Article
Soil Science
Xia Zhang, Shuwei Shen, Shaoqi Xue, Yongsheng Hu, Xudong Wang
Summary: Examining the effects of different agricultural practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization and sequestration is important for mitigating climate change and improving soil quality. A 12-year field experiment in Northwest China showed that wheat-maize rotation, no-tillage, and subsoiling increased SOC stocks and soil aggregate stability. The adoption of subsoiling under a wheat-maize rotation system improved soil structure and SOC sequestration, while decreasing SOC mineralization in semiarid regions.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Henri Honkanen, Eila Turtola, Riitta Lemola, Jaakko Heikkinen, Visa Nuutinen, Risto Uusitalo, Janne Kaseva, Kristiina Regina
Summary: This study compared the impact of conventional tillage and no-till management on soil properties, erosion rates, and carbon allocation in a clay soil site in southwestern Finland. The results showed that no-till was effective in reducing erosion rates, but additional measures may be needed to increase carbon input and stock in boreal clay soils.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuhao Wang, Jinwen Pang, Mengjie Zhang, Zhonghong Tian, Ting Wei, Zhikuan Jia, Xiaolong Ren, Peng Zhang
Summary: This study conducted a 5-year experiment in Pengyang, Ningxia, China to investigate the effects of plastic film mulching with straw/biochar addition on soil aggregate characteristics, organic carbon content, and maize yield. The results showed that straw and biochar addition significantly improved soil aggregate distribution and stability, increasing the average aggregate content >0.25 mm. Plastic film mulching increased the mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter of the soil particles. Adding straw and biochar increased the organic carbon content of the aggregates, while plastic film mulching decreased it. Structural equation modeling revealed that straw/biochar addition, plastic film mulching, and higher soil organic carbon content significantly promoted yield increases.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Xinliang Dong, Jintao Wang, Xuejia Zhang, Hongkai Dang, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Xiaojing Liu, Hongyong Sun
Summary: Saline water irrigation has a significant impact on soil carbon sequestration. High concentration of saline water irrigation increases soil water and salt contents, leading to a significant decrease in soil organic carbon and inorganic carbon contents. In contrast, low concentration of saline water irrigation does not have a significant effect on soil carbon sequestration. Using no more than 4 g/L saline water irrigation can maintain soil carbon storage in water shortage areas.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhanjun Liu, Mingda Wang, Jianbin Zhou, Zhujun Chen, Xinpeng Xu, Yuanjun Zhu
Summary: This study examines the effects of different mulching and fertilization methods on soil aggregation and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. The results show that straw mulch has a greater positive effect on soil aggregation and C and N stabilization compared to plastic mulch. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of the macroaggregate-occluded microaggregate fraction for evaluating soil C and N dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ziwen Ma, Siqi Zhao, Yueyan Pan, Zhen Li, Jiakai Liu, Mingxiang Zhang, Zhenming Zhang
Summary: Saltmarshes are efficient carbon sinks, and the restoration of saltmarshes plays a significant role in mitigating carbon emissions. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the evaluation of organic carbon accumulation, neglecting the study of inorganic carbon and carbon contents within soil aggregates. This study compared natural saltmarshes with a 15-year restoration effort in the Yellow River Delta region in eastern China. The results showed that restored saltmarshes had higher soil organic carbon content but lower soil inorganic carbon content compared to natural saltmarshes. The stability of SOC fraction and soil microbe-mediated carbon biogeochemical processes differed between naturally occurring and artificially regenerated saltmarshes.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Chai, Jie Li, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Xuechen Yang, Junqin Li, Bo Meng, Wenzheng Song, Xiaoyue Zhong, Jianying Ma, Wei Sun
Summary: This study investigated the effects of altered precipitation on soil aggregate distribution and carbon (C) accumulation in a meadow steppe. The results showed that higher precipitation amounts and a greater proportion of silt and clay fractions enhanced soil C accumulation. Furthermore, the pathways through which changes in precipitation control soil C accumulation varied across different aggregate size fractions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Zhang, Lingbo Dong, Zhouping Shangguan
Summary: Soil aggregation and structural stability are crucial for soil organic carbon sequestration. Appropriate nitrogen addition can promote arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to secrete glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), enhancing the formation of soil aggregates and the physical protection of organic carbon, thereby improving soil organic carbon stability and carbon sequestration capacity.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Chenjia Yuan, Junqiu Lin, Bing Wang, Daming Yang, Nufang Fang, Lingshan Ni, Zhihua Shi
Summary: Splash erosion is the initial stage of water erosion and can cause detachment and transportation of soil particles. The redistribution of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) during splash erosion is not well understood. This study simulated rainfall conditions to investigate the migration of soil particles and SIC in two different types of soils. The results showed differences in the amount and selective migration of splashed material between the soils, as well as differences in SIC sorting characteristics. The enrichment and depletion of SIC during splash erosion varied with soil type, contrary to the enrichment of soil organic carbon (SOC).
Article
Soil Science
Yaqi Zhang, Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Damien Finn, Henry W. G. Birt, Paul G. Dennis, Ram C. Dalal, Andrew R. Jones, Gregor Meyer, Buddhi Dayananda, Peng Wang, Neal W. Menzies, Peter M. Kopittke
Summary: Tillage and nitrogen fertilization have varying effects on soil properties in subtropical climates, especially in Vertisols. This study found that total organic carbon significantly increased with nitrogen fertilization under no-till practices. Total nitrogen concentrations were only influenced by nitrogen fertilization and not affected by tillage. Enzyme activity was affected by nitrogen application and tillage, but bacterial and fungal diversity remained unaffected. Overall, no-till and nitrogen fertilization are important for managing soil properties in this subtropical region, although the impact may be less pronounced over long-term trials.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Summer R. A. Lockhart, Kent Keller, David Evans, Lynne A. Carpenter-Boggs, David R. Huggins
Summary: Organic agriculture can lead to higher concentrations and production rates of soil CO2 compared to no-till agriculture. However, the effect of agricultural management techniques on soil CO2 is not well understood.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Lingyun Tang, Fengling Ren, Yalin Li, Yu Duan, Nan Sun, Peiyi Zhao, Yuejin Li, Minggang Xu
Summary: This study found that long-term application of manure can promote the fixation of soil inorganic carbon, with factors such as soil organic carbon, exchangeable calcium and magnesium concentrations, and carbonate crystallization affecting the process. In the topsoil, applying manure alone is the most effective way to promote the fixation of inorganic carbon.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wantong Li, Markus Reichstein, O. Sungmin, Carla May, Georgia Destouni, Mirco Migliavacca, Basil Kraft, Ulrich Weber, Rene Orth
Summary: Drought intensity and duration have increased in many regions recently. However, global understanding of the propagation of drought-induced water deficits through the terrestrial water cycle remains limited. In this study, the authors used machine learning-assisted upscaling of satellite and in-situ observations to analyze the response of evaporation and runoff to soil moisture droughts. They found that evaporation and runoff show contrasting responses in different climate regimes, with runoff strongly reduced in wet regions while evaporation is decoupled from soil moisture decreases and enhanced by sunny and warm weather. In drier regions, evaporation is reduced during droughts due to vegetation water stress, but runoff is largely unchanged due to low precipitation deficits and buffering from decreased evaporation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li Dong, Wentong Zhang, Yunwu Xiong, Jiaye Zou, Quanzhong Huang, Xu Xu, Ping Ren, Guanhua Huang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of organic amendment on soil structure and hydraulic properties. The results showed that organic amendment improved soil aggregate stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and gas diffusivity, while also enhancing soil aeration. Additionally, the application rate of the amendment had an influence on soil structure and properties.
INTERNATIONAL SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Priya Saini, Jason P. de Koff, Richard Link, Chris Robbins
Summary: The study found a decline in soil active carbon and wet aggregate stability over the study period, with wet aggregate stability decreasing from 32% in 2018 to 15% in 2019. While there were significant differences between treatments, no defined trends were observed.
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)