Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park

Longquan Mountain, located east of the Chinese city of Chengdu, is characterized by a barren red sand soil. For the construction of Longquan Mountain Forest Park, ecological restoration was carried out, which involved mixing pastoral soil and biochar into the milled shale, introducing earthworms, an...

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Main Authors: Yan Wang, Yu-Long Zhang, Rui Zhang, Cai-Xia Li, Xian-Jun Lai, Xin-Rong Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000731
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author Yan Wang
Yu-Long Zhang
Rui Zhang
Cai-Xia Li
Xian-Jun Lai
Xin-Rong Ma
author_facet Yan Wang
Yu-Long Zhang
Rui Zhang
Cai-Xia Li
Xian-Jun Lai
Xin-Rong Ma
author_sort Yan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Longquan Mountain, located east of the Chinese city of Chengdu, is characterized by a barren red sand soil. For the construction of Longquan Mountain Forest Park, ecological restoration was carried out, which involved mixing pastoral soil and biochar into the milled shale, introducing earthworms, and phytoremediation. This study examined changes in the physicochemical properties and microbial communities of soils through ecological restoration. There was a significant increase in organic matter, total phosphorus, available iron, and total nitrogen, as well as a notable decrease in soil calcium content, resulting in a substantial enhancement of soil quality. Ecological restoration significantly optimized the community structure and diversity of bacteria, but with minor shifts in the composition and structure of fungi. Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes were enriched in restored soils and functioned in the hydrolysis of polysaccharides and organic acids, as well as in the degradation of plant residues, plant-derived polymers, and bacterial-derived exopolysaccharides. Another dominant bacterium in the restored soil, Gemmatimonadetes, may have contributed to the soil’s adaptation to the seasonally dry environment of the restoration area. In addition, fungi may participate in ecological restoration activities by assisting bacteria, particularly Sordariales, which were once decomposers of decaying matter. Interactions between soil microorganisms, plants and soil nutrients have transformed Longquan Mountain’s ecosystem into a virtuous cycle, with survival rates of vegetation reaching more than 90 percent after two years and significant reductions in harmful substances in the soil. This study provides both a theoretical basis and an engineering demonstration for ecological restoration efforts in degraded or poor soils.
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spelling doaj-art-1fc18b91bd05406783f861719c92e51b2025-01-28T04:14:29ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-02-01171113144Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest parkYan Wang0Yu-Long Zhang1Rui Zhang2Cai-Xia Li3Xian-Jun Lai4Xin-Rong Ma5Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610213 Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Construction Engineering Road and Bridge Construction Co., Ltd, 610041 Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Construction Engineering Road and Bridge Construction Co., Ltd, 610041 Chengdu, ChinaChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610213 Chengdu, ChinaPanxi Crops Research and Utilization Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Xichang University, 615300 Xichang, ChinaChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 610213 Chengdu, China; Corresponding author at: Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 23, Qunxian South Street, Tianfu New Area, Chengdu 610213 China.Longquan Mountain, located east of the Chinese city of Chengdu, is characterized by a barren red sand soil. For the construction of Longquan Mountain Forest Park, ecological restoration was carried out, which involved mixing pastoral soil and biochar into the milled shale, introducing earthworms, and phytoremediation. This study examined changes in the physicochemical properties and microbial communities of soils through ecological restoration. There was a significant increase in organic matter, total phosphorus, available iron, and total nitrogen, as well as a notable decrease in soil calcium content, resulting in a substantial enhancement of soil quality. Ecological restoration significantly optimized the community structure and diversity of bacteria, but with minor shifts in the composition and structure of fungi. Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes were enriched in restored soils and functioned in the hydrolysis of polysaccharides and organic acids, as well as in the degradation of plant residues, plant-derived polymers, and bacterial-derived exopolysaccharides. Another dominant bacterium in the restored soil, Gemmatimonadetes, may have contributed to the soil’s adaptation to the seasonally dry environment of the restoration area. In addition, fungi may participate in ecological restoration activities by assisting bacteria, particularly Sordariales, which were once decomposers of decaying matter. Interactions between soil microorganisms, plants and soil nutrients have transformed Longquan Mountain’s ecosystem into a virtuous cycle, with survival rates of vegetation reaching more than 90 percent after two years and significant reductions in harmful substances in the soil. This study provides both a theoretical basis and an engineering demonstration for ecological restoration efforts in degraded or poor soils.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000731Barren soilEcological restorationSoil propertiesMicrobial diversityMicrobial composition analysisIndicator species
spellingShingle Yan Wang
Yu-Long Zhang
Rui Zhang
Cai-Xia Li
Xian-Jun Lai
Xin-Rong Ma
Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
Ecological Indicators
Barren soil
Ecological restoration
Soil properties
Microbial diversity
Microbial composition analysis
Indicator species
title Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
title_full Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
title_fullStr Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
title_full_unstemmed Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
title_short Effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties, bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in Longquan Mountain forest park
title_sort effect of ecological restoration on physicochemical properties bacterial and fungal communities of red sand soil in longquan mountain forest park
topic Barren soil
Ecological restoration
Soil properties
Microbial diversity
Microbial composition analysis
Indicator species
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000731
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