The alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) provide multiple ecosystem services. In recent decades, these ecosystem services have been profoundly affected by climate change, human activity, and frozen ground degradation. However, related research remains lacking to date in the QTP. To address this gap, the upper reaches of the Shule River, a typical cryospheric-dominated basin in the QTP, was selected. We simultaneously assessed the spatial-temporal patterns and driving factors of ecosystem services, including habitat quality (HQ), net primary productivity (NPP), water conservation (WC), carbon storage (CS), water yield (WY), green space recreation (GSR), and total ecosystem service (TES), by employing the InVEST, CASA, and Noah-MP land surface models in combination with remote sensing and field survey data. Our results showed that: (1) HQ, NPP, WC, CS, WY, and GSR all increased significantly from 2001 to 2020 at rates of 0.004 a(-1), 1.920 g Cm(-2)a(-1), 0.709 mma(-1), 0.237 Mg & sdot;ha(-1)a(-1), 0.212 x 10(8) m(3)a(-1), and 0.038 x 10(9) km(2)a(-1) (P < 0.05), respectively; (2) warm and humid climates, combined with shrinking of barren, contributed to the increases in HQ, NPP, WC, CS, WY, and GSR; (3) frozen ground degradation had promoting effects on HQ, NPP, CS, GSR, and TES, while inhibiting effects were observed on WY and WC (P < 0.05); (4) synergies among ecosystem services were prominent over the past 20 years; (5) the total ecosystem service value increased significantly at a rate of 1.18 x 10(9) CNYa(-1) from 2001 to 2020 (P < 0.05), primarily due to the increase in the provisioning service value.

The direct radiative impact of atmospheric aerosols remains more uncertain than that of greenhouse gases, largely due to the complex transformations' aerosols undergo during atmospheric aging. Sulfate aerosols have been the subject of considerable research, with a robust body of literature characterising their cooling effect. In contrast, the light-absorbing properties and warming potential of black carbon and related products remain less well understood, with limited research available to date. The present study examines the iron-catalyzed reaction of catechol in levitated microdroplets, tracked in situ using elastic light scattering spectroscopy. The reaction forms water-insoluble polycatechol aggregates, which drive a transition from homogeneous spheres to heterogeneous droplets with internal inclusions. To interpret the evolving optical behaviour, the Multiple Sphere T-Matrix (MSTM) model is employed, a method which overcomes the limitations of Mie theory by accounting for internal morphological complexity. The model provides realistic complex refractive indices and fractal parameters, though it should be noted that its solutions are not unique due to sensitivity to input assumptions and droplet variability. This underscores the necessity for supplementary measurements and more comprehensive models incorporating evaporation, chemical dynamics, and phase transitions. These findings emphasise the potential of elastic scattering spectroscopy for real-time monitoring of multiphase chemistry and offer new constraints for improving aerosol aging schemes in climate models, thereby contributing to reduced uncertainties in aerosol radiative forcing.

Surface soil moisture (SSM) is a key limiting factor for vegetation growth in alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Patches with various sizes and types may cause the redistribution of SSM by changing soil hydrological processes, and then trigger or accelerate alpine grassland degradation. Therefore, it is vital to understand the effects of patchiness on SSM at multi-scales to provide a reference for alpine grassland restoration. However, there is a lack of direct observational evidence concerning the role of the size and type of patches on SSM, and little is known about the effects of patches pattern on SSM at plot scale. Here, we first measured SSM of typical patches with different sizes and types at patch scale and investigated their patterns and SSM spatial distribution through unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-mounted multi-type cameras at plot scale. We then analyzed the role of the size and type of patchiness on SSM at both patch and plot scales. Results showed that: (1) in situ measured SSM of typical patches was significantly different (P < 0.01), original vegetation patch (OV) had the highest SSM, followed by isolate vegetation patch (IV), small bare patch (SP), medium bare patch (MP) and large bare patch (LP); (2) the proposed method based on UAV images was able to estimate SSM (0-40 cm) with a satisfactory accuracy (R-2 = 0.89, P < 0.001); (3) all landscape indices of OV, with the exception of patch density, were positively correlated with SSM at plot scale, while most of the landscape indices of LP and IV showed negative correlations (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that patchiness intensified the spatial heterogeneity of SSM and potentially accelerated the alpine meadow degradation. Preventing the development of OV into IV and the expansion of LP is a critical task for alpine meadow management and restoration.

As a typical cold region, Northeast China is characterized by its unique climate, hydrological conditions, and land systems, which collectively shape the diversity and complexity of regional ecosystem services (ESs). This review systematically examines research on ESs in Northeast China from 1997 to 2025, with particular emphasis on recent advances in service classification and spatiotemporal patterns, trade-offs and synergies among ESs, the identification of driving mechanisms, regulatory pathways, and policy effectiveness. The findings reveal obvious spatial heterogeneity and distinct stage-wise changing patterns in ESs across the region, with particularly pronounced trade-offs between food production and regulating services. The primary driving factors are concentrated in natural and human activities dimensions, whereas region-specific variables and policy-related drivers remain underexplored. Current research predominantly employs methods such as correlation analysis and geographically weighted regression; however, the capacity to uncover causal mechanisms and nonlinear interactions remains limited. Future research should strengthen the simulation of ecological processes in cold regions, improve the balance between ES supply and demand, improve policy scenario assessments, and develop dynamic feedback mechanisms. Compared with previous studies focusing on single services or regions, this review provides a multidimensional perspective by synthesizing multiple ES categories, integrating spatiotemporal comparative analysis, and incorporating modeling strategies specific to cold-region dynamics. These efforts will help shift ES research beyond static description toward more systematic regulation and management, providing both theoretical support and practical guidance for sustainable development and ecological governance in Northeast China.

The pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) is a major tree species in Europe, but it has faced recent growth decline and dieback events in some areas resulting in economic and ecosystem losses. In the southeastern edge of its natural distribution in eastern Romania, rising temperatures since the 1980s, when a shift towards warmer and more arid conditions occurred, increased evaporative demand and triggered growth decline. We analyzed the adaptive potential of six oak stands (333 individual trees) with ages ranging between 97 and 233 years, located in three wet and three dry sites. Results showed unstable climate-growth correlations with a breakpoint after 1985 when climate warming intensified. Wet soil conditions from early spring to summer enhanced growth; on the contrary, a high evaporative demand linked to warmer conditions and greater potential evapotranspiration reduced growth, particularly in wet sites. After 1985, drought stress induced a reduction in latewood width in dry sites. The relationship between growth and summer-autumn drought intensified during the last decades in all sites. Warmer spring conditions negatively affected oak growth, particularly latewood production. Wet sites had lower resilience indices, and we also noted a post-1985 progressive reduction of growth resilience. Slow-growing trees from dry sites showed growth decline, which could be an early-warning signal of impending dieback and tree death. In contrast, fast-growing trees from wet sites showed sustained relative growth improvement, which was attributed to tree age and size effects. After 1985, the pedunculate oak is more vulnerable to drought damage in dry sites near the southeastern distribution limit in response to hotter winter-spring droughts.

Surficial water ice has been detected in the permanently shaded regions (PSRs) near the lunar poles. Water ice can be detected by its diagnostic absorption features of ice at 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, and 2.0 mu m, as well as high reflectance in the VIS region. However, the effects of particle size and shape, ice abundance, and phase angle on the VNIR spectra of ice mixtures remain poorly understood, posing a challenge for detections of water ice on the lunar surface. In this study, we measured the VNIR spectra of pure water ice and mixtures of water ice and a lunar highland regolith simulant (HRS). We investigated the effects of particle size of ice (0-250 mu m), particle shape of ice (angular vs. spherical), phase angle (0-105 degrees), and ice abundance (0-50 wt%) on the VNIR spectra of water ice and HRS mixtures from 350 to 2500 nm. Our results show that coarser ice particles exhibit stronger NIR absorptions and lower VIS reflectance, attributable to increased photon absorptions due to longer optical pathlengths. Similarly, the longer optical pathlengths of spherical particles relative to angular ones result in lower VIS reflectance. The forward scattering nature of water ice leads to increased VIS reflectance at high phase angles (>90 degrees), suggesting that high phase angles are optimal for lunar water ice detection. Phase angles have a negligible effect on the strength of the NIR absorptions of ice, especially when ice is present at low ice abundances (<20 wt%) in intimate mixtures with the HRS. Lastly, our findings suggest that the NIR absorptions near 1.25, 1.5, and 2.0 mu m rapidly deepen at very low ice concentrations (0-5 wt%). We also find a linear relationship between VIS reflectance and ice content in intimate mixtures with a HRS containing 0-50 wt% ice. The findings of this study offer a detailed framework for detecting and analyzing water ice on the lunar surface via VNIR spectroscopy.

海冰表面积雪深度是利用卫星测高技术反演海冰厚度的关键参数。基于ICESat-2和CryoSat-2测高卫星的协同观测数据（简称IS2CS），对比与评估卫星测高雪深估算的两种时空匹配方法（轨迹搜索法和格网搜索法），并对2018-2024年北极海冰生长期（10月至次年4月）积雪深度的时空分布特征进行分析。结果表明：（1）IS2CS轨迹法雪深与OIB实测数据具有较高的沿轨相关性，能够较好地捕获沿轨积雪深度的变化特征；（2）格网法雪深更适合表征大尺度积雪深度的空间分布和季节性变化特征，本文格网法雪深和GSFC雪深精度相当，在SIMBA数据的评估中本文格网法雪深性能优于GSFC雪深；（3）相比IS2CS雪深，MW99/AMSR2雪深相对偏厚，且在海冰生长期内季节性变化表征能力较弱；（4）海冰积雪深度呈现明显的时空差异，多年冰表面雪深普遍厚于一年冰表面雪深，春季雪深厚于秋冬季雪深。2018-2024年间，北极海冰表面积雪深度总体呈现减薄趋势，且多年冰区域的雪深减薄速率高于一年冰区域。研究成果为改进卫星测高雪深产品和优化海冰厚度反演算法提供了科学依据。

海冰表面积雪深度是利用卫星测高技术反演海冰厚度的关键参数。基于ICESat-2和CryoSat-2测高卫星的协同观测数据（简称IS2CS），对比与评估卫星测高雪深估算的两种时空匹配方法（轨迹搜索法和格网搜索法），并对2018-2024年北极海冰生长期（10月至次年4月）积雪深度的时空分布特征进行分析。结果表明：（1）IS2CS轨迹法雪深与OIB实测数据具有较高的沿轨相关性，能够较好地捕获沿轨积雪深度的变化特征；（2）格网法雪深更适合表征大尺度积雪深度的空间分布和季节性变化特征，本文格网法雪深和GSFC雪深精度相当，在SIMBA数据的评估中本文格网法雪深性能优于GSFC雪深；（3）相比IS2CS雪深，MW99/AMSR2雪深相对偏厚，且在海冰生长期内季节性变化表征能力较弱；（4）海冰积雪深度呈现明显的时空差异，多年冰表面雪深普遍厚于一年冰表面雪深，春季雪深厚于秋冬季雪深。2018-2024年间，北极海冰表面积雪深度总体呈现减薄趋势，且多年冰区域的雪深减薄速率高于一年冰区域。研究成果为改进卫星测高雪深产品和优化海冰厚度反演算法提供了科学依据。

海冰表面积雪深度是利用卫星测高技术反演海冰厚度的关键参数。基于ICESat-2和CryoSat-2测高卫星的协同观测数据（简称IS2CS），对比与评估卫星测高雪深估算的两种时空匹配方法（轨迹搜索法和格网搜索法），并对2018-2024年北极海冰生长期（10月至次年4月）积雪深度的时空分布特征进行分析。结果表明：（1）IS2CS轨迹法雪深与OIB实测数据具有较高的沿轨相关性，能够较好地捕获沿轨积雪深度的变化特征；（2）格网法雪深更适合表征大尺度积雪深度的空间分布和季节性变化特征，本文格网法雪深和GSFC雪深精度相当，在SIMBA数据的评估中本文格网法雪深性能优于GSFC雪深；（3）相比IS2CS雪深，MW99/AMSR2雪深相对偏厚，且在海冰生长期内季节性变化表征能力较弱；（4）海冰积雪深度呈现明显的时空差异，多年冰表面雪深普遍厚于一年冰表面雪深，春季雪深厚于秋冬季雪深。2018-2024年间，北极海冰表面积雪深度总体呈现减薄趋势，且多年冰区域的雪深减薄速率高于一年冰区域。研究成果为改进卫星测高雪深产品和优化海冰厚度反演算法提供了科学依据。

Waves can cause significant accumulation of pore water pressure and liquefaction in seabed soils, leading to instability of foundations of marine hydrokinetic devices (MHKs). Geostatic shear stresses (existing around foundations, within slopes, etc.) can substantially alter the rate of pore pressure buildup, further complicating the liquefaction susceptibility assessments. In this study, the development of wave-induced residual pore water pressure and liquefaction within sandy seabed slopes supporting MHK structures is evaluated. Unlike most earlier studies that excluded the impact of shear stress ratios (SSR) on the residual pore pressure response of sloping seabeds, asymmetrical cyclic loadings are considered herein for a range of SSRs. To obtain wave-induced loading in the seabed (and cyclic shear stress ratios, CSRs), the poroelasticity equations governing the seabed response, coupled with those for fluid and structure domains, are solved simultaneously. Utilizing an experimental model based on anisotropic cyclic triaxial test data that includes CSR and SSR impacts, an equation for the rate of pore pressure buildup is developed and added as a source term to the 2D consolidation equation. Numerical investigations were performed by developing finite element models in time domain. The models were calibrated using particle swarm optimization method and validated against wave flume experimental data. The results indicate that the consideration of static shear stresses has led to sudden rise in residual pore pressures followed by fast dissipations at early and late time steps, respectively, beneath the structure. The exclusion of SSR is shown to cause significant overestimation of pore pressure accumulations at late cycles, potentially causing significant overdesign of MHK foundations. The impact of proximity to the free drainage boundary, CSR amplitude, and loading frequency on the accumulation of residual pore pressure is illustrated. The residual liquefaction susceptibility of the seabed is shown to decline by increase of the seabed slope angle.