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Managing and Regulating Plant (Vegetation)–Environment (Soil-Affected Land, Coastal Zone and Arid Areas) Interactions for a Better Eco-Environment and Sustainable Productivity

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 12082

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hongbo Shao

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Guest Editor

1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-Agriculture, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224002, China
2. Salt-Soil Agricultural Center(SSAC), Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences(JAAS), Nanjing 210014, China
Interests: plant stress biology; molecular biology and biotechnology; plant (vegetation)–environment interactions; soil biology; plant nutrition, physiology and ecology under abiotic stress; bio-measures for salt-affected soil improvement and costal zone eco-environmental restoration; eco-marine fishery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are generally sessile organisms and are frequently exposed to stressful environments such as salt, water deficit (drought), low and high temperatures (heat and cold damage), and deficiency as well as excess in mineral nutrients. All factors related to water (including ocean water), soil, air, and the biosphere will influence the growth, development, and productivity of plants. Plants have evolved an array of complicated mechanisms to cope with these stresses. Environmental plant science is a research area that aims to elucidate how plants respond and adapt to stressful environments by monitoring the responding process and is an important theme of contemporary plant biology. Only plants can provide oxygen, food, feed, fibers, and building materials, and they are a diverse source of industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals. In addition, they are centrally important to the health of ecosystems and the management and maintenance of a sustainable biosphere. So, in an ever-changing world, plant biology is of the utmost importance for securing humankind's future well-being. Currently, plant biology is diversified into agricultural science, marine science, aquaculture, and soil science from the molecular level to ecosystem scale. It uses the latest developments in computer science, optics, molecular biology, and multi-omics to address challenges in model systems and agricultural crops and explores the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of both higher and lower plants, as well as their interactions with other organisms throughout the biosphere.

For the past 3 decades, plants have been extensively, deeply, and systemically studied, especially in terms of gene expression and regulation, immunity communication, signal transduction and recognition, and gene editing, but less attention has been paid to plant–environment interaction processes, especially in salt-affected soil, coastal zones and arid environments, including low-producing arable land. The above land area makes up about 50% of China’s arable land and 30% of the coastline area of China. Based on plant measures (as the first productivity or environmental indicators), how to monitor the plant (vegetation)–environment interaction process, how to improve soil-affected soils (low-productivity land), how to conduct eco-marine aquaculture, and how to ecologically protect and restore soil environments and coastal zones for sustainable development will remain a global challenge for a long time. All the traditional and modern practical measures for agriculture and eco-environmental construction aim to better manage and regulate plant–environment corresponding relationships, and all their actions and interactions are made true under the SPAC (soil–plant–atmosphere continuum) system, which aims at managing and regulating plant (vegetation)–environment (soil-affected land, coastal zone, and arid areas) interactions for a better eco-environment and sustainable productivity. These actions include various kinds of fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, and interactions include processes, mechanisms, and function performance. Therefore, this Special Issue will mainly focus on, but is not limited to, soil-affected land (including low-productivity land) and the coastal zone environment in terms of improving soil-affected land, eco-marine aquaculture, and eco-restoring coastal zones (from nearshore aquaculture to marshy wetland to coastal zones with decreasing salt concentration). The main areas of interest are listed below:

Salty soil improvement effect on plants (vegetation);
Plant (vegetation) responses to the improvement in salt-affected soil and eco-restoration of coastal zones;
Salty environment (arid land) monitoring for appropriate plant (vegetation) growth strategies;
Climate factors' impacts on plant (vegetation) growth in salty environments and arid areas;
Wetland ecology, eco-marine fishery, and impacts on phytoplankton, algae, and coastal plants;
Monitoring aquaculture evolution and impacts on coastal zone environments;
Bio-remediation for degraded soil (including polluted soil and low-productivity land ) in combination with microorganism methodology plus straw return land).

Prof. Dr. Hongbo Shao
Guest Editor

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Keywords

plant–environment interaction
salt-affected soil
arid environment
soil fertility increase and maintenance
costal zone
eco-marine fishery
eco-aquaculture
improvement
eco-restoration

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3712 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plants Restoration Drives the Gobi Soil Microbial Diversity for Improving Soil Quality

by Lizhi Wang, Junyong Ma, Qifeng Wu, Yongchao Hu and Jinxiao Feng

Plants 2024, 13(15), 2159; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152159 - 5 Aug 2024

Viewed by 904

Abstract

Desertification and salt stress are major causes of terrestrial ecosystem loss worldwide, and the Gobi, representing a salt-stressed area in inland China, has a major impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity of its surrounding environment. The restoration of the Gobi Desert is an important way to control its expansion, but there are few studies on the evaluation of restoration. In this study, soils under different restoration scenarios, namely, soils in restored areas (R1, R2), semi-restored areas (SR1, SR2), and unrestored control areas (C1, C2), were used to investigate differences in microbial diversity and physicochemical properties. The results showed that the soil was mainly dominated by particles of 4–63 μm (26.45–37.94%) and >63 μm (57.95–72.87%). Across the different restoration levels, the soil pH (7.96–8.43) remained basically unchanged, salinity decreased from 9.23–2.26 to 0.24–0.25, and water content remained constant (10.98–12.27%) except for one restored sample in which it was higher (22.32%). The effective Al, Cu, and Zn in the soil increased, but only slightly. Total organic matter (TOM) decreased from 3.86–5.20% to 1.31–1.47%, and total organic nitrogen (TON) decreased from 0.03–0.06% to 0.01–0.02%, but the difference in total organic carbon (TOC) was not significant. High-throughput testing revealed that the bacterial population of the restored area was dominated by A4b (6.33–9.18%), MND1 (4.94–7.39%), and Vicinamibacteraceae (7.04–7.39%). Regarding archaea, samples from the restored areas were dominated by Marine Group II (76.17–81.49%) and Candidatus Nitrososphaera (6.07–9.75%). PCoA showed that the different restoration levels were the main cause of the differences between the samples. Additionally, salinity was the dominant factor that induced this difference, but it was inhibited by the restoration and targeted enrichment of some of these functional genera. Desert restoration should therefore focus on conserving water rather than adding nutrients. Planting salt- and drought-tolerant vegetation will contribute to the initial restoration of the desert and the restoration of the microbiological content of the soil as it migrates over time, creating a cycle of elements. Restoration stimulates and enhances the microbial diversity of the soil via beneficial microorganisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Managing and Regulating Plant (Vegetation)–Environment (Soil-Affected Land, Coastal Zone and Arid Areas) Interactions for a Better Eco-Environment and Sustainable Productivity)

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19 pages, 12073 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Grassland Resilience and Influencing Factors in the West Songnen Plain, China, for Eco-Restoration

by Gefei Wang, Zhenyu Shi, Huiqing Wen, Yansu Bo, Haoming Li and Xiaoyan Li

Plants 2024, 13(13), 1860; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131860 - 5 Jul 2024

Viewed by 635

Abstract

Grassland plays an indispensable role in the stability and development of terrestrial ecosystems. Quantitatively assessing grassland resilience is of great significance for conducting research on grassland ecosystems. However, the quantitative measurement of resilience is difficult, and research on the spatio-temporal variation of grassland resilience remains incomplete. Utilizing the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) leaf area index (LAI) product derived from MODIS remote sensing data, along with land cover and meteorological data, this paper constructed the grassland resilience index (GRI) in the west Songnen Plain, China, a typical region with salt and alkali soils. This paper analyzed the spatio-temporal changes of the GRI and explored the contribution of climate factors, human activities, and geographical factors to the GRI. The results revealed that from 2000 to 2021, the GRI in the study area ranged from 0.1 to 0.22, with a multi-year average of 0.14. The average GRI exhibited a pattern of high-value aggregations in the north and low-value distributions in the south. Trend analysis indicated that areas with an improved GRI accounted for 59.09% of the total grassland area, but there were still some areas with serious degradation. From 2000 to 2015, the latitude and mean annual temperature (MAT) were principal factors to control the distribution of the GRI. In 2020, the mean annual precipitation (MAP) and MAT played important roles in the distribution of the GRI. From 2000 to 2021, the influence of human activities was consistently less significant compared to geographical location and climate variables. Full article

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13 pages, 2005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Acidification Can Be Improved under Different Long-Term Fertilization Regimes in a Sweetpotato–Wheat Rotation System

by Huan Zhang, Lei Wang, Weiguo Fu, Cong Xu, Hui Zhang, Xianju Xu, Hongbo Ma, Jidong Wang and Yongchun Zhang

Plants 2024, 13(13), 1740; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131740 - 24 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1264

Abstract

Soil acidification is a significant form of agricultural soil degradation, which is accelerated by irrational fertilizer application. Sweetpotato and wheat rotation has emerged as an important rotation system and an effective strategy to optimize nutrient cycling and enhance soil fertility in hilly areas, which is also a good option to improve soil acidification and raise soil quality. Studying the effects of different fertilization regimes on soil acidification provides crucial data for managing it effectively. An eight-year field experiment explored seven fertilizer treatments: without fertilization (CK), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilization (PK), nitrogen (N) and K fertilization (NK), NP fertilization (NP), NP with K chloride fertilization (NPK1), NP with K sulfate fertilization (NPK2), and NPK combined with organic fertilization (NPKM). This study focused on the soil acidity, buffering capacity, and related indicators. After eight years of continuous fertilization in the sweetpotato–wheat rotation, all the treatments accelerated the soil acidification. Notably, N fertilization reduced the soil pH by 1.30–1.84, whereas N-deficient soil showed minimal change. Organic fertilizer addition resulted in the slowest pH reduction among the N treatments. Both N-deficient (PK) and organic fertilizer addition (NPKM) significantly increased the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) by 8.83% and 6.55%, respectively, compared to CK. Similar trends were observed for the soil-buffering capacity (pHBC). NPK2 increased the soil K⁺ content more effectively than NPK1. NPKM reduced the sodium and magnesium content compared to CK, with the highest magnesium content among the treatments at 1.60 cmol·kg⁻¹. Regression tree analysis identified the N input and soil magnesium and calcium content as the primary factors influencing the pHBC changes. Structural equation modeling showed that the soil pH is mainly influenced by the soil ammonium N content and pHBC, with coefficients of −0.28 and 0.29, respectively. Changes in the soil pH in the sweetpotato–wheat rotation were primarily associated with the pHBC and N input, where the CEC content emerged as the main factor, modulated by magnesium and calcium. Long-term organic fertilization enhances the soil pHBC and CEC, slowing the magnesium reduction and mitigating soil acidification in agricultural settings. Full article

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Change in the soil pH under different long-term fertilizer treatment. CK, no fertilization; PK, PK fertilization; NK, NP fertilization; NP, NP fertilization; NPK1, N and P with potassium sulfate fertilization, NPK2, N and P with potassium chloride fertilization; NPKM, N, P, and K fertilization combined with organic fertilization; values followed by different letters differ significantly among the different fertilization treatments (p < 0.05); I, II, and III indicate the 2012–2014, 2015–2017, and 2018–2020 years, respectively; horizontal bars within boxes represent the median. The tops and bottoms of boxes represent the 75th and 25th quartiles, respectively. The upper and lower whiskers represent the range of non-outlier data values. The square point inside the box represents the average value of the data. Full article ">Figure 2
Influence of fertilizer treatment on the cation exchange capacity (CEC). CK, no fertilization; PK, PK fertilization; NK, NP fertilization; NP, NP fertilization; NPK1, N and P with potassium sulfate fertilization, NPK2, N and P with potassium chloride fertilization; NPKM, N, P, and K fertilization combined with organic fertilization; values followed by different letters differ significantly among the different fertilization treatments (p < 0.05); the data are expressed as means ± standard deviation. Full article ">Figure 3
Soil titration curves under different fertilization treatments. CK, no fertilization; PK, PK fertilization; NK, NP fertilization; NP, NP fertilization; NPK1, N and P with potassium sulfate fertilization, NPK2, N and P with potassium chloride fertilization; NPKM, N, P, and K fertilization combined with organic fertilization. Full article ">Figure 4
Relative importance of factors affecting the soil pHBC change. NF, nitrogen fertilization; KF, potassium fertilization; MF, organic fertilization; PF, phosphorus fertilization. Full article ">Figure 5
Structural equation modeling of the pH, pHBC, CEC and each cation. (a): indirect effect of cationic ions on soil pH; (b) indirect effect of cationic ions on soil pHBC. The red and blue arrows indicate the positive and negative relationships between the indicators. The number above the arrow indicates the path coefficient. The solid line and the dashed line represent the significant path and the insignificant path, respectively (p < 0.05). The model fits the data well, that is, df = 8, p = 0.164, CFI = 0.967, RMSEA = 0.024. Full article ">

17 pages, 5206 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deficit Irrigation Effects on Cotton Growth Cycle and Preliminary Optimization of Irrigation Strategies in Arid Environment

by Meiwei Lin, Lei Wang, Gaoqiang Lv, Chen Gao, Yuhao Zhao, Xin Li, Liang He and Weihong Sun

Plants 2024, 13(10), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101403 - 17 May 2024

Viewed by 1300

Abstract

With the changing global climate, drought stress will pose a considerable challenge to the sustainable development of agriculture in arid regions. The objective of this study was to explore the resistance and water demand of cotton plants to water stress during the flowering and boll setting stage. The experimental plot was in Huaxing Farm of Changji city. The plots were irrigated, respectively, at 100% (as the control), 90%, 85% and 80% of the general irrigation amount in the local area. The relationship between the various measured indexes and final yield under different deficit irrigation (DI) treatments was studied. The results showed that deficit irrigation impacted the growth and development processes of cotton during the flowering and boll setting stage. There was a high negative correlation (R² > 0.95) between the maximum leaf area index and yield. Similarly, there was a high correlation between malondialdehyde content and yield. Meanwhile, 90% of the local cotton irrigation contributed to water saving and even increasing cotton yield. Furthermore, based on the results, the study made an initial optimization to the local irrigation scheme by utilizing the DSSAT model. It was found that changing the irrigation interval to 12 days during the stage could further enhance cotton yield and conserve resources. Full article

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15 pages, 3365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochar and Manure Co-Application Increases Rice Yield in Low Productive Acid Soil by Increasing Soil pH, Organic Carbon, and Nutrient Retention and Availability

by Dong Liang, Yunwang Ning, Cheng Ji, Yongchun Zhang, Huashan Wu, Hongbo Ma, Jianwei Zhang and Jidong Wang

Plants 2024, 13(7), 973; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070973 - 28 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1531

Abstract

In recent years, overuse of chemical fertilization has led to soil acidification and decreased rice yield productivity in southern China. Biochar and manure co-application remediation may have positive effects on rice yield and improve acid paddy soil fertility. This study was conducted to understand the effects of co-application of wood biochar and pig manure on rice yield and acid paddy soil quality (0–40 cm soil layers) in a 5-year field experiment. The experiment consisted of six treatments: no biochar and no fertilizer (CK); biochar only (BC); mineral fertilizer (N); mineral fertilizer combined with biochar (N + BC); manure (25% manure N replacing fertilizer N) combined with mineral fertilizer (MN); and manure combined with mineral fertilizer and biochar (MN + BC). Total nitrogen application for each treatment was the same at 270 kg nitrogen ha⁻¹y⁻¹, and 30 t ha⁻¹ biochar was added to the soil only in the first year. After five years, compared with N treatments, N + BC, MN, and MN + BC treatments increased the rice yield rate to 2.8%, 4.3%, and 6.3%, respectively, by improving soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and available phosphate under a 0–40 cm soil layer. MN + BC had the strongest resistance to soil acidification among all the treatments. The interaction between fertilizers and biochar application was significant (p < 0.05) in rice yield, soil electrical conductivity (10–20 cm), and soil available phosphate (20–40 cm). Principal component analysis indicated that the effect of manure on soil property was stronger than that of biochar in the 0–40 cm soil layer. The overall rice yield and soil fertility decreased in the order of biochar + mineral fertilizer + manure > mineral fertilizer + manure > biochar + mineral fertilizer > mineral fertilizer > biochar > control. These results suggest that biochar and manure co-application is a long-term viable strategy for improving acid soil productivity due to its improvements in soil pH, organic carbon, nutrient retention, and availability. Full article

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pH (a) and electrical conductivity (EC) (b) of the 0—40 cm soil layer under various treatments. Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences between the treatments (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 2
Field moisture capacity (FMC) of the 0—40 cmsoil layer under various treatments. Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences between the treatments (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 3
Soil organic matter (SOM) of the 0—40 cm soil layer under various treatments. Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences between the treatments (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 4
Total nitrogen-TN (a), available phosphorus-AP (b), and available potassium-AK (c) of the 0–40 cm soil layer under various treatments. Different letters in the same column indicate significant differences between the treatments (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 5
Correlation analysis between soil properties (0–40 cm soil layer) and rice yield. Note: EC: electrical conductivity; FMC: field moisture capacity; SOM: soil organic matter; TN: total nitrogen; AP: available phosphorus; AK: available potassium. * and ** indicate significant differences between the treatments (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Full article ">Figure 6
Principal component scatter plots of the soil properties (0–40 cm soil layer) for various treatments. Full article ">

17 pages, 2583 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Priestia aryabhattai on Phosphorus Fraction and Implications for Ecoremediating Cd-Contaminated Farmland with Plant–Microbe Technology

by Shenghan Yang, Yiru Ning, Hua Li and Yuen Zhu

Plants 2024, 13(2), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020268 - 17 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1439

Abstract

The application of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria has been widely studied in remediating Cd-contaminated soil, but only a few studies have reported on the interaction of P and Cd as well as the microbiological mechanisms with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria in the soil because the activity of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria is easily inhibited by the toxicity of Cd. This paper investigates the phosphorus solubilization ability of Priestia aryabhattai domesticated under the stress of Cd, which was conducted in a soil experiment with the addition of Cd at different concentrations. The results show that the content of Ca₂-P increased by 5.12–19.84%, and the content of labile organic phosphorus (LOP) increased by 3.03–8.42% after the addition of Priestia aryabhattai to the unsterilized soil. The content of available Cd decreased by 3.82% in the soil with heavy Cd contamination. Priestia aryabhattai has a certain resistance to Cd, and its relative abundance increased with the increased Cd concentration. The contents of Ca₂-P and LOP in the soil had a strong positive correlation with the content of Olsen-P (p < 0.01), while the content of available Cd was negatively correlated with the contents of Olsen-P, Ca₂-P, and LOP (p < 0.05). Priestia aryabhattai inhibits the transport of Cd, facilitates the conversion of low-activity P and insoluble P to Ca₂-P and LOP in the soil, and increases the bioavailability and seasonal utilization of P in the soil, showing great potential in ecoremediating Cd-contaminated farmland soil with plant–microbe-combined technology. Full article

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Figure 1
Purified Cd-resistant phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (a) as inorganic phosphorus medium and (b) as organophosphorus medium, and (c) phylogenetic tree of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria based on 16S rDNA sequence. Full article ">Figure 2
The content of Olsen-P in the soil of different treatment groups at 0 d (a) and 28 d (b). Note: error bars indicate standard error of the means (n = 3), different capital letters indicate significant differences between different Cd concentration at the same treatment (p < 0.05), and different lower-case letters indicate significant differences between different treatments at the same Cd concentration (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 3
The content of available Cd in the soil in different treatment groups. Note: Error bars indicate standard error of the means (n = 3). Different capital letters indicate significant differences between different Cd concentrations at the same treatment (p < 0.05), and different lowercase letters indicate significant differences between different treatments at the same Cd concentration (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 4
Schematic diagram of plant–microbe-combined technology ecoremediating Cd-contaminated farmland. Full article ">Figure 5
Correlation analysis of inorganic P, organic P forms, and available Cd of Cd-contaminated soil (28 d) after the application of Priestia aryabhattai. Note: red and blue circles indicate positive and negative correlation, respectively. Circles, from big to small indicate, indicate the decreased correlation from high to low. “*” sign in the circle indicates a significant difference between indicators (p < 0.05); “**” indicates a significant difference (p < 0.01) (Pearson correlation analysis). Full article ">Figure 6
Correlation analysis of soil microbial community composition with environmental factors. (a) Relative abundance of soil-dominant bacterial phyla (top 20). (b) Relative abundance of dominant soil bacterial genera (top 20). (c) Redundancy analysis (RDA) of soil-dominant bacterial genera and soil key phosphorus fractions: Cd in the active state (Note: the red arrows indicate the available Cd and phosphorus fraction, and the blue arrow indicate Bacillus). Full article ">

16 pages, 4847 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biogas Slurry Significantly Improved Degraded Farmland Soil Quality and Promoted Capsicum spp. Production

by Zichen Wang, Isaac A. Sanusi, Jidong Wang, Xiaomei Ye, Evariste Gueguim Kana and Ademola O. Olaniran

Plants 2024, 13(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020265 - 17 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1355

Abstract

This study reports on the effects of pretreated biogas slurry on degraded farm soil properties, microflora and the production of Capsicum spp. The responses of soil properties, microorganisms and Capsicum spp. production to biogas slurry pretreated soil were determined. The biogas slurry pretreatment of degraded soil increases the total nitrogen (0.15–0.32 g/kg), total phosphorus (0.13–0.75 g/kg), available phosphorus (102.62–190.68 mg/kg), available potassium (78.94–140.31 mg/kg), organic carbon content (0.67–3.32 g/kg) and pH value of the soil, while the population, diversity and distribution of soil bacteria and fungi were significantly affected. Interestingly, soil ammonium nitrogen, soil pH and soil nitrate nitrogen were highly correlated with the population of bacteria and fungi present in the pretreated soil. The soil with biogas slurry pretreatment of 495 m³/hm² favored the seedling survival rate, flowering rate and fruit-bearing rate of Capsicum spp. and significantly reduced the rate of rigid seedlings. In this study, the application of 495 m³/hm² biogas slurry to pretreat degraded soil has achieved the multiple goals of biogas slurry valorization, soil biofertilization and preventing and controlling plant diseases caused by soil-borne pathogenic microorganisms. These findings are of significant importance for the safe and environmentally friendly application of biogas slurry for soil pretreatment. Full article

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Changing trend of soil properties following biogas slurry pretreatment. (A): TN (total nitrogen); (B): NH4+-N (ammonium nitrogen); (C): NO3–-N (nitrate nitrogen); (D): TP (total phosphorus); (E): AP (available phosphorus); (F): AK (available potassium); (G): OC (organic carbon); (H): pH. The lowercase letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h in the figure show observable significant differences (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 2
Profile of culturable bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and Fusarium in biogas slurry pretreated soil. (A): bacteria; (B): fungi; (C): actinomycetes; (D): Fusarium. The lowercase letters a, b, c, d, e, f and g in the figure show observable significant differences (p < 0.05). Full article ">Figure 3
OTU cluster analysis and annotation results of soil bacteria and fungi in pretreated soil. (a): bacteria OUT number; (b): fungi OUT number. Full article ">Figure 4
Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) between soil bacteria (a,b), fungi (c,d) and soil properties. Full article ">Figure 4 Cont.
Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) between soil bacteria (a,b), fungi (c,d) and soil properties. Full article ">Figure 5
Growth of Capsicum spp. under different biogas slurry pretreatments. (A): survival rate of seedlings; (B): rigid seedlings rate; (C): plant height; (D): flowering plant rate; (E): fruit-bearing plant rate. The lowercase letters a, b, c, d and e in the figure show observable significant differences (p < 0.05). Full article ">

19 pages, 6335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Intertidal Vegetation (Suaeda salsa) Restoration on Microbial Diversity in the Offshore Areas of the Yellow River Delta

by Zhaohua Wang and Kai Liu

Plants 2024, 13(2), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020213 - 11 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1439

Abstract

The coastal wetlands in the Yellow River Delta play a vital role in the ecological function of the area. However, the impact of primary restoration on microbial communities is not yet fully understood. Hence, this study aimed to analyze the bacterial and archaeal communities in the soil. The results indicated that Marinobacter and Halomonas were predominant in the bacterial community during spring and winter. On the other hand, Muribaculaceae and Helicobacter were prevalent during the core remediation of soil, while Inhella and Halanaerobium were predominant in non-vegetation-covered high-salinity soil. The bacterial Shannon index showed significant differences in vegetation-covered areas. For archaea, Salinigranum, Halorubrum, and Halogranum were dominant in vegetation areas, while Halolamina, Halogranum, and Halorubrum were prevalent in non-vegetation areas. The colonization of Suaeda salsa led to differences in the composition of bacteria (22.6%) and archaea (29.5%), and salt was one of the significant reasons for this difference. The microflora was more diverse, and the elements circulated after vegetation grounding, while the microbial composition in non-vegetation areas was similar, but there was potential competition. Therefore, vegetation restoration can effectively restore soil ecological function, while the microorganisms in the soil before restoration provide germplasm resources for pollutant degradation and antimicrobial development. Full article

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15 pages, 3984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Evolution of Aquaculture along the Bohai Sea Coastline and Implications for Eco-Coastal Vegetation Restoration Based on Remote Sensing

by Zhaohua Wang and Kai Liu

Plants 2024, 13(2), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020160 - 6 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1227

Abstract

The expansion and intensification of coastal aquaculture around the Bohai Sea in China has reduced the tidal flats and damaged the coastal vegetation environment. However, there are few studies on the relationship between the evolution of coastal aquaculture and the variability of coastal vegetation, which limits our understanding of the impact of human activities on the coastal ecosystem. In this study, based on remote sensing technology, we firstly used a combination of a neural network classifier and manual correction to monitor the long-term dynamic changes in aquaculture in the Bohai Sea from 1984 to 2022. We then analyzed its evolution, as well as the relationship between the evolution of coastal aquaculture and the variability of coastal vegetation, in detail. Our study had three main conclusions. Firstly, the aquaculture along the coast of the Bohai Sea showed an expanding trend from 1984 to 2022, with an increase of 538%. Secondly, the spatiotemporal changes in the aquaculture centroids in different provinces and cities varied. The centroid of aquaculture in Liaoning Province was mainly distributed in the Liaodong Peninsula, and moved northwest; that in Hebei Province was distributed in the northeast and moved with no apparent pattern; the centroid of aquaculture in Tianjin was mainly distributed in the southeast and moved westward; and the centroid of aquaculture in Shandong Province was mainly distributed in the northwest and moved in a northwesterly direction. Finally, the expansion of aquaculture of the Bohai Sea has increased the regional NDVI and length of the corresponding coastline, and has made coastlines move toward the sea. Our results provide reliable data support and reference for ecologically managing aquaculture and coastal environmental protection in the Bohai Sea. Full article

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Managing and Regulating Plant (Vegetation)–Environment (Soil-Affected Land, Coastal Zone and Arid Areas) Interactions for a Better Eco-Environment and Sustainable Productivity

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