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Section Highlights View all Environmental Science articles

Herbicide applications increase greenhouse gas emissions of alfalfa pasture in the inland arid region of northwest China
"This article presents the the fact that the use of herbicide will potentially increase the emissions of greenhouse gases and declares the complex effects, and thus contributes to the relevant community."
Xinfeng Wang, Handling Editor
Understanding PM2.5 concentration and removal efficiency variation in urban forest park—Observation at human breathing height
"The data on particulate matter in an urban forest park site in China may find relevance in many other parts of the developing world"
Valsaraj KT, Handling Editor
Anthropocene geochemistry of metals in sediment cores from the Laurentian Great Lakes
"Because of the spatial scope (i.e., all great lakes) of the analysis for heavy metals, it advances the science significantly."
James Latimer, Handling Editor
Linking diffuse radiation and ecosystem productivity of a desert steppe ecosystem
"Studies on diffuse radiation effects on photosynthsis are relevant in all vegetation types, and of particular relevance in the studied arid ecosystem."
Leonardo Montagnani, Handling Editor
Potential of the economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services to inform sustainable soil management and policy
"The concept of ecosystem services, especially in combination with economic valuation, can illuminate trade-offs involved in soil management, policy and governance, and thus support decision making. The authors investigated the potential and limitations of the economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services to inform sustainable soil management and policy. Based on a clear typology soil-based ecosystem services, they conducted a review of existing soil valuation studies including different ecosystem services. They show that so far, economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services has covered only a small number of services and most studies have employed cost-based methods rather than preference-based valuation methods, even though the latter would better acknowledge the public good character of soil-related services. Therefore, the authors conclude that the relevance of existing valuation studies for political processes is low. Broadening the spectrum of analyzed ecosystem services and using preference-based methods would increase the informational quality and policy relevance of valuation results."
Xavier Le Roux, Handling Editor
The impact of pesticides used at the agricultural land of the Puck commune on the environment of the Puck Bay
"The paper includes valuable data about a large number of pesticides and other active substances in different environmental compartments of a bay impacted by agriculture."
Marcia Marques, Handling Editor
Restored freshwater flow and estuarine benthic communities in the northern Gulf of Mexico: research trends and future needs
"There appears to be an effort to divert river flow that will deliver sediment downstream to rebuild wetland habitats, and this study provides a review of the potential effects on benthic communities. This is well justified and mentions many previous studies including those that describe wetland loss rates. The authors have done a good job of thinking through all the potential confounding factors (such as salinity change, food-web alterations, and habitat alterations) and demonstrating how each might cause unanticipated consequences. This manuscript is unique and tackles a problem that is not often studied. There will be a lot of focus on restoring Gulf of Mexico habitats over the next 30 years because of the restore funding made available by the Deepwater Horizon settlement, so the review is also timely."
Craig Moyer, Handling Editor
Multidimensional evaluation of the TRMM 3B43V7 satellite-based precipitation product in mainland China from 1998–2016
"This is useful information assessing the quality of TRMM 3B43V7 over mainland China and will be be beneficial to researchers in the region."
Richard Becker, Handling Editor
Aerosols chemical composition, light extinction, and source apportionment near a desert margin city, Yulin, China
"This article focuses on the region of West China, which is important but only receives a few attentions at present, and provides comprehensive undersdandings on the chemical composition, optcal properties, and dominant sources."
Xinfeng Wang, Handling Editor
Seasonal contributions of nutrients from small urban and agricultural watersheds in northern Poland
"The continued elevation of the study of nonpoint sources (diffuse) of pollution, both nutrient and toxic, is important. This article extends such research on the European continent."
James Latimer, Handling Editor
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