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Related Concept Videos

The Soil Ecosystem02:23

The Soil Ecosystem

Plants obtain inorganic minerals and water from the soil, which acts as a natural medium for land plants. The composition and quality of soil depend not only on the chemical constituents but also on the presence of living organisms. In general, soils contain three major components:
Soil Microbial Ecology01:29

Soil Microbial Ecology

Soil microbial ecology is defined by highly diverse, spatially structured communities that drive nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and overall ecosystem stability. Although a gram of soil can contain thousands of bacterial and archaeal taxa, the ecological processes they mediate are even more crucial for sustaining terrestrial life.Microhabitats and NichesSoil is a heterogeneous mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Microbes inhabit distinct microhabitats formed by...
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

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The Antenna Complex01:15

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Plants and other photosynthetic organisms comprise pigments capable of absorption of direct sunlight. These pigments are present in the reaction center - the main site of photochemical reactions as well as in the antenna complex. Under average light conditions, the rate at which reaction center pigments absorb light is far below the electron transport chain's capacity. As a result, the reaction center alone cannot provide enough energy to drive photosynthesis. The photosynthetic efficiency can...
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

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The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition02:11

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning
09:23

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

Published on: March 21, 2025

Photovoltaic Coverage Alters Soil Ecosystem Multifunctionality: Contrasting Effects and Underlying Mechanisms.

Yang Shi1, Wenlan Lei1, Yunmu Xiao1,2

  • 1National Engineering Laboratory of South China Forestry Ecological Application Technology, the Laboratory of Urban Forest Ecology of Hunan Province, School of Ecology and Environment, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China.

Environmental Science & Technology
|June 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Photovoltaic (PV) infrastructure impacts soil microbes and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). PV deployment can degrade EMF in tailings soils, influenced by moisture, while arable land shows higher EMF. Sustainable solar energy planning requires considering these context-dependent effects.

Keywords:
Land-use typesMultifunctionalityPhotovoltaicSoil microbial communities

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Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

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Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
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Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

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Use of Principal Components for Scaling Up Topographic Models to Map Soil Redistribution and Soil Organic Carbon
09:44

Use of Principal Components for Scaling Up Topographic Models to Map Soil Redistribution and Soil Organic Carbon

Published on: October 16, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Soil Ecology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Photovoltaic (PV) infrastructure expansion is vital for climate mitigation.
  • Ecological impacts of PV on soil ecosystems are not well understood.
  • Soil microbial communities and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) are key indicators of soil health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of PV coverage on soil microbial communities and EMF.
  • To compare these effects across different land-use types: arable land, forest land, and tailings.
  • To identify factors influencing PV-induced changes in soil ecosystems.

Main Methods:

  • Field study across three land-use types (arable, forest, tailings) with varying PV coverage.
  • Analysis of soil microbial community composition.
  • Assessment of ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF).
  • Structural equation modeling to determine key influencing factors.

Main Results:

  • PV coverage significantly altered soil microbiomes, suppressing phototrophs and promoting heterotrophs/parasites in tailings.
  • PV deployment led to a severe decline in EMF in tailings soils (-1.02 relative change).
  • EMF was significantly higher (2.21-fold) in arable land under PV.
  • Soil moisture was identified as a primary factor in EMF degradation in tailings.
  • Microbial network complexity positively correlated with EMF in arable land.

Conclusions:

  • PV installations have context-dependent ecological impacts on soil ecosystems.
  • PV can negatively affect soil microbial communities and EMF, particularly in degraded soils like tailings.
  • Soil moisture and microbial network complexity are critical factors influencing EMF under PV.
  • Adjustable engineering designs for PV installations can potentially mitigate negative ecological effects.
  • Findings inform sustainable land-use planning for solar energy development.