Floristic composition and edaphic relationships in ferruginous campo rupestre reference ecosystems

Land use change and occupation have led to modifications in the environment causing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout the planet.Some environments with high economic relevance,such as the ferruginous campo rupestre(rupestrian grassland known as Canga in Brazil),are even more susceptible to severe impacts due to their extreme habitat conditions and low resilience.The determination of reference ecosystems based on the intrinsic characteristics of the ecosystem is essential for conservation as well as to the implementation of ecological restoration.We proposed the reference ecosystem of the three main types of habitats of the ferruginous campo rupestre based on their floristic composition.We described the floristic composition of each habitat and evaluated the physicochemical properties of the soils and the relationship between plants and soils.All three habitats showed high diversity of plant species and many endemic species,such as Chamaecrista choriophylla,Cuphea pseudovaccinium,Lychnophora pinaster,and Vellozia subalata.The distribution of vegetation was strongly related with the edaphic characteristics,with a set of species more adapted to high concentration of base saturation,fine sand,organic carbon,and iron,while another set of species succeeded in more acidic soils with higher S and silt concentration.We provide support for the contention that the ferruginous campo rupestre is a mosaic of different habitats shaped by intrinsic local conditions.Failure to recognize the floristic composition of each particular habitat can lead to inappropriate restoration,increased habitat homogenization and increased loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.This study also advances the knowledge base for building the reference ecosystem for the different types of ferruginous campo rupestre habitats,as well as a key database for highlighting those species contribute most to community assembly in this diverse and threatened tropical mountain ecosystem.

Enhancing Secure Development in Globally Distributed Software Product Lines: A Machine Learning-Powered Framework for Cyber-Resilient Ecosystems

Embracing software product lines(SPLs)is pivotal in the dynamic landscape of contemporary software devel-opment.However,the flexibility and global distribution inherent in modern systems pose significant challenges to managing SPL variability,underscoring the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures.This paper advocates for leveraging machine learning(ML)to address variability management issues and fortify the security of SPL.In the context of the broader special issue theme on innovative cybersecurity approaches,our proposed ML-based framework offers an interdisciplinary perspective,blending insights from computing,social sciences,and business.Specifically,it employs ML for demand analysis,dynamic feature extraction,and enhanced feature selection in distributed settings,contributing to cyber-resilient ecosystems.Our experiments demonstrate the framework’s superiority,emphasizing its potential to boost productivity and security in SPLs.As digital threats evolve,this research catalyzes interdisciplinary collaborations,aligning with the special issue’s goal of breaking down academic barriers to strengthen digital ecosystems against sophisticated attacks while upholding ethics,privacy,and human values.

Assessing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus in Smart Irrigation: A Potato Farming Case Study in Lebanon

This study examines the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus in Lebanese agriculture, with a focus on the shift from conventional surface irrigation techniques to advanced smart irrigation systems in the Bekaa region, specifically targeting potato cultivation. The study quantitatively analyzes the interaction among water, energy, and agricultural outputs at the farm scale using the WEFE Nexus framework for scenario analysis. It evaluates variations in water productivity, environmental effects, and economic outcomes, offering a detailed view of existing practices and their sustainable improvement potential. The WEFE Nexus assessment demonstrates that smart irrigation integration significantly decreased resource usage: water consumption was reduced by 58%, diesel fuel use for irrigation dropped by 57%, and the demand for labor and fertilizers decreased by 47% and 49%, respectively. This change led to enhanced crop yields and increased resource efficiency, demonstrating the potential of smart irrigation as a transformative strategy for sustainable agriculture in Lebanon and other arid areas. Economic analysis showed that farmers could recover the costs of installing the smart irrigation system within 3 months. The findings highlight the need for further research on integrating smart irrigation with renewable energy, showing potential for sustainable agricultural development. .

Compounding effects of human activities and climatic changes on coexistence of oasis-desert ecosystems:Prioritizing resilient decision-making for a riskier world

Water-salt balance is critical for the stable coexistence of salt-affected and groundwater-fed oasis-desert ecosystems. Yet, a comprehensive investigation of how soil salinization and groundwater degradation threaten the coexistence of oasis-desert ecosystems is still scarce, especially under the compounding effects of human activities and climatic changes. Here, we assessed the impacts of irrigated agriculture on hydrological regimes in oasisdesert systems, investigated the spatio-temporal variations of soil salinization in irrigated cropland, and evaluated the implications of the interplays of soil salinization and groundwater degradation on the coexistence of oasis-desert ecosystems in northwestern China, based on meaningful modelling approaches and comprehensive measurements over 1995–2020. The results showed that the irrigation return flow coefficient decreased sharply from 0.21 ± 0.09 in the traditional irrigation period to 0.09 ± 0.01 in the water-saving irrigation period. The continuous drop in groundwater tables and significant degradation of groundwater quality are occurring throughout this watershed. The eco-environmental flows are reaching to their limit with watershed closures(i.e.,the drainage from the oasis region into the desert region is being weakened or even eliminated), although these progressions were largely hidden by regional precipitation and streamflow variability. The process of salt migration and accumulation across different landscapes in oasis-desert system is being reshaped, and soil salinization in water-saving agricultural irrigated lands is accelerating with a regional average annual growth rate of18%. The vegetation in this watershed is degrading, and anthropogenic disturbance accelerates this trend. Our results highlight that environmental stress adaptation strategies must account for resilience maintenance to avoid accelerating catastrophic transitions in oasis-desert ecosystems. Determining the optimal oasis scales and formulating the best irrigation management plans are effective and resilient decision-making ways to maintain the coexistence relationship of oasis-desert ecosystem in drylands.

Implication of community-level ecophysiological parameterization to modelling ecosystem productivity:a case study across nine contrasting forest sites in eastern China

Parameterization is a critical step in modelling ecosystem dynamics.However,assigning parameter values can be a technical challenge for structurally complex natural plant communities;uncertainties in model simulations often arise from inappropriate model parameterization.Here we compared five methods for defining community-level specific leaf area(SLA)and leaf C:N across nine contrasting forest sites along the North-South Transect of Eastern China,including biomass-weighted average for the entire plant community(AP_BW)and four simplified selective sampling(biomass-weighted average over five dominant tree species[5DT_BW],basal area weighted average over five dominant tree species[5DT_AW],biomass-weighted average over all tree species[AT_BW]and basal area weighted average over all tree species[AT_AW]).We found that the default values for SLA and leaf C:N embedded in the Biome-BGC v4.2 were higher than the five computational methods produced across the nine sites,with deviations ranging from 28.0 to 73.3%.In addition,there were only slight deviations(<10%)between the whole plant community sampling(AP_BW)predicted NPP and the four simplified selective sampling methods,and no significant difference between the predictions of AT_BW and AP_BW except the Shennongjia site.The findings in this study highlights the critical importance of computational strategies for community-level parameterization in ecosystem process modelling,and will support the choice of parameterization methods.

Global freshwater assessment of establishment risk of invasive Alligator gar(Atractosteus spatula) and risks to freshwater ecosystems in China

DEAR EDITOR,The introduction of freshwater fish into areas outside their native range has impacted freshwater ecosystems worldwide.In China,the non-native Alligator gar(Atractosteus spatula)fish has attracted attention due to its widespread occurrence and destructive effects on local fish populations,signaling a high potential of invasiveness.

Economic Assessment of Selected Regulatory Ecosystem Services (RES) in the Elgeyo and Nyambene Watersheds Ecosystems in Kenya

Evidence of increased valuation of ecosystem services (ES) globally is significant. However, most of these studies focus on marketed subsets of ES at national and international levels. Ecosystems differ in spatial scale, biophysical and ecological structure, and functionality. This requires conducting studies at the local level to understand how, for example, the watershed ecosystem contributes to humanity locally and nationally. This study focuses on selected regulatory ecosystem services (RES) in Kenya’s catchment area ecosystems (Elgeyo and Nyambene). Field-based sampling and Landsat imagery with secondary information were used to generate biophysical and ecological data. The study used market price-based, cost-based, and unit transfer methods for RES valuation. The study estimates the total value of the six selected regulatory ecosystem services (RES) at KES 41.4 billion (US$386.7 million) and KES 14.73 billion (US$137.71 million) for Elgeyo and Nyambene, respectively. This equates to KES 1.64 million (US$15,331.19) and KES 2.72 million (US$25,375) per hectare per year. Extrapolating the study estimates to the national level, the country’s regulatory ecosystem services would range from US$18.4 billion to US$30.45 billion annually. This equates to between 16.7% and 27.7% of Kenya’s GDP in 2021, underscoring the importance of watersheds to the national economy.

Spatial-temporal variations and driving factors of soil organic carbon in forest ecosystems of Northeast China

Forest soil carbon is a major carbon pool of terrestrial ecosystems,and accurate estimation of soil organic carbon(SOC)stocks in forest ecosystems is rather challenging.This study compared the prediction performance of three empirical model approaches namely,regression kriging(RK),multiple stepwise regression(MSR),random forest(RF),and boosted regression trees(BRT)to predict SOC stocks in Northeast China for 1990 and 2015.Furthermore,the spatial variation of SOC stocks and the main controlling environmental factors during the past 25 years were identified.A total of 82(in 1990)and 157(in 2015)topsoil(0–20 cm)samples with 12 environmental factors(soil property,climate,topography and biology)were selected for model construction.Randomly selected80%of the soil sample data were used to train the models and the other 20%data for model verification using mean absolute error,root mean square error,coefficient of determination and Lin's consistency correlation coefficient indices.We found BRT model as the best prediction model and it could explain 67%and 60%spatial variation of SOC stocks,in 1990,and 2015,respectively.Predicted maps of all models in both periods showed similar spatial distribution characteristics,with the lower SOC in northeast and higher SOC in southwest.Mean annual temperature and elevation were the key environmental factors influencing the spatial variation of SOC stock in both periods.SOC stocks were mainly stored under Cambosols,Gleyosols and Isohumosols,accounting for 95.6%(1990)and 95.9%(2015).Overall,SOC stocks increased by 471 Tg C during the past 25 years.Our study found that the BRT model employing common environmental factors was the most robust method for forest topsoil SOC stocks inventories.The spatial resolution of BRT model enabled us to pinpoint in which areas of Northeast China that new forest tree planting would be most effective for enhancing forest C stocks.Overall,our approach is likely to be useful in forestry management and ecological restoration at and beyond the regional scale.

Entrepreneurial Orientation and Innovation Ecosystems in the Industrial Sector, Central Region, Kampala, Uganda: A Review

This review explores entrepreneurial orientation and innovation ecosystems in the industrial sector of the Central Region, Kampala, Uganda, through an analysis of ten scholarly articles. The study contextualizes the research within the regional landscape and establishes a theoretical framework through a focused literature review. Key findings highlight the intersection of entrepreneurial activities and innovation dynamics, emphasizing the region’s unique contributions to the broader field. Discussions on discrepancies and unexplored territories within the articles offer insights into limitations and research gaps. The manuscript concludes by identifying future research avenues, providing a roadmap for ongoing inquiry into the entrepreneurial and innovative dimensions of the Central Region’s industrial sector. This synthesis underscores the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and collaborative innovation strategies for sustainable industrial development in the region.

Visualization Analysis of the Impact of Rubber Agroforestry Ecosystem on Soil Microbial Community

Rubber agroforestry systems positively impact soil microbial communities. This study employed a bibliometric approach to explore the research status, hotspots, and development trends related to these effects. Using CiteSpace software, we visually analyzed research literature from the Web of Science (WOS) core database, spanning 2004 to 2024. The focus was on the impact of rubber agroforestry ecosystems on soil microbial communities. The results indicate significant attention from Chinese researchers, who have published numerous influential papers in this field. Authors Liu Wenjie have contributed the most papers, although no stable core author group exists. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the leading research institution in terms of publication volume. While there is close collaboration between different institutions and countries, the intensity of researcher cooperation is low. The most cited literature emphasizes soil nutrients and structure in rubber agroforestry, laying a foundation for soil microorganism studies. Most cited journals are from countries like Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Key research areas include the effects of rubber intercropping on soil microbial communities, agroforestry management, and soil health. Research development can be divided into three stages: the initial stage (2010-2015), the development stage (2015-2020), and the mature stage (2020-2024). Current studies show that rubber intercropping and rubber-based agroforestry systems enhance soil microbial communities, positively impacting soil health. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of rubber agroforestry systems and improved management plans. Future research could explore the effects of species composition on soil microbiological characteristics and develop methods for species interactions. An in-depth study of the soil microbial community’s structure and function, and its relationship with rubber trees, is crucial. Developing effective, rationally designed rubber agroforestry systems and underground soil microbiome technology will promote sustainability and improve plantation productivity.

Temporal variations of food web in a marine bay ecosystem based on LIM-MCMC model

Climate change has led to significant fluctuations in marine ecosystems,including alterations in the structure and function of food webs and ecosystem status.Coastal ecosystems are critical to the functioning of the earth’s lifesupporting systems.However,temporal variations in most of these ecosystems have remained unclear so far.In this study,we employed a linear inverse model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo(LIM-MCMC)combined with ecological network analysis to reveal the temporal variations of the food web in Haizhou Bay of China.Food webs were constructed based on diet composition data in this ecosystem during the year of 2011 and 2018.Results indicated that there were obvious temporal variations in the composition of food webs in autumn of 2011 and 2018.The number of prey and predators for most species in food web decreased in 2018 compared with 2011,especially for Trichiurus lepturus,zooplankton,Amblychaeturichthys hexanema,and Loligo sp.Ecological network analysis showed that the complexity of food web structure could be reflected by comprehensive analysis of compartmentalized indicators.Haizhou Bay ecosystem was more mature and stable in 2011,while the ecosystem’s self-sustainability and recovery from disturbances were accelerated from 2011 to 2018.These findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of marine ecosystems and highlight the importance of comprehensive analysis of marine food webs.This work provides a framework for assessing and comparing temporal variations in marine ecosystems,which provides essential information and scientific guidance for the Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management.

Residents’perceptions of ecosystem services in an urbanizing basin:A case study in the Guanting Reservoir basin,China

Understanding stakeholders’differences in perceptions of ecosystem services(ES)is crucial for guiding ecolog-ical conservation and planning.However,the variations of ES perception amongst different types of residents in urbanizing areas along an urban-rural gradient are still poorly understood.Combining a questionnaire-based survey,redundancy analysis,and statistical tests,we delineated the urban-rural gradient according to local res-idents’socio-economic characteristics,and investigated the differences in local residents’perceptions of ES and potential factors affecting them in the Guanting Reservoir basin,a rapidly urbanizing basin in China.The results showed that residents living in urban-rural transitional areas attached great importance to provisioning services of providing food and domestic water,regulating services of carbon sequestration and air purification,and cul-tural services of providing education and training,which were 0.7%-13.1%,0.7%-9.1%and 2.5%-21.2%higher than that of residents in other areas,respectively.Age and occupation were major factors affecting residents’perceptions.In terms of land-use types that deliver ES,the difference in perceptions of ES delivered by grassland was the greatest amongst residents.Our results support recommendations for policymakers to take into account the stakeholders’diverse perceptions,thus promoting residents’sense of gain on ES.

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Changes and Driving Forces of Ecosystem Services of Zhejiang Coasts,China,Under Sustainable Development Goals

Ecosystem services(ESs)refer to the continuous provisioning of ecosystem goods and services that benefit human beings.Over recent decades,rapid urbanization has exerted significant pressure on coastal ecosystems,resulting in biodiversity and habitat loss,environmental pollution,and the depletion of natural resources.In response to these environmental challenges,the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)were proposed.Given the pressing need to address these issues,understanding the changes in ESs under the SDGs is crucial for formulating specific ecological strategies.In this study,we first analyzed land use and cover change in the Zhejiang coasts of China during 2000–2020.Then,we investigated the spatiotemporal configuration of ESs by integrating carbon storage(CS),soil retention(SR),habitat quality(HQ)and water yield(WY)using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)model.The driving mechanisms of ESs,which varied by space and time,were also explored using the Geo-detector method.The results revealed that,over the past two decades:1)the Zhejiang coasts have experienced a significant increase of 2783.72 km^(2) in built-up land areas and a continuous decrease in farmland areas due to rapid urbanization;2)owing to higher precipitation,extensive vegetation cover,and reduced anthropogenic disturbances,forests emerge as a crucial land use type for maintaining ecosystem services such as HQ,CS,WY,and SR;3)ESs have generally declined across the entire Zhejiang coasts,with a significant decrease observed in the northern areas and an increase in the southern areas spatially;4)the expansion of built-up land areas emerged as the primary factor affecting ecosystem services,while the vegetation factor has been increasingly significant and is expected to become predominant in the near future.Our study provides insights of understanding of ecosystem service theory and emphasizing the importance of preserving biodiversity for long-term sustainable development,and valuable scientific references to support the ecological management decision-making for local governments.

Evaluation of Human Impacts on Bartlett Pond Ecosystem, Laredo, Southern Texas, USA, through Empirical Modeling

The trace elements chemistry of Bartlett Pond, a small shallow wetland pond in Laredo, Southern Texas, was sampled to evaluate the dynamics of trace elements impacts on water quality and ecosystems ecology of the pond. Two types of fish (bass and tilapia) were also sampled to see the trace element accumulation in different parts of their body. The concentrations of trace elements in water samples were found in the following order: Fe &Gt;Sb > Pb > As &Gt;Co > Tl > Cr > Cd within Bartlett Pond. Overall, the water quality of the pond is unacceptable for drinking and any other purposes as trace element concentrations (e.g. As, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Fe, Sb and Tl) are exceedingly higher (several fold) than the WHO and US EPA guidelines. Predictive and correlation analysis shows that most trace elements exhibit a strong positive correlation among them indicating the same anthropogenic sources and biogeochemical processes regulate these trace elements within the pond. Distributions of the trace elements in water exhibit different shapes mostly as positively skewed distribution for As, Cd, Co, Cr, and Tl, symmetrical distribution for Fe and almost symmetrical distribution for Pb and Sb. Concentrations of As, Co and Tl accumulated much higher in different parts of the Bass than Tilapia fish. The concentrations of As, Tl, Co, and Sb appeared significantly higher in different parts of the body of both Bass and Tilapia than the maximum SRM certified values. Accumulation of these contaminants in fish tissues pose increased health risks to humans who consume these contaminated fish although fishing is prohibited. Anthropogenic activities in the region primarily degrade the whole pond ecosystem ecology of the Bartlett Pond and waters of this pond to be not recommended for any use. These findings may be useful for the scientific community and concerned authorities to improve understanding about these precious natural resources and conservation of the ecosystem ecology.

Spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem services and their trade-offs and synergies against the background of the gully control and land consolidation project on the Loess Plateau,China

Studying the spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem services and their interrelationships on the Loess Plateau against the background of the gully control and land consolidation(GCLC)project has significant implications for ecological protection and quality development of the Yellow River Basin.Therefore,in this study,we took Yan'an City,Shaanxi Province of China,as the study area,selected four typical ecosystem services,including soil conservation service,water yield service,carbon storage service,and habitat quality service,and quantitatively evaluated the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services from 2010 to 2018 using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.We also analysed the relationship between the GCLC project and regional ecosystem service changes in various regions(including 1 city,2 districts,and 10 counties)of Yan'an City and proposed a coordinated development strategy between the GCLC project and the ecological environment.The results showed that,from 2010 to 2018,soil conservation service decreased by 7.76%,while the other three ecosystem services changed relatively little,with water yield service increasing by 0.56% and carbon storage service and habitat quality service decreasing by 0.16% and 0.14%,respectively.The ecological environment of Yan'an City developed in a balanced way between 2010 and 2018,and the four ecosystem services showed synergistic relationships,among which the synergistic relationships between soil conservation service and water yield service and between carbon storage service and habitat quality service were significant.The GCLC project had a negative impact on the ecosystem services of Yan'an City,and the impact on carbon storage service was more significant.This study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific evaluation of the ecological benefits of the GCLC project and the realization of a win-win situation between food security and ecological security.

Role of cancer stem cell ecosystem on breast cancer metastasis and related mouse models

Breast cancer metastasis is responsible for most breast cancer-related deaths and is influenced by many factors within the tumor ecosystem,including tumor cells and microenvironment.Breast cancer stem cells(BCSCs)constitute a small population of cancer cells with unique characteristics,including their capacity for self-renewal and differentiation.Studies have shown that BCSCs not only drive tumorigenesis but also play a crucial role in promoting metastasis in breast cancer.The tumor microenvironment(TME),composed of stromal cells,immune cells,blood vessel cells,fibroblasts,and microbes in proximity to cancer cells,is increasingly recognized for its crosstalk with BCSCs and role in BCSC survival,growth,and dissemination,thereby influencing metastatic ability.Hence,a thorough understanding of BCSCs and the TME is critical for unraveling the mechanisms underlying breast cancer metastasis.In this review,we summarize current knowledge on the roles of BCSCs and the TME in breast cancer metastasis,as well as the underlying regulatory mechanisms.Furthermore,we provide an overview of relevant mouse models used to study breast cancer metastasis,as well as treatment strategies and clinical trials addressing BCSC-TME interactions during metastasis.Overall,this study provides valuable insights for the development of effective therapeutic strategies to reduce breast cancer metastasis.

Mapping ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban areas.A systematic review

Urban and peri-urban ecosystems are subjected to an intense impact.The demand for ecosystem services(ES)is higher in these areas.Nevertheless,despite the anthropogenic pressures,urban and peri-urban ecosystems supply important ES.Mapping is a crucial exercise to understand ES dynamics in these environments better.This work aims to systematically review mapping ES in urban and peri-urban areas studies,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-alpha Methods.A total of 207 studies were selected.The results show increased work between 2011 and 2023,mainly conducted in Europe and China.Most work were developed in urban areas and did not follow an established ES classification.Most studies focused on the ES supply dimension,the regulation and maintenance section.Regarding provisioning ES,most studies focused on Cultivating terrestrial plants for nutrition,regulating and maintainin g Atmospheric composition and conditions,and for cultural ES on Physical and experiential interactions with the natural environment.Quantitative methods were mostly applied following Indicator-based(secondary data:biophysical,socio-economic)models.Very few work validated the outputs.Several studies forecasted ES,primarily based on land use changes using CA-Markov approaches.This study provides an overview of the most mapped urban and peri-urban ES globally,the areas where more studies need to be conducted,and the methods developed.

Spatio-temporal evolution and topographic gradient effect of land use and ecosystem service value in the Lhasa River Basin

The Lhasa River Basin forms an essential human settlement area in the southern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.This study employed ecosystem service value(ESV)evaluation model,terrain gradient grading,and Geodetector to analyze land use and ESV in the Lhasa River Basin from 1985 to 2020.The findings reveal that:(1)From 1985 to 2020,grassland was the dominant land use.There was a trend of grassland reduction and the expansion of other land types.(2)ESV has increased over the research period(with a total increase of 0.84%),with higher values in the southeast and lower values in the northwest.Grassland contributed the most to ESV,and climate regulation and hydrological regulation were the ecosystem services that contribute the most to ESV.(3)Natural factors like NDVI and altitude,as well as economic factors like population density and distance from roads,influenced the spatial differentiation of ESV,the explanatory power of NDVI reached up to 0.47.The interaction between factors had a greater impact than individual factors.These research results can provide theoretical support for national spatial planning and ecological environment protection in the Lhasa River Basin and other similar areas.

Grassland-type ecosystem stability in China differs under the influence of drought and wet events

Ecological stability is a core issue in ecological research and holds significant implications forhumanity. The increased frequency and intensity of drought and wet climate events resulting from climatechange pose a major threat to global ecological stability. Variations in stability among different ecosystemshave been confirmed, but it remains unclear whether there are differences in stability within the sameterrestrial vegetation ecosystem under the influence of climate events in different directions and intensities.China's grassland ecosystem includes most grassland types and is a good choice for studying this issue.This study used the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index-12 (SPEI-12) to identify thedirections and intensities of different types of climate events, and based on Normalized DifferenceVegetation Index (NDVI), calculated the resistance and resilience of different grassland types for 30consecutive years from 1990 to 2019 (resistance and resilience are important indicators to measurestability). Based on a traditional regression model, standardized methods were integrated to analyze theimpacts of the intensity and duration of drought and wet events on vegetation stability. The resultsshowed that meadow steppe exhibited the highest stability, while alpine steppe and desert steppe had thelowest overall stability. The stability of typical steppe, alpine meadow, temperate meadow was at anintermediate level. Regarding the impact of the duration and intensity of climate events on vegetationecosystem stability for the same grassland type, the resilience of desert steppe during drought was mainlyaffected by the duration. In contrast, the impact of intensity was not significant. However, alpine steppewas mainly affected by intensity in wet environments, and duration had no significant impact. Ourconclusions can provide decision support for the future grassland ecosystem governance.

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.