Virulence-mediated colonization mechanism for TEP as a promising watershed-scale recorder and source-tracking indicator of human pathogens.

Waterborne pathogens related diseases have been a global health concern. Precise source tracking of pathogens in rivers is crucial for understanding and reducing waterborne pathogens transmission risks. Current microbial source tracking techniques are still limited by identifying pathogen indicators at low concentrations, particularly in highly dynamic confluence zones of rivers where the coalescence of microbiomes exacerbates community disturbances.

Snowfall decrease in recent years undermines glacier health and meltwater resources in the Northwestern Pamirs.

Central Asia hosts some of the world's last relatively healthy mountain glaciers and is heavily dependent on snow and ice melt for downstream water supply, though the causes of this stable glacier state are not known. We combine recent in-situ observations, climate reanalysis and remote sensing data to force a land-surface model to reconstruct glacier changes over the last two decades (1999-2023) and disentangle their causes over a benchmark glacierized catchment in Tajikistan. We show that snowfall and snow depth have been substantially lower since 2018, leading to a decline in glacier health and reduced runoff generation.

Landscape Pattern and Plant Diversity in an Arid Inland River Basin: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach Based on Multi-Source Data.

Biodiversity in arid river basins is highly climate-sensitive, yet the multi-pathway relations among the environment, landscape structure, connectivity, and plant diversity remain unclear. Framed by a scale-place-space sustainability perspective, we evaluated, in the Hotan River Basin (NW China), how the environmental factors affect plant diversity directly and indirectly via the landscape configuration and functional connectivity. We integrated Landsat images (2000, 2012, and 2023), 57 vegetation plots, topographic and meteorological data; computed the landscape indices and Conefor connectivity metrics (PC, IIC); and fitted a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM).

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Gene Family in .

Nitrogen (N) is crucial for plant growth and stress resistance and is primarily absorbed and transported by nitrate transporters (NRT). , known for its strong salt-alkali stress resistance, and genes have rarely been reported. This study aims to identify and analyze the gene family to understand its composition, evolutionary patterns, and roles in salt stress responses.

Heavy metals toxicity in plants: understanding mechanisms and developing coping strategies for remediation: a review.

Heavy metal (HM) contamination is an increasing environmental and agricultural concern due to the persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulative nature of metals such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As). These pollutants are primarily introduced through industrial effluents, mining, and agrochemicals, negatively impacting soil health, crop productivity, and food safety, ultimately posing serious risks to both ecosystems and human health. Conventional remediation methods can be costly, labor-intensive, and environmentally disruptive.

Variation in Community Leaf Stoichiometry and Nutrient Resorption Along an Elevational Gradient on the Northern Slope of the Kunlun Mountains.

Leaf stoichiometry and nutrient resorption are key indicators for assessing nutrient-use status and predicting nutrient limitation in plant growth. However, the patterns of variation in plant community nutrient-use traits along elevational gradients remain unclear. To address this, we measured leaf nutrient contents of plant communities across six elevational gradients (1960 to 3548 m) on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains.

From Lab to Field: Harnessing HO-Mediated Upregulation of Plant Capacities Under Abiotic Stresses.

Climate-driven abiotic stresses, responsible for approximately 50% of global crop yield losses, are putting agriculture under increasing pressure, demanding smarter ways to strengthen plants' natural defenses beyond genetic modification. Hydrogen peroxide (HO), long recognized as a key signaling molecule, plays a powerful role in helping plants cope with environmental stress. This review deciphers the mechanistic basis of HO-mediated capacity enhancement under diverse stresses (drought, salinity, heavy metals, heat, cold) while also addressing climate-intensified challenges like waterlogging and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Characterization of spatial and temporal correlation between ecosystem service and human activity intensity in Xinjiang, China based on supply and demand.

The balance between supply and demand of ecosystem services in arid zones is crucial for regional sustainable development. Taking Xinjiang as the study area, we analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of the supply and demand of food production, habitat quality, carbon storage, soil conservation, water yield and greenfield leisure in relation to the intensity of human activities during 2000-2020 by using bivariate spatial autocorrelation method. The results showed that from 2000 to 2020, the six ecosystem services in the study area were in a state where their supply was far greater than demand (supply/demand ratio>1).

Eco-physiological and growth responses of two halophytes to saline irrigation and soil amendments in arid conditions.

In dry-land regions, salinity stress and poor soil structure can cause significant challenges to agricultural productivity, posing a growing threat to global food security. This study explores the performance of two halophytic plant species Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis) and Salt-bush (Atriplex canescens) under both fresh water and saline water irrigation, combined with four soil amendment treatments: manure + sandy, compost + sandy, clay + sandy, and sandy soil. Saline irrigation led to a marked decline in key chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, such as chlorophyll content (SPAD), the quantum efficiency of photochemical processes (Φ), apparent electron transport rate (ETR), and maximal photochemical efficiency (F/F) in sandy soil.

Effects of pH thresholds on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus dynamics in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems: Differentiation of drivers in vegetation-soil-microorganisms.

Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (CNP) are the essential elements of terrestrial ecosystems, and their cycling processes directly determine ecological productivity, C sequestration capacity, and nutrient use efficiency. Soil pH regulates microbial communities and activity, enzyme function and morphology, plant growth and productivity conversion, and is a key regulatory factor in the CNP cycle. Although the pathway through which pH affects the CNP cycle via microorganisms, vegetation interactions has been revealed, explicitly contrast known linear mechanisms vs.

Integrated Modeling of Composition-Resolved Source Apportionment and Dynamic Projection for Ozone Pollution in Datong.

Growing ozone (O) pollution in industrial cities urgently requires in-depth mechanistic research. This study utilized multi-year observational data from Datong City, China, from 2020 to 2024, integrating time trend diagnostics, correlation dynamics analysis, Environmental Protection Agency Positive Matrix Factorization 5.0 (EPA PMF 5.

Bacterial microbiome and their assembly processing in two sympatric desert rodents ( and ) from different geographic sources.

The microbiome of mammals has profound effects on host fitness, but the process, which drives the assembly and shift of mammalian microbiome remains poorly understood. To explore the patterns of small mammal microbial communities across host species and geographical sites and measure the relative contributions of different processes in driving assembly patterns, 2 sympatric desert rodent species ( and ) were sampled from 2 geographically distant regions, which differed in the environment, followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The microbiomes differed significantly between and , and linear mixed modeling (LMM) analysis revealed that microbial diversity was mostly affected by species rather than the environment.

Altererythrobacter guangdongensis sp. nov. and Tsuneonella sediminis sp. nov., two novel carotenoid-producing species isolated from tidal flat sediment.

Four aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, and non-motile bacterial strains, designated SYSU HZ0097ᵀ, SYSU HZ0136, SYSU LHT278ᵀ, and SYSU LHT272, were isolated from tidal flat sediment collected in Zhuhai, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences assigned all four strains to the family Erythrobacteraceae. Strains SYSU HZ0097ᵀ and SYSU HZ0136 showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (98.

Hybrid lineage of overlapping on wheat, barley and wild barley hosts in Uzbekistan, Central Asia.

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis (Ps), is a destructive disease affecting various crops worldwide, including wheat, barley, rye, triticale and certain graminaceous hosts. Recently, clonal lineages of Ps on wheat have been reported in Uzbekistan, a Central Asian region. However, it is still unclear how these clonal lineages persist throughout the year and whether they are exclusive to wheat or can also infect other hosts.

The ethnomedicinal, pharmacological, and phytochemical potential of Ferula sinkiangensis K.M.Shen: An updated and comprehensive review.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ferula sinkiangensis, commonly known as "Chinese Awei" or "Chinese Ferula", has attracted considerable attention due to its diverse ethnobotanical uses and phytochemical complexity. However, lacking an updated and comprehensive review addressing ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and threats facing this critically endangered medicinal plant of Xinjiang, China.

Aim: This comprehensive review aims to provide an updated, meticulous study of F.

Identification and green synthesis of potato dry rot Fusarium falciforme silver nanoparticles, characterization and antibacterial activity.

Potato tubers collected from different areas showed the prevalence of dry rot with characteristic white mycelia like symptoms of Fusarium pathogen. Fusarium species from diseased tubers were isolated based on morphological features. 18 S-Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Translation Elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) based analysis followed by phylogenetic tree constructed using ITS, TEF1-α and RNA polymerase II subunit B (RPB2) identified Fusarium isolates as Fusarium verticilloides, Fusarium soloni, Fusarium falciforme and Fusarium oxysporum.

Diffusion process and risks of heavy metal(loid)s in an arid-region lake sediments: influencing factors and management suggestions.

The release of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in lake sediments is highly sensitive to environmental conditions, and understanding its release process and influence mechanism is crucial for managing ecological risk in lakes. This study took Bosten Lake as a typical representative and integrated the methodological and technical system of passive sampling technology / DIFS model / Bayesian network model to analyze the process and influence mechanism of HMs release in the core microscopic system of lake overlying water - porewater - sediment core, and comparatively discussed the characteristics of HMs release in lake sediments in arid areas. In the surface sediments of Bosten Lake, Cr and Ni can reach a supply balance, with other elements continuously supplied from the solid to the liquid phases at different rates depending on the sampling areas.

Physical protection by soil aggregates drives carbon gains in mangrove restoration: Evidence from coastal aquaculture ponds.

Mangrove wetlands are vital carbon sinks, yet their area has sharply declined due to aquaculture. To evaluate soil carbon stock recovery, we analyzed six pond-to-mangrove restoration sites along China's southeastern coast, assessing changes in carbon components and their drivers. Restoration increased soil water content, salinity, and total nitrogen while reducing pH and bulk density.

Steep sustainability challenges in transboundary basins worldwide.

Transboundary hydrological basins span international borders and are essential to global water systems, human development, and environmental sustainability. Nearly 40 % of the world's population lives within these basins, which supply critical resources such as freshwater, food, energy, and biodiversity. Yet their sustainability remains poorly understood, as existing assessments often overlook the unique social, environmental, and political complexities of transboundary basins.

A Fungal siRNA Is Involved in Genetic Robustness of VmRDR-Mediated Virulence in Valsa mali During Apple Infection.

Genetic robustness refers to the ability of organisms to maintain normal phenotypes in the face of genetic variation, such as gene deletion. In plant pathogenic fungi, RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRPs) play a crucial role in RNA interference (RNAi) signalling amplification in plant-pathogen interactions. However, the genetic robustness of RdRP-mediated fungal virulence and the molecular mechanisms regulating robustness remain elusive.

Physiological and biochemical alterations in soybean by banana peel biochar under different degrees of salt stress.

Salt influences cellular membranes by the excessive production of reactive oxygen species, while osmolytes play a vital role in protecting plants from oxidative stress caused by salt. Biochar may alleviate the effects of salinity-induced stress on crops. The study investigated the impact of biochar supplementation on osmolyte modifications and antioxidant activity in soybean (Glycine max cv.

Refining Amino Sugar-Based Conversion Factors for Quantification of Microbial Necromass Carbon in Soils.

Quantifying the contribution of microbial necromass to soil organic carbon (SOC) has been a hot topic in the past decade, offering critical insights into soil carbon sequestration mechanisms. Amino sugars (AS) are widely used biomarkers for estimating microbial necromass in soils, with the ratios of AS to microbial necromass carbon (MNC) serving as conversion factors to derive MNC from AS measurement. Because AS decomposes more slowly than bulk necromass and persists longer in soil, the ratio of AS to microbial necromass should exceed the AS to biomass ratio in living microbes.

Dual-functionality of Nocardiopsis alba B57 in biocontrol and plant growth: a metabolomic approach to agricultural sustainability.

The increasing incidence of fungal phytopathogens poses a significant challenge to agricultural sustainability, necessitating the development of environmental alternatives to synthetic fungicides and mitigating their ecological impact. This study explores the efficiency of Nocardiopsis alba B57 to produce secondary metabolites with antifungal and plant growth-promoting properties. Untargeted metabolomics using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-MS/MS) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses identified key metabolites (e.