Search Results (486)

Soil acidity is one of the most serious constraints limiting crop productivity in regions with high rainfall in Ethiopia. To address this issue, field experiments were conducted during the 2024 main cropping season in farmers’ fields in two distinct ecological locations. This study aimed to explore the response of soil chemical properties and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to organic and inorganic amendments of acidic soils in Jaldu district and Cheha district in central Ethiopia. Application rates of 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 t/ha vermicompost; 0, 2, 4, and 6 t/ha agricultural lime; and 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha NPS fertilizer were applied to acidic soils of the study areas. Soil chemical properties related to acidity were determined using standard laboratory procedures, which indicated low pH, available phosphorus (P), organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), total exchangeable bases, and cation exchange capacity, along with high exchangeable acid before planting. After harvesting, agricultural lime improved acidity-related soil conditions, including pH, organic C, available P, and total exchangeable bases, while reducing exchangeable acids in both districts. Vermicompost specifically improved soil organic C and total N in the soil of Jaldu district. The improvement in soil acidity due to liming was greater than that achieved by vermicompost or NPS fertilizer. Wheat yield increased in response to all rates of agricultural lime, vermicompost, and NPS-fertilizer applications. The highest yields of 5.71 t/ha and 4.62 t/ha were obtained with the application of 6 t/ha of agricultural lime in Cheha district and Jaldu district, respectively. The study demonstrated that sustainable agricultural practices soil amendment with agricultural inputs decreases soil acidity and improve wheat grain yields. Locational disparities in soil physical–chemical properties and wheat production with limited amendment options can limit the applicability of the findings from the selected study districts to wider regions. Therefore, investigations over diverse locations, seasons, and wheat varieties are needed to examine the effects on soil fertility and crop yield returns, and the economic viability of using diverse agricultural inputs. Full article

The decomposition of crop residue is indispensable for carbon (C) cycling in agricultural ecosystems, and nitrogen (N) application has a pronounced effect on this by regulating the C/N ratio and microbial growth strategy. This study investigated how different inorganic and organic nitrogen sources interact with soil properties to regulate straw decomposition, nutrient release, microbial community assembly, and microbial interaction networks across typical cropland soils of the North China Plain. Five treatments, i.e., no N addition, urea, calcium nitrate, yeast derivatives, and glutamate, were conducted in fluvo-aquic soil, lime concretion black soil, cinnamon soil, and yellow-cinnamon soil. We found that soil type strongly regulated straw decomposition dynamics, with cumulative decomposition rates varying greatly among the four soil types after 180 days, ranging from 55.78% to 68.75%. In particular, the lime concretion black soil exhibited the highest straw decomposition and C release rates, which harbored higher relative abundances of potential straw-decomposing taxa, including Luteibacter, Chitinophaga, Dothideomycetes, and Leotiomycetes. Bacterial community assembly shifted from stochastic dominance at early stages to deterministic selection at later stages, whereas fungal community assembly remained predominantly stochastic with increasing dispersal limitation during late decomposition. The dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota, and the fungal community composition succeeded from Alternaria, Rhizopus, Cladosporium and Meyerozyma to Chaetomium, Schizophecium and Apodus. Compared with no N addition, yeast derivatives significantly increased the straw decomposition rate in fluvo-aquic soil, lime concretion black soil, and cinnamon soil by 15.00, 10.66, and 12.19 percentage points, respectively, within 14 days. This is related to the enhanced complexity of the bacterial co-occurrence network, among which Altererythrobacter, Sphingomonas, Candidatus_Xiphinematobacter, Devosia, and Chitinophaga were identified as key microbial groups. Glutamate stimulated later decomposition by modifying the fungal community structure and strengthening fungal interactions centered on Alternaria and Schizothechium. These findings reveal how N forms regulate straw decomposition through soil-dependent microbial assembly and interaction networks, providing a mechanistic basis for optimizing nitrogen management strategies for efficient straw nutrient recycling. Full article

Sub-Mediterranean ecosystems along the northeastern Black Sea coast remain insufficiently studied despite their importance for the regional carbon cycle and their sensitivity to human disturbance. This study presents an exploratory case study of aboveground biomass carbon stocks in two contrasting plant communities at the carbon-monitoring supersite of the Southern Branch of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS in Gelendzhik, Russia. The aboveground observations were interpreted together with soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes previously reported for the same permanent plots. The investigated communities comprised a terraced pine–oak plantation (SP1) and a natural pubescent-oak shiblyak (SP2). Vegetation was surveyed using the Braun-Blanquet approach. Tree biomass was estimated using the generalized allometric equation of Chave et al., while aboveground biomass was converted to carbon using carbon concentrations determined by elemental analysis of sampled plant tissues. Herbaceous vegetation and forest-floor material were quantified by elemental analysis. Within-plot spatial heterogeneity was visualized using Python-based radial-basis-function (RBF) interpolation for exploratory mapping of local carbon distribution. Because each vegetation type was represented by a single 400 m² plot, all comparisons are site-specific and exploratory and should not be extrapolated beyond the investigated communities. The aboveground carbon density was 64.1 t C ha⁻¹ in the terraced pine–oak stand and 16.1 t C ha⁻¹ in the natural shiblyak. Woody biomass dominated the plantation, whereas litter and herbaceous vegetation contributed proportionally more to the carbon pool in the shiblyak. Previously published soil organic carbon stocks at the terraced site exceeded the measured aboveground carbon pool, whereas the natural rendzinas were characterized by substantial carbonate-associated inorganic carbon stocks. C/N ratios of organic substrates ranged from 11 to 100, indicating a pronounced variation in substrate quality: higher C/N values in woody and coniferous fractions were consistent with slower decomposition, whereas lower C/N values in herbaceous material were consistent with faster mineralization. Exploratory spatial mapping revealed within-plot variation in aboveground carbon of up to two orders of magnitude. Together, these site-specific observations provide the first integrated description of aboveground biomass carbon together with previously reported soil carbon pools for contrasting sub-Mediterranean vegetation on the northeastern Black Sea coast. Despite its exploratory nature, this study establishes a baseline for future replicated, spatially explicit investigations of ecosystem carbon dynamics in sub-Mediterranean ecosystems along the northeastern Black Sea coast. Full article

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are important components of dryland ecosystems, yet nutrient patterns in adjacent uncovered soils remain unclear. We surveyed 70 sites across the Gurbantunggut Desert and collected 209 composite samples from the adjacent 0–5 cm surface-soil layer, categorized into three groups: uncrusted bare sand (n = 32), soil adjacent to algal–lichen crusts (n = 48), and soil adjacent to moss crusts (n = 129), with bare sand serving as the uncrusted reference category. The results showed that: (1) total nitrogen differed among the three BSC-associated soil categories (p = 0.041), whereas soil organic carbon, total phosphorus, and total potassium did not (all p > 0.05); (2) NO₃⁻-N, NH₄⁺-N, extractable inorganic N, NaHCO₃-extractable phosphorus, and NH₄OAc-extractable potassium differed significantly among categories (all p < 0.001) and were generally highest in soil adjacent to moss crusts; and (3) random forest models explained approximately 38–65% of nutrient variation and identified EC, total nitrogen, and the site-level BSC metric as the leading predictors. The final piecewise structural equation model explained 35.3–76% of nutrient variation. These findings indicate marked regional heterogeneity in extractable nutrient fractions associated with different BSC types. Full article

Correctly assessing the ecological efficiency of soil carbon losses (ESCS) and the reduction potentiality for soil carbon losses (RPCS) is of great significance for implementing soil carbon sequestration and source reduction. The purpose of this study is to use soil sampling data from the 1980s to the 2010s and the soil organic carbon stocks (SOCs) and soil inorganic carbon stocks (SICs) dynamics generated by the random forest algorithm to empirically measure China’s provincial-scale ESCS, apply the super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model to derive the RPCS under equity–efficiency scenarios, and construct differentiated soil carbon sequestration and emission reduction strategies for different DMU types. This study found that China is a huge net soil carbon sink with SOC increases of 12.47 Gt and SIC decreases of 0.86 Gt. However, the net soil carbon increase is not consistent at the provincial scale, with 12 provincial regions remaining with net carbon losses. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the largest soil carbon sink in China, and the soil carbon in Tibet and Qinghai increased by 6.40 and 6.45 Gt, respectively. Yunnan is the largest soil carbon source with a decrease of 3.22 Gt. Although the overall ESCS of China reaches 0.86, approaching the efficiency frontier, the majority of provincial regions still exhibit an imbalanced structure between inputs and outputs. The national RPCS is 0.21 for no preference given to equity or efficiency, 0.18 for prior to efficiency, and 0.24 for prior to equity. The preferences of decision-makers are unlikely to exert a substantial influence on the cluster outcomes due to severe imbalance between eco-efficiency and potentiality. Taking China’s overall ESCS and RPCS as the boundary for regional division, the above provincial-level regions are divided into low-efficiency and high-potential areas. Such areas need to focus on promoting the implementation of projects combining natural recovery and moderate intervention. Our findings highlight the need to value soil carbon losses for China’s Carbon Neutrality and to address regional eco-efficiency/potentiality heterogeneity in decision-making processes. Full article

Organic manure application is considered an effective strategy for enhancing soil fertility and increasing carbon sequestration in saline-sodic soil. The contribution of manure-derived soil organic carbon (SOC) under long-term application remains unclear, as do its concurrent effects on SOC and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pools. Empirical evidence addressing both aspects is scarce. This study was based on a long-term field experiment established in saline-sodic soil, with four manure application durations (14, 19, 25, and 30 years) and an unfertilized control, each with three replicates. Soil samples were collected from a 0–200 cm profile to investigate the vertical distributions of SOC, permanganate-oxidizable organic carbon (POXC), δ¹³C values, SIC and its carbonate (CO₃²⁻) and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) fractions. The effects of manure application on the sources of SOC and the fractions of SIC were investigated using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the widely applied binary equations. The results revealed that long-term manure application significantly increased the SOC, POXC, SIC, and HCO₃⁻ contents, whereas the CO₃²⁻ content decreased. The effects were most notable within the 0–60 cm soil layer. The δ¹³C values of SOC increased significantly with increasing fertilization duration, which indicates increased incorporation of exogenous carbon. The results of a binary mixing model revealed that after 30 years of manure application, manure-derived carbon contributed 31.64% (7.44 g kg⁻¹) to SOC, maize-derived carbon contributed 22.42% (5.27 g kg⁻¹) to SOC, and the remaining fraction originated from native SOC. Vertically, the SOC content decreased with soil depth, whereas the SIC content fluctuated and became dominant below 60 cm. Long-term manure application altered both SOC sources and SIC dynamics, thereby promoting the accumulation and redistribution of carbon within the soil profile. Overall, long-term manure application increased both organic and inorganic carbon content. These findings highlight the importance of organic fertilization as a sustainable management practice for increasing soil carbon storage and mitigating land degradation in saline-sodic agroecosystems. Full article

Natural inland saline–alkaline wetlands offer opportunities for evaluating microbial responses to long-term salinity stress. This study examined surface soils from non-saline, moderately saline, and hypersaline sites in the Luyang Lake wetland, measuring comprehensive edaphic variables (including SAR, ESP, carbonate/bicarbonate chemistry, moisture, DOC, and inorganic N) alongside bacterial and fungal communities via 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing. A coupled salinity–ion and nutrient gradient was identified, with hypersaline soils characterized by high Na⁺, Cl⁻, SAR, and ESP alongside depleted organic carbon and nitrogen. Bacterial α-diversity exhibited a significant unimodal response along the salinity gradient (quadratic regression: p < 0.001), peaking at moderate salinity. Fungal Shannon diversity declined with increasing salinity, but fungal Chao1 richness showed a U-shaped response, highlighting domain-specific and metric-dependent patterns along the gradient. Community assembly analyses revealed contrasting dynamics: deterministic processes were more prevalent in bacterial assembly in hypersaline soils, while fungal assembly remained predominantly stochastic. Co-occurrence networks showed sparser topological structure in high-salinity soils. These patterns are consistent with domain-specific microbial variation along the gradient to coupled edaphic stressors in inland saline–alkaline wetlands. Full article

Biochar and poultry litter have been proposed as soil amendments to improve soil health in coarse-textured agricultural soils, yet their field performance under southeastern U.S. conditions remains inconclusive. This two-year field study evaluated five biochar application rates (0–44.8 Mg ha⁻¹) combined with inorganic fertilizer or poultry litter on selected soil health indicators in a sandy loam Ultisol under sweet corn production in the Georgia Coastal Plain. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications and analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Biochar application did not significantly affect aggregate stability, pH, cation exchange capacity, soluble salts, organic matter, active carbon, or estimated nitrogen mineralization, with only a marginal three-way interaction observed for microbial respiration. Poultry litter significantly increased microbial respiration relative to inorganic fertilizer, whereas responses for the remaining soil health indicators were broadly similar between fertilizer sources. Year was the dominant source of variation, with extreme rainfall in 2024 reducing aggregate stability, soluble salts, microbial respiration, and nitrogen mineralization while increasing organic matter and active carbon. These findings indicate that short-term soil health responses were driven primarily by environmental conditions rather than management practices. Under the conditions of this study, either fertilizer source can be used successfully, whereas longer-term studies are needed to determine whether biochar aging enhances soil function in sandy loam Ultisols. Full article

Replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers can improve soil quality and continuously increase crop yields, but its impact on cucumber growth remains unclear. This study, based on a seven-year field trial, explored the effects of five different fertilization strategies: no fertilization, application of inorganic fertilizer (NPK), 2/3 NPK + 1/3 organic fertilizer (M), 1/3 NPK + 2/3 M, and M on cucumber carbon and nitrogen metabolism, antioxidant levels, yield, and quality. The results showed that both NPK and M applications were beneficial to improving cucumber yield and quality. However, NPK alone led to the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in leaves, while NPK + M could improve its total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, 1/3 NPK + 2/3 M significantly promoted the accumulation of amino acids and glucose in leaves and increased the activities of glutamine synthase, sucrose phosphate synthase, and other enzymes. Further analysis revealed that the content of glucose and protein in leaves was closely related to the synthesis of soluble sugars and vitamin C in fruits, with sucrose and MDA showing the most significant effects from different fertilization strategies. In conclusion, the application of 1/3 NPK + 2/3 M significantly improved the carbon and nitrogen metabolism activity of cucumbers, enhanced their stress resistance, and promoted yield and quality. Full article

Under full straw return, changes in cropland management may be reflected first in the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) rather than in total SOC stock. However, how tillage practices and nitrogen application are related to SOC profile distribution and associated biological processes remains unclear. Based on a five-year field experiment in the brown soil region of Northeast China, this study compared no-tillage/deep tillage rotation (NPT), continuous deep tillage (PT), and continuous rotary tillage (RT) under two nitrogen rates: 150 kg N ha⁻¹ (LN) and 240 kg N ha⁻¹ (HN). SOC, total nitrogen (TN), labile C and N fractions, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities were measured in the 0–5, 5–15, and 15–30 cm soil layers. After five years of treatment application, total SOC stock in the 0–30 cm profile did not differ significantly among treatments (p > 0.05), whereas SOC and TN stocks showed distinct vertical distribution patterns. PT and RT were associated with higher SOC, TN, and labile C and N levels mainly in the 0–15 cm layer, whereas NPT showed an advantage for SOC and TN retention in the 15–30 cm layer. The highest SOC stock in the 15–30 cm layer occurred under NPT-LN, reaching 25.91 Mg ha⁻¹ and exceeding other treatments by 12.5–44.1%. High nitrogen application increased dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and TN stock, but did not further increase the total SOC stock. Biological indicators showed clear depth-dependent responses, and RDA combined with exploratory SEM suggested that SOC-associated pathways shifted from management and inorganic N-related associations in the surface layer to stronger coupling among input position, labile C–N status, microbial processing, and retention conditions in the 15–30 cm layer. Overall, under five years of full straw return, tillage and nitrogen treatments were associated with SOC distribution patterns within the plough layer rather than a significant increase in total SOC stock. NPT combined with low nitrogen application may represent a favorable management option for enhancing SOC retention in the 15–30 cm lower plough layer. Full article

Soil nitrogen (N) mineralization plays a pivotal role in regulating N availability in forest ecosystems, which could not only be closely related to soil nutrient supply capacity but also profoundly affect the forest carbon sequestration. Broad-leaved forests play a key role in terrestrial carbon storage; however, soil net N mineralization rates (Rmin) vary considerably among different forest types and their underlying driving mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, three typical broad-leaved forests in Northeast China, namely Populus davidiana Dode forest (PF), Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr forest (FF), and Betula platyphylla Suk. forest (BF), were selected. The soil Rmin, environmental parameters, physicochemical properties, and microbial community characteristics were determined among the three broad-leaved forests to explore forest type differences in soil Rmin and their associated factors. The results showed that soil inorganic N contents differed significantly among the three forest types, with significantly higher values in FF than in PF and BF (p < 0.05). Soil Rmin also differed significantly among forest types, which was highest in FF, followed by PF and BF (2.17, 1.31, and 0.95 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively) (p < 0.05). Soil Rmin was significantly positively correlated with soil water content (SWC), soil temperature (ST), and pH, but there was a negative correlation to soil bulk density (BD) (p < 0.05). In addition, microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus were significantly higher in FF than in PF and BF (p < 0.05). Variation in soil Rmin among three broad-leaved forests was significantly associated with the abundances of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota, but not with bacterial community, suggesting a closer association between fungi and soil Rmin. Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that forest type was associated with soil microbial community structure and biomass through associations with soil environmental and physicochemical properties, in relation to soil Rmin. In conclusion, this study highlights the links between vegetation type and soil Rmin in broad-leaved forests, which deepens the theoretical understanding of forest soil N-limitation in Northeast China. Full article

This review provides a comparative critical synthesis of biochar and enhanced rock weathering (ERW), identifies key trends and gaps in soil carbon research, and outlines pathways for improving carbon sequestration and monitoring in soil systems. From a global perspective, materials and agricultural studies were read to examine the properties of these amendments and their effects in cropland and forest soils. The main research question guiding this literature review was as follows: What are common trends in published biochar and ERW studies? Major themes were derived from the stated question and structure the Discussion. The Web of Science provided access to relevant literature for both biochar and ERW, and a total of 38 articles (biochar: 17; ERW: 21) were read and covered in this paper. The findings conveyed the growing number of Chinese studies on these amendments to resolve climate-related soil quality affecting crop yields and potential for carbon sequestration, namely carbon dioxide removal or CDR—which sequesters CO₂ that is already in the atmosphere. Studies commonly used application rates of <5% for biochar and 5 or 50 t/ha for ERW, with (wood) biochar commonly processed at temperatures of 500–550 °C. Finer powders were known to be more effective due to their increased surface area, although there were emissions trade-offs to consider for climate change mitigation. There were options for using glacial rock flour (GRF) as an alternative. For ERW, the type of minerals matters, with basaltic amendments being most investigated and minerals like zeolite, for example, having quick responses and potential to filter out heavy metals. Depth of analysis was an issue in the studies, especially affecting ERW work—which needs to adopt greater depths (>60 cm) and both soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) or total carbon need address, particularly for ERW since studies only provided selective coverage. Biochar studies tended to focus more on crop yields and were not as concerned as ERW studies in CDR. Many studies agreed that these are promising products that need to be economically compared before being applied at a large scale. More field studies are needed to test biochar, while limitations imposed by soil pH (acidification affecting dissolution and nutrient availability) and climate need consideration for ERW—especially since it works best in warm, humid climates. The application rate and duration are important variables to also consider for ERW, and both SOC and SIC dynamics are subsystem components requiring consideration. Ultimately, studies call for field trials executed in the long term at greater depth and in different climates and representing different soil types. Full article

Sustainable management of permanent grasslands requires evidence-based selection of fertilization practices that support long-term soil organic matter quality and ecosystem function. This study addresses the need to identify optimal agricultural practices in permanent grasslands and the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil humic substances (HS) composition and stability. Grassland plots were amended after cutting with mineral fertilizer (NPK), farmyard manure (FYM), cattle slurry (CS), or digestate (DIG), and humic acids (HA) were isolated using the standard International Humic Substances Society procedure. The elemental composition, total carbon and nitrogen contents, C/N ratio, and selected biogenic elements were determined using routine laboratory methods, while infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence excitation–emission matrix analysis, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy were applied to characterize chemical structure and semiquinone radical concentrations. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated distinct clustering of fertilization treatments, which was supported by a statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) based on ANOVA. The results suggest that the fertilization regime was associated with variation in HS composition and radical abundance. DIG and NPK treatments showed lower O/C ratios and radical concentrations, potentially reflecting more reduced humic acids. In contrast, FYM and CS treatments tended to exhibit higher radical concentrations and O/C ratios. These findings highlight the importance of fertilizer type in shaping soil organic matter dynamics in managed grassland ecosystems and provide a scientific basis for the development of sustainable soil management strategies and environmentally sound fertilization practices in permanent grassland systems. Full article

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) are two key components of soil total carbon (STC) pools. However, most studies have focused excessively on SOC, while research on SIC remains limited, especially with regard to different pools of particulate (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) in humid regions. Here, a 13-year field experiment was conducted in the farmland of Jiangjin District, Chongqing, to explore the variations of inorganic carbon in POM (POM-IC) and MAOM (MAOM-IC) in humid subtropical soils under long-term fertilization. Four fertilization regimes were arranged in this field experiment: high-rate fertilization (1050 kg N, 480 kg P₂O₅, and 255 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), conventional fertilization (480 kg N, 180 kg P₂O₅, and 255 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), zero nitrogen fertilization (0 kg N, 180 kg P₂O₅, and 255 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), and zero phosphorus fertilization (480 kg N, 0 kg P₂O₅, and 255 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Soil samples were collected from surface soil (0–15 cm) and subsoil (15–30 cm) to determine STC, SOC, SIC, organic carbon in POM (POM-OC) and MAOM (MAOM-OC), POM-IC, and MAOM-IC. Results showed that SOC accumulation under high-rate fertilization was primarily associated with increased POM-OC. Compared with the zero nitrogen treatment, the other three fertilization regimes significantly decreased subsoil SIC, which was primarily associated with reduced MAOM-IC. High-rate fertilization increased the contributions of POM-OC to SOC and POM-IC to SIC, respectively, yet reduced the corresponding contributions from MAOM. Linear relationship analysis revealed that POM-OC was more sensitive to fertilization regimes than MAOM-OC. However, responses of POM-IC and MAOM-IC to fertilization regimes were roughly equivalent. This is of great significance for understanding the stabilization mechanisms of SIC. This study highlights the non-negligible MAOM-IC loss in subsoil induced by nitrogen fertilization in humid subtropical soils. Given that STC was the highest under high-rate fertilization, this treatment is recommended. This study is of great significance for improving the understanding of soil organic carbon and inorganic carbon dynamics in humid regions. Full article

In this work, we present the Chernozem Soil Aggregates Micromorphometrical Parameters Dataset for specific areas located in the Central Russian Upland that can be utilized for the development of a digital twin of Chernozem. The present dataset represents a collection of soil aggregates’ micromorphometrical parameters (aggregate total area, minimal and maximal Feret diameters, form factor, elongation, unevenness, orientation) obtained through segmentation of soil thin sections’ digital images. Also, the dataset represents the data on physical and chemical properties of the studied soils (organic carbon content, inorganic carbon content, clay, silt, and sand fractions content, mean weight diameter of aggregates). Soil excavation and sampling were conducted in two stages: 24–25 April 2023 and 4 June 2024. Soil sampling sites were selected to provide a comparison of virgin Chernozem soils with plowed, non-eroded, and severely eroded ones. Soil sections were excavated at 9 key points. Laboratory analysis yielded 60 sets of data on physical and chemical properties and over 51,000 micromorphometric values for soil aggregates. Full article