Plant Cover Research Articles

Exploring Soil Fertility Variations Under Nephrolepis Biserrata In Multi-Soil Type Of Oil Palm Plantations

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the physical and chemical properties of soil under Nephrolepis biserrata as a ground cover crop in oil palm plantations on Ultisols, Spodosols, and Histosols. Theoretical Framework: The research design comprehensively outlines the procedures for conducting the study, including data sources, collection methods, and analysis techniques, ensuring clarity in describing variables and facilitating effective data collection and analysis. Method: The study design used a splitplot with the main plot on soil types (Ultisols, Spodosols, Histosols) and subplots on cover crop conditions (without cover crop, N. biserrata, various cover crops) covering an area of 180 ha. Results: The research findings demonstrate that the use of cover crops significantly improves both the physical and chemical properties of soil in oil palm plantations. Notably, cover crops effectively enhance various chemical properties, such as pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and exchangeable cations, across different soil types. Even in Histosols with naturally high nutrient levels, implementing cover crops yields substantial benefits, particularly in pH improvement and nutrient enrichment. Research Implications: N. biserrata demonstrated better results compared to different cover crops. However, it's crucial to carefully select appropriate cover crops to improve soil quality and support the growth of oil palm plantations, considering the specific soil type. Originality/Value: This research, focusing on the physical and chemical properties of soil under N. biserrata in Indonesian oil palm plantations, serves as a valuable reference for companies seeking to select the most suitable ground cover plants tailored to their soil types.

A First Look at the Relationship Between Large Herbivore-Induced Landscape Modifications and Ixodes ricinus Tick Abundance in Rewilding Sites.

Background: While the influence of landscape and microclimatic conditions on tick populations is well-documented, there remains a gap in more specific data regarding their relationship to rewilding efforts with large herbivore activity. Objective: This pilot study, spanning from 2019 to 2021, explores the effects of naturalistic grazing by large semi-wild ungulates on tick abundance in the Milovice Reserve, Czechia. Methods: Tick collection was observed using flagging techniques at two distinct sites of rewilding area: one grazed, actively utilized by animals involved in the rewilding project, and one ungrazed, left fallow in neighboring areas utilized only by wild animals. Transects, each measuring 150 m in length and 5 m in width (750 m2), were established at these two sampling locations from March to September between 2019 and 2021. To minimize potential bias resulting from tick movement, a 300 m buffer zone separated the two sites. Data analysis employed a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model with negative binomial regression. The study assessed potential variations in tick abundance between selected transects, considering factors such as plant cover seasonality, temperature, and humidity. Results: During the collection periods, we gathered 586 live ticks, with 20% found in grazed areas and 80% in ungrazed areas. Notably, tick abundance was significantly higher in ungrazed areas. Peaks in tick abundance occurred in both grazed and ungrazed areas during spring, particularly in April. However, tick numbers declined more rapidly in grazed areas. Microclimatic variables like temperature and humidity did not significantly impact tick abundance compared to landscape management and seasonal factors. Conclusion: Rewilding efforts, particularly natural grazing by large ungulates, influence tick abundance and distribution. This study provides empirical data on tick ecology in rewilded areas, highlighting the importance of landscape management and environmental factors in tick management and conservation. Trophic rewilding plays a crucial role in shaping ecosystems and tick population dynamics in transformed landscapes.

Effect of artisanal gold mining on woody plant diversity in Western Burkina Faso

Although artisanal gold mining strongly contribute to enhance people incomes in West Africa, this activity can lead to habitat fragmentation and loss of woody species. Therefore, studying the impact of artisanal gold mining on woody plant diversity is needed for efficient management of forest resources. In this study, we investigated the impact of artisanal gold mining on woody plant diversity and dynamics in the Kari classified forest in Western Burkina Faso. Forest inventories were carried out at two sites including a gold panning site and a control site, following a systematic sampling design. We identified all woody species and measured all woody species with a diamtere at breast height ≥5 cm. A total 60 plots of 900 m² were surveyed. Diversity indices and dendrometric parameters were calculated and compared between the two sites. The results showed a higher species richness (59 woody species distributing in 39 genera and 18 families) in the control site compared to the gold panning site (38 species distributing in 25 genera and 12 families). The mean values of the number of species per plot and the Shannon diversity index were higher in the control site (15.50 ± 8.80; 2.16 ± 0.43, respectively) than in the artisal mining site (5.47 ± 2.71; 1.40 ± 0.53, respectively), showing that the control site is more diverse than the site that is under gold panning. The control site also had the highest density (683.33 ± 262.99 ft/ha) and stable woody stands compared to the less gold panning site (137.41 ± 102.31 ft/ha) where unstable woody stands were found. While the gold-panning site was characterised by biophysical impacts such as destruction of the plant cover and soil excavation, no visible impact was observed at the control site.Theses findings highlight the negative impact of artisanl gold mining on woody species diversity and structure. The study provides essential information for decision-making on sustainable forest management in the context of mining boom in Burkina Faso's.

Estimation of Rice Plant Coverage Using Sentinel-2 Based on UAV-Observed Data

Vegetation coverage is a crucial parameter in agriculture, as it offers essential insight into crop growth and health conditions. The spatial resolution of spaceborne sensors is limited, hindering the precise measurement of vegetation coverage. Consequently, fine-resolution ground observation data are indispensable for establishing correlations between remotely sensed reflectance and plant coverage. We estimated rice plant coverage per pixel using time-series Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI) data, enabling the monitoring of rice growth conditions over a wide area. Coverage was calculated using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data with a spatial resolution of 3 cm with the spectral unmixing method. Coverage maps were generated every 2–3 weeks throughout the rice-growing season. Subsequently, crop growth was estimated at 10 m resolution through multiple linear regression utilizing Sentinel-2 MSI reflectance data and coverage maps. In this process, a geometric registration of MSI and UAV data was conducted to improve their spatial agreement. The coefficients of determination (R2) of the multiple linear regression models were 0.92 and 0.94 for the Level-1C and Level-2A products of Sentinel-2 MSI, respectively. The root mean square errors of estimated rice plant coverage were 10.77% and 9.34%, respectively. This study highlights the promise of satellite time-series models for accurate estimation of rice plant coverage.

Effect of an herbivorous subterranean rodent on vegetation in relation to primary productivity

AbstractSubterranean rodents modify the surrounding environment being classified, in some cases, as keystone species and/or ecosystem engineers. This role could be context‐dependent if the changes produced shift throughout the species distribution range and are stronger under certain environmental conditions. Our objective was to analyse whether the effect of Ctenomys mendocinus on vegetation cover is context‐dependent. Given that primary productivity may increase plants' ability to tolerate or compensate following herbivory, we hypothesize that the effect of C. mendocinus on vegetation cover will be context‐dependent along a primary productivity gradient, with smaller effects in highly productive environments and larger effects in less productive ones. We compared the effect of C. mendocinus on plant cover among four contrasting environments and found that it depended on primary productivity in a predictable manner. In low productivity environments, the rodent significantly reduces vegetation cover, while it has no discernible effect in highly productive ones. These findings suggest that the effect of C. mendocinus on plant cover depends on primary productivity level and highlights the importance of accounting for the underlying environmental factors that influence the intensity of C. mendocinus–plant interaction.

The Impact of Artificial Restoration of Alpine Grasslands in the Qilian Mountains on Vegetation, Soil Bacteria, and Soil Fungal Community Diversity

To understand how the soil microbial community structure responds to vegetation restoration in alpine mining areas, this study specifically examines the grassland ecosystem in the Qianmalong mining area of the Qilian Mountains after five years of artificial restoration. High-throughput sequencing methods were employed to analyze soil bacteria and fungi microbial characteristics in diverse grassland communities. Combined with modifications in vegetation diversity as well as soil physicochemical properties, the impact of vegetation restoration on soil microbiome diversity in this alpine mining area was investigated. The findings indicated that the dominant plants were Cyperus rotundus, Carex spp., and Elymus nutans. As the extent of the grassland’s restoration increased, the number of plant species, importance values, and plant community diversity showed an increasing trend. The plant functional groups were mainly dominated by Cyperaceae, followed by Poaceae. Plant height, density, plant cover, frequency, and aboveground biomass showed an increasing trend, and soil water content (SWC) increased. While soil pH and soil electrical conductivity (EC) exhibited a declining trend, available phosphorus (AP), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil water content (SWC) showed an increasing trend. The dominant bacterial communities were Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Gemmatimonadota, while the dominant fungal communities were Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, unclassified_k_Fungi, and Glomeromycota. Significant differences were detected within soil microbial community composition among different degrees of restoration grasslands, with bacteria generally dominating over fungi. SWC, TP, and TN were found to be the main soil physicochemical factors affecting the distribution of soil bacterial communities’ structure; however, SOC, TN, and NO3-N were the primary factors influencing the soil distribution of fungal communities. The results of this study indicate that different degrees of vegetation restoration in alpine mining areas can significantly affect soil bacterial and fungal communities, and the degree of restoration has varying effects on the soil bacteria and fungi community structure in alpine mining areas.

Enzymatic Activity of Soil on the Occurrence of the Endangered Beetle Cheilotoma musciformis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Xerothermic Grasslands

This work attempts to find the reasons for the rather limited range of occurrence of Cheilotoma musciformis in Poland, based on soil properties, which affects both the plant cover and the entomofauna. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of soil enzyme activity on the occurrence of Ch. musciformis in xerothermic grasslands in Southern Poland. The sites inhabited by the beetle were most often extensively grazed by farm animals or had recently been cleared of bushes. The control plots were in wasteland. The soils of most sites with Ch. musciformis were characterized by significantly higher activity of the tested enzymes and higher content of total organic carbon and total nitrogen, as well as lower pHKCl compared to the control sites. The higher enzymatic activity of soils in sites with the beetle than in the control sites may indicate the dependence of the occurrence of this beetle on the presence of patches of extensively grazed xerothermic grasslands. Grazing influences the behavior of preferred host plant species. Therefore, when planning active protection of xerothermic grasslands inhabited by Ch. musciformis, changes in the biochemical properties of the soil and vegetation structure should be taken into account.

Spatial organisation of fungi in soil biocrusts of the Kalahari is related to bacterial community structure and may indicate ecological functions of fungi in drylands

Biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, are microbial communities found in soil surfaces in drylands and in other locations where vascular plant cover is incomplete. They are functionally significant for numerous ecosystem services, most notably in the C fixation and storage due to the ubiquity of photosynthetic microbes. Whereas carbon fixation and storage have been well studied in biocrusts, the composition, function and characteristics of other organisms in the biocrust such as heterotrophic bacteria and especially fungi are considerably less studied and this limits our ability to gain a holistic understanding of biocrust ecology and function. In this research we characterised the fungal community in biocrusts developed on Kalahari Sand soils from a site in southwest Botswana, and combined these data with previously published bacterial community data from the same site. By identifying organisational patterns in the community structure of fungi and bacteria, we found fungi that were either significantly associated with biocrust or the soil beneath biocrusts, leading to the conclusion that they likely perform functions related to the spatial organisation observed. Furthermore, we showed that within biocrusts bacterial and fungal community structures are correlated with each other i.e., a change in the bacterial community is reflected by a corresponding change in the fungal community. Importantly, this correlation but that this correlation does not occur in nearby soils. We propose that different fungi engage in short-range and long-range interactions with dryland soil surface bacteria. We have identified fungi which are candidates for further studies into their potential roles in biocrust ecology at short ranges (e.g., processing of complex compounds for waste management and resource provisioning) and longer ranges (e.g., translocation of resources such as water and the fungal loop model). This research shows that fungi are likely to have a greater contribution to biocrust function and dryland ecology than has generally been recognised.

Soil Bacterial Community of Medicinal Plant Rhizosphere in a Mediterranean System

Several attempts have been made to evaluate the abundance and distribution of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of medicinal plants. Many describe information based on an estimation of the community structure and the effects of plant cover in determining microbial community composition. The ability of plants to specifically shape their microbial community in general and medicinal plants in particular is largely unknown. With the arrival of molecular biology, understanding the microbial community’s composition, diversity, and function became possible. We hypothesized that microbial communities associated with medicinal shrubs would differ from each other. To test this hypothesis, we characterized the soil microbial composition under each of five Mediterranean medicinal plants, differentiated by their medicinal use and ecophysiological adaptation, namely, Salvia fruticosa, Pistacia lentiscus, Myrtus communis, Origanum syriacum, and Teucrium capitatum, and an open-space bare soil between the plants, inhabiting natural ecosystems characterized by similar climatic conditions typical of a Mediterranean environment. The results demonstrated the importance of plant ecophysiological adaptations, which play an important role in determining microbial community composition and functional diversity. The intensity of a plant’s response to its surroundings can have either positive or negative effects that will determine the microbial community composition and interactions among the belowground parts. A total of 11 phyla, 21 orders, and 409 genera were found in the soil rhizosphere in the vicinity of the four plants and open space samples. The distinguishing attributes of each shrub trigger and stimulate the microbial community’s rhizosphere. This results in distinct patterns of bacterial diversity and functionality between the different shrubs and the control. The rhizosphere bacterial community composition differed between the plants in a PERMANOVA test, but there was little difference in terms of phyla and order relative abundances. This study shows how five medicinal plants, coexisting in a common habitat, impact the bacterial community. The noticeable shift in bacterial composition further supports our discovery that root exudates effectively govern the makeup of soil bacterial communities.

Using Cover Crops as Means of Controlling Weeds and Reducing the Applied Quantity of Glyphosate-Based Herbicide in No-Till Glyphosate Tolerant Soybean and Corn

Weeds represent a serious drawback affecting the productivity of field crops worldwide. While the most common approach to control weeds in no-till practices is the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs), reducing their use represents a major challenge. This two-year field study aims to evaluate whether the use of cover crops (CC) in transgenic soybean and corn productions can (1) help control weeds and (2) reduce the amount of GBH needed for managing weeds. Sampling was carried out in 32 experimental field plots (four crop managements with four replicates on both crops). Crop managements consisted of GBH applications at rates of 0.84, 1.67, and 3.3 L ha−1 in plots in direct seeding with CC (DSCC) and at rates of 3.3 L ha−1 in plots without CC (DS). Weed cover rates, plant parameters (fresh and dry weights and heights), grain yields, water, and cation contents in soil were considered as indicators of interspecific competition. Results obtained in both years show that it is possible to reduce GBH use by 50% in plots with CC compared to plots without CC using a rate of GBH application of 3.33 L ha−1 (DS 3.3). However, weeds had a large impact on water content in soil, which was reflected by smaller plants and lower yields in plots with only 0.84 L ha−1 of GBH applied. In the context of the study, the use of CCs seems to facilitate the development of more sustainable agriculture while reducing the quantities of GBH generally used.

Land‐use intensity and relatedness to native plants promote exotic plant invasion in a tropical biodiversity hotspot

Abstract Exotic plant invasions threaten biodiversity and are costly to farmers. Land use is a major pathway promoting the spread of exotic plant species; however, little is known about the processes underlying the success of exotic plants in tropical agricultural landscapes. Focussing on the heterogeneous smallholder landscapes of north‐eastern Madagascar, we studied exotic plants of understorey communities across a land‐use intensity gradient from unburned lands (old‐growth forests, forest fragments and forest‐derived vanilla agroforests) to burned ones (fallow‐derived vanilla agroforests, woody fallows and herbaceous fallows). We quantified the absolute species richness, abundance and cover of exotic plants across land‐use types and their proportional contribution to community richness, abundance and cover as indicators of exotic plant invasion. We tested for the effects of land‐use parameters, namely land‐use history, canopy closure and landscape‐level forest cover, on exotic plants. Additionally, we tested whether the phylogenetic relatedness between exotic and native species in the same plot affected invasion success, testing Darwin's naturalisation and pre‐adaptation hypotheses. All indicators of exotic plant invasion were lowest in old‐growth forests and forest fragments and highest in fallow‐derived vanilla agroforests, woody fallows and herbaceous fallows. Absolute and proportional exotic richness were negatively affected by canopy closure, and landscapes with high forest cover had lower proportions of exotic plant richness. High phylogenetic relatedness between exotics and natives was associated with lower proportional richness but higher proportions of exotics in abundance and cover. However, individual exotic species showed contrasting responses to land‐use parameters and relatedness to natives. Synthesis and applications: Our results indicate that maintaining unburned lands, land‐use types with dense canopies and landscapes with high forest cover prevents the spread of exotic plants within the agricultural landscapes of north‐eastern Madagascar. Supporting Darwin's pre‐adaptation hypothesis, exotic plants that are phylogenetically closely related to native plants are more likely to become successful invaders in terms of abundance and cover. Nevertheless, individual species show different responses to land‐use changes and phylogenetic relatedness. Therefore, land‐use decisions and management choices can be tailored to limit the spread of exotic species and to preserve native plants in this global biodiversity hotspot.

Evolution and Effectiveness of Salt Marsh Restoration: A Bibliometric Analysis

Salt marshes play a critical role in supporting water quality, erosion control, flood protection, and carbon sequestration. Threats from climate change and human activities have prompted global restoration initiatives. We analyzed restoration efforts worldwide from 1978 to 2022, using the Web of Science database and SciMAT mapping tool. After a PRISMA screening to identify methodologies, success rates, and key indicators, a total of 62 publications underwent detailed analysis, to increase knowledge on the best practices to employ in future restoration interventions and evaluation of their effectiveness. The research reveals a growing interest in ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, anthropogenic impacts, and ecosystem services. Assisted interventions emerged as the predominant restoration method, employing 15 indicators across vegetation, sediment, fauna, and water, each one using different metrics for the intervention evaluation based on how good the outcome of the interventions described in the reviewed studies met the desired result. Our analysis suggests that combining natural interventions such as managed realignment with reconnection to tidal waters, along with long-term monitoring of vegetation, fauna, and water indicators such as sedimentation and erosion rates, plant cover and biomass, as well as fauna diversity and density, leads to the most successful outcomes. We provide valuable insights into best practices for future restoration interventions, offering guidance to future practitioners and policymakers based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature, contributing to the resilience of these vital ecosystems, and ensuring effective restoration actions in the coming years.

Impacts of Invasive Plants on Native Vegetation Communities in Wetland and Stream Mitigation.

We sampled vegetation communities across plant invasion gradients at multiple wetland and stream mitigation sites in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont physiographic provinces of Virginia, USA. Impacts of invasion were evaluated by tracking changes in species composition and native vegetation community properties along the abundance gradients of multiple plant invaders. We found that native species richness, diversity, and floristic quality were consistently highest at moderate levels of invasion (ca. 5-10% relative abundance of invader), regardless of the identity of the invasive species or the type of mitigation (wetland or stream). Likewise, native species composition was similar between uninvaded and moderately invaded areas, and only diminished when invaders were present at higher abundance values. Currently, low thresholds for invasive species performance standards (e.g., below 5% relative abundance of invader) compel mitigation managers to use non-selective control methods such as herbicides to reduce invasive plant cover. Our results suggest that this could cause indiscriminate mortality of desirable native species at much higher levels of richness, diversity, and floristic quality than previously thought. From our data, we recommend an invasive species performance standard of 10% relative invader(s) abundance on wetland and stream mitigation sites, in combination with vigilant invasive plant mapping strategies. Based on our results, this slightly higher standard would strike a balance between proactive management and unnecessary loss of plant community functions at the hands of compulsory invasive species management.

Biological soil crusts are more prevalent in warmer and drier environments within the Great Basin ecoregion: implications for managing annual grass invasion

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) can thrive under environmental conditions that are stressful for vascular plants such as high temperatures and/or extremely low moisture availability. In these settings, and in the absence of disturbance, cover of biocrusts commonly exceeds cover of vascular plants. Arid landscapes are also typically slow to recover from disturbance and prone to altered vegetation and invasion by exotic species. In the sagebrush ecosystems, cover of annual, exotic, invasive grasses are lower where cover of biocrusts and vascular plants are greater, suggesting that biocrusts play a role in helping arid sites avoid conversion to dominance by invasive grasses. The conceptual framework for assessing ecological resistance and resilience (R&R) is used across the region to estimate the risk of invasion by annual grasses and the likelihood of recovery of native plants following disturbance. However, this framework does not currently account for biocrusts. We used data collected by the Bureau of Land Management Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring program to relate biocrusts, specifically the presence of lichens and mosses, to the R&R framework. Lichens frequently occur on warm, dry sites, classified as lower R&R. Mosses frequently occur on sites classified as moderate or moderately low R&R. Without management practices that favor biocrusts in low‐moderate R&R, these areas may be more vulnerable to transitioning from being dominated by shrubs to annual grasses. Under climate change scenarios, the area occupied by lower R&R sites is likely to increase, suggesting that the role of biocrusts in maintaining site resistance to invasion may also increase.

The Plant Cover of Rock Dumps of the Cool Cut "Kholbol’dzhinsky" (Republic of Buryatia)

The technogenic vegetation of overburden dumps of the Kholboldzhinsky coal mine is considered, represented by one association, three communities, which belong to four 4 unions and orders of the classes Stellarietea mediae, Artemisietea vulgaris, Thero-Salicornietea. An indirect ordination analysis was performed using the principal component method, which made it possible to determine the leading environmental factors of differentiation of syntaxa: moisture and salinity richness.

Emissions of N2O AND CH4 gases and soil bacterial community under integrated systems in the tropical region

The use of integrated production systems is widespread, mainly in tropical areas. This practice could contribute to soil conservation, increasing biodiversity and environmental services while reducing greenhouse gases emissions. The present work assessed bacterial biodiversity and correlations with nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions in soils under integrated production systems. Analyses of bacterial diversity and community structure were carried out using DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). Samples for the evaluation of greenhouse gases were collected in the field and measured using a gas chromatograph. The assessed treatments in a rainy and dry season were: crop (L), pasture (P), planted eucalypt forests (F), pasture followed by crop (IPL), crop followed by pasture (ILP), crop with forest (ILF); pasture with forests (IPF); crop with forest followed by pasture with forests, pasture with forests followed by crop with forest and crop, grassland and forest. In the rainy season, most N2O emissions occurred in the ILP with an average flow of 42.33 µg N m−2 h−1, and the lowest flow was observed in the ILF, with an average flow of 5.53 µg N m−2 h−1. In the dry season, higher emission occurred in the IPL, with an average flow of 4.17 ug N m−2 h−1. In this period, we observed gas consumption in F, the highest N2O consumer with a flow of −4.14 µg N m−2 h−1. In both seasons, CH4 was consumed, with IPF as the most significant consumer with an average flow of −14.19 µg C m−2 h 1(dry); F was the most significant consumer with an average flow −12.32 µg of C m−2 h−1. Bacterial community structure was affected by the agricultural production system and the seasons. Methane emissions and pH showed a correlation with bacterial diversity in different treatments. In contrast, nitrous oxide was negatively correlated with bacterial diversity. Based on our results, we suggest that integrated production systems and plant coverage modulate soil bacterial community structure and biodiversity which, in turn, affect soil processes related to higher or lower methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

Structural shifts in plant functional diversity during biogeomorphic succession: Moving beyond taxonomic investigations in an alpine glacier foreland

AbstractThe complex interrelation between plants and geomorphic processes is described in the concept of biogeomorphic succession. While ecological research on succession and community assembly has transitioned towards functional approaches, studies on functional diversity in biogeomorphic settings, particularly in glacier forelands, remain limited. In this study, we investigated abundance of vascular plant species and functional traits in an alpine glacier foreland using data from 199 plots. Our objective was to unravel the development of functional diversity during biogeomorphic succession. Specifically, the study determined whether structural shifts in functional diversity are associated with stability thresholds related to plant cover, geomorphic influence, and examined trait spectra for stages of biogeomorphic succession. Our findings revealed a nonlinear trajectory of functional diversity along the plant cover gradient, marked by two distinct structural shifts at 30% and 74% cover, corresponding to established stability thresholds. Along the gradient of geomorphic influence, we observed an increase in functional diversity until 54% of the plot area was affected, beyond which functional diversity declined below the initial level. The analysis of community‐weighted means of traits across four stages of biogeomorphic succession determined by plant cover and absence and presence of geomorphic influence revealed significant differences in trait values. In the transition to the biogeomorphic stage, associated with the identified initial structural shift, there is a shift from a prevalence of above‐ground adaptation and reproductive traits, such as leaf longevity, structure, growth form and mixed reproductive strategies, to an increased dominance of competitor species and traits related to below‐ground structures, including root type and structures, as well as vegetative reproduction. Our results contribute to understanding the relationship between vegetation succession and geomorphic influence by linking them to plant functional traits. This study advances beyond traditional taxonomic investigations by emphasizing functional approaches to biogeomorphic succession. Moreover, the functional trait data used in this study, easily downloadable from a public repository, can serve as a valuable template for future research in (bio)geomorphology, along with the employed methodologies.

Variation of glyphosate spray volume in the drying of ground cover plants with an unmanned aerial vehicle

The presence of straw on the soil is crucial for enhancing its physical, chemical, and biological conditions in no-tillage cropping systems, while contributing to weed control. This study aimed to determine the optimal spray volume for desiccating ground cover plants using glyphosate applied by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Treatments included an untreated control and glyphosate spraying at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 L ha−1 spray solution. The study was conducted in three fields in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Spraying variables were assessed using water-sensitive paper and the e-Sprinkle software, and included, covered area (%), recovered spray volume (L ha−1), droplet impact density, coefficient of variation for droplet diameter (CV%), and relative amplitude (SPAN). Herbicidal efficacy and dry biomass of cover plants were also evaluated. Increasing spray volume improved covered area, recovered volume, droplet impact density, and droplet diameter-spectrum variation but had no effect on droplet spectrum homogeneity, control of black oat (Avena strigosa), turnip (Raphanus sativus), or buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). Spray volumes ranging from 5.0 to 25 L ha−1, applied with a UAV, provided satisfactory desiccation percentages of ground cover plants irrespective of species or location. Thus, for desiccating ground cover plants with glyphosate applied by UAV, a volume as low as 5.0 L ha−1 is effective.

Roadside disturbance promotes plant communities with arbuscular mycorrhizal associations in mountain regions worldwide

We assessed the impact of road disturbances on the dominant mycorrhizal types in ecosystems at the global level and how this mechanism can potentially lead to lasting plant community changes. We used a database of coordinated plant community surveys following mountain roads from 894 plots in 11 mountain regions across the globe in combination with an existing database of mycorrhizal–plant associations in order to approximate the relative abundance of mycorrhizal types in natural and disturbed environments. Our findings show that roadside disturbance promotes the cover of plants associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. This effect is especially strong in colder mountain environments and in mountain regions where plant communities are dominated by ectomycorrhizal (EcM) or ericoid‐mycorrhizal (ErM) associations. Furthermore, non‐native plant species, which we confirmed to be mostly AM plants, are more successful in environments dominated by AM associations. These biogeographical patterns suggest that changes in mycorrhizal types could be a crucial factor in the worldwide impact of anthropogenic disturbances on mountain ecosystems. Indeed, roadsides foster AM‐dominated systems, where AM‐fungi might aid AM‐associated plant species while potentially reducing the biotic resistance against invasive non‐native species, often also associated with AM networks. Restoration efforts in mountain ecosystems will have to contend with changes in the fundamental make‐up of EcM‐ and ErM plant communities induced by roadside disturbance.

Steppe ecosystems of the arid zone of southern Russia as a factor in the effective development of livestock farming

The aim of the research is to assess the current state of steppe ecosystems, which are subjected to human impact and to provide scientifically‐based proposals for the conservation and regeneration of their natural potential.The object of the study is the steppe ecosystems of the arid zone in the Stavropol Territory. The research conducted in 2019–2021 included the use of methods and techniques, encompassing the geobotanical, economic and statistical, abstract and logical, computational and constructive.An analysis of the natural resource potential of the steppes in the arid zone of Stavropol Territory showed a discrepancy between the current livestock and the carrying capacity of this territory. The forage for grazing is about 830 thousand tons of feed units, which is 1.5 times lower than the livestock needs. The predominant plant associations are wormwoodbluegrass‐sedge, bluegrass‐sheep fescue‐wormwood, bluegrass‐feather grass‐wormwood, bluegrass‐ wormwood‐salt grass with low species diversity – from 10 to 17 species per 100 m2. The plant cover of the soil is from 30 to 60 %, which indicates its sparseness. The average biological yield of phytomass is 7.0 kg/ha of air‐dry matter. The species diversity of the steppe communities is represented by weed species that have low forage quality. In natural phytocenoses, the cereals dominant in forming cenoses in virgin land, have been lost. There are no any representatives of the legume family in the plant stand.The scientific approach to sustainable development, conservation and regeneration of the potential of natural ecosystems in agricultural landscapes involves the rational use and improvement (rehabilitation) of the remaining low‐yield natural grass stands that have lost the ability of regeneration.