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[Objective] The aims of this study are to explore the response mechanism of territorial spatial change to habitat quality, and to provide reference for territorial spatial planning and ecological environmental protection. [Methods] Based on the land use data from 2000 to 2020 in Hubei Province, the InVEST model was used to evaluate the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of habitat quality, and the response degree of regional habitat quality to the change of territorial spatial type was explored from the perspective of tertiary space. [Results] (1) In Hubei Province, the intensity of land use increased year by year in the past 20 years. In the conversion of land space type, the conversion area of production space to ecological space was the largest, accounting for 3.86%. (2) The habitat quality degradation index increased gradually, and the habitat degradation degree increased gradually. The average habitat quality increased first, then decreased and then increased in the temporal distribution, and the spatial distribution showed a spatial pattern of high level in the northwest and low level in the southeast. (3) The spatial types of habitat quality decline mainly occurred in the transformation from ecological space to production space and living space, and the transformation from production space to living space also led to a downward trend in habitat quality. Generally speaking, the increase of ecological space helped to improve regional habitat quality, while the increase of living space reduced regional habitat quality. [Conclusion] Habitat quality in Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020 was greatly affected by the change of territorial space. Paying attention to the change of territorial space type and strictly controlling the scale of construction land can provide theoretical reference for the rational formulation of territorial space planning and ecological protection practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental inequality is a prevalent issue in developing countries undergoing urban expansion. Urban expansion induces the formation and evolution of environmental inequality by creating environmental and structural conditions that lead to the spatial relocation of environmental hazards and the socio-spatial segregation of different groups in developing countries. This study investigated the spatial patterns and temporal trends of environmental inequality under urban expansion in Guangzhou, a megacity in China. It considered how environmental disparities and socio-demographic attributes interact in terms of industrial pollution exposure using additive semiparametric quantile regression, combined with spatial visualisation, on the basis of the economic and population census data from 1990 to 2020. This study revealed that urban expansion sparked the spatial displacement of environmental risks and the social-spatial differentiation, exposing the peripheral regions and disadvantaged groups to higher environmental risks. A reciprocal transformation occurred between central and peripheral regions, as well as a process of redistributing environmental risks across social space. In the context of urban expansion in developing countries, the causes of environmental inequality shifted from individual socio-economic differences to structural factors, such as industrial layout and social division of labour in cities, leading to the spatial displacement and concealment of environmental inequality. This study provides insights and guidance for policymakers to address the issue of environmental inequality in the context of urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal vegetation changes serve as a key indicator of regional ecological environmental quality and provide crucial guidance for developing strategies for regional ecological protection and sustainable development. Currently, vegetation change studies in the Yangtze River Basin primarily rely on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). However, the NDVI is susceptible to atmospheric and soil conditions and exhibits saturation phenomena in areas with high vegetation coverage. In contrast, the kernel NDVI (kNDVI) demonstrates significant advantages in suppressing background noise and improving saturation thresholds through nonlinear kernel transformation, thereby enhancing sensitivity to vegetation changes. To elucidate the spatiotemporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of vegetation changes in the Yangtze River Basin, this study constructed a temporal kNDVI using MOD09GA data from 2000 to 2022. Considering sectional heterogeneity, rather than analyzing the entire region as a whole as in previous studies, this research examined spatiotemporal evolution characteristics by sections using four statistical metrics. Subsequently, Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLSPM) was innovatively introduced to quantitatively analyze the influence mechanisms of topographic, climatic, pedological, and socioeconomic factors. Compared to traditional correlation analysis and the geographical detector method, PLSPM, as a theoretically driven statistical method, can simultaneously process path relationships among multiple latent variables, effectively revealing the intensity and pathways of driving factors' influences, while providing more credible and interpretable explanations for kNDVI variation mechanisms. Results indicate that the overall kNDVI in the Yangtze River Basin exhibited an upward trend, with the midstream demonstrating the most significant improvement with minimal interannual fluctuations, the upstream displaying an east-increasing and west-stable spatial pattern, and the downstream demonstrating coexisting improvement and degradation characteristics, with these trends expected to persist. Driving mechanism analysis reveals that the upstream was predominantly influenced by the climatic factor, the midstream was dominated by terrain, and the downstream displayed terrain–soil coupling effects. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the upstream focus on enhancing vegetation adaptation management to climate change, the midstream need to coordinate the relationship between topography and human activities, and the downstream should concentrate on controlling the negative impacts of urban expansion on vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban growth, a pivotal characteristic of economic development, brings many environmental and ecological challenges. Modeling urban growth is essential for understanding its spatial dynamics and projecting future trends, providing insights for effective urban planning and sustainable development. This study aims to assess the spatiotemporal patterns of urban growth and morphological evolution in mainland Shanghai from 2016 to 2060 using the SLEUTH model under multiple growth scenarios based on the Shanghai Urban Master Plan (2017–2035). A comprehensive set of urban growth metrics and quadrant analysis were employed to quantify the magnitude, rate, intensity, and direction of urban growth, as well as morphological evolution, over time. We found that (1) significant urban growth was observed across most scenarios, with the exception of stringent land protection. The most substantial growth occurred prior to 2045 with an obvious north–south disparity, where southern regions demonstrated more pronounced increases in urban land area and urbanization rates. (2) The spatiotemporal patterns of the rate and intensity of urban growth exhibited similar characteristics. The spatial pattern followed a "concave shape" pattern and displayed anisotropic behavior, with the high values for these indicators primarily observed before 2025. (3) The urban form followed a diffusion–coalescence process, with patch areas dominated by the infilling mode and patch numbers dominated by the edge-expansion mode. This resulted in significant alternating urban growth models in the infilling, edge-expansion, and leapfrog modes over time, influenced by varying protection intensities. These findings provide valuable insights for forward-looking urban planning, land use optimization, and the support of sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southeastern region of Tibet, which serves as the primary concentration area for marine-type glaciers, has fostered a multitude of glacial lakes that are highly sensitive to global climate change. Glacial lakes play a crucial role in regulating the freshwater ecosystems of the region, but they also pose a significant threat to local infrastructure and populations due to flooding caused by glacial lake outbursts. Currently, a limited amount of research has focused on the monitoring and analysis of glacial lakes in southeastern Tibet. Using Google Earth Engine (GEE) data in conjunction with meteorological data, this study examined the variation characteristics of glacial lakes in southeastern Tibet from 1993 to 2023. The region is subjected to segmentation and extraction of glacial lake boundaries via the FCN model. According to research findings, by 2023, southeastern Tibet is projected to contain 3,877 glacial lakes, encompassing an area of approximately 395.74 ± 22.72 km2. The distribution of glacial lakes in this region follows a pattern characterized by a relatively high concentration in the southern region and a relatively low concentration in the northern region. The glacial lakes with areas less than 0.1 km2 accounted for 94.24%, whereas those exceeding 3.0 km2 experienced the least amount of change. The analysis of regional elevation using the natural segmentation method reveals that glacial lakes are predominantly distributed within the altitude range of 4442 ~ 4909 m. The fluctuations in the annual mean precipitation and average annual temperature in the study area have decreased since 2008, while the growth trajectories of both the area and number of glacial lakes have gradually stabilized. However, given the backdrop of a slight increase in precipitation and a gradual increase in temperature, the proliferation of glacial lakes is projected to accelerate predominantly in Nyingchi City’s eastern and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the spatiotemporal variation and the transfer of ecosystem service value (ESV) in Jiuquan City from 2005 to 2020 to help ecological development. Based on the equivalent factor method and the grid analysis, employed to analyze the spatial and temporal changes in ecosystem service values in Jiuquan City, the fracture point model and the field strength model were applied to calculate the transfer of ecosystem service value in seven districts and counties of Jiuquan City. The ESV of Jiuquan City showed an overall increasing trend, and all individual ESVs showed increasing trends, except for water supply, with the ESV of regulating services showing the most significant growth from 2005 to 2020. The top three secondary ESVs were hydrological regulation, climate regulation, and environmental purification, with regulatory services accounting for the largest proportion, followed by support services, supply services, and cultural services. From 2005 to 2020, the distribution of high and low ESV zones in Jiuquan City did not change significantly, with the high-value zones being mainly located in Suzhou District, south of Subei County and Yumen City, and the low-value zones being concentrated in Dunhuang City, Guazhou County, north of Suebei County, and Jinta County. The ESVs transfers from each district in the study area, in descending order, were Guazhou County, Subei County, Yumen City, Dunhuang City, Aksai County, Jinta County, and Suzhou District. Guazhou and Subei were the main ESV exporters. Areas with high ESV exports tended to have high ESV values. Hydrologic regulation is the service type with the largest transfer volume, accounting for 19.00% of the total ESV transfer in Jiuquan. Jiuquan possesses the highest ecosystem service value in the Gansu Province, China, indicating a superior ecological status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought presents significant challenges in arid regions, influencing local climate and environmental dynamics. While the large-scale climatic phenomena in Xinjiang, northwest China, are well-documented, the finer-scale climatic variability in subregions such as the Ili River Valley (IRV) remains insufficiently studied. This knowledge gap impedes effective regional planning and environmental management in this ecologically sensitive area. In this study, we analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of drought in the IRV from 1961 to 2023, using data from ten meteorological stations. The SPEI drought index, along with Sen's trend analysis, the Mann–Kendall test, the cumulative departure method, and wavelet analysis, were employed to assess drought patterns. Results show a significant drying trend in the IRV, starting in 1995, with frequent drought events from 2018 onwards, and no notable transition year observed from wet to dry conditions. The overall drought rate was −0.09 per decade, indicating milder drought severity in the IRV compared to broader Xinjiang. Seasonally, the IRV experiences drier summers and wetter winters compared to regional averages, with negligible changes in autumn and milder drought conditions in spring. Abrupt changes in the drying seasons occurred later in the IRV than in Xinjiang, with delays of 21 years for summer, and over 17 and 35 years for spring and autumn, respectively, indicating a lagged response. Spatially, the western plains are more prone to aridification than the central and eastern mountainous regions. The study also reveals significant differences in drought cycles, which are longer than those in Xinjiang, with distinct wet–dry phases observed across multiple time scales and seasons, emphasizing the complexity of drought variability in the IRV. In conclusion, the valley exhibits unique drought characteristics, including milder intensity, pronounced seasonal variation, spatial heterogeneity, and notable resilience to climate change. These findings underscore the need for region-specific drought management strategies, as broader approaches may not be effective at the subregional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation and development of cities are inseparable from a certain scale of water resources. The information contained in the morphological structures of cities and water systems is often overlooked. Exploring the spatiotemporal evolution of water system structures (WSS) and urban system structures (USS) can reveal the "urban–water" relationship from a new perspective. The Huaihe River Basin (HRB) was selected as the case area, based on the theory of fractal dimensions, grid dimension and multifractal spectrum methods were used to depict the structural evolutionary characteristics of water systems and urban systems from different dimensions. Then, through a comparative analysis of fractal parameters and spectral lines, the characteristics and changing patterns of the "urban-water" relationship in the HRB from 1980 to 2019 were revealed. The results indicate the following: (1) The water system structure in the HRB is complex and exhibits distinct scale characteristics, showing improvement overall and at larger scales while continuously degrading at smaller scales. (2) Both the water system and urban system exhibit increasingly complex spatial development characteristics; however, the USS continues to optimize over time, while the WSS experiences degradation. (3) The development patterns of the water system and urban system are significant differences in the HRB. Urban development mainly relies on outward expansion, whereas the water system is primarily characterized by intensive enhancement. (4) Because of the rapid development of urban areas, water scarcity may occur in densely populated urban areas or larger cities in the future. The research results can serve as a scientific reference for urban planning and water resource management in the HRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent climate change has altered global precipitation patterns, resulting in a variety of natural hazards, including flash floods, exacerbated by intensive land use and urbanization. This paper examines the spatiotemporal evolution of flooding in the Department of Algiers, focusing on two major causes: land cover and precipitation regimes and patterns. It investigates changes in land cover distribution between 1984 and 2022 using supervised classification techniques. The National Agency of Hydraulic Resources (ANRH) provided daily precipitation data from three meteorological stations over a 50-year period. Our findings show a significant increase in flood occurrences, from an average of two floods per year prior to 2006 to ten floods per year. This intensification can be attributed to the significant expansion of the urbanized area in Algiers, which increased from 18.89% in 1984 to 43.2% in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 2.92 km² to 9.68 km². Despite a decrease in annual precipitation totals and a reduction in heavy rainfall episodes due to climate change, flooding is becoming more common. Variations in rainfall patterns, particularly the intensity and duration of wet periods, play a significant role in flooding peaks, as evidenced by the extremely wet period at the end of the 2000s after a long dry spell. These findings can help civil protection and relevant authorities develop future flood risk prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, numerical simulations of centrifugal compressors are carried out using ANSYS-CFX software. The focus lies in investigating the impact of the inlet tip-clearance (ITC) on the characteristics of the internal complex flow and the aerodynamic performance of centrifugal compressors. Specifically, the paper mainly emphasizes the influence of ITC on the polytropic efficiency and total pressure ratio of a centrifugal compressor, as well as the variations in velocity and pressure at the blade tip, the spatiotemporal evolution of the tip-leakage vortex (TLV), and fluctuations in pressure and velocity downstream of the passage near the blade surface. Analysis of tip-leakage flow (TLF) and TLV motion patterns at rated operating conditions reveals the spatiotemporal evolution within one revolution. Results from Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectrum analysis indicate that the TLV motion pattern may be affected by the ITC size. The fluid flow resistance and backflow in the blade tip region are gradually reduced, the flow field stability is effectively enhanced, and the reflux vortex at the volute outlet is eliminated, thereby the working range of the centrifugal compressor is effectively extended by decreasing the ITC. The aerodynamic performance of the centrifugal compressor is effectively increased in the range of the medium and high flow rates by decreasing ITC. Additionally, it is observed that pressure, velocity, and load in the blade tip region do not exhibit a linear relationship with ITC, resulting in a nonlinear change in aerodynamic performance concerning ITC. Pressure and velocity spectrum analysis suggests that the effect of TLF is stronger at the top of the flow passage compared to the middle. Moreover, with the increase of ITC, the effect of TLF decreases at the middle and top of the pressure side (PS) while increasing at the bottom of PS and the suction side (SS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the spatial and temporal changes in the carbon budget and its influencing factors is the basis for formulating effective measures to reduce emissions and increase sinks. This study establishes a carbon budget assessment model for forest enterprises, calculating forest carbon stocks and enterprise emissions using volume-derived biomass and emission factor methods. The spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of carbon budgets for forest enterprises in the key state-owned forest area (2017–2021) were analyzed using various methods, including the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and hotspot analysis. Influencing factors are identified through correlation analysis and the optimal parameter geographical detector (OPGD), while their spatial-temporal variations and causal relationships are analyzed using the geographical and temporal weighted regression model (GTWR) and structural equation modeling (SEM). The carbon budget in the Greater Khingan Range state-owned forest area averaged 10.16 × 106 t CO2-eq from 2017 to 2021, showing a gradual upward trend. The average annual carbon budget of forest enterprises was 1.02 × 106 t CO2-eq, which was highest in the central regions and lowest in the periphery. Soil pH, forest area, and elevation are the primary factors. The interaction between paired factors enhances the explanatory power of their impact, and the effects of different influencing factors exhibit both positive and negative variations across forest enterprises. In addition, the middle-aged forest tending area and average annual precipitation positively influenced forest area and soil pH, indirectly enhancing the carbon budget through multifactor interactions. This research can enhance the understanding of the carbon budget in forest enterprises, providing scientific support for the ecological protection of state-owned forests and contributing to the development of sustainable forestry practices that indirectly benefit societal well-being and economic resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the urbanization development trend, constructing inter-provincial metropolitan areas has gradually become an important pathway for China to implement its new urbanization strategy. Economic development in metropolitan areas inevitably leads to ecological degradation and fragmentation, threatening biodiversity. A reasonable assessment and optimization of the ecological network structure of inter-provincial metropolitan areas can effectively improve the stability of regional ecosystems and contribute to the sustainable development of urban and rural environments. In this study, we optimized the identification of ecological sources at the metropolitan area scale by constructing the 'MIE' model combined with the threshold analysis method, identified the core ecological sources in the Xuzhou Metropolitan Area, a typical cross-provincial metropolitan area in China, and then extracted the ecological corridors by using the Linkage Mapper tool based on this method. The spatiotemporal patterns and components of the ecological network of the Xuzhou metropolitan area from 1990 to 2020 were assessed, and an optimization analysis was performed based on the current ecological network. The results show that urban expansion has caused a decentralized layout of the ecological space in the study area across the provincial metropolitan area, with an uneven distribution of ecological sources and the development of ecological corridors in an east-dense and west-sparse pattern in 30 years. Increased interference by human activities has decreased the landscape dominance of the regional ecological resources and overall fragmentation of the habitats. The number of ecological corridors decreased, the average length of ecological corridors increased, the difficulty of biological flow increased, the connectivity of the ecological network structure decreased, and accessibility between source areas decreased. The α, β, and γ indices of the regional ecological network increased by 0.16, 0.46, and 0.1, respectively, after restoring important ecological sources and corridors. This study provides a framework for ecological network assessment and optimization in cross-provincial metropolitan areas, which is of great significance for studying metropolitan areas at similar stages of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital economy, as an innovative digital technology, can promote environmental governance and support low-carbon development. Under the backdrop of China's dual carbon strategy, the country faces significant challenges in achieving coordinated development across the domains of economy, environment, and energy. Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2012 and 2022, this paper constructs a coupling coordination model to measure the level of integrated development among digital economy, environmental regulation, and carbon emission intensity. The study also examines the spatiotemporal evolution of this coordination using kernel density estimation and spatial correlation tests. Furthermore, empirical analysis via regression models was employed to investigate key influencing factors. The findings suggest that: (1) The coupling coordination level has shown an upward trend over the sample period, with no extreme regional disparities; (2) Spatially, the development of coupling coordination exhibits "high-high" and "low-low" clustering effects; (3) Development levels are influenced by various external driving factors, with significant regional differences in primary influencing factors. For these findings, the following recommendations are proposed: enhance digital infrastructure, optimize regulatory frameworks, and promote the integration of digital economy with green and low-carbon development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water use efficiency (WUE) of ecosystems plays a crucial role in balancing carbon storage and water consumption. The Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, a karst landscape region with relatively fragile ecosystems in China, requires a better understanding of the evolution of WUE and the factors driving it for the region's ecological sustainability. This study employs Theil–Sen slope estimation and Mann–Kendall significance analysis to investigate the temporal trends and spatial patterns of WUE in the study area. Additionally, a machine learning model, XGBoost, is used to establish driving relationships, and the SHAP model is applied to interpret the importance of the driving factors and their specific relationship with WUE. The results show that (1) WUE exhibits an increasing trend, with a slope of 0.002, indicating improved water absorption and utilization capacity of vegetation in the region. (2) The spatial distribution of WUE follows a "high–low–high" pattern from southwest to northeast, with 6.68% of the area showing a significant increase, 50.80% showing a weak increase, 4.60% showing a significant decrease, and 37.92% showing a weak decrease. (3) The importance of the driving factors is ranked as follows: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), maximum temperature (TMAX), shortwave radiation (SRAD), Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and precipitation (PRE). The NDVI has a linear positive relationship with WUE; SRAD has a decreasing effect on WUE, with this effect weakening at higher values; and TMAX, PRE, the PDSI, and VPD show a non-monotonic relationship with WUE, increasing and then decreasing. The findings of this study are significant for ecological civilization construction and sustainable development in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Improving the quantity and quality of veterinary talent cultivation is an urgent issue to address in current veterinary education and is key to enhancing veterinary talent competitiveness. Starting from an industrial perspective, the introduction of scientific analytical methods for studying veterinary talent competitiveness offers a new view on veterinary education and helps to improve the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation. Methods: This study develops a veterinary talent competitiveness evaluation index based on the characteristics of veterinary talent. It proposes a visual method to analyze the level and spatiotemporal evolution of veterinary talent competitiveness using the Entropy method and ArcGIS tools, with Western China as a case study. Data is collected from 12 regions in Western China, spanning 2015 to 2021. Results: The results show that the method not only evaluates the current state of veterinary talent competitiveness but also considers temporal and spatial evolution, achieving good evaluation effectiveness and high accuracy, thereby guiding the improvement of veterinary education and talent cultivation. Discussion: Based on the research findings, the study suggests improving the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation through measures such as strengthening talent resource development, addressing regional imbalances, and promoting spatial integration to achieve a virtuous cycle between veterinary education and industrial development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turbulent international political and economic situation has presented significant challenges to food and water security. Agricultural water conservancy infrastructure has garnered considerable attention due to its crucial role in the allocation and efficient utilization of water resources. Traditional research on the investment efficiency of agricultural water conservancy infrastructure often treats the intermediate impact pathways as a "black box", neglecting the distinctions among various links. This article employs a two-stage DEA model to partition the impact of agricultural water conservancy infrastructure investment on agricultural output into two stages: water supply and water use. Utilizing data of 31 provinces in China from 2008 to 2022, we measured the efficiency of the two stages, as well as the spatiotemporal distribution and evolution characteristics. The findings reveal a spatial misalignment between water supply and water use efficiency: regions exhibiting higher water supply efficiency in the first stage are primarily those with abundant water resource endowments, whereas water use efficiency in the second stage is closely linked to regional economic development levels. Additionally, the spatial distribution and evolution characteristics of efficiency values indicate that the polarization of water use efficiency is more pronounced, with a significant spatial correlation observed between geographically adjacent areas and those within the same watershed. Conversely, water supply efficiency shows a significant correlation only within the context of watershed relationships. Based on the analysis of the sources of efficiency loss, recommendations include increasing investment in water-saving irrigation technologies, developing agricultural water conservancy infrastructure suitable for large-scale mechanized production, and designing investment compensation mechanisms. Future research is suggested to use econometric models to further examine and identify factors affecting efficiency, particularly the impacts of inter-basin water transfer projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine economy's new quality productive forces is an important driving force to promote the high-quality development of the marine economy. Exploring the level of marine economy's new quality productive forces and its spatiotemporal evolution law will help to provide solid theoretical support and empirical basis for formulating scientific strategies to promote the accelerated development of marine economy. Based on panel data from 11 coastal provinces and cities from 2010 to 2022, this study applies the entropy value method to measure the level of marine economy's new quality productive forces, and then uses the Dagum Gini coefficient and its decomposition, kernel density estimation method and spatial Markov chain model to reveal its regional differences and spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. The results of the study showed that: (1) The level of marine economy's new quality productive forces in China and the three major marine economic circles (northern, eastern and southern) have grown annually, but regional imbalances are increasing. Among the constituent elements, scientific and technological productive forces exhibited the strongest growth momentum, while the development of green productive forces relatively lagged behind. (2) The level of marine economy's new quality productive forces in individual provinces deviates significantly from the national average, resulting in supervariable density becoming the main source of spatial differentiation of marine economy's new quality productive forces level. (3) Except for the eastern marine economic circle, other regions generally show obvious polarization, which not only limits the effective allocation of resources, but also affects the rational flow and transfer of new quality productive forces levels between different regions. In this regard, relevant policy recommendations are put forward: (1) The implementation of differentiated strategies promotes the regional adaptive development of marine economy's new quality productive forces. (2) Strengthening internal and external linkage mechanisms to release the spillover effect of the marine economy's new quality productive forces. (3) Science and technology drive green development and enhance the green content of marine economy's new quality productive forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the spatiotemporal evolution of regional development plays a vital role in regional coordination and sustainable development, and analyzing the characteristics of the spatiotemporal evolution of regional development in Jiangxi Province is of great significance for its deep integration into the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and Fujian, and its active undertaking of industries in developed regions. Based on the National Polar-orbiting Partnership–Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP-VIIRS)-like nighttime lighting data from 2003 to 2022, this paper explores and discusses the nighttime lighting data as an effective indicator of regional development from the perspective of Jiangxi Province as a whole, using correlation analysis and multiple linear regression. Meanwhile, the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of regional development in Jiangxi Province are explored by using spatial autocorrelation, hotspot analysis, standard deviation ellipse, and other research methods in 100 counties in Jiangxi Province. The results show the following: (1) The nighttime lighting data in Jiangxi Province shows a strong positive correlation with gross domestic product (GDP) and total population data, with correlation coefficients R2 of 0.957 and 0.896, respectively. (2) The GDP and total population of Jiangxi Province significantly impact nighttime lighting, and the regression model R2 reaches 0.983, indicating that the class NPP-VIIRS nighttime lighting data has an excellent explanatory ability for the regional development of Jiangxi Province. (3) The global autocorrelation index of nighttime lighting in each county in Jiangxi Province shows a significant positive correlation level. However, the value of this index still shows a gradually decreasing trend, indicating that the spatial heterogeneity is gradually increasing. As a whole, the hotspots in Jiangxi Province are mainly dominated by the city of Nanchang and supplemented by Ganzhou city, showing the development of two centers in the north and south. (4) The change in the trajectory of the center of gravity migration from 2003 to 2011 is also more apparent, with greater changes in the direction of regional development in Jiangxi Province. In the period 2012–2022, the direction of regional development is more stable, and the change in the migration of the center of gravity tends to be stable, indicating that the direction of regional development is clear at this stage, and there is little change in the overall direction of the economy and centripetal force. The study results provide important clues for an in-depth understanding of the regional development law in Jiangxi Province and are of some reference significance for relevant decision-making and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resilient city is a key goal of the country's high-quality development and could effectively reduce city disaster losses. However, due to the significant spatial differences in China's urban development, research on resilience has mainly focused on developed regions in Eastern China. Therefore, this paper takes Chongqing, a typical city in Western China, as the study area and evaluates the level of urban resilience from four dimensions: (1) economic; (2) social; (3) ecological; and (3) technological. The entropy weight method and exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) are applied to identify its spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and regional heterogeneity, and the obstacle degree model is applied to diagnose its main obstacle factors to improve the city's resilience in a reverse direction. The results show that in the time dimension, Chongqing's urban resilience level shows yearly growth and economic resilience is the main factor in the improvement of the urban resilience level. In the spatial dimension, the western part of the city is higher than the eastern part, which shows the nonequilibrium phenomenon of high-value agglomeration and low-value dispersion, which has a significant spatial spillover effect. For the obstacle factors, the degree of obstruction at the guideline level is in the order of social > economic > technological > ecological, and the public library collection and the balance of RMB deposits are the main factors that restrict the resilience of cities. Performing the resilience evaluation for typical cities could identify the weak links in resilience in different dimensions and provide a theoretical basis for the governmental decision-making and resource allocation for cities that are under sudden risk disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situated in the mountainous and gorge-ridden region at the junction of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, and Yunnan Province, the Tibetan–Yi Corridor is home to the Kham Tibetan area, one of China's three traditional Tibetan areas. Tibetan Buddhism and the establishment of its temples in this region have evolved and propagated from nothing to a diverse landscape since the 8th century. Existing studies, however, have paid little attention to the intricate interplay between the formation of this sacred religious landscape and the specific geographic and sociocultural contexts in which it is situated. By taking temple architecture as a research vehicle, this study begins by extracting spatial data from historical GIS network data resources and 276 local gazetteers of 45 counties in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor. Secondly, it digitalizes and quantifies the geographic information, construction dates, sectarian affiliations, and sizes of 1479 Tibetan Buddhist temples in the region, establishing a database covering four historical periods. Finally, it employs GIS technology to visualize the spatial distribution of these temples, revealing their spatial and temporal patterns and evolution. From a religious geographical perspective, this study reconstructs the historical trajectories and diffusion patterns of the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Gelug, Jonang, and Bon sects in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor, revealing the complex interplay, succession, and ebb and flow of these sects over time. The research results show that the historical spread and development of Tibetan Buddhism in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor were influenced by a complex interplay of geographical, social, political, and economic factors, including the unique topography of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and Hengduan Mountains, the complex interplay of agriculture and pastoralism, the historical influence of dynastic changes and central government policies on border regions, and ancient pilgrimage and trade routes. At the same time, as a multi-ethnic region inhabited by over 20 minorities, including Tibetans, Yi, Qiang, Naxi, and Nu, the Tibetan–Yi Corridor has a cultural identity dominated by religion, which has become an important factor in maintaining multi-ethnic symbiosis throughout its history, highlighting the unique historical status and role of the Tibetan–Yi Corridor in the entire Tibetan Buddhist cultural circle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the convergence characteristics of manufacturing carbon emissions (MCEs) in China is essential for aligning regional carbon reduction efforts and achieving national climate goals. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution and convergence of MCEs across China and its eastern, central, and western regions, using panel data from 30 provinces spanning 2001 to 2020. A spatial panel model is applied to analyze convergence trends and influencing factors. The findings reveal three key insights: (1) Nationwide, the disparity in MCEs is expanding, with significant spatial imbalances; intra-regionally, emission disparities are highest in the eastern region and lowest in the western region. (2) Both nationally and regionally, MCEs lacks a converging trend, complicating coordinated carbon reduction efforts. Less economically developed regions exhibit higher degrees and rates of spatial divergence. (3) Technological advancement and energy structure optimization accelerate spatial divergence, while reduced disparities in manufacturing output and urbanization levels help mitigate it. These results underscore the need for a gradient-based, region-specific approach to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study examines the evolution of eco-environmental quality and its driving forces in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with a particular focus on the Qinghai Lake region (QLR). By employing principal component analysis (PCA) on nearly 20 years of remote sensing data, we reveal the dynamic characteristics of ecological quality in this sensitive area. The results indicate that the ecological quality of the QLR has exhibited significant fluctuations over the past two decades, influenced by multiple factors such as climate change, human activities, and policy adjustments. Specifically, the fluctuations in ecological quality are closely associated with key ecological indicators, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Wetness Index (WET), and Normalized Differential Bare Soil Index (NDBSI). Vegetation cover and moderate humidity have substantial positive effects on ecological quality, while high temperatures and dry soil conditions exert negative impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China actively explores the green development road by promoting the intensive use of urban construction land and low carbon emissions. This research evaluates urban construction land intensity and carbon emission efficiency by using a multifactor comprehensive evaluation method and SBM model and measures the spatial characteristics of between urban construction land intensity and carbon emission efficiency by Moran's I and LISA scattering. The result shows that (1) the average value of urban construction land intensity was constantly improving from 0.11 in 2000 to 0.29 in 2021, (2) the value of carbon emission efficiency generally showed a fluctuating downward from 0.89 in 2000 to 0.66 in 2009 and then a fluctuating upward to 0.84 in 2021, with many provinces located in the Level III and IV carbon emission efficiency intervals, (3) the land development, road density, technology development, and fixed asset investment have a negative impact on carbon emission efficiency, while the greening level and tax have a positive promotion effect, and (4) the correlation and spatial features between urban construction land intensity and carbon emission efficiency in 30 provinces have consistency, as well as heterogeneity in the temporal and spatial development trends. Policy implications are accordingly proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid persistent global food security challenges, the efficient utilization of cultivated land resources has become increasingly critical, as optimizing Cultivated Land Utilization Efficiency (CLUE) is paramount to ensuring food supply. This study introduced a cultivated land utilization index (CLUI) based on Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) to assess the spatiotemporal variations in Henan Province's CLUE. The Theil–Sen slope and the Mann–Kendall test were used to analyze the spatiotemporal variations of CLUE in Henan Province from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, we used a genetic algorithm optimized Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and a particle swarm optimization-based Random Forest (RF) model to assess the comprehensive in-fluence between topography, climate, and human activities on CLUE, in which incorporating Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) values. The results reveal the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the CLUE in Henan province showed an overall upward trend, with strong spatial heterogeneity across various regions: the central and eastern areas generally showed decline, the northern region remained stable with slight increases, the western region saw significant growth, while the southern area exhibited complex fluctuations. (2) Natural and economic factors had notable impacts on CLUE in Henan province. Among these factors, population and economic factors played a dominant role, whereas average temperature exerted an inhibitory effect on CLUE in most parts of the province. (3) The influenced factors on CLUE varied spatially, with human activity impacts being more concentrated, while topographical and climatic influences were relatively dispersed. These findings provide a scientific basis for land management and agricultural policy formulation in major grain-producing areas, offering valuable insights into enhancing regional CLUE and promoting sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), spanning 11 provinces and municipalities across China, is of paramount importance due to its high economic development and strategic role in national distribution. However, the YREB, which has experienced rapid economic growth, faces challenges resulting from its previously expansive development model, including regional resource and environmental issues. Consequently, a systematic analysis encompassing socio-economic, ecological, and resource-environmental aspects is vital for a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the YREB's overall condition. This study explores resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) by constructing an integrated framework that includes remote sensing data, geographic information data and social statistical data, which allows for a precise analysis of RECC dynamics from 2010 to 2020. The findings demonstrate an upward trend in the overall quality of RECC from 2010 to 2020, achieving higher grades over time. However, there is significant spatial heterogeneity, with a notable decrease in RECC levels moving from the eastern to the western regions within the YREB. Moreover, low-level RECC areas situated in the northwest of the YREB, show a trend of moving toward regions of higher altitude from 2010 to 2020 based on analysis using the standard deviation ellipse (SDE) method. When considering to the three major urban agglomerations within the YREB, overall RECC in middle and lower agglomerations is generally stable and on an upward trend while cities in upper reaches exhibit significant variation and fluctuations, highlighting them as areas requiring future focus. Therefore, specific indicators were applied to monitor RECC risk for each of these three agglomerations, respectively, after which optimized strategies could be proposed based on different early warning levels. Ultimately this study allows local authorities to implement timely and effective interventions to mitigate risks and promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frazil ice is the foundation for all other ice phenomena, and its spatiotemporal evolution is critical for regulating ice conditions in rivers and channels, as well as for preventing and controlling ice damage. This paper investigates the dynamic transport pattern of frazil ice during the early stages of winter freezing in water conveyance channels based on a CFD-DEM coupled numerical model, and derives predictive formulae for the spatiotemporal evolution of frazil ice and floating ice. First, static repose angle simulations and slope sliding simulations were used to calibrate the contact parameters between frazil ice particles and between frazil ice and the channel bed, ensuring the accurate calculation of contact forces in the model. On this basis, the processes of frazil ice transport, aggregation, and upward movement in water transfer channels were simulated, and the influence of contact parameters on simulation results was analyzed, showing a significant effect when the ice concentration was high. Numerical results indicate that the amount of suspended frazil ice is positively correlated with the frazil ice generation rate and water depth, with minimal influence from the flow velocity; the amount of floating ice increases linearly along the channel, with growth positively correlated with the frazil ice generation rate and water depth, and negatively correlated with the flow velocity. Predictive formulae correlating frazil ice and floating ice amounts with the flow velocity, water depth, and other factors were proposed based on numerical results. There is good agreement between the predictive and numerical results: the maximum APE between the predicted and simulated values of suspended frazil ice is 13.24%, and the MAPE is 6.32%; the maximum APE between the predicted and simulated values of floating ice increment is 7.80%, and the MAPE is 2.89%. The proposed prediction formulae can provide a theoretical basis for accurately predicting ice conditions during the early stages of winter freezing in rivers and channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Properly understanding the evolution mechanisms of groundwater storage anomaly (GWSA) is the basis of making effective groundwater management strategies. However, current analysis methods cannot objectively capture the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of GWSA, which might lead to erroneous inferences of the evolution mechanisms. Here, we developed a new framework to address the challenge of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the GWSA evolution analysis. It is achieved by integrating the Bayesian Estimator of Abrupt change, Seasonal change, and Trend (BEAST), the Balanced Iterative Reducing and Clustering using Hierarchies (BIRCH), and the Optimal Parameters‐based Geographical Detector (OPGD). In the case study of the North China Plain (NCP), the GWSA time series is divided into four stages by three trend change points in BEAST. An increasing trend of GWSA is observed at Stage IV, and the third trend change point occurs before the third seasonal change point. This distinguishes the positive feedback of anthropogenic interventions and the effects of seasonal precipitations for the first time. Moreover, the spatial distribution of GWSA in the NCP is classified into two clusters by BIRCH in each stage. The differences in GWSA trends and responses to environmental changes between Cluster‐1 and Cluster‐2 are significant. Then the driving effects of 16 factors on the evolution of GWSA are identified using OPGD, in which the contributions of topographic and aquifer characteristics are highlighted by quantitative analysis. This framework provides a novel method for examining the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of GWSA, which can be extended to analyze spatiotemporal trends in GWSA at diverse scales. Key Points: A new framework is developed to capture spatiotemporal evolution of groundwater storage anomaly (GWSA) and improve the mechanism inferenceBy decomposing GWSA's spatiotemporal heterogeneity, the framework links its evolution to the spatiotemporal variation of driving factorsThe framework distinguishes the impacts of human interventions to the recent rise of GWSA in the North China Plain from seasonal rainfall [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]