Evaluating soil acidification risk and its effects on biodiversity–ecosystem multifunctionality relationships in the drylands of China

Background:Soil acidifcationn caused by anthropogenic activities may aft soil biochemical cydling,bidiversity,productivity,and multiple eosystem-related functions in drylands.However,to date,such information is lacking to support this hypothesis.Methods Based on a transect survey of 78 naturally assembled shrub communities,we caloulated acid deposition flux in Northwest China and evaluated its likely ecological ffets by testing three altemnative hypotheses,namely:.nidche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity hypotheses Rao's quadratic entopy and community-weighted mean traits were employed to represent the complementary aspect of niche complementarity and mass ratio effects,respectively.Resulbs:We observed that in the past four decades,the concentrations of exchangeable base cations in soil in Northwest China have decreased significantly to the extent of having faced the risk of depletion,whereas changes in the calium carbonate content and pH of soil were not significant.Adid deposition primani ly increased the aboweground biomass and shrub density in shrublands but had no sigmificant effect on shrub richness and ecasystem multifunctionality(EMF),indicating that acid deposition had positive but weak ecological effects on dryland ecosystems.Community wd ghted mean of functional traits(representing the mass ratio hypothesis)correlated negatively with EMF,whereas both Rao's quadratic entropy(representing the niche complementarity hypothesis)and aboveground biomass(representing the vegetation quantity hypothesis)correlated positively but insignifcantly with EMF.These biodiversity-EMF relationships highlight the fragility and instability of drylands relative to forest ecasystems.Concuions:The findings from this study serve as important reference points to understand the ris of soil acidification in arid regions and its impacts on biodiversity-EMF relationships.

Characteristics and drivers of the soil multifunctionality under different land use and land cover types in the drylands of China

The drylands of China cover approximately 6.6×106 km2 and are home to approximately 5.8×10^(8)people,providing important ecosystem services for human survival and development.However,dryland ecosystems are extremely fragile and sensitive to external environmental changes.Land use and land cover(LULC)changes significantly impact soil structure and function,thus affecting the soil multifunctionality(SMF).However,the effect of LULC changes on the SMF in the drylands of China has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the characteristics of the SMF changes based on soil data in the 1980s from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center.We explored the drivers of the SMF changes under different LULC types(including forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert)and used structural equation modeling to explore the main driver of the SMF changes.The results showed that the SMF under the four LULC types decreased in the following descending order:forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert.The main driver of the SMF changes under different LULC types was mean annual temperature(MAT).In addition to MAT,pH in forest,soil moisture(SM)and soil biodiversity index in grassland,SM in shrubland,and aridity index in desert are crucial factors for the SMF changes.Therefore,the SMF in the drylands of China is regulated mainly by MAT and pH,and comprehensive assessments of the SMF in drylands need to be performed regarding LULC changes.The results are beneficial for evaluating the SMF among different LULC types and predicting the SMF under global climate change.

Tree-based ecosystem services supply and multifunctionality of church forests and their agricultural matrix near Lake Tana,Ethiopia

Ecosystem services(ES)are the connection between nature and society,and are essential for the well-being of local communities that depend on them.In Ethiopia,church forests and the surrounding agricultural matrix supply numerous ES.However,the ES delivered by both land use types have not yet been assessed simultaneously.Here we surveyed both church forests and their agricultural matrices,aiming to quantify,compare and unravel the drivers underlying tree-based ES supply,density and multifunctionality.We found that almost all church forests and half of the agricultural matrices provided high ES densities.ES multifunctionality was higher in the agricultural matrices,suggesting that people deliberately conserve or plant multifunctional tree species.Furthermore,the supply of all categories of ES was positively correlated with church forest age(p-value<0.001)in the agricultural matrix,while the extent of church forest was positively correlated with the density of all categories ecosystem services score in the church forests(p-value<0.001).Our results can be used to prioritize conservation efforts at sites that provide high levels of ES supply,ES density and ES multifunctionality,and to prioritize restoration efforts at sites with low levels thereof.

Degradation significantly decreased the ecosystem multifunctionality of three alpine grasslands: evidences from a large-scale survey on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Owing to the joint effects of ecosystem fragility,anthropogenic disturbance and climate change,alpine grasslands(alpine meadow,alpine steppe and alpine desert)have experienced serious degradation during the past several decades.Grasslands degradation has severely affected the delivery of ecosystem multifunctionality(EMF)and services,and then threatens the livelihood of local herdsmen and ecological security of China.However,we still lack comprehensive insights about the effects of degradation and climatic factors on EMF of alpine grasslands,especially for alpine desert ecosystem.Therefore,we applied a large-scale field investigation to answer this question.Our results suggested grassland degradation significantly decreased the belowground ecosystem multifunctionality(BEMF)and EMF of alpine grasslands and aboveground ecosystem multifunctionality(AEMF)of alpine meadow,while did not reduce the AEMF of alpine steppe and desert.Except for the insignificant difference between degraded steppe and degraded desert in AEMF,the alpine meadow showed the highest AEMF,BEMF and EMF,alpine steppe ranked the second and alpine desert was the lowest.AEMF,BEMF and EMF of health alpine grasslands were strongly affected by mean annual precipitation(MAP)(19%-51%)and mean annual temperature(MAT)(9%-36%),while those of degraded meadow and degraded desert were not impacted by precipitation and temperature.AEMF and BEMF showed a synergistic relationship in healthy alpine grasslands(12%-28%),but not in degraded grasslands.Our findings emphasized the urgency of implementing the feasible ecological restoration project to mitigate the negative influences of grassland degradation on EMF of alpine ecosystems.

Evaluating alternative hypotheses behind biodiversity and multifunctionality relationships in the forests of Northeastern China

Background:The importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions has been widely accepted.However,the specific mechanisms affecting biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality(BEMF)relationships in forests are largely unknown.This is particularly evident for the macroscale of a large forested landscape.Methods:Based on 412 one-tenth hectare field plots distributed over forested areas across northeastern China,we evaluated three alternative hypotheses explaining the relationships between BEMF,namely:niche complementarity,mass ratio,and vegetation quantity effect.We used Rao's quadratic entropy and community weighted mean trait values to quantify forest“biodiversity”.These two variables represent two complementary aspects of functional properties,which are in line with niche complementary and mass ratio effects,respectively.Results:Ecosystem multifunctionality was negatively associated with the community weighted mean values of acquisitive traits(a proxy of mass ratio effect).Rao's quadratic entropy(a proxy of niche complementarity)had no relationship with ecosystem multifunctionality.Higher stand biomass greatly increased ecosystem multifunctionality,which is in line with the vegetation quantity effect.Our results confirm that in the temperate forests of northeastern China,the relationship of BEMF was primarily affected by vegetation quantity,followed by mass ratio effects.Conclusions:The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the main drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality in forest ecosystems.The results of this study provide additional evidence to support the vegetation quantity and mass ratio hypotheses in forest ecosystems.

Selective logging enhances ecosystem multifunctionality via increase of functional diversity in a Pinus yunnanensis forest in Southwest China

Background:The impacts of selective logging on ecosystem multifunctionality(EMF)remain largely unexplored.In this study,we analyzed the response of nine variables related to four ecosystem functions(i.e.nutrient cycling,soil carbon stocks,decomposition,and wood production)to five selective logging intensities in a Pinus yunnanensisdominated forest.We included a control group with no harvest to evaluate the potential shifts in EMF of the P.yunnanensis forests.We also assessed the relationship between above-and belowground biodiversity and EMF under these different selective logging intensities.Additionally,we evaluated the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on EMF using a structural equation modeling(SEM)approach.Results:Individual ecosystem functions(EFs)all had a significant positive correlation with selective logging intensity.Different EFs showed different patterns with the increase of selective logging intensity.We found that EMF tended to increase with logging intensity,and that EMF significantly improved when the stand was harvested at least twice.Both functional diversity and soil moisture had a significant positive correlation with EMF,but soil fungal operational taxonomic units(OTUs)had a significant negative correlation with EMF.Based on SEM,we found that selective logging improved EMF mainly by increasing functional diversity.Conclusion:Our study demonstrates that selective logging is a good management technique from an EMF perspective,and thus provide us with potential guidelines to improve forest management in P.yunnanensis forests in this region.The functional diversity is maximized through reasonable selective logging measures,so as to enhance EMF.

Functional diversity dominates positive species mixture effects on ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical plantations

Mixed-species plantations generally exhibit higher ecosystem multifunctionality than monospecific plantations.However,it is unclear how tree species functional composition influences species mixture effects on ecosystem multifunctionality.We selected 171 monospecific and mixed-species plantations from nine regions across subtropical China,and quantified 13 key ecosystem functional properties to investigate how species mixture effects on ecosystem multifunctionality are modulated by functional diversity and identity.We found that ecosystem multifunctionality was significantly higher(p<0.05)in mixed tree plantations than in monospecific plantations except the mixed-conifer species plantations.Across all regions,ecosystem multifunctionality was significantly higher(p<0.05)in mixed conifer-broadleaf plantations than in monospecific plantations of the corresponding species,but not different between mixed and monospecific coniferous plantations.The magnitude of species mixture effects on ecosystem multifunctionality varied greatly with tree species compositions.Taking Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb.as an example,the effects varied from a range of 2.0%–9.6%when mixed with a conifer species to 36%–87%when mixed with a broadleaf species.The functional diversity was the dominate driver shaping ecosystem multifunctionality,while functional identity,as expressed by community-weighted mean of specific leaf area,also had a positive effect on ecosystem multifunctionality through the increased below-ground nitrogen and phosphorus stocks regulated by specific leaf area of the mixing tree species.Our study highlights the important role of functional diversity in shaping ecosystem multifunctionality across region-wide environmental conditions.Mixed conifer-broadleaf tree plantations with distinct functional traits benefit the enhancement of ecosystem multifunctionality,and the magnitude of species mixture effects is modulated by the functional identity of tree species composition;those relationships deserve a special consideration in multifunctional management context of subtropical plantations.

Relationship between multifunctionality and rural sustainable development: Insights from 129 counties of the Sichuan Province, China

Rural areas are multifunctional and often have production,living,and ecological functions.The high-quality and balanced development of these three functions is key to sustainable rural development(SRD).Thus,the evaluation of SRD based on rural multifunctionality is of immense significance.This study clarifies the rela‐tionship between multifunctionality and sustainable rural development.An evaluation index system with six sub-components was established for calculating the SRD.In addition,we included 129 counties from the Sich‐uan Province in our case study,and used this index system to analyze the characteristics of rural multifunc‐tionality for evaluating the SRD.The results showed indisputable evidence of multifunctional development.At the county level,rural multifunctionality faces the challenge of insufficient and uneven development,particu‐larly in production functions.Significant spatial differences existed in rural multifunctional development,and the suburban counties generally performed better.Moreover,a mutually reinforcing relationship between pro‐duction,living,and ecological functions was established;however,there was still a significant gap in realizing SRD.Our results emphasize the necessity of a differentiated SRD strategy that should be formulated and imple‐mented based on rural multifunctionality differentiation rules.Our study offers useful guidance for realizing rural multifunctional and sustainable development.

Spatial variability and driving factors of soil multifunctionality in drylands of China

Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate change and human activities.The drylands of China account for approximately 10.8%of global drylands,and China is the country most severely affected by aridity in Asia.Therefore,studying the spatial variation characteristics in soil multifunctionality(SMF)and investigating the driving factors are critical for elucidating and managing the functions of dryland ecosystems in China.Based on the environmental factors(mean annual precipitation(MAP),mean annual temperature(MAT),solar radiation(Srad),soil acidity(pH),enhanced vegetation index(EVI),and cation exchange capacity(CEC))and aridity from the“dataset of soil properties for land surface modeling over China”,we used non-linear regression,ordinary least square(OLS)regression,structural equation model(SEM),and other analytical methods to investigate the relationships of SMF with environmental factors across different aridity levels in China.SMF in different dryland regions varied significantly and showed a patchy distribution,with SMF index values ranging from–1.21 to 2.42.Regions with SMF index values from–0.20 to 0.51 accounting for 63.0%of dryland area in China.OLS regression results revealed that environmental factors like MAP,MAT,Srad,pH,EVI,and CEC were significantly related to SMF(P<0.05).MAP and MAT were correlated to SMF at the whole aridity level(P<0.05).SEM results showed that the driving factors of SMF differed depending on the aridity level.Soil pH was the strongest driving factor of SMF when the aridity was less than 0.80(P<0.001).Both soil CEC and EVI had a positive effect on SMF when aridity was greater than 0.80(P<0.01),with soil CEC being the strongest driving factor.The importance ranking revealed that the relative importance contribution of soil pH to SMF was greatest when aridity was less than 0.80(66.9%).When aridity was set to greater than 0.80,the relative importance contributions of CEC and EVI to SMF increased(45.1%and 31.9%,respectively).Our findings indicated that SMF had high spatial heterogeneity in drylands of China.The aridity threshold controlled the impact of environmental factors on SMF.

Spatial-temporal Evolution Analysis on Land Use Multifunctionality in the China-Vietnam Border Area

Exploring the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the border land use multifunctionality(LUMF)provides insights for taking advantage of border land use and optimizing border land use policies.Based on the improved Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS)mode,this study identifies and evaluates the LUMFs in the China-Vietnam border area between 2000 and 2018 from the perspectives of agricultural production,social security,ecological service,landscape recreation,and national security.The results show that:1)The comprehensive land use functions in most counties and cities continued to be improved.2)The comprehensive land use function exhibits remarkable spatial divergence and aggregation characteristics.The high-value area of the agricultural production function and social security function evolves from the east to the west.In addition,the spatial evolution of ecological service function is complicated,without an obvious spatial divergence and aggregation pattern.The landscape recreation function shows different spatial differentiation characteristics in the early and middle stage,and forms a large cluster in the later stage.Finally,the spatial evolution pattern of the national security function is significant.3)Designing differentiated border land policies,improving border land use security,and establishing a long-term mechanism for ecological protection and ecological compensation can aid in optimizing the LUMF level in the border area.

Recent Advances in Design Strategies and Multifunctionality of Flexible Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials

With rapid development of 5G communication technologies,electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding for electronic devices has become an urgent demand in recent years,where the development of corresponding EMI shielding materials against detrimental electromagnetic radiation plays an essential role.Meanwhile,the EMI shielding materials with high flexibility and functional integrity are highly demanded for emerging shielding applications.Hitherto,a variety of flexible EMI shielding materials with lightweight and multifunctionalities have been developed.In this review,we not only introduce the recent development of flexible EMI shielding materials,but also elaborate the EMI shielding mechanisms and the index for"green EMI shielding"performance.In addition,the construction strategies for sophisticated multifunctionalities of flexible shielding materials are summarized.Finally,we propose several possible research directions for flexible EMI shielding materials in near future,which could be inspirational to the fast-growing next-generation flexible electronic devices with reliable and multipurpose protections as offered by EMI shielding materials.

Mechanically driven assembly of biomimetic 2D-material microtextures with bioinspired multifunctionality

Nature provides a wealth of bio-inspiration for advanced material research.Assembling various nanomaterials into biomimetic microtextures with bioinspired functionalities has spurred increasing research interests and facilitated technological advances in various applications.In recent years,two-dimensional materials(2DMs)have emerged as important building block units in the biomimicry field due to their distinct chemical,physical,electrical,electrochemical,and catalytic properties.In this review article,various mechanically driven assembly approaches are summarized to fabricate various genealogies of biomimetic 2DM microtextures with bio-inspired multifunctionality.First,sequential deformation strategies are discussed to programmably construct higher dimensional 2DM microtextures,ranging from wrinkles/crumples(one-time deformation)to multiscale hierarchies(multiple deformations).Next,the current progress using higher dimensional 2DM microtextures to imitate different biological structures and/or induce bio-inspired multifunctionality is systematically summarized.Four showcases of bio-inspiration and biomimicry using different 2DM nanosheets are highlighted:(1)wrinkle patterns of an earthworm that spur the design of strain sensors with programmable working ranges and sensitivities,(2)wrinkle appearance of a Shar-Pei dog that motivates the fabrication of stretchable energy storage devices,(3)hierarchical scale textures of a desert lizard that inspire cation-induced gelation platforms for 2DM aerogels,and(4)wrinkle skin of an elephant that influences the development of 2DM protective skin for soft robots.Finally,challenges and future opportunities of adopting 2DM nanosheets to assemble biomimetic microstructures with synergistic functionalities are discussed.

Self-assembled all-oxides three-phase vertically aligned nanocomposite thin film with multifunctionality

Multi-phase vertically aligned nanocomposite(MP-VAN)thin films represent a promising avenue for achieving complex multifunctionality,exploring novel interfacial phenomena,and enabling complex metamaterial designs and exploration.In this study,a novel self-assembled all-oxides three-phase VAN system was conceptualized and fabricated utilizing pulsed laser deposition(PLD)with a single composite target.Detailed microstructural analysis reveals the presence of three distinct phases:LiNbO_(3),CeO_(2-x),and LiNbCe_(1-x)O_(y)within the MP-VAN films.Subsequently,ferroelectric,dielectric,optical anisotropy,and magnetic properties were systematically investigated to showcase the multifunctionality inherent in these films.This work presents a pioneering approach to designing and realizing MP-VAN systems,and opens up opportunities for tailoring the complex three-dimensional(3D)physical properties and property coupling of VAN films towards diverse device applications.

Bacteriophages assisted bacteria to facilitate soil multifunctionality under organochlorine pesticide contamination

As the most abundant living entities in the environment,viruses have been well recognized as crucial members in sustaining biogeochemical cycling.However,the significance of viruses in soil ecosystem multifunctionality remains under-explored.In this study,we used metagenomics and meta-viromics analysis to investigate the role of soil viruses in soil ecosystem functions under heavy,light,and no organochlorine pesticides(OCPs)contamination.In the three types of soil samples collected,lightcontaminated soils supported the highest level of multifunctionality,followed by heavy-contaminated soils and clean soils.Additionally,our results revealed a positive correlation between bacterial community evenness and multifunctionality index(p<0.05).Dominant bacterial species with biodegradation and stress resistance advantages exhibited higher abundance in OCPaffected soils,potentially playing a core functional supporting role.Furthermore,our results indicated that the species richness and diversity of bacteriophages were positively correlated with multifunctionality(p<0.05)in OCP-affected soils.Bacteriophages in OCP-affected soils regulate host metabolism and enhance soil ecosystem multifunctionality by infecting functional bacterial hosts and encoding AMGs related to soil element cycling.Our findings emphasize the potential effect of phages on ecosystem multifunctionality in contaminated soil,suggesting that phages may serve as contributors to soil ecology beyond bacteria and other microorganisms.Therefore,in polluted or constrained soils,further research could potentially translate phage communities and related ecological processes into artificial methods for application in soil pollution remediation or ecological restoration.

Enhancement of beneficial microbiomes in plant-soil continuums through organic fertilization:Insights into the composition and multifunctionality

Soil microbiomes play a crucial role in maintaining ecological functions and are of great importance for soil health.Some of them could bring benefits to plants for growth promotion.Despite numerous studies have focused on specific beneficial bacteria and their interactions with soils and plants,we still lack a comprehensive understanding of beneficial communities in plant–soil continuums and their responses to agricultural activities.To address this gap,we carried out a microcosm experiment using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to explore the effects of organic fertilization on beneficial communities in plant–soil continuums and assess their potential multifunctionality.Our findings reveal that organic fertilization had a positive impact on the beneficial functionality of bacterial communities in plant–soil continuums.This improvement was primarily attributed to the optimized soil physicochemical conditions resulting from organic fertilization.Additionally,organic fertilization increased the complexity of bacterial co-occurrence networks in both soils and the endosphere.Keystone taxa in the endosphere undergone a shift of functions toward pathogen suppression as the result of organic fertilization.Furthermore,this study revealed that plants exhibited a preference for internalizing beneficial bacteria over other type of bacteria.We also provided new insights for evaluating the multifunctionality of microbiomes,and found that the functionality of beneficial communities in plant–soil continuums is enhanced by organic fertilization.All these findings suggested that organic fertilization can be an effective strategy for maintaining plant and soil health.

Divergent changes in diversity and network complexity across different trophic-level organisms drive soil multifunctionality of fire-impacted subtropical forests

Widespread forest fires pose significant challenges to the diverse communities of soil-dwelling organisms and the multiple ecosystem functions they support.However,whether the biodiversity and interactions of various taxonomic groups respond to fire consistently in terms of direction and extent,and their relative role in regulating post-fire soil functioning,remains largely unexplored.In this study,we investigated whether the diversity and co-occurrence networks of soil organisms across various trophic levels(including bacteria,fungi,protists,and invertebrates)in subtropical forests exhibit consistent responses to fire.Furthermore,we investigated their contribution to regulating soil multifunctionality,which is measured by a range of soil extracellular enzyme activities,available nutrients and reduced potential fungal plant pathogens.Our findings revealed that fire led to a decline in the richness of fungi,protists,and invertebrates,without significantly impacting bacterial richness.Fire also simplified the microbial co-occurrence networks while complexifying the invertebrate networks.Interestingly,soil multifunctionality tended to decrease with the richness of lower-trophic communities(i.e.,bacteria),whereas it increased with that of high-trophic communities(i.e.,protists and invertebrates).Moreover,fire indirectly influenced soil multifunctionality by altering biodiversity and network complexity,particularly pronounced in high-trophic communities.Overall,our results underscored the divergent vulnerability of biodiversity and networks to fires across taxa groups,highlighting the crucial role of biodiversity and interactions of higher trophic taxa groups in shaping the recovery and functionality of fire-affected soils.

Molecular design of an ultra-strong tissue adhesive hydrogel with tunable multifunctionality

Designing adhesive hydrogels with optimal properties for the treatment of injured tissues is challenging due to the tradeoff between material stiffness and toughness while maintaining adherence to wet tissue surfaces. In most cases, bioadhesives with improved mechanical strength often lack an appropriate elastic compliance, hindering their application for sealing soft, elastic, and dynamic tissues. Here, we present a novel strategy for engineering tissue adhesives in which molecular building blocks are manipulated to allow for precise control and optimization of the various aforementioned properties without any tradeoffs. To introduce tunable mechanical properties and robust tissue adhesion, the hydrogel network presents different modes of covalent and noncovalent interactions using N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS) conjugated alginate (Alg-NHS), poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), tannic acid (TA), and Fe^(3+) ions. Through combining and tuning different molecular interactions and a variety of crosslinking mechanisms, we were able to design an extremely elastic (924%) and tough (4697 kJ/m3) multifunctional hydrogel that could quickly adhere to wet tissue surfaces within 5 s of gentle pressing and deform to support physiological tissue function over time under wet conditions. While Alg-NHS provides covalent bonding with the tissue surfaces, the catechol moieties of TA molecules synergistically adopt a mussel-inspired adhesive mechanism to establish robust adherence to the wet tissue. The strong adhesion of the engineered bioadhesive patch is showcased by its application to rabbit conjunctiva and porcine cornea. Meanwhile, the engineered bioadhesive demonstrated painless detachable characteristics and in vitro biocompatibility. Additionally, due to the molecular interactions between TA and Fe3+, antioxidant and antibacterial properties required to support the wound healing pathways were also highlighted. Overall, by tuning various molecular interactions, we were able to develop a single-hydrogel platform with an “all-in-one” multifunctionality that can address current challenges of engineering hydrogel-based bioadhesives for tissue repair and sealing.

Functional group richness increases multifunctionality in intensively managed grasslands

Background:Agricultural yields have increased continuously over the last few decades.However,a focus solely on production can harm the environment.Diversification of agriculture has been suggested to increase production and sustainability.Biodiversity experiments showed positive effects on ecosystems and productivity.However,application of these results to intensively managed grasslands has been questioned due to differences in plant species and management regimes.Research on whether diversity can benefit multifunctionality,that is,an integrated index of multiple ecosystem functions,under intensive management,is still scarce.Methods:To address this,we manipulated plant species richness from one to six species spanning three functional groups(legumes,herbs,and grasses)in intensively managed multispecies grassland leys and examined seven ecosystem functions.Results:We found that multifunctionality increased with functional group and species richness.Legume+herb mixtures showed high multifunctionality,while grass monocultures and mixtures with high proportions of grasses had low multifunctionality.Different plant species and plant communities drove different ecosystem functions.Legumes and herbs improved productivity and water availability,while grasses enhanced invasion resistance.These results indicate that multifunctionality and individual ecosystem functions can be promoted through targeted combinations of plants with complementary ecological traits.Conclusions:Plant diversity can improve multifunctionality also under intensive management,potentially benefitting agroeconomics and sustainability.

An Environment‑Tolerant Ion‑Conducting Double‑Network Composite Hydrogel for High‑Performance Flexible Electronic Devices

High-performance ion-conducting hydrogels(ICHs)are vital for developing flexible electronic devices.However,the robustness and ion-conducting behavior of ICHs deteriorate at extreme tempera-tures,hampering their use in soft electronics.To resolve these issues,a method involving freeze–thawing and ionizing radiation technology is reported herein for synthesizing a novel double-network(DN)ICH based on a poly(ionic liquid)/MXene/poly(vinyl alcohol)(PMP DN ICH)system.The well-designed ICH exhibits outstanding ionic conductivity(63.89 mS cm^(-1) at 25℃),excellent temperature resistance(-60–80℃),prolonged stability(30 d at ambient temperature),high oxidation resist-ance,remarkable antibacterial activity,decent mechanical performance,and adhesion.Additionally,the ICH performs effectively in a flexible wireless strain sensor,thermal sensor,all-solid-state supercapacitor,and single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator,thereby highlighting its viability in constructing soft electronic devices.The highly integrated gel structure endows these flexible electronic devices with stable,reliable signal output performance.In particular,the all-solid-state supercapacitor containing the PMP DN ICH electrolyte exhibits a high areal specific capacitance of 253.38 mF cm^(-2)(current density,1 mA cm^(-2))and excellent environmental adaptability.This study paves the way for the design and fabrication of high-performance mul-tifunctional/flexible ICHs for wearable sensing,energy-storage,and energy-harvesting applications.

Characteristics of the microbial communities regulate soil multi-functionality under different cover crop amendments in Ultisol

The use of cover crops is a promising strategy for influencing the soil microbial consortium,which is essential for the delivery of multiple soil functions(i.e.,soil multifunctionality).Nonetheless,relatively little is known about the role of the soil microbial consortium in mediating soil multifunctionality under different cover crop amendments in dryland Ultisols.Here,we assessed the multifunctionality of soils subjected to four cover crop amendments(control,non-amended treatment;RD,radish monoculture;HV,hairy vetch monoculture;and RDHV,radish-hairy vetch mixture),and we investigated the contributions of soil microbial richness,network complexity,and ecological clusters to soil multifunctionality.Our results demonstrated that cover crops whose chemical composition differed from that of the main plant crop promoted higher multifunctionality,and the radish-hairy vetch mixture rendered the highest enhancement.We obtained evidence that changes in soil microbial richness and network complexity triggered by the cover crops were associated with higher soil multifunctionality.Specifically,specialized microbes in a key ecological cluster(ecological cluster 2)of the soil microbial network were particularly important for maintaining soil multifunctionality.Our results highlight the importance of cover crop-induced variations in functionally important taxa for promoting the soil multifunctionality of dryland Ultisols.