Yunnan University advances research into afforestation

A team led by Professor Cheng Xiaoli from School of Ecology and Environment Science at Yunnan University was reported to have recently made fresh progress in research into the impact of afforestation on ecosystem functions and their microbial mechanisms.

The groundbreaking research results were published in the authoritative ecological journal Global Change Biology with the title "Differential response of soil CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions to edaphic properties and microbial attributes following afforestation in central China".

This paper is the first research result published by Yunnan University as the first (or corresponding) author in the respected publication.

Professor Cheng took afforested land at Danjiangkou Reservoir – located in an area taking in Dangjiakou city in Hubei province and Xichuan county in Nanyang, Henan province – as her team's research subject. They then used a static box method to measure the flux of soil CO2, CH4 and N2O and explored the regulation mechanisms of the soil properties and microbial properties.

The study reportedly indicated that differences in soil CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions – and related regulatory factors after afforestation – should provide new insights into predicting the impact of afforestation on climate change mitigation.

Also taking the Danjiangkou Reservoir land as the research focal point, the team analyzed the seasonal changes of nitrogen hydrolase activities and ecological enzyme stoichiometry in planted land – containing woodland and shrubs – as well as in farmland and wasteland.

The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.