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Deng P, Zhou Y, Chen W, Tang F, Wang Y. Microbial mechanisms for improved soil phosphorus mobilization in monoculture conifer plantations by mixing with broadleaved trees. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 359:120955. [PMID: 38678896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120955] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Replanting broadleaved trees in monoculture conifer plantations has been shown to improve the ecological environment. However, not much is known about the distribution properties of soil phosphate-mobilizing bacteria (PMB) under different mixed plantings or how PMB affects biometabolism-driven phosphorus (P) bioavailability. The phoD and pqqC genes serve as molecular markers of PMB because they regulate the mobilization of organic (Po) and inorganic (Pi) P. Differences in soil bioavailable P concentration, phoD- and pqqC-harboring PMB communities, and their main regulators were analyzed using biologically-based P (BBP) and high-throughput sequencing approaches after combining coniferous trees (Pinus massoniana) and five individual broadleaved trees (Bretschneidera sinensis, Michelia maudiae, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Manglietia conifera, and Camellia oleifera). The findings revealed that the contents of litter P, soil organic carbon (SOC), available Pi (CaCl2-P), and labile Po (Enzyme-P) were significantly higher in conifer-broadleaf mixed plantations than those in the monospecific Pinus massoniana plantations (PM), especially in the mixed stands with the introduction of Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Michelia maudiae, and Camellia oleifera. Conifer-broadleaf mixing had little effect on the abundance of phoD and pqqC genes but significantly altered species composition within the communities. Conifer-broadleaf mixing improved soil microbial habitat mainly by increasing the pH, increasing carbon source availability and nutrient content, decreasing exchangeable Fe3+ and Al3+ content, and decreasing the activation degrees of Fe and Al oxides in acidic soils. A small group of taxa (phoD: Bradyrhizobium, Tardiphaga, Nitratireductor, Mesorhizobium, Herbaspirillum, and Ralstonia; pqqC: Burkholderia, Variovorax, Bradyrhizobium, and Leptothrix) played a key role in the synthesis of P-related enzymes (e.g., alkaline phosphomonoesterase, ALP) and in lowering the levels of mineral-occluded (HCl-P) and chelated (Citrate-P) Pi. Overall, our findings highlight that mixing conifers and broadleaves could change the PMB communities that produce ALP and dissolve Pi to make P more bioavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piaoyun Deng
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Yunchao Zhou
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China.
| | - Wensha Chen
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Fenghua Tang
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Yaoxiong Wang
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China
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Zhao Y, Liu S, Liu H, Wang F, Dong Y, Wu G, Li Y, Wang W, Phan Tran LS, Li W. Multi-objective ecological restoration priority in China: Cost-benefit optimization in different ecological performance regimes based on planetary boundaries. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120701. [PMID: 38531134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120701] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
In the context of the "United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration", optimizing spatiotemporal arrangements for ecological restoration is an important approach to enhancing overall socioecological benefits for sustainable development. However, against the background of ecological degradation caused by the human use of most natural resources at levels that have approached or exceeded the safe and sustainable boundaries of ecosystems, it is key to explain how to optimize ecological restoration by classified management and optimal total benefits. In response to these issues, we combined spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics at the national scale in China to construct five ecological performance regimes defined by indicators that use planetary boundaries and ecological pressures which served as the basis for prioritizing ecological restoration areas and implementing zoning control. By integrating habitat conservation, biodiversity, water supply, and restoration cost constraints, seven ecological restoration scenarios were simulated to optimize the spatial layout of ecological restoration projects (ERPs). The results indicated that the provinces with unsustainable freshwater use, climate change, and land use accounted for more than 25%, 66.7%, and 25%, respectively, of the total area. Only 30% of the provinces experienced a decrease in environmental pressure. Based on the ecological performance regimes, ERP sites spanning the past 20 years were identified, and more than 50% of the priority areas were clustered in regime areas with increased ecological stress. As the restoration area targets doubled (40%) from the baseline (20%), a multi-objective scenario presents a trade-off between expanded ERPs in areas with highly beneficial effects and minimal restoration costs. In conclusion, a reasonable classification and management regime is the basis for targeted restoration. Coordinating multiple objectives and costs in ecological restoration is the key to maximizing socio-ecological benefits. Our study offered new perspectives on systematic and sustainable planning for ecological restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Shiliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Hua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yuhong Dong
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Gang Wu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100085, China
| | - Yetong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wanting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Lam-Son Phan Tran
- Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Weiqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Mollisols Agroecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
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Liu X, Zhao W, Yao Y, Pereira P. The rising human footprint in the Tibetan Plateau threatens the effectiveness of ecological restoration on vegetation growth. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119963. [PMID: 38169261 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119963] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Ecological restoration projects in the Tibetan Plateau aimed to reverse ecosystem degradation and safeguard the fragile alpine ecological environment. However, it is still being determined if the vegetation restoration is successful on a large scale or reaches the expected magnitude, restricting our ability to adapt practices to maximise the benefit. With multiple vegetation indices (VIs: NDVI, LAI, and GPP) from satellite observations and random forest machine-learning models, we performed an attribution study on vegetation growth trends caused by climate change and human activities. Then, we further explored the relationship between vegetation growth and ecological projects and human footprint without the influence of climate. The results showed that climatic change was a relatively strong driver of vegetation growth. The positive contributions of ecological restoration occurred only in half of the plateau due to the increased human footprint. Vegetation enhancement resulting from ecological restoration occurred in 13.1%-23.1% of the plateau. Among these values, ecological restoration counteracted the negative climate effects in 4.7%-8.3% of the plateau (about half of the negative climate effect area). In forest and grassland protection areas, the ecological restoration was more successful. The study provides a better understanding of the role of ecological projects in vegetation restoration and potential threats to its effectiveness. This is essential to improve future restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wenwu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Ying Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Center, Mykolas Romeris University, Ateities g. 20, LT-08303, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Li Y, Hu S, Lang S, Pu Y, Zhang S, Li T, Xu X, Jia Y, Wang G, Yuan D, Li Y. Soil quality and ecological benefits assessment of alpine desertified grassland following different ecological restoration measures. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1283457. [PMID: 37954986 PMCID: PMC10634470 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1283457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Soil quality plays an irreplaceable role in plant growth for restored grassland. However, few studies investigate the comprehensive effects considering soil and vegetation properties during the restoration of desertified grassland, which restrict the virtuous circle of restored grassland ecosystem. Methods By setting three restoration patterns of enclosure plus grass (EG), enclosure intercropping shrub-grass (ESG), and enclosure plus sand-barrier and shrub-grass (ESSG) with three different restoration years (≤5, 7-9, and ≥15 years), we selected 28 physicochemical and microbial indicators, and constructed a minimum data set (MDS) to analyze the influences of restoration measurements on soil quality and ecological benefits in alpine desertified grassland. Results The results showed that the MDS comprised seven soil quality indicators: silt, total nitrogen (TN), carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N), total potassium (TK), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), and fungi. Soil quality index (SQI) and ecological restoration effect index (EREI) in restored grasslands significantly increased by 144.83-561.24% and 87.21-422.12%, respectively, compared with unrestored grassland, and their positive effects increased with extending restoration years. The increasing effects of SQI and EREI were the highest in ESSG, followed by EG and ESG. The increasing rate of SQI began to decrease after 5 years in EG and ESG, while it decreased after 7-9 years in ESSG, and that of EREI in EG was lower than ESSG in each restoration year. Our work revealed that ESSG was the optimum restoration pattern for desertified grassland, and anthropogenic monitoring and management measurements such as applying organic fertilization and mowing return reasonably should be carried out at the beginning of 5 years in EG and ESG as well as 7 years in ESSG to maintain sustainable ecological benefits. Discussion The study highlights that soil quality, including microbial properties, is a key factor to evaluate the restoration effects of desertified grassland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Li
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sijia Hu
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shanxin Lang
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yulin Pu
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shirong Zhang
- College of Environmental Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Li
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxun Xu
- College of Environmental Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongxia Jia
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guiyin Wang
- College of Environmental Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dagang Yuan
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yun Li
- College of Resource Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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