Article
Plant Sciences
Enying Zhang, Xingjian Zhu, Wenli Wang, Yue Sun, Xiaomin Tian, Ziyi Chen, Xinshang Mou, Yanli Zhang, Yueheng Wei, Zhixuan Fang, Neil Ravenscroft, David O'Connor, Xianmin Chang, Min Yan
Summary: Soil salinization is a significant obstacle to global crop production, and hydropriming has emerged as a promising method to alleviate salt stress and enhance crop yields. This study used biochemical and metabolomics approaches to investigate the effects of salt stress on hydroprimed maize and to identify differentially accumulated metabolites. The results revealed that hydropriming increased catalase activity, soluble sugar and proline content, while decreasing superoxide dismutase activity and hydrogen peroxide content. Metabolite analysis showed that salt stress led to an increase in the content of 1278 metabolites, while a decrease in the content of 1044 metabolites. On the other hand, hydropriming increased the content of 873 metabolites, while significantly reducing the content of 1313 metabolites. The most important metabolite produced in the roots of unprimed samples in response to salt stress was ethisterone, while 5-methyltetrahydrofolate was the most important metabolite produced in the roots of hydroprimed samples. Furthermore, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathway, associated with reactive oxygen species scavenging, was identified as the most significant metabolic pathway related to salt stress.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xinqing Lee, Fang Yang, Ying Xing, Yimin Huang, Liang Xu, Zhongtang Liu, Ran Holtzman, Iddo Kan, Yunlong Li, Like Zhang, Hui Zhou
Summary: This study finds that biochar exacerbates soil salinization upon application, but after several irrigation-evaporation cycles, it changes salt distribution, facilitates desalinization with little water consumption, and also has anti-fracturing and enhanced salt leaching effects. These findings provide a new solution for agricultural sustainability in salt-affected regions, significantly reducing water demand.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pingping Jia, Junhua Zhang, Wei He, Ding Yuan, Yi Hu, Kazem Zamanian, Keli Jia, Xiaoning Zhao
Summary: This study provides a method for distinguishing different types of salinized soil using hyperspectral reflectance and establishes a foundation for accurate monitoring of salinized soil through multispectral remote sensing.
Article
Soil Science
Michael Mueller-Inkmann, Heinz-Christian Fruend
Summary: The study shows that adding glucose can promote the soil-loosening action of soil biota in compacted soil, particularly the synergism between earthworms and plant root growth having the strongest effect. The biological activity and soil acidity play a key role in structural recovery. In soil blocks without earthworm activity, glucose addition inhibits plant root growth.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lin Yang, Guangju Zhao, Xingmin Mu, Zefan Lan, Juying Jiao, Shaoshan An, Yongqiu Wu, Puqiong Miping
Summary: This study integrated the Optimal Land Degradation Index and spatial footprints to investigate changing trends and degradation risks on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that land improvements were dominant, accounting for 18.83% of the plateau. High-risk degraded land covered an area of 0.55 million km2, while low-risk degraded land covered 0.78 million km2. The spatial distribution of high-risk degraded land varied gradually from scattered small areas to increasingly frequent connected patches.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Leiken Lauria Weber, Karina Maria Vieira Cavalieri-Polizeli, Gabriel Ganancini Zimmermann, Osvaldo Guedes Filho, Cassio Antonio Tormena, Thomas Keller, Samir Paulo Jasper
Summary: The study found that repeated machinery traffic, particularly from a self-propelled sprayer, had impacts on the physical properties of Ferralsol, with significant changes observed at 0.10 m depth. Despite a reduction in macroporosity to critical levels, soil resistance to penetration remained below 2.0 MPa at all depths.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Tong Heng, Cecilie Hermansen, Lis Wollesen de Jonge, Ji Chen, Lili Yang, Li Zhao, Xinlin He
Summary: Salinization poses a global threat to farmland sustainability in arid areas. This study examined the direct and indirect responses of soil physicochemical and microbial properties to soil nutrients in salinized farmlands in northwest China. It was found that soil urease activity, nitrogen-fixing genes, alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen content were higher at low-salinity sites compared to medium and high-salinity sites. The study also showed that improving microbial metabolic activity through reclamation measures is crucial for salinity management.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Achivir Stella Yawe, Changlai Xiao, Oluwafemi Adewole Adeyeye, Mingjun Liu, Xiaoya Feng, Xiujuan Liang
Summary: Increasing salinization of groundwater and soil, as well as desertification, is a growing problem in Changling County, Northeast China. Management strategies such as tree planting and alkaline land restoration have been implemented to protect the ecological environment. This study shows that groundwater salinity remains stable, but the area of salinized land has increased due to declining water table and increased evaporation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michiel Maertens, Gabrielle J. M. De Lannoy, Frederike Vincent, Samuel Massart, Raul Gimenez, Javier Houspanossian, Ignacio Gasparri, Veerle Vanacker
Summary: The Dry Chaco in South America is a semi-arid region with one of the largest dry forests in the world. This study assesses the soil salinity and salinization processes in central Argentinean Dry Chaco, showing that deforestation and anthropogenic activities contribute to secondary salinization. The study also highlights the importance of monitoring soil salinity using remotely-sensed vegetation indices.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philipp Saggau, Michael Kuhwald, Wolfgang Berengar Hamer, Rainer Duttmann
Summary: Process-based modeling is commonly used for simulating soil erosion, but the role of compacted tramlines has been overlooked. This study quantifies the impact of tramline compaction on soil erosion dynamics at a catchment scale, showing that tramlines significantly contribute to soil loss and sediment entrance into channels, with bulk density being a key driver of increased erosion.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yin Wang, Chengxiao Hu, Xu Wang, Guangyu Shi, Zheng Lei, Yanni Tang, Huan Zhang, Hada Wuriyanghan, Xiaohu Zhao
Summary: Soil salinization negatively affects soybean production, but rhizosphere microorganisms can improve plant salt tolerance. Selenium is known to optimize the rhizosphere microbial community, and this study investigated whether selenium-induced rhizosphere microorganisms can enhance plant salt tolerance. Pot experiments were conducted using salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive soybean varieties, and the results showed that selenium application improved soybean salt tolerance by optimizing the structure of the rhizosphere microbial community. Furthermore, the application of four salt-tolerant bacteria isolated from selenium-fertilized soil led to significant increases in plant growth and reductions in stress-related compounds in salt-sensitive soybean.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
R. K. Gangwar, M. Makadi, I Demeter, A. Tancsics, M. Cserhati, G. Varbiro, J. Singh, A. Csorba, M. Fuchs, E. Micheli, T. Szegi
Summary: This study aimed to assess the impact of land use practices on chemical, microbiological, and physical properties of salt-affected soils developed under different geographical locations and climates in Hungary and India. Results showed that different land uses could lead to variations in these properties, with PCA and cluster analysis helping to distinguish between soil samples from different locations and land uses. Additionally, CCA explained over 86% of variation in microbiological properties, indicating the importance of environmental factors.
EURASIAN SOIL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Xiaobing Wang, Xiaoli Wang, Haijun Sheng, Xiaozhi Wang, Haitao Zhao, Ke Feng
Summary: This paper discusses the characteristics and hazards of secondary salinization of greenhouse soil, as well as the solution. It first summarizes the phenomena of nitrate accumulation and soil acidification caused by excessive nitrogen application, then analyzes the adverse effects of soil salinization on soil properties, and finally proposes a method to improve soil by adding plant materials with high C/N ratio.
POLISH JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carmen Hoffbeck, Danielle M. R. L. Middleton, Nicola J. Nelson, Michael W. Taylor
Summary: An animal's gut microbiota plays a crucial role in their health, reproduction, and digestion. By analyzing 745 gut microbiota samples from 91 reptile species, this study identified the key factors influencing gut microbiota diversity, including host order and diet. The study also identified core microbial communities and highlighted the impact of taxonomy, environment, and conservation status on reptile gut microbiota.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yujie Zhou, Tianyun Shao, Guotao Men, Jiahao Chen, Na Li, Xiumei Gao, Xiaohua Long, Zed Rengel, Ming Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of a conditioning agent and cultivating Jerusalem artichoke on saline soils in Inner Mongolia. The results showed that the application of the conditioning agent and planting Jerusalem artichoke can significantly reduce soil salinity, increase soil organic carbon fractions, and improve soil structure. Furthermore, it also alters the soil microbial community composition.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Zoology
E. de la Pena, J. Martin, J. Carranza
Summary: This study examines the ultrastructure differences in hairs from different body regions of red deer, specifically focusing on the dark ventral patch. The results show that hairs from the dark ventral patch are narrower and have a different cuticular scale pattern compared to hairs from other body regions, indicating a possible specialization for retaining compounds associated with this chemical signal. Intersexual differences in hair morphology also support this idea, contributing to a better understanding of chemical communication in red deer.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Pablo Recio, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Pilar Lopez, Jose Martin
Summary: Rock lizards demonstrate the ability to discriminate between quantities of prey, with social experience affecting their foraging behavior. Grouped lizards exhibit greater foraging activity compared to solitary lizards, indicating the influence of previous social experience on foraging decisions.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Jose Martin, Pablo Recio, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Isabel Barja, Eduardo Gutierrez, Luis V. Garcia
Summary: Research suggests that melanin in animals might play a role in detoxification, but under highly polluted conditions, stress could reduce melanogenesis and affect the effectiveness of detoxification mechanisms.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Juan Jose Soler, Ester Martinez-Renau, Manuel Azcarate-Garcia, Cristina Ruiz-Castellano, Jose Martin, Manuel Martin-Vivaldi
Summary: This study explores the cosmetic use of intensely yellow-colored uropygial secretion by spotless starling nestlings and its role in parent-offspring communication. The secretion color is genetically determined and correlates positively with Vitamin E supplementation and plasma carotenoid concentration. The coloration of begging-related traits and nestling secretion predicts parental feeding preferences. These findings suggest the informative value and significance of cosmetic coloration in offspring- parent communication.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Lorena Gomez-Aparicio, Jara Dominguez-Begines, Elena Villa-Sanabria, Luis Garcia, A. Jesus Munoz-Pajares
Summary: The loss of tree health, caused by exotic pathogens, can have significant impacts on the diversity and function of soil microbial communities in invaded forests. This study found that pathogen-driven tree decline led to an increase in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of bacteria and fungi in the soil, but also a reduction in tree-symbiotic fungi and beneficial Proteobacteria. The topology of soil microbial networks was also altered, with lower connectivity and higher modularity observed in declining tree neighborhoods. Restoring a functionally diverse and highly connected soil microbiome is crucial for the recovery of disturbed systems.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Alazne Diez-Fernandez, Jose Martin, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Laura Gangoso, Pilar Lopez, Ramon Soriguer, Jordi Figuerola
Summary: DDT, a widely used pesticide, was banned in Europe in the 1970s and 1980s due to its high toxicity and environmental persistence. However, a recent study found DDT metabolites in the secretions of European Blackbirds in southern Spain. Despite the potential immunosuppressive effect of DDT, there was no association between haemosporidian infection and DDT presence.
Article
Parasitology
Rodrigo Megia-Palma, Javier Martinez, Patrick S. Fitze, Jose J. Cuervo, Josabel Belliure, Octavio Jimenez-Robles, Carlos Cabido, Jose Martin, Santiago Merino
Summary: This study collected blood samples from 23 lizard species in the western Mediterranean, North Africa, and Macaronesia, and molecularly detected multiple blood parasites including Karyolysus. The results supported the taxonomic validity of the genus and suggested that Karyolysus is less host-specific than other lizard parasites in the region.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jose Martin, Isabel Barja, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Pablo Recio, Jose Javier Cuervo
Summary: This study validates a non-invasive technique to quantify glucocorticoid levels in the amphisbaenian reptile Trogonophis wiegmanni. The technique involves quantifying corticosterone metabolites from fresh fecal samples and was able to detect an increase in the fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels after external corticosterone supplementation. The study also found a high interindividual variation in baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in a field population of this reptile, suggesting the potential for using this technique to investigate environmental causes of variation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabel Barja, Ana Pineiro, Aritz Ruiz-Gonzalez, Amaia Caro, Pilar Lopez, Jose Martin
Summary: Chemical signals in wolf feces, including aromatic compounds, steroids, and tocopherol, vary in composition and proportions between sexes and reproductive states. These compounds likely play a role in intraspecific and interspecific communication, and their levels in feces may be indicative of the wolf's sex and physiological and reproductive status.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose Martin, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Jose Javier Cuervo, Pilar Lopez
Summary: Chemical cues play a crucial role in intraspecific communication for many animals, especially for fossorial species. The amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni has been found to discriminate between conspecifics based on chemical cues, despite lacking external secretory glands. In this study, we analyzed the lipophilic compounds in feces and cloacal products of male and female T. wiegmanni, and found intersexual differences in the composition and proportion of these compounds.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jose Martin, Jesus Ortega, Roberto Garcia-Roa, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Ana Perez-Cembranos, Valentin Perez-Mellado
Summary: This study examines the effects of small anthropogenic alterations of a natural habitat on the feeding ecology of a gecko, Tarentola mauritanica. The results show that geckos can modify their diet selection patterns to cope with anthropic disturbances of the habitat, allowing them to inhabit and prosper in human-altered ecosystems. This flexibility in feeding ecology is important for the survival and adaptation of species in human-impacted environments.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marco Mangiacotti, Simon Baeckens, Marco Fumagalli, Jose Martin, Stefano Scali, Roberto Sacchi
Summary: Sexual selection contributes to the diversity of chemical signals in animals. Lizards, a chemically oriented group, are a good model species for studying the effects of sexual selection on signal diversity. Previous studies have focused on the lipid blend in lizard glands, but failed to find a relationship with sexual selection. This study investigates the protein fraction and finds a correlation between protein expression and sexual dimorphism, suggesting proteins may be targets of sexual selection.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jose Martin, Gonzalo Rodriguez-Ruiz, Pilar Lopez
Summary: Chemosensory communication in lizards involves multiple compounds from external and internal glands and feces. While femoral gland secretions contain steroids and fatty acids, feces contain steroids, alkanes, and branched alkanes. The proportions of these compounds in feces and secretions predict body size in males, while the chemical profiles in feces may allow sex recognition. Therefore, the information conveyed by feces and femoral secretions differs in terms of chemical composition and provides different information about sex and body size.
Article
Ecology
Narendra Nelli, Diana Francis, Ricardo Fonseca, Olivier Masson, Mamadou Sow, Emmanuel Bosc
Summary: This study investigates the changes in the atmospheric electric field (Ez) during foggy conditions in the hyperarid region of the United Arab Emirates. The results show that as fog persists, Ez becomes more variable due to the absorption and redistribution of charges by the fog, which alters the ion balance and affects electrical conductivity in the atmosphere.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Ezra Hadad, Amir Balaban, Jakub Z. Kosicki, Reuven Yosef
Summary: This study investigated whether the prey of striped hyenas has adapted to the change in the natural environment caused by human activities, particularly artificial light at night (ALAN). The results showed that ALAN had no impact on the diet or den distribution of the hyenas in central Israel. The study also found that domestic animals were the most common prey, and there were also some vegetative species in their diet. Overall, the feeding behavior of striped hyenas is influenced by geographical region, habitat, and human activities.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Rahim Najafi Tireh Shabankareh, Pardis Ziaee, Mohammad Javad Abedini
Summary: This study evaluated the IMERG satellite-based precipitation product in the Fars province of Iran using daily rain gauges as reference data. The results showed that the product tends to overestimate light rainfall and underestimate heavy rainfall, with the best performance in the 40-80 mm/day range. The accuracy of the product varies by month and is less biased in months with milder temperatures. Additionally, there was a higher correlation in mid-elevated areas, positive bias in low-elevated areas, and negative bias in high-elevated areas. Longer time scales showed considerable improvement in the IMERG estimates.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)