Misagh Parhizkar, Manuel Esteban Lucas‐Borja, Pietro Denisi, Demetrio Antonio Zema
{"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}
Paula Godinho Ribeiro, Markus Gastauer, Cecílio Frois Caldeira, Joyce Reis Silva, Silvio Junio Ramos
{"title":"Optimizing Mine Land Revegetation: Combining Native and Non‐Native Species for Rapid Biomass Accumulation and Soil Cover","authors":"Paula Godinho Ribeiro, Markus Gastauer, Cecílio Frois Caldeira, Joyce Reis Silva, Silvio Junio Ramos","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5571","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5571","url":null,"abstract":"One challenge of revegetating mined areas is establishing vegetation that quickly promotes soil cover and accumulates biomass. This work compared biomass production and vegetation cover between a Non‐native cocktail (8 noninvasive exotic species) and a Native cocktail (12 species native to the National Forest of Carajás, Brazil) to guide species selection for revegetation. Ex situ and in situ tests were conducted in the Carajás Mineral Province. During the ex situ phase, the growth of both cocktails was evaluated in four substrates from different waste piles. In the in situ phase, the Native, Non‐native, and Native + Non‐native cocktails were sown on the base of a cut slope, with soil vegetation cover evaluated every 2 months for 8 months. Non‐native cocktail produced more biomass (ex situ) and had greater growth and competitive vigor during the first 2 months of revegetation (in situ). Due to the delayed growth of some native species, the initial differences between cocktails disappear over time. Thus, combining native and non‐native species is recommended to achieve rapid biomass incorporation by non‐native species at the beginning of revegetation, followed by an enrichment or replacement by native species. This approach meets the legal requirements to reduce the application of non‐native species to the minimum while achieving quick soil coverage.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"61 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666252","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":"In Situ Improvement of Desert Sand and Plant Germination With Multiple Treatment of EICP Combined With ASKG","authors":"Zuoyong Li, Shixia Zhang, Chuangzhou Wu, Zhenyuan Liu, Danyi Shen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5589","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5589","url":null,"abstract":"Desertification is a global environmental issue that significantly threatens ecosystem stability and vegetation restoration in arid regions. This study proposes a multiple treatment strategy combining <i>Artemisia sphaerocephala</i> Krasch. gum (ASKG) with Enzyme-Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) to enhance wind erosion control and seed germination. The effects of this approach were evaluated through field experiments. The results showed that single EICP treatment improved soil water retention and surface strength. However, high-concentration EICP treatment (≥ 0.2 mol/L Cementation Solution, CS) induced salt stress, which suppressed plant survival. In contrast, when low-concentration EICP (0.1 mol/L CS) was combined with ASKG, a stable crust formed, improving surface strength and crust thickness, while preventing damage to the crust during early plant growth. The addition of 1.0 g/L ASKG reduced wind erosion depth by 67%, increased average moisture content to 7.4%, and promoted better seed germination, showing strong ecological compatibility and long-term stability. Furthermore, the second EICP treatment optimized the soil pore structure by adding CaCO<sub>3</sub> precipitates, which increased average moisture content to 10.6% and increased surface strength by 114.5%. Microstructural analysis revealed that ASKG formed film or mesh structure around CaCO<sub>3</sub> crystals, enhancing soil wind erosion resistance and water retention. Overall, the findings suggest that the multiple treatment strategy of EICP combined with ASKG successfully overcomes the ecological limitations of traditional high-concentration EICP, providing a sustainable solution for wind erosion control and vegetation restoration in desert areas.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666416","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":"Landscape Patterns and Drivers of Farmland Evolution in Basin Margin Mountainous Areas—A Case Study of Sichuan Basin, China","authors":"Xiaoxia Yuan, Shaoyao Zhang, Wei Deng, Hao Zhang, Zhanyun Wang, Yuqing He","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5451","url":null,"abstract":"Rapid urbanization has resulted in increasingly complex and diverse farmland landscape patterns in mountainous areas. The southern margin of Sichuan Basin, noted for its prominent urban–rural-nature gradient, serves as a typical area for analyzing farmland landscape evolution. In this study, an identification system was developed to classify and identify the typology of farmland evolution, including farmland fallow (FF), farmland abandonment (FA), farmland loss (FL), and farmland reclamation (FR). Multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) was employed to analyze the drivers and spatial differentiation mechanisms of farmland evolution. The results revealed the following. (1) The areas of FR (45.39%), FF (29.62%), and FA (21.81%) in the region were relatively large, and the FL area (3.17%) was relatively small. Compared with 2000–2010, the areas of FL and FA increased, and the areas of FF and FR decreased from 2010 to 2020. (2) FL, FR, FA, and FF presented similar landscape patterns during the two periods. FF and FA showed lower fragmentation in lowland plain areas (LPA) compared to mid-high mountainous areas (MHMA). In contrast, FL had higher fragmentation in LPA, while FR had greater fragmentation in low mountainous and hilly areas (LMHA); (3) The landscape pattern and drivers of farmland evolution exhibit clear urban-rural-nature gradients. From the LPA to the MHMA, the dominant farmland evolution typologies are sequentially FL, FR, and FF-FA. Concurrently, the primary driving factors shift from socioeconomic factors (urbanization and policies) to more natural factors (terrain and ecological conservation). This study proposes an integrated framework for managing farmland in mountainous regions, considering regional policy trade-offs and synergies. It can guide the sustainable use and protection of farmland, while supporting rural revitalization and agroecological sustainability.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666418","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":"Unveiling the Dynamic Patterns and Driving Forces of Soil Organic Carbon in Chinese Croplands From 1980 to 2020","authors":"Junchen Ai, Zipeng Zhang, Chenglin Yang, Jinhua Cao, Zhiran Zhou, Xiangyu Ge, Xiangyue Chen, Jingzhe Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5587","url":null,"abstract":"Soil organic carbon (SOC) in cropland is a critical component of the global carbon cycle, representing the most dynamic segment of the carbon pool, and is vital to addressing both “dual-carbon” goals and food security challenges. However, the current research on SOC in China's croplands has limitations in timeliness, continuity, and accuracy. This study constructed a machine learning model to assess the spatial–temporal distribution and changes of cropland SOC across China. It maps the annual distribution of cropland SOC in China over the past four decades (1980–2020), leveraging data from 2399 cropland sampling points collected from the second soil census of China and the integration of multi-platforms combined with 22 environmental excoriates. The model's accuracy (<i>r</i> = 0.82) could meet the needs of the analysis and perform reliably in predicting cropland SOC across China, with high uncertainty only in some areas, such as the northeast. The study reveals that while there have been fluctuations in SOC stocks in China's croplands over the years, the overall trend has been upward, increasing at a rate of 0.012 Pg C y<sup>−1</sup>, and generally functions as carbon sinks. Furthermore, the Shapley additive explanations indicate that temperature strongly correlates with SOC in croplands, followed by precipitation and topography. The outcomes of this research provide essential data support for formulating policies on cropland protection, land degradation, and carbon peak strategies in China.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666417","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 and Prevention Measures of Wind-Sand Disaster Along the Transmission Corridor in Desert Areas","authors":"Donghe Chen, Yanlong Zhang, Jianjun Cheng, Ruoyuan Zhang, Zichao Jiang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5585","url":null,"abstract":"In the “Desert-Gobi-Desertified land” environment, the power transmission infrastructure faces the imminent threat of wind-sand disasters, which can result in transmission interruptions and significant economic losses. Currently, this issue has received limited scholarly attention, making it urgent to establish a sand prevention system tailored to the characteristics of transmission corridors. Through field investigation, it is found that there are two primary wind-sand disaster forms: wind erosion and sand accumulation. Drawing on research findings from sand control in desert traffic engineering and the specific features of transmission corridors, we propose principles and concrete measures for effective sand prevention. Finally, we apply these principles to the 750 kV transmission line project around “Minfeng-Qiemo” Utilizing ERA5 data and multi-period remote sensing images, we obtain more accurate information about the wind-sand environment and dune movements, providing a robust theoretical basis and technical support for sand control design. Our research offers valuable theoretical guidance for the sand prevention design of transmission corridors in desert areas and serves as a reference for other infrastructure projects (such as agriculture) facing similar challenges.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666420","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":"Dual Controls of Shrub Encroachment in Semiarid Grasslands: Ectomycorrhizal Fungi and Soil Nitrogen Cycling","authors":"Yanpeng Yue, Liming Lai, Jihua Zhou, Guihao Wang, Yingjie Zhu, Qiaoe Chen, Yuanrun Zheng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5588","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5588","url":null,"abstract":"Shrub encroachment significantly impacts biodiversity and ecosystem functions in grassland ecosystems. Soil microbial communities may play a key role in this process. Previous studies have focused on plant competition and soil abiotic factors, but the specific biological mechanisms by which soil microbiota drive shrub encroachment have remained poorly understood. Through integrated vegetation surveys and high-throughput sequencing of soil microbial communities across encroachment gradients in Inner Mongolia, we assessed the impacts of soil microbial composition and functional genes on the shrub importance value. We found that shrub importance value closely correlated with limited resources, including soil water and nitrogen (N), during shrub encroachment. Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi were recruited by the semishrub <i>Artemisia ordosica</i>, increasing its competitiveness under conditions of resource scarcity. Changes in the microbial community affected soil N cycling by reducing the abundance of genes involved in N fixation, nitrification, and nitrate assimilation. Concurrently, shrubs preferred soil nitrate nitrogen (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N) over herbaceous plants in nutrient-poor environments. The competitiveness of shrubs was facilitated by EcM fungi, enabling them to thrive in N-deficient arid environments and preferentially utilize NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N. Our findings establish a novel microbial-mediated pathway driving shrub encroachment, in which EcM fungal symbionts enable host plants to alleviate nitrogen limitations through modified nutrient acquisition strategies. These results suggest that targeted manipulation of EcM associations could inform restoration strategies in shrub-encroached grasslands and highlight the need for a nitrogen management approach that accounts for microbial-mediated nutrient cycling dynamics.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660372","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":"Identifying Suitable Areas for Maize and Soybean Rotation in Northeast China: Toward a Sustainable and Resilient Food System","authors":"Long Kang, Kening Wu, Zhe Feng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5592","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5592","url":null,"abstract":"Crop rotation can help to alleviate land use pressure, prevent soil degradation, and promote sustainable agricultural development. Land in Northeast China has long been overused to ensure national food security. Maize–soybean rotation (MSR) is an effective land conservation strategy, but its suitability has not yet been determined in Northeast China. In this study, we applied an optimized MaxEnt model by integrating multiple environmental variables to systematically predict the suitability of land for maize and soybean cultivation, establish an MSR suitability function, and define its specific range and priority in Northeast China. The optimized MaxEnt model obtained significantly improved performance, where the suitable areas for maize and soybean covered 60.25% and 56.88%, respectively, of the total area of Northeast China. Suitability for MSR was influenced by multiple factors, including the climate, topography, soil, and hydrology, but the soil conditions, particularly the gravel content and soil depth, were identified as the main factors. Extensive areas of land in Northeast China are suitable for supporting MSR, but highly suitable areas only account for 6.96% of the total area, and they are primarily located in the Songnen Plain, most of which has been developed into cropland. In this study, we scientifically determined the areas suitable for implementing MSR, thereby providing crucial support for adjusting the agricultural planting structure and optimizing land use planning in Northeast China.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660374","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}
Haftay Hailu Gebremedhn, Simon Taugourdeau, Sylvanus Mensah, Lydie Chapuis-Lardy, Torbern Tagesson, Patricia Moulin, Ousmane Ndiaye, Aleksander Wieckowski, Paulo Salgado
{"title":"Grazing Affects Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Directly and Indirectly Through Herbaceous Species Diversity in Sahelian Savanna Ecosystems","authors":"Haftay Hailu Gebremedhn, Simon Taugourdeau, Sylvanus Mensah, Lydie Chapuis-Lardy, Torbern Tagesson, Patricia Moulin, Ousmane Ndiaye, Aleksander Wieckowski, Paulo Salgado","doi":"10.1002/ldr.5580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5580","url":null,"abstract":"The impact of livestock grazing on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the Sahel has been poorly documented due to a lack of data from different grazing intensities. This study evaluated SOC stocks under four grazing intensities within 0–30 cm soil depth in dry savanna ecosystems of Senegal. It also examined possible indirect relationships between grazing and SOC through herbaceous species diversity, herbaceous biomass, and carbon–nitrogen ratio. Four sites representing high, moderate, light, and no grazing intensity levels were selected. Transect survey methods were used for sampling soil and vegetation data within each of the sites. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models and piecewise structural equation modeling (pSEM). SOC stocks were significantly different among the four grazing intensities, and higher stocks were observed with increased intensity. Furthermore, high-intensity grazing was shown to reduce the carbon–nitrogen ratio by negatively affecting the diversity of herbaceous species, which indirectly promoted SOC stocks. In conclusion, this study found that increased grazing intensity promoted SOC stocks both directly and indirectly through herbaceous species diversity.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660373","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}