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Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition
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Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 3527

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jinlei Zhu

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Guest Editor
Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: restoration ecology; climate change; plant population spread; seed dispersal
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Qi Lu

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Guest Editor
Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: desert ecology; plant phenology; vegetation restoration; spatiotemporal pattern of vegetation; desert management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Bo Wu

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Guest Editor
Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: desert ecology; landscape ecology; ecological process of desertification; global change ecology; conservation biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zhimin Liu

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Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Interests: seed ecology; bud bank; clonal growth; and grassland desertification combating
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a Special Issue entitled "Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition". This Special Issue aims to showcase recent research and advancements in the field of ecology and plant adaptations to climate change in arid ecosystems. The focus will be on understanding the complex interactions between plants, their environments, and ecological processes in arid areas. The Special Issue will cover topics such as the effects of climate change on arid ecosystems, the adaptation mechanisms of plants in arid areas, the role of ecological processes in arid ecosystems, and management strategies with which to mitigate the impact of climate change on arid areas.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that contribute to advancing our understanding of the ecology of arid areas, as well as the adaptation mechanisms of plants to climate change. We encourage submissions that utilize interdisciplinary approaches, as well as those that use advanced technologies and methodologies to study the complex interactions in arid ecosystems. Our goal is to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest findings and contribute to the development of effective management strategies with which to mitigate the impact of climate change on arid areas.

Dr. Jinlei Zhu
Prof. Dr. Qi Lu
Prof. Dr. Bo Wu
Prof. Dr. Zhimin Liu
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • arid areas
  • climate change
  • ecological processes
  • plant adaptations
  • ecosystem management
  • interdisciplinary approaches
  • mitigation strategies

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1554 KiB  
Article
Effects of Two Ecological Governance Measures for Photovoltaic Power Stations on Plant Growth and Soil Nutrients
by Yajing Liu, Jingbo Zhang, Ren Mu, Danyang Wang, Zhaoming Wang, Jingyuan An and Xinle Li
Plants 2025, 14(5), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050797 - 4 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Ecological governance is essential to promoting the sustainable development of photovoltaic power stations in sandy regions and serves as a necessary measure for photovoltaic sand control. This study aims to investigate the impact of ecological governance measures on soil nutrients and plant growth, [...] Read more.
Ecological governance is essential to promoting the sustainable development of photovoltaic power stations in sandy regions and serves as a necessary measure for photovoltaic sand control. This study aims to investigate the impact of ecological governance measures on soil nutrients and plant growth, providing a theoretical foundation and scientific guidance for optimizing ecological management strategies in photovoltaic power stations located in sandy areas. The research focuses on two ecological governance measures: (1) the direct planting of Haloxylon ammodendron in bare sand in front of, between, and behind photovoltaic panels and (2) the planting of H. ammodendron after laying straw checkerboard barriers. The effects of these two measures on plant growth and soil nutrients were compared and analyzed across different positions relative to the photovoltaic panels (in front, between, and behind). The study revealed that the plant height of H. ammodendron was significantly higher than the control under both ecological governance measures in all three positions (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the crown width, aboveground biomass, underground biomass, and total biomass of H. ammodendron planted directly in bare sand as an ecological governance measure were significantly greater than those of plants grown after the installation of straw checkerboard barriers. A two-factor analysis of variance indicated that sampling location, ecological governance measures, and their interaction significantly affected the plant height and crown width of H. ammodendron (p < 0.01). Redundancy analysis demonstrated that soil available nitrogen was positively correlated with aboveground dry weight, underground dry weight, total biomass, and crown width, with all parameters increasing as soil available nitrogen content increased. Additionally, soil available nitrogen and soil available potassium were identified as key factors driving the growth of H. ammodendron. In conclusion, the ecological governance measures of planting H. ammodendron directly in bare sand within the photovoltaic park demonstrated superior growth and biomass outcomes compared with planting the species after the installation of straw checkerboard barriers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 4679 KiB  
Article
Decoupling Distribution of n-Alkanes in Aeolian Sand and Vegetation of the Northern Ulan Buh Desert, China: Insight into Organic Matter Preservation in Arid Regions
by Shangzhe Zhou, Lei Xi, Mengchun Cui, Guipeng Cui, Pan Gao, Jinlei Zhu, Weiyuan Kong, Yufu Jia and Qi Lu
Plants 2024, 13(20), 2898; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202898 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Fallen leaves and their decomposition directly deposit leaf wax n-alkanes into sediments, which can be used to identify local flora. These n-alkanes are important for studying past vegetation and climate, but their distribution in sediments must be known. Aeolian sand n [...] Read more.
Fallen leaves and their decomposition directly deposit leaf wax n-alkanes into sediments, which can be used to identify local flora. These n-alkanes are important for studying past vegetation and climate, but their distribution in sediments must be known. Aeolian sand n-alkanes are particularly important for understanding paleoclimates in arid regions, despite the challenges of extraction due to their extremely low abundance. To investigate the preservation of plant leaf wax n-alkanes in deserts, we analyzed n-alkanes in aeolian sands from the Northern Ulan Buh Desert (UBD), China, and compared them to the surrounding vegetation. We calculated the total n-alkane concentration (ΣALK), average chain length (ACL21–35), and carbon preference index (CPI21–35). In the Northern UBD, aeolian sand n-alkanes have lower ΣALK, indicating microbial degradation. The eastern aeolian sand has lower CPI21–35 and ACL21–35 than the adjacent vegetation, whereas the western sand values are consistent with the plants, likely due to the transport of plant-derived materials by wind and water from the nearby mountains. Our study shows that sedimentary n-alkane signatures are not only determined by local vegetation but also influenced by environmental factors like temperature and precipitation. Additionally, local deposition processes play a significant role in determining the properties of these n-alkanes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 2281 KiB  
Article
A Study of the Diversity Patterns of Desert Vegetation Communities in an Arid Zone of China
by Zhiming Xin, Xing Li, Yonghua Li, Xue Dong, Ruibing Duan, Xu Chang, Yiben Cheng, Xiuqing Wu and Wei Li
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2783; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192783 - 4 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1072
Abstract
The Gobi Desert ecosystem is currently experiencing the impacts of persistent climate warming and extreme weather. However, the relative influences of factors such as soil, climate, and spatial variables on the β-diversity of desert plants and their key components have not been systematically [...] Read more.
The Gobi Desert ecosystem is currently experiencing the impacts of persistent climate warming and extreme weather. However, the relative influences of factors such as soil, climate, and spatial variables on the β-diversity of desert plants and their key components have not been systematically studied. In this research, the Dunhuang North Mountain and Mazong Mountain areas were selected as study areas, with a total of 79 plant community plots systematically established. The aim was to explore intercommunity β-diversity and its components and to analyze the interrelationships with climate factors, soil factors, and geographic distance. The results indicate that (1) there is a geographic decay pattern and significant differences among plant communities in the Dunhuang North Mountain and Mazong Mountain areas, with β-diversity primarily driven by replacement components. (2) Climate, soil, and geographic distance significantly influence β-diversity and its replacement components, with climate factors exerting the greatest influence and geographic distance the least. (3) Multiple regression analysis (MRM) reveals differential effects of climate factors, soil factors, and geographic distance on β-diversity and its replacement components, with climate and soil factors exerting a much greater influence than geographic distance. In summary, the β-diversity of plant communities and their replacement components in the Dunhuang North Mountain and Mazong Mountain areas result from the combined effects of habitat filtering and dispersal limitation, with habitat filtering having a greater impact, while environmental heterogeneity is an important factor influencing species differences in this region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Processes and Sandy Plant Adaptations to Climate Change—2nd Edition)
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