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1
Anna, Gałązka, Gawryjołek Karolina, Grządziel Jarosław, and Księżak Jerzy. "Effect of different agricultural management practices on soil biological parameters including glomalin fraction." Plant, Soil and Environment 63, No. 7 (July 19, 2017): 300–306. http://dx.doi.org/10.17221/207/2017-pse.
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The aim of the study was to determine the glycoproteins content (total glomalin (TG), easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and soil proteins related to glomalin (GRSP)) in soil under long-term monoculture of maize. Soil microbiological and biochemical properties, including microbial biomass and enzymatic activity were also assessed. The presence of total, easily-extractable glomalin and soil proteins related to glomalin was dependent on both the growth phase of the plant and tillage system. The highest content of glomalin was detected in the soils under maize in direct sowing and reduced tillage. The glomalin content was correlated with soil biological activity. The linear regression was observed between TG and GRSP content, but no linear relationship was found between GRSP and C<sub>org</sub>. The principal component analysis showed the strong correlations between the parameters of soil quality and biodiversity indicators. Selected indicators of soil microbial parameters explained 52.27% biological variability in soils.
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Roper, MM, and V. Gupta. "Management-practices and soil biota." Soil Research 33, no. 2 (1995): 321. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr9950321.
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The soil biota consist of a large number and range of micro- and macro-organisms and are the living part of soils. They interact with each other and with plants, directly providing nutrition and other benefits. They regulate their own populations as well as those of incoming microorganisms by biological control mechanisms. Microorganisms are responsible for organic matter decomposition and for the transformations of organically bound nitrogen and minerals to forms that are available to plants. Their physical structure and products contribute significantly to soil structure. Management practices have a significant impact on micro- and macro-organism populations and activities. Stubble retention, an increasing trend in Australia, provides an energy source for growth and activity. Significant increases in the sizes and activities of microbial biomass, including heterotrophic microorganisms, cellulolytic microorganisms, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria have been observed. In addition, increases in protozoa and meso- and macro-fauna have been seen. Stubble retention provides a means of maintaining or increasing organic matter levels in soils. The way in which stubbles are managed may impact further on the activities of the soil biota and may alter the population balance, e.g. bacterial:fungal ratios. In general, no-tillage results in a concentration of microorganisms closer to the soil surface and causes least disruption of soil structure compared with conventionally tilled soils. Some plant diseases increase with stubble retention and with no-tillage, particularly where the next crop is susceptible to the same disease as the previous crop. However, the general increase in microbial populations resulting from stubble retention can exclude pathogens through competitive inhibition and predatory and parasitic activity. Cropping sequences may be used to break disease cycles. Crop rotations that include legumes may provide additional nitrogen and stimulate mineralization processes. Coupled with no-tillage in stubble retention systems is an increased usage of herbicides to control weeds. Continued herbicide use has been shown to significantly depress some groups of microorganisms and some of their activities but, in Australia, little information is available about the effects of herbicides on microbial populations. Although we know that micro- and macro-organisms are vital in maintaining ecosystem function, our knowledge about them is still very limited. New techniques in molecular microbial ecology promise further advances. Much more detailed information about the effects of specific managements on the size and activities of populations is needed. Soils and their processes are extremely complex and, in order to develop appropriate management practices, integration of new and existing information is necessary. This is now being made possible through computer simulation modelling.
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Mueller-Niggemann, C., S. R. Utami, A. Marxen, K. Mangelsdorf, T. Bauersachs, and L. Schwark. "Distribution of tetraether lipids in agricultural soils – differentiation between paddy and upland management." Biogeosciences Discussions 12, no. 20 (October 19, 2015): 16709–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bgd-12-16709-2015.
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Abstract. Insufficient knowledge of the composition and variation of isoprenoid and branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in agricultural soils exists, despite of the potential effect of different management types (e.g. soil/water and redox conditions, cultivated plants) on GDGT distribution. Here, we determined the influence of different soil management types on the GDGT composition in paddy (flooded) and adjacent upland (non-flooded) soils, and if available also forest, bushland and marsh soils. To compare the local effects on GDGT distribution patterns, we collected comparable soil samples in various locations from tropical (Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines) and subtropical (China and Italy) sites. We found that differences in the distribution of isoprenoid GDGTs (iGDGTs) as well as of branched GDGTs (brGDGTs) are predominantly controlled by management type and only secondarily by climatic exposition. In general upland soil had higher crenarchaeol contents than paddy soil, which on the contrary was more enriched in GDGT-0. The GDGT-0 / crenarchaeol ratio was 3–27 times higher in paddy soil and indicates the enhanced presence of methanogenic archaea, which were additionally linked to the number of rice cultivation cycles per year (higher number of cycles was coupled with an increase in the ratio). The TEX86 values were 1.3 times higher in upland, bushland and forest soils than in paddy soils. In all soils brGDGT predominated over iGDGTs, with the relative abundance of brGDGTs increasing from subtropical to tropical soils. Higher BIT values in paddy soils compared to upland soils together with higher BIT values in soil from subtropical climates indicate effects on the amounts of brGDGT through differences in management as well as climatic zones. In acidic soil CBT values correlated well with soil pH. In neutral to alkaline soils, however, no apparent correlation but an offset between paddy and upland managed soils was detected, which may suggest that soil moisture may exert an additional control on the CBT in these soils. Lower MBT' values and calculated temperatures (TMC) in paddy soils compared to upland soils may indicate a management (e.g. enhanced soil moisture through flooding practises) induced effect on mean annual soil temperature (MST).
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Garcia Moreno, R., T. Burykin, M. C. Diaz Alvarez, and J. W. Crawford. "Effect of Management Practices on Soil Microstructure and Surface Microrelief." Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2012 (2012): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/608275.
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Soil surface roughness (SSR) and porosity were evaluated from soils located in two farms belonging to the Plant Breeding Institute of the University of Sidney. The sites differ in their soil management practices; the first site (PBI) was strip-tilled during early fall (May 2010), and the second site (JBP) was under power harrowed tillage at the end of July 2010. Both sites were sampled in mid-August. At each location, SSR was measured for three 1 m2subplots using shadow analysis. To evaluate porosity and aggregation, soil samples were scanned using X-ray computed tomography with 5 μm resolution. The results show a strong negative correlation between SSR and porosity, 20.13% SSR and 41.38% porosity at PBI versus 42.00% SSR and 18.35% porosity at JBP. However, soil images show that when soil surface roughness is higher due to conservation and soil management practices, the processes of macroaggregation and structural porosity are enhanced. Further research must be conducted on SSR and porosity in different types of soils, as they provide complementary information on the evaluation of soil erosion susceptibility.
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Vega-Jara, Liliana. "Impact of agronomic management and intensive fertilization on the soils of Panao." Revista Investigación Agraria. 1, no. 1 (December 10, 2019): 7–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.47840/reina20191.
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In order to evaluate the impact of long-term agronomic management and intensive fertilization on the soil properties of Pachitea, this study was carried out. Five lots were taken from the province of Pachitea, representative soils of the type of management carried out in this agricultural context. A virgin or pristine soil as absolute control (SV), a soil with less than 20 years of traditional agriculture (SAT1), a soil with intensive fertilization for more than 40 years (SFI), a soil with traditional agriculture between 20-40 years (SAT2), a soil with organic fertilization for more than 40 years (SAO) and a forest soil (SB). Soil samples were taken f rom each 20 cm deep lot and all their physical and chemical properties were analyzed. The results were analyzed in a principal component analysis (PCA), analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis. The results showed that the agricultural use of the changes changed all the physical and chemical properties of the soil over time. The most sensitive characteristics were pH and organic matter (OM). The changeable acidity (AC) was explained by the presence of Aluminum (Al) and very little by hydrogen (H), suggesting that the degradation of soils is quite strong in this context. Key words: Organic matter, Aluminum, pH https://doi.org/10.47840/ReInA20191
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Oster, J. D., and I. Shainberg. "Soil responses to sodicity and salinity: challenges and opportunities." Soil Research 39, no. 6 (2001): 1219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr00051.
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Exchangeable sodium and low salinity deteriorate the permeability of soils to air and water. The susceptibility of soils to sodicity and low salinity depend on both the inherent properties of the soils (e.g. texture, mineralogy, pH, CaCO3, sesquioxides, and organic matter content) and extrinsic, time-dependent properties (e.g. cultivation, irrigation method and wetting rate, antecedent water content, and the time since cultivation). Whereas the effect of inherent soil properties on the soil response to sodicity has been studied and modelled, especially under laboratory conditions, the effect of soil management on the physical response of soils to sodicity has been studied very little. Consequently our ability to predict the changes in soil permeability under field conditions is limited. Including the effect of management on the physical response of soils to sodicity and low salinity is the main challenge facing researchers, consultants, and farmers.
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Mueller-Niggemann, Cornelia, Sri Rahayu Utami, Anika Marxen, Kai Mangelsdorf, Thorsten Bauersachs, and Lorenz Schwark. "Distribution of tetraether lipids in agricultural soils – differentiation between paddy and upland management." Biogeosciences 13, no. 5 (March 17, 2016): 1647–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1647-2016.
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Abstract. Rice paddies constitute almost a fifth of global cropland and provide more than half of the world's population with staple food. At the same time, they are a major source of methane and therewith significantly contribute to the current warming of Earth's atmosphere. Despite their apparent importance in the cycling of carbon and other elements, however, the microorganisms thriving in rice paddies are insufficiently characterized with respect to their biomolecules. Hardly any information exists on human-induced alteration of biomolecules from natural microbial communities in paddy soils through varying management types (affecting, e.g., soil or water redox conditions, cultivated plants). Here, we determined the influence of different land use types on the distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), which serve as molecular indicators for microbial community structures, in rice paddy (periodically flooded) and adjacent upland (non-flooded) soils and, for further comparison, forest, bushland and marsh soils. To differentiate local effects on GDGT distribution patterns, we collected soil samples in locations from tropical (Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines) and subtropical (China and Italy) sites. We found that differences in the distribution of isoprenoid GDGTs (iGDGTs) as well as of branched GDGTs (brGDGTs) are predominantly controlled by management type and only secondarily by climatic exposition. In general, upland soil had higher crenarchaeol contents than paddy soil, which by contrast was more enriched in GDGT-0. The GDGT-0 ∕ crenarchaeol ratio, indicating the enhanced presence of methanogenic archaea, was 3–27 times higher in paddy soils compared to other soils and increased with the number of rice cultivation cycles per year. The index of tetraethers consisting of 86 carbons (TEX86) values were 1.3 times higher in upland, bushland and forest soils than in paddy soils, potentially due to differences in soil temperature. In all soils brGDGT predominated over iGDGTs with the relative abundance of brGDGTs increasing from subtropical to tropical soils. Higher branched vs. isoprenoid tetraether (BIT) values in paddy soils compared to upland soils together with higher BIT values in soils from subtropical climates indicated effects on the amounts of brGDGT induced by differences in management as well as climate. In acidic soils cyclization ratio of branched tetraethers (CBT) values correlated well with soil pH. In neutral to alkaline soils, however, no correlation but an offset in CBT between paddy and upland managed soils was detected. This is interpreted as indicating soil moisture exerting an additional control on the CBT in these soils. Lower modified methylation index of branched tetraether (MBT′) values and temperatures calculated from this (TMC) in paddy soils compared to upland soils are attributed to a management-induced (e.g. enhanced soil moisture via flooding) effect on mean annual soil temperature (MST).
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Walter, Gerry, Michelle Wander, and Germán Bollero. "A farmer-centered approach to developing information for soil resource management: The Illinois Soil Quality Initiative." American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 12, no. 2 (June 1997): 64–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0889189300007268.
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AbstractThe Illinois Soil Quality Initiative (ISQI) is a multidisciplinary effort to develop accurate, practical, and meaningful measures of soil characteristics that farmers can incorporate in strategies to sustain soil resources over the long term. We discuss how the project integrates soils and social research and involves farmers and others in guiding its research activities. A board of farmers, farm managers and conservation agency personnel and a panel of soil scientists, agronomists, and social scientists established ISQI's goals and monitors its progress. ISQI technical staff gather data at 35 participating farms to assess the accuracy and practicality of several measures of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soils under varying tillage and environmental conditions. They communicate findings to farmers and the ISQI board through regional farmer meetings, a project newsletter, and statewide conferences. Participating farmers assess the measures' meaningfulness and practicality, suggest strategies for communicating soil quality information, and recommend new directions for research. These observations have been made at the end of ISQI's first year: definitions of and beliefs about soil quality vary widely, making it inadvisable to think of “soil quality” as a single, inclusive concept; farmers and other land managers want to understand better the relationships among soil qualities, productivity, and sustainability, and to ham how to enhance their soils' structural and biological characteristics; soil quality measures must be accompanied by research and education on how soil qualities are affected by management practices or systems and how they affect yields and the environment; many farmers are only mildly interested in self-administered soil quality measures, preferring instead to purchase such data from commercial sources.
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Vanlauwe, B., K. Descheemaeker, K. E. Giller, J. Huising, R. Merckx, G. Nziguheba, J. Wendt, and S. Zingore. "Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation." SOIL 1, no. 1 (June 22, 2015): 491–508. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-491-2015.
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Abstract. Intensification of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is necessary to address rural poverty and natural resource degradation. Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) is a means to enhance crop productivity while maximizing the agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied inputs, and can thus contribute to sustainable intensification. ISFM consists of a set of best practices, preferably used in combination, including the use of appropriate germplasm, the appropriate use of fertilizer and of organic resources, and good agronomic practices. The large variability in soil fertility conditions within smallholder farms is also recognized within ISFM, including soils with constraints beyond those addressed by fertilizer and organic inputs. The variable biophysical environments that characterize smallholder farming systems have profound effects on crop productivity and AE, and targeted application of agro-inputs and management practices is necessary to enhance AE. Further, management decisions depend on the farmer's resource endowments and production objectives. In this paper we discuss the "local adaptation" component of ISFM and how this can be conceptualized within an ISFM framework, backstopped by analysis of AE at plot and farm level. At plot level, a set of four constraints to maximum AE is discussed in relation to "local adaptation": soil acidity, secondary nutrient and micronutrient (SMN) deficiencies, physical constraints, and drought stress. In each of these cases, examples are presented whereby amendments and/or practices addressing these have a significantly positive impact on fertilizer AE, including mechanistic principles underlying these effects. While the impact of such amendments and/or practices is easily understood for some practices (e.g. the application of SMNs where these are limiting), for others, more complex processes influence AE (e.g. water harvesting under varying rainfall conditions). At farm scale, adjusting fertilizer applications to within-farm soil fertility gradients has the potential to increase AE compared with blanket recommendations, in particular where fertility gradients are strong. In the final section, "local adaption" is discussed in relation to scale issues and decision support tools are evaluated as a means to create a better understanding of complexity at farm level and to communicate appropriate scenarios for allocating agro-inputs and management practices within heterogeneous farming environments.
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Yoon, Sungjun, Kyubong Yeom, Yongun Kim, Byungno Park, Jaebong Park, Hyesu Kim, Hyeonyi Jeong, and Yul Roh. "Management of Naturally Occurring Asbestos Area in Republic of Korea." Environmental and Engineering Geoscience 26, no. 1 (February 20, 2020): 79–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.2113/eeg-2287.
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ABSTRACT The Republic of Korea Government has adopted a whole-of-government approach in the management of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) through a nationwide asbestos management plan. Regional and detailed mapping, and examination of NOA effects are still ongoing for NOA management by indoor air, noise and asbestos management division, Ministry of Environment. Plans by the Korea Rail Network Authority are under way to rebuild the Janghang double-track railway. The proposed Jannghang double-track railway route is through an area of high NOA probability that has serpentine and ultramafic rock. Chrysotile, tremolite, and actinolite asbestos were among the rocks identified within the project site (initial planning line and the operational design line). The level of asbestos in most soils was low (≤0.25 percent), while some soils contained 0.75 percent asbestos. Monitoring and analyses of air quality revealed below 0.01 fibers per cm3 (f/cc). However, there were no traces of asbestos detected in the groundwater and stream water. Despite the low asbestos content of the soil and rock, the disturbance of NOA-containing soils and rocks during railway construction could trigger the release of asbestos fibers into the air. NOA mitigation plans and measures are necessary for workers and residents during the construction of the railway.
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STOCKDALE, E. A., and P. C. BROOKES. "Detection and quantification of the soil microbial biomass – impacts on the management of agricultural soils." Journal of Agricultural Science 144, no. 4 (July 7, 2006): 285–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859606006228.
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Studies of single soil organisms, while useful in specialized cases, e.g. Rhizobia and mycohrrizae, do not yield information on the functioning of the soil ecosystem. This is because most important soil processes, e.g. carbon and nitrogen mineralization, depend upon interactions between entire suites of organisms, many of which still await identification and most of which remain unculturable.For many purposes, treating the soil microbial community as a single, undifferentiated unit, the soil microbial biomass (defined as all soil organisms <5000 μm3 volume), has much to commend it. It is analogous to studying the forest rather than an individual tree and uniquely permits an understanding of the soil–plant–microbe system as a whole, rather than studying only a small part. The present paper reviews the development of methods to measure microbial dynamics over the last century, the evolution of biomass methodologies and how they have helped the study of crucial soil processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling. Possible future directions for this research are also discussed and an explanation set forth of why the manipulation of this huge population (easily comprising 10 tonnes per hectare of living microbial cells in UK arable soils) has, so far, proved elusive.
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León-Duran, Mónica, and Álvaro Acevedo-Osorio. "Sustainably soil management in agroecological transition processes." Ecosistemas 30, no. 2 (August 22, 2021): 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.7818/ecos.2061.
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La agricultura industrial en gran escala promueve una explotación intensiva del suelo que puede comprometer su sostenibilidad en el tiempo. Como respuesta, la Agroecología propone una serie de prácticas que devuelven al suelo su capacidad productiva. Esta investigación empleó un marco de análisis sobre sostenibilidad, para identificar indicadores que relacionen el estado y manejo del suelo con las dimensiones física, química y biológica. Fueron seleccionados nueve indicadores de sostenibilidad aplicados en veintitrés fincas con distintas trayectorias en el proceso de transición agroecológica localizadas en Subachoque, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Los sistemas productivos con cinco o más años en transición obtuvieron los valores máximos para ocho de los indicadores evaluados. Se evidencia cómo la agroecología genera cambios en la sostenibilidad del manejo del suelo, asegurando características edáficas apropiadas para mantener su capacidad productiva a través del tiempo
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Zanella, Augusto, Jean-François Ponge, Anna Andreetta, Michael Aubert, Nicolas Bernier, Eleonora Bonifacio, Karine Bonneval, et al. "Combined forest and soil management after a catastrophic event." Journal of Mountain Science 17, no. 10 (October 2020): 2459–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5890-0.
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Abstract At the end of October 2018, a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps. The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha. The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the University of Padua. After eight months of discussion, the authors of this article wrote a consensus text. The sometimes asper debate brought to light some crucial aspects: 1) even experienced specialists may have various opinions based on scientific knowledge that lead to conflicting proposals for action. For some of them there is evidence that to restore a destroyed natural environment it is more judicious to do nothing; 2) the soil corresponds to a living structure and every ecosystem’s management should be based on it; 3) faced with a catastrophe, people and politicians find themselves unarmed, also because they rarely have the scientific background to understand natural processes. Yet politicians are the only persons who make the key decisions that drive the economy in play and therefore determine the near future of our planet. This article is an attempt to respond directly to a governor with a degree in animal production science, who formally and prudently asked a university department called “Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry” for help before taking decisions; 4) the authors also propose an artistic interpretation of facts (uncontrolled storm) and conclusions (listen to the soil). Briefly, the authors identify the soil as an indispensable source for the renewal of the destroyed forest, give indications on how to prepare a map of the soils of the damaged region, and suggest to anchor on this soil map a series of silvicultural and soil management actions that will promote the soil conservation and the faster recovery of the natural dynamic stability and resilience.
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Sánchez-Moreno, Sara, Hideomi Minoshima, Howard Ferris, and Louise E. Jackson. "Linking soil properties and nematode community composition: effects of soil management on soil food webs." Nematology 8, no. 5 (2006): 703–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854106778877857.
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Abstract The purported benefits of conservation tillage and continuous cropping in agricultural systems include enhancement of soil ecosystem functions to improve nutrient availability to crops and soil C storage. Studies relating soil management to community structure allow the development of bioindicators and the assessment of the consequences of management practices on the soil food web. During one year (December 2003-December 2004), we studied the influence of continuous cropping (CC), intermittent fallow (F), standard tillage (ST) and no tillage (NT) on the nematode assemblage and the soil food web in a legume-vegetable rotation system in California. The most intensive systems included four crops during the study period. Tillage practices and cropping pattern strongly influenced nematode faunal composition, and the soil food web, at different soil depths. Management effects on nematode taxa depended on their position along the coloniser-persister (cp) scale and on their trophic roles. At the last sampling date (December 2004), Mesorhabditis and Acrobeloides were positively associated with NH+4, while Panagrolaimus and Plectus were negatively correlated with certain phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA). Microbial-feeders were in general associated with both bacterial and fungal PLFA, microbial biomass C (MBC) by chloroform fumigation-extraction, total C and N, NH+4 and NO−3, and were most abundant in the surface soil of the NTCC treatment. Fungal-feeders were more closely related to PLFA markers of fungi than to ergosterol, a purported fungal sterol. Discolaimus, Prionchulus, Mylonchulus and Aporcelaimidae, in contrast, were associated with intermittent fallow and deeper soil layers. The organisms in the higher levels of the soil food web did not respond to the continuous input of C in the soil and a long recovery period may be required for appropriate taxa to be reintroduced and to increase. At the end of the experiment, each treatment supported quite different nematode assemblages and soil food webs.
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Ellouze, Walid, Ahmad Esmaeili Taheri, Luke D. Bainard, Chao Yang, Navid Bazghaleh, Adriana Navarro-Borrell, Keith Hanson, and Chantal Hamel. "Soil Fungal Resources in Annual Cropping Systems and Their Potential for Management." BioMed Research International 2014 (2014): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/531824.
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Soil fungi are a critical component of agroecosystems and provide ecological services that impact the production of food and bioproducts. Effective management of fungal resources is essential to optimize the productivity and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. In this review, we (i) highlight the functional groups of fungi that play key roles in agricultural ecosystems, (ii) examine the influence of agronomic practices on these fungi, and (iii) propose ways to improve the management and contribution of soil fungi to annual cropping systems. Many of these key soil fungal organisms (i.e., arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungal root endophytes) interact directly with plants and are determinants of the efficiency of agroecosystems. In turn, plants largely control rhizosphere fungi through the production of carbon and energy rich compounds and of bioactive phytochemicals, making them a powerful tool for the management of soil fungal diversity in agriculture. The use of crop rotations and selection of optimal plant genotypes can be used to improve soil biodiversity and promote beneficial soil fungi. In addition, other agronomic practices (e.g., no-till, microbial inoculants, and biochemical amendments) can be used to enhance the effect of beneficial fungi and increase the health and productivity of cultivated soils.
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Haberman, Amnon, Leah Tsror (Lahkim), Silit Lazare, Marina Hazanovsky, Sara Lebiush, Isaac Zipori, Amnon Busatn, Eli Simenski, and Arnon Dag. "Management of Verticillium Wilt of Avocado Using Tolerant Rootstocks." Plants 9, no. 4 (April 20, 2020): 531. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/plants9040531.
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The global avocado industry is growing, and farmers are seeking to expand their plantations. However, many lands suitable for avocado planting were previously cultivated with hosts of the soil-borne fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae, which is the causal agent of Verticillium wilt (VW). VW can seriously impair avocado orchards, and therefore, planting on infested soil is not recommended. The use of different rootstock types allows avocado cultivation in various regions with diverse biotic and abiotic constraints. Hence, we tested whether genetic variance among rootstocks may also be used to manage avocado VW. Six hundred trees, mostly Hass and some Ettinger, grafted on 23 selected rootstocks were evaluated for five years in a highly V. dahliae-inoculated plot for VW symptoms, fungal infection, and productivity. The selected rootstocks displayed a significant variation related to VW tolerance, and productive avocado rootstocks with potential VW tolerance were identified. Moreover, the rootstock productivity appears to correlate negatively to the susceptibility level. In conclusion, planting susceptible rootstocks (e.g., VC66, VC152, and VC26) in infested soil increases the likelihood of massive tree loss and low productivity. Whereas, tolerant rootstocks (e.g., VC804 and Dusa) may restrict VW and enable avocado cultivation on infested soils.
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Beauchemin, Suzanne, and R. R. Simard. "Soil phosphorus saturation degree: Review of some indices and their suitability for P management in Québec, Canada." Canadian Journal of Soil Science 79, no. 4 (November 1, 1999): 615–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/s98-087.
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Many agricultural fields contain excessive labile soil P in regard to crop needs. Its environmental fate must be assessed. The concept of P saturation degree is meaningful as it describes the portion of the soil binding sites already covered with P, and indicates the potential desorbability of soil P. The first objective of this study was to review different indices that have been proposed to estimate the degree of soil P saturation and the relationships between soil P saturation degree and P solubility. The second objective is to discuss their suitability as environmental indicators for P management in the province of Québec, Canada. In the Netherlands, the P saturation index is defined as the ratio of P to Al + Fe contents extracted by ammonium oxalate [Pox/( Alox + Feox ) or ( Pox/0.5( Alox + Feox )]. This approach has been mainly used with non-calcareous soils. In Québec, the ratio of Mehlich-III extractable P to Al (M3P/AlM3) is proposed as an alternative, which relies on routine laboratory test. However, the suitability of the M3P/AlM3 ratio has yet to be determined for some specific soil groups (e.g. gleyed soils, soils with Alox content >6 g kg−1) and for subsoil horizons. Regardless of the chosen index, it is suggested that the best way to manage the risk of water contamination by P in Québec (namely, defining critical levels of soil P saturation) may be to form homogeneous soil groups to account for their distinctive behaviour and characteristics. Key words: Phosphorus, saturation, management
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Hu, Hang-Wei, and Ji-Zheng He. "Manipulating the soil microbiome for improved nitrogen management." Microbiology Australia 39, no. 1 (2018): 24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma18007.
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The soil microbiome, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, viruses, and other microbial eukaryotes, has crucial roles in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N), the maintenance of soil fertility, and the plant N use efficiency (NUE) in agro-ecosystems1. Recent advances in omics-based technologies (e.g. metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metaproteomics) have expanded our understanding of the soil microbiome and their controls on specific N-cycling processes1–3. Given the growing N-based fertiliser consumption and continuous land degradation, innovative technologies are needed to manipulate the soil microbiome to improve crop NUE, reduce N losses and increase N reservation in soil. This article discusses the research directions to facilitate the development of microbiome-manipulating technologies for sustainable management of N transformation processes.
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Brtnický, Martin, Václav Pecina, Tereza Dokulilová, Jan Vopravil, Tomáš Khel, Jan Zloch, and Vítězslav Vlček. "Assessment of Retention Potential and Soil Organic Carbon Density of Agriculturally used Chernozems, Cambisols and Fluvisols." Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis 67, no. 5 (2019): 1131–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.11118/actaun201967051131.
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Climate change and the increasing frequency of climatic extremes have led to growing concerns over the sustainability of agriculture during recent years. In this context, soil retention and carbon storage are becoming widely discussed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the retention potential (RP) and soil organic carbon density (SOCD) of Chernozem, Cambisol and Fluvisol topsoil under agricultural management. Despite the different natural assumptions of these soil types, no significant statistical difference was found there. Mean RP values of the soil types varied from 39 to 40 mm and mean SOCD values from 23 to 28 t/ha. This finding may suggest that long-term agricultural management can suppress the naturally diverse potential for water retention and carbon storage of the individual soil types. Comparison of SOCD of the studied soils with agricultural soils in similar studies showed that most of the observed values can be considered as average. Despite this fact, a very strong local degradation has been revealed indicating poor agricultural management. Especially in such cases, there is an urgent need to adjust the management of the agricultural land fund (e.g. increased application of organic fertilizers, change in crop rotation) in order to increase carbon stocks and to improve the water retention capacity of soils.
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Osanai, Yui, Oliver Knox, Gunasekhar Nachimuthu, and Brian Wilson. "Contrasting agricultural management effects on soil organic carbon dynamics between topsoil and subsoil." Soil Research 59, no. 1 (2021): 24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr19379.
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Agricultural practices (e.g. tillage, crop rotation and fertiliser application) have a strong influence on the balance between carbon (C) input and output by altering physicochemical and microbial properties that control decomposition processes in the soil. Recent studies suggest that the mechanisms by which agricultural practice impacts soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in the topsoil may not be the same as those in the subsoil. Here, we assessed SOC stock, soil organic fractions and nitrogen availability to 1.0 m in soils under a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-based cropping system, and assessed the impact of agricultural management (three historical cropping systems with or without maize (Zea mays L.) rotation) on SOC storage. We found that the maize rotation and changes in the particulate organic fraction influenced SOC stock in the topsoil, although the overall change in SOC stock was small. The large increase in subsoil SOC stock (by 31%) was dominated by changes in the mineral-associated organic fraction, which were influenced by historical cropping systems and recent maize rotation directly and indirectly via changes in soil nitrogen availability. The strong direct effect of maize rotation on SOC stock, particularly in the subsoil, suggests that the direct transfer of C into the subsoil SOC pool may dominate C dynamics in this cropping system. Therefore, agricultural management that affects the movement of C within the soil profile (e.g. changes in soil physical properties) could have a significant consequence for subsoil C storage.
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Yang, Yichao, Amanda J. Ashworth, Jennifer M. DeBruyn, Cammy Willett, Lisa M. Durso, Kim Cook, Philip A. Moore, Jr., and Phillip R. Owens. "Soil bacterial biodiversity is driven by long-term pasture management, poultry litter, and cattle manure inputs." PeerJ 7 (October 1, 2019): e7839. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7839.
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Soil microorganisms are important for maintaining soil health, decomposing organic matter, and recycling nutrients in pasture systems. However, the impact of long-term conservation pasture management on soil microbial communities remains unclear. Therefore, soil microbiome responses to conservation pasture management is an important component of soil health, especially in the largest agricultural land-use in the US. The aim of this study was to identify soil microbiome community differences following 13-years of pasture management (hayed (no cattle), continuously grazed, rotationally grazed with a fenced, un-grazed and unfertilized buffer strip, and a control (no poultry litter or cattle manure inputs)). Since 2004, all pastures (excluding the control) received annual poultry litter at a rate of 5.6 Mg ha−1. Soil samples were collected at a 0–15 cm depth from 2016–2017 either pre or post poultry litter applications, and bacterial communities were characterized using Illumina 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Overall, pasture management influenced soil microbial community structure, and effects were different by year (P < 0.05). Soils receiving no poultry litter or cattle manure had the lowest richness (Chao). Continuously grazed systems had greater (P < 0.05) soil community richness, which corresponded with greater soil pH and nutrients. Consequently, continuously grazed systems may increase soil diversity, owing to continuous nutrient-rich manure deposition; however, this management strategy may adversely affect aboveground plant communities and water quality. These results suggest conservation pasture management (e.g., rotationally grazed systems) may not improve microbial diversity, albeit, buffer strips were reduced nutrients and bacterial movement as evident by low diversity and fertility in these areas compared to areas with manure or poultry litter inputs. Overall, animal inputs (litter or manure) increased soil microbiome diversity and may be a mechanism for improved soil health.
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Turner, Benjamin L. "Soil as an Archetype of Complexity: A Systems Approach to Improve Insights, Learning, and Management of Coupled Biogeochemical Processes and Environmental Externalities." Soil Systems 5, no. 3 (July 16, 2021): 39. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5030039.
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Due to tightly coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes that often behave in nonlinear, counterintuitive ways, it is argued that soil is an archetype of a complex system. Unfortunately, human intuition and decision making has been shown to be inadequate when dealing with complex systems. This poses significant challenges for managers or policy makers responding to environmental externalities where soil dynamics play a central role (e.g., biogeochemical cycles) and where full ranges of outcomes result from numerous feedback processes not easily captured by reductionist approaches. In order to improve interpretation of these soil feedbacks, a dynamic systems framework is outlined (capturing feedback often excluded from investigation or left to intuition) and then applied to agroecosystem management problems related to irrigation or tillage practices that drive nutrient cycling (e.g., soil water, nitrogen, carbon, and sodium). Key soil feedbacks are captured via a variety of previously developed models simulating soil processes and their interactions. Results indicated that soil system trade-offs arising from conservation adoption (drip irrigation or no-tillage) provided reasonable supporting evidence (via compensating feedbacks) to managers justifying slow adoption of conservation practices. Modeling soils on the foundation provided in the complex systems sciences remains an area for innovations useful for improving soil system management.
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Rasouli, Sogol, Joann K. Whalen, and Chandra A. Madramootoo. "Review: Reducing residual soil nitrogen losses from agroecosystems for surface water protection in Quebec and Ontario, Canada: Best management practices, policies and perspectives." Canadian Journal of Soil Science 94, no. 2 (May 2014): 109–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/cjss2013-015.
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Rasouli, S., Whalen, J. K. and Madramootoo, C. A. 2014. Review: Reducing residual soil nitrogen losses from agroecosystems for surface water protection in Quebec and Ontario, Canada: Best management practices, policies and perspectives. Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 109–127. Eutrophication and cyanobacteria blooms, a growing problem in many of Quebec and Ontario's lakes and rivers, are largely attributed to the phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) emanating from intensively cropped agricultural fields. In fact, 49% of N loading in surface waters comes from runoff and leaching from fertilized soils and livestock operations. The residual soil nitrogen (RSN), which remains in soil at the end of the growing season, contains soluble and particulate forms of N that are prone to being transported from agricultural fields to waterways. Policies and best management practices (BMPs) to regulate manure storage and restrict fertilizer and manure spreading can help in reducing N losses from agroecosystems. However, reduction of RSN also requires an understanding of the complex interactions between climate, soil type, topography, hydrology and cropping systems. Reducing N losses from agroecosystems can be achieved through careful accounting for all N inputs (e.g., N credits for legumes and manure inputs) in nutrient management plans, including those applied in previous years, as well as the strategic implementation of multiple BMPs and calibrated soil N testing for crops with high N requirements. We conclude that increasing farmer awareness and motivation to implement BMPs will be important in reducing RSN. Programs to promote communication between farmers and researchers, crop advisors and provincial ministries of agriculture and the environment are recommended.
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Ghazaryan, K. A., G. A. Gevorgyan, H. S. Movsesyan, and H. E. Khachatryan. "SOIL SALINIZATION IN THE AGRICULTURAL AREAS OF ARMENIAN SEMI-ARID REGIONS: CASE STUDY OF MASIS REGION." Proceedings of the YSU B: Chemical and Biological Sciences 54, no. 2 (252) (August 17, 2020): 159–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.46991/pysu:b/2020.54.2.159.
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Soil salinization processes in the agricultural lands of Masis region, Armenia, were investigated. Soil samples collected from these areas at the beginning (April) and end (October) of irrigation season in 2019 were analyzed for electrical conductivity as an indication of salinity. The results of the study demonstrated that irrigation caused an intensive accumulation of soluble salts in the upper horizons of these agricultural soils posing a risk of a decline in soil productivity and of soil degradation. All of this calls for an urgent need for sustainable soil management in this region.
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Francaviglia, Rosa, Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes, Claudia Di Bene, Lingtong Gai, Kristiina Regina, and Eila Turtola. "Diversification and Management Practices in Selected European Regions. A Data Analysis of Arable Crops Production." Agronomy 10, no. 2 (February 19, 2020): 297. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020297.
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In the European Union, various crop diversification systems such as crop rotation, intercropping and multiple cropping, as well as low-input management practices, have been promoted to sustain crop productivity while maintaining environmental quality and ecosystem services. We conducted a data analysis to identify the benefits of crop associations, alternative agricultural practices and strategies in four selected regions of Europe (Atlantic, Boreal, Mediterranean North and Mediterranean South) in terms of crop production (CP). The dataset was derived from 54 references with a total of 750 comparisons and included site characteristics, crop information (diversification system, crop production, tillage and fertilization management) and soil parameters. We analyzed each effect separately, comparing CP under tillage management (e.g., conventional tillage vs. no tillage), crop diversification (e.g., monoculture vs. rotation), and fertilization management (e.g., mineral fertilization vs. organic fertilization). Compared with conventional tillage (CT), CP was higher by 12% in no tillage (NT), in fine- and medium-textured soils (8–9%) and in arid and semiarid sites located in the Mediterranean Region (24%). Compared to monoculture, diversified cropping systems with longer crop rotations increased CP by 12%, and by 12% in soils with coarse and medium textures. In relation to fertilization, CP was increased with the use of slurry (40%), and when crop residues were incorporated (39%) or mulched (74%). Results showed that conversion to alternative diversified systems through the use of crop rotations, with NT and organic fertilization, results in a better crop performance. However, regional differences related to climate and soil-texture-specific responses should be considered to target local measures to improve soil management.
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Altunina, Lyubov K., Vladimir P. Burkov, Petr V. Burkov, Vitaly Y. Dudnikov, Galina G. Osadchaya, Varvara S. Ovsyannikova, and Maria S. Fufaeva. "Cryogels as a solution to the issues of environmental management and trunk pipeline operation in Arctic." SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGIES OIL AND OIL PRODUCTS PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION 10, no. 2 (April 30, 2020): 173–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.28999/2541-9595-2020-10-2-173-185.
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In the Russian Arctic, a soil cryostructuring technique (i.e. strengthening of soil horizons with cryogel-based composite materials with no excavation of unstable soils required) seems to be showing promise. Experiments have proven that mechanical and thermal insulation properties attributed to cryogels make them appropriate for use in strengthening and thermally insulating the soil, while their structure makes it possible to form a stable vegetation cover. Field experiments have confirmed that cryostructuring efficiently strengthens the soil layer with cryogels stimulating soil microflora. An experience of using cryotropic compositions in the oil and gas sector was described. Notably, cryogels can be used to strengthen unstable soil foundations of trunk pipelines, as well as to bind soil (e.g. on slopes). In addition, cryogels are advised for use in engineering protection to prevent the uneven settlement of a trench base and its creep: thus, cryogels are pumped into the soil of the trench bottom base to create a support system representing a spatial lattice. After the first freeze and thaw cycle, cryotropic material is formed and then increases its strength and elasticity with each new cycle. More broadly, opportunities have been considered regarding cryogels used in various engineering and geological conditions, while taking into account the outcomes of landscape and territorial analysis. It was concluded that cryogel-based composite materials are a promising innovative scientific field expanding technological capabilities for developing and using spaces and resources in the Russian Arctic.
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Novikov, Sergey G. "Producing the digital soil fertility map of Karelia." Dokuchaev Soil Bulletin, no. 103 (September 28, 2020): 34–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.19047/0136-1694-2020-103-34-50.
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Recent advancements in soil digital mapping have opened new opportunities for handling the scientific and applied problems of ecological soil monitoring, inventory of land and soil resources, and are generally helpful in optimizing the management of natural resources. For Karelia the development of forest soil assessment techniques is essential, considering that 95% of the republic’s land is forest soils. This paper tells about the process of creating an updated digital map of forest soils fertility in Karelia, scale 1 : 500 000. To this end, the archival soil productivity map of the republic, produced in paper version by R.M. Morozova in 2000, was scanned and converted into a vector layer with the use of the MapInfo Professional 8.5 software package. The resultant layer was aligned with the existing digitalized soil map of Karelia, which served as the basis for constructing the thematic layer according to the data on the fertility of each soil type. As a result of this study, the soil fertility assessment scale was specified and the percentage ratio of soils of different productivity in Karelia was calculated. The digital soil fertility map is an important information source of archival and modern data, and also is a part of the GIS for soils of Karelia.
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Bruyn, L. A. Lobry de, and J. A. Abbey. "Characterisation of farmers' soil sense and the implications for on-farm monitoring of soil health." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, no. 3 (2003): 285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea00176.
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If farmers are to determine whether their farm goals for resource condition are being met, and whether changes in farm management are leading towards a more sustainable farming system, then they need to be able to monitor these areas. Yet to date, an easy to use, practical and reliable method to be used by farmers to monitor trends in soil health has not been developed. This has been a consequence mainly of developing soil monitoring packages in isolation from the end user, and relying on 'expert' advice to guide farmers' management of the soil rather than empowering them to be more self-reliant in this area. This study sought to collaborate with farmers in the development of a soil health checklist. The research process acknowledged the importance of local conditions, farmers' existing knowledge on soils and their preferences for delivery and presentation of the final product. The study focused on farmers located in the north-west cropping region of New South Wales, Australia. This article reports on a prototype for a farmer's soil health checklist — the features they use, how they recognise those features, especially the language they use to describe a healthy and unhealthy soil, and finally the techniques they use to determine those features.
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Robert, Pierre C. "643 Site-specific Management for the 21st Century." HortScience 34, no. 3 (June 1999): 558D—558. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.34.3.558d.
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The new agricultural system called soil/site specific crop management (SSCM), now more generally named precision agriculture (precision farming) is the start of a revolution in natural resource management based on INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND CONTROL: it is bringing agriculture in the digital and information age. New technologies in the early 80s, particularly the microprocessor, made possible the development in the United States of farm machinery computers and controllers, the electronic acquisition and process of spatial field data to build farm geographic record keeping systems, the production of soil/site specific condition and management maps using GIS, the positioning of machines using GPS, and the development of real-time soil and crop sensors, particularly yield sensors. The concept of precision agriculture originated from a better awareness of soil and crop conditions variability within fields. The variability of soil conditions within parcels in the U.S. has been demonstrated in many ways (soil survey, soil sampling, and remote sensing) for both soil nutrients and soil physical properties (e.g., available water and compaction). It is progressively found that the concept of precision agriculture can be applied to a variety of crops and practices; management technological levels; and farm types and sizes. For example, in addition to grain crops (corn, soybeans, and wheat), applications are now developed for sugar beet and sugar cane, potato, cotton, peanut, vegetables, turf, or- chard, livestock, tree plantation, etc. Precision agriculture is still in infancy but it is the agricultural system of the future because it offers a unique variety of potential benefits in profitability, productivity, sustainability, crop quality, food safety, environmental protection, on-farm quality of life, and rural economic development.
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Locke, Martin A., and Charles T. Bryson. "Herbicide-soil interactions in reduced tillage and plant residue management systems." Weed Science 45, no. 2 (April 1997): 307–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0043174500092882.
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Recent changes in technology, governmental regulation and scrutiny, and public opinion have motivated the agricultural community to examine current management practices from the perspective of how they fit into a sustainable agricultural framework. One aspect which can be incorporated into many existing farming systems is plant residue management (e.g., reduced tillage, cover crops). Many residue management systems are designed to enhance accumulation of plant residue at the soil surface. The plant residue covering the soil surface provides many benefits, including protection from soil erosion, soil moisture conservation by acting as a barrier against evaporation, improved soil tilth, and inhibition of weed emergence. This review summarizes recent literature (ca. last 25 yr) concerning the effects of plant residue management on the soil environment and how those changes impact herbicide interactions.
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Vanlauwe, B., K. Descheemaeker, K. E. Giller, J. Huising, R. Merckx, G. Nziguheba, J. Wendt, and S. Zingore. "Integrated soil fertility management in sub-Saharan Africa: unravelling local adaptation." SOIL Discussions 1, no. 1 (December 20, 2014): 1239–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soild-1-1239-2014.
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Abstract. Intensification of smallholder agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is necessary to address rural poverty and natural resource degradation. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is a means to enhance crop productivity while maximizing the agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied inputs, and can thus contribute to sustainable intensification. ISFM consists of a set of best practices, preferably used in combination, including the use of appropriate germplasm, the appropriate use of fertilizer and of organic resources, and good agronomic practices. The large variability in soil fertility conditions within smallholder farms is also recognised within ISFM, including soils with constraints beyond those addressed by fertilizer and organic inputs. The variable biophysical environments that characterize smallholder farming systems have profound effects on crop productivity and AE and targeted application of limited agro-inputs and management practices is necessary to enhance AE. Further, management decisions depend on the farmer's resource endowments and production objectives. In this paper we discuss the "local adaptation" component of ISFM and how this can be conceptualized within an ISFM framework, backstopped by analysis of AE at plot and farm level. At plot level, a set of four constraints to maximum AE is discussed in relation to "local adaptation": soil acidity, secondary nutrient and micro-nutrient (SMN) deficiencies, physical constraints, and drought stress. In each of these cases, examples are presented whereby amendments and/or practices addressing these have a significantly positive impact on fertilizer AE, including mechanistic principles underlying these effects. While the impact of such amendments and/or practices is easily understood for some practices (e.g., the application of SMNs where these are limiting), for others, more complex interactions with fertilizer AE can be identified (e.g., water harvesting under varying rainfall conditions). At farm scale, adjusting fertilizer applications within-farm soil fertility gradients has the potential to increase AE compared with blanket recommendations, in particular where fertility gradients are strong. In the final section, "local adaption" is discussed in relation to scale issues and decision support tools are evaluated as a means to create a better understanding of complexity at farm level and to communicate best scenarios for allocating agro-inputs and management practices within heterogeneous farming environments.
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Eynard, Anna, Thomas E. Schumacher, Michael J. Lindstrom, Douglas D. Malo, and Robert A. Kohl. "Wettability of soil aggregates from cultivated and uncultivated Ustolls and Usterts." Soil Research 42, no. 2 (2004): 163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr03029.
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Soil organic matter can modify the interaction of clay minerals with water, limiting the rate of water intake of swelling clays and stabilising soil aggregates. Soil structural stability and organic C content usually decrease with cultivation. Faster wetting increases stresses on aggregates and decreases stability. Aggregate wettabilities of prairie soils under 3 different management systems (grassland, no-till, and conventional-till) were compared in the Northern Great Plains of the USA. Six Ustolls and 2 Usterts were selected as replications along the Missouri River. Wettability was measured as water drop penetration time (WDPT) and as rate of water intake under 30 and 300 mm tension. At low tension, aggregates from both cultivated fields and uncultivated grasslands showed similar wettability. Water intake in grass aggregates was attributed to a greater amount of stable pores relative to cultivated aggregates. In cultivated aggregates, slaking created planes of failure that allowed rapid water entry. Differences of wettability between management systems at 300 mm tension (in Ustolls, grasslands had greater wettability than cultivated soils, 0.24 v. 0.17 g water/h.g dry soil) and between soil orders (Usterts had longer WDPT than Ustolls, 2.9 v. 1.7 s) were explained by both clay and organic C contents. Simple measurements of aggregate wettability may be effectively used for soil quality characterisation. Aggregate wettability is a desirable property for agricultural soils when it is related to stable porosity, as may be found in high organic matter soils (e.g. grasslands). Wettability is excessive when fast aggregate wetting results in aggregate destruction as observed in low organic matter cultivated soils.
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Heuser, Irene L. "Milestones of Soil I Protection in EU Environmental Law." Journal for European Environmental & Planning Law 3, no. 3 (2006): 190–203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187601006x00227.
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AbstractThe current legal situation in the European Union does not provide a sufficiently effective framework to protect our soils against damages. The existing legislation covers some aspects of chemical and biological soil protection, e.g. in the sewage sludge directive, the Water Framework Directive, the IPPC Directive, the Habitats Directive as well as in waste management law, but it remains fragmented and focuses on safeguarding the soils as side effects. Furthermore, the requirements for the prevention of soil compaction, erosion, sealing and other physical threats of the soil are hardly considered by EU law. A turning point was marked by the 6th Environmental Action Programme with the intention to develop a specific EU strategy for soil protection (which is due to be published soon). According to reflections de lege ferenda (which could have a stimulating effect in this process), principles and instruments of EU soil protection law could be developed as elements of a targeted policy. The combination of regulative and non-regulative instruments, particularly consisting of those of planning, of direct and indirect behaviour control, of company organisation and of private law, could lead to a more effective protection of the soils. A closer look at these possible EU instruments might be interesting for the development of legal regimes of soil protection at the national and international level as well. These general considerations should be evaluated with regard to the EU competences and the principle of subsidiarity.
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Vazquez-Montiel, Oscar, Nigel J. Horan, and Duncan D. Mara. "Management of domestic wastewater for reuse in irrigation." Water Science and Technology 33, no. 10-11 (May 1, 1996): 355–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1996.0693.
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Treated effluent from an aerated lagoon and facultative pond system in southern Portugal, was used to irrigate fields planted to maize (Zea mays L.). The effluent was characterised with respect to its nitrogen and phosphorus content and applied by drip irrigation in response to crop evapotranspiration requirements. Nitrification of ammonia in the effluent by soil microorganisms caused a reduced soil pH early in the growing season, but this was reversed as the season continued. For most of the growth season plant nitrogen demand ensured a low soil nitrogen concentration, but towards the end of plant growth the continuous nitrogen supplied in the effluent exceeded crop requirements with a result that nitrate accumulated in the soil. The applied effluent also had a high phosphorus concentration but there was only a slight accumulation of this in the soil. The fertiliser value of the treated effluent was demonstrated by increased yields at physiological maturity and the N yield was within the range of expected values for this crop. The main removal mechanism for N during irrigation was crop uptake whereas P was removed primarily by soil processes. The advantages of wastewater reuse together with the importance of appropriate management practices for re-use are discussed.
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Voltr, Václav, Ladislav Menšík, Lukáš Hlisnikovský, Martin Hruška, Eduard Pokorný, and Lubica Pospíšilová. "The Soil Organic Matter in Connection with Soil Properties and Soil Inputs." Agronomy 11, no. 4 (April 15, 2021): 779. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040779.
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The content of organic matter in the soil, its labile (hot water extractable carbon–HWEC) and stable (soil organic carbon–SOC) form is a fundamental factor affecting soil productivity and health. The current research in soil organic matter (SOM) is focused on individual fragmented approaches and comprehensive evaluation of HWEC and SOC changes. The present state of the soil together with soil’s management practices are usually monitoring today but there has not been any common model for both that has been published. Our approach should help to assess the changes in HWEC and SOC content depending on the physico-chemical properties and soil´s management practices (e.g., digestate application, livestock and mineral fertilisers, post-harvest residues, etc.). The one- and multidimensional linear regressions were used. Data were obtained from the various soil´s climatic conditions (68 localities) of the Czech Republic. The Czech farms in operating conditions were observed during the period 2008–2018. The obtained results of ll monitored experimental sites showed increasing in the SOC content, while the HWEC content has decreased. Furthermore, a decline in pH and soil´s saturation was documented by regression modelling. Mainly digestate application was responsible for this negative consequence across all soils in studied climatic regions. The multivariate linear regression models (MLR) also showed that HWEC content is significantly affected by natural soil fertility (soil type), phosphorus content (−30%), digestate application (+29%), saturation of the soil sorption complex (SEBCT, 21%) and the dose of total nitrogen (N) applied into the soil (−20%). Here we report that the labile forms (HWEC) are affected by the application of digestate (15%), the soil saturation (37%), the application of mineral potassium (−7%), soil pH (−14%) and the overall condition of the soil (−27%). The stable components (SOM) are affected by the content of HWEC (17%), soil texture 0.01–0.001mm (10%), and input of organic matter and nutrients from animal production (10%). Results also showed that the mineral fertilization has a negative effect (−14%), together with the soil depth (−11%), and the soil texture 0.25–2 mm (−21%) on SOM. Using modern statistical procedures (MRLs) it was confirmed that SOM plays an important role in maintaining resp. improving soil physical, biochemical and biological properties, which is particularly important to ensure the productivity of agroecosystems (soil quality and health) and to future food security.
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Osinaga, Natalia Andrea, Carina Rosa Álvarez, and Miguel Angel Taboada. "Effect of deforestation and subsequent land use management on soil carbon stocks in the South American Chaco." SOIL 4, no. 4 (November 1, 2018): 251–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-251-2018.
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Abstract. The subhumid Chaco region of Argentina, originally covered by dry sclerophyll forest, has been subjected to clearing since the end of the 1970s and replacement of the forest by no-till farming. Land use changes produced a decrease in aboveground carbon (C) stored in forests, but little is known about the impact on soil organic C stocks. The aim of this study was to evaluate soil C stocks and C fractions up to 1 m depth in soils under different land use: <10-year continuous cropping, >20-year continuous cropping, warm-season grass pasture and native forest in 32 sites distributed over the Chaco region. The organic C stock content up to 1 m depth expressed as equivalent mass varied as follows: forest (119.3 Mg ha−1) > pasture (87.9 Mg ha−1) > continuous cropping (71.9 and 77.3 Mg ha−1), with no impact of the number of years under cropping. The coarse particle fraction (2000–212 µm) at 0–5 and 5–20 cm depth layers was the most sensitive organic carbon fraction to land use change. Resistant carbon (<53 µm) was the main organic matter fraction in all sample categories except in the forest. Organic C stock, its quality and its distribution in the profile were responsive to land use change. The conversion of the Chaco forest to crops was associated with a decrease of organic C stock up to 1 m depth and with the decrease of the labile fraction. The permanent pastures of warm-season grasses allowed higher C stocks to be sustained than cropping systems and so could be considered a sustainable land use system in terms of soil C preservation. As soil organic C losses were not restricted to the first few centimetres of the soil, the development of models that would allow the estimation of soil organic C changes in depth would be useful to evaluate the impact of land use change on C stocks with greater precision.
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Fahmi, Arifin, Ani Susilawati, and Ahmad Rachman. "Influence of Height Waterlogging on Soil Physical Properties of Potential and Actual Acid Sulphate Soils." JOURNAL OF TROPICAL SOILS 19, no. 2 (April 21, 2015): 67. http://dx.doi.org/10.5400/jts.2014.v19i2.67-73.
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Water management is main factor that determines the successful of rice cultivation in acid sulphate soil. Soil waterlogging determines the direction and rate of chemical, geochemical and biological reaction in the soil, indirectly these reactions may influence to the changes of soil psycal properties during soil waterlogging process. The experiment was aimed to study the changes of two type of acid sulphate soils physical properties during rice straw decomposition processes. The research was conducted in the greenhouse consisting of the three treatment factors using the completely randomized design with three replications. The first factor was soil type: potential acid sulphate soil (PASS) and actual acid sulphate soil (AASS). The second factor was height of water waterlogging: 0.5-1.0 cm (muddy water–level condition) and 4.0 cm from above the soil surface (waterlogged). The third factor was organic matter type: rice straw (RS), purun tikus (Eleocharis dulcis) (PT) and mixed of RS and PT (MX). Soil physical properties such as aggregate stability, total soil porosity, soil permeability, soil particle density and bulk density were observed at the end of experiment (vegetative maximum stage). The results showed that acid sulphate soil type had large effect on soil physicl properties, soil waterlogging decreased aggregate stability, soil particle density and bulk density both of soil type.Keywords : Acid sulphate soils, soil physical properties, and waterlogging [How to Cite: Arifin F, A Susilawati and A Rachman. 2014. Influence of Height Waterlogging on Soil Physical Properties of Potential and Actual Acid Sulphate Soils. J Trop Soils 19(2): 77-83. Doi: 10.5400/jts.2014.19.2.77]
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Tsai, Chen-Chi, and Yu-Fang Chang. "Quality Evaluation of Poultry Litter Biochar Produced at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures as a Sustainable Management Approach and Its Impact on Soil Carbon Mineralization." Agronomy 11, no. 9 (August 25, 2021): 1692. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091692.
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Poultry litter biochar (PLB) is a value-adding soil amendment and an economically sustainable approach that is used to enhance food safety and reduce environmental harm. Poultry litter biochar has promising potential but has been under-examined in regards to carbon (C) sequestration in relation to its type and application rate. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of PLB in enhancing the C sequestration of acid soils through a short-term incubation experiment. The soil was amended with different materials: PLB (1%, 5%, and 10%) and a control (non-amended). The results indicated that PLB application increased soil C mineralization relative to the control (19–1562%), it significantly increased with an increasing application rate (e.g., increased addition 29, 99, and 172% for 1, 5, and 10% of 400 °C PLB), and the soil C mineralization and applied carbon mineralized (ACM) significantly decreased with temperature (e.g., the cumulative C pool ranges of ACM with 1% PLB, added at pyrolysis temperatures of 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C, were 42.0, 34.4, 19.6, 6.16, and 4.04%, respectively). To assist sustainable soil management and to aid the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs), as well as to maximize the benefits of PLB applications and minimize the potential environmental risk, it is suggested that application of PLB, pyrolyzed within 400–600 °C at a rate between 1% to 5%, should be adopted in acidic soils in Taiwan.
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Ansong Omari, Richard, Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Yoshiharu Fujii, Elsie Sarkodee-Addo, Kwame Appiah Sarpong, and Yosei Oikawa. "Nitrogen Mineralization and Microbial Biomass Dynamics in Different Tropical Soils Amended with Contrasting Organic Resources." Soil Systems 2, no. 4 (November 23, 2018): 63. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040063.
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The use of location-specific and underutilized organic residues (OR) as soil amendments in small-holder agro-ecosystems is promising. Six ORs (Leucaena leucocephala, Centrosema pubescens, Gliricidia sepium, Pueraria phaseoloides, Azadirachta indica, and Theobroma cacao) were amended to three tropical soils each at 24 mg g−1 dry soil in 120-day incubation study to estimate their nitrogen (N) mineralization and microbial biomass carbon (C) dynamics. Inorganic N contents varied among ORs, soil type and incubation days. Regardless of soil type, Gliricidia had the highest inorganic N among the studied ORs. Mineralization rate of 1.4 to 1.5 mg N kg−1 soil day−1 was observed for Lego and Tec soils, respectively, and was twice higher than Nya soil. However, Nya soil released higher inorganic N than Tec and Lego soils, implying high N mineralization efficiency in the former. Consistent soil pH increase was respectively observed for Theobroma and Pueraria treatments in all soils. Moreover, Theobroma and Pueraria amendments showed the highest soil microbial biomass C (MBC) at the end of the incubation. The assessed soil properties likely affected by the dominant edaphic factors and management influenced differences in MBC and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) while OR quality indices controlled N mineralization. Thus, we conclude that soil properties and OR type are important factors for optimal utilization of organic resources.
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Curtin, D., and F. M. McCallum. "Biological and chemical assays to estimate nitrogen supplying power of soils with contrasting management histories." Soil Research 42, no. 7 (2004): 737. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr03158.
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Nitrogen (N) mineralised from soil organic matter can be an important source of N for crop uptake, particularly following cultivation of pastures. Difficulty in predicting the contribution of mineralisation continues to be a serious obstacle to implementating best management practices for fertiliser N. We evaluated biological tests (i.e. net N mineralised in a 28-day aerobic incubation and anaerobically mineralisable N, AMN) and chemical tests (ammonium-N hydrolysis in hot 2 m KCl) as predictors of N supply to a glasshouse-grown oat (Avena sativa L.) crop. The oat plants were grown to maturity without added N on 30 soils representing a range of management histories, including soils collected from long-term pastures and intensive arable cropping sites. The majority (average 83%) of the N accumulated in grain and straw was mineralised N. Plant N derived from mineralisation (PNDM), estimated by subtracting soil mineral N at sowing from N uptake, was generally higher for long-term pasture soils (mean 82 mg/kg, n = 9) than for long-term arable soils (mean 48 mg/kg, n = 9). The 2 measures of N mineralisation were not closely related [R2 = 0.11 (0.37*** when one outlying observation was omitted)], indicating that aerobic and anaerobic assays can give quite different N fertility rankings. Aerobically mineralisable N was the best predictor of PNDM (R2 = 0.79***). The ratio of CO2-C evolved to net N mineralised in the aerobic incubation was highly variable (e.g. mean of 13.6 for pasture soils v. 7.5 for long-term arable soils), likely due to differences in N immobilisation. The correlations of AMN (R2 = 0.32**) and hot KCl N (R2 = 0.24**) with PNDM were not much better than that between total soil N and PNDM (R2 = 0.16*), suggesting that these tests would not provide reliable estimates of N mineralisation potential in soils with diverse management histories.
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Schwilch, Gudrun, Tatenda Lemann, Örjan Berglund, Carlo Camarotto, Artemi Cerdà, Ioannis Daliakopoulos, Silvia Kohnová, et al. "Assessing Impacts of Soil Management Measures on Ecosystem Services." Sustainability 10, no. 12 (November 26, 2018): 4416. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10124416.
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Only a few studies have quantified and measured ecosystem services (ES) specifically related to soil. To address this gap, we have developed and applied a methodology to assess changes in ecosystem services, based on measured or estimated soil property changes that were stimulated by soil management measures (e.g., mulching, terracing, no-till). We applied the ES assessment methodology in 16 case study sites across Europe representing a high diversity of soil threats and land use systems. Various prevention and remediation measures were trialled, and the changes in manageable soil and other natural capital properties were measured and quantified. An Excel tool facilitated data collection, calculation of changes in ecosystem services, and visualization of measured short-term changes and estimated long-term changes at plot level and for the wider area. With this methodology, we were able to successfully collect and compare data on the impact of land management on 15 different ecosystem services from 26 different measures. Overall, the results are positive in terms of the impacts of the trialled measures on ecosystem services, with 18 out of 26 measures having no decrease in any service at the plot level. Although methodological challenges remain, the ES assessment was shown to be a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of the trialled measures, and also served as an input to a stakeholder valuation of ecosystem services at local and sub-national levels.
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Gundersen, P., J. R. Christiansen, G. Alberti, N. Brüggemann, S. Castaldi, R. Gasche, B. Kitzler, et al. "The greenhouse gas exchange responses of methane and nitrous oxide to forest change in Europe." Biogeosciences Discussions 9, no. 5 (May 29, 2012): 6129–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bgd-9-6129-2012.
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Abstract. Climate change and air pollution, interact with altering forest management and land-use change to produce short and long-term changes to forest in Europe. The impact of these changes on the forest greenhouse gas (GHG) balance is currently difficult to predict. To improve the mechanistic understanding of the ongoing changes, we studied the response of GHG (N2O, CH4) exchange from forest soils at twelve experimental or natural gradient forest sites, representing anticipated future forest change. The experimental manipulations one or more per site included nitrogen (N) addition (4 sites), changes of climate (temperature, 1 site; precipitation, 2 sites), soil hydrology (3 sites), harvest intensity (1 site), wood ash fertilization (1 site), pH gradient in peat (1 site) and afforestation of cropland (1 site). In most of the investigated treatments N2O emissions increased by 7 ± 3 (range 0–30) μg N2O-N m−2 h−1 across all treatments on mineral soils, but by up to 10 times the mineral soil maximum on an acidic organic soil. Soil moisture together with mineral soil C/N ratio and pH were found to significantly influence N2O emissions across all treatments. Emissions increased with N availability and decreased with soil C/N ratio, especially in interaction with increased soil moisture. High pH reduced the formation of N2O, even under otherwise favourable soil conditions. Oxidation (uptake) of CH4 was reduced from 16 ± 2 to 4 ± 6 μg CH4-C m−2 h−1 by the investigated treatments. The CH4 exchange was significantly influenced by soil moisture and soil C/N ratio across all treatments, and CH4 emissions occurred only in wet or water-saturated conditions. For most of the investigated forest manipulations or natural gradients, the response of both N2O and CH4 fluxes was towards reducing the overall GHG forest sink. The most resilient forests were dry Mediterranean forests, as well as forests with high soil C/N ratio or high soil pH. Mitigation strategies may focus on (i) sustainable management of wet forest areas and forested peat lands, (ii) continuous forest cover management, (iii) reducing atmospheric N input and, thus, N availability, and (iv) improving neutralisation capacity of acid soils (e.g. wood ash application).
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Radziemska, Maja, Zygmunt M. Gusiatin, Agnieszka Bęś, Justyna Czajkowska, Zbigniew Mazur, Tereza Hammerschmiedt, Łukasz Sikorski, et al. "Can the Application of Municipal Sewage Sludge Compost in the Aided Phytostabilization Technique Provide an Effective Waste Management Method?" Energies 14, no. 7 (April 2, 2021): 1984. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14071984.
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(1) Background: sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment, which needs to be managed appropriately, e.g., in composting processes. The application of municipal sewage sludge composts (MSSCs) as a soil amendment is a potential way to effectively manage sewage sludge. (2) Methods: this paper presents the results of a vegetation pot experiment undertaken to assess the suitability of Dactylis glomerata L. and MSSC in the aided phytostabilization technique when applied on soils from an area effected by industrial pressure; this is characterized by high levels of heavy metal (HM). The contents of HMs in the test plant (the roots and above-ground parts), as well as in the soil and MSSC, were determined via an atomic spectrometry method. (3) Results: the application of MSSC positively contributed to an increased production of plant biomass and an increase in the pH in the soil. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cr were higher in the roots than in the above-ground parts of Dactylis glomerata L. The addition of MSSC contributed most significantly to the considerable reduction in Ni, Pb, and Zn contents in the soil after the experiment. (4) Conclusions: MSSC can support the phytostabilization of soils contaminated with high levels of HMs.
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Jin, Virginia L., Kenneth N. Potter, Mari-Vaughn V. Johnson, R. Daren Harmel, and Jeffrey G. Arnold. "Surface-Applied Biosolids Enhance Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks but Have Contrasting Effects on Soil Physical Quality." Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2015 (2015): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/715916.
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Mid- to long-term impacts of land applying biosolids will depend on application rate, duration, and method; biosolids composition; and site-specific characteristics (e.g., climate, soils). This study evaluates the effects of surface-broadcast biosolids application rate and duration on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, soil aggregate stability, and selected soil hydraulic properties in a municipally operated, no-till forage production system. Total SOC stocks (0–45 cm soil) increased nonlinearly with application rate in perennial grass fields treated for 8 years with 0, 20, 40, or 60 Mg of Class B biosolids (DM) ha−1 yr−1(midterm treatments). Soil organic C stocks in long-term treatment fields receiving 20 years of 20 Mg ha−1 yr−1were 36% higher than those in midterm fields treated at the same rate. Surface-applying biosolids had contrasting effects on soil physical properties. Soil bulk density was little affected by biosolids applications, but applications were associated with decreased water-stable soil aggregates, increased soil water retention, and increased available water-holding capacity. This study contrasts the potential for C storage in soils treated with surface-applied biosolids with application effects on soil physical properties, underscoring the importance of site-specific management decisions for the beneficial reuse of biosolids in agricultural settings.
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Yeates, G. W. "Abundance, diversity, and resilience of nematode assemblages in forest soilsThis article is one of a selection of papers published in the Special Forum on Towards Sustainable Forestry — The Living Soil: Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37, no. 2 (February 2007): 216–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x06-172.
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Forest litter and soil may contain >10 × 106 individual nematodes·m–2 and, regionally, >400 species. Root-feeding nematodes may be pathogenic to young plants; microbial-feeding nematodes may increase turnover of the microbial pool; predacious and omnivorous nematodes represent higher trophic levels. The spatial distribution and abundance of nematode species in forests reflect soil type, soil fertility, climate, canopy and understorey plant species, litter depth, forest age, and management. Nematodes may be important in forest nurseries; they occur throughout the rooting depth of forest trees; hyphal-feeding species may influence mycorrhizae; and insect-vectored Bursaphelenchus species are a quarantine risk. Nematode populations interact with those of other soil animals (e.g., mites, tardigrades, enchytraeids, and protozoa). The diversity and abundance of the nematode assemblage make nematodes a useful indicator of soil condition and soil processes. Information available from forest systems suggests that, as long as physical disturbance is minimized and remaining trees or herb layer moderate the microclimate, logging and other forestry operations have only transitory effects on nematode populations. Extreme disturbance, such as bulldozing and slash-and-burn management, can significantly reduce nematode abundance and diversity. In contrast, management that enhances growth of understorey or herb layer can stimulate nematode populations. Each of these changes can be related to changes in food resource availability and environmental conditions, such as soil temperature and moisture. Although details of soil nematode contributions to nutrient processes in forest soils are sparse, that their populations are maintained through cycles of moderate management practices suggest that their beneficial contributions will also be maintained.
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Talavera, Miguel, Luis Miranda, José Antonio Gómez-Mora, María Dolores Vela, and Soledad Verdejo-Lucas. "Nematode Management in the Strawberry Fields of Southern Spain." Agronomy 9, no. 5 (May 21, 2019): 252. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9050252.
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(1) Background: Spain is the sixth strawberry producer in the world, with about 6500 ha producing more than 350,000 tons, and an annual commercial value about 390 million €. Stunted and dead strawberry plants are frequently associated with plant-parasitic nematodes, but nematode diseases have not been characterized to date in the country. (2) Methods: A poll on the perception of the impact of nematodes on strawberry production was carried out by face-to-face interviews with farm advisors. In addition, nematological field surveys were carried out at the end of the growing season in 2017 and 2018 to determine prevalence and abundance of plant-parasitic nematodes in strawberry crops. The host suitability to Meloidogyne hapla of seventeen strawberry cultivars and the tolerance limit to M. hapla at progressively higher initial population densities (Pi) were assessed in pot experiments in a growth chamber. Comparison of the relative efficacies of several soil disinfestation methods in controlling nematode populations (M. hapla and Pratylenchus penetrans) was carried out in experimental field trials for twelve consecutive years. (3) Results: Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus penetrans, and Hemicycliophora spp. were the main plant-parasitic nematodes in the strawberry fields in South Spain. Root-knot nematodes were found in 90% of the fields, being M. hapla the most prevalent species (71% of the fields). A tolerance limit of 0.2 M. hapla juveniles per g of soil was estimated for strawberry, and currently cropped strawberry cultivars did not show resistance to M. hapla. Nematode population densities were reduced by more than 70% by soil fumigation with 1,3-dichloropropene, dazomet, dimethyl-disulfide, and methyl iodide. The efficacy of metam-sodium in reducing nematode populations was about 50% and that of chloropicrin, furfural, and sodium-azide, less than 40%. Combination of solarization with organic manures (biosolarization) reduced soil nematode populations by 68–73%. (4) Conclusions: Plant-parasitic nematodes (Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, and Hemicycliophora) are widely distributed in the strawberry fields of Southern Spain. Strawberry is a poor host for M. hapla with a tolerance limit of 0.2 J2 per g of soil, and low population increases in cropping cycles of 7–8 months. Strawberry cultivars show a range of susceptibility and tolerance to M. hapla, but no resistance is found. Nematodes are effectively controlled by chemical fumigation of soils, but soil biosolarization is equally effective, and therefore, can be proposed as a sustainable alternative for pathogen control in strawberry cultivation.
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Álvarez, Carina Rosa, Alejandro Oscar Costantini, Alfredo Bono, Miguel Ángel Taboada, Flavio Hernán Gutiérrez Boem, Patricia Lilia Fernández, and Pablo Prystupa. "Distribution and vertical stratification of carbon and nitrogen in soil under different managements in the pampean region of Argentina." Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 35, no. 6 (December 2011): 1985–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0100-06832011000600015.
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One of the expected benefits of no-tillage systems is a higher rate of soil C sequestration. However, higher C retention in soil is not always apparent when no-tillage is applied, due e.g., to substantial differences in soil type and initial C content. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of no-tillage management to increase the stock of total organic C in soils of the Pampas region in Argentina. Forty crop fields under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems and seven undisturbed soils were sampled. Total organic C, total N, their fractions and stratification ratios and the C storage capacity of the soils under different managements were assessed in samples to a depth of 30 cm, in three layers (0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm). The differences between the C pools of the undisturbed and cultivated soils were significant (p < 0.05) and most pronounced in the top (0-5 cm) soil layer, with more active C near the soil surface (undisturbed > no-tillage > conventional tillage). Based on the stratification ratio of the labile C pool (0-5/5-15 cm), the untilled were separated from conventionally tilled areas. Much of the variation in potentially mineralizable C was explained by this active C fraction (R² = 0.61) and by total organic C (R² = 0.67). No-till soils did not accumulate more organic C than conventionally tilled soils in the 0-30 cm layer, but there was substantial stratification of total and active C pools at no till sites. If the C stratification ratio is really an indicator of soil quality, then the C storage potential of no-tillage would be greater than in conventional tillage, at least in the surface layers. Particulate organic C and potentially mineralizable C may be useful to evaluate variations in topsoil organic matter.
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Corstanje, Ron, Theresa G. Mercer, Jane R. Rickson, Lynda K. Deeks, Paul Newell-Price, Ian Holman, Cedric Kechavarsi, and Toby W. Waine. "Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils." Solid Earth 8, no. 5 (September 28, 2017): 1003–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1003-2017.
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Abstract. Soil condition or quality determines its ability to deliver a range of functions that support ecosystem services, human health and wellbeing. The increasing policy imperative to implement successful soil monitoring programmes has resulted in the demand for reliable soil quality indicators (SQIs) for physical, biological and chemical soil properties. The selection of these indicators needs to ensure that they are sensitive and responsive to pressure and change, e.g. they change across space and time in relation to natural perturbations and land management practices. Using a logical sieve approach based on key policy-related soil functions, this research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their capacity to deliver ecosystem goods and services. The resultant prioritised list of physical SQIs was tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change using statistical analysis and modelling. Seven SQIs were prioritised: soil packing density, soil water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, depth of soil, soil structure (assessed by visual soil evaluation) and soil sealing. These all have direct relevance to current and likely future soil and environmental policy and are appropriate for implementation in soil monitoring programmes.
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Vallini, G., S. Di Gregorio, A. Pera, and A. CF Cunha Queda. "Exploitation of composting management for either reclamation of organic wastes or solid-phase treatment of contaminated environmental matrices." Environmental Reviews 10, no. 4 (December 1, 2002): 195–207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/a02-008.
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This paper is an overview of the potential use of composting technology in programmes aimed at organic waste recycling (product-oriented perspective) or decomposition of hazardous materials (process-oriented perspective). This latter approach includes composting as a tool for bioremediation of environmental matrices, such as contaminated soils and sediments. In all above-mentioned cases, biological reactions that characterize composting must be managed carefully to allow putrescible residues to become a humified agricultural fertilizer with no phytotoxic effects, or the degradation of organic pollutants (e.g., aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons or halogenated solvents) to proceed to the highest extent with formation of innocuous end products. Thus, the fundamental aspects of controlling the microbial environment in composting matrices are singled out as a means for better evaluating the range of adverse conditions possibly responsible for hindering the correct evolution of the process within different applications. Key words: biopiles, bioremediation, composting, ex situ soil biotreatments, in-vessel systems, open systems, organo-nitro explosives, organic waste reclamation, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, soil composting windrows.
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Simões, Welson L., Anderson R. de Oliveira, Alessandra M. Salviano, Jucicléia S. da Silva, Marcelo Calgaro, and Miguel J. M. Guimarães. "Efficient irrigation management in sugarcane cultivation in saline soil." Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental 25, no. 9 (September 2021): 626–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v25n9p626-632.
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ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of leaching fraction on the biometric and production characteristics and technological quality of the juice of sugarcane varieties grown in saline soil in the Brazilian semiarid region. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with three repetitions, in a 2 × 3 × 3 factorial scheme, corresponding to two sugarcane cultivation cycles: plant cane and ratoon cane; three sugarcane varieties: RB72454, SP943206 and VAT90212; and, three leaching fractions of irrigation water: 0; 9.1; and 16.6%. Number of living leaves, number of internodes, leaf area, stem diameter, plant height, number of tillers, yield, total soluble solids content (°Brix), percentage of industrial fiber, juice purity, juice Pol%, cane Pol% and total recoverable sugar were evaluated. At the end of the two crop cycles, water use efficiency was determined. The varieties SP943206 and VAT90212 showed higher yield under leaching fraction of irrigation water of 9.1% in both cycles, and higher water use efficiency values were observed for the variety VAT90212. Application of leaching fractions to reduce soil salinity does not promote changes in the technological quality of the sugarcane varieties RB72454, SP943206 and VAT90212.