Search Results (3,311)

Understanding the dynamic evolution of pore and fracture structure (PFS) in coal under mining disturbance is essential for safe coal extraction. In this study, coal specimens collected from the Dongqu Mine, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China, were subjected to stepwise cyclic confining pressure loading–unloading tests using a triaxial in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system. Based on T₂ spectrum measurements, the real-time evolution of PFS, stress–strain response, permeability-related behavior, average pore diameter, and fractal characteristics were systematically investigated. The results show that irreversible damage developed in the coal specimens during cyclic confining pressure loading–unloading. With increasing cycle number, the load-bearing capacity gradually decreased, internal damage intensified, and pore expansion and coalescence became more pronounced. Seepage pore porosity showed an overall increasing trend, indicating a gradual enhancement of inferred permeability. Therefore, seepage pore porosity can be used as an effective indicator for evaluating permeability-related evolution in coal. During both loading and unloading stages, the relative volumes of small pores (SP), medium pores (MP), and large pores and fractures (LPF) continued to increase, whereas their average pore diameters fluctuated. This indicates that pore volume growth was controlled not only by the enlargement or shrinkage of pre-existing pores but also by new PFS generation. Fractal analysis showed that the fractal dimensions of MP, LPF, and total pores exhibited clear scale-dependent evolution, whereas the calculated SP fractal dimensions were lower than 2 and were therefore not suitable for pore-surface fractal interpretation. Among the valid pore systems, LPF exhibited the highest fractal dimension, indicating that LPF dominate the structural complexity of coal. These findings provide new insight into the fractal evolution of unloading-induced PFS damage and offer theoretical support for mitigating gas outburst and water inrush hazards during coal mining. Full article

The premature deterioration of reinforced concrete structures caused by steel reinforcement corrosion remains a major challenge to long-term structural durability. This study systematically investigates the effects of corrosion inhibitor dosage on the fresh properties, mechanical performance, chloride ion penetration resistance, and capillary water absorption of self-compacting concrete (SCC). The evolution of the pore structure is characterized using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), and the proportions of pores within different equivalent spherical diameter ranges are quantified. In addition, the microstructural characteristics are examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the incorporation of the corrosion inhibitor increases the viscosity of fresh SCC, resulting in reductions in slump. In general, the corrosion inhibitor reduces both the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of SCC, with the smallest strength reduction observed at a corrosion inhibitor dosage of 2 wt%. All mixtures containing the corrosion inhibitor exhibit lower electric flux and water absorption than the control mixture, indicating improved resistance to chloride ion penetration and capillary water ingress. The combined LF-NMR, X-CT, and SEM results indicate that an appropriate corrosion inhibitor dosage may optimize the spatial distribution of hydration products, refine the pore structure, reduce total porosity, and suppress the formation of macropores. Overall, a dosage of 2 wt% provides the most favorable balance among workability, mechanical properties, durability, and microstructural compactness. These findings provide experimental support and technical guidance for the mixture design of durable SCC used in aggressive environments, including marine and salt-lake regions. Full article

Non-grain production of cultivated land has increasingly affected regional food security and the stability of agricultural ecosystems. In traditional rice-producing regions, changes associated with non-rice cultivation, fallow land, rice-fishery integrated farming, and intensive agricultural management are reshaping the spatial structure of paddy landscapes. To identify the long-term spatiotemporal evolution of paddy systems, this study investigated Northern Jiangxi, China, using Landsat surface reflectance imagery from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Land Surface Water Index (LSWI) were used to construct a phenology-based Flooding Frequency (FF) indicator. Based on the annual frequency with which pixels satisfied the condition LSWI > EVI, cultivated land was classified into three categories: non-flooded cropland, standard rice paddy, and high-frequency flooded cropland. In this study, non-flooded cropland was used as an indicator of potential non-rice cultivation rather than as direct evidence of confirmed non-grain production. Landscape metrics, transition matrices, gravity center migration, standard deviation ellipses, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were then used to examine paddy landscape dynamics, fragmentation patterns, and county-level spatial associations with socioeconomic factors. The results suggest that the paddy system in Northern Jiangxi experienced marked stage-based fluctuations between 2000 and 2020. Standard rice paddy recovered during 2005–2010, whereas non-flooded cropland expanded considerably during 2010–2015, accompanied by intensified paddy landscape fragmentation. Non-flooded cropland was mainly distributed around urban fringes, transport corridors, and some hilly margins. Standard rice paddy was concentrated in traditional grain-producing areas, including the Poyang Lake Plain and the Gan-Fu Plain. High-frequency flooded cropland was primarily located in low-lying lake areas, where its dynamics were likely associated with rice-fishery integrated farming, continuous irrigation, and hydrological fluctuations. Landscape metrics showed that the largest patch index and mean patch size of standard rice paddy declined after 2010, indicating reduced spatial continuity of core paddy fields. The GWR analysis provided auxiliary evidence that total population, per capita gross domestic product (GDP), and urbanization rate were spatially associated with changes in non-flooded cropland at the county level; however, the results should be interpreted as exploratory associations rather than causal mechanisms. Overall, paddy landscape change in Northern Jiangxi was expressed not only through changes in cultivated land area, but also through the reorganization of paddy function, spatial continuity, and land-use intensity. Future cropland protection should therefore move beyond area-based control toward integrated management of quantity, quality, function, and spatial configuration. Future research should further verify these findings using dynamic cropland boundaries, higher-resolution imagery, and more detailed socioeconomic data. Full article

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, is of growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine because livestock, companion, and working animals may be chronically exposed through feed, water, and grazing on treated land. This study evaluates the protective effects of vitamin E (α-tocopherol acetate) against chronic glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity, multi-organ histopathological damage, and disturbances of systemic redox balance in male Wistar rats. Fifty-six rats were allocated to six groups: control, low-dose glyphosate (LG, 560 mg/kg/day), high-dose glyphosate (HG, 1120 mg/kg/day), LG + vitamin E, HG + vitamin E, and vitamin E alone. Treatments were administered by oral gavage for 30 days at equalised dosing volumes. Serum oxidant/antioxidant markers—total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and the oxidative stress index (OSI)—hepatic enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, LDH), renal markers (urea, creatinine) and cardiac marker creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were measured; liver, lung, kidney, testis and heart were examined histopathologically. Glyphosate produced dose-dependent hepatocellular enzyme elevations (AST, ALT) and progressive multi-organ histopathological injury. Contrary to expectation, serum TOS and OSI did not increase in the glyphosate-only groups but were instead lower than in controls, accompanied by a compensatory rise in TAS—indicating that circulating oxidant markers may underestimate tissue-level oxidative injury at this exposure duration. Vitamin E co-administration markedly enhanced TAS, lowered TOS relative to the corresponding glyphosate group (HG + VitE vs. HG, p = 0.007), reduced OSI and substantially attenuated histopathological damage across all examined organs. Vitamin E thus mitigates glyphosate-induced tissue injury and improves systemic antioxidant capacity, supporting its potential as a protective dietary antioxidant in animals subject to chronic glyphosate exposure. Full article

The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is a key ecological barrier and socio-economic region in China, but the spatiotemporal dynamics of its ecosystem carbon sink and the non-linear effects of environmental drivers remain insufficiently understood. This study estimated Net Ecosystem Productivity (NEP) in the YRB from 2001 to 2024 using MODIS Net Primary Productivity (NPP) data and an empirical soil heterotrophic respiration model, analyzed NEP trends with the Theil–Sen estimator and Mann–Kendall test, and quantified non-linear responses to climatic, temporal, and spatial factors using a Generalized Additive Model (GAM). The YRB acted as a persistent and strengthening net carbon sink, with annual total NEP increasing significantly from 39.85 Tg C yr⁻¹ in 2001 to 176.44 Tg C yr⁻¹ in 2024, at a rate of 5.65 Tg C yr⁻¹. NEP showed a clear southeast-to-northwest decreasing gradient, and 85.6% of the basin exhibited increasing trends, particularly on the Loess Plateau. The GAM captured non-linear associations of NEP with temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, relative humidity, year, and spatial location, and achieved a moderate pooled spatial block cross-validated R² of 0.723. NEP displayed a unimodal association with temperature—with a fitted peak near 0 °C reflecting the spatial transition from cold high-altitude to warmer water-limited regions—and a saturation-type response to precipitation, highlighting the joint control of hydrothermal conditions and pervasive water limitation. The fitted spatial smooth further revealed residual spatially structured variation that may be partly associated with irrigation and land management. These findings improve the understanding of carbon-sink dynamics in the YRB and provide scientific support for climate-adaptive ecosystem management and the regional implementation of China’s “dual carbon” goals. Full article

Light quality plays a critical role in regulating plant growth during both in vitro culture and hydroponic stages, attracting increasing research attention. However, comprehensive studies incorporating far-red LED light throughout the entire growth cycle of Spathiphyllum floribundum (Linden & André) N.E.Br. ‘Tianjiao’ remain limited. To investigate the effects of red, blue, and far-red light ratios on proliferation, rooting, and hydroponic acclimatization, six LED treatments were established with red: blue ratios of 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40, each with or without far-red light supplementation. Fluorescent light was used as the control. At each stage, morphological traits, photosynthetic pigments, osmotic compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, and photosynthetic parameters were measured. The results identified distinct optimal light combinations for each growth phase. The optimal treatment for proliferation was 80%R + 20%B + Fr, which produced significant proliferation coefficients and enhanced chlorophyll b and soluble protein content. For rooting, 60%R + 40%B + Fr was most effective, resulting in the highest total chlorophyll content (0.109 mg·g⁻¹) and improved carotenoid accumulation and CAT activity. During hydroponic acclimatization, 60%R + 40%B without far-red light yielded the best performance, achieving the highest plant height (15.28 cm) and net photosynthetic rate (4.77 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹), along with improved water-use efficiency. These results provide potential LED light strategies for the complete process from tissue culture to hydroponics, offering a theoretical basis for designing specialized LED lighting systems for plant tissue culture and hydroponic production. Full article

Runoff recharge increases during the wet season in arid inland river basins; however, solute inputs along river courses, evaporite salt dissolution, and leaching from saline sediments may still substantially modify the chemical composition of surface waters. To identify the sources of major ions, hydrochemical controlling processes, and salt-enriched river reaches during the wet season in the Cele River Basin, 107 surface water samples were collected from the mainstream of the Cele River and five major tributaries in August 2025. Field and laboratory analyses were conducted for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), and major ions, including Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, and HCO₃⁻. Piper diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, ionic ratios, Spearman correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to characterize the major-ion composition, hydrochemical facies, and controlling factors. The results show that the surface waters were generally weakly alkaline, with pH values ranging from 7.42 to 8.46. TDS and EC exhibited pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with higher salinity levels in the Buzang River, the Cele River mainstream, and the Uluk Say River, and relatively lower mineralization in the Bostan River and Nur River. SO₄²⁻ and Cl⁻ dominated the anionic composition, together accounting for 80.3% of total anions, whereas Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ and Na⁺ + K⁺ jointly controlled the cationic composition, accounting for 57.3% and 42.7% of total cations, respectively. The Piper diagram indicated that the Cl·SO₄–Na·Ca type was the dominant hydrochemical facies, accounting for 67.3%, suggesting a pronounced sulfate–chloride salt-enrichment signature during the wet season. Evidence from Gibbs diagrams, ionic end-member ratios, and PCA further indicates that the hydrochemical composition is primarily constrained by rock weathering and jointly influenced by sulfate and chloride salt dissolution, evaporation–concentration processes, and leaching from saline sediments. These processes reflect the coexistence of runoff dilution and salt reloading during the wet season. The Buzang River, Cele River mainstream, and Uluk Say River should be prioritized for continuous water-quality monitoring and salinity-risk early warning, while TDS, EC, Na⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻ can serve as core indicators for diagnosing wet-season water–salt processes and tracking water-quality baselines. This study identifies the key salt-enriched reaches, major ion sources, and hydrochemical control mechanisms of surface waters in the Cele River Basin during the wet season, providing a scientific basis for water-quality protection, oasis agricultural water regulation, and sustainable water–salt management in arid inland river basins. Full article

The extensive use of petroleum-based plastics in food packaging has raised environmental concerns, increasing interest in biodegradable materials derived from renewable resources. Cellulose-based films from agricultural residues offer a sustainable alternative, and incorporating bioactive compounds can provide active packaging functionality to enhance food preservation. In this study, resveratrol was incorporated into oat straw-derived cellulose films to develop biodegradable active packaging materials. Films with varying concentrations of resveratrol were prepared and evaluated for physical, mechanical, barrier, optical, antioxidant, biodegradation, and fruit preservation properties. Resveratrol significantly enhanced the films’ antioxidant activity, increasing radical-scavenging activity from 4.05% in the control film to 19.70% in the film containing 0.7% resveratrol. The films also exhibited improved ultraviolet light-blocking properties while maintaining comparable moisture content, water solubility, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, and biodegradation behavior. All films showed rapid soil biodegradation, with more than 80% weight loss after 33 days. During grape storage, the resveratrol-containing film maintained the fruit quality by moderating changes in weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid content, while avoiding the quality deterioration observed in polystyrene-covered grapes during storage. These findings demonstrate that oat straw-derived cellulose films containing resveratrol combine antioxidant activity, ultraviolet light protection, biodegradability, and improved preservation performance during grape storage. The developed films show promise as sustainable antioxidant active packaging materials for fresh-produce applications. Full article

Background: Bacteriophage-based interventions are increasingly considered antibiotic-sparing tools in poultry production, but target-animal tolerability should be documented before efficacy-oriented field application. Methods: This pilot study evaluated the formulation-level tolerability of the repeated drinking-water administration of Fagovet, a commercial multi-component bacteriophage product, in Ross 308 broiler chickens under non-challenged conditions. According to the manufacturer’s product documentation, the formulation contains a declared mixture of 23 bacteriophages at a concentration of not less than 1 × 10⁶ plaque-forming units per milliliter. However, the concentration of active bacteriophages was not independently confirmed immediately before administration or after dilution in drinking water. A total of 120 birds were allocated to 12 pens, with three replicate pens per treatment, and received untreated water or product-volume-based administration rates corresponding to 1×, 3×, or 5× the manufacturer-recommended rate for 27 days. Body-weight gain and pen-level feed intake were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with Dunnett-adjusted comparisons against controls. Clinical observations, mortality, diagnostic necropsies, terminal gross postmortem examination of all surviving birds, and descriptive histopathology in eight randomly selected birds, comprising two birds per treatment group, were used as supportive endpoints. Results: Body-weight gain did not differ from controls at 1× (ratio 0.99; 95% CI 0.88–1.10; p = 0.9856), 3× (1.03; 0.92–1.15; p = 0.8273), or 5× (1.01; 0.91–1.13; p = 0.9902). Feed intake showed no significant treatment-related reduction, and no consistent dose-related adverse clinical or pathological pattern was identified. Conclusions: Repeated drinking-water administration of the tested commercial formulation was well tolerated under the conditions of this pilot study. Because individual phage components, genomic safety, actual PFU-based exposure, and drinking-water stability were not independently characterized, the findings apply to the administered formulation and should not be interpreted as a component-level safety or quantitative phage dose–response assessment. Full article

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been widely recognized as emerging environmental contaminants due to their potential threats to public health and ecosystems. Owing to the extensive use of antibiotics in clinical, agricultural, and aquaculture settings, large quantities of ARGs are continuously introduced into the natural environment. As a result, aquatic environments—particularly surface waters—act as important reservoirs and transmission pathways for ARGs. However, despite the Yellow River being a major surface river in northern China, the occurrence and sources of ARGs in this river remain poorly understood. In this study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was applied to investigate the composition of ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and virulence factors (VFs) in three water sources in the Baotou section of the Yellow River. A total of 35 types of ARGs, 3 types of MGEs, and 14 categories of VFs were identified across all samples. Among them, multidrug resistance genes, peptide resistance genes and glycopeptide resistance genes exhibited relatively high abundances, indicating their widespread distribution in the study area. In terms of MGEs, recombinases and transposases were dominant, suggesting their important roles in gene mobilization. Meanwhile, VFs were mainly associated with metabolic functions, immune modulation, and adherence, reflecting the potential pathogenic risks in the aquatic environment. Co-occurrence networks revealed extensive associations between ARGs and MGEs, as well as ARGs and VFs. Many positive correlations were observed, suggesting possible ecological associations between ARGs and MGEs and potential co-selection between ARGs and VFs. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the distribution patterns and co-occurrence patterns of ARGs, MGEs, and VFs in the Yellow River and offers a scientific basis for the management and control of antibiotic resistance pollution in large river systems. Full article

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing quail diets with 0.5% thyme, sage, mint, and oregano powder on nutritional performance. A total of 400 one-day-old quail chicks, standardized for live weight, were randomly assigned to five treatment groups with four replicates per group (20 chicks per replicate). The groups were allocated to treatments as C—control, T—thyme, S—sage, M—mint, and O—oregano. The experiment lasted for 35 days. Chicks were reared in cages sized 70 × 90 × 60 cm, with a 10 cm layer of wood shavings on the ground. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. At the end of the experiment, live weight gain and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colonization in ceca were significantly higher in the T (thyme) and O (oregano) groups compared to the C, S and M groups (p < 0.05). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the breast meat were lower in the S, M and O groups compared to the C group. Jejunal villi length was significantly greater in the S and O groups compared to the others (p < 0.05). In the ileum, villi height was higher in the T group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). The villi height/crypt depth ratio in the jejunum was significantly higher in the T and O groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05), whereas in the ileum, this ratio was lower in the S group than in the other groups. Mucin-2 level in the ileum was significantly reduced in the S, M and O groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05) and was similar between T and C. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with vegetative powder of thyme and oregano can be used to improve growth, intestinal villi morphology and LAB colonization in quails. Also, low-dose herbal powder supplementation can be used to suppress MDA formation in the breast meat stored at 4 °C for 3 days. Full article

Drilling fluids are essential in oil and gas operations for wellbore stability, cuttings transport, pressure control, and fluid-loss reduction. Water-based drilling fluids (WBDFs) are widely used because of their cost-effectiveness and lower environmental impact compared with oil-based systems; however, they often suffer from fluid loss into the formation and lower rheological performance. This laboratory-scale study investigates the feasibility of using rice and bread waste powders as bio-based additives for WBDFs to mitigate fluid loss. The collected food wastes were dried, milled, and sieved into three particle sizes of fine (150 µm), very fine (75 µm), and ultrafine (45 µm). The prepared powders were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). A total of 18 drilling-fluid formulations were prepared using rice and bread powders at concentrations of 1 wt%, 2 wt%, and 3 wt%. Filtration tests were conducted under low-pressure low-temperature (LPLT) conditions of 100 psi and 25 °C and high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) conditions of 1500 psi and 70 °C, while rheological properties were measured using a rotational viscometer. The results showed that additive type, particle size, and concentration strongly influenced WBDF performance. The best-performing formulation was WBDF with added rice powder at 45 µm and 3 wt% (RC45-3), which reduced fluid loss from 19.5 mL to 6.1 mL, corresponding to a reduction of approximately 68.7% at LPLT. Under HPHT conditions, the same formulation reduced fluid loss from 36.5 mL to 11.4 mL, corresponding to a reduction of approximately 68.8%. RC45-3 also produced the thinnest measured filter cake, reducing filter-cake thickness from 5.0 mm for the base mud to 0.52 mm. The formulation maintained shear-thinning behavior and produced suitable gel strength values, indicating improved suspension capacity. The improved performance of rice powder is attributed to its fine particle size, favorable morphology, and ability to form a compact, low-permeability filter cake. Overall, the findings indicate that processed rice waste powder has potential as a low-cost, bio-based fluid-loss-control agent for WBDFs, although further testing in field-representative mud systems is required before practical application. Full article

Vegetation photosynthesis is jointly regulated by precipitation supply, atmospheric water demand, and vertically stratified soil moisture, but their relative roles across vegetation types and hydroclimatic backgrounds remain unclear. Using monthly satellite solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), ERA5-Land hydroclimatic variables, and vegetation-type data across China from 2000 to 2024, this study combined monthly anomaly analysis, lagged partial correlation, and XGBoost–SHAP to quantify moisture-response patterns in cropland, forest, grassland, and shrubland along an arid–humid gradient. Vegetation SIF increased overall from 2000 to 2024, with a clear northwest–southeast gradient and higher multiyear mean SIF in forests and shrublands than in croplands and grasslands. XGBoost–SHAP results showed that vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was the largest single contributor to SIF anomalies at the national scale, accounting for 31.8% of total moisture-factor contribution, followed by precipitation, shallow soil moisture, and middle- plus deep-layer soil moisture. The VPD contribution differed among vegetation types, reaching 43.3% in grassland, 32.5% in cropland, 30.4% in shrubland, and 27.5% in forest. Lagged responses also varied with soil depth and hydroclimatic background. Precipitation and shallow soil moisture mainly produced concurrent or 1-month lagged responses, whereas middle- and deep-layer soil moisture generated 2–3-month delayed effects in some arid and semi-arid cropland and woody vegetation. Across the arid–humid gradient, dominant moisture constraints shifted from deeper soil-water regulation in arid regions toward VPD control in transitional zones and precipitation or shallow-soil-moisture control in humid ecosystems. These findings demonstrate that vegetation SIF anomalies are shaped by coupled atmospheric demand, precipitation input, and soil-water storage, with vegetation traits and hydroclimatic background jointly determining the dominant moisture-response pathway. Full article

Tropical water lilies are a group of aquatic plants with high ornamental value and are widely favored in home gardening. However, most tropical water lily cultivars feature a large plant stature and vigorous spreading growth layout, making them unsuitable for cultivation in small containers. Therefore, developing miniaturization cultivation techniques for tropical water lilies in small containers is required. Plant growth retardants are effective in inducing plant dwarfing and overall miniaturization. In this study, the tropical water lily cultivar ‘Black Beauty’ was used as the experimental material to explore the effects of two plant growth retardants, chlormequat chloride (CCC) and paclobutrazol (PP₃₃₃), on its growth and development, with the objective of screening optimal retardant types, application concentrations and treatment methods. The results showed that the growth rate of ‘Black Beauty’ slowed down under either CCC or PP₃₃₃ treatment, and remained stable from day 21 to day 51. Compared with the control group, treated plants presented reduced crown spread, decreased leaf area and thickened leaves; the number of flowers and leaves declined slightly, and the key ornamental morphological traits (compact plant form, moderate leaf size, normal flowering) were maintained. PP₃₃₃ exhibited a stronger dwarfing effect than CCC. When the plant growth retardants were dissolved in water for application, a 6-day treatment interval delivered better dwarfing efficacy than a 9-day interval. Among all treatments, 30 mg·L⁻¹ PP₃₃₃ applied at 6-day intervals achieved the optimal miniaturization effect. Following this treatment, the endogenous accumulation of chlorophyll, soluble protein and total sugar, together with the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), were markedly higher than those measured in the control and all other treatment groups, whereas the endogenous accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased substantially. The contents of endogenous hormones IAA, GA₃ and ZR in all treatment groups decreased with the increase in retardant concentration, whereas the ABA content showed an upward trend. The 30 mg·L⁻¹ PP₃₃₃ treatment applied every six days induced the minimal endogenous accumulation of IAA, GA₃ and ZR, alongside the maximum endogenous ABA accumulation within plant tissues. For potted cultivation of ‘Black Beauty’ water lily, it is recommended to apply 30 mg·L⁻¹ PP₃₃₃ at 6-day intervals and use containers with an outer diameter of 30–35 cm. Full article

Carbonate gas reservoirs are characterized by strong heterogeneity and a complex combination of pores, fractures, and caves. The productivity of gas wells is controlled by many factors, including geology, development, and engineering factors. The traditional one-point productivity evaluation method is insufficient to accurately characterize the productivity differences in gas wells with different reservoir types. In this paper, the carbonate gas reservoir of the MK Formation in the HS 4 block is taken as the research object. Based on core characteristics, thin sections, dolomite content, and permeability data, the two main reservoir types, vuggy and fracture-vuggy, are systematically categorized. The influence of geological, development, and engineering factors on gas well productivity is analyzed using SHAP values. At the same time, to improve the accuracy and engineering practicability of gas reservoir productivity evaluation, the one-point productivity equation was refined, and open-flow capacity prediction charts for vuggy and fracture-vuggy reservoirs were constructed by combining the improved equation with the steady-state productivity equation. The results show that the dolomitization degree of vuggy reservoirs is lower than that of fracture-vuggy reservoirs, and the reservoir space types are mainly small dissolution pores or intergranular dissolution pores. The lithology of the fracture-vuggy reservoir is dolomite. The reservoir space of this type of reservoir is mainly composed of large dissolution pores and fractures, with a good matching relationship between fractures and pores. Based on the SHAP interpretation and analysis method, it is clear that cumulative water production, total acid fracturing fluid volume, gas-layer thickness, and porosity are the main factors affecting gas well productivity. Among them, the influence of cumulative water production and total acid fracturing fluid volume is the most significant, indicating that changes in the gas-water relationship and the effect of acid fracturing factors during development have a greater impact on gas well productivity. Based on the improved one-point productivity equation and the steady-state productivity equation, the open-flow prediction chart of vuggy and fracture-vuggy reservoirs is established. In predicting the gas well productivity of medium-deep reservoirs, with reconstruction scale and geological conditions similar to those of the HS 4 block, the chart’s predictions are in good agreement with field gas test and production test results. The single-well prediction error ranges from 2.2% to 6.5%, with an average error of 4.3%, indicating that the established chart has good applicability and predictive reliability. The research results can provide a theoretical and technical basis for reservoir classification evaluation, reasonable production allocation optimization, and new-well productivity prediction for carbonate gas reservoirs in the HS 4 block. Full article