Soil quality assessments in integrated crop–livestock–forest systems: A review

Integrated crop–livestock–forest is a promising strategy to improve soil quality. It comprises four different integrated farming systems: crop–livestock, crop–forest, forest–livestock and crop–livestock–forest. This work systematically reviewed studies about integrated crop–livestock–forest systems and soil quality. A total of 92 papers were retrieved from the Web of Science—Clarivate Analytics platform, and the following information was analysed: publication year, institution, region of the studied site, type of integrated system, soil type, tillage system, maximum soil depth and the soil quality indicators assessed. Most studies were published in the second half of the 2010s. Brazil is a prominent focus of research about soil quality and integrated crop–livestock–forest systems, with significant contribution from its central and southern regions. The Embrapa was the main publishing institution, present in over one‐third of the studies. Crop–livestock was the most common integrated system, Ferralsols was the most common soil group, and most of the studied soils were clayey. No tillage was the main tillage system. Most studies focused on the topsoil, assessing physical and/or chemical soil quality indicators. More emphasis on biological indicators of soil quality is required, as well as assessments integrating biological, physical and chemical indicators of soil quality. Future works should compare different integrated systems, including assessments deeper in the soil profile, especially in systems with the forest component, and also in sandy and silty soils. Soil quality indicators that have been rarely used should be further tested. Novel indicators should be added to better understand the promotion of soil quality by integrated crop–livestock–forest systems.     

Soil protection for a sustainable future: options for a soil monitoring network for Ireland

The increased recognition of the importance of soil is reflected in the UN Post‐2015 Development Agenda with sustainable development goals that directly and indirectly relate to soil quality and protection. Despite a lack of legally binding legislation for soil protection, the European Commission remains committed to the objective of soil protection. However, the achievement of a legally binding framework for soil protection relies on the implementation of a soil monitoring network (SMN) that can detect changes to soil quality over time. As beneficiaries do not pay for the provision of soil information, the options for soil monitoring are limited. The use of existing data sets should be considered first. Using Ireland as an example, this research explored the opportunities for a SMN for Ireland considering three existing national data sets. The options for a SMN are considered in terms of their spatial and stratified distribution, the parameters to be measured and an economic analysis of the options proposed. This research finds that for Ireland, either a 10 or a 16 km² grid interval stratified by land use and drainage class offers the best potential in relation to the spatial distribution of existing data sets to reflect local data at a national level. With existing data, the stratified SIS data using the 16 km² grid offers the best value for money, with baseline costs for analysis, excluding field costs, of between €706 481 and €2.8 million. Acknowledging the impossibility of measuring all parameters with ideal frequency, this study proposes a two‐tier system for optimized monitoring frequency. Parameters must anticipate future policy requirements. Finally, the implementation of a SMN must be accompanied by standardized methods, defined thresholds and action mandates to maintain soil quality within allowable limits.     

基于能值的鄂尔多斯市水资源生态经济系统可持续发展动态分析

运用能值理论和分析方法,分析了鄂尔多斯市2000-2009年水资源生态经济系统能量流动规律,构建了其能值综合图,计算评价了水资源开发利用状态及其系统可持续发展状况。分析结果表明,鄂尔多斯市经济社会发展主要依靠不可更新资源的投入,且对不可更新资源投入的依赖程度不断增大,水资源投入能值所占比重逐渐减小;鄂尔多斯市在市场贸易中处于明显不利地位,经济发展尚处于高消耗、高增长的发展阶段,工业化水平还有待提高。2000年以后鄂尔多斯市经济系统虽然富有活力和发展潜力,但是随着当地经济发展对不可更新资源的依赖不断增大,系统有向消费型经济系统快速发展的趋势。鄂尔多斯市应加快重点工业产业技术更新和产品升级,延长产业链。     

Evaluation of finger weeder safety and efficacy for intra-row weed removal in irrigated field crops

Increased demand for pesticide-free food and the development of herbicide-resistant weed populations have created a need for non-chemical weed-control tools. A candidate mechanical tool for controlling weeds in the seeding line (intra-row zone) is the finger weeder. This study thus aimed to evaluate the safety and weed-control efficacy of the finger weeder in various irrigated field crops. Eight field trials were conducted in processing tomato, sweet corn, sunflower, cotton, and beetroot over 2 years. The finger weeder treatments were applied as the sole weed-control method (single or double treatments) and in combination with herbicides. A mini meta-analysis was used to evaluate the overall effect of the finger weeder treatments on crop stand and yield and on weed control efficacy. Weed density in the control not treated with herbicides nor a finger weeder ranged between 2 and 62 weeds m⁻². The finger weeder treatments resulted in a significant reduction in weed density, which ranged between 40% and 90%. The weed density following the double finger weeder treatment was not significantly different from that for the conventional herbicide-based treatment (p = 0.32) and could therefore be considered as an effective environmentally friendly alternative. Furthermore, a single FW treatment integrated with herbicide application gave better weed control than the conventional herbicide treatment (p = 0.04). This treatment was safe for the crops with no significant stand (p = 0.19) or yield (p = 0.29) reductions compared to commercial treatment. The results of this study demonstrate the promise of the finger weeder as an effective tool within integrated weed management systems for conventional agro-systems. The tool offers a rational weed-control solution for sustainable systems under irrigation.     

Evaluating the Impact of Irrigation and Drainage Policies on Agricultural Sustainability

Farmers in the Broadview Water District in central Californiahave been improving irrigation practices in response to risingirrigation water prices and reductions in water supply since1989, when incentive policies were first implemented to reducethe volume of subsurface drain water generated in theDistrict. The average salinity of water deliveries hasincreased, over time, as the District has recycled largeamounts of drainage water to achieve regional restrictions ondrainage water discharge. We review irrigation and drainageactivities in Broadview since 1986 with an emphasis on thesustainability of crop production when drainage discharge islimited. Average cotton yields in Broadview have declined inrecent years, both nominally and in comparison with averageyields reported for the large county in which Broadview islocated. Average tomato yields in Broadview have increased inrecent years, but county-wide yields have exceeded Broadviewyields with greater frequency than in the late 1980s. Theseobservations suggest that average crop yields in Broadview maybe starting to reflect the increasing salinity of soil andwater resources, which may be due in part to persistentrestrictions on drainage water discharge.     

水旱轮作对土壤微生物群落构建过程的影响机制

为探究稻田生态系统微生物学机制,采集水旱轮作稻田土壤,并以相同土壤母质下长期淹水的藕田土壤以及旱作的果树土壤为对照,研究了稻田生态系统细菌群落结构以及基于零模型的群落构建机制。结果表明:旱作和水旱轮作两个生态系统,由于频繁耕作以及施肥管理等农业措施形成特定的生态位格局,确定性过程主导群落构建。旱作生态系统下确定性过程占78.6%,随机性过程占10.7%;相对于旱作,由于水旱轮作的淹水条件,土壤肥力积累,水体连通性较好等特性导致内部环境变化缓和,其随机性过程(39.3%)影响增加,确定性过程(50.0%)下降;同理,长期淹水的水生生态系统中随机性群落构建(50.0%)成为主导过程。群落构建影响细菌群落结构和功能,因此随机性生态过程的增强进一步增加了细菌多样性以及物种生态网络的交互度和稳定性,增强了微生物抵抗外部环境扰动的能力,该过程有助于维持农田生态系统功能的稳定性和可持续性。     

Soil Organic Carbon and Soil Physical Characteristics as Affected by Land Uses under Semiarid Irrigated Conditions

ABSTRACT

Rice-Wheat rotation is the dominant land use in the state of Punjab, resulting in over exploitation of ground water resources. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate other land uses that requires less water and are sustainable. The present investigation was planned with four land uses viz., fallow (FLU), rice-wheat (ALU), grasses (GLU) and pear (PLU) with respect to their effect on soil organic carbon and soil physical characteristics in surface and subsurface depth in district Ludhiana, Punjab. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was higher by 10, 30.9 and 24.9% under rice-wheat, grasses, and pear than that under fallow. The grasses showed higher soil moisture characteristics curve (SMCC) and lower bulk density (Db) than that under rice-wheat. The larger mean weight diameter (MWD) were observed under pear, grasses and fallow than that under rice-wheat by 0.21, 0.51 and 0.41 mm, respectively. The saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) was higher in magnitude by 56.1, 55.4 and 28%, respectively under PLU, GLU and FLU over ALU. Of the evaluated land uses, pear and grasses proved to be more sustainable by retaining more moisture, maintaining better soil physical characteristics and SOC under semiarid irrigated conditions in the state on long term gradual response.     

基于生态足迹模型的西部资源型城市可持续发展评价

生态足迹是衡量区域自然资源可持续利用的重要指标。该文运用调整后的生态足迹模型,计算西部9个典型性资源型城市的生态足迹及其生态承载力,并对各城市资源利用程度和生态环境可持续发展状况进行评价与分析。结果表明:西部资源型城市普遍存在生态赤字,表现出较强的不可持续性,而造成这些问题的主要原因就是经济发展对化石能源的高度依赖,使得能源用地的需求量远远大于供给量。最后,文中提出了减少生态足迹需求和增强生态承载力供给的政策建议。