Article
Ecology
Yingjie Yan, Shuli Niu, Yicheng He, Song Wang, Lei Song, Jinlong Peng, Xinli Chen, Quan Quan, Cheng Meng, Qingping Zhou, Jinsong Wang
Summary: This study examined the effects of climate warming and land-use change on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that warming increased SOC storage, while clipping decreased it. The changes in SOC storage were closely related to below-ground net primary productivity (BNPP). The study also found a negative correlation between SOC storage and species richness, which was attributed to the changes in dominant plant species and species richness under warming. The findings highlight the importance of plant composition and species richness in mediating SOC responses to climate warming and land-use change.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Janaina Gabriela Larsen, Ana Carolina da Silva, Michele de Sa Dechoum, Elisete Maria de Freitas, Juliano Pereira Gomes, Lilian Iara Bet Stedille, Joema Carvalho, Pedro Higuchi
Summary: Biological invasions pose a major environmental challenge, and this study investigates their impacts on the subtropical Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil. The findings show that the abundance of invasive trees adversely affects the diversity and functional composition of native species. Coexistence between invasive and native species is observed, but increased invasive abundance leads to a reduction in the leaf area and specific leaf area of the native community.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
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
Ecology
Sarah Lueder, Kaushik Narasimhan, Jorge Olivo, Domingo Cabrera, Juana G. Jurado, Lewis Greenstein, Jordan Karubian
Summary: This study evaluates the relationship between functional traits, species diversity, and community composition of palm species and biogeographic variables and forest age in northwest Ecuador. The results show that forests of younger regeneration stages have different functional traits, species richness, and community composition compared to older forests, emphasizing the importance of preserving old-growth forests to protect biodiversity.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Xiuzhen Shi, Jiawen Sun, Jianqing Wang, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Arjun Pandey, Tao Wang, Zhiqun Huang
Summary: This study examined the impacts of tree species richness and functional composition on the dynamics of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in a subtropical forest biome. The results showed that tree species richness had a positive relationship with the abundance of AOA, while leaf nitrogen and specific root length were significant positive factors for AOA and AOB abundances, respectively. On the other hand, the functional trait diversity of specific root length was negatively associated with the biomass of AM fungi. Regression analysis revealed that AOA abundance was positively correlated with soil net nitrification rates, while AM fungi biomass was negatively correlated with soil net nitrification rates. The structural equation model showed that leaf nitrogen positively influenced nitrification through an increase in AOA, while the functional trait diversity indirectly increased nitrification by negatively impacting AM fungal biomass.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anning Zhang, Shuyan Chen, Jingwei Chen, Hanwen Cui, Xiaoxuan Jiang, Sa Xiao, Jiajia Wang, Haining Gao, Lizhe An, Pedro Cardoso
Summary: Land use and climate change have significant impacts on biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning globally. This study examined the effects of shrub encroachment and precipitation changes on the functional diversity of soil nematode communities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that shrubs did not alter functional richness and dispersion, but decreased functional beta diversity, promoting functional homogenization. These effects were influenced by precipitation, with increasing precipitation reversing the negative effects of shrubs on functional richness and dispersion but amplifying their negative effects on functional beta diversity. Structural equation models revealed that shrubs indirectly increased functional richness and dispersion through plant biomass and soil total nitrogen, while directly decreasing functional beta diversity. This study enhances our understanding of the impacts of global climate change on nematode communities in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Hong Lin, Sirong Zhang, Xiaojuan Liu, Keping Ma, Naili Zhang
Summary: Plant diversity, including both tree species richness and within-species genetic richness, plays a significant role in shaping soil fungal communities. Our study used DNA metabarcoding to analyze fungal functional guilds and environmental properties in a large experiment manipulating tree species and genetic richness. We found that tree species richness indirectly decreased soil fungal diversity, while tree genetic richness increased it by changing soil properties. These results highlight the importance of considering both within and between species effects on soil fungal diversity and exploring the dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem functions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Inayat Ur Rahman, Robbie E. Hart, Farhana Ijaz, Aftab Afzal, Zafar Iqbal, Eduardo S. Calixto, Elsayed Fathi Abd-Allah, Abdulaziz A. Alqarawi, Abeer Hashem, Al-Bandari Fahad Al-Arjani, Rukhsana Kausar, Shiekh Marifatul Haq
Summary: The study identified four major plant communities in the moist temperate zone of Manoor valley in Northwestern Himalaya, Pakistan, with each community having specific environmental drivers. There is significant variation in plant species composition between communities, and differences in diversity indices and beta diversity processes were observed.
Article
Soil Science
Yanpei Li, Li Ma, Jiao Wang, Ming'an Shao, Jun Zhang
Summary: Environmental factors and human disturbance can affect the richness and diversity of soil fauna and nutrients in the Loess region of China. Different land use types alter the soil faunal community composition, which in turn plays a significant role in promoting the content of different N forms in the soil environment. Redundancy analysis revealed positive correlations between certain soil faunal groups and specific N forms, highlighting the intricate relationships between soil fauna and nutrient dynamics.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
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
Biodiversity Conservation
Antonio Archidona-Yuste, Thorsten Wiegand, Nico Eisenhauer, Carolina Cantalapiedra-Navarrete, Juan E. Palomares-Rius, Pablo Castillo
Summary: The study focuses on how environmental changes drive the homogenization of ecological communities, specifically looking at the diversity of soil nematodes. Results show that transitioning from natural to agricultural systems and increasing land-use intensity can significantly enhance the functional similarities of plant-feeding nematode communities.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Congcong Shen, Jiang Wang, Zhongwang Jing, Neng-Hu Qiao, Chao Xiong, Yuan Ge
Summary: Plant diversity has a positive effect on the stability of belowground communities, leading to an increase in fungal diversity, network complexity, and stability. This effect is indirectly achieved through the increase in soil carbon and fungal keystone taxa richness. Both environmental filtering and biotic interaction processes play significant roles in mediating the plant diversity effect on soil fungal network stability. The plant diversity-induced fungal network stability is closely correlated with community-level functions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Rutger A. Wilschut, Stefan Geisen
Summary: This passage highlights the importance of nematodes in soil biodiversity and plant performance, emphasizing both the direct negative effects on plants and the indirect positive effects through top-down predation. It also mentions the impact of global change on these interactions and the need for better understanding to predict functional consequences accurately. Expanding the knowledge of plant-nematode interactions in natural systems is essential for gaining insights into key ecological topics and sustainable plant management.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marta Baumane, Dominik Henrik Zak, Tenna Riis, Wiktor Kotowski, Carl Christian Hoffmann, Annette Baattrup-Pedersen
Summary: This study examined plant community characteristics in 10 restored wetland sites in Denmark and found that the prevailing plant communities were humid grasslands, moist fallow fields, and improved grasslands. The abundance of natural wetland plant communities did not increase with the age of restoration, indicating continued high nutrient input and restricted dispersal of wetland plant species may hinder the recovery of natural plant communities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yanxuan Chen, Xiaobo Huang, Xuedong Lang, Rong Tang, Rui Zhang, Shuaifeng Li, Jianrong Su
Summary: This study explored the relationship and effect of plant diversity, soil microbial diversity, soil microbial network complexity, and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) in the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. The results showed that EMF decreased with increasing liana species richness, soil fungal diversity, and soil fungal network complexity, while increasing with soil bacterial diversity and network complexity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mudassir Iqbal, Mukesh Dubey, Anders Broberg, Maria Viketoft, Dan Funck Jensen, Magnus Karlsson
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yevheniya Volchko, Dan Berggren Kleja, Par-Erik Back, Charlotta Tiberg, Anja Enell, Maria Larsson, Christopher M. Jones, Astrid Taylor, Maria Viketoft, Annika Aberg, Anna-Karin Dahlberg, Jana Weiss, Karin Wiberg, Lars Rosen
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mudassir Iqbal, Martin Broberg, Deepak Haarith, Anders Broberg, Kathryn E. Bushley, Mikael Brandstrom Durling, Maria Viketoft, Dan Funck Jensen, Mukesh Dubey, Magnus Karlsson
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maria Viketoft, Adam Flohr, Jan-Eric Englund, Jonas Kardell, Eva Edin
JOURNAL OF PLANT DISEASES AND PROTECTION
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pernilla Borgstrom, Riccardo Bommarco, Maria Viketoft, Joachim Strengbom
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Review
Entomology
Johan A. Stenberg, Ingvar Sundh, Paul G. Becher, Christer Bjorkman, Mukesh Dubey, Paul A. Egan, Hanna Friberg, Jose F. Gil, Dan F. Jensen, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Sammar Khalil, Velemir Ninkovic, Guillermo Rehermann, Ramesh R. Vetukuri, Maria Viketoft
Summary: This paper discusses the concept and terminology of biological control, proposing three principles to support the concept and introducing a new framework for the field. The aim is to facilitate future development of biological pest control practices and optimize regulatory approaches and application of biocontrol products.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Tord Ranheim Sveen, Tarquin Netherway, Jaanis Juhanson, Jane Oja, Pernilla Borgstrom, Maria Viketoft, Joachim Strengbom, Riccardo Bommarco, Karina Clemmensen, Sara Hallin, Mohammad Bahram
Summary: Plant-soil feedback is crucial for understanding interactions among herbivores, plants, and microbes. This study found that aboveground herbivory and nitrogen eutrophication have varying impacts on soil microbial communities and root colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, depending on the host plant species. The additive effects of herbivory and nitrogen eutrophication on the soil microbiome were stronger than each factor alone, suggesting that both biotic and abiotic disturbances can have additive effects on soil microbial structure.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Viketoft, Laura G. A. Riggi, Riccardo Bommarco, Sara Hallin, Astrid R. Taylor
Summary: Long-term addition of both organic and mineral fertilizers had beneficial effects on the abundances of most soil organisms compared with unfertilized soil, but the responses differed between soil biota. Organic fertilizers generally enhanced bacteria and earthworms, while fungi and nematodes responded positively to certain mineral and organic fertilizers. However, organic amendments alone were insufficient to promote soil organisms in the long run and would need to be combined with other practices affecting soil quality.
Article
Plant Sciences
Alistair G. Auffret, Adam Ekholm, Aino Hamalainen, Mats Jonsell, Carl Lehto, Michelle Nordkvist, Erik ockinger, Peter Torstensson, Maria Viketoft, Goran Thor
Summary: This article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university teaching, particularly in courses that involve practical elements and field excursions. The authors present their experiences in teaching field botany remotely, using various methods and tools to promote self-learning, reflection, and feedback. They describe how they structured the course to achieve the intended learning outcomes and obtained positive student evaluations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fabian A. Boetzl, Anna Douhan Sundahl, Hanna Friberg, Maria Viketoft, Goran Bergkvist, Ola Lundin
Summary: Sustainable food production requires agriculture to conserve biodiversity and facilitate ecosystem services while reducing inputs detrimental to ecosystem functioning. Legume intercropping shows promise in increasing vegetation diversity within fields and facilitating cropping system multi-functionality. However, the effects of intercropping on biodiversity-mediated ecosystem services such as pollination or natural pest control are not well understood.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Ingrid Rijk, Linn Berkelund, Alf Ekblad, Sara Hallin, Dan B. Kleja, Astrid Taylor, Maria Viketoft, Christopher Jones
Summary: Heavy metal pollution has significant effects on ecosystem nitrogen cycling. This study investigated the effects of copper on microbial guilds and plant responses in two different grassland soils. The results showed that higher copper treatments resulted in lower microbial abundances, potential ammonia oxidation rates, and plant biomass. Additionally, plants had increased nitrogen content and enriched shoot nitrogen isotope with higher copper concentrations.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Johan A. Stenberg, Paul G. Becher, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Ingvar Sundh, Maria Viketoft
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Leticia Perez-Izquierdo, Jan Bengtsson, Karina E. Clemmensen, Gustaf Granath, Michael J. Gundale, Theresa S. Ibanez, Bjorn D. Lindahl, Joachim Strengbom, Astrid Taylor, Maria Viketoft, David A. Wardle, Marie-Charlotte Nilsson
Summary: A study in Sweden found that wildfires in boreal forests have a greater impact on belowground communities than on vegetation composition. Severe fires resulted in tree mortality and destruction of soil organic matter, affecting the regeneration of vegetation and diversity of soil biota. Soil-related fire severity had less impact on vegetation composition, fungal communities, and soil animals.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
M. Viketoft, N. E. Zygouridis, S. Emery
Summary: A survey was conducted in Sweden to investigate the parasitism of terrestrial slugs by helminths. It was found that 13% of the collected slugs were infected, with the highest parasitism rate in autumn and a higher likelihood of parasitism in Arion vulgaris compared to native slug species. The dominant helminth species identified were Alloionema appendiculatum and Brachylaima thompsoni, which are reported in Sweden for the first time.
JOURNAL OF HELMINTHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Zahra Saad Omer, Ann-Charlotte Wallenhammar, Maria Viketoft
Summary: Soil analysis is essential for assessing the risk of crop damage caused by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla. In this study, a rapid and specific analysis assay based on Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was developed and validated. The assay demonstrated high sensitivity and accuracy in detecting and quantifying M. hapla DNA in soil samples, making it a valuable tool for nematode management.
Article
Soil Science
He Zhang, Aurore Degre, Caroline De Clerck, Shuangshuang Li, Jinshan Lian, Yuanyuan Peng, Tao Sun, Lindan Luo, Yanan Yue, Guihua Li, Jianfeng Zhang
Summary: The continuous expansion of sandy soil poses a threat to crop security. The use of chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite as soil amendments can improve degraded soil by increasing nutrient content and enzyme activity and altering bacterial community structure. This study provides insights into the link between soil properties, bacterial community structure, and microbial carbon metabolism function.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xian Zhou, Yi Jiang, Ganghua Leng, Wanting Ling, Jian Wang
Summary: Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) residues have significant impacts on soil pollution remediation. The addition of exogenous functional microbial consortium and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) can promote the degradation of bound PAH residues. This study fills the cognitive gap of GRSP in regulating the degradation of bound PAH residues in soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
Xinyu Zhao, Evrim Elcin, Lizhi He, Meththika Vithanage, Xiaokai Zhang, Jie Wang, Shuo Wang, Yun Deng, Nabeel Khan Niazi, Sabry M. Shaheen, Hailong Wang, Zhenyu Wang
Summary: The increase of cultivated varieties of Chinese herbal remedies, the expansion of cultivation area, and long-term monoculture cropping have led to aggravated problems of soil diseases, yield loss, and quality reduction. Biochar, as a carbon-rich material, has the potential to improve soil quality and alleviate continuous crop obstacles for Chinese herbal remedies.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Editorial Material
Soil Science
Melanie M. Pollierer, Anton Potapov, Andrey Zaitsev
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Yajie Wang, Jiefeng Li, Yongfen Wei, Zhiyi Deng, Xiaodi Hao, Fusheng Li
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of heavy metal pollution caused by coal production on soil microbial ecology in the semi-arid region of Heilongjiang. The results reveal negative correlations between heavy metals and bacterial abundance and diversity. Twelve sensitive bacterial taxa and corresponding models were identified. Water content and total phosphorus were also found to play vital roles in regulating the bacterial community in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Sujit Das, Sunanda Biswas, B. Ramakrishnan, T. K. Das, T. J. Purakayastha, B. H. Gawade, Priya Singh, Partha Sarathi Ghorai, Saloni Tripathy, Kanchan Sinha
Summary: This study assessed the impact of conservation agriculture on the biological soil health index in a rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The results showed that zero till direct seeded rice and crop residue incorporation could improve soil organic carbon, enzyme activities, and microbial population. Specifically, the inclusion of mungbean residues and sesbania brown manuring significantly increased the abundance of the nifH gene in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xingxiu Huang, Genxing Pan, Lianqing Li, Xuhui Zhang, Hailong Wang, Nanthi Bolan, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Chongjian Ma, Fuwei Liang, Yanjie Chen, Huashou Li
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of using a mixture of biomass waste ash and biochar on soil pH, heavy metal remediation, and plant growth. The results showed that the mixed use could ameliorate soil acidification, reduce absorption of cadmium and lead by plants, and promote plant growth. The special fertilizer prepared from the mixture can be used to promote crop growth and reduce environmental pollution.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Astrid C. H. Jaeger, Martin Hartmann, Rafaela Feola Conz, Johan Six, Emily F. Solly
Summary: This study investigates the effects of tree mortality on soil microbial communities using a mesocosm experiment. The results show that tree death influenced soil microbial abundance and composition, with the potential to affect soil processes in forest ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Dane C. Elmquist, Subodh Adhikari, Ina Popova, Sanford D. Eigenbrode
Summary: This study investigated the effects of soil arthropod communities from cereal-based agroecosystems on wheat plant growth and above-belowground interactions. The results showed that wheat grown in soils with arthropod communities had better growth and defense against aphids, compared to wheat grown in soils without arthropod communities.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Lei Wang, Jing Wang, Zhonghou Tang, Jidong Wang, Yongchun Zhang
Summary: This study found that the application of organic fertilizer enhances carbon and phosphorus cycling enzyme activities in soil, reshapes the soil microbial community structure, and regulates the interactions between these crucial indicators through soil organic carbon.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
M. Pawlett, N. T. Girkin, L. Deeks, D. L. Evans, R. Sakrabani, P. Masters, K. Garnett, N. Marquez-Grant
Summary: The modern funeral industry faces environmental risks and challenges, and natural burial offers a more sustainable alternative. However, there is a lack of research comparing the risks and benefits of natural burial practices, including groundwater contamination and atmospheric emissions. More scientific research is needed to understand and regulate funeral options, as well as cultural incentives for natural burial.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhongcheng Wang, Jin Zhao, Dan Xiao, Meifeng Chen, Xunyang He
Summary: Root AMF colonization, diversity, and interactions vary with soil depth. Higher soil nutrient levels and root biomass promote colonization but suppress diversity and interactions in the upper soil layer compared to deeper layers.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhiyang Zhang, Shiting Zhang, Riikka Rinnan
Summary: This study revealed the mechanisms behind the effects of dung deposition on soil heterotrophic respiration, providing insights for grassland management and carbon feedback prediction in grazed ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Ismail Ibrahim Garba, Graham R. Stirling, A. Marcelle Stirling, Alwyn Williams
Summary: Integrating diverse cover crops into dryland crop-fallow rotations can enhance soil nutrient and water retention, suppress soil-borne pests, and improve soil health. The effects on soil nematode communities are modulated by the functional type and mixture composition of the cover crops. Selecting cover crops with appropriate traits can improve soil health through suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes, promotion of free-living nematodes, and enhancement of soil food web complexity.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Min Li, Chao He, Miao Wei, Junmeng Long, Jingru Wang, Xinrong Yang, Kehan Wang, Xueli He
Summary: In extreme desert environments, black septate endophytes (DSE) can benefit the relict plant Gymnocarpos przewalskii by assisting it to survive and maintain ecosystem stability. The colonization of DSE in the roots of G. przewalskii varies significantly with seasons and sites, with soil properties being a major factor affecting the composition of DSE. Additionally, the functional metabolite composition of DSE strains varies greatly with different drought levels and isolates, indicating the potential complementarity between different strains in helping hosts cope with drought stress.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)