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Hu M, Wang J, Sardans J, Wu H, Ni R, Guo P, Yan R, Liao H, Liu C, Peñuelas J, Tong C. Coastal conversion alters topsoil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stocks and stoichiometric balances in subtropical coastal wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:174011. [PMID: 38880140 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The extensive conversion of coastal wetlands into agricultural and aquaculture areas has significant repercussions on soil nutrient balance. However, how coastal conversion specifically influences the dynamics and stoichiometry of topsoil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) remains limited due to the considerable spatial variability and a lack of comprehensive field data. Here, we investigated the concentration and distribution of total C (TC), N (TN) and P (TP), along with their stoichiometric balance in four distinct coastal landscapes, including natural marshes and tidal flats, as well as converted agricultural croplands and ponds. The results revealed that converted croplands and ponds exhibited significantly higher concentrations of soil C, N and P, particularly in comparison to tidal flats. Furthermore, croplands and ponds have higher topsoil C stocks than tidal flats, but little difference or even lose stored C compared to marshes. Cropland soils showed considerably higher levels of available N (NH4+-N and NO3--N) and available P compared to those in natural marshes and tidal flats. The distribution of soil TC, TN, and TP demonstrated greater spatial heterogeneity in natural marshes and tidal flats, while the converted areas were more uniform and became hotspots for N and P accumulation. Coastal conversion altered soil C:N:P stoichiometry, with cropland soils exhibiting a lower N:P ratio (2.9 ± 1.1), indicating that long-term application of N and P fertilizers could decrease the N:P ratio, as P is more retained in the soil than N. Furthermore, it was observed that the dynamics of C, N and P, as well as their stoichiometry, are closely linked to soil physicochemical properties, especially soil organic matter and texture. These findings highlight that coastal conversion and associated management practices markedly affected soil C, N and P dynamics in a representative wetland area of the subtropical regions, leading to a reshaping of their stoichiometric balances, particularly in the topsoil layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Hu
- Key Laboratory of Humid Sub-tropical Eco-geographical Processes of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; Fujian Minjiang Estuary Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350215, China.
| | - Jingtao Wang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Hui Wu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Ranxu Ni
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Pingping Guo
- Fujian Minjiang Estuary Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350215, China; Fujian Minjiang River Estuary Wetland National Nature Reserve Administrative Office, Fuzhou 350200, China
| | - Ruibing Yan
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Haoyu Liao
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Chunya Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Chuan Tong
- Key Laboratory of Humid Sub-tropical Eco-geographical Processes of Ministry of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China; Fujian Minjiang Estuary Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Fuzhou 350215, China.
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Segura C, Neal AL, Castro-Sardiňa L, Harris P, Rivero MJ, Cardenas LM, Irisarri JGN. Comparison of direct and indirect soil organic carbon prediction at farm field scale. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 365:121573. [PMID: 38936020 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
To advance sustainable and resilient agricultural management policies, especially during land use changes, it is imperative to monitor, report, and verify soil organic carbon (SOC) content rigorously to inform its stock. However, conventional methods often entail challenging, time-consuming, and costly direct soil measurements. Integrating data from long-term experiments (LTEs) with freely available remote sensing (RS) techniques presents exciting prospects for assessing SOC temporal and spatial change. The objective of this study was to develop a low-cost, field-based statistical model that could be used as a decision-making aid to understand the temporal and spatial variation of SOC content in temperate farmland under different land use and management. A ten-year dataset from the North Wyke Farm Platform, a 20-field, LTE system established in southwestern England in 2010, was used as a case study in conjunction with an RS dataset. Linear, additive and mixed regression models were compared for predicting SOC content based upon combinations of environmental variables that are freely accessible (termed open) and those that require direct measurement or farmer questionnaires (termed closed). These included an RS-derived Ecosystem Services Provision Index (ESPI), topography (slope, aspect), weather (temperature, precipitation), soil (soil units, total nitrogen [TN], pH), and field management practices. Additive models (specifically Generalised Additive Models (GAMs)) were found to be the most effective at predicting space-time SOC variability. When the combined open and closed factors (excluding TN) were considered, significant predictors of SOC were: management related to ploughing being the most important predictor, soil unit (class), aspect, and temperature (GAM fit with a normalised RMSE = 9.1%, equivalent to 0.4% of SOC content). The relative strength of the best-fitting GAM with open data only, which included ESPI, aspect, and slope (normalised RMSE = 13.0%, equivalent to 0.6% of SOC content), suggested that this more practical and cost-effective model enables sufficiently accurate prediction of SOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Segura
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK.
| | - A L Neal
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK
| | - L Castro-Sardiňa
- IFEVA, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Facultad de Agronomía, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - P Harris
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK
| | - M J Rivero
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK
| | - L M Cardenas
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK
| | - J G N Irisarri
- Rothamsted Research North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK
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Schuster J, Hagn L, Mittermayer M, Hülsbergen KJ. After effects of historical grassland on soil organic carbon content and plant growth in croplands in southern Germany determined using satellite data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:174507. [PMID: 38971254 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have reported that grasslands harbor higher soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks compared with arable land; however, the relevant carbon dynamics and sink persistence remain unclear. Herein, arable fields characterized by historical grassland zones (h_GL; grassland use decades ago) and permanent arable land zones (h_CL) were examined. The h_GL zones were determined using historical maps. The change in land use from grassland to cropland occurred 30-50 years ago. In eight arable fields, SOC and total nitrogen (TN) stocks in the topsoil were analyzed at a high spatial resolution. Additionally, remote sensing via satellites was employed to determine the biomass yield at a high spatial resolution using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In all the fields, the mean SOC content of the h_GL zones (1.81 %, n = 97 measuring points) was higher than the mean SOC content of the h_CL zones (1.52 %, n = 220). Furthermore, the mean relative NDVI was higher in the h_GL zones than in the h_CL zones. SOC and NDVI were positively correlated (up to r = 0.79), as well as TN and NDVI (up to r = 0.72). To evaluate the first dataset, zonal soil samples were collected from the h_GL and h_CL zones from 14 arable fields to determine the SOC and TN content. The mean SOC content of the h_GL zones was 1.92 % and that of the h_CL zones was 1.39 %-a difference of absolute SOC stocks in the topsoil of 23.8 t ha-1 (bulk density: 1.5 g cm-3). The work combines the knowledge of historical soil maps, remote sensing applications and georeferenced soil sampling and shows that SOC stocks in grassland have a high persistence and can have positive impact on yields even decades after a land use change. Historical land use proved to be a major factor for spatial SOC variability at the study site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Schuster
- Technische Universität München, Liesel Beckmann Straße 2, 85354 Freising, Germany.
| | - Ludwig Hagn
- Technische Universität München, Liesel Beckmann Straße 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Martin Mittermayer
- Technische Universität München, Liesel Beckmann Straße 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
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Huang Y, Huang L, Qiu C, Ciais P. Evaluation of effects of heat released from SOC decomposition on soil carbon stock and temperature. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17391. [PMID: 38946293 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Heat released from soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition (referred to as microbial heat hereafter) could alter the soil's thermal and hydrological conditions, subsequently modulate SOC decomposition and its feedback with climate. While understanding this feedback is crucial for shaping policy to achieve specific climate goal, it has not been comprehensively assessed. This study employs the ORCHIDEE-MICT model to investigate the effects of microbial heat, referred to as heating effect, focusing on their impacts on SOC accumulation, soil temperature and net primary productivity (NPP), as well as implication on land-climate feedback under two CO2 emissions scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5). The findings reveal that the microbial heat decreases soil carbon stock, predominantly in upper layers, and elevates soil temperatures, especially in deeper layers. This results in a marginal reduction in global SOC stocks due to accelerated SOC decomposition. Altered seasonal cycles of SOC decomposition and soil temperature are simulated, with the most significant temperature increase per unit of microbial heat (0.31 K J-1) occurring at around 273.15 K (median value of all grid cells where air temperature is around 273.15 K). The heating effect leads to the earlier loss of permafrost area under RCP8.5 and hinders its restoration under RCP2.6 after peak warming. Although elevated soil temperature under climate warming aligns with expectation, the anticipated accelerated SOC decomposition and large amplifying feedback on climate warming were not observed, mainly because of reduced modeled initial SOC stock and limited NPP with heating effect. These underscores the multifaceted impacts of microbial heat. Comprehensive understanding of these effects would be vital for devising effective climate change mitigation strategies in a warming world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Huang
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), School of Geographical Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Laboratoire Des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Lin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), School of Geographical Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunjing Qiu
- Laboratoire Des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Research Center for Global Change and Complex Ecosystems, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Philippe Ciais
- Laboratoire Des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Hassani A, Smith P, Shokri N. Negative correlation between soil salinity and soil organic carbon variability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317332121. [PMID: 38669180 PMCID: PMC11067061 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317332121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is vital for terrestrial ecosystems, affecting biogeochemical processes, and soil health. It is known that soil salinity impacts SOC content, yet the specific direction and magnitude of SOC variability in relation to soil salinity remain poorly understood. Analyzing 43,459 mineral soil samples (SOC < 150 g kg-1) collected across different land covers since 1992, we approximate a soil salinity increase from 1 to 5 dS m-1 in croplands would be associated with a decline in mineral soils SOC from 0.14 g kg-1 above the mean predicted SOC ([Formula: see text] = 18.47 g kg-1) to 0.46 g kg-1 below [Formula: see text] (~-430%), while for noncroplands, such decline is sharper, from 0.96 above [Formula: see text] = 35.96 g kg-1 to 4.99 below [Formula: see text] (~-620%). Although salinity's significance in explaining SOC variability is minor (<6%), we estimate a one SD increase in salinity of topsoil samples (0 to 7 cm) correlates with respective [Formula: see text] declines of ~4.4% and ~9.26%, relative to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text] decline in croplands is greatest in vegetation/cropland mosaics while lands covered with evergreen needle-leaved trees are estimated with the highest [Formula: see text] decline in noncroplands. We identify soil nitrogen, land cover, and precipitation Seasonality Index as the most significant parameters in explaining the SOC's variability. The findings provide insights into SOC dynamics under increased soil salinity, improving understanding of SOC stock responses to land degradation and climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AberdeenAB24 3UU, United Kingdom
| | - Nima Shokri
- Institute of Geo-Hydroinformatics, Hamburg University of Technology, 21073Hamburg, Germany
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Hyun J, Yoo G. Modification of the RothC model to evaluate the inconsistent effect of conservation tillage on SOC stock and a suggestion of a national-scale assessment framework. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:168010. [PMID: 37871817 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Simulation of conservation tillage effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock on the national scale is essential for Tier 3 level greenhouse gas inventory in the agricultural sector. However, the conservation tillage effects varied depending on different soil conditions, potentially leading to inaccurate national assessments. This study aimed to propose a framework for estimating the national scale impact of conservation tillage on SOC. As even in the most commonly used SOC dynamic model, the Rothamsted Carbon Model (RothC), does not reflect the conservation tillage effect in an explicit way, we modified it by developing the tillage rate modifiers (TRMs). First, we investigated the conditions for the inconsistent conservation tillage effects using the decision tree analysis based on 210 field experiment data from the mid-latitude region. The results highlighted that soil sand content and the existing SOC stock were the main factors driving the inconsistencies. After we categorized into four distinctive conditions, the TRMs for each condition were parameterized using a genetic algorithm. The average TRMs were 0.88 in the soils with sand content >37.6 % and 1.58 in the soils with sand content ≤37.6 %, indicating that conservation tillage is more effective in coarse-textured soil, and there is a risk of decreasing SOC stock in the latter condition. Using the modified RothC model, a three-step national-scale simulation framework was suggested: compiling country-specific data, establishing baseline and conservation tillage scenarios, and modeling conservation tillage effects with uncertainty analysis. Our approach also defined the maximum conservation tillage area, factoring in local cropping systems and soil conditions. Our refined RothC model with TRMs provides a nuanced understanding of conservation tillage effects, emphasizing the role of soil characteristics. The proposed national-scale simulation framework offers a reliable tool for evaluating conservation tillage impact on SOC, ensuring more accurate greenhouse gas inventories in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junge Hyun
- Department of Applied Environmental Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Gayoung Yoo
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732, Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
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Pappalardo P, Song C, Hungate BA, Osenberg CW. A meta-evaluation of the quality of reporting and execution in ecological meta-analyses. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292606. [PMID: 37824448 PMCID: PMC10569516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantitatively summarizing results from a collection of primary studies with meta-analysis can help answer ecological questions and identify knowledge gaps. The accuracy of the answers depends on the quality of the meta-analysis. We reviewed the literature assessing the quality of ecological meta-analyses to evaluate current practices and highlight areas that need improvement. From each of the 18 review papers that evaluated the quality of meta-analyses, we calculated the percentage of meta-analyses that met criteria related to specific steps taken in the meta-analysis process (i.e., execution) and the clarity with which those steps were articulated (i.e., reporting). We also re-evaluated all the meta-analyses available from Pappalardo et al. [1] to extract new information on ten additional criteria and to assess how the meta-analyses recognized and addressed non-independence. In general, we observed better performance for criteria related to reporting than for criteria related to execution; however, there was a wide variation among criteria and meta-analyses. Meta-analyses had low compliance with regard to correcting for phylogenetic non-independence, exploring temporal trends in effect sizes, and conducting a multifactorial analysis of moderators (i.e., explanatory variables). In addition, although most meta-analyses included multiple effect sizes per study, only 66% acknowledged some type of non-independence. The types of non-independence reported were most often related to the design of the original experiment (e.g., the use of a shared control) than to other sources (e.g., phylogeny). We suggest that providing specific training and encouraging authors to follow the PRISMA EcoEvo checklist recently developed by O'Dea et al. [2] can improve the quality of ecological meta-analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Pappalardo
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Tiburon, California, United States of America
| | - Chao Song
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Bruce A. Hungate
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Craig W. Osenberg
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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Beillouin D, Corbeels M, Demenois J, Berre D, Boyer A, Fallot A, Feder F, Cardinael R. A global meta-analysis of soil organic carbon in the Anthropocene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3700. [PMID: 37349294 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39338-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities profoundly impact soil organic carbon (SOC), affecting its contribution to ecosystem services such as climate regulation. Here, we conducted a thorough review of the impacts of land-use change, land management, and climate change on SOC. Using second-order meta-analysis, we synthesized findings from 230 first-order meta-analyses comprising over 25,000 primary studies. We show that (i) land conversion for crop production leads to high SOC loss, that can be partially restored through land management practices, particularly by introducing trees and incorporating exogenous carbon in the form of biochar or organic amendments, (ii) land management practices that are implemented in forests generally result in depletion of SOC, and (iii) indirect effects of climate change, such as through wildfires, have a greater impact on SOC than direct climate change effects (e.g., from rising temperatures). The findings of our study provide strong evidence to assist decision-makers in safeguarding SOC stocks and promoting land management practices for SOC restoration. Furthermore, they serve as a crucial research roadmap, identifying areas that require attention to fill the knowledge gaps concerning the factors driving changes in SOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Beillouin
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, Montpellier, France.
- HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Marc Corbeels
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- IITA, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Julien Demenois
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Turrialba, Costa Rica
- CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Turrialba, Costa Rica
| | - David Berre
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- CIRDES, USPAE, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Abigail Fallot
- CIRAD, UMR SENS, Montpellier, France
- SENS, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Feder
- CIRAD, UPR Recyclage et Risque, Montpellier, France
- Recyclage et Risque, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Rémi Cardinael
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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Yang F, Zhong Y, Han G, Li X, Luo L, Cai X, Long X, Li T, Huang L. Effect of different vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon dynamics and fractions in the Rainy Zone of Western China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 331:117296. [PMID: 36642043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Vegetation restoration on purple soil (Eutric Leptic Regosols) slopes aiming at reducing soil erosion in the Rainy Zone of Western China has significantly altered soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and distribution. A better understanding of the effects of different vegetation restoration types on SOC dynamics and fractions is critical in devising better policy to protect or enhance SOC stocks to improve soil quality and ecosystem function. In the present study, total, labile, and non-labile organic carbon (TOC, LC, and NLC), and carbon management index (CMI) of Cryptomeria fortunei (CF), mixed C. fortunei and Betula luminifera (MF), Neosinocalamus affinis (NA), and Camellia sinensis (CS) were compared with those of Zea mays field (ZM) on purple soil slopes in the Rainy Zone of Western China in order to develop more effective ways to implement vegetation restoration in the future. Different vegetation restoration types (CF, MF, NA and CS) increased TOC stock by 47.79%-118.31% and NLC stock by 56.61%-129.52% in the 0-50 cm soil layer compared with that of ZM. The direction and magnitude of changes in LC stock and CMI, however, depended strongly on the vegetation restoration type. Compared with ZM, CF had the largest increase of LC stock and CMI, whereas NA had the largest decrease of LC stock and CMI in the 0-50 cm soil layer. The LC:TOC ratio in four reforested species all declined significantly compared with that of ZM (p < 0.01), indicating decreased SOC activity after afforestation. The vegetation type and soil depth together explained more than 90% of the changes of TOC and its fractions in the plantations on purple soil slopes. Our study demonstrates that transforming the ZM into the CS is optimal to achieve the sustainable development goal, whereas transforming the ZM into the NA reduces the SOC activity and availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Yujian Zhong
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Guangzhong Han
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Xiuzhi Li
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Li Luo
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Xiaomin Cai
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Xinyu Long
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Tangli Li
- Laboratory of Simulation on Soil Process, College of Geography and Resources Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China
| | - Laiming Huang
- Yellow River Delta Modern Agricultural Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China.
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Ewing PM, Tu X, Runck BC, Nord A, Chikowo R, Snapp SS. Smallholder farms have and can store more carbon than previously estimated. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:1471-1483. [PMID: 36478041 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is increasingly targeted as a key strategy in climate change mitigation and improved ecosystem resiliency. Agricultural land, a dominant global land use, provides substantial challenges and opportunities for global carbon sequestration. Despite this, global estimates of soil carbon sequestration potential often exclude agricultural land and estimates are coarse for regions in the Global South. To address these discrepancies and improve estimates, we develop a hybrid, data-augmented database approach to better estimate the magnitude of SOC sequestration potential of agricultural soils. With high-resolution (30 m) soil maps of Africa developed by the International Soils Database (iSDA) and Malawi as a case study, we create a national adjustment using site-specific soil data retrieved from 1160 agricultural fields. We use a benchmark approach to estimate the amount of SOC Malawian agricultural soils can sequester, accounting for edaphic and climatic conditions, and calculate the resulting carbon gap. Field measurements of SOC stocks and sequestration potentials were consistently larger than iSDA predictions, with an average carbon gap of 4.42 ± 0.23 Mg C ha-1 to a depth of 20 cm, with some areas exceeding 10 Mg C ha-1 . Augmenting iSDA predictions with field data also improved sensitivity to identify areas with high SOC sequestration potential by 6%-areas that may benefit from improved management practices. Overall, we estimate that 6.8 million ha of surface soil suitable for agriculture in Malawi has the potential to store 274 ± 14 Tg SOC. Our approach illustrates how ground truthing efforts remain essential to reduce errors in continent-wide soil carbon predictions for local and regional use. This work begins efforts needed across regions to develop soil carbon benchmarks that inform policies and identify high-impact areas in the effort to increase SOC globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Ewing
- USDA-ARS, North Central Agricultural Research Lab, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
| | - Xinyi Tu
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Bryan C Runck
- GEMS Informatics Center, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Geography, Environment and Society, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alison Nord
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Regis Chikowo
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sieglinde S Snapp
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
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11
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Eze S, Magilton M, Magnone D, Varga S, Gould I, Mercer TG, Goddard MR. Meta-analysis of global soil data identifies robust indicators for short-term changes in soil organic carbon stock following land use change. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160484. [PMID: 36436632 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The restoration of degraded lands and minimizing the degradation of productive lands are at the forefront of many environmental land management schemes around the world. A key indicator of soil productivity is soil organic carbon (SOC), which influences the provision of most soil ecosystem services. A major challenge in direct measurement of changes in SOC stock is that it is difficult to detect within a short timeframe relevant to land managers. In this study, we sought to identify suitable early indicators of changes in SOC stock and their drivers. A meta-analytical approach was used to synthesize global data on the impacts of arable land conversion to other uses on total SOC stock, 12 different SOC fractions and three soil structural properties. The conversion of arable lands to forests and grasslands accounted for 91 % of the available land use change datasets used for the meta-analysis and were mostly from Asia and Europe. Land use change from arable lands led to 50 % (32-68 %) mean increase in both labile (microbial biomass C and particulate organic C - POC) and passive (microaggregate, 53-250 μm diameter; and small macroaggregate, 250-2000 μm diameter) SOC fractions as well as soil structural stability. There was also 37 % (24-50 %) mean increase in total SOC stock in the experimental fields where the various SOC fractions were measured. Only the POC and the organic carbon stored in small macroaggregates had strong correlation with total SOC: our findings reveal these two SOC fractions were predominantly controlled by biomass input to the soil rather than climatic factors and are thus suitable candidate indicators of short-term changes in total SOC stock. Further field studies are recommended to validate the predictive power of the equations we developed in this study and the use of the SOC metrics under different land use change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Eze
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK.
| | - Matthew Magilton
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
| | - Daniel Magnone
- Department of Geography, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK; Lincoln Centre for Ecological Justice, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
| | - Sandra Varga
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK; Lincoln Centre for Ecological Justice, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
| | - Iain Gould
- Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
| | - Theresa G Mercer
- Department of Geography, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK; Lincoln Centre for Ecological Justice, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
| | - Matthew R Goddard
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, LN6 7DL Lincoln, UK
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12
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Morales Moreira ZP, Chen MY, Yanez Ortuno DL, Haney CH. Engineering plant microbiomes by integrating eco-evolutionary principles into current strategies. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 71:102316. [PMID: 36442442 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Engineering plant microbiomes has the potential to improve plant health in a rapid and sustainable way. Rapidly changing climates and relatively long timelines for plant breeding make microbiome engineering an appealing approach to improving food security. However, approaches that have shown promise in the lab have not resulted in wide-scale implementation in the field. Here, we suggest the use of an integrated approach, combining mechanistic molecular and genetic knowledge, with ecological and evolutionary theory, to target knowledge gaps in plant microbiome engineering that may facilitate translatability of approaches into the field. We highlight examples where understanding microbial community ecology is essential for a holistic understanding of the efficacy and consequences of microbiome engineering. We also review examples where understanding plant-microbe evolution could facilitate the design of plants able to recruit specific microbial communities. Finally, we discuss possible trade-offs in plant-microbiome interactions that should be considered during microbiome engineering efforts so as not to introduce off-target negative effects. We include classic and emergent approaches, ranging from microbial inoculants to plant breeding to host-driven microbiome engineering, and address areas that would benefit from multidisciplinary approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zayda P Morales Moreira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Melissa Y Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Daniela L Yanez Ortuno
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cara H Haney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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13
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Xiao T, Ran F, Li Z, Wang S, Nie X, Liu Y, Yang C, Tan M, Feng S. Sediment organic carbon dynamics response to land use change in diverse watershed anthropogenic activities. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107788. [PMID: 36738584 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sediment organic carbon (SOC) is a precious archive that synthesizes anthropogenic processes that remove geochemical fluxes from watersheds. However, the scarcity of inspection about the dynamic mechanisms of anthropogenic activities on SOC limits understanding into how key human factors drive carbon dynamics. Here, four typical basins with similar natural but significantly diverse human contexts (high-moderate-low disturbance: XJ-ZS and YJ-LS) were selected to reconstruct sedimentation rates (SR) and SOC dynamics nearly a century based on 200-cm corers. A partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) was used to establish successive (70 years) and multiple anthropogenic data (population, agriculture, land use, etc.) quantification methods for SOC. Intensified anthropogenic disturbances shifted all SR from pre-stable to post-1960s fluctuating increases (total coefficient: high: 0.63 < low: 0.47 < medium: 0.45). Although land use change was co-critical driver of SOC variations, their trend and extent differed under the dams and other disturbances (SOC mutated in high-moderate but stable in low). For high basin, land use changes increased (0.12) but dams reduced (-0.10) the downstream SOC. Furthermore, SOC mutation corresponded to soil erosion due to urbanization in both periods A and B. For moderate, SOC was reversed with the increase in afforestation and cropland (-0.19) due to the forest excitation effect and deep ploughing, which corresponded to the drought in phase B and the anthropogenic ecological project in A. For low, the increase in SOC corresponded to the Great Leap Forward deforestation in period B and the reed sweep in A, which suggested the minor land change substantially affected (0.16) SOC in fragile environments. Overall, SOC dynamics revealed that anthropogenic activities affected terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for near the centenary, especially land use. This is constructive for agroforestry management and reservoir construction, consistent with expectations like upstream carbon sequestration and downstream carbon stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xiao
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Fengwei Ran
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Zhongwu Li
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; College of Environmental Science & Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China.
| | - Shilan Wang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Xiaodong Nie
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China.
| | - Yaojun Liu
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Changrong Yang
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China; Key Laboratory of Subtropical Ecology and Environmental Change, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Min Tan
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
| | - Sirui Feng
- School of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, PR China
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14
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Wang Y, Luo G, Li C, Ye H, Shi H, Fan B, Zhang W, Zhang C, Xie M, Zhang Y. Effects of land clearing for agriculture on soil organic carbon stocks in drylands: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:547-562. [PMID: 36222783 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural activities have been expanding globally with the pressure to provide food security to the earth's growing population. These agricultural activities have profoundly impacted soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in global drylands. However, the effects of clearing natural ecosystems for cropland (CNEC) on SOC are uncertain. To improve our understanding of carbon emissions and sequestration under different land uses, it is necessary to characterize the response patterns of SOC stocks to different types of CNEC. We conducted a meta-analysis with mixed-effect model based on 873 paired observations of SOC in croplands and adjacent natural ecosystems from 159 individual studies in global drylands. Our results indicate that CNEC significantly (p < .05) affects SOC stocks, resulting from a combination of natural land clearing, cropland management practices (fertilizer application, crop species, cultivation duration) and the significant negative effects of initial SOC stocks. Increases in SOC stocks (in 1 m depth) were found in croplands which previously natural land (deserts and shrublands) had low SOC stocks, and the increases were 278.86% (95% confidence interval, 196.43%-361.29%) and 45.38% (26.53%-62.23%), respectively. In contrast, SOC stocks (in 1 m depth) decreased by 24.11% (18.38%-29.85%) and 10.70% (1.80%-19.59%) in clearing forests and grasslands for cropland, respectively. We also established the general response curves of SOC stocks change to increasing cultivation duration, which is crucial for accurately estimating regional carbon dynamics following CNEC. SOC stocks increased significantly (p < .05) with high long-term fertilizer consumption in cleared grasslands with low initial SOC stocks (about 27.2 Mg ha-1 ). The results derived from our meta-analysis could be used for refining the estimation of dryland carbon dynamics and developing SOC sequestration strategies to achieve the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuangang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Geping Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Chaofan Li
- School of Geographic Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Ye
- School of Tourism and Geography, Jiujiang University, Jiangxi, Jiujiang, China
| | - Haiyang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingjuan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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15
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Liu B, Qian J, Zhao R, Yang Q, Wu K, Zhao H, Feng Z, Dong J. Spatio-Temporal Variation and Its Driving Forces of Soil Organic Carbon along an Urban-Rural Gradient: A Case Study of Beijing. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15201. [PMID: 36429919 PMCID: PMC9690215 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rapid urbanization has reshaped land cover and the ecological environment, potentially improving or deteriorating soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the response of SOC to urbanization has not yet been fully exploited. Herein, by using the land-use transfer matrix, the Sen & Mann-Kendall tests, the Hurst index, and a geographical and temporal weighted regression (GTWR) model, as well as an urban-rural gradient perspective, we assessed the dynamic response of SOC to Beijing's urbanization from 2001 to2015 and identified the main drivers. The results found that SOC stock decreased by 7651.50 t C during the study period. SOC density varied significantly along an urban-rural gradient, with high value areas mainly being located in remote mountainous rural areas and low value areas mainly being located in urban areas on the plains. There was an uneven variation in SOC density across the urban-rural gradient, with suburban areas (25-40 km away from urban cores) losing the most SOC density while urban areas and rural areas remained relatively unchanged. GTWR model revealed the spatio-temporal non-flat stability of various driving forces. Precipitation, the proportion of forest, the proportion of grassland, the population, distance to the urban center, the slope, and the silt content are the main factors related to SOC stock change. As a result, we suggest policy makers reconceptualize the uneven variation in the SOC between urban and rural areas, emphasize suburban areas as a target for controlling SOC loss, and take into consideration the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the factors influencing SOC stock when evaluating policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingrui Liu
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jiacheng Qian
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Ran Zhao
- College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Qijun Yang
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
- Department of Soil System Science, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Kening Wu
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Huafu Zhao
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Zhe Feng
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Land Consolidation, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Jianhui Dong
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
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16
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Smith AC, Harrison PA, Leach NJ, Godfray HCJ, Hall JW, Jones SM, Gall SS, Obersteiner M. Sustainable pathways towards climate and biodiversity goals in the UK: the importance of managing land-use synergies and trade-offs. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2022; 18:521-538. [PMID: 36405346 PMCID: PMC9640857 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-022-01242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Agricultural and environmental policies are being fundamentally reviewed and redesigned in the UK following its exit from the European Union. The UK government and the Devolved Administrations recognise that current land use is not sustainable and that there is now an unprecedented opportunity to define a better land strategy that responds fully to the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development. This paper presents evidence from three pathways (current trends, sustainable medium ambition, and sustainable high ambition) to mid-century that were co-created with UK policymakers. The pathways were applied to a national integrated food and land-use model (the FABLE calculator) to explore potential synergies and trade-offs between achieving multiple sustainability targets under limited land availability and constraints to balance food supply and demand at national and global levels. Results show that under the Current Trends pathway all unprotected open natural land would be converted to urban, agriculture and afforested land, with the consequence that from 2030 onwards tree planting targets could not be met. In contrast, the two sustainable pathways illustrate how dietary change, agricultural productivity improvements and waste reduction can free up land for nature recovery and carbon sequestration. This enables a transition to a sustainable food and land-use system that provides a net carbon sink with up to 44% of land able to support biodiversity conservation. We highlight key trade-offs and synergies, which are important to consider for designing and implementing emerging national policies. These include the strong dependence of climate, food and biodiversity targets on dietary shifts, sustainable improvements in agricultural productivity, improved land-use design for protecting and restoring nature, and rapid reductions in food loss and waste. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11625-022-01242-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison C. Smith
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | - Paula A. Harrison
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP UK
| | - Nicholas J. Leach
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | | | - Jim W. Hall
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
- Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD UK
| | - Sarah M. Jones
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP UK
- Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YW UK
| | - Sarah S. Gall
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
| | - Michael Obersteiner
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY UK
- Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD UK
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17
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Loss of grazing by large mammalian herbivores can destabilize the soil carbon pool. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2211317119. [PMID: 36252005 PMCID: PMC9618051 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211317119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Grazing by mammalian herbivores can be a climate mitigation strategy as it influences the size and stability of a large soil carbon (soil-C) pool (more than 500 Pg C in the world's grasslands, steppes, and savannas). With continuing declines in the numbers of large mammalian herbivores, the resultant loss in grazer functions can be consequential for this soil-C pool and ultimately for the global carbon cycle. While herbivore effects on the size of the soil-C pool and the conditions under which they lead to gain or loss in soil-C are becoming increasingly clear, their effect on the equally important aspect of stability of soil-C remains unknown. We used a replicated long-term field experiment in the Trans-Himalayan grazing ecosystem to evaluate the consequences of herbivore exclusion on interannual fluctuations in soil-C (2006 to 2021). Interannual fluctuations in soil-C and soil-N were 30 to 40% higher after herbivore exclusion than under grazing. Structural equation modeling suggested that grazing appears to mediate the stabilizing versus destabilizing influences of nitrogen (N) on soil-C. This may explain why N addition stimulates soil-C loss in the absence of herbivores around the world. Herbivore loss, and the consequent decline in grazer functions, can therefore undermine the stability of soil-C. Soil-C is not inert but a very dynamic pool. It can provide nature-based climate solutions by conserving and restoring a functional role of large mammalian herbivores that extends to the stoichiometric coupling between soil-C and soil-N.
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18
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Gao Y, He Z, Zhu X, Chen L, Du J. Light thinning can improve soil water availability and water holding capacity of plantations in alpine mountains. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1032057. [PMID: 36311144 PMCID: PMC9597321 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1032057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of large-scale forest plantations in the arid and semi-arid area of the Qilian Mountains in China has effectively protected water and soil resources and enhanced carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems. However, the effects of different management practices in these plantations on soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water availability (SWA) are uncertain in this fragile ecosystem. Here, we investigated the effects of no thinning (NT), light thinning (LT, 20% thinning intensity), and heavy thinning (HT, 40% thinning intensity) on SWHC and SWA in different soil depths of a forest plantation, and compared them to those in a natural Picea crassifolia forest (NF). Our results revealed that at low soil water suction stage, SWHC in the plantations (LT, HT, and NT) was greater in the topsoil layer (0-40 cm) than that in the NF site, while SWHC in the subsoil layer (40-80 cm) in NF was significantly greater than that in the thinning stands. At medium and high-water suction stage, SWHC in LT and NF stands was greater than that in HT and NT. Soil water characteristic curves fitted by VG model showed that the relative change in soil water content in LT topsoil layer was the smallest and SWHC was greatest. Changes in soil physicochemical properties included higher bulk density and lower total porosity, which reduced the number of macropores in the soil and affected SWHC. The bulk density, total porosity, silt content, and field capacity were the main factors jointly affecting SWA. High planting density was the main reason for the low SWA and SWHC in NT, but this can be alleviated by stand thinning. Overall, 20% thinning intensity (light intensity thinning) may be an effective forest management practice to optimize SWHC and SWA in P. crassifolia plantations to alleviate soil water deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhibin He
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xi Zhu
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Longfei Chen
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jun Du
- Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydrology of Inland River Basin, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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19
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Zhou Z, Tian F, Zhao X, Zhang K, Han S. Short-term but not long-term perennial mugwort cropping increases soil organic carbon in Northern China Plain. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:975169. [PMID: 36299779 PMCID: PMC9589220 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.975169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Perennial cropping has been an alternative land use type due to its widely accepted role in increasing soil carbon sequestration. However, how soil organic carbon (SOC) changes and its underlying mechanisms under different cropping years are still elusive. A chronosequence (0-, 3-, 6-, 20-year) of perennial mugwort cropping was chosen to explore the SOC dynamics and the underlying mechanisms in agricultural soils of Northern China Plain. The results revealed that SOC first increased and then decreased along the 20-year chronosequence. The similar patterns were also found in soil properties (including soil ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen and phosphorus) and two C-degrading hydrolytic enzyme activities (i.e., α-glucosidase and β-glucosidase). The path analysis demonstrated that soil ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, and plant biomass affected SOC primarily through the indirect impacts on soil pH, total phosphorus availability, and C-degrading hydrolytic enzyme activities. In addition, the contributions of soil properties are greater than those of biotic factors (plant biomass) to changes in SOC across the four mugwort cropping years. Nevertheless, the biotic factors may play more important roles in regulating SOC than abiotic factors in the long run. Moreover, SOC reached its maximum and was equaled to that under the conventional rotation when cropping mugwort for 7.44 and 14.88 years, respectively, which has critical implications for sustainable C sequestration of agricultural soils in Northern China Plain. Our observations suggest that short-term but not long-term perennial mugwort cropping is an alternative practice benefiting soil C sequestration and achieving the Carbon Neutrality goal in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Zhou
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, China
- Taihang Mountain Forest Pests Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Linzhou, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Furong Tian
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Kunpeng Zhang
- School of Biological and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, China
- Taihang Mountain Forest Pests Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Linzhou, China
| | - Shijie Han
- International Joint Research Laboratory for Global Change Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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20
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Optimizing process-based models to predict current and future soil organic carbon stocks at high-resolution. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10824. [PMID: 35752734 PMCID: PMC9233666 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14224-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
From hillslope to small catchment scales (< 50 km2), soil carbon management and mitigation policies rely on estimates and projections of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Here we apply a process-based modeling approach that parameterizes the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model with SOC measurements and remotely sensed environmental data from the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in SW Idaho, USA. Calibrating model parameters reduced error between simulated and observed SOC stocks by 25%, relative to the initial parameter estimates and better captured local gradients in climate and productivity. The calibrated parameter ensemble was used to produce spatially continuous, high-resolution (10 m2) estimates of stocks and associated uncertainties of litter, microbial biomass, particulate, and protected SOC pools across the complex landscape. Subsequent projections of SOC response to idealized environmental disturbances illustrate the spatial complexity of potential SOC vulnerabilities across the watershed. Parametric uncertainty generated physicochemically protected soil C stocks that varied by a mean factor of 4.4 × across individual locations in the watershed and a − 14.9 to + 20.4% range in potential SOC stock response to idealized disturbances, illustrating the need for additional measurements of soil carbon fractions and their turnover time to improve confidence in the MIMICS simulations of SOC dynamics.
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Beillouin D, Demenois J, Cardinael R, Berre D, Corbeels M, Fallot A, Boyer A, Feder F. A global database of land management, land-use change and climate change effects on soil organic carbon. Sci Data 2022; 9:228. [PMID: 35610235 PMCID: PMC9130507 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01318-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) in natural and cultivated ecosystems is proposed as a natural climate solution to limit global warming. SOC dynamics is driven by numerous factors such as land-use change, land management and climate change. The amount of additional carbon potentially stored in the soil is the subject of much debate in the scientific community. We present a global database compiling the results of 217 meta-analyses analyzing the effects of land management, land-use change and climate change on SOC. We report a total of 15,857 effect sizes, 6,550 directly related to soil carbon, and 9,307 related to other associated soil or plant variables. The database further synthesizes results of 13,632 unique primary studies across more than 150 countries that were used in the meta-analyses. Meta-analyses and their effect sizes and were classified by type of intervention and land use, outcomes, country and region. This database helps to understand the drivers of SOC sequestration, the associated co-benefits and potential drawbacks, and is a useful tool to guide future global climate change policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Beillouin
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, F-34398, Montpellier, France.
- HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Julien Demenois
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Rémi Cardinael
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - David Berre
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- CIRDES, USPAE, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Marc Corbeels
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, F-34398, Montpellier, France
- IITA, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Abigail Fallot
- CIRAD, UMR SENS, Montpellier, France
- SENS, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Annie Boyer
- CIRAD, DGDRS, DIST, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Feder
- CIRAD, UPR Recyclage et Risque, Montpellier, France
- Recyclage et Risque, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
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