In this study, we present the results of the impact of abiotic environmental (chemical) stressors in the soil environment (salinity, acidification, inorganic elements from industry—red mud waste containing Al) on the content and fluorescence of chlorophyll in the assimilating tissues of Glycine max (L.) Merrill, cv. ES Mentor. Under controlled conditions of a pot experiment during the 2023 growing season, we applied graded doses of these stressors (salinity—doses of 20, 30, and 60 g NaCl per 2 dm³ of water used for plant irrigation; acidity—pH 6, pH 5, and pH 4; red mud—200 g, 400 g, and 600 g per pot) and assessed their impact on the effective and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII), yield Y(II), or the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence—the Fv/Fm test. These tests are used to detect plant stress. The Y(II) test yielded values in the range of 0.627–0.800. Significant differences (variance analysis, 95% Least Significant Difference—LSD, post hoc test of analysis of variance—ANOVA) in reducing PSII chlorophyll fluorescence (Y(II)) were found between the medium and high doses of all three stressors compared to the control, indicating plant stress response. The Fv/Fm test yielded values between 0.668 and 0.805 and similarly detected stress responses in plants to all medium and high doses of stressors. The evaluated cultivar showed tolerance to moderately increased salt (NaCl) content and red mud levels. This was also confirmed by the chlorophyll content expressed as the Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI). The highest (significantly confirmed) chlorophyll content was found in the control variant and the variants with lower salt content and a soil pH of 6, with values of 35.633–37.467 CCI, compared to variants with higher red mud content (15.533–18.133 CCI) and higher soil acidity with pH 4 (22.833 CCI). Based on the results obtained, we conclude that the ES Mentor cultivar is tolerant to lower doses of the assessed stressors and can be cultivated in agricultural practice. However, medium to high doses of stressors trigger a strong stress response in plants and, therefore, we do not recommend cultivating this variety in contaminated environments.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) is a term often used to refer to adequate green infrastructure that provides multiple benefits to society whilst addressing societal challenges. They are defined as actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Malta, the smallest member state of the EU, has been characterised by rapid economic growth and urbanisation and Maltese citizens had the highest rate of exposure to pollution, grime or other environmental problems, in the EU. The project ReNature aims to establish and implement a nature-based solutions research strategy for Malta with a vision to promote research and innovation and develop sustainable solutions whilst improving human well-being and tackling environmental challenges. Here, we introduce the opening of ReNature collection of research articles in the Open Access Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO) journal to publish unconventional research outputs and training materials. It will host key outputs relating to the sustainable use of biodiversity, biodiversity – ecosystem functioning, green infrastructure and ecosystem service assessments across rural-urban gradients, equitable access to the benefits derived from nature in cities and socio-environmental justice, payments for ecosystem services, and designing nature-based solutions.

Aim of the work was to determine the effect of different doses of mineral fertilization on belowground and aboveground plant biomass production of three different types of grasslands, to state R:S ratio (root:shoot) and turnover period of belowground plant biomass of grasslands. In the contribution, we assess production of underground biomass, tillering zone and aboveground biomass on three types of grasslands – permanent grassland (PG), over-sown grassland (OSG) and temporary grassland (TG) in sub-mountain area of central Slovakia. There were applied four levels of mineral nutrition in each grassland (non-fertilized variant, var. 30 kg.ha⁻¹P and 60 kg.ha⁻¹ K. var. 90 kg.ha⁻¹ N + P₃₀K₆₀, var. 180 kg.ha⁻¹ N + P₃₀K₆₀). The root biomass has the most significant share in the total biomass of grasslands (49.9–54.2 %), followed by tillering zone (33.3–36.0 %) and with the lowest share of aboveground biomass (11.9–16.8 %). A dominant share of root biomass and tillering zone ensure significant extra-productive functions of grasslands that contribute to the stability of agriculture landscape. We recorded the lowest amounts of root mass on TG (7.31 t.ha⁻¹) and OSG (7.76 t.ha⁻¹), the highest amounts on PG (8.52 t.ha⁻¹). The specific nitrogen stimulating influence on root biomass production has been proven. Production of tillering zone was lower on OSG and TG (5.11 or 5.42 t.ha⁻¹), significantly higher on PG (5.72 t.ha⁻¹). We observed a significantly higher production of tillering zone with variants which were fertilized with nitrogen than on non-fertilized and PK fertilized. The lowest harvests of aboveground biomass were noticed on TG (5.80 t.ha⁻¹), significantly higher on PG and OSG (6.35 or 6.54 t.ha⁻¹). Mineral nutrition had a significant impact on production of aboveground biomass. R:S ratio of the assessed grasslands achieved the values from 4.02 to 5.16. Higher values on PG (5.16) are indicating its higher resistance to drought. Turnover time of root biomass was the longest on PG 3.5–5.0 years, on OSG and TG 2.5–3.5 years. Based on achieved results, we recommend using the fodder plants cultivation system on PG or OSG. Permanent grasslands are proved as ecologically more stable and more resistant to drought than temporary grasslands; they can together with optimal mineral nutrition provide adequate production of root biomass (8.5 t.ha⁻¹) and a harvest of aboveground biomass (6.3 t.ha⁻¹).

This study aimed to assess the impact of abiotic chemical stresses in the soil environment (salinization, acidification, inorganic risk elements from the industry) on the chlorophyll content and parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence - effective and maximum quantum yield PSII (yield Y(II) or Fv/Fm test) of Miscanthus x giganteus hybrid. For this objective, graduated doses of stresses, as mentioned above, were applied to a pot experiment's controlled conditions during the growing season 2018. The chlorophyll content of 19.267 CCI units was recorded with the control treatment. However, a significantly higher content of chlorophyll was observed with the examined stressors, especially salinity (25.433 CCI) and acidity (26.500 CCI). Y (II) value ranged from 0.561 to 0.693 and Fv/Fm from 0.689 to 0.775 respectively. There were no significant differences between assessed stressors and control. Miscanthus x giganteus had good resistance to the impact of assessed chemical stresses; damage to the assimilation apparatus of the plants did not occur. The species has the potential and can create the preconditions for cultivation even in a mildly contaminated soil environment, e.g., for reclamation of degraded soils or energy use.