Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lingbo Dong, Jiwei Li, Yulin Liu, Xuying Hai, Miaoyu Li, Jianzhao Wu, Xiaozhen Wang, Zhouping Shangguan, Zhengchao Zhou, Lei Deng
Summary: The study compared soil C and N sequestration between artificial forests and natural grasslands converted from sloping cropland in the Central Loess Plateau, China, over 20 years post-implementation of the Grain for Green Program. The results showed that both vegetation restoration types significantly increased the soil organic carbon and nitrogen content in the top 60 cm of soil, with artificial forests having higher sequestration capacities. Soil aggregate stability and the quality of input organic matter were found to be crucial in affecting soil C and N sequestration post-restoration, with N fixing species enhancing sequestration.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lingbo Dong, Yulin Liu, Jianzhao Wu, Yang Liao, Jiwei Li, Jinyuan Yu, Su Wang, Zhijing Yu, Zhouping Shangguan, Lei Deng
Summary: The distribution of soil carbon and nitrogen along slopes is influenced by vegetation types, with shrublands being the optimal vegetation type for boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in the Central Loess Plateau.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Qing Qu, Lei Deng, Zhouping Shangguan, Jian Sun, Jinsheng He, Kaibo Wang, Zhengchao Zhou, Jiwei Li, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Grazing exclusion is a widely implemented strategy for restoring degraded grassland ecosystems and increasing carbon stocks. This study analyzed data from 199 experiments to understand the temporal responses and factors influencing plant and soil carbon stocks following grazing exclusion in different grassland ecosystems. The results showed that plant biomass carbon stocks and soil organic carbon stocks decreased exponentially or rationally with years since enclosure. Grazing exclusion had positive effects on aboveground biomass carbon, but the effects on belowground biomass and soil carbon were influenced by climate, initial carbon levels, and grazing exclusion duration. The response of carbon stocks to grazing exclusion stabilized after approximately 40 years, with soil carbon sequestration showing a lagged pattern compared to plant biomass carbon. The study highlighted the effectiveness of grazing exclusion in regions with low carbon content and non-water limited conditions. However, it might not be an effective measure to increase soil organic carbon stocks in water-limited areas like desert grasslands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peiran R. Liu, Adrian E. Raftery
Summary: According to a statistically-based probabilistic framework analysis, the probability of countries meeting their nationally determined emissions reduction contributions is low, but can increase to 26% if all countries continue to reduce emissions at the same rate. To achieve the goal of staying below 2 degrees C of warming, the average rate of decline in emissions would need to increase to 1.8% per year.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Ding, Dechang Ji, Kang Yan, Feike A. Dijkstra, Xuelian Bao, Shuangyi Li, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jingkuan Wang
Summary: Nitrogen fertilization and plastic film mulching have different impacts on soil organic matter, with nitrogen showing an increase in soil organic matter mainly in soil with plastic film mulching.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xuehui Feng, Shuqi Qin, Dianye Zhang, Pengdong Chen, Jie Hu, Guanqin Wang, Yang Liu, Bin Wei, Qinlu Li, Yuanhe Yang, Leiyi Chen
Summary: Research findings show that nitrogen input can significantly increase microbial carbon use efficiency in soil, due to enhanced microbial growth. Contrary to the prevailing view, this increase is not mainly driven by the reduction of stoichiometric imbalance, but is strongly associated with the increased soil carbon accessibility resulting from weakened mineral protection.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yiping Zou, Zhengfeng An, Xinli Chen, Xiang Zheng, Ben Zhang, Shuyue Zhang, Scott X. Chang, Jianli Jia
Summary: In the context of climate warming, the use of biochar as a method for improving soil quality and carbon sequestration has gained attention. However, the effects of biochar application on C-mineralization and N transformation are influenced by the presence of plant growth-promoting bacteria and soil nitrogen levels.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Irina Mikajlo, Brice Louvel, Jaroslav Zahora, Alena Zalmanova, Bertrand Pourrut
Summary: It was found that aging of BCH had little influence on soil physicochemical parameters, but significant impact on soil biological activities and plant growth. The pH value was significantly increased by all BCH amendments, while the addition of the third type of BCH increased SOC in both soil types.
COMMUNICATIONS IN SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junxiao Pan, Jinsong Wang, Ruiyang Zhang, Dashuan Tian, Xiaoli Cheng, Song Wang, Chen Chen, Lu Yang, Shuli Niu
Summary: This study investigated the influences of climatic, edaphic, plant, and microbial drivers on soil aggregate associated C in alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. It found that microaggregate associated C contributed most to soil C stock and edaphic factors played a crucial role in this process.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. Ben Keane, Iain P. Hartley, Christopher R. Taylor, Jonathan R. Leake, Marcel R. Hoosbeek, Franco Miglietta, Gareth K. Phoenix
Summary: Increasing atmospheric CO2 enhances plant productivity, but nitrogen and phosphorus limitation can constrain plant responses to elevated CO2. In an experiment conducted in the Peak District National Park, grasslands with contrasting levels of phosphorus limitation showed different productivity responses to elevated CO2, with competition between plants and microbes for phosphorus playing a key role.
Article
Agronomy
Aijun Xing, Haihua Shen, Mengying Zhao, Jingyun Fang
Summary: In this study, the effects of nitrogen addition on understory plants and soil respiration in a boreal forest were investigated. The results showed that nitrogen addition decreased the species richness and plant cover of understory plants, and inhibited soil respiration. A structural equation model revealed that the reduction in soil respiration was mainly caused by the decline in understory plant cover, but was unrelated to the loss of species richness.
Article
Plant Sciences
Franciska T. de Vries, Cecile Thion, Michael Bahn, Benoit Bergk Pinto, Sebastien Cecillon, Beat Frey, Helen Grant, Graeme W. Nicol, Wolfgang Wanek, James I. Prosser, Richard D. Bardgett
Summary: Human activities have increased the amount of reactive nitrogen in the biosphere, leading to increased nitrogen inputs in terrestrial ecosystems. Plant and microbial controls on the retention of added nitrogen remain elusive, with plant and microbial properties playing a significant role in the uptake and retention of nitrogen in glacier forelands. Understanding these fundamental controls is crucial for predicting and mitigating the impacts of reactive nitrogen on terrestrial ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Avishesh Neupane, Elizabeth M. Herndon, Thea Whitman, Anthony M. Faiia, Sindhu Jagadamma
Summary: Recent studies have shown that manganese (Mn) plays a critical role in the decomposition of plant litter and the cycling of soil organic carbon (C) in forest ecosystems. However, the interactive effects of nitrogen (N) and Mn fertilization on litter decomposition and carbon distribution in agricultural soils remain understudied. This study examined the effects of N and Mn enrichment on the decomposition of perennial grass residues in agricultural soils and found that Mn amendments increased CO2 production and the recovery of residue-derived carbon in mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). These findings suggest that increasing Mn availability can enhance plant litter decomposition and carbon cycling in agricultural ecosystems.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Bruno Peixoto, Elena Baena-Gonzalez
Summary: SUCROSE NON-FERMENTING1 (SNF1)-RELATED KINASE 1 (SnRK1) is an important protein kinase in plant stress responses and metabolic homeostasis. It plays a key role in reconfiguring metabolism and gene expression to enhance stress tolerance and maintain sucrose levels.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Md Shahariar Jaman, Taofeek O. Muraina, Quockhanh Dam, Xiang Zhang, Mahbuba Jamil, Sushma Bhattarai, Ferzana Islam
Summary: Variations in plant types and diversity impact soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil nitrogen (SN) dynamics in homesteads in northern Bangladesh. Mixed plant types (tree-shrub) homesteads showed higher SOC, SN and C:N ratio compared to single plant types (tree or shrub) homesteads. Plant diversity and density positively related with SOC and SN, with tree-shrub homesteads displaying the greatest promotion of SOC and SN.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philippe Ciais, Yitong Yao, Thomas Gasser, Alessandro Baccini, Yilong Wang, Ronny Lauerwald, Shushi Peng, Ana Bastos, Wei Li, Peter A. Raymond, Josep G. Canadell, Glen P. Peters, Rob J. Andres, Jinfeng Chang, Chao Yue, A. Johannes Dolman, Vanessa Haverd, Jens Hartmann, Goulven Laruelle, Alexandra G. Konings, Anthony W. King, Yi Liu, Sebastiaan Luyssaert, Fabienne Maignan, Prabir K. Patra, Anna Peregon, Pierre Regnier, Julia Pongratz, Benjamin Poulter, Anatoly Shvidenko, Riccardo Valentini, Rong Wang, Gregoire Broquet, Yi Yin, Jakob Zscheischler, Bertrand Guenet, Daniel S. Goll, Ashley-P Ballantyne, Hui Yang, Chunjing Qiu, Dan Zhu
Summary: Resolving regional carbon budgets is crucial for informing land-based mitigation policy. By collecting inventory estimates of carbon-stock changes and complementing with satellite estimates of biomass changes, a global 'bottom-up' NEE for net land anthropogenic CO2 uptake was obtained, setting an important milestone for global carbon-cycle studies. The study found that global soil heterotrophic respiration amounts to a smaller portion of net primary productivity than previously reported.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yitong Yao, Philippe Ciais, Nicolas Viovy, Wei Li, Hui Yang, Emilie Joetzjer, Ben Bond-Lamberty
Summary: The study highlights the importance of soil heterotrophic respiration (SHR) for carbon-climate feedbacks, emphasizing its sensitivity to soil carbon, climatic conditions, and nutrient availability on a global scale. The research also shows that water availability plays a significant role in driving inter-annual variability of SHR globally, with temperature controlling SHR variability in tropical forests and water availability dominating in extra-tropical forests and semi-arid regions. Additionally, the choice of soil moisture datasets significantly impacts the differences among SHR ensemble members, indicating the importance of water availability in SHR estimation.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Songbai Hong, Anping Chen
Summary: This study investigated the differences in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) between afforested and control plots in northern China, using field data from 619 afforested plots and 163 control plots. The results showed that afforestation increased SIC in acidic soils, while decreased SIC in alkaline soils. The study also found that afforestation-induced soil pH change was the most significant factor regulating SIC responses, and that changes in SIC caused by afforestation varied among different tree species and soil depths.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hui Yang, Philippe Ciais, Jean-Pierre Wigneron, Jerome Chave, Oliver Cartus, Xiuzhi Chen, Lei Fan, Julia K. Green, Yuanyuan Huang, Emilie Joetzjer, Heather Kay, David Makowski, Fabienne Maignan, Maurizio Santoro, Shengli Tao, Liyang Liu, Yitong Yao
Summary: The 2015/16 El Nino resulted in severe drought and record-breaking temperatures in the tropics. This study used satellite data to map the changes in above-ground biomass during the drought and subsequent years. The results showed that over 60% of the affected forests experienced a reduction in above-ground biomass, with only 40% fully recovering by the end of 2019. The study also identified the importance of factors such as soil water deficits, soil clay content, and forest structure in determining the magnitude of biomass loss and recovery.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yitong Yao, Philippe Ciais, Nicolas Viovy, Emilie Joetzjer, Jerome Chave
Summary: Inventory data from the past two decades revealed that droughts have caused a decrease in the biomass carbon sink of the Amazon forest due to an increase in mortality compared to growth. However, previous process-based models have struggled to incorporate the effects of drought-induced growth and mortality and have not been validated against plot data. In this study, a process-based model called ORCHIDEE-CAN-NHA was used to simulate the Amazon rainforests and successfully reproduced the observed decelerating carbon sink and drought sensitivity. The study also predicted a higher mortality rate and a more negative impact on the net carbon sink during the 2015/16 El Nino event, which was found to be the most severe drought since 1901.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Songbai Hong, Yichen Zhang, Yitong Yao, Fandong Meng, Qian Zhao, Yao Zhang
Summary: The study reveals that the velocity of vegetation green-up in middle-high-latitude Northern Hemisphere generally showed positive trends in early green-up period, while negative trends in late green-up period. The impact of temperature on vegetation green-up velocity varies between different stages of green-up, and the increase of soil moisture partly explains the acceleration of vegetation green-up.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Songbai Hong, Nan Cong, Jinzhi Ding, Shilong Piao, Lingli Liu, Josep Penuelas, Anping Chen, Timothy A. Quine, Hui Zeng, Benjamin Z. Houlton
Summary: This study investigates the response of soil nitrogen (N) concentrations and C:N ratios to afforestation in northern China and on a global scale. The results show that soil N status influences soil carbon (C) and N dynamics after afforestation. Afforestation increases soil C and N storages in N-poor soils but decreases them in N-rich soils. Changes in soil C:N ratios are mediated by the initial relative abundance of soil C and N, as well as the types of mycorrhiza associated with planted trees.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huan Wang, Jean-Pierre Wigneron, Philippe Ciais, Yitong Yao, Lei Fan, Xiangzhuo Liu, Xiaojun Li, Julia K. Green, Feng Tian, Shengli Tao, Wei Li, Frederic Frappart, Clement Albergel, Mengjia Wang, Shuangcheng Li
Summary: Vegetation optical depth (VOD) is sensitive to plant water content and aboveground biomass. It has strong penetrability within the vegetation canopy and is less impacted by atmosphere aerosol contamination effects, clouds and sun illumination. However, VOD retrieval over dense forests is subject to uncertainties and a comprehensive evaluation of VOD products is needed for accurate applications.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Yichen Zhang, Songbai Hong, Dan Liu, Shilong Piao
Summary: The intensity and frequency of climate extreme events have increased significantly in the past decades, resulting in exceptional responses in terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding the vegetation growth responses to climate extremes is crucial but challenging. The Tibetan Plateau, with its fragile alpine ecosystems, provides an ideal region to study the various ecosystem responses to climate extremes. This study employed event coincidence analysis to detect the susceptibility of vegetation low-growth to four climate extremes (drought, extreme wet, extreme hot, and cold) using NDVI and SIF data from 2001 to 2018. The study found notable changes in vegetation susceptibility along climate gradients, with higher susceptibility to extreme hot in warmer regions and higher susceptibility to extreme cold in colder regions. Susceptibility to drought decreased with increasing precipitation, while susceptibility to extreme wet increased. Different vegetation types also showed varied susceptibility, with herbaceous plants being more susceptible to drought and extreme hot, and less susceptible to extreme wet and cold compared to woody plants. The findings highlight the ecological sensitive regions and the risk of decline in vegetation growth under warm-droughts on the Tibetan Plateau.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fandong Meng, Songbai Hong, Jiawei Wang, Anping Chen, Yao Zhang, Yichen Zhang, Ivan A. Janssens, Jiafu Mao, Ranga B. Myneni, Josep Penuelas, Shilong Piao
Summary: Using satellite data, we investigated the trends in foliar carbon accumulation and allocation during leaf green-up across the Northern Hemisphere from 2000 to 2017. Our results showed that there was an accelerated accumulation of foliar carbon in the early green-up period, driven by both increased photosynthesis and higher carbon allocation to leaves due to climate change. However, in the late stage of green-up, there were decreasing trends in foliar carbon accumulation and allocation. These stage-dependent trends are currently not represented in terrestrial biosphere models, highlighting the need for better incorporation of carbon allocation in these models.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yichen Zhang, Songbai Hong, Qiang Liu, Chris Huntingford, Josep Penuelas, Sergio Rossi, Ranga B. Myneni, Shilong Piao
Summary: Climate change has a strong impact on vegetation phenology, affecting carbon dioxide exchange and the terrestrial carbon cycle. The timing and magnitude of autumn senescence are not well understood, but our analysis using satellite data from 1982-2018 in the Northern Hemisphere shows that climate warming initially accelerated senescence in July, but this influence usually reversed in late summer and early autumn. Summer greening counteracts the intrinsic changes in autumnal leaf senescence. This research provides guidance for land surface models in Earth System Models.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yitong Yao, Emilie Joetzjer, Philippe Ciais, Nicolas Viovy, Fabio Cresto Aleina, Jerome Chave, Lawren Sack, Megan Bartlett, Patrick Meir, Rosie Fisher, Sebastiaan Luyssaert
Summary: The study evaluates the drought resistance of Amazon forests using a plant hydraulic module in a land surface model, finding that the model accurately predicts tree mortality rates and provides important research directions for the future. The research also suggests that species-based hydraulic traits should be further tested in experiments to improve the model's accuracy in predicting drought risks.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
