G. G. Sailaja, T. Subramani, C. N. Sridhar, Maja Radziemska
Limestone mining is a major contributor to cement production in South India's Ariyalur region. However, its impact on regional hydrogeological systems, particularly, the Kallar River and adjacent groundwater reserves, requires further investigation. This study employs an integrated approach combining groundwater table elevation data, hydrodynamics, hydrogeochemical analysis, and geospatial systems to evaluate the effects of mining activities. The Kallar River's flow direction is found to be opposite to the dip of the limestone beds. The presence of marl (CaCO3 + clay) occasionally induces seepages and slope failures in the mines, though not at a significant rate. The shows a semiconfined to confined aquifer system with limestone formations of low permeability and limited water yield. The groundwater samples (May 2024, 33 samples) assessed for water quality showed pH is within the limits and a significant proportion of samples exceeded permissible limits for TDS (27.27%), Na+ (39.39%), K+ (18.18%), Ca2+ (3.03%), Mg2+ (6.06%), HCO3− (12.12%), Cl− (15.15%), SO42− (12.12%), and NO3− (24.24%). Hydrogeochemical analysis using Piper and Gibbs plots indicates a dominance of Ca–Mg–Cl–SO4 type water, governed by rock–water interactions and anthropogenic influences. The Nitrate Pollution Index and classified 49% of samples as Clean, and WAWQI classified over 52% of samples as safe for human consumption. Overall, minimal environmental deterioration was noted, with limited hydrological connectivity between the Kallar River and adjacent mine sites. The study recommends ecological restoration measures and the construction of protective embankments to ensure the sustainability of groundwater resources over a longer period in this sensitive limestone terrain.
{"title":"Hydrogeological and Hydrogeochemical Impacts of Limestone Mining on Groundwater in the Kallar River Basin, South India","authors":"G. G. Sailaja, T. Subramani, C. N. Sridhar, Maja Radziemska","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70343","url":null,"abstract":"Limestone mining is a major contributor to cement production in South India's Ariyalur region. However, its impact on regional hydrogeological systems, particularly, the Kallar River and adjacent groundwater reserves, requires further investigation. This study employs an integrated approach combining groundwater table elevation data, hydrodynamics, hydrogeochemical analysis, and geospatial systems to evaluate the effects of mining activities. The Kallar River's flow direction is found to be opposite to the dip of the limestone beds. The presence of marl (CaCO<sub>3</sub> + clay) occasionally induces seepages and slope failures in the mines, though not at a significant rate. The shows a semiconfined to confined aquifer system with limestone formations of low permeability and limited water yield. The groundwater samples (May 2024, 33 samples) assessed for water quality showed pH is within the limits and a significant proportion of samples exceeded permissible limits for TDS (27.27%), Na<sup>+</sup> (39.39%), K<sup>+</sup> (18.18%), Ca<sup>2+</sup> (3.03%), Mg<sup>2+</sup> (6.06%), HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> (12.12%), Cl<sup>−</sup> (15.15%), SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> (12.12%), and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> (24.24%). Hydrogeochemical analysis using Piper and Gibbs plots indicates a dominance of Ca–Mg–Cl–SO<sub>4</sub> type water, governed by rock–water interactions and anthropogenic influences. The Nitrate Pollution Index and classified 49% of samples as Clean, and WAWQI classified over 52% of samples as safe for human consumption. Overall, minimal environmental deterioration was noted, with limited hydrological connectivity between the Kallar River and adjacent mine sites. The study recommends ecological restoration measures and the construction of protective embankments to ensure the sustainability of groundwater resources over a longer period in this sensitive limestone terrain.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"219 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664552","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}
Vegetation succession in aquatic and littoral habitats has received much less attention than terrestrial habitats have. We sampled differently aged successional stages at five different types of post‐mining sites, that is, sandpits, stone quarries, clay quarries, brown coal spoil heaps and black coal subsidences, across the Czech Republic, Central Europe. They ranged in age since creation from 1 to 89 years. The chronosequence approach was adopted. The succession was described based on plant species identity and selected life‐history traits of these species. Alongside vegetation data, the effects of environmental variables, namely age, water depth, pH, conductivity, elevation, area and substratum type (mainly the proportion of organic material) on vegetation development were analysed. Altogether, 254 vascular plant species and 7 charophytes were identified. The types of mining sites differed in species composition and number of species per plot with the littorals of sandpits being the most species‐rich habitat. The water table was one of the main driving factors alongside age and accumulation of organic material. The successional stages (young, middle, late) significantly differed in their vegetation composition in littoral habitats in sandpits and in aquatic habitats of sandpits and brown coal spoil heaps only. The succession of littoral vegetation prevailingly runs towards more compact vegetation dominated by tall perennial graminoids, while aquatic vegetation was mostly characterised by random occurrence of species and partly affected by accumulation of nutrients in later stages. Spontaneous succession in aquatic and littoral habitats leads to valuable semi‐natural vegetation and can thus be considered to be a reliable restoration method of such post‐mining sites in Central Europe.
{"title":"Aquatic and Littoral Successions in Various Post‐Mining Sites—Patterns and Possible Use in Ecological Restoration","authors":"Anna Müllerová, Klára Řehounková, Karel Prach","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70345","url":null,"abstract":"Vegetation succession in aquatic and littoral habitats has received much less attention than terrestrial habitats have. We sampled differently aged successional stages at five different types of post‐mining sites, that is, sandpits, stone quarries, clay quarries, brown coal spoil heaps and black coal subsidences, across the Czech Republic, Central Europe. They ranged in age since creation from 1 to 89 years. The chronosequence approach was adopted. The succession was described based on plant species identity and selected life‐history traits of these species. Alongside vegetation data, the effects of environmental variables, namely age, water depth, pH, conductivity, elevation, area and substratum type (mainly the proportion of organic material) on vegetation development were analysed. Altogether, 254 vascular plant species and 7 charophytes were identified. The types of mining sites differed in species composition and number of species per plot with the littorals of sandpits being the most species‐rich habitat. The water table was one of the main driving factors alongside age and accumulation of organic material. The successional stages (young, middle, late) significantly differed in their vegetation composition in littoral habitats in sandpits and in aquatic habitats of sandpits and brown coal spoil heaps only. The succession of littoral vegetation prevailingly runs towards more compact vegetation dominated by tall perennial graminoids, while aquatic vegetation was mostly characterised by random occurrence of species and partly affected by accumulation of nutrients in later stages. Spontaneous succession in aquatic and littoral habitats leads to valuable semi‐natural vegetation and can thus be considered to be a reliable restoration method of such post‐mining sites in Central Europe.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657204","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}
Globally, the sociological, ethnological, economic, demographic, and psychological aspects of migration have been studied extensively. However, a critical gap remains in the systematic quantitative assessment of its ecological effectiveness, particularly concerning planned ecological resettlement projects (ERP). This study examined the interrelationships among ERP implementation, climate change (CC), land use and land cover (LULC) change, net primary productivity (NPP), and soil erosion (SE) dynamics. We propose a new spatiotemporal analytical framework integrating geostatistical methods to explore how ERP influences land‐use patterns, soil conservation, and land productivity. Focusing on 19 counties and districts in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the study utilizes MODIS‐derived NPP data, LANDSAT‐based LULC classification, SE, ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) meteorological data (2001–2022), and demographic statistics from the Ningxia Statistical Yearbook (1985–2022) to evaluate the spatiotemporal changes and drivers of ecological quality in out‐ and in‐migration areas before and after ERP implementation. Key findings include: (1) All 19 counties participated in the ERP, resettling approximately 974,800 migrants between 1999 and 2020. (2) The project substantially reconfigured land‐use patterns. In out‐migration areas, the urban impervious area increased by 152.5%, while cropland decreased by 31.7%. Conversely, in in‐migration areas, the urban impervious area increased by 262.0%, while cropland increased by 30.1%. (3) Although regional NPP demonstrated an overall increasing trend, the per‐unit‐area growth rate (∂NPP) of dominant land covers—cropland and grassland—was markedly higher in out‐migration areas (83.7%, 80.8%) than in‐migration areas (18.1%, 38.2%). These results provide robust support for the targets or indicators of the SDGs and offer valuable insights for policymakers devising social‐ecological migration and land rehabilitation strategies.
{"title":"Eco‐Effectiveness of the Ecological Resettlement Project for Millions of People in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China: Based on the Assessment of Long‐Term NPP , SE, and LULC","authors":"Haoran Xu, Jingjing Wang, Jiajia Guo, Wenqing Xing, Tingting Li, Chao Ma","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70312","url":null,"abstract":"Globally, the sociological, ethnological, economic, demographic, and psychological aspects of migration have been studied extensively. However, a critical gap remains in the systematic quantitative assessment of its ecological effectiveness, particularly concerning planned ecological resettlement projects (ERP). This study examined the interrelationships among ERP implementation, climate change (CC), land use and land cover (LULC) change, net primary productivity (NPP), and soil erosion (SE) dynamics. We propose a new spatiotemporal analytical framework integrating geostatistical methods to explore how ERP influences land‐use patterns, soil conservation, and land productivity. Focusing on 19 counties and districts in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the study utilizes MODIS‐derived NPP data, LANDSAT‐based LULC classification, SE, ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) meteorological data (2001–2022), and demographic statistics from the Ningxia Statistical Yearbook (1985–2022) to evaluate the spatiotemporal changes and drivers of ecological quality in out‐ and in‐migration areas before and after ERP implementation. Key findings include: (1) All 19 counties participated in the ERP, resettling approximately 974,800 migrants between 1999 and 2020. (2) The project substantially reconfigured land‐use patterns. In out‐migration areas, the urban impervious area increased by 152.5%, while cropland decreased by 31.7%. Conversely, in in‐migration areas, the urban impervious area increased by 262.0%, while cropland increased by 30.1%. (3) Although regional NPP demonstrated an overall increasing trend, the per‐unit‐area growth rate (∂NPP) of dominant land covers—cropland and grassland—was markedly higher in out‐migration areas (83.7%, 80.8%) than in‐migration areas (18.1%, 38.2%). These results provide robust support for the targets or indicators of the SDGs and offer valuable insights for policymakers devising social‐ecological migration and land rehabilitation strategies.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657210","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}
Wang Yihong, Li Jing, Wang Suqin, Chen Xinyang, Wang Rong, Tan Zhaoxian, Qu Jiapeng
The plateau pika ( Ochotona curzoniae ) is recognized as an ecosystem engineer on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Despite the critical roles that soil microbiomes play in ecosystem functioning, little is known about how the disturbance behaviors of plateau pikas alter soil microbial community. Here, we investigated the impact of plateau pika disturbance across a gradient of intensities—high (1587 ± 89 burrows·ha −1 ), medium (667 ± 42 burrows·ha −1 ), and low (41 ± 5 burrows·ha −1 )‐on soil microbial composition, community assembly processes, functional profiles, and co‐occurrence network patterns using 16S rRNA sequencing. The results revealed that pika disturbance significantly altered soil microbial composition. Specifically, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria , Rokubacteria and Entorrhizomycota showed a significant increase with disturbance intensity. Furthermore, the disturbance altered both bacterial and fungal β diversity, resulting in a clear separation between microbial communities under low and high disturbance intensities. Soil pH, carbon and nitrogen contents were significantly correlated with both bacterial and fungal community compositions. Stochastic processes, particularly dispersal limitation, predominate in microbial community assembly and become more pronounced with greater disturbance. Furthermore, higher disturbance intensity resulted in a marked reduction in secondary metabolic functions and increased the complexity of microbial co‐occurrence networks. These findings demonstrate that plateau pika activity drives the restructuring of soil microbiomes across the disturbance gradient. This study provides an ecological perspective for integrating microbial metrics into alpine grassland management and for evaluating the ecological trade‐offs in managing pika populations on the QTP.
{"title":"Disturbance Gradients of Plateau Pika ( Ochotona curzoniae ) Reshape Soil Microbiome Communities in Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Ecosystems","authors":"Wang Yihong, Li Jing, Wang Suqin, Chen Xinyang, Wang Rong, Tan Zhaoxian, Qu Jiapeng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70355","url":null,"abstract":"The plateau pika ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Ochotona curzoniae</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> ) is recognized as an ecosystem engineer on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Despite the critical roles that soil microbiomes play in ecosystem functioning, little is known about how the disturbance behaviors of plateau pikas alter soil microbial community. Here, we investigated the impact of plateau pika disturbance across a gradient of intensities—high (1587 ± 89 burrows·ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), medium (667 ± 42 burrows·ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), and low (41 ± 5 burrows·ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> )‐on soil microbial composition, community assembly processes, functional profiles, and co‐occurrence network patterns using 16S rRNA sequencing. The results revealed that pika disturbance significantly altered soil microbial composition. Specifically, the relative abundance of <jats:italic>Proteobacteria</jats:italic> , <jats:italic>Rokubacteria</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Entorrhizomycota</jats:italic> showed a significant increase with disturbance intensity. Furthermore, the disturbance altered both bacterial and fungal β diversity, resulting in a clear separation between microbial communities under low and high disturbance intensities. Soil pH, carbon and nitrogen contents were significantly correlated with both bacterial and fungal community compositions. Stochastic processes, particularly dispersal limitation, predominate in microbial community assembly and become more pronounced with greater disturbance. Furthermore, higher disturbance intensity resulted in a marked reduction in secondary metabolic functions and increased the complexity of microbial co‐occurrence networks. These findings demonstrate that plateau pika activity drives the restructuring of soil microbiomes across the disturbance gradient. This study provides an ecological perspective for integrating microbial metrics into alpine grassland management and for evaluating the ecological trade‐offs in managing pika populations on the QTP.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657205","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}
Igor Bogunovic, Paulo Pereira, Marija Galic, Aleksandra Percin, Ivica Kisic, Vilim Filipovic, Lana Filipovic, Xiaoyan Tang, Sun Geng, Sebastiano Trevisani
Soil degradation on abandoned or poorly managed terraces in the Mediterranean region poses a significant threat to the resilience of agroecosystems, particularly in hillside olive groves where erosion and nutrient depletion accelerate land abandonment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short‐term effects of five different soil management practices (grass cover, organic mulch, herbicide application, pile burning and tillage) on soil physical and chemical properties, hydrological responses and nutrient and pollutant losses. A field trial with replicated microplots (five per treatment, 25 in total) on a Rendzic Leptosol was conducted on degraded terraces in southern Croatia. Natural rainfall events were monitored in 2024 (spring to autumn) to quantify runoff and sediment yield. Results showed that mulch and grass treatments significantly improved bulk density, water‐holding capacity and aggregate size while reducing runoff, sediment loss and nutrient export. In contrast, herbicide and fire treatments resulted in pronounced compaction, increased runoff and up to nine times higher losses of C, N, P, K and Cu compared to covered plots. Sediment was consistently enriched in nutrients and contaminants compared to soil, with element concentrations up to three times higher, especially under herbicide, fire and tillage. The study provides new insights into erosion‐induced chemical enrichment and degradation processes on Mediterranean terraces and emphasises the effectiveness of protective measures based on soil cover. The results highlight the disproportionate importance of exposed soils for the transport of fine, chemically enriched sediments and confirm that soil cover, particularly mulch or vegetation, provides substantial protection against both on‐site degradation and nutrient export from the site.
{"title":"Tillage, Mulch, Fire and Cover: Soil Management Impacts on Degraded Terraces in Mediterranean Olive Groves","authors":"Igor Bogunovic, Paulo Pereira, Marija Galic, Aleksandra Percin, Ivica Kisic, Vilim Filipovic, Lana Filipovic, Xiaoyan Tang, Sun Geng, Sebastiano Trevisani","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70352","url":null,"abstract":"Soil degradation on abandoned or poorly managed terraces in the Mediterranean region poses a significant threat to the resilience of agroecosystems, particularly in hillside olive groves where erosion and nutrient depletion accelerate land abandonment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short‐term effects of five different soil management practices (grass cover, organic mulch, herbicide application, pile burning and tillage) on soil physical and chemical properties, hydrological responses and nutrient and pollutant losses. A field trial with replicated microplots (five per treatment, 25 in total) on a Rendzic Leptosol was conducted on degraded terraces in southern Croatia. Natural rainfall events were monitored in 2024 (spring to autumn) to quantify runoff and sediment yield. Results showed that mulch and grass treatments significantly improved bulk density, water‐holding capacity and aggregate size while reducing runoff, sediment loss and nutrient export. In contrast, herbicide and fire treatments resulted in pronounced compaction, increased runoff and up to nine times higher losses of C, N, P, K and Cu compared to covered plots. Sediment was consistently enriched in nutrients and contaminants compared to soil, with element concentrations up to three times higher, especially under herbicide, fire and tillage. The study provides new insights into erosion‐induced chemical enrichment and degradation processes on Mediterranean terraces and emphasises the effectiveness of protective measures based on soil cover. The results highlight the disproportionate importance of exposed soils for the transport of fine, chemically enriched sediments and confirm that soil cover, particularly mulch or vegetation, provides substantial protection against both on‐site degradation and nutrient export from the site.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657271","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}
Forest ecosystems play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. As a significant terrestrial carbon sink, plantations exhibit carbon stock patterns that are shaped by tree species composition, stand structure, and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated typical plantation types in the Mufu Mountain, Hubei Province. Total carbon stock and its distribution across different stand types were quantified by establishing permanent monitoring plots and conducting tree surveys, applying general biomass models to estimate biomass, and employing elemental analysis to measure soil carbon content. Our results indicated that total carbon stock ranged from 37,452.54 to 184,909.38 kg/ha among six forest subplots in the Mufu Mountain. Broadleaf and coniferous stands accumulated substantially more carbon than Phyllostachys edulis (Carrière) J. Houz. forests. Higher soil temperature, illuminance, and increased shrub cover promoted carbon accumulation in trees and shrubs. In contrast, multiple environmental factors regulated carbon stock in herbaceous plants, litter, and soil organic matter, demonstrating clear carbon pool‐specific effects. Our findings clarify key environmental drivers of carbon dynamics in subtropical plantations, and based on these results, we propose concrete management strategies including the selection of high‐carbon stock tree species, maintenance of understory shrub layers, and implementation of strategic canopy thinning to enhance forest carbon sequestration.
{"title":"Carbon Stock and Environmental Variations of Typical Plantations in Mufu Mountain in Hubei Province, China","authors":"Mingyang Ding, Yi Yang, Jiaoyang Xu, Shaoqiang Wang, Lunche Wang, Chunbo Huang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70337","url":null,"abstract":"Forest ecosystems play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. As a significant terrestrial carbon sink, plantations exhibit carbon stock patterns that are shaped by tree species composition, stand structure, and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated typical plantation types in the Mufu Mountain, Hubei Province. Total carbon stock and its distribution across different stand types were quantified by establishing permanent monitoring plots and conducting tree surveys, applying general biomass models to estimate biomass, and employing elemental analysis to measure soil carbon content. Our results indicated that total carbon stock ranged from 37,452.54 to 184,909.38 kg/ha among six forest subplots in the Mufu Mountain. Broadleaf and coniferous stands accumulated substantially more carbon than <jats:italic>Phyllostachys edulis</jats:italic> (Carrière) J. Houz. forests. Higher soil temperature, illuminance, and increased shrub cover promoted carbon accumulation in trees and shrubs. In contrast, multiple environmental factors regulated carbon stock in herbaceous plants, litter, and soil organic matter, demonstrating clear carbon pool‐specific effects. Our findings clarify key environmental drivers of carbon dynamics in subtropical plantations, and based on these results, we propose concrete management strategies including the selection of high‐carbon stock tree species, maintenance of understory shrub layers, and implementation of strategic canopy thinning to enhance forest carbon sequestration.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657263","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}
Although extensive studies have explored the influence of stand age on soil microbial diversity and functionality; however, knowledge of ancient trees' impacts on soil microbial communities and multifunctionality is limited. Here, we analyzed the bacterial communities, keystone species, and potential functions associated with young (< 10 years), middle‐aged (about 50 years), and old (1000 years) trees of walnut ( Juglans regia L.) to track microbial‐mediated soil multifunctionality (SMF) on the Xizang Plateau. The SMF increased with the increase in stand age; however, old trees significantly reduced the SMF compared to middle‐aged trees. Old trees substantially decreased microbial diversity and reshaped the microbial community composition, decreasing the relative abundance of dominant bacterial taxa like Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Gemmatimonadota. Metagenomic screening indicated that stand age brought about a concurrent reduction in the abundance of carbon (C)‐related genes, such as genes encoding glucoamylase, which breaks down starch, xylanase for hemicelluloses degradation, and endoglucanase for chitin degradation, as well as nitrogen (N)‐related genes, including amoA . Changes in the microbiota characteristics (diversity, composition, and network complexity) are strongly correlated with age‐induced changes in SMF. Our findings demonstrated that ancient trees in periurban areas have a notably negative effect on soil microbial communities and functionality. Thus, comprehending the intricacy of interactions between ancient trees and soil is crucial for formulating sustainable management and ancient tree conservation policies.
{"title":"Ancient Walnut Trees in Periurban Areas Reduce Soil Microbial Network Complexity, Function, and Multifunctionality","authors":"Ai‐Tian Ren, Meng‐Li Wang, He‐Miao Gao, Xiao‐Kan Wang, Ying Zhu, Jia‐Ying Tian, Si‐Kun Liu, Long‐Yi Yuan, You‐Cai Xiong","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70346","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70346","url":null,"abstract":"Although extensive studies have explored the influence of stand age on soil microbial diversity and functionality; however, knowledge of ancient trees' impacts on soil microbial communities and multifunctionality is limited. Here, we analyzed the bacterial communities, keystone species, and potential functions associated with young (< 10 years), middle‐aged (about 50 years), and old (1000 years) trees of walnut ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Juglans regia</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> L.) to track microbial‐mediated soil multifunctionality (SMF) on the Xizang Plateau. The SMF increased with the increase in stand age; however, old trees significantly reduced the SMF compared to middle‐aged trees. Old trees substantially decreased microbial diversity and reshaped the microbial community composition, decreasing the relative abundance of dominant bacterial taxa like Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Gemmatimonadota. Metagenomic screening indicated that stand age brought about a concurrent reduction in the abundance of carbon (C)‐related genes, such as genes encoding glucoamylase, which breaks down starch, xylanase for hemicelluloses degradation, and endoglucanase for chitin degradation, as well as nitrogen (N)‐related genes, including <jats:italic>amoA</jats:italic> . Changes in the microbiota characteristics (diversity, composition, and network complexity) are strongly correlated with age‐induced changes in SMF. Our findings demonstrated that ancient trees in periurban areas have a notably negative effect on soil microbial communities and functionality. Thus, comprehending the intricacy of interactions between ancient trees and soil is crucial for formulating sustainable management and ancient tree conservation policies.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657267","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}
Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is crucial for optimizing the energy structure. The vast area of grassland has become the preferred site for building PV stations. The microenvironment changes caused by the construction of PV power stations have a significant impact on soil nutrient redistribution. However, the soil nutrient status, patterns of stoichiometric distribution, and key driving factors of PV plants are unclear, particularly in alpine meadow regions. To address this issue, multiple plant and soil nutrient variables closely related to soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry were analyzed in heterogeneous PV areas (periphery, between panels, and under panels) in the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Compared with the plots around the PV panels, the plant diversity index between panels increased but the aboveground biomass decreased by 18.52%. The installation of PV panels increased soil moisture content and reduced soil bulk density. Soil C∶N did not change much, whereas C∶P and N∶P increased by 11.52% and 10.39%, respectively. MBC∶MBN and MBC∶MBP increased with the increase in shading intensity. Soil enzyme activity was greater in the inter‐panel than in under‐panel areas, and both increased in comparison to the surrounding plots. Structural equation model analysis showed that plant diversity and soil enzyme activity were the common strong driving factors affecting the soil C∶N∶P stoichiometry. The study suggested that vegetation changes in the PV panels of alpine meadow directly affected the soil C, N, and P cycles and stoichiometry, and exerted a short positive effect on soil nutrient recovery.
{"title":"Photovoltaic Power Station Construction Alters Soil C, N, and P Stoichiometric Characteristics in Alpine Meadows","authors":"Mengyao Liu, Wenbi Wang, Yahong Cao, Miao Tian, Kejie Ou, Junhu Su","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70325","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70325","url":null,"abstract":"Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is crucial for optimizing the energy structure. The vast area of grassland has become the preferred site for building PV stations. The microenvironment changes caused by the construction of PV power stations have a significant impact on soil nutrient redistribution. However, the soil nutrient status, patterns of stoichiometric distribution, and key driving factors of PV plants are unclear, particularly in alpine meadow regions. To address this issue, multiple plant and soil nutrient variables closely related to soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry were analyzed in heterogeneous PV areas (periphery, between panels, and under panels) in the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Compared with the plots around the PV panels, the plant diversity index between panels increased but the aboveground biomass decreased by 18.52%. The installation of PV panels increased soil moisture content and reduced soil bulk density. Soil C∶N did not change much, whereas C∶P and N∶P increased by 11.52% and 10.39%, respectively. MBC∶MBN and MBC∶MBP increased with the increase in shading intensity. Soil enzyme activity was greater in the inter‐panel than in under‐panel areas, and both increased in comparison to the surrounding plots. Structural equation model analysis showed that plant diversity and soil enzyme activity were the common strong driving factors affecting the soil C∶N∶P stoichiometry. The study suggested that vegetation changes in the PV panels of alpine meadow directly affected the soil C, N, and P cycles and stoichiometry, and exerted a short positive effect on soil nutrient recovery.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"116 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657273","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}
Conducting mountain ecosystem zoning through ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) plays a crucial role in achieving coordinated management of multiple ecosystem services (ESs). However, research on the interrelationships and underlying mechanisms among ESs across different partitioned zones remains inadequate. In this study, we quantified the spatial and temporal changes of six ESs in the Taihang Mountains, including water yield, soil conservation, carbon storage, food production, net primary productivity (NPP) and biodiversity maintenance, and revealed their trade‐offs/synergies based on the ESBs delineated by the Self‐Organizing Map (SOM) method. We subsequently deployed the Mantel Test to pinpoint the key drivers of ESs for multi ESBs. The results showed that: (1) four of the six ESs demonstrated significant growth, with NPP and biodiversity maintenance increasing substantially across > 90% of the study area. Conversely, soil conservation fluctuated considerably overall, decreasing by 8.89% between 2000 and 2020. (2) Based on the characteristics features of six ESs, the Taihang Mountains were divided into NPP‐biodiversity mutual enhancement (B1), major grain producing (B2), ecological core (B3), ecological fragile (B4), and water resources supply bundles (B5). The trade‐off and synergies of ESs were not immutable, and varied with ESBs. A strong trade‐off between water yield and food production was observed in B2 and B5, while a synergistic relationship was found in B4. The highest synergy effect appeared in the B1 pair. (3) This study proposed a differentiated zoning governance framework: whereas B3 requires strict ecological protection, bundles B1 and B4 should prioritize grassland restoration and conservation, while B5 necessitated curbing uncontrolled urban expansion to safeguard water yield service. Furthermore, grain production in B2 continued to increase in the context of regional warming. This study establishes the ecosystem management framework for typical arid/semiarid mountains, providing a scientific basis for territorial spatial planning and ES optimization.
{"title":"Spatial–Temporal Heterogeneity of Ecosystem Service Interactions and Drivers Across Different Ecological Clusters in the Taihang Mountains","authors":"Feng Wang, Baijun Shang, Xiaogang Zheng, Hui Gao, Jintong Liu, Tonggang Fu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70350","url":null,"abstract":"Conducting mountain ecosystem zoning through ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) plays a crucial role in achieving coordinated management of multiple ecosystem services (ESs). However, research on the interrelationships and underlying mechanisms among ESs across different partitioned zones remains inadequate. In this study, we quantified the spatial and temporal changes of six ESs in the Taihang Mountains, including water yield, soil conservation, carbon storage, food production, net primary productivity (NPP) and biodiversity maintenance, and revealed their trade‐offs/synergies based on the ESBs delineated by the Self‐Organizing Map (SOM) method. We subsequently deployed the Mantel Test to pinpoint the key drivers of ESs for multi ESBs. The results showed that: (1) four of the six ESs demonstrated significant growth, with NPP and biodiversity maintenance increasing substantially across > 90% of the study area. Conversely, soil conservation fluctuated considerably overall, decreasing by 8.89% between 2000 and 2020. (2) Based on the characteristics features of six ESs, the Taihang Mountains were divided into NPP‐biodiversity mutual enhancement (B1), major grain producing (B2), ecological core (B3), ecological fragile (B4), and water resources supply bundles (B5). The trade‐off and synergies of ESs were not immutable, and varied with ESBs. A strong trade‐off between water yield and food production was observed in B2 and B5, while a synergistic relationship was found in B4. The highest synergy effect appeared in the B1 pair. (3) This study proposed a differentiated zoning governance framework: whereas B3 requires strict ecological protection, bundles B1 and B4 should prioritize grassland restoration and conservation, while B5 necessitated curbing uncontrolled urban expansion to safeguard water yield service. Furthermore, grain production in B2 continued to increase in the context of regional warming. This study establishes the ecosystem management framework for typical arid/semiarid mountains, providing a scientific basis for territorial spatial planning and ES optimization.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657264","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 long‐term impacts of intensive agricultural reclamation on the turnover and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC) in desert ecosystems remain poorly understood, particularly throughout deep soil profiles. Using a paired‐site approach in northwest China, we investigated how the conversion of sandy land to cropland following 15 years of reclamation shaped the vertical distribution (0–200 cm) and composition of SOC fractions, focusing on particulate (POC) and mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC). Our results show that over 60% of total SOC stock is stored below 60 cm depth, with deep‐soil carbon increasing significantly from 18.4 t ha −1 in natural land to 27.2 t ha −1 following reclamation, underscoring the critical role of subsoil carbon sequestration in arid regions under land‐use change. Reclamation fundamentally shifted SOC composition from POC dominance to MAOC dominance, with subsoil MAOC increasing by up to 133.9%, indicating enhanced stability. A strong correlation between microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and MAOC in the topsoil suggests a predominantly microbial‐mediated pathway for MAOC formation in surface layers. MAOC correlated negatively with aliphatic‐C and positively with polysaccharide‐C, collectively pointing to microbial transformation and subsequent mineral stabilization as key processes in MAOC formation. Key factors including total nitrogen, available nitrogen, clay content, and soil moisture were identified as primary predictors of MAOC accumulation, with depth‐dependent influences. These findings demonstrate that long‐term reclamation markedly promotes MAOC accumulation and carbon sequestration capacity in deep soil, while clarifying associated biological and physicochemical stabilization mechanisms. These insights into SOC persistence under land‐use change are crucial for developing sustainable soil management and climate‐adaptive agriculture in drylands.
{"title":"Long‐Term Reclamation of Sandy Land Enhances Deep Soil Carbon Storage and Stability via Mineral‐Associated Organic Carbon Accumulation","authors":"Qingqi Wang, Jing Tian, Xu Feng, Wai Yu, Xiaoting Han, Gehong Wei, Honglei Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70347","url":null,"abstract":"The long‐term impacts of intensive agricultural reclamation on the turnover and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC) in desert ecosystems remain poorly understood, particularly throughout deep soil profiles. Using a paired‐site approach in northwest China, we investigated how the conversion of sandy land to cropland following 15 years of reclamation shaped the vertical distribution (0–200 cm) and composition of SOC fractions, focusing on particulate (POC) and mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC). Our results show that over 60% of total SOC stock is stored below 60 cm depth, with deep‐soil carbon increasing significantly from 18.4 t ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> in natural land to 27.2 t ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> following reclamation, underscoring the critical role of subsoil carbon sequestration in arid regions under land‐use change. Reclamation fundamentally shifted SOC composition from POC dominance to MAOC dominance, with subsoil MAOC increasing by up to 133.9%, indicating enhanced stability. A strong correlation between microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and MAOC in the topsoil suggests a predominantly microbial‐mediated pathway for MAOC formation in surface layers. MAOC correlated negatively with aliphatic‐C and positively with polysaccharide‐C, collectively pointing to microbial transformation and subsequent mineral stabilization as key processes in MAOC formation. Key factors including total nitrogen, available nitrogen, clay content, and soil moisture were identified as primary predictors of MAOC accumulation, with depth‐dependent influences. These findings demonstrate that long‐term reclamation markedly promotes MAOC accumulation and carbon sequestration capacity in deep soil, while clarifying associated biological and physicochemical stabilization mechanisms. These insights into SOC persistence under land‐use change are crucial for developing sustainable soil management and climate‐adaptive agriculture in drylands.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"244 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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