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Optimal methods for incorporating soil microbial mechanisms of carbon (C) cycling into Earth system models are still under debate. Specifically, whether soil microbial physiology parameters and residual materials are important to soil organic carbon content is still unclear. Here, we explored the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on soil organic C (SOC) content based on a survey of soils from 16 locations along a ~ 4000 km forest transect in eastern China, spanning a wide range of climate, soil conditions, and microbial communities. We found that SOC was highly correlated with soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and amino sugar concentration, an index of microbial necromass. Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) was significantly related to the variations in SOC along this national scale transect. Furthermore, the effect of climatic and edaphic factors on SOC was mainly via their regulation on microbial physiological properties (CUE and MBC). We also found that regression models on explanation of SOC variations with microbial physiological parameters and amino sugar performed better than the models without them. Our results provide the empirical linkages among climate, microbial characteristics and SOC content at large scale and confirm the necessity of incorporating microbial biomass and necromass pools in Earth system models under global change scenarios.
Chao Wang; Lingrui Qu; Liuming Yang; Dongwei Liu; Ember Morrissey; Renhui Miao; Ziping Liu; QingKui Wang; Yunting Fang; Edith Bai. Large‐scale importance of microbial carbon use efficiency and necromass to soil organic carbon. Global Change Biology 2021, 27, 2039 -2048.
AMA StyleChao Wang, Lingrui Qu, Liuming Yang, Dongwei Liu, Ember Morrissey, Renhui Miao, Ziping Liu, QingKui Wang, Yunting Fang, Edith Bai. Large‐scale importance of microbial carbon use efficiency and necromass to soil organic carbon. Global Change Biology. 2021; 27 (10):2039-2048.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChao Wang; Lingrui Qu; Liuming Yang; Dongwei Liu; Ember Morrissey; Renhui Miao; Ziping Liu; QingKui Wang; Yunting Fang; Edith Bai. 2021. "Large‐scale importance of microbial carbon use efficiency and necromass to soil organic carbon." Global Change Biology 27, no. 10: 2039-2048.
Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and land management practices (e.g. mowing) are two major threats to grassland soil seed banks and plant communities. However, the interactive effects of N addition and mowing on soil seed banks and plant communities are poorly quantified. A six-year field experiment was used to examine the responses of soil seed banks and plant communities to N addition (10 g N m−2 year−1) and mowing (once a year) in a temperate steppe in northern China. Soil seed bank and plant community structure were investigated with laboratory germination and visual examination. Mowing reversed the depletion of seed bank size under N deposition at soil depths of 2–5 cm and 5–10 cm. The main effects of N addition and mowing increased 1.1 species (0.25 × 0.25 m2) independently, but no interactions of N addition and mowing on seed richness were detected at soil depths of 5–10 cm. Nitrogen addition had few effects on plant cover, but mowing suppressed it by 11.5%, mainly by decreasing grass cover. Nitrogen addition stimulated plant height by 6.25 cm by enhancing grass height whereas mowing did not influence it. Nitrogen addition decreased 2.8 plant species due to negative effects of N addition on forb. The positive effects of mowing on forb richness exceed negative effects of mowing on grass richness, leading to a net increase of 2.8 plant species with mowing. Our findings suggest that changes in soil seed bank size under N deposition can be strongly modulated by land use. Both N deposition and mowing can increase seed richness in deep soil (5–10 cm). Mowing stimulated, but N deposition suppressed, plant species richness. This is potentially important for understanding the influences of land use and environmental changes on soil seed banks, with subsequent effects on plant community dynamic.
Renhui Miao; Meixia Guo; Jun Ma; Bowen Gao; Alamusa; Yuan Miao; Zhongling Yang; Yinzhan Liu. Shifts in soil seed bank and plant community under nitrogen addition and mowing in an Inner Mongolian steppe. Ecological Engineering 2020, 153, 105900 .
AMA StyleRenhui Miao, Meixia Guo, Jun Ma, Bowen Gao, Alamusa, Yuan Miao, Zhongling Yang, Yinzhan Liu. Shifts in soil seed bank and plant community under nitrogen addition and mowing in an Inner Mongolian steppe. Ecological Engineering. 2020; 153 ():105900.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRenhui Miao; Meixia Guo; Jun Ma; Bowen Gao; Alamusa; Yuan Miao; Zhongling Yang; Yinzhan Liu. 2020. "Shifts in soil seed bank and plant community under nitrogen addition and mowing in an Inner Mongolian steppe." Ecological Engineering 153, no. : 105900.
While most studies account for the effect of total annual precipitation on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), few studies have demonstrated how decreased precipitation within specific periods of growing season affect ANPP. Using a precipitation manipulation experiment, we assessed the response patterns and underlying mechanisms of ANPP to decreased precipitation in the early (DEP) and late (DLP) growing seasons on a temperate steppe in northern China. The results showed that both DEP and DLP decreased ANPP by averages of 28.3 and 39.4 g m−2, respectively. The decline of ANPP in DEP was primarily attributed to a 20.7 g m−2 decrease in grass and 4.9 g m−2 decrease in sub‐shrubs, whereas the decrease in ANPP in DLP was due to a 36.6 g m−2 decrease in perennial forbs and an 8.7 g m−2 decrease in sub‐shrubs. The reduction in grass ANPP under DEP was likely due to decreased soil moisture and increased specific leaf area of grass during the early growing season, whereas the reduction in perennial forbs ANPP under DLP was mainly caused by decreased soil moisture during late growing season. The decline of sub‐shrubs ANPP under DEP and DLP could be explained by shallow root length of sub‐shrubs in DEP and by high soil temperature in DLP. Our findings demonstrated how droughts timing affects ANPP at both community and functional group levels. Different responses of functional groups to drought timing indicate that future studies should not neglect the role of precipitation timing in regulating ecosystem productivity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Jiajia Zhang; Yuan Miao; Tong Zhang; Yueyue Wei; Xiaoxin Qiao; Renhui Miao; Dong Wang; Shijie Han; Zhongling Yang. Drought timing and primary productivity in a semiarid grassland. Land Degradation & Development 2020, 31, 2185 -2195.
AMA StyleJiajia Zhang, Yuan Miao, Tong Zhang, Yueyue Wei, Xiaoxin Qiao, Renhui Miao, Dong Wang, Shijie Han, Zhongling Yang. Drought timing and primary productivity in a semiarid grassland. Land Degradation & Development. 2020; 31 (15):2185-2195.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJiajia Zhang; Yuan Miao; Tong Zhang; Yueyue Wei; Xiaoxin Qiao; Renhui Miao; Dong Wang; Shijie Han; Zhongling Yang. 2020. "Drought timing and primary productivity in a semiarid grassland." Land Degradation & Development 31, no. 15: 2185-2195.
Grasslands, mostly in arid and semiarid regions, play an important role in regulating the dynamics of global terrestrial carbon (C) exchange. However, findings about how global changes affect ecosystem C sequestration are conflicting. To understand how land use and climate change affect ecosystem C and nitrogen (N) pools, this study investigated the effects of mowing and fertilizer on the C and N pools of plants and soil, and on the aggregate-associated C and N content, by means of a field manipulating experiment established in August 2012 in a typical steppe. The results showed that mowing significantly decreased the mass and the C and N pools of shoots by 14.3%, 17.3% and 12.1%, respectively. Compared to ambient N treatments, N addition stimulated shoot biomass and litter mass by 28.8% and 77.4%, respectively, but had no affect on root biomass. Simultaneously, N addition increased the plant N content and the N pools, and it decreased the ratio of plant C to N in the shoots, litter and roots. However, neither mowing nor N addition affected the proportion of macroaggregate, microaggregate, <0.053 mm size class, geometric mean diameter or aggregate-associated C and N contents. Nitrogen deposition under conditions of climate change stimulated plant productivity but had no affect on soil C sequestration in this short-term experiment. Our results indicate that mowing may be beneficial for providing food for large mammals, but it did not affect soil C and N pools in the study region. Our findings suggest that the response of plant mass and C pools is more sensitive than that of soil C sequestration and soil texture to mowing and N deposition in the temperate steppes of the Mongolian Plateau.
Dong Wang; Zhensheng Chi; Benjiang Yue; Xudong Huang; Jing Zhao; Hongquan Song; Zhongling Yang; Renhui Miao; Yanchun Liu; Yaojun Zhang; Yuan Miao; Shijie Han; Yinzhan Liu. Effects of mowing and nitrogen addition on the ecosystem C and N pools in a temperate steppe: A case study from northern China. CATENA 2019, 185, 104332 .
AMA StyleDong Wang, Zhensheng Chi, Benjiang Yue, Xudong Huang, Jing Zhao, Hongquan Song, Zhongling Yang, Renhui Miao, Yanchun Liu, Yaojun Zhang, Yuan Miao, Shijie Han, Yinzhan Liu. Effects of mowing and nitrogen addition on the ecosystem C and N pools in a temperate steppe: A case study from northern China. CATENA. 2019; 185 ():104332.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDong Wang; Zhensheng Chi; Benjiang Yue; Xudong Huang; Jing Zhao; Hongquan Song; Zhongling Yang; Renhui Miao; Yanchun Liu; Yaojun Zhang; Yuan Miao; Shijie Han; Yinzhan Liu. 2019. "Effects of mowing and nitrogen addition on the ecosystem C and N pools in a temperate steppe: A case study from northern China." CATENA 185, no. : 104332.
Jun Ma; Xiangming Xiao; Renhui Miao; Yao Li; Bangqian Chen; Yao Zhang; Bin Zhao. Trends and controls of terrestrial gross primary productivity of China during 2000–2016. Environmental Research Letters 2019, 14, 084032 .
AMA StyleJun Ma, Xiangming Xiao, Renhui Miao, Yao Li, Bangqian Chen, Yao Zhang, Bin Zhao. Trends and controls of terrestrial gross primary productivity of China during 2000–2016. Environmental Research Letters. 2019; 14 (8):084032.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJun Ma; Xiangming Xiao; Renhui Miao; Yao Li; Bangqian Chen; Yao Zhang; Bin Zhao. 2019. "Trends and controls of terrestrial gross primary productivity of China during 2000–2016." Environmental Research Letters 14, no. 8: 084032.
Extreme precipitation events are predicted to increase in intensity and duration, with uncertain implications for terrestrial carbon (C) cycling. However, knowledge on the responses of soil CO2 efflux to precipitation pulses in different seasons remains limited. Here we assessed the impacts of episodic precipitation pulses on soil respiration (SR) and its components [heterotrophic respiration (HR) and autotrophic respiration (AR)] under mild drought in different seasons in a temperate oak forest, Central China. Results showed that SR (24 h) increased with elevated precipitation levels, and the estimated precipitation-induced increases in the total amount of SR (3 months) in summer (17.86 g C m−2) and autumn (13.57 g C m−2) were greater than that in spring (9.73 g C m−2) and winter (3.71 g C m−2). Effects of precipitation pulse on HR and AR (24 h) varied with seasons, showing significant positive effects on HR in winter and AR in summer. Precipitation events significantly reduced the proportion of HR in SR in summer and autumn, but not in winter. Across all treatments, post-precipitation soil temperature, pre-precipitation soil moisture, and soil inorganic nitrogen are primarily responsible for the precipitation-induced increases in SR, whereas the stimulated HR after precipitation is largely depended on soil total porosity, pre-precipitation soil moisture, and microbial biomass C. Our study suggests that sporadic precipitation events have differential influences on SR and its components in different seasons. Our findings also emphasize that the importance of incorporating episodic extreme precipitation events and its influence on soil CO2 efflux into the future predictions of forest C cycling under climate change.
Yanchun Liu; Shirong Liu; Renhui Miao; Yinzhan Liu; Dong Wang; Cancan Zhao. Seasonal variations in the response of soil CO2 efflux to precipitation pulse under mild drought in a temperate oak (Quercus variabilis) forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 2019, 271, 240 -250.
AMA StyleYanchun Liu, Shirong Liu, Renhui Miao, Yinzhan Liu, Dong Wang, Cancan Zhao. Seasonal variations in the response of soil CO2 efflux to precipitation pulse under mild drought in a temperate oak (Quercus variabilis) forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2019; 271 ():240-250.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYanchun Liu; Shirong Liu; Renhui Miao; Yinzhan Liu; Dong Wang; Cancan Zhao. 2019. "Seasonal variations in the response of soil CO2 efflux to precipitation pulse under mild drought in a temperate oak (Quercus variabilis) forest." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 271, no. : 240-250.
Global changes and human disturbances can strongly affect the quantity of aboveground litter entering soils, which could result in substantial cascading effects on soil biogeochemical processes in forests. Despite extensive reports, it is unclear how the variations in litter depth affect soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. The responses of soil carbon and nitrogen to the variability of litter inputs were examined in a coniferous–broadleaf mixed forest of Central China. The litter input manipulation included five treatments: no litter input, natural litter, double litter, triple litter, and quadruple litter. Multifold litter additions decreased soil temperature but did not affect soil moisture after 2.5 years. Reductions in soil pH under litter additions were larger than increases under no litter input. Litter quantity did not affect soil total organic carbon, whereas litter addition stimulated soil dissolved organic carbon more strongly than no litter input suppressed it. The triggering priming effect of litter manipulation on soil respiration requires a substantial litter quantity, and the impacts of a slight litter change on soil respiration are negligible. Litter quantity did not impact soil total nitrogen, and only strong litter fluctuations changed the content of soil available nitrogen (nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen). Litter addition enhanced soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen more strongly than no litter input. Our results imply that the impacts of multifold litter inputs on soil carbon and nitrogen are different with a single litter treatment. These findings suggest that variability in aboveground litter inputs resulting from environmental change and human disturbances have great potential to change soil carbon and nitrogen in forest ecosystems. The variability of aboveground litter inputs needs to be taken into account to predict the responses of terrestrial soil carbon and nitrogen cycling to environmental changes and forest management.
Renhui Miao; Jun Ma; Yinzhan Liu; Yanchun Liu; Zhongling Yang; Meixia Guo. Variability of Aboveground Litter Inputs Alters Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in a Coniferous–Broadleaf Mixed Forest of Central China. Forests 2019, 10, 188 .
AMA StyleRenhui Miao, Jun Ma, Yinzhan Liu, Yanchun Liu, Zhongling Yang, Meixia Guo. Variability of Aboveground Litter Inputs Alters Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in a Coniferous–Broadleaf Mixed Forest of Central China. Forests. 2019; 10 (2):188.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRenhui Miao; Jun Ma; Yinzhan Liu; Yanchun Liu; Zhongling Yang; Meixia Guo. 2019. "Variability of Aboveground Litter Inputs Alters Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in a Coniferous–Broadleaf Mixed Forest of Central China." Forests 10, no. 2: 188.
Increasing fire risk and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition have the potential to alter plant community structure and composition, with consequent impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study was conducted to examine short‐term responses of understory plant community to burning and N addition in a coniferous‐broadleaved mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. The experiment used a pair‐nested design, with four treatments (control, burning, N addition, and burning plus N addition) and five replicates. Species richness, cover, and density of woody and herbaceous plants were monitored for 3 years after a low‐severity fire in the spring of 2014. Burning, but not N addition, significantly stimulated the cover (+15.2%, absolute change) and density (+62.8%) of woody species as well as herb richness (+1.2 species/m2, absolute change), cover (+25.5%, absolute change), and density (+602.4%) across the seven sampling dates from June 2014 to October 2016. Light availability, soil temperature, and prefire community composition could be primarily responsible for the understory community recovery after the low‐severity fire. The observations suggest that light availability and soil temperature are more important than nutrients in structuring understory plant community in the mixed forest of the subtropical‐temperate transition zone in Central China. Legacy woody and herb species dominated the understory vegetation over the 3 years after fire, indicating strong resistance and resilience of forest understory plant community and biodiversity to abrupt environmental perturbation.
Mengjun Hu; Yanchun Liu; Zhaolin Sun; Kesheng Zhang; Yinzhan Liu; Renhui Miao; Shiqiang Wan. Fire rather than nitrogen addition affects understory plant communities in the short term in a coniferous‐broadleaf mixed forest. Ecology and Evolution 2018, 8, 8135 -8148.
AMA StyleMengjun Hu, Yanchun Liu, Zhaolin Sun, Kesheng Zhang, Yinzhan Liu, Renhui Miao, Shiqiang Wan. Fire rather than nitrogen addition affects understory plant communities in the short term in a coniferous‐broadleaf mixed forest. Ecology and Evolution. 2018; 8 (16):8135-8148.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMengjun Hu; Yanchun Liu; Zhaolin Sun; Kesheng Zhang; Yinzhan Liu; Renhui Miao; Shiqiang Wan. 2018. "Fire rather than nitrogen addition affects understory plant communities in the short term in a coniferous‐broadleaf mixed forest." Ecology and Evolution 8, no. 16: 8135-8148.
Rodent damage is a serious threat to sustainable management of grassland. The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition and grassland management on rodent damage have been scarcely studied. Here, we reported the effects of 2 years of N addition and mowing on burrow density and damage area of Citellus dauricus in a semiarid steppe in Inner Mongolia. N addition significantly aggravated, while mowing alleviated rodent damage in the grassland under study. Burrow density and damage area increased 2.8‐fold and 4.7‐fold, in N addition plots compared to the ambient N addition treatment, respectively. Conversely, mowing decreased burrow density and damage area by 75.9% and 14.5%, respectively, compared to no mowing plots. Observed changes in rodent damage were mainly due to variations in plant community cover, height, and aboveground net primary productivity. Our findings demonstrate that N addition and mowing can affect the rodent density and activity in grassland, suggesting that the effects of a changing atmospheric composition and land use on rodent damage must be considered in order to achieve better grassland management.
Yinzhan Liu; Gaigai Ma; Zhiman Zan; Anqun Chen; Yuan Miao; Dong Wang; Renhui Miao. Effects of nitrogen addition and mowing on rodent damage in an Inner Mongolian steppe. Ecology and Evolution 2018, 8, 3919 -3926.
AMA StyleYinzhan Liu, Gaigai Ma, Zhiman Zan, Anqun Chen, Yuan Miao, Dong Wang, Renhui Miao. Effects of nitrogen addition and mowing on rodent damage in an Inner Mongolian steppe. Ecology and Evolution. 2018; 8 (8):3919-3926.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYinzhan Liu; Gaigai Ma; Zhiman Zan; Anqun Chen; Yuan Miao; Dong Wang; Renhui Miao. 2018. "Effects of nitrogen addition and mowing on rodent damage in an Inner Mongolian steppe." Ecology and Evolution 8, no. 8: 3919-3926.
To evaluate the efficacy of passive restoration on soil seed bank and vegetation recovery, we measured the species composition and density of the soil seed bank, as well as the species composition, density, coverage, and height of the extant vegetation in sites passively restored for 0, 4, 7, and 12 years (S0, S4, S7, and S12) in a degraded grassland in desert land. Compared with S0, three more species in the soil seed bank at depths of 0–30 cm and one more plant species in the community was detected in S12. Seed density within the topsoil (0–5 cm) was five times higher in S12 than that in S0. Plant densities in S7 and S12 were triple and quadruple than that in S0. Plant coverage was increased by 1.5 times (S4), double (S7), and triple (S12) compared with S0. Sørensen’s index of similarity in species composition between the soil seed bank and the plant community were high (0.43–0.63), but it was lower in short-term restoration sites (S4 and S7) than that in no and long-term restoration sites (S0 and S12). The soil seed bank recovered more slowly than the plant community under passive restoration. Passive restoration is a useful method to recover the soil seed bank and vegetation in degraded grasslands.
Renhui Miao; Yongheng Song; Zhaolin Sun; Meixia Guo; Zhenxing Zhou; Yinzhan Liu. Soil Seed Bank and Plant Community Development in Passive Restoration of Degraded Sandy Grasslands. Sustainability 2016, 8, 581 .
AMA StyleRenhui Miao, Yongheng Song, Zhaolin Sun, Meixia Guo, Zhenxing Zhou, Yinzhan Liu. Soil Seed Bank and Plant Community Development in Passive Restoration of Degraded Sandy Grasslands. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (6):581.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRenhui Miao; Yongheng Song; Zhaolin Sun; Meixia Guo; Zhenxing Zhou; Yinzhan Liu. 2016. "Soil Seed Bank and Plant Community Development in Passive Restoration of Degraded Sandy Grasslands." Sustainability 8, no. 6: 581.
We investigated the effects of seed burial depth and soil water content on seedling emergence and growth of Ulmus pumila var. sabulosa (sandy elm), an important native tree species distributed over the European-Asian steppe. Experimental sand burial depths in the soil were 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 cm, and soil water contents were 4%, 8%, 12% and 16% of field capacity. All two-way ANOVA (five sand burial depths and four soil water contents) results showed that seed burial depths, soil water content and their interactions significantly affected all the studied plant variables. Most of the times, seedling emergence conditions were greater at the lower sand burial depths (less than 1.0 cm) than at the higher (more than 1.0 cm) seed burial depths, and at the lower water content (less than 12%) than at the higher soil water content. However, high seed burial depths (more than 1.5 cm) or low soil water content (less than 12%) reduced seedling growth or change in the root/shoot biomass ratios. In conclusion, the most suitable range of sand burial was from 0.5 to 1.0 cm soil depth and soil water content was about 12%, respectively, for the processes of seedling emergence and growth. These findings indicate that seeds of the sandy elm should be kept at rather shallow soil depths, and water should be added up to 12% of soil capacity when conducting elm planting and management. Our findings could help to create a more appropriate sandy elm cultivation and understand sparse elm woodland recruitment failures in arid and semi-arid regions.
Jiao Tang; Carlos A. Busso; Deming Jiang; Yong-Cui Wang; Dafu Wu; Ala Musa; Renhui Miao; Chunping Miao. Seed Burial Depth and Soil Water Content Affect Seedling Emergence and Growth of Ulmus pumila var. sabulosa in the Horqin Sandy Land. Sustainability 2016, 8, 68 .
AMA StyleJiao Tang, Carlos A. Busso, Deming Jiang, Yong-Cui Wang, Dafu Wu, Ala Musa, Renhui Miao, Chunping Miao. Seed Burial Depth and Soil Water Content Affect Seedling Emergence and Growth of Ulmus pumila var. sabulosa in the Horqin Sandy Land. Sustainability. 2016; 8 (1):68.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJiao Tang; Carlos A. Busso; Deming Jiang; Yong-Cui Wang; Dafu Wu; Ala Musa; Renhui Miao; Chunping Miao. 2016. "Seed Burial Depth and Soil Water Content Affect Seedling Emergence and Growth of Ulmus pumila var. sabulosa in the Horqin Sandy Land." Sustainability 8, no. 1: 68.