Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Increasing grassland productivity and reducing environmental N losses – Multiple benefits of advanced cattle slurry separation","authors":"Jincheng Han ,&nbsp;Rainer Gasche ,&nbsp;Benjamin Wolf ,&nbsp;Steffen Schweizer ,&nbsp;Noelia Garcia-Franco ,&nbsp;Martin Wiesmeier ,&nbsp;Ralf Kiese ,&nbsp;Ulrike Ostler ,&nbsp;Diana Andrade ,&nbsp;Michael Schloter ,&nbsp;Marcus Schlingmann ,&nbsp;Heinz Rennenberg ,&nbsp;Michael Dannenmann","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reducing the high nitrogen (N) losses during fertilization with cattle slurry is key to reduce environmental impacts of grassland farming. We tested the hitherto unknown potential of separated versus regular unseparated slurry (control) to mitigate total N losses in a three-year experiment using ¹⁵N-labelled slurry. Slurry separation was enhanced using starch, clay minerals, and centrifugation, yielding an organic-rich solid fraction and a liquid fraction with low dry-matter content and ca 70 % ammonium-N. The use of separated slurry significantly increased plant productivity (+12 %), plant N uptake (+21 %), and total biomass harvest N export (+20 %) compared to the control. Additionally, fertilizer N retention in topsoil organic N (SON) increased by 8 %. Due to higher plant uptake, and higher soil storage of fertilizer N, total gaseous N losses from separated slurry were lower (33.5 % of added N) than from regular slurry (57.6 %). Leaching of fertilizer N remained negligible in both treatments. However, this did not apply for N₂O emissions, which were of low relevance for N balance considerations, but tripled after the addition of the liquid phase of separated slurry in summer. This undesired effect however might be prevented if the solid phase is applied in summer and the liquid phase in spring when soil microbial activity is still low. In summary, separated slurry reduced N losses, increased productivity, fodder quality, and fertilizer N retention, thereby mitigating N deficits and soil N mining. Thus, with appropriate application timing, use of separated slurry can enhance both ecological and economic soil functions and ecosystem services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110275"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146095818","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":"Unveiling the dominant role of soil pH in shaping nitrogen cycling microbial gene abundances: Insights from 65-years of chemical fertilizer selection in an acidic grassland meadow","authors":"Akari Mitsuta ,&nbsp;Késia Silva Lourenço ,&nbsp;Mart Ros ,&nbsp;Yoshitaka Uchida ,&nbsp;Eiko Eurya Kuramae","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the microbial processes driving the nitrogen (N) cycle is crucial for enhancing plant productivity and mitigating environmental pollution. The long-term application of synthetic fertilizers induces significant alterations in the microbial community and functions. However, there is still limited research on how long-term application of N, P and K fertilizers over 60 years, either individually or in combination, especially in acidic grasslands, influences the abundance of microbial N-cycling genes and N₂O emissions. Therefore, our study was conducted on an acidic semi-natural grassland, where the soil was subjected to chemical fertilizer: P (superphosphate), K (potassium sulfate), PK, N (ammonium nitrate), NPK, PK+N (PK applied in spring and N applied once in summer) over 65 years. Gene abundances associated with the N-cycle (<em>nifH</em>, <em>amoA</em>, <em>nirK</em>, <em>nirS</em>, <em>nosZ</em>, and <em>nrfA</em>) were quantified at seven different time points throughout the year considering the temporal effect caused by fertilizer application. Our findings reveal that soil pH emerged as the predominant factor influencing the gene abundance related to N-fixation and denitrification outweighing the effect of the temporal nutrient increases induced by fertilizer application. N₂O emissions were significantly positively correlated with ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundance, while no correlation was found with denitrifiers and nitrate ammonifiers. This suggests that further investigation into the mechanisms of N₂O production by AOA in acidic grasslands is warranted. Our study highlights that the microbial community involved in N-cycling is shaped by the difference in soil pH resulting from long-term chemical fertilizer application rather than by the direct and temporal impact of fertilizer application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110301"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171723","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":"Optimizing phosphorus input and straw return enhances soil health: Insights into microbial functional gene indicators in Solanum lycopersicum","authors":"Xiaoyan Tang ,&nbsp;Sijie Lan ,&nbsp;Juan Ma ,&nbsp;Kuilin Wu ,&nbsp;Edith le Cadre ,&nbsp;Yanyan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuanxue Chen ,&nbsp;Deshan Zhang ,&nbsp;Kaiwei Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excessive phosphorus (P) fertilization in intensive vegetable systems has led to soil degradation, nutrient imbalance, and heightened risks of soil-borne diseases, highlighting the need for sustainable management. In a long-term <em>S. lycopersicum</em> greenhouse system, we evaluated four P-input levels (100 %, 80 %, 50 %, 0 %) with or without rice straw return, focusing on soil fertility, microbial functional genes, soil quality index (SQI), multifunctionality, crop yield, and economic return. Moderate P reduction (80 % of the conventional rate) significantly increased soil organic carbon by 14.6 % and enhanced SQI by 25 % without compromising yield. Straw incorporation under moderate P input further improved available P by 37.9 %, enriched nutrient-cycling genes (<em>phoD</em>, <em>pqqC</em>, <em>nirS</em>), stimulated beneficial Pseudomonas abundance, and achieved the highest SQI (0.74) and a 10.6 % yield increase. However, straw addition also enhanced the abundance of the pathogen <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> f. sp. <em>lycopersici</em> (<em>Fol</em>), highlighting a treatment-specific trade-off between enhanced soil health and potential pathogen risks. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that management-driven shifts in microbial functional gene abundance were significantly associated with improvements in soil fertility, multifunctionality, and crop productivity. Overall, this study provides a mechanistic framework for optimizing P-input and organic amendments to support soil health and yield, offering practical guidance for the sustainable intensification of high-input horticultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110276"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146110600","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":"Photodegradation and microbial decomposition of soybean and maize crop residues before and after harvest","authors":"Felipe Cabrera ,&nbsp;Patricia Inés Araujo ,&nbsp;Lucía Vivanco","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110293","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110293","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of sunlight and its interaction with microorganisms in crop residue decomposition is largely unknown in agroecosystems. We evaluated soybean and maize residue decomposition before harvest, when plants were senescent and standing, and after harvest, during winter fallow, when residues remained on the soil surface. We hypothesized that (1) sunlight dominates decomposition before harvest, whereas microbes become more relevant after harvest, and (2) soybean residues decompose faster than maize due to higher susceptibility to sunlight-driven decay before harvest and greater nutrient content, enhancing microbial decomposition after harvest. We conducted a field experiment in the Argentine Pampas, manipulating sunlight and microbes with filters and a biocide, respectively. Contrary to our expectation, decomposition before harvest was significantly accelerated by both sunlight and microbes additively, resulting in carbon losses of approximately 141 kg C ha⁻¹ in maize and 108 kg C ha⁻¹ in soybean leaf residues. Sunlight alone accounted for 15–24 % of total leaf mass loss, while microbes contributed 30–54 %. The results indicated that sunlight acted through photodegradation rather than photofacilitation of microbial decomposition. Before harvest, decomposition was twice as fast as after harvest, with no effect of sunlight or microbes. Soybean residues decomposed faster than maize due to greater susceptibility to sunlight (canopy structure and lignin) and enhanced microbial activity before harvest, and lower mechanical resistance after harvest. These findings highlight that both sunlight and microbes substantially contribute to residue turnover, particularly of standing dead crops before harvest, a critical yet often overlooked stage in cropland carbon dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110293"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134419","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":"Over a decade of minimum tillage: Impacts on soil organic carbon stocks to 70 cm depth in selected East Danish farmer fields","authors":"Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen ,&nbsp;Nikolaj F.Z. Brandt ,&nbsp;Esbern Holmes ,&nbsp;Andreas Aagaard Christensen","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Minimum tillage (MT) practices have gained increasing attention for their potential role in climate change mitigation. However, in temperate regions, studies examining the full soil profile have shown limited or no significant soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation with MT practices. This study collected soil samples from fields managed by some of Denmark's most experienced MT practitioners and paired them with adjacent conventional tillage (CT) fields. Each MT/CT pair was located within the same geophysical conditions and under similar crop rotations, minimising the risk of confounding variables unrelated to tillage. The results show a strong positive linear correlation (R² = 0.73) between the duration of MT management and the SOC stock difference between paired MT and CT fields across the full 0–70 cm soil depth, suggesting that long-term MT practices may enhance SOC sequestration over time. A more sequential data analysis supported other published works that SOC accumulation in MT fields was primarily confined to the upper 0–10 cm layer, while CT fields exhibited higher SOC stocks in the 10–30 cm layer. No significant differences in SOC were observed below 30 cm. When averaging these numbers across the 0–70 cm profile, SOC stocks did not differ significantly between the tillage systems. Despite limited availability of fields with more than a decade of MT management history farmers' fields serve as valuable, real-world laboratories for understanding the long-term impacts of tillage on SOC dynamics. A scalable pairing methodology is proposed with larger sample sizes in the range of 30–50 paired fields for achieving statistical robustness across heterogeneous agricultural landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110260"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170976","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":"Barley intercropped with undersown species in northern Europe: a modest yet positive impact on carbon dioxide uptake during the shoulder seasons","authors":"Stephanie Gerin ,&nbsp;Liisa Kulmala ,&nbsp;Mika Korkiakoski ,&nbsp;Rashmi Shrestha ,&nbsp;Helena Rautakoski ,&nbsp;Paula Thitz ,&nbsp;Jari Liski ,&nbsp;Jussi Heinonsalo ,&nbsp;Annalea Lohila","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agriculture is an important source of greenhouse gases (GHG) globally. Unlike conventional practices which have contributed to declines in biodiversity, soil health and soil organic carbon, regenerative agriculture has the potential to mitigate and enhance resilience to climate change, support the restoration of soil health and biodiversity, among other advantages. Increasing plant diversity in grasslands has shown multiple environmental benefits, but similar studies in cereal crops are lacking. To study the impact of increased plant diversity on GHG and other agronomical parameters, zero to eight undersown species were intercropped with barley in southern Finland. GHG fluxes were measured with the chamber technique over two years alongside environmental parameters. Results showed higher CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> uptake in barley with undersown species compared to barley monoculture during the shoulder seasons. In 2020–2021, based on gap-filled CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> data and aboveground biomass, treatments with undersown species lost 42% less carbon than barley monoculture. Overall, CH<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> and N<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>O fluxes were small, and no differences were observed between treatments except in fall 2020. Soil temperature was modestly but significantly lower in barley with undersown species by 0.36 °C in summer 2020 while no differences were observed in soil moisture. There were no clear trends between one, four or eight undersown species, which suggest that adding one undersown species can already have an impact on CO<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> fluxes, vegetation and soil parameters. Further studies are needed to more specifically assess how the different functional traits of the undersown species, such as rooting depth and nitrogen-fixing properties, impact GHG emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110265"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077135","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":"Landscape-scale cover of different crop hosts, rather than semi-natural grasslands, predict crop infestation and parasitism of a generalist insect pest in wheat","authors":"Tatyana A. Rand ,&nbsp;Erika S. Peirce","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies examining the importance of landscape complexity for conservation biological control have traditionally focused on the benefits of semi-natural habitats. However, a growing body of recent work demonstrates that spatiotemporal variation in the composition of cropped areas can additionally exert strong influences that are less commonly considered. We carried out a stratified sampling study to investigate the relative influences of different crop and semi-natural resource habitats on <em>Cephus cinctus</em>, a major pest of wheat, and its parasitoids from local to landscape scales. Insects were sampled in a single growing season across 48 sites that spanned a dominant wheat growing region of the northern Great Plains in Montana, United States of America. The pest and its parasitoids were common in semi-natural grasslands (rangeland and set-asides), but densities were significantly (4–7 fold) higher in wheat, and pest densities were significantly (3 fold) higher in winter wheat relative to spring wheat. Neither proximity to, nor landscape cover of, semi-natural grasslands were important predictors of pest infestation or parasitism in wheat. Instead, winter wheat cover in the previous year was the strongest landscape predictor of infestation, while spring wheat cover in the previous year was the strongest predictor of parasitism. The study highlights that the cover of specific host crops can be important landscape drivers, even for habitat generalists, that pests and parasitoids can respond differently to host crop types, and that crop cover from the previous year can be more influential in predicting pest pressure and parasitism than the within-year cover. Thus, carefully dissecting the influences of different crops, in addition to semi-natural habitats, and considering the temporal dimension of shifting host crop resources will be critical to improving the prediction of insect responses to landscape complexity and developing pest suppressive landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110271"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146694","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":"Agroforestry-driven changes in soil labile organic carbon fractions affect soil bacterial community assembly and carbon cycle functions","authors":"Xiao-Kan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhi-Xing Chen ,&nbsp;Si-Kun Liu ,&nbsp;Bede S. Mickan ,&nbsp;Xi-Ben Dai ,&nbsp;Ying Zhu ,&nbsp;Long-Yi Yuan ,&nbsp;Ai-Tian Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agroforestry systems have been demonstrated to have the potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, mitigate climate change and improve livelihood security. However, the links among SOC fractions, microbial assembly, and functional potential in agroforestry systems remain unclear. Here, a field experiment was conducted to investigate how SOC governs the soil bacterial community assembly in agroforestry systems with different management types and stand ages. Meanwhile, we assessed the bacterial functional potential by quantifying the abundance of carbon-cycling genes to investigate how it is regulated by bacterial community assembly processes. Management type had a stronger effect on bacterial communities than stand age. We observed a restructuring of the microbial community after the transition from traditional agriculture to agroforestry, with a shift from r-strategist to K-strategist dominance, which implies an intensification of resource competition. In parallel, the stochastic assembly process became increasingly dominant, reflecting the decreased selection pressures in agroforestry systems. The taxon-environment network helped identify the correlation between bacterial networks and different SOC fractions, and microbial communities were closely linked to labile SOC. Meanwhile, partial least squares path modeling results suggested that labile SOC predominantly influenced bacterial assembly processes, which in turn affected the functional potential of bacterial communities through network complexity. These findings provide valuable insights into microbial adaptations to agroforestry, offering strategies for managing soil microbiomes (e.g., by increasing labile SOC) to improve the sustainable management of agroforestry systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110282"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146095820","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":"Multifunctionality of agroecological vineyards: Complex interactions between functional and taxonomic diversity of service crops and ecosystem services","authors":"Lou Tabary ,&nbsp;Elena Kazakou ,&nbsp;Victória Dutra de Oliveira Tomás ,&nbsp;Laure Martin Lefevre ,&nbsp;Denise Navia ,&nbsp;Marie-Stéphane Tixier ,&nbsp;Léo Garcia","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agroecological practices in vineyards can enhance agroecosystems multifunctionality, by reducing pesticides use and their adverse effects on human health and the environment. However, growers remain concerned about potential negative impacts of plant diversification on grapevine performance, and existing literature report conflicting findings. This study employs both taxonomic and functional approaches to characterize weed communities in inter-rows of agroecological vineyards and assesses the effects of different plant diversification strategies-tillage (Tviti), service crop (Aviti), service crops and agroforestry (Dviti)- on soil quality, grapevine performance, and natural regulation processes over a two-year period in the south of France. Management practices shaped weed communities functional traits, with high tillage (Tviti) favoring acquisitive strategies plant communities. Those traits directly affected several of the indicators of services: service crops competed for soil resources, particularly nitrogen, affecting negatively grapevine yield and vigor. However, in 2023, more diverse systems (Aviti, Dviti) exhibited improved soil aggregate stability and increased natural enemy diversity. However, results varied significantly across years, highlighting the importance of environmental factors. Finally, no clear agroforestry effect was observed, likely due to the young age of the trees. A deeper understanding of the relationships between functional diversity and multiple ecosystem services in vineyards could help mitigate potential trade-offs associated with plant diversification. Furthermore, adapting management practices to local abiotic conditions and growers’ requirements is essential for optimizing both vineyard productivity and ecological sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110263"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146098268","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":"Green manure incorporation with 20 % nitrogen reduction enhances soil organic carbon storage by improving aggregate stability and functional group composition","authors":"Pengfei Wang ,&nbsp;Aizhong Yu ,&nbsp;Keqiang Jiang ,&nbsp;Xiaoneng Pang ,&nbsp;Jianzhe Huo ,&nbsp;Yulong Wang ,&nbsp;Yongpan Shang ,&nbsp;Shihe Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110298","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110298","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Balancing soil carbon sequestration with crop productivity is a pivotal challenge in sustainable agriculture. Leguminous green manure incorporation offers a potential pathway, yet the mechanisms underlying its synergy with reduced nitrogen fertilization in achieving co-benefits for soil carbon sequestration (SCS) and yield stability require further elucidation. A field experiment was conducted from 2023 to 2025 in an oasis irrigated area of Northwest China to evaluate five nitrogen application rates (100 % (N100, traditional nitrogen application), 90 % (N90), 80 % (N80), 70 % (N70), and 60 % (N60)) under leguminous green manure incorporation on maize yield, soil organic carbon storage (SOCs), and the underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that the N80 treatment effectively maintained maize grain yield while significantly enhancing soil organic carbon storage. This synergistic effect was attributed to the improvement of soil aggregate stability and the enhancement of soil organic carbon chemical stability, which was specifically manifested in the N80 treatment exhibiting the highest aromaticity index and the lowest proportion of labile functional groups. Specifically, the N80 treatment increased the proportion of macro-aggregates (&gt;2 mm) and mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and the proportion of aggregates &gt; 0.25 mm (DR_0.25). Concurrently, scanning electron microscopy observations indicated that the N80 treatment promoted the formation of abundant honeycomb-like pores and ridge-shaped surface structures in the soil. These unique microstructures effectively enhanced the accumulation of organic carbon within aggregates. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the N80 treatment enhanced the aromaticity index (Aromatic C/Aliphatic C) of SOC and reduced the proportion of labile functional groups (specifically, O–H/N–H and C–O groups indicative of polysaccharides and amides). Structural equation modeling confirmed that green manure incorporation with 20 % nitrogen reduction primarily facilitated SOC sequestration by improving aggregate stability and optimizing organic carbon composition. Regression analysis based on a multi-objective comprehensive evaluation model revealed that a nitrogen reduction of 18.74 % is optimal for systems with green manure incorporation. In conclusion, reducing nitrogen application by 20 % combined with leguminous green manure incorporation is an optimal management strategy for synergistically enhancing SOC sequestration, improving soil structure, and securing crop yield in oasis agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"401 ","pages":"Article 110298"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134418","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}