Contested Grasslands: Commons and the Unequal Land-Costs to Sustain Soil Fertility in Preindustrial Agriculture

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-655
Author(s):  
Dino Güldner
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Cycling Of Nutrients

AbstractMaintaining soil fertility was the most pressing problem in preindustrial agriculture. Prior to the arrival of industrial inputs, farmers relied on ecological soil replenishment processes and biological fertilizing techniques to sustain the productivity of soil. Central European farmers actively managed the cycling of nutrients by keeping livestock. Farm animals provided the means to recycle nutrients from crop production and to transfer nutrients from land-use systems dedicated for biomass extraction, such as grasslands. This article explores the unequal distribution of these vital resources in the Manor Bruck, Austria, and its impact on landlord’s and peasant’s abilities to meet the “land costs” of sustaining soil fertility. The article tests the hypothesis as to whether inequality was a major driver for unsustainable farming practices and the degradation of agro-ecosystems in the long run. Focal points are commons and communal land-use systems and their role in cycling nutrients through the agricultural landscape. Commons in the Manor Bruck comprised vast grasslands, which provided an important ecological buffer to balance the continuous export of nutrients from crop production for all actors. The aim is to demonstrate how social conflict emerging from the competition over commons guides us to the specific sustainability challenges faced by farmers.

scholarly journals Assessment of Soil Fertility under Different Land-Use Systems in Dhading District of Nepal

Soil Systems ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudarshan Kharal ◽  
Babu Khanal ◽  
Dinesh Panday
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Vegetable Farm

Unscientific land use and cropping techniques have led high soil erosion and degradation of soil quality in the mid-hills of Nepal. To understand the effects of land use systems for selected soil chemical properties in mid-hills, composite soil samples at 0 cm to 20 cm depth were collected from five different land-use systems: Grassland, forest land, upland, lowland, and vegetable farms from Dhading district of Nepal in 2017. Soil samples were analyzed for soil fertility parameters: Soil pH, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K) and its effect due to different land use systems were compared. Results showed that soil pH was neutral in vegetable farms (6.61), whereas the rest of the land-use systems had acidic soils. Soil OM (3.55%) and N (0.18%) content was significantly higher in forest, but the lowest soil OM (1.26%) and N (0.06%) contents were recorded from upland and lowland farms, respectively. Available P was the highest in the vegetable farm (41.07 mg kg−1) and was the lowest in grazing land (2.89 mg kg−1). The upland farm had significantly higher P levels (39.89 mg kg−1) than the lowland farm (9.02 mg kg−1). Available K was the highest in the vegetable farm (130.2 mg kg−1) and lowest in grazing land (36.8 mg kg−1). These results indicated that the land under traditional mixed cereal-based farming had poor soil health compared with adjacent vegetable, grazing, and forest lands among the study area. The variations in soil fertility parameters suggest the immediate need for improvement in soil health of traditional farmlands.

scholarly journals Assessment of Agricultural Land Use Systems for Soil Fertility Maintenance

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
M. T. Folarin ◽  
A. J. Adeyemo ◽  
G. O. Elumalero ◽  
O. J. Olalekan ◽  
M. O Apenah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Particle Density ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Grazing Land ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Radial Sampling

Land is the most important endowment in nature, providing livelihood in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. However, most areas of land previously developed from tropical rainforest have been degraded as a result of land misuse with nutrient mining and soil degradation presently considered as problems in arable farms. Hence, the extent to which land for crop production influences soil properties need to be studied to greater details due to variations in soils by location. The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of agricultural land use systems on the soil physical and chemical properties. Three representative fields with three replicates each which have been in active use for last 5 years were selected from each agricultural land use types: Cultivated (07.31° N 05.12° E 360.0 M), Agroforestry (07.31° N 05.21° E 373.5 M) and Grazing land (07.29° N 05.35° E 355.0 M). Five soil subsamples were collected from the depths of 0-20 and 20 - 40 cm each in a radial sampling. The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Statistical Analytical System (SAS) and the means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at P<0.05 significant level. The mean values of soil chemical properties are highest in the agroforestry land followed by cultivated and then in the grazing land. Grazing land shows the highest bulk density of (1.87 g/cm3), cultivated (1.30 g/cm3) and then agroforestry (1.24 g/cm3) with same trends recorded in particle density across the land use. The soils significantly responded to changes in land use systems through salient soil features which constitute soil properties governing soil fertility and productivity. Such human-induced change is not limited to surface soils but also the subsurface soils and has remarkable implication for ecosystem quality and productivity of the traditional low-external-input agriculture in the study area.

Soil Fertility and Quality Assessment under Tree‐, Crop‐, and Pasture‐Based Land‐Use Systems in a Rainfed Environment

2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1436-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Sharma ◽  
K. Ramachandra Raju ◽  
S. K. Das ◽  
B. R. C. Prasad Rao ◽  
B. S. Kulkarni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Tree Crop

scholarly journals Soil properties and earthworm dynamics affected by land use systems in western Chitwan, Nepal

2018 ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Chauhan ◽  
K. R. Pande ◽  
S. C. Shah ◽  
D. D. Dhakal
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Pasture Land ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Total Soil ◽  
Total Soil Nitrogen

Field experiments were conducted in acidic soils of Mangalpur and Fulbari Village Development Committees in western Chitwan, Nepal to study the effects of different land use systems on soil properties and earthworm dynamics. Seven land use systems (cereal based lowland, cereal based upland, vegetable farm land, fruit orchard land, pasture land, forest land and farmer’s field) were used and they were replicated four times in randomized complete block designs. Soil organic matter and total soil nitrogen were significantly higher from pasture land (4.7 % and 0.2 %) and the lowest were from farmer’s field (2.4 % and 0.1 %). However, available soil phosphorous content was significantly higher from cereal based upland (448.3 kg ha-1) and it was the lowest from forest land (13.0 kg ha-1). The highest earthworm count was observed from pasture land (10.1 numbers per trap) than others but it was the lowest from farmer’s field. There were significant positive correlations between soil organic matter content and the earthworm count (r= 0.96**) and between total soil nitrogen content and earthworm count (r= 0.80**). In contrast, a significant negative correlation was observed between earthworm count and available P (r= -0.51**). Correlation between earthworm count and silt content was positive (r= 0.68**) but between earthworm count and sand content was negative (r= -0.64**). However, there were no significant relationships of earthworm count with available K, pH, bulk density and clay content of soils. The soil organic matter, total soil nitrogen and earthworm count were higher from pasture soil than other soils. As soil organic matter, total soil N, available soil P and soil texture regulated earthworm dynamics in soils. Earthworm population may be used as a bio-indicator of soil fertility status and it can be developed as an alternative technique for soil fertility evaluation after quantification and verification from further experiments on earthworm dynamics under different land use systems.Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science.Vol. 33-34, 2015, page: 123-128

scholarly journals Soil Properties Linking to Climate Change Mitigation and Food Security in Nepal

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Him Lal Shrestha ◽  
Trishna Bhandari ◽  
Bhaskar Karky ◽  
Rajan Kotru
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Ph Value ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Food Deficit

Crop productivity is directly dependent to soil fertility. High soil organic carbon (SOC) content in soil is vital as it leads to improved soil quality, increased productivity, and stable soil-aggregates. In addition, with the signing of the climate agreement, there is growing interest in carbon sequestration in landscapes. This paper looks at how SOC can be increased so that it not only contributes to reduction of CO2, but also translates to increased food production thereby enhancing food security. This synergy between mitigation and enhancing food security is even more relevant for mountain landscapes of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region where there remains huge potential to increase CO2 sequestration and simultaneously address food security in the chronic food deficit villages. Soil samples were collected from seven transects each in Bajhang and Mustang and from 4 land use types in each transect. Samples of soils were taken from two depths in each plot; 0-15 cm below the soil surface and 15-30 cm below the soil surface to compare the top soil and subsoil dynamics of the soil nutrients. The lab analysis was performed to assess the soil texture, soil color, soil acidity in 'power of hydrogen' (pH), macro-nutrients as soil fertility. Secondary data was used to analyze the level of food deficit in the villages. The result shows that most of the sample soils from Mustang were clay (82.1%) which is 46 samples out of 56. The pH value of soil from Bajhang ranged from 5.29 to 9.09. The pH value of soil ranged from 5.65 to 8.81 in Mustang. SOC contents of sampled soils from Bajhang ranged from 0.20% to 7.69% with mean amount of 2.47% &plusmn; 0.17. SOC contents of sampled soils from Mustang ranged from 0.51% to 8.56% with mean amount of 2.60% &plusmn; 0.25. By land use type, forest land had the highest carbon (C) content of 53.61 t ha-1 in Bajhang whereas in Mustang, agricultural land had the highest C content of 52.02 tons ha-1. Based on these data, we can say that there is potential for increasing SOC through improved soil health and crop production and soil. Sustainable soil management should be practiced for higher productivity. Livestock may also provide farmyard manure, which can be used to fertilize cultivated soils, which increases soil productivity. Increasing productivity would aid in increasing the access and availability of food in these mountain villages.

Land use as a driver of soil fertility and biodiversity across an agricultural landscape in the Central Peruvian Andes

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1138-1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne W. de Valença ◽  
Steven J. Vanek ◽  
Katherin Meza ◽  
Raul Ccanto ◽  
Edgar Olivera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Peruvian Andes

scholarly journals Changes in Land Use Systems Alter the Phosphorus Nutrition and Associated Soil Fertility Status

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 3975-3982
Author(s):  
Didar Ahmad ◽  
Farhan Hafeez ◽  
Hesham Alharby ◽  
Atif Bamagoos ◽  
Khalid Hakeem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Phosphorus Nutrition ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Fertility Status ◽  
Soil Fertility Status
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