Acid rain poses a serious threat to vegetable production both in dryland fields and in water areas.However,there is still limited research on the effects of acid rain on the aboveground and underground parts of vegeta...Acid rain poses a serious threat to vegetable production both in dryland fields and in water areas.However,there is still limited research on the effects of acid rain on the aboveground and underground parts of vegetable plants,and correspondingly preventive measures to mitigate the acid rain stress.Herein,we conducted a simulated hydroponic experiment with the exposure of both aboveground and underground parts of plant to acid rain treatment,and the exposure of only aboveground part of plant to acid rain treatment to decipher the combined effect of acid rain(pH 5.0,4.0,and 3.0)on the lettuce growth,in which plant growth characteristics,photosynthetic system,antioxidant system,nutrition and mineral elements status were investigated.The results indicated that acid rain was the main factor affecting the growth of lettuce.As acid rain pH decreased,lettuce yield and quality gradually decreased.Acid rain stimulated the antioxidant system and reduced root vitality and nutrient absorption.The exposure of only aboveground parts of lettuce to acid rain treatment(AG)mitigated the impacts of acid rain on lettuce root vitality,soluble sugars,nitrate,and ascorbic acid contents.Under pH 4.0 acid rain,AG treatment had the greatest mitigating effect.In summary,the detrimental effect of acid rain on lettuce was inevitable,yet protective root treatments offered a viable strategy to mitigate this stress.These research findings may provide some scientific references and practice guides for avoiding harms of acid rain on crop production.展开更多
Rapid development in industrialization and urbanization causes serious environmental issues,of which acid rain is one of the quintessential hazards,negatively affecting soil ecology.Liming has been investigated for a ...Rapid development in industrialization and urbanization causes serious environmental issues,of which acid rain is one of the quintessential hazards,negatively affecting soil ecology.Liming has been investigated for a long time as the most effective amendment to alter the adverse effects of soil acidity resulting from acid rain.Herein,this study tested the biochar produced from invasive plants as an alternative amendment and hypothesized that biochar can maintain better availability of macronutrients under acid rain than liming by improving soil chemical and biological properties.Therefore,a pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of lime and biochar at two rates(1%and 3%)on soil available nitrogen(N),phosphorous(P)and potassium(K)under simulated acid rain of two pH levels(4.5:pH_(4.5) and 2.5:pH_(2.5))as compared with tap water(pH7.1)as a control treatment.Biochar was produced using different invasive plants,including Blackjack(Biden Pilosa),Wedelia(Wedelia trilobata)and Bitter Vine(Mikania micrantha Kunth).Liming decreased the availability of soil N,P,and K by 36.3%as compared with the control due to the great increment in soil pH and exchangeable calcium(Ca^(2+))by 59%and 16-fold,respectively.Moreover,liming reduced the alpha diversity of soil bacteria and fungi by 27%and 11%,respectively.In contrast,biochar at different types and rates resulted in a fourfold increment in the available N,P,and K as an average under acid rain(pH_(4.5) and pH_(2.5))owing to maintaining a neutral pH(6.5-7),which is the most favorable level for soil microbial and enzymatic activites,and the bioavailability of soil nutrients.Furthermore,biochar caused balanced increments in Ca^(2+)by threefold,cation exchange capacity by 45%,urease activity by 16%,and fungal diversity by 10%,while having a slight reduction in bacterial diversity by 2.5%.Based on the path,correlation,and principal component analyses,the exchangeable aluminum was a moderator for the reductions in macronutrients’availability under acid rain,which decreased by 40%and 35%under liming and biochar,respectively.This study strongly recommended the use of biochar from invasive plants instead of lime for sustainable improvements in soil properties under acid rain.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant numbers U1701236,32071641)the Joint Project of Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture(grant number NT2021010)the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province of China(grant number 2019B030301007).
文摘Acid rain poses a serious threat to vegetable production both in dryland fields and in water areas.However,there is still limited research on the effects of acid rain on the aboveground and underground parts of vegetable plants,and correspondingly preventive measures to mitigate the acid rain stress.Herein,we conducted a simulated hydroponic experiment with the exposure of both aboveground and underground parts of plant to acid rain treatment,and the exposure of only aboveground part of plant to acid rain treatment to decipher the combined effect of acid rain(pH 5.0,4.0,and 3.0)on the lettuce growth,in which plant growth characteristics,photosynthetic system,antioxidant system,nutrition and mineral elements status were investigated.The results indicated that acid rain was the main factor affecting the growth of lettuce.As acid rain pH decreased,lettuce yield and quality gradually decreased.Acid rain stimulated the antioxidant system and reduced root vitality and nutrient absorption.The exposure of only aboveground parts of lettuce to acid rain treatment(AG)mitigated the impacts of acid rain on lettuce root vitality,soluble sugars,nitrate,and ascorbic acid contents.Under pH 4.0 acid rain,AG treatment had the greatest mitigating effect.In summary,the detrimental effect of acid rain on lettuce was inevitable,yet protective root treatments offered a viable strategy to mitigate this stress.These research findings may provide some scientific references and practice guides for avoiding harms of acid rain on crop production.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1701236)Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture Project(NT2021010)+1 种基金Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province of China(grant number 2019B030301007)Special Funds for the Cultivation of Guangdong College Students’Scientific and Technological Innovation(grant number pdjh2020b0092).
文摘Rapid development in industrialization and urbanization causes serious environmental issues,of which acid rain is one of the quintessential hazards,negatively affecting soil ecology.Liming has been investigated for a long time as the most effective amendment to alter the adverse effects of soil acidity resulting from acid rain.Herein,this study tested the biochar produced from invasive plants as an alternative amendment and hypothesized that biochar can maintain better availability of macronutrients under acid rain than liming by improving soil chemical and biological properties.Therefore,a pot experiment was conducted to compare the effects of lime and biochar at two rates(1%and 3%)on soil available nitrogen(N),phosphorous(P)and potassium(K)under simulated acid rain of two pH levels(4.5:pH_(4.5) and 2.5:pH_(2.5))as compared with tap water(pH7.1)as a control treatment.Biochar was produced using different invasive plants,including Blackjack(Biden Pilosa),Wedelia(Wedelia trilobata)and Bitter Vine(Mikania micrantha Kunth).Liming decreased the availability of soil N,P,and K by 36.3%as compared with the control due to the great increment in soil pH and exchangeable calcium(Ca^(2+))by 59%and 16-fold,respectively.Moreover,liming reduced the alpha diversity of soil bacteria and fungi by 27%and 11%,respectively.In contrast,biochar at different types and rates resulted in a fourfold increment in the available N,P,and K as an average under acid rain(pH_(4.5) and pH_(2.5))owing to maintaining a neutral pH(6.5-7),which is the most favorable level for soil microbial and enzymatic activites,and the bioavailability of soil nutrients.Furthermore,biochar caused balanced increments in Ca^(2+)by threefold,cation exchange capacity by 45%,urease activity by 16%,and fungal diversity by 10%,while having a slight reduction in bacterial diversity by 2.5%.Based on the path,correlation,and principal component analyses,the exchangeable aluminum was a moderator for the reductions in macronutrients’availability under acid rain,which decreased by 40%and 35%under liming and biochar,respectively.This study strongly recommended the use of biochar from invasive plants instead of lime for sustainable improvements in soil properties under acid rain.
