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Soil Microorganisms, Plant Ecology and Sustainable Restoration

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Dear Colleagues,

The degradation of lands and ecosystems worldwide is of major environmental risk. Thus, the restoration of degraded landscapes, agroecosystems and natural forests helps the restitution of ecosystem services and values, improving the sustainable management of ecosystems and conservation of living species, which is of high priority. Therefore, to obtain and compile information on soil microorganisms, plant ecology and ecological restoration are urgently needed.

This Special Issue is dedicated to research including advances in plant and soil science for a sustainable life and better ecosystem functioning.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: microbes as indicators of ecological restoration and soil health; the environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability of human environments; how ecosystems can be regenerated, conserved, and integrated into the current human lifestyle; and land degradation neutrality and carbon sequestration

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Marcela Pagano
Guest Editor

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Research

17 pages, 309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heavy Metals in Leafy Vegetables and Soft Fruits from Allotment Gardens in the Warsaw Agglomeration: Health Risk Assessment

by Jarosław Chmielewski, Elżbieta Wszelaczyńska, Jarosław Pobereżny, Magdalena Florek-Łuszczki and Barbara Gworek

Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6666; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156666 - 22 Jul 2025

Viewed by 446

Abstract

Vegetables and fruits grown in urban areas pose a potential threat to human health due to contamination with heavy metals (HMs). This study aimed to identify and quantify the concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) in tomatoes, leafy vegetables, and fruits collected from 16 allotment gardens (AGs) located in Warsaw. A total of 112 samples were analyzed (72 vegetable and 40 fruit samples). Vegetables from AGs accumulated significantly higher levels of HMs than fruits. Leafy vegetables, particularly those cultivated near high-traffic roads, exhibited markedly elevated levels of Pb, Cd, and Zn compared to those grown in peripheral areas. Lead concentrations exceeded permissible limits by six to twelve times, cadmium by one to thirteen times, and zinc by 0.7 to 2.4 times. Due to high levels of Pb and Cd, tomatoes should not be cultivated in urban environments. Regardless of location, only trace amounts of HMs were detected in fruits. The greatest health risk is associated with the consumption of leafy vegetables. Lettuce should be considered an indicator plant for assessing environmental contamination. The obtained Hazard Index (HI) values indicate that only the tested fruits are safe for consumption. Meanwhile, the values of the Hazard Quotient (HQ) indicate no health risk associated with the consumption of lettuce, cherries, and red currants. Among the analyzed elements, Pb showed a higher potential health risk than other metals. This study emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of HM levels in urban soils and the establishment of baseline values for public health purposes. Remediation of contaminated soils and the implementation of safer agricultural practices are recommended to reduce the exposure of urban populations to the risks associated with the consumption of contaminated produce. In addition, the safety of fruits and vegetables grown in urban areas is influenced by the location of the AGs and the level of industrialization of the agglomeration. Therefore, the safety assessment of plant products derived from AGs should be monitored on a continuous basis, especially in vegetables. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Microorganisms, Plant Ecology and Sustainable Restoration)

18 pages, 5115 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drainage and Afforestation More Strongly Affect Soil Microbial Composition in Fens than Bogs of Subtropical Moss Peatlands

by Putao Zhang, Junheng Yang, Haijun Cui, Weifeng Song, Yingying Liu, Xunxun Shi, Xiaoting Bi and Suyao Yuan

Sustainability 2024, 16(19), 8621; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198621 - 4 Oct 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1379

Abstract

Subtropical moss peatlands have important ecological functions, and their protection and restoration are urgent. The lack of understanding of the biogeochemical changes in subtropical moss peatlands after human disturbance, particularly regarding their underground ecological changes, limits the efforts towards their protection and restoration. In this study, typical subtropical moss peatlands and the Cryptomeria swamp forest (CSF) formed by long-term (more than 20 years) drainage and afforestation in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau of China were selected as the research sites. Moreover, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used to study the differences in soil bacterial community diversity and composition among a natural Sphagnum fen (SF), Polytrichum bog (PB), and CSF to explore the effects of drainage and afforestation on different types of moss peatlands and its mechanism combined with soil physicochemical properties. Results showed that (1) drainage and afforestation significantly reduced the α diversity of soil bacterial communities in SF while significantly increasing the α diversity of soil bacterial communities in PB. Soil bacterial communities of SF had the highest α diversity and had many unique species or groups at different taxonomic levels. (2) The impact of drainage and afforestation on the soil bacterial community composition in SF was significantly higher than that in PB. Drainage and afforestation caused significant changes in the composition and relative abundance of dominant groups of soil bacteria in SF at different taxonomic levels, such as significantly reducing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, significantly increasing the relative abundance of Acidobacteria, and significantly reducing the ratio of Proteobacteria to Acidobacteria, but did not have a significant impact on the corresponding indicators of PB. The changes in the ratio of Proteobacteria to Acidobacteria may reflect changes in the trophic conditions of peatlands. (3) Soil moisture content, available phosphorus content, and pH were key driving factors for changes in soil bacterial community composition and diversity, which should be paid attention to in the restoration of moss peatlands. This study provides insights into the protection and restoration of subtropical moss peatlands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Microorganisms, Plant Ecology and Sustainable Restoration)

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