Land Degradation & Development最新文献

In the era of COP28, where most of the developed and developing economies concentrate more on the development of environmentally friendly energy resources to tackle the issue of climate change. Nevertheless, the literature lacks appropriate evidence regarding the influences of green energy and other resources on food security. This study analyses the influences of land use, green energy, and water resources on food accessibility in emerging economies, while also considering the important roles of natural resources, research and development (R&D) expenditure, and economic growth during 1980–2020. Due to non-linear data dispersion, the novel moments quantile regression is employed. Results assert that land use has a positive significant influence on food accessibility in the presence of water resources and a weaker negative impact in the presence of natural resources. Natural and water resources are detrimental to food accessibility in the Emerging Seven (E7) countries. Furthermore, R&D expenditure and green energy positively (negatively), while economic growth negatively (positively) impacted food accessibility in the presence of natural resources (water resources). The results are robust and validate causal inferences that help develop appropriate policies for emerging economies concerning food accessibility or security. In this rapidly evolving era, most empirical studies consider environmental quality. Conversely, this study contributes to the literature by examining the factors influencing food accessibility, as this issue is of considerable importance because of the rapidly growing global population.

Industrialization and urbanization have intensified land-use pressures on agroecosystems. Monitoring cultivated land use intensity (CLUI) is crucial for implementing sustainable agriculture. However, current agroecosystem management in Shandong Province lacks high-resolution CLUI information. To address this gap, this study measured and analyzed CLUI at a 1-km scale in Shandong Province from 2018 to 2022, using self-produced crop maps and the human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) framework. The spatial autocorrelation model was used to analyze the spatiotemporal pattern and aggregation characteristics of cultivated land use intensity. The influencing factors of CLUI were analyzed using the propensity score matching method, which helps reduce the interference of confounding factors. The results are as follows: (1) The wheat-maize planting pattern in Shandong Province has remained relatively stable, with a notable trend toward intensified cultivation in the western region. (2) CLUI exhibited notable spatial and temporal heterogeneity, with low and medium values predominantly located in the western region. CLUI increased from 1.13 to 1.24, exceeding the global average of 0.84. (3) CLUI showed significant spatial aggregation characteristics. In 2018, 2020, and 2022, the western region was mainly characterized by high-high and high-low types. In 2019 and 2021, it was mainly characterized by the low-low type, with less prevalence of low-high type. The center of gravity of high-high and low-high types shifted southwest, whereas that of high-low and low-low types shifted northeast. (4) Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and plastic mulch exhibited significant positive correlations with CLUI, whereas temperature and precipitation showed significant negative correlations. Favorable natural conditions can mitigate human interference, leading to lower CLUI.

The degradation of biodegradable microplastics (MPs) can either stimulate or inhibit the decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC), but the factors influencing these phenomena remain unclear. In this study, we used the ¹³C natural abundance to differentiate between carbon dioxide (CO₂) arising from the mineralization of SOC and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) MP under varying soil water holding capacity (WHC) in alkaline and acidic soils. We also quantified the incorporation of soil- or PLA-derived carbon (C) into phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA)-distinguishable microbial groups. An increase in soil moisture did not significantly affect PLA MP degradation in alkaline soil, but significantly increased PLA degradability in acidic soil. In particular, the percentages of PLA-derived C incorporated into PLFA-distinguishable gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria were 14%–63% and 5%–33%, respectively, in all the treatments. The presence of PLA MP induced positive priming effects from 0 to 20 d in all the treatments but subsequently induced negative priming effects under some conditions. The total priming effects induced by PLA MP were significantly greater in alkaline soil with ≥70% WHC (37–43 mg C kg⁻¹ soil) than in this soil with 50% WHC (8.6 mg C kg⁻¹ soil). The total priming effect was 72–78 mg C kg⁻¹ soil in acidic soil with ≤70% WHC, but a negative priming effect was observed in this soil with 90% WHC (−56 mg C kg⁻¹ soil). In alkaline soil, the dissolved organic carbon content was positively correlated with the priming effect, but a negative relationship was observed between the priming effect and the amount of soil-derived C incorporated into gram-negative bacteria and fungi. In acidic soil, a positive correlation was found between the priming effect and the soil nitrate content. In summary, our findings indicate that 0.4%–2.8% of PLA MP was degraded in soils after 2 months, and that the intensity and direction of the priming effect induced by PLA MP are regulated by soil moisture and pH, but further exploration is needed to elucidate the microbial mechanisms underlying these effects.

Field experiments were conducted on various runoff plots within the Zhangjiachong watershed, located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, to study rainfall-runoff processes and sediment yields under different slope land use patterns. A hillslope run-on model considering vegetation interception was used to simulate runoff generation and concentration. A slope erosion model including raindrop erosion, sheet erosion, and rill erosion was developed to estimate sediment yield and concentration. The parameters of both models were calibrated and validated using observed runoff and sediment yield data. The results show that the runoff simulations in the validation have relative errors below 20% for all runoff plots, except those planted with crops. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil was found to be ca. 10% higher on slope lands with hedgerows than those without. In addition, it was about 15% higher on slope lands with crops than on slope lands with tea plants and citrus. The sediment yield was shown to be influenced by both precipitation characteristics and antecedent sediment conditions. There was a significant relationship between sheet erosion, rill erosion, and vegetation coverage, while the amount of raindrop erosion was similar across different runoff plots. The proportions of sheet and rill erosion on slope land with crops were minimal whether hedgerows existed or not. The proportions of the three main forms of soil erosion on slope lands with tea plants and citrus were more or less the same under concentrated rainfall. For more evenly distributed rainfall, raindrop erosion was the primary form on slope lands with hedgerows-tea plants and citrus. The proportions of sheet and rill erosion significantly increased on slope lands without hedgerows.

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an important commodity with substantial global growth in semi-arid regions under irrigation, such as Central Chile. This region of Chile has faced severe drought that has resulted in the abandonment of avocado orchards, previously established in a global biodiversity hotspot. This study investigates the early effects of abandonment of avocado farms on vegetation recovery and soil after severe droughts. We measured and characterized early plant successional processes by identifying the flora, vegetation coverage, similarity, and soil characterization through 42 transects distributed in four recently abandoned sites, a productive farm, and a natural site. Multivariate analysis was used to identify significant relationships between soil and habitat properties and vegetation abundance and coverage variations for the dominant species. The Jaccard similarity coefficient was used to compare sites. The establishment of native or endemic species was extremely limited and variable between sites. In total, we recorded 55 vascular plants (49.1% were native). The results indicated that Schinus molle L. has become a dominant colonizer, particularly in highly disturbed planting rows in abandoned farms. Factors such as the sources of S. molle propagules, soil salinity, and organic matter accumulation were identified as key predictors of its coverage and presence in abandoned farms. The study concludes that the abandonment of avocado farms, coupled with severe drought, has created favorable conditions for the recruitment of this species, adversely impacting other native species. This research underscores the importance of considering the remaining features of soil and habitat in new successional processes in highly disturbed areas.

Encouraging and guiding herders to participate in grassland transfer promotes the high-quality development of grassland animal husbandry. We conducted a survey among 356 herders from Qinghai and Gansu provinces in China, to explore the impact of herders' risk preference and perceptions on their grassland transfer strategies. We used experimental economics methods to measure the risk preferences of herders. Our results indicate that the majority of herders exhibit risk-averse attitudes. A theoretical model was used to establish hypotheses on the relationship between risk preference and grassland transfer decision-making. The double-hurdle model and moderating effect model were used to test these hypotheses. Our analysis shows that herders' risk preferences have a significant negative effect on their decisions to engage in grassland transfer. Both risk preferences and risk perception have a significant impact on grassland transfer-in decisions, but no significant impact on grassland transfer-out. A heterogeneity analysis revealed that the impact of risk preferences on grassland transfer participation is more pronounced among herders in Qinghai compared to those in Gansu. Moreover, we found that risk perception plays a moderating role on the influence of risk preferences on decisions regarding grassland transfer. These findings are crucial to formulate strategies for the sustainable management of the grassland transfer market.

Over the last few decades, the instrumental climate record shows a progressive global warming. As one of the most sensitive elements of the Earth's climate system, the cryosphere is significantly affected by this trend. As a result, its various components are readjusting in a situation of disequilibrium with the climate through a series of dynamics. These include the thinning and retreat of glaciers that may lead to the formation of new lakes; the thawing of ground ice, leading to the deformation of terrain; the reduction of snow cover; and the occurrence of mass movements that threaten populations and infrastructures. This Special Issue contains 23 scientific papers with case studies that explore the above issues in the Arctic, Antarctic and high mountain regions.

The preservation of edaphic quality and productivity is critical for the ecological sustainability of vine orchards. The heavy utilization of intensified tillage and singular chemical fertilizers can shift changes in edaphic physicochemical and biological features, thus exerting significant pressure on agroecosystems. In current research, we assessed the shifts in soil physicochemical features and soil microbiome composition over 11 years carrying out no tillage and organic fertilizer substitution in a typical Chinese Guanzhong kiwifruit production area, and explore the fundamental factors that contribute to alterations in the microbial community and the influence on kiwifruit performance. Results showed that long-term no tillage and organic fertilizer improved the soil condition by significantly increasing the proportion of soil macroaggregates, bulk density, and nutrient content (e.g., organic matter, nitrogen, and ammonia), as compared to conventional tillage with chemical fertilization. Moreover, no tillage significantly increased soil bacterial α-diversity but had no significant effects on fungal. No tillage also enhanced the abundance of potential beneficial soil bacteria (e.g., Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Nitrospira), while decreasing the abundance of Proteobacteria, Pseudomonas, and Fusarium. In addition, no tillage and mixed fertilized soil microbial network exhibited higher complexity (i.e., node and edge numbers, and positive edge proportion) and connectivity (i.e., average number of neighbors) than conventional tillage and chemical fertilization group. Changes in nitrate, ammonia, available phosphorus, and pH values accounted for the variation in the structure of soil microbial community. Hence, the utilization of both no tillage and organic fertilization practices could serve as a suitable and sustainable approach for managing kiwifruit production in the fragile environmental conditions of the Chinese Guanzhong region, and lead to an improvement in soil nutrient levels and help regulate the soil microbial community.

N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q) are the derivatives of tire wear particles (TWPs) that can enter the agricultural environment. Their negative consequences on the agricultural environment remain unknown, particularly their toxic effects on edible plants. In this experiment, the toxicity of different concentrations of 6PPD and 6PPD-Q on pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) was explored by hydroponics. The results revealed that seed germination was inhibited by 6PPD and 6PPD-Q to various degrees. However, we observed an increase in the fresh weight of pakchoi seedling. Environmental concentration (1 μg L⁻¹) of 6PPD and 6PPD-Q significantly increased ROS levels and caused changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. The MDA content of pakchoi was significantly elevated under 6PPD-Q treatment, indicating severe oxidative damage. These results demonstrated the phytotoxicity induced by 6PPD and 6PPD-Q, which is of great significance for assessing their potential ecological risks in the environment.

Microplastics (MPs), as a class of organic pollutants, pose numerous threats to soil. Their accumulation in agricultural soils has garnered significant attention due to the unknown impacts and risks they bring to agricultural production processes. This paper analyzes the source and distribution of MPs in farmland, systematically summarizes the accumulation, adsorption, migration, decomposition, and other pollution behaviors of MPs in farmland soil environment, in detail discusses the effects of microplastic (MP) pollution on soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial communities, outlines the main hazards they pose to agricultural crops, animals, and farmland soil enzyme activities, as well as the potential health risks of MPs to humans. The results indicate that MPs have been widely distributed in the agricultural soil environment through physics, chemistry, and carriers' activities, facilitating the transfer of substances between the environment and endangering the health of the ecological environment. MPs can also transfer along the food chain from low to high nutritional levels, posing a potential threat to human food safety. Finally, the future research direction and content of farmland MPs are put forward, providing relevant information and research ideas for understanding the MP pollution in farmland soil and future research directions.