Bioenergy Crops Research Articles

Leaf Plasticity and Biomass Allocation of Arundo donax Under Combined Irrigation and Nitrogen Conditions in Salinized Soil

Arundo donax L. (giant reed) is a perennial rhizomatous grass with high drought and salinity tolerance, making it a promising low-input bioenergy crop. However, the understanding of the combined effects of irrigation and nitrogen application in salinized soil on physiological adaptations and biomass allocation is still limited. In this study, we conducted a three-factor orthogonal pot experiment with four levels per factor in 2023 and 2024 as follows: salinity (S0: non-saline, S1: low salinity, S2: moderate salinity, S3: high salinity); irrigation amount (W0: 605, W1: 770, W2: 935, W3: 1100 mm); and nitrogen application (N0: 0, N1: 60, N2: 120, N3: 180 kg/ha). This resulted in 14 irrigation-nitrogen-salinity combined treatments. The results showed the following: (1) Irrigation, nitrogen and salinity significantly affected leaf dimensions, photosynthetic rate, plant height, biomass allocation and dry matter of the total plant (p < 0.05). (2) Significant coupling interactions were observed between salinity and irrigation, as well as between nitrogen and irrigation, affecting leaf morphology, plant height, leaf dry matter and total biomass accumulation; a coupling interaction of salinity and nitrogen was found to affect the leaf area, root, stem and leaf dry weight. (3) The S0N2W2 treatment produced the highest dry biomass, which was 2.2 times higher than for the S3N2W2 treatment. (4) Under moderate-salinity conditions (S2), biomass allocation favored stems and leaves, whereas under high-salinity conditions (S3) biomass allocation shifted towards leaves, followed by stems and roots. A combination of 935 mm irrigation amount and 120 kg/ha nitrogen (N2W2) under S1 and S2 is recommended to optimize biomass production. Our study provides practical irrigation and nitrogen management strategies to enhance A. donax cultivation on marginal saline lands, supporting climate-resilient bio-economy initiatives.

A haplotype-resolved genome assembly and gene expression map of Cushion willow

Salix brachista, commonly known as Cushion willow, is a common component of subnival alpine assemblages and a dioecious or monoecious plant with a creeping stem and numerous lateral branches. Cushion willow takes cuttings more easier and has a specific sex system, making it a suitable system for studying the evolution of plant sex determination, adaptive evolution of alpine plants, and mining stress resistance gene resource that cope with the hostile alpine environment. Therefore, Cushion willow has potential value in genetic improvements for willows used as bioenergy crops, in gardening, and as ornamental plants. However, the genome of Cushion willow still contains some un-assembled repetitive sequences, and there is limited availability of a gene expression atlas, which hinders its potential use for the aforementioned purposes. Here, we updated the genome of Cushion willow to be haplotype-resolved and near telomere-to-telomere, and obtained a high-quality transcriptomic map. Our research provides a potential model species for alpine adaptive research, sex determination evolution studies, and improving willow crops.

Estimating Leaf Nitrogen Concentration of Grain Sorghum, Corn, and Forage Sorghum with Hyperspectral Data and Vegetation Indices from a Spectroradiometer

ABSTRACT Nitrogen deficiency in plants is often done by visual scoring, but this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Spectroradiometers have been identified as a promising alternative because they can give information about plants’ stress in the shortest time. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) that are related to leaf N and to determine how well we can use vegetation indices to estimate leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC). Conducted in a controlled greenhouse in Stillwater, Oklahoma, from August to October 2021, the experiment involved three bioenergy crops (grain sorghum, corn, and forage sorghum) and four nitrogen levels (20%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of Hoagland’s nutrient solution). The crops were grown in a split-plot design with computer-controlled drip irrigation. The results showed that corn and grain sorghum treated with 100% nitrogen had the highest physiological growth, while forage sorghum responded best at 75%. Hyperspectral reflectance data were used to estimate LNC in the bioenergy crops studied, with vegetation indices effectively estimating LNC. Among the indices tested, the TCARI performed best, with an R2 of 0.72. Multiple linear regression (MLR) improved the estimation accuracy further, achieving an R2 of 0.77. These findings demonstrate that leaf spectral reflectance and VIs can provide a fast, cost-effective way to monitor nitrogen status in bioenergy crops during the growing season. The study highlights the potential of hyperspectral reflectance to aid in precision agriculture by enabling rapid, in-season adjustments to nitrogen application, thereby improving crop management and productivity.

Ontogenetic, diurnal, and environmental impacts on VOC emission from sugarcane.

Ontogenetic, diurnal, and environmental impacts on VOC emission from sugarcane.

Greenhouse gas emissions under perennial bioenergy crops with various nitrogen fertilization rates.

Little information exists about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under perennial bioenergy crops (PBCs) with various N fertilization rates. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of PBCs receiving various N fertilization rates on N2O and CH4 emissions, GHG balance (GHGB), and yield-scaled GHGB (YSGB) and compare them with an annual crop from 2012-2013 to 2013-2014 in the northern Great Plains. The PBCs were intermediate wheatgrass (IW, Thinopyrum intermedium [Host] Barkworth and Dewey), smooth bromegrass (SB, Bromus inermis L.), and switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum L.), and N fertilization rates were 0, 28, 56, and 84kg N ha-1. The annual crop was spring wheat (WH, Triticum aestivum L.) with 80kg N ha-1. The N2O flux peaked immediately after planting, fertilization, intense precipitation (>15mm), and snowmelt. Cumulative N2O flux was greater for SG than IW and SB with 56kg N ha-1 in 2012-2013 and with 28-84kg N ha-1 in 2013-2014. The CH4 flux was not affected by treatments. Carbon sequestration rate at 0-30cm from 2009 to 2019 was greater for IW than other PBCs. The GHGB and YSGB were greater for SG and SB than IW with almost all N fertilization rates in both years. Comparing PBCs and an annual crop, cumulative N2O flux, GHGB, and YSGB were greater for SG than IW, SB, or WH in 2013-2014. The IW can reduce GHG emissions per unit area and per unit crop yield compared to other PBCs and WH.

Morphological, Anatomical and Physiological Responses of Kemiri Sunan (Reutealis trisperma) Under Drought Stress

Reutealis trisperma is a promising bioenergy crop, exhibits notable drought stress responses that influence its morphology, physiology, and anatomy. However, the information about Reutealis trisperma under drought stress was still limited. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluates the plant's adaptive mechanisms under controlled greenhouse conditions with varying levels of drought stress of Reutealis trisperma. We used a completely randomized design (CRD) with drought stress as the treatment and 10 repetitions. Drought stress was applied by withholding water, with treatments divided into mild stress (2 weeks) and suffer stress (7 weeks). Control plants were watered regularly. We measured some morphological parameters (plant height, number of leaves, dry weight), physiological parameters (RWC, MDA, proline, chlorophyll content), and anatomical parameters (stomatal density and structure). Data were analysed using ANOVA with a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed a decline in plant height, chlorophyll content, and relative water content (RWC), alongside an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating oxidative stress. Morphological changes included reduced leaf and root biomass, while anatomical adaptations featured reduced stomatal density to conserve water. Reutealis trisperma exhibits significant morphological, physiological, and anatomical adaptations under drought stress. Drought reduced plant height, chlorophyll content, and relative water content while increasing root-to-leaf dry weight ratios and malondialdehyde levels, indicating oxidative stress. Anatomical changes, such as reduced stomatal density, enhance water conservation. These adaptations underscore the plant's resilience, supporting its potential for bioenergy production on marginal, water-deficient lands.

Heterologous expression of physic nut JcHDZ25 confers tolerance to drought stress in transgenic rice

BackgroundThe HD-Zip family of plant-specific transcription factors coordinates developmental processes and abiotic stress adaptation, including drought tolerance in bioenergy crops such as physic nut. Although HD-Zip proteins are known regulators of stress responses, the functional roles of physic nut HD-Zip genes in drought adaptation remain uncharacterized.ResultsIn this study, we functionally characterized JcHDZ25, a drought-inducible HD-Zip I gene from physic nut, which is predominantly expressed in roots and upregulated by ABA and drought. Subcellular localization and transcriptional activity assays confirmed that JcHDZ25 localized to the nucleus and exhibited intrinsic transcriptional activation. Transgenic rice overexpressing JcHDZ25 displayed enhanced drought tolerance and ABA sensitivity compared to wild-type plants. Under drought stress, JcHDZ25-overexpressing lines showed significantly higher proline content, elevated SOD and CAT activities, and reduced electrolyte leakage and MDA accumulation relative to wild-type controls. Furthermore, transgenic plants showed higher expression of abiotic stress-responsive genes (OsAPX2, OsCATA, OsLEA3, OsP5 CS, OsDREB2 A, OsADC1) and ABA pathway-related genes (OsNCED3, OsRD29 A) under drought stress compared to wild-type plants.ConclusionsJcHDZ25 positively regulates drought tolerance in rice possibly through an ABA-dependent transcriptional regulation, providing mechanistic insights into physic nut’s drought adaptation and highlighting its potential as a genetic resource for engineering stress-resilient crops.

Temperature signals drive grass secondary cell wall thickening.

Understanding how grasses build strong stems is essential for improving biomass production and crop resilience. In grasses, stem elongation and secondary cell wall thickening occur in distinct zones, yet the precise timing and regulation of this process remain unclear. To investigate this phenomenon, we developed a real-time imaging system to track the expression of CESA8 , a key gene involved in cellulose synthesis. Our findings reveal that secondary wall thickening follows a daily rhythm controlled by temperature rather than light. These insights provide a foundation for optimizing plant architecture in bioenergy crops, improving their efficiency and sustainability.

The global land-water-climate nexus of drought-tolerant succulent plants for bioenergy in abandoned croplands and arid marginal lands.

The global land-water-climate nexus of drought-tolerant succulent plants for bioenergy in abandoned croplands and arid marginal lands.

Soil Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Emissions and Theoretical Ethanol Yield from Midwestern Bioenergy Systems

There has been a significant demand to increase biofuel production and usage in the USA. Bioenergy crops also have the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems but crop type (annual vs. perennial) may impact mitigation potential. Objectives of this research were to (1) assess cumulative carbon dioxide equivalence (CO2eq) of annual and perennial crops, (2) evaluate the theoretical ethanol yield (TTEY) from annual and perennial crops, and (3) assess the CO2eq/TTEY ratio (CTR) of annual and perennial crops. This study was conducted from 2008 to 2016 at the Purdue University Water Quality Field Station near West Lafayette, IN. Replicated treatments (n = 4) included continuous corn (CC), continuous sorghum (CS), Miscanthus (MS), switchgrass (SG), and restored prairie (RP). This study calculated CO2eq using CO2 and N2O emissions. To estimate TTEY, yield of stover carbohydrate pools, recovery efficiencies of sugars from cell wall polysaccharides, fermentation efficiency of sugars to ethanol, the theoretical ethanol yield from sugars, and grain (for corn and sorghum) were used. Averaging over the course of the study, the highest annual CO2eq observed were 7.8 and 6.7 Mg CO2-C ha−1 year−1 from RP and SG, respectively. Average CO2eq for CC, CS, and MS were 5.8, 5.5, and 5.0 Mg CO2-C ha−1 year−1, respectively. The highest and lowest TTEY were observed in MS and RP, yielding 189.4 and 26.7 GJ EtOH ha−1 year−1, respectively. Thus, MS had the lowest CTR out of these treatments. Averaging across plant type, CO2eq, TTEY, and CTR were 6.5 Mg CO2-C ha−1 year−1, 89.8 GJ EtOH ha−1 year−1, and 345 kg CO2-C GJ−1 EtOH, respectively, for perennials, and 5.7 Mg CO2-C ha−1 year−1, 118 GJ EtOH ha−1 year−1, and 52.1 kg CO2-C GJ−1 EtOH, respectively, for annuals. Although these results suggest lower CO2eq, higher TTEY, and lower CTR for annual crops compared to perennials, the mitigation potential of emitted GHGs from perennials in agricultural systems used for biofuel production is also highlighted.

Assessing the Effects of Bioenergy Cropping Scenarios on the Surface Water and Groundwater of an Intensively Agricultural Basin in Central Greece

Pinios river basin constitutes the most important agricultural production area in Greece but contributes to the degradation of the quality and quantity of surface water and groundwater bodies. Bioenergy crops implemented as part of the existing cropping systems could be a novel and efficient mitigation strategy against water degradation, contributing to the production of energy through renewable sources. This study uses the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to first develop a representative model of Pinios river basin and evaluate its current state with respect to water availability and nitrate water pollution. A low-input perennial bioenergy crop, switchgrass, is then simulated closely to the Greek conditions to investigate its potential effects on water in three implementation scenarios: the installation and growth of switchgrass in the entire irrigated cropland, exclusively in irrigated sloping (slopes > 1.5%) cropland, and exclusively in irrigated non-sloping cropland. The simulated results demonstrate that under all scenarios, the water quality improvements with respect to the nitrate loads entering surface water and groundwater bodies were significant, with their reduction being directly affected by the extent to which switchgrass replaced resource-demanding conventional crops. Specifically, the reduction in the annual nitrate loads in the surface water under these three scenarios varied from 7% to 18% at the river basin scale, while in certain cropland areas, the respective reduction even exceeded a level of 80%. The potential to improve the water status was also considerable, as the implementation of the bioenergy crop reduced the irrigation water used annually in the basin by 10% (64 Mm3) when switchgrass replaced the conventional crops only on the sloping land and by almost 30% (187 Mm3) when it replaced them throughout the irrigated land. At the same time, significant biomass production above 18 t/ha/y applied in all of the simulations. This study also highlights the contribution of the bioenergy crop to the rehabilitation of the groundwater levels across the basin, with the possibility of increasing them by >50% compared to the baseline, implying that the adoption of switchgrass could be a promising means against water scarcity.

Fly bioash-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon removal by rapid-growth remediation systems of poplar, industrial hemp and parsley

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous, persistent, potentially carcinogenic organic pollutants in the environment. They are emitted mainly from the incomplete combustion of coal, oil, and wood, and energy crops. During biomass combustion for energy production, PAHs can accumulate mainly in fly ashes, and these ‘fly bioashes’ are sometimes used in agriculture as a source of mineral nutrients. The main aim of this study was to investigate the use of fast-growing plants for the removal of PAH contamination from fly bioash-treated soil. For PAH phytoremediation we chose fast-growing trees (poplars), an energy crop (industrial hemp), and a taproot vegetable (parsley). The removal of total PAHs from soil by natural attenuation in control treatments was less than 10%. Phytoremediation using poplar resulted in the greatest removal of 27% of the PAHs and there was no significant difference in PAH removal between poplar and hemp at 120 days post-planting. Individually screened PAHs with 2 to 4 benzene rings were removed from soil by poplars or hemp to a level of 21 − 39%. The parsley crop’s ability to accumulate and remove PAH was very low. Localization data showed the greatest accumulation of the tested PAHs in the roots, with little translocation of fly bioash PAHs from roots to shoots. Although the uptake of PAHs by plants is relatively low in general, poplar and hemp seem very promising for phytoremediation of soil containing PAHs from fertilization with biomass ash. We found that the removal efficiency of poplar could be improved through extended use over different vegetation periods. Innovation points include the identification of specific PAH removal efficiencies by different fast-growing plants, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of poplar and hemp in fly bioash-treated soils. The practical implications of this research suggest that integrating these plants into agricultural practices could enhance soil remediation while simultaneously serving as bioenergy crops, thereby providing a sustainable solution for managing soil PAH contamination.

Effect of tillage method on early root growth of Miscanthus

AbstractFulfilling climate change mitigation goals will require increased planting of bioenergy crops. Miscanthus is a versatile biomass crop suitable for bioenergy production and bio‐products and is expected to form a large part of the bioenergy mix. Reduced impact field preparation and crop establishment are needed to align with sustainable agricultural policies and preserve soil carbon stocks. However, the impact of conservation tillage methods on the root growth of Miscanthus, with implications for establishment, plant resilience and carbon cycling, is currently unknown. Therefore, in this study, we use in‐situ minirhizotrons to capture root growth and turnover (root increase/decrease) during the establishment period for field‐grown Miscanthus planted with minimum and no‐tillage methods (Min Till and No Till, respectively). It was found that the No Till method resulted in higher root length density (Min Till 0.56 vs. No Till 1.39 [cm cm−2] at 30–50 cm soil depth, for 2‐year‐old plants in October) and thinner roots in the subsoil (Min Till 14% vs. No Till 60%, roots in the 0–0.4 mm diameter class, 30–50 cm soil depth, for 1 year‐old plants in October) providing potential for improved resource acquisition and soil carbon sequestration. Rapid root growth provided a substantial root base in both treatments (Min Till 1195 and No Till 1442 [g dry matter m−2], 0–50 cm soil depth, for 1‐year‐old plants in October) before resources were allocated to developing rhizomes and above‐ground growth. For new planting of Miscanthus on former (marginal) grassland, our results demonstrate that using conservation tillage methods is viable in terms of root growth and plant resilience. Additionally, the observed early years root turnover provides insight into carbon inputs to the soil, important for the modelling of early establishment carbon dynamics.

Three Xanthomonas Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes and Sorghum Brown midrib12 Contribute to Virulence and Resistance in the Bacterial Leaf Streak Pathosystem.

With an increasing demand for renewable fuels, bioenergy crops are being developed with high sugar content and altered cell walls to improve processing efficiency. These traits may have unintended consequences for plant disease resistance. Xanthomonas vasicola pv. holcicola (Xvh), the causal agent of sorghum bacterial leaf streak, is a widespread bacterial pathogen. Here, we show that Xvh expresses several bacterial cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) during sorghum infection, and these are required for full virulence. In tolerant sorghum, Xvh infection results in the induction of a key enzyme in monolignol biosynthesis, Brown midrib12 (Bmr12), but this did not affect lignin content nor composition. Mutation of Bmr12 rendered the tolerant genotype susceptible. Bmr12 encodes caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT), an enzyme that generates sinapaldehyde as its major product. Growth inhibition of Xvh in the presence of sinapaldehyde was observed in vitro. We conclude that mutations that alter the components of the sorghum cell wall can reduce sorghum resistance to Xvh and that Xvh CWDEs contribute to bacterial virulence. Given the enhanced bioprocessing characteristics of bmr12 sorghum, these results provide a cautionary tale for current and future efforts aimed at developing dedicated bioenergy crops. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.

Redefining the product portfolio of oilcane bagasse biorefinery: Recovering natural colorants, vegetative lipids and sugars.

Redefining the product portfolio of oilcane bagasse biorefinery: Recovering natural colorants, vegetative lipids and sugars.

Evaluation of sorghum waxy A1‐ and R‐lines as hybrids

AbstractThe Waxy locus (Wx) encodes the granule‐bound starch synthase enzyme, which synthesizes amylose, the long‐chain, unbranched starch polymer. Loss of function alleles of Wx result in the endosperm having a waxy appearance, and contain nearly all amylopectin, the highly branched starch polymer. A critical question for commercialization of waxy grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] for applications ranging from food industry to bioenergy crop production is whether hybrids deleteriously affect agronomic traits. A set of six waxy sorghum A‐lines was crossed with a set of six R‐lines developed by USDA‐ARS in Lincoln, NE. The hybrids were grown in two field sites under dryland and irrigated conditions. Both agronomic and grain composition traits were determined. The amylose concentration from all waxy hybrid grain was around 5% compared to wild‐type hybrid checks, which had concentrations around 35%. In general, seedling emergence, test weight, and 100‐seed weight were lower for wx hybrids than the commercial check. The grain yields for wx hybrid combinations with A lines PI 670136 and PI 672150 (Wheatland wx) or R‐line PI 672152 (RTx430 wx) were over 8000 kg ha−1 for several combinations. The A line PI 670136 in combination with five of the R‐lines evaluated produced white sorghum grain on tan plants that could be milled into food grade white sorghum flour. The waxy hybrids in this study illustrate the potential to commercially produce wx grain sorghum for a range of applications.

Fusion of transgene and interspecies hybridization enhances seed yield and root rot disease resistance in Jatropha curcas.

Perennial woody plants play an indispensable role in sustainable production. To shorten their juvenile phase and improve health, Jatropha curcas, a classic bioenergy crop, serves as a model for a breeding strategy integrating transgenes with interspecific hybridization. Specifically, overexpressing JcFT (JcFT-OE) J. curcas exhibiting early flowering were crossed with Jatropha integerrima exhibiting bright flowers and robust stems. The resulting hybrids were then backcrossed (BC) with JcFT-OE plants to refine the desired traits. The F1 generation displayed early flowering and an intermediary type of parents, with hard stems, more xylem, lower seed yields, and higher C18:2 content in the seed oil compared to those of wildtype and JcFT-OE transgenic plants. The BC1 generation showed early flowering, diverse shapes of fruit and seeds, and higher seed yield than the F1 generation. Among these lines, BC1-3 produced the highest yield, while the seed yields of J. integerrima, F1 and BC1-1 had notably low yields attributed to fruit dropping. Notably, F1 and BC1 plants demonstrated enhanced resistance to root rot caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae and lignin contents of stems compared to JcFT-OE, a trait inherited from J. integerrima. Overall, the hybrid plants inherited desirable traits such as precocity and root rot resistance from their parents, resulting in higher seed yields in BC1 individuals. Blending transgenes with hybridization in Jatropha curcas enriches traits, boosting yields and disease resistance in woody plants. Furthermore, FT overexpression has substantial superiority in accelerating the breeding process in woody trees.

Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization of the Glycosyltransferase 43 (GT43) Gene Family in Sorghum bicolor for Biofuel Development: A Comprehensive Study

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an essential bioenergy crop. Cellulosic and non-cellulosic polysaccharides, which can be transformed into biofuels, comprise most of its biomass. Many glycosyltransferases (GT) families, including GT43, are involved in the biosynthesis of xylan in plants’ primary and secondary cells. In this study, the GT43 gene family was identified, and its secondary structure and a three-dimensional (3D) model were constructed. Additionally, subcellular localization, detection of motifs, and analyses of its phylogenetic tree, physiochemical properties, protein–protein interaction network, gene structure, functional domain, gene duplication, Cis-acting elements, sequence logos, multiple sequence alignment, and gene expression profiles were performed based on RNA-sequence analyses. As a result, eleven members of the GT43 gene family were identified, and the phylogenetic tree of the GT43 gene family showed that all GT43 genes had evolutionary relationships with sorghum. Analyses of gene structure, motifs, sequence logos, and multiple sequence alignment showed that all members of the GT43 protein family were highly conserved. Subcellular localization showed all members of the GT43 protein family were localized in different compartments of sorghum. The secondary structure of the GT43 genes comprised different percentages of α-helices, random coils, β-turns, and extended strands. The tertiary structure model showed that all GT43 proteins had similar 3D structures. The results of the current study indicated that members of the GT43 gene family (Sobic.010G238800, Sobic.003G254700, and Sobic.001G409100) were highly expressed in internodes of the sorghum plant, based on RNA-Sequencing. The framework used in this study will be valuable for advancing research aligned with modern technology requirements and for enhancing understanding of the relationships among GT43 genes in Sorghum bicolor.

Biodiversity and renewable energy in a warming world: Pathway to mitigate climate change while preserving ecosystem

<p>This review examines the dual roles of renewable energy in mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity. It looks at the direct and indirect impacts of renewable energy on biodiversity and highlights strategies for striking a balance between energy development and ecological conservation. The global climate crisis demands immediate action, and renewable energy is a key component of efforts to mitigate climate change. However, while renewable energy technologies like solar, wind, and bioenergy hold significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, their deployment also presents risks to biodiversity. The relationship between renewable energy and biodiversity conservation is complex, as energy infrastructure can cause habitat destruction, ecosystem disruptions, and habitat fragmentation, potentially aggravating the very environmental challenges that renewable energy seeks to address. Whereas renewable energy technologies can lessen the environmental impact of human activity, their widespread use may have unforeseen effects on species and ecosystems. If not properly managed, renewable energy projects have the potential to cause major changes in land use, including desertification, deforestation, and the disruption of delicate ecosystems. Ecosystems may also be harmed by the exploitation of raw resources for renewable energy, such as lithium for batteries and rare earth elements for wind turbines. This review examines the main obstacles to coordinating the growth of renewable energy with the preservation of biodiversity, including the effects of wind farms on bat and bird populations, the way hydropower dams change river ecosystems, and the possibility that bioenergy crops would supplant native flora. It then suggests ways to lessen these effects, such as improved site design, more effective energy systems, and incorporating biodiversity concerns into legislative frameworks. In order to guarantee that renewable energy contributes to a sustainable future for both climate and biodiversity, the study concludes by highlighting the necessity of a multidisciplinary strategy that combines energy and conservation policy.</p>

Soil Organic Carbon Storage of Different Soil‐Sized Fractions in Perennial Bioenergy Crops on Marginally Productive Cropland in Southern Canada

ABSTRACTUnderstanding carbon (C) storage in different soil‐sized fractions of perennial bioenergy crops enhances our knowledge of how these crops contribute to long‐term soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, with positive implications for mitigating climate change through C sequestration. However, the extent to which perennial bioenergy crops contribute C in different soil‐sized fractions remains unclear. Hence, this study investigated SOC contents under perennial bioenergy crops of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus L.), willow (Salix miyabeana L.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and a successional site. We also quantified the C contribution of the bioenergy crops to different soil‐sized fractions using the δ13C natural abundance technique. After 12 years of cultivation, SOC contents to 30 cm depth increased by 2.5% and 3.1% in willow and Miscanthus, respectively, but decreased by 3.7% in switchgrass compared to baseline SOC data. SOC stocks ranged from 5686 to 7002 g C m−2 and were higher (p ≤ 0.050) in the successional site compared to switchgrass and willow, but not Miscanthus. Unlike switchgrass and willow, Miscanthus maintained SOC stocks comparable to the successional site even with annual biomass harvest. This implies that the ability of perennial bioenergy crops to influence SOC storage similar to regrowth vegetation on marginally productive cropland depends significantly on the crop species. Additionally, Miscanthus contained higher (p ≤ 0.013) SOC in micro‐sized and silt + clay fractions at 20–30 cm depth compared to the 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths and contributed the most C in all three soil‐sized fractions compared to switchgrass and willow. Our findings suggest that among the three bioenergy crops, Miscanthus has the greatest potential for long‐term C storage and stabilization in deeper soil depths on marginally productive croplands. This holds true even with annual biomass harvesting and the absence of fertilization, making Miscanthus a valuable contributor to climate change mitigation.