Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephen M. Bell, Samuel J. Raymond, He Yin, Wenzhe Jiao, Daniel S. Goll, Philippe Ciais, Elsa Olivetti, Victor O. Leshyk, Cesar Terrer
Summary: Despite being prevalent worldwide, post-agricultural landscapes are the least constrained human-induced land carbon sinks. To understand their role in rebuilding the natural carbon stocks through ecosystem restoration, it is important to gain a better understanding of their spatial and temporal legacies.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ihor Soloviy, Roman Kuryltsiv, Jozef Hernik, Nadiia Kryshenyk, Taras Kuleshnyk
Summary: Modern agricultural landscapes provide multiple ecosystem services with social, economic, and environmental value, offering a wide range of benefits to society. The lack of scientifically based and practically tested methodologies for identifying, mapping, and evaluating these services hampers their integration into current land use planning systems. By designing integrated production systems and improving agricultural landscapes, society can increase the total value of ecosystem services.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Clara Castellano, Daniel Bruno, Francisco A. Comin, Adria Masip, Jose M. Rey Benayas, Juan J. Jimenez
Summary: Riparian forests make significant contributions to the biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, but they are currently facing severe threats. This study provides empirical evidence that the success of riparian restoration depends on hydrological and soil features. Restored riparian areas offer more ecosystem services compared to degraded natural land-uses and crops, but still fall short of the magnitude and range provided by mature riparian forests. Therefore, protecting existing riparian forest patches and restoring degraded areas are crucial for achieving a balance between agricultural production and ecosystem service enhancement in agricultural Mediterranean landscapes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Idoia Urrutia Larrachea, Santiago L. Poggio, Diego Cosentino, Maria Semmartin
Summary: Extensive agriculture results in spatial and temporal homogeneity in landscapes, which masks the natural heterogeneity. Neglecting natural heterogeneity can increase the risk of land degradation in highly homogeneous agricultural landscapes, such as the Pampas region.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew F. Bennett, Greg J. Holland, Angie Haslem, Alistair Stewart, James Q. Radford, Rohan H. Clarke
Summary: The study found that restoration plantings effectively increase bird species diversity in rural landscapes, especially woodland birds. There are differences in species composition and richness between landscapes with remnant vegetation and those with restoration plantings, and the impact of planted vegetation on richness depends on wooded cover and mean annual rainfall.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ove Eriksson
Summary: Traditional agricultural landscapes may face the risk of extinction of biodiversity, so maintaining the traditional management of these landscapes is crucial.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liping Wei, Jaan Liira, Steffen Ehrmann, Jonathan Lenoir, Guillaume Decocq, Joerg Brunet, Monika Wulf, Martin Diekmann, Tobias Naaf, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Karin Hansen, Pallieter De Smedt, Alicia Valdes, Kris Verheyen, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: Many landscapes consist of forest patches of different age and size embedded in agricultural land, but the effects of these patch features on soil nutrient status and soil pH are still poorly understood due to a lack of large-scale data. To address this gap, the researchers analyzed soil samples from forest patches across Europe and found that recent patches had higher phosphorus concentrations and stocks, while small patches generally had higher soil pH. The results also showed that older and larger forest patches had lower nitrogen stocks. Environmental factors also had significant effects on soil nutrients. The findings highlight the importance of forest patch age and size for soil nutrient status.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
James Eggers, Shannon Davis, Crile Doscher, Pablo Gregorini
Summary: This study aimed to identify species of native woody vegetation and propose spatial configurations and site designs to increase multifunctionality on a case study site in New Zealand. Sixty-three suitable species were identified and assigned scores based on objectives and constraints. Design thinking methodology was used to strategically locate these plants on the case study site, resulting in three individual site designs that propose a model of a multifunctional agricultural landscape.
Article
Agronomy
Diego E. Tobar Lopez, Bonin Muriel, Hernan J. Andrade, Muhammad Ibrahim
Summary: This study analyzed the dynamics of land use in La Via Lactea, Nicaragua, and estimated its impact on four ecosystem services. The results showed a decrease in forest cover and an increase in pasture areas, leading to a loss in the quality and provision of ecosystem services. Implementing silvopastoral systems can improve ecosystem service provision and promote sustainable livestock.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Rilong Fei, Ziyi Lin, Joseph Chunga
Summary: The study indicates that China's agricultural land efficiency is generally low, with a decreasing trend from east to central and west. Provinces that engage in land transfer have higher land use efficiency, highlighting the severity of land tension in China. Furthermore, land transfer may lead to a decrease in income for agricultural workers, sacrificing the interests of agricultural operators.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eliza Zhunusova, Melvin Lippe, Anastasia Lucy Yang, Sven Guenter
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between international and internal remittance inflows and rural households' land use in forested landscapes in the Philippines. The findings show that remittances positively impact the size of land planted by perennials and reduce households' reliance on fuelwood. The study emphasizes the importance of considering the impacts of remittances and migration on natural resource management in the context of economic fallout associated with COVID-19.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jayden E. Engert, Robert L. Pressey, Vanessa M. Adams
Summary: Australia is a global leader in land clearing and biodiversity loss driven by agricultural conversion. The concentration of habitat protection in unproductive landscapes leads to unequal impacts on threatened vertebrate fauna, with productive lands receiving less protection and experiencing greater habitat loss. The study emphasizes the importance of protecting land capable of supporting productive uses to conserve the most affected threatened species.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nikolaos Alexandridis, Glenn Marion, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Matteo Dainese, Johan Ekroos, Heather Grab, Mattias Jonsson, Daniel S. Karp, Carsten Meyer, Megan E. O'Rourke, Mikael Pontarp, Katja Poveda, Ralf Seppelt, Henrik G. Smith, Emily A. Martin, Yann Clough
Summary: Natural control of invertebrate crop pests has the potential to complement or replace conventional insecticide based practices, but its mainstream application is hampered by predictive unreliability across agroecosystems. Existing models have used a multitude of techniques to represent specific crop-pest-enemy systems at various spatiotemporal scales, but less wealthy regions of the world are underrepresented. Developing a general modelling framework for natural pest control in agroecosystems must balance generality and realism, while incorporating context-sensitive, trait-mediated responses to land-use gradients.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Guangyu Li, Maoxin Zhang, Cifang Wu
Summary: The study found that land consolidation has a significant impact on soil microbial communities, promoting bacterial diversity and decreasing spatial heterogeneity, which benefits agricultural ecosystems.
Article
Soil Science
Zeng-Ru Wang, De-Cao Niu, Yi-Gang Hu, Yan-Song Wang, Lei Huang, Yu-Bing Liu
Summary: Revegetation significantly increases soil phosphorus fractions, with the effects being dependent on the time of revegetation and the specific phosphorus fractions. The study provides important insights into managing soil phosphorus cycling in revegetated desert ecosystems.
Article
Soil Science
M. J. Salomon, R. Demarmels, S. J. Watts-Williams, M. J. McLaughlin, A. Kafle, C. Ketelsen, A. Soupir, H. Buecking, T. R. Cavagnaro, M. G. A. van der Heijden
Summary: The study evaluated the effectiveness of 28 commercial AMF inoculants in promoting plant growth, with most of them failing to significantly enhance mycorrhizal colonization under greenhouse conditions. Effects on plant growth under field conditions were found to be dependent on changes within the mycorrhizal community.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Chunlian Qiao, Xiaoguang Wang, Milad Bagheri Shirvan, Claudia Keitel, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Feike A. Dijkstra
Summary: This study found that drought stress and interspecific competition have significant effects on carbon allocation and nitrogen uptake in legume-grass mixtures. Drought stress increases carbon allocation in legume plants, while interspecific competition increases carbon allocation per unit of nitrogen uptake.
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. N. J. Marks, T. E. P. Lines, C. Penfold, T. R. Cavagnaro
Summary: There is a growing awareness of the importance of maintaining and increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in vineyard systems. Research suggests that cover crop management under-vine can increase SOC stocks and improve microbial activity in vineyard soils.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthias J. Salomon, Stephanie J. Watts-Williams, Michael J. McLaughlin, Heike Bucking, Brajesh K. Singh, Imke Hutter, Carolin Schneider, Francis M. Martin, Miroslav Vosatka, Liangdong Guo, Tatsuhiro Ezawa, Masanori Saito, Stephane Declerck, Yong-Guan Zhu, Timothy Bowles, Lynette K. Abbott, F. Andrew Smith, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden
Summary: Microbial inoculants containing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have the potential to increase the sustainability of food production systems. However, their use is limited by inconsistent product efficacy and lack of consumer confidence. To address this issue, a framework for assessing the quality and reliability of AM inoculants is proposed, including basic quality criteria and standardized bioassays.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Alison R. Gill, Beth R. Loveys, James M. Cowley, Tony Hall, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Rachel A. Burton
Summary: This study evaluated the responses of industrial hemp to water deficit and found that the plant can survive and maintain seed production under extreme low soil water availability. It also showed increased water use efficiency and proline accumulation under water deficit conditions.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bahareh Bicharanloo, Milad Bagheri Shirvan, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Claudia Keitel, Feike A. Dijkstra
Summary: This study found that the allocation of carbon belowground in grassland plants is affected by nitrogen fertilisation and defoliation frequency, which in turn impact the plants' nitrogen uptake and nutrient mining.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
I. V. Hume, D. M. Summers, T. R. Cavagnaro
Summary: In a rapidly urbanising world, urban agriculture has gained attention for its potential in increasing resilience to various stressors. This study focuses on the intersection of available land and the supply of agricultural inputs in Adelaide, South Australia, and quantifies the self-sufficiency potential of half a million homes. Results show that a significant portion of residential properties have enough land and rainwater storage capacity to achieve dietary self-sufficiency. These findings highlight the contribution of urban agriculture to sustainable food systems in a low-density city.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
A. R. G. Mason, T. R. Cavagnaro, G. R. Guerin, A. J. Lowe
Summary: The aboveground ecological impacts of agricultural land use change are well studied, but the belowground impacts remain poorly understood. This study used soil physicochemical assessment and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the changes in soil physical properties and bacterial assemblages across an agricultural landscape. The results highlight the impact of agricultural inputs on soil nutrition and suggest that actions taken to restore native plant communities may also recover natural microbial communities, with implications for soil and plant health.
Article
Agronomy
Bahareh Bicharanloo, Matthias Johannes Salomon, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Claudia Keitel, Chris Brien, Nathaniel Jewell, Bettina Berger, Thomas Lines, Feike A. Dijkstra
Summary: The study found that non-mycorrhizal plants were as successful as mycorrhizal plants in terms of N and water uptake under reduced and variable water availability. However, mycorrhizal plants showed lower water use efficiency and shoot N recovery, potentially due to their higher requirements for water and N. Non-mycorrhizal plants had greater specific root exudation, resulting in relatively greater uptake of N than P across all watering conditions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hue T. T. Ngo, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Nathaniel Jewell, Christopher J. Brien, Bettina Berger, Stephanie J. Watts-Williams
Summary: High-throughput phenotyping was used to evaluate growth responses of tomato plants with different rates of nitrogen and phosphorus application. The results showed that readily available soil phosphorus was important for early growth, while available nitrogen was more important in later stages. A fertilizer formulation combining inorganic and organic phosphorus sources could sustain rapid shoot growth and reduce the need for additional nitrogen input.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Merek M. Kesser, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Roberta De Bei, Cassandra Collins
Summary: Major shifts in vineyard floor management have occurred in the past thirty years. Initially, intensive tillage led to soil erosion, soil structure degeneration, and increased use of herbicides. However, concerns over herbicide toxicity and resistance have resulted in a shift towards reduced herbicide usage and increased tillage. The study found that low-intensity management strategies can lead to higher plant diversity, improved soil water infiltration, and higher levels of soil nutrients.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. R. G. Mason, M. J. Salomon, A. J. Lowe, T. R. Cavagnaro
Summary: Inoculation of soil with living microbes or propagules has gained attention and application for modifying/degrading soil systems and maintaining agricultural yields. However, the utilization of beneficial microorganisms as an agronomic tool for large-scale agriculture remains relatively insignificant. This review emphasizes the need to understand the role of soil microbes in soil carbon cycling, in order to develop products capable of supporting soil carbon sequestration and retention.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Review
Agronomy
Alison R. Gill, Beth R. Loveys, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Rachel A. Burton
Summary: This study discusses the potential of hemp as a drought resistant crop and its water use efficiency in different environments and varieties. Compared to other fiber crops, hemp has relatively low water requirements, showing great potential for producing sustainable fibers in a changing climate.
Article
Soil Science
Kate E. Matthews, Jose M. Facelli, Timothy R. Cavagnaro
Summary: Global change scenarios predict that precipitation regimes will become more variable, which will affect soil microbial community composition and nutrient cycling. Understanding these responses is crucial for predicting changes in ecosystem functions.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephanie J. Watts-Williams, Alison R. Gill, Nathaniel Jewell, Christopher J. Brien, Bettina Berger, Binh T. T. Tran, Emma Mace, Alan W. Cruickshank, David R. Jordan, Trevor Garnett, Timothy R. Cavagnaro
Summary: Sorghum, an important cereal crop, can benefit from symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to enhance yield, nutrient uptake, and grain quality. Research shows that sorghum genotypes exhibit high responsiveness to AM colonization, leading to increased grain production and nutritive value. By effectively managing the symbiotic relationship with AM fungi, it is possible to improve the overall outcomes of sorghum cultivation.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jiarui Zhao, Xiaohu Yuan, Zhanjun Liu, Haotian Shi, Bingnian Zhai, Yuanjun Zhu
Summary: Overfertilization is common in rainfed apple orchards on China's Loess Plateau, but its impacts on soil physicochemical properties in deep soil profiles are poorly understood. This study found that different land-use types showed divergent distribution patterns in soil properties, with low variability for SWC and pH, moderate variability for NH4+-N, AP, and AK, and high variability for SOC, NO3--N, and EC. The results also showed that fertilization influenced soil water content, NO3--N, AP, and AK, and NO3--N played a crucial role in regulating pH and EC. Soil profiles were useful for studying the evolution of soil quality.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Nyfeler, Olivier Huguenin-Elie, Emmanuel Frossard, Andreas Luscher
Summary: Grass-legume mixtures combine high yields, low fertiliser requirements, and low nitrate leaching better than either pure grass or pure legume swards, both during the intact plant cover and after tilling for the subsequent crop.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Martin Faucher, Seraphine Grellier, Clemence Chaudron, Jean-Louis Janeau, Gabrielle Rudi, Fabrice Vinatier
Summary: The Mediterranean region is expected to experience more intense rainfall events and severe droughts due to climate change, leading to an increase in runoff and erosion rates in agrosystems. Vegetation cover can help reduce erosion and the soil seed bank can provide cost-effective vegetation. This study assessed the effect of vegetation cover on seed loss in vineyards and evaluated the differences in the soil seed bank along a transect. The results suggest that vegetation may not protect interrows from runoff-induced seed loss.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Christian Thierfelder, Blessing Mhlanga, Isaiah Nyagumbo, Kelvin Kalala, Esau Simutowe, Mazvita Chiduwa, Chloe Maclaren, Joao Vasco Silva, Hambulo Ngoma
Summary: The performance of different maize-legume diversification strategies was compared in southern Africa. Intercropping systems showed significant nutritional and economic benefits, but had higher labor requirements compared to other cropping systems. Soil organic carbon content and pH were not affected by the tested cropping systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Han Chen, Han Li, Yizhao Wei, Edward Mcbean, Hong Liang, Weimin Wang, Jinhui Jeanne Huang
Summary: This research introduces a hybrid four-sub-deep neural network (HFSD) model for partitioning NEE into GPP and ER. The HFSD employs dual sub-deep neural networks to estimate ERa and ERb and incorporates GPP and environmental variables to predict vegetation transpiration. The results of the model show that the dual sub-DNNs architecture enhances the accuracy of ER simulations, while using EC-derived T as a constraint improves the accuracy of GPP simulations. Correlation analyses suggest that solar radiation and air temperature primarily influence the seasonal variations in GPP and ER, while soil moisture has a strong impact during dry seasons. This study advances the biophysical description of data-driven models for NEE partitioning and enhances the accuracy of GPP and ER estimates.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Michael Glaser, Stefan Dullinger, Dietmar Moser, Johannes Wessely, Milan Chytry, Zdenka Lososova, Irena Axmanova, Christian Berg, Jana Buerger, Serge Buholzer, Fabrizio Buldrini, Alessandro Chiarucci, Swen Follak, Filip Kuezmic, Stefan Meyer, Petr Pysek, Nina Richner, Urban Silc, Siegrid Steinkellner, Alexander Wietzke, Franz Essl
Summary: This study investigated changes in vascular plant species in Central European arable fields and their edges from 1930 to 2019. The results showed a small decline in overall species occupancy, but a more pronounced species turnover. Species with environmental preferences for nutrient-rich sites with neutral pH increased in occupancy, while species typical for arable fields decreased. No response to climate change was observed, and there was a decrease in archaeophytes and native species and an increase in neophytes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Abrell, Krishna Naudin, Felix J. J. A. Bianchi, Debora Veiga Aragao, Pablo Tittonell, Marc Corbeels
Summary: This study demonstrates that reducing fallow periods in shifting cultivation systems in the Eastern Amazon region has negative effects on soil fertility and weed pressure, posing a threat to the sustainability and productivity of local farming systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jun Wang, Lu Lv, Ronggui Hu, Haiyang Ma, Bo Liu, Wenju Zhang, Lei Wu
Summary: Nitrification and denitrification are crucial for nitrogen losses in agricultural soils and are affected by soil properties. This study investigated the patterns and controlling factors of nitrification and denitrification potentials in paddy soils in major rice-producing areas of Hubei Province, China. The results showed that soil pH and SOC were the primary factors regulating nitrification and denitrification potentials, respectively.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Olga Fishkis, Jessica Weller, Jorn Lehmhus, Franz Pollinger, Jorn Strassemeyer, Heinz -Josef Koch
Summary: The Farm to Fork strategy of the European Union aims to reduce pesticide use and replace chemical measures with mechanical methods in weed control. However, there is currently no comprehensive evaluation of the ecological and economic parameters of mechanical methods. This study quantified these parameters for different weed control methods in sugar beet and found that no method can be considered fully environmentally friendly.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mercedes Guerrero-Brotons, Nuria Perujo, Anna M. Romani, Rosa Gomez
Summary: Proper bed substrate selection is crucial for the performance of constructed wetlands, especially when treating drainage water with high nitrogen and low carbon and phosphorus concentrations. In a field-scale pilot plant, adding a carbon-rich substrate such as soil or biochar increased phosphorus availability in beds. Beds with soil displayed higher microbial density and activity, as well as better plant growth compared to gravel. These findings highlight the importance of selecting suitable substrates for treating irrigated agricultural water.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Beatrice Giannetta, Cesar Plaza, Giorgio Galluzzi, Iria Benavente-Ferraces, Juan Carlos Garcia-Gil, Marco Panettieri, Gabriel Gasco, Claudio Zaccone
Summary: This study examines the long-term effects of biochar application on soil organic C protection and finds that biochar, especially when combined with other amendments, has the potential to increase the content of particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C in soils. The presence of ferrihydrite may mediate the positive effects on mineral-associated organic matter.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Emily Rose Waring, Carl Pederson, Ainis Lagzdins, Chelsea Clifford, Matthew J. Helmers
Summary: Addressing the global problem of eutrophication requires better management of inorganic nitrogen in the agricultural landscape. This study compares the effects of different tillage practices and cover crops on soil and water quality. The results show that the conventional tillage system is more effective in improving water quality and maintaining crop yields compared to other tillage practices. Additionally, the study reveals that the impact of tillage practices and cover crop growth methods on water and soil quality changes over time.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Annalisa Stevenson, Yakun Zhang, Jingyi Huang, Jie Hu, Keith Paustian, Alfred E. Hartemink
Summary: Considerable advances have been made in the assessment and mapping of soil organic carbon stocks. However, the rates of change in carbon stocks are influenced by various factors and need to be quantified. This study found that sandy soils under cultivation and forests have different organic carbon stocks. Factors such as tillage, irrigation, and nitrogen applications contribute to the decline in soil organic carbon stocks. Afforestation of abandoned cultivated fields can increase soil organic carbon, but it is still lower than soils under forest that have never been cultivated.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyuan Yao, Chuanxiong Huang, Huiling Hu, Tao Wang, Yulong Li, Xiaoming Sune, Sina Adl, Bo Zhu
Summary: Enhancing soil organic carbon levels through improved fertilization strategies is important for soil health and sustainable crop production. This study found that the relative abundance of organisms from higher trophic levels and increased network complexity in the soil micro-food webs are vital contributors to effective SOC accumulation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Qing Qu, Lei Deng, Zhouping Shangguan, Jian Sun, Jinsheng He, Kaibo Wang, Zhengchao Zhou, Jiwei Li, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Grazing exclusion is a widely implemented strategy for restoring degraded grassland ecosystems and increasing carbon stocks. This study analyzed data from 199 experiments to understand the temporal responses and factors influencing plant and soil carbon stocks following grazing exclusion in different grassland ecosystems. The results showed that plant biomass carbon stocks and soil organic carbon stocks decreased exponentially or rationally with years since enclosure. Grazing exclusion had positive effects on aboveground biomass carbon, but the effects on belowground biomass and soil carbon were influenced by climate, initial carbon levels, and grazing exclusion duration. The response of carbon stocks to grazing exclusion stabilized after approximately 40 years, with soil carbon sequestration showing a lagged pattern compared to plant biomass carbon. The study highlighted the effectiveness of grazing exclusion in regions with low carbon content and non-water limited conditions. However, it might not be an effective measure to increase soil organic carbon stocks in water-limited areas like desert grasslands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)