Identifying the spatial disparities and determinants of ecosystem service balance and their implications on land use optimization.

Ecosystem services (ESs) are increasingly affected by human interventions, and the ES balance between supply and demand plays a vital role in guaranteeing the expected efficacy of ecosystem restoration projects. However, the spatial disparities of ES balance, along with its determinants and spillover effects, remain unclear, constraining effective ES management and landscape planning. The aim of this study was to fill these gaps by quantifying the ES balance in the restoring Loess Plateau using an expert-based ES matrix approach and by examining the spatial associations between ES balance and driving factors via an integrated regression approach. The results showed that the county-scale ES balance was closely related to the land-use composition and population density. Geographic locations of counties with ES surplus were mainly concentrated in mountainous areas with high proportions of woodland and grassland, while urbanized land and a high population density resulted in an ES deficit. Forest and grass regeneration, due to revegetation practices, alleviated ES deficits, while rapid urbanization and population growth aggravated ES imbalance. The integrated regression approach demonstrated that the ES balance and its dependencies (i.e., landscape metrics and population density) had remarkable spatial heterogeneity and spillover effects, which should be practically considered in localized ES management and landscape optimization. Excessive agricultural reclamation and urban expansion improved grain productivity and economic profits but deteriorated landscape fragmentation, further aggravating the ES deficit. In contrast, excessive revegetation practices promoted ecosystem restoration and improved ES surplus but threatened food security. Therefore, an appropriate balanced state should be maintained for sustainable ecosystem restoration through timely and efficient policy interventions and landscape optimization.

[Study on risk factors of nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate in Chinese Guangdong population].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between environmental factors and nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP), and to explore the interaction of main risk factors in Chinese Guangdong population. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was used. NSCLP children were selected from Cleft Lip & Palate Treatment Centre of Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University between September 2009 and March 2010 as cases. And controls were chosen from other departments in the same hospital during the same period. The parents of cases and controls were inquired regarding the risk factors and the answers were filled in a unification questionnaire by physicians. These data were analysed with chi-square test and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 105 cases and 110 controls with a mean age of 2.2 years and 3.0 years, respectively, were enrolled. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that genetic family history (OR = 4.210, P = 0.039), mothers' abnormal reproductive history (OR = 2.494, P = 0.033), early pregnancy medication (OR = 3.488, P = 0.000), and maternal stress (OR = 3.416, P = 0.011) were risk factors. There were positive interactions between genetic family history and mothers' abnormal reproductive history as well as early pregnancy medication. CONCLUSION: Certain influencing factors including genetic family history, mothers' abnormal reproductive history, early pregnancy medication, and maternal stress are associated with NSCLP among Chinese Guangdong population. This study suggests that it may reduce the incidence rate of NSCLP through environmental intervention.