Soil plays an important role in desert ecosystem, and is vital in constructing a steady desert ecosystem. The management and restoration of desertified land have been the focus of much discussion. The soil in Shapotou...Soil plays an important role in desert ecosystem, and is vital in constructing a steady desert ecosystem. The management and restoration of desertified land have been the focus of much discussion. The soil in Shapotou desert region has developed remarkably since artificial sand-binding vegetation established in 1946. The longer the period of dune stabilization, the greater the thickness of microbiotic crusts and subsoil. Meanwhile, proportion of silt and clay increased significantly, and soil bulk density declinced. The content of soil organic matter, N, P, and K similarly increased. Therefore, soil has developed from aeolian sand soil to Calcic-Orthic aridisols. This paper discusses the effects brought about by dust, microbiotic soil crust and soil microbes on soil-forming process. Then, we analyzed the relation between soil formation and sand-binding vegetation evolution, in order to provide a baseline for both research on desert ecosystem recovery and ecological environment governance in arid and semi-arid areas.展开更多
Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) practices have been reported to improve soil organic carbon stocks (SOCs) and contributing to climate change mitigation. This study aims to evaluate the impact of combined FLR pr...Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) practices have been reported to improve soil organic carbon stocks (SOCs) and contributing to climate change mitigation. This study aims to evaluate the impact of combined FLR practices, mainly developed in semiarid regions, on SOCs. The SOCs, soil texture, bulk density (ρ), pH, CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, and herbaceous biomass were determined at a 0 - 30 cm depth. The experimental design comprised degraded land without FLR practices and three sets of combined FLR practices. These practices included “zaï” + stone bunds + organic manure + assisted natural regeneration (ANR) used to convert degraded land into forest (GF) and cropland (PARL);“zaï” + stone bunds + crop rotation + crop/fallow successions + ANR used to convert degraded land into cropland (OARL) and “zaï”+ stone bunds + organic manure used to convert degraded land into cropland (KARL). SOCs were highest (20.02 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>) under OARL compared with the other combinations of FLR practices. SOCs increased by 99% (+0.2 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>), 58% (+0.3 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) and 13% (+0.2 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) under GF, OARL and KARL, respectively, and decreased by 15% (−0.1 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) under PARL. This study provides additional information explaining SOC variation in restored degraded land through the implementation of a combination of FLR practices. This is useful for recommending the combination “zaï” + stone bunds + crop rotation + crop/fallow successions + ANR to improve SOCs in the semiarid agroecosystem.展开更多
Coal preparation solid waste,which is a major environmental issue for coal-producing areas in China,may be microbiologically digested and transformed into a product suitable as a soil amendment to increase soil organi...Coal preparation solid waste,which is a major environmental issue for coal-producing areas in China,may be microbiologically digested and transformed into a product suitable as a soil amendment to increase soil organic matter content and prevent and enhance plant/crop growth.Coal preparation waste collected from a coal sorting plant in Inner Mongolia,China was digested in bioreactors inoculated with microbial enrichments prepared from activated sludge and cow manure.The effluent solids from the coal preparation waste bioreactors were analyzed for their suitability as organic soil amendments,which complied with China standards.Plant growth tests were conducted in sandy soil from a semi-arid region in Colorado,which was amended with the effluent solids.Kentucky bluegrass(Poa pratensis L.)and chives(Allium schoenoprasum)were used as the representative plants for the growth tests,where results indicated substantially higher yields of Kentucky bluegrass and chives for the sandy soils amended with the effluent solids when compared to a commercial organic fertilizer.The number and average length of Kentucky bluegrass shoots were 10 and 5.1 times higher,respectively,in soils amended with the effluent solids.Similarly,the number and average length of chives shoots were 10 and 1.7 times higher,respectively,in soils amended with the effluent solids.Overall,the microbial digestion of coal preparation waste for application as an organic soil amendment is a viable alternative and beneficial use of coal preparation solid waste.展开更多
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP),a complex structure with high toxicity,is a common organic pollutant.This study investigated the effects of fresh biochar(FBC),and freeze-thaw cycled aged biochar(FTC-BC)on DEHP-contami...Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP),a complex structure with high toxicity,is a common organic pollutant.This study investigated the effects of fresh biochar(FBC),and freeze-thaw cycled aged biochar(FTC-BC)on DEHP-contaminated soils using a pot experiment.The specific surface area of FBC increased from 145.20 to 303.50 m~2/g,and oxygen-containing functional groups increased from 1.26 to 1.48 mol/g after freeze-thaw cycles,greatly enhancing the adsorption of DEHP by biochar in the soil.The comprehensive radar chart evaluation showed that FBC and FTC-BC reduced DEHP growth stress and improved the soil properties.Compared with FBC,FTC-BC performed better in protecting the normal growth of pakchoi and improving soil properties.In addition,the application of biochar increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria in the DEHP-contaminated soil and changed the composition of the soil bacterial community.The partial least squares path model(PLS-PM)showed that adding biochar as a soil remediation agent significantly positively impacted soil nutrients and indirectly reduced the DEHP levels in soil and plants by increasing soil microbial diversity.Compared with FBC,FTC-BC creates a more satisfactory living environment for microorganisms and has a better effect on the degradation of DEHP in the soil.This study provides a theoretical basis for future biochar remediation of DEHP-contaminated soils in cold high-latitude regions.展开更多
In arid and semi-arid desert steppe areas,grazing exclusion with fencing is widely regarded as an effective strategy for restoring degraded vegetation and enhancing the quality of degraded soil.In this study,we hypoth...In arid and semi-arid desert steppe areas,grazing exclusion with fencing is widely regarded as an effective strategy for restoring degraded vegetation and enhancing the quality of degraded soil.In this study,we hypothesized that grazing exclusion caused by fencing enhances both vegetation and soil properties,and that the longer an area is fenced,the more considerable the improvement.We conducted an observational study wherein random sampling was utilized to select 9 plots fenced for ten or more years,25 plots fenced for four to nine years,25 plots fenced for one to three years and 29 free-grazing plots within an area of approximately 63,000 km^(2)of Inner Mongolia desert steppe.A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in the characteristics of grassland vegetation or soil properties between grasslands fenced for one to three years and free-grazing grassland.After 4 years of fencing,noticeable increases in above-ground biomass,litter content,Simpson index,soil organic carbon,and available nitrogen were observed.Significant positive differences in vegetation coverage,height,species richness,soil available phosphorus,and available potassium were associated with plots with a minimum of 10 years of fencing.The soil layer with the greatest difference in the fenced-in areas for soil organic carbon was at 0-25 cm.For available nitrogen and available phosphorus,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-20 cm soil layer,while for available potassium,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-30 cm soil layer.However,the fencing did not indicate any statistically significant differences in terms of clay,silt,and sand content in any soil layer.The data support our hypothesis that grazing exclusion improves both vegetation and soil properties,and that longer periods of grazing exclusion result in greater degrees of improvement.This research offers technical guidance for the reasonable choice of fencing time across a vast area of the Inner Mongolian desert steppe.展开更多
Dear Editor,Biological soil crusts(BSCs),a layered structure formed by associations of soil organisms and topsoil,dominate arid and semiarid areas and serve important ecological functions in these areas(Eldridge and G...Dear Editor,Biological soil crusts(BSCs),a layered structure formed by associations of soil organisms and topsoil,dominate arid and semiarid areas and serve important ecological functions in these areas(Eldridge and Greene,1994).Nitrogen fixation by BSCs is the main source of N in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.Desiccation is the most notable factor that influences BSCs,which recover physiological activity only after moistening.By influencing the amount of carbohydrates,展开更多
TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil org...TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil organic matter(SOM).Therefore,we studied the long-term effects of no tillage and liming using sugar beet foam(SF)and red gypsum(RG),alone or in combination,on the restoration of Ultisols affected by acidification,Al phytotoxicity,and SOM depletion.We measured the main soil chemical properties,soil microbial biomass,soil enzyme activities involved in carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,and sulfur mineralization,and the emission of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).The results indicated that liming effectively neutralized the soil acidity in the long term and,in combination with no tillage,significantly increased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities.Twenty-three VOCs were detected using the proton transfer reaction-time of flight(PTR-ToF)technique,and both liming and tillage changed the VOC emission patterns.The greatest difference in VOC emission pattern was observed between no-tilled un-amended soils and tilled lime-amended soils,suggesting the activation of different metabolic pathways within the microbial communities of soils under different management.Differences in VOC emission patterns could be attributed to the decomposition of carbohydrates,which were also sustained by the higher enzyme activities in the lime-amended soils.展开更多
基金supported by Project in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program (2600BAD26B02-1)
文摘Soil plays an important role in desert ecosystem, and is vital in constructing a steady desert ecosystem. The management and restoration of desertified land have been the focus of much discussion. The soil in Shapotou desert region has developed remarkably since artificial sand-binding vegetation established in 1946. The longer the period of dune stabilization, the greater the thickness of microbiotic crusts and subsoil. Meanwhile, proportion of silt and clay increased significantly, and soil bulk density declinced. The content of soil organic matter, N, P, and K similarly increased. Therefore, soil has developed from aeolian sand soil to Calcic-Orthic aridisols. This paper discusses the effects brought about by dust, microbiotic soil crust and soil microbes on soil-forming process. Then, we analyzed the relation between soil formation and sand-binding vegetation evolution, in order to provide a baseline for both research on desert ecosystem recovery and ecological environment governance in arid and semi-arid areas.
文摘Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) practices have been reported to improve soil organic carbon stocks (SOCs) and contributing to climate change mitigation. This study aims to evaluate the impact of combined FLR practices, mainly developed in semiarid regions, on SOCs. The SOCs, soil texture, bulk density (ρ), pH, CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, and herbaceous biomass were determined at a 0 - 30 cm depth. The experimental design comprised degraded land without FLR practices and three sets of combined FLR practices. These practices included “zaï” + stone bunds + organic manure + assisted natural regeneration (ANR) used to convert degraded land into forest (GF) and cropland (PARL);“zaï” + stone bunds + crop rotation + crop/fallow successions + ANR used to convert degraded land into cropland (OARL) and “zaï”+ stone bunds + organic manure used to convert degraded land into cropland (KARL). SOCs were highest (20.02 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>) under OARL compared with the other combinations of FLR practices. SOCs increased by 99% (+0.2 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>), 58% (+0.3 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) and 13% (+0.2 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) under GF, OARL and KARL, respectively, and decreased by 15% (−0.1 t C ha<sup>−1</sup>⋅yr<sup>−1</sup>) under PARL. This study provides additional information explaining SOC variation in restored degraded land through the implementation of a combination of FLR practices. This is useful for recommending the combination “zaï” + stone bunds + crop rotation + crop/fallow successions + ANR to improve SOCs in the semiarid agroecosystem.
基金The authors declare that the work of Co-author Dr.Liang Chen was partially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2016YFC0401405)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41772245).
文摘Coal preparation solid waste,which is a major environmental issue for coal-producing areas in China,may be microbiologically digested and transformed into a product suitable as a soil amendment to increase soil organic matter content and prevent and enhance plant/crop growth.Coal preparation waste collected from a coal sorting plant in Inner Mongolia,China was digested in bioreactors inoculated with microbial enrichments prepared from activated sludge and cow manure.The effluent solids from the coal preparation waste bioreactors were analyzed for their suitability as organic soil amendments,which complied with China standards.Plant growth tests were conducted in sandy soil from a semi-arid region in Colorado,which was amended with the effluent solids.Kentucky bluegrass(Poa pratensis L.)and chives(Allium schoenoprasum)were used as the representative plants for the growth tests,where results indicated substantially higher yields of Kentucky bluegrass and chives for the sandy soils amended with the effluent solids when compared to a commercial organic fertilizer.The number and average length of Kentucky bluegrass shoots were 10 and 5.1 times higher,respectively,in soils amended with the effluent solids.Similarly,the number and average length of chives shoots were 10 and 1.7 times higher,respectively,in soils amended with the effluent solids.Overall,the microbial digestion of coal preparation waste for application as an organic soil amendment is a viable alternative and beneficial use of coal preparation solid waste.
基金supported by the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.U21A20238)the Strategic Pilot Project of Science and Technology in CAS (No.XDA28010502)+1 种基金the major projects of research and development program of application technology of Heilongjiang Province of China (No.GA19B105)the Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Protection and Remediation。
文摘Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate(DEHP),a complex structure with high toxicity,is a common organic pollutant.This study investigated the effects of fresh biochar(FBC),and freeze-thaw cycled aged biochar(FTC-BC)on DEHP-contaminated soils using a pot experiment.The specific surface area of FBC increased from 145.20 to 303.50 m~2/g,and oxygen-containing functional groups increased from 1.26 to 1.48 mol/g after freeze-thaw cycles,greatly enhancing the adsorption of DEHP by biochar in the soil.The comprehensive radar chart evaluation showed that FBC and FTC-BC reduced DEHP growth stress and improved the soil properties.Compared with FBC,FTC-BC performed better in protecting the normal growth of pakchoi and improving soil properties.In addition,the application of biochar increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria in the DEHP-contaminated soil and changed the composition of the soil bacterial community.The partial least squares path model(PLS-PM)showed that adding biochar as a soil remediation agent significantly positively impacted soil nutrients and indirectly reduced the DEHP levels in soil and plants by increasing soil microbial diversity.Compared with FBC,FTC-BC creates a more satisfactory living environment for microorganisms and has a better effect on the degradation of DEHP in the soil.This study provides a theoretical basis for future biochar remediation of DEHP-contaminated soils in cold high-latitude regions.
基金supported by a sub-project of the National Key R&D Project of China(Grant No.2016YFC0501003)the National Key R&D Project of China(Grant No.2021YFD1500704).
文摘In arid and semi-arid desert steppe areas,grazing exclusion with fencing is widely regarded as an effective strategy for restoring degraded vegetation and enhancing the quality of degraded soil.In this study,we hypothesized that grazing exclusion caused by fencing enhances both vegetation and soil properties,and that the longer an area is fenced,the more considerable the improvement.We conducted an observational study wherein random sampling was utilized to select 9 plots fenced for ten or more years,25 plots fenced for four to nine years,25 plots fenced for one to three years and 29 free-grazing plots within an area of approximately 63,000 km^(2)of Inner Mongolia desert steppe.A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in the characteristics of grassland vegetation or soil properties between grasslands fenced for one to three years and free-grazing grassland.After 4 years of fencing,noticeable increases in above-ground biomass,litter content,Simpson index,soil organic carbon,and available nitrogen were observed.Significant positive differences in vegetation coverage,height,species richness,soil available phosphorus,and available potassium were associated with plots with a minimum of 10 years of fencing.The soil layer with the greatest difference in the fenced-in areas for soil organic carbon was at 0-25 cm.For available nitrogen and available phosphorus,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-20 cm soil layer,while for available potassium,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-30 cm soil layer.However,the fencing did not indicate any statistically significant differences in terms of clay,silt,and sand content in any soil layer.The data support our hypothesis that grazing exclusion improves both vegetation and soil properties,and that longer periods of grazing exclusion result in greater degrees of improvement.This research offers technical guidance for the reasonable choice of fencing time across a vast area of the Inner Mongolian desert steppe.
基金supported by the Special Fund for Forest Scientific Research in the Public Welfare of China (201404204-02)
文摘Dear Editor,Biological soil crusts(BSCs),a layered structure formed by associations of soil organisms and topsoil,dominate arid and semiarid areas and serve important ecological functions in these areas(Eldridge and Greene,1994).Nitrogen fixation by BSCs is the main source of N in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.Desiccation is the most notable factor that influences BSCs,which recover physiological activity only after moistening.By influencing the amount of carbohydrates,
基金We are grateful to the Comunidad de Madrid(Spain)and European Structural and Investment Funds for the financial support(No.AGRISOST-CM S2013/ABI-2717)to maintain the field experiment.
文摘TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil organic matter(SOM).Therefore,we studied the long-term effects of no tillage and liming using sugar beet foam(SF)and red gypsum(RG),alone or in combination,on the restoration of Ultisols affected by acidification,Al phytotoxicity,and SOM depletion.We measured the main soil chemical properties,soil microbial biomass,soil enzyme activities involved in carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,and sulfur mineralization,and the emission of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).The results indicated that liming effectively neutralized the soil acidity in the long term and,in combination with no tillage,significantly increased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities.Twenty-three VOCs were detected using the proton transfer reaction-time of flight(PTR-ToF)technique,and both liming and tillage changed the VOC emission patterns.The greatest difference in VOC emission pattern was observed between no-tilled un-amended soils and tilled lime-amended soils,suggesting the activation of different metabolic pathways within the microbial communities of soils under different management.Differences in VOC emission patterns could be attributed to the decomposition of carbohydrates,which were also sustained by the higher enzyme activities in the lime-amended soils.
