Impact of sanitary and phytosanitary measures on agri-products quality upgrading and environmental protection.

Protecting human, animal, and plant life or health from additives, toxins, and contaminants in agri-products and promoting green free trade are the main components of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. However, the SPS measures are heterogeneous. This study examines the impact of SPS measures on the measured export quality and discusses their influence on the environmental protection of the exporting country. International heterogeneous measures do not necessarily promote quality upgrading but greatly increase transaction costs. By contrast, China's agri-product' quality upgrading and environmental pollution are in sharp contrast. Based on a heterogeneous firm-trade model, this study obtains three hypothetical propositions and conducts empirical regressions using the Tobit method. This study finds that heterogeneous SPS measures hinder quality upgrading because firms present a different quality upgrading trend, which in turn impedes the environmental protection of the exporting country; the quality upgrading made by diversified SOEs is higher than that of foreign firms and private firms; the quality upgrading made by general firms is higher than that of processing firms; and protective SPS measures have a stronger negative effect on quality upgrading and environmental protection.

Does international trade reduce global carbon inequality? Evidence from a producer-consumer shared responsibility.

Addressing global carbon inequality constitutes an important task for both international negotiations on climate-change mitigation and the achievement of sustainable development goals. Soaring international trade might become a vigorous modifier for reducing global carbon inequality through production reallocation and economic boosts in different countries. However, this effect remains largely unexplored, not only because of little awareness of the windfall benefits from international trade but also because of debates on quantifying global carbon inequality from both production- and consumption-based perspectives. To avoid incomplete implications from a single perspective, this study first adapted a producer-consumer shared responsibility to evaluate global carbon inequality using the technology-adjusted consumption-based accounting method for 189 countries from 2006 to 2016. A dynamic panel data model was developed to examine the different channels through which international trade affects global carbon inequality in developed and developing countries. The results demonstrate that even with increasing carbon emissions, less global carbon inequality was witnessed from 2006 to 2016. International trade plays an important role in reducing global carbon inequality, mostly by stimulating the economy and increasing household income in developing countries. However, production reallocation via international trade fails in reducing the emission responsibilities of developed countries, rendering this futile in alleviating global carbon inequality. Carbon leakage that transfers carbon-intensive production across borders can lead to this unintended result, and more stringent cross-border regulations such as the carbon border adjustment mechanism can be effective. This study not only highlights the pivotal role of international trade in reducing global carbon inequality but also the future direction of international cooperation on climate change mitigation in a globalized world.

Evaluation of farmers friendly IPM modules for the management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) in maize in the hot semiarid region of India.

Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a severe threat to global agriculture, with their impact projected to escalate due to climate change and expanding international trade. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), a native of the Americas, has rapidly spread across various continents, causing significant damage to several food crops, especially maize. Integrated pest management (IPM) programs are vital for sustainable FAW control, combining multiple strategies for sustainable results. Over three consecutive years, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, the field demonstrations were conducted in semiarid regions of India, testing a four-component IPM approach viz., pheromone traps, microbial, botanicals and ETL based applications of insecticides against farmers' practices (sole insecticide application). IPM implementation led to substantial reductions in FAW infestation. Furthermore, egg mass and larvae infestations were significantly lower in IPM-adopted villages compared to conventional practices. Pheromone-based monitoring demonstrated a consistent reduction in adult moth populations. The lowest technology gap (10.42), extension gap (8.33) and technology index (12.25) was recorded during 2020-21. The adoption of IPM led to increased maize yields (17.49, 12.62 and 24.87% over control), higher net returns (919, 906.20 and 992.93 USD), and favourable benefit-cost ratios (2.74, 2.39 and 2.33) compared to conventional practices respectively during 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22. The economic viability of IPM strategies was evident across three consecutive years, confirming their potential for sustainable FAW management in the semiarid region of India. These strategies hold promise for adoption in other parts of the world sharing similar climatic conditions.

The impact of climate change on the agriculture and the economy of Southern Gaul: New perspectives of agent-based modelling.

What impact did the Roman Climate Optimum (RCO) and the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) have on the rise and fall of the Roman Empire? Our article presents an agent-based modelling (ABM) approach developed to evaluate the impact of climate change on the profitability of vineyards, olive groves, and grain farms in Southern Gaul, which were the main source of wealth in the roman period. This ABM simulates an agroecosystem model which processes potential agricultural yield values from paleoclimatic data. The model calculates the revenues made by agricultural exploitations from the sale of crops whose annual volumes vary according to climate and market prices. The potential profits made by the different agricultural exploitations are calculated by deducting from the income the operating and transportation costs. We conclude that the warm and wet climate of the Roman period may have had an extremely beneficial effect on the profitability of wine and olive farms between the 2nd century BCE and the 3rd century CE, but a more modest effect on grain production. Subsequently, there is a significant decrease in the potential profitability of farms during the Late Antique Little Ice Age (4th-7th century CE). Comparing the results of our model with archaeological data enables us to discuss the impact of these climatic fluctuations on the agricultural and economic growth, and then their subsequent recession in Southern Gaul from the beginning to the end of antiquity.

Enhancing environmental sustainability in transferred farmlands through rural e-commerce: insights from China.

The issue of farmers neglecting environmental concerns in transferred farmlands poses a serious challenge, contradicting the long-term ecological goals of establishing resource-efficient and environment-friendly agriculture. Amidst the pivotal trend of moderately scaled agricultural operations, rural e-commerce holds promise as a catalyst and driving force for enhancing long-term environmental governance of transferred lands. The effectiveness and mechanisms of this potential, however, remain to be empirically examined. This study gathers panel data on environmental positive and negative externalities from six provinces in China, spanning the period from 2013 to 2022, encompassing 6372 farmers. A quasi-natural experiment of farmers' e-commerce participation is designed using difference-in-differences methodology (DID), propensity score matching (PSM), and moderating models. The primary findings are as follows: E-commerce participation increases farmers' positive environmental inputs on transferred lands, such as water-saving irrigation, adoption of social services, and preservation of traditional varieties. Simultaneously, it decreases negative environmental inputs, such as the consumption of fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural films. The environmental sustainability effects of e-commerce vary across the eastern, central, and western regions of China. E-commerce has a more pronounced impact on agricultural social services and chemical pollutants in the eastern and central regions, while its influence is more significant on water-saving irrigation and variety preservation in the western region. Land transfer forms and supply order contracts do not directly promote farmers' environmentally friendly cultivation practices. Instead, they catalyze the environmental effects of e-commerce through a significant positive interaction term. These conclusions hold after matching for e-commerce participation propensity, while passing sensitivity tests, parallel trend tests, and placebo tests. Consequently, rural e-commerce, without compromising farmers' income, enhances the proactiveness of farmers in environmental conservation, transforms agricultural management practices, and effectively reduces rural non-point source pollution. Policy recommendations include reducing institutional barriers to rural e-commerce participation at the national level, encouraging the establishment of region-specific agricultural environmental sustainability goals, and leveraging the rural e-commerce industry chain to establish a nationwide environmental credit database and incentive mechanism.

Diversity and genetic structure of freshwater shark Wallago attu: an emerging species of commercial interest.

Pakistan has natural freshwater resources acting as a hotspot for diverse fish fauna. However, this aquatic fauna is declining at an alarming rate due to over-exploitation, habitat degradation, water pollution, climate change, and certain anthropogenic activities. The freshwater shark, Wallago attu, is a popular edible catfish inhabiting these freshwater ecosystems. Habitat degradation, overfishing, and human activities are heavily impacting the natural population of this species. So, sound knowledge about its population structure is necessary for its proper management in natural waters. The current study involves utilizing two mtDNA markers (COI, Cytb) to assess the genetic structure and differentiation among W. attu populations of Pakistani Rivers. Genetic variability analysis indicated a high haplotype (0.343 ± 0.046-0.870 ± 0.023) and low nucleotide diversity (0.0024 ± 0.012-0.0038 ± 0.018) among single and combined gene sequences, respectively. Overall, River Indus was populated with more diverse fauna of Wallago attu as compared to River Chenab and River Ravi. Population pairwise, Fst values (0.40-0.61) were found to be significantly different (p < 0.01) among three Riverine populations based upon combined gene sequences. The gene flow for the combined gene (COI + Cytb) dataset among three populations was less than 1.0. The transition/transversion bias value R (0.58) was calculated for testing of neutral evolution, and it declared low genetic polymorphism among natural riverine populations of Wallago attu. The current study's findings would be meaningful in planning the management and conservation of this economically important catfish in future.

Assessing and improving the veracity of international trade in captive-bred animals.

Captive breeding is often seen as a solution to sustainably increasing the supply of individuals in the wildlife trade. To be an effective conservation measure this requires robust systems to verify the authenticity of captive-bred species. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) monitors the international trade in Listed species-which for many taxa is dominated by captive-bred individuals-using the Review of Captive Trade (RCT) process. A key question is how best to identify laundered or inauthentic captive-bred trade and how has this changed over time and space. We develop targeted assessments based on multiple RCT criteria to identify probable instances of laundering and misuse of source and purpose codes in international trade records, and apply this to 39,167 records of captive trade from 2000 to 2020 spanning 53,674,762 individuals. We find a very low proportion of trade volume (1.8%, 37,835 individuals) misreported as originating from non-existent, registered Appendix I-breeding facilities, and low instances of exporter-reported captive trade being recorded by importers as wild-sourced (<4%) or ranched (1%). We also find that <2% of species-year-exporter records have abrupt shifts from wild to captive sources, potentially indicating laundering. Conversely, we find high incidences of exporter- and importer-reported trade differing in whether the trade was commercial or not - a phenomenon we attribute to differing definitions, not illegal activity. Our results indicate a low incidence of concerning international trade being reported, but we suggest this likely stems from reporting requirements that limit our assessments. We highlight additional trade data that, if embedded into Party's annual reports, would vastly improve inferential potential, greatly increasing the number of records (Appendix II and III species) that could be verified with minimal effort for management authorities.

A synthesis of wild animal-related trade laws in some of the world's most biodiverse countries.

We examined the laws and legal provisions governing the commercial trade of terrestrial wild fauna across the trade chain in some of the world's megadiverse countries and how these relate to key animal welfare and conservation concerns. Over the past century, an increase in the quantity and complexity of laws related to commercial wildlife trade has been observed in the 11 focal countries examined. Our review identified 95 laws with 560 provisions adopted since 1910 across these countries. Surprisingly, the level of biological diversity in a country does not correlate with the extent of legislation addressing wildlife trade. Moreover, legislation is unevenly distributed across different stages of the wildlife trade chain, with more provisions on extraction and transportation compared to captive management. Notably, animal welfare considerations are relatively underrepresented in legislation related to wildlife trade, despite their broad implications for public health and economies. Urgent legislative action is needed to meet global biodiversity targets and respond to the challenges posed by the growing scale and complexity of the wildlife trade. Recommendations are made to streamline legislation, consider the legal status of wild animals, and address gaps in enforcement mechanisms. We conclude that alignment of national and international regulations is crucial for the effective protection of both wild animal populations and individual animals' welfare in the context of commercial trade. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of existing laws, bridge legal gaps, and address diverse concerns related to wildlife trade, including public health and the rights of local communities.

Timely accessibility to healthcare resources and heatwave-related mortality in 7 major cities of South Korea: a two-stage approach with principal component analysis.

Background: Due to the ongoing effects of climate change, the incidence of heatwave-related mortality is rising globally. Improved allocation and utilization of healthcare resources could help alleviate this issue. This study aimed to identify healthcare resource factors associated with heatwave-related mortality in seven major cities of South Korea. Methods: We analyzed daily time-series data on mean temperature and all-cause mortality from 2011 to 2019. Using principal component analysis (PCA), we clustered district-level healthcare resource indicators into three principal components (PCs). To estimate district-specific heatwave-mortality risk, we used a distributed lag model with a quasi-Poisson distribution. Furthermore, a meta-regression was performed to examine the association between healthcare resources and heatwave-mortality risk. Findings: A total of 310,363 deaths were analyzed in 74 districts. The lag-cumulative heatwave-related mortality (RRs) ranged from 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07, 1.17) to 1.21 (95% CI 1.05, 1.38), depending on the definitions used for heatwaves. Of the three PCs for healthcare resources (PC1: pre-hospital emergency medical service, PC2: hospital resources, PC3: timely access), timely access was associated with reduced risk of heatwave-related mortality, particularly among the elderly. Specifically, timely access to any emergency room (ER) exhibited the strongest association with lower heatwave-related mortality. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that timely access to any ER is more effective in reducing heatwave-related mortality risk than access to higher-level healthcare facilities, especially among the elderly. Therefore, healthcare resource factors and ER accessibility should be prioritized when identifying vulnerable populations for heatwaves, along with known individual and socio-demographic factors. Funding: This work was supported by the Research Program funded by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (2022-12-303), the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2022R1A2C2092353) and the MD-PhD/Medical Scientist Training Program through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea.

Research on waste gas treatment technology and comprehensive environmental performance evaluation for collaborative management of pollution and carbon in China's pharmaceutical industry based on life cycle assessment (LCA).

China is the largest industrial and pharmaceutical country in the world. The pharmaceutical industry, being a highly polluting sector, is the primary target of environmental regulation in the industry. The rapid development of pharmaceutical industry has posed a severe challenge to the environmental protection strategy of "carbon reduction and carbon neutrality" and the goal of "synergizing the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions" in China's "14th Five-Year Plan". Therefore, this paper starts from the whole industry, takes the life cycle of the whole production process of the pharmaceutical industry as the guidance, and selects a pharmaceutical company in Tianjin as the research object. Then using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to Characterization, Standardization, and Weighting the environmental impact of the waste gas treatment process before and after improvement based on waste gas emission characteristics from the pharmaceutical factory. LCA results show that GWP and AP are the most important environmental impact types, which account for >85 % of the total characterization value. I and II - Chemical Pharmaceutical Stage is the critical life cycle stage, accounting for over 80 % of the total characteristic values. This research proposes emission reduction countermeasures based on LCA results and simulates Emission reduction scenarios and economic evolution. If effectively implementing emission reduction countermeasures, reducing the environmental characterization value by 80 to 90 %, and generating economic benefit of 2.66 × 108 RMB/year. This research could guide improvement plans and emission reduction countermeasures of waste gas treatment in the pharmaceutical industry, which realizes collaborative management about efficient reduction of pollution and carbon and generates significant environmental, technological, economic, and social benefits.

Carbon tax vs. carbon trading in China: which is better for promoting sustainable development of remanufacturing companies?

To accelerate achieving carbon neutrality, the promotion of low-carbon development in the manufacturing industry has been facilitated by the government's implementation of policies such as carbon taxation and carbon emissions trading. These measures have been put in place to reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainability within the manufacturing sector. Remanufacturing is an important direction for the low-carbon transformation of enterprises, and improving remanufactured product quality is crucial to the sustainability of remanufacturing enterprises. To elucidate the influence of policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions on the quality of remanufactured products, we developed a game model involving three key players: the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the remanufacturer (IR), and retailers. This model was constructed based on the heterogeneous consumer demand for both new and remanufactured products. The study delved into the effects of various governmental policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions on the quality-related decisions made by remanufacturing enterprises. Our primary focus was on the implementation of two specific policies: a high-level carbon taxation policy and a carbon trading policy characterized by elevated carbon pricing. These policies create a favorable environment for remanufacturers (IR) to enhance the quality of their products. The sales of remanufactured products are influenced by the purchasing preferences of consumers, and carbon reduction policies can be effective in reducing the total environmental impact of manufacturing. Carbon trading policy is most conducive to environmental protection and achieves a win-win situation for economic and environmental benefits for OEMs and IRs when the carbon tax per unit is compared with the carbon trading price. Hence, this situation is favorable for the sustainable growth of existing remanufacturing businesses. Consequently, the government's requirement for subsidies to enhance the quality of remanufactured products and boost the competitiveness of IRs in the market becomes less pronounced.

Symphony of sustainability: how technology similarity impacts international trade patterns in environmental goods.

The global consensus on sustainable development and environmental cooperation has prompted the promotion of trade in environmental goods (EGs) for green growth. This study delves into the diversity of EGs trade patterns, using decomposed environmental technology similarity indicators to reveal the technological drivers. Linking innovation indicators to trade performance in EGs provides new insights into the determinants of inequality in environmental governance cooperation. Based on an extended gravity model, we empirically analyze their impact on bilateral EGs trade flows among 176 countries over the period 2002-2019. The study finds that (1) the global EGs trade network presents a "core-periphery" structure, with increased network density and participation of developing countries. (2) Technology similarity contributes significantly to EGs trade. Compared to competition, technology complementarity has a greater impact on EGs trade flows. (3) The influence of technology similarity varies across trade patterns and product complexity explains the mechanisms, with technology complementarity promoting more trade in high-complexity products, mainly concentrated in the trade from Northern countries, while technology competition greatly promotes the export of low-complexity products from the South. (4) Technology similarity helps to overcome information barriers in EGs trade, and its trade-enhancing effects exhibit geographical regionalization. The findings offer empirical evidence on the technological drivers of EGs trade and provide policy implications for fostering inclusive global environmental governance and enhancing the competitive advantages of Southern countries, fostering more opportunities for green growth.

Ensemble evaluation of potential distribution of Procambarus clarkii using multiple species distribution models.

Procambarus clarkii is a notorious invasive species that has led to ecological concerns owing to its high viability and rapid reproduction. South Korea, a country exposed to a high risk of introduction of invasive species due to active international trade, has suffered from recent massive invasions by invasive species, necessitating the evaluation of potential areas requiring intensive monitoring. In this study, we developed two different types of species distribution models, CLIMEX and random forest, for P. clarkii using occurrence records from the United States. The potential distribution in the United States was predicted along coastal lines and inland regions located below 40°N latitude The model was then applied to evaluate the potential distribution in South Korea, and an ensemble map was constructed to identify the most vulnerable domestic regions. According to both models, the domestic potential distribution was highest in most areas located at low altitudes. In the ensemble model, most of the low-altitude western regions, the eastern coast, and some southern inland regions were predicted to be suitable for the distribution of P. clarkii, and a similar distribution pattern was predicted when the model was projected into the future climate. Through this study, it is possible to secure basic data that can be used for the early monitoring of the introduction and subsequent distribution of P. clarkii.

African and Asian elephant ivory discrimination using a portable strip test.

Currently, the global elephant population has significantly declined due to the poaching of elephants for their ivory, and this is the reason why elephants are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). However, Thailand allows the legal trade of ivory from registered, domesticated Asian elephants, leading to the smuggling of African elephant ivory, and passing them off as Asian elephant ivory. Therefore, this research aims to develop and validate a portable strip test to discriminate between Asian and African elephants DNA, using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) and Lateral Flow Dipstick assay (LFD) according to international standards. The results showed that the strip test can be successfully developed with 100% accuracy (n = 105). This kit is specific to elephants, has a detection limit of 0.125 ng of DNA, and can effectively discriminate a variety of elephant ivory, including raw ivory, ivory products, and aged ivory over 25 years old, which had been damaged by fire, all with 100% accuracy (n = 117). Additionally, the developed strip test is designed to be portable and cost-effective. It does not require expensive laboratory equipment and provides a faster analysis process compared with conventional PCR-based methods. This will expedite the legal process and enforcement of laws related to elephant conservation, reducing the opportunities for illegal activities, and enabling timely prosecution under relevant wildlife conservation laws in Thailand and internationally.

Private land management is more important than public land in sustaining oaks in temperate forests in the eastern U.S.

Preserving the abundance and stocking of oaks (Quercus spp.) has become increasingly challenging in temperate hardwood forests of the eastern US in recent decades due to a remarkable shift in dominance to mesophytic species (e.g., red maple Acer rubrum). Studies have shown that efforts to sustain oaks while restraining maples yield limited success. Given that a significant portion of forestlands in the eastern U.S. are privately owned, it is critical to assess whether current forest management on cross-ownership forests can achieve those objectives. However, such assessments are rare. In this study, we employed a landscape modeling approach to investigate the long-term outcomes (i.e., 150-year forest composition and structure) of business-as-usual management and alternative management in a large, temperate hardwood forest landscape in Ohio, US. The business-as-usual management continues the current existing management practices, whereas the alternative management increases the pace and scale of forest management on both private and public lands to favor oaks. We compared the basal area and relative dominance for oaks (including Q. alba, Q. coccinea, Q. prinus, Q. rubra, and Q. velutina) and maples (including A. rubrum, A. saccharinum, and A. saccharum). Our results demonstrate that the implementation of business-as-usual management practices on both private and public lands may not effectively ensure the long-term sustainability of oak populations, but instead promote the proliferation of maple species over time. By contrast, alternative management on both private and public lands can effectively sustain oaks across a range of diameter classes while mitigating the growth of large, dominant maples. Our study emphasizes the influential role of private lands in driving oak-maple dynamics at the regional scale, as they can generate significant regional effects even when public lands continue with their business-as-usual management practices. Starting conditions based on landownership are crucial considerations for understanding these dynamics over time.

Linking green supply chain management practices and environmental performance in the manufacturing industry: a hybrid SEM-ANN approach.

This research determines the influence of green supply chain management practices (GSCM) on environmental performance. It also investigates the moderating role of supply chain environmental cooperation on GSCM practices and environmental performance relationships. A total of 370 employees of several Bangladeshi manufacturing companies were conveniently chosen as respondents. To verify the data validity and reliability and to test the hypotheses, we used SmartPLS. Finally, we employed an artificial neural network (ANN) to examine the relationship. Green design and green manufacturing have significant positive impacts on environmental performance, while green procurement and green distribution do not. Moreover, environmental cooperation moderates the relationships of green design and green distribution with environmental performance. The moderating effect of supply chain environmental cooperation in the relationship between GSCM practices and environmental performance in the manufacturing industry adds knowledge to the existing literature by incorporating a hybrid model combining PLS-SEM and ANN. Our study adds to the current body of knowledge by delving into the literature on GSCM from the perspective of Bangladesh's industrial sector. This study fills a knowledge gap by shedding light on the interactions of GSCM and environmental performance. Indeed, this study represents a step forward from classic linear regression-based models to an ANN-based nonlinear model. It also demonstrates new contributions to the literature on green supply chain management and environmental performance.

Studying green climate nexus with green work engagement: how are environmental sustainability and personality traits important?

The  purpose of this research was to investigate the complex relationship between workers' green job involvement and factors such as environmental sustainability, personality characteristics, the green climate, environmental views, and values. Survey data from a representative cross-section of workers at a variety of companies were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study. According to the findings, there is a positive link between environmental sustainability, environmental attitudes and values, and green work engagement (GWE). The research also suggests that participating in green practices at work is a key component of environmental sustainability. It acts as an impetus for green projects, sustainable practices, and the development of a sustainability culture in businesses. In light of the difficulties posed by the green climate nexus, the study highlights the critical need of green work participation in achieving sustainable development objectives. Positive links between character qualities and eco-friendly workplace behavior were also uncovered. As a mediator between environmental sustainability and GWE, a green climate was also uncovered. These results suggest that policies aiming at encouraging green job engagement among workers may succeed if they promote environmental views and values, take personality qualities into account in the hiring process, and encourage a green atmosphere in the workplace. By elucidating the many factors that play a role in shaping eco-friendly workplace practices, this study contributes to our growing body of knowledge on environmental responsibility in the business world. The findings of this research have broad implications for businesses that are committed to fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Carbon metabolism in "production-living-ecological" space in urban agglomeration based on land use change.

To grasp the impact of carbon metabolism on the evolution of "production-living-ecological" (PLE) space due to land use change in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZT) urban agglomeration, this study delves into the temporal and spatial distribution of PLE space carbon metabolism by constructing a carbon flow model. We evaluate the influence of positive and negative carbon flows on carbon metabolism using ecological network analysis and utility assessment. Furthermore, we delve into the driving factors behind carbon metabolism through redundancy analysis (RDA). The findings of this study included mainly the following aspects. (1) From 2000 to 2020, the net carbon flow in the CZT urban agglomeration consistently remained negative, with the primary source of negative carbon flow being the transition from ecological space to production space. (2) Within the ecological utility network, the dominant ecological relationship shifted from a period of control and exploitation relationship (counted for 61.91%) between 2000 and 2005 to one of competition relationship that counted for 83.33% in 2005-2010, 47.62% in 2010-2015, and 66.67% in 2015-2020. Mutualism relationship, present in the 2000-2005 period, completely disappeared in subsequent years. (3) The value of the utility function M was 0.88, 0.36, 0.48, and 0.40 in four stages (all less than 1), which meant that PLE space evolution on regional carbon metabolism was negative. (4) The key drivers influencing carbon metabolism in PLE space were mainly Change in the Comprehensive Land Use Index (CL), Change in the Proportion of Manufacturing Land (CM), Change in the Proportion of Forestland (CF), and Change in the Proportion of Cultivated Land (CC). Carbon metabolism holds a critical role in the urban material and energy cycle. Studying carbon metabolism within PLE space carries great importance for regional carbon cycling, carbon emission and sequestration, efforts to mitigate climate change, and the maintenance of regional sustainable development.

Lumpy skin disease: Insights into current status and geographical expansion of a transboundary viral disease.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging transboundary viral disease of livestock animals which was first reported in 1929 in Zambia. Although LSD is a neglected disease of economic importance, it extends a direct impact on the international trade and economy in livestock-dependent countries. Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) has been endemic in African countries, where several outbreaks have been reported previously. However, the virus has spread rapidly across the Middle East in the past two decades, reaching Russia and, recently, the Asian subcontinent. With unprecedented cluster outbreaks being reported across Asian countries like India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, LSDV is certainly undergoing an epidemiological shift and expanding its geographical footprint worldwide. Due to high mortality among livestock animals, the recent LSD outbreaks have gained attention from global regulatory authorities and raised serious concerns among epidemiologists and veterinary researchers. Despite networked global surveillance of the disease, recurrent LSD cases pose a threat to the livestock industry. Hence, this review provides recent insights into the LSDV biology by augmenting the latest literature associated with its pathogenesis, transmission, current intervention strategies, and economic implications. The review critically examines the changing epidemiological footprint of LSDV globally, especially in relation to developing countries of the Asian subcontinent. We also speculate the possible reasons contributing to the ongoing LSD outbreaks, including illegal animal trade, climate change, genetic recombination events between wild-type and vaccine strains, reversion of vaccine strains to virulent phenotype, and deficiencies in active monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic.