Soil management practices, such as tillage method or straw return, could alter soil organic carbon (C) contents. However, the effects of tillage method or straw return on soil organic C (SOC) have showed inconsistent results in different soil/climate/cropping systems. The Yangtze River Delta of China is the main production region of rice and wheat, and rice-wheat rotation is the most important cropping system in this region. However, few studies in this region have been conducted to assess the effects of different tillage methods combined with straw return on soil labile C fractions in the rice-wheat rotation system. In this study, a field experiment was used to evaluate the effects of different tillage methods, straw return and their interaction on soil total organic C (TOC) and labile organic C fractions at three soil depths (0–7, 7–14 and 14–21 cm) for a rice-wheat rotation in Yangzhong of the Yangtze River Delta of China. Soil TOC, easily oxidizable C (EOC), dissolved organic C (DOC) and microbial biomass C (MBC) contents were measured in this study. Soil TOC and labile organic C fractions contents were significantly affected by straw returns, and were higher under straw return treatments than non-straw return at three depths. At 0–7 cm depth, soil MBC was significantly higher under plowing tillage than rotary tillage, but EOC was just opposite. Rotary tillage had significantly higher soil TOC than plowing tillage at 7–14 cm depth. However, at 14–21 cm depth, TOC, DOC and MBC were significantly higher under plowing tillage than rotary tillage except for EOC. Consequently, under short-term condition, rice and wheat straw both return in rice-wheat rotation system could increase SOC content and improve soil quality in the Yangtze River Delta.

The food experience is an important part of the tourism experience. Although it is crucial to comprehend the significance of tourists’ perception of food experiences, there is a scarcity of research investigating the impact of tasting local food on tourists’ perceptions and behaviors. This study employs structural equation modeling to empirically examine the relationship between tourists’ value perceptions of food experiences, their perceived destination image, and their revisit intention. In addition, the moderating effects of tourists’ genders on the aforementioned relationships are also explored. A renowned restaurant brand, Nanjing Impressions, which specializes in offering the unique cuisine of the city of Nanjing, China, is chosen as the research case. A grand total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, and, out of these, 458 questionnaires were deemed legitimate and kept for further analysis. The results indicate that the functional, social, emotional, cultural, and health values of local food experienced by tourists have significant positive impacts on their perceived destination image and revisit intention. Moreover, perceived destination image partially mediates the relationships between tourists’ value perceptions of food experiences and their revisit intention. Gender is found to partially moderate the relationships between the proposed constructs. The current study offers noteworthy theoretical contributions and provides valuable practical suggestions for tourism destination managers.

Background: Much attention has been focused on the influences of residue returning on N₂O emissions. However, comprehensive quantification of the effect size on N₂O emission following crop residue returning in subtropical, tropical and warm temperate conditions remains untested. Methods: To identify site-specific factors that influence N₂O emission (kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹) in residue returning systems, we performed a meta-analysis involving 260 comparisons from 72 studies. Results: The data indicated that significant promoting effects were observed under residue returning by rotary tillage, no-tillage and mulch, whereas N₂O release was significantly inhibited by 8% under residue returning by plough. For other contributors, the stimulatory and significant effects occurred in upland fields, under short- and medium-term residue returning durations, acidic/neutral soils, medium organic C and clay content. Nitrogen fertilizer application significantly stimulated N₂O emission, even though application rate at 100–150 kg N ha⁻¹ was inhibitory. Although a negative correlation between residue C/N ratio and N₂O emission has been shown, residue returning could not reduce N₂O emission with a higher C/N ratio and amount. Conclusions: Some options, such as converting residue returning methods, decreasing N fertilizer application rate, and regulating soil C/N ratio could be adopted to mitigate soil N₂O emission following residue returning.

Water eutrophication caused by agricultural production has become one of the most important factors that impede sustainable rural environmental governance in China. As a result, the Chinese central and local governments want to reduce the use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer and gain socioeconomical profit simultaneously by promoting crayfish and rice integrated system (CRIS) in the rural areas with abundant water resources. In this article, we investigated whether CRIS in Qianjiang, Hubei, the origin place of the system in China, contributes to fulfilling the governments’ expectations. We found that CRIS efficaciously cuts the fertilizer rate in rice production and boosts farmers’ incomes because crayfish has a demand for water quality and holds a large internal market requirement. However, higher profit encourages farmers to expand crayfish production and thus discourages the initiatives in rice production. The area of the ditch for crayfish production expands ceaselessly and exceeds the limit of regulation of CRIS. As a result, the CRIS in the areas has emerged as a practice of aquaculture but in farmland. This is a regulatory gap. The input–output analysis of CRIS by material balance method can also reveal that excessive feed for crayfish has become a new source of agricultural pollution. Beyond that, due to the changed irrigation system and increased water exchange frequency of CRIS, the pollution has transformed from passive distribution to active, which will increase the risk of water eutrophication on a large area.

Nature-based tourism destinations such as national forest parks have become important places for outdoor recreation. This study empirically investigates the structural relationships among the four subdivided dimensions of recreation experience (education, aesthetics, entertainment, and escapism), environmental attitude, and environmentally responsible behavior. In addition, the mediating effect of environmental attitude and the moderating effect of gender are also examined. A field survey was conducted in an urban forest park to collect data, and 468 usable questionnaires were collected. Results indicate that, in addition to the educational experience, the entertainment experience, aesthetic experience, and escape experience have significant positive impacts on visitors’ environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behavior. In addition, environmental attitude partially mediates the relationship between recreation experience and environmentally responsible behavior. The results of moderating effect analysis demonstrate that men and women have differences in terms of recreation experience and environmental attitude. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and nature-based tourism destinations are encouraged to emphasize the four subdivided dimensions of recreation experience, especially the educational experience.