Moso bamboo, which is essential to China’s economy, is currently facing significant threats due to declining profits. Inadequate management of moso bamboo can negatively impact the surrounding ecosystems. This study investigated allelopathy in moso bamboo forests by identifying potential allelochemicals and their effects on coexisting plants. Fresh leaves and litter from moso bamboo were collected to examine allelochemicals released through natural processes such as rainwater leaching and litter decomposition. Seven substances with potential allelopathic effects were identified using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Four of these substances—DBP, PHBA, citric acid, and CGA—were selected for a detailed analysis of their effects on the photosynthetic and antioxidant systems of two naturally coexisting plants, Phoebe chekiangensis and Castanopsis sclerophylla. The results indicated that the four chemicals influenced P. chekiangensis and C. sclerophylla through different patterns of interference. DBP, PHBA, and citric acid negatively impacted the transfer of electrons during photosynthesis in both plants but had a lesser effect on the antioxidant system-related indicators in P. chekiangensis. In C. sclerophylla, these four chemicals led to a significant accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and catalase (CAT) activity to varying degrees. Furthermore, the relative abundance of fungi and bacteria in the soil was also affected by the DBP treatment. The identification of allelochemicals from moso bamboo, along with the investigation of their mechanisms, provides valuable insights into competitive interactions among plant species, particularly between moso bamboo and other species, along with the expansion of moso bamboo forests.

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is a crucial species among the 500 varieties of bamboo found in China and plays an important role in providing ecosystem services. However, remote sensing studies on the invasion of Moso bamboo, especially its impact on forest biodiversity, are limited. Therefore, we explored the feasibility of using Sentinel-2 multispectral data and digital elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and random forest (RF) algorithms to monitor changes in forest diversity due to the spread of Moso bamboo. From October to November 2019, researchers conducted field surveys on 100 subtropical forest plots in Zhejiang Province, China. Four biodiversity indices (Margalef, Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou) were calculated from the survey data. Subsequently, after completing 100 epochs of training and testing, we developed the RF prediction model and assessed its performance using three key metrics: coefficient of determination, root mean squared error, and mean absolute error. Our results showed that the RF model has a strong predictive ability for all indices except for the Pilou index, which has an average predictive ability. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using remote sensing to monitor forest diversity changes caused by the spreading of Moso bamboo.

Bamboo and wood-mixed forests are management models that remarkably enhance the balance and productivity of bamboo ecosystems. However, the effects of this model on soil nutrients and enzyme activities remain largely unknown. This study compared the soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and enzyme activity, along with the characteristics of fine roots in pure Moso bamboo plantations (CK) and those mixed with Liriodendron chinense (ML), Sassafras tzumu (MS), Cunninghamia lanceolata (MC), and Pseudolarix amabilis (MP). The results showed that mixed forests improve carbon pools in 0–40 cm soil layers, increasing the total organic C(TOC), free particulate organic C (fPOC), occluded particulate organic C (oPOC), hot-water-extractable organic C (DOC), and mineral-associated organic C (MOC). They also increase soil total N, total P, available N, available P, NH4+-N, NO3−-N, inorganic P, organic P, and microbial biomass N. Bacterial and fungal abundances, along with enzyme activities (urease, acid phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, and β-glucosidase), also improved. MP and MS were the most effective. Moreover, MS and MP supported a higher biomass and length of fine root and increased the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of Moso bamboo. In conclusion, Sassafras tzumu and Pseudolarix amabilis are optimal for mixed planting, offering substantial benefits to soil nutrient dynamics and preventing soil quality decline in Moso bamboo forests, thereby supporting better nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. This research offers insights into enhancing soil quality through diversified Moso bamboo forestry.

Intercropping affects soil microbial community structure significantly; however, the effects on understory medicinal plants in karst areas remain unclear. We investigated the effects of four intercropping systems (Moso bamboo, Chinese fir, bamboo-fir mixed forest, and forest gap) on the rhizosphere microbial communities of giant lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum), an economically important medicinal plant in China. We assessed the intercropping impact on rhizosphere microbial diversity, composition, and co-occurrence networks and identified key soil properties driving the changes. Bacterial and fungal diversity were assessed by 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing, respectively; soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities were measured. Moso bamboo system had the highest fungal diversity, with relatively high bacterial diversity. It promoted a distinct microbial community structure with significant Actinobacteria and saprotrophic fungi enrichment. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available potassium were the most influential drivers of microbial community structure. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the microbial network in the Moso bamboo system was the most complex and highly interconnected, with a higher proportion of positive interactions and a greater number of keystone taxa. Thus, integrating Moso bamboo into intercropping systems can enhance soil fertility, microbial diversity, and ecological interactions in the giant lily rhizosphere in karst forests.

Intercropping is a promising strategy for sustainable medicinal plant cultivation, but its impact on plant–microbe interactions remains poorly understood. This study investigated the influence that intercropping giant lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum) with bamboo (BG), Chinese fir (FG), and mixed forests (MG) had on the giant lily metabolome and microbiome compared to a monoculture control (GG). Metabolomic analysis revealed that BG significantly increased the accumulation of terpenoids (e.g., yucalexin B22, 19.39-fold), alkaloids (e.g., anabasine, 2.97-fold), and steroids (e.g., O-acetyl-lariciresinol, 4.49-fold), while MG induced the production of stress-related metabolites (e.g., aflatoxin G2, 128.62-fold), and FG enhanced nitrogen metabolism (e.g., putrescine, 2.47-fold). Intercropping altered the rhizosphere and endophytic microbial communities, with BG enriching beneficial bacteria (e.g., Acidobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria) and FG promoting symbiotic fungi (e.g., Serendipita and Xylariales). Network analysis revealed strong correlations between specific microbial taxa (e.g., Bacillus and Ceratobasidiaceae) and key metabolites (e.g., norpandamarilactonine A, methylgingerol), indicating their potential roles in shaping the metabolic profiles of giant lily. These findings highlight the complex interplay between intercropping systems, microbial communities, and medicinal plant metabolism and provide a basis for developing targeted cultivation strategies to enhance the production of bioactive compounds in giant lily and other medicinal plants.

Root interactions are crucial in regulating soil microbial metabolism and plant nutrient allocation strategies, especially in mixed plantings. However, the effects of mixed planting and direct root contact on soil properties and plant nutrient allocation remain unclear. Thus, we established potted plants with Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) and Phoebe chekiangensis and created a physical barrier to the root system without blocking chemical communication using four treatments: mixed planting with root segregation (MT), mixed planting without root segregation (MS), pure Moso bamboo with root segregation (BT), and pure Moso bamboo without root segregation (BS). We investigated changes in soil and Moso bamboo nutrient content, soil enzyme activity, and microbial metabolic limitation. The results show that mixed planting and root segregation significantly affected soil and plant nutrient content and soil enzyme activities. Compared to the two pure Moso bamboo treatments, mixed planting increased microbial carbon limitation but decreased microbial nitrogen limitation. Physical segregation between roots increased microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) compared to no segregation. Random forest analyses revealed that the best predictors of soil C and N limitations and CUE were microbial biomass and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), respectively. Partial least squares path modeling indicated that mixed planting and root separation, directly and indirectly, affected soil microbial metabolic limitation through their effects on soil nutrients, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities. Carbon limitation significantly increased plant nutrient contents. Our study provides further insights into factors influencing nutrient limitation, CUE, and plant nutrient allocation strategies in mixed Moso bamboo plantations.