Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely present in the genomes of eukaryotic organisms and play crucial roles in maintaining the life activities of biological organisms. In recent years, a large number of lncRNAs have been discovered in plants through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. LncRNAs play important roles in regulating plant growth, development, and stress responses. Due to the complexity of the genome and the low efficient of genetic transformation, the functional analysis of lncRNA in maize is relatively lagging behind in Arabidopsis and rice. Maize is a major staple crop in our country, playing a critical role in ensuring national food security. It’s also an important model plant in the fields of genetics and genomics. Understanding the research progress of lncRNA in maize is highly beneficial for comprehending the biological functions of lncRNA. Mining and analyzing the molecular regulatory network of lncRNAs involved in maize development and stress response can provide potential molecular targets for future genetic improvement of maize. In this review, we summarized the sources, classification, and action mechanisms of lncRNAs, and reviewed the exploration of lncRNAs in maize and their biological functions in regulating growth, development, and stress responses. We also discussed the current research status and provided an outlook on future researches of lncRNAs in maize.

Maize (Zea mays) is the main crop in China, and drought is a primary abiotic stress during its growth, resulting in direct reduction in grain yield and quality, thereby posing a threat to food security within the global climate context. Therefore, it is imperative to identify drought-resistant germplasm resources, elucidate the molecular mechanisms of drought stress response, and breed drought-resistant varieties. Here, we review recent advances in the genetic dissection of drought resistance in maize using methods such as genome-wide association study, quantitative trait locus gene cloning and multi-omics analysis. Additionally, we introduce potential strategies for genetic improvement of drought resistance by leveraging the identified genetic resources while discussing future perspectives within this research area.

Rice panicle traits have a distinct effect on yield, and the exploration and research of related genes play a crucial role in ensuring national food security. In this study, we used the indica rice HZ, the japonica rice Nekken2 and 120 recombinant inbred lines population constructed from them as experimental materials to measure panicle length, grain number per panicle, seed-setting rate, stigma exsertion rate, number of primary branches and other panicle traits. We combined the high-density genetic map for QTL mapping, a total of 31 QTLs were detected on chromosome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11, among which 2 LOD values were as high as 5.45 and 5.28. By analyzing the candidate genes in the QTL interval, the related genes that may affect the panicle traits were screened out, and qRT-PCR was used for gene expression analysis, which revealed that the expression levels of LOC_Os05g05490, LOC_Os05g06150, LOC_Os03g11700, LOC_Os03g12430, LOC_Os05g28720, LOC_Os05g30890, LOC_Os05g31740 and LOC_Os02g17880 were significantly different between the parents. Among these genes, the first five genes encode tripartite pentapeptide repeat proteins, while the latter three genes encode glycosyltransferases. This study identified 31 QTLs related to panicle traits, laying a theoretical basis for further localization and cloning of related genes and breeding new high-yield rice varieties.

Nitrogen, the essential macronutrient in plants, plays a critical role in regulating plant growth and development, especially for crops production. To gain high crop yield, a large amount N fertilizer is usually applied to the planting field. However, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers has aggravated the agricultural non-point source pollution (NSP). Increasing crop yield under reduced fertilizer consumption can be achieved by increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), which is crucial for promoting sustainable agriculture and for achieving agriculture and food security. In response to nitrogen-deficiency condition under natural environments, high-affinity nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) proteins have evolved in plants. Among them, NRT2.1 subfamily acts as the main component of nitrate uptake in roots under conditions of nitrate deficiency. Here we summarize the latest progresses of the function and molecular mechanism of the NRT2 proteins, particularly of the NRT2.1 subfamily in Arabidopsis and several important crops and discuss the future directions of NRT2 research. This review aims to provide an important basis for the subsequent exploration of the potential of NRT2 proteins in increasing crop yield and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Aim: The State Council approved the establishment of the National Botanical Garden in Beijing in December, 2021 and the South China National Botanical Garden in Guangzhou in May, 2022. These two gardens will be developed into world-class botanical gardens with distinctive Chinese characteristics where all forms of life coexist harmoniously. This paper explores the main features of world-class national botanical gardens from the perspectives of historical, functional and mission dimensions, aiming to provide reference for the construction of China’s national botanical garden system.

Methods: Based on the five different evaluation criteria of botanical gardens in the world and China, we summarized the attributes of 12 renowned botanical gardens in the world and 5 well-performing botanical gardens in China. A new evaluation system of botanical gardens was proposed after extensive literature review and consensus among peers. The main features of world-class botanical gardens were identified based on this system and the evaluation process.

Results: The national botanical garden should possess national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare. A world-class botanical garden should demonstrate strong international competitiveness in areas such as plant conservation, scientific research, public education, garden horticultural display, and resource utilization while leading the development of other botanical gardens. Chinese characteristics refer to the gradual formation of unique attributes through long-term practice, encompassing characteristics of Chines ethnic plants, traditional culture, garden art, institutional mechanisms, and more. From the perspectives of historical, functional, and mission dimensions, the main features of a world-class national botanical garden with Chinese characteristics include: (1) It possessed a significant development history, actively engaging in the conservation, research, and utilization of wild plants in response to the country’s economic and social development and the public’s aspiration for a better life. Furthermore, it has a certain influence in the field of botanical gardens both domestically and internationally; (2) The botanical garden demonstrated leaderships, either partially or completely, in five functional domains: ex situ conservation of wild plants, scientific research, sustainable resource utilization, public education, and garden horticultural display; (3) It serves as a vital component of major national strategies, ensuring national ecological security, biosecurity, and food security. Additionally, it contributes to national or global biodiversity conservation, restoration of degraded ecosystems, mitigation of climate change, and sustainable development through the application of science and technology.

Conclusion: The construction of China’s national botanical garden should align with internationally renowned botanical garden, guided by mission goals, with a focus on the relocation and conservation of wild plants. It should adhere to national representativeness, scientific systematicness, and social public welfare, coordinate in situ conservation and ex situ conservation, enhance the level of biodiversity conservation, tell the story of Chinese plant well, provide strong support for curbing the biodiversity loss and restoring degraded ecosystems, and provide innovative solutions to mitigate global climate change.

Background & Aims: In the face of a series of challenges such as climate change, population growth and agricultural intensification, how to promote sustainable agricultural development and ensure food security, agroecosystem diversity with its unique genetic, ecological and traditional socio-cultural values become an important way to solve this challenge. A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of agroecosystem diversity, the main influencing factors, conservation and utilization measures and research tools will be an important reference for the developing of agrobiodiversity conservation strategies.

Method: This paper only focused on agrobiodiversity on farming system not broad agriculture. We systematically analyzed the impact of various influencing factors and management measures on agroecosystem diversity, introduced the current situation and changing dynamics of typical ecological regions of agrobiodiversity in China, systematically described the assessment methods of agroecosystem diversity, analyzed the conservation and management of agroecosystem diversity, and accordingly pointed out the main problems of current agrobiodiversity research in China and future prospects.

Results: The analysis shows that agroecosystem diversity plays an important role in maintaining agroecological services, improving the resilience of agroecosystems, reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide and developing green agriculture.

Prospect: There is a need to improve agroecosystem diversity assessment indicators, strengthen agroecosystem diversity management policies and coordination mechanisms, and intensify agroecosystem diversity conservation and use, so that agrobiodiversity conservation and utilization can be mainstreamed in sustainable agriculture development.

Aims: Northeast black soil is one of the most important agricultural resources in China. Understanding the spatial distribution of nematode communities as well as their influcing factors is of great importance for ensuring food security in China.
Methods: In September 2018, 31 farmland sampling sites were selected across the black soil region within the bounds of 42°50°-49°08° N, and 93 soil samples were collected. Soil nematode communities were identified by morphological identification.
Results: A total of 47 nematode genera (relative abundance > 1%) were identified. Across all samples, the bacterivores nematode Acrobloides was the most abundant (relative abundance > 5%). Species richness and abundance of nematode communities increased with latitude, but only among bacterivores and omnivores/predators nematodes. Soil organic carbon was the most important environmental factor affecting richness and abundance of soil nematodes in a typical black soil region, followed by monthly mean temperature. Soil nematode community structure in this region was divided into two categories: south and north, with a boundary at 47° N separating the two groups. This division was attributed mainly to the differences in the relative abundance of plant parasitic and omnivorous/predatory nematodes between the two areas. Soil pH value and bulk density were the most important factors influencing community structure in the south and north, respectively.
Conclusion: This study clarifies the relationship between environmental factors and nematode community structure, as well the geographical distribution of nematode communities in a typical black soil region. As such, it provides basic data and reference for the mechanism driving the character of soil biota under agricultural interference.

Modern science and technology have just been entering the field of grass-based livestock husbandry, and “less input, low output and poor platform” restrict the development of forage breeding and industry in China. Although the development of grass-based livestock husbandry is ready to take off, the lack of scientific and technological innovation is difficult to ensure China’s food security; furthermore, there are few institutions and teams that focus on forage breeding research in China. Therefore, we organize the special issue ‘Forage Biology’, aiming to promote public awareness of the scientific and technological innovation, industrial development and national forage seed industry safety.

Tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia elongata), belonging to Thinopyrum genus, is a perennial cool season bunchgrass that was originated from southern Europe, Asia Minor and southern Russia. It has been widely cultivated in America, Canada, Australia and other countries for more than a half century. Since tall wheatgrass was induced in China, Zhensheng Li had used it as a wild parent for distant hybridization to breed wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties from 1956. However, few reports were found for the wide cultivation of tall wheatgrass in China as a forage grass currently. It confers significant tolerance not only to saline and alkaline soil but also to waterlogging, drought and diseases. It can avoid competition of land and water between cereal crops and forage grass and benefit carbon neutrality and food security to cultivate tall wheatgrass on saline-alkali soils in the costal Circum-Bohai sea region. More than 10 cultivars has been released in America, Canada, Australia, Argentina and other European countries. Unfortunately, no tall wheatgrass variety has been certificated in China currently, which restrict the construction of Chinese costal grass belt. The genetic background is complex and the basic research is preliminary in tall wheatgrass, resulting in its breeding technology is lagged far behind the cereal crops like wheat and rice. Here, research progresses on the aspects of molecular breeding of tall wheatgrass including breeding history, speed breeding, tissue culture, genome sequencing and molecular markers were reviewed to promote tall wheatgrass breeding and construction of costal grass belt in China.

Forage grass is the cornerstone of animal husbandry. However, the shortage of forage grass caused by the lack of elite varieties and simple planting structure has been a bottleneck for the forage grass industry. Therefore, the productive yield potential of new forage grass species besides developing traditional forage grass should be mined. New forage grasses developed in recent years have great advantages over the traditional forage grasses in their feeding value, including yield, nutritional quality, adaptability, and stress resistance. In this review, we summarized the research progress, development trend, and core competitive value of several new forage grasses, including bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), forage rapeseed (Brassica napus), grain amaranth, sesban (Sesbania cannabina), and wild soybean (Glycine soja). We also discussed the basic biological problems in new forage breeding. Finally, we provided suggestions and strategies for innovation of the new forage grass and sustainable development of forage grass industry, ensuring food security.

Coastal grass belt refers to the development of grass/forage farming systems according to the gradient of salinity along the coastal line, which could help develop grass-based livestock husbandry on saline soil and contribute to food security in China. This review summarizes several successful forage cultivation models in Yellow River Delta, including the forages rotation, rice-triticale/oat rotation, and forest-grass intercropping. We also discussed the biological question that are related to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance, dissection of molecular modules balancing stress tolerance and biomass production, and development of value-added products of forage grasses. The resolution strategy and realization way of these biological question were summarized.

Sorghum bicolor has the characteristics of salinity tolerance, high biomass and high photosynthetic performance. The stem accumulates high amounts of juice and sugar, making it an important silage crop with development potential. In-depth analysis of the molecular basis underlying the formation of S. bicolor forage traits and stress tolerance traits, as well as improvement and breeding of S. bicolor new varieties for forage are of great significance to the development of pasture-livestock industry in China. This review summarizes the research and breeding progress of S. bicolor, analyzes the existing problems, and puts forward countermeasures for S. bicolor molecular breeding in the future, aiming to promote the development of forage S. bicolor industry and ensure the food security in our country.

Background & Aims: As the basis of maintaining nature and human society, biocultural diversity has been a broad topic of concern by many countries and international organizations. Because of its rich connotations, many studies on biocultural diversity have been conducted on different continents. Experiences and results from previous research will benefit efforts at conserving biodiversity and constructing eco-civilization. The aims of this review are to introduce the concept of biocultural diversity and research methods associated with it, summarize the progress of research on biocultural diversity, and to provide reference to its related fields.
Progress: The concept, research methods and research findings of biocultural diversity are introduced in this article. Research progress on biocultural diversity is reviewed in the literature. Four major contents of biocultural diversity have been emphasized, including the complex relationship between biodiversity and cultural diversity, traditional knowledge significant to the conservation of biocultural diversity, the carrier function of cultural landscapes, and the quantitative assessment methods of biocultural diversity. Previous studies have shown that differentiation is the common premise for the formation of biodiversity and cultural diversity, whose characteristics include common spatial overlap, temporal co-evolution, and positive interaction. As a key component of biocultural diversity, traditional knowledge is of great significance in building ecological consciousness, managing biological resources and conserving traditional agricultural germplasm resources. As the spatial carrier of biological culture, cultural landscapes serve important functions for food security, biological resources conservation, cultural inheritance and human habitation. The improved assessment methods provide the ability to monitor and predict the status and prospect of biocultural diversity, which can be used to guide conservation actions. In summarizing past studies, this review assesses possible development trends of biocultural diversity.
Prospects: Four topics within the field of biocultural diversity are proposed for future development: (1) Multidisciplinary comprehensive quantitative analysis and cross-cultural dynamic research should be applied in studies at different levels. (2) Develop research models that reveal the mechanism of interaction between biological and cultural diversity. (3) Study how the theory and method of biocultural diversity may be applied to guide agricultural production and other practical activities. (4) Study how biocultural diversity may contribute to work on ecosystem services, ecological compensation, and sustainable development.

Salt stress had a critical impact on plant growth and development， including osmotic stress and ion toxicity， which seriously damaged agricultural production and food security. Under salt stress， plant related receptors were stimulated to send Ca²⁺ enter the cytoplasmic matrix through the Ca²⁺ channels opened on the cell membrane and intracellular calcium storage membrane， resulting in the increase of intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration and calcium signal. Ca²⁺， as an important second messenger， transmited signals within and between plant cells， downstream， and caused a series of physiological responses to salt stress at different growth and development stages. Calcium signals mainly included calmodulin（CaM）， calmodulin like protein（CML）， calcium dependent protein kinase（CDPK） and calcineurin B-like protein（CBL） and CBL interacting protein kinase（CIPK）， and sensed and transmited specific calcium signal information to the downstream， and activated plant physiological response to salt stress. This paper reviewed how plants perceived salt stress stimulation and the mechanism of calcium signal regulation， and looked forward to the problems should be solved in this research field.

Invasive plants are a major threat to biodiversity and may adversely affect food security. Clonal integration enables the sharing of resources between connected ramets and can enhance plant performance in many invasive species. However, few studies have examined the role of clonal integration when weeds are exposed to plant growth regulators (PGRs). PGRs are used extensively in agriculture and may affect nearby weeds through soil leaching, erosion and runoff. Our aim was to investigate the effects of clonal integration on growth in a noxious weed, Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed), in response to two PGRs frequently used in agriculture, gibberellins (GAs) and paclobutrazol (PAC). Ramets of A. philoxeroides were propagated in the greenhouse, and treated with PGRs. PGRs were applied to the older ramets (i.e. ‘basal’ part), with half of the plants having the stems between the apical (younger) and basal parts left connected, while the remaining plants had the stems between the two parts severed. Following the growing period, plants were measured for growth traits. We found that GA and PAC had contrasting effects on plant growth. GA significantly promoted above-ground growth of the apical ramets via clonal integration. Alternatively, PAC inhibited above-ground growth in the basal and apical parts, and enhanced below-ground growth of the basal and apical ramets through clonal integration. Our results highlight how clonal integration can promote growth in A. philoxeroides following the application of PGRs, which is likely an important mechanism for this species to invade new environments.

It is an important event in the human history to domesticate wild plants into cultivated crops through selection of favorable genetic variations. Domesticated crops provide food to meet human needs and thereby promote the sustainable development of human civilization. At present, the global food security is becoming a serious challenge owing to the booming human population, the decrease of arable land, and the frequent occurrence of extreme weather. Based on the understanding of molecular mechanism underlying the domestication and important agronomic traits in crops, de novo domesticating wild plants into new crops, an approach combined with high-throughput genome sequencing and genome editing technology, will be one of effective strategies to face this challenge. Recently a team led by Prof. Jiayang Li in Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully de novo domesticated wild allotetraploid rice by optimizing the genetic transformation system, de novoassembling the wild allotetraploid rice (Oryza alta) genome, and editing several genes that control key domestication-related and agronomical traits, including seed shattering, awn, plant architecture, seed size, and heading date. This is a breakthrough study that not only demonstrated the possibility of rapid de novo domestication of wild allotetraploid rice into a staple cereal to strength global food security, but also provided new insights into the utilization of new ideocrops originating from de novo domestication of wild or semi-wild plants in the future.

Background: Agro-biodiversity is one of the most important issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereinafter as the Convention), and it is of practical significance to global food security, sustainable development of agriculture and realization of carbon neutrality. However, research has shown that due to the continuous population growth and fundamental changes in dietary structure, continued expansion of agriculture has become one of the principal drivers of biodiversity loss.
Content: This paper systematically reviews the development and processes of the main negotiating topics of agro-biodiversity through a comprehensive analysis of the provisions of the Convention, the decisions and recommendations of previous Conferences of Parties (from COP2 to COP14), the assessment report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 (GBO-5) published by the United Nations Environment Programme and Convention on Biological Diversity, the consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the progress of convention performing on agro-biodiversity. In light of this review, we provide an analysis of the global challenges of agro-biodiversity and recommendations to meet those challenges.
Achievements: This paper describes a comprehensive overview of the decisions and recommendations from COP2 to COP14, and assesses the qualitative and quantitative indicators related to Goal 9 of the “Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework”. The topic of agricultural biodiversity is thoroughly analyzed across scales, from broad goals to concrete examples. These span the initial “genetic resources” to “protection and sustainable utilization”, and involve multi-dimensional topics, such as soil, pollination, trade, energy, nutrition and health. On the premise of ensuring national food security, this paper shows that China has actively participated in the implementation of agricultural biodiversity and achieved positive results.
Recommendation: In light of continued challenges in agro-biodiversity, the following reasonable suggestions are developed for the improvement of agricultural biodiversity in China. (1) Studying the agro-biodiversity indicators in more depth, taking into account the reality of global development and promoting the implementation required and optional solutions. (2) Taking advantage of nature-based solutions (NbS) to solve the problems of agro-biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in a coordinated way. (3) Keeping in step with the international performance trend, and building multilateral partnerships to achieve the green and sustainable agricultural development. (4) Encouraging the integration of agro-biodiversity protection into enterprise development plans to promote the participation of all stakeholders. These findings and suggestions will contribute to the maintenance of agricultural stability and food security, and lay a foundation for the success and outcome of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Convention (COP15).

High yield and good quality of rice are important guarantees for food security in China, as well as the objective which breeders are pursuing. Grain-filling rate (GFR) is an important and complex agronomic trait in rice, directly affecting grain plumpness, weight, and quality. To date, elite rice germplasm with rapid GFR is rare, and valuable gene resources for breeding remain limited, which has become a bottleneck for further improvement of yield and quality in rice breeding. Comparing with other rice agronomic traits, GFR is highly complex for its spatio-temporal dynamics and environment- dependent variability, the research of which has long been concentrated on the physiological and biochemical characteristics and cultivation measure control of grain-filling period. The study on the molecular mechanism and genetic regulation of GFR has arisen relatively recently. Here, focusing on the GFR-related genes in rice identified recently, we reviewed the preliminarily known molecular mechanism and genetic regulation of GFR, including the influence of sugar metabolism and transport-related genes on GFR, the transcriptional and translational regulatory genes in GFR, the function of grain size and weight-related quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of GFR, and the analysis of GFR-related QTLs; we also discussed the future perspective of the research strategies for GFR, especially the application potential of phenomics-related technologies for GFR research, in order to promote the foundational research and application in rice breeding.

Rice is the most important crop in the world. However, rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae and sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani are two of diseases, which threaten both yield and quality of rice most severely. To ensure food security, it is very important to identify disease-resistant rice germplasm, clone disease resistant genes, uncover the molecular basis and apply them in rice breeding program. Accurate evaluation of the disease resistance of rice is fundamental to both uncover disease resistance mechanism and improve resistance in rice breeding. Here, we describe the common methods for evaluating rice blast disease resistance by spraying inoculation of seedlings with M. oryzae, injection inoculation at rice tillering and booting stage, and punch inoculation of detached rice leaves. We also describe the methods for evaluating rice sheath blight disease resistance by field inoculation with R. solani at rice tillering stage, greenhouse inoculation at rice booting stage, and inoculation of rice detached-stems in growth chamber. We believe these methods could provide useful protocols for colleagues who aim to identify rice disease-resistant resources, dissect the underlying molecular mechanism and breed elite rice varieties with improved disease resistance.

Recent epidemics, such as the COVID-2019 pandemic, SARS, and rodent plague, pose a major threat to public health, food security, and ecosystem balance globally. These epidemics have all been caused, directly or indirectly, by pathogens found in mammals or other animal vectors. Based on the status of recent terrestrial wildlife epidemics in China, this study summarizes the regulatory and monitoring mechanisms for 24 important diseases occurring in wild mammals, captive breeding wild animals, and domesticated mammals in China, and then identifies gaps in regulation and knowledge for these zoonotic diseases in China. Due to the diversity of pathogens and their transmission routes, these zoonotic diseases have had frequent outbreaks in recent decades, and preventing and controlling them has become one major challenge. Currently, China’s important wildlife epidemics are monitored and controlled by different levels and directives of multiple governmental agencies. The increasing global trade, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, illegal wildlife captive breeding, consumption of wild animals, and lax quarantine processes have led to complex chains of transmission, increasing risk of contact, infection, and transmission of these diseases. Additionally, the frequent occurrence of extreme climate events or natural disasters further complicate the prevention and control of these wildlife epidemics at their sources. Based on these problems in managing and controlling new and recurrent epidemics in China, we propose some countermeasures and suggestions to strengthen basic research and whole-chain supervision in order to actively prevent terrestrial wildlife epidemics.

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of plants is not only an important approach to ensure global food security, but also to achieve sustainable agricultural development. In the past half century, great progress has been made in the study of nitrogen utilization mechanism, but the regulatory mechanism of NUE is not clear and the improvement of NUE is still extremely limited. Photosynthetic carbon assimilation and nitrogen assimilation are integrated in a plant, and only by coordinating carbon and nitrogen metabolism can the carbon/nitrogen balance be maintained and the normal growth and development of plants be regulated. Due to the differences in the photosynthetic nitrogen utilization rate (PNUE) between C₃ and C₄ plants, there will also be differences in the utilization efficiency of nitrogen. In order to improve crop NUE, it is necessary to understand the functions and regulatory mechanisms of key factors involved in nitrogen absorption, transport, assimilation and signal transduction of C₃ and C₄ plants. In addition, studies on carbon and nitrogen assimilation and their mechanisms under the conditions of increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration and global warming should not be ignored. This paper reviews the differences of key factors on nitrogen use between C₃ and C₄ plants and the regulatory mechanisms, and proposes possible ways to improve NUE of C₃ crops by using genetic approaches.

Rising ground-level ozone (O₃) is currently an essential environmental issue in the world, especially in China. While research on the effects of O₃ on leaf photosynthetic gas exchange, plant growth and biomass has received a lot of attention, ecosystem-scale studies are however scarce and subject to great uncertainties. This article combs trends and hotpots of ground-level O₃ concentration and its effects on plants and ecosystems over the past 40 years. Research techniques and assessment methods for studying the ecological effects of ozone pollution are covered. The most important advances on the impacts of elevated ozone on terrestrial ecosystem are reviewed: plant response mechanisms, effects on grain yield, crop quality, carbon sequestration capacity, community structure and below-ground processes of different terrestrial ecosystems. Finally, regional risk assessment of the O₃ pollution is discussed. Considering the main knowledge gaps, future research should focus on belowground ecosystem response to elevated O₃ and should also incorporate O₃ and multi-factor experiments using Free-Air Ozone Concentration Elevation (FACE) system. More attention should also be paid on food security, establishment of Asian ozone network, standardization of risk assessment approach, and exploration of ecological measures to reduce the negative effects of O₃ pollution. This review can help to promote more studies on the ecological effects of ground-level O₃ pollution.

Traditional knowledge (TK) related to the utilization of biological resources is a knowledge system for identifying and utilizing biological resources. With the development of modern biotechnology, TK highlights its values of science, economy, culture and even food security. In accordance with the Technical Regulations on Classification, Investigation and Documentation of Traditional Knowledge Related to Biodiversity (Trial Version), this study conducted the systematic investigation and documentation of the TK related to the utilization of biological resources by Tu nationality in different ethnic agglomeration areas in Qinghai Province, and applied biodiversity index to TK diversity analysis. The results show that: (1) 424 items of TK of Tu nationality’s utilization of biological resources have been documented. (2) The α diversity index (D_TK) of TK of Tu nationality is 0.67, which indicates that the diversity of TK of Tu nationality is high; but the β diversity index of TK varies in different counties, indicating that the TK of Tu nationality has unique spatial distribution in different areas with uneven and patchy characteristics. This study applied biodiversity index to TK diversity analysis and verified with the TK of Tu nationality as an example. It could be concluded that the diversity index of TK could not only objectively and practically quantify the diversity of TK but also provide the fundamental basis for establishing a quantitative research methodology of TK in the future.

Wild pollinator bees play an important role in ecosystem function and food security. In recent years, natural forests have been lost, while afforestation programs are primarily monoculture plantation, whether commercial or restorative. The net effect for bees has been fragmentation and sometime wholesale loss of habitats. For instance, diversity of wild bees in pure forest, Camellia oleifera and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantation was found to be unexpectedly low. The rampant use of neonicotinoid pesticides and herbicide is known to negatively impact development and behavior of bees. Urbanization has dramatically impacted bee communities, with significant changes in species richness between suburban and central business areas. These are likely tied to the effect of effluent, exhaust gas and dust on foraging, growth and development. Climate change from greenhouse gas emissions can disrupt the mutualistic relationship between pollinating bees and plants via rapid phenological shifts. The above environmental changes occurring in China are likely cause wide declines in diversity and decreases in populations. Although China has rich natural heritage for bees, there is a lack of long term monitoring programs for species of pollinator bees and a dearth of data on distributions of bee species. As a result, the drivers of bee community composition and population decline are poorly understood. We emphasize the need to prioritize surveys of pollinating bees, continue ongoing monitoring programs and build wider research networks for the study of wild pollinator bees. These steps will ensure that sufficient data can accumulate for developing a prediction and risk assessment framework to help manage the declines in pollinating bee populations and mitigate the attendant economic and non-economic impacts.

The international regimes regarding access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources (ABS) are closely related to multiple topics, including biodiversity, food security, public health, intellectual property, and international trade. Until now, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Health Organization (WHO) have developed some of the most effective model regimes separately in accordance with their respective mandates, namely, the Nagoya Protocol, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and Other Benefits (PIPF). These multilateral conventions enable parties to fulfill their respective obligations in a coordinated manner. With respect to intellectual property rights (IPRs), the members of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have managed to produce three drafts regarding aspects of IPRs including conserving genetic resources, traditional knowledge, and folklore. However, negotiation progress has been hindered due to substantial divergence among members over key issues, such as terms of use, subject matter, and scope of protection. With regard to international trade, discussions under the framework of World Trade Organization (WTO) are still stuck on working out the complexities between CBD and the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), where developed members are steadfast in opposing developing countries’ proposals on disclosure of the origin of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge during the process of patent application. In recent years, although some appeals, which invoke exception clauses for environmental protection, have been sustained by WTO dispute settlement mechanisms, countries providing genetic resources still aren’t yet able to draw readily practical references. There are obviously some legal conflicts among the Nagoya Protocol, WIPO, WTO, and other multilateral systems, and resolving such complexities poses difficulties. In contrast, the bilateral approach within the framework of the regional trade agreement (RTA) proves to be more practical and flexible in terms of integrating ABS rules, and providing parties with more domestic legislative freedom and flexibility, which therefore have ushered in a novel way of thinking for coordinating such dilemmas. Nevertheless, we need to be fully aware of the fact that the “private contract mode” favored by few RTAs would inevitably increase the uncertainties for effectively implementing the Nagoya Protocol to a certain extent.

Fertilization plays an important role in soil quality, food supply and security. Although promoting soil biological development is considered as one of the most critical components that organic fertilizers exert on soil compared with chemical fertilization, less attention has been paid to the fertilization-derived influence on crop growth and insect-resistance via soil biota. Understanding the role of soil biota in crop growth and resistance to insects would not only help explain the biological mechanisms of the fertilization effects on soil functions, but also help identify integrative management techniques for soils and crops. Soil suspension was extracted from long-term organically fertilized soils and chemically fertilized soils. Then, the soil suspension was sterilized or non-sterilized to investigate the soil biota’s effects on rice growth and insect-resistance through a soil-free cultured method. Results showed that soil biota and fertilization significantly affected soil nutrient status (P < 0.01). Soil biota decreased soil ammonium content, rice biomass, shoot nitrogen content and the biomass of Nilaparvata lugens, but increased soil nitrate content, rice root-shoot ratio and the contents of root nitrogen, soluble sugar and phenolics (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, soil biota from organically fertilized soils promoted the synthesis of shoot soluble sugar and shoot phenolics. With the addition of Nilaparvata lugens, soil biota significantly reduced rice nitrogen uptake and promoted phenolic synthesis (P < 0.05). Collectively, soil biota, especially from organically fertilized soils, promoted rice resistance traits by altering the nutrient allocation of rice between aboveground and belowground, and by increasing the root-shoot ratio and the synthesis of phenols.

Along with the increase in the utilization of marine biodiversity, conservation is facing challenges. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and its protocols cannot overcome these challenges. The United Nations General Assembly has mandated a working group with the aim to elaborate a new protocol, in order to address the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Access to marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdictions and sharing of benefits arising from their utilization is one of the core issues in discussion, but there is also a lack of common understanding among UN member states regarding the elements of this new protocol. In this paper, we analyze the differences and commonalities of definitions, scope, access, and benefit-sharing in the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Nagoya Protocol, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Recommendations for the establishment of access and benefit-sharing mechanisms for marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdictions were raised: (1) marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdictions are not free to access; (2) the definition of marine genetic resources should cover marine natural products, which are derived from the metabolism of marine living organisms; (3) benefit-sharing obligation shall apply to the genetic resources are accessed before the entry into force of new protocol but are utilized after that; (4) access should be authorized by a competent authority to ensure an Material Transfer Agreement or mutually agreed terms are established; (5) simplified procedures should apply to access for noncommercial purpose, and to great threats on health and food safety, but benefits should also be shared if there is a follow-up commercialization plan; and (6) benefits should be clarified at different stages of the R&D chain, as disclosure of information and monitoring of follow-up utilization conducts are necessary to ensure benefits are shared.

Pollinators provide the vital process of pollination to plants. Maintaining diverse pollinators in ecosystems is essential to global food security, human welfare, and to buffer the negative ecological impacts of climate change. Globally, pollinators are experiencing serious threats from land use change, chemical pesticide use, the introduction of alien invasive species and climate change, leading to a decline in pollinator diversity. This decline can cause decreases in the yield and quality of animal-pollinated crops. Here we propose following three approaches to conserve pollinator diversity and improve pollination services in agricultural landscapes: (1) wildlife-friendly farm practices, such as reduced application of pesticides or conversion to organic farming; (2) promotion of landscape diversity, including conserving and establishing suitable semi-natural habitats, maintaining residual natural habitats, improving crop diversity and optimizing resources or habitats; (3) the use of local pollinator species in industrial applications. Further research is needed examining biological characteristics of pollinator, demand and provision of pollination services, as well as the effects of management practices on pollinator diversity and pollination services.

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are important components of plant genetic resources that are characterized by unique biological traits, including those with great potential and specific value in coping with climate change and ensuring food security. In general, there are more than 24,000 CWR species that can be found in China, many of which are likely to contain valuable characters for crop improvement. There are many ex situ collections of plant genetic resources including some CWR in China, but that does not replace the role and function of in situ conservation, which conserves the diversity of population in nature so that ongoing evolutionary processes of selection and adaptation to their natural habitats are maintained. One hundred and sixty-nine in situ protected areas have been established so far in China, however, there is an urgent need for China to develop a national CWR strategy which identifies prior species for conservation at national and regional levels and the steps needed to secure those species using complementary (in situ and ex situ) conservation approaches. The steps taken so far in China for CWR conservation are discussed and possible conservation strategies are proposed in this paper, which serves as a crucial reference for developing conservation policy for China’s CWR.

Agro-biodiversity plays an important ecological function. It is essential for global food production, livelihood security and sustainable agricultural development. Agro-biodiversity is a key to the stable, healthy, productive, sustainable field ecosystem and for sustainable management of pests. It has attracted increased attention for the prevention and control of pests based on the principles and methods of systems engineering to regulate the biodiversity in agro-ecosystems. We discuss the ecological functions and mechanism of biodiversity of agro-ecosystems in preventing and controlling pests, utilizing information from multiple disciplines including plant pathology, agricultural ecology, plant nutriology, plant physiology and plant allelopathy.

The development and commercialization of transgenic rice with novel traits in China may offer more opportunities for promoting rice productivity. Owing to the significance of rice as a major food crop in China, the enhancement of rice production is important for national food security. If left unaddressed, the potential biosafety concerns over the extensive release and commercial cultivation of transgenic rice may hamper the development and application of this technology in rice improvement. Biosafety issues include: (1) effects of toxic transgenes on non-target organisms; (2) transgene escape to crops or wild relatives through gene flow and its potential ecological consequences; (3) interactions and influences of transgenes and transgenic plants on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and soil microbes; and (4) the development of resistance to insect- or disease-resistant transgenes in target organisms. In order to safely and sustainably utilize transgenic biotechnology in rice, it is very important to assess biosafety consequences, including environmental risks, from transgenic rice. This paper presents a rational analysis of potential environmental biosafety problems based on the principles of risk assessment, provided that transgenic rice will be released for commercialization. We hope these analyses will provide useful information for the decision-making on commercialization of transgenic rice and serve as a framework for the assessment of relevant environmental biosafety risks.

With the rapid industry development and population expansion since the beginning of the 20th century, the concentrations of heavy metals in agricultural soils have become increasingly high in China. Heavy metal pollution in paddy soil not only results in retardation of rice growth and development and subsequent yield losses but also is readily absorbed and accumulated by rice plants. By entering the food chain, it could threaten human health and damage the food safety in China. This paper reviews research advances into absorption, translocation and distribution of heavy metal in rice crops and its mechanisms and offers suggestions for future research.