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Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Elsevier Science Publishers
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Elsevier Science Publishers

0167-8809

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment/Journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
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    Optimizing N fertilizer rates sustained rice yields, improved N use efficiency, and decreased N losses via runoff from rice-wheat cropping systems

    Qiao, JunWang, JingZhao, DongZhou, Wei...
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要:Reactive N in the runoff from paddy fields is considered to be the dominant contributor to the deterioration of river and lake water quality in China. However, there has been little researches on the interaction between N fertilizer rates and N losses via runoff from the paddy water during the summer rice-growing seasons. In the present study, we monitored the rice grain yield, N agronomic efficiency (AEN), and N losses via runoff from fertilizer N rate-response experiments applied to rice in the Taihu Lake region over 6 years. Total N loss via runoff averaged 19.3 kg ha-1 per rice season, corresponding to 7.1% of fertilizer N input at the regional N rate of 270 kg ha-1. Seasonal cumulative ammonium-N, organic N, and total N losses via runoff were all positively correlated with the fertilizer N rates (n = 1141, P < 0.01). The ammonium-N and calculated organic N were the predominant forms in the paddy water. Reducing fertilizer N decreased the risk of ammonium-N and total N losses via runoff but not nitrate-N (consistently low nitrate). Seasonal changes of fertilizer N losses via runoff contributed to the fluctuant rice yields, and the rice yields responses of lower N rates (<135 kg ha-1) might be more susceptible to the massive fertilizer N losses. Reducing the fertilizer N rates by 10-50% (i.e., 135-243 kg ha-1) sustained the current level of rice yields for any single year. By connecting the runoff N loss, rice yield curves, and varying market prices, the mean socially optimum N rates (221 kg ha-1) were proposed for the aim of profit maximization. For the aim of sustainable intensification, however, using less N rates (<221 kg ha-1) was better at controlling runoff losses, and meanwhile sustaining the rice yield. The 135 kg N ha-1 was thus recommended after multiple comparisons of AEN, N losses via runoff and net returns among different N treatments. Our findings indicated that continuously reducing N fertilizer without modifying other practices is essential and feasible in Eastern China. Reducing N losses via runoff would greatly increase the benefits of society, economy, and environment in responses to unpredictable events.

    Land cover associations of wild bees visiting flowers in apple orchards across three geographic regions of southeast Australia

    Brown, JulianGroom, Scott V. C.Rader, RominaHogendoorn, Katja...
    9页
    查看更多>>摘要:The conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture is a leading cause of biodiversity decline globally, and can impact negatively on ecosystem services such as pollination. Global meta-analyses find that crop visitation by wild pollinators increases with the amount of natural or semi-natural vegetation in the surrounding landscape. However, these studies typically test the effect of one land cover type, rather than comparing multiple land cover types, and so do not provide information about the land cover arrangements that maximize crop visitation by wild pollinators. We sampled wild bee visitors to apple flowers in 2017 and 2018, and weeds and native plants in apple orchards in 2018, along landscape gradients of native vegetation and non-crop agricultural cover (open grassy areas, grazed or ungrazed) across three widely-separate agricultural regions of southeast Australia. We compared different land cover types as predictors of wild bee visitation to apple orchards, classifying non-crop land cover as: 1) 'natural vegetation' (NV), 2) 'open grassy areas' (OGA), and 3) 'natural vegetation plus open grassy areas' (NVOGA). The dominant flower-visiting wild bees in apple orchards in all regions were soil-nesting species of Halictidae that appear to be capable of exploiting open areas cleared for agriculture; however, even these taxa were rare or absent from orchards in some regions and years. Wild bee visitation to apples was best predicted by OGA in 2017 (positive association), but no land cover type in 2018, while visitation to weeds and native plants increased with both OGA and NV. Comparing different ways of classifying non-crop land cover is important for identifying land management strategies that maximize crop pollination services. However, managing land cover for wild bees may have negligible impacts on apple pollination in southeast Australia where wild bees are often rare in orchards, exhibit between-year variation in land cover associations, and are vastly outnumbered by honeybees (> 90% of visits to apple flowers).

    Impacts of reducing fallow periods on indicators of soil function in subtropical dryland farming systems

    Williams, AlwynKay, PhillipStirling, GrahamWeng, Xinting...
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:Seasonal fallows - periods with no living plant cover - are frequently implemented in dryland cropping systems to allow recharge of soil moisture for the subsequent cash crop. Over time, repeated fallow periods deplete soil organic matter, a foundation of soil health that affects the long-term functional capacity of soils. Reducing fallow periods by growing cover crops (non-harvested crops terminated prior to reproductive development), double cropping (increasing the frequency of harvested crops), or rotating to ley pasture for several years, were investigated for their potential to improve or maintain soil functional attributes. These 'reduced fallow' systems were compared against a conventional cereal-based production system with seasonal fallows as well as against a permanent fallow. Soil in the reduced fallow systems had higher concentrations of total nitrogen and mineralassociated nitrogen compared with the conventional system and permanent fallow. Reduced fallow systems also had higher concentrations of total organic carbon and mineral-associated carbon than the permanent fallow, but not the conventional system. These changes were associated with greater soil microbial respiration and improved surface soil moisture storage at cash crop planting. The conventional, cover crop and ley pasture systems had similar soil structure with greater abundance of mega-aggregates. In contrast, the double crop system had greater abundance of micro- and macro-aggregates as did the ley pasture systems that were subject to tillage after three years in preparation for a return to cropping. The ley pasture also had substantially greater numbers of root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus thornei), surpassing the 2000 nematodes kg-1 threshold for economic damage. The results demonstrate that different methods for reducing fallow periods can generate a range of outcomes that are not uniformly desirable in terms of soil functional attributes. Across the indicators assessed, the cover crop system generated the widest range of improvements in soil fertility and function compared with the conventional system. This suggests cover cropping may be a valuable tool for promoting soil health in subtropical dryland farming systems.

    Surface runoff and losses of phosphorus from hydrophobic pastoral soils

    Chau, Henry WaiTrolove, StephenBayad, MohamedMoir, Jim...
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:The impact of soil water repellency (SWR) on soil phosphorus (P) mobility in surface water runoff remains contentious. Although SWR may cause a significant increase in surface runoff, especially in post-summer rainfall events, whether it contributes to background phosphorus losses remains unclear. Surface runoff and P concentrations in runoff were measured on hilly Allophanic pastoral soils with different water repellency levels using seven runoff collectors. Phosphorus fertilizer was broadcasted at 18 kg P ha(-1) in the summer over dry soils. Runoff volumes and P concentrations were measured after each natural rain event prompting surface runoff. The highest runoff/rainfall ratios were observed at the early rainfall events following the dry summer and then decreased significantly by the end of autumn and winter. The post-summer surface runoff correlation with SWR had an R-2 of 0.46, and hydrophobic soils had significantly higher runoff ratios than wettable soils. Measurements of the dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) in the surface runoff showed decreasing exponential trends, with the highest values recorded in the first runoff event following P fertilizer application, where over 90% of losses occurred (incidental losses). After the incidental loss phase, DRP concentrations were related to surface runoff ratio, soil P extractability by water, and SWR. Our data point to non-incidental TP loads being related to SWR (R-2 = 0.53). The present results will improve the understanding of the SWR effect on surface runoff and will reconcile the controversy regarding its contribution to non-incidental P losses.

    Grassland management and integration during crop rotation impact soil carbon changes and grass-crop production

    Hu, TengChabbi, Abad
    8页
    查看更多>>摘要:To investigate the impact of integrating ley grassland in crop rotations on soil C changes at depths of 0-30 and 0-60 cm, field data regarding C input, soil C and crop production were collected during 2005-2016 from a long-term experimental site in Lusignan, southwestern France. Root biomass C was sampled annually, and the stable C isotope signature (delta C-13) was determined to quantify the amount of C input from the root biomass. The results showed that integrating ley grassland in crop rotations increased the C input in the 0-30 and 0-60 cm soil layers. Carbon stocks also increased in the 0-30 cm soil layer but not always in the 0-60 cm layer. However, during the first full rotation (2005-2013), treatments involving 3-year and 6-year grasslands showed 37.5% and 62.5% losses of their crop production, respectively. In crop rotations, integrating ley grassland together with high-nitrogen (N) or low-N fertilisation did not impact the C input, changes in soil C in either the 0-30 or 0-60 cm soil layer, or even crop production, while grass production decreased by 22.2-66.6% under low-N fertilisation. Compared with cropland, permanent grassland did not show a greater C input, whereas the latter showed a C stock increase of 0.6-1.4 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1). The analysis of 2005-2013 crop rotation data suggested that both above- and belowground C inputs should be considered as a single total C input. An estimated baseline C input rate of 1.9 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) was suggested to maintain soil C stocks for some of the crop rotations at the site. Considering the balance of food production and soil C stocks, crop rotation in conjunction with 3 years of high-N-fertilised grassland is recommended.

    Application of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers reduces mineral nitrogen usage and emissions of both N2O and NH3 while sustaining yields in a wheat-rice rotation system

    Cheng, YiElrys, Ahmed S.Wang, JingXu, Cheng...
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:The application of nitrification and urease inhibitors with urea can increase the residence time of ammonium (NH4+) in soils and thus reduce nitrogen (N) losses to the environment. We therefore hypothesized that these inhibitors would perform better in enhancing crop yield and lowering nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions in rice preferring NH4+ than in wheat preferring nitrate (NO3-). Additionally, a biostimulant (BS) when co-applied with urea would improve N uptake and thus reduce N loss as well. Thereby, the objective of this two-year field experiment was to evaluate the effects of urease inhibitor (UI) N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide (NBPT), the new nitrification inhibitor (NI) 3,4-dimethylpyrazole succinic acid (DMPSA), dual inhibitors (UI + NI) (NBPT DMPSA), and a BS on crop yield and soil N2O and NH3 emissions in a wheat-rice rotation system. Treatments comprised no N fertilizer (Zero-N), urea under conventional practice (CN), and urea at a reduced rate by 20% either alone (RN) or combined with UI, NI, UI + NI, or BS. Averagely, RN treatment decreased N2O and NH3 emissions by 29.9% and 21.7%, respectively, but reduced grain yield and N use efficiency by 13.1% and 16.3%, respectively, compared with the CN treatment, although not always significantly. However, the combined use of RN and UI, NI, UI + NI, or BS resulted in comparable grain yield and N use efficiency but with lesser N2O and NH3 emissions by 56.4% and 36.1%, respectively averaged across treatments compared with CN treatment. We demonstrated that both inhibitors performed better in reducing N2O and NH3 emissions in rice than in wheat. Overall, we propose that the application of NBPT, DMPSA, and BS could be an effective strategy to mitigate gaseous N pollution while sustaining crop yields in the wheat-rice rotation system.

    Trichoderma biofertilizer facilitating Leymus chinensis production in different growth stages is strongly linked to dynamically altered soil microbiomes

    Zhou, ZhiboXiao, YanZhang, Fengge
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:The most suitable growth stage for harvesting L. chinensis while balancing yield and nutritional value has been poorly studied. Moreover, few studies have examined the response of L. chinensis to different organic fertilization strategies and the potential dynamic soil microbial ecological mechanisms. We conducted a two-year field experiment to investigate the impacts of different fertilizers on L. chinensis biomass and quality and the responses of soil microbiomes at three sampling stages. L. chinensis biomass in organic fertilizer (OF) and biofertilizer (BIOF) treatments was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated compared with that in the control (CK: nonamended) at all sampling stages. Significant difference of crude protein among different fertilization regimes was found in flowering and fruiting stages, respectively. Bacterial and fungal HShannon and SChao1 were positively (P < 0.05) associated with L. chinensis biomass. Three sampling stages were primarily and significantly separated in terms of the soil microbial communities. Besides, CK, OF, and BIOF were also significantly separated within each growth stage. Sampling stages, fertilization regimes and soil properties explained 15.0% and 20.8% of the observed bacterial and fungal community variations, respectively. Mantel test results showed that the soil microbial community compositions had a significant correlation (bacteria, P = 0.019; fungi, P = 0.001) with L. chinensis biomass. Our research provides evidence for the relationships between dynamic responses of soil microbial community and L. chinensis production, which enriches the soil microbial ecology promotion theory and contributes to an important theoretical and scientific basis for extensive guidance of L. chinensis planting process.

    Soil carbon stocks and water stable aggregates under annual and perennial biofuel crops in central Ohio

    Dheri, G. S.Lal, RattanMoonilall, Nall I.
    14页
    查看更多>>摘要:Biofuels have the potential to mitigate global warming by partially replacing fossil fuels. Long-term cultivation of bioenergy crops may affect soil quality and C exchange between the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum depending upon crop type and duration of cultivation. Thus, studies are needed to compare the impact different bioenergy crops have on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks to estimate the net C mitigation potential of these crops. This study reports on changes in soil properties and C stocks after eight years of annual no-till (NT) corn (Zea mays L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), perennial switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), and polyculture prairie cultivation in central Ohio. Perennial biofuel crops (PBCs) improved soil health by reducing soil bulk density, increasing soil porosity, and improving soil aggregate stability compared to those under annual bioenergy crops (ABCs). Changes were most prominent in the surface 0-10 cm soil layer. Bulk density decreased by 14.4% and 12.8% under PBCs and 6.0% and 5.7% under ABCs in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths, respectively. Water stable aggregate values in the PBC systems were 29.6% (0-10 cm) and 23.0% (10-20 cm) greater than those in the ABC systems with maximum and the minimum values observed under miscanthus (95.1%) and corn (70.2%). PBC systems retained 71% of overall aggregates within the 0.25 mm size fraction, compared to ABCs retaining 20% and 28% of total aggregates within these two aggregate size fractions, respectively. C and N accumulation were greater in macroaggregates ( 0.25 mm) compared to microaggregates (<0.25 mm). The SOC stock within the first eight years of the study decreased by 8.25 Mg C ha-1 (annual rate of -1.03 Mg C ha-1 y-1) for the ABC systems. In contrast, the SOC stock under PBCs for the first eight years increased by 7.94 Mg C ha-1 at an annual rate of 0.99 Mg C ha-1 y-1. These data indicate that PBCs enhanced SOC stocks and provided the dual benefit of increasing SOC stock and improving soil properties. The rate and cumulative amount of SOC sequestration were the highest under miscanthus and the least under sorghum. However, more information is needed on the C life-cycle of biofuel crops and profile C changes to evaluate the net C mitigation potential.

    Interactions between maize plants and nitrogen impact on soil profile dynamics and surface uptake of methane on a dryland farm

    Yao, PengweiYe, XiefengWei, LinLi, Shiqing...
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要:To determine the role of maize plants and their interaction with nitrogen (N) fertilizer in regulating subsoil methane (CH4) fluxes, we conducted a two-year field experiment on a semiarid farm in northwestern China. Four treatments were evaluated: unplanted soil without (C0) or with (CN) N fertilization and planted maize without (P0) or with (PN) N fertilization. Soil surface fluxes and profile dynamics of CH4 at depths of 0-50 cm in situ were monitored. The CH4 concentrations decreased with increasing soil depth. Seasonal and vertical variations in CH4 diffusive fluxes varied with maize phenology. The CH4 fluxes in the 0-20 cm layers accounted for 48.9-57.5% of the total fluxes in the 0-50 cm layers. The surface CH4 uptake was positively correlated with soil temperature during the fallow season and negatively correlated with soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) and exchangeable NH4+ concentration during the growing season. Compared with the unplanted treatments, the presence of maize plants significantly decreased soil WFPS and increased surface CH4 uptake during the growing season. The two-year mean cumulative diffusive CH4 fluxes were also significantly increased by 33.1-36.3% at depths of 10-30 cm and by 15.8-66.4% at depths of 10-40 cm in the PO and PN treatments, respectively. Compared with the PO treatment, the PN treatment significantly increased the surface CH4 uptake and cumulative CH4 uptake at depths of 0-40 cm in 2015. There was no significant difference in the CH4 surface and subsoil fluxes between the CO and CN treatments. Our results suggested that N fertilization stimulated CH4 diffusion and uptake mainly by promoting maize growth and subsequently the soil water consumption on a dryland farm.

    Nitrous oxide emission factors from an intensively grazed temperate grassland: A comparison of cumulative emissions determined by eddy covariance and static chamber methods

    Rambaud, JamesCowan, NicholasLanigan, Gary J.Saunders, Matthew...
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要:Quantifying nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from grazed pastures can be problematic due to the presence of hotspots and hot moments of N2O from animal excreta and synthetic fertilisers. In this study, we quantified field scale N2O emissions from a temperate grassland under a rotational grazing management using eddy covariance (EC) and static chamber techniques. Measurements of N2O by static chambers were made for four out of nine grazing events for a control, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), synthetic urine (SU) + CAN and dung + CAN treatments. Static chamber N2O flux measurements were upscaled to the field scale (F-CH FIELD) using site specific emission factors (EF) for CAN, SU+CAN and dung + CAN. Mean N2O EFs were greatest from the CAN treatment while dung + CAN and SU + CAN emitted similar N2O-N emissions. Cumulative N2O-N emissions over the study period measured by F-CH FIELD measurements were lower than gap-filled EC measurements. Emission factors of N2O from grazing calculated by F-CH FIELD and gap-filled were 0.72% and 0.96%, respectively. N2O-N emissions were derived mainly from animal excreta (dung and urine) contributing 50% while N2O-N losses from CAN and background accounted for 36% and 14%, respectively. The study highlights the advantage of using both the EC and static chamber techniques in tandem to better quantify both total N2O-N losses from grazed pastures while also constraining the contribution of individual N sources. The EC technique was most accurate in quantifying N2O emissions, showing a range of uncertainty that was seven times lower relative to that attributed to static chamber measurements, due to the small chamber sample size per treatment and highly variable N2O flux measurements over space and time.