the QP’s average HF score has escalated more swiftly than the global mean(0.0348/yr vs.0.0186/yr),particularly in the last decade,indicating escalating human pressures.In terms of stability,montane grasslands and shrublands comprised 75.1%of moderately or highly altered biomes in 2020.In contrast,tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests witnessed the most substantial HF increases.Encouragingly,26.29%of the QP experienced HF reductions over the past thirty years,highlighting potential conservation opportunities.展开更多
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China aims to address the imbalanced distribution of water resources between the northern and southern regions,a critical safeguard for sustainable socio-economic and ecol...The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China aims to address the imbalanced distribution of water resources between the northern and southern regions,a critical safeguard for sustainable socio-economic and ecological development.In this study,we investigated the hydroclimatic evolution of the water source area and its driving mechanisms using the inflow runoff data at Danjiangkou Reservoir from 1954 to 2013,along with multiple gridded hydroclimatic datasets.Based on the correlations between instrumental runoff data and gridded hydroclimatic variables,we used linear regression to extend the long-term runoff record to the period of 1902-2019.Our results indicate that climate changes,dominated by regional wet-dry cycles,have significant impacts on runoff variations,while the influence of human activities remains comparatively limited.Danjiangkou Reservoir can maintain a balanced base flow,even during the operation of the water diversion project.Preliminary synoptic climatology analyses reveal that runoff variations are mainly driven by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)and the Pacific Walker Circulation(PWC),which affect runoff by altering large-scale ocean-to-continent water vapor processes.This study advances the field by integrating multi-source data with analytical techniques,which enhances understanding of long-term runoff changes in the Danjiangkou Reservoir and their climatic drivers,ultimately supporting sustainable water resource management.展开更多
Investigation of 78 surface pollen samples from warm temperate hilly areas of eastern China shows that pollen assemblages in areas of different land use are significantly different.Pollen concentrations in wastelands ...Investigation of 78 surface pollen samples from warm temperate hilly areas of eastern China shows that pollen assemblages in areas of different land use are significantly different.Pollen concentrations in wastelands are higher than in plantations;these,in turn,are higher than in farmlands;implying that pollen concentration decreases with increasing human impact.Arboreal pollen dominated by Pinus and Quercus is common in all samples.Herbaceous pollen percentages are higher while shrub pollen,fern spores and fern allies are lower in farmlands than in wastelands.Crop pollen is only detectable in and near farmlands;its percentages and concentrations decrease in wastelands.Cereal and Cruciferae pollen percentages average 16.7% and 6.7% in farmland respectively,but Cereal reduces to less than 3% and Cruciferae to less than 0.5% in nearby wastelands.Principle coordinates analysis and clustering analysis indicate that pollen assemblages from farmlands are distinguishable from those under other vegetation types.Occurrence of Poaceae,Chenopodiaceae,Artemisia,and Compositae pollen and Selaginella sinensis spores are closely related to human activities,and their types and frequencies indicate intensity of human impact.The spatial distribution of crops,Chenopodiaceae,and Artemisia reflects changes in both natural environments and human activities.Percentages of cereal and Cruciferae pollen,for example,increase with decreasing altitude,but decrease with increasing latitude.Understanding pollen assemblages under artificial and human-disturbed vegetation in hilly areas may aid understanding of human impacts on the plains during the early-middle Holocene.展开更多
Phytolith and pollen preserved in the Taipusi Banner paleosol profile, central eastern Inner Mongolia, provide evidence of Holocene grassland vegetation, climate and human impact. The combined phytolith and pollen rec...Phytolith and pollen preserved in the Taipusi Banner paleosol profile, central eastern Inner Mongolia, provide evidence of Holocene grassland vegetation, climate and human impact. The combined phytolith and pollen records reveal a major change in vegetation composition about 5000 a BP. Before 5000 a BP, the vegetation was dominated by Aneurolepidium Chinese-Stipa grandis grassland of C4 grasses. After 5000 a BP, C4 grasses rapidly retreated, indicating a shift to colder and more arid conditions. The gradual invasion of Stipa krylovii, Ag-ropyron desertorum, Ephedra, Chenopodiaceae and Caragana reveal the onset of grassland degeneration. Between 10000 and 8720 a BP, the Aneurolepidium Chinese-Stipa grandis grassland included a small proportion of Artemisia shrub and Echionopos type plants, implying a strong winter monsoon and very weak summer monsoon. From 8720 to 7000 a BP, C4 grasses were common, indicating a strengthening of the summer monsoon. Between 7000 and 5000 a BP, the Holocene thermal maximum was evident, with a significant expansion of C4 grasses and the presence of some trees (such as Pinus and Betula, and so on) in or near the study site. From 4200?000 a BP, a sandy grassland of Artemisia and Agropyron desertorum together with Aster-type taxa occurred. Precipitation amelioration took place between 3000 and 2170 a BP, with a rapid development of Echinops type plants and a small expansion of C4 grasses. From 2170 a BP to present, human activities accelerated the process of grassland degeneration.展开更多
Globally,gastric cancer(GC) ranks fifth in prevalence and third in fatalities,and shows a distinct geographical distribution in morbidity and mortality.Such a spatial pattern indicates that environmental factors could...Globally,gastric cancer(GC) ranks fifth in prevalence and third in fatalities,and shows a distinct geographical distribution in morbidity and mortality.Such a spatial pattern indicates that environmental factors could be an important contributor to GC.We reviewed a total of 135 relevant peer-reviewed articles and other literature published 1936-2019 to investigate the scientific evidence concerning the effects of environmental factors on GC worldwide.Environmental factors affect GC from the aspects of water,soil,air,radiation,and geology.Risk factors identified include water type,water pollution,water hardness,soil type,soil pollution,soil element content,climate change,air pollution,radiation,altitude,latitude,topography,and lithology;and most of them have an adverse impact on GC.Furthermore,we found that their effects followed five common rules:(1) the leading environmental factors that affect GC incidence and mortality vary by region,(2) the same environmental factors may have different effects on GC in different regions,(3) some different environmental factors have similar effects on GC in essence,(4) different environmental factors often interact to have combined or synergistic effects on GC,and(5)environmental factors can affect human factors to have an impact on GC.Environmental factors have a great impact on GC.Human beings may prevent GC by controlling carcinogenic factors,screening high-risk populations and providing symptomatic and rehabilitative treatments.Furthermore,adaptation measures are recommended to reduce GC risk on private and public levels.Future studies should transcend existing empirical studies to develop causal relationship models and focus on vulnerable population analysis.展开更多
In China, combustion of fossil fuels and biomass has produced serious air pollution that does harm to human health. Based on dose-response relationships derived from epidemiological studies, the authors calculated the...In China, combustion of fossil fuels and biomass has produced serious air pollution that does harm to human health. Based on dose-response relationships derived from epidemiological studies, the authors calculated the number of deaths and people with health problems which were thought to be attributable to China＇s air pollution in the year of 2000. In order to estimate the corresponding economic impacts from the national point of view, the general equilibrium approach was selected as an analysis tool for this study. A computable general equilibrium （CGE） model was constructed involving 39 sectors and 32 commodities. The human capital approach （HCA） was also used for comparison. The economic burden of disease for people estimated by HCA was equivalent to 1.26‰ （ranging from 0.44‰ to 1.84‰） of China＇s gross domestic product （GDP）. China＇s GDP loss estimated by the general equilibrium approach reached 0.38‰ （ranging from 0.16‰ to 0.51‰）. The difference between the two approaches and the implications of the results were discussed.展开更多
This paper focuses on the historical transition of human being's activities and the eco-environment in the upper reaches of Minjiang River. The history is divided into 4 periods, each with its own feature. During ...This paper focuses on the historical transition of human being's activities and the eco-environment in the upper reaches of Minjiang River. The history is divided into 4 periods, each with its own feature. During the period of nomad immigration, the top-line of the subalpine forest was forced downward by the expanding subalpine meadow. During the period of farming nationality immigration, the bottom-line of middle mountain forest had moved upward forced by the needs for land or timber of the increasing population in the valley basia During the period of the early exploiting, the focus resource was the timber. The total output was limited, comparing with the later period, because of the bad accessibility. But it was large enough to impact the forest ecosystem of the deforesting area. The recent 50 years is the crucial period of economic development and eco-environment degradation. This paper points out that the impact of human being's activities for environment lies on 3 factors: 1) physical features control the location and tendency eco-environmental change; 2) population and productivity control the scale and speed of eco-environmental change; 3) regional accessibility controls the time and location of eco-environmental change.展开更多
文摘Vertical profiles of the total organic carbon （TOC）, total nitrogen （TN）, phosphorus, susceptibilities, elements and partical size were analyzed in a short ^137Cs-dated sediment core collected from Honghu Lake, China. The average sedimentation rate was 1.55 mm/a. The results indicated that trophic status of Honghu Lake in the historical period had experienced three stages. Before 1840 the lake was characterized with lower productivity, TOC was less than 9.92 g/kg; TN was 0.902 to 1.24 g/kg. During about 1840-1950, population increased quickly, there was an obvious change in TOC with an average of 13.0 g/kg. Since 1950, human impacts have accelerated the lake eutrophication and nutrients enriched in the sediment with TOC of 21.7 to 93.1 g/kg, TN of 1.77 to 8.78 g/kg. The heavy metal concentration profiles presented similar distribution trends except Pb .and Mn. The results from elements analyses indicated that Honghu Lake had not been polluted by heavy metals except lead.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41171143,40771064)Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University(No.NCET-07-0398)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.lzu-jbky-2012-k35)
文摘Since the reform and opening-up program started in 1978,the level of urbanization has increased rapidly in China.Rapid urban expansion and restructuring have had significant impacts on the ecological environment especially within built-up areas.In this study,ArcGIS 10,ENVI 4.5,and Visual FoxPro 6.0 were used to analyze the human impacts on vegetation in the built-up areas of 656Chinese cities from 1992 to 2010.Firstly,an existing algorithm was refined to extract the boundaries of the built-up areas based on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System(DMSP_OLS)nighttime light data.This improved algorithm has the advantages of high accuracy and speed.Secondly,a mathematical model(Human impacts(HI))was constructed to measure the impacts of human factors on vegetation during rapid urbanization based on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer(AVHRR)Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)NDVI.HI values greater than zero indicate relatively beneficial effects while values less than zero indicate proportionally adverse effects.The results were analyzed from four aspects:the size of cities(metropolises,large cities,medium-sized cities,and small cities),large regions(the eastern,central,western,and northeastern China),administrative divisions of China(provinces,autonomous regions,and municipalities)and vegetation zones(humid and semi-humid forest zone,semi-arid steppe zone,and arid desert zone).Finally,we discussed how human factors impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.We found that urban planning policies and developmental stages impacted on vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The negative human impacts followed an inverted′U′shape,first rising and then falling with increase of urban scales.China′s national policies,social and economic development affected vegetation changes in the built-up areas.The findings can provide a scientific basis for municipal planning departments,a decision-making reference for government,and scientific guidance for sustainable development in China.
文摘We studied distribution and site conditions of epiphytic orchids in a gradient of human interference in Kathmandu valley, central Nepal. The aim was to understand the recent distribution pattern of epiphytic orchids, with respect to (i) the micro-site conditions and (ii) the type and intensity of land use. The occurrence of epiphytic orchids was recorded for a grid with 1.5 km cell size. The cells represent different types and intensities of human impact. Site factors such as bark rugosity, bark pH, diameter at breast height (dbh; 1.3 m) of host trees, exposure to wind and sunlight intensity were recorded. With regard to the species richness and abundance of epiphytic orchids, we compared different human impact categories from very strong human impact (settlement area) to very low human impact (national park). Remote sensing was used for a supervised classification of land cover. Ficus religiosa turned out to be the most important host species for orchids in urban areas, while Schima wallichii and Alnus nepalensis significantly host orchids in the other categories. Both species richness and abundance of epiphytic orchids were significantly higher under very low human impact (forest in national park) and also some remaining patches of primary forest than the other regions. Micro-climate is crucial for orchid populations. Host bark pH, bark rugosity, sunlight intensity and host exposure were significantly different for all human impact categories in order to harbour epiphytic orchid species. Habitats with a mixture of mature trees are suitable and essential for the conservation of viable populations of epiphytic orchids in settled areas. The study reveals that to improve the population size of orchids it is essential for future urban forestry to: (i) Protect old trees as carriers of existing epiphytic orchid diversity, (ii) protect medium old trees to ensure that they may become old trees, (iii) plant new host trees for the future, (iv) plant in groups instead of single isolate trees. Trees should especially be planted in areas where orchids still exist to provide more trees for orchid population enlargement (e.g. along riparian system). Native species should be favoured; the pool of such native host species is wide.
文摘Antarctic environment has valuable baseline information for understanding the global change. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of human activities on Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem. Based on the investigation results and the sampling analysis of the environment of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, it was shown that there are some artificial radioactive elements—? ? 137 Cs in Antarctic environment: the radioactivity of 137 Cs in the surface soil, the surface moss, the fruticose lichen and the crustaceous lichen are 6 00—14 80, 25 07, 29 04 and 58 07 Bq/kg separately; i.e. the sequence of 137 Cs specific activity is as follows: crustaceous lichen>fruticose lichen>surface moss>surface soil, which demonstrates that the crustaceous lichen is one of the most sensitive monitor ways for the effect of the long term diffusion of 137 Cs. The impacts of the scientific research activities on the partial ecosystem of Fildes Peninsula include: the changes of the landscape and the soil material have made a strong freezing thawing process, which decreases the stability of the ground surface, causes the degradation of the vegetation in the some small areas; some small lakes, runoff and lichens in middle areas of Fildes Peninsula have been affected by the wastes of the stations, in the surrounding areas of the expedition stations, the concentration of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the lichen and the water are higher than that of the contrasting area. Fildes Peninsula is one of the most crowded areas of expedition stations, at some extent, the environment and terrestrial ecosystem have been affected by the human activities. The conservation of the environment and ecosystem should be an important aspect of Antarctic environmental sciences.
基金the DAAD (German academic exchange service) for providing funds to support collection of samples in Nigeria
文摘Mansonia altissima is an important West African timber tree species. For the purpose of examining the effect of human impact on its genetic diversity, genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure of the species under different regimes of human impact were investigated in the Akure Forest Reserve, Nigeria, using 504 amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP） markers. The results indicate a very low genetic diversity in M. altissima within the forest reserve （He = 0.045; PPL = 16.75%; Br = 1.162）. The highest genetic diversity was observed in the primary forest （H e= 0.062; PPL - 21.00%; Br = 1.204）, with the lowest genetic diversity in the isolated forest patch （He = 0.032; PPL = 9.00%; B r= 1.089）. A significant and pronounced spatial genetic structure was found in the logged forest and in the isolated forest patch. In contrast, the primary forest exhibited very weak spatial genetic structuring. As expected, no spatial genetic structure was found in the planted stands of M. altissima. From a conservation point of view, our results suggest that genetic diversity ofM. altissima is at risk in the forest reserve. The scale of human impact in the study area could pose a serious threat to the maintenance of genetic diversity of the species. These results would offer practical applications in the conservation of other tropical tree species.
文摘Understanding the relationship between modern pollen and vegetation is crucial for interpreting fossil pollen records and assessing human impact on the environment,both of which are essential for effective environmental management strategies.Despite numerous studies on fossil pollen records in the Rif landscape,research specifically focusing on modern pollen and its implications for understanding human impact on the natural landscape is notably lacking.This paper presents novel anthropogenic pollen indicators for the Rif Mountains and seeks to evaluate the gradients of human impact on the southern Mediterranean landscape.We employed a combination of modern pollen analysis,vegetation survey,and ordination techniques,incorporating various environmental and land-use variables.Canonical correspondence analysis(CCA)allowed us to evaluate the relationships between pollen types and environmental variables,helping us identify key anthropogenic pollen indicators associated with land use and human activities:Poaceae,Cannabist,Olea-t,and Asteraceae for cultivation;Brassicaceae,Genista-t,Poaceae,Asteraceae and Plantago-t,for grazing;Apiaceae,Urtica-t and Genista-t for slashing and burning.Additionally,an anthropogenic index score(AIS)was calculated for each sampled location.Correspondence analysis(CA)was then used to correlate each specific pollen type with levels of human impact as follows(a)low(e.g.,Cedrus atlantica-t,Quercus canariensis-t),(b)moderate(e.g.,Erica-t,Arbutus unedo-t,Eucalyptus-t),and(c)high(e.g.,Cannabis-t,Brassicaceae,Olea-t,Nicotiana-t).This paper enhances our comprehension of land-use dynamics and impact levels,providing essential insights for evaluating anthropogenic impact trends and human-induced changes in the Rif Mountains landscape.
基金supported by a grant from the Faculty of Geography ang Geology under the Strategic Programme Excellence Initiative at Jagiellonian University.
文摘The goal of this paper was to present knowledge on changes in the morphodynamic structure of the Ochotnica River(Polish Carpathians)and transformations within its active river zone since the end of the 19th century.The study used a set of archival and contemporary cartographic materials and the results of three-fold field mapping of the morphodynamic structure of the riverbed.Direct and indirect human interference with the natural environment of the catchment and the fluvial system was taken into account in the analysis.Analysis of changes in the morphodynamic structure of the Ochotnica and its active river zone since the end of the 19th century indicated significant changes in the development trend of the riverbed.The contemporary structure of the Ochotnica is more complex than in the 1980s.There has been a fragmentation of the riverbed into sections with different morphodynamic sections.The proportion of erosive sections has increased,which explains the reduced in the width of the active river zone of the Ochotnica.The average width of the active river zone of the river between 1861 and 2022 has changed from 80 m to 18 m.Human impact has been identified as the main reason for the changes in the morphodynamic structure of the riverbed and its active river zone.Currently,only the unregulated sect ion is characterised by free lateral migration of the riverbed and the widest active river zone(~28 m).
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41161018 No.41121001+2 种基金 China Geological Survey, No. 1212011120046 Humanities and Social Sciences Youth Fund Project of Ministry c,f Education of China, No. 10YJCZH041 and The ＂Strategic Priority Research Program＂ of the CAS, No.XDA05120501.
文摘Yangshao culture is the most important mid-Holocene Neolithic culture in the Yellow River catchment, and thus, a study on the impact of human activities on the environment is important. In the current study, the distribution pattern of the cultivated land in late Yangshao culture is reconstructed using GIS tool and site domain analysis （SDA）. The results show that the cultivated land during 5.5-5.0 ka BP was mainly distributed in the Weihe River valley, Luohe River valley, northwestern Henan Plain, Fenhe River valley and eastern Gansu region, especially concentrated in the Xi＇an-Baoji line of the Weihe River valley. At that time, at least 37,000 km2 of lands were reclaimed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and 132,000 km2 of lands were affected by agricultural activities. Human activities had become the driving force of land use/land coverage. Charcoal records indicate that the ancestors of Yangshao culture burnt forests for reclamation, leading to the decrease of arbor pollen at 5 ka BP in core areas of the Yangshao culture. The areas that were significantly affected by human activities accounted for 3.2% of the Yangshao culture influenced area, while the moderately affected areas accounted for 20.1% of Yangshao culture influenced area. Meanwhile, 92% of the land areas on the edge and outside of the Yangshao culture influenced area were not affected by human activities. The arbor pollen in these areas did not decrease until 4.0 ka BP.
文摘The Lancang-Mekong River in China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam is the soul and heart of mainland Southeast Asia. Over 60 million people depend on the river and its tributaries for food, transportation, water, and other necessities of life. The river supports one of the world’s most diverse fisheries, second only to Brazil’s Amazon River. Lancang-Mekong and tributaries are already heavily dammed primarily in China, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, with many more dams planned or under construction. Dams can worsen the impact of periodic droughts in the Lancang-Mekong basin and block the river’s “pulse effect” that spreads water and nutrients needed for fishing and farming onto the floodplains and delta. The headwaters of the Lancang are in China and its waters are considered a national resource. China regards the Lancang, Yangtze and Yellow rivers as a free resource rather than a shared resource. The primary difference between these rivers is the Lancang flows from China into and through other countries and not directly into a sea or ocean. China and Myanmar have not joined the Mekong River Commission (MRC) as full members but have been Dialogue Partners since 1996. Over the past thirty years, China’s Lancang policies and actions have reflected its national resource interests. China has actively engaged with individual transboundary countries at various levels including environmental, conservation, and economic agreements. The primary objective of this study is to assess the environmental and human impacts of all Lancang-Mekong mainstem and tributary dams and the plans by many countries for more hydropower utilizing the potential of the river as the continent’s energy lifeline. Future dams need to include fish ladders and navigation locks to reduce the environmental impacts on fish populations, natural resources, navigation, and livelihoods. Strengthening of international collaboration via the MRC or by individual or multiple country agreements to address Lancang-Mekong’s sustainable transboundary development goals is recommended. When new Lancang-Mekong and tributary dams are built within any of the transboundary watershed countries, additional communities will need to be resettled. Significant environmental and human impacts are observed. Steps will have to be taken by all the concerned countries to prevent these problems and to ensure that people’s livelihoods are restored after resettlement.
基金Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA20040401)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA19040501)+2 种基金National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFB0503605)National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC1503003)National Natural Science Foundation of China(41901395)。
文摘Mobile internet and wireless communication technologies have produced unprecedented location-aware data.Such big geospatial data can be used as a proxy measure of the‘digital footprints’left by us on the planet and provide a valuable opportunity to understand the dynamic and short-term human disturbance on the nature at fine scales.This study investigated the spatiotemporal variations of human’s digital footprints on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using smartphone-users-generated Tencent’s location request data.The results showed that human’s digital footprints cover less than 5%of Qinghai and Tibet,exhibiting either a U-shaped or an N-shaped temporal change pattern during the major festivals.Spatial changes of the digital footprints manifested a transition process from dispersion to concentration in Xining and Lhasa.Human disturbance assessment of seven large nature reserves on the plateau showed that the Qinghai Lake is the most disturbed one as shown by 14.6%of its area is stained with human digital footprints and the areal average of footprint intensity is 1.59,and the disturbance was significantly escalated during the National Day holiday.By contrast,the Qangtang and Hoh Xil are the least affected nature reserves with the two indices less than 1%and 0.1,respectively.
文摘The paper presents activity of contemporary geomorphic processes in the Polish Carpathians,taking into account human impact on relief transformation in the past several centuries.Landsliding in the flysch Carpathians is a principal process in slope transformation,posing the most serious threat to man,both in the mountains and the foothills.On the other hand,unsuitable housing on slopes initiates mass movements,frequently with catastrophic consequences.Land use changes,in particular deforestation,have over the past 200 years fostered intensive slopewash and linear erosion,with this playing an important role in shaping foothill relief.Following changes in land use and channel regulation initiated at the beginning of the 20th century,a tendency to river bed deepening prevails.Moreover,floods,and not only extreme instances,continue to pose a threat to man,with their effects enhanced by housing in floodplain areas.
基金the United States National Science Foundation under award no.[NSF-PLR 1263819].
文摘Introduction:Human impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems are increasing in extent and intensity as sea ice shrinks and utilization of marine resources expands.The effects of climate change are being felt across the arctic while stressors such as commercial fishing and shipping continue to grow as the Arctic becomes more accessible.Given these emerging changes,there is need for an assessment of the current cumulative impact of human activities to better anticipate and manage for a changing Arctic.Cumulative human impacts(CHI)assessments have been widely applied around the world in a variety of ecosystem types but have yet to incorporate temporal dynamics of individual stressors.Such dynamics are funda-mental to Arctic ecosystems.Outcomes:Here,we present the first CHI assessment of an Arctic ecosystem to incorporate sea ice as a habitat and assess impact seasonality,using the Bering Strait Region(BSR)as a case study.We find that cumulative impacts differ seasonally,with lower impacts in winter and higher impacts in summer months.Large portions of the BSR have significantly different impacts within each season when compared to a mean annual cumulative impact map.Cumulative impacts also have great spatial variability,with Russian waters between 2.38 and 3.63 times as impacted as US waters.Conclusion:This assessment of seasonal and spatial cumulative impacts provides an under-standing of the current reality in the BSR and can be used to support development and evaluation of future management scenarios that address expected impacts from climate change and increasing interest in the Arctic.
文摘Although hunting in the north-eastern Atlantic forest of Brazil began more than 500 years ago, no study to date has evaluated its impacts on the region’s mammalian fauna. For one year we carried out diurnal and nocturnal surveys using the Line Transect method in seven forest fragments varying from 7.32 ha to 469.76 ha, within a 4000 ha forest island archipelago, in Pernambuco State, Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil. We calculated species density, population size, biomass and synergetic biomass, and recorded direct and indirect human impacts along the study transects. We recorded 44 mammalian species, of which 45.5% (n = 20) went extinct through hunting. The smallest forest fragment had the lowest richness, diversity, population size, and total biomass. It also had no synergetic biomass. The largest fragment had the highest richness, total density, and population size. There was a statistically significant relationship between fragment area and number of gunshots heard and suspended hunting platforms found;between population size and gunshots heard, suspended hunting platforms, free-roaming and feral dogs, and between total density and free-roaming and feral dogs. After more than 500 years of colonization hunting is still devastating, with larger fragments being linked to more hunters. Higher mammal abundances attracted more free-roaming and feral dogs, which have adapted to hunt wildlife on their own. Unless we protect every single forest fragment and create sustainable landscapes, we will not be able to save this hotspot’s hotspot.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(Grant No.42071238)the Second Qingzang Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(Grant No.2019QZKK0402).
文摘Mapping human footprint(HF)is crucial for understanding the cumulative anthropogenic pressures on the envi-ronment.However,its effectiveness is often hampered by the absence of fine-scale,high-quality spatio-temporal datasets.Addressing this gap,we present the first annual HF maps for the Qingzang Plateau(QP)from 1990 to 2020,at a 100 m×100 m resolution,boasting an accuracy exceeding 80%.Our findings reveal that the QP’s human-induced modifications were relatively low,with a median HF of 3.39 in 2020,significantly lower than the global average of 7.56.The northeast and mid-south regions of the QP emerged as hotspots for anthropogenic impact.Notably,over two-thirds(68.2%)of the QP registered an HF score below 4,classifying them as largely intact.However,the QP’s average HF score has escalated more swiftly than the global mean(0.0348/yr vs.0.0186/yr),particularly in the last decade,indicating escalating human pressures.In terms of stability,montane grasslands and shrublands comprised 75.1%of moderately or highly altered biomes in 2020.In contrast,tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests witnessed the most substantial HF increases.Encouragingly,26.29%of the QP experienced HF reductions over the past thirty years,highlighting potential conservation opportunities.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC Project No.32061123008)the Innovation Training Programme for Undergraduate Students of Yunnan University(Project No.202301051).
文摘The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China aims to address the imbalanced distribution of water resources between the northern and southern regions,a critical safeguard for sustainable socio-economic and ecological development.In this study,we investigated the hydroclimatic evolution of the water source area and its driving mechanisms using the inflow runoff data at Danjiangkou Reservoir from 1954 to 2013,along with multiple gridded hydroclimatic datasets.Based on the correlations between instrumental runoff data and gridded hydroclimatic variables,we used linear regression to extend the long-term runoff record to the period of 1902-2019.Our results indicate that climate changes,dominated by regional wet-dry cycles,have significant impacts on runoff variations,while the influence of human activities remains comparatively limited.Danjiangkou Reservoir can maintain a balanced base flow,even during the operation of the water diversion project.Preliminary synoptic climatology analyses reveal that runoff variations are mainly driven by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)and the Pacific Walker Circulation(PWC),which affect runoff by altering large-scale ocean-to-continent water vapor processes.This study advances the field by integrating multi-source data with analytical techniques,which enhances understanding of long-term runoff changes in the Danjiangkou Reservoir and their climatic drivers,ultimately supporting sustainable water resource management.
基金supported by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(40730103)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(40672107 and 41071132)Hebei Natural Science Foundation(D2008000186 and D2009000300)
文摘Investigation of 78 surface pollen samples from warm temperate hilly areas of eastern China shows that pollen assemblages in areas of different land use are significantly different.Pollen concentrations in wastelands are higher than in plantations;these,in turn,are higher than in farmlands;implying that pollen concentration decreases with increasing human impact.Arboreal pollen dominated by Pinus and Quercus is common in all samples.Herbaceous pollen percentages are higher while shrub pollen,fern spores and fern allies are lower in farmlands than in wastelands.Crop pollen is only detectable in and near farmlands;its percentages and concentrations decrease in wastelands.Cereal and Cruciferae pollen percentages average 16.7% and 6.7% in farmland respectively,but Cereal reduces to less than 3% and Cruciferae to less than 0.5% in nearby wastelands.Principle coordinates analysis and clustering analysis indicate that pollen assemblages from farmlands are distinguishable from those under other vegetation types.Occurrence of Poaceae,Chenopodiaceae,Artemisia,and Compositae pollen and Selaginella sinensis spores are closely related to human activities,and their types and frequencies indicate intensity of human impact.The spatial distribution of crops,Chenopodiaceae,and Artemisia reflects changes in both natural environments and human activities.Percentages of cereal and Cruciferae pollen,for example,increase with decreasing altitude,but decrease with increasing latitude.Understanding pollen assemblages under artificial and human-disturbed vegetation in hilly areas may aid understanding of human impacts on the plains during the early-middle Holocene.
基金the National NaturalScience Foundation of China(Grant No.400020i1).
文摘Phytolith and pollen preserved in the Taipusi Banner paleosol profile, central eastern Inner Mongolia, provide evidence of Holocene grassland vegetation, climate and human impact. The combined phytolith and pollen records reveal a major change in vegetation composition about 5000 a BP. Before 5000 a BP, the vegetation was dominated by Aneurolepidium Chinese-Stipa grandis grassland of C4 grasses. After 5000 a BP, C4 grasses rapidly retreated, indicating a shift to colder and more arid conditions. The gradual invasion of Stipa krylovii, Ag-ropyron desertorum, Ephedra, Chenopodiaceae and Caragana reveal the onset of grassland degeneration. Between 10000 and 8720 a BP, the Aneurolepidium Chinese-Stipa grandis grassland included a small proportion of Artemisia shrub and Echionopos type plants, implying a strong winter monsoon and very weak summer monsoon. From 8720 to 7000 a BP, C4 grasses were common, indicating a strengthening of the summer monsoon. Between 7000 and 5000 a BP, the Holocene thermal maximum was evident, with a significant expansion of C4 grasses and the presence of some trees (such as Pinus and Betula, and so on) in or near the study site. From 4200?000 a BP, a sandy grassland of Artemisia and Agropyron desertorum together with Aster-type taxa occurred. Precipitation amelioration took place between 3000 and 2170 a BP, with a rapid development of Echinops type plants and a small expansion of C4 grasses. From 2170 a BP to present, human activities accelerated the process of grassland degeneration.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2016YFA0600104).
文摘Globally,gastric cancer(GC) ranks fifth in prevalence and third in fatalities,and shows a distinct geographical distribution in morbidity and mortality.Such a spatial pattern indicates that environmental factors could be an important contributor to GC.We reviewed a total of 135 relevant peer-reviewed articles and other literature published 1936-2019 to investigate the scientific evidence concerning the effects of environmental factors on GC worldwide.Environmental factors affect GC from the aspects of water,soil,air,radiation,and geology.Risk factors identified include water type,water pollution,water hardness,soil type,soil pollution,soil element content,climate change,air pollution,radiation,altitude,latitude,topography,and lithology;and most of them have an adverse impact on GC.Furthermore,we found that their effects followed five common rules:(1) the leading environmental factors that affect GC incidence and mortality vary by region,(2) the same environmental factors may have different effects on GC in different regions,(3) some different environmental factors have similar effects on GC in essence,(4) different environmental factors often interact to have combined or synergistic effects on GC,and(5)environmental factors can affect human factors to have an impact on GC.Environmental factors have a great impact on GC.Human beings may prevent GC by controlling carcinogenic factors,screening high-risk populations and providing symptomatic and rehabilitative treatments.Furthermore,adaptation measures are recommended to reduce GC risk on private and public levels.Future studies should transcend existing empirical studies to develop causal relationship models and focus on vulnerable population analysis.
文摘In China, combustion of fossil fuels and biomass has produced serious air pollution that does harm to human health. Based on dose-response relationships derived from epidemiological studies, the authors calculated the number of deaths and people with health problems which were thought to be attributable to China＇s air pollution in the year of 2000. In order to estimate the corresponding economic impacts from the national point of view, the general equilibrium approach was selected as an analysis tool for this study. A computable general equilibrium （CGE） model was constructed involving 39 sectors and 32 commodities. The human capital approach （HCA） was also used for comparison. The economic burden of disease for people estimated by HCA was equivalent to 1.26‰ （ranging from 0.44‰ to 1.84‰） of China＇s gross domestic product （GDP）. China＇s GDP loss estimated by the general equilibrium approach reached 0.38‰ （ranging from 0.16‰ to 0.51‰）. The difference between the two approaches and the implications of the results were discussed.
基金Supported by the Knowledge Innovative program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KSCX1-07-03)
文摘This paper focuses on the historical transition of human being's activities and the eco-environment in the upper reaches of Minjiang River. The history is divided into 4 periods, each with its own feature. During the period of nomad immigration, the top-line of the subalpine forest was forced downward by the expanding subalpine meadow. During the period of farming nationality immigration, the bottom-line of middle mountain forest had moved upward forced by the needs for land or timber of the increasing population in the valley basia During the period of the early exploiting, the focus resource was the timber. The total output was limited, comparing with the later period, because of the bad accessibility. But it was large enough to impact the forest ecosystem of the deforesting area. The recent 50 years is the crucial period of economic development and eco-environment degradation. This paper points out that the impact of human being's activities for environment lies on 3 factors: 1) physical features control the location and tendency eco-environmental change; 2) population and productivity control the scale and speed of eco-environmental change; 3) regional accessibility controls the time and location of eco-environmental change.
