Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jose A. Siles, Marta Diaz-Lopez, Alfonso Vera, Nico Eisenhauer, Carlos A. Guerra, Linnea C. Smith, Francois Buscot, Thomas Reitz, Claudia Breitkreuz, Johan van den Hoogen, Thomas W. Crowther, Alberto Orgiazzi, Yakov Kuzyakov, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Felipe Bastida
Summary: Land use is a critical factor in soil carbon cycling and content changes. The priming effect, which refers to CO2 emissions resulting from the decomposition of fresh carbon inputs, is unpredictable but important in nutrient mobilization. This study, conducted across 22 European countries, revealed that priming effects were generally negative in both seminatural and cropland soils. The magnitude of priming effects was influenced by land use, with seminatural ecosystems showing higher levels compared to croplands. Additionally, the type of crop did not significantly impact the priming effects.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Song Long, Xiang Ning, Shengli Wang, Jun Xu, Yining Wu, Zitong Liu, Zhongren Nan
Summary: The aim of this study was to explore the long-term immobilization and repair mechanism of in situ As-contaminated farmland. The results showed that the combination of iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) and organic fertilizer effectively immobilized soluble arsenic in soil and promoted its remediation. The treatment also resulted in the formation of low-solubility, stable calcium arsenate mineral and gradual transformation of As(III) to As(V).
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Maxim Gorgan, Morten Hartvigsen
Summary: Agricultural land markets in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are weak and face constraints such as informalities, absent owners, technical errors, and complicated transaction procedures. Most countries have fragmented farm structures and small average farm sizes. It is important to establish coherent national land policies and utilize land consolidation and land banking as land management instruments for agricultural and rural development.
Article
Ecology
Muhammad Usman, Janet E. Nichol
Summary: Increasing conflicts between nomadic pastoralists and settled farmers in West Africa are mainly caused by issues of land availability and access. This study in Nigeria, where most conflicts occur, investigates changes in land availability for nomadic pastoralists. The results show a significant decrease in grazing land availability in areas close to the city, but at a much lower rate in distant areas. The presence of grazing reserves and distance from the city are contributing factors to the lower loss of grazing land. Land policies should focus on creating new grazing reserves away from urban centers and implementing measures for soil and pasture improvement.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leen Felix, Thomas Houet, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: This study conducts a spatial assessment of the impacts of agricultural land intensification, extensification, and abandonment on ecosystem services and biodiversity indicators in the EU and UK. The results show high spatial variation and trade-offs and synergies between impacts, emphasizing the importance of considering context-specificity and spatial targeting in landscape planning and management. Biodiversity and ecosystem service impact mapping can be an effective tool for navigating these trade-offs and exploring sustainable landscape solutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Raluca Ioana Bancila, Matteo Lattuada, Neftali Sillero
Summary: This study aimed to examine the influence of different crop categories, extent, and heterogeneity on the distribution and diversity patterns of herpetofauna. The results showed that crop category, extent, and heterogeneity have different effects on the presence and richness of amphibian and reptile species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Judit Rubio-Delgado, Susanne Schnabel, Paul J. Burgess, Sara Burbi
Summary: This study systematically analyzed the spatial distribution and changes in agroforestry in the EU using the LUCAS dataset. The results showed that the total area of agroforestry decreased by 47% between 2009 and 2018, mainly due to a reduction in outdoor grazing. However, kitchen gardens showed an increase. The study highlights the importance of the LUCAS dataset in studying agroforestry in Europe.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Studies
Catherine M. J. Fayet, Kate H. Reilly, Chantal Van Ham, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: The abandonment of agricultural land and its impact on landscape features is a prominent characteristic of many European rural areas in recent decades. While past research has identified the drivers and environmental impacts of abandonment, few have described the trajectories following agricultural abandonment. Examining the driving forces behind different post-agricultural abandonment trajectories is crucial for understanding how alternative land uses can address the environmental, economic, and social challenges in these areas.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Amjad Khan, Qing Huang, Sardar Khan, Qingqing Wang, Jingjing Huang, Shah Fahad, Muhammad Sajjad, Yin Liu, Ondrej Mased, Xiaohui Li, Junfeng Wang, Xiaomao Song
Summary: This paper investigates the contamination of microplastics (MPs) in the agricultural soil of Hainan Island, China. The study finds that plastic mulching and farming practices are the main contributors to soil MPs contamination, while social and environmental factors promote the fragmentation of soil MPs. The results of this study suggest a serious contamination of MPs in the agro-ecosystem of Hainan Island, posing a concern for ecological and environmental safety.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kirsti Loukola-Ruskeeniemi, Ingo Mueller, Susan Reichel, Celia Jones, Fabienne Battaglia-Brunet, Mark Elert, Marina Le Guedard, Tarja Hatakka, Jennifer Hellal, Isabel Jordan, Juha Kaija, Riitta L. Keiski, Jana Pinka, Timo Tarvainen, Auli Turkki, Esa Turpeinen, Hanna Valkama
Summary: The use of biologically synthesized adsorbents proved effective in reducing the mobility and toxicity of arsenic, while reverse osmosis membrane systems showed high removal efficiency for arsenic in surface water. Sustainability assessments indicated that adsorption and coagulation-filtration processes were suitable for treating surface waters with significant arsenic concentrations, and the risk management procedure developed in Germany is recommended for addressing arsenic in agricultural soil and water worldwide. Risk management measures have been successful in both Freiberg and Verdun.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Suyu Ren, Yi Wang, Daming Sun, Tadiyose Girma Bekele, Fan Dong, Hongxia Zhao, Feng Tan
Summary: The study investigated the distribution and desorption kinetics of As and P in four different types of farmland soils using CeO2-DGT technique and DIPS model. Results showed competitive adsorption of As and P in soil solids, with factors affecting including clay content and labile As/P molar ratio. Adsorption rate constants of As were lower than P, but desorption rate constants were comparable, with significant negative correlation between As desorption rate and clay content in the soils.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bin Liang, Guilin Han, Jie Zeng, Man Liu, Qian Zhang
Summary: Land use change can lead to depletion and/or low bioavailability of micronutrients in agricultural soils, posing a threat to food security. This study used zinc isotopic data to analyze soil samples from different land uses, and discussed the behavior of zinc in different soils. The results indicated a high affinity between zinc and oxides, which may result in a decrease in bioavailable zinc concentration in cropland soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Petra Sieber, Sepp Bohme, Niclas Ericsson, Per-Anders Hansson
Summary: Agricultural land use and management have a significant impact on land surface albedo and climate. This study reveals that crop type, species-specific phenology, and agricultural practices are the main factors that influence the albedo of cropland. Increasing cropland albedo can alleviate local heat stress and counteract the radiative forcing of greenhouse gases.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Susanta Paikaray, Stefan Peiffer
Summary: The study found that the mobility of arsenic in soil is influenced by soil constituents and crop practices, with arsenic release mainly occurring through an ion exchange mechanism. Despite poor bioavailability, a higher amount of arsenic can be released through the phosphate extraction process.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Pedro Mondaca, Patricio Valenzuela, Nicole Roldan, Waldo Quiroz, Monika Valdenegro, Juan L. Celis-Diez
Summary: This study assesses the impact of different soil amendments on arsenic accumulation in lettuce and compares them in terms of food security and investment efficiency. The results show that phosphate amendments can reduce arsenic levels in lettuce, while calcium peroxide is only effective in sandy soils. Lettuces grown on amended soils showed a 30% reduction in arsenic intake compared to unamended soils, without any negative side effects.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Antonio Aruta, Stefano Albanese, Linda Daniele, Claudia Cannatelli, Jamie T. Buscher, Benedetto De Vivo, Attila Petrik, Domenico Cicchella, Annamaria Lima
Summary: This study conducted a geochemical survey in the central region of Santiago, Chile, and used multivariate statistics and compositional data analysis to identify main contamination processes and observe secondary phenomena. Risk assessment was also performed to investigate the potential long-term effects of contamination sources on public health.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stefano Albanese, Pooria Ebrahimi, Antonio Aruta, Domenico Cicchella, Benedetto De Vivo, Annamaria Lima
Summary: This article investigates the distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and their impact on human health in the active volcanic field of Campi Flegrei in southern Italy. The study finds higher concentrations of certain elements in the urban area, indicating anthropogenic activities, while other parts show higher levels of elements associated with pyroclastic deposits and weathering. Health risk modeling suggests that younger children have a higher risk of carcinogenic health effects from lead exposure through inhalation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Anicic Urosevic, P. Lazo, T. Stafilov, M. Necemer, K. Baceva Andonovska, B. Balabanova, G. Hristozova, S. Papagiannis, C. Stihi, M. Suljkanovic, Z. Spiric, V. Vassilatou, K. Vogel-Mikus
Summary: This study is the first of its kind to use moss transplants as a biomonitoring technique and inductively plasma mass spectrometry to examine potentially toxic element pollution and air quality on a regional scale in nine Southeastern European countries. The study found that the concentrations of potentially toxic elements in moss bags exposed in urban areas were significantly higher compared to those exposed in rural areas.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Masoud A. Rostami, Fabrizio Frontalini, Eric Armynot du Chatelet, Fabio Francescangeli, Maria Virginia Alves Martins, Rocco De Marco, Enrico Dinelli, Mario Tramontana, Lee A. Dyer, Romain Abraham, Viviane Bout-Roumazeilles, Marion Delattre, Federico Spagnoli
Summary: Over the last three decades, there has been extensive research on benthic foraminiferal ecology to understand their potential as proxies for climate change and other global change phenomena. This study used modern machine learning techniques to examine the abiotic-biotic relationships of foraminiferal communities in the central-southern area of the Adriatic Sea. The results identified sand and organic matter content as the most important factors influencing the distribution of foraminifera. The study also highlighted the causal relationships between depth and environmental parameters on foraminiferal infauna and diversity.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pooria Ebrahimi, Annalise Guarino, Vincenzo Allocca, Stefano Caliro, Domenico Cicchella, Stefano Albanese
Summary: This study explores the spatial distribution of dissolved gases in the groundwater of Campi Flegrei and uses compositional data analysis to extract relevant information and determine geochemical associations. The results show that the spatial distribution of these dissolved gases corresponds to the hydrothermal system. This study is of great importance for mitigating volcanic hazards in the Campi Flegrei area.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Soroush Modabberi, Mahsa Tashakor, Najmeh Rajabian, Mehdi Khorasanipour, Esmat Esmaeilzadeh, Maurizio Ambrosino, Domenico Cicchella
Summary: The study investigates the distribution of trace elements in soils of two unexploited porphyry copper deposits in central Iran using a compositional data analysis approach. The results show high concentrations of elements associated with porphyry deposits, with a typical zonal pattern and prevalence of epithermal elements in the peripheral alteration zone. The study highlights the importance of acquiring pre-mining geo-environmental data to establish baselines for evaluating post-mining geochemical signatures.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Maarten Everaert, Ivan B. B. Andelkovic, Erik Smolders, Fien Degryse, Roslyn Baird, Michael J. J. McLaughlin
Summary: Layered transition metal molybdates (LTMs) are proposed as slow-release fertilizer compounds for micronutrients molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu). LTMs were successfully prepared and characterized, and their solubility in water was tested. The LTMs showed limited stability in acidic conditions, so co-compaction with pH neutral or alkaline macronutrient carriers was explored. A Zn-based LTM co-compacted in a muriate of potash (MOP) carrier showed a slow and constant release rate of both Mo and Zn, making it a potential slow-release fertilizer or raw material for non-acidic fertilizers.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Domenico Cicchella, Maurizio Ambrosino, Stefano Albanese, Annalise Guarino, Annamaria Lima, Benedetto De Vivo, Ilaria Guagliardi
Summary: In this study, a large number of soil samples were collected to determine the concentrations of major elements and evaluate the relationship between soil chemical contents and local geology. The results showed that a compositional approach in data analysis can better interpret the behavior of elements in natural environment and improve the quality of related maps. The study also revealed that the soils in the Campania region generally contain higher concentrations of major elements compared to European and Italian agricultural soils.
JOURNAL OF GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giuseppina Forgione, Francesco Izzo, Mariano Mercurio, Domenico Cicchella, Luciana Dini, Gabriele Giancane, Marina Paolucci
Summary: In this study, the researchers examined the presence and abundance of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of freshwater fish in Southern Italy. They also investigated the correlation between microplastics and environmental pollutants. The results showed that microplastics were present in the fish samples, with different species and polymers identified. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between microplastics and certain pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katerina Baceva Andonovska, Robert Sajn, Claudiu Tanaselia, Trajce Stafilov
Summary: The use of biomonitors such as mosses and lichens can provide a reliable assessment of air pollution. However, the monitoring of rare earth elements (REEs) in air pollution is currently not included in regulatory monitoring. This study focuses on the distribution of REEs in moss samples from the Allchar region in North Macedonia, using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results show that both light and heavy REEs have similar distributions in the study area, with higher concentrations found in moss samples from the southeastern part of the area where specific types of rock predominate.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maurizio Ambrosino, Zozo El-Saadani, Atef Abu Khatita, Wang Mingqi, Javier Palarea-Albaladejo, Domenico Cicchella
Summary: This study evaluates the contamination level of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the stream sediments of the Nile River. The results show that elements like Cr, Mn, V, and Fe have a natural origin, while Cu, Ni, Co, and As are linked to both natural and anthropogenic processes. The sequential extraction analysis reveals that Mn, Co, Ni, and in some sites, Cu and Zn, are the most bioavailable elements, posing a high risk of toxicity.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Philippe Negrel, Anna Ladenberger, Clemens Reimann, Alecos Demetriades, Manfred Birke, GEMAS Project Team
Summary: The chemical composition of soil is influenced by the source bedrock, weathering processes, and element mobility. This study on European agricultural soil revealed different weathering trends in soil derived from different rock types. It also found that element mobility and chemical weathering are influenced by geographic location and climate.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Trajce Stafilov, Robert Sajn, Angja Culumoska-Gjorgjievska
Summary: A study conducted in the Polog region of North Macedonia used moss samples as biomonitors to investigate air deposition and explore the sources of contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The results showed that the distribution of elements in the region was mainly related to lithogenic sources, with some influence from anthropogenic activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Katerina Baceva Andonovska, Robert Sajn, Claudiu Tanaselia, Trajce Stafilov
Summary: Despite limited information in the last two decades, rare earth elements (REEs) have gained increased interest in environmental sciences due to their importance as indicators of soil and physiological processes and responses. This study provides an overview of the content and distribution of REEs in the soil near the Allchar hydrothermal volcanogenic As-Sb-Tl deposit in North Macedonia. The study found enrichment of light REEs in the volcanic intrusive rocks of the Allchar mine area, with spatial distribution of heavy REEs closely related to the lithology of the region.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH PART A-TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
(2023)