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Relevant studies have demonstrated that urban green spaces composed of various types of plants are able to alleviate the morbidity and mortality of respiratory diseases, by reducing air pollution levels. In order to explore the relationship between the spatial pattern of urban green spaces and air pollutant concentrations, this study takes 37 garden cities with subtropical monsoon climate in China as the research object and selects the urban air quality monitoring data and land use type data in 2019 to analyze the relationship between the spatial pattern and the air pollutant concentration through the landscape metrics model and spatial regression model. Moreover, the threshold effect of the impact of green space on air pollutant concentrations is estimated, as well. The results showed that the spatial pattern of urban green space was significantly correlated with the concentrations of PM2.5 (PM with aerodynamic diameters of 2.5 mmor less), NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide), and SO2 (Sulfur dioxide) pollutants in the air, while the concentrations of PM10 (PM with aerodynamic diameters of 10 mmor less) pollutants were not significantly affected by the green space pattern. Among them, the patch shape index (LSI), patch density (PD) and patch proportion in landscape area (PLAND) of forest land can affect the concentration of PM2.5, NO2, and SO2, respectively. The PLAND, PD, and LSI of grassland and farmland can also have an additional impact on the concentration of SO2 pollutants. The study also found that there was a significant threshold effect within the impact mechanism of urban green space landscape pattern indicators (LSI, PD, PLAND) on the concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and SO2 air pollutants. The results of this study not only clarified the impact mechanism of the spatial pattern of urban green space on air pollutant concentrations but also provided quantitative reference and scientific basis for the optimization and updating of urban green space to promote public health.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is often difficult to restore due to their low seedling survival rates. Therefore, we hypothesized that the elodeid macrophytes serve as effective “nursery” areas to promote success for seedlings of other SAV. However, the high density of the elodeid community may inhibit the establishment of other SAV. An experiment was conducted to explore this “nursery effect” as a restoration approach to increase the success of seed restoration. Two elodeid species were pre-planted into mesocosms to create three levels of “nursery beds” i.e., bare, sparse (approx. 100 g m-2) and dense (approx. 200 g m-2). Seeds of Vallisneria spiralis were then placed into these beds to test the seed germination and growth of V. spiralis seedlings. After three months, seed germination was lower in the bare treatment than in the sparse and dense treatments. The growth of V. spiralis seedlings was greater in the sparse treatment than in the bare and dense treatments. These results revealed tha...

Inorganic carbon and temperature are 2 important factors that regulate the growth of submerged macrophytes. However, experimental evidence regarding the eco-physiological changes that occur in submerged macrophytes in response to elevated CO2 and temperature is still limited. To investigate how the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans (Hydrochari- taceae), a common species in the waters of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, responds to these factors, we conducted a mesocosm experiment using simulated CO2 elevation (by bubbling CO2 into experimental water) and ambient temperature warming systems. During the 60 d experiment, CO2 elevation significantly increased the inorganic carbon concentration in the water column. The warming systems elevated average water temperature by approximately 3°C. The elevation of CO2 levels significantly enhanced the photosynthetic performance, growth and clonal propagation of V. natans. When combined with an increase in CO2, elevated tempera- tures also promoted photosynthesis and growth. The individual ramet biomass of V. natans decreased with increasing temperature, but only significantly under ambient CO2 levels. CO2 ele- vation increased both stolon elongation and bud number. At elevated CO2 concentration, more biomass was allocated to the stolons, roots and buds, while less biomass was allocated to the leaves. These results indicate that the eco-physiological responses of V. natans should increase its stress tolerance in aquatic plant communities under future spatial and temporal variation in CO2 levels, however, further research is required.