Ziheng Wang, Hongli Chen, Qiang Li, Jin Liang, Fubo Zhao, Dengfeng Liu, Bo Ming, Puxia Wu, Ruili Wang
The global expansion of photovoltaic (PV) energy has raised growing concern about its potential ecological impacts. In this study, we investigated the impacts of large‐scale, long‐term ecological PV installations on vegetation and soil properties in the semi‐arid region of Shenmu City, northern Shaanxi Province. Field surveys were conducted at three PV power stations that have been operating for approximately 10 years, each covering more than 100 ha. Using a stratified random sampling approach, we compared four distinct microhabitats—beneath photovoltaic panels (Z1, Z4) and inter‐panel spaces (Z2, Z3). A total of 45 vegetation samples and 135 soil samples were collected from per site to evaluate species diversity, biomass, and soil physicochemical properties. The results showed that PV‐induced shading led to a 31.4% reduction in plant species diversity, particularly affecting light‐dependent species, whereas drought‐tolerant plants such as Cleistogenes squarrosa exhibited resilience and niche differentiation. Plant biomass increased in zones Z3 and Z4, particularly with the microhabitats behind the PV panels (Z4), whereas shaded zones (Z2, Z3) exhibited noticeable topsoil coarsening. Although PV infrastructure initially disrupted soil nutrient cycling, our findings suggest localized recovery of soil fertility facilitated by vegetation litter accumulation and root exudates, indicating a delayed yet positive feedback loop between plant regrowth and soil restoration. Redundancy analysis identified total potassium and organic matter as the principal factors mediating vegetation–soil interactions, with species‐specific effects contributing to community restructuring. These findings underscore the crucial role of PV‐induced microhabitats in shaping ecological dynamics. Overall, these findings highlight the critical role of PV‐induced microhabitats in shaping soil–vegetation dynamics. The study provides an empirical basis for integrating renewable energy deployment with ecological restoration, offering insights for sustainable land‐use strategies that balance carbon neutrality objectives with ecosystem resilience.
{"title":"Photovoltaic Alters Microhabitats and Soil–Vegetation Feedbacks in a Fragile Semi‐Arid Ecosystem","authors":"Ziheng Wang, Hongli Chen, Qiang Li, Jin Liang, Fubo Zhao, Dengfeng Liu, Bo Ming, Puxia Wu, Ruili Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70362","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70362","url":null,"abstract":"The global expansion of photovoltaic (PV) energy has raised growing concern about its potential ecological impacts. In this study, we investigated the impacts of large‐scale, long‐term ecological PV installations on vegetation and soil properties in the semi‐arid region of Shenmu City, northern Shaanxi Province. Field surveys were conducted at three PV power stations that have been operating for approximately 10 years, each covering more than 100 ha. Using a stratified random sampling approach, we compared four distinct microhabitats—beneath photovoltaic panels (Z1, Z4) and inter‐panel spaces (Z2, Z3). A total of 45 vegetation samples and 135 soil samples were collected from per site to evaluate species diversity, biomass, and soil physicochemical properties. The results showed that PV‐induced shading led to a 31.4% reduction in plant species diversity, particularly affecting light‐dependent species, whereas drought‐tolerant plants such as <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Cleistogenes squarrosa</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> exhibited resilience and niche differentiation. Plant biomass increased in zones Z3 and Z4, particularly with the microhabitats behind the PV panels (Z4), whereas shaded zones (Z2, Z3) exhibited noticeable topsoil coarsening. Although PV infrastructure initially disrupted soil nutrient cycling, our findings suggest localized recovery of soil fertility facilitated by vegetation litter accumulation and root exudates, indicating a delayed yet positive feedback loop between plant regrowth and soil restoration. Redundancy analysis identified total potassium and organic matter as the principal factors mediating vegetation–soil interactions, with species‐specific effects contributing to community restructuring. These findings underscore the crucial role of PV‐induced microhabitats in shaping ecological dynamics. Overall, these findings highlight the critical role of PV‐induced microhabitats in shaping soil–vegetation dynamics. The study provides an empirical basis for integrating renewable energy deployment with ecological restoration, offering insights for sustainable land‐use strategies that balance carbon neutrality objectives with ecosystem resilience.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145807690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Understanding the relationship between ecosystem services and the livelihood resilience of rural households is essential for effective ecological management. Although interest in the link between ecosystem services and livelihoods has grown, few studies have examined the effects of total ecosystem service value (ESV), individual types of ESV, and their interactions with other factors on household livelihood resilience. Moreover, the heterogeneity of these effects in ecological and non‐ecological functional zones remains underexplored. Based on a method innovation integrating a nationwide representative dataset collected in rural China and a spatial dataset representing ESV, this study compares the impact of ESV on livelihood resilience and its three components (absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacity) in ecological and non‐ecological functional zones. The results show that: (1) Household livelihood resilience score is higher in non‐ecological functional zones than in ecological zones (26.90 vs. 25.37). (2) The average total ESV is higher in ecological functional zones (7.679 × 10 6 yuan) than that in non‐ecological functional zones (6.443 × 10 6 yuan). (3) Total ESV has a stronger effect on livelihood resilience in non‐ecological functional zones ( β = −0.123, p < 0.01), with the greatest impact on adaptive capacity ( β = −0.058, p < 0.01). (4) The material production value (, p < 0.01) and water provision value (, p < 0.01) in ecological functional zones have more pronounced impacts on household resilience compared to the non‐ecological functional zones. (5) ESV weakens the positive influence of land resources utilization and net income on livelihood resilience but enhances the positive impact of ecological projects. These findings offer important insights for policy development in ecologically sensitive regions.
{"title":"The Role of Ecosystem Services in Shaping Rural Livelihood Resilience in China: A Comparative Study Between Ecological and Non‐Ecological Functional Zones","authors":"Jian Gong, Yuying Qiu, Qi Zhang, Ying Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70393","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the relationship between ecosystem services and the livelihood resilience of rural households is essential for effective ecological management. Although interest in the link between ecosystem services and livelihoods has grown, few studies have examined the effects of total ecosystem service value (ESV), individual types of ESV, and their interactions with other factors on household livelihood resilience. Moreover, the heterogeneity of these effects in ecological and non‐ecological functional zones remains underexplored. Based on a method innovation integrating a nationwide representative dataset collected in rural China and a spatial dataset representing ESV, this study compares the impact of ESV on livelihood resilience and its three components (absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacity) in ecological and non‐ecological functional zones. The results show that: (1) Household livelihood resilience score is higher in non‐ecological functional zones than in ecological zones (26.90 vs. 25.37). (2) The average total ESV is higher in ecological functional zones (7.679 × 10 <jats:sup>6</jats:sup> yuan) than that in non‐ecological functional zones (6.443 × 10 <jats:sup>6</jats:sup> yuan). (3) Total ESV has a stronger effect on livelihood resilience in non‐ecological functional zones ( <jats:italic>β =</jats:italic> −0.123, <jats:italic>p <</jats:italic> 0.01), with the greatest impact on adaptive capacity ( <jats:italic>β =</jats:italic> −0.058, <jats:italic>p <</jats:italic> 0.01). (4) The material production value (, <jats:italic>p <</jats:italic> 0.01) and water provision value (, <jats:italic>p <</jats:italic> 0.01) in ecological functional zones have more pronounced impacts on household resilience compared to the non‐ecological functional zones. (5) ESV weakens the positive influence of land resources utilization and net income on livelihood resilience but enhances the positive impact of ecological projects. These findings offer important insights for policy development in ecologically sensitive regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Understanding microplastics (MPs) degradation in soil is crucial for assessing its environmental impacts and pollution remediation. However, the ageing or degradation mechanisms of MPs mediated by soil iron oxides remain poorly understood. This study investigated the degradation of polyethylene microplastics (PE‐MPs) in agricultural soil amended with goethite (α‐FeOOH) gradiently through quantitative incubation experiments. Attenuated total reflection‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) revealed the formation of C–O and C═O bonds on the PE‐MPs surface. The addition of ≤ 1.0% goethite significantly increased both the C–O peak area and the carbonyl index (CI), and the scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX) confirmed a significantly enhanced distribution of oxygen on the PE‐MPs surface. These results collectively demonstrate that a moderate dosage of goethite can significantly promote the degradation of PE‐MPs in soil. Furthermore, partial least squares path modeling (PLS‐PM) indicated that changes in goethite addition influence PE‐MPs degradation indirectly by altering the transformation dynamics of iron oxides within the soil rather than affecting directly. This study provides insights into the effects of goethite on MPs degradation in soil, implying the possibility and potential of soil MPs pollution remediation by iron oxides.
{"title":"Goethite Promotes the Degradation of Polyethylene Microplastics ( PE ‐ MPs ) in Soil","authors":"Zhihuai Chen, Hanbo Li, Ziyan Li, Xugang Wang, Haohua Guo, Yali Tang, Minghan Ouyang, Xiao‐San Luo","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70394","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding microplastics (MPs) degradation in soil is crucial for assessing its environmental impacts and pollution remediation. However, the ageing or degradation mechanisms of MPs mediated by soil iron oxides remain poorly understood. This study investigated the degradation of polyethylene microplastics (PE‐MPs) in agricultural soil amended with goethite (α‐FeOOH) gradiently through quantitative incubation experiments. Attenuated total reflection‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) revealed the formation of C–O and C═O bonds on the PE‐MPs surface. The addition of ≤ 1.0% goethite significantly increased both the C–O peak area and the carbonyl index (CI), and the scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX) confirmed a significantly enhanced distribution of oxygen on the PE‐MPs surface. These results collectively demonstrate that a moderate dosage of goethite can significantly promote the degradation of PE‐MPs in soil. Furthermore, partial least squares path modeling (PLS‐PM) indicated that changes in goethite addition influence PE‐MPs degradation indirectly by altering the transformation dynamics of iron oxides within the soil rather than affecting directly. This study provides insights into the effects of goethite on MPs degradation in soil, implying the possibility and potential of soil MPs pollution remediation by iron oxides.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"366 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Le Hui, Hao Wang, Binyao Han, Yongqiang Xia, Jiamin Liu, Liwei Zhang, Lei Jiao
As studies on ecosystem services progress from “static stock” to “dynamic flow”, scientists gradually realize that ecosystem service flows (ESFs) constitute a key foundation for the scientific evaluation of ecological security at the regional scale. However, as modeling ESFs presents notable difficulties, how to consider ESFs in ecological security studies remains to be explored. Taking the Loess Plateau (LP) as the study area, this study incorporates water provision service flow into the ecological security assessment framework. The ecological security at multiple scales, combined with different climate and water provision service supply and demand scenarios, was assessed and compared for 2020 and 2030, respectively. The results show that: (1) Incorporating water provision service flow leads to an enhancement in ecological security in 2020 in LP, and this will be strengthened at the county scale. (2) The ecological security of the LP in 2030 is more sensitive to changes in water provision service supply scenarios, and this sensitivity increases progressively from the watershed to the county scale. (3) Ecological protection water supply scenarios can buffer the detrimental influence of climate change on ecological security in 2030, and conservation water demand scenarios effectively increase the ecological security level under the same water supply scenarios. The study emphasizes that in arid and semiarid areas, a dynamic assessment framework that integrates ESFs is a flexible way to identify regional ecological security, and also provides a more targeted decision‐making basis for future ecosystem management and regional policymaking.
{"title":"Multi‐Scale Ecological Security Changes From a Water Flow Perspective: Insights From the Loess Plateau of China","authors":"Le Hui, Hao Wang, Binyao Han, Yongqiang Xia, Jiamin Liu, Liwei Zhang, Lei Jiao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70386","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70386","url":null,"abstract":"As studies on ecosystem services progress from “static stock” to “dynamic flow”, scientists gradually realize that ecosystem service flows (ESFs) constitute a key foundation for the scientific evaluation of ecological security at the regional scale. However, as modeling ESFs presents notable difficulties, how to consider ESFs in ecological security studies remains to be explored. Taking the Loess Plateau (LP) as the study area, this study incorporates water provision service flow into the ecological security assessment framework. The ecological security at multiple scales, combined with different climate and water provision service supply and demand scenarios, was assessed and compared for 2020 and 2030, respectively. The results show that: (1) Incorporating water provision service flow leads to an enhancement in ecological security in 2020 in LP, and this will be strengthened at the county scale. (2) The ecological security of the LP in 2030 is more sensitive to changes in water provision service supply scenarios, and this sensitivity increases progressively from the watershed to the county scale. (3) Ecological protection water supply scenarios can buffer the detrimental influence of climate change on ecological security in 2030, and conservation water demand scenarios effectively increase the ecological security level under the same water supply scenarios. The study emphasizes that in arid and semiarid areas, a dynamic assessment framework that integrates ESFs is a flexible way to identify regional ecological security, and also provides a more targeted decision‐making basis for future ecosystem management and regional policymaking.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amany H. A. Abeed, Suliman Mohammed Suliman Alghanem, Sami Asir Al‐Robai, Osama N. Massoud, Ahmed M. Amro, Ahmed M. Mahmoud, Amr Elkelish, Modhi O. Alotaibi, Mahmoud O. Hassan
Enhancing soil function through residue‐based amendments is an important strategy for improving crop quality in sustainable and restoration‐oriented agriculture. This study evaluated whether incorporating Sonchus oleraceus residue into soil could improve microbial activity, soil biochemical properties, and the nutritional composition of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) seeds under field conditions. Residue incorporation consistently enhanced soil organic matter and key microbial indicators, reflecting improved nutrient cycling and soil biological functioning. These changes were associated with notable increases in essential minerals, amino acids, sugars, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins, and unsaturated fatty acids in cowpea seeds. Multivariate analyses further showed clear associations between improved soil biochemical status and metabolite enrichment. Overall, the findings demonstrate that S. oleraceus residue acts as an effective soil amendment that strengthens soil fertility and enhances seed nutritional quality, supporting its potential role in sustainable cropping systems and soil restoration frameworks.
{"title":"Amending Soil With Sonchus Oleraceus Residue Enhances Soil Microbial Function and Nutritive Composition of Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) Seeds","authors":"Amany H. A. Abeed, Suliman Mohammed Suliman Alghanem, Sami Asir Al‐Robai, Osama N. Massoud, Ahmed M. Amro, Ahmed M. Mahmoud, Amr Elkelish, Modhi O. Alotaibi, Mahmoud O. Hassan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70349","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70349","url":null,"abstract":"Enhancing soil function through residue‐based amendments is an important strategy for improving crop quality in sustainable and restoration‐oriented agriculture. This study evaluated whether incorporating <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Sonchus oleraceus</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> residue into soil could improve microbial activity, soil biochemical properties, and the nutritional composition of cowpea ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Vigna unguiculata</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> (L.) Walp.) seeds under field conditions. Residue incorporation consistently enhanced soil organic matter and key microbial indicators, reflecting improved nutrient cycling and soil biological functioning. These changes were associated with notable increases in essential minerals, amino acids, sugars, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamins, and unsaturated fatty acids in cowpea seeds. Multivariate analyses further showed clear associations between improved soil biochemical status and metabolite enrichment. Overall, the findings demonstrate that <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>S. oleraceus</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> residue acts as an effective soil amendment that strengthens soil fertility and enhances seed nutritional quality, supporting its potential role in sustainable cropping systems and soil restoration frameworks.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"172 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The balance between oxidative and hydrolytic extracellular enzyme activities (Ox‐EEAs and Hy‐EEAs, respectively) serves as a key indicator of microbial substrate preferences, offering insights into the decomposition dynamics of diverse soil organic carbon (C) pools within forest ecosystems. Despite its significance, spatial patterns and environmental determinants of the ratio of Ox‐EEAs to Hy‐EEAs (Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio)—particularly across elevational gradients and soil horizons—remain poorly characterized in montane forests. In this study, we investigated the elevational variation (2100–3900 m a.s.l.) of Ox‐EEAs, Hy‐EEAs and the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio in topsoil (0–10 cm) and subsoil (10–20 cm) across representative forest sites in the Hengduan Mountains. Both enzyme types exhibited an upward trend in activity with increasing elevation. Interestingly, the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio followed a unimodal pattern in topsoil, whereas it declined monotonically with elevation in the subsoil, resulting in consistently lower values in the upper soil layer. Among all measured variables, soil total nitrogen (N) emerged as the primary driver influencing both enzyme categories across depths. In topsoil, however, soil physicochemical properties—especially ammonium N (NH 4+ ‐N)—exerted the strongest control over the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio. In subsoil, the ratio was directly influenced by soil physicochemical properties (mainly soil pH) and soil stoichiometry (primarily soil organic C: total phosphorus ratio). Overall, our results reveal the depth‐dependent patterns and regulatory mechanisms of C‐degrading enzyme activities in dominant forest soils along an elevational gradient, thus providing insights into management practices of enhancing forest ecosystem services and functions in mountain forest ecosystems.
氧化和水解胞外酶活性（分别为Ox‐EEAs和Hy‐EEAs）之间的平衡是微生物底物偏好的关键指标，为森林生态系统中不同土壤有机碳(C)库的分解动力学提供了见解。尽管具有重要意义，但在山地森林中，Ox - EEAs与Hy - EEAs （Ox - to - Hy EEA比率）的空间格局和环境决定因素（特别是跨越海拔梯度和土壤水平）仍然缺乏特征。本文研究了横断山区代表性森林样地表层土壤（0 ~ 10 cm）和底土（10 ~ 20 cm） Ox - EEAs、Hy - EEAs和Ox - Hy - EEA比值的海拔变化（2100 ~ 3900 m a.s.l）。随着海拔的升高，两种酶的活性均呈上升趋势。有趣的是，表层土壤的Ox - to - Hy EEA比值呈单峰模式，而下层土壤的Ox - to - Hy EEA比值随着海拔的升高而单调下降，导致上层土壤的EEA值始终较低。在所有测量变量中，土壤全氮(N)是影响两种酶类别跨越深度的主要驱动因素。然而，在表层土壤中，土壤的物理化学性质——尤其是铵态氮（nh4 + - N）——对Ox - to - Hy EEA比值的控制作用最强。在底土中，土壤理化性质（主要是土壤pH）和土壤化学计量（主要是土壤有机C：全磷比）直接影响土壤碳磷比。总体而言，我们的研究结果揭示了沿海拔梯度的优势森林土壤中C降解酶活性的深度依赖模式和调节机制，从而为增强山地森林生态系统中森林生态系统服务和功能的管理实践提供了见解。
{"title":"Elevation‐Driven Contrasting Mechanisms of Carbon‐Degrading Enzyme Activities Between Topsoil and Subsoil in Hengduan Mountain Forests","authors":"Zhengyi Huang, Qian Zhang, Xiuxian Men, Chang Liao, Minghui Wu, Zhican Zheng, Haoying Gao, Xianxian Wang, Xiaoli Cheng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70321","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70321","url":null,"abstract":"The balance between oxidative and hydrolytic extracellular enzyme activities (Ox‐EEAs and Hy‐EEAs, respectively) serves as a key indicator of microbial substrate preferences, offering insights into the decomposition dynamics of diverse soil organic carbon (C) pools within forest ecosystems. Despite its significance, spatial patterns and environmental determinants of the ratio of Ox‐EEAs to Hy‐EEAs (Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio)—particularly across elevational gradients and soil horizons—remain poorly characterized in montane forests. In this study, we investigated the elevational variation (2100–3900 m a.s.l.) of Ox‐EEAs, Hy‐EEAs and the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio in topsoil (0–10 cm) and subsoil (10–20 cm) across representative forest sites in the Hengduan Mountains. Both enzyme types exhibited an upward trend in activity with increasing elevation. Interestingly, the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio followed a unimodal pattern in topsoil, whereas it declined monotonically with elevation in the subsoil, resulting in consistently lower values in the upper soil layer. Among all measured variables, soil total nitrogen (N) emerged as the primary driver influencing both enzyme categories across depths. In topsoil, however, soil physicochemical properties—especially ammonium N (NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> ‐N)—exerted the strongest control over the Ox‐to‐Hy EEA ratio. In subsoil, the ratio was directly influenced by soil physicochemical properties (mainly soil pH) and soil stoichiometry (primarily soil organic C: total phosphorus ratio). Overall, our results reveal the depth‐dependent patterns and regulatory mechanisms of C‐degrading enzyme activities in dominant forest soils along an elevational gradient, thus providing insights into management practices of enhancing forest ecosystem services and functions in mountain forest ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The limited uptake of agricultural green production technology (AGPT) practices by farmers has long attracted attention from diverse sectors of society. Based on the dynamic nature of risk aversion among farmers, this research investigates how natural disasters influence their adoption of green technologies and suggests appropriate response measures. The results spot that: (1) Natural disasters significantly reduce both the probability and the intensity of farmers' adoption of AGPT. This finding holds under various robustness checks, such as using alternative measures for the dependent variable. (2) The primary reason is that repeated exposure to disasters heightens farmers' risk aversion, thereby shaping their technology adoption choices. Greater risk aversion corresponds to a lower propensity and a reduced scale of AGPT usage. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that disasters exposure consistently discourages AGPT adoption across farmer subgroups. However, the adverse effect is more acute among small-scale operators, households less dependent on crop income, and those with limited access to agricultural machinery. (4) agricultural subsidies and insurance uptake can partly offset the suppressing influence of natural disasters on the adoption of AGPT. To advance sustainable agricultural development in China, future efforts should focus on reinforcing disaster early-warning systems, expanding skill development programs, and refining the agricultural insurance framework.
{"title":"Once Bitten, Twice Shy: The Impact of Natural Disasters on the Adoption of Agricultural Green Production Technologies by Farmers Based on the Risk Aversion Perspective","authors":"Bin Yuan, Wen Sun, Jinpeng Huang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70388","url":null,"abstract":"The limited uptake of agricultural green production technology (AGPT) practices by farmers has long attracted attention from diverse sectors of society. Based on the dynamic nature of risk aversion among farmers, this research investigates how natural disasters influence their adoption of green technologies and suggests appropriate response measures. The results spot that: (1) Natural disasters significantly reduce both the probability and the intensity of farmers' adoption of AGPT. This finding holds under various robustness checks, such as using alternative measures for the dependent variable. (2) The primary reason is that repeated exposure to disasters heightens farmers' risk aversion, thereby shaping their technology adoption choices. Greater risk aversion corresponds to a lower propensity and a reduced scale of AGPT usage. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that disasters exposure consistently discourages AGPT adoption across farmer subgroups. However, the adverse effect is more acute among small-scale operators, households less dependent on crop income, and those with limited access to agricultural machinery. (4) agricultural subsidies and insurance uptake can partly offset the suppressing influence of natural disasters on the adoption of AGPT. To advance sustainable agricultural development in China, future efforts should focus on reinforcing disaster early-warning systems, expanding skill development programs, and refining the agricultural insurance framework.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145777707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna K. Abramowicz, Oimahmad Rahmonov, Justyna Ciesielczuk, Monika J. Fabiańska
Burning coal‐waste dumps are a clear example of anthropogenic landforms that can harm the natural environment in post‐mining regions. In the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB), their surface is often irregularly covered with algal crusts, which can accumulate pollutants very well. To determine the toxicity of these biocrusts on burning dumps and evaluate their role in such extreme conditions, mineral and chemical tests were carried out with a particular focus on heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Several environmental indices were used, including the geoaccumulation factor, enrichment factor, contamination factor, ecological risk index, and total carcinogenic risk (TCR). The hazard linked to single PAHs and to the group as a whole in biocrusts was examined, with an average concentration of Σ PAHs reaching 3938.40 μg/kg. Heavy metals such as Zn (avg. 4416.7 ppm), Cd (avg. 25.8 ppm), Pb (avg. 1166.5 ppm), Ni (avg. 327.0 ppm), Cu (avg. 1103.8 ppm) and As (avg. 44.1 ppm) showed elevated concentrations. The combined load of heavy metals and PAHs in the biocrusts indicates a serious environmental threat and potential risks to human health. Environmental indices clearly show that the studied dump represents an extremely contaminated environment, with exceptionally high levels of heavy metal enrichment. The TCR results classify all samples within the high‐risk category. The findings highlight the importance of algal communities in the early stages of colonisation, their potential role in stabilising post‐industrial habitats, and novel insights into combined organic and inorganic pollutant loads in biocrusts under extreme conditions.
{"title":"Accumulation of Heavy Metals and PAHs in Algal Crust on Burning Coal‐Waste Dumps: A Case Study From an Extreme Environment","authors":"Anna K. Abramowicz, Oimahmad Rahmonov, Justyna Ciesielczuk, Monika J. Fabiańska","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70359","url":null,"abstract":"Burning coal‐waste dumps are a clear example of anthropogenic landforms that can harm the natural environment in post‐mining regions. In the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB), their surface is often irregularly covered with algal crusts, which can accumulate pollutants very well. To determine the toxicity of these biocrusts on burning dumps and evaluate their role in such extreme conditions, mineral and chemical tests were carried out with a particular focus on heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Several environmental indices were used, including the geoaccumulation factor, enrichment factor, contamination factor, ecological risk index, and total carcinogenic risk (TCR). The hazard linked to single PAHs and to the group as a whole in biocrusts was examined, with an average concentration of Σ PAHs reaching 3938.40 μg/kg. Heavy metals such as Zn (avg. 4416.7 ppm), Cd (avg. 25.8 ppm), Pb (avg. 1166.5 ppm), Ni (avg. 327.0 ppm), Cu (avg. 1103.8 ppm) and As (avg. 44.1 ppm) showed elevated concentrations. The combined load of heavy metals and PAHs in the biocrusts indicates a serious environmental threat and potential risks to human health. Environmental indices clearly show that the studied dump represents an extremely contaminated environment, with exceptionally high levels of heavy metal enrichment. The TCR results classify all samples within the high‐risk category. The findings highlight the importance of algal communities in the early stages of colonisation, their potential role in stabilising post‐industrial habitats, and novel insights into combined organic and inorganic pollutant loads in biocrusts under extreme conditions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tahmina Kausar, Feida Sun, Yao Li, Jinchao Gong, Shijie Zhou, Muhammad Khalid Rafiq, Akash Tariq, Yue Xiu, Linlin Li, Liang Tie, Abraham Allan Degen, Yanfu Bai
Climate‐induced drought is accelerating the degradation of alpine grasslands, which cover 50%–60% of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and provide critical ecosystem services including biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, and forage production. Degradation and recurrent drought events can reduce aboveground biomass by up to 73%, severely impairing soil function and ecosystem stability. This review highlights biochar as a nature‐based solution (NbS) with measurable potential to enhance drought resilience in alpine ecosystems. Empirical evidence demonstrates that biochar increases soil organic carbon by 2.7–10.7 g kg −1 , total nitrogen by 0.24–0.83 g kg −1 , and soil water‐holding capacity by up to 51% in sandy soils (and ~20% in finer‐textured soils), reduces nutrient leaching and maintains fertility under moisture‐limited conditions. Biochar also enhances microbial biomass C and N, enzymatic activity, and microbial diversity (15%–40%), strengthening nutrient cycling and plant stress tolerance. Field trials show a 25%–30% increase in aboveground biomass, while seed germination and soil seed bank viability improve by 20%–40%, facilitating vegetation regeneration and succession. Co‐benefits include stabilization of soil organic carbon pools (10%–30%) and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing biochar's role in climate adaptation. By simultaneously addressing the physical, chemical, and biological dimensions of drought stress, biochar offers an integrative pathway for grassland restoration. Nonetheless, uncertainties remain regarding optimal feedstocks, application rates, and long‐term ecological interactions. We advocate embedding biochar in restoration policies, aligning with climate adaptation goals, and promoting cross‐sectoral collaboration to enable scalable deployment. Collectively, the evidence positions biochar as a sustainable, science‐based strategy to secure the multifunctionality of alpine grasslands in a rapidly changing climate.
退化和经常性干旱事件可使地上生物量减少高达73%，严重损害土壤功能和生态系统稳定性。这篇综述强调了生物炭作为一种基于自然的解决方案（NbS），在增强高山生态系统的抗旱能力方面具有可测量的潜力。经验证据表明，在沙质土壤中，生物炭可使土壤有机碳增加2.7-10.7 g kg - 1，总氮增加0.24-0.83 g kg - 1，土壤持水量可提高51%（在细质土壤中可提高20%），减少养分淋失，并在水分限制条件下保持肥力。生物炭还能提高微生物生物量C和N、酶活性和微生物多样性（15%-40%），增强养分循环和植物抗逆性。田间试验表明，地上生物量增加25%-30%，种子萌发和土壤种子库活力提高20%-40%，促进植被更新和演替。Co - benefits包括稳定土壤有机碳库（10%-30%）和减缓温室气体排放，加强生物炭在气候适应中的作用。通过同时处理干旱胁迫的物理、化学和生物维度，生物炭为草地恢复提供了一个综合途径。尽管如此，关于最佳原料、应用速率和长期生态相互作用的不确定性仍然存在。我们主张将生物炭纳入恢复政策，与气候适应目标保持一致，并促进跨部门合作，以实现可扩展的部署。总的来说，这些证据表明，生物炭是一种可持续的、以科学为基础的战略，可以在快速变化的气候中确保高山草原的多功能性。
{"title":"Biochar as a Nature‐Based Solution for Sustainable and Drought‐Resilient Grassland Restoration","authors":"Tahmina Kausar, Feida Sun, Yao Li, Jinchao Gong, Shijie Zhou, Muhammad Khalid Rafiq, Akash Tariq, Yue Xiu, Linlin Li, Liang Tie, Abraham Allan Degen, Yanfu Bai","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70336","url":null,"abstract":"Climate‐induced drought is accelerating the degradation of alpine grasslands, which cover 50%–60% of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and provide critical ecosystem services including biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, and forage production. Degradation and recurrent drought events can reduce aboveground biomass by up to 73%, severely impairing soil function and ecosystem stability. This review highlights biochar as a nature‐based solution (NbS) with measurable potential to enhance drought resilience in alpine ecosystems. Empirical evidence demonstrates that biochar increases soil organic carbon by 2.7–10.7 g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> , total nitrogen by 0.24–0.83 g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> , and soil water‐holding capacity by up to 51% in sandy soils (and ~20% in finer‐textured soils), reduces nutrient leaching and maintains fertility under moisture‐limited conditions. Biochar also enhances microbial biomass C and N, enzymatic activity, and microbial diversity (15%–40%), strengthening nutrient cycling and plant stress tolerance. Field trials show a 25%–30% increase in aboveground biomass, while seed germination and soil seed bank viability improve by 20%–40%, facilitating vegetation regeneration and succession. Co‐benefits include stabilization of soil organic carbon pools (10%–30%) and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing biochar's role in climate adaptation. By simultaneously addressing the physical, chemical, and biological dimensions of drought stress, biochar offers an integrative pathway for grassland restoration. Nonetheless, uncertainties remain regarding optimal feedstocks, application rates, and long‐term ecological interactions. We advocate embedding biochar in restoration policies, aligning with climate adaptation goals, and promoting cross‐sectoral collaboration to enable scalable deployment. Collectively, the evidence positions biochar as a sustainable, science‐based strategy to secure the multifunctionality of alpine grasslands in a rapidly changing climate.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145765426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The conversion of Chinese farmland to non‐main grain cropland (NMGL) threatens national food security, yet its local‐scale dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we provide a county‐level analysis of the spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of this land‐use change. We identify striking regional disparities: the prevalence of NMGL is highest in major grain consumption areas (22.3%), intermediate in balanced zones (18.4%), and lowest in production areas (11.6%). Between 1985 and 2020, this trend evolved from localized occurrences into a widespread phenomenon. Crop systems influence conversion risks, with single‐cropping systems exhibiting a 2.1–3.8 times higher vulnerability to conversion than intercropped systems. Driver analysis indicates that soil factors (particularly organic carbon) are the primary determinant nationwide (40% contribution), although socioeconomic factors prevail in balanced regions. To effectively preserve China's agricultural land, management frameworks need transition from rigid regulation of non‑grain cropping areas toward a dynamic protection strategy anchored in food‑balance demands. A smarter, system‐wide approach is needed that optimizes planting structures and agricultural layouts. Our study provides critical insights for formulating a food balance demand‐oriented farmland protection strategy.
{"title":"Revealing the Process and Mechanism of Non‐Main Grain Cropland Expansion in China","authors":"Jie Zhang, Shidong Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70384","url":null,"abstract":"The conversion of Chinese farmland to non‐main grain cropland (NMGL) threatens national food security, yet its local‐scale dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we provide a county‐level analysis of the spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of this land‐use change. We identify striking regional disparities: the prevalence of NMGL is highest in major grain consumption areas (22.3%), intermediate in balanced zones (18.4%), and lowest in production areas (11.6%). Between 1985 and 2020, this trend evolved from localized occurrences into a widespread phenomenon. Crop systems influence conversion risks, with single‐cropping systems exhibiting a 2.1–3.8 times higher vulnerability to conversion than intercropped systems. Driver analysis indicates that soil factors (particularly organic carbon) are the primary determinant nationwide (40% contribution), although socioeconomic factors prevail in balanced regions. To effectively preserve China's agricultural land, management frameworks need transition from rigid regulation of non‑grain cropping areas toward a dynamic protection strategy anchored in food‑balance demands. A smarter, system‐wide approach is needed that optimizes planting structures and agricultural layouts. Our study provides critical insights for formulating a food balance demand‐oriented farmland protection strategy.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145765429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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