Ecological Restoration Process Research Articles

Assembly Mechanism of Rhizosphere Fungi in Plant Restoration in Lead Zinc Mining Areas

Background: So far, the assembly and response mechanism of soil fungi in the ecological restoration process of lead zinc mines is still unclear. Methods: In this study, we selected three plants for the ecological restoration of abandoned lead zinc mining areas and explored the community assembly mechanism by which soil fungi assist plants in adapting to the environment during the ecological restoration process. Results: The results revealed that the mining of lead zinc mines led to a significant decrease in soil fungal diversity, whereas the planting of three plants significantly increased the diversity of rhizosphere fungi. Mining activities significantly reduced the abundance of soil Fusarium, Macroventuria, Cladosporium, and Solicocozyma and increased the abundance of soil Helvella. After three ecologically restored plants were planted, the abundances of Fusarium and Cladosporium increased significantly, whereas the abundance of Helvella decreased significantly. In addition, Capronia was significantly enriched in the rhizosphere soils of three plant species in the mining area. β diversity and fungal guild analysis revealed that mining activities had a great impact on fungal communities and guilds. The ecological restoration of plants changed the guilds of rhizosphere fungi, making them closer to those of the control sample. In addition, the endophyte guild was significantly enriched in the rhizosphere soil of three ecologically restored plants, increasing their adaptability. Conclusions: The results provide a reference for screening lead zinc mine bioremediation strains and developing fungal plant joint remediation strategies.

The U.D.C.A. on the Road to Environmental Sustainability in Its Infrastructure and Environment

The Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales U.D.C.A. has been walking a path from Sustainable Development to Environmental Sustainability, which is evidenced through initiatives in infrastructure and its environment, according to the Institutional Educational Project, which recognizes the Campus as a Living Classroom. In this opportunity, the process that is being advanced in terms of infrastructure and environmental management with three initiatives will be presented: 1. The U.D.C.A. environmental memory trail, an ecological trail under construction, which allowed articulating teaching, research, and social projection from a research seedbed of Environmental History, which collects environmental information related to biological, ecological and cultural aspects of the species of fauna and flora that are present on Campus. 2. The Tingua Refuge, an emblematic site of the UniversityUniversity recognized for its conservation of wild species such as Tinguas and ducks, where classroom projects are being developed with students of the Environmental Analysis Technology program to measure the quality of the water as a first step for its ecological restoration process, to turn it into a bio-indicator of environmental health for the UniversityUniversity. 3. The development of infrastructure as an axis of change toward the environmental sustainability of the University is part of the University's Infrastructure Master Plan, which defines the conditions under which the U.D.C.A. advances the necessary actions in environmental, urban, rural, and architectural aspects to adapt the academic spaces.

Soil Physicochemical Properties and Carbon Storage Reserve Distribution Characteristics of Plantation Restoration in a Coal Mining Area

The Bulianta Coal Mine is among the problematic coal mining areas in China that is still creating environmental damage, especially associated with soil destruction. Therefore, a scientific investigation was conducted to establish a scientific basis for evaluating the impact of planted forest on soil physical and chemical properties, as well as the ecological benefits following 15 years of vegetation restoration in the area. The soil physicochemical characteristics and distribution of organic carbon storage in the 0–80 cm layer soils of Pinus sylvestris forests, Prunus sibirica forests, and Hippophae rhamnoides forests restored after 5, 10, and 15 years were investigated. The immersion method was used to determine soil porosity and density followed by the determination of soil indicators, and a statistical ANOVA test was applied to examine the differential effects of different vegetation types and restoration years on soil properties. The results clearly demonstrated the following: (1) The recovery of vegetation was achieved after a period of 15 years, with the average bulk density of the 0–80 cm soil layer as follows: P. sylvestris forest (1.513 g·cm−3) > P. sibirica forest (1.272 g·cm−3) > H. rhamnoides forest (1.224 g·cm−3), and the differences among different forest types were statistically significant (p < 0.05). (2) In planted forests, soil nutrients were predominantly concentrated in the 0–20 cm layer, while soil carbon storage exhibited a decline with an increasing soil depth. (3) The soil carbon storage across the three forest types was as follows: P. sylvestris forest (45.42 t·hm−2) > P. sibirica forest (44.56 t·hm−2) > H. rhamnoides forest (41.87 t·hm−2). In summary, during the ecological vegetation restoration process in the Bulianta Core Mine, both P. sylvestris forest and P. sibirica forest exhibit superior carbon storage capacities compared to H. rhamnoides forest, as well as more effective soil improvement outcomes.

Enhancement of soil ecological remediation using a hydrogel material constructed by freeze–thaw driving force

Composite polymer materials as soil improvers are developed to enhance soil cohesion and aggregate stability. However, the improved soil still struggles to overcome the reduction in strength caused by day-to-day freeze–thaw (FT) cycle in the plateau area with large temperature difference. In this study, the natural power of FT cycle was used to drive the crosslinking of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and sodium alginate (SA) to form the interpenetrating networks of PVA-SA hydrogel. Then, this hydrogel was applied to stabilize the soil. The characterizations by FTIR, TGA, SEM and XRD indicated that the PVA-SA hydrogel had a porous, multi-channel and multi-chamber structure. Under the action of FT driving force, a series of studies including physical, chemical, water retention, direct shear, permeability, and aggregate stability were carried out on the soil with hydrogel applied. Compared to the control group, the data indicated that the cohesion of soil is significantly improved to 80 kPa. And the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil was reduced to 1/45 of the pre-modification rate, which had a positive impact on the water retention of the soil. What’s more, the results revealed that the PVA-SA hydrogel had effects on the aggregate stability, the submerged soil with added PVA-SA hydrogel still had no sign of disintegration and its mass percentage was greater than 99 % after 70 days. In a word, this composite material can effectively improve the cohesion and aggregate stability of the soil with the help of natural driving forces, which is potential to be used as remediation material for the plant layer in ecological restoration process.

Low-cost dealkalization of bauxite residue by gypsum coordinated with industrial iron salt: Mineralogical mechanisms and field practice

The sustained-release of alkalinity in bauxite residue hinders the soil formation and ecological restoration processes in disposal areas. Ferric salts (Fe3+), known for their rapid neutralization reaction process and straightforward operational simplicity, showed a synergistic advantage with gypsum (CaSO4) in the alkaline regulation of bauxite residue. Nevertheless, the mineralogical mechanisms of the reaction between Fe3+ and Ca2+ and alkaline minerals in bauxite residue remained unclear. The present study aimed to elucidate the geochemical stability mechanisms of sodalite and cancrinite, major alkaline minerals in bauxite residue, driven by Fe3+ and Ca2+ from a mineral structural perspective and the integrated restoration effect was demonstrated by the field experiment. Unreacted shrinking core model (USCM) calculations demonstrated that Fe3+ was able to enter the lattice structure of sodalite and cancrinite to replace Na+ and assisted Ca2+ in successfully replacing Na+ in cancrinite. Moreover, Fe3+ and Ca2+ facilitated the formation of insoluble coating layers on their surface. In the lattice structure of sodalite and cancrinite, the replacement reaction for Na+ was influenced by the competition between Fe3+ and Ca2+. The Ca2+ preferentially replaced Na+, while Fe3+ accumulated near the Si-O bonds, balancing the negative charges of the Si-O and Al-O tetrahedra structure and further inhibited alkaline mineral dissolution. The pH and EC of bauxite residue decreased from 10.52 to 7.60 and 712 μS/cm to 501 μS/cm, respectively, after a one-year field-scale amelioration by the integration of Fe3+ and Ca2+. These findings highlighted the synergistic roles of Fe3+ and Ca2+ in regulating the alkalinity of bauxite residue and provided a practical strategy for ecological restoration in disposal areas.

Changes in fungal abundance and biochemical properties of soil through a temporal restoration of forests

Changes due to the exploratory management of the soil and cultivated plant species can interfere with the cycling of nutrients vital for soil fertility. This biogeochemical cycling of soil is an interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes that can be altered by land use change and management. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate soil quality indicators in sand-extraction-degraded areas that had been reforested at different times and compare them to an unrestored area and native forest fragments. The five areas reforested with native Atlantic Forest species were 20, 17, 10, 7, and 5 years old. The fungal abundance, microbial respiration rate, enzyme activity, and C content were evaluated in soil samples collected at a depth of 10 cm. In addition, the total organic carbon, soluble carbon content, total carbohydrates, moisture, organic matter, and pH of these soils were studied. Our results verified a significant improvement in the fertile fraction of these soils due to the action of microorganisms in the different reforestation areas. The longer the reforestation period, the more the soil exhibited similar characteristics to native forests and approached the level of primary forests. The unrestored sand mining degraded soil area had the poorest fungal community and the least biochemical activity, which was less than the fungal abundance and activity of the most recent reforestation. These results suggest that the use of microbial and enzymatic activities as soil quality indicators is a viable approach to assess the impact suffered from past uncontrolled exploitation in areas that are undergoing ecological restoration processes of native forests.

Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Development: The Impact of Wakaf Forest Institutions on Socio-Economic Benefits

Indonesia is enhancing forest landscapes, particularly in deforestation-affected areas, through waqf forests to achieve environmental sustainability and community welfare. This study examines the ecological restoration processes within waqf forests and offers policy recommendations. It investigates causal relationships affecting waqf forest populations in Cibunian and Cibeureum villages using an ex post facto design and quantitative methods. Focusing on Cibunian beneficiaries, who generally possess higher education levels, the study explores the link between education and improved forest management. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings reveal that the Waqf Forest Institution significantly impacts the socio-economic benefits of the waqf forest, contributing 26.4% to these benefits. Additionally, the institution enhances the ecological restoration of the waqf forest by 13.9%. The path coefficient value indicates a positive influence on the sustainability of these socio-economic benefits. Hypothesis testing confirms a significant impact of the Waqf Forest Institution, validating the alternative hypothesis (Ha). The Waqf Forest Institution is a vital resource for the local community, offering sustainable forest management and generating income. Managed in accordance with Indonesian laws and Islamic Sharia regulations, the institution strategically selects sites to improve service access and enhance the forest's role in livelihoods. The study underscores the importance of higher education in improving forest management and suggests policy frameworks support educational initiatives alongside ecological projects. Implications advocate for community-based financial models and strategic partnerships to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development.

Characteristics and mechanisms of phosphorus adsorption-desorption in soil aggregates during cut slope restoration

Soil phosphorus (P) effectiveness and sustainability play a crucial role in influencing the ecological restoration process of cut slopes. However, the P adsorption-desorption characteristics of soil aggregates during the ecological restoration of cut slopes remain unclear. We selected three roadside slopes that have undergone ecological restoration for 7, 11, and 14 years, respectively, in Songpan County on the eastern Tibetan Plateau in China. We determined the characteristic parameters of P adsorption-desorption in soil aggregates using isothermal adsorption-desorption experiments. X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were conducted to characterize the mineral and functional group properties of soil aggregates. The results showed that the P adsorption-desorption capacity of soil aggregates increased with the restoration years. Microaggregates (<0.25 mm) were higher adsorption-desorption capacity than that of macroaggregates (>0.25 mm). Soil organic matter (SOM), available phosphorus (AP), free iron oxide (FeDCB), and free aluminum oxide (AlDCB) were the driving factor of P adsorption. In addition, total phosphorus (TP), AP, pH, SOM, FeDCB, and AlDCB played key roles in P desorption. SOM, AP, and AlDCB affected indirectly FeDCB, while SOM and TP affected indirectly pH, consequently affecting adsorption-desorption. Calcite was involved in P adsorption by soil aggregates. The ligand exchange between the hydroxyl group in montmorillonite and P in the aqueous phase may the key adsorption-desorption process. The current study provides a scientific basis for promoting the effectiveness and sustainability of soil P in cut slope restoration.

Condition of linear landscape elements improves with contiguity to protected habitats: Empirical evidence useful for agroecosystem accounting and restoration

In Mediterranean Europe, both intensification and abandonment of traditional cultural practices represent main drivers for the loss of natural and semi-natural elements in agricultural settings. Once common in rural landscapes, these habitats have to be conserved or restored to ensure resilience and resistance of agroecosystems against biodiversity loss and socio-ecological changes. In particular, linear landscape elements (LE) fall among the high-biodiversity landscape features that require to be increased in agricultural lands to facilitate species mobility and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, within the framework of environmental accounting procedures, there is still a need for a thorough methodology to assess conditions of LE and, subsequently, of the hosting agroecosystems. The present research is therefore aimed at (i) proposing a method for a thorough assessment of LE conditions, with a special focus on biodiversity support capacity, (ii) investigating the potential effect of extrinsic determinants on LE conditions, such as contiguity to protected habitats and governance framework, and (iii) identifying useful parameters to guide LE ecological restoration actions. Based on different structural, compositional and landscape indicators, the proposed assessment method was tested in eight administrative units of two Mediterranean Europe countries. In the study sites, favorable LE conditions were found to be strongly associated with contiguity to protected habitats, by showing marked structural continuity, dominance of trees, active dynamics, and good quality of the surrounding landscape mosaic. Potential applications of the results have been finally explored in both ecosystem accounting and ecological restoration processes.

Research on ecological restoration and green reclamation technology of goaf in phosphorus mines

The subsidiary of Yunnan Phosphate Group Co., Ltd., Kunyang Phosphate Mine’s mining area is the subject of study. The mining of open-pit phosphate mines has caused significant damage to the ecological environment. Therefore, carrying out ecological restoration and green reclamation of the ecosystem in the mining area has become the top priority for current development. This article establishes an evaluation system for ecological restoration indicators, selecting four indicators including vegetation coverage, soil and water conservation, restoration of native plants, and Plant Species Diversity Index to assess the effects of ecological restoration and green reclamation of phosphate mines. The techniques of reconstructing soil ecological structure using phosphate tailings substrate and improving acidic soil with soil conditioner and calcium-magnesium phosphate compound fertilizer were applied. A series of other measures were taken, including: drafting scientific ecological restoration plans; employing physical, chemical, and biological methods for ecological restoration and green reclamation; selecting suitable plant species for planting; enhancing planting techniques; and strengthening post-restoration ecological monitoring and regulation. After ecological restoration and green reclamation, the Ecological Remediation Effect Index (EREI) for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 48.40, 87.38, and 93.23 respectively, indicating significant improvement in the ecological environment. Furthermore, the difficulties encountered during the ecological system restoration process of the mine and the future development directions were summarized, providing practical and guiding significance for ecological restoration and green reclamation of abandoned mining areas both domestically and internationally.

Vegetation resilience assessment and its climatic driving factors: Evidence from surface coal mines in northern China

Vegetation resilience is a key concept for understanding ecosystem responses to disturbances and is essential for maintaining ecosystem sustainability. However, assessing vegetation resilience remains challenging, especially for areas with significant disturbances and ecological restoration, such as surface coal mine ecosystems. Vegetation resilience assessment requires a combination of disturbance magnitude, recovery magnitude, and recovery time. In this study, we propose a vegetation resilience assessment method by integrating disturbance magnitude, recovery magnitude and recovery time. Forty-six surface coal mines in northern China were analysed as the study areas. A geographical detector model was used to explore the influence of climatic factors on vegetation resilience. The results indicated that the vegetation resilience curves included three shapes, inverted U-shaped, S-shaped, and monotonically decreasing, and the different disturbance-recovery relationships of the curves indicated that natural and social factors jointly changed the ecological restoration process. The vegetation resilience of the 46 surface coal mines varies widely, ranging from 0.87 to 7.22, showing a spatial decreasing trend from east to west. The explanatory power of different climatic factors on vegetation resilience by indirectly affecting hydrothermal conditions varies, with the effect of atmospheric pressure being the most significant and the superposition of the two climatic factors enhancing the effect on vegetation resilience. This study enriches the understanding of vegetation resilience assessment and provides important information to guide the differentiation of ecological restoration and resource development of surface coal mines in different regions.

Fire danger in the supply areas of hydroelectric reservoirs under the restoration process in the south of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The partial or complete loss of vegetation cover triggers an increase in surface runoff, erosion, and sedimentation of water bodies, including reservoirs for hydroelectric power generation, reducing their life expectancy. To control or mitigate this issue, ecological restoration interventions should prioritize the recovery of areas most vulnerable to these processes, such as springs. Conversely, wildfires cause damage to vegetation cover and hinder ecological restoration and/or natural regeneration processes. Therefore, this study aimed to identify - with the aid of Geographic Information Systems - the temporal and spatial likelihood of fire occurrences in spring recharge areas undergoing ecological restoration and contributing to hydroelectric reservoirs in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The findings indicated that the months with the highest probability of wildfire occurrences were August and September (accounting for 66% of cases), requiring increased attention to prevention efforts. Furthermore, locations most susceptible to fires (steeper slopes, more flammable vegetation, and higher anthropogenic use) should be treated as priorities for both prevention and ecological restoration actions.

The impact of natural vegetation restoration on surface soil moisture of secondary forests and shrubs in the karst region of southwest China

AbstractSoil moisture is crucial to vegetation restoration in karst areas, and climate factors and vegetation restoration are key factors affecting changes in soil moisture. However, there is still much controversy over the long‐term changes in soil moisture during vegetation restoration. In order to reveal the changes in soil moisture during vegetation restoration, we conducted long‐term positioning monitoring of soil moisture at 0–10 and 10–20 cm on secondary forests sample plot (SF, tree land) and shrubs sample plot (SH, shrub land) in karst areas from 2013 to 2020. The results showed that the aboveground biomass of SF and SH increased by 50% and 240%, respectively, and the soil moisture of the SF and SH showed an increasing trend. When shrubs are restored to trees in karst areas, the soil moisture becomes more stable. However, the correlation coefficients (R2) between the annual rainfall and the annual average soil moisture of SF and SH are 0.84 and 0.55, respectively, indicating that soil moistures in tree land are more affected by rainfall. The soil moisture of shrubs and trees are relatively low during the months of alternating rainy and dry seasons. Rainfall has a very significant impact on the soil moisture of tree land, while air temperature and wind speed have a significant impact on the soil moisture of tree land, but the soil moistures of shrub land are very significantly affected by rainfall and relative humidity. Therefore, during the process of vegetation restoration from shrubs to trees, the main meteorological factors that affect soil moisture changes will change. The results are important for understanding the hydrological processes in the ecological restoration process of different vegetation types in karst areas.

Assessing Ecological Restoration in Arid Mining Regions: A Progressive Evaluation System

The mining activities in arid regions have resulted in significant ecological environmental issues, exacerbating the already challenging ecological conditions and leading to severe ecosystem damage. Merely relying on natural recovery processes proves inadequate, thus necessitating the implementation of artificial restoration measures to facilitate ecosystem recovery in these arid mining regions. However, it is difficult to scientifically answer the questions of how artificial restoration can be effectively combined with natural recovery, and to what extent can artificial assistance can define the beginning of natural recovery in ecosystems. To address this issue, this study proposed a stepwise ecological restoration model for arid mining regions. The model delineated the ecological restoration process in arid mining regions into three phases: “artificial reconstruction”, “auxiliary ecological restoration”, and “natural recovery”, and constructed an evaluation index system of the stepwise ecological restoration process. Taking an example of a mining ecological restoration in Aksu, Xinjiang, this study examined the evaluation effects of the stepwise ecological restoration model on ecological restoration projects in arid mining regions. The research showed that adopting the stepwise ecological restoration model in arid mining regions can achieve scientific and moderate artificial restoration, better clarify ecological restoration goals, and facilitate the implementation of ecological restoration projects.

Urban patches of dry forest as refuges for ants and carabid beetles in a neotropical overcrowded city

Cali is the third most prominent, and one of the most crowed, Colombian cities. It still harbours some tropical dry forest patches that can mitigate the impacts of the urban transformation; however, there is an almost total absence of information on the biological importance of these sites and their potential for future ecological restoration processes. To assess if they serve as important refuges for insect bioindicator species, we sampled five urban patches of tropical dry forest in the city, plus one nearby rural patch, using specific trapping procedures for ants and carabid beetles. Patch areas were variable, from 1 to 50 ha. We found that the smallest patch presented the highest ant richness, with a tendency towards generalists and a few unique species. Meanwhile, some specialist species were found in the rural patch. A total of 109 ant and 13 carabid species were recorded, including four new records of ants for Colombia. Results suggest that environmental variables favour the presence of generalist and opportunistic ants. Despite this, the high ant richness demonstrates that. Urban forest patches are important refuges for biodiversity. The low richness observed for carabids could be a sign of the challenges that urban forests face considering the ecological importance of beetles. The possible dangers of intensive internal use of these forests is discussed to prevent local extinctions, since the biggest forests are not necessarily conserving a higher richness. This work represents an important contribution to urban ecology in the region, with possibilities of further restoration in urban environments.

Spatial distribution pattern and correlation of dominant populations in the shrub layer of Fengshui forest in Leizhou Peninsula, China.

To elucidate the spatial patterns of understory species in fragmented forests adjacent to human settlements, we examined the spatial distribution and intraspecific correlations of three dominant species Mallotus philippensis, Dasymashalon trichophorum, and Psychotria rubra by employing point pattern analysis, which were the top three in terms of importance value in the shrub layer of Fengshui forest in Leizhou Peninsula, Guangdong. The results showed that all the three species were mainly aggregated at the scale of 0-25 m, especially for young trees. The degree of aggregation gradually diminished with increasing age class. The spatial distribution patterns of three species were predominantly influenced by habitat heterogeneity, negative density dependence, and dispersal limitation. They showed positive association among different age classes, especially between young trees and middle age trees and between young trees and adult trees. Therefore, in the ecological restoration process of Leizhou Peninsula, M. philippensis, D. trichophorum, and P. rubra should be planted in clusters at a small scale within the range of 0-25 m, with the degree of clusters depending on plant morphology. For larger scales, a dispersed cultivation approach was advocated.

Mapping vertical distribution of SOC and TN in reclaimed mine soils using point and imaging spectroscopy

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in different soil horizons are essential for vegetation growth and crucial indicators to evaluate soil quality in reclaimed mining areas. Compared with conventional wet chemistry methods, soil spectroscopy, including imaging spectroscopy, can be used as a cost and time-efficient soil analysis technique. However, there is a great challenge in combining laboratory point spectra and laboratory hyperspectral imagery for mapping vertical distribution of SOC and TN (0–100 cm) in reclaimed soils. This is primarily because mixing of spectral data from different sources and technologies to improve soil models is still in its infancy. The main objective of this study is to provide a generic workflow to efficiently evaluate and map reclaimed mine soils in different horizons using imaging spectroscopy and machine learning approaches. A total of 65 soil samples (0–100 cm) were collected from three reclaimed mining lands and one natural site in northern China. Both point soil spectral information and hyperspectral images (350–2500 nm) were obtained under laboratory condition. In order to enhance the relationship between soil quality indicators and spectral features, the stacked feature selection algorithms and three-bands spectral indices were proposed for further modelling. Three machine learning methods (partial least squares regression; PLSR, random forest; RF, and radial basis function model; RBF) based on the point spectra were applied to calibrate and map continuous vertical distribution of SOC and TN. According to the results, thirty spectral bands were identified as important spectral features for SOC and eighteen bands for TN. With feature spectral bands and optimized three-bands spectral indices, the RF model yielded the best predictions for both SOC (R2 = 0.97, RMSE = 7.5 g kg−1) and TN (R2 = 0.78, RMSE = 0.33 g kg−1). It was concluded that imaging spectroscopy can be used to quantify and map soil quality indicators for better monitoring ecological restoration process in reclaimed soil of mining site.

Plant-Soil Carbon Storage in Dynamic Succession of Ecological Restoration in National Grassland Natural Park

Ecological restoration has a positive impact on global climate change. How plant-soil stores carbon in degraded grassland ecological restoration requires long-term monitoring and support. To reveal the dynamics of plant-soil carbon storage in the succession process of ecological restoration, compare the effects of artificial interference and natural restoration, and determine the impact of climate change and biodiversity on vegetation soil carbon storage, we conducted a study in National Grassland Natural Park, which is located on the southern foot of the Yinshan Mountains in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. Based on long restoration chronosequences (2012–2022), using a space-for-time substitution approach and one-way ANOVA tests, Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling were used to investigate the interactions among these various factors. The results indicated that the carbon storage of aboveground vegetation first increased, and then, decreased with time. The underground root carbon storage and soil carbon storage at 0–10 cm and 20–30 cm first increased, then decreased, and finally, stabilized. The highest soil carbon storage (0–30 cm) was 102.11 t/ha in 2013, which accounted for 96.61% of the total organic carbon storage. The Shannon–Wiener index, individual number of species, and surface root carbon storage (0–10 cm) significantly increased the carbon storage of surface soil (0–10 cm) (p &lt; 0.05). Compared to natural restoration, artificial restoration over seven years decreased soil carbon storage at 0–30 cm and underground root carbon storage at 0–10 cm (p &lt; 0.05). Consequently, combining artificial restoration with natural restoration can help in establishing a more stable ecosystem faster and in increasing the carbon storage of the ecosystem. It is an effective management measure to promote grassland restoration in arid areas. Also, climate (MAT, MAP) change was closely correlated with plant-soil carbon storage.

Heavy metal pollution assessment and soil property evolution under a natural ecological restoration process in a manganese wasteland in China

The space‐for‐time method was used to track changes in heavy metals (HMs), selected physicochemical properties and soil enzyme activities at different restoration ages, that is 5, 10, and 25 years (named R5, R10, and R25, respectively) and in a natural forest (NF, age &gt; 100 years, as the control) in the Daxin manganese (Mn) wastelands in China. The results showed that the HM concentrations decreased over time, with Mn exhibiting the highest concentration, followed by zinc, copper, and cadmium; all the studied sites exhibited heavy pollution levels based on the Nemerow multifactor index, with a very high potential ecological risk (RI) level in R5, moderate RI in R10 and R25, and low RI in NF; generally speaking, the soil physicochemical properties improved, with the exceptions of the available phosphorus (AP) and calcium (Ca) levels; the soil enzymes generally exhibited the highest activities in R25, while the activity of catalase showed a significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease over time; both the HM concentrations and physicochemical properties showed significant correlations with soil enzyme activities; redundancy analysis showed that soil pH and HM species should be given more attention in R5 for vegetation recovery; and the HM concentrations, soil moisture content, and ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium levels might be the limiting factors for plant colonization in early restoration periods, while the AP, total phosphorus, and Ca levels might be the limiting factors in later restoration periods. The obtained results will provide guidance for the restoration of abandoned Mn‐polluted areas.

Ecological restoration process of watershed land space with intelligent IoT technology

Abstract Watershed ecological protection and restoration is the key link to restore the ecological service function of damaged watersheds and promote the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. In practice, it is difficult to balance the interests of different parties in the process of watershed ecological protection and restoration in terms of water resource utilization, water environment protection, and biodiversity conservation, which makes it difficult to achieve the watershed ecological protection goals. Therefore, this study takes the Jianghuai watershed area as the research object and explores the core points of the ecological restoration of land space in the relevant experimental area in the form of algorithmic optimization frequency. The experimental data of the algorithm model show that the land types in the Jianghuai watershed are mainly woodlands and watersheds, with relatively uneven spatial distribution; a total of 85 ecological corridors were identified that showed a pattern of more in the middle and less around; and a total of 267 radiation channels were identified that showed irregular tree distribution. The empirical results show that the model has a fitting accuracy of 89%.