Article
Environmental Sciences
Haobing Cao, Zhenchang Zhu, Zhan Hu, Heng Wang, Tjeerd J. Bouma
Summary: Identifying critical factors that drive seedling establishment is crucial for saltmarsh restoration. This study found that drainage can facilitate the establishment of Spartina anglica seedlings by consolidating sediments and increasing critical shear strength. These findings have important implications for saltmarsh restoration design.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Mark R. Kreider, Larissa L. Yocom
Summary: Quaking aspen is an important component of western U.S. forests, and this study explored the spatial establishment patterns, survival, and growth of aspen seedlings following a large post-fire event in southern Utah. The study found that aspen seedlings were more likely to establish at higher elevations and closer to seed sources, preferred concave microsites, and were tightly associated with burned soil. Aspen seedling persistence was strongly impacted by competition with co-occurring aspen suckers, with survival lower for seedlings closer to nearby suckers and growth reduced in plots with high sucker density.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michala L. Phillips, Edith B. Allen
Summary: Type conversion from native shrubland to invasive annual grassland is increasing due to global change factors. Higher invasive grass cover is associated with higher rates of seedling mortality, while lower invasive cover results in higher richness of annual native plant species.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Sarah Fischer, Joe Greet, Christopher J. Walsh, Jane A. Catford
Summary: The study demonstrates that redirecting floods can promote seedling growth and increase survival rates, with different species having varying requirements for flooding and soil moisture. Therefore, variable flooding and drying patterns are essential for creating recruitment niches for different riparian plant species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adam T. Cross, Hongtao Zhong, Hans Lambers
Summary: The study found that in semi-arid Western Australia, establishing four substrate cover composition treatments on a dry-stacked magnetite tailings storage facility can promote the growth of native plant species and improve seed germination rates. This was mainly achieved by increasing the heterogeneity of surface covers to create more opportunities for seed germination.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Li Liu, Shining Zuo, Mingyan Ma, Jiahuan Li, Lizhu Guo, Ding Huang
Summary: Nitrogen addition can alter the reproductive strategy and growth patterns of Leymus chinensis, leading to higher investment in vegetative and clonal organs, and lower investment in sexual organs. The optimal N addition rates for sexual reproduction, vegetative growth, and clonal reproduction were found to be 16 g N m^(-2) and 32 g N m^(-2) respectively.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Haoyang Yu, Lijuan Ma, Ye Zhao, Gaowa Naren, Haiyan Wu, Yongwei Sun, Lei Wu, Lingang Zhang
Summary: Intraorganismal genetic heterogeneity (IGH) refers to the existence of multiple genotypes within the cells of an individual organism. This study used Sanger and high-throughput sequencing to analyze nucleotide mutations in Leymus chinensis, employing different species, organs, DNA segments, and single cells. The findings showed that Leymus chinensis is composed of cells with different genetic backgrounds, as evidenced by excessive genetic heterogeneity in nuclear DNA but consistency in chloroplast genes. The study also revealed a high density of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the variants of the unique DNA sequence, suggesting non-random nucleotide mutation following certain rules.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Crystal A. Guzman, Henry F. Howe, David H. Wise, Rosamond I. Coates, Jenny Zambrano
Summary: Grasses and rodents have complex effects on tree seedling establishment in tropical pastures, with different tree species responding differently to their interactions. Selective foraging by rodents on large-seeded persistent tree species may lead to suppression of seedlings, highlighting the importance of understanding these interactions for biodiversity conservation in regenerating landscapes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhelong Lin, Lei Chen, Shanjie Tang, Mengjie Zhao, Tong Li, Jia You, Changqing You, Boshu Li, Qinghua Zhao, Dongmei Zhang, Jianli Wang, Zhongbao Shen, Xianwei Song, Shuaibin Zhang, Xiaofeng Cao
Summary: The lack of genome editing platforms has hindered the study and improvement of forage crops that can be grown on lands not suitable for other crops. This study established an efficient CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method in a stress-tolerant forage grass called sheepgrass, and knocking out the TB1 gene significantly increased tiller number and biomass.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Liz Koziol, Thomas P. McKenna, James D. Bever
Summary: This study investigated the effect of microbial communities on seedling biomass and diversity by seeding pots with native prairie seeds and a non-native competitor. The results showed that inoculating soil with prairie arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and ex-arable soil increased abundance and diversity of native and late successional plants, leading to decreased abundance of the non-native grass S. faberi.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura G. G. van Galen, Janice M. M. Lord, David A. A. Orlovich, Tim Jowett, Matthew J. J. Larcombe
Summary: This study reveals how various factors interact to limit tree seedling establishment in grasslands and provides new insights into forest expansion into neighboring ecosystems. The study also assists restoration practitioners in selecting techniques to enhance seedling establishment and highlights the challenges of high seedling establishment rates through direct seeding approaches in open grasslands.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ge Yan, Yujie Shi, Fangfang Chen, Chunsheng Mu, Junfeng Wang
Summary: This study investigated the physiological and metabolic mechanisms of perennial grass response to alkali stress using Leymus chinensis as the experimental material. The results showed that alkali stress inhibited seedling growth and photosynthesis, but increased nitrogen and ATP contents. Metabolic analysis revealed an increase in nucleotides, amino acids, and organic acids, while soluble sugar contents decreased under alkali stress. The glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (GS/GOGAT) cycle, associated with nitrogen metabolism, was the most significantly affected pathway. The study highlights the roles of amino acids, organic acids, nucleotides, and the GS/GOGAT cycle in the response of seedlings to alkali stress.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yang Gao, Yu An, Baolin Qi, Jian Liu, Hongzhu Yu, Duojia Wang
Summary: The study on the effects of grazing exclusion on Leymus chinensis meadows at different restoration stages highlighted the importance of understanding the variations in plant diversity and productivity during restoration processes. The results showed that the relative benefits of grazing exclusion changed over time, from higher benefits for diversity to greater benefits for productivity. The study recommended a 15-year duration of grazing exclusion for maintaining ecosystem structure and function in grasslands.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Alba Lazaro-Gonzalez, Gabija Tamulaityte, Jorge Castro, Mercedes Uscola, Alexandro B. Leverkus
Summary: Climate change has a negative impact on the growth and development of oak seedlings, and larger acorns can partially counter-balance the effects of temperature increase.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Na Liu, Fenghui Guo, Bin Li, Zeyao Jing, Wuyun Bai, Xiangyang Hou
Summary: In this study, 42 Leymus chinensis germplasm resources from different geographical sources were evaluated for drought tolerance, rhizome space expansion, and soil improvement abilities. Four germplasms (LC07, LC15, LC18, and LC19) exhibited excellent ecological functional traits and could be used for ecological restoration breeding. Principal component analysis showed that eight principal components extracted from 26 traits of L. chinensis contributed to 80.551% of the cumulative contribution rate. The study also found a significant negative correlation between latitude and the F value, and a significant positive correlation between longitude and the F value. Plant height, leaf number, tiller number, malonaldehyde, chlorophyll content, dry weight on the ground, maximum one-direction extended distance, and organic matter can be used as key indices for comprehensive evaluation of L. chinensis germplasm resources.
Article
Ecology
Joaquin Aldabe, Ana Ines Sanchez-Iriarte, Mercedes Rivas, Oscar Blumetto
Summary: Success in conserving biodiversity in rangelands depends on effectively managing the systems to achieve positive economic outcomes while preserving biodiversity. This study found that managing grass height can increase forage mass without replacing native vegetation. However, the impact on grassland bird populations remains unclear. The findings suggest that maintaining grassland bird specialists and potentially increasing livestock production is feasible, but longer time frames may be needed to support endangered tall grass specialists.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Timothy H. Parker, Alex Gerber, Erin Campbell, Molly Simonson, Robert K. Shriver, Lyman Persico
Summary: Many perennial plants in semiarid rangelands have experienced population declines. Solar radiation may be the primary factor causing high seedling mortality on south-facing slopes.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Amin Ghasemi, Mahmoud-Reza Hemami, Sorour Karimi, Majid Iravani, Josef Senn
Summary: Seed dispersal is of great importance in plant ecology. This study examines the role of the onager in the endozoochoric seed dispersal of various plant species in an Iranian national park. The findings highlight the significance of conserving this threatened subspecies to maintain seed dispersal in arid habitats.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Nicki Frey, Jeffrey L. Beck, Loretta Singletary, Laura Snell, Derek Scasta, Jessie Hadfield
Summary: This article presents a survey on public knowledge of wild free-roaming horse populations. The results indicate that the public has limited understanding of the ecology and management of these horses, which may affect their ability to support management efforts and distinguish fact from propaganda.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Seyedeh Khadijeh Mahdavi, Mohammadreza Shahraki, Mohsen Sharafatmandrad
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the impact of Turkmen pastoralists' participation in rangeland restoration practices in Aqqala County. The results showed that pastoralists' age, annual income, number of animals, and animal husbandry experience had positive relationships with participatory behavior. Pastoralists who were members of rangeland management cooperatives and participated in training courses performed better in implementation. By identifying the consequences of participatory behavior, barriers to participation in restoration practices can be overcome.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Corinna M. Holfus, Chad S. Boyd, Roxanne C. Rios, Kirk W. Davies, Stella M. Copeland, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez
Summary: The distribution of Wyoming big sagebrush has decreased due to its interaction with invasive annual grasses and increased wildfire frequency. Traditional seeding methods have low success rates, while transplanting sagebrush has a higher success rate. Planting younger transplants and controlling invasive annual grasses before planting can increase transplant survival and canopy volume.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
