Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guangliang Zhang, Junhong Bai, Christoph C. Tebbe, Laibin Huang, Jia Jia, Wei Wang, Xin Wang, Lu Yu, Qingqing Zhao
Summary: This study investigates the effects of plant invasions on soil microbial communities and functions in salt marshes. It finds that microbial diversity is positively correlated with the duration of invasion, and both bacterial and fungal communities show consistent changes with invasion. The metabolic potential of soil microbes decreases in response to invasion, leading to carbon accumulation in invaded salt marshes. Bacteria and fungi have distinct contributions to microbial community assembly along the invasion gradient.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sixuan He, Jinlan Lin, Xinming Liu, Shuwen Jia, Shiquan Chen
Summary: Exotic cordgrass Spartina can influence the trophic interaction and functioning of coastal ecosystems by altering the availability or palatability of carbon sources utilized by macrozoobenthos. This study showed that the trophic contribution of Spartina alterniflora to macrozoobenthos in both dense Spartina area and adjacent tidal bare mudflat was similar, with Spartina acting as the most important carbon source. It demonstrated that Spartina can benefit the adjacent bare mudflat by supplying detritus as the carbon source for macrozoobenthos, which is favorable for maintaining the biodiversity and trophic dynamics of macrozoobenthic communities in coastal ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangliang Zhang, Junhong Bai, Christoph C. Tebbe, Laibin Huang, Jia Jia, Wei Wang, Xin Wang, Lu Yu, Qingqing Zhao
Summary: This study investigated soil fungal communities in a salt marsh ecosystem with native and exotic plant species. It found that plant invasion significantly decreased fungal richness and diversity, altered community composition, and led to homogenization of the fungal community. The invaded sites had a higher proportion of saprophytic fungi, while growth of pathogenic fungi was inhibited. Soil pH and salinity were identified as important factors in shaping the fungal community structures in the context of plant invasion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guangliang Zhang, Junhong Bai, Qingqing Zhao, Jia Jia, Xin Wang, Wei Wang, Xinyan Wang
Summary: The study demonstrates that Spartina alterniflora invasion in coastal salt marshes influences the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks, with implications on carbon accumulation rates and profile distribution. Invasion leads to soil acidification and Ca loss, impacting the accumulation of SOC and SIC.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sean J. Sharp, Christine Angelini
Summary: Disturbances are increasing in frequency and scale with climate change, benefiting opportunistic species exploiting areas where habitat-forming species have been removed. Birds, through parasite transmission to snails, appear to work synergistically with snail-consuming nekton to slow cordgrass loss.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiao Xu, Shujuan Wei, Hongyang Chen, Bo Li, Ming Nie
Summary: The effects of Spartina alterniflora invasions on soil carbon content in coastal wetlands in China are not clear. This study found that S. alterniflora increased soil organic carbon content in salt marshes dominated by dwarf succulent species in the northern subtropics, but decreased carbon content in mangroves dominated by Kandelia obovata and mixed communities in the southern subtropics. The carbon content in S. alterniflora-invaded ecosystems increased only on a decadal scale and then decreased gradually.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenchao Ding, Wenxia Xie, Jianing Xu, Chunjing Liu, Ping Miao, Jian Gong
Summary: This study explores the source-sink characteristics of methyl halide (CH3X) in temperate coastal wetlands and identifies key factors affecting the variation of CH3X during the invasion of Spartina alterniflora. The results show that CH3X emissions exhibit seasonal and diurnal variations. S. alterniflora acts as a source of CH3X, with higher fluxes in the spring and autumn seasons. On the other hand, the bare flat area functions as a sink for CH3X, with maximum absorption flux occurring in summer. The biomass of S. alterniflora, particularly the leaves, significantly influences CH3X fluxes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah C. Crosby, Nicole C. Spiller, Devan S. Healy, Lauren Brideau, Luke M. Stewart, Jamie M. P. Vaudrey, Kasey E. Tietz, Peter J. Fraboni
Summary: Excess nitrogen in coastal waters poses a threat to ecosystems, particularly salt marshes, but studies in Long Island Sound suggest that its role in driving salt marsh loss may be less significant than previously thought. Eutrophication continues to be a critical issue for these ecosystems despite aggressive nitrogen reduction efforts in the region.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhonghua Ning, Dongxue Li, Cong Chen, Chengjie Xie, Guogui Chen, Tian Xie, Qing Wang, Junhong Bai, Baoshan Cui
Summary: Understanding the dynamics and pathways of invasive plants in relation to geomorphic landscape features is crucial for predicting and managing their expansion in non-native habitats. In this study, the evolutionary patterns of tidal channel networks in the Yellow River Delta were quantified using remote-sensing imagery, and the invasion patterns of Spartina alterniflora were identified. The study also revealed the influence of tidal channel characteristics on the plant's invasion dynamics.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tian Xie, Qing Wang, Zhonghua Ning, Cong Chen, Baoshan Cui, Junhong Bai, Wei Shi, Bo Pang
Summary: The invasibility of an ecosystem measures its resistance to plant invasion, with human activities playing a key role in altering lateral hydrological connectivity and potentially making the ecosystem more susceptible to invasion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jose L. Rolando, Max Kolton, Tianze Song, Joel E. Kostka
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between the root microbiome of Spartina alterniflora and its health and productivity, and found that the root microbiome plays an important role in regulating the plant host. The presence of highly active and competitive species in the root microbiome, as well as their correlation with plant productivity, suggests the involvement of the root microbiome in regulating and enhancing the primary productivity of S. alterniflora.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guangliang Zhang, Jia Jia, Qingqing Zhao, Wei Wang, Dawei Wang, Junhong Bai
Summary: Plant invasion has a profound impact on microbial-driven processes in the ecosystem, but little is known about the seasonality of soil microbial communities and their assembly under plant invasion. This study examined coastal salt marshes in the Yellow River Estuary, North China, and characterized the bacterial and fungal communities and their seasonal variance using metabarcoding sequencing. The results showed strong seasonal variances in microbial communities, but plant invasion reduced the seasonal variation strength of soil bacteria. Soil pH was found to be the key abiotic factor driving the seasonal changes in bacteria and fungi. These findings reveal the strong seasonal variability of different soil microbial constituents in plant-invaded coastal salt marshes and suggest the linkage between microbial community assembly and microbial-mediated functions in the context of plant invasions.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sara Martin, Nigel Temple, Gillian Palino, Just Cebrian, Eric Sparks
Summary: The study found that large-scale breakwaters are effective in maintaining high coverage of natural marshes, but have minimal impact on shoreline plant growth. Breakwaters reduce pressure for upland migration, allowing marsh patches to expand seaward. The presence of breakwaters can help preserve fringing marsh vegetation in high wave energy environments, but adaptive management may be necessary for future effectiveness in response to sea-level rise.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shidong Yue, Yi Zhou, Shaochun Xu, Xiaomei Zhang, Mingjie Liu, Yongliang Qiao, Ruiting Gu, Shuai Xu, Yu Zhang
Summary: The study highlighted the competitive effects of the exotic plant S. alterniflora on seagrass Z. japonica, with S. alterniflora invasion leading to inhibition of Z. japonica growth and significant increase in the distribution area of the invader. S. alterniflora primarily propagates via seeds and rhizomes, posing a threat to the population ecology of seagrass.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Niu Li, Ming Nie, Bo Li, Jihua Wu, Jiayuan Zhao
Summary: Aboveground litter inputs from plants play a crucial role in carbon and nutrient fluxes to the soil. This study compared the effects of aboveground litter from native Phragmites australis and exotic Spartina alterniflora on soil nitrification and denitrification, finding species-specific impacts on these processes, particularly more pronounced in the late growth phase. The study also showed that while previous research has highlighted the strong impacts of invasive Spartina alterniflora on nitrogen removal processes, the aboveground litter from this species did not significantly alter nitrification or denitrification, suggesting the presence of other important pathways in these processes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Hong Huang, Zhenfeng Wang, Dingjiang Chen, Fang Xia, Xu Shang, YuanYuan Liu, Randy A. Dahlgren, Kun Mei
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2018)
Article
Soil Science
Kun Mei, Zhenfeng Wang, Hong Huang, Chi Zhang, Xu Shang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Fang Xia
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zheng Chen, Guowen Dong, Yibin Chen, Honghui Wang, Shurui Liu, Zhijie Chen, Chenghu Yang, Xu Shang, Randy Dahlgren
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weimin Yao, Di Di, Zhenfeng Wang, Zhonglu Liao, Hong Huang, Kun Mei, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xu Shang
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xu Shang, Jiawei Lu, Cheng Feng, Yimeng Ying, Yuanchen He, Sheng Fang, Ying Lin, Randy Dahlgren, Jingjuan Ju
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xu Shang, Hong Huang, Kun Mei, Fang Xia, Zheng Chen, Yue Yang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xiaoliang Ji
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaoliang Ji, Yuan Ma, Ganning Zeng, Xiaoqun Xu, Kun Mei, Zhenfeng Wang, Zheng Chen, Randy Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xu Shang
Summary: This study found that dredged sediments contain high concentrations of microplastics, which may potentially remobilize into the environment during the handling process. The dredged sediments stored in farmlands can disperse microplastics to surrounding soils and surface waters, with higher concentrations observed in dry and wet seasons due to wind dispersion and rainfall/runoff erosion, respectively.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yue Yang, Xu Shang, Zheng Chen, Kun Mei, Zhenfeng Wang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xiaoliang Ji
Summary: A support vector regression (SVR) model was developed to predict nitrogen isotopic composition of nitrate in water bodies, outperforming multivariate linear regression and general regression neural network models in terms of accuracy.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhonglu Liao, Xiaoliang Ji, Yuan Ma, Baoqiang Lv, Wei Huang, Xuan Zhu, Mingzhu Fang, Qi Wang, Xuedong Wang, Randy Dahlgren, Xu Shang
Summary: The study investigated the concentrations of airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments in urban and rural areas of a coastal city in eastern China. The findings showed that indoor air had microplastic concentrations one order of magnitude higher than outdoor air, with urban areas having higher concentrations than rural areas. Airborne microplastics in the study were primarily fragments smaller than 100 μm in diameter.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xuan Zhu, Wei Huang, Mingzhu Fang, Zhonglu Liao, Yiqing Wang, Lisha Xu, Qianqian Mu, Chenwei Shi, Changjie Lu, Huanhuan Deng, Randy Dahlgren, Xu Shang
Summary: The study found that airborne microplastic concentrations vary in different regions of China and mainly exist in the form of fragments, predominantly made up of polyethylene, polyester, and polystyrene. However, there were no consistent relationships between airborne microplastic concentrations and typical socioeconomic indices.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingzhu Fang, Zhonglu Liao, Xiaoliang Ji, Xuan Zhu, Zhenfeng Wang, Changjie Lu, Chenwei Shi, Zheng Chen, Liyun Ge, Minghua Zhang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Xu Shang
Summary: This study identified that ingestion of atmospheric-deposited microplastics during routine dining/drinking activities is an important exposure pathway, in addition to inhalation. The measured abundances of atmospheric-deposited microplastics were high, with a dominance of amorphous fragments. The ingestion of atmospheric-deposited microplastics through diet was found to be similar to inhalation exposure but significantly greater than direct ingestion from food sources. Simple mitigation strategies can effectively reduce the exposure of atmospheric-deposited microplastics through diet.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Xiaoliang Ji, Lielin Shu, Jian Li, Congyuan Zhao, Wenli Chen, Zheng Chen, Xu Shang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Yue Yang, Minghua Zhang
Summary: This study used a multiple isotope approach to quantitatively identify sources and transformations of riverine nitrate in a wetland plain river network in eastern China. The results showed that municipal sewage was the dominant nitrate source, followed by soil nitrogen, atmospheric nitrate deposition, and nitrogen fertilizer. Additionally, the study highlighted the benefits of using Delta O-17-NO3- to enhance nitrate source apportionment.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Siguang Liu, Yifeng Huang, Dehua Luo, Xiao Wang, Zhenfeng Wang, Xiaoliang Ji, Zheng Chen, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xu Shang
Summary: The sinking of microplastics after biofouling is an important mechanism for their transport and sedimentation in oceans and freshwaters. Smaller microplastic particles sink faster, while films and fibers do not necessarily sink faster.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaoliang Ji, Lielin Shu, Wenli Chen, Zheng Chen, Xu Shang, Yue Yang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang
Summary: This study examined the sources and contributions of riverine nitrate in the Wen-Rui Tang River in China using various methods. The SIAR model confirmed municipal sewage as the major source of nitrate, with nitrogen fertilizer and soil nitrogen also identified as secondary sources. The study found that the uncertainties associated with different sources varied, and the isotopic composition of the predominant source had the strongest effect on the overall results of nitrate source apportionment.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Ting Wang, Liyin Qu, Dehua Luo, Xiaoliang Ji, Zengling Ma, Zhonggen Wang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Minghua Zhang, Xu Shang
Summary: Microplastics are a growing concern as they pose a threat to global ecological systems and human health. Recent studies have found microplastics in the remote Tibetan Plateau, which is known as the Third Pole. This article summarizes the evidence of microplastic pollution in different environments of the Tibetan Plateau and assesses their distribution, sources, fate, and ecological effects. The study shows that microplastics are pervasive in both living and non-living components of the Tibetan Plateau, even at high altitudes like Mount Everest. The tourism industry and long-range atmospheric transport are identified as significant sources of microplastic pollution in this sparsely populated area.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)