Sign in to use this feature.

Years

Between: -

Subjects

remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline
remove_circle_outline

Journals

Article Types

Countries / Regions

Search Results (125)

Search Parameters:
Keywords = Yangtze block

Order results
Result details
Results per page
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
20 pages, 37681 KB  
Article
Contrasting Three-Dimensional Dynamical and Thermodynamic Mechanisms of August 2019 and 2022 Compound Hot-Drought Events over the Yangtze River Basin
by Jie Tang, Tao Feng, Zhou Jian, Lei Wang and Li Li
Atmosphere 2026, 17(7), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17070703 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 165
Abstract
Understanding the physical mechanisms of compound hot-drought events (CHDEs) over the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is essential for improving climate predictability. Using high-resolution observations and ERA5 reanalysis, this study conducted a three-dimensional comparative diagnosis of two spatially distinct CHDEs (August 2022 and 2019), [...] Read more.
Understanding the physical mechanisms of compound hot-drought events (CHDEs) over the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is essential for improving climate predictability. Using high-resolution observations and ERA5 reanalysis, this study conducted a three-dimensional comparative diagnosis of two spatially distinct CHDEs (August 2022 and 2019), deconstructing their circulation dynamics and thermodynamic budgets. Specifically, the 2022 basin-wide event was highly associated with La Niña and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (NIOD). Anomalous latent heating in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean favored an extensive meridional Hadley circulation and a deep high-pressure belt, blocking southwest moisture transport. Thermodynamically, intense downward vertical motions produced severe descending adiabatic warming, which offset longwave radiational cooling and sustained anomalous heat accumulation throughout the deep troposphere. Conversely, the 2019 localized event occurred under a weak Central Pacific El Niño and a positive IOD. The anomalous tropical cooling weakened systematic subsidence and provided a favorable background for a Rossby wave train, featuring an offshore cyclone over the Western North Pacific that severed moisture pathways. Characterized by shallower vertical subsidence, the lack of a penetrative adiabatic heat source merely maintained a lower-level thermodynamic balance, confining extreme heat to the central–eastern YRB. Although superficially similar at the surface, these CHDEs are sustained by two distinct ocean–atmosphere interaction paradigms. Clarifying these dual paradigms provides a critical physical basis for improving sub-seasonal prediction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)
Show Figures

Figure 1

42 pages, 50781 KB  
Article
Urban Outdoor Thermal Environment Analysis Based on Semantic Segmentation and Morphology Indicators: A Case Study of Residential Blocks in Wuhan
by Hongying Wang, Lin Cai and Kai Guo
Buildings 2026, 16(14), 2870; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16142870 - 19 Jul 2026
Viewed by 92
Abstract
Rapid urbanization has intensified urban heat issues. Previous studies often relied on subjective block selection and rarely integrated vegetation data. This study extracted vegetation from Wuhan’s satellite imagery and combined it with building geometry to generate large-scale 3D block models. Typical blocks were [...] Read more.
Rapid urbanization has intensified urban heat issues. Previous studies often relied on subjective block selection and rarely integrated vegetation data. This study extracted vegetation from Wuhan’s satellite imagery and combined it with building geometry to generate large-scale 3D block models. Typical blocks were identified by clustering, and thermal environments were simulated using ENVI-met to establish regression models. POI and spatial analyses validated the results. The study found that 1. t-SNE outperforms PCA and UMAP in dimensionality reduction. 2. K-means surpasses GMM, DBSCAN, and Spectral in clustering. 3. SVFave, FAall, VDW, VAR, and BBA are critical for block morphology classification and block outdoor thermal assessment. 4. The final ridge regression model based on these indices achieved high R2 values (0.805, 0.507, and 0.855), indicating excellent model performance. 5. The blocks in Cluster 1 (west of the Yangtze River) exhibit higher mean air temperatures. 6. the blocks in Cluster 2 (new areas) have high vegetation coverage, causing larger temperature differences between the inside and outside of blocks. This study provides a comprehensive workflow for urban block morphology classification and thermal assessment. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 25859 KB  
Article
Rapid Prediction of Typhoon-Induced Tidal-Flat Morphodynamics Using an Observation-Supported Deep Learning Emulator
by Congcong Lao, Haifeng Cheng, Weijian Guo and Dangwei Wang
Water 2026, 18(14), 1671; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141671 - 9 Jul 2026
Viewed by 409
Abstract
Tidal-flat changes during typhoon events are controlled by compound interactions among waves, tides, runoff, sediment transport, and vegetation resistance. However, rapid prediction remains challenging because high-resolution process-based morphodynamic models are computationally expensive. This study developed an observation-supported coastal morphodynamic emulator for rapid prediction [...] Read more.
Tidal-flat changes during typhoon events are controlled by compound interactions among waves, tides, runoff, sediment transport, and vegetation resistance. However, rapid prediction remains challenging because high-resolution process-based morphodynamic models are computationally expensive. This study developed an observation-supported coastal morphodynamic emulator for rapid prediction of typhoon-induced tidal-flat erosion and deposition in the Jiuduansha Wetland, Yangtze Estuary. Multi-source field observations collected during Typhoons Bebinca and Pulasan in September 2024 were first used to validate a coupled MIKE21 FM model. The validated model was then applied to generate hydrodynamic and morphodynamic samples for emulator training and testing. Generalized Lagrangian mean velocity and bottom shear stress were selected as physically meaningful inputs. Current-timestep bed-level change was predicted using a UNet model enhanced with the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), hereafter referred to as CBAM-UNet. The numerical model reproduced the observed processes with acceptable accuracy, with Skill values of 0.98–0.99 for water level, 0.83–0.84 for wave height, and 0.82 for suspended sediment concentration. Compared with the conventional UNet, CBAM-UNet reduced the final cumulative RMSE from approximately 17.2 mm to 8.8 mm, corresponding to an error reduction of about 49%. Under prescribed wave, runoff, and tidal perturbations, the emulator reproduced the main erosion–deposition patterns, with final cumulative RMSE values of approximately 6.67 mm, 5.43 mm, and 10.68 mm, respectively. Across validation cases, replacing the morphodynamic module with the emulator reduced the average runtime by 42.50%. These results indicate that observation-supported morphodynamic emulation can support rapid tidal-flat assessment under compound typhoon forcing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Oceans and Coastal Zones)
Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 17269 KB  
Article
Scale Dependence and Nonlinear Effects of Urban Functional Zone Form on Carbon Emission Intensity: Evidence from Yangtze River Delta Agglomeration
by Wanyi Xu, Mingzhen Wei, Minghao Zuo and Junnan Liu
Sustainability 2026, 18(14), 7036; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18147036 - 9 Jul 2026
Viewed by 318
Abstract
Urban functional zones (UFZ) serve as fundamental units of human activity, and their spatial configurations significantly influence urban carbon emissions. However, current research often overlooks the heterogeneity of UFZ forms and the complex, multi-scale relationships underlying their impact on emissions. To address this [...] Read more.
Urban functional zones (UFZ) serve as fundamental units of human activity, and their spatial configurations significantly influence urban carbon emissions. However, current research often overlooks the heterogeneity of UFZ forms and the complex, multi-scale relationships underlying their impact on emissions. To address this gap, this study investigates the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration by delineating UFZ from the dual perspectives of block function and form. By integrating multi-scale spatial analysis with explainable machine learning, this study establishes a morphological indicator system covering three dimensions: density, morphology, and structure. The results reveal a pronounced scale dependency in the effects of UFZ form on carbon emission intensity (CEI), with optimal analytical scales identified at 14 km for density, 5 km for morphology, and 7 km for structure. Notably, variations within these dimensions lead to distinct patterns of impact intensity, even within the same functional category. Furthermore, most indicators exhibit nonlinear, threshold-dependent effects on CEI. These findings provide actionable guidance for fine-grained urban planning and carbon mitigation strategies. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 8597 KB  
Article
Shipwake-YOLO: Ship Wake Detection and Instance Segmentation for Visual Navigational-State Cue Extraction
by Shaoxi Li, Xingchen Ji, Chuankao Yang and Ruolan Zhang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(13), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14131216 - 30 Jun 2026
Viewed by 211
Abstract
Visual perception is an important component of close-range maritime situational awareness, particularly when conventional sources such as AIS and radar are delayed, incomplete, or unavailable. Ship wakes provide motion-related visual cues, but their segmentation remains difficult because wake regions are elongated, weakly textured, [...] Read more.
Visual perception is an important component of close-range maritime situational awareness, particularly when conventional sources such as AIS and radar are delayed, incomplete, or unavailable. Ship wakes provide motion-related visual cues, but their segmentation remains difficult because wake regions are elongated, weakly textured, and frequently mixed with water-surface clutter. This study develops Shipwake-YOLO, a wake-oriented adaptation of YOLOv9-Seg for ship and wake instance segmentation in inland-waterway images. The task is formulated as visual navigational-state cue extraction rather than validated future manoeuvre prediction. The model segments hull and wake instances and provides mask-derived spatial cues for possible downstream state interpretation. The architecture introduces iAFF into cross-scale feature fusion, adapts the high-level SPPELAN aggregation block with SAConv-enhanced convolution, replaces selected downsampling paths with iSACADown, and adopts MPD-IoU as the bounding-box regression loss. On a 2100-image dataset collected from the Wuhu Channel of the Yangtze River, Shipwake-YOLO improves Box-mAP@50 from 77.7% to 84.6% and Mask-mAP@50 from 67.6% to 79.8% relative to the YOLOv9-Seg baseline. Under stricter IoU thresholds, the model reaches 48.9 in Box-mAP@[0.50:0.95] and 46.2 in Mask-mAP@[0.50:0.95]. The parameter count is reduced by 7.5%, and GFLOPs decrease from 144.2 to 137.1. These results indicate that the proposed adaptation improves ship-wake perception within the collected inland-waterway setting and provides a visual basis for downstream navigational-state estimation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ocean Engineering)
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 1832 KB  
Article
The Evolution and Driving Factors of China’s Green Technology Transfer Network
by Yuanchun Yu and Yuanjian Han
Sustainability 2026, 18(12), 6218; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18126218 - 17 Jun 2026
Viewed by 319
Abstract
Using a sample of 297 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2022 and drawing on green patent transfer data, this study constructs a directed weighted network and applies social network analysis, a modified gravity model, and quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) regression to [...] Read more.
Using a sample of 297 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2022 and drawing on green patent transfer data, this study constructs a directed weighted network and applies social network analysis, a modified gravity model, and quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) regression to examine the spatial structural evolution, node topology characteristics, and driving factors of China’s green technology transfer (GTT) network. The results show that: (1) From 2010 to 2022, the number of nodes grew from 249 to 292, network coverage increased from 83.8% to 98.3%, and the number of edges expanded by a factor of 14.47. Network density and average degree also rose markedly. The spatial structure evolved from an initially sparse and fragmented configuration into a polycentric complex network centered on the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. (2) In terms of node topology, the intermediary and control capacities of cities exhibit dynamic changes, with central and western cities gaining growing influence within the network. (3) Cohesive subgroup analysis identifies four functional blocks, revealing a multi-level technology spillover path of “core—secondary—regional—peripheral.” (4) QAP regression further identifies the digital economy, geographic location, high-speed rail mileage, industrial structure, and government environmental concern as key drivers of network formation and evolution. This study offers a new perspective on understanding cross-regional green technology transfer and provides theoretical grounding and policy references for promoting regional collaborative innovation and green low-carbon development. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 8254 KB  
Article
Deep-Seated Processes Controlling Mesozoic Differential Metallogeny in the Southern Region of South China: Insights from Hf-Nd Isotope Mapping
by Yuqing Yin, Bo Xu, Maowen Yuan, Zhuang Miao, Jin Wang, Zihao Wen, Tianli Jin, Peidong Chai, Wenqi Song, Shiying Fu and Masroor Alam
Geosciences 2026, 16(6), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences16060230 - 8 Jun 2026
Viewed by 356
Abstract
The southern region of the South China Block hosts a super-large metallogenic province. However, the Mesozoic differential metallogeny between the southern Cathaysia Block (W-Sn) and the southern Yangtze Block (Au-Sb) remains enigmatic. To characterize the crustal architecture beneath different metallogeny belts, we integrate [...] Read more.
The southern region of the South China Block hosts a super-large metallogenic province. However, the Mesozoic differential metallogeny between the southern Cathaysia Block (W-Sn) and the southern Yangtze Block (Au-Sb) remains enigmatic. To characterize the crustal architecture beneath different metallogeny belts, we integrate 3239 published εHf(t) values of synmagmatic zircons from Mesozoic igneous rocks and corresponding whole-rock εNd(t) datasets to generate coupled Hf–Nd isotopic mappings. The results show that εHf(t) values range from −19.3 to +11.6 (TDM2: 464–2419 Ma) and εNd(t) values are from −12.2 to +5.0 (TDM2: 580–2008 Ma) in the southern part of South China Block. High εHf(t) (−4~+11.6) and εNd(t) (−4~+5.0) zones are concentrated along the Honghe Fault and Chenzhou–Linwu Fault systems, while low-value Hf–Nd isotopic (εHf(t) = −10.6 to −4; εNd (t) = −12.2 to −4) zones are mainly distributed in the interior of the southern Yangtze Block. The W-Sn deposits in the southern Cathaysia Block are genetically linked to the heterogeneous εHf(t)-εNd(t) isotopic domains. The ore-forming materials of these high-temperature W-Sn polymetallic deposits may primarily derive from crust hybrid magmas that have undergone multistage crustal reworking. In contrast, low-temperature Au-Sb deposits in the northern Youjiang basin are distributed in areas characterized by elevated εHf(t)-εNd(t) isotopic signatures, which are primarily derived from reworked crust with significant mantle contributions. Most magmatic rock-associated Au deposits tend to cluster at the boundaries of Hf-Nd isotopic anomalies, which indicates the contribution of crust-mantle interaction to Au mineralization. Our Hf-Nd isotopic mappings reveal that mantle-crust deep-seated process controls the Mesozoic differential metallogeny between the southern Cathaysia Block (W-Sn) and the southern Yangtze Block (Au-Sb). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Geochemistry: New Techniques and Applications)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 30090 KB  
Article
Seismic Imaging of the Crust and Upper Mantle Beneath Chinese Fujian Province and Its Implications for Deep Mineralization
by Yundi Song, Xiaolong He, Guoming Jiang, Dapeng Zhao and Guibin Zhang
Minerals 2026, 16(6), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16060593 - 1 Jun 2026
Viewed by 441
Abstract
Fujian Province is located in the southeast coastal region of Mainland China and belongs to the Cathaysia Block (CB). Since the Neoproterozoic, this region has experienced multi-stage tectonic activities, which have formed extensive metallogenic belts, such as the Wuyishan and Nanling metallogenic belts. [...] Read more.
Fujian Province is located in the southeast coastal region of Mainland China and belongs to the Cathaysia Block (CB). Since the Neoproterozoic, this region has experienced multi-stage tectonic activities, which have formed extensive metallogenic belts, such as the Wuyishan and Nanling metallogenic belts. To clarify deep geodynamic processes and deep metallogenic mechanisms, we determine a high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) velocity model of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Fujian region. Two datasets are collected for the tomographic inversion. One dataset includes 70,330 P-wave and 87,057 S-wave arrival times from 6206 local earthquakes. The other dataset includes 13,714 P-wave relative travel-time residuals from 812 teleseismic events. Our tomography reveals significant low-velocity (low-V) anomalies in the upper mantle down to 500 km depth, which may represent hot ad wet upwelling flows from the mantle transition zone. We also find some low-V and high-Vp/Vs anomalies in the crust beneath major faults and the coastal area of Fujian, which are interpreted as magmatic channels. Combining with previous geological, geochemical, and geophysical results, we consider that the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate in the Late Mesozoic played a crucial role in the formation of ore deposits. We propose a geodynamic model of the deep mineralization in Fujian, in which upwelling mantle flow underplated the crust and intruded into the crust along fault zones. This geodynamic model also has certain significance for the deep mineralization mechanisms of the CB and the Lower Yangtze Block. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 3707 KB  
Article
Early Cambrian Hydrothermal Activity in Southern Anhui, South China: Evidence and Geochemical Implications
by Lei Huang, Yufei Liang, Anna Tong, Haijiang Zhao, Hezheng Dong, Xiaowei Huang and Dongsheng Zhou
Minerals 2026, 16(5), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16050525 - 14 May 2026
Viewed by 356
Abstract
Hydrothermal activity plays a critical role in ancient oceanic environments, organic matter accumulation, and metallic ore deposit formation. During the Early Cambrian, the development of hydrothermal systems in the southern Anhui Province of the Lower Yangtze Block has long attracted geological attention. This [...] Read more.
Hydrothermal activity plays a critical role in ancient oceanic environments, organic matter accumulation, and metallic ore deposit formation. During the Early Cambrian, the development of hydrothermal systems in the southern Anhui Province of the Lower Yangtze Block has long attracted geological attention. This study focuses on the Lower Cambrian black shales of the Hongtaocun (HTC) section in the southern Anhui Province, employing major- and trace-element analyses, rare earth element (REE) geochemistry, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observations to identify evidence for Early Cambrian hydrothermal activity on the Yangtze Platform and its controls on mineralization. Our results demonstrate that major-element proxies classify the HTC samples as biogenic, but this classification is demonstrably incorrect given the mineralogical and REE evidence, which highlights the limitations of major-element discrimination alone. Hyalophane (Hy) occurrence records Ba-rich hydrothermal fluids, while positive Eu anomalies in the REE patterns further corroborate hydrothermal influence. We, therefore, emphasize that major-element chemistry alone is insufficient to reliably identify hydrothermal processes. These findings substantially advance the discrimination criteria for ancient seafloor hydrothermal activity. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 3338 KB  
Article
Geochemical Characteristics and Exploration Implications of Primary Halos in the Liwu Copper Deposit, Western Yangtze Block, China
by Sensen Guan, Zhengwei He, Jiaxian Wang, Xin Chen and Li He
Minerals 2026, 16(5), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/min16050496 - 8 May 2026
Viewed by 470
Abstract
The Liwu copper deposit, located on the western margin of the Yangtze Block, is a typical metamorphic-hosted polymetallic Cu deposit with significant deep exploration potential. To constrain its mineralization-forming processes and primary halo characteristics, this study focuses on the Heiniudong ore segment. Based [...] Read more.
The Liwu copper deposit, located on the western margin of the Yangtze Block, is a typical metamorphic-hosted polymetallic Cu deposit with significant deep exploration potential. To constrain its mineralization-forming processes and primary halo characteristics, this study focuses on the Heiniudong ore segment. Based on portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data obtained from drill cores and underground samples, a comprehensive geochemical analysis of 20 elements was conducted. Elemental background values and anomaly thresholds were determined using the iterative sigma (σ) elimination method. Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to identify element associations, while the Grigorian zonation index method was employed to investigate axial zoning patterns of primary halos. The results demonstrate that Cu exhibits strong positive correlations with S, Fe, Ag, Cd, Sn, and Bi, indicating a medium- to high-temperature hydrothermal sulfide mineralization system. The primary halo displays well-defined vertical zonation, with Ba–Sr–Sb–As representing the front halo, Zn–Pb–Cu–Ag–Sn–Fe–Cd the near-ore halo, and Bi–Mo–W–Th the tail halo. A clear axial zonation sequence is established. The vertical variation in the geochemical ratio (As × Sr × Sb)/(Mo × Bi × W) exhibits a characteristic “low–high–low–high” pattern, reflecting the superposition of the front halo of a deeper concealed orebody with the tail halo of the upper known orebody under multistage hydrothermal remobilization and structural overprinting. Integrated with the coexistence of front halo and tail halo anomalies and strong alteration in drill hole WT03, the results indicate that the southwestern extension of WT03 along southwest-dipping ductile–brittle detachment structures represents the most promising deep exploration target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Mineral Deposits)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 16712 KB  
Article
Petrological and Geochemical Characteristics of the Lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation in the Middle Yangtze Block, South China: Implications for Organic Matter Accumulation on Carbonate Platform
by Baomin Zhang, Quansheng Cai, Guotao Zhang, Oumar Ibrahima Kane, Lin Chen, An Liu, Peng Zhou and Ruyue Wang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(9), 762; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14090762 - 22 Apr 2026
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Understanding the development characteristics and controlling factors of organic-rich shales in carbonate platform settings is essential for predicting their distribution and assessing their natural gas exploration potential. However, the mechanisms governing the accumulation of such shales in these specific sedimentary environments remain poorly [...] Read more.
Understanding the development characteristics and controlling factors of organic-rich shales in carbonate platform settings is essential for predicting their distribution and assessing their natural gas exploration potential. However, the mechanisms governing the accumulation of such shales in these specific sedimentary environments remain poorly constrained, and the lack of integrated petrological and geochemical studies limits accurate evaluation of their resource potential. The key objective of this study is to investigate the development characteristics and formation mechanisms of organic-rich shales within intraplatform depressions. To address this objective, we conducted a comprehensive petrological and geochemical analysis of the Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation organic-rich shale deposits deposited in a carbonate platform setting, particularly from Well EYY3 in Western Hubei, Central Yangtze region. The obtained results indicate that total organic carbon (TOC) contents in the Shuijingtuo Formation can reach up to 4.77%, with a thickness of approximately 9.5 m for shales containing over 2% TOC. Vertically, TOC content exhibits a rapid increase at the base, followed by a gradual decline toward the top, reflecting the evolution of depositional environments. The characteristics of organic-rich shale indicate a significant presence of carbonate minerals, which increase in concentration, alongside tuff lenticular bodies and lithological transition surfaces between tuff and shale. While the longitudinal variation of SiO2 content in shale is subtle, there is a slight increase in land-sourced clasts and excess silica, and TOC has a significant positive correlation. At the base of the Shuijingtuo Formation, redox parameters, including U-EF and Mo-EF, display a rapid increase followed by a gradual decrease. Conversely, changes in Ni-EF, which indicate paleoproductivity, are less pronounced, and their correlation with TOC is relatively poor. These findings suggest that rapid sea-level rise associated with Cambrian transgressions was the main factor influencing organic matter enrichment in the carbonate platform depressions. This rise supplied nutrients and silica-rich organisms, altering the biological landscape and fostering anoxic conditions in the intraplatform depressions, promoting organic-rich shale formation. As sea levels declined, water circulation became restricted, leading to oxidation of shallow water bodies, decreased paleoproductivity, and shale deposits transitioned to tuff. Therefore, organic-rich shale can also be developed on carbonate platforms, with its formation primarily controlled by fluctuations in sea level. During highstand periods, intraplatform depressions may serve as favorable zones for shale gas exploration. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 2854 KB  
Article
Land–Water Allocation, Yield Stability, and Policy Trade-Offs Under Climate Change: A System Dynamics Analysis
by Xiaojing Jia and Ruiqi Zhang
Systems 2026, 14(4), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14040412 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 558
Abstract
Climate change is intensifying hydroclimatic extremes and agricultural water scarcity, sharpening trade-offs among yield stability, water saving, and farm incomes in major grain regions. Existing studies often optimise cropping patterns or irrigation schedules separately, seldom embedding yield robustness and policy instruments in one [...] Read more.
Climate change is intensifying hydroclimatic extremes and agricultural water scarcity, sharpening trade-offs among yield stability, water saving, and farm incomes in major grain regions. Existing studies often optimise cropping patterns or irrigation schedules separately, seldom embedding yield robustness and policy instruments in one decision framework. We propose an integrated Machine-learning–System-dynamics–Non-dominated-sorting-genetic-algorithm-II (ML–SD–NSGA-II) framework linking long-horizon meteorological scenario generation, crop–water–economy feedback and multi-objective optimisation of crop areas and irrigation depths. ML models generate daily climate sequences to drive an SD model of soil moisture, yield formation, basin-scale allocable water, and farm returns; NSGA-II searches Pareto-optimal strategies that maximise profit and irrigation water productivity while minimising yield deviation. Applied to a rice–wheat irrigation system in the middle Yangtze River Basin, knee-point solutions lift irrigation water productivity by about 14%, maintain near-baseline profits, and reduce yield deviation. Scenario tests with block tariffs, quota-based subsidies, and extreme drought show pricing mainly curbs low-value water use in normal years, while under drought, physical scarcity dominates and economic tools offer limited buffering. This reveals the existence of a scarcity-regime threshold beyond which economic instruments become second-order relative to binding biophysical constraints. The framework supports transparent ex ante testing of tariff–subsidy packages for irrigation governance and adaptation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 6250 KB  
Article
Hydrocarbon-Generating Assemblages and Organic Matter Accumulation Patterns from the Basal Silurian Renheqiao Formation in Western Yunnan, China
by Shucan Zheng, Qinglai Feng, Xuesong Lu, Ronghe Jin and Xiaomei Nie
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(5), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14050436 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 494
Abstract
The organic-rich shales of the Upper Ordovician–Lower Silurian Renheqiao Formation in Yunnan, China, represent a valuable target for understanding marine hydrocarbon systems and offshore oil and gas exploration. To decipher its organic matter (OM) accumulation patterns and offer perspectives relevant to the assessment [...] Read more.
The organic-rich shales of the Upper Ordovician–Lower Silurian Renheqiao Formation in Yunnan, China, represent a valuable target for understanding marine hydrocarbon systems and offshore oil and gas exploration. To decipher its organic matter (OM) accumulation patterns and offer perspectives relevant to the assessment of marine resources, this study employs an integrated petroleum geological, sedimentological, and palynological approach. Our findings indicate that organic-rich intervals (cumulative thickness 74–84.5 m) are concentrated in the R1–lower R6 and upper R6–R9 graptolite biozones, exhibiting high total organic carbon (TOC) content and graptolite reflectance values indicative of high to post-maturity thermal evolution, which confirms significant shale gas potential. Sedimentary evolution shows broad similarities with the Yangtze region’s Longmaxi Formation but with finer-scale differences. Due to its restricted paleogeographic setting on the Sibumasu Block, the Baoshan region responded to global sea-level changes with a lag, favoring sustained OM accumulation. Palynological analysis identified microphytoplankton, acritarchs, macroalgae, and animal-derived OM. Hydrocarbon-generating assemblages are divided into three stages: the first (R1–lower R6) and third (upper R6–R9) stages are favorable intervals with high TOC, dominated by microphytoplankton and acritarchs; the second stage (middle R6) shows lower enrichment, with increased macroalgae/animal-derived debris. Our analysis indicates that high abundances of primary producers (microphytoplankton/acritarchs) are strongly associated with organic enrichment. In contrast, higher abundances of secondary consumers (e.g., graptolites) show a significant negative correlation with TOC, suggesting their presence may coincide with conditions less favorable for accumulation or that they actively inhibit it. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration and Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2483 KB  
Article
A High Proportion of Basal Nitrogen Application Mitigates Straw Return-Induced Nitrogen Immobilization and Sustains Winter Wheat Yield on the Jianghan Plain
by Gabriel Hopla Akwakwa, Kem Senou Pavel Daryl, Meixue Zhou and Xiaoyan Wang
Agronomy 2026, 16(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16050493 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 610
Abstract
Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity in intensive rice–wheat systems of the Jianghan Plain is constrained by sub-optimal nitrogen (N) management and residue handling. Straw residue return (SRR) can increase soil organic carbon and improve soil structure but may also immobilize N [...] Read more.
Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity in intensive rice–wheat systems of the Jianghan Plain is constrained by sub-optimal nitrogen (N) management and residue handling. Straw residue return (SRR) can increase soil organic carbon and improve soil structure but may also immobilize N and alter the temporal pattern of soil mineral N (SMN). Although straw return and N fertilization have been widely studied, the combined effects on SRR and N applications on wheat yield and soil N dynamics in this region remain insufficiently resolved. In this study, we evaluated three SRR levels (0, 50, and 100% of approximately 3.5 t rice straw ha−1) combined with four N application treatments over three years of field trials in the Jianghan Plain of Yangtze River Basin. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design. Our results show that wheat performance is closely associated with SMN (NO3-N, NH4+-N, total N) at 0–20 soil layers from booting to maturity. Grain yield increased sharply with N application, with SRR further enhancing yield. The combination of a 100% SRR and 70/30 basal-to-overwinter N split with a total N rate of 180 kg ha−1 (T11) achieved the highest three-year mean grain yield. This superior performance was driven by optimized yield components, including a maximum of 55 grains per spike and a 1000-grain weight of 42.4 g under T11. Soil total N, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, and SOC were all significantly influenced by both N application timing and SRR. Across the three-year experiment, we concluded that 50–100% SRR combined with 70–100% basal N application represents an optimal agronomic practice for rice–wheat rotations in the Jianghan Plain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Agroecology Innovation: Achieving System Resilience)
Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 17093 KB  
Article
Spatial Patterns and Influence Factors of Urban Vitality Based on Multisource Data and MGWR Model: A Case Study of China’s Coastal Regions
by Tianping Zhang and Yongwei Liu
Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 1907; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18041907 - 12 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 960
Abstract
Urban vitality is a critical metric for measuring the quality of sustainable development and overall competitiveness, serving as the core kinetic energy for urban survival and growth. As a key link for land–sea resource coordination and internal–external economic circulation, the urban vitality of [...] Read more.
Urban vitality is a critical metric for measuring the quality of sustainable development and overall competitiveness, serving as the core kinetic energy for urban survival and growth. As a key link for land–sea resource coordination and internal–external economic circulation, the urban vitality of China’s coastal regions is of great significance for promoting regional coordinated development. Focusing on 130 cities in China’s coastal regions, this study constructs an evaluation system encompassing five dimensions: economy, society, culture, environment, and population. Utilizing the AHP–entropy combined weighting method, the urban vitality index (UVI) for 2023 is calculated based on a scientific measurement of each dimension’s vitality level. Additionally, spatial autocorrelation and the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model are employed to examine the spatial evolution patterns and multidimensional driving mechanisms in depth. The results indicate the following: (1) Coastal regions exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity in vitality, characterized by a distinct south–north gradient (high in the south and low in the north). Geographically, the distribution of overall vitality is highly uneven: high-value clusters are concentrated in southern coastal urban agglomerations—notably the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta—whereas northern coastal areas, with the exception of the Shandong Peninsula, generally demonstrate relatively low vitality levels. Administrative rank has a significant effect on vitality agglomeration; the average vitality of provincial capitals and above is approximately four times that of other cities. (2) Environmental vitality performs best but shows significant spatial polarization. High-value areas for economic and population vitality are concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Shandong Peninsula urban agglomerations, while social and cultural vitality only stand out in megacities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. (3) Urban vitality exhibits strong spatial correlation and path dependence. Coastal urban vitality shows a significant positive spatial autocorrelation, with H-H (high–high) clusters primarily concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, indicating a high degree of spatial aggregation and regional synergy in urban vitality. Conversely, L-L (low–low) “depressed cities” are distributed in contiguous blocks in the north and peripheral areas, indicating that regional collaborative driving forces need to be further strengthened. (4) Multifactor driving mechanisms show obvious spatial heterogeneity and scale effects. The MGWR model results reveal that the medical insurance coverage rate, human capital level, and annual average PM 2.5 concentration are the dominant factors driving coastal urban vitality. Their influence intensity shows significant north–south differences across geographical locations, and the contribution of nonspatial factors is overall higher than that of traditional built environment factors. These findings provide a scientific reference for formulating precise and differentiated regional vitality enhancement strategies, optimizing coastal resource allocation, and promoting high-quality land–sea coordinated development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop