Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

AimsHarnessing rhizosphere processes offers a valuable opportunity to optimize nutrient use efficiency in agroecosystems. In nutrient-limited soils, plants discharge part of photosynthate surplus via root exudation, including carboxylates, which may enhance mineral dissolution and nutrient mobilization. We aimed to assess how plant responses to nutrient limitation translated into changes in exudate profiles, and how these exudates, in turn, drive bioweathering across soils of contrasting mineralogy and weathering degree. MethodsWe conducted a hydroponic experiment with Lupinus albus grown in a phosphorus (P) gradient over seven weeks. We measured plant biomass and root traits, performed a metabolomics analysis and quantified seven carboxylates in root exudates using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. To assess bioweathering across contrasted soil domains, we conducted batch dissolution tests with exudates using three soil horizons--each with distinct physicochemical properties: enriched in organic matter, iron oxides, or primary silicates. ResultsAt the intermediate level of P supply, shoot biomass was comparable to that under high P, but plants produced more root biomass and a higher total carboxylate exudation rate. Despite low carboxylate concentrations (<100 ppb), exudates promoted the dissolution of Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, P and K in all soils. Yet, the degree of element released varied among soil types. ConclusionThese findings highlight the importance of root exudates in enhancing mineral dissolution, with effects dependent on soil physicochemical properties. The results suggest that managing agroecosystems under moderate nutrient limitation could be a sustainable strategy to increase root-to-shoot ratios, enhance bioweathering and nutrient release in rhizosphere.

The effects of the selection of livestock type (e.g., sheep or cattle) and grazing intensity on the soil seed bank of sand grasslands of conservation interest were studied. 25 grazed grassland sites classified into four grazing intensity categories were studied. The soil seed bank was analysed by seedling emergence; germinated seedlings were classified into morpho-functional, social behaviour type (SBT) and CSR strategy groups. The following hypotheses were tested: i) Diversity and density of soil seed banks are lower in sheep-grazed sites than in cattle-grazed ones. ii) The species composition, diversity, and density of the soil seed banks are more strongly affected by grazing intensity than by the livestock type. iii) Leaf traits, SBT and CSR strategy composition are highly affected both by livestock type and grazing intensity. The main effect of livestock type only affected seed bank density, while that of grazing intensity had a significant effect on most of the variables. Most of the studied variables were affected by the interaction of grazing intensity and livestock type. Total seed bank density was lower at all grazing intensity levels in sheep-grazed sites than in cattle-grazed ones, especially close to frequently visited places. We found that sheep grazing sustained a much lower total seed bank density and lower density of species of natural and semi-natural habitats regardless to the grazing intensity. Thus, livestock type must be carefully selected and high-intensity sheep grazing should be avoided in the long-run when managing sand grasslands. HighlightsO_LIThe soil seed banks of sheep and cattle grazed sand grassland were studied C_LIO_LIEffect of grazing intensity found the most important driver of seed bank diversity and density C_LIO_LIThe total soil seed bank density was higher in cattle than sheep grazed sites C_LIO_LIBoth intensity and livestock type must be considered in the grassland management planning C_LIO_LIHigh intensity sheep grazing should be avoided in sand grassland management C_LI

Decomposition of organic matter is a key process in soils contributing to carbon and nutrient cycling. To identify management strategies for agroecosystems that reduce nutrient losses while maximizing plant growth, it is important to understand which parameters determine decomposition rates. This study therefore investigated how the presence of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Asory) affects decomposition in a controlled Ecotron setup with two soil types with varying organic matter content across three simulated climates (2013, 2068, 2085). Using the tea bag index, interstitial soil pore water analyses, microbial biomass quantification, bacterial and fungal gene abundance, and soil respiration measurements, we tested the hypotheses that plant exudates would enhance decomposition rate and microbial biomass, while plant nitrogen uptake would deplete soil nitrate, potentially mitigated by fertilization. Contrary to expectations, decomposition rates were lower in planted than in unplanted soils, suggesting resource competition between plants and microbes. No significant differences were observed in microbial biomass or respiration due to plant presence, and fertilization effects on nitrate or microbial mineralization were undetectable, likely due to rapid turnover of organic molecules including uptake by plants and microbes. Mechanistically, fungi and soil humidity were more important for decomposition than bacteria or temperature. The findings corroborate climate impacts on decomposition but also indicate microbial resilience and highlight the potential of management strategies like cover crops, adjusted planting dates and crop residual management which can contribute to healthy soils by sustaining carbon and nutrient cycling.

O_LIBiodiverse vegetation that supports high rates of ecosystem functions can inherently express a messy appearance due to high numbers of local native plant species and their spatial distribution connected to niche complementarity. This messiness is assumed to lower peoples appreciation for vegetation in urban contexts. Since such vegetation and a positive relationship between people and biodiversity could contribute to mitigating biodiversity loss, this assumed low public appreciation warrants investigation. C_LIO_LIWe designed and constructed biodiverse flowerbeds using only local native plants, and with the intention to enhance planting productivity, resistance and resilience. To investigate the influence of messiness, we created flowerbeds in four high levels of species richness (8,12,16,20) shown to be relevant for ecosystem functioning, and three levels of order (no, semi, full). We tested public appreciation for the flowerbeds using a self-guided, on-site survey. C_LIO_LIWe found a positive mean rating for all flowerbeds, but no effect of species richness on the ratings. Increased order, however, had a strong negative effect: The odds of a fully ordered flowerbed receiving a negative rating were 88% higher than of a flowerbed with no order. Increasing designed order was correlated with decreasing plant biomass in the flowerbeds. C_LIO_LIThese findings challenge the assumption that the appearance of biodiverse plantings is too messy for public appreciation in urban contexts. Specifically, we demonstrate that introducing order and reducing messiness can compromise aesthetic appreciation for biodiverse vegetation, potentially by compromising productivity as indicated by lower biomass production in ordered plantings. C_LI Synthesis and applicationOur study shows that biodiverse vegetation can be appreciated in urban contexts. Flowerbeds can effectively serve both people as ornamentation and biodiversity as habitat when they are designed based on ecological principles Research highlightsO_LIWe designed and realized flowerbeds based on ecological principles. C_LIO_LIAll plantings received positive average ratings. C_LIO_LIIncreasing species richness in the flowerbeds did not affect participants aesthetic appreciation. C_LIO_LIIncreasing order in the design of the flowerbeds strongly lowered participants aesthetic appreciation. C_LIO_LIIncreasing order in the design was correlated to lower biomass productivity and more bare soil in the flowerbeds. C_LI

Small-scale vegetable farms are increasingly important to local food systems, but the soils on these farms are not well understood, particularly in high tunnel production environments. Therefore, this study aimed to 1. Compare soil nutrients and soil health metrics in high tunnels and nearby open fields. 2. Document soil nutrient accumulation on diversified vegetable farms and assess loss potential. 3. Explore the impacts of specific management practices (input use, cover crops, tillage, and soil testing) and farm demographics on a variety of soil health and soil nutrient metrics. Just under half of the high tunnels in this study had soluble salt accumulation, which was associated with higher soil nitrate concentrations. The pH of many high tunnel soils was above the optimal range for crop production, which was correlated with irrigation water alkalinity. Some high tunnel soils had rapid water infiltration rates, with implications for irrigation water management. Both high tunnel and open field soil were rich in nutrients compared with other Minnesota farms. Preliminary assessments suggested risks to surface and groundwater from nutrient runoff and leaching. While farmer experience and more years in vegetable production were negatively associated with soil health metrics, management practices including reduced tillage, organic management, and application of plant-based compost were positively associated with soil health. Cation exchange capacity and permanganate oxidizable carbon did not provide significantly more insight than simply measuring organic matter. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore counts were inconclusive, but aggregate stability and bulk density were responsive to farmer reported soil management activities. Core ideasO_LIHigh tunnel soil tends to be rich in nutrients and organic matter. They also accumulate soluble salts, likely from excess inputs C_LIO_LIIrrigation water routinely tested high in pH and alkalinity. These factors may explain high soil pH in high tunnels. C_LIO_LISmall-scale vegetable farms often have high concentrations of soil nutrients in both high tunnels and open fields, with potential to cause environmental contamination through leaching and runoff C_LIO_LIVegetable production may be inherently hard on soil health, but conservation practices including reduced tillage, organic management, and use of plant-based composts can improve soil health in these production systems C_LI

ContextAs global urbanization intensifies, Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are pivotal for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. However, comparative assessments of UGS spatial configuration and connectivity across diverse urban landscapes remain limited. ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the spatial arrangement and connectivity of UGS across 28 European capital cities. Additionally, we evaluate how Network Science metrics derived from Graph Theory can complement traditional landscape ecology metrics to provide a more comprehensive understanding of UGS at a large scale. MethodsWe developed a European Urban Vegetation Map using Earth observation data to classify UGS at 10m resolution across the selected capitals. We then analyzed UGS connectivity for each city utilizing 40 traditional landscape metrics and a Graph-Theory-based approach. ResultsWhile traditional landscape metrics effectively quantified fragmentation, they often remain strongly correlated with total vegetation abundance. In contrast, Network Science metrics provided specific insights into UGS functional connectivity, distinguishing the quality of ecological links beyond spatial proximity. This integration allowed us to cluster European capitals into three distinct typologies: unconnected compact cities, large metropolises with complex peri-urban dynamics, and high-connectivity cities with robust networks. These findings demonstrate that graph-based indices effectively complement traditional metrics, highlighting that relying solely on green space percentage is insufficient for assessing the ecological resilience of urban environments. ConclusionsThese results underscore the relevance of Earth observation-based UGS assessment and demonstrate that graph-based landscape connectivity analysis outperforms simple abundance metrics. Therefore, effective assessment requires integrating structural metrics with graph-based connectivity to support resilient urban biodiversity.

The rapid expansion of oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia has caused extensive deforestation and landscape fragmentation. Riparian buffers (vegetated strips along the edges of rivers) have been shown to enhance biodiversity, water quality, and erosion control. However, plantation managers have raised concerns that these buffers may harbour pests such as nettle caterpillars, bagworms, and rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros). These pests damage the palms and facilitate the spread Ganoderma boninense (a fungal pathogen). Using causal inference modelling we examined how riparian buffer characteristics (width and habitat quality), oil palm age, and surrounding landscape features influence pest and disease incidence in oil palms adjacent to riparian areas in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We surveyed 47,500 palms for pest and disease damage and used mark-release-recapture techniques to track O. rhinoceros movements in oil palms adjacent to riparian buffers. Most O. rhinoceros activity (66.30%) occurred within the plantations, and only 6.10% occurred within riparian buffers, with limited movement between habitats. Oil palm age was a dominant driver of pest attacks: young palms were more susceptible to lepidopteran caterpillars and O. rhinoceros, whereas G. boninense was more prevalent in mature palms. Neither the surrounding forest cover nor the quality of the riparian buffer affected the incidence of pest attacks. Riparian buffer width increased O. rhinoceros attacks, reduced G. boninense infection, and had no effect on lepidopteran caterpillars, highlighting that surrounding forest cover and riparian buffers do not drive pest attacks in oil palm plantations. Instead, management of oil palms within the buffers s is likely to be more important in managing pests; increases in invasive oil palms within the buffers increased the incidence of caterpillar damage, and higher numbers of remnant old oil palms increased O. rhinoceros attacks in adjacent oil palms. Overall, riparian buffers were found to contribute little to pest spillover, suggesting that their biodiversity and connectivity benefits outweigh minor pest risks, especially if invasive young and remnant old oil palms within the buffers are effectively managed and native vegetation restored.

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA), including soilless farming systems, is rapidly expanding as a strategy to improve food security and resource efficiency. However, limited information is available on how different soilless farming system designs influence microbial populations relevant to plant health and food safety. This study investigated the effects of soilless growing systems and growing season on aerobic plate counts (APC) and bacterial community composition in nutrient solution and on bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) leaves. Five soilless systems, deep water culture (DWC), Kratky (KR), nutrient film technique (NFT), ebb and flow (EF), and drip irrigation (DI), were evaluated across fall and spring growing seasons. Soilless system type significantly influenced APC in nutrient solution, with the DI system consistently exhibiting the highest counts across both seasons. Increased nutrient solution pH was negatively associated with APC, whereas temperature did not significantly affect bacterial concentrations. In contrast, APC on bok choy leaves were not significantly influenced by system type, season, pH, or temperature. Bacterial community composition in nutrient solution was strongly shaped by season, soilless system type, sampling day, and temperature, as determined by 16S rRNA V4 amplicon sequencing. Microbial diversity varied primarily by system type, with limited influence of pH or temperature. Core microbiota analysis identified a small subset of taxa that persisted across systems and seasons, with Acidovorax detected in all samples. We found that soilless system design and seasonal conditions strongly influence microbial load and community structure in nutrient solution, providing a foundation for developing system-specific microbial management strategies. ImportanceUnderstanding factors that shape microbial community composition in soilless farming systems is critical for optimizing plant health, system productivity, and food safety. Microbial communities influence nutrient cycling, biofilm formation, and pathogen survival, all of which affect the ecological stability and performance of these systems. By identifying how system design, seasonal variation, and environmental conditions influence shifts in microbial populations, targeted strategies can be developed to promote beneficial microorganisms and mitigate risks associated with pathogens. This knowledge contributes to advancing safe and sustainable soilless farming practices that can meet the growing demand for fresh produce grown in controlled environments.

Microbial communities can shift under drought in ways that enhance plant performance during drought ("microbe-mediated acclimation"). However, it is also possible for microbial communities to shift in ways that worsen the effects of drought ("mal-acclimation"). It is unclear how and where microbe-mediated acclimation vs. mal-acclimation occurs, or if there are types of soils or microbial communities that are more likely to harbor microbes that enhance plant acclimation and limit mal-acclimation. We tested for microbe-mediated plant acclimation/mal-acclimation to drought in soils from 21 maize farms in the midwestern United States, spanning a range of climate, soil types, and management practices. We first conditioned soil microbial communities to drought vs. well-watered conditions in a greenhouse and then tested for microbe-mediated acclimation by growing maize in soils inoculated with the conditioned microbial communities under drought and well-watered conditions. Drought-conditioned soils did not enhance plant performance under drought. In fact, one third of the farms exhibited mal-acclimation, especially under well-watered conditions where wet-conditioned soils reduced plant performance in well-watered contemporary conditions. Farm management practices, climate, soil texture, and microbial diversity generally did not predict when this microbe-mediated mal-acclimation occurred. Overall, these results suggest that in agricultural soils, microbes may frequently impede-rather than facilitate-plant acclimation to soil moisture levels. Open research statementThe plant and soil data used in this study are available via the Environmental Data Initiative repository at https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/f4a0db3a076cf6d8cef908947f82736e. The bacterial and fungal amplicon sequence data are available via the European Nucleotide Archive under accessions PRJEB110071 and PRJEB109827, respectively.

Urban expansion drives land cover change and habitat simplification, contributing to biodiversity loss. Urban green spaces can mitigate these impacts, but their effectiveness depends on its configuration and implementation. Here, we examine how three complementary dimensions of environmental heterogeneity--plant species richness, habitat heterogeneity, and foliage-layer richness--shape bird richness along an urbanisation gradient in the Netherlands. Using bird and plant occurrence data, LiDAR-derived vegetation structure, and land-use data, we fitted generalized additive models at three spatial scales (100, 200, and 300 m) to assess how these relationships vary across the urbanisation gradient. Plant species richness showed the strongest and consistent positive effect on bird richness, disregarding urbanization intensities. Habitat heterogeneity showed most pronounced positive effects at intermediate levels of urbanisation. In contrast, foliage-layer richness had weak associations with bird richness across urbanization intensities. Together, these results demonstrate that sustaining urban bird diversity requires urbanisation-intensity-dependent design of green-space heterogeneity. Increasing plant richness is generally recommended across urbanization intensities. Increasing habitat heterogeneity is more effective at intermediate levels of urbanisation and appears less suitable in highly urbanised contexts. Beyond simply expanding green space area or their spatial complexity alone, urban planning should focus on the thoughtful design of different types of environmental heterogeneity. This includes city-wide species-rich planting and structurally diverse habitat mosaics in mid-density areas to sustain urban bird diversity.

Organic farming supports environmental sustainability by saving water, safeguarding ecosystems, and providing economic opportunities through organic crops. It promotes food security and long-term development in the arid regions. However, its adoption in Jordan remains limited, primarily due to insufficient governmental support policies and measures. This study aims to identify the fundamental barriers to the adoption of organic agriculture in Jordans arid regions, evaluate farmers preparedness for organic practices, explore opportunities for organic farming, and propose recommendations to enhance its adoption. The study utilized a longitudinal approach, conducted in two phases over two decades. The first phase (April-September 2004) involved semi-structured interviews with 46 farmers and five focus groups. The second phase (July-September 2024) revisited seven experienced farmers from the initial cohort, using a phenomenological research approach a widely used approach. The results of phase 1 findings showed that the main barriers were technical, economic, marketing, legislation, institutional and extension and services while socio-cultural was not. The results of phase 2 highlighted persistence of the barriers identified in phase 1, alongside unresolved institutional difficulties, including certification processes, regulatory gaps, and limited market access. The study concluded that implementing streamlined certification procedures, government-supported subsidies, education programs, and policy modifications to promote sustainable adoption of organic farming and farmer engagement in Jorden. The limitation includes a small sample size, the two-decade gap between phases, and a focus on arid regions only. Further, it excludes other stakeholders perspectives, underexplores socio-cultural factors and provides limited analysis of certification, market access, and comparable contexts.

Overgrazing has caused widespread global concern. However, how grazing intensity affects ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes with wetness fluctuations in grasslands at a global scale remains poorly understood. Here we measured ecosystem CO2 fluxes covering the 7th to 11th years of a continuous grazing experiment in a typical steppe, and conducted a meta-analysis of 585 observations by collecting relevant data in global grasslands. Our experimental results showed that mean gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) were decreased under heavy grazing (HG) compared with control without grazing (CK), whereas net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was not different between HG and CK in the typical steppe. The NEP was higher under light grazing in the wetter years, but it was not different between LG and CK under drier years in the typical steppe. In contrast, grazing decreased GPP, ER and NEP, respectively, in global grasslands. Both our field experiment and the meta-analysis revealed that the response of NEP to light grazing was linearly correlated with the wetness index, which may be mediated by greater plant relative growth rate in wetter years. Higher wetness and aboveground biomass (AGB) increased the response of NEP to grazing in global grasslands. However, heavy grazing reduced NEP and AGB even under higher wetness indices in global grasslands, resulting from a loss of their resilience in long-term heavy grazing. These findings indicate that light grazing appears to be a promising management to promote plant relative growth rate and CO2 flux sequestration. Furthermore, major drivers influencing ecosystem CO2 fluxes in response to grazing were aboveground biomass, grazing intensity and wetness index. Overall, this study provides a global perspective on the response of ecosystem CO2 fluxes to grazing intensity and improves our knowledge of the factors influencing the response of ecosystem CO2 fluxes to grazing intensity.

AimAs cities densify and expand, the careful planning and design of green spaces are essential for supporting urban biodiversity. Here, we evaluate the relative contribution of habitat patches of varying size, quality, and connectivity to urban biodiversity and assess environmental factors driving differences in species richness and community composition. LocationZurich, Switzerland. Time period: 2008-2018.Major taxa studied: Invertebrates, vertebrates, and trees. MethodsWe analyzed species occupancy data from 452 habitat patches. We quantified alpha, beta, and gamma diversity, assessed species-area relationships, and applied generalized dissimilarity modelling to test the role of patch area, connectivity, and habitat quality--proxied through environmental variables, including vegetation complexity, water presence, and forest isolation--in shaping community composition. ResultsAlpha diversity increased significantly with area, although small patches (usually < 5 ha) disproportionately contributed to beta diversity. Per unit area, groups of small patches yielded higher gamma diversity than equivalent areas of large patches, particularly for trees and invertebrates. Community composition was strongly influenced by patch area, with effects mediated by vegetation complexity, water, and isolation, with responses differing among taxa. Main conclusionsSmall habitat patches play a critical role in enhancing overall urban biodiversity. They increase species richness through cumulative area effects and promote community turnover (mediated by environmental heterogeneity). Maintaining networks of small patches alongside large green spaces is therefore key to conserving biodiversity in urban landscapes.

IntroductionHuman land-use intensification and the resulting habitat loss are primary drivers of insect pollinator declines. Habitat restoration offers a promising approach to counteract these declines, yet landscape-level evaluations of bee responses to restoration and management remain limited. We conducted a two-year, landscape-scale study in Wisconsin, USA, to assess how different intensities of tallgrass prairie restoration and management affect bumble bees (Bombus spp.). ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine whether (1) bumble bee abundance and diversity increase with assisted restoration, and (2) outcomes differ between low-(seeded only) and moderate-intensity (seeded and managed with prescribed fire) interventions. MethodsUsing catch-and-release surveys, we measured bumble bee abundance and diversity at 32 sites representing a gradient in restoration intervention: no intervention (unassisted recovery), low intervention, and moderate intervention. ResultsBumble bee abundance and diversity were higher at assisted restoration sites (low and moderate intervention) than at unassisted sites. Although both tended to be greater at moderate than low intervention intensities, these differences were not statistically significant. Bumble bee community composition also differed across intervention intensity, driven by shifts in dominant species (e.g., B. impatiens and B. griseocollis). Rarer taxa, including endangered and vulnerable species, occurred only at assisted restoration sites, with the largest populations at moderate intervention sites. Across all sites, bumble bee responses were strongly and positively associated with floral abundance, but not with semi-natural habitat in the surrounding landscape. ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that assisted grassland restoration can effectively increase bumble bee abundance and diversity, supporting its value as a conservation practice for pollinators. Implications for Practice: (1) Grassland restorations targeting plant communities can successfully support nontarget pollinators across a range of management intensities and landscape contexts. Adding seeds of pollinator-preferred plants could improve restorations with low floral abundance and diversity. (2) Management of existing restorations is important to maintain abundant floral resources and diverse pollinator communities. Because sites varied widely in prescribed fire use, our findings likely represent a conservative estimate of its benefits, and higher intervention intensity (e.g., repeated seeding, regular fire, mechanical or chemical shrub and invasive plants control) may further enhance outcomes for bumble bees.

Restoration of degraded areas and post-disturbance rehabilitation after wildfire encompass critical approaches for reducing and reversing impacts of wind erosion and sand and dust storms (SDS). However, the broad outcomes of dryland restoration and rehabilitation for wind erosion and SDS remain underexplored. Wind erosion is an emerging issue in the Great Basin of the western United States, exacerbated by invasive annual grasses and associated wildfire. Here, we assess potential wind erosion and SDS responses to wildfire, restoration, and post-wildfire rehabilitation treatments at the regional scale in the Great Basin. We used 13 years of rangeland monitoring data, the Aeolian EROsion model, and the Land Treatment Digital Library to produce counterfactual model-predictions to estimate treatment effects. Our results revealed reductions in aeolian sediment fluxes (Ln Q < 0 g m-1 d-1) across wildfire-affected regions (mean {+/-} SE: -0.070 {+/-} 0.077 Ln Q), restoration treatments in unburned areas (range: -0.867 {+/-} 0.398 to 0.480 {+/-} 0.253 Ln Q), and post-wildfire rehabilitation (range: -0.821 {+/-} 0.183 to 1.278 {+/-} 0.909 Ln Q). In particular, aerial seeding and soil disturbance restoration treatments, and post-wildfire closure-treatments had higher perennial grass cover and the most decreased Ln Q compared to untreated controls. These results represent an important regional scale assessment of wind erosion responses to restoration and post-wildfire rehabilitation. Our findings underscore the application of integrating wind erosion and SDS mitigation into restoration and post-disturbance rehabilitation programs to provide land managers with strategies to reduce land degradation while fostering ecosystem resilience.

Coastal agroecosystems are critical yet fragile carbon sinks, often limited by severe soil degradation and nutrient leaching. While agroforestry is a proven strategy for soil restoration, the role of intercrop genotype-level variation in regulating system-wide carbon sequestration remains poorly understood. This study evaluated a coastal guava (Psidium guajava L.) agroforestry system in Odisha, India, to determine how the interaction between three brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) genotypes and graded nutrient regimes influences carbon partitioning and soil health. Our results demonstrate that carbon sequestration is governed by a significant Genotype * Nutrient interaction. The Utkal Madhuri genotype emerged as a superior biological regulator, maximizing total system carbon stocks to 59.49 t ha-1 and sequestration rates to 19.83 t ha-1 yr-1. Simultaneously, optimized fertilization (200:50:50 kg ha-1 N:P2O5:K2O) increased soil organic carbon to 0.47% and significantly improved bulk density without inducing soil acidification. These findings reveal that intercrop genetic selection is as vital as chemical inputs for climate mitigation. Integrating high-performing genotypes with optimized nutrient regimes provides a scalable framework for restoring fertility and enhancing carbon sinks in vulnerable coastal landscapes.

Grasslands, as one of the most important terrestrial ecosystems globally, have root functional traits that serve as key indicators of plant responses to environmental changes and hold significant ecological importance. To reveal the current status, research hotspots, and frontier trends in the field of grassland root functional traits, this study analyzed relevant literature from the Web of Science Core Collection database between 2000 and 2025. It employs bibliometric methods and utilizes visualization tools such as CiteSpace for a systematic analysis. The results indicate that research in this field has been continuously increasing since 2000, reflecting a growing research interest. China, the United States, and Germany are the leading countries in terms of publication output. However, collaboration networks among authors, institutions, and countries are still not tight enough to form a truly global cooperative network. Co-occurrence analysis of keywords and literature clustering reveal that the research hotspots in this field are mainly concentrated in six directions: multidimensional characteristics of root functional traits, interactions between root functional traits and climate change, synergistic effects of root functional traits and soil microorganisms, responses of root functional traits to land-use changes, coupling of root functional traits with ecosystem functions, and applications of root functional traits in agriculture and ecological restoration. Future research should focus on promoting innovation and standardization of research methods, conducting long-term monitoring, deeply exploring the mechanisms of root-microbe interactions, implementing cross-scale integrative research and model construction, and building international collaborative networks.

O_LIEven for wildlife species that often persist in urban and suburban areas, vehicle collisions remain a common source of mortality, and roads can fragment and degrade habitat. Quantifying animal behavior near roads can help wildlife managers develop management strategies to reduce mortality from vehicles while maintaining connectivity. C_LIO_LITo determine how roads affect movement of bobcats (Lynx rufus)--a common mesopredator in urban and suburban areas of North America--we analyzed GPS tracking data from bobcats using continuous-time movement analyses. Our study focused on three questions regarding bobcat movement near roads: (1) Are roads barriers to bobcat movement? (2) How often do bobcats use wildlife crossing structures to cross roads? (3) How does bobcat movement behavior change when bobcats are closer to roads? C_LIO_LIWe found that bobcats crossed roads 11% less frequently than expected from random chance, and this effect was largely driven by interstates and major local roads. We found little evidence that bobcats selectively used culverts or underpasses to cross roads, or that bobcat movement behavior (i.e., speed or home range size) varied with road density, although daily distance traveled increased with road density. C_LIO_LISynthesis and applications: Managers attempting to reduce bobcat mortality from vehicle collisions must do more than simply building wildlife crossing structures. Fences to funnel bobcats toward crossing structures, rumble strips to scare bobcats from roads, reduced speed limits, and wildlife warning signs for drivers may be more effective tools for reducing bobcat-vehicle collisions. This study also provides a rigorous framework for considering the implications of movement behavior for lack of connectivity and mortality as distinct but not mutually exclusive threats posed by roads for wildlife. C_LI

The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of two intercrop species, Canavalia ensiformis and Desmodium intortum, to reduce weed growth, herbicide use and damage by the stalk borer Chilo sacchariphagus in sugarcane cropping system in Reunion. We compared six inter-row management techniques: four treatments combined the two intercrops Canavalia ensiformis or Desmodium intortum sown either early (between 0 and 2.1 months after sugarcane emergence) or late (between 1.3 and 3.7 months after sugarcane emergence), a treatment where no weeding was carried out on the inter-row, and a treatment with chemical weeding of the inter-row (CcWp). In all treatments, the sugarcane row was weeded chemically and manually. The six treatments were compared in a multilocal randomized block design with three localities, during one or two crop cycles depending on the locality. Desmodium intortum produced poor ground coverage in half of the trial x crop cycles and was therefore found unsuitable for use as an intercrop of sugarcane in our conditions. On the opposite, Canavalia ensiformis quickly covered the inter-rows, regardless of the sowing date. The Canavalia ensiformis intercrops allowed a reduction of herbicide consumption by 63% when sown early and by 28% when sown late, compared to the CcWp control treatment. Both Canavalia ensiformis intercrops caused a reduction of weed coverage on the inter-row similar or better than the chemical control. However, the early sown Canavalia ensiformis intercrop caused a 18.6 t.ha-1 yield loss compared the chemical control. No yield loss was detected with the late sown intercrop. A significant reduction of stalk damage by a 0.8-fold factor was observed in the early sown Canavalia ensiformis treatment.

Soil salinity and sodicity are among the major challenges threatening agricultural productivity in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. A column experiment was conducted in laboratory on saline-sodic soils of Metehara Sugar Estate to evaluate the effectiveness of phosphogypsum and leaching in reclaiming these soils. The treatments comprised of five rates of phosphogypsum equivalent to 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200% gypsum requirement, 100% gypsum requirement of natural gypsum, and an absolute control with no amendments applied, and five volumes of leaching water. The treatments were arranged in Complete Randomized Design with three replications. The leaching water was applied to the columns in an intermittent ponding mode. Leachates and soil samples collected from the columns after termination of the leaching process were analyzed for selected soil properties. Results showed that applying phosphogypsum at a rate of 100% gypsum requirement or higher (which is equivalent to [&ge;] 13 tons/ha) along with 3-4 pore volume of leaching water was found to be the most effective combination to reduce salinity and sodicity to levels that are suitable for most crops (ECe <4 dS/m and ESP < 10%,). The efficiency of phosphogypsum equivalent to 200% gypsum requirement was 81% and 75% in soluble salt removal and Na reduction, respectively. Results of the study suggest that phosphogypsum is a promising reclamation material for saline-sodic soils. However, a field experiment has to be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these amendments under natural conditions and come-up with implementable rate recommendations.