Ecological Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Effects of plant and microbial biodiversity on soil nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation under ecological restoration of Alpine Sandy Land in Northwest Sichuan","authors":"Haodong Jiang ,&nbsp;Hongyu Qian ,&nbsp;Yufu Hu,&nbsp;Hongyu Zhou,&nbsp;Jingyu He","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abstract</div><div>The accumulation patterns of soil Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the mechanisms through which they are influenced by plant, microorganisms, and extracellular enzymes during the ecological restoration of alpine semi-humid sandy lands remain unclear. Therefore, this study focused on the alpine semi-humid sandy land in northwest Sichuan, employing the method of spatial-for-temporal substitution, selected the shrub-grass restoration research sample plots for periods of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years (a), with natural sandy land without artificial intervention serving as the control group (CK), to investigate the variation characteristics of soil N and P storage across different shrub-grass restoration periods, and reveal the mechanisms of soil N and P accumulation by plant, microbial biodiversity, and N and P cycle enzyme activities. The results showed that: The shrub-grass restoration significantly increased soil N and P storage, and the Margalef, Shannon-Wiener, and Simpson biodiversity indices of herbaceous plants, meanwhile increased the species quantity of <em>Poaceae</em> and <em>Fabaceae</em>, Observed, Chao1, ACE, Shannon-Wiener biodiversity indices of soil microorganisms, the relative abundances of <em>Proteobacteria</em> and <em>Bacteroidetes</em>, and the soil N and P cycling enzymes activities in each soil layer. During the process of shrub-grass restoration, the vegetation biomass influenced soil microbial biodiversity by affecting vegetation biodiversity, which in turn fostered an increase in the abundance of specific microbial phylum. Ultimately, this process impacted the accumulation of soil N and P by modulating the activities of N and P cycling enzymes. The coverage of <em>Salix cupularis</em> served as a fundamental factor in promoting soil N and P accumulation, while the plant Margalef index and microbial Chao1 index were crucial factors influencing soil N and P storages. The research findings address the gaps in desertification control studies and offer a scientific foundation for ecological restoration measures targeting sandy lands in such areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107788"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review of ecological restoration in China from 1991 to 2024: A bibliometric analysis","authors":"Qin Yue ,&nbsp;Wang Shijin ,&nbsp;Chen Shengyun ,&nbsp;Cai Xingran","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecological restoration has become a central issue in global sustainable development. Through large-scale engineering initiatives and policy innovation, China has gradually emerged as a key player in global environmental governance. This study draws on the Web of Science (WoS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, utilizing the keywords “ecological restoration”, “ecological rehabilitation”, “ecological remediation”, and other related terms. After screening the database and conducting a manual review, we identified 9,486 publications, mapping the development of research in this field over time and examining its major themes, geographic focus, and other key features. The results indicate that: (1) The research trajectory of ecological restoration in China exhibits a policy-driven pattern, with the growth in publication volume closely aligned with major policy milestones such as the Grain for Green Program and the Ecological Redline initiative. (2) Research hotspots in this field have gradually shifted from early soil and water conservation projects to the quantitative assessment of ecosystem services. The research has not only progressively innovated in technical approaches but has also continuously expanded in scope, spatial scale, and participation models. (3) Current hotspot research topics include carbon neutrality and carbon sink functions, climate change adaptation and vulnerable ecosystem management, multi-pollutant synergistic remediation and soil function reconstruction, aquatic ecosystem and blue carbon system restoration, and the optimization of ecosystem services and spatial pattern reconfiguration. In the future, efforts should focus on accelerating the development of an integrated “satellite-air-ground” intelligent monitoring network, promoting interdisciplinary integration in ecological restoration, and advancing theoretical and technological innovation, thereby contributing Chinese experience and optimized models to the global ecological restoration knowledge system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107794"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Primary succession of vegetation on large river bars affected by floods: Key factors for successful river restoration","authors":"Jae-Hoon Park ,&nbsp;Ji-Won Park ,&nbsp;Yeo-Bin Park ,&nbsp;Eui-Joo Kim ,&nbsp;Young-Han You","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation succession is a fundamental principle of ecological restoration. This study investigated early primary succession on large river bars in a monsoon climate, examining how flood magnitude influences successional processes. Results showed that massive floods altered bed material composition, leading to significant changes in direction of plant community change. Vegetation established on substrates coarser than sandy loam persisted, while finer particles led to vegetation loss. In erosional zones, <em>Salix chaenomeloides</em> communities were maintained through cyclic succession, whereas depositional zones experienced retrogressive succession, with <em>S. chaenomeloides</em> replaced by <em>Phragmites japonica</em>. Under moderate to low flood influence, both species acted as pioneers on coarse, nutrient-poor substrates with low organic matter. These findings highlight that changes in vegetation dynamics are driven by river flood intensity through their influence on substrate composition. On newly formed mid-channel bars, high flood-induced erosion promotes cyclic succession dominated by <em>S. chaenomeloides</em>. In contrast, low-energy depositional zones with sandy loam support regressive succession toward <em>P. japonica</em>. Thus, effective restoration depends on maintaining suitable bed material conditions specific to erosional and depositional environments. Managing substrate characteristics across geomorphic zones is essential for the stable establishment and persistence of vegetation on bare sandbars in large river systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incorporating socioeconomic-ecological system to promote sustainable restoration: A case study in Changting, China","authors":"Jiahong Guo ,&nbsp;Hui Yue ,&nbsp;Zhengjin Cao ,&nbsp;Shixiong Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ultimate goal of ecosystem restoration is to ensure that Earth can support human life, in addition to protecting our planet's environmental health for its own sake. Unlike traditional ecological restoration efforts that focus only on ecological goals, China's Changting County adopted an integrated strategy oriented toward enhancing resident well-being, which combines socioeconomic development with ecological restoration to facilitate a transition to a green and sustainable society. To verify the feasibility of this approach, we conducted long-term monitoring in the county. By comparing a new approach with traditional ecological restoration, we found that changes in ecological restoration, resident livelihoods, and socioeconomic aspects were much better in the new project areas. Our results document that successful ecosystem restoration must be based on an inclusive approach that combines the needs of nature with those of people. By searching for a suitable industry (here, plantations and green industries) that can generate higher economic returns while protecting the environment, it's possible to achieve green industrial development while providing the residents of project areas with a high-quality socioeconomic and ecological environment. This also creates a virtuous cycle in which humans help nature while nature helps humans, leading to harmony between humans and nature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107815"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental and spatial processes structuring macrophyte metacommunities in restored pondscapes","authors":"Van der Zon Karina Anna Elisabeth ,&nbsp;Grac Corinne ,&nbsp;Theissinger Kathrin ,&nbsp;Paidere Jana ,&nbsp;Brakovska Aija ,&nbsp;Pupiņš Mihails ,&nbsp;Škute Artūrs ,&nbsp;Razafindralay Lydia ,&nbsp;Georges Jean-Yves ,&nbsp;Combroux Isabelle","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pond network creation can enhance freshwater biodiversity. However, environmental and spatial processes that structure macrophytes, a group central to pond ecology, need to be understood to improve pondscape design. Here, macrophyte communities were surveyed and environmental and spatial data were collected in two networks of man-made permanent ponds in western and northeastern Europe. Macrophyte diversity was high in the pond network in Latvia, and the relative cover of emergent, anchored submerged, anchored floating leaved and free-floating species varied among ponds. Diversity in the network on the French-German border in the former Rhine floodplain was low and consisted mainly of emergent plants and charophytes. The low diversity on the French-German site may result from the presence of the invasive calico crayfish (<em>Faxonius immunis</em>). Environmental variables, including water transparency, pH, chlorophyll-a concentration, as well as shade from surrounding trees and calico crayfish abundance (French-German site only), were correlated with abundances of macrophyte taxa. The variables were also correlated with macrophyte community metrics, including total macrophyte cover, taxonomic distinctness and the relative cover of submerged, emergent and free-floating life forms. Pond surface area and isolation had low contributions to the correlation between environmental variables and macrophyte community metrics. For the Latvian site only, macrophyte community similarity declined with geographic distance between ponds, but more importantly with differences in shade from surrounding trees and water transparency. A design of ponds with diverse environmental conditions and surroundings, as well as groups of ponds providing similar habitats, may be most effective for enhancement of macrophyte diversity at the pondscape scale.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107789"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil aggregates, carbon and nitrogen content, and water retention across land uses in the Reshui River Catchment","authors":"Jing Zheng ,&nbsp;Jianxiong Zhang ,&nbsp;Bing Ren ,&nbsp;Hongyu Lin ,&nbsp;Ziyang Li ,&nbsp;Feng Gu ,&nbsp;Bo Zhu ,&nbsp;Barthelemy Harerimana ,&nbsp;Minghua Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accumulation and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) as well as soil water retention (SWR) are critical for soil sustainability, especially in fragile ecosystems such as dry–warm valleys. However, land-use effects on soil stability, SOC and TN content of soil aggregates, and SWR properties, i.e., field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), and available water capacity (AWC) across valley slopes and bottoms in the Reshui River Catchment remain largely unclear. Soil samples within different soil depths from valley slopes (grassland, shrubland, forestland) and bottoms (bare land, shrubland, cropland: maize-fallow and maize-vegetable fields) were collected in October 2019 in this region. Results showed that valley bottoms exhibited lower clay content, aggregate stability, SOC, TN, and SWR compared to valley slopes. On slopes, grassland outperformed shrubland and forestland in terms of stabilizing soil structure and holding soil water in the upper soil layer, especially at 0–30 cm depth, soils in grassland had highest SOC and TN concentrations within different aggregate fractions. At valley bottoms, cropland increased SOC and TN contents due to fertilizer input, and maize-fallow cultivated soils had higher proportion of &gt; 2 mm aggregates, aggregates stability, FC and AWC than shrubland and maize-vegetable cultivated soils. Grassland on the valley slope and maize-fallow cropland at the valley bottom might be the optimum choices for stabilizing aggregates, boosting soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration, and holding water. This study provides a theoretical basis for the ecological restoration of southwest dry and warm valley.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107807"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seismic response and failure mode of a shallow overburden slope reinforced with an ecological frame beam structure","authors":"Jiayong Niu ,&nbsp;Shuai Zhang ,&nbsp;Lixin Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianjing Zhang ,&nbsp;Xueliang Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107795","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107795","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The technique of integrating vegetation and geotechnical measure is an effective and ecological method for preventing and controlling shallow landslide. A new type of ecological frame beam, a bamboo frame structure incorporating the dynamic shear resistance of plant roots (<em>Amorpha fruticosa</em>), was designed to reinforce shallow overburden slope. To investigate the seismic response and failure mode of the slope reinforced by this support structure, a large-scale shaking table test was conducted taking into consideration different seismic wave types and excitation amplitudes. The results show that the distribution and amplitude of low-frequency seismic components (&lt;18 Hz) significantly influence slope displacement responses. The sudden change of natural frequency and damping ratio can also reflect the damage degree and deformation stage of the slope. Seismic damage of the slope mainly occurs at the slope shoulder and the slope crest, as well as at the left and right boundaries of the upper part of the shallow overburden. The failure mode is the continuous collapse and sliding of the shallow overburden along the stable surface, which is characterized by the crushing spreading of overburden soil mass. The ecological frame beam structure exhibits effective seismic resistance at peak seismic excitation ≤0.6 g. It is recommended to consider 2.1–3.6 times the elevation amplification effect in the seismic design of ecological frame beam structure. The root system contributes to seismic performance by reducing near-surface dynamic responses and enhancing energy dissipation capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107795"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145020769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weathered sandstone application improved the aggregate structure and quality of reconstructed soil: A field study of feldspathic sandstone","authors":"Gaoliang Li ,&nbsp;Qing Zhen ,&nbsp;Jiyong Zheng ,&nbsp;Guogang Wang ,&nbsp;Zitong Zhang ,&nbsp;Shenshen Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reconstructing soil with appropriate soil materials is a practical measure to improve the structure and quality of degraded soil. Feldspathic sandstone, a type of weathered sandstone, has been proven to improve the amount of water and nutrient in reconstructed soil. However, the long-time effects of feldspathic sandstone application on soil particle surface electrochemical properties and quality remain unclear. In this study, feldspathic sandstone was mixed separately into sandy soil and loess soil at 25 % and 75 % mass ratio to reconstruct soil, and the effects were clarifying through a 9-year field experiment. Results showed feldspathic sandstone application significantly increased the fine particles (diameter &lt; 0.05 mm) content and the complexity of particle distribution in reconstructed soils (<em>P &lt; 0.05</em>). Feldspathic sandstone application increased the specific surface area from 16.07 to 23.17 (25 % application ratio) and 193.17 m² g⁻¹ (75 % application ratio, <em>P &lt; 0.05</em>) in sandy soil; from 31.02 to 37.72 (25 % application ratio) and 236.08 m² g⁻¹ (75 % application ratio, <em>P &lt; 0.05</em>) in loess soil; increased cation exchange capacity from 4.10 to 10.17 (25 % application ratio) and 22.36 cmol kg⁻¹ (75 % application ratio) in sandy soil (<em>P &lt; 0.05</em>); from 12.50 to 13.16 (25 % application ratio) and 26.44 cmol kg⁻¹ (75 % application ratio, <em>P &lt; 0.05</em>) in loess soil. Feldspathic sandstone application also improved the soil particle surface charge density and electric field strength. The organic matter content of reconstructed soils was enhanced with feldspathic sandstone application, and was higher than the natural grassland soil (4.05 g kg⁻¹) in this region. The increased fine particles and improved soil particle surface properties jointly increased the macroaggregate (&gt; 0.25 mm) fraction, mean weight diameter of soil aggregate (MWD), and the soil structure coefficient (Qs). However, the water stable aggregates ratio (WSAR) and soil structural stability (SI) were still poor due to the insufficient organic matter and too much silt and clay particles. Our findings provide scientific insight in applying weathered sandstone into reconstructed soil for efficiently restoring degraded soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107816"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on the synergistic effects of ecological water conveyance and climate change on ecological restoration in arid areas: A case study of the Tarim River Basin","authors":"Bin Gao ,&nbsp;Jia Xu ,&nbsp;Mingjiang Deng ,&nbsp;Hongbo Ling","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under the dual pressures of climate change and intensified human activities, ecological degradation and water scarcity in arid regions have become more severe, seriously threatening ecological security and carbon cycling. As a key ecological regulation strategy, ecological water conveyance (EWC) improves ecosystem functions by optimizing water allocation. This study takes the Tarim River (TR) Basin as a case, applying trend and partial derivative analyses to quantify the contributions of climate and human activities to Net Primary Productivity (NPP) changes, revealing the response patterns and driving mechanisms between EWC zones and the entire basin. From 2001 to 2022, NPP showed a fluctuating upward trend, with 25.8 % of the area significantly increasing and only 4.0 % decreasing. Human activities contributed 31.4 % to NPP increases, especially along riverbanks and Populus euphratica restoration zones. During NPP decline periods (2016–2018 and 2020–2022), EWC zones contributed −14.2 % and − 1.8 %, respectively, playing a buffering role. In contrast, during 2018–2020, their contribution reached 16.7 %, highlighting EWC's effectiveness in promoting vegetation recovery. Currently, EWC benefits are mainly concentrated in low-lying floodplains and ecological channels near rivers, while upland areas distant from water sources show limited improvement. Future efforts should focus on constructing a surface-like water network and implementing zoned rotational irrigation to optimize water use, expand restoration, and enhance ecological functions. This research offers scientific evidence for ecological restoration in the TR Basin and provides references for managing similar inland river basins in arid regions worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107793"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural regeneration of Norway spruce under pioneer trees outperforms conventional reclamation on post-mining sites","authors":"O. Vindušková ,&nbsp;D. Šimáňová ,&nbsp;E. Reitshmiedová ,&nbsp;J. Černý ,&nbsp;J. Frouz","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107812","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107812","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Afforestation is one of the feasible ways to restore post-mining land. Previous studies have shown that, under favorable conditions, forests can spontaneously establish through natural regeneration on post-mining sites developing by spontaneous succession, often colonized by pioneer tree species. However, the establishment of late-successional tree species is an important step in forest development. Here, we evaluate the growth of Norway spruce (<em>Picea abies</em>) in the understory of pioneer trees in successional sites developed through spontaneous succession, in comparison with spruce seedlings planted on conventionally reclaimed sites. The comparison of 14-year-old spruce trees shows that those growing in the understory of pioneer species are significantly taller, have higher chlorophyll and phosphorus content in their needles, a greater proportion of mycorrhizal root tips, and a higher content of ergosterol in the soil beneath them. However, the density of volunteer spruce trees on successional sites is significantly lower than the density of planted seedlings on reclaimed sites. Topsoil in reclaimed sites is alkaline (pH ∼8), whereas in successional sites, the pH is significantly lower (&lt;7.5)—likely due to the greater accumulation of organic matter on the soil surface. Soil pH is negatively correlated with tree height, as well as needle phosphorus and soil ergosterol contents. We propose that the decrease in pH on successional sites is a major factor increasing their suitability for tree establishment. Surface leveling and subsequent tree planting, common in conventional reclamation practice, may result in less favorable site conditions than those arising from spontaneous succession and on-site natural seed germination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"222 ","pages":"Article 107812"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}