Akash Tariq

Chinese Academy of Sciences | CAS · Cele National Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS

In desert ecosystems, afforestation with xerophytic shrubs has the potential to significantly increase soil nutrient levels by mitigating wind and soil erosion. Nevertheless, further investigation is required to elucidate the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and stability on different soil depths with afforestation years. We collected...

This study investigates the utility of plant δ¹³C natural labeling in predicting the impacts of environmental shifts on carbon cycling within ecosystems, particularly focusing on paddy fields treated with maize (Zea mays L.) residues and biochar. Specifically, it examines how soil δ¹³C and the sources of soil organic carbon (SOC), respond in paddy...

Coastal‐wetlands play a crucial role as carbon (C) reservoirs on Earth due to their C pool composition and functional sink, making them significant for mitigating global climate change. However, due to the development and utilization of wetland resources, many wetlands have been transformed into other land‐use types. The current study focuses on th...

Soil phosphorus (P) availability is a crucial factor determining primary productivity in terrestrial ecosystem. Plant functional traits and microbes under P‐deficient conditions can respond positively to increase soil P bioavailability. Whether and/or how the fine‐root traits (FRTs) of deep‐rooted desert species affect the rhizosphere and bulk soil...

Mature xerophytes access groundwater and minimize the risk of water and nutrient deficits in arid environments. However, how their young seedlings respond to the availability of water and nutrients before they reach groundwater is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of different drought regimes (controlled, medium-drought (MD), and severe-...

Cotton is a highly sensitive crop to drought stress. Consequently, it is crucial to devise strategies that optimize crop production in conditions of limited water availability. While potassium silicate has demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating drought stress in various crops, its specific impact on different cotton cultivars under drought condit...

Understanding the influence of afforestation on soil microorganisms, the major drivers of soil processes, is essential for maintaining soil health and sustainability. However, in a desert-oasis ecotone, variations in the microbial community along shrub afforestation years remain unclear. We conducted a metagenomic analysis to study the temporal cha...

Background Diabetes is a leading health disorder and is responsible for high mortality rates across the globe. Multiple treatment protocols are being applied to overcome this morbidity and mortality including plant-based traditional medicines. This study was designed to investigate the ethnomedicinal status of plant species used to treat diabetes i...

Drylands, comprising semi‐arid, arid, and hyperarid regions, cover approximately 41% of the Earth's land surface and have expanded considerably in recent decades. Even under more optimistic scenarios, such as limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2100, semi‐arid lands may increase by up to 38%. This study provides an overview of the state‐of...

Deserts represent key carbon reservoirs, yet as these systems are threatened this has implications for biodiversity and climate change. This review focuses on how these changes affect desert ecosystems, particularly plant root systems and their impact on carbon and mineral nutrient stocks. Desert plants have diverse root architectures shaped by wat...

Pre‐exposure of plants to abiotic stressors may induce stress memory and improve tolerance to subsequent stresses. Here, 3‐month‐old Calligonum mongolicum seedlings were exposed to drought (60 days) with (primed) or without (unprimed) early drought exposure of 50 days, to determine whether this enhances seedling resistance and investigate possible...

Understanding the elevational patterns of soil microbial carbon (C) metabolic potentials is instrumental for predicting changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the face of climate change. However, such patterns remain uncertain in arid mountain ecosystems, where climosequences are quite different from other ecosystems. To address this gap, t...

The pollution of soil and aquatic systems by inorganic and organic chemicals has become a global concern. Economical, eco-friendly, and sustainable solutions are direly required to alleviate the deleterious effects of these chemicals to ensure human well-being and environmental sustainability. In recent decades, biochar has emerged as an efficient...

Traits of leaves and fine roots are expected to predict the responses and adaptation of plants to their environments. Whether and how fine‐root traits (FRTs) are associated with the allocation of foliar phosphorus (P) fractions of desert species in water‐ and P‐poor environments, however, remains unclear. We exposed seedlings of Alhagi sparsifolia...

Here, we evaluated the antidiabetic and hypoglycaemic activities of Moricandia sinaica, a species of the Brassicaceae family, for the first time. The hypoglycaemic and antidiabetic activities of the M. sinaica shoot’s methanol extract (MOR-1), butanol fraction (MOR-2), and aqueous fraction (MOR-3) were examined against streptozotocin-induced diabet...

Plants possess the ability to adapt to osmotic stress by adjusting their physiology and morphology and by cooperating with their root-associated (rhizosphere and endosphere) microbial communities. However, the coordination of host self-regulation with root-associated microorganisms at the community level, especially for desert plants, remains uncle...

Biogeochemical niche (BN) hypothesis aims to relate species/genotype elemental composition with its niche based on the fact that different elements are involved differentially in distinct plant functions. We here test the BN hypothesis through the analysis of the 10 foliar elemental concentrations and 20 functional‐morphological of 60 tree species...

Biochar is increasingly used in crop production as a fertilizer; however, its effects on nutrient cycling and stoichiometry in rice paddy soil–plant systems are unclear. We tested for effects of contrasting rates of biochar on soil and rice plant organ carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) concentrations and stoichiometry and soil physicoche...

A hydrogel topical patch of neomycin was developed by using sodium alginate (SA) and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) as polymers. Free radical polymerization in an aqueous medium was initiated by using acrylic acid (AA) and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). Prepared hydrogels were characterized for pH sensitivity and sol–gel analysis. In addition, the...

The present study was designed to investigate and compare the effects of plant-derived smoke (PDS) and auxin (IAA and IBA) on maize growth under the application of 2,3,5-triiodo benzoic acid (TIBA). For this purpose, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), each at a concentration of 10 ppm, along with PDS at a ratio of 1:500 (v/...

N-enriched biochar can increase the accumulation of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and biomass in rice plants. On the other hand, the biomass and C, N, and P contents of plant organs are important indicators to reflect plant C, N, and P storages. We established control, 4 t ha−1, and 8 t ha−1 N-enriched biochar treatment plots in a subtr...

Agricultural activities have recently disturbed the ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the shift of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the different types of farmlands is not well understood, so more comprehensive ecological barrier management measures cannot be provided for the region. This research was performed to exploring ARG pollut...

Biochar , a low-cost material produced from the thermal pyrolysis of biomass, has multiple applications in the environment, energy, and agriculture sectors. These biochar applications have attracted global attention in the context of preparation, behaviour in a particular environment, modification, and especially aging processes. Biochar undergoes...

Background: Environmental stresses pose a significant threat to plant growth and ecosystem productivity, particularly in arid lands that are more susceptible to climate change. Strigolactones (SLs), carotenoid-derived plant hormones, have emerged as a potential tool for mitigating environmental stresses. Methods: This review aimed to gather info...

Biochar has been proved to be an important soil amendment to alleviate soil phosphorus (P) in the paddy crops. However, the role of specially prepared biochar (N-enriched biochar) on the distribution and transformation of P soil in and rice leaves needs to be revealed. In this study, we studied in a field experiment the effects of two different lev...

Mineral nutrition plays a vital role in plant growth and metabolism. To date, 17 essential nutrients have been identified that are direly needed for plant growth. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are among the essential macronutrients, whereas micronutrients include chloride (Cl), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), co...

Agricultural productiveness score and the outcome is relocating nutrients from the soil to the crops, stock, and agriculture. When animal and plant foodstuffs and products are depleted and obsessed, nutrients are relocated and exchanged in humans. The accomplishment of the hunger-free target, food security measures, and alleviation and mollificatio...

The exclusion of grazing has been used extensively in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. Studies, however, have shown reported recent trends of decreasing concentrations of soil nutrients because of grazing exclusion and climate change. The effects of excluding grazing on the soil biogeochemical process of phosphorus cycling in alpine meadows a...

The leaf economic spectrum is a comprehensive concept to describe the coordinated changes in leaf structure and chemical and physiological traits under different resource gradients. Our overall goal is to explore the intraspecific variation of leaf traits along environmental gradients, determine the influencing factors of the leaf economic spectrum...

Biochars provide several agricultural and environmental benefits, such as soil health improvement, better crop growth and yield, carbon sequestration, decreasing greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, and regulation of nutrient dynamics. This review highlights the role of biochar in transforming the soil’s physiochemical and biological properties, and th...

The mycobiome in the rhizosphere and within the roots benefits the nutrition and function of host plants. However, compared with the bacterial community, root-associated mycobiomes of desert plants and the forces that drive their assemblage are limited. Here, we investigated the my-cobiomes in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root compartments of Alhagi...

Pasture biomass and quality are dependent on herbivore grazing and precipitation, but the responses of vegetation to the interactive effects of climate and grazing regimes remain unclear. We conducted an eight-year sheep grazing experiment with 4 stocking rates (0, 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 sheep/ha) in an alpine meadow of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau....

Water contamination by aquatic pollutants (antibiotics, heavy metals, nutrients, and organic pollutants) has become the most serious issue of recent times due to associated human health risks. Biochar (BC) has been deemed an effective and promising green material for the remediation of a wide range of environmental pollutants. Due to its limited pr...

Calligonum mongolicum is a phreatophyte playing an important role in sand dune fixation, but little is known about its responses to drought and P fertilization. In the present study, we performed a pot experiment to investigate the effects of P fertilization under drought or well-watered conditions on multiple morpho-physio-biochemical attributes o...

Arid ecosystems are characterized by low availability and mobility of soil nutrients and slow geochemical cycles. Management of native vegetation in such ecosystems for fuel, livestock grazing, and other agricultural activities (burning and cutting) may threaten semi-natural communities due to the changes in nutrient cycles and soil fertility. Alha...

Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck (commonly called Chufa) is a perennial species that produces nutritious underground tubers and contributes to the diet and health of human worldwide. However, it is salt-sensitive and its adaptation to salinity stress remains an enigma. Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) plays a vital role in regulating plant salt...

The strategic goals of the United Nations and the Aichi Targets for biodiversity conservation have not been met. Instead, biodiversity has continued to rapidly decrease, especially in developing countries. Setting a new global biodiversity framework requires clarifying future priorities and strategies to bridge challenges and provide representative...

Nitrogen (N)-enriched biochar is a novel type of biochar prepared by mixing biomass with N-rich sources at a higher temperature via pyrolysis. Although the agronomic benefits of N-enriched biochar are reportedly positive, its effects on GHG emissions, crop yields, and soil bacterial communities in rice paddy fields remain undefined. This study exam...

The paucity of in-situ records, particularly in the glaciated mountainous region, is an obstacle in cryosphere ecology and environmental studies. Generally, available gauge station data is fragmented and covers valleys; thus, the use of gridded precipitation products (GPPs) is crucial in such complex terrains. However, these GPPs suffer from system...

Background Alhagi sparsifolia (Camelthorn) is a leguminous shrub species that dominates the Taklimakan desert’s salty, hyperarid, and infertile landscapes in northwest China. Although this plant can colonize and spread in very saline soils, how it adapts to saline stress in the seedling stage remains unclear so a pot-based experiment was carried ou...

Agronomic management practices present an opportunity to improve the sustainability of crop production, including reductions of greenhouse gas emissions through impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. We investigated the impacts of contrasting application rates of nitrogen (N)-enriched biochar (4 and 8 t ha⁻¹) on the concentrations of total...

Alpine meadows play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, soil nutrient retention, and herders’ livelihoods in mountain regions. Livestock grazing-exclusion is common in grassland management to protect and promote the sustainable use of alpine meadows. However, there are few studies evaluating the effects of traditional light grazing practices in...

At present, a variety of vaccines have been approved, and existing antiviral drugs are being tested to find an effective treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, no standardized treatment has yet been approved by the World Health Organization. The virally encoded chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) from severe acute respiratory s...

The goal of the research was to explore a new green method used to synthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) from an aqueous extract of Trigonella incise, which serves as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The obtained results showed an 85% yield of nanoparticles by using 2:5 (v/v) of 5% plant extract with a 0.5 M solution of AgNO3. Different techniq...

The upcoming launch of the post-2020 biodiversity framework entails elucidating the future priorities and strategies for conserving biodiversity on a regional and global scale. Desertification has caused significant environmental and socio-economic problems in many arid and semiarid areas of the world. Phreatophytes increase nutrient levels and wat...

The incorporation of post-harvest crop straw and application of industrial and agricultural wastes to paddy soils increase rice crop yields and soil fertility. However, the impacts of combined applications of straw and waste products on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global warming potential (GWP) of paddy soils are unclear. Therefore, we condu...

The microbial communities that inhabit the rhizosphere and roots contribute to plant survival. However, it remains largely unclear about the ecological processes that govern the assembly of these root-associated bacterial communities for desert plants. Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. is a dominant perennial phreatophyte in the Taklamakan Desert, Central A...

Phosphorus (P) limitation and water stress can affect trees’ growth, yet differing levels of nutrition under drought may have negative or positive effects on their growth and metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of P nutrition upon growth and metabolism in drought-stressed Phoebe zhennan (an endangered forest tree species) seedlings,...

The allocation patterns of foliar phosphorus (P) fractions across various vegetation types generally reflect the adaptability to P-impoverished environments. However, the allocation of foliar-P fractions within the desert herb Karelinia caspia (K. caspica) and shrub Tamarix ramosissima (T. ramosissima) in soils with different environment-P availabi...

More efficient use of soil resources, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), can improve plant community resistance and resilience against drought in arid and semi-arid lands. Intercropping of legume and non-legumes can be an effective practice for enhancing P mineralization uptake, and plant nutrient status. However, it remains unclear how inter...

Nutrient allocation closely correlates plant functional traits and development to ecosystem supply services. Desert shrubs maintain the stability of desert ecosystems, whereas the knowledge of how they coordinate nutrients among organs is still limited when responding to differing nitrogen (N) and water regimes. Here we investigated the allocation,...