Abandoned farmlands are increasing due to socio-economic changes and land marginalization, and they require sustainable land management practices. Biocrusts are a common cover on the topsoil of abandoned farmlands and play an important role in improving soil stability and erosion resistance. The critical functions of biocrusts are known to mostly rely on their biofilaments and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), but how these components act at microscopic scale is still unknown, while rheological methods are able to provide new insights into biocrust microstructural stability at particle scale. Here, bare soil and two representative types of biocrusts (cyanobacterial and moss crusts) developed on sandy (Ustipsamments) and sandy loam (Haplustepts) soils in abandoned farmlands in the northern Chinese Loess Plateau were collected at a sampling depth of 2 cm. Changes in the rheological properties of the biocrusts were analyzed with respect to their biofilament network and EPS contents to provide possible explanations. The rheological results showed that compared with bare soil, storage and loss moduli were decreased by the biocrusts on sandy soil, but they were increased by the biocrusts on sandy loam soil. Other rheological parameters tau max, gamma L, gamma YP, and Iz of biocrusts on both soils were significantly higher than those of bare soil, showing higher viscoelasticity. And the moss crusts had about 10 times higher rheological property values than the cyanobacterial crusts. Analysis from SEM images showed that the moss crusts had higher biofilament network parameters than the cyanobacterial crusts, including nodes, crosslink density, branches, branching ratio and mesh index, and biofilament density, indicating that the biofilament network structure in the moss crusts was more compact and complex in contrast to the cyanobacterial crusts. Additionally, EPS content of the moss crusts was higher than that of the cyanobacterial crusts on both soils. Overall, the crosslink density, biofilament density, and EPS content of the biocrusts were significantly and positively correlated with their gamma YP and Iz. The interaction between crosslink density and biofilament density contributed 73.2 % of gamma YP, and that between crosslink density and EPS content contributed 84.0 % of Iz. Our findings highlight the biocrusts-induced changes of abandoned farmland soil rheological properties in drylands, and the importance of biocrust biofilament network and EPS in maintaining abandoned farmland soil microstructural stability to resist soil water/wind erosion and degradation, providing a new perspective for sustainable management of abandoned farmlands.

Tetracycline (TC) is effectively used antibiotic in animal husbandry and healthcare, has damaged soil ecosystems due to its misuse and residues in the soil environment. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to abate TC in hyphosphere soil by inoculating soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and to explore its potential mechanisms. The results showed that under TC stress, inoculation with AMF reduced the contents of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, and increased the activities of beta-glucosidase and urease in hyphosphere soil. The relative abundance of bacterial genera such as Pseudomaricurvus in the hyphosphere soil increased significantly after AMF inoculation. In addition, four bacterial genera, Cellulosimicrobium, Roseibium, Citromicrobium, and Hephaestia, were uniquely present in AMF-inoculated soil, and the functional genes Unigene456231 and Unigene565663 were significantly enriched in the hyphosphere soil. This suggests that the reshaping of the bacterial community and the enrichment of functional genes in the hyphosphere soil led to changes in the bacterial community's functions, which promoted the gradual abatement of residual TC in the soil. It should be noted that this study was solely based on a single pot experiment, and its conclusions may have certain limitations in broader ecological application scenarios. Subsequent studies will further investigate the remediation effects under different environmental factors and field trials. This study provides new insights into the use of AMF as a biological agent for the remediation of TC-contaminated soils, offering new perspectives for promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Among various abiotic stresses, secondary soil salinization poses a significant threat to plant productivity and survival. Cultivated chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium), widely grown as ornamental crops, are highly susceptible to salt stress, and their complex polyploid genome complicates the identification of stress resistance genes. In contrast, C. indicum, a native diploid species with robust stress tolerance, serves as a valuable genetic resource for uncovering stress-responsive genes and improving the resilience of ornamental chrysanthemum cultivars. In this study, we cloned, overexpressed (OE-CiHY5), and silenced (RNAi-CiHY5) the CiHY5 gene in C. indicum. OE-CiHY5 plants exhibited larger leaves, sturdier stalks, and higher chlorophyll content compared to wild-type plants, while RNAi-CiHY5 plants displayed weaker growth. Under salt stress, OE-CiHY5 plants demonstrated significantly improved growth, enhanced osmotic adjustment, and effective ROS scavenging. In contrast, RNAi-CiHY5 plants were more sensitive to salinity, showing higher electrolyte leakage and impaired osmotic regulation. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that CiHY5 regulates key hormonal pathways such as zeatin (one of cytokinins), abscisic acid and jasmonic acid, as well as metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, which collectively contribute to the enhanced stress resilience of OE-CiHY5 plants. Promoter-binding assays further confirmed that CiHY5 directly interacts with the CiABF3 promoter, highlighting its critical role in ABA signaling. Evolutionary analyses showed that HY5 is conserved across plant lineages, from early algae to advanced angiosperms, with consistent responsiveness to salt and other abiotic stresses in multiple Chrysanthemum species. These findings establish CiHY5 as a key regulator of salt tolerance in C. indicum, orchestrating a complex network of hormonal and metabolic pathways to mitigate salinity-induced damage. Given the conserved nature of HY5 and its responsiveness to various stresses, HY5 gene provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation and represents a promising genetic target for enhancing salt stress resilience in chrysanthemums.

In the past three decades, the city of Addis Ababa, a capital city of Africa, has grown significantly in population, facilities, and infrastructure. The area involved in the recent urbanization is prone to slow natural subsidence phenomena that can be accelerated due to anthropogenic factors such as groundwater overexploitation and loading of unconsolidated soils. The main aim of this study is to identify and monitor the areas most affected by subsidence in a context, such as that of many areas of emerging countries, characterized by the lack of geological and technical data. In these contexts, advanced remote sensing techniques can support the assessment of spatial and temporal patterns of ground instability phenomena, providing critical information on potential conditioning and triggering factors. In the case of subsidence, these factors may have a natural or anthropogenic origin or result from a combination of both. The increasing availability of SAR data acquired by the Sentinel-1 mission around the world and the refinement of processing techniques that have taken place in recent years allow one to identify and monitor the critical conditions deriving from the impressive recent expansion of megacities such as Addis Ababa. In this work, the Sentinel-1 SAR images from Oct 2014 to Jan 2021 were processed through the PS-InSAR technique, which allows us to estimate the deformations of the Earth's surface with high precision, especially in urbanized areas. The obtained deformation velocity maps and displacement time series have been validated using accurate second-order geodetic control points and compared with the recent urbanization of the territory. The results demonstrate the presence of areas affected by a vertical rate of displacement of up to 21 mm/year and a maximum displacement of about 13.50 cm. These areas correspond to sectors that are most predisposed to subsidence phenomena due to the presence of recent alluvial deposits and have suffered greater anthropic pressure through the construction of new buildings and the exploitation of groundwater. Satellite interferometry techniques are confirmed to be a reliable tool for monitoring potentially dangerous geological processes, and in the case examined in this work, they represent the only way to verify the urbanized areas exposed to the risk of damage with great effectiveness and low cost, providing local authorities with crucial information on the priorities of intervention.

Fungal communities can be used as indicators of various environmental processes in forest ecosystems. The diversity of these communities is linked to aboveground plants and soil properties. We assessed fungal diversity at four Norway spruce sampling sites that were growing on fertile mineral soils (Oxalidosa) in northwestern Latvia. Three sites were managed-a three-year-old clear-cut and fifty- and eighty-five-year-old stands; one site was unmanaged-a naturally regenerated site after wind damage in 1969. For metabarcoding, we used a fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and high throughput sequencing with the Ion Torrent platform. Our results showed high operational taxonomic unit richness in the samples, with notable variation in community composition between individual plots both within and among sites, with the highest being in managed, middle-aged stands and the lowest in unmanaged. Significant differences in the diversity of soil fungal communities were not detected between the sites. Redundancy analysis indicated that pH, soil organic matter, organic carbon, and nitrogen were the most important soil variables that explained the variation in fungal communities. The unmanaged stand differed notably by community composition. This study highlights the importance of monitoring forest soil environmental parameters and fungal communities to gain a more comprehensive assessment of forestry management regimes.

The negative ramifications of invasive alien species (IAS) are considered the second-most cause of biodiversity extinction and endangerment after habitat modification. IAS movements are mainly anthropogenically driven (e.g., transport of shipping containers) and require fast detection to minimize damage and cost. The present study is the first to use molecular biosurveillance of international shipping containers to detect IAS and regulated species identification in Canada. Thirty-eight samples were collected from debris (soil, stems, seeds, individual specimens) found in containers arriving in Canada. A multi-marker approach using COI, ITS, ITS2, and 16S was used to identify four main taxonomic groups: arthropods, fungi, plants, and bacteria, respectively. Eleven IAS species were identified via metabarcoding based on environmental DNA samples, including two arthropods, six fungi, two plants, and one bacteria. The origin of the eDNA detected from each species was linked to their native distribution and country of origin, except for Lymantria dispar. Four physical specimens were also collected from shipping container debris and DNA barcoded, identifying three non-regulated species (two arthropods and one fungus). Altogether, these results demonstrate the importance of integrating molecular identification into current toolkits for the biosurveillance of invasive alien species and provide a set of validated protocols ready to be used in this context. Additionally, it reaffirms international shipping containers as a pathway for multiple invasive aliens and regulated species introduction in Canada. It also highlights the need to establish regular and effective molecular biosurveillance at the Canadian border to avoid new or recurrent invasions. Las ramificaciones negativas de las especies ex & oacute;ticas invasoras (EEI) se consideran la segunda causa de extinci & oacute;n y peligro de la biodiversidad despu & eacute;s de la modificaci & oacute;n del h & aacute;bitat. Los movimientos de EEI son impulsados principalmente por causas antropog & eacute;nicas (por ejemplo, transporte de contenedores de env & iacute;o) y requieren una detecci & oacute;n r & aacute;pida para minimizar da & ntilde;os y costos. El presente estudio es el primero en utilizar biovigilancia molecular de contenedores de env & iacute;o internacionales para detectar EEI y la identificaci & oacute;n de especies reguladas en Canad & aacute;. Se recolectaron treinta y ocho muestras de material (tierra, tallos, semillas, espec & iacute;menes individuales) encontrados en contenedores que llegaron a Canad & aacute;. Se utilizaron m & uacute;ltiples marcadores moleculares, COI, ITS, ITS2 y 16S, para identificar cuatro grupos taxon & oacute;micos principales: artr & oacute;podos, hongos, plantas y bacterias, respectivamente. Se identificaron once especies de EEI mediante matabarcoding basado en ADN ambiental, incluidos dos artr & oacute;podos, seis hongos, dos plantas y una bacteria. El origen del ADN ambiental detectado de cada especie estuvo vinculado a su distribuci & oacute;n nativa y pa & iacute;s de origen, excepto Lymantria dispar. Tambi & eacute;n se recolectaron cuatro espec & iacute;menes en los contenedores de env & iacute;o y se analizaron mediante c & oacute;digo de barras de ADN, identificando tres especies no reguladas (dos artr & oacute;podos y un hongo). En conjunto, estos resultados demuestran la importancia de integrar la identificaci & oacute;n molecular dentro de las herramientas actuales para la biovigilancia de especies ex & oacute;ticas invasoras y proporcionan un conjunto de protocolos validados listos para ser utilizados en este contexto. Adem & aacute;s, reafirma que los contenedores de transporte internacional son una v & iacute;a para la introducci & oacute;n de m & uacute;ltiples especies ex & oacute;ticas invasoras y especies reguladas en Canad & aacute;. Tambi & eacute;n destaca la necesidad de establecer una biovigilancia molecular peri & oacute;dica y eficaz en la frontera canadiense para evitar invasiones nuevas o recurrentes.

Anabasis articulata, a medicinal plant used in Algeria to treat various ailments, also has significant pastoral and ecological value. Assessing its tolerance to temperature changes and soil salinity is crucial for understanding its potential use in the restoration of salt-affected lands in dry and semi-arid regions. The objectives of the present work were to determine the optimal temperature for seed germination of an important medicinal species and evaluate the degree of tolerance to saline and thermal stresses during germination and early seedling stages of Anabasis articulata. Seeds were collected from individuals of two populations of Anabasis articulata located in Sed Rahal (Djelfa-Algeria) and Oued N'sa (Ouargla-Algeria). Seeds were germinated at seven salinity levels (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 mM) and incubated at eight temperatures (5,10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 degrees C). The germination attributes studied were germination kinetics, germination percentage, germination rate, and the measurement of shoot and root lengths of seedlings. The statistical analysis revealed that salinity level and temperature variations significantly affected germination and post-germination characteristics. The highest germination percentages were obtained under non-saline conditions; salt stress delayed or limited the germination process and seedling growth. High temperatures (35-45 degrees C) have a more negative effect than lower temperatures (5-15 degrees C). Optimum temperatures range from 20 to 30 degrees C. At these temperatures, even at a saline concentration of 600 mM, 46% of the seeds were able to germinate for the Sed Rahal station and 21 % for the Oued N'sa station. Sed Rahal exhibited higher final germination percentages, germination rates, and seedling growth compared to Oued N'sa, particularly under moderate temperatures and lower salinity levels, demonstrating better resilience to salinity and temperature extremes. Sed Rahal seedlings exhibited more reduction in root length at low temperatures, while Oued N'sa seedlings showed more reduction in shoot length at high temperatures. The results demonstrate that this species possesses significant ecological adaptation in germination and seedling stages, making it suitable for the restoration of damaged ecosystems and marginal areas.

In the numerical simulation of wave problems, it is often necessary to truncate the unbounded computational domain at a finite distance to reduce the requirement of computational resources. To manage this truncation, artificial boundaries are introduced, among which the Scaled Boundary Perfectly Matched Layer (SBPML) is regarded as a reliable strategy. In this paper, we implement the SBPML element into the commercial software ABAQUS using the User-Defined Elements (UEL) subroutine. The key equations of the SBPML, the procedures of meshing for the SBPML domain, and the implementation workflow of the subroutine are given in details. Four benchmark examples of wave propagation problems in unbounded domains are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, the application of the UEL in nonlinear seismic soil-structure interaction analysis is demonstrated by evaluating the seismic response of a five-layer alluvial basin in a homogeneous half space and an aboveground-underground integrated structure-multilayer soil system under obliquely incident earthquake waves. Using the proposed UEL, all wave propagation analyses can be directly implemented in ABAQUS with a seamless workflow. To facilitate the use of the proposed approach, the codes of the UEL are published in an open-source format.

Soil salinity induces osmotic stress and ion toxicity in plants, detrimentally affecting their growth. Potato (So- lanum tuberosum) suffers yield reductions under salt stress. To understand salt-stress resilience mechanisms in potatoes, we studied three cultivars with contrasting salt sensitivity: Innovator, Desiree, and Mozart. Innovator emerged as the most resilient under salt stress, displaying minimal reductions in growth and plant tolerance index with no tuber yield loss, despite notable water loss. Conversely, Desiree experienced a significant tuber yield reduction but maintained better water retention. Mozart showed a low plant tolerance index and high water loss. Interestingly, ions measurement across different tissues revealed that, unlike chloride, sodium does not accumulate in tubers under salt stress in these cultivars, suggesting existence of an active sodium exclusion mechanism. A whole root transcriptomic analysis of these cultivars revealed a conserved salt stress response between potato and Arabidopsis. This response includes activation of various abiotic stress pathways and involves sequential activation of various transcription factor families. Root analyses showed that Innovator has lower suberin and lignin deposition, along with stronger K+ leakage in control conditions, resulting in a higher early stress response and increased ABA accumulation shortly after salt stress induction. This could explain Innovator has a more divergent transcriptomic response to salt stress compared to Desiree and Mozart. Nevertheless, Innovator displayed high suberin and lignin levels and ceased K+ leakage after salt stress, suggesting a high acclimation ability. Altogether, our results indicate that acclimation ability, rather than initial root protection against salt prevails in long-term salt-stress resilience of potato.

Mass conversion of native vegetation to agricultural land-use triggered secondary salinity, a hydrological imbalance, which has damaged more than 1.75 million ha of farmland in south-western Australia. Various types of reforestation have been proposed and tested to restore the hydrological balance, however the economic returns from these cannot compete with existing farm practice and land-holders thus have a reluctance to adopt. An alternative approach has been to reforest abandoned saline areas with salinity and/or water-logging tolerant trees to avoid displacement of farming activities. This reforestation approach is explicitly effective for carbon mitigation and thus finding appropriate tree species is essential. To select suitable tree species, three eucalypt species were planted adjacent to a salt scald in Wickepin, Western Australia, and their survival and growth on a site with saline soil and a shallow (< 1 m depth) saline ground water system. Survival and growth of Eucalyptus sargentii and E. salubris in the saline discharge areas were comparable to those in a non-saline area, and reforestation by these species can thus avoid land competition with farming activities and minimize opportunity costs. The biomass increment of E. sargentii was about three times higher than that of E. salubris in the saline areas (3.43 vs 1.12 Mg ha(-1) year(-1)) over a 9.25 years period, and therefore E. sargentii can sequester more carbon (6.3 vs 2.1 Mg-CO(2)e ha(-1) year(-1)) and mitigate hydrological imbalance within a much smaller reforestation area than E. salubris. Considering land use efficiency, cost-effectiveness and carbon mitigation efficiency, E. sargentii is the recommended tree species for reforestation to mitigate secondary salinity in Western Australia.