Prosecution records reveal pangolin trading networks in China, 2014-2019.

In a precautionary response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, China's Ministries permanently banned eating and trading in terrestrial wild (non-livestock) animals on 24 February 2020, and extensively updated the list of Fauna under Special State Protection (LFSSP) in 2020 and 2021, in which pangolins (Manidae spp.) were upgraded to the highest protection level. Examining 509 pangolin prosecution records from China Judgements online prior to these changes (01/01/14-31/12/19), we identified that Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces were hotspots for trade in whole pangolins and their scales. Interrupting trade in these three principal southern provinces would substantially fragment the pangolin trade network and reduce supply of imports from other south-east Asian countries. In the context of the revised legislation and strategies intended to prevent wildlife trade, we conclude that targeting interventions at key trade nodes could significantly reduce illegal trade in pangolins, and that this approach could also be effective with other taxa.

Understanding wildlife crime in China: Socio-demographic profiling and motivation of offenders.

Wildlife crime presents a growing threat to the integrity of ecological communities. While campaigns have raised consumer awareness, little is known about the socio-demographic profile of wildlife offenders, or how to intervene. Using data from China Judgements Online (2014-2018), we documented 4,735 cases, involving 7,244 offenders who smuggled, hunted, transported, sold and/or purchased protected species in contravention of China's Criminal Law. Offenders were predominantly men (93.0% of 7,143 offenders), aged 30-44 (43.9% of 4,699), agricultural workers (48.4% of 3,960), with less schooling (78.6% of 4,699 < senior secondary school). Socio-economic profiles related to crime seriousness, the type of illegal activity, motivation and taxon involved. These generalizations reveal scope to tailor specific intervention and mitigation approaches to offender profiles, through public information campaigns, proactive incentives opposed by punitive disincentives, and provision of alternative incomes.

[Fluorescence Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in Water and Sediment of Urban Watershed: A Case Study of Xiaojia River in Ningbo City].

Rapid urbanization has a significant impact on dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water and sediment; thus, it is important to explore the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of DOM in watersheds. Xiaojia River is a typical urban area in Beilun District of Ningbo City, Yangtze River Delta. The spectral characteristics of DOM in the water and sediment in this river were studied to examine their sources and characteristics. The DOM was analyzed by three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM) coupled with the parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) model. The following results were noted. ① Four fluorescence DOM components were derived by EEM-PARAFAC:C1 represents terrestrial humus with a high molecular weight; C2 represents terrestrial humus with a low molecular weight, which was produced by biodegradation; C3 represents protein-like substances that were sensitive in a microenvironment; and C4 is terrestrial humus. ② Both new-born endogenous and terrestrial sources have large impacts on DOM components. The humification degree was very weak with a low concentration of humus. The DOM in the sediments was derived mainly from terrestrial or soil sources with small endogenous contribution with high humification. The concentration of humus in the sediments was significantly higher than that in water. ③ Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that farmland and urban land use were the dominant environmental factors and had relatively high correlation with the water indicators. Construction land, farmland, and wetland land use positively correlated with the sediment components. Among them, urban land use had the greatest influence on the concentration parameter Fn(355) of humus-like substance C4 and the humus-like substance in sediments.

[Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) and Relationship with Dissolved Heavy Metals in a Peri-urban and an Urban River].

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, playing an important role in the fate of heavy metals in aquatic systems. In this study, we characterized the DOM and heavy metals and their distribution in a peri-urban river and an urban river in Ningbo city. In addition, the relationship between DOM and dissolved heavy metals was also determined. Results showed that higher DOC, CDOM, and FDOM concentrations were found in the river with the higher urbanization level. Four fluorescence peaks were identified in the excitation-emission matrix (EEM) of DOM, including fulvic acid-like fluorescence peaks A and C and protein-like fluorescence peaks B and T. The higher fluorescence intensities of peak B and T were found in the urban river, and similar trends were also found for the degree of humification and aromaticity of DOM. Similarly, concentrations of heavy metals, such as As, Cu, and Mn, were significantly higher in the urban river. Moreover, DOM had significant positive correlations with Cu, Cr, Mn, As, Zn, and Pb in the urban river, while DOM only exhibited significant positive correlations with Mn, Pb, and Cu in the peri-urban river. In conclusion, urbanization level influenced the characteristics and concentrations of CDOM in rivers which were closely related to the distribution of heavy metals.

[Spatiotemporal distribution of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in sediments of Xiangxi Bay, Three Gorges Reservoir].

The spatiotemporal distribution of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in sediments of Xiangxi Bay, Three Gorges Reservoir was investigated from October 2004 to July 2006, with related affecting factors analyzed. The TN and TP concentrations in the sediments were higher in the middle stretch but lower in the two edges of the Bay. The maximum value of TN concentration (1.08 mg x g(-1)) appeared in the middle part of the Bay, and the minimum (0.89 mg x g(-1)) occurred at the adjacent areas to the river mouth; while the maximum value of TP concentration (1.07 mg x g(-1)) appeared in the middle, and the minimum (0.80 mg x g(-1)) was in the edges of the Bay. The TN concentration decreased in the sequence of autumn-winter-spring, but increased from spring to summer dramatically; while the seasonal variation of TP concentration was not very significant, with the maximum occurred in spring. Significant inter-annual variations were observed in the TN and TP concentrations. The spatial distributions of TN and TP concentrations were mainly affected by the sedimentation of suspended matter. In the regions where sedimentation rate was high, the TN and TP concentrations were also very high. The seasonal fluctuation of TN concentration was mainly affected by river discharge, while that of TP concentration was mainly affected by point source pollution.

[Macrobenthos in Jinping reach of Yalongjiang River and its main tributaries].

In this paper, an investigation was made on the macrobenthos at 25 sites in the Jinping reach of Yalongjiang River and its main tributaries in May and November 2004, aimed to study the relationships between macrobenthos distribution and environmental factors. The results showed that the dominant species of macrobenthos was Baetis sp. (Baetidae, Ephemeroptera), with a relative abundance being 14.9% and 27.0% in May and November, respectively. Based on the species composition and their relative abundance, and by using two-way indictor species analysis (TWINSPAN) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), the macrobenthods was divided into four groups, according to the habitat types of the sites. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) on the relationships between macrobenthods community structure and environmental factors indicated that in May, elevation and water hardness and NH4+ -N content were the main environmental factors affecting macrobenthods distribution, while in November, elevation, water hardness, NH4+ -N and SiO2 contents were the main ones.