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Abstract Microplastics are polymer-based materials with carbon as their main framework. During degradation, they release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Additionally, environmental microplastics can enter plant tissues, triggering oxidative stress in plant cells, adversely affecting photosynthesis, metabolism, gene expression, and other growth parameters. This reduction in plant efficiency in sequestering and utilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide indirectly impacts global carbon cycling, exacerbating the global greenhouse effect. Furthermore, environmental microplastics significantly alter soil structure and the composition of microbial communities, affecting the emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, thus indirectly promoting greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing research suggests a mutual reinforcement between microplastic pollution and global climate warming, where microplastic pollution exacerbates global climate warming, and the rise in global average temperature leads to the resuspension of microplastics in sediments, intensifying microplastic pollution in the environment. This article primarily focuses on the impacts of environmental microplastic pollution on different ecosystems and the relationship between microplastic pollution and global climate warming. It summarizes the effects of microplastic pollution on greenhouse gas emissions in marine, terrestrial, and atmospheric ecosystems, as well as the mechanisms by which microplastics and climate change affect ecosystem services. By delving into the intricate connection between microplastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, this paper aims to raise awareness of the climate change caused by microplastic pollution and calls for further research on the impacts of microplastics on ecosystems and global climate change, with the ultimate goal of protecting ecosystems and human health. Graphical Abstract

We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective ability of a chimpanzee replication-deficient adenovirus vectored COVID-19 vaccine (BV-AdCoV-1) expressing a stabilized pre-fusion SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in golden Syrian hamsters. Intranasal administration of BV-AdCoV-1 elicited strong humoral and cellular immunity in the animals. Furthermore, vaccination prevented weight loss, reduced SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus titers in the lungs as well as lung pathology and provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 live challenge. In addition, there was no vaccine-induced enhanced disease nor immunopathological exacerbation in BV-AdCoV-1-vaccinated animals. Furthermore, the vaccine induced cross-neutralizing antibody responses against the ancestral strain and the B.1.617.2, Omicron(BA.1), Omicron(BA.2.75) and Omicron(BA.4/5) variants of concern. These results demonstrate that BV-AdCoV-1 is potentially a promising candidate vaccine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to curtail pandemic spread in humans.

Excessive fertilization is often applied to produce rice. To reduce nitrogen loss and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), we studied the effects of application depth (surface application, 5 and 10 cm) and shape of nitrogen fertilizers (row application and deep application of large granular fertilizer) on rice growth, soil N distribution and ammonia volatilization. The results showed that grain yield, shoot biomass and total dry biomass of the treatment with N in large granular fertilizer applied at 10 cm depth were significantly higher than those of all other treatments. Moreover, compared with the surface application, the N recovery efficiency and the N agronomic efficiency of deep application treatments were enhanced by 18.1–52.3% and 35.6–95.6%, respectively. Deep application significantly increased NH4+-N concentration at their fertilization points. During the growth season, N in large granular fertilizer treatments (mixed with clay to form an unusually large pellet of 1.0–1.5 cm in diameter) distributed closer to the roots, while N in other treatments, including row application treatments, was more widely distributed. Compared with the surface application, deep application significantly reduced NH3 volatilization and NH4+-N concentration in surface water by 58.7–64.8% and 26.0–72.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the NH3 volatilization from large granular treatment was 7.6–11.0% lower than that in the row application. In conclusion, applying N in large granular fertilizer at 10 cm depth reduces ammonia volatilization, and improves rice growth and grain yield, indicating improved NUE and lowered environmental risks.

The RUNX genes encode transcription factors involved in development and human disease. RUNX1 and RUNX3 are frequently associated with leukemias, yet the basis for their involvement in leukemogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we show that Runx1;Runx3 double-knockout (DKO) mice exhibited lethal phenotypes due to bone marrow failure and myeloproliferative disorder. These contradictory clinical manifestations are reminiscent of human inherited bone marrow failure syndromes such as Fanconi anemia (FA), caused by defective DNA repair. Indeed, Runx1;Runx3 DKO cells showed mitomycin C hypersensitivity, due to impairment of monoubiquitinated-FANCD2 recruitment to DNA damage foci, although FANCD2 monoubiquitination in the FA pathway was unaffected. RUNX1 and RUNX3 interact with FANCD2 independently of CBFβ, suggesting a nontranscriptional role for RUNX in DNA repair. These findings suggest that RUNX dysfunction causes DNA repair defect, besides transcriptional misregulation, and promotes the development of leukemias and other cancers.

Abstract The stability of ecosystems in high mountain canyon areas is poor, and the interaction between humans and the land is complex, making these ecosystems more vulnerable to destruction. Quantitatively assessing the ecosystem service value (ESV) in high mountain canyon areas and revealing its spatiotemporal evolution patterns and driving factors play a crucial role in the construction of regional ecological barriers and the assurance of ecological security. This study focuses on the Upper Minjiang River as the research area, using the InVEST model and the Equivalent Factor Method to estimate ESV. This combination aims to address the inadequacy of the Equivalent Factor Method in reflecting the variability of ESV across different regions, and the sensitivity of the InVEST model to data changes that results in insufficient accuracy of ESV assessments. By harnessing spatial au-tocorrelation and the geodetector method, we unravel the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors of ESV. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the ESVs estimated by the two estimations increased by 31.28% and 22.47%, respectively, both indicating that the eco-environment quality of the upper Minjiang River has been continuously improved. (2) When Moran’s I was greater than 0.5 (p

Dynamic monitoring and prediction of ecosystem service value (ESV) under land utilization change is of great significance to maintaining regional ecological security. In order to enrich the study of ESV changes in plateau region by using the improved equivalent factor method of unit area value, the western Sichuan Plateau was taken as the research object. In this paper, given the land use data of the western Sichuan Plateau in 2000, 2010 and 2020, efforts have been made to construct the suitability image collection of the study area and to amend the CA-Markov model as to predict the land use pattern in 2030. In addition, the improved ESV evaluation model was constructed to study the spatial and temporal dynamic variation features of ESV. The results showed that: Woodland and grassland are the main types of land utilization in the study area. There are frequent interchanges between various land utilization types. The overall reduction of ESV, decrease of 3.4917 × 109 yuan/a, mainly due to the conversion of woodland to other land types. The high-value areas of ESV in the study area are closely tied to rivers. Two areas with high ESV value were formed in the study area. The findings of the study enriched the research system of land use and ecosystem service value in the plateau region, provided basic data for the construction of regional ecological security pattern, and enhanced regional sustainable development.

The earthquake and its secondary geological disasters have some long-term effects on vegetation recovery, and the spatiotemporal differentiation of vegetation coverage in earthquake-stricken areas are often not valued by researchers. Beichuan County in Sichuan Province is the worst-hit area during Wenchuan earthquake, tracking the vegetation coverage in this disaster area can provide feedback for post-earthquake ecological restoration. Based on remote sensing (RS) and Geographic information system (GIS), this paper relies on dimidiate pixel model (DPM) and vegetation coverage transfer matrix to explore the vegetation coverage of the earthquake worst-hit area. The results show that the overall level of vegetation coverage in Beichuan county is high, and earthquakes are dominant in the areas with high vegetation coverage. Besides, earthquake can do most severe damages to the areas with high vegetation coverage, followed by medium damage impacting to the areas with medium vegetation coverage, but the damage of other areas are relatively small. From 2007 to 2020, the average vegetation coverage in Beichuan County decreased from 0.835 in 2007 to 0.755 in 2008, then gradually recovered to 0.826 in 2020, experiencing a sharp decline and then a steady increase. The recovery of vegetation coverage is improved over time, but the spatiotemporal differences of the recovery process are obvious. Elevation has the largest driving force on vegetation coverage (q = 0.569, p less than 0.001), followed by temperature and rainfall; the interaction between factors has a significant increasement in the spatial differentiation of vegetation coverage, indicating that vegetation coverage is a combination result of multiple factors. The research findings can help construct the scientific management of the eco-environment in the disaster area, it can also help builda medium to long-term ecological restoration plan according to the variation in vegetation coverage.

Abstract The carbon sequestration function of the ecosystem is one of the most important functions of ecosystem service, and it of great significance to study the spatio-temporal differentiation of carbon storage for promoting regional sustainable development. Ecosystems on the Western Sichuan Plateau are highly variable, but its spatio-temporal differentiation and driving factors are not yet clear. In this study, on the basis of land use monitoring data, meteorological and demographic data interpreted from Landsat remote sensing image, and through GIS analysis tools, the carbon storage module of InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) model was used to estimate carbon storage and geodetector was used to detect the driving factors of carbon storage spatial differentiation. The results show that: (1) The carbon storage increased to 1.2455 × 1010 t from 1.2438 × 1010 t in the past 20 years, the ecosystem developed in a healthy way overall. (2) Carbon storage show High-High and Low-Low aggregation characteristics, but the area decreased by 1481.81 km2 and 311.11 km2 respectively, and the spatial cluster effect gradually weakened. (3) HAI is the leading factor causing the spatio-temporal differentiation of regional carbon storage, followed by temperature and NDVI; the interaction between factors significantly enhances the spatial differentiation of carbon storage, indicating that the change of carbon storage is the result of the joint action of natural and socioeconomic factors. The results of the study provide some theoretical basis for the development of differentiated ecological regulation models and strategies, and help to promote high-quality regional development.