Management Practices of Miscanthus × giganteus Strongly Influence Soil Properties and N2O Emissions Over the Long Term

Objectives: This study investigates nutrients stock and some soil indices of agro-ecosystem soil as affected by monoculture cropping system (cacao plantation). This was with a view to provide comprehensive understanding of soil nutrient dynamics in the ecosystems due to their different management practices. Methods: The study was carried out in 0.063 ha sample plots, three each in natural forests and cacao plantations adjacent to each other. In each plot, five core soil samples were randomly collected at two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm), bulked according to depth, air-dried, sieved through 2 mm sieve, and analyzed for soil physicochemical properties using standard methods. One-way analysis of variance was used to test significant mean differences of the soil properties among cacao plantation and natural forest at probability level (p≤0.05) at different soil depth. Results: The results showed that soil physical properties such as particle size distribution, moisture contents, and bulk density; chemical properties such as pH, exchangeable cation, organic carbon, organic matter, phosphorus, and sulfur from natural forest were higher than the soil properties in cacao plantation for both top and subsoil. Soil indices such as soil structural stability index, base saturation percentage, and sodium adsorption ratio were higher in natural forest ecosystem than the soil indices of cacao plantation. Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that long-term monoculture cropping system had significant effect on nutrients stock and soil indices. This subsequently might result in permanent soil degradation and productivity.

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How Tillage and Fertilization Influence Soil N2O Emissions after Forestland Conversion to Cropland

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12197947 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (19) ◽

pp. 7947

Author(s):

Xiao Ren ◽

Bo Zhu ◽

Hamidou Bah ◽

Syed Turab Raza

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Development ◽

Management Practices ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Southwest China ◽

Pore Space ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

N2o Flux ◽

Short Term ◽

The Sustainable Development

Soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are influenced by land use adjustment and management practices. To meet the increasing socioeconomic development and sustainable demands for food supply, forestland conversion to cropland occurs around the world. However, the effects of forestland conversion to cropland as well as of tillage and fertilization practices on soil N2O emissions are still not well understood, especially in subtropical regions. Therefore, field experiments were carried out to continuously monitor soil N2O emissions after the conversion of forestland to cropland in a subtropical region in Southwest China. One forestland site and four cropland sites were selected: forestland (CK), short-term croplands (tillage with and without fertilization, NC-TF and NC-T), and long-term croplands (tillage with and without fertilization, LC-TF and LC-T). The annual cumulative N2O flux was 0.21 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in forestland. After forestland conversion to cropland, the annual cumulative N2O flux significantly increased by 76‒491%. In the short-term and long-term croplands, tillage with fertilization induced cumulative soil N2O emissions that were 94% and 235% higher than those from tillage without fertilization. Fertilization contributed 63% and 84% to increased N2O emissions in the short-term and long-term croplands, respectively. A stepwise regression analysis showed that soil N2O emissions from croplands were mainly influenced by soil NO3− and NH4+ availability and WFPS (water-filled pore space). Fertilization led to higher soil NH4+ and NO3− concentrations, which thus resulted in larger N2O fluxes. Thus, to reduce soil N2O emissions and promote the sustainable development of the eco-environment, we recommend limiting the conversion of forestland to cropland, and meanwhile intensifying the shift from grain to green or applying advanced agricultural management practices as much as possible.

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Large Variations in N2O Fluxes from Bioenergy Crops According to Management Practices and Crop Type

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11060675 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 675

Author(s):

Fabien Ferchaud ◽

Céline Peyrard ◽

Joël Léonard ◽

Eric Gréhan ◽

Bruno Mary

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Pore Space ◽

Bioenergy Crops ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Crop Type ◽

Long Term Experiment ◽

Crop Types ◽

N2o Fluxes ◽

Temperature Water

Field N2O emissions are a key point in the evaluation of the greenhouse gas benefits of bioenergy crops. The aim of this study was to investigate N2O fluxes from perennial (miscanthus and switchgrass), semi-perennial (fescue and alfalfa) and annual (sorghum and triticale) bioenergy crops and to analyze the effect of the management of perennials (nitrogen fertilization and/or harvest date). Daily N2O emissions were measured quasi-continuously during at least two years in a long-term experiment, using automated chambers, with 2–5 treatments monitored simultaneously. Cumulative N2O emissions from perennials were strongly affected by management practices: fertilized miscanthus harvested early and unfertilized miscanthus harvested late had systematically much lower emissions than fertilized miscanthus harvested late (50, 160 and 1470 g N2O-N ha−1 year−1, respectively). Fertilized perennials often had similar or higher cumulative emissions than semi-perennial or annual crops. Fluxes from perennial and semi-perennial crops were characterized by long periods with low emissions interspersed with short periods with high emissions. Temperature, water-filled pore space and soil nitrates affected daily emissions but their influence varied between crop types. This study shows the complex interaction between crop type, crop management and climate, which results in large variations in N2O fluxes for a given site.

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Long-term effects of sustainable management practices on soil properties and crop yields in rainfed Mediterranean almond agroecosystems

European Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.1016/j.eja.2020.126207 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 123 ◽

pp. 126207

Author(s):

M. Martínez-Mena ◽

M. Perez ◽

M. Almagro ◽

N. Garcia-Franco ◽

E. Díaz-Pereira

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Long Term Effects

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Variation in Soil Properties under Long-Term Irrigated and Non-Irrigated Cropping and Other Land-Use Systems in Dura Catchment, Northern Ethiopia

10.1101/755256 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Gebreyesus Brhane Tesfahunegn ◽

Teklebirhan Arefaine Gebru

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Management Practices ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Eragrostis Tef ◽

Northern Ethiopia ◽

Soil System ◽

Land Use Systems ◽

Nutrient Stocks

AbstractThere are limited reports about the impacts of long-term irrigated and non-irrigated cropping and land-use systems (CLUS) on soil properties and nutrient stocks under smallholder farmers’ conditions in developing countries. The objective of this research was to examine variation in soil properties and OC and TN stocks across the different CLUS in Dura sub-catchment, northern Ethiopia. Surveys and discussions on field history were used to identify nine CLUS, namely, tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trot)) mono-cropping (TM), maize (Zea mays L.) mono-cropping (MM), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)-maize intercropping (IC1), red beet (Beta Vulgaris)-maize intercropping (IC2), cauliflower-tef-maize rotation (R1), onion (Allium cepa L.)-maize-onion rotation (R2), treated gully (TG), untreated gully (UTG), and natural forest system (NF). A total of 27 composite soil samples were collected randomly from the CLUS for laboratory analysis. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and PCA. The lowest and highest bulk density was determined from NF (1.19 Mg m-3) and UTG (1.77 Mg m-3), respectively. Soil pH, EC and CEC varied significantly among the CLUS. The highest CEC (50.3 cmolc kg-1) was under TG followed by NF. The highest soil OC stock (113.6 Mg C ha-1) and TN stock (12.2 Mg C ha-1) were found from NF. The PCA chosen soil properties explained 87% of the soil quality variability among the CLUS. Such soil properties and nutrient stocks variability among the CLUS suggested that introduction of suitable management practices are crucial for sustaining the soil system of the other CLUS.

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Soil-Food-Environment-Health Nexus for Sustainable Development

Research ◽

10.34133/2021/9804807 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Baojing Gu ◽

Deli Chen ◽

Yi Yang ◽

Peter Vitousek ◽

Yong-Guan Zhu

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Human Health ◽

Environmental Quality ◽

Food Environment ◽

Management Practices ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Changes In Soil Properties

Changes in soil properties and processes can influence food and environmental quality, thus, affecting human health and welfare through biogeochemical cascades among soil, food, environment, and human health. However, because many soil properties change much more slowly than do management practices and pollution to soil, the legacy of past influences on soil can have long-term effects on both human health and sustainability. It is essential and urgent to manage soils for health and sustainability through building the soil-food-environment-health nexus.

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Long Term Impact of Sludge Application in Maize Farm

Proceedings ◽

10.3390/proceedings2019030074 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 74

Author(s):

Adelcia Veiga ◽

Carla Ferreira ◽

Luís Pinto ◽

Anne-Karine Boulet ◽

Eunice Louro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Management Practices ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Matter Content ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

Sludge Application ◽

Composted Sludge

Intensification of agriculture worldwide has led to a growing awareness on their environmental impacts, namely on soil quality and long term impact on crop productivity. As a consequence, there is an increasing concern regarding best agricultural management practices and their impact on physical, chemical and biological soil properties. In the Centre region of Portugal, maize is one of the most important arable crops and represents more than 32% of the cultivated area. Maize fields have been intensively managed under conventional practices, but increasing land degradation is leading farmers to adopt improved management practices, such as the application of composted sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants. This study aims to assess the long term impact of composted sludge application as soil amendment in maize cropping fields. The study was performed in Baixo Mondego, in central region of Portugal, largely devoted to agriculture and where maize is one of the most relevant crops. The study was performed in two study sites with similar soil and weather characteristics - one managed under conventional practices, with intensive application of fertilizers, and another field where a significant part of mineral fertilizers is replaced by composted sludge. Both sites use these agricultural management practices for more than 5 years. In 2018, two soil sampling campaigns were performed to assess the physical (texture and bulk density) and chemical soil properties (organic matter content, total nitrogen, total and extractable phosphorus, exchangeable cation (K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+) and heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn and Ni)). Results show that composted sludge improves soil organic matter content (1.2% vs. 2.2%), total (2747 mg kg-1 vs. 1134 mg kg-1) and available phosphorous (821.85 mg kg-1 vs. 98.44 mg kg-1) comparing with conventional management practices. Higher contents of heavy metals, specifically Cu, Zn, Cd and Cr, were found in the field with sludge application than in the conventional one, which may represent a long term risk for soil contamination. Information regarding the long term impacts of best management practices on soil quality is relevant and should guide farmers and policy makers to attain agricultural sustainability.

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