Article
Environmental Sciences
Hyejung Jung, Yun S. Kim, Jisu Yoo, So Jeong Han, Jeonghoon Lee
Summary: Stable nitrate isotopes and stable water isotopes were used to identify nitrogen sources and N-biogeochemical transformation in tap water sources from 11 water purification plants in South Korea. The land use type in the water supply basins influenced the contribution of different nitrogen sources and exhibited large seasonal and spatial differences. Understanding the isotope fractionation due to N-biogeochemical transformation is important for interpreting the origin and fate of NO3-. The findings provide a basis for N source control strategies to ensure tap water quality in complex land use areas.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ri Jin Jiang, Fan Yang, Feng Chen, Rui Yin, Ming Zhi Liu, Wen Bin Zhu, Ai Guo, Lian Wei Liu
Summary: This study analyzed the feeding habits and nutritional interactions among three tuna species in the waters of the Solomon Islands. The results showed differences in feeding habits and stomach fullness among the species, with a specialized feeding tendency. Understanding the feeding ecology of these tuna species is important for the ecosystem and food web structure.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Zaid Khan, Xu-Jian Yang, Youqiang Fu, Stephen Joseph, Mohammad Nauman Khan, Muhammad Ayoub Khan, Intikhab Alam, Hong Shen
Summary: The use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to meet the food requirements of the growing population has caused soil and environmental problems. In this review, the role of engineered biochar in improving water-stable macroaggregates, inorganic N transformation, and utilization efficiency is discussed to address nitrogen loss and maintain soil and water quality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ronald Amundson, Jennifer V. Mills, Laura N. Lammers, Matti Barthel, Nora Gallarotti, Johan Six, Gerhard Gebauer, Greg E. Maurer
Summary: The stable isotopes of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) in soil and soil-respired N2O are being measured, but there is a lack of theoretical framework to interpret the data. This study uses a diffusion/reaction model to demonstrate how soil processes influence the profiles and fluxes of soil N2O and its isotopes. The results suggest that the isotope composition of soil N2O flux is dependent on the net flux rate and the difference in isotope composition between the atmosphere and the biological source.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Lei Wang, Guofeng Zhu, Dongdong Qiu, Yuwei Liu, Kailiang Zhao, Liyuan Sang, Zhuanxia Zhang, Zhigang Sun, Leilei Yong, Yinying Jiao
Summary: Understanding the water use of maize-based cropping systems can help improve water management strategies. This study found that low-volume and high-frequency irrigation strategies can reduce soil water evaporation and drainage, while the irrigation amount should be determined based on the crop's growth stage.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mengxue Han, Jiasen Zhang, Lin Zhang, Zhaoguo Wang
Summary: Biochar is a commonly used soil amendment that has positive effects on improving soil quality, promoting resource efficiency of agricultural production, and reducing environmental pollution. The addition of biochar can significantly increase crop yield, water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency. Key factors affecting the addition effect of biochar include soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen, soil bulk density, biochar carbon content, and biochar carbon nitrogen ratio. Adding biochar with lower carbon content in soils with high bulk density and low nutrients can achieve a win-win situation in crop productivity and resource use efficiency.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Emad Farahat, Paolo Cherubini, Matthias Saurer, Holger Gaertner
Summary: The study found that Moringa peregrina trees in the Egyptian desert have shown characteristics such as decreased tree-ring widths, increased VLA% in dry years, and changes in δC-13 and δO-18 isotope values over the past decade. The intrinsic water-use efficiency of the trees has gradually declined, while the intercellular carbon concentration and Ci/Ca ratio have increased.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chenli Zhou, Hengjia Zhang, Shouchao Yu, Xietian Chen, Fuqiang Li, Yong Wang, Yingying Wang, Lintao Liu
Summary: With improvement in living standards, consumer preferences for vegetables are changing from quantity- to quality-oriented. This study investigated the response of eggplant to different water and nitrogen management strategies and found that mild water deficit and medium nitrogen level were the optimal combination to improve yield and quality. These findings contribute to the sustainable cultivation of eggplant in an oasis arid environment.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Veronica Berriel, Carlos H. Perdomo, Santiago Signorelli, Jorge Monza
Summary: Summer legume cover crops have various advantages for the environment and cropping systems, but their low transpiration efficiency may challenge subsequent crop growth. The study shows that Cajanus cajan is a good candidate as a cover crop, as it has a high transpiration efficiency and nitrogen uptake capacity.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Huanhuan Zeng, Junen Wu, Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Xiai Zhu, Wanjun Zhang, Peter Hahn, Dirk Hoelscher, Wenjie Liu
Summary: This study investigates the water uptake patterns of plants in different rubber agroforestry systems and their water use efficiency. The results show that agroforestry systems enhance soil water content and rubber trees in these systems absorb water from deeper soil horizons compared to monocultural plantations. Rubber trees adjust their water source according to their growth stage, while intercrops primarily extract water from shallow soil horizons. The water use efficiency of rubber trees is adjusted seasonally, but intercropping has little influence on water supply for both intercrops and rubber trees.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Yi Hu, Robert D. Guy, Raju Y. Soolanayakanahally
Summary: Plants adjust and balance their resource-use efficiencies to maximize growth and survival. The study found clinal variation in nitrogen uptake efficiency with latitude of origin, and genotypes with higher water use efficiency (WUE) tend to come from water-replete sites with shorter and cooler growing seasons.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jia Zhou, Minpeng Hu, Mei Liu, Julin Yuan, Meng Ni, Zhiming Zhou, Dingjiang Chen
Summary: Coastal rivers are a major contributor of anthropogenic nitrogen loads to coastal waters. Accurate identification of nitrogen sources is crucial for effective pollution control strategies. This study used stable isotopes and water quality parameters to identify nitrogen dynamics and sources in two coastal rivers. The results showed that soil and domestic wastewater, as well as aquaculture tailwater, were the major sources of nitrogen pollution. Combining stable isotope analysis with the APCS-MLR model provided reliable and cost-effective results for nitrogen source identification. The study emphasizes the importance of soil nitrogen management and aquaculture tailwater treatment in coastal river pollution control.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Yanbo Wan, Qingdong Shi, Yue Dai, Nijat Marhaba, Liping Peng, Lei Peng, Haobo Shi
Summary: The study found that the water uptake characteristics of Populus euphratica and Tamarix chinensis varied at different growth stages, with deeper soil water being the main water source for T. chinensis. Water use efficiency was higher for both species without river water, but T. chinensis showed a greater dependence on groundwater. This highlights the importance of considering vegetation types and growth stages in ecological restoration management to enhance effectiveness of vegetation restoration strategies.
Article
Plant Sciences
Md Elias Hossain, Zhe Zhang, Wenyi Dong, Shangwen Wang, Meixia Liu, Enke Liu, Xurong Mei
Summary: This study found that plastic film mulching (PFM) can significantly increase maize yield, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and soil nitrogen pools under rainfed dryland conditions. This has important implications for improving the sustainability of agricultural systems.
Article
Agronomy
Yadan Du, Wenquan Niu, Qian Zhang, Bingjing Cui, Zhenhua Zhang, Zhen Wang, Jun Sun
Summary: Water and nitrogen inputs have positive effects on wheat yield, WUE, and NUE, but exceeding optimal levels decreases the benefits. Actual yield, WUE, and NUE are significantly lower than potential attainable levels, and there are varying saving potentials for water and nitrogen in wheat production across China.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2021)