Widely distributed in various habitats and highly sensitive to changes in environment, birds are critical indicators of biodiversity for observation. To implement the "China Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030)" and "Convention on Biological Diversity", the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC, has been exploring and trying to establish a national wide bird observation network since 2011. After more than six years of efforts, the China Biodiversity Observation Network-Birds (China BON-Birds) has basically been established, covering 338 sample zones located in 31 provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities), including 1 822 line transects and 1 343 point transects, of which 253 points for breeding birds, and 1 090 points for wintering birds. By the end of 2016, a total of 943 species of birds belonging to 86 families and 22 orders were recorded by the China BON-Birds, accounting for 68.8% of the bird species recorded in China. Through the operation of the China BON-Birds, a primary knowledge about characteristics of the spatial distribution of the bird diversity all over China was achieved. It was found that random exploitation and utilization of coastal wetlands damaged habitats for some wintering birds, leaving them exposed to severe threat; and some of the habitats for rare and endangered species or species high in population (≥ 1% of the total population of the species) were not included into the checklist for protection. So gaps in protection of bird species diversity do exsit. It is, therefore, suggested that the systematic protection of breeding, staging and wintering habitats for birds be intensified.

Biodiversity is one of the conditions essential to mankind for survival. Mammal among the biodiversity plays as a taxon of key indicator in biodiversity conservation and environment evaluation because of its species diversity, wide distribution and sensitive to changes in habitat. However, mammals in China have been under serious threat, as a result of degradation or loss of the habitats, excessive exploitation of the natural resources, environmental pollution and other various factors. Facing the continuous decline of mammalian communities and populations, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC has unfolded construction of the China Biodiversity Observation Network for Mammals (referred to as China BON-Mammals), to monitor living conditions, population dynamics and endangerment of the mammals in China. Focus targets and key contents of the construction and infrared camera observation technologies and approaches to selection of sample plots adopted in the China BON-Mammals have been introduced. Problems existing in the China BON-Mammals and possible solutions have been discussed. Suggestions to further improve the China BON-Mammals and its informatized data platform are brought forth, so as to provide basic data for conservation, management and exploitation of the biodiversity in China.

Being highly sensitive to changes in the environment, amphibians are important indicator species in monitoring of biodiversity. In recent years, European and American countries have developed standards for biodiversity monitoring and implemented a series of monitoring schemes. Since 2011, the Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation, Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of PRC has organized relevant research institutes, universities and conservation organizations, with the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences as a leader, to build a national amphibian observation network (China BON-Amphibians), as an important component of the China Biodiversity Observation Network (China BON). The methods of amphibian monitoring in China is introduced, the progresses of the network since 2011 are summarized. According to the monitoring data from 115 sample regions of the China BON-Amphibians, a total of 243 species of amphibians were observed, accounting for 59.6% of the total amphibian species in China. Typical cases of habitat destruction were found. So far, the China BON-Amphibians has begun to take shape. In addition to the introduction, some suggestions have also been brought forth.

As biodiversity is one of the material bases of human survival and development, biodiversity monitoring is the prerequisite and foundation of researches on conservation of biodiversity. In order to implement the "China Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030)" of the State Council of PRC, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC initiated a butterfly diversity observation program and the establishment of a national-level butterfly diversity observation network (China BON-Butterflies) in 2016. So far, the China BON-Butterflies has 117 standardized sample regions and 629 standardized line transects totaling 1 200 km, set up in 31 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities of China. More than 200 000 entries of observation data were recorded in that year. Through the observation, a preliminary knowledge about characteristics of the spatial distribution of butterfly diversity in China was achieved. Sample regions relatively high in species richness and abundance are distributed mostly south to the belt of the Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River, like Hainan Island, the southern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains, and Hengduan Mountains. Besides, a national butterfly observation database was established and an annual observation report compiled. Long-term effective operation of the China BON-butterflies will sure update the knowledge about spatial distribution and dynamic variation of the butterfly diversity in the country and help identify menacing factors. In the end, some suggestions are put forth for decision-making oriented towards environment management and butterfly diversity conservation.

As is well known, the Taihu Lake Basin is always one of the regions relatively well-developed in economy in China. With the region developing rapidly in economy, growing in population and rising in urbanization level, the forest ecosystem therein has been deteriorating seriously. Therefore, it is very important for us to study changes in spatial pattern of its vegetation cover and their influencing factors, so as to lay down certain basis for formulating scientific sustainable development programs for the basin. Relevant MODSI-NDVI data available were analyzed using the dimidiate pixel model, variation coefficient, linear trend analysis, principal component analysis and some other analysis methods to characterize changes in spatio-temporal pattern of the vegetation cover of the basin, and trends and influential factors of the changes from 2004 to 2014. Results show:(1) In the past 11 years from 2004 to 2014, the vegetation cover, on the whole, was on a significant declining trend, with a rate being 2.6%·(10 a)^-1. Its mean dropped from 0.606 5 in 2004 to 0.594 2 in 2014, or by 2.03%; (2) The spatial distribution of the vegetation cover in the basin exhibited a downward trend from the southwest to the east, and varied the most drastically in the east, less in the north and west, and the least in the southwest; (3) The areas with vegetation cover seriously degraded accounted for 35.08% of the total of the basin in area, while those with vegetation cover obviously improved accounted for 40.00% and were mostly distributed in the southwest and east and rarely in northwest; and (4) The decrease in the vegetation cover of the basin was attributed mainly to the joint effect of the increases in precipitation, population and economic development. And human activities had dual effects on vegetation cover. It is, therefore, essential for the Taihu Lake Basin to control the population growth, optimize the employment structure, and accelerate the construction of ecological civilization and vegetation restoration, for the purpose of mitigating the detrimental effect of population and industrial development on the vegetation, enhancing citizens' environmental protection consciousness, and reducing destruction of the ecological environment.

Based on the statistical data of the years from 1995 to 2015, carbon emission effect of the process of agricultural modernization in Xinjiang was studied using the emission coefficient method, Granger test and cointegration test. Results show:(1) Total carbon emission and carbon emissions from agricultural chemicals, agricultural mechanics and agricultural water conservancy all exhibited an apparent upward trend in the process of agricultural modernization in Xinjiang, while carbon emission intensity did a fluctuating downward one; (2) The agricultural carbon emission in Xinjiang changed significantly in structure with the agricultural modernization going on with pivot shifting from agricultural mechanics to agricultural chemicals; (3)Agricultural carbon emission varied spatially and significantly with states or cities high in population, rich in land resource and well-developed in farming like Kashi, Changji and Yili, being high in agricultural carbon emission; and (4) Agricultural economic growth was the major factor driving agricultural carbon emission upwards, showing a long standing relationship between them. Therefore, in order to push forward the process of agricultural modernization in Xinjiang, it is essential to harmonize the relationship between agricultural carbon emission and economic development, by taking a low-carbon path to agricultural modernization.

Based on relevant MODIS data and the 6S atmospheric radiation transfer model, aerosol direct radiation effects (ADRE) on the surface of the Yangtze River Delta and the top layer of the atmosphere were simulated and calculated, and then validated for accuracy with reference to the measured data by CE-318 of the Beichen Building Station of the Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology. On such a basis, analysis was conducted of spatio-temporal distribution of ADRE in the Yangtze River Delta region, Results show that the MODIS data could be used to inverse ADRE on land surface and on top of the atmosphere with results approximate to the measured data, reaching 0.92 and 0.95 in fitting accuracy (R²). In terms of spatial distribution and variation, ADREs on land surface (-31.60--20.54 W·m^-2) and on top of the atmosphere (-3.48--2.61 W·m^-2) tended to be similar with absolute values being high in the north and lower towards the south. The ADREs in Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou of South Jiangsu increased significantly; In terms of temporal variation, absolute ADREs fluctuated downwards year by year, varying in the range of -21.78--5.94 and -2.45--0.73 W·m^-2, respectively, on land surface and on top of the atmosphere, and varied quite significantly with the season in Jiangsu and Shanghai and relatively less in Zhejiang in the range of -10-0 W·m^-2 on land surface and -1-0 W·m^-2 on top of the atmosphere.

Salt content, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH of soil are the major factors in assessing salinization degree of the soil, so the study to quantify their spatial heterogeneities is the precursor of solving the problem of rapid diagnosis of soil salinization. The authors chose the Jinghe Oasis as their study area, and used the "3S" technology combined with the Google Earth in field survey. Results show:(1) salt content and electrical conductivity in topsoil (0-10 cm) varied vigorously with variation coefficient being 1.053 and 1.146, respectively; soil electrical conductivity in the >10-20 cm soil layer reached 2.385, indicating strong variability, too. However, pH was less than 10% in variation coefficient in both the 0-10 cm and >10-20 cm soil layers, indicating mild spatial variability; (2) the performance of the spatial interpolation method indicates that soils high in electrical conductivity and salt content in the 0-10 cm and >10-20 cm soil layers were concentrated mainly in the parts southeast and northwest to Lake Ebinur, where the soils were quite high in soil electrical conductivity, and salt content and in soil salinization degree too, as affected by natural and human factors; while the soils low in salinization degree were in the part west to Lake Ebinur, and the farmland-dominated center of the oasis, thanks to the high vegetation coverage. The distributions of pH values in the two soil layers did not exhibit any specific rule of variation, but an interlacement of high and low pH values; (3) spatial autocorrelation index of soil salt content increased from 0.306 in the 0-10 cm soil layer to 0.527 in the >10-20 cm soil layer; and soil salt content in the study area displayed a trend of increasing gradually from southwest to east, regardless of soil layer, and spatially soil salt contents were strongly mutually-dependent. All the findings of the study demonstrate that the study is of great significance to timely following changes in salinization degree and soil salt content distribution, formulating reasonable land use policies and ecology improvement measures for land use and realizing sustainable development of the region.

Farmlands of sandy loam soil in the Daliuta mining in Shaanxi Province was chosen as object of the study. Soil compactness and moisture content was measured in situ for statistical analysis and linear fitting, and furthermore, for comparative analysis in combination with four semi-empirical models in simulation and prediction. Results show that soil at the early harvesting stage was the lowest in compactness, and the highest in soil moisture content; Planting of mung bean reduced soil compactness fairly; soil moisture content in the range of 8.30%-16.14% was linearly and negatively related to soil compactness; The linear model and the four semi-empirical models all fitted well in Area B (corn), with correlation coefficients being all higher than 0.7; Among the models, the Ayers model performed the best in prediction, which means that the model can be used to predict soil conditions of the semi-arid mining areas.

An experiment was carried out to explore acute and chronic toxicity of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NP₄₀EO) to Daphnia magna and the chronic effects of the substance on fatality, growth and reproduction of Daphnia magna after 21 days of exposure, in an attempt to establish a dose-response relationship between the two and search for sensitive biological indices. Results of the acute toxicity test show that the 48 h-EC₅₀ of NP₄₀EO to Daphnia magna was 14.23 mg·L^-1. Results of the chronic toxicity test show that NP₄₀EO had significant effects on the average number of molting, the first reproduction time, the total number of eggs per female, the number of brood per female and the average body length of survivors of the Daphnia magna. Among them, the exposure concentration of 0.445 mg·L^-1 could significantly reduce the number of molting, the average number of brood, the total number of eggs per female, and the average body length. Therefore, it could be concluded that after overall consideration of all the indices that the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) of NP₄₀EO for Daphnia magna is 0.445 mg·L^-1, and the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) is 0.11 mg·L^-1. In addition, the study has also found that the first molting time and the first reproduction time of Daphnia magna were significantly affected by NP₄₀EO 1.78 mg·L^-1 in exposure concentration. All the findings demonstrate that NP₄₀EO has some inhibitory effect on growth and reproduction of Daphnia magna.

In-situ immobilization/stabilization of heavy metals in farmland soil is a soil remediation technology through amending the soil with certain chemical agents to reduce activity of the pollutants, inhibit their transport from soil to crops and hence mitigate their risks to crops. A total of 32 soil samples were collected from heavy metal polluted croplands in Henan Province for analysis of Cd, Pb, As, Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr for their totals and various fractions, i. e., weak-acid extractable, reducible, oxidizable and residue, using the BCR sequential extraction method, and then a precise soil remediation program formed. Results show that the concentration of Cd, Pb, As, Cu, Zn, Ni and Cr in the soil was on average 1.90, 144.91, 7.33, 32.24, 91.40, 28.80 and 19.76 mg·kg^-1, respectively. Among them, Cd and Pb concentration in the soil was far beyond the criteria of the "Standard for Environmental Quality Evaluation Standards of Farmlands Producing Edible Agricultural Produce (HJ/T 332-2006)" reaching 3.17 and 1.81 times as high, respectively. The analysis using the BCR sequential extraction method shows that weak acid extractable Cd was relatively high in percentage of the total, reaching up to 24.06%; Pb existed in the soil mainly in reducible form, which accounted for 80.35% of the total in the soil, while the other 5 elements existed mainly in residual form. Regression analysis models were established based on contents of the weak acid extractables and their respective total of the heavy metal elements in the soil, indicating that the former varied with the latter exhibiting positive linear relationships between the two. According to the differences weak acid extractable Cd and Pb and their respective total in spatial distribution, the study area was partitioned. The partitioning by total Cd differed somewhat from that by weak acid extractable Cd, while the partitioning by weak acid extractable Cd was quite similar to that by weak acid extractable Pb, which may serve as a basis for formulation of a precise soil remediation program. In the end, levels and risks of the heavy metal pollution of the soil in view of the total and the content of available form of heavy metals, separately. Hakanson Potential Ecological Risk Assessment shows that Cd in the soil posed a strong potential ecological risk, but Cd in the soil was rated as moderate in risk according to the Risk Assessment Code (RAC). The difference between the two evaluations suggests that it is essential to take into account results of all various evaluation methods to program remediation of heavy metals polluted soils. This study may have laid down a foundation for evaluation and remediation of heavy metal polluted soils.