Article
Agronomy
Wei Wei, Daili Pan, Yong Yang
Summary: Terraces play a crucial role in water conservation, vegetation restoration, and agricultural production in dryland mountainous environments by reducing runoff, increasing interception, and promoting transpiration. Different terrace structures have varying effects on soil water retention, with zig terraces enhancing soil infiltration and transpiration while fish scale pits suppressing evaporation but increasing transpiration. The temporal factor and terrace structure are essential in understanding the soil-water retention services provided by terracing.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Danny Itkin, Rosa M. Poch, H. Curtis Monger, Uri Shaanan, Jordi Bolos, Onn Crouvi, Nurit Ben Hagai, Haim Goldfus
Summary: This study depicts a space-time framework for the development of calcareous soils in archaeological stone-wall bench terraces and suggests modifications to their soil classification and mapping. It found that the early stages of terrace soil development can differ greatly from known soil models and proposes separate classification and mapping for terrace soils.
Article
Ecology
Yali Zhao, Yunqiang Wang, Jingxiong Zhou, Hui Sun, Zhao Jin
Summary: Soil water storage (SWS) is an important indicator for managing water resources, and it is closely related to land use and management changes. The Gully Land Consolidation (GLC) project in China has altered landscapes and hydrological processes, but the temporal dynamics of SWS in newly formed land remain unclear. This study found that SWS had weak temporal variation and responded to precipitation with hysteresis. The spatial distribution of SWS also differed between sites. The results provide new insights into SWS variation in restored land and highlight the importance of long-term monitoring for water resource management.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chuxiong Deng, Guangye Zhang, Yaojun Liu, Xiaodong Nie, Zhongwu Li, Junyu Liu, Damei Zhu
Summary: Terracing has been important for soil conservation and agricultural production for thousands of years, providing benefits such as reduced runoff and sediment, increased crop yields, and soil moisture. However, as terraces age, they may lead to environmental issues such as interference with water circulation.
INTERNATIONAL SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Dabin Zhang, Chi Zhang, Hangle Ren, Qian Xu, Zhiyuan Yao, Yuqi Yuan, Pengwei Yao, Na Zhao, Yangyang Li, Suiqi Zhang, Bingnian Zhai, Zhaohui Wang, Donglin Huang, Weidong Cao, Yajun Gao
Summary: The growth of leguminous green manure in place of bare fallow improved soil fertility but reduced soil water storage and crop yield in semiarid regions of the Loess Plateau. However, the effects of LGM systems on wheat yield and water use efficiency were negative in dry years but positive in years with adequate rainfall. There were strong positive correlations between annual precipitation and changes in soil water storage and wheat yield.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Chenggong Liu, Xiaoxu Jia, Lidong Ren, Chunlei Zhao, Yufei Yao, Yangjian Zhang, Ming 'an Shao
Summary: This study investigated the distribution characteristics of soil water content (SWC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) content in croplands and shrublands in the drylands of the Loess Plateau in China. The results showed that the conversion of croplands to shrublands resulted in excessive soil water depletion without increasing carbon fixation. Additionally, the SOC content and SWC varied significantly with slope positions and showed intermediate coordination levels across the entire slope.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tianxiang Xu, Hanjiang Nie, Jun Yi, Xiaoli Liu, Muxing Liu, Qian Ren, Shenglong Li, Yuanhang Fei, Kang Hu, Xin Nan, Hailin Zhang
Summary: The response characteristics of soil moisture to rainfall were studied in upland field, paddy field, and forest land in the Chinese red soil region. The results showed that paddy field had the highest average soil moisture, while forest land had the longest lag time and required the highest amount of rainfall to trigger a response. The maximum increment of soil moisture was significantly correlated with rainfall amount. The land use conversion from forest land to upland field and paddy field may decrease rainfall infiltration capacity and increase runoff potential.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Fengchi Ge, Mingxiang Xu, Chen Gong, Zuoyuan Zhang, Qingyue Tan, Xinhui Pan
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of rainfall and land-cover types on the response of soil moisture on the Loess Plateau of China, and finds that rainfall patterns and land-cover types together determine the response process and infiltration efficiency of soil moisture. Additionally, land-cover change significantly alters the dynamics of rainfall-soil moisture response and rainwater utilization efficiency.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Quan-Cheng Wang, Weiqi Wang, Yong Zheng, Tony Vancov, Yunying Fang, Yun Xia, Xuyang Liu, Yuexin Fan, Zhihua Wei, Liuming Yang
Summary: Land-use changes have a profound effect on the composition of soil organic carbon. Converting paddy fields to upland fields leads to a decrease in fungal and bacterial abundance and a decline in SOC, total lignin phenols, and amino sugars.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shengdong Cheng, Ganggang Ke, Zhanbin Li, Yuting Cheng, Heng Wu
Summary: Soil phosphorus is a crucial indicator of soil fertility and quality, as well as a source of nonpoint-source pollution. Different land uses and topographies influence the spatial distribution of soil available phosphorus, with slope and soil texture being key factors affecting its concentration in the catchment.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaoyu Liu, Liangjie Xin, Yahan Lu
Summary: Terraces are not only productive but also have important water and soil conservation functions. This study quantitatively measured soil erosion and conservation capacity of terraces nationwide in China for the first time. Results showed that terraces maintained most of the soil from erosion at the national scale, with different regions showing varying degrees of soil conservation effects.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Shiro Mukai, Paolo Billi, Nigussie Haregeweyn, Tilahun Hordofa
Summary: Across the world, the effects of soil erosion accelerated by human activities have been partially offset by soil and water conservation measures. A study conducted in the Ethiopian lowlands found that both indigenous and introduced SWC techniques were effective in reducing soil loss rates over long periods.
Article
Geography, Physical
Samantha Dow, William B. Ouimet
Summary: Intensive land use from agricultural activities has significant impacts on soil structure and nutrient cycling, leading to increased erosion and sedimentation. This study examines the effects of abandoned and modern agriculture sites on upland soils in the northeastern USA, using LiDAR and aerial imagery to develop a chronosequence. The results show changes in soil thickness with increasing land use duration, but depositional areas in low relief landscapes may not contain large amounts of legacy sediment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
W. A. Sigler, S. A. Ewing, S. D. Wankel, C. A. Jones, S. Leuthold, E. N. J. Brookshire, R. A. Payn
Summary: The loss of nitrogen from cultivated soils poses a threat to the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture. This study uses isotopic evidence to characterize the denitrification process in soils, groundwater, and stream riparian corridors in a non-irrigated agroecosystem. The findings suggest that substantial denitrification occurs during fallow periods, representing an under-quantified flux of nitrogen to the atmosphere and a significant source of agricultural N2O emissions.
Article
Agronomy
Lucas E. B. Hoeltgebaum, Nelson Luis Dias
Summary: A thorough understanding of water budget components, specifically evapotranspiration and storage in the watershed, is crucial for effective water resources management and hydrological modeling. This study analyzes 13 years of hydrological data from two agricultural watersheds in Eastern Nebraska, United States to examine various aspects of the water budget, including water-and energy-balance closures, water budget residues, storage in soil layers, and evapotranspiration estimates. Remote-sensing data is also used to assess spatial variability in net radiation and soil moisture. The study finds that adjusting measured evapotranspiration to close the energy budget aligns with water budget estimates, and storage calculations using soil moisture and recession analysis produce the most accurate evapotranspiration estimates.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Lin Liu, Yili Lu, Robert Horton, Tusheng Ren
Summary: A new approach is presented in this study to estimate the parameters of the soil water retention curve (SWRC). The new method accurately estimates SWRCs by using measured thermal conductivity-water content curves, soil texture, bulk density, and field capacity water content.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhongshan Dai, Yong Zhang, Yujie Wei, Chongfa Cai
Summary: This study investigates the effects of erosion degradation and long-term manure fertilization on soil properties and crop yield in Northeast China. Results show that erosion degradation and manure fertilization have lasting impacts on soil physical structure throughout the soil profile, while their effects on soil nutrient properties are focused in shallow layers. Manure fertilization significantly improves soil functional index (ISI) and maize yield for degraded soils. Erosion degradation has a greater influence on ISI and maize yield than manure fertilization.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xintong Xu, Ruiyu Bi, Mengxin Song, Yubing Dong, Ying Jiao, Bingxue Wang, Zhengqin Xiong
Summary: The substitution of organic fertilizers for inorganic fertilizers has a significant impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) and can help combat soil degradation and climate change in intensive vegetable production.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Moritz Koza, Roger Funk, Julia Poehlitz, Christopher Conrad, Olga Shibistova, Tobias Meinel, Kanat Akshalov, Gerd Schmidt
Summary: Semi-arid regions in Central Asia are experiencing wind erosion due to steppe conversion and unsustainable farming practices. A study conducted in Kazakhstan used a mobile wind tunnel to assess soil erodibility under real conditions. The results showed significant differences in soil erosion based on initial conditions and mechanical stress, emphasizing the importance of proper soil management to prevent severe events.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Tong Li, Guorui Li, Zhiqiang Lu, Deqiang Zhao, Yuze Li, Ziting Wang, Xiaoxia Wen, Yuncheng Liao
Summary: Conservation agriculture with three management principles is effective in mitigating soil erosion and nutrient loss. This study found that no tillage significantly increased soil extracellular enzyme activities, while legume incorporation only had a significant effect on phosphorus-acquiring enzymes. Crop diversity positively influenced the no tillage-induced increase in enzyme activities.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zahra Khasi, Mohammad Sadegh Askari, Setareh Amanifar, Kamran Moravej
Summary: This research aims to evaluate the applicability of visual soil evaluation methods for agricultural systems in semi-arid regions and assess the relationship between soil physical quality and crop yield. The results indicate that visual evaluation methods can effectively assess soil conditions, and optimal soil structural quality is crucial for sustainable crop production.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Amin Jannatul Ferdous, Xiaolin Wang, Katie Lewis, John Zak
Summary: Conservative agricultural management strategies can enhance crop productivity by altering soil microbiome, and incorporating legumes into cover crops in semi-arid regions can improve the dynamics of rhizobial communities. There is a strong underlying relationship between soil management and bacterial diversity in the soil.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Haiman Wang, Wankui Ni, Haisong Liu, Kangze Yuan
Summary: This study investigates the structural strength of the Loess-Paleosol Sequence (LPS) and finds that the strength tends to increase with burial depth, with the loess layer weaker than the paleosol layer. The microstructure of the LPS also undergoes significant transformations with increased burial depth, transitioning from an overhead structure to a matrix structure. These findings highlight the importance of climate conditions on the structural strength of the LPS.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Ranabir Chakraborty, V. K. Sharma, Debarup Das, D. R. Biswas, P. Mahapatra, D. K. Shahi, M. Barman, K. A. Chobhe, D. Chakraborty
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of long-term nutrient management practices on P fractions and P adsorption-desorption behaviour of an acid soil with a soybean-wheat cropping system. The findings revealed that amorphous Fe and Al, which play a significant role in P fixation, increased due to cultivation. The NPK+Lime treatment offered the most balanced approach, improving both crop yield and P uptake while effectively managing P dynamics in the soil. On the contrary, long-term application of NPK+FYM in an acid soil may result in faster P saturation of adsorption sites and increase the chances of leaching and eutrophication. Tailored P fertilization strategies should be developed to better utilize the PFe and PAl fractions and supplementing applied P.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Yuan Li, Ying Li, Qingping Zhang, Gang Xu, Guopeng Liang, Dong-Gill Kim, Carmen Rosa Carmona, Mei Yang, Jianming Xue, Yangzhou Xiang, Bin Yao, Yuying Shen
Summary: Agricultural intensification has led to severe degradation of croplands in China. Converting degraded croplands to grasslands can increase soil organic carbon and nitrogen content, but may decrease soil pH and available phosphorus. The duration of conversion and mean annual precipitation are major factors influencing soil changes.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xinliang Wu, Sixu Yao, Jinxing Zhou
Summary: The coupling effect of slaking and mechanical breakdown on aggregate stability was evaluated using a new method. This method can partition the unique and shared effects of these two breakdown mechanisms and showed better performance in predicting soil erosion compared to existing methods.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xinni Ju, Lei Gao, Dongli She, Yuhua Jia, Zhe Pang, Yaji Wang
Summary: This study linked soil pore structures quantified by X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning and infiltration processes traced using stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes under different land uses in the red soil region of southern China. The results showed that soil pore characteristics mainly affected soil water transport, while other soil properties played more important roles in soil water retention. CT-based porosity and soil texture were considered crucial indicators in the evaluation of water exchange during infiltration processes.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Hongwei Xu, Qing Qu, Jiaping Yang, Zhen Wang, Minggang Wang, Rentao Liu, Sha Xue
Summary: This study systematically analyzed the effects of drought on terrestrial ecosystem C-N-P stoichiometry on a global scale. The results showed that drought significantly decreased the C:N ratio in soil, enzymes, shoots, and roots. Soil microbes were limited by N, whereas plants were restricted by P under drought stress. Drought intensity and duration were negatively correlated with shoot N:P and vector angle.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Sara L. Bauke, Sabine J. Seidel, Miriam Athmann, Anne E. Berns, Melanie Braun, Martina I. Gocke, Julien Guigue, Timo Kautz, Ingrid Koegel-Knabner, Juliette Ohan, Matthias Rillig, Michael Schloter, Oliver Schmittmann, Stefanie Schulz, David Uhlig, Andrea Schnepf, Wulf Amelung
Summary: Agricultural production in Central Europe is increasingly affected by extreme drought events. This study found that incorporating organic matter, especially biowaste compost, into the subsoil significantly increased root growth and subsequently improved crop nutrient uptake, biomass, and grain yield. The incorporation of green waste compost had less pronounced effects.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xi Chen, Xuesong Wang
Summary: Based on the application of the integrated wind erosion modeling system, this study comprehensively simulated the loss and conservation of nutrients during aeolian dust emissions in the arid and semiarid areas of China. The results showed a decreasing trend in nutrient losses over the past two decades, with the ecosystems playing a crucial role in preventing these losses. The prevention rates of different land cover types were generally high, indicating the effectiveness of conservation measures.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2024)