Article
Plant Sciences
Woo Bin Youn, Jonathan Ogayon Hernandez, Byung Bae Park
Summary: Shading can enhance the height growth of Heracleum moellendorffii, while Adenophora divaricata grows better in full sunlight; the competitive ability of H. moellendorffii can suppress the growth of A. divaricata; light, soil moisture, and nutrients play significant roles in influencing the growth of these two species.
Article
Agronomy
B. Bordron, A. Germon, J-P Laclau, I. R. Oliveira, A. Robin, C. Jourdan, R. R. Paula, R. C. Pinheiro, J. Guillemot, J. L. M. Goncalves, J-P Bouillet
Summary: In mixed species forests, the effects of soil fertility on belowground processes were investigated. Fertilization increased competition between species, leading to partial exclusion of Acacia fine roots from nutrient-rich topsoil. Eucalyptus roots explored soil near Acacia trees more in unfertilized stands, indicating facilitation through higher soil N availability and direct N transfer from Acacia trees.
Article
Forestry
Michael B. Walters, Justin M. Kunkle, Richard K. Kobe, Evan J. Farinosi
Summary: Periodic drought, soil moisture regimes, canopy shading, and species seedling traits influence tree regeneration processes in northern temperate forests. In this study, we assessed the effects of soil moisture regimes and canopy shading on seedling dry mass, mortality, and functional traits for eight tree species. The results showed that drought-driven mortality was high, especially on drier sites with more open environments. Canopy shading only led to mortality on mesic sites. Survival was highest for Quercus species and lowest for Betula alleghaniensis, and it was positively associated with drought tolerance and certain seedling traits. Our findings highlight the importance of soil moisture regimes, canopy density, and species traits in shaping seedling mortality patterns and have implications for planting strategies and the potential impacts of drought under climate change.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Khadijeh Bahalkeh, Mehdi Abedi, Ghasem Ali Dianati Tilaki, Richard Michalet
Summary: The study revealed that a dominant foundation shrub may have contrasting short- and long-term effects on different groups of understorey species, contributing to explain community composition, although balancing at the community level.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Paolo Filippucci, Luca Brocca, Christian Massari, Carla Saltalippi, Wolfgang Wagner, Angelica Tarpanelli
Summary: Rainfall monitoring is crucial for various hydrological applications. While in-situ measurements have limitations, satellite products like SM2RAIN show promise. This study explores the self-calibration of SM2RAIN using ASCAT soil moisture data, with promising results for rainfall estimation.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yarong Sun, Chao Liu, Min Zhao, Le Liu, Siqi Liang, Yajuan Wang, Yunming Chen
Summary: Extreme rainfall events can significantly impact soil carbon release, leading to increased CO2 emissions from deep soil and affecting regional carbon emissions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ying Zhang, Jinliang Hou, Chunlin Huang
Summary: Precipitation monitoring is crucial for earth system modeling and environmental management. Traditional gauge measurements and satellite-derived rainfall have limitations in spatial representativeness and resolution. This study proposes an integration framework using multiple soil moisture datasets and machine learning methods to improve the accuracy of rainfall estimation, resulting in a successful rainfall product.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Yao Lai, Jie Tian, Weiming Kang, Chao Gao, Weijie Hong, Chansheng He
Summary: Rainfall estimation in mountainous areas is crucial for water supply and ecosystem services in arid regions. Traditional rain gauge measurements are limited in mountainous areas, while satellite and reanalysis products often have high uncertainty at high elevations. A novel bottom-up approach called SM2RAIN, which estimates rainfall from soil moisture dynamics, shows potential as an alternative method. This study evaluates the performance of SM2RAIN in high-altitude mountainous areas using data from 9 observation stations in the Qilian Mountains. The results highlight the strengths and limitations of SM2RAIN, and suggest that calibration using high-resolution soil moisture data and bias-correction methods can improve its accuracy in data-scarce mountainous regions.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Zonglin Zhang, Runqiang Zeng, Xingmin Meng, Shufen Zhao, Jianhua Ma, Hong Wang, Xiangpei Meng, Hailong Yin, Yunqi Yao, Weiwei Guo, Dengju Xie, Bin He
Summary: This study explores the factors controlling differential soil actual evaporation at different parts of a slope. It discovers the impact of historical rainfall on soil erosion, which leads to significant differences in soil moisture and evaporation at different locations on the slope.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Minu Treesa Abraham, Neelima Satyam, Ascanio Rosi, Biswajeet Pradhan, Samuele Segoni
Summary: Empirical and probabilistic approaches for defining rainfall thresholds are commonly used for forecasting rainfall induced landslides, but often result in higher false alarms. This study aims to improve the performance of conventional meteorological thresholds by considering the effect of soil moisture, using a probabilistic approach. Results show that a Bayesian probabilistic threshold derived using rainfall severity and soil wetness outperformed the conventional approaches, with potential for developing an operational landslide early warning system based on a combination of rainfall and soil moisture data.
Article
Plant Sciences
Junyong Li, Lachlan S. Charles, Zhongling Yang, Guozhen Du, Shenglei Fu
Summary: Experiments manipulating light availability and soil nutrients simultaneously are rare. The results showed that artificial shade decreased community biomass accumulation whereas fertilization increased it. Extinction of non-Gramineae species was the main reason for species diversity decline. Light availability is consistently important for plant growth, with LCP being a vital driver in determining species coexistence.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Ziqi Liu, Kaiping Li, Kangning Xiong, Yuan Li, Jin Wang, Jian Sun, Lulu Cai
Summary: The study demonstrates that cultivating Zanthoxylum bungeanum in karst areas can improve the shallow soil hydraulic properties and have a positive impact on water conservation. The dynamic change in soil moisture is influenced by precipitation and atmospheric temperature, with the impact increasing with the time since planting. Therefore, planting Zanthoxylum bungeanum can improve soil water retention capacity and stability, benefiting water resource management in karst areas.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Leandro Carlos Sgroi, Miguel Angel Lovino, Ernesto Hugo Berbery, Gabriela Viviana Muller
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of drought on wheat, corn, and soybean yields in Argentina's core crop region. Droughts have larger impacts during the crops' critical growth periods, with corn and soybean being more sensitive to precipitation and soil moisture deficits than wheat. Shorter-term drought indicators during sensitive periods are found to be more effective in predicting crop yield losses.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yangxing Zheng, Mark A. Bourassa, M. M. Ali
Summary: This observational study examines the impact of rainfall on Indian soil moisture variability in different rainfall zones during strong, weak, and normal Indian summer monsoons. The results show that the soil moisture in certain regions is generally higher during strong monsoons compared to weak monsoons. The correlation between soil moisture and rainfall is region-dependent and phase-dependent.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew C. Roby, Russell L. Scott, Joel A. Biederman, William K. Smith, David J. P. Moore
Summary: Compound changes in rainfall size and frequency impact soil CO2 efflux in semiarid grasslands, particularly when rainfall is repackaged into few/large events and dry intervals are prolonged.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Victor Rolo, Jose V. Roces-Diaz, Mario Torralba, Sonja Kay, Nora Fagerholm, Stephanie Aviron, Paul Burgess, Josep Crous-Duran, Nuria Ferreiro-Dominguez, Anil Graves, Tibor Hartel, Konstantinos Mantzanas, Maria Rosa Mosquera-Losada, Joao H. N. Palma, Anna Sidiropoulou, Erich Szerencsits, Valerie Viaud, Felix Herzog, Tobias Plieninger, Gerardo Moreno
Summary: Rural Europe offers a variety of landscapes with different levels of forest, agriculture, and agroforestry, each providing unique ecosystem services. Forest was found to have a positive relationship with provisioning and regulating ES in landscapes, while agriculture showed negative relationships. The study identified four distinct bundles of ES, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing agroforestry in certain areas.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helen R. P. Phillips, Elizabeth M. Bach, Marie L. C. Bartz, Joanne M. Bennett, Remy Beugnon, Maria J. I. Briones, George G. Brown, Olga Ferlian, Konstantin B. Gongalsky, Carlos A. Guerra, Birgitta Koenig-Ries, Julia J. Krebs, Alberto Orgiazzi, Kelly S. Ramirez, David J. Russell, Benjamin Schwarz, Diana H. Wall, Ulrich Brose, Thibaud Decaens, Patrick Lavelle, Michel Loreau, Jerome Mathieu, Christian Mulder, Wim H. van der Putten, Matthias C. Rillig, Madhav P. Thakur, Franciska T. de Vries, David A. Wardle, Christian Ammer, Sabine Ammer, Miwa Arai, Fredrick O. Ayuke, Geoff H. Baker, Dilmar Baretta, Dietmar Barkusky, Robin Beausejour, Jose C. Bedano, Klaus Birkhofer, Eric Blanchart, Bernd Blossey, Thomas Bolger, Robert L. Bradley, Michel Brossard, James C. Burtis, Yvan Capowiez, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Amy Choi, Julia Clause, Daniel Cluzeau, Anja Coors, Felicity V. Crotty, Jasmine M. Crumsey, Andrea Davalos, Dario J. Diaz Cosin, Annise M. Dobson, Anahi Dominguez, Andres Esteban Duhour, Nick van Eekeren, Christoph Emmerling, Liliana B. Falco, Rosa Fernandez, Steven J. Fonte, Carlos Fragoso, Andre L. C. Franco, Abegail Fusilero, Anna P. Geraskina, Shaieste Gholami, Grizelle Gonzalez, Michael J. Gundale, Monica Gutierrez Lopez, Branimir K. Hackenberger, Davorka K. Hackenberger, Luis M. Hernandez, Jeff R. Hirth, Takuo Hishi, Andrew R. Holdsworth, Martin Holmstrup, Kristine N. Hopfensperger, Esperanza Huerta Lwanga, Veikko Huhta, Tunsisa T. Hurisso, Basil V. Iannone, Madalina Iordache, Ulrich Irmler, Mari Ivask, Juan B. Jesus, Jodi L. Johnson-Maynard, Monika Joschko, Nobuhiro Kaneko, Radoslava Kanianska, Aidan M. Keith, Maria L. Kernecker, Armand W. Kone, Yahya Kooch, Sanna T. Kukkonen, H. Lalthanzara, Daniel R. Lammel, Iurii M. Lebedev, Edith Le Cadre, Noa K. Lincoln, Danilo Lopez-Hernandez, Scott R. Loss, Raphael Marichal, Radim Matula, Yukio Minamiya, Jan Hendrik Moos, Gerardo Moreno, Alejandro Moron-Rios, Hasegawa Motohiro, Bart Muys, Johan Neirynck, Lindsey Norgrove, Marta Novo, Visa Nuutinen, Victoria Nuzzo, P. Mujeeb Rahman, Johan Pansu, Shishir Paudel, Guenola Peres, Lorenzo Perez-Camacho, Jean-Francois Ponge, Joerg Prietzel, Irina B. Rapoport, Muhammad Imtiaz Rashid, Salvador Rebollo, Miguel A. Rodriguez, Alexander M. Roth, Guillaume X. Rousseau, Anna Rozen, Ehsan Sayad, Loes van Schaik, Bryant Scharenbroch, Michael Schirrmann, Olaf Schmidt, Boris Schroeder, Julia Seeber, Maxim P. Shashkov, Jaswinder Singh, Sandy M. Smith, Michael Steinwandter, Katalin Szlavecz, Jose Antonio Talavera, Dolores Trigo, Jiro Tsukamoto, Sheila Uribe-Lopez, Anne W. de Valenca, Inigo Virto, Adrian A. Wackett, Matthew W. Warren, Emily R. Webster, Nathaniel H. Wehr, Joann K. Whalen, Michael B. Wironen, Volkmar Wolters, Pengfei Wu, Irina V. Zenkova, Weixin Zhang, Erin K. Cameron, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: Earthworms are important ecosystem engineers, but their diversity and distribution are not well known at large spatial scales. A global dataset with information on 10,840 sites and 184 species from 60 countries has been created to assist researchers in investigating a wide variety of pressing questions related to biodiversity.
Article
Plant Sciences
David Martini, Karolina Sakowska, Georg Wohlfahrt, Javier Pacheco-Labrador, Christiaan van der Tol, Albert Porcar-Castell, Troy S. Magney, Arnaud Carrara, Roberto Colombo, Tarek S. El-Madany, Rosario Gonzalez-Cascon, Maria Pilar Martin, Tommaso Julitta, Gerardo Moreno, Uwe Rascher, Markus Reichstein, Micol Rossini, Mirco Migliavacca
Summary: The study investigated the impact of the 2018 European heatwave on the GPP-SIF relationship in evergreen broadleaved trees, revealing an inversion of the photosynthesis-fluorescence relationship due to extreme heat stress and changes in energy dissipation pathways.
Article
Plant Sciences
Manuel Encinas-Valero, Raquel Esteban, Ana-Maria Heres, Maria Vivas, Dorra Fakhet, Iker Aranjuelo, Alejandro Solla, Gerardo Moreno, Jorge Curiel Yuste
Summary: Climate change and pathogen outbreaks are the main causes of decline in Mediterranean holm oak trees. The study found that declining trees showed increased phenotypic plasticity in their fine root system to optimize soil resource acquisition.
Article
Agronomy
Yunpeng Luo, Javier Pacheco-Labrador, Andrew D. Richardson, Bijan Seyednasrollah, Oscar Perez-Priego, Rosario Gonzalez-Cascon, M. Pilar Martin, Gerardo Moreno, Richard Nair, Thomas Wutzler, Solveig Franziska Bucher, Arnaud Carrara, Edoardo Cremones, Tarek S. El-Madany, Gianluca Filippa, Marta Galvagno, Tiana Hammer, Xuanlong Ma, David Martini, Qian Zhang, Markus Reichstein, Annette Menzel, Christine Roemermann, Mirco Migliavacca
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between canopy greenness and seasonal changes in leaf age, leaf traits, and trees' water fluxes. It finds that sprouting leaves contribute to the rapid increase in canopy greenness in spring. The study also reveals differences in leaf traits and spectral properties based on leaf age. Sap flow and canopy conductance are well explained by environmental factors and greenness. The study concludes that PhenoCam green chromatic coordinate can be used to identify leaf flushing and provide important information about leaf ontogeny and traits, which can help estimate canopy conductance.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Carolina Reyes-Palomo, Eduardo Aguilera, Mireia Llorente, Cipriano Diaz-Gaona, Gerardo Moreno, Vicente Rodriguez-Estevez
Summary: The study assessed the Carbon footprint of beef production in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting the significant role of C sequestration in offsetting greenhouse gas emissions in some farms.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Julian Helfenstein, Matthias Burgi, Niels Debonne, Thymios Dimopoulos, Vasco Diogo, Wenche Dramstad, Anna Edlinger, Maria Garcia-Martin, Jozef Hernik, Thanasis Kizos, Angela Lausch, Christian Levers, Franziska Mohr, Gerardo Moreno, Robert Pazur, Michael Siegrist, Rebecca Swart, Claudine Thenail, Peter H. Verburg, Tim G. Williams, Anita Zarina, Felix Herzog
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic had varying impacts on different agricultural systems, with specialized and intensive farms being more vulnerable to disruptions in supply chains. Supporting farmers in diversifying their production systems and reducing dependence on supply chains can increase their resilience to future shocks.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maria Guadalupe Arenas-Corraliza, Maria Lourdes Lopez-Diaz, Victor Rolo, Yonatan Caceres, Gerardo Moreno
Summary: Climate change poses a major threat to global food supply, and agroforestry is an effective approach to mitigate its effects on crops. The study found that major effects of trees on crops occur after walnut budburst, where agroforestry reduces light interception by crops and improves their growth environment, but also decreases crop growth and grain yield. The selection of cereal cultivars for specific conditions, based on plant traits and shade tolerance, can lead to successful agroforestry systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fernando T. Maestre, Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, David J. Eldridge, Hugo Saiz, Miguel Berdugo, Beatriz Gozalo, Victoria Ochoa, Emilio Guirado, Miguel Garcia-Gomez, Enrique Valencia, Juan J. Gaitan, Sergio Asensio, Betty J. Mendoza, Cesar Plaza, Paloma Diaz-Martinez, Ana Rey, Hang-Wei Hu, Ji-Zheng He, Jun-Tao Wang, Anika Lehmann, Matthias C. Rillig, Simone Cesarz, Nico Eisenhauer, Jaime Martinez-Valderrama, Eduardo Moreno-Jimenez, Osvaldo Sala, Mehdi Abedi, Negar Ahmadian, Concepcion L. Alados, Valeria Aramayo, Fateh Amghar, Tulio Arredondo, Rodrigo J. Ahumada, Khadijeh Bahalkeh, Farah Ben Salem, Niels Blaum, Bazartseren Boldgiv, Matthew A. Bowker, Donaldo Bran, Chongfeng Bu, Rafaella Canessa, Andrea P. Castillo-Monroy, Helena Castro, Ignacio Castro, Patricio Castro-Quezada, Roukaya Chibani, Abel A. Conceicao, Courtney M. Currier, Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi, Balazs Deak, David A. Donoso, Andrew J. Dougill, Jorge Duran, Batdelger Erdenetsetseg, Carlos I. Espinosa, Alex Fajardo, Mohammad Farzam, Daniela Ferrante, Anke S. K. Frank, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Laureano A. Gherardi, Aaron C. Greenville, Carlos A. Guerra, Elizabeth Gusman-Montalvan, Rosa M. Hernandez-Hernandez, Norbert Holzel, Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald, Frederic M. Hughes, Oswaldo Jadan-Maza, Florian Jeltsch, Anke Jentsch, Kudzai F. Kaseke, Melanie Kobel, Jessica E. Koopman, Cintia V. Leder, Anja Linstadter, Peter C. le Roux, Xinkai Li, Pierre Liancourt, Jushan Liu, Michelle A. Louw, Gillian Maggs-Kolling, Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Oumarou Malam Issa, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Eugene Marais, Juan P. Mora, Gerardo Moreno, Seth M. Munson, Alice Nunes, Gabriel Oliva, Gaston R. Onatibia, Guadalupe Peter, Marco O. D. Pivari, Yolanda Pueyo, R. Emiliano Quiroga, Soroor Rahmanian, Sasha C. Reed, Pedro J. Rey, Benoit Richard, Alexandra Rodriguez, Victor Rolo, Juan G. Rubalcaba, Jan C. Ruppert, Ayman Salah, Max A. Schuchardt, Sedona Spann, Ilan Stavi, Colton R. A. Stephens, Anthony M. Swemmer, Alberto L. Teixido, Andrew D. Thomas, Heather L. Throop, Katja Tielborger, Samantha Travers, James Val, Orsolya Valko, Liesbeth van den Brink, Sergio Velasco Ayuso, Frederike Velbert, Wanyoike Wamiti, Deli Wang, Lixin Wang, Glenda M. Wardle, Laura Yahdjian, Eli Zaady, Yuanming Zhang, Xiaobing Zhou, Brajesh K. Singh, Nicolas Gross
Summary: Interactions between grazing pressure, climate, soil, and biodiversity are crucial in determining the delivery of ecosystem services in drylands worldwide. Increased grazing pressure reduces service delivery in warmer and species-poor areas, while positive effects of grazing are observed in colder and species-rich areas.
Article
Ecology
Adara Pardo, Victor Rolo, Alejandro Carrascosa, Guillermo Gonzalez-Bornay, Gerardo Moreno
Summary: A study in Iberian wood-pastures found that alternative management strategies, such as rotational grazing and legume-enriched pastures, as well as abandonment, can increase pollinator abundance and diversity compared to conventional management. These findings suggest that ecological intensification measures have the potential to maximize productivity while preserving biodiversity and essential ecosystem services.
Article
Ecology
Fernando Pulido, Javier Corbacho, Manuel Bertomeu, Alvaro Gomez, Nuno Guiomar, Enrique Juarez, Beatriz Lucas, Gerardo Moreno, Javier Navalpotro, Gonzalo Palomo
Summary: We developed a practical framework (Mosaico) and presented a real-world example of early implementation of a Fire-Smart Territory (FST) in Sierra de Gata-Las Hurdes region of Spain. Our objective was to assess the impact of landscape changes induced by Local Land Managers (LLM) on simulated fire spread under different governance scenarios.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ana Lopez-Ballesteros, Emilio Rodriguez-Caballero, Gerardo Moreno, Paula Escribano, Ana-Maria Heres, Jorge Curiel Yuste
Summary: Forest decline events have increased worldwide, with holm oak being a species of concern due to its southernmost distribution within Europe. Drought, soil pathogens, and overlooked abiotic factors such as land use and topography are found to jointly determine the spatiotemporal patterns of holm oak decline in Spain. The results contribute to the understanding of the influence of local topography on forest resilience and can help identify potential tree decline hotspots and their main causes in the Mediterranean region.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Carolina Reyes-Palomo, Eduardo Aguilera, Mireia Llorente, Cipriano Diaz-Gaona, Gerardo Moreno, Vicente Rodriguez-Estevez
Summary: Iberian pig production has different handling and feeding systems, which affect production costs, market price, and environmental impact. This study aims to assess the Carbon Footprint (CF) of different Iberian pig production systems using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sinikka Jasmin Paulus, Tarek Sebastian El-Madany, Rene Orth, Anke Hildebrandt, Thomas Wutzler, Arnaud Carrara, Gerardo Moreno, Oscar Perez-Priego, Olaf Kolle, Markus Reichstein, Mirco Migliavacca
Summary: The input of non-rainfall water (NRW) to terrestrial ecosystems, including dew, fog, and soil adsorption of atmospheric water vapor, is an important factor for seasonally dry ecosystems. However, due to its small scale and measurement difficulties, it has been relatively understudied. In this study, the researchers used high-precision weighing lysimeters to analyze one year of data on NRW inputs at a semi-arid Mediterranean site. The results showed that NRW inputs occur mainly during nighttime, have a pronounced seasonality, and are primarily driven by soil adsorption of atmospheric water vapor during the dry season.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Manuel Encinas-Valero, Raquel Esteban, Ana-Maria Heres, Jose Maria Becerril, Jose Ignacio Garcia-Plazaola, Unai Artexe, Maria Vivas, Alejandro Solla, Gerardo Moreno, Jorge Curiel Yuste
Summary: This study investigated the photoprotective responses of holm oak trees under stress and found differential photochemical performance and photoprotective compounds concentration depending on the health status of the trees. Declining trees showed higher energy dissipation yield, lower photochemical efficiency, and enhanced photoprotective compounds. The study also demonstrated that changes in leaf contents can serve as early stress markers for holm oak decline. Therefore, the use of photosynthesis performance indexes and leaf tocopherols concentration as early diagnostic tools can predict declining trends.
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)