Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Liujun Xiao, Guocheng Wang, Mingming Wang, Shuai Zhang, Carlos A. Sierra, Xiaowei Guo, Jinfeng Chang, Zhou Shi, Zhongkui Luo
Summary: This study quantifies the age of carbon atoms in soil carbon efflux and compares it with the age of carbon retained in corresponding soil layers. It reveals that younger carbon dominates soil carbon efflux and that older carbon dominates only under specific conditions. The study also highlights the spatial variability of the contribution of different age groups to carbon efflux and the importance of upper soil layers for long-term carbon storage.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tristan J. Douglas, Goetz Schuerholz, S. Kim Juniper
Summary: Vegetated coastal ecosystems play a crucial role in long-term carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission reduction. The study in Cowichan Estuary showed that salt marshes are the most important carbon reservoir, while eelgrass meadows also have high carbon accumulation rates. However, industrial activity has a potential impact on the carbon storage capacity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Neha Begill, Axel Don, Christopher Poeplau
Summary: Soil organic carbon sequestration is a promising method for mitigating climate change, and the formation of mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) plays a crucial role. Previous studies have suggested that the ability of soils to accumulate MAOC is limited by the amount of clay and silt particles. However, our analysis of soil samples from different land uses found that there was no detectable upper limit of MAOC content, challenging the notion that soil texture is the main limiting factor. Additionally, we observed a negative correlation between C content in the fine fraction and fine fraction content, further questioning the existing understanding of MAOC accumulation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhengjun Yan, Jie Zhou, Lei Yang, Anna Gunina, Yadong Yang, Leanne Peixoto, Zhaohai Zeng, Huadong Zang, Yakov Kuzyakov
Summary: Understanding the sequestration of carbon and nitrogen in diversified cropping systems is crucial for soil health management. A field experiment comparing three cropping systems found that diversified systems increased soil aggregation and stability, leading to higher carbon and nitrogen stocks. Different fractionation methods were used to evaluate soil aggregates, and it was determined that a combination of dry and optimal-moisture sieving is the preferred method to assess aggregate stability.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Yuan Li, Chuancheng Fu, Lin Zeng, Qian Zhou, Haibo Zhang, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo
Summary: This study found that different land-use types and soil properties influence the storage, stabilization mechanisms, and sources of organic carbon (OC) in topsoil and subsoil. The transition from wetland to farmland affects the accumulation of OC, and different soil layers exhibit distinct distributions and stabilization mechanisms of OC. The red clay layer in the subsoil is capable of stabilizing both fresh and aged OC, contributing to the stratification of OC in the soil profile.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elaine Mitchell, Clemens Scheer, David Rowlings, Francesca Cotrufo, Richard T. Conant, Peter Grace
Summary: Over 10% of Australia's grasslands are considered degraded, leading to interest in managing these ecosystems to increase soil carbon sequestration. Climate is a key factor affecting residue mass loss and the formation of particulate organic matter and mineral-associated organic matter, highlighting the need for targeted grassland restoration methods.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Margaret Capooci, Rodrigo Vargas
Summary: This study investigated the patterns and drivers of soil CO2 efflux in temperate tidal marshes, finding that soil CO2 efflux is influenced by factors such as air temperature. There were large discrepancies between manual and automated soil CO2 efflux measurements. New technical approaches are needed to accurately estimate the carbon balance in wetland ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
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
Environmental Sciences
Shane W. Stoner, Alison M. Hoyt, Susan Trumbore, Carlos A. Sierra, Marion Schrumpf, Sebastian Doetterl, W. Troy Baisden, Louis A. Schipper
Summary: The study found that long-term phosphorus fertilizer and irrigation treatments can increase carbon storage in grasslands, with increased decomposition rates in fast cycling carbon to offset input increases. Increasing phosphorus fertilization also led to increased decomposition rates in the slow pool.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Megan de Jager, Frank Schroeter, Michael Wark, Luise Giani
Summary: This study investigated the potential of hydrochars produced at different temperatures for carbon sequestration in soils. The results showed that hydrochars produced at higher temperatures had lower stability and led to a loss of organic carbon in the soil. Hydrochars primarily associated with particulate organic matter and organic matter bound to clays, and the impact of temperature on hydrochar decomposition was minimal.
Article
Ecology
Christopher Craft
Summary: Restoration of tidal marshes has shown positive effects on vertical accretion, organic carbon sequestration, and nitrogen burial. This study compared a natural tidal salt marsh with a hydrologically restored salt marsh in Sapelo Island, Georgia, and found that the restored marsh had higher rates of accretion, carbon sequestration, and nitrogen burial. The restored marsh has been able to compensate for subsidence caused by dike construction, and current sea level rise and accretion rates support the ecosystem functions. However, the ability of the marshes to sequester carbon and bury nitrogen may be challenged with accelerated sea level rise.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Livia Urbanski, Karsten Kalbitz, Janet Rethemeyer, Peter Schad, Ingrid Koegel-Knabner
Summary: This study focuses on the high organic carbon accumulation in sandy agricultural soils, specifically Plaggic Anthrosols, and finds that these soils have similar levels of OC concentration, radiocarbon ages, and organic matter composition compared to reference soils. It also reveals that a significant portion of soil OC is contained within the <=20 μm fraction, despite its low mass proportion. These findings indicate the presence of specific processes for organic matter accumulation in sandy agricultural soils.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Gao, Jiquan Chen, Neil Saintilan, Bin Zhao, Zutao Ouyang, Tingting Zhang, Haiqiang Guo, Yingying Hao, Feng Zhao, Jianyi Liu, Sikai Wang, Ping Zhuang
Summary: This study investigates the lateral hydrological carbon flux for an estuarine marsh over the course of a year. The results show a significant correlation between imported and exported dissolved organic carbon and dissolved inorganic carbon, but not for particulate organic carbon. The marsh appears to be a net exporter of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved inorganic carbon, but a net sink of particulate organic carbon. The findings highlight the importance of lateral hydrological inflows/outflows in wetland carbon budgets, especially in the meta-ecosystem framework.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Paul L. Mudge, Jamie Millar, Jack Pronger, Alesha Roulston, Veronica Penny, Scott Fraser, Andre Eger, Thomas Caspari, Balin Robertson, Norman W. H. Mason, Louis A. Schipper
Summary: The study found that irrigation in New Zealand significantly reduced soil carbon and nitrogen stocks, with greater losses observed at greater durations of irrigation and lower aridity levels. The impact of irrigation on soil C and N was negatively related to aridity, with increasingly significant carbon losses observed at sites with higher precipitation levels. The results suggest that a new equilibrium may be reached with lower carbon stocks in irrigated grasslands compared to unirrigated grasslands.
Article
Soil Science
Nicolas L. Breil, Thierry Lamaze, Vincent Bustillo, Claire-Emmanuelle Marcato-Romain, Benoit Coudert, Solen Queguiner, Nathalie Jarosz-Pelle
Summary: The aim of this study was to understand the impact of the combination of no-till and cover cropping on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil respiration. The results showed that for soils with high initial SOC contents, there was no significant difference in SOC and respiration between the conservation practices and conventional practices. However, for soils with low initial SOC contents, the conservation practices significantly increased SOC and respiration.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianlin Zhao, Zhengang Wang, Yifan Dong, Zhiqiang Yang, Gerard Govers
Summary: The study found that land use in China significantly affects soil loss and runoff, with lower rates on land covered by grass and trees compared to cropland. Slope gradient and slope length impact soil loss and runoff rates on cropland, while having no significant effect on plots with permanent vegetation cover. Runoff rates consistently increase with mean annual precipitation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Nils Broothaerts, Vao Fenotiana Razanamahandry, Liesa Brosens, Benjamin Campforts, Liesbet Jacobs, Tantely Razafimbelo, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, Gert Verstraeten, Steven Bouillon, Gerard Govers
Summary: Madagascar has high erosion rates in its central highlands, and the role of human disturbance versus natural processes is still debatable. However, there is a lack of quantitative data to understand the vegetation dynamics and sediment fluxes in Madagascar over time. This study focuses on the Lake Alaotra region to investigate vegetation changes and sediment transfers over the past millennia, specifically looking at the impact of human disturbances and natural processes. The findings suggest that human activities have indirectly influenced vegetation shifts, while there is strong evidence of direct human disturbance on sediment accumulation through increased use of grasslands.
Article
Agronomy
Mieke Verbeeck, Eva Houben, Pieterjan De Bauw, Tovohery Rakotoson, Roel Merckx, Erik Smolders
Summary: Rainfed rice in sub-Saharan Africa faces the challenges of drought and phosphorus deficiency. This study examined the response of different rice genotypes to variable water stress under conditions of phosphorus deficiency. The results showed that the effects of phosphorus supply on shoot weight were greater than the effects of water supply. Reduced water supply did not enhance phosphorus stress, and the stress response varied among genotypes. Root biomass production and root efficiency were found to be important factors in combating the combined stresses of water and phosphorus. The study confirmed the superior performance of the genotypes Chhomrong Dhan and FOFIFA 172 found in the field.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jonas Van Laere, Annemie Willemen, Pieterjan De Bauw, Rebecca Hood-Nowotny, Roel Merckx, Gerd Dercon
Summary: This study used C-13-CO2 labeling to elucidate the carbon allocation mechanisms of cassava under drought stress and with potassium application. The results showed that water deficit decreased transpiration and increased carbon respiration, while potassium application increased assimilate distribution to the roots. The youngest and fully expanded leaves contained the highest amount of C-13 excess.
RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Bello Muhammad Shehu, Ismail Ibrahim Garba, Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin, Alpha Yaya Kamara, Adam Muhammad Adam, Peter Craufurd, Kamaluddin Tijjani Aliyu, Jairos Rurinda, Roel Merckx
Summary: This study evaluates nutrient limitations and imbalances in maize cultivation in Nigeria, and suggests considering additional nutrients (S, Ca, Cu, and B) to improve nutrient balance and yield. Linear regression and bootstrap forest machine learning models accurately predict maize yield based on nutrient concentration in ear leaves.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhengang Wang, Yizhe Zhang, Gerard Govers, Guoping Tang, Timothy A. Quine, Jianxiu Qiu, Ana Navas, Haiyan Fang, Qian Tan, Kristof Van Oost
Summary: Erosion and soil organic carbon (SOC) are influenced by climate, and the extent to which temperature controls the interaction between them is unclear. Using Cs-137 and SOC inventories from catchments with different climates, the study finds that increasing decomposition rates with temperature lead to efficient replacement of SOC lost by erosion in eroding areas, but lower preservation of deposited SOC in depositional areas. At the landscape level, the erosion-induced C sink strength per unit lateral SOC flux increases with temperature. The study estimates that the global C sink induced by water erosion on croplands increases by 7% due to climate change.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Jean-Philippe Belliard, Olivier Gourgue, Gerard Govers, Matthew L. Kirwan, Stijn Temmerman
Summary: The adaptability of coastal wetlands to relative sea level rise is influenced by the tidal pattern, with less frequent diurnal tides leading to higher vulnerability. This overlooked driver highlights the need for further research on the impact of tidal patterns on wetland ecosystems.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Liesa Brosens, Ronadh Cox, Benjamin Campforts, Liesbet Jacobs, Veerle Vanacker, Paul Bierman, Vao Fenotiana Razanamahandry, Amos Fety Michel Rakotondrazafy, Tantely Razafimbelo, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, Gerard Govers
Summary: Cosmogenic nuclide analysis of river sediment in Madagascar reveals low and spatially variable Be-10-inferred erosion rates, with elevation as the main controlling factor. River concavity, seismic events, and gully densities also contribute to regional differences in erosion rates. These findings highlight the limitations of simple topography-based models and emphasize the importance of considering different regions and environmental controls in interpreting erosion rates inferred from Be-10 concentrations.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
D. R. Birindwa, J. Van Laere, W. Munyahali, P. De Bauw, G. Dercon, K. Kintche, R. Merckx
Summary: Cassava productivity in DRC is being constrained by climate disturbances, leading farmers to adjust planting periods to optimize rainfall. A field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of varying planting time on cassava growth parameters, with and without potassium nutrients, in two different sites. Results showed that earlier planting resulted in higher yields and growth parameters, and the addition of potassium increased storage root yield. However, the study did not prove that potassium application could mitigate climate change' s negative effect on cassava productivity.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mathilde Vantyghem, Eline Beelen, Rebecca Hood-Nowotny, Roel Merckx, Gerd Dercon
Summary: Banana plants consist of mother plants and suckers, with the suckers receiving photo-assimilates from the mother plant. Drought stress reduces the allocation of photo-assimilates to suckers and increases carbon demand. The presence of a sucker and drought stress both lead to increased storage of carbon in the corm, but when combined, there is insufficient assimilates available and reduced investment in long-term storage and sucker growth.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Akida I. Meya, Rony Swennen, Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Kelvin M. Mtei, Roel Merckx
Summary: Declining land productivity due to inadequate soil nutrient replenishment is a major issue in banana production in Tanzania. Mixing organic fertilizer resources with inorganic fertilizer resources can increase land productivity and improve profitability. The use of cattle manure combined with mineral fertilizer provides the highest average banana fruit yield and reduces costs.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Koen De Vos, Charlotte Janssens, Liesbet Jacobs, Benjamin Campforts, Esther Boere, Marta Kozicka, Petr Havlik, Christian Folberth, Juraj Balkovic, Miet Maertens, Gerard Govers
Summary: African rice production is affected by high variability in yields and uncertain supply chains. This study proposes a framework to assess the future impacts of socio-economic development and climate change on rice availability and stability in Africa. The study highlights the importance of both local and trade-related climatic variabilities in identifying future challenges.
Article
Ecology
Akida I. Meya, Rony Swennen, Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Kelvin M. Mtei, Roel Merckx
Summary: Maize stover from dry lowland areas provides additional fodder for dairy cattle in humid highland areas, while the resulting manure is used to manage soil fertility in banana-based agroforestry gardens. Inadequate nutrient inputs were found in most maize fields, highlighting the need for improved soil fertility management and optimized plant density. The study suggests the urgent development of maize-based agroforestry systems for drier lowland conditions and calls for further research on nutrient flows between maize and banana-based agroecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Koen De Vos, Benjamin Campforts, Laurent Tits, Kristof Van Tricht, Kasper Bonte, Gerard Govers, Liesbet Jacobs
Summary: Assessing rice production potential in Madagascar is important due to population growth and rice consumption. Remote sensing and crowdsourced data can be used to improve mapping, but their usefulness depends on representativeness and the application context. Establishing a multi-faceted evaluation framework is necessary for credible maps using crowdsourcing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2023)
