Found 35 results
Open Access
Review
10 August 2026Progress in Research on Abiotic Stress in Apple Trees in China
As the leading global producer of apples, China’s apple industry faces substantial challenges posed by abiotic stresses. Consequently, it is imperative to carry out an in-depth synthesis and refinement of the unique physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying apple stress resistance, as well as to comprehensively and precisely uncover their response patterns under diverse abiotic stress conditions. Such endeavors are crucial for fostering the sustainable development of the apple industry. Presently, research on abiotic stresses in Chinese apples is intricately linked to industrial issues prevalent in major apple-producing regions, with a primary emphasis on improving drought, cold, and salt-alkali tolerance. This review synthesizes studies on Chinese apples, spanning tree growth, physiological biochemistry, and molecular regulation. Key questions and future directions are outlined to inform research on stress resistance and precision breeding strategies.
Open Access
Article
23 July 2026Effects of Manipulating Water and Temperature on Soil Nematode Communities of Heterogeneous Karst Habitats in Southwest China
Global climates are rapidly changing and future climates are predicted to be characterized by extreme climatic events, especially prolonged drought and hot weather. In this study, we explored the effects of manipulated low and high soil water availability and soil temperature on soil food webs (as indicated by soil nematode communities) from contrasting soil habitats. Soils were collected from a relatively arid karst mountain peak, a relatively moist karst piedmont, and a mixed soil of these two was also tested. The results showed that water availability was the primary factor influencing the soil food web. Soil food web structures were mature under low water availability in mountain peak soils and under high water availability in piedmont soils. In the mountain peak soils, high water availability decreased the maturity index and structure index of soil nematodes, which was mainly due to marked increase in the absolute and relative abundances of low trophic level organisms (i.e., bacterivores and fungivores). In the Piedmont soils, high water supply increased the maturity index and structure index of soil nematodes, which mainly due to the increases in the absolute and relative abundances of higher trophic level nematodes, such as omnivores and predators. However, the nematode maturity index and structure index showed no significant response to variations in water availability when soils from the mountain peak and piedmont were mixed and cultured together. Although the overall effect of temperature on the soil nematode community was weaker than that of water availability, temperature exerted significant context-dependent effects. Particularly, moderate temperatures increased fungivorous nematode abundance under drought conditions in mountain peak soils but decreased it under moist conditions in piedmont soils. Notably, plant-parasitic nematodes showed no significant response to either soil moisture or temperature treatments across all soil types, indicating a high degree of stability in this trophic group under short-term fluctuations in water and temperature. Our results suggest that changes in precipitation may have stronger effects on soil nematode communities than increases in temperature. However, the interaction between temperature and moisture should not be overlooked, as it can shape nematode community composition in habitat-specific ways. In addition, drought-tolerant soil organisms may be available for improving the resistance of soil food webs to prolonged drought under climate change conditions.
Open Access
Review
12 June 2026Overview on the Current Global Market and Sustainability of Hydrogen Supply Chain Based on China
Low carbon energy development is a solid requirement for decarbonization and carbon neutralization of the economy. Hydrogen energy is chosen for achieving a large degree of decarbonization in the fields of industrial, transport, and domestic consumptions. This paper provides an overview on the current state of global hydrogen production and demand, summarizes the momentum of green hydrogen development, and analyzes the possible roles of countries in the global hydrogen trade and cooperation. The status and costs of hydrogen production and transportation in China were systematically examined. While China has become the world’s largest hydrogen producer and consumer, it faces a major structural contradiction that the country’s hydrogen resources are unevenly distributed, abundant in the west but scarce in the east, making long-distance transport costs a key bottleneck for its domestic hydrogen energy development. To address these challenges, three strategic scenarios, including eastward hydrogen transmission, international cooperation, and efficient utilization of wind power for hydrogen production, were proposed to reach the goal that by 2050, the share of coal consumption will drop to 30%, and the share of non-fossil energy will increase to 50%. These scenarios will provide data support and strategic references for the precise positioning of China’s hydrogen market and the construction of a sustainable supply chain.
Open Access
Article
25 May 2026Industry 4.0 Technologies as Drivers of Innovation in the Automotive Industry: Experiences of China and the United States
Industry 4.0 technologies represent one of the key drivers of the contemporary transformation of the automotive industry, with manufacturing digitalization, advanced automation, and robotics significantly influencing the sector’s innovation capacity and global competitiveness. This paper analyzes the extent and characteristics of Industry 4.0 technology implementation in two technologically and industrially leading countries—China and the United States. Using a comparative analytical approach, the study examines the relationship among annual vehicle production volumes, the intensity of industrial robot adoption, and the level of integration of smart manufacturing systems. Particular emphasis is placed on robotics, including industrial and collaborative robots, as central enablers of efficiency, flexibility, and innovation in modern production processes. The analysis also encompasses the core components of Industry 4.0, such as cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), digital factories, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twins, which together enable the real-time integration of humans, machines, and data. Furthermore, current trends in robotization and digital integration of manufacturing facilities are discussed through a comparison of national industrial policies, development strategies, and investment priorities. The research results indicate that China maintains an advantage in terms of absolute production volume and the number of installed robots, while the United States leads in the development of highly automated, flexible, and intelligently networked manufacturing systems. It is concluded that different approaches to the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies shape distinct models of technological competitiveness, innovation, and long-term sustainable development in the automotive industry.
Open Access
Article
13 May 2026Exploration of Management Systems for Characteristic and Endemic Regional Food Resources in China
China, with its vast territory, harbors abundant regional food resources with multiple values in nutrition, ecology, and anthropology. However, simply adopting the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Geographical Indication (GI) system for classifying and managing these agricultural products fails to fully reflect their authentic natural and anthropological attributes, which cannot support the development of local characteristic economies and food cultural ecosystems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish a hierarchical classification standard system for regional food resources tailored to China’s national conditions. This paper proposed a new definition for China’s endemic and characteristic food resources and summarizes interdisciplinary research methods for exploring their biological and cultural attributes. Additionally, the economic and sociological values of these resources were discussed. The proposed classification standards provide guidance for the industrialization of regional food resources in China and offer new ideas for transforming biodiversity into novel productive forces in characteristic industries.
Open Access
Review
20 April 2026A Transboundary Network of Protected Areas for the Conservation of the Far Eastern Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
The last Far Eastern leopards survived at the junction of the Southwest of Primorsky Krai in Russia and the Laoyeling-Dalongling in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China. By the year 2000, there were only 30–35 individuals living in an area of approximately 3000 km2. Thanks to conservation efforts, this endangered subspecies has moved away from the edge of extinction, with more than 150 individuals living in an area over 14,000 km2 in 2022. Reliable protection of key habitats has played a crucial role in this success. Over the past 25 years, the transboundary network of protected areas dedicated to the conservation of the Far Eastern leopard has increased 12 times, from 1532 km2 to 18,961 km2, covering 12,636 km2, or 90 percent of its current range. The latest step was the proclamation in 2024 of the Sino-Russian transboundary protected area “Land of Big Cats”. This includes the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, the Land of the Leopard National Park with a buffer zone in Russia (3694 km2), and the Northeast Tiger Leopard National Park in China (14,612 km2). According to our estimates, this will ensure the long-term preservation of 17,239 km2 of suitable habitats, which will allow for the maintenance of a potential population of at least 300 Far Eastern leopards.
Open Access
Review
16 April 2026The Chinese Genetic Traits in Atlantic Azores Archipelago and Its Ancient Anthropology Relationship with Sahara-Canary Islands Circle
Genetic studies in the Atlantic Azores Islands (1500 km far from Portugal) show that the modern population is composed of both northern and southern European populations. However, a significant Chinese input of HLA characteristic genes is noticed, possibly with people or genes that may have been left by Zheng-He very big crew which sailed seas from China in a long-lasting expedition (1421–1423 AD). This was concluded after Azorean HLA genetics comparison with HLA genes of worldwide populations by both neighbour joining and correspondence methodology. Also, the Machado- Joseph ataxia disease gene variant (ATXN3, Chr 14) is identical in China and the Azores, where this ataxia was discovered, and it has a high frequency. Moreover, the predisposing HLA-B*2707 gene variant to ankylosing spondylitis is the same in Azores and Far East Asian countries. This data may reflect a strong founder Chinese effect followed by isolation in Azores. In addition, “Carthaginian” coins were found in Corvo Is (Azores) of Spanish fabrication. This is contradictory to the official version that pre- Portuguese Azores had been virgin and inhabited. Also, Cart–ruts in Azores indicate a (Atlantic) common culture with Canary Islands and Mediterranean area. On the other hand, genetic studies on Canarians show that they present European, Iberian and Berber characteristics. A prehistoric lunisolar megalithic calendar is found: “Quesera” (Cheeseboard) of Zonzamas, pyramids similar to those found in nearby Western Sahara (90 km far from Canary Islands). In addition, lbero-Guanche rock scripts which can be transcripted with Iberian-Tartessian signary and are also found at Tim Missaw shelter (Sahara Desert, Algeria). Populated green Sahara area dissecation after 5000 years BC and subsequent people migration could be the origin of Canary Islands, Sahara and other Mediterranean culture traits. Thus, we have defined the Saharo-Canarian Circle as a genetic, anthropological, and prehistoric culture radiation area; it might have given raise to the Iberian-Tartessian signary and to other ancient lineal Mediterranean scripts.
Open Access
Article
31 March 2026Spatiotemporal Evolution of Extreme Rainstorm Events in China and Corresponding Population Exposure
In order to reveal the spatio-temporal evolution of extreme rainstorm events in China and the changing characteristics of population exposure in different periods, this study systematically explored the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of four indicators of extreme rainstorm frequency, duration, peak and cumulative amount, as well as the difference of population exposure to extreme rainstorm events in 2000 and 2020, based on the relevant data of extreme rainstorm and population distribution grid data from 2000 to 2020, using spatial analysis and trend analysis methods. The results show that in space, the frequency, peak value, and cumulative amount of extreme rainstorms are increasing from northwest to southeast, the southeast coast is a high value area, and there is almost no extreme rainstorm in the northwest arid area; The high-value areas of duration are concentrated in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and Northeast China. In terms of time, from 2000 to 2020, the frequency of extreme rainstorm in Northeast China increased, the southern part of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and other regions decreased, the peak value of rainstorm in North China Plain and the eastern coast increased, Taiwan Province showed a significant downward trend, and the change rate of rainstorm accumulation was stronger in the south and weaker in the north. In terms of spatial concentration, the high value concentration area of extreme rainstorms generally shifts to South China, while the low value concentration area is stably distributed in the northwest and part of the north. In terms of population exposure, the distribution characteristics of 2000 and 2020 are low in the northwest and high in the southeast, and the exposure of capital cities in southeast coastal provinces to extreme rainstorm frequency and peak in 2020 is significantly higher than that in 2000. Population migration and the evolution of extreme rainstorm events are the main driving factors. This study clarifies the temporal and spatial evolution law of extreme rainstorm events in China and the characteristics of population exposure change, which provides a scientific basis for regional extreme rainstorm disaster risk assessment, disaster prevention and mitigation planning, and optimization of population and urban development layout, and has important practical significance for improving the ability to respond to extreme climate events and ensuring regional population security and sustainable development.
Open Access
Article
25 March 2026Attitudes to Aging and Emotional Well-Being Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation
Attitudes to aging exert impacts on emotional well-being, yet the underlying psychological mechanisms and their stability across middle and older adulthood remain insufficiently understood. Based on the dual-factor model of mental health and the constructivist theory of emotional aging, this study aimed to: (1) examine the mediating role of emotion regulation in the relationship between aging attitudes and emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) test the cross-age consistency of this mediating mechanism between middle-aged and older adults. Middle-aged and older residents (N = 653) participated in this study from 22 April to 24 April 2020. Participants completed questionnaires to assess their attitudes to aging, the use of emotion regulation strategies, and their levels of emotional well-being. Mediation roles and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a bootstrap resampling method. Results showed that (1) Older adults exhibited slightly higher negative attitudes to aging, calmness, and boredom than the middle-aged group. They also used rumination, distraction, and social sharing strategies a little more frequently than middle-aged adults. (2) Full-sample mediation analyses indicated that positive aging attitudes were positively associated with positive affect through adaptive emotion regulation, and negative aging attitudes were positively associated with negative affect through maladaptive emotion regulation. (3) Moderated mediation analyses revealed that age group or age did not significantly moderate either mediating pathway. The mediating effect of emotion regulation on the relationship between aging attitudes and emotional well-being appeared stable across the two age groups. These findings support the constructionist approach to emotional aging. Interventions for successful aging should consider cultivating positive aging attitudes and adaptive emotion regulation, as these approaches are potentially both valuable for middle-aged and older adults.
Open Access
Article
28 February 2026Unveiling the Dynamics: How Does the Digital Economy Influence the Development of New-Type Urbanization in China
Digital economy is a vital driving engine for new-type urbanization and continues to promote the regional economy. In this study, it adopts the entropy weight method is adopted to measure the digital economy and new-type urbanization in 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021, and conducts an in-depth analysis on the relationship between them. The conclusions are: Digital economy has a significant role in promoting new-type urbanization and is regionally heterogeneous, especially the impact in eastern region; Moreover, through the mediating mechanisms analysis, it indicates that industrial structure and innovation level are important paths to promote new-type urbanization. Along with the increase of R&D intensity, the promotion effect shows a non-linear characteristic of “increasing marginal effect”. In light of this, the following countermeasures are put forward to strengthen digital economy’s impetus for new-type urbanization: promote the gradient development of digital technologies and innovate digital economy application scenarios to fuel new-type urbanization; establish a novel digital-industrial integration model and capitalize on the fundamental role of industrial transformation in new-type urbanization; and refine the innovation system and fully realize the marginal incremental effect of R&D intensity once it crosses the threshold.
