Pub Date : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105451
Victoria Márquez , Lucas M. Carbone , N. David Jiménez-Escobar , Ana Laura Chiapero , Lorena Ashworth , Fernando Zamudio , Ramiro Aguilar
In the Chaco region of Argentina coexist different livestock production systems operating under a variety of management regimens and represented by different social actors. The sustainability of peasant extensive grazing systems is mainly based on the high degree of ecological knowledge of the wild forage sources available in the forest by local producers. In this study, we conducted a literature review focused on ethnobiological studies to assess the plant species used as forage by local communities in the Argentine Chaco to evaluate their degree of pollinator dependence. The proportion of forage species that depend to some degree on pollinators was lower (60.6 %) than the overall average found across angiosperms (90 %). Such results can be explained by the predominance of grasses that are used as fodder (22 %) in the Chaco, which are wind-pollinated and do not rely on pollinators to produce fruits and seed. However, when analyzing the most important forage species, we found that nearly all of them depend on animal pollinators to produce nutritious forage. Our findings emphasize the need for conservation actions that safeguard both pollination services and the plant resources that sustain local livelihoods.
{"title":"Forage plants used by local communities for livestock production systems in the Argentine Chaco and their dependence on pollinators","authors":"Victoria Márquez , Lucas M. Carbone , N. David Jiménez-Escobar , Ana Laura Chiapero , Lorena Ashworth , Fernando Zamudio , Ramiro Aguilar","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105451","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105451","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Chaco region of Argentina coexist different livestock production systems operating under a variety of management regimens and represented by different social actors. The sustainability of peasant extensive grazing systems is mainly based on the high degree of ecological knowledge of the wild forage sources available in the forest by local producers. In this study, we conducted a literature review focused on ethnobiological studies to assess the plant species used as forage by local communities in the Argentine Chaco to evaluate their degree of pollinator dependence. The proportion of forage species that depend to some degree on pollinators was lower (60.6 %) than the overall average found across angiosperms (90 %). Such results can be explained by the predominance of grasses that are used as fodder (22 %) in the Chaco, which are wind-pollinated and do not rely on pollinators to produce fruits and seed. However, when analyzing the most important forage species, we found that nearly all of them depend on animal pollinators to produce nutritious forage. Our findings emphasize the need for conservation actions that safeguard both pollination services and the plant resources that sustain local livelihoods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105451"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-04DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105453
Jhonathan de Oliveira Silva , Maria Fernanda Gonçalves Durães , Priscyla Maria Silva Rodrigues , Pablo Cuevas-Reyes , Ricardo Luiz Louro Berbara , Mário Marcos do Espírito-Santo
Litter decomposition contributes to nutrient cycling and influences soil organic matter, affecting soil fertility. We assessed the impact of leaf quality and vegetation structure on litter decomposition across three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) in a Brazilian tropical dry forest. A total of 315 litterbags were installed, 105 per stage, at the beginning of the rainy season, and litter mass loss was measured over 322 days. Overall, 48 % of the litter mass was lost at the end of the experiment, and decomposition was higher in late successional stage. Leaf nutrient concentrations increased along the successional gradient. Although leaf traits did not influence decomposition, vegetation structure (species richness, basal area, and height) showed a significant positive effect. The accelerated decomposition in later stages may reflect microclimatic changes and more active decomposer communities, both shaped by vegetation complexity. Our findings suggest that, even after four decades, these regenerating forests have not achieved full recovery of vegetation structure or decomposition-related ecosystem functioning.
{"title":"Vegetation structural parameters affect leaf litter decomposition along a secondary successional chronosequence in tropical dry forest","authors":"Jhonathan de Oliveira Silva , Maria Fernanda Gonçalves Durães , Priscyla Maria Silva Rodrigues , Pablo Cuevas-Reyes , Ricardo Luiz Louro Berbara , Mário Marcos do Espírito-Santo","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Litter decomposition contributes to nutrient cycling and influences soil organic matter, affecting soil fertility. We assessed the impact of leaf quality and vegetation structure on litter decomposition across three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) in a Brazilian tropical dry forest. A total of 315 litterbags were installed, 105 per stage, at the beginning of the rainy season, and litter mass loss was measured over 322 days. Overall, 48 % of the litter mass was lost at the end of the experiment, and decomposition was higher in late successional stage. Leaf nutrient concentrations increased along the successional gradient. Although leaf traits did not influence decomposition, vegetation structure (species richness, basal area, and height) showed a significant positive effect. The accelerated decomposition in later stages may reflect microclimatic changes and more active decomposer communities, both shaped by vegetation complexity. Our findings suggest that, even after four decades, these regenerating forests have not achieved full recovery of vegetation structure or decomposition-related ecosystem functioning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105453"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the Sonoran Desert, due to high air temperature (Tair) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), trees face extreme water and thermal stress even during the rainy season. In response to Tair and VPD, trees should finely regulate their stomatal conductance (gs), but we would expect evergreen species to generally show less sensitivity to these changes than deciduous species because of their greater tolerance to drought stress. We measured gs in six deciduous and six evergreen tree species in field conditions, using environmental data from a nearby climate station. We evaluated stomatal sensitivity using five indices and measured leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψtlp), along with leaf traits such as leaf dry-matter content (LDMC), stomatal size, and density, which are related to drought response. Our findings showed that high Tair and VPD significantly influence gs, often causing stomatal closure at higher leaf temperatures. Evergreens exhibited greater drought tolerance, less sensitivity to VPD and temperatures, and higher LDMC (P = 0.004), smaller specific leaf areas (SLA, P < 0.001), and lower Ψtlp (P < 0.001). In contrast, deciduous species regulate drought stress through isohydric stomatal control and may drop leaves under extreme conditions, while evergreens withstand higher stress levels despite potential hydraulic dysfunction.
在索诺兰沙漠，由于高气温（Tair）和蒸汽压差（VPD），即使在雨季，树木也面临极端的水和热压力。为了应对Tair和VPD，树木应该精细地调节气孔导度（gs），但我们预计常绿物种对这些变化的敏感性通常低于落叶物种，因为它们对干旱胁迫的耐受性更强。我们利用附近气候站的环境数据，在野外条件下测量了六种落叶树种和六种常绿树种的gs。我们利用5个指标评估了气孔敏感性，并测量了膨胀损失点的叶片水势（Ψtlp），以及叶片干物质含量（LDMC）、气孔大小和密度等与干旱响应相关的叶片性状。研究结果表明，高Tair和VPD显著影响gs，在较高叶温下往往导致气孔关闭。常青树表现出较强的耐旱性，对VPD和温度的敏感性较低，LDMC较高（P = 0.004），比叶面积较小(SLA, P <；0.001)，较低Ψtlp (P <；0.001)。相比之下，落叶植物通过等水气孔控制来调节干旱胁迫，在极端条件下可能会落叶，而常绿植物尽管存在潜在的水力功能障碍，但却能承受更高的干旱胁迫水平。
{"title":"Stomatal sensitivity to heat and drought depends on coordination between leaf phenology, functional and physiological traits in Sonoran Desert tree species","authors":"Ginna Esperanza Fernández-Molano , Rodrigo Méndez-Alonzo , Mariana Álvarez-Añorve , Teresa Terrazas , Clara Tinoco-Ojanguren","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Sonoran Desert, due to high air temperature (<em>T</em><sub>air</sub>) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), trees face extreme water and thermal stress even during the rainy season. In response to <em>T</em><sub>air</sub> and VPD, trees should finely regulate their stomatal conductance (<em>g</em><sub>s</sub>), but we would expect evergreen species to generally show less sensitivity to these changes than deciduous species because of their greater tolerance to drought stress. We measured <em>g</em><sub>s</sub> in six deciduous and six evergreen tree species in field conditions, using environmental data from a nearby climate station. We evaluated stomatal sensitivity using five indices and measured leaf water potential at the turgor loss point (Ψ<sub>tlp</sub>), along with leaf traits such as leaf dry-matter content (LDMC), stomatal size, and density, which are related to drought response. Our findings showed that high <em>T</em><sub>air</sub> and VPD significantly influence <em>g</em><sub>s</sub>, often causing stomatal closure at higher leaf temperatures. Evergreens exhibited greater drought tolerance, less sensitivity to VPD and temperatures, and higher LDMC (<em>P</em> = 0.004), smaller specific leaf areas (SLA, <em>P</em> < 0.001), and lower Ψ<sub>tlp</sub> (<em>P</em> < 0.001). In contrast, deciduous species regulate drought stress through isohydric stomatal control and may drop leaves under extreme conditions, while evergreens withstand higher stress levels despite potential hydraulic dysfunction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105450"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144748707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105449
Ranae M. Sullivan , Beth A. Newingham
In arid ecosystems, soil seed banks support plant regeneration by storing propagules that respond to episodic rainfall. Shifting precipitation patterns and drought may alter seed banks, with cascading effects on plant communities. Native annuals often use bet-hedging (e.g., delayed germination) to cope with variable conditions, while invasives like Bromus rubens favor rapid growth and reproduction. Shrubs can mediate these responses by buffering microclimate and increasing plant abundance beneath their canopies. However, it remains unclear whether facilitative effects persist in the soil seed bank and how they are influenced by drought. Therefore, we asked: (1) Are seeds in the soil seed bank more abundant under shrub canopies compared to interspaces? (2) Are shrub facilitation effects on soil seed banks modified by drought? and (3) Do drought conditions drive abrupt changes in species specific seed density suggesting ecological thresholds? We sampled soil seed banks over three years, including during drought, under three shrub species and in open interspaces at four sites in Gold Butte National Monument (Nevada, USA). Soil seed bank density and composition were analyzed in relation to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Bromus rubens seed density declined during drought but remained higher under shrubs, where facilitative effects intensified. Native forbs showed stable or increasing seed density and weaker microsite differences. Species richness and diversity varied with B. rubens seed dynamics. This study emphasizes the role of microsite variability and species-specific responses in shaping soil seed banks, with important implications for restoration, invasive species management, and biodiversity conservation during drought.
{"title":"Shrub facilitation and drought drive divergent soil seed bank responses of native forbs and invasive grass in the Mojave desert","authors":"Ranae M. Sullivan , Beth A. Newingham","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In arid ecosystems, soil seed banks support plant regeneration by storing propagules that respond to episodic rainfall. Shifting precipitation patterns and drought may alter seed banks, with cascading effects on plant communities. Native annuals often use bet-hedging (e.g., delayed germination) to cope with variable conditions, while invasives like <em>Bromus rubens</em> favor rapid growth and reproduction. Shrubs can mediate these responses by buffering microclimate and increasing plant abundance beneath their canopies. However, it remains unclear whether facilitative effects persist in the soil seed bank and how they are influenced by drought. Therefore, we asked: (1) Are seeds in the soil seed bank more abundant under shrub canopies compared to interspaces? (2) Are shrub facilitation effects on soil seed banks modified by drought? and (3) Do drought conditions drive abrupt changes in species specific seed density suggesting ecological thresholds? We sampled soil seed banks over three years, including during drought, under three shrub species and in open interspaces at four sites in Gold Butte National Monument (Nevada, USA). Soil seed bank density and composition were analyzed in relation to the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). <em>Bromus rubens</em> seed density declined during drought but remained higher under shrubs, where facilitative effects intensified. Native forbs showed stable or increasing seed density and weaker microsite differences. Species richness and diversity varied with <em>B. rubens</em> seed dynamics. This study emphasizes the role of microsite variability and species-specific responses in shaping soil seed banks, with important implications for restoration, invasive species management, and biodiversity conservation during drought.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105449"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144758107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-29DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105448
Xin He, Mengwen Gao, Xuanzhi Wang, Zihan Yang, Yecui Hu
The agro-pastoral zone of northern China is a critical ecological functional area of wind soil erosion, spanning 9 provinces with a total area of . Assessment of the ecosystem's wind erosion prevention function is essential for ensuring the sustainable development of the region. In this study, the actual soil loss (SL) and wind erosion prevention retention rate (R) of this ecosystem from 2000 to 2022 were quantified, and the impacts of vegetation cover and ecological projects on actual soil loss were assessed. The results suggested that SL in our study area was observably reduced and the ecological system's wind erosion prevention function was significantly improved from 2000 to 2022. The change in vegetation cover level caused by the implementation of ecological projects contributes to a total reduction of tons of actual soil loss from 2000 to 2022, of which about 62.58 % is due to the change from low vegetation cover to medium vegetation cover. This shows that the implementation of ecological projects, such as the Three-North Shelter Forest Belt Program, has substantially improved wind erosion prevention. The regionalization of environmental policies should be strengthened so as to better control wind erosion and promote coordinated and sustainable development.
{"title":"Assessment about wind erosion prevention effectiveness by ecological projects in the agro-pastoral zone of northern China","authors":"Xin He, Mengwen Gao, Xuanzhi Wang, Zihan Yang, Yecui Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105448","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105448","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The agro-pastoral zone of northern China is a critical ecological functional area of wind soil erosion, spanning 9 provinces with a total area of <span><math><mn>71</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>62</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mn>4</mn></msup><mspace></mspace><msup><mrow><mi>k</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></math></span>. Assessment of the ecosystem's wind erosion prevention function is essential for ensuring the sustainable development of the region. In this study, the actual soil loss (SL) and wind erosion prevention retention rate (R) of this ecosystem from 2000 to 2022 were quantified, and the impacts of vegetation cover and ecological projects on actual soil loss were assessed. The results suggested that SL in our study area was observably reduced and the ecological system's wind erosion prevention function was significantly improved from 2000 to 2022. The change in vegetation cover level caused by the implementation of ecological projects contributes to a total reduction of <span><math><mn>4</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>99</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mn>7</mn></msup></math></span> tons of actual soil loss from 2000 to 2022, of which about 62.58 % is due to the change from low vegetation cover to medium vegetation cover. This shows that the implementation of ecological projects, such as the Three-North Shelter Forest Belt Program, has substantially improved wind erosion prevention. The regionalization of environmental policies should be strengthened so as to better control wind erosion and promote coordinated and sustainable development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105448"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105447
Marzieh Mokarram , Tam Minh Pham
Given the impacts of climate change on increasing aridity, dune migration, and associated risks to adjacent areas and air quality, assessing these hazards is critical for effective land management. This study aims to utilize machine learning and deep learning algorithms to enhance image quality and delineate sand dune extents, identify optimal scales for extracting dune morphometric features, predict dune migration, and forecast climatic parameters and their relationships with morphometric characteristics. Results demonstrate that the deep iterative fusion network model effectively improves image quality for extracting dunes and their morphometric features with high accuracy. Furthermore, integrating morphometric and spectral features into a novel Land-Use Land-Form (LULF) map enables precise identification of landforms and objects in desert environments, including sand dune extents, with high accuracy. The findings also indicate that variations in spectral reflectance, particularly albedo and infrared bands, influence not only dune height detection but also dune migration speed. Additionally, the Markov model results suggest that increased albedo and infrared reflectance in the coming years will heighten the risk of dune migration in surrounding areas. Finally, the autoregressive integrated moving average model predicts future wind speeds ranging from 8.3 to 83.3 km/h, moving from southeast to northwest, reflecting intensified dune migration and increased risks to adjacent regions.
{"title":"Predicting dune migration risks under climate change context: A hybrid approach combining machine learning, deep learning, and remote sensing indices","authors":"Marzieh Mokarram , Tam Minh Pham","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given the impacts of climate change on increasing aridity, dune migration, and associated risks to adjacent areas and air quality, assessing these hazards is critical for effective land management. This study aims to utilize machine learning and deep learning algorithms to enhance image quality and delineate sand dune extents, identify optimal scales for extracting dune morphometric features, predict dune migration, and forecast climatic parameters and their relationships with morphometric characteristics. Results demonstrate that the deep iterative fusion network model effectively improves image quality for extracting dunes and their morphometric features with high accuracy. Furthermore, integrating morphometric and spectral features into a novel Land-Use Land-Form (LULF) map enables precise identification of landforms and objects in desert environments, including sand dune extents, with high accuracy. The findings also indicate that variations in spectral reflectance, particularly albedo and infrared bands, influence not only dune height detection but also dune migration speed. Additionally, the Markov model results suggest that increased albedo and infrared reflectance in the coming years will heighten the risk of dune migration in surrounding areas. Finally, the autoregressive integrated moving average model predicts future wind speeds ranging from 8.3 to 83.3 km/h, moving from southeast to northwest, reflecting intensified dune migration and increased risks to adjacent regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105447"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144685627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105446
Azadeh Safadoust , Seyedeh Bahareh Azimi , Mohammad Bashiri Dehghan
In semi-arid agroecosystems, where climate constraints limit soil productivity, sustainable management strategies are essential. This study evaluated the influence of soil texture on vermicompost efficacy in western Iran (Hamedan province) over 12 months during the 2023 growing season. A factorial field experiment was conducted on clay loam and loam soils with two vermicompost levels (0 and 15 ± 2 t ha−1), each replicated three times (n = 12 plots). We assessed short-term changes in key physical, chemical, and mechanical soil properties, hypothesizing that loam soils—due to higher porosity and organic matter retention—would show greater improvements. Vermicompost significantly enhanced aggregate stability and reduced bulk density by up to 11.93 % in loam soils. Organic carbon increased by 84.76 % in clay loam, and cation exchange capacity rose by 20.51 %. Saturated hydraulic conductivity improved by 56.30 % in clay loam and 110.85 % in loam soils, indicating enhanced infiltration. A 55.42 % decrease in water-dispersible clay also suggested better structural resilience. These findings highlight the value of texture-specific organic amendments for improving soil quality, reducing erosion risk, and supporting adaptive land management. Incorporating vermicompost into dryland agriculture supports sustainable land use and offers a scalable strategy for maintaining soil productivity under challenging climatic conditions.
在气候限制土壤生产力的半干旱农业生态系统中，可持续管理战略至关重要。本研究评估了2023年伊朗西部（哈马丹省）12个月内土壤质地对蚯蚓堆肥效果的影响。在粘土壤土和壤土上进行了两种蚯蚓堆肥水平（0和15±2 t ha−1）的析因田间试验，每种试验重复3次（n = 12块）。我们评估了土壤主要物理、化学和机械特性的短期变化，并假设壤土——由于孔隙度更高和有机质保留率更高——将表现出更大的改善。蚯蚓堆肥显著提高壤土团聚体稳定性，降低容重达11.93%。有机碳增加84.76%，阳离子交换量增加20.51%。粘土壤土和壤土的饱和水导率分别提高了56.30%和110.85%，表明入渗能力增强。水分散粘土的结构回弹性降低了55.42%。这些发现强调了特定质地的有机改进剂在改善土壤质量、降低侵蚀风险和支持适应性土地管理方面的价值。将蚯蚓堆肥纳入旱地农业支持可持续土地利用，并为在具有挑战性的气候条件下保持土壤生产力提供了可扩展的战略。
{"title":"Restoring soil functionality in drylands: Soil texture-specific impacts of vermicompost as an organic waste-based amendment","authors":"Azadeh Safadoust , Seyedeh Bahareh Azimi , Mohammad Bashiri Dehghan","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In semi-arid agroecosystems, where climate constraints limit soil productivity, sustainable management strategies are essential. This study evaluated the influence of soil texture on vermicompost efficacy in western Iran (Hamedan province) over 12 months during the 2023 growing season. A factorial field experiment was conducted on clay loam and loam soils with two vermicompost levels (0 and 15 ± 2 t ha<sup>−1</sup>), each replicated three times (n = 12 plots). We assessed short-term changes in key physical, chemical, and mechanical soil properties, hypothesizing that loam soils—due to higher porosity and organic matter retention—would show greater improvements. Vermicompost significantly enhanced aggregate stability and reduced bulk density by up to 11.93 % in loam soils. Organic carbon increased by 84.76 % in clay loam, and cation exchange capacity rose by 20.51 %. Saturated hydraulic conductivity improved by 56.30 % in clay loam and 110.85 % in loam soils, indicating enhanced infiltration. A 55.42 % decrease in water-dispersible clay also suggested better structural resilience. These findings highlight the value of texture-specific organic amendments for improving soil quality, reducing erosion risk, and supporting adaptive land management. Incorporating vermicompost into dryland agriculture supports sustainable land use and offers a scalable strategy for maintaining soil productivity under challenging climatic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105446"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105443
Yibo Xue , Xiaoxiao Zhang , Jiaqiang Lei , Shengyu Li , Lianyou Liu , Zifa Wang , Baidourela Aliya , Gongxin Yang , Xiaole Pan , Sinan Li , Jing Ye , Fan Yang , Mamtimin Ali , Xiao Tang , Xueshun Chen
The physicochemical characteristics of dustfall particles are essential for the in-depth understanding on the aerodynamic processes of aeolian dust and its environmental effects. In this study, we conducted continuous high-frequency sampling of atmospheric dustfall in the Taklimakan hinterland during spring 2022, analyzing particle micromorphology, size distribution, mineral composition, deposition fluxes, and vertical dust characteristics. The results showed that the dustfall particles sampled in the Taklimakan hinterland were mostly micro-aggregates, angular, and subrounded based on the statistical analysis of the Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM). As determined by the Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer (LDPSA), the dustfall particles were predominately coarse particles, with particles between 20 μm and 80 μm accounting for 83.73 % of the total particle number. Volume proportion of dustfall particles with particle size of 60–150 μm was 72.41 %. Mineralogical analysis of dustfall particles using the Intelligent Scanning Electron Microscope Environmental Particle Analysis System (IntelliSEM EPAS) revealed that calcite was the dominant component (31.15 %), followed by quartz (18.52 %), chlorite (11.84 %), kaolinite (8.11 %), smectite (6.28 %), and illite (5.25 %). Halite was identified as the primary salt component, making up 9.52 % of detected particles. Vertical dust profiles derived by the ground-based Mie-scattering lidar indicated that large amounts of irregular dust floated in the tropospheric atmosphere over the Taklimakan Desert, causing a high depolarization ratio of more than 0.6 within 5 km of the surface. These dust aerosols suspended in the upper air with long periods were attributed to the frequent windblown dust weather over the Tarim Basin in spring, resulting in high ambient particulate concentration and dust deposition.
{"title":"Characteristics of the atmospheric dustfall in the Taklimakan hinterland: ground observation and microscopic analysis","authors":"Yibo Xue , Xiaoxiao Zhang , Jiaqiang Lei , Shengyu Li , Lianyou Liu , Zifa Wang , Baidourela Aliya , Gongxin Yang , Xiaole Pan , Sinan Li , Jing Ye , Fan Yang , Mamtimin Ali , Xiao Tang , Xueshun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105443","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105443","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The physicochemical characteristics of dustfall particles are essential for the in-depth understanding on the aerodynamic processes of aeolian dust and its environmental effects. In this study, we conducted continuous high-frequency sampling of atmospheric dustfall in the Taklimakan hinterland during spring 2022, analyzing particle micromorphology, size distribution, mineral composition, deposition fluxes, and vertical dust characteristics. The results showed that the dustfall particles sampled in the Taklimakan hinterland were mostly micro-aggregates, angular, and subrounded based on the statistical analysis of the Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM). As determined by the Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer (LDPSA), the dustfall particles were predominately coarse particles, with particles between 20 μm and 80 μm accounting for 83.73 % of the total particle number. Volume proportion of dustfall particles with particle size of 60–150 μm was 72.41 %. Mineralogical analysis of dustfall particles using the Intelligent Scanning Electron Microscope Environmental Particle Analysis System (IntelliSEM EPAS) revealed that calcite was the dominant component (31.15 %), followed by quartz (18.52 %), chlorite (11.84 %), kaolinite (8.11 %), smectite (6.28 %), and illite (5.25 %). Halite was identified as the primary salt component, making up 9.52 % of detected particles. Vertical dust profiles derived by the ground-based Mie-scattering lidar indicated that large amounts of irregular dust floated in the tropospheric atmosphere over the Taklimakan Desert, causing a high depolarization ratio of more than 0.6 within 5 km of the surface. These dust aerosols suspended in the upper air with long periods were attributed to the frequent windblown dust weather over the Tarim Basin in spring, resulting in high ambient particulate concentration and dust deposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105443"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105444
Sana Basharat , Farooq Ahmad , Mansoor Hameed , Zahida Parveen , Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad , Muhammad Waseem , Ansa Asghar , Sana Fatima , Liu Pingwu , Mehwish Noor , Syed Mohsan Raza Shah , Muhammad Ashraf
Cenchrus biflorus Roxb., a resilient C4 grass species, thrives across hyperarid and hypersaline environments due to its remarkable structural and functional plasticity. This study investigated ecotypic variations in morpho-anatomical and physiological traits among populations collected from ecologically distinct sites in Pakistan, including saline deserts, arid plains, and semi-arid regions. Morphological adaptations such as reduced leaf area, enhanced root biomass, and increased leaf number were evident under arid stress. Anatomical modifications—including thickened epidermis and endodermis, enlarged cortical and parenchymatous regions, narrow metaxylem vessels, and high trichome and bulliform cell densities—contributed to water conservation and ion regulation. Physiological resilience was linked to elevated levels of osmoprotectants (proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars), stress enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase), antioxidants, and photosynthetic pigments. Ion homeostasis was maintained through restricted Na+ uptake and compartmentalization. Multivariate analyses revealed strong associations between environmental variables (temperature, salinity, soil nutrients) and trait expression. The findings highlight the critical role of phenotypic plasticity in the ecological success of C. biflorus, underscoring its potential utility in arid land restoration and climate-resilient forage development.
{"title":"Ecological resilience of Gallon's curse (Cenchrus biflorus Roxb.) in hyperarid and hypersaline environments","authors":"Sana Basharat , Farooq Ahmad , Mansoor Hameed , Zahida Parveen , Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad , Muhammad Waseem , Ansa Asghar , Sana Fatima , Liu Pingwu , Mehwish Noor , Syed Mohsan Raza Shah , Muhammad Ashraf","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cenchrus biflorus</em> Roxb., a resilient C<sub>4</sub> grass species, thrives across hyperarid and hypersaline environments due to its remarkable structural and functional plasticity. This study investigated ecotypic variations in morpho-anatomical and physiological traits among populations collected from ecologically distinct sites in Pakistan, including saline deserts, arid plains, and semi-arid regions. Morphological adaptations such as reduced leaf area, enhanced root biomass, and increased leaf number were evident under arid stress. Anatomical modifications—including thickened epidermis and endodermis, enlarged cortical and parenchymatous regions, narrow metaxylem vessels, and high trichome and bulliform cell densities—contributed to water conservation and ion regulation. Physiological resilience was linked to elevated levels of osmoprotectants (proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars), stress enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase), antioxidants, and photosynthetic pigments. Ion homeostasis was maintained through restricted Na<sup>+</sup> uptake and compartmentalization. Multivariate analyses revealed strong associations between environmental variables (temperature, salinity, soil nutrients) and trait expression. The findings highlight the critical role of phenotypic plasticity in the ecological success of <em>C. biflorus</em>, underscoring its potential utility in arid land restoration and climate-resilient forage development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105444"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105445
Núñez-Dávila María , Valiente-Banuet Alfonso , López-Escamilla Ana Laura , Rosas Ulises
Soil salinization is a problem that grows every year and is accentuated in arid and semi-arid zones, particularly areas with irrigated agriculture. To cope with this stress, desert plants have developed a variety of responses, including the modification of the architecture of their root system. However, the inclusion of root phenotypic traits in plant breeding programs hasn't been considered in most studies, so little is known about how the roots of desert plants respond to salinity stress and whether their cultivation is viable in saline soil. Within the arid and semi-arid environments, the genus Agave is endemic to the Americas, and wild and cultivated species have been used to obtain mezcal and tequila, plus several other traditional products. In this work we studied the early growth of two in vitro cultivated Agave species under salt stress (NaCl). We have determined that Agave angustifolia is tolerant to salinity, while A. marmorata is resilient to it. Although salt stress reduced the biomass of A. marmorata plants, it was found that at higher salinity the primary root grew larger than the adventitious roots. Moreover, we found that under salt stress, growth is oriented more towards the shoot rather than the root. Thus we propose that the differential growth of root types and resource partitioning would be important components in the response of salt stress, worth investigating for Agave breeding and conservation.
{"title":"Root growth and resource allocation in seedlings of two mezcal agave species under salt stress","authors":"Núñez-Dávila María , Valiente-Banuet Alfonso , López-Escamilla Ana Laura , Rosas Ulises","doi":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil salinization is a problem that grows every year and is accentuated in arid and semi-arid zones, particularly areas with irrigated agriculture. To cope with this stress, desert plants have developed a variety of responses, including the modification of the architecture of their root system. However, the inclusion of root phenotypic traits in plant breeding programs hasn't been considered in most studies, so little is known about how the roots of desert plants respond to salinity stress and whether their cultivation is viable in saline soil. Within the arid and semi-arid environments, the genus <em>Agave</em> is endemic to the Americas, and wild and cultivated species have been used to obtain mezcal and tequila, plus several other traditional products. In this work we studied the early growth of two <em>in vitro</em> cultivated <em>Agave</em> species under salt stress (NaCl). We have determined that <em>Agave angustifolia</em> is tolerant to salinity, while <em>A. marmorata</em> is resilient to it. Although salt stress reduced the biomass of <em>A. marmorata</em> plants, it was found that at higher salinity the primary root grew larger than the adventitious roots. Moreover, we found that under salt stress, growth is oriented more towards the shoot rather than the root. Thus we propose that the differential growth of root types and resource partitioning would be important components in the response of salt stress, worth investigating for <em>Agave</em> breeding and conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51080,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Arid Environments","volume":"231 ","pages":"Article 105445"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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