Ecosystems are vulnerable to large areas of rocky desertification, which results in patchy soils and stone-inlaid soils. Karst landforms are typically characterized by heterogeneous phosphorus (P) distributions in soils at high calcium (Ca), but root foraging behavior has not been fully documented in agronomical plants. In this study, Bidens pilosa L. and Plantago asiatica L. were raised in pots in a simulated soil environment with sands at high Ca (2 g kg⁻¹) and low Ca (0.63 g kg⁻¹) levels. Inner spaces were divided into four sections to receive P in homogeneous (Homo.) (four quarters: 2 mg P kg⁻¹) or heterogenous (Hete.) (one quarter: 8 mg P kg⁻¹; three quarters: no-P input) patterns. Both species had longer roots in high P sections compared to no P sections. Foraging scale (highest length or surface-area(SA)) was higher in P. asiatica plants subjected to the Hete. pattern than to the Homo. pattern in low Ca pots. Foraging precision (length or SA differences between P patches as a proportion of the total) was also higher for P. asiatica subjected to the Hete. pattern but did not change in response to Ca level or P placement pattern. Overall, P. asiatica has a higher foraging ability than B. pilosa because of higher levels of foraging scale and precision from high-P (8 mg kg⁻¹) patches in soils subjected to low Ca (0.63 g kg⁻¹).

Lighting spectrum is one of the key factors that determine biomass production and secondary-metabolism accumulation in medicinal plants under artificial cultivation conditions. Ficus hirta and Alpinia oxyphylla seedlings were cultured with blue (10% red, 10% green, 70% blue), green (20% red, 10% green, 30% blue), and red-enriched (30% red, 10% green, 20% blue) lights in a wide bandwidth of 400-700 nm. F. hirta seedlings had lower diameter, fine root length, leaf area, biomass, shoot nutrient (N) and phosphorus concentrations in the blue-light spectrum compared to the red- and green-light spectra. In contrast, A. oxyphylla seedlings showed significantly higher concentrations of foliar flavonoids and saponins in red-light spectrum with rare responses in N, chlorophyll, soluble sugars, and starch concentrations. F. hirta is easily and negatively impacted by blue-light spectrum but A. oxyphylla is suitably used to produce flavonoid and saponins in red-light spectrum across a wide bandwidth.

This study selected 61 parks in Guizhou province as research points and collected 3282 facial expression photos of park visitors in 2021 on the Sina Weibo platform. FireFACE v1.0 software was used to analyze the facial expressions of the visitors and evaluate their emotional perception of the landscape structure and ecosystem service value (ESV) of different landscape types of blue–green spaces. Research shows that the average ESV of green spaces in parks is USD 6.452 million per year, while the average ESV of blue spaces is USD 3.4816 million per year. The ESV of the blue–green space in the park shows no geographical gradient changes, while the happiness score in facial expressions is negatively correlated with latitude. Compared to blue spaces, green spaces can better awaken positive emotions among visitors. The ESV performance of different types of green spaces is as follows: TheroponcedrymV > GrasslandV > Shrubland V. The landscape structure and ESV of the blue–green space in the park can be perceived by visitors, and GreenV and vegetation height are considered the main driving factors for awakening positive emotions among visitors. In Guizhou, when the park area decreases, people are more likely to experience sadness. Regressions indicated that by increasing the green space area of the park and strengthening the hydrological regulation function of the blue–green space, people can achieve a more peaceful mood. Overall, people perceive more positive sentiments with high ESV in blue–green spaces of Karst parks but low ESV in shrubland.

Many pepper cultivars can be raised under artificial lighting in a plant factory. An easily measured parameter is needed to fast predict fruit loading in pepper cultivars. In this study, four pepper cultivars with contrasting manners in growth and fruiting were cultured under three light-emitting diode (LED) spectra in comparison with a sunlight control. It was found that the red-light spectrum (71.7% red-, 13.7% green-, 14.6% blue-lights) increased over 40% of dry mass in fruits, while the green-light spectrum (26.2% red-, 56.4% green-, 17.4% blue-lights) induced no fruiting compared to the control. Only two cultivars responded by fine root morphology, which was characterized as smaller surface-area and fewer tip-number in the blue-light spectrum (7.8% red-, 33.7% green-, 48.5% blue-lights) than in red LED light. Tip-number showed a negative correlation with fruit dry-mass in three cultivars, while fine root diameter increased with dry mass in fruits. In conclusion, fine root tip-number can be used as a predictor of fruit dry-mass in pepper cultivars high in fruit quality or yield. The red-colour light was recommended for raising pepper cultivars in a plant factory with the purpose of greater fruit productivity.