Article
Soil Science
Israr Majeed, Kaushal K. Garg, A. Venkataradha, Naveen K. Purushothaman, Sourav Roy, Nagarjuna N. Reddy, Ramesh Singh, K. H. Anantha, Sreenath Dixit, Bhabani S. Das
Summary: Rapid soil testing using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was used to assess soil chemical properties and nutrient content in smallholder farms. The results showed that soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), and three available nutrients could be used as the minimum dataset (MDS) for estimating soil quality index (SQI). The DRS approach showed strong positive correlation with crop yields and could be used to estimate SQI values with a high coefficient of determination (R-2). Comparisons with wet chemistry soil testing showed similar ratings in more than 80% of the samples, suggesting that DRS can replace the traditional approach for soil testing in farmers' fields.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ning Li, Xia Xu, Zhu Zhu, Liang Guo, Chenghui Ju, Qian Zhang, Ji Chen, Qinghong Geng, Baoling Yang, Guobing Wang, Caiqin Shen, Guohua Cao
Summary: Soil extracellular enzymes play a vital role in regulating soil carbon and nutrient cycling, but their response to increasing global nitrogen deposition is still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the activity of soil enzymes associated with C, N, and P cycling in a coastal China poplar plantation under different N addition treatments. Our findings showed that N addition increased C and decreased N, but had no significant impact on P acquisition enzyme activity. Time and specific soil factors were found to influence soil microbial nutrient limitation. The study contributes to our understanding of soil microbial nutrient cycling under elevated N deposition.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ding Luo, Kangning Xiong, Chenxu Wu, Xing Gu, Zehui Wang
Summary: This study investigated soil nutrients and moisture changes in different karst mountain agroforestry systems. The results showed that the variation in soil nutrients was small in the different agroforestry systems, but significantly different from the secondary forest. Soil water content changes were significantly influenced by precipitation, soil porosity, and permeability. Different agroforestry systems had different lag times in regulating soil water, with HYM having the longest lag time and YSH having the shortest. Seasonal fluctuations in soil moisture content were most prominent in HYM and HTY agroforestry systems. These findings provide important theoretical support for understanding the relationship among agroforestry, soil, moisture, and nutrients in karst areas, and for promoting ecological restoration and agroforestry development.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jichao Gao, Xiuzhi Zhang, Jiafa Luo, Ping Zhu, Stuart Lindsey, Hongjun Gao, Qiang Li, Chang Peng, Lei Zhang, Lingying Xu, Weiwen Qiu, Yunfei Jiao
Summary: This study examined the changes in soil fertility in a maize cropping area when chemical fertilizer was partially replaced with straw or livestock manure over a 33-year period. The results showed that replacing chemical fertilizers with organic materials can significantly improve soil organic carbon content, pH value, and microbial activity.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hongwei Xu, Xiukang Wang, Qing Qu, Zhiyuan Yang, Minggang Wang, Guobin Liu, Sha Xue
Summary: The study investigated the ecological niches of shrub and grass species in a stable grassland community in the Loess Plateau. It found that shrub species occupy more advantageous ecological niches compared to most grass species, primarily due to their higher relative importance value and niche breadth. Furthermore, the study identified that rhizosphere bacterial alpha-diversity and plant root carbon concentration are key factors influencing the ecological niche patterns of plant species in the community.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
S. Maranon-Jimenez, D. Asensio, J. Sardans, P. Zuccarini, R. Ogaya, S. Mattana, J. Penuelas
Summary: Intensification of droughts in Mediterranean regions can negatively affect soil nutrient availability and biogeochemical functioning through its impact on soil microbial biomass and activity. Long-term chronic drought reduces microbial biomass and nutrient content, increasing the risk of nitrogen loss, while seasonal drought affects microbial biomass content of C, N, and P.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biology
D. Jabborova, R. Z. Sayyed, A. Azimov, Z. Jabbarov, A. Matchanov, Y. Enakiev, Alaa Baazeem, Ayman EL Sabagh, Subhan Danish, Rahul Datta
Summary: The study found that the application of mineral fertilizers significantly increased the mineral element content in ginger rhizome, improved soil enzyme activity, and soil properties.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ning An, Lei Zhang, Yaxian Liu, Si Shen, Na Li, Zhengchao Wu, Jinfeng Yang, Wei Han, Xiaori Han
Summary: Biochar can effectively improve soil quality and crop productivity as an amendment. Long-term field experiments demonstrated that partial substitution of chemical fertilizers with biochar can enhance soil quality, rice growth, and yield, while reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Tong Heng, Cecilie Hermansen, Lis Wollesen de Jonge, Ji Chen, Lili Yang, Li Zhao, Xinlin He
Summary: Salinization poses a global threat to farmland sustainability in arid areas. This study examined the direct and indirect responses of soil physicochemical and microbial properties to soil nutrients in salinized farmlands in northwest China. It was found that soil urease activity, nitrogen-fixing genes, alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen, soil organic carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen content were higher at low-salinity sites compared to medium and high-salinity sites. The study also showed that improving microbial metabolic activity through reclamation measures is crucial for salinity management.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Dilfuza Jabborova, Ravish Choudhary, Abdulahat Azimov, Zafarjon Jabbarov, Samy Selim, Mohammed Abu-Elghait, Said E. Desouky, Islam H. El Azab, Amnah Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Adel Khattab, AlBaraa ElSaied
Summary: This study investigated the effect of mineral fertilizers on the mineral content of ginger rhizomes, soil enzyme activity, and soil properties in Uzbekistan. Results showed that specific mineral fertilizers significantly increased the mineral content in ginger rhizomes and improved soil enzyme activity and chemical properties.
Article
Soil Science
Hossein Bagheri, Hamid Zare Abyaneh, Azizallah Izady
Summary: This study investigated the effects of flow rate, initial soil moisture conditions, and vermicompost application on leaching of total dissolved solids, nitrate, dissolved organic carbon, and colloids from soil. Findings showed that VC-amended soil under dry conditions and at low flow rates had higher levels of EC, nitrate, and DOC in the effluent, while unsaturated flow rate of 2.5 mL/min efficiently leached more than higher flow rates in un-amended soil. The results provide insights for managing soil salinity, drainage, and groundwater pollution, suggesting that lower flow rates for irrigation can reduce colloid migration and soil erosion.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ma Xin-ling, Liu Jia, Chen Xiao-fen, Li Wei-tao, Jiang Chun-yu, Wu Meng, Liu Ming, Li Zhong-pei
Summary: Parent materials and fertility levels of paddy soils in subtropical China exhibit high variability. Soil properties, particularly soil organic carbon, are key factors shaping bacterial community composition in paddy soils. Bacterial interactions tend towards cooperation leading to shifts in dominant bacterial species when the soil environment improves.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Tingting Tao, Lisheng Liu, Gaston E. Small, Jihui Chen, Yizhu Wang, Xiao Sun
Summary: Excessive use of sloping soil in agriculture can result in loss of soil carbon and stoichiometric imbalances, leading to soil degradation and reduced ecosystem services. Different planting patterns on sloping terrain have varying effects on soil C, N, and P stocks and ratios, with oil tea planting without inter-row coverage showing the worst results. However, inter-row coverage of straw or white clover can significantly alleviate these adverse influences, and perennial crops like oil tea with intercropping can be effective in reducing soil degradation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Tserang Donko Mipam, Shiyong Chen, Jianquan Liu, Georg Miehe, Liming Tian
Summary: Different grazing intensities have varying effects on plant and soil nutrient relationships in alpine meadows, with plants being more sensitive to grazing compared to soils.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Keyi Zhang, Lei Chang, Guanghui Li, Yuefen Li
Summary: Research on plant adaptation and improvement methods in saline-alkali soil is crucial for agricultural development and environmental protection.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)