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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Soils".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 27144

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yinglong Chen

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Guest Editor

The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: plant physiology; rhizosphere interactions; root system architecture and functions; mycorrhizal technology and applications; crop growth and physiology in stressed environments; plant root development, plant–soil–microbe interactions; pre-breeding; phenotyping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Masanori Saito

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Guest Editor

Graduate School of Agriculture, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Interests: mycorrhiza; soil microbiology; environmental impacts; LCA

Dr. Etelvino Henrique Novotny

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Guest Editor

Embrapa Soils, Rua Jardim Botânico, 1024 CEP, Rio de Janeiro RJ 22460-000, Brazil
Interests: humic substances; biochar; soil carbon

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As global warming progresses, there are concerns about the decline in agricultural productivity and soil degradation. On the other hand, the demand for food is increasing as the population grows, and the maintenance and enhancement of soil productivity to support this demand is becoming an important issue at the global level.

Soil carbon, in particular, plays a crucial role not only in the maintenance of soil fertility but also as a global carbon sink. Soil carbon is a complex product resulting from various microbial processes, and it is fragile entity vulnerable to inappropriate human activity and global climate change. Soil microbes with efficient carbon use help reduce carbon losses and increase carbon storage. In this view, it is essential to understand dynamic nature of soil carbon and microbial processes in agricultural ecosystems.

To allow a deeper understanding of the dynamics of soil carbon and microbial processes affecting it, this Special Issue will focus on various aspects of carbon cycling and its related microbial processes in agricultural ecosystem – from the molecular level to regional or global scales. Topics of interest issue include the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil carbon, carbon balance, characteristics of soil organic carbon, carbon dynamics in plant–soil system, and various approaches to management for maintenance of soil carbon and for carbon sequestration.

Dr. Yinglong Chen
Prof. Dr. Masanori Saito
Dr. Etelvino Henrique Novotny
Guest Editors

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Keywords

agriculture ecosystem
carbon cycling
carbon flow
carbon sequestration
carbon spatiotemporal dynamics
carbon use efficiency
green house gas
global warming
humus
rhizodeposition
rhizosphere
soil microbial respiration
soil degradation
soil management
soil biota

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 180 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem

by Masanori Saito, Etelvino Henrique Novotny and Yinglong Chen

Agriculture 2023, 13(9), 1785; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13091785 - 9 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 798

Abstract

As global warming progresses, concerns also arise regarding the decline in agricultural productivity and soil degradation [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 2042 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal and Spatial Variations in Soil Elemental Stoichiometry Coupled with Alterations in Agricultural Land Use Types in the Taihu Lake Basin

by Chonggang Liu, Jiangye Li, Wei Sun, Yan Gao, Zhuyun Yu, Yue Dong and Pingxing Li

Agriculture 2023, 13(2), 484; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13020484 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1521

Abstract

Soil elemental stoichiometry, expressed as the ratios of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), regulates the biogeochemical processes of elements in terrestrial ecosystems. Generally, the soil C:N:P stoichiometry characteristics of agricultural ecosystems may be different from those of natural ecosystems, with distinct temporal and spatial variations along with the alterations of agricultural land use types (LUTs). The balance of soil C, N, and P reflected by their stoichiometry is primarily important to microbial activity and sustainable agricultural development. However, information on soil stoichiometric changes after long-term alterations in land use is still lacking. We characterized the temporal and spatial changes in soil elemental stoichiometry coupled with alterations in agricultural LUTs in the Taihu Lake basin. By using the ArcGIS method and meta-data analysis, our results showed that the C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios of agricultural soil in the Taihu Lake basin were much lower than the well-constrained values based on samples from forest, shrubland, and grassland at a global scale. Generally, these elemental ratios in soils increased from the 1980s to the 2000s, after experiencing changes from agricultural to other land use. The soil C:N:P stoichiometry may have maintained the increasing trend according to the meta-data analysis from the 341 peer-reviewed publications since 2010. Nevertheless, different regions showed inconsistent change patterns, with the Tianmu Mountain area surrounding the downstream of the Taihu Lake basin experiencing a reduction in those ratios. The changes in LUTs and their corresponding management practices were the major drivers shaping the spatial and temporal distributions of soil C:N, C:P, and N:P. Paddy soil generally achieved higher C sequestration potential due to more straw input and a more rapid transfer of straw C into soil C in the upstream of the Taihu Lake basin than other land use types. These results provide valuable information for the agricultural system of intensive cultivation on how their soil elemental stoichiometry characteristics vary temporally and spatially due to the alteration of agricultural land use types. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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20 pages, 21582 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Altered Organic Matter Chemical Functional Groups and Bacterial Community Composition Promote Crop Yield under Integrated Soil–Crop Management System

by Qi Li, Amit Kumar, Zhenwei Song, Qiang Gao, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jing Tian and Fusuo Zhang

Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010134 - 4 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3012

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural production is essential to ensure an adequate food supply, and optimal farm management is critical to improve soil quality and the sustainability of agroecosystems. Integrated soil–crop management based on crop models and nutrient management designs has proven useful in increasing yields. However, studies on its effects on the chemical composition of soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial community composition, as well as their linkage with crop yield, are lacking. Here, we investigated the changes in SOC content, its chemical functional groups, and bacterial communities, as well as their association with crop yield under different farmland management based on four farmland management field trials over 12 years (i.e., FP: farmer practice; IP: improved farmer practice; HY: high-yield system; and ISSM: integrated soil–crop system management). The crop yield increased by 4.1–9.4% and SOC content increased by 15–87% in ISSM compared to other farmland management systems. The increased proportion of Methoxy C and O-alkyl C functional groups with a low ratio of Alkyl C/O-alkyl C, but high Aliphatic C/Aromatic C in ISSM hints toward slow SOC decomposition and high soil C quality. The relative abundances of r-strategists (e.g., Firmicutes, Myxobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) was highest under the ISSM. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed highly complex bacterial communities under ISSM, with greater positive links with labile SOC functional groups. The soil fertility index was the main factor fueling crop yields, as it increased with the relative abundance of r-strategists and SOC content. Our results indicated that crop yield advantages in ISSM were linked to the high C quality and shifts in bacterial composition toward r-strategists by mediating nutrient cycling and soil fertility, thereby contributing to sustainability in cropping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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17 pages, 2585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Patterns and Influencing Factors of Agriculture Methane Emissions in China

by Guofeng Wang, Pu Liu, Jinmiao Hu and Fan Zhang

Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1573; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101573 - 29 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2016

Abstract

Explaining the methane emission pattern of Chinese agriculture and the influencing factors of its spatiotemporal differentiation is of great theoretical and practical significance for carbon neutrality. This paper uses the IPCC coefficient method to measure and analyze the spatial and temporal differentiation characteristics of agricultural methane emission, clarify the dynamic evolution trend of the kernel density function, and reveal the key influencing factors of agricultural methane emission with geographical detectors. The results show that China’s agricultural methane emissions showed a first increasing and then declining trend. Agricultural methane emissions decreased from 21.4587 million tons to 17.6864 million tons, with an upward trend from 2000 to 2005, a significant decline in 2006, a slow change from 2007 to 2015, and a significant decline from 2015 to 2019. In addition, the emissions pattern of the three major grain functional areas is characteristic; in 2019, agricultural methane emissions from main producing area, main sales area, and balance area were 10.8406 million tons, 1.2471 million tons, and 5.599 million tons, respectively. The main grain producing area is the main area of methane emissions, and the emission pattern will not change in the short term. The variability of grain functional areas is the decisive factor for the difference in agricultural methane emissions. The state of industrial structure is the key influencing factor for adjusting the spatial distribution—the explanatory power of the industrial structure to the main producing areas reached 0.549; the level of agricultural development is the most core influencing factor of the spatial pattern of the main grain sales area—the explanatory power reached 0.292; and the level of industrialization and the industrial structure are the core influencing factors of the spatial pattern of the balance area—the explanatory power reached 0.545 and 0.479, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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18 pages, 1874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Autotrophic Bacterial Community Structure and Carbon Utilization Are Regulated by Soil Disturbance—The Case of a 19-Year Field Study

by Chang Liu, Junhong Xie, Zhuzhu Luo, Liqun Cai and Lingling Li

Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091415 - 8 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1919

Abstract

The roles of bacterial communities in the health of soil microenvironments can be more adequately defined through longer-term soil management options. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) fixation by autotrophic bacteria is a principal factor in soil carbon cycles. However, the information is limited to how conservation tillage practices alter soil physiochemical properties, autotrophic bacterial communities, and microbial catabolic diversity. In this study, we determined the changes in autotrophic bacterial communities and carbon substrate utilization in response to different soil management practices. A replicated field study was established in 2001, with the following soil treatments arranged in a randomized complete block: conventional tillage with crop residue removed (T), conventional tillage with residue incorporated into the soil (TS), no tillage with crop residue removed (NT), and no tillage with residue remaining on the soil surface (NTS). Soils were sampled in 2019 and microbial DNA was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. After the 19-year (2001–2019) treatments, the soils with conservation tillage (NTS and NT) increased the soil’s microbial biomass carbon by 13%, organic carbon by 5%, and total nitrogen by 16% compared to conventional tillage (T and TS). The NTS treatment increased the abundance of the cbbL gene by 53% in the soil compared with the other soil treatments. The cbbL-carrying bacterial community was mainly affiliated with the phylum Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, accounting for 56–85% of the community. Retaining crop residue in the field (NTS and TS) enhanced community-level physiological profiles by 31% and carbon substrate utilization by 32% compared to those without residue retention (T and NT). The 19 years of soil management lead to the conclusion that minimal soil disturbance, coupled with crop residue retention, shaped autotrophic bacterial phylogenetics, modified soil physicochemical properties, and created a microenvironment that favored CO₂-fixing activity and increased soil productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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12 pages, 1676 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Spectroscopic Investigation on the Effects of Biochar and Soluble Phosphorus on Grass Clipping Vermicomposting

by Etelvino Henrique Novotny, Fabiano de Carvalho Balieiro, Ruben Auccaise, Vinícius de Melo Benites and Heitor Luiz da Costa Coutinho

Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071011 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1627

Abstract

Seeking to evaluate the hypothesis that biochar optimises the composting and vermicomposting processes as well as their product quality, we carried out field and greenhouse experiments. Four grass clipping composting treatments (only grass, grass + single superphosphate (SSP), grass + biochar and grass + SSP + biochar) were evaluated. At the end of the maturation period (150 days), the composts were submitted to vermicomposting (Eisenia fetida earthworm) for an additional 90 days. Ordinary fine charcoal was selected due to its low cost (a by-product of charcoal production) and great availability; this is important since the obtained product presents low commercial value. A greater maturity of the organic matter (humification) was observed in the vermicompost treatments compared with the compost-only treatments. The addition of phosphate significantly reduced the pH (from 6.7 to 4.8), doubled the electrical conductivity and inhibited biological activity, resulting in less than 2% of the number of earthworms found in the treatment without phosphate. The addition of soluble phosphate inhibited the humification process, resulting in a less-stable compound with the preservation of labile structures, primarily cellulose. The P species found corroborate these findings because the pyrophosphate conversion from SSP in the absence of biochar may explain the strong acidification and increased electric conductivity. Biochar appears to prevent this conversion, thus mitigating the deleterious effects of SSP and favouring the formation of organic P species from SSP (78.5% of P in organic form with biochar compared to only 12.8% in the treatments without biochar). In short, biochar decreases pyrophosphate formation from SSP, avoiding acidification and salinity; therefore, biochar improves the whole composting and vermicomposting process and product quality. Vermicompost with SSP and biochar should be tested as a soil conditioner on account of its greater proportion of stabilized C and organic P. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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14 pages, 1848 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trichoderma Bio-Fertilizer Decreased C Mineralization in Aggregates on the Southern North China Plain

by Lixia Zhu, Mengmeng Cao, Chengchen Sang, Tingxuan Li, Yanjun Zhang, Yunxia Chang and Lili Li

Agriculture 2022, 12(7), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12071001 - 11 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2128

Abstract

Trichoderma bio-fertilizer is widely used to improve soil fertility and carbon (C) sequestration, but the mechanism for increasing C accumulation remains unclear. In this study, effects of Trichoderma bio-fertilizer on the mineralization of aggregate-associated organic C were investigated in a field experiment with five treatments (bio-fertilizer substitute 0 (CF), 10% (BF10), 20% (BF20), 30% (BF30) and 50% (BF50) chemical fertilizer nitrogen (N)). Aggregate fractions collected by the dry sieving method were used to determine mineralization dynamics of aggregate-associated organic C. The microbial community across aggregate fractions was detected by the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method. The results indicated that Trichoderma bio-fertilizer increased organic C stock across aggregate fractions and bulk soil compared with CF. Cumulative mineralization of aggregate-associated organic C increased with the increasing bio-fertilizer application rate. However, the proportion of organic mineralized C was lower in the BF20 treatment except for <0.053 mm aggregate. Moreover, the PLFAs and fungal PLFA/bacterial PLFA first increased and then decreased with increasing bio-fertilizer application rates. Compared with CF, the increases of bacteria PLFA in >2 mm aggregate were 79.7%, 130.0%, 141.0% and 148.5% in BF10, BF20, BF30 and BF50, respectively. Similarly, the PLFAs in 0.25–2, 0.053–0.25 and <0.053 mm aggregates showed a similar trend to that in >2 mm aggregate. Bio-fertilizer increased the value of fungi PLFA/bacteria PLFA but decreased G+ PLFA/G− PLFA, and BF20 shared the greatest changes. Therefore, appropriate Trichoderma bio-fertilizer application was beneficial to improving soil micro-environment and minimizing risks of soil degradation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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13 pages, 1407 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Storage Potential of Agroforestry System near Brick Kilns in Irrigated Agro-Ecosystem

by Nayab Komal, Qamar uz Zaman, Ghulam Yasin, Saba Nazir, Kamran Ashraf, Muhammad Waqas, Mubeen Ahmad, Ammara Batool, Imran Talib and Yinglong Chen

Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020295 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3148

Abstract

The current study was conducted to estimate the carbon (C) storage status of agroforestry systems, via a non-destructive strategy. A total of 75 plots (0.405 ha each) were selected by adopting a lottery method of random sampling for C stock estimations for soil, trees and crops in the Mandi-Bahauddin district, Punjab, Pakistan. Results revealed that the existing number of trees in selected farm plots varied from 25 to 30 trees/ha. Total mean tree carbon stock ranged from 9.97 to 133 Mg C ha⁻¹, between 5–10 km away from the brick kilns in the study area. The decreasing order in terms of carbon storage potential of trees was Eucalyptus camaldulensis > Syzygium cumin > Popolus ciliata > Acacia nilotica > Ziziphus manritiana > Citrus sinensis > Azadirachtta Indica > Delbergia sisso > Bambusa vulgaris > Melia azadarach > Morus alba. Average soil carbon pools ranged from 10.3–12.5 Mg C ha⁻¹ in the study area. Meanwhile, maximum C stock for wheat (2.08 × 10⁶ Mg C) and rice (1.97 × 10⁶ Mg C) was recorded in the cultivated area of Tehsil Mandi-Bahauddin. The entire ecosystem of the study area had an estimated woody vegetation carbon stock of 68.5 Mg C ha⁻¹ and a soil carbon stock of 10.7 Mg C ha⁻¹. These results highlight that climate-smart agriculture has great potential to lock up more carbon and help in the reduction of CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere, and can be further used in planning policies for executing tree planting agendas on cultivated lands and for planning future carbon sequestration ventures in Pakistan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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10 pages, 2405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Liming and Phosphate Application Influence Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralization Differently in Response to Temperature Regimes in Allophanic Andosols

by Chihiro Matsuoka-Uno, Toru Uno, Ryosuke Tajima, Toyoaki Ito and Masanori Saito

Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020142 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2596

Abstract

Andosols are characterized by high organic matter content and play a significant role in carbon storage. However, they have low phosphorus fertility because of the high phosphate-fixing capacity of active aluminum. For agricultural use of Andosols, it is necessary to ameliorate its poor phosphorus fertility by applying lime and high doses of phosphate fertilizers. The objective of the present study was to clarify how such soil amendments affect the mineralization of soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in allophanic Andosols under different temperature regimes. The soil was treated using combinations of liming and heavy phosphate application, followed by incubation under different temperature conditions. The N mineralization and the soil CO₂ evolution rate were measured periodically. The patterns of N mineralization were analyzed by fitting them to first-order kinetics. Liming increased C and N mineralization irrespective of temperature, and the increase was further enhanced by phosphate application. Kinetic analysis of the N mineralization curve indicated lowering of the activation energy of N mineralization reactions with phosphate application, suggesting that P application may accelerate N mineralization at lower temperatures. These findings provide a basis for developing soil management strategies to reduce the loss of soil organic matter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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14 pages, 2195 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Source and Accumulation of Soil Carbon along Catena Toposequences over 12,000 Years in Three Semi-Natural Miscanthus sinensis Grasslands in Japan

by David S. Howlett, J. Ryan Stewart, Jun Inoue, Masanori Saito, DoKyoung Lee, Hong Wang, Toshihiko Yamada, Aya Nishiwaki, Fabián G. Fernández and Yo Toma

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010088 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2559

Abstract

Miscanthus-dominated semi-natural grasslands in Japan appear to store considerable amounts of soil C. To estimate the long-term effect of Miscanthus vegetation on the accumulation of soil carbon by soil biota degradation in its native range, we measured total soil C from the surface to a 1.2 m depth along a catena toposequence in three annually burned grasslands in Japan: Kawatabi, Soni, and Aso. Soil C stock was estimated using a radiocarbon age and depth model, resulting in a net soil C accumulation rate in the soil. C₄-plant contribution to soil C accumulation was further estimated by δ¹³C of soil C. The range of total soil C varied among the sites (i.e., Kawatabi: 379–638 Mg, Soni: 249–484, and Aso: 372–408 Mg C ha⁻¹). Catena position was a significant factor at Kawatabi and Soni, where the toe slope soil C accumulation exceeded that of the summit. The soil C accumulation rate of the whole horizon in the grasslands, derived C mainly from C₄ plant species, was 0.05 ± 0.02 (Average ± SE), 0.04 ± 0.00, and 0.24 ± 0.04 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Kawatabi, Soni, and Aso, respectively. Potential exists for long-term sequestration of C under M. sinensis, but the difference in the C accumulation rate can be influenced by the catena position and the amount of vegetation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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12 pages, 3230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cover Cropping Impacts Soil Microbial Communities and Functions in Mango Orchards

by Zhiyuan Wei, Quanchao Zeng and Wenfeng Tan

Agriculture 2021, 11(4), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040343 - 12 Apr 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3681

Abstract

Soil microbes play critical roles in nutrient cycling, net primary production, food safety, and climate change in terrestrial ecosystems, yet their responses to cover cropping in agroforestry ecosystems remain unknown. Here, we conducted a field experiment to assess how changes in cover cropping with sown grass strips affect the fruit yields and quality, community composition, and diversity of soil microbial taxa in a mango orchard. The results showed that two-year cover cropping increased mango fruit yields and the contents of soluble solids. Cover cropping enhanced soil fungal diversity rather than soil bacterial diversity. Although cover cropping had no significant effects on soil bacterial diversity, it significantly influenced soil bacterial community compositions. These variations in the structures of soil fungal and bacterial communities were largely driven by soil nitrogen, which positively or negatively affected the relative abundance of both bacterial and fungal taxa. Cover cropping also altered fungal guilds, which enhanced the proportion of pathotrophic fungi and decreased saprotrophic fungi. The increase in fungal diversity and alterations in fungal guilds might be the main factors to consider for increasing mango fruit yields and quality. Our results indicate that cover cropping affects mango fruit yields and quality via alterations in soil fungal diversity, which bridges a critical gap in our understanding of the linkages between soil biodiversity and fruit quality in response to cover cropping in orchard ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Microbial Processes in Agriculture Ecosystem)

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