Agroforestry has been widely practiced in the Loess Plateau region of China because of its prominent effects in reducing soil and water losses, improving land-use efficiency and increasing economic returns. However, the agroforestry practices may lead to competition between crops and trees for underground soil moisture and nutrients, and the trees on the canopy layer may also lead to shortage of light for crops. In order to minimize interspecific competition and maximize the benefits of tree-based intercropping systems, we studied photosynthesis, growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by measuring photosynthetically active radiation, net photosynthetic rate, soil moisture and soil nutrients in a plantation of apple (Malus pumila M.) at a spacing of 4 m × 5 m on the Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that for both intercropping systems in the study region, soil moisture was the primary factor affecting the crop yields followed by light. Deficiency of the soil nutrients also had a significant impact on crop yields. Compared with soybean, peanut was more suitable for intercropping with apple trees to obtain economic benefits in the region. We concluded that apple-soybean and apple-peanut intercropping systems can be practical and beneficial in the region. However, the distance between crops and tree rows should be adjusted to minimize interspecies competition. Agronomic measures such as regular canopy pruning, root barriers, additional irrigation and fertilization also should be applied in the intercropping systems.

Particulate matter is a serious source of air pollution in urban areas, where it exerts adverse effects on human health. This article focuses on the study of subduction of shelterbelts for atmospheric particulates. The results suggest that (1) the PM mass concentration is higher in the morning or both morning and noon inside the shelterbelts and lower mass concentrations at other times; (2) the particle mass concentration inside shelterbelt is higher than outside; (3) the particle interception efficiency of the two forest belts over the three months in descending order was PM10 > PM1 > PM2.5; and (4) the two shelterbelts captured air pollutants at rates of 1496.285 and 909.075 kg/month and the major atmospheric pollutant in Beijing city is PM10. Future research directions are to study PM mass concentration variation of shelterbelt with different tree species and different configuration.

Agroforestry has been widely applied in the Loess Plateau of China as a means of reducing soil and water losses, restoring ecological balance, and improving both land-use efficiency and economic returns. However, agroforestry also introduces a degree of competition for soil moisture and nutrients. Walnut (Juglans regia L.)–peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and walnut–soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) intercropping systems that have been used throughout the Loess Plateau were selected as the basis for a study of agroforestry system—its advantages and its disadvantages with respect to soil moisture, soil nutrients, root distributions, yields, and economic returns. The results showed that soil moisture and nutrient levels were affected by intercropping with walnut trees, and that the degree to which they were affected decreased as distance from the trees increased. On the other hand, intercropping with walnut trees can increase land-use efficiency by 75% and economic returns by 17%. On the basis of the study findings, we conclude that walnut–peanut and walnut–soybean intercropping can be practical and beneficial in the study region, but irrigation and fertilization methods need to be further studied and improved, root barriers should be installed at the tree-crop interface, and the distance between crops and tree rows should be adjusted to minimize competition for soil moisture and nutrients.

Understanding the impacts of afforestation practices on water resources is essential for sustainable land management in water‐limited ecosystems. However, the over decades long‐term effects of vegetation restoration on soil hydrological processes and water‐holding capacity remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted field monitoring during 2006–2024 in a typical catchment on the Loess Plateau, and systematically monitored soil hydrological processes, soil water‐holding capacities, soil properties (0–180 cm), and vegetation attributes (across the tree, shrub, and herbaceous layers) of four vegetation types: planted Pinus tabuliformis forest, planted Platycladus orientalis forest, planted Robinia pseudoacacia forest, and natural secondary forest. The results indicate that natural secondary forests outperform planted forests in soil hydrological properties. Specifically, secondary forests show 68.7% more macroporosity, 13.7% larger mean equivalent diameter, and 8% higher soil moisture compared to planted forests. They also have 34.2% higher saturated hydraulic conductivity and enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC), field capacity, and available water content. Long‐term trends (18‐year) reveal that secondary forests maintain higher soil water content and exhibit faster soil hydrological processes, particularly in precipitation redistribution, with higher water conversion into soil water storage. Mantel test and structural equation modeling reveal that soil properties (e.g., bulk density and SOC) and understory diversity are key influencing factors on soil hydrological processes and water‐holding capacities, indicating that natural regeneration promotes a more optimal ecosystem structure. These findings highlight the resilience of naturally regenerated ecosystems in conserving water resources, regulating hydrological processes and sustaining water resources during afforestation efforts on the Loess Plateau.