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Topic Review
Soil Fungal Diversity of the Aguarongo Andean Forest
Fungi represent an essential component of ecosystems, functioning as decomposers and biotrophs, and they are one of the most diverse groups of Eukarya. In the tropics, many species are unknown. In this work, high-throughput DNA sequencing was used to discover the biodiversity of soil fungi in the Aguarongo forest reserve, one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in Ecuador. The rDNA metabarcoding analysis revealed the presence of seven phyla: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Glomeromycota, Chytridiomycota, and Monoblepharomycota. A total of 440 identified species were recorded. They mainly belonged to Ascomycota (263) and Basidiomycota (127). In Mortierellomycota, 12 species were recorded, among which Podila verticillata is extremely frequent and represents the dominant species in the entire mycobiota of Aguarongo. 
  • 1.2K
  • 20 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils
Population growth and increasing food demand have led to an intensification of agricultural production systems, putting stress on soils and increasing soil contaminants. Some human-induced contaminants, such as heavy metals (HMs), are well-known and have been present in agricultural soils for a long time. In order to provide an overview of HMs in agricultural soils, it is important to investigate agriculturally related sources of contamination with HMs, behaviour of HMs in agricultural soils, as well as their interactions with soil microorganisms, fauna, and plants.
  • 1.2K
  • 08 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Conservation Agriculture and Soil Organic Carbon
Intensive agriculture causes land degradation and other environmental problems, such as pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, biodiversity decline, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which exacerbate climate change. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as reduced tillage, growing cover crops, and implementing crop residue retention measures, have been proposed as cost-effective solutions that can address land degradation, food security, and climate change mitigation and adaptation by enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in soils and its associated co-benefits. In this regard, extensive research has demonstrated that conservation agriculture (CA) improves soil physical, chemical, and biological properties that are crucial for maintaining soil health and increasing agroecosystem resilience to global change.
  • 1.2K
  • 06 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Seasonal Changes in Soil Microbial Community
Hazelnut is one of the four major nuts in the world and has high nutritional and economic value. This study employed Illumina sequencing of ITS rDNA and 16S rRNA genes to identify the seasonal changes in soil microbial community, the predominant environmental factors driving microbial community composition, and the differences in soil microbial composition among different species of the genus Corylus. We found that the soil microbial community composition of species of Corylus changed significantly with the change in seasons. Corylus heterophylla and Corylus kweichowensis had more ectomycorrhiza in their soil compared to Corylus avellane. The main factor influencing fungal community composition in soil was the available potassium, while that of bacteria was the total phosphorus content.
  • 1.1K
  • 02 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Repeated Plant Debris Reutilization as Organic Amendment
Greenhouse agriculture typically generates large amounts of waste with plant residue (agricultural biomass) being the most abundant. This residue is generated on a seasonal basis, which complicates the external management of the material. Recently, the European Union (EU) has been implementing a policy based on sustainability through the circular economy that seeks to minimize waste generation. The effect of reusing 3.5 kg·m-2 tomato plants from the previous season as the only fertilizer versus no fertilization and inorganic fertilization in 215-day tomato cycles after transplanting was studied in this trial. The study was carried out during three seasons in greenhouse agriculture in Almeria (Spain) with the repeated use of the solarization technique. The plant debris had similar production results during two of the three seasons and fruit quality parameters were similar to inorganic fertilization. In addition, some physicochemical variables improved and the biological depressive effect of solarization was mitigated. The results suggest that the reuse of the tomato plant debris as the only fertilizer could be an alternative to conventional fertilization under the conditions tested. 
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Carbon in Agricultural Soil
Carbon in agricultural soils is chemically classified as either soil organic carbon (SOC) or soil inorganic carbon (SIC). Globally, the naturally occurring SOC and SIC pools are estimated to be 1500 Gt C and 950 Gt C, respectively. The SOC includes humus, decomposed plant and animal residues, charcoal and microorganisms. The SIC pool includes primary and secondary carbonates, such as calcite (CaCO3) and dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), and can be classified into lithogenic and pedogenic carbonates. Lithogenic carbonates are the primary carbonates that refer to the detrital particle derived from the carbonate bedrock (especially limestone) that are formed in marine environments. Pedogenic carbonates refer to the secondary carbonates formed in the soil and is further classified as calcitic pedogenic carbonates (formed by calcite remobilization) and silicatic pedogenic carbonates (formed by silicate weathering). Calcitic pedogenic carbonates are derived from pre-existing carbonates; hence, it does not result in net carbon sequestration. On the other hand, carbonation of alkaline earth elements derived from silicate minerals results in net positive sequestration through the formation of silicatic pedogenic carbonates.
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Dec 2021
Topic Review
The Ancient Peat Plateaus' Vulnerability in Western Siberia
Based on the data of the plant macrofossil and palynological composition of the peat deposits, the evolution and current state of polygonal peatlands were analyzed at the southern limit of continuous permafrost in the Pur-Taz interfluve. Paleoreconstruction shows that peat accumulation began in the Early Holocene, about 9814 cal. year BP, in the Late Pre-Boreal (PB-2), at a rate of 1 to 1.5 mm year−1. Intensive peat accumulation continued in the Boreal and early Atlantic. The geocryological complex of polygonal peatlands has remained a stable bog system despite the predicted warming and increasing humidity. However, a rather rapid upper permafrost degradation and irreversible changes in the bog systems of polygonal peatlands occur with anthropogenic disturbances, in particular, a change in the natural hydrological regime under construction of linear objects.
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
LISWC System in Atlantic Canada
Landscape integrated soil and water conservation (LISWC) is a system designed to conserve and reuse soil and water within the landscape by integrating multiple BMPs based on an understanding of the landscape processes and knowledge about the BMPs. On a typical sloping field in Atlantic Canada, an LISWC system can be established by integrating BMPs such as diversion terraces and grassed waterways, tile drainage, water retention structures, supplemental irrigation, conservative tillage practices and soil–landscape restoration. 
  • 1.1K
  • 18 May 2021
Topic Review
Role of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria in Abiotic-Stress Reduction
Soil degradation is a global problem and refers to the reduction or loss of the biological and economic productive capacity of the soil resource. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) could be a low-cost and long-term solution to restore soil fertility, as they provide a wide range of benefits in agriculture, including increasing crop productivity, improving soil nutrient levels and inhibiting the growth of pathogens. 
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Biochar-Induced Temperature and Moisture Effects on Soil CUE
Biochar production and incorporation into soil is gaining momentum as a sustainable strategy for climate change mitigation, supported by ever increasing reports of significant carbon (C) sequestration in soil and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the amended soils. With the progression in biochar testing and use, there is also emerging evidence that biochar induces C sequestration in soil, and that it may not be solely caused by its inherent chemical stability, but also by the complex microbially driven processes and an increase in C use efficiency (CUE) through soil microbial metabolism. Temperature and moisture are environmental factors that influence microbial CUE.
  • 1.0K
  • 23 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Soil, Humipedon, Forest Life and Management
Three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon) were recognized in the soil profile. It was then possible to link the first and most biologically active section to the characteristics of the environment and soil genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distinguish organic horizons, mainly produced by arthropods and enchytraeids in cold and acidic or dry and arid environments, from organo-mineral horizons produced by earthworms in more temperate and mesotrophic environments. Each set of horizons can be associated with a humus system or form, with important implications for forestry. Anecic/endogeic earthworms and Mull or Amphi systems are more abundant in the early and late stages of sylvogenesis; by completely recycling litter, earthworms accelerate the availability of organic and inorganic soil nutrients to roots and pedofauna. On the other hand, arthropods and Moder or Tangel systems characterize the intermediate stages of sylvogenesis, where thickening in the organic horizons and the parallel impoverishment/reduction in the underlying organo-mineral horizons are observed. Recognizing the humus system at the right spatial and temporal scale is crucial for the biological management of a forest.
  • 1.0K
  • 31 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Scope for Using Proximal Soil Sensing by Indian
Knowledge about spatial distribution patterns of soil attributes is very much needed for site-specific soil nutrient management (SSSNM) under precision agriculture. High spatial heterogeneity exists in the agricultural soils of India due to various reasons. The present practice of assessing the spatial variability of the vast cultivated landscape of India by using traditional soil sampling and analysis is costly and time consuming. Hence, proximal soil sensing (PSS) is an attractive option to assess the plot-scale spatial variability pattern (SVP) of soil attributes for SSSNM. A PSS system, either in a fixed position or mounted on a vehicle (on-the-go), can be used to obtain measurements by having direct contact with soil. PSS measurements provide low-cost and high-density data pertaining to the SVPs of soil attributes. These data can be used to generate digital elevation and soil attribute variability maps at the field scale in a crop production environment. Based on the generated variability maps, locally available and economically feasible agricultural inputs can be applied using variable rate application strategies for sustainable cropping and enhanced farm profit. 
  • 1.0K
  • 23 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Soil Health for Water-Limited Environments of the USA
Soil health assessment indicates how well soil contributes to ecosystem services and can predict the ability of soils to provide those services if an adopted management scenario continues. Soil health is often evaluated by measuring various indicators within three main categories: physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, which provide insight into key soil functions. 
  • 1.0K
  • 10 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Analysis of Microplastics in Agricultural Matrices
Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in size, and they have become a significant environmental concern due to their ubiquitous presence in the environment.
  • 1.0K
  • 28 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Microbial Diversity Characteristics of Areca Palm Rhizosphere Soil
The areca palm (Areca catechu L.), an important economic and medicinal crop widely cultivated in the tropical zone, has been utilised extensively in agriculture, industry, and for religious purposes. Here, the diversity of areca palm rhizosphere microbiota were analyzed to further study the effect of the areca palm's development stages on the rhizosphere microbiota.
  • 973
  • 10 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Microbial in Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon Polluted Soils
Nowadays, soil contamination by total petroleum hydrocarbons is still one of the most widespread forms of contamination. Intervention technologies are consolidated; however, full-scale interventions turn out to be not sustainable. Sustainability is essential not only in terms of costs, but also in terms of restoration of the soil resilience. Bioremediation has the possibility to fill the gap of sustainability with proper knowledge. Bioremediation should be optimized by the exploitation of the recent “omic” approaches to the study of hydrocarburoclastic microbiomes. To reach the goal, an extensive and deep knowledge in the study of bacterial and fungal degradative pathways, their interactions within microbiomes and of microbiomes with the soil matrix has to be gained. 
  • 969
  • 27 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Models of the Structure of Humic Substances
Natural organic matter, including humic substances (HS), comprises complex secondary structures with no defined covalent chemical bonds and stabilized by inter- and intra-molecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, Van der Waal’s forces, and pi-pi interactions. The latest view describes HS aggregates as a hydrogel-like structure comprised by a hydrophobic core of aromatic residues surrounded by polar and amphiphilic molecules akin a self-assembled soft material. A different view is based on the classification of this material as either mass or surface fractals. The former is intended as made by the clustering of macromolecules generating dendritic networks, while the latter have been modelled in terms of a solvent-impenetrable core surrounded by a layer of lyophilic material. 
  • 966
  • 22 Feb 2023
Topic Review
The Effect of Biochar on Soil Properties
Biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, is recognized for its positive effects on soil fertility and carbon sequestration. Biochar acts as a soil conditioner, improving physical, chemical, and biological properties and enhancing soil fertility and crop yield. Furthermore, it aids in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide. However, the long-term behavior of biochar and its interactions with various factors require further field research for optimal utilization, as the aging process of biochar in soil is complex, involving physical, chemical, and biological interactions that influence its impact on the agroecosystem.
  • 938
  • 24 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Dynamics of Methane
Mangrove forests sequester a significant amount of organic matter in their sediment and are recognized as an important carbon storage source (i.e., blue carbon, including in seagrass ecosystems and other coastal wetlands). The methane-producing archaea in anaerobic sediments releases methane, a greenhouse gas species. The contribution to total greenhouse gas emissions from mangrove ecosystems remains controversial. However, the intensity CH4 emissions from anaerobic mangrove sediment is known to be sensitive to environmental changes, and the sediment is exposed to oxygen by methanotrophic (CH4-oxidizing) bacteria as well as to anthropogenic impacts and climate change in mangrove forests. This review discusses the major factors decreasing the effect of mangroves on CH4 emissions from sediment, the significance of ecosystem protection regarding forest biomass and the hydrosphere/soil environment, and how to evaluate emission status geospatially. An innovative “digital-twin” system overcoming the difficulty of field observation is required for suggesting sustainable mitigation in mangrove ecosystems, such as a locally/regionally/globally heterogenous environment with various random factors.
  • 935
  • 06 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Measure Channelized Erosion with CGC-CRP
Water-induced channel is one of the main forms of soil erosion in cultivated fields. Channelized erosion is often measured by the volume of the channels. Traditionally, the measurements were conducted with rulers or measuring tapes. However, these traditional methods are generally time- and labor-consuming and can cause soil surface disturbance. Close-range photogrammetry with a Consumer-Grade Camera (CGC-CRP) provides an alternative way of measuring channel volume and can overcome limitations of traditional methods and provides much higher spatial resolution. The optimum setting of the camera is with the image overlapping greater than 70% and with the shooting angle ranging from 60° to 80°. In addition, the channel orientation paralleled to the camera shooting direction is recommended.  
  • 923
  • 25 Jun 2021
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