Article
Agronomy
Zhijie Li, Ruediger Reichel, Zhenfeng Xu, Harry Vereecken, Nicolas Brueggemann
Summary: Incorporating crop residues into the soil is effective in sustaining soil fertility and improving soil carbon sequestration, but it can lead to increased N2O emissions and NO3- leaching. The impact of crop residue return on soil N2O emissions and NO3- leaching varies depending on soil and environmental conditions.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yeming Zhang, Xiuli Gao, Ye Yuan, Lei Hou, Zhenhua Dang, Linna Ma
Summary: This study investigated the effects of plant and soil microbial diversity on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) under different levels of grassland desertification. The results showed that both plant and soil microbial diversity declined with increasing desertification intensity, leading to a decrease in EMF. Plant and soil microbial diversity were identified as important predictors of EMF during desertification processes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinxin Guo, Xiaoan Zuo, Eduardo Medina-Roldan, Aixia Guo, Ping Yue, Xueyong Zhao, Jingjuan Qiao, Xiangyun Li, Min Chen, Cunzheng Wei, Tian Yang, Yuguang Ke, Qiang Yu
Summary: The change of plant biodiversity caused by resource-enhancing global changes has greatly affected grassland productivity. The effects of multi-resource enrichment on grassland biodiversity and productivity depend on site resource constraints.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
R. K. Kristensen, J. Rasmussen, J. Eriksen
Summary: This study investigates the effects of different fertilizer types and nitrogen forms on grass-clover. The results show that the mineral nitrogen form does not affect nitrogen fixation activity in grass-clover, while the fertilizer nitrogen level is the main factor affecting nitrogen fixation activity. Furthermore, the study also identifies a nitrogen threshold, below which the nitrogen fixation activity in grass-clover remains high.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabelle Noelke, Bettina Tonn, Martin Komainda, Sara Heshmati, Johannes Isselstein
Summary: Legume-based forage plant mixtures can increase biomass production, and the genetic identity of legume species affects the diversity effects.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chun-Hui Ma, Xing-Hai Hao, Feng-Cai He, Tao-Getao Baoyin, Jue-Jie Yang, Shi-Kui Dong
Summary: This study examined the impact of seasonal grazing on plant and soil microbial diversity in typical temperate grassland. The results showed that seasonal grazing increased aboveground plant biomass and changed the composition and biomass of dominant vegetation. Continuous grazing significantly increased the Margalef richness index of plant community. There was no significant change in soil bacterial, archaeal and fungal diversity between no-grazing and grazing plots, but soil fungi and archaea diversity were higher in certain grazing plots. This study suggests that seasonal grazing is a sustainable management strategy for maintaining typical grassland plant and soil microbial diversity in northern China.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Cian Blaix, Olivier Chabrerie, Didier Alard, Manuella Catterou, Sylvain Diquelou, Thierry Dutoit, Jerome Lacoux, Gregory Loucougaray, Alice Michelot-Antalik, Marine Pace, Antoine Tardif, Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant, Anne Bonis
Summary: This paper assesses the relationship between grassland plant diversity and agronomic value, addressing the challenge of balancing nature conservation and agricultural use in semi-natural grassland habitats. The study explores the effects of plant diversity and functional traits on forage nutritive value and early standing biomass. The results show that species richness is negatively associated with early standing biomass and average mineral content, while community evenness is positively correlated with digestibility, crude protein content, and average mineral content but negatively with early standing biomass. The findings suggest that a higher plant species evenness can lead to better forage nutritive value in permanent grassland habitats, and an even distribution of plant functional types can improve forage nutritive value without affecting early standing biomass.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Fengshi Li, Hugjiltu Minggagud, Scott Jarvie, Yonghui Wang, Yongzhi Yan, Xiaoqian Gong, Peng Han, Qing Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the effects of fertilization and mowing on plant, soil bacterial, and soil fungal diversity. The results show that fertilization reduces plant diversity, while fertilization + mowing increases plant diversity. Fertilization and fertilization + mowing have no significant effect on soil bacterial and fungal diversity, but can alter their community structure through changing soil pH.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Bushra Ahmed Alhammad, Mahmoud F. Seleiman
Summary: This study explores environmentally friendly approaches to enhance crop growth and productivity. The results suggest that the combination of biogas digestate and bio-fertilizer can improve the growth, yield, and quality of faba bean.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nannan Kang, Lita Alita, Xiaohua Yu, Min Liu
Summary: Conserving plant species diversity is crucial for sustainable development. This paper assessed the value of plant species diversity in grasslands for local herders and found that the monetary value of one plant species for each herder household is equivalent to 9.8% of the annual household income on average. The estimation of this value will have a far-reaching impact on stake-holders and policymakers involved in protecting species diversity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Marta Plumhoff, R. Kent Connell, Alison Bressler, Jennifer Blesh
Summary: The benefits of cover crop mixtures depend on the management context into which they are adopted. In lower fertility soils, increasing crop functional diversity by including single species cover crops at different points within a crop rotation can help build soil fertility. Once background soil fertility has been developed, farmers can include mixtures in their agro-ecosystems to maximize the functions provided by cover crops.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaojuan Wang, Ling Xie, Lulu Xu
Summary: The long-term extensive use of chemical fertilizers has detrimental effects on the structure and function of soil bacteria. A six-year experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing different proportions of mineral nitrogen fertilizer with nitrogen from maize straw on soil bacterial community. The results showed that replacing mineral nitrogen fertilizer with an equivalent amount of nitrogen from maize straw significantly impacted the soil bacterial structure, diversity, and function. Certain bacterial phyla were affected differently by the replacement treatments, and some bacterial populations increased or decreased compared to the control. S25 was found to be the most beneficial treatment for increasing soil bacterial species richness and abundance.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shalika Parakatawella, Diptajyoti Gogoi, Poonam Deka, Yizhi Xu, Chanaka Sandaruwan, Anil C. A. Jayasundera, Mihails Arhangelskis, Ranjit Thakuria, Nadeesh M. Adassooriya
Summary: A 2:1 urea·adipic acid cocrystal was obtained in two polymorphic forms using mechanochemistry and solution crystallization. The newly synthesized cocrystal exhibited lower solubility and better sustained-release properties compared to commercially available urea.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaohang Bai, Wenwu Zhao, Jing Wang, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira
Summary: Grassland ecosystems are crucial for global sustainable development. This study in Inner Mongolia, China, analyzed the stability of temperate grassland plant communities and found that functional diversity is more influential than species diversity. Climate factors play a significant role in community diversity and stability.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miguel Loera-Sanchez, Bruno Studer, Roland Kolliker
Summary: Grasslands are important ecosystems for sustainable roughage production, and plant genetic diversity plays a crucial role in their functioning. The advancement of high-throughput DNA sequencing approaches provides opportunities for multispecies plant genetic diversity monitoring in grasslands.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(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)