Abstract: Fine roots mediate plant nutrient acquisition and growth. Depending on soil nutrient availability, plants can regulate fine root biomass and morphological traits to optimise nutrient acquisition. Little is known, however, about the importance of these parameters influencing forest functioning. In this study, we measured root responses to nutrient additions to gain a mechanistic understanding of plant adaptations to nutrient limitation in two tropical forests in French Guiana, differing twofold in their soil nutrient statuses. We analysed the responses of root biomass, mean root diameter (RD), specific root length (SRL), specific root area (SRA), root tissue density (RTD) and carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in roots down to 15 cm soil depth after three years of N and P additions. At the lower-fertility site Paracou, no changes in root biomass or morphological traits were detected with either N or P addition, although P concentrations in roots increased with P addition. In the higher fertility site, Nouragues, root biomass and P concentrations in roots increased with P addition, with no changes in morphological traits. In contrast, N addition shifted root traits from acquisitive to more conservative by increasing RTD. A significant interaction between N and P in Nouragues pointed to stronger responses to P addition in the absence of N. Our results suggest that the magnitude and direction of root biomass and trait expression were regulated by soil fertility, corroborated by the response to N or P additions. At low fertility sites, we found lower plasticity in root trait expression compared to more fertile conditions, where N and P additions caused stronger and antagonistic responses. Identifying the exact role of mechanisms affecting root nutrient uptake in Amazon forests growing in different soils will be crucial to foresee if and how rapid global changes can affect their carbon allocation.

Abstract: There is increasing evidence to suggest that soil nutrient availability can limit the carbon sink capacity of forests, a particularly relevant issue considering today's changing climate. This question is especially important in the tropics, where most part of the Earth's plant biomass is stored. To assess whether tropical forest growth is limited by soil nutrients and to explore N and P limitations, we analyzed stem growth and foliar elemental composition of the five stem widest trees per plot at two sites in French Guiana after 3 years of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and N + P addition. We also compared the results between potential N-fixer and non-N-fixer species. We found a positive effect of N fertilization on stem growth and foliar N, as well as a positive effect of P fertilization on stem growth, foliar N, and foliar P. Potential N-fixing species had greater stem growth, greater foliar N, and greater foliar P concentrations than non-N-fixers. In terms of growth, there was a negative interaction between N-fixer status, N + P, and P fertilization, but no interaction with N fertilization. Because N-fixing plants do not show to be completely N saturated, we do not anticipate N providing from N-fixing plants would supply non-N-fixers. Although the soil-age hypothesis only anticipates P limitation in highly weathered systems, our results for stem growth and foliar elemental composition indicate the existence of considerable N and P co-limitation, which is alleviated in N-fixing plants. The evidence suggests that certain mechanisms invest in N to obtain the scarce P through soil phosphatases, which potentially contributes to the N limitation detected by this study.

Abstract: Metal–organic framework (MOF)-74 is known for its effectiveness in selectively capturing carbon dioxide (CO2). Especially the Zn and Cu versions of MOF-74 show high efficiency of this material for CO2. However, the activation of this MOF, which is a crucial step for its utilization, is so far not well understood. Here, we are closing the knowledge gap by examining the activation using, for the first time in the MOF, three-dimensional electron diffraction (3DED) during in situ heating. The use of state-of-the-art direct electron detectors enables rapid acquisition and minimal exposure times, therefore minimizing beam damage to the very electron beam-sensitive MOF material. The activation process of Zn-MOF-74 and Cu-MOF-74 is systematically studied in situ, proving the creation of open metal sites. Differences in thermal stability between Zn-MOF-74 and Cu-MOF-74 are attributed to the strength of the metal–oxygen bonds and Jahn–Teller distortions. In the case of Zn-MOF-74, we observe previously unknown remaining electrostatic potentials inside the MOF pores, which indicate the presence of remaining atoms that might impede gas flow throughout the structure when using the MOF for absorption purposes. We believe our study exemplifies the significance of employing advanced characterization techniques to enhance our material understanding, which is a crucial step for unlocking the full potential of MOFs in various applications.

Abstract: Plasma−sorbent systems are a novel technology for single-stage carbon capture and utilization (CCU), where the plasma enables the desorption of CO2 from a sorbent and the simultaneous conversion to CO. In this study, we test the flexibility of a plasma−sorbent system in a single unit, specifically for sorption-enhanced dry reforming of methane (DRM). The experimental results indicate the selective adsorption of CO2 by the sorbent zeolite 5A in the first step, and CH4 addition during the plasma-based desorption of CO2 enables DRM to various value-added products in the second step, such as H2, CO, hydrocarbons, and the byproduct H2O. Furthermore, our work also demonstrates that zeolite has the potential to increase the conversion of CO2 and CH4, attributed to its capability to capture H2O. Aside from the notable carbon deposition, material analysis shows that the zeolite remains relatively stable under plasma exposure.

Abstract: Despite a few recent reports on Rashba effects in two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) hybrid perovskites, the precise role of organic spacer cations in influencing Rashba band splitting remains unclear. Here, using a combination of temperature-dependent two-photon photoluminescence (2PPL) and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, alongside density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we contribute to significant insights into the Rashba band splitting found for 2D RP hybrid perovskites. The results demonstrate that the polarity of the organic spacer cation is crucial in inducing structural distortions that lead to Rashba-type band splitting. Our investigations show that the intricate details of the Rashba band splitting occur for organic cations with low polarity but not for more polar ones. Furthermore, we have observed stronger exciton-phonon interactions due to the Rashba-type band splitting effect. These findings clarify the importance of selecting appropriate organic spacer cations to manipulate the electronic properties of 2D perovskites.

Abstract: This article discusses the ‘power-to-X’ (P2X) concept, highlighting the integral role of non-thermal plasma (NTP) in P2X for the eco-friendly production of chemicals and valuable fuels. NTP with unique thermally non-equilibrium characteristics, enables exotic reactions to occur under ambient conditions. This review summarizes the plasma-based P2X systems, including plasma discharges, reactor configurations, catalytic or non-catalytic processes, and modeling techniques. Especially, the potential of NTP to directly convert stable molecules including CO₂, CH₄and air/N₂is critically examined. Additionally, we further present and discuss hybrid technologies that integrate NTP with photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and biocatalysis, broadening its applications in P2X. It concludes by identifying key challenges, such as high energy consumption, and calls for the outlook in plasma catalysis and complex reaction systems to generate valuable products efficiently and sustainably, and achieve the industrial viability of the proposed plasma P2X strategy.