Search Results (79)

Climate change and anthropogenic activities, which are central to landscape-related concerns, affect both the well-being of populations and the structure of semi-urban and urban landscapes worldwide. This article aims to assess the environmental impact of landscape modifications across Togo as perceived through the lens of urban ecology. In conjunction with Landsat 8 satellite imagery, data were gathered via questionnaires distributed to stakeholders in urban space development. Four land use classifications are discernible from analyzing the Agoè-Nyivé northern municipalities’ cartography: vegetation, development areas/artificial surfaces, crops and fallows, meadows, and wetlands. Between 2014 and 2022, meadows and wetlands decreased by 57.14%, vegetation cover decreased by 27.77%, and fields and fallows decreased by 15.38%. Development areas/artificial surfaces increased by 40.47% due to perpetual expansion, displacing natural habitats, including wetlands and meadows, where rapid growth results in the construction of flood-prone areas. In wetland ecosystems, 91 plant species were identified and classified into 84 genera and 37 families using a floristic inventory. Typical species included Mitragyna inermis (Willd.) Kuntze; Nymphaea lotus L.; Typha australis Schumach; Ludwigia erecta (L.); Ipomoea aquatica Forssk; Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach.) Heine. This concerning observation could serve as an incentive for policymakers to advocate for incorporating urban ecology into municipal development strategies, with the aim of mitigating the environmental risks associated with rapid urbanization. Full article

High-latitude regions store substantial amounts of soil organic matter (SOM). Icelandic volcanic soils have exceptional capabilities for SOM accumulation, but recent changes in land use can significantly impact it. Water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) represents a labile SOM pool and serves as a reliable index of SOM dynamics. We assessed the stable carbon (C), stable nitrogen (N), and WEOC (water-extractable organic carbon), as well as WETN (water-extractable total nitrogen), concentrations in soils under different land uses—semi-natural habitats (tundra and wetland) and human-managed areas (intensively and extensively grazed pasturelands and formerly and presently fertilized meadows)—in southeastern Iceland. The results suggest that human-managed sites contain more total C and N but less WEOM per unit of total C or N than semi-natural habitats, except for wetlands. Wetlands exhibited the highest WEOM content. Extensive pasturelands and fertilized meadows are becoming more common in local ecosystems, highlighting the direction of changes in Icelandic grasslands management. Full article

Wetlands and meadows are two terrestrial ecosystems that are strikingly distinct in terms of hydrological conditions and biogeochemical characteristics. Wetlands generally feature saturated soils, high accumulation of organic matter, and hypoxic environments. They support unique microbial communities and play crucial roles as carbon sinks and nutrient retainers. In contrast, meadows are characterized by lower water supply, enhanced aeration, and accelerated turnover of organic matter. The transition from wetlands to meadows under global climate change and human activities has triggered severe ecological consequences in the Sanjiangyuan region, yet the mechanisms driving microbial network stability remain unclear. This study integrates microbial sequencing, soil physicochemical analyses, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to reveal systematic changes in microbial communities during wetland degradation. Key findings indicate: (1) critical soil parameter shifts (moisture: 48.5%→19.3%; SOM: −43.6%; salinity: +170%); (2) functional microbial restructuring with drought-tolerant Actinobacteria (+62.8%) and Ascomycota (+48.3%) replacing wetland specialists (Nitrospirota: −43.2%, Basidiomycota: −28.6%); (3) fundamental network reorganization from sparse wetland connections to hypercomplex meadow networks (bacterial nodes +344%, fungal edges +139.2%); (4) SEM identifies moisture (λ = 0.82), organic matter (λ = 0.68), and salinity (λ = −0.53) as primary drivers. Particularly, the collapse of methane-oxidizing archaea (−100%) and emergence of pathogenic fungi (+28.6%) highlight functional thresholds in degradation processes. These findings provide microbial regulation targets for wetland restoration, emphasizing hydrologic management and organic carbon conservation as priority interventions. Future research should assess whether similar microbial and network transitions occur in degraded wetlands across other alpine and temperate regions, to validate the broader applicability of these ecological thresholds. Restoration efforts should prioritize re-saturating soils, reducing salinity, and enhancing organic matter retention to stabilize microbial networks and restore essential ecosystem functions. Full article

The responses of soil nitrogen component dynamics and enzyme activities to vegetation degradation in wet meadows ecosystems remain unclear. This study employed a combination of field surveys and laboratory experiments to investigate soil nitrogen components and nitrogen cycling enzyme activities under different intensities of vegetation degradation and during the vegetation growth season in a wet meadow on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. The aim was to explore the responses of soil nitrogen components and nitrogen cycling enzyme activities to vegetation degradation and their interrelationships. The results showed that vegetation degradation significantly reduced TN, NH₄⁺-N, MBN, PRO, and NiR, and increased NO₃⁻-N, URE, and NR. Soil nitrogen components and enzyme activities exhibited seasonal fluctuations across different degradation levels during the growing season. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between temperature, moisture, nitrogen fractions, and nitrogen cycle-related enzyme activities, as well as between the nitrogen fractions and the enzyme activities themselves. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) elucidated the relationships between soil properties and nitrogen components under different degradation levels, explaining 78% of the variance in nitrogen components. Degradation level, growth season, and soil physical properties had indirect associations with nitrogen components, whereas soil enzyme activities exerted a direct positive influence on nitrogen components. Our research revealed the universal impact mechanism of environmental factors, soil characteristics, and vegetation degradation on nitrogen cycling in a wet meadow, thereby making a significant contribution to the restoration and maintenance of functional integrity in alpine wetland ecosystems. Full article

Retrogressive succession alters soil conditions and microbial community dynamics in cold-region wetlands, yet its ecological implications remain understudied. This study explored the structure and function of soil microbial communities across three successional stages: swamp (SP), swamped meadow (SM), and meadow (MW). High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified 2852 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with 1682 shared among all stages (58.85%). Alpha diversity indices, including Shannon, Chao, ACE, and Sobs, were significantly higher in MW, with the Shannon index increasing by approximately 32% compared to SP, indicating enhanced richness and evenness. In contrast, Simpson and Coverage indices were highest in SP. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota were dominant phyla, showing distinct distributions across stages. Beta diversity analysis (PCoA and NMDS) revealed clear separation of microbial communities. Soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, soil water content (SWC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and bulk density (BD) significantly influenced microbial composition and distribution. Functional prediction using FAPROTAX and BugBase indicated a shift from anaerobic metabolism, nitrogen fixation, and cellulolysis in the SP to aerobic chemoheterotrophy and stress tolerance in MW. These results demonstrate that microbial communities adapt to changing soil environments during retrogressive succession, highlighting their role in ecosystem function and resilience in cold-region wetlands. Full article

Anthropogenic activities represent a significant challenge to macrophyte conservation worldwide. Eutrophication, resulting from excessive nutrient inputs to aquatic ecosystems, is one of the main man-induced disturbances affecting the health of wetlands. Albufera of Valencia has experienced a hypertrophic and turbid state since the 1970s, with the consequent disappearance of macrophyte meadows and the predominance of phytoplankton. However, unique episodes of water clarity occurred in 2018 and 2022, leading to the reappearance of Myriophyllum spicatum and Najas marina, respectively. In the present study, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is used to monitor the emergence, growth, and disappearance of N. marina in 2022, as was previously done for M. spicatum. In November 2022, we obtained the maximum cover with 48.42 ha and began declining until March 2023. This methodology supports the potential of remote sensing in assessing the cover, density, and health of aquatic vegetation, while allowing us to examine the influence of water quality and quantity on this prominent phenomenon. After removing the outlier data, all variables except for suspended solids presented normal distribution. The results suggest that, by improving the water quality in the Albufera and maintaining an adequate ecological flow, managed by the competent authorities, the recovery of the macrophyte meadows that characterised this ecosystem more than five decades ago could be feasible. Full article

Wetland ecosystems are sensitive to climate variation, yet tracking vegetation type and structure changes through time remains a challenge. This study examines how Landsat-derived vegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) correspond with lidar-derived canopy height model (CHM) changes from 2000 to 2018 across the wetland landscape of the Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD), Canada. By comparing CHM change and NDVI and EVI trends across woody and herbaceous land covers, this study fills a gap in understanding long-term vegetation responses in northern wetlands. Findings show that ~35% of the study area experienced canopy growth, while 2% saw a reduction in height. CHM change revealed 11% ecotonal expansion, where shrub and treed swamps encroached on meadow and marsh areas. NDVI and EVI correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with CHM, particularly in shrub swamps (r² = 0.40, 0.35) and upland forests (NDVI r² = 0.37). However, EVI trends aligned more strongly with canopy expansion, while NDVI captured mature tree height growth and wetland drying, indicated by rising land surface temperatures (LST). These results highlight the contrasting responses of NDVI and EVI—NDVI being more sensitive to moisture-related changes such as wetland drying, and EVI aligning more closely with canopy structural changes—emphasizing the value of combining lidar and satellite indices to monitor wetland ecosystems in a warming climate. Full article

The Ruoergai Wetland is the highest and largest plateau peat swamp wetland in the world, providing more than 30% of the water for the upper reaches of the Yellow River. It performs vital regulatory functions in maintaining the quality and stability of the regional ecosystem of the Yellow River Basin. It is of great significance to study the spatial and temporal variability of water conservation services as well as ecological restoration and enhancement strategies at multiple scales. Based on field research, using the InVEST model, this study quantitatively assessed water conservation for a long period at the Ruoergai Wetland, proposing a strategy to improve water conservation capacity. The results showed that both grassland (mainly alpine meadow with Kobresia Willd and Cyperus papyrus) and wetland in the study area exhibited degradation. The proportions of significantly decreased, moderately decreased, slightly decreased areas were 50.64%, 16.81%, 11.64%, respectively. There were also significant changes in water conservation capacity from 2020 to 2023, with strong spatial heterogeneity. Average water conservation per unit area ranged from 52.70 to 211.99 mm/m², with a decreasing trend. However, in the past 10 years, the area of soil erosion decreased by about 4735 km². Although the soil erosion situation has improved to a large extent, there is still increasing soil erosion in some areas. Based on the field investigation, the intrinsic mechanisms of water conservation in alpine wetlands were elaborated, the driving forces behind the changes in water conservation functions were described, and further ecological restoration strategies were proposed from the perspectives of engineering measures, spatial zoning, and industrial structure. Full article

Soil microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is the ratio of carbon allocated to microbial growth to that taken up by microorganisms. Soil microbial CUE affects terrestrial ecosystem processes such as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon turnover, and sequestration, which is an important indicator of changes in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Firstly, we summarized the three methods of soil microbial CUE, stoichiometric modeling, ¹³C glucose tracing, and ¹⁸O water tracing, and compared the advantages and limitations of the three methods. Then, we analyzed the single or combined effects of different environmental factors on soil microbial CUE in grassland ecosystems, forest ecosystems, and wetland ecosystems. Finally, we suggested that future research should focus on the following aspects: the influence of management patterns on CUE (such as grazing and the prohibition of grazing in grassland ecosystems, forest gap, and thinning in forest ecosystems); effects of the strategies of microorganisms for adapting to environmental changes on CUE; effects of anaerobic metabolic pathways, especially in wetland ecosystems; and effects of microbial taxonomic level. This study contributes to the investigation of the microbial mechanisms of carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Full article

Alpine wetland ecosystems, as important carbon sinks and water conservation areas, possess unique ecological functions. Driven by climate change and human activities, the spatial distribution changes in alpine wetlands directly affect the ecosystems and water resource management within a basin. To further refine the evolution processes of different types of alpine wetlands in different zones of a basin, this study combined multiple field surveys, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights, and high-resolution images. Based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, we constructed a Random Forest model to identify and extract alpine wetlands in the Shule River Basin over a long-term period from 1987 to 2021. The results indicated that the accuracy of the extraction based on this method exceeded 90%; the main wetland types are marsh, swamp meadow, and river and lake water bodies; and the spatial–temporal distribution of each wetland type has obvious heterogeneity. In total, 90% of the swamp meadows areas were mainly scattered throughout the study area’s section 3700 to 4300 m above sea level (a.s.l.), and 80% of the marshes areas were concentrated in the Dang River source 3200 m above sea level. From 1987 to 2021, the alpine wetland in the study area showed an overall expansion trend. The total area of the wetland increased by 51,451.8 ha and the area increased by 53.5%. However, this expansion mainly occurred in the elevation zone below 4000 m after 2004, and low-altitude marsh wetland primarily dominated the expansion. The analysis of the spatial–temporal heterogeneity of alpine wetlands can provide a scientific basis for the attribution analysis of the change in alpine wetlands in inland water conservation areas, as well as for protection and rational development and utilization, and promote the healthy development of ecological environments in nature reserves. Full article

Although soil is mainly perceived as the basic component of agricultural production, it also plays a pivotal role in environmental protection and climate change mitigation. Soil ecosystems are the largest terrestrial carbon source and greenhouse gas emitters, and their degradation as a result of aggressive human activity exacerbates the problem of climate change. Application of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology to soil-based ecosystems such as sediments, wetlands, farmland, or meadows allows for sustainable management of these environments with energy and environmental benefits. Soil ecosystem-based MFCs enable zero-energy, environmentally friendly soil bioremediation (with efficiencies reaching even 99%), direct clean energy production from various soil-based ecosystems (with power production reaching 334 W/m²), and monitoring of soil quality or wastewater treatment in wetlands (with efficiencies of up to 99%). They are also a new strategy for greenhouse gas, soil salinity, and metal accumulation mitigation. This article reviews the current state of the art in the field of application of MFC technology to various soil-based ecosystems, including soil MFCs, sediment MFCs, plant MFCs, and CW-MFCs (constructed wetlands coupled with MFCs). Full article

Most of Europe’s semi-natural grasslands have been maintained by land use for thousands of years. Consequently, as a side effect of this type of land use, high grassland biodiversity was able to develop in those areas. Today, due to changes in land use, only fragments of the native grasslands and their biodiversity, especially in wetlands, remain. We conducted a study on changes in land use and the conservation context of a species-rich Hungarian fen meadow over 250 years. In addition to the main changes, we focused on sustainable grassland management. For our research, we built a geospatial database in which we attached great importance to georeferenced aerial photographs taken decades ago. To better understand what we can see in aerial photographs, we studied archived newspaper articles and conducted interviews. An aerial photograph taken in 1963 served as an exceptional illustration and data source for the key factors of sustainability and biodiversity. Our case study illustrates most of the major global problems affecting the European fen meadow (drainage, agricultural intensification, expansion of infrastructure networks, abandonment of farming). Based on our research, mosaic, adaptive, small-scale landscape use is necessary for the long-term sustainability of European wet grasslands and their special wildlife. Full article

Coastal wetlands deliver essential ecosystem services, including cultural services, which provide non-material benefits such as recreation, education, and spiritual enrichment that are crucial for human well-being. This study investigates the cultural ecosystem services provided by a 40 ha coastal wetland in the Gulf of Manfredonia, southern Italy, within the Gargano National Park. By integrating an ecological survey of the bird community with a social survey of visitors to the King’s Lagoon Nature Reserve, the content of tailored planning strategies and management tools for the conservation of wetland biodiversity was developed. An ecological analysis of the bird community was carried out on the assumption that it could be representative of the total biodiversity observed in the wetland. On the other hand, a questionnaire was used to collect information from visitors to the reserve, highlighting the aspects of the wetland that they found most interesting and attractive according to their judgement and beliefs, and thus targeting a specific set of cultural ecological services. The two approaches were then combined to develop a comprehensive strategy. The bird community analysis led to the identification of the mixed biotope category (a combination of wetlands, aquatic/riparian ecosystems, semi-natural vegetated areas, and meadows together with agricultural areas) as the reference biotope for prioritizing wetland management. The Ardeidae family was chosen as a bird flagship group because of its high visibility, ease of identification, attractiveness to visitors, wide local distribution, and fairly constant presence in the study area throughout the year. Flagship species have a dual function: to guide conservation measures and actions by wetland managers, and to attract the interest, curiosity and active participation of potential visitors to the wetland. Based on the results, a list of guidelines for improving the birds’ habitats and providing them with resources (feeding, breeding, shelter, roosting, etc.) has been proposed. The aim of these measures is to optimize the presence and abundance of Ardeidae as flagship species, thereby preserving the biodiversity heritage in general and increasing the provision of cultural ecosystem services in the wetland. The resulting dynamic interplay ensures that both natural and cultural resources are fully and appropriately valued, protected, and maintained for the benefit of present and future generations. Full article

Soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions are vital intrinsic indicators of SOC stability, and soil fungi are the key drivers of soil carbon cycling. However, variations in SOC fractions along an elevational gradient in mountain meadows and the role of the fungal community in regulating these variations are largely unknown, especially in subtropical areas. In this study, an elevation gradient experiment (with experimental sites at 1500, 1700, and 1900 m) was set up in a Miscanthus sinensis community in a meadow on Wugong Mountain, Southeast China, to clarify the effects of elevation on soil fungal community composition, microbial residue carbon, and SOC fractions. The results showed that the contribution of soil microbial residue carbon to SOC was only 16.1%, and the contribution of soil fungal residue carbon to SOC (15.3%) was far greater than that of bacterial residue carbon (0.3%). An increase in elevation changed the fungal community structure and diversity, especially in the topsoil (0–20 cm depth) compared with that in the subsoil (20–40 cm depth), but did not affect fungal residue carbon in the two soil layers. When separating SOC into the fractions mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC), we found that the contribution of MAOC (66.6%) to SOC was significantly higher than that of POC (20.6%). Although an increased elevation did not affect the SOC concentration, it significantly changed the SOC fractions in the topsoil and subsoil. The soil POC concentration and its contribution to SOC increased with an increasing elevation, whereas soil MAOC showed the opposite response. The elevational variations in SOC fractions and the POC/MAOC ratio were co-regulated by the fungal community structure and total nitrogen. Our results suggested that SOC stabilization in mountain meadows decreases with an increasing elevation and is driven by the fungal community structure, providing scientific guidance for SOC sequestration and stability in mountain meadows in subtropical areas. Full article

Compared to other small mammals, shrews are understudied due to their limited impact on agriculture, lower biomedical importance, and difficulty to study. Based on trapping data from 1975–2023, we investigated changes in Lithuanian shrews (Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus, Neomys fodiens, and Neomys milleri) over six decades. We analyzed the relative abundance of shrews and the proportion of their species within small mammal communities to assess temporal patterns and distribution in major habitat types. The first main finding was the confirmation of a decrease in S. araneus abundance in the 2020s compared to the 1990s and 2010s. The species proportion in 2020s was lower than in the 1970s–2000s; the decrease started in the 1980s and accelerated in the 2000s. Abundances and proportions of S. minutus and N. fodiens showed no significant trend. The abundance of N. fodiens was very low. The relative abundances and proportions of Sorex species were highest in commensal (human-related) and mixed (including forest, wetland, and meadow) habitats. Shrews were underrepresented in agricultural habitats, with the numbers of both S. araneus and S. minutus 4.1 times lower than expected. While the presence of S. minutus in commensal habitats could be explained by their diet specificity, the capture of N. fodiens and N. milleri in commensal habitats is a novel feature of their ecology. Full article