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Metabolic Network Analysis Reveals Human Impact on Urban Nitrogen Cycles

Author

Listed:
  • Yong Min

    (Center for Computational Communication Research, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China
    School of Journalism and Communication, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Hong Li

    (Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China)

  • Ying Ge

    (College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Jie Chang

    (College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

Abstract

Human interactions have led to the emergence of a higher complexity of urban metabolic networks; hence, traditional natural- or agriculture-oriented biogeochemical models might not be transferred well to urban environments. Increasingly serious environmental problems require the development of new concepts and models. Here, we propose a basic paradigm for urban–rural complex nitrogen (N) metabolic network reconstruction (NMNR) by introducing new concepts and methodologies from systems biology at the molecular scale, analyzing both local and global structural properties and exploring optimization and regulation methods. Using the Great Hangzhou Areas System (GHA) as a case study, we revealed that pathway fluxes follow a power law distribution, which indicates that human-dominated pathways constitute the principal part of the functions of the whole network. However, only 1.16% of the effective cycling pathways and an average hamming distance of only 5.23 between the main pathways indicate that the network lacks diverse pathways and feedback loops, which could lead to low robustness. Furthermore, more than half of the N fluxes did not pass through core metabolism, causing waste and pollution. We also provided strategies to design network structures and regulate system function: improving robustness and reducing pollution by referring to the characteristics of biochemical metabolic networks (e.g., the bow-tie structure). This method can be used to replace the trial-and-error method in system regulation and design. By decomposing the GHA N metabolic network into 4398 metabolic pathways and the corresponding fluxes with a power law distribution, NMNR helps us quantify the vulnerability in the current urban nitrogen cycle. The basic ideas and methodology in NMNR can be applied to coupled human and natural systems to advance global sustainable development studies, and they can also extend systems biology from the molecule to complex ecosystems and lead to the development of multi-scale unified theory in systems biology.

Suggested Citation

  • Yong Min & Hong Li & Ying Ge & Jie Chang, 2024. "Metabolic Network Analysis Reveals Human Impact on Urban Nitrogen Cycles," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:8:p:1199-:d:1449835
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jörg Stelling & Steffen Klamt & Katja Bettenbrock & Stefan Schuster & Ernst Dieter Gilles, 2002. "Metabolic network structure determines key aspects of functionality and regulation," Nature, Nature, vol. 420(6912), pages 190-193, November.
    2. David Tilman & Kenneth G. Cassman & Pamela A. Matson & Rosamond Naylor & Stephen Polasky, 2002. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices," Nature, Nature, vol. 418(6898), pages 671-677, August.
    3. David R. Kanter, 2018. "Nitrogen pollution: a key building block for addressing climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 11-21, March.
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