Article
Plant Sciences
Chunming Li, Derong Zhang, Gengchun Xu, Rui Yan, Yang Huang, Liuqing Feng, Jin Yi, Xiangyu Xue, Huixia Liu
Summary: The composition and diversity of soil microbial communities in alpine grasslands were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology. With the deterioration of alpine grasslands, soil pH increased significantly, while soil water content, organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available nitrogen, and available phosphorus showed a significant decreasing trend. Soil microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, and microbial biomass phosphorus also significantly decreased. Alpine grassland degradation significantly changed the community composition and beta-diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. Key factors limiting the changes in soil bacterial and fungal community composition were soil pH, water content, available nitrogen, and microbial biomass nitrogen. This study highlights the importance of soil microbial community composition in the restoration management of alpine grassland degradation.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Xiaowei Yin, Yiping Wu, Wenzhi Zhao, Shuguang Liu, Fubo Zhao, Ji Chen, Linjing Qiu, Wenke Wang
Summary: Understanding the impact of high-altitude flash droughts on vegetation net primary productivity (NPP) is crucial for ecosystem management. In this study, we investigated the response of NPP to flash drought in the Qilian Mountains. The results showed a significant increase in flash drought intensity, with a negative response in 64.3% of the region. Furthermore, the study revealed the coupling between NPP and temperature/VPD under different drought intensities, highlighting the effects of temperature anomalies and VPD on NPP.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Theophilus Atio Abalori, Wenxia Cao, Conrad Atogi-Akwoa Weobong, Wen Li, Shilin Wang, Xiuxia Deng
Summary: Grasslands globally are affected by climate change and unsustainable management practices, leading to transitions from stable to degraded and eventually desertification. Understanding the relationships between grassland vegetation and its environment, particularly topographic conditions and soil properties, is crucial for vegetation restoration projects in alpine grasslands.
Article
Soil Science
Yuanhong Deng, Xiaoyan Li, Mengkai Ding, Fangzhong Shi, Fenglin Zuo, Zhongkai Li, Xia Zhang
Summary: Climate change has negatively affected the soil functions of grasslands, including water retention, biomass production, and carbon and nutrient storage. This study conducted a field survey in the Qilian Mountains and found that different types of grasslands have varying soil water-holding capacities, with alpine wet meadow having the strongest capacity. Soil bulk density and organic matter content were identified as key factors influencing water retention. The study also revealed variations in the storage of organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium among different grassland types.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lemin Wei, Wenzhi Zhao, Xiangyan Feng, Chuntan Han, Tao Li, Jinxian Qi, Yongyuan Li
Summary: Freeze-thaw desertification has significant impacts on the fragmentation, soil properties, and vegetation succession of alpine meadows, particularly in high elevations. Desertified patches lead to decreased soil water holding capacity and increased bulk density, causing the appearance of alpine desert steppe characteristics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dawen Qian, Yangong Du, Qian Li, Xiaowei Guo, Guangmin Cao
Summary: Grassland management on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau should prioritize ecosystem service relationships, and dividing grazing management into maintenance grazing, rotational grazing, and grazing exclusion areas can help achieve a balance between livestock production and water retention services. This approach has the potential to guide sustainable alpine grassland management practices.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Xiangyan Feng, Pengfei Lin, Wenzhi Zhao
Summary: The study found that both K-l and K-s significantly decreased along altitude gradients, with species at higher altitudes having lower K-l and K-s. The decrease in leaf midvein and stem xylem vessel diameter were the anatomical reasons for the decrease in K-l and K-s. Further analysis proved that the decreased T-gs, rather than growing season precipitation (P-gs), was closely related to the decrease of K-l and K-s along altitude gradients.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Qingqing Hou, Hang Yang, Jianshuang Wu, Xiaojun Yu
Summary: This study evaluates the net primary productivity (NPP), soil heterotrophic respiration (RH), and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of different grassland types in the Qilian Mountains and explores their response to changes in temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation over the past two decades. The results show that precipitation and solar radiation have a greater impact on grassland NPP and NEP, while temperature has the greatest influence on NPP, RH, and NEP of the temperate typical steppe.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhangwen Liu, Rensheng Chen, Jinxian Qi, Zhiying Dang, Chuntan Han, Yong Yang
Summary: This study explores the role of mosses in alpine shrub evapotranspiration and finds that moss layers play an important role in controlling underground water flux. Changes in moss cover may have significant consequences for season frozen soil thaw under a warming climate.
Article
Agronomy
Yajuan Li, Changlin Xu, Zhaoling Da, Ruimei Hu, Caicai Sun
Summary: Alpine meadow degradation has an impact on soil nitrogen content and distribution, with seasonal variations. Degraded areas have higher levels of inorganic nitrogen in the soil. Degradation only alters the distribution of nitrate nitrogen in winter and has no significant effect on the distribution of total nitrogen, available nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and inorganic nitrogen. There are significant interactions between alpine meadow types, seasons, and soil depth in terms of nitrogen content. In heavily degraded alpine meadows, nitrogen input is required during the summer growing season to improve vegetation coverage.
COMMUNICATIONS IN SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunli Li, Yonghui Li, Xinwei Li, Li Ma, Yuanming Xiao, Chunhui Zhang
Summary: The study found that nitrogen (N) addition significantly promoted plant aboveground biomass in alpine grassland ecosystems, with a stronger response in restored grasslands compared to natural grasslands. In addition, the results suggested that climate warming could enhance plant biomass allocation to belowground under ongoing N deposition and highlighted the importance of precipitation for plant growth and aboveground biomass accumulation in restored alpine grasslands.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Theophilus Atio Abalori, Wenxia Cao, Conrad Atogi-Akwoa Weobong, Faisal Eudes Sam, Wen Li, Richard Osei, Shilin Wang
Summary: Vegetation patchiness affects the spatial variability of grassland soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, with stripped vegetation patches having a significant impact on ecosystem carbon and nitrogen storage. Intact vegetation patches have higher ecosystem carbon and nitrogen storage compared to stripped vegetation patches, with stripped patches having higher soil gravel content. Soil is the major contributor to carbon and nitrogen storage in Leymus secalinus and Koeleria pers patches, while vegetation is the major contributor in Stipa aliena and Leontopodium nanum patches.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yuejin Li, Kelong Chen, Zhifeng Liu, Guangchao Cao
Summary: Understanding the impacts of human trampling on ecological environment is crucial for the management of recreational areas. A study conducted in Qilian Mountain National Park found that human trampling negatively affected soil properties and vegetation, with higher intensities of trampling resulting in greater degradation. It is recommended to control the number of visitors to preserve the landscape quality.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Qinqin Du, Yunfan Sun, Qingyu Guan, Ninghui Pan, Qingzheng Wang, Yunrui Ma, Huichun Li, Lushuang Liang
Summary: By evaluating the vulnerability of grassland ecosystems to short-term climate variability in the Qilian Mountains, this study found that vulnerability is mainly determined by exposure, with alpine meadow and alpine steppe being more vulnerable. Climate and topography gradients together affect the degree of grassland vulnerability, and higher vulnerability is associated with lower water use efficiency (WUE) of the grasslands.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhenchao Zhang, Tianyu Zhan, Yanpeng Li, Yi Wang, Ting Yu, Juan Sun
Summary: Grassland degradation leads to a decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, with a larger reduction in alpine meadows compared to alpine steppes. The variation in SOC stock is positively correlated with belowground biomass in both alpine meadows and steppes, and with aboveground biomass only in alpine steppes. The relationship between change rates in SOC stock and initial SOC stock and mean annual precipitation is negative during lightly and moderately degraded stages, but becomes nonsignificant during heavily degraded stage. These findings have implications for sustainable management practices of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haihua Wang, Huaiyang Ke, Hongping Wu, Siyuan Ma, Muhammad Mohsin Altaf, Xiaoping Diao
Summary: Carbon storage in mangroves is crucial for mitigating climate change, but our understanding of this aspect is limited. This study investigated the seasonal changes in the carbon metabolic profile of microbial communities in mangrove soils on Hainan Island, China, and found that season plays a critical role in shaping the carbon functional diversity of microbial communities.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Donghui Zhao, Congcong Shen, Zhi-Ming Zhang, Jichen Wang, Li-Mei Zhang, Baodong Chen, Guo-Xin Sun, Yuan Ge
Summary: By studying soil samples from different slope directions along an elevational gradient in a mountain ecosystem, we found that soil bacterial diversity and microbial functions exhibit distinct elevational patterns, which are consistent across slope directions. The bacterial diversity shows a hump-shaped pattern, while microbial functions exhibit a linear increasing trend. Additionally, the beta diversity pattern of soil bacteria is significantly influenced by elevational distance decay relationships. Soil bacterial diversity patterns are determined by transitions in community assembly processes, whereas microbial functions are mainly influenced by bacterial community composition.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guanfang Sun, Yan Zhu, Wei Mao, Yonghong Li, Jinzhong Yang, Zhaoliang Gao
Summary: This study developed a water and salt balance model to predict long-term water and salt dynamics in seasonally frozen arid agricultural regions. The model was validated in a region in China and showed that increasing autumn irrigation water can decrease soil salinity during the irrigation period, but has limited impact on long-term average soil salinity.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Alfredo Mayoral, Ana Ejarque, Arnau Garcia-Molsosa, Mercourios Georgiadis, Giannis Apostolou, Vincent Gaertner, Constantina Kallintzi, Eurydice Kefalidou, Hector Orengo
Summary: This paper presents an integrated Geoarchaeological approach to studying the landscape change and socio-environmental interaction around ancient Abdera. The study uses a combination of remote sensing, geomorphological mapping, sedimentary coring, and radiocarbon dating to reconstruct the palaeogeographic evolution of the area. The results challenge previous narratives about the rise and decline of Abdera and provide new insights into the role of historical and environmental factors. It also introduces evidence of submerged Neolithic landscapes and the impact of anthropogenic forcing on the sedimentary systems.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiale Chen, Michael Dannenmann, Qiang Yu, Yalong Shi, Matthew D. Wallenstein, Xinguo Han, Honghui Wu, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
Summary: This study investigated the effects of temperature and moisture on soil nitrogen turnover through field experiments and laboratory incubation experiments. The results showed that soil temperature had a greater explanatory power than moisture in gross ammonification and nitrification rates. Climate warming may have a greater impact on gross nitrogen turnover compared to changes in rainfall.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhen Han, Xiuchao Yang, Xiaoai Yin, Qian Fang, Longshan Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of exposed root distribution patterns on rainfall-runoff processes. The results showed that the distribution patterns of exposed root had a significant impact on rainfall-runoff processes. A vertical slope arrangement was conducive to rainfall infiltration, a parallel slope arrangement resulted in more surface runoff, and a transverse slope arrangement could reduce water loss.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Bo Zhao
Summary: Seismic earthflows, as special seismic landslides, have not received much attention in previous studies. This study analyzed the characteristics and movement of earthflows induced by recent earthquakes. The results showed that earthflows occur in high-rainfall areas and are sensitive to rainfall. Compared to other seismic landslides, seismic earthflows occur on gentler hills and have higher mobility.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tingxi Liu, Xueqin Wang, Mingyang Li, Dongfang Li, Limin Duan, Xin Tong, Guanli Wang
Summary: Soil respiration plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle in arid and semi-arid regions, and is regulated by hydrothermal factors. This study examined the seasonal and diurnal dynamics of soil respiration in two typical ecosystems in northern China, and investigated their responses to precipitation, temperature, and drought. The results showed that soil respiration varied seasonally and diurnally, and its response to environmental factors depended on the ecosystem type and soil moisture status. Incorporating multiple factors into carbon cycle models can improve the simulation and prediction of carbon emissions in arid and semi-arid regions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yaochen Xu, Ninghua Chen, Deguo Zhang, Bowen Gao, Xuhua Weng, Hongcheng Qiu
Summary: This study provides systematic investigation on how yardangs exert control over dune morphology, and reveals the intricate wind dynamics and mechanisms involved. Computational fluid dynamics modeling and remote sensing data further support the observations and shed light on the influences of yardangs on wind deposition and dune formation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yuri Lopes Zinn, Welton Pereira da Rocha Jr
Summary: This study assessed the evolution of Journal Impact Factors (JIF) and related data in the field of Soil Science over a 26-year period, and compared it with the field of Agronomy. The results showed a significant growth in JIFs and output in Soil Science, with commercial scientific publishers' journals experiencing higher growth rates than non-profit journals. The study also highlighted the importance of considering not only JIF, but also the bibliometric footprint, in determining the relevance and leadership of journals in the discipline.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shanshan Liao, Xiaodong Nie, Aoqi Zeng, Wenfei Liao, Yi Liu, Zhongwu Li
Summary: Lake drawdown areas, where sediment is exposed due to water level fluctuations, have a significant impact on the carbon cycle. This study examined microbial necromass carbon (MNC) content and its contribution to soil organic carbon (SOC) in different habitats within the drawdown area of Dongting Lake. The results showed that MNC content varied among habitats and was primarily influenced by carbon and nitrogen availability, plant biomass, clay content, and soil moisture. External factors, such as plant and soil properties, played a more crucial role in the long-term accumulation of MNC. These findings enhance our understanding of MNC stability in drawdown areas.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Vanessa Alves Mantovani, Marcela de Castro Nunes Santos Terra, Andre Ferreira Rodrigues, Carlos Alberto Silva, Li Guo, Jose Marcio de Mello, Carlos Rogerio de Mello
Summary: There is a lack of research on the potential of tropical soils in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome to store carbon. This study aimed to determine the soil carbon stocks at different depths, describe their temporal variability, and identify the main drivers that influence their variations. The results showed significant spatial and seasonal variability in soil carbon stocks, with a high accumulation in December and a low accumulation in August. The study also found that litterfall, throughfall, tree sizes, and soil moisture were important factors affecting the distribution of soil carbon.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anais Zimmer, Timothy Beach, Sheryl Luzzadder-Beach, Antoine Rabatel, Rolando Cruz Encarnacion, Joshua Lopez Robles, Edison Jara Tarazona, Arnaud J. A. M. Temme
Summary: Climate warming has accelerated glacial retreat and soil formation in mountainous regions. The accumulation of soil organic carbon and nitrogen is influenced by environmental factors, with maximum temperature and initial site conditions playing important roles in soil development.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ren-Min Yang, Lai-Ming Huang, Feng Liu
Summary: This study investigated the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in seasonally frozen ground (SFG) in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, in 2020 and 2021, and explored the effects of various factors on SOC using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that C inputs exerted the greatest control on SOC, and the influence of these factors decreased with increasing soil depth. Additionally, timely spatial SOC estimates were found to be important for assessing carbon stocks in the context of environmental changes.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shue Wei, Kuandi Zhang, Chenglong Liu, Youdong Cen, Junqiang Xia
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of different vegetation components on erosion through simulated rainfall experiments and found that litter had the best effect in reducing erosion, followed by roots. The study also revealed that the reduction in runoff and sediment by the treatments decreased with increasing rainfall intensity.