Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Grazing beef cattle vegetation preferences and their effects on fitness","authors":"Rachel Gabrieli ,&nbsp;Dan Malkinson","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grazing pressure and land cover change are impacting ecosystems functioning worldwide. Cattle grazing can be actively managed to optimize both pasture and animal production, however, knowledge about foraging preferences and aversions to pasture attributes and plant-forager feedback is required. Previous studies elucidated a wide range of parameters affecting selection, most of them region specific. This study aimed to explore foraging selections according to plant communities and their effects on the grazing cattle’s fitness. We defined six vegetation categories, based on widely applicable characteristics, comprising an ensemble of attracting and deterring properties. We used both remote sensing-based classification and chemistry analyses. The defined groups were: ‘Dense bush’, ‘edible dry grass’, ‘edible green grass’ ‘sparse-vegetation’, ‘Thistles’ and ‘Edible trees’. GPS location data were recorded for 42 lactating beef cows, their locations in each category were used to calculate herd preference, its temporal change, individual variation in preference and its effect on fitness. We used conception result within the study period as a fitness proxy. Herd location choice expressed preference to three categories (edible green grass, sparse-vegetation and thistles) and aversion to three categories (dense bush, edible dry grass and trees). These preferences showed temporal dynamics reflected in decreased preference for ‘edible green’ and ‘edible dry’ grasses; increased preference for ‘dense bush’ and ‘trees’ from the beginning to the end of the study period. The categories ‘sparse-vegetation’ and ‘thistles’ were consistently preferred. Thistles establishment was as a long-term response to over-grazing, and its consistent preference may suggest potential for recovery of disrupted rangelands. On the individual scale, the categories composition of the individual diets was not a differentiating factor in fitness result. The two consistently preferred categories, showed a significant effect on fitness. ‘Thistles’ was fitness beneficial and ‘sparse-vegetation’ was fitness detrimental. To explore the preference for ‘sparse-vegetation’ despite its detrimental effect on fitness, we investigated combinations of other categories potentially mitigating ‘sparse-vegetation’ adverse effect. We found that a diurnal joint foraging of ‘dense bush’ and ‘sparse-vegetation’ mitigated the detrimental effect of the latter on fitness. We suggest that this beneficial effect is supported by the superior nutritive properties of ‘dense bush’. The role of its secondary metabolites calls for further investigation. We conclude that considering the effects on fitness and our synthetic classification method’s wide applicability, ranchers may adopt management considering both cattle’s preferences and grazing impacts on the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109650"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Stage-specific phosphorus mobilization enhances phosphorus uptake in relay-intercropped soybean","authors":"Li Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Chen ,&nbsp;Bin Cheng ,&nbsp;Huan Yang ,&nbsp;Yang Gao ,&nbsp;Xiuni Li ,&nbsp;Mei Xu ,&nbsp;Liang Yu ,&nbsp;Yushan Wu ,&nbsp;Tao Zhou ,&nbsp;Weiguo Liu ,&nbsp;Wenyu Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109660","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109660","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intercropping systems exploit the phosphorus (P)-activating ability of leguminous plants to enhance P acquisition. However, the specific P mobilization strategies used by leguminous plants, such as soybean (<em>Glycine max</em> L.), at different growth stages remain unclear. This study examined the P mobilization strategies of soybeans across developmental stages within a maize-soybean relay intercropping system. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to assess variations in P accumulation, root growth, organic acid (OA) secretion, acid phosphatase (APase) activity, and soil P fraction dynamics from the seedling stage to full pod development. Intercropped soybean mobilized P through growth-stage-specific strategies. During the beginning flowering (R1) stage, root OA secretion in intercropped soybeans peaked. Under both P0 and P20 application conditions, the average secretion level was approximately 40 % higher than that in monocropped soybeans. This OA secretion advantage persisted until the beginning pod (R3) stage, after which, OA levels became comparable with those in monocropped plants. At R3, regardless of P application, APase activity in intercropped soybean peaked and was significantly higher than that in monocropped soybeans. This advantage over monocropping persisted until the beginning seed (R5) stage. Soil available P (AP) content at R3 was significantly higher in intercropping and remained elevated through R5, supporting P uptake during the pod-filling stage. Correlation analysis revealed that soil AP content at R3 was highly significantly correlated with OA secretion at R1 and APase activity at R3. Further structural equation modeling revealed that early OA secretion released stable P pools, while later APase activity maximized P availability from organic sources. This process aligned P mobilization with the peak growth demands of soybeans. These findings provide insights into how relay intercropping synchronizes P mobilization with the developmental requirements of soybeans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109660"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Priming the decomposition of cover crop residues in no-till organic cropping systems","authors":"Delaney A. Sondag ,&nbsp;Amélie C.M. Gaudin ,&nbsp;Jeffery P. Mitchell ,&nbsp;Cameron M. Pittelkow","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Effective cover crop termination by roller crimping remains a challenge in organic no-till systems. Slow decomposition of surface residues can delay planting and lead to competition for soil resources. Little research has investigated the potential for application of microbial inoculants to promote residue decomposition and accelerate C and N cycling. Two field studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of microbial inoculants on cover crop residue decomposition, labile soil carbon (POXC) and inorganic N pools, and sweet potato yield under contrasting environmental conditions. In a fall termination study, vermicompost tea, a microbial inoculant (EM-1), and thermophilic compost tea were applied after roller crimping sorghum-sudangrass. In a spring termination study, vermicompost tea, EM-1, and a treatment with tillage were applied after roller crimping a multispecies cover crop mixture. Results indicate there was no effect of the microbial tea treatments on the rate of residue decomposition or soil inorganic N and POXC concentrations in either study. However, soil ammonium-N and nitrate-N concentrations were significantly higher in the tilled vs. roller crimped treatments in the spring termination study. Moreover, POXC increased significantly over time in the fall termination study but decreased in the spring termination study. There were no differences in sweet potato yield among microbial inoculants or between the roller crimped and tilled treatments. These results provide insights into the limitations of promoting cover crop decomposition following roller crimping in organic no-till systems to enhance labile C and inorganic N pools while improving yield of the succeeding cash crop.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109651"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143748201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 long-term vegetation restoration on soil aggregate and aggregate-associated nutrient stoichiometry of desertified grassland on the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau","authors":"Zhong Du ,&nbsp;Rui Zhou ,&nbsp;Yan Chen ,&nbsp;Enran Zhan ,&nbsp;Youjun Chen ,&nbsp;Huan Zheng ,&nbsp;Dongzhou Deng ,&nbsp;Li He ,&nbsp;Dechao Chen ,&nbsp;Huijun Gao ,&nbsp;Yiqun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109661","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of restoring desertified grassland vegetation, elucidating the intricate composition and stability of soil aggregates, coupled with the essential stoichiometric attributes of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), is vital for assessing the intricate soil biogeochemical processes and ecosystem services. However, previous research has predominantly focused on the characteristics of grassland vegetation communities, soil physicochemical factors, and their interrelationships, with limited studies on the properties of C, N, and P stoichiometry. This study examined four desertified grasslands with varying restoration periods (10a, 14a, 20a, and 40a) to assess the long-term restoration effects on soil aggregates and aggregate-associated nutrient stoichiometry in eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China. The results showed that as the restoration period progressed, plant diversity and vegetation coverage increased accordingly. The contents of soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), and total P (TP) in soil aggregates of various depths and sizes, especially in the macroaggregates, gradually increased and peaked after 20 years of restoration. Conversely, the contents of microaggregates and clay-silt fractions generally exhibited a downward trend. After two decades, the desertified grassland's soil aggregates achieved an optimal level of stability. Furthermore, the vegetation restoration resulted in notable changes in soil aggregate-associated C, N, and P stoichiometric of desertified grassland. A marked strong correlation was observed between the composition and stability of soil aggregates and the stoichiometric characteristics of these essential nutrients, with the macroaggregate mass ratio showing a positive relationship with aggregate stability. Our findings have significant implications for ecological restoration strategies, aiming to promote long-term soil health and productivity in degraded landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109661"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intercropping enhances stable soil organic carbon pool through macroaggregate protection and biochemical recalcitrance interactions","authors":"Ding Wang ,&nbsp;Wenchun Yu ,&nbsp;Chunyan Ming ,&nbsp;Linkang Chen ,&nbsp;Ping Zhao ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Shi ,&nbsp;Zhengxiong Zhao ,&nbsp;Maopan Fan ,&nbsp;Guangqiang Long","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diversified cropping can enhance soil organic carbon (SOC); however, the mechanisms through which it alters the SOC pool and microbial regulation remain unclear. This study examined the responses of the stable SOC pool to intercropping and nitrogen (N) fertilization in a seven-year field experiment involving three cropping patterns: maize monoculture, potato monoculture, and maize/potato intercropping, under three N levels. Intercropping increased SOC content by 9.8–36.1 % and the stable C pool (the sum of the slow and resistant SOC pools) by 12.3–72.1 % in bulk soil compared to monocultures, with the maximum increase at the low nitrogen (LN) level. The enhanced stable C pool in intercropping was primarily attributed to greater proportion of large macroaggregates (&gt; 2 mm) and increased aromaticity of SOC within these macroaggregates. Although N fertilization in intercropping did not affect SOC aromaticity, it further increased the proportion of large macroaggregates at the LN level. Intercropping shifted the microbial keystone taxa related to SOC formation from oligotrophic bacteria (e.g., <em>Anaerolineaceae</em> from Chloroflexi) in potato monoculture to copiotrophic bacteria (e.g., <em>Micromonosporaceae</em> of <em>Actinobacteria</em>), accompanied by a higher abundance from <em>Chaetomiaceae</em> of <em>Sordariomycetes</em> among the fungal keystone taxa within macroaggregates. These shifts reflected increased activities of carbon cycling enzymes (e.g., peroxidases and α-/β-glucosidase) and a higher proportion of large macroaggregates, facilitating the formation and accumulation of aromatic C in intercropping. This study provides insights into how intercropping enhances SOC stocks and offers guidance on N fertilization strategies to promote SOC sequestration in diversified cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109654"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143748202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feeding salicylates containing willow leaves to cattle modulates urea metabolism and mitigates urine-derived ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from soil","authors":"Carolin B.M. Müller-Kiedrowski ,&nbsp;Solvig Görs ,&nbsp;Verena K. Mittermeier-Kleßinger ,&nbsp;Corinna Dawid ,&nbsp;Nicole Wrage-Mönnig ,&nbsp;Björn Kuhla","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ruminants on grazing lands have a great impact on ammonia (NH₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions released from livestock production. Willow leaves are an established supplement in ruminant nutrition and are rich in salicylates and tannins, which may have a mitigating effect on NH₃ and N₂O emissions. We hypothesised that willow leaf supplementation in cattle nutrition affects nitrogen (N) and urea metabolism and mitigates urinary NH₃ and N₂O emissions from soil. Eight weaned Holstein bull calves were kept on pasture and supplemented with willow leaves or alfalfa hay in a crossover design. In a respiration chamber, feed intake, faeces and urine excretions were recorded and analysed for total N and N-metabolites. Urea-N recycling was measured by the intravenous administration of a ¹³C urea tracer and a series of blood sampling. Cattle urine and artificial mimics supplemented with different salicylates were incubated with standard soil to measure NH₃ and N₂O and the N and O isotopic signatures. Despite a decline in urea turnover and N digestibility in rations supplemented with willow leaves, the leaves had no effect on microbial protein synthesis or the growth rate. Urine excretions with reduced urea but increased hippuric acid, phenolic acids, and salicylate concentrations in cattle fed willow leaves mainly inhibited bacterial denitrification processes involved in N₂O release from soil and mitigated NH₃ and N₂O emissions by 14 and 81 %, respectively. The results highlight intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that define both the nutritional significance and emission mitigation potential of supplementing cattle in pastures with willow leaves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109671"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Turning point of direct N2O emissions in China’s croplands dominated by reduced fertilizer usage since 2015","authors":"Zimeng Li ,&nbsp;Songbai Hong ,&nbsp;Ziyuan Sun ,&nbsp;Nan Cong ,&nbsp;Yanzi Yan ,&nbsp;Fa Li ,&nbsp;Yuanyi Gao ,&nbsp;Yan Sun ,&nbsp;Yilin Chen ,&nbsp;Yue Chen ,&nbsp;Xuhui Wang ,&nbsp;Shilong Piao","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers have been applied into China’s croplands to ensure adequate crop production, leading to massive direct nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from cropland soils. Since 1980, the agricultural direct N₂O emissions in China have shown sustained and impressive growth, associated with the expansion of croplands and intensified fertilization practices. However, it remains uncertain how direct N₂O emissions have responded to recent agricultural policies characterized by reducing N fertilizer use and adjusting crop mix. This lack of clarity limits practical insights into the effectiveness of these policies. To fill this gap, we here provided a more detailed and timely assessment of crop-specific N₂O emissions during 1980–2022 based on a comprehensive N₂O-emission factor dataset and the random forest algorithm. The resulting estimation exhibited a long-term average of 174.7 Gg N₂O-N yr⁻¹, with 46 % of it contributed by staple crops (rice, maize and wheat) and 44 % from three cash crops (vegetables, fruit and tea). The temporal sequences revealed a noticeable increase over 1980–2015, peaking in 2015 at 259.9 Gg N₂O-N yr⁻¹, followed by a subsequent decline to 215.3 Gg N₂O-N yr⁻¹ by 2022. The divergent trends of N₂O emissions were observed countrywide, with the turning point at 2015 recognized across more than three-quarter croplands. N application was identified as the fundamental driver for this temporal trajectory, especially the decline after 2015. This study affirms the great environmental benefits from the actions targeted at reducing fertilizer usage and enhancing efficiency since 2015. It also provides valuable insights for estimating and mitigating global N₂O emissions from croplands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109655"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutrient amendment promotes vegetation restoration and improves ecosystem carbon uptake capacity in a degraded grassland","authors":"Yaxiang Lü ,&nbsp;Binger An ,&nbsp;Qingmin Pan ,&nbsp;Wei Liu ,&nbsp;Jiamei Sun ,&nbsp;Jing Wang ,&nbsp;Zhiyan Qi ,&nbsp;Chao Li ,&nbsp;Shande Dou ,&nbsp;Xingguo Han","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Approximately 49 % of global grasslands are degraded due to overgrazing and other forms of mismanagement, resulting in great reduction in vegetation productivity and carbon uptake capacity. Degradation-induced losses of soil nutrients, particularly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), severely hinder the restoration of degraded grasslands in China. However, whether and how amendments of N and/or P promote vegetation recovery and improve carbon uptake capacity in degraded grasslands remain poorly understood. Here we present the results of a nutrient amendment experiment conducted in a degraded grassland in Inner Mongolia, where we evaluated the individual and joint effects of N and P amendments. We found that N amendment increased the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), belowground net primary productivity (BNPP), gross ecosystem carbon production (GEP), ecosystem respiration (ER), and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) by 66.9 %, 61.6 %, 27.3 %, 18.8 %, and 32.3 %, respectively, while NP co-amendment stimulated these variables by 104.7 %, 171.4 %, 48.7 %, 36.7 % and 56.8 %, respectively. In contrast, P amendment alone had little effect on these variables except for BNPP. We observed a distinct shift in the dominance of plant species, with short-stature, unproductive grasses being replaced by the originally-dominant, tall-stature, productive grasses. This shift significantly contributed to the improvement of ecosystem carbon uptake capacity. Moreover, we identified a synergistic interaction between N and P on GEP, ER, and NEE. Our results suggest that effective restoration strategies, such as the proper amendment of limiting nutrients, can help restore the large-scale, degraded grasslands and enhance their carbon uptake capacity in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109666"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive assessment of soil health in representative kiwifruit orchards in southwest China","authors":"Jiangzhou Zhang ,&nbsp;Rumeng Han ,&nbsp;Shanghui Duan ,&nbsp;Peter Christie ,&nbsp;Junling Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving soil health is important for sustainable agriculture. However, inappropriate soil management threatens soil quality, potentially reducing crop yield and compromising other soil functions. Assessment of soil health, identification and amelioration of the soil constraining factors to improve crop yields are important for the long-term benefits. However, few studies on soil health in perennial cash crops have been conducted. In this study, intensive soil sampling was conducted at soil depths of 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm in kiwifruit orchards with high yield (HY; average 25.9 t ha⁻¹) and low yield (LY; average 7.0 t ha⁻¹) in adjoining field sites to assess soil health and multifunctionality, and identify the major factors limiting yields. Additionally, a field experiment was conducted to test the effect of localized application of sand on amelioration of soil physical parameters for improving yield. Soil physical properties, but not chemical or biological properties, differed between HY and LY orchards. Soil porosity and aeration porosity at 0–30 cm deep in HY orchards were higher than in LY orchards. In contrast, soil bulk density and surface hardness had the opposite trends. Soil health and multifunctionality indices were the highest at 0–30 cm deep, but did not differ significantly between HY and LY orchards regardless of soil depth. Soil physical health indicator at 0–30 and 30–60 cm deep was higher (24 % and 32 %, respectively) in HY orchards than in LY orchards. The structural equation model indicated that soil surface hardness, bulk density and soil aeration porosity were major physical factors constraining kiwifruit yield. Soil porosity, root length density and kiwifruit yield were increased in the localized sand application treatment. These results indicate that soil health testing is a prerequisite prior to the establishment of orchards. The remediation of soil physical traits is important for optimizing kiwifruit yield in soils with high clay contents or compacted soil with high bulk density.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109656"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 competitive effects of crop straw return and nitrogen fertilization on soil acidification","authors":"Jia Cheng ,&nbsp;Cheng-Ze Yang ,&nbsp;Le Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhuo-Jun Lin ,&nbsp;Yash Pal Dang ,&nbsp;Xin Zhao ,&nbsp;Hai-Lin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109638","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil acidification has become an increasingly severe issue in China, with the role of straw return practices in mitigating this challenge remaining widely debated. This study examines the combined effects of straw return and nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil pH, highlighting their competing influences on acidification. A meta-analysis of 44 field trials across China revealed that N fertilization alone reduced soil pH by an average of 3.72 %. However, straw return mitigated this pH decline, increasing soil pH by 0.02 and 0.10 units in acidic and neutral soils, respectively. Compared to N-only treatment, the interaction between N and straw return produced varying effects. High N inputs (&gt;100 kg/ha) with low straw return further decreased soil pH, while high straw return with low N inputs moderately alleviated acidification. This phenomenon is attributed to the ability of straw return to counteract H⁺ ion production through several mechanisms such as replenishing cations removed during crop harvest, increasing soil organic carbon (SOC), and improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by optimizing the soil carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio. These findings suggest that integrating balanced straw return practices with N fertilization can effectively mitigate acidification caused by N inputs. These strategies offer significant potential for promoting sustainable agricultural systems in China and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"388 ","pages":"Article 109638"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}