Ecosystem Resilience Research Articles

The Nexus of Industrial–Urban Sustainability, the Circular Economy, and Climate–Ecosystem Resilience: A Synthesis

The Nexus of Industrial–Urban Sustainability, the Circular Economy, and Climate–Ecosystem Resilience: A Synthesis

Ecological assessment and sustainable utilization of plant resources in the periphery of George, Garden route area, South Africa.

Ecological assessment and sustainable utilization of plant resources in the periphery of George, Garden route area, South Africa.

Synergistic Effects of Agroforestry on Carbon Sequestration and Climate Adaptation: A Comprehensive Review

The synergistic effects of agroforestry on carbon sequestration and climate adaptation strategies, emphasizing its role in sustainable agriculture and land management. Agroforestry plays a important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation by integrating trees, crops, and livestock to enhance carbon sequestration, improve soil health, and increase ecosystem resilience. A systematic analysis of recent literature from journals and policy reports to evaluate the impact of agroforestry on carbon sequestration and climate adaptation. Agroforestry systems, including agrisilviculture, silvopasture, and agrosilvopastoral practices, contribute significantly to carbon sequestration through aboveground biomass accumulation, root carbon storage, and soil organic matter enhancement. The ability of agroforestry to mitigate climatic extremes, such as droughts, extreme temperatures, and soil erosion, underscores its importance in enhancing agricultural resilience. The adoption of agroforestry-based carbon sequestration strategies is supported by international climate policies, including the Paris Agreement, REDD+, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while financial mechanisms such as carbon trading and payment for ecosystem services (PES) offer incentives for farmers. Despite its benefits, agroforestry faces barriers such as policy fragmentation, high implementation costs, and the need for standardized carbon measurement methodologies. Technological advancements, including genetic improvement of tree species, precision farming, and climate-smart agroforestry strategies, present opportunities to enhance its effectiveness. Future research should focus on multidisciplinary approaches integrating remote sensing, soil science, and socioeconomic analysis to optimize agroforestry’s carbon sequestration potential. Government policies should prioritize financial support, capacity building, and land tenure security to scale agroforestry adoption. Strengthening institutional frameworks and leveraging climate finance mechanisms will be essential for mainstreaming agroforestry into national and global climate action plans. Expanding research on carbon sequestration measurement and incentivizing farmer participation through payment for ecosystem services are key to scaling agroforestry solutions. A multi-disciplinary approach combining ecological, economic, and policy innovations is essential to unlocking the full potential of agroforestry in combating climate change and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Land‐use changes impact root–fungal network connectivity in a global biodiversity hotspot

Abstract Cross‐kingdom associations play a fundamental role in ecological processes. Yet our understanding of plant–fungal co‐occurrences in tropical rainforests and the potential impacts of land‐use change shaping species connections remain limited. By using amplicon sequencing on DNA from roots and their associated fungal communities, we aim to understand the impact of rainforest transformation on the composition and structure of root–fungal ecological networks in human‐modified landscapes in Sumatra, Indonesia. Each land‐use type supports a distinctive set of indicator species, which are organisms that reflect specific environmental conditions and can signal changes in ecosystem health. We observed a decline in the richness of indicator plant taxa and plant–fungal associations with increasing land‐use intensification. Additionally, there is a turnover in root communities, shifting from native and endemic species in rainforests to non‐native, generalist herbaceous species in rubber and oil palm plantations. Plant–fungal connectivity significantly declined with increasing land‐use intensification, suggesting that managed ecosystems may have weakened root‐fungal interactions. Network analysis highlights the distinct responses of various fungal groups. For instance, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) showed fewer connections with modules linked to oil palm and rubber roots, indicating weakened root–fungal associations in monocultures. This aligns with the observed reduction in AMF diversity in converted land‐use areas compared to forests, further reinforcing the negative impact of land‐use practices in oil palm and rubber monocultures on AMF diversity. Synthesis. Dimensioning the impacts of rainforest transformations below‐ground is constrained by our understanding of fungal functional guilds. Highly modified systems exhibited fewer connections, suggesting a dynamic restructuring of root–fungal relationships in response to land‐use changes. Understanding the intricate interplay between plants and fungi in the face of land‐use change can provide valuable information for conservation efforts, agricultural practices, and ecosystem management strategies aimed at promoting biodiversity, soil health and ecosystem resilience in the context of changing environmental conditions. Moreover, it underscores the importance of communities' networks in land‐use planning and management decisions to support plant and fungal diversity in terrestrial ecosystems.

Drivers of recovery and degradation of riverine benthic invertebrate communities: a Germany-wide analysis

BackgroundThe global freshwater biodiversity crisis has led to widespread implementation of measures to counteract environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. While these efforts aim to foster recovery, intensifying stressors continue to drive complex biotic responses, the trajectories and drivers of which are insufficiently understood. This study examines the roles of abiotic stressors, biotic interactions (e.g., competition), and land use in shaping ecological status changes across Germany, using data from 1599 river sites sampled at least twice between 2004 and 2022.ResultsChanges in abiotic stressors emerged as the most consistent drivers of ecological status, explaining substantial variation (R2 = 0.39) and similar slopes for recovery (β = − 0.11) and degradation (β = − 0.10). Biotic interactions, particularly interspecific competition, also influenced the ecological status (R2 = 0.11), with stronger positive effects observed during recovery (β = 2.99) compared to degradation (β = 1.59). Land use effects varied by context: Streams in catchments with higher cropland or urban areas showed greater likelihood of recovery, whereas streams in forested catchments were more prone to degradation. These results highlight the interplay of abiotic and biotic factors in driving ecological processes of recovery and degradation.ConclusionThese findings emphasize the critical role of improving water quality for enhancing biodiversity and ecological status in rivers, while also demonstrating the importance of biotic interactions and land use context in driving recovery dynamics. Integrating these insights into management and restoration efforts can enhance freshwater ecosystem resilience in the face of escalating environmental pressures.

Sustainable Food production through organic farming worldwide and locally in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Organic farming is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for sustainable food production, addressing both immediate food demands and long-term agricultural sustainability. This review examines the role of organic agriculture in ensuring food security and environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on its relevance in Saudi Arabia. A systematic review of current research and literature was conducted to evaluate organic farming practices, their impact on soil fertility, and their contributions to sustainable agriculture. Key areas explored include soil health, water conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and the economic viability of organic farming. Findings indicate that organic farming enhances soil fertility, reduces reliance on synthetic inputs, and promotes ecosystem resilience. However, challenges such as yield gaps, economic feasibility, and policy integration require further exploration. The study highlights the need for localized strategies tailored to arid environments to maximize the benefits of organic farming. This review underscores the importance of organic farming in achieving sustainable food systems while addressing global challenges. Practical implications include the adoption of policies that support organic agriculture, investment in research, and the implementation of sustainable farming techniques suited for resource-scarce regions like Saudi Arabia.

How spatiotemporal dynamics can enhance ecosystem resilience

We study how self-organization in systems showing complex spatiotemporal dynamics can increase ecosystem resilience. We consider a general simple model that includes positive feedback as well as negative feedback mediated by an inhibitor. We apply this model to Posidonia oceanica meadows, where positive and negative feedbacks are well documented, and there is empirical evidence of the role of sulfide accumulation, toxic for the plant, in driving complex spatiotemporal dynamics. We describe a progressive transition from homogeneous meadows to extinction through dynamical regimes that allow the ecosystem to avoid the typical ecological tipping points of homogeneous vegetation covers. A predictable sequence of distinct dynamical regimes is observed as mortality is continuously increased: turbulent regimes, formation of spirals and wave trains, and isolated traveling pulses or expanding rings, the latter being a harbinger of ecosystem collapse, however far beyond the tipping point of the homogeneous cover. The model used in this paper is general, and the results can be applied to other plant-soil spatially extended systems, regardless of the mechanisms behind negative and positive feedbacks.

Collaborative data innovation: developing a theoretical and empirical understanding of drivers, barriers and outcomes

PurposeCollaborative data innovation (CDI) is the process through which multi-actor collaborations collect and share data for responses to public issues. The aim of this conceptual and empirical paper is to provide a theoretical and empirical understanding of this relatively new phenomenon. Building upon theories of collaborative innovation and data collaboratives, a heuristic model of the barriers, drivers and outcomes of CDI is developed.Design/methodology/approachThe heuristic model of CDI is explored in an empirical case study of citizen-sensing to generate information about air quality in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. This case study employs a mixed-methods design, using both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection.FindingsThe case study, the Sniffer Bicycle in the Netherlands, generates insights into drivers, barriers and outcomes of CDI. The findings suggest that the later stages of a CDI that focus on the institutionalization require a different set of drivers than the earlier experimental phase.Research limitations/implicationsThis explorative work into CDI can form the basis for more systematic empirical work into this form of collaboration in sectors as diverse as noise around airports, biodiversity, water quality, traffic safety, resilience of ecosystems and many other topics. More research specifically needs to focus on ways to deal with later-stage barriers related to ownership and accountability in order for CDIs to reach their full potential in providing information for responses to complex societal problems.Practical implicationsThe study highlights that organizations need to apply different strategies in the earlier and later phases of CDIs. The earlier phases require well-known drivers such as space and budget to work informally and flexibly, leadership of collaboration and ability to mobilize, setting up experiment and coordinating actors. The later phases of CDI require drivers such as agreements and standards to ensure equal accountability and ownership in the later stage of institutionalization.Social implicationsIn many countries, citizens are increasingly interested in forming data collaboratives to advance issues they find important in society. Air quality can clearly be one of these issues. The study highlights how citizen engagement can actually generate relevant information about this topic. The research shows that, to impact government policies, data collaboratives need to be well linked to the institutional dimensions of government.Originality/valueThe research provides three contributions: a conceptual understanding of CDI, the empirical identification of a clear distinction between early-phase barriers related to experimentation and the later-phase barriers related to institutionalization and a critical analysis of the role given to citizens in data collaboratives.

Drivers of Structural and Functional Resilience Following Extreme Fires in Boreal Forests of Northeast China

Ongoing climate change has intensified fire disturbances in boreal forests globally, posing significant risks to forest ecosystem structure and function, with the potential to trigger major regime shifts. Understanding how environmental factors regulate the resilience of key structural and functional parameters is critical for sustaining and enhancing ecosystem services under global change. This study analyzed the resilience of forest ecosystems following three representative extreme fires in the Greater Xing’an Mountains (GXM) via the temporal evolution of the leaf area index (LAI), net primary productivity (NPP), and evapotranspiration (ET) as key indicators. A comprehensive wall-to-wall assessment was conducted, integrating gradient boosting machine (GBM) modeling with Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) to identify the dominant factors influencing postfire resilience. The results revealed that NPP demonstrated stronger resilience than ET and LAI, suggesting the prioritization of functional restoration over structural recovery in the postfire landscape of the GXM. The GBM-SHAP model explained 45% to 69% of the variance in the resilience patterns of the three parameters. Among the regulatory factors, extreme precipitation and temperature during the growing season were found to exert more significant influences on resilience than landscape-scale factors, such as burn severity, topography, and prefire vegetation composition. The spatial asynchrony in resilience patterns between structural and functional parameters highlighted the complex interplay of climatic drivers and ecological processes during post-disturbance recovery. Our study emphasized the importance of prioritizing functional restoration in the short term to support ecosystem recovery processes and services. Despite the potential limitations imposed by the coarse spatial granularity of the input data, our findings provide valuable insights for postfire management strategies, enabling the effective allocation of resources to increase ecosystem resilience and facilitating long-term adaptation to changing fire regimes.

Migrating baleen whales transport high-latitude nutrients to tropical and subtropical ecosystems

Baleen whales migrate from productive high-latitude feeding grounds to usually oligotrophic tropical and subtropical reproductive winter grounds, translocating limiting nutrients across ecosystem boundaries in their bodies. Here, we estimate the latitudinal movement of nutrients through carcasses, placentas, and urea for four species of baleen whales that exhibit clear annual migration, relying on spatial data from publicly available databases, present and past populations, and measurements of protein catabolism and other sources of nitrogen from baleen whales and other marine mammals. Migrating gray, humpback, and North Atlantic and southern right whales convey an estimated 3784 tons N yr−1 and 46,512 tons of biomass yr−1 to winter grounds, a flux also known as the “great whale conveyor belt”; these numbers might have been three times higher before commercial whaling. We discuss how species recovery might help restore nutrient movement by whales in global oceans and increase the resilience and adaptative capacity of recipient ecosystems.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Mediated Carbon Sequestration: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Future Directions

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are crucial in the fight against climate change as they help store carbon in the soil by forming beneficial relationships with plant roots, boosting nutrient absorption, and driving carbon captured during photosynthesis into the soil. The carbon is stored within the fungi hyphal networks and glomalin-related soil proteins, leading to its long-term stability in the environment. However, the important role of AMF in the global carbon cycle is often underrepresented in climate models. This review discusses how AMF contributes to carbon storage in the soil, focusing on processes such as nutrient cycling, soil aggregation, and interactions with soil microorganisms. It also considers the environmental and biological factors that affect AMF-mediated carbon sequestration, including soil characteristics, climatic factors, land-use practices, and AMF biodiversity. The potential benefits of using AMF to increase carbon storage are explored with a focus on the necessity to integrate AMF inoculation into sustainable land management strategies. Current research gaps, such as the AMF's impact on soil carbon levels and the molecular mechanisms of carbon transfer, are highlighted in this review. Future studies focusing on discovering new AMF strains, considering the effects of climate change on AMF functions, and producing scalable agricultural applications are required. Exploring AMF-mediated carbon sequestration could offer a significant strategy for improving ecosystem resilience and reducing the impacts of global warming.

NUTRITIONAL (HEALTH) AND OTHER VALUES OF PLANTS: OVERVIEW OF CONSERVATION AND STRATESGIES FOR PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES

The paper discusses plant conservation strategies for protecting endangered species. It highlights the importance of plant biodiversity, its significance, and the consequences of its loss. The abstract also outlines various conservation techniques, including in-situ and ex-situ protection, specific management systems, and biotechnological methods. Additionally, it touches on the causes of extinction risk to plant biodiversity, such as habitat destruction, climate change, overexploitation, invasive species, and pollution. The abstract emphasizes the need for conservation efforts to protect endangered plant species and preserve biodiversity. The following items were explained: 1. Plant biodiversity is essential for ecosystem functioning and human well-being, 2. Human activities, such as habitat destruction, climate change, and overexploitation, threaten plant biodiversity, 3. Conservation techniques, including in-situ and ex-situ protection, specific management systems, and biotechnological methods, can help protect endangered plant species, 4. Community awareness and participation, research, and monitoring are crucial for effective conservation, 5. The loss of plant biodiversity can have severe consequences, including reduced food security, decreased ecosystem resilience, and negative impacts on human health.

The Potential of Hydroxyapatite for the Remediation of Lead-Contaminated Territories: A Case Study of Soils in Primorsky Krai

Finding ways to enhance the resilience of soil ecosystems in the context of heavy metal contamination remains an important and urgent challenge. This work is devoted to assessing the impact of the soil composition in Primorsky Krai on the efficiency of using hydroxyapatite to decrease lead intake into plants. The physicochemical characteristics of Luvic Anthrosol and Gleyic Cambisol and their absorption properties with respect to lead have been studied. Adsorption, distribution of forms, and biotesting were carried out under lead saturation of soils conditions. It has been found that soil composition determines sorption properties and the proportion of mobile lead. The high organic carbon content in Gleyic Cambisol explains its high adsorption capacity and low content of water-soluble lead fraction. The addition of hydroxyapatite reduces the water solubility of lead in Luvic Anthrosol by three orders of magnitude and in the ion mobile form by one order. The capacity of hydroxyapatite decreases by more than thirty times when added to Luvic Anthrosol. With a ratio of hydroxyapatite/soil 0.2, oat germination increases by 18.7%, average seedling length increases by 7 cm, and lead uptake into tissues decreases by 83%.

Precipitation and nitrogen enrichment impact carbon exchange and stability: From antagonism to synergy with increasing shrub encroachment

Abstract Shrub encroachment in arid and semi‐arid grasslands is increasing due to global environmental changes, leading to greater vegetation and soil heterogeneity that threatens carbon sequestration. Alterations in global precipitation patterns and nitrogen (N) deposition impact water and nutrient availability, affecting carbon dynamics in these ecosystems. Despite this, existing research mainly focuses on traditional steppe ecosystems, with limited understanding of variations across different stages of shrub encroachment and within heterogeneous patches. This study utilized a 4‐year (2020–2023) experimental approach in Inner Mongolia's shrub‐encroached grasslands, involving water and nitrogen (N) additions, to investigate carbon exchange parameters (NEE, GEP and ER) within both shrub and herbaceous patches. It assessed the effects of increased precipitation and N enrichment on carbon exchange and stability (resistance, resilience and temporal stability) across different stages of encroachment (non‐encroached, light, moderate and severe). Water addition significantly enhanced net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) in shrub‐encroached grasslands, particularly during dry years (2020 and 2022). Although N addition had a minor impact on NEE, its effect varied with the extent of shrub encroachment. Herbaceous patches were more responsive to water addition, while shrub patches showed stronger responses to N addition. The interaction between water and N was modulated by interannual precipitation variability and the level of shrub encroachment. Co‐additions of water and N promoted carbon sequestration during dry years with synergistic effects but exhibited antagonistic effects during wet and normal years. As shrub encroachment increased, the impact of water–N interaction on NEE transitioned from antagonistic to synergistic or additive. Notably, water addition enhanced drought resistance in shrub patches. Despite greater stability in shrub patches compared to herbaceous patches, the post‐drought resilience of ecosystem decreased with increasing encroachment intensity. These findings provide insights into the long‐term impacts of shrub encroachment on ecosystem stability. Future assessments should consider differential responses across encroachment stages and heterogeneous patches to better understand how changes in precipitation and N deposition affect the structure, function and stability of shrub‐encroached grasslands. This study offers a novel perspective on the carbon cycling mechanisms in these ecosystems, informing evaluations of their carbon sequestration potential. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Although invisible, fungi are recognized as the engines of a microbial powerhouse that drives soil ecosystem services.

Soil ecosystem services (SES) are the benefits that humans derive from soil. These services emerge from the complex interactions between biotic and abiotic processes within soil systems. They are vital for maintaining ecosystem resilience and ensuring long-term sustainability. Soil hosts a diverse group of biota, among them fungi play a crucial role in supporting and enhancing SES due to their remarkable adaptability and ability to thrive under unfavorable conditions. This review explores the multifaceted roles of fungi in SES, emphasizing their growing importance in strengthening ecosystem resilience and climate change adaptation. Fungi significantly contribute to the key ecosystem processes such as soil aggregation, organic matter (OM) decomposition, nutrients cycling, plant productivity, and carbon (C) sequestration. However, potential threats to fungal abundance and diversity could undermine these critical functions, highlighting the need for proactive measures to preserve fungal communities. The pivotal role of fungi in SES, including agricultural production and climate regulation, tailor them as indispensable microbial engines that shape and maintain ecosystem resilience. Emerging evidence suggests that soil fungal communities may become increasingly prominent under the future climate scenarios. Thus, understanding how fungal functional roles evolve in response to climate change is emergent for safeguarding SES and ensuring environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the co-occurrance of fungi with other soil organisms in supporting SES highlights the need to integrate diverse soil biota alongside fungi to promote sustainable SES. Collaborative efforts to comprehend and manage soil microbial communities are imperative for maintaining the long-term ecological stability of ecosystems.

Beyond the pink: uncovering the secrets of pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs.

Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFMs) belong to a diverse group of methylotrophic bacteria predominantly in the genus Methylobacterium, and are known for their beneficial interactions with plants. They can use single-carbon compounds, such as methanol, formate, formaldehyde and methyl amines as well as various multi-carbon substrates as sources of carbon and energy. PPFMs are characterized by their distinctive pink pigmentation and are commonly found in the phyllosphere, where they play a major role in promoting plant growth through various mechanisms; These mechanisms include the production of phytohormones, enhancing nutrient acquisition, mitigating abiotic stresses and providing biocontrol of phytopathogens. Due to their eco-friendly nature PPFMs are viewed as promising alternatives to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in green agriculture. Furthermore, the ecological significance of PPFMs extends beyond their direct interactions with host plants. They also contribute to the resilience of ecosystems by participating in the cycling of nutrients in the environment. As the importance of the plant microbiome in agriculture becomes more recognized, the potential of PPFMs to support sustainable farming practices and contribute to environmental health is increasingly evident. This underscores their relevance in addressing global agricultural challenges.

Underutilized crops for diversified agri-food systems: spatial modeling and farmer adoption of buckwheat in Italy

The widespread standardization of agri-food systems through monoculture practices has resulted in biodiversity loss and reduced ecosystem resilience. Incorporating underutilized crops such as buckwheat into crop rotations offers a viable strategy to enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and foster more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. This study examines the potential adoption of buckwheat in Italy and analyzes its economic viability across different crop rotations. It evaluates how factors such as financial incentives, peer influence, and farmers’ willingness to adopt affect the diffusion of this underutilized crop. To this end, a spatial agent-based model (ABM) is employed to simulate farmers’ decision-making processes based on profit maximization and peer influence. The model evaluates two diffusion scenarios (traditional and expansion) alongside two levels of willingness to adopt (high and low), comparing the profitability of traditional crop rotations with rotations that include buckwheat across nine Italian regions. The results revealed that while increased contract prices can incentivize buckwheat adoption, financial incentives alone are insufficient to generate widespread adoption, particularly when the willingness to adopt is low. Peer influence and intrinsic motivation emerged as key drivers, highlighting the need for strategies beyond monetary incentives. These findings suggest that policies should combine financial support with initiatives that foster knowledge-sharing, educational outreach, and improved supply chain integration. The study provides a framework for evaluating the adoption of other underutilized crops and emphasizes the need for further research on risk aversion, environmental variability, and broader supply chain interactions to refine adoption strategies.

Effect of temperature on growth and nitrate and phosphate uptake kinetics of juvenile Saccharina latissima sporophytes (Phaeophyceae)

Abstract Kelp forests play a vital role in marine ecosystems by contributing to nutrient cycling and providing habitat for marine organisms. However, the impacts of rising ocean temperatures threaten the survival and growth of kelp species, with implications for ecosystem resilience. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of temperature on growth and nutrient uptake kinetics of young Saccharina latissima sporophytes. Growth and uptake rates of nitrate (NO₃-) and phosphate (PO₄3-) were examined under 5 temperature treatments ranging from 7.6 °C to 24.5 °C. Our findings revealed that NO3 - uptake significantly decreased when temperature was at or above 15.7 °C, while high temperatures had no effect on PO4 3- uptake rates. Nitrate uptake significantly correlated with growth only at lower temperatures of 7.6 °C and 12.6 °C. In contrast, PO4 3- uptake was significantly correlated with growth across all temperature treatments except the highest (24.5 °C). Interestingly, at high temperatures (20.9 °C and 24.5 °C), we observed NO3 - release, while PO4 3- uptake consistently showed positive values, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms for N (nitrogen) and P (phosphorus). These findings highlight potential disruptions in nutrient cycling under climate change and underscore the importance of optimizing nutrient availability in kelp aquaculture.

Restoration recovers plant diversity but changes species composition and biomass allocation in an alpine peatland

BackgroundThe Zoige Plateau hosts the largest alpine peatland in the world, playing a crucial role in carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. However, this valuable ecosystem has been significantly impacted by anthropogenic drainage for various purposes, prompting increased interests in ecological restoration efforts. This study evaluates changes in plant diversity, community composition, and biomass allocation across natural, drained, and rewetted peatlands, with a particular focus on variations in microtopography, including hollows and hummocks.ResultsRestoration showed significantly higher soil water content, which was 11.6% higher in hollows (to 88.5 ± 0.09%) and 14.4% higher in hummocks (to 81.1 ± 1.6%) of rewetted peatlands compared to natural peatlands (p < 0.001). However, the water table depth did not differ significantly from that of natural peatlands (p = 0.61). While peatland management did not significantly affect plant diversity, microtopography had a considerable impact on plant species richness, dominance, the Shannon–Wiener index, and evenness. Conversely, plant community composition exhibited significant differences among natural, drained, and rewetted peatlands at both hollow and hummock microsites. Aboveground biomass was significantly higher in drained and rewetted peatlands compared to natural peatlands at both microsites, whereas belowground biomass was significantly lower in drained and rewetted peatlands, particularly in hummocks.ConclusionsRewetting raises water table depth but does not fully restore the original plant community composition or biomass. Microtopography plays a vital role in influencing plant diversity and community composition, with hummocks showing greater resilience to drainage impacts. Our findings emphasize ecological consequences of peatland management practices and highlight the need for targeted restoration strategies to strengthen the resilience of these vital ecosystems.

ForestForward: visualizing and accessing integrated world forest data from the last 50 years.

Mitigating the effects of environmental exploitation on forests requires robust data analysis tools to inform sustainable management strategies and enhance ecosystem resilience. Access to extensive, integrated plant biodiversity data, spanning decades, is essential for this purpose. However, such data are often fragmented across diverse datasets with varying standards, posing two key challenges: first, integrating these datasets into a unified, well-structured data warehouse, and second, handling the vast volume of data using big data technologies to analyze and monitor the temporal evolution of ecosystems. To address these challenges, we developed and used an extract, transform, and load (ETL) protocol that curated and integrates 4482 forestry datasets from around the world, dating back to the 18th century, into a 100-GB data warehouse containing over 172 million records sourced from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility repository. We implemented Python scripts and a NoSQL MongoDB database to streamline and automate the ETL process, using the data warehouse to create the ForestForward web platform. ForestForward is a free, user-friendly application developed using the Django framework, which enables users to consult, download, and visualize the curated data. The platform allows users to explore data layers by year and observe the temporal evolution of ecosystems through visual representations. Database URL: https://forestforward.udl.cat.