Soil & Tillage Research最新文献

Arable soils may play an important role in climate mitigation actions as soil management directly affects carbon (C) sequestration and mineralisation. To evaluate the C sequestration potential in hilly terrain it is essential that not only changes in vertical C fluxes (more C input and/or reduced mineralisation), but also lateral soil organic carbon (SOC) redistribution due to erosion processes are considered. Tillage has been identified as an important contributor to soil translocation processes and a modulator of SOC dynamics. Nevertheless, the focus of most studies dealing with SOC redistribution still lies on water erosion. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of tillage erosion on C fluxes in the intensively cultivated loess region (200 ha) in the Czech Republic. The coupled water and tillage erosion and C turnover model SPEROS-C was used to analyse the effect of six decades of erosion/deposition upon C fluxes, whereas a specific focus was set on the importance of tillage erosion processes. The results indicate that tillage erosion (TIL) is an important driver of C dynamics in the study area, especially at slope shoulders where a substantial decline in SOC was modelled. Water erosion (WAT) is the most dominant process in the region. However, the model results reveal an increase in erosion-induced C sequestration potential by 37 % after 60 years of simulation when effect of TIL is considered. Moreover, it is interesting that TIL reduced the total sediment delivery from the monitoring site via a change in topsoil SOC patterns. In other words, tillage lowered water erosion-induced sediment transport. Overall, considering the overlooked impact of tillage erosion led to a substantial shift in the role of soil erosion on SOC dynamics. The climate mitigation measures based on adapted agricultural management to increase SOC sequestration are often in-line with soil conservation measures. Our results indicate that such an adaptation might be less effective as the erosion-induced C sink effect declines.

This study evaluates the temporal stability of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) models for predicting plant-available calcium (av-Ca) and potassium (av-K) in a tropical agricultural field under changing soil management. Understanding this stability is crucial for advancing XRF as a quick and clean tool for soil nutrient monitoring. XRF models were tested across six sampling periods (2015, 2019, 2020, and three in 2022); lime and potash rock powder were applied before 2022 samplings to assess the XRF models response to amendments, which altered the ratio of total to plant-available nutrients (T/A ratio). We evaluated a simple model (M15) calibrated using only samples acquired in 2015 (S15), and two time-specific models (M15+SS and SS models) that incorporate samples collected at each analysis period. All models showed temporal stability when the T/A ratio was consistent, with RMSE values of 3.15─6.95 mmol_c dm⁻³ (1.91 ≤ RPIQ ≤ 4.22) for av-Ca and 1.20─1.64 mmol_c dm⁻³ (1.86 ≤ RPIQ ≤ 2.55) for av-K. However, the application of lime and potash rock powder disrupted the T/A ratio for Ca and K, reducing all models accuracy, with M15’s RMSE increasing to 10.78─40.64 mmol_c dm⁻³ (0.33 ≤ RPIQ ≤ 1.23) for av-Ca and to 1.86─6.37 mmol_c dm⁻³ (0.48 ≤ RPIQ ≤ 1.64) for av-K. Although time-specific models improved accuracy compared to M15, they require frequent recalibration. Overall, XRF models can reliably predict plant-available Ca and K over time if soil management maintains a consistent T/A ratio. This study underscores the need to consider soil amendments when applying XRF models for nutrient monitoring and contributes to the theoretical basis for using XRF in agricultural management.

The bionic design of soil-engaging components has recently received much attention in conservation tillage and is extremely important for reducing tillage resistance and increasing implement passability in wet-adhesive rice paddy soil. In this paper, to reduce adhesion and resistance of rotary tillage in wet-adhesive soil, a novel imitating pangolin scale structure is first proposed, and the bionic non-smooth surface parameters affecting the soil adhesion effect is clarified. Afterwards, based on the JKR attached Bonding contact model, an accurate discrete element interaction model of the designed rotary tillage blade -wet adhesive soil is established, and the effect of spindle speed, bump size and bump distance on the tillage resistance and soil disturbance is analyzed using the proposed model. Finally, the proposed imitating pangolin scale structure is optimized to improve the anti-adhesive and drag reduction properties using response surface method, furthermore, the corresponding model validation experiments and field tests are also conducted. Results reveal that the relative errors between the simulated and experimental values of the bionic blade rotary torque and soil adhesion mass are only respectively 4.4 % and 8.3 %. In addition, the optimal parameter combinations of anti-adhesion and drag reduction are also determined: the spindle speed is 180 rpm, the bump width is 10.6 mm and the bump distance is 17.9 mm, respectively, at the time, the effect of soil breaking of the designed blade is reduced by 9.95 % compared to that of the traditional blades but the effect of anti-adhesion and drag reduction is improved by 18.81 %.

Restoring vegetation is an effective way to control regional erosion as well as reduce soil erodibility. However, it is not clear how the vegetation restoration duration affects soil erodibility and how it further influences soil erosion processes. Therefore, the soil physicochemical properties and comprehensive soil erodibility index (CSEI) at five sampling sites with 3, 20, 55, 80 and 100 years of vegetation restoration were investigated in this study. A simulated rainfall with intensities of 60, 90, and 120 mm h⁻¹ was conducted on three slopes with gradients of 10°, 20°, and 30° by using rare earth element oxides (Ho₂O₃ and Sm₂O₃) as tracers to quantify interrill and rill erosion. The results revealed a decreasing trend in both the CSEI and sediment concentration with increasing vegetation restoration duration. Compared to that at the site with 3 years of vegetation restoration, the CSEI at the sites with 20, 55, 80, and 100 years of restoration was reduced by 35.2 %, 39.7 %, 92.8 %, and 67.1 %, respectively. Interrill erosion dominated the hillslope erosion processes and contributed more than 76.9 % to the total erosion amount. By comparing the measured and estimated erosion rates using the equations provided by the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), significant prediction errors were found. Therefore, relationships among the CSEI, slope gradient and rainfall intensity were established for interrill and rill erosion rate estimation in vegetation restoration areas. This study provides a theoretical basis for evaluating the soil and water conservation benefits of vegetation restoration and for improving soil erosion prediction models within the context of vegetation restoration.

Understanding and controlling rhizospheric processes under abiotic stress is one of the key challenges in addressing food security amid the climate crisis. In this work, the impact of short-term drought and overwatering on soil organic matter (SOM) of Haplic Chernozem in the rhizosphere of Poa pratensis L. and in bulk soil was investigated. The vegetation experiment was conducted in a climatic chamber at soil moisture levels of 35, 80, and 200 % of the field capacity. UV-Vis and spectrofluorometry were used to describe the water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) characteristics and fluorofores signature, and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to describe functional group composition of SOM. Composition and properties of SOM and WEOM of Chernozem significantly change after exposure to short-term water stress. Drought does not affect the composition of rhizosphere SOM except increasing the proportion of polysaccharides, but leads to the decrease in aromaticity and increase in molecular weight of humic-like components of rhizosphere WEOM. These findings reflect Poa adaptation to water deficiency and microbial activity suppression which results in accumulation of SOM intermediate decomposition products. On the contrary, bulk WEOM wasn't affected by drought but SOM became enriched with aromatic and oxidised components. Overwatering leads to equalisation of bulk and rhizospheric SOM composition due to a decrease in the proportion of aromatic and carboxylic components of bulk SOM and the accumulation of microbial products in both bulk and rhizospheric SOM. In general, rhizospheric WEOM undergoes relatively significant changes relative to the optimum water regime under moisture deficit, and bulk WEOM — under overwatering. The findings illustrate the involvement of the both WEOM and SOM in maintaining resilience of the soil-plant system as well as the difference in watering conditions impact on SOM in rhizosphere and bulk soil. SOM spectral data can be used for assessing the state of soil systems, such as changes in microbial activity and adaptation of the soil-plant system to abiotic stress. Our findings also illustrate the differences in the organic matter transformation of the Poa pratensis rhizosphere and the bulk Chernozem depending on environmental factors.