Review
Soil Science
Shuling Zhao, Zhiqin Zhang, Li Chen, Qingliang Cui, Yongxing Cui, Danxia Song, Linchuan Fang
Summary: This review discusses the sources, distribution, migration, transformation, and ecological impacts of microplastics in soil. Microplastics mainly enter soil through mulch degradation, application of organic fertilizer, and plastic landfill, and they migrate and transform in soil systems under abiotic and biotic processes, affecting soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial community.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Xiaohui Chen, Xiaojun Yan, Mingkuang Wang, Yuanyang Cai, Xuefan Weng, Da Su, Jiuxin Guo, Weiqi Wang, Yong Hou, Delian Ye, Siwen Zhang, Donghui Liu, Ling Tong, Xiuzhu Xu, Shungui Zhou, Liangquan Wu, Fusuo Zhang
Summary: This study found that long-term excessive phosphorus fertilization significantly increased the concentration of phosphorus in pomelo orchard soils and had differentiated impacts on phosphorus fractions. Excessive soluble phosphorus and aluminum phosphorus may enhance phosphorus bioavailability and increase environmental risks in acidic red soils.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Wenqing Chen, Jianyu Wang, Xiang Chen, Zexin Meng, Ran Xu, Dunzhu Duoji, Junhong Zhang, Jia He, Zhengang Wang, Jun Chen, Kaixi Liu, Tianming Hu, Yingjun Zhang
Summary: This study assessed the relationships between soil microbial diversity and network complexity and ecosystem multifunctionality. The findings showed that diversity, network complexity, and ecosystem multifunctionality declined with increasing elevation. Microbial network complexity was a better predictor of ecosystem functions than diversity, and the effects of microbial diversity on multifunctionality were indirectly driven by network complexity.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Marta Goberna, Miguel Verdu
Summary: Soil ecology is experiencing rapid growth in the use of co-occurrence network analysis. This analysis method is useful for extracting simple patterns from complex datasets and has applications in detecting factors that determine community structure, identifying keystone taxa, and inferring mechanisms of community assembly. However, there is a misuse of networks as mere graphic tools without hypothesis testing. This study reviews the main applications of co-occurrence network analysis in soil ecology over the past decade and provides recommendation guidelines to improve its use.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Anju Sehrawat, Satyavir S. Sindhu, Bernard R. Glick
Summary: Currently, plant diseases and insect infestations are controlled by pesticides, but the indiscriminate use of these chemicals can cause ecological, environmental, and health problems. To mitigate these issues, using antagonistic microorganisms that produce hydrogen cyanide (HCN) to control soilborne pathogens and insect pests offers an ecofriendly approach for sustainable agriculture. This review discusses the biosynthetic regulation of HCN and its potential effects on plant growth and pest control, providing insight into its role in biotic interactions and sustainable agriculture.
Article
Agronomy
Ibrahim El-Metwally, Labib Geries, Hani Saudy
Summary: The study found that applying 60% of crop water requirements with peanut straw mulch or weeding can significantly reduce weed biomass in onion cultivation. Using peanut straw mulch under 80% crop water requirements can achieve acceptable marketable bulb yield, NPK contents, flavonoids content and economic returns comparable to using 100% crop water requirements.
ARCHIVES OF AGRONOMY AND SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Yang Yang, Yanxing Dou, Baorong Wang, Yunqiang Wang, Chao Liang, Shaoshan An, Andrey Soromotin, Yakov Kuzyakov
Summary: Grassland restoration increases soil organic carbon sequestration, with microbial contribution playing a significant role.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Hans-Joerg Vogel, Maria Balseiro-Romero, Alexandra Kravchenko, Wilfred Otten, Valerie Pot, Steffen Schlueter, Ulrich Weller, Philippe C. Baveye
Summary: Soil functions, such as climate regulation and water/nutrient cycling, are crucial for addressing environmental issues. Recent non-disturbing imaging techniques have advanced the understanding of soil architecture, emphasizing the importance of exploring soil in its natural state. Biological and physical mixing processes play a key role in the formation and dynamics of soil architecture, highlighting the necessity of a holistic approach focusing on the pore space.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xuan Du, Jinshi Jian, Can Du, Ryan D. Stewart
Summary: This study compares agricultural production with and without conservation management strategies and finds that conservation practices significantly reduce surface runoff and soil erosion. Cover cropping provides the best results in reducing erosion and surface runoff, and coarse- and medium-textured soils experience greater decreases in erosion and runoff compared to fine-textured soils. Additionally, surface runoff and soil erosion under conservation management are highly correlated with soil organic carbon, aggregation, porosity, infiltration, leaching, and yield.
INTERNATIONAL SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Lihua Huang, Ying Liu, Jorge F. S. Ferreira, Mingming Wang, Jia Na, Jinxin Huang, Zhengwei Liang
Summary: This study investigated the combined effects of annual tillage and rice cultivation with either phosphogypsum or farmyard manure on soil salinity, mineral status, and heavy metal concentrations in saline-sodic paddy fields. The results showed that these treatments significantly decreased soil salinity and sodicity while increasing soil fertility and organic matter content.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Debasis Mitra, Rittick Mondal, Bahman Khoshru, Ansuman Senapati, T. K. Radha, Bhaswatimayee Mahakur, Navendra Uniyal, Ei Mon Myo, Hanane Boutaj, Beatriz Elena Guerra Sierra, Periyasamy Panneerselvam, Arakalagud Nanjundaiah Ganeshamurthy, Snezana Andelkovic, Tanja Vasic, Anju Rani, Subhadeep Dutta, Pradeep K. Das Mohapatra
Summary: Agricultural land is deteriorating due to population increase, urbanization, and industrialization. To increase crop production from smaller areas, high doses of inorganic fertilizers are used, damaging soil health and causing nutrient imbalance. Recent technological advances have shown the benefits of microbial inoculants such as Actinobacteria in replacing harmful chemicals and promoting sustainable farming practices. Actinobacteria have multifunctional traits that promote plant growth, control phytopathogens, solubilize nutrients, produce phytohormones, enhance organic matter decomposition, and suppress soil-borne pathogens.
Article
Soil Science
Erik S. Button, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Daniel Murphy, Yakov Kuzyakov, David R. Chadwick, Davey L. Jones
Summary: Subsoils have untapped potential for long-term carbon sequestration, but there is incomplete knowledge about their behavior and manageability. Proposed strategies for carbon sequestration in subsoils need to be further assessed and barriers and opportunities for implementation identified. More long-term studies and consistent inclusion of subsoils in soil carbon stock estimations and modeling are crucial for devising effective strategies to combat climate change and declining soil quality.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yunrui Ma, Qingyu Guan, Yunfan Sun, Jun Zhang, Liqin Yang, Enqi Yang, Huichun Li, Qinqin Du
Summary: Understanding the trend of vegetation change and its reaction to climate variation is crucial in revealing ecosystem behavior mechanisms. This study focused on the Qilian Mountains to explore the spatiotemporal changes and vertical zonality distributions of the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), analyzing the time-lag and time-accumulation effects of climate factors on vegetation dynamics. The results showed an overall upward trend in NDVI from 2000 to 2019, with temperature having a more significant promotion effect on vegetation growth compared to precipitation in the Qilian Mountains.
Article
Soil Science
Jingzhe Wang, Xianjun Hu, Tiezhu Shi, Li He, Weifang Hu, Guofeng Wu
Summary: This study successfully improved the estimation of Cr concentrations in soil using proximal sensing technology and soil auxiliary attributes. By implementing FOD pretreatment and optimal band combination methods, the research achieved accurate estimations and mapped regional soil Cr distribution through kriging interpolation.
Article
Soil Science
Daniel Liptzin, Charlotte E. Norris, Shannon B. Cappellazzi, G. Mac Bean, Michael Cope, Kelsey L. H. Greub, Elizabeth L. Rieke, Paul W. Tracy, Ezra Aberle, Amanda Ashworth, Oscar Banuelos Tavarez, Andy Bary, R. L. Baumhardt, Alberto Borbon Gracia, Daniel C. Brainard, Jameson R. Brennan, Dolores Briones Reyes, Darren Bruhjell, Cameron N. Carlyle, James J. W. Crawford, Cody F. Creech, Steve W. Culman, Bill Deen, Curtis J. Dell, Justin D. Derner, Thomas F. Ducey, Sjoerd W. Duiker, Miles F. Dyck, Benjamin H. Ellert, Martin H. Entz, Avelino Espinosa Solorio, Steven J. Fonte, Simon Fonteyne, Ann-Marie Fortuna, Jamie L. Foster, Lisa M. Fultz, Audrey Gamble, Charles M. Geddes, Deirdre Griffin-LaHue, John H. Grove, Stephen K. Hamilton, Xiying Hao, Zachary D. Hayden, Nora Honsdorf, Julie A. Howe, James A. Ippolito, Gregg A. Johnson, Mark A. Kautz, Newell R. Kitchen, Sandeep Kumar, Kirsten S. M. Kurtz, Francis J. Larney, Katie L. Lewis, Matt Liebman, Antonio Lopez Ramirez, Stephen Machado, Bijesh Maharjan, Miguel Angel Martinez Gamino, William E. May, Mitchel P. McClaran, Marshall D. McDaniel, Neville Millar, Jeffrey P. Mitchell, Amber D. Moore, Philip A. Moore, Manuel Mora Gutierrez, Kelly A. Nelson, Emmanuel C. Omondi, Shannon L. Osborne, Leodegario Osorio Alcala, Philip Owens, Eugenia M. Pena-Yewtukhiw, Hanna J. Poffenbarger, Brenda Ponce Lira, Jennifer R. Reeve, Timothy M. Reinbott, Mark S. Reiter, Edwin L. Ritchey, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Yichao Rui, Amir Sadeghpour, Upendra M. Sainju, Gregg R. Sanford, William F. Schillinger, Robert R. Schindelbeck, Meagan E. Schipanski, Alan J. Schlegel, Kate M. Scow, Lucretia A. Sherrod, Amy L. Shober, Sudeep S. Sidhu, Ernesto Solis Moya, Mervin St Luce, Jeffrey S. Strock, Andrew E. Suyker, Virginia R. Sykes, Haiying Tao, Alberto Trujillo Campos, Laura L. Van Eerd, Harold van Es, Nele Verhulst, Tony J. Vyn, Yutao Wang, Dexter B. Watts, David L. Wright, Tiequan Zhang, Cristine L. S. Morgan, C. Wayne Honeycutt
Summary: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important indicator of soil health. In addition to SOC, other biological indicators can also provide information about soil carbon dynamics and microbial activity. This study examined the drivers of these indicators, their relationships, and the effects of soil health practices on indicator values. The results showed that the indicators were influenced by temperature, precipitation, and clay content. There were strong correlations among the indicators, especially between SOC and permanganate oxidizable C. Soil health practices such as reduced tillage and cover crop inclusion had positive effects on indicator values. The response to these practices was more pronounced in areas with higher precipitation. Based on cost, sensitivity, interpretability, and availability, a 24-hour potential C mineralization assay was identified as the most beneficial measurement to be conducted with SOC.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Soil Science
Maureen O'Callaghan, Ross A. Ballard, David Wright
Summary: The growing global market for soil microbial inoculants in agriculture is driven by the need to increase sustainable crop production without harming the environment. A better understanding of the ecology and modes of action of inoculant strains is crucial to optimize their efficacy and targeted use.
SOIL USE AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Soil Science
Kailash Chand Kumawat, Sharon Nagpal, Poonam Sharma
Summary: Soil salinization is a serious threat to global food security, affecting a significant portion of agricultural lands. Traditional approaches to address salt stress often fail, highlighting the need for developing diverse microbial communities that enhance crop productivity without harming soil health. Interactions between plants and diverse microbial communities have been found to improve crop productivity under saline soil conditions.
Review
Plant Sciences
Justyna Szerement, Alicja Szatanik-Kloc, Jakub Mokrzycki, Monika Mierzwa-Hersztek
Summary: Human micronutrient deficiencies are a widespread global issue, and agronomic biofortification of crops is seen as the cheapest strategy to alleviate hidden hunger. The review focuses on factors influencing the effectiveness of biofortified crops and discusses the accumulation of zinc, selenium, and iron in crops and their impacts on plant defense mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Gerhard Du Preez, Mieke Daneel, Ron De Goede, Marie Joey Du Toit, Howard Ferris, Hendrika Fourie, Stefan Geisen, Thomais Kakouli-Duarte, Gerard Korthals, Sara Sanchez-Moreno, Jan Henrik Schmidt
Summary: The health and functioning of soil ecosystems are vital for sustainable food production and land management. Indices based on nematode community structure are widely used by soil ecologists. This review evaluates the application and future directions of nematode-based indices, providing a framework for selecting indices based on ecological mechanisms for hypothesis testing.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dongdong Yang, Haijun Qiu, Shuyue Ma, Zijing Liu, Chi Du, Yaru Zhu, Mingming Cao
Summary: This study investigated the impact of slow surface subsidence caused by underground coal mining on landslide occurrences by using multitemporal satellite images, UAV surveys, and InSAR technique. The results show that subsidence significantly increases the likelihood of landslides, with the frequency ratio of landslides and fissures increasing with cumulative subsidence.