Ecological Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation on effect of spraying ecological concrete on vegetation restoration of highway masonry slope","authors":"Hua Xu ,&nbsp;Zhiyi Yang ,&nbsp;Sanjun Bai ,&nbsp;Fuqing Han ,&nbsp;Tianhao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional highway slopes are typically stabilized using masonry structures such as frame beams, arch grids, and shotcrete. However, over time, exposure to weathering from rainfall, sunlight, and temperature fluctuations can lead to deformation, sliding, and even structural failure which often result in cracking, damage, rockfalls, or collapses. Additionally, the impermeable nature of masonry structures restricts the exchange of water and air between the slope soil and the surrounding environment, creating significant challenges for vegetation restoration on highway slopes. At the entrance of a tunnel on the Yunmao Expressway, a field experiment utilizing sprayed ecological concrete for slope stability and vegetation restoration was conducted. The physical and chemical properties of the slope, along with plant communities and slope stability, were monitored and analyzed over 1080 days. The results indicate that ecological concrete vegetation restoration technology significantly enhances the vegetation performance of masonry slopes. It possesses superior physical properties and chemical properties to soil underlying masonry slopes, providing support for seed germination and long-term plant growth. This technology successfully reconstructs a multi-layered “grass-shrub-flower” vegetation structure on the masonry slopes. Furthermore, it improves slope stability, enhancing the erosion resistance and preventing weathering and peeling of the masonry slope. An evaluation system was established to assess vegetation restoration effectiveness. The system is composed of four main criteria layers: physical properties of ecological concrete, chemical properties of ecological concrete, plant communities, and slope stability comprising a total of 16 indicator layers, was established based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP), The evaluation results indicate the vegetation restoration effectiveness as “excellent”, which is consistent with the field conditions. The findings demonstrate that ecological concrete technology effectively addresses the challenges of vegetation restoration and slope stability on masonry slopes, offering significant potential applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 107753"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779307","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":"Responses of δ13C and δ15N in Carex parvula to Ecological Restoration and the Coupling Mechanism with Soil Versatility in Alpine Regions","authors":"Fayi Li ,&nbsp;Pingna Yin ,&nbsp;Liangyu Lv ,&nbsp;Shancun Bao ,&nbsp;Zongcheng Cai ,&nbsp;Shouquan Fu ,&nbsp;Jianjun Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107759","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alpine grasslands, as one of the typical ecosystem types of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, play a crucial ecological role in regional water conservation, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and forage production. However, in recent years, persistent human activity disturbances and the effects of climate change have led to widespread degradation of grasslands in this region, accompanied by declining soil functionality and inefficient utilization of water and nutrients by vegetation. These challenges impede efforts toward ecological restoration and sustainable management. In response to this issue, this study systematically analyzed the temporal and spatial variations of above-ground and below-ground biomass fresh-dry ratios, root-zone soil fresh-dry ratios of <em>Carex parvula</em>, plant δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N isotopic compositions, and soil physicochemical indicators (pH, SOC, TN, AN, TP, AP, TK, AK) across different restoration periods (2000s, 2006s, 2013s). The research focused on artificial grasslands, natural grasslands (AM), and degraded black soil beach ridges (BOBG), utilizing pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate their interconnected relationships and underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that with increasing restoration time, the fresh-to-dry ratio of above ground biomass gradually decreases, while the fresh-dry ratio of below ground biomass gradually increases and stabilizes. Soil fresh-dry ratios and indicators such as Soc, TN, AN, TP, AP, TK, and AK progressively increase, while pH decreases significantly. The δ¹³C content decreases with increasing restoration time, while δ¹⁵N gradually increases. The correlation analysis reveals that soil functions are significantly positively associated with δ¹⁵N, below-ground biomass, and restoration stage, while being negatively associated with δ¹³C, above-ground biomass, and pH. Structural Equation Modeling further validated causal pathways among restoration period, soil functionality, and isotopes, indicating that enhanced soil functionality can increase δ¹⁵N supply and water acquisition capability, thereby reducing plant water use efficiency (WUE) and enhancing vegetation assimilation capacity. This study demonstrates that with extended restoration periods, the ecosystem components show increased structural stability and water use efficiency, while the coupling relationships between soil, vegetation, and isotopic signals become more interconnected. The study presents a comprehensive indicator system and theoretical framework for assessing grassland degradation and monitoring restoration outcomes in alpine grassland ecosystems, providing scientific support for optimizing grassland management strategies and establishing effective ecological monitoring systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 107759"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779864","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":"Plant biomass production in large-scale constructed wetlands under tropical climate conditions","authors":"Joaquin Sangabriel-Lomeli ,&nbsp;Sergio Zamora Castro ,&nbsp;Saúl Rivera ,&nbsp;Brenda Suemy Trujillo-García ,&nbsp;Gastón Ballut-Dajud ,&nbsp;Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study focused on plant biomass production in a large-scale Constructed Wetland (CW) system integrating vertical subsurface flow (VSSF), horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF), and surface flow (SF) wetland units, located in Nautla, Veracruz, Mexico. Given the nature of the study, 13 ornamental plant species were utilized. Over a 12-month monitoring period, plant growth parameters, biomass yield, and pollutant removal efficiency were assessed<em>. Cyperus papyrus</em> demonstrated the most vigorous performance, reaching a height of up to 244.36 cm within the first six months and accumulating an aboveground biomass increase of 3864.85 %. <em>Colocasia esculenta</em> and <em>Sansevieria trifasciata</em> also showed substantial biomass gains, maintaining balanced development in both aerial and root systems. A total biomass of 883.70 kg was recorded across all species by the end of the study.</div><div>Average pollutant removal efficiencies across the system were 93.37 % for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), 91.37 % for Total Nitrogen (TN), and 91.45 % for Total Phosphorus (TP). A positive correlation (<em>r</em> = 0.5460) was found between total biomass and contaminant removal, suggesting that increased plant productivity enhances treatment performance.</div><div>In addition to vertical growth, species displayed variation in stem thickness, flowering cycles, and leaf production. Notably, <em>Pontederia cordata</em> and <em>Heliconia psittacorum</em> contributed to biodiversity and pollinator support.</div><div>The findings suggest that the strategic selection and combination of plant species can improve the functional performance of large-scale CWs across different operational stages, increasing system resilience to variable pollutant loads and promoting long-term treatment sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 107760"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771139","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":"Does ecological restoration really improve ecosystem stability? ——An empirical test based on the Minjiang River Basin of China","authors":"Hanchu Du ,&nbsp;Jinman Wang ,&nbsp;Jun Wang ,&nbsp;Biao Liu ,&nbsp;Jiayin Mu ,&nbsp;Xiao Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107757","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107757","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stability can characterize the overall state of an ecosystem. Assessing the ecosystem stability (ES) before and after the implementation of ecological restoration projects (ERPs) can provide scientific advice for future ecological restoration work. However, few scholars have evaluated the effectiveness of ERPs from the perspective of ES. In this study, we constructed an evaluation index system from four dimensions—water and soil conditions (WS), socio-economic conditions (SE), climate environment (CE), and biodiversity (BD)—and applied the TOPSIS model to measure the ES of 26 counties in the Minjiang River Basin from 2016 to 2021. We used Moran's I and the Gini coefficient to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of ES and regional development disparities, employed propensity score matching (PSM) and random forest (RF) to estimate the contribution of ERPs implementation, and applied Spearman correlation analysis and visualization to observe changes in the internal structural relationships among ecosystem components over six years. Our findings reveal that: (1) ES in the study area generally showed an upward trend year by year; (2) ES exhibited spatial correlation, and the issue of unbalanced ecological development across the region has diminished over time; (3) The number, type, and timing of ERPs implementation had varying degrees of influence on ES and played a role in reshaping the coordination among ecosystem components. The results show that ERPs have a significant effect on improving the status of regional ecosystems, but it is still necessary to avoid the negative effects of the implementation of a certain type of sub-project on other ecological factors. ERPs require timely discovery of ecological problems, correction of work content, and maintenance of restoration results, thereby enhancing ecosystem stability and fostering regionally coordinated, sustainable development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"221 ","pages":"Article 107757"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766499","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":"Response of soil properties to mechanical restoration techniques applied in shrub-encroached wet prairies of the Florida panhandle","authors":"Ashlynn N. Smith ,&nbsp;Daniel Irick ,&nbsp;Debbie Miller ,&nbsp;Matthew Deitch ,&nbsp;Mack Thetford ,&nbsp;Emily E.D. Coffey","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107754","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107754","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shrub encroachment into herbaceous ecosystems is a global concern. Restoration approaches, particularly in oligotrophic wetlands, should address both removal of woody vegetation and associated increases in soil organic matter. In coastal Florida, use of prescribed fire for shrub reduction is not feasible or effective due to surrounding development and saturated soil conditions. As a result, mechanical methods are often used to combat shrub encroachment, but effects on wetland soil properties are unclear. This study compared soil properties among four restoration treatments, non-treated Control, and fire-maintained Reference prairies in the Florida panhandle (6 total treatments). Restoration treatments included mechanical clearing of woody vegetation (C), mechanical clearing and prescribed fire (C + B), mechanical clearing and scraping of accumulated organic material (C + S), and clearing, scraping and burning (C + S + B). Soil samples were collected from each treatment at 2 weeks, 1-year and 2-years following application. All measured soil properties in C + S and C + S + B treatments were significantly different from shrub-encroached wet prairies (Control) but several soil parameters, notably Total N, P, K, available S and SOM, were reduced to levels below reference soil conditions. When all soil parameters were compared simultaneously through multivariate analysis, all restoration treatments were different from shrub-encroached (Control) and fire-maintained herbaceous (Reference) wet prairies, however there was considerable overlap in multivariate space between Reference points and restoration treatments that included scraping (C + S and C + S + B). This highlights the potential of utilizing aggressive mechanical methods to combat shrub encroachment and accumulation of organic material in herbaceous wetlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107754"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757572","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":"Biogeomorphology and carbon sequestration in a coastal shoal invaded by Spartina alterniflora in the Yangtze Estuary: 22-year simulation for management implication","authors":"Ke-Hua Zhu ,&nbsp;Zhen-Ming Ge ,&nbsp;Ying Huang ,&nbsp;Lei-Hua Zhao ,&nbsp;Zeng-Feng Li ,&nbsp;Wei Zhao ,&nbsp;Hua-Yu Chen ,&nbsp;Dan Zhang ,&nbsp;Hai-Feng Cheng ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Pei Xin","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107756","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107756","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal wetlands are key global carbon sinks and are sensitive to human activities, biological invasion, and hydro-sedimentary processes. <em>Spartina alterniflora</em> has invaded China's coastal region for more than 40 years. This study developed a coupled model synthesizing vegetation dynamic, biogeomorphological processes, and carbon sequestration (land-atmosphere CO₂ flux) for coastal salt marshes invaded by <em>S. alterniflora</em> in the Yangtze Estuary. The model was validated against measurements of vegetation community dynamics, topographic evolution, and CO₂ flux, and thus the modeling results were used to characterize the 22-year variation in biogeomorphological development and carbon sequestration in a salt marsh (Jiuduansha Wetland National Nature Reserve) in the estuary. The modeled and measured results from 2000 to 2022 showed that the total vegetation area continuously increased in the salt marsh, whereas <em>S. alterniflora</em> exhibited robust proliferation capabilities and interspecies competitiveness, manifesting a much higher expansion rate than the dominant native species (<em>Phragmites australis</em> and <em>Scirpus mariqueter</em>). The model reproduced the topographic evolution of the coastal shoal, indicating positive feedback between platform elevation and vegetation expansion. The model also captured species-specific net ecosystem exchange at different temporal scales. From 2000 to 2022, contribution rates of gross primary production and net ecosystem exchange by the invasive <em>S. alterniflora</em> increased from 40 % to 74 % and 38 % to 71 %, respectively. As a result, the contribution rate of carbon sequestration by the native species declined to less than 30 %. The invasive <em>S. alterniflora</em> is the predominant contributor to carbon sequestration in salt marshes due to its rapid colonization and high photosynthetic efficiency. Our model is useful for predicting the effects of coastal engineering for <em>S. alterniflora</em> eradication on geomorphology and carbon dynamics and assessing the feasibility of native species restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107756"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739035","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":"Straw checkerboard barriers enhance heavy metals stabilization efficiency of artificial plant communities in lead‑zinc mine wastelands","authors":"Hedian Yan ,&nbsp;Jiangdi Deng ,&nbsp;Yanqun Zu ,&nbsp;Jianjun Chen ,&nbsp;Kai Yan ,&nbsp;Fangdong Zhan ,&nbsp;Tao Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Yuan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107749","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ecological and health risks posed by heavy metals transport via runoff and sediment from lead‑zinc mine wastelands have attracted increasing attention. While straw checkerboard barriers (SCBs) are known to mitigate soil erosion, their combined effect with artificial plant communities on controlling heavy metals migration from such sites remains unclear. To evaluate the effectiveness of straw checkerboard barriers (SCBs) and artificial plant communities in mitigating soil erosion and controlling heavy metals diffusion in lead‑zinc mine wastelands, a field runoff plot experiment was conducted. Three artificial plant community patterns (grass, shrub-grass, tree-shrub-grass) were established on the wasteland, and SCBs were integrated into each plant community patterns (grass + SCBs, shrub-grass + SCBs, tree-shrub-grass + SCBs). Surface runoff, sediment yield, and heavy metals outputs (Cd, Pb, As) were monitored to investigate synergistic effects. Results demonstrated that artificial plant communities reduced the cumulative runoff by 23.18 % ∼ 40.11 % and sediment yield by 49.55 % ∼ 75.78 % compared to the control plot across six rainfall events. Integrating SCBs further decreased runoff by 17.20 % ∼ 25.10 % and sediment yield by 39.22 % ∼ 46.30 % within the same plant community. Soil quality improved markedly after plant community establishment, with significant increases in total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, organic matter, and soil moisture content. Vegetation coverage and soil moisture also increased when SCBs were constructed within plant communities. With increasing plant diversity, cumulative losses of Cd, Pb, and As, primarily in the particulate form, decreased significantly. SCBs further improved the ability of plant communities to stabilize heavy metals, reducing Cd by 9.36 % ∼ 19.27 %, Pb by 11.99 % ∼ 17.11 %, and As by 7.45 % ∼ 35.66 %. Key factors influencing Cd, Pb, and As outputs included soil erosion, vegetation coverage, plant community pattern, and the presence of SCBs. Sediment yield was strongly correlated with heavy metals loss and was the best predictor for particulate Cd output (<em>R</em>² = 0.979). In conclusion, SCBs integration improves artificial plant communities' control of surface runoff, sediment yield, and heavy metals diffusion in abandoned lead‑zinc mine sites, which creates favorable conditions for ecological restoration and long-term stabilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107749"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144739180","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":"Targeted nutrient addition reduces the trade-offs between ecosystem services in degraded grasslands","authors":"Chunhe You ,&nbsp;Jixi Gao ,&nbsp;Na Lv ,&nbsp;Xiaoman Liu ,&nbsp;Xin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107751","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107751","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nutrient addition is widely applied in degraded grassland restoration and significantly affects ecosystem services (ESs). However, traditional nutrient addition methods mostly rely on empirical values or agricultural models, lacking precision strategies that are tailored to grassland ecosystem characteristics, and often exacerbate trade-offs between aboveground productivity (AGP), soil nutrient supply (SNS), and plant diversity (PD). Using non-degraded grassland as a reference, this study calculated the difference between plant nutrient demand and soil available nutrient supply, and for the first time constructed a targeted nutrient demand model applicable to grassland ecosystems. This study conducted experiments on degraded grasslands in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, using a targeted nutrient demand model to determine nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) application amounts. The differences and trade-offs between AGP, SNS, and PD were quantified using the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) and Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), respectively. Results showed: (1) Under different nutrient addition treatments, SNS scores consistently exceeded those of AGP and PD, with the N4P3 treatment showing the highest overall ES capacity, significantly higher than the control (CK) (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). (2) Targeted nutrient addition can shift the ES relationships from trade-offs to synergies. When the external N and P additions were insufficient (2.7–3.6 g N m⁻², 0.12–0.15 g P m⁻²) or imbalanced N:P ratios were applied (10.8 g N m⁻², 0.12 g P m⁻²), the trade-off relationships between ESs were similar to CK, predominantly showing moderate trade-offs (RMSD &gt;0.1). Conversely, when appropriate nutrient additions were chosen (5.4–10.8 g N m⁻², 0.23–0.46 g P m⁻²), the trade-off relationships between two pairs or overall ESs were mildly synergistic (RMSD &lt;0.1). (3) The trade-off relationships between AGP and PD, SNS, as well as soil total nitrogen, are key factors influencing the overall trade-offs of ESs. In conclusion, this study represents the first adaptation of agricultural precision fertilization models to grassland ecosystems, identifying nutrient allocation thresholds that reduce trade-offs in ESs, enhancing the overall function of grassland ecosystems, and providing a scientific basis for precision nutrient application in degraded grasslands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107751"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722361","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":"Greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen removal from a subalpine zone treatment wetland: Implications of mass transfer effects and dosing","authors":"Stephanie H. Ayotte ,&nbsp;Kristen O. Brush ,&nbsp;Christopher R. Allen ,&nbsp;Otto R. Stein ,&nbsp;Ellen G. Lauchnor","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107746","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Today, there is increased focus on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from wastewater treatment, as industrialization and global population growth threaten to exponentiate current emission trends. This study focuses on the effects of intermittent dosing on nitrous oxide (N₂O), methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from a two-stage, low temperature vertical flow treatment wetland (VFTW) treating 3 °C ski resort wastewater. The system has a partially saturated first stage and unsaturated second stage with recycle to optimize for total nitrogen removal. Following two automated closed-loop GHG sampling campaigns across 16 locations in the TW, emission profiles were found to vary significantly by location. Smaller influent wastewater doses resulted in higher proportion of dissolved N₂O and indications of carbon limitations across the first stage of the system due to incomplete denitrification. Small and large doses resulted in spikes of CH₄ and N₂O emissions, suggesting mass transfer effects temporarily increased emissions. CH₄ was generated almost entirely in the primary sedimentation tank, with an observed 70 % drop in emissions from hours 1 to 8 of the dosing schedule. Additionally, heavy snowpack and ice lens formations resulted in preferential gas flow in the first stage. These results suggest that estimates of GHG emissions from TWs may be falsely elevated due to mass transfer and environmental conditions that hinder transport. The results indicate a need to continually inventory GHGs due to the complexity of wastewater systems, and that specific wastewater application methods may help to mitigate emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107746"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713960","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":"Ecological restoration strategies of mining areas based on composite ecological networks: A comprehensive framework and case study","authors":"Yuan Yuan ,&nbsp;Ye Yuan ,&nbsp;Zhongke Bai ,&nbsp;Rongrong Ma ,&nbsp;Yuhan Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107750","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107750","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Territorial ecological conservation and restoration are imperative for ecological civilisation in the new era, promoting the modernization of territorial spatial governance capabilities. As an important part of territorial ecological restoration, existing mine restoration studies have mainly focused on mine projects from an engineering or purely ecological restoration perspective, lacking coordinated decision-making at the territorial spatial scale. This study proposes a theoretical framework for mine restoration based on composite ecological networks. Considering Changzhi, a resource-based city, as the study area, this research integrates multi-source data and employs spatial analysis tools, including MaxEnt, InVEST 3.8.0, and the minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR), to construct biodiversity conservation, hydro-ecological, and artificial networks. These networks subsequently form a composite ecological network. Given the ecological protection and social demands, this study identifies key investment areas and other zones maximizing the comprehensive benefits of mine restoration and proposes differentiated strategies. The main results show that: (1) Natural ecological sources were mainly distributed in the eastern and western ecological barriers, while socioeconomic sources were concentrated in central urban areas. Three corridor types traversed the entire city, similar to the spatial distribution of ecological sources; (2) from an ecological perspective, the extremely ecologically important restoration areas accounted for 19.55 % of the total mine area, while high social demand areas accounted for 20.55 %. However, the proportion of high-input restoration areas was 6.79 %, and potential restoration zones demonstrated the largest spatial coverage. This confirms the rationality of nature-based ecological restoration; and (3) overall, the mines in Changzhi were categorized into 18 governance models, including five for biodiversity protection, five for hydro-ecological conservation, and eight for improvement of the living environment. Furthermore, different restoration objectives require different restoration strategies. This study not only enriches the theoretical framework for the ecological restoration of mines but also provides a valuable reference for the formulation of ecological restoration plans for mining areas within the territorial spatial planning system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 107750"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722360","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}