RESEARCH NEWS

• China's Forest-Grassland Transition Zone: New Study Reveals Shifting Landscape and Driving Forces

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published a new study detailing significant changes in China's forest-grassland ecotone. This critical zone, where forests and grasslands meet, plays a vital role in biodiversity and is sensitive to environmental shifts.

  Jun 14, 2024
• 
  CAS' Study Sheds Light on the Hidden World of Soil Viruses

  Researchers at the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have unlocked new insights into the previously underappreciated world of soil viruses and their critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

  May 27, 2024
• Nitrogen Pollution Less Harmful to Mixed Forests, Study Finds

  The Stable Isotope Ecology Team from CAS' Institute of Applied Ecology conducted the new study by establishing simulated nitrogen deposition experiments in larch (Larix Kaempferi) forests and mixed larch-broadleaf forests in Qingyuan County, Liaoning. Over four years, they analyzed the effects of nitrogen addition on soil and tree leaves.

  May 11, 2024
• New Study Finds the General Reversal of N-decomposition Relationship During Long-term decomposition

  These results challenge the current treatment of interactions between N and decomposition in many ecosystems and Earth system models, and highlight the need to include the contrasting effects of substrate N on different decomposition phases into ecosystems and Earth system models, which provide the correct understanding of decomposition, and decreasing the uncertainty of ecosystem carbon estimation. The contrasting effects of substrate N on different stages of decomposition demonstrated here are critical for both understanding and improving predictions of the future carbon cycle under elevated atmospheric N deposition, changing climatic conditions, and other environmental shifts.

  May 11, 2024
• China’s Cement Industry: A Potential Contributor to Carbon Neutrality

  In a recently published study, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have unveiled new advancements in China’s cement industry’s carbon capture capabilities and its potential contributions to carbon neutrality.

  Apr 28, 2024
• Unveiling Secrets in the Soil: New Series Studies on Rubber Plantations across Hainan Island

  Microscopic life thrives beneath our feet, playing a crucial role in soil health and carbon storage. Researchers at the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have been delving into the mysteries of how different soil types influence these microbial communities and their impact on underground processes. Their recent series research, conducted across Hainan Island, focused on rubber plantations – a key economic tree species in the region. Their work, published across three separate journals, sheds light on the complex interplay between parent material, microbes, and soil processes.

  Apr 28, 2024
• Northeast China’s Forests Show Dramatic Drop in Nitrogen Deposition

  Forests in Northeast China's Qingyuan county have shown a significant decline in nitrogen deposition over the past decade, according to a new study.

  Apr 28, 2024
• No-Tillage with Straw Mulching Reduces Chemical Fertilizer Loss

  Researchers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have found a promising approach to reducing fertilizer nitrogen loss in China’s black soil region. The study, published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, investigated the effects of no-tillage farming combined with straw mulching.

  Apr 28, 2024
• 
  New Study Reveals the Linkage between Fine Root Lifespan and Root Traits

  To understand the drivers of fine root lifespan at a large scale, Dr. SUN Tao and his team (Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) compiled the most comprehensive dataset of absorptive median root lifespan data including 79 woody species across 40 sites. They linked fine root lifespan to other plant traits to address questions of the regulators of fine root lifespan at large spatial scales. They demonstrate that fine root lifespan not only decreases with plant investment in root nitrogen, but also increases with construction of larger diameter roots which is often associated with greater plant reliance on mycorrhizal symbionts.

  Apr 09, 2024
• Silicate Rock Powder Improves Yield and Carbon Capture in Northeast China's Paddy Fields

  A new study has shown a promising way to improve rice yields and benefit carbon capture in northeastern China. The research, published in the journal Plant and Soil, investigated the use of a naturally occurring mineral powder called wollastonite.

  Apr 02, 2024