The Songnen Plain (SNP) and the Sanjiang Plain (SJP) are typical core black soil regions in northeastern China, where strong cross-regional heterogeneity poses challenges for accurate soil organic matter (SOM) mapping. To address this issue, we compiled 493 soil samples from SNP and SJP and integrated multi-temporal Landsat-8 bare soil imagery (April–May, 2014–2022) with climatic and topographic covariates. A novel framework, termed remote sensing–environmental covariates–recursive feature elimination–plain-based global regression (RS-EnvRFE-PGR), was developed to enhance cross-regional SOM prediction. Results showed that: (1) the optimal modeling periods for SNP and SJP were April and May, respectively; (2) locally regressed models, constructed using environmental factors and feature selection, significantly outperform traditional global models in both prediction accuracy and stability; (3) key variables selected by RFE, including spectral, climatic, and terrain factors, highlight the dominant contribution of remote sensing data in SOM modeling, with precipitation showing stable performance across all models; (4) SOM in SNP exhibited a northeast–southwest decreasing gradient, while SJP showed a low-center, high-edge pattern. Further comparison with an advanced prior-knowledge-based hybrid mapping framework integrating attention-based convolutional neural networks and convolutional long short-term memory networks (A-CNN-ConvLSTM+PHM) confirmed the superior performance of the proposed RS-EnvRFE-PGR framework. Overall, this framework enhances the accuracy and adaptability of cross-regional SOM mapping and provides methodological support for land quality regulation, carbon stock assessment, and sustainable agricultural management.
{"title":"RS-EnvRFE-PGR: A Novel Framework for High-Precision Soil Organic Matter Mapping in Heterogeneous Black Soil Regions","authors":"Hongju Zhao, Fang Wang, Chong Luo, Deqiang Zang, Wenqi Zhang, Huanjun Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70471","url":null,"abstract":"The Songnen Plain (SNP) and the Sanjiang Plain (SJP) are typical core black soil regions in northeastern China, where strong cross-regional heterogeneity poses challenges for accurate soil organic matter (SOM) mapping. To address this issue, we compiled 493 soil samples from SNP and SJP and integrated multi-temporal Landsat-8 bare soil imagery (April–May, 2014–2022) with climatic and topographic covariates. A novel framework, termed remote sensing–environmental covariates–recursive feature elimination–plain-based global regression (RS-EnvRFE-PGR), was developed to enhance cross-regional SOM prediction. Results showed that: (1) the optimal modeling periods for SNP and SJP were April and May, respectively; (2) locally regressed models, constructed using environmental factors and feature selection, significantly outperform traditional global models in both prediction accuracy and stability; (3) key variables selected by RFE, including spectral, climatic, and terrain factors, highlight the dominant contribution of remote sensing data in SOM modeling, with precipitation showing stable performance across all models; (4) SOM in SNP exhibited a northeast–southwest decreasing gradient, while SJP showed a low-center, high-edge pattern. Further comparison with an advanced prior-knowledge-based hybrid mapping framework integrating attention-based convolutional neural networks and convolutional long short-term memory networks (A-CNN-ConvLSTM+PHM) confirmed the superior performance of the proposed RS-EnvRFE-PGR framework. Overall, this framework enhances the accuracy and adaptability of cross-regional SOM mapping and provides methodological support for land quality regulation, carbon stock assessment, and sustainable agricultural management.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146115736","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 main aim for sustainable development is to guarantee the provision of resources to the existing generation without compromising the needs of future generations. Agroforestry, the integrated management of trees and crops on the same land unit, is considered the important source of economic prosperity. The agricultural sector is a key contributor to global warming. Due to the heavy use of traditional production techniques, the agriculture sector is linked with environmental sustainability. However, the agriculture sector significantly contributes to economic growth by increasing production and generating employment. Since economic growth is a fundamental component of sustainable development, the agriculture sector's contribution to economic growth is essential for achieving broader sustainability goals. In addition to the agriculture sector, forests are generally considered a source of income generation and environmental sustainability. Forests play an important role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. This study investigates the role of agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, on sustainable development in the case of G7 countries. Moreover, we include globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes as additional determinants of sustainable development. Employing the quantile regression approach, the study found that agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes are important factors affecting sustainable development in G7 countries. The results show that agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes are important variables affecting sustainable development, particularly from the medium to long run. For robustness check, this study uses Driscoll‐Kraay and panel corrected standard errors approaches, which correct heteroscedasticity in the model. The results obtained are aligned with the estimates obtained from the QR approach.
{"title":"Agroforestry and Sustainable Development: A Novel Perspective of Environmental Resilience via Agroforestry and Globalization","authors":"Dan Yu, Feilan Wang, Xin Liu, Xi Huang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70443","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70443","url":null,"abstract":"The main aim for sustainable development is to guarantee the provision of resources to the existing generation without compromising the needs of future generations. Agroforestry, the integrated management of trees and crops on the same land unit, is considered the important source of economic prosperity. The agricultural sector is a key contributor to global warming. Due to the heavy use of traditional production techniques, the agriculture sector is linked with environmental sustainability. However, the agriculture sector significantly contributes to economic growth by increasing production and generating employment. Since economic growth is a fundamental component of sustainable development, the agriculture sector's contribution to economic growth is essential for achieving broader sustainability goals. In addition to the agriculture sector, forests are generally considered a source of income generation and environmental sustainability. Forests play an important role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. This study investigates the role of agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, on sustainable development in the case of G7 countries. Moreover, we include globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes as additional determinants of sustainable development. Employing the quantile regression approach, the study found that agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes are important factors affecting sustainable development in G7 countries. The results show that agriculture, forestry, and fishing value added, globalization, green innovation, financial development, and environmental related taxes are important variables affecting sustainable development, particularly from the medium to long run. For robustness check, this study uses Driscoll‐Kraay and panel corrected standard errors approaches, which correct heteroscedasticity in the model. The results obtained are aligned with the estimates obtained from the QR approach.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122170","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}
Arjun Singh, Pooja Maurya, Sanjay Arora, Yash Pal Singh
Agroforestry systems comprising silvipasture and silviculture were established on sodic soils and maintained for 30 years with the objective for soil restoration. Agroforestry systems improved soil physicochemical properties, which have been reported earlier. However, potential microbial mechanisms responsible for long-term soil health recovery remained poorly understood. With this gap, metagenomics studies were conducted on restored sodic soils as well as barren sodic soils to compare their microbial community structure, interactions, and functional potential. Alpha diversity indices viz: Shannon and richness showed on par changes between restored and barren sodic soils; however, microbial evenness was significantly higher under restored conditions, indicating community reorganization. In contrast, beta diversity indicated community differences between restored sodic soil and barren sodic soils. Under restored sodic soils, enrichment of important soil beneficial bacterial taxa can also be seen. The bacterial co-occurrence networks indicated a shift from weak, competitive, and poorly modular microbial networks in barren sodic soils to high modular and cooperative networks under agroforestry systems. Dominance of important ecological pathways for carbon sequestration and nitrogen fixation was found in restored soils, whereas sodic soils exhibited more of methanogenesis and nitrogen loss pathways. Implementation of long-term agroforestry systems not only restored sodic soils via physicochemical amelioration but also by restructuring microbial communities and enhancing key ecological functions for soil health.
{"title":"Understanding Long-Term Influence of Agroforestry Systems on Soil Microbiome Dynamics and Their Ecological Importance in Restored Sodic Soils of Indo-Gangetic Plains","authors":"Arjun Singh, Pooja Maurya, Sanjay Arora, Yash Pal Singh","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70454","url":null,"abstract":"Agroforestry systems comprising silvipasture and silviculture were established on sodic soils and maintained for 30 years with the objective for soil restoration. Agroforestry systems improved soil physicochemical properties, which have been reported earlier. However, potential microbial mechanisms responsible for long-term soil health recovery remained poorly understood. With this gap, metagenomics studies were conducted on restored sodic soils as well as barren sodic soils to compare their microbial community structure, interactions, and functional potential. Alpha diversity indices viz: Shannon and richness showed on par changes between restored and barren sodic soils; however, microbial evenness was significantly higher under restored conditions, indicating community reorganization. In contrast, beta diversity indicated community differences between restored sodic soil and barren sodic soils. Under restored sodic soils, enrichment of important soil beneficial bacterial taxa can also be seen. The bacterial co-occurrence networks indicated a shift from weak, competitive, and poorly modular microbial networks in barren sodic soils to high modular and cooperative networks under agroforestry systems. Dominance of important ecological pathways for carbon sequestration and nitrogen fixation was found in restored soils, whereas sodic soils exhibited more of methanogenesis and nitrogen loss pathways. Implementation of long-term agroforestry systems not only restored sodic soils via physicochemical amelioration but also by restructuring microbial communities and enhancing key ecological functions for soil health.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146115771","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}
Mehdi Heydari, Sina Attar Roshan, Reza Omidipour, Pedro Manuel Villa, Bernard Prévosto
Land abandonment in semi-arid regions represents a critical environmental challenge, significantly impacting ecosystem structure and function. This study investigated vegetation dynamics along a successional gradient in the Zagros forests of western Iran, following the abandonment of agricultural lands. Here, we sampled 96 plots across four successional stages: recently abandoned fields (3–4 years after abandonment, RAA), short-term abandonment (10 years, SAA), long-term abandonment (25 years, LAA), and mature forest (FOR). We analyzed species richness, diversity, composition, and applied niche apportionment models to assess species abundance distributions across four successional stages. Results revealed a clear successional trajectory with increasing species richness and diversity, particularly in later stages. This was evidenced by the number of indicator species, which increased from only 1 in SAA to 66 in FOR. Plant community composition differed significantly among stages, with greater similarity observed between LAA and FOR. Early successional stages exhibited higher compositional heterogeneity, whereas later stages displayed increased homogeneity, suggesting increased community stability. For herbaceous species, abundance distributions were best described by the Dominance Pre-emption model, reflecting the competitive advantage for early-arriving species. In contrast, the abundance distributions of woody species in later stages aligned with the Dominance Decay model, indicating increased niche differentiation and reduced dominance. These findings underscore the importance of temporal progression and competitive interactions in shaping successional trajectories. The study highlights the slow and complex nature of ecosystem recovery in semi-arid regions, emphasizing the need for long-term ecological monitoring and adaptive management strategies to support the restoration of degraded landscapes.
{"title":"Successional Trajectories and Niche Partitioning of Vegetation in Abandoned Agricultural Lands of a Semi-Arid Forest","authors":"Mehdi Heydari, Sina Attar Roshan, Reza Omidipour, Pedro Manuel Villa, Bernard Prévosto","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70446","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70446","url":null,"abstract":"Land abandonment in semi-arid regions represents a critical environmental challenge, significantly impacting ecosystem structure and function. This study investigated vegetation dynamics along a successional gradient in the Zagros forests of western Iran, following the abandonment of agricultural lands. Here, we sampled 96 plots across four successional stages: recently abandoned fields (3–4 years after abandonment, RAA), short-term abandonment (10 years, SAA), long-term abandonment (25 years, LAA), and mature forest (FOR). We analyzed species richness, diversity, composition, and applied niche apportionment models to assess species abundance distributions across four successional stages. Results revealed a clear successional trajectory with increasing species richness and diversity, particularly in later stages. This was evidenced by the number of indicator species, which increased from only 1 in SAA to 66 in FOR. Plant community composition differed significantly among stages, with greater similarity observed between LAA and FOR. Early successional stages exhibited higher compositional heterogeneity, whereas later stages displayed increased homogeneity, suggesting increased community stability. For herbaceous species, abundance distributions were best described by the Dominance Pre-emption model, reflecting the competitive advantage for early-arriving species. In contrast, the abundance distributions of woody species in later stages aligned with the Dominance Decay model, indicating increased niche differentiation and reduced dominance. These findings underscore the importance of temporal progression and competitive interactions in shaping successional trajectories. The study highlights the slow and complex nature of ecosystem recovery in semi-arid regions, emphasizing the need for long-term ecological monitoring and adaptive management strategies to support the restoration of degraded landscapes.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146115737","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}
Ecosystem services (ESs) are increasingly recognized as an important criterion for landscape ecological risk (LER). However, previous studies always concentrated only on the ESs or LER in regional management. To empirically test whether ESs-based conservation can mitigate future LER, taking Jiangsu Province, China as a case study, based on the LER assessment method, InVEST model, bivariate Moran's I and Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, five scenarios were set by the ESs hotspot areas, and an analysis framework of LER warning was developed. Results showed LER was characterized by a substantial decline in the dominant medium risk areas (from 78.8% to 52.9%) and a concurrent, dramatic expansion of moderate high risk zones (from 9.1% to 37.0%) in 2000–2020. Concurrently, food production, water yield, and soil conservation increased, while carbon sequestration and habitat quality decreased, and the LER and ESs showed a negative spatial correlation. Construction land would expand the most (over 3900 km2) under the natural development (S-natural) scenario in 2030, and the least (2807.62 km2) under the integrated service protection (S-integrated) scenario. Consequently, S-integrated scenario yielded the smallest proportion of warning areas (high and moderate high risk zones), totaling only 29.3% of the study area, compared to 58.2% under S-natural. This study empirically demonstrated that integrating ESs protection into LER warning could effectively mitigate future ecological risks and provide critical support for the high-quality ecological development of rapidly urbanizing regions.
{"title":"Integrating Ecosystem Services Into Landscape Ecological Risk Warning: An Empirical Study in Jiangsu Province, China","authors":"Zhe Li, Wei Wu, Hongshan Chen, Shiqi Tian, Linjuan Li, Kai Li, Yufan Wu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70472","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70472","url":null,"abstract":"Ecosystem services (ESs) are increasingly recognized as an important criterion for landscape ecological risk (LER). However, previous studies always concentrated only on the ESs or LER in regional management. To empirically test whether ESs-based conservation can mitigate future LER, taking Jiangsu Province, China as a case study, based on the LER assessment method, InVEST model, bivariate Moran's I and Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, five scenarios were set by the ESs hotspot areas, and an analysis framework of LER warning was developed. Results showed LER was characterized by a substantial decline in the dominant medium risk areas (from 78.8% to 52.9%) and a concurrent, dramatic expansion of moderate high risk zones (from 9.1% to 37.0%) in 2000–2020. Concurrently, food production, water yield, and soil conservation increased, while carbon sequestration and habitat quality decreased, and the LER and ESs showed a negative spatial correlation. Construction land would expand the most (over 3900 km<sup>2</sup>) under the natural development (<i>S-natural</i>) scenario in 2030, and the least (2807.62 km<sup>2</sup>) under the integrated service protection (<i>S-integrated</i>) scenario. Consequently, <i>S</i>-<i>integrated</i> scenario yielded the smallest proportion of warning areas (high and moderate high risk zones), totaling only 29.3% of the study area, compared to 58.2% under <i>S-natural</i>. This study empirically demonstrated that integrating ESs protection into LER warning could effectively mitigate future ecological risks and provide critical support for the high-quality ecological development of rapidly urbanizing regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"176 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110567","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}
Sustainable agriculture and food systems in China's hilly regions face a critical challenge: balancing grain security with non-grain production on cultivated land (NGPCL) on limited cultivated land. Using Guangxi as a case study, this research analyzes the evolution, drivers, and spatial patterns of NGPCL to develop a tiered management framework. The findings provide a governance foundation for achieving a sustainable balance between diverse food production and agricultural sustainability in these vital ecosystems. The results revealed that: (1) The NGPCL in Guangxi rose from 64.24% in 2014 to 69.70% in 2023, signifying a persistent intensification of the NGPCL trend. (2) Overall, the NGPCL in Guangxi exhibits a gradual increase from northeast to southwest, characterized by polarization and agglomeration trends. The high-value areas are predominantly located in the border regions neighboring Vietnam. (3) The categories of NGPCL encompass seven types: vegetables, sugar crops, fruit trees, oil crops, tea plants, forest trees, and pond aquaculture. Vegetable production constitutes the predominant category within the NGPCL kinds in Guangxi. The distribution characteristics of the prominent varieties of NGPCL exhibit significant regional disparities, intimately linked to the local agricultural industrial configuration and resource endowments. (4) Fiscal expenditure (FE) is the principal determinant of the spatial differentiation of NGPCL, resulting in three primary driving modes: “policy-industry factor dual-drive,” “policy-income factor coordinated drive,” and “policy-locational factor coupled drive.” (5) By concentrating on the combinatorial attributes and formation mechanisms of various predominant types of NGPCL, a systematically categorized management and control framework was developed, encompassing bottom-line control, optimized control, and stringent control, thereby establishing a foundation for the precise governance of NGPCL in analogous hilly and mountainous areas.
{"title":"Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Categorical Governance for Non-Grain Crop Production of Cultivated Land in Hilly and Mountainous Regions: Implications for Sustainable Food Systems in Guangxi, China","authors":"Shengkai Liang, Yuming Lu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70410","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable agriculture and food systems in China's hilly regions face a critical challenge: balancing grain security with non-grain production on cultivated land (NGPCL) on limited cultivated land. Using Guangxi as a case study, this research analyzes the evolution, drivers, and spatial patterns of NGPCL to develop a tiered management framework. The findings provide a governance foundation for achieving a sustainable balance between diverse food production and agricultural sustainability in these vital ecosystems. The results revealed that: (1) The NGPCL in Guangxi rose from 64.24% in 2014 to 69.70% in 2023, signifying a persistent intensification of the NGPCL trend. (2) Overall, the NGPCL in Guangxi exhibits a gradual increase from northeast to southwest, characterized by polarization and agglomeration trends. The high-value areas are predominantly located in the border regions neighboring Vietnam. (3) The categories of NGPCL encompass seven types: vegetables, sugar crops, fruit trees, oil crops, tea plants, forest trees, and pond aquaculture. Vegetable production constitutes the predominant category within the NGPCL kinds in Guangxi. The distribution characteristics of the prominent varieties of NGPCL exhibit significant regional disparities, intimately linked to the local agricultural industrial configuration and resource endowments. (4) Fiscal expenditure (FE) is the principal determinant of the spatial differentiation of NGPCL, resulting in three primary driving modes: “policy-industry factor dual-drive,” “policy-income factor coordinated drive,” and “policy-locational factor coupled drive.” (5) By concentrating on the combinatorial attributes and formation mechanisms of various predominant types of NGPCL, a systematically categorized management and control framework was developed, encompassing bottom-line control, optimized control, and stringent control, thereby establishing a foundation for the precise governance of NGPCL in analogous hilly and mountainous areas.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"118 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110566","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}
Shumeng Wei, Qiwu Sun, Lingyu Hou, Yuhong Dong, Xiangrong Liu
Chinese fir ( Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is a very important timber tree species native to the subtropical regions of China. For a long time, Chinese fir plantations have been operated in a highly intensive manner to obtain timber. However, the long‐term monoculture plantations lead to a decline in soil fertility and productivity. Nutrient cycling is the foundation for maintaining the productivity of forest ecosystems, guiding species selection and renewal, promoting sustainable management, and improving soil fertility. Therefore, interdisciplinary research holds significant practical value in advancing research on C. lanceolata nutrient cycling (CLNC). However, the existing literature reviews often only focus on specific topics or methodological advancements, lacking a comprehensive and systematic overview of the entire field. In this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering publications from 1996 to 2024. We used CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to systematically and comprehensively examine research related to CLNC from multiple angles, such as publication trends, development trajectories, countries, institutions, authors, and journals. Our analysis revealed a clear pattern of rapid growth in CLNC research, particularly after 2011, with a marked acceleration since 2018. Research hotspots and keywords have evolved over time but consistently center on themes such as litter decomposition, carbon and nitrogen cycles, soil processes, and microbial communities. Looking forward, future studies should strengthen international collaboration, broaden research scopes, and integrate multi‐scale ecological processes. Furthermore, it is imperative to conduct more in‐depth research on the key components of the ecosystem (including nutrient cycling, carbon cycling, soil organisms, and the quality of litterfall), which will provide a more solid theoretical foundation for the sustainable management of the Chinese fir plantations. Therefore, a comprehensive and visualized bibliometric analysis of nutrient cycling in Chinese fir ecosystems is essential for enhancing our understanding of forest sustainability and guiding future research directions in this critical field.
杉木（Cunninghamia lanceolata, Lamb.）红木是中国亚热带地区的一种重要的木材树种。长期以来，杉木人工林以高度集约化的方式经营，以获取木材。然而，长期的单一栽培导致土壤肥力和生产力下降。养分循环是维持森林生态系统生产力、指导物种选择和更新、促进可持续管理和提高土壤肥力的基础。因此，跨学科研究对推进杉木营养循环（CLNC）研究具有重要的实用价值。然而，现有的文献综述往往只关注特定的主题或方法上的进步，缺乏对整个领域的全面和系统的概述。在本研究中，我们基于Web of Science Core Collection数据库进行了文献计量分析，涵盖了1996年至2024年的出版物。利用CiteSpace和VOSviewer软件，从出版趋势、发展轨迹、国家、机构、作者、期刊等多个角度系统、全面地梳理了CLNC相关研究。我们的分析显示，CLNC研究呈现出明显的快速增长模式，尤其是在2011年之后，自2018年以来明显加速。随着时间的推移，研究热点和关键词不断演变，但始终集中在凋落物分解、碳氮循环、土壤过程和微生物群落等主题上。展望未来，应加强国际合作，拓宽研究领域，整合多尺度生态过程。此外，对杉木人工林生态系统的关键组成部分（包括养分循环、碳循环、土壤生物和凋落物质量）进行更深入的研究，将为杉木人工林的可持续经营提供更坚实的理论基础。因此，对杉木生态系统养分循环进行全面、可视化的文献计量分析，对于提高我们对森林可持续性的认识和指导未来这一关键领域的研究方向至关重要。
{"title":"A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on the Nutrient Cycling of Chinese Fir ( Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) (1996–2024)","authors":"Shumeng Wei, Qiwu Sun, Lingyu Hou, Yuhong Dong, Xiangrong Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70460","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70460","url":null,"abstract":"Chinese fir ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Cunninghamia lanceolata</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> (Lamb.) Hook) is a very important timber tree species native to the subtropical regions of China. For a long time, Chinese fir plantations have been operated in a highly intensive manner to obtain timber. However, the long‐term monoculture plantations lead to a decline in soil fertility and productivity. Nutrient cycling is the foundation for maintaining the productivity of forest ecosystems, guiding species selection and renewal, promoting sustainable management, and improving soil fertility. Therefore, interdisciplinary research holds significant practical value in advancing research on <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. lanceolata</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> nutrient cycling (CLNC). However, the existing literature reviews often only focus on specific topics or methodological advancements, lacking a comprehensive and systematic overview of the entire field. In this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering publications from 1996 to 2024. We used CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to systematically and comprehensively examine research related to CLNC from multiple angles, such as publication trends, development trajectories, countries, institutions, authors, and journals. Our analysis revealed a clear pattern of rapid growth in CLNC research, particularly after 2011, with a marked acceleration since 2018. Research hotspots and keywords have evolved over time but consistently center on themes such as litter decomposition, carbon and nitrogen cycles, soil processes, and microbial communities. Looking forward, future studies should strengthen international collaboration, broaden research scopes, and integrate multi‐scale ecological processes. Furthermore, it is imperative to conduct more in‐depth research on the key components of the ecosystem (including nutrient cycling, carbon cycling, soil organisms, and the quality of litterfall), which will provide a more solid theoretical foundation for the sustainable management of the Chinese fir plantations. Therefore, a comprehensive and visualized bibliometric analysis of nutrient cycling in Chinese fir ecosystems is essential for enhancing our understanding of forest sustainability and guiding future research directions in this critical field.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146098084","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}
Effectively managing soil organic carbon (SOC) for soil quality and climate mitigation requires a mechanistic understanding of its stabilization pathways. Microbial necromass carbon (MNC), a major source of persistent SOC, is influenced by climate, soil properties, and agricultural management. However, how these factors jointly shape the contribution of MNC to SOC (MNC/SOC) at a global scale remains largely unknown. Here, we synthesized a global dataset comprising 636 observations from 60 peer-reviewed articles on cropland topsoils to identify the dominant drivers of MNC/SOC and provide actionable insights for its management. The average MNC/SOC in global croplands was 0.47 ± 0.19. Our analysis indicated that soil clay content and the C/N ratio were the primary regulators of MNC/SOC; specifically, clay content showed a positive correlation, while the C/N ratio exhibited a negative correlation. Furthermore, we found that fertilizer type, rather than application rate, emerged as the key lever controlling the MNC/SOC. Compared to mineral fertilization, organic fertilization significantly increased 27% of MNC/SOC, mainly resulting from the amplified positive effect of clay and reduced negative impact of soil C/N ratio. Global modeling further indicated that organic fertilization was the superior strategy for enhancing MNC/SOC across the majority of global croplands, particularly in clay-rich regions, whereas mineral fertilizers may be more effective in a few arid regions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that prioritizing organic fertilization can effectively leverage positive clay interactions and mitigate C/N stoichiometric constraints, offering a globally effective strategy to strengthen the microbial pathway of soil carbon stabilization and combat land degradation.
{"title":"Edaphic Factors and Fertilization Practices Jointly Regulate Microbial Necromass Contribution to Soil Organic Carbon in Global Croplands","authors":"Bingfu Yao, Qiong Xiao, Xinran Wang, Xiangbi Chen, Lei Wu, Wenju Zhang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70479","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70479","url":null,"abstract":"Effectively managing soil organic carbon (SOC) for soil quality and climate mitigation requires a mechanistic understanding of its stabilization pathways. Microbial necromass carbon (MNC), a major source of persistent SOC, is influenced by climate, soil properties, and agricultural management. However, how these factors jointly shape the contribution of MNC to SOC (MNC/SOC) at a global scale remains largely unknown. Here, we synthesized a global dataset comprising 636 observations from 60 peer-reviewed articles on cropland topsoils to identify the dominant drivers of MNC/SOC and provide actionable insights for its management. The average MNC/SOC in global croplands was 0.47 ± 0.19. Our analysis indicated that soil clay content and the C/N ratio were the primary regulators of MNC/SOC; specifically, clay content showed a positive correlation, while the C/N ratio exhibited a negative correlation. Furthermore, we found that fertilizer type, rather than application rate, emerged as the key lever controlling the MNC/SOC. Compared to mineral fertilization, organic fertilization significantly increased 27% of MNC/SOC, mainly resulting from the amplified positive effect of clay and reduced negative impact of soil C/N ratio. Global modeling further indicated that organic fertilization was the superior strategy for enhancing MNC/SOC across the majority of global croplands, particularly in clay-rich regions, whereas mineral fertilizers may be more effective in a few arid regions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that prioritizing organic fertilization can effectively leverage positive clay interactions and mitigate C/N stoichiometric constraints, offering a globally effective strategy to strengthen the microbial pathway of soil carbon stabilization and combat land degradation.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"62 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110818","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}
Soil respiration represents a key mechanism governing terrestrial carbon dynamics within grassland ecosystems. However, the mechanisms through which nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs influence microbial traits and functional genes to regulate soil respiration remain insufficiently clarified, limiting the understanding of nutrient-driven carbon processes in desert steppe ecosystems. This study implemented nutrient addition experiments in the desert steppe of northern China from 2020 to 2023. Nitrogen was added at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 20 g N m−2 a−1, and phosphorus at 0, 4, 8, and 16 g P m−2 a−1. Factorial combinations of N and P resulted in 16 treatments. We integrated vegetation traits, soil physicochemical indices, microbial features, and genes involved in essential biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and applied correlation analysis and a structural equation model to identify the dominant factors influencing soil respiration. The combined addition of NP reduced bacterial abundance and diversity. Nutrient supplementation increased the abundance of functional genes associated with nitrogen cycling. Relative to the N0P0 treatment, nutrient addition enhanced soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) by 0.26%–24.46%. Under single N or P addition, both soil respiration (Rs) and autotrophic respiration (Ra) values initially increased and then decreased with rising application rates. Overall, nutrient addition reduced Ra by elevating the abundance of genes linked to the N cycle. This study clarifies the mechanistic pathways by which N and P additions suppress soil respiration in desert steppes, offering important implications for predicting ecosystem carbon dynamics under increasing nutrient deposition.
土壤呼吸是控制草地生态系统中陆地碳动态的关键机制。然而，氮(N)和磷(P)输入影响微生物性状和调节土壤呼吸的功能基因的机制仍然不够清楚，限制了对荒漠草原生态系统中营养驱动的碳过程的理解。本研究于2020 ~ 2023年在中国北方荒漠草原进行了养分添加试验。氮以0、5、10和20 g N m−2 a−1的速率添加，磷以0、4、8和16 g P m−2 a−1的速率添加。N和P的因子组合产生16个处理。综合植被特征、土壤理化指标、微生物特征和碳、氮、磷必需生物地球化学循环相关基因，应用相关分析和结构方程模型，确定影响土壤呼吸的主导因子。NP的联合添加降低了细菌的丰度和多样性。营养补充增加了与氮循环相关的功能基因的丰度。与N0P0处理相比，添加养分可使土壤异养呼吸（Rh）提高0.26% ~ 24.46%。在单施氮磷条件下，土壤呼吸（Rs）和自养呼吸（Ra）值均随施氮磷量的增加先升高后降低。总的来说，营养添加通过提高与N循环相关的基因丰度来降低Ra。本研究阐明了氮磷添加抑制荒漠草原土壤呼吸的机制途径，为预测养分沉积增加下生态系统碳动态提供了重要意义。
{"title":"Nutrient Addition Reduces Soil Autotrophic Respiration in the Desert Steppe of Northern China by Increasing the Abundance of Nitrogen Cycling Functional Genes","authors":"Bingqing Liu, Kaiyang Qiu, Xinyi Luo, Yuntao Yang, Bin Xue, Guohui Wang, Xiang Zheng, Xuying Hai, Yunpeng Qiu, Panxing He, Yingzhong Xie","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70474","url":null,"abstract":"Soil respiration represents a key mechanism governing terrestrial carbon dynamics within grassland ecosystems. However, the mechanisms through which nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs influence microbial traits and functional genes to regulate soil respiration remain insufficiently clarified, limiting the understanding of nutrient-driven carbon processes in desert steppe ecosystems. This study implemented nutrient addition experiments in the desert steppe of northern China from 2020 to 2023. Nitrogen was added at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 20 g N m<sup>−2</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>, and phosphorus at 0, 4, 8, and 16 g P m<sup>−2</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>. Factorial combinations of N and P resulted in 16 treatments. We integrated vegetation traits, soil physicochemical indices, microbial features, and genes involved in essential biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and applied correlation analysis and a structural equation model to identify the dominant factors influencing soil respiration. The combined addition of NP reduced bacterial abundance and diversity. Nutrient supplementation increased the abundance of functional genes associated with nitrogen cycling. Relative to the N0P0 treatment, nutrient addition enhanced soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) by 0.26%–24.46%. Under single N or P addition, both soil respiration (Rs) and autotrophic respiration (Ra) values initially increased and then decreased with rising application rates. Overall, nutrient addition reduced Ra by elevating the abundance of genes linked to the N cycle. This study clarifies the mechanistic pathways by which N and P additions suppress soil respiration in desert steppes, offering important implications for predicting ecosystem carbon dynamics under increasing nutrient deposition.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110568","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}
Land degradation neutrality (LDN) plays a pivotal role in guiding global land systems toward sustainable and resilient futures. Yet current assessment frameworks rely largely on static indicators, and integration of ecosystem resilience (ER) remains underexplored. To address this gap, we proposed a “dominant-latent” assessment framework integrating ER with LDN. Land cover, land productivity, and soil organic carbon represent the dominant dimensions for LDN assessment, while resistance, recovery, and asymmetry capture the latent ER dynamics. Using this framework, we mapped national patterns of LDN and ER across China and assessed their spatial alignment and divergence. Our results revealed that recent China's LDN achievements rely on significant improvements in land productivity, yet soil organic carbon degradation remains uncontained, particularly in the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas. More than a quarter of China's land area exhibits increasing ER vulnerability, with the hotspots on the Tibetan Plateau, Loess Plateau, northeastern forests, and Huaihe Plain. In several regions, notably northeastern forests and the Sichuan Basin, apparent gains in LDN obscure deeper declines in ecosystem resilience. Conversely, in southern Tibetan valleys and the Liaohe Plain, improvements in resilience occur alongside ongoing LDN degradation. Overall, these findings highlight the necessity of incorporating ER into LDN assessments to uncover latent degradation risks and support effective ecosystem management. Our findings provide actionable guidance for prioritizing restoration and strengthening adaptive land governance in support of global LDN target.
{"title":"Integrating Ecosystem Resilience to Revisit Land Degradation Neutrality in China","authors":"Chenwei Zhang, Si Wu, Hongwei Hu, Shougeng Hu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70451","url":null,"abstract":"Land degradation neutrality (LDN) plays a pivotal role in guiding global land systems toward sustainable and resilient futures. Yet current assessment frameworks rely largely on static indicators, and integration of ecosystem resilience (ER) remains underexplored. To address this gap, we proposed a “dominant-latent” assessment framework integrating ER with LDN. Land cover, land productivity, and soil organic carbon represent the dominant dimensions for LDN assessment, while resistance, recovery, and asymmetry capture the latent ER dynamics. Using this framework, we mapped national patterns of LDN and ER across China and assessed their spatial alignment and divergence. Our results revealed that recent China's LDN achievements rely on significant improvements in land productivity, yet soil organic carbon degradation remains uncontained, particularly in the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas. More than a quarter of China's land area exhibits increasing ER vulnerability, with the hotspots on the Tibetan Plateau, Loess Plateau, northeastern forests, and Huaihe Plain. In several regions, notably northeastern forests and the Sichuan Basin, apparent gains in LDN obscure deeper declines in ecosystem resilience. Conversely, in southern Tibetan valleys and the Liaohe Plain, improvements in resilience occur alongside ongoing LDN degradation. Overall, these findings highlight the necessity of incorporating ER into LDN assessments to uncover latent degradation risks and support effective ecosystem management. Our findings provide actionable guidance for prioritizing restoration and strengthening adaptive land governance in support of global LDN target.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146115772","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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