scholarly journals The Role of Trees and Pastures in Organic Agriculture

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Heckman
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
Tree Crops ◽  
Organic Farm

<p>Environmental concerns associated with annual row crop grain production – including soil erosion, soil carbon loss, intensive use of chemicals and petroleum, limited arable land, among others – could be addressed by converting conventional livestock production to an organic pasture based system. The inclusion of tree crops would further enhance the opportunity for feeding pasture- raised livestock by providing shelter and alternative feed sources. Biodiversity is an essential aspect of an organic farm plan. The idea of including tree crops and other perennials into the vision of an organic farm as a “living system” is very much compatible with the goals and philosophy of organic farming. Before modern no-till farming systems were developed, tree crops and pasture systems were found to provide similar benefits for controlling soil erosion and conserving soil carbon. For example, J. Russell Smith’s <em>Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture</em> (Smith, 1950) and pioneered tree crop agriculture as the alternative to annual row crops for protecting soils from erosion while producing livestock feed such as acorns, nuts, and fodder. A survey of Mid-Atlantic USA soils under pasture found 60% higher soil organic matter content than cultivated fields. Because United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (USDA-NOP) standards require dairy cattle consume pasture forage and limited grain (7 C.F.R. pt. 206), organic milk contains higher concentrations of omega-3 and fewer omega-6 fatty acids than conventional milk. Organic standards also state “the producer must not use lumber treated with arsenate or other prohibited materials for new [fence posts] installations or replacement purposes in contact with soil or livestock.” Black locust (<em>Robinia pseudoacacia</em>) is a fast growing renewable alternative to treated lumber with many attributes compatible with organic farming. This versatile tree fixes nitrogen (N), provides flowers for honey bees and other pollinators, and produces a highly durable dense wood ideal for fence posts useable for up to 50 year.</p>

Leys and soil organic matter

1964 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Clement ◽  
T. E. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Row Crops

1. The increase in soil carbon has been assessed in arable land sown to different leys variously managed.2. Under swards cut for herbage conservation, carbon in the top 15 cm. of soil increased by about 0-05 % each year. Although an increase of 0-3 % was found immediately under drills of cocksfoot grown for seed production, there was no increase midway between the drills and, for a given area of land, the carbon increment under such row-crops is probably similar to that under cut swards.

scholarly journals Analysis of organic farming’s economic viability at different subsidy levels

2008 ◽  
pp. 111-118
Author(s):  
Krisztina Kormosné Koch
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Farm Model ◽  
Land Cultivation

Applying a data-collection-based economic model, I analyzed the economic viability of organic farming at different subsidy levels. The database is concentrated on the Hortobagy region. On the basis of data, I built an average sized and operated organic farm model with both arable land cultivation and animal keeping activities. The analysis of viability is based on gross profit calculation and compared with the criteria of the long-term economic viability, determined by the author. This study summarizes the most important results of the analysis.

scholarly journals Occurrence of native weed species on arable land – Effect of different environmental factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 159-166
Author(s):  
Luděk Tyšer ◽  
Michaela Kolářová
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Winter Cereals ◽  
Arable Weed

Native species form a substantial part of arable weed communities. The objective of this survey was to study the occurrence of native species in arable fields in the Czech Republic related to applied management systems (conventional and organic farming), crops (winter cereals, spring cereals, wide-row crops) and environmental conditions at different altitudes. In 2006–2018, a phytocoenological survey (320 relevés) was performed across the Czech Republic. In total, 180 weed species were recorded, of which 43.33% were considered as native (78 species). The net effects of all the studied variables on the occurrence of native species were found as statistically significant. Most of the variability was explained by the altitude, followed by the crop and type of farming. The highest occurrence of native weeds was noticed in organic farming and cereals and increased with an increasing altitude. The higher incidence in higher elevations can be connected to the more intensive agriculture in the lowlands.

scholarly journals Modeling the Soil Erosion Regulation Ecosystem Services of the Landscape in Polish Catchments

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 3274
Author(s):  
Mustafa Nur Istanbuly ◽  
Tomáš Dostál ◽  
Bahman Jabbarian Amiri
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Soil Carbon Content

In this study, the soil erosion regulation ecosystem services of the CORINE land use/ land cover types along with soil intrinsic features and geomorphological factors were examined by using the soil erosion data of 327 catchments in Poland, with a mean area of 510 ± 330 km2, applying a multivariate regression modeling approach. The results showed that soil erosion is accelerated by the discontinuous urban fabric (r = 0.224, p ≤ 0.01), by construction sites (r = 0.141, p ≤ 0.05), non-irrigated arable land (r = 0.237, p ≤ 0.01), and is mitigated by coniferous forest (r = −0.322, p ≤ 0.01), the clay ratio (r = −0.652, p ≤ 0.01), and the organic content of the soil (r = −0.622, p ≤ 0.01). The models also indicated that there is a strong relationship between soil erosion and the percentage of land use/land cover types (r2 = [0.62, 0.82, 0.83, 0.74]), i.e., mixed forest, non-irrigated arable land, fruit trees and berry plantations, broad-leaf forest, sport and leisure facilities, construction sites, and mineral extraction sites. The findings show that the soil erosion regulation ecosystem service is sensitive to broadleaf forests, rainfed agriculture, soil water content, terrain slope, drainage network density, annual precipitation, the clay ratio, the soil carbon content, and the degree of sensitivity increases from the broadleaf forest to the soil carbon content.

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCE OF EROSION PROCESSES ON THE QUALITY OF SOILS OF THE MOUNTAIN ZONE OF THE TRANSCARPATHIAN REGION

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 146-153
Author(s):  
A. FANDALYUK ◽  
V. POLICHKO ◽  
V. CANАYLO
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
City Councils ◽  
The Carpathians ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Mountain Zone

After the reform in the mountainous zone of the Transcarpathian region, there are currently 15 territorial communities, which have united 75 village, settlement and city councils, which include 130 settlements. In this area 80.2% are hayfields and pastures. Another 0.5% of the area is occupied by perennial plantations, and 5.21 thousand hectares or 19.3% of the total area is allocated for arable land. The most susceptible to erosion processes are soils under row crops, in particular under potatoes and other roots. Withdrawal of eroded lands from agricultural lands is the most ecologically justified and economically feasible way of their use. Keywords: mountain zone of the Carpathians, structure of agricultural lands, soil, erosion processes.

The effect of rainfall intensity on soil erosion and particulate phosphorus transfer from arable soils

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Fraser ◽  
T. R. Harrod ◽  
P. M. Haygarth
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Particulate Phosphorus ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Flow Monitoring

Soil erosion, in the form of transported suspended sediment in overland flow, is often associated with high rates of particulate phosphorus (PP) (total P&gt;0.45 μm) transfer from land to watercourses. Particulate P may provide a long-term source of P for aquatic biota. Twenty-two sites for winter overland flow monitoring were selected in south-west England within fields ranging from 0.2–3.8 ha on conventionally-managed arable land. Fields were situated on highly porous, light textured soils, lacking impermeable horizons and often overlying major aquifers. Long arable use and modern cultivation methods result in these soils capping under rain impact. Overland flow was observed when rainfall intensity approached the modest rate of 0.8 mm hr−1 on land at or near to field capacity. Low intensity rainfall (&lt;2 mm hr−1) produced mean suspended sediment losses of 14 kg ha−1 hr−1, with associated PP transfer rates of 16 g ha−1 hr−1. In high intensity rainfall (&gt;9 mm hr−1) mean PP losses of 319 g ha−1 hr−1 leaving the field were observed. As might be expected, there was a good relationship between PP and suspended sediment transfer in overland flow leaving the sites. The capacity of light soils to cap when in arable use, combined with heavy or prolonged rainfall, resulted in substantial discharges, soil erosion and associated PP transfer. Storms with heavy rain, typically of only a few hours duration, were characterised by considerable losses of PP. Such events, with return periods of once or twice a winter, may account for a significant proportion of total annual P transfer from agricultural soils under arable crops. However, contributions from less intense rain with much longer duration (around 100 hours per winter in many arable districts of the UK) are also demonstrated here.

scholarly journals Weed Species Diversity in the Czech Republic Under Different Farming and Site Conditions

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 741-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Kolářová ◽  
Luděk Tyšer ◽  
Josef Soukup
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Chenopodium Album ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Standard Size ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Winter Cereals

The aim of this study was to explore the composition of weed vegetation on arable land in selected areas of the Czech Republic and to determine the level of γ-diversity. Our survey was conducted at 27 conventional and 35 organic farms from 2006–2008. In each sampled field, one phytocoenological relevé of a standard size of 100 m2 was recorded in the central part of the field. The species cover was estimated. The total γ-diversity was expressed as the total number of weed species recorded. γ-diversity of different farming systems, altitudes and crops was calculated. Subsequently, the species were divided on the basis of their perenniality. In total, 172 weed species were found – 123 and 162 in conventional and organic farming, respectively. The highest number of species was found in winter cereals and at medium altitudes. Chenopodium album was recorded as the species with the highest constancy in both types of farming. In total, 89 annuals, 17 biennials and 15 perennials were observed in conventional farming, and 109 annuals, 23 biennials, 28 perennials and 2 semiparasitic annuals were found in organic farming.

scholarly journals Long-term Monitoring of the Vegetation Cover of Mountain Territories in the GIS for Soil and Landscape Study of Territories

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
G. Djalilova ◽  
F. Mamatkulova ◽  
Z. Mamatkulova
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Stable State ◽  
Soil Protection ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
The World ◽  
Common Process ◽  
Long Term Monitoring ◽  
Term Monitoring

Rational use of natural resources and preservation of environment in good conditions are the basis of stable state of the ecosystem. Mountain soil erosion is the most common process of degradation. Soil protection from erosion is becoming a global problem in the world, and in Uzbekistan, in particular. Natural conditions of the region create a potential danger of soil erosion. The reason for its manifestation is the misuse of land, non-compliance with necessary requirements for soil protection. In most cases, it is due to the location of homesteads and crops on erosion-prone soils that poorly protect soil from erosion, improper cultivation of soils on arable land, unregulated grazing of pastures, and damage to soil protective plantations.

scholarly journals Voloshchuk M. D., Petrenko N. I., Yatsenko S. V. Erosian of soils of Ukraine: the evolution of theory and practice. – Kyiv : Nilan, Ltd., 2014. – 325 p.

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
A. P. Travleyev ◽  
V. A. Gorban
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Great Part ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
National Academy Of Sciences ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
National University

At the present time the great part of soils is exposed to various negative processes. One of the basic processes that lead to the degradation of soils in Ukraine is the erosion. According to the recent data, water and wind erosion covers 13.9 million hectares; it is about 33 % of the total arable land in the country. On this basis, the greater relevance belongs to the scientific studies displaying the features of negative phenomena of our soil, and, most importantly, the ways of solving of these urgent problems on the soil cover of Ukraine. The monograph «Soil erosion in Ukraine: the evolution of theory and practice» of such famous scientists in the field of Soil Erosion Science as Voloshchuk M. D., Petrenko N. I. and Yatsenko S. V. is one of such fundamental works. In the present monograph, considerable attention is paid to the periodization of the formation and development of the doctrine of soil erosion in Ukraine. The authors identify six basic stages of formation of the national Soil Erosion Science. The paper discusses the characteristic features of isolation of Soil Erosion Science as an independent scientific direction and a self-discipline, which are based on the works of such renowned scientists as P. S. Tregubov, M. N. Zaslavsky and G. I. Shvebs. A significant place in the monograph is devoted to the characteristics of the scientific centers of Ukraine, in which the Soil Erosion Science has been developed. These centers are distinguished by leading scientists, under the leadership of whom, the erosion processes have been studied. The authors of the monograph provides four main scientific centers of the country in the field of Soil Erosion Science development: National Scientific Centre «Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences» (central region), National Scientific Center «Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O. N. Sokolovsky», Scientific-Technical Center «Fertility» (Kharkiv region), Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University (south region), Lviv National Agrarian University, Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and others (west region). In addition to considering the features of the listed centers, in the work there is a presentation of a brief description of the project, research institutes, agricultural and agroforestry research stations that are active in a scientific work in relation to soil erosion processes. In the work, there are also the historical aspects and mechanisms for the further development of wind erosion researches. Considerable attention the authors of the monograph pay to the analysis of the current state, challenges and prospects of solving the problem on protecting the soil from erosion. The main problem of the country's soil, which is the cause of widespread erosion, is a very high agricultural development of the territory, more than half of which falls onto an arable land. At the end of the monograph, there are a large number of photos, provided by Professor M. D. Voloshchuk, which recorded various aspects of soil erosion manifestations, as well as the ways of its overcoming in the conditions of forest-steppe and steppe zones in Ukraine and on the territory of Moldova. The reviewed monograph is certainly a very relevant and timely generalizing scientific research that will be useful in the theoretical and practical use of students, academic staff of the natural and agricultural higher education institutions, research organizations.

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