Journal of Environmental Management最新文献

{"title":"From waste to wealth: How sustainable supply chain management shapes the link between waste management and investment efficiency?","authors":"Nouha Ben Arfa ,&nbsp;Kaouther Chebbi ,&nbsp;Aymen Ammari","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127684","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127684","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite growing corporate sustainability initiatives, the direct relationship between waste management practices and investment efficiency remains largely unexplored, particularly regarding how sustainable supply chain management moderates this relationship. This study investigates the relationship between waste management and investment efficiency, offering new insights into how sustainable supply chain management affects this relationship. A sample of 1458 firm-year observations from S&amp;P 500 firms was collected from Bloomberg and Refinitiv databases between 2010 and 2023. This study uses instrumental variables quantile regression (IVQR) to address potential concerns of endogeneity. The findings reveal that effective waste management significantly enhances investment efficiency. A 10-percentage point increase in recycling ratio reduces investment inefficiency by 0.73 basis points, while a 10-percentage point increase in total waste increases investment inefficiency by 3.83 basis points. The IVQR results confirm these findings while revealing significant moderating effects of sustainable supply chain management. Specifically, sustainable supply chain practices reduce the negative impact of total waste on investment efficiency, particularly for firms in the 90th percentile of investment inefficiency. Conversely, these practices diminish the positive effects of recycling on investment efficiency for high-inefficiency firms, suggesting that operational complexity arising from concurrent recycling and supply chain management initiatives may impair the effectiveness of capital allocation. These findings suggest that managers should strategically sequence waste reduction and supply chain sustainability initiatives to minimize operational complexity. Meanwhile, regulators should implement differentiated policies, emphasizing waste reduction incentives for high-waste firms and providing tailored recycling support based on each firm's efficiency profile, to optimize investment outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127684"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145335086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of China's Clean Air Action and future strategies: Actions targeting regionally dominant sources.","authors":"Xuelian Peng, Nan Fu, Jinze Wang, Yuanchen Chen, Kang Mao, Lu Zhang, Yiming Qin, Jianhuai Ye, Wei Du, Peng Zhang, Bo Pan, Shu Tao","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127680","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127680","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chinese government has implemented a series of measures to reduce air pollution and protect human health, namely Clean Air Action. This initiative has significantly reduced concentrations of common air pollutants, with inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) levels decreasing by 40.7, 48.5, 32.3 and 76.2 %, respectively, except for ozone (O₃) increasing by 11.1 %. Furthermore, the composition of PM_2.5 has changed, and the health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals have reduced, highlighting the effectiveness of Clean Air Action. However, the impact of Clean Air Action is complex and multifaceted. The abnormal increase in O₃ is primarily due to the complex interactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and PM_2.5, which together affected the photochemical balance. The relative versus absolute shifts in pollutant sources further complicate this picture. Despite overall emission reductions, the relative contributions from biomass burning have increased in some areas, with its share in black carbon in Shanghai rising from 17.9 % in 2013 to 45.0 % in 2019, and its proportion of PAHs in Beijing increasing from 10.2 % in 2014 to 22.5 % in 2021. This inconsistency highlights that the contribution of pollutant sources is relative, not absolute. Systematic research on the molecular-level impacts and the relative shifts in pollution sources provides valuable insights for effective air quality control strategies. Future efforts in China focus on reducing pollutants emissions from some significant contributors such as biomass burning, customizing VOCs/NOx control strategies locally to reduce O₃, and continuously monitoring PM_2.5 composition to evaluate policy effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"394 ","pages":"127680"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145342433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective strategies for pathogen reduction in decentralized wastewater treatment systems.","authors":"Marta Lois, Matías Rivadulla, Ravi K Chhetri, Sonia Suárez, Henrik R Andersen, Francisco Omil, Jesús L Romalde","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127692","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127692","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decentralized wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is a suitable alternative for the removal of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses, thus reducing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks. In this research, the effectiveness of different MBRs in removing pathogenic bacteria with clinical relevance (Klebsiella spp. and Enterococcus spp.) and enteric viruses (Norovirus - NoV - genogroups GI and GII, Sapovirus - SaV - and Hepatitis E Virus -HEV-) was evaluated in two decentralized collection systems: Demosite 1 (urban wastewater separated in black and grey fractions) and Demosite 2 (hospital effluents). We also evaluated the applicability of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) as general fecal contamination biomarker in water samples and its potential as indicator of viral removal in the two decentralized systems. Our data demonstrated that decentralized treatment through anaerobic and combined anoxic/aerobic treatment methods at both demosites efficiently eliminated pathogenic bacteria and enteric viruses. Log Removal Values (LRVs) at Demosite 1 and Demosite 2 reached up to >4.98 and > 4.95 for bacteria, respectively, and >7.53 and > >6.78 for enteric viruses, respectively. Enterococcus spp. such as E. faecalis and E. hirae, and NoV (GII and a lesser extent GI) were the most recalcitrant pathogens in the systems. We also demonstrated the potential of PMMoV as an indicator of enteric viral reduction during decentralized treatment process. This work highlights the reliability of decentralized treatment systems in reducing pathogenic microorganisms, offering a practical solution for improving public health and environmental safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"394 ","pages":"127692"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145342432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-situ Ni and F co-doped sulfur vacancies rich photoresponsive AgIn5S8 mediated peroxymonosulfate activation for elimination of sulfamethoxazole in water","authors":"S. Sudheer Khan ,&nbsp;Zareen Suhara Nazeer Ali ,&nbsp;Abdallah M. Elgorban ,&nbsp;S. Balasurya ,&nbsp;Hind A. AL-Shwaiman","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study reporting the construction of Ni and F co-doped AgIn₅S₈ (AIS) via facile hydrothermal strategy, engineered for superior photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SLX). SEM analysis revealed mesoporous micro spherical morphology of AIS, while EDAX analysis validated the successful incorporation of Ni and F dopants. XRD analysis identified the cubic spinel phase of AIS with well-defined hkl planes, while the emergence of composite peaks elucidated integration of Ni and F within the crystal lattice. BET and BJH analyses demonstrated a substantial increase in surface area, enhancing adsorption and photocatalytic performance. XPS and PL studies further confirmed the presence of doping-induced sulfur defects, effectively improving charge separation efficiency and minimizing electron-hole recombination. The optimized Ni/F-AIS catalyst and peroxumonosulfate activation exhibited 92.07 % mineralization of SLX with a rate constant of 0.0042 min⁻¹, which is 1.75 times higher than pristine AIS. The mechanistic insights gained through radical scavenging assays and ESR analysis confirmed the dominant role of O₂•⁻ radicals in the degradation process. A remarkable reusability efficiency of 89.75 % after six successive cycles underscores the long-term stability and durability of the photocatalyst. UV–vis DRS studies provided deeper insights into charge transfer mechanisms, revealing the Burstein-Moss effect, which modulates the optical bandgap and enhances visible-light absorption. Furthermore, mineralization pathway was systematically elucidated through GC-MS analysis, and the toxicity of degradation intermediates was assessed via ECOSAR tool, ensuring environmental compatibility. These findings pave the way for advanced wastewater treatment technologies and the effective removal of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127624"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A salt-free strategy for selective lithium recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries.","authors":"Xiaolong Dai, Tiangui Qi, Xiaobin Li, Zhihong Peng, Guihua Liu, Qiusheng Zhou, Yilin Wang, Leiting Shen, Jian Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127696","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent years, recycling spent lithium-ion batteries has gained significant attention. Traditional acid-based lithium recovery generates high-salt wastewater during precipitation. This study proposes a novel hydrothermal reduction leaching method for selective lithium extraction from spent ternary lithium battery cathode powder. First, the powder was pretreated with 1 mol L^-1NaOH at 120 °C to remove fluorine, achieving 95.6 % removal efficiency. The fluorine-containing alkaline solution was treated with lime, precipitating fluorine with 95.4 % efficiency. Then, under hydrothermal conditions (175 °C, 60 % hydrazine hydrate, liquid-to-solid ratio of 4 g mL^-1), lithium was selectively leached with 98.2 % efficiency. Leaching efficiencies of nickel, cobalt, and manganese were all below 0.01 %, demonstrating over 99.9 % selectivity. Transition metals were reduced to low-valence states during leaching. XRD analysis of the crystalline products in the leachate confirmed that lithium existed predominantly as LiOH(aq). Lithium carbonate was recovered by reacting the leachate with CO₂(g) at 95 °C and 0.2 (±0.02) MPa, achieving 80.2 % precipitation efficiency. The method offers high lithium recovery, excellent selectivity, and avoids high-salt wastewater generation, thereby promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"394 ","pages":"127696"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145342439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carbon source heterogeneity modulates microbial co-occurrence networks and stochastic assembly to drive divergent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation in biostimulated soils","authors":"Beibei Wang ,&nbsp;Yun Zhang ,&nbsp;Huiting Tan ,&nbsp;Xiongxiong Wang ,&nbsp;Qingling Wang ,&nbsp;Jinyu Hou ,&nbsp;Xiaobing Wang ,&nbsp;Wuxing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Remediating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils requires understanding how biostimulant types regulate functional microbial communities. This study systematically compared the mechanisms of plant-derived (rice straw [RS] and sodium lignosulfonate [LN]) versus animal manure-derived (pig manure [PM] and cow dung [CD]) biostimulants in reshaping microbial ecological processes during PAH degradation. Through 90-day microcosm experiments, we integrated high-throughput sequencing, qPCR, and co-occurrence network analysis to assess microbial community responses. Results showed plant-derived biostimulants achieved significantly higher PAH degradation efficiency (76.84 % and 73.43 % for high-molecular-weight PAHs [HMW PAHs] in RS and LN, respectively) compared to animal manure-derived ones (24.35 % in CD). The RS treatment specifically enriched nine keystone PAH-degrading genera (e.g., <em>Sphingobium</em>, <em>Micromonospora</em>, <em>Olivibacter</em>). Network analysis revealed RS enhanced positive correlations to 71.09 %, whereas CD reduced network complexity and stability. Null model analysis indicated stochastic processes dominated community assembly under plant-derived biostimulants, while deterministic selection prevailed with animal manure-derived inputs. These findings demonstrate that carbon source characteristics fundamentally shape microbial interaction patterns and assembly processes, providing a theoretical basis for precision biostimulation. Plant-derived biostimulants are preferred for long-term remediation of HMW PAH-contaminated sites, while animal manure-derived options may suit acute pollution scenarios requiring rapid degrader enrichment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127732"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CEO-narcissism and its asymmetric long- and short-run relations with environmental, social and governance performances: A panel examination of 125 companies in the USA","authors":"Melike Bildirici ,&nbsp;Özgür Ömer Ersin","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>By employing a new social-media-based CEO-narcissism index (CNISM), the study explores the dynamic association among CEO-narcissism (CN) and environmental social governance (ESG) performances, environmental performance scores (EPS), and a large set of controls for financial variables (FV) in 125 companies in the USA for 2010–2023. Novel Panel Quantile Autoregressive (PQARDL) model is employed to achieve an enriched empirical examination for asymmetric impacts of CN and EPS on ESG performances in the long- and short-run. Additional controls are included for robustness to their time-varying effects, including management quality, regulatory quality and industry effects along with bootstrapped standard errors. Afterward, Panel Granger-Causality (PGC) tests are utilized to identify causality dynamics among CN, ESG, EPS and FV. The empirical findings confirmed negative effects of CN with varying coefficients depending on different ESG quantiles, as well as positive effects of EPS, positive or negative effects from FV to ESG depending on FV measure including different financial performance measures in the long-run. Further, negative effects of CN in majority of quantiles of ESG in the short-run appear as a significant factor influencing ESG asymmetrically along with negative effects of EPS on ESG in line with relatively low association between ESG and EPS with important implications. The most negative effects of CN occur for companies and periods with lowest levels of ESG as CN upsurges come with further negative effects on ESG, however the ESG-reduction effect of CN diminishes at higher quantiles. In the short-run, the positive effect of CN dominates results, which highlights the contrast between the long- and short-run treatment. The results were tested and confirmed for robustness to reverse-causation and endogeneity, and reliability and measurement validity is affirmed with tests. Platform-choice were tested for correlations with the traditional CNIT index, and the results suggested efficiency of the new CNISM index in different platforms. PGC results further indicated significant causality from CN to ESG, bidirectional feedbacks between CN and ESG, and unidirectional causality from all FV to ESG. Important implications are suggested for policy makers, managers and for related empirical literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127721"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145335085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of mineral resources on the growth of the harmful algal species Microcystis aeruginosa: From screening to understanding the underlying mechanisms","authors":"Hyeonjung Yu ,&nbsp;So-Jeong Kim ,&nbsp;Jungho Ryu,&nbsp;Dong-Wan Cho,&nbsp;In-Hyun Nam","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The bloom-forming toxic cyanobacterium <em>Microcystis aeruginosa</em> synthesizes multiple secondary metabolites that pose significant risks to human health. Consequently, various studies have focused on strategies to control the growth of <em>M</em>. <em>aeruginosa</em>. However, little is known about the effect of natural minerals on the physiological activity of <em>M</em>. <em>aeruginosa</em>. This study aimed to investigate the potential of diverse natural minerals for controlling harmful cyanobacterial growth. Among the five tested candidates, sericite exhibited the most pronounced inhibitory effect on growth of <em>M</em>. <em>aeruginosa</em>. Notably, photosynthetic activity decreased significantly as sericite concentrations increased, likely due to the inhibition of the electron transport pathway. To elucidate the underlying inhibitory mechanisms, transcriptome analysis was conducted, identifying 88 differentially expressed genes. Among them, several genes associated with inorganic ion transport, metabolism, energy production and conversion were up-regulated in the sericite cultures, suggesting that sericite may have induced cellular stress. This stress would likely disrupt cellular homeostasis and energy production, resulting in growth inhibition. This study offers new insights through a comprehensive investigation of the molecular-level effects of sericite on the growth of <em>M</em>. <em>aeruginosa</em>, and highlights the potential use of natural minerals for environmentally sustainable control of harmful algal blooms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127653"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intensity and duration of urbanisation drive adaptive divergence of functional traits and ecological strategies in Youngia japonica.","authors":"Chunhua Cen, Mengping Jian, Zijin Wang, Jingyi Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127736","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127736","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urbanization affects plant adaptation because of the spatial distribution of impermeable surfaces and temporally persistent severe disturbances. However, how the duration of urbanization affects plant adaptation processes is unclear. We investigated the impact of urbanization intensity and duration on the functional traits and CSR (Competitor-Stress Tolerator-Ruderal) strategies of Youngia japonica. Urbanization significantly influenced plant height, leaf characteristics, flower diameter, decreased S-selection, and promoted R-selection. Populations from high and extreme urbanization areas with prolonged exposure demonstrated greater plant metrics and intraspecific C-selection, but lower R-selection, compared to those from areas with shorter exposure. Controlled common garden experiments corroborated these findings, revealing the highest C-selection and lowest R-selection under extreme urbanization. Similarly, populations from prolonged extreme urbanization had reduced plant height, leaf length, and specific leaf area after cultivation in common gardens. In situ measurements and common garden experiments showed that common garden populations in similar urban settings had notably larger leaf length, area, and weight compared to in situ populations. Areas with long-term extreme urbanization consistently selected for larger flowers across both environments. Additionally, populations exposed to prolonged urbanization exhibited more stable leaf and plant height characteristics. Conversely, those from shorter-duration urban environments demonstrated quicker trait recovery in common gardens. The level and duration of urbanization significantly influence the adaptive divergence in plant functional traits and ecological strategies. Extreme urbanization accentuates these differences, potentially leading to trait stabilization over time. Further research is needed to determine how different durations of urbanization affect ecological and evolutionary processes, which could advance the field of evolutionary ecology.</p>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"394 ","pages":"127736"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145342440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grazing disturbance reduces soil organic carbon sequestration and stability in desert steppe","authors":"Naijing Lu ,&nbsp;Tianqi Zhao ,&nbsp;Jianying Guo ,&nbsp;Mengli Zhao ,&nbsp;Guodong Han ,&nbsp;Zhongwu Wang ,&nbsp;Jiangfeng He ,&nbsp;Rui Zhao ,&nbsp;Yong Wang ,&nbsp;Jian Guan ,&nbsp;Bin Zhang ,&nbsp;Guang Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While grazing effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are documented, how stocking rates repartition carbon between labile and stable fractions in desert steppes remains unknown. Previous studies have focused predominantly on individual carbon pool stocks rather than on inter-component equilibrium. Here, we evaluated the results of a twenty-year controlled grazing experiment, systematically analyzing how prolonged stocking pressure alters the proportional stability of particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) by disrupting the formation of POC and MAOC from plant and microbial precursors. We found that, despite maintaining stable proportions relative to total SOC, POC and MAOC sub-pools exhibited parallel declines under overgrazing. This demonstrates that SOC destabilization arises from systemic changes to carbon repartitioning rather than from isolated pool depletion. Grazing-induced shifts in plant community composition and soil structural features impaired microbial functionality and enzymatic processes, limiting the transformation of organic substrates into more stable forms of soil carbon. These findings advance desert steppe management by highlighting the importance of prioritizing component ratio stability over conventional stock-based metrics and offers actionable strategies to balance carbon sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":356,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Management","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 127675"},"PeriodicalIF":8.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}