Article
Agronomy
Jie Yang, Haben Blondeel, Pascal Boeckx, Kris Verheyen, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: The research investigates the impacts of global environmental changes, land-use history, and understory light availability on soil microbial communities in forest soils. The study found that land-use history had the strongest effect on microbial community structure, with ancient forests showing higher abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Actinobacteria compared to post-agricultural forests. The study also highlighted the importance of plant-microbe linkages in ancient forest soils for resilience against environmental changes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanchun Liu, Huimin Tian, JingRui Li, Hui Wang, Shirong Liu, Xiaojing Liu
Summary: Changes in soil microbial community in response to reduced precipitation and soil warming vary with soil depth, with topsoil showing greater effects. Soil microorganisms in multilayer soil models should be considered for assessing carbon exchange with the atmosphere under climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mercedes M. Ondik, Mark K. J. Ooi, Miriam Munoz-Rojas
Summary: The intersection of fire, land use transformations, and climate change is putting Mediterranean climate-type ecosystems at risk of soil degradation and loss of ecosystem services. This study investigates the impact of fire and land management on soil physicochemical properties, microbial community composition, and microbial functions in a Mediterranean woodland.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lianlian Fan, Yaoming Li, Jie Ma, Jiefei Mao, Lei Wang
Summary: Snow and rainfall independently affect the density, composition, and productivity of ephemerals in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Increased snow depth increases ephemeral density in dry years, while rainfall significantly affects these parameters in dry years but has no dramatic effects in wet years. The effects of snowpack and rainfall on seedling establishment and productivity are independent, regardless of the dry or wet year.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Emma J. Sayer, John A. Crawford, James Edgerley, Andrew P. Askew, Christoph Z. Hahn, Raj Whitlock, Ian C. Dodd
Summary: Using a 25-year field experiment, Emma Sayer et al. investigated how chronic drought alters soil microbial community responses to plant stress signaling through phytohormones. The study found that drought-adapted soil microorganisms modify their responses to phytohormone inputs, indicating that phytohormones are perceived as stress signals by drought-adapted soil microbes.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cora Hoerstmann, Eric J. Raes, Pier Luigi Buttigieg, Claire Lo Monaco, Uwe John, Anya M. Waite
Summary: The cycling of carbon and nitrogen in the ocean is influenced by both biological communities and abiotic factors. Physical oceanographic features constrain microbial phylogenetic diversity, while microbial activity responds to chemical factors. Assessments of microbial diversity and activity are important for understanding the complex responses of microorganisms to a changing ocean environment.
Article
Soil Science
Kazuo Isobe, Hiroaki Oka, Tsunehiro Watanabe, Ryunosuke Tateno, Keishi Senoo, Hideaki Shibata
Summary: The soil microbial community in winter plays a crucial role in biogeochemical cycling, but winter climate change may affect its function and composition. This study simulated winter climate change through a snow removal experiment and found that the response of the soil microbial community to freeze-thaw cycles led to increased carbon availability and activated microbial nitrogen cycling. However, due to its high resilience, these responses did not persist into the plant-growing season.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haoran He, Mingzhe Xu, Wenting Li, Li Chen, Yanan Chen, Daryl L. Moorhead, Albert C. Brangari, Ji Liu, Yongxing Cui, Yi Zeng, Zhiqin Zhang, Chengjiao Duan, Min Huang, Linchuan Fang
Summary: This study investigated the changes in depth-profile microbial community structure and metabolic limitations along an aridity gradient in a semiarid region. The results showed a decrease in microbial diversity with soil depth, accompanied by shifts in nutrient limitations. Aridity had a significant impact on microbial community composition through its effect on soil properties. The findings suggest that changes in microbial community composition may be a better indicator of aridity than microbial diversity or enzymatic stoichiometry.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Na Guo, Shijie Lv, Guangyi Lv, Xuebao Xu, Hongyun Yao, Zhihui Yu, Xiao Qiu, Zhanyi Wang, Chengjie Wang
Summary: The study found that warming and increased precipitation had significant impacts on soil CO2 efflux and stable carbon isotopes. Warming stimulated an increase in CO2 efflux, while increased precipitation led to a decrease in stable carbon isotopes.
Article
Forestry
Yingwu Chen, Haorui Li, Huilu Sun, Yuxin Guo
Summary: Nitrogen deposition can influence soil nitrogen and carbon cycling processes, but there is no consensus on how it affects carbon and nitrogen mineralization. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen addition on soil organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization beneath Haloxylon ammodendron shrubs in a temperate desert. The results showed that nitrogen addition increased soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification rates, as well as carbon mineralization between shrubs. However, carbon mineralization beneath shrubs decreased. Nitrogen addition also affected soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, with an increase between shrubs and a decrease beneath shrubs.
Article
Ecology
Melissa A. Pastore, Aimee T. Classen, Marie E. English, Serita D. Frey, Melissa A. Knorr, Karin Rand, E. Carol Adair
Summary: Warmer winters with less snowfall are increasing the frequency of soil freeze-thaw cycles across temperate regions. Our study shows that microbial communities conditioned to colder temperature regimes are more tolerant of freeze-thaw cycles compared to communities conditioned to warmer temperature regimes. The microbial communities displayed resilience and quickly recovered after the freeze-thaw treatment period.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francesca Strano, Valerio Micaroni, Simon K. Davy, Lisa Woods, James J. Bell
Summary: This study assessed the effects of future thermal conditions on a temperate sponge species and found that marine heatwaves will significantly impact its physiology, morphology, and recruitment. However, the sponge is likely to persist in warmer oceans.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sangsub Cha, Yong Suk Kim, Ah Lim Lee, Dong-Hyeon Lee, Namin Koo
Summary: Lime treatment can increase soil pH and organic matter content in acidic forest soils, affecting enzyme activities. Microbial biomass is related to soil chemical properties, while enzyme activity is influenced by pH, Ca2+, Mg2+, etc. Bacterial and fungal community structures are influenced by soil properties.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Thalita F. Abbruzzini, Morena Avitia, Karen Carrasco-Espinosa, Victor Pena, Alberto Barron-Sandoval, Ulises Isaac Salazar Cabrera, Rocio Cruz-Ortega, Mariana Benitez, Ana E. Escalante, Julieta A. Rosell, Ana Wegier, Julio Campo
Summary: The current and expected expansion of agriculture in the drylands of Mexico, together with decreasing precipitation, may affect ecosystem processes and bring challenges for rainfed agriculture in central Mexico. Soil enzymatic vector angles suggested phosphorus limitation for microbial growth and crop productivity, with negative impacts of drought increase on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations. Increasing aridity leads to homogenization of microbial diversity, potentially increasing vulnerability of agricultural ecosystems to drought in the region.
Article
Microbiology
Jian Jin, Christian Krohn, Ashley E. Franks, Xiaojuan Wang, Jennifer L. Wood, Steve Petrovski, Malcolm McCaskill, Steven Batinovic, Zhihuang Xie, Caixian Tang
Summary: This study found that elevated CO2 concentrations can promote the mineralization of organic phosphorus in the rhizosphere, leading to changes in bacterial and fungal communities. Under eCO(2), increased carbon supply to plants allows symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi to better compete for and mineralize organic phosphorus. The results of this study are important for understanding the impact of climate change on phosphorus cycling in agricultural systems.
Article
Ecology
Yan-gui Su, Jie Liu, Yuan-ming Zhang, Gang Huang
Summary: Plant diversity, soil bacterial diversity, biocrust development, and SMF show geographic patterns along an aridity gradient in northern China, with biocrust development influencing soil functions related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.
Overall, this study highlights the different effects and pathways of biocrusts on SMF in arid and semi-arid regions, providing insights into how biocrust development promotes soil multifunctionality and enhancing our understanding of the biodiversity-SMF relationship in varying aridity conditions.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ye Tao, Maziyirea Nuerhailati, Yuan-Ming Zhang, Jing Zhang, Ben-Feng Yin, Xiao-Bing Zhou
POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiao-Han Mu, Gang Huang, Yan Li, Xin-Jun Zheng, Gui-Qing Xu, Xue Wu, Yugang Wang, Yan Liu
Summary: The study found that desert vegetation species are significantly affected by precipitation changes, drought reduces plant survival rate and affects their life cycle, while precipitation has a significant impact on seed production and growth rate, but not on plant height and allometry; plants germinated in autumn have higher productivity, while those germinated in spring have higher reproductive efficiency, indicating they have different life history strategies.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bingchang Zhang, Yongqing Zhang, Xiaobing Zhou, Xiangzhen Li, Yuanming Zhang
Summary: The study investigated the responses of cyanobacterial communities in BSCs to different snow treatments and three snow stages in the Gurbantunggut Desert in China. The relative abundance of Cyanobacteria and other bacterial taxa were mainly affected by soil temperature and irradiance, while different cyanobacterial taxa showed varied responses to snowpack. Snowpack depth and duration altered soil properties, leading to niche selection and shifts in the cyanobacterial community structure.
JOURNAL OF ARID LAND
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yong-Xin Zang, Jian-Ying Ma, Xiao-Bing Zhou, Ye Tao, Ben-Feng Yin, Yuan-Ming Zhang
Summary: This study conducted a two-year field experiment in the Gurbantunggut Desert in Central Asia, finding that extreme precipitation can increase the cover, density, height, species richness, and biomass of ephemeral desert plants. The primary effect of extreme precipitation was an increase in above-ground net primary production through increased plant density rather than height and species richness. Additionally, no significant differences in the sensitivity of biomass to increased precipitation were found between different slope positions.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ye Tao, Xiao-Bing Zhou, Yuan-Ming Zhang, Ben-Feng Yin, Yong-Gang Li, Yong-Xin Zang
Summary: The herbaceous synusia in the Junggar Desert has unique foliar stoichiometric traits, influenced more by geographical and climatic factors, with multiple environmental factors jointly affecting foliar stoichiometric traits.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Huiliang Liu, Yanfeng Chen, Lingwei Zhang, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, Lan Zhang, Yan Liu, Daoyuan Zhang, Yuanming Zhang
Summary: The study evaluated the life history flexibility of the cold desert annual Erodium oxyrhinchum in relation to predicted changes in precipitation due to climate change. Results showed that future climate change is unlikely to significantly impact the life history and dominant position of this species. The study challenges the common perception that desert organisms may be negatively affected by climate change.
Article
Plant Sciences
Benfeng Yin, Jiwen Li, Qing Zhang, Nan Wu, Jing Zhang, Xiaoying Rong, Ye Tao, Yongxin Zang, Yonggang Li, Xiaobing Zhou, Yuanming Zhang
Summary: Spring, especially the freeze-thaw season, is crucial for the growth and carbon sequestration of desert mosses. This study found that decreasing snow depth and freeze-thaw cycles significantly affected the physiological characteristics of Syntrichia caninervis, with POD and free proline being the most sensitive to environmental changes.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ye Tao, Dong Qiu, Yan-Ming Gong, Hui-Liang Liu, Jing Zhang, Ben-Feng Yin, Hai-Ying Lu, Xiao-Bing B. Zhou, Yuan-Ming Zhang
Summary: Ephemeral plants in the Gurbantunggut Desert of China exhibit significant differences in N and P concentrations, N:P ratios, and leaf-root-soil interactions, as well as interspecific variations in stoichiometric traits. The chemical ecological characteristics of these plants show distinct differences among species.
JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jing-Ming Yan, Yong-Gang Li, Bagila Maisupova, Xiao-Bing Zhou, Jing Zhang, Hui-Liang Liu, Ben-Feng Yin, Yong-Xin Zang, Ye Tao, Yuan-Ming Zhang
Summary: The functional traits and interrelations of wild apple trees can indicate the decline trend of the trees. There are significant differences in traits between healthy trees and declined trees, especially in terms of nitrogen and potassium concentrations. The core trait for healthy trees is leaf nitrogen that promotes plant growth, while leaf potassium becomes the core trait for declined trees, which is related to resistance enhancement. The associations between traits and the environment have also changed greatly when trees declined.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gang Huang, Yan-gui Su, Guo-peng Wu, Zheng-yi Huang, Si-nuo Lin, Hao Cheng
Summary: Biocrusts play a significant role in soil organic carbon processes in drylands, and the predicted increase in aridity will impact soil organic carbon dynamics. In this study, microbial respiration and its temperature sensitivity were measured in bare soil and two types of biocrusted soils in northern China's dryland. The results showed that biocrusts positively influenced microbial respiration and had a negative impact on the temperature sensitivity, which increased with decreasing precipitation. These findings highlight the importance of expanding biocrust cover in maintaining soil organic carbon stability in response to climate warming.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Yan-gui Su, Gang Huang, Jie Liu
Summary: Autotrophs in biocrusts (cyanobacteria and mosses) enhance soil organic C content and drive soil C dynamics in drylands. The study found that increased C availability can mitigate microbial C limitation. The magnitude of alleviated C limitation by biocrusts increases with increasing aridity.
Article
Ecology
Zhengyi Huang, Yangui Su, Sinuo Lin, Guopeng Wu, Hao Cheng, Gang Huang
Summary: Understanding the elevational patterns of soil microbial diversity is crucial, and this study investigated these patterns across climatic zones, trophic levels, and taxonomic levels. The results showed that soil bacterial richness decreased with elevation, while fungal richness exhibited a hump-shaped pattern. Evenness in bacterial and fungal communities showed a hump-shaped pattern across climatic zones, except in the tropical forest. Soil pH and mean annual temperature were identified as important factors influencing bacterial and fungal richness and evenness. The study highlights the diversity of elevational patterns in microbial diversity and suggests that richness and evenness may respond differently to environmental gradients.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Hong-Mei Zhao, Wei-Jun Yang, Jun-Hui Cheng, Gang Huang, Yu-Tong Hu, Cong-Juan Li, Jian-Dong Sheng
Summary: Changes in nitrogen deposition and litter mixtures can influence ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition. However, the interactive effects of litter mixing and N-deposition on decomposition process in desert regions are not well understood. This study revealed that N addition did not significantly affect decomposition rate of single-species litter, but species variation and initial chemical properties were correlated with litter mass loss and decomposition rate. Litter mixing did not have non-additive effects on decomposition, but N addition modified the direction of mixture effects and interacted with incubation time. The findings imply that increased N deposition may have greater effects on carbon turnover in desert ecosystems than previously thought.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haihua Wang, Huaiyang Ke, Hongping Wu, Siyuan Ma, Muhammad Mohsin Altaf, Xiaoping Diao
Summary: Carbon storage in mangroves is crucial for mitigating climate change, but our understanding of this aspect is limited. This study investigated the seasonal changes in the carbon metabolic profile of microbial communities in mangrove soils on Hainan Island, China, and found that season plays a critical role in shaping the carbon functional diversity of microbial communities.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Donghui Zhao, Congcong Shen, Zhi-Ming Zhang, Jichen Wang, Li-Mei Zhang, Baodong Chen, Guo-Xin Sun, Yuan Ge
Summary: By studying soil samples from different slope directions along an elevational gradient in a mountain ecosystem, we found that soil bacterial diversity and microbial functions exhibit distinct elevational patterns, which are consistent across slope directions. The bacterial diversity shows a hump-shaped pattern, while microbial functions exhibit a linear increasing trend. Additionally, the beta diversity pattern of soil bacteria is significantly influenced by elevational distance decay relationships. Soil bacterial diversity patterns are determined by transitions in community assembly processes, whereas microbial functions are mainly influenced by bacterial community composition.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guanfang Sun, Yan Zhu, Wei Mao, Yonghong Li, Jinzhong Yang, Zhaoliang Gao
Summary: This study developed a water and salt balance model to predict long-term water and salt dynamics in seasonally frozen arid agricultural regions. The model was validated in a region in China and showed that increasing autumn irrigation water can decrease soil salinity during the irrigation period, but has limited impact on long-term average soil salinity.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Alfredo Mayoral, Ana Ejarque, Arnau Garcia-Molsosa, Mercourios Georgiadis, Giannis Apostolou, Vincent Gaertner, Constantina Kallintzi, Eurydice Kefalidou, Hector Orengo
Summary: This paper presents an integrated Geoarchaeological approach to studying the landscape change and socio-environmental interaction around ancient Abdera. The study uses a combination of remote sensing, geomorphological mapping, sedimentary coring, and radiocarbon dating to reconstruct the palaeogeographic evolution of the area. The results challenge previous narratives about the rise and decline of Abdera and provide new insights into the role of historical and environmental factors. It also introduces evidence of submerged Neolithic landscapes and the impact of anthropogenic forcing on the sedimentary systems.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiale Chen, Michael Dannenmann, Qiang Yu, Yalong Shi, Matthew D. Wallenstein, Xinguo Han, Honghui Wu, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
Summary: This study investigated the effects of temperature and moisture on soil nitrogen turnover through field experiments and laboratory incubation experiments. The results showed that soil temperature had a greater explanatory power than moisture in gross ammonification and nitrification rates. Climate warming may have a greater impact on gross nitrogen turnover compared to changes in rainfall.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhen Han, Xiuchao Yang, Xiaoai Yin, Qian Fang, Longshan Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of exposed root distribution patterns on rainfall-runoff processes. The results showed that the distribution patterns of exposed root had a significant impact on rainfall-runoff processes. A vertical slope arrangement was conducive to rainfall infiltration, a parallel slope arrangement resulted in more surface runoff, and a transverse slope arrangement could reduce water loss.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bo Zhao
Summary: Seismic earthflows, as special seismic landslides, have not received much attention in previous studies. This study analyzed the characteristics and movement of earthflows induced by recent earthquakes. The results showed that earthflows occur in high-rainfall areas and are sensitive to rainfall. Compared to other seismic landslides, seismic earthflows occur on gentler hills and have higher mobility.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tingxi Liu, Xueqin Wang, Mingyang Li, Dongfang Li, Limin Duan, Xin Tong, Guanli Wang
Summary: Soil respiration plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle in arid and semi-arid regions, and is regulated by hydrothermal factors. This study examined the seasonal and diurnal dynamics of soil respiration in two typical ecosystems in northern China, and investigated their responses to precipitation, temperature, and drought. The results showed that soil respiration varied seasonally and diurnally, and its response to environmental factors depended on the ecosystem type and soil moisture status. Incorporating multiple factors into carbon cycle models can improve the simulation and prediction of carbon emissions in arid and semi-arid regions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yaochen Xu, Ninghua Chen, Deguo Zhang, Bowen Gao, Xuhua Weng, Hongcheng Qiu
Summary: This study provides systematic investigation on how yardangs exert control over dune morphology, and reveals the intricate wind dynamics and mechanisms involved. Computational fluid dynamics modeling and remote sensing data further support the observations and shed light on the influences of yardangs on wind deposition and dune formation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yuri Lopes Zinn, Welton Pereira da Rocha Jr
Summary: This study assessed the evolution of Journal Impact Factors (JIF) and related data in the field of Soil Science over a 26-year period, and compared it with the field of Agronomy. The results showed a significant growth in JIFs and output in Soil Science, with commercial scientific publishers' journals experiencing higher growth rates than non-profit journals. The study also highlighted the importance of considering not only JIF, but also the bibliometric footprint, in determining the relevance and leadership of journals in the discipline.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shanshan Liao, Xiaodong Nie, Aoqi Zeng, Wenfei Liao, Yi Liu, Zhongwu Li
Summary: Lake drawdown areas, where sediment is exposed due to water level fluctuations, have a significant impact on the carbon cycle. This study examined microbial necromass carbon (MNC) content and its contribution to soil organic carbon (SOC) in different habitats within the drawdown area of Dongting Lake. The results showed that MNC content varied among habitats and was primarily influenced by carbon and nitrogen availability, plant biomass, clay content, and soil moisture. External factors, such as plant and soil properties, played a more crucial role in the long-term accumulation of MNC. These findings enhance our understanding of MNC stability in drawdown areas.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Vanessa Alves Mantovani, Marcela de Castro Nunes Santos Terra, Andre Ferreira Rodrigues, Carlos Alberto Silva, Li Guo, Jose Marcio de Mello, Carlos Rogerio de Mello
Summary: There is a lack of research on the potential of tropical soils in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome to store carbon. This study aimed to determine the soil carbon stocks at different depths, describe their temporal variability, and identify the main drivers that influence their variations. The results showed significant spatial and seasonal variability in soil carbon stocks, with a high accumulation in December and a low accumulation in August. The study also found that litterfall, throughfall, tree sizes, and soil moisture were important factors affecting the distribution of soil carbon.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anais Zimmer, Timothy Beach, Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Antoine Rabatel, Rolando Cruz Encarnacion, Joshua Lopez Robles, Edison Jara Tarazona, Arnaud J. A. M. Temme
Summary: Climate warming has accelerated glacial retreat and soil formation in mountainous regions. The accumulation of soil organic carbon and nitrogen is influenced by environmental factors, with maximum temperature and initial site conditions playing important roles in soil development.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ren-Min Yang, Lai-Ming Huang, Feng Liu
Summary: This study investigated the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in seasonally frozen ground (SFG) in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, in 2020 and 2021, and explored the effects of various factors on SOC using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that C inputs exerted the greatest control on SOC, and the influence of these factors decreased with increasing soil depth. Additionally, timely spatial SOC estimates were found to be important for assessing carbon stocks in the context of environmental changes.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shue Wei, Kuandi Zhang, Chenglong Liu, Youdong Cen, Junqiang Xia
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of different vegetation components on erosion through simulated rainfall experiments and found that litter had the best effect in reducing erosion, followed by roots. The study also revealed that the reduction in runoff and sediment by the treatments decreased with increasing rainfall intensity.
