European Journal of Soil Science最新文献

{"title":"Multistakeholder Engagement to Scale Soil Health Globally: The Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health","authors":"Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Hanna Linden, Sasha Alexander, Aida Bargués Tobella, Joao Campari, Colin Christensen, Dhruphad Choudhury, Henk Van Duijn, Martina Fleckenstein, Yvonne Harz-Pitre, Zakir Hussain, Bharat Kakade, David Kamau, Paul Luu, Christine Magaju, Vincent Makiyi, Pamela Mbabazi, Cristine Morgan, Sieg Snapp, Daniela Solis, Sabrina Trautman, Roland Van der Vorst, Penelope Wensley, Tom Williams, Rattan Lal","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70128","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70128","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Healthy soil is critical for ecosystem restoration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, water cycling, farmer livelihoods, and food and nutrition security. Despite its importance, soil health has often been overlooked, but momentum is growing as evidenced by recent high-level initiatives such as the Nairobi Declaration as part of the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan and the European Union Soil Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration was launched on 5 June 2021 to galvanise local, national and global action to restore degraded ecosystems. In the same year, the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) initiated a call for coalitions of action to champion integrated, systemic approaches to transform food systems. The Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) was launched to bring soil health into focus with participation across sectors and scales to ultimately raise awareness about this critical ecosystem that we depend on, but which is being degraded at unprecedented rates. Since 2021, CA4SH has grown to include nearly 200 members (as of January 2025) representing the public and private sectors, research institutions, non-governmental organisations, farmer organisations and cooperatives, individuals, youth-led organisations, and indigenous organisations to mention some. The initiative has also had a strong focus on gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) in soil and landscape restoration. The Coalition promotes soil as a unifier across a diverse set of stakeholders, building partnerships to overcome critical economic, technical and institutional barriers to the adoption and scaling of healthy soil practices. Furthermore, CA4SH facilitates evidence-based policy and practice action for the scaling of restoration practices that improve soil health. The Private Sector Guiding Group, launched as part of the UNFSS, developed a call to action to support increased investments in healthy soil, and continues to support the actions of the Coalition. Its four working groups focus on communication, soil health monitoring and implementation, policy, and financial investment. In the first three years since its launch, the Coalition has engaged in multinational dialogues and contributed to the adoption of soil health in the outcomes from the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) through the Koronivia joint work on agriculture (now the Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration), the UNFCCC COP28 UAE Declaration on Food Systems and Agriculture, the UNCCD COP16 Riyadh Action Agenda and also launched the Soil Health Resolution. Leveraging on the enabling policy environment, the Coalition catalyses public and private sector action with outcomes for economic returns and growth, productivity and rural livelihoods, climate and nature. The positioning of the Coalition in the current global environmental transition is pivotal to drive the multifaceted benefits that","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70128","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144206570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A New Approach to Address Soil Heterogeneity as a Source of Uncertainty in the Flux-Gradient Method: CO2 Case Studies","authors":"Valentin Gartiser,&nbsp;Verena Lang,&nbsp;Martin Maier","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70126","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70126","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The flux-gradient method (FGM) is an important tool to study soil-atmosphere and subsurface gas fluxes. The simplicity of the approach can lead to an uncritical application. Typical uncertainty found in the input parameters is not considered in most cases. Their potential effect on the flux estimations might be negligible, but could also result in a relevant uncertainty or even bias. In this study, we investigated how measurement uncertainty and soil heterogeneity may affect the application of the FGM. We introduce a new analysis approach that allows to include (a) additional chamber measurements and (b) known parameter ranges/distribution of soil physical properties for model calibration and (c) to quantify the uncertainty in the flux estimate. The new Robust Calibrated Inverse FGM (RCI-FGM) approach is an extension of the FGM and shared within the new R-package ConFluxPro. In two soil CO₂ data studies, we demonstrate how soil heterogeneity affects gas flux estimations calculated with the FGM, and how RCI-FGM helps to derive more robust flux estimates. In study 1, we found that scattering (due to measurement uncertainty and soil heterogeneity) found typically in the total porosity of soils can drastically change the vertical concentration profile of soil CO₂. Assuming mean porosity in the FGM led to a significant bias in the estimated flux rates. The new RCI-FGM approach successfully reduced this bias by incorporating reference flux measurements for calibration. In study 2, we applied the RCI-FGM approach to a previously published dataset of forest soil CO₂ fluxes. RCI-FGM improved the fit to reference chamber measurements and the plausibility of the vertical partitioning of the flux rates. The application of the RCI-FGM approach in future studies was demonstrated for CO₂ fluxes but can be used for CH₄ and O₂ uptake in well-aerated soils. For soils and processes dominated by hot spots or hot moments, such as N₂O formation from denitrification, additional consideration may need to be taken. Our approach can help in future studies to address the uncertainty in the FGM method, improve the robustness of the estimated flux rates, and increase the comparability of studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70126","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144206571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Agroforestry Types-Induced Microtopography on Hillslope Erosion in Alpine Canyon Areas","authors":"Xiaopeng Shi,&nbsp;Yongren Chen,&nbsp;Shuqin He,&nbsp;Haiyan Yi,&nbsp;Zicheng Zheng,&nbsp;Ziteng Luo","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70124","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Surface conditions, including vegetation cover and microtopography, affect soil erosion significantly. However, research on the hydrological processes of different agroforestry types on sloping farmland in southwest alpine canyon regions remains insufficient. The microtopographic evolution of different agroforestry types and a bare slope (CK) was investigated by field-based in situ scouring experiments. Agroforestry types were divided into Zanthoxylum + Plum + Canadian fleabane (ZPC), Zanthoxylum + Cherry + <i>Artemisia indica</i> (ZCA), Zanthoxylum + Green bean (ZG) and Plum + Soybean (PS). Structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry was used to measure the microtopography of each slope under different scour discharge rates (6, 10 and 14 L·min⁻¹). The influence of microtopography on surface runoff and sediment yield was analysed. The results revealed that the ZPC type exhibited the greatest intensity of spatial variation in microtopography, while the PS type showed the smallest. The elevation of each hillslope under different agroforestry types varied from −100 to 100 mm, and the erosion distribution rate accounted for 38.37% to 80.77% of the total. Compared to the pre-experiment, the variation range of soil surface roughness (SSR), surface cutting depth (SCD), surface relief (SR) and microslope (MS) index were −16.49% to 11.56%, −24.79% to 32.32%, −22.72% to 33.44% and −17.36% to 19.42%, respectively. Under different scour discharge rates, the ZPC type effectively reduced runoff, while the ZCA type significantly decreased sediment yield. At a scour discharge of 14 L·min⁻¹, the initial runoff production time of the ZCA and ZPC types was significantly delayed compared to that of the CK hillslope, demonstrating a notable runoff reduction benefit. SSR and MS were positively correlated with sediment yield and runoff. SSR can be used to predict runoff and sediment yield in agroforestry areas. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the effective prevention and control of soil loss and the construction of prediction models for sloping farmland in alpine canyon areas.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144197502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Rapid and Accurate Method for Estimating the Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Organic Matter (Q10)","authors":"Clément Bonnefoy-Claudet,&nbsp;Mathieu Thevenot,&nbsp;Jean Lévêque,&nbsp;Olivier Mathieu","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70130","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70130","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The carbon flux from soil organic matter degradation is significant and could increase with climate change, with a potential retroactive effect. The change in CO₂ emissions from soils due to temperature variations can be estimated using the Q₁₀ parameter, which measures how sensitive the rates of chemical reactions or biological processes are to temperature changes. This is a key parameter for estimating the effects of climate change on soil carbon fluxes and is used in many global carbon models, often as fixed values, although it appears to vary widely among ecosystems. Data currently available in the literature are difficult to compare, as they are based on different approaches and analytical protocols. In this study, the two most commonly used laboratory methods, equal-time and sequential, were compared using a respiration measurement system (respirometer). The results, based on different soils, are in agreement with the literature. The equal-time method provides better exponential adjustments for calculating Q₁₀ values. This approach also minimises potential biases caused by a reduction of available nutrients and/or changes in microbial community structure during the measurement period. For future studies of temperature sensitivity, we recommend the use of the equal-time method with a pre-incubation period, a high measurement frequency, and an incubation time not exceeding 24 h per temperature and sample. This work is based on an automated multi-position respirometer and can be adapted to any other CO₂ monitoring instruments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70130","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144197533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial Necromass Carbon Distribution Differs Between Four Soil Types After Long-Term Straw Return","authors":"Mengmeng Xie,&nbsp;Peduruhewa H. Jeewani,&nbsp;Lukas Van Zwieten,&nbsp;Ziping Liu,&nbsp;Shasha Liu,&nbsp;Siyuan Lu,&nbsp;Zhongqiang Wang","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70129","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70129","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) is an important fraction of soil organic carbon (SOC) as it contributes to the long-term stable SOC pool. However, the effect of long-term straw return on MNC and its contribution to SOC accumulation across different soil types and soil depths remains insufficiently understood in agricultural ecosystems. By conducting a decadal scale field experiment across four soil types, long-term straw return was shown to increase SOC by 6%–109% and MNC by 3%–173% (except for the top 20 cm of Chernozem). MNC significantly increased only in the 0–40 cm of Phaeozem and 0–80 cm of Arenosol. The contribution of MNC to SOC increased significantly in the 0–40 cm layer of Phaeozem but remained almost unchanged in Chernozem, Lixisol, and Arenosol. Fungal necromass C (FNC) contributed significantly more to MNC accumulation than bacterial necromass C (BNC), comprising over 70% of MNC across all four soils. Mantel and Random Forest analyses revealed that microbial and soil properties positively influence MNC accumulation, with higher fungal phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) levels strongly linked to increased MNC content. The results indicate that edaphic variables regulate MNC through FNC. Our study demonstrates the changes in profile distribution of MNC following long-term straw return across four soil types and explores the divergent regulatory pathways of edaphic factors on MNC via FNC and BNC, which could contribute to the regulation of SOC accumulation in cropping soils.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144190927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Linkage Between Near-Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity and Tritium Leaching","authors":"Ping Xin,&nbsp;Charles Pesch,&nbsp;Trine Norgaard,&nbsp;Goswin Heckrath,&nbsp;Lis W. de Jonge,&nbsp;Bo V. Iversen","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70121","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Macropore flow in structured soils is an important process determining the transport of water, contaminants, and nutrients in the soil. Therefore, we also expect a close connection between hydraulic conductivity (<i>k</i>(<i>h</i>)) near saturation and the potential of macropore flow. In combination with measurements of soil hydraulic properties (SHPs), tracer breakthrough characteristics can be used to get an insight into the understanding of macropore flow in structured soils. In this study, we aim to investigate if a direct link exists between tracer breakthrough characteristics and SHPs of structured soils, which may partly explain the dynamics and the spatial variation of solute transport in soils. We hypothesize that a direct relationship exists between the characteristics of breakthrough curves (BTCs) and the near-saturated <i>k</i>(<i>h</i>) of the soil. We used SHPs and tracer breakthrough characteristics for 71 undisturbed topsoil columns (20 cm height, 20 cm diameter) sampled from eight different sites in Denmark. We defined <i>k</i>[10] (near-saturated hydraulic conductivity) as <i>k</i>(<i>h</i>) at a matric potential (<i>h</i>) of −10 cm. On the same soil columns, based on the tracer breakthrough experiment, we calculated the 5%, 25%, and 50% arrival times (ATs) as the percentage of the cumulative relative mass of the tritium tracer leaching through the soil column. Linear mixed models (LMMs) effectively captured the linear relationships among variables. However, applying a machine learning method (Gradient Boosting Decision Trees, GBDT) further clarified the importance of predictors by capturing nonlinear threshold effects and key interactions among soil hydraulic properties. Although the overall predictive accuracy of GBDT was slightly lower compared to LMM, both methods consistently highlighted <i>k</i>[10] as the most influential predictor, emphasizing its key role in preferential flow dynamics. We conclude that linking SHPs with tracer breakthrough characteristics on large intact columns is highly useful for characterizing soil macropore functions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70121","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144171499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil Property, Carbon Stock and Peat Extent Mapping at 10 m Resolution in Scotland Using Digital Soil Mapping Techniques","authors":"Ciaran Robb,&nbsp;Matt Aitkenhead,&nbsp;Malcolm Coull,&nbsp;Fraser MacFarlane,&nbsp;Keith Matthews","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70123","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The estimation of soil carbon stocks is an important component in environmental planning, policy and land management, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation. The following work presents national-scale soil property mapping at 10 m resolution, a level of detail not previously attempted in Scotland. The ultimate aim of this work is to facilitate carbon stock estimation from the soil properties to help inform planning and policy. Scottish organisations possess extensive field-based soil property records obtained through various initiatives, but coverage is inevitably constrained by cost and labour. A modelling-based approach informed by both field measurement, remote sensing imagery and other spatial covariates has the potential to fill the gaps in field-based accounts, providing contiguous estimates of soil carbon content, bulk density, profile depth, organic layer thickness and peat extent. Carbon content, bulk density and profile depth were predicted using machine learning techniques, yielding <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msup>\u0000 <mi>r</mi>\u0000 <mn>2</mn>\u0000 </msup>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {r}^2 $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math> scores of 0.78, 0.65 and 0.7, respectively. Presence of peat was determined by the thickness of the organic layer for every grid cell profile (30% carbon content) that was greater or equal to 50 cm. National carbon stock was calculated by integrating the predicted soil properties down the full profile depth. This work demonstrates that soil properties can be mapped effectively using digital soil mapping techniques at high resolution, on a national scale, providing estimates of carbon stock and peat extent to aid policy makers in decision making.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70123","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144148619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-Term Tillage and Compost Shape Soil Microbes Under Soil Organic Carbon Equilibrium","authors":"Che-Jen Hsiao,&nbsp;Muazzama Mushtaq,&nbsp;Gretchen F. Sassenrath,&nbsp;Lydia H. Zeglin,&nbsp;Ganga M. Hettiarachchi,&nbsp;Charles W. Rice","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70125","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70125","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Soil microorganisms are crucial in regulating soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling, mediating the effects of agricultural management on soil health. Although the microbial responses to changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) are well-documented, a knowledge gap remains regarding microbial dynamics when soils reach SOC equilibrium. This study investigated how tillage and fertilizer types (compost and mineral fertilizer) influence microbial properties in a continuous corn system with surface soils at SOC equilibrium. We evaluated a 28-year experiment comparing conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT), combined with either manure or compost (OF), mineral fertilizer (MF), or no nitrogen addition (CO), measuring soil microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activity, and soil physicochemical properties to a depth of 90 cm. In the 0–5 cm layer under NT-OF, SOC concentration had stabilized since 2003 despite annual compost additions, indicating a near-equilibrium state. Upon reaching this threshold, microbial biomass and β-glucosidase (bG) activity plateaued, suggesting additional organic carbon inputs no longer enhanced these properties but instead contributed to SOC movement into deeper soil horizons, where increased microbial activity was observed. Long-term CT-OF resulted in 30% less SOC and total nitrogen compared to NT-OF, suggesting tillage disrupted SOC accumulation and enhanced decomposition. Both NT-MF and NT-CO had minimal effects on microbial properties and SOC, potentially due to insufficient organic residue returned. Although NT-OF increased SOC, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and microbial biomass to 30 cm depth, it also reduced oxidative enzyme activity and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi abundance, indicating shifts in microbial functional strategies in response to the continuous addition of compost. Our study demonstrated that once surface soils reach SOC equilibrium, additional compost additions no longer increased microbial processes in the surface layer but instead promoted SOC translocation to deeper horizons. This dynamic underscores the need for depth-conscious management strategies that balance soil microbial activity, SOC storage, and the capacity for SOC stabilization across soil profiles.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil Air Composition and Groundwater Level in a Cultivated Peatland Underlain by Black Schist","authors":"Minna Mäkelä,&nbsp;Asko Simojoki,&nbsp;Sanna Kanerva,&nbsp;Markku Yli-Halla","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70120","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The effect of field hydrology on microbial gas production in a black schist-based acid sulfate soil was investigated to find out if conditions in the field are conducive to greenhouse gas formation and to see if the overlying peat functions as protection against oxidation of the sulfidic material. Soil air composition and hydrological conditions were observed in an agricultural peatland, which contains black schists and acid sulfate soil properties beneath a layer of peat 15–60 cm thick at different observation sites. The field was drained with open ditches with 20 m spacing. Groundwater level was high, particularly at low elevations of the field, and the acid sulfate subsoil was at or near saturation for much of the investigated period (15 months). Within the soil profile, CO₂ concentration increased and O₂ concentration decreased with increasing depth, indicating microbial activity, while the variation of N₂O content within the profile was not as clear. The acid sulfate subsoil was predominantly saturated with water and consequently had slow gas exchange and only modest microbial activity. These results explain previous results of unexpectedly low greenhouse gas emissions from this location. They also suggest that a thick peat layer may protect against the oxidation of underlying sulfidic horizons, even if the extent of protection remained inconclusive.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70120","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144100530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of 20 Years of Contrasting Tillage on Distribution of Ammonia Oxidisers and Denitrifiers Within Soil Aggregates","authors":"Kristina Ocvirk,&nbsp;Sara Pintarič,&nbsp;Anton Govednik,&nbsp;Klemen Eler,&nbsp;Rok Mihelič,&nbsp;Marjetka Suhadolc","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70118","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microbial functional groups are heterogeneously distributed between soil aggregate fractions, which is strongly influenced by soil microenvironmental conditions. Intensive tillage practices disrupt soil aggregates, altering microbial niches and potentially affecting nitrogen (N) transformations, including processes leading to nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. This study aimed to identify linkages between soil aggregation and microbial community functional composition using field samples after 20 years of differential tillage management: conventional mouldboard tillage (CT) and noninversion minimum tillage (MT). Soil properties, including soil organic carbon (SOC) and the abundance of total bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities and N-functional guilds, were examined in two types of samples: (i) bulk soil and (ii) soil aggregates within three soil fractions: large macroaggregates (4–8 mm), mid-sized macroaggregates (2–4 mm) and small macroaggregates (&lt; 2 mm) in relation to tillage system and soil depth. Our results revealed that MT led to an accumulation of SOC in the upper 0–10 cm of bulk soil. At the same depth, the mid-sized and small macroaggregates exhibited significantly higher SOC content compared to the large macroaggregates. While the mean diameter of aggregates did not significantly change under MT compared to CT, the stability of aggregates improved significantly compared to CT in both observed fractions (1–2 and 2–4 mm) at both depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm). Total bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities' abundance was significantly higher under MT than in CT. Among aggregate size fractions, the highest abundance of total bacteria and fungi was observed in the smallest macroaggregate fraction in the topsoil of MT. Nitrifier and denitrifier communities were more abundant under MT in the 0–10 cm soil layer than in CT and decreased with increasing sampling depth. Among the N-functional genes examined, our results indicated a trend towards higher abundances of bacterial <i>amoA</i> and <i>nosZI</i> genes in small macroaggregates within the MT 0–10 cm layer. AOA/AOB and <i>nosZI</i>/<i>nosZII</i> ratios increased with depth within MT, indicating tillage-specific niche differentiation as a result of changed environmental conditions. Overall, our findings suggest that MT influences aggregate stability and the abundance of N-cycling guilds but does not significantly alter their distribution across different soil macroaggregate size fractions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"76 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ejss.70118","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144085496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}