Relationship between phosphorus stoichiometric homeostasis and deepwater adaptability of submerged macrophytes in Erhai Lake, China: Insights from allometric plasticity.

The state transition theory suggests that the decline of submerged macrophytes in shallow lakes is closely associated with reduced stoichiometric homeostasis, particularly phosphorus homeostasis (H). The degradation typically progresses from deeper to shallower regions, indicating a potential positive correlation between the deepwater adaptability (DA) and H values of submerged macrophytes. Here, we investigated the distribution pattern of submerged macrophytes across different water depths of Erhai Lake to test this hypothesis.

Improvement of soil nutrient cycling by dominant plants in natural restoration of heavy metal polluted areas.

Referring to the natural succession to restore polluted land is one of the most vital assignments to solving the environmental problems. However, there is little understanding of the natural restoration of nutrient biogeochemical cycles in abandoned land with severe metal pollution. To clarify the nutrient cycling process and the influence of organisms on it, we investigated the magnitude of rhizosphere effects on soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) cycles in natural restoration of an abandoned metal mine, as well as the roles of plants and microorganisms in the nutrient cycles.

Trifolium repens L. recruits root-associated Microbacterium species to adapt to heavy metal stress in an abandoned Pb-Zn mining area.

Root-associated microbiota provide great fitness to hosts under environmental stress. However, the underlying microecological mechanisms controlling the interaction between heavy metal-stressed plants and the microbiota are poorly understood. In this study, we screened and isolated representative amplicon sequence variants (strain M4) from rhizosphere soil samples of Trifolium repens L.

Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Molecular Regulatory Mechanism of Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Maize Roots under Lead Stress.

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that play important roles in the resistance of plants to abiotic stress. Despite the widely reported adverse effects of lead (Pb) contamination on maize, the effects of Pb on the biosynthetic processes of flavonoids in maize roots are still unknown. In the present work, we employed a combination of multi-omics and conventional assay methods to investigate the effects of two concentrations of Pb (40 and 250 mg/kg) on flavonoid biosynthesis in maize roots and the associated molecular regulatory mechanisms.

Reshaping the root endophytic microbiota in plants to combat mercury-induced stress.

Emerging evidence suggests that plants experiencing abiotic stress actively seek help from soil microbes. However, the empirical evidence supporting this strategy is limited, especially in response to heavy metal stress. We used integrated microbial community profiling and culture-based methods to investigate the interaction between mercury (Hg) stress, the entophytic root microbiome, and maize seedlings.

Phosphorus stoichiometric homeostasis of submerged macrophytes and associations with interspecific interactions and community stability in Erhai Lake, China.

According to stoichiometric homeostasis theory, eutrophication is expected to increase the dominance of submerged macrophytes with low homeostatic regulation coefficients (H) relative to those with high H values, ultimately reducing macrophyte community stability. However, empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited. In this study, we conducted a three-year tracking survey (seven sampling events) at 81 locations across three regions of Erhai Lake.

Changes in soil microbe-mediated carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling during spontaneous succession in abandoned PbZn mining areas.

The mechanism through which soil microorganisms mediate carbon and nutrient cycling during mine wasteland restoration remained unknown. Using soil metagenome sequencing, we investigated the dynamic changes in soil microbial potential metabolic functions during the transition from biological soil crusts (BSC) to mixed broad-conifer forest (MBF) in a typical PbZn mine. The results showed soil microorganisms favored carbon sequestration through anaerobic and microaerobic pathways, predominantly using efficient, low-energy pathways during succession.

Soil microbial communities' contributions to soil ecosystem multifunctionality in the natural restoration of abandoned metal mines.

On a global scale, the restoration of metal mine ecosystem functions is urgently required, and soil microorganisms play an important role in this process. Conventional studies frequently focused on the relationship between individual functions and their drivers; however, ecosystem functions are multidimensional, and considering any given function in isolation ignores the trade-offs and interconnectedness between functions, which complicates obtaining a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functions. To elucidate the relationships between soil microorganisms and the ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) of metal mines, this study investigated natural restoration of metal mines, evaluated the EMF, and used high-throughput sequencing to explore the bacterial and fungal communities as well as their influence on EMF.

Opposite response of constructed wetland performance in nitrogen and phosphorus removal to short and long terms of operation.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been widely used for treating polluted water since the 1950s, with applications in over 50 countries worldwide. Most studies investigating the pollutant removal efficiency of these wetlands have focused on differences among wetland designs, operation strategies, and environmental conditions. However, there still remains a gap in understanding the variation in wetland pollutant removal efficiency over different time scales.

Microplastics affect interspecific interactions between cladoceran species in the absence and presence of predators by triggering asymmetric individual responses.

Although many studies have reported the negative effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms, most research is focused on individual scales. Individual studies highlight harm mechanisms, but understanding broader ecological effects necessitates evidence from multiscale perspectives, particularly those based on interspecific interactions. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the impacts of different microplastic concentrations (0, 0.

Mechanisms involved in the sequestration and resistance of cadmium for a plant-associated Pseudomonas strain.

Understanding Cd-resistant bacterial cadmium (Cd) resistance systems is crucial for improving microremediation in Cd-contaminated environments. However, these mechanisms are not fully understood in plant-associated bacteria. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying Cd sequestration and resistance in the strain AN-B15.

Drivers and mechanisms of spontaneous plant community succession in abandoned PbZn mining areas in Yunnan, China.

The drivers and mechanisms underlying succession and the spontaneous formation of plant communities in mining wasteland remain largely unknown. This study investigated the use of nature-based restoration to facilitate the recovery of viable plant communities in mining wasteland. It was found that scientific analyses of spontaneously formed plant communities in abandoned mining areas can provide insights for nature-based restoration.

The microbial mechanisms by which long-term heavy metal contamination affects soil organic carbon levels.

Globally, reducing carbon emissions and mitigating soil heavy metal pollution pose pressing challenges. We evaluated the effects of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contamination in the field over 20 years. The five treatment groups featured Pb concentrations of 40 and 250 mg/kg, Cd concentrations of 10 and 60 mg/kg, and a combination of Pb and Cd (60 and 20 mg/kg, respectively); we also included a pollution-free control group.

Effects of Heavy Metals on Stomata in Plants: A Review.

Stomata are one of the important structures for plants to alleviate metal stress and improve plant resistance. Therefore, a study on the effects and mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity to stomata is indispensable in clarifying the adaptation mechanism of plants to heavy metals. With the rapid pace of industrialization and urbanization, heavy metal pollution has been an environmental issue of global concern.

Plant Traits Guide Species Selection in Vegetation Restoration for Soil and Water Conservation.

Great efforts have been made to improve the soil and water conservation capacity by restoring plant communities in different climatic and land-use types. However, how to select suitable species from local species pools that not only adapt to different site environments, but also achieve certain soil and water conservation capacities is a great challenge in vegetation restoration for practitioners and scientists. So far, little attention has been paid to plant functional response and effect traits related to environment resource and ecosystem functions.

Green waste and sewage sludge feeding ratio alters co-composting performance: Emphasis on the role of bacterial community during humification.

Composting with five levels of green waste and sewage sludge was compared to examine how feeding ratios affected composting performance with special focus on humification, and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the raw material ratio persistently affected compost nutrients and stability. Humification and mineralization were promoted by higher proportion of sewage sludge.

Resistance mechanisms and remediation potential of hexavalent chromium in Pseudomonas sp. strain AN-B15.

The understanding of bacterial resistance to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] are crucial for the enhancement of Cr(VI)-polluted soil bioremediation. However, the mechanisms related to plant-associated bacteria remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigate the resistance mechanisms and remediation potential of Cr(VI) in a plant-associated strain, AN-B15.

Relationship between environmental pollution and economic development in late-developing regions shows an inverted V.

In late-developing regions, new technologies and previous experiences are applied to reduce the impact of economic development on environmental pollution in the early stages. After economic development has reached a certain level, the application of new environmental remediation technologies and methods can accelerate environmental restoration. Therefore, we hypothesized that the relationship between economic development and environmental pollution would exhibit an inverted V in late-developing regions.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter Family in L. and Its Response to Heavy Metal Stresses.

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family is one of the largest eukaryotic protein families. Its members play roles in numerous metabolic processes in plants by releasing energy for substrate transport across membranes through hydrolysis of ATP. Maize belongs to the monocotyledonous plant family, Gramineae, and is one of the most important food crops in the world.

The effect of different restoration approaches on vegetation development in metal mines.

Mining is the most destructive human activity towards ecosystems through changing the terrain, substrate properties, and vegetation community structure. Vegetation succession, the theoretical basis of restoration, is influenced by site conditions and anthropogenic intervention. In order to provide general practical applications for mine restoration, it is critical to identify the optimal intervention that promotes succession, and the influence of climates.

Long-term effect of sediment on the performance of a pilot-scale duckweed-based waste stabilization pond.

Duckweed-based waste stabilization ponds (DWPs) have been widely used in wastewater treatment. However, the effects of sediment, an essential component of DWPs, on their performance have rarely been studied. In this study, two pilot-scale DWPs (12 m) with sediment (DPS) and without sediment (DP) were evaluated over more than 1 year to determine the effects of sediment on duckweed growth, wastewater treatment, and greenhouse gas (GHG) production and emission in DWPs.

Tillage activates iron to prevent soil organic carbon loss following forest conversion to cornfields in tropical acidic red soils.

Previous studies have shown that deforestation and planting of corn resulted in the loss of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, this is not inevitable in regions with acidic red soil. We selected six cornfields that have been planted for 34 years and adjacent forest plots in southwest China.