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Agronomy
Special Issues
Advances in Soil Management and Ecological Restoration
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Advances in Soil Management and Ecological Restoration

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 930

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Youjin Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Ecological Civilization Construction and Forestry Development, Co-Innovation Center of Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: soil erosion; soil management; soil and water conservation and ecological restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change exacerbates global threats including soil degradation, droughts, wildfires, and unpredictable precipitation, endangering ecosystems and food security. Historical poor land management has further intensified these issues. In this context of global change, soil management for sustainable agriculture has become a critical field of study, and there is a current and urgent need for agronomic research in this area.

This Special Issue calls for innovative research on soil management and ecological restoration to strengthen climate resilience. We welcome studies on soil management across diverse ecosystems, including farmland, grassland, and forests. Key topics of interest cover carbon sequestration, erosion control, microbial ecology, and rehabilitation after disturbances. We seek cutting-edge studies emphasizing AI-assisted soil monitoring, drought-adapted microbial consortia, biochar for carbon storage, root-based restoration, predictive resilience modeling, and nature-based solutions. Interdisciplinary contributions integrating advanced technology with traditional ecological knowledge are highly encouraged.

Dr. Youjin Yan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • climate resilience
  • sustainable soil management
  • ecological restoration
  • nature-based solutions
  • remote sensing
  • AI-assisted

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1716 KB  
Article
Residue Characteristics and Ecological Risks of Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid in a Karst Watershed: A Case Study of the Yangmei River Sub-Basin
by You Zhang, Youjin Yan, Quanhou Dai, Zhengchi Shi, Hong Zhou and Zeyin Hu
Agronomy 2025, 15(11), 2636; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15112636 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 327
Abstract
This study investigates the residue characteristics and potential ecological risks of glyphosate (GLY) and its primary metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in the karst region, specifically focusing on the Yangmei River sub-basin. Water samples from the river were collected in April, June, August, and [...] Read more.
This study investigates the residue characteristics and potential ecological risks of glyphosate (GLY) and its primary metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in the karst region, specifically focusing on the Yangmei River sub-basin. Water samples from the river were collected in April, June, August, and October of 2023, alongside 20 soil samples taken based on agricultural tillage practices. The residue characteristics of GLY and AMPA were analyzed, and their potential ecological risks were assessed using the Risk Quotient (RQ) method. The results indicated that the residues of GLY and AMPA in the soil of the Yangmei River basin exhibited spatial heterogeneity. The GLY content in the soil ranged from non-detectable (nd) to 888.85 μg/kg, with an average concentration of 262.53 μg/kg. The AMPA content varied from 47.90 to 2102.10 μg/kg, with an average of 465.52 μg/kg. Glyphosate pollution in the soil of the Yangmei River basin was determined to pose a moderate ecological risk. In the water of the Yangmei River basin, GLY concentrations ranged from 0 to 204.0 μg/L, with an average of 50.91 μg/L, while AMPA concentrations varied from 0 to 127.26 μg/L, averaging 26.51 μg/L. The highest GLY concentration was recorded in June, with detection rates for GLY being higher in April and June. The spatial distribution of GLY and AMPA was uneven. Glyphosate pollution in the water environment of the Yangmei River basin also presents a moderate ecological risk. Moreover, glyphosate has negatively impacted the aquatic environment, and its effects on water eutrophication should not be overlooked in efforts to prevent and control this phenomenon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Management and Ecological Restoration)
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Review

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34 pages, 1639 KB  
Review
From Microbial Functions to Measurable Indicators: A Framework for Predicting Grassland Productivity and Stability
by Yishu Yang, Xing Zhang, Xiaoxuan Du, Yuchuan Fan and Jie Gao
Agronomy 2025, 15(12), 2765; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122765 - 29 Nov 2025
Viewed by 417
Abstract
Grassland ecosystems play a key role in global carbon and nutrient cycling, yet their productivity is increasingly affected by changing climate, land use, and nutrient inputs. Recent studies have identified plant–microbe interactions as a crucial biological mechanism regulating these changes. However, comprehensive research [...] Read more.
Grassland ecosystems play a key role in global carbon and nutrient cycling, yet their productivity is increasingly affected by changing climate, land use, and nutrient inputs. Recent studies have identified plant–microbe interactions as a crucial biological mechanism regulating these changes. However, comprehensive research across different biomes remains insufficient. This review focuses on the functional characteristics and physiological processes of microorganisms to explore how they influence grassland productivity and stability in the context of global change, and proposes quantifiable indicators to improve model predictions. By integrating evidence from alpine, temperate, and arid grasslands, we summarize how microbial carbon use efficiency(CUE), nutrient cycling enzyme activity, and symbiotic capabilities affect plant nutrient acquisition, carbon allocation, and stress resistance. Meta-analytical data indicate that microbial processes can explain a substantial proportion of productivity variation beyond climatic and edaphic factors. We further outline methodological progress in linking molecular mechanisms with ecosystem dynamics through multi-omics, stable isotope tracing, and structural equation modeling. This synthesis highlights that incorporating microbial mechanisms into grassland productivity frameworks enhances predictive accuracy and provides an empirical basis for sustainable management. Across global grasslands, microbial processes account for roughly 40–50% of the explained variance in productivity beyond abiotic drivers, underscoring their predictive value in ecosystem models. Thes study underscores the broader significance of recognizing soil microbes as active drivers of ecosystem function, offering a biological foundation for carbon sequestration and grassland restoration strategies under global environmental change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Soil Management and Ecological Restoration)
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