Article
Soil Science
Vesh R. Thapa, Rajan Ghimire, Veronica Acosta-Martinez, Mark A. Marsalis, Meagan E. Schipanski
Summary: This study investigated the impact of cover crops on soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities in a semi-arid environment. The results showed that cover crops can increase total microbial community size, fungal abundance, and enzyme activities associated with carbon and nutrient cycling. Among cover crops, oat and its mixtures with legumes and brassicas were most effective in improving soil health and biogeochemical cycling in a hot and dry semi-arid climate.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qian Fu, Jin-long Lai, Xiao-hui Ji, Zhong-xu Luo, Guo Wu, Xue-gang Luo
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of different molecular weight polyethylene-particles (PE-particles) on soil metabolism, microbial community structure, and crop growth using a potted microcosmic simulation system. The results showed that PE-particles with varying molecular weights had distinct effects on the soil-plant system, potentially leading to adverse effects.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Bing Yang, Samiran Banerjee, Chantal Herzog, Andrea Corona Ramirez, Paul Dahlin, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden
Summary: Our study revealed significant differences in soil nematode community structure and function across different farming systems, with an increase in nematode populations in organic vegetable fields. Organic farming led to higher abundances and footprints of various functional groups of nematodes, promoting carbon and energy enrichment in the soil food web.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Huan Gao, Gangming Tian, Muhammad Khashi U. Rahman, Fengzhi Wu
Summary: Cover crops can improve soil biological health, alter the composition of soil microbial communities, and increase crop yield in agricultural systems.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhen Wu, Futian Zhang, Wen Ding, Kai Wang, Jun Peng, Ni Cao, Chenggang He
Summary: The conversion of native forest to cash crops in the Jianghuai Hilly Region is the main driver of land use change. This study examined the impact of different cash crops on soil multi-functionality. Results showed that vegetable and orchard plantations significantly decreased soil multi-functionality, while tea plantation had no significant effects. Changes in keystone species abundance were identified as the main factor driving the decline in soil multi-functionality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zeqin Liu, Shujuan Li, Ning Liu, Guoqin Huang, Quan Zhou
Summary: This study investigated the interaction between soil microorganisms and the environment using milk vetch intercropping with rapeseed. The results showed that intercropping increased soil moisture content and nitrogen levels compared to monoculture. The dominant soil microbial communities were similar in intercropping and monoculture, but intercropping increased microbial diversity. The changes in the soil microbial community were mainly influenced by factors such as soil temperature, moisture, pH, nitrogen, and potassium availability.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ran Zhang, Hao Shen, Shikui Dong, Shuai Li, Jiannan Xiao, Yangliu Zhi, Jing Zhang, Hui Zuo, Shengnan Wu, Zhiyuan Mu, Hang Shi
Summary: This study investigated the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on the plant community of the alpine steppe. The results showed that high N deposition rates significantly changed plant composition and reduced plant diversity. Changes in soil nutrient dynamics, particularly total carbon, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen, were closely correlated with plant diversity changes. It is suggested that future increases in N deposition may negatively affect the plant composition and diversity of the alpine steppe.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Tayyab, Ziqi Yang, Caifang Zhang, Waqar Islam, Wenxiong Lin, Hua Zhang
Summary: Sugarcane monoculture leads to soil problems such as acidification and degradation, reducing soil fertility and beneficial microbes. Analysis showed the impact of this cultivation method on soil and microbial communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Chu Zhang, Xiaoping Xin, Yu Zhang, Miao Wang, Sisi Chen, Tianqi Yu, Yingxin Li, Guixia Yang, Ruirui Yan
Summary: Studies on the impacts of fertilization on plant production and species diversity are crucial for maintaining the stability of grassland ecosystems. This study explored the effects of different levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition on plant community structure, biomass allocation, diversity, and correlation in a temperate Leymus chinensis meadow steppe ecosystem. The results showed that N and P addition changed the plant community composition, increased plant community height, density, coverage, and biomass, and decreased community richness, diversity, and evenness indices. Moderate fertilization improved plant community structure and productivity while maintaining species diversity and stability.
Article
Agronomy
Qi Li, Amit Kumar, Zhenwei Song, Qiang Gao, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jing Tian, Fusuo Zhang
Summary: Sustainable agricultural production relies on optimal farm management to improve soil quality and agroecosystem sustainability. Integrated soil-crop management based on crop models and nutrient management designs has shown promise in increasing yields. However, further research is needed to understand its effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) composition, microbial communities, and their links to crop yield.
Article
Soil Science
Yan Peng, Martin Holmstrup, Inger Kappel Schmidt, An De Schrijver, Stephanie Schelfhout, Petr Hedenec, Haifeng Zheng, Luciana Ruggiero Bachega, Kai Yue, Lars Vesterdal
Summary: Through field studies in six common gardens in Denmark, it was found that tree species identity and mycorrhizal association significantly affect soil fauna communities. Overall, AM tree species and lime tree species have positive effects on soil fauna abundance, biomass, as well as taxonomic and functional diversity. Tree species also significantly influence litter, forest floor, and soil properties.
Article
Soil Science
Inaki Odriozola, Diana Navratilova, Petra Tlaskalova, Tereza Klinerova, Zita Cervenkova, Petr Kohout, Tomas Vetrovsky, Pavla Cizkova, Martin Stary, Petr Baldrian
Summary: Our study found that fungal biomass and community composition were vertically stratified in the study area. Vegetation was a key predictor of fungal community composition across all ecological guilds of fungi and habitats. Additionally, pH and climatic factors also played significant roles in predicting fungal community composition and biomass.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Abdullah Khan, Hongtao Jiang, Junyao Bu, Muhammad Adnan, Syeda Wajeeha Gillani, Muqing Zhang
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of two different sugarcane cultivars on the rhizosphere microbial community and cane morphological characters during consecutive ratooning. The results showed significant changes in the rhizosphere microbiome, with cultivar ZZ-13 causing more alterations and resulting in a more favorable environment for sugarcane growth. This finding contributes to a better understanding of the interaction between rhizosphere microorganisms and ratoon sugarcane.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Paula Correa Moneda, Lucas Amoroso Lopes de Carvalho, Luis Guillermo Teheran-Sierra, Michelli Inacio Goncalves Funnicelli, Daniel Guariz Pinheiro
Summary: The cultivation system of sugarcane has an impact on the composition and diversity of the rhizospheric microbiota, especially on fungi.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Ying Wang, Hongfei Ji, Yan Chen, Rui Wang, Shengli Guo
Summary: Long-term crop rotations have a significant impact on soil fungal communities, and changes in soil fungi and fungal functional groups have the potential to improve soil multifunctionality in dryland crop rotation systems.
Article
Entomology
Zi-Hua Zhao, Cang Hui, Gadi V. P. Reddy, Fang Ouyang, Xing-Yuan Men, Feng Ge
ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhaoke Dong, Qingqing Zhang, Lili Li, Zengbin Lu, Chao Li, Fang Ouyang, Teja Tscharntke, Yi Yu, Xingyuan Men
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhiping Cai, Fang Ouyang, Jianwei Su, Xingrui Zhang, Chenglin Liu, Yunli Xiao, Jianping Zhang, Feng Ge
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Zhaoke Dong, Chao Li, Qingqing Zhang, Lili Li, Zengbin Lu, Fang Ouyang, Yingying Song, Yi Yu, Xingyuan Men
Summary: The study found that the haplotype of the Asian corn borer is influenced by the proportion of different host crops, with some haplotypes being more strongly associated with maize. The research also showed the impact of various landscape factors on haplotype distribution.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Fang Ouyang, Wenwen Su, Yongsheng Zhang, Xianghui Liu, Jianwei Su, Qingqing Zhang, Xingyuan Men, Qian Ju, Feng Ge
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Agronomy
Quanfeng Yang, Xingyuan Men, Wenlu Zhao, Chao Li, Qingqing Zhang, Zhiping Cai, Feng Ge, Fang Ouyang
Summary: Planting Cnidium monnieri flower strips at field borders can serve as a bridge habitat to conserve the dominant predator Propylaea japonica during crop phenophase changes in double-cropping systems, leading to increased predator abundance in adjacent maize fields. The majority of predators entering maize fields originate from flower strips.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fei Qiao, Quan-Feng Yang, Rui-Xing Hou, Ke-Ning Zhang, Jing Li, Feng Ge, Fang Ouyang
Summary: The study showed that decreasing nitrogen fertilizer from 280 to 140-210 kg N ha(-1) does not quantitatively affect the densities of cereal aphids or the parasitism rate, but can qualitatively maximize the fitness of parasitoids for biocontrol of cereal aphids in the future.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhiping Cai, Fang Ouyang, Jing Chen, Quanfeng Yang, Nicolas Desneux, Yunli Xiao, Jianping Zhang, Feng Ge
Summary: Habitat management, such as adding insectary plants to agroecosystems, is a useful technique for improving pest control through increasing the diversity and population density of natural enemies, promoting their movement, and enhancing the suppression of pests. The insectary plant Cnidium monnieri attracts and fosters predatory natural enemies, which then transfer to apple trees and effectively suppress spirea aphids. The use of tracking markers like rubidium (Rb) in laboratory experiments and field sampling provides further evidence of the movement of natural enemies from C. monnieri to apple trees.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingying Song, Lili Li, Chao Li, Zengbin Lu, Fang Ouyang, Li Liu, Yi Yu, Xingyuan Men
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of six commonly used insecticides with different modes of action to O. excavata larvae. The results showed that clothianidin and abamectin were the most toxic, while sulfoxaflor was identified as the only safe insecticide. Sublethal toxicity tests indicated that clothianidin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and abamectin significantly reduced larval weight, prolonged larval development duration, and decreased eclosion rate.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Zhiping Cai, Fang Ouyang, Xingrui Zhang, Jing Chen, Yunli Xiao, Feng Ge, Jianping Zhang
Summary: Increasing biodiversity in orchards by planting different flowering plants can attract natural enemies to control pests effectively.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Shimin Gu, Myron P. Zalucki, Xingyuan Men, Jing Li, Ruixing Hou, Qingqing Zhang, Feng Ge, Fang Ouyang
Summary: The study found that in wheat cultivation, combining mineral fertilizer with maize straw amendment can reduce cereal aphid abundance, promote parasitism, and increase biological pest control efficiency. Moreover, the types and content of plant free amino acids may be crucial factors affecting aphid abundance and biological control efficiency. Heterogeneity in fertilizer regimes between fields plays a key role in shaping pest control at a landscape scale.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Zhuo Yan, Lina Wang, Gadi V. P. Reddy, Shimin Gu, Xingyuan Men, Yunli Xiao, Jianwei Su, Feng Ge, Fang Ouyang
Summary: This study assessed the supercooling traits of a solitary bee and its brood parasite. Significant differences in supercooling points were found between the bee and the parasite within the same sex, as well as between sexes of the same species. The supercooling traits of the two species were significantly positively correlated.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wenwen Su, Fang Ouyang, Zhuo Li, Yiyang Yuan, Quanfeng Yang, Feng Ge
Summary: This study investigates the impact of flowering plants on the development and reproduction performance of predaceous ladybeetles. The results show that the presence of C. monnieri flowers significantly improves the survival, growth, and egg production of H. axyridis, suggesting that flowering plants serve as important supplementary food sources for natural enemies of aphids.
Article
Entomology
Yingying Song, Li Liu, Fang Ouyang, Hongying Cui, Wenxiu Guo, Suhong Lv, Baohua Ye, Lili Li, Yi Yu, Xingyuan Men
Summary: The effects of long-term refrigeration on the vitality, flight ability, and metabolism of Osmia excavata, the king of pollination in China, were studied. The survival rate and weight loss rate of O. excavata were not greatly affected, but the flight duration and distance decreased significantly. Overall, long-term refrigeration does not greatly impact the pollination potential of O. excavata, but it may decrease pollination efficiency.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wenqing Zhou, Vijay C. Verma, Terry A. Wheeler, Jason E. Woodward, James L. Starr, Gregory A. Sword
PHYTOBIOMES JOURNAL
(2020)