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The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sustainable land management techniques on the agroforestry project's performance at UNICOOPAGI. The particular goals were to ascertain the impact of afforestation on the performance of the agroforestry project in UNICOOPAGI, investigate the impact of soil erosion control on the project's performance, and ascertain the effect of land rehabilitation on the project's performance. The study used a descriptive research approach, and the sample size was 126, as was the population. The study used a census sample approach in which every unit took part in the study. The necessary data was gathered through the use of documentary and questionnaire methodologies. The data was analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions version 23. Following data collection, the following conclusions were noted. Regarding the first research goal, which examined how land rehabilitation affected the UNICOOPAGI agroforestry project's performance, 37.3% strongly agreed and 46.0% agreed that applying manure improves the project's performance. Additionally, 35.7 percent strongly agreed and 47.6% agreed that mulching improves the project's performance. Additionally, there is a positive association (0.814) between the performance of agroforestry projects and land rehabilitation. Regarding the impact of soil erosion control on the UNICOOPAGI agroforestry project's performance, 34.9% strongly agreed and 56.3% agreed that building terraces enhances the project's performance. Additionally, 54.0% and 41.3% strongly agreed that creating efficient water trapping pits is done to improve the project's performance. Additionally, agroforestry project effectiveness is positively correlated with soil erosion management at a high level (0.824). Regarding the impact of afforestation on the UNICOOPAGI agroforestry project's performance, 33.3% of respondents strongly agreed, 50% agreed, and 44.4% strongly agreed that the project's performance was influenced by the availability of tree seeds. and 46.0% concurred that educating farmers about agroforestry methods results in the implementation of agroforestry projects. On the other hand, afforestation has 0.828 correlation coefficient and affects agroforestry performance. The study came to the conclusion that, through a variety of techniques used by project implementors, land rehabilitation, soil erosion control, and afforestation considerably improve the performance of agroforestry projects. The study indicated that as a preventative and mitigating approach against erosion, project sponsors give farmers access to water tanks. Additionally, farmers must to work harder at implementing drainage techniques in order to preserve the sustainability of the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-mining land management is an integral part of surface mining and quarrying operations. In this context, the questions raised concern what course of action is mandated by laws and regulations; what type of land reclamation should be implemented, taking into account the site-specific conditions prevailing in each mining area; what are the appropriate land uses; and by what criteria and methodology can these be determined? The literature review conducted as part of the present study revealed that in addition to the traditional 4R actions of land management, namely remediation, restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation, two more actions, repurposing and co-purposing, have now been added, with the purpose to address the social and economic impacts of mine closures. Furthermore, numerous land uses were documented and categorized into 11 classes, 38 sub-classes, and 119 alternatives. Nine criteria for selecting land uses were identified, expressed through 72 attributes that served as input information for 22 multicriteria methods, which, in most cases, were applied in combination of two or more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocrust inoculation and microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) are tools used in restoring degraded arid lands. It remains unclear whether the ecological functions of the two tools persist when these methods are combined and subjected to freeze–thaw (FT) cycles. We hypothesized a synergetic interaction between MICP treatment and biocrust under FT cycles, which would allow both components to retain their ecological functions. We grew cyanobacterial (Nostoc commune) biocrusts on bare soil and on MICP (Sporosarcina pasteurii)-treated soil, subjecting them to repeated FT cycles simulating the Mongolian climate. Generalized linear modeling revealed that FT cycling did not affect physical structure or related functions but could increase the productivity and reduce the nutrient condition of the crust. The results confirm the high tolerance of MICP-treated soil and biocrust to FT cycling. MICP treatment + biocrust maintained higher total carbohydrate content under FT stress. Our study indicates that biocrust on biomineralized soil has a robust enough structure to endure FT cycling during spring and autumn and to promote restoration of degraded lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral mining often results in changes to the soil environment, reducing the sustainability of the surrounding environment. Restoring the physical and chemical properties of soil in post‐tin‐mining areas on the tropical island of Belitung, Indonesia, has been a laborious process after more than 10 decades of land reclamation. We aimed to determine which parameter of the soil properties was responsible for the slow recovery process and if there were other properties that indicated more rapid changes. We measured the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils of different periods in the post‐tin‐mining areas. We sampled soil from three areas: 0, 1, and 6 years after mining and an adjacent natural forest as a reference site. The soil water content, hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, particle distribution, mineral content, and soil microbial composition were measured in the field and analyzed in the laboratory. The soil showed a fine particle loss and despite the absence of clay, water‐holding capacity was significantly increased in the 6‐year‐old soil. Organic carbon increased by 0.2% after 6 years of reclamation. Copper, iron, manganese, and zinc in the soils fluctuated less. Minimal amounts of Pb and Cd were found. Soil bacterial communities shift with land age. Actinobacteria were dominant a few years after mining, while Proteobacteria colonized the mined area after 6 years. This study examined the more profound changes in the soil properties of tropical post‐tin‐mined land. Soil and bacterial characteristics can be used as markers to monitor the progress of land rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drained peatlands emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and cause downstream nutrient pollution. Rewetting aids in restoring carbon storage and sustaining unique biodiversity. However, rewetting for nature restoration is socio-economically not always feasible. Cultivation of Sphagnum biomass after rewetting allows agricultural production. In the short term, Sphagnum paludiculture is productive without fertilization but it remains unclear whether it sustains its functionality in the longer-term. We studied nutrient dynamics, organic matter build-up, and carbon and nutrient accumulation at a 16-ha Sphagnum paludiculture area in NW-Germany. Site preparation included topsoil removal and inoculation with Sphagnum and it was rewetted five and ten years ago and managed with mowing, irrigation, and ditch cleaning. The unfertilized sites were irrigated with (compared to bog conditions) nutrient-rich surface water and exposed to atmospheric nitrogen deposition of 21 kg N/ha/yr. Our data reveal that ten years of Sphagnum growth resulted in a new 30 cm thick organic layer, sequestering 2,600 kg carbon, 56 kg nitrogen, 3.2 kg phosphorus, and 9.0 kg potassium per ha/yr. Porewater nutrient concentrations were low and remained stable over time in the top layer, while ammonium concentrations decreased from 400–700 to 0–50 µmol/L in the peat profile over 10 years. Hydro-climatic fluctuations most likely caused the variation in ammonium in the top layer. We conclude that Sphagnum paludiculture enables rapid carbon and nutrient accumulation without active fertilization provided the biomass is not harvested, and provides perspective for bog restoration on agricultural peatlands. Large-scale application of Sphagnum paludiculture may mitigate environmental issues of unsustainable peatland-use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation is a major issue in Ethiopia and has a significant impact on agriculture and subsistence. Community-based land restoration projects are essential to address this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of a community-based land restoration programs and its impact on livelihoods in the Offa District of south Ethiopia. Four Kebeles were randomly selected for the study and 133 household heads (52 program participants and 81 non-participants) were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected by using an interview schedule, focus-group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression model, propensity score matching, participation index (PI), t-test, and chi-square test. The results showed that the implemented land rehabilitation measures had higher crop production and farm income for most adopter households compared to their counterparts. The logistic regression model revealed that the slope of farmland, gender of household heads, family size, perception of rehabilitation, access to training, and farm experience positively influenced household participation in the community-based land rehabilitation programme (CBLRP) in the study area. However, the age of the respondents, access to education, size of farmland, frequency of extension contact positively and ownership of livestock negatively influenced household participation. Propensity score matching revealed that CBLRP resulted in higher crop output and farm revenue for most participating families than counterparts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that agricultural and rural development offices, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders should consider the factors that influence household participation in rehabilitation programs in the study area to effectively address the issue of the households’ participation at various levels of rehabilitation programs.

Post-mining land management is an integral part of surface mining and quarrying operations. In this context, the questions raised concern what course of action is mandated by laws and regulations; what type of land reclamation should be implemented, taking into account the site-specific conditions prevailing in each mining area; what are the appropriate land uses; and by what criteria and methodology can these be determined? The literature review conducted as part of the present study revealed that in addition to the traditional 4R actions of land management, namely remediation, restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation, two more actions, repurposing and co-purposing, have now been added, with the purpose to address the social and economic impacts of mine closures. Furthermore, numerous land uses were documented and categorized into 11 classes, 38 sub-classes, and 119 alternatives. Nine criteria for selecting land uses were identified, expressed through 72 attributes that served as input information for 22 multicriteria methods, which, in most cases, were applied in combination of two or more.

Coal mining and the energy industry generate large amounts of solid waste, which must be disposed of in landfills and lead to numerous environmental problems. This paper presents a method for creating artificial soil mixtures based on an EU-funded international research project called RECOVERY. The main idea behind the proposed solution is the safe use of coal combustion by-products (energetic slag and decarbonation lime), mining waste (aggregate and sealing material) and spent mushroom compost as components for creating artificial soils. Laboratory tests of the soil substitutes showed low concentrations of heavy metals and high macronutrient content, adequate for proper plant growth. As a result of a two-year study on the application of soil cover on a 4000 m2 testing ground, species characteristics for the mesotrophic, dry meadow, ruderal and segregated vegetation were found. In the second year of the in situ study, an apparent reduction in soil salinity was observed. The principal component analysis confirmed that decreasing soil salinity positively affected ruderal and dry meadow species. In contrast, high salinity levels showed no adverse effect on mesotrophic meadow vegetation. The results demonstrated that applying soil covers elaborated from industrial by-products is valuable for recovering high-acidity coal mine waste heaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological damage in mining areas largely affects the regional ecological environment and ecological security. In China, ecological restoration in mining areas is urgent, as its environmental protection lags behind economic and social development. Recent studies on environmental governance in China focus on each participant's logic of action. It suggests that cooperation among each participant is important. Thus, a fundamental question arises: how can we effectively organize various actors in environmental governance? Unlike theories that focus only on human factors, the actor-network theory considers both human and non-human actors. Within the framework of ANT, ecological restoration governance can take good care of both people and nature. To the best of our knowledge, the actor-network theory has not been used to analyze ecological restoration and land rehabilitation in mining areas. In this paper, the Lizuizi Coal Mine in Huainan of China is taken as a research object. By using the actor-network theory, we analyze the stability of the actor network and governance problems in different stages of ecological restoration of Lizuizi Coal Mine. It is concluded that the participation of the residents in ecological restoration is insufficient, and should be improved. Suggestions are provided accordingly. Our paper provides a theory basis for ecological construction in other ecologically damaged areas and resource-based cities. Further in-depth studies are necessary to strengthen the participation of social forces and the bundling collection of interests in governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-organisms of biological soil crusts have a major role in carbon (C) cycling and atmospheric CO2 removal. Currently, the ability of erodible soils to store atmospheric C is reduced. Thus, we assessed how inoculating soil cyanobacteria onto degraded soil affects C sequestration from the atmosphere. The existing cyanobacteria (Nostoc sp., Oscillatoria sp. and Lyngbya sp.) for the C sequestration were proliferated. They were inoculated on the 40 m2 plots located in degraded land. After 83 (middle of the period) and 172 (end of the period) days, we measured the effect of this inoculation on soil organic C, calculated potential C sequestration, and potential CO2 removal from the atmosphere. The results showed that in the control treatment, the sequestrated carbon in the middle and at the end of the experiment was 0.25 and 0.27 g.m-2.day-1, respectively. Inoculation of cyanobacteria led to a significant increase of 312% and 226% of C sequestration in the middle and end of the experiment, respectively. After 172 days, the rate of C sequestration and removal of CO2 by inoculation of cyanobacteria was estimated to be 3.59 and 13.17 ton.ha-1.year-1, respectively, which was 1.10 and 4.03 ton.ha-1.year-1 in control. The results showed that inoculation of cyanobacteria by hydro-seeding technique before the wet season (early autumn) and at least 1.5 g.m-2 of biomass has the desired effect, and is also approved economically. Eventually, field-scale inoculation of cyanobacteria could be considered as a bio-based tool for sustainable development goals through carbon sequestration and rehabilitation of lands.

• Advancing Badia's land degradation neutrality through integrated water harvesting and vegetation technologies. • Restoration techniques to improve overall ecosystem services and enhance local livelihoods. • Shifting to national suitability mapping from proven land practices. • Merge proven knowledge, GIS, and RS for smart land restoration decisions and streamlined choices. Jordan challenges water scarcity and land degradation, driven by a complex interplay of natural, anthropogenic, and political factors. In response to these pressing issues, the Jordanian government has undertaken a comprehensive strategy that combines mitigation and adaptation approaches to combat land degradation and water scarcity and recognizes the intrinsic link between the two challenges. To achieve these goals, one of the strategies implemented in Jordan involves using rainwater harvesting (RWH) in conjunction with promoting increased vegetation cover. This study drew on local and international land rehabilitation and restoration expertise, using two successful RWH sites as benchmarks. These sites guided the identification of essential biophysical factors for implementing the micro-scale Vallerani RWH technique for Badia plant growth and the meso -scale Marab RWH technology for cultivating local barley in the agro-pastoral landscape. This study uses a GIS-based spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique to identify the potentially suitable areas of RWH technologies. Results showed that Jordan has a higher potential for Vallerani implementation compared to Marab RWH after removing any constraints that limit the suitability of the land. At an 80 % threshold and above, about 29 % (23,316 km2) of the land is suitable for the Vallerani and about 9 % (7,583 km2) for the Marab approach. The study provides estimates for suitability in the surface water basins in Jordan. Mujib (mean: 75.8 %) and Azraq (mean: 75.0 %) basins demonstrate high suitability percentages for Marab – Barley RWH, while Hammad (mean: 80.6 %) and Hasa (mean: 80.1 %) basins emerge as the most suitable for Vallerani – saltbushes RWH. Both RWH technologies can be integrated within a watershed approach to restore and rehabilitate degraded areas and improve overall ecosystem services, particularly biomass production for Jordan's agropastoralists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest and land rehabilitation (“RHL”) is an effort to restore, maintain and improve forest and land functions, and to ensure that the implementation is in accordance with the plan, an evaluation is needed. This study aimed to evaluate the success of the forest and land rehabilitation efforts carried out in the RHL Banggo Village, Manggelewa District, Dompu Regency, Indonesia, by focusing activities on evaluating the success of land revegetation efforts using several types of plants (mahogany, candlenut, jackfruit and durian). This study applied an evaluation research method by conducting a direct observation survey in the RHL area located in Banggo Village for 4 months (October 2020 to January 2021). The plant evaluation was carried out based on the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No P.105/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018. Based on the data collected, in general the forest and land rehabilitation effort in the Banggo location can be categorized as being successful based on the average growth percentage of all rehabilitation plants across evaluation plots (76.26%) or across species of the plants (76.25%), but one of the plant species, i.e. mahogany showed low growth percentage (57.5%). However, based on the percentage of plant health, the average across evaluation plots was low (56.22%). This could be due to the limiting environmental conditions in the Banggo location, which are dominated by clayey soil types with the land physiography is dominated slightly steep to very steep lands with a total area of 138 ha of the total area of 151 ha and low annual rainfall. To improve the success of the forest and land rehabilitation effort in the long-term in the future, better adapted plant species need to be found and tested locally.

Planting Robinia pseudoacacia in water‐limited regions can promote soil and water conservation and ecological service functions. However, it can cause the formation of below ground dried soil layers (DSLs), causing land degradation and tree mortality. To ascertain the spatial–temporal dynamics and recovery processes of DSLs, we monitored the deep soil water content (SWC) to a depth of 500 cm at 27 sites on a typical R. pseudoacacia forest from 2017 to 2020 and calculated the evaluation indices of DSLs based on plant‐available SWC (PASWC) and stable field capacity (SFC). Compared with PASWC‐identified DSLs, the degree of SFC‐identified DSLs was more severe, although the spatial–temporal characteristics were similar. Severe soil desiccation was identified as 79% of the 500 cm profile dried out below 101 cm. The mean thickness of DSL and mean SWC within a DSL were 396 cm and 9.0%, respectively, and the quantitative index reached Grade III (severe) DSLs. All DSL indices demonstrated weak or moderate variability in space and strong variability in time. The heterogeneity of rainfall events and microtopographic positions explain the spatial–temporal variation of DSL indices well. A heavy rainfall event (>50 mm) triggered the disappearance of DSLs at some sites, indicating the possibility of DSLs recovery based on field observations under natural condition. Microtopography (such as the swales) provides advantageous conditions to the recovery of DSLs by redistributing rainfall flow at the local scale. These results provide insights into DSLs recovery, which is useful for land development and rehabilitation in planted forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern investment processes can be considered the main factor in the development of individual constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The emergence of additional jobs, the improvement of social infrastructure contribute to the growth of the quality of life of the population. However, the active use of natural resources as a raw material base for industry and agriculture has consequences: the depletion of resources and the violation of their structure and quality. Environmental protection measures are an important component of the development of regions. The article сonsiders investments aimed at protecting land and water resources in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The study of the statistics of costs for the conservation and restoration of water and land using the Gatev integral index allowed us to conclude about significant changes in current costs structure. Based on the correlation and regression analysis, the ratio between the Gatev index of structural differences in costs and the share of investments in the rehabilitation of soil and water resources with a correlation of 0.85 has been obtained. It has been concluded that a decrease in the level of attracted investments entails, in aggregate, a significant redistribution of funds for measures aimed at improving the natural resources of agricultural purposes.

Land degradation caused by soil salinization and wind erosion is the major obstruction to sustainable agriculture in the arid region. Salsola species have the potential to prevent land degradation. However, there is limited information about seed germination requirements and tolerance to salinity and drought for representative Salsola species. This study aimed to assess the effects of the winged perianth (seed structural features) and abiotic factors (light, temperature, salinity, and drought) on the seed germination of these species. These Salsola species varied considerably in seed germination characteristics. Compared with naked seeds, winged seeds had lower germination percentages for S. heptapotamica S. rosacea , and S. nitraria species. Darkness decreased the germination percentage of winged and naked seeds of S. rosacea , however, for S. heptapotamica and S. nitraria , decreased seed germination was only when the winged perianth existed. Germination of S. heptapotamica, S. rosacea , and S. nitraria seeds depended on the perianth and light conditions. The naked seeds of these three species could germinate at a wide range of temperatures, especially in light. The presence of perianth, light, and temperature did not significantly influence the germination of S. ruthenica seeds. When cultivating these species, it is beneficial to remove the winged perianth of seeds and sow it on the soil surface when the temperature is above 5/15°C. In addition, seed germination of Salsola displayed high tolerance to salinity and drought. Compared with winged seeds, naked seeds showed lower recovery germination under high salinity but had a similar recovery of germination under high PEG concentration. Our study provides detailed germination information for the cultivation of these four representative Salsola species in degraded saline soils of the arid zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper was to outline a novel approach for the use of industrial by-products generated in coal mines and coal-fired power plants as the components for artificial soils. Several coal combustion by-products, coal mine waste and organic waste materials were tested at laboratory scale for use in the reclamation of areas degraded by coal mining activity. The role of artificial soils was the land rehabilitation of the high acidic waste heap. The results revealed that the amounts of organic matter (14.87–25.01%) and nutrients in the soil substitutes were sufficient to support plant growth, i.e., N (0.37–0.51%), P (0.23–0.47%), K (1.78–3.17%), Ca (4.93–8.39%) and Mg (1.16–1.71%). A phytotoxicity test using white mustard (Sinapis alba) seeds under laboratory conditions showed good germination results (56–66%) for three soil substitutes that did not contain fly ash from biomass combustion, compared to the reference soil (84%). The relationships established for the aqueous leachate parameters of soil substitutes vs. the Sinapis alba germination revealed negative correlations with electrical conductivity (r = −0.88), SO42− (r = −0.91) and Cl− (r = −0.70) ions; the two latter ones were responsible for the salinity which hampered the germination process of the soil substitutes. Moreover, quite similar correlations were obtained between the germination of Sinapis alba and the trace elements of the soil substitutes: Fe (r = −0.69), Cd (r = −0.72), Cu (r = −0.80), Pb (r = −0.78) and Zn (r = −0.74). However, negative and significant correlations in aqueous leachates were shown only with Ni concentration (r = −0.73). The relevance of these results for the effect of salinity on germination and the early growth of S. alba was discussed in detail and was confirmed with the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The study proved that the physicochemical characteristic of recycled wastes exhibited their potential usefulness for the reclamation of affected areas such as mine waste heaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia has the second-largest biodiversity of any country in the world. Deforestation and forest degradation have caused a range of environmental issues, including habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity, deterioration of water quality and quantity, air pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Forest restoration at the landscape level has been conducted to balance ecological integrity and human well-being. Forest restoration efforts are also aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and are closely related to Indonesia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) from the forestry sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the regulatory, institutional, and policy aspects of forest restoration in Indonesia, as well as the implementation of forest restoration activities in the country. The article was written using a synoptic review approach to Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR)-related articles and national experiences. Failures, success stories, and criteria and indicators for forest restoration success are all discussed. We also discuss the latest silvicultural techniques for the success of the forest restoration program. Restoration governance in Indonesia has focused on the wetland ecosystem such as peatlands and mangroves, but due to the severely degraded condition of many forests, the government has by necessity opted for active restoration involving the planting and establishment of livelihood options. The government has adapted its restoration approach from the early focus on ecological restoration to more forest landscape restoration, which recognizes that involving the local community in restoration activities is critical for the success of forest restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation of post-mining limestone soils is often a challenge due to a lack of nutrients and poor soil humus. The research aims to study the effect of various ameliorants on soil chemical properties, growth, and P uptake of gaharu plant (Aquilaria malaccensis) in post-mining limestone soil for revegetation of critical land. The research was conducted in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. The treatments were P0 (Control, without ameliorant); P1 (Humic Acid, HA, 4 kg ha-1 ); P2 (Phosphate Rocks, PR, 350 kg ha-1 ); P3 (Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, AMF, 500 spores plant-1 ); P4 (HA+AMF); P5 (PR+AMF); and P6 (HA+PR+AMF). Data were analyzed using ANOVA at 95% confidence level and continued with the LSD test. The use of various types of ameliorants (HA, RP, and AMF) significantly increased root length, root volume, wet and dry weight of roots, shoot wet and dry weight, and P uptake of gaharu tree. The best ameliorant in increasing gaharu tree growth was AMF (P3) treatment, and AMF combined with HA (P4) treatment. Thus, for revegetation of critical land, especially post-mining limestone land, using gaharu tree requires HA and AMF inoculation.

Land degradation caused by soil salinization and wind erosion is the major obstruction to sustainable agriculture in the arid region. Salsola species have the potential to prevent land degradation. However, there is limited information about seed germination requirements and tolerance to salinity and drought for representative Salsola species. This study aimed to assess the effects of the winged perianth (seed structural features) and abiotic factors (light, temperature, salinity, and drought) on the seed germination of these species. These Salsola species varied considerably in seed germination characteristics. Compared with naked seeds, winged seeds had lower germination percentages for S. heptapotamica S. rosacea, and S. nitraria species. Darkness decreased the germination percentage of winged and naked seeds of S. rosacea, however, for S. heptapotamica and S. nitraria, decreased seed germination was only when the winged perianth existed. Germination of S. heptapotamica, S. rosacea, and S. nitraria seeds depended on the perianth and light conditions. The naked seeds of these three species could germinate at a wide range of temperatures, especially in light. The presence of perianth, light, and temperature did not significantly influence the germination of S. ruthenica seeds. When cultivating these species, it is beneficial to remove the winged perianth of seeds and sow it on the soil surface when the temperature is above 5/15°C. In addition, seed germination of Salsola displayed high tolerance to salinity and drought. Compared with winged seeds, naked seeds showed lower recovery germination under high salinity but had a similar recovery of germination under high PEG concentration. Our study provides detailed germination information for the cultivation of these four representative Salsola species in degraded saline soils of the arid zone.

Study region: Laguna watershed of the Upper Blue Nile basin, which is representative of drought-prone tropical sub-humid watersheds of Ethiopia. The river of the watershed drains into Lake Tana, one of the largest lakes in Ethiopia. Study focus: This study evaluated the impacts of five alternative land capability-based land use and management options in reducing runoff and sediment loss by integrating observed plot- and watershed-scale data with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. New hydrological insights: We modified flow- and sediment-sensitive model parameters based on six best-performing plot-scale land management practices to simulate the runoff and sediment loss of the watershed under five alternative options. The results revealed that alternative land use options could reduce runoff and sediment loss by about 21–30% (from 740 to 517 mm) and 32–83% (from 101 to 18 t/ha), respectively, compared to the baseline data. The simulations of best alternative land management options also decreased runoff by 10–41% and sediment loss by 40–89%. Runoff and sediment loss reductions were estimated to be as high as 72% (from 740 to 210 mm) and 95% (from 101 to 5 t/ha), respectively, when land use and land management options are combined. These results indicate that implementing suitable land use and management practices has the potential to rehabilitate degraded watersheds in the sub-humid Ethiopian highlands and similar environments elsewhere.

Mining activities generally use large tracts of land, utilize non-renewable resources, produce a lot of waste, and make land degraded and unproductive. This happened on one of the former sand mining areas in Cimalaka sub-district, Sumedang Regency. Rehabilitation techniques by planting pioneering plants known as swapping are effective techniques. Pioneer plants are plants that start the formation of a habitat. This study aims to obtain information about the structure and composition of pioneering plants in the former sand mining quarry in the Cimalaka sub-district of Sumedang Regency. This research is descriptive, using a survey method with exploration, the research sample is a local pioneering plant that is included in the sampling plot found at the research location. The results showed that the structure at the level of pioneering vegetation in the former sand fields of Cimalaka subdistrict, namely shrubs Eleusine indica L. and Axonopus compressus, seedling plant Calliandra calothyrsus, Gliricidia sepium, Ageratum conyzoides L. Imperata cylindrica L. Saccharum spontaneum L. Vetiveria zizanioides Stapf. dan Coleus soutellarioides L.

In order to combat the problem of land degradation, a lot of efforts have been made since 1970s in Ethiopia. This study was conducted in Manasibu woreda of West Wollega zone to Degraded Land Rehabilitation role of chomo grass (Brachiaria humidicola) and it’s Socioeconomic Importance. Local farmers’ perception, major causes and management practice were also assessed. About 139 sample respondents were selected randomly from four purposively selected kebeles in the woreda. Interview schedule, focus group discussion, key informant interview and participatory observation were used to collect data from sample respondents. The result of the study indicates that local peoples are using chomo grass for various purposes. Particularly they use for forage, for sale, more importantly for environmental rehabilitation, and making of some home utensils among the other. They are selling both seed and grass and earn a good income. Chomo grass was their first and last choice. Accordingly, chomo grass was well introduced in the area. Thus the study concludes as chomo grass has curative values for communities’ number one problems; soil degradation. Accordingly, the efforts in expanding the grass in effective land management should be scaled up to other areas having a similar situation.

Ecological damage in mining areas largely affects the regional ecological environment and ecological security. In China, ecological restoration in mining areas is urgent, as its environmental protection lags behind economic and social development. Recent studies on environmental governance in China focus on each participant’s logic of action. It suggests that cooperation among each participant is important. Thus, a fundamental question arises: how can we effectively organize various actors in environmental governance? Unlike theories that focus only on human factors, the actor-network theory considers both human and non-human actors. Within the framework of ANT, ecological restoration governance can take good care of both people and nature. To the best of our knowledge, the actor-network theory has not been used to analyze ecological restoration and land rehabilitation in mining areas. In this paper, the Lizuizi Coal Mine in Huainan of China is taken as a research object. By using the actor-network theory, we analyze the stability of the actor network and governance problems in different stages of ecological restoration of Lizuizi Coal Mine. It is concluded that the participation of the residents in ecological restoration is insufficient, and should be improved. Suggestions are provided accordingly. Our paper provides a theory basis for ecological construction in other ecologically damaged areas and resource-based cities. Further in-depth studies are necessary to strengthen the participation of social forces and the bundling collection of interests in governance.

Environmental impact studies often involve monitoring and using bioindicators to evaluate the restoration stage of impacted areas. We aimed to assess ant assemblages’ response to the ecological succession of previously disturbed areas in the Brazilian Amazon. We sampled epigeic ant assemblages in five bauxite mining areas, representing different restoration stages, and compared them with two pristine areas. We also compared trends in species richness at the same mine site investigated 14 years earlier. Ten pitfall traps and four Winkler samples of litter were taken along a 100-m transect in each area. We expected that ant species richness would increase with the amelioration in habitat condition (i.e., environmental surrogates of ecological succession, including litter depth, soil penetrability, the circumference of trees, the distance of trees to adjacent trees, and percentage of ground cover). We also compared the efficacy of both sampling methods. Due to more significant sampling effort, pitfall traps captured more ant species than Winkler sacks. However, Winkler samples’ addition allowed the collection of more cryptic species than by pitfall traps alone. We sampled a total of 129 ant species, with increases in ant species richness in more mature rehabilitation. Nevertheless, similarity analysis indicated a significant difference between ant assemblages of rehabilitated areas and pristine ones. Assemblages differed mainly by the presence of specialist and rare species, found only in pristine plots. Rehabilitated areas exhibited a significant increase in tree circumference as they reached more ecologically advanced stages, which contributed to increasing ant species richness. These trends and comparison with the earlier study indicate that although there are favorable increases in ant species richness, in terms of species composition, rehabilitated areas were far from achieving an ant assemblage composition or environmental status that closely resembles pristine areas.

Salinity is one of the main abiotic stresses limiting plant growth and development. However, the use of salt-tolerant plants combined with beneficial soil microorganisms could improve the effectiveness of biological methods for saline soil recovery. The aim of this study is to identify the Casuarina obesa/ Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)/Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) association that could be used in salt-land rehabilitation programs. Thus, the plants were grown under greenhouse on sandy soil, inoculated either with PGPR (Pantoea agglomerans and Bacillus sp.), or with AMF (Rhizophagus fasciculatus and Rhizophagus aggregatum) or co inoculated with PGPR and AMF and watered with a saline solution (0, 150, and 300 mM). After 4 months of cultivation, the plants were harvested and the results obtained showed that inoculation improves the survival rate, height and biomass of the plants compared to the control plants. The results also showed that inoculation increases the total amount of chlorophyll and the accumulation of plant proline at all levels of salt concentration. However, P. agglomerans and Bacillus sp. strains alone or in combination with R. fasciculatus increased plant growth. This study showed that these strains of PGPR, whether or not associated with AMF, could be biological tools to improve C. obesa performance under saline stress conditions.

A major challenge in post-mining land use planning is identifying areas of consensus among engaged stakeholders about major concerns and suitable post-mining land use and land management. This paper takes as an example, the Bowen Basin, a major coal-mining region in Australia where several mines are approaching closure stages but consensus on post-mining land use in this region is yet to be established. This paper examines the use of workshop processes to generate consensus among different stakeholder interests about priority issues and acceptable post-mining land use(s) in this region. Four decision-making workshops about post-mining land use were used in this study. Results show that facilitated group workshop processes involving diverse stakeholders could lead to a broad consensus about key options for future land uses at an individual site level; and also lead to the identification of the factors relevant to land-use decisions to be considered for each case study. These findings guide mining companies and government regulators about why and how to involve local and regional stakeholders in post-mining land-use decisions, and the extent to which group processes can lead to convergence of diverse interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Land rehabilitation; Ecosystem restoration; land degradation neutrality; SDGs; Soil restoration EN Land rehabilitation Ecosystem restoration land degradation neutrality SDGs Soil restoration 3 6 4 01/08/21 20210101 NES 210101 Widespread degradation is impacting land around the globe as a consequence of intense anthropogenic pressures and accelerated changes in climate. These areas are seriously affected by climate change and land degradation impacts (Berdugo et al., 2020) with ecosystems facing serious threats such as long periods of drought, unpredictability of rainfall, and intense use of the land. Some countries like China are currently tackling extensive land degradation caused by agricultural pollution and rely on indicators to assess the sustainability of agricultural remediation. Land rehabilitation, Ecosystem restoration, land degradation neutrality, SDGs, Soil restoration. [Extracted from the article]

Indonesia has the second-largest biodiversity of any country in the world. Deforestation and forest degradation have caused a range of environmental issues, including habitat degradation and loss of biodiversity, deterioration of water quality and quantity, air pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Forest restoration at the landscape level has been conducted to balance ecological integrity and human well-being. Forest restoration efforts are also aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and are closely related to Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) from the forestry sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the regulatory, institutional, and policy aspects of forest restoration in Indonesia, as well as the implementation of forest restoration activities in the country. The article was written using a synoptic review approach to Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR)-related articles and national experiences. Failures, success stories, and criteria and indicators for forest restoration success are all discussed. We also discuss the latest silvicultural techniques for the success of the forest restoration program. Restoration governance in Indonesia has focused on the wetland ecosystem such as peatlands and mangroves, but due to the severely degraded condition of many forests, the government has by necessity opted for active restoration involving the planting and establishment of livelihood options. The government has adapted its restoration approach from the early focus on ecological restoration to more forest landscape restoration, which recognizes that involving the local community in restoration activities is critical for the success of forest restoration.

Coal mining activities have a negative impact on the ecosystem and lead to the disruption of the environment due to waste disposal containing a high concentration of Fe and Mn. In addressing the problem, the biological reclamation approaches using LCC (Legume Cover Crop) is performed to anticipate the acidic condition of soil pH and high concentration of Fe and Mn. This study aimed to determine the effect of a combination of several types of LCCs, i.e., Centrosema pubescens, Calopogonium mucunoides and Pueraria javanica in combination with Bokashi fertilizers application for improving soil chemical properties and the efficiency of Fe and Mn uptake. The results showed that the combination of LCC and bokashi fertilizers had a significant impact on raising soil C-Organic, P and K along with the increasing of Fe and Mn uptake. Pueraria javanica had the highest value of BCF (BioConcentration Factor) of Fe and Mn uptake at the level of 0.72, and 0.56 %, respectively and this crop is more potential crop as phytoremediator than Centrosema pubescens and Calopogonium mucunoides. Canonical Variate Analysis could distinguish the position and distance among the treatments based on selected parameters.

Due to its very rich and varied geological heritage, the Moroccan subsoil contains many mining deposits that are subject to large-scale exploitation and extraction (mainly phosphates, base metals and precious metals) assigning to this sector an important role in the country's economic development. However, the exploitation of these mineral resources can present serious negative influence on the environment. Indeed, mining activities can disrupt natural environments in several ways, e.g. by altering landscapes, depositing large amounts of hazardous tailings and discharging polluted liquid and atmospheric effluents. Thus, it causes significant environmental damage with negative impacts on air, water and soil quality as well as the loss of biodiversity. Growing concerns about the consequences of mining activities, particularly mining waste, have led many researchers to assess the extent of the environmental damage they have caused. This review summarizes the most important research finding published on the environmental impact assessment of mining industries. Particular attention is paid to some metal ore mines, mainly abandoned ones, occurring across Morocco. The results of the environmental assessments have shown that the abandoned tailings dumps have caused severe contamination of the environment and its compartments. However, the major impact was observed in soils around the mining zones. Thus, particularly in sulphide-rich mines, such as Kettara, Draâ Lasfar, Ouixane, Axara and Sétolazar mines, the tailings with high acid-generating potential have led to a significant pH level decrease (down to pH 2) and to a severe metal contamination of soils. In many affected areas, toxic metal concentrations exceed standard levels admitted for agricultural soils (1.5 mg of Cd kg-1, 300 mg of Cu kg-1, 150 mg of Pb kg-1 and 300 mg of Zn kg-1). Currently, this pollution continues to spread through these sites to the environment due to the lack of proper remediation of these mining lands. The persistence of this situation, therefore, poses a risk not only to the environment but also to the health and safety of the local population living near these sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation resulting from soil salinization is becoming a growing menace in almost all over the world. The degraded soil shows poor performance in water conductance and soil aeration, which threatens plant growth and development. Therefore, to discover the resistance genes and breed plant with stress tolerance are necessary. The modern molecular biotechnology makes the plant with enhanced adaption possible. To do this, KvHSP70 with 1950 bp open reading frame (ORF) from Kosteletzkya virginica was isolated, studied, and transformed into tobacco for functional study. Our research showed that it encodes a typical HSP70 protein with 649 amino acids and it could be induced by salt, high temperature, drought, and abscisic acid (ABA). The transgenic tobacco with it overexpression had higher chlorophyll content, less electrolyte leakage, lower water potential and increased proline content under salt stress. Meanwhile, the transgenic acquired superior antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased MDA content. All results highlight the significance of the new found gene in breeding salt resistant plants with molecular manipulation. Hence, K. virginica provides us with helpful information and gene resources to culture new variety adapted to salt‐affected soil and available for land rehabilitation perhaps in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dunes along seashores are vulnerable ecosystems that contain special resources and provide important services. Most of them today suffer from trampling due to human recreational use, and rehabilitating them is urgent for the sake of coast safety and human welfare. We examine whether sowing an inland legume species is a feasible, effective method for fast rehabilitating degraded backshore dunes. The rehabilitation experiment was conducted from 2012 in the Shandong Peninsula, China, where Astragalus adsurgens, an inland legume species, was intensively sown within degraded dune systems. We surveyed the recovering plant communities in 2016 by 100 quadrats of 1 m2. We measured coverage‐weighted height of each species in these quadrats, and evaluated potential role of A. adsurgens in restoring such backshore dune systems. We found that A. adsurgens established and grew successfully, thus contributing much to dune rehabilitation, and that it exerted no significant negative effects on native plants. This species did not overgrow to achieve a too large niche width, presumably limited by its innate intolerance to seawater inundation. Sowing this inland legume species is believed to be feasible and effective for backshore dune rehabilitation, and the sowing in the long run cannot overturn distinctiveness of the original backshore vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the successful reclamation of coal post-mining land sites in Indonesia has been evaluated, no cost-benefit analysis has been carried out on the reclamation of mined land, and the impact of the reclamation work has not been determined. The results of this case study indicate that reclamation work is not an emission-free process, but that the benefits delivered from this work are considerable. It was found that the emissions involved at the coal mined reclamation in Indonesia were 25.4–26.6 t-CO2/ha, with topsoil management and land preparation contributing over 98% of the total emissions (9.5 t-CO2/ha and 16 t-CO2/ha, respectively). The ability of the trees on the reclaimed land to absorb CO2 emissions was calculated to be 26.4 t-CO2/ha, with the amount of oxygen produced calculated to be as much as 143 t-O2/ha of oxygen. The economic value of the ecosystem services delivered by reclamation was over USD 27,750/ha. This is higher than the USD 8642–9417/ha cost of establishing the reclamation work. Improvements to reclamation work could be designed mining and reclamation plans with attention paid to reducing fuel consumption, and therefore, reducing CO2 emissions. Furthermore, law enforcement and transparency, human resource development, and community participation are strongly required.

Forest and land fires can cause damage to forest ecosystems. Repeated fires cause the natural succession to be disrupted. Therefore, based on these problems, to improve the productivity of land after fires in Central Kalimantan, rehabilitation efforts needs to be done. This study aims to analyze the growth response of forestry plants in post-fire area with different soil types. This study consisted of six combinations of treatments namely controls (B0C1 and B0C2), treatment of dolomite, biochar, and compost (B1C1 and B1C2), and treatment of dolomite and NPK (B2C1 and B2C2) that planted randomized and rows Trees species were used in this research were Paraserianthes falcataria, Anthocephalus cadamba, Acacia mangium, and Campnosperma auriculata. Soil samples were also collected for analysis of soil physical and chemical properties on laboratory. This study showed that fertilization treatment significantly affected the increase of height and diameter of four trees species, while planting techniques (randomized and rows) did not significantly affected the increase of height and diameter of four trees species. Dolomite, biochar, and compost application significantly affected the increase of height and diameter of four trees species that planted randomized and rows (B1C1 and B1C2) in Podsol soil. Besides that, NPK and dolomite application significantly affected the increase of height and diameter of four trees species planted by randomized and rows (B2C1 and B2C2) in Acrisol soil. The fastest growth rate was A. mangium followed by P. falcataria, A. cadamba, and C. auriculata on Podsol and Acrisol soil. Based on the observations, P. falcataria, A. cadamba, A. mangium, and C. auriculata are recommended to be planted on both types of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Glasshouse trials show plant water use is optimum at a relative compaction of 77%. • A relative compaction of 77% is lower than currently recommended for phytocapping. • Relative compaction ranges >86% and <67% reduce plant water use by 20% or more. • Operationally-relevant specifications of 70–83% relative compaction are recommended. Abstract There is little experimental evidence to guide the design of substrate compaction for the optimal plant water use performance of a landfill phytocap. A glasshouse study was undertaken to address this with aim to evaluate the effect of substrate compaction on the water use of a phytocap plant community. Four levels of relative compaction (RC), i.e. the ratio of dry bulk density over the standard maximum dry bulk density, (72%, 77%, 82%, and 87%) were considered. The native tree and grass species selected were typical of an Australian phytocap plant community: Themeda triandra , Microlaena stipoides , Eucalyptus camaldulensis , Eucalyptus cladocalyx , Acacia mearnsii and Allocasuarina verticillata. Plant water use was measured by weight as the difference between planted and unplanted cores over 5 drying periods occurring through the first 6 months of plant establishment traversing winter, spring and summer. Plant water use was optimal for all species at low-intermediate RC (72%, 77% and 82%), and all species except Themeda triandra , were most negatively impacted by the highest RC of 87%. The best linear model based on Akaike's Information Criterion included a second-order term for the continuous fixed factor 'RC' and the categorical fixed factor 'species'. This model showed plant water use to be optimum at a RC of 76.5% and highlighted a wide range of RC's (70–83%), for which plant water use is not <90% of this optimum. It also highlighted increasing plant water use-sensitivity to RC's beyond these ranges, with a RC > 86% and a RC < 67% leading to reductions in plant water use of 20% or more. Substrate specifications are recommended to optimize phytocap plant water use within achievable RC ranges. These can be generalized beyond application to a single species or substrate texture to inform the design and quality assurance of substrate placement for future landfill phytocaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) efficiently eliminate over 98% of microplastics (MPs) from wastewater discharge, subsequently accumulating them in sludge. This sludge is frequently employed as fertilizer in agricultural practices or land rehabilitation. While there is significant research on biosolid application in agriculture, the discussion regarding its application in rehabilitating industrial zones and MPs contamination is limited. The current study investigates the abundance, distribution, and composition of MPs in rehabilitation land with long-term biosolid-application in Australia. Three minesite fields (designated 1–3), each with distinct biosolid application histories since 2011, 2012, and 2017, and a control field without any biosolid application history, were chosen for this study. The abundances of MPs in biosolid-applied fields 1–3 (6.04 ± 1.92 x 102 MP kg−1; 4.94 ± 0.73 x 102 MP kg−1; 2.48 ± 0.70 x 102 MP kg−1) were considerably higher compared to non-biosolid-applied field (0.70 ± 0.63 x 102 MP kg −1). This indicates that the application of biosolids significantly contributes to the presence of MPs in the soil. Moreover, the results suggest that with each successive application, the abundance of MPs increases. The abundance and size of MPs in both biosolid and non-biosolid soils decreased as the soil depth increased. Microbeads were dominant in soils where biosolids were applied (up to 61.9%), while fibres were dominant in non-biosolid soils (accounting for 85.7%). The distribution of plastic polymer types varied among fields and soil depths. Most MPs were microbeads of polyamide (PA), fragments of polyethylene (PE), foam of polystyrene (PS), and fibres of rayon. This research presents evidence that the extended utilization of biosolids results in elevated MP pollution in minesite rehabilitation land, highlighting a frequently overlooked origin of MP contamination in terrestrial settings. Additional evaluations needed to understand ecological risks of MPs in soil ecosystems affected by biosolid application. [Display omitted] • The abundance of microplastics (MPs) increased with repeated biosolids application. • The abundance and size of MPs decreased with increasing soil depth. • Microbeads were the most abundant type of MPs that were found. • Polymer types were more prevalent in soils where biosolids were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Re-Greening of the West African Sahel has attracted great interdisciplinary interest since it was originally detected in the mid-2000s. Studies have investigated vegetation patterns at regional scales using a time series of coarse resolution remote sensing analyses. Fewer have attempted to explain the processes behind these patterns at local scales. This research investigates bottom-up processes driving Sahelian greening in the northern Central Plateau of Burkina Faso—a region recognized as a greening hot spot. The objective was to understand the relationship between soil and water conservation (SWC) measures and the presence of trees through a comparative case study of three village terroirs, which have been the site of long-term human ecology fieldwork. Research specifically tests the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between SWC and tree cover. Methods include remote sensing of high-resolution satellite imagery and aerial photos; GIS procedures; and chi-square statistical tests. Results indicate that, across all sites, there is a significant association between SWC and trees (chi-square = 20.144, p ≤ 0.01). Decomposing this by site, however, points out that this is not uniform. Tree cover is strongly associated with SWC investments in only one village—the one with the most tree cover (chi-square = 39.098, p ≤ 0.01). This pilot study concludes that SWC promotes tree cover but this is heavily modified by local contexts.

The pore conditions of reconstructed soils can reflect the quality of rehabilitated soils. In this paper, high-resolution and non-destructive computed tomography (CT) images were used to conduct three-dimensional reconstruction of soil pore distribution by scanning soils from the Antaibao Opencast Coal-mine in the Pingshuo mining area, and multi-fractal theory was used to analyze the distribution characteristics of soil pores. The soils were taken from one unmined site, one unrehabilitated site and two rehabilitated sites. All of the unrehabilitated and rehabilitated sites were on the dump platforms using a loess parent material covering, and two rehabilitated sites had the rehabilitation time of 20 a and 23 a, respectively. The three-dimensional distribution of the reconstructed soil pores followed the multi-fractal theory, and the entropy dimension ( D 1 ), difference between capacity dimension minus entropy dimension ( D 0 -D 1 ), variation degree of generalized dimension spectra (Δ D ), width of singularity spectra (Δ α ) and symmetry of singularity spectra (Δ f ) can reflect different aspects of the soil pore distribution characteristics. Compared to unmined soils, the multi-fractal parameters of soil pore distribution ( D 1 , D 0 -D 1 , Δ D , Δ α and Δ f ) significantly decreased after mining and dumping, and soil micropores dominated with uniformity. However, D 1 , D 0 -D 1 , Δ D , Δ α and Δ f had significant increase during rehabilitation, and the pore conditions of rehabilitated soils were improved significantly with increasing rehabilitation time, increasing macropore ratio and becoming heterogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Cyanobacteria from biocrusts can enhance soil function and structure, a critical objective when restoring degraded dryland ecosystems. Large-scale restoration of biodiversity requires direct seeding of native plant species, and bio-priming seeds with cyanobacteria is a potential method of initiating enhanced soil functioning. The utility of cyanobacteria for improving soil is therefore dependent on whether target plant species remain unaffected during its application.Methods: Cyanobacteria from the genera Microcoleus and Nostoc were isolated from locally-sourced biocrust samples, and cultured under controlled conditions. A two-factor laboratory experiment was conducted including cyanobacteria and the culture growth medium (BG11) as factors. We bio-primed seeds of five species native to Western Australia, commonly used in dryland restoration, by soaking them in the cultures developed, and assessed germination and growth.Results: We found significant positive effects of seeds bio-primed with cyanobacteria on germination and seedling growth of two species, Senna notabilis and Acacia hilliana, respectively. Importantly, no significant negative effects of cyanobacteria were found for any of the species studied.Conclusions: Few studies of cyanobacteria effects on regeneration of native species exist. We found that the potential benefits of applying indigenous bacteria via bio-priming seeds would not inhibit plant establishment, and indeed may be beneficial for some species used in dryland restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller) is a xerophytic cactus species widely cultivated in arid and semiarid regions worldwide and used in rehabilitation programs of rangelands in Algeria since 1990. This study analyzed the diversity and functional traits of plant species established in prickly pear plantations growing under arid and semiarid climates. A 3-year plant assessment (2008-2010) was carried out using ecological descriptors (abundance, species richness, diversity indices, disturbance index, and Jaccard index) and plant functional traits (life forms, chorological types, dispersal types, Grime's, Noy-Meir's strategies, and morphological types). The results revealed 36 and 31 species in arid and semiarid rangelands, respectively, with remarkable dominance of therophytic (43.2%) and hemicryptophytic plants (41.1%) growing in the semiarid climatic zone. The Shannon and diversity index showed low values (0.93-1.84 in surveyed rangelands) with a maximum of 2.74 in 2009. The disturbance index ranged between 51% and 55% and the dispersion scheme of diaspores was dominated by anemochorous plants. The chorological analysis indicated that the study plants were oriented towards a Mediterranean pattern in the broad sense. The predominant adaptive strategies of Grime were ruderal-stresstolerant (RS), competitive-stress-tolerant (CS) and competitive-ruderals (CR), which were attached to the two strategies of Noy-Meir (aridopassives and aridoactives). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]