首页期刊导航|Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
期刊信息/Journal information
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Elsevier Science Publishers
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Elsevier Science Publishers

0167-8809

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment/Journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
正式出版
收录年代

    Agroecosystem landscape diversity shapes wild bee communities independent of managed honey bee presence

    St. Clair A.L.Dolezal A.G.Zhang G.O'Neal M.E....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 The AuthorsLarge scale agricultural production can lead to a reduction in availability of habitat used by wild bees for nesting and forage and has been implicated in worldwide bee population declines. There is growing concern that further declines in wild bee populations will occur because of continued transformations of natural or seminatural landscapes into crop monocultures. Managed honey bees, often used for pollination services in agricultural systems, can compete with wild bees and are hypothesized to negatively affect their communities. Although the response of wild bees to both agriculture and honey bees (i.e., apiculture) has been studied, the relative importance of each and their potential interactions on wild bee communities are not well understood. To forecast the extent to which landscape simplification can affect wild bees and to better understand whether honey bee presence in an already disturbed landscape might further exacerbate declines, we conducted a replicated, longitudinal assessment of wild bee community richness and richness of functional guilds (e.g., floral specificity and nesting preference) in an intensively farmed region of the United States where much of the landscape is devoted to monoculture annual crop (maize and soybean) production and managed honey bee colonies co-occur. The presence of a small apiary (4 colonies) had no immediate effect on wild bee richness, suggesting honey beekeeping may not always negatively impact wild bees. Rather, landscape composition analysis showed strong responses of wild bees to land use, with communities being less speciose in landscapes with high proportions of crop production. The availability of woodland and grassland habitat, especially at the local scale (<800 m), was associated with the greatest increase in bee richness especially for rarer aboveground nesting and floral specialist species. These data suggest large scale monocultures have a greater impact on bee communities than the presence of small apiaries. The results of this research provide important information on possible solutions in agroecosystem management to support increased bee diversity where annual crop production and apiculture are practiced. Namely, mitigation of wild bee declines in such agroecosystems may benefit more from the re-integration of landscape biodiversity, with priority on the re-introduction of perennial vegetation, like that found in woodland and grassland habitats, than the restriction of honey bee apiculture. Data Availability: Data will be archived through Iowa State Universities digital data repository.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Evaluating conservation tools in intensively-used farmland: Higher bird and mammal diversity in seed-rich strips during winter

    Salek M.Bazant M.Gamero A.Zmihorski M....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 Elsevier B.V.Farmland biodiversity have experienced a steep decline over recent decades. Various conservation measures, including EU agri-environmental schemes (AES), have been designed to prevent further biodiversity loss. Despite the AES were criticized for limited benefits for biodiversity, the existing conservation evidence demonstrated some AES, such as seed-rich strips (SRS), can have a positive effect on overall biodiversity. However, evidence of the effectiveness of SRS during winter is largely missing in Eastern Europe or it is based on single-species evaluations. In our study, we investigate the effects of SRS on several taxa typical of the farmland (i.e., farmland birds, European hare, roe deer and small mammals) during winter, when these species may suffer from a lack of food sources. More specifically, we evaluated the effect of spatial location (hedges, forests, and open fields), time in the season (early and late winter), and area (Single Large or Several Small analysis, i.e., “SLOSS analysis”) of SRS on species richness and abundance of birds and mammals. SRS showed higher species richness and abundance than control transects, except for roe deer. The largest differences in abundance and species richness of farmland birds between the SRS and the controls were found in the fields. The highest abundance of European hare and small mammals were found in SRS located in the fields. Ordination analysis indicated that several bird species preferred SRS. Moreover, different birds occurred in strips adjacent to open fields, hedges, and forest, indicating that the landscape context of SRS can affect its use by different bird species. We found a significant decrease in the abundance of farmland birds and declining farmland species during late winter in the SRS, but not in the controls, suggesting the SRS may be depleted of seeds towards the end of winter. Finally, the SLOSS analysis indicated there was no clear difference in species richness between small-to-large and large-to-small strips accumulation, but the pooled abundance of all birds and mammals was generally higher at a few large rather than many small patches of the same cumulative size. Our findings suggest that SRS are a simple and cost-effective measure for farmland biodiversity conservation. Even relatively small SRS are used by many species and therefore should be promoted. SRS careful planning (e.g., location of SRS within the landscape and the choice of seed mixtures) can improve their effectiveness for biodiversity conservation.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Future climate and land-use intensification modify arthropod community structure

    Sohlstrom E.H.Brose U.van Klink R.Rall B.C....
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 Elsevier B.V.Climate change and land-use intensification pose increasing threats to biodiversity, with climate change expected to eventually surpass other global environmental change drivers and become the greatest threat to biodiversity in the future. Understanding the combined ecological impacts of multiple global change drivers is crucial to predict future scenarios of biodiversity change. However, experimental evidence for the impacts of land-use intensification under current and future climate scenarios is lacking, even though this is imperative for understanding future trajectories of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. We experimentally tested for the simultaneous effects of land-use intensification and climate change on arthropod biodiversity in a field-scale grassland experiment known as the Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF). Specifically, we tested whether future scenarios of climate change are likely to exacerbate impacts of land-use intensification on arthropod diversity and abundance across different trophic levels by sampling aboveground arthropod communities in low and high land-use intensity grasslands under current and future climatic conditions. We found that climate change reduced total abundances of arthropods and increased evenness of the whole community, while only having trophic level-specific effects on detritivore abundance and evenness. Land-use intensification reduced abundance of the whole community, predators and detritivores, but only eroded species richness of the whole community and herbivores, with the magnitude of declines in predator and detritivore abundance depending on the climate scenario. Additionally, both land-use intensification and climate altered species composition of the whole community and within the predator, herbivore, and detritivore trophic levels. We show that climate change and land use intensification cause simultaneous shifts in arthropod abundance, species richness, and species composition across trophic levels. Changes in arthropod communities as a result of climate change and land-use intensification will likely have profound consequences for ecosystem functioning under future environmental conditions.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    A global synthesis of soil denitrification: Driving factors and mitigation strategies

    Pan B.Lam S.K.Zhang Y.Mosier A....
    11页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Dinitrogen (N2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) produced via denitrification may represent major nitrogen (N) loss in terrestrial ecosystems. A global assessment of soil denitrification rate, N2O/(N2O+N2) ratio, and their driving factors and mitigation strategies is lacking. We conducted a global synthesis using 225 studies (3367 observations) to fill this knowledge gap. We found that daily N loss through soil denitrification varied with ecosystems and averaged 0.25 kg N ha?1. The average emission factor of denitrification (EFD) was 4.8%. The average N2O/(N2O+N2) ratio from soil denitrification was 0.33. Soil denitrification rate was positively related to soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) (p < 0.01), nitrate (NO3-) content (p < 0.05) and soil temperature (p < 0.01), and decreased with higher soil oxygen content (p < 0.01). N2 emissions increased with latitude (p < 0.05), WFPS (p < 0.01) and soil mineral N (p < 0.05) but decreased with soil oxygen content (p < 0.05). The N2O/(N2O+N2) ratio increased with soil oxygen content (p < 0.01) but decreased with organic carbon (C) (p < 0.05), C/N ratio (p < 0.01), soil pH (p < 0.05) and WFPS (p < 0.01). We also found that optimizing N application rates, using ammonium-based fertilizers compared to nitrate-based fertilizers, biochar amendment, and application of nitrification inhibitors could effectively reduce soil denitrification rate and associated N2 emissions. These findings highlight that N loss via soil denitrification and N2 emissions cannot be neglected, and that mitigation strategies should be adopted to reduce N loss and improve N use efficiency. Our study presents a comprehensive data synthesis for large-scale estimations of denitrification and the refinement of relevant parameters used in the submodels of denitrification in process-based models.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Mitigation of soil organic carbon mineralization by soil redistribution - An erosion-deposition plot study under natural rainfall over five years

    Li W.Wang R.Hou F.Guo S....
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021As the essential driving force of soil redistribution, runoff and sediment are not often considered when quantifying and integrating the effects of soil erosion and deposition on soil CO2 emissions. Therefore, in this study, variations in soil CO2 emissions from erosion-deposition plots were regularly monitored in China's Loess Plateau (2015–2019). The cumulative soil CO2 emissions from the depositional zones with slope gradients of 5°, 10°, and 20° were increased by 0.4–16.7%, 20.1–32.6%, and 31.9–51.5%, respectively, than those of their respective eroding slopes. Relative to the 5° eroding slopes, the cumulative soil CO2 emissions decreased by 2.8–13.5% and 11.3–15.6% on the steeper 10° and 20° eroding slopes, respectively. Conversely, cumulative soil CO2 emissions increased by 1.0–7.9% and 6.9–13.3% in the depositional zones of 10° and 20°, respectively, as compared with that in the 5° depositional zones. Considering both the eroding slopes and depositional zones, the total amount of CO2 emissions from the 10° and 20° erosion-deposition plots were 114 g CO2-C y?1 and 177 g CO2-C y?1 lower than those from the 5° erosion-deposition plots, respectively. This can be attributed to the combined effects of the amounts of runoff and sediment displacement on soil CO2 emissions from eroding slopes and depositional zones. Our results indicate that, soil erosion and deposition together have great potential to mitigate soil organic carbon mineralization and preserve soil carbon pools in slope lands. Furthermore, soil organic carbon mineralization at the slope scale is sensitive to displaced runoff and sediment. Therefore, possible variations in soil-atmospheric carbon exchanges induced by erosion-displaced runoff and sediment should be properly accounted for when attributing carbon fluxes in regions dominated by sloping landscapes.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Fallows benefit beetle conservation in a traditionally managed grassland landscape

    Frenzel T.Fischer K.
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 Elsevier B.V.Insect biodiversity is declining at the global scale, with agricultural intensification representing a major driver of this development. Traditionally managed grassland, such as hay meadows, can support high insect and plant diversity but is often converted into more productive cropland or silage grassland. We evaluated the effects of agricultural intensification and conservation measures on beetle assemblages in a traditional landscape dominated by grassland in western Germany. We investigated a total of 45 grassland sites including long-term (abandoned) grassland fallows with natural vegetation cover, three types of hay meadows, and intensively used silage grassland, using different sampling methods targeting ground-dwelling, flower-visiting, and vegetation-dwelling beetles. Species richness and diversity were highest on grassland fallows, while variation among different types of managed grassland was very low. Thus, fallows outperformed even unfertilised hay meadows cut after July 15th in terms of species richness. Beetle assemblages of fallows and silage grassland were both distinct from all other management regimes, while the three types of hay meadows did not differ substantially. Effects of on-site management regime were strong, but environmental parameters and surrounding land cover were of minor importance only. Our results suggest that long-term fallows are important for beetle conservation, even in landscapes with overall low land-use intensity. We suggest that grassland fallows should be considered in subsidised agri-environmental schemes.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Sheep grazing as a strategy to manage cover crops in Mediterranean vineyards: Short-term effects on soil C, N and greenhouse gas (N2O, CH4, CO2) emissions

    Lazcano C.Gonzalez-Maldonado N.Yao E.H.Wong C.T.F....
    13页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 The AuthorsSheep grazing is increasingly being considered by winegrape growers to manage cover crop growth in Mediterranean vineyards, a practice that could contribute to reducing fertilizer inputs, coupling the cycles of C and N and increasing soil health. Nevertheless, short-term increases in available soil C and N could trigger the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). We carried out a field experiment in a Mediterranean vineyard of the Central Coast of California to investigate the short-term effects of grazing in combination with tillage on soil C, N and GHG emissions. Tillage and grazing treatments were combined in a full factorial design with 16 plots. Gas samples were collected using static chambers during the main management events from the tractor row and the soil under the vines within each plot. Gas samples were collected through two years, including two wet and two dry seasons and analyzed to assess daily fluxes and cumulative seasonal emisions of N2O, CH4 and CO2. In spring each year we collected soil samples from 0 to 15 and 15–30 cm depths of the vine and tractor rows of each plot, and from 0 to 15 cm depth at the time of gas sample collection. We observed that sheep grazing did not produce an increase in available soil N and C, but resulted in sporadic and localized peaks in daily N2O, CH4 and CO2 emissions. Nevertheless emissions were not significantly larger than non-grazed soils when extrapolated to the cumulative emissions of the whole season. The combination of tillage and grazing increased N2O emissions from the soil under the vine potentially due to increased nitrification rates. Sheep grazing and tillage did not have a significant effect on the yield and quality of the grapes during the two years of the study.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Carbon and nitrogen stocks through time in abandoned croplands of the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico

    Contreras-Cisneros A.J.Mata-Gonzalez R.Trejo-Calzada R.Pedroza-Sandoval A....
    9页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 Elsevier B.V.Croplands in the Comarca Lagunera region of Mexico are undergoing abandonment due to water scarcity. The effects of vegetation succession following cropland abandonment on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (STN) stocks have been poorly studied although such effects have important implications for terrestrial carbon pools and the global carbon cycle. This study sought to determine the organic carbon and total nitrogen content in soil at two depths (0–30 cm and 30–60 cm) and the successional biomass with a chronosequence of 2, 15, 25, and 35 years of restoration after cropland abandonment, as well as uncultivated areas of native microphyllous desert scrub vegetation used as reference (Ref). Results revealed that the ecological succession 35 years after cropland abandonment resulted in high dominance by the species Prosopis glandulosa. Because of that, the latest stage since cropland abandonment (35 years) contained about three times more carbon and nitrogen (2.64 Mg C ha?1 and 0.62 Mg N ha?1, respectively) in aboveground biomass than reference areas (0.94 Mg C ha?1 and 0.21 Mg N ha?1, respectively). In contrast, soil carbon tended to decrease as years of abandonment increased. Thus, areas with 35 years of abandonment, although having high aerial carbon content, had the lowest soil carbon accumulation. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content showed no significant differences between the sampling depths in the investigated sites during the restoration time. These findings suggest that soil carbon accumulation after cropland abandonment through unmanaged ecological succession is difficult to achieve in this area.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Organic maize and bean farming enhances free-living nematode dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa

    Atandi J.G.Kiriga A.W.Karanja E.N.Musyoka M.W....
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2022 Elsevier B.V.Despite their important ecological roles for soil health and soil fertility, free-living nematodes (FLN) have received relatively limited research attention. The present study evaluated the community structure and diversity of FLN in a field setting. The experiments were conducted in on-farm and on-station field plots sown to maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) under four cropping practices. These farming systems included organic (compost and biopesticide use), conventional (synthetic fertilizer and pesticide applications), farmer practice (organic and synthetic amendments) and a control (non-amended plots). Nineteen genera of free living nematodes, belonging to bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and predators were recorded. Among these, bacterivores (Cephalobidae and Rhabditidae) were the most dominant group in the organic systems when compared to the conventional and control systems. Farming systems influenced the abundance and diversity of free living nematodes, with the organic farming system having higher values of maturity, enrichment and structural indices than other farming systems. This would indicate greater stability in soil health and improved soil fertility. This implies that the organic farming systems play a key role in improving the biodiversity and population buildup of FLN, compared with other systems. Our study helps to improve our understanding of how farming systems influence soil biodynamics, while studies on the longer-term effects of organic and conventional farming systems on the build-up or reduction of free living nematodes for improved ecosystem services are needed.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier

    Understanding herbivore-plant-soil feedbacks to improve grazing management on Mediterranean mountain grasslands

    Castillo-Garcia M.Alados C.L.Pueyo Y.Ramos J....
    10页
    查看更多>>摘要：? 2021 The AuthorsThe surface of many European mountain grasslands is decreasing due to global change and extensive grazing stands out as a key tool for their conservation. Sound knowledge of grassland ecosystem functioning and its feedback processes is required to implement sustainable grazing management. This study aimed to understand the effect of different grazing intensities on herbivore-plant-soil feedbacks in Mediterranean mountain grasslands. We estimated spatial distribution of sheep grazing intensity using GPS technology in order to assess the effect of grazing pressure on vegetation and soil properties measured throughout the study area. Our results showed that grazing intensity ranged from 0.06 to 2.85 livestock units / ha, corresponding to a gradient of pasture utilisation rates varying from 2.38% to 45.60% of annual productivity from pasture. Increasing grazing pressure was associated with smaller relative cover and species richness of non-leguminous forbs, while the opposite trends were observed for graminoids. Forage had a greater concentration of N and smaller C:N ratio in more heavily grazed areas. Increasing grazing intensity was also associated with higher values of total soil N, NO3-, NH4+, soil organic carbon, microbial biomass C and activity of β-glucosidase. Higher litter quality was the main factor explaining greater content of soil organic matter, which favoured both soil microbes and plant productivity. Grazing induced changes in the plant community triggered positive hervibore-plant-soil feedbacks, as they ultimately improved forage quality and productivity, which significantly influenced the pasture preference of free-ranging domestic grazers. Our work showed that grazing management aiming pasture utilisation rates of around 45% is critical in sustaining positive herbivore-plant-soil feedbacks and preserving or enhancing the whole ecosystem functioning in the Mediterranean mountain grasslands studied.
      原文链接:
    • NSTL
    • Elsevier