Pub Date : 2025-09-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107817
Zikai Ping , Jianmin Bian , Fan Wang , Tao Li
Water conservation is one of the most important ecosystem services in watershed ecosystems. However, optimizing watershed ecological management to enhance water conservation is a critical challenge, complicated by the nonlinear and spatially heterogeneous responses to meteorological and vegetation changes. This study investigates the nonlinear effects of meteorological and vegetation factors on water conservation by integrating machine learning and hydrological modeling. The results show that: (1) the multi-year average water conservation in the watershed was 179.69 mm, with an overall increasing trend from 2010 to 2023. Spatially, water conservation decreased from the upstream to the downstream regions, with the western and southern regions functioning as key water conservation areas. (2) Meteorological and vegetation factors explained water conservation well across the entire watershed (R2 = 0.939, p < 0.05). Vegetation evapotranspiration reduced water conservation when vegetation exceeded a critical threshold. Precipitation promoted water conservation across all regions, but the degree of promotion varied due to differences in environmental factors among the subregions. (3) We propose differentiated vegetation management strategies: maintaining the NDVI threshold at 0.65 for mountainous areas (elevation > 950 m) and at 0.45 for plain areas (elevation < 400 m). These findings enhance the protection of watershed ecosystems by optimizing the vegetation configuration of the watershed to optimize water-holding services.
{"title":"Optimizing watershed ecological management for water conservation by nonlinear effects of meteorological and vegetation drivers","authors":"Zikai Ping , Jianmin Bian , Fan Wang , Tao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water conservation is one of the most important ecosystem services in watershed ecosystems. However, optimizing watershed ecological management to enhance water conservation is a critical challenge, complicated by the nonlinear and spatially heterogeneous responses to meteorological and vegetation changes. This study investigates the nonlinear effects of meteorological and vegetation factors on water conservation by integrating machine learning and hydrological modeling. The results show that: (1) the multi-year average water conservation in the watershed was 179.69 mm, with an overall increasing trend from 2010 to 2023. Spatially, water conservation decreased from the upstream to the downstream regions, with the western and southern regions functioning as key water conservation areas. (2) Meteorological and vegetation factors explained water conservation well across the entire watershed (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.939, <em>p</em> < 0.05). Vegetation evapotranspiration reduced water conservation when vegetation exceeded a critical threshold. Precipitation promoted water conservation across all regions, but the degree of promotion varied due to differences in environmental factors among the subregions. (3) We propose differentiated vegetation management strategies: maintaining the NDVI threshold at 0.65 for mountainous areas (elevation > 950 m) and at 0.45 for plain areas (elevation < 400 m). These findings enhance the protection of watershed ecosystems by optimizing the vegetation configuration of the watershed to optimize water-holding services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107817"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155784","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 : 2025-09-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107816
Gaoliang Li , Qing Zhen , Jiyong Zheng , Guogang Wang , Zitong Zhang , Shenshen Xing
Reconstructing soil with appropriate soil materials is a practical measure to improve the structure and quality of degraded soil. Feldspathic sandstone, a type of weathered sandstone, has been proven to improve the amount of water and nutrient in reconstructed soil. However, the long-time effects of feldspathic sandstone application on soil particle surface electrochemical properties and quality remain unclear. In this study, feldspathic sandstone was mixed separately into sandy soil and loess soil at 25 % and 75 % mass ratio to reconstruct soil, and the effects were clarifying through a 9-year field experiment. Results showed feldspathic sandstone application significantly increased the fine particles (diameter < 0.05 mm) content and the complexity of particle distribution in reconstructed soils (P < 0.05). Feldspathic sandstone application increased the specific surface area from 16.07 to 23.17 (25 % application ratio) and 193.17 m2 g−1 (75 % application ratio, P < 0.05) in sandy soil; from 31.02 to 37.72 (25 % application ratio) and 236.08 m2 g−1 (75 % application ratio, P < 0.05) in loess soil; increased cation exchange capacity from 4.10 to 10.17 (25 % application ratio) and 22.36 cmol kg−1 (75 % application ratio) in sandy soil (P < 0.05); from 12.50 to 13.16 (25 % application ratio) and 26.44 cmol kg−1 (75 % application ratio, P < 0.05) in loess soil. Feldspathic sandstone application also improved the soil particle surface charge density and electric field strength. The organic matter content of reconstructed soils was enhanced with feldspathic sandstone application, and was higher than the natural grassland soil (4.05 g kg−1) in this region. The increased fine particles and improved soil particle surface properties jointly increased the macroaggregate (> 0.25 mm) fraction, mean weight diameter of soil aggregate (MWD), and the soil structure coefficient (Qs). However, the water stable aggregates ratio (WSAR) and soil structural stability (SI) were still poor due to the insufficient organic matter and too much silt and clay particles. Our findings provide scientific insight in applying weathered sandstone into reconstructed soil for efficiently restoring degraded soil.
{"title":"Weathered sandstone application improved the aggregate structure and quality of reconstructed soil: A field study of feldspathic sandstone","authors":"Gaoliang Li , Qing Zhen , Jiyong Zheng , Guogang Wang , Zitong Zhang , Shenshen Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reconstructing soil with appropriate soil materials is a practical measure to improve the structure and quality of degraded soil. Feldspathic sandstone, a type of weathered sandstone, has been proven to improve the amount of water and nutrient in reconstructed soil. However, the long-time effects of feldspathic sandstone application on soil particle surface electrochemical properties and quality remain unclear. In this study, feldspathic sandstone was mixed separately into sandy soil and loess soil at 25 % and 75 % mass ratio to reconstruct soil, and the effects were clarifying through a 9-year field experiment. Results showed feldspathic sandstone application significantly increased the fine particles (diameter < 0.05 mm) content and the complexity of particle distribution in reconstructed soils (<em>P < 0.05</em>). Feldspathic sandstone application increased the specific surface area from 16.07 to 23.17 (25 % application ratio) and 193.17 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup> (75 % application ratio, <em>P < 0.05</em>) in sandy soil; from 31.02 to 37.72 (25 % application ratio) and 236.08 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup> (75 % application ratio, <em>P < 0.05</em>) in loess soil; increased cation exchange capacity from 4.10 to 10.17 (25 % application ratio) and 22.36 cmol kg<sup>−1</sup> (75 % application ratio) in sandy soil (<em>P < 0.05</em>); from 12.50 to 13.16 (25 % application ratio) and 26.44 cmol kg<sup>−1</sup> (75 % application ratio, <em>P < 0.05</em>) in loess soil. Feldspathic sandstone application also improved the soil particle surface charge density and electric field strength. The organic matter content of reconstructed soils was enhanced with feldspathic sandstone application, and was higher than the natural grassland soil (4.05 g kg<sup>−1</sup>) in this region. The increased fine particles and improved soil particle surface properties jointly increased the macroaggregate (> 0.25 mm) fraction, mean weight diameter of soil aggregate (MWD), and the soil structure coefficient (Qs). However, the water stable aggregates ratio (WSAR) and soil structural stability (SI) were still poor due to the insufficient organic matter and too much silt and clay particles. Our findings provide scientific insight in applying weathered sandstone into reconstructed soil for efficiently restoring degraded soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107816"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155613","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 : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107815
Jiahong Guo , Hui Yue , Zhengjin Cao , Shixiong Cao
The ultimate goal of ecosystem restoration is to ensure that Earth can support human life, in addition to protecting our planet's environmental health for its own sake. Unlike traditional ecological restoration efforts that focus only on ecological goals, China's Changting County adopted an integrated strategy oriented toward enhancing resident well-being, which combines socioeconomic development with ecological restoration to facilitate a transition to a green and sustainable society. To verify the feasibility of this approach, we conducted long-term monitoring in the county. By comparing a new approach with traditional ecological restoration, we found that changes in ecological restoration, resident livelihoods, and socioeconomic aspects were much better in the new project areas. Our results document that successful ecosystem restoration must be based on an inclusive approach that combines the needs of nature with those of people. By searching for a suitable industry (here, plantations and green industries) that can generate higher economic returns while protecting the environment, it's possible to achieve green industrial development while providing the residents of project areas with a high-quality socioeconomic and ecological environment. This also creates a virtuous cycle in which humans help nature while nature helps humans, leading to harmony between humans and nature.
{"title":"Incorporating socioeconomic-ecological system to promote sustainable restoration: A case study in Changting, China","authors":"Jiahong Guo , Hui Yue , Zhengjin Cao , Shixiong Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ultimate goal of ecosystem restoration is to ensure that Earth can support human life, in addition to protecting our planet's environmental health for its own sake. Unlike traditional ecological restoration efforts that focus only on ecological goals, China's Changting County adopted an integrated strategy oriented toward enhancing resident well-being, which combines socioeconomic development with ecological restoration to facilitate a transition to a green and sustainable society. To verify the feasibility of this approach, we conducted long-term monitoring in the county. By comparing a new approach with traditional ecological restoration, we found that changes in ecological restoration, resident livelihoods, and socioeconomic aspects were much better in the new project areas. Our results document that successful ecosystem restoration must be based on an inclusive approach that combines the needs of nature with those of people. By searching for a suitable industry (here, plantations and green industries) that can generate higher economic returns while protecting the environment, it's possible to achieve green industrial development while providing the residents of project areas with a high-quality socioeconomic and ecological environment. This also creates a virtuous cycle in which humans help nature while nature helps humans, leading to harmony between humans and nature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107815"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155785","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 : 2025-09-22DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107809
Brenda Lizeth Monzón-Reyes , Ismael Vera-Puerto , Vicente Vergara Florez , María Cristina López Méndez , Alex Elías Álvarez Month , Roberto Ángel Meléndez-Armenta , Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo
The coffee industry significantly contributes to economic growth in rural communities within developing countries. However, coffee processing can lead to considerable water pollution. Therefore, exploring simpler and more sustainable treatment alternatives, such as constructed wetlands (CWs), is crucial. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with CWs for treating a co-mixture of rural domestic wastewater and coffee production wastewater in Mexico. For this, the WWTP consisting of a settler tank and four CWs in series was evaluated over the course of one year. The CWs units are planted with five different ornamental plant species. The results show no significant (p>0.05) change in the influent characteristics when coffee production wastewater was added. A link was established between rainfall in the contributing area and removal efficiency in the settler tank located at the system's starting point. However, this behavior did not affect the CW's performance. The WWTP achieved annual mean removal efficiencies of 87 % for COD, 60 % for TN, 59 % for NH₄+-N and NO₃−-N, 68 % for NO₂−-N, 76 % for TP, 74 % for PO43−-P, and over 99 % for caffeine. Considering this performance, the WWTP effluent complies with the Official Mexican Standard provided permissible discharge values. Therefore, this study provides full-scale evidence of CWs potential for wastewater treatment in rural areas of developing countries. Furthermore, this type of WWTP offers a viable alternative for addressing the issue of untreated wastewater discharge in rural communities, particularly concerning when these communities developing productive activities like coffee processing.
{"title":"Municipal and coffee wastewater treated by a full-scale Constructed Wetlands using ornamental plants under tropical climate","authors":"Brenda Lizeth Monzón-Reyes , Ismael Vera-Puerto , Vicente Vergara Florez , María Cristina López Méndez , Alex Elías Álvarez Month , Roberto Ángel Meléndez-Armenta , Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107809","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107809","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coffee industry significantly contributes to economic growth in rural communities within developing countries. However, coffee processing can lead to considerable water pollution. Therefore, exploring simpler and more sustainable treatment alternatives, such as constructed wetlands (CWs), is crucial. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with CWs for treating a co-mixture of rural domestic wastewater and coffee production wastewater in Mexico. <strong>For this, the WWTP consisting of a settler tank and four CWs in series was evaluated over the course of one year. The CWs units are planted with five different ornamental plant species. The results show no significant (<em>p</em></strong> <strong>></strong> <strong>0.05) change in the influent characteristics when coffee production wastewater was added. A link was established between rainfall in the contributing area and removal efficiency in the settler tank located at the system's starting point. However, this behavior did not affect the CW's performance. The WWTP achieved annual mean removal efficiencies of 87 % for COD, 60 % for TN, 59 % for NH₄</strong><sup><strong>+</strong></sup><strong>-N and NO₃</strong><sup><strong>−</strong></sup><strong>-N, 68 % for NO₂</strong><sup><strong>−</strong></sup><strong>-N, 76 % for TP, 74 % for</strong> PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3−</sup>-P, <strong>and over 99 % for caffeine. Considering this performance, the WWTP effluent complies with the Official Mexican Standard provided permissible discharge values. Therefore, this study provides full-scale evidence of CWs potential for wastewater treatment in rural areas of developing countries. Furthermore, this type of WWTP offers a viable alternative for addressing the issue of untreated wastewater discharge in rural communities, particularly concerning when these communities developing productive activities like coffee processing.</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107809"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109783","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 : 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107806
Jae-Hoon Park , Ji-Won Park , Yeo-Bin Park , Eui-Joo Kim , Young-Han You
Vegetation succession is a fundamental principle of ecological restoration. This study investigated early primary succession on large river bars in a monsoon climate, examining how flood magnitude influences successional processes. Results showed that massive floods altered bed material composition, leading to significant changes in direction of plant community change. Vegetation established on substrates coarser than sandy loam persisted, while finer particles led to vegetation loss. In erosional zones, Salix chaenomeloides communities were maintained through cyclic succession, whereas depositional zones experienced retrogressive succession, with S. chaenomeloides replaced by Phragmites japonica. Under moderate to low flood influence, both species acted as pioneers on coarse, nutrient-poor substrates with low organic matter. These findings highlight that changes in vegetation dynamics are driven by river flood intensity through their influence on substrate composition. On newly formed mid-channel bars, high flood-induced erosion promotes cyclic succession dominated by S. chaenomeloides. In contrast, low-energy depositional zones with sandy loam support regressive succession toward P. japonica. Thus, effective restoration depends on maintaining suitable bed material conditions specific to erosional and depositional environments. Managing substrate characteristics across geomorphic zones is essential for the stable establishment and persistence of vegetation on bare sandbars in large river systems.
{"title":"Primary succession of vegetation on large river bars affected by floods: Key factors for successful river restoration","authors":"Jae-Hoon Park , Ji-Won Park , Yeo-Bin Park , Eui-Joo Kim , Young-Han You","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation succession is a fundamental principle of ecological restoration. This study investigated early primary succession on large river bars in a monsoon climate, examining how flood magnitude influences successional processes. Results showed that massive floods altered bed material composition, leading to significant changes in direction of plant community change. Vegetation established on substrates coarser than sandy loam persisted, while finer particles led to vegetation loss. In erosional zones, <em>Salix chaenomeloides</em> communities were maintained through cyclic succession, whereas depositional zones experienced retrogressive succession, with <em>S. chaenomeloides</em> replaced by <em>Phragmites japonica</em>. Under moderate to low flood influence, both species acted as pioneers on coarse, nutrient-poor substrates with low organic matter. These findings highlight that changes in vegetation dynamics are driven by river flood intensity through their influence on substrate composition. On newly formed mid-channel bars, high flood-induced erosion promotes cyclic succession dominated by <em>S. chaenomeloides</em>. In contrast, low-energy depositional zones with sandy loam support regressive succession toward <em>P. japonica</em>. Thus, effective restoration depends on maintaining suitable bed material conditions specific to erosional and depositional environments. Managing substrate characteristics across geomorphic zones is essential for the stable establishment and persistence of vegetation on bare sandbars in large river systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097075","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}
Slope degradation induced by water erosion and rainfall scour poses an increasingly severe threat to river ecosystems. To enhance slope stability while fulfilling ecological restoration needs, a composite ecological lattice anchoring system (CELAS) was developed, integrating a lattice structure, anchors, vegetation, and a high-performance turf reinforcement mat (HPTRM). This study, grounded in typical slope conditions along the Pinglu Canal in Guangxi, employed a custom-built recirculating flume and an intelligent rainfall simulation system to replicate diverse hydraulic and precipitation scenarios. The effects of protective materials, vegetation type and density, slope gradient, rainfall intensity, and scour duration on the anti-scour performance of CELAS were systematically investigated. Key parameters—including scour pit depth, scour volume, runoff, and sediment concentration were quantified to elucidate the system's multi-layer synergistic protection mechanism.Experimental results demonstrated that CELAS exhibited superior resistance across a wide range of scour conditions. Compared with bare slopes and conventional vegetation-covered slopes, CELAS reduced rainfall-induced scour volumes by 90.6 % and 29.5 %, respectively, with sediment concentration reductions exceeding 50 %. Under extreme rainfall events (≥80 mm/h) and steep slope conditions, CELAS showed substantially lower increases in scour metrics relative to control groups, indicating reduced sensitivity. In water scour scenarios, CELAS achieved a 78.7 % reduction in scour volume compared to bare slopes and maintained minimal scour responses even under prolonged exposure or vegetation degradation. Under 120-min scour duration, its scour pit depth and volume were 36.5 % and 34.0 % lower, respectively, than those of the vegetated-only slope. When vegetation density declined to 15 g/m2, the increase in CELAS scour volume was limited to 15.2 %, significantly less than the 34.4 % observed in the vegetation-only system, highlighting the compensatory role of engineered components.This study establishes a comprehensive multi-layer anti-scour model integrating structural and ecological elements, and systematically elucidates its underlying protection mechanism characterized by energy dissipation, flow disruption, and structural anchorage. The verified robustness of CELAS under extreme hydrological and topographic conditions provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance for the design of resilient ecological slope protection systems, with promising applicability in mountainous hydraulic projects, highway embankments, and riverbank stabilization.
{"title":"Anti-erosion performance of a composite ecological lattice anchoring system for bank slopes: A model test","authors":"Zhen Huang , Zhengyan Li , Yingzi Xu , Wencan Jiao , Quanen Huang , Yiyan Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107810","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107810","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Slope degradation induced by water erosion and rainfall scour poses an increasingly severe threat to river ecosystems. To enhance slope stability while fulfilling ecological restoration needs, a composite ecological lattice anchoring system (CELAS) was developed, integrating a lattice structure, anchors, vegetation, and a high-performance turf reinforcement mat (HPTRM). This study, grounded in typical slope conditions along the Pinglu Canal in Guangxi, employed a custom-built recirculating flume and an intelligent rainfall simulation system to replicate diverse hydraulic and precipitation scenarios. The effects of protective materials, vegetation type and density, slope gradient, rainfall intensity, and scour duration on the anti-scour performance of CELAS were systematically investigated. Key parameters—including scour pit depth, scour volume, runoff, and sediment concentration were quantified to elucidate the system's multi-layer synergistic protection mechanism.Experimental results demonstrated that CELAS exhibited superior resistance across a wide range of scour conditions. Compared with bare slopes and conventional vegetation-covered slopes, CELAS reduced rainfall-induced scour volumes by 90.6 % and 29.5 %, respectively, with sediment concentration reductions exceeding 50 %. Under extreme rainfall events (≥80 mm/h) and steep slope conditions, CELAS showed substantially lower increases in scour metrics relative to control groups, indicating reduced sensitivity. In water scour scenarios, CELAS achieved a 78.7 % reduction in scour volume compared to bare slopes and maintained minimal scour responses even under prolonged exposure or vegetation degradation. Under 120-min scour duration, its scour pit depth and volume were 36.5 % and 34.0 % lower, respectively, than those of the vegetated-only slope. When vegetation density declined to 15 g/m<sup>2</sup>, the increase in CELAS scour volume was limited to 15.2 %, significantly less than the 34.4 % observed in the vegetation-only system, highlighting the compensatory role of engineered components.This study establishes a comprehensive multi-layer anti-scour model integrating structural and ecological elements, and systematically elucidates its underlying protection mechanism characterized by energy dissipation, flow disruption, and structural anchorage. The verified robustness of CELAS under extreme hydrological and topographic conditions provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance for the design of resilient ecological slope protection systems, with promising applicability in mountainous hydraulic projects, highway embankments, and riverbank stabilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107810"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097080","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 : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107808
Love Kumar , Matthew J. Deitch , Amobichukwu Chukwudi Amanambu , William K. Jones PE , Scott Walls , Ajay Sharma , Joann Mossa , Tesfay G. Gebremicael , Ramna Kumari
Inundation is a key driver of floodplain ecosystem health, governing nutrient exchange, habitat connectivity, and sediment dynamics. However, limited research has quantified how ecological restoration influences these natural processes at a system-wide scale. This study quantifies changes in floodplain inundation within the slough section of the Apalachicola River, Florida, evaluating the impacts of ecological restoration on hydrological and geomorphic dynamics. Employing the HEC-RAS 2D model, this research utilizes a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) created from LiDAR data collected in 2021, providing high-resolution topographic details essential for accurate flood simulation. River flow data from the same year complements the DEM, enabling precise analysis of pre- and post-restoration conditions. The modeling results predicted a substantial improvement in floodplain connectivity: the flow required to inundate substantial portions of the floodplain decreased from 500 m3s−1 to 350 m3s−1 after restoration efforts. Furthermore, the area experiencing significant inundation increased by 15 %, highlighting an enhancement in ecological functionality. The duration of inundation has also extended, allowing for longer periods of water retention, which is critical for supporting riparian habitats. Model validation yielded a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.95, affirming the robustness of the simulations. These findings underscore the potential of the restoration in enhancing floodplain functionality, with increased inundation areas and improved water and sediment dynamics.
{"title":"Restoration impacts on distributary slough floodplain inundation and connectivity","authors":"Love Kumar , Matthew J. Deitch , Amobichukwu Chukwudi Amanambu , William K. Jones PE , Scott Walls , Ajay Sharma , Joann Mossa , Tesfay G. Gebremicael , Ramna Kumari","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107808","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107808","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inundation is a key driver of floodplain ecosystem health, governing nutrient exchange, habitat connectivity, and sediment dynamics. However, limited research has quantified how ecological restoration influences these natural processes at a system-wide scale. This study quantifies changes in floodplain inundation within the slough section of the Apalachicola River, Florida, evaluating the impacts of ecological restoration on hydrological and geomorphic dynamics. Employing the HEC-RAS 2D model, this research utilizes a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) created from LiDAR data collected in 2021, providing high-resolution topographic details essential for accurate flood simulation. River flow data from the same year complements the DEM, enabling precise analysis of pre- and post-restoration conditions. The modeling results predicted a substantial improvement in floodplain connectivity: the flow required to inundate substantial portions of the floodplain decreased from 500 m<sup>3</sup>s<sup>−1</sup> to 350 m<sup>3</sup>s<sup>−1</sup> after restoration efforts. Furthermore, the area experiencing significant inundation increased by 15 %, highlighting an enhancement in ecological functionality. The duration of inundation has also extended, allowing for longer periods of water retention, which is critical for supporting riparian habitats. Model validation yielded a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.95, affirming the robustness of the simulations. These findings underscore the potential of the restoration in enhancing floodplain functionality, with increased inundation areas and improved water and sediment dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107808"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097074","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 : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107805
He Zhao , Junling Zhang , Xiangbo Liu , Wentao Zhu , Baruch Rinkevich , Shai Shafir , Yijing Di , Aimin Wang , Xiubao Li
Coral restoration technologies are vital for rehabilitating degraded coral reefs, with the gardening approach used as the main global method. However, the success of these efforts depends on restoration-related factors, including coral species selection, fragment size, and transplant density. Here we monitored for over one year period fragments of opportunity from four coral species, Acropora hyacinthus, Acropora microphthalma, Porites cylindrica, and Montipora digitata, that were transplanted on “Framed Reef Modules” located at Wuzhizhou Island, Hainan, China. The fragments were divided into three groups, representing three fragment sizes and two spacing regimens, in four replicates: Group 1 (6 cm size; 16 colonies; spacing 30 cm), Group 2 (3 cm; 32 colonies; spacing 15 cm), Group 3 (6 cm; 32 colonies; spacing 15 cm). Coral survival, growth rates, and physiological parameters were continuously monitored. In A. hyacinthus and P. cylindrica, large fragment size and lower transplant density significantly enhanced growth and survival rates. Under high-density transplant condition, smaller A. microphthalma fragments exhibited higher survival rates. Lower density transplantation significantly improved the survival rate of M. digitata, while its growth rate was not affected by either fragment size or transplant density. Environmental factors, such as seawater temperature, turbidity, and nutrient concentrations, significantly affected coral growth during the 90 to 180 days post-transplantation, when increased environmental stress inhibited coral growth rates. This study adds to our understanding of the selection of fragment size and spacing in direct active transplantation of corals of opportunity.
{"title":"Reasonable fragment size and transplant density can effectively improve coral restoration efficiency","authors":"He Zhao , Junling Zhang , Xiangbo Liu , Wentao Zhu , Baruch Rinkevich , Shai Shafir , Yijing Di , Aimin Wang , Xiubao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coral restoration technologies are vital for rehabilitating degraded coral reefs, with the gardening approach used as the main global method. However, the success of these efforts depends on restoration-related factors, including coral species selection, fragment size, and transplant density. Here we monitored for over one year period fragments of opportunity from four coral species, <em>Acropora hyacinthus</em>, <em>Acropora microphthalma</em>, <em>Porites cylindrica</em>, and <em>Montipora digitata,</em> that were transplanted on “Framed Reef Modules” located at Wuzhizhou Island, Hainan, China. The fragments were divided into three groups, representing three fragment sizes and two spacing regimens, in four replicates: Group 1 (6 cm size; 16 colonies; spacing 30 cm), Group 2 (3 cm; 32 colonies; spacing 15 cm), Group 3 (6 cm; 32 colonies; spacing 15 cm). Coral survival, growth rates, and physiological parameters were continuously monitored. In <em>A. hyacinthus</em> and <em>P. cylindrica</em>, large fragment size and lower transplant density significantly enhanced growth and survival rates. Under high-density transplant condition, smaller <em>A. microphthalma</em> fragments exhibited higher survival rates. Lower density transplantation significantly improved the survival rate of <em>M. digitata</em>, while its growth rate was not affected by either fragment size or transplant density. Environmental factors, such as seawater temperature, turbidity, and nutrient concentrations, significantly affected coral growth during the 90 to 180 days post-transplantation, when increased environmental stress inhibited coral growth rates. This study adds to our understanding of the selection of fragment size and spacing in direct active transplantation of corals of opportunity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107805"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097076","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 : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107807
Jing Zheng , Jianxiong Zhang , Bing Ren , Hongyu Lin , Ziyang Li , Feng Gu , Bo Zhu , Barthelemy Harerimana , Minghua Zhou
Accumulation and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) as well as soil water retention (SWR) are critical for soil sustainability, especially in fragile ecosystems such as dry–warm valleys. However, land-use effects on soil stability, SOC and TN content of soil aggregates, and SWR properties, i.e., field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), and available water capacity (AWC) across valley slopes and bottoms in the Reshui River Catchment remain largely unclear. Soil samples within different soil depths from valley slopes (grassland, shrubland, forestland) and bottoms (bare land, shrubland, cropland: maize-fallow and maize-vegetable fields) were collected in October 2019 in this region. Results showed that valley bottoms exhibited lower clay content, aggregate stability, SOC, TN, and SWR compared to valley slopes. On slopes, grassland outperformed shrubland and forestland in terms of stabilizing soil structure and holding soil water in the upper soil layer, especially at 0–30 cm depth, soils in grassland had highest SOC and TN concentrations within different aggregate fractions. At valley bottoms, cropland increased SOC and TN contents due to fertilizer input, and maize-fallow cultivated soils had higher proportion of > 2 mm aggregates, aggregates stability, FC and AWC than shrubland and maize-vegetable cultivated soils. Grassland on the valley slope and maize-fallow cropland at the valley bottom might be the optimum choices for stabilizing aggregates, boosting soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration, and holding water. This study provides a theoretical basis for the ecological restoration of southwest dry and warm valley.
{"title":"Soil aggregates, carbon and nitrogen content, and water retention across land uses in the Reshui River Catchment","authors":"Jing Zheng , Jianxiong Zhang , Bing Ren , Hongyu Lin , Ziyang Li , Feng Gu , Bo Zhu , Barthelemy Harerimana , Minghua Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accumulation and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) as well as soil water retention (SWR) are critical for soil sustainability, especially in fragile ecosystems such as dry–warm valleys. However, land-use effects on soil stability, SOC and TN content of soil aggregates, and SWR properties, i.e., field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), and available water capacity (AWC) across valley slopes and bottoms in the Reshui River Catchment remain largely unclear. Soil samples within different soil depths from valley slopes (grassland, shrubland, forestland) and bottoms (bare land, shrubland, cropland: maize-fallow and maize-vegetable fields) were collected in October 2019 in this region. Results showed that valley bottoms exhibited lower clay content, aggregate stability, SOC, TN, and SWR compared to valley slopes. On slopes, grassland outperformed shrubland and forestland in terms of stabilizing soil structure and holding soil water in the upper soil layer, especially at 0–30 cm depth, soils in grassland had highest SOC and TN concentrations within different aggregate fractions. At valley bottoms, cropland increased SOC and TN contents due to fertilizer input, and maize-fallow cultivated soils had higher proportion of > 2 mm aggregates, aggregates stability, FC and AWC than shrubland and maize-vegetable cultivated soils. Grassland on the valley slope and maize-fallow cropland at the valley bottom might be the optimum choices for stabilizing aggregates, boosting soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration, and holding water. This study provides a theoretical basis for the ecological restoration of southwest dry and warm valley.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107807"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097079","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 : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107793
Bin Gao , Jia Xu , Mingjiang Deng , Hongbo Ling
Under the dual pressures of climate change and intensified human activities, ecological degradation and water scarcity in arid regions have become more severe, seriously threatening ecological security and carbon cycling. As a key ecological regulation strategy, ecological water conveyance (EWC) improves ecosystem functions by optimizing water allocation. This study takes the Tarim River (TR) Basin as a case, applying trend and partial derivative analyses to quantify the contributions of climate and human activities to Net Primary Productivity (NPP) changes, revealing the response patterns and driving mechanisms between EWC zones and the entire basin. From 2001 to 2022, NPP showed a fluctuating upward trend, with 25.8 % of the area significantly increasing and only 4.0 % decreasing. Human activities contributed 31.4 % to NPP increases, especially along riverbanks and Populus euphratica restoration zones. During NPP decline periods (2016–2018 and 2020–2022), EWC zones contributed −14.2 % and − 1.8 %, respectively, playing a buffering role. In contrast, during 2018–2020, their contribution reached 16.7 %, highlighting EWC's effectiveness in promoting vegetation recovery. Currently, EWC benefits are mainly concentrated in low-lying floodplains and ecological channels near rivers, while upland areas distant from water sources show limited improvement. Future efforts should focus on constructing a surface-like water network and implementing zoned rotational irrigation to optimize water use, expand restoration, and enhance ecological functions. This research offers scientific evidence for ecological restoration in the TR Basin and provides references for managing similar inland river basins in arid regions worldwide.
{"title":"Study on the synergistic effects of ecological water conveyance and climate change on ecological restoration in arid areas: A case study of the Tarim River Basin","authors":"Bin Gao , Jia Xu , Mingjiang Deng , Hongbo Ling","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under the dual pressures of climate change and intensified human activities, ecological degradation and water scarcity in arid regions have become more severe, seriously threatening ecological security and carbon cycling. As a key ecological regulation strategy, ecological water conveyance (EWC) improves ecosystem functions by optimizing water allocation. This study takes the Tarim River (TR) Basin as a case, applying trend and partial derivative analyses to quantify the contributions of climate and human activities to Net Primary Productivity (NPP) changes, revealing the response patterns and driving mechanisms between EWC zones and the entire basin. From 2001 to 2022, NPP showed a fluctuating upward trend, with 25.8 % of the area significantly increasing and only 4.0 % decreasing. Human activities contributed 31.4 % to NPP increases, especially along riverbanks and Populus euphratica restoration zones. During NPP decline periods (2016–2018 and 2020–2022), EWC zones contributed −14.2 % and − 1.8 %, respectively, playing a buffering role. In contrast, during 2018–2020, their contribution reached 16.7 %, highlighting EWC's effectiveness in promoting vegetation recovery. Currently, EWC benefits are mainly concentrated in low-lying floodplains and ecological channels near rivers, while upland areas distant from water sources show limited improvement. Future efforts should focus on constructing a surface-like water network and implementing zoned rotational irrigation to optimize water use, expand restoration, and enhance ecological functions. This research offers scientific evidence for ecological restoration in the TR Basin and provides references for managing similar inland river basins in arid regions worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107793"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047212","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}
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