应用生态学报最新文献

Ecological loss-compensation balance (ELCB), with achieving "no net loss" of habitat quality as the core objective, has emerged as a key international policy tool for balancing land development and ecological conservation by scientifically accounting for habitat values and establishing standardized trading mechanisms. Employing case studies and logical deduction, we systematically elucidated the concept and international practices of ELCB. We further analyzed the synergistic potential between ELCB and comprehensive land consolidation (CLC) in terms of goal orientation, project demands, and technical pathways. Integrating the ELCB mechanism into CLC projects can significantly enhance the overall benefits and the efficacy of ecological conservation. We further proposed an innovative mechanism for achieving the ELCB within the CLC framework. First, it would be imperative to strengthen the natural resource property rights system and the top-level legal framework for ELCB. Second, scientific national spatial planning should be employed to implement functional zoning and differentiated management of regional ecological spaces. Finally, ELCB should be systematically achieved by leveraging diversified habitat compensation models, coupled with an indicator-based reward system linked to ecological performance. This work aimed to provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for enhancing ecological conservation and for innovating pathways to realize the value of ecosystem products within the practice of CLC.

Desertification is one of the most critical challenges worldwide. Ecological restoration is one of the effective ways to control desertification. Due to the complexity of the desertification process and ecological fragility, the prevention and controlling of desertification are difficult to achieve stable and sustainable effects by relying solely on vegetation restoration. In this study, desertification areas were considered as "Mountains-Rivers-Forests-Farmlands-Lakes-Grasslands-Deserts" composite system from the perspective of the principle of harmony of composite systems. We proposed a new framework to achieve the goal of coordinated sustainable development of ecology-production-living function of sandy land composite ecosystem with the Coordination Degree of Composite Systems (CDoCS) as the key indicator. The sandy land within the region of Three-North Afforestation Program (TNAP, covering 96.5% of the country's sandy areas) was selected as the study area, including sand land, deserts, as well as the areas undergoing desertification and potential desertification (2.34×10⁶ km², covering 52.1% of TNAP). Based on the concept of windscape, we delineated the applicability scope for the application of CDoCS framework that covered the sand land of TNAP, including three levels from large to small: first-level windscapes (28), second-level windscapes (169), and third-level windscapes (1686). The three levels of windscapes were suitable for the management at different scales, which were the minimum unit for the application of the CDoCS framework. We applied the framework in the third-level windscapes, with Wengniute Banner, a typical sandy area, as an example. The CDoCS of Wengniute Banner was improved from 0.578 to 0.656, transferring from a medium coordinated state to a state close to a high coordinated state. The methodology framework proposed here was a promising approach to achieve the comprehensive management of "Mountains-Rivers-Forests-Farmlands-Lakes-Grasslands-Deserts" composite system and integrated desertification control.

Deep incorporation of organic materials is an effective practice for soil improvement. We conducted a two-year experiment in typical albic soil with five treatments: conventional tillage (CT), deep tillage (DT), straw deep incorporation (DS), organic fertilizer deep incorporation (DM), and straw-organic fertilizer deep incorporation (DSM). We investigated the effects of deep incorporation of different organic materials on microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activities, and their stoichiometric ratios in albic soil. The results showed that deep incorporation of organic materials (DS, DM, and DSM) significantly increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) in both the 0-15 cm and 15-35 cm soil layers, with the DSM treatment showing the strongest effect. MBC, MBN, and MBP under DSM increased by 72.8%, 61.6%, and 147.7% in the 0-15 cm soil layer, and 78.7%, 136.7%, and 248.4% in the 15-35 cm soil layer, respectively. Extracellular enzyme activities decreased significantly with increasing soil depth. The addition of organic materials significantly enhanced enzyme activities in each soil layer with DSM again exhibiting the largest promotion. The activities of C-acquiring enzyme (β-1,4-glucosidase), N-acquiring enzymes (β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase and leucine aminopeptidase), and P-acquiring enzyme (acid phosphatase) under DSM increased by 11.6%, 65.3%, and 50.4% in the 0-15 cm layer, and 68.9%, 37.4%, and 31.1% in the 15-35 cm layer compared to CT, respectively. The enzyme-based vector model revealed that soil microbial communities across all layers of the albic soil were generally co-limited by carbon and phosphorus. Deep incorporation of organic materials significantly alleviated the nutrient limitation. Correlation analysis and random forest modeling further indicated that soil extracellular enzyme activities were regulated by MBC, MBP and MBN. Deep incorporation of organic materials could enhance microbial and enzymatic activities in albic soil and promote nutrient cycling, with the combined application of straw and organic fertilizer having the highest improvement.

To address the limitations of satellite remote sensing in monitoring vegetation phenology across heterogeneous urban and suburban landscapes, with Platanus acerifolia as research object, we proposed a novel pixel-based method for extracting target vegetation within region of interest (ROI) based on images from phenology camera observation sites in urban and suburban Nanjing during the year of 2020. By calculating the green chromatic coordinate (GCC) index, we employed Klosterman curve fitting alongside the Gu phenological parameter extraction method to derive four key phenological phases, i.e., greenup, maturity, senescence, and dormancy, and analyzed urban and suburban phenology feature of P. acerifolia. We analyzed the impact of meteorological factors on phenological phase of urban and suburban P. acerifolia at the daily scale. The results showed that the pixel-based target vegetation extraction method within ROI proposed here significantly reduced interference from buildings and understory vegetation. The identified phenological phase showed strong consistency with satellite remote sensing results, being more robust and reasonable than traditional pixel-averaged ROI method. There was a significant difference of phenological phases of P. acerifolia between urban and suburban sites. In 2020, the greenup of urban P. acerifolia occurred 5.5 days earlier than that of suburban areas, while senescence was delayed by 9.1 days. Temperature and shortwave radiation were the main factors affecting the phenological changes of P. acerifolia in the urban and suburban areas, while the impact of precipitation was not significant. The pixel-based target vegetation extraction technique developed in this study could enhance the accuracy of urban landscape phenological observation and provide methodological support for research on the impact of urbanization on vegetation phenology.

Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), as a green alternative to chemical phosphorus fertilizers, can enhance phosphorus use efficiency in crops through an environmentally friendly manner, thereby increasing crop yields. To address the limitations in the application and promotion of phosphate-solubilizing bacterial inoculants caused by the constraints in strain resources and viable counts, a potential phosphate-solubilizing bacterium, designated H9, was isolated from farmland in the suburban area of Luoyang. After six days of cultivation, the maximum soluble phosphorus content in the fermentation broth reached 71.17 mg·L^-1. Based on morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequencing, the strain H9 was identified as Sinorhizobium meliloti. We further conducted high-density fermentation optimization to determine the optimal culture conditions. The results showed that at the condition of lactose 48.32 g·L^-1, yeast extract 11.32 g·L^-1, NaCl 3.29 g·L^-1, an initial pH of 7.0, a working volume of 20 mL, inoculum size of 3%, and incubation at 34 ℃ with shaking at 180 r·min^-1, the viable density of H9 reached (1.491±0.05)×10¹⁰ CFU·mL^-1. Collectively, these findings suggested that S. meliloti H9 is a promising microbial resource for the development of high-quality phosphate-solubilizing biofertilizers and offers considerable potential for sustainable agricultural applications.

Albic soil is a typical low-yield soil in China, characterized by low soil organic matter content. Exploring the impacts of maize straw return on the water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) content of albic soils is of great significance for improving carbon sequestration and stabilizing soil fertility. In an experiment, we added maize straw (1% of soil mass) to two subtypes of albic soil (typical and meadow albic soils) at depths of 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm, with no straw addition as the control, to analyze changes in WSOC content and fluorescence characteristics at 40, 100, and 290 days after straw addition. Results showed that maize straw addition significantly increased WSOC content at all depths in both subtypes, with a tendency to increase over time. After 290 days, WSOC content in typical albic soil increased by 6.4%, 15.7%, and 131.7% at 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm depths, respectively, while meadow albic soil showed increases of 8.6%, 25.1%, and 54.0% at the same depths. Maize straw addition significantly decreased the water-soluble organic carbon/soil organic carbon (WSOC/SOC) ratio, indicating higher stability of SOC pool. The fluorescence index (1.15-1.79) and biogenic index (0.91-2.63) increased by 5.8% and 2.7%, respectively, while the humification index (0.25-0.62) decreased by 15.0%, suggesting that WSOC was influenced by both exogenous and endogenous substances and that straw addition led to a reduction in the humification of albic soils. Analysis of the WSOC fluorescence spectra identified four components belonging to three types of substances: soluble microbial products, humic acid like substances, and protein-like substances. After the addition of straw, the contents of humic acid like substances in typical albic soil decreased, while that of soluble microbial products and protein like substance increased. In meadow albic soil, the contents of humic acid like substances increased at depths of 10 cm and 30 cm but decreased at 20 cm; soluble microbial products increased at depths of 10 cm and 20 cm but decreased at 30 cm, while that of protein-like substances showed the opposite trend. Straw retuning increased the WSOC content in albic soil, promoted the formation of low-molecular-weight fluorescent components in WSOC solution, simplified the structure and enhanced the nutrient-supplying capacity.

We explored the characteristics of soil seed banks and their relationship with soil physicochemical pro-perties across six typical shrub communities in the Ningxia Luoshan National Nature Reserve, including Buddleja alternifolia, Caragana korshinskii, Ostryopsis davidiana, Convolvulus tragacanthoides, Cotoneaster soongoricus, and Prunus mongolica. We stratified soil sampling by field vegetation surveys and laboratory germination experiments. The results showed that a total of 43 plant species were found in the soil seed banks of the six communities, belonging to 35 genera and 17 families. Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae were dominant families, accounting for 58.1% of the total number of species. In terms of life form, perennial herbs occupied absolute dominant position, with Cyperus rotundus as the most common one. The soil seed bank density ranged from 1033 to 7000 seeds·m^-2, and the density decreased significantly with the increase of soil layers. More than 70% of the seeds were concentrated in the 0-10 cm soil layer. The Shannon diversity index, Pielou evenness index, and Margalef richness index of the soil seed banks in the O. davidiana community were all higher than those of the other communities, while the C. tragacanthoides community had the lowest values of these indices. Soil pH of each community was alkaline. There were significant differences in soil moisture, total nitrogen, available potassium, and available phosphorus contents among different communities. Soil moisture of the C. soongoricus community was significantly higher than that of the other communities, followed by the O. davidiana community, and that of the C. tragacanthoides and C. korshinskii communities was the lowest. The species diversity indices of soil seed bank were significantly positively correlated with soil available phosphorus and moisture content, and negatively correlated with soil pH. In conclusion, the soil physical and chemical properties did not change the surface aggregated characteristics of the vertical distribution of seed bank. The horizontal distribution pattern was driven by the heterogeneity of soil available phosphorus, water content, total nitrogen, and pH. Soil seed bank was scarce in shrubs, resulting in a big challenge in vegetation restoration. We suggested focus on the weak areas of the soil seed bank, regulate key factors, and implement precise ecological restoration in the future.

Soil salinization is a major challenge to global agriculture and ecosystems. Screening and breeding salt-tolerant plants is a key strategy for achieving the sustainable utilization of saline-alkali land. Azolla is a group of aquatic ferns with significant ecological and agronomic value. The obligate symbiotic system formed by Azolla and the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria has considerable potential for the sustainable remediation of saline-alkali environments. We synthesized recent advances in salinity-tolerance evaluation, screening of salt-tolerant germplasm, and the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms in Azolla. The available studies have preliminarily established a multidimensional evaluation system based on growth, morphological, physiological, and biochemical indicators, revealing significant differences in salinity tolerance among various germplasms. The salt-tolerance mechanisms of Azolla involve coordinated response across multiple levels, including regulation of cellular ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment and metabolic remodeling, enhanced antioxidant defenses, and adaptive adjustments in host-cyanobacteria symbiotic interactions. Meanwhile, we identified the limitations in current research, including the lack of unified evaluation criteria, an incomplete understanding of the genetic basis of salt tolerance, and limited exploration of combined stresses and their mechanisms. Future studies should integrate gene editing, synthetic biology, and host-cyanobacteria symbiotic interactions, establish a coordinated screening system for salt-tolerant germplasm and symbiotic cyanobacteria, strengthen research on combined stresses, and systematically evaluate their field application potential and ecological benefits.

Understanding the changes in water absorption sources of typical tree roots under different soil development thickness conditions, clarifying the adaptability of typical tree species to shallow soil habitats, are of great significance for sustainable construction and management of artificial forest ecosystems. This study focused on Robinia pseudoacacia forests (topsoil thickness 27 and 20 cm) and Pinus thunbergii forests (topsoil thickness 20 and 10 cm) in the granite hilly area of central southern Shandong Province under different soil horizon thicknesses. We measured the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) of xylem water, soil water, groundwater, and precipitation, and quantified the changes in water source composition of the two species under different top soil thicknesses by the MixSIAR model. The results showed that during the drought period, the soil moisture content of the two forest types was 0.018-0.108 cm³·cm^-3. R. pseudoacacia and P. thunbergii mainly utilized groundwater, with the rates exceeding 50%. Under the condition of thinner soil horizons, both species had higher utilization rates of groundwater. During the wet and relatively wet periods, soil moisture content was 0.053-0.194 and 0.032-0.124 cm³·cm^-3, respectively. R. pseudoacacia and P. thunbergii mainly utilized soil water, with rates over 70% and 60%, respectively (except for P. thunbergii which still relied mainly on groundwater in July 2021). Under the condition of thinner soil horizons, the two tree species had higher utilization rates of soil water in the 0-40 and 0-20 cm layers, respectively. Under the same condition of soil thickness, R. pseudoacacia had a higher utilization ratio of groundwater than P. thunbergii in the drought period, while R. pseudoacacia had a higher utilization ratio of soil water than P. thunbergii during the wet period. At the beginning of the wet period, R. pseudoacacia used soil water as its main water source, while P. thunbergii mainly utilized groundwater. Therefore, R. pseudoacacia is more sensitive to changes in soil moisture in thinner soil horizons, while P. thunbergii has stronger adaptability to thinner soil conditions in the granite hilly areas of central and southern Shandong.

We collected samples in the August (summer) and October (autumn) of 2022, as well as in the February (winter) and May (spring) of 2023 in the raft-style mussel aquaculture area on Gouqi Island in the Zhoushan Archipelago, aiming to analyze the structure of the raft-style algal community on Gouqi Island and its impact on the epibenthic preference of algae-dwelling amphipods (Gammaridea and Caprellidae). The results showed that: 1) The number of algal species and biomass on the nearshore side of the aquaculture area were higher than those on the offshore side, with seasonal fluctuations. The number of algal species was highest in summer (19 species) and lowest in winter (15 species). The species richness index was higher in summer (2.65) and lower in winter (2.38). 2) There were significant differences in the epibenthic density of Gammaridea and Caprellidae across seasons, with higher densities in summer and lower densities in winter. Gammaridea was predominantly distributed on the nearshore side of the aquaculture area, while Caprellidae was more abundant on the offshore side. 3) Both Gammaridea and Caprellidae preferred branching and foliar algae, with the foliar algae Chondrus ocellatus exhibiting the highest epibenthic density. Among the branching algae, Gammaridea tended to attach to the structurally complex and color-similar Grateloupia okamura, while Caprellidae preferred to attach to the rough-surfaced, hard-textured, and structurally stable Corallina officinalis. In addition to season, morphological characteristics such as branching number, surface roughness, and structural complexity were also major factors affecting the epibenthic preference of Gammaridea and Caprellidae. The study could contribute to understanding the ecological adaptation strategies of amphipods and provide theoretical basis and data support for ecological management and algal diversity conservation in raft-style aquaculture areas.