Ecological Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Biophysical simulation of wetland surface water flow to predict changing water availability in the Everglades","authors":"Jud W. Harvey ,&nbsp;Jay Choi ,&nbsp;Walter W. Wilcox ,&nbsp;Michael C. Brown ,&nbsp;Wasantha Lal","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A central challenge for water managers is to adaptively manage water availability to meet societal needs while simultaneously protecting ecosystems. Progress restoring Everglades wetlands requires simulations of how increased flow can rehydrate and restore functions of downstream wetlands without causing unintended harms. We developed a biophysical flow rate expression (<em>BioFRE</em>) that simulates flow of surface water based on hydraulic theory and measurements of spatially variable vegetation and microtopography. <em>BioFRE</em> simulations of surface flow compared well, without calibration, against independently measured hydrologic data at five locations representing various levels of wetland degradation. To help understand how changing vegetation and microtopography altered historical Everglades flows, we benchmarked <em>BioFRE</em> simulations against previous simulations of historical Everglades hydrology. Results indicated that the surface flow capacity of the Everglades has decreased by approximately half compared to the historical Everglades primarily because of the loss of sparsely vegetated deepwater sloughs. Remaining sloughs are fewer, less well connected, and more densely vegetated, causing increased hydraulic roughness, lower flow capacity, and diminished water storage, habitat value, and drought and flood resilience. We quantified the sensitivity of simulated flows to biophysical variables such as ridge proportion, microtopographic height, vegetation stem density, and slough connectivity, and we assessed their potential value as restoration performance measures. The <em>BioFRE</em> simulation approach can potentially be used in the Everglades and other wetland floodplains to anticipate changing conditions and to help improve management strategies that positively influence surface water storage and habitats while mitigating some negative outcomes of excessive droughts and floods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107491"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165520","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}

{"title":"Effect of materials types of water-land junction settings on soil bacterial community structure in Shanghai riverside ecological corridor","authors":"Wei Guan ,&nbsp;Songshuo Li ,&nbsp;Qing Wang ,&nbsp;Chenyan Sha ,&nbsp;Jinghua Su ,&nbsp;Min Wang ,&nbsp;Ming Nie ,&nbsp;Meng Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of accelerated global urbanization, the construction of urban riverside ecological corridors increases the aesthetics of cities as well as people's recreational experience. The setup of water-land junction from different materials in riverside ecological corridors may have effects on the soil physicochemical properties and the structure of bacterial communities. Despite their relevance and importance to human well-being, urban soil microbes of riverside ecological corridors are poorly understood. In this study, the two most common material types of water-land junction in Shanghai, natural soil and artificial concrete are selected for the comparison. The results showed that natural soil water-land junction had a higher soil water content, organic carbon and total nitrogen than artificial concrete due to the influence of the river. Meanwhile, the difference of soil properties between the two types junctions is more obvious in topsoil and near river areas. The artificial concrete junction had a higher homogeneity among its own sites due to the obstruction of material-energy exchange between water and land, with only variations in pH and soil bulk density. Therefore, there are significant differences in the bacterial composition and structure of the sites between the two types of corridors, especially in the abundance of Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, Gaiellales, etc., which are more sensitive to soil moisture and nutrients. In general, according to our analysis, natural soil water-land junction corridors are superior to artificial concrete from the perspective of soil ecology, which can provide a certain scientific basis for urban waterside managers and corridor builders in terms of urbanization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107501"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165521","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":"Evaluation of the efficiency of wastewater treatment and the diversity of phytoplankton in a large-scale waste stabilization pond in an arid climate","authors":"Aafaf Krimech ,&nbsp;Sofyan Sbahi ,&nbsp;Naaila Ouazzani ,&nbsp;Brahim Oudra ,&nbsp;Ouafa Cherifi ,&nbsp;Laila Mandi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a full-scale waste stabilization pond in treating domestic wastewater in a peri-urban area with arid climatic conditions. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Saada, located 18 km west of Marrakech, Morocco. The wastewater treatment system consisted of two anaerobic ponds, four facultative ponds, and four maturation ponds arranged in series. The system treated an average inflow of 525 m³/day. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the treatment process, periodic sampling and analysis of physicochemical and bacteriological parameters were performed at the influent and effluent of each treatment stage. Phytoplankton monitoring was carried out in the three lagoons (anaerobic, facultative and maturation). The study found that maximum pollutant removal occurred during the warmer months of the year, and minimum removal occurred during the winter period. The highest removal percentages of TSS, COD, and NH₄⁺ were 72.66 %, 79.28 %, and 72.53 %, respectively. However, the removal of total phosphorus and its assimilable form (PO₄³⁻) did not exceed 40 % and 50 %, respectively. Fecal coliform removal reached an average removal of 2.71 log units at the outlet of the maturation pond. Phytoplankton parameters, based on qualitative and quantitative aspects of microalgae, indicated a dominance of cyanobacteria (46.87 %) and chlorophyceae (28.13 %), while diatoms were moderately present (12.50 %) in all ponds. This may indicate an unsatisfactory purification performance of the plant. The quantitative study also showed a great dominance of the species <em>Chlorella</em>, especially in the maturation pond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107518"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165786","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":"Assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of two fishways with vertical slot openings in an Alpine River (Toce River, northern Italy)","authors":"Mattia Iaia ,&nbsp;Silvia Quadroni ,&nbsp;Stefano Brignone ,&nbsp;Armando Piccinini ,&nbsp;Roberta Bettinetti ,&nbsp;Pietro Volta","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weirs and dams impede the longitudinal connectivity of rivers and create obstacles to free fish migrations. Blue infrastructures, such as fishways, have been implemented to restore river connectivity over the last 20 years. However, after construction, issues regarding the functionality and effectiveness of fishways often remain. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness and efficiency of two step-pool fishways with vertical slot openings (i.e., Tana and Prata fishways), in the Toce River, an Alpine River tributary of Lake Maggiore. We carried out this investigation over two years by using combined technologies: PIT tag telemetry and video monitoring, taking into account the fish size and river discharge. Fishways were suitable and utilized by trout (<em>Salmo</em> spp.), barbels (<em>Barbus</em> spp.), chub (<em>Squalius squalus</em>) and dace (<em>Telestes muticellus</em>), but not for bullhead (<em>Cottus gobio</em>). Additionally, we PIT tagged both wild and hatchery-reared trout, to compare the use of the fishways by wild and hatchery fish. The passage efficiency was 65.4 % for the Tana fishway and 60.0 % for the Prata fishway, corresponding to values within the range found in the literature. On the other hand, attraction efficiency was very low. Our observations suggest that finding and entering the fishways was more challenging than completing the passage. Most passages occurred in autumn and spring, in relation to spawning migration and high-flow periods. Slight differences were recorded between the two fishways, with longer transit times for the Tana fishway and better performance for adult wild trout at the Prata fishway. The combination of telemetry and video monitoring provided important information to guide future river defragmentation projects in the area and for similar water basins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107535"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165807","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}

{"title":"Simulation and evaluation of water quality purification performance in irrigation district drainage ditch wetlands under the influence of regional external water inputs","authors":"Xin Zhang ,&nbsp;Shan Li ,&nbsp;Lei Zhang ,&nbsp;Qian Wang ,&nbsp;Miao Wu ,&nbsp;Juan Li ,&nbsp;Haiou Zhang ,&nbsp;Liangjun Fei","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the impact of external water inputs on the water quality purification capacity of drainage ditches in large and medium-sized irrigation districts. Taking the drainage ditch wetlands in the Lubotan saline-alkali land improvement area as a case study, the research constructs and validates the QUAL-2K water quality model based on water quality monitoring data. It examines the longitudinal variation of water quality indicators under different gradients of external water input. The study calculates and assesses the comprehensive influence of upstream water on the purification effects of the drainage ditches. Results indicate that the QUAL-2K model exhibits good consistency and correlation with actual observed data in terms of standardized standard deviation, root mean square error, and correlation coefficient for various water quality indices, making it suitable for water quality management of drainage ditches. The external water volume and concentration significantly affect the water quality and reduction rates in the ditches, with increased water volume or decreased concentration positively enhancing purification. Conversely, the purification effect is reduced. Under current conditions and with increased external water volumes or decreased concentrations, the water quality in the drainage ditches can achieve compliance with discharge standards. However, a reduction in water volume by more than 20 % or an increase in concentration by more than 10 % results in failure to meet these discharge criteria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107538"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165808","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":"Soil erosion control in tree plantations on steep slopes: Runoff water and sediment trapping efficiency of riparian grass buffer in mountainous humid tropics","authors":"Layheang Song ,&nbsp;Olivier Ribolzi ,&nbsp;Laurie Boithias ,&nbsp;Khampaseuth Xayyathip ,&nbsp;Christian Valentin ,&nbsp;Bounsamay Soulileuth ,&nbsp;Henri Robain ,&nbsp;Anneke de Rouw ,&nbsp;Phabvilay Sounyafong ,&nbsp;Norbert Silvera ,&nbsp;Phimmasone Sisouvanh ,&nbsp;Jean-Louis Janeau ,&nbsp;Inpeng Saveng ,&nbsp;Chantha Oeurng ,&nbsp;Alain Pierret","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Riparian grass buffers reduce the velocity of water flowing over the soil surface during storms, capturing surface runoff (SR) and trapping soil particles eroded from cultivated slopes. Rarely quantified under steep slope conditions (&gt;45 %), this phenomenon probably occurs in many mountain agroecosystems in the humid tropics. In Southeast Asia, teak plantations are often established on steep slopes where they can lead to significant soil loss (SL), particularly when the understory is removed. Therefore, we aimed to: quantify the effect of riparian grass buffers on SR and SL downstream of a teak plantation; and estimate the trapping efficiency of riparian grass buffers for water (WTE) and sediment (STE). Field measurements were carried out in Northern Lao PDR during the2014 rainy season, considering riparian zones with contrasted ground covers: (1) uncovered (URZ - 7-year-old teak trees with mean grass and litter densities of 7 % (SD 2 %) and 4 % (SD 3 %), respectively; (2) transitional (TRZ - 7-year-old teak trees with mean grass and litter densities of 19 % (SD 10 %) and 56 % (SD 9 %), respectively; and (3) covered (CRZ - grassed areas without teak trees with mean grass and litter densities of 46 % (SD 13 %) and 47 % (SD 21 %), respectively). WTE and STE were estimated based on measurements carried out from 6 July to 6 September2014 under natural rainfall conditions, using pairs of triplicate Gerlach troughs installed at the upper and lower margins of 5- and 10-m riparian sections (encompassing areas of ∼25 and 50 m², respectively). Runoff coefficient (Rc), SL, and soil surface features were measured on the occasion of 20 rainfall events in 1-m² microplots. Rc and SL were higher in URZ (56 %, 5791 g·m⁻²) than in TRZ (13 %, 250 g·m⁻²) and CRZ (19 %, 159 g·m⁻²). Median WTE and STE were the highest along the 10-m TRZ + CRZ riparian grass buffer at 85 % and 97 % respectively. Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) modelling yielded a good agreement between observation and prediction for WTE and STE at seasonal scale. Overall, the results of this work indicate that 5 to 10 m riparian grass buffers limit the export of surface water and sediment downstream during small (24-h rainfall <span><math><mo>≤</mo></math></span>20.9 mm·d⁻¹, return period <span><math><mo>≤</mo></math></span>1 year) to large storms (40.0 mm·d⁻¹ &lt; 24-h rainfall <span><math><mo>≤</mo></math></span>84.5 mm·d⁻¹, 1.01 year&lt;return period<span><math><mo>≤</mo></math></span>2 years).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107537"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165813","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}

{"title":"Unfolding a peatland’s story: Assessing the restoration outcomes and driving factors from a disturbed minerotrophic peatland in Eastern Canada","authors":"Aamir Shehzad Khan,&nbsp;Mélina Guêné-Nanchen,&nbsp;Line Rochefort","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The peatland restoration method, the Moss Layer Transfer Technique (MLTT), has been successfully developed and implemented to restore <em>Sphagnum</em>-dominated peatlands in North America. The efficiency of an adapted version of the MLTT using fen plants for minerotrophic (fen) peatland restoration has shown mixed results, especially regarding the recovery of bryophytes. Additionally, due to differences in peat extraction histories, disturbances, restoration techniques, and desired ecological outcomes, European approaches cannot be directly applied to North American peatlands. It has been suggested that active rewetting alone could ensure fen plant regeneration post-restoration. As there is a growing interest in the minerotrophic peatland restoration, fen restoration methods after peat extraction needs to be refined, and the management process stands in need of new approaches. This study presents the first case of an ecosystem-scale fen restoration project in Canada at an industrial peat extraction site. It was restored in the province of Quebec in 2009, testing three different restoration approaches, including active rewetting only – REW, active rewetting, and peat profiling with vegetation removal – REW + PRO, and a combination of active rewetting, peat profiling with vegetation removal, plus mechanical reintroduction of fen plant material (MLTT) – REW + PRO + PLANT. This study aims to compare the pre- and post-restoration (13 years) plant communities using a BACI design (Before and After Control Impact). It focuses on the recovery of bryophyte carpets and evaluates the return of fen species as well as peatland generalists, marsh-swamps, and upland species. At the whole site level, the rewetting action had a prominent impact and major success in terms of an increase in the richness and frequency of peatland vascular plant species, but the recruitment of peatland bryophytes and particularly brown mosses was relatively much less successful. Active rewetting proved relatively practicable compared to the other two restoration methods, but to enhance its efficiency, it should not result in flooding, which could subsequently lead to helophytisation. The different vegetation outcomes of the restoration were influenced by governing factors such as processes associated with restoration methods (e.g., rewetting, pre-existing vegetation removal, and donor material reintroduction) and site-specific physio-chemical and environmental conditions. Our 13 years post-restoration surveys highlight that there are still large knowledge gaps and that increased, robust research into fen restoration is needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107496"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143166353","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}

{"title":"Comparative geotechnical analysis of slope stabilization through conventional, soil and water bioengineering, and combined solutions","authors":"Marco Uzielli ,&nbsp;Andrea Geppetti ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Borselli ,&nbsp;Stefano Renzi ,&nbsp;Federico Preti","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainable mitigation of hydrogeological hazard through the geotechnical stabilization of natural and artificial slopes is an ethical and technical goal of increasing global relevance. In this context, “gray” geotechnical stabilization solutions involving the use of inert materials, injections of cement mixtures and steel elements, have been prevalently used in the past decades and have thus come to define the present “conventional” approach. These solutions may meet engineering performance criteria but are unable to attain desirable sustainability standards. The practice of Soil and Water BioEngineering (SWBE) draws from ancient empirical experience and is rapidly gaining new momentum due to the increased focus on environmental protection and requalification. SWBE and can be effectively conducted through the design and implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS) by using living plants, alone or in combination with locally available materials, to improve the engineering performance of ecosystems while fostering an increase in their biodiversity and environmental value. The domain of applicability of NBS is limited to quasi-surficial instability phenomena, since the root systems which provide resistance to destabilizing forces are found mainly at shallow depths from ground surface. Moreover, biological and physical processes intervening in NBS result in the temporal variation of their mechanical resistance and engineering performance. “Combined” solutions involving the presence of – and synergy between - gray and green solutions may ensure the simultaneous attainment of safety and sustainability. This paper describes the conceptual standpoints and operational framework used for the comparative assessment of the engineering design performance of conventional, NBS, and combined solutions for a slope stabilization intervention on a site located near Florence, Italy. Stability is assessed quantitatively through limit equilibrium methods for multiple scenarios defined in terms of technological solutions, temporal stage, and level of engineering conservatism in design parameters. Temporal trends of the factors of safety against sliding are defined statistically and assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. The comparative analysis suggests that the combined solution provides the best option at the Montisoni site as it ensures sufficient short-terms, post-stabilization stability as well as increased stability overtime due to the improvement in the mechanical contribution of NBS components. The paper brings innovative contributions with respect to the equivalent geomechanical modeling of NBS and combined solutions in limit-equilibrium analyses and to the discussion of criteria to be considered in the assignment of design values in stability analyses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107487"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143164653","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}

{"title":"Soil nutrients and pH modulate carbon dynamics in particulate and mineral-associated organic matter during restoration of a Tibetan alpine grassland","authors":"Kaini Wang ,&nbsp;Zhiwen Ma ,&nbsp;Wenping Qin ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Li ,&nbsp;Hongxiao Shi ,&nbsp;Bagen Hasi ,&nbsp;Xiang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nature-based solutions have been proven effective in restoring soil organic carbon (SOC) levels within globally degraded grasslands. Nevertheless, the responses of C in particulate organic matter and mineral-associated organic matter to various grassland restoration strategies, especially in alpine grasslands, remain insufficiently addressed. In this study, we assessed the impacts of two nature-based solutions—grazing exclusion (natural restoration) and no-tillage reseeding (interventional restoration) on the dynamics of particulate organic C (POC) and mineral-associated organic C (MAOC) in an alpine grassland ecosystem on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The results revealed that 12 years of restoration efforts significantly increased the content of soil total organic C (TOC) by 82.1–110.5 %. The SOC pool was primarily composed of MAOC, with its contribution varying from 52.3 % to 65.1 % across all experimental plots. After a 12-year restoration period, the contents of POC and MAOC in the bulk soil increased by 88.8–125.1 % and 46.8–51.8 %, respectively, indicating that POC is more responsive to restoration than MAOC. As a consequence, an enhanced proportion of POC within the TOC pool was observed at the reseeded plot. The accumulation of POC induced by the restoration process was primarily attributed to the enrichment of soil nutrient content, followed by the improved root quality. By comparison, the decline in soil pH emerged as a pivotal factor accounting for the increase in MAOC following restoration. The contents, stocks, and relative proportions of both POC and MAOC were generally comparable between the two restored plots. Nevertheless, the significantly higher contribution of MAOC to the TOC pool compared to POC at the naturally recovered plot implies that grazing exclusion favors the accumulation of stable C over labile C. Furthermore, we found that MAOC has not yet attained saturation levels at either of the restored plots. Notably, the naturally recovered plot exhibited a superior maximum capacity for MAOC compared to the reseeded plot. Our findings suggest that stratifying the SOC pool into POC and MAOC provides valuable insights into the dynamics, stability, saturation levels, and controlling factors of SOC in restored alpine grassland ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107522"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143164670","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":"Utilizing a vegetation restoration potential model to derive a reference for assessing ecological restoration of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau","authors":"Xiaoyuan Yang ,&nbsp;Huakun Zhou ,&nbsp;Fanglin Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When implementing ecological restoration practices, valid references are essential to justify and improve best practices for ecological restoration in natural resource management. Despite numerous assessments of ecological restoration, comprehensive and practical reference standards remain scarce. Most existing studies rely on vegetation cover or indices to evaluate restoration effects. However, since vegetation cover is influenced by factors such as resource endowment, human activities, and global changes, it cannot solely reflect the impact of ecological policies. Therefore, disentangling the effects of ecological restoration from environmental variables is crucial for accurately assessing their true impact. In this study, based on the theories of “spatial proximity” and “similarity of environmental characteristics,” we utilized a spatial sliding window-based Similar-Habitat-Based Vegetation Restoration Potential (SHB-VRP) model. We selected nine environmental variables including climate change, environmental background, and socio-economic factors from 2000 to 2020. 0.98 of the Maximum Enhanced Vegetation Index (MEVI) under these identical environmental conditions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) was extracted as the reference layer. This method accounts for spatial dependence and dissimilarity. We then calculated the Vegetation Restoration Potential Achievement Degree (VRP-AD) by comparing current Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) values to this reference layer, which indicates the level of ecological restoration achieved. Our results show that the correlation between VRP-AD and Ecological Restoration Project Intensity (ERPI) was higher than that between EVI and ERPI, suggesting that the reference layer is more effective than vegetation indices alone. Additionally, from 2000 to 2020, MEVI across the QTP ranged from 0 in the northwest to 0.70 in the southeast. Sub-regions such as Nujiang, Linzhi, Diqing, and Lijiang exhibited higher average MEVI (0.34 to 0.38). The overall VRP-AD for the QTP was 0.62, with an annual slope of 0.17 %. Sub-regions like Xining, Haidong, and Aba showed VRP-AD indices above 0.80, reflecting significant progress in ecological restoration. Interestingly, despite low ERPIs in Lijiang and Dingxi, these areas demonstrated good vegetation growth, indicating a high natural vegetation endowment. These findings suggest that Vegetation Restoration Potential (VRP) and VRP-AD derived from similar habitats can effectively measure vegetation restoration effects, even when restoration intensity varies across sites. This study is expected to provide new theoretical and methodological support for ecological policy evaluation and vegetation restoration planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"212 ","pages":"Article 107514"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143165785","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}