Article
Agronomy
Kelly Cristina Tonello, Alexandra Guidelli Rosa, Luara Castilho Pereira, Gregorio Nolazco Matus, Manuel Enrique Gamero Guandique, Acacio Aparecido Navarrete
Summary: This study investigated the water and nutrient enrichment in throughfall and stemflow among different tree species in the Cerrado region. It found that most elements and compounds were more concentrated in throughfall and stemflow, with each tree species contributing specific nutrients to the stemflow. Canopy exchange was often more dominant than dry deposition, with Cl and PO43- being taken up by the canopy.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Harikrishna Prasad Mamidala, D. Ganguly, R. Purvaja, Gurmeet Singh, Subhajit Das, M. Nageswar Rao, Armoury Kazip Ys, K. Arumugam, R. Ramesh
Summary: Efficient decomposition of leaf litter plays a crucial role in the nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration of mangrove ecosystems. This study investigated the decomposition characteristics and organic carbon supply of leaf litter from four major mangrove species in India. The results showed variations in decomposition rates and released organic carbon among the different species, with S. apetala and R. mucronata exhibiting the highest potential to support the aquatic food web. Additionally, the study highlighted the importance of leaf litter leachates as a food source for microbial communities in coastal waters.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Jiajia Chen, Jing Zhu, Ziwei Wang, Cong Xing, Bo Chen, Xuelin Wang, Chensi Wei, Jinfu Liu, Zhongsheng He, Daowei Xu
Summary: The formation of canopy gaps affects microenvironment, litter decomposition, and nutrient release. This study investigated the leaf and branch litter decomposition in different-sized gaps and non-gaps using the litter bag method. The results showed that medium-sized gaps had lower remaining litter mass and faster leaf litter decomposition. Environmental factors were identified as the primary drivers of carbon and nitrogen release during decomposition.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lili Zhou, Shubin Li, Yayun Jia, Kate Heal, Zongming He, Pengfei Wu, Xiangqing Ma
Summary: The study highlights the importance of canopy litter in nutrient conservation and recycling in Chinese fir plantations. The distribution and dynamics of canopy litter mass and nutrient resorption vary with stand age. Winter is the season with the highest mass of canopy litter.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhao Wang, Jiang Shi, Sashuang Sun, Lijun Zhu, Yiyin He, Rong Jin, Letan Luo, Lin Zhao, Junxiang Peng, Zhenjiang Zhou
Summary: Estimation accuracy of plant dry matter may decline when canopy coverage approaches closure, known as the saturation problem. This study improved accuracy by analyzing canopy imaging and plant height, and used CNDC to diagnose nitrogen in Choy Sum. Results indicate that nitrogen deficiency and excess significantly affect Choy Sum yield, with CC x Height models effectively addressing saturation issues in dry matter prediction.
Article
Ecology
Jurgen Homeier, Christoph Leuschner
Summary: The study indicates that the productivity of highly diverse Neotropical montane forests is primarily controlled by thermal and edaphic factors and stand structural properties, while the impact of tree diversity is minimal.
Article
Ecology
Ivia I. Moreno, Maria F. Barberena-Arias, Grizelle Gonzalez, D. Jean Lodge, Sharon A. Cantrell
Summary: The study revealed significant impacts of hurricanes and drought on forests, affecting green litter decomposition, invertebrate communities, and nutrient mineralization. Canopy trimming and litter had a notable influence on invertebrate abundance and nitrogen-phosphorous mineralization. However, short-term mass loss was more related to changes in litter invertebrate food web rather than decomposition rates.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Zuleta, Gabriel Arellano, Sean M. McMahon, Salomon Aguilar, Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin, Nicolas Castano, Chia-Hao Chang-Yang, Alvaro Duque, David Mitre, Musalmah Nasardin, Rolando Perez, I-Fang Sun, Tze Leong Yao, Renato Valencia, Sruthi M. Krishna Moorthy, Hans Verbeeck, Stuart J. Davies
Summary: Accurate estimates of forest biomass stocks and fluxes are crucial for understanding global carbon budgets and forest response to climate change. This study reveals that damage to living trees contributes significantly to aboveground biomass (AGB) loss in tropical forests, accounting for 42% of the total AGB loss. Conventional forest inventories tend to overestimate AGB stocks, underestimate damage-related AGB losses, and overestimate AGB loss via mortality, leading to an underestimation of forest carbon fluxes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Juan D. Leon-Pelaez, William Caicedo-Ruiz, Jeiner Castellanos-Barliza
Summary: This study investigated the accumulation and decomposition of standing leaf litter, as well the flow of nutrients, in an urban dry tropical forest. It found that the decomposition rate and nutrient release rate varied among different plant species.
REVISTA CHAPINGO SERIE CIENCIAS FORESTALES Y DEL AMBIENTE
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Bernd Ahrends, Klaus von Wilpert, Wendelin Weis, Christian Vonderach, Gerald Kandler, Dietmar Zirlewagen, Carina Sucker, Heike Puhlmann
Summary: Climate change and rising energy costs have increased interest in using tree harvest residues as feedstock for bioenergy. However, the use of wood biomass and harvest residues removes essential nutrient elements from forest ecosystems, making nutrient sustainable management necessary for intensive forest use planning.
Article
Plant Sciences
Muhammad Mansoor Javaid, Xiukang Wang, Singarayer K. Florentine, Muhammad Ashraf, Athar Mahmood, Feng-Min Li, Sajid Fiaz
Summary: The study investigates the effect of elevated CO2 on the growth and photosynthetic responses of Acacia longifolia ssp. longifolia under drought conditions. The results suggest that elevated CO2 mitigates the adverse effects of drought and enhances the recovery of the species. This finding indicates the potential invasion of A. longifolia in new areas under severe climatic conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yong-He Zhu, Jacob Weiner, Yi Jin, Ming-Xi Yu, Feng-Min Li
Summary: This study shows that wheat plants have weakened competitive traits and responses through group selection, resulting in weaker competition but higher-yielding modern cultivars. Based on the experimental results, wheat plants allocate their biomass differently in response to resource levels and the presence of neighboring roots.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Muhammad Mansoor Javaid, Hussah I. M. AlGwaiz, Hasnain Waheed, Muhammad Ashraf, Athar Mahmood, Feng-Min Li, Kotb A. Attia, Muhammad Ather Nadeem, Muneera D. F. AlKahtani, Sajid Fiaz, Muhammad Nadeem, Hafiz Bashir Ahmad
Summary: The capture and utilization of rainwater by crops under different mulching conditions play a significant role in agriculture, especially in dry regions. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of ridge-furrow mulching on maize growth and development in rain-fed conditions. The study found that black plastic mulch significantly increased soil moisture, temperature, plant height, and biomass, leading to a 33.6% increase in maize yield compared to no mulch treatment.
Article
Agronomy
Yun-Yin Feng, Richard A. Richards, Yi Jin, Kadambot H. M. Siddique, Feng-Min Li, Jin He
Summary: Empirical soybean breeding has improved yield in arid and semi-arid areas of China. This study identified key traits in successful commercial soybean cultivars, such as shortened time to flowering and extended seed filling period, fewer pods but increased seed weight and number per pod, increased harvest index, and reduced water use.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Muhammad Mansoor Javaid, Singarayer K. Florentine, Muhammad Ashraf, Athar Mahmood, Abdul Sattar, Allah Wasaya, Feng-Min Li
Summary: This study investigates the combined effects of elevated CO2 concentration and water-deficit on two varieties of Salvia verbenaca plants. It found that elevated CO2 concentration had positive effects on gas exchange, water use efficiency, and photosystem II activity, while water-deficit conditions had negative effects. When water supply was resumed, the parameters of the plants partially recovered. Additionally, one variety showed higher values in gas exchange and photosystem II activity, while the other variety had higher water use efficiency. These findings suggest that Salvia verbenaca has the potential to expand its invasive range in drought-prone areas.
JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zheng-Rong Kan, Zirui Wang, Wei Chen, Ahmad Latif Virk, Feng-Min Li, Jian Liu, Yaguang Xue, Haishui Yang
Summary: Methane emission from rice paddy fields is mainly driven by methanogens. However, little is known about the relationship between methanogenic diversity and methane production. This study found that methanogenic evenness explains 23% of variations in methane production potential, and it is regulated by soil properties such as organic carbon, available phosphorus, and nitrate. These findings highlight the importance of considering methanogenic evenness in evaluating methane production in response to agricultural practices and soil properties.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zheng-Rong Kan, Jiajia Zhou, Feng-Min Li, Mohamed S. Sheteiwy, Jianying Qi, Changqing Chen, Haishui Yang
Summary: The study investigates the effects of straw return and earthworm presence on nitrous oxide (N2O) production. It is found that straw return increases N2O emissions while the presence of earthworms decreases it. The interaction between straw and earthworms plays a significant role in reducing N2O emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Chao Fang, Xin Song, Jian-Sheng Ye, Zi-Qiang Yuan, Evgenios Agathokleous, Zhaozhong Feng, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Pasture-crop rotation is an effective agronomical practice that improves soil and water conservation, livestock production, and food security. A field experiment in China's Loess Plateau found that converting long-term leguminous pastures into croplands resolved soil desiccation concerns and improved wheat yields and water use efficiency. The results suggest that legume pasture-crop rotation facilitates sustainable rainfed farming development.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pingxing Wan, Feng Zhang, Kaiping Zhang, Yufei Li, Rongzhu Qin, Jianjun Yang, Chao Fang, Yakov Kuzyakov, Shiqing Li, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Plastic film mulch is widely used in semi-arid regions to increase crop yield by saving soil water and increasing temperature. However, the impact of plastic film mulch on soil bacterial community structure and metabolic functions is still unclear. This study found that short-term mulching reduced bacterial abundance but increased diversity, while long-term mulching changed bacterial community structure and decreased metabolic functions. The complexity and stability of bacterial communities were also influenced by plastic film mulch.
Article
Soil Science
Zheng-Rong Kan, Yifan Li, Xinyu Yang, Silong Zhai, Yi Meng, Chaofan Xu, Jianying Qi, Feng-Min Li, Changqing Chen, Haishui Yang
Summary: Straw return is a recommended practice to improve soil fertility, but it often leads to increased methane emissions from rice paddies. This study investigated how the tillage type (before or after irrigation) affects methane emission under straw return. The results showed that dry tillage before irrigation mitigates methane emission, while wet tillage after irrigation reduces methane emission in the absence of significant interaction between straw and tillage type.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Nathan J. J. Sleight, Timothy A. A. Volk, Mark Eisenbies
Summary: In this study, the proportion of biomass allocated to above- and belowground components in short-rotation willow biomass crops was analyzed. The root:shoot ratio was found to be consistent across sites and cultivars. However, higher producing stands had slightly lower ratios. These findings are important for understanding the carbon balance and breeding programs of these systems.
Article
Agronomy
Yue Xi, Dong Wang, Jacob Weiner, Yan-Lei Du, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Crop breeding has successfully increased crop grain yield through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort, and improved water-use efficiency. The relationship between grain yield and time from sowing to flowering remains unclear. Early flowering genotypes have higher water-use efficiency in grain production, but no significant difference in total biomass production. Yield is positively correlated with soil water remaining at harvest. Further increases in grain yield through this route are unlikely in the future.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Xintan Zhang, Jie Wang, Xiangyan Feng, Haishui Yang, Yanling Li, Kuzyakov Yakov, Shiping Liu, Feng-Min Li
Summary: No-tillage with straw mulch is effective for soil sustainability, but its specific effects on soil organic carbon stocks and crop yield are uncertain. This study found that no tillage had minimal effects on soil organic carbon stocks but decreased crop yield compared to plow tillage with straw return. No-tillage with straw mulch resulted in improved soil aggregate stability and organic carbon content in the 0-5 cm layer, but decreased organic carbon content in the deeper layers due to reduced carbon input from roots and straw. While organic carbon stocks in micro-aggregates and mineral-associated organic matter did not vary between tillage practices, plow tillage with straw return had higher organic carbon stocks in the 0-50 cm layer compared to no-tillage with straw mulch. Additionally, the yields of rice and wheat were lower under no-tillage with straw mulch compared to plow tillage without straw return and plow tillage with straw return, attributed to high soil bulk densities and decreased nutrient availability. The yield losses in rice were greater under no-tillage with straw mulch and increased over time due to decreased nitrogen and phosphorus contents in the soil. In conclusion, plow tillage is more effective for carbon sequestration and yield improvement in rice-wheat farming compared to no-tillage with straw mulch.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Tao Feng, Yong-He Zhu, Ning Chai, Xin-Tan Zhang, Yan-Lei Du, Neil C. Turner, Pengzhen Du, Feng-Min Li
Summary: The increase in wheat yield in modern cultivars is associated with a decrease in aboveground vegetative growth. It is not clear whether the reduction in aboveground growth is associated with increased or decreased root growth and carbon allocation. In this study, the changes in belowground biomass and activity were evaluated as the grain yield increased with modern genotypes of wheat.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Forestry
Oludunsin Arodudu, Obste Therasme, Timothy Volk, Robert Malmsheimer, Paul Crovella, Rene Germain, Danielle Kloster, Deepak Kumar
Summary: This study reviewed the features of previous HWP carbon accounting frameworks and provided recommendations for improvements to accurately assess the contributions of harvested wood products to net zero carbon targets. Recommendations include expanding the accounting framework to include other climate change mitigation benefits and providing subnational unit-specific activity data and conversion factors. These improvements will enhance the accuracy of HWP accounting frameworks and capture the potential benefits of HWPs as a carbon sink.