scholarly journals Nematode Community-Based Soil Food Web Analysis of Ferralsol, Lithosol and Nitosol Soil Groups in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi Reveals Distinct Soil Health Degradations

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Haddish Melakeberhan ◽  
ZinThuZar Maung ◽  
Isaac Lartey ◽  
Senol Yildiz ◽  
Jenni Gronseth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Soil Food Web ◽  
Soil Group ◽  
Soil Groups

Determining if the vast soil health degradations across the seven major soil groups (orders) of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can be managed on the basis of a one-size-fits-all or location-specific approach is limited by a lack of soil group-based understanding of soil health degradations. We used the relationship between changes in nematode population dynamics relative to food and reproduction (enrichment, EI) and resistance to disturbance (structure, SI) indices to characterize the soil food web (SFW) and soil health conditions of Ferralsol, Lithosol and Nitosol soil groups in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. We applied bivariate correlations of EI, SI, soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), and texture (sand, silt and clay) to identify integrated indicator parameters, and principal component analysis (PCA) to determine how all measured parameters, soil groups, and countries align. A total of 512 georeferenced soil samples from disturbed (agricultural) and undisturbed (natural vegetation) landscapes were analyzed. Nematode trophic group abundance was low and varied by soil group, landscape and country. The resource-limited and degraded SFW conditions separated by soil groups and by country. EI and SI correlation with SOC varied by landscape, soil group or country. PCA alignment showed separation of soil groups within and across countries. The study developed the first biophysicochemical proof-of-concept that the soil groups need to be treated separately when formulating scalable soil health management strategies in SSA.

scholarly journals Application of Nematode Community Analyses-Based Models towards Identifying Sustainable Soil Health Management Outcomes: A Review of the Concepts

Soil Systems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Haddish Melakeberhan ◽  
Gregory Bonito ◽  
Alexandra N. Kravchenko
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Cycling ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Water Holding

Soil health connotes the balance of biological, physicochemical, nutritional, structural, and water-holding components necessary to sustain plant productivity. Despite a substantial knowledge base, achieving sustainable soil health remains a goal because it is difficult to simultaneously: (i) improve soil structure, physicochemistry, water-holding capacity, and nutrient cycling; (ii) suppress pests and diseases while increasing beneficial organisms; and (iii) improve biological functioning leading to improved biomass/crop yield. The objectives of this review are (a) to identify agricultural practices (APs) driving soil health degradations and barriers to developing sustainable soil health, and (b) to describe how the nematode community analyses-based soil food web (SFW) and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) data visualization models can be used towards developing sustainable soil health. The SFW model considers changes in beneficial nematode population dynamics relative to food and reproduction (enrichment index, EI; y-axis) and resistance to disturbance (structure index, SI; x-axis) in order to identify best-to-worst case scenarios for nutrient cycling and agroecosystem suitability of AP-driven outcomes. The FUE model visualizes associations between beneficial and plant-parasitic nematodes (x-axis) and ecosystem services (e.g., yield or nutrients, y-axis). The x-y relationship identifies best-to-worst case scenarios of the outcomes for sustainability. Both models can serve as platforms towards developing integrated and sustainable soil health management strategies on a location-specific or a one-size-fits-all basis. Future improvements for increased implementation of these models are discussed.

scholarly journals The Importance of Soil Health for Residential Landscapes

EDIS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Scalera ◽  
A. J. Reisinger ◽  
Mary Lusk
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Soil Food Web ◽  
Residential Landscapes ◽  
Soil And Water

This 6-page publication’s purpose is to educate master gardeners and homeowners about the principles of soil health as well as practices that harm or nurture soil health at the residential scale. It also includes a description of the soil food web and the microorganisms that comprise it. This new publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences was written by Sally Scalera, Alexander J. Reisinger, and Mary Lusk. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss664

Effects of plant and animal waste-based compost amendments on the soil food web, soil properties, and yield and quality of fresh market and processing carrot cultivars

Nematology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alemayehu W. Habteweld ◽  
Daniel Brainard ◽  
Alexandra Kravchenko ◽  
Parwinder S. Grewal ◽  
Haddish Melakeberhan
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Soil Food Web ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Web Structure ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Soil Ecosystems ◽  
Multifactor Analysis

A substantial knowledge gap exists on how compost source and rate of application affect nematode community-based soil food web structure, soil health, soil physiochemistry, and crop yield and quality in short- and full-season crops. We tested effects of plant (PC)- and animal (AC)-based compost at 1, 1.5 and 2× the standard nitrogen (N) rate on processing carrot ‘Cupar’ and fresh market ‘Sugarsnax 54’ (short-season crop) over 2-3 growing seasons. Low abundance of nematodes and domination of herbivores and bacterivores indicate that the field is biologically stressed. While outcomes of most measured parameters varied by compost source and/or rate, an increase in soil food web structure with time was most consistent. A combination of the variable outcomes and correlation patterns suggest that a multifactor analysis may best quantify compost-driven changes in soil ecosystems as opposed to looking for changes in a single parameter.

On Quantifying Water Quality Benefits of Healthy Soils

BioScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Zimnicki ◽  
Timothy Boring ◽  
Grey Evenson ◽  
Margaret Kalcic ◽  
Douglas L Karlen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Farmer Adoption

Abstract Despite decades of research demonstrating links between many agricultural practices and water quality, the ability to predict water quality on the basis of changes in soil health remains severely limited. By better understanding how soil health affects downstream water quality, researchers and policymakers could prioritize different conservation practices while exploring more innovative soil health management strategies. Focusing on the Great Lakes region, we describe the value and challenges of different approaches to linking soil health and water quality, specifically applying nitrogen and phosphorus mass balances and adapting simulation models to better incorporate changing soil health conditions. We identify critical research needs, including paying greater attention to a broad suite of conservation practices and to biological indicators of soil health. We also discuss key barriers to farmer adoption of conservation practices from field to national scales, highlighting that improved scientific understanding alone is insufficient to drive widespread change.

scholarly journals Trace element status on sheep-beef farms in the Raglan-Franklin districts

1997 ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
R.D. Longhurst ◽  
M.F. Hawke ◽  
M.B. O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Vitamin B12 ◽  
Trace Element ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Soil Group ◽  
Trace Element Status ◽  
The Status ◽  
Soil Groups

During spring 1995, pastoral farms in the Raglan- Franklin districts were surveyed to establish their trace element status. The major soil groups of the area were identified and a geographically representative sample of farms within these soil groups sampled for soil and pasture trace element concentrations. In total, 82 sites on 40 farms were sampled. In addition, liver samples from 80 lambs on 20 of these properties were analysed for trace elements during summer of 1995/96. Soil samples were analysed for Mn, Cu and Co; pastures were analysed for Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Co, Se and I. Lamb livers were analysed for Cu, Se and vitamin B12. Survey findings indicated that the Co concentrations in soils, pastures and vitamin B12 in lamb livers throughout much of the district were marginal, particularly in the southern area. The two soil groups most at risk were the yellow-brown loams and yellow-brown earths. Farmers are advised to closely monitor their Co status during late spring and to consider their grazing management strategies. Generally, the status of other trace elements was satisfactory. Keywords: lambs, liver vitamin B12, pasture cobalt, soil cobalt, soil contamination, soil group, titanium, trace elements

Occurrence of Meloidogyne hapla relative to nematode abundance and soil food web structure in soil groups of selected Michigan vegetable production fields

Nematology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Isaac Lartey ◽  
Alexandra Kravchenko ◽  
Terence Marsh ◽  
Haddish Melakeberhan
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Natural Vegetation ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Meloidogyne Hapla ◽  
Soil Food Web ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Nematode Abundance ◽  
Mineral Soils

Summary Despite considerable knowledge of distribution, biology and parasitic variability (PV) of Meloidogyne hapla in cropping systems, how its PV relates to soil health conditions remains unknown. This study investigated the relationship between the presence or absence of M. hapla with soil food web and the abundance of nematode community in muck (high organic matter) and mineral soils of 15 agricultural fields and adjacent natural vegetation across three vegetable production regions of Michigan, USA. Meloidogyne hapla was present in all regions and all muck soils, but only in some mineral soils. It was present in soils with degraded and disturbed soil food web conditions, but there was no pattern with nematode trophic group abundance. However, principal component analysis showed distinct relationships among M. hapla presence or absence, soils, nematode abundance parameters in agricultural and natural vegetation. The study lays down a foundation for more targeted investigations to understand any links between the PV of M. hapla and its soil environment.

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