Article
Plant Sciences
Yiwen Yao, Quanhou Dai, Ruxue Gao, Xingsong Yi, Yong Wang, Zeyin Hu
Summary: The content of soil organic carbon components in spoil heaps is significantly affected by vegetation type and soil depth. Vegetation restoration can greatly increase soil organic carbon content, and factors such as fine root biomass, available potassium, and total nitrogen play important roles in enhancing soil organic carbon.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dongkai Chen, Jiaorong Lv, Han Luo, Yongsheng Xie
Summary: Spoil heaps from construction or mining sites are highly prone to soil erosion and debris flows during extreme rainfall, threatening water quality and personal safety. This study investigated the roughness and drainage network evolution of a loess spoil heap under three rainfall intensities through indoor simulation experiments. The results showed that surface roughness increased with cumulative rainfall, with the drainage density and stream frequency decreasing as roughness increased. Additionally, stream power was found to be the most sensitive hydrodynamic characteristic to drainage network evolution, with strong linear relationships observed between stream power and drainage density and between stream sinuosity and gradient.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Vojtech Kolar, Filip Tichanek, Robert Tropek
Summary: The study found that aquatic beetle and hemipteran communities had more species in pools that developed naturally or semi-naturally, attracting more red-listed species. The conservation value of freshwater communities was closely related to specific habitat characteristics, including smaller water bodies, heterogeneous vegetation, and absence of fish. Regardless of the restoration approach, creating heterogeneous habitats can support freshwater communities of high conservation value.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alexandros Theocharis, Ioannis E. Zevgolis, Christos Roumpos, Nikolaos C. Koukouzas
Summary: This study investigates the reclamation of spoil heaps from a geotechnical perspective and finds that ground improvement or deep foundations are necessary for the appropriate valorization of these sites.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beata Baranova, Lenka Demkova, Julius Arvay
Summary: Spoil heaps from mineral ore mining and smelting can be a potential source of metalliferous contamination, but also serve as biodiversity refuges. The impact of potential risk elements released into the environment on soil fauna representatives at these sites is uncertain and requires further study.
CHEMISTRY AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Jianming Li, Li Li, Wenlong Wang, Hongliang Kang, Mingming Guo, Jinquan Huang, Yifeng Wang, Yibao Lou, Xiaoxia Tong, Huiying Nie
Summary: Spoil heaps resulting from construction activities pose a significant risk of soil erosion, but they can be transformed into usable land resources through revegetation. This study compared the effects of different grass species on soil erosion and runoff production on spoil heaps. The results showed that taproot grasses were more effective in reducing soil erosion compared to fibrous root grasses, and they also improved the soil's resistance to hydraulic shear stress.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Evdokia Kampouroglou, Konstantinos Kollias, Christina Stouraiti, Lamprini Arvaniti, Nymphodora Papassiopi
Summary: Disposal of lignite waste in mining sites results in environmental issues due to the oxidation of sulfide minerals, leading to acidic effluents. The lignite mining activities in Oropos Neogene basin, North Attica, Greece, have ceased, but the problem of dispersed waste material remains. High sulfur content and low net neutralization potential in the waste samples indicate a risk of acid generation, with leachates showing elevated Ni and Zn concentrations exceeding EU regulatory limits. Geochemical maps demonstrate enrichment in Ni (Cr, V) in topsoil, linked to both regional geogenic factors and local accumulation around lignite spoil heaps.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Petra Benetkova, Ladislav Hanel, Jan Frouz
Summary: The revitalisation of soil fauna in post-mining soils plays an important role in slowing down biodiversity loss. This study investigates the impact of transplanting meadow soil into spoil heaps on the colonization process. Nematodes were used as indicators of soil fauna recolonization success. The results show that the level of soil development has a greater influence on recolonization than the migration barrier.
Article
Ecology
Jan Sulavik, Inger Auestad, Rune Halvorsen, Knut Rydgren
Summary: Functional traits of different organism groups were studied in recovery assessment, showing shifts in trait composition along successional gradient with propagule influx being important for alpine restoration. Inclusion of multiple organism groups improved trait-based recovery assessments and predictions, emphasizing the need for further development of trait databases for future use.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Jianming Li, Li Li, Zhigang Wang, Changwei Zhang, Yifeng Wang, Wenlong Wang, Guanhua Zhang, Jinquan Huang, Hao Li, Xingdong Lv, Jian Pu, Jigen Liu
Summary: The study found that grass recovery can significantly reduce soil loss rate on spoil heaps, with no significant difference in erosion reduction efficiency between different grass types. The contribution rate of roots to soil loss reduction varied under different rainfall intensities.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dengfei Jie, Zhanxiang Zhang, Jincheng He, Yafang Zhou, Guangyou Zhu
Summary: Pollution generated by livestock and poultry rearing is a significant environmental issue, and gas emissions during animal production are increasing. This study utilized waste tea litter as bedding material for broiler rearing and found that it reduced ammonia and carbon dioxide emissions without impacting broiler growth significantly.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Agnieszka Kompala-Baba, Wojciech Bierza, Edyta Sierka, Agnieszka Blonska, Lynn Besenyei, Gabriela Wozniak
Summary: Studies on enzyme activities and functional diversity on hard coal spoil heaps have shown that grass-dominated vegetation patches have a greater impact on soil enzyme activity and functional diversity compared to forb-dominated patches. Grasses, with their extensive root systems, effectively increase enzyme activity and health of the substrate, making them recommended for reclamation purposes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Shane A. White, Isaac R. Santos, Stephen R. Conrad, Christian J. Sanders, Samantha Hessey
Summary: The study investigates the impact of nitrogen leaching and emissions from agricultural systems on waterways, revealing characteristics and importance of N2O emissions. Detailed sampling approaches highlight the significance of episodic rain events as the major drivers of NOX and N2O emissions.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenneth Thoro Martinsen, Kaj Sand-Jensen
Summary: This study examined the use of machine learning models and geospatial data to predict lake water quality and improve national predictions related to nutrient and carbon cycling. The results showed that the models performed well in predicting the water quality variables and identified important drivers for these variables.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ngowari Jaja, Eton E. Codling, Dennis Timlin, Laban K. Rutto, Vangimalla R. Reddy
Summary: Poultry litter on agricultural lands could introduce nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), heavy metals in soil and ground water. Native vegetation was found to be an effective approach for remediation of excess nitrates-N, P, heavy metals from surface and sub-surface zones of the soil.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daquan Sun, Qiang Lin, Gerrit Angst, Lidong Huang, Csecserits Aniko, Willem-Jan Emsens, Ruurd van Diggelen, Jakub Vicena, Tomas Cajthaml, Jan Frouz
Summary: The formation and stability of soil aggregates are crucial for microbial community organization and soil carbon stabilization. Geographical location is the most important factor influencing microbial community composition, while soil aggregates play a significant role in shaping microbial networks and respiration rates. Macro-aggregates exhibit lower connectivity and microbial respiration compared to other aggregate sizes.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Karen Coradini, Jana Krejcova, Jan Frouz
Summary: Succession is a basic natural process of ecosystem recovery where vegetation cover and woody vegetation recovery rates differ between primary and secondary successions. Factors such as disturbance type, environmental conditions, and specific factors affect the speed of recovery.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Sarka Angst, Hana Vesela, Martin Bartuska, Veronika Jilkova, Jan Frouz, Gerrit Angst
Summary: Marcescent leaves, commonly found in temperate ecosystems, have higher nitrogen content and lower lignin content compared to shed senescent leaves, potentially impacting nutrient and carbon cycling in these ecosystems.
Article
Ecology
Petra Benetkova, Rudy van Diggelen, Ladislav Hanel, Fabio Vicentini, Rojyar Moradi, Maaike Weijters, Roland Bobbink, Jim A. Harris, Jan Frouz
Summary: Heathlands are threatened habitats in Europe, and restoration efforts have focused on plant community reconstruction with little attention to soil fauna restoration. A study in the Netherlands found that soil inoculation and other interventions aided in the development of target plant communities and soil faunal assemblages, but after five years, the restored areas still differed significantly from mature heathlands. Only macrofaunal densities matched those of the reference habitat in 2017.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Qiang Lin, Francisco Dini-Andreote, Travis B. Meador, Roey Angel, Lenka Meszarosova, Petr Hedenec, Lingjuan Li, Petr Baldrian, Jan Frouz
Summary: This study investigated the dynamics and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial and fungal communities during ecological succession. The results showed that bacterial community structures became more clustered and were influenced by changes in soil vegetation cover, while fungal community structures were not significantly correlated with soil age, soil properties or vegetation cover and were mainly influenced by stochastic processes. The decrease in bacterial co-occurrence complexity and the increase in fungal co-occurrence complexity along succession implied a decrease in potential bacterial cooperation and an increase in complexity of fungal relationships.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adnan Mustafa, Jan Frouz, Muhammad Naveed, Zhu Ping, Sun Nan, Xu Minggang, Avelino Nunez-Delgado
Summary: Long-term fertilization has a high relevance to soil organic carbon sequestration, with manure application helping reduce SOC losses and promote accumulation of stable carbon forms. The study suggests that manure combined with mineral fertilizers can enhance SOC stability in Chinese Mollisols.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Masoud M. Ardestani, Ondrej Mudrak, Jakub Vicena, Daquan Sun, Hana Vesela, Jan Frouz
Summary: Soil properties and soil microbial communities have a significant impact on plant communities, especially in disturbed ecosystems. The study found that the preserved meadow microbial inoculum had a positive effect on the biomass of certain meadow specialist plants, while the restored meadow inoculum had a negative effect. These findings have important implications for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Daquan Sun, Masoud M. Ardestani, Michael Pohorely, Jaroslav Mosko, Anne Winding, Michael Bonkowski, Ying Zhao, Jan Frouz
Summary: Micro-sized PyC has a negative effect on earthworm survival, especially in older soil substrates. However, fully moistened soil substrates containing micro-sized PyC or dry micro-sized soil particles do not result in decreased earthworm survival. When mixed with rhamnolipids, micro-sized PyC becomes hydrophobic and may hinder the uptake of dissolved oxygen by earthworm skins.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Jiri Tuma, Jan Frouz, Hana Vesela, Filip Krivohlavy, Tom M. Fayle
Summary: Ants and termites have significant impacts on the environment in the tropics, influencing soil properties differently depending on species and habitat type.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rabbil Bhuiyan, Paivi Makiranta, Petra Strakova, Hannu Fritze, Kari Minkkinen, Timo Penttila, Tuomas Rajala, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, Raija Laiho
Summary: Climate change can affect the carbon sink function of peatlands by causing warming and drying. We studied the response of fine-root biomass production (FRBP) in two sedge fens in Northern and Southern Boreal zones to warming and drying. The results show that warming increased total FRBP and the proportional share of FRBP in deeper layers, while drying modified root chemistry and reduced the decomposition of sedge leaf litter.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jakub Vicena, Masoud M. Ardestani, Petr Baldrian, Jan Frouz
Summary: Microbial diversity plays an important role in the decomposition of soil organic matter. This study examined the relationship between microbial diversity and decomposition by manipulating microbial diversity in soils. The results showed that microbial diversity was positively correlated with the decomposition of organic matter per gram of carbon in the soil, indicating that microbial diversity supports decomposition when the microbial community is limited by available carbon. However, microbial respiration per gram of soil was negatively correlated with bacterial diversity and positively correlated with fungal biomass, suggesting that decomposition rate is controlled by the amount of fungal biomass in the absence of carbon limitation. The addition of grass litter also had a priming effect on the initial stage of decomposition. Therefore, the relationship between microbial diversity and the rate of decomposition may be complex and dependent on the context.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daquan Sun, Ondrej Mudrak, Masoud M. Ardestani, Jan Frouz
Summary: The role of microbial communities in soil aggregates on the development of grasses and herbs during plant succession is examined in this study. The results show that late substrates have higher plant biomass than early substrates, especially when they receive microbial communities from the early substrates. However, plants grow better during secondary succession when they retain their original microbial communities.
Article
Ecology
Andres A. Salazar-Fillippo, Bert Teunkens, Herwig Leirs, Jan Frouz, Rudy van Diggelen, Ladislav Miko
Summary: This study investigated the dispersal of oribatid mites via small rodents in restored heathland sites. The results showed that rodents contribute to the assembly processes of oribatid communities, especially in early successional stages, through short-distance dispersal.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Adam Vele, Jan Frouz
Summary: Central European coniferous forests are experiencing a severe bark beetle outbreak, leading to the creation of large clearings and changes in environmental parameters. Our study focused on the impact of these changes on wood ant nests. We found that wood ant nests were less likely to survive in bark beetle-affected forests, with the Formica rufa species being more affected. The bark beetle attack was correlated with increases in understory vegetation, which negatively affected wood ant survival.
Article
Ecology
Jarmo Makela, Laura Arppe, Hannu Fritze, Jussi Heinonsalo, Kristiina Karhu, Jari Liski, Markku Oinonen, Petra Strakova, Toni Viskari
Summary: Soils play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and their carbon storage under changing climate is of considerable interest. This paper introduces a carbon-13-isotope-specific soil organic matter decomposition model and evaluates its functionality. The model modifications, based on the assumption that the heavier C-13 atoms are less reactive, greatly improve the simulation results. The research shows that carbon-13 can be used as a natural tracer to detect changes in soil organic matter decomposition.
Article
Soil Science
He Zhang, Aurore Degre, Caroline De Clerck, Shuangshuang Li, Jinshan Lian, Yuanyuan Peng, Tao Sun, Lindan Luo, Yanan Yue, Guihua Li, Jianfeng Zhang
Summary: The continuous expansion of sandy soil poses a threat to crop security. The use of chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite as soil amendments can improve degraded soil by increasing nutrient content and enzyme activity and altering bacterial community structure. This study provides insights into the link between soil properties, bacterial community structure, and microbial carbon metabolism function.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xian Zhou, Yi Jiang, Ganghua Leng, Wanting Ling, Jian Wang
Summary: Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) residues have significant impacts on soil pollution remediation. The addition of exogenous functional microbial consortium and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) can promote the degradation of bound PAH residues. This study fills the cognitive gap of GRSP in regulating the degradation of bound PAH residues in soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
Xinyu Zhao, Evrim Elcin, Lizhi He, Meththika Vithanage, Xiaokai Zhang, Jie Wang, Shuo Wang, Yun Deng, Nabeel Khan Niazi, Sabry M. Shaheen, Hailong Wang, Zhenyu Wang
Summary: The increase of cultivated varieties of Chinese herbal remedies, the expansion of cultivation area, and long-term monoculture cropping have led to aggravated problems of soil diseases, yield loss, and quality reduction. Biochar, as a carbon-rich material, has the potential to improve soil quality and alleviate continuous crop obstacles for Chinese herbal remedies.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Editorial Material
Soil Science
Melanie M. Pollierer, Anton Potapov, Andrey Zaitsev
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Yajie Wang, Jiefeng Li, Yongfen Wei, Zhiyi Deng, Xiaodi Hao, Fusheng Li
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of heavy metal pollution caused by coal production on soil microbial ecology in the semi-arid region of Heilongjiang. The results reveal negative correlations between heavy metals and bacterial abundance and diversity. Twelve sensitive bacterial taxa and corresponding models were identified. Water content and total phosphorus were also found to play vital roles in regulating the bacterial community in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Sujit Das, Sunanda Biswas, B. Ramakrishnan, T. K. Das, T. J. Purakayastha, B. H. Gawade, Priya Singh, Partha Sarathi Ghorai, Saloni Tripathy, Kanchan Sinha
Summary: This study assessed the impact of conservation agriculture on the biological soil health index in a rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The results showed that zero till direct seeded rice and crop residue incorporation could improve soil organic carbon, enzyme activities, and microbial population. Specifically, the inclusion of mungbean residues and sesbania brown manuring significantly increased the abundance of the nifH gene in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xingxiu Huang, Genxing Pan, Lianqing Li, Xuhui Zhang, Hailong Wang, Nanthi Bolan, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Chongjian Ma, Fuwei Liang, Yanjie Chen, Huashou Li
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of using a mixture of biomass waste ash and biochar on soil pH, heavy metal remediation, and plant growth. The results showed that the mixed use could ameliorate soil acidification, reduce absorption of cadmium and lead by plants, and promote plant growth. The special fertilizer prepared from the mixture can be used to promote crop growth and reduce environmental pollution.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Astrid C. H. Jaeger, Martin Hartmann, Rafaela Feola Conz, Johan Six, Emily F. Solly
Summary: This study investigates the effects of tree mortality on soil microbial communities using a mesocosm experiment. The results show that tree death influenced soil microbial abundance and composition, with the potential to affect soil processes in forest ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Dane C. Elmquist, Subodh Adhikari, Ina Popova, Sanford D. Eigenbrode
Summary: This study investigated the effects of soil arthropod communities from cereal-based agroecosystems on wheat plant growth and above-belowground interactions. The results showed that wheat grown in soils with arthropod communities had better growth and defense against aphids, compared to wheat grown in soils without arthropod communities.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Lei Wang, Jing Wang, Zhonghou Tang, Jidong Wang, Yongchun Zhang
Summary: This study found that the application of organic fertilizer enhances carbon and phosphorus cycling enzyme activities in soil, reshapes the soil microbial community structure, and regulates the interactions between these crucial indicators through soil organic carbon.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
M. Pawlett, N. T. Girkin, L. Deeks, D. L. Evans, R. Sakrabani, P. Masters, K. Garnett, N. Marquez-Grant
Summary: The modern funeral industry faces environmental risks and challenges, and natural burial offers a more sustainable alternative. However, there is a lack of research comparing the risks and benefits of natural burial practices, including groundwater contamination and atmospheric emissions. More scientific research is needed to understand and regulate funeral options, as well as cultural incentives for natural burial.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhongcheng Wang, Jin Zhao, Dan Xiao, Meifeng Chen, Xunyang He
Summary: Root AMF colonization, diversity, and interactions vary with soil depth. Higher soil nutrient levels and root biomass promote colonization but suppress diversity and interactions in the upper soil layer compared to deeper layers.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhiyang Zhang, Shiting Zhang, Riikka Rinnan
Summary: This study revealed the mechanisms behind the effects of dung deposition on soil heterotrophic respiration, providing insights for grassland management and carbon feedback prediction in grazed ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Ismail Ibrahim Garba, Graham R. Stirling, A. Marcelle Stirling, Alwyn Williams
Summary: Integrating diverse cover crops into dryland crop-fallow rotations can enhance soil nutrient and water retention, suppress soil-borne pests, and improve soil health. The effects on soil nematode communities are modulated by the functional type and mixture composition of the cover crops. Selecting cover crops with appropriate traits can improve soil health through suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes, promotion of free-living nematodes, and enhancement of soil food web complexity.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Min Li, Chao He, Miao Wei, Junmeng Long, Jingru Wang, Xinrong Yang, Kehan Wang, Xueli He
Summary: In extreme desert environments, black septate endophytes (DSE) can benefit the relict plant Gymnocarpos przewalskii by assisting it to survive and maintain ecosystem stability. The colonization of DSE in the roots of G. przewalskii varies significantly with seasons and sites, with soil properties being a major factor affecting the composition of DSE. Additionally, the functional metabolite composition of DSE strains varies greatly with different drought levels and isolates, indicating the potential complementarity between different strains in helping hosts cope with drought stress.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
