Article
Environmental Sciences
Lifeng Wang, Yamei Chen, Yu Zhou, Haifeng Zheng, Zhenfeng Xu, Bo Tan, Chengming You, Li Zhang, Han Li, Li Guo, Lixia Wang, Youyou Huang, Jian Zhang, Yang Liu
Summary: The study revealed that litter chemistry, nutrients, and stoichiometry play a vital role in litter quality degradation and release of carbon fractions. Differences in litter chemistry among different vegetation types lead to variations in litter removal rates, indicating the influence of vegetation type on litter decomposition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuandong Zhang, Ning Miao, Shirong Liu
Summary: The study found that on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, the density of Abies fargesii var. faxoniana seedlings and saplings increased from low altitude sites to high altitude sites, before dropping to zero beyond the treeline; the density of fir seedlings at the treeline in 2018 was significantly lower than in 2008; compared to regeneration patterns from 65 years ago, treeline densification represents a spatial phenomenon related to altitude.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Yafeng Wang, Daihan Li, Ping Ren, Shalik Ram Sigdel, Jesus Julio Camarero
Summary: This study investigated the responses of alpine treelines to climate warming on the Tibetan Plateau and found heterogeneous responses across the region. While most treelines showed upward advancement, some treelines remained stable. The position of the current tree species line was found to be crucial in evaluating treeline dynamics, and plant-plant interactions played a role in modulating warming-induced treeline advances.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lea-Rebekka Tonjer, Ella Thoen, Luis Morgado, Synnove Botnen, Sunil Mundra, Line Nybakken, Anders Bryn, Havard Kauserud
Summary: Climate change is causing forest lines to shift higher globally, impacting soil biota and carbon sequestration. Analysis of soil biota composition across the forest line ecotone revealed significant differences in fungal and micro-eukaryotic populations. Ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi dominate below the forest line, while root-associated ascomycetes are more prevalent above it. Ergosterol and soil carbon content strongly correlated with root-associated ascomycetes abundance, suggesting potential implications for carbon turnover and sequestration.
Article
Ecology
Xue Wei, Pengfei Wu
Summary: The research revealed significant differences in the abundance and diversity of soil insect communities in different degradation levels of the Zoige? wetland, influenced by plant communities and soil physico-chemical properties.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Haifeng Zheng, Yamei Chen, Yang Liu, Petr Hedenec, Yan Peng, Zhenfeng Xu, Bo Tan, Li Zhang, Li Guo, Lifeng Wang, Lars Vesterdal
Summary: The study revealed that cellulolytic enzyme activities and gram-negative bacterial biomass were higher in shrubland during litter decomposition, while higher fungal biomass, fungal/bacteria ratio, and ligninolytic activity were observed in the meadow. The effects of litter quality were most prominent in the early stages of decomposition and waned as the influence of vegetation type in the incubation sites developed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Zhou, Lifeng Wang, Yamei Chen, Jian Zhang, Zhenfeng Xu, Li Guo, Lixia Wang, Chengming You, Bo Tan, Li Zhang, LiangHua Chen, JiuJin Xiao, Peng Zhu, Yang Liu
Summary: Loss of plant diversity affects mountain ecosystem properties and processes, particularly humification of mixed litter. This study found higher humus concentrations in coniferous forest compared to alpine shrubland, with humus net accumulations falling to approximately 80% of initial levels within 1279 days. The relationships between environmental factors and initial quality factors influenced litter humification dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tiancai Zhou, Ge Hou, Jian Sun, Ning Zong, Peili Shi
Summary: This study revealed the contrasting ecological strategies of different plant functional groups (sedges, grasses, and forbs) in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau along a degradation gradient, and their impact on leaf traits and competitive performance of secondary forbs during degradation. The results showed that the response of plant species to decreasing available resources could lead to niche expansion of secondary forbs and a decrease in diversity in degraded alpine meadows.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yu-Te Lin, William B. Whitman, David C. Coleman, Shih-Hao Jien, Hsueh-Ching Wang, Chih-Yu Chiu
Summary: The study found significant differences in bacterial community composition between coniferous forest and grassland soils at the treeline, with correlations to soil pH, organic C, and C/N. Historical vegetation types also had a significant impact on the abundance of certain bacterial groups.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ritwika Mukhopadhyay, Erik Naesset, Terje Gobakken, Ida Marielle Mienna, Jaime Candelas Bielza, Gunnar Austrheim, Henrik Jan Persson, Hans Ole orka, Bjorn-Eirik Roald, Ole Martin Bollandsas
Summary: Due to climate change, treelines are shifting to higher altitudes and latitudes. Accurately estimating the biomass of trees and shrubs in alpine areas is crucial for carbon reporting. This study utilized remotely sensed data, such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) and digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP), to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB) in a treeline ecotone in Southern Norway. Despite weak fit of the prediction models, the estimates showed adequate precision with relatively narrow confidence intervals (CIs). The results suggest that ALS and DAP data can be effectively used for AGB estimation in treeline ecotones.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Rui Yin, Wenkuan Qin, Xudong Wang, Hongyang Zhao, Zhenhua Zhang, Biao Zhu
Summary: This study examined the effects of temperature and invertebrate fauna on litter carbon and nutrient turnover in alpine meadows. The results showed that warming increased litter cellulose degradation and the presence of invertebrate fauna led to higher loss of nitrogen and lignin from litter. The release rates of all litter chemical components were faster in the warm season. These findings highlight the importance of considering the role of invertebrate fauna in litter decay patterns and the potential impacts on carbon and nutrient cycling in alpine ecosystems under ongoing warming.
Article
Agronomy
Shaoying Wang, Yu Zhang, Xianhong Meng, Lunyu Shang, Suosuo Li, Zhaoguo Li, Youqi Su
Summary: This study reports the seasonal and interannual variability of evapotranspiration (ET) and its environmental controls over an alpine meadow in the subfrigid humid zone of the Tibetan Plateau. The results show that biophysical factors, rather than precipitation and growing season length, mainly control the interannual variability in annual ET. The findings are critical for understanding the response mechanism of ET to the changing biotic and abiotic conditions in the Tibetan Plateau.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Wanji Guo, Ziliang Zhang, Qing Liu, Juan Xiao, Huajun Yin
Summary: The study found that plants in an ectomycorrhizal spruce plantation in the eastern Tibetan Plateau showed a greater preference for soil NH4+-N, regardless of the growing season or non-growing season. Additionally, during the non-growing season, plants exhibited significantly higher absorption of soil amino acids.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jialuo Yu, Haijian Bing, Ruiying Chang, Yongxing Cui, Guoting Shen, Xiangxiang Wang, Shangpeng Zhang, Linchuan Fang
Summary: This study investigated the response of microbial metabolism in alpine grassland soil to warming, and found that microbial metabolism was limited by carbon and phosphorus. Experimental warming decreased microbial carbon limitation in the topsoil, but not the subsoil.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huijin Shi, Shengjing Jiang, Jianghui Bian, Jin-Sheng He
Summary: The alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is facing shrub encroachment, which can be exacerbated by livestock exclusion policies. The encroachment is caused by the competitive advantage gained by shrubs through plant-plant interactions and the improvement of deep soil resources.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Haifeng Zheng, Yang Liu, Yamei Chen, Jian Zhang, Hongjie Li, Lifeng Wang, Qianmei Chen
Article
Ecology
Yulian Yang, Qinggui Wu, Wanqin Yang, Fuzhong Wu, Li Zhang, Zhenfeng Xu, Yang Liu, Bo Tan, Han Li, Wei Zhou
Article
Ecology
Haifeng Zheng, Yamei Chen, Yang Liu, Petr Hedenec, Yan Peng, Zhenfeng Xu, Bo Tan, Li Zhang, Li Guo, Lifeng Wang, Lars Vesterdal
Summary: The study revealed that cellulolytic enzyme activities and gram-negative bacterial biomass were higher in shrubland during litter decomposition, while higher fungal biomass, fungal/bacteria ratio, and ligninolytic activity were observed in the meadow. The effects of litter quality were most prominent in the early stages of decomposition and waned as the influence of vegetation type in the incubation sites developed.
Article
Ecology
Kai Yue, Scott Jarvie, Alistair M. Senior, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Yan Peng, Xiangyin Ni, Fuzhong Wu, Jens-Christian Svenning
Article
Ecology
Xiangyin Ni, Shu Liao, Siyi Tan, Yan Peng, Dingyi Wang, Kai Yue, Fuzhong Wu, Yusheng Yang
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kai Yue, Pieter De Frenne, Dario A. Fornara, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Wang Li, Xin Peng, Xiangyin Ni, Yan Peng, Fuzhong Wu, Yusheng Yang, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Globally, the partitioning of incident rainfall into interception, stemflow, and throughfall varies among different biomes due to factors such as plant composition, canopy structure, and macroclimate. The relative stemflow is more influenced by plant traits, while relative interception and throughfall are influenced by plant traits and meteorological variables.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dingyi Wang, Chao Lv, Yi Guan, Xiangyin Ni, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: Dsk2 is a nuclear-enriched ubiquitin-like polyubiquitin-binding protein that plays multiple regulatory roles in Beauveria bassiana, controlling hyphal growth defect, conidiation, sensitivity to osmotic and oxidative stress, as well as chemical tolerance. Dsk2 is involved in adapting to environmental changes and negatively regulates thermal resistance in B. bassiana.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Yan Peng, Dario A. Fornara, Kai Yue, Xin Peng, Changhui Peng, Qiqian Wu, Xiangyin Ni, Shu Liao, Yusheng Yang, Fuzhong Wu, Josep Penuelas
Summary: The study found that individual and combined global change factors have minimal effects on plant biomass allocation, with effects typically being additive for two-factor pairs. Moderator variables may influence the direction of these effects. Additionally, under environmental stress conditions exerted by multiple global change factors, plants tend to exhibit an isometric allocation pattern rather than a ratio-based optimal partitioning pattern.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Review
Soil Science
Xiangyin Ni, Shu Liao, Fuzhong Wu, Peter M. Groffman
Summary: A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of elevated and reduced soil moisture on microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) in forest soils across dry and wet regions. It was found that the influence of altered soil moisture on MBC and MBN concentrations was greater in dry regions. The intensity of manipulation and length of experimental period were significant factors affecting the response of microbial biomass to altered moisture.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Yan Peng, Josep Penuelas, Lars Vesterdal, Kai Yue, Guille Peguero, Dario A. Fornara, Petr Hedenec, Christina Steffens, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: Soil fauna density and diversity are minimally affected by individual and combined effects of global change factors, except for drought negatively impacting density and increased rainfall, nitrogen addition, and warming positively impacting density. The effects vary among taxonomic groups and are influenced by variables such as latitude, elevation, and experimental setting.
Article
Ecology
Xiaoyue Zhang, Xiangyin Ni, Petr Hedenec, Kai Yue, Xinyu Wei, Jing Yang, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: This study quantified the responses of different stages of vegetation regeneration to litter at a global scale. The results showed that litter had different effects on seed, seedling, and plant development stages, with negative effects on seedling establishment and positive effects on plant height. Litter had a minor impact on the vegetation community.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingjing Zhu, Qiuxia Wu, Fuzhong Wu, Xiangyin Ni
Summary: Soil respiration is the largest carbon flux from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere and partitioning the sources of soil carbon dioxide remains uncertain. Through observations and models, we determined that root + rhizosphere respiration, litter respiration, and soil organic matter-derived microbial respiration accounted for 20.1%, 21.8%, and 62.7% of total soil respiration, respectively. Precipitation was the most important factor influencing the proportions of these components, with higher root- and litter-derived soil CO2 fluxes in tropical forests compared to cold temperate and boreal forests. Accurate partitioning of the sources of soil CO2 flux will provide important insights for global carbon budgets.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiuxia Wu, Fuzhong Wu, Jingjing Zhu, Xiangyin Ni
Summary: This study quantitatively assessed the contributions of litter and roots to soil organic carbon (SOC) through plant input manipulations in different forest types. The results showed that plant inputs had similar contributions to SOC accumulation across forest types, with litter having a greater impact on SOC concentration than roots in broadleaved forests.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Yan Peng, Lars Vesterdal, Josep Penuelas, Guille Peguero, Qiqian Wu, Petr Hedenec, Kai Yue, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effects of soil fauna density and diversity on litter decomposition. The results showed that the presence of soil fauna significantly increased the rate of litter decomposition, and that the effects were mainly controlled by initial litter concentrations of phosphorus and magnesium. Soil fauna in litterbags had significant effects on litter decomposition, while ambient communities had limited effects.
Article
Forestry
Ling Zhu, Wentao Wei, Ruobing Wu, Xiaoyue Zhang, Hongrong Guo, Dingyi Wang, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: Enzyme activity plays a crucial role in leaf litter decomposition, but the variation in enzyme activity between the forest canopy and forest floor has not been well understood. This study examined the activity of eight enzymes related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus mineralization during Castanopsis carlesii leaf litter decomposition in the forest canopy and on the forest floor. The results showed that enzyme activity was generally lower in the forest canopy compared to the forest floor during litter decomposition, except for acid phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase activities. The study also revealed that carbon and phosphorus were the limiting factors for microbial activity during litter decomposition, with stronger carbon limitation on the forest floor and higher phosphorus limitation in the forest canopy.
