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The oxygen isotope signature (d 18 O) of stalagmite SI3 collected from Shizi Cave in north-east Sichuan Province provides an Asian Summer Monsoon (ASM) record in Central China for the period 54-46 ka. The SI3 d 18 O record clearly shows a negative d 18 O excursion centred around 49.4 ka, which was reported in Hulu Cave in East China but not identified in the speleothem records from South-west China. As a whole, this record displays a higher coherence with the two Hulu records from East China than with the speleothem d 18 O records from South-west China, suggesting that at 54-46 ka, Central China was influenced more by the East Asian Summer Monsoon than by the Indian Summer Monsoon. It also displays a significant negative d 18 O excursion at 47.5-46.6 ka, which is not clearly documented in two other speleothem d 18 O records previously reported from South-west China. This suggests that details of the Greenland interstadial 12 warrant further investigations in future in monsoonal China. The SI3 d 18 O record displays more significant centennial-scale variations than the other four speleothem d 18 O records from East and South-west China, which may be due to the fact that the study site is closer to the north-west boundary of the ASM and more sensitive to variations of the ASM than East and South-west China.

Preconception TSH elevation was associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, even within the normal nonpregnant range.

The delivery and distribution of nutrients in coastal wetland ecosystems is much related to the land use. The spatial variations of TOC, TN, NH4+-N, NO3−-N and TP and associated soil salinity with depth in 9 kinds land uses in coastal zone of the modern Yellow River Delta (YRD) was evaluated based on monitoring data in field from 2009 to 2015. The results showed that the average contents of soil TOC, TN, NO3−-N, NH4+-N and TP were 4.21 ± 2.40 g kg−1, 375.91 ± 213.44, 5.36 ± 9.59 and 7.20 ± 5.58 and 591.27 ± 91.16 mg kg−1, respectively. The high N and C contents were found in cropland in southern part and low values in natural wetland, while TP was relatively stable both in profiles and in different land uses. The land use, land formation age and salinity were important factors influencing distributions of TOC and N. Higher contents of TOC and N were observed in older formation age lands in whole study region, while the opposite regulation were found in new-born natural wetland, indicating that the anthropogenic activities could greatly alter the original distribution regulations of nutrients in coastal natural wetlands by changing the regional land use.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the major natural process of nitrogen (N) input to ecosystems. To understand how plant invasion and N enrichment affect BNF, we compared soil N-fixation rates and N-fixing microbes (NFM) of an invasive Spartina alterniflora community and a native Phragmites australis community in the Yangtze River estuary, with and without N addition. Our results indicated that plant invasion relative to N enrichment had a greater influence on BNF. At each N level, the S. alterniflora community had a higher soil N-fixation rate but a lower diversity of the nifH gene in comparison with the native community. The S. alterniflora community with N addition had the highest soil N-fixation rate and the nifH gene abundance across all treatments. Our results suggest that S. alterniflora invasion can increase soil N fixation in the high N-loading estuarine ecosystem, and thus may further mediate soil N availability.

Microplastics are emerging persistent pollutants that have been extensively detected in aqueous environments. Yet, scientists have little knowledge of microplastic pollution in soils. This study reviewed over 60 articles, with the following objectives: (i) to discuss sources and the global distribution of microplastics in soils; (ii) to evaluate current extraction techniques and analytical methods for microplastics in soils; and (iii) to comprehensively assess their adverse impacts on soils and soil organisms. Moreover, this review highlights the lack of research into microplastic contamination in soils as a significant knowledge gap. Research into the fate, sources and analytical techniques of soil microplastics and the interactions between soil organisms, soils and microplastics is essential in order to underpin management decisions aimed at safeguarding the ecological integrity of our soils.

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