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Heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetation poses a significant problem due to its toxicity and persistence. Toxic effects on vegetation include not only impaired growth, reduced yields, and even plant death but also biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Addressing this issue requires comprehensive monitoring and remediation efforts to mitigate the environmental, human health, and ecological impacts. This review examines the state-of-the-art methodologies and advancements in remote sensing applications for detecting and monitoring heavy metal contamination in soil and its subsequent effects on vegetation. By synthesizing the current research findings and technological developments, this review offers insights into the efficacy and potential of remote sensing for monitoring heavy metal contamination in terrestrial ecosystems. However, current studies focus on regression and AI methods to link spectral reflectances and indices to heavy metal concentrations, which poses limited transferability to other areas, times, spectral discretizations, and heavy metal elements. We conclude that one important way forward is the more thorough understanding and simulation of the related physico-chemical processes in soils and plants and their effects on the spectral signatures. This would offer a profound basis for remote sensing applications for individual circumstances and would allow disentangling heavy metal effects from other stressors such as droughts or soil salinity.

Physical erosion and chemical weathering rates beneath glaciers are expected to increase in a warming climate with enhanced melting but are poorly constrained. We present a global dataset of cations in meltwaters of 77 glaciers, including new data from 19 Asian glaciers. Our study shows that contemporary cation denudation rates (CDRs) beneath glaciers (2174 ± 977 Σ*meq+ m−2 year−1) are ~3 times higher than two decades ago, up to 10 times higher than ice sheet catchments (~150-2000 Σ*meq+ m−2 year−1), up to 50 times higher than whole ice sheet means (~30-45 Σ*meq+ m−2 year−1) and ~4 times higher than major non-glacial riverine means (~500 Σ*meq+ m−2 year−1). Glacial CDRs are positively correlated with air temperature, suggesting glacial chemical weathering yields are likely to increase in future. Our findings highlight that chemical weathering beneath glaciers is more intense than many other terrestrial systems and may become increasingly important for regional biogeochemical cycles.

Increases in near-surface ozone (O 3 ) concentrations is a global environmental problem. High-concentration O 3 induces stress in plants, which can lead to visible damage to plants, reduced photosynthesis, accelerated aging, inhibited growth, and can even plant death. However, its impact has not been comprehensively evaluated because of the response differences between individual plant species, environmental O 3 concentration, and duration of O 3 stress in plants. We used a meta-analysis approach based on 31 studies 343 observations) to examine the effects of elevated O 3 on malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activities in herbaceous plants. Globally, important as they constitute the majority of the world’s food crops. We partitioned the variation in effect size found in the meta-analysis according to the presence of plant species (ornamental herb, rice, and wheat), O 3 concentration, and duration of O 3 stress in plants. Our results showed that the effects of elevated O 3 on plant membrane lipid peroxidation depending on plant species, O 3 concentration, and duration of O 3 stress in plants. The wheat SOD and POD activity was significantly lower compared to the herbs and rice ( P<0 . 01 ). The SOD activity of all herbaceous plants increased by 34.6%, 10.5%, and 26.3% for exposure times to elevated O 3 environments of 1–12, 13–30, and 31–60 days, respectively. When the exposure time was more than 60 days, SOD activity did not increase but significantly decreased by 12.1%. However, the POD activity of herbaceous plants increased by 30.4%, 57.3%, 21.9% and 5.81%, respectively, when exposure time of herbaceous plants in elevated O 3 environment was 1–12, 13–30, 31–60 and more than 60 days. Our meta-analysis revealed that (1) rice is more resistant to elevated O 3 than wheat and ornamental herbs likely because of the higher activity of antioxidant components (e.g., POD) in the symplasts, (2) exposure to elevated O 3 concentrations for >60 days, may result in antioxidant SOD lose its regulatory ability, and the antioxidant component POD in the symplast is mainly used to resist O 3 damage, and (3) the important factors affected the activity of SOD and POD in plants were not consistent: the duration of O 3 stress in plants was more important than plant species and O 3 concentration for SOD activity. However, for POD activity, plant species was the most important factor.

Salinity stress is one of the most challenging constraints affecting wheat production, limiting both yield and nutritional quality. Wheat is one of the most important staple cereals as well as a major source of carbohydrates for a considerable portion of the world population, yet wheat has suffered from significant productivity constraints due to salt stress. Such stress adversely affects germination, vegetative growth, reproductive organ development, enzymatic activity, photosynthesis photostability, and hormonal equilibrium, eventually causing oxidative stress and drastic loss of crop yield. Furthermore, the reducing nutritional quality of wheat further aggravates the issues regarding malnutrition and food security, highlighting the need for effective mitigation strategies. Although various methods have been investigated, including plant breeding, genetic engineering, and agronomic management, they are labor, cost, and time-intensive. Nanotechnology is a novel, eco-friendly and efficient approach for controlling salinity stress and improving crop biofortification. Some common methods of applications of nanotechnology-based products like nanoparticles (NPs) are foliar spraying, soil amendments and seed priming, which have shown considerable promise in improving salinity stress resistance, nutrient absorption, and wheat yield. This review outlines the extent of contribution of NPs in alleviating salinity stress, as well as the enhancement of the nutritional qualities of wheat. This work uniquely combines both salinity stress adaptation and nanofortification strategies under one framework that filling crucial information gaps. Investigating the mechanisms underlying NPs interaction with plant systems is essential for designing effective, green, and cost-efficient nanotechnology tools for sustainable wheat production. In the long run, this knowledge will aid sustainable agricultural practices and food security worldwide.

Low-phosphorus (P) stress is a critical factor limiting soybean growth and yield. Ubiquitination, a post-translational protein modification, is increasingly recognised as a regulator of plant adaptive responses to nutrient limitation, including P deficiency. However, the mechanisms by which ubiquitination mediates soybean tolerance to low P remain underexplored. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of P efficiency in soybean, focusing on the role of ubiquitination. A P-efficient soybean genotype, Qiandou 11 (QD11), was hydroponically cultivated under low or normal P levels to investigate P uptake mechanisms. Proteomic, metabolomic, and ubiquitinomic analyses were performed to identify the metabolic pathways and proteins regulating the soybean root system in response to P deficiency. The results indicated that QD11 rapidly adapted to P deficiency by increasing the levels of small-molecule-size organic acids and enhancing specific root length. A total of 377 differentially accumulated metabolites and 1,059 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified. The sample with the largest number of DEPs was selected for ubiquitination analysis, revealing 929 differential ubiquitination sites (585 upregulated and 344 downregulated) in 585 proteins. Notably, these proteins were significantly enriched in glycolysis, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and isoflavone biosynthesis pathways. Integrated multi-omics analysis revealed that phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase are hub proteins involved in carbon allocation during the soybean root response to low-P stress, and their regulation may be mediated by ubiquitination. These findings elucidate ubiquitin-mediated regulatory mechanisms and key physiological traits associated with low-P tolerance in soybean. This study provides valuable insights for breeding P-efficient soybean varieties.

Soybean adapts to phosphorus-deficient soils through three important phosphorus acquisition strategies, namely altered root conformation, exudation of carboxylic acids, and symbiosis with clumping mycorrhizal fungi. However, the trade-offs and regulatory mechanisms of these three phosphorus acquisition strategies in soybean have not been researched. In this study, we investigated the responses of ten different soybean varieties to low soil phosphorus availability by determining biomass, phosphorus accumulation, root morphology, exudation, and mycorrhizal colonization rate. Furthermore, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying root phosphorus acquisition strategies were examined among varieties with different low-phosphorus tolerance using transcriptome sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The results showed that two types of phosphorus acquisition strategies-\"outsourcing\" and \"do-it-yourself\"-were employed by soybean varieties under low phosphorus availability. The \"do-it-yourself\" varieties, represented by QD11, Zh30, and Sd, obtained sufficient phosphorus by increasing their root surface area and secreting carboxylic acids. In contrast, the \"outsourcing\" varieties, represented by Zh301, Zh13, and Hc6, used increased symbiosis with mycorrhizae to obtain phosphorus owing to their large root diameters. Transcriptome analysis showed that the direction of acetyl-CoA metabolism could be the dividing line between the two strategies of soybean selection. ERF1 and WRKY1 may be involved in the regulation of phosphorus acquisition strategies for soybeans grown under low P environments. These findings will enhance our understanding of phosphorus acquisition strategies in soybeans. In addition, they will facilitate the development of breeding strategies that are more flexible to accommodate a variety of production scenarios in agriculture under low phosphorus environments.

Hydrological processes are known as major driving forces in structuring wetland plant communities, but the specific relationships are not always well understood. The recent dry conditions of Poyang Lake (i.e., the largest freshwater lake in China) are having a profound impact on its wetland vegetation, leading to the degradation of the entire wetland ecosystem. We developed an integrated framework to quantitatively investigate the relationship between the spatial distribution of major wetland herbaceous communities and the hydrological regimes of Poyang Lake. First, the wetland herbaceous community classification was built using a support-vector machine and simultaneous parameter optimization, achieving an overall accuracy of over 98%. Secondly, based on the inundation conditions since 2000, four hydrological drivers of the spatial distribution of these communities were evaluated by canonical correspondence analysis. Finally, the hydrological niches of the communities were quantified by Gaussian regression and quantile methods. The results show that there were significant interspecific differences in terms of the hydrological niche. For example, Carex cinerascens Ass was the most adaptable to inundation, while Triarrhena lutarioriparia + Phragmites australis Ass was the least. Our integrated analytical framework can contribute to hydrological management to better maintain the wetland plant community structure in the Poyang Lake area.

Developing safer and environmentally friendly methods for wastewater management is a crucial issue worldwide. Pollutants stemming from pure elemental, organic or inorganic compounds, or microbial sources, are an increasing problem in domestic wastewater. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been used as an effective and low-cost method of treating different types of polluted water. This review paper focuses on the effectiveness of pollutant-removal from domestic wastewater using vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) and hybrid constructed wetlands (HCWs). Meta-analysis and ANOVA tests were conducted to analyse the potentiality of VFCW and HCW as a remedy for domestic wastewater and the effect of using different substrates and plant species. Meta-analysis shows a high significance (p = 0.001) between the interactions (method, plant, and substrate) on the pollutant’s removal efficiency. In both analysis methods, there were no significant differences between VFCW and HCW for the same pollutant (p > 0.05); the average removal percentages when using VFCW and HCW (according to ANOVA analysis) were 80% vs. 90% for BOD, 78% vs. 77% for COD, 75% vs. 83% for ammonium-N, 48% vs. 56% for TN, and 60% for TP, respectively. Moreover, this review article presents a comprehensive overview of the removal mechanisms for organics, inorganics, and metals from domestic wastewater using VFCW, and the effects of environmental parameters including substrate type, plant species, and dissolved oxygen which have direct and indirect impacts on physical, chemical, and biological removal mechanisms. In conclusion, VFCWs and HCWs seem to be an excellent approach, offering economical and environmentally friendly techniques for domestic wastewater treatment, but VFCW is considered simpler and more applicable for setting up on-site near houses, as there is no significant difference (p > 0.05) between applying VFCW or HCW on removal percentages for most pollutants, according to ANOVA testing. More work is needed to study the effect of non-planted VFCWs and HCWs on removal efficiency.

Soil acidification adversely affects plant growth and development by decreasing the accessibility of roots to essential nutrients. Thus, it decreases crop yield. However, there has been a lack of systematic research on how soil acidification influences nutrient absorption in eggplant cultivated in greenhouse. To address this research gap, an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with seven different acidity levels (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5), achieved by adding dilute H 2 SO 4 . The findings indicated that the soil organic matter (SOM) content at pH 4.5 decreased by 49% - 50% compared to pH levels of 7.0 - 7.5. In addition, the levels of exchangeable aluminum (Al 3+ ) and soil electrical conductivity (EC) were highest at pH 4.5, with increases of 82 -88 mg kg -1 and 1.78 - 1.82 ms cm -1 , respectively, compared to pH 7.0 - 7.5. The total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (TP), and potassium (TK) content in the soil declined as acidity increased, reaching their lowest levels of 0.59, 0.42, and 3.79 g kg -1 at pH 4.5. Among the available nutrients, only potassium levels did not exhibit significant variation across treatments. However, the levels of macro elements in the soil consistently decreased, while the concentrations of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn) increased with rising acidity; conversely, the levels of other trace elements (B, Mo, Mn) decreased. The amounts of exchangeable calcium (Ca 2+ ) and magnesium (Mg 2+ ) at pH levels of 4.5 - 5.0 dropped by 61% - 66% and 70% - 78%, respectively, compared to pH 7.5. Further analyses indicated that soil pH values between 6.0 - 4.5 reduced the nutrient absorption capacity of eggplant, with the lowest nutrient content observed at pH 4.5. Mantel analyses confirmed that soil pH significantly affects plant nutrient uptake. This research provides both theoretical insights and practical guidance for the effective management of vegetable soil in greenhouse.

Leaching losses of nitrogen (N) from soil and atmospheric N deposition have led to widespread changes in plant community and microbial community composition, but our knowledge of the factors that determine ecosystem N retention is limited. A common feature of extensively managed, species-rich grasslands is that they have fungal-dominated microbial communities, which might reduce soil N losses and increase ecosystem N retention, which is pivotal for pollution mitigation and sustainable food production. However, the mechanisms that underpin improved N retention in extensively managed, species-rich grasslands are unclear. We combined a landscape-scale field study and glasshouse experiment to test how grassland management affects plant and soil N retention. Specifically, we hypothesised that extensively managed, species-rich grasslands of high conservation value would have lower N loss and greater N retention than intensively managed, species-poor grasslands, and that this would be due to a greater immobilisation of N by a more fungal-dominated microbial community. In the field study, we found that extensively managed, species-rich grasslands had lower N leaching losses. Soil inorganic N availability decreased with increasing abundance of fungi relative to bacteria, although the best predictor of soil N leaching was the C/N ratio of aboveground plant biomass. In the associated glasshouse experiment we found that retention of added (15)N was greater in extensively than in intensively managed grasslands, which was attributed to a combination of greater root uptake and microbial immobilisation of (15)N in the former, and that microbial immobilisation increased with increasing biomass and abundance of fungi. These findings show that grassland management affects mechanisms of N retention in soil through changes in root and microbial uptake of N. Moreover, they support the notion that microbial communities might be the key to improved N retention through tightening linkages between plants and microbes and reducing N availability.