RESEARCH NEWS

• 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
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  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
• Snowmelt Timing Impacts Grassland Plant Communities, New Study Finds

  Researchers at the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have shed light on how the timing of snowmelt affects the plant communities in grasslands, which are vital ecosystems around the world.

  Apr 02, 2024
• Liming Shifts Chinese Fir’s Functional Traits from Conservative to Acquisitive

  A new study has revealed how trees can adjust their growth strategies to thrive in improved soil conditions. The research, published in the journal Environmental and Experimental Botany, focused on Chinese fir trees (Cunninghamia lanceolata), a commercially important species in Asia.

  Apr 02, 2024
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  Scientists Discovered Methods to Regulate Carbon Storage in the Humus Layer of Northern Forest

  According to estimation, 30% of the world's terrestrial carbon (C) stocks are found in the boreal forest, with 60% of this C being underground. Organic soil horizons contain approximately one-third of the soil C. Therefore, the stability of boreal soils is critical to understanding global C cycle to climate change and soil management. Yet, regulating factors of humus C sequestration in the boreal forests globally is remains uncertain.

  Mar 22, 2024