RESUMEN
Mountainous rangelands provide key ecosystem goods and services, particularly for human benefit. In spite of these benefits, mountain grasslands are undergoing extensive land-cover change as a result of woody plant encroachment. However, the influence of topographic and soil factors on woody plant encroachment is complex and has not yet been studied comprehensively. The aim of this review was to establish current knowledge on the influence of topographic and soil factors on woody plant encroachment in mountainous rangelands. To find relevant literature for our study on the impact of topographic and soil factors on woody plant encroachment in mountain rangelands, we conducted a thorough search on ScienceDirect and Google Scholar using various search terms. Initially, we found 27,745 papers. We narrowed down the search to include only 66 papers published in English that directly addressed the research area. The effect of slope aspect and slope position on woody plant encroachment is complex and dynamic, with no universal consensus on their impact. Some studies found higher woody plant encroachment on the cooler slopes, while others found increased woody plant encroachment on the warmer slopes. Slope gradient has a significant impact on woody plant encroachment, with steeper slopes tending to have more woody plant encroachment than gentle slopes. Soil texture and depth are important soil factors affecting woody plant encroachment. Coarse-textured soils promote the growth of woody plants, while fine-textured soils limit it. The effect of soil depth on woody plant encroachment remain unclear and requires further research. Soil moisture availability, soil nutrient content and soil microbial community are influenced by topography, which in turn affect the woody plant growth and distribution. In conclusion, the spread of woody plants in mountainous rangelands is a complex and dynamic process influenced by a range of factors. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these interactions and to develop effective strategies for managing woody plant encroachment in mountainous rangelands.
RESUMEN
Malt barley is typically grown in dryland conditions in South Africa. It is an important grain after wheat, but little is known about its water requirements and, most importantly, how it responds to water stress. Determining when water stress sets in and how malt barley responds to water deficit during its growing season is crucial for improved management of crop water requirements. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the response of transpiration (T), stomatal conductance (SC), and leaf water potential (LWP) to water stress for different growth stages of malt barley and to characterise water stress to different levels (mild, moderate, and severe). This was achieved by monitoring the water stress indicators (soil- and plant based) under greenhouse conditions in well-watered and water-stressed lysimeters over two seasons. Water stress was characterised into different levels with the aid of soil water content 'breaking points' procedure. During the first season, at the end of tillering, flag leaf, and milk/dough growth stages, which represent severe water stress, plant available water (PAW) was below 35%, 56%, 14%, and 36%, respectively. LWP responded in accordance to depletion of soil water during the growing season, with the lowest recorded value to -5.5 MPa at the end of the milk/dough growth stage in the first season. Results also show that inducing water stress resulted in high variability of T and SC for both seasons. In the second season, plants severely stressed during the anthesis growth stage recorded the least total grains per pot (TGPP), with 29.86 g of grains. The study suggests that malt barley should be prevented from experiencing severe water stress during the anthesis and milk/dough stages for optimum malt barley production. Quantification of stress into different levels will enable the evaluation of the impact of different levels of stress on the development, growth, and yield of barley.
RESUMEN
Bacteria are primary agents of organic substrate metabolisation and elemental cycling in landfills. Two major bacterial groups, namely, Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative (GN), drive independent metabolic functions that contribute to waste stabilisation. There is a lack of explicit exploration of how these different bacterial guilds respond to changing carbon (C) availability and substrate depletion as landfills age and how landfill geochemistry regulates their distribution. This study investigated and compared the abundance and vertical distribution of GP and GN bacteria in 14- and 36-year-old municipal landfills and explored linkages among bacterial groups, nutrient elements, heavy metals and soil texture. We found higher GP bacteria in the 14-year-old landfill, while GN bacteria dominated the 36-year-old landfill. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis showed that dissimilarities in the relative abundance of the GP and GN bacteria were linked distinctly to landfill age, and not depth. In support of this inference, we further found that GP and GN bacteria were negatively correlated with heavy metals and essential nutrients in the 14- and 36-year-old landfills, respectively. Notably, the GP/GN ratio, an indicator of relative C available for bacterial mineralisation, was greater in the14-year-old landfill, suggesting greater C availability. Conversely, the C to N ratio was higher in the 36-year-old landfill, indicating lower N mineralisation. Collectively, the results of the study reveal key insights into how landfill ageing and stabilisation influence distinct functional shifts in the abundance of GP and GN bacteria, and these are mainly driven by changes in C and N bioavailability.