Fábio Farias Amorim, Yuri Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva, Rennan Cabral Nascimento, Ygor Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva, Angelo Jamil Maia, Tales Tiecher, Jean Paolo Gomes Minella, Yusheng Zhang, Hari Ram Upadhayay, Simon Pulley, Adrian L. Collins
Uncertainties about the applicability of δ13C and δ15N as tracers of sediment sources in tropical river basins highlight the need for more in-depth investigations of these isotopes. This study therefore assessed the effectiveness of δ13C and δ15N signatures in discriminating sediment sources in an agricultural catchment in Northeast Brazil. Three potential sediment sources were sampled as follows: unpaved roads, sugarcane cultivation, and channel banks. Suspended and riverbed sediments were used as target sediments. Source and sediment samples were sieved to two particle size fractions: < 63 and < 32 μm. The isotopes were evaluated using conservativeness tests, Kruskal–Wallis, linear discriminant analysis, and virtual mixtures. Our results indicated that δ13C and δ15N together are effective tracers for modeling sediment sources, providing significant detail on sediment delivery patterns in a tropical catchment under intensive land use. Both fractions showed no significant differences in conservativeness or source apportionment. However, the < 63 μm fraction yielded more robust discrimination potential and model estimates. Therefore, future studies in other catchments under similar conditions could focus on a single fraction, preferably the fraction < 63 μm, optimizing effort without compromising scientific robustness. Channel banks contributed the majority of sediment in both size fractions, indicating that agricultural expansion into riparian zones—resulting in the absence or inadequate type of vegetation cover—has accelerated erosion. This underscores the urgent need to restore riparian forests and protect these vulnerable areas, while also emphasizing the importance of developing innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to effectively manage and integrate riparian vegetation into landscape planning and water resource strategies.
{"title":"Carbon, Nitrogen, and Corresponding Stable Isotope Signatures Reveal Channel Banks as Major Sediment Sources in a Tropical Agricultural Watershed","authors":"Fábio Farias Amorim, Yuri Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva, Rennan Cabral Nascimento, Ygor Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva, Angelo Jamil Maia, Tales Tiecher, Jean Paolo Gomes Minella, Yusheng Zhang, Hari Ram Upadhayay, Simon Pulley, Adrian L. Collins","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70437","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70437","url":null,"abstract":"Uncertainties about the applicability of δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N as tracers of sediment sources in tropical river basins highlight the need for more in-depth investigations of these isotopes. This study therefore assessed the effectiveness of δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N signatures in discriminating sediment sources in an agricultural catchment in Northeast Brazil. Three potential sediment sources were sampled as follows: unpaved roads, sugarcane cultivation, and channel banks. Suspended and riverbed sediments were used as target sediments. Source and sediment samples were sieved to two particle size fractions: < 63 and < 32 μm. The isotopes were evaluated using conservativeness tests, Kruskal–Wallis, linear discriminant analysis, and virtual mixtures. Our results indicated that δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>15</sup>N together are effective tracers for modeling sediment sources, providing significant detail on sediment delivery patterns in a tropical catchment under intensive land use. Both fractions showed no significant differences in conservativeness or source apportionment. However, the < 63 μm fraction yielded more robust discrimination potential and model estimates. Therefore, future studies in other catchments under similar conditions could focus on a single fraction, preferably the fraction < 63 μm, optimizing effort without compromising scientific robustness. Channel banks contributed the majority of sediment in both size fractions, indicating that agricultural expansion into riparian zones—resulting in the absence or inadequate type of vegetation cover—has accelerated erosion. This underscores the urgent need to restore riparian forests and protect these vulnerable areas, while also emphasizing the importance of developing innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to effectively manage and integrate riparian vegetation into landscape planning and water resource strategies.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022178","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}
Baoyu Wang, Fangyu Hu, Jing An, Youran Li, Jinhao Dong, Hewei Song, Yan Zang, Shaokuan Yan, Bin Lin
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in livestock and poultry manure can enter the soil and subsequently migrate into vegetables, posing a threat to agricultural product safety and human health. However, the distribution and cross‐medium transmission of ARGs are influenced by multiple factors including the source of manure, soil types and vegetable species. In this study, 27 leafy vegetable samples and their rhizosphere soil, as well as the 39 manure samples were collected from the black soil vegetable area to investigate the distribution characteristics and cross‐media transmission of tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs). The results revealed that 36 out of the 37 target TRGs were detected in manure samples, with the highest relative abundance observed in chicken manure, followed by pig manure. Although 28 TRGs were detected in the soil, their relative abundance was significantly lower than that in the manure. Fourteen TRGs were identified in vegetables, and their total relative abundance was the lowest among the three types of samples. The abundance of TRGs in vegetables decreased in the following order: shallot, celery, and lettuce. Moreover, a total of 12 TRGs and 3 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were simultaneously detected in manure, soil and vegetable samples. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships ( p < 0.05) between TRGs (e.g., tet A and tet B) and MGEs ( tnp A and int I‐1) across all three sample types. MGEs represent the primary drivers of the cross‐media migration of TRGs from manure through soil to endophytic bacteria in vegetables. These findings advance our understanding of the dynamics of ARGs in the soil–plant system and highlight the critical need for improved manure management practices to mitigate the dissemination of ARGs in agroecosystems.
{"title":"Distribution Characteristics and Cross‐Media Transmission of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Black Soil Farmland and Vegetable Under Manure Fertilization","authors":"Baoyu Wang, Fangyu Hu, Jing An, Youran Li, Jinhao Dong, Hewei Song, Yan Zang, Shaokuan Yan, Bin Lin","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70319","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70319","url":null,"abstract":"Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in livestock and poultry manure can enter the soil and subsequently migrate into vegetables, posing a threat to agricultural product safety and human health. However, the distribution and cross‐medium transmission of ARGs are influenced by multiple factors including the source of manure, soil types and vegetable species. In this study, 27 leafy vegetable samples and their rhizosphere soil, as well as the 39 manure samples were collected from the black soil vegetable area to investigate the distribution characteristics and cross‐media transmission of tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs). The results revealed that 36 out of the 37 target TRGs were detected in manure samples, with the highest relative abundance observed in chicken manure, followed by pig manure. Although 28 TRGs were detected in the soil, their relative abundance was significantly lower than that in the manure. Fourteen TRGs were identified in vegetables, and their total relative abundance was the lowest among the three types of samples. The abundance of TRGs in vegetables decreased in the following order: shallot, celery, and lettuce. Moreover, a total of 12 TRGs and 3 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were simultaneously detected in manure, soil and vegetable samples. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships ( <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.05) between TRGs (e.g., <jats:italic>tet</jats:italic> A and <jats:italic>tet</jats:italic> B) and MGEs ( <jats:italic>tnp</jats:italic> A and <jats:italic>int</jats:italic> I‐1) across all three sample types. MGEs represent the primary drivers of the cross‐media migration of TRGs from manure through soil to endophytic bacteria in vegetables. These findings advance our understanding of the dynamics of ARGs in the soil–plant system and highlight the critical need for improved manure management practices to mitigate the dissemination of ARGs in agroecosystems.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"63 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005641","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}
Ecosystems are facing multiple pressures from limited natural resources, population growth, and climate change, which challenges the achievement of sustainable development goals. The combination of agriculture and photovoltaic power generation can mitigate multiple societal challenges. However, it is still poorly understood whether photovoltaic benefits multiple ecosystem functions and the impact of different types of photovoltaic panels on ecological functions. To quantify the ecosystem impact of photovoltaic systems, we conducted a field study under and outside the photovoltaic panels, and we measured plant structure, carbon stocks, soil stability, and soil nutrients to represent the characterization of the whole ecosystem function. We found that photovoltaic panels facilitated plant structure recovery (e.g., height, cover, and aboveground biomass) due to the shade effect and the input of clean water. However, the photovoltaic panels' construction had a negative impact on soil properties, with soil stability decreasing and soil nutrient loss. Fixed panels had greater carbon stock and soil water content, whereas rotating panels proved more effective in controlling plant growth and reducing fire hazards. The differences between fixed and rotating panels mainly lay in the difference in shade effect and the ease of access for sheep entering under the photovoltaic panels. Our study indicated that the “photovoltaic‐grass‐sheep” land management facilitated multiple sustainable development goals and provided a win‐win situation for herders and solar operators.
{"title":"Photovoltaic Panels Can Promote Ecological Function in Semiarid Areas","authors":"Yanzhen Hou, Jingyi Ding, Wenwu Zhao, Lizhi Jia, Ting Hua, Xuan Gao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70411","url":null,"abstract":"Ecosystems are facing multiple pressures from limited natural resources, population growth, and climate change, which challenges the achievement of sustainable development goals. The combination of agriculture and photovoltaic power generation can mitigate multiple societal challenges. However, it is still poorly understood whether photovoltaic benefits multiple ecosystem functions and the impact of different types of photovoltaic panels on ecological functions. To quantify the ecosystem impact of photovoltaic systems, we conducted a field study under and outside the photovoltaic panels, and we measured plant structure, carbon stocks, soil stability, and soil nutrients to represent the characterization of the whole ecosystem function. We found that photovoltaic panels facilitated plant structure recovery (e.g., height, cover, and aboveground biomass) due to the shade effect and the input of clean water. However, the photovoltaic panels' construction had a negative impact on soil properties, with soil stability decreasing and soil nutrient loss. Fixed panels had greater carbon stock and soil water content, whereas rotating panels proved more effective in controlling plant growth and reducing fire hazards. The differences between fixed and rotating panels mainly lay in the difference in shade effect and the ease of access for sheep entering under the photovoltaic panels. Our study indicated that the “photovoltaic‐grass‐sheep” land management facilitated multiple sustainable development goals and provided a win‐win situation for herders and solar operators.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145993151","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}
Yu Zhang, Jason Beringer, Xiaofei Ma, Geping Luo, Mingjuan Xie, Chen Zhang, Piet Termonia, Rafiq Hamdi, Philippe De Maeyer
The escalating frequency and intensity of wildfires globally necessitate a deeper understanding of ecosystem carbon dynamics post-disturbance. This study utilizes a valuable pre- and postfire eddy-covariance dataset from the AU-Wac site to quantify the recovery of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) in a carbon-dense Eucalyptus regnans forest following the catastrophic 2009 Black Saturday wildfire. Our findings, derived from Bayesian additive regression trees (BART) modeling of no-fire scenarios and locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS)-smoothed recovery indices (Div and Sub), indicate that the forest returned to an initial net carbon uptake 16 months postfire, exhibited its peak recovery rate at 44 months, and regained prefire NEE levels by 48 months, with a total carbon loss of 44.34 t C/ha. Our analysis, employing random forest (RF) regression, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), and Spearman correlation for key factor analysis, considering both lagged and cumulative effects, further reveals a fundamental shift in NEE drivers. From prefire air temperature and soil water content control, postfire NEE became predominantly governed by soil temperature and water content along with atmospheric humidity, exhibiting stronger multifactor couplings. These results emphasize the crucial role of postfire hydrological conditions for recovery and provide critical science-based information for proactive forest management, including prescribed burning and enhanced biodiversity, to mitigate degradation and maintain carbon sequestration in fire-prone regions.
全球范围内野火发生的频率和强度不断上升，需要对扰动后的生态系统碳动态有更深入的了解。本研究利用来自AU-Wac站点的有价值的火前和火后涡流协方差数据集，量化了2009年黑色星期六灾难性野火后碳密集的桉树森林生态系统净二氧化碳交换（NEE）的恢复。基于无火情景的贝叶斯加性回归树（BART）模型和局部估计的散点图平滑（黄土）平滑恢复指数（Div和Sub）的研究结果表明，森林在火灾后16个月恢复到初始净碳吸收，在44个月达到峰值，在48个月恢复到火灾前的NEE水平，总碳损失为44.34 t C/ha。我们的分析采用随机森林（RF）回归、SHapley加性解释（SHAP）和Spearman相关进行关键因素分析，考虑了滞后效应和累积效应，进一步揭示了新能源经济驱动因素的根本转变。从火灾前的空气温度和土壤含水量控制来看，火灾后的NEE主要受土壤温度和含水量以及大气湿度的控制，表现出更强的多因素耦合。这些结果强调了火灾后水文条件对恢复的关键作用，并为主动森林管理提供了关键的科学信息，包括规定焚烧和增强生物多样性，以减轻火灾易发地区的退化和保持碳固存。
{"title":"Assessing Vegetation Recovery and Carbon Dynamics in Eucalyptus regnans Forests Following the 2009 Black Saturday Wildfire: Implications for Disaster Risk Reduction","authors":"Yu Zhang, Jason Beringer, Xiaofei Ma, Geping Luo, Mingjuan Xie, Chen Zhang, Piet Termonia, Rafiq Hamdi, Philippe De Maeyer","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70459","url":null,"abstract":"The escalating frequency and intensity of wildfires globally necessitate a deeper understanding of ecosystem carbon dynamics post-disturbance. This study utilizes a valuable pre- and postfire eddy-covariance dataset from the AU-Wac site to quantify the recovery of net ecosystem CO<sub>2</sub> exchange (NEE) in a carbon-dense <i>Eucalyptus regnans</i> forest following the catastrophic 2009 Black Saturday wildfire. Our findings, derived from Bayesian additive regression trees (BART) modeling of no-fire scenarios and locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS)-smoothed recovery indices (Div and Sub), indicate that the forest returned to an initial net carbon uptake 16 months postfire, exhibited its peak recovery rate at 44 months, and regained prefire NEE levels by 48 months, with a total carbon loss of 44.34 t C/ha. Our analysis, employing random forest (RF) regression, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), and Spearman correlation for key factor analysis, considering both lagged and cumulative effects, further reveals a fundamental shift in NEE drivers. From prefire air temperature and soil water content control, postfire NEE became predominantly governed by soil temperature and water content along with atmospheric humidity, exhibiting stronger multifactor couplings. These results emphasize the crucial role of postfire hydrological conditions for recovery and provide critical science-based information for proactive forest management, including prescribed burning and enhanced biodiversity, to mitigate degradation and maintain carbon sequestration in fire-prone regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145993150","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}
Northern China represents a critical region for soil wind erosion research due to its high susceptibility and ecological vulnerability. This study employs a parameter‐optimized RWEQ model, incorporating freeze–thaw dynamics and refined land‐use coefficients along with data from 171 meteorological stations, to comprehensively analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of soil wind erosion across approximately 5.4 million square kilometers in northern China from 1980 to 2023. The results show that the average annual wind erosion rate in northern China decreased from 4864.48 t·km −2 ·a −1 in 1980 to 3117.32 t·km −2 ·a −1 in 2023, representing a total reduction of 36.0%. Moderate and severe erosion gradually transitioned to slight and mild levels, indicating an overall improving trend. Temporally, the evolution exhibited four distinct phases: a rapid decline (1980–1990), with a total erosion reduction of 25.5% and an average annual reduction of 674.23 million tons; a decelerated decline (1990–2010), during which erosion further decreased by 32.5% relative to 1990 levels, with an average annual reduction of 319.68 million tons; a stagnation phase (2010–2020), characterized by a minimal reduction of only 4.8% compared to 2010, with an average annual reduction of 6.385 million tons; and a significant rebound (2020–2023), marked by a 27.9% increase in total erosion and an average annual increase of 1230.34 million tons. Spatially, erosion intensity markedly decreased in the Northeast Plain and North China Plain, while high‐risk areas persisted in western regions such as the Tarim Basin and Inner Mongolia Plateau, underscoring the substantial contribution of western deserts to wind erosion. Factor detection identified potential evapotranspiration ( q = 0.55–0.65) and soil sand content ( q > 0.3) as the primary driving factors, with NDVI and silt content also exhibiting substantial explanatory power ( q > 0.25). The interaction between vegetation and climatic factors, such as NDVI and precipitation, shifted from nonlinear enhancement to bilinear enhancement, reflecting a progressive saturation of vegetation's inhibitory effect on erosion as canopy cover increased. After 2010, the saturation of vegetation‐related erosion control, coupled with intensified anthropogenic pressure, contributed to the stagnation and subsequent rebound in regional erosion levels. This study emphasizes the urgency of implementing differentiated vegetation restoration and soil improvement techniques in key regions, providing a scientific basis for optimizing wind erosion prevention and ecological restoration strategies in arid and semi‐arid areas.
{"title":"Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of Soil Wind Erosion in Northern China","authors":"Xingyao Wu, Huishi Du, Eerdun Hasi","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70448","url":null,"abstract":"Northern China represents a critical region for soil wind erosion research due to its high susceptibility and ecological vulnerability. This study employs a parameter‐optimized RWEQ model, incorporating freeze–thaw dynamics and refined land‐use coefficients along with data from 171 meteorological stations, to comprehensively analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of soil wind erosion across approximately 5.4 million square kilometers in northern China from 1980 to 2023. The results show that the average annual wind erosion rate in northern China decreased from 4864.48 t·km <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> ·a <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> in 1980 to 3117.32 t·km <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> ·a <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> in 2023, representing a total reduction of 36.0%. Moderate and severe erosion gradually transitioned to slight and mild levels, indicating an overall improving trend. Temporally, the evolution exhibited four distinct phases: a rapid decline (1980–1990), with a total erosion reduction of 25.5% and an average annual reduction of 674.23 million tons; a decelerated decline (1990–2010), during which erosion further decreased by 32.5% relative to 1990 levels, with an average annual reduction of 319.68 million tons; a stagnation phase (2010–2020), characterized by a minimal reduction of only 4.8% compared to 2010, with an average annual reduction of 6.385 million tons; and a significant rebound (2020–2023), marked by a 27.9% increase in total erosion and an average annual increase of 1230.34 million tons. Spatially, erosion intensity markedly decreased in the Northeast Plain and North China Plain, while high‐risk areas persisted in western regions such as the Tarim Basin and Inner Mongolia Plateau, underscoring the substantial contribution of western deserts to wind erosion. Factor detection identified potential evapotranspiration ( <jats:italic>q</jats:italic> = 0.55–0.65) and soil sand content ( <jats:italic>q</jats:italic> > 0.3) as the primary driving factors, with NDVI and silt content also exhibiting substantial explanatory power ( <jats:italic>q</jats:italic> > 0.25). The interaction between vegetation and climatic factors, such as NDVI and precipitation, shifted from nonlinear enhancement to bilinear enhancement, reflecting a progressive saturation of vegetation's inhibitory effect on erosion as canopy cover increased. After 2010, the saturation of vegetation‐related erosion control, coupled with intensified anthropogenic pressure, contributed to the stagnation and subsequent rebound in regional erosion levels. This study emphasizes the urgency of implementing differentiated vegetation restoration and soil improvement techniques in key regions, providing a scientific basis for optimizing wind erosion prevention and ecological restoration strategies in arid and semi‐arid areas.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"178 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145993152","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}
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the socio‐economic development of Burkina Faso, employing a large proportion of the population and contributing significantly to national GDP. However, this sector faces critical challenges, notably rapid soil degradation, declining fertility and the increasing vulnerability of farming systems to climate variability. To mitigate these issues, soil and water conservation (SWC/SDR) techniques have been widely promoted and implemented at the individual farm level. While these practices have proven beneficial locally, they often fail to capture broader landscape‐scale benefits. In contrast, watershed‐based approaches integrate land and water management across multiple plots, generating substantial positive externalities, including reduced upstream runoff, diminished downstream erosion and enhanced ecosystem services. This study investigates farmers' acceptance of the watershed approach in the context of sustainability goals, using a survey of 101 farmers across Lallé, Kroumwéogo and Zémalga in the Zam municipality. The results indicate strong support for collective management: 85.1% of respondents favour watershed‐based interventions, compared to only 21.8% for individual management, with nearly all farmers (99%) willing to participate in collective work. Regression analysis ( R2 = 0.19, p < 0.01) identifies income level, prior experience with collective action and mutual aid networks as significant predictors of willingness to engage even at greater distances. These findings highlight the potential of watershed‐based approaches to improve soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity, foster cooperation and contribute directly to Sustainable Development Goals 2, 13 and 15.
农业在布基纳法索的社会经济发展中发挥着关键作用，为很大一部分人口提供就业，并对国家GDP做出了重大贡献。然而，该部门面临着严峻的挑战，特别是土壤迅速退化、肥力下降以及农业系统对气候变化的脆弱性日益增加。为了缓解这些问题，水土保持（SWC/SDR）技术已在个体农场层面得到广泛推广和实施。虽然这些做法已被证明在当地是有益的，但它们往往无法获得更广泛的景观效益。相比之下，基于流域的方法在多个地块上整合了土地和水资源管理，产生了大量的积极外部性，包括减少上游径流、减少下游侵蚀和增强生态系统服务。本研究调查了农民在可持续发展目标背景下对流域方法的接受程度，使用了对Zam市lall、kroumwsamugo和zsamuga的101名农民的调查。结果表明，集体管理得到了强烈支持：85.1%的受访者支持基于流域的干预措施，而只有21.8%的受访者支持个人管理，几乎所有农民（99%）都愿意参与集体工作。回归分析（r2 = 0.19, p < 0.01）确定收入水平、集体行动的先前经验和互助网络是参与意愿的重要预测因素，即使在更远的距离。这些发现突出了基于流域的方法在改善土壤肥力、提高农业生产力、促进合作和直接促进可持续发展目标2、13和15方面的潜力。
{"title":"Watershed‐Based Approaches for Sustainable Agricultural Ecosystem Management in Burkina Faso","authors":"Sidnoma Abdoul Aziz Traoré, Sheila Médina Karambiri, Sanata Nikiéma, Yacinthe Compaoré","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70403","url":null,"abstract":"Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the socio‐economic development of Burkina Faso, employing a large proportion of the population and contributing significantly to national GDP. However, this sector faces critical challenges, notably rapid soil degradation, declining fertility and the increasing vulnerability of farming systems to climate variability. To mitigate these issues, soil and water conservation (SWC/SDR) techniques have been widely promoted and implemented at the individual farm level. While these practices have proven beneficial locally, they often fail to capture broader landscape‐scale benefits. In contrast, watershed‐based approaches integrate land and water management across multiple plots, generating substantial positive externalities, including reduced upstream runoff, diminished downstream erosion and enhanced ecosystem services. This study investigates farmers' acceptance of the watershed approach in the context of sustainability goals, using a survey of 101 farmers across Lallé, Kroumwéogo and Zémalga in the Zam municipality. The results indicate strong support for collective management: 85.1% of respondents favour watershed‐based interventions, compared to only 21.8% for individual management, with nearly all farmers (99%) willing to participate in collective work. Regression analysis ( <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.19, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.01) identifies income level, prior experience with collective action and mutual aid networks as significant predictors of willingness to engage even at greater distances. These findings highlight the potential of watershed‐based approaches to improve soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity, foster cooperation and contribute directly to Sustainable Development Goals 2, 13 and 15.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145993153","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 importance of plant root systems in reducing soil erosion is well established; however, existing evaluation approaches based on individual root traits often do not adequately represent the complexity of root–soil interactions. To develop a comprehensive parameter that reflects the effects of plant root systems on soil erosion processes, eight representative herbaceous species from different successional stages were selected from the Chinese Loess Plateau. Root morphology, biomass, mechanical strength, and architectural characteristics were considered, and these parameters were integrated to construct a comprehensive root system parameter using the Amoeba chart method. Relative soil detachment capacity was measured through overland flow scouring experiments under six shear stress levels. The results showed that the comprehensive root system parameter, derived from root surface area density, root mass density, root cohesion, and topology index, ranged from 0.28 to 1.72 among the eight species. The maximum value was observed in Bothriochloa ischaemum (Linn.) Keng, while the minimum values occurred in Artemisia capillaris Thunb. and Astragalus adsurgens Pall. With vegetation succession, the comprehensive root system parameter increased. The mean value for plants with fibrous root systems was 1.41 times that of plants with tap root systems. Relative soil detachment capacity varied significantly among the eight species, ranging from 0.012 to 0.107 kg m −2 s −1 , and showed a decreasing trend with vegetation succession. Relative soil detachment capacity was 14% lower in herbaceous plants with fibrous root systems than in those with tap root systems, indicating their stronger ability to reduce soil detachment. The effects of plant root systems on soil erosion differed among species and root types, and these differences were effectively captured by the comprehensive root system parameter. Relative soil detachment capacity decreased exponentially with increasing values of the comprehensive root system parameter. This study demonstrates that integrating multiple root characteristics can improve the prediction of soil erosion for typical grassland species in the studied ecosystems. However, the applicability of the proposed parameter to other vegetation types and ecosystems remains to be tested and will require substantially more data across a wider range of species and environmental conditions.
{"title":"Construction of a Comprehensive Root Parameter to Reflect the Effect of Plant Root Systems on Soil Erosion","authors":"JianFang Wang, GuoBin Liu, YanFen Yang, Bing Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70456","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70456","url":null,"abstract":"The importance of plant root systems in reducing soil erosion is well established; however, existing evaluation approaches based on individual root traits often do not adequately represent the complexity of root–soil interactions. To develop a comprehensive parameter that reflects the effects of plant root systems on soil erosion processes, eight representative herbaceous species from different successional stages were selected from the Chinese Loess Plateau. Root morphology, biomass, mechanical strength, and architectural characteristics were considered, and these parameters were integrated to construct a comprehensive root system parameter using the Amoeba chart method. Relative soil detachment capacity was measured through overland flow scouring experiments under six shear stress levels. The results showed that the comprehensive root system parameter, derived from root surface area density, root mass density, root cohesion, and topology index, ranged from 0.28 to 1.72 among the eight species. The maximum value was observed in <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Bothriochloa ischaemum</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> (Linn.) Keng, while the minimum values occurred in <jats:italic>Artemisia capillaris</jats:italic> Thunb. and <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Astragalus adsurgens</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> Pall. With vegetation succession, the comprehensive root system parameter increased. The mean value for plants with fibrous root systems was 1.41 times that of plants with tap root systems. Relative soil detachment capacity varied significantly among the eight species, ranging from 0.012 to 0.107 kg m <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> s <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> , and showed a decreasing trend with vegetation succession. Relative soil detachment capacity was 14% lower in herbaceous plants with fibrous root systems than in those with tap root systems, indicating their stronger ability to reduce soil detachment. The effects of plant root systems on soil erosion differed among species and root types, and these differences were effectively captured by the comprehensive root system parameter. Relative soil detachment capacity decreased exponentially with increasing values of the comprehensive root system parameter. This study demonstrates that integrating multiple root characteristics can improve the prediction of soil erosion for typical grassland species in the studied ecosystems. However, the applicability of the proposed parameter to other vegetation types and ecosystems remains to be tested and will require substantially more data across a wider range of species and environmental conditions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145968585","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}
Awais Ali, Abdul Ghafoor, Bilal Hussain, Muhammad Naveed, Shafaqat Ali, Cosimo Magazzino
This study investigates the quantitative remote sensing assessment of climate change on water resources and explores integrated approaches for fostering climate resilience and sustainable land management in its degraded ecosystems. Using remote sensing data from 2003 to 2023, the study identifies the water bodies, moisture level, and land surface temperature in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The research leverages multi‐temporal remote sensing data using Landsat satellite imagery to analyze hydrological shifts using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and precipitation across eight agroclimatic zones of the province. The NDWI analysis reveals a persistent decline in water availability, with the value dropping from 0.8380 to 0.4429, while LST surged from 31.62°C to 50.04°C, exacerbating thermal stress. The 7.4% decline in precipitation signifies escalating water scarcity and directly contributes to ecosystem degradation and heightened vulnerability to climate change, reinforcing the complex feedback loop between climate change and land degradation. The study provides essential empirical evidence quantifying the rapid escalation of hydro‐thermal stress in the province and underscores the urgent need for integrated water and land resources management, sustainable urban planning, and region‐specific climate adaptation strategies to address escalating hydroclimatic risks and combat land degradation.
{"title":"Fostering Climate Resilience Through Integrated Water and Land Management: A Remote Sensing Study of Water Decline and Hydro‐Thermal Stress in Punjab","authors":"Awais Ali, Abdul Ghafoor, Bilal Hussain, Muhammad Naveed, Shafaqat Ali, Cosimo Magazzino","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70405","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the quantitative remote sensing assessment of climate change on water resources and explores integrated approaches for fostering climate resilience and sustainable land management in its degraded ecosystems. Using remote sensing data from 2003 to 2023, the study identifies the water bodies, moisture level, and land surface temperature in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The research leverages multi‐temporal remote sensing data using Landsat satellite imagery to analyze hydrological shifts using the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and precipitation across eight agroclimatic zones of the province. The NDWI analysis reveals a persistent decline in water availability, with the value dropping from 0.8380 to 0.4429, while LST surged from 31.62°C to 50.04°C, exacerbating thermal stress. The 7.4% decline in precipitation signifies escalating water scarcity and directly contributes to ecosystem degradation and heightened vulnerability to climate change, reinforcing the complex feedback loop between climate change and land degradation. The study provides essential empirical evidence quantifying the rapid escalation of hydro‐thermal stress in the province and underscores the urgent need for integrated water and land resources management, sustainable urban planning, and region‐specific climate adaptation strategies to address escalating hydroclimatic risks and combat land degradation.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961662","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}
Long-term heavy mulching in Phyllostachys violascens plantations enhances productivity but induces soil acidification, oxygen depletion, and belowground degradation, threatening sustainability. Although calcium peroxide (CaO2) and biochar are known to improve soil quality, their synergistic effects in degraded P. violascens systems remain unclear. This study evaluated how co-application of CaO2 and biochar influences soil properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities, and belowground biomass using five mulching treatments: control (CK), 5 t ha−1 biochar + 200 kg ha−1 CaO2 (T1), 5 t ha−1 biochar + 400 kg ha−1 CaO2 (T2), 10 t ha−1 biochar + 200 kg ha−1 CaO2 (T3), and 10 t ha−1 biochar + 400 kg ha−1 CaO2 (T4). The results showed that the co-application of CaO2 and biochar effectively increased soil pH and alleviated rhizosphere hypoxia, and enhanced overall nutrient status. The T4 treatment significantly increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen while promoting rhizome biomass accumulation, whereas fine root biomass peaked in T1, reflecting dose-dependent belowground growth allocation. These synergistic amendments rebalanced soil biochemical processes by enhancing urease and acid phosphatase activities, and reshaped microbial diversity and co-occurrence networks, suggesting community restructuring in response to improved soil conditions. Structural equation modeling indicated that CaO2 promoted belowground growth primarily by alleviating soil acidification, which indirectly enhanced rhizome and fine root biomass. Biochar, in contrast, increased rhizome biomass by enhancing bacterial network complexity and altering microbial community structure, while also stimulating amylase activity that indirectly supported fine root growth. However, under high amendment rates, excessive microbial interconnectivity may have limited fine root development, highlighting a dose-dependent threshold in microbial-mediated responses. Collectively, the combined amendment optimized nutrient cycling and oxygen dynamics, with the high-input treatment (T4) achieving the most comprehensive recovery of soil quality and rhizome growth in P. violascens plantations.
在毛竹人工林中，长期重覆盖能提高生产力，但会导致土壤酸化、缺氧和地下退化，威胁可持续性。虽然已知过氧化钙（CaO2）和生物炭可以改善土壤质量，但它们在退化的紫花苜蓿系统中的协同效应尚不清楚。本研究评估了CaO2和生物炭共同施用对土壤性质、酶活性、微生物群落和地下生物量的影响，采用5种覆盖处理：对照（CK）、5 t ha−1生物炭+ 200 kg ha−1 CaO2 （T1）、5 t ha−1生物炭+ 400 kg ha−1 CaO2 （T2）、10 t ha−1生物炭+ 200 kg ha−1 CaO2 （T3）和10 t ha−1生物炭+ 400 kg ha−1 CaO2 （T4）。结果表明，CaO2与生物炭配施能有效提高土壤pH值，缓解根际缺氧，改善土壤整体营养状况。T4处理显著增加了土壤有机碳和全氮，促进了根茎生物量积累，而细根生物量在T1达到峰值，反映了剂量依赖性的地下生长分配。这些增效修正通过增强脲酶和酸性磷酸酶的活性来重新平衡土壤生化过程，重塑微生物多样性和共生网络，表明群落重组是对土壤条件改善的响应。结构方程模型表明，CaO2主要通过缓解土壤酸化促进地下生长，间接提高根茎和细根生物量。相比之下，生物炭通过提高细菌网络复杂性和改变微生物群落结构来增加根茎生物量，同时也刺激了间接支持细根生长的淀粉酶活性。然而，在高修正率下，过度的微生物互连可能会限制细根的发育，这突出了微生物介导反应的剂量依赖性阈值。综上所述，复合改良优化了土壤养分循环和氧动态，其中高投入处理（T4）对紫花松林土壤质量和根茎生长的恢复最为全面。
{"title":"Effects of Co-Application of Calcium Peroxide and Biochar on Soil Properties and Bamboo Belowground Biomass Under Mulching Condition","authors":"Xueqi Feng, Weilai Xia, Luozhong Tang, Zhuangzhuang Qian","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70449","url":null,"abstract":"Long-term heavy mulching in <i>Phyllostachys violascens</i> plantations enhances productivity but induces soil acidification, oxygen depletion, and belowground degradation, threatening sustainability. Although calcium peroxide (CaO<sub>2</sub>) and biochar are known to improve soil quality, their synergistic effects in degraded <i>P. violascens</i> systems remain unclear. This study evaluated how co-application of CaO<sub>2</sub> and biochar influences soil properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities, and belowground biomass using five mulching treatments: control (CK), 5 t ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar + 200 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> CaO<sub>2</sub> (T1), 5 t ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar + 400 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> CaO<sub>2</sub> (T2), 10 t ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar + 200 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> CaO<sub>2</sub> (T3), and 10 t ha<sup>−1</sup> biochar + 400 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> CaO<sub>2</sub> (T4). The results showed that the co-application of CaO<sub>2</sub> and biochar effectively increased soil pH and alleviated rhizosphere hypoxia, and enhanced overall nutrient status. The T4 treatment significantly increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen while promoting rhizome biomass accumulation, whereas fine root biomass peaked in T1, reflecting dose-dependent belowground growth allocation. These synergistic amendments rebalanced soil biochemical processes by enhancing urease and acid phosphatase activities, and reshaped microbial diversity and co-occurrence networks, suggesting community restructuring in response to improved soil conditions. Structural equation modeling indicated that CaO<sub>2</sub> promoted belowground growth primarily by alleviating soil acidification, which indirectly enhanced rhizome and fine root biomass. Biochar, in contrast, increased rhizome biomass by enhancing bacterial network complexity and altering microbial community structure, while also stimulating amylase activity that indirectly supported fine root growth. However, under high amendment rates, excessive microbial interconnectivity may have limited fine root development, highlighting a dose-dependent threshold in microbial-mediated responses. Collectively, the combined amendment optimized nutrient cycling and oxygen dynamics, with the high-input treatment (T4) achieving the most comprehensive recovery of soil quality and rhizome growth in <i>P. violascens</i> plantations.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145968873","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}
There is a reciprocal interaction between soil erosion and tillage layer thickness, with the determination that a reduction in tillage layer thickness exacerbates soil erosion. However, the extent to which the degree of interaction between the two is influenced by environmental variables such as climate and topography remains insufficiently understood. This study utilized soil property data collected in 2021 and employed a random forest (RF) model in conjunction with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) to generate, for the first time, a 30 m resolution spatial distribution map of tillage layer thickness and soil erosion in the Liao He wavy plain, achieving high accuracy. The key findings are as follows: tillage layer thickness shows a spatial pattern of being thicker in the west and thinner in the east. The average soil erosion rate in the study area is 194·t·km −2 ·a −1 , with an average tillage layer loss of less than 1.9·mm·a −1 and a total erosion volume of 4.2 × 10 6 t·a −1 . Slight erosion is the dominant erosion type, whereas light erosion contributes most significantly to overall soil loss. Environmental variables have a significant influence on the interaction between soil erosion and tillage layer thickness. Specifically, increases in slope length (LS), stream power index (SPI), mean annual temperature (MAT), topographic roughness index (TRI), digital elevation mapping (DEM) and slope gradient generally enhance this interaction, whereas increases in mean annual precipitation (MAP), topographic wetness index (TWI), profile curvature (PC), catchment area (CA), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and slope aspect tend to weaken it. At the local scale, a threshold effect was observed where environmental variables influence the degree of interaction between the two processes. This study offers valuable insights for mitigating regional soil erosion, contributes significantly to efforts aimed at slowing the thinning of the tillage layer thickness.
{"title":"The Response of the Interaction Between Soil Erosion and Tillage Layer Thickness to Environmental Variables: Evidence From the Wavy Plains of Northeastern, China","authors":"Tianyi Shao, Fengkui Qian, Shuai Wang, Zhuodong Jiang, Hongbin Liu, Wei Han","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70450","url":null,"abstract":"There is a reciprocal interaction between soil erosion and tillage layer thickness, with the determination that a reduction in tillage layer thickness exacerbates soil erosion. However, the extent to which the degree of interaction between the two is influenced by environmental variables such as climate and topography remains insufficiently understood. This study utilized soil property data collected in 2021 and employed a random forest (RF) model in conjunction with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) to generate, for the first time, a 30 m resolution spatial distribution map of tillage layer thickness and soil erosion in the Liao He wavy plain, achieving high accuracy. The key findings are as follows: tillage layer thickness shows a spatial pattern of being thicker in the west and thinner in the east. The average soil erosion rate in the study area is 194·t·km <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> ·a <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> , with an average tillage layer loss of less than 1.9·mm·a <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> and a total erosion volume of 4.2 × 10 <jats:sup>6</jats:sup> t·a <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> . Slight erosion is the dominant erosion type, whereas light erosion contributes most significantly to overall soil loss. Environmental variables have a significant influence on the interaction between soil erosion and tillage layer thickness. Specifically, increases in slope length (LS), stream power index (SPI), mean annual temperature (MAT), topographic roughness index (TRI), digital elevation mapping (DEM) and slope gradient generally enhance this interaction, whereas increases in mean annual precipitation (MAP), topographic wetness index (TWI), profile curvature (PC), catchment area (CA), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and slope aspect tend to weaken it. At the local scale, a threshold effect was observed where environmental variables influence the degree of interaction between the two processes. This study offers valuable insights for mitigating regional soil erosion, contributes significantly to efforts aimed at slowing the thinning of the tillage layer thickness.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"52 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961661","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：