Nitrogen Cycle in Agro-Ecosystems

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 January 2026 | Viewed by 1441

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Embrapa Agrobiologia, BR 465, Km 47, Bairro Ecologia, Seropédica CEP 23891-000, Brazil
Interests: integrated nitrogen management strategies; enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research that advances our understanding of nitrogen dynamics in agricultural systems, highlighting sustainable practices for nitrogen management and their role in enhancing crop productivity and environmental resilience. Topics of interest including, but are not limited to, the following: Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers: Innovations to reduce nitrogen losses via volatilization, leaching, and denitrification; use of coatings, urease, and nitrification inhibitors; and agronomic and environmental performance. Alternative nitrogen fertilizers: Organic and renewable N sources; biofertilizers; recycling of agro-industrial waste; and the development of low-carbon N inputs. Green manure and cover crops: The role of legumes and other species in nitrogen cycling; nitrogen release patterns; and their impact on soil organic matter and nutrient availability. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF): Inoculation and co-inoculation with diazotrophic bacteria; plant–microbe interactions; and factors influencing BNF efficiency in field conditions. Integrated nitrogen management strategies: Combining chemical, biological, and agronomic approaches to improve nitrogen use efficiency and sustainability in agroecosystems. Environmental aspects of the nitrogen cycle: Emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and other nitrogenous gases; nitrate leaching and water quality; and sustainability indicators related to nitrogen management. We welcome original research articles and reviews that cover the above aspects.

Dr. Claudia Jantalia
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • fertilizers
  • biological nitrogen fixation
  • N losses
  • N quantification
  • balance of N

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

27 pages, 3728 KB  
Article
Soil Aggregate Stability Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles in Mollisols as Evidenced by 15N Distribution
by Yao Wang, Meng Zhou, Xiaoguang Jiao, Liangqian Ma, He Yu, Yimin Chen and Yueyu Sui
Agronomy 2025, 15(10), 2263; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102263 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 831
Abstract
Freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) influence soil nitrogen (N) dynamics and soil aggregate stability. However, the driving mechanism affecting aggregate stability from the combined perspective of N components and N distribution by 15N tracing technology in both bulk soils and soil aggregates remains worth [...] Read more.
Freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs) influence soil nitrogen (N) dynamics and soil aggregate stability. However, the driving mechanism affecting aggregate stability from the combined perspective of N components and N distribution by 15N tracing technology in both bulk soils and soil aggregates remains worth exploring. This study took the farmland Mollisols in Hailun City, Heilongjiang Province, as the research object, and investigated the variations in soil N components and aggregate stability across five freeze–thaw frequencies (1, 3, 5, 9, and 17 cycles) under three freeze–thaw temperatures (−9 °C/5 °C, −18 °C/5 °C, and −26 °C/5 °C) using 15N tracing technology. The results demonstrated that freeze–thaw frequency and temperature both influenced aggregate stability. Specifically, with the increase in freeze–thaw frequency, soil aggregate stability was reduced through decreasing the proportion of macroaggregates (2–0.25 mm), increasing the proportion of silt + clay fractions (<0.053 mm), and reducing the total N (TN) content of silt + clay fractions under higher freezing temperature (−9 °C/5 °C). In contrast, for lower freezing temperature (−18 °C/5 °C and −26 °C/5 °C), the increased freeze–thaw frequency enhances soil aggregate stability by decreasing the proportion of silt + clay fractions, increasing the proportion of microaggregates (0.25–0.053 mm), and reducing the TN contents of microaggregates and silt + clay fractions. These findings are essential for developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of FTCs on soil quality and ecosystem functions in cold regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nitrogen Cycle in Agro-Ecosystems)
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