Search

Protected areas form the backbone of global conservation efforts. Vegetation is the primary foundation for achieving conservation goals, and soil seed banks is a cryptic biodiversity reservoir for recruiting species that may not be represented in above‐ground vegetation. Unfortunately, unmanaged grazing by wild herbivores has led to vegetation degradation in semi‐arid to arid regions. However, experimental evidence on the long‐term impacts of wild herbivores on soil seed banks is largely lacking.Here, with the aim of examining how wild herbivores impact soil seed banks, we investigated the composition of the germinable seed banks in three protected areas (Yathong, Mungo and Boolcoomatta) along a semi‐arid to arid precipitation gradient in south‐eastern Australia.The density and species richness of the soil seed banks increased with increasing aridity, which indicated that the soil seed banks in arid regions is an important biodiversity reservoir. The effects of wild herbivores on soil seed density were strongly dependent on precipitation. Wild herbivores disrupted the soil seed banks at the most arid site but promoted the accumulation of seeds in the soil at the least arid site. Grazing was linked to an increase in the frequency of the seeds of introduced species and decrease in the frequency of the seeds of perennials.Synthesis and applications: Disruption of the soil seed banks by the grazing of wild herbivores could lead to the failure of post‐rain pulses of vegetation growth and hamper efforts to restore vegetation in protected areas. Therefore, suppressing wild herbivore numbers is a strategy that could enhance soil seed bank reserves and revegetation efforts in arid protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the interrelationships among plant species, their ecological niches, and community stability by establishing and investigating long-term biodiversity monitoring plots. Understanding the succession patterns of these communities can provide a foundation for biodiversity conservation, forest resource management, and vegetation restoration in forest parks. A 1 hm² plot was selected within the broad-leaved forest in the Xin’anjiang Forest Park for dynamic monitoring. Based on their importance values, the study focused on the top 13 dominant woody species. Ecological niche widths (BS, BL) and niche overlap indices(Oik) were calculated. Statistical methods including variance ratio, Chi-square test χ2, Pearson’s coefficient of correlation, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient were used to analyze the relationship between species niche overlap indices and species associations. The study found no significant correlation between the ranking of importance values and niche breadths. Schima superba presented the highest importance value, followed by Quercus glauca, Castanopsis sclerophylla, and Lithocarpus glabra. These four species demonstrated a competitive edge in the community’ s resource dynamics, displaying a high degree of niche convergence among the dominant species. The collective linkage of the 13 dominant species demonstrated a marked positive correlation. The χ2 test results indicated strong relative independence among species, with only one species pair showing significant linkage, indicating loose connectivity. The Pearson correlation coefficient presented a significant level of 24. 4%, while the Spearman rank correlation coefficient showed that only 28. 2% of species pairs had significant linkage. The niche overlap index was positively correlated with species connectivity. In summary, the overall community was determined to be in a stable state and is currently progressing toward the mid-to-late stage of positive succession. It is recommended that appropriate thinning of denser stands, particularly of Castanopsis sclerophylla and Cunninghamia lanceolata, be conducted to promote the formation of a high-quality forest community while strictly protecting the current forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-elevation and cold regions have harsh natural conditions with low temperatures and intense ultraviolet radiation, which impede plant growth and maintenance. Therefore, soil and water conservation vegetation restoration models are of great significance. In this study, a site condition analysis was performed based on three main limiting factors, including climatic and meteorological, soil, and topographic and geomorphological factors, providing a basis for vegetation restoration. The study area was divided into different site types. After investigating the situation of nurseries distributed in places such as Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan, trees, shrubs, and grasses with ecological characteristics similar to those of the local vegetation, including strong stress resistance, good soil and water conservation benefits, and well-established artificial cultivation practices, were selected as alternative vegetation for late-stage planting of indigenous tree species. Combining the results of site condition analysis and site type classification, the configuration of trees, shrubs, and grasses for different off-site condition types and the corresponding greening methods are discussed, providing a scientific reference for ecological restoration in high-elevation and low-temperature regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative assessment of the impact of vegetation restoration on evapotranspiration and its components is of great significance in developing sustainable ecological restoration strategies for water resources in a given region. In this study, we used the Priestley-Taylor Jet Pro-pulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) to simulate the ET components in the Helong section (HLS) of the Yellow River basin. The effects of vegetation restoration on ET and its components, vegetation transpiration (Et), soil evaporation (Es), and canopy interception evaporation (Ei) were separated by manipulating model variables. Our findings are as follows: (1) The simulation results are compared with the ET calculated by water balance and the annual average ET of MODIS products. The R2 of the validation results are 0.61 and 0.78, respectively. The results show that the PT-JPL model tracks the change in ET in the HLS well. During 2000–2018, the ET, Ei, and Es increased at a rate of 1.33, 0.87, and 2.99 mm/a, respectively, while the Et decreased at a rate of 2.52 mm/a. (2) Vegetation restoration increased the annual ET in the region from 331.26 mm (vegetation-unchanged scenario) to 338.85 mm (vegetation change scenario) during the study period, an increase of 2.3%. (3) TMP (temperature) and VPD (vapor pressure deficit) were the dominant factors affecting ET changes in most areas of the HLS. In more than 37.2% of the HLS, TMP dominated the change affecting ET, and vapor pressure difference (VPD) dominated the area affecting ET in 30.5% of the HLS. Overall, the precipitation (PRE) and VPD were the main factors affecting ET changes. Compared with previous studies that directly explore the relationship between many influencing factors and ET results through correlation research methods, our study uses control variables to obtain results under two different scenarios and then performs difference analysis. This method can reduce the excessive interference of influencing factors other than vegetation changes on the research results. Our findings can provide strategic support for future water resource management and sustainable vegetation restoration in the HLS region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological sluices were constructed along the Tarim River to supplement the ecosystem's water supply. However, the impact of water regulation by these sluices on the surface water area (SWA) and its relationship with the vegetation response remain unclear. To increase the efficiency of ecological water use, it is crucial to study the response of SWA to water control by the ecological gates and its relationship with vegetation restoration. We utilized the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, which integrates Landsat-5/7/8 satellite imagery and employs methods such as automated waterbody extraction via mixed index rule sets, field investigation data, Sen + MK trend analysis, mutation analysis, and correlation analysis. Through these techniques, the spatiotemporal variations in SWA in the middle reaches of the Tarim River (MROTR) from 1990–2022 were analyzed, along with the relationships between these variations and vegetation restoration. From 1990–2022, the SWA in the MROTR showed an increasing trend, with an average annual growth rate of 12.47 km2 per year. After the implementation of ecological gates water regulations, the SWA significantly increased, with an average annual growth rate of 28.8 km2 per year, while the ineffective overflow within 8 km of the riverbank notably decreased. The NDVI in the MROTR exhibited an upward trend, with a significant increase in vegetation on the northern bank after ecological sluice water regulation. This intervention also mitigated the downward trend of the medium and high vegetation coverage types. The SWA showed a highly significant negative correlation with low-coverage vegetation within a 5-km range of the river channel in the same year and a significant positive correlation with high-coverage vegetation within a 15-km range. The lag effect of SWA influenced the growth of medium- and high-coverage vegetation. These findings demonstrated that the large increase in SWA induced by ecological gate water regulation positively impacted vegetation restoration. This study provides a scientific basis for water resource regulation and vegetation restoration in arid regions globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active vegetation restoration plays an important role in the improvement in soil organic matter (SOM), including the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) sequestration of degraded mining ecosystems. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the key drivers of SOM pool size and dynamics in active vegetation restoration. For this study, soil was collected from five different sites (Xiaoxian, Dingyuan, Chaohu, Tongling and Dongzhi), four habitats (platforms, slopes, steps and native areas) and two soil layers (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) in limestone mines of Anhui province to quantify the spatial distribution of SOM contents and their stoichiometric characteristics and influential factors. It was found that the top soil in Chaohu had the highest significant C, N and P contents in the ranges of 14.95–17.97, 1.74–2.21 and 0.80–1.24 g/kg, respectively. Comparing the stoichiometric ratios of the different sites revealed significant differences in C:N and N:P ratios, but C:P ratios were relatively consistent. In particular, the C:N and C:P ratios in deep soil were higher than those in top soil, whereas the N:P ratio in deep soil was lower than that in top soil, suggesting that soil N is a major limiting factor in the top soil. The SOM content did not differ significantly between the three reclaimed habitats, but was significantly higher than that in the native habitat, suggesting that mine restoration has significantly enhanced SOM accumulation. Further analysis showed that nutrient availability and enzyme activity are important factors affecting soil C, N and P content in top soil, while the relationship gradually weakens in deep soil. This was attributed to active anthropogenic management and conservation measures during the early stages of reclamation. This study shows that the ecological recovery of the mining area can be enhanced by implementing differentiated vegetation planting strategies and anthropogenic management on different habitats in the mining area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Grain for Green Project (GGP) is a major national initiative aimed at ecological improvement and vegetation restoration in China, achieving substantial ecological and socio-economic benefits. Nevertheless, research on vegetation cover trends and the long-term restoration efficacy of the GGP in the Loess Plateau remains limited. This study examines the temporal–spatial evolution and sustainability of vegetation cover in this region, using NDVI data from Landsat (2000–2022) with medium-high spatial resolution. The analytical methods involve Sen's slope, Mann–Kendall non-parametric test, and Hurst exponent to assess trends and forecast sustainability. The findings reveal that between 2000 and 2022, vegetation coverage in the Loess Plateau increased by an average of 0.86% per year (p < 0.01), marked by high vegetation cover expansion (173 × 103 km2, 26.49%) and low vegetation cover reduction (149 × 103 km2, 22.83%). The spatial pattern exhibited a northwest-to-southeast gradient, with a transition from low to high coverage levels, reflecting a persistent increase in high vegetation cover and decrease in low vegetation cover. Approximately 93% of the vegetation cover in the Loess Plateau showed significant improvement, while 5% (approximately 31 × 103 km2) displayed a degradation trend, mainly in the urbanized and Yellow River Basin regions. Projections suggest that 90% of vegetation cover will continue to improve. In GGP-targeted areas, high and medium-high levels of vegetation cover increased significantly at rates of 0.456 ×103 km2/year and 0.304 × 103 km2/year, respectively, with approximately 75% of vegetation cover levels exhibiting positive trends. This study reveals the effectiveness of the GGP in promoting vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau, offering valuable insights for vegetation recovery research and policy implementation in other ecologically fragile regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation restoration plays a crucial role in conserving soil and water, as well as rehabilitating ecosystems, by enhancing soil properties and vegetation attributes. The evaluation of the ecological consequences among different vegetation restoration types can be achieved by clarifying the impacts on carbon, water and nutrient storages. In this study, we selected four typical vegetation restoration types (Pinus tabuliformis forest (PTF), Platycladus orientalis forest (POF) and Robinia pseudoacacia forest (RPF) as typical planted forests, and the natural secondary forest (NSF) as the control treatment) in the eastern Loess Plateau of China. The soil properties (at 0–200 cm depth) and vegetation attributes (including arborous, shrubs and herbaceous plants) were measured, as well as calculated soil carbon, water and nutrient storages, with a total of 1600 soil samples and 180 vegetation survey plots. The partial redundancy analysis (pRDA) and correlation analysis were also used to analyze the contributions and relationships among environmental factors, soil eco-hydrology and nutrient supplement services in different forestry ecosystems. The results indicate the following: (1) NSF has the lowest soil bulk density (1.21 ± 0.184 g·cm−3). Soil properties varied significantly at vertical scales, and had obvious surface accumulation. (2) Soil moisture storages were better in natural forests than those in planted forests, with more drastic changes in soil moisture dynamics. (3) The soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storages significantly differed among four vegetation types, with the highest carbon storages in PTF (207.75 ± 0.674 t·ha−1), the highest nitrogen storages in POF (5.54 t·ha−1), and the highest phosphorus storages in RPF (4.33 t·ha−1), respectively. (4) Soil carbon storages depend primarily on the coupling effect of soil properties and precipitation, while nutrient storage is mainly influenced by soil properties. The results quantify the significant differences in soil water, carbon, and nutrient storage across various vegetation restoration types, and reveal the individual and combined contributions of environmental factors, providing new insights into the mechanisms driving these differences. These findings offer practical guidance for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems and the optimization of ecological restoration strategies on the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bulianta Coal Mine is among the problematic coal mining areas in China that is still creating environmental damage, especially associated with soil destruction. Therefore, a scientific investigation was conducted to establish a scientific basis for evaluating the impact of planted forest on soil physical and chemical properties, as well as the ecological benefits following 15 years of vegetation restoration in the area. The soil physicochemical characteristics and distribution of organic carbon storage in the 0–80 cm layer soils of Pinus sylvestris forests, Prunus sibirica forests, and Hippophae rhamnoides forests restored after 5, 10, and 15 years were investigated. The immersion method was used to determine soil porosity and density followed by the determination of soil indicators, and a statistical ANOVA test was applied to examine the differential effects of different vegetation types and restoration years on soil properties. The results clearly demonstrated the following: (1) The recovery of vegetation was achieved after a period of 15 years, with the average bulk density of the 0–80 cm soil layer as follows: P. sylvestris forest (1.513 g·cm−3) > P. sibirica forest (1.272 g·cm−3) > H. rhamnoides forest (1.224 g·cm−3), and the differences among different forest types were statistically significant (p < 0.05). (2) In planted forests, soil nutrients were predominantly concentrated in the 0–20 cm layer, while soil carbon storage exhibited a decline with an increasing soil depth. (3) The soil carbon storage across the three forest types was as follows: P. sylvestris forest (45.42 t·hm−2) > P. sibirica forest (44.56 t·hm−2) > H. rhamnoides forest (41.87 t·hm−2). In summary, during the ecological vegetation restoration process in the Bulianta Core Mine, both P. sylvestris forest and P. sibirica forest exhibit superior carbon storage capacities compared to H. rhamnoides forest, as well as more effective soil improvement outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate climate and surface composition of the wind‐water erosion crisscross region create a distinctive environment for erosion and sediment production. However, research on the hydrological characteristics and responses to vegetation restoration in this area is limited. This study focuses on a representative catchment (3253 km2) in the northern Loess Plateau of China, examining the streamflow and sediment transport dynamics before (P1: 1977–1988) and after (P2: 2006–2017) vegetation restoration. Our results show that streamflow is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, while sediment transport is highly concentrated over a few days during the wet season. Flood events account for the majority of sediment yield, contributing over 70% in both periods, with hyperconcentrated flows (SSCp ≥ 300 kg m−3) being particularly significant. Vegetation restoration has resulted in an 85% reduction in annual sediment yield and an 89% decrease in the frequency of hyperconcentrated flood events. Despite these reductions, hyperconcentrated floods remain the dominant sediment transport mechanism, with just 9.7% of events in P2 responsible for nearly half of the sediment transported. Analyses of effective sediment transport discharge and sediment rating curves indicate a higher discharge threshold for hyperconcentrated floods post‐vegetation restoration, leading to a greater sediment transport magnitude in P2. Hysteresis analysis shows a predominant counter‐clockwise pattern in both periods, driven by abundant sediment sources and the high transport capacity of hyperconcentrated floods. Vegetation restoration has reduced the availability of sediment for transport, resulting in more linear relationships and decreased complexity in hysteresis patterns. Under future scenarios of intensified climate extremes, this region remains at high risk of erosion and sediment yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study is aiming to evaluate the dynamic evolution of soil microstructure stability during vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau. Methods］ Soil samples from four stages of vegetation succession in the Ziwuling forest region were examined. Utilizing the amplitude sweep test method. soil shear strength and viscoelastic parameters were assessed under various matric potentials ((), --3 and 一10 kPa). Correlation analyses between these parameters and soil physicochemical properties were conducted. Results］ (1) Soil shear strength and viscoelasticity exhibited an increasing trend with advancing vegetation succession stages. attributed primarily to the increasing of soil organic carbon. exchangeable Ca'+ and sand content, along with reduced Na+ during vegetation recovery. This augmentation contributed to enhanced interparticle adhesion and frictional forces. (2) The soil shear strength parameter in creased with the decreasing of matric potential. Under low matric potential conditions. there was no significant correlation between soil shear strength parameters (G'i.ve、tn and t„u,x) and exchangeable Ca'+ and sand content. Under high matric potential conditions, soil shear strength parameters showed a significant positive correlation with exchangeable CaJ+ (p<().()5): while lve, rYj>, and G'yf exhibited significant positive correlations with sand content. (3) Soil viscoelastic parameters (7yj> and/z) showed a decreasing trend with declining matric potential. Particularly, under high matric potential conditions, these parameters exhibited a positive correlation with organic carbon content, which gradually attenuated with the decreasing of matrix potentiaL Viscoelastic parameters were negatively correlated with clay content under different matric potentials. (4) The overall mechanical stability of soil was positively correlated with soil Ca2+ at () kPa, negatively correlated with soil silt and K+ content at 一3 kPa, and positively correlated with clay content at 一1() kPa. _Conclusion] The changes and influencing mechanism of soil mechanical stability under different vegetation types and different matric potentials were revealed, which provided an important basis for understanding the evolution of soil characteristics in the process of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau, and also provided theoretical support for soil protection and ecological restoration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in vegetation coverage resulting from the implementation of the Grain for Green Project (GFGP) on the Loess Plateau (LP) in China has sparked debates on how the GFGP affects the water cycle, due to the limited understanding of the interaction between land cover and the atmosphere. This study investigated spatiotemporal changes in atmospheric water vapor (WV) from 1979 to 2022 using ERA5 dataset and quantified the impacts of the GFGP on the WV budget on the LP through numerical simulations with the Community Earth System Model. The analysis of ERA5 data revealed an increase in WV content (WVC) after the implementation of the GFGP (2000–2022) compared to the pre-program period (1979–1999). This increase was primarily attributed to a greater reduction in WV outflow at the eastern boundary than the reduction in inflow at the western boundary, resulting in greater WV retention. Our sensitivity simulation experiments indicated that the GFGP had positive effects on WVC, with evident increases in the lower atmosphere (700–1000 hPa). The GFGP increased WV inflows at the southern and western boundaries by 3.84 × 104 kg·s-1·m-1, while WV outflows at the eastern and northern boundaries also increased by 1.40 × 104 kg·s-1·m-1, leading to a net WV input in the low atmospheric layer due to higher inflows than outflows. These findings suggested that although the GFGP positively impacted WV, the observed post-2000 WV increase cannot be solely attributed to the GFGP, indicating that changes in atmospheric circulation patterns under climate change also play an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The planting of mangroves is extensively used to control the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetlands. Different plant species release diverse sets of small organic compounds that affect rhizosphere conditions and support high levels of microbial activity. The root-associated microbial community is crucial for plant health and soil nutrient cycling, and for maintaining the stability of the wetland ecosystem. Methods: High-throughput sequencing was used to assess the structure and function of the soil bacterial communities in mudflat soil and in the rhizosphere soils of S. alterniflora, mangroves, and native plants in the Oujiang estuarine wetland, China. A distance-based redundancy analysis (based on Bray–Curtis metrics) was used to identify key soil factors driving bacterial community structure. Results: S. alterniflora invasion and subsequent mangrove afforestation led to the formation of distinct bacterial communities. The main soil factors driving the structure of bacterial communities were electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (AK), available phosphorus (AP), and organic matter (OM). S. alterniflora obviously increased EC, OM, available nitrogen (AN), and NO3−-N contents, and consequently attracted copiotrophic Bacteroidates to conduct invasion in the coastal areas. Mangroves, especially Kandelia obovata, were suitable pioneer species for restoration and recruited beneficial Desulfobacterota and Bacilli to the rhizosphere. These conditions ultimately increased the contents of AP, available sulfur (AS), and AN in soil. The native plant species Carex scabrifolia and Suaeda glauca affected coastal saline soil primarily by decreasing the EC, rather than by increasing nutrient contents. The predicted functions of bacterial communities in rhizosphere soils were related to active catabolism, whereas those of the bacterial community in mudflat soil were related to synthesis and resistance to environmental factors. Conclusions: Ecological restoration using K. obovata has effectively improved a degraded coastal wetland mainly through increasing phosphorus availability and promoting the succession of the microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understory vegetation constitutes an essential component of the ecosystem within the coal mining area, disclosing the correlation between plant species composition and soil properties throughout the multi-year restoration process, and offering a theoretical framework for ecological restoration and reconstruction in the northwest wind-blown sand mining area. We investigated the coupling and coordination degree between the composition of understory vegetation and soil in Pinus sylvestris forests, Hippophae rhamnoides forests, and Prunus sibirica forests at different restoration stages (5 years, 10 years, 15 years) using field survey methods and indoor separation techniques. The results clearly indicate that: (1) After 15 years of recovery, a total of 32 species of herbs appeared in different plantations, belonging to 8 families and 21 genera, of which Artemisia scoparia had the highest importance value (42.85); (2) Significant differences were observed in herb diversity, soil physicochemical properties, and their relationships among different plantations (p < 0.05); (3) The vegetation–soil coupling coordination index of the plantations was as follows: P. sibirica forest (0.5111) > P. sylvestris forest (0.5069) > H. rhamnoides forest (0.4932). The vegetation status of the H. rhamnoides forest is a state of vegetation lagging development type of intermediate-level coordinated development, while the vegetation status of the P. sibirica forest and the P. sylvestris forest is barely harmonious. The status of the P. sibirica forest and P. sylvestris forest is better than that of H. rhamnoides forests. It is essential to enhance the management measures implemented in the Bulianta mine area. Appropriate tending, particularly the regulation of soil nutrients, might be more conducive to the restoration of vegetation and the improvement of forest ecosystem services in the mining area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fenced enclosures, a proven strategy for restoring degraded grassland, have been widely implemented. However, recent climate trends of warming and drying, accompanied by increased extreme rainfall, have heightened soil erosion risks. It is crucial to assess the long-term effectiveness of fenced enclosures on grassland restoration and their impact on soil physicochemical properties and water infiltration capacity. This study investigated the effects of enclosure duration on soil organic matter, aggregate composition and stability, and infiltration capacity in Yunwu Mountain Grassland Nature Reserve, comparing grasslands with enclosure durations of 2, 14, 30, and 39 years. Results showed that grasslands enclosed for 14, 30, and 39 years had infiltration rates increased by 20.66%, 152.03%, and 61.19%, respectively, compared to those enclosed for only 2 years. After 30 years of enclosure, soil quality reached its optimum, with the highest root biomass, soil organic matter, aggregate stability, and a notably superior infiltration rate. The findings suggest that long-term fenced enclosures facilitate grassland vegetation restoration and enhance soil infiltration capacity, with the most significant improvement observed at the 30-year enclosure milestone, followed by a gradual decline in this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the context of the large-scale management of the Loess Plateau and efforts to reduce water and sediment in the Yellow River, this study focuses on a typical watershed within the Loess Plateau. The potential for vegetation restoration in the Kuye River Basin is estimated based on the assumption that vegetation cover should be relatively uniform under similar habitat conditions. The potential for terrace restoration is assessed through an analysis of topographic features and soil layer thickness, while the potential for silt dam construction is evaluated by considering various hydrological and geomorphological factors. Based on these assessments, the overall potential for soil erosion control in the watershed is synthesized, providing a comprehensive understanding of target areas for ecological restoration within the Kuye River Basin. The study demonstrates that the areas with the greatest potential for vegetation restoration in the Kuye River Basin are concentrated in the upper and middle reaches of the basin, which are in closer proximity to the river. The total potential for terracing is 1013.85 km2, which is primarily distributed across the river terraces, farmlands, and gentle slopes on both sides of the riverbanks. Additionally, the potential for the construction of check dams is 14,390 units. The target areas for terracing measures in the Kuye River Basin are primarily situated in the middle and lower reaches of the basin, which are in closer proximity to the river. Conversely, the target areas for forest, grass, and check dams, as well as other small watershed integrated management measures, are predominantly located in the hill and gully areas on the eastern and southern sides of the basin. The implementation of the gradual ecological construction of the watershed, based on the aforementioned objectives, will facilitate the protection, improvement, and rational utilization of soil, water, and other natural resources within the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Different vegetation restoration methods have improved soil quality to varying degrees. This study, focused on the forest–grassland–desert transition zone in the Hebei–Inner Mongolia border region, and employed a systematic grid sampling method to establish fixed monitoring plots in the Saihanba Mechanized Forest Farm and the Ulan Buh Grassland. The differences in soil quality evolution across various vegetation restoration methods under the same climatic and soil historical conditions were analyzed, elucidating the roles of these vegetation restoration methods in degraded forest ecosystems, with the aim of providing a reference for ecological restoration under similar land conditions. This study used a grid method to establish sample points in the forest–grassland–desert transitional zone and assessed five methods of vegetation restoration sites: artificial forest composed of native species of Larix principis-rupprechtii (FL), artificial forest composed of exotic Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (FP), natural secondary broad-leaved forest (FN), open grassland (GO), and enclosed grassland (GC). The differences in soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen (AN), rapidly available phosphorus (AP) and rapidly available potassium (AK) among the different vegetation restoration sites were compared via variance analysis, and the soil quality index (SQI) was calculated to assess the soil quality at the sample points. The SOC, TN, and AN contents of forest soil were significantly greater than those of grassland, and the TN, TP, AN, AK, and SOC contents of FL, FN, and GC were significantly greater than those of FP and GO. Among them, the TN, TP, and SOC contents were the highest in the FL, reaching 2.74, 0.39, and 47.27 g kg−1, respectively. In terms of ecological stoichiometric characteristics, the average N:P ratio in the study area was 6.68, indicating a serious lack of N in the study area. Among the different types of restoration sites, the effect was stronger in the FP than in the FL, and the TN and AN contents were only 1.48 g kg−1 and 116.69 mg kg−1, respectively. The SQI in the FL was not significantly different from that in the FN or GC, but it was significantly greater than that in the FP and GO. These findings indicate that native tree species restoration in degraded forest ecosystems significantly improved soil quality, while the introduction of exotic tree species for afforestation had a minimal effect on improving soil quality.

Understanding the mechanisms and patterns of runoff generation in watersheds is fundamental to building hydrological and soil erosion models. It also provides important guidance for watershed water resources management and rational utilization. In order to reveal the in- fluence of vegetation restoration on the runoff production mechanism and model of the Loess Plateau, the Dongzhuanggou watershed, which is dominated by natural grassland restoration, and the Yangjiagou watershed, which is dominated by afforestation restorationin in the gullied loess plateaus were taken as research areas. The flood process lines and regression curves of two contrasting small catchments under different rainfall types were analyzed, and the change of runoff production pattern in the gullied region of loess plateau under vegetation restoration was studied. The results indicate that with the restoration of the watershed's vegetation and its eco-hydrological functions in these small water- sheds, annual runoff generation capacity decreases, while water retention capacity increases. Vegetation restoration effectively reduces peak flow and prolongs flood duration, especially the recession period of the flood, thereby achieving the effect of flood mitigation. Under the influence of vegetation restoration, the runoff generation pattern tends to shift from the traditional infiltration-excess runoff pattern to a shallow sub- surface saturation runoff pattern. This change demonstrates that vegetation restoration can effectively mitigate floods and thus play a significant role in flood control and disaster reduction. Additionally, it can efficiently transform generalized precipitation resources into soil water and interflow, regulate the seasonal distribution of streamflow, increase ecological water use, and promote the healthy and stable development of vegetation ecosystems in semi-arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for the global carbon cycle and serves as a key indicator of soil quality and eco-system function. In Karst areas, SOC stability is influenced by unique geological conditions. Studying SOC stability in these regions is significant for understanding regional ecosystem functions and the role of SOC in mitigating global climate change. This review examines the fractions and stability of SOC in Karst areas, analyzing the impacts of key factors such as rocky desertification, land use changes, and vegetation restoration on SOC stability, along with their underlying mechanisms. It also discusses the current challenges and opportunities in SOC stability. This review aims to guide the development of effective ecological rehabilitation and management strategies for degraded ecosystems in Karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal saline soils are an important soil resource that, when restored, can enhance arable land and preserve the natural ecology. With the aim of improving the use of coastal saline soils, we conducted a spot survey at Bohai coastal saline land to investigate the differences in soil properties between different vegetation types. The soil physical and chemical properties of various vegetation types, including Aeluropus sinensis, Imperata cylindrica, Tamarix chinensis, Lycium chinense, Hibiscus moscheutos, Helianthus annuus, Gossypium hirsutum, and Zea mays, were examined at two depth layers: 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm, and in two seasons, spring and autumn. The soil properties were compared with bare land as a control. The results indicated that the electrical conductivity, total soil salt content, sodium adsorption ratio, and bulk density of soils with vegetation cover were lower than those with bare land. On the other hand, soil pH, organic matter content, mean weight diameter, and saturated hydraulic conductivity were higher. The redundancy analysis results revealed a substantial positive correlation between soil pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water content, mean weight diameter, and organic matter content, as well as a significant positive correlation between soil electrical conductivity, total soil salt content, sodium adsorption ratio, and bulk density. Soil pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water content, mean weight diameter, organic matter content, and soil electrical conductivity, total soil salt content, sodium adsorption ratio, and bulk density were negatively correlated. The results of the structural equation model and variance decomposition showed that soil organic matter and bulk density were the key factors affecting the degree of soil salinization, and compared with their independent effects, their combined effect on soil salinization was greater. This study's conclusions can provide a point of reference for further research on the mechanisms of soil improvement and desalinization in coastal saline land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Soil iron (Fe)‐associated carbon (C) (Fe‐OC) plays a vital role in the soil C cycle due to its high stability, but vegetation restoration might alter the composition and quantity of Fe‐OC by introducing a large amount of plant‐derived C and affecting soil properties. However, how vegetation restoration affects soil Fe‐OC remains unclear. Herein, plant and topsoil samples from grasslands, shrublands, and forestlands across three soil types (loam, loess, and sandy soil) since cropland conversions were collected to address this issue. The results showed soil Fe‐OC content decreased in loam soil but increased in loess and sandy soil following vegetation restoration. Additionally, the Fe‐OC accumulation efficiency induced by vegetation restoration increased with the coarser soil texture. Vegetation restoration promoted the accumulation of Fe‐OC by increasing soil microbial biomass C, dissolved organic C, aromatic‐C, and citric acid, but also disrupted the combination of Fe oxides and C by introducing oxalic acid, reducing Fe oxide content and iron trivalent (Fe(III)). There were two‐sided effects of vegetation restoration on Fe‐OC, but the overall effect depends on the soil types. Moreover, isotopic evidence indicated that microbial source C is the main source of Fe‐OC, but Fe oxides preferentially adsorbed dissolved organic matter (DOM) and root deposits from plants rather than microbial residues and metabolites following vegetation restoration. In addition, Fe oxides preferentially adsorbed aromatic‐C compared to other functional group components. These findings indicated that vegetation restoration in coarser‐texture soils, coupled with selecting species that increase soil microbial biomass, produce more root deposits, and enhance DOM, contribute to the accumulation of soil Fe‐OC. Plain Language Summary: Iron (Fe)‐associated carbon (C) (Fe‐OC), formed by the combination of organic C and Fe oxides, plays a significant role in soil C cycling. However, the changes in soil Fe‐OC and their underlying mechanisms following vegetation restoration remain unclear. This gap hinders our understanding of soil C cycling and our ability to protect this important C pool. Here, croplands, grasslands, shrublands, and forestlands across three soil types (loam, loess, and sandy soil) were selected to address this issue. All three vegetation types had undergone 20 years of restoration from croplands. We found that soil Fe‐OC content decreased in loam soil but increased in loess and sandy soils after vegetation restoration. Furthermore, the effects of vegetation restoration on Fe‐OC accumulation and depletion were observed across all three soil types, but the overall effect varied depending on the soil type. Additionally, microbial‐derived C was identified as the primary source of Fe‐OC during vegetation restoration, while Fe oxides preferentially adsorbed plant‐derived dissolved organic matter and root deposits. These results deepen our understanding of soil C cycling and emphasize the potential for enhancing this stable C pool through human intervention. Key Points: Vegetation restoration has a two‐sided effect on Fe‐OC, and the overall effect depends on soil typeMicrobial‐derived C is the main source of Fe‐OC during vegetation restorationFe oxide preferentially adsorbs dissolved organic matter and root exudates from plants compared to microbial‐derived C [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the problem of ecosystem degradation caused by human activities has become increasingly serious. Vegetation restoration is a key means to solve this problem, which has increased. To address the suitability and structural optimization of vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau (China), the MaxEnt model was used to quantify the impacts of environmental and human activities on the planting suitability of vegetation restoration species at the raster scale. Three layers of trees, shrubs, and herbs with 12 common vegetation restoration species were selected. The factor index system was constructed by combining climatic, ecological, and socio-economic data, and the MaxEnt model predicted land suitability. It was found that human activities significantly increased the unsuitable planting area. This especially affected Robinia pseudoacacia in the tree layer and Amorpha fruticosa in the shrub layer. High and medium suitable areas were mainly sparsely populated areas with close water sources. Through maximum suitability optimization, it was identified that the overall spatial distribution of the three layers in the study area was relatively consistent, and the structural dominance of trees + shrubs + herbs and single herbs in the vertical structure was obvious; these were concentrated in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the study area, respectively. In addition, organic content (OC) and distance from the road to woodland (RW) were the dominant factors affecting land suitability, with a contribution rate of more than 50% and up to 80%. These results provide a scientific basis for optimizing planting structures. They are of significant theoretical and practical significance in guiding vegetation restoration work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding the effects of short-term artificial revegetation on preventing soil degradation in erosion gullies of black soil areas is essential to choosing the most suitable species of vegetation for controlling the development of erosion gullies. A field experiment with short-term artificial revegetation with herbaceous species (Medicago sativa L., Glycyrrhiza pallidiflora Maxim., Elytrigia repens (L.) Desv. ex Nevski, Rheum palmatum L., Asparagus officinalis L., Trifolium repens L., Bromus inermis Leyss., Elymus dahuricus Turcz.) and a runoff scouring test were conducted in a typical erosion gully in a black soil area. Soil erosion, physicochemical characteristics, and shoot/root characteristics were measured to evaluate the effects of short-term artificial revegetation. Short-term artificial revegetation significantly decreased (p < 0.05) sediment yield by 91.1% ± 7.2% compared with that of bare soil. Soil total nitrogen (TN), total potassium (TP), available phosphorus (AP), cation exchange capacity (CEC), water-stable aggregates > 0.25 mm (WR0.25), and aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (GWD) were significantly correlated with vegetated treatments, indicating they were factors sensitive to short-term artificial revegetation. Except for total potassium (TK), the other soil characteristics decreased in vegetated treatments. In addition to increasing TK, vegetated treatments also increased soil available nitrogen (AN)/TN ratios in the short term. The overall effects of different herbaceous species on soil and water conservation, soil quality, and vegetation growth were evaluated, and Trifolium repens L. is the most suitable for preventing soil degradation in an erosion gully. The results of this study will provide a reference for the restoration and protection of the ecological environment in black soil areas with gully erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation restoration is an effective measure to cope with global climate change and promote soil carbon sequestration. However, during vegetation restoration, the turnover and properties of carbon within various aggregates change. The effects of plant source carbon input on surface soil and subsurface soil may be different. Thus, the characteristics of carbon components in aggregates are affected. Therefore, the research object of this study is the Robinia pseudoacacia forest located in 16–47a of the Loess Plateau, and compared with farmland. The change characteristics of organic carbon functional groups in 0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm soil layers were analyzed by Fourier near infrared spectroscopy, and the relationship between the chemical structure of organic carbon and the content of organic carbon components in soil aggregates was clarified, and the mechanism affecting the distribution of organic carbon components in soil aggregates was revealed in the process of vegetation restoration. The results show the following: (1) The stability of surface aggregates is sensitive, while that of deep aggregates is weak. Vegetation restoration increased the surface soil organic carbon content by 1.97~3.78 g·kg−1. (2) After vegetation restoration, the relative contents of polysaccharide functional groups in >0.25 mm aggregates were significantly reduced, while the relative contents of aromatic and aliphatic functional groups of organic carbon were significantly increased. The opposite is true for aggregates smaller than 0.25 mm. (3) With the increase in soil depth, the effect of litter on organic carbon gradually decreased, while the effect of root input on the accumulation of inert carbon in deep soil was more lasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrification, driven by ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB), is a crucial process in maintaining the soil nitrogen (N) balance. However, the influence of AOA and AOB on soil gross nitrification rates (GNR) in response to vegetation restoration remains unclear, particularly in karst regions. In this study, we investigated soil GNR and the abundance, diversity, and community composition of AOA and AOB across after vegetation restoration. Four land use types were examined: plantation forest (PF), forage grass (FG), a combination of plantation forest and forage grass (FG), and cropland (CR, control). Soil ammonium N (NH4+) was higher in the vegetation restoration compared to that in cropland, whereas nitrate N (NO3−) exhibited the opposite trend. Soil GNR were reduced by 55.4%–90.3% in the vegetation restorations compared to that in cropland. The abundance, Chao1, and Shannon index of AOB were lower in vegetation restorations compared to cropland, respectively. The abundance and diversity of AOA were higher than those of AOB but were unaffected by vegetative restoration. Furthermore, AOB community is more sensitive to vegetation restoration than AOA community. Specifically, the abundance of AOB taxa belonging to the genera Nitrosospira and Nitrosovibrio was decreased by the restoration efforts. In addition, soil nutrients availability (e.g., NH4+, NO3−, and phosphorus) and AOB index (e.g., Shannon index) were the main factors driving soil GNR. This study highlights the importance of AOB in driving soil nitrification during vegetation restoration and emphasizes the necessity to optimize soil nitrogen management in karst ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phytogenic mounds are a type of microtopography formed under perennial plants canopies in water erosion areas. However, the function of phytogenic mounds in seed assemblages and their ecological consequences remain poorly understood in semiarid areas with water erosion. Thus, understanding the characteristics of seed banks on mounds is crucial for ecosystem conservation and management in water-eroded areas. Methods: We compared the quantity and composition of soil seed banks on the upslope and downslope parts of mounds and intercanopy surfaces along four slope gradients. We also explored the relationships among the soil seed bank, aboveground vegetation, and environmental factors. Furthermore, the species similarity between the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation was analyzed to clarify the important ecological consequences of phytogenic mounds for plant community construction in serious soil erosion area. Results: For slopes with a = 46.6%, the intercanopy surfaces had greater soil seed bank species composition, density, and diversity than did the phytogenic mounds, and these characteristics showed no significant differences between the upslope and downslope parts of the mounds. As the slope increased, the soil seed bank density and species composition increased on the upslope part of the mound, and reached a maximum for slopes with a > 70%, while the downslope part of the mound negatively effected on seed aggregation. The sediment accumulation rate, soil moisture, particle size distribution, pH, organic matter carbon, and hardness were significantly correlated with the soil seed bank density and diversity in the study area. For slopes with 0 < a = 26.8%, the species similarity coefficient between the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation was the highest for the intercanopy surface. This species similarity on the upslope part of the mound showed an increasing trend with increasing slope gradient, while the downslope part of the mound had the opposite trend. For slopes with a > 70%, the upslope part of the mound did not only have more species in the soil seed bank but also had more species in aboveground vegetation than did the downslope part of the mound and intercanopy surface. Conclusion: For slopes with a = 46.6%, phytogenic mounds had barely impact soil seed bank accumulation and conservation in semiarid and eroded areas. For slopes with a > 46.6%, the mounds (particularly on the upslope part of the mound) showed seed assemblage functions, which are coupled with improving edaphic conditions and decreasing microhabitat stress; thus, phytogenic mounds, or areas of microtopography, can be used to promote restoration success in semiarid eroded areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The purpose of paper is to understand the development history of vegetation restoration in waste sites of production and construction projects, analyze the hot research issues, and further to promote the development of the research in terms of vegetation restoration. [Methods] The method of bibliometrics was used to survey on the literature of Web of Science database and CNKI database. [Results] It has been found out that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are the institutions with the most relevant articles published. The top ranked domestic institution in terms of the number of articles published is Beijing Forestry University. The ecological restoration technology, biodiversity, the quality evaluation of ecological restoration have been incorporated into the research clusters of the international institutions. The domestic researchers focus on restoration of ecosystem structure, vegetation restoration mode and soil quality evaluation system, etc. According to the analysis of highlighted keywords, ecosystem services', 'vegetation restoration' and 6 'waste sites of coal mine can be the focus of international research at present. The domestic researches in recent years emphasized ecological restoration, landscape design, and planning and design. [Conclusion] The current studies are mostly based on the short-term experiments, and there are few studies on the whole restoration process at large scale. Besides, the studies on comprehensive reconstruction of ecosystem functions have not been perfect yet. The hotspots of the future studies will take integrated ecological and landscape benefits into the consideration when conducting vegetation restoration, and emphasize on ecosystem services and landscape design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Afforestation is considered as an effective method to restore degraded ecosystem. The effects of afforestation on soil fertility, microbial communities assembly have been broadly studied in the whole soil, yet gaps still exist at the aggregate scale. Methods: In the Danjiangkou Reservoir area, we set up 3 quadrats (20 m × 20 m) for bareland, farmland and woodland, respectively, and separated the collected soil into four aggregate size fractions (<0.25 mm, 0.25–1 mm 1–3 mm and > 3 mm). Soil fertility, enzyme activities, microbial communities composition were determined for all aggregate fractions. Results: Afforestation promoted soil fertility, enzyme activities and their aggregational differentiation. E.g., invertase activity in woodland was 3.6 times higher than in bareland. Interestingly, the aggregational differentiation of bacterial alpha-diversity (P < 0.05) was more sensitive to afforestation than fungal alpha-diversity (P > 0.05). Conversely, afforestation caused that more fungal taxa (16 Ascomycota and 3 Basidiomycota taxa) were susceptible to aggregates than bacterial taxa (5 Proteobacteria taxa). In bareland, deterministic process (83.3%) was the decisive factor for bacterial communities, while fungal communities was determined by stochastic (48.5%) and deterministic (51.5%) processes. Afforestation transformed assembly processes, with dispersal limitation (53%) occurring in bacterial communities and variable selection (68.2%) in fungal communities. Conclusions: Overall, afforestation enhanced soil fertility, enzyme activities and their variation with aggregate. Moreover, responses of fungal and bacterial assembly to afforestation vary at the soil aggregate level. This study demonstrated the importance of soil aggregates in predicting and quantifying the impact of afforestation on soil fertility and microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation restoration has an important effect on soil carbon (C) pool dynamics. Highly stable iron (Fe)‐associated C is an important component of the soil C pool and it plays a crucial role in the soil C cycle. However, a knowledge gap remains regarding the existence of Fe‐associated C variation during vegetation restoration. Herein, 0–60 cm soil samples of cropland, grassland, shrubland and forestland from three soil types (loam, loess and sandy soils) were collected to explore the response of Fe‐associated C to vegetation restoration. The results showed that soil Fe‐associated C proportion in the study area ranged from 2.2% to 26.3%. Surface soil (0–20 cm) Fe‐associated C content in loess and sandy soils increased following vegetation restoration, but decreased in loam soil. The accumulation efficiency of soil Fe‐associated C during vegetation restoration was higher in coarser soils. Moreover, the Fe‐associated C content and proportion of forestland with a higher soil organic matter (SOM) pool were the highest among the land use types. Vegetation restoration affects soil Fe‐associated C in two different ways: (1) increasing the SOM and dissolved organic C and improving the efficiency of C and Fe binding to promote the accumulation of Fe‐associated C; (2) decreasing the total soil Fe content, reducing the trivalent iron (Fe(III)) to bivalent iron (Fe(II)) and breaking the binding of C and Fe to decrease soil Fe‐associated C content, and these two different ways were found in all three soil types. Additionally, higher SOM accumulation efficiency and less root destruction caused by vegetation restoration in coarse soils resulted in a higher Fe‐associated C accumulation efficiency. Synthesis and applications. Vegetation and soil type strongly regulated the effects of vegetation restoration on soil Fe‐associated C. Forestlands may be the optimum vegetation type to provide soil C sequestration benefits, effectively increasing soil C pool and maximising Fe‐associated C content. This study has addressed the knowledge gap regarding the effects of vegetation restoration on soil Fe‐associated C and provides scientific basis for a better understanding of the soil C cycle and developing scientific vegetation restoration measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides caused by earthquakes bring about dramatic changes in soil erodibility. In order to understand the change characteristics of soil erodibility during a vegetation restoration period after the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake, a non-landslide area, landslide area, and transition area in Leigu Town, Beichuan County were selected as research areas. Field soil sampling, geostatistics, and spatial interpolation were used to explore the spatiotemporal changes in soil physicochemical properties and soil erodibility during a natural restoration in 2013 (5 years after the earthquake) and in 2022 (14 years after the earthquake). The results showed that the comprehensive soil erodibility index (CSEI) was mainly composed of five soil factors, which were soil pH, soil total nitrogen (TN), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (MWD), fractal dimension of soil water stable aggregates (D), and soil erodibility (Kepic). The CSEI of the landslide area was slightly lower than that of the non-landslide area. The CSEI was gradually increasing during the process of natural restoration after earthquake. From 2013 to 2022, the increase rates of the CSEI were 6.9%, 10.0%, and 41.5% for the landslide area, non-landslide area, and transition area, respectively. Along attitude segments, the spatial distribution of soil erodibility in 2022 is more uniform than that in 2013. The higher value of CSEI was located in the upper part of research areas. The spatial distribution of the CSEI in 2013 and 2022 appeared as a moderate autocorrelation. The variable ranges of CSEI in 2013 and 2022 were about 20 m. In the early stage of vegetation restoration, soil and water conservation engineering was recommended in the landslide area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the evolution of land use change and its drivers is vital in keeping the fragile balance between human activities and nature. The present study employs remote sensing data from between 1990 and 2020 during the Grain-for-Green Project (GGP) in Luochuan county, Shaanxi Province, which offers 30 years of continuous data on precipitation, temperature, population, and GDP. Here, the combined method of supervised classification with manual visual interpretation was adopted for building a high-precision spatial distribution information database, in order to explore the links existing between the change features of land use, distribution, and spatial pattern, and the interference of local socio-economic development and natural factors before and after the GGP. According to the results, during the past three decades, Luochuan county has undergone large changes in land use types, displaying distinct features and regional disparities. Geographically, the north of Luochuan county is predominantly forest and grassland, while farmland is mostly in the south of Luochuan county. In 1990, farmland dominated this county; however, after 2000, forest and grassland areas expanded. Notably, the implementation of the GGP significantly influenced changes in grassland and forest areas. With the development of modernization, Luochuan county's land use structure has gradually equilibrated, with increased uniformity in the distribution of various land use types. Obviously, the shift in land use from 1990 to 2020 primarily correlates with mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, total population, and GDP. Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that during the initial decade of the GGP, natural factors primarily drove land use changes. However, after the GGP, the conversion rate from farmland to forest and shrubland/grassland escalated, and population growth was the continual external force driving the expansion of forest and grassland. Despite substantial economic benefits from land development and utilization in Luochuan county during the past 30 years, certain human economic activities have posed significant pressure on regional agricultural development and sustainable land resource use. Overall, this study helps our government to enhance national land management and planning through a targeted method, also providing a reference for analyzing land use change processes within same areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvopastoral systems are widely used for ecological vegetation restoration in fragile areas. As the main landform of western Henan, the low hilly areas are experiencing water and soil loss because of human activities. However, the effect of silvopastoral systems on soil nutrients in low hilly areas has not been well studied. To address this issue, we established a silvopastoral experiment in the low hilly area of western Henan province in 2011, where four plots of pure forest of poplar (Populus simonii, PS), oriental thuja (Platycladus orientalis, PO), Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis, QV) and false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia, RP) was planted on a natural wasteland; perennial alfalfa (Medicago sativa, MS) was intercropped with these pure forest plots as silvopastoral treatments, i.e., PS-MS, PO-MS, QV-MS and RP-MS; one plot of natural wasteland as CK. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, we examined the soil total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) of different vegetation restorations. Results showed that the silvopastoral treatments (PO-MS, QV-MS and RP-MS) generally increased the TC and TN (by ~ 53% and ~ 51% in 2018, ~ 66% and ~ 49% in 2019, and ~ 66% and ~ 67% in 2020, respectively) compared to the pure forest treatments, and were also higher than the M and PS-MS. The change in relative TC and TN between downslope and upslope positions is higher in PS and PO, lower in RP compared to the PS-MS and PO-MS, RP-MS respectively, and non-different between QV and QV-MS. In summary, soil nutrient properties are generally higher but vary among the slope positions in the silvopastoral treatments compared to pure forest treatments in the low hilly area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Globally, biological soil crusts (BSCs) are crucial ecosystem components that perform essential functions important to ecosystem stability. However, the potential mechanisms of BSC's effect on vascular plant recruitment and establishment are largely unknown. Furthermore, few studies have considered BSC‐vascular plant analyses in conjunction with BSC microenvironments, seed traits, and plant life stages simultaneously. Thus, we chose six typical plants with different seed traits on the Loess Plateau and conducted a growth chamber experiment to evaluate the effects of BSC types, disturbance, seeding positions, and moisture on seed germination, survival, and seedling growth. We also explored the effects of BSC presence and disturbance on seedling emergence through field investigation. The results indicated that the main effects of the four factors, BSC type, disturbance, seeding location, and moisture, and their two‐ and three‐dimensional interactions had significant effects on the performance of most of the studied species. Disturbance and wetting treatments with shorter watering intervals promoted the performance of most plants, and moisture could modify the effect of BSCs on plants. The effect of BSCs on plant performance was related to seed traits and plant life stage and the presence of the BSC promotes the growth of the plants when it reaches the survival stage. In field observations, we found that the number of seedling species was lower on BSCs compared to bare lands and that the number of species on broken crusts was greater than on intact crusts; while seedling density on bare land was significantly higher than it in BSC patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the soil nutrient status and limitation of waste dump in loess area under different vegetation restoration modes at the initial stage of reclamation, 6 vegetation restoration models of Medicago sativa, Hippophae rhamnoides, Robinia pseudoacacia L., Robinia pseudoacacia, Bamboo willow and Populus bolleana with restoration years of 3-4 years were selected as the research objects, while the new waste was selected as the control. The soil organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content and ecological stoichiometric characteristics and their relationships were studied. The results showed that the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were 2.83-4.52 g·kg–1, 0.13-0.21 g·kg–1 and 0.05-0.17 g·kg–1 respectively. Except for soil total nitrogen of M. sativa and soil total phosphorus of M. sativa and R. pseudoacacia, the soil nutrient contents of other restoration models were higher than that in new waste dump. Soil organic carbon of R. pseudoacacia and M. sativa modes were higher while that of H. rhamnoides mode was lower, but soil, total nitrogen and soil total phosphorus were on the contrary. The content of soil total phosphorus was low under each restoration mode. Soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen showed different degrees of surface accumulation under each restoration mode while the change of soil total phosphorus in vertical soil layer was not obvious. Soil C/N, C/P and N/P were 13.68-30.69, 19.30-106.60 and 1.13-3.61 under each restoration mode respectively. There were significant differences between the soil C/N, C/P and N/P of M. sativa and R. pseudoacacia restoration mode in vertical soil layers, which were higher than those in other modes. The correlation analysis showed that soil organic carbon and total nitrogen were closely related to soil nutrients and stoichiometric ratio. Soil C/N and C/P were more vulnerable to soil organic carbon, while soil N / P was more susceptible to soil phosphorus in the early stage of reclamation. In conclusion, the M. sativa and R. pseudoacacia restoration mode show lower mineralization rate of soil organic matter and are greatly limited by phosphorus, which needs to supply phosphorus fertilizer in time, but the recovery mode of P. bolleana needs to supply nitrogen fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microorganisms play a crucial role as a link between vegetation and soil nutrient cycling. However, it is unclear how vegetation and soil influence microbial community during the ecological restoration process of the Mu Us Desert. Using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers and integrating shrub, herbaceous plants, and soil factors, we explored the characteristics and regulations of soil microbial community changes. In this study, we used and took the soil after 10, 30, 50, and 70 years of Caragana korshinskii sand-fixing forest restoration, with moving dunes as a control (0 year). The results showed that the ecological restoration effect index increased significantly with the increase of recovery years. The total PLFA contents in 0, 10, 30, 50, and 70 years were 47.75, 55.89, 63.53, 67.23, and 82.29 nmol • g-1, respectively. With the increases of ecological restoration index, the biomass of fungi and bacteria, as well as the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria, all showed significant increase, while the biomass of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial communities, and the ratio of fungi to bacteria, demonstrated significant decrease. Shrub, herbaceous plants, and soil factors could explain 72.4% of the variation of soil microbial community composition, with higher contribution of soil factors than vegetation factors. The total content of phospholipid fatty acids of soil microbial community in Mu Us Desert increased with the increases of restoration years. Soil water content, pH, total nitrogen, and soil organic carbon were the main driving factors affecting the characteristics of soil microbial community. With the increases of restoration years of C. korshinskii sand-fixation forests in the Mu Us Desert, there were significant changes in the structure of soil microbial communities, which were primarily driven by soil factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural soil and vegetation recovery following human disturbance is the primary means of restoring degraded ecosystems globally. However, it remains unclear how vegetation recovery in the tropical karst areas of China affects the soil physicochemical properties. Here, we investigated the impacts of natural vegetation recovery on soil physicochemical properties at different soil depths in tropical karst areas in southwestern China, using a space–time substitution method. We found that with the natural vegetation recovery, soil bulk density (SBD) decreased. Soil pH initially decreased and then increased, reaching its lowest value during the shrubland stage. There was a significant increase in other soil physicochemical factors. In the soil profiles, SBD tended to increase with depth. The pH, total potassium (TK), total phosphorus (TP), and exchangeable calcium remained relatively stable across the different soil layers. TK, TP, available phosphorus, SBD, total nitrogen, pH, exchangeable magnesium, and available potassium significantly contributed to the soil physicochemical properties. Soil physicochemical properties were predominantly directly affected by litter and biological factors, albeit indirectly influenced by topographic factors. Our study provides crucial insights into karst soils and their relationship with vegetation recovery, which are pivotal for steering vegetation restoration and soil amelioration in karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources sustainability is an increasing concern, requiring accurate estimates of the hydrological processes involved. This study evaluates the impacts of climate change (CC) and land use (LU) in a river basin in the Brazilian semi-arid. Using the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), calibration/ validation was carried out based on limited measurements for discharge and using complementary remote sensing information for evapotranspiration (ET), as well as experimental data for soil moisture (SM). The evapotranspiration data used for calibration were obtained from the MOD16A2 product, at sub-basin scale. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate the interaction between variables. To assess the impacts of CC e and LU two scenarios were investigated: S1 – LU map without insertion of Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA), and S2 – with insertion of PPA. The Regional Climate Models (RCM) Eta-MIROC5 and Eta-HADGEM-ES for the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios were adopted. The SWAT model adequately represented evapotranspiration, with Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (NS) of 0.67 for calibration, and 0.74 for validation. For wet periods, the SM simulated values were similar to the experimental measurements with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.68. Complementary information for evapotranspiration and soil moisture across sub-basins successfully allowed consistent spatially distributed hydrological variables to be simulated. The model performance for validation using ET data was higher (NS = 0.77) compared to previous streamflow-only calibration strategies for flow (NS = 0.42) and soil moisture (NS = 0.46). Under the CC scenarios, natural vegetation restoration would compensate reductions in water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Mining Magazine is the property of China Mining Magazine Co., Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Chinese government has implemented numerous ecological policies in Qinghai Province aimed at protecting and restoring the natural ecosystem. Yet, amid global climate change, the precise effects of these policies on ecological improvement remain ambiguous. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of these policies at a regional scale and an analysis of the changes in policy implementation stages to optimize the strategic direction of regional ecological policies. In this study, using mathematical statistics and spatial analysis, we analysed the spatial and temporal characteristics of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Qinghai Province from 2000 to 2023. Further, by systematically reviewing ten major ecological policies currently or previously implemented in the region, we explored the response of vegetation restoration to these policies through both horizontal and vertical evaluations by reasonably delineating the policy study sub-zones. The study identified distinct stages of policy implementation—regreening, stabilizing, and natural recovery—and correlated these stages with the efficacy of policy impacts. Our findings indicate significant vegetation coverage improvements across Qinghai Province over the past two decades, with all ecological policies positively influencing the environment. The main contribution of this study is that it comprehensively evaluates the impact of multiple ecological policies on vegetation restoration at the regional scale, providing a reference for the formulation and adjustment of subsequent ecological policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetlands are crucial habitats for waterbirds, and saltmarsh vegetation provides breeding habitats for bird species. However, studies on the effects of saltmarsh vegetation degradation and reconstruction on bird diversity are limited. In Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve, a Ramsar wetland, the reintroduced Père David's deer, Elaphurus davidianus, severely degrades native vegetation. Thus, the natural reserve has implemented vegetation restoration through artificial planting to promote the growth of native flora. To elucidate the impact of active vegetation restoration on the avian community, we conducted bird surveys in active restoration areas and nonintervention areas during the breeding seasons from 2022 to 2023. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the species diversity of bird communities between the active restoration areas and the nonintervention areas; however, there were significant differences in the functional and phylogenetic diversity of bird communities. Landscape analysis based on indices and correlation testing revealed a significant correlation between habitat heterogeneity at the landscape level and the functional diversity of bird communities. A random forest model identifies landscape area and cohesion as important influencing factors. Our results highlight that in the context of plant degradation caused by Père David's deer in coastal wetlands, active vegetation restoration and the control of deer populations are conducive to enhancing avian diversity.

Forest fires are the main threat to ecosystems and human life. The frequency, seasonality, extent and severity of fires affect ecosystems and the physical and chemical properties of the soil by direct (heating) and indirect (ash) effects. This could affect biodiversity and forest residency in the face of climate change. In this study, we evaluated the impact of fire severity on soil physical and chemical properties caused by forest fires in a high Andean area of Peru. For this purpose, the severity levels, the degree of hydrophobicity, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed by sampling in affected areas (Pinus radiata D. Don plantation and shrubland) and unaffected areas. The results showed a very low severity in soil components, with a strong hydrophobicity, more persistent in the forest plantation area than in the shrubland. The physical properties of the soil did not show variations; however, in the Pinus plantations they showed variations in their chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen and cation exchange capacity compared to areas not affected by the forest fires. Likewise, in the study area an adequate regeneration process was evidenced; in fact, it is important to apply mechanisms to accelerate the restoration of the vegetation cover and the physical and chemical quality of the vegetation.

Vegetation restoration has been proved as an effective strategy to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in degraded ecosystems. However, due to different vegetation restoration practices and climate zones, changes of SOC content, dynamics, sources and their controlling mechanisms after vegetation restoration remain inadequately addressed. Taking the advantage of four-year vegetation restoration, we explored the effects of vegetation restoration on SOC content through its fractions, soil aggregates, soil enzymes and microbial necromass contribution to SOC in a desertification region in the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Results showed that vegetation restoration increased SOC contents by 68 % for 0 – 10 cm, 29 % for 10 – 30 cm and 11 % for 30 – 50 cm compared to site without vegetation restoration. Vegetation restoration increased soil macroaggregates (> 0.25 mm) and decreased soil microaggregates (0.53 – 0.25 mm), but increased their associated SOC contents. Meanwhile, vegetation restoration enhanced microbial necromass and its contribution to SOC. Structural equation model revealed that increasing microbial necromass carbon, changing soil aggregates and their associated SOC were the main mechanisms of increasing SOC content after vegetation restoration. Our result further indicated a large potential of SOC sequestration through vegetation restoration in the TP. These findings have important implications for natural based solution for carbon neutrality for China.

Background The planting of mangroves is extensively used to control the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetlands. Different plant species release diverse sets of small organic compounds that affect rhizosphere conditions and support high levels of microbial activity. The root-associated microbial community is crucial for plant health and soil nutrient cycling, and for maintaining the stability of the wetland ecosystem. Methods High-throughput sequencing was used to assess the structure and function of the soil bacterial communities in mudflat soil and in the rhizosphere soils of S. alterniflora, mangroves, and native plants in the Oujiang estuarine wetland, China. A distance-based redundancy analysis (based on Bray–Curtis metrics) was used to identify key soil factors driving bacterial community structure. Results S. alterniflora invasion and subsequent mangrove afforestation led to the formation of distinct bacterial communities. The main soil factors driving the structure of bacterial communities were electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (AK), available phosphorus (AP), and organic matter (OM). S. alterniflora obviously increased EC, OM, available nitrogen (AN), and NO3−-N contents, and consequently attracted copiotrophic Bacteroidates to conduct invasion in the coastal areas. Mangroves, especially Kandelia obovata, were suitable pioneer species for restoration and recruited beneficial Desulfobacterota and Bacilli to the rhizosphere. These conditions ultimately increased the contents of AP, available sulfur (AS), and AN in soil. The native plant species Carex scabrifolia and Suaeda glauca affected coastal saline soil primarily by decreasing the EC, rather than by increasing nutrient contents. The predicted functions of bacterial communities in rhizosphere soils were related to active catabolism, whereas those of the bacterial community in mudflat soil were related to synthesis and resistance to environmental factors. Conclusions Ecological restoration using K. obovata has effectively improved a degraded coastal wetland mainly through increasing phosphorus availability and promoting the succession of the microbial community.

[Objective] This study was aimed to explore the characteristics of soil organic carbon and moisture content under different vegetation restoration types and their relationships, and to provide a scientific basis for the selection of vegetation restoration models in the Mu Us sandy land. [Methods] Different vegetation restoration types, including natural restoration of grassland and various plants such as Artemisia desertorum, Salix psammophila, A. desertorum S. psammophila mixed (shrub-shrub mixed), Pinus sylvestris, S. psammophila P. sylvestris mixed (tree-shrub mixed), in the Mu Us sandy land, were studied. Bare sand was used as the control. The effects and correlations of different vegetation restoration types on carbon and water in the 0-5.0 m soil profile were analyzed. [Results] (1) Vegetation restoration increased, with S. psammophila P. sylvestris mixed, P. sylvestris, Grassland, A. desertorum S. psammophila mixed, A. desertorum S. psammophila mixed, and A. desertorum showing decreasing trends, with significant accumulation effects observed within the 0—0.2 m soil depth. As soil depth increased, the organic carbon content of all vegetation types gradually decreased. Within the depth range of 0.8—2.2 cm, A. desertorum, S. psammophila, and A. desertorum S. psammophila mixed exhibited carbon loss. (2) Different vegetation restoration types showed varying degrees of soil moisture deficit in deep soil layers, primarily concentrated at 1—3.0 m soil layer, with S. psammophila P. sylvestris mixed showing the most severe deficit, followed by P. sylvestris, A. desertorum S. psammophila, S. psammophila, Grassland, A. desertorum. (3) Roots were identified as the main factors influencing soil organic carbon content and moisture consumption. Soil organic carbon content exhibited a negative correlation with soil moisture within the 0—5.0 m soil depth range. [Conclusion] Vegetation carbon storage was achieved at the expense of utilizing deep soil moisture, with S. psammophila P. sylvestris mixed exhibiting the lowest water consumption per unit of fixed carbon. The study suggests that S. psammophila P. sylvestris mixed exhibits favorable effects in vegetation restoration from the perspective of soil carbon retention and water retention in the Mu Us sandy land.