Article
Forestry
Josu G. G. Alday, Leonor Calvo, Jose Luis Fernandez Rodriguez, Luz Valbuena
Summary: This study characterizes the plant species composition and soil seed bank after prescribed burning in three heathlands in the southern part of Spain, to understand the regenerative capacity and conservation of these communities. The results suggest that the soil seed bank after wildfires can restore the grassland vegetation in these habitats, indicating a high restoration potential. Our study also highlights the recovery of key species such as Calluna and Erica in the short term after burning, which is crucial for maintaining the community structure of heathlands.
Article
Plant Sciences
Vytaute Kaunaite, Gabriele Vilkickyte, Lina Raudone
Summary: This study evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of different populations of heather plants collected from distinct habitats. The results showed significant differences in compound diversification and antioxidant activity among the samples from different habitats. Chlorogenic acid and hyperoside were found to be predominant phenolic compounds, while ursolic, oleanolic acids, and uvaol prevailed among the triterpenic compounds. These compounds can serve as phytochemical markers for heather raw material from central Europe.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Luis Rodrigues da Silva, Renan Campos Chiste, Eduarda Fernandes
Summary: The Calluna vulgaris honey produced in Portugal was found to have high content of phenolic compounds and abscisic acids, showing strong antioxidant activity and protective effect against oxidative damage in human erythrocytes. The study identified catechin derivatives and abscisic acids as major constituents contributing to its biological activity.
Article
Ecology
Stefanie Hoeckendorff, Markus Peintinger, Felicitas Fiedler, Marc Stift, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Species losses and local extinctions are often caused by habitat destruction and environmental changes. This study used historical and experimental data to show that over time, the occurrence frequency of species in seemingly intact habitats has changed, with most species declining. Competition and nutrient addition may be contributing factors to these changes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Thomas Stamp, Elizabeth West, Steve Colclough, Shaun Plenty, Benjamin Ciotti, Tim Robbins, Emma Sheehan
Summary: Saltmarshes are important habitats for fish feeding and nursery, but their global decline has raised concerns. This study compared fish feeding activity in human-engineered or re-aligned saltmarshes to established ones. The results showed that Thinlip Mullet and European Bass had lower feeding rates in re-aligned saltmarshes, while Gobies fed at a similar rate in both habitats. Analysis of gut contents indicated a significant decline in important detritivorous prey species in re-aligned sites. This highlights the potential negative effects of lower vegetation density on fish feeding ecologies in re-aligned saltmarshes.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mahbubeh Hadinezhad, Reza Erfanzadeh, Hassan Ghelichnia
Summary: Little information is available about the effects of different species of shrubs on the composition of the soil seed bank (SSB) in the semiarid regions. The study revealed that the extent to which shrubs affected SSB characteristics did not only depend on the presence of shrubs, but also on the species of shrubs. These different roles of different species of shrubs on SSB are advised to be considered in the restoration of degraded areas through the SSB in the semiarid areas.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Laura Juvany, Per-Ola Hedwall, Adam Felton, Karin Ohman, Martha Wallgren, Christer Kalen, Anders Jarnemo, Henrik Johansen, Annika Felton
Summary: The ericaceous shrubs bilberry, cowberry, and heather are important forage plant species for large herbivores and provide various ecosystem functions and services. Models were developed to predict their above-ground biomass in coniferous forests based on cover percentage, height, and stand characteristics. The models showed that cover percentage was the most important factor in predicting biomass, and adding ramet height and stand variables improved the predictions. These models have the potential to be used in forestry decision support systems to estimate forage resources and inform forest management.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Juan Miguel Moya-Perez, Miguel Angel Esteve-Selma, Adrian Ruiz Rocamora, Antonio Felix Carrillo
Summary: This study aims to validate the suitability of a habitat quality index and assess its potential inclusion in forest management programs.
Article
Environmental Studies
Alberto Alfonso-Torreno, Alvaro Gomez-Gutierrez, Susanne Schnabel
Summary: The study found that restoration measures effectively controlled gully erosion, with check dams promoting sediment deposition and reducing lateral bank erosion, while livestock exclosure facilitated the stabilization of bank headcuts, leading to notable increases in sediment deposition.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rebecca A. Efroymson, Mark J. Peterson, Natalie A. Griffiths, Evin T. Carter, Allison M. Fortner, Christopher R. Derolph, Peijia Ku, Paul G. Matson, Rachel M. Pilla, Teresa J. Mathews
Summary: This study manipulated the fish and plant communities in a contaminated pond to reduce the ecological and human-health risk associated with chemical contaminants. The success of the remedial action was evaluated using a habitat valuation approach and measuring PCB concentrations in fish. The results showed a decrease in PCB concentrations in fish, indicating the success of the remediation, and improvements in habitat value.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
David J. Bell, Jamie Robertson, Alastair Macrae, Amy Jennings, Colin S. Mason, Marie J. Haskell
Summary: The climatic environment within calf housing can significantly affect the daily liveweight gain of calves, with exposure to temperatures below the lower critical temperature (LCT) leading to lower growth rates. Calves that spent more time below their LCT had decreased daily liveweight gain compared to those that spent less time in such conditions, highlighting the importance of maintaining optimal environmental temperatures for calf growth.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter Kalla, Michael Cyterski, Daniel Scheidt, Jeffrey Minucci
Summary: The study of the Everglades in Florida reveals how environmental variables can affect mercury concentrations in the food web, with certain water quality constituents and indicators of ecological health influencing mercury bioaccumulation in fish. The research uses Generalized Boosted Models to estimate the environmental influence on variations in mercury concentration in mosquitofish, finding that specific water quality factors and ecological indicators can explain a significant portion of the variability in mercury levels in the fish.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Behzad Sharifipour, Bahram Gholinejad, Ataollah Shirzadi, Himan Shahabi, Nadhir Al-Ansari, Asghar Farajollahi, Fatemeh Mansorypour, John J. Clague
Summary: Mapping plant species in the Qurveh City rangelands in Kurdistan Province, Iran was done using advanced machine learning algorithms. The study identified the topographic wetness index, slope angle, elevation, soil phosphorus, and soil potassium as the most important factors for increasing rangeland plants habitat suitability. The Naive Bayes algorithm had the highest performance and prediction accuracy, followed by SVM, ANN, CART, and BN models.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ian H. Willoughby, Jack Forster
Summary: This study tested the efficacy of different herbicides and found that cycloxydim is effective in controlling grass weed species in UK forests. It is also safe for young trees. When applied at the right time, cycloxydim can be as effective as glyphosate and even more effective for some weed species.
Article
Ecology
Carmen Calzado-Martinez, Mark W. Brunson, Sofia Koutzoukis, Jacopo Baggio, Kari E. Veblen
Summary: The success of restoring degraded rangelands depends on the site's resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasive plants. Taking a proactive approach by initiating restoration in sites at risk of degradation can be more effective than restoring plant communities dominated by invasive species. This study examines the feasibility of out-planting native grass and forb seedlings before cheatgrass dominance in sagebrush stands. The barriers to adopting this proactive restoration approach are analyzed at different levels and recommendations for overcoming these obstacles are provided.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jiarui Zhao, Xiaohu Yuan, Zhanjun Liu, Haotian Shi, Bingnian Zhai, Yuanjun Zhu
Summary: Overfertilization is common in rainfed apple orchards on China's Loess Plateau, but its impacts on soil physicochemical properties in deep soil profiles are poorly understood. This study found that different land-use types showed divergent distribution patterns in soil properties, with low variability for SWC and pH, moderate variability for NH4+-N, AP, and AK, and high variability for SOC, NO3--N, and EC. The results also showed that fertilization influenced soil water content, NO3--N, AP, and AK, and NO3--N played a crucial role in regulating pH and EC. Soil profiles were useful for studying the evolution of soil quality.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Nyfeler, Olivier Huguenin-Elie, Emmanuel Frossard, Andreas Luscher
Summary: Grass-legume mixtures combine high yields, low fertiliser requirements, and low nitrate leaching better than either pure grass or pure legume swards, both during the intact plant cover and after tilling for the subsequent crop.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Martin Faucher, Seraphine Grellier, Clemence Chaudron, Jean-Louis Janeau, Gabrielle Rudi, Fabrice Vinatier
Summary: The Mediterranean region is expected to experience more intense rainfall events and severe droughts due to climate change, leading to an increase in runoff and erosion rates in agrosystems. Vegetation cover can help reduce erosion and the soil seed bank can provide cost-effective vegetation. This study assessed the effect of vegetation cover on seed loss in vineyards and evaluated the differences in the soil seed bank along a transect. The results suggest that vegetation may not protect interrows from runoff-induced seed loss.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Christian Thierfelder, Blessing Mhlanga, Isaiah Nyagumbo, Kelvin Kalala, Esau Simutowe, Mazvita Chiduwa, Chloe Maclaren, Joao Vasco Silva, Hambulo Ngoma
Summary: The performance of different maize-legume diversification strategies was compared in southern Africa. Intercropping systems showed significant nutritional and economic benefits, but had higher labor requirements compared to other cropping systems. Soil organic carbon content and pH were not affected by the tested cropping systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Han Chen, Han Li, Yizhao Wei, Edward Mcbean, Hong Liang, Weimin Wang, Jinhui Jeanne Huang
Summary: This research introduces a hybrid four-sub-deep neural network (HFSD) model for partitioning NEE into GPP and ER. The HFSD employs dual sub-deep neural networks to estimate ERa and ERb and incorporates GPP and environmental variables to predict vegetation transpiration. The results of the model show that the dual sub-DNNs architecture enhances the accuracy of ER simulations, while using EC-derived T as a constraint improves the accuracy of GPP simulations. Correlation analyses suggest that solar radiation and air temperature primarily influence the seasonal variations in GPP and ER, while soil moisture has a strong impact during dry seasons. This study advances the biophysical description of data-driven models for NEE partitioning and enhances the accuracy of GPP and ER estimates.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Michael Glaser, Stefan Dullinger, Dietmar Moser, Johannes Wessely, Milan Chytry, Zdenka Lososova, Irena Axmanova, Christian Berg, Jana Buerger, Serge Buholzer, Fabrizio Buldrini, Alessandro Chiarucci, Swen Follak, Filip Kuezmic, Stefan Meyer, Petr Pysek, Nina Richner, Urban Silc, Siegrid Steinkellner, Alexander Wietzke, Franz Essl
Summary: This study investigated changes in vascular plant species in Central European arable fields and their edges from 1930 to 2019. The results showed a small decline in overall species occupancy, but a more pronounced species turnover. Species with environmental preferences for nutrient-rich sites with neutral pH increased in occupancy, while species typical for arable fields decreased. No response to climate change was observed, and there was a decrease in archaeophytes and native species and an increase in neophytes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Abrell, Krishna Naudin, Felix J. J. A. Bianchi, Debora Veiga Aragao, Pablo Tittonell, Marc Corbeels
Summary: This study demonstrates that reducing fallow periods in shifting cultivation systems in the Eastern Amazon region has negative effects on soil fertility and weed pressure, posing a threat to the sustainability and productivity of local farming systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jun Wang, Lu Lv, Ronggui Hu, Haiyang Ma, Bo Liu, Wenju Zhang, Lei Wu
Summary: Nitrification and denitrification are crucial for nitrogen losses in agricultural soils and are affected by soil properties. This study investigated the patterns and controlling factors of nitrification and denitrification potentials in paddy soils in major rice-producing areas of Hubei Province, China. The results showed that soil pH and SOC were the primary factors regulating nitrification and denitrification potentials, respectively.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Olga Fishkis, Jessica Weller, Jorn Lehmhus, Franz Pollinger, Jorn Strassemeyer, Heinz -Josef Koch
Summary: The Farm to Fork strategy of the European Union aims to reduce pesticide use and replace chemical measures with mechanical methods in weed control. However, there is currently no comprehensive evaluation of the ecological and economic parameters of mechanical methods. This study quantified these parameters for different weed control methods in sugar beet and found that no method can be considered fully environmentally friendly.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mercedes Guerrero-Brotons, Nuria Perujo, Anna M. Romani, Rosa Gomez
Summary: Proper bed substrate selection is crucial for the performance of constructed wetlands, especially when treating drainage water with high nitrogen and low carbon and phosphorus concentrations. In a field-scale pilot plant, adding a carbon-rich substrate such as soil or biochar increased phosphorus availability in beds. Beds with soil displayed higher microbial density and activity, as well as better plant growth compared to gravel. These findings highlight the importance of selecting suitable substrates for treating irrigated agricultural water.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Beatrice Giannetta, Cesar Plaza, Giorgio Galluzzi, Iria Benavente-Ferraces, Juan Carlos Garcia-Gil, Marco Panettieri, Gabriel Gasco, Claudio Zaccone
Summary: This study examines the long-term effects of biochar application on soil organic C protection and finds that biochar, especially when combined with other amendments, has the potential to increase the content of particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C in soils. The presence of ferrihydrite may mediate the positive effects on mineral-associated organic matter.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Emily Rose Waring, Carl Pederson, Ainis Lagzdins, Chelsea Clifford, Matthew J. Helmers
Summary: Addressing the global problem of eutrophication requires better management of inorganic nitrogen in the agricultural landscape. This study compares the effects of different tillage practices and cover crops on soil and water quality. The results show that the conventional tillage system is more effective in improving water quality and maintaining crop yields compared to other tillage practices. Additionally, the study reveals that the impact of tillage practices and cover crop growth methods on water and soil quality changes over time.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Annalisa Stevenson, Yakun Zhang, Jingyi Huang, Jie Hu, Keith Paustian, Alfred E. Hartemink
Summary: Considerable advances have been made in the assessment and mapping of soil organic carbon stocks. However, the rates of change in carbon stocks are influenced by various factors and need to be quantified. This study found that sandy soils under cultivation and forests have different organic carbon stocks. Factors such as tillage, irrigation, and nitrogen applications contribute to the decline in soil organic carbon stocks. Afforestation of abandoned cultivated fields can increase soil organic carbon, but it is still lower than soils under forest that have never been cultivated.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyuan Yao, Chuanxiong Huang, Huiling Hu, Tao Wang, Yulong Li, Xiaoming Sune, Sina Adl, Bo Zhu
Summary: Enhancing soil organic carbon levels through improved fertilization strategies is important for soil health and sustainable crop production. This study found that the relative abundance of organisms from higher trophic levels and increased network complexity in the soil micro-food webs are vital contributors to effective SOC accumulation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Qing Qu, Lei Deng, Zhouping Shangguan, Jian Sun, Jinsheng He, Kaibo Wang, Zhengchao Zhou, Jiwei Li, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Grazing exclusion is a widely implemented strategy for restoring degraded grassland ecosystems and increasing carbon stocks. This study analyzed data from 199 experiments to understand the temporal responses and factors influencing plant and soil carbon stocks following grazing exclusion in different grassland ecosystems. The results showed that plant biomass carbon stocks and soil organic carbon stocks decreased exponentially or rationally with years since enclosure. Grazing exclusion had positive effects on aboveground biomass carbon, but the effects on belowground biomass and soil carbon were influenced by climate, initial carbon levels, and grazing exclusion duration. The response of carbon stocks to grazing exclusion stabilized after approximately 40 years, with soil carbon sequestration showing a lagged pattern compared to plant biomass carbon. The study highlighted the effectiveness of grazing exclusion in regions with low carbon content and non-water limited conditions. However, it might not be an effective measure to increase soil organic carbon stocks in water-limited areas like desert grasslands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)