Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Legume intercropping improves soil organic carbon stability in drylands: A 7-year experimental validation","authors":"Wei Wang ,&nbsp;Meng-Ying Li ,&nbsp;Yang Wang ,&nbsp;Jian-Ming Li ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Qin-Hui Wen ,&nbsp;Shuang-Jin Huang ,&nbsp;Guang-Rong Chen ,&nbsp;Shuang-Guo Zhu ,&nbsp;Jing Wang ,&nbsp;Fazal Ullah ,&nbsp;You-Cai Xiong","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improving soil organic carbon (SOC) stability is crucial for mitigating climate change and building resilient agroecosystems, and the legume-based crop diversification is accepted as an important initiative to improve SOC stock. We hypothesize that legume-based intercropping stabilizes SOC by modifying microbial communities and enzyme stoichiometry. However, experimental validation in this area remains limited. Over seven consecutive years, we established potato–soybean intercropping and corresponding monoculture trials to investigate the formation and transformation of particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), microbial necromass, and SOC stability in relation to microbial and enzyme stoichiometry. Compared to potato monoculture, intercropping significantly decreased free POC content by 12.9 % (from 1.98 g kg⁻¹ to 1.72 g kg⁻¹), and increased MAOC content by 17.8 % (from 6.09 g kg⁻¹ to 7.18 g kg⁻¹). Intercropping also increased SOC content by 7.8 % (from 11.37 g kg⁻¹ to 12.27 g kg⁻¹) and improved SOC stability by 22.8 % (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). High nitrogen legacy in intercropping systems intensified microbial stoichiometric demand for carbon and phosphorus. This trend further shifted microbial community composition and diversity to favor POC transformation. Simultaneously, fungal community proliferation accelerated fungal necromass accumulation and MAOC formation, thereby enhancing SOC stability. These findings reveal that SOC stability is regulated by a trade-off between microbial community characteristics and enzyme stoichiometry. These insights highlight the functional role of legume-based intercropping in stabilizing SOC pools and its potential contribution to enhancing the resilience of dryland agroecosystems to climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109456"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142429","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":"Soil organic nitrogen sequestrated more in oilseed rape-rice rotation than in wheat-rice rotation under different fertilizations","authors":"Jian Zhao,&nbsp;Tao Ren,&nbsp;Yating Fang,&nbsp;Shuntao Zhang,&nbsp;Rihuan Cong,&nbsp;Xiaokun Li,&nbsp;Zhifeng Lu,&nbsp;Jun Zhu,&nbsp;Jianwei Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oilseed rape-rice (OR) and wheat-rice (W<em>R</em>) rotations with different fertilizations are common practices in cropland management in the Yangtze River Basin. The sequestration of soil organic nitrogen (SON) plays a critical role in the preservation and sustained supply of nitrogen in cropland. However, few studies have focused on the impacts of crop rotation and fertilization on SON sequestration. Here, we observed the differences in SON sequestration between OR and W<em>R</em> rotations through a 6 years field experiment, each rotation pattern contained four fertilization treatments, including no fertilizer application (CK), nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application (NPK), replace 50 % nitrogen in NPK treatment with organic fertilizer (1/2NPKM), and NPK fertilizer and straw returning (NPKS). The results indicated that SON sequestration was 0.37–1.16 t ha⁻¹ in OR rotation and 0.20–0.89 t ha⁻¹ in W<em>R</em> rotation in the examined fertilization treatments. It was clear that SON sequestration in OR rotation was higher than that in W<em>R</em> rotation. The OR rotation also showed higher contents of soil labile organic nitrogen (LON) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) than W<em>R</em> rotation in corresponding fertilization treatments. Active organic nitrogen (LON and PON) was the primary nitrogen pool that resulted in the difference between OR and W<em>R</em> rotation in SON sequestration. Compared with NPK treatment, 1/2NPKM and NPKS treatments increased SON sequestration respectively by 16 % and 23 % in OR rotation, and by 30 % and 29 % in W<em>R</em> rotation. Therefore, OR rotation sequestered more SON than W<em>R</em> rotation, straw returning and combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers benefited SON sequestration in both rotations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109445"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143141925","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":"Stable water isotopes reveal modification of cereal water uptake strategies in agricultural co-cropping systems","authors":"Oludare S. Durodola ,&nbsp;Youri Rothfuss ,&nbsp;Cathy Hawes ,&nbsp;Jo Smith ,&nbsp;Tracy A. Valentine ,&nbsp;Josie Geris","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109439","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109439","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural co-cropping is being evaluated in temperate environments as a potential nature-based solution to the changing climate. However, the understanding of underlying physiological processes in co-cropping and its potential to provide climate resilience in temperate agroecosystems remains limited. This study investigated water sources for plants in five distinct cereal-legume co-cropping systems and four of their corresponding cereal monocultures at four main growth stages, under contrasting temperate hydro-climatological conditions in Scotland. Stable water isotope compositions (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) for soil water and xylem water were established. Based on the isotope compositions, a Bayesian multi-source mixing model was used to explore proportional soil water uptake patterns for cereal crop plants. Cereals grown in monocultures in this environment took more than 60 % of their water from the upper topsoil (soil depth &lt;5 cm) during the main growth stages, under both wet and dry conditions. However, cereals cultivated as co-crops with legumes modified their water uptake strategy through increased water acquisition from the lower topsoil (5 – 30 cm) compared to monocultures, independent of environmental conditions. These novel findings suggest that co-cropping systems could potentially provide climate resilience for temperate agricultural systems. The findings provide an evidence-base for sustainable water planning, drought preparation and environmental intervention policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109439"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142469","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":"Tropical forest restoration promotes soil phosphorus bioavailability in SW China: Processes and predictors","authors":"Xin Zou ,&nbsp;Luana Krebs ,&nbsp;Franziska Richter ,&nbsp;Yuxuan Mo ,&nbsp;Ashutosh Kumar Singh ,&nbsp;Chunfeng Chen ,&nbsp;Wenjie Liu ,&nbsp;Nina Buchmann","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The conversion of primary forests into monoculture plantations is a widespread phenomenon in the tropics, while the restoration of abandoned agricultural lands has gained considerable attention in recent years. Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient with very low availability from the soil, constraining the productivity and functioning of tropical ecosystems. However, the impacts of forest restoration on soil P cycling and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In Southwestern China, we investigated the plant community characteristics, soil P cycling dynamics, and soil physicochemical properties under different land uses (including monoculture plantations, farmland-regenerated secondary forests, rubber plantation-regenerated secondary forests, and primary rainforests), and identified the predictors of soil available P. We found that the conversion of primary rainforests into monoculture plantations not only substantially decreased tree diversity but also modified soil P cycling (such as total, available, microbial P and phosphatase activity). In contrast, the regeneration of secondary forests (from both farmlands and rubber plantations) significantly enhanced tree diversity and improved soil physicochemical conditions compared to monoculture plantations, thereby promoting soil P bioavailability through increased soil organic carbon, microbial P and phosphatase activity. Soil organic carbon, microbial biomass P and fine root were the main predictors of soil available P, for both annual and seasonal timeframes. Notably, the soil C:P ratio exhibited a more pronounced impact on soil available P during the dry season, while acid phosphatase exerted greater influence during the rainy season. Furthermore, the presence of fine roots and leguminous trees significantly and positively influenced soil P cycling, particularly in the surface soil layers. Thus, these results suggest that establishing legumes-rich, diverse communities and ensuring organic inputs is beneficial for sustaining soil P resources in tropical areas. This work offers important guidance for policy-makers to navigate the trade-offs between conservation and production goals in land development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109459"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143141867","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":"Effects of land consolidation intensity on landscape pattern and biodiversity in paddy ecosystem","authors":"Pingping Yang ,&nbsp;Minzhu Shen ,&nbsp;Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Hao Wang ,&nbsp;Yinghao Xue ,&nbsp;Baoxiong Chen ,&nbsp;Jingjun Bian ,&nbsp;Pengyao Li ,&nbsp;Ti Zhang ,&nbsp;Luyu Wang ,&nbsp;Meichun Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Land consolidation (LC) are introduced in agricultural landscapes to streamline mechanical field operations, and increase crop production. However, it may cause adverse effects on landscape patterns, biodiversity and potentially ecosystem services. To investigate the effects of varying intensity of LC (high-, medium-, and low-) on landscape patterns and biodiversity, we selected 30 paddy landscapes in the Chengdu Plain, China. The landscape change before and after LC were compared, and the diversity of vascular plants, rice planthoppers, carabids, spiders, and birds in landscapes with different LC intensities were assessed. The findings revealed that the proportion of semi-natural habitats significantly decreased following LC, while the mean field size significantly increased. As the increase of LC intensify, there was a significant decline in the abundance of spiders and the species richness of ground hunting spiders in 2021, while an increase in abundance of rice planthopper and species richness of omnivorous birds and carnivorous bird. However, the diversity of vascular plants, carabids and also their functional groups, remained largely unaffected. Except the species composition of spider in low- and medium-intensity of LC was significantly different than that in high-intensity in 2021, there were no significant differences were observed in the species composition of birds, carabid beetles, their respective functional groups, and vascular plants. Notably, the abundance ratio of spiders to rice planthoppers in landscape with medium-intensity of LC was significantly higher than in Low- and high-intensity, yet the NDVI of paddy fields showed no significant variation. Overall, a higher intensity of LC corresponded to decline diversity of spiders and increase of rice planthopper, thereby diminishing biological control within the paddy ecosystem. Nevertheless, with the preservation of the original semi-natural habitats and the overall landscape pattern, coupled with an appropriate increase in field size, landscapes with medium-intensity of LC emerged as the optimal strategy to harmonize the benefits of biodiversity and mechanized production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109458"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142466","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":"Using the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy to improve the habitat for farmland birds in landscapes with excessively large arable fields: Buffer strips in Slovakia","authors":"Adriana Hološková ,&nbsp;Jozef Ridzoň ,&nbsp;Jiří Reif","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Buffer strips are a key element of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2023–2027 in addressing declines of farmland bird populations triggered by agricultural intensification. Here, we focus on a voluntary eco-scheme in Slovakia, a country in Central-Eastern Europe, where farmers implement buffer strips to counter challenges posed by extensive fields and a lack of nonproductive areas. Based on experience from other countries, buffer strips may support farmland bird populations, but results from landscapes characterised by excessively large arable fields (frequently covering 50 + ha), typical for some former socialist Central-Eastern European countries including Slovakia, are lacking. This study involves 11 farms participating in the whole farm eco-scheme, with 40 study sites (established in a paired design) selected for bird counts conducted in spring and summer 2023. The data contained records of 2060 bird individuals, representing 42 species. Buffer strips significantly enhanced bird abundance and species richness compared to control arable fields. Positive impacts were also found for threatened species, with ground-nesting birds benefiting the most. The higher abundance of granivorous, folivorous, and insectivorous species in the buffer strips highlights their diverse advantages. These results indicate that buffer strips emerge as crucial habitat that provides suitable nesting and foraging sites for farmland birds. Based on our results, we recommend continuing buffer strip support within CAP, emphasising reduced bureaucratic demands and enhanced financial incentives. The findings underscore the importance of agri-environmental measures in the maintenance of farmland bird species, which applies to landscapes dominated by large fields. Future research should evaluate the broader effectiveness of the eco-scheme, for example, by focussing on the long-term population trends of birds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109461"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142467","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":"Can agricultural systems facing climate change benefit from a deeper understanding of invasive plant species?","authors":"Artur Nosalewicz ,&nbsp;Ali A. Bajwa ,&nbsp;Dana M. Blumenthal ,&nbsp;David Edwards ,&nbsp;Marcel G.C. França ,&nbsp;Ülo Niinemets ,&nbsp;Bruce A. Osborne ,&nbsp;Lewis H. Ziska","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agriculture is not only influenced by climate change, it is also threatened by the associated pressure of invasive alien species (IAS), resulting in a decline in the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes and a loss of productivity. The success of IAS under a wide range of environmental conditions is an indicator of their ability to establish and maintain long-lived populations despite varying abiotic and biotic constraints. In this analysis, we highlight the potential to increase the resilience of agriculture to climate change through advances in our knowledge of IAS. Monitoring the spread of IAS and understanding the mechanisms that allow them to tolerate various stresses, outcompete other species, and acquire nutrients in resource-limited environments could provide a basis for the genetic improvement of major food and forage crops, making them more resilient to climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109464"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143141940","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":"Effects of grazing on temperate grassland ecosystems: A meta-analysis","authors":"Chaofeng Shen ,&nbsp;Jun Zhang ,&nbsp;Xi Yang ,&nbsp;Juhong Liu ,&nbsp;Guodong Han","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With growing recognition of the ecological importance of grasslands, efforts to prevent their degradation, enhance the soil quality, and maintain ecological balance have become central to temperate grassland management. However, many temperate grasslands experience varying intensities and modes of grazing. Effective grazing management is crucial to avoid damage and promote the sustainable development of temperate grasslands. This study adopts a variety of research methods. Firstly, through the collection and sorting of data, it is clear that the research content mainly focuses on more than 70 response variables. Secondly, the comprehensive effects of different grazing intensity, grazing mode, and grazing history on these response variables were studied, and then detailed studies were conducted to analyze the effects of different grazing intensity and grazing mode under different temperate grassland types on these response variables. According to the analysis of the comprehensive effects and effects of different temperate grassland types, significant heterogeneity was found in 13 response variables (H, R, E, Height, Coverage, Density, TB, PB-PF, SWC, TK, OK, and N(20–60 cm)). Finally, in order to study the source of heterogeneity of these 13 response variables, subgroup analysis was carried out to analyze whether it was caused by environmental factors (MAP, MAT, MAP ×MAT), and then publication bias test and Egger's test were carried out to prove the reliability of the research results. The results showed that the heterogeneity of 12 response variables (R, H, E, height, coverage, density, TB, PB, PF, SWC, OK and N(20–60 cm)) was attributed to environmental factors. However, due to insufficient data after subgroup analysis, the heterogeneity of TK cannot be determined.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109452"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142468","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":"Effect of fire severity on hydro-erosive processes and black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) productivity under slash-and-burn agriculture","authors":"Valdemir Antoneli ,&nbsp;Edivaldo L. Thomaz","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A traditional practice of slash-and-burn agriculture in tropical countries is discussed, focusing on its negative impacts, such as socioeconomic impacts, land conversion, deforestation, and soil erosion, etc. Despite the criticisms, slash-and-burn agriculture is still practiced in various regions worldwide. This study was conducted in the southeastern region of the State of Paraná–Brazil, to understand the relationship between soil burn severity, post-fire hydro-erosive processes, and crop yield. After burning, the following four treatments were set out: unburned, low, moderate, and high burn severity. Fire severity was determined using the burned area reflectance classification method (BARC). Before and after burning, biomass samples were collected and the soil was analyzed for chemical properties including pH, carbon content, base content, and cation exchange capacity). Ash cover was measured for each of the four fire severities. Under each treatment, six erosion plots measuring 10 × 1 m² were stablished (4 treatments × 6 plots = 24 plots). Hydro-erosive processes were monitored throughout the bean cultivation cycle (from November 2022 to February 2023). Soil moisture and crop yield were determined for each plot. Burn severity was heterogeneous although biomass was homogeneously distributed on the cultivation plots (CV 22 %). Soil loss was related to fire severity. Soil loss was 1.59 t ha ⁻¹ under low fire severity, 1.97 t ha ⁻¹ under moderate severity, and ∼ 4.67 t ha ⁻¹ under high severity, indicating that soil loss increased threefold from low to high fire severity. The lowest bean productivity was recorded under low fire severity (0.49 t ha⁻¹), followed by high fire severity (0.57 t ha⁻¹), whereas moderate burn severity had the highest productivity of 0.71 t ha⁻¹. The soil burn severity in the study area was patchy and significantly affected hydro-erosive processes, soil properties, and bean yield. The most important effect of fire was indirect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109454"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143142470","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":"Factors influencing nitrogen derived from soil organic matter mineralisation: Results from a long-term experiment","authors":"Octavian P. Chiriac ,&nbsp;Marco Pittarello ,&nbsp;Barbara Moretti ,&nbsp;Laura Zavattaro","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2024.109444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mineralised nitrogen (N) from soil organic matter (SOM) is a crucial source of N for both natural ecosystems and agroecosystems. Therefore, accurate estimation of the amount of N available to crops from SOM mineralisation is necessary to correctly manage N addition. For application in an N budget, a field-scale assessment of the main factors affecting SOM mineralisation is required. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of meteorological conditions and soil properties on N mineralised by SOM in an agroecosystem. The N mineralised from the SOM was calculated as the N uptake of the unfertilised plot minus the N derived from atmospheric deposition and irrigation. This study analysed 29 years of crop, agrometeorological, and soil data from three maize cropping systems (maize for grain, maize for silage, and maize-It. ryegrass double cropping) in a long-term experiment conducted in NW Italy. A Linear Mixed Model (LMM) was developed for the purpose of this study. The average of N derived from SOM mineralisation predicted by the model was 96 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, with a root mean square error of 22 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. The fixed factors of LMM, which are soil organic carbon (SOC), carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) and the sum of rainfall and irrigation (R.I.), were responsible for 19 % of the annual variations in mineralised N. SOC and R.I. had a positive effect and greater weight on the process, whereas C/N had a negative effect and lower weight. The explanatory power of the model increased to 52 % when cropping systems and interannual variability were included as random factors. This study highlights the importance of weather conditions and SOC content in determining the amount of N derived from soil mineralisation and can contribute to plant nutrition. In a future climate scenario characterised by increased aridity, N mineralisation could decrease, thus increasing the demand for fertilisers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"381 ","pages":"Article 109444"},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143141924","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}