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Wei M, Feng T, Lin Y, He S, Yan H, Qiao R, Chen Q. Elevation-associated pathways mediate aquatic biodiversity at multi-trophic levels along a plateau inland river. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121779. [PMID: 38772321 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic biodiversity plays a significant role in maintaining the ecological balance and the overall health of riverine ecosystems. Elevation is an important factor influencing biodiversity patterns. However, it is still unclear through which pathway elevation influences riverine biodiversity at different trophic levels. In this study, the elevation-associated pathways affecting aquatic biodiversity at different trophic levels were explored using structural equation modeling (SEM) and taking the Bayin River, China as the case. The results showed that the elevational patterns were different among aquatic organisms at different trophic levels. For macroinvertebrates and bacteria, the pattern was hump-shaped; while for phytoplankton and zooplankton, it was U-shaped. Building upon these observed elevational patterns, our investigation delved into the direct and indirect pathways through which elevation influences aquatic biodiversity. We found that elevation exerts an impact on aquatic biodiversity via indirect pathways. For all aquatic organisms investigated, the major pathway through which elevation influences biodiversity is mediated by water temperature and water quality. For aquatic organisms at higher trophic levels, like macroinvertebrates and zooplankton, the crucial pathway is also mediated by the landscape. The results of this study contributed to understanding the effects of elevation on aquatic organisms at different trophic levels and provided an important basis for the assessment of riverine biodiversity at large scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengru Wei
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Nanjing 210098, China; Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Tao Feng
- Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Yuqing Lin
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Nanjing 210098, China; Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Shufeng He
- Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hanlu Yan
- Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Ruxia Qiao
- Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Qiuwen Chen
- Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Nanjing 210098, China; Center for Eco-Environment Research, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
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Zhang C, Ndungu CN, Feng L, Huang J, Ba S, Liu W, Cai M. Plant diversity is more important than soil microbial diversity in explaining soil multifunctionality in Qinghai-Tibetan plateau wetlands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121509. [PMID: 38897088 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau harbors rich and diverse wetlands that provide multiple ecological functions simultaneously. Although the relationships between biodiversity and wetland functioning have been well studied in recent decades, the links between the multiple features of plant and microbial communities and soil multifunctionality (SMF) remain unknown in the high-altitude wetlands that are extremely sensitive to human disturbance. Here, using the single function, averaging, weighted, and multiple-threshold methods, we calculated the SMF of Qinghai-Tibetan wetlands based on 15 variables associated with soil nutrient status, nutrient cycle, and greenhouse gas emission. We then related SMF to multidimensional (species, phylogenetic, and functional) diversity of plants and soil microorganisms and microbial network modules. The results showed that plant diversity explained more variance in SMF than soil microbial diversity, and plant species richness and phylogenetic distance were positive predictors of SMF. Bacterial network modules were more positively related to SMF than fungal network modules, and the alpha diversity of bacterial network modules contributed more to SMF than the diversity of the whole bacterial community. Pediococcus, Hirsutella, and Rhodotorula were biomarkers for SMF and had significant relationships with nitrogen mineralization and greenhouse gas emissions. Together, these results highlight the importance of plant diversity and bacterial network modules in determining the SMF, which are crucial to predicting the response of ecosystem functioning to biodiversity loss under intensifying anthropogenic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caifang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Caroline Njambi Ndungu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lian Feng
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
| | - Jieya Huang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
| | - Sang Ba
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China; Center for Carbon Neutrality in the Earth's Third Pole, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
| | - Wenzhi Liu
- Center for Carbon Neutrality in the Earth's Third Pole, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China.
| | - Miaomiao Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430074, China.
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Cai M, Zhang C, Ndungu CN, Liu G, Liu W, Zhang Q. Linking ecosystem multifunctionality to microbial community features in rivers along a latitudinal gradient. mSystems 2024; 9:e0014724. [PMID: 38445871 PMCID: PMC11019869 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00147-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms regulate numerous ecosystem functions and show considerable differences along a latitudinal gradient. Although studies have revealed the latitudinal patterns of microbial community structure and single ecosystem function, the latitudinal patterns of ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) and how microbial communities affect EMF along a latitudinal gradient remain unclear. Here, we collected channel sediments, riparian rhizosphere soils, and riparian bulk soils from 30 rivers across China and calculated EMF using 18 variables related to nitrogen cycling, nutrient pool, plant productivity, and water quality. We also determined microbial diversity (taxonomic and functional) and microbial network complexity using metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that EMF significantly decreased with increasing latitude in riparian rhizosphere and bulk soils but not in channel sediments. Microbial taxonomic and functional richness (observed species) in channel sediments were significantly higher in the low-latitude group than in the high-latitude group. However, microbial co-occurrence networks were more complex in the high-latitude group compared with the low-latitude group. Abiotic factors, primarily geographic and climatic factors, contributed more to EMF than microbial diversity and network complexity parameters in which only betweenness centralization had a significant relationship with EMF. Together, this study provides insight into the latitudinal pattern of EMF in rivers and highlights the importance of large-scale factors in explaining such latitudinal patterns.IMPORTANCEEcosystem multifunctionality (EMF) is the capacity of an ecosystem to provide multiple functions simultaneously. Microorganisms, as dominant drivers of belowground processes, have a profound effect on ecosystem functions. Although studies have revealed the latitudinal patterns of microbial community structure and single ecosystem function, the latitudinal patterns of EMF and how microbial communities affect EMF along a latitudinal gradient remain unclear. We collected channel sediments, riparian rhizosphere soils, and riparian bulk soils from 30 rivers along a latitudinal gradient across China and calculated EMF using 18 variables related to nitrogen cycling, nutrient pool, plant productivity, and water quality. This study fills a critical knowledge gap regarding the latitudinal patterns and drivers of EMF in river ecosystems and gives new insights into how microbial diversity and network complexity affect EMF from a metagenomic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Caifang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caroline Njambi Ndungu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guihua Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenzhi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Quanfa Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
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Zhao J, Jiang P, Shen T, Zhang R, Zhang D, Zhang N, Ting N, Ding K, Yang B, Tan C, Yu Z. Data-driven assessment of soil total nitrogen on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169993. [PMID: 38215840 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The investigation of soil total nitrogen (STN) holds significant importance in the preservation and sustainability of Earth's ecosystems. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), renowned as the world's most expansive plateau and characterized by its exceptionally delicate ecosystem, demands an in-depth exploration of its STN content. In this study, we use a machine learning approach to extrapolate point-scale measured STN stocks to the entire QTP and calculated STN storage from 0 to 2 m. Our results show that the XGB algorithm performs well in modeling STN despite variations in simulation accuracy for specific depth ranges. The spatial distribution of STN across the QTP exhibits pronounced heterogeneity, especially for the 0-50 cm soil layer, with relatively higher STN stocks in the southeast and lower stocks in the northwest of QTP. The vertical distribution reveals a gradual decrease in STN storage with increasing depth. The 0-50 cm soil layer holds the highest STN stocks, averaging around 0.78 kg/m2, which is almost the sum of STN stocks in the 50-100 cm and 100-200 cm soil layers. Meanwhile, the STN stocks are smaller in permafrost zone than that in non-permafrost zone. We also investigate the impact factors that control the spatiotemporal distribution of STN. It indicates that vegetation, precipitation, temperature, and elevation are the major factors for STN distribution, while physical properties of the soil have a relatively smaller impact. These findings are crucial for understanding the distribution and evolution of STN on the QTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Zhao
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Peng Jiang
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Coupling Process and Effects, Beijing 100055, China; The Middle Reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River, Natural Resources, Observation and Research Station of Tibet Autonomous Region, Research Center of Applied Geology of China Geological Survey, Chengdu 610036, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Global Change and Water Cycle, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Tongqing Shen
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Key Laboratory of Natural Resource Coupling Process and Effects, Beijing 100055, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Global Change and Water Cycle, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Nana Zhang
- College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Nie Ting
- College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Kunqi Ding
- College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Bin Yang
- The Middle Reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River, Natural Resources, Observation and Research Station of Tibet Autonomous Region, Research Center of Applied Geology of China Geological Survey, Chengdu 610036, China
| | - Changhai Tan
- Research Center of Applied Geology of China Geological Survey, Chengdu 610036, China
| | - Zhongbo Yu
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Jiangsu 210098, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Global Change and Water Cycle, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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