RESEARCH NEWS

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  Mowing Increases Belowground Carbon Storage by Reshaping Grassland Plant Communities

  Dr. Lü Xiaotao’s team conducted a long-term manipulaitve experiment at the Erguna Forest–Steppe Ecotone Research Station and quantified root biomass and carbon storage of each plant species in the grassland communities. The researchers found that belowground carbon stocks at the community level were more than twice of those stored aboveground. They also found that annual mowing increased belowground carbon storage by approximately 30 percent, and this pattern held true under both ambient N condition and the condition with nitrogen fertilizer application.

  Dec 09, 2025
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  Framework Proposed for Assessing Nitrogen Conditions in Forest Ecosystems Under Global Environmental Change

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a structured framework for evaluating the nitrogen (N) status and nitrogen balance of forest ecosystems in the context of rapid global environmental change.

  Dec 09, 2025
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  Scientists Uncover How Microbial Consortia Break Down Lignin

  A research team from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has provided new insight into how microbial communities work together to break down lignin.

  Dec 09, 2025
• New Study Quantifies Warming Response of Soil Gaseous Nitrogen Losses in a Temperate Forest

  The study entitled"Climate warming reduces soil gaseous nitrogen losses in a temperate forest"was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

  Nov 27, 2025
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  Soil Food Webs Boost Carbon Retention in Farmlands

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecologyof the Chinese Academy of Scienceshave identified how soil food webs promote the transformation and storage of photosynthetic carbon in farmlands.

  Nov 19, 2025
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  Mechanism underlying the dieback of natural Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica forests on sandy land

  The research team of Drs. ZHU Jiaojun and SONG Lining proposed two interconnected hypotheses. First, continuous human fire suppression has disrupted the natural fire cycle, enabling the buildup of tree pathogens and pests that weaken forest health. Second, warmer winters driven by climate change have reduced snow cover duration and depth, leading to less snowmelt water in early spring and intensifying soil moisture stress during the trees’ key growing season.

  Nov 19, 2025
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  How Enhanced Rock Weathering Influences Carbon Sequestration in Temperate Forests

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have conducted an ecosystem-wide assessment of enhanced rock weathering (ERW) in forest plantations. Led by Dr. KANG Ronghua, this study explored how the application of finely ground silicate minerals influences soil carbon fluxes and tree growth in a larch plantation in northeastern China. The findings were published in Forest Ecology and Management under the title “Carbon sequestration induced by enhanced silicate rock weathering in a temperate larch plantation in Northeastern China.”

  Oct 29, 2025
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  Seasonal Rhythms and Lifespan Determinants of Fine Roots in Temperate Plantations

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have explored how trees balance resource allocation above and below ground to enhance forest productivity and maintain soil fertility. Their findings, titled “Phenological patterns and factors affecting the lifespan of fine roots in forests,” were published in Tree Physiology.

  Oct 10, 2025
• How Temperate Forest Canopies Absorb Atmospheric Nitrogen Dioxide

  Researchers at the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have provided new quantitative evidence showing how tree canopies in temperate forests absorb nitrogen dioxidefrom the atmosphere.

  Oct 10, 2025
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  Forest Tree Seedlings Adapt to Drought and Fluctuating Light through Root–Microbe Interactions

  Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have uncovered how temperate forest trees adjust their root chemistry and microbial relationships to cope with the combined stress of drought and variable light conditions. The findings offer a deeper understanding of how forest ecosystems could respond to future climate change, particularly as extreme droughts and shifting canopy structures modify light availability on the forest floor.

  Oct 10, 2025