Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Canopy closure and litter management in coniferous plantation modulate the bacterial community to increase soil nitrogen mineralization and understory medicinal tuber yield","authors":"Haotian Xue ,&nbsp;Yefei Yu ,&nbsp;Qianqian Zhang ,&nbsp;Caixian Tang ,&nbsp;Touqeer Abbas ,&nbsp;Qiumei Teng ,&nbsp;Yuqi Wang ,&nbsp;Jinhui Luo ,&nbsp;Yongchun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest canopy closure and litter management are critical factors regulating ecosystem processes, yet their interactive effects on soil nitrogen (N) cycling, microbial communities, and the production of understory tuberous medicinal plants remain elusive. This study investigated the impacts of varying canopy closure levels (low, medium, and high) and litter treatments (cover and removal) on these processes. Decreasing canopy closure significantly decreased soil moisture but increased soil temperature and net nitrification with canopy closure being a primary driver of N mineralization. Compared with litter cover, litter removal enhanced N mineralization and net ammonification only under high canopy closure. Canopy closure significantly altered microbial community composition by modifying soil temperature and moisture, whereas litter treatment had minor effects. Under low canopy closure, aerial stem length, rhizome length and tuber yield of understory medicinal herb <em>Corydalis yanhusuo</em> were 20 % – 42 %, 20 % – 61 %, and 156 % – 729 % higher than moderate and high canopy closures, respectively. Litter removal increased tuber yield only under low canopy closure. Structural equation modeling revealed that bacterial communities, particularly functionally important taxa, played a central role in N mineralization and plant productivity. These findings suggest that canopy closure, rather than litter treatment, predominantly regulates soil N mineralization and microbial functionality within forest ecosystems, highlighting the pivotal role of canopy closure in promoting plant productivity. This study underscores the importance of canopy management in enhancing N mineralization, regulating microbial community composition, and improving the productivity of understory medicinal herbs, thereby offering essential scientific support for sustainable forest management and the cultivation of medicinal crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"402 ","pages":"Article 110308"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172904","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":"Global meta-analysis reveals nutrient-dependent symbiosis: Perennial legumes gain microbial advantages under nitrogen/phosphorus enrichment","authors":"Hai-Xia Duan ,&nbsp;Chong-Liang Luo ,&nbsp;Muhammad Maqsood Ur Rehman ,&nbsp;Sheng-Rong Chen ,&nbsp;You-Cai Xiong","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and rhizobia are crucial for plant growth, acting as key components of ecosystem sustainability. However, it remains unclear how these two plant symbionts interact in legumes in response to the addition of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) fertilizers to the soil. We conducted a global meta-analysis with 1644 independent observations to investigate this issue. The results indicated that inoculation with AMF and/or rhizobia significantly enhanced N and P uptake, biomass and yield in legumes. ‌In contrast, their co-inoculation notably enhanced nitrogenase activity, soil total N content, and organic matter content without altering soil pH. Co-inoculation generally exerted an additive effect on legume growth and yield, although perennial trees derived synergistic benefits. Specifically, perennial leguminous trees demonstrated synergistic growth benefits under co-inoculation conditions, achieving biomass yields exceeding the sum of single symbiont effects; however, annual leguminous crops and forages displayed additive effects of co-inoculation. Critically, N and P fertilization disrupted these symbioses when application rates exceeded certain thresholds. Sole N addition inhibited rhizobial nodulation, with plant growth-promoting effects shifting from positive to negative beyond approximately 90 kg N ha⁻¹ . P addition reduced AMF colonization, with yield benefits diminishing above 58 mg P kg⁻¹ . These results reveal distinct threshold-dependent pathways through which soil nutrient availability interferes with legume-microbe mutualisms. Our study provides the global evidence of AMF-rhizobia synergy for legume productivity and soil C-N cycling, coupled with mechanistic insights showing how N and P fertilizations differentially undermine these partnerships. The results advocate for optimized nutrient management to harness microbial symbioses in sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"402 ","pages":"Article 110305"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172954","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":"Plastic shed horticulture can sequestrate more than expected soil organic carbon","authors":"Xiao Ma ,&nbsp;Nazim Gruda ,&nbsp;Kang Tian ,&nbsp;Liying Wang ,&nbsp;Ziliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Ying Tang ,&nbsp;Xun Li ,&nbsp;Zengqiang Duan ,&nbsp;Jinlong Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The high organic input rates and expanding coverage of China’s plastic shed horticulture suggest these soils represent a significant potential organic carbon pool. Using meta-analysis (22,403 plastic-sheds and 261 studies), we assessed soil organic matter (SOM) storage in plastic shed soils (0–20 cm depth) in China, and projected global organic carbon stocks. SOM concentration and its percentage increase relative to adjacent open-field soils rose significantly with cultivation time, stabilizing after ten years at 26.1 mg g⁻¹ and 85.6 %, respectively. SOM and organic carbon stocks increased by 45.7 % and 46.3 % on average, driven primarily by organic inputs averaging 74.1 t ha⁻¹. Estimated organic carbon stocks in Chinese plastic shed soils were 134.2–145.9 Tg C. Projections indicate high organic carbon stock potential by 2030 in India, Pakistan, Romania, Egypt, and Mexico. These findings identify plastic shed soils as a substantial reservoir for horticultural carbon neutrality. Optimizing organic input type and quantity, coupled with policy support on fertilization management, is recommended to enhance SOC sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110274"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146057306","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":"Integrating straw return with biodegradable film mulching reduces carbon footprint while increasing economic benefit in a garlic-rice rotation system","authors":"Qian Chen ,&nbsp;Naijuan Hu ,&nbsp;Anmin Zhang ,&nbsp;Jide Fan ,&nbsp;Guang Han ,&nbsp;Qian Zhang ,&nbsp;Liqun Zhu ,&nbsp;Hongwu Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although the impacts of straw return (SR) and polyethylene (PE) film mulching on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been extensively studied, the carbon footprint (CF) and economic benefit of integrating SR with biodegradable film mulching (BM) in the warm-temperate semi-humid climate zone remain unclear. A two-year field experiment with six treatments [SR/non-return (NR) × no mulch (CK)/ PE film mulching (PM)/BM] in the garlic-rice rotation was developed. The CH₄ and N₂O were consecutively measured using the static chamber-gas chromatography method, and CF was performed by life cycle assessment (LCA) framework. Results showed that SR‑BM significantly enhanced CH₄ uptake and reduced N₂O emissions compared to NR‑CK, while SR-PM reduced CH₄ emissions but increased N₂O emissions. In terms of the life-cycle GHG emissions, SR-BM suppressed straw-induced GHG emissions by 39.6 %–43.9 % relative to NR treatments during the phase of waste disposal and achieved a 10.2 % reduction compared to SR-PM. Film mulching treatments significantly improved soil organic carbon sequestration (ΔSOC, 17.7 %–134.8 %), crop productivity (23.1 %–34.4 %), and economic benefits (37.2 %–63.7 %). Notably, SR-BM achieved the highest ΔSOC and net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB), while exhibiting the lowest CF. Compared to NR-CK, SR-BM significantly increased ΔSOC and NEEB by 161.3 % and 16.0 %, respectively, and significantly reduced CF, yield-scaled CF, and economic-scaled CF by 41.3 %, 52.2 %, and 61.6 %, respectively. Therefore, the SR-BM achieves a “win-win” strategy that reducing CF and enhancing economic benefit in garlic-rice systems. This practice offers a reference for sustainable development of intensive agroecosystems in similar ecological zones.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110278"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146095814","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":"Long-term manure addition restores soil microbial network complexity disrupted by chemical fertilization across 3 m soil profiles","authors":"Yiwei Shang ,&nbsp;Xiaotong Tang ,&nbsp;Faisal Zaman ,&nbsp;Xingjie Wu ,&nbsp;Yifan Guo ,&nbsp;Duo Liu ,&nbsp;Jingjing Peng ,&nbsp;Zhenling Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fertilization with chemical fertilizers and manure compost plays a vital role in crop production and soil fertility, but also strongly influences soil microbial communities that underpin agroecosystem multifunctionality. However, most studies have focused on topsoil, and little is known about whether fertilization practices can penetrate deeper soil layers to shape subsoil microbial communities. Here, based on an 8-year field experiment, we explored how solely chemical fertilization (CF) and chemical fertilizer combined with manure compost (CFM) affect microbial diversity and co-occurrence networks across the 0–3 m soil profile, compared with no fertilizer application (CK). Our results showed that microbial alpha diversity was both affected by fertilization and soil depth, while beta diversity was primarily driven by depth. Compared with CK, both CF and CFM decreased bacterial alpha diversity in the topsoil but did not affect fungal and archaeal diversity. Bacterial and fungal alpha diversity declined with increasing soil depth. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), pH, and moisture were the key drivers affecting microbial diversity and community structure. Fertilization substantially altered microbial co-occurrence networks in upper soil and subsoil. Both CF and CFM increased network modularity. Compared with CK, the network connectivity and positive associations were decreased by CF. However, such negative effects were restored by CFM. The abundance of network hubs was closely associated with soil properties, such as SOC, TN, C:N ratio, and pH. Overall, the results revealed the effects of fertilization and depth on soil microbial diversity and community composition and demonstrate that fertilization practice could extend effects to deep soil layers to affect subsoil microbial community interactions. Our study suggests that manure compost addition could benefit the rebuilding of healthy microbial association networks, and provides valuable insights into fertilization management towards building a healthy soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110300"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134420","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":"Altitude, agricultural disturbance intensity, soil biotic and abiotic factors jointly affect soil multifunctionality in mountain farmlands","authors":"Keli Li ,&nbsp;Mengying Li ,&nbsp;Weidong Wang ,&nbsp;Minmin Su ,&nbsp;Pengcheng Liang ,&nbsp;Yuancui Wang ,&nbsp;Tengbing He ,&nbsp;Ai Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, although the terraced fields in the southwestern China’ mountainous areas have maintained traditional planting methods, the degree of agricultural intensification in intermountainous flatlands has been increasing. The mountainous farmland ecosystem is relatively fragile, making its soil functions susceptible to damage from environmental changes and human disturbances. However, the impact of agricultural disturbance intensity (ADI), soil abiotic and biotic factors on soil functions in mountain farmland ecosystems remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of nine major planting patterns of flatland and mountainous areas on soil multifunctionality (SMF), soil microbial (fungi, protists, bacteria, and archaea) diversity, network stability, and complexity in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, China. Variation partitioning analyses were employed to determine the relative importance of altitude, agricultural management, soil biotic, and abiotic factors on SMF. Additionally, structural equation models were utilized to identify the influence pathways and quantify the effect sizes of different factors on SMF. Our results indicated that the SMF in mountain farmlands was higher than that in most flatland farmlands, and the microbial diversity and richness in paddyfields were greater than those in drylands. Soil biota factors did not contribute the most significantly to SMF. Due to the opposite effects of ADI on soil microbial network complexity and SMF, this resulted in a negative correlation between the network complexity and SMF. Our research provides novel insights into the mechanisms sustaining SMF in ecologically fragile mountainous regions. The results suggest that reducing agricultural disturbance intensity and reshaping the soil microbial network are crucial for enhancing the SMF in this region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110280"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146095819","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":"Nitrogen transfer in legume/non-legume intercropping systems: A global meta-analysis","authors":"Chaoqun Chen ,&nbsp;Liu Li ,&nbsp;Shulan Wu ,&nbsp;Bo Tang ,&nbsp;Xueyong Pang ,&nbsp;Chunying Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global terrestrial ecosystems commonly experience soil nitrogen (N) deficiency. Legume/non-legume intercropping systems, utilizing the biological N fixation potential of legumes, represent a promising strategy to enhance resource use efficiency and agricultural sustainability. This meta-analysis synthesized data from 74 global studies (276 combinations) to evaluate the effects of intercropping on the growth of non-legume plants, soil properties, and N transfer. Results indicated that intercropping significantly increased non-legume productivity (yield by 33.13 % and total biomass by 21.14 %), and elevated soil N availability and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization. Interspecific N transfer in intercropping systems was confirmed as a key mechanism, the proportion of N transferred from legume varied from 0.54 % to 52.8 %, and the proportion of non-legume N derived from transfer was 0.07∼78.33 %. Their magnitudes were context-dependent, showing higher efficiency in field and forage systems than pot experiments. Crucially, management practices significantly regulated N transfer process. High legume planting proportions and AMF inoculation promoted N transfer while N fertilization suppressed it. In conclusion, legume/non-legume intercropping systems effectively promotes the growth of the non-legume crops by enhancing soil N availability and facilitating interspecific N transfer. Our meta-analysis provides scientific support for legume/non-legume intercropping as a sustainable approach to improve crop production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110295"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171748","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":"Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from furrows and hills in a cotton-wheat-fallow rotation, Narrabri, Australia","authors":"B.C.T. Macdonald ,&nbsp;Y.F. Chang ,&nbsp;A. Nadelko ,&nbsp;I. Rochester ,&nbsp;D.L. Antille ,&nbsp;S. Karunaratne ,&nbsp;K. Gordon","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110187","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110187","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the emissions of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), from different soil positions (hill, skip furrow, irrigation furrow) in a cotton-wheat-fallow rotation system under irrigation in Narrabri, Australia. The research spans a two-year period and aims to understand the spatial variability of emissions and their relation to soil and atmospheric conditions. Nitrous oxide emissions during the cotton season averaged 2.07 ± 0.13 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹, representing 0.86 % of applied inorganic N fertiliser nitrogen, with emissions occurring in hills and furrows due to nitrogen transport. Methane was consistently absorbed by the soil and contributed a small amount to the overall greenhouse gas budget. Carbon dioxide emissions were higher from furrows, while hills functioned as carbon sinks during cropping seasons. The rotation exhibited a net soil carbon loss of approximately 4.1 ± 0.5 t C ha⁻¹, indicating a need for management strategies to increase carbon inputs during fallow periods. Further, greenhouse gas measurements are required from all different soil positions (hill, skip furrow, irrigation furrow) as well as biophysical parameters. This is not only due to differences between each measurement location but also between the chamber and field measurement locations. Longer term measurements are required to improve the accuracy of emissions and carbon balance estimates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110187"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077136","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":"Microbial metabolism regulates the stabilization of rhizodeposition-derived carbon in soil aggregates and mineral fractions under long-term tillage","authors":"Wen-Sheng Liu ,&nbsp;Ben-Shun Liu ,&nbsp;Zi-Ang Wang ,&nbsp;Yong-Qiang Xu ,&nbsp;Xin Zhao ,&nbsp;Yash Pal Dang ,&nbsp;Hai-Lin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sequestering soil organic carbon (SOC) is critical for climate change mitigation and long-term food security. Rhizodeposition represents a major carbon (C) input to SOC in agroecosystems, yet the microbial processes governing its stabilization within soil aggregate and mineral fractions remain poorly understood. Here, we combined ¹³C stable isotope tracing with high-throughput sequencing in a long-term tillage experiment comprising no-tillage (NTS), plow tillage (CTS), and rotary tillage (RTS). We quantify rhizodeposition-derived C flows into SOC fractions and evaluated how microbial functional traits mediate C stabilization under contrasting tillage regimes. No-tillage increased the proportion of newly formed mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) by 13 % and 11 % compared to CTS and RTS, respectively, during the maize season, indicating enhanced turnover stabilization efficiency. Rotary tillage promoted greater incorporation of rhizodeposition-derived ¹³C into macroaggregate with values 34 % and 56 % higher than CTS in wheat and maize seasons, respectively. Aggregate-scale C dynamics exhibited distinct seasonal patterns, with rhizodeposition-derived C declining with increasing aggregate size in wheat but peaked in microaggregates during maize. Tillage system and crop season strongly shaped microbial functional composition and nutrient limitations. Notably, NTS enriched C-cycling bacterial taxa that mediated the transfer of wheat rhizodeposition C into microaggregates. Overall, our results demonstrate that long-term tillage practices regulate rhizodeposition-derived C stabilization by altering microbial community structure and metabolic activity, thereby directing C into distinct SOC pools with contrasting persistence. These findings highlight the central role of microbial metabolism in linking tillage management to SOC sequestration and climate change mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110306"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171722","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":"Long-term organic amendments for plant-available water capacity in a temperate no-till system","authors":"Md Nayem Hasan Munna,&nbsp;Rattan Lal","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110296","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110296","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-available water capacity (PAWC) is a key indicator of soil physical quality and water delivery. Yet, research data on these parameters from long-term field studies are scant. This study evaluated the legacy effects of organic amendments and cover cropping on PAWC and pore structure in an Alfisol under a 27-year no-till (NT) system in central Ohio, USA. Four treatments were examined: weedy fallow (no input), cover crop (annual and perennial ryegrass, red fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass), compost (15.3 Mg/ha/yr), and cow manure (23.3 Mg/ha/yr), arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Soil samples were collected in 2024 from four replicated plots per treatment at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm depths. Volumetric water content was determined at eight matric suctions using tension tables and pressure plate extractors, with three cores per plot analyzed separately and averaged for plot-level analyses (n = 4 per treatment and depth). PAWC was calculated as the difference between water content at field capacity (pF 2.5) and permanent wilting point (pF 4.2). Manure-treated soils exhibited the highest PAWC in the 0–20 cm layer (5.14 ± 1.31 cm), while fallow had the highest in 20–40 cm (5.88 ± 1.04 cm). Water content at pF 1.8 ranged from 44.4 ± 0.8 % (manure) to 35.8 ± 2.0 % (cover crop) in surface soil. Fallow showed the steepest dθ/dpF curves (R² = 0.97–0.98, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), indicating rapid drainage, while manure-treated soil had broader curves suggesting sustained delivery. Compost-treated soils had weaker model fits (R² = 0.32–0.54, <em>p</em> &gt; 0.05), suggesting occluded mesoporosity. PAWC was strongly correlated with storage pores (R² = 0.94–0.92, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Structural equation modeling showed that storage pores mediate the effects of soil physical properties on PAWC, with bulk density acting as the primary constraint on water availability in surface soil. These findings highlight the legacy effects of organic inputs, particularly manure, on mesoporosity, PAWC, and soil hydrologic function under long-term NT management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110296"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170977","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}