Land Degradation & Development最新文献

{"title":"Vegetation Restoration Enhances Aggregate‐Mediated Soil Organic Carbon Stabilization in Degraded Karst Landscapes of China: A Meta‐Analysis","authors":"Xi Yang, Xiao Sun, Shilan Xiao, Guo Zhang, Jiacheng Lan, Guangbin Yang, Chunyan Zheng","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70904","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70904","url":null,"abstract":"Soil aggregation is an important process linking vegetation restoration to soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in degraded karst landscapes, yet the aggregate‐mediated pathway remains insufficiently synthesized across restoration types and environmental conditions. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 213 paired observations from 57 studies in southwest China to evaluate changes in aggregate‐size distribution, aggregate stability, and SOC following cropland conversion to abandoned land, cash crop, grassland, shrubland, and forest. Vegetation restoration generally shifted aggregate‐size distribution from smaller (< 1 mm) toward larger (> 1 mm) fractions and increased SOC content, with the strongest SOC responses under forest and shrubland restoration. Across restoration pathways, the 2–5 mm aggregate fraction showed the most consistent relative importance for SOC, whereas the importance of other fractions varied among restoration types. Piecewise structural equation modelling identified aggregate stability as an important pathway linking vegetation restoration and environmental conditions to SOC response. These findings highlight the importance of restoration type and soil structural recovery when evaluating SOC accumulation in degraded karst landscapes.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148979388","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":"Synergistic and Trade‐Off Effects of Plant Communities on Slope Runoff and Sediment Yield","authors":"Menghan Wu, Jian Hou, Qingsheng Zhong","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70900","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70900","url":null,"abstract":"Plant community functional structure plays an important role in regulating slope runoff and sediment yield on the Loess Plateau. Based on runoff plot monitoring and vegetation surveys in the Yangjuangou catchment, we used partial least squares regression (PLSR) and variable importance in projection (VIP) analysis to assess the effects of community functional structure on runoff coefficient and soil loss per unit rainfall. Runoff and sediment yield were affected by a largely similar set of community functional structure indices, although their relative contributions differed between the two processes. Among these indices, the community weighted mean of total root length was the most important for both runoff and sediment yield. Functional diversity indices also contributed more to sediment yield than to runoff. These results suggest that runoff and sediment yield are governed by similar components of community functional structure, whereas sediment yield is more strongly associated with functional diversity. This study provides a basis for vegetation restoration, species selection, and community assembly aimed at soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"92 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148979387","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":"Bio‐Derived Carbon Nanoparticles: A Green Amendment for Alleviating Heavy Metals in Soil–Plant Systems","authors":"Babar Hussain, Muhammad Nauman, Zahid Hussain, Palanisamy Vasudhevan, Abdulaziz G. Alghamdi, Shiyong Sun, Shengyan Pu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70902","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70902","url":null,"abstract":"Heavy metal (HM) contamination of soil–plant systems poses persistent ecological and health risks, driving interest in nanoparticle‐based remediation. Although conventional chemically synthesized nanoparticles (CSNPs) are effective, their energy‐intensive production and residual toxicity limit sustainable deployment. Bio‐derived carbon nanoparticles (BCNPs), synthesized from plant, algal, and microbial biomass via pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, or extraction, offer a potentially greener alternative. However, the literature linking their bio‐derived origin to a distinct remediation advantage over CSNPs remains fragmented. This review consolidates bibliometric and mechanistic evidence to evaluate BCNPs as HM remediation amendments in soil–plant systems. BCNPs immobilize HMs through adsorption, ion exchange, complexation, co‐precipitation, redox transformation, and electrostatic attraction mediated by oxygen‐containing surface functional groups and high surface area. Comparative data show several BCNPs (e.g., Ag‐GONA, rGOH) match or exceed CSNP adsorption capacities while avoiding hazardous reagent use. Beyond immobilization, BCNP amendment enhances plant nutrient uptake (N, P, K increase up to 133%, 41%, and 92%), strengthens antioxidant defenses, and reduces HM translocation into edible tissues by 6.6%–66%. However, performance is strongly modulated by edaphic factors (pH, redox status, ionic strength, and organic matter), and evidence indicates that BCNP “green” origin does not inherently guarantee environmental safety, since ecotoxic risk can be reintroduced at the feedstock, thermal‐conversion, and functionalization stages. Hence, this review highlights that BCNP‐HM interaction mechanisms, plant physiological benefits, and life‐cycle safety considerations must be evaluated jointly and identifies standardized multi‐metal testing, field‐scale validation, and mechanistic subcellular studies as priorities for translating BCNPs from laboratory promise into reliable field‐scale remediation technology.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"255 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148946819","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":"Optimizing Soil Organic Matter Estimation Through Multi‐Factor Zoning and Tree‐Based Automated Learning","authors":"Xuzhou Qu, Meiyan Shu, Huiming Song, Xiaohe Gu, Jingping Zhou, Qian Sun, Baoyuan Zhang, Menglei Dai, Chunjiang Zhao","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70898","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70898","url":null,"abstract":"Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator of land degradation and soil functioning. It plays an essential role in nutrient cycling, soil structure, and long‐term agroecosystem resilience. The variations of surface cover, soil moisture and soil texture heterogeneity will affect the accuracy of SOM remote sensing mapping. This study developed a zoning variable based on crop type, soil moisture, and soil texture, and incorporated this zonal variable into an automated learning model to improve SOM estimation across heterogeneous cropland. Soil samples collected from the Mollisol region of Nenjiang County in 2014 were used for model construction, while an independent set collected from the same region in 2022 was employed to examine temporal robustness. Four tree based algorithms, including Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, AdaBoost, and XGBoost, were optimized with the tree based pipeline optimization tool (TPOT). The GBDT model that incorporated the zoning variable achieved the best performance, with an <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> of 0.64, an RMSE of 8.24 g/kg, and a MAE of 6.06 g/kg, outperforming the model without zoning. Spatial mapping showed a consistent east‐to‐west decreasing gradient of SOM, and a mean increase of 2.04 g/kg from 2014 to 2022. By incorporating the information of crop type, soil moisture, and soil texture, the zoning variable leads to more reliable SOM estimation across heterogeneous cropland at the regional scale.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148915647","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":"Improving Soil Health and Crop Yields Through Conservation Agriculture and Nutrient Management in Central India","authors":"Nishant K. Sinha, M. Mohanty, Somasundaram Jayaraman, Anuj Kumar Dwivedi, Deepak Singh, K. Sammi Reddy, M. Prabhakar, V. K. Singh, C. S. P. Ojha, V. P. Singh, Rituraj Shukla","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70899","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70899","url":null,"abstract":"Maintaining soil health and crop productivity in the semi‐arid Vertisols of central India poses a significant challenge under intensive agricultural practices. This 6‐year field study assessed the combined impact of different tillage methods, maize‐based crop rotations, and nitrogen management on soil's physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, soil quality indices (SQI), and crop yields. The experiment used a split‐split‐plot design, featuring no‐till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) as the main treatments, maize‐wheat and maize–chickpea rotations as sub‐treatments, and four nitrogen levels (0%, 50%, 100%, and 150% of the recommended dose) as sub‐sub treatments. Compared to CT, NT significantly increased soil organic carbon by 13%–21%, the mean weight diameter of aggregates by 29%–32%, available phosphorus by up to 110% in surface soils, and microbial activity, as evidenced by a 15% rise in dehydrogenase activity and a 5%–16% increase in <jats:italic>β</jats:italic> ‐glucosidase activity in the 0–5 cm layer. There were strong positive correlations between SOC and aggregate stability ( <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.78) and nutrient availability ( <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.70–0.78), underscoring the crucial role of organic matter in soil function. The maize‐wheat rotation consistently surpassed maize‐chickpea in soil quality metrics due to higher residue retention, while nitrogen fertilization showed a dose‐dependent enhancement in soil properties and crop yields. Grain yields of maize, wheat, and chickpea under NT were 21%, 15%, and 31% higher, respectively, than under CT. Although the highest yields were achieved at 150% N, the 100% N rate offered a favorable balance between improving soil health and sustaining yields. Overall, the study illustrates that long‐term use of no‐till, combined with a residue‐rich maize‐wheat rotation and optimized nitrogen management, significantly enhances soil quality, carbon sequestration, and crop productivity in semi‐arid Vertisols, providing a viable approach for sustainable intensification in similar agroecological areas.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148902030","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":"Optimized Fertilization Balances Microbial Carbon and Nitrogen Use Efficiency: Evidence From Microbial Communities","authors":"Yazhen Chen,Yichen Xu,Haobo Xu,Juan Chen,Xiaozhou Huang,Wenqiong Jiang,Jinsong He,Xiaohong Wu,Xinxing He,Jun Wang,Xiaocui Liang,Wende Yan","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70890","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70890","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Optimized fertilization involving reduced mineral N input and organic substitution can alter resource stoichiometry, microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). However, how fertilization‐induced resource imbalance reshapes microbial community to regulate CUE and NUE remains unclear. We conducted a field experiment in a Camellia oleifera plantation under conventional mineral nitrogen fertilizer (CK), organic manure (OM), and reduced mineral nitrogen combined with manure (RNM). Microbial CUE and NUE (via stoichiometric modeling), community structures and functions were determined at 30 and 120 days after fertilization. At 30 days, RNM and OM significantly increased NUE and alleviated resource limitations compared with CK. OM improved most microbial network properties relative to CK and RNM ( p  &lt; 0.05). At 120 days, C‐limitation disappeared while nutrient‐limitation persisted across all treatments. RNM and OM increased NUE by 1.13‐ and 4.26‐fold but decreased CUE by 7.5% and 61.3%, respectively. RNM showed the most balanced CUE‐NUE trade‐off. Notably, OM exhibited significantly lower microbial network metrics than CK and RNM except for the number of nodes ( p  &lt; 0.05), revealing a time‐dependent reversal effect. The laccase‐related microbial metabolic function was significantly associated with resource use efficiency ( p  &lt; 0.05), with a stronger association with NUE than CUE. Linear mixed‐effects models identified microbial network properties and resource limitation status were dominant predictors governing the CUE‐NUE balance ( &gt; 0.3). Model explanatory power was substantially improved after fertilization type was included ( &gt; 0.9). Our study provides novel evidence that fertilization‐induced stoichiometric imbalance reshapes microbial networks and further modulates microbial CUE and NUE. These findings highlight that microbial network attributes should be integrated into fertilization optimization strategies to balance soil carbon sequestration and nutrient retention.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148894621","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":"Rainfall‐Induced Physical Crusting Is Associated With Near‐Surface Structural Degradation and Strain Localization During Drying in Loess Soil","authors":"Ruikun Feng,Yiru Chen,Guanheng Liu,Qinqian Meng,Jian Wang","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70897","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70897","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Rainfall‐induced physical crusting is associated with degradation of near‐surface soil structure, but its pore‐scale structural and mechanical evolution during drying remains poorly resolved. We combined time‐resolved X‐ray computed tomography (XCT), digital volume correlation (DVC), and surface‐aligned stratification to track pore architecture and internal strain in loess soil cores subjected to different antecedent rainfall durations. Surface‐aligned porosity profiles identified a compacted zone within the upper few millimeters, supporting comparison of a 0–3 mm shell with a 3–10 mm subsurface band. Within the shell, rainfall‐treated cores had mean total porosity approximately 24% lower than CK at 0 h and 46% lower at the final dry state. Pore‐network analysis showed mean coordination numbers approximately 24% lower through 108 h and 32% lower at the final state, while pore and throat sizes varied among stages. Across rainfall‐treated cores, mean first principal strain was 0.025 in the 0–2.4 mm band and 0.002 in the 3.6–9.6 mm band; the near‐surface mean was also descriptively higher than in CK (0.004), and every rainfall‐treated core mean exceeded both CK core means. Together, these observations show that rainfall‐induced crusting is associated with a near‐surface structural degradation pattern in which pore‐network fragmentation and tensile‐strain localization develop within the same operational depth domain during drying. Under the tested laboratory conditions, this layer‐resolved evidence supports interpreting rainfall‐induced physical crusting not only as a thin surface morphology but also as an evolving near‐surface structural degradation process during drying.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148894622","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":"Post‐Fire Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics: Decline and Recovery Over Two Decades","authors":"Yuxin Cen,Lei Wang,Bin Zhang,Jun Luo,Qingchun Deng,Haiqing Yang,Hui Liu,Frédéric Darboux","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70895","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70895","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Wildfire can significantly alter soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in forest ecosystems, with complex temporal patterns following fire events. However, research on post‐fire SOC recovery remains limited, particularly in dry‐warm valley regions that are prone to frequent forest fires. This study, based on field investigations and experimental analyses, focused on severely burned sites in the dry‐warm valley of Anning River Basin, Hengduan Mountainous Region, China, from 1996 to 2021. The space‐for‐time substitution method was employed to reveal the patterns of SOC changes in burned sites at different recovery stages and explore influencing factors on SOC. The results showed that SOC and its components were significantly negatively correlated with soil depth and slope aspect ( p  &lt; 0.05) but significantly positively correlated with time since fire ( p  &lt; 0.01). Specifically, SOC, readily oxidizable carbon (ROC), non‐labile organic carbon (NLOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral‐associated organic carbon (MOC) decreased with the increase in soil depth, with higher content on shady slopes compared with sunny slopes for burned sites and unburned sites. Over a 26‐year recovery timeline, SOC and its components in severely burned sites exhibited an initial decline followed by a gradual increase, with the decline commencing approximately five years after the fire. During the first 10 years of natural recovery, SOC, ROC, NLOC, POC, and MOC contents decreased but thereafter started to increase, while POC content began to increase after 20 years of recovery. Soil physicochemical properties, including soil pH and bulk density, were significantly negatively correlated with SOC and its components ( p  &lt; 0.01). Soil porosity, clay, fine root biomass, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and cation exchange capacity exhibited significant positive correlations with SOC and its components ( p  &lt; 0.05). ROC, NLOC, POC, and MOC contents were highly positively correlated with SOC content ( p  &lt; 0.01). Overall, the findings indicate that SOC loss after severe wildfire can persist for up to a decade, and that full recovery of some SOC components, such as POC, may require over 20 years.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148894623","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":"Mechanism of Combined Improvement of Saline‐Alkali Soil by Artificial Humic Acid and Microbial Inoculant","authors":"Ying Zhao, Rui Zhang, Zeyu Zhang, Fan Yang, Zhuqing Liu","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70891","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70891","url":null,"abstract":"To address the widespread constraints imposed by saline‐alkaline soils on agricultural production worldwide, the combined reclamation and carbon cycle regulation effects of artificial humic acid (AHA) and a multifunctional microbial inoculant were evaluated through pot experiments. Results demonstrated that co‐application of AHA (4 g·kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) and the inoculant (1 g·kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) significantly improved soil physicochemical properties: soil pH decreased by 11.0%, while EC and Na <jats:sup>+</jats:sup> content were reduced by 20.7% and 38.6%, respectively. Soil urease and catalase activities increased by 100% and 25%. This combined treatment increased crop yield by 64.2%. Microbial analysis indicated elevated bacterial alpha‐ and beta‐diversity in the treatment group, accompanied by significant community restructuring, characterized by the enrichment of functional taxa and a reduction in halotolerant groups. Furthermore, soil carbon metabolism was reconfigured: the Calvin cycle and reductive acetyl‐CoA pathway were suppressed, while anaerobic carbon fixation pathways, such as the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle and the 3‐hydroxypropionate bicycle were promoted. In terms of carbon degradation, enzymatic systems for starch and lignin decomposition were preferentially activated, whereas cellulase activity was transiently inhibited. These findings elucidate the key mechanisms underlying the combined improvement of saline‐alkaline soils and carbon cycle regulation by AHA and microbial inoculant, providing a theoretical foundation for sustainable management of saline‐alkaline lands globally and advancing the understanding of nutrient‐microbe‐carbon cycle interactions in saline‐alkaline environments.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148860916","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":"Biochar‐Induced Shifts in Resource Stoichiometry Shape Potential Nitrogen Limitation and Estimated Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency in Tropical Soils","authors":"Mingwan Chen, Shoupeng Li, Pengyu Zhu, Xin Jin, Fulin Qin, Mengqi Li, Chen Li, Changjiang Li, Changzhen Li","doi":"10.1002/ldr.70894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.70894","url":null,"abstract":"Biochar is widely recognized as a promising amendment for enhancing soil carbon sequestration and microbial functioning, yet how biochar properties and application levels jointly influence potential microbial nutrient limitation and estimated microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) remains unclear, especially in tropical farmland soils. Here, a 2‐year field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of two types (RB, rice hull biochar and PB, peanut shell biochar) and four application levels (10, 20, 40, and 60 t/ha), with 0 t/ha serving as the control, on labile substrates, microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs), stoichiometric imbalance, vector‐based indicators of potential nutrient limitation, and estimated microbial CUE. Increasing biochar application levels consistently enhanced substrate availability, with dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) showing a stronger response than dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particularly under PB, thereby decreasing the DOC:DON ratio. Biochar application also increased microbial biomass C, N, and P, and synchronously stimulated C‐, N‐, and P‐acquiring enzyme activities by 15.61%–159.88%, 9.73%–201.21%, and 9.98%–162.96%, respectively; thus, ecoenzymatic stoichiometry remained largely unchanged. Vector angles remained below 45° across all treatments, indicating persistent potential relative N rather than P limitation, but their responses to biochar showed no clear monotonic pattern. Biochar type had a stronger influence than application level on stoichiometric imbalance and estimated microbial CUE. PB increased DON availability and was associated with a lower DOC:DON ratio, reduced C:N imbalance, and higher estimated microbial CUE. Exploratory path analysis associated biochar type mainly with C:N imbalance and estimated microbial CUE, while application level was associated with labile substrates, EEA, and microbial biomass. Overall, our results provide new insights into how biochar quality and application level jointly shape microbial resource stoichiometry, microbial functioning, and soil C cycling in tropical farmlands.","PeriodicalId":203,"journal":{"name":"Land Degradation & Development","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148860918","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}