Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Successional traits mediate germination responses to grazing: Implications for restoration","authors":"Y. Ivón Pelliza ,&nbsp;Cintia P. Souto ,&nbsp;Mariana Tadey","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how native flora germination responds to disturbances is critical for successful ecological restoration. Germinative traits shared by some species can facilitate their establishment during ecological succession, a process that disturbances, such as grazing can significantly alter. This study explored the mechanisms by which grazing affects the germination features of successional species in Monte Desert, with implications for restoration efforts. We hypothesized that grazing-induced damage to parental plants would decrease germination capacity by limiting reproductive effort and resource allocation to seeds, resulting in lower germination percentage, slower germination, and reduced synchrony with increasing grazing. This hypothesis was tested using both experimental data and a hypothetical causal model. Moreover, life-history traits enable successional species to respond differently to grazing, resulting in different impacts on their germination capacity. Seeds from ten species were collected along a grazing gradient and sown under greenhouse conditions. Overall, grazing had no significant effect neither on germination percentage nor synchrony but increased germination time. The causal model revealed that grazing reduces plant reproduction triggering cascading effects on seed set, seed weight, germination, and germination timing. Grazing delayed germination in early species but accelerated it in intermediate species, while germination synchrony remained unaffected in early and intermediate species, suggesting differential adaptive responses. This study revealed that grazing can indirectly influence desert plant fitness when direct effects seem absent. Understanding these indirect mechanisms is essential to predict dryland vegetation dynamics under grazing pressure and optimizing species selection in restoration and conservation programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109957"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047564","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 losses from tile-drained croplands in the winter: Effects of crop cover","authors":"L.M. McNeill,&nbsp;F.S. Liu,&nbsp;B.R. Lockett,&nbsp;S.A. Watmough,&nbsp;M.C. Eimers","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109959","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109959","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Warmer winters are becoming more common in seasonally snow-covered agricultural landscapes, resulting in a greater proportion of annual nutrient losses occurring in the so-called ‘dormant’ season. This is a particular problem in tile-drained agricultural landscapes, where nutrient-rich soils, limited plant cover and artificial drainage create ideal conditions for winter nutrient export. Winter crop cover can mitigate the extent of nutrient loss, but there are few multi-year studies that contrast nitrogen (N) vs. phosphorus (P) losses in tiles draining different types of winter field covers. To address this gap, we monitored N and P concentrations at 12 tile outlets draining operational fields under the conventional corn (<em>Zea mays L.</em>)-soybean (<em>Glycine max L.)</em>-winter wheat (<em>Triticum L. spp.</em>) rotation that dominates much of eastern North America. Measurements occurred over a 28-month period (October 2020– April 2023), which included two growing seasons (GS; May-September, inclusive) and three non-growing seasons (NGS; October–April, inclusive). A winter cover crop mixture (including oats, rye, turnip, daikon radish, berseem clover, sunflowers, buckwheat, hairy vetch, sorghum, fava beans, and peas) was included in the rotation following the harvest of winter wheat, which allowed three different types of winter covers (i.e., living but dormant winter wheat vs. corn residue vs. cover crop mixture) to be compared simultaneously over the three NGSs. Unexpectedly, both total N and nitrate-N concentrations were consistently highest in tiles draining dormant winter wheat fields in the NGS, despite winter wheat providing a living soil cover. Similarly, total P (TP) concentrations were unexpectedly high during winter melt events, but only in tiles draining fields planted with mixed cover crops, and consistent increases in TP and total organic carbon and declines in NO₃-N during these events suggest that bypass flow is occurring in these no-till soils. Our results suggest that winter cover plant selection is important, as different covers had variable effects on N vs. P retention. Information on the effects of different types of winter cover is needed to inform agricultural best management practices for mitigating nutrient losses in the increasingly hydrologically active non-growing season months.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109959"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047681","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":"Tree-crop combinations and their variable effects on agroecosystem services: A systematic review and meta-analysis of temperate silvoarable agroforestry in the Northern Hemisphere","authors":"Tshering Choden ,&nbsp;Magnus Kamau Katana Lindhardt ,&nbsp;Merel Hofmeijer ,&nbsp;Jochem Evers ,&nbsp;Bhim Bahadur Ghaley ,&nbsp;Dirk F. van Apeldoorn","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Silvoarable agroforestry can increase yields and enhance agroecosystem services while enabling efficient field operations through adjustable alley widths. Although several meta-analyses reviewed agricultural diversification and agroforestry, most focused on general systems or individual services at a global scale or within Europe. To date, there has been no study that combines systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize the effects of temperate silvoarable agroforestry across multiple agroecosystem services. This study analysed 37 empirical studies, covering 87 experiments and 1127 data records. Poplar–cereal combinations were most studied (35 %), followed by walnut–cereal (13 %) and mixed tree–cereal systems (10 %). Results show that temperate silvoarable agroforestry increased biodiversity by 20 % compared to monocropping, with greater gains in systems less than six years old, during spring to early summer, and where leguminous crops were included. For crop yield and soil quality, results were not significant and showed high variability depending on context. Yield declined by 15 % in systems with tree heights over 10 m and alley widths up to 96 m, likely due to shading and belowground competition. Results on carbon sequestration, pest and disease regulation, product quality, and water quality remain inconclusive due to limited data. The findings suggest that silvoarable agroforestry can enhance agroecosystem services. To realize this, genetic diversity (through suitable species selection), spatial design (matching tree height with alley width), and temporal diversity need to be carefully integrated and tailored to farmer's goals, site conditions, and management. More long-term, geographically diverse studies are needed to better guide system design and policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109963"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145047563","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":"Honeybees are the most effective pollinators of mango, but only wild pollinators increase the yield of commercial fruits","authors":"Rodrigo Lucas-García ,&nbsp;Víctor Rosas-Guerrero ,&nbsp;Eduardo Cuevas ,&nbsp;Carina Gutiérrez-Flores ,&nbsp;R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez ,&nbsp;José Antonio Gama-Salgado ,&nbsp;Juan Violante-González","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Even when several crops depend on animals for their pollination, the effectiveness of each floral visitor remains largely unknown. With this information, conservation practices of the most effective pollinators could be implemented, improving the fruit yield of these crops. Specifically in mango, a globally valuable crop dependent on pollination by insects, little is known about the effectiveness of their floral visitors. Across five quantitative and qualitative metrics (abundance of floral visitors, visitation rate, proportion of legitimate visits, pollen deposition, and probability of tree change), and over two consecutive years, we compare for the first time the effectiveness of all the floral visitors of a self-incompatible mango cultivar (‘Ataulfo’) and evaluate whether the abundance of the exotic honeybee or wild pollinators influences the production of commercial (well-developed) and malformed fruits (known as nubbins) in one of the largest productive regions of mango in Mexico, the largest exporter worldwide. Our results clearly demonstrate that a diverse array of floral visitors, primarily hymenopterans and dipterans, were effective pollinators of ‘Ataulfo’ mango. Even when honeybees were the most effective pollinators in both years due to their greater abundance, only the the pollination effectiveness of wild pollinators was positively related to the yield of commercial fruits and negatively correlated with the incidence of nubbins, probably due to their greater mobility between cultivars. These findings highlight the importance of wild pollinators in the mango industry and the need to implement conservation practices to maintain these pollinators to ensure the growing global demand for this cultivar.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109965"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027576","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 quality under coca cultivation: Evidence from Peru’s largest coca-growing region challenges degradation narratives and maintains alternative crop opportunities","authors":"Hernán Manrique López ,&nbsp;Gabriel Velasquez ,&nbsp;Edwin Becerra ,&nbsp;Adenka Muñoz ,&nbsp;Robrecht Van Der Bauwhede ,&nbsp;Olivier Honnay","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109958","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109958","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While drug control institutions and national governments are increasingly denouncing the negative impacts of coca (<em>Erythroxylum</em> sp.) cultivation on soil degradation, empirical evidence on its effects on soil quality remains limited. Here, we present a first analysis comparing the physicochemical properties of soils that have been under coca cultivation for different time periods, compared to reference soils under rainforest. Using 125 soil samples collected in 2023 in <em>Valle de los Ríos Apurímac, Ene y Mantaro</em> (VRAEM), we assessed key soil properties at the surface level (0–20 cm). Compared to reference rainforest soils, soil pH was slightly higher (+0.3–0.5 pH units) in recently (&lt; 10 years) cultivated coca fields likely related to liming practices and increased base cation cycling. Electrical conductivity was lower in all cultivated fields, and total nitrogen was only slightly lower in fields under cultivation for 11–20 years. Promisingly, soil degradation under coca cultivation could not be evidenced in terms of bulk density, cation exchange capacity, soil organic carbon concentration and cumulative carbon stock (0–60 cm depth), phosphorus nor exchangeable aluminum. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the effects of coca cultivation on soil degradation are not as severe as presumed, challenging prevailing narratives on its environmental impact and indicating that crop substitution programs could also mitigate these issues using agro-ecological approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109958"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027574","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":"Grassland degradation status modulates the relative contribution of soil nematode diversity and community structure to ecosystem functioning under nitrogen fertilization and irrigation management","authors":"Junda Chen ,&nbsp;Muping Huang ,&nbsp;Yizhu Zeng ,&nbsp;Yushu Sui ,&nbsp;Yifan Gao ,&nbsp;Raúl Ochoa-Hueso ,&nbsp;Uffe N. Nielsen ,&nbsp;Weifeng Gao ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Wu ,&nbsp;Tianxue Yang ,&nbsp;Wei Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Restoring degraded grasslands is essential for the provision of ecosystem services and sustainability. Fertilization and irrigation are keys for restoring productivity in semiarid grasslands, but their impact on belowground processes, including those regulated by soil nematode diversity and community structure, remains underexplored. Here, we evaluated how irrigation (+ 50 % of long-term mean growing season precipitation) and nitrogen (N) fertilization (10 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) affect nematode diversity and community structure, and the contributions of nematodes to ecosystem functions across three grasslands (lightly, moderately and severely degraded). Community structure was analyzed via nematode co-occurrence network complexity and compactness. Soil functioning was evaluated against a multifunctionality (EMF) index comprising 10 functional proxies, and systematic models were constructed to link nematode diversity, community structure, and EMF. The irrigation enhanced nematode diversity and network topological parameters, whereas the fertilization had limited effects. Fertilization modified the effects of irrigation on nematode diversity, enhancing its positive effect in severely degraded grassland, while offsetting the positive effects in lightly and moderately degraded grasslands. The irrigation and N fertilization treatments enhanced eight individual functions and EMF. Fertilization further altered the response of EMF to irrigation, diminishing its positive effect on EMF in the severely degraded grassland. In the lightly degraded grassland, nematode diversity primarily affected EMF, whereas in the other two grasslands, network complexity was the key predictor. Our results indicate that irrigation, rather than the N fertilization, primarily contribute to the restoration of the studied degraded grasslands. We emphasize the crucial role of nematode community structure in regulating the response of EMF to restoration measures such as irrigation and fertilization in severely degraded grassland.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"396 ","pages":"Article 109954"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145027575","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":"Simulated warmer winter reduces the effectiveness of insecticides in oilseed rape, but has little effect on pollinator activity","authors":"Gabriella A. Bishop ,&nbsp;Maj Rundlöf ,&nbsp;Dániel Tájmel ,&nbsp;Pål Axel Olsson ,&nbsp;Henrik G. Smith ,&nbsp;Björn K. Klatt","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109964","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109964","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change may affect the yield of mass-flowering crops by altering the interplay between pest pressure and service delivery by pollinators, but realistic predictions need to account for the frequent use of insecticides in conventional farming. We tested the interactive effects of insecticide use and warmer winter conditions on oilseed rape (<em>Brassica napus</em>) production, pest pressure, and the activity of <em>Bombus terrestris</em>, an important bumblebee pollinator. We evaluated the effects of three different insecticides at two different concentrations. We found that winter warming reduced the effectiveness of two insecticides against pollen beetles in comparison to the control (no insecticides), likely due to the dilution of insecticides on plants with increased plant size. Additionally, plots treated with reduced concentrations of insecticides generally had similar levels of pollen beetles as those with standard concentrations. There were no interactive effects of insecticide application and winter warming on pollinator activity or oilseed rape yield. However, yield quality was negatively affected by winter warming. Under current winter conditions, reduced insecticide applications may provide pest control comparable to standard applications and could therefore serve as an integrated pest management strategy. Under future winter conditions, such strategies will likely need to consider the effects of climate change on plant development, because the overall effectiveness of insecticide treatment against pests could decrease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 109964"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019770","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":"Agricultural management and associated landscapes influence wild plant communities, nest colonization, and the pollen diet of unmanaged populations of mason bees","authors":"Samuel Boff ,&nbsp;Sophie Hecht ,&nbsp;Swetlana Kreinert ,&nbsp;Ola Olsson ,&nbsp;Manfred Ayasse","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bees are pollinators of both wild and crop plants with significant ecological and economic value. However, recent studies report declines in their populations, particularly in agricultural landscapes. Compared to conventional farming, organic agricultural management is considered less harmful to biodiversity. Despite this, studies addressing wild bees in organic systems remain limited. In this study, we selected organic and conventional farms to examine the influence of farming management on meadow flora. We also accessed landscape-level management and its influence on newly colonized nest of mason bees and their pollen diet. Our results show that organic farming promotes higher plants diversity in meadows. Analyses of pollen inside mason bee nests revealed a more diverse diet in landscapes with a greater proportion of organic fields. Additionally, the number of newly colonized nests increased with the extent of organically managed areas. These findings indicate that organic farming can enhance meadow plant diversity, positively influence the pollen diet of wild bees, and support larger populations of solitary bees. Environmental management aimed at sustainability helps to safeguard the diversity of both plants and mason bees. Overall, sustainable environmental management that increases organic farming coverage in agricultural landscapes holds substantial potential for protecting solitary bee populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 109961"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019771","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 the landscape composition of artificial Robinia pseudoacacia forests on bird diversity in the Loess Plateau","authors":"Zinxin Wang ,&nbsp;Xingyan Jian ,&nbsp;Long Li ,&nbsp;Wanrong Cheng ,&nbsp;Luhui Ai ,&nbsp;Xiang Li ,&nbsp;Jawaher Alkahtani ,&nbsp;Muhammad Fahad Sardar","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Habitat degradation in recent years has resulted in substantial biodiversity loss and homogenization, with serious ecological and socioeconomic consequences. Afforestation is a globally adopted strategy to mitigate this environmental change. In China, for instance, a total of approximately 87.6 million hectares have been afforested since 1999. However, studies on the impacts of anthropogenically modified plantation ecosystems on biodiversity remain insufficient. This study assessed disparities in bird diversity across three landscape compositions: monoculture artificial forests, mixed tree-shrub artificial forests, and mixed tree-shrub-agricultural artificial forests in the Ansai region, a key area for the implementation of large-scale afforestation programs in China. The analysis focused on the effects of vegetation structures, microhabitat indicators, and anthropogenic disturbances on bird species and functional diversity. The findings revealed that the composition of artificial forest landscapes significantly influenced the taxonomic diversity of birds. Compared to monoculture tree plantations, mixed tree-shrub-agricultural plantations supported greater bird abundance and unique species. Agricultural land area significantly affected bird abundance, richness, and functional richness, driven largely by seasonal dynamics of farmland. This study emphasizes that microhabitat diversity, rather than abundance, is key to supporting bird species richness and functional richness. However, spatial aggregation of deadwood and large trees may lead to resource monopolization by certain functional groups, reducing functional evenness and divergence. Higher grazing intensity reduced bird functional richness while cutting intensity did not lower local bird abundance. To promote development while ensuring ecosystem stability and diversity, a mixed tree-shrub-agricultural plantation model is recommended as a sustainable and resource-efficient strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 109960"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019769","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":"Impacts of rotation, tillage, cover cropping, and drainage on soil health in soybean-based cropping systems: Evidence from 4–50-year trials across the US","authors":"Tatiane Severo Silva ,&nbsp;Lindsay Chamberlain Malone ,&nbsp;Matthew D. Ruark ,&nbsp;Chad D. Lee ,&nbsp;David Jordan ,&nbsp;Hanna J. Poffenbarger ,&nbsp;Herman J. Kandel ,&nbsp;Jeremy Ross ,&nbsp;John M. Gaska ,&nbsp;Joseph G. Lauer ,&nbsp;Laura E. Lindsey ,&nbsp;Maninder Pal Singh ,&nbsp;Mark A. Licht ,&nbsp;Michael Plumblee ,&nbsp;Rachel A. Vann ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Werle ,&nbsp;Spyridon Mourtzinis ,&nbsp;Seth L. Naeve ,&nbsp;Trenton L. Roberts ,&nbsp;Shawn P. Conley","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.109950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent studies highlight conservation management practices as an effective strategy to enhance soil health. However, results vary, particularly regarding which soil health parameters respond most sensitively to these practices. More studies covering a wide range of soil types and climatic conditions are needed to assist farmers in making management decisions on production practices related to soil health. In this study, we collected soil samples (0–15 cm) from 21 (4–50 years) soybean [<em>Glycine max</em> (L.) Merr.]-based cropping systems trials across the United States (US) to assess the impact of management practices on soil health indicators. Soil indicators included wet aggregate stability (WAS), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), organic matter loss-on-ignition (OM-LOI), mineralizable carbon (Min-C), water extractable organic carbon (WEOC), total organic carbon (TOC), soil extractable protein (ACE-N), total nitrogen (TN), pH, soil test phosphorus (STP), and soil test potassium (STK). Our objectives were: (i) to assess the effects of crop rotation, tillage, cover cropping, and artificial drainage on soil health; (ii) to inform soybean farmers about the management practices that are associated with improvements on soil health; and (iii) to develop and share a unique and open soil health dataset with the research community for future global meta-studies. To assess the effects of management practices on soil health indicators, both meta-analysis approach and linear mixed-effect models were used. Two-crop rotations were associated with greater STP values compared to a single-crop. The inclusion of cover crops was associated with greater Min-C and WEOC compared to no cover crops. No-tillage showed more acidic pH than conventional tillage. The remaining soil health indicators tested did not change in response to the management practices assessed. There were no statistically significant differences in observed soil tests between tile-drained and undrained treatments. Overall results suggest that cover crops can play an important role in building soil health in soybean-based cropping systems. Our open-access dataset provides a valuable resource for future research and meta-studies, ultimately contributing to the development of more effective management strategies for promoting more sustainable soybean cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"395 ","pages":"Article 109950"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019772","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}