Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Evan A. Thaler, Isaac J. Larsen, Qian Yu
Summary: Soil erosion in agricultural landscapes, particularly in the Corn Belt of the midwestern United States, has led to a significant loss of A-horizon soil, affecting crop yields and causing economic losses. This research reveals that tillage-induced erosion plays a crucial role in soil loss, which has been significantly underestimated by previous soil survey-based methods. Models used to assess nationwide soil loss trends in the United States do not simulate tillage erosion, highlighting the need for improved erosion prediction and management strategies.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jingyi Huang, Alfred E. Hartemink, Christopher J. Kucharik
Summary: The study highlights the significant impact of soil texture and soil organic carbon concentration on crop yield responses to precipitation and temperature changes. Different soil textures showed varying levels of sensitivity to weather parameters, with coarse-textured soils being most responsive. Increasing soil organic carbon concentration and implementing irrigation and optimal groundwater depth were found to enhance crop resilience to climate variations. It is essential to consider soil characteristics in agricultural and ecosystem modeling to accurately predict crop yield responses to climate changes.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jan Polcyn, Alexandru Stratan, Viorica Lopotenco
Summary: This study examines the correlation between sustainable agriculture and quality of life, using a composite index. The results reveal a strong connection between sustainable agriculture and quality of life, as well as a significant interdependence between GDP per capita and sustainable agriculture.
Article
Soil Science
Wang Zhou, Kaiyu Guan, Bin Peng, Andrew Margenot, DoKyoung Lee, Jinyun Tang, Zhenong Jin, Robert Grant, Evan DeLucia, Ziqi Qin, Michelle M. Wander, Sheng Wang
Summary: Cropland carbon budget and soil carbon credit calculation are crucial for evaluating climate change mitigation potential in agroecosystems. The accuracy of these calculations depends on soil and climatic conditions, particularly the initial soil organic carbon stock. However, there are uncertainties in SOC stock datasets, resulting in discrepancies in carbon budget calculations. This study assesses the impacts of SOC stock uncertainty using a process-based agroecosystem model and finds that initial SOC% has a greater impact on carbon budget components than bulk density. The uncertainty of soil carbon credits is smaller compared to absolute carbon budgets, indicating that publicly available soil datasets are suitable for calculating soil carbon credits.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chonghua Xu, Xia Xu, Chenghui Ju, Han Y. H. Chen, Brian J. Wilsey, Yiqi Luo, Wei Fan
Summary: The study found that nitrogen addition significantly increased global SOC content, with the increase amplified over time in both organic and mineral soil layers. The increase mainly resulted from enhanced plant carbon input to soils coupled with reduced carbon loss from decomposition.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Kang Liang, Junyu Qi, Xuesong Zhang, Jia Deng
Summary: Accurate quantification of soil organic carbon (SOC) change is crucial for effective agricultural practices. This study modified the SOC algorithms in the SWAT-C model and applied it to simulate SOC dynamics in the U.S. Corn Belt. The results showed that model simulation results are sensitive to the choice of methods and identified the best combination of methods. Further analysis demonstrated that the model captured SOC dynamics well under different conditions. As an open-source model, SWAT-C contributes to carbon assessment and management in agroecosystems and supports decision making for climate smart agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yan Wang, Fan Wu, Xin Li, Changchao Li, Yongkang Zhao, Yuxue Gao, Jian Liu
Summary: This study explored the effects of plants and microorganisms on nutrient cycling and carbon-nitrogen coupling in constructed wetlands. Results indicated that plants have a significant influence on soil carbon and nitrogen content, while microbial taxa play a crucial role in regulating soil element cycles. This research has implications for increasing the carbon sink of constructed wetlands and mitigating the effects of global warming.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Matthew E. Craig, Melanie A. Mayes, Benjamin N. Sulman, Anthony P. Walker
Summary: The saturation of mineral-associated SOC may be a result of ecological constraints on microbial biomass, leading to a reduced rate of SOC formation as C inputs increase. Understanding how these ecological factors limit microbial populations will help predict and manage soil C dynamics.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ruth Stephan, Stefano Terzi, Mathilde Erfurt, Silvia Cocuccioni, Kerstin Stahl, Marc Zebisch
Summary: This study aims to understand the vulnerability of agriculture to drought in Europe's pre-Alpine region using a mixed-method approach. Two case studies were conducted, and vulnerability factors were identified by regional experts and combined with quantitative data analyses. Two aggregation methods were implemented, resulting in vulnerability maps that showed higher vulnerability when the factors were weighted by experts' opinions. The study highlights the value of mapping vulnerability using different aggregation methods as a sensitivity analysis.
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert Blasko, Benjamin Forsmark, Michael J. Gundale, Hyungwoo Lim, Tomas Lundmark, Annika Nordin
Summary: Nutrient enrichment can greatly enhance carbon uptake in northern coniferous forests, with the strength of the response depending on baseline forest productivity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shaoying Lin, Weiqi Wang, Tony Vancov, Derrick Yuk Fo Lai, Chun Wang, Martin Wiesmeier, Qiang Jin, Xuyang Liu, Yunying Fang
Summary: Due to intensive cultivation, paddy fields in southeastern China are experiencing varying degrees of degradation and loss of soil organic carbon (SOC), leading to potential threats to the industry's sustainability. This study examined soil nutrients, stoichiometric ratios, and carbon pool management index (CPMI) in degraded paddy fields. The results showed that severe degradation led to significant decreases in concentrations of total nitrogen (N), labile organic carbon (C), total phosphorus (P), and available P, while iron (Fe) and available N tended to increase. The study also found that soil pH, Fe3+, sand, and electrical conductivity significantly influenced soil stoichiometric ratio and nutrients. Overall, paddy degradation resulted in greater loss of soil carbon and nitrogen than phosphorus, highlighting the need for proper agricultural practices and reduced cultivation of exhaustive crops to mitigate further soil degradation and restore soil fertility and carbon sequestration.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhouchang Yu, Wei Zhang, Yushu Liu, Ling Cao, Yongfei Bai, Xiaopin Xin, Yi Zhou, Zhiguo Xie, Tianming Hu, Peizhi Yang
Summary: Establishment of artificial grassland and abandoned farmland are effective measures to increase soil carbon sequestration and mitigate global warming. However, the differences in carbon sequestration efficiency and mechanisms between the two methods at different times and soil depths are still unclear.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Barlin O. Olivares, Juan C. Rey, Guillermo Perichi, Deyanira Lobo
Summary: This study analyzed the relationship between microbial activity and soil physicochemical properties in banana plantations in Venezuela. The results identified the important soil properties associated with banana productivity levels, with free-living nematode predators and nitrate being the most significant variables. The correlation network showed positive relationships between FLN predators and microbial respiration, as well as NO3.
Article
Ecology
Tianqi Zhu, Saman Herath, Paul Newton, Fujiang Hou, Saman Bowatte
Summary: This study found that alpine meadows have the highest soil organic carbon sequestration, with the majority being in physically protected form, while typical steppes and deserts have lower levels of soil organic carbon, mainly in chemically protected forms. Bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia, as well as fungal phyla Zygomycota and Chytridiomycota, were identified as microbial groups significantly related to physical carbon protection and unprotected carbon.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tianbao Ren, Pengfei Fan, Weibiao Zuo, Zhuzhu Liao, Fulei Wang, Yuewei Wei, Xianjie Cai, Guoshun Liu
Summary: The experiment found that applying biochar-based fertilizer through drip irrigation can significantly increase the microbial carbon content, oxidizable carbon content, and soluble organic carbon content in the soil, promoting the photosynthetic effect and dry matter accumulation of tobacco plants.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)