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Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly...
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Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2023) | Viewed by 22953

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Tianxiang Yue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: spatial analysis; land cover; digital terrain modeling; eco-environmental models and system simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qin Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Land Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Interests: risk assessment; heavy metal; soil fertility; ecological restoration; water and soil conservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest ecosystem is a complex and open ecosystem, which has ecological benefits, economic benefits, and social benefits. Hilly development and construction projects occupy part of forest resources, so that the original forest ecosystem has been damaged seriously. The traditional forestry measurement for the purpose of obtaining wood and maximizing economic profit only includes the loss of economic value of wood resources. With the deepening of green development, people pay more attention to the economic benefits, as well as the social and ecological benefits, especially the latter. The ecological benefits of the forest ecosystem have a great impact on human health and social sustainable development, so researchers pay more and more attention to the evaluation of its value.

The development and utilization of forest land in hilly areas will lead to many ecological problems, such as soil erosion, soil degradation, vegetation destruction, etc., especially destruction to the physical structure of the soil and degradation of land quality caused by mineral resources exploitation.

We are looking for manuscripts on ecological effects assessment, ecological restoration techniques, especially biochar, and post-restoration assessment methods for hilly areas.

Prof. Dr. Tianxiang Yue
Prof. Dr. Qin Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecological effects
  • ecological restoration
  • rapid assessment
  • biochar
  • remote sensing

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 6073 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Artificial Forest Restoration by Exploring the Microbial Community Structure and Function in a Reclaimed Coal Gob Pile in a Loess Hilly Area of Shanxi, China
by Shuang Liu, Jiuping He, Yuewei Ning, Junjian Li, Hong Zhang and Yong Liu
Forests 2023, 14(9), 1888; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14091888 - 17 Sep 2023
Viewed by 765
Abstract
In this study, soil obtained from a reclaimed coal gob pile was expected to be rapidly improved with the use of artificial vegetation restoration practices, such as artificial forests, which increase the taxonomic variety in the soil microbial community and its functions. In [...] Read more.
In this study, soil obtained from a reclaimed coal gob pile was expected to be rapidly improved with the use of artificial vegetation restoration practices, such as artificial forests, which increase the taxonomic variety in the soil microbial community and its functions. In order to successfully identify the effect of artificial forest restoration project on the soil’s quality, a field study was conducted on soil reclaimed from a coal gob pile in a loess hilly area located in Shanxi to assess the effects of five commonly used artificially restored coniferous forest species (i.e., Platycladus orientalis: PO, Sabina chinensis: SC, Pinus sylvestris: PS, Picea asperata: PA and Pinus tabuliformis: PT) on the soil’s physico-chemical properties, the bacterial community and functional gene attributes. The results showed that significant differences were observed in the bacterial community’s diversity and structure, as well as in functional genes, among the different artificial tree species. PS and PA presented lower pH and bulk density levels and higher soil alkaline protease (PRO), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and urease (URE) activities, in comparison to other tree species. The bacterial community’s diversity and functional genes were noticeably higher in both PS and PA. In addition, soil bulk density and pH can directly affect the soil keystone bacteria and microbial functions and can indirectly affect the soil keystone genus and microbial functions by affecting the soil nutrient elements and enzyme activity. Moreover, soil bacterial keystone bacteria significantly affect these functions. Finally, compared to the other coniferous tree species, PS and PA presented a significantly higher integrated fertility index (IFI) score. Therefore, PS and PA might be more suited to the forest restoration project using reclaimed soil obtained from a coal gob pile located in Shanxi’s mining region. The present research contributes to the understanding of how various tree species affect microbial populations and functions in similar mining zones and/or hilly terrains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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17 pages, 4194 KiB  
Article
Mixed-Species Acacia Plantation Decreases Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen Concentrations but Favors Species Regeneration and Tree Growth over Monoculture: A Thirty-Three-Year Field Experiment in Southern China
by Shengnan Ouyang, Liehua Tie, Xingquan Rao, Xi’an Cai, Suping Liu, Valentina Vitali, Lanying Wei, Qingshui Yu, Dan Sun, Yongbiao Lin, Arun K. Bose, Arthur Gessler and Weijun Shen
Forests 2023, 14(5), 968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14050968 - 07 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2157
Abstract
Mixed-species plantations of trees with N-fixing species have the potential of promoting forest productivity and soil fertility. However, few studies in the literature have addressed the advantages of mixed-species plantations of leguminous trees over monocultures of leguminous trees based on in situ inventories [...] Read more.
Mixed-species plantations of trees with N-fixing species have the potential of promoting forest productivity and soil fertility. However, few studies in the literature have addressed the advantages of mixed-species plantations of leguminous trees over monocultures of leguminous trees based on in situ inventories over a long time period. Here, we monitored the dynamics of tree community composition, vegetation biomass, soil nutrients, and soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), in an Acacia mangium monoculture plantation during 33 years of development and compared it with a mixed-species plantation of A. mangium associated with 56 native species which were underplanted 14 years after the initial establishment. Leaf N and phosphorus (P) concentrations of three main species in the overstory and understory of the A. mangium monoculture were measured. Our results showed that the soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorus (AP) concentrations significantly increased over time during the approximately thirty years of A. mangium monoculture plantation, while the disadvantages were associated with new species regeneration and the increment of vegetation biomass. In the A. mangium monoculture plantation, leaf N concentration of A. mangium,Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, and Dicranopteris dichotoma continuously increased from 21 to 31 years, while the leaf P concentration of A. mangium and R. tomentosa decreased. The mixed-species plantations of A. mangium with native tree species had lower SOC and soil TN concentrations, more new tree species recruitment in the understory, and faster vegetation biomass increment than the A. mangium monoculture. However, the PLFAs of soil microbial groups were slightly different between the two types of plantations. We conclude that improved soil N nutrient condition by A. mangium monoculture benefits N absorption by A. mangium, R. tomentosa, and D. tomentosa, while low soil AP limits P absorption by A. mangium and R. tomentosa. Meanwhile, transforming the A. mangium monoculture into a mixed-species plantation via the introduction of multiple native species into the A. mangium monoculture decreases SOC and TN concentrations but the advantages include improving forest regeneration and maintaining forest growth in a long-term sequence. These findings provide useful and practical suggestions for managing forest monocultures of A. mangium in subtropical regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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14 pages, 3679 KiB  
Article
Land-Use Types Regulate Se:Cd Ratios of Natural Seleniferous Soil Derived from Different Parent Materials in Subtropical Hilly Areas
by Chunxia Sun, Qinlei Rong, Xi Guo, Jiaxin Guo, Yi Chen, Yihua Chang, Jie Chen, Qin Zhang, Chunhuo Zhou, Haisheng Cai and Xiaomin Zhao
Forests 2023, 14(3), 656; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14030656 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1233
Abstract
As natural selenium (Se)-rich soil in China is generally characterized by a high geological background of cadmium (Cd), the safe utilization of such seleniferous soil remains a challenge. The accumulating evidence shows that the threshold value of the Se:Cd ratio is a determinant [...] Read more.
As natural selenium (Se)-rich soil in China is generally characterized by a high geological background of cadmium (Cd), the safe utilization of such seleniferous soil remains a challenge. The accumulating evidence shows that the threshold value of the Se:Cd ratio is a determinant of regulating Cd accumulation in plants. However, the factors modulating the soil’s Se:Cd ratio in selenium-enriched regions are not well understood. Here, a comprehensive study aimed at quantitatively analyzing the effects of land-use types, parent-material types, and soil properties on the distribution and influencing factors of Se, Cd, and the Se:Cd ratios. According to land use and parent-material types, 77 soil samples were collected in Yuanzhou District, a typical naturally seleniferous area in the subtropical hilly area. The results suggested that, compared with quaternary red clays (qrc), the Se content of soils derived from river and lake sediments (rls) and weathered acidic crystalline rocks (wacr) decreased by 5.81%–19.75%, while the weathered quartzite (wq)-derived soils was increased significantly. The soil Cd content in an orchard was significantly reduced compared with that in a paddy field. A redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that SOM, Total K, and Total P significantly affected the changes in Se and Cd contents. In addition, the land-use type had the most significant effect on the Se:Cd ratio, with a regression coefficient of −0.6999 analyzed by the binary logistic regression model (p < 0.05). Furthermore, pH and Total K were the critical soil properties in controlling the Se:Cd ratio. The study indicated that the Se:Cd ratio in natural selenium-rich soil was mainly regulated by land-use types. Therefore, it is a feasible measure to regulate the Se:Cd ratio by using agronomic practices, mainly regulating soil pH, for the safe utilization of selenium-rich soil with a high Cd background. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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14 pages, 3381 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Landscape Pattern in a Typical Hilly Area in Southern China: A Case Study of Yujiang District, Jiangxi Province
by Jiajia Zhang, Xiaomin Zhao, Jiaxin Guo, Yanru Zhao, Xinyi Huang and Miao Long
Forests 2023, 14(3), 609; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14030609 - 19 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1261
Abstract
As the most intuitive manifestation of land use/land cover change, the spatio-temporal evolution of landscape patterns has significant implications for optimizing regional landscape pattern and land use management. Based on multi-period remote sensing data, we selected an optimal scale (570 m) and used [...] Read more.
As the most intuitive manifestation of land use/land cover change, the spatio-temporal evolution of landscape patterns has significant implications for optimizing regional landscape pattern and land use management. Based on multi-period remote sensing data, we selected an optimal scale (570 m) and used the geographic detector model to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in the landscape pattern of a typical hilly area (Yujiang District, Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province) in southern China. The results showed that from 2009 to 2018, the area of urban land, other construction land, rural residential land, and cultivated land expanded by 33.27%, 21.23%, 19.42%, and 1.07%, respectively. In contrast, the area of grassland, forest land, and water area shrank by 18.18%, 5.41%, and 2.19%, respectively, over the past 10 years. At the landscape level, the patch shape became more complex over time, with increased landscape fragmentation and diversity. At the class level, cultivated land, forest land, and grassland tended to be fragmented, whereas rural residential land exhibited an aggregation tendency. Slope gradient, gross regional product, and distance from major highways had a strong ability to explain the spatial differences in landscape pattern change. The results of this study enable a dynamic understanding of landscape pattern evolution in typical hilly areas in southern China and provide a reference for landscape pattern optimization in similar geomorphic settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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17 pages, 4942 KiB  
Article
Study on Multi-Scale Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Trade-Offs and Synergies between Ecosystem Services in Jiangxi Province
by Ping Duan, Yongwen Xu, Xi Guo, Zhijun Luo and Xiaomin Zhao
Forests 2023, 14(3), 598; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14030598 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1295
Abstract
The trade-offs and synergies reveal the profit and loss relationship between ecosystem services, which is of great significance to the sustainable development of natural resources. The ecosystem services in Jiangxi Province, such as net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC) and water yield [...] Read more.
The trade-offs and synergies reveal the profit and loss relationship between ecosystem services, which is of great significance to the sustainable development of natural resources. The ecosystem services in Jiangxi Province, such as net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC) and water yield (WY) during 2000–2020, were estimated in this study. The correlation coefficient was adopted to analyze the trade-offs and synergies between the three ecosystem services by static space correlation and dynamic space correlation from such perspectives as Watershed, county and grid. Moreover, the influence of the three ecosystem services and the relations between them were explored from four aspects: landform, NDVI, accumulated temperature and precipitation. The results showed that the ecological environment quality in Jiangxi Province was improved and that the distribution of ecosystem services had significant regional characteristics. In the static analysis, ecosystem services at all scales were remarkably synergistic, and synergies weakened rapidly and even turned into trade-offs as the scale decreased. In the dynamic analysis, ecosystem services at all scales were mainly synergistic; the proportion of significant samples was much lower than that in the static analysis, the degree of trade-offs/synergies decreased with the decrease in scale, and the decrease was smaller than that in the static analysis. The major constraints for SC were landform and NDVI. The main constraint for WY was precipitation, and that for NPP was NDVI. Affected by various factors, NPP and SC were stably synergistic, NPP and WY were in a stable trade-off relationship, and the relationship between SC and WY was unstable. The trade-offs and synergies changed with factors and zoning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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18 pages, 2362 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Dynamics and Influencing Factors of Litterfall Production and Carbon Input in Typical Forest Community Types in Lushan Mountain, China
by Lingbo Qiu, Tingqi Xiao, Tianjun Bai, Xingyue Mo, Jiahui Huang, Wenping Deng and Yuanqiu Liu
Forests 2023, 14(2), 341; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14020341 - 09 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1843
Abstract
Litterfall is an important part of the process of nutrient circulation and energy flow in forest ecosystems. Mountain forests are strongly eroded by running water in that the surface soil is thinner, and the terrain is complex and diverse. They are more sensitive [...] Read more.
Litterfall is an important part of the process of nutrient circulation and energy flow in forest ecosystems. Mountain forests are strongly eroded by running water in that the surface soil is thinner, and the terrain is complex and diverse. They are more sensitive to climate change, which will affect the ecological processes and carbon sink functions of forest ecosystems. Taking Lushan Mountain as an example, we studied the dynamic characteristics of litterfall components, seasonal changes in carbon input and the influencing factors of typical forest communities in the subtropics. The results showed that the total annual average litterfall components of evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBF) > artificial coniferous forest (ACF) > deciduous broad-leaved forest (DBF) > renew young forest (RYF), and that leaf litterfall is the first productivity in the litterfall components, and the peak of litterfall is mainly concentrated in spring and autumn, showing a single- or double-peaked change pattern. There was a linear relationship between the components of litterfall in the four forest communities and the stand factor, but the correlation degree R2 was small. Overall, the results showed that the total amount of litterfall in the four forest communities was affected by canopy density and stand density. Light, temperature and water at different altitudes had different effects on the amount of litterfall, with excessive temperatures at lower altitudes likely to limit forest growth and development under adequate light and water, and the opposite was true at higher altitudes. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that EBF and DBF were negatively correlated with rainfall, that ACF and RYF were negatively correlated with temperature and rainfall, and that wind speed was positively correlated. The average annual carbon input size of the four forest communities was EBF > ACF > RYF > DBF, which may be related to environmental conditions and vegetation types, and the seasonal differences were arranged in order of spring > autumn > summer > winter. It can be seen that, considering performance under future climate change, EBF is more conducive to nutrient input and has good soil fertility maintenance ability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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16 pages, 4749 KiB  
Article
Improved Soil Organic Carbon Prediction in a Forest Area by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: Spiking of a Soil Spectral Library
by Miao Long, Tianxiang Yue, Zhe Xu, Jiaxin Guo, Jie Luo, Xi Guo and Xiaomin Zhao
Forests 2023, 14(1), 118; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f14010118 - 08 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1574
Abstract
The rapid quantitative assessment of soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for understanding SOC dynamics and developing management strategies in forest ecosystems. Compared with traditional laboratory methods, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy is an efficient and inexpensive technique widely used to predict SOC content. [...] Read more.
The rapid quantitative assessment of soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for understanding SOC dynamics and developing management strategies in forest ecosystems. Compared with traditional laboratory methods, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy is an efficient and inexpensive technique widely used to predict SOC content. Herein, we compared three different spiking strategies. That is, a large-scale global soil spectral library (global-SSL; 3122 samples) was used as the basis for predicting SOC content in a small-scale local soil spectral library (local-SSL; 89 samples) in Wugong Mountain, Jiangxi Province, China. Partial least squares regression models using global-SSL ‘spiking’ with local samples did not necessarily achieve more accurate predictions than models using local-SSL. Using the developed strategy, a calibration set can be established by selecting the top N spectral samples from global-SSL with high similarity to each local sample, together with the ‘spiking’ set from local-SSL. It is possible to individually improve the prediction results based on local samples (R2 = 0.90, RMSE = 7.19, RPD = 3.38) and still allow for quantitative prediction from fewer local calibration samples (R2 = 0.83, RMSE = 8.71, RPD = 2.68). The developed method is cost-effective and accurate for local-scale SOC assessment in target forest areas using a large soil spectral library. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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17 pages, 8244 KiB  
Article
Causes of Changing Woodland Landscape Patterns in Southern China
by Jianping Lin, Chenhui Zhu, Aizhen Deng, Yunping Zhang, Hao Yuan, Yangyang Liu, Shurong Li and Wen Chen
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2183; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13122183 - 19 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1518
Abstract
Forests are composed of landscape spatial units (patches) of different sizes, shapes, and characteristics. The forest landscape pattern and its trends are closely related to resistance to disturbance, restoration, stability, and the biodiversity of the forest landscape and directly influence the benefits and [...] Read more.
Forests are composed of landscape spatial units (patches) of different sizes, shapes, and characteristics. The forest landscape pattern and its trends are closely related to resistance to disturbance, restoration, stability, and the biodiversity of the forest landscape and directly influence the benefits and sustainable exploitation of forest landscape resources. Therefore, forest landscape patterns and the driving forces have increasingly attracted the attention of researchers. The present study analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics of woodland landscape patterns in typical hilly mountainous areas in southern China using ArcGIS, landscape pattern index, and morphological spatial pattern analysis. Meanwhile, a logistic regression model was used to analyze the drivers of woodland change in Anyuan County from three aspects: natural, geographic location, and socio-economic conditions. The total area of woodland decreased during the 10-year study period, with a net decrease of 4959.27 ha, mainly due to conversion into cultivated land, garden land, and construction land. Patch density, edge density, and aggregation index of woodlands increased over time, indicating enhanced fragmentation, stable and complex patch edges, and increased patch connectivity. Conversely, the highest patch index values exhibited decreasing trends, indicating decreases in the dominant patch type. Morphological spatial pattern analysis results showed that the core area was dominant and the islet area increased over time, which also indicates enhanced fragmentation. Forest landscape change is the result of environmental change, ecological processes, and human disturbance, with geographical location and social economy having greater influences on forest landscape change. Human activities such as navel orange cultivation, returning cultivated land to forest, and land occupation for construction were the major factors driving woodland change. The results provide reference that could facilitate forest management and sustainable forest resource utilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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16 pages, 3776 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Different Remediation Treatments on Soil Fungal Communities in Rare Earth Tailings Soil
by Yu Wang, Feng Pan, Qiong Wang, Jie Luo, Qin Zhang, Yingying Pan, Chenliang Wu and Wei Liu
Forests 2022, 13(12), 1987; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13121987 - 24 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1913
Abstract
Extensive mining of rare earth deposits has caused severe soil erosion, resulting in the degradation of plant–soil systems and the reduction in microbial diversity. Combined ecological remediation technology is the key method of vegetation reconstruction and ecological restoration in abandoned tailings. In this [...] Read more.
Extensive mining of rare earth deposits has caused severe soil erosion, resulting in the degradation of plant–soil systems and the reduction in microbial diversity. Combined ecological remediation technology is the key method of vegetation reconstruction and ecological restoration in abandoned tailings. In this study, the effects of different cover crops–biochar–organic fertilizer and biochar–organic fertilizer treatments on soil fungal communities in rare earth tailings soil were analysed using high-throughput sequencing technology. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was used to analyse saprophytic, mycorrhizal, and potential pathogenic fungi in soils after different combined remediations. Moreover, the effects of soil environmental factors on fungal community species’ composition were analysed by redundancy analysis (RDA) and variance partitioning analysis (VPA) after different combined remediations. LEfSe indicated a risk of citrus pathogenicity by Diaporthaceae indicator fungi after biochar–organic fertilizer combined treatment. RDA and VPA revealed that pH was the main environmental factor affecting the fungal community in the different combined remediation treatments. Additionally, the Paspalum wettsteinii cover crops–biochar–organic fertilizer and biochar–livestock manure treatments were more conducive to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi recruitment. We also clarified the fungal community composition structure, soil environmental factors, and fungal community relationships in rare earth tailings soil after different combined remediation treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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17 pages, 4370 KiB  
Article
Quantifying the Effects of Root and Soil Properties on Soil Detachment Capacity in Agricultural Land Use of Southern China
by Lang Peng, Chongjun Tang, Xinyin Zhang, Jian Duan, Luyang Yang and Shiyu Liu
Forests 2022, 13(11), 1788; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13111788 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1411
Abstract
Unsustainable agricultural land use will lead to an increased risk of soil erosion and soil degradation. However, few studies have investigated impacts of changes in root and soil properties on the soil detachment process. Therefore, we investigated the effects of agricultural land use [...] Read more.
Unsustainable agricultural land use will lead to an increased risk of soil erosion and soil degradation. However, few studies have investigated impacts of changes in root and soil properties on the soil detachment process. Therefore, we investigated the effects of agricultural land use on the relative contribution of root and soil properties to soil detachment capacity. Soil samples were collected from six different land use types and subjected to flow scouring under six shear stresses ranging from 4.98 to 16.37 Pa. Agricultural land use influenced root distribution and soil properties in the soil surface layer. Root length density, root surface area density, and root volume density in orchards with no cover, orchards with grass cover, and farmland were less than those of grassland samples. Different land use types affected soil detachment capacity. Bare land, farmland, and orchards with no cover were more vulnerable to erosion, while forest, orchard with grass cover, and grassland showed little soil detachment. Soil detachment capacity decreased exponentially with increasing soil bulk density, aggregate stability, organic matter, and root mass density. The root mass density and aggregate stability had the greatest contribution to the soil detachment capacity. Agricultural land use increases the risk of soil erosion; a groundcover management strategy, such as planting grass in orchard, could effectively increase the fine root distribution and aggregate stability to control soil erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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12 pages, 1763 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Forest Gap Ages on Soil Physical Properties and Stoichiometric Characteristics in Cryptomeria japonica plantations (L.f.) D.Don, 1839
by Tingqi Xiao, Chen Wang, Xi Yuan, Lingjian Tao, Peng Li, Wenping Deng and Yuanqiu Liu
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1708; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13101708 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1243
Abstract
In this study, the evergreen plant Cryptomeria japonica (L.f.) D.Don, 1839 forest gap in the subtropical region of China were taken as the research object. The effects of different forest gap ages (<10 years, 10–20 years, >20 years) on soil physical properties and [...] Read more.
In this study, the evergreen plant Cryptomeria japonica (L.f.) D.Don, 1839 forest gap in the subtropical region of China were taken as the research object. The effects of different forest gap ages (<10 years, 10–20 years, >20 years) on soil physical properties and stoichiometric characteristics were analyzed in Lushan Mountain, China. With the increase of forest gap ages, the physical properties of soil surface layer in forest gap were improved, and the water holding capacity of soil was enhanced. The capillary porosity and total porosity of soil increased significantly, and the soil bulk density of 10–20 cm soil layer decreased. The increase of forest gap recovery years is beneficial to the increase of large particle size soil aggregates, and the increase of large particle size aggregates has a good effect on improving soil structure. The contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in soil showed an overall increasing trend with the increase of forest gap age and were significantly higher than those of Cryptomeria japonica pure forest (p < 0.05). The nutrient content of forest gap in 10–20 years was the highest, and the nutrient content of 0–10 cm soil layer was generally higher than that of 0–20 cm soil layer. The C:P and N:P in the soil showed an overall decreasing trend, while C:N was significantly smaller than other age gaps in 10–20 years. The results showed that soil physical properties and stoichiometric characteristics were improved with the increase of forest gap ages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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18 pages, 3255 KiB  
Article
RETRACTED: Evaluation of Soil Pollution by Potential Toxic Elements in Cultivated Land in the Poyang Lake Region Based on an Improved Matter–Element Extension Model
by Zhijun Luo, Jie Zhao, Song Qi and Xiaojing Feng
Forests 2022, 13(9), 1445; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13091445 - 09 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1218 | Retraction
Abstract
This study examined the pollution status of potential toxic elements (PTEs) in cultivated soils throughout the Poyang Lake region, Jiangxi Province, China. A total of 251 topsoil samples were collected from the 0–20 cm depth to determine the concentrations of seven PTEs (Hg, [...] Read more.
This study examined the pollution status of potential toxic elements (PTEs) in cultivated soils throughout the Poyang Lake region, Jiangxi Province, China. A total of 251 topsoil samples were collected from the 0–20 cm depth to determine the concentrations of seven PTEs (Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, and Zn). Based on the concentrations of PTEs, we constructed an improved matter–element extension model to evaluate the level of soil pollution by PTEs. We also applied Hakanson’s toxic response factor to correct the weights of PTEs determined by a conventional weighting method. The mean concentrations of all seven PTEs in the soil samples exceeded their local background values in Jiangxi Province. The over-standard rates of different PTEs were ranked in the order of Cr > Cu > Cd > Hg > Zn > Pb > As (36.2–87.9%). These potentially harmful pollutants mainly came from the surrounding industrial and agricultural areas, and could enter cultivated soils through different pathways. Samples from Duchang County, Hukou County, and Gongqingcheng City were in a clean state, whereas samples from other areas was in a still clean state or at the warning limit. The evaluation results were consistent with those obtained using several conventional methods. The improved matter–element extension model can therefore be applied for the evaluation of soil pollution by PTEs and yield reliable results in cultivated land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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16 pages, 4110 KiB  
Article
Structure Degradation Induced by Wetting and Drying Cycles for the Hilly Granitic Soils in Collapsing Gully Erosion Areas
by Jinwen Xia, Lichao Zhang, Pelin Ge, Xianghui Lu, Yujie Wei, Chongfa Cai and Jie Wang
Forests 2022, 13(9), 1426; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13091426 - 05 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1301
Abstract
The hydrological and mechanical properties of granitic residual soils can be significantly altered by periodical wetting and drying (W-D) cycles. The soil structure degradation induced by W-D cycles can lead to soil mass failure and collapsing gully erosion in granitic hilly slopes in [...] Read more.
The hydrological and mechanical properties of granitic residual soils can be significantly altered by periodical wetting and drying (W-D) cycles. The soil structure degradation induced by W-D cycles can lead to soil mass failure and collapsing gully erosion in granitic hilly slopes in south China. However, limited attempts have been made at a comprehensive investigation of the effects of W-D cycles on the structure degradation of granitic residual soils, especially at the pedon scale. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structural degradation of granite soils induced by W-D cycles and explore its potential influence on the development of collapsing gully erosion. The granitic soil properties, including hydraulic properties, shear strength, and disintegration characteristics, were performed after W-D cycles. The results indicated that the W-D cycles altered the soil pore structure, leading to variations in soil hydraulic properties. Specifically, with increasing alternate W-D cycles, the initial saturated water content and residual water content decreased, while the saturated hydraulic conductivity increased. Meanwhile, increasing W-D cycles contributed significantly to variations in cohesion and internal friction strength by decreasing the shear strength variables, especially the soil cohesion strength. Correspondingly, soil disintegration was increased during W-D cycles. Furthermore, most degradation of soil structure was recorded within the first two cycles of W-D. The obtained results indicate that the W-D cycles weaken soil structure, increase rainwater infiltration, decrease soil shear strength and disintegration resistance, and accelerate soil erosion. A vicious cycle of granitic slope failure induced by W-D cycles is eventually formed. This study provides useful information about the mechanism of soil mass failure and collapsing gully erosion in granitic hilly slopes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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14 pages, 3973 KiB  
Article
Effects of AM Fungi and Grass Strips on Soil Erosion Characteristics in Red Sandstone Erosion Areas in Southern China
by Lichao Zhang, Tingqi Xiao, Hongguang Liu, Peilin Ge, Jinwen Xia, Chenwei Dai, Wenbo Zhang and Xiaomin Zhao
Forests 2022, 13(9), 1351; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13091351 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1175
Abstract
As one of the most serious soil erosion areas in China, red sandstone erosion areas in southern China have been seriously affected by abundant annual rainfall. To understand the effects of AM fungi and different grass strips on soil erosion characteristics in red [...] Read more.
As one of the most serious soil erosion areas in China, red sandstone erosion areas in southern China have been seriously affected by abundant annual rainfall. To understand the effects of AM fungi and different grass strips on soil erosion characteristics in red sandstone erosion areas in southern China, we selected Cynodon dactylon, Lotus corniculatus, Zoysia japonica, and Astragalus sinicus. Two treatments were carried out for each grass: AM was the soil in its original state, and CK was the soil in which the original AM fungi were eliminated. Taking CK treatment as the control group, any changes of runoff and sediment yield and nutrient loss under different grass strip conditions were measured. The total yield of runoff and sediment in the four grass strips under CK treatment was greater than that of AM. The runoff ammonium nitrogen loss concentration in AM treatment was smaller than in CK treatment under continuous scouring. The ammonium nitrogen loss concentration of sediment during continuous scouring showed a decreasing trend. Under AM treatment, the loss concentration of sediment ammonium nitrogen showed a decreasing trend compared with the CK treatment. The percentage of sediment particles >2 mm in the four grass strips was significantly larger for CK treatment than AM treatment (p < 0.05), and except for Cynodon dactylon, the percentage of sediment particles in the size range of 1–2 mm for other grass strips was significantly larger for CK treatment than for AM treatment (p < 0.05); the percentage of sediment particles at 0.02–0.25 mm was significantly smaller for CK treatment than for AM treatment (p < 0.05). The mean weight diameter (MWD) of sediments produced by the four grass strips under simulated scouring showed an overall increasing trend with increased scouring time. The mean weight diameter (MWD) of sediments produced under CK treatment was larger than that of AM treatment. The fractal dimension (D) of sediments showed a decreasing trend with increased scouring time. These results showed that AM fungi can promote the growth of plant roots, strengthen soil anchoring, protect large particle aggregates in soil under rainfall scouring, and reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss in red sandstone erosion areas in southern China. Cynodon dactylon and Zoysia japonica were more prominent than Lotus corniculatus and Astragalus sinicus in inhibiting soil erosion in red sandstone erosion areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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15 pages, 2927 KiB  
Article
Variation in Water Uptake Dynamics of Dominant Wood Plants of Pinus taiwanensis Hayata Communities Based on Stable Isotopes
by Linsheng Wen, Yun Peng, Wenping Deng, Yuanqiu Liu, Tianjun Bai, Qin Zou, Xiaojun Liu, Ling Zhang and Guodong Jia
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1336; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13081336 - 22 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1390
Abstract
Plant community formation is determined by plant competition, while the water uptake depth of vegetation is regarded as a critical factor in maintaining species coexistence under competition. However, the source variation of montane plant water uptake remains poorly understood, especially under the condition [...] Read more.
Plant community formation is determined by plant competition, while the water uptake depth of vegetation is regarded as a critical factor in maintaining species coexistence under competition. However, the source variation of montane plant water uptake remains poorly understood, especially under the condition of climate change. We introduced stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes to investigate the water uptake pattern of the trees and shrubs in a Pinus taiwanensis Hayata community in subtropical mountains. The results showed that the main sources of water uptake in plants varied with soil water content, due to variations in annual precipitation distribution. In July and September, under extremely wet conditions, the evergreen conifer species P. taiwanensis and the shrub Eurya muricata mainly absorbed water from the deep soil layer (40–80 cm, more than 70%). By contrast, the deciduous shrub Rhododendron dilatatum largely relied on upper soil water (0–40 cm, 75.4%) in July but the same deep water source in September. In August and the non-growing season (January), when soil moisture content was low, plants preferred surface layer soil water (0–20 cm, above 50%). In October, the soil water in the middle (20–40 cm) and deep layers (40–80 cm) were the main water source of the three plants. However, the plant water sources showed great difference between P. taiwanensis and shrubs in November: P. taiwanensis absorbed more water from the soil surface layers (89.5%), while R. dilatatum mainly took up surface soil water (54.2%) and E. muricata predominantly obtained water from surface soil water (49.6%) and the deep soil layer (39.3%). These findings suggest that the water uptake of dominant woody plants in a P. taiwanensis community has great plasticity, and its water uptake depth varies with soil water content. In addition, these co-existing species generally absorbed water from similar soil layers in the P. taiwanensis community and exhibited a hydrological niche overlap, indicating a very possible competition between species in future water-limited conditions caused by climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments and Restoration Technique of Forest Land Development in Hilly Areas)
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