Soil Systems, Volume 3, Issue 2

Soil organic matter (SOM) is unevenly distributed in arable fields in undulated landscapes, but the chemical composition resulting from their turnover, transport and deposition processes is insufficiently known. Therefore, we aimed at disclosing the...

In order to ensure a soil system’s sustained ability to carry out ecosystem services, indicators that assess soil health are needed. We examined the capacity of nematode maturity index (MI), structure index (SI), enrichment index (EI), and trop...

Soil is fundamental for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, but our knowledge about soil organisms and the habitat they provide (shortly: Soil biodiversity) is poorly developed. For instance, the European Atlas of Soil Biodiversity and the Glo...

The intensity and frequency of ecosystem disturbances are shifting with climate change, and multiple disturbances in close succession have the potential to compound their independent effects and strongly alter ecosystem structure and function. In thi...

Batch kinetic experiments were carried out to quantify and describe the sorption/desorption of Cu and Pb in ten soils that exhibited a wide range of properties. Sorption isotherms were quantified using the Langmuir equation, whereas modeling of sorpt...

We examined the variations in microfungal communities from different surface types (cyanobacterial crusts, lichen-dominated crusts, and noncrusted bare surface) at two different positions—north-oriented slope and sun-exposed plain in the Tabern...

Digital soil maps can be used to depict the ability of soil to fulfill certain functions. Digital maps offer reliable information that can be used in spatial planning programs. Several broad types of data mining approaches through Digital Soil Mappin...

Salinization of irrigated lands is a major challenge towards supplying required food and feed to meet the needs of an increasing global population. In this study, the changes in soil salinity and several other chemical properties were investigated in...

Arid and semi-arid landscapes often show a patchwork of bare and vegetated spaces. Their heterogeneous patterns can be of natural origin, but may also indicate soil degradation. This study investigates the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery...

Extending digital soil mapping to the mapping of soil functions that can support end-user decisions comes to coupling a digital soil mapping procedure and a soil function assessment method. This can be done following various possible inference trajec...

Short rotation coppices (SRC) with poplar on arable soils constitute no-till management in combination with a changed litter quality compared to annual crops. Both tillage and litter quality impact soil organic matter (SOM) composition, but little is...

This study examines litter accumulation and associated soil fertility islands under kūpaoa (Dubautia menziesii) shrubs, common at high elevations in Haleakalā National Park (Maui, Hawai’i). The main purposes were to: (i) Analyze chemical and ph...

Numerical modelling of water flow allows for the prediction of rainwater partitioning into evaporation, deep drainage, and transpiration for different seasonal crop and soil type scenarios. We proposed and tested a single indicator for drainage estim...

The agricultural landscape of French Guiana (Amazonia) is expected to undergo substantial change as a result of rapid population growth in the region. Such changes in the landscape will lead to the conversion of tropical forests into land destined fo...

Grapevine cane and stalks were considered for pyrolysis at 400 to 700 °C to produce biochar for increasing the water holding capacity of vineyard soil. Feedstocks were pyrolysed using a continuous feed reactor and the resulting biochars characterized...

Most of our terrestrial carbon (C) storage occurs in soils as organic C derived from living organisms. Therefore, the fate of soil organic C (SOC) in response to changes in climate, land use, and management is of great concern. Here we provide a unif...

Chars intended for use as soil amendment (“biochars”) vary greatly in their chemical and physical properties. In the present study, 19 Canadian temperate wood feedstocks were charred across a range of pyrolysis temperatures from 300&ndash...

Evidence of sulfate input and reduction in coastal freshwater wetlands is often visible in the black iron monosulfide (FeS) complexes that form in iron rich reducing sediments. Using a modified Indicator of Reduction in Soils (IRIS) method, digital i...

Biochar application has improved soil properties contributing to crop growth. This study evaluates the effect of biochar amount on soil physical, chemical and hydraulic properties in sandy (SD) and clay loam (CL) soils under tropical conditions. An i...

Fungi and bacteria play a central role in the cycling of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), which has been frequently assessed by manipulating their abundance in soil with the application of fungicides and bactericides. We conducted a meta-analysis using 6...