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Estuaries exhibit high physicochemical variability and the properties of estuaries and the constituent segments are not yet systematically understood. This study aims to reveal the spatial heterogeneity of predominant organic sources using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N, respectively) of Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica), one of the ideal natural samplers. In the Miyakoda River, Japan, our study site, the effectiveness of eel δ13C and δ15N values as standard indices of predominant organic sources was tested by employing the River Continuum Concept. This study then extended the application of these indices to the estuary, i.e., the Hamana Lake system, into which the Miyakoda River flows. Once in the upper estuary, eel δ13C and δ15N values became high, with the latter peaking in this river-estuary continuum, indicating that artificial labile subsidies (nutrients and organic matter) with high δ15N values were rapidly assimilated into the food web. Eel δ15N values decreased again in the middle estuary. Nevertheless, the influence of terrestrial organic subsidies extended into this segment, as evidenced by the low δ13C values of eels. These results suggest that refractory organic matter with low δ15N values, such as plant-derived ones, is slowly assimilated into the food web in the downstream estuarine segments. The higher δ13C values in the lower estuary suggested that the contribution of eelgrass or macroalgae occurred in addition to benthic microalgae. Thus, our results emphasize the need to consider the multiple energy flows to understand the estuary as a continuum.

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This study investigates the role of green technology implementation (GTI) based on artificial intelligence (AI) at the household level to achieve carbon neutrality by addressing gaps in the existing research. The research focuses on understanding how education on green consumption preferences, green invention and emission impacts can optimally influence AI-based GTI decisions. Through behavioural analysis at the household level, this study quantifies the effects of education and preferences on emissions and proposes subsidies as accelerators for carbon-neutral transitions. Furthermore, the study employs regression analysis and simulation-based optimisation, which are then validated against prior methodologies, with a focus on Punjab, Pakistan. Utilising a simple random sampling technique, approximately 1000 households were surveyed to represent the province's diverse demographics comprehensively. Findings reveal that higher education levels correlate with less enthusiasm for AI-based GTI. Simulations measured optimal subsidy levels by striking a balance between encouraging green behaviour and technological adoption. By integrating diverse factors and AI-based GTI optimisation, this study defines important thresholds for education and subsidies, thus highlighting their pivotal role in advancing AI-based green technologies and sustainable household practices. This research significantly enhances the understanding of the complex relationship between AI-based GTI decisions and educational influences, thereby contributing to the advancement of environmental sustainability.

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Government innovation subsidies play an important role as a policy to incentivize green transformation of enterprises, but whether government innovation subsidies can reduce the carbon intensity of industrial enterprises is still unclear, the exploration of the impact pathway needs to be further developed. This study takes government innovation subsidies as the entry point. It takes Chinese industrial listed companies as the research object from 2007 to 2021, explores the internal mechanism of government innovation subsidies on carbon intensity of industrial enterprises, analyzes the heterogeneity of the impact of government innovation subsidies on the carbon intensity of government innovation subsidies, and finally compares the differences arising from the governance effects of the policies of government innovation subsidies and government non-innovation subsidies. The results of the study show that: 1. Government innovation subsidies are beneficial for improving the energy utilization efficiency of enterprises and significantly reducing carbon intensity, unit government innovation subsidies can reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of industrial enterprises by 11.069 tons per 10,000 yuan of output value; 2. Government innovation subsidies can effectively incentivize industrial enterprises to carry out green technological innovations, and improve the quantity and quality of green technological innovation; 3. Government innovation subsidies can reduce carbon intensity of industrial enterprises by incentivizing the green technological innovations of enterprises to "increase the quantity and improve the quality". In fact, carbon intensity of industrial enterprises could be significantly reduced by incentivizing green technological innovation. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the greater the pressure of environmental tax and the higher the degree of market competition, the stronger is the effect of government innovation subsidies in reducing carbon intensity. The inclusion of government non-innovation subsidies in the control study shows that government innovation subsidies with innovation orientation motivate industrial enterprises to reduce carbon emissions significantly more than those subsidies without innovation orientation. In conclusion, this study provides a practical reference for the promotion of green technological innovation in enterprises to "increase the quantity and improve the quality" and reduce carbon intensity, as well as a revelation for the adoption of differentiated policies for different enterprises.

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Current food production systems are causing severe environmental damage, including the emergence of dangerous pathogens that put humans and wildlife at risk. Several dangerous pathogens (e.g., the 2009 A(H1N1) Influenza Virus, Nipah virus) have emerged associated with the dominant intensive food production systems. In this article, we use the case of the emergence and spillover of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus H5N1 (hereafter, H5N1) to illustrate how intensive food production methods provide a breeding ground for dangerous pathogens. We also discuss how emerging pathogens, such as H5N1, may affect not only ecosystem health but also human well-being and the economy. The current H5N1 panzootic (2020-2024) is producing a catastrophic impact: the millions of domestic birds affected by this virus have led to significant economic losses globally, and wild birds and mammals have suffered alarming mortalities, with the associated loss of their material and non-material ecosystem services. Transformative actions are required to reduce the emergence and impact of pathogens such as H5N1; we particularly need to reconsider the ways we are producing food. Governments should redirect funds to the promotion of alternative production systems that reduce the risk of new emerging pathogens and produce environmentally healthy food. These systems need to have a positive relationship with nature rather than being systems based on business as usual to the detriment of the environment. Sustainable food production systems may save many lives, economies, and biodiversity, together with the ecosystem services species provide.

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The pollutant emissions of diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) seriously damage the air quality. The promotion of hydrogen fuel cell HDTs through purchase subsidy policy to reduce emissions has become an important approach to control air pollution. This study focuses on the impact of hydrogen fuel cell HDT purchase subsidies on air quality in the context of China, covering the panel data of 31 Chinese cities from 2014 to 2021 and applying a two-way fixed effects model to analyze the contribution of purchase subsidies and hydrogen refueling station construction subsidies to air quality. Results show that (1) the increase in purchase subsidies could improve the air quality by around 6.1% and there is a lag effect. (2) Purchase subsidies make a larger contribution to air quality compared with construction subsidies. (3) Purchase subsidies can improve air quality by reducing carbon emissions in transport industry. In sight of these results, policy makers should emphasize the implementation of purchase subsidies and hydrogen refueling station construction subsidies and stimulate manufacturers to improve the performance of hydrogen fuel cell so as to contribute more to the environment.

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We estimate the effect of state-level policies enacting universal free full-day kindergarten on mothers' labor supply using a life-cycle analysis. Similar to previous research on childcare and labor supply, we find that free full-day kindergarten increases labor force participation rates for mothers whose youngest child is kindergarten-aged by 4.3 to 7.1 percentage points. We find that for mothers whose youngest child is an infant, labor force participation increases by 7.2 to 9.8 percentage points, and for women whose youngest child is 3 to 4 years old labor force participation increases by 5.9 to 7.9 percentage points. The fact that the policies impact the labor supply for mothers of younger-than-kindergarten-age children by even more than for mothers of kindergarten-aged children is important for understanding the full effect of subsidized childcare. This is consistent with a life-cycle model of labor supply where wages and prices in future periods impact mothers' labor force attachment.

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The imperative to enhance corporate environmental performance is not only pivotal for a company's growth but also crucial for fulfilling societal responsibilities and protecting global environmental interests. Recognizing the inadequacies of standalone environmental policies, our study delves into the synergistic effects of incentive-based and regulatory approaches on the environmental performance of listed firms in China. We meticulously examine the interplay between environmental punishment and subsidies over the period of 2015-2019. Our analysis reveals that a strategic combination of punishment and subsidies can substantially improve firms' environmental performance. This effect intensifies with the increasing amounts of fines and subsidies. Additionally, we explore the dynamic effects of policy implementation. Our results indicate that subsidies implemented either a year before or after the imposition of punishment might diminish the effectiveness of standalone environmental penalty policies. Furthermore, our findings suggest that diverse regulatory policies enhance firm environmental performance by promoting investments in environmental protection and fostering green innovation. This discovery highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of policy mixes and their implications for corporate environmental strategies.

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This study was conducted to examine the effects of agricultural subsidies on the technical efficiency of agricultural production technology and on factor input. It utilized a random frontier production function, instrumental variable method, and threshold regression model. The data used for this analysis consisted of 609 field yield measurements from the National Rapeseed Industry Technology System in 2020. The findings indicate that agricultural subsidies have a substantial impacts and it increases the technical efficiency of production process. Specifically, these subsidies encourage the use of land resources while inhibiting the use of chemical fertilizers. However, this does not have a significant effect on the utilization of labor and capital resources. Furthermore, the impact of agricultural subsidies on production technology efficiency varies depending on the scale of the farming operation. The subsidies significantly enhance the production technology efficiency of farmers with a business scale of less than 0.67 ha, but do not significantly improve the production technology efficiency of farmers with a business scale exceeding 0.67 ha. To optimize the effectiveness of agricultural subsidy policy, three methods and recommendations are proposed: increasing the overall amount of subsidies, expanding and diversifying the types of subsidies, and refining the process of disbursing subsidies.

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This study explores the impact of government subsidies on the production dynamics within the medical product supply chain, particularly focusing on the remanufacturing of medical goods. Amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has underscored the critical shortages in medical supplies, our research delves into the adoption of remanufacturing practices by medical product manufacturers as a strategic response to these shortages and environmental concerns. We investigate how government subsidies influence the production volumes of original manufacturers and remanufacturers and examine the competitive interplay between newly manufactured and remanufactured medical products. Through the development of three production game models-Scenario B (manufacturers produce both new and refurbished products), Scenario N (separate production of new and refurbished products by manufacturers and remanufacturers, respectively), and Scenario C (similar to Scenario N but includes a certification fee paid by remanufacturers to original manufacturers)-we analyze the strategies that could mitigate supply deficiencies during medical crises. Our findings indicate that the certification strategy (Scenario C) not only yields the highest total production of medical products but also offers a viable solution to enhance the sustainability of the entire medical production system by alleviating supply chain disruptions. Furthermore, we discuss the managerial implications of our results, emphasizing the potential of a joint remanufacturing strategy to stabilize the supply chain and foster environmental conservation. Lastly, we highlight our study's limitations and suggest future research directions, particularly concerning the variability in product quality and the reliance on government subsidies. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of green remanufacturing within the pharmaceutical supply chain, offering insights for manufacturers, remanufacturers, and policymakers aiming for sustainable industry practices.

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Over the last 10 years, the spawning population of invasive pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) has increased in the river systems in northern Norway to a level that is causing concern about their impact on endemic fauna and ecosystem processes. The scale of transfer of pink salmon carcasses into the terrestrial ecosystem is likely to be a key determinant of terrestrial impact. Bears (Ursus sp.) are responsible for most such transfers in North America but are rare in Norway. The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) is common however, and a candidate to be a main cause of such transfers. To evaluate this hypothesis, data on the abundance of white-tailed eagles and pink salmon were collected along the river Skallelv in northern Norway in 2021, a year the pink salmon spawned in the river, and in 2022, a year no pink salmon spawned in the river. The abundance of white-tailed eagles along the river was much higher the year pink salmon spawned in the river. Furthermore, white-tailed eagles were observed aggregating and catching pink salmon where and when pink salmon were present at the spawning and post-spawning stages. Based on our observations, we suggest that the white-tailed eagle is the main species involved in the transport of pink salmon from the river into the riparian zone in northern Norway and that other scavengers, in particular the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and common raven (Corvus corax), play an important role in transporting pink salmon carcasses from the riparian zone to the wider terrestrial ecosystem.

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Introduction: The lack of access to a diverse and nutritious diet has significant health consequences worldwide. Governments have employed various policy mechanisms to ensure access, but their success varies. Method: In this study, the impact of changes in food assistance policy on food prices and nutrient security in different provinces of Iran, a sanctioned country, was investigated using statistical and econometric models. Results: Both the old and new policies were broad in scope, providing subsidized food or cash payments to the entire population. However, the implementation of these policies led to an increase in the market price of food items, resulting in a decline in the intake of essential nutrients. Particularly, the policy that shifted food assistance from commodity subsidies to direct cash payments reduced the price sensitivity of consumers. Consequently, the intake of key nutrients such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A, which are often constrained by their high prices, decreased. To improve the diets of marginalized populations, it is more effective to target subsidies towards specific nutrient groups and disadvantaged populations, with a particular focus on food groups that provide essential nutrients like Vitamin A and Vitamin C in rural areas of Iran. Discussion: More targeted food assistance policies, tailored to the specific context of each province and income level, are more likely to yield positive nutritional outcomes with minimal impact on food prices.

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We leveraged local area variation in the size of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansions of Medicaid and nongroup coverage and measured changes in Medicare utilization and spending from 2010 through 2018 using the universe of Medicare fee-for-service claims. We found that the ACA coverage expansions led to decreases in the share of Medicare beneficiaries receiving ambulatory care and decreases in spending per beneficiary on ambulatory care. The reductions in ambulatory care were larger among beneficiaries enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid ("duals"). Our results suggest that coverage expansions may lead to congestion and reduced access to physicians for those who are continuously insured.

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For many species, the relationship between space use and diet composition is complex, with individuals adopting varying space use strategies such as territoriality to facilitate resource acquisition. Coyotes (Canis latrans) exhibit two disparate types of space use; defending mutually exclusive territories (residents) or moving nomadically across landscapes (transients). Resident coyotes have increased access to familiar food resources, thus improved foraging opportunities to compensate for the energetic costs of defending territories. Conversely, transients do not defend territories and are able to redirect energetic costs of territorial defense towards extensive movements in search of mates and breeding opportunities. These differences in space use attributed to different behavioral strategies likely influence foraging and ultimately diet composition, but these relationships have not been well studied. We investigated diet composition of resident and transient coyotes in the southeastern United States by pairing individual space use patterns with analysis of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values to assess diet. During 2016-2017, we monitored 41 coyotes (26 residents, 15 transients) with GPS radio-collars along the Savannah River area in the southeastern United States. We observed a canopy effect on δ13C values and little anthropogenic food in coyote diets, suggesting 13C enrichment is likely more influenced by reduced canopy cover than consumption of human foods. We also observed other land cover effects, such as agricultural cover and road density, on δ15N values as well as reduced space used by coyotes, suggesting that cover types and localized, resident-like space use can influence the degree of carnivory in coyotes. Finally, diets and niche space did not differ between resident and transient coyotes despite differences observed in the proportional contribution of potential food sources to their diets. Although our stable isotope mixing models detected differences between the diets of resident and transient coyotes, both relied mostly on mammalian prey (52.8%, SD = 15.9 for residents, 42.0%, SD = 15.6 for transients). Resident coyotes consumed more game birds (21.3%, SD = 11.6 vs 13.7%, SD = 8.8) and less fruit (10.5%, SD = 6.9 vs 21.3%, SD = 10.7) and insects (7.2%, SD = 4.7 vs 14.3%, SD = 8.5) than did transients. Our findings indicate that coyote populations fall on a feeding continuum of omnivory to carnivory in which variability in feeding strategies is influenced by land cover characteristics and space use behaviors.

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Research Highlight: Piccoli, G. C. d. O., Antiqueira, P. A. P., Srivastava, D. S., & Romero, G. Q. (2024). Trophic cascades within and across ecosystems: The role of anti-predatory defences, predator type and detritus quality. Journal of Animal Ecology, 00, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14063. Ecosystem functioning is controlled by the interplay between bottom-up supply of limiting nutrients and top-down animal feedback effects. However, the degree of animal versus nutrient control is context-dependent. A key challenge lies in characterizing this context dependency which is hypothesized to depend on differences in animal functional traits. Reporting on an important experiment, Piccoli et al. (2014) evaluate how interactions among functionally different predators and decomposer prey create context dependency in top-down control of a model system-tropical bromeliad tank ecosystems. Bromeliad plants hold water in their tanks supporting microcosm ecosystems containing terrestrial and aquatic insect larvae and arachnids. The ecosystems are supported by nutrients in plant litter that rains down from forest canopies into the tanks. Nutrients are released after litter is decomposed by a functionally diverse community of larval insect decomposers that differ in feeding mode and antipredator defence strategy. This decomposer community is preyed upon by an exclusively narrowly ranging aquatic insect larval predator and widely ranging spider predator that crosses between the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. Experimental manipulation of the animal community to test for the degree of control by predators mediated by the functionally diverse prey community included four treatments: (i) a control with the detritivores composing different function groups but without predators, (ii) the cross-ecosystem spider predator added, (iii) the purely aquatic damselfly larvae predator added and (iv) both predator types added to capture their interacting effect on ecosystem function (decomposition, nutrient release, and plant growth). Notably, the study resolved the causal pathways and strengths of direct and indirect control using structural equation modelling. These findings reveal how context dependency arises due to different capacities of the predators alone and together to overcome prey defences and control their abundances, with attendant cascading effects that diminished as well as enhanced decomposition and nutrient release to support bromeliad plant production. The study reveals that predators have a decided, albeit qualitatively and quantitatively different, hand in shaping the degree of bottom-up control through feedback effect on the release of limiting nutrients. This ground-breaking study provides a way forward in understanding the mechanisms determining context dependency in the control over ecosystem functioning.

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The United States offers two markedly different subsidy structures for private health insurance. When covered through employer-based plans, employees and their dependents benefit from the exclusion from taxable income of the premiums. Individuals without access to employer coverage may obtain subsidies for Marketplace coverage. This paper seeks to understand how the public subsidies embedded in the privately financed portion of the U.S. healthcare system impact the payments families are required to make under both ESI and Marketplace coverage, and the implications for finance equity. Using the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-HC) and Marketplace premium data, we assess horizontal and vertical equity by calculating public subsidies for and expected family spending under each coverage source and using Lorenz curves and Gini and concentration coefficients. Our study pooled the 2018 and 2019 MEPS-HC to achieve a sample size of 10,593 observations. Our simulations showed a marked horizontal inequity for lower-income families with access to employer coverage who cannot obtain Marketplace subsidies. Relative to both the financing of employer coverage and earlier Marketplace tax credits, the more generous Marketplace premium subsidies, first made available in 2021 under the American Rescue Plan Act, substantially increased the vertical equity of Marketplace financing. While Marketplace subsidies have clearly improved equity within the United States, we conclude with a comparison to other OECD countries highlighting the persistence of inequities in the U.S. stemming from its noteworthy reliance on employer-based private health insurance.

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This paper provides a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationship between government subsidies, enterprise innovation, and Industry-University-Research (IUR) collaboration. The study begins with a theoretical analysis of the impact of government subsidies on IUR collaboration and enterprise innovation, employing a dynamic game model. Secondly, the research sample comprises A-share listed enterprises in China, and the theoretical findings are validated through empirical methods. Moreover, this study investigates the mediating influence of IUR collaboration and the heterogenous impacts of government subsidies. Research has shown that government subsidies can facilitate enterprises in establishing IUR collaboration, enhancing the extent of IUR collaboration, and effectively stimulating enterprises to participate in innovation. Government subsidies have a more pronounced impact on non-state-owned enterprises, high-tech enterprises, and enterprises in eastern regions in terms of incentivization. By enhancing IUR upgrade, government subsidies can offset the shortcomings in limited Research and Experimental Development (R&D) funding and inadequate technical reserves of non-high-technology enterprises. This could result in an improvement in the quality of innovation and the performance of the subsidized enterprises.

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[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.967494.].

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In the exploration of the efficacy of agricultural subsidy policies, agricultural insurance, as a key element of this policy system, has garnered widespread attention for its potential impact on consumer food safety. This paper delves into the influence of agricultural insurance on the safety of food consumed by individuals, based on provincial panel data in China from 2011 to 2021. The findings indicate that agricultural insurance significantly reduces the incidence of foodborne disease and enhances food safety. Mediating effect tests reveal that agricultural insurance effectively boosts food safety through two key pathways: promoting innovation in agricultural technology and reducing environmental pollution. Moreover, the analysis of moderating effects highlights that increased consumer confidence positively enhances the impact of agricultural insurance. Heterogeneity tests further show that in the provinces with higher levels of agricultural development and stronger government support for agriculture, the role of agricultural insurance in improving food safety is more pronounced. This research not only empirically verifies the effectiveness of agricultural insurance in enhancing food safety but also provides robust theoretical support and practical guidance for the precise formulation and effective implementation of agricultural subsidy policies, particularly agricultural insurance policies, offering significant reference value for policy-makers.

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Wolves are assumed to be ungulate obligates, however, a recently described pack on Pleasant Island, Alaska USA, is persisting on sea otters and other marine resources without ungulate prey, violating this long-held assumption. We address questions about these wolves regarding their origin and fate, degree of isolation, risk of inbreeding depression, and diet specialization by individual and sex. We applied DNA metabarcoding and genotyping by amplicon sequencing using 957 scats collected from 2016 to 2022, and reduced representation sequencing of tissue samples to establish a detailed understanding of Pleasant Island wolf ecology and compare them with adjacent mainland wolves. Dietary overlap was higher among individual wolves on Pleasant Island (Pianka's index mean 0.95 ± 0.03) compared to mainland wolves (0.70 ± 0.21). The individual diets of island wolves were dominated by sea otter, ranging from 40.6% to 63.2% weighted percent of occurrence (wPOO) (mean 55.5 ± 8.7). In contrast, individual mainland wolves primarily fed on ungulates (42.2 ± 21.3) or voles during a population outbreak (31.2 ± 23.2). We traced the origin of the Pleasant Island pack to a mainland pair that colonized around 2013 and produced several litters. After this breeding pair was killed, their female offspring and an immigrant male became the new breeders in 2019. We detected 20 individuals of which 8 (40%) were trapped and killed while two died of natural causes during the 6-year study. Except for the new breeding male, the pedigree analysis and genotype results showed no additional movement to or from the island, indicating limited dispersal but no evidence of inbreeding. Our findings suggest wolves exhibit more flexible foraging behavior than previously believed, and hunting strategies can substantially differ between individuals within or between packs. Nevertheless, anthropogenic and natural mortality combined with limited connectivity to the mainland may inhibit the continued persistence of Pleasant Island wolves.

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Cultivating strategic emerging industries (SEIs) is an important strategy for most countries around the world to seize the economic frontier. Academics have not yet reached a unified conclusion on whether the adoption of industrial policy from the government level can effectively promote its R&D and innovation behaviors and contribute to industrial upgrading. Based on the data regarding 33,425 Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share-listed companies from 2007 to 2020, this article employs the difference-in-difference model (DID) and the mediated effect model to identify the effect and mechanism of how industrial policy affects the innovation behavior of SEIs. The results of this study show that the promulgation and implementation of industrial policies can help stimulate enterprises to carry out R&D and innovation behaviors and improve the innovation level of SEIs. Its promoting effect on state-owned enterprises is more significant than that on non-state-owned enterprises, and its promoting effect on the eastern and central regions is more significant than that on the western region. Further analysis reveals that government subsidies and tax incentives are important transmission mechanisms through which industrial policy affects firms' innovation, with government subsidies playing a positive facilitating role and tax incentives having a negative impact.