Oimahmad Rahmonov, Tadeusz Szczypek, Maciej Rybicki, Dorota Środek, Sławomir Pytel, Leszek Marynowski
Phytogenic hillocks, or nebkhas, are commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions, but can also form in temperate zones, particularly in areas where forests on sandy soils have been cleared. In such environments, they play a key role in stabilizing and facilitating the regeneration of ecosystems. This study was conducted in the extensive inland sand region known as the Błędowska Desert (southern Poland), which developed as a result of anthropogenic deforestation of pine forests. The development of hillocks in this area is closely tied to the intensity of aeolian activity. Vegetation is frequently buried by sand, and as it re-establishes, new hillocks form. This results in alternating layers of clean, light-colored sand and thin, dark-colored humic streaks. The research focused on the physicochemical, mineralogical, and organic properties of these light and grey layers within phytogenic hillocks. The study indicates that the formation of these landforms begins with colonization by soil-dwelling algae, followed by the development of psammophilous grasslands, and culminating in the establishment of Salix arenaria. The soils within the hillocks display similar physical and chemical characteristics, with the exception of buried horizons, which show notable differentiation. In the humic layers, preserved traces of photosynthetic filamentous algal cells were observed on the surfaces of sand grains at various depths. The grey layers were found to contain a range of organic compounds, including saccharides (with sucrose, trehalose, α- and β-glucose, and α- and β-galactose as dominant sugars), n-fatty acids, n-fatty alcohols, steroids, and terpenoids. These compounds are typically derived from bacteria, fungi, algae, and higher plants. This suggests that the dark-grey humus layers are linked to the vegetation communities that developed on their surfaces before being repeatedly covered by sand.
{"title":"Phytogenic Hillocks as Ecological Indicators of Long-Term Vegetation Development on Temperate-Zone Inland Dunes","authors":"Oimahmad Rahmonov, Tadeusz Szczypek, Maciej Rybicki, Dorota Środek, Sławomir Pytel, Leszek Marynowski","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70469","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70469","url":null,"abstract":"Phytogenic hillocks, or nebkhas, are commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions, but can also form in temperate zones, particularly in areas where forests on sandy soils have been cleared. In such environments, they play a key role in stabilizing and facilitating the regeneration of ecosystems. This study was conducted in the extensive inland sand region known as the Błędowska Desert (southern Poland), which developed as a result of anthropogenic deforestation of pine forests. The development of hillocks in this area is closely tied to the intensity of aeolian activity. Vegetation is frequently buried by sand, and as it re-establishes, new hillocks form. This results in alternating layers of clean, light-colored sand and thin, dark-colored humic streaks. The research focused on the physicochemical, mineralogical, and organic properties of these light and grey layers within phytogenic hillocks. The study indicates that the formation of these landforms begins with colonization by soil-dwelling algae, followed by the development of psammophilous grasslands, and culminating in the establishment of <i>Salix arenaria</i>. The soils within the hillocks display similar physical and chemical characteristics, with the exception of buried horizons, which show notable differentiation. In the humic layers, preserved traces of photosynthetic filamentous algal cells were observed on the surfaces of sand grains at various depths. The grey layers were found to contain a range of organic compounds, including saccharides (with sucrose, trehalose, <i>α</i>- and <i>β</i>-glucose, and <i>α</i>- and <i>β</i>-galactose as dominant sugars), <i>n</i>-fatty acids, <i>n</i>-fatty alcohols, steroids, and terpenoids. These compounds are typically derived from bacteria, fungi, algae, and higher plants. This suggests that the dark-grey humus layers are linked to the vegetation communities that developed on their surfaces before being repeatedly covered by sand.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110569","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}
Cultivated land is a foundation for grain production, whereas land resource management policies are institutional safeguards that maintain the functional, qualitative, and quantitative security of farmland. With increasing demand for the non-agricultural conversion of cultivated land driven by socioeconomic development, changing land resource management policies are progressively affecting the regional foundation of food security. In China's crucial grain-producing basins, land-use changes resulting from land resource management practices threaten regional food security. Focusing on grain supply self-sufficiency, this study simulated future land use in the Taihu Lake Basin using the CLUMondo model. Supply–demand dynamics of the basin's future grain were estimated using the global agroecological zone model and crop-specific input allocation, revealing food security conditions under varying land resource management policies over 30 years. Under the Natural Development Scenario, the cultivated land area would significantly decrease, leading to a gradual reduction in total potential grain production. The Strict Farmland Protection Scenario would enhance the total production potential and average potential yield by conserving cultivated land, restricting construction land expansion, and developing nonagricultural land reserves. The Coordinated Development Scenario balances economic growth with ecological conservation while maintaining a stable cultivated land scale and ensuring relatively consistent grain deficiency levels. However, due to population growth and other factors, the total grain demand in the basin will further increase, failing to achieve supply–demand equilibrium due to persistent deficits. Nevertheless, considering food security and ecological sustainability, the Coordinated Development Scenario represents the optimal pathway for managing grain supply–demand dynamics in the Taihu Lake Basin. Future strategies should harmonize ecological conservation, food security, and socioeconomic development by maintaining and enhancing farmland quality, while optimizing agricultural production patterns.
{"title":"Food Security Assessment in Chinese Most Developed Area From the Perspective of Multi-Scenario Land Management","authors":"Bin Ren, Xuan Chen, Penghui Jiang, Haiyue Fu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70468","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70468","url":null,"abstract":"Cultivated land is a foundation for grain production, whereas land resource management policies are institutional safeguards that maintain the functional, qualitative, and quantitative security of farmland. With increasing demand for the non-agricultural conversion of cultivated land driven by socioeconomic development, changing land resource management policies are progressively affecting the regional foundation of food security. In China's crucial grain-producing basins, land-use changes resulting from land resource management practices threaten regional food security. Focusing on grain supply self-sufficiency, this study simulated future land use in the Taihu Lake Basin using the CLUMondo model. Supply–demand dynamics of the basin's future grain were estimated using the global agroecological zone model and crop-specific input allocation, revealing food security conditions under varying land resource management policies over 30 years. Under the Natural Development Scenario, the cultivated land area would significantly decrease, leading to a gradual reduction in total potential grain production. The Strict Farmland Protection Scenario would enhance the total production potential and average potential yield by conserving cultivated land, restricting construction land expansion, and developing nonagricultural land reserves. The Coordinated Development Scenario balances economic growth with ecological conservation while maintaining a stable cultivated land scale and ensuring relatively consistent grain deficiency levels. However, due to population growth and other factors, the total grain demand in the basin will further increase, failing to achieve supply–demand equilibrium due to persistent deficits. Nevertheless, considering food security and ecological sustainability, the Coordinated Development Scenario represents the optimal pathway for managing grain supply–demand dynamics in the Taihu Lake Basin. Future strategies should harmonize ecological conservation, food security, and socioeconomic development by maintaining and enhancing farmland quality, while optimizing agricultural production patterns.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146089442","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}
Organic amendments (OAs) are recognized as a promising strategy for enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agroecosystems. However, the effects of different OAs combined with chemical fertilizers (CF) on carbon (C) mineralization and how microorganisms mediate this process remain poorly understood. Here, to examine the effects of different fertilization management practices on SOC mineralization, an 85-day incubation experiment was conducted using farmland soil from the Lhasa Valley, Tibetan Plateau. Six treatments were established: no-fertilizer control (CK), pure urea treatment (U), and four OAs replacing 40% of urea, namely compost (CP), yak dung (YD), Qingke straw (QS), and Tibetan sheep dung (SD). We further explored relationships between SOC mineralization and soil physicochemical properties, enzyme stoichiometry, C-cycling functional genes, and microbial community composition. Results indicated that cumulative CO2 emissions were significantly higher under all fertilization treatments than in the CK. Among the fertilization treatments, the highest cumulative CO2 emissions were observed in the QS treatment at 763.77 mg/kg, while the lowest were in the CP and U treatments at 192.36 and 166.46 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, significant positive correlations were observed between CO2 emissions and soil labile organic C (LOC), extracted organic C (EOC), dissolved organic C (DOC), and microbial biomass C (MBC). Fertilization alleviated soil microbial C limitation but exacerbated phosphorus (P) limitation while increasing C-cycling gene abundance, particularly for cbhI in the QS treatment. OAs significantly altered microbial community structure, promoting high C–preferring taxa such as Proteobacteria. Bacterial networks were more complex, stable, and sensitive to nutrient availability than fungal networks in driving SOC mineralization. Key predictors of cumulative CO2 emissions included C source availability (e.g., MBC, DOC, and LOC), C-cycling functional genes (e.g., cbhI), total P, and alkaline phosphatase activities. Under equivalent N input, CP most effectively mitigated soil CO2 emissions and maintained relative soil C stability, whereas QS showed greater potential to promote the turnover of labile C. Accordingly, we recommend prioritizing compost application in farmlands of the Lhasa Valley, supplementing OAs with P to alleviate nutrient limitations, and avoiding excessive application of untreated straw to minimize short-term carbon loss. These locally tailored, microbe- and soil-aligned strategies support sustainable SOC enhancement and high-altitude agricultural.
{"title":"Deciphering Differential Soil Carbon Mineralization Under Organic Amendments: Linking Enzyme Stoichiometry, Microbial Communities, and Functional Genes in Tibetan Agroecosystems","authors":"Xiaofang Huang, Wei Sun, Chengqun Yu, Peili Shi, Junxi Wu, Fadong Li, Ran Xiao, Jialuo Yu, Jiabao Wang, Yajun Zhai, Li Chen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70470","url":null,"abstract":"Organic amendments (OAs) are recognized as a promising strategy for enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agroecosystems. However, the effects of different OAs combined with chemical fertilizers (CF) on carbon (C) mineralization and how microorganisms mediate this process remain poorly understood. Here, to examine the effects of different fertilization management practices on SOC mineralization, an 85-day incubation experiment was conducted using farmland soil from the Lhasa Valley, Tibetan Plateau. Six treatments were established: no-fertilizer control (CK), pure urea treatment (U), and four OAs replacing 40% of urea, namely compost (CP), yak dung (YD), Qingke straw (QS), and Tibetan sheep dung (SD). We further explored relationships between SOC mineralization and soil physicochemical properties, enzyme stoichiometry, C-cycling functional genes, and microbial community composition. Results indicated that cumulative CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were significantly higher under all fertilization treatments than in the CK. Among the fertilization treatments, the highest cumulative CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were observed in the QS treatment at 763.77 mg/kg, while the lowest were in the CP and U treatments at 192.36 and 166.46 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, significant positive correlations were observed between CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and soil labile organic C (LOC), extracted organic C (EOC), dissolved organic C (DOC), and microbial biomass C (MBC). Fertilization alleviated soil microbial C limitation but exacerbated phosphorus (P) limitation while increasing C-cycling gene abundance, particularly for <i>cbhI</i> in the QS treatment. OAs significantly altered microbial community structure, promoting high C–preferring taxa such as Proteobacteria. Bacterial networks were more complex, stable, and sensitive to nutrient availability than fungal networks in driving SOC mineralization. Key predictors of cumulative CO<sub>2</sub> emissions included C source availability (e.g., MBC, DOC, and LOC), C-cycling functional genes (e.g., <i>cbhI</i>), total P, and alkaline phosphatase activities. Under equivalent N input, CP most effectively mitigated soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and maintained relative soil C stability, whereas QS showed greater potential to promote the turnover of labile C. Accordingly, we recommend prioritizing compost application in farmlands of the Lhasa Valley, supplementing OAs with P to alleviate nutrient limitations, and avoiding excessive application of untreated straw to minimize short-term carbon loss. These locally tailored, microbe- and soil-aligned strategies support sustainable SOC enhancement and high-altitude agricultural.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"389 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146089443","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}
Examining the effects of forest land use change (FLUC) on ecosystem services (ECS) and human well‐being (HWB) is essential for reducing global changes and promoting sustainable development. This study employed a three‐round Delphi method with 25 purposefully selected experts from forestry, natural resources, and related fields to identify significant influencing factors, prioritize research areas, and recognize information gaps. The results show that FLUC intensity is increasing, with the highest impacts observed on regulating and supporting services (Mean = 4.54 for both). Regarding HWB, the most pronounced effects were on health (M = 3.84) and basic material needs (M = 3.70). Other negative impacts include reduced local community income from forest products and diminished collective participation in decision‐making. A high consensus was achieved among the experts (Kendall's W = 0.993 for FLUC intensity). Understanding these impacts is crucial for assisting policymakers in formulating policies that address stakeholder conflicts, enhance collaboration, and ensure equitable benefit distribution. Specifically, the study provides a validated set of prioritized indicators—such as “weakness in dealing with wrongdoers” (top FLUC intensity indicator, M = 4.68) and “reduction of local communities' income from forest products” (top provisioning service impact, M = 4.32). This offers a concrete decision‐support framework, enabling policymakers to target key conflict drivers, foster cooperation based on shared priorities, and design benefit‐sharing mechanisms that address the most critically affected aspects of HWB and ECS.
{"title":"Extracting Forest Land Use Change Components: The Effects on Ecosystem Services and Human Well‐Being","authors":"Zeynab Hallaj, Masoud Bijani, Esmail Karamidehkordi, Rasoul Yousefpour, Hamed Yousefzadehseraj","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70402","url":null,"abstract":"Examining the effects of forest land use change (FLUC) on ecosystem services (ECS) and human well‐being (HWB) is essential for reducing global changes and promoting sustainable development. This study employed a three‐round Delphi method with 25 purposefully selected experts from forestry, natural resources, and related fields to identify significant influencing factors, prioritize research areas, and recognize information gaps. The results show that FLUC intensity is increasing, with the highest impacts observed on regulating and supporting services (Mean = 4.54 for both). Regarding HWB, the most pronounced effects were on health (M = 3.84) and basic material needs (M = 3.70). Other negative impacts include reduced local community income from forest products and diminished collective participation in decision‐making. A high consensus was achieved among the experts (Kendall's W = 0.993 for FLUC intensity). Understanding these impacts is crucial for assisting policymakers in formulating policies that address stakeholder conflicts, enhance collaboration, and ensure equitable benefit distribution. Specifically, the study provides a validated set of prioritized indicators—such as “weakness in dealing with wrongdoers” (top FLUC intensity indicator, M = 4.68) and “reduction of local communities' income from forest products” (top provisioning service impact, M = 4.32). This offers a concrete decision‐support framework, enabling policymakers to target key conflict drivers, foster cooperation based on shared priorities, and design benefit‐sharing mechanisms that address the most critically affected aspects of HWB and ECS.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071661","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}
Petroleum contamination of soils represents a major environmental challenge, especially in alkaline, clay‐rich soils where strong adsorption and nutrient limitations hinder microbial degradation. Existing remediation methods, including biochar amendment, vermiremediation, and organic‐mineral fertilizers, have shown promise individually, but their comparative effectiveness under alkaline conditions remains poorly understood. This study evaluates and compares the performance of an organic‐mineral fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, biochar, and vermiremediation using a mix of Eisenia fetida/E. andrei for remediating petroleum‐contaminated alkaline clay‐rich soils (pH 8.0–8.6). Over a 6‐month incubation, we monitored total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dehydrogenase activity (DHA), nutrient status, changes in pseudo‐total concentrations of heavy metals, and microbial responses. Among the treatments, the organic–mineral fertilizer achieved the most comprehensive remediation, reducing TPH by up to 64% and PAHs by 59%, while enhancing microbial activity, improving nutrient bioavailability, and neutralizing soil pH. Biochar was less effective for hydrocarbon degradation but modified heavy metal concentrations and stabilized carbon, whereas vermiremediation improved DHA and nutrient cycling but showed variable hydrocarbon removal. Multivariate analyses confirmed the organic‐mineral fertilizer as the most effective strategy. These findings highlight the potential of organic‐mineral amendments for sustainable soil restoration and circular economy applications, while suggesting that future research should focus on field‐scale validation and optimization of integrated approaches combining chemical, biological, and physical mechanisms.
{"title":"Comparative Assessment of Organic–Mineral Fertilizer, Biochar, and Vermiremediation for Petroleum‐Contaminated Alkaline Soils","authors":"Małgorzata Kacprzak, Sławomir Kaczmarek, Iwona Kupich","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70458","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70458","url":null,"abstract":"Petroleum contamination of soils represents a major environmental challenge, especially in alkaline, clay‐rich soils where strong adsorption and nutrient limitations hinder microbial degradation. Existing remediation methods, including biochar amendment, vermiremediation, and organic‐mineral fertilizers, have shown promise individually, but their comparative effectiveness under alkaline conditions remains poorly understood. This study evaluates and compares the performance of an organic‐mineral fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, biochar, and vermiremediation using a mix of <jats:italic> <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">Eisenia</jats:styled-content> fetida/E. andrei </jats:italic> for remediating petroleum‐contaminated alkaline clay‐rich soils (pH 8.0–8.6). Over a 6‐month incubation, we monitored total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dehydrogenase activity (DHA), nutrient status, changes in pseudo‐total concentrations of heavy metals, and microbial responses. Among the treatments, the organic–mineral fertilizer achieved the most comprehensive remediation, reducing TPH by up to 64% and PAHs by 59%, while enhancing microbial activity, improving nutrient bioavailability, and neutralizing soil pH. Biochar was less effective for hydrocarbon degradation but modified heavy metal concentrations and stabilized carbon, whereas vermiremediation improved DHA and nutrient cycling but showed variable hydrocarbon removal. Multivariate analyses confirmed the organic‐mineral fertilizer as the most effective strategy. These findings highlight the potential of organic‐mineral amendments for sustainable soil restoration and circular economy applications, while suggesting that future research should focus on field‐scale validation and optimization of integrated approaches combining chemical, biological, and physical mechanisms.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146071665","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}
This study develops and validates an integrated soil–land–climate (SLC) framework to predict farm household income in South Sindh and South Punjab, Pakistan. Using a Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression (MESR) model, we assess how soil fertility, water scarcity, and climate stress impact agricultural productivity and income. Results show that a one-unit increase in soil fertility index raises farm income by 1.39 units (p < 0.01), while water availability increases income by 2.43 units (p < 0.05). Climate change perception demonstrates the strongest effect, boosting income by 7.39 units (p < 0.01). CSA adoption reduces income risk by 49% (p < 0.01) and revenue skewness by 38% (p < 0.05). The SLC framework revealed feedback loops in which water scarcity accelerated soil salinization (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). The joint adoption of CSA practices results in a 45.9% increase in income and a 49.0% reduction in downside risk. The validity of the MESR model was confirmed with robust statistical results. Soil fertility (coefficient = 0.23) and farm size (coefficient = 0.18) are key factors influencing farm income, while rainfall variability (coefficient = −0.21) shows a climate variability impact. Policy simulations indicate that improving soil health raises annual income, while drip irrigation subsidies targeting farms > 8 km from markets yield 3:1 benefit–cost ratios. This study provides evidence for climate adaptation policies in Pakistan by recommending targeted subsidies for drip irrigation, soil amendments, and strengthening of FBOs.
{"title":"Integrated Environmental Metrics for Predicting Farm Household Income in Degradation-Prone Regions","authors":"Li Feng, Muhammad Irfan, Qunxia Li, Aqsa Mehreen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70462","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70462","url":null,"abstract":"This study develops and validates an integrated soil–land–climate (SLC) framework to predict farm household income in South Sindh and South Punjab, Pakistan. Using a Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression (MESR) model, we assess how soil fertility, water scarcity, and climate stress impact agricultural productivity and income. Results show that a one-unit increase in soil fertility index raises farm income by 1.39 units (<i>p</i> < 0.01), while water availability increases income by 2.43 units (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Climate change perception demonstrates the strongest effect, boosting income by 7.39 units (<i>p</i> < 0.01). CSA adoption reduces income risk by 49% (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and revenue skewness by 38% (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The SLC framework revealed feedback loops in which water scarcity accelerated soil salinization (<i>r</i> = 0.62, <i>p</i> < 0.01). The joint adoption of CSA practices results in a 45.9% increase in income and a 49.0% reduction in downside risk. The validity of the MESR model was confirmed with robust statistical results. Soil fertility (coefficient = 0.23) and farm size (coefficient = 0.18) are key factors influencing farm income, while rainfall variability (coefficient = −0.21) shows a climate variability impact. Policy simulations indicate that improving soil health raises annual income, while drip irrigation subsidies targeting farms > 8 km from markets yield 3:1 benefit–cost ratios. This study provides evidence for climate adaptation policies in Pakistan by recommending targeted subsidies for drip irrigation, soil amendments, and strengthening of FBOs.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"260 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146089459","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}
Food security is the foundation of national security, and the serious problem of cropland abandonment undermines it. With the evolution of rural labor migration patterns, the return of migrant laborers has become an emerging trend in China's rural labor transformation, and its potential role in cropland abandonment remains underexplored. Using a dataset of 3308 plots in Sichuan Province, this study empirically examined the impact of returning migrant laborers on cropland abandonment, as well as the underlying mechanisms and heterogeneous effects. The results indicated that: (1) Returning migrant laborers lower the probability of cropland abandonment, with a marginal effect of 0.037. (2) The returning migrant laborers contribute to reducing cropland abandonment through dual pathways of agricultural socialized services adoption and the land operation scale expansion. (3) Heterogeneity results reveal that the inhibitory impact of returning migrant laborers is stronger in villages with land transfer services, in households with lower aging population or nonfarm employment levels, and on remote, irrigated, slope, or medium‐quality plots. These findings provide insights for designing policies to address cropland abandonment.
{"title":"Returning to Revive: The Role of Returning Migrant Laborers in Cropland Abandonment in the Hilly and Mountainous Areas of Sichuan Province, China","authors":"Zhaoyang Lian, Yanjiao Li, Shaoquan Liu, Dingde Xu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70464","url":null,"abstract":"Food security is the foundation of national security, and the serious problem of cropland abandonment undermines it. With the evolution of rural labor migration patterns, the return of migrant laborers has become an emerging trend in China's rural labor transformation, and its potential role in cropland abandonment remains underexplored. Using a dataset of 3308 plots in Sichuan Province, this study empirically examined the impact of returning migrant laborers on cropland abandonment, as well as the underlying mechanisms and heterogeneous effects. The results indicated that: (1) Returning migrant laborers lower the probability of cropland abandonment, with a marginal effect of 0.037. (2) The returning migrant laborers contribute to reducing cropland abandonment through dual pathways of agricultural socialized services adoption and the land operation scale expansion. (3) Heterogeneity results reveal that the inhibitory impact of returning migrant laborers is stronger in villages with land transfer services, in households with lower aging population or nonfarm employment levels, and on remote, irrigated, slope, or medium‐quality plots. These findings provide insights for designing policies to address cropland abandonment.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"179 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070592","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}
Yue Liu, Huimin Li, Tian Ma, Kun Yan, Shiwei Zhou, Xiao Liu
Extensive chemical fertilization has caused severe soil acidification in China, particularly in orchard ecosystems. Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) plays a pivotal role in soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, yet how it responds to acidification and contributes to SOC remains poorly understood. Using a space‐for‐time substitution approach across apple orchards on the Jiaodong Peninsula, we revealed a fundamental decoupling between microbial biomass production and necromass accumulation driven by acidification. Specifically, acidification suppressed microbial biomass but enhanced MNC accumulation, a paradox primarily explained by a shift in carbon stabilization mechanisms: clay‐mineral protection became the dominant process, as directly evidenced by a significant increase in mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC). This decoupling undoubtedly enhanced the necromass accumulation coefficient (NAC), which was driven by microbial adaptations including higher enzyme activities (β‐xylosidase and acid phosphatase) and a community shift toward fungi. However, the increase in stabilized carbon (MAOC and MNC) could not compensate for substantial losses of labile carbon (e.g., particulate organic carbon), leading to an overall decline in SOC. As a result, the contribution of MNC to SOC increased significantly, a process regulated by soil pH both directly and indirectly through properties such as clay content and the C/N ratio. The concomitant decrease in the SOC:clay ratio indicated reduced mineral saturation under acidification, further highlighting the critical role of mineral protection in sequestering microbial‐derived carbon. Our findings demonstrate that acidification reconfigures the soil carbon cycle by strengthening mineral‐mediated stabilization pathways, thereby enhancing SOC stability despite a net reduction in total carbon stocks.
{"title":"Soil Acidification Decouples Microbial Biomass Production From Necromass Accumulation in Apple Orchards via Enhanced Mineral Association","authors":"Yue Liu, Huimin Li, Tian Ma, Kun Yan, Shiwei Zhou, Xiao Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70467","url":null,"abstract":"Extensive chemical fertilization has caused severe soil acidification in China, particularly in orchard ecosystems. Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) plays a pivotal role in soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, yet how it responds to acidification and contributes to SOC remains poorly understood. Using a space‐for‐time substitution approach across apple orchards on the Jiaodong Peninsula, we revealed a fundamental decoupling between microbial biomass production and necromass accumulation driven by acidification. Specifically, acidification suppressed microbial biomass but enhanced MNC accumulation, a paradox primarily explained by a shift in carbon stabilization mechanisms: clay‐mineral protection became the dominant process, as directly evidenced by a significant increase in mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC). This decoupling undoubtedly enhanced the necromass accumulation coefficient (NAC), which was driven by microbial adaptations including higher enzyme activities (β‐xylosidase and acid phosphatase) and a community shift toward fungi. However, the increase in stabilized carbon (MAOC and MNC) could not compensate for substantial losses of labile carbon (e.g., particulate organic carbon), leading to an overall decline in SOC. As a result, the contribution of MNC to SOC increased significantly, a process regulated by soil pH both directly and indirectly through properties such as clay content and the C/N ratio. The concomitant decrease in the SOC:clay ratio indicated reduced mineral saturation under acidification, further highlighting the critical role of mineral protection in sequestering microbial‐derived carbon. Our findings demonstrate that acidification reconfigures the soil carbon cycle by strengthening mineral‐mediated stabilization pathways, thereby enhancing SOC stability despite a net reduction in total carbon stocks.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056106","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}
Chong Yao, Qingwei Zhang, Yan Zhuan, Shilin Fu, Hao Lin, Hao Wang, Ming Zhu, Jian Wang, Faqi Wu
Soil detachment by concentrated flow is a crucial component of soil erosion, and variations in rainfall‐induced soil physical crust traits significantly influence soil detachment. In this study, to investigate the variation in soil detachment with rainfall‐induced soil physical crust, rainfall simulations with a rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm m in <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> and rainfall durations of 0 ( <jats:italic>CK</jats:italic> ), 5 ( <jats:italic>R5</jats:italic> ), 10 ( <jats:italic>R10</jats:italic> ), 15 ( <jats:italic>R15</jats:italic> ), 20 ( <jats:italic>R20</jats:italic> ), and 30 min ( <jats:italic>R30</jats:italic> ) were conducted in runoff plots (2 m × 1 m) to form soil crust. Crust and noncrust soil samples were collected and subjected to a hydraulic flume (4 m × 0.2 m) to determine the soil detachment capacity ( <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> ). Soil crust traits such as bulk density ( <jats:italic>BD</jats:italic> ), clay content ( <jats:italic>C</jats:italic> ), crust thickness ( <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> ), macroaggregate content ( <jats:italic>MA</jats:italic> ), soil cohesion ( <jats:italic>Coh</jats:italic> ), and soil penetration resistance ( <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> ) were measured, and soil erosion resistance ( <jats:italic>Kr</jats:italic> , rill erodibility, and <jats:italic>τ</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> , critical shear stress) was calculated. <jats:italic>BD</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>C</jats:italic> exhibited minimal variation, whereas <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>MA</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>Coh</jats:italic> , and <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> demonstrated moderate temporal variability across varying rainfall durations. In contrast to the absence of rain, the <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 50% for <jats:italic>R5</jats:italic> , 58% for <jats:italic>R10</jats:italic> , 67% for <jats:italic>R15</jats:italic> , 71% for <jats:italic>R20</jats:italic> , and 83% for <jats:italic>R30</jats:italic> , the <jats:italic>K</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 43%–764%, and <jats:italic>τ</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 18%–36%. <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> exhibited a power function relationship with the hydraulic parameters, with the stream power being the most suitable for capturing the variations in <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> . The path analysis indicated that <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> were the primary factors directly influencing <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> , with standardized path coefficients of −0.38 and −0.48. The variability in <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <j
集中流导致的土壤剥离是土壤侵蚀的重要组成部分，降雨引起的土壤物理结皮特征的变化对土壤剥离有显著影响。为了研究降雨引起的土壤物理结皮对土壤剥离的影响，在径流区（2 m × 1 m）进行了降雨强度为1.5 mm m，降雨持续时间为0 （CK）、5 （R5）、10 （R10）、15 （R15）、20 （R20）和30 min （R30）的降雨模拟，以形成土壤结皮。收集结皮土和非结皮土样品，并在4 m × 0.2 m的水力水槽中进行试验，以确定土壤的剥离能力（D c）。测定了土壤容重（BD）、粘粒含量(C)、结皮厚度（CT）、大团聚体含量（MA）、土壤黏聚力（Coh）、土壤渗透阻力（PR）等土壤结皮性状，并计算了土壤抗侵蚀能力（Kr，细沟可蚀性，τ C，临界剪应力）。BD和C表现出最小的变化，而CT、MA、Coh和PR在不同的降雨持续时间中表现出中等的时间变化。与无雨相比，R5、R10、R15、R20和R30的D - c分别下降了50%、58%、67%、71%和83%，K - r下降了43% ~ 764%，τ - c下降了18% ~ 36%。dc与水力参数呈幂函数关系，水流功率最适合反映dc的变化。通径分析表明，PR和CT是直接影响dc的主要因素，标准化通径系数分别为- 0.38和- 0.48。使用涉及流功率、PR和CT的三重指数幂函数可以令人满意地预测dc的变异性。该研究揭示了土壤结皮性状的变异显著影响土壤剥离，并为土壤流失易损区土壤侵蚀的预测和管理提供了一个框架。
{"title":"Rainfall‐Induced Soil Physical Crust Formation Reduces Soil Detachment Capacity by Enhancing Soil Erosion Resistance","authors":"Chong Yao, Qingwei Zhang, Yan Zhuan, Shilin Fu, Hao Lin, Hao Wang, Ming Zhu, Jian Wang, Faqi Wu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70433","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70433","url":null,"abstract":"Soil detachment by concentrated flow is a crucial component of soil erosion, and variations in rainfall‐induced soil physical crust traits significantly influence soil detachment. In this study, to investigate the variation in soil detachment with rainfall‐induced soil physical crust, rainfall simulations with a rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm m in <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> and rainfall durations of 0 ( <jats:italic>CK</jats:italic> ), 5 ( <jats:italic>R5</jats:italic> ), 10 ( <jats:italic>R10</jats:italic> ), 15 ( <jats:italic>R15</jats:italic> ), 20 ( <jats:italic>R20</jats:italic> ), and 30 min ( <jats:italic>R30</jats:italic> ) were conducted in runoff plots (2 m × 1 m) to form soil crust. Crust and noncrust soil samples were collected and subjected to a hydraulic flume (4 m × 0.2 m) to determine the soil detachment capacity ( <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> ). Soil crust traits such as bulk density ( <jats:italic>BD</jats:italic> ), clay content ( <jats:italic>C</jats:italic> ), crust thickness ( <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> ), macroaggregate content ( <jats:italic>MA</jats:italic> ), soil cohesion ( <jats:italic>Coh</jats:italic> ), and soil penetration resistance ( <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> ) were measured, and soil erosion resistance ( <jats:italic>Kr</jats:italic> , rill erodibility, and <jats:italic>τ</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> , critical shear stress) was calculated. <jats:italic>BD</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>C</jats:italic> exhibited minimal variation, whereas <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>MA</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>Coh</jats:italic> , and <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> demonstrated moderate temporal variability across varying rainfall durations. In contrast to the absence of rain, the <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 50% for <jats:italic>R5</jats:italic> , 58% for <jats:italic>R10</jats:italic> , 67% for <jats:italic>R15</jats:italic> , 71% for <jats:italic>R20</jats:italic> , and 83% for <jats:italic>R30</jats:italic> , the <jats:italic>K</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 43%–764%, and <jats:italic>τ</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> decreased by 18%–36%. <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> exhibited a power function relationship with the hydraulic parameters, with the stream power being the most suitable for capturing the variations in <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> . The path analysis indicated that <jats:italic>PR</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>CT</jats:italic> were the primary factors directly influencing <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> </jats:sub> , with standardized path coefficients of −0.38 and −0.48. The variability in <jats:italic>D</jats:italic> <j","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146056125","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}
Shuang Yu, Junlong Yang, Julian M. Norghauer, Jun Yang, Bo Yang, Hongmei Zhang, Xiaowei Li
Water‐use efficiency (WUE) and the stoichiometry of plant–soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are key indicators of plant growth, while stand quality is an important index for evaluating afforestation. Yet it remains unclear how WUE and stoichiometric characteristics respond to changes in stand quality in desert ecosystems. To fill that knowledge gap, we studied the community characteristics of sand‐fixing Caragana korshinskii stands differing in age (planted 10, 30, 50, and 70 years) in the Mu Us Desert, China, and measured their WUE and leaf‐soil C:N:P stoichiometry. The relations among the stand quality index, leaf WUE, and plant–soil stoichiometry were analyzed. After 70 years, WUE was at the lowest level of 4.25 m mol CO 2 ·mol −1 H 2 O, but only significantly lower than that of a 10‐year‐old C. korshinskii stand (4.75 m mol CO 2 ·mol −1 H 2 O). Afforestation years had differential effects on C, N, and P nutrients and their stoichiometric characteristics in leaves and soil. For soil, its total P barely increased. Irrespective of stand age, the N:P ratio of leaves was > 16, which suggests P is the main factor limiting the development of C. korshinskii plantations. Notably, WUE decreased significantly as the stand quality index increased (from 0.22 in 10 years to 0.72 in 70 years) while soil stoichiometry responded more strongly than plant stoichiometry. These results can guide investigations into the role of C. korshinskii stands in plant and soil recovery effects, providing a scientific basis to evaluate the rational use of C. korshinskii sand‐fixing forest in afforestation.
水分利用效率（WUE）和植物-土壤碳(C)、氮(N)和磷(P)化学计量学是植物生长的关键指标，而林分质量是评价造林的重要指标。然而，WUE和化学计量特征如何响应荒漠生态系统林分质量的变化尚不清楚。为了填补这一空白，我们研究了毛乌素沙漠不同树龄（种植10年、30年、50年和70年）固沙柠条林的群落特征，并测量了它们的水分利用效率和叶片-土壤C:N:P化学计量。分析了林分质量指数、叶片水分利用效率与植物-土壤化学计量的关系。70 a后WUE最低，为4.25 m mol co2·mol−1 h2o，但仅显著低于10年生柠条林分的4.75 m mol co2·mol−1 h2o。造林年限对叶片和土壤中碳、氮、磷养分及其化学计量特征有差异影响。土壤全磷含量几乎没有增加。不论林龄，叶片氮磷比均为16，表明磷是限制柠条人工林发育的主要因素。随着林分质量指数的增加（10 a 0.22 ~ 70 a 0.72），水分利用效率显著降低，土壤化学计量比植物化学计量对水分利用效率的响应更强烈。这些结果可以指导调查柠条林在植物和土壤恢复中的作用，为评价柠条固沙林在造林中的合理利用提供科学依据。
{"title":"Water‐Use Efficiency and Plant–Soil C:N:P Stoichiometry in Response to Stand Quality of Caragana korshinskii in the Mu Us Desert of China","authors":"Shuang Yu, Junlong Yang, Julian M. Norghauer, Jun Yang, Bo Yang, Hongmei Zhang, Xiaowei Li","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70455","url":null,"abstract":"Water‐use efficiency (WUE) and the stoichiometry of plant–soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are key indicators of plant growth, while stand quality is an important index for evaluating afforestation. Yet it remains unclear how WUE and stoichiometric characteristics respond to changes in stand quality in desert ecosystems. To fill that knowledge gap, we studied the community characteristics of sand‐fixing <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Caragana korshinskii</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> stands differing in age (planted 10, 30, 50, and 70 years) in the Mu Us Desert, China, and measured their WUE and leaf‐soil C:N:P stoichiometry. The relations among the stand quality index, leaf WUE, and plant–soil stoichiometry were analyzed. After 70 years, WUE was at the lowest level of 4.25 m mol CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> ·mol <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> H <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O, but only significantly lower than that of a 10‐year‐old <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. korshinskii</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> stand (4.75 m mol CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> ·mol <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> H <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O). Afforestation years had differential effects on C, N, and P nutrients and their stoichiometric characteristics in leaves and soil. For soil, its total P barely increased. Irrespective of stand age, the N:P ratio of leaves was > 16, which suggests P is the main factor limiting the development of <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. korshinskii</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> plantations. Notably, WUE decreased significantly as the stand quality index increased (from 0.22 in 10 years to 0.72 in 70 years) while soil stoichiometry responded more strongly than plant stoichiometry. These results can guide investigations into the role of <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. korshinskii</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> stands in plant and soil recovery effects, providing a scientific basis to evaluate the rational use of <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. korshinskii</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> sand‐fixing forest in afforestation.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146042956","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}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：