Article
Agronomy
Dayanne Camelo, Jose Carlos Batista Dubeux, Mercia Virginia Ferreira dos Santos, Mario Andrade Lira, Giselle Gomes Monteiro Fracetto, Felipe Jose Cury Fracetto, Marcio Vieira da Cunha, Erinaldo Viana de Freitas
Summary: Vegetation cover impacts soil organic matter and soil microorganism activity; Intercropping forage cactus with tree legumes in semi-arid tropics in Brazil enhances soil microbial biomass and organic matter.
Article
Agronomy
M. Martinez-Mena, M. Perez, M. Almagro, N. Garcia-Franco, E. Diaz-Pereira
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of three conservation agriculture practices on almond orchards under semiarid conditions, finding that green manure and no-tillage have positive effects on soil water availability and infiltration rate.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emre Babur, Turgay Dindaroglu, Zakaria M. Solaiman, Martin Leonardo Battaglia
Summary: Soil microbial biomass and functions are significantly affected by forest type and seasonal variations. Cedar forests have higher microbial activity compared to Beech and Pine forests, indicating potential differences in soil quality and management practices among different forest types.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Salvadora Navarro-Torre, Pedro Garcia-Caparros, Amaia Nogales, Maria Manuela Abreu, Erika Santos, Ana Lucia Cortinhas, Ana Delaunay Caperta
Summary: Soil salinization is a global issue with harmful consequences in agriculture and ecosystems. This article reviews sustainable strategies adopted for soil reclamation in Mediterranean climates, including phytoremediation and the use of beneficial microorganisms. The role of halophyte crops and halophilic microorganisms in promoting recovery and providing food is discussed. The combined use of plant, soil- and microbial-based technologies is recommended for relieving saline stress and improving crop growth in saline conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Soil Science
Hanieh Bamdad, Sadegh Papari, George Lazarovits, Franco Berruti
Summary: The study focuses on how to develop advanced soil amendments using microorganisms and waste materials, emphasizing the key role of selecting appropriate microorganisms and carriers. Additionally, biochar is evaluated as a promising microbial carrier and its impact on soil biota is discussed.
SOIL USE AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jie Liu, Changkun Wang, Zhiying Guo, Aiai Xu, Kai Pan, Xianzhang Pan
Summary: Climate factors have a distinct impact on soil microbial community in arid and semiarid desert areas, but after intensive agriculture, the effects of climate on soil microbial diversity are weakened. The relationships between microbial richness and climate factors differ in different land use types, with fewer significant correlations observed in croplands.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Nihal Gujre, Ankit Soni, Latha Rangan, Daniel C. W. Tsang, Sudip Mitra
Summary: This review focuses on the use of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to improve soil health and crop productivity, emphasizing their indispensable roles in maintaining the plant-soil continuum. The study highlights the significant progress made in understanding the physical and chemical properties of biochar, as well as the functions and roles of AMF in the soil ecosystem. The potential benefits, challenges, and future opportunities of combined biochar and AMF applications are critically examined.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Lucas Dantas Lopes, Robinson Cruz Fontes Junior, Edson Patto Pacheco, Marcelo Ferreira Fernandes
Summary: The combination of conservation agricultural practices can improve soil quality, but the effects on physicochemical and microbiological parameters need to be monitored. Seasonality can affect these parameters, with differences between practices most obvious in the summer. Water stability of aggregates was the most distinctive variable between practices and correlated with changes in microbial biomass/activity.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Agustin Nunez, Ryan Ball, Meagan Schipanski
Summary: Water scarcity limits irrigated agriculture, causing farmers to transition to dryland cropping. This study found that irrigation retirement resulted in decreased crop biomass production, particularly for maize. Soil microbial communities were less affected by irrigation retirement, with changes mostly observed in the maize agroecosystem. Winter wheat is a viable option for sustaining crop production and mitigating the negative impacts of irrigation retirement on soil health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lorena Carrasco-Barea, Laura Llorens, Anna M. Romani, Maria Gispert, Dolors Verdaguer
Summary: This study analyzes the litter decomposition process of two Chenopodiaceae species and one Poaceae species in a Mediterranean salt marsh. The decomposition rates are affected by litter quality, microbial activity, and spatial differences within habitats.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Manuel Gonzalez-Rosado, Luis Parras-Alcantara, Jesus Aguilera-Huertas, Beatriz Lozano-Garcia
Summary: The study found that conventional tillage and no tillage with herbicide application practices showed unsustainable erosion values, while no tillage with cover crop management decreased erosion rates. No tillage with cover crop not only reduced erosion rates but also changed the trend of soil productivity loss observed under conventional tillage and no tillage with herbicide application. Therefore, no tillage with cover crop had a positive influence on soil quality.
Article
Soil Science
Raimundo Jimenez-Ballesta, Sandra Bravo, Jose A. Amoros, Caridad Perez-de-los-Reyes, Jesus Garcia-Pradas, Monica Sanchez, Francisco J. Garcia-Navarro
Summary: La Mancha in Central Spain is known as one of the largest vineyard regions in the world, with Valdepenas being a representative PDO in the area. After studying 90 soil profiles, it was found that the main soil types in Valdepenas are Alfisols, Inceptisols, and Entisols, with a significant proportion of Calcisols. The accumulation of carbonate, presence of red soils, and calcic or petrocalcic horizons play a crucial role in the pedodiversity of the region, highlighting the importance of soil nature for quality viticultural production.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laurene Marien, Rossano Ciampalini, Feliciana Licciardello, Emanuela Rita Giuffrida, Amandine Valerie Pastor, Frederic Huard, Damien Raclot
Summary: Soil erosion control is crucial for global food production and ecosystem health, especially in the Mediterranean region. This study explores how land use and management scenarios combined with process-based modeling can mitigate climate change impacts and increase agricultural attractiveness in pasture-dominated environments.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Papa Mamadou Sitor Ndour, Adnane Bargaz, Zineb Rchiad, Mark Pawlett, Ian M. Clark, Tim H. Mauchline, Jim Harris, Karim Lyamlouli
Summary: Microbial catabolic activity (MCA) is commonly used to assess soil microbial function potential, and methods such as multi-substrate-induced respiration (MSIR) are available to measure MCA and estimate functional diversity. This review compares different techniques for measuring soil MCA and discusses the effectiveness of MSIR-based approaches as indicators of microbial function. It also explores the relationship between MSIR measurements and agricultural practices, soil enzyme activities, and soil chemical properties. Additionally, the potential of using molecular tools and stable isotope probing in MCA measurement is proposed.
Article
Agronomy
Tuomas J. Mattila
Summary: Redox potential is a promising soil health indicator that correlates well with microbial activity, soil structure, and texture. Low redox state is associated with high microbial activity, indicating the availability of bioavailable organic matter. However, further research is needed to understand the shared mechanisms linking structure, redox, and microbial activity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Enrique Albert-Belda, M. Belen Hinojosa, Vito Armando Laudicina, Jose M. Moreno
Summary: Fire frequency in fire-dominated ecosystems may increase due to global warming, land-use change, and human pressures. This study examines the effects of changes in fire frequency and other fire history characteristics on soil C and N dynamics and microbial groups in Pinus pinaster forests in central Spain. The results show clear differences between unburned and burned stands, with the time elapsed since the last fire being the most important factor governing soil nutrient dynamics and microbial groups. Recovery to pre-fire values takes 30-40 years, and increased wildfire frequency only affects total C and nitrification rate inconsistently. The time interval between the last two fires is not a significant factor. The results suggest the strong recovery capacity of this ecosystem even under increased fire frequency.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anna De Marco, Pasquale Napoletano, Speranza Claudia Panico, Valeria Memoli, Lucia Santorufo, Anna Gabriella Ruggiero, Claudio Colombo, Rossella Barile, Giulia Maisto
Summary: The combined action of alien plants invasion and fire occurrence can strongly alter local biodiversity and soil functions, especially in the Mediterranean area. The study found that the invasive black locust has significant effects on soil characteristics and microbial community responses in Mediterranean shrublands and pine forests. The invasion increases pH, water holding capacity, bulk density, soil organic matter content, and soil nitrogen content. It also improves the content and availability of certain elements in the soil and stimulates microbial growth. However, the combined impact of black locust invasion and fire occurrence does not show specific changes in the investigated stands.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pasquale Napoletano, Noureddine Guezgouz, Erika Di Iorio, Claudio Colombo, Giulia Guerriero, Anna De Marco
Summary: The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of urbanization and agriculture on soil quality by studying heavy metal accumulation in the riparian ecosystems of Medjerda river. The study found higher concentrations of heavy metals in urban and peri-urban areas compared to non-urban areas. The results also showed a strong impact of heavy metals on soil quality in urban areas.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sofia Maria Muscarella, Vito Armando Laudicina, Beatriz Cano, Luigi Badalucco, Pellegrino Conte, Giorgio Mannina
Summary: The study evaluated the physical-chemical properties of NH4+ adsorption from aqueous solution by two zeolitic mixtures, one treated with NaCl and one untreated. The zeolitic mixture richer in mordenite and with high specific surface area adsorbed more NH4+ than the one richer in clinoptilolite and heulandite with a lower specific surface area. NaCl treatment increased the amount of NH4+ adsorbed by the zeolitic mixtures. The results suggest that modulation of NaCl treatment of zeolitic mixtures can be applied to obtain new materials for water remediation from NH4+ contamination.
MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Sara Paliaga, Vito Armando Laudicina, Luigi Badalucco
Summary: This study compared the classical chloroform fumigation-incubation (CFI) and fumigation-extraction (CFE) methods with a physical method based on N-2 or CO2 high pressurization (N2HP or CO2HP) for microbial cell lysis in two different soils. The results showed that CO2HP was more efficient than the CFE method for causing microbial cell lysis, and the CO2 pressure value and duration were important factors for increasing extractable organic C. However, CO2HP may have caused the release of non-living organic C.
BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruggero Angelico, Claudio Colombo, Erika Di Iorio, Martin Brtnicky, Jakub Fojt, Pellegrino Conte
Summary: Natural organic matter, such as humic substances (HS), is composed of complex structures stabilized by various interactions. Different models have been proposed to describe the physicochemical properties of HS, including a hydrogel-like structure or mass/surface fractals. This study critically reviews and revisits these models, aiming to provide key insights into the structural organization of HS and their roles in the environment.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Caterina Lucia, Daniela Pampinella, Eristanna Palazzolo, Luigi Badalucco, Vito Armando Laudicina
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effect of citrus sewage sludges (CSSs) on soil fertility and lettuce performance. Results showed that amendment with CSSs increased total organic C and available P in soil, as well as had a positive impact on soil microorganisms. Additionally, lettuce biomass production was increased after CSSs application.
Article
Agronomy
Sara Paliaga, Caterina Lucia, Daniela Pampinella, Sofia Maria Muscarella, Luigi Badalucco, Eristanna Palazzolo, Vito Armando Laudicina
Summary: Weed control in urban and peri-urban orange orchards is challenging due to restrictions. Mulching with black plastic geotextile fabric is an alternative to tillage and herbicides. This study assessed the impact of long-term soil mulching on soil fertility, microbial community, and orange yield. Mulching increased soil organic C, cation exchange capacity, microbial biomass C, and promoted the establishment of a more efficient microbial community. The use of black plastic geotextile fabric improved soil fertility and increased orange yield.
Article
Soil Science
Pasquale Napoletano, Costantina Barbarisi, Valeria Maselli, Daniela Rippa, Carmen Arena, Maria Grazia Volpe, Claudio Colombo, Domenico Fulgione, Anna De Marco
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the immediate impact of invasive wild boar on olive orchards in southern Italy. Seasonal changes in soil biology, chemistry, leaf and fruit characteristics were measured over a one-year period in grubbed and ungrubbed areas. The results showed that grubbing increased soil moisture, pH, organic matter, and C/N ratio in the topsoil, but reduced these parameters at a greater depth. Microbial biomass and fungal activity were also influenced by grubbing, with different effects observed at different depths. The study concluded that wild boar grubbing negatively impacted soil quality and fruit polyphenol content, particularly in the Autumn/Winter season.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sofia Maria Muscarella, Vito Armando Laudicina, Luigi Badalucco, Pellegrino Conte, Giorgio Mannina
Summary: Resource recovery from wastewater is crucial for a circular economy approach in the water field. This study investigated the desorption of ammonium (NH4+) from different mineralogically distinct zeolites, both before and after treatment with sodium chloride. The results showed that the treated zeolites exhibited higher desorption of NH4+ with slower desorption kinetics compared to the untreated zeolites. These findings can offer new synthetic strategies for the development of cost-effective materials for environmental remediation within a circular economy perspective.
Editorial Material
Agronomy
Vito Armando Laudicina, Paolo Ruisi, Luigi Badalucco
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Massimo Todaro, Maria Luisa Scatassa, Riccardo Gannuscio, Irene Vazzana, Isabella Mancuso, Giuseppe Maniaci, Armando Laudicina
Summary: This study investigated the variations in immunoglobulin G (IgG) content, composition, mineral content, and fatty acid composition in the colostrum of Valle del Belice ewes, and evaluated the effect of lambing season. Results showed that the IgG content and Brix mean values were 40.35 g/L and 21.02%, respectively. The lambing season significantly influenced pH and somatic cell count, with higher values in winter. Palmitic, oleic, myristic, and stearic acids were the most common fatty acids in summer and winter seasons. Winter season increased the values of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Additionally, lambing season determined different mineral composition levels in colostrum, particularly copper and manganese.
ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2023)