European Journal of Soil Science最新文献

{"title":"Nitrate Thresholds Control Regime Shifts in Soil Nitrogen Cycling Across a Mangrove–Agricultural Gradient","authors":"Mathieu Sebilo, Bastien Redon, Elona Ousselin, Mélanie Longchamp, Lynda Chalder, Anaelle Devarieux, Patrick Jean‐Louis, Olivier Gros","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70396","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70396","url":null,"abstract":"Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs are increasing globally, while the conditions under which ecosystems transition from nitrogen retention to nitrogen loss remain poorly constrained. Environmental proxies commonly used to infer nitrogen loss, including redox status, carbon availability, and microbial gene inventories, provide limited power to predict when nitrate‐reduction pathways are expressed at the ecosystem scale. This limitation is particularly evident in coastal mangrove soils, where anaerobic and carbon‐rich conditions coexist with weak nitrate‐reduction activity. Here, we investigate nitrogen‐cycle organization along a spatially compressed mangrove–agricultural gradient on a Caribbean island by combining soil nitrogen pools, organic nitrogen isotopes (δ <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N), inferred microbial metabolic functions putatively related to the microbial community (16S rDNA metabarcoding analysis), and controlled anoxic nitrate‐amended incubations. Across distances of less than 500 m, soils transitioned sharply from nitrogen‐rich, isotopically depleted mangrove sediments (total N up to 1.4%; δ <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N≈2‰–3‰) to nitrogen‐poor, isotopically enriched agricultural soils (total N≈0.2%–0.6%; δ <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N≈6‰–8‰). Despite widespread microbial functional potential associated with nitrate reduction throughout the transect, nitrate depletion under anoxic conditions remained slow in mangrove and back‐mangrove soils (0.56–1.15 nmol g <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> min <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ) but was more than threefold faster in agricultural soils (2.32 nmol g <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> min <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ). To integrate these long‐term isotopic and stoichiometric signals, we developed the Organic Nitrogen Index coupled to soil C/N ratios (ONI‐CN), an isotopic–stoichiometric framework combining δ <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N and soil C/N ratios. Along the studied transects, ONI‐CN captured a sharp transition between two nitrogen‐cycle configurations, with mangrove and back‐mangrove soils clustering within a closed, recycling‐dominated state and agricultural soils in an open, loss‐dominated state, with no intermediate values. These observations support the interpretation that nitrate availability constrains the long‐term expression of nitrate‐loss pathways across the mangrove–agricultural gradient. The results are consistent with the presence of a functional nitrogen bank in mangrove soils, in which microbial nitrate reduction potential remains weakly expressed under chronically nitrate‐limited conditions. This framework highlights the sensitivity of nitrogen‐limited coastal ecosystems to increasing anthropogenic nitrate inputs and provides a conceptual basis for understanding threshold‐like reorganizations of nitrogen cycling under environmental changes.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"93 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148767291","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":"Gross Nitrogen Transformations in Long‐Term Phosphorus Fertilisation Experiments Across Three European Agroecosystems","authors":"Lea S. Dannenberg, Anne B. Jansen‐Willems, Timothy J. Clough, Marianna Deppe, Lars Elsgaard, Anke M. Herrmann, Karl G. Richards, Parag Bhople, Giulia Bondi, Christoph Müller, Kristina Kleineidam","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70403","url":null,"abstract":"The effects of long‐term phosphorus (P) fertilisation in agroecosystems on nitrogen (N) cycling are still elusive, in terms of P‐induced increase or reduction of N availability for plants and microorganisms, thereby affecting plant growth and also N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions. Therefore, we performed detailed <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N tracing analyses in soils from three different European long‐term P fertilisation experiments (LTE) in the laboratory and compared high‐P application treatments to the corresponding non‐P‐fertilised controls. In addition, carbon (C) fluxes (CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , CH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> ) were examined. The soils were sourced from Johnstown Castle, Ireland (JC, grassland), Jyndevad, Denmark (JY, arable soil), and Lanna Skara, Sweden (LS, arable soil) and were treated with two different combinations of <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> N‐labelled NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> NO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> and <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C‐labelled dried maize leaves ( <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> NO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> + <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C; NH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> <jats:sup>15</jats:sup> NO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> + <jats:sup>13</jats:sup> C). Gross N transformation rates were quantified by using the <jats:italic>Ntrace</jats:italic> <jats:sub> <jats:italic>Gas</jats:italic> </jats:sub> analysis tool. We found more pronounced effects of long‐term P fertilisation on N and C transformations in soils from the annually P‐fertilised LTEs (JC and JY) than in soils fertilised with P every 6 years (LS). In all soils, N immobilisation exceeded N mineralisation. The annually P‐fertilised soils showed increased mineralisation and immobilisation turnover, and across all LTEs, P fertilisation led to slightly elevated nitrification rates. Autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification pathways varied among the LTEs. P fertilisation did not alter N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions, but raised CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> emissions in all LTEs. Only the annually P‐fertilised soils showed higher microbial biomass C concentration and CH <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> uptake. These results highlight the importance of comparative studies to obtain an integrative perspective of long‐term P fertilisation affecting N and C transformations in soils.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148767292","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 Fertilizing Potential of Nanohydroxyapatite Coated with Polyacrylic Acid Based on Their Mobility and Bioavailability","authors":"Zengyu Zhang, Moshe Shenker, Yitzhak Nussbaum, Daniel Mandler, Jinsong Guo, Yona Chen","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70368","url":null,"abstract":"Phosphorus (P) nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as a promising alternative to conventional water‐soluble inorganic P (WSP) fertilizers, based on the hypothesized advantages of higher mobility and bioavailability in soils. However, systematic quantification of the mobility and bioavailability of P NPs in soils remains lacking. The transport (saturated and unsaturated), diffusion, and plant response of spherical polyacrylic acid‐coated nano‐hydroxyapatite (PAA‐nHAP) and WSP were evaluated in two low‐P soils: an alkaline sand (Alk) and an acidic sandy clay loam (Ac), targeting scenarios where P is surface‐applied without incorporation into the root zone. After systematically comparing 36 one‐site or two‐site kinetic models in HYDRUS‐1D, a model selection process was established for the first time. The results showed that two‐site kinetic models can capture the transport pattern, with distinct retention mechanisms across soils: reversible and time‐dependent at both sites for the Alk soil; reversible and depth‐dependent at one site and irreversible and time‐dependent at the other for the Ac soil. Because of the air‐water‐solid or air‐water interface, greater retention of the PAA‐nHAP was observed in the unsaturated transport than in the saturated transport. The diffusion capacity of the PAA‐nHAP was lower than that of the WSP in both soils, primarily due to NPs aggregation. Tomato bioassays further demonstrated that the bioavailability of PAA‐nHAP was not superior to, and in most cases, lower than that of conventional P fertilizers. The limited fertilization efficacy of the PAA‐nHAP was attributed to the low solubility of hydroxyapatite and the restricted diffusion of aggregated NPs, which prevented the macroscale transport advantage from translating into sustained plant‐available P supply. The framework of this study can be used to assess the agronomic benefits of nanofertilizers and the environmental risks posed by NPs in surface soils.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148767294","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":"Urban Soil Lead Variability at the City and Neighbourhood Scale: Evidence From Glasgow to Guide Contaminant Mapping","authors":"Sarah L. Donoghue, Margaret C. Graham, Neil Stuart, Ben P. Marchant, Fiona M. Fordyce, R. M. Lark","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70374","url":null,"abstract":"Legacy lead (Pb) contamination in urban soils remains a public health concern, particularly for children. While numerous studies have identified factors influencing the spatial distribution of soil Pb, few have systematically evaluated how these relationships vary across geographical scales. This study explores scale‐dependent drivers of urban Pb contamination and demonstrates these by analysing three datasets from Glasgow, UK: one at the city scale and two at a neighbourhood scale. At the city scale in Glasgow, soil Pb concentrations were most strongly associated with soil organic matter (SOM) content, historic industry density and building age. In contrast, neighbourhood‐scale analyses revealed that land use, distance from roads and distance from buildings became more influential, highlighting how scale shapes which factors dominate Pb distribution. The role of SOM was consistent across scales, suggesting a strong geochemical control on Pb retention, while other relationships were modulated by local legacy effects such as reworked soils and buried waste. These findings demonstrate that future predictive models of soil Pb must account for spatial scale when selecting explanatory variables. More broadly, our results emphasise the need for scale‐aware covariate selection for improving contaminant mapping methodologies within diverse urban environments. Furthermore, this study highlights the need to consider how geochemical and historical anthropogenic processes may still govern the local patterns of soil Pb pollution within many industrial and post‐industrial cities worldwide.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"167 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754464","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 Organic Matter Adsorption on Iron Oxides and Kaolinite: Sequential and Selective Chemical Extractions","authors":"Ricardo Otto Oliveira, Eloana Janice Bonfleur, Vander Freitas Melo, Jeferson Dieckow, Bruna Ramalho, Edvaldo Rener Costa Cardoso","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70404","url":null,"abstract":"Stabilization of organic matter (OM), and formation and of aggregates are some beneficial effects of organo‐mineral association in soils. The objective of this study was to quantify the contributions of outer‐ and inner‐spheres adsorptions on total OM/mineral association by sequential and selective chemical extractions. To establish a conceptual model of different adsorption stabilities, pure minerals (kaolinite—Kt, hematite—Hm and goethite—Gt), abundant on highly weathered soils, and concentrated organic matter fraction (HF‐treated Histosols: OM1, OM2, OM3 and OM4) were used. An additional treatment was planned to check the formation of the ternary complex OMCa <jats:sup>2+</jats:sup> Kt. The five steps of sequential OM extractions were: K <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> SO <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> ; sodium hexametaphosphate (HMP); sodium dithionite (DIT); sodium pyrophosphate (PYR) and; NaOH. The OM adsorbed by outer‐sphere on Hm, Gt and Kt were considered the sum of K <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> SO <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> + HMP (anion exchange) and adsorption by the inner‐sphere on Fe oxides the sum of DIT+PYR (extraction of ferrol groups) and on Kt the NaOH (extraction of aluminol group). The organic carbon contents of OM/mineral were high, indicating adequate saturation of minerals (OM/mineral ratio in the saturation step of 1:4) (g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ): OM/Hm—92.1; OM/Gt—98.6; OM/Kt—97.6. Goethite presented the highest decrease in specific surface area after OM association (OM4/Gt—reduction of 21.1%). There was no increase in OM‐mineral adsorption with Ca(NO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> ) <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> solution to formation of ternary complexes OM(COO) <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> Ca <jats:sup>2+</jats:sup> Kt(SiO) <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> . In relation to the initial OM/mineral mixtures, the average percentages of residual OC at the end of sequential extractions (after last extraction with NaOH) were: Hm—61.5%; Gt—70.7%; KtH <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O—60.3%; KtCa—60.8%. The greater stability of OM1/Hm (high residual OC) can be attributed to the higher occurrence of aromatic groups and the higher specific surface area of this mixture. The study concluded that there is strong adsorption by the inner‐sphere of OM on Hm, Gt and Kt; more stable the organo‐mineral complexes, lower rate of OM decomposition and higher carbon sequestration.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754466","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":"Handheld‐Colorimeter‐Based Soil Color Survey of Red Soils in SW Brandenburg, North German Lowlands","authors":"A. Bonhage, A. Raab, A. Schneider, T. Raab, J. T. Oliveira, A. Bauriegel, N. Roßkopf","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70398","url":null,"abstract":"Handheld colorimeters are a relatively novel tool in soil science that allow the objective measurement of soil color, potentially even in situ. Here we set out to assess the measurement reproducibility of two low‐cost colorimeters under simulated field conditions. We study the spatial distribution of a distinctly red soil in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany by means of a color survey on near‐surface soil samples. These soils in general can be classified as Rhodic Arenosols (Chromic/Rhodic) and are characterized by increased concentrations of total iron and the reddening iron oxides hematite and presumably maghemite. The process of a regionally uncharacteristic iron oxide dynamic was termed para‐rubefication in the past and its exact workings under real pedogenic conditions are subject to discussion and ongoing research. We show that using the Nix Pro 2 and Nix Mini 3 colorimeters results in almost equally reliable color measurements on ungrounded, moist soil samples with direct device‐soil contact. Using colorimeters enables the direct application of other color notation systems like CIELab, without converting Munsell colors. This is shown to be beneficial when detecting redness in soils via a modified qualitative soil redness index, as the comparably broad Munsell hue chips can potentially obscure fainter traces of redness in soils. Our soil redness survey shows that para‐rubefication appears to be a heavily localized process on shoulder‐ and backslope positions that becomes active within several meters horizontally and several decimeters vertically. This study promotes the use of novel sensor technology in soil science and gives a first high resolution mapping of the para‐rubefication process, facilitating further research into the complex iron‐oxide dynamics and spatial distribution of affected soils.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148715740","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":"Climatic Regulation of Microbial Carbon Metabolic Potential Across Desert Regions of China","authors":"Yunjie Huang,&nbsp;Wenbin Zhou,&nbsp;Wei Zhang,&nbsp;Yonggang Li,&nbsp;Xiaobing Zhou,&nbsp;Yuanming Zhang,&nbsp;Benfeng Yin","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70399","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejss.70399","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Arid regions are an important component of the global terrestrial carbon pool, yet how soil microorganisms regulate carbon metabolism in these systems remains insufficiently understood. Here, we combined a natural climatic gradient across arid northwestern China with standardized carbon addition incubations to examine the spatial patterns and controls of soil microbial carbon metabolic potential. Basal respiration, respiration after carbon addition, microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activities, and soil nutrients were measured to assess how hydrothermal conditions, soil carbon availability, and microbial attributes jointly regulate microbial carbon responses. Our results showed that desert soil microorganisms were strongly constrained by carbon scarcity. Carbon addition greatly stimulated microbial respiration, whereas DNA content increased only slightly, indicating that microbial responses to carbon inputs were mainly driven by rapid metabolic activation rather than short-term biomass growth. Across the climatic gradient, microbial respiration and carbon metabolic potential were not controlled by temperature or precipitation alone. Instead, their spatial patterns were closely associated with soil organic carbon and microbial biomass, suggesting that substrate supply and microbial pool size are key constraints on microbial carbon responses in desert soils. Structural equation modeling further showed that climate-related effects were mainly mediated by organic carbon availability, microbial biomass, and carbon-acquiring enzyme activities. Overall, our findings indicate that microbial carbon metabolism in drylands is jointly regulated by hydrothermal background, resource limitation, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity. Incorporating these resource-mediated microbial processes into ecosystem models may improve predictions of soil carbon dynamics in arid and semi-arid regions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"77 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148709528","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":"More DMPP Is Not Always Better for Mitigating N 2 O Emissions in Subtropical Chinese Vegetable Fields","authors":"Zhaoying Song, Xuejuan Fang, Lijuan Zhang, Shenghui Cui, Bing Gao","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70392","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70392","url":null,"abstract":"Aerobic composting of food waste for field application is considered a low‐carbon agricultural management practice relative to conventional farmers' practice, however, it poses a risk of exacerbating N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions, particularly in subtropical acidified vegetable soils. The nitrification inhibitor DMPP (3,4‐dimethylpyrazole phosphate) can mitigate this issue, but its efficacy is contingent upon application rates and specific soil‐climate conditions. We conducted a two‐season field experiment with pakchoi and swamp cabbage in subtropical China to evaluate the effects of two DMPP application levels on soil nitrogen (N) availability, crop N uptake, yield, and N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions under partial substitution of chemical fertilizer N with food waste aerobic compost (FWC) N. Five treatments were established: no N control (CK), conventional chemical fertilizer N (CF), 30% chicken manure N + 70% CF (MF), 30% FWC N + 70% CF (FWF), and FWF supplemented with DMPP at 2% or 5% of total CF N applied. Over the two seasons, cumulative N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions from the CF treatment reached 21.0 kg N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O‐N ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> . Both MF and FWF significantly increased emissions, indicating that organic N substitution enhances N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O release. Both DMPP dosages reduced emissions from FWF; however, the 5% dosage excessively inhibited nitrification, limiting nitrate supply and threatening yield. Notably, during the swamp cabbage season, the 2% DMPP treatment maintained yield while increasing leaf nitrate content, aboveground N uptake, and NUE (N use efficiency) by 34.6%, 22.4%, and 17.2%, respectively, and reduced N <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> O emissions by 29.1%, compared to the FWF treatment. These results suggest that DMPP is not the more the better, a 2% DMPP application, rather than excessive application, is crucial for achieving cleaner and more sustainable nutrient management in subtropical Chinese vegetable fields.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148709529","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 Health as a Palimpsest: Applying a Long-Term Perspective to Soil Health Through Integration With Archaeology","authors":"Meike M. van Lit,&nbsp;Matt Aitkenhead,&nbsp;Bianca Cavazzin,&nbsp;Malcolm Coull,&nbsp;Michael Given,&nbsp;M. Ehsan Jorat","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70394","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ejss.70394","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Soil health is best understood as a palimpsest of past land uses and therefore requires a long-term perspective. Although human activity has shaped soils for millennia, soil health frameworks do not systematically incorporate the retrospective approaches that are now standard in many environmental disciplines. As a result, contemporary soil health indicators are often interpreted without recognising the deeper historical processes that have contributed to them. The palimpsest framework is an effective way to apply a long-term perspective to soil health. Drawing on established uses of the palimpsest in archaeology and geology, the framework conceptualises soil properties as complex features shaped by both modern and historical management practices. Two case studies demonstrate how centuries-old land uses remain measurable in present-day soil nutrient levels and biodiversity, illustrating the practical value of this approach. Adopting a palimpsest perspective has several implications: it reframes how soil degradation is defined, is a fresh perspective on soil memory, and provides clearer guidance for soil management policies. Integrating archaeological knowledge into soil health assessments therefore offers a robust pathway toward more accurate interpretations and more sustainable soil use.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"77 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148709533","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":"Emotional Connection to Soil Improves Attitudes Toward Soil Care: A Study of Chilean Agriculture Undergraduate Students","authors":"Alexander Neaman, Nicolas Neef, Mónica Castro","doi":"10.1111/ejss.70400","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70400","url":null,"abstract":"Achieving soil conservation requires education that not only delivers factual soil science knowledge but also encourages soil care. Nevertheless, current soil science curricula often neglect the affective dimension of education, which fosters an emotional connection to soil. This study explores how emotions and feelings influence soil‐care attitudes in a population of agriculture undergraduate students ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 57) enrolled in a soil science course. The test design involved a survey, with a pre‐test at the beginning and a post‐test at the end of the semester. Students from rural backgrounds demonstrated a stronger emotional connection to soil than their urban peers. Similarly, female students demonstrated a stronger emotional connection to soil and a greater commitment to soil care than their male peers. Post‐test attitude toward soil care was correlated with pre‐test soil science knowledge ( <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.37, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05), post‐test soil science knowledge ( <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.58, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.001) and pre‐test emotional connection to soil ( <jats:italic>r</jats:italic> = 0.33, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> &lt; 0.01). In other words, within the population under study, emotional connection appeared to be an important and promising dimension of soil science education.","PeriodicalId":12043,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Soil Science","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148703446","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}