Editorial: Sustaining Soil Carbon to Enhance Soil Health, Food, Nutritional Security, and Ecosystem Services

Sustainable management of soil carbon (C) at the state level requires valuation of soil C regulating ecosystem services (ES) and disservices (ED). The objective of this study was to assess the value of regulating ES from soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), and total soil carbon (TSC) stocks, based on the concept of the avoided social cost of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the state of South Carolina (SC) in the United States of America (U.S.A.) by soil order, soil depth (0–200 cm), region and county using information from the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database. The total estimated monetary mid-point value for TSC in the state of South Carolina was $124.36B (i.e., $124.36 billion U.S. dollars, where B = billion = 109), $107.14B for SOC, and $17.22B for SIC. Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for SOC were: Ultisols ($64.35B), Histosols ($11.22B), and Inceptisols ($10.31B). Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for SIC were: Inceptisols ($5.91B), Entisols ($5.53B), and Alfisols ($5.0B). Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for TSC were: Ultisols ($64.35B), Inceptisols ($16.22B), and Entisols ($14.65B). The regions with the highest midpoint SOC values were: Pee Dee ($34.24B), Low Country ($32.17B), and Midlands ($29.24B). The regions with the highest midpoint SIC values were: Low Country ($5.69B), Midlands ($5.55B), and Pee Dee ($4.67B). The regions with the highest midpoint TSC values were: Low Country ($37.86B), Pee Dee ($36.91B), and Midlands ($34.79B). The counties with the highest midpoint SOC values were Colleton ($5.44B), Horry ($5.37B), and Berkeley ($4.12B). The counties with the highest midpoint SIC values were Charleston ($1.46B), Georgetown ($852.81M, where M = million = 106), and Horry ($843.18M). The counties with the highest midpoint TSC values were Horry ($6.22B), Colleton ($6.02B), and Georgetown ($4.87B). Administrative areas (e.g., counties, regions) combined with pedodiversity concepts can provide useful information to design cost-efficient policies to manage soil carbon regulating ES at the state level.

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Iberian Halophytes as Agroecological Solutions for Degraded Lands and Biosaline Agriculture

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13021005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 1005

Author(s):

Bernardo Duarte ◽

Isabel Caçador

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Essential Fatty Acids ◽

Soil Health ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Agricultural Products ◽

Animal Nutrition ◽

Adverse Conditions ◽

Green Solution

Research on biosaline agriculture has been increasing worldwide in recent years. In this respect, the Iberian halophyte diversity present a high-value ecological solution to be implemented for biosaline-based agroecosystems. The research on these halophytic species has been increasing worldwide and, in the recent years, especially in terms saline agriculture adaptation, osmophysiology and nutraceutical potential, highlighting the importance and potential of these species in terms of agrosolutions. The Mediterranean area has high biodiversity in terms of endemic halophytic vegetation (ca. 62 species), providing an alternative pool of potential new agricultural products to be cultivated in adverse conditions. Besides being highly diverse, most of these species are endemic and present a perennial life cycle with several applications in terms of food, forage, nutraceutical, feedstock and remediation. More specifically, the Iberian halophytic flora shows potential as resources of essential fatty acids, minerals and antioxidants—all very important for human and animal nutrition. Alongside the establishment of halophyte agroecological solutions is the provision of key ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and soil rehabilitation. Moreover, halophyte-based ecosystems provide additional recognized ecosystem services, beyond the final product production, by improving soil health, ecosystem biodiversity and storing large amounts of carbon, thereby increasing the ecosystem resilience to climate change and offering a green solution against climate change.

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Impact Assessment of Front Line Demonstrations on Summer Mung Productivity under Irrigated Agro-ecosystem of Haryana

Legume Research - An International Journal ◽

10.18805/lr-4517 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jogender Singh ◽

Kuldeep Singh ◽

Hemender . ◽

Premdeep .

Keyword(s):

Soil Health ◽

Wheat Crop ◽

Economic Returns ◽

Front Line ◽

Nutritional Security ◽

Northern India ◽

Yield Gaps ◽

Production Technologies ◽

Extension Gap ◽

Additional Income

Background: Summer mung proved to be an effective crop in improving soil health, providing additional income to the farmers, works as catch crop and fits in paddy-wheat crop rotation in Northern India. Its cultivation leads to increase in house hold income of the farmers and contributed to nutritional security in rural India. The present study was carried out by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sonepat in its adopted villages. Methods: A total number of 159 front line demonstrations (FLDs) were conducted on summer mung in 75.2 hectare area using improved variety MH-421 during summer 2017 and 2018 after harvesting of wheat and prior to paddy transplanting to show case improved production technologies on farmers’ field specifically under paddy-wheat rotation. The production, productivity and economic returns of summer mung in demonstrations and farmers’ practice were compared and different yield gaps were analyzed. Result: Average yield of demonstration plots was recorded significantly higher by 20.0 per cent and 21.3 per cent in summer 2017 and 2018, respectively. The extension gap was 1.75 q/ha and 1.90 q/ha while technology gap was 1.5 q/ha and 1.2 q/ha in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The additional economic returns for farmers ranged from Rs. 2907/ha to Rs. 3200/ha as a results of these FLDs. Hence, adoption of improved summer mung cultivation practices contributed to better yield and higher economic returns under paddy-wheat rotation after harvesting of wheat crop.

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The effects of sealing on urban soil carbon and nutrients

SOIL ◽

10.5194/soil-7-661-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 661-675

Author(s):

Roisin O'Riordan ◽

Jess Davies ◽

Carly Stevens ◽

John N. Quinton

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Urban Soil ◽

Green Space ◽

Great Influence ◽

Nitrate Content ◽

Soil Functions ◽

Soil Sealing ◽

Nutrient Stocks

Abstract. Urban soils are of increasing interest for their potential to provide ecosystem services such as carbon storage and nutrient cycling. Despite this, there is limited knowledge on how soil sealing with impervious surfaces, a common disturbance in urban environments, affects these important ecosystem services. In this paper, we investigate the effect of soil sealing on soil properties, soil carbon and soil nutrient stocks. We undertook a comparative survey of sealed and unsealed green space soils across the UK city of Manchester. Our results reveal that the context of urban soil and the anthropogenic artefacts added to soil have a great influence on soil properties and functions. In general, sealing reduced soil carbon and nutrient stocks compared to green space soil; however, where there were anthropogenic additions of organic and mineral artefacts, this led to increases in soil carbon and nitrate content. Anthropogenic additions led to carbon stocks equivalent to or larger than those in green spaces; this was likely a result of charcoal additions, leading to carbon stores with long residence times. This suggests that in areas with an industrial past, anthropogenic additions can lead to a legacy carbon store in urban soil and make important contributions to urban soil carbon budgets. These findings shed light on the heterogeneity of urban sealed soil and the influence of anthropogenic artefacts on soil functions. Our research highlights the need to gain a further understanding of urban soil processes, in both sealed and unsealed soils, and of the influence and legacy of anthropogenic additions for soil functions and important ecosystem services.

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