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Agronomy
Special Issues
Water-Carbon Processes and Management in Agronomic and Agroforestry Systems
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Water-Carbon Processes and Management in Agronomic and Agroforestry Systems

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1672

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tianjiao Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: eco-hydrological processes; soil water-holding capacity; vegetation restoration; water balance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaoqing Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: global change and soil carbon and nitrogen cycles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the critical dynamics of water–carbon processes and their management within agronomic and agroforestry systems. It aims to advance our understanding of how water and carbon interactions can be optimized to enhance ecosystem functionality and resilience. This edition invites contributions that explore innovative management strategies and modeling approaches that address the challenges of sustaining water and carbon resources in agricultural and forestry landscapes. We seek original research, reviews, and case studies that detail effective practices and technologies for monitoring, regulating, and enhancing water–carbon coupling in these systems. Contributions should also provide insights into the implications of these processes for climate change mitigation and adaptation in agricultural practices and agroforestry management.

Dr. Tianjiao Feng
Dr. Xiaoqing Cui
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • water management
  • ecological processes
  • sustainable agriculture
  • agroforestry systems
  • ecosystem resilience
  • soil science
  • plant–soil interactions
  • carbon cycling
  • ecosystem services

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 4343 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Trade-Off Analysis of Ecosystem Services in the Caijiachuan Watershed of the Loess Plateau
by Guiyun Song, Tianxing Wei, Qingke Zhu, Huaxing Bi, Jilong Qiu and Junkai Zhang
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1707; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071707 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 180
Abstract
As a typical reforested region of the Loess Plateau, the Caijiachuan watershed plays a vital role in ecological security and resource management. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal variations in key ecosystem services—namely soil retention, water yield, carbon storage, and habitat quality—between 2002 and [...] Read more.
As a typical reforested region of the Loess Plateau, the Caijiachuan watershed plays a vital role in ecological security and resource management. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal variations in key ecosystem services—namely soil retention, water yield, carbon storage, and habitat quality—between 2002 and 2024 using the InVEST model, calibrated with field-measured rainfall, carbon density, and high-resolution land use data derived from integrated remote sensing and field surveys. Statistical analyses based on the R language reveal dynamic trade-offs and synergies among these services. The results show that: (1) soil retention, carbon storage, and habitat quality have steadily improved, while water yield shows an overall upward trend with significant spatial heterogeneity; (2) a consistent and significant trade-off exists between carbon storage and water yield (average R2 ≈ 0.28), while other ecosystem service interactions are relatively weak; (3) climatic variability, topographic heterogeneity (e.g., slope and elevation), and vegetation structure are key drivers of these trade-offs. This study provides scientific evidence to support ecological management and policy formulation in reforested areas of the Loess Plateau. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Carbon Processes and Management in Agronomic and Agroforestry Systems)
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15 pages, 2301 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dissolved Organic Carbon Leaching and Soil Carbon Fractions Under Intercropping Dactylis glomerata L.–Medicago sativa L. in Response to Extreme Rainfall
by Cui Xu, Peng Zhang, Lu Chen, Wenzhi Wang, Xukun Yang, Zhenhuan Liu and Yanhua Mi
Agronomy 2025, 15(6), 1485; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15061485 - 19 Jun 2025
Viewed by 550
Abstract
Climate change aggravates the frequency of extreme rainfall events, resulting in carbon (C) loss. For the special climate of the highlands, cultivating the land underneath orchards increases C reservation. Systematic research on the impact of extreme rainfall on soil organic carbon compositions and [...] Read more.
Climate change aggravates the frequency of extreme rainfall events, resulting in carbon (C) loss. For the special climate of the highlands, cultivating the land underneath orchards increases C reservation. Systematic research on the impact of extreme rainfall on soil organic carbon compositions and (dissolved organic carbon) DOC leaching is limited, especially regarding the response to different cropping patterns underneath orchards, requiring a deeper understanding. The results showed that the DOC-leaching fluxes for the cropping patterns under rainstorms and heavy rainstorms were in the order Dactylis glomerata L. monocropping (13.5, 4.4 kg/hm2) > Medicago sativa L. monocropping (11.2, 3.8 kg/hm2) ≥ D. glomerata. + M. sativa. (10.4, 3.6 kg/hm2). The DOC-leaching fluxes during heavy rainstorms were reduced with D + M, and the root morphology showed a significant correlation with DOC concentration. Compared to the D, SOC in layers 40–60 cm of the M and the D + M increased by 68.36% and 64.24%, respectively. TP and POC of the D + M increased with soil depth. Relationships between cropping pattern and rainfall intensity for particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC) were observed. Heavy rainstorms reduced MOC, including the decomposition of substances related to the MOC, such as ROC and DOC, then POC in layers 40–60 cm increased; compared with 0–20 cm of D and M, the content of readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) in layers 40–60 cm reduced by 56.90~77.64%, and the POC increased by 38.38~87.00% in the D + M. Therefore, it was suggested that the decomposition of deeper MOC due to heavy rainstorms is the main source of soil POC and leaching DOC. This will provide a reference basis for research on assessing soil carbon-leaching fluxes and carbon stocks under extreme rainfall events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Carbon Processes and Management in Agronomic and Agroforestry Systems)
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24 pages, 2856 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of Soil Quality Reconstruction in Agroforestry Ecosystems of High-Altitude Areas: A Case Study of the Jiangcang Mining Area, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
by Liya Yang, Shaohua Feng, Xusheng Shao, Jinde Zhang, Tianxiang Wang and Shuisheng Xiong
Agronomy 2025, 15(6), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15061390 - 5 Jun 2025
Viewed by 502
Abstract
This study focuses on the alpine meadow ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, which plays a vital role in carbon sequestration and water resource protection. However, mining activities have severely damaged the ecosystem, posing challenges for ecological restoration. The study selected the Jiangcang mining [...] Read more.
This study focuses on the alpine meadow ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, which plays a vital role in carbon sequestration and water resource protection. However, mining activities have severely damaged the ecosystem, posing challenges for ecological restoration. The study selected the Jiangcang mining area and analyzed the physical, chemical, and carbon characteristics and heavy metal content of soil samples from the slag platforms and slopes (0–20 cm), which were restored in 2015 and 2020 to explore the effects of different soil reconstruction methods on soil function and ecological resilience. The results show that the minimum data set (MDS) can effectively replace the total data set (TDS) in assessing soil quality. The assessment indicates good restoration effects in 2020, with some areas rated high in soil quality. Although issues such as high bulk density, high electrical conductivity, low moisture content, nitrogen deficiency, and low organic matter limit ecological restoration, the carbon sequestration capacity of the restored soil is strong. This study provides scientific evidence for ecological restoration in cold mining areas, indicating that capping measures can enhance soil resistance to erosion, nutrient retention, and carbon sink functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Carbon Processes and Management in Agronomic and Agroforestry Systems)
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