Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yi-Fan Liu, Zhenchao Zhang, Yu Liu, Zeng Cui, Jianjun Shi, Yanlong Wang, Gao-Lin Wu, Pedro A. M. Leite
Summary: Shrub encroachment due to global changes and human disturbances has profound impacts on the ecohydrological functioning of alpine meadows. This study found that shrub encroachment reduced aboveground and root biomass of herbaceous plants and improved soil infiltrability, which could greatly affect surface runoff and stream flow dynamics in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
Article
Agronomy
Xiaojing Yang, Guanhai Xiang, Weicheng Sun, Yonggang Chi, Wenhuai Li, Yongfei Bai, Zhengchao Zhou, Shuxia Zheng
Summary: In the context of global change, changes in precipitation patterns and increases in atmospheric nitrogen deposition have significant impacts on grassland ecosystem processes. This study examined the effects of increased precipitation and nitrogen enrichment on soil respiration in different stages of shrub-encroached steppe. Increased precipitation promoted soil respiration in most stages of shrub encroachment, while nitrogen addition had no significant effect. Shrub encroachment reduced soil respiration mainly by increasing temperature and decreasing soil moisture, microbial biomass, and root biomass.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Xiangjin Shen, Yiwen Liu, Binhui Liu, Jiaqi Zhang, Lei Wang, Xianguo Lu, Ming Jiang
Summary: Under the influences of climate change and human activities, grassland ecosystems are facing the threat of shrub encroachment. This study quantified the biophysical effects of shrub encroachment on regional climate in temperate semi-arid areas of the Northern Hemisphere using satellite data. The results show that shrub encroachment tends to increase surface temperature in most areas, while decreasing it in some relatively humid regions. These findings highlight the importance of considering the impact of shrub encroachment on regional climate in climate models and the need for further research on the climate feedbacks and ecosystem properties.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huijin Shi, Shengjing Jiang, Jianghui Bian, Jin-Sheng He
Summary: The alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is facing shrub encroachment, which can be exacerbated by livestock exclusion policies. The encroachment is caused by the competitive advantage gained by shrubs through plant-plant interactions and the improvement of deep soil resources.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiuping Liu, Ningdong Xie, Mohan Bai, Jiaqian Li, Guangyi Wang
Summary: The study revealed significant and distinct impacts of coastal upwelling on the abundance, diversity, and community structure of microbial eukaryotes. While the evenness of the microbial eukaryotes was reduced and Shannon diversity slightly decreased, the community composition showed obvious variations, especially between upwelling and non-upwelling stations in the surface waters. Additionally, temperature was identified as the most important factor influencing the microbial eukaryotic community composition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shiwei Zhou, Ling Meng, Yuru Wu, Jiaming Kong, Xiaoli Bi
Summary: This study investigated the effect and pathway of shrub-induced carbon sequestration in coastal wetlands. It found that shrub encroachment significantly increased both the organic and inorganic carbon contents in the wetlands, with higher increase of organic carbon in flat wetlands and higher increase of inorganic carbon in tidal ditch wetlands. The presence of shrubs indirectly affected soil carbon through increasing nitrogen and altering the coupled relationships between soil carbon and nitrogen.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Laura M. Ladwig, Lukas P. Bell-Dereske, Kayce C. Bell, Scott L. Collins, Donald O. Natvig, D. Lee Taylor
Summary: Research suggests that shrubs cultivate a distinct microbial community on the leading edge of the invasion, which may be necessary for shrub colonization, establishment, and persistence. This indicates a strong influence of plant-microbial interactions on plant success during the process of shrub encroachment in grasslands.
Article
Plant Sciences
Emily R. Wedel, Kimberly O'Keefe, Jesse B. Nippert, Braden Hoch, Rory C. O'Connor
Summary: Clonality plays a crucial role in plant survival in disturbed environments, enabling resprouting, resource sharing, and vegetative reproduction. The physiological traits of leaves within individual clonal shrubs in response to extreme environmental variations remain unclear. Results suggest that measurements within a shrub are likely sufficient to parameterize models to understand the effects of shrub encroachment on ecosystem carbon and water cycles.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lingyan Hu, Jiuma Sai, Jin Guo, Hui Guo, Xianhui Zhou, Shuijin Hu, Peng Wang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of an actinorhizal shrub species on the nitrogen status of soil and other plants in an alpine meadow ecosystem. The results showed that the shrub had a minor facilitation effect on the soil and neighboring plants through its nitrogen-rich leaf litter, but this effect was not enough to offset the negative impact caused by competition for resources.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Susmita Das, Sharoardy Sagar, Srizan Chowdhury, Konok Akter, Muhammad Zahirul Haq, Syed Manzoor Ahmed Hanifi
Summary: This study conducted in a coastal region of Bangladesh establishes a connection between high ambient temperatures and miscarriages. The risk of miscarriage was found to be 25% higher in women exposed to temperatures between 28 degrees C and 32 degrees C compared to those exposed to temperatures from 16 degrees C to 21 degrees C.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jonathan von Oppen, Signe Normand, Anne D. Bjorkman, Anne Blach-Overgaard, Jakob J. Assmann, Mads Forchhammer, Maya Gueguen, Jacob Nabe-Nielsen
Summary: The study found that shrub species and functional groups exhibit highly variable responses to both abiotic and biotic environmental variation. Annual air temperature variability was identified as the most important abiotic explanatory variable for shrub abundance, while functional community composition and graminoid abundance were the most influential biotic factors.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Camille LaFosse Stagg, Claudia Laurenzano, William C. Vervaeke, Ken W. Krauss, Karen L. McKee
Summary: Coastal wetlands are dynamic ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate-driven stressors. This study investigated how multiple stressors, such as elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and sediment deposition from hurricanes, would affect different wetland communities. The findings showed that encroachment of oligohaline marshes into freshwater forested wetlands can enhance belowground biomass accumulation and resilience to sea-level rise.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun-Dal Kim, Chulwon Kwon, Kanako Nakamura, Naoto Muromachi, Haruka Mori, Shin-ichi Muroi, Yasunari Yamada, Hodaka Saito, Yoshimi Nakagawa, Akiyoshi Fukamizu
Summary: Cardiac hypertrophy is a significant risk factor for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, and the factors involved in its progression have been investigated in a mouse model. The study found that decreased levels of Adra1a, an adrenergic receptor, and upregulation of the renin-angiotensin system were associated with progressive cardiac hypertrophy. Furthermore, Adra1a-deficient mice showed more severe hypertrophy, suggesting the involvement of Adra1a expression in the development of cardiac hypertrophy in hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tingting Xu, Zhe Ai, Yanlong Jia, Shanlong Li, Joshua Philp, Fei Ma
Summary: This study found that alpine leguminous plants primarily obtain nitrogen through symbiotic nitrogen fixation, leading to a decoupling of nitrogen dynamics between plants and soil, with different patterns and controls of foliar and soil delta N-15 across climatic, edaphic, and biotic gradients. Temperature and precipitation during the growing season were found to affect foliar delta N-15 mainly through their influence on soil pH and foliar nitrogen, while affecting soil delta N-15 mainly through their effects on soil electrical conductivity and soil carbon to nitrogen ratios.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yanhua Chen, Huizhe Chen, Jing Xiang, Yikai Zhang, Zhigang Wang, Defeng Zhu, Junke Wang, Yuping Zhang, Yaliang Wang
Summary: High temperature inhibits rice spikelet formation by promoting endogenous brassinolides decomposition, which reduces sugar utilization and leads to a decrease in spikelet number. Exogenous 2, 4-epibrassinolide (EBR) helps increase spikelet number, while application of brassinazole (BRZ) exacerbates the reduction in spikelet number.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)