Search Results (166)

Croatian agricultural legislation acknowledges the significance of radionuclides as pollutants in agricultural lands; however, it lacks specific thresholds or reference values for contamination levels, in contrast to other contaminants. This absence highlights the necessity for a comprehensive assessment of radionuclides across various agricultural systems in Croatia. This study investigates the transfer of radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K from soil to agricultural crops throughout Croatia and estimates the consequent annual ingestion dose for the population. The samples collected comprised food crops and animal feed, with corresponding soil samples analyzed to calculate transfer factors. Activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs exhibited regional and crop-type variability, reflecting the uneven distribution of fallout and differing soil properties. Transfer factors were found to range from 0.003 to 0.06 for ¹³⁷Cs and from 0.15 to 3.1 for ⁴⁰K, with the highest uptake occurring in kidney beans. The total estimated annual effective ingestion dose was calculated to be a maximum of 0.748 mSv/year for children aged 2–7, predominantly attributable to ⁴⁰K. Given the homeostatic regulation of potassium in the human body, the dose associated with ¹³⁷Cs poses a more significant radiological concern. These findings underscore the need for radionuclide-specific agricultural legislation in Croatia and offer a baseline for recommending reference values and informing future regulations regarding agricultural soil contamination. Full article

Grazing is a free-range farming model commonly practiced in low-external-input agricultural systems. The widespread use of veterinary antibiotics in livestock farming has led to significant environmental accumulation of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing global health risks. This study investigated the antibiotic residues, bacterial community, ARG profiles, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in cattle feces from three provinces in western China (Ningxia, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia) under grazing modes. The HPLC-MS detection showed that the concentration of tetracycline antibiotics was the highest in all three provinces. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between antibiotic residues and the diversity and population abundance of intestinal microbiota. However, the abundance of ARGs was directly proportional to antibiotic residues. Then, the Sankey analysis revealed that the ARGs in the cattle fecal samples were concentrated in 15 human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) species, with 9 of these species harboring multiple drug resistance genes. Metagenomic sequencing revealed that carbapenemase-resistant genes (bla_KPC and bla_VIM) were also present in considerable abundance, accounting for about 10% of the total ARGs detected in three provinces. Notably, Klebsiella pneumoniae strains carrying bla_CTX-M-55 were detected, which had a possibility of IncFII plasmids harboring transposons and IS19, indicating the risk of horizontal transfer of ARGs. This study significantly advances the understanding of the impact of antibiotic residues on the fecal microbiota composition and ARG profiles in grazing cattle from northwestern China. Furthermore, it provides critical insights for the development of rational antibiotic usage strategies and comprehensive public health risk assessments. Full article

Microelement deficiencies, often termed “hidden hunger”, represent a significant global health challenge. Optimal human health relies on adequate dietary intake of essential microelements, including selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and chlorine (Cl). In recent years, there has been a growing focus on vitality and longevity, which are closely associated with the sufficient intake of essential microelements. This review focuses on these nine elements, whose bioavailability in the food chain is critically determined by their geochemical behavior in soils. There is a necessity for an understanding of the sources, soil–plant transfer, and plant uptake mechanisms of these microelements, with particular emphasis on the influence of key soil properties, including pH, redox potential, organic matter content, and mineral composition. There is a dual challenge of microelement deficiencies in agricultural soils, leading to inadequate crop accumulation, and the potential for localized toxicities arising from anthropogenic inputs or geogenic enrichment. A promising solution to microelement deficiencies in crops is biofortification, which enhances nutrient content in food by improving soil and plant uptake. This strategy includes agronomic methods (e.g., fertilization, soil amendments) and genetic approaches (e.g., marker-assisted selection, genetic engineering) to boost microelement density in edible tissues. Moreover, emphasizing the need for advanced predictive modeling techniques, such as ensemble learning-based digital soil mapping, enhances regional soil microelement management. Integrating machine learning with digital covariates improves spatial prediction accuracy, optimizes soil fertility management, and supports sustainable agriculture. Given the rising global population and the consequent pressures on agricultural production, a comprehensive understanding of microelement dynamics in the soil–plant system is essential for developing sustainable strategies to mitigate deficiencies and ensure food and nutritional security. This review specifically focuses on the bioavailability of these nine essential microelements (Se, Zn, Cu, B, Mn, Mo, Fe, Ni, and Cl), examining the soil–plant transfer mechanisms and their ultimate implications for human health within the soil–plant–human system. The selection of these nine microelements for this review is based on their recognized dual importance: they are not only essential for various plant metabolic functions, but also play a critical role in human nutrition, with widespread deficiencies reported globally in diverse populations and agricultural systems. While other elements, such as cobalt (Co) and iodine (I), are vital for health, Co is primarily required by nitrogen-fixing microorganisms rather than directly by all plants, and the main pathway for iodine intake is often marine-based rather than soil-to-crop. Full article

As the world’s third-longest river supporting 40% of China’s population, the Yangtze River Basin exemplifies the critical challenges of balancing riparian development and ecological resilience for major fluvial systems globally. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution, proximity dynamics to the Yangtze River, and driving mechanisms of the “three types of spaces” (urban, agricultural, and ecological) in 130 counties along the Yangtze River mainstem from 2000 to 2020, utilizing an integrated approach incorporating land use transfer matrices, centroid-based distance metrics and GeoDetector models. Key findings reveal: (1) Urban space exhibited significant irreversible expansion while agricultural space continued to shrink, with ecological space maintaining overall stability but showing high-frequency bidirectional conversion with agricultural areas in localized zones. (2) Spatial proximity analysis demonstrated contrasting patterns—eastern riparian counties showed urban spatial agglomeration towards the river, whereas most mid-western regions experienced urban expansion away from the watercourse, with marked regional disparities in agricultural and ecological spatial changes. (3) Driving mechanism analysis identified topography as the dominant natural factor influencing ecological space evolution, while socioeconomic factors exerted stronger impacts on proximity variations of agricultural and urban spaces, with natural–socioeconomic interactive effects showing the most significant explanatory power. These spatial dynamics reflect universal trade-offs between economic development and ecosystem conservation in large river basins worldwide. We advocate differentiated spatial governance strategies, including rigorous riparian ecological redlines, eco-agricultural models in agricultural retreat zones, and proximity-based real-time monitoring for ecological early warning. The integrated methodology and spatial governance framework offer transferable solutions for sustainable management of major fluvial systems under rapid urbanization pressure. These findings provide scientific evidence and implementable pathways for coordinating socioeconomic development with ecosystem resilience in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Full article

Promoting coordinated urban–rural development represents a key policy initiative by the Chinese government to advance rural revitalization and promote common prosperity. As a central component of China’s land management system, the Urban–Rural Construction Land Linkage Policy aims at dismantling the historical urban–rural division while fostering balanced regional growth. This research analyzes panel data spanning 2010–2022 across 294 prefecture-level cities, utilizing a multi-phase difference-in-differences (DID) approach to evaluate the policy’s effectiveness in reducing urban–rural income disparities. Empirical findings reveal that the policy implementation has substantially narrowed the income gap between urban and rural populations. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the policy’s impact is more pronounced in China’s eastern regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that the policy narrows the income gap through two primary pathways: first, by promoting urbanization through facilitating rural-to-urban population transfer and optimizing urban spatial layout. Second, by driving industrial structure optimization through intensive land use that advances agricultural scale and modernization, while improved land resource allocation boosts secondary and tertiary industries. These findings offer empirical support and policy insights for refining urban–rural land management strategies and advancing integrated development. Full article

The October 2024 cut-off low event triggered one of the most catastrophic floods recorded in the Valencia Metropolitan Area, exposing significant vulnerabilities in urban planning, infrastructure resilience, and emergency preparedness. This study presents a novel comprehensive assessment of the event, using a multi-sensor satellite approach combined with socio-economic and infrastructure data at the metropolitan scale. It provides a comprehensive spatial assessment of the flood’s impacts by integrating of radar Sentinel-1 and optical Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 imagery with datasets including population density, land use, and critical infrastructure layers. Approximately 199 km² were inundated, directly affecting over 90,000 residents and compromising vital infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, transportation corridors, and agricultural lands. Results highlight the exposure of peri-urban zones and agricultural areas, reflecting the socio-economic risks associated with the rapid urban expansion into flood-prone plains. The applied methodology demonstrates the essential role of multi-sensor remote sensing in accurately delineating flood extents and assessing socio-economic impacts. This approach constitutes a transferable framework for enhancing disaster risk management strategies in other Mediterranean urban regions. As extreme hydrometeorological events become more frequent under changing climatic conditions, the findings underscore the urgent need for integrating remote sensing technologies, early warning systems, and nature-based solutions into regional governance to strengthen resilience, reduce vulnerabilities, and mitigate future flood risks. Full article

Amazonian parrots (Psittacidae) are essential to ecosystem balance. Already vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and weak environmental regulations, they are now increasingly threatened by heavy metal contamination. This review synthesizes evidence on the sources, transgenerational bioaccumulation, and physiological impacts of metals such as mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) in these birds. Anthropogenic activities, including illegal gold mining, agricultural intensification, and urban expansion, release metals that biomagnify along food webs. Parrots, as long-lived, high-trophic consumers, accumulate metals in vital tissues, leading to severe neurotoxic effects, immunosuppression, reproductive failure, and reduced survival. Furthermore, maternal transfer of contaminants to eggs exacerbates genetic erosion and threatens population viability. While biomonitoring tools and habitat restoration have been proposed, current strategies are insufficient against the synergistic pressures of pollution and climate change. Addressing heavy metal exposure is critical to conserving Amazonian biodiversity and safe-guarding ecosystem services. Future efforts should prioritize multidisciplinary predictive models, bioremediation actions, and the strengthening of international environmental governance to ensure the survival of these sentinel species. Full article

Using panel data from 31 provinces and municipalities in China spanning the period from 2002 to 2021, this study constructs a comprehensive indicator system to assess the level of agricultural sustainable development from the dimensions of economic, social, and ecological. A panel threshold regression model is developed, with rural labor transfer serving as the threshold variable, to explore the nonlinear effects of rural population aging on agricultural sustainable development. The empirical findings indicate that the overall level of agricultural sustainable development in China has shown a consistent upward trend over the study period, with the highest level observed in the main grain-consuming areas, followed by the main grain-producing areas, and the lowest in the grain-producing and consuming balance areas. Moreover, rural population aging exhibits a significant nonlinear and positive effect on agricultural sustainable development. Based on two identified threshold values of labor transfer, the results suggest that as the proportion of labor transfer increases, the positive impact also increases. Against the backdrop of intensified rural labor migration and the consequent acceleration of rural population aging, it is imperative to promote the scaling-up of agricultural operations, foster a new generation of professional farmers, and implement region-specific sustainable agricultural development strategies to support long-term sustainability in the agricultural sector. Full article

Since 2000, the Yangtze River Delta region has undergone a period of rapid urbanization in China. A large area of cultivated land has been converted into construction land, which greatly affects food security. The decrease in cultivated land caused by urbanization is also very serious in Jiangsu Province, one of the main grain-producing areas in the Yangtze River Delta region. Based on the remote sensing data of Jiangsu Province in 2000, 2010 and 2020, this paper analyzes the land use changes occurring in 13 regional cities in Jiangsu Province from 2000 to 2020 by using the transfer matrix. Spatial and temporal geographical weighted regression models were used to analyze the differences in the economic, social and policy impacts of land use change across the province. The results show that the cultivated land area is decreasing, and the closer to the urban center, the faster the decrease in cultivated land in Jiangsu Province. Cultivated land was mainly transferred out to construction land, waters and woodlands. The human factors affecting the change in cultivated land area in the province can be divided into a population growth factor, economic development factor, rural development factor and land policy factor. Among them, population growth and economic development had a negative effect on cultivated land protection, while improvements in the agricultural production level and cultivated land protection policy had a positive effect on cultivated land protection. According to the analysis of spatial-temporal heterogeneity of cultivated land area change, the growing urbanization rate had the greatest impact on the cultivated land area in Southern Jiangsu, and the impact of real estate development on cultivated land has been reduced in small cities. The conclusion of this paper has important policy implications for promoting cultivated land protection and ensuring food security. Full article

Cropland abandonment has significant implications for sustainable agricultural development. Whether agricultural subsidies can reduce cropland abandonment is correlated with China’s food security. Relying on the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS) data and the two-way fixed effects model, this study investigates the implications of agricultural subsidies on cropland abandonment and its influence mechanism. The results demonstrate that agricultural subsidies effectively reduce cropland abandonment, which is robust after robustness and endogeneity tests. Mechanism analysis indicates that agricultural subsidies inhibit cropland abandonment by incentivizing farmers to increase agricultural production inputs and facilitate cropland transfer. Heterogeneous analysis reveals that agricultural subsidies yield more significant benefits in eastern and central regions and plain and hill areas, particularly among households with higher degrees of part-time employment. Moreover, the effect of agricultural subsidies on cropland abandonment is greater in households with higher levels of population aging. These findings complement existing research on the impact of agricultural subsidies on agricultural production and offer valuable insights for policymakers devising strategies to curb cropland abandonment and foster sustainable agricultural development. Full article

Donkeys and mules have historically played an important role in agriculture and are now gaining recognition for their contributions to animal conservation, milk production, tourism, and equid-assisted services. However, their distinctive reproductive challenges pose obstacles to breeding management. As a result, the application of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) could help address these challenges, enhancing their roles in both traditional and emerging industries. This review examines the current and emerging in vitro techniques for breeding donkeys and mules. Key methodologies such as sperm cryopreservation, innovative sperm preservation technologies, embryo transfer, ovum pick-up (OPU), oocyte maturation, and vitrification are discussed, emphasizing their importance in optimizing ARTs. Advances in in vitro embryo production technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) are reviewed, with particular attention to its success in producing the first donkey and mule blastocysts or foals. Despite significant progress in the last decade, standardization of protocols for gamete conservation and embryo transfer are still required in long-ear equids. Advancing these technologies in combination with established in vitro embryo production could significantly improve reproductive outcomes and enhance the genetic management of donkey and mule populations. Full article

Actively coping with the aging of the rural population is an inevitable requirement for the implementation of high-quality development of modern agriculture and the comprehensive promotion of rural revitalization. Agricultural socialized services can effectively integrate the two key elements of technology and people in agricultural production and management. Based on research data on the livelihoods and economic behavior of 1023 farming households in 2021, this paper explores the impact of an aging population on the implementation of socialized agricultural services by rural households. The results of the study show that population aging has a significant positive influence on the degree of agricultural socialized services. The aging of the population has a significant positive influence on unified irrigation services, mechanized farming services, straw collection services, and origin processing services, which are labor-replacing and highly mechanized agricultural science and technology socialized services. The results of the heterogeneity analysis show that both young and middle-aged rural households and older rural households have a clear demand for agricultural socialized services. Based on this, we propose policy recommendations in two aspects: guiding land transfer in the context of rural aging and establishing a variety of agricultural technology socialized service types. Full article

The decrease in grain plantation areas poses a growing concern for global food security. China, with its large population, increasingly diversified food demands, and relatively small cultivated lands, has suffered deeply from this phenomenon (non-grain production, NGP) in recent years. Since 2020, the central government of China has claimed to deal with this problem by attracting agriculturalists and organizations involved in grain plantation. In this context, understanding the global NGP of the national situation is vital for policy making. Remote sensing is regarded as the most effective and accurate method for this purpose, but existing studies have mainly focused on algorithms operating at the local scale or exploring grain-producing capability from the perspective of agricultural space. As such, the characterization of NGP on a national scale remains deficient. In this study, we tried to bridge the gap through spatio-analysis with a newly published nationwide crop pattern and land use geo-datasets; the quantitative, spatial, and structural features, as well as the utilization of NGP cropland in the year 2019, were observed. The results showed that about 60% of the cropland was used for non-grain plantation. About 15% of the NGP parcels were cultivated with grains at least three times in the past 4 years, and of these 60% and 40% were parcels with double- or single-season plantation, respectively, which could result in a 16–22% increase in the grain-sown area compared with 2019. Forest and grassland were the dominant non-cropping categories which NGP cropland transferred into, indicating more time and economic cost for regaining grains. NGP parcels also presented spatio-heterogeneity regarding cropping intensity and transformation. Parcels with double-season plantation mostly emerged in northern, central, and southern provinces, while those with single-season plantation were always located in northeastern and western provinces. The parcels that were transferred into forest or grassland mainly appeared in southern and Inner Mongolia, respectively, while the parcels in northern and central areas mostly continued cropping. According to these results, we propose remediation policies focusing on raising the cropping intensity of cultivated land in central and northern provinces due to their advantages of water, heat, terrain, and land use change features. Future work is warranted based on this study’s deficiencies and uncertainties. As a forerunner, this study provides a holistic observation of the NGP phenomenon in mainland China on a national scale, and the findings can inform improvements in land use policies concerning grain production and food security in China. Full article

Mitochondrial genomes serve as essential tools in evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, and population genetics due to their maternal inheritance, lack of recombination, and conserved structure. Traditional morphological methods for identifying nematodes are often insufficient for distinguishing cryptic species complexes. This study highlights recent advancements in nematode mitochondrial genome research, particularly the impact of long-read sequencing technologies such as Oxford Nanopore. These technologies have facilitated the assembly of mitochondrial genomes from mixed soil samples, overcoming challenges associated with designing specific primers for long PCR amplification across different groups of parasitic nematodes. In this study, we successfully recovered and assembled eleven nematode mitochondrial genomes using long-read sequencing, including those of two plant-parasitic nematode species. Notably, we detected Heterodera cruciferae in Victoria, expanding its known geographic range within Australia. Additionally, short-read sequencing data from a previous draft genome study revealed the presence of the mitochondrial genome of Heterodera filipjevi. Comparative analyses of Heterodera mitogenomes revealed conserved protein-coding genes essential for oxidative phosphorylation, as well as gene rearrangements and variations in transfer RNA placement, which may reflect adaptations to parasitic lifestyles. The consistently high A+T content and strand asymmetry observed across species align with trends reported in related genera. This study demonstrates the utility of long-read sequencing for identifying coexisting nematode species in agricultural fields, providing a rapid, accurate, and comprehensive alternative to traditional diagnostic methods. By incorporating non-target endemic species into public databases, this approach enhances biodiversity records and informs biosecurity strategies. These findings reinforce the potential of mitochondrial genomics to strengthen Australia’s as well as the global biosecurity framework against plant-parasitic nematode threats. Full article

The increasing demand for food and rapid population growth have made advanced crop monitoring essential for sustainable agriculture. Deep learning models leveraging multispectral satellite imagery, like Sentinel-2, provide valuable solutions. However, transferring these models to diverse regions is challenging due to phenological differences in crop growth stages between training and target areas. This study proposes the Adaptive Month Matching (AMM) method to align the phenological stages of crops between training and target areas for enhanced transfer learning in cropland segmentation. In the AMM method, an optimal Sentinel-2 monthly time series is identified in the training area based on deep learning model performance for major crops common to both areas. A month-matching process then selects the optimal Sentinel-2 time series for the target area by aligning the phenological stages between the training and target areas. In this study, the training area covered part of the Mississippi River Delta, while the target areas included diverse regions across the US and Canada. The evaluation focused on major crops, including corn, soybeans, rice, and double-cropped winter wheat/soybeans. The trained deep learning model was transferred to the target areas, and accuracy metrics were compared across different time series chosen by various phenological alignment methods. The AMM method consistently demonstrated strong performance, particularly in transferring to rice-growing regions, achieving an overall accuracy of 98%. It often matched or exceeded other phenological matching techniques in corn segmentation, with an average overall accuracy across all target areas exceeding 79% for cropland segmentation. Full article