Land Degradation & Development最新文献

{"title":"Ditch-Buried Straw Return Improves Soil Physical Quality and Crop Biomass in Two Rice–Wheat Paddy Soil Systems","authors":"Yue Zhang,&nbsp;Yuekai Wang,&nbsp;Xun Xiao,&nbsp;FengMin Li","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70859","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ldr.70859","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ditch-buried straw return (DB) is an innovative practice combining deep tillage and straw incorporation. This study aimed to evaluate its effects on soil physical quality compared to rotary tillage (RT) and identified key constraints to crop in sandy-loam and clay-loam paddy soils within rice–wheat systems. Two field experiments were conducted in two paddy soils. Soil physical properties and a comprehensive indicator—least limiting water range (LLWR)—were employed to evaluate soil physical quality. Compared with RT, DB decreased soil bulk density (<i>ρ</i>\u0000 _b), penetration resistance, and increased SOC, infiltration rate (<i>K</i>\u0000 _v), and available water content (AWC). Combined with the coupled changes in soil water retention, soil aeration, and mechanical impedance, DB has a larger LLWR than RT in both two paddy soils. The sandy-loam soil exhibited a better physical quality with macroporosity &gt; 5%, air capacity &gt; 10%, and AWC &gt; 15%, whereas the clay-loam soil showed much higher <i>ρ</i>\u0000 _b and poorer AWC. The wheat in the clay-loam soil was promoted by the improved soil aeration and water permeability. While in sandy-loam soil, wheat and rice benefited from the slight increase in <i>ρ</i>\u0000 _b and decreased SOC in the topsoil layer, which may be attributed to the burial of excess straw from the topsoil into subsoil. These findings demonstrated that DB is an effective practice facilitating crop growth in rice–wheat rotation systems. Alleviating soil compaction and decreasing residue accumulation on the soil surface may serve as potential strategies promoting crop growth in clay-loam and sandy-loam soil, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"37 16","pages":"11761-11776"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ldr.70859","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asymmetric Responses of Ecosystem Health to Urbanization in a Typical Karst City: Spatiotemporal Patterns and Driving Mechanisms in Guilin, China","authors":"Jinlong Hu,&nbsp;Zhenhong Bin,&nbsp;Yingxue Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70858","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ldr.70858","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Urban expansion can substantially reshape ecosystem structure and functioning, especially in ecologically fragile Karst landscapes. Clarifying how ecosystem health (EH) responds to urbanization and identifying the factors that drive spatial variation in EH are important for regional sustainability. In this study, the Vigor–Organization–Resilience–Services (VORS) framework was used to construct an ecosystem health index (EHI), and a multidimensional urbanization level (UL) index was developed to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of EH and urbanization in Guilin from 1990 to 2020. Bivariate Moran's <i>I</i>, the geographical detector model, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were further applied to reveal the spatial association and driving mechanisms of EHI. The results showed that: (1) EHI in Guilin generally improved from 1990 to 2020, whereas UL expanded rapidly along valleys and transportation corridors under Karst topographic constraints; (2) EHI and UL showed a significant negative spatial association, with areas of high UL and low EHI mainly concentrated in the central urban core and expanding urban fringes; (3) UL, normalized difference vegetation index, potential evapotranspiration, and elevation were the dominant factors affecting EHI, with UL showing the strongest explanatory power; and (4) the ecological effect of urbanization was spatially asymmetric, characterized by ecological saturation in the central built-up area and high ecological sensitivity in the urban expansion frontier. These findings provide spatially explicit evidence for differentiated ecological governance in fragile Karst cities.</p>","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"37 16","pages":"11744-11760"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ldr.70858","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148675244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Biochar on Freezing Temperature and Unfrozen Water Content in Pb-Contaminated Seasonally Frozen Soils: Implications for Mitigating Land Degradation","authors":"Shanbo Han,&nbsp;Yaling Chou,&nbsp;Wei Cao,&nbsp;Fupeng Yang,&nbsp;Yu Wang,&nbsp;Xunkun Guo","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70866","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ldr.70866","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Freeze–thaw processes are important drivers of land degradation in cold regions, and soil freezing temperature and unfrozen water content are key parameters for characterizing soil hydrothermal conditions and water phase transitions during freezing. However, in the context of heavy metal pollution, there remains a lack of systematic understanding regarding biochar's (BC) regulatory role in the freezing behavior of seasonally frozen soil and the dynamic changes in unfrozen water content. Based on freezing and freeze–thaw experiments, this study investigated the effects of biochar on soil freezing temperature and unfrozen water content under various conditions, with the results subjected to statistical analysis. The findings showed that dry density and Pb content exert bidirectional regulatory effects on the freezing temperature and unfrozen water content of biochar-amended soils. Under low initial water conditions, the biochar addition ratio is the primary factor affecting soil unfrozen water content. Specifically, 1% and 3% biochar additions significantly increase soil unfrozen water content; however, as biochar content increases further, its enhancing effect gradually diminishes. Under high initial water content, soil unfrozen water content is jointly regulated by biochar content, initial water content, and lead content. Correlation analysis indicated that lead content and initial water content exhibited significant positive correlations with unfrozen water content, while biochar content showed a weak negative correlation. ANOVA further revealed a significant interaction between biochar content and initial water content, indicating a synergistic regulatory effect, whereas the interaction between biochar and lead content was not significant. These findings reveal the influence patterns of biochar under multifactor coupling on the freezing processes of seasonally frozen soil and changes in moisture status. The results provide a theoretical basis for biochar-assisted remediation of Pb-contaminated soils and the mitigation of land degradation in seasonally frozen regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"37 16","pages":"11885-11899"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ldr.70866","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148768301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Driving Mechanisms of Land Degradation Neutrality at the County Level and Zonal Strategies in the Yellow River's Key Ecological Region (Part II : Post‐Assessment Driver Analysis)","authors":"Shuheng Zhang, Xinyu Guo, Pan Wang, Fulin Wang, Tao Chen","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70915","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70915","url":null,"abstract":"Achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN) is critical for sustainable socio‐ecological development; however, its practical implementation is often hindered by scale mismatches between assessments and administrative units, coupled with an over‐reliance on static drivers. Focusing on the Key Ecological Region of the Yellow River (KER), this study addresses these challenges by establishing a county‐scale net land improvement rate ( <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> ) and developing a dynamic–static integrated indicator system aligned with county governance. By combining spatial analysis with Random Forest models, we quantified dominant drivers, spatial heterogeneity, and nonlinear threshold responses of <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> . Results indicate: (1) From 2000 to 2020, land degradation pressure in the KER remained relatively low, with 79.16% of counties exhibiting <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> above 20%, although a decline in restoration capacity occurred in human‐intensive regions after 2010. (2) Spatially, counties with low <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> values exhibited significant clustering in developed regions subjected to intense anthropogenic pressure, whereas high <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> values were predominantly distributed across climatically favorable regions and areas where ecological conservation is prioritized. (3) The intensity of construction land change emerged as the dominant driver of <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> , followed by the intensity of cultivated land change and per capita cultivated land area. (4) All driving factors exhibited pronounced nonlinear threshold effects, within which their marginal positive or negative impacts on <jats:italic>NLIR</jats:italic> were strengthened relative to other value ranges, indicating critical governance tipping points for land management. Based on these quantified driving mechanisms, four differentiated zoning categories are proposed to support territorial space optimization and high‐quality development in the KER.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149123597","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 Composite Reclamation Models of Sea Buckthorn, A Pioneer Species in Semi‐Arid Regions, on Soil Quality and Microbial Communities","authors":"Bo Wen, Yun Li, Haixin Yang, Pengjie Guo, Donggang Guo, Yu Lin, Xianyun Zheng, Quanxi Zhang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70922","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70922","url":null,"abstract":"Open‐pit coal mining severely degrades soil and ecosystem functions, constraining regional sustainability. Vegetation‐based reclamation has therefore been widely adopted as an effective approach to promote soil recovery and ecosystem restoration. In this study, eight reclamation models were established at the Antaibao Open‐Pit Coal Mine, all dominated by sea buckthorn ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Hippophae rhamnoides</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> L.) and combined with Chinese pine ( <jats:italic>Pinus tabulaeformis</jats:italic> Carr.), black locust ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Robinia pseudoacacia</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> L.) and littleleaf peashrub ( <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>Caragana microphylla</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> Lam.). Soil physicochemical properties and microbial community characteristics were systematically investigated in 2019 and 2022 to evaluate reclamation effectiveness. The results showed that the <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>H. rhamnoides</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> + <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\"> <jats:italic>C. microphylla</jats:italic> </jats:styled-content> model (SJ_NT) significantly increased soil available phosphorus (AP) (mean difference = 9.467 mg/kg, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.001) and total nitrogen (TN) contents (mean difference = 211.333 mg/kg, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.002), and was the only configuration that achieved sustained improvement in AP over time. Soil microbial communities exhibited clear temporal dynamics during reclamation. In 2022, the SJ_NT model displayed the highest fungal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness (439). At the bacterial phylum level, community dominance shifted from <jats:italic>Actinobacteriota</jats:italic> to <jats:italic>Proteobacteria</jats:italic> , with <jats:italic>Cyanobacteria</jats:italic> emerging as an additional dominant group. Functional prediction further indicated enhanced microbial metabolic potential, particularly for carbon metabolism–related and amino acid metabolism functional genes. Core microbial taxa were significantly correlated with soil nutrient availability, suggesting their role in stabilizing community structure through complementary metabolic functions. The SJ_NT reclamation model promotes ecological recovery through a positive feedback pathway involving improved soil nutrient status, optimized microbial community structure, and enhanced functional activity. This study provides practical guidance for vegetation configuration and ecological reclamation of open‐pit coal mines in semi‐arid regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149123598","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":"Species‐Specific Shrub Encroachment Drives Divergent Soil Fungal Assembly Processes and Network Structures in Alpine Meadows","authors":"Yang Liu,Hong Xiao,Yuping Rong,Kuiju Niu,Kai Ma,Yun Wang,Xin Zhang,Linqian Song","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70921","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70921","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Shrub encroachment is rapidly transforming alpine meadow ecosystems worldwide, yet its consequences for belowground microbial organization remain insufficiently understood, particularly when different shrub species exert contrasting ecological effects. Here, we investigated how three dominant shrub species— Rhododendron capitatum , Salix oritrepha , and Dasiphora fruticosa —influence soil fungal communities across encroachment gradients in an alpine meadow on the northeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Using a space‐for‐time substitution approach combined with high‐throughput sequencing and network analysis, we analyzed soil fungal community composition, inferred functional guild structure, community assembly processes, and correlation‐based co‐occurrence network topology. Shrub encroachment was associated with changes in soil fungal community composition. Across species, the inferred relative abundance of putative saprotrophic fungi declined with encroachment, and taxa putatively identified as ectomycorrhizal fungi were consistently enriched in interspaces. Fungal community assembly showed species‐specific patterns. Under R. capitatum , stochastic processes dominated (ecological drift: 66.7%–80% of assembly), with reduced co‐occurrence network complexity. In contrast, encroachment by S. oritrepha and D. fruticosa suggested increased habitat homogenization and a shift toward stronger deterministic assembly: ecological drift declined by 46.67% and 60.03%, respectively, while homogeneous selection and network complexity increased. Notably, only severe D. fruticosa encroachment showed higher robustness in node‐removal simulations, whereas network robustness did not differ significantly among encroachment stages for R. capitatum or S. oritrepha plots. Collectively, these results suggest that shrub encroachment does not exert uniform effects on soil fungal communities; instead, shrub identity is associated with divergent community organization patterns and inferred assembly pathways.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149090392","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":"Aerial Seeding for Forest and Landscape Restoration: A Systematic Review of Technology, Challenges, and Future Directions","authors":"James Maua,Stephen Kiama,Jane Njuguna,John N. Kigomo,Charles Kiprono Koech","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70914","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Land degradation is a critical global challenge, threatening biodiversity, food security, and livelihoods. Ecological restoration has therefore become a priority, with aerial seeding emerging as a key method to address issues of scale, accessibility, and efficiency. By dispersing seeds from aircraft or drones, aerial seeding complements ground‐based approaches and is especially effective in remote or degraded areas. First applied in agriculture during the 1940s, its role has expanded with technological advances that allow greater precision, though challenges such as seed predation and uneven distribution remain. A systematic literature review (SLR) of studies published between 2000 and 2024 synthesized current evidence and identified research gaps. A total of 34 articles were analyzed, showing increased interest since 2017, with China contributing 29% of publications. Highly cited studies emphasized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications in forest regeneration. The literature was stratified into two primary domains: environmental constraints and associated mitigation strategies, and technological innovations designed to overcome technical barriers in aerial seeding. Findings show that aerial seeding is an effective, low‐cost method for large‐scale restoration. It is particularly valuable for degraded and postfire landscapes, where it enhances carbon recovery and reduces costs compared to manual planting. However, outcomes depend on seed traits, site conditions, timing, and predation pressure. Future success will rely on technological advances, ecosystem‐specific strategies, and adaptive responses to climate change. By enhancing seed resilience and precision delivery, aerial seeding could become a cornerstone of global reforestation and restoration efforts.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149090322","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 Substitutions on Latex Yield and Soil Fertility in\u0000 \u0000 Hevea brasiliensis\u0000 \u0000 Plantations: A Case Study in Southern Philippines","authors":"Oscar Jurado,Chengrong Chen,Johnvie B. Goloran,Adeflor Garcia,Honey B. Goloran,Xiangyu Liu,Neal W. Menzies,Yunying Fang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70908","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70908","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Rubber plantations can be a major source of income for small landholder farmers in rural communities across Southern Asia. However, rising fertilizer costs and progressive soil degradation threaten long‐term productivity and economic viability. To address this challenge, we conducted fertilizer trials across two field sites (Acrisols and Cambisols) in the southern Philippines, to evaluate the effects of reduced chemical fertilizer rates and organic fertilizer substitution on latex yield and soil fertility in mature rubber plantations. Five treatments (Control—no fertilizer, recommended chemical fertilizer rate (RR), 50% of RR, 50% of RR with vermicompost, and 50% of RR with K‐humate) were included. Results show that over the one‐year period, latex yield increased by 23%–56% at the Marcelina site, and by 18–32% at the Mabuhay site, compared to the respective unfertilized control. Across both sites, latex yield responses showed no statistical difference among full recommended (RR) and reduced fertilizer rates (50% RR, 50% RR + vermicompost, 50% + K‐humate). Key soil properties—including pH, EC, dissolved nitrogen (N), NH 4 + ‐N, NO 3 − ‐N, plant available phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon (C), soil organic C and total N—were not significantly affected by fertilizer application, but varied with sampling time. These results highlight that (1) in the short term (e.g., one‐year), the locally recommended fertilizer rates can be reduced without compromising soil fertility or yield, enabling farmers to cope with periods of financial hardship; (2) substituting chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers, particularly vermicompost, has better potential to sustain latex yield in plantations with varying soil textures (clayey soils and silty clay loamy soils). The conclusion drawn from our study should be validated in a longer timeframe in future work. Our findings provide evidence to inform region‐specific fertilizer recommendations that enhance both sustainability and profitability for smallholder rubber farmers.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149090323","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":"Simulated Trampling Disturbance Alters Biocrust Microbial Communities and Soil Functions: A Container‐Based Mesocosm Experiment","authors":"Lu Chen, Yue Li, Chengrong Peng, Zongqi Liu, Yuxi Duan, Li Wu, Shubin Lan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70917","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70917","url":null,"abstract":"Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are crucial components of dryland ecosystems; however, they are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances, particularly trampling caused by grazing. To evaluate the impacts of trampling on biocrust structure, microbial communities, and soil functions, we conducted a mesocosm‐based simulated disturbance experiment (D1: moderate; D2: severe) on cyanobacteria‐ and moss‐dominated biocrusts, respectively, in Qubqi desert, China. After 1‐year natural recovery, results indicated that disturbance significantly reduced biocrust thickness, soil carbon and nitrogen content, with more pronounced effects under D2 treatment. Regardless of biocrust type, bacterial communities were dominated by Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with their relative abundances varying across disturbance gradients. Notably, stress‐tolerant taxa such as Actinobacteria tended to increase in both biocrust types under D2 treatment, although these changes were not statistically significant. Compared to cyanobacteria‐dominated biocrusts, moss‐dominated biocrusts had lower Cyanobacteria abundance, with Proteobacteria becoming the more dominant phylum; however, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria declined significantly under D2 treatment. In contrast, fungal communities remained relatively stable across all treatments in both biocrust types, with Ascomycota consistently dominating. Mantel tests further revealed community structures of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Ascomycota were strong associations with the soil nutrient profiles. Overall, microbial community restructuring and soil functional degradation became evident with increasing disturbance intensity. Distinct microbial responses and resilience to disturbance further suggest that restoration strategies based on microbial manipulation may represent an important pathway for maintaining biocrust ecosystem functioning in dryland regions.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149087508","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":"Balancing Productivity, Ecology, and Social Well‐Being: Insights From Three Decades of Farmland Transformation in China","authors":"Zhiyuan Zhu, Yongzhong Feng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70916","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70916","url":null,"abstract":"Balancing food security, social equity, and ecological sustainability remains a persistent challenge in global agricultural systems. While economic and ecological aspects of land‐use transitions have been extensively studied, the long‐term dynamics of social functions and their interactions with other functions are less understood. This study investigates the decadal spatiotemporal patterns, functional relationships, and spatial association factors of farmland multifunctionality in China's major grain‐producing regions in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. A multidimensional indicator system was developed to capture economic, social, and ecological functions across 185 prefecture‐level cities, and a CRITIC‐entropy hybrid weighting method was applied to construct multifunctionality indices. Correlation analysis with false discovery rate correction was used to examine trade‐offs and synergies, and the GeoDetector model was employed to identify the explanatory power of factor stratification and factor interactions. The results reveal a paradoxical trajectory across the four benchmark years: while economic and ecological functions improved substantially, the social function declined. Functional relationships were reconfigured, with economic‐ecological interactions changing from conflict to synergy, whereas social‐ecological interactions changed from synergy to trade‐off. Natural conditions were weakly associated with spatial heterogeneity, market and demographic variables exhibited stronger associations before 2010, and policy‐related variables, especially farmland protection policy indicators, showed the strongest statistical associations thereafter. These findings provide one of the most comprehensive large‐scale and long‐term assessments of farmland multifunctionality transitions in China's grain regions. They highlight the importance of institutional arrangements in explaining spatial variation in trade‐offs and synergies, and underscore the need for integrated governance strategies that simultaneously promote productivity, ecological integrity, and rural social well‐being.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149086864","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}