Vegetation Restoration Research Articles

Research on the Molecular Mechanisms and Key Gene Discovery in Quercus variabilis Root Pruning Based on Transcriptomics and Hormone Profiling.

Quercus variabilis (Q. variabilis), a significant broadleaf species used in afforestation across high, sandy, and mountainous regions, presents unique challenges for transplantation. This species is characterized by its slow above-ground growth and rapid taproot development, which suppresses the proliferation of lateral and fibrous roots, negatively impacting post-transplant survival. Research indicates that targeted root pruning-specifically, the removal of one-third of the roots-promotes the development of lateral roots in these seedlings. This study involved pruning the root systems of Q. variabilis and assessing the subsequent root development in comparison to an unpruned control group. Our analysis, which included transcriptome sequencing and plant hormone metabolism assays conducted at 2, 12, and 25 days post-pruning, yielded 126.02 Gb of clean data and identified 7662 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These genes were primarily enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Further investigation of this pathway, along with hormone content measurements, elucidated the mechanisms that contribute to enhanced root growth following pruning. Additionally, through a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), we identified 20 key genes that are instrumental in promoting root development in Q. variabilis saplings. This research advances the theoretical framework for forestry seedling production and afforestation, laying the groundwork for scientifically informed vegetation restoration techniques.

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.

Exploring the impact of population agglomeration on ecosystem services: an empirical study based on Fenhe River Basin

Abstract Since the 21st century, cities have experienced rapid expansion, posing serious threats to the health of non-urban ecosystems. It is generally believed that continued urbanization will put increasing pressure on ecosystems. However, in recent decades, the degree of population agglomeration and ecological environment have simultaneously increased in China. This paper takes Fenhe River Basin as the study area, measures the spatial Gini coefficient of population distribution (Gini) and ecosystem services in 165 sub-basins from 2000 to 2020, and adopts two-way fixed effects model to study the impacts of population agglomeration on ecosystem services and its mechanism. The results show that population agglomeration is positively correlated with the overall benefit (OB) of ecosystem services, and the effect is moderated by vegetation coverage, slope and distance from market centre, only when the values are greater than 0.198, less than 6.62° and 17.90 km, respectively, will the positive effects become apparent. The phenomenon of ‘people withdrawing and vegetation entering’ makes population agglomeration have significant impacts on individual ecosystem services and trade-offs and synergies. In order to give better play to the positive effect, the population needs to migrate from areas with worse geographical conditions and farther away from market centres to better places, and the return of farmland to forests should be accelerated in areas with population concentration. Following the laws of nature to promote population agglomeration and vegetation restoration, so as to achieve a ‘win–win’ situation between economic development and ecological civilization construction through the optimization of resource allocation.

Soil quality assessment and its response to water flow connectivity in different vegetation restoration types, eastern China

Vegetation restoration is the most widely used forest management practice for degraded soils, but the responses of soil quality in different vegetation restoration types may vary. In addition, the relationship between water flow paths connection and soil quality needs to be further explored. In this study, the soil quality index (SQI) and the index of water flow connectivity (IWFC) in the six water flow patterns (PFP, SSB, WSB, CPS, CPW, and CSW) were explored at three forest stands (oak, pine, and bamboo forests) with 50 years for enclosure. The results showed that the bamboo forest stand had the best soil quality as a whole (0.534 ± 0.135), followed by pine (0.530 ± 0.180) and oak forest stands (0.435 ± 0.205). The IWFC in PFP, CPS and CPW water flow patterns decreased gradually with increasing soil depth, while in SSB, WSB and CSB water flow patterns, the IWFC increased at first and then decreased. Finally, the IWFC in the CPW water flow pattern showed the largest positive correlation with the SQI (P < 0.05). The IWFC in the CPW water flow pattern driven by soil physical properties could mainly control the changes in the SQI indirectly (average IE = 0.825) by influencing soil nutrient (average IE = 0.447) and biological (average IE = 0.485) properties, while its direct effects could be ignored (average DE = −0.074), which demonstrated that the joint effects of preferential flow paths and weak stream buffer zones can dramatically reflect the changes in soil quality. The better soil improvement effect of bamboo and pine forest stands compared to the oak forest stand should be given more consideration. This study provided new insights for the assessment of the relationship between soil hydrology and soil quality.

Evaluating the impacts of area closure on soil properties in south central highland of Ethiopia

Soil degradation affects its quality and productivity of the land. To control soil degradation, various soil and water conservation (SWC) measures, including area closure are implemented. Understanding the impacts of SWC measures could support planning and implementation of land management practices. This study aimed to investigate impacts of area closure on soil properties in south central highland of Ethiopia. To acquire the necessary data, we conducted interviews with 80 households. Furthermore, nine years old area closure with physical soil and water conservation (AC-SWC), open grazing with physical SWC (OG-SWC), and open grazing without physical SWC (OG) were identified and each divided into upper, middle, and lower slope positions. In each slope position, 3 sample plots were established at 25–50 m intervals. A total of 27 composite samples and other 27 core samples for bulk density (3 treatments∗3 slope position∗3 replications) were collected and analyzed for soil properties. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that about 98 % of the respondents perceived that area closure would be an effective way to restore degraded land. Majority of the farmers (86 %) believed that area closure could reduce soil erosion and replenish soil fertility and thus, is beneficial in improving land productivity. Soil test results revealed that AC-SWC had significantly greater (P < 0.05) clay fractions, pH, available potassium, and available phosphorus than OG-SWC and OG. Variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) were more pronounced. The SOC in AC-SWC was 83 % and 314 % greater than OG-SWC and OG, respectively. In the AC-SWC, TN was three and seven times higher than that of OG-SWC and OG, respectively. This could be due to vegetation restoration that reduces erosion, and enhances organic matter, moisture, and nutrient. The SOC, TN, pH, available potassium, and clay were significantly greater (P < 0.05) at lower slope position than upper in all forms of land management, which could be due to deposition at downslope. About 12 % and 11 % variations of clay fractions and SOC were, respectively, observed in between upper and lower slope positions at AC-SWC, but they varied by 25 % and 57 %, respectively, in OG. These imply area closure has had a beneficial effect on soil properties even on sloping land. AC-SWC is an important option to integrate in land management for rehabilitation of degraded soil.

Soil Properties Regulate Soil Microbial Communities During Forest Succession in a Karst Region of Southwest China

Natural vegetation restoration has emerged as an effective and rapid approach for ecological restoration in fragile areas. However, the response of soil microorganisms to natural succession remains unclear. To address this, we utilized high-throughput sequencing methods to assess the dynamics of soil bacterial and fungal communities during forest succession (shrubland, secondary forest, and primary forest) in a karst region of Southwest China. Our study revealed that bacterial α-diversity was significantly higher in secondary forest compared to both shrubland and primary forest. Intriguingly, the soil bacterial community in primary forest exhibited a closer resemblance to that in shrubland yet diverged from the community in secondary forest. Conversely, the soil fungal community underwent notable variations across the different forest stages. Furthermore, analysis of the microbial co-occurrence network revealed that, within these karst forests, the relationships among soil fungi were characterized by fewer but stronger interactions compared to those among bacteria. Additionally, soil properties (including pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, moisture, and available potassium), soil microbial biomass (specifically phosphorus and nitrogen), and plant diversity were the drivers of soil bacterial community dynamics. Notably, soil pH accounted for the majority of the variations observed in the soil fungal community during karst forest succession. Our findings provide valuable insights that can inform the formulation of strategies for ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation in karst regions, particularly from a microbial perspective.

Diversified Vegetation Cover Alleviates Microbial Resource Limitations within Soil Aggregates in Tailings.

Resource demand by soil microorganisms critically influences microbial metabolism and then influences ecosystem resilience and multifunctionality. The ecological remediation of abandoned tailings is a topic of broad interest, yet our understanding of microbial metabolic status in restored soils, particularly at the aggregate scale, remains limited. This study investigated microbial resources within soil aggregates from revegetated tailings and applied a vector model of ecoenzymatic stoichiometry to examine how different vegetation patterns (grassland, forest, or bare land control) impact microbial resource limitation. Five-year vegetation restoration significantly elevated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios in soil aggregates (approximately 2-fold), although these increases were not translated to in the microbial biomass and its stoichiometry. The activities of C- and phosphorus (P)-acquiring extracellular enzymes in these aggregates increased substantially postvegetation, with the most pronounced escalation in macroaggregates (>0.25 mm). The vector model results indicated soil microbial metabolism was colimited by C and P, most acutely in microaggregates (<0.25 mm). This colimitation was exacerbated by monotypic vegetation cover but mitigated under diversified vegetation cover. Soil nutrient stoichiometric ratios in vegetation restoration controlled microbial resource limitation, overshadowing the impact of heavy metals. Our findings underscore that optimizing resource allocation within soil aggregates through strategic revegetation can enhance microbial metabolism in tailings, which advocates for the implementation of diverse vegetation covers as a viable strategy to improve the ecological development of degraded landscapes.

A Coupled Model for Forecasting Spatiotemporal Variability of Regional Drought in the Mu Us Sandy Land Using a Meta-Heuristic Algorithm

Vegetation plays a vital role in terrestrial ecosystems, and droughts driven by rising temperatures pose significant threats to vegetation health. This study investigates the evolution of vegetation drought from 2010 to 2024 and introduces a deep-learning-based forecasting model for analyzing regional spatial and temporal variations in drought. Extensive time-series remote-sensing data were utilized, and we integrated the Temperature–Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI), Drought Severity Index (DSI), Evaporation Stress Index (ESI), and the Temperature–Vegetation–Precipitation Dryness Index (TVPDI) to develop a comprehensive methodology for extracting regional vegetation drought characteristics. To mitigate the effects of regional drought non-stationarity on predictive accuracy, we propose a coupling-enhancement strategy that combines the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) with the Informer model, enabling more precise forecasting of long-term regional drought variations. Unlike conventional deep-learning models, this approach introduces rapid convergence and global search capabilities, utilizing a sparse self-attention mechanism that improves performance while reducing model complexity. The results demonstrate that: (1) compared to the traditional Transformer model, test accuracy is improved by 43%; (2) the WOA–Informer model efficiently handles multi-objective forecasting for extended time series, achieving MAE (Mean Absolute Error) ≤ 0.05, MSE (Mean Squared Error) ≤ 0.001, MSPE (Mean Squared Percentage Error) ≤ 0.01, and MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error) ≤ 5%. This research provides advanced predictive tools and precise model support for long-term vegetation restoration efforts.

Биологическая активность горных почв Западного Кавказа после сведения леса

A study of a set of indicators characterizing the ecological state of forest soils in the mountains of the North-Western Caucasus under broad-leaved and mixed forests has been conducted. The aim of the study has been to assess changes in the biological activity of soils of different genesis after deforestation. The objects of the study have been rendzina, gray forest and gray forest-steppe soils of forest and disturbed ecosystems of the Republic of Adugeya at altitudes from 500 to 1635 m above sea level. Logging plots of different ages (from 10 to 40 years old) after deforestation have been considered. The analyzed indicators have included: the content of total and active carbon, the activity of soil enzymes (catalase, invertase, dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase), the number of bacteria, as well as an integral index of the biological properties of the soil. The correlation of these indicators with hydrothermal conditions, density of soil structure, penetration resistance, medium reaction, hydrolytic acidity, total absorbed bases and other soil parameters has been evaluated. The level of biological activity of soils in logging areas in the low mountains of Adygea depends on the relief and the timing of restoration after deforestation. Even after several decades of restoration of woody vegetation on the slopes of 12–15° there is no complete return of biological activity to the values of Greyic Phaeozem Eutric of the background forest area. 40 years after logging, the integral index of biological properties of gray forest soil is still 17 % lower than in the control plot. The biological activity of post-forest soils can change in three main directions. On steep slopes, with severe disturbance of the soil and vegetation cover due to the operation of heavy machinery, the integral index of the biological properties of soils decreases by 25–40 % or more without a tendency to recovery. At an average level of disturbance in plots with slight slopes, after an initial decrease, the soils are restored to control values. Restorative successions with intensive development of herbaceous flora and the turf process with slight disturbance can lead to an increase in biological activity above the control values in just 2–3 years. Comprehensive biodiognostic studies using an integral index of the biological state of the soil have revealed, in general, increased stability of low-mountain terrain soils (gray forest and forest-steppe) compared to the soils of the middle mountains of Adygea (rendzina soils). The main degradation factor that reduces the biological activity of soils disturbed by logging is erosion.

A Study on Vegetation Restoration and Ecological Rehabilitation of Mine Slopes Based on Bioengineering Technology

This paper studies the application of bioengineering technology for vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of mine slopes. Bioengineering technology is a comprehensive engineering technology that uses living plants and other auxiliary materials to construct slope structures, and realizes the stability, vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of the slopes. Then, the paper reveals the principle and mechanism of bioengineering technology, which is mainly to use the parts of plants, such as roots, stems and leaves, to reinforce, fix and protect the slope soil, and to improve and regulate the slope ecosystem. The paper further explores the methods and techniques of bioengineering technology, and studies and summarizes the specific methods and techniques of plant selection, configuration, planting and management of bioengineering technology. Finally, the paper points out the problems and challenges of bioengineering technology, such as the imperfection of theory and method, the limitation of application and promotion, the deficiency of monitoring and management, and the uncertainty of social and environmental impact, and suggests further research and exploration of bioengineering technology. The paper concludes that bioengineering technology is a promising technology for vegetation restoration and ecological rehabilitation of slopes.

All Deforestation Matters: Deforestation Alert System for the Caatinga Biome in South America’s Tropical Dry Forest

This study provides a comprehensive overview of Phase I of the deforestation dryland alert system. It focuses on its operation and outcomes from 2020 to 2022 in the Caatinga biome, a unique Brazilian dryland ecosystem. The primary objectives were to analyze deforestation dynamics, identify areas with highest deforestation rates, and determine regions that require prioritization for anti-deforestation efforts and conservation actions. The research methodology involved utilizing remote sensing data, including Landsat imagery, processed through the Google Earth Engine platform. The data were analyzed using spectral unmixing, adjusted Normalized Difference Fraction Index, and harmonic time series models to generate monthly deforestation alerts. The findings reveal a significant increase in deforestation alerts and deforested areas over the study period, with a 148% rise in alerts from 2020 to 2022. The Caatinga biome was identified as the second highest in detected deforestation alerts in Brazil in 2022, accounting for 18.4% of total alerts. Hexagonal assessments illustrate diverse vegetation cover and alert distribution, enabling targeted conservation efforts. The Bivariate Choropleth Map demonstrates the nuanced relationship between alert and vegetation cover, guiding prioritization for deforestation control and native vegetation restoration. The analysis also highlighted the spatial heterogeneity of deforestation, with most deforestation events occurring in small patches, averaging 10.9 ha. The study concludes that while the dryland alert system (SAD-Caatinga—Phase I) has effectively detected deforestation, ongoing challenges such as cloud cover, seasonality, and more frequent and precise monitoring persist. The implementation of DDAS plays a critical role in sustainable forestry by enabling the prompt detection of deforestation, which supports targeted interventions, helps contain the process, and provides decision makers with early insights to distinguish between legal and illegal practices. These capabilities inform decision-making processes and promote sustainable forest management in dryland ecosystems. Future improvements, including using higher-resolution imagery and artificial intelligence for validation, are essential to detect smaller deforestation alerts, reduce manual efforts, and support sustainable dryland management in the Caatinga biome.

Soil moisture content and its temporal stability in an arid aerial seeding afforestation area after 30 years vegetation restoration in China

Soil moisture is a critical factor for vegetation restoration in arid regions. Poorly planned artificial sand-fixing vegetation systems often exacerbate soil moisture depletion, leading to further degradation. In this study, soil moisture content at various depths was continuously monitored from June to October 2023 in four key community plots—Corethrodendron scoparium, Calligonum mongolicum, and Artemisia ordosica, and bare sand—in a 31-year-old revegetated area located on the northeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. We analyzed the distribution and dynamic changes of soil moisture across the different and evaluated its temporal stability. The representative soil moisture depth was determined by using the coefficient of determination (R2) and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). The results showed significant differences in soil moisture among the four plots. The bare sand plot had the highest soil water storage in the 0-200 cm layer, at 46.37 mm. In contrast, the Corethrodendron scoparium, Calligonum mongolicum, and Artemisia ordosicaa plots had similar soil water storage values ranging from 33.50 to 33.67 mm, indicating that vegetation restoration has increased soil moisture absorption by an average of 27.4%. Analysis using relative difference and Spearman rank correlation methods revealed varying levels of temporal stability in soil moisture across different soil depths and plots. The Corethrodendron scoparium and bare sand plots showed higher temporal stability compared to the Calligonum mongolicum and Artemisia ordosica plots. The representative depths of temporal stability for the four plots were determined to be 100 cm, 150 cm, 20 cm, and 100 cm, respectively.

Multidimensional multiscale complexity analysis of sediment dynamics in the Yanhe Watershed of the loess Plateau, China

The Yanhe Watershed, emblematic of the loess hilly-gully landscape and ecological fragility in China's Loess Plateau, has experienced significant soil erosion and extensive soil-water conservation measures. To elucidate sediment dynamics and identify influencing factors in this region from 1960 to 2020, a novel multidimensional multiscale complexity analysis (MMCA) method was developed, based on entropy and complexity perspectives. This method integrated the refined composite multiscale fuzzy entropy (RCMFE) with multidimensional complexity analysis, offering a nuanced evaluation of sediment complexity and its implications for water resource management and ecological restoration. The findings revealed two distinct stages of sediment complexity variations: 1971–1988 and 2000–present. During the first period, the operation of the Wangyao Reservoir predominantly influenced sediment dynamics, initially reducing sediment complexity through sediment interception but later increasing it during discharge phases, particularly at larger scales. After 2002, extensive vegetation restoration efforts significantly reduced sediment complexity but raised concerns about long-term ecosystem resilience. Over the past decade, urbanization and climate change have exacerbated sediment instability, especially over semi-annual scales. This study advocates for management strategies that prioritize ecosystem sustainability and address the challenges posed by climate change and urbanization, facilitating improved soil and water conservation efforts in the Yanhe Watershed and similar regions in the Loess Plateau.

Stoichiometric and bacterial eco-physiological insights into microbial resource availability in karst regions affected by clipping-and-burning

Despite growing interest in soil microbial resource limitation (MRL), the impacts of clipping-and-burning on bacterial resource acquisition and its soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous stoichiometry (C:N:P) remain unclear, yet are critical for nutrient cycling and SOC accumulation in vegetation restoration. We examined the soil C:N:P and eco-enzymatic stoichiometry, bacterial life-history strategies, and bacterial resource limitation under the influence of clipping-and-burning management practices: high-intensity fire (HIF), low-intensity fire (LIF), clipping-and-fire (CF), clipping (CP), and an undisturbed control (CK) in a Karst site in southwest China. The results showed that SOC, TN, and TP in HIF and LIF were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced (by 64%, 97%, and 99%) compared to CK. However, soil C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios were surprisingly higher (18.1, 56, and 3.08) in CF than in CK. The ratios of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) were higher (4.8) under clipping. In contrast, their ratios with microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) were observed to be higher (22.3 and 6.4) under high-intensity fire compared to CK. Moreover, results show that there is a higher percentage of species linked with oligotroph bacteria of Rickettsiales in CF treatments than CK. Soil bacterial communities in CF treatments exhibited co-limitation by C and P, whereas N limitation was more pronounced under low-intensity fire conditions. In conclusion, the evidence links MRL to soil C:N:P stoichiometry, underscoring the critical role of oligotrophic bacteria in mediating soil nutrient dynamics under clipping-and-burning disturbances. These findings improve our understanding of MRL over the Karst region under clipping-and-burning treatments, shedding light on its relationship with soil C:N:P, eco-enzymatic stoichiometry, and bacterial life-history strategies.

Soil moisture driven by vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau: a synthesis and meta-analysis

Soil moisture driven by vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau: a synthesis and meta-analysis

Effect of Caragana microphylla Lam. on Desertified Grassland Restoration

Background: The restoration of the degraded sandy grasslands in Hulun Buir is crucial for maintaining the local ecological balance and sustainable development. Caragana microphylla Lam., a shrub species widely employed in the restoration of sandy vegetation. It is essential to understand its impact on the understory vegetation and soil properties during this process. Methods: This study employed ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and redundancy analysis to systematically analyze the impact of C. microphylla on the three critical stages of desertified grassland vegetation recovery: semi-fixed dunes, fixed dunes, and sandy grasslands. It provided strategies for the restoration of desertified grassland vegetation and offered additional theoretical evidence for the role of vegetation in promoting the recovery of sandy lands. Results: (1) As the degree of vegetation recovery in desertified grasslands increases, the species richness of understory vegetation, Shannon–Wiener index, community height, and biomass also increase. Both the community height and biomass within shrublands are higher than outside, with species richness within the shrublands being higher than outside during the semi-fixed and fixed-sand land stages. (2) In both the 0~10 cm and 10~20 cm soil layers, soil water content showed an increasing trend, peaking in the sandy grassland stage (1.2%), and was higher within the shrublands than outside. The soil water content at 10~20 cm was higher than in the 0~10 cm layer. In both layers, clay and silt content gradually increased with the degree of vegetation recovery in the sandy land, and higher within the shrublands than outside, while the opposite was true for sand content. (3) In both soil layers, soil organic carbon gradually increased with the degree of vegetation recovery, peaking in the sandy grassland stage (4.12 g·kg−1), and was higher within the shrublands than outside. Total nitrogen increased from the semi-fixed-sand land stage to the fixed-sand land stage, with higher levels within the shrublands than outside at all stages. Soil pH within the shrublands decreased as the degree of vegetation recovery increased. There was no significant change in the total phosphorus content. (4) In both soil layers, soil physicochemical characteristics accounted for 59.6% and 46.9% of the vegetation changes within and outside the shrublands, respectively, with the main influencing factors being the soil particle size, total nitrogen, soil water content, and soil organic carbon. Conclusions: In the process of sandy grassland restoration, C. microphylla facilitates the growth and development of vegetation by enhancing the underlying soil physicochemical properties, specifically regarding the soil particle size distribution, soil water content, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen.

The Impact of Major Ecological Projects on the Water Yield of Mountain Basins, Northern China

Water yield, one of the most valuable and important ecological indicators, reflects the renewable capacity of regional water resources. The Taihang Mountains are a natural ecological barrier and an important source of water production for the North China Plain. Two large-scale projects involving returning farmland to forest and grassland have significantly changed the distribution of land use in the Taihang Mountains, and also affect the water production characteristics of the Taihang Mountains. Taking the Hutuo River Basin, a typical river in the Taihang Mountainous region, as the study area, the InVEST model is utilized to calculate the spatial and temporal changes in water yield capacity in the Hutuo River basin, and four scenarios were set to judge the impact of different ecological projects on the water yield of the mountainous watershed of the Hutuo River. The results showed that the water yield in the five study periods was 218.58–376.44 mm. The interannual variations in both precipitation and water yield of the study area in the last decade were large. The water yield is mainly concentrated in the northeast region of the upper reaches of the basin, and the smallest is the northwest and central regions of the upper reaches. The water yield in each year in the study area is mainly less than 400 mm, accounting for more than 60% of the study area, and the water yield has shown a large regional expansion in the past 10 years. Grassland has the largest water yield capacity of all land use types, and climate change has basically no effect on the water yield capacity of different land use types. The ecological project of returning farmland to forestland has a negative impact on the water yield capacity, whereas the water yield capacity increases after returning farmland to grassland. The water conservancy project of river training has a negative impact on the water yield capacity of the Hutuo River mountainous basin. The research results provide theoretical data for judging the relationship between vegetation restoration and water yield in mountainous watersheds, a scientific basis for evaluating the implementation effect of major projects, and strong data support for water resource management in the North China Plain.

A Sustainability Index for Evaluating Vegetation Restoration Under Rainwater Resources Limitation

AbstractEvaluating vegetation restoration sustainability is crucial to avoid conflicts between human water demand and ecosystem consumption, especially with the surge in leaf area index (LAI) due to revegetation projects in China. However, current methods for assessing vegetation sustainability are still limited. Here, we developed a sustainability index for vegetation systems (vegetation sustainability index, VSI) from water demand and supply aspects based on reliability, resilience, and vulnerability in arid and semi‐arid areas. VSI was built upon a vegetation overplanting index (dLAI) which is the difference between the maximum LAI supported by precipitation (LAIp) and the observed LAI (LAIobs). A case study in the mountainous area of the Haihe River basin reveals gradually declining VSI after 2000. Forests are the primary vegetation type in areas with VSI &lt; 0.5, indicating decreased sustainability due to overplanting. The framework of VSI can be a useful tool for planning and implementing vegetation restoration strategies in arid and semi‐arid regions.

Applicability of a Modified Gash Model for Artificial Forests in the Transitional Zone between the Loess Hilly Region and the Mu Us Sandy Land, China

Afforestation in the transitional zone between the loess hilly area and the Mu Us Sandy Land of China has reshaped the landscape and greatly affected eco-hydrological processes. Plantations are crucial for regulating local net rainfall inputs, thus making it necessary to quantify the closure loss of plantation species in drought and semi-arid areas. To quantify and model the canopy interception of these plantations, we conducted rainfall redistribution measurement experiments. Based on this, we used the modified Gash model to simulate their interception losses, and the model applicability across varying rainfall types was further compared and verified. Herein, Caragana korshinskii, Salix psammophila, and Pinus sylvestris plantations in the Kuye River mountain tract were chosen to measure the precipitation distribution from May to October (growing season). The applicability of a modified Gash model for different stands was then evaluated using the assessed data. The results showed that the canopy interception characteristics of each typical plantation were throughfall, interception, and stemflow. The relative error of canopy interception of C. korshinskii simulated by the modified Gash model was 8.79%. The relative error of simulated canopy interception of S. psammophila was 4.19%. The relative error of canopy interception simulation of P. sylvestris was 13.28%, and the modified Gash model had good applicability in the Kuye River Basin. The modified Gash model has the greatest sensitivity to rainfall intensity among the parameters of the C. korshinskii and S. psammophila forest. The sensitivity of P. sylvestris in the modified Gash model is that the canopy cover has the greatest influence, followed by the mean rainfall intensity. Our results provide a scientific basis for the rational use of water resources and vegetation restoration in the transitional zone between the loess hilly region and the Mu Us Sandy Land. This study is of import for the restoration and sustainability of fragile ecosystems in the region.

Study on the Constraint Effect of Vegetation on Ecosystem Services in the Yellow River Basin

Ecosystem services (ESs) serve as the foundation for sustaining human life and development, with vegetation status playing a crucial role in influencing the supply of these services. This study focuses on the Yellow River Basin (YRB), where we quantitatively examined the main ESs indicators from 2010 to 2020. We explored the trends in fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and ESs, as well as the constraint relationship between FVC and total ecosystem services (TES). The findings are as follows. (1) From 2010 to 2020, FVC, landscape aesthetics (LA), soil conservation (SC), food production (FP), and TES in the YRB demonstrated an upward trend, whereas water yield (WY) exhibited a downward trend. (2) A constraint relationship exists between FVC and LA, SC, WY, and TES, with the constraint line taking on a hump-like shape. (3) The threshold value of the constraint line between FVC and LA, SC, WY, and TES are approximately 80%. Below this value, FVC does not impose a constraint effect on LA, SC, WY, and TES, but above 80%, a strong constraint effect emerges, leading to a reduction in LA, SC, WY, and TES. These results offer a valuable data reference for guiding future vegetation restoration and ecological engineering efforts in the region.