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The primary objective of this study is to estimate publics' willingness to pay (WTP) for environment conservation and analyze factors influencing WTP. A questionnaire survey based on the contingent valuation method (CVM) was carried out at Kanas Nature Reserve, Xinjiang, China. Seventy-three percent of the 412 respondents were willing to pay at different levels, and the mean WTP value was RMB 54.60 ($8.03). The results of this survey struck an optimistic note that publics were willing to contribute to improve environmental quality. Logistic regression analysis was employed to compare the characteristics of those who were and were not willing to pay. Chi-square tests were administered to identify the relationships between various explanatory factors and WTP. Conclusions and implications of the empirical study can be provided to policy makers and site managers. In a wider sense, the findings of this study should make a good contribution to the literature related to WTP for environment conservation of natural attractions.

Aims To assess the effects of atmospheric N deposition on the C budget of an alpine meadow ecosystem on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, it is necessary to explore the responses of soil-atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) exchange to N addition.Methods Based on a multi-form, low-level N addition experiment, soil CO 2 effluxes were monitored weekly using the static chamber and gas chromatograph technique. Soil variables and aboveground biomass were measured monthly to examine the key driving factors of soil CO 2 efflux.Results The results showed that low-level N input tended to decrease soil moisture, whereas medium-level N input maintained soil moisture. Three-year N additions slightly increased soil inorganic N pools, especially the soil NH 4 + -N pool. N applications significantly increased aboveground biomass and soil CO 2 efflux; moreover, this effect was more significant from NH 4 + -N than from NO 3 − -N fertilizer. In addition, the soil CO 2 efflux was mainly driven by soil temperature, followed by aboveground biomass and NH 4 + -N pool. Conclusions These results suggest that chronic atmospheric N deposition will stimulate soil CO 2 efflux in the alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau by increasing available N content and promoting plant growth.