Soil Systems, Volume 9, Issue 2

Soil is a key resource for agricultural production and, consequently, for food supply and sustainable development [...]

Microplastic contamination in agricultural soils has become a growing concern due to its potential impact on soil quality and ecosystem health. This study aimed to quantify the abundance, particle shape ratio, and examine the vertical distribution of...

Labile organic carbon (OC), a dynamic component of soil organic carbon (SOC), is essential for improving soil health, fertility, and crop productivity, particularly when organic and inorganic amendments are combined. However, limited research exists...

Rice sustains a large global population, making its sustainable production vital for food security. Alternate wetting-and-drying (AWD) irrigation offers a promising approach to reducing water use in rice paddies but can impact grain yields. Plant gro...

Wind storm events are erosive processes in susceptible soil areas, resulting in severe land degradation. Environmental magnetism methods offer a practical approach to assessing soil redistribution by wind and water. In this study, we applied magnetic...

In sub-Saharan Africa, urban market gardening is characterized by the intensive use of chemical inputs, which could have adverse effects on soil health. This study therefore aimed to assess the impact of urban market gardening on soil health. Topsoil...

This study evaluated the combined application of biochar (BC) and Spirulina platensis (SP) as a sustainable strategy to improve soil quality and salinity tolerance in mint (Mentha longifolia L.) cultivated in sandy soils. A pot experiment was conduct...

This study investigated soil salinization processes in the Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan by comparing key soil parameters—namely, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) under ir...

Soil pollution is a global threat that seriously affects biodiversity in (agro)ecosystems and may compromise water and food quality. Therefore, the ability of tree species (Populus tremula, Salix caprea, and Betula pendula) to accumulate and phytoext...

The sustainability of agricultural production and the conservation of tropical ecosystems face significant challenges due to processes such as climate change and soil degradation. This study evaluated the impacts of three biofertilizers—biol (T02), v...

As we delve deeper into the complexities of soil properties and processes, we must consider traditional methodologies and innovative approaches that take advantage of advances in soil management and conservation processes [...]

Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a critical crop for food security and economic growth in Tsangano and Angónia Districts, Central Mozambique. Challenges like inconsistent yields and variable quality are often linked to suboptimal soil condi...

Creation of alkaline bulk layers from mining waste is economically viable way to prevent the migration of toxic metals down the soil profile and revegetate heavy polluted soils over large areas. We have conducted perennial experiments on the revegeta...

Contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceuticals (PhACs), are continuously introduced into agro-ecosystems through irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW). While this practice is increasingly common in drought regions, only limited informat...

Glauconite, a diagenetic sedimentary phyllosilicate mineral, holds significant importance in soil science, as it is commonly used in soil characterization (as in greensands) and can be identified in the field by its color and morphology. It is a pote...

Tropical acidic soils exhibit inherently low fertility and reduced microbial activity, driven by low pH and accelerated organic matter mineralization, phosphorus (P) fixation, and aluminum (Al³⁺) and iron (Fe³⁺) toxicity. These constraints limit agri...

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are the most important indicators of environmental pollution and represent a potential risk to the ecology and human health in industrial regions. Eight potentially toxic elements (Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cd, As) in...

Controlled-release fertilizers contain polymeric coatings that modify the dynamics of phosphorus (P) release in soil. This study aimed to characterize P release from physical mixtures between conventional and controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs), qu...

Soil health is an important concept in promoting sustainable agriculture and food security, yet the absence of universally accepted benchmarks limits its utility in assessing soil function. This study explored the use of Conservation Reserve Program...

Potassium chloride (KCl) is the main source of potassium (K) in Brazilian agriculture, but its high import dependency and the need for split applications increase costs and expose the system to supply and efficiency risks. Understanding the availabil...

Straw return enhances soil biological properties by increasing carbon and energy availability, thereby improving conditions for microbial communities. However, the introduction of beneficial bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis, can further shape the...

Improving the fertility status of nutrient-depleted soils is critical to achieving food security. The negative effects of chemical fertilizers on soils necessitate the global quest for eco-friendly, effective, and sustainable alternatives. This work...

Accurate microtopography data are an important input for characterizing small-scale rill erosion and its progression following disturbances. UAV–LiDAR systems are increasingly accessible and have successfully been used to measure microtopograph...

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, but its limited availability in calcareous soils remains a major constraint to crop nutrition. Treated wastewater (TWW) offers a sustainable irrigation source in arid regions, enhancing water supply and c...

Microplastic pollution in soils and surface waters is a growing environmental concern, yet the mechanisms governing transport by overland flow remain unclear. This study investigated the influence of soil texture and slope gradient on the movement of...

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub.) is a significant summer legume used as food for both humans and livestock. In Saudi Arabia, the root nodule bacteria of guar have not been studied. The present work investigated the phenotypic and genetic diver...

Biochar is a stabilised, carbon-rich material created when biomass is heated to temperatures usually between 450 and 550 °C, under low-oxygen concentrations. This study evaluated the effectiveness of sawdust, cocoa pod ash and rice husk biochars...

Pyrite-bearing waste rock from legacy gold mines is a source of elevated arsenic, sulfate, and iron in the surrounding environments due to leaching. Waste rock in environments that experience cold winters is of particular concern because freeze&ndash...

Soil salinity affects crop growth and production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. The interactions between salt ions and soil particles vary depending on soil texture, mineralogy, and ion composition. The relationship between s...

Currently, increasing anthropogenic pressure and overexploitation expose soils to various forms of degradation, including contamination, erosion, and sealing. Soil contamination, primarily caused by industrial processes, agricultural practices (such...

Microplastics (MP) are widespread pollutants that pose a risk to soil ecosystems globally, especially in agricultural soils. This study introduces a method to extract and identify MP in Brazilian tropical soils, targeting debris of low-density polyet...

Water stress and nutrient stress are major limiting factors affecting crop productivity. Biochar-based organic fertilizers improve soil nutrient availability, water use efficiency (WUE), and crop yields under these adverse conditions. This study inve...

Application of municipal reclaimed water to forests for water reclamation is a pragmatic approach that provides water and nutrients to soil and lowers the liability of reclaimed water disposal, yet little is known about the long-term impacts of recla...

Urban green spaces are important components of city spaces that are vulnerable to degradation in soil–water–climate processes. This vulnerability is exacerbated by current climate change and park usage density. This study examines the dyn...

Heavy metal(loid) (HM) contamination in soils from smelting activities poses significant environmental and public health risks, as well as disruptions in microbial community dynamics and HM resistance gene profiles. This study investigates the microb...

Phytoremediation has been reported as a more energy-efficient, and therefore cost-effective, method of environmental restoration compared to traditional remediation methods for heavy-metal-contaminated soils. Biochar has been shown to have variable e...

Salinity and water scarcity are among the major environmental challenges requiring the use of non-conventional water sources and the adoption of salt-tolerant crops. We assessed the impact of irrigation with different concentrations of NaCl: 50 mM an...