Article
Environmental Sciences
Rocco Labadessa, Leonardo Ancillotto, Maria Patrizia Adamo, Luigi Forte, Saverio Vicario, Luciana Zollo, Cristina Tarantino
Summary: European semi-natural dry grasslands, recognized as habitats of community interest, are endangered due to a combination of anthropogenic and natural factors. This study investigates the role of time since cultivation abandonment in grassland successional dynamics in the Mediterranean agropastoral system of Alta Murgia, southern Italy. The results show that the distribution of semi-natural grassland communities depends on both land use history and current environmental patterns. Xero-thermic communities represent an intermediate stage of grassland succession after cultivation abandonment, while more mesic perennial communities indicate a late successional stage. Mesoclimatic conditions associated with slope and aspect further modulate these successional dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nelleke H. Buitendijk, Monique de Jager, Menno Hornman, Helmut Kruckenberg, Andrea Koelzsch, Sander Moonen, Bart A. Nolet
Summary: Conflict between geese and agriculture has increased in recent decades. Management practices to limit this conflict include concentrating geese in protected areas, derogation shooting or population reduction. However, decreasing herbivore abundance may not directly lead to decreased yield loss, and management tools should be used with care. Concentrating geese in refuges could help alleviate farmer-goose conflict, but further studies are needed.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Julia Gomez-Catasus, Margarita Reverter, Daniel Bustillo-de la Rosa, Adrian Barrero, Cristian Perez-Granados, Julia Zurdo, Juan Traba
Summary: Open semi-natural ecosystems have been affected by anthropogenic land-use, with the abandonment or intensification of activities causing detrimental landscape alterations. This study focuses on the impact of sheep grazing on arthropod biomass and space use by insectivorous birds, finding that intermediate levels of grazing lead to the highest biomass of different arthropod groups. Short-term grazing affects arthropod biomass, while long-term grazing influences vegetation structure and determines bird territory establishment. The results highlight the importance of sustained moderate grazing in conserving steppe biodiversity.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Maria Paz Errea, Melani Cortijos-Lopez, Manel Llena, Estela Nadal-Romero, Javier Zabalza-Martinez, Teodoro Lasanta
Summary: Since the mid-20th century, the Mediterranean mountains have witnessed the revegetation of former pasture and cultivated fields. This study examines the changes in land use and land cover in a valley of the Central Pyrenees from 1956 to 2017, revealing a decrease in cultivated and pasture areas and an increase in forest area. The findings emphasize the importance of preserving and restoring mosaic landscapes for biodiversity, sustainability, and ecosystem services.
Article
Ecology
Francesco Galioto, Francesco Musotti
Summary: The present study explores how local communities deal with the abandonment of agricultural lands in marginal areas, based on the European reality. It uses an analytical framework grounded on game theory and different strands of literature to examine the decision-making processes of individual landowners and regulators regarding abandonment and support for land management initiatives. The findings suggest that collective initiatives are preferred in highly fragmented areas, but may require external aid to be established and effectively counter land abandonment.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David C. Pavlacky, Adam W. Green, Thomas Luke George, Rich Iovanna, Anne M. Bartuszevige, Maureen D. Correll, Arvind O. Panjabi, Thomas Brandt Ryder
Summary: The decline of biodiversity due to human landscape modification is a pressing conservation problem. The recovery of grassland avifauna has become a priority in North America. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) aims to restore perennial grasslands by providing financial incentives to private agricultural producers. This study investigates the spatial patterns of grassland availability and restoration in the Great Plains to inform landscape-scale conservation strategies for grassland birds.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Dimitrios Chouvardas, Maria Karatassiou, Afroditi Stergiou, Garyfallia Chrysanthopoulou
Summary: This study quantified and evaluated the spatiotemporal changes in a grazed Mediterranean landscape in Mount Zireia and found that forest expansion in open areas and grassland reduction were the most significant changes. Future projections suggest that forests will continue to expand, posing a threat to sustainable livestock husbandry.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Chu Wang, Linghao Li, Yuchun Yan, Yurong Cai, Dawei Xu, Xu Wang, Jinqiang Chen, Xiaoping Xin
Summary: The conversion of grassland into cropland led to significant decreases in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, while total phosphorus content increased in deeper soil layers. Abandonment of cropland resulted in higher levels of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen compared to cropland, although not reaching levels of native grassland. Grassland had the highest nutrient contents and ratios, followed by abandoned land and then cropland.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Valentina Santarsiero, Antonio Lanorte, Gabriele Nole, Giuseppe Cillis, Biagio Tucci, Beniamino Murgante
Summary: Land abandonment is a complex process driven by various human and natural factors. The use of multidisciplinary methodologies is crucial in studying its effects. Environmental and social problems, such as soil erosion and degradation, can be assessed and predicted using GIS, remote sensing, and image analysis techniques. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is commonly used to estimate soil erosion. This study developed a model using remote sensing and GIS tools to assess the adverse effects of soil erosion in abandoned arable lands by analyzing the C and A factors of the RUSLE equation.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Martin Salek, Karolina Kalinova, Renata Dankova, Stanislav Grill, Michal Zmihorski
Summary: This study compared farmland bird communities in Austria and the Czech Republic, finding significantly higher abundance and species richness of farmland birds in Austria compared to the Czech Republic, likely due to differences in agricultural systems and landscape structures.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Raja Imran Hussain, Daniela Ablinger, Walter Starz, Juergen Kurt Friedel, Thomas Frank
Summary: Land abandonment has a significant impact on true bugs and syrphids, with extensive grasslands having higher abundance compared to abandoned grasslands. However, species richness does not differ among the studied grassland regimes. Abandoned grasslands have a high number of unique species, and their true bug assemblages differ significantly from those in intensive and extensive grasslands. Extensive grasslands can increase the abundance of true bugs and syrphids, while undisturbed abandoned grasslands support the survival of more unique species. A mosaic landscape of abandoned and extensively managed grassland is ideal for alpine biodiversity conservation.
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)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jaroslaw Janus, Piotr Bozek, Bartosz Mitka, Jaroslaw Taszakowski, Arkadiusz Doroz
Summary: The paper introduces a method for precise assessment of changes in forest cover and height over several decades, utilizing data sourced from airborne laser scanning and stereometric aerial images. The proposed approach could standardize the presentation and interpretation of long-term changes, leading to improved accuracy in analyzing dynamics of forest cover changes and land abandonment over time.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Enrico Pallotta, Lorenzo Boccia, Carlo Maria Rossi, Maria Nicolina Ripa
Summary: This study investigates the dynamics of natural and semi-natural areas in the summit areas of the Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park, highlighting the expansion of forest surface and decrease of open areas due to depopulation and the abandonment of agricultural activities. The management of preserving habitats and traditional landscapes is a subject of intense debate, requiring proper planning, intervention, and public support and funding.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuba Raj Subedi, Paul Kristiansen, Oscar Cacho, Roshan Babu Ojha
Summary: Despite being a relatively new phenomenon in Nepal, agricultural land abandonment in rural farming communities in the hill region is gradually increasing, leading to underutilisation and negative impacts on the rural landscape, human-made farm structures, socio-economic systems, local food production and food security. The causes of land abandonment in Nepal include biophysical factors such as land quality, slope, and land fragmentation, as well as socio-demographic factors like family size, education level, and migration patterns.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Caglar Akcay, Y. Kagan Porsuk, Alican Avsar, Dilan Cabuk, C. Can Bilgin
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kerim Cicek, Dincer Ayaz, Murat Afsar, Yusuf Bayrakci, Cigdem Akin Peksen, Oguzkan Cumhuriyet, Ilhan Bayram Ismail, Melodi Yenmis, Erdal Ustundag, Cemal Varol Tok, C. Can Bilgin, H. Resit Akcakaya
Summary: The study revealed that the Anatolian water frog populations in Turkey are at risk of overharvesting, with a rapid decline and potential extinction by 2032 if current rates continue. While harvesters economically depend on frog harvesting, reducing harvest rates not only ensures the viability of populations but also provides a sustainable source of income in the long term.
Article
Ecology
Didem Ambarli, Nadja K. Simons, Katja Wehner, Wiebke Kaemper, Martin M. Gossner, Thomas Nauss, Felix Neff, Sebastian Seibold, Wolfgang Weisser, Nico Bluethgen
Summary: Decomposition, vegetation regeneration, and biological control are important ecosystem functions involving animals. This study in Germany measured rates of these processes in grasslands and forests and found that forests had higher process rates than grasslands. Climate and land-use intensity influences on process rates varied between grasslands and forests, with land use effects more pronounced in forests. The study highlights the significant impacts of land use changes and climate interventions on animal-mediated ecosystem processes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Semiha Demirbas Caglayan, Ugur Murat Leloglu, Christian Ginzler, Achilleas Psomas, Ugur S. Zeydanli, C. Can Bilgin, Lars T. Waser
Summary: Essential forest ecosystem services can be assessed by better understanding the diversity of vegetation, specifically those of Mediterranean region. A species level classification of maquis would be useful in understanding vegetation structure and dynamics, which would be an indicator of degradation or succession in the region. Although remote sensing was regularly used for classification in the region, maquis are simply represented as one to three categories based on density or height. To fill this gap, we test the capability of Sentinel-2 imagery, together with selected ancillary variables, for an accurate mapping of the dominant maquis formations. We applied Recursive Feature Selection procedure and used a Random Forest classifier. The algorithm is tested using ground truth collected from site and reached 78% and 93% overall accuracy at species level and physiognomic level, respectively. Our results suggest species level characterization of dominant maquis is possible with Sentinel-2 spatial resolution.
GEOCARTO INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Antica Culina, Frank Adriaensen, Liam D. Bailey, Malcolm D. Burgess, Anne Charmantier, Ella F. Cole, Tapio Eeva, Erik Matthysen, Chloe R. Nater, Ben C. Sheldon, Bernt-Erik Saether, Stefan J. G. Vriend, Zuzana Zajkova, Peter Adamik, Lucy M. Aplin, Elena Angulo, Alexandr Artemyev, Emilio Barba, Sanja Barisic, Eduardo Belda, Cemal Can Bilgin, Josefa Bleu, Christiaan Both, Sandra Bouwhuis, Claire J. Branston, Juli Broggi, Terry Burke, Andrey Bushuev, Carlos Camacho, Daniela Campobello, David Canal, Alejandro Cantarero, Samuel P. Caro, Maxime Cauchoix, Alexis Chaine, Mariusz Cichon, Davor Cikovic, Camillo A. Cusimano, Caroline Deimel, Andre A. Dhondt, Niels J. Dingemanse, Blandine Doligez, Davide M. Dominoni, Claire Doutrelant, Szymon M. Drobniak, Anna Dubiec, Marcel Eens, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Silvia Espin, Damien R. Farine, Jordi Figuerola, Pinar Kavak Gulbeyaz, Arnaud Gregoire, Ian R. Hartley, Michaela Hau, Gergely Hegyi, Sabine Hille, Camilla A. Hinde, Benedikt Holtmann, Tatyana Ilyina, Caroline Isaksson, Arne Iserbyt, Elena Ivankina, Wojciech Kania, Bart Kempenaers, Anvar Kerimov, Jan Komdeur, Peter Korsten, Miroslav Kral, Milos Krist, Marcel Lambrechts, Carlos E. Lara, Agu Leivits, Andras Liker, Jaanis Lodjak, Marko Magi, Mark C. Mainwaring, Raivo Mand, Bruno Massa, Sylvie Massemin, Jesus Martinez-Padilla, Tomasz D. Mazgajski, Adele Mennerat, Juan Moreno, Alexia Mouchet, Shinichi Nakagawa, Jan-Ake Nilsson, Johan F. Nilsson, Ana Claudia Norte, Kees van Oers, Markku Orell, Jaime Potti, John L. Quinn, Denis Reale, Tone Kristin Reiertsen, Balazs Rosivall, Andrew F. Russell, Seppo Rytkonen, Pablo Sanchez-Virosta, Eduardo S. A. Santos, Julia Schroeder, Juan Carlos Senar, Gabor Seress, Tore Slagsvold, Marta Szulkin, Celine Teplitsky, Vallo Tilgar, Andrey Tolstoguzov, Janos Torok, Mihai Valcu, Emma Vatka, Simon Verhulst, Hannah Watson, Teru Yuta, Jose M. Zamora-Marin, Marcel E. Visser
Summary: The lack of standards and networking programmes significantly hinders the integration and synthesis of data in various scientific fields. Long-term studies of individually marked animals play a crucial role in understanding evolutionary and ecological processes in the wild. The SPI-Birds Network and Database have been established to address data integration issues and enable a new scale of ecological and evolutionary research based on long-term studies of birds.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Reyhan Yaka, Igor Mapelli, Damla Kaptan, Ayca Dogu, Maciej Chylenski, Omur Dilek Erdal, Dilek Koptekin, Kivilcim Basak Vural, Alex Bayliss, Camilla Mazzucato, Evrim Fer, Sevim Seda Cokoglu, Vendela Kempe Lagerholm, Maja Krzewinska, Cansu Karamurat, Hasan Can Gemici, Arda Sevkar, Nihan Dilsad Dagtas, Gulsah Merve Kilinc, Donovan Adams, Arielle R. Munters, Ekin Saglican, Marco Milella, Eline M. J. Schotsmans, Erinc Yurtman, Mehmet Cetin, Sevgi Yorulmaz, N. Ezgi Altinisik, Ayshin Ghalichi, Anna Juras, C. Can Bilgin, Torsten Gunther, Jan Stora, Mattias Jakobsson, Maurice de Kleijn, Gokhan Mustafaoglu, Andrew Fairbairn, Jessica Pearson, Inci Togan, Nurcan Kayacan, Arkadiusz Marciniak, Clark Spencer Larsen, Ian Hodder, Cigdem Atakuman, Marin Pilloud, Elif Surer, Fokke Gerritsen, Rana Ozbal, Douglas Baird, Yilmaz Selim Erdal, Gunes Duru, Mihriban Ozbasaran, Scott D. Haddow, Christopher J. Knusel, Anders Gotherstrom, Fusun Ozer, Mehmet Somel
Summary: The study investigates genetic relatedness among co-burials associated with domestic buildings in Neolithic Anatolia, finding frequent close genetic relationships in early Neolithic villages but rare genetic relatives in later sites. This suggests that genetic relatedness may not have played a major role in the choice of burial location in certain Neolithic communities, indicating diversity in kin structures during this sociocultural development phase.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Felix Neff, Martin Braendle, Didem Ambarli, Christian Ammer, Juergen Bauhus, Steffen Boch, Norbert Hoelzel, Valentin H. Klaus, Till Kleinebecker, Daniel Prati, Peter Schall, Deborah Schaefer, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Sebastian Seibold, Nadja K. Simons, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Loic Pellissier, Martin M. Gossner
Summary: Land-use intensification poses threats to biodiversity, especially to insect herbivore communities. The stability of these communities relies on interactions between herbivores and host plants. The study found that network size and nestedness were the key factors determining network robustness in grasslands and forests, with moderately grazed grasslands showing higher robustness compared to those managed by frequent mowing or fertilization, while changes in forest network robustness depended on changes in plant species richness.
Article
Ecology
Pascal Scherreiks, Martin M. Gossner, Manfred Ayasse, Nico Bluethgen, Markus Fischer, Valentin H. Klaus, Till Kleinebecker, Felix Neff, Daniel Prati, Sebastian Seibold, Nadja K. Simons, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Konstans Wells, Catrin Westphal, Jan Thiele, Didem Ambarli
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of present and historical landscape structure on plant and arthropod species richness in temperate grasslands. The results suggest that historical landscape structure is an important predictor of current species richness.
Article
Biology
Erinc Yurtman, Onur Ozer, Eren Yuncu, Nihan Dilsad Dagtas, Dilek Koptekin, Yasin Gokhan Cakan, Mustafa Ozkan, Ali Akbaba, Damla Kaptan, Gozde Atag, Kivilcim Basak Vural, Can Yumni Gundem, Louise Martin, Gulsah Merve Kilinc, Ayshin Ghalichi, Sinan Can Acan, Reyhan Yaka, Ekin Saglican, Vendela Kempe Lagerholm, Maja Krzewinska, Torsten Gunther, Pedro Morell Miranda, Evangelia Piskin, Muge Sevketoglu, C. Can Bilginl, Cigdem Atakuman, Yilmaz Selim Erdal, Elif Surer, N. Ezgi Altinisik, Johannes A. Lenstra, Sevgi Yorulmaz, Mohammad Foad Abazari, Javad Hoseinzadeh, Douglas Baird, Erhan Bicakci, Ozlem Cevik, Fokke Gerritsen, Rana Ozbal, Anders Gotherstrom, Mehmet Somel, Inci Togan, Fusun Ozer
Summary: Researchers used an ancient DNA dataset to demonstrate the impact of human activity on the demographic history of domestic sheep, suggesting possible multiple domestication events. The study found that Anatolian Neolithic sheep are genetically closest to present-day European breeds, while OBI is closer to Asian breeds. The results indicate that the gene pools of European and Anatolian domestic sheep have undergone significant remodeling since the Neolithic period.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Rieker, Franz-S Krah, Martin M. Gossner, Britta Uhl, Didem Ambarli, Kristin Baber, Francois Buscot, Martin Hofrichter, Bjoern Hoppe, Tiemo Kahl, Harald Kellner, Julia Moll, Witoon Purahong, Sebastian Seibold, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Claus Baessler
Summary: Forestry practices in Europe have had negative impacts on saproxylic diversity due to changes in tree species composition and reduction of dead-wood amount and heterogeneity. This study examined the relative importance of space and host on saproxylic diversity in Germany and found that both factors play important roles but the importance varies among different taxa. The findings suggest that a high dead-wood tree species diversity on a broad spatial coverage at the national scale is necessary to maintain rare and abundant species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Pascal Edelmann, Didem Ambarli, Martin M. Gossner, Peter Schall, Christian Ammer, Beate Wende, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Sebastian Seibold
Summary: Research indicates that forest management impacts saproxylic beetles differently depending on taxa and studies, with major drivers being differences in tree species composition and canopy cover. Effects vary between conifer and broadleaf logs, generalists, and specialists.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Felix Neff, Jonas Hagge, Rafael Achury, Didem Ambarli, Christian Ammer, Peter Schall, Sebastian Seibold, Michael Staab, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Martin M. Gossner
Summary: This study examines the hierarchical nested environmental filters during the community assembly of saproxylic beetles. The results show that factors such as species dispersal, microclimatic conditions, and deadwood characteristics influence the functional diversity and composition of beetle assemblages.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ayse Yazlik, Didem Ambarli
Summary: Most risk analysis studies in invasion biology have primarily focused on the invasiveness of non-native species, but this study in Turkey evaluated the risk of invasiveness for both non-native and native plant species. The findings showed that all species, regardless of their origin, were classified as high-risk, indicating their potential to have severe consequences on the ecosystem.
Article
Ecology
Sebastian Seibold, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Didem Ambarli, Martin M. Gossner, Akira S. Mori, Marc W. Cadotte, Jonas Hagge, Claus Baessler, Simon Thorn
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in beta-diversity of saproxylic beetle communities during deadwood succession and identifies the major drivers of these changes. The results show that beta-diversity of saproxylic beetle communities increases over time and is positively correlated with phylogenetic distance between tree species and spatial distance among regions. The effects of spatial distance, climate, and forest structure remain constant throughout the succession process. The diversity of saproxylic beetles can be enhanced by promoting forests with diverse tree communities and structures.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jurgen Dengler, Alla Aleksanyan, Didem Ambarli, Idoia Biurrun, Iwona Dembicz, Anna Kuzemko, Peter Torok, Stephen Venn
Summary: This report summarizes the activities and achievements of the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) from July 2019 to December 2020, including live events, online talks, and the open access periodical "Palaearctic Grasslands", contributing significantly to EDGG's attractiveness.
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)