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    18 May 2025, Volume 36 Issue 5
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    Effects of drought on the xylem formation process and growth of Betula platyphylla and Fraxinus mandshurica
    XIE Yushuang, HAN Bingxin, LIU Di, LEI Yiting, WANG Xiaochun
    2025, 36(5):  1289-1297.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.004
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    We investigated the effects of drought on xylem formation of two-year-old potted Betula platyphylla (diffuse-porous wood) and Fraxinus mandshurica (ring-porous wood) seedlings in Northeast China. With normal water treatment as the control (75% field water capacity), we examined the effects of mild drought (50% field water capacity) and severe drought (30% field water capacity) on xylem anatomical characteristics, stem hormone concentrations, and root enzyme activities. The results showed that mild and severe drought significantly reduced the height of B. platyphylla by 23.5% and 27.0%, respectively, but had no significant effect on the height and basal diameter of F. mandshurica. Severe drought significantly decreased the vessel area of B. platyphylla by 31.0% and 33.5% in the mid-term (2 months of water control) and late-term (4 months of water control) treatment stages, respectively, while significantly increased the vessel density by 63.8% and 47.8%, respectively. In contrast, the vessel area of F. mandshurica change little, but the vessel density significantly increased by 66.1% and 110.5%, respectively. Mild and severe drought significantly increased the superoxide dismutase activity in B. platyphylla (45.4% and 35.3%) and F. mandshurica (26.2% and 33.1%), but had no significant effect on catalase activity. Under mild and severe droughts, the activity of peroxidase did not change in B. platyphylla but significantly decreased by 32.0% and 25.0% in F. mandshurica, respectively. Drought significantly decreased the indole-3-acetic acid concentration in stems of both species. The gibberellin concentration in B. platyphylla significantly decreased by 14.9% in the early stage of drought and then stabilized, while in F. mandshurica, it initially increased and then decreased under mild drought but showed no significant change under severe drought. During drought, the abscisic acid concentration in B. platyphylla significantly decreased by 4.3% to 14.1%, while it significantly increased by 7.4% to 16.5% in F. mandshurica, respectively. In conclusion, drought influences xylem formation and growth in broad-leaved trees by regulating hormone concentrations (such as indole-3-acetic acid) and antioxidant enzyme activities (such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase), with the effects being modulated by tree species properties and the intensity and duration of drought.
    Construction of biomass models for Larix olgensis plantation using hierarchical Bayesian seemingly unrela-ted regression
    WANG Pengfei, DONG Lihu, XIE Longfei, MIAO Zheng
    2025, 36(5):  1298-1308.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.006
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    Accurate estimation of forest biomass is of great significance for carbon stock assessment and forest resource management. Hierarchical Bayesian methods, as a statistical approach that can effectively enhance parameter stability, have large potentials in the precise estimation of forest biomass. Based on data from 143 sample trees of Larix olgensis in the Mengjiagang Forest Farm of Heilongjiang Province, we adopted hierarchical Bayesian see-mingly unrelated regression (SUR) to develop a univariate seemingly unrelated mixed-effects model (SURM1) with diameter at breast height (DBH) as the independent variable and a bivariate seemingly unrelated mixed-effects model (SURM2) with DBH and tree height as independent variables. We compared the fitting and predictive performance of restricted maximum likelihood estimation (REML) with three hierarchical Bayesian methods: no prior information (Br1), data-derived prior information (Br2), and historical prior information (Br3). The results showed that the SURM2 model significantly outperforms SURM1 in predicting stem biomass and total individual tree biomass, with mean absolute percentage errors (MAPE) reduced by 7.8% and 7.6%, respectively. The hierarchical Bayesian method utilizing data-derived prior information (Br2) demonstrated notably superior parameter estimation stability (with standard deviations ranging from 0.003 to 0.108) compared to REML (standard deviations from 0.052 to 0.540), Br1 (standard deviations from 0.033 to 0.819), and Br3 (standard deviations from 0.038 to 0.771). Predictions based on Br2 yield superior accuracy, with MAPE for SURM1 model predictions of stem, branch, leaf, root, and total biomass being 17.6%, 45.1%, 48.3%, 25.2%, and 17.1%, respectively. The SURM2 model improved the prediction accuracy for stem biomass and total biomass, reducing MAPE by 7.3% and 6.7%, respectively, compared to SURM1. Furthermore, when sample size was small (fewer than 60), incorporating effective prior information could enhance the stability of predictions. The use of data-derived prior information in the Bayesian method demonstrated significant advantages in improving both the accuracy and stability of biomass predictions for L. olgensis, providing valuable support for the precise estimation of biomass in the Heilongjiang Pro-vince.
    Quantifying the effect of thinning intensity on competitive relationships in Larix olgensis plantations based on terrestrial laser scanning
    WANG Fan, JIA Weiwei, LI Fengri, TANG Yiren, ZHANG Ying
    2025, 36(5):  1309-1318.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.009
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    We acquired the terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point cloud data of five permanent plots of Larix olgensis plantations with different thinning intensities [control (CK), four low-intensity thinning treatments (T1), two medium-intensity plus one low-intensity thinning treatments (T2), two medium-intensity thinning treatments (T3), and two high-intensity thinning treatments (T4)] in the Mengjiagang Forest Farm. Then, we verified the use of TLS to quantify the individual tree Hegyi competition index (CI) in plantations and analyzed the effect of thinning intensities on stem and crown competition in L. olgensis. The results showed that the thinning treatment reduced the competition among L. olgensis trees, with the average competition indices of T1, T2, T3 and T4 plots being decreased by 0.5%-10.7%, 15.1%-20.6%, 28.6%-34.8% and 39.2%-47.9%, respectively. There were significant differences in the stem-based CI (diameter at breast height, tree height) among different treatments. CI based on crown volume and crown surface area showed significant differences among the thinning treatments. In contrast, the differences in CI based on maximum crown diameter and crown projection area were not significant between the control and low-intensity thinning treatments, though differed significantly between all other treatments. In summary, TLS-based point clouds could quantify individual tree stem and crown competition, and CI based on crown volume and surface area could effectively reflect the competitive relationships within thinned forest stands.
    Estimation of chlorophyll content in Dendrocalamus giganteus based on GEDI data optimized by EBKRP method
    XIA Cuifen, ZHOU Wenwu, SHU Qingtai, WANG Mingxing, WU Zaikun, FU Lianjin, REN Chengfang
    2025, 36(5):  1319-1329.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.003
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    Chlorophyll content is a crucial parameter for evaluating forest health and vegetation growth. It is an urgent to accurately estimate chlorophyll content at the regional scale with low cost by using remote sensing techno-logy. In this study, we took Xinping County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, as the research area, and used GEDI data as the main information source. Based on the empirical Bayesian Kriging regression prediction (EBKRP) method, we accurately obtained the continuous distribution of the spot characteristic parameters in the unknown space of the study area. Combined with measured data of 52 plots, we used Pearson correlation, random forest (RF) and gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT) to screen the optimal combination parameters. We further established the best estimation model of chlorophyll content of Dendrocalamus giganteus at regional scale by Random forest regression (RFR) and GBRT models. The results showed that EBKRP demonstrated high prediction accuracy and reliability, with R2 values ranging from 0.34 to 0.99, RMSE from 0.012 to 3134.005, rRMSE from 0.011 to 0.854, and CRPS from 965.492 to 1626.887. Different parameter optimization methods yielded slightly different optimal para-meter combinations. Different remote sensing modeling methods showed varying accuracy levels. The GBRT model (R2=0.94, RMSE=0.132, P=91.2%) outperformed the RFR model (R2=0.89, RMSE=0.192, P=89.3%). Using the GBRT model for estimating and mapping the spatial distribution of D. giganteus chlorophyll content, which ranged from 0.22 to 2.32 g·m-2, with an average of 1.36 g·m-2. These results aligned with the actual D. giganteus distribution in the study area, indicating that the GBRT model using GEDI data optimized by EBKRP could be feasible and reliable for estimating forest biochemical parameters, thereby providing effective support for forest health monitoring.
    Traits and economic spectrum of different-aged leaf of Kandelia obovata in Minjiang River estuary, China
    CHEN Ruixin, JIAN Tingyi, LIN Yongming, WANG Yingzi, HONG Tao
    2025, 36(5):  1330-1338.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.008
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    To elucidate the adaptive mechanisms and strategies of different-aged leaves of Kandelia obovata in response to resource limitations in the Minjiang River Estuary Wetland Nature Reserve, we measured 21 leaf functional traits from current-year and previous-year leaves, and compared the traits between the two leaf types to construct leaf economic spectrum. The results showed that the fresh and dry weight of K. obovata in the previous-year leaves was 2.3 times of current-year leaves. There was a significant difference in nitrogen (N) content, with values of 20.59 mg·g-1 for current-year leaves and 15.88 mg·g-1 for previous-year leaves, as well as in phosphorus (P) content, with values of 1.40 and 1.06 mg·g-1, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between N and P content. The net photosynthetic rate differed significantly, with values of 7.53 and 4.68 μmol·m-2·s-1 for current-year and previous-year leaves, respectively. There was a significant difference in stomatal conductance (0.16 vs. 0.15 mol·m-2·s-1). The economic spectrum indicated that current-year leaves possessed traits such as thin structure, rapid extension, high photosynthetic efficiency, low leaf tissue density, and higher N and P content, reflecting a strategy of rapid investment and return. In contrast, previous-year leaves exhibited thicker structure, slower extension, lower photosynthetic efficiency, higher leaf tissue density, and lower N and P content, adopting a more conservative and slow-investment growth strategy. These findings suggested that K. obovata employed two distinct growth strategies, adjusting leaf structure and physiological properties to enhance its survival in stressed environments.
    Simulation of carbon flux in tea plantation based on an improved Biome-BGC model in hilly areas of Southeast China
    SHAO Yuyang, LI Hengpeng, GENG Jianwei, YU Jianghua, SHI Yunjie, AKIDA Askar
    2025, 36(5):  1339-1349.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.001
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    The rapid expansion of tea plantations in the hilly regions of southeastern China significantly impacts regional carbon cycle. The Biome-BGC model, commonly used to quantify carbon fluxes, lacks sufficient representation of artificial management processes. We integrated the measured and remote-sensed leaf area index (LAI) to improve the Biome-BGC model, enhancing its simulation capabilities for the artificial management processes in tea plantations. The results showed that LAI was a crucial intermediate variable in the Biome-BGC model. Accurate simulation of LAI was the key to improve the model’s precision in simulating carbon fluxes in tea plantations. The improved model significantly enhanced the simulation accuracy of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (RE), with 5-year average GPP and RE values of 1.26 and 1.19 kg C·m-2, respectively. The daily-scale R2 values reached 0.55 and 0.80, representing an increase of 44.5% for GPP and a decrease of 0.9% for RE compared to the original model. The root mean square error (RMSE) values were 0.887 and 1.030 g C·m-2·d-1, representing reductions of 50.3% for GPP and 68.4% for RE compared to the original model, respectively. At the month scale, the improved model significantly reduced the overestimation of original model resulted from insufficient representation of artificial pruning for tea plantations. The improved model could dynamically depict the impact of LAI fluctuations caused by pruning on the carbon cycle and its applicability across different time scales had been verified, which would provide technical support for quantitative research on carbon cycling in tea plantations with high-intensity anthropogenic management.
    Seasonal changes of physiological and biochemical characteristics of four shrub species in Chaiwopu Lakeshore desert area of Xinjiang, China
    GUO Wei, DONG Zhengwu, LI Guangying, XU Yanqin
    2025, 36(5):  1350-1360.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.005
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    We investigated the physiological characteristics of four shrub species in the coastal desert area of Chaiwopu Lake in spring (May), summer (July), and autumn (September), including Calligonum junceum, Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, Caragana leucophloea, and Caragana roborovskyias. The results showed that from spring to autumn, leaf moisture content of all the four species showed a decreasing trend, while the water saturation deficit showed an increasing trend. The activity of superoxide dismutase, proline, and soluble protein content all showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, indicating that all the four shrub species could enhance their adaptation to arid environments by regulating antioxidant and osmotic regulation systems. In summer, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in C. leucophloea were significantly higher than those in the other three species. The increase in soluble protein and soluble sugar content was the highest, 2.1 and 3.7 times that of spring, respectively, reflecting the relatively strong antioxidant and osmotic regulation abilities of C. leucophloea. From spring to summer, the abscisic acid levels of all the four species significantly increased. Among them, the abscisic acid levels of C. leucophloea and C. roborovskyi increased significantly, by 4.0 and 5.9 times, respectively compared to spring, indicating a more pronounced activation of their stress response mechanisms. Compared with spring, the non-structural carbohydrate content of C. leucophloea and C. roborovskyi significantly increased in summer, with higher total chlorophyll content, indicating stronger carbon assimilation. The total chlorophyll content of C. junceum and Z. xanthoxylum in summer increased by 1.2 and 1.7 times respectively, while the content of soluble sugars, non-structural carbohydrates, and starch significantly decreased, indicating that carbon budget of these two shrubs was limited, with carbon consumption greater than carbon supply. In summary, the four desert shrubs in the study area could respond to and adapt to changes in natural habitats through osmotic and antioxidant regulation systems. Their drought resistance was ranked in the order of C. leucophloea > C. roborovskyi > C. junceum > Z. xanthoxylum. Two species of Caragana plants (C. leucophloea and C. roborovskyi) could be used as the preferred dominant shrubs for ecological restoration in the Chaiwopu lakeside desert area.
    Characteristics of soil seed banks and their influencing factors in Ephedra rhytidosperma communities at different altitudes on the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain, China
    SHI Wenjie, MA Qin, YANG Junlong, LI Xiaowei, YANG Jun, LIANG Yongliang, LI Jingyao
    2025, 36(5):  1361-1370.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.007
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    Ephedra rhytidosperma is a national key protected plant species in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains. We established sample plots in E. rhytidosperma communities at altitudes of 1236, 1350, 1477, and 1603 m. Through field surveys and indoor seed bank germination experiments, we investigated the characteristics of soil seed banks in E. rhytidosperma community across different altitudes and their influencing factors. The results showed that in the soil seed banks across four altitudes, a total of 13 plant species germinated, belonging to 12 genera and 7 families. Species from Amaranthaceae and Poaceae were predominant, with annual herbs constituting the primary life form. The Margalef richness and Shannon diversity index were lowest in the 1477 m plot and highest in the 1603 m plot. The average density of soil seed bank ranged from 1713 to 9127 seeds·m-2, showing a pattern of initial increase followed by decrease with increasing altitude. Soil seed bank density at 1350 m and 1477 m plots were significantly higher than those at 1236 m and 1603 m plots. Most seeds were distributed in the litter layer and the 0-5 cm soil layer, with soil seed bank density progressively decreasing with increasing soil depth. The similarity between soil seed bank and the aboveground vegetation in species composition was low. Redundancy analysis revealed that aboveground vegetation richness index and dominance index were key vegetation factors affecting soil seed bank, with explained variance percentages of 19.5% and 28.4%, and contribution rates of 24.6% and 35.9%, respectively. Soil bulk density was the significant soil factor affecting soil seed bank, but exhibited a relatively low explanatory rate (8.9%) and with a contribution rate of 11.3%. In conclusion, the mid-altitude suitable habitats (1350 m and 1477 m) exhibited higher regeneration potential of soil seed bank, enabling natural restoration via seed bank. However, marginal altitude non-suitable habitats (1236 m and 1603 m) required interventions (enclosure and reseeding) to enhance seed bank species richness and seed reserves, promote positive community succession, and thereby strengthen ecosystem stability and resilience.
    Effect of forest type conversion on soil organic carbon mineralization and its abiotic regulation factors in humid subtropics
    LIU Aiping, WANG Xiaohong, SUN Jie, FAN Ailian, JIA Linqiao, YAO Xiaodong, LIN Chengfang, CHEN Guangshui
    2025, 36(5):  1371-1379.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.014
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    Forest harbors the largest carbon reservoir in the terrestrial ecosystems. The conversion of forest types may lead to significant changes in soil carbon pools and carbon mineralization. We collected soil samples at 0-10 cm depth converted from Castanopsis carlesii natural forests (NF) to C. carlesii plantations (CC) and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations (CF) at both Chenda and Xinkou sites in Sanming, Fujian Province to analyze the differences in soil organic carbon mineralization among the three forest types by laboratory incubation. We examined the effects of abiotic variations caused by forest conversion on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization, including SOC, total nitrogen (TN), iron and aluminum oxides, mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, and particle size composition. The results showed that the contents of SOC, TN, and MWD differed significantly among the three forest types at both sites, which followed the order of NF>CC>CF. The iron and aluminum oxide contents in CF were significantly lower than those in NF and CC. The sand content in NF was significantly higher than those in CC and CF, while the silt content showed an inverse pattern. The clay content in CC was significantly higher than those in NF and CF. The cumulative carbon mineralization per unit soil (Cm-soil) was significantly affected by stand type, with the Cm-soil in CC and CF stands being 11.3% and 23.3% lower than in NF stands, respectively. The cumulative carbon mineralization per unit soil organic carbon (Cm-SOC) was significantly affected by the interaction between forest types and sites, in that the Cm-SOC in NF stands was 32.8% lower than that in CF at the Chenda site but without differences among forest types at Xinkou site. The Cm-soil positively and significantly correlated with SOC content at both sites, with MWD on the Chenda site, with iron oxide on the Xinkou site, respectively. However, the correlations between Cm-soil and MWD or iron oxides became no significance after introducing SOC as the controlling factor in partial correlation analysis, which suggested that the SOC mediated the relationships between Cm-soil and MWD or iron oxides at both sites. Overall, the conversion of natural forest to plantations could decrease soil C mineralization, due to the decline of SOC content. The effect of aggregate stability, iron and aluminum oxides on soil carbon mineralization varied depending on the site.
    Response of soil properties and fungi community to rainfall reduction in a subtropical natural Castanopsis carlesii forest
    ZHA Manli, LI Shuaijun, WANG Cuijuan, LIN Weisheng, LIU Xiaofei, ZHONG Xianfang, GUO Jianfen
    2025, 36(5):  1380-1386.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.013
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    Water is one of the important factors in forest soil environment, the changes of which affect the composition of soil fungal communities and soil ecosystem functions. Taking the natural forest of Castanopsis pilosula in Sanming, Fujian Province as the research object, we set up treatments with 30% or 60% rainfall exclusion, and natural control. We collected surface soil samples (0-10 cm) after 6-yr rainfall exclusion to analyze soil properties and fungal community structure and diversity by 18S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that soil water content and ammonium nitrogen content was significantly decreased by 16.4% and 29.5% respectively under the 60% rainfall exclusion treatment, while the total organic carbon, soluble organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, soluble organic nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen content, and pH of the soil did not change. Soil soluble organic nitrogen content under the 30% rainfall exclusion significantly decreased by 13.8%, while other soil physical and chemical indicators changed little. The relative abundance of Basidiomycota and Ascomycota accounted for over 40% of the fungal community under all treatments, which were the dominant fungal group. The ACE index of soil fungal communities significantly decreased under the 60% rainfall exclusion treatment, while other diversity indices showed no significant differences among the three treatments, indicating that the structure of soil fungal communities was relatively stable. Results of Mantel test showed that the phyla Ascomycota and unclassified fungi (norank_k_Fungi, unclassified_k_Fungi) were significantly positively correlated with soil water content, which might be a key factor driving the changes in soil fungal communities. Our results provide scientific basis for a deeper understanding of the maintenance of forest soil ecosystem functions under climate change.
    Differences of key processes in soil nitrogen cycling and their driving factors under different land-use types
    WEN Ming, LIU Yu, FENG Chaoyang, JI Wei, LI Zhuoqing
    2025, 36(5):  1387-1397.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.036
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    To investigate the responses and drivers of soil microbial nitrogen (N)-cycling functional genes under different land-use types, we analyzed five representative ecosystems in the Yellow River alluvial plain: Tamarix chinensis forests, Fraxinus chinensis forests, grasslands, wetlands, and farmlands. With metagenomic sequencing, we quantified the relative abundances of 22 functional genes associated with six critical N-cycling processes. Soil physicochemical properties were characterized. There were significant variations in soil nitrogen (N)-cycling functional gene abundances across land-use types. Wetlands exhibited the highest relative abundances of nitrogen fixation (1.28×10-5), nitrification (4.91×10-4), and denitrification (7.03×10-4) genes, but the lowest assimilatory nitrate reduction potential (1.84×10-4). Farmlands showed maximal assimilatory nitrate reduction gene abundance (3.31×10-4), while grasslands dominated in ammonification gene expression (2.35×10-4), significantly higher than other ecosystems. T. chinensis forests maintained the most constrained N-cycling profile, with minimal nitrification (2.77×10-4) and denitrification (5.25×10-4) relative gene abundances. Redundancy analysis identified soil total nitrogen, organic carbon, total potassium, and electrical conductivity as the key environmental drivers of these variations. Our findings demonstrated that land-use types could shape microbial N-cycling functional gene abundances by altering soil nutrient conditions, with consequence on fundamental processes of soil nitrogen transformation.
    Home-field advantage of woody debris decomposition and its response to the drought on the Loess Plateau, China
    MA Lulu, ZUO Qianqian, JIAO Zebin, ZHAO Zhuqi, HU Zhenhong
    2025, 36(5):  1398-1406.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.002
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    Studying the home-field advantage (HFA) in woody debris decomposition is crucial for accurately estimating carbon fluxes of woody debris and its contribution to forest carbon balance. We conducted a decomposition experiment with reciprocal transplantation using woody debris of two dominant afforestation species (Robinia pseu-doacacia and Pinus tabuliformis) on the Loess Plateau, China. We set up three different rainfall levels: control (0% precipitation reduction), 40% precipitation reduction, and 80% precipitation reduction. By monitoring the microbial respiration carbon fluxes of woody debris for one year, we investigated the HFA effect of woody debris decomposition and its drought response. The results showed that the HFA effect was negatively correlated with substrate quality. R. pseudoacacia debris exhibited non-significant HFA, while P. tabuliformis debris with lower substrate quality displayed significant positive HFA. Fungal community structure in R. pseudoacacia debris showed no difference between home and away fields, whereas P. tabuliformis debris had distinct fungal community between home and away fields (R2=0.22). Debris of both species demonstrated significantly higher abundance of potential key species in the fungi at the home fields, with P. tabuliformis debris microbial respiration showing positive correlation with Basidiomycetes abundance (R2=0.23). In the Loess Plateau region with low moisture content, HFA effects of woody debris decomposition were primarily regulated by tree species identity and were not sensitive to drought-induced moisture change.
    Selection, identification, and ecological application potential of key bacteria in biological soil crusts of deserts
    ZHAO Lina, CHEN Xiaohan, LI Mingxin, LI Yaning, ZHANG Yini, GAO Yuanjingkun, GU Shaobin
    2025, 36(5):  1407-1412.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.011
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    To address the challenges of nutrient deficiency and plant growth in desertified areas, we screened and identified key strains with extracellular hydrolase production and phosphorus and potassium solubilizing functions from biological soil crusts (BSC), and evaluated their survival capabilities under stressed conditions. Among the 13 strains screened from BSC, YD-7 exhibited the highest activity for amylase and cellulase, with hydrolysis zone diameters of 2.27 and 1.70 cm, respectively. YD-8 and YD-5 exhibited the highest activity for protease, with hydrolysis zone diameters of 2.79 and 2.15 cm, respectively. In the tests for phosphorus and potassium solubilizing abilities, strains YD-5, YD-7, and YD-8 showed high activity, with soluble phosphorus contents of 43.66, 37.23, and 35.61 mg·L-1, respectively. Growth experiments under stress conditions indicated that these strains exhibited good growth characteristics (survival rate >50%) under conditions of PEG-6000 concentration below 10%, tempera-tures of 28-36 ℃, pH values of 4-9, and NaCl concentration below 3%. Analysis based on phylogenetic tree revealed that YD-5, YD-7, and YD-8 were identified as Acinetobacter haemolyticus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. All the three strains have the potential for improving the quality of desert soils.
    Simulation of the effect of soil organic matter on carbamazepine transport
    HAN Mengyuan, CHEN Feng-xian, SHI Yanan, CHEN Xijuan
    2025, 36(5):  1413-1421.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.015
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    Carbamazepine, one of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals in the environment, is a representa-tive pollutant in the category of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. It can easily enter soil and groundwater through recycled water irrigation and sludge application. However, the impact of soil organic matter on the transport of carbamazepine remains unknown. We investigated the transport behavior of carbamazepine using indoor saturated soil column experiments, complemented by simulations performed with Comsol Multiphysics. We compared the transport capacity of carbamazepine in high organic matter soil (22.7 g·kg-1) and low organic matter soil (8.0 g·kg-1), aiming to analyze the differences in carbamazepine transport and provide a theoretical basis for assessing agricultural soil and groundwater contamination risks associated with recycled water irrigation. The results showed that soil organic matter significantly affected the transport capacity of carbamazepine. In soil with high organic matter, carbamazepine exhibited weaker mobility, with a longer initial breakthrough time (2.86 h). In contrast, in soil with low organic matter, carbamazepine had stronger mobility, a shorter initial breakthrough time (1.67 h). The dynamic transport process of carbamazepine in soil column was simulated by numerical simulation. The results showed that high organic matter soil had a higher adsorption rate (5.54×10-8 mol·m-3·s-1) and adsorption amount (6.85×10-5 mol·kg-1 ), likely due to its larger surface area and greater number of adsorption sites. In contrast, low organic matter soil exhibited a lower adsorption rate (3.03×10-8 mol·m-3·s-1) and lower adsorption capacity (5.44×10-5 mol·kg-1), leading to faster transport. In summary, soil organic matter plays a crucial role in regulating carbamazepine transport. The transport and diffusion risk of carbamazepine is higher in low organic matter soils. Furthermore, numerical simulations using Comsol Multiphysics could effectively complement traditional experimental data, providing a valuable tool for predicting the environmental fate of carbamazepine in natural soils.
    Effect of nitrogen application rate on the production of weak-gluten wheat in rice stubble system
    TONG Hanwen, LI Chaosu, LIU Yike, FU Penghao, ZOU Juan, WU Bo, ZHU Zhanwang, ZHANG Ping
    2025, 36(5):  1422-1430.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202504.008
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    Weak-gluten wheat production prioritizes reduced grain protein content and wet gluten content as quality targets, creating a yield-quality trade-off under nitrogen (N) fertilization. We conducted a two-year field experiment in the rice stubble wheat system of the middle Yangtze River basin to evaluate the effects of six N application rates (0, 45, 90, 135, 180, and 225 kg·hm-2) on four wheat cultivars (Chuanmai 104, Mianmai 367, Shumai 1671, and Xikemai 8). The results showed that compared to annual variations and cultivar differences, N application exerted stronger influence on spike number per unit area (SA), kernels per spike (KS), SPAD value of penultimate leaf, nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFPN), protein content, and wet gluten content. Increasing N rates enhanced grain yield, SA, KS, and SPAD value of the upper two leaves (SPADS), and reduced 1000-kernel weight and PFPN. Agricultural nitrogen use efficiency (AFUEN) peaked at 90 kg N·hm-2, whereas protein content and wet gluten content reached minima at 45 kg·hm-2 before rising with higher N inputs. Yield for any cultivar was not significantly increased in both years when N exceeded 180 kg·hm-2. Mianmai 367 consistently met weak-gluten quality standards (protein content <12.0%, wet gluten content <24.0%) at N rates ≤135 kg·hm-2 across both years, achieving grain yield of 6030 kg·hm-2. Chuanmai 104, Shumai 1671, and Xikemai 8 required stricter N limitations (≤90 kg·hm-2), with a yield of 5550, 5397, and 5066 kg·hm-2 respectively. Grain yield showed significant positive correlations with SA and KS, while protein content was positively correlated with SPADS. In summary, the optimal N application range to synchronize yield and weak-gluten quality was 90-135 kg·hm-2, with Mianmai 367 as the most suitable cultivar. Enhancing spike number per unit area and kernels per spike while reducing SPADS should guide cultivar selection and N management for weak-gluten wheat production.
    Influence of coupling irrigation volume and organic nutrient solution formula on yield, quality, and water utilization efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes
    ZHANG Jiali, LU Xi, LI Jianming
    2025, 36(5):  1431-1439.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.016
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    The coupling of irrigation volume and organic nutrient solution plays an important role in improving the quality and yield of substrate-cultivated tomatoes. We used ‘Kade Yali’ tomatoes as the test material and adopted an organic substrate cultivation in a plastic greenhouse. Based on the irrigation amount (ET) calculated by the advanced decision-making irrigation model, three irrigation levels (I1: 1.2ET+1.4ET, I2: 1.0ET+1.2ET, I3: 0.8ET+1.0ET) were crossed with three organic nutrient solution formulations O1, O2, O3 [(N:P:K content mg·L-1) were 108:20:157, 103:20:205, 105:20:213 respectively], resulting in nine treatments. We examined the effects of the coupling of volume and organic nutrient solution formulations on growth, photosynthesis, yield, qua-lity, and water use efficiency of tomatoes in spring and autumn. The weights of each indicator were calculated using the analytic hierarchy process, entropy weight method, and a combination of weights based on game theory. The overall evaluation of each treatment was conducted using the TOPSIS method and the GRA method, and the most suitable water and fertilizer scheme was finally selected. The results showed that plant morphology and photosynthetic characteristics varied across treatments. The effect of irrigation volume was greater than that of the formulation of organic nutrient solution. Among them, the I1O2 treatment had the highest dry matter accumulation and yield in both spring and autumn crops, with 261 g and 5177 g in spring and 234 g and 4742 g in autumn, respectively. These values were significantly different from other treatments. The I3O2 treatment had the highest water use efficiency, with 35.66 and 35.42 g·kg-1 in spring and autumn crops, respectively, an increase of 1.9%-13.8% and 3.8%-26.5% compared to other treatments. The lycopene content of the I3O3 treatment was 0.73 mg·kg-1. The I1O2 treatment had the highest sugar-acid ratio of 9.65, soluble protein (207.45 mg·g-1), and Vc content (152.14 mg·kg-1). The most influential factor in the comprehensive evaluation of the treatments was yield, followed by water use efficiency. The I1O2 treatment had the highest comprehensive evaluation value, representing the optimal combination of tomato yield, quality, and water use efficiency.
    Temporal and spatial variations of high temperature in Ningxia wolfberry producing area, Northwest China from 1961 to 2023
    XU Rui, LI Yang, YANG Jianling, JIANG Linlin
    2025, 36(5):  1440-1448.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.027
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    Better understanding the long-term and regional variation of summer high temperature weather in Ning-xia is of great significance for the cultivation, agricultural activities and high-quality development of Lycium barbarum industry. Based on the June-August meteorological data of 21 national meteorological observation stations in Ningxia from 1961 to 2023, we evaluated the long-term variations of average maximum temperature, extreme maximum temperature, number of hot days, heat wave frequency and maximum apparent temperature in summer, and analyzed the regional variations of hot weather after the abrupt change of trend. The results showed that the average maximum temperature of June, July, August in wolfberry producing area of Ningxia were 27.5, 29.2 and 27.4 ℃ from 1961 to 2023, respectively, and the warming rates were 0.39, 0.36 and 0.25 ℃·(10 a) -1, all of which had abrupt changes in the 2000s. The high temperature area after the mutation mainly concentrated in the middle and northern Ningxia producing area. The monthly extreme maximum temperature of June, July and August were 32.3, 33.7 and 32.5 ℃, respectively, which increased significantly at a rate of 0.30, 0.45 and 0.33 ℃·(10 a) -1. There was an abrupt change from 2002 to 2010, and most of the extreme maximum temperature in the middle and northern Ningxia wolfberry producing areas reached higher than 35 ℃ after the mutation. Accordingly, the number of hot days and heat waves showed an increasing trend, and the frequency of the two appeared the highest in July, and Wuzhong, Zhongning, Helan and other producing areas were greatly affected. The maximum apparent temperature increased significantly in summer, with the increase rates of 0.45, 0.41 and 0.31 ℃·(10 a) -1 in June, July and August. The abrupt change occurred around 2008, and the increase after mutation was 1.84, 1.77 and 1.54 ℃ compared with that before. Under the influence of wind speed and humidity, the average maximum apparent tempera-ture in June, July and August were 1.10, 2.42 and 2.29 ℃ higher than the average maximum temperature. Air temperature was the main factor driving the level of apparent temperature. Wind speed was a secondary factor in June to July, and relative humidity was a secondary factor in August. We should pay more attention to the influence of wolfberry high temperature stress caused by temperature change under the background of climate warming, and strengthen the ability of high temperature warning and defense.
    Spatial network correlation and driving factors of agricultural resilience in the Yangtze River Basin, China
    QIN Huiyan, KONG Mengfei, ZHU Hongge
    2025, 36(5):  1449-1460.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.025
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    Agricultural resilience and stability are critical to achieving high quality agricultural development. We developed an agricultural resilience assessment framework with three dimensions: disturbance resistance, stability and innovation capacity. Then, we measured the agricultural resilience of 11 province-level regions in the Yangtze River Basin from 2011 to 2021, and applied social network to examine the spatial network characteristics of agricultural resilience, employed quadratic assignment procedure model to analyze key driving factors. The results showed that, from 2011 to 2021, the agricultural resilience of different provinces in the Yangtze River basin had some differences, but the overall average value showed an upward trend, increasing from 0.28 in 2011 to 0.38 in 2021. The overall network connection of agricultural resilience among the provinces in the Yangtze River Basin was not close. Results of individual network and block model analysis showed that Hubei Province played a crucial role in the overall network, with the spillover relation number of 4 and a beneficiary relation number of 10. Agricultural human capital, market scale, and ecological governance level had a significant positive impact on regional agricultural resilience, with the model explaining 94.2% of the variance. To effectively enhance agricultural resilience in the Yangtze River basin, it is essential to promote coordinated and shared agricultural development, strengthen agricultural education, continuously deepen agricultural system reform and supply-side structural reform, and adhere to ecological governance.
    Analyzing water balance characteristics with remote sensing evapotranspiration data in Zhangwu County, Liaoning Province, China
    ZHOU Quanlai, LIU Zhimin, YU Hang, MA Qun, LIANG Wei, JIANG Yan, ZHANG Jiaqi, MA Yingpei
    2025, 36(5):  1461-1468.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.023
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    Clarifying the characteristics of water balance is the key to ecological environment protection and sustainable management of water resources. Based on 2017, 2020 and 2023 land use remote sensing images, MOD16A2 remote sensing evapotranspiration images and meteorological data, using land use dynamic degree model and remote sensing data inversion, we examined the temporal and spatial dynamics, evapotranspiration dynamics, and precipitation dynamics of different land-use types in Zhangwu County of Liaoning Province, and quantified the interannual and seasonal dynamics of regional water balance. The results showed that Zhangwu County featured an agricultural-dominated with mixed farming-grazing system. During the study period, farmland and grassland accounted for 86.5% of the total area, serving as primary evapotranspiration sources, while construction land only accounted for 9.0%. The comprehensive land-use dynamic degree decreased, suggesting stabilization of ecological elements toward a sustainable pattern. The evapotranspiration (388.2 mm) was the main water loss pathway, with a threshold temperature of 15.9 ℃ triggering significant evapotranspiration increase. Evapotranspiration exhibited higher values in growing season than non-growing season, and in years with abundant precipitation versus dry years. The annual water budget showed an average surplus of 86.7 mm, with soil moisture dynamics cycling through stable (November-February), depletion (March-June), and replenishment (July-October) periods. A water balance management strategy for soil moisture in farmland should be formulated during the soil moisture depletion and replenishment periods, to meet the water balance and ensure the sustainability of water resources of Zhangwu County.
    Response of gross primary productivity to compound dry-hot events in Xilingol Grassland, China
    ZHANG Yuan, GUO Enliang, WANG Yongfang, KANG Yao, WU Jisiguleng
    2025, 36(5):  1469-1477.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.029
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    We explored the impacts of compound dry-hot events on gross primary productivity (GPP) of the Xilingol Grassland. Based on MODIS GPP data and TerraClimate datasets, including potential evapotranspiration, maximum temperature, and precipitation, from 2000 to 2023 during the vegetation growing season (May to October), we constructed a standardized compound dry and hot index (SCDHI) by using the standardized temperature index (STI) and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). We then used Theil-Sen trend analysis and the Mann-Kendall non-parametric test to analyze the spatiotemporal variations of SCDHI and GPP, and used partial correlation analysis and ridge regression analysis methods to quantitatively assess the relationships between STI, SPEI, SCDHI, and GPP, as well as their relative contribution. The results showed that GPP of the study area during the growing season showed a non-significant upward trend (0.79 g C·m-2·a-1) from 2000 to 2023, while the SCDHI decreased at a non-significant rate of 0.005·a-1. In 84.3% of the study area, there was a positive correlation between SPEI and GPP, and the area with a significant negative correlation accounted for only 0.2%. In 69% of the study area, STI was negatively correlated with GPP, while in a few areas, it was positively correlated, with the area of significant positive correlation accounting for 1.8%. In most areas, SCDHI was negatively correlated with GPP, and the significant negative correlation areas were mainly distributed in the central and western parts, accounting for 47% of the area. In the study area, SPEI had the significant dominant regulatory effect on GPP in the northeastern and southern regions, STI had a relatively significant contribution to GPP in the northwestern part of Sunite Left Banner and Duolun County. Meanwhile, GPP in the western and southern regions was greatly affected by compound dry and hot events. This study is of importance for deepening the understanding of the formation mechanisms of compound dry-hot events and guiding the development of disaster prevention and mitigation strategies in the region.
    Assessing the changes of habitat quality and its influencing factor in the Shanxi Section of the Yellow River Basin based on InVEST-MGWR model
    HAO Zixuan, MA Jiakai, WANG Ao, WANG Jinfang, ZHEN Zhilei
    2025, 36(5):  1478-1486.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.021
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    Shanxi Province acts as a critical ecological barrier in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and is an important area for ecological protection and high-quality development. With the data of land use, elevation, and gross domestic product (GDP) of the Shanxi section of the Yellow River Basin (SYRB) in 2000, 2010, and 2020, we employed the InVEST, Fragstats, and multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) models to investigate the distribution characteristics of habitat quality and its influencing factors within the SYRB. The results showed that cultivated land, forest, and grassland were the predominant land use types, followed by construction land and water area, while unused land accounted for small proportion. Between 2000 and 2020, the area of cultivated land in the SYRB had decreased and that of construction land had continuously increased. Habitat quality in the SYRB exhibited a declining trend, with a significant increase in the area of low-quality habitat, while change in high-qua-lity habitat area was not pronounced. Spatially, the habitat quality exhibited a pattern with higher values in the southeast and northwest, and lower values in the central and southwestern regions. The GDP and the rate of land urbanization negatively impacted habitat quality, exhibiting significant negative influences on the Zhongtiao Mountains in the south, the Taiyue Mountains in the east, and the Lyuliang Mountains in the west. Conversely, the aggregation index positively influenced habitat quality, with the range gradually expanding from the central area to the periphery and diminishing over time. The contagion index primarily exhibited negative impact on area with low habitat quality. The patch richness index mainly demonstrated a negative influence on area with high habitat quality. The Shannon evenness index predominantly affected habitat quality negatively in area with high vegetation coverage. Our results indicated the complex interaction between ecosystems and human activities. This study would provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of effective ecological protection policies and the sustainable development of ecosystems.
    Identification and measurement of potential land use conflicts in “production-living-ecological” overlapping spaces of Chang’an District, Xi’an City, China
    DONG Qingrong, ZHAO Ruonan, WANG Pei, YAO Longjie, ZHU Zongbin, DAI Wenjing, YUE Bangrui
    2025, 36(5):  1487-1495.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.024
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    Under the backgrounds of urbanization expansion, agricultural development transformation, and the steady advancement of ecological civilization construction, identifying and measuring land use conflicts in production-living-ecological overlapping spaces is crucial for the coordinated development of national land space. We integrated two potential land use conflicts identification methods: production-living-ecological functional characterization and multi-scenario simulation, incorporated ecological risk theory to develop a research framework based on scenario simulation-potential conflicts identification-potential conflicts measurement. We identified and measured potential land use conflicts in three scenarios for Chang’an District of Xi’an in 2030. The results showed that under the ecological bottom-line scenario, Chang’an District experienced the least land use change in 2030, maintaining a relatively stable regional ecological security level, with the smallest potential land use conflicts area of 198.91 km2. Across the three scenarios, the area of living-ecological conflicts was significantly larger than that of production-ecological conflicts. The total area of comprehensive potential land use conflicts in Chang’an District was 332.93 km2, with severe conflicts concentrated in the Qinling Mountains’ foothills, as well as the Fenghe and Juehe River basins, involving 35 villages.
    Permafrost dynamics in the Northern Hemisphere under future climate scenarios based on CMIP6
    TIAN Qixuan, LIU Jianzhao, ZENG Fanchao, YANG Ming, TANG Qinrong, ZHENG Jie, ZUO Yunjiang, WANG Nannan, YAO Xiaochen, SONG Yanyu
    2025, 36(5):  1496-1506.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.026
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    Global warming is increasingly affecting permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere, with permafrost degradation being one of the most serious consequences of climate change on the cryosphere. Based on the CMIP6 soil temperature data from 15 different earth system models (ESMs) (ACCESS-CM2, ACCESS-ESM1-5, BCC-CSM2-MR, CanESM5, CESM2, CESM2-WACCM, EC-Earth3, FGOALS-f3-L, IPSL-CM6A-LR, MIROC6, MPI-ESM1-2-HR, MPI-ESM1-2-LR, MRI-ESM2-0, NorESM2-LM, NorESM2-MM), we analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of the permafrost area and active layer thickness (ALT) in the Northern Hemisphere under different future emission scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585), aiming to clarify the main environmental driving factors affecting the changes in ALT. Results showed significant discrepancies in the simulation capabilities of ALT across ESMs. Based on the analysis of the four optimal performance ESMs (MPI-ESM1-2-LR, ACCESS-ESM1-5, MPI-ESM1-2-HR, and BCC-CSM2-MR), we found that the reduction rate of permafrost area significantly accele-rated from 2015 to 2100 under high emission scenarios (SSP370, SSP585), and the rate of permafrost area decline under SSP585 scenario was eight times that of SSP126 scenario. The permafrost area would increase under SSP126 scenario, but it would continue to decrease under SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585 scenarios. ALT was projected to increase significantly under all four scenarios, with the annual increasing rate under SSP585 being 22 times higher than SSP126. Furthermore, we found that the end time of annual permafrost thawing would gradually change from September to November, leading to an extension of the thawing period. Key factors, such as air temperature, air humidity, vegetation leaf area index, snow cover, and wind speed showed positive effects on permafrost degradation in most regions, while soil moisture showed negative effect. Overall, future greenhouse gas emission controls would offer potential pathways to mitigate the risk of rapid permafrost degradation in the Northern Hemisphere.
    Effects of seven kinds of sound sources on electroencephalogram physiology of tourists in forest park
    HUI Tengfei, ZHANG Jie, YANG Zhi, PEI Xuan, SONG Shiyu, ZHU Aiyun, GAO Wei, ZHANG Chunlan
    2025, 36(5):  1507-1518.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.022
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    As one of the important environmental factors, sound source in forest park has an important influence on people’s visiting experience. In this study, we examined the responses of 32 university students to seven kinds of sound sources in forest park by electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, and analyzed the effects of sound sources on tourists’ EEG physiology. The results showed that different sound sources had certain effects on improving tou-rists’ sense of security, pleasure and fatigue. Three sound sources, including water sound, insect sound, and rain sound, were the best in improving tourists’ sense of security. Wind and traffic noise had negative impacts on tou-rists’ sense of security. Tourists had the highest sense of pleasure when listening to the rain, followed by the sound of water and insects. In the effect of relieving tourists’ fatigue, the sounds of rain, bird singing, water flow and wind sound were the best. Traffic and human activity sounds, two kinds of artificial sound sources, could not alle-viate people’s fatigue. In the different genders, EEG response of females was greater than that of males. Females felt the safest when hearing flowing water, while males felt the safest with the sound of rain. This study revealed the differences in the influence of sound source types on people’s EEG physiology. In the future, the design of forest park should build soundscape according to the use requirements and give full consideration of its positive effects.
    Spatial-temporal variations and driving factors of coastal aquaculture ponds in China from 1985 to 2023
    ZHAO Qingyun, WANG Xiaojie, ZHANG Qingwen, LONG Xiang, SONG Yang, LU Feng, SONG Jianbin, ZHANG Baohua, HAN Guangxuan
    2025, 36(5):  1519-1530.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.028
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    As the world’s largest marine aquaculture country, China accounts for over 60% of the global aquaculture total production. The development of coastal aquaculture is of great significance for ensuring food security in China and even globally. Meanwhile, it also affects the ecological environment of coastal wetlands. Based on remote sensing images and socio-economic data from 1985 to 2023, and in line with the scope of coastal wetlands defined by The Ramsar Convention, we adopted an object-oriented classification method to explore the spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of coastal aquaculture ponds in China (excluding Taiwan Province, the same below). The results showed that the area of coastal aquaculture ponds in China generally presented an increasing trend from 1985 to 2023. The growth rate was 68.3 km2 per year from 1985 to 2010 and decreased to 17.1 km2 per year from 2010 to 2023. From 1985 to 2023, aquaculture ponds in different typical coastal regions of China exhibited obvious spatial variations. Specifically, the areas of aquaculture ponds in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay and Beibu Gulf showed obvious expansion trends, while those in the Yellow River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. The main sources of the expansion of aquaculture ponds were muddy beaches (38.8%), offshore waters (33.3%), and coastal wetland vegetation (14.1%). During the study period, there was a significant negative correlation between the area of mudflats and the expansion of aquaculture ponds, while built-up land, population size and GDP showed significant positive correlations with coastal aquaculture ponds. The expansion of coastal aquaculture ponds was mainly occupied coastal wetland, and it is necessary to coordinate the development and protection of coastal wetlands.
    The importance of cryptophytes in phytoplankton community in Xiangshan Bay
    WANG Peng, JIANG Zhibing, ZHU Yuanli, SUN Zhenhao, JIANG Yulu, LIN Hua, ZENG Jiangning
    2025, 36(5):  1531-1539.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.035
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    Cryptophytes, as an important phytoplankton group, are usually neglected under traditional microscopical examination. We investigated the spatial and temporal variations of cryptophyte abundances in Xiangshan Bay (XSB) and their importance in the phytoplankton community using data from phytoplankton and environmental factors across four seasons in 2021. We found significant seasonal and spatial differences in cryptophyte abundances in XSB. On the seasonal scale, cryptophyte abundances (cells·mL-1) showed summer (3944) > winter (2533) > spring (271) > autumn (199). On the spatial scale, cryptophyte abundance showed the lower section (2179) > middle section (1799) > upper section (897). The relative abundances of cryptophytes (61.7% and 43.5%) were higher than those of diatoms (5.7% and 32.1%) in both spring and autumn, and the dominance of cryptophytes (21.9% and 22.3%) was second only to diatoms (76.3% and 74.5%) in winter and summer. Similarity percentage analyses showed that cryptophytes contributed largely (>11.2%) to the seasonal and spatial variations in the phytoplankton community in XSB, which occupied an important position in the phytoplankton community. The genera-lized additive models showed that the seasonal variation in cryptophyte abundances was mainly regulated by tempera-ture and that the spatial distribution was mainly influenced by salinity and dissolved reactive phosphorus. The spatial and temporal variation in cryptophyte relative abundances was mainly regulated by temperature. Our results indicated that the environment with low temperature, low salinity, and high dissolved reactive phosphorus might be more favourable for the growth of cryptophytes in XSB.
    Reviews
    Allelopathy and chemical communication among plants: Questions and reflections
    KONG Chuihua, WANG Peng
    2025, 36(5):  1540-1552.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.031
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    Allelopathy and chemical communication among plants are the chemical response strategies of plants to coexisting intra- and inter-specific plants. Such intra- and inter-specific chemical interactions of plants actively affect their survival and reproduction, population and community dynamics, as well as ecosystem productivity. Allelopathy and chemical communication are respectively mediated by allelochemicals and signaling chemicals produced and released by plants, while signaling chemicals-mediated recognition and communication may activate the corresponding mechanism of allelopathy among plants. Recent studies have found the chemical recognition among relatives within the same plant species, which can coordinate root behavior, flowering, reproduction, and inter-specific allelopathy through conspecific cooperation caused by kin recognition. Although considerable progress has been made in allelopathy and chemical communication among plants, their role in driving temporal and spatial variations of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems, are far more complex than expected, and hold many worth exploring questions. Accordingly, we elaborated thoughts in allelopathy and chemical communication from five aspects: plant competition and allelopathy and kin recognition, allelopathy and neighbor identity recognition, positive and negative interactions and their utilization strategies, root signal-mediated below- and above-ground interactions, and allelochemicals and signaling chemicals as well as their dynamic capture and identification. The aim of this review was to promote peers to re-examine the chemical interactions among plant species and their effects on plant communities and ecosystems from a new insight and perspective.
    Ecological functions of plant-beneficial microbiomes and their application prospects in sustainable agriculture
    WANG Zhiyao, ZHONG Yujun, WANG Yongfeng, XIE Ninghui, ZHANG Ying, JIANG Zhi-yang, SHI Rongjiu, LIANG Xiaolong
    2025, 36(5):  1553-1566.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202504.036
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    Soil microbial communities form dynamic interaction networks with plants, which influence growth, development, stress tolerance, and ecological adaptability of plants. In recent years, the roles of beneficial micro-biomes, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and plant-associated bacteriophages, in agricultural ecosystems have received increasing attention. Beneficial microorganisms can facilitate soil nutrient release, secrete plant hormones, and regulate signaling pathways, thereby establishing symbiotic relationships with plant for healthy host growth. They also play crucial roles in enhancing plant tolerance to salinity, drought, and pest-related stresses. Bacteriophages, as integral components of plant microbiomes, exhibit potential ecological functions, such as modulating host metabolism, boosting plant resistance, and maintaining microbial community balance. However, the mechanisms through which plant-associated microbiomes influence plant physiological traits remain less understood. The application of exogenous microorganisms in agriculture faces many challenges, such as competition from native microbiomes, environmental adaptability, and functional stabi-lity. We summarized the ecological functions of plant-beneficial microbiomes, including bacteriophages, in agricultural systems, highlighting their synergistic roles in soil health maintenance, nutrient cycling optimization, biodiversity conservation, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs. Furthermore, we discussed the complex mechanisms underlying plant-microbiome-environment interactions and proposed strategies for optimizing microbiome functions to promote sustainable development of agriculture and ensuring food security and ecological balance.
    Advance in NRAMP gene functions in regulating plant heavy metal absorption and transport
    MA Jun, LI Shan, WU Yasheng, HE Chaoxing
    2025, 36(5):  1567-1578.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.033
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    Toxic heavy metals in soil may inhibit plant growth and seriously affect crop yield and quality. Natural resistance-associated macrophage transporter proteins (NRAMP) are widely distributed in the plasma and vacuolar membranes of roots, stems, and leaves. The amino acid sequences of NRAMP are highly conserved and have similar secondary structures among species. These proteins regulate the absorption of heavy metals in soil and their isolation, distribution, and transport to the stem from root. NRAMP gene plays an important role in regulating the absorption and tolerance of heavy metal in soil. Here, we reviewed the structural characteristics of NRAMP family members and their absorption, transport, accumulation, and detoxification effects on various heavy metals in different plant species. The mechanism and regulatory pathway of plant NRAMP gene affecting soil heavy metal absorption were discussed, which might provide a reference for further revealing the mechanism of plant NRAMP family and promoting the improvement of soil producing environment.
    Discussion on problems in the development and application of crop growth model
    GUO Jianping
    2025, 36(5):  1579-1589.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.012
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    Smart agriculture is an important direction for agricultural development. As a digital tool for accurate management and intelligent decision-making of crop production, crop growth model is one of the core technologies of smart agriculture, which is called smart agricultural brain. Here, I introduced the development history of crop growth models in recent decades, which included germination stage, initial stage, rapid research and development stage, deep development stage, improvement and application stage. The characteristics and limitations of several typical models (Wageningen series models, DSSAT model, APSIM model, STICS model, etc.) widely used in the world were emphatically introduced. There are many shortcomings in the application of current crop growth models, mainly manifested in the weak generalization ability and poor migration ability of crop growth models, which limited the regional application ability of the models. The mechanism of response of crop growth and development to environmental factors was not well understood. Meanwhile, the quantitative expression model needed to be improved. The lack of quantitative description of adverse effects such as extreme weather events, pests and diseases affected the simulation accuracy of the model. It was difficult to balance the complexity of the model and the convenience of application. The application of crop growth models was not sufficiently integrated with current new technologies. The insufficient interpretability of genetic parameters in crop growth models impacted the prediction ability of the models.
    Metacommunity theory and its application in community ecology of nematodes
    ZHANG Sisi, GUAN Pingting, YANG Jingjing, WU Donghui
    2025, 36(5):  1590-1598.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.032
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    The mechanism underlying community assembly is a core content in the fields of biogeography and community ecology. Understanding community assembly is of great significance for biodiversity conservation. The theory of metacommunity incorporates spatial dynamics into community ecology, elucidating how ecological processes drive community construction at local and regional scales. Metacommunities originated from plant community ecology and have been extensively studied in large animal and plant communities. In recent years, they have also begun to be applied to small- and micro -animal communities. Nematodes are the most diverse and abundant animals, capable of predicting environmental changes at multiple scales, and are model organisms for the study of community assembly theory. We introduced the main content of the theory of nematode assemblages, and reviewed research progress on nematode assemblages in marine, freshwater, and soil habitats. We further proposed to optimize nematode classification methods and enrich the research scale of nematode assemblages in the future, aiming to improve the research content of nematode assemblages and further promote the research and development of community assembly mechanisms in community ecology.
    Research progress on sex pheromones in aquatic animals
    WU Junyi, LIANG Jun, LI Xueting, XU Kaida, ZHANG Tao, SHI Huilai
    2025, 36(5):  1599-1608.  doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.202505.034
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    Sex pheromones, as key mediators of chemical communication in organisms, are important for regulating species behaviour and ecological relationships. During the reproductive phase, these substances can be used to induce directed convergence and specific behavioural responses in individuals of the same species and opposite sex. However, there are significant technical challenges in studying aquatic animal pheromones, primarily the limited sensitivity and specificity of detection methods. The pheromonal compositions and mechanistic pathways across many species remain unclear. Given the transmission properties of aquatic environmental media for chemical signals, in-depth analyses of the interactions between sex pheromones and the sensory systems and reproductive strategies of animals will help to unravel their adaptive mechanisms. This review clarified the conceptual framework of pheromones, synthesized current knowledge on their sources, release pathways, chemical profiles, and target species in aquatic animals, and examined their functional roles during reproduction. We further prospected the future practical applications of sex pheromone research, aiming to provide reference for aquatic animal diversity conservation, ecological restoration and aquatic animal management.