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Simple Summary: The predation and/or dispersal of Quercus seeds by rodents play an important role in the creation of the tree species. Using the tagging method, we measured the effects of density, storage method, and seed size on rodents' predation and dispersal behavior. We found that seed survival had a significant negative density-dependent effect; that litter cover and soil burial increased seed in situ time and survival; that in situ feeding rates were significantly higher for small seeds than for large seeds; and that large seeds fed significantly further after dispersal than small seeds. These findings provide insights into the ecological characteristics of Quercus tree regeneration and shed light on the coexistence between rodents and different-sized seeds. The predation and/or dispersal of Quercus seeds by rodents play an important role in the creation of the tree species. The present study examined the effects of community habitats on the predation and dispersal of Quercus wutaishanica seeds by rodents. We released seeds with densities set at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 seed square meter with litter cover, soil burial, and bare ground in the Liupan Mountains National Nature Reserve in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwest China. The results showed that (1) the litter cover and soil burial significantly increased the seed survival probability compared with bare ground treatments, especially the predation in situ (PIS) (p < 0.05). Both the scatter hoarding (SH) and larder hoarding (LH) for litter cover and soil burial were significantly increased compared with bare ground (p < 0.05). (2) The large seeds are preferentially predated after dispersal and their long-distance dispersal (>5 m) was significantly greater than that of small seeds (p < 0.05), while small seeds are more likely to be preyed on in situ or during short-distance dispersal (<3 m). (3) The Q. wutaishanica seed predation by rodents increased at a high density rather than at a low density, indicating a negative density-dependent predation. These findings provide insights into the ecological characteristics of Quercus tree regeneration and shed light on the coexistence between rodents and different-sized seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SQIs were calculated by three indicator selection methods and two scoring methods. • The six SQIs were significantly positively correlated with each other. • SQI-LRM was regarded as the most appropriate method to calculate the SQI. Soil quality indexes (SQIs) are important for evaluating grassland ecosystems. The objective of this study was to assess different land-use soil quality using total data set, minimum data set (MDS), and revised minimum data set (RMDS) indicator selection methods and linear and non-linear scoring methods. Four land-use, which were including grazing grassland (GG), fencing grassland (FG), contour trench grassland (CG) and fish-scale pits grassland (FPG) in a typical steppe of loess hilly area in Ningxia, were taken as the research object. Eighteen indicators (soil bulk density; GMD: geometric mean diameter; MWD: mean weight diameter; FWC: field water-storage capacity; capillary porosity; total porosity; soil organic carbon; TN: total nitrogen; total phosphorus; AK: available potassium; available nitrogen; microbial biomass carbon; microbial biomass nitrogen; SA: sucrase activity; protease activity; CA: catalase activity; PPA: phosphatase activity; and urease activity) of soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the 0–40 cm soil layer under different land use types were measured. Principal component analysis was used to select the MDS and RMDS. The results showed that three (SA, MWD, and PPA) and six (FWC, GMD, TN, AK, SA, and CA) soil indicators were included in the MDS and RMDS, respectively. The agreement values of SQIs for the linear scoring method were higher than those of the non-linear scoring method. The linear scoring-revised minimum data set was regarded as the most appropriate method to calculate the SQI because of its highest F and CV (Coefficient of Variation) values and correlation coefficient. The ranking of the SQI values of the four land use types was FG > GG > CG > FPG. The results showed that FG is the most beneficial measure for the restoration of degraded grassland, which has important guiding significance for the ecological construction of degraded grassland in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]