Plant Strategies Research Articles

Mixed Grass Species Enhances Root Production and Plant–Soil Reinforcement

ABSTRACTVegetation is a widely used eco‐friendly approach for slope reinforcement and ecological restoration. As a potential planting strategy, mixed planting of plants is often recommended to improve biodiversity, but the effects of mixed planting on soil reinforcement and slope stability are not yet clear. To address this issue, a study on two typical herbaceous slope protection plants, Chrysopogon zizanioides and Cynodon dactylon, were conducted. The biomechanical characteristics of different herbaceous plants were analyzed, and their root distribution and soil reinforcement performance under single and mixed planting were explored. Results show that mixed planting could significantly increase the number and root area ratio of root systems. At 0.1 cm depth after 42 days, the root number under mixed planting increased by 111.42% compared to vetiver grass monoculture and by 19.57% compared to bermuda grass monoculture. Mixed planting can provide stronger soil reinforcement by increasing apparent cohesion, with a maximum increase in apparent cohesion of 47.9%. The results of slope stability analysis showed that vegetation mainly relied on mechanical reinforcement in the root zone and hydrological reinforcement outside the root zone. After 42 days of growth, mixed planting at 0.1 m depth increased slope stability by 11.94% compared to vetiver grass monoculture and by 27.12% compared to bermuda grass monoculture, with both mechanical and hydrological effects of vegetation significantly enhanced. These findings suggest that mixed planting can promote plant development and growth, improve root production, and enhance plant–soil reinforcement and slope stability during the early establishment of vegetation. Therefore, in formulating slope reinforcement and ecological restoration strategies, more consideration can be given to mixed planting of plants, maximizing the utilization of competition characteristics between plants, and reducing the risk of shallow landslides while improving biodiversity.

Employing battery energy storage systems for flexible ramping products in a fully renewable energy power grid: A market mechanism and strategy analysis through multi-Agent Markov games

In high-proportion renewable energy power systems, flexible ramping products (FRPs) are critical for mitigating the volatility of renewable energy outputs and enhancing the adaptability of power systems. This paper aims to explore a fully renewable energy power system, with a battery energy storage system (BESS) as the sole provider of FRPs. An innovative market mechanism and new approaches to market equilibrium analysis are introduced. Initially, a common day-ahead (DA) market is established, covering both electricity and ancillary services with FRPs. The setup allows FRP providers to make bidding decisions and get rewarded based on actual ramping mileages. A bi-level multi-agent Markov game (MG) model is formulated. The upper level integrates the proposed strategies of wind power plants (WPP), photovoltaic power plants (PVP), and BESS, while the lower level encompasses the joint market clearing mechanism. An iterative solution algorithm, using reinforcement learning, is also introduced to address the model, effectively circumventing the privacy concerns associated with traditional mathematical programming methods. The proposed solution models and strategies are validated and demonstrated to be effective through two illustrative examples, highlighting their application and relevance in fully renewable energy power systems.

Masting ontogeny: the largest masting benefits accrue to the largest trees.

Both plants and animals display considerable variation in their phe- notypic traits as they grow. This variation helps organisms to adapt to specific challenges at different stages of development. Masting, the variable and synchronized seed production across years by a population of plants, is a common reproductive strategy in perennial plants that can enhance reproductive efficiency through increasing pollination efficiency and decreasing seed predation. Masting represents a population-level phenomenon generated from individual plant behaviors. While the developmental trajectory of individual plants influences their masting be- havior, the translation of such changes into benefits derived from masting remains unexplored. We used 43 years of seed production monitoring in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) to address that gap. The largest improvements in reproductive efficiency from masting happen in the largest trees. Masting leads to a 48-fold reduction in seed predation in large, compared to 28-fold in small trees. Masting yields an 6-fold increase in pollination efficiency in large, compared to 2.5-fold in small trees. Paradoxically, although the largest trees show the biggest reproductive efficiency benefits from masting, large trees mast less strongly than small trees. That apparently suboptimal allocation of effort across years by large plants may be a consequence of anatomical constraints or bet-hedging. Ontogenetic shifts in individual mast- ing behavior and associated variable benefits have implications for the reproductive potential of plant populations as their age distribution changes, with applications in plant conservation and management.

Patterns and Driving Mechanisms of Soil Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus, and Their Stoichiometry in Limestone Mines of Anhui Province, China

Active vegetation restoration plays an important role in the improvement in soil organic matter (SOM), including the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) sequestration of degraded mining ecosystems. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the key drivers of SOM pool size and dynamics in active vegetation restoration. For this study, soil was collected from five different sites (Xiaoxian, Dingyuan, Chaohu, Tongling and Dongzhi), four habitats (platforms, slopes, steps and native areas) and two soil layers (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) in limestone mines of Anhui province to quantify the spatial distribution of SOM contents and their stoichiometric characteristics and influential factors. It was found that the top soil in Chaohu had the highest significant C, N and P contents in the ranges of 14.95–17.97, 1.74–2.21 and 0.80–1.24 g/kg, respectively. Comparing the stoichiometric ratios of the different sites revealed significant differences in C:N and N:P ratios, but C:P ratios were relatively consistent. In particular, the C:N and C:P ratios in deep soil were higher than those in top soil, whereas the N:P ratio in deep soil was lower than that in top soil, suggesting that soil N is a major limiting factor in the top soil. The SOM content did not differ significantly between the three reclaimed habitats, but was significantly higher than that in the native habitat, suggesting that mine restoration has significantly enhanced SOM accumulation. Further analysis showed that nutrient availability and enzyme activity are important factors affecting soil C, N and P content in top soil, while the relationship gradually weakens in deep soil. This was attributed to active anthropogenic management and conservation measures during the early stages of reclamation. This study shows that the ecological recovery of the mining area can be enhanced by implementing differentiated vegetation planting strategies and anthropogenic management on different habitats in the mining area.

Understory vegetation diversity and composition in intensively managed plantations compared to extensively managed forests

The benefits of plantations for wood production are well known, but it is unclear whether they have a clear negative effect on biodiversity, compared to natural forests. It is also unclear how overstory species identity (i.e., exotic, compared to native) would interact with the simple plantation effects on understory vegetation biodiversity. Here, we assessed bryophyte, lichen, and vascular plant diversity and composition in mono-specific and mixed plantations of exotic and native hybrid poplars (Populus spp.) and exotic and native spruces (Picea spp.). We compared these plantations to reference forests with similar overstory types (coniferous, deciduous, mixed) to those of the plantations in the southern boreal forest of Quebec. We also assessed whether the overstory species identity in plantations influenced understory vegetation biodiversity compared to reference forests. Our results show that plantations were not biological deserts, since mixed plantations contained similar bryophyte and vascular plant diversity as reference mixed native forests. The presence of native spruces and exotic poplars in mixed plantations increased bryophyte and vascular plant diversity respectively. This suggests that the influence of plantations on understory species diversity, compared to reference forests, was linked to the overstory species identity. Plantations were associated with ruderal plant species, while reference forests were composed of forest species. Bryophyte composition was similar in plantations and reference forests, while lichen species were only present in plantations. Our findings highlight that plantations, especially mixtures of white spruce and exotic poplar, are a promising option for planting strategies to enhance biodiversity.

Effects of Phenology on Plant Community Assembly and Structure

Phenology—the timing of critical stages of growth and reproduction and the transitions between them—determines environmental conditions and biotic interactions. Hence, phenology is a key functional trait influencing organisms’ survival and fitness; however, the role of phenology in community assembly processes has been less considered. Here we review the importance of phenology in environmental and biotic filtering, structuring priority effects, and species coexistence in the context of the assembly of native communities, as well as in invasions and restoration. We highlight the complexity of the life-history aspect of phenology, which makes simple trade-offs—such as between growth timing and competitive ability—part of larger plant strategies shaped by a framework of risk, reward, and investment over multiple timescales. Embracing this complexity could yield insights into how phenology shapes communities.

Comprehensive analysis of energy saving and high-quality permeate production strategies for a large-scale seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant with diverse process configurations and external resource utilization

Comprehensive analysis of energy saving and high-quality permeate production strategies for a large-scale seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant with diverse process configurations and external resource utilization

Responses of Soil Water Potential and Plant Physiological Status to Pulsed Rainfall Events in Arid Northwestern China: Implications for Disclosing the Water‐Use Strategies of Desert Plants

ABSTRACTSoil water potential (SWP) strongly influences plant productivity and ecosystem functioning, particularly in arid regions characterized by sporadic and pulsed rainfall. This work aims to improve understanding of the response of SWP to varied rainfall pulses, and of the water‐use strategies of a widespread C4 shrub (Haloxylon ammodendron, HA) in arid northwestern China. Rainfall manipulation experiments and field measurements on HA were undertaken to explore the response features of SWP and plant physiological status to pulsed rainfall events of varied magnitudes and durations. The physiological state of HA was evaluated by quantifying critical metrics indicative of plant water‐use strategies, including leaf water potential, photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate. The response value of SWP increased with rainfall magnitude and was most affected by three vital factors (antecedent SWP, total rainfall and rainfall intensity). Low antecedent SWP amplifies SWP's sensitivity to subsequent events, accelerating its response to smaller rainfalls (<5 mm) compared with larger ones (>15 mm). Small rainfall can increase SWP by 0.5–2 MPa in the 20‐cm layer, sustaining plant physiological activities under high antecedent SWP conditions (>−3.5 MPa), with a maximum average rise in photosynthetic rate of 9.20 ± 0.45 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1, enhancing HA's water use efficiency to 1.79 ± 0.22 μmol CO2 mmol−1 H2O. Therefore, small events play a vital role in maintaining SWP and promoting water use of desert plants. Given the nature of plants' utilization of small rainfall events, re‐examining ecologically valid SWP thresholds of HA and other similar desert plants is critical.

LncNAT11-GbMYB11-GbF3'H/GbFLS module mediates flavonol biosynthesis to regulate salt stress tolerance in Ginkgo biloba.

Flavonols are important secondary metabolites that enable plants to resist environmental stresses. Although MYB regulation of flavonol biosynthesis has been well studied, the lncRNA-MYB networks involved in regulating flavonol biosynthesis remain unknown. Ginkgo biloba is rich in flavonols, which are the most important medicinal components. Based on multi-omics data and phylogenetic trees, we identified GbMYB11 as a potential key transcription factor regulating flavonol biosynthesis. Overexpression and VIGS experiments confirmed that GbMYB11 acts as a pivotal positive regulator in flavonol biosynthesis. In the transcriptome of calli overexpressing GbMYB11, we identified significant upregulation of GbF3'H and GbFLS in the flavonol biosynthetic pathway. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated that GbMYB11 enhances the expression of GbF3'H and GbFLS by binding to their promoters. Interestingly, we identified LncNAT11, an antisense lncRNA complement to GbMYB11, which negatively regulates flavonol biosynthesis by repressing the expression of GbMYB11. Consequently, we established the LncNAT11-GbMYB11-GbF3'H/GbFLS module as a critical regulator of flavonol biosynthesis in G. biloba, and further elucidated that this module can mitigate the accumulation of reactive oxygen species by modulating flavonol biosynthesis during salt stress. These findings unveil a novel mechanism underlying flavonol biosynthesis and a lncRNA-MYB mediated salt stress tolerance strategy in plants.

Heat stress-induced decapping of WUSCHEL mRNA enhances stem cell thermotolerance in Arabidopsis

The plasticity of stem cells in response to environmental change is critical for multicellular organisms. Here, we show that MYB3R-like directly activates the key plant stem cell regulator WUSCHEL (WUS) by recruiting the methyltransferase ROOT INITIATION DEFECTIVE 2 (RID2), which functions in m7G methylation at the 5’ cap of WUS mRNA to protect it from degradation. We demonstrated that protein-folding genes are repressed by WUS to maintain precise protein synthesis in stem cells by preventing the reuse of misfolded proteins. However, upon heat stress, the MYB3R-like/RID2 module is repressed to reduce WUS transcripts via the decapping of nascent WUS mRNA. This releases the inhibition of protein folding capacity in stem cells and protects plant stem cells from heat-shock by eliminating misfolded protein aggregation. Our results reveal a tradeoff strategy in plants by reducing the accuracy of protein synthesis in exchange for the survival of stem cells at high temperatures.

Metabolic strategies in hypoxic plants.

Complex multicellular organisms have evolved in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere. Oxygen is therefore essential for all aerobic organisms including plants, for energy production through cellular respiration. However, plants can experience hypoxia following extreme flooding events and also under aerated conditions in proliferative organs or tissues characterized by high oxygen consumption. When oxygen availability is compromised, plants adopt different strategies to cope with hypoxia and limited aeration. A common feature among different plant species is the activation of an anaerobic fermentative metabolism to provide adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to maintain cellular homeostasis under hypoxia. Fermentation also requires many sugar substrates, which is not always feasible, and alternative metabolic strategies are thus needed. Recent findings have also shown that the hypoxic metabolism is also active in specific organs or tissues of the plant under aerated conditions. Here, we describe the regulatory mechanisms that control the metabolic strategies of plants and how they enable them to thrive despite challenging conditions. A comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the genetic and physiological components underlying hypoxic metabolism should help to provide opportunities to improve plant resilience under the current climate change scenario.

Aboveground and belowground sizes are aligned in the unified spectrum of plant form and function

Understanding the global variation of plant strategies is essential for unravelling eco-evolutionary processes and ecosystem functions. Variation in ten fundamental aboveground and fine-root traits is summarised in four dimensions, the first of which relates to aboveground plant size. However, there is no consensus about how root size fits within this scheme. Here, we add rooting depth and lateral spread, compiling a set of twelve key traits that define the fundamental investments of plants in growth, reproduction, and survival. We examine whether the inclusion of root size alters the dimensionality and structure of trait correlations defining plant functional strategies. Our results show that including root size traits does not alter the fundamental structure and dimensionality of the plant functional space, regardless of trait completeness and phylogenetic relatedness. Plant size defines a single continuum of allometric investments at the global scale, independent from leaf and root economic strategies.

Robinia pseudoacacia Quickly Adjusts Its Water Uptake after Rainfall in Seasonally Dry Regions

Precipitation is a key factor affecting plant growth and development in seasonally arid regions. However, most of the traditional hydrological methods mainly select typically sunny days for sampling, and the immediate water absorption strategy of plants during and after rainfall is still unclear. This study used stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope technology to study the soil moisture absorption rates of Robinia pseudoacacia and the soil moisture content at different soil layers at different sampling times (0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h) after rainfall. The results showed that the moisture content of the shallow soil layer decreased, while that of the deep soil layer increased over time after rainfall. R. pseudoacacia mainly utilized water from the 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil layers at 6 h after rainfall, which accounted for 36.52% and 22.25% of the rainfall, respectively. At 24 h, the 40–60, 60–80 and 80–100 cm soil layers contributed 25.25%, 18.44% and 24.45% of the water content, respectively. The shallow soil layer retained more rainfall within 6 h after rain fell, and the water retention ratio of the medium–shallow soil layer (0–60 cm) increased to 48.4%, retaining more water at 14–20 h. At 12 h, the medium–shallow soil layer (0–60 cm), runoff and groundwater constituted 37.1%, 14.4% and 15.7% of the precipitation, respectively, and rainfall retained in the deep soil layer (60–100 cm) accounted for 32.8%. In summary, R. pseudoacacia tends to use a large amount of shallow soil water in seasonally arid regions when precipitation supplements the surface soil moisture content and it utilizes deep soil water when the rainfall infiltrates and recharges the deep soil layer. Since R. pseudoacacia is sensitive to precipitation, it can quickly adjust its water absorption depth range during the short-term rainfall period to absorb as much precipitation as possible.

Elevated CO2 enhances growth and cyanide assimilation in nitrogen-deficient rice: A transcriptome and metabolomic perspective

Plants face multiple challenges from environmental pollutants and higher emissions of atmospheric CO2. Therefore, a hydroponic-based experiment was used to explore the combined effects of elevated [CO2] (700 ppm) and exogenous cyanide (CN−) (3.0 mg CN/L) on rice seedlings under nitrogen deficiency, utilizing metabonomic and transcriptomic analysis. Elevated [CO2] significantly improved the growth of CN−-treated rice seedlings compared to those with ambient [CO2] (350 ppm), and it also significantly affected CN− assimilation. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct impacts on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across treatments and tissues. KEGG analysis showed variability in DEGs enriched in amino acid (AA) and energy metabolism pathways due to elevated [CO2] and CN−. Metabonomic indicated that higher input of [CO2] and exogenous CN− more severely impacted energy metabolism elements than the individual species of AAs. Positive synergistic effects of elevated [CO2] and CN− were observed for glutamine and asparagine in shoots, and methionine in roots, wherein negative effects were noted for phenylalanine in shoots, and phenylalanine, valine, and alanine in roots. Meanwhile, positive effects on fumarate in shoots and α-ketoglutarate and succinate in roots were also found. Overall, elevated [CO2] enhanced growth in CN−-treated rice seedlings under nitrogen deficiency by altering AA and energy metabolism. This is the first attempt to provide new evidence of [CO2]-based gaseous fertilization as an energy-saving strategy for rice plants fed with biodegradable N-containing pollutants as a supporting N source under N deficient conditions.

Optimal Dispatching Strategy for Textile-Based Virtual Power Plants Participating in GridLoad Interactions Driven by Energy Price

The electricity consumption of the textile industry accounts for 2.12% of the total electricity consumption in society, making it one of the high-energy-consuming industries in China. The textile industry requires the use of a large amount of industrial steam at various temperatures during production processes, making its dispatch and operation more complex compared to conventional electricity–heat integrated energy systems. As an important demand-side management platform connecting the grid with distributed resources, a virtual power plant can aggregate textile industry users through an operator, regulating their energy consumption behavior and enhancing demand-side management efficiency. To effectively address the challenges in load regulation for textile industry users, this paper proposes a coordinated optimization dispatching method for electricity–steam virtual-based power plants focused on textile industrial parks. On one hand, targeting the impact of different energy prices on the energy usage behavior of textile industry users, an optimization dispatching model is established where the upper level consists of virtual power plant operators setting energy prices, and the lower level involves multiple textile industry users adjusting their purchase and sale strategies and changing their own energy usage behaviors accordingly. On the other hand, taking into account the energy consumption characteristics of steam, it is possible to optimize the production and storage behaviors of textile industry users during off-peak electricity periods in the power market. Through this electricity–steam optimization dispatching model, the virtual power plant operator’s revenue is maximized while the operating costs for textile industry users are minimized. Case study analyses demonstrate that this strategy can effectively enhance the overall economic benefits of the virtual power plant.

HOS1 ubiquitinates SPL9 for degradation to modulate salinity-delayed flowering.

Soil salinity is a serious environmental threat to plant growth and flowering. Flowering in the right place, at the right time, ensures maximal reproductive success for plants. Salinity-delayed flowering is considered a stress coping/survival strategy and the molecular mechanisms underlying this process require further studies to enhance the crop's salt tolerance ability. A nuclear pore complex (NPC) component, HIGH EXPRESSION OF OSMOTICALLY RESPONSIVE GENE 1 (HOS1), has been recognized as a negative regulator of plant cold responses and flowering. Here, we challenged the role of HOS1 in regulating flowering in response to salinity stress. Interestingly, we discovered that HOS1 can directly interact with and ubiquitinate transcription factor SPL9 (SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE 9) to promote its protein degradation in response to salinity stress. Moreover, we demonstrated that HOS1 and SPL9 antagonistically regulate plant flowering under both normal and salt stress conditions. HOS1 was further shown to negatively regulate the expression of SPLs and several key flowering genes in response to salinity stress. These results jointly revealed that HOS1 is an important integrator in the process of modulating salinity-delayed flowering, thus offering new perspectives on a salinity stress coping strategy of plants.

Comparison of Aiming Point Strategy Algorithms and Their Assessment for Volumetric Solar Receivers

The present work summarizes the work done within the scope of CATION, CHLOE, and HECTOR projects related to the aiming point strategies optimization algorithms applied to volumetric solar receivers. Several optimization methods have been applied in the literature for optimizing the aiming strategy of solar power tower plants. However, the use of these algorithms for the requirements of volumetric solar receivers and solar fuel applications has not been accomplished. Herein, the problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem whose objective function is a combination of the total power on the receiver surface and the flux homogeneity. A comparison of the results is presented in this work. It will be seen that TABU search and SA algorithms are the most efficient in terms of computation time and, in addition, the first one shows very good results in power and spillage. The rest of the mentioned algorithms are much slower and, in general, the results are slightly worse.

Correction: Aggregation and Bidding Strategy of Virtual Power Plant

Correction: Aggregation and Bidding Strategy of Virtual Power Plant

Reconciling plant and microbial ecological strategies to elucidate cover crop effects on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling

Abstract Plant economics, the way plants allocate and utilize resources, affect multiple soil processes through interactions with root and associated microbial communities. However, the interplay between plant economics and microbial ecological strategies remains poorly understood, which is crucial for integrated manipulation of plant‐ and microbe‐mediated functions in mitigating climate change and sustaining soil health. We used a field experiment with 11 cover crop species grown monocultures in the same base soil to test whether microbial ecological strategies are associated with plant economic strategies and if their interactions are linked to soil functions. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on root and leaf traits to identify the loadings of cover crop species on the plant trait space. Metagenomic analysis of rhizosphere microbial communities was conducted to infer their ecological strategies based on genetically encoded community‐aggregated traits. We found a synchronous relationship between the conservation gradient of plant economic strategies and the trade‐offs in microbial ecological strategies. Conservative plant strategists, such as Lolium multiflorum, Triticum turgidum and Brassica juncea, fostered microbial communities characterized by high growth yield potentials (Y‐strategies). This included increased microbial carbon fixation pathways, citrate cycle, ribosome and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis. As a result, microbial metabolic efficiency improved, shown by higher microbial biomass carbon content and a lower metabolic quotient (qCO2), led to enhanced soil organic carbon accumulation. In comparison, acquisitive plants like Astragalus sinicus, Vicia villosa, Trifolium incarnatum and Medicago sativa stimulated microbial resource‐acquisition strategies (A‐strategies). This included enhanced bacterial chemotaxis, secretion systems, biotin metabolism and cell motility pathways, which in turn increased soil exoenzyme activity and accelerated soil nitrogen mineralization. Consequently, these species enhanced soil nitrogen availability and had substantial feedbacks on subsequent main crop productivity. Synthesis. This study demonstrates how plant economic strategies influence the balance between different microbial ecological strategies, specifically the trade‐offs in Y‐ and A‐strategies. These interactions exert control over carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the soil ecosystem. The findings provide insights for implementing nature‐based solutions to improve agroecosystem management practices.

Trends in genetic diversity of silver birch: Insights from varied planting scenarios

This study explores the impact of planting strategies on genetic diversity in silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) stands using simulation models. We examine the influence of different proportions of planted stands and the number of open-pollinated families on genetic diversity, focusing on the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index and expected heterozygosity. Results indicate optimal genetic diversity increases with 50–55% planted stands. Additionally, using more families in planting enhances diversity, peaking when 30 families were used compared to five. Simulations suggest that combining natural regeneration with planting seed lots from at least 20 families enhances genetic diversity at the landscape level, supporting sustainable forest management. However, using only the top-performing five families does not harm genetic diversity if planted stands remain below 55%. Acknowledging the limitation, this study considers only a single generation, which may affect long-term applicability of the results over multiple generations. Keywords: expected heterozygosity; Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index