Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert Nasi
Summary: The cultivation of oil palm is a permanent practice, but a five-year study shows that incorporating native trees into the monoculture can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without significantly reducing crop yields. The presence of native trees benefits the plantation ecosystem while maintaining crop productivity.
Article
Forestry
Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Izereen Mukri, Ruzana Sanusi, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The suitability of different agricultural land-use types for supporting bird biodiversity was investigated in Peninsular Malaysia. The study found that agroforestry orchards have greater bird species richness and abundance compared to oil palm and rubber tree plantations. The findings suggest that incorporating diverse native fruit trees into large-scale monoculture plantations could improve bird conservation and ecosystem services.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mohamad Ashraf, Tetsuro Hosaka, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Ruzana Sanusi, Kamil A. Tohiran, Raja Zulkifli, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Oil palms extensively planted in tropical countries have led to a decline in biodiversity. Alley-cropping, a practice that involves planting crops between oil palms, has been found to support greater diversity of terrestrial arthropods compared to monoculture plantations. This study aimed to identify the environmental factors that influence arthropod abundance and richness in these two systems. The presence of alley-cropping was found to be the only factor that positively affected arthropod abundance and order richness. However, the study also suggests that incorporating multiple secondary crops in alley-cropping may be necessary to conserve forest specialist species.
Article
Forestry
Laura Somenguem Donfack, Alexander Roell, Florian Ellsaesser, Martin Ehbrecht, Bambang Irawan, Dirk Hoelscher, Alexander Knohl, Holger Kreft, Eduard J. Siahaan, Leti Sundawati, Christian Stiegler, Delphine Clara Zemp
Summary: Agroforestry options, such as mixed-species tree planting and natural regeneration, may help alleviate the negative impact of forest loss on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in oil palm plantations. The study found that tree species diversity did not have a significant impact on microclimate and land surface temperatures (LST), but humidity was higher in planted tree islands compared to areas with natural regeneration.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Delphine Clara Zemp, Nathaly Guerrero-Ramirez, Fabian Brambach, Kevin Darras, Ingo Grass, Anton Potapov, Alexander Roell, Isabelle Arimond, Johannes Ballauff, Hermann Behling, Dirk Berkelmann, Siria Biagioni, Damayanti Buchori, Dylan Craven, Rolf Daniel, Oliver Gailing, Florian Ellsaesser, Riko Fardiansah, Nina Hennings, Bambang Irawan, Watit Khokthong, Valentyna Krashevska, Alena Krause, Johanna Kueckes, Kevin Li, Hendrik Lorenz, Mark Maraun, Miryam Sarah Merk, Carina C. M. Moura, Yeni A. Mulyani, Gustavo B. Paterno, Herni Dwinta Pebrianti, Andrea Polle, Di Ajeng Prameswari, Lena Sachsenmaier, Stefan Scheu, Dominik Schneider, Fitta Setiajiati, Christina Ani Setyaningsih, Leti Sundawati, Teja Tscharntke, Meike Wollni, Dirk Hoelscher, Holger Kreft
Summary: There are still knowledge gaps in how to increase biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in cash crop-dominated tropical landscapes in the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This study presents findings from a 5-year ecosystem restoration experiment in an oil palm landscape enriched with 52 tree islands, showing higher indicators of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in tree islands compared to conventionally managed oil palm. Enriching oil palm-dominated landscapes with tree islands is a promising ecological restoration strategy that does not decrease oil palm yield.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jake E. Bicknell, Jesse R. O'Hanley, Paul R. Armsworth, Eleanor M. Slade, Nicolas J. Deere, Simon L. Mitchell, David Hemprich-Bennett, Victoria Kemp, Stephen J. Rossiter, Owen T. Lewis, David A. Coomes, Agnes L. Agama, Glen Reynolds, Matthew J. Struebig, Zoe G. Davies
Summary: Agricultural expansion is the main factor leading to ecological degradation in the tropics. This study shows that targeted set-asides, especially alongside rivers, can increase biodiversity and ecosystem services without reducing the net cultivated area.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Kevin Li, Ingo Grass, Tien-Yi Fung, Riko Fardiansah, Marko Rohlfs, Damayanti Buchori, Teja Tscharntke
Summary: Natural habitats have a significant impact on pollination services and ecological spillover in oil palm farming. In this study, we found that insect pollination is necessary for favorable fruit set and yield in oil palm. Moreover, oil palms closer to the forest showed higher fruit set when large organisms were excluded, indicating the importance of interactions between pollinators, forest predators, and farm mesopredators.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Benjamin M. Marshall, Colin T. Strine, Caroline S. Fukushima, Pedro Cardoso, Michael C. Orr, Alice C. Hughes
Summary: Trade in arachnids involves millions of individuals, with over 70% coming from the wild. While the impacts of trade in some species are well-known, others, such as invertebrates, are often overlooked. Better data and conservation status assessments are needed for sustainable trade.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zulkifli Nursyamin, Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Nurul Wahida Othman, Alex M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Oil palm certification schemes like RSPO fail to consider the full range of biodiversity indicators, including common farmland birds found in plantations. This study identifies potential indicator bird species for assessing the environmental sustainability of oil palm cultivation, regardless of farming systems or practices. The study developed candidate lists of indicator bird species for four sub-regions in Southeast Asia based on previous studies and validated them through surveys in Peninsular Malaysia. Results showed that oil palm agro-ecosystems predominantly supported common farmland birds and rarely had conservation priority species. These bird species provide ecosystem services and are sensitive to habitat disturbances, making them suitable indicators for oil palm certification criteria.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Juan P. Monzon, Maja A. Slingerland, Suroso Rahutomo, Fahmuddin Agus, Thomas Oberthur, Jose F. Andrade, Antoine Couedel, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Willem Hekman, Rob van den Beuken, Fandi Hidayat, Iput Pradiko, Dwi K. G. Purwantomo, Christopher R. Donough, Hendra Sugianto, Ya Li Lim, Thomas Farrell, Patricio Grassini
Summary: Oil palm production in Indonesia has significantly expanded through conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural land. This study highlights the large yield gaps between large and smallholder farms, indicating that improved management practices could increase production while protecting fragile ecosystems. This research emphasizes the importance of intensifying existing plantations and limiting expansion to save forests and peatlands, and reduce carbon emissions.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Anjaharinony A. N. A. Rakotomalala, Anoush M. Ficiciyan, Teja Tscharntke
Summary: Agricultural land use has a significant impact on biodiversity decline globally, but adopting sustainable farming practices like intercropping can help restore or maintain biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. A systematic review and meta-analysis of data from 18 countries and 63 articles found that intercropping significantly increased the overall abundance, density, and species richness of beneficial arthropods compared to monoculture. Intercropping also reduced the abundance and density of arthropod pests, while their species richness remained unaffected. Different crop combinations and spatial arrangements of intercropping had varying effects on beneficial arthropods and pest control.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Da-Yeong Lee, Dae-Seong Lee, Soon-Jin Hwang, Kyung-Lak Lee, Young-Seuk Park
Summary: The study assessed the distribution patterns and environmental characteristics of plecopteran assemblages in South Korean streams. The results showed that plecopteran species were diverse and abundant, preferring cold and undisturbed running water on rocky substrates near mountain forests. However, their habitat preferences varied depending on the species, with different sensitivities and responses to temperature and hydrological flow conditions. The majority of plecopteran species in South Korea are vulnerable and endangered.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Michael D. Pashkevich, Dakota M. Spear, Andreas Dwi Advento, Jean-Pierre Caliman, William A. Foster, Sarah H. Luke, Mohammad Naim, Sudharto Ps, Jake L. Snaddon, Edgar C. Turner
Summary: Conversion of natural habitats to oil palm agriculture has negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Protecting natural habitats and implementing environmentally friendly management strategies can help enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in oil palm plantations. However, the study found that different understory vegetation management practices did not significantly affect spider biodiversity and pest management services in mature oil palm plantations. More extreme changes in management may be required to promote spider biodiversity in the long term.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michael D. Pashkevich, Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan, Sarah H. Luke, Nadine Duperre, Helen S. Waters, Jean-Pierre Caliman, Mohammad Naim, Edgar C. Turner
Summary: The study found that total arthropod abundance is resilient to replanting of oil palm, but replanting changes total arthropod and spider community composition, and decreases spider abundance and species richness in some microhabitats. This could impact ecosystem processes, such as pest control, in second-generation oil palm plantations, with potential implications for yield. Additional studies focusing on other taxonomic groups and individual replanting strategies are needed to fully determine the long-term ecological impacts of replanting on existing oil palm plantations.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cassandra Shruti Sundaraja, Donald W. Hine, Amy D. Lykins
Summary: The study found that main predictors of Australian consumers’ intentional purchasing of sustainable palm oil products include positive green consumption attitudes, demotivating beliefs, knowledge and awareness, and perceived product availability. These factors explained 50% of the variability in sustainable palm oil purchasing behavior, with knowledge and awareness accounting for 18% of the unique variance.
Article
Agronomy
Nurul Kamaliah, Sabiha Salim, Sumaiyah Abdullah, Frisco Nobilly, Sapari Mat, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Raja Zulkifli, Alex M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The study found that factors such as bed humidity, bed temperature, harvesting week, harvesting month, and replication significantly affected the production of V. volvacea, while bed pH and orientation did not have an impact. Variations in temperature and humidity, especially during incubation, were found to be crucial for mycelial growth and fruiting body development, affecting mushroom production. Further research is needed to explore the potential of cultivating V. volvacea in different tropical agroforestry settings and its ability to contribute to climate change mitigation and circular economy by recycling oil palm wastes.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Valery C. Dombrovski, Dzmitry Zhurauliou, Adham Ashton-Butt
Summary: The study analyzed the changes in raptor species composition in the Belarusian CEZ over a 22-year period, showing a decline in generalist and farmland-associated mesopredators and an increase in wetland specialists, including two species locally extinct before the accident. This research provides evidence that rewilding can effectively restore species and species interactions in near-natural habitats, without the need for predefined restoration goals and continued management.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Amelia S. C. Hood, Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan, Andreas D. Advento, Wahyu R. Suberkah, Adham Ashton-Butt, Sudharto Ps, Jean-Pierre Caliman, Mohammad Naim, William A. Foster, Edgar C. Turner
Summary: This study developed a small-scale, whole-ecosystem method for suppressing ants in oil palm plantations. The suppression method significantly reduced ant abundance and had impacts on other taxa. Baiting alone was not sufficient to assess suppression effectiveness and testing a range of taxa for confounding impacts is important.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Izereen Mukri, Ruzana Sanusi, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The suitability of different agricultural land-use types for supporting bird biodiversity was investigated in Peninsular Malaysia. The study found that agroforestry orchards have greater bird species richness and abundance compared to oil palm and rubber tree plantations. The findings suggest that incorporating diverse native fruit trees into large-scale monoculture plantations could improve bird conservation and ecosystem services.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Frisco Nobilly, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Shokri Jusoh, Grace S. Cun, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Raja Zulkifli, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Overuse of herbicides destroys understory vegetation, while ecological grazing is believed to be an environmentally friendly alternative. However, little is known about the effects of different grazing practices on oil palm understory vegetation. This study investigated the impact of three weed management practices on vegetation species richness, composition, and structure, and found that rotational grazing had significant effects on plant species and structure.
WEED BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Muhammad Hazwan, Liza D. Samantha, Sze Ling Tee, Norizah Kamarudin, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Alex M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Forest fragmentation caused by rapid urbanization, logging, and agricultural expansion negatively affects native wildlife populations in the tropics. This study examines the impact of landscape and habitat characteristics on the detection of the lesser mouse-deer species in Peninsular Malaysia. The results show that forest fragmentation, habitat type, and various factors significantly influence the detection of the Tragulus kanchil populations.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Siti Wahdaniyah, Ku Noor Khalidah, Nabilah Hamidah Sabar, Norizah Kamarudin, Ruzana Sanusi, Norhisham Ahmad Razi, Alex M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The rapid conversion of highland forests into agricultural areas has led to deforestation in Peninsular Malaysia. This study investigated the impact of reforestation on wild mammal populations in the region, finding that the planting of native tree species in degraded highland areas could help reverse the decline of mammal communities. The study also identified several habitat variables that influenced mammal detections in the reforested areas.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Daniel Wade, Adham Ashton-Butt, Graham Scott, Scott M. Reid, Vivien Coward, Rowena D. E. Hansen, Ashley C. Banyard, Alastair I. Ward
Summary: Avian influenza is a significant disease in the UK, and detecting it early in wild birds can help protect the national poultry flock.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Frisco Nobilly, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Shokri Jusoh, Thomas M. R. Maxwell, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Raja Zulkifli, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The heavy reliance on agrochemicals in conventional oil palm production has resulted in severe environmental impacts and decline in native biodiversity and ecosystem services. Integrating livestock into oil palm plantations provides a chemical-free approach for weed control without negative consequences on the environment. Our experiment showed consistent predation pressures across different weeding systems, indicating that livestock-oil palm integrated plantations can provide similar pest control services as conventional herbicide-sprayed plantations. Site-level habitat variables also influenced predation pressures. These findings suggest that livestock-oil palm integration can sustain natural predation with minimal or no herbicide input.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Izereen Mukri, Aslinda Oon, Ainil Hawa, Ruzana Sanusi, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Alex M. M. Lechner, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Expanding industrial modern agriculture in tropical regions leads to irreversible biodiversity loss. However, the establishment of agroforestry orchards as a part of a conservation set-aside programme may aid biodiversity by providing a wider range of ecological niches, supporting more diverse bird fauna within industrial monoculture plantations.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Wan Mamat Wan Zaki, Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Ruzana Sanusi, Peter J. van der Meer, Badrul Azhar
Summary: Large-scale deforestation in the tropics has a negative impact on biodiversity. This study measured the diversity of butterfly species in three agricultural landscapes and found that agroforestry orchards supported the highest number of butterfly species. Factors such as tree height, undergrowth coverage, and elevation influenced butterfly diversity. Management practices, such as ground vegetation management and retaining adjacent forest areas, should be considered to enhance butterfly species richness in agricultural landscapes.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nuradilah Denan, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Ruzana Sanusi, Jake Stone, Badrul Azhar
Summary: This study found that mammals are the most effective predators of pest insects in the understory of oil palm plantations, followed by arthropods and birds. Arthropod predation is more frequent at edge locations, in abandoned habitats, and in elevated areas. Mammal predation increases with understory coverage and decreases with increasing elevation. Overall, predation pressure is higher at the edge of plantations and positively correlates with an increase in understory vegetation coverage. Enhancing undergrowth coverage and maximizing edge habitats can boost the effectiveness of natural predators in oil palm plantations.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maire Kirkland, Philip W. Atkinson, James W. Pearce-Higgins, Mark C. de Jong, Thomas P. F. Dowling, Dmitri Grummo, Megan Critchley, Adham Ashton-Butt
Summary: Climate change has led to increased frequency of fires, causing significant impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, carbon storage, human health, economies, and society. By studying the Polesia region in Ukraine and Belarus, we have identified the prevalence and size of fires in this area, and found that natural and semi-natural land cover types are most affected by fires.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Badrul Azhar, Kamil Azmi Tohiran, Frisco Nobilly, Raja Zulkifli, Muhammad Izzuddin Syakir, Zulkifli Ishak, Norhisham Razi, Aqilah Oon, Ahmad Shahdan, Thomas M. R. Maxwell
Summary: The integration of oil palm cultivation with livestock farming as a silvopastoral agroforestry practice has the potential to promote sustainable palm oil production by providing multiple environmental and socio-economic benefits, including carbon sequestration, soil restoration, biodiversity improvement, reduced inputs, and increased food security. Oil palm-livestock integration is a strategy by the palm oil industry to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals, likely delivering nine of the seventeen SDGs.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Muhamad Ishak, Ahmad R. Norhisham, Stephen M. Thomas, Siti Nurhidayu, Amal Ghazali, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The study found that small-scale oil palm agriculture affects river water quality and aquatic biodiversity, with dragonflies being sensitive indicators of ecosystem health. The presence of dissolved oxygen, water temperature, and vegetation cover positively influenced dragonfly species richness, while water level, pH, and total dissolved solids had a negative impact. Management practices should focus on reducing chemical pesticide and fertilizer use to improve conservation value of oil palm waterways for dragonflies and aquatic fauna in general.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
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)
