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Agronomy
Special Issues
Soil Organic Matter Contributes to Soil Health
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Soil Organic Matter Contributes to Soil Health

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 4681

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Beata Labaz

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Guest Editor
Institute of Soil Science, Plant Nutrition and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53 St., 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: chernozems/black soils/mollisols; SOC concentration and pools; soil morphology; humus substances and their transformation; soil fertility; soil erosion and degradation
Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Szopka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Soil Science, Plant Nutrition and Environmental Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: urban soils; soil health index; soil contamination and remediation; environmental risk assessment; SOC concentration and pools

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Progressive climate change observed in recent years, along with frequent weather extremes and increasing demand for food as a result of a growing global human population, has become a major reason for the threat of soil deterioration. Adverse changes in soils occur both due to chemical degradation and an increase in the intensity of erosion processes, causing a decline in soil productivity. One of the most important soil components with a key and multifaceted role in supporting various soil functions is soil organic matter. As a reservoir of nutrients and a dynamic source of organic carbon, nitrogen, and other elements, it is an essential component for maintaining long-term soil fertility, resulting in high crop yields. Simultaneously, by participating in organic carbon sequestration, soil organic matter contributes to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thereby mitigating climate change. Recognizing and understanding complex soil processes with the participation of organic matter and properly managing its content is essential to ensure optimal conditions for plant growth, maintaining sustainable agriculture, and proper ecosystem management. The purpose of this Special Issue is to share knowledge on all aspects related to the role of soil organic matter in variously used terrestrial ecosystems as well as to promote innovative methods of stabilizing organic matter in soils to improve their health and fertility.

Prof. Dr. Beata Labaz
Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Szopka
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

  • soil organic matter
  • carbon sequestration
  • soil fertility
  • soil productivity
  • microbial activity
  • nutrient cycling
  • sustainable agriculture

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5923 KiB  
Article
Distribution and Pools of Soil Organic Carbon in Chernozemic Soils Impacted by Intensive Farming and Erosion in the Loess Plateau in South-East Poland
by Beata Labaz, Joanna Beata Kowalska, Cezary Kabala, Mirosław Kobierski, Jaroslaw Waroszewski, Michal Dudek, Katarzyna Szopka and Dariusz Gruszka
Agronomy 2024, 14(11), 2544; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14112544 - 29 Oct 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1009
Abstract
Soil erosion and the loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools are considered serious environmental problems in undulating landscapes on loess covers, accompanied in some areas, such as south Poland, by the physical degradation of chernozemic soils. The aim of the present study [...] Read more.
Soil erosion and the loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools are considered serious environmental problems in undulating landscapes on loess covers, accompanied in some areas, such as south Poland, by the physical degradation of chernozemic soils. The aim of the present study was to identify the scale and reasons for spatial variation of the SOC pools in the intensely cultivated Luvic Phaeozems in one of the unique patches of chernozemic soils in Poland. This study, carried out in a soil catena located in the undulating Carpathian Foreland in south-east Poland, has demonstrated that the SOC pools can greatly differ on a very small scale, even in relatively less differentiated landscapes and in soils classified into the same group. The scale and reasons for the differentiation of the SOC pools depend on the method (depth) of calculation. The spatial differences were smaller and were mainly related to the SOC concentrations and the bulk density of the topsoil horizons, when calculated for depths of 0–30 cm and 0–50 cm. On the other hand, the SOC pools calculated for the 0–100 cm soil layer differed most significantly between the profiles in the catena, representing a continuous growing trend from the uppermost towards the lowermost part of the catena, and were clearly related to the total thickness of the humus horizon(s). The latter findings confirm that sheet erosion has a major impact on the spatial variation of SOC pools in an agricultural landscape. However, soil morphology and the distribution of SOC across the soil profiles suggest additional influences from historical pedogenesis and modern farming technology. The presence of black, thick and humus-rich chernic horizons in all soils across the catena indicates that modern farming must not degrade the soils, but, on the contrary, it can help in the restoration of even neo-formation of chernozemic soils (Phaeozems), if oriented towards the conservation of humus content, soil structure, and biological activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Contributes to Soil Health)
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18 pages, 555 KiB  
Article
The Content of Soil Glomalin Concerning Selected Indicators of Soil Fertility
by Jindřich Černý, Jiří Balík, Pavel Suran, Ondřej Sedlář, Simona Procházková and Martin Kulhánek
Agronomy 2024, 14(8), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081731 - 6 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1713
Abstract
The glomalin content is generally considered an indicator of the soil organic matter (SOM) quality. The content of easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and the total glomalin (TG) content was investigated across 71 different sites in the Czech Republic with arable soil and crop [...] Read more.
The glomalin content is generally considered an indicator of the soil organic matter (SOM) quality. The content of easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and the total glomalin (TG) content was investigated across 71 different sites in the Czech Republic with arable soil and crop production (12 chernozems, 30 luvisols, 17 cambisols, and 12 fluvisols). The majority of the crops in the crop rotation were cereals (45.5%—mainly winter wheat, winter barley, and spring barley). The proportion of winter canola within the crop rotation was 15.9%. The contribution of other crops was substantially smaller (alfalfa, clover, potatoes, beet, silage maize, grain maize). The representation of crops in the crop rotation is standard for conventional farming in the Czech Republic. Based on the results of long-term field monitoring at 71 sites in different soil–climate conditions, we can state the following. The TG content was significantly correlated with the soil organic matter carbon content (CSOM), as well as another important indicator of SOM quality (humic and fulvic acid carbon content ratio—CHA/CFA). A significant and positive correlation was also determined for the TG and clay content (size < 0.002 mm), as well as particles smaller than 0.01 mm. The easily extractable glomalin content (EEG) did not differ based on the reference soil group (RSG). On the other hand, the total glomalin content (TG) was significantly higher in the chernozem RSG in comparison with other RSGs (luvisols, cambisols, fluvisols). There was no relationship between the pHCaCl2 and glomalin (EEG; TG). The same can be said about the relationship between glomalin (EEG; TG) and the bulk density and porosity. No link was established between the glomalin content (EEG; TG) and phosphorus plant-available content. There was no relationship between the amount of applied organic matter (carbon inputs) and the soil glomalin content (EEG; TG). This relationship was not influenced by the type of applied organic fertilizer. No significant relationship was found for either straw, manure, or compost. The data on the glomalin content are significantly influenced by the site (soil type and soil texture). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Contributes to Soil Health)
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13 pages, 3771 KiB  
Article
Variations in Soil Organic Carbon after Farmland Conversion to Apple Orchard
by Yaping Wang, Ruifeng Li, Weiming Yan, Xiaoyang Han, Wenzhao Liu and Zhi Li
Agronomy 2024, 14(5), 963; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14050963 - 3 May 2024
Viewed by 1400
Abstract
The Chinese Loess Plateau has undergone extensive revegetation to restore degraded land and enhance carbon sequestration. However, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestrated in the soil profiles of deep-rooted plants has not been fully studied. Here, we investigated the SOC within a 0–23 m [...] Read more.
The Chinese Loess Plateau has undergone extensive revegetation to restore degraded land and enhance carbon sequestration. However, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestrated in the soil profiles of deep-rooted plants has not been fully studied. Here, we investigated the SOC within a 0–23 m profile in farmlands and apple orchards converted from farmlands with different ages (A5, <5 years; A10, ~10 years; A15, ~15 years; A20, >20 years) and the controlling factors on three loess tablelands (Changwu, Qingyang, and Luochuan). The results show that SOC stocks among farmlands and orchards showed no significant difference (p = 0.88); however, SOC stocks showed a trend with tree ages, i.e., a decrease for A5 and A10 but an increase for A15 and A20. For the vertical variability, the SOC stock was the highest within 0–1 m, regardless of the standing age; however, the SOC stock in this layer only accounted for 8.8% of the total SOC stock (97.93 ± 9.18 kg m−2). Climate accounted for 82% of the variations and controlled the changes in SOC in the 0–1 m range, while soil texture dominated the SOC in the soil below 1 m, accounting for 57% of the SOC variations. The variations in SOC in the thick, unsaturated zones provide implications for future land use management and the sustainability of apple orchards in arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Contributes to Soil Health)
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