Biochar amendment affects the microbial genetic profile of the soil, its community structure and phospholipid fatty acid contents.

Biochar (BC) amendment has been proposed as a promising strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, specifically carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), and nitrous oxide (NO). Conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of biochar on microbial genetic profile, community structure, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) contents can aid in identifying key microbial groups involved in GHG production and consumption, and assessing the overall effectiveness of biochar in reducing GHG emissions. The present meta-analysis revealed that the addition of biochar resulted in a 22 % and 41 % reduction in pmoA and mcrA genes of methanogenic microorganisms, respectively.

Effects of environmental changes on soil respiration in arid, cold, temperate, and tropical zones.

Soil respiration (R) is projected to be substantially affected by climate change, impacting the storage, equilibrium, and movement of terrestrial carbon (C). However, uncertainties surrounding the responses of R to climate change and soil nitrogen (N) enrichment are linked to mechanisms specific to diverse climate zones. A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted to address this, evaluating the global effects of warming, increased precipitation, and N enrichment on R across various climate zones and ecosystems.

Spatial prediction of lime requirements by adjusting aluminium saturation in Sub-Saharan Africa croplands.

Acidic soils cover over 30 % of Sub-Saharan Africa cropland. Acidic soils deprive crops of calcium, magnesium, potassium, molybdenum, and phosphorus due to aluminium (Al), manganese, and iron toxicities. Thus, liming is required to adjust the level of exchangeable Al to the desired level of Al saturation of the crops grown.

Patterns and controlling factors of soil carbon sequestration in nitrogen-limited and -rich forests in China-a meta-analysis.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) management has the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO). Understanding the changes in forest nitrogen (N) deposition rates has important implications for C sequestration. We explored the effects of N enrichment on soil carbon sequestration in nitrogen-limited and nitrogen-rich Chinese forests and their controlling factors.

Global cross-biome patterns of soil respiration responses to individual and interactive effects of nitrogen addition, altered precipitation, and warming.

Anthropogenic activities have increased atmospheric N, precipitation, and temperature events in terrestrial ecosystems globally, with N deposition increasing by 3- to 5-fold during the previous century. Despite decades of scientific research, no consensus has been achieved on the impact of climate conditions on soil respiration (Rs). Here, we reconstructed 110 published studies across diverse biomes, magnitudes, and driving variables to evaluate how Rs responds to N addition, altered precipitation (both enhanced and reduced precipitation or precipitation changes), and warming.

Correction: Ecological restoration stimulates environmental outcomes but exacerbates water shortage in the Loess Plateau.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13658.

Ecological restoration stimulates environmental outcomes but exacerbates water shortage in the Loess Plateau.

Restoration is the natural and intervention-assisted set of processes designed to promote and facilitate the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. However, it can also have an adverse effect on the environment. Thus, assessing an ecological restoration project's impact is crucial to determining its success and optimum management strategies.

Variability of soil carbon and nitrogen stocks after conversion of natural forest to plantations in Eastern China.

Forest plantation, either through afforestation or reforestation, has been suggested to reverse and mitigate the process of deforestation. However, uncertainties remain in the potential of plantation forest (PF) to sequestrate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) compared to natural forest (NF). Soil C and N stocks require a critical and updated look at what is happening especially in the context of increasing rate of land use change and climate change.

Effects of land use change from natural forest to plantation on C, N and natural abundance of C and N along a climate gradient in eastern China.

Soil C and N turnover rates and contents are strongly influenced by climates (e.g., mean annual temperature MAT, and mean annual precipitation MAP) as well as human activities.

Differential patterns of nitrogen and δN in soil and foliar along two urbanized rivers in a subtropical coastal city of southern China.

Urbanization usually pollutes the environment leading to alterations in key biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, understanding its effects on forest nitrogen (N) saturation is becoming increasingly important for addressing N pollution challenges in urban ecosystems. In this study, we compared soil (N availability, net N mineralization, net nitrification, and δN) and foliar (N concentrations and δN) variables in upstream, midstream and downstream forest stands of Bailongjiang River (BJR; more urbanized) and Wulongjiang River (WJR; less urbanized), the two branches of the Minjiang River Estuary.