Vegetation restoration of abandoned cropland improves soil ecosystem multifunctionality through alleviating nitrogen-limitation in the China Danxia

Vegetation restoration of abandoned cropland (AC) in the China Danxia World Heritage Site alleviates nitrogen limitation, enhancing soil ecosystem multifunctionality. The study found that both naturally restored secondary forests (NF) and artificially planted forests (AF) exhibited higher carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) acquiring enzyme activities compared to AC, indicating rapid C and P turnover rates post-restoration. However, the restoration also increased microbial demand for C, shifting microorganisms from nitrogen-limited (< 45°) to phosphorus-limited (> 45°) conditions, with NF exacerbating this shift more than AF. The variation in soil extracellular enzyme stoichiometry (EES) was primarily driven by interactions among pH, soil nutrients, and microbial biomass, suggesting a complex regulation of microbial nutrient limitation. These findings highlight the potential for vegetation restoration to improve soil ecosystem health through nutrient management strategies.

Wang, C., Yang, Q., Zhang, C., Zhang, X., Chen, J., & Liu, K. (2023). Vegetation restoration of abandoned cropland improves soil ecosystem multifunctionality through alleviating nitrogen-limitation in the China Danxia. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1116179