Pub Date : 2025-04-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107640
Xiaoshan Zhang , Jiajia Fu , Peiyan Ma , Guodong Diwu , Tiantian Li , Hongze Ma , Zhouping Shangguan , Lei Deng , Yangquanwei Zhong , Weiming Yan
Vegetation restoration has been implemented globally to prevent land degradation and improve soil structure and fertility. The promoting effect of vegetation restoration on soil nutrients has been widely studied; however, controversy remains regarding the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions to different types of vegetation restoration on a global scale. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of 657 paired observations from 78 papers published worldwide to investigate the effects of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions. Our results indicated that vegetation restoration had positive effects on SOC (32.62 %), particularly on large aggregate carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon, and conversion from cropland to forest was the most effective restoration strategy for enhancing SOC. The management patterns, climate factors and site conditions impacted the changes in SOC and its fractions during restoration. Initial soil conditions were the primary factors controlling the impacts of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions, followed by climate factors including mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature (MAT). Compared with areas with a MAT ≥15 °C, regions with a MAT <15 °C were more favorable for SOC accumulation. Additionally, the duration of restoration was positively correlated with an increase in SOC, but the positive effects of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions decreased with increasing soil depth. Our findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding SOC and its fractions in the context of vegetation restoration.
{"title":"Impact of vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon fractions: A global meta-analysis","authors":"Xiaoshan Zhang , Jiajia Fu , Peiyan Ma , Guodong Diwu , Tiantian Li , Hongze Ma , Zhouping Shangguan , Lei Deng , Yangquanwei Zhong , Weiming Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation restoration has been implemented globally to prevent land degradation and improve soil structure and fertility. The promoting effect of vegetation restoration on soil nutrients has been widely studied; however, controversy remains regarding the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions to different types of vegetation restoration on a global scale. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of 657 paired observations from 78 papers published worldwide to investigate the effects of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions. Our results indicated that vegetation restoration had positive effects on SOC (32.62 %), particularly on large aggregate carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon, and conversion from cropland to forest was the most effective restoration strategy for enhancing SOC. The management patterns, climate factors and site conditions impacted the changes in SOC and its fractions during restoration. Initial soil conditions were the primary factors controlling the impacts of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions, followed by climate factors including mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature (MAT). Compared with areas with a MAT ≥15 °C, regions with a MAT <15 °C were more favorable for SOC accumulation. Additionally, the duration of restoration was positively correlated with an increase in SOC, but the positive effects of vegetation restoration on SOC and its fractions decreased with increasing soil depth. Our findings provide a theoretical framework for understanding SOC and its fractions in the context of vegetation restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107640"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825473","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107646
Meifang Wang , Weijun Luo , Yanwei Wang , Guangneng Zeng , Jia Chen , Lin Zhang , Xianli Cai , Anyun Cheng , Shijie Wang
Due to the implementation of various vegetation restoration measures, vegetation recovery is remarkable in karst areas of Southwest China, which is the main region for global greening. However, the effects of natural vegetation restoration on the soil profile microenvironment, particularly in karst regions, remain largely unknown. From 2018 to 2021, we continuously monitored the soil temperatures, moisture contents, CO2 concentrations and stable carbon isotopic compositions of the four soil profiles in the naturally restored region of Puding Karst Ecosystem Research Station to reveal their changes resulting from natural vegetation restoration for abandoned farmland in karst regions. The results showed that at the initial stage (herbaceous stage) of natural vegetation restoration, the initial weeds were gradually replaced with a single dominant species, with the C4 plants Imperata and Miscanthus becoming the main contributors to the vegetation biomass of the abandoned farmland. The soil profile temperature and moisture content decreased. The soil moisture content significantly decreased at a depth of 40 cm. The soil profile CO2 concentration showed both increase or decrease. During the restoration from weeds to the single species Imperata, the soil CO2 concentration increased, and the δ13C values gradually became positive. In comparison, during the restoration from weeds to the single species Miscanthus, the soil profile CO2 concentration decreased, and the δ13C values gradually became positive. Moreover, the increase in soil porosity enhanced the carbon exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. Dominant species slow down positive succession, and artificial interventions are needed to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
{"title":"Changes in soil profile temperature, moisture content, and CO2 concentration during the initial stages of natural vegetation restoration of abandoned farmland in karst regions","authors":"Meifang Wang , Weijun Luo , Yanwei Wang , Guangneng Zeng , Jia Chen , Lin Zhang , Xianli Cai , Anyun Cheng , Shijie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the implementation of various vegetation restoration measures, vegetation recovery is remarkable in karst areas of Southwest China, which is the main region for global greening. However, the effects of natural vegetation restoration on the soil profile microenvironment, particularly in karst regions, remain largely unknown. From 2018 to 2021, we continuously monitored the soil temperatures, moisture contents, CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations and stable carbon isotopic compositions of the four soil profiles in the naturally restored region of Puding Karst Ecosystem Research Station to reveal their changes resulting from natural vegetation restoration for abandoned farmland in karst regions. The results showed that at the initial stage (herbaceous stage) of natural vegetation restoration, the initial weeds were gradually replaced with a single dominant species, with the C4 plants Imperata and Miscanthus becoming the main contributors to the vegetation biomass of the abandoned farmland. The soil profile temperature and moisture content decreased. The soil moisture content significantly decreased at a depth of 40 cm. The soil profile CO<sub>2</sub> concentration showed both increase or decrease. During the restoration from weeds to the single species Imperata, the soil CO<sub>2</sub> concentration increased, and the δ<sup>13</sup>C values gradually became positive. In comparison, during the restoration from weeds to the single species Miscanthus, the soil profile CO<sub>2</sub> concentration decreased, and the δ<sup>13</sup>C values gradually became positive. Moreover, the increase in soil porosity enhanced the carbon exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. Dominant species slow down positive succession, and artificial interventions are needed to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem stability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107646"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825474","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-12DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107637
Rohan Benjankar , Daniele Tonina , Andrew W. Tranmer , Sabin Paudel , Aruna Shrestha
Hydraulic variability (e.g., reach-scale heterogeneity of depth, velocity, and shear stress) can generate diverse riverine habitat conditions that support species biodiversity and ecological resilience. To evaluate hydraulic variability over a range of discharges from seasonal low flow to overbank flood, we used a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model to simulate depth (D), velocity (V), shear stress (τ), and the hydromorphological index of diversity (HMID), a dimensionless index used to characterize hydraulic heterogeneity. Simulated hydraulics were also used to evaluate aquatic (bull trout rearing) and riparian (cottonwood and willow seedling recruitment) habitat quality. We compared each of these metrics against the dimensionless relative floodplain width (W*) of individual (1 km long) reaches over 22 km of a semi-confined gravel-bed river system.
Hydraulic variability, aquatic habitat, and riparian forest recruitment depended on discharge and W*. Hydraulic variability generally decreased with increasing discharge but increased with greater W*. Confined reaches (W* < 2.5) maintained low hydraulic variability regardless of discharge, whereas less confined reaches (W* > 2.5) exhibited greater variability during higher flows. Aquatic habitat quality also generally decreased as discharge increased because velocities became too fast in the channel for bull trout rearing habitat. The influence of W* was most important for aquatic habitat during higher discharges when greater off-channel habitat in the floodplain became hydraulically connected and increased habitat quality and area. Hydraulic variability during sub-bankfull discharges was not important for aquatic habitat, but became critical during overbank flow when hydraulic refuge was necessary during flood conditions. In contrast, overbank floods provided critical riparian recruitment processes that increased with greater W*. This ecohydraulic modeling approach can help watershed managers prioritize riverine restoration for increased hydraulic variability to improve/restore aquatic and riparian seedling recruitment habitat over large spatial scales.
{"title":"The importance of floodplain width on hydraulic variability and aquatic-riparian habitat in semi-confined, regulated river systems","authors":"Rohan Benjankar , Daniele Tonina , Andrew W. Tranmer , Sabin Paudel , Aruna Shrestha","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydraulic variability (e.g., reach-scale heterogeneity of depth, velocity, and shear stress) can generate diverse riverine habitat conditions that support species biodiversity and ecological resilience. To evaluate hydraulic variability over a range of discharges from seasonal low flow to overbank flood, we used a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model to simulate depth (<em>D</em>), velocity (<em>V</em>), shear stress (τ), and the hydromorphological index of diversity (<em>HMID</em>), a dimensionless index used to characterize hydraulic heterogeneity. Simulated hydraulics were also used to evaluate aquatic (bull trout rearing) and riparian (cottonwood and willow seedling recruitment) habitat quality. We compared each of these metrics against the dimensionless relative floodplain width (<em>W*</em>) of individual (1 km long) reaches over 22 km of a semi-confined gravel-bed river system.</div><div>Hydraulic variability, aquatic habitat, and riparian forest recruitment depended on discharge and <em>W*</em>. Hydraulic variability generally decreased with increasing discharge but increased with greater <em>W*</em>. Confined reaches (<em>W*</em> < 2.5) maintained low hydraulic variability regardless of discharge, whereas less confined reaches (<em>W*</em> > 2.5) exhibited greater variability during higher flows. Aquatic habitat quality also generally decreased as discharge increased because velocities became too fast in the channel for bull trout rearing habitat. The influence of <em>W*</em> was most important for aquatic habitat during higher discharges when greater off-channel habitat in the floodplain became hydraulically connected and increased habitat quality and area. Hydraulic variability during sub-bankfull discharges was not important for aquatic habitat, but became critical during overbank flow when hydraulic refuge was necessary during flood conditions. In contrast, overbank floods provided critical riparian recruitment processes that increased with greater <em>W*</em>. This ecohydraulic modeling approach can help watershed managers prioritize riverine restoration for increased hydraulic variability to improve/restore aquatic and riparian seedling recruitment habitat over large spatial scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107637"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820969","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-12DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107636
Yanan Qiao , Chao Ma , Jijian Lian , Kui Xu , Zhanfeng Qi , Ye Yao
The composite ecological floating bed was a commonly used in-situ treatment technology for the remediation and purification of polluted water bodies. The plant root system on the floating bed was the main area for the absorption and degradation of pollutants in the water, and its hindering effect made the flow rate of the water flow into the area when the flow rate was drastically reduced, and part of the water flow would leave the root zone from the side or the bottom, which would affect the purification effect. Therefore, it was vital to clarify the overflow situation of the river cross-section under the effect of ecological floating bed. In this paper, on the basis of physical model tests, the lateral distribution characteristics of flow velocity in the open channel of composite ecological floating beds under different aeration and flooding ratios were investigated, and the lateral partitioning of the time-averaged flow velocity and its diversion law were revealed. This study could further quantify the lateral outflow percentage and bottom outflow percentage of the root zone of the floating beds, which could provide theoretical guidance and support for the selection and layout of the ecological floating beds in the field in the future.
{"title":"Study on urban open channel cross-sectional overcurrent under composite ecological floating bed layout","authors":"Yanan Qiao , Chao Ma , Jijian Lian , Kui Xu , Zhanfeng Qi , Ye Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The composite ecological floating bed was a commonly used in-situ treatment technology for the remediation and purification of polluted water bodies. The plant root system on the floating bed was the main area for the absorption and degradation of pollutants in the water, and its hindering effect made the flow rate of the water flow into the area when the flow rate was drastically reduced, and part of the water flow would leave the root zone from the side or the bottom, which would affect the purification effect. Therefore, it was vital to clarify the overflow situation of the river cross-section under the effect of ecological floating bed. In this paper, on the basis of physical model tests, the lateral distribution characteristics of flow velocity in the open channel of composite ecological floating beds under different aeration and flooding ratios were investigated, and the lateral partitioning of the time-averaged flow velocity and its diversion law were revealed. This study could further quantify the lateral outflow percentage and bottom outflow percentage of the root zone of the floating beds, which could provide theoretical guidance and support for the selection and layout of the ecological floating beds in the field in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107636"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143820970","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107639
Jinyao Lin , Yu Wang , Zhuochun Lin , Shaoying Li
Global forest cover has been shrinking at an accelerating rate over the past decade due to deforestation and forest degradation. Connecting fragmented forest patches can effectively promote ecosystem health and sustainability. However, previous studies have rarely conducted forest network analysis at the national scale. Therefore, we aim to provide a comprehensive solution for the establishment of large-scale forest networks. We focused on China and combined morphological spatial pattern analysis with connectivity indicators for recognizing forest ecological sources at different distance thresholds. Moreover, the linkage mapper was employed for determining practicable ecological corridors. We found 734 ecological sources and 1717 practicable corridors within the national forests at a distance threshold of 3000 m. At an increase threshold of 5000 m, the number of ecological sources reached 934, with 2176 practicable ecological corridors. Notably, smaller ecological sources dominated the country at both distance thresholds, but more small ecological sources acted as “stepping stones” when the distance threshold was 5000 m. The forest patches in Northeast China and the Eastern Himalayas had high centrality values because they are crucial for maintaining connections between ecological sources. Our findings underscore the importance of connecting dispersed and fragmented forest patches at large scales to promote ecosystem health and sustainability. These results not only contribute to the understanding of forest networks but also offer practical guidance for national-scale forest conservation endeavors. The construction of such forest networks could be a pivotal strategy for conserving biodiversity and ensuring the long-term well-being of ecosystems.
{"title":"National-scale connectivity analysis and construction of forest networks based on graph theory: A case study of China","authors":"Jinyao Lin , Yu Wang , Zhuochun Lin , Shaoying Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107639","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107639","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global forest cover has been shrinking at an accelerating rate over the past decade due to deforestation and forest degradation. Connecting fragmented forest patches can effectively promote ecosystem health and sustainability. However, previous studies have rarely conducted forest network analysis at the national scale. Therefore, we aim to provide a comprehensive solution for the establishment of large-scale forest networks. We focused on China and combined morphological spatial pattern analysis with connectivity indicators for recognizing forest ecological sources at different distance thresholds. Moreover, the linkage mapper was employed for determining practicable ecological corridors. We found 734 ecological sources and 1717 practicable corridors within the national forests at a distance threshold of 3000 m. At an increase threshold of 5000 m, the number of ecological sources reached 934, with 2176 practicable ecological corridors. Notably, smaller ecological sources dominated the country at both distance thresholds, but more small ecological sources acted as “stepping stones” when the distance threshold was 5000 m. The forest patches in Northeast China and the Eastern Himalayas had high centrality values because they are crucial for maintaining connections between ecological sources. Our findings underscore the importance of connecting dispersed and fragmented forest patches at large scales to promote ecosystem health and sustainability. These results not only contribute to the understanding of forest networks but also offer practical guidance for national-scale forest conservation endeavors. The construction of such forest networks could be a pivotal strategy for conserving biodiversity and ensuring the long-term well-being of ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107639"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799591","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}
The major challenge of mine ecological restoration that adheres to the systems concept is how to achieve holism and systematics. From an ecological security pattern perspective, understanding how small-to-medium-scale mines (SMMs) impact the ecological network at the watershed scale is critical for prioritizing restoration efforts and specific restoration pathways, which is conducive to achieving holistic protection, systematic restoration, and comprehensive management. Choosing a typical SMMs clustered watershed in northwestern Liaoning Province, this study employed morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) to construct the ecological network. By analyzing the dynamic evolution of the ecological network from 1989 to 2022 and combining it with the mine development characteristics, the damage mechanisms of SMMs to the ecosystem structure were identified. Using graph theory and Conefor software, restoration priority areas and corresponding restoration pathways were identified through an evaluation of the ecological connectivity importance of mines. Results indicated significant declines in ecological sources and corridors from 1989 to 2022, with decreasing α, β, γ indices reflecting weakened connectivity and stability of the ecological network. Single small-scale mines without clusters directly destroy only a portion of ecological sources at the periphery of the mining center (usually 2–4 times the size of the mine). Large-scale clustered SMMs indirectly cause the disappearance of ecological sources and corridors connecting those sources altogether through their impact on landscape patterns. Systematic restoration of SMMs should follow nature-based solutions (NbS), which can be used to comprehensively determine restoration pathways based on the ecological status and damage mechanisms of each mine, including natural regeneration, assisted regeneration, and guided artificial reconstruction. Especially for large-scale clustered SMMs, all mines should be planned and restored uniformly to integrate with the surrounding natural ecosystems and enhance the stability of the ecological network. This systematic approach we propose is more holistic and systematic than individual reclamation projects and is an effective practice for NbS.
{"title":"Damage mechanisms of small-to-medium-scale mines on ecological networks at watershed scale and systematic nature-based mine restoration pathways","authors":"Wenjuan Jin , Zhenxing Bian , Zhongyi Wei , Zhichao Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107638","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The major challenge of mine ecological restoration that adheres to the systems concept is how to achieve holism and systematics. From an ecological security pattern perspective, understanding how small-to-medium-scale mines (SMMs) impact the ecological network at the watershed scale is critical for prioritizing restoration efforts and specific restoration pathways, which is conducive to achieving holistic protection, systematic restoration, and comprehensive management. Choosing a typical SMMs clustered watershed in northwestern Liaoning Province, this study employed morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) to construct the ecological network. By analyzing the dynamic evolution of the ecological network from 1989 to 2022 and combining it with the mine development characteristics, the damage mechanisms of SMMs to the ecosystem structure were identified. Using graph theory and Conefor software, restoration priority areas and corresponding restoration pathways were identified through an evaluation of the ecological connectivity importance of mines. Results indicated significant declines in ecological sources and corridors from 1989 to 2022, with decreasing α, β, γ indices reflecting weakened connectivity and stability of the ecological network. Single small-scale mines without clusters directly destroy only a portion of ecological sources at the periphery of the mining center (usually 2–4 times the size of the mine). Large-scale clustered SMMs indirectly cause the disappearance of ecological sources and corridors connecting those sources altogether through their impact on landscape patterns. Systematic restoration of SMMs should follow nature-based solutions (NbS), which can be used to comprehensively determine restoration pathways based on the ecological status and damage mechanisms of each mine, including natural regeneration, assisted regeneration, and guided artificial reconstruction. Especially for large-scale clustered SMMs, all mines should be planned and restored uniformly to integrate with the surrounding natural ecosystems and enhance the stability of the ecological network. This systematic approach we propose is more holistic and systematic than individual reclamation projects and is an effective practice for NbS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107638"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799592","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}
Destruction of Mediterranean herbaceous communities resulting from quarry exploitation exacerbates the need for their ecological restoration. By facilitating the growth and development of other plant species, nurse plants can be used to speed up regeneration processes. Nevertheless, differences in soil properties and co-existing species may change plant interactions from facilitation to competition. This study evaluated interactions of a potential nurse species, Trifolium subterraneum L., in a 2-years ex situ mesocosm experiment. During the first year, soils collected from a former quarry and a nearby dry-grassland were planted in pots with T. subterraneum alone or with four individuals of four target species (Aegilops triuncialis L., Echinops viscosus L., Eryngium creticum Lam., Hyoscyamus aureus L.) characteristics of Mediterranean grasslands. In the second year, the same experiment was repeated following the incorporation of dried T. subterraneum biomass into the soil. Soil analyses were done before initiating the experiment from both reference and degraded soil, after the first and the second growing season. Index of Relative Interaction Intensity (RII) was calculated for several plant traits enabling the measuring of the plants' competitive ability. Our results show that, before starting the experiment, soils collected from both the reference and degraded sites were significantly different (e.g. CEC, pH, P2O5, MgO, N, C, Clay). These differences were still notable throughout the first growing season. Nevertheless, after the second growing season and whendried. T. subterraneum biomass was incorporated into the soil, a significant increase in soil fertility (e.g. N, C, C:N, P2O5) was measured. For plants, during the first growing season, RII figures amidst competition dominating interactions. Facilitation was apparent only between the biomass of T. subterraneum pure seed mix in both degraded and reference soil. During the second growing season, T. subterraneum also performed better alone, especially on degraded soils. Nevertheless, because of its facilitative effects on biomass and surface cover when cultivated as a pure stand, T. subterraneum can be recommended as a nurse species for re-establishing soil fertility of degraded quarries as a first step of ecological restoration.
{"title":"Trifolium subterraneum as a potential nurse plant for restoring soil and Mediterranean grasslands after quarry exploitation in Lebanon","authors":"Houssam Shaiban , Thierry Dutoit , Elise Buisson , Tania De Almeida , Carla Khater","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107632","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107632","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Destruction of Mediterranean herbaceous communities resulting from quarry exploitation exacerbates the need for their ecological restoration. By facilitating the growth and development of other plant species, nurse plants can be used to speed up regeneration processes. Nevertheless, differences in soil properties and co-existing species may change plant interactions from facilitation to competition. This study evaluated interactions of a potential nurse species, <em>Trifolium subterraneum</em> L., in a 2-years ex situ mesocosm experiment. During the first year, soils collected from a former quarry and a nearby dry-grassland were planted in pots with <em>T. subterraneum</em> alone or with four individuals of four target species (<em>Aegilops triuncialis</em> L., <em>Echinops viscosus</em> L., <em>Eryngium creticum</em> Lam., <em>Hyoscyamus aureus</em> L.) characteristics of Mediterranean grasslands. In the second year, the same experiment was repeated following the incorporation of dried <em>T. subterraneum</em> biomass into the soil. Soil analyses were done before initiating the experiment from both reference and degraded soil, after the first and the second growing season. Index of Relative Interaction Intensity (RII) was calculated for several plant traits enabling the measuring of the plants' competitive ability. Our results show that, before starting the experiment, soils collected from both the reference and degraded sites were significantly different (e.g. CEC, pH, P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, MgO, N, C, Clay). These differences were still notable throughout the first growing season. Nevertheless, after the second growing season and whendried. <em>T. subterraneum</em> biomass was incorporated into the soil, a significant increase in soil fertility (e.g. N, C, C:N, P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>) was measured. For plants, during the first growing season, RII figures amidst competition dominating interactions. Facilitation was apparent only between the biomass of <em>T. subterraneum</em> pure seed mix in both degraded and reference soil. During the second growing season, <em>T. subterraneum</em> also performed better alone, especially on degraded soils. Nevertheless, because of its facilitative effects on biomass and surface cover when cultivated as a pure stand, <em>T. subterraneum</em> can be recommended as a nurse species for re-establishing soil fertility of degraded quarries as a first step of ecological restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107632"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107635
Shuaimeng Zhu , Huihao Liu , Shouchen Ma , Saisai Liu , Zhenhao Gao , Yanwei Yan
This study was conducted in the coal mining subsidence reclamation area of Mengcun, City, Henan Province, China, using corn as the test crop. Four treatments were established: 1, 4, and 7 years of reclamation, and normal cultivated land (denoted as 1a, 4a, 7a, and ck). Soil properties and crop physiological growth were monitored at 0-20 cm、20-40 cm and 40-60 cm soil depths to analyze how soil characteristics and crop growth changed with increasing reclamation years, providing insights for accelerating the ecological restoration of reclaimed soils. The results showed that: 1) Soil quality improved with increasing reclamation years. The surface soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) contents of maize were significantly higher in 4a and 7a than in 1a. Soil pH decreased significantly with reclamation years. Both SOM and TN contents decreased with soil depth. 2) Physiological indicators, including chlorophyll content (SPAD) and photosynthetic characteristics of maize, increased with reclamation years. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of maize during the growing season was 18.89 % to 38.97 % higher in 4a and 29.90 % to 65.89 % higher in 7a compared to 1a. 3) During the jointing, tasseling, filling, and maturity stages, soil CO2 emission fluxes in 4a and 7a increased compared to 1a, by 12.50 % to 27.08 % and 22.86 % to 56.25 %, respectively. The difference between 7a and 1a was significant. 4) Yield indicators, including 100-kernel weight and dry matter weight, improved continuously with increasing reclamation years. Maize biomass in 7a increased by 61.25 % compared to 1a and was not significantly different from the neighboring normal cultivated land (ck).
{"title":"Characterization of soil properties and crop physiological changes in reclaimed mining areas with different reclamation years","authors":"Shuaimeng Zhu , Huihao Liu , Shouchen Ma , Saisai Liu , Zhenhao Gao , Yanwei Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study was conducted in the coal mining subsidence reclamation area of Mengcun, City, Henan Province, China, using corn as the test crop. Four treatments were established: 1, 4, and 7 years of reclamation, and normal cultivated land (denoted as 1a, 4a, 7a, and ck). Soil properties and crop physiological growth were monitored at 0-20 cm、20-40 cm and 40-60 cm soil depths to analyze how soil characteristics and crop growth changed with increasing reclamation years, providing insights for accelerating the ecological restoration of reclaimed soils. The results showed that: 1) Soil quality improved with increasing reclamation years. The surface soil organic matter (SOM) and total nitrogen (TN) contents of maize were significantly higher in 4a and 7a than in 1a. Soil pH decreased significantly with reclamation years. Both SOM and TN contents decreased with soil depth. 2) Physiological indicators, including chlorophyll content (SPAD) and photosynthetic characteristics of maize, increased with reclamation years. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of maize during the growing season was 18.89 % to 38.97 % higher in 4a and 29.90 % to 65.89 % higher in 7a compared to 1a. 3) During the jointing, tasseling, filling, and maturity stages, soil CO<sub>2</sub> emission fluxes in 4a and 7a increased compared to 1a, by 12.50 % to 27.08 % and 22.86 % to 56.25 %, respectively. The difference between 7a and 1a was significant. 4) Yield indicators, including 100-kernel weight and dry matter weight, improved continuously with increasing reclamation years. Maize biomass in 7a increased by 61.25 % compared to 1a and was not significantly different from the neighboring normal cultivated land (ck).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107635"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783456","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-04DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107622
Ting Li , Jing Huang , Liyang Ma , Shuhua Zhang , Yanjiao Ren , Yadong Yang
The impact of vegetation restoration on ecosystem services (ESs) is a critical focus in the study of water-soil process for dryland areas. However, limited funding poses practical challenges in configuring restoration measures for achieving multi-objective optimization of water-soil resources. This study selected Northern Shaanxi, a pilot area of the Grain to Green Program (GTGP) in China, as a case study area and conducted field surveys on vegetation restoration and protection activities. On this basis, four scenarios with different weights or budgets were developed to optimize three water-soil ESs: baseflow regulation, phosphorus retention, and soil conservation. Using the Resource Investment Optimization System model (RIOS) model, which integrates watershed water-soil process and investment information, we simulated spatial portfolios of restoration activity and assessed their performance on the three ESs in future. The results indicated that forest tending and disaster prevention were critical for optimizing the three ESs, with the budgets of these two activities exceeding 70 % in all four scenarios. When the budget was increased, Ecological scenario 2 offered a more cost-effective approach to enhance ESs that simultaneously mitigate trade-offs among the three ESs. Under this scenario, the trade-offs between baseflow regulation and phosphorus retention, baseflow regulation and soil conservation, and phosphorus retention and soil conservation would decrease by 12.12 %, 31.43 %, and 15.38 %, respectively. However, current restoration measures alone are inadequate to meet future ecological or policy requirements for ES enhancements. By 2035, the area of phosphorus retention is expected to decline by a range of 14.84 % to 32.54 % under the four scenarios, with these areas of decline all located in the ‘blank zone’ of restoration activities. And none of the four scenarios could ensure the stability of soil conservation in aeolian-loess transitional areas. This study highlights the urgent need for implementing conservation agriculture practices and diversified restoration measures to ensure the long-term effectiveness of improving water-soil ESs.
{"title":"Adopting cost-effective restoration portfolios for multi-objective ecosystem service optimization: A case study from Northern Shaanxi, China","authors":"Ting Li , Jing Huang , Liyang Ma , Shuhua Zhang , Yanjiao Ren , Yadong Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impact of vegetation restoration on ecosystem services (ESs) is a critical focus in the study of water-soil process for dryland areas. However, limited funding poses practical challenges in configuring restoration measures for achieving multi-objective optimization of water-soil resources. This study selected Northern Shaanxi, a pilot area of the Grain to Green Program (GTGP) in China, as a case study area and conducted field surveys on vegetation restoration and protection activities. On this basis, four scenarios with different weights or budgets were developed to optimize three water-soil ESs: baseflow regulation, phosphorus retention, and soil conservation. Using the Resource Investment Optimization System model (RIOS) model, which integrates watershed water-soil process and investment information, we simulated spatial portfolios of restoration activity and assessed their performance on the three ESs in future. The results indicated that forest tending and disaster prevention were critical for optimizing the three ESs, with the budgets of these two activities exceeding 70 % in all four scenarios. When the budget was increased, Ecological scenario 2 offered a more cost-effective approach to enhance ESs that simultaneously mitigate trade-offs among the three ESs. Under this scenario, the trade-offs between baseflow regulation and phosphorus retention, baseflow regulation and soil conservation, and phosphorus retention and soil conservation would decrease by 12.12 %, 31.43 %, and 15.38 %, respectively. However, current restoration measures alone are inadequate to meet future ecological or policy requirements for ES enhancements. By 2035, the area of phosphorus retention is expected to decline by a range of 14.84 % to 32.54 % under the four scenarios, with these areas of decline all located in the ‘blank zone’ of restoration activities. And none of the four scenarios could ensure the stability of soil conservation in aeolian-loess transitional areas. This study highlights the urgent need for implementing conservation agriculture practices and diversified restoration measures to ensure the long-term effectiveness of improving water-soil ESs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107622"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143769101","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}
Pub Date : 2025-04-03DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107611
Clea N. van de Ven , Ralph J.M. Temmink , Valérie C. Reijers , Jannes Heusinkveld , Pol Martinez-Garcia , Tjisse van der Heide
Ecosystem restoration is increasingly promoted as a tool to halt and reverse ongoing losses of coastal ecosystems and the services they provide. Recent work highlights that, in ecosystems shaped by habitat-forming species, restoration yields can be enhanced by temporarily mimicking key emergent traits. These traits are not expressed by individuals, but emerge when organisms aggregate to locally suppress environmental stress and are often vital for species' establishment and persistence. However, it remains unclear to what extent emergent-trait mimicry is context dependent and how donor material selection affects restoration success. Here, we experimentally studied the potential context dependency of trait mimicry and the effect of using donor source populations from contrasting environments in a three-year salt marsh restoration experiment. At two sites with contrasting hydrodynamic conditions – one relatively sheltered and the other exposed – we cross-transplanted plants from both sites into bare soil and 3D-printed biodegradable structures as trait-mimics, mimicking either sparse or dense vegetation patches. After three years, transplants from the sheltered site had two-fold higher survival and four-times more shoots compared to transplants from the exposed site. Furthermore, we found that in sheltered conditions, structures increased survival compared to control treatments, and plants in dense trait mimics grew the highest number of shoots. By contrast, most transplants in exposed conditions were lost after year one regardless of origin and treatment. We conclude that the donor source is a vital determinant for transplant establishment, and that emergent trait mimicry is context dependent for salt marshes, emphasizing the need for trait-mimics tailored to local conditions to increase restoration success.
{"title":"Optimizing salt marsh restoration with context-dependent emergent trait mimicry and donor material selection","authors":"Clea N. van de Ven , Ralph J.M. Temmink , Valérie C. Reijers , Jannes Heusinkveld , Pol Martinez-Garcia , Tjisse van der Heide","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecosystem restoration is increasingly promoted as a tool to halt and reverse ongoing losses of coastal ecosystems and the services they provide. Recent work highlights that, in ecosystems shaped by habitat-forming species, restoration yields can be enhanced by temporarily mimicking key emergent traits. These traits are not expressed by individuals, but emerge when organisms aggregate to locally suppress environmental stress and are often vital for species' establishment and persistence. However, it remains unclear to what extent emergent-trait mimicry is context dependent and how donor material selection affects restoration success. Here, we experimentally studied the potential context dependency of trait mimicry and the effect of using donor source populations from contrasting environments in a three-year salt marsh restoration experiment. At two sites with contrasting hydrodynamic conditions – one relatively sheltered and the other exposed – we cross-transplanted plants from both sites into bare soil and 3D-printed biodegradable structures as trait-mimics, mimicking either sparse or dense vegetation patches. After three years, transplants from the sheltered site had two-fold higher survival and four-times more shoots compared to transplants from the exposed site. Furthermore, we found that in sheltered conditions, structures increased survival compared to control treatments, and plants in dense trait mimics grew the highest number of shoots. By contrast, most transplants in exposed conditions were lost after year one regardless of origin and treatment. We conclude that the donor source is a vital determinant for transplant establishment, and that emergent trait mimicry is context dependent for salt marshes, emphasizing the need for trait-mimics tailored to local conditions to increase restoration success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 107611"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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