Article
Environmental Sciences
Rahmatullah Hashimi, Nobuhiro Kaneko, Masakazu Komatsuzaki
Summary: No-tillage is a promising practice to improve soil quality and potentially increase crop yield. Meta-analysis of 64 peer-reviewed articles demonstrated that no-tillage significantly increased soil organic carbon content and storage compared to conventional tillage. It also improved soil physical and chemical properties and had slight positive effects on crop yield.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Matthew W. Jordon, Pete Smith
Summary: This article presents a modeling framework to estimate a tillage rate modifier (TRM) for the decomposition rate constants in RothC-26.3, facilitating realistic simulation of soil carbon dynamics following a reduction in tillage intensity and providing a reliable simulation tool for application in other climatic regions.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Florian Thomas Payen, Alasdair Sykes, Matt Aitkenhead, Peter Alexander, Dominic Moran, Michael MacLeod
Summary: The research found that adopting specific practices in vineyards can increase the rate of soil organic carbon sequestration, contributing positively to climate change mitigation.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaotong Liu, Xueping Wu, Guopeng Liang, Fengjun Zheng, Mengni Zhang, Shengping Li
Summary: No-tillage has been shown to have positive impacts on soil aggregation and soil organic carbon, improving soil structure and promoting carbon sequestration. However, the specific responses vary depending on environmental and agronomic factors.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Somasundaram Jayaraman, Meenakshi Sahu, Nishant K. Sinha, Monoranjan Mohanty, Ranjeet S. Chaudhary, Brijesh Yadav, Lalit K. Srivastava, Kuntal M. Hati, Ashok K. Patra, Ram C. Dalal
Summary: Conservation agriculture is a sustainable farming practice that improves soil health. This study found that implementing conservation agriculture on vertisols can increase soil aggregation and SOC, while reducing CO2 emissions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yves N'Dri Bohoussou, Yi-Hong Kou, Wei-Bao Yu, Bai-jian Lin, Ahmad Latif Virk, Xin Zhao, Yash Pal Dang, Hai-Lin Zhang
Summary: Conservation agriculture (CA) is an important strategy for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content. Research shows that CA practices can significantly increase SOC and TN stock compared to conventional practices, particularly in the 0-15 cm soil depth. The use of manure and manure mixed with mineral-N has shown greater potential for SOC sequestration than mineral-N alone. Additionally, cropping systems that include legume residue can decrease the C/N ratio, but adequate mineral-N fertilizer addition may be necessary to improve SOC and TN content.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Robert Crystal-Ornelas, Resham Thapa, Katherine L. Tully
Summary: This meta-analysis investigates the effects of BMPs on soil health within organic farming systems, showing significant improvements in SOC and MBC concentrations. Organic amendments and conservation tillage practices have positive impacts on soil health, while cover cropping can increase SOC concentrations significantly after 5 years.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jinbo Li, Wei Hu, Henry Wai Chau, Mike Beare, Rogerio Cichota, Edmar Teixeira, Tom Moore, Hong Di, Keith Cameron, Jing Guo, Lingying Xu
Summary: No tillage (NT) has been proposed as a practice to reduce contaminant losses to waterways, but the impacts on nitrate (NO3-) leaching are inconsistent. A global meta-analysis found that NT had greater NO-3 leaching losses compared to all forms of tillage combined. The risk of NO3- leaching under NT was influenced by tillage type, soil properties, climate factors, and management practices, with SOC being the most important factor. Long-term NT on high-SOC soils was found to be the most beneficial for reducing NO3- leaching.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Hongxuan Duan, Jia Cheng, Mengqi Han, Hailin Zhang
Summary: The effects of different tillage and residue-returning modes on soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation were assessed in this study. The results showed that no-tillage significantly increased SOC concentration, and the combination of no-tillage and wheat straw returning helped increase SOC concentration and decrease mineralizability.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Naiwen Zhang, Xu Chen, Jing Wang, Hongxin Dong, Xiaozeng Han, Xinchun Lu, Jun Yan, Wenxiu Zou
Summary: A meta-analysis of 666 observations from 91 publications was conducted to examine the effects of different types of soil management on soil organic carbon (SOC) content in the black soil region of northeastern China. The results showed that the type of soil management, including tillage, fertilization, and cropping system, significantly influenced SOC content. Organic fertilizer and organic fertilizer combined with chemical fertilizer increased SOC content, while no fertilization led to a decrease. Conventional and deep tillage increased SOC content, and crop monoculturing and crop rotation had different effects on SOC content. The effect size of SOC content was also correlated with climate factors and soil properties.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Laerke Daverkosen, Alena Holzknecht, Jurgen K. Friedel, Thomas Keller, Bjarne W. Strobel, Annelie Wendeberg, Sabine Jordan
Summary: This study aims to investigate the impact of regenerative management practices on soil health indicators in Gotland, Sweden. The results show that the application of organic matter has a positive effect on soil indicators, while reduced tillage and increased share of perennials have a positive impact on vegetation density and root abundance. Additionally, cluster analysis reveals significant differences in soil indicators among different management types.
JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xia Zhang, Sixu Lu, Chenguang Wang, Afeng Zhang, Xudong Wang
Summary: Balanced fertilization, no-tillage and subsoiling rotation were found to be effective strategies for increasing soil organic carbon stock and labile carbon contents in a wheat-maize cropping system in the Loess Plateau. These practices led to higher soil quality, improved crop yields, and increased carbon pool management index. Among the treatments, the combination of balanced fertilization with no-tillage and subsoiling rotation (BF + NS) showed the highest SOC stock and crop yields, making it the best strategy for enhancing SOC sequestration and improving soil quality in semiarid regions.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Mahbub Ul Islam, Fahui Jiang, Zichun Guo, Shuai Liu, Xinhua Peng
Summary: Inconsistent results have been observed in numerous individual studies evaluating the impact of straw return on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in upland wheat and maize croplands in China using different tillage practices. A meta-analysis of 764 comparisons showed that straw return significantly improved SOC stock in both soil layers, with no-tillage and deep tillage having similar effects on topsoil SOC stock, while deep tillage had a significantly higher impact on subsoil SOC stock. The effects of straw return on SOC stock were also influenced by factors such as climate conditions and soil texture.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ranran Zhou, Yuan Liu, Jennifer A. J. Dungait, Amit Kumar, Jinsong Wang, Lisa K. Tiemann, Fusuo Zhang, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jing Tian
Summary: A meta-analysis of 481 paired measurements from cropland soils showed that cropland management practices significantly influence microbial necromass accumulation and its contribution to soil organic carbon (SOC). Nitrogen fertilization, cover crops, no or reduced tillage, manure, and straw amendment all increased microbial necromass accumulation. The optimal conditions for microbial necromass accumulation and its contribution to SOC sequestration require site-specific management.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Kazumichi Fujii, Risako Mitani, Yoshiyuki Inagaki, Chie Hayakawa, Makoto Shibata, Takashi Kosaki, Miki U. Ueda
Summary: The study showed that continuous maize cultivation accelerates soil organic carbon loss compared to upland rice cultivation. The decomposition rate constant of C3-plant-derived SOM was higher in maize fields than in upland rice fields, while C4-plant-derived SOM decomposed slowly in forest fallows.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Emily A. Hennessy, Rebecca L. Acabchuk, Pieter A. Arnold, Adam G. Dunn, Yong Zhi Foo, Blair T. Johnson, Sonya R. Geange, Neal R. Haddaway, Shinichi Nakagawa, Witness Mapanga, Kerrie Mengersen, Matthew J. Page, Alfredo Sanchez-Tojar, Vivian Welch, Luke A. McGuinness
Summary: It is crucial to robustly synthesize available evidence to inform and improve prevention efforts and policy, yet barriers such as inaccurate terminology and unclear reporting hinder comprehensive evidence synthesis. Practical guidelines and tools are provided to assist prevention scientists in preparing synthesis-ready research, with step-by-step guidance and software suggestions for standardizing data design and public archiving to facilitate synthesis-ready research. Using a recent mindfulness trial as an example, ways to ensure discoverability of primary studies and the presence of necessary data are demonstrated.
PREVENTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Erik Andersson, Wiebren J. Boonstra, Maricela de la Torre Castro, Alice C. Hughes, Ulrik Ilstedt, Arne Jernelov, Bengt-Gunnar Jonsson, Zahra Kalantari, Carina Keskitalo, Emma Kritzberg, Thomas Katterer, Jeffrey A. McNeely, Claudia Mohr, Tero Mustonen, Madelene Ostwald, Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Graciela M. Rusch, Angelina Sanderson Bellamy, Jesper Stage, Michael Tedengren, David N. Thomas, Angela Wulff, Bo Soderstrom
Article
Soil Science
Jumpei Fukumasu, Nick Jarvis, John Koestel, Thomas Katterer, Mats Larsbo
Summary: This study explores the relationship between soil organic carbon (SOC) and pore size distribution (PSD) in arable soil. Using X-ray tomography and soil water retention, we quantified a wide range of PSD. The results show positive correlations between SOC and porosities in the 0.2-720 μm diameter classes. Porosities in the 0.2-5 μm and 480-720 μm diameter classes are more strongly correlated with SOC than clay. These findings have implications for improving estimates of the effects of SOC sequestration on soil water dynamics.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Neal R. Haddaway, Tamara Lotfi, Lawrence Mbuagbaw
Summary: Literature reviews serve various purposes, but confusion over terminology often hinders the selection and naming of appropriate review methods. This study focuses on public health reviews and provides a glossary to guide reviewers in choosing and naming methods, offering methodological guidance and reporting requirements, while ensuring consistent and clear nomenclature.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elisa Bruni, Bertrand Guenet, Hugues Clivot, Thomas Katterer, Manuel Martin, Inigo Virto, Claire Chenu
Summary: This study analyzed the effect of exogenous organic matter (EOM) inputs on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and examined different approaches to calculate quantitative targets proposed by the EU Mission Board for Soil Health and Food. The results showed that the calculation method significantly influenced the estimated additional carbon input required to achieve each target. The quality of carbon input also played a significant role in SOC stock variation.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Neal R. Haddaway, Matthew J. Grainger, Charles T. Gray
Summary: Systematic searching aims to find all relevant research, and citation chasing is a supplementary method to identify studies that may not be retrieved by other search methods. We have developed a free tool for rapid forward and backward citation chasing.
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS METHODS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Thomas Katterer, Dries Roobroeck, Geoffrey Kimutai, Erik Karltun, Gert Nyberg, Cecilia Sundberg, Kristina Roing de Nowina
Summary: Applying biochar to degraded cropland soils in the African tropics has the potential to enhance crop productivity and mitigate climate change. A study conducted in different locations in Kenya demonstrated that locally produced biochar from biomass wastes can improve agricultural production and carbon storage under various pedo-climatic conditions.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Matthew W. Jordon, Kathy J. Willis, Paul-Christian Buerkner, Neal R. Haddaway, Pete Smith, Gillian Petrokofsky
Summary: The study found that reducing tillage intensity and ley-arable rotations can significantly increase SOC concentration, while cover crops have no effect. These practices do not reduce crop yields, but there is no evidence of a win-win relationship between increasing SOC and enhancing agricultural productivity.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Neal R. Haddaway, Alexandra Bannach-Brown, Matthew J. Grainger, W. Kyle Hamilton, Emily A. Hennessy, Ciara Keenan, Chris C. Pritchard, Jana Stojanova
Summary: Rigorous evidence is crucial in all disciplines, but sharing evidence synthesis frameworks and tools among disciplines has been slow. The new virtual conference, ESMARConf, aims to connect evidence synthesis practitioners using R and promote accessibility and equity in the field.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Neal R. Haddaway, Adrienne Smith, Jessica J. Taylor, Christopher Andrews, Steven J. Cooke, Annika E. Nilsson, Pamela Lesser
Summary: Mining has significant impacts on social and environmental systems in Arctic and boreal regions. However, there are knowledge gaps and limitations in the current research evidence on the impacts of metal mining. The majority of studies focus on the operation stage, while early stages and mitigation measures receive relatively less attention. Furthermore, there is a need for more studies that investigate both social and environmental outcomes.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE
(2022)
Article
Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Neal R. R. Haddaway, Melissa L. L. Rethlefsen, Melinda Davies, Julie Glanville, Bethany McGowan, Kate Nyhan, Sarah Young
Summary: Academic searching plays a crucial role in research activities, providing specific information, expanding knowledge, and selecting representative literature. A standardized data structure can facilitate transparent and comprehensive reporting of search histories, thereby improving the quality of evidence syntheses.
CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Axel Don, Felix Seidel, Jens Leifeld, Thomas Katterer, Manuel Martin, Sylvain Pellerin, David Emde, Daria Seitz, Claire Chenu
Summary: Carbon sequestration is the removal of carbon from the atmosphere and storage in soils, which is important for mitigating climate change. However, the term is often used misleadingly, leading to exaggerated expectations. While soils have the potential to absorb carbon, many are experiencing continuous loss, highlighting the need for accurate terminology to distinguish different processes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Niel Verbrigghe, Niki I. W. Leblans, Bjarni D. Sigurdsson, Sara Vicca, Chao Fang, Lucia Fuchslueger, Jennifer L. Soong, James T. Weedon, Christopher Poeplau, Cristina Ariza-Carricondo, Michael Bahn, Bertrand Guenet, Per Gundersen, Gunnhildur E. Gunnarsdottir, Thomas Kaetterer, Zhanfeng Liu, Marja Maljanen, Sara Maranon-Jimenez, Kathiravan Meeran, Edda S. Oddsdottir, Ivika Ostonen, Josep Penuelas, Andreas Richter, Jordi Sardans, Pall Sigurthsson, Margaret S. Torn, Peter M. Van Bodegom, Erik Verbruggen, Tom W. N. Walker, Hakan Wallander, Ivan A. Janssens
Summary: Global warming may lead to carbon transfers from soils to the atmosphere, but the effect on subsoils is uncertain. An experiment in subarctic grasslands showed that soil organic carbon stocks decline with warming, with most reduction occurring within the first 5 years. Continued warming no longer reduced carbon stocks. The loss of carbon was mainly observed in the topsoil, while the subsoil showed conservation of carbon stocks. These depth-dependent warming responses highlight the importance of vertical resolution in accurately predicting future soil organic carbon stocks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kajsa Henryson, Katharina H. E. Meurer, Martin A. Bolinder, Thomas Katterer, Pernilla Tidaker
Summary: This study used data from a Swedish soil monitoring program and farm census to analyze the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations and stocks on dairy farms compared with other farm types. The results showed that small changes in SOC can have a significant impact on the climate footprint of milk.
Article
Environmental Studies
Ilaria Piccoli, Till Seehusen, Jenny Bussell, Olga Vizitu, Irina Calciu, Antonio Berti, Gunnar Borjesson, Holger Kirchmann, Thomas Katterer, Felice Sartori, Chris Stoate, Felicity Crotty, Ioanna S. Panagea, Abdallah Alaoui, Martin A. Bolinder
Summary: Soil compaction is a major threat to agriculture in Europe, affecting various ecosystem functions. Short-term case studies conducted in different locations within the SoilCare project showed that soil-improving cropping systems (SICSs) have promising potential in mitigating soil compaction. However, the effects of SICSs on yields were generally small, and there were difficulties in implementing these systems. Further refinement and evaluation of SICSs under different pedoclimatic conditions are needed.