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Hao L, Liu X, Ji R, Ma Y, Wu P, Cao Q, Xin Y. Indirect regulation of topsoil nutrient cycling by groundwater depth: impacts on sand-fixing vegetation and rhizosphere bacterial communities. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1285922. [PMID: 38143862 PMCID: PMC10746847 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1285922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The impact of groundwater table depth (GTD) on bacterial communities and soil nutrition in revegetated areas remains unclear. Methods We investigated the impacts of plant growth and soil physicochemical factors on rhizosphere bacterial communities under different GTD. Results The four plant growth indices (Pielou, Margalef, Simpson, and Shannon-Wiener indices) and soil water content (SWC) at the Artem and Salix sites all showed a decreasing trend with increasing GTD. Salix had a higher nutrient content than Artem. The response of plant rhizosphere bacterial communities to GTD changes were as follows. Rhizosphere bacteria at the Artem and Salix sites exhibited higher relative abundance and alpha diversity in SW (GTD < 5 m) compared than in DW (GTD > 5 m). Functional microbial predictions indicated that the rhizosphere bacterial communities of Artem and Salix promoted carbon metabolism in the SW. In contrast, Artem facilitated nitrogen cycling, whereas Salix enhanced both nitrogen cycling and phototrophic metabolism in the DW. Discussion Mantel test analysis revealed that in the SW of Artem sites, SWC primarily governed the diversity of rhizosphere and functional bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle by affecting plant growth. In DW, functional bacteria increase soil organic carbon (SOC) to meet nutrient demands. However, higher carbon and nitrogen availability in the rhizosphere soil was observed in the SW of the Salix sites, whereas in DW, carbon nutrient availability correlated with keystone bacteria, and changes in nitrogen content could be attributed to nitrogen mineralization. This indicates that fluctuations in the groundwater table play a role in regulating microbes and the distribution of soil carbon and nitrogen nutrients in arid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianyi Hao
- School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-hydrology and Water Security in Arid and Semi-arid Region of Ministry of Water Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiuhua Liu
- School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-hydrology and Water Security in Arid and Semi-arid Region of Ministry of Water Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ruiqing Ji
- School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effect in Arid Region of Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
- Key Laboratory of Eco-hydrology and Water Security in Arid and Semi-arid Region of Ministry of Water Resources, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yandong Ma
- Key Laboratory of State Forest Administration on Soil and Water Conservation & Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi’an, China
| | - Puxia Wu
- Key Laboratory of State Forest Administration on Soil and Water Conservation & Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi’an, China
| | - Qingxi Cao
- Key Laboratory of State Forest Administration on Soil and Water Conservation & Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi’an, China
| | - Yunling Xin
- Key Laboratory of State Forest Administration on Soil and Water Conservation & Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi’an, China
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Zhao S, Zhao X, Li Y, Zhang R, Zhao Y, Fang H, Li W. Impact of altered groundwater depth on soil microbial diversity, network complexity and multifunctionality. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1214186. [PMID: 37601343 PMCID: PMC10434790 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1214186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of groundwater depth on soil microbiota and multiple soil functions is essential for ecological restoration and the implementation of groundwater conservation. The current impact of increased groundwater levels induced by drought on soil microbiota and multifunctionality remains ambiguous, which impedes our understanding of the sustainability of water-scarce ecosystems that heavily rely on groundwater resources. This study investigated the impacts of altered groundwater depths on soil microbiota and multifunctionality in a semi-arid region. Three groundwater depth levels were studied, with different soil quality and soil moisture at each level. The deep groundwater treatment had negative impacts on diversity, network complexity of microbiota, and the relationships among microbial phylum unites. Increasing groundwater depth also changed composition of soil microbiota, reducing the relative abundance of dominant phyla including Proteobacteria and Ascomycota. Increasing groundwater depth led to changes in microbial community characteristics, which are strongly related to alterations in soil multifunctionality. Overall, our results suggest that groundwater depth had a strongly effect on soil microbiota and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siteng Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yanming Zhao
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wenshuang Li
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-center, Tongliao, China
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Zhao S, Zhao X, Li Y, Chen X, Li C, Fang H, Li W, Guo W. Impact of deeper groundwater depth on vegetation and soil in semi-arid region of eastern China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1186406. [PMID: 37457335 PMCID: PMC10342210 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1186406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Understanding the impact of deep groundwater depth on vegetation communities and soil in sand dunes with different underground water tables is essential for ecological restoration and the conservation of groundwater. Furthermore, this understanding is critical for determining the threshold value of groundwater depth that ensures the survival of vegetation. Method This paper was conducted in a semi-arid region in eastern China, and the effects of deep groundwater depth (6.25 m, 10.61 m, and 15.26 m) on vegetation communities and soil properties (0-200 cm) across three dune types (mobile, semi-fixed, and fixed dunes) were evaluated in a sand ecosystem in the Horqin Sandy Land. Results For vegetation community, variations in the same species are more significant at different groundwater depths. For soil properties, groundwater depth negatively influences soil moisture, total carbon, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, available phosphorus concentrations, and soil pH. Besides, groundwater depth also significantly affected organic carbon and available potassium concentrations. In addition, herb species were mainly distributed in areas with lower groundwater depth, yet arbor and shrub species were sparsely distributed in places with deeper groundwater depth. Discussion As arbor and shrub species are key drivers of ecosystem sustainability, the adaptation of these dominant species to increasing groundwater depth may alleviate the negative effects of increasing groundwater depth; however, restrictions on this adaptation were exceeded at deeper groundwater depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siteng Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, China
| | - Xueping Chen
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chengyi Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Fang
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wenshuang Li
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Tongliao Hydrology and Water Resources Sub-Center, Tongliao, China
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Wambsganss J, Freschet GT, Beyer F, Goldmann K, Prada‐Salcedo LD, Scherer‐Lorenzen M, Bauhus J. Tree species mixing causes a shift in fine‐root soil exploitation strategies across European forests. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janna Wambsganss
- Chair of Silviculture Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
- Geobotany Faculty of Biology University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Grégoire T. Freschet
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale CNRSUniversité Toulouse III Moulis France
| | - Friderike Beyer
- Chair of Silviculture Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Kezia Goldmann
- Department of Soil Ecology Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Halle/Saale Germany
| | | | | | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Chair of Silviculture Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
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Querejeta JI, Ren W, Prieto I. Vertical decoupling of soil nutrients and water under climate warming reduces plant cumulative nutrient uptake, water-use efficiency and productivity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:1378-1393. [PMID: 33550582 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Warming-induced desiccation of the fertile topsoil layer could lead to decreased nutrient diffusion, mobility, mineralization and uptake by roots. Increased vertical decoupling between nutrients in topsoil and water availability in subsoil/bedrock layers under warming could thereby reduce cumulative nutrient uptake over the growing season. We used a Mediterranean semiarid shrubland as model system to assess the impacts of warming-induced topsoil desiccation on plant water- and nutrient-use patterns. A 6 yr manipulative field experiment examined the effects of warming (2.5°C), rainfall reduction (30%) and their combination on soil resource utilization by Helianthemum squamatum shrubs. A drier fertile topsoil ('growth pool') under warming led to greater proportional utilization of water from deeper, wetter, but less fertile subsoil/bedrock layers ('maintenance pool') by plants. This was linked to decreased cumulative nutrient uptake, increased nonstomatal (nutritional) limitation of photosynthesis and reduced water-use efficiency, above-ground biomass growth and drought survival. Whereas a shift to greater utilization of water stored in deep subsoil/bedrock may buffer the negative impact of warming-induced topsoil desiccation on transpiration, this plastic response cannot compensate for the associated reduction in cumulative nutrient uptake and carbon assimilation, which may compromise the capacity of plants to adjust to a warmer and drier climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ignacio Querejeta
- Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Wei Ren
- Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, 30100, Spain
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Karst Environment, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Iván Prieto
- Departamento de Conservación de Suelos y Agua, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, 30100, Spain
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Abstract
In this paper, a novel heuristic search algorithm called Smart Root Search (SRS) is proposed. SRS employs intelligent foraging behavior of immature, mature and hair roots of plants to explore and exploit the problem search space simultaneously. SRS divides the search space into several subspaces. It thereupon utilizes the branching and drought operations to focus on richer areas of promising subspaces while extraneous ones are not thoroughly ignored. To achieve this, the smart reactions of the SRS model are designed to act based on analyzing the heterogeneous conditions of various sections of different search spaces. In order to evaluate the performance of the SRS, it was tested on a set of known unimodal and multimodal test functions. The results were then compared with those obtained using genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, differential evolution and imperialist competitive algorithms and then analyzed statistically. The results demonstrated that the SRS outperformed comparative algorithms for 92% and 82% of the investigated unimodal and multimodal test functions, respectively. Therefore, the SRS is a promising nature-inspired optimization algorithm.
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Zhang Q, Wei W, Chen L, Yang L, Luo Y, Cai A. Plant traits in influencing soil moisture in semiarid grasslands of the Loess Plateau, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 718:137355. [PMID: 32088487 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale vegetation restoration projects pose threats to water resource security in water-limited regions. Thus, the quantification of how vegetation cover affects soil moisture is of key importance to support effective restoration schemes in drylands. However, the current understanding of such effects remains poor. For this study, an in-situ vegetation-removal experiment was conducted at 36 herbaceous grassland sites having different community compositions and topographical conditions in two adjacent loess watersheds of the Loess Plateau, China. The effects of vegetation cover (vegetation effects) on soil moisture were analyzed across soil profiles (0-180 cm) and two growing seasons. Overall, 13 plant traits and 7 topographic and soil properties were employed to evaluate how community compositions modulated vegetation effects on soil moisture. The results showed that vegetation cover increased soil moisture in the surface layer (0-20 cm) by 6.81% during wet periods (semi-monthly rainfall >30 mm) relative to an in-situ unvegetated control, but primarily induced a decline of soil moisture in the deep soil layer (20-180 cm) by 19.44% across two growing seasons. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) suggested that these vegetation effects on soil moisture were significantly correlated with vegetative height, leaf area, shallow root allocation, and slope gradient. Our study revealed that tall, small-leaved, and shallow-rooted plants on flat topographies were beneficial to soil water retention and replenishment. This implied that current restoration strategies may be significantly improved through the development of optimal communities and diverse terracing measures. Our findings are anticipated to provide effective guidance for soil water conservation, as well as ecosystem rehabilitation in dry and degraded regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qindi Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen 041000, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Liding Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yiqi Luo
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Andong Cai
- Key Laboratory for Agro-Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 10081, China
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Hydraulic Water Redistribution by Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) Occurring under Severe Soil Drought. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11020162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hydraulic redistribution (HR) of water from wet- to dry-soil zones is suggested as an important process in the resilience of forest ecosystems to drought stress in semiarid and tropical climates. Scenarios of future climate change predict an increase of severe drought conditions in temperate climate regions. This implies the need for adaptations of locally managed forest systems, such as European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) monocultures, for instance, through the admixing of deep-rooting silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). We designed a stable-isotope-based split-root experiment under controlled conditions to test whether silver fir seedlings could perform HR and therefore reduce drought stress in neighboring beech seedlings. Our results showed that HR by silver fir does occur, but with a delayed onset of three weeks after isotopic labelling with 2H2O (δ2H ≈ +6000‰), and at low rates. On average, 0.2% of added ²H excess could be recovered via HR. Fir roots released water under dry-soil conditions that caused some European beech seedlings to permanently wilt. On the basis of these results, we concluded that HR by silver fir does occur, but the potential for mitigating drought stress in beech is limited. Admixing silver fir into beech stands as a climate change adaptation strategy needs to be assessed in field studies with sufficient monitoring time.
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An Assessment of Woody Plant Water Source Studies from across the Globe: What Do We Know after 30 Years of Research and Where Do We Go from Here? HYDROLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/hydrology6020040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the face of global climate change, water availability and its impact on forest productivity is becoming an increasingly important issue. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the advancement of research in this field and to set new research priorities. A systematic literature review was performed to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of global research on woody plant water sources and to determine a future research agenda. Most of the reviewed studies were from the United States, followed by China and Australia. The research indicates that there is a clear variation in woody plant water sources in forests due to season, climate, leaf phenology, and method of measurement. Much of the research focus has been on identifying plant water sources using a single isotope approach. Much less focus has been given to the nexus between water source and tree size, tree growth, drought, water use efficiency, agroforestry systems, groundwater interactions, and many other topics. Therefore, a new set of research priorities has been proposed that will address these gaps under different vegetation and climate conditions. Once these issues are resolved, the research can inform forest process studies in new ways.
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Feng T, Wei W, Chen L, Cerdà A, Yang L, Yu Y. Combining land preparation and vegetation restoration for optimal soil eco-hydrological services in the Loess Plateau, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 657:535-547. [PMID: 30550916 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In semiarid terrestrial ecosystems, optimized eco-rehabilitation strategies, such as land preparations and planting vegetation, are keys to achieve a successful ecological restoration. Land preparations and vegetation are supposed to have the coupled and respective impacts on soil ecosystem services, which are still unclear now. In this study, eighteen experimental plots with six different combinations and repetitions of land preparations and vegetation were built in the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2014 and soil moisture storages (SMS), soil carbon stocks (SCS) and other soil nutrient stocks were calculated at 0-100 cm, also the effects of land preparations and planting vegetation on soil eco-hydrological services are analyzed by mathematical methods. The results show that leveled ditches-M. sativa had the highest SMS (125 mm) while zig terraces-P. tabulaeformis had the lowest values (88 mm). Fish-scale pits-P. tabulaeformis had the most SCS (9804 g/m2) and leveled ditches-M. sativa had the lowest values (8163 g/m2). For soil nutrient stocks, leveled benches-C. microphylla and fish-scale pits-P. tabulaeformis had the highest levels while leveled ditches-M. sativa had the lowest values. The partial redundancy analysis (pRDA) and variation partitioning (VP) analysis indicated that soil nutrient stocks were most affected by the coupling effects of land preparation and vegetation. SMS at surface (0-10 cm) were mainly affected by precipitation (58.8%). Furthermore, SMS at subsurface (10-60 cm) and deep soil layer (60-100 cm) were affected by the shared effects of vegetation and land preparation (61.3%), and vegetation (72.2%), respectively. The findings quantified the coupling and respective contributions of vegetation restoration and land preparation to soil eco-hydrological services and demonstrate that the optimal combination of eco-rehabilitation strategies can achieve a sustainable land restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjiao Feng
- Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Liding Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Artemi Cerdà
- Soil Erosion and Degradation Research Group, Department of Geography, University of Valencia, Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46010 València, Spain
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Sediment Research, China Institute of Water Resource and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100048
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Bakker LM, Mommer L, van Ruijven J. Using root traits to understand temporal changes in biodiversity effects in grassland mixtures. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisette M. Bakker
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a; NL-6708 PB Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a; NL-6708 PB Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Jasper van Ruijven
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a; NL-6708 PB Wageningen the Netherlands
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Groundwater Depth and Soil Properties Are Associated with Variation in Vegetation of a Desert Riparian Ecosystem in an Arid Area of China. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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13
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Bazihizina N, Veneklaas EJ, Barrett-Lennard EG, Colmer TD. Hydraulic redistribution: limitations for plants in saline soils. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2017; 40:2437-2446. [PMID: 28707352 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13020] [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: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hydraulic redistribution (HR), the movement of water from wet to dry patches in the soil via roots, occurs in different ecosystems and plant species. By extension of the principle that HR is driven by gradients in soil water potential, HR has been proposed to occur for plants in saline soils. Despite the inherent spatial patchiness and salinity gradients in these soils, the lack of direct evidence of HR in response to osmotic gradients prompted us to ask the question: are there physical or physiological constraints to HR for plants in saline environments? We propose that build-up of ions in the root xylem sap and in the leaf apoplast, with the latter resulting in a large predawn disequilibrium of water potential in shoots compared with roots and soil, would both impede HR. We present a conceptual model that illustrates how processes in root systems in heterogeneous salinity with water potential gradients, even if equal to those in non-saline soils, will experience a dampened magnitude of water potential gradients in the soil-plant continuum, minimizing or preventing HR. Finally, we provide an outlook for understanding the relevance of HR for plants in saline environments by addressing key research questions on plant salinity tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bazihizina
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
- School of Land and Food, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Erik J Veneklaas
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Edward G Barrett-Lennard
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South, Perth, Western Australia, 6151, Australia
- School of Veterinary and Life Science, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
| | - Timothy D Colmer
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
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An assessment of diurnal water uptake in a mesic prairie: evidence for hydraulic lift? Oecologia 2017; 183:963-975. [PMID: 28154965 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3827-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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15
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Frank DA, Pontes AW, Maine EM, Fridley JD. Fine-scale belowground species associations in temperate grassland. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3206-16. [PMID: 25951537 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Evaluating how belowground processes contribute to plant community dynamics is hampered by limited information on the spatial structure of root communities at the scale that plants interact belowground. In this study, roots were mapped to the nearest one mm and molecularly identified by species on vertical (0-15 cm deep) surfaces of soil blocks excavated from dry and mesic grasslands in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) to examine the spatial relationships among species at the scale that roots interact. Our results indicated that average interspecific root - root distances for the majority of species were within a distance (3 mm) that roots have been shown to compete for resources. Most species placed their roots at random, although low root numbers for many species probably led to overestimating the occurrence of random patterns. According to theory, we expected that most of the remaining species would segregate their root systems to avoid competition. Instead we found that more species aggregated than segregated from others. Based on previous investigations, we hypothesize that species aggregate to increase uptake of water, nitrogen and/or phosphorus made available by neighbouring roots, or as a consequence of a reduction in the pathogenicity of soil biota growing in multispecies mixtures. Our results indicate that YNP grassland root communities are organized as closely interdigitating networks of species that potentially can support strong interactions among many species combinations. Future root research should address the prevalence and functional consequences of species aggregation across plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas A Frank
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Alyssa W Pontes
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Eleanor M Maine
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Jason D Fridley
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
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16
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Bardgett RD, Mommer L, De Vries FT. Going underground: root traits as drivers of ecosystem processes. Trends Ecol Evol 2014; 29:692-9. [PMID: 25459399 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 390] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Ecologists are increasingly adopting trait-based approaches to understand how community change influences ecosystem processes. However, most of this research has focussed on aboveground plant traits, whereas it is becoming clear that root traits are important drivers of many ecosystem processes, such as carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and the formation and structural stability of soil. Here, we synthesise emerging evidence that illustrates how root traits impact ecosystem processes, and propose a pathway to unravel the complex roles of root traits in driving ecosystem processes and their response to global change. Finally, we identify research challenges and novel technologies to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Bardgett
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Liesje Mommer
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Franciska T De Vries
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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17
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Prieto I, Ryel RJ. Internal hydraulic redistribution prevents the loss of root conductivity during drought. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 34:39-48. [PMID: 24436338 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpt115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Shrubs of the Great Basin desert in Utah are subjected to a prolonged summer drought with the potential consequence of reduced water transport capability of the xylem due to drought-induced cavitation. Hydraulic redistribution (HR) is the passive movement of water from deep to shallow soil through plant roots. Hydraulic redistribution can increase water availability in shallow soil and ameliorate drought stress, providing better soil and root water status, which could affect shallow root conductivity (Ks) and native root embolism. We tested this hypothesis in an Artemisia tridentata Nutt. mono-specific stand grown in a common garden in Utah. We enhanced HR artificially by applying a once a week deep-irrigation treatment increasing the water potential gradient between deep and shallow soil layers. Plants that were deep-watered had less negative water potentials and greater stomatal conductance and transpiration rates than non-watered control plants. After irrigation with labeled water (δD), xylem water in stems and shallow roots of watered shrubs was enriched with respect to control shrubs, a clear indication of deep water uptake and HR. Shallow root conductivity was threefold greater and shrubs experienced lower native embolism when deep-watered. We found clear evidence of water transfer between deep and shallow roots through internal HR that delayed depletion of shallow soil water content, maintained Ks and prevented root embolism. Overall, our results show a positive effect of HR on root water transport capacity in otherwise dry soil, with important implications for plant water status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Prieto
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, E-04120 La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain
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18
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Cardon ZG, Stark JM, Herron PM, Rasmussen JA. Sagebrush carrying out hydraulic lift enhances surface soil nitrogen cycling and nitrogen uptake into inflorescences. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:18988-93. [PMID: 24191007 PMCID: PMC3839719 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1311314110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant roots serve as conduits for water flow not only from soil to leaves but also from wetter to drier soil. This hydraulic redistribution through root systems occurs in soils worldwide and can enhance stomatal opening, transpiration, and plant carbon gain. For decades, upward hydraulic lift (HL) of deep water through roots into dry, litter-rich, surface soil also has been hypothesized to enhance nutrient availability to plants by stimulating microbially controlled nutrient cycling. This link has not been demonstrated in the field. Working in sagebrush-steppe, where water and nitrogen limit plant growth and reproduction and where HL occurs naturally during summer drought, we slightly augmented deep soil water availability to 14 HL+ treatment plants throughout the summer growing season. The HL+ sagebrush lifted greater amounts of water than control plants and had slightly less negative predawn and midday leaf water potentials. Soil respiration was also augmented under HL+ plants. At summer's end, application of a gas-based (15)N isotopic labeling technique revealed increased rates of nitrogen cycling in surface soil layers around HL+ plants and increased uptake of nitrogen into HL+ plants' inflorescences as sagebrush set seed. These treatment effects persisted even though unexpected monsoon rainstorms arrived during assays and increased surface soil moisture around all plants. Simulation models from ecosystem to global scales have just begun to include effects of hydraulic redistribution on water and surface energy fluxes. Results from this field study indicate that plants carrying out HL can also substantially enhance decomposition and nitrogen cycling in surface soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe G. Cardon
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3043; and
| | - John M. Stark
- Biology Department and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5305
| | - Patrick M. Herron
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3043; and
| | - Jed A. Rasmussen
- Biology Department and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5305
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