122 research outputs found
Forest Soil Water in Landscape Context
No full textForests play an irreplaceable role in linking the water cycle with the functions of soil. Soil water not only enhances the stability of forests, but also its run-off and evaporation affects the growth of plants in different ecosystems. The forest soil water balance is contextualized within the immediate and more global landscapes, in terms of relations of water to the soil environment and bedrock, participation in the local water cycle within a catchment basin and in the global cycle between ecosystems. Modifications by human civilization can have significant impacts, including erosion intensification, eutrophication, salinization, spreading of single-species plantations, and regime shifts. Forests regulate the movement of water in the soil environment by reducing the intensity of run-off. Such moderated run-off prevents the occurrence of flash floods, maintaining continuous availability of water for plant and human use. Participation of soil water in the cycling of elements in forests is modified by soil organic matter balance. The preservation of hydric functions in forest soils depends on prioritization of water balance restoration in every catchment basin enclosing the local element cycle. More fundamentally, the development of a synergistically interlinked system, centered around the soil-forest-water-civilization nexus, must become an urgent priority
Soil Moisture Importance
No full textPoor soil and water management are often related to insufficient or poor rainfall distribution around the world. In modern agriculture, over-cultivation, deforestation, overgrazing, and high dependence on an irrigated cropping system with water-intensive crops increase soil and water erosion. This book examines ways of improving soil moisture management to support environmental, food, social, and economic security under a sustainable ecosystem
Native forests in agricultural landscapes: An option for sustainability
No full textAbstract. Society has traditionally assumed that the supply of ecosystem services (ES) provided by forests is unlimited. This has caused the degradation of a large part of the world´s forests and an accelerated rate of conversion to other land uses. Agriculture is recognized as the land use that has spread with greater speed and extension. Since native forests are the ecosystems with the most biomass, and around 50% of it is carbon, the conversion of forests has a great impact on the global atmosphere. Furthermore, the importance of the forest biomass goes much further, since it constitutes the fundamental support of the ecological functions that will enable the provision of ES. Given that the land use conversion is threatening the existence of native forests, is commanding to progress in the generation of knowledge about them and their ES supply, but also in translating this knowledge into practical tools and instruments based on easy to register and comprehend variables. This work seeks to make a contribution in this direction, providing data, tools and thoughts for discussion. It is presented an approach that recognizes the importance of biomass as a key element of the ecosystem and have been applied in the contrast native forest (Pizarro Reserve) vs crops (soybean), as a typical case of land cover change. Starting from the field data collection on 10 vegetation and soil variables (absolute values) a methodology was constructed to estimate the relative total ecosystem value (TEV) and the yield of the five ES for each land use. Pizarro´s TEV was 44% ("critical" situation) and crop was TEV = 11.2% ("collapse"). The last value implies a loss of 74.5% of ecosystem benefits with respect to the forest, given that the ES are linked to the biomass stocks. Therefore, the soy crops despite having a high market value and short-term economic benefits, shows a comparative low ecological value. Moreover their ecological value is transitory and in an annual cycle the aboveground biomass (AGB) becomes zero. Although the analysed ecosystem has undergone processes of degradation, it is estimated that the AGB could be between 21% and 36% higher than the current (156.7 t/ha). Now it is providing at least five fundamental ES: water, climate and biogeochemical regulation, soil protection and bioenergy supply. On the other hand, the current forest AGB and ES supply could potentially be improved through the implementation of a technical management plan and effective control measures within the Reserve. This proposal seeks to encourage analysis and dialogue on the need for an adequate comprehensive evaluation of different land uses, bringing to light technical elements for a more sustainable territorial planning.Fil: Manrique, Silvina Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentin
Influence of stand structure on forest biomass sustainability
No full textA forest stand is a community where the interactions between trees and surroundings, result in a wide range of growth patterns that are also reflected in the stand biomass. The primordial features of stand structure description are structure (even-aged or uneven-aged) and composition (pure or mixed). The variability in structure and composition is high and it is reflected in the variability of growth and biomass as they are influenced by the interactions among individuals, nutrient and water uptake, light absorption, forest microclimate, density and tree distribution in space and time. Trees’ interactions in forest stands are complex and species traits and proportions are determinant to the growth and biomass patterns. Stand structure determines forest biomass and its sustainability in space and time. Overall it can be said the more diverse stands (mixed) enable higher biomass in space, higher variability in tree’s dimensions (uneven-aged) enable more constant biomass and time, and more complex structures (mixed uneven-aged) can store more biomass in space and time. The biomass sustainability is enhanced by short regeneration periods, by complementarity of species traits, by spatial arrangements promoting complementarity, by silvicultural practices of high frequency and low severity, by maintaining the harvest intensity at a growth resilience level, by the increase of length of the harvest cycles and by the maintenance of, at least, part of the residues to promote the biomass reallocation to the soil
Sustainable Agroecosystems
No full textIn an era where global agriculture faces unprecedented challenges, Sustainable Agroecosystems - Principles and Practices is a comprehensive guide to fostering resilience and sustainability in farming systems. This book explores innovative strategies and practices designed to enhance soil health, optimize nutrient and water management, and integrate ecological and technological advancements. By addressing critical topics such as conservation agriculture, agroecological practices, precision nitrogen management, and biological pest control, this book equips researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with the tools and knowledge needed to transform agricultural landscapes. Special emphasis is placed on fostering environmental resilience, resource efficiency, and the adoption of eco-friendly solutions that align with the principles of the circular economy. Readers will benefit from the book’s multidisciplinary approach, which bridges traditional and modern practices to meet the demands of sustainable agriculture. Whether you are a seasoned academic, an agricultural innovator, or a policymaker seeking actionable insights, this book provides a rich repository of knowledge and inspiration for achieving sustainable agricultural development worldwide
Challenges to management of evergreen oak forest systems in the Mediterranean basin
No full textEvergreen oaks (Quercus suber, Quercus rotundifolia, Quercus ilex) in the Mediterranean basin are frequently managed as an artificial multifunctional system (montado) of two or three components (forest, grazing and agriculture). Montado systems are well adapted to Mediterranean climate variability (in particular precipitation and drought) economically, ecologically and socially. These systems have a suit of stand structures and provide a wide range of products and services. The goal of this review is to give the state of the art on the distribution and traits of the evergreen oaks, analyse the systems and their management, diversity, and biomass and carbon storage. Though the systems have high resilience, the changes in management, governance and climate bring about challenges to their maintenance and sustainability
Mungbean yield and nutrient uptake performance in response of NPK and lime levels under acid soil in Vindhyan region, India
No full textA field experiment was conducted to understanding the management of soil acidity with NPK and lime levels for sustainable mungbean productivity, Crop was sown during kharif season of 2014at Agronomy farm of Rajiv Gandhi South Campus Banaras Hindu University, Barkachha, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. Results of the study demonstrated that significant improvement in seed (524 kg /ha), straw (1426 kg /ha), biological yield (1949 kg/ha) and total NPK uptake (96.68 kg/ha) were recorded in 100% RDF. Similar results were observed with application of 200 kg lime/ha in mungbean. Interaction effect was also recorded at P=0.05 level of significance between fertility and lime levels on mungbean seed (622 kg/ha) and biological (2145kg/ha) yield with 100 % RDF + 200 kg lime/ha which were observed highest than all other treatments. Moreover, highest B:C ratio was observed with the application of 200 kg lime/ha. The present study revealed that soil acidity problems affecting pulses productivity, can be overcome with applications of 100% RDF and 200 kg lime/ha in Vindhyan region, India
Diversity in the Rice–Wheat System with Genetically Modified Zinc and Iron-Enriched Varieties to Achieve Nutritional Security
No full textThe rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (RWCS) feeds more than 6 billion people in South Asia and across the world. In developing countries, almost 2 billion individuals are suffering from Zn and Fe micronutrient deficiency. This study aimed to adopt genetically enriched varieties of rice and wheat to manage the Zn and Fe deficiency with organic and inorganic fertilization in the food system. The experiment was designed for two years (2018–2019) under the split-plot design and was replicated three times. The results of the study indicate that the highest grain yield of wheat and rice was increased by 67.09 and 58.41 and 44.10 and 33.21% more NPKFeZn in the applied treatments compared to the control treatment during both years, respectively. The treatment carpet waste and Trichoderma viride was performed for higher yields (grain, straw, and biological) as compared to the rest of the treatment. In the main-plot, with application of NPKFeZn, higher Fe and Zn ranges of 54.27 and 52.91 and 35.71 and 34.29 parts per million (ppm), respectively, were recorded during both years. Similarly, the residual effects of NPKFeZn treatment in rice Fe and Zn concentration were recorded at 44.17 and 41.22 and 27.55 and 24.19 ppm during both years, respectively. It was found that there was 49.18 and 42.12 and 25.28 and 19.94% more Fe and Zn content, respectively, in grain as compared to the traditional varieties range of 33 and 14 ppm for Fe and Zn, respectively. Ina sub-plot, for the wheat in carpet waste and Trichoderma viride treatment, the Fe and Zn contents were recorded as 55.21 and 54.62 and 37.05 and 35.53 ppm for the two years, respectively. In the traditional varieties of wheat, the range of Fe and Zn contents was 30 and 32 ppm, respectively. In the sub-plot of succeeding rice in carpet waste and Trichoderma viride treatment contents of Fe and Zn of 43.27 and 40.43 and 26.67 and 23.37 ppm were recorded during both years, respectively. On the basis of the interaction effect, the maximum total Fe and Zn uptake by wheat of 0.84 and 0.50 kg ha−1, respectively, were recorded in the N3 × B1C3 treatments. Likewise, the maximum total Fe and Zn uptakes by rice of 0.62 and 0.39 kg ha−1, respectively, were recorded with the interaction effect of N3 × B1C3 treatments. The hypothesis of the experiment was to manage malnutrition in society by diversifying genetically modified rice–wheat varieties in the RWCS. This research might assist in increasing nutritional security
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