"China's Chernobyl": COVID-19 Narratives of Collapse and Global Domination

In COVID-19's first months, US politicians and media forecast that a contrast between Chinese deception and incapability and Western success against the pandemic might fatally sink internal confidence in China's party-state. They also predicted that it would diminish China externally, as it came to be seen as endangering the world by spreading biological pollution. A "China's Chernobyl" prediction became the latest "China collapse" wish-fulfillment. This speculation rests on two contradictory yet co-existing Yellow Peril tropes: "deceit and incompetence" and "world domination." However, no empirical basis exists for either notion: China prevailed against the pandemic and lacks the capacity for global hegemony. "China's Chernobyl" is most relevant then as a wish that creates a belief, that China should and could collapse. That in turn bolsters the US-led mobilization to counter China as a "strong competitor" and frames China as the common enemy, thereby promoting Western transnational and US internal cohesion.

Biological pollution of the flora of Volyn’ Polissya in Ukraine by alien plants

This study aimed to analyse biological pollution of the native flora of Volyn’ Polissya in Ukraine by alien plant species. According to the research results, 364 alien plants belonging to 228 genera and 68 families were identified in the spontaneous flora of Volyn’ Polissya. The spectrum of the most species-rich families of the alien fraction of the region’s flora includes Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Caryophyllaceae. As a result of the phytopollution, at least 16 families were included in the region’s flora. Four species currently in a stage of expansion were identified (Reynoutria japonica, Impatiens parviflora, Echinocystis lobata, Bidens frondosa). By origin, the species of the alien fraction of the region’s flora are dominated by the immigrants from the Mediterranean, Iranian-Turan and Atlantic-North American floristic regions. Over the past 30–50 years, at least 80 new species of alien plants have been introduced into the territory of Volyn’ Polissya. Over the past 5–7 years, the speed of the spread and naturalisation rate of species such as Quercus rubra, Asclepias syriaca, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Prunus cerasifera, Hippophae rhamnoides, Oenothera biennis has increased. These species intensively invade the native plant communities. Phytopollution of Volyn’ Polissya is promoted by the migration of alien species from agricultural lands and escaping from cultivation. This process is also facilitated by urbanisation and the development of transport infrastructure.

Study on Application of TiO2 Photocatalytic Materials in Purification of Highway Tunnel Tail Gas

In recent years, with the continuous expansion of the scale of highway tunnels in China, the problem of tail gas pollution in highway tunnels has become increasingly prominent. The tunnel is a long and narrow space, which makes air pollutants easy to accumulate and difficult to diffuse. In this paper, the present situation and application scenarios of TiO2 photocatalytic materials in the purification technology of highway tunnel exhaust gas are studied and analyzed, and the nano TiO2 photocatalytic materials which can be applied to highway tunnels, corresponding highway stations and their affiliated facilities are put forward, so as to greatly degrade automobile exhaust gas, atmospheric chemical pollution and environmental biological pollution.

Distribution of adventive species Solidago canadensis, Phalacroloma annuum, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Heracleum sosnowskyi in phytocenoses of Volyn’ Polissya (Ukraine)

Biological pollution of natural phytocenoses by adventive plant species poses is a serious threat to endemic species and species with narrower ecological amplitude in ecosystems around the world. This study presents the results of a study of the composition and distribution of adventive plant species in natural, semi-natural and anthropogenic transformed phytocenoses of Volyn’ Polissya, Ukraine. To clarify the effect of drainage melioration on non-native flora species distribution, a botanical study was carried out during the 2003–2019 vegetation seasons on the territory of four drainage systems. The adventive flora of this unique region of Europe was studied in detail for the first time. In total, 279 non-native plant species were found. They belong to 110 genera and 32 families. The results of studying the systematic, bioecological, range-distributional and phytogenetic structure of adventive species found within agricultural lands and adjacent territories are presented. It was found that 161 species are associated with agricultural production. Of these, 90 species were found directly within the agricultural land, another 71 species were found growing in the adjacent territories. It was found that a significant increase in the number of adventive species on the territory of Volyn’ Polissya is associated with drainage melioration carried out in the 1960–1990s, significant changes in the structure and forms of agro-industrial production, and climatic changes in recent decades. The expansion of agricultural land in this area over the past 50–60 years has led to an increase in the number of adventive species by more than 60%. On the territory of drainage systems used for agricultural activities, more than 40% of the total species composition of the adventive flora of Volyn’ Polissya is represented. The majority of these species originate from arid and sub arid regions of the planet. The transformer plants, Solidago canadensis L. and Phalacroloma annuum (L.) Dumort pose a potential threat to phytocenoses of the described region, as well as the whole of Europe. Of particular interest are the species that in the future may pose a serious threat to natural phyto-diversity and have negative practical consequences for the structure of agricultural landscapes. These are Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. In general, modern agro ecosystems are characterized by instability and low ability to resist non-native species. The strongly weedy character of cultivated fields and the presence of abandoned uncultivated lands have caused the rapid spread of adventive vegetation. In order to further optimize the structure of agrolandscapes, it is advisable to monitor and regulate not only expansionary invasive species, which is especially important for preventing biological pollution, but also species whose status has not yet been determined.