Ecology as the main way for sustainable development in agriculture

Based on these facts, it is clear that agriculture has a detrimental impact on the environment at this stage of development. Taking into account the negative consequences of its activities, it can be concluded that, in today’s world, there should be tendencies to create ecological equilibrium, soil recovery, restoration of biogeochemical cycles, improvement of the resilience of agro-ecosystems to ensure the cleanliness of all agricultural products. Their successful solution can only be based on environmental management, a comprehensive system of measures to conserve wildlife, and increased agricultural and livestock productivity. Positioning Russia as a country with good and clean lands for the production of food materials, with rich genetic resources, the good environmental situation in many agricultural regions will contribute to the creation of a favorable investment climate in such industries as ecological agriculture, production of environmentally friendly products, development of environmental, agricultural, and gastronomic tourism, service and restaurant sectors. Making the ecologization of agriculture a priority will help to address problems such as increasing soil fertility at the expense of soil-forming organisms, preserving the biodiversity of plants, animals, increasing the sustainability of agro- and biocenoses and it will ultimately lead to the restoration and preservation of human health.

Challenges and potential approaches for soil recovery in iron open pit mines and waste piles

The revegetation of areas impacted by iron mining may be hampered by a series of chemical and physical impediments exhibited by those areas. Physical problems, such as penetration resistance and steep slopes, may outweigh the chemical problems, such that both should be considered for soil recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the main soil attributes that are directly related to plant growth on areas affected by iron mining activities discussing possible solutions. For this purpose, chemical and physical attributes including penetration resistance on open pit mines, waste piles and native forest in Carajás Mineral Province were analysed. The results show that the open pits had low to medium levels of P and low levels of organic matter and of the micronutrients B, Zn and Cu. In the waste piles, the chemical parameters were less hindering than in the open pits. Soil penetration resistance in open pits was higher than in the waste piles and the forest; however, there was a reduction of up to 69% in soil resistance in open pits in the rainy season. The principal chemical problems observed in mine pits can be easily corrected, although the inclination of open pit slopes in combination with elevated soil density increase the risks of losses of fertilizers and seeds by runoff. Penetration resistance is the most serious problem for the development of plants in mine pits, although the use of irrigation water can help to maintain tolerable levels of resistance in soil for proper root growth of native species.

Evaluation of Leaf Litter Mulching and Incorporation on Skid Trails for the Recovery of Soil Physico-Chemical and Biological Properties of Mixed Broadleaved Forests

Engineering applications can be used to mitigate the adverse effects of soil compaction and amend compacted soils. Previous literature has highlighted the beneficial effects of interventions such as litter mulching and incorporation on skid trails. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these alternatives in restoring forest soil quality after forest logging. The objective of this study was to properly elucidate the effects of the above mentioned soil protection methods, litter incorporation before skidding (LI) and litter mulching after skidding (LM), on the recovery of compacted soil’s physico-chemical and biological properties on skid trails over a 2-year period in the Hyrcanian forests of Iran to identify the best option for restoration intervention. The litter used in both methods consisted of dried leaves of the hornbeam and maple tree in three intensities of 3, 6, and 9 Mg ha−1. The results showed that the application of both methods (LI and LM) significantly improved the soil properties when compared to the untreated skid trail. Results showed that the recovery values of soil properties in the LI treatments were significantly higher than those of the LM. The recovery values of soil properties by 6 and 9 Mg ha−1 were significantly higher than those of 3 Mg ha−1, while the differences were not significant between 6 and 9 Mg ha−1. Our findings showed that soil properties were partially recovered (70–80%) over a 2-year period from treatment, compared to untreated, but the full recovery of soil properties required more time to return to the pre-harvest value. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that the application of soil protection methods accelerates the process of recovering soil properties much faster than natural soil recovery, which can take more than 20 years in these forests.

Innovation with Lagoon Sediments for Soil Conservation and Sustainable Intensification in the Ecuadorian Andes

Agricultural production outlines the constant antagonism between the quest to achieve the highest yields and the need to preserve the physical/chemical properties of soils. The constantly increasing global demand for food prompts producers to apply more agrochemicals in order to increase their production, generating soil degradation, which is a costly and complex issue to solve. Based on this context, we targeted a variety of objectives such as (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of lagoon sediments in soil recovery; (b) to analyze the effect of sediment on the yield of the coriander crop; and (c) to determine soil reclamation costs. The experiment was developed in the province of Imbabura, located in northern Ecuador. For this, we occupied a surface area per plot of 3 m2 and used a completely randomized block experimental design. Four doses of sediment were applied, being mixed with soil. The benefits of the use of lagoon sediments are evidenced in the nutritional quality of the soil after its application, determined by the physical and chemical analysis that reveals an increase of 3.9 ppm of the initial N, even after vegetative consumption. Similarly, the best electric conductivity (E.C) was 0.85 mS/cm, which promoted a higher crop yield compared to the control treatment, becoming an innovative alternative for soil recovery. This activity allowed reconciliation of the intensive agriculture with soil conservation.

Soil Organic Matter, Soil Structure, and Bacterial Community Structure in a Post-Agricultural Landscape

Converting forest and wetland landscapes to agriculture has shown to result in a loss of organic matter, structure, and microbial diversity in the converted soil but recovery of post-agricultural soils remains poorly understood. Here we coupled landscape-scale surveys of soil 1) carbon and nitrogen levels, 2) aggregation, and 3) bacterial metagenomes to investigate soil recovery after 30 years in sites with soils ranging from well drained to poorly drained. Sites with no evidence of past agriculture (Reference) served as recovery endpoints. A secondary aim evaluated the role of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, here associated with alder (Alnus incana) trees, in soil restoration. Soil carbon levels in restored sites (3.5%) were comparable to levels in a present-day farm (3.4%) but much lower than in Reference sites (>7.3%). The same trend occurred with soil nitrogen levels. Sites with alder trees had more acidic soil pH values. Alder trees promoted soil structure with macroaggregates being the largest fraction of bulk soil (75%). Natural abundance of stable nitrogen isotopes suggested extensive decay of organic matter within aggregates. Comparison of total reads from the soil metagenomes indicated the bacterial community in restored sites were more comparable to the present-day farm than Reference sites, except for a well-drained soil with alder. Dissimilarity among sites in terms of gene abundances in soil bacterial community occurred in carbon metabolism, membrane transport, and genetic repair pathways. Soil recovery in post-agricultural landscapes is slow when agriculture caused a large loss of soil organic matter, as is the case in our study, and when the soil bacterial community structure changed markedly, as it did in our study. However, fairly rapid recovery of soil structure, as we noted in our study, is promising, and now we need a better understanding of plant species that improve soil structure for restoration of both well-drained and poorly drained soils.