Anthropogenic activities could significantly increase nutrients loading, especially phosphorus (P), into aquatic systems, leading to eutrophication and disturbance of ecosystems. Detailed investigation of P cycling and its controlling factors in modern lakes could help understand mechanisms behind eutrophication, thus provide suggestions for future environmental management. Here, we investigate evolution history of P and iron (Fe) cycling over the last ∼300 years in west Chaohu Lake, a typical eutrophic lake in East China. The combination of 210Pb-137Cs dating and elemental analysis demonstrates drastic escalation of P input and organic carbon burial since 1960s, coincided with the rapid growth of human population near this region. P phase partitioning data indicate that Fe-bound P (PFe) is the predominant P pool of sediments in Chaohu Lake, which also regulates the evolving trend of reactive P (Preac). Moreover, the highest fraction of PFe is consistent with observations via P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (P XANES). In addition, Fe speciation results show a principal contribution of Fe (hydr)oxides (Feox) and negligible presence of pyrite, suggesting a generally oxygenated depositional environment, where P could be preferentially sequestrated in sediments in association with Fe oxide minerals. Relatively high molar organic carbon/organic P (Corg/Porg) but low Corg/Preac ratios also support limited recycling of Preac in west Chaohu Lake. This study reveals that human activities play an important role in leading to the eutrophication of Chaohu Lake. Future environmental management could utilize the coupling of P and Fe oxides to remove P from water column.

Sustainable livelihoods (SL) have emerged as a crucial area of focus in global environmental change research, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This field is rapidly gaining prominence in sustainability science and has become one of the primary research paradigms. In our study, we conducted scientometrics analysis using the ISI Web of Science core collection database to examine research patterns and frontier areas in SL research. We selected 6441 papers and 265,759 references related to SL published from 1991 to 2020. To achieve this, we employed advanced quantitative analysis tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer to quantitatively analyze and visualize the evolution of literature in the SL research field. Our overarching objectives were to understand historical research characteristics, identify the knowledge base, and determine future research trends. The results revealed an exponential increase in SL research documentation since 1991, with the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Center (CGIAR) contributing the highest volume of research documents and citations. Key journals in this field included World Development, Global Environmental Change, Ecological Economics, and Ecology and Society. Notably, Singh RK and Shackleton CM emerged as prolific authors in SL research. Through our analysis, we identified six primary clusters of research areas: livelihoods, conservation, food security, management, climate change, and ecosystem services. Additionally, we found that tags such as rural household, agricultural intensification, cultural intensification, and livelihoods vulnerability remained relevant and represented active research hotspots. By analyzing keyword score relevance, we identified frontier areas in SL research, including mass tourism, solar home systems, artisanal and small-scale mining, forest quality, marine-protected areas, agricultural sustainability, sustainable rangeland management, and indigenous knowledge. These findings provide valuable insights to stakeholders regarding the historical, current, and future trends in SL research, offering strategic opportunities to enhance the sustainability of livelihoods for farmers and rural communities in alignment with the SDGs.

Ocean acidification (OA) is causing increasing ecological damage, so it is worthwhile to find efficient and environmentally friendly ways to mitigate OA. The mechanism of inorganic carbon (Ci) absorption and the ability to mitigate OA of the tropical seagrass Enhalus acoroides were investigated in this study. At 2.2 mM Ci concentration, its CO2 fixation efficiency increased to 81.89 t CO2/year/Ha under pH 6.5 from 27.59 t CO2/year/Ha at pH 8.2, and even reached 88.11 t CO2/year/Ha at pH 6.5 with unlimited Ci availability, made possible by three pathways for Ci utilization, which included absorbing CO2 directly, transforming HCO3- into CO2 through extracellular carbonic anhydrase, and absorbing HCO3- directly by anion-exchange protein then transforming it to CO2 through intracellular carbonic anhydrase, as verified by inhibitor addition experiments. The carbon fixation rate increased with decreasing pH, suggesting a greater CO2 absorbing capacity for E. acoroides under acidic conditions, which further demonstrates the possibility of mitigating OA and increasing carbon fixation through conserving and restoring E. acoroides meadows. Due to the strong carbon absorption capacity of E. acoroides, it is very important to strengthen the artificial restoration of E. acoroides seagrass meadows in the environmental management of the coastline.

The purpose of the current study is to propose and examine a comprehensive model that uses motivational and self-regulated variables to explain factors affecting environment management in technology-based physics learning among Chinese secondary school students. Data were collected from 726 grade-eight secondary school students in Southeast China, who were learning physics. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships among students\' goal orientations, environment management, and time management. Results suggest that students were more likely to manage their environment if they had learning-oriented goals and if they managed their time, but they were less likely to do so if they had social-oriented goals. Implications for teachers\' technology integration in physics class were discussed.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by human activities not only brings about a serious greenhouse effect but also accelerates global climate change. This has resulted in extreme climate hazards that can obstruct human development in the near future. Hence, there is an urgent need to achieve carbon neutrality by increasing negative emissions. The ocean plays a vital role in absorbing and sequestering CO2. Current research on marine carbon storage and sink enhancement mainly focuses on biological carbon sequestration using carbon sinks (macroalgae, shellfish, and fisheries). However, seawater inorganic carbon accounts for more than 95 % of the total carbon in marine carbon storage. Increasing total alkalinity at a constant dissolved inorganic carbon shifts the balance of existing seawater carbonate system and prompts a greater absorption of atmospheric CO2, thereby increasing the ocean\'s \"carbon sink\". This review explores two main mechanisms (i.e., enhanced weathering and ocean alkalinization) and materials (e.g., silicate rocks, metal oxides, and metal hydroxides) that regulate marine chemical carbon sink (MCCS). This work also compares MCCS with other terrestrial and marine carbon sinks and discusses the implementation of MCCS, including the following aspects: chemical reaction rate, cost, and possible ecological and environmental impacts.

More environmental policies and larger investments in protecting the aquatic environment in China have been made in the last decade than previously. It is important to assess how this will affect river water quality. Here, changes in water quality in China between 2011 and 2021 are assessed. Water bodies meeting class III or better defined in the Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water (GB3838-2002) were labeled WQI, water bodies meeting class V or better but below class III were labeled WQII, and water bodies below class V were labeled WQIII. The percentage of WQI water bodies increased from 66.1 % in 2011 to 81.0 % in 2021, and the percentages of WQII and WQIII water bodies decreased between 2011 and 2021. The percentage of WQI water bodies increased more quickly and the percentage WQIII water bodies decreased more quickly after 2017 than between 2011 and 2016. The percentages of WQI water bodies in the Northwest River Basin (RB), Pearl RB, Southeast RB, Southwest RB, and Yangtze RB were >80 %, and were higher than the percentages of WQI water bodies in the other five RBs. The percentages of WQI and WQII water bodies increased but the percentage of WQIII water bodies decreased in the Hai RB. The percentage of WQI water bodies increased but the percentages of WQII and WQIII water bodies decreased in the Huai RB, Liao RB, Yangtze RB, and Yellow RB. The river monitoring capacity increased and pollution sources, particularly point sources, became more controlled, and this improved river water quality. River management in China has passed the first stage of controlling pollution sources after 10 years of centralized management. The next stage should be focused on strengthening control of non-point sources of pollution and rehabilitating ecological systems to improve river health.

There is an urgent need to explore the current situation of China\'s water pollution incidents for policymaking, accident prevention, and risk mitigation. This study analyzed 1528 water pollution incidents in China from 2001 to 2020 and explored the spatiotemporal characteristics and causes of incidents and consequent damage. The frequency of water pollution accidents increased in 2004, peaked in 2006, and decreased thereafter with a significant decline in 2016. Due to the developed river networks, high population densities, and increasing environmental awareness, pollution incidents were mostly concentrated in China\'s relatively industrially developed eastern coastal regions. Illegal emission is the major cause, accounting for 51% of all incidents, but with pipeline construction gradually approaching a peak, pipeline leakage poses a noteworthy risk in the future. Although the severity of accidents has reduced recently, it is still necessary to strengthen the risk prevention strategies for general and major accidents. Furthermore, three key factors, including economic development, regulations and legal system, and public participation in pollution supervision and control, which affect the trends and characteristics of water pollution incidents in China, were discussed. This paper offers valuable insights and suggestions that may have useful implications for policymaking and the prevention of water pollution.

Land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) is the main cause of mangrove deforestation and degradation. However, the effect of LULCC on mangrove soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and metal pollution risks, and the difference between the effects of those two soil evolutions are largely unknown. Here, we collected soil samples from natural systems (mangroves and mudflat), land-cover changes (Spartina alterniflora invasion), and anthropogenic land-use changes (cropland and culture pond) in Zhangjiang Estuary. We determined the soil aggregate fractions (macro-aggregate, micro-aggregate, and silt-clay fraction) and the associated carbon, and heavy metal dynamics. Our findings suggested that LULCC did not remarkably affect SOC contents, but changed the soil aggregate structures. LULCC significantly increased aggregate-associated carbon fractions, especially macro-aggregate carbon fraction. The large proportion of silt-clay fraction in natural systems was corresponding to a high percentage of mineral organic carbon, indicating that LULCC decreases the mangrove SOC stability. Land-cover change promoted the accumulation of SOC, nitrogen, and heavy metals compared with uninvaded mudflat. The heavy metal contents in mangrove soil were highest among all studied soils, expect for Cd, which suggested that mangrove soil had high metal accumulation. However, land-use changes could stimulate the mobility and dynamics of metals enriched in mangrove soils; these changes, especially in cropland, will also cause a large amount of exogenous Cd being exported into the adjacent aquatic environment. Thus, mangrove shifts metal pollutant from sink to source when affected by land-use changes. The contamination index demonstrated that heavy metals have posed ecological risks, especially for Cd in cropland. Compared with mangrove, land-use change was dominated by single-element pollution, but land-cover change showed low multiple-element complex pollution. These findings elucidate the effects of LULCC on mangrove SOC fraction and metal pollution risk, and are of great significance for designing the long-term management and conservation policies for mangrove managers.

The development of a green financial intermediation channel is imperative to achieve zero-carbon economies. In this study, we assess the impact of carbon-neutral lending on the credit risk in the Eurozone. We employ quarterly data for a sample of 344 lending institutions of 19 member states spanning over ten years from 2011 to 2020. Using two specific credit risk measures, the findings show that the exposure to carbon-neutral lending is negatively related to the default risk. The results remain consistent for the various size sorts, depicting that regardless of the bank size, the impact of green financing on the credit risk is the same. We attribute the credit risk reduction to the lower volatility of the borrowers\' earnings and cash flows emanating from their sustainable business model. As a consequence of lower credit risk, financial institutions can benefit from lower loan loss provisions and economic capital requirements. This incentive is vital to increase the carbon neutral credit and contribute towards pro-environmental goals.

Greenhouse gasses have adverse effects on global warming and air pollution and need to be optimized by minimizing the contributing factors. This work analyzes the effects of economic growth and energy resources (renewable and nonrenewable) on the emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG). A 2000-2016 panel data from 25 developing Asian countries is analyzed through a robust Random Effect (RE) approach and Hausman Taylor Regression (HTR). Findings show a positive correlation between economic growth and energy consumption, while a 1% increase in renewable energy consumption results in a 0.193% decrease in carbon emissions. Economic growth and renewable energy are positively correlated in both the short and long term, which implies a valid feedback hypothesis. The findings indicate the significant contribution of nonrenewable energy resources to greenhouse gas emissions and the positive impact of renewable resources on greenhouse gas emissions\' control. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of developing Asian economies to preserve the environment through more robust regional environmental policies and renewable energy resources. In light of this study\'s findings, policymakers in Asian developing economies should develop policies on Renewable Energy infrastructure (RE) to improve GDP and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.