Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nicholas J. Parker, Daniel S. Sullins, David A. Haukos, Kent A. Fricke, Christian A. Hagen
Summary: The Great Plains grasslands have experienced extensive land use change and frequent megafires due to fire suppression and climate change. This study evaluates the effects of a megafire on grassland vegetation and finds that grassland structure and functional group cover recover quickly after the fire.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
M. Anne Naeth, Amalesh Dhar, Sarah R. Wilkinson
Summary: Well sites and their infrastructure in the mixed grass prairie region of North America have various ecological effects, including changes to soil properties, loss of vegetation cover, and altered plant species composition. Reclamation of disturbed grassland is a challenge, and this research examined the effect of time on reclaimed well site soil properties and plant communities in southern Alberta. The study found that reclamation treatments generally had lower soil organic matter and nitrogen compared to undisturbed prairie, and species composition differed depending on soil type and seed mix used. Natural recovery was also identified as a potential option for well site reclamation.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Fatemeh Kazemi, Mansoure Jozay, Farzaneh Salahshoor, Eddie van Etten, Sahar Rezaie
Summary: This study examined the drought resistance of some C4 grass species for constructing urban lawns and prairies in arid urban environments. The results showed that Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula had greater adaptability to drought stress and can be promising choices for prairie or lawn landscaping. Sorghastrum nutans and Panicum virgatum can be used as a second priority for more diverse drought-resilient projects.
Article
Ecology
Etienne M. J. Soulodre, Amalesh Dhar, M. Anne Naeth
Summary: This study examined the impact of seed mix and natural recovery revegetation treatments on plant community development on reclaimed well sites in Alberta, Canada. Natural recovery resulted in faster and more diverse vegetation recovery, while a diverse seed mix led to dominance of native wheatgrass species. Non-native species cover showed a declining trend.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas J. J. Parker, Daniel S. S. Sullins, David A. A. Haukos, Kent A. A. Fricke, Christian A. A. Hagen, Adam A. A. Ahlers
Summary: Recent studies have shown the benefits of small, prescribed fire and wildfire for grassland-dependent wildlife, but little is known about the effects of megafires on wildlife populations in fragmented grasslands. This study examines the demographic response of lesser prairie-chickens to a megafire in Kansas and finds a decline in male attendance and occupied leks post-fire. However, survival rates of adult females and chicks remained similar pre- and post-fire, suggesting some resilience to fire.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Cameron Duquette, Devan Allen McGranahan, Megan Wanchuk, Torre Hovick, Ryan Limb, Kevin Sedivec
Summary: Non-native plants can have negative impacts on grassland biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and rural livelihoods. In addition to eradicating invasive species, restoring diversity and heterogeneous plant structure can be an effective approach for management. This study found that variably stocked rotational grazing increased beta diversity and spatial heterogeneity in invaded grasslands, supporting the restoration of ecological services and processes.
Article
Ecology
Andy J. Boyce, Hila Shamon, William J. McShea
Summary: Restoration of bison in grassland ecosystems is associated with increased bird diversity and cervid occupancy in riparian habitats. Changes in vegetation structure in bison pastures contribute to these positive outcomes for birds and mammals.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Timm Gergeni, John Derek Scasta, Kristie Maczko, Steve Paisley, John Tanaka
Summary: The quantification of soil health dynamics in relation to grazing can provide valuable insights for both agriculture and conservation. This study conducted an experiment in a semi-arid northern mixed-grass prairie in Wyoming, USA from 2017 to 2019. The results showed that grazing had an effect on vegetation structure but not on soil variables. The sampling interval had a greater influence on predicting fluctuations in chemical and microbiological variables than grazing treatment.
PLANT SOIL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Chang Gyo Jung, Zhenggang Du, Oleksandra Hararuk, Xia Xu, Junyi Liang, Xuhui Zhou, Dejun Li, Lifen Jiang, Yiqi Luo
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of the TECO model in simulating total and heterotrophic soil respiration during a 16-year warming experiment in a mixed-grass prairie; calibrated model parameters against observations and explored potential changes in carbon dynamics mechanisms over the years. Calibrating the model parameters against individual year observations significantly improved model performance, showing an increasing recalcitrance of soil C and changing environmental sensitivity of microbes. The findings suggest that soil respiration may decrease in the future due to changes in C quality, but this decrease could be offset by warming-induced changes in C cycling mechanisms and their responses to moisture conditions.
Article
Ecology
Morgan D. T. Frost, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Lauren M. Porensky, Kurt O. Reinhart, Kevin R. Wilcox, Sally E. Koerner
Summary: The study investigates the effects of livestock grazing and experimental rainfall manipulation on invasion by annual brome grasses in northern mixed-grass prairie rangelands. It was found that precipitation reduction generally decreased annual brome biomass, but during the recovery year, prolonged time to senescence was observed in the droughted plots. Heavy grazing and drought combined increased annual brome abundance, indicating a potential scenario with continuing climate change.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
John Derek Scasta, Timm Gergeni, Kristie Maczko, John Tanaka, Steve Paisley
Summary: Grazing management plays a critical role in both animal performance and land sustainability. Linear stocking rate models are not suitable for rangeland environments due to complexities like drought. A study conducted in Wyoming, USA, showed that planned and realized stocking rates for grazing treatments were highly correlated with effective precipitation. Adaptation of stocking rates based on annual visual obstruction readings may be useful for more intense grazing management.
Article
Agronomy
Louis-Axel Edouard Rambaut, Emmanuel Tillard, Jonathan Vayssieres, Philippe Lecomte, Paulo Salgado
Summary: This study examined the short-term and long-term effects of different types and doses of fertilizers on highly productive grassland. It found that continuous use of mineral fertilizers can lead to soil acidification and reduced fertility, while organic fertilizers contribute to higher soil productivity. A mixed organic-mineral fertilizer showed a short-term increase in grass yield and sustained productivity over time.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tao Liu, Yuping Liu, Gui Fu, Jinyuan Chen, Ting Lv, Dandan Su, Yanan Wang, Xiayu Hu, Xu Su, A. J. Harris
Summary: Psammochloa villosa is a plant with unique drought and wind resistance abilities in arid regions of China, showing increased chlorophyll production and activation of genes related to oxidative stress mitigation under drought conditions. The study provides insights into the molecular basis of drought tolerance and physiological adaptations in P. villosa, highlighting the importance of genes involved in scavenging ROS and osmoprotection.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Marta Vergarechea, Rafael Calama, Hans Pretzsch, Josu G. Alday, Miren del Rio
Summary: Using dendroecological approaches, this study investigated the growth responses of Pinus pinea and P. pinaster to climate change and drought events, revealing differences in resistance and recovery abilities between the two species. Attributes such as age, size, and stand density synergistically compensated for drought stress in different ways.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Brendan K. Bischoff, Edward W. Bork, Cameron N. Carlyle
Summary: Research suggests that after a wildfire, it is important to allow for rest from grazing to promote forage regrowth and litter accumulation. By the second growing season, there was no significant difference in total forage biomass between burned and non-burned areas, though defoliation in July led to a decrease in total forage biomass in both areas. Litter mass was impacted by wildfire and further reduced by defoliation treatments.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
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)