Structure and Function of Vegetation During Ecological Restoration of Degraded Land

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About this Research Topic

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Background

Land degradation is a widespread systemic phenomenon that occurs in many forms in all parts of the Earth's land. Land degradation caused by climate change and human activities has seriously restricted the health and function of ecosystems, leading to a decline in land productivity, even affecting ecological security and food security, and ultimately affecting the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. By 2050, land degradation and climate change are expected to reduce global crop production by an average of 10% and 50% in some areas. Suppressing land degradation and restoring degraded land is an urgent priority for protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services. Plants play key roles in maintaining ecosystem structure and functions. The intuitive manifestation of degraded land is the degradation of vegetation, including reduced plant productivity and diversity, which can affect ecological functions, such as biodiversity, carbon storage, and nutrient cycling. Research is needed on characteristics of plant responses to land degradation and vegetation restoration, to accelerate degraded land management, restore ecosystem function and improve sustainable land management.

This Research Topic focuses on adaptation and response mechanisms of vegetation structure and function to land degradation, collecting the theory and technological application research of plants with high ecological restoration value or both ecological and economic value, improving vegetation cover and soil fertility, thereby promoting the restoration of degraded land. The object is to improve the function and economic benefits of the natural ecosystem through the conservation and restoration of vegetation resources globally.

Possible research themes include, but are not limited to:
• Responses and adaptation of plants to land degradation caused by abiotic stresses such as drought, nutrient deposition, increasing temperature, contamination, etc. (studying plant responses at individual, population, or community scales);
• Responses and adaptation of plants to land degradation caused by biotic factors such as overgrazing by domestic or wild herbivores, invasion by woody or herbaceous plants, etc.;
• Key theory and techniques of vegetation restoration and recovery in land degradation;
• Key theory and techniques of vegetation utilization under natural ecosystem for the purpose of ecosystem conservation and restoration.

Keywords: Vegetation restoration, Ecological restoration, land degradation, plant structure, plant function

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