ABSTRACT Imbalances between ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand constrain ecological governance and sustainable development. While spatial patterns of these imbalances have been widely studied, less attention has been paid to the land‐use thresholds and regulatory mechanisms needed to maintain ES balance. Using Jiangxi Province as a case study, we developed a threshold‐based spatial regulation framework integrating ESs supply–demand ratio (SDR) analysis, key land‐use type identification, and management zoning. We quantified the spatiotemporal supply and demand of four ESs—carbon sequestration (CS), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and soil conservation (SC)—from 2003 to 2023. By combining boosted regression tree and segmented regression, we identified key land‐use types affecting ESs balance and their proportional thresholds, and used segmented regression breakpoints for differentiated spatial zoning. The results showed that although the supply of ESs generally exceeded demand, the imbalance intensified over time, particularly for WY and HQ, accompanied by significant spatial heterogeneity. Built‐up land, cropland, and forest land are the dominant land use types affecting the balance of ESs. Built‐up land negatively affected CS and HQ, cropland positively affected WY, HQ, and SC, forest land supported CS and WY, and water area promoted SC. Although land use in Jiangxi remained within the overall balance threshold, some areas approached critical points, with WY showing the smallest balanced area (75.39%). Based on current land‐use structure and ESs thresholds, three ESs management zones and 27 integrated zones were delineated, and differentiated land‐use regulation strategies were proposed, providing a scientific basis for ESs‐oriented spatial governance.
ABSTRACT Understanding how climate and vegetation structural complexity jointly shape fungal communities is essential for effective roadside slope restoration. To address this, we examined restoration effects on fungal diversity, community composition, and ecological networks across three climatically distinct regions: dry‐hot valley, subalpine, and subtropical. In climatically stressful regions (i.e., dry‐hot valley and subalpine), plots with complex vegetation (Herb+Shrub, Herb+Shrub+Tree, and natural sites) harbored higher fungal diversity than herbaceous‐only plots. In contrast, subtropical herbaceous plots supported higher fungal diversity, likely due to disturbance‐induced niche heterogeneity. Fungal community composition differed significantly among climatic regions and vegetation types. Ascomycota was consistently dominant across all sites, whereas Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, and Rozellomycota exhibited distinct regional distributions. Network analyses revealed larger and more highly connected fungal networks in the subtropical and subalpine regions than in the dry‐hot valley, with topological keystone taxa identified only in the former two regions. Piecewise structural equation modeling further indicated that climate influenced fungal diversity indirectly via soil nutrients, while vegetation diversity exerted a direct effect. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the effects of vegetation complexity on fungal communities are climate‐dependent, underscoring the need to integrate climatic context, vegetation management, soil nutrient regulation, and fungal ecological functions into roadside slope restoration.
ABSTRACT Microplastics persisting in soil can modify soil structure and nutrient status and alter biological activity, thereby influencing soil respiration. However, the mechanisms by which microplastics regulate soil respiration remain poorly understood. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in a winter wheat farmland to examine the effects of microplastic type (polypropylene and polyethylene) and particle size (13 and 500 μm) on soil respiration and to identify the associated driving factors. Soil respiration was significantly increased by microplastics, with a greater impact observed for 13 μm than for 500 μm microplastics. Microplastics increased root biomass and microbial biomass carbon, whereas they reduced aboveground biomass and soil available nitrogen content. Structural equation modeling indicated that the microplastic‐induced increment in soil respiration was primarily driven by root biomass. Microplastics stimulated root growth by changing soil physical structure, such as reducing bulk density, increasing soil porosity, and altering aggregate stability, thereby promoting soil respiration. Overall, this study highlights that microplastics can substantially alter belowground carbon dynamics by reshaping plant–soil–microbe interactions, and provides a scientific basis for evaluating the ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.
ABSTRACT Soil acidification poses significant challenges to sustainable agriculture, adversely impacting soil health, crop's productivity, and ecological stability. It results from both natural and anthropogenic activities, such as excessive nitrogenous fertilizer use, acid rain, and intensive cropping systems. Acidic soils are characterized by low pH, nutrient imbalances, aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicity, and diminished microbial activity, all of which impair plant growth and ecosystem services. The restoration of these soils ensures boosted agricultural productivity and environmental resilience. Various physical, chemical, and biological approaches are employed for the restoration of acidic soils. Organic amendments such as compost, manures, and biochar are used to improve pH buffering, enhance nutrient availability, and promote the buildup of beneficial microbial communities. Chemical amendments such as lime neutralize acidity and mitigate metal toxicity, while agronomic practices, including cover cropping and optimized crop density, foster soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation and microbial interactions. This review outlines these strategies and their underlying mechanisms, specifically emphasizing the role of microbial processes in nutrient cycling, SOM decomposition, and disease suppression in acidic soils. Microbial communities, particularly those involved in nitrogen (N) fixation, phosphorus (P) solubilization, and SOM decomposition, are central to soil health restoration. Furthermore, integrated approaches that combine physical, chemical, and microbial management are shown to enhance soil resilience, carbon (C) sequestration, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. Therefore, this review also discusses the prospects of using restored acidic soils for climate change mitigation and sustainable crop production. In addition, this review also broadens the dynamic microbial shifts and the efficacy of soil amendments for optimizing restoration efforts and enhancing soil health in the long term.
ABSTRACT Soil health is at risk from extreme weather, farming methods that harm the agroecosystem, and a loss of biodiversity. This makes it harder for ecosystems to recover and makes food security worse. Interactions between plants and microorganisms in the rhizosphere, particularly those involving nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), are crucial for improving nutrient cycling, stress resistance, and soil structure. This review investigates the mechanistic and molecular underpinnings of these mutualistic connections, with a particular emphasis on the pivotal role of root exudates in regulating microbial recruitment and activity. Advancements in multi‐omics and ecological modeling have shown geographical and temporal dynamic patterns in root‐microbe interactions, providing novel insights into the formation of resilient and sustainable agroecosystems. The article examines innovative strategies, including synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), CRISPR‐based microbial engineering, host‐mediated microbiome selection, and precision inoculant delivery systems, as potential tools for restoring degraded lands, enhancing soil fertility, and developing climate‐resilient agricultural systems. These integrative techniques collaborate to create synthetic holobionts, which are plant‐microbiome capable of surviving in adverse environmental conditions. The impact of plant variety on microbial community composition is comprehensively examined, emphasizing functional redundancy and microbiome stability. This review presents a comprehensive framework for utilizing microbial breakthroughs to reduce reliance, restore soil health, enhance food security, and attain SDG‐2030 in the context of global climate change.
