Three-dimensional ecological drought identification and evaluation method considering eco-physiological status of terrestrial ecosystems.

Ecological drought is a complex process in terrestrial ecosystems where vegetation's eco-physiological functions are impaired due to water stress. However, there is currently a lack of long-term assessment of ecological drought from an eco-physiological perspective. In this study, the standardized ecological drought index (SESNDI) was developed using actual evaporation, root soil moisture, and kernel normalized difference vegetation index via the Euclidean distance method, reflecting ecosystem physiology, water supply capacity, and vegetation status. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence validated SESNDI by reflecting vegetation photosynthesis. Using China as an example, severely impacted by climate change and ecological restoration, ecological drought's spatio-temporal variation and propagation characteristics was evaluated using clustering algorithms. The results demonstrated that (1) SESNDI showed superior performance over several other drought indices. (2) During 1982-2020, ecological drought was prevalent from 1990 to 2010, especially in the central and northeastern regions. (3) Compared to 1982-2000, the median duration and affected area of ecological drought events during 2001-2020 reduced by four months and 1.51 × 105 km2, respectively, while the median intensity increased by 0.06. (4) Decreased precipitation and increased temperature were the primary factors contributing to the frequent occurrence of ecological drought in China from 1990 to 2010. This study offers a crucial methodology for evaluating ecological drought, serving as a reference for developing effective terrestrial restoration strategies.

Grassland restoration on linear landscape elements - comparing the effects of topsoil removal and topsoil transfer.

Artificial linear landscape elements, including roads, pipelines, and drainage channels, are main sources of global habitat fragmentation. Restoration of natural habitats on unused linear landscape elements can increase habitat quality and connectivity without interfering with agricultural or industrial development. Despite that topsoil removal and transfer are widely applied methods in restoration projects, up to our knowledge these were previously not compared in the same study system. To address this knowledge gap, we compared spontaneous vegetation recovery after the elimination of positive (embankments) and negative landscape scars (drainage channels) in lowland alkaline landscapes in South Hungary. The novelty of our study is that we compared the fine-scale and landscape-scale results of both methods. At the fine scale, we monitored the spontaneous vegetation development on the created open surfaces in the first, second and fourth year after restoration in 160 permanent plots per year. For characterizing the habitat changes on the landscape scale, we prepared habitat maps and assigned naturalness scores to each patch before and after the restoration activities. Both restoration methods resulted in a rapid vegetation recovery at the fine scale, progressing toward the reference state. In the topsoil removal treatment, a large part of the soil seed bank was removed; therefore, the colonization of the bare surface was a slower process. Seeds of halophytes, including the endemic and protected Suaeda pannonica, were probably present in the deeper soil layers, and these species became established in the restored surfaces, despite being absent in the surrounding vegetation. For restoring vegetation cover, topsoil transfer was a more rapid option; however, vegetation closure and competition by generalist species and weeds hampered the establishment of target species. The removal of the landscape scars by both methods made the sites accessible for grazing. At the landscape scale, the two methods had different effects: there was a slight increase in the habitat naturalness in the topsoil removal site, and a slight decrease in the topsoil transfer site because of weed encroachment. Spreading an upper layer of nutrient-poor soil with low amounts of weed seeds, direct propagule transfer, and targeted grazing regimes could enhance restoration success.

Bridging beauty and biodiversity: Coupling diversity and aesthetics through optimized plant communities in urban riverfront landscapes.

Urban waterfront areas are dynamic interfaces where human and natural systems converge, forming complex ecosystems that encompass social, economic, and environmental elements. These areas offer ecological benefits and aesthetic experiences. However, a disparity between social aesthetic preferences and vegetation diversity along riverbanks impedes the integration of ecological and aesthetic values. To address this, a plant community optimization strategy based on a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) is proposed. Using the Xietang River in Suzhou, China as a case study, surveys were conducted on 33 woody plant plots and 60 herbaceous plant plots, assessing plant diversity with Shannon-Wiener, richness, and Pielou indices. Landscape beauty was evaluated by 87 respondents using the Scenic Beauty Estimation method. Using six representative plant communities as mediators, CCDM was applied to quantitatively analyze the coordination between plant diversity and aesthetics. Based on this analysis and considering factors influencing plant diversity and scenic beauty, plant community optimization strategies were devised to enhance the coordinated development of ecological diversity and aesthetics, fostering a synergistic improvement in ecological and aesthetic quality. Results revealed a range of coupling coordination across plant communities (0.203 to 0.947), encompassing various types. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a non-linear relationship between plant diversity and landscape beauty, influenced by independent yet partially overlapping factors. Hence, both aspects should be simultaneously considered in the planning and enhancement of riverbank areas. The coupling coordination degree offers a comprehensive understanding of harmonizing plant diversity and aesthetic value, providing a quantitative and objective approach to integrated research. This perspective extends beyond urban waterfront landscapes, holding significance for achieving dual goals of ecology and social services in urban design and landscape management.

A bacteria-based index of biotic integrity indicates aquatic ecosystem restoration.

Intensive ecological interventions have been carried out in highly polluted shallow lakes to improve their environments and restore their ecosystems. However, certain treatments, such as dredging polluted sediment and stocking fish, can impact the aquatic communities, including benthos and fishes. These impacts can alter the composition and characteristics of aquatic communities, which makes community-based ecological assessments challenging. Here we develop a bacteria-based index of biotic integrity (IBI) that can clearly indicate the restoration of aquatic ecosystems with minimal artificial interventions. We applied this method to a restored shallow lake during 3-year intensive ecological interventions. The interventions reduced nutrients and heavy metals by 27.1% and 16.7% in the sediment, while the total organic carbon (TOC) increased by 8.0% due to the proliferation of macrophytes. Additionally, the abundance of sulfur-related metabolic pathways decreased by 10.5% as the responses to improved ecosystem. The score of bacteria-based IBI, which is calculated based on the diversity, composition, and function of benthic bacterial communities, increased from 0.62 in 2018 to 0.81 in 2021. Our study not only provides an applicable method for aquatic ecological assessment under intensive artificial interventions but also extends the application of IBI to complex application scenarios, such as ecosystems with significantly different aquatic communities and comparisons between different basins.

Linear relationships between aboveground biomass and plant species diversity during the initial stage of degraded grassland restoration projects.

The relationship between aboveground biomass and plant diversity has been extensively examined to understand the role of biodiversity in ecosystem functions and services. Degraded grassland restoration projects can enhance carbon sequestration. However, the relationship between biomass and diversity remains one of the most actively debated topics regarding grassland ecosystems in degraded grassland restoration projects. We speculated that establishing the linear relationships between aboveground biomass and plant species diversity could contribute to enhancing the efficacy of degraded grassland restoration projects. This study sought to determine whether these relationships were linear during the initial stages of the restoration projects of degraded grasslands in Xing'an League, China. The investigations were based on an examination of seventy-six 1 × 1 m2 plots distributed among 15 areas in which the degraded grassland was at the initial stages of restoration. To quantify the species diversity of the degraded grassland communities, we used the species richness, Shannon-Wiener, inverse Simpson's reciprocal, and Pielou's evenness indices. Our analyses revealed that aboveground biomass had clear positive linear relationships with species richness during the initial stages of degraded grassland restoration. However, there were less pronounced associations with species diversity as assessed using the Shannon and inverse Simpson indices, based on regression models. Furthermore, weed biomass was found to have significant negative effects on species richness and Pielou's evenness. The weak linear relationship between aboveground biomass and species richness could be ascribed to an increase in weed biomass. We concluded that aboveground biomass and plant species diversity could be enhanced during the initial stages of degraded grassland restoration projects and suggest that the extent of weed biomass could serve as a key indicator of the efficacy of restoration from the perspective of plant species diversity and aboveground biomass in carbon sequestration projects.

Spatial-temporal variation and correlation analysis of ecosystem service values and ecological risks in winter city Shenyang, China.

Ecosystems in winter cities are complex and fragile, experiencing significant changes due to climate variations and human construction activities. Previous studies on the assessment of overall ecosystem service value (ESV) and ecological risk index (ERI) in winter cities are scarce. In this study, we constructed ESV and ERI measurement models using land use data in 2000, 2010, and 2020 using the improved value per unit area factor method and the landscape pattern index method, respectively, to reveal their spatial and temporal change characteristics. Geographic detectors were used to explore the driving roles of natural and artificial factors on the changes of ESV and ERI. The combination in ESV and ERI can then provide a more quantitative and accurate basis for policy decisions, identify priority areas for urban ecological restoration, and reduce the risk to ecosystems. The results of the study show that the total ESV of Shenyang city decreased from 273.97 × 108 CNY to 270.38 × 108 CNY during 2000-2020. Although the decrease is not large, the ESV changes structurally with the advancement of urbanization. During the 20 years, the construction land with the lowest ecological service function continues to expand, increasing by 354 km2, the grassland decreased by 215.9 km2, and the arable land decreased by 196.6 km2. The ecological service function of the water area is the strongest, with an increase of 51.3 km2 in the water area, ensuring that there is no significant decline in ESV. The size of the ERI is Very high, High, and Medium value zones remained relatively stable, while the size of the Very Low-value zone decreased by 12.78% and the size of the Low-value zone increased by 13.21%. The interaction factors that contributed most to the changes in ESV and ERI were annual evapotranspiration (EVP)/ Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Annual sunshine hours (SSD)/ Digital Elevation Model (DEM) , respectively. There was a spatial correlation between ESV and ERI. The areas with the highest ESV supply capacity and at the same time facing severe ecological risks to the landscape pattern are distributed in the northeastern hilly lands. This area should be prioritized to develop planning and control measures to prevent further erosion of forest lands and grasslands and reduce ecological risks. These results provide a theoretical basis for ensuring ecological security and sustainable development in winter cities.

Plants Restoration Drives the Gobi Soil Microbial Diversity for Improving Soil Quality.

Desertification and salt stress are major causes of terrestrial ecosystem loss worldwide, and the Gobi, representing a salt-stressed area in inland China, has a major impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity of its surrounding environment. The restoration of the Gobi Desert is an important way to control its expansion, but there are few studies on the evaluation of restoration. In this study, soils under different restoration scenarios, namely, soils in restored areas (R1, R2), semi-restored areas (SR1, SR2), and unrestored control areas (C1, C2), were used to investigate differences in microbial diversity and physicochemical properties. The results showed that the soil was mainly dominated by particles of 4-63 µm (26.45-37.94%) and >63 µm (57.95-72.87%). Across the different restoration levels, the soil pH (7.96-8.43) remained basically unchanged, salinity decreased from 9.23-2.26 to 0.24-0.25, and water content remained constant (10.98-12.27%) except for one restored sample in which it was higher (22.32%). The effective Al, Cu, and Zn in the soil increased, but only slightly. Total organic matter (TOM) decreased from 3.86-5.20% to 1.31-1.47%, and total organic nitrogen (TON) decreased from 0.03-0.06% to 0.01-0.02%, but the difference in total organic carbon (TOC) was not significant. High-throughput testing revealed that the bacterial population of the restored area was dominated by A4b (6.33-9.18%), MND1 (4.94-7.39%), and Vicinamibacteraceae (7.04-7.39%). Regarding archaea, samples from the restored areas were dominated by Marine Group II (76.17-81.49%) and Candidatus Nitrososphaera (6.07-9.75%). PCoA showed that the different restoration levels were the main cause of the differences between the samples. Additionally, salinity was the dominant factor that induced this difference, but it was inhibited by the restoration and targeted enrichment of some of these functional genera. Desert restoration should therefore focus on conserving water rather than adding nutrients. Planting salt- and drought-tolerant vegetation will contribute to the initial restoration of the desert and the restoration of the microbiological content of the soil as it migrates over time, creating a cycle of elements. Restoration stimulates and enhances the microbial diversity of the soil via beneficial microorganisms.

Aboveground versus soil-mediated effects of an invasive grass on fire-dependent forbs in an oak woodland.

Most work on plant competition intensity in general has focused on how aboveground and belowground competition for resources between plants changes with soil resource availability. In contrast, much work on the competitive effects of non-native invasive species on native species has focused on other mechanisms (e.g., allelopathy and microbial changes) and has largely ignored how these effects interact with mechanisms of resource competition along productivity gradients. We examined aboveground effects of an invasive grass, Microstegium vimineum, along with soil differences between invaded and non-invaded areas on two native perennial herbs at a productive and an unproductive oak woodland site in north Mississippi, USA. We transplanted 32 individuals each of Helianthus silphioides and Potentilla simplex from uninvaded areas into natural patches dominated by M. vimineum at each of the sites. Each transplant was randomly assigned to a pot with either native soil or soil from around M. vimineum roots. Aboveground competition was manipulated by securing M. vimineum shoots in a non-shading position around the transplant. We monitored survival of all transplants weekly in the growing seasons of 2020 and 2021. Transplant survival of H. silphioides was lowest in M. vimineum soil at the more productive site when M. vimineum was not pinned back. Transplant survival of P. simplex was lower at the more productive site but was mostly unresponsive to pinning and soil treatments. Synthesis. Our results suggest that soil-mediated legacy effects of an invader may reduce some native species' ability to compete for light at productive sites.

Soil heavy metal pollution promotes extracellular enzyme production by mediating microbial community structure during vegetation restoration of metallic tailing reservoir.

Vegetation restoration in metallic tailing reservoirs is imperative to restore the post-mining degraded ecosystems. Extracellular enzymes determine microbial resource acquisition in soils, yet the mechanisms controlling the enzyme activity and stoichiometry during vegetation restoration in metallic tailing reservoirs remain elusive. Here, we investigated the variations and drivers of C-, N- and P-acquiring enzymes together with microbial community along a 50-year vegetation restoration chronosequence in the China's largest vanadium titano-magnetite tailing reservoir. We found a parabolic pattern in the enzyme activity and efficiency along the chronosequence, peaking at the middle restoration stage (∼30 years) with approximately six-fold increase relative to the initial 1-year site. The enzyme ratios of C:P and N:P decreased by 33 % and 68 % along the chronosequence, respectively, indicating a higher microbial demand of C and N at the early stage and a higher demand of P at the later stage. Soil nutrients directly determined the enzyme activities and stoichiometry, whereas microbial biomass and community structure regulated the temporal pattern of the enzyme efficiency. Surprisingly, increased heavy metal pollution imposed a positive effect on the enzyme efficiency indirectly by altering microbial community structure. This was evidenced by the increased microbial diversity and the conversion of copiotrophic to oligotrophic and stress-tolerant taxa along the chronosequence. Our findings provide new insights into microbial functioning in soil nutrient dynamics during vegetation restoration under increasing heavy metal pollution.

Conversion of farmland to forest or grassland improves soil carbon, nitrogen, and ecosystem multi-functionality in a subtropical karst region of southwest China.

The conversion of farmland to forest in China has been recognized for its positive impact on above-ground vegetation and carbon sequestration. However, the impact on soil quality during land conversion, particularly in vulnerable karst areas, has received less attention. In this study conducted in a karst area of southwest China, eight different farmland conversion strategies were investigated to assess improvements in surface soil carbon, nitrogen, and ecosystem multi-functionality (EMF). Our results showed that farmland converted to afforestation areas or farmland that was abandoned contained higher amounts of carbon (total, organic, active) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) in the soil compared to farmland converted to grassland or maize crop. Soluble organic carbon levels were higher in afforestation and grassland areas compared to maize crop controls. By contrast, soil from grassland and abandoned land exhibited higher levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) compared to afforestation land or maize crop controls. There were no differences in NH4+-N content between any condition, except for afforestation land that specifically contained the Zenia insignis plant species. Afforestation land consistently exhibited higher EMF values than grassland. Pearson correlation analysis revealed positive relationships between soil indices and EMF scores, except for NO3--N.Random forest analysis explained 95% of the variation in soil EMF and identified specific soil factors: total carbon, organic carbon, active labile organic carbon, total nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen, as the main drivers of soil multi-functionality. Our studies show how various reforestation strategies can enhance soil nutrient sequestration and improve soil multi-functionality of farmland in the karst areas.These findings provide insight into sustainable soil management practices for converting farmland into natural areas.

Ecological risk of per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances in the phytoremediation process: a case study for ecologically keystone species across two generations.

The potential ecological risk of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in phytoremediation has raised social concerns, promoting a need to better understand their distribution and risks in the recovery process of aquatic plants. Herein, we aim to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the distribution and ecotoxicological effects of PFASs on the structure and function of water-macrophyte-sediment microcosm systems. Among the entire system, 63.0 %-73.1 % PFOA was found in sediments and submerged plants, however, 52.5 %-53.0 % of PFPeA and 47.0 %-47.5 % of PFBS remained in the water under different treatments. PFOA was more bioavailable than the other substances, as demonstrated by the bioaccumulation factors (BAF) with ranges exposed to PFPeA and PFBS. Bioaccumulation PFASs induced plant oxidative stress which generates enzymes to suppress superoxide, and disturbed the processes of lysine biosynthesis, in which allysine, meso-2,6-diaminoheptanedioate, and Nsuccinyl-2-amino-6-ketopimelate were downregulated. PFASs were detected in the propagator (turions) of an ecological restoration species, where short-chain PFASs (70.1 % and 45.7 % for 2 or 20 µg/L PFAS exposure, respectively) were found to spread further into new individuals and profoundly influence ecological processes shaping populations. PFASs significantly enhanced the number of microbial species in the sediment, but the degree of differentiation in the microbial community structure was not significantly different. This study enhances our understanding of the ecological mechanisms of PFASs in the water-macrophyte-sediment systems and potential threats to the recovery process of macrophytes.

Heterogeneity promotes resilience in restored prairie: Implications for the environmental heterogeneity hypothesis.

Enhancing resilience in formerly degraded ecosystems is an important goal of restoration ecology. However, evidence for the recovery of resilience and its underlying mechanisms require long-term experiments and comparison with reference ecosystems. We used data from an experimental prairie restoration that featured long-term soil heterogeneity manipulations and data from two long-term experiments located in a comparable remnant (reference) prairie to (1) quantify the recovery of ecosystem functioning (i.e., productivity) relative to remnant prairie, (2) compare the resilience of restored and remnant prairies to a natural drought, and (3) test whether soil heterogeneity enhances resilience of restored prairie. We compared sensitivity and legacy effects between prairie types (remnant and restored) and among four prairie sites that included two remnant prairie sites and prairie restored under homogeneous and heterogeneous soil conditions. We measured sensitivity and resilience as the proportional change in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) during and following drought (sensitivity and legacy effects, respectively) relative to average ANPP based on 4 pre-drought years (2014-2017). In nondrought years, total ANPP was similar between remnant and restored prairie, but remnant prairie had higher grass productivity and lower forb productivity compared with restored prairie. These ANPP patterns generally persisted during drought. The sensitivity of total ANPP to drought was similar between restored and remnant prairie, but grasses in the restored prairie were more sensitive to drought. Post-drought legacy effects were more positive in the restored prairie, and we attributed this to the more positive and less variable legacy response of forb ANPP in the restored prairie, especially in the heterogeneous soil treatment. Our results suggest that productivity recovers in restored prairie and exhibits similar sensitivity to drought as in remnant prairie. Furthermore, creating heterogeneity promotes forb productivity and enhances restored prairie resilience to drought.

Ten steps towards integrated decision making for ecological restoration in cities: Rewilding the European beaver (Castor fiber) in Berlin, Germany.

Ensuring a livable city for all within the more-than-human discourse, restoration of urban ecosystems requires careful consideration of both human and non-human needs. However, traditional assessments and therefore most management plans usually fail to include the latter as a core planning requirement. This article presents and explains a 10-step method which simultaneously and actively considers both to identify potential restoration areas within urban ecosystems. To do so, a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis for the multispecies needs identification is combined with a Multicriteria Spatial Decision Support System (MCSDSS) for the spatial assessment. To validate this method, a case study of Berlin, Germany, an explicitly urban case, is presented. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ecosystem restoration (rewilding) potential of the city's riparian and riverine ecosystems through the enhancement of Eurasian beaver habitats.•Method combining SWOT analysis with MCSDSS for an integrated spatial assessment•Well-suited for multispecies (human and non-human) perspective on urban nature restoration.

Ecological restoration enhanced the stability of epiphytic microbial food webs of submerged macrophytes: Insights from predation characteristics of epiphytic predators.

The application of various submerged macrophytes for ecological restoration has gained increasing attention in urban lake ecosystems. The multitrophic microbial communities that colonized in various submerged macrophytes constitute microbial food webs through trophic cascade effects, which affect the biogeochemical cycles of the lake ecosystem and directly determine the effects of ecological restoration. Therefore, it is essential to reveal the diversity, composition, assembly processes, and stability of the microbial communities within epiphytic food webs of diverse submerged macrophytes under eutrophication and ecological restoration scenarios. In this study, we explored the epiphytic microbial food webs of Vallisneria natans and Hydrilla verticillata in both eutrophic and ecological restoration regions. The obtained results indicated that the two regions with different nutrient levels remarkably affected the diversity and composition of epiphytic multitrophic microbial communities of submerged macrophytes, among them, the community composition of epiphytic predators were more prone to change. Secondly, environmental filtering effects played a more important role in driving the community assembly of epiphytic predators than that of prey. Furthermore, the generality and intraguild predation of epiphytic predators were significantly improved within ecological restoration regions, which increased the stability of epiphytic microbial food webs. Additionally, compared with Hydrilla verticillata, the epiphytic microbial food webs of Vallisneria natans exhibited higher multitrophic diversity and higher network stability regardless of regions. Overall, this study focused on the role of the epiphytic microbial food webs of submerged macrophytes in ecological restoration and uncovered the potential of epiphytic predators to enhance the stability of microbial food webs, which may provide new insights into the development of ecological restoration strategies.

Construction of ecological security pattern in combination with landslide sensitivity: A case study of Yan'an City, China.

The ecological security pattern can harmonize the relationship between natural environmental protection and socio-economic development. This study proposes a regional ecological security pattern optimization framework by integrating theory and practice with landslide sensitivity and landscape structure. Using Yan'an City as an example, this study optimizes the landscape layout of preliminary ecological sources. The landslide sensitivity index is generated using the information value model and then used to adjust the ecological resistance surface. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) approach is used to extract ecological corridors, locate ecological nodes utilizing circuit theory, and outline crucial ecological control areas. The results demonstrate: (1) the ecological sources are primarily composed of forestlands, with a total area of 2,352.2400 km2, concentrated in the southwest, central, and southeast regions. The optimal landscape granularity for the source patches is 600 m. (2) Yan'an is divided into four landslide sensitivity level zones: extremely high, high, medium, and low, with the overall landslide sensitivity of the region being high. (3) The highest ecological resistance is observed in built-up land and the lowest in forestland. The total number of ecological corridors is 26, avoiding most of the highly sensitive areas of landslides. (4) The number of ecological pinch points is 61, while the ecological barrier points amounted to 54. The critical ecological control areas consist mainly of cropland, forestland, and grassland, and differentiated restoration strategies are proposed to address their unique characteristics. The findings of the research can offer scientific guidance for the practice of ecological security protection in geohazard-prone areas.

Increased ecological land and atmospheric CO2 dominate the growth of ecosystem carbon sinks under the regulation of environmental conditions in national key ecological function zones in China.

Increased ecological land (IEL) such as forests and grasslands can greatly enhance ecosystem carbon sinks. Understanding the mechanisms for the magnitude of IEL-induced ecosystem carbon sinks is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality. We estimated the impact of IEL, specifically the increase in forests and grasslands, as well as global changes including atmospheric CO2 concentration, nitrogen deposition, and climate change on net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in National Key Ecological Function Zones (NKEFZs) in China using a calibrated ecological process model. The NEP in NKEFZs in China was calculated to be 119.4 Tg C yr-1, showing an increase of 42.6 Tg C yr-1 from 2001 to 2021. Compared to the slight contributions of climate change (-8.0%), nitrogen deposition (11.5%), and reduction in ecological land (-3.5%), the increase in NEP was primarily attributed to CO2 (66.5%) and IEL (33.5%). Moreover, the effect of IEL (14.8 Tg C yr-1) surpassed that of global change (13.1 Tg C yr-1) in the land use change zone. The IEL-induced NEP is significantly associated with CO2 fertilization, regulated by precipitation and nitrogen deposition. The high values of IEL-induced NEP occurred in areas with precipitation exceeding 800 mm and nitrogen deposition exceeding 25 kg N ha-1 yr-1. We recommend prioritizing the expansion of ecological land in areas with sufficient water and nutrients to enhance CO2 fertilization, while avoiding increasing ecological land in regions facing unfavorable climate change conditions. This study serves as a foundation for comprehending the NEP response to ecological restoration and global change.

A database of vegetation treatments in New Mexico, USA and surrounding regions.

Active management practices to reduce or promote particular vegetation, known as vegetation treatments, are a common part of environmental management and they are conducted for a variety of purposes including wildfire risk mitigation, invasive species management, and ecological restoration. Vegetation treatment for wildfire mitigation in particular have increased dramatically in the Western United States in the past several decades. While vegetation treatments are common, data regarding the timing, location, and type of treatments conducted are often only maintained by the organization that conducted the work, hampering the ability of managers and researchers to understand the distribution and timing of vegetation treatments across a landscape. This dataset is a collection of spatially referenced records of vegetation treatments such as mechanical thinning, prescribed burning, and herbicide applications that were conducted in the state of New Mexico, USA and adjacent parts of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. Spatial data were collected through requests to the regional or state offices for the relevant agencies (e.g., The Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, New Mexico State Forestry Division). The accuracy of this data collection approach was assessed by conducting more intensive data collection in five randomly selected focal watersheds across New Mexico. In these watersheds local offices of the larger agencies were contacted, as well as any smaller groups (e.g., soil and water conservation districts, municipalities, and environmental non-profits), and in person visits were made to gather any information on vegetation treatments possible. The overall dataset includes records of treatments spanning a century and includes records of 9.9 million acres of treatments conducted by more than a dozen different organizations. In the five focal watershed that we surveyed the database contained 7.4 % fewer acres of treated land than the more intensive interview approach. This spatially extensive dataset on vegetation treatments will be useful for researchers quantifying or modelling the effect of vegetation management on fire risk and behaviour. Additionally, this data will be useful to ecologists studying the distribution, movement, and habitat associations of a variety of plant an animal species. Finally, this data will be useful for research on landscape conservation and management.

The ecology of giant kelp colonization and its implications for kelp forest restoration.

The success and cost-effectiveness of kelp forest restoration hinges on understanding the colonization ecology of kelps, particularly with respect to dispersal potential, recruitment success, and subsequent establishment. To gain needed insight into these processes we examined spatial patterns and temporal trajectories of the colonization of a large artificial reef by the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera. The 151 ha artificial reef complex was constructed in three phases over 21 years, enabling dispersal, recruitment, and subsequent establishment to be examined for a wide range of environmental conditions, dispersal distances, and source population sizes. Natural colonization of all phases of the artificial reef by giant kelp was rapid (within 1 year) and extended across the entire 7-km-long reef complex. Colonization density declined with distance from the nearest source population, but only during the first phase when the distance from the nearest source population was ≤3.5 km. Despite this decline, recruitment on artificial reef modules farthest from the source population was sufficient to produce dense stands of kelp within a couple of years. Experimental outplanting of the artificial reef with laboratory-reared kelp embryos was largely successful but proved unnecessary, as the standing biomass of kelp resulting from natural recruitment exceeded that observed on nearby natural reefs within 2-3 years of artificial reef construction for all three phases. Such high potential for natural colonization following disturbance has important implications for kelp forest restoration efforts that employ costly and logistically difficult methods to mimic this process by active seeding and transplanting.

Research on the optimal ratio of improved electrolytic manganese residue substrate about Pennisetum sinese Roxb growth effects.

Electrolytic manganese slag (EMR) is a solid waste generated in the manganese hydrometallurgy process. It not only takes up significant land space but also contains Mn2+, which can lead to environmental contamination. There is a need for research on the treatment and utilization of EMR. Improved EMR substrate for Pennisetum sinese Roxb growth was determined in pot planting experiments. The study tested the effects of leaching solution, microorganisms, leaf cell structures, and growth data. Results indicated a substrate of 45% EMR, 40% phosphogypsum, 5% Hericium erinaceus fungi residue, 5% quicklime, and 5% dolomite sand significantly increased the available phosphorus content (135.54 ± 2.88 µg·g-1) by 17.95 times, compared to pure soil, and enhanced the relative abundance of dominant bacteria. After 240 days, the plant height (147.00 ± 0.52 cm), number of tillers (6), and aerial dry weight (144.00 ± 15.99g) of Pennisetum sinese Roxb increased by 5.81%, 200%, and 32.58%, respectively. Analyses of leaves and leaching solution revealed that the highest leaf Mn content (46.84 ± 2.91 µg·g-1) being 3.38 times higher than in pure soil, and the leaching solution Mn content (0.66 ± 0.13 µg·g-1) was lowest. Our study suggested P. sinese Roxb grown in an improved EMR substrate could be a feasible option for solidification treatment and resource utilization of EMR.

The waste solid resource utilization was achieved.The growth and ecological restoration value of Pennisetum sinese Roxb in an improved EMR substrate was found.An optimal ratio of improved EMR substrate was proposed.

Ecological restoration at pilot-scale employing site-specific rationales for small-patch degraded mangroves in Indian Sundarbans.

To date, degraded mangrove ecosystem restoration accomplished worldwide primarily aligns towards rehabilitation with monotypic plantations, while ecological restoration principles are rarely followed in these interventions. However, researchers admit that most of these initiatives' success rate is not appreciable often. An integrative framework of ecological restoration for degraded mangroves where site-specific observations could be scientifically rationalized, with co-located reference pristine mangroves as the target ecosystem to achieve is currently distinctively lacking. Through this experimental scale study, we studied the suitability of site-specific strategies to ecologically restore degraded mangrove patches vis-à-vis the conventional mono-species plantations in a highly vulnerable mangrove ecosystem in Indian Sundarbans. This comprehensive restoration framework was trialed in small discrete degraded mangrove patches spanning ~ 65 ha. Site-specific key restoration components applied are statistically validated through RDA analyses and Bayesian t-tests. 25 quantifiable metrics evaluate the restoration success of a ~ 3 ha degraded mangrove patch with Ridgeline distribution, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) tests, and Mahalanobis Distance (D2) measure to prove the site's near-equivalence to pristine reference in multiple ecosystem attributes. This restoration intervention irrevocably establishes the greater potential of this framework in the recovery of ecosystem functions and self-sustenance compared to that of predominant monoculture practices for vulnerable mangroves.