Based on the panel data of 63 counties of Zhejiang Province from 2003 to 2017, this paper studied the total-factor substitution efficiency of chemical fertilizer input and its spatial-temporal evolution by using the Super-efficiency DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis) model, locational Gini coefficient and Theil index. And the driving factors of the total-factor substitution efficiency of chemical fertilizer input were analyzed by constructing the Panel Tobit model. The results showed that: the comprehensive efficiency of total-factor substitution for chemical fertilizer input in Zhejiang Province is low, and technical efficiency is the main drive for promoting comprehensive efficiency; Gini coefficient is below the warning line of 0.4, and the difference of substitution efficiency, relatively small, mainly comes from the contribution within the region, and the difference ratio of contribution by the Southwestern Zhejiang is rapidly increasing. In detail, financial investment in agriculture serve as the greatest the driving force, and government chemical fertilizer input subsidies have a significantly negative effect. Therefore, we should improve the subsidy policy system, increase government investment in agricultural infrastructure, adjust the structure of agroindustry and improve the income of rural residents under the premise of reducing the fertilizer input intensity.

Neonicotinoid insecticides like thiacloprid enter agricultural surface waters, where they may affect predator–prey-interactions, which are of central importance for ecosystems as well as the functions these systems provide. The effects of field relevant thiacloprid concentrations on the leaf consumption of Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda) were assessed over 96 h (n = 13–17) in conjunction with its predation on Baetis rhodani (Ephemeroptera) nymphs. The predation by Gammarus increased significantly at 0.50–1.00 μg/L. Simultaneously, its leaf consumption decreased with increasing thiacloprid concentration. As a consequence of the increased predation at 1.00 μg/L, gammarids' dry weight rose significantly by 15% compared to the control. At 4.00 μg/L, the reduced leaf consumption was not compensated by an increase in predation causing a significantly reduced dry weight of Gammarus (∼20%). These results may finally suggest that thiacloprid adversely affects trophic interactions, potentially translating into alterations in ecosystem functions, like leaf litter breakdown and aquatic-terrestrial subsidies.

Stable nitrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N) of aquatic biota increases with anthropogenic N inputs such as sewage and livestock waste downstream. Increase in δ¹⁵N of riparian spiders downstream may reflect the anthropogenic pollution exposure through predation on aquatic insects. A two-source mixing model based on stable carbon isotopic composition showed the greatest dependence on aquatic insects (84%) by horizontal web-building spiders, followed by intermediate (48%) and low (31%) dependence by cursorial and vertical web-building spiders, respectively. The spider body size was negatively correlated with the dietary proportion of aquatic insects and spider δ¹⁵N. The aquatic subsidies transported anthropogenic N to smaller riparian spiders downstream. This transport of anthropogenic N was regulated by spider’s guild designation and body size.

To understand dispersal and assimilation of aquaculture waste subsidies in a naturally low-productivity environment, we applied a novel, rapid transmethylation technique to analyse sediment and biota fatty acid composition. This technique was initially validated at Atlantic salmon farms in Macquarie Harbour, Australia, where sediments were collected at farm and control locations. Subsequently, sediment, benthic polychaete and zooplankton were sampled at sites 0, 50, 250, 500 and 1000m distant from multiple cages. Results demonstrated an acute deposition zone up to 50m from cages and a diffuse zone extending 500m from cages. Changes in sediment concentration of linoleic acid, oleic acid and total fatty acids were effective tracers of farm deposition. Bacterial biomarkers indicated that aquaculture waste stimulates bacterial productivity in sediments, with elevated biomarker concentrations also detected in benthic polychaetes. Overall, fatty acid analysis was a sensitive technique to characterize the benthic footprint of aquaculture influence.

The role of a yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) small colony in conveying trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, THg, V, Zn) was assessed in a Mediterranean nature reserve (Marinello ponds) at various spatial and temporal scales. Trace element concentrations in guano were high and seasonally variable. In contrast, contamination in the ponds was not influenced by season but showed strong spatial variability among ponds, according to the different guano input. Biogenic enrichment factor B confirmed the role of gulls in the release of trace elements through guano subsidies. In addition, comparing trace element pond concentrations to the US NOAA’s SQGs, As, Cu and Ni showed contamination levels associated with possible negative biological effects. Thus, this study reflects the need to take seabirds into account as key factors influencing ecological processes and contamination levels even in remote areas, especially around the Mediterranean, where these birds are abundant but overlooked.

The disposal of food waste has attracted worldwide attention. Each year, the amount of wasted food accounts for an estimated one third of annual food production globally. This large amount of food waste has caused serious land, water, and air pollution. In the past, most research on food waste was focused solely on food waste disposal processing. Only a few studies analysed the flow of materials in food waste treatment processes. Therefore, this paper focused on the process of food waste anaerobic treatment in Beijing and investigated the treatment. According to a life cycle theory, the food waste treatment process is divided into three processes: “collection and transportation, disposal, and resource utilization.” This paper analysed the input and output of food waste treatment in different processes and evaluated the economic and environmental costs and benefits of food waste treatment. The study found that 200 t of food waste anaerobic treatment can obtain benefits 66,888 Chinese yuan, generate electricity energy 43,350 kW⋅h, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions 16,087 kg. Generally, the economic and environmental benefits of the food waste anaerobic treatment project are considerable. However, the economic benefits are mainly from government subsidies. There are many impurities in food waste, which indicates some problems in food waste treatment. Thus, the proposals to strengthen waste classification, optimize the layout of garbage collection and transportation, and accelerate the development of waste treatment plants have been put forward.

As the pillar of national economy, manufacturing industry is the largest primary energy consumer and emitter of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in China. Therefore, capturing the determinants of CO₂ emissions in manufacturing industry is extremely important for national efforts to mitigate carbon emissions. This paper explores the major driving forces behind CO₂ emission changes in China’s manufacturing industry during 2000–2015 from perspectives of the whole sector and 28 subsectors, by applying the temporal logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method. Moreover, an intersectoral LMDI model is built to uncover the intersectoral discrepancies of CO₂ emissions among 28 subsectors. The temporal analysis indicates that industrial activity and energy intensity are crucial factors respectively contributing to the increase and mitigation of CO₂ emissions. The intersectoral analysis reveals that energy intensity is the dominant factor responsible for the intersectoral discrepancies of CO₂ emissions among 28 subsectors. The great mitigation towards CO₂ emissions can be achieved if energy efficiency is largely improved in carbon-intensive subsectors. Priority should be given by governments to the industrial technology advancement, such as subsidies for energy-saving technological transformation and promotion of international advanced techniques and equipment, which can greatly improve production efficiency and mitigate emissions in manufacturing industry.

A review of energy subsidy research from a bibliometric perspective was conducted. Based on the bibliometric method, a statistical analysis of energy subsidy–related publications from 1997 to 2016 was undertaken using the Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) databases. A total of 1182 publications were retrieved, with a significant increase in the number of publications observed after 2006. The majority of these publications were within the disciplines of Energy & Fuels and Environmental Science & Ecology. Although the USA and China contributed the most papers, authors from 96 countries were involved in the various studies. The USA was the center of global collaborations, while other countries/territories mainly conducted bilateral or regional collaborations in their research activities. Five of the top 11 most productive institutes were from China, followed by the USA. The frequency of collaborations among institutes was relatively low. However, the institute–keyword 2-mode network showed that institutes had great potential to cooperate on a number of common topics. Five major themes were identified from the co-keywords analysis: general renewable energy research, bio-energies, sustainability, subsidies, and welfare. The findings, as a complement to previous conventional reviews, will be useful in future energy subsidy research.