With the three waves of craft renaissance in the West, as well as the problems of global climate change and resource shortages in the Anthropocene, how to make better use of materials and explore different making cultures has attracted the attention of Western academia. As one of the emerging fields in Western geographic research that has received much attention in recent years, geographies of making attempts to provide methods for addressing current material and environmental crises by focusing on the practice of body and material interactions at different scales, and hopes to reexamine how humans relate to materials, produce goods, and construct economic and social structures around materials based on a concern for environmental and socioeconomic well-being. Through a review of the literature on Western geographies of making, this study found that relevant research mainly adopts auto-ethnographic, apprenticeship, and other embodied participatory research methods, with a focus on multiple contexts of making, body in making, materials in making, practices in making, and relationships of making. It also explored research topics that need attention in China, including the protection of craftsmen and sustainable utilization of materials, the fluidity of making practices and place reconstruction, craft making and sustainable livelihoods for rural craftsmen, and the everyday practice of making and happiness and friendship. This work will lay a foundation for implementing policies such as the "Revitalization Plan for Chinese Traditional Crafts" and rural revitalization, providing important theoretical guidance for innovative development and creative transformation of intangible cultural heritage, as well as the harmonious development of human-environment relationship in the process of making.

The global Ocean General Circulation Model (OGCM) is a critical component of Earth system modeling and plays an essential role in climate projections and marine environmental forecasting. Herein, the history of global OGCM models is systematically reviewed and significant scientific and recent technological advancements are summarized. This review covers three topics involving the core technology of OGCMs: the dynamical core, physics or physical parameterization, and soft-hardware configuration. In the dynamic core, the latest developments in horizontal discretization methods, vertical coordinate schemes, and multi-resolution strategies are explored. Regarding physics, the focus has been on the progress of mesoscale, sub-mesoscale, and boundary-layer mixing parameterizations. In the soft-hardware configuration section, the current status and prospects for the application of heterogeneous computing architectures and artificial intelligence technology in global OGCMs are discussed. The advancement of the LASG/IAP Climate System Ocean Model, a fully autonomous Chinese global OGCM, is also highlighted. Based on key trends and novel ideas in the field of global OGCMs, suggestions are provided for Chinese researchers and relevant policymakers to comprehensively advance R&D strategies and long-term planning for fully autonomous global OGCMs.

Sea-Level Rise (SLR) directly changes the hydrology and salinity of estuarine tidal wetlands and is one of the primary drivers of global change that significantly impacts ecosystem processes. Herein, various methodologies and experimental facilities (marsh organs, weirs, and flow-through mesocosms) for manipulating SLR are systematically reviewed. This study provides a comprehensive summary of the effects and mechanisms associated with SLR regarding the fluxes and production rates of CH₄ and CO₂, and the pathways and rates of soil organic carbon mineralization from the perspectives of SLR-saltwater intrusion and inundation increase. Saltwater intrusion due to SLR notably decreases CH₄ production rates and fluxes. It induces a shift in the pathways of soil organic carbon mineralization, transitioning from CH₄ production to microbial SO{}_{\mathrm{4}}^{\mathrm{2}-} reduction in tidal freshwater marshes. The main mechanism reducing saltwater intrusion-induced CH₄ flux is the increased presence of the electron acceptor SO{}_{\mathrm{4}}^{\mathrm{2}-}, which hinders soil CH₄ production. The impact of SLR through saltwater intrusion on CO₂ emissions in tidal freshwater marshes exhibits distinct uncertainty. Owing to the inherent challenges in experimentally manipulating SLR in situ, few reports concerning the effects of SLR-related inundation on CH₄ and CO₂ fluxes and production rates exist. However, some studies have suggested that an increase in inundation height leads to a reduction in CO₂ emissions. Additionally, this study consolidates information surrounding electron acceptors and microbial mechanisms associated with SLR that influence the pathways and rates of soil organic carbon mineralization in coastal tidal wetlands. Finally, this study outlines the specific domains that warrant further exploration in future research on the impact of SLR on the production and emission of carbon greenhouse gases in estuarine tidal marshes.

The Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings are home to a significant number of rock glaciers. These formations, due to their unique characteristics of water storage and response to climate, not only impact the solid water resources in the region but also contribute to an increased risk of corresponding disasters, garnering growing attention. However, there remains a notable gap in research concerning the identification of rock glaciers, estimation of ice volume, and simulation of dynamic processes. This gap hinders the accurate assessment of changes in rock glaciers and their climate response characteristics in areas lacking data. This review systematically analyzes the distribution characteristics of rock glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings while comprehensively investigating the research progress on the identification of rock glaciers, estimation of ice volume, and understanding of dynamic processes. Due to the scarcity of observational data and methodological uncertainties, numerous challenges persist in the identification of rock glaciers, estimation of ice volume, and simulation of dynamic processes in the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings. In the future, efforts will focus on deepening our understanding of the interaction mechanisms between climate and the dynamic processes of rock glaciers. This will involve strengthening monitoring efforts using Space-Air-Ground-based multi-level, multi-angle, and multi-method approaches. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence and new observation technologies into methods for identifying rock glaciers and estimating ice volume will be pursued. These advancements will enable the accurate evaluation of changes, future trends, and impacts of rock glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings under climate change conditions, ultimately supporting the sustainable social and economic development of the region.

Hydrological and water resource monitoring are pivotal components of Earth observation systems, crucial for supporting the high-quality development of water conservancy in the modern era, fulfilling the requirements of “three water” co-governance, and implementing the “sixteen words” water-control strategy. Satellite remote sensing offers a scalable, rapid, and high-precision data acquisition pathway. Nonetheless, challenges persist in the application of existing satellite remote sensing in hydrology and water resources, including difficulties in achieving multi-satellite synchronous observation, limited emergency response capability, and susceptibility to adverse weather conditions. In December 2022, NASA launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, the first satellite in the world designed to observe global land and ocean water resources through multisensor collaboration. This groundbreaking satellite greatly improves the spatial and temporal resolution and accuracy of hydrology and water resource monitoring. This study systematically reviews the development status, applications, and technical challenges of hydrological and water resource monitoring satellites. It also analyzes the satellite parameters, scientific tasks, algorithm flow, and application products of SWOT, providing a valuable reference for future satellite design planning and key data processing technologies, especially in China.

Since the inception of the (U-Th)/He thermochronometer at the turn of the last century, it has assumed an increasingly pivotal role in geology and related disciplines, notably in the dating of apatite and zircon. However, the occurrence of apatite and zircon is relatively restricted in nature, significantly constraining the advancement and application of (U-Th)/He dating. Through ongoing, comprehensive investigations into He diffusion kinetics and advancements in analytical technology, alongside apatite and zircon, other minerals (U-Th)/He thermochronologies have also made significant strides, progressively refining and broadening their applications, thereby opening new avenues for the (U-Th)/He thermochronometer. Moreover, different minerals record distinct geological information; hence, employing (U-Th)/He dating across multiple minerals enhances our comprehension of geological processes. This paper provides a concise overview of the progress in (U-Th)/He dating of hematite, goethite, magnetite, carbonate minerals, conodont, fluorite, perovskite, spinel, rutile, and garnet, with a focus on the advanced research in hematite, goethite, magnetite, carbonate minerals, and conodont (U-Th)/He dating, which are relatively mature. Presently, these novel methodologies have found applications in diverse fields such as ore deposits, sedimentology, tectonic geology, geodynamics, and environmental science, particularly in determining mineralization age, reconstructing paleoenvironments and paleoclimates, elucidating processes of oceanic crust alteration, subduction, and exhumation, understanding the functioning of hydrothermal systems, investigating fault deformation, and conducting paleoseismic research, wherein they are poised to play a pivotal role. However, several challenges persist, including multiple diffusion domains, the impact of radiation damage and chemical composition on helium diffusion, loss of parent isotopes during heating and degassing, and open behavior within the (U-Th)/He system, often resulting in dispersed thermochronological (U-Th)/He dates. Thus, further investigations into He diffusion behavior in these minerals, enhancements in experimental methodologies, and improvements in instrument accuracy are imperative to ensure the precision of (U-Th)/He data, thereby furnishing a more dependable framework for understanding geological processes.

The acceleration of urbanization and population agglomeration intensifies the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and causes Heat Waves (HWs). The superimposed effects of the two seriously affect urban development and resident health. A few studies believe that HWs and UHI intensity have the characteristics of synergistic enhancement, but there are still large differences in the superimposed effects of HW-UHI. This article comprehensively reviews and summarizes domestic and foreign research on the differences in the synergy between HWs and UHI and explores the formation mechanism of urban high temperatures from the aspects of climate background, local circulation, and urban morphology. Under different climatic backgrounds and local circulation conditions, the synergistic effects of the HW-UHI show significant spatiotemporal differences, particularly the regulatory role of local circulation, which cannot be ignored. The Local Climate Zone (LCZs) classification proposed in the past decade has achieved some results in research on the synergy between HWs and UHI; however, it is necessary to further explore their response characteristics from the three-dimensional morphology of the city. Currently, there is no unified standard definition for HWs, which brings uncertainty to an in-depth understanding of HW-UHI interactions. There is a need to comprehensively understand the spatiotemporal differences in excessive urban warming caused by HW and UHI and their formation mechanisms and regulating factors to provide more detailed guidance and theoretical support for high-temperature monitoring and improvement of the urban living environment.

Geodiversity encompasses the diversity of abiotic materials, forms, and processes on and beneath the surface of the Earth. This study investigates the impact of geodiversity on biodiversity, shedding light on the interplay between subsurface-aboveground dynamics and geological-biological roles in natural ecosystems. Synthesizing domestic and international research, we explore the relationship between geodiversity and biodiversity, highlighting their joint role in maintaining natural ecosystems. Specifically, we focus on understanding the formation and maintenance mechanisms of high geodiversity supporting high biodiversity. Additionally, we examine the impact of geodiversity on biodiversity across various spatial scales, noting differences in effects at global, landscape, and local scales. We also underscore the lack of a unified understanding of the impacts of geodiversity on biodiversity and its driving mechanisms, particularly in protected areas. Furthermore, we summarize research methods for geodiversity assessment, including qualitative, quantitative, and qualitative-quantitative approaches, and highlight the effectiveness of the qualitative-quantitative method. Lastly, we suggest that future research should emphasize strengthening empirical analyses of geodiversity on biodiversity within nature reserves, integrating geodiversity on biodiversity research into the management of protected areas, and optimizing geodiversity assessment methods.

The Sumatera Basin Group is a typical back-arc basin in Southeast Asia and is the largest oil and gas enrichment area in Indonesia. In the past five years, it has been found that the new oil and gas reserves are on the rise, and the amount of resources to be discovered is large, which has great exploration potential. This study systematically sorts out the hydrocarbon exploration history, main oil and gas resource distribution, and basin tectonic evolution characteristics of the Sumatra Basin group and analyzes the differences in oil and gas distribution and its main controlling factors in the back-arc basin of Sumatra. The uneven distribution patterns of oil and gas were mainly controlled by the differential distribution of source rocks during the fault depression period. The three-stage tectonic evolution during the fault depression period controlled the distribution of sedimentary facies in different types of sedimentary environments, which in turn affected the distribution of the main source rocks. Secondly, crustal tension thinning and magmatism promoted the formation of high heat flow values in the shallow layer of the back-arc area, which accelerated the pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon source rocks. Combined with the oil and gas exploration history of the back-arc basin group in Sumatra and the amount of oil and gas resources to be discovered, it is considered that deep-water areas, such as the Andaman III PSC block in the northern part of the Sumatra Basin, the new strata of the basement buried hill under the source of the South Sumatra Basin, and the low exploration degree areas on land in the Central Sumatra Basin are new areas for the next mature basin exploration.

As computing power continues to improve, the horizontal grid resolution of numerical weather prediction models has reached the kilometer-to-sub-kilometer scale. This grid scale is comparable to the characteristic turbulent scales in the convective boundary layer, allowing the numerical models to resolve the organized convective structures. The assumptions of traditional one-dimensional boundary layer parameterization schemes (suitable for horizontal resolutions of several kilometers or coarser) and large eddy simulation three-dimensional turbulent closure schemes (suitable for horizontal resolutions below several tens of meters) do not hold at this scale, which is referred to as the gray zone. This study discusses the applicability and limitations of traditional parameterization methods and introduces the gray zone of the convective boundary layer from three perspectives: theory, methodological approaches, and impact. It summarizes the characteristics of the simulation methods at the CBL gray zone scale developed over the past two decades and explores the impact of the boundary layer process simulation at this scale on other physical processes (e.g., shallow/deep convection) in numerical models. Further, we anticipate future research directions and approaches.

Aquatic ecosystems are a significant source of methane emissions. Although methane production has previously been recognized to only occur in oxygen-deprived environments, recent research has shown that aerobic water environments also experience high methane levels, known as the “methane paradox”. This phenomenon is linked to the presence of algae that can directly produce methane through photosynthesis or the use of specific compounds. Moreover, algae create conditions conducive to methane production by other microorganisms. However, the specific ecological mechanism of aerobic methane production by algae remains not yet fully understood, making accurate global methane level accounting difficult. Future studies should focus on uncovering the molecular regulation of aerobic methane production by algae and how they adapt to external conditions.

Earth science is crucial in economic and social development. A quantitative research framework was established to conduct a multi-level analysis of international trends in earth science, focusing on international status and influence of earth science in China. The analysis encompasses macro-, meso-, and micro-level analyses. Based on literature data, this framework analyzes various dimensions such as output scale, collaboration networks, research topics, topic popularity, and international power. Our analysis shows that since 2012, global Earth science has maintained a relatively active and steady development trend. China has made significant progress in output, representative institutions, collaboration networks, highly cited papers, international power, etc. Policy recommendations are proposed for the development of Earth science in China, including strategic planning in the discipline, deep international scientific cooperation, leadership in international frontier scientific programs, the establishment of discipline-specific data centers, redevelopment of new technological tools, interdisciplinary research integration, and the value of economic and social development. These recommendations are based on domestic and international strategic plans and quantitative research findings. Examples include increasing medium- and long-term disciplinary strategic planning, promoting high-level international S & T cooperation, and initiating China’s cutting-edge international scientific programs.

Rivers connect the terrestrial landscape and oceans and are considered “bioreactors” of carbon. Understanding the carbon cycling processes in rivers and constructing numerical models for riverine carbon cycling is imperative to estimate regional and global carbon budgets. The summary and discussion of the development and application of riverine carbon cycling models remains inadequate. This study reviewed the mechanisms and models of riverine carbon cycling based on a comprehensive literature review. First, we briefly overview the critical processes in migrating and transforming various carbon components, including particulate organic carbon, dissolved inorganic carbon, and dissolved organic carbon. Riverine carbon cycling models are classified into two types: statistical and process-based. The representative models’ simulation methods, applications, advantages, and disadvantages were compared. Based on statistical or machine learning methods, empirical statistical models establish the relationship between the riverine carbon flux and environmental factors. This type of model is simple but has poor extrapolation and universality. Process-based models are based on land surface or hydrological models coupled with river carbon cycling-related biogeochemical processes. This model simulates and predicts variations in different riverine carbon fluxes and is more reliable but complicated. Such models typically focus on different scientific problems, and the representations of riverine carbon cycling-related processes differ among these models. Simulation research on riverine carbon cycling is still in its early stages; however, many shortcomings remain. For example, the representations of terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycling and human activities in existing riverine carbon cycling models are insufficient; thus, they cannot accurately simulate and predict long-term changes in riverine carbon cycling. In the future, it will be necessary to strengthen observations of river carbon cycling processes and improve our understanding of terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycling to represent the mechanisms and processes in the model. This will improve the accuracy of riverine carbon cycling simulations and provide a scientific basis for China to achieve its double-carbon goals.

On August 24, 2023, the Japanese government started discharging the Fukushima Nuclear Contaminated Water (FNCW) into the North Pacific. This process is bound to pose radiation risks for the marine ecological environment. In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of major artificial radionuclides in the FNCW and estimated their inventories. Based on the data provided by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, we found that the concentrations of ³H in FNCW tanks as of March 2023 ranged from 1.9×10⁵ to 25.0×10⁵ Bq/L, significantly exceeding the maximum release concentration for ³H (6×10⁴ Bq/L) allowed by Japanese law. In addition, the concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹²⁹I in some FNCW tanks were higher than the corresponding maximum release concentrations (30 Bq/L for ⁹⁰Sr and 9 Bq/L for ¹²⁹I) allowed by Japanese law. The inventories of ³H and ¹²⁹I in the FNCW before the discharge were estimated to be 0.9 and 6.2×10⁹ Bq, respectively, i.e., comparable to the leakage amounts of ³H (0.1~1.0 PBq) and ¹²⁹I (6.9×10⁹ Bq) to the ocean during the nuclear accident stage. We further discuss the migration and behavior of typical Fukushima radionuclides (e.g., ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹²⁹I, ^{134, 137}Cs, and ^{239, 240}Pu) in marine environments from three aspects: \mathrm{①} transport of Fukushima radionuclides by ocean currents in the Pacific; \mathrm{②} sediment adsorption to radionuclides; and \mathrm{③} marine biota uptake of radionuclides. This study is expected to provide scientific foundations and insights for radiation monitoring and risk assessment, which may be required for an appropriate response to the discharge of the FNCW.

The Yangtze River is the largest river system in Asia, and its formation and evolution are of great significance for understanding the topography, climate change, biological evolution, and material cycles of East Asia. The Three Gorges lie in the central Yangtze Block, and its formation connects the drainage in the Sichuan Basin and the Jianghan Basin; therefore, it is regarded as one of the most critical events in the history of the Yangtze River. However, the debate over how and when the Three Gorges were formed has been ongoing for over a century. This study reviews the century-long debate, especially regarding the formation mechanism and age of the Three Gorges, to clarify the formation of the Yangtze Three Gorges. A comparison highlighted a conflict between the erosion time of the Three Gorges and the provenance analysis in the downstream basin, stemming from limitations in research ideas, objects, and methods. Determining the formation time of the Three Gorges necessitates a comprehensive approach that integrates gorge erosion and provenance analysis in the Jianghan Basin. Methods such as monazite fission track, cosmogenic nuclide dating, and geochemical analysis of single-grain minerals offer precise constraints on gorge erosion and aid in establishing a source-sink system between the Jianghan Basin and Sichuan Basin. Drawing on the principles of Earth system science and source-sink systems, this study proposes an analysis of tectonics, landforms, and climatic evolution to understand the evolution of large drainage systems such as the Yangtze River. In particular, a comprehensive analysis of the geochemical characteristics and exhumation histories of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, basin development, and geochemical characteristics of detritus minerals is required to investigate the evolutionary processes of large rivers such as the Yangtze River.

The mutual interaction between coastal aeolian landforms and vegetation has been the focus of research in different periods, both domestically and internationally. This brief review summarizes the main advancements in research on the interaction between coastal aeolian landforms and vegetation, as well as the techniques and methods used. Research improvements are necessary in terms of systematic analysis, deepening the understanding of the impact and response mechanisms of vegetation on dune evolution, and addressing the lack of regional comparative studies. This review proposes future research directions that advocate for an intensified examination of landscape effects resulting from the interaction between coastal aeolian landforms and vegetation. It further suggests a deeper exploration of the response patterns of vegetation to the morphological and dynamic processes of coastal aeolian landforms, clarification of the feedback mechanisms between coastal vegetation and aeolian landform morphology and activity, and increased emphasis on regional comparative studies. This will enrich and enhance the research on coastal aeolian landforms in China.

Black shale is the product of the joint action of life and non-life processes under the condition of multi-circle linkage in the deep inside and on the surface of the Earth and contains abundant energy resources indispensable for social development. To comprehensively understand the research status of black shale in China, clarify the notable research topics, deeply assess the research frontiers and hot spots, and grasp their development trends; a knowledge graph analysis of the literature on black shale in China included in the CNKI (1 466 articles) and Web of Science (1 069 articles) databases was performed using CiteSpace visualization software. The results showed that the number of published papers has increased annually since the beginning of this century, inter-institutional and international cooperation has gradually strengthened, and academic influence has notably expanded. The core research topics included shale gas, Longmaxi Formation, the Sichuan Basin, and other keywords. The research frontier clusters cover 12 subdomains, including “Southern North China Basin”, “Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation”, “Ordovician-Silurian Transition”, “Early Cambrian”, “Ni-Mo Polymetallic Sulfide Bed”, “Ediacaran Radiogenic Sr Isotope Excursion”, “Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng-Longmaxi Shale”, “Ordos”, “South China”, “Shale Gas Potential”, “Cambrian Facies”, and “Early Cambrian Black Shale”. The research on black shale in China is concluded to be in a stage of rapid development, with the most notable research discipline being petroleum geology. The hottest research area is the Sichuan Basin, and the hottest strata include the Wufeng-Longmaxi and Niutitang formations. Frontier research topics have shifted from mineral deposits and sedimentology to petroleum geology. Overall, biased attention has been given to black shale research in China in terms of the discipline, targeted regions, and strata. Multidisciplinary collaborative research remains rare, and its scientific strengths require to be adequately explored. In addition, the study of black shale has been mainly limited to sedimentary environments and redox conditions, whereas the sedimentary processes and mechanisms have not been adequately studied. Currently, an urgent requirement prevailsto strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation and integration and perform major comprehensive research projects on black shale to lead scientific research frontiers and serve the developmental needs of our country.

Ocean aerosols are of important because of their climatic and environmental effects. When bubbles in seawater rise to the surface and burst, they enrich the surface-active substances present in the sea-surface microlayer into Sea Spray Aerosol (SSA), thus affecting their physical and chemical properties. In this study, the sources and quantitative characterization methods for marine surface-active substances are reviewed. The effects of surface-active substances on the concentration and particle size distribution of SSA are addressed, and the influencing mechanisms of hygroscopicity, cloud condensation nucleation activity, and ice nucleation activity are summarized. Owing to different sources, types, and other environmental conditions; the effects of surface-active substances on SSA generation and physicochemical properties vary significantly, making it difficult to study the environmental and climatic effects of SSA. In the future, further observational and modeling research on surface-active substances is required to provide scientific support for improved regional and global modeling of SSA.

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is a crucial component of the carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems because of its high storage capacity and long residence time. Slight changes in the SOC pool have a remarkable impact on terrestrial carbon flux and global climate change. The mechanisms of composition, transformation, and stability of SOC are primarily controlled by soil microbial properties. Therefore, the research results on the formation, transformation, and stabilization of SOC mediated by microorganisms are reviewed here, with the aim to further understand the function of soil carbon sequestration. SOC consists of plant- and microorganisms-driven carbons. Plant carbon is the major source of SOC. Soil microbial activity is the primary driving force of SOC formation, transformation, and stabilization. Soil microorganisms decompose plant carbon to form easy turnover soil particulate organic carbon through the “ex vivo modification” pathway. Microbial Residual Carbon (MRC) produced by soil microorganisms through the “in vivo turnover” pathway and Mineral-Associated Organic Carbon (MAOC) formed by the interaction with soil clay minerals contribute to stable SOC components, of which the contribution rate of MRC to stable SOC has been reported to be 38.74%. The equilibrium between the “priming and ongoing burial effects” regulates the storage and stability of SOC. On a global scale, the microbial activity mediating SOC changes is subject to annual precipitation and soil environmental factors (SOC, TN and pH). In response to global changes, the mechanism of SOC quantity and quality control by coupling plant litter, microbial activity, and soil matrix should be given more attention. In addition, environmental dependence of microbial carbon use efficiency should be focused to improve our understanding of the carbon sequestration effect of soil microorganisms.

N₂O is an important greenhouse gas that also damages the ozone layer. N₂O emissions have been observed during microalgae cultivation and in microalgae-based ecosystems, such as eutrophic lakes. However, little has been reported on the important role of the N₂O balance in algae and the potential algal N₂O production pathways. A review of recent relevant studies on N₂O synthesis and fixation by algae shows that the studies mainly focus on the relationship between algae and N₂O emissions, several possible pathways of N₂O production and consumption in algae, the influence of the algal microenvironment on the distribution pattern of N₂O, and the potential impacts on global climate change. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change currently does not consider the possible N₂O emissions during algal blooms or algal aquaculture; hence, it is necessary to intensify experimental studies related to algal N₂O production globally to take important steps towards a comprehensive clarification of the important roles of algae in N₂O emission and fixation and a comprehensive assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from aquatic ecosystems.

Evapotranspiration (ET) encompasses water loss through transpiration and evaporation from soil and water surfaces. Accurate observation of ET is essential for comprehending the ET process, and mechanism, as well as water-energy nexus and land-atmosphere feedback. ET serves as a pivotal link between the hydrological cycle and energy processes. In-situ measurements provide fundamental datasets for validating remotely sensed ET products. The surface renewal theory differs from the commonly used eddy covariance method in describing the physical ET process. Unlike the expensive sonic anemometers in the eddy covariance system, the surface renewal method is cost-effective because it uses a fine- diameter thermocouple to record high-frequency air temperature and estimate the sensible heat flux through coherent structures. The surface renewal method for measuring ET, with an accuracy comparable to that of the eddy covariance system, and it has been widely applied for ET measurements in America and Europe. Recognizing the substantial potential of this method, this paper reviews the theory of surface renewal and research advancements in the method made over the past 30 years. Additionally, preliminary studies related to ET measurements in China using the surface renewal method are also presented. By summarizing this progress and exploring the challenges in the application of the surface renewal method, we can enhance our understanding and promote a variety of domestic ET observation methods.

Marine carbon storage plays a crucial role in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. To ensure the efficient and safe storage of CO₂, it is imperative to monitor the potential migration of CO₂ before, during, and after injection. Current methods for monitoring marine carbon storage encompass built-in sensor monitoring focusing on the seabed wellbore, geophysical monitoring targeting reservoirs and caprocks, and marine environmental monitoring focusing on the seafloor and water column. These three methods can be used to obtain temperature/pressure/acoustic data near the injection/monitoring wellbore, seismic/electromagnetic/gravity data of deep reservoirs and caprocks, and acoustic/chemical/oceanographic data of near-bottom sedimentary layers and seawater, respectively. Analyzing these datasets is expected to reveal the migration characteristics of CO₂ injected into the formation. However, the integrated use of relevant monitoring methods and technologies and the design of high-quality monitoring strategies currently pose significant challenges for both academic and engineering communities. To enable scientific and systematic monitoring of the safety of marine carbon storage, offering essential guidance for offshore storage operations, and concurrently enhancing monitoring efficiency while reducing monitoring costs, we have compiled the fundamental principles, application status, and challenges encountered by different monitoring methods and technologies. We also anticipate future development of monitoring technologies for marine carbon storage.

In urban areas with infrequent rainstorms and rapid flow routing, an integrated approach combining sponge city technology and coordinated hydraulic structure management proves effective in mitigating urban flooding/waterlogging disasters, optimizing urban water resource distribution, and curbing flood cascades. This paper provides a summary of the history and research advancements of sponge city construction in China, along with an analysis of the flood prevention and drainage capabilities of sponge city technology. Subsequently, typical measures and research progress in urban hydraulic structure scheduling are summarized, and the functions of the combined use of sponge city measures and hydraulic structure scheduling in flood prevention and drainage are analyzed. Building upon this analysis and investigation, the study focuses on the downtown area of Fuzhou City to examine the roles played by the integrated use of sponge city technology and hydraulic structure scheduling in urban flooding/waterlogging prevention and mitigation.

At around 20 km height in the atmosphere, a natural phenomenon occurs, in which the lower westerly (easterly) zonal wind changes into the upper easterly (westerly) zonal wind during a specific season, while the meridional wind is very small. This transition layer of the zonal wind is called stratospheric Quasi-Zero Wind Layer (QZWL). The low speed and direction transition of the wind in the QZWL are beneficial for stratospheric airships, high-altitude balloons, and other weakly powered or unpowered near-space vehicles, allowing them to stay there for longer periods. The characteristics of the QZWL with time in the northern hemisphere, the entire China, and key regions in China were summarized based on the QZWL results. The influence mechanisms and characteristics of the thermal wind, stratospheric Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO), Stratospheric Sudden Warming (SSW), eddy flux transport of planetary wave, South Asia high and subtropical westerly jet on the QZWL formation were systematically analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of MST radar, laser radar, sounding rocket and upper-air balloon in QZWL detection and some relevant facts were compared and analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of middle atmosphere modeling and numerical weather modeling regarding QZWL forecasting were summarized. Numerical weather modeling is currently the main method for QZWL forecasting and meteorological support, and diagnostic schemes, such as the bottom height and thickness of the QZWL, are the basis for the quantitative study of the refined structure and evolution of the QZWL. The working principle of stratospheric vehicles using the QZWL is summarized. Finally, prospects regarding the key directions of future scientific research are presented. This review of the research progress on the QZWL will provide the basis for the future in-depth study of the QZWL and the deployment and meteorological support of stratospheric vehicles.

The extensive mineralization of Cenozoic deep-sea ferromanganese deposits is a unique phenomenon in geological history. Ferromanganese nodules/crusts have attracted considerable attention owing to their enrichment in critical metals. The colloidal genetic model of hydrogenetic Fe-Mn mineralization has been widely accepted and applied since it was first proposed in the mid-1990s. With the rapid development of nanogeoscience over the past two decades, it has become clear that nanoparticles, as the smallest part of colloids, can significantly affect the Fe-Mn mineralization process owing to their unique properties. It has not only been discovered that iron and manganese oxides generally coexist as nanoparticles in various supergene geological environments, but it has also been verified that the primary Fe-Mn minerals, such as vernadite and ferrihydrite, in hydrogenetic ferromanganese nodules/crusts are nanoparticles. Iron oxide nanoparticles can catalyze the surface oxidation of Mn(II), thereby potentially explaining why hydrogenetic Fe-Mn minerals are usually symbiotic even at the nanoscale. In addition, Mn(III) minerals, which have generally been neglected in previous research, have been abundantly observed in ferromanganese crusts. The Mn(III) fraction is highest near the surface of the crust and gradually decreases with increasing depth, whereas the Mn(IV) fraction shows the opposite trend. The surface energy variation among manganese oxide nanoparticles with different valence states induces the initial precipitation of Mn(III) minerals during Mn(II) oxidation, which may eventually be converted to Mn(IV) minerals over geological timescales. Further progress in comprehending the Fe-Mn cycle in seawater and Fe-Mn mineralization on the seafloor through the advancement of nanogeoscience and high-resolution in situ experimental techniques is expected in the near future.

The three Cretaceous oceanic large igneous provinces of Kerguelen, Ontong Java, and Caribbean have been widely regarded as the triggers of the two Cretaceous global oceanic anoxic events. Synchronicity is the premise for ascribing a causal relationship between an oceanic large igneous province and an oceanic anoxic event. However, owing to the detrimental effect of seawater alteration on commonly used dating materials in oceanic basalts, the ages that have been published for oceanic large igneous provinces are not all robust. In this study, we compiled all published dating results for oceanic large igneous provinces and assessed the robustness of each age data. Results show that although the quality-filtered robust ages of the oceanic large igneous provinces can provide evidence of the existence of contemporaneous eruptions with the oceanic anoxic events, the eruptive duration and tempo of the oceanic large igneous provinces remain unclear. More age data are required to constrain the possible causal relationship between the three oceanic large igneous provinces and the two Cretaceous global oceanic anoxic events.

The Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation (DCP) is the result of various dynamic and thermodynamic processes in the climate system and is closely related to the water cycle and land-atmosphere interactions. In North China, the DCP is influenced by factors such as valley wind circulation, boundary layer inertial oscillations, and sea-land breeze circulation, exhibiting two peaks during the early morning and afternoon. In addition, the DCP in North China is influenced by anthropogenic aerosol emissions. This study introduces the fundamental characteristics and factors influencing the DCP in North China and summarizes recent research on the connection between the DCP and land-atmosphere coupling in North China, the modeling of the DCP, and the influence of aerosols on the DCP. The existing scientific knowledge is synthesized, and its shortcomings and challenges are outlined. Overall, investigating the DCP and its influencing factors can help us better understand the mechanisms of precipitation formation and evolution. This provides scientific support for enhancing the accuracy of fine-scale precipitation forecasting.

Inland water is an important source of global methane (CH₄) emissions, and CH₄ emitted through ebullition accounts for a large proportion of the total CH₄ emissions from inland waters. Here, the latest progress in domestic and international research has been systematically summarized to introduce the generation, transport, oxidation, and release of CH₄ via ebullition in inland waters as well as the methods and techniques for measuring CH₄ ebullition. Subsequently, temporal and spatial variations in CH₄ ebullition from global inland water were compared at different temporal and spatial scales. In addition, the mechanisms of the relevant influencing factors in the processes of CH₄ generation and ebullition are further summarized, and current development and applications of CH₄ ebullition models are discussed. Finally, potential research directions and challenges related to CH₄ ebullition from inland water are proposed, aiming to provide a basis for subsequent research on CH₄ ebullition, investigation of process and control mechanisms, and model development and estimation in this field.

Ecological resilience, the ability of an ecosystem to absorb and adapt to environmental change to maintain its sustainability, was first systematically introduced by the Canadian ecologist C.S. Holling in 1973 and has since rapidly attracted attention and been used across multiple disciplines. In the context of global change, the response of terrestrial ecosystems to increasingly intensifying arid environments, specifically the spatial patterns and evolutionary mechanisms of vegetation ecological resilience under drought stress, has become a core focus of current ecological and ecohydrological research. In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between vegetation change and water stress, enhancing our understanding of this mechanism. However, the interpretation of the ecological resilience of vegetation varies widely and remains controversial, and one of the main reasons for this is that the understanding of the connotations of ecological resilience is not yet unified. To address this issue, we synthesized the views of researchers worldwide and suggested that the analysis of ecological resilience should not only consider the system resistance and recovery capacity under drought events but also the system response and adaptation behavior under changing environments from the perspective of system evolution. These include resistance, recovery, and adaptation, which should be the three most important dimensions for determining ecological resilience. Focusing on these three main dimensions, we reviewed the results of recent research conducted globally and summarized the current understanding of ecological resilience and the key issues to be addressed in terms of spatial patterns, impact mechanisms, and adaptation strategies for ecological resilience. Through an analysis of the concept of ecological resilience and the current state of research, we hope to promote academic discussions on the definition of ecological resilience and its quantitative methods to facilitate an understanding of the evolution of resilience and its underlying mechanisms.

Watershed geomorphology and river network structure controlled by tectonic frameworks, regional climate, vegetation, and biological factors are the combined results of the long-term internal and external forces of the Earth. Owing to the different tectonic, lithological, and climatic conditions in various regions, different watersheds have different geomorphic and river network structural characteristics that influence hydrological response mechanisms. In this study, the characteristic parameters for a quantitative description of the watershed geomorphic system and river network morphology are presented, and the impacts of tectonics, lithology, climate, and other factors on watershed geomorphology and river network structures are reviewed. Based on this, it is emphasized that reproducing the evolution of watershed geomorphology and quantifying its main controlling factors is the main problem. Subsequently, the birth, development, and application of the geomorphic evolution model are expounded. Finally, it is suggested that the main future development direction should involve combining traditional geomorphological research methods and geomorphic evolution models to study the influencing mechanisms of watershed geomorphology and river network structure.