{"title":"Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Soil Erosion in Debris Flow-Prone Areas: Insights From the Upstream Min River, China","authors":"Chenyuan Wang, Jiangang Chen, Yong You, Hao Sun, Jiang Xiong, Ashfaq Ahmad, Wanyu Zhao, Abrar Hussain, Rui Zhang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70629","url":null,"abstract":"Traditional annual-scale assessments obscure the dynamic recharge of debris-flow provenances during concentrated rainy seasons. To address this, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of monthly soil erosion during the rainy seasons (2022–2023) within debris flow-prone gullies of the upstream Min River Basin was quantitatively evaluated using the RUSLE framework. During the rainy seasons, the mean monthly soil erosion modulus (SEM) reached 206.0 t ha<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup> in 2022 and 153.3 t ha<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup> in 2023. Spatially, severe erosion (> 12.5 t ha<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup>) was predominantly concentrated on high-elevation ridges (e.g., Dengxi and Qipan gullies) and the hanging walls of seismogenic faults. Temporally, erosion exhibited extreme intraannual variability driven by precipitation shifts; notably, intense late-season rainfall in September 2023 triggered catastrophic erosion surges in Zhangjiaping and Niujuan gullies, peaking at 259.8 and 262.1 t ha<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Additionally, the underlying physical mechanisms driving bank slope instability were elucidated. First, extreme disturbances dismantle the vegetative shield, causing a critical loss of root-soil reinforcement against surface scouring. Second, the intrinsic fragility of the clay-deficient soil matrix facilitates rapid infiltration and elevated pore water pressures, triggering structural mass slumping. Furthermore, SEM was positively correlated with sediment connectivity (<i>r</i> = 0.32) and bulk density (<i>r</i> = 0.38), and negatively correlated with soil depth (<i>r</i> = −0.69) and available water capacity (<i>r</i> = −0.69). These morpho-edaphic factors form a self-reinforcing positive feedback loop: enhanced sediment connectivity accelerates topsoil evacuation, exposing denser subsoils, restricting water capacity, and amplifying aggressive surface runoff. The research can provide a rigorous scientific foundation for targeted geohazard mitigation and watershed management in mountainous regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147755124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kun Li, Mengying Liu, Yunxiao Luo, Jiajiang Lin, Zuliang Chen
{"title":"Biomass and Iron Nanoparticles Synergistically Reduce Cadmium and Boost Rice Yield: A Field Remediation While Production Demonstration","authors":"Kun Li, Mengying Liu, Yunxiao Luo, Jiajiang Lin, Zuliang Chen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70637","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70637","url":null,"abstract":"Although a wide range of materials have been employed for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils, research on the combined use of low-cost and eco-friendly amendments that enable “remediation while production” remains limited. In this study, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of 15 different materials (biomass-derived materials: oyster shell, biochar, tea extract; and phytogenic iron nanoparticles: iron oxide, iron sulfide) on cadmium (Cd) accumulation and grain yield in two rice cultivars: a low-Cd-accumulating variety (Anliangyou 02) and a conventional one (Junliangyou 318). The combined application of biomass and iron nanoparticles increased grain yield by 21.01%–37.53% for Anliangyou 02 and 14.32%–51.08% for Junliangyou 318. Moreover, the co-application showed a pronounced effect on Anliangyou 02, with most treatments significantly reducing grain Cd content to 0.006–0.045 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>. These materials may function synergistically through four primary mechanisms: firstly, oyster shell effectively raised the rhizosphere soil pH, promoting the conversion of exchangeable Cd into less bioavailable forms; secondly, biochar reduced Cd bioavailability and potentially influenced its uptake; thirdly, iron nanoparticles facilitated Cd immobilization via specific adsorption and precipitation; finally, the combined use of biomass and iron nanoparticles modulated the rhizosphere microbial community, enriching bacterial genera reported to be associated with Cd resistance or immobilization. This study proposes a practical strategy that integrates biomass and phytogenic iron nanoparticle amendments with low-Cd-accumulating rice cultivars to achieve simultaneous production and remediation in Cd-contaminated paddy fields.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147755125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sustainable Land Use Under Climate Pressure Through Economic Governance and Policy Innovation for Degraded Ecosystems","authors":"Kefen Mou, Bing Xu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70619","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable land use in degraded ecosystems is increasingly constrained by climate pressure, yet the role of governance remains unevenly explained. This study examines whether economic governance and policy innovation improve sustainable land use efficiency (SLUE) under climate stress and whether these effects spill over across cities. Using a city‐year panel of 200 Chinese prefecture‐level cities from 2005 to 2020, SLUE is measured with a DEA framework and then analyzed with two‐way fixed effects and a spatial Durbin model under inverse‐distance and rook‐contiguity matrices. The local estimates show that economic governance and policy innovation are positively associated with SLUE, whereas climate pressure is negatively associated with it. In the fully controlled baseline model, a 1% increase in economic governance and policy innovation is associated with about a 0.0259% and 0.0184% increase in SLUE, while a 1% increase in climate pressure is associated with a 0.0292% decline. Spatial results show positive clustering in SLUE, negative climate spillovers from neighboring cities, and short‐run adverse neighbor effects of governance and policy upgrading under immediate contiguity. The findings indicate that land policy in degraded ecosystems should combine local implementation capacity, adaptive policy design, and cross‐city coordination under shared climate stress.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147751507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reutilizing Urban Idle Industrial Spaces for Sports and Leisure: Experiences From Northeast China","authors":"Yan Gao, Xiaolu Feng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70628","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70628","url":null,"abstract":"As cities worldwide transition from industrial to post‐industrial development, the reuse of idle industrial spaces has become a critical strategy for promoting sustainable urban development. Northeast China, once the nation's flagship heavy industrial base, now contends with a combination of harsh climates, accelerated deindustrialization, and protracted urban renewal. This study examines how idle industrial sites in the region have been redeveloped into venues for sports and leisure, drawing on extensive fieldwork and a large‐scale survey ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 584) to assess public demand, user satisfaction, and transformation outcomes. The findings reveal strong public support for industrial‐to‐sports‐and‐leisure conversions, with particular emphasis on safety, accessibility, and multifunctional use. However, the analysis also highlights clear gaps between supply and demand, limitations in facility provision, and shortcomings in efforts to rebuild cultural identity. Using concepts from spatial justice, post‐industrial landscape renewal, multifunctional adaptive design, and participatory governance, the study proposes targeted policy and planning recommendations. The case of Northeast China offers a pragmatic, low‐cost, and adaptable model of post‐industrial spatial transformation, particularly suited for other developing regions facing similar transitional pressures.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147751499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Economic Trade‐Offs and Asset Gains: Assessing the Household‐Level Impact of Eucalyptus Planting in Rural Ethiopia","authors":"Gemedo Furo, Zhiwen Gong, Gezahegne Seyoum, Amenu Leta Duguma, Tadesse Tolera Ejeta","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70620","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70620","url":null,"abstract":"Land degradation continues to threaten rural livelihoods and long‐term development, boosting interest in restoration strategies such as planting fast‐growing tree species. Eucalyptus plantations have expanded rapidly in many degraded landscapes, yet evidence remains limited on how they influence household wellbeing when the economic value of tree stands is fully accounted for. This study aims to estimate the causal effects of eucalyptus planting on rural households' annual income and accumulated asset values, with explicit attention to its role in rehabilitating degraded land. We integrate the value of eucalyptus stands into household asset portfolios using the Faustmann immature stand valuation model and estimate causal impacts using propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA), and augmented inverse propensity weighting (AIPW). The novelty of this study lies in (i) incorporating tree‐stand valuation into household asset measurement and (ii) applying a doubly‐robust causal inference framework that strengthens the reliability of impact estimates. Results reveal that eucalyptus planting has a negative average impact on annual household income, primarily due to trade‐offs with farm‐based income sources. Whilst it has a positive effect on accumulated wealth. Mechanism analysis results indicate that eucalyptus planting indirectly increases household income through asset accumulation. Overall, eucalyptus cultivation, when targeted to degraded land and supported by short‐term subsidies or policy interventions, has strong potential for promoting sustainable rural development. Future research using panel and landscape‐scale ecological data would further strengthen and extend our findings for long‐term socio‐ecological outcomes of planting eucalyptus.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tianzhi Huang, Li Ma, Xuemei Wang, Xiangyuan Sheng, Menglan Huang, Yingyan Wang
{"title":"Carbon Neutrality Pathways Through Ecological Restoration: Synergies Between Climate Change Mitigation and Degradation Control","authors":"Tianzhi Huang, Li Ma, Xuemei Wang, Xiangyuan Sheng, Menglan Huang, Yingyan Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70596","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70596","url":null,"abstract":"Land degradation and climate change represent interconnected global challenges that threaten ecological stability, ecosystem productivity, and long-term carbon sequestration capacity, particularly in countries with extensive degraded landscapes such as China. This study aims to identify and prioritize ecological restoration pathways that can simultaneously support national carbon-neutrality goals and advance land degradation neutrality. Despite large-scale restoration initiatives, uncertainty remains regarding which intervention pathways most effectively generate synergistic benefits for climate mitigation and degradation control, thereby motivating the development of a structured decision-support framework. We hypothesize that hydrological and soil–vegetation–carbon interactions exert greater influence on restoration-based carbon neutrality outcomes than purely governance-oriented measures. To address the inherent uncertainty and multidimensionality of restoration assessment, an integrated Pythagorean fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making framework was developed by combining PF-SWARA and PF-COPRAS to evaluate multiple criteria and policy support alternatives. The PF-SWARA results highlight precipitation adequacy, soil moisture retention, soil organic carbon, vegetation recovery, and ecosystem productivity as the most influential determinants of restoration effectiveness, indicating that water availability and soil–vegetation–carbon interactions underpin long-term restoration outcomes. Using these weighted criteria, the PF-COPRAS analysis ranked climate-adaptive restoration planning, enhanced soil carbon management, and wetland and riparian restoration as the most effective pathways for achieving high carbon sequestration and robust degradation control. Grassland rehabilitation and afforestation received moderate utility scores, reflecting their region-specific performance and hydrological trade-offs, while governance and finance-oriented strategies emerged as indirect but essential enabling mechanisms.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Federica Caffaro, Eugenio De Gregorio, Giorgio Capello, Lucia Vigoroso, Giorgia Bagagiolo, Eugenio Cavallo, Marcella Biddoccu
{"title":"Winegrowers' Perceptions and Adoption of Sustainable Soil Management Practices and Technologies: A Case Study in Piedmont, Italy","authors":"Federica Caffaro, Eugenio De Gregorio, Giorgio Capello, Lucia Vigoroso, Giorgia Bagagiolo, Eugenio Cavallo, Marcella Biddoccu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70621","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70621","url":null,"abstract":"Soil is crucial for human survival but is threatened by erosion and contamination. Farmers play a pivotal role in soil conservation, thus, understanding what influences their decisions is crucial. The IN-GEST SOIL project aimed to mitigate soil erosion and improve soil and vine quality in Piedmont vineyards, NW Italy. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, specifically by administering a questionnaire followed by focus groups, the study surveyed 72 winegrowers, with 22 then participating in the group discussions, to assess perceptions of soil quality, adoption of sustainable practices and its enablers, and barriers to soil protection. Results showed that most participants were aware of soil degradation in their vineyards (mean score 2.50 on a 1–4 scale). Grass cover was the most common practice (mean score 2.86), and over half of the participants used soil monitoring systems. However, qualitative data revealed a need for more information on soil degradation risks and management practices. Winegrowers with larger vineyards (<i>F</i>(2.71) = 4.496, <i>p</i> = 0.015) and those on steeper slopes (<i>F</i>(2.71) = 3.316, <i>p</i> = 0.042) perceived higher soil degradation. Additionally, those in climatic areas with dry summers (non-Cfa) reported greater degradation effects (<i>t</i>(70) = 3.81, <i>p</i> = 0.000; <i>t</i>(70) = 2.00, <i>p</i> = 0.049). No significant differences based on farm size, steepness and climatic areas emerged either for the adoption of cover crops or soil monitoring systems. Despite the small sample size, the study provides valuable insights into farmers' perceptions and identifies intervention areas for sustainable farming. The mixed-methods approach proved effective in enriching quantitative data with qualitative insights into the farmers' mindset.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of Organic Fertilizer Substitution on Soil Carbon Loss and Sedimentary Carbon Fractions","authors":"Hua Feng, Siqi Zhang, Yunqing Xuan, Prakash Lakshmanan, Sihua Zhu, Caiyun Yang, Tao Jiang, Zhaolei Li, Fusuo Zhang, Lihua Ma, Xinpin Chen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70593","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70593","url":null,"abstract":"Application of organic fertilizer is a key strategy for soil carbon sequestration, yet its impact on the erosion selective transport and chemical quality of eroded organic carbon (OC) remains unclear. We investigated this using laboratory rainfall simulations on sloping cropland under three treatments: no fertilization (CK), chemical N/P (NP), and organic substitution (OMNP). Our results reveal a critical trade-off between erosion quantity and carbon quality: (1) While OMNP significantly reduced total runoff and sediment fluxes (by 10.00% and 17.37% vs. NP), it enriched the remaining sediment with particulate and mineral-associated carbon. However, the reduction in bulk sediment yield outweighed this enrichment, resulting in a net 13.97% decrease in the total loss of stabilized MAOC. (2) Fluorescence analysis identified a divergence in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition. Runoff was dominated by highly labile, tryptophan-like components (Peak T) derived directly from manure inputs, whereas sediment-associated DOM was characterized by high aromaticity and humification due to selective mineral sorption. (3) The linear correlations between OC loss and runoff/sediment transport confirm that physical erosion processes govern OC mobilization. Overall, organic substitution effectively reduces physical soil carbon loss but intensifies the release of chemically reactive organic matter fractions, posing distinct risks for aquatic eutrophication and pollutant transport.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147739445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multiscale Analysis of Ecosystem Services Interactions and Driving Factors in the Anning River Basin: Implications for Ecological Management","authors":"Weijie Li, Jinwen Kang, Yong Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70624","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70624","url":null,"abstract":"Clarifying the interaction relationships between ecosystem services (ESs) and their driving factors at various spatial scales is crucial for achieving effective ecological management. Previous research has focused less on multiple‐level basin scale, and the driving mechanisms behind ESs interactions remain unclear. To address this gap, taking the Anning River Basin as a study area, this study quantified five typical ESs (i.e., soil retention, grain production, water yield, habitat quality and carbon storage) at grid and sub‐basin scales (including five‐levels), identifying their characteristics through spatial autocorrelation, trade‐offs, synergies, and ESs bundles. RDA analysis was used to identify dominant socio‐ecological factors at different scales, while the quantile regression revealed the segmentation impact of key driver on ESs. Results indicated that: (1) The spatial distribution pattern of ESs in this basin remains relatively stable and exhibits strong autocorrelation characteristics. (2) The direction of ESs interactions exhibited scale stability, whereas their intensity showed scale variability. (3) Natural factors primarily influence ESs and their interrelationships, with the explanatory power of key drivers (i.e., slope) increasing with scale. (4) All ESs showed nonlinear responses and scale‐dependent to slope changes. The study provides an important reference for regional ecological management, emphasizing the importance of comprehensively considering the interaction relationships and driving factors of ESs at different basin scales.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147733686","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Actinobacteria and Nitrogen Fractions Drive Soil Multifunctionality and Camellia oleifera Abel. Fruit Setting Rate: Based on Field Study With Cow Manure Amendment","authors":"Yaohui Liu, Nizar Nawaz, Wenwen Zhong, Chen Chen, Huaiyuan Wu, Dongnan Hu, Zhen Liu, Zhi Li","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70625","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70625","url":null,"abstract":"Revealing the linkages among camellia ( <jats:italic>Camellia oleifera</jats:italic> Abel.) growth, soil multifunctionality, and cow manure application rate might offer new light on the optimization of cow manure application rate and ecological and economic benefits in camellia plantations. However, studies have focused on the effect of cow manure application on soil multifunctionality and camellia growth, but the trade‐off between cow manure application rates and soil multifunctionality and camellia growth remains unclear. Thereby, we analyzed the linkages among fruit setting, soil nutrient availability and multifunctionality, and microbial communities with four different cow manure application rates (control without cow manure (CK); 10 kg plant <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> (CL); 20 kg plant <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> (CM); and 30 kg plant <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> (CH)). Soil multifunctionalities in the CL, CM, and CH treatments were increased by 39.74%, 66.57%, and 68.36%, respectively, compared to the CK treatment. The fruit setting rates in the CL, CM, and CH treatments were 2.00, 4.75, and 4.50 times of the CK treatment, respectively. Cow manure applications significantly enhanced soil total nitrogen (N), ammonium nitrogen (NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> –N), nitrate nitrogen (NO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> –N), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents, which had significant and positive effects on soil multifunctionality and fruit setting rate. Moreover, increases in soil mineral N contents stimulated soil Actinobacteria growth and activity, which also drove soil multifunctionality and fruit setting rate with cow manure amendment. Given the comprehensive balance among multifunctionality, fruit setting rate, cow manure input cost, microbial characteristic, and environmental impact, the 20 kg cow manure per plant might be appropriate for camellia plantations in this study. The comprehensive balances across yield, soil, and microbial properties should be further considered in the future.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147733687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}