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Abstract: Background and aims: Both drought and vegetation restoration can have dramatic effects on plant community composition, but how they influence soil microbial community diversity, structure, and co-occurrence networks remain less well known. Methods: To better understand the regulatory mechanisms of drought and vegetation restoration on soil microorganisms, we planted 12 native species in precipitation manipulation experimental plots in an invaded coastal grassland in California, USA. We measured soil bacterial and fungal community composition by amplicon sequencing, and quantified plant species richness and coverage in the third experimental year. Results: Our results showed that drought significantly altered soil bacterial diversity and composition; however, neither drought nor vegetation restoration had significant effects on fungal diversity and composition. The control plots had the most cooperative interactions (greatest number of correlations) among bacterial and/or fungal species, while drought plots yielded the most complex co-occurrence network with the highest modularity and clustering coefficient. Structural equation modeling revealed that plant species richness, net gains, and soil moisture played dominant roles in shaping bacterial community structure. Drought and bacterial community structure directly affected fungal community structure. Plant dominant species cover, common species cover, and bacterial diversity were the key drivers in regulating the microbial co-occurrence network complex. Conclusion: We conclude that soil bacterial and fungal communities differ in their responses to abiotic and biotic environmental changes, which may weaken the interspecies interactions among soil microorganisms.

Background. Peat bog complexes are self-sufficient ecosystems in which unique microclimatic conditions leading to a significant diversity of valuable plant communities are formed. Such communities are sensitive to the effects of climate change or any anthropogenic intervention. The lack of reliable information on their distribution on the territory of the Syra Pogonia peat-bog massif of the Rivnenskyi Nature Reserve necessitates a detailed study of the bog vegetation. Therefore, the purpose of the work was to classify the community of peatland vegetation of the Syra Pogonia massif and to determine the features of their syntaxonomic and ecological differentiation for further development of environmental management strategies. Materials and Methods. The study of the peculiarities of peatland vegetation was conducted on transects that represent the variety of local conditions of the complex system. A total of 141 relevés were analysed using the Braun–Blanquet method. The material was analysed using TURBOVEG 2.79 and JUICE 7.0.83 software. Vegetation units were separated using the method of two-factor indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). Diagnostic species of syntaxa were determined by the fidelity coefficient phi, the fidelity threshold for which was > 25 %. The statistical significance of the phi coefficient was determined with the Fisher’s test at P < 0.001. The DCA-ordination method was used to identify an ecological differentiation of units. Results. Peatland vegetation of the Syra Pogonia massif of the Rivnenskyi Nature Reserve was analysed. We identified 7 associations belonging to 6 alliances, 6 orders and 4 classes and compiled a vegetation syntaxonomic scheme. The leading factor of ecological differentiation of community is humidity of the area. The greatest diversity is inherent in mesotrophic areas, rare species are found and grouped according to diffe­rent ecological conditions. The species composition of 7 associations includes 79 plant species, of which 65 are vascular and 14 are bryophytes. Using methods of phytosociological analysis, we established that the distribution of community in multi-dimensional space of ecological factors occurs under the conditions of their complex action. At the same time, changes in the humidity regime are of crucial importance for the selected syntaxa (Andromedo polifoliae-Sphagnetum magellanicі). The results of the phytoindicative analysis proved that the associations identified on the territory of the Syra Pogonia peat-bog complex are acidophilic in terms of acidity, and oligotrophic in terms of the requirements for the content of nutriens. Conclusions. As orders, and result of the analysis of relevés, 7 associations, which belong to 6 alliances, 6 orders and 4 classes were selected. Based on the results of the dataset analysis, a vegetation classification scheme was compiled. As a result of the cluster analysis of 7 associations, a significant difference between communities of watered and wet habitats was revealed. We established that the differentiation of the vegetation on the territory of the peat massif of Syra Pogonia mainly depends on the change in the moisture regime.

Highlight the purpose. Plant cover of our republic, especially forest ecosystems, has lost its original state as a result of the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. The study of the impact of these factors on biodiversity has been the focus of many experts. The settlement of the studied area since ancient times and the good development of agriculture have caused the degradation and erosion of the forest cover that covers large areas, as well as the vegetation that replaces each other in the altitude zones here. For this reason, the issues of protection and protection of vegetation are distinguished by their relevance. The main goal of our research is to protect the vegetation of forests that have changed their initial state. Objectives. Mountain geosystems of the northeastern slope of the Greater Caucasus are bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, northwest, and west, the Samur-Devachi plain to the east, and the watershed line of the Greater Caucasus Range and Atachay to the south and southeast. Methods. Field studies were organized to solve the issues raised during the research period. Short-term visual observations of the existing geoecological conditions were carried out, from topographic maps and other maps (landscape, vegetation, etc.) of various scales, as well as from 1:25000 scale aerial and space images in the fund of the Institute of Ecology of MAKA, “Google” and “Bing” space images with a resolution of 1 meter in the funds, taken in the visible zone of the spectrum, obtained from various satellites in 2020-2023 and based on the application of SASPlanet, ArcGIS processing programs were used. With the help of these materials, the vegetation degradation and erosion processes of the research area were studied. Results. The northeast part of the Great Caucasus differs from the other mountainous regions for its appropriation features. For a long time appropriation of the investigated zone by the various farming areas caused a serious change in the natural geosystems. Thus, the zones where a hypsometric height of 200-500 m are mainly replaced by agro-complexes, the parts within 500-1800 m turned into a life and rest objects together with the arable and pastures, an irregular use from the summer pastures in cattle-breeding in the zones higher than 1800 m was completed by exposing of the plant cover to transformation. During assimilation, activation of ecological problems like decreased plant productivity, intensification of the erosion process, acceleration of degradation, and so on activates a problem of rational use. Defining importance, sensitiveness of plant cover, and rational use ways as protection, refusal of usage, extensive use of protection, development, extensive use, improvement, and development were determined.

Soil pollution mainly results from particulate matter falling from the atmosphere; for example, PM10 and PM2.5 originate from anthropogenic sources. Krakow is both an industrial and touristic city. The aim of this research was to establish the sources and find the main drivers of trace metal (TM) soil contamination in the recreational city park in Krakow. This study was performed on forest soils and glades located near built-up areas and 100 m above built-up areas. The contents of lead, cadmium, zinc, chromium, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available nutrients, dehydrogenases, urease, and invertase activities in the soils were determined. Geo-accumulation, pollution load, Nemerov pollution indices, and potential ecological risk were calculated. Our results indicated low emissions (house heating and traffic) as the main sources of pollution. TM pollution was higher in the soils of built-up areas than in soils located 100 m above built-up areas, and forest soils were more polluted with TMs than glade soils. Activities undertaken as part of the sustainable development of the city should aim to reduce low emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2013, Minawao, in Cameroon's Far North region, has been home to a camp for Nigerian refugees fleeing the violence perpetrated by the Boko Haram movement. The long-term establishment of the base has significantly impacted all aspects of the locality, particularly the environment. This article focuses on the influence of the refugee camp's presence on the territory of Minawao and its surroundings, emphasising changes in vegetation cover and land-use dynamics. The article was carried out using a methodology that included household surveys, cartographic analysis, and the collection of testimonies in the field. The investigation results reveal that the camp installation first led to declining agricultural and grazing activities. Secondly, the cutting of wood by the refugees has further degraded the region's vegetation cover, particularly in the forest reserve, showing a regression rate of minus 37.38% between 2015 and 2022. Lastly, the land occupied by the camp has gradually grown to exceed 1,493.11 ha of the area initially granted, and signs of soil degradation, mainly erosion (77.04%), are already visible. Initiatives have been implemented to combat this environmental degradation, including the "Make Minawao Green Again" project, activities to promote ecological charcoal and improved stoves, and waves of formal repatriation of refugees. However, these measures have not yet produced satisfactory results due to socio-economic and cultural constraints. Therefore, further humanitarian action to improve environmental management is needed to remedy these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roadside revegetation practices have evolved significantly in recent decades, spurred by the need for more reliable and cost-efficient operations and escalating concerns regarding biodiversity integration into large land-planning projects. While the use of rich and locally-sourced seed mixtures for revegetation is being considered with a rising interest to provide ecosystem services and resiliency, their efficacy in meeting practitioners' erosion-control expectations remains underexplored. This study addressed this gap by investigating the erosion-control potential of six seed mixtures, categorized into three compositions with varying levels of richness (standard < competitive < bio-diversity) and sourced from local and non-local origins, in a controlled greenhouse environment. For this purpose, the effect of these modalities on vegetation cover, plant density and root biomass production was assessed over a period of 118 days. During the establishment phase, while the effect of the origin on cover was not conclusive, the richer Biodiversity composition achieved faster ground cover, attributed to the presence of large-leaved forbs. The overall density of plants was lower in the richer mix compared to the two others, but significantly higher in its local version. The findings underscored trade-offs between vegetation cover and density, driven by intra- and interspecific competition processes, particularly related to access to light. Root biomass production was influenced by the origin of the seeds, with local mixes yielding higher biomass, particularly visible in the richer composition. In spite of growing conditions supposed to favor cultivars, wild and locally-sourced seeds showed promising results, advocating their broader adoption in roadside revegetation efforts. These findings provide insights for practitioners to optimize revegetation strategies and enhance roadside ecosystem resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. In situ field trials should now be carried out to confirm these promising results obtained under controlled conditions for roadside management and ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Post‐analyses of digital red, green, blue (RGB) and thermal images have become increasingly popular as modern approaches to plant cover analysis. Image analyses are often coupled with semi‐automated or automated workflows to reduce the amount of human labor input compared with traditional manual procedures. This study aims to evaluate and compare different image segmentation methods for plant cover analysis using digital RGB and thermal images, focusing on the effectiveness of semi‐automated and manual segmentation techniques in monitoring plant cover on green roofs. Location: An Extensive green roof in the City of Toronto. Methods: We surveyed the plant cover of an extensive green roof using digital and thermal imagery. The plant cover values were obtained using three methods: traditional manual segmentation based on a visual examination (MS), ImageJ Color Threshold (CT) and Trainable Weka Segmentation (TWS), all performed within FIJI (a distribution of ImageJ). Manual segmentation based on visual examination was used as a reference standard. Results: Significant correlation was found between the cover estimation using the CT and TWS methods relative to MS, and between cover estimation using the thermal image and the RGB image. TWS overestimated plant cover on thermal images while producing an underestimation on RGB images. CT demonstrated a performance closer to MS than TWS, indicating that manually customized methods produced results more aligned with MS. The estimated cover values by MS were not significantly affected by the image type (digital RGB or thermal). Conclusions: Results suggest that RGB and thermal imaging techniques may provide complementary results and reveal unique information regarding the functioning of green roofs. The accuracy of supervised machine‐learning methods could be enhanced with site‐specific data to provide a more accurate and efficient estimation of plant cover, which might be beneficial for long‐term studies on green roofs and ecological sites in remote locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a prolonged field studies that ained to assess the feasibility of using the sewage sludges (SS) form a regional water and wastewater services enterprise to expedite the establishment of a resilient erosion-control plant cover in sand pits located in the Arctic region of the Russian Federation. The study confirms the beneficial impact of the SS on the seed germination, subsequent growth, and development of plants. The study shows that SS can be used in two ways: first, by applying a continuous layer measuring 5 to 10 cm thick on the soil surface or by fragmentarily applying a layer 2–3 cm thick. Second, through early-winter sowing of seeds directly on the soil surface (under the SS layer) or on top of the sewage sludge. In both cases, an annual enhancement of the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the artificially formed stand of grass was observed. This included a significant increase in its height and density, biomass, foliage cover, and thickness of the formed sod, in contrast to the reference sample. The present study investigates the characteristics of the floristic composition of the phytocenoses formed in a sand pit. The findings demonstrate that the use of sewage sludge (SS), regardless of the quantity and application method, accelerates the restorative succession in the sand pit. The thick stand in the experimental variants, resulting from the attraction of pioneer vegetation, promotes the complexity of its structure and species composition, rapid vegetation of inner bare areas, and the emergence of natural phytocenoses elements that are specific to the zonal type of vegetation. Additionally, the use of SS stabilizes erosion processes in the study ares. Consequently, the plant community formed in the experiment using SS can be classified as ecologically sustainable, with the potential for independent existence and further development. These results can serve as a foundation for monitoring efforts and the development of measures to optimize the vegetation of such ecotopes.

This study was conducted on high-elevation rangelands of Erzurum, Turkey, between 2011 and 2014 for four year. The aim was to determine the effects of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPBs) applications on rangeland canopy cover ratio. PGPBs strains (Pseudomonas fluorescens T26, Pantoea agglomerans 16B, Paenibacillus polymyxa TV-12E, Bacillus cereus TV-30D, and Bacillus megatherium TV-3D) used in this study were obtained from the culture collection unit in the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture at Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. Four study year results showed that PGPBs treatments had significant effects on the canopy cover of rangelands. The highest canopy cover ratio occupied was in treatment T21 (50 kg N ha-1+25 kg P2O5 ha-1+B. megatherium. TV-3D). There was a significant difference between treatments T21 and the other treatments, while the lowest was in treatment T14 (50 kg N ha-1+B. cereus TV-30D). In plots of P. polymyxa TV-12E, P. fluorescens T26, and B. megatherium TV-3D bacteria strains plus half of N+P fertilizer, the canopy cover was higher than that of the other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] By analyzing the soil chemical properties and enzyme activities of banana garden under plant cover, the vaiation characteristics of soil quality were clarified, which would provide data support for exploring the combination of land use and land cultivation mode of banana garden. [Method] Using the traditional bare planting pattern without any cover plant as control, natural weeds and artificial planting Macroptilium atropurpureum as the cover plant treatments, the variation characteristics of chemical properties and enzymeatic activities of banana garden soil with plant cover were analyzed based on 3-years field plot location trail. [Result] Plant cover significantly improved soil chemical properties and enzymatic activities (P<0.05). Compared with control, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, available nitrogen and available phosphorus content of soil with artificial planting M. atropurpureum treatment were improved by 51.92%, 38. 00%, 41.86%, 20.85% and 29.70%, respectively; The activities of soil sucrase, urease, catalase and phosphatase were increased by 34.19%, 50.28%, 33.41% and 101.54%, respectively. Plant cover could significantly and effectively improve the soil organic matter, alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus content of banana garden soil within one year, while the effect of plant cover on total nitrogen and total phosphorus content took more than two years to show significant difference; The results of principal component analysis showed that artificial planting M. atropurpureum treatment had a more significant effect on soil enzyme activity than that of natural weeds treatment. [Conclusion] Compared with the traditional bare planting pattten, the two cover plant treatments significantly increased the soil chemical properties and enzymatic activities of banana garden, moreover artificial planting M. atropurpureum treatement had a better effect on soil improvement than natural weeds. The wide-narrow-row planting pattern combined with legume cover treatment could effectively improve the soil quality, which would be a technical model for healthy and sustainable development in banana industry in dry-hot valley region of Yunnan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlight the purpose. Plant cover of our republic, especially forest ecosystems, has lost its original state as a result of the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. The study of the impact of these factors on biodiversity has been the focus of many experts. The settlement of the studied area since ancient times and the good development of agriculture have caused the degradation and erosion of the forest cover that covers large areas, as well as the vegetation that replaces each other in the altitude zones here. For this reason, the issues of protection and protection of vegetation are distinguished by their relevance. The main goal of our research is to protect the vegetation of forests that have changed their initial state. Objectives. Mountain geosystems of the northeastern slope of the Greater Caucasus are bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, northwest, and west, the Samur-Devachi plain to the east, and the watershed line of the Greater Caucasus Range and Atachay to the south and southeast. Methods. Field studies were organized to solve the issues raised during the research period. Short-term visual observations of the existing geoecological conditions were carried out, from topographic maps and other maps (landscape, vegetation, etc.) of various scales, as well as from 1:25000 scale aerial and space images in the fund of the Institute of Ecology of MAKA, “Google” and “Bing” space images with a resolution of 1 meter in the funds, taken in the visible zone of the spectrum, obtained from various satellites in 2020-2023 and based on the application of SASPlanet, ArcGIS processing programs were used. With the help of these materials, the vegetation degradation and erosion processes of the research area were studied. Results. The northeast part of the Great Caucasus differs from the other mountainous regions for its appropriation features. For a long time appropriation of the investigated zone by the various farming areas caused a serious change in the natural geosystems. Thus, the zones where a hypsometric height of 200-500 m are mainly replaced by agro-complexes, the parts within 500-1800 m turned into a life and rest objects together with the arable and pastures, an irregular use from the summer pastures in cattle-breeding in the zones higher than 1800 m was completed by exposing of the plant cover to transformation. During assimilation, activation of ecological problems like decreased plant productivity, intensification of the erosion process, acceleration of degradation, and so on activates a problem of rational use. Defining importance, sensitiveness of plant cover, and rational use ways as protection, refusal of usage, extensive use of protection, development, extensive use, improvement, and development were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Peruvian Amazon has been significantly affected by land use and climate change, decreasing decomposition processes, which cause a significant depletion of soil C stocks. In this study, we estimated soil organic C (SOC) mediated by different plant covers in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plantations and secondary forests in several districts of the San Martín Region, Peru. We calculated the critical threshold, saturation point, and the organic C deficit of these Amazonian soils. The association between geography, soil physical-chemical characteristics, and SOC was estimated through principal component analysis. Across all sites of the study, SOC stock had an average value of 69.19 t ha-1, with 48.95 t ha-1 constituting inorganic C. The highest SOC stock (225.28 t ha-1) was observed under secondary forest in the Jepelacio district. The SOC stocks were positively correlated with altitude and CaCO3 content only in secondary forests. The current measured amount of organic C within 15 cm soil depth was 28.5 g C kg-1, which is very low and close to the critical threshold (20.6 g C kg-1) -estimated based on its clay and silt contents. Our SOC stocks measurements indicated a worrisome situation, as they are close to the critical threshold, which exposes this area to a greater and stronger degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive green roofs are well known to improve the urban environment, but in the Mediterranean regions, dry climatic conditions pose the problem of their sustainability when no irrigation is applied. After planting or sowing in 2012, 18 local Mediterranean plant species on different types of exposure and substrate in a non-irrigated extensive green roof in Avignon (South-Eastern France), the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil, winter and spring soil seed banks, soil mesofauna and initially sown, planted, or spontaneous vegetation expressed on the surface were studied from 2013 to 2020. In 2020, significant differences related to the exposure conditions (shade/sun) and, to a lesser extent, to the depth of substrate used (5 cm/5 cm or 10 cm with a water retention layer) were found. The deeper plots in the shade have significantly higher soil fertility, cover, and vegetation height. However, the plots in the sun have higher moss cover, planted or sowed vegetation abundance, and springtail abundance. By 2020, more than half of the initially sown species had disappeared, except for several planted perennials and short-cycle annual species. On the other hand, a significant increase in the species richness of spontaneously established species was measured over time. In the absence of a permanent and transient seed bank for the sowed and spontaneous species, the plant community is then mostly dependent on species flows via the local surrounding seed rain. Planting perennial species (Sedum spp., Iris lutescens), followed by spontaneous colonization of species present in the vicinity of the roof would then represent a more efficient strategy for the persistence of extensive non-irrigated green roofs in Mediterranean environments than sowing a species-rich local Mediterranean seed mixture dominated by annual species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionSoil erosion causes storms and the release of fine dust. This has a significant impact on climate change and creates global problems. The first effect of dust on agriculture is in the field of reduced production, reduced diversity and reduced vegetation density because fine dust is a factor that causes negative effects on plant physiology. geomorphological features, soil type and vegetation are the most influential factors in desertification and dust production. Strengthening natural ecological cycles and rehabilitating forests and plantation pastures is the best basic solution to control wind erosion. The main widely used plant species in arid and saline areas are halophyte rangeland species. Among these, two plant species of Salsola imbricata and Salicornia iranica grow well in the desert pastures of Iran. These two species of halophyte due to their unique characteristics, such as drought resistance, salinity, deep root system, high efficiency in water use, etc. as an important forage plant in soils It is considered dry and is important for planting in saline lands where other crops are not producing well or in areas where irrigation with saline water is possible. But on the other hand, determining the most appropriate planting date means determining the time when vegetative and reproductive growth of the plant is most in harmony with climatic factors and the plant is less exposed to adverse environmental conditions. , Plant development and production during the growing season and is one of the most important management factors in the production of all crops in order to reduce the negative effects of environmental stresses. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of planting date on biostability of these two plant species against stress. It was fine.Materials and methodsThis experiment was performed as a split in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the crop year 2020 in Pakdasht city. Factors tested include: three planting dates:, 20 March, 3 April and 19 April as the main plots, dust factor at three levels: (control (without dust), dust spread on the plant for 5 days and 10 days) to The sub-plots and species factor (Salicornia iranica, Salsola imbricata) were considered as sub-plots. In order to spray dust on the space plants, a cubic of transparent plastic was made to the dimensions of each plot and was placed on each plot during the application of stress. The time of application of fine dust stress was on the second of July, 1399. The traits of the studied plant species were measured at the flowering stage. For calculation, chlorophyll content (Arnon.1949), membrane lipid peroxidation assay (Yidirim and et al. 2009), measurement of relative leaf water content (Ritchie et al. 1990), protein content assay (Bremner. 1996), carbohydrate assay Soluble (Hasid and Neufield. 1964) 2 plants were selected from each plot and traits were measured. To measure forage yield, 5 plants from each subplot were calculated and weighed.Results and discussionAmong the agronomic factors, planting time is one of the most important factors determining plant yield. Planting date for each species in a specific area should be considered according to the ambient temperature and soil at the time of planting and also based on the non-interference of flowering plant to high temperature. Both species are more suitable, so to achieve the desired forage yield, it is necessary to plant both plants when the average temperature is 25-25 ° C and to avoid planting delays. On the other hand, the storage capacity of more dust in the plant is one of the determining factors in selecting species compatible with fine dust and reducing air pollution. Salsola also showed more dust holding capacity than Salicornia due to waxy leaf cover, slightly wrinkled margins. Therefore, according to the obtained results, Salsola plant can be a better choice for cultivation in the center of fine dust and control of fine dust.

Flowering is an integral feature of the life history of seagrasses, and it contributes to the genetic diversity and resilience of meadows. There is some evidence that seagrass flowering is influenced by tidal depth; however, the effects of tidal exposure on the flowering variabilities in patchy intertidal meadows are largely unknown. In the present study, inter and intra-annual variability of flowering was examined using a line transect sampling method across two subtropical intertidal meadows (i.e., Lilley’s Beach and Pelican Banks) of Zostera muelleri on Australia’s east coast. Along each transect, the depth was measured using Leica Geosystems AGS14 RTK, and the plant cover was estimated using a standard scale. The duration of exposure at each depth was computed based on the tidal data and categorised exposure duration by hours. The abundance (i.e., the density of flowering shoots and density of spathes) and the ratio of flowering (i.e., flowering frequency) and morphology of flowering (i.e., the number of spathes per flowering shoot) were estimated at every 10 m along three 100 m fixed transects established perpendicular to the tide monthly in 2020 and 2021. Flowering started in July and extended for approximately six months, with peak flowering observed in September-October at both sites. Generalised linear mixed-effect models showed that approximately 39% of the density of flowering shoots, 36% of the density of spathes and 28% of flowering frequency were explained by plant cover and exposure duration. Similar variation in the spathes per flowering shoot was explained by plant cover only (40%). The density of spathes during peak flowering months was significantly different among exposure categories (3-4 hrs and 5-6 hrs in Lilley’s Beach and 5-6 hrs and 6-7 hrs in Pelican Banks in 2021), where significantly different interannual variability was observed only between the same exposure categories in Pelican Banks. The study offers valuable insights into seed-based restoration projects, including optimal seed harvesting times and the average quantity of harvestable flowers, although some inter-annual variations should be anticipated.

Lack of maintenance can lead to 'weedy' spontaneous vegetation on green roofs. Aspects of green roof design, including substrate depth and roof height, have been shown to influence the composition of spontaneous vegetation. In drier climates, Sedum species are often planted on shallow substrate 'extensive' green roofs and irrigated during summer to maintain cover. However, the response of spontaneous vegetation to Sedum cover and water availability is unclear. Understanding this relationship could help minimise maintenance and maintain Sedum vegetation cover. We hypothesised that increasing Sedum (Sedum mexicanum) cover and reduced water availability would reduce the abundance, biomass, species and functional richness, and the community weighted mean specific leaf area (SLA; CWM by abundance) of spontaneous plant communities. We conducted a 10-month experiment in green roof microcosms planted with S. mexicanum (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% total cover), subjected to a well-watered or water-deficit irrigation treatment, and sown with a mix of 14 plant species that commonly occur as spontaneous on green roofs. We measured spontaneous species abundance, community biomass, and functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, and relative growth rate), and calculated species and functional richness. Increasing S. mexicanum cover reduced spontaneous species abundance and species and functional richness but did not affect community biomass. Species richness was affected by the interaction of S. mexicanum cover and watering treatment and was greatest in well-watered microcosms with 0% S. mexicanum cover. Increased water availability increased spontaneous plant biomass but did not affect functional richness. The SLA of spontaneous communities was affected by the interaction of S. mexicanum cover and watering and was significantly greater in well-watered treatments where S. mexicanum cover was <100%. Therefore, maximising Sedum cover and limiting water availability on green roofs will likely limit the abundance, biomass, and diversity of spontaneous vegetation. Conversely, for green roofs where substrate is left to be naturally colonised, increasing water availability could encourage establishment and increase functional richness of spontaneous vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Global mean temperature has increased by 1.07 °C since the Industrial Revolution, which arouses people's widespread concern about climate warming. Nighttime temperatures increase faster and higher than daytime temperatures around the world. Various microbial groups in the soil may respond differently to such asymmetrically diurnal warming and then change ecological functions. In this study, we used a ten-year experiment in a semi-arid grassland to examine the effects of daytime and nighttime warming on soil microbial composition. The results showed that short-term warming did not change soil microbial composition, but long-term daytime warming rather than nighttime warming decreased the fungi-to-bacteria ratio in soils. In addition, soil respiration enhanced with the decreasing fungi-to-bacteria ratio. This work implies the importance of soil microbial composition in regulating grassland C release under long-term warming, which may help us accurately assess the climate-C feedback in terrestrial ecosystems. Climate warming has profoundly influenced community structure and ecosystem functions in the terrestrial biosphere. However, how asymmetric rising temperatures between daytime and nighttime affect soil microbial communities that predominantly regulate soil carbon (C) release remains unclear. As part of a decade-long warming manipulation experiment in a semi-arid grassland, we aimed to examine the effects of short- and long-term asymmetrically diurnal warming on soil microbial composition. Neither daytime nor nighttime warming affected soil microbial composition in the short term, whereas long-term daytime warming instead of nighttime warming decreased fungal abundance by 6.28% (p < 0.05) and the ratio of fungi to bacteria by 6.76% (p < 0.01), which could be caused by the elevated soil temperature, reduced soil moisture, and increased grass cover. In addition, soil respiration enhanced with the decreasing fungi-to-bacteria ratio, but was not correlated with microbial biomass C during the 10 years, indicating that microbial composition may be more important than biomass in modulating soil respiration. These observations highlight the crucial role of soil microbial composition in regulating grassland C release under long-term climate warming, which facilitates an accurate assessment of climate-C feedback in the terrestrial biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general shape (from linear to complex curve), direction (negative and positive) and strength (steepness of the slope) of abundance–impact relationships for different impact metrics are poorly known, despite their importance in understanding and predicting ecological repercussions of invasive species. It is also an open question how the functional traits of invasive species may influence the abundance–impact relationship.We studied 11 widespread herbaceous invasive alien species of East‐Central Europe and their 16 impact metrics (resident plant communities' ecological characteristics, trait composition, functional diversity and soil parameters) by sampling invaded and similar, uninvaded sites (space‐for‐time substitution method). Our aim was to (1) investigate the detailed ecological impacts of invasive plants on native plant communities; (2) explore the type of cover–impact relationships across impact metrics and their consistency across species and (3) study whether the cover–impact relationship depends on functional traits of invasive species.When considering all invasive species together, we found that invaded plant communities were less species rich and less functionally even but showed higher values of Rao's Q diversity index, and higher nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon soil nutrient content compared to uninvaded communities. However, the species‐wise analyses revealed strikingly different impacts among the 11 invasive species and also among impact metrics.Regarding the type of cover–impact relationships, we found no consistencies across invasive species and impact metrics. Still, nonlinear relationships prevailed when species were analysed together and linear relationships when species were studied individually. The functional traits of the invasive species explained only a small part of this response heterogeneity; mostly, the small‐seeded perennial invasive species affected the cover–species richness relationship.Synthesis: Herbaceous invasive plant species have a cover‐dependent impact on resident plant communities, but there are no consistent patterns across impact metrics and invasive species. Specific traits or trait syndrome of invasive species may affect the heterogeneity of cover–impact relationships, but that would need further study. We highlighted the importance of impact assessments involving invasive species' abundance to unmask cryptic impacts for species that show contrasting effects along an abundance gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is the fundamental component of each terrestrial ecosystem, so the consequences of land management regime on soil health and productivity should be evaluated. To this end, the long term effects of livestock grazing management on soil health were studied in three land management systems of north-eastern Iran, comprising unlimited grazing, managed grazing, and a rangeland where grazing was prohibited. First, properties including pH, EC, bulk density and contents of phosphorus, potassium and calcium in soils subject to the three grazing management regimes were compared. Then, seasonal variations of organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial respiration (BR and SIR), carbon and nitrogen of microbial biomass (MBC and MBN), fungal biomass and AMF (Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) spore density were studied at the three sites. Several soil stoichiometric microbial indicators were also compared. Soil phosphorus contents were found to drastically decline (by around 40%) in response to long term unlimited grazing, while soil acidity and bulk density slightly increased under that grazing regime, in comparison with managed-grazing and grazing-excluded rangelands. Season and grazing management had significant impacts on all the studied variables. Although soil nitrogen content increased, presumably due to livestock urine, organic carbon content and all the soil microbial variables declined in grazed sites, which were also the ones with lower plant cover. A higher AFM spore density was observed around the rhizosphere of Artemisia aucheri, the most frequent plant, in lands with unlimited grazing. Based on these results, managed grazing is strongly recommended rather than any kind of unlimited or continuous grazing.

Tajikistan's rangelands are mostly mountainous and consist of summer and winter pastures. Vegetation structure and composition in these diverse landscapes are generally influenced by environmental factors. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of aspect on vegetation characteristics of two mountainous pastures (summer and winter) over two seasons (autumn and spring) in Tajikistan. A three-way ANOVA was conducted using GLM procedures to test the main effects and interactions of these factors on vegetation attributes. The biomass production (kg DM ha−1) was significantly greater on the north-facing aspects for both summer and winter pastures in spring (483.4, 326.1) and autumn (57.2, 143.9), compared with south-facing aspects (57.2, 143.9 in spring and 18.5, 48.2 in autumn, respectively). Plant cover and plant density were also greater on north than south-facing slopes for summer and winter pastures in spring and autumn. Aspect significantly affected species diversity, botanic composition, and plant life forms of both pastures mainly for grasses and geophytes. There were greater vegetation responses on north than south-facing slopes, implying that aspect is important when designing mountain rangeland restoration. Given this complexity, land managers should thoroughly assess the conditions of the target site before defining restoration objectives and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection of soil organic carbon and acid-hydrolyzable carbohydrates in aggregate-size fractions is important for appraising soil degradation and aggregation under land use types. Aggregate-associated soil organic carbon (SOC) and acid-hydrolyzable carbohydrates (R-CHO) in bulk soils and aggregate-size fractions of a sandy loam soil under Alchornea bush, Rubber, Oil palm and Teak plantations in southern Nigeria were studied. Results revealed significant differences in aggregate-associated SOC and R-CHO, bulk densities, total porosity, soil organic carbon stock and aggregate stability among the land use types. Greater SOC was stored in macro-aggregates >0.25 mm, while greater R-CHO was occluded in micro-aggregates 5 µm, therefore they have greater potentials to boost protection of SOC in soil macro-aggregates.

Riparian buffers and stream channel widths along river networks have extremely significant ecological influences on parameters and stressors associated with riparian health indicators (RHIs). It is imperative for countries that rely heavily on rivers for irrigation to protect RHIs such as habitat, plant cover, regeneration, exotics, and erosion. It is unclear which protection methods are most effective for RHIs in less developed countries, such as Pakistan. This study fills this gap by using a quick field-based technique that includes 273 transects and examines the response of RHIs in the upper and lower Indus River basins (IRB). In the lower Indus basin (LIB), riparian buffer and stream channel widths had the most considerable influence on RHIs using Pearson’s correlations, ranging from ̶ 0.47 < r < 0.71 and ̶ 0.41 < r < 0.32, respectively. There was a significant relationship between stressors and RHIs in the LIB when these widths were changed, and stressors had a significant influence on habitat ̶ 0.37 < r < 0.41, plant cover ̶ 0.32 < r < 0.38, regeneration ̶ 0.29 < r < 0.25, erosion ̶ 0.34 < r < 0.49, and exotics ̶ 0.39 < r < 0.24. In contrast, these stressors in the upper Indus basin (UIB) also adversely affected habitat ̶ 0.28 < r < 0.27, plant cover ̶ 0.34 < r < 0.26, regeneration ̶ 0.19 < r < 0.26, erosion ̶ 0.38 < r < 0.23, and exotics ̶ 0.31 < r < 0.30. It was found from the principal component analysis that the responses of RHIs and stressors varied considerably between the UIB and LIB. Additionally, the agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis of the RHIs and stressor indices revealed dissimilarities in the UIB and LIB. This study supports the need to examine riparian regions along long rivers, which are subject to the same administrative strategies. Large river ecosystems need revised standards to prevent further degradation based on ecological indicators.

Extensive green roofs are well known to improve the urban environment, but in the Mediterranean regions, dry climatic conditions pose the problem of their sustainability when no irrigation is applied. After planting or sowing in 2012, 18 local Mediterranean plant species on different types of exposure and substrate in a non-irrigated extensive green roof in Avignon (South-Eastern France), the physico-chemical characteristics of the soil, winter and spring soil seed banks, soil mesofauna and initially sown, planted, or spontaneous vegetation expressed on the surface were studied from 2013 to 2020. In 2020, significant differences related to the exposure conditions (shade/sun) and, to a lesser extent, to the depth of substrate used (5 cm/5 cm or 10 cm with a water retention layer) were found. The deeper plots in the shade have significantly higher soil fertility, cover, and vegetation height. However, the plots in the sun have higher moss cover, planted or sowed vegetation abundance, and springtail abundance. By 2020, more than half of the initially sown species had disappeared, except for several planted perennials and short-cycle annual species. On the other hand, a significant increase in the species richness of spontaneously established species was measured over time. In the absence of a permanent and transient seed bank for the sowed and spontaneous species, the plant community is then mostly dependent on species flows via the local surrounding seed rain. Planting perennial species (Sedum spp., Iris lutescens), followed by spontaneous colonization of species present in the vicinity of the roof would then represent a more efficient strategy for the persistence of extensive non-irrigated green roofs in Mediterranean environments than sowing a species-rich local Mediterranean seed mixture dominated by annual species.

Background: Fire affects quantitative and qualitative indicators by changing stable plant communities, changing genetic diversity and reducing plant and animal species and the succession and steps are effective. The severe effects of tires on the reduction of soil protection, production and changes in plants payability, animal breeding conditions, challenges in the livelihoods of fanners, disturbance in ecosystem cycles, and on a large scale the impact on climate change, add to the sensitivity of the issue. Therefore, wildtire in natural areas is an ecological and economic risk and has profound effects on vegetation and soil and economic production of the countiy. So, it seems necessary to know the effects of fire, which is the purpose of writing this article. Methodology: To conduct this study, Veysian site witi an average height of 1580 meters above sea level and an average annual rainfall of 470 mm was selected. Then, 200-meter transects with four numbers and a distance of 100 meters from each other and 10 squares of one square meter fixed on each of them formed the sample units in each field. This sample unit was executed exactly in a similar and homogeneous arena in its immediate area, which is protected from fire and is called the control area, with the same quality. This site was burned for the second time in 2011 and 2016, and it was surveyed in 2018 and 2019. In this site, 80 plots of one square meter each year and finally 160 plots were studied in two years and in two areas of control and treatment. After sampling, the data were normalized and analyzed using T-TEST and ANOVA in the SPSS version 22 software environment and comparing the average data using the DUNCAN method. Results: In this research, tie general comparison of tie control and treatment areas in all sites shows that there is a significant difference between tie control and fire treatments at the level of 1%. In other words, the fire has been able to creae major changes in terms of quantitative and qualitative indicators in the sites. The fire has obviously increased the forbs relatively compared to the grasses due to the overall decrease in canopy cover and production. The dominant species in this vegetative form is tie annual species Coronillascorpoioides (L.) Koch, which prevailed over other species after the fire. Also, the fire caused the reduction of the condition rangeland from average to poor and the trend of the status from 22؛ points in the control to +1 in the fire treatment. According to the annual increase of rainfall from 356 mm in the first year to 778 mm in the second year, data shows that the amount control area of production has increased from 1276 to 1454 kg per hectare (178 kg), while the burned area has decreased by 2 kg. Conclusion: Covering the soil surface and its quality is one of the most important factors for soil health protection and reducing erosion and preventing of splash erosion. Fire resistance is different in different species in a vegetative form. Plant species whose seeds are more easily moved by the wind are more successful in reestablishing in the burned zone and this point is independent of their vegetative form. In this research, fire is like preparing the field for planting plants, so reviving fire fields with high-quality species is a necessity. Considering that the fire destroyed the positive aspects of the soil and vegetation and the management of burnt areas is very specialized and sensitive. Therefore, according to the existing conditions, it is notrecommended to create afire either intentionally or accidentally in this vegetation area of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of Life Sciences & Biotechnology (2651-4621) is the property of International Society of Academicians and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lack of maintenance can lead to ‘weedy’ spontaneous vegetation on green roofs. Aspects of green roof design, including substrate depth and roof height, have been shown to influence the composition of spontaneous vegetation. In drier climates, Sedum species are often planted on shallow substrate ‘extensive’ green roofs and irrigated during summer to maintain cover. However, the response of spontaneous vegetation to Sedum cover and water availability is unclear. Understanding this relationship could help minimise maintenance and maintain Sedum vegetation cover. We hypothesised that increasing Sedum (Sedum mexicanum) cover and reduced water availability would reduce the abundance, biomass, species and functional richness, and the community weighted mean specific leaf area (SLA; CWM by abundance) of spontaneous plant communities. We conducted a 10-month experiment in green roof microcosms planted with S. mexicanum (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% total cover), subjected to a well-watered or water-deficit irrigation treatment, and sown with a mix of 14 plant species that commonly occur as spontaneous on green roofs. We measured spontaneous species abundance, community biomass, and functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, and relative growth rate), and calculated species and functional richness. Increasing S. mexicanum cover reduced spontaneous species abundance and species and functional richness but did not affect community biomass. Species richness was affected by the interaction of S. mexicanum cover and watering treatment and was greatest in well-watered microcosms with 0% S. mexicanum cover. Increased water availability increased spontaneous plant biomass but did not affect functional richness. The SLA of spontaneous communities was affected by the interaction of S. mexicanum cover and watering and was significantly greater in well-watered treatments where S. mexicanum cover was Sedum cover and limiting water availability on green roofs will likely limit the abundance, biomass, and diversity of spontaneous vegetation. Conversely, for green roofs where substrate is left to be naturally colonised, increasing water availability could encourage establishment and increase functional richness of spontaneous vegetation.

Species abundance distributions (SADs) link species richness with species abundances and are an important tool in the quantitative analysis of ecological communities. Niche‐based and sample‐based SAD models predict different spatial scaling properties of SAD parameters. However, empirical research on SAD scaling properties is largely missing. Here we extracted percentage cover values of all occurring vascular plants as proxies of their abundance in 1725 10‐m2 plots from the GrassPlot database, covering 47 regional data sets of 19 different grasslands and other open vegetation types of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. For each plot, we fitted the Weibull distribution, a model that is able to effectively mimic other distributions like the log‐series and lognormal, to the species–log abundance rank order distribution. We calculated the skewness and kurtosis of the empirical distributions and linked these moments, along with the shape and scale parameters of the Weibull distribution, to plot climatic and soil characteristics. The Weibull distribution provided excellent fits to grassland plant communities and identified four basic types of communities characterized by different degrees of dominance. Shape and scale parameter values of local communities on poorer soils were largely in accordance with log‐series distributions. Proportions of subdominant species tended to be lower than predicted by the standard lognormal SAD. Successive accumulation of plots of the same vegetation type yielded nonlinear spatial scaling of SAD moments and Weibull parameters. This scaling was largely independent of environmental correlates and geographic plot position. Our findings caution against simple generalizations about the mechanisms that generate SADs. We argue that in grasslands, lognormal‐type SADs tend to prevail within a wider range of environmental conditions, including more extreme habitats such as arid environments. In contrast, log‐series distributions are mainly restricted to comparatively species‐rich communities on humid and fertile soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our research was to present the properties of alluvial soils from mountain forest areas. Additionally, the paper presents the vegetation accompanying the studied soils. The detailed characteristics will include the stand and the undergrowth. 10 study plots representing mountain areas were included in the study. Study plots were located in the mountains in the Bielsko, Ustroń, Szklarska Poręba, Węgierska Górka forest districts as well as the Bieszczadzki, Babiogórski and Tatrzański National Parks. At each sample plot a detailed description of soil profile has been carried out, samples were collected from each genetic horizon in order to perform the basic determinations of the soil properties. On each research plot, a phytosociological relevé using the Braun-Blanquet method and a taxonomic description of the tree stand were performed. The diagnosis of forest site type was determined according to forest management principles and the Trophic Soil Index was calculated. The properties of mountain alluvial soils are related to the properties of the rock complexes within which alluvial terraces are formed. Mountain alluvial soils belong to various groups (Fluvisols, Leptosols, Cambisols, Phaeozems), which depend on the valley location and anthropogenic factors. River regulation and the disappearance of floods result in the formation of soils with a cambic horizon and acidification of the surface horizons devoid of the influence of water. Two main plant communities are associated with mountain alluvial soils: Alnetum incanae and Carici remotae-Fraxinetum. Ecosystems related to mountain alluvial soils are very valuable due to their high biodiversity and fulfilling various ecosystem functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seabirds introduce aquatically‐derived nutrients into their terrestrial nesting environments, often leading to vegetative overgrowth that degrades nesting habitat suitability over time. In this study we capitalized upon the process of salt suppression that naturally occurs in salt‐spray plant communities in order to reintroduce habitat heterogeneity (the mix of open substrate and plant cover) on a common tern (Sterna hirundo) breeding colony in the Gulf of Maine. In 2019, we randomly assigned hypersaline spray and control treatments within 10 experimental blocks across the site, and recorded plant community and seabird reproductive responses. We compared the habitat heterogeneity resulting from salt treatment to estimates of optimal habitat heterogeneity measured within productivity monitoring areas at this site during 2016–2020. We observed an average reduction of approximately 24% plant cover in hypersaline plots relative to control plots (t18 = −5.56, p < 0.001), constituting a substantial increase in nesting habitat heterogeneity. Common tern nesting density was 80% higher in treatment plots relative to controls (t18 = 2.6, P = 0.020), yielding 88% more chicks hatched per square meter (t18 = 3.3, P = 0.004). We suggest that the application of hypersaline spray may serve as an effective and practical habitat management technique in management‐dependent systems such as tern nesting colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to determine the role of geomorphological factors in land use and plant cover organization. For this purpose, the relationship between geomorphological factors such as geomorphological unit, elevation, slope, aspect, and curvature with land use and plant cover was analyzed using GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques and statistical methods (zonal analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis). Using zonal analysis, the boundaries of both land use patterns and plant species are clearly drawn according to geomorphological factors. Using correlation analysis, the direction and intensity of the relationship between each geomorphological factor with land use patterns and plant species were determined. Finally, regression analysis method was used to determine the impact rate of geomorphological factors on land use patterns and plant cover. Thus, the effects of geomorphological factors on the distribution of both land use patterns and the each plant species were explained in detail. When the results of all three analyses are evaluated in general, the elevation is very strong, the slope strong, the aspect medium, the geomorphological unit weak, and the curvature has a very weak effect on the distribution of land use patterns and the plant species in the research area. The data obtained from the study will contribute to the planning and implementation of activities such as forest, agriculture, land use, water management to be carried out by local administrations and decision-makers. In addition, it will form a scientific basis for the sustainability of forest existence in harmony with the ecological conditions of Göksun Plain and its surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands are essential natural and agricultural ecosystems that encompass over one-third of global lands. However, land conversion and poor management have caused losses of these systems which contributed to a 10% reduction of net primary production, a 4% increase in carbon emissions, and a potential loss of US $42 billion a year. It is, therefore, important to restore, enhance and conserve these grasslands to sustain natural plant communities and the livelihoods of those that rely on them. We installed low cost rock structures (media lunas) to assess their ability to restore grasslands by slowing water flow, reducing erosion and improving plant establishment. Our treatments included sites with small and large rock structures that were seeded with a native seed mix as well as sites with no seed or rock and sites with only seed addition. We collected summer percent cover for plants, litter, and rock and spring seedling count data. We also collected soil for nutrient, moisture, and microbial analysis. Within the first year, we found no change in plant cover between rock structures of two rock sizes. We did find, however, an increase in soil moisture, litter, fungal richness, and spring seedling germination within the rock structures, despite a historic drought. This work demonstrates that rock structures can positively impact plants and soils of grasslands even within the first year. Our results suggest that managers should seriously consider employing these low-cost structures to increase short-term plant establishment and possibly, soil health, in grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Early" potato crops are grown in the Mediterranean basin and are marketed from March to June, well before main-crop potato in the spring–summer growth period. Different growing technologies have been implemented to enhance potato "earliness" to achieve a better market price, but at the same time, the applied technologies may influence yield and quality of the 'early potato'. The main goal of this study was to investigate differences in "early" potato nutritional and sensory characteristics after oil-frying influenced by location and plant covering in five potato cultivars. The present investigation was carried out at two planting locations during two seasons. The application of a plant cover significantly increased the potato tubers' dry matter, starch, and sugar content in the second season. Sensory analysis of the oil-fried "early" potatoes revealed no differences between potatoes grown with or without the plant cover. We also observed significantly higher dry matter content in potatoes grown at the Split location in the second year, while no differences in the sensory scores between oil-fried potatoes grown at the investigated locations were observed. By employing a plant cover or by choosing a warmer planting location the desired potato maturity level could be reached in less time, and one could more effectively exploit the "early" potato market. By employing such techniques there should be no loss in yield, nutritional or sensory quality of potato tubers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the role of mycorrhyzae for supporting ecological processes and the stability and aggregation of soil is of great importance in the ecosystems of the Andean region undergoing high transformation. This study evaluated the importance of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) through the traits of spore density, external mycelium length (EML), and glomalin concentration on the aggregation indices and the physical and chemical characteristics in 20 patches classified in four land uses (forest, stubble, coffee plantations, and cattle pastures) in the high basin of Cali River (Colombia). The traits of EML, difficult-extractable glomalin-related soil protein (DE-GRSP), and total glomalin-related soil protein (T-GRSP), were significantly higher in forest, stubble and coffee soils, which, in turn, presented the highest soil aggregation values. On the other hand, the soils from cattle pastures presented a significantly higher percentage of microaggregates, macroaggregates, spore density and easily-extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP) than the other land uses which suggests adverse effects from compaction and erosion. The higher proportion of stable macroaggregates suggests that the AMF improve soil conditions during the agglutination of particles in stable aggregates due to glomalin. Although it is evident how the effects of some mycorrhizal traits can improve the soil conditions, in other agroecosystems, these effects are affected by the type of agricultural activity and the intensity of soil tillage. Similarly, other ecosystem processes involved in the regulation of fertility and the transformation of organic matter can also be affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orawa - Nowy Targ Basin is one of only a few areas in the Polish Carpathians with high relative cover of peatlands (12 %). This fraction is declining progressively due to several centuries of peat exploitation for fuel, gardening and balneology. The peatland at Ludźmierz near Nowy Targ is regionally important for its high biodiversity but has been scarred by historical and contemporary peat extraction. The current area and fragmentation of peat domes on Ludźmierz Bog were assessed, along with the characteristics and condition of the vegetation. Also, topographical changes across areas of peat extraction were analysed using a combination of remote sensing and field study methods in order to identify the locations of modern peat extraction and natural mass movements. The condition of the raised bog and changes in its boundaries were thus deduced, paying attention to the bog’s exceptional environmental and landscape values. The area covered by the bog is currently 39 ha and it is divided into three separate domes which are drained by a network of ditches and through discontinuities of the water table at peat extraction areas. The vegetation on extraction areas currently has a higher biomass growth rate than the plant cover on the domes, and is in better condition on the basis of NDVI assessment.

Vegetation cover has a noticeable effect on surface reflectivity and local microclimate in arid areas of Mongolian Gobi. Over the past decades, various shrub species (Haloxylon ammodendron and Calligonum mongolicum) have appeared on the previously unvegetated hamada. The climatic consequences of bush encroachment are still poorly understood. Using the experimental data, this article estimates the reflectance of plants dominating in Mongolia’s dry steppe, desert-steppe, and desert ecosystems. The average values of the total reflection coefficient at visible and infrared wavelengths range from 19.7% ± 1.4% to 20.1% ± 1.7% in plants growing in desert-steppe ecosystems, and from 25.0% ± 0.9% to 24.8% ± 1.5% on the bare surface. The difference between the reflectance of vegetated and unvegetated surfaces reaches 5%. Therefore, in daylight hours, the vegetated day surface loses less solar energy than the non-vegetated surface does. This phenomenon may be defined as a quasi- or secondary greenhouse effect – in daylight hours, solar energy is retained on the surface by vegetation and this contributes to the temperature increase. Such an impulse, which seems to be insignificantly small at first glance, triggers a series of climatic variations leading to a change in the structure of the radiation and heat balance as well as the climate not only in the desert-steppe and desert ecosystems but also in Central Asia as a whole. All this may explain the 1.2-2.3°C increase in air temperatures in the Gobi observed over the last 25 years.

Scientists and society are increasingly becoming aware of loss of insect biodiversity and biomass. The level of biodiversity determines the efficiency of ecological communities to capture essential resources, produce biomass, decompose and recycle nutrients. Relationships between plant and insect diversity can be modified by changes in insect abundance. This study determined the associations between microclimate and diversity of forest plants on overall insect abundance and abundances of different insect orders in the canopy of temperate deciduous forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech; Fagaceae) in Central Germany. Following model selection, a linear mixed model was used to analyse the associations between abiotic factors (air temperature and relative humidity) as well as biotic factors (species richness and cover for the ground, shrub and tree layer) and insect abundance and abundances of insect orders. Within similar strength of evidence, best models were chosen as those with a single explanatory parameter. Significant associations were recorded between abundances of Lepidoptera and Neuroptera and relative air humidity, insect abundance and species richness in the shrub layer, and between abundances of Diptera and Psocoptera and percentage cover of shrubs. Trends in associations were detected between the abundance of Hemiptera and species richness recorded in the shrub layer, and between the abundance of Thysanoptera and the species richness in the ground layer. No significant associations with single explanatory parameters were recorded for the abundances of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Phytodiversity, especially that in the shrub layer, were more often associated with the abundances of insect orders than microclimatic factors. The potential importance of the association between shrub layer parameters and the abundance of insects might be based on the shrub layer combining the associations with the ground layer (bottom-up processes) and canopy layer (environmental conditions). In addition, associations between phytodiversity and abundance of insects seem to vary most for Coleoptera and Hymenoptera in which there are markedly different functional groups.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A plant diversity study was conducted in the district of Cajatambo with emphasis on the agricultural and shrubland ecosystems. The records were made during 2015 and 2016 using 44 transects of 30 meters, in 9 plant formations. The alpha diversity in agricultural areas such as Parientana, Urpaycocha and Tizapampa grass were highly variable over time, but with low plant diversity, while the scrublands near the quarry and mine and the grasslands of Tocanca and road to Viconga were less variable and with higher diversity. The results suggest that an important factor for this behavior is the degree of human intervention. Beta diversity showed two large groups separated by altitude: one with agricultural zones and scrublands and the other with high Andean ecosystems. Both the agricultural zones and the scrublands showed that only in the dry periods of each year were some transects again quite similar (more than 80%), although others were less similar (62%). The presence and persistence of species during both dry seasons such as Trifolium repens, Rumex obtusifolius, Plantago lanceolata, Medicago sativa, Medicago polymorpha and Taraxacum officinale in the agricultural areas, as well as Minthostachys mollis, Ophryosporus peruvianus, Austrocylindropuntia subulata, Ribes viscosum, Acaena torilicarpa, Mutisia acuminata and Muehlenbeckia volcanica in the scrublands, is of great importance not only in the dynamics, but also in the management of the system because it includes species that are used by the inhabitants of Cajatambo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated soil organic carbon sequestration (SOC) in four vegetation covers (secondary vegetation [VS], forest plantations of Eucalyptus globulus (EUC) and Pinus patula [PIN] and pastures [PAS]), and its correlation with the physicochemical properties of the soil. Soil samples were taken at two depths in the A horizon (0-10 and 10-20 cm). Soil physicochemical variables were measured to evaluate their relationship with changes in SOC sequestration. We found that the highest SOC storage was in horizon A of EUC (100.5 ton C ha−1), followed by PAS (75.55 ton C ha−1), PIN (66.70 ton C ha−1) and SV (56.53 ton C ha−1). The SOC was significantly and positively correlated with the maximum water retention capacity, structural stability index, content of sand, clay, and carbon in humic and fulvic acids. However, SOC was negatively correlated with apparent density, state of aggregation, silt content, pH and CICE. These results suggest that cover change significantly affects SOC sequestration, soil organic matter characteristics, and soil physicochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The no-till system promotes benefits that extend not only the characteristics of soil improvement, interfering in the quality and productivity of the plants, thus improving physical, chemical, and biological attributes of the crop and resulting in profitability to the producer. The present study evaluated the agronomic development of cabbage according to different cover plants. The experiment was performed in the field, in the Vegetable sector of the University of Rio Verde - UniRV, Rio Verde, GO. The cover plants used were millet (Pennisetum americanum (L)), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbens), and crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea). The studied greeneries were cabbage (Brassica oleracea), Astrus plus hybrid. The parameters evaluated to analyze the physiological development were: the plants' height, number of leaves, and cabbage diameter. The results were submitted to the descriptive statistical method with analysis of means, covariances, and correlations, using the Matlab program. Plant growth data were submitted to the analysis of variance, and when significant, the cover plant factor was compared by Fisher's test, and the factor days after planting was analyzed by regression. The cabbage showed a higher mean height (cm), leaves, and diameter with the sunflower covering plant. The millet was the best plant to increase the cabbage's mean productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Engenharia na Agricultura is the property of Engenharia na Agricultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT Anthropogenic effects on the natural environment and on soil moisture in the tropical semi-arid region have not yet been determined. As such, the temporal variability of soil moisture was investigated in two toposquences under different types of plant cover: i) Caatinga under regeneration since 1978 (CReg); ii) Caatinga thinned by 40% (CThn). The research was carried out in two catchment located in the northeast of Brazil, with an area of 2.06 and 1.15 ha for CReg and CThn respectively. Soil moisture was determined using the gravimetric method. Three random soil samples were collected daily from the upper, middle and lower section of each catchment, giving a total of nine daily collections and 1620 collection in the period. CThn displayed higher values and a longer period for soil moisture. The lower section of the catchment showed values for soil moisture that were higher and statistically different (p < 0.05) from the other sections. The increasing value for the correlation between moisture and the seven days of antecedent rainfall indicates a low rate of decrease for soil moisture.