Land Degradation & Development最新文献

{"title":"The Impact of Land Use Changes and Agricultural Practices on Phosphorus Cycling: A Review","authors":"Babar Iqbal, Huan Zhou, Abdulkareem Raheem, Inamullah, Tao Zheng, Ali Raza Khan, Wardah Azhar, Muhammad Junaid Nazir, Muhammad Sohail Memon, Guanlin Li, Daolin Du","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70221","url":null,"abstract":"Changes in land use and agricultural management techniques have a significant impact on soil phosphorus (P), which is essential for crop yield and ecosystem health. This review summarizes recent studies on the effects of land-use changes, including intensive farming, urbanization, and deforestation, on soil P dynamics. Therefore, we thoroughly investigated the physical, chemical, and biological interactions within the soil matrix, as well as the processes and mechanisms that control P availability. P retention, mobility, and losses through leaching, erosion, and runoff were investigated with respect to changes in soil characteristics caused by agricultural activities such as fertilization, tillage, and irrigation. Additionally, the function of soil microbes in P cycling and how they react to land use modifications is well discussed. Regulatory frameworks governing P management are also compared, with an emphasis on the effects of P surplus and depletion on the environment. Conclusively, to maximize P use efficiency, minimize nutrient losses, and improve soil fertility while lowering environmental hazards, we concluded that further improvement of sustainable agricultural techniques, such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and precision fertilization, is necessary. This study offers a thorough understanding of the P cycle to improve nutrient management and promote sustainable land-use practices in agricultural settings.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145209365","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":"Carbon Emission Reduction Potential in Coal Resource-Based Regions for Land Use Planning: Evidence From China","authors":"Jin Zhang, Zi-xuan Xie, Qian Wang, Cui-fang Zhang, Qian-qian Sun, Qi-peng Zhang, Jin Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70220","url":null,"abstract":"Coal resource-based regions have been facing severe challenges in reducing carbon emissions due to the carbon locking effect. However, the carbon emission reduction potential of land use in these regions has not been explored sufficiently. To explore the carbon emission reduction potential of coal-resource regions, we conducted a study on land use carbon emissions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The carbon emission calculation model and carbon footprint pressure index were utilized to estimate land use carbon emissions in the study area. In addition, the LMDI model was used to determine the factors affecting land use carbon emissions. The results are as follows: (1) The most significant feature of land use change is the transition from cropland to construction land. (2) Land use carbon emissions show a remarkable growth trend, and construction land is the major contributor. (3) The carbon footprint pressure index exhibits an upward trend, but at a slow rate. (4) The economic development effect is the dominant factor for the increase of land use carbon emissions. The results can provide scientific references for realizing rational land use planning and global sustainable low-carbon development.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145183028","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":"Soil Salt Content Estimation Through Integrated Analysis of ZiYuan1 Hyperspectral and Sentinel‐1 Synthetic Aperture Radar Images","authors":"Youxin Sun, Xia Zhang, Weihao Wang, Kun Shang, Songtao Ding","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70222","url":null,"abstract":"Soil salinization adversely affects soil health and poses a threat to crop growth. Accurately estimating soil salt content (SSC) is of critical importance for achieving sustainable agricultural development. Hyperspectral remote sensing provides abundant spectral information that reflects the spectral reflectance characteristics of soil salinity, while synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data offer backscatter coefficient features associated with soil salinity. This study presents a method for estimating SSC using a combination of ZiYuan1 (ZY1) hyperspectral and Sentinel‐1 SAR data. This approach determines the spectral bands characteristic of soil salinity and extracts them using continuum removal. On this basis, fractional order derivative is applied to enhance spectral features (soil salinity spectral bands and spectral indices), which are then combined with SAR features (backscatter coefficients and radar indices) to estimate SSC using the extremely randomized trees algorithm. Validation of the proposed method was carried out using 84 soil samples and satellite images collected from Zhaoyuan County, Heilongjiang Province, China. Analysis of the results suggests that extracting soil salinity spectral bands reduces data redundancy, enhances the mechanism of the estimation process, and improves estimation accuracy. Compared to using the full spectral range (400–2400 nm), the proposed method increased the coefficient of determination (<jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup>) from 0.56 to 0.69 and the residual predictive deviation (RPD) from 1.51 to 1.80. The incorporation of spectral indices further increased <jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> to 0.74, and the combination of spectral features with SAR features improved the estimation accuracy even further, with <jats:italic>R</jats:italic><jats:sup>2</jats:sup> and RPD increasing to 0.84 and 2.57, respectively. In this work, we develop a novel approach for SSC estimation by combining hyperspectral and SAR data for soil salinization monitoring and evaluation.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"78 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145181116","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":"Applicability Analysis and Energy Quantification of Soil and Water Conservation Measures in the Northern Chinese Black Soil Region","authors":"Haiou Shen, Frédéric Darboux, Dongli Wang, Jianxiang Liu, Xueying Wang, Wei Hu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70208","url":null,"abstract":"The effects of soil and water conservation measures on controlling soil erosion have been demonstrated. However, farmer perceptions regarding their applicability in black soil regions remain unclear. Although energy analysis theory provides a useful method for statistically assessing ecological consequences, its application to soil and water conservation remains limited. The objectives of this study were to analyze effectiveness, energy values, and farmer satisfaction with soil and water conservation measures, including contour ridges, straw turnover, agricultural protection forests, planted ridge belts, bench terrace, etc., through field investigations, questionnaire surveys, and energy analysis theory. The findings demonstrated that after implementing these measures on sloping farmlands in the northern Chinese black soil region, approximately 78% of the land remained intact, while 22% of the land was partially destroyed or completely destroyed. Only 72% of the surveyed farmers perceived control efficiency as medium or good, whereas 28% reported poor or low control efficiency. Nevertheless, 91% of the surveyed farmers were satisfied or very satisfied with these measures. The mean energy values were ranked as follows: bench terrace &gt; planted ridge belt &gt; ridge tillage &gt; straw turnover &gt; agricultural protection forest. The greatest variations in energy values occurred in the straw turnover (1.21 × 10⁸−2.81 × 10⁸ sej) and ridge tillage (2.34 × 10⁸–4.67 × 10⁸ sej) measures. Therefore, quantifying energy values enables a deeper assessment of spatial applicability and popularization for different soil and water conservation measures.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145141009","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":"Piping Erosion in Semi‐Arid Loess Hillslope: The Influence of Soil Characteristics","authors":"Mohsen Hosseinalizadeh, Mohammad Alinejad, Hossein Tazikeh, Narges Kariminejad, Anita Bernatek‐Jakiel, Farhad Khormali","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70202","url":null,"abstract":"Piping erosion, driven by subsurface flow, has generally received less attention than soil erosion caused by overland flow. This oversight contributes to the growing global problem of soil degradation in various regions. Piping erosion can pose significant geohazards in areas covered by loess, such as the Iranian Loess Plateau (ILP), where it negatively impacts agricultural productivity and human properties. Consequently, identifying the factors influencing this erosion process is essential for developing effective control measures. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the role of soil characteristics and slope positions in the selected area of the ILP prone to piping erosion. In order to achieve this goal, six soil profiles were excavated both inside and outside pipe collapses (PCs) and at various positions on the hillslope (shoulder, backslope, and toeslope). The soil profiles were described following standard pedological methods (the Soil Survey Manual). A total of 28 soil samples were analyzed in the laboratory. Apart from cluster analysis, a comparison of soil properties was done: (1) at various slope positions, and (2) inside and outside PCs. The silt content of the analyzed soils ranges from 57% to 84%, predominantly consisting of medium‐sized silt particles, generally making these soils vulnerable to soil erosion. The sodium (Na<jats:sup>+</jats:sup>) content tends to decrease in soil profiles inside the PCs, while the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) generally increases toward deeper soil layers. This condition may promote preferential flow, particularly in the lower horizons, which acts as a primary driving force for the initiation of piping erosion. Cluster analysis revealed that high content of Na<jats:sup>+</jats:sup>, Mg<jats:sup>2+</jats:sup>, and high ESP values are the most significant contributors to piping erosion. Notably, the deepest soil horizons in the pits inside the PCs and across different hillslope positions were grouped into the same cluster, indicating that the C horizons of profiles inside the PCs are the most vulnerable to piping erosion. Variations in vertical soil structure, both within and outside the PCs at different slope positions, suggest that weak soil structure may significantly influence the initiation and enlargement of pipes. The deepest soil horizons of soil profiles inside the PCs have the highest ESP values, indicating their dispersive characteristics. This study has shown that, in loess‐derived soils under semi‐arid conditions, soil properties have a greater impact on piping erosion than hillslope positions. In summary, the study area is characterized by erodible soils, with all hillslope positions being highly susceptible to piping. This research enhances our understanding of piping erosion in loess‐covered regions under semi‐arid conditions and provides a crucial step toward developing effective soil erosion control measures.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145140558","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":"Incorporation of Green Manure Reduces Tobacco Root Rot Incidence via Modulation of Rhizosphere Microbial Communities","authors":"Zhao Wenjun, Wang Zhengxu, Zhao Wenjia, Liu Kui, Qian Yingying, Lu Junping, Libo Fu, Wang Jiansong, Yang Jizhou, Cao Jing, Feng Yu, Chen Hua, Weidong Cao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70217","url":null,"abstract":"Incorporating green manure into tobacco production systems significantly boosts soil fertility and suppresses soil-borne fungal diseases. However, the comparative effectiveness of different green manures against tobacco root rot and their associated microbial regulatory mechanisms is not fully understood. In this study, we evaluated the disease-suppressive capabilities of two green manures—smooth vetch (<i>Vicia villosa</i>) and rape (<i>Brassica campestris</i>)—applied at varying rates in a pot experiment on <i>Fusarium solani</i>-induced tobacco root rot. Results showed that smooth vetch incorporation substantially reduced <i>Fusarium solani</i> abundance by 62.3% and decreased tobacco root rot incidence by 20% compared to the no green manure and pathogen inoculation control. Smooth vetch increased the relative abundance of <i>Bacillus</i> spp. in rhizosphere soil by over two-fold compared to no incorporation. Co-occurrence network analysis detected four microbial modules, with Module 0 showing a significant negative correlation with pathogen abundance. In Module 0, bacterial taxa, particularly <i>Bacillus</i> spp., held central positions with extensive node interactions, while fungi displayed higher relative abundance. This module also included other taxa with potential disease-suppressive capabilities such as <i>Paenibacillus</i> spp., <i>Lysobacter soli</i>, and <i>Chaetomium sphaerale</i>. Importantly, smooth vetch more effectively enhanced soil-available nutrients, especially alkaline nitrogen, compared to rape. These nutrient improvements were associated with enriched potential disease-resistant microbial communities. Overall, smooth vetch shows greater potential for enhancing tobacco resistance to root rot and reducing disease incidence, presenting an effective strategy for managing soil-borne diseases in tobacco.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145127345","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":"Soil Fungal Community Assembly in Restored Cut Slopes Versus Natural Forests Along an Altitudinal Gradient","authors":"Yuxiang Hu, Haijun Liao, Chaonan Li, Zhe Feng, Qiang Lin, Yongping Kou","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70204","url":null,"abstract":"During the highway construction, forest ecosystems are usually fragmented, leaving numerous bare cut slopes. External-soil spray seeding (ESSS), which is often used for slope restoration, is a technique for re-establishing vegetation on degraded slopes. However, our current comprehension of soil fungal communities during such a process remains limited, especially when considering variations across an altitude gradient. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, we investigated the spatial shifts in the composition, diversity, network properties, and assembly processes of fungal communities in both natural forest (NS) and cut slope (CS) along the altitude gradient. The findings revealed notable differences in <i>β</i>-diversity between NS and CS across various altitudes, linked to soil physicochemical changes. Subsequent research highlighted distinct shifts in fungal community composition along the elevation gradient between NS and CS. Notably, there is a massive accumulation of plant pathogens in CS treatments, such as an increased relative abundance of <i>Gibberella</i>. This change in fungal community composition may inhibit seedling regeneration. Network analysis indicated a lower stability of fungal networks in CS than NS. We also found that deterministic and stochastic processes jointly drove fungal community construction, with stochastic processes playing a major role. The assembly of the fungal community is significantly correlated with soil pH and NH₄⁺-N. This study improves our understanding of how soil fungal communities are restored in cut slopes in subalpine forests across altitude gradients. It also provides critical scientific guidance for restoring ecological functions on cut slopes formed during infrastructure development in forests.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145127348","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":"Land Use Intensity Modulates Soil C, N and Stoichiometric Ratios Across Profiles: The Mediating Role of pH Buffering Capacity","authors":"Kun Zhu, Yuanchuang Lu, Hongyu Ran, Laura Zavattaro, Ying Liu, Gang Wang, Weida Gao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70218","url":null,"abstract":"The intensity of land use is known to alter soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and their stoichiometric ratios, yet the underlying biogeochemical mechanisms and the factors governing soil resilience remain unclear. This study investigates the process-based soil response to long-term, divergent land-use intensity changes. We compared adjacent plots converted from cropland to either low-intensity poplar woodland or a high-intensity greenhouse vegetable system, analyzing soil profiles to 100 cm depth across two distinct soil textures. The conversion to woodland initiated a C-driven pathway, where inputs of C-rich litter increased surface SOC and elevated C:N ratios by 4.1%–18.9%. This C accrual was possibly linked to a shift toward a fungal-dominated microbial community, as indicated by high microbial biomass C:N ratios (9.6–14.1). In contrast, the high-intensity greenhouse system triggered an N-driven pathway; heavy organic and inorganic N inputs substantially increased both SOC and TN but decreased C:N ratios by 33.7%–86.6%. This was caused by intensified nitrification, which drove soil acidification and reduced soil pH buffering capacity by 3.4%–41.6%. Crucially, we identify soil pH buffering capacity as a primary control; soils with stronger buffering capacity attenuated these divergent stoichiometric responses by maintaining a more stable microbial biomass composition, which was crucial for stabilizing nutrient availability and buffering soil ecosystems against the impacts of high land-use intensity.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145127346","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":"Spatio-Temporal Changes of Land Use Carbon Emission/Absorption and Its Future Trend in Important Ecological Functional Areas—A Case Study in the Yellow River Basin","authors":"Xi Chen, Wei Wei, Xiaoxu Wei, Binbin Xie, Yanli Pei, Junju Zhou, Mohsen Sherif, Xiangyu Wang, Ashraf Dewan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70210","url":null,"abstract":"This study proposes a novel perspective for calculating construction land carbon emissions based on functional zoning classification. Focusing on the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and utilizing Point of Interest (POI) data, we classified construction land into eight distinct functional types based on the China Land Cover Dataset (CLCD) from 2012 to 2022. Integrating this functional classification system with data from the China Carbon Accounting Database (CEADs), we established multiple linear regression models to achieve precise calculation of carbon emissions and absorption for each land use type. The Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model was then employed to project land use patterns and associated carbon emissions and absorption for 2032 and 2042 under four development scenarios. The results showed that: (1) The developed functional classification framework effectively enables precise assessment of construction land carbon emissions. (2) While construction land emissions decrease by 2042 across all scenarios, being lowest under the Cropland Protection (CP) and highest under Ecological Protection (EP). Notably, the CP scenario uniquely promotes increased carbon absorption from both cropland and grassland. Forest carbon absorption grew consistently, while trends for grassland and unused land absorption differed by scenario. (3) Spatially, net carbon emissions (NCE) exhibit an “east-high, west-low” gradient at the provincial level, with Inner Mongolia and Northwestern Sichuan showing notable changes under specific scenarios. Significant structural shifts occurred at the city level, and even more pronounced sensitivity to scenarios was observed at the county/district level, where high-emission clusters concentrated in the mid-north alluvial plains and eastern urban agglomerations. This research provides: (i) a new functional zoning-based methodology for construction land carbon accounting, (ii) a comprehensive simulation framework integrating PLUS modeling and multi-scale carbon analysis under diverse futures. These contributions establish a vital foundation for informing ecological protection and achieving sustainable low-carbon development in the YRB and similar regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"156 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145117191","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":"Soil Properties and Plant Functional Traits Jointly Determine the Wetland Plant Diversity Undergoing Shrub Encroachment in a Semi-Arid Region","authors":"Keke Shi, Xuan Wang, Le Wang, Yifan Li, Mingye Zhang, Yu An, Shouzheng Tong, Haitao Wu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70213","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change and human activities have exacerbated land degradation, particularly in semi-arid wetlands. This degradation is manifested through shrub encroachment, which drives shifts in plant community composition, subsequently reshaping species diversity, and altering ecosystem function via modifications to soil properties and plant functional strategies. However, the specific soil drivers, key functional traits, and their mediating pathways remain poorly understood. This study analysed soil properties and leaf traits along shrub encroachment gradients (herbaceous, herbaceous-shrub mixed, and shrub) in the upper reaches of the Yellow River's semi-arid wetlands, China. Results showed that changes in plant diversity were accompanied by a decrease in leaf area (LA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC), as well as an increase in leaf nitrogen content (LNC) and leaf phosphorus content (LPC). These shifts indicate that the vegetation community has adopted an adaptive resource allocation strategy and is transitioning towards a state better adapted to the changing environment. Concurrently, key soil properties in the study area, such as soil water content (SWC), electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nitrogen content (SNC), and other properties, have significantly decreased compared to levels prior to shrub encroachment. Random forest models revealed the key roles of soil properties (SWC and pH) and plant functional traits (such as LA and LDMC) in driving changes in plant diversity. Variance partitioning analysis emphasised the combined effect of the interaction between soil properties and leaf functional traits in driving plant diversity variation. Consequently, structural equation modelling delineated dual pathways for SWC effects: direct negative impacts and indirect modulation via the LA-LDMC trade-off, with pH acting as a secondary regulator. This study reveals key mechanisms underpinning land degradation via shrub encroachment in semi-arid wetlands, specifically linking soil properties and plant functional traits to plant diversity change and ecosystem impairment. These findings provide a critical scientific basis for developing effective strategies for the restoration of degraded lands and sustainable land management in vulnerable semi-arid regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145117190","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}