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Forests
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Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation
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Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2024 | Viewed by 4769

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yajuan Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: desert ecology; plant ecophysiology; isotope ecology; biodiversity in arid land
Prof. Dr. Yulin Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: desert plant biomass allocation; soil stoichiometry
Dr. Xuehua Ye

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
Interests: clonal plants; ecological adaptation; environmental heterogeneity; global change; interspecific interaction; restoration ecology; wind erosion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Lin Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in North-Western China of Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Interests: restoration of desertified vegetation; water physiology of sand-fixing plants
Prof. Dr. Haiyang Xi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Qilian Mountains Eco-Environment Research Center in Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: desert greening; desert vegetation restoration; water and salt regulation mechanism of desert plants
Dr. Hai Zhou

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: isotope ecohydrology; desert plant ecophysiology; water relations in desert plant; hydrological niches

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In arid regions, desert forest plantations refer to vegetation that is employed to control land desertification. Worldwide, there are many excellent projects across arid land that have been established. For example, since 2021, a billion trees have been planted in Mongolia; the Great Green Wall was initiated in 2008 in Sahel, Africa; and the Three-North Shelterbelt Project was initiated in 1978 in Northwest, North and Northeast China. These desert forest plantation projects have amended sand dunes and significantly reduced the influence of sand storms. However, vegetation degradation has occurred due to drought, soil salinization and unsustainable management in many areas.

In this Special Issue, we will discuss the structure, ecological process and function of desert forest plantations. The submission of research papers, reviews, and opinions to this Special Issue is welcome. We hope that this Special Issue will provide some insights into how desert forest plantations adapt to harsh environments and give reference to their sustainable management. The potential topics of this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following: afforestation in arid zones, vegetation monitoring, plant biodiversity, microclimate improvement, carbon−water balance of vegetation, oasis ecology, and plantation sustainability, etc.

Dr. Yajuan Zhu
Prof. Dr. Yulin Li
Dr. Xuehua Ye
Prof. Dr. Lin Zhu
Prof. Dr. Haiyang Xi
Dr. Hai Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • desert plantation
  • ecohydrology
  • oasis security
  • sand dune fixation
  • vegetation restoration

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4802 KiB  
Article
Tree-Ring δ13C and Intrinsic Water-Use Efficiency Reveal Physiological Responses to Climate Change in Semi-Arid Areas of North China
by Weiwei Lu, Bo Wu, Xinxiao Yu, Guodong Jia, Ying Gao, Lili Wang and Anran Lu
Forests 2024, 15(7), 1272; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15071272 - 22 Jul 2024
Viewed by 896
Abstract
Climate change has had a widespread and profound impact on global temperature and precipitation patterns, especially in semi-arid areas. Plant δ13C and iWUE indicate the trade-off between carbon uptake and water loss, which is pivotal for understanding plant responses to climate [...] Read more.
Climate change has had a widespread and profound impact on global temperature and precipitation patterns, especially in semi-arid areas. Plant δ13C and iWUE indicate the trade-off between carbon uptake and water loss, which is pivotal for understanding plant responses to climate change. Information about the long-term responses of the physiological and ecological processes of different tree species to climate change is also required. To investigate the impact of different forest stand structures and site conditions on long-term growth and physiological processes of coniferous and broad-leaved trees in the mountainous area of Beijing, we analyzed the tree-ring δ13C variation of four tree species (Platycladus orientalis, Pinus tabuliformis, Quercus variabilis, Robinia pseudoacacia) sampled from 64 plots with varying site and stand conditions. We found that the tree-ring δ13C of the four tree species varied from each other and was mainly affected by density and slope aspect, followed by slope and age. Both tree-ring δ13C and iWUE of the four tree species showed increasing trends over time, mechanistically linked to long-term changes in global CO2 concentration. This indicates the four native tree species have adapted well to climate change, and the risk of decline is relatively low. The increased iWUE translated into different growth patterns which varied with tree species, site, and stand condition. Different tree species have varying sensitivities to environmental factors. The iWUE of coniferous tree species is more sensitive to climate change than that of broad-leaved tree species, especially to temperature (T), the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation)
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15 pages, 7674 KiB  
Article
Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks and Their Influencing Factors in Different-Aged Stands of Sand-Fixing Caragana korshinskii in the Mu Us Desert of Northwest China
by Shuang Yu, Junlong Yang, Julian M. Norghauer, Jun Yang, Bo Yang, Hongmei Zhang and Xiaowei Li
Forests 2024, 15(6), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15061018 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 881
Abstract
Establishing artificial sand-fixing shrubs is a key measure to curb dune flow and drive changes in the soil stocks and cycling of carbon and nitrogen. But our understanding of these dynamics across years of sand-fixing afforestation and the factors influencing them remains inadequate, [...] Read more.
Establishing artificial sand-fixing shrubs is a key measure to curb dune flow and drive changes in the soil stocks and cycling of carbon and nitrogen. But our understanding of these dynamics across years of sand-fixing afforestation and the factors influencing them remains inadequate, making it hard to accurately assess its capacity to sequester carbon. To fill that knowledge gap, this study investigated soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) stocks in Mu Us Desert under artificial sand-fixing shrub stands of different ages (10, 30, 50, and 70 years old) vis-à-vis a mobile sand dune, to determine whether Caragana korshinskii afforestation improved stock characteristics and whether SOC and STN stocks were correlated during the restoration processes. The results showed that the pattern observed is consistent with an increase over time in the stocks of both SOC and STN. At 10, 30, 50, and 70 years, these stocks were found to be 1.8, 2.3, 3.2, and 5.5 times higher for SOC, and 1.3, 1.6, 2.1, and 2.7 times higher for STN, respectively, than those of the control (mobile sand) dune. Stocks of SOC and STN mainly increased significantly in the 0–10 cm soil layer. The SOC stock was correlated positively with the STN stock as well as the C:N ratio. The slope of the regression for the C:N ratio against stand age was positive, increasing slightly faster with afforestation age. Additionally, our findings suggest that during the establishment of artificial stands of shrubs, the size of the STN stock did not expand as fast as the SOC stock, resulting in an asynchronous N supply and demand that likely limits the accumulation of soil organic matter. This research provides important evidence for the sustainable development of desertified ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation)
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22 pages, 10683 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Changes in Vegetation Ecological Quality in the Tarim Basin and Its Response to Extreme Climate during 2000–2022
by Yuanmei Zhang, Yan Lu, Guili Sun, Li Li, Zhihao Zhang and Xiaoguo Zhou
Forests 2024, 15(3), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030505 - 8 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1051
Abstract
The Tarim Basin is located in an arid inland area; the ecological environment is fragile, and it is extremely sensitive to climate change. For the purpose of studying dynamic changes in the vegetation response of vegetation in the Tarim Basin to extreme climate, [...] Read more.
The Tarim Basin is located in an arid inland area; the ecological environment is fragile, and it is extremely sensitive to climate change. For the purpose of studying dynamic changes in the vegetation response of vegetation in the Tarim Basin to extreme climate, this study used the Vegetation Ecological Quality Index (EQI) as a vegetation indicator and calculated 12 extreme climate indices using Rclimdex. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between EQI values and various extreme climate indices at both inter-annual and intra-annual scales. Additionally, geographic detector analysis was employed to examine the single and interactive effects of extreme climate on the EQI for different vegetation types. The following was found: (1) During 2000–2022, the EQI showed an upward trend in the Tarim Basin, and the increase in agricultural vegetation was the fastest. (2) Since 2000, the extreme warm temperature indices have risen, whereas the extreme cold temperature indices have declined. The warming rate of nighttime temperatures exceeds that of daytime, and the extreme precipitation rises intensively. Simultaneously, continuous dry days have also increased. (3) On an inter-annual scale, the EQI is primarily negatively correlated with the most extreme warm temperature indices, while it is positively correlated with extreme cold temperatures and extreme precipitation indices. On an intra-annual scale, there is an obvious regional concentration in the correlation between the EQI and extreme climate indices. The diurnal temperature range (DTR) and cold daytimes (TX10P) have inhibitory and promoting effects on areas with high and low EQI, respectively. The extremum indices, temperature warm indices, and precipitation intensity indices have a promoting effect on areas with a high EQI and an inhibiting effect on areas with a low EQI. The interaction between extreme climate indices has a greater impact on the EQI than the effect of a single extreme climate index, especially with a significant impact on forests and shrubs. This study provides a reference for the early warning of meteorological disasters, ecosystem protection, and sustainable management in the Tarim Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation)
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Review

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21 pages, 19648 KiB  
Review
Research Progress on Ecological Carrying Capacity and Ecological Security, and Its Inspiration on the Forest Ecosystem in the Karst Desertification Control
by Song Zhang, Ya Luo, Kangning Xiong, Yanghua Yu, Cheng He, Shihao Zhang and Zhaohua Wang
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1632; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091632 - 15 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1044
Abstract
Social progress and the improvement of living standards are often accompanied by the intensification of ecological crises. The long-term abuse of natural resources has led to the accumulation of ecological liabilities, which in turn seriously hinders economic development. This has prompted all sectors [...] Read more.
Social progress and the improvement of living standards are often accompanied by the intensification of ecological crises. The long-term abuse of natural resources has led to the accumulation of ecological liabilities, which in turn seriously hinders economic development. This has prompted all sectors of society to recognize the importance of ecological carrying capacity (ECC) and ecological security (ES). Remarkable progress has been made in karst desertification control (KDC), which has helped reshape the ECC and ES pattern of forests. Currently, the research field of ECC and ES is experiencing rapid development. Further studies in these areas have immeasurable value in promoting regional sustainable development strategies and strengthening ecological civilization construction. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the current research status and potential challenges in the field of ECC and ES, with a view to optimizing the program of forest restoration and protection in KDC. This study systematically analyzed 350 relevant studies and found that (1) research on forest ECC and ES has shown a strong growth trend overall, especially after 2017, with a growth rate exceeding 75%; (2) the literature predominantly focuses on the assessment of forest ECC (40.58%) and the enhancement of forest ES (23.42%); and (3) geographically, research findings are heavily concentrated in Asia, representing 95.40% of the total. Notably, China emerges as the primary contributor to research in this field, accounting for a substantial 94.12%. Based on the above analysis, this review summarizes the significant advancements in forest ecosystems, ECC, and ES, while also delving into the key scientific issues that need to be addressed. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights from forest ecosystems in tackling KDC, with the goal of offering guidance and strategic recommendations for future research and practices in managing delicate ecological environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Construction and Maintenance of Desert Forest Plantation)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: The annual dynamic of the water source of an Ammopiptanthus mongolicus community on the Gobi of Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Yajuan Zhu; Guojie Wang; Zhiming Xin; Aqing Wang; Yuan Ma
Affiliation: Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry
Abstract: Gobi is one of the harsh terrestrial ecosystems distributed on the Mongolian Plateau and northwest China. Water is the most important limiting factor for the Gobi plant's survival and growth. Exploring the annual dynamic of water sources for the vulnerable plants on Gobi helps to understand their adaptation to arid climate and is essential for their conservation and restoration, such as Ammopiptanthus mongolicus. The water source of dominant and companion shrubs on a Gobi A. mongolicus community was determined by comparing the D and 18O values of their xylem water and different depths of soil water by MixSIAR model in the growing season of two years. The results showed that A. mongolicus mainly used 50150 cm of middle and deep soil water. However, it also used 10 or 25 cm of shallow soil water after heavy rain in early spring and moderate rain in autumn of 2020 and after heavy rain in summer of 2021. Three companion shrubs (Nitraria sphaerocarpa, Caragana korshinskii, and Convolvulus tragacanthoides) had similar main water sources, competing for relatively reliable deep soil water with the dominant A. mongolicus during drought in 2021 and 2022. Moreover, A. mongolicus used more deep soil water in the growing season 2020 with less rain. However, C. tragacanthoides used more shallow soil water during the growing season of 2021 with more rain. Therefore, four xerophytic shrubs in the A. mongolicus community had a resource-dependent water use strategy. They used soil water in different depths based on their availability to adapt to the annual fluctuation of rain on Gobi.

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