Land Degradation & Development最新文献

{"title":"Land Resources, Green Energy, and Food Production: Perspective of Middle-Income Economies","authors":"Leyuan Zhong, Yun Zhou, Yufei Gan, Wuyan Lou","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5599","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5599","url":null,"abstract":"In the era of COP27, both the industrialized and developing economies aim to tackle climate-changing issues. Yet, the complex nexus of land resources, green energy, and food production remains a hot topic for policymakers and scholars. There is a significant literature gap since the existing literature lacks empirical evidence concerning the stated nexus. To bridge the gap, the present study analyzes the influence of land resources (forest, natural gas, and mineral resources) and green energy on the food production of the aggregate middle-income economies during 1985–2022. This study highlights the persistent structural breaks in stationarity testing. Still, the equilibrium relationship persists during the study period. Employing the least square with structural breaks approach, this study found that economic growth has a heterogeneous influence on food production, which is negative in the pre-structural break period and positive in the post-structural break period. Besides, forest resources are the significant drivers of the region's food production. However, mineral and natural gas resources are significantly reducing the food production of middle-income economies. Green energy has no significant role in the food production of the selected region. A series of robustness and causality tests verify the robustness of the results. Based on the results, this study recommends the effective management of land resources and further investment in green energy projects and research and development.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734439","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":"Characteristics of Soil phoD-Harboring Bacteria and Phosphorus Availability in Subtropical Chinese Fir Plantations","authors":"Wei Zheng, Peng Dang, Xun Duan, Junjie Lei, Jinshui Wu, Wende Yan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5594","url":null,"abstract":"Phosphorus (P) availability constrains plant productivity in forest ecosystems, with soil functional genes involved in P cycling playing a pivotal role in regulating its availability. However, the effects of climatic gradients on P availability and functional genes remain unclear. We collected 90 soil samples from subtropical Chinese fir plantations along a north-to-south gradient to evaluate the impact of soil <i>phoD</i>-harboring bacteria on P availability, employing high-throughput sequencing and a biologically based approach. The lowest organic P was observed in mid subtropical (0.35–1.48 mg kg⁻¹) region compared to south (1.27–2.69 mg kg⁻¹) and north (0.81–2.34 mg kg⁻¹), with inconsistent trends in inorganic P. Lower diversity and stronger competition of <i>phoD</i> in south and north subtropics, and higher diversity and stronger collaboration in mid subtropics. <i>Actinobacteria</i> positively correlated with organic P and was its strongest predictor (Increase in mean squared error = 17.63%). Mechanistic modelling indicated that variations in soil nutrients and pH from north to south altered competition among <i>phoD</i> and dominant species, thereby enhancing acid phosphatase activity and shifting organic P mineralization. Our findings highlight that increased competition among <i>phoD</i> may enhance P availability in P-poor soils under climate warming. Collectively, this study offers novel insights into how climate impacts soil P availability in Chinese fir plantation soils.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143713603","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 Grazing Intensity on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Community Structure in Grasslands","authors":"Luhuai Jing, Tao Li, Tserang Donko Mipam, Ao Jiang, Jianquan Liu, Quanjun Hu, Liming Tian","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5601","url":null,"abstract":"Soil microbial diversity and community structure play pivotal roles in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions and biogeochemical cycling. However, the patterns and mechanisms of grazing effects on bacterial and fungal diversity remain poorly understood on a broad scale. To address this issue, we conducted a meta-analysis by compiling a comprehensive dataset consisting of 543 paired observations from 48 manipulative grazing experiments in grassland ecosystems. Pooling all data, our results indicated that grazing significantly altered soil bacterial and fungal community structure, almost uniformly decreased beta diversity, and did not change alpha diversity. However, grazing intensity had different effects on bacterial and fungal communities, with more pronounced alterations in the bacterial community. Moreover, bacterial alpha diversity showed a positive response to cattle/yak grazing and short-term grazing (e.g., less than 5 years), while sheep grazing and long-term grazing had negative effects on bacterial and fungal alpha diversity. Model-selection analysis further suggested that changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and soil pH, grazing duration, and livestock type jointly regulated the responses of bacterial and fungal diversity and community structure to grazing disturbances. Our findings underscore the divergent responses of soil microbial alpha and beta diversity to grazing in grassland ecosystems. Appropriate livestock selection (e.g., cattle), short grazing duration, and moderate intensity can help to maintain the stability of microbial communities and ecosystem functions. These insights are crucial for establishing precision grazing management strategies, promoting the sustainability of grassland ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143713604","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":"Variations in Soil Erodibility Induced by Microhabitat Types and Slope Positions in the Karst Region of Southwest China","authors":"Dandan Li, Yujie Li, Pingzong Zhu, Zhongfa Zhou, Qixin Wu, Zhihui Liu, Xin Zhao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5590","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5590","url":null,"abstract":"Microhabitats, caused by the action of dissolution and soil erosion at different slope positions, are manifestations of rocky desertification in Karst areas of Southwest China. They play a significant role in the ecological restoration of the karst landscape by changing soil hydrological and soil erosion processes via affecting soil and vegetation properties as well as soil erodibility. Nevertheless, few studies have been conducted to investigate the potential influences of microhabitat types and slope positions on soil erodibility. Thus, this study was performed to assess the variations in soil erodibility indicators described by the soil cohesion (Coh), K factor (K), penetration resistance (PR), soil structural stability index (SSI), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and a comprehensive soil erodibility index (<i>CSEI</i>) at two slope positions (upper and lower) and four microhabitat types (rock pit, rock crevice, rocky soil surface, and soil surface). The results indicated that soil erodibility indicators of Coh, SSI, Ks, K, and PR varied significantly with microhabitat types and slope positions. Furthermore, <i>CSEI</i> varied from 0.45 to 0.77 and from 0.25 to 0.67 for the upper and lower slope positions, respectively. However, the microhabitat of rocky soil surface had the maximum <i>CSEI</i>, whereas the microhabitat of rock pit had the minimum <i>CSEI</i> for both slope positions. Furthermore, the mean <i>CSEI</i> among different microhabitat types of the upper position was dramatically greater than that of the lower position, indicating that the upper slope position was more prone to erosion in the karst region. All these variations in <i>CSEI</i> between different microhabitat types and slope positions were controlled by their influence on soil and vegetation properties. However, the influencing mechanism of microhabitat types on <i>CSEI</i> was completely different between these two slope positions. Changes in <i>CSEI</i> in different microhabitat types of the upper slope position were mainly controlled by the indirect effect of plant litter in promoting soil structure, whereas those for the lower slope position were regulated by the direct effect of plant root binding and bonding. These results have crucial implications for deeply comprehending the impacting mechanism of the spatial changes in soil erodibility under different microhabitat types and slope positions, particularly the impacts of rocky soil surface in the upper slope position on soil erodibility. Great attention should be paid to deploying biological measures for the microhabitat of rocky soil surface and the upper slope position, such as the cultivating of special biological soil crust, to prevent regional soil erosion and improve the environmental quality in karst areas of Southwest China. Soil erosion resistance; Microhabitats; Upper and lower slope positions; Soil and vegetation properties; Karst areas.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143703476","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":"Straw Returning Amount and Duration Influence Paddy Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration by Regulating Plant- and Microbe-Derived Carbon Accumulation","authors":"Xiaowei Chen, Gongwen Luo, Ruibin Zhu, Yuping Zhang, Yangji Huang, Chaolin Liao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5595","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5595","url":null,"abstract":"Straw-returning-driven sequestration of soil organic carbon (SOC) is critical for cropland carbon (C) storage and stability. However, the effects of plant- and microbe-derived C accumulation in SOC sequestration remain unclear in rice systems. Herein, this study synthetically explored the response of soil microbial necromass and lignin phenols to straw return and assessed their contributions to SOC under two application amounts and durations. The field-based experiment was established in 1982. The results indicated that returning straw to paddy fields significantly increased SOC content by 7%–46%, with a higher return rate and longer duration yielding greater increases. Fungal necromass C (FNC) in paddy soil showed a higher content (3.8–5.9 g kg⁻¹) and a higher proportion to SOC (20%–25%) than bacterial necromass C (BNC; 1.6–2.5 g kg⁻¹ and 9%–11%). However, the amount and duration of straw returns had a small influence on the proportions of the FNC and BNC to SOC. Accumulation of lignin phenols (0.2–0.8 g kg⁻¹) in paddy soils and their proportions to SOC (1%–3%) were lower than those of amino sugars (0.7–1.1 g kg⁻¹ and 3.8%–4.5%) and were not significantly affected by the straw return amount or duration. Soil FNC content was closely associated with soil available nitrogen (AN), microbial biomass C (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) contents, whereas soil BNC content showed a strong link with AN and MBC contents. Soil lignin phenol content was significantly related to soil AN, available potassium, and MBC contents. Soil FNC and BNC accumulations positively contributed to SOC, whereas soil AN, MBC, and MBN contents indirectly affected SOC by regulating microbial necromass C. These results highlight the benefits of straw return on paddy SOC sequestration, linked to the positive response of plant- and microbe-derived C accumulation.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143703475","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":"Assessing Surface Water Hydrological Connectivity and Spatiotemporal Evolution in Xinjiang (2000–2020)","authors":"Yue Ding, Jianli Ding, Jinjie Wang, Jiao Wang, Wen Ma, Xiangyue Chen, Xiangyu Ge","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5584","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5584","url":null,"abstract":"Assessing hydrological connectivity is crucial for maintaining the health and integrity of wetland and river‐lake ecosystems in arid regions as it plays a key role in watershed ecological balance and sustainable development. We utilized the Joint Research Center's global surface water dataset. We combined these data with connectivity indices and circuit theory to analyze the hydrological connectivity and spatiotemporal evolution of surface water in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020. We determined that an increase in surface water area generally enhances regional hydrological connectivity. However, the fragmentation of water bodies may affect the quality of the potential connectivity by increasing the number of connecting pathways. The expansion and fragmentation of water patches alter their role in hydrological connectivity, with patches near large catchment areas often serving as critical connection points. Additionally, we found that the combined impacts of climate change and human activities led to an increase in the number of ecological corridors in Xinjiang from 427 in 2000 to 527 in 2020, with surrounding ecological pinch points and barrier areas showing increasing trends. This study provides new evidence for the spatiotemporal evolution of hydrological connectivity in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020 and identifies priority areas for protecting and enhancing hydrological network connectivity. Our results provide a scientific basis for optimizing the conservation framework of river‐lake networks in Xinjiang, maintaining the integrity of aquatic ecosystems, and accelerating the environmental restoration of river‐lake networks.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"620 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677660","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":"The Individual and Combined Effects of Microplastics and Antibiotics on Soil Microbial Metabolic Limitation and Carbon Use Efficiency","authors":"Qiuyue Zhang, Yi Tang, Yanjiao Wang, Pengfei Cheng, Lianghui Li, Babar Iqbal, Tingting Zhao, Ruoyu Guo, Xiaojun Zheng, Guanlin Li, Daolin Du","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5544","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics and antibiotics are emerging pollutants that accumulate extensively in soils, both exerting adverse effects on soil ecosystems. The mechanisms underlying the combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on soil microbial metabolism remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, we evaluated the individual and combined effects of different types of microplastics (non‐degradable polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid) and an antibiotic (oxytetracycline) on soil microbial metabolism characteristics. Our results showed that the microbial community was primarily limited by nitrogen under either microplastics or antibiotics treatments; whereas it was limited by phosphorus under the combined treatments. All treatments, except for the non‐biodegradable microplastic treatment, significantly alleviated carbon limitation in the microbial community (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.01), with the effect being particularly pronounced under combined treatments involving both types of microplastics and antibiotics. Notably, both individual and combined treatments significantly increased the microbial carbon use efficiency (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05). The effects of microplastics on microbial metabolism were influenced by both the type of microplastics and their interaction with antibiotics, highlighting the complex nature of these combined environmental pollutants. This study provided an empirical basis for understanding the individual exposure and co‐exposure to biodegradable/non‐biodegradable microplastics and antibiotics on soil microbial metabolism.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677813","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":"Peat and Liquid Organic Fertilizer Promoted Kiwifruit Performance by Modifying Rhizosphere Soil Physicochemical and Microbial Properties","authors":"Zhe Liu, Jia Zhang, Jianxun Qin, Xindong Ouyang, Jinlong Wang, Wenbo Gu, Jie Li, Lei Wang, Zhe Li, Juan Wu, Xinyu Wang, Guodong Zheng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5562","url":null,"abstract":"Applications of peat and liquid organic fertilizer enhance soil physicochemical properties and modulate microbial community composition. Rhizosphere soil microorganisms play pivotal roles in mediating plant growth dynamics. Nevertheless, the effects of peat and liquid organic fertilizer amendments on growth performance and associated microbial regulation mechanisms in kiwifruit production systems remain poorly elucidated. This study investigated the rhizosphere soil physicochemical and microbiological traits, together with kiwifruit plant traits, following a gradient of peat application ranging from 0% to 25%, combined with two fertilization strategies (chemical fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer). Results showed that compared to fertilizers, the effects of peat on soil physicochemical traits were more pronounced, for example, enhancement of soil organic matter, total carbon, available nitrogen and available phosphorus content, moisture, reduction of pH, and bulk density. Combined utilization of liquid organic fertilizer and 25% peat enhanced soil catalase, urease, and acid phosphatase activities by 30.8%, 46.3%, and 67.5%, respectively, compared to the control. High‐dose peat application can also significantly elevate soil phospholipid fatty acid content, especially eukaryotes. Sequencing results showed that fertilization practices and peat did not noticeably impact soil bacterial and fungal diversity. The application of 12.5% peat resulted in a higher number of soil microbial network links and a more complex network, while liquid organic fertilizer also increased the number of network links and the average clustering coefficient. Notably, the number of keystone taxa elevated with the increase of peat application. Finally, peat enhanced plant height and root activity, with liquid organic fertilizer significantly increasing root activity compared to the control and chemical fertilizer. Based on the above findings, the utilization of peat and liquid organic fertilizer can improve soil physicochemical properties, thereby enhancing soil enzyme activity and microbial abundance, adjusting the composition and interaction patterns of the microbiome, and ultimately promoting kiwifruit growth. Nevertheless, the effects of peat and liquid organic fertilizer in field trials should be explored in the future.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"93 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677815","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 Repeated Low‐Severity Fires on Particle Detachment Capacity and Soil Properties in Rills of Semi‐Arid Forests","authors":"Misagh Parhizkar, Manuel Esteban Lucas‐Borja, Pietro Denisi, Demetrio Antonio Zema","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5593","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5593","url":null,"abstract":"In forest ecosystems, in addition to wildfire hazards, low‐severity fires may alter some soil properties and trigger soil erosion, especially on long and steep slopes. The literature on the hydrological effects of fire with variable intensity is ample, but the studies on the post‐fire variability of soil detachment capacity in rills (hereafter <jats:italic>D</jats:italic><jats:sub>c</jats:sub>) are scarce. Moreover, the effects of repeated fires with low severity on the variability of particle detachment have never been evaluated. To fill this gap, this study has explored whether repeated fires influence the rill formation process by measuring <jats:italic>D</jats:italic><jats:sub>c</jats:sub> on soil samples collected in semi‐arid forests of Northern Iran in flume experiments. Fires noticeably increased (up to 45%) <jats:italic>D</jats:italic><jats:sub>c</jats:sub> over five repeated fires compared to the unburned sites. The effects of fire were always noticeable on almost all soil properties compared to those in the unburned sites. In contrast, its significant impacts on soils with a different number of fires were limited to bulk density, concentrations of some ions, and cation exchange capacity. Therefore, the study suggests proper control of recreational activities in forests and a limit on the burning frequency. Moreover, simple models were set up to estimate the soil erodibility factor and critical shear stress in rills (important input parameters for process‐based erosion models) in repeatedly burned soils. <jats:italic>D</jats:italic><jats:sub>c</jats:sub> was accurately estimated from the stream power or its unit value using linear equations. The stream power provided more reliable predictions (coefficients of the efficiency of Nash and Sutcliffe over 0.75) compared to its unit value. The findings of the study are useful for hydrologists and land managers for erosion prediction and soil conservation tasks, respectively, in delicate forest ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677816","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":"Community and Institutional Drivers of Deforestation, Environmental Impacts, and Extension Interventions for Forest Management in the Hindu Kush Himalaya","authors":"Ayat Ullah","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5586","url":null,"abstract":"Deforestation in Pakistan's mountainous regions, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), presents significant environmental, social, and economic challenges. Despite various control measures, deforestation persists due to institutional weaknesses and community pressures. This paper explores the institutional and community drivers of deforestation, its environmental impacts, and extension interventions. Focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members from 10 HKH villages provided diverse perspectives. Findings revealed that deforestation results from institutional failures, such as ineffective enforcement of regulations, deficient extension services, and corruption, along with community factors like elite capture, political patronage of offenders, dependence on livestock, communal forest distribution, and limited job opportunities for youth. This has led to ecological deterioration, including climate change, water scarcity, and heightened flood risks. Despite the inadequacy of the extension system, it plays a vital role in promoting sustainable forest management by overcoming resistance to restoration programs and encouraging community participation and decision‐making. Policy recommendations focus on strengthening extension services for effective forest management and conservation, particularly by providing extension agents with necessary physical resources, such as staff, vehicles, and office facilities, along with training to enhance their operational capacity.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677814","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}