Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110255
Xin Ju , Guodong Han , Xinli Chen , Zhongwu Wang , Zhiguo Li , Ton Bisseling , Iain Gordon , Qian Wu
Intensive grazing can threaten biodiversity and reduce the capacity of grassland ecosystems to sustain multiple ecological functions, particularly in arid regions. How grazing intensity shapes biodiversity, ecosystem multifunctionality, and their interrelationship remains poorly understood. Using a long-term grazing experiment in a desert steppe in northern China, we tested how grazing intensity (at four levels: no, light, moderate, and heavy grazing) affects above- and belowground biodiversity, ecosystem multifunctionality, and their relationship. We found that light grazing increased ecosystem multifunctionality, particularly aboveground multifunctionality. In contrast, moderate and heavy grazing reduced ecosystem multifunctionality, affecting both above- and belowground multifunctionality. For single ecosystem functions, light grazing enhanced productivity, whereas moderate and heavy grazing simultaneously suppressed productivity, carbon cycling, and nutrient supply functions. Notably, under no and light grazing conditions, ecosystem multifunctionality was primarily driven by aboveground diversity, with plant diversity playing a dominant role. In contrast, belowground diversity, especially soil bacterial diversity, became the primary driver of ecosystem multifunctionality under moderate and heavy grazing conditions. Therefore, our findings highlight that the strength and nature of the biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships are shaped by grazing intensity, and light grazing either enhanced or maintained high levels of both biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, offering a promising strategy for sustaining multifunctionality in the desert steppe.
{"title":"Grazing intensity shifts biodiversity drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality in a desert steppe","authors":"Xin Ju , Guodong Han , Xinli Chen , Zhongwu Wang , Zhiguo Li , Ton Bisseling , Iain Gordon , Qian Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive grazing can threaten biodiversity and reduce the capacity of grassland ecosystems to sustain multiple ecological functions, particularly in arid regions. How grazing intensity shapes biodiversity, ecosystem multifunctionality, and their interrelationship remains poorly understood. Using a long-term grazing experiment in a desert steppe in northern China, we tested how grazing intensity (at four levels: no, light, moderate, and heavy grazing) affects above- and belowground biodiversity, ecosystem multifunctionality, and their relationship. We found that light grazing increased ecosystem multifunctionality, particularly aboveground multifunctionality. In contrast, moderate and heavy grazing reduced ecosystem multifunctionality, affecting both above- and belowground multifunctionality. For single ecosystem functions, light grazing enhanced productivity, whereas moderate and heavy grazing simultaneously suppressed productivity, carbon cycling, and nutrient supply functions. Notably, under no and light grazing conditions, ecosystem multifunctionality was primarily driven by aboveground diversity, with plant diversity playing a dominant role. In contrast, belowground diversity, especially soil bacterial diversity, became the primary driver of ecosystem multifunctionality under moderate and heavy grazing conditions. Therefore, our findings highlight that the strength and nature of the biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships are shaped by grazing intensity, and light grazing either enhanced or maintained high levels of both biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, offering a promising strategy for sustaining multifunctionality in the desert steppe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110255"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110258
Claudia C. Schwennen , Albert Tietema , Emiel E. van Loon , Klaus S. Larsen , Tamar Tulp , Bram Ebben , Roland Bol , S. Henrik Barmentlo
The nitrogen cycle is significantly altered by agricultural activities such as animal husbandry and fertilization, which can turn the landscape from a natural sink of ammonia (NH3) to a net source. Ammonia fluxes at broader spatiotemporal scales have been well studied, however, smaller-scale, point source studies are needed to quantify atmosphere-biosphere nitrogen balances around individual agricultural sources such as extensively managed production grassland. The aim of this study was to quantify the spatiotemporal variation in NH3 fluxes on dairy farm production grassland (Lolium perenne L.) throughout a full year. We focused on the dairy stable as a point emission source, as well as on the management practices (such as slurry application) performed by farmers. The temporal variation in NH3 fluxes was assessed using novel automated dynamic flux chambers adapted for NH3. Manual flux chambers were deployed to determine spatial variation. While fluxes did vary spatially, we found significant losses of NH3 (99.6 %) during the growing and harvesting season (March to September). This was largely attributed to substantial emission rates directly after slurry application while net emission/deposition was close to zero during late-fall and winter. Overall, the net annual NH3-N emission of this production grassland was 12 kg ha−1 y−1. Post slurry application emissions were especially high during warm and dry weather conditions. Optimizing the timing of fertilization application according to local weather conditions can therefore serve as a management practice to limit NH3 emission, benefitting both farmers and the natural environment.
农业活动（如畜牧业和施肥）显著改变了氮循环，这可能使景观从氨（NH3）的自然汇变为净源。在更广泛的时空尺度上，氨通量已经得到了很好的研究，然而，需要更小尺度的点源研究来量化单个农业来源（如广泛管理的生产草地）周围的大气-生物圈氮平衡。本研究旨在定量分析奶牛场生产草地（Lolium perenne L.）一年四季NH3通量的时空变化。我们将重点放在作为点排放源的奶牛场，以及由农民执行的管理实践（如泥浆应用）上。采用新型自动动态通量室对NH3通量的时间变化进行了评估。采用人工通量室确定空间变化。NH3在生长和收获季节（3 - 9月）损失显著（99.6 %），但在空间上存在差异。这在很大程度上归因于泥浆施用后的大量排放率，而秋末和冬季的净排放/沉积接近于零。总体而言，该生产草地年净NH3-N排放量为12 kg ha−1 y−1。在温暖和干燥的天气条件下，浆液施用后的排放尤其高。因此，根据当地天气条件优化施肥时间可以作为限制NH3排放的管理实践，使农民和自然环境都受益。
{"title":"Spatiotemporal patterns of ammonia fluxes on temperate dairy farm production grassland (Lolium perenne L.)","authors":"Claudia C. Schwennen , Albert Tietema , Emiel E. van Loon , Klaus S. Larsen , Tamar Tulp , Bram Ebben , Roland Bol , S. Henrik Barmentlo","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The nitrogen cycle is significantly altered by agricultural activities such as animal husbandry and fertilization, which can turn the landscape from a natural sink of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) to a net source. Ammonia fluxes at broader spatiotemporal scales have been well studied, however, smaller-scale, point source studies are needed to quantify atmosphere-biosphere nitrogen balances around individual agricultural sources such as extensively managed production grassland. The aim of this study was to quantify the spatiotemporal variation in NH<sub>3</sub> fluxes on dairy farm production grassland (<em>Lolium perenne</em> L.) throughout a full year. We focused on the dairy stable as a point emission source, as well as on the management practices (such as slurry application) performed by farmers. The temporal variation in NH<sub>3</sub> fluxes was assessed using novel automated dynamic flux chambers adapted for NH<sub>3</sub>. Manual flux chambers were deployed to determine spatial variation. While fluxes did vary spatially, we found significant losses of NH<sub>3</sub> (99.6 %) during the growing and harvesting season (March to September). This was largely attributed to substantial emission rates directly after slurry application while net emission/deposition was close to zero during late-fall and winter. Overall, the net annual NH<sub>3</sub>-N emission of this production grassland was 12 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>. Post slurry application emissions were especially high during warm and dry weather conditions. Optimizing the timing of fertilization application according to local weather conditions can therefore serve as a management practice to limit NH<sub>3</sub> emission, benefitting both farmers and the natural environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110258"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110256
Qi-Wen Xu , Meng-Die Feng , Tian-Yang Li, Lin Xiong, Bo-Yu Ren, Yan-Zheng He, Bing-Hui He
Plant–soil–microbe–enzyme interactions are essential links in nutrient cycling and maintaining ecosystem stability. Ecological stoichiometry analyses can be used to effectively capture cross-level relationships and explore the balance of chemical elements. However, the quantification of individual nutrient limitations and their intricate interactions, especially in response to changing planting patterns, remains unclear. Here, we assessed nutrient limitations and stoichiometric homeostasis across four planting patterns: bare soil control (BK), bean monoculture (A), Sichuan pepper monoculture (F), and Sichuan pepper-bean agroforestry (AF). We evaluated carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in plants (aboveground and belowground), soil (total and dissolved fractions), microbial biomass, and extracellular enzymes. These interactions were analyzed as ecological networks, with hub analysis identifying central elements in nutrient cycling. Across all planting patterns, soil nutrients were jointly limited by carbon and nitrogen. Bean growth was nitrogen-limited, whereas Sichuan pepper was phosphorus-limited in F pattern. Microbial biomass and enzyme activities indicated microbial resources were constrained by nitrogen and phosphorus, while microbial metabolism was nitrogen-limited. Compared to the BK, A, and F, the AF pattern alleviated co-limitation of soil carbon and nitrogen in total fractions and reduced phosphorus limitation of microbial resources. The AF also enhanced homeostasis and improved plant–soil network connectivity. Hub analysis revealed that monocultures (A and F patterns)focused on nitrogen-centered nutrient cycling, while AF shifted towards a carbon-centered cycle, prioritizing energy flow over nutrient cycling. This study provides novel insights into biogeochemical interactions and stoichiometric self-regulation of agroforestry, emphasizing their potential to optimize nutrient cycling and enhance ecosystem resilience.
{"title":"Agroforestry balances plant–soil–microbe–enzyme interactions and improves its connectivity and homeostasis: Evidence from C:N:P stoichiometric networks","authors":"Qi-Wen Xu , Meng-Die Feng , Tian-Yang Li, Lin Xiong, Bo-Yu Ren, Yan-Zheng He, Bing-Hui He","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant–soil–microbe–enzyme interactions are essential links in nutrient cycling and maintaining ecosystem stability. Ecological stoichiometry analyses can be used to effectively capture cross-level relationships and explore the balance of chemical elements. However, the quantification of individual nutrient limitations and their intricate interactions, especially in response to changing planting patterns, remains unclear. Here, we assessed nutrient limitations and stoichiometric homeostasis across four planting patterns: bare soil control (BK), bean monoculture (A), Sichuan pepper monoculture (F), and Sichuan pepper-bean agroforestry (AF). We evaluated carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in plants (aboveground and belowground), soil (total and dissolved fractions), microbial biomass, and extracellular enzymes. These interactions were analyzed as ecological networks, with hub analysis identifying central elements in nutrient cycling. Across all planting patterns, soil nutrients were jointly limited by carbon and nitrogen. Bean growth was nitrogen-limited, whereas Sichuan pepper was phosphorus-limited in F pattern. Microbial biomass and enzyme activities indicated microbial resources were constrained by nitrogen and phosphorus, while microbial metabolism was nitrogen-limited. Compared to the BK, A, and F, the AF pattern alleviated co-limitation of soil carbon and nitrogen in total fractions and reduced phosphorus limitation of microbial resources. The AF also enhanced homeostasis and improved plant–soil network connectivity. Hub analysis revealed that monocultures (A and F patterns)focused on nitrogen-centered nutrient cycling, while AF shifted towards a carbon-centered cycle, prioritizing energy flow over nutrient cycling. This study provides novel insights into biogeochemical interactions and stoichiometric self-regulation of agroforestry, emphasizing their potential to optimize nutrient cycling and enhance ecosystem resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110256"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110261
Laura L. de Sosa , María José Carpio , Marta Gil-Martínez , Mathieu Thevenot , Olivier Mathieu , Engracia Madejón , Marco Panettieri
Organic amendments are widely promoted to restore soil fertility in degraded agroecosystems, yet their effects may depend strongly on land-use history. We evaluated the interactive influence of composted olive mill waste (alperujo) and three grazing management regimes—livestock exclusion, ovine, and equine grazing—on soil chemical properties, microbial communities, and carbon (C) mineralization in a Mediterranean dehesa. Across treatments, livestock exclusion consistently increased soil C and N contents compared with grazed areas, with total C (TC) 42 % higher than in equine-grazed plots and 52 % higher than in ovine-grazed plots, and total nitrogen (TN) 18 % higher than in equine plots (with similar TN levels in ovine plots across samplings). Compost addition further increased plant-available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) by 243 % and 270 % in the more degraded equine-grazed soils. Compost did not significantly increase TC or TN but induced marked shifts in bacterial and fungal community composition, with responses modulated by grazing legacy and initial fertility. Taxonomic changes were most pronounced within oligotrophic and copiotrophic bacterial groups (e.g., Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobiota) and certain fungal phyla (e.g., Rozellomycota, Ascomycota), although overall microbial diversity remained largely unchanged. Functionally, compost reduced both initial C mineralization rates and cumulative respiration, as well as the priming effect, especially in exclusion and ovine soils. This suppression likely reflects the compost’s high chemical stability, low labile C content, and its influence on microbial carbon-use strategies. Spatial heterogeneity of organic inputs remained a challenge in grazed systems, but compost partially mitigated nutrient depletion in under-enriched areas. Our findings highlight that the effects of organic amendments are context-dependent, shaped by grazing legacy and nutrient status. They underscore the importance of integrating organic amendments with tailored grazing management to optimize nutrient balance, microbial function, and long-term soil C sequestration in Mediterranean rangelands. However, as this study was conducted at a single site with one compost type over a short-term period, further research across sites, compost types, and longer time scales is needed to generalize these findings
{"title":"Soil microbial community structure and carbon dynamics in response to compost and livestock management in grassland soils","authors":"Laura L. de Sosa , María José Carpio , Marta Gil-Martínez , Mathieu Thevenot , Olivier Mathieu , Engracia Madejón , Marco Panettieri","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organic amendments are widely promoted to restore soil fertility in degraded agroecosystems, yet their effects may depend strongly on land-use history. We evaluated the interactive influence of composted olive mill waste (<em>alperujo</em>) and three grazing management regimes—livestock exclusion, ovine, and equine grazing—on soil chemical properties, microbial communities, and carbon (C) mineralization in a Mediterranean <em>dehesa</em>. Across treatments, livestock exclusion consistently increased soil C and N contents compared with grazed areas, with total C (TC) 42 % higher than in equine-grazed plots and 52 % higher than in ovine-grazed plots, and total nitrogen (TN) 18 % higher than in equine plots (with similar TN levels in ovine plots across samplings). Compost addition further increased plant-available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) by 243 % and 270 % in the more degraded equine-grazed soils. Compost did not significantly increase TC or TN but induced marked shifts in bacterial and fungal community composition, with responses modulated by grazing legacy and initial fertility. Taxonomic changes were most pronounced within oligotrophic and copiotrophic bacterial groups (e.g., <em>Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobiota</em>) and certain fungal phyla (e.g., <em>Rozellomycota</em>, <em>Ascomycota</em>), although overall microbial diversity remained largely unchanged. Functionally, compost reduced both initial C mineralization rates and cumulative respiration, as well as the priming effect, especially in exclusion and ovine soils. This suppression likely reflects the compost’s high chemical stability, low labile C content, and its influence on microbial carbon-use strategies. Spatial heterogeneity of organic inputs remained a challenge in grazed systems, but compost partially mitigated nutrient depletion in under-enriched areas. Our findings highlight that the effects of organic amendments are context-dependent, shaped by grazing legacy and nutrient status. They underscore the importance of integrating organic amendments with tailored grazing management to optimize nutrient balance, microbial function, and long-term soil C sequestration in Mediterranean rangelands. However, as this study was conducted at a single site with one compost type over a short-term period, further research across sites, compost types, and longer time scales is needed to generalize these findings</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110261"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110266
Shuotong Chen , Keyao Zhu , Fang Gao , Bowen Yang , Xianlin Ke , Wenhai Mi
The molecular diversity of soil organic matter (SOM) underpins its persistence, yet how fertilization alters the microbial assembly of SOM at the molecular level remains poorly understood in paddy soils. Here, we combined a 14-year field experiment in subtropical China with pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and metagenomics to elucidate how fertilization regimes shape SOM molecular diversity across soil depths (topsoil, 0–15 cm; subsoil, 15–30 cm). Four fertilization regimes were compared: no fertilization (CK), synthetic NPK fertilizers alone (NPK), and NPK combined with either cattle manure (NPKM) or rice straw (NPKS). Organic amendments enhanced soil organic matter (SOM) molecular diversity in a depth-specific manner. Manure application increased SOM richness, Shannon index, and evenness in topsoil by 35.9 %, 15.4 %, and 9.6 %, respectively, whereas straw addition increased subsoil richness and Shannon index by 30.6 % and 16.4 % relative to CK (p < 0.05). In contrast, β-diversity was governed more by soil depth (R² = 0.32, p < 0.001) than fertilization (R² = 0.19, p < 0.001). These patterns were underpinned by distinct shifts in microbial functional traits. Straw enriched hemicellulose-degrading CAZymes, whereas manure stimulated lignin-oxidizing and chitin-degrading enzymes and upregulated lipid biosynthesis genes, resulting in enhanced aromatic turnover and lipid accumulation in topsoil. Subsoil lipid pools declined with downregulation of sterol and glycerophospholipid genes. Network and path analyses demonstrated that microbial functional traits, rather than fertilization inputs alone, were the dominant mediators linking fertilization to SOM molecular diversification (path coefficient = 0.94, p < 0.05). Overall, our findings highlight that organic amendments expand microbial metabolic repertoires and strengthen SOM–microbe interactions, thereby enhancing SOM molecular complexity and carbon stabilization. This mechanistic understanding provides a microbiome-informed framework for optimizing fertilization strategies to sustain soil carbon and ecosystem functioning in paddy systems.
{"title":"Long-term fertilization shaped soil organic matter molecular diversity via microbial functional regulation in paddy soil","authors":"Shuotong Chen , Keyao Zhu , Fang Gao , Bowen Yang , Xianlin Ke , Wenhai Mi","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The molecular diversity of soil organic matter (SOM) underpins its persistence, yet how fertilization alters the microbial assembly of SOM at the molecular level remains poorly understood in paddy soils. Here, we combined a 14-year field experiment in subtropical China with pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and metagenomics to elucidate how fertilization regimes shape SOM molecular diversity across soil depths (topsoil, 0–15 cm; subsoil, 15–30 cm). Four fertilization regimes were compared: no fertilization (CK), synthetic NPK fertilizers alone (NPK), and NPK combined with either cattle manure (NPKM) or rice straw (NPKS). Organic amendments enhanced soil organic matter (SOM) molecular diversity in a depth-specific manner. Manure application increased SOM richness, Shannon index, and evenness in topsoil by 35.9 %, 15.4 %, and 9.6 %, respectively, whereas straw addition increased subsoil richness and Shannon index by 30.6 % and 16.4 % relative to CK (<em>p</em> < 0.05). In contrast, β-diversity was governed more by soil depth (R² = 0.32, <em>p</em> < 0.001) than fertilization (R² = 0.19, <em>p</em> < 0.001). These patterns were underpinned by distinct shifts in microbial functional traits. Straw enriched hemicellulose-degrading CAZymes, whereas manure stimulated lignin-oxidizing and chitin-degrading enzymes and upregulated lipid biosynthesis genes, resulting in enhanced aromatic turnover and lipid accumulation in topsoil. Subsoil lipid pools declined with downregulation of sterol and glycerophospholipid genes. Network and path analyses demonstrated that microbial functional traits, rather than fertilization inputs alone, were the dominant mediators linking fertilization to SOM molecular diversification (path coefficient = 0.94, <em>p</em> < 0.05). Overall, our findings highlight that organic amendments expand microbial metabolic repertoires and strengthen SOM–microbe interactions, thereby enhancing SOM molecular complexity and carbon stabilization. This mechanistic understanding provides a microbiome-informed framework for optimizing fertilization strategies to sustain soil carbon and ecosystem functioning in paddy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110266"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110231
Lauren M. Porensky , Sally E. Koerner , Amanda R. Williams , Megan L. Van Emon , Kevin R. Wilcox , Kimberly J. Komatsu , John D. Dietrich , Kurt O. Reinhart
Growing season droughts have major impacts on grassland vegetation and are predicted to become increasingly frequent in semiarid rangelands, but little is known about how droughts and post-drought legacies interact with grazing management to affect forage quality and quantity. In two semiarid prairie rangelands, we assessed the separate and combined effects of experimental rainfall reductions and grazing management strategies on ruminant forage quality and quantity over five years. We measured forage fiber content, organic matter digestibility, relative feed value, forage quantity, and the quantity of digestible forage. During a 2-year experimental rainfall reduction period, rainfall reductions decreased both forage quality and quantity at one site. At the second site, reductions were only apparent in heavily grazed plots. In the first year after experimental rainfall reduction treatments ended, plots that formerly received large rainfall reductions displayed strong legacy effects, with 26–57 % less digestible forage biomass but greater forage quality than controls. Increases in forage quality with former rainfall reduction treatments were strongest in plots that had received heavier grazing during the experimental drought period. Experimental treatments did not induce long-term changes in forage quantity, but rainfall reductions caused forage quality reductions that persisted up to three years after droughts ended. In contrast, grazing treatments did not have long-term effects on forage quality. Our results highlight that forage production capacity in North American grasslands is resilient to both drought stress and grazing disturbance, but these drivers can have additive and long-term effects on forage nutritive value. Heavy grazing during drought may strengthen both negative (during drought) and positive (post-drought) effects of drought on ungulate nutrition.
{"title":"Multi-year drought has persistent forage quality and quantity effects that can be intensified by heavy grazing in semiarid rangelands","authors":"Lauren M. Porensky , Sally E. Koerner , Amanda R. Williams , Megan L. Van Emon , Kevin R. Wilcox , Kimberly J. Komatsu , John D. Dietrich , Kurt O. Reinhart","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110231","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110231","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growing season droughts have major impacts on grassland vegetation and are predicted to become increasingly frequent in semiarid rangelands, but little is known about how droughts and post-drought legacies interact with grazing management to affect forage quality and quantity. In two semiarid prairie rangelands, we assessed the separate and combined effects of experimental rainfall reductions and grazing management strategies on ruminant forage quality and quantity over five years. We measured forage fiber content, organic matter digestibility, relative feed value, forage quantity, and the quantity of digestible forage. During a 2-year experimental rainfall reduction period, rainfall reductions decreased both forage quality and quantity at one site. At the second site, reductions were only apparent in heavily grazed plots. In the first year after experimental rainfall reduction treatments ended, plots that formerly received large rainfall reductions displayed strong legacy effects, with 26–57 % less digestible forage biomass but greater forage quality than controls. Increases in forage quality with former rainfall reduction treatments were strongest in plots that had received heavier grazing during the experimental drought period. Experimental treatments did not induce long-term changes in forage quantity, but rainfall reductions caused forage quality reductions that persisted up to three years after droughts ended. In contrast, grazing treatments did not have long-term effects on forage quality. Our results highlight that forage production capacity in North American grasslands is resilient to both drought stress and grazing disturbance, but these drivers can have additive and long-term effects on forage nutritive value. Heavy grazing during drought may strengthen both negative (during drought) and positive (post-drought) effects of drought on ungulate nutrition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110231"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110254
Abby E. Davis , Raylea Rowbottom , Lena A. Schmidt , Jelena Preradovic , Karen C.B.S. Santos , Blake M. Dawson , Mavi Manrique , Derek Wright , Bar Shermeister , Brad Hocking , Joao Branco , Maurizio Rocchetti , Cameron Spurr , Romina Rader
Insect pollination is essential for global fruit and vegetable production, yet rising climate variability and widespread declines in bee populations threaten the reliability of this service. Flies (Diptera), despite their abundance and tolerance to different environmental conditions, remain largely overlooked as managed pollinators in agriculture. Here, we present field-based evidence from commercial farms in Australia showing that certain fly species can deliver effective and climate-resilient pollination services to high-value berry cropping systems. In replicated cage trials, European hover flies (Eristalis tenax) produced fruit comparable in weight and marketability to those pollinated by European honey bees (Apis mellifera) and Australian native stingless bees (Tetragonula carbonaria), whereas brown blow flies (Calliphora stygia) showed more variable performance. When scaled to full-sized commercial polytunnels, hover flies consistently produced market-quality blackberry fruit, matching open (mainly bee) pollination in spring and outperforming open pollination under the cooler, more variable conditions of winter. Hover fly-pollinated fruit equaled or exceeded the quality of hand-pollinated flowers and consistently outperformed self-pollinated controls. Across spring and winter floral visitation field surveys, hover flies maintained higher flower visitation than honey bees across cooler temperatures, broader humidity ranges, and early tomidday time periods, indicating greater climatic tolerance under field conditions. Together, these findings demonstrate that the hover fly, E. tenax, can provide scalable, climate-resilient pollination services and highlight the value of integrating flies into diversified pollination strategies to support resilient crop production under a changing climate.
{"title":"Managed fly pollinators ensure berry crop yields under variable weather conditions","authors":"Abby E. Davis , Raylea Rowbottom , Lena A. Schmidt , Jelena Preradovic , Karen C.B.S. Santos , Blake M. Dawson , Mavi Manrique , Derek Wright , Bar Shermeister , Brad Hocking , Joao Branco , Maurizio Rocchetti , Cameron Spurr , Romina Rader","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insect pollination is essential for global fruit and vegetable production, yet rising climate variability and widespread declines in bee populations threaten the reliability of this service. Flies (Diptera), despite their abundance and tolerance to different environmental conditions, remain largely overlooked as managed pollinators in agriculture. Here, we present field-based evidence from commercial farms in Australia showing that certain fly species can deliver effective and climate-resilient pollination services to high-value berry cropping systems. In replicated cage trials, European hover flies (<em>Eristalis tenax</em>) produced fruit comparable in weight and marketability to those pollinated by European honey bees (<em>Apis mellifera</em>) and Australian native stingless bees (<em>Tetragonula carbonaria</em>), whereas brown blow flies (<em>Calliphora stygia</em>) showed more variable performance. When scaled to full-sized commercial polytunnels, hover flies consistently produced market-quality blackberry fruit, matching open (mainly bee) pollination in spring and outperforming open pollination under the cooler, more variable conditions of winter. Hover fly-pollinated fruit equaled or exceeded the quality of hand-pollinated flowers and consistently outperformed self-pollinated controls. Across spring and winter floral visitation field surveys, hover flies maintained higher flower visitation than honey bees across cooler temperatures, broader humidity ranges, and early tomidday time periods, indicating greater climatic tolerance under field conditions. Together, these findings demonstrate that the hover fly, <em>E. tenax,</em> can provide scalable, climate-resilient pollination services and highlight the value of integrating flies into diversified pollination strategies to support resilient crop production under a changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110254"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110250
Paul Bannwart , Antoine Gardarin , Violaine Deytieux , Stéphane Cordeau , Sandrine Petit
Enhancing generalist arthropod predators in arable farming can contribute to pest control and pesticide use reduction, and be achieved through a diversity of management options at field and farm scales. Most studies however link management options to densities of circulating adults, which gives little insight into potential source-sinks dynamics and the occurrence of ‘source’ habitats enabling overwintering. In this study, we assessed the assemblages of emerging and circulating ground-dwelling carabids and spiders during four months in a continuous mosaic of pesticide-free winter-sown crops under contrasted tillage regimes (minimum vs. conventional tillage) and sown flower strips bordering fields. We detected clear patterns, with high in-field carabid and spider overwintering densities than in adjacent flower strips, which were rarely a preferred overwintering habitat. Our results nevertheless indicate that within both taxa, different species exhibit different responses and source-sink dynamics. Our results also demonstrate the key role of pesticide-free fields under minimum tillage, acting both as a high-quality overwintering site for some dominant carabid species and as a source habitat, as several predator species activity-density responded positively to the increased area of minimum tillage fields in the surroundings. We detected a comparable positive effect of the area of flower strips in the surrounding for some species, suggesting that these linear features could also act as a temporary refuge and source. These findings highlight that sustaining diverse communities of carabid beetles and spiders probably requires adopting several and complementary management options and that in-field farming practice represent a powerful lever to foster natural enemies populations.
{"title":"Pesticide-free fields under minimum tillage and flower strips enhance carabid beetles and spiders through increased overwintering and spill over processes","authors":"Paul Bannwart , Antoine Gardarin , Violaine Deytieux , Stéphane Cordeau , Sandrine Petit","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing generalist arthropod predators in arable farming can contribute to pest control and pesticide use reduction, and be achieved through a diversity of management options at field and farm scales. Most studies however link management options to densities of circulating adults, which gives little insight into potential source-sinks dynamics and the occurrence of ‘source’ habitats enabling overwintering. In this study, we assessed the assemblages of emerging and circulating ground-dwelling carabids and spiders during four months in a continuous mosaic of pesticide-free winter-sown crops under contrasted tillage regimes (minimum <em>vs.</em> conventional tillage) and sown flower strips bordering fields. We detected clear patterns, with high in-field carabid and spider overwintering densities than in adjacent flower strips, which were rarely a preferred overwintering habitat. Our results nevertheless indicate that within both taxa, different species exhibit different responses and source-sink dynamics. Our results also demonstrate the key role of pesticide-free fields under minimum tillage, acting both as a high-quality overwintering site for some dominant carabid species and as a source habitat, as several predator species activity-density responded positively to the increased area of minimum tillage fields in the surroundings. We detected a comparable positive effect of the area of flower strips in the surrounding for some species, suggesting that these linear features could also act as a temporary refuge and source. These findings highlight that sustaining diverse communities of carabid beetles and spiders probably requires adopting several and complementary management options and that in-field farming practice represent a powerful lever to foster natural enemies populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110250"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In Central Europe, low-intensity and low-input agriculture has fostered biodiverse landscapes and species-rich semi-natural grasslands, but implementation and ecological context of historical land-use practices remain poorly understood. We investigated meadow management practices that enhance hay productivity and quality in Poienile de sub Munte, Romania, a village with well-maintained historical land-use patterns. Specifically, we examined: (i) the implementation of manuring, ash fertilization, and hayseed application; (ii) their effects on plant species composition and diversity; and (iii) their potential in modern grassland conservation and restoration. Our study analyzed 47 vegetation plots, 30 hayseed samples, and land-use data from 30 farmers. Manure was mainly applied on gentle slopes, whereas ash was used in steep and hard-to-access areas. Hayseed was applied in 47 % of one-cut meadows and 33 % of two-cut meadows. Vegetation composition was primarily influenced by mowing frequency, soil calcium content, and the frequency of manuring and ash fertilization. Manuring decreased species richness by seven species through competitive exclusion favoring nitrogen-demanding species. In contrast, ash fertilization promoted oligotrophic specialists, including rare and vulnerable species, while increasing species richness by approximately seven species. Regular hayseed application enhanced richness through propagule supply without significant effect on vegetation composition. Hayseed composition differed from standing vegetation and was influenced by mowing time, with first-cut hay containing significantly more species and marginally more seeds than second-cut hay. Hayseed application creates a resilient system through continuous local seed reintroduction, effectively buffering historical disturbances and management variations. While this homogenizes vegetation composition across landscapes, it simultaneously maintains local diversity through enhancing functional connectivity, further supported by manuring and grazing. Traditional practices offer low-cost, accessible tools for restoring degraded grasslands, particularly when combining ash fertilization with locally-sourced hayseed under appropriate grazing regimes.
在中欧，低强度和低投入的农业培育了生物多样性景观和物种丰富的半自然草地，但对历史土地利用实践的实施和生态背景仍知之甚少。我们在罗马尼亚的Poienile de sub Munte村调查了提高干草生产力和质量的草甸管理措施，这是一个保持良好历史土地利用模式的村庄。具体来说，我们检查了：(i)实施施肥，灰施肥和干草施用；（ii）它们对植物物种组成和多样性的影响；（三）在现代草地保护与恢复中的潜力。我们的研究分析了47个植被样地、30个干草样本和30个农民的土地利用数据。肥料主要用于平缓的斜坡，而灰则用于陡峭和难以接近的地区。在47% %的一次刈割草地和33% %的两次刈割草地上施用草籽。植被组成主要受刈割频率、土壤钙含量、施肥和灰施肥频率的影响。施肥通过竞争排斥减少了7种物种的丰富度，有利于需氮物种。相比之下，灰施肥促进了贫营养专家，包括稀有和脆弱物种，同时增加了大约7种物种的丰富度。定期施用草籽可通过繁殖体供应增加丰富度，但对植被组成无显著影响。干草组成与立地不同，受刈割时间的影响，第一次刈割的干草比第二次刈割的干草含有更多的物种和略多的种子。Hayseed应用通过持续的本地种子重新引入创建了一个有弹性的系统，有效地缓冲了历史干扰和管理变化。虽然这使整个景观的植被组成同质化，但它同时通过增强功能连通性来保持当地的多样性，并进一步得到施肥和放牧的支持。传统做法为恢复退化的草原提供了低成本、容易获得的工具，特别是在适当的放牧制度下，将灰施肥与当地来源的干草结合起来。
{"title":"Organic fertilization and hayseed application in traditional hay meadows: A pathway to biodiversity and ecological sustainability","authors":"Monika Janišová , Polina Dayneko , Martin Magnes , Dariia Borovyk , Lubov Borsukevych , Denys Vynokurov , Katarína Devánová , Anna Kuzemko , Corina Iosif , Anamaria Iuga , Iveta Škodová","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Central Europe, low-intensity and low-input agriculture has fostered biodiverse landscapes and species-rich semi-natural grasslands, but implementation and ecological context of historical land-use practices remain poorly understood. We investigated meadow management practices that enhance hay productivity and quality in Poienile de sub Munte, Romania, a village with well-maintained historical land-use patterns. Specifically, we examined: (i) the implementation of manuring, ash fertilization, and hayseed application; (ii) their effects on plant species composition and diversity; and (iii) their potential in modern grassland conservation and restoration. Our study analyzed 47 vegetation plots, 30 hayseed samples, and land-use data from 30 farmers. Manure was mainly applied on gentle slopes, whereas ash was used in steep and hard-to-access areas. Hayseed was applied in 47 % of one-cut meadows and 33 % of two-cut meadows. Vegetation composition was primarily influenced by mowing frequency, soil calcium content, and the frequency of manuring and ash fertilization. Manuring decreased species richness by seven species through competitive exclusion favoring nitrogen-demanding species. In contrast, ash fertilization promoted oligotrophic specialists, including rare and vulnerable species, while increasing species richness by approximately seven species. Regular hayseed application enhanced richness through propagule supply without significant effect on vegetation composition. Hayseed composition differed from standing vegetation and was influenced by mowing time, with first-cut hay containing significantly more species and marginally more seeds than second-cut hay. Hayseed application creates a resilient system through continuous local seed reintroduction, effectively buffering historical disturbances and management variations. While this homogenizes vegetation composition across landscapes, it simultaneously maintains local diversity through enhancing functional connectivity, further supported by manuring and grazing. Traditional practices offer low-cost, accessible tools for restoring degraded grasslands, particularly when combining ash fertilization with locally-sourced hayseed under appropriate grazing regimes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110214"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110259
Xiao Chen , Rui Wang , Lei Ma , Han Zhang , Zhisheng Yao , Kai Wang , Wei Zhang , Siqi Li , Shenghui Han , Chunyan Liu , Yong Li , Xunhua Zheng
Short-term grazing prohibition (STGP) is a common practice to restore degraded alpine meadows. But its effects on emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and reactive nitrogen gases remain ambiguous, particularly regarding year-round dynamics and net climate impacts. Here, we address these knowledge gaps by investigating STGP′s influence on methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau with a field trial comparing the conventionally grazed and short-term-ungrazed treatments. Using static opaque chamber methods, we year-roundly measured dynamical fluxes of these gases in the second full year of grazing prohibition. However, the net climate impact of STGP remains uncertain due to the lack of diurnal flux measurements and concurrent CO2 exchange data. The STGP practice significantly (P < 0.001) increased CH4 uptake by 48 % annually and by 51 % in growing season. It significantly (P < 0.001) raised N2O emissions by 124 % annually and by 191 % in non-growing season while obviously (P < 0.05) reducing NO emissions by about 63 % in growing season. Notably, the STGP-stimulated N2O emissions surged by 288 % during freeze-thaw periods (P < 0.001). In addition, STGP tended to reduce temperature sensitivity for CH4 uptakes in non-growing season and for N2O and NO emissions in growing season. Notably, the CO2-equivalent balance reveals a trade-off: while the aggregate of CH4 and N2O remained a net sink at the 20-year horizon, it shifted to a source at the 100-year horizon, with STGP increasing the net positive emission by nearly 5-fold. This suggests that the climate benefit of enhanced CH4 uptake could be offset by intensified N2O emissions over the long term. However, the net climate impact of STGP still remains uncertain due to methodological constraints, including the use of static opaque chambers (which exclude diurnal and plant‑mediated fluxes) and the lack of simultaneous CO2 exchange measurements. Future studies integrating complementary methods and longer‑term monitoring are needed to fully quantify STGP′s impact on net ecosystem GHG balance.
{"title":"Effects of short-term grazing prohibition on methane, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide fluxes from alpine meadows on eastern Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Xiao Chen , Rui Wang , Lei Ma , Han Zhang , Zhisheng Yao , Kai Wang , Wei Zhang , Siqi Li , Shenghui Han , Chunyan Liu , Yong Li , Xunhua Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Short-term grazing prohibition (STGP) is a common practice to restore degraded alpine meadows. But its effects on emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and reactive nitrogen gases remain ambiguous, particularly regarding year-round dynamics and net climate impacts. Here, we address these knowledge gaps by investigating STGP′s influence on methane (CH<sub>4</sub>), nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) and nitric oxide (NO) in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau with a field trial comparing the conventionally grazed and short-term-ungrazed treatments. Using static opaque chamber methods, we year-roundly measured dynamical fluxes of these gases in the second full year of grazing prohibition. However, the net climate impact of STGP remains uncertain due to the lack of diurnal flux measurements and concurrent CO<sub>2</sub> exchange data. The STGP practice significantly (<em>P</em> < 0.001) increased CH<sub>4</sub> uptake by <sub>4</sub>8 % annually and by 51 % in growing season. It significantly (<em>P</em> < 0.001) raised N<sub>2</sub>O emissions by 124 % annually and by 191 % in non-growing season while obviously (<em>P</em> < 0.05) reducing NO emissions by about 63 % in growing season. Notably, the STGP-stimulated N<sub>2</sub>O emissions surged by 288 % during freeze-thaw periods (<em>P</em> < 0.001). In addition, STGP tended to reduce temperature sensitivity for CH<sub>4</sub> uptakes in non-growing season and for N<sub>2</sub>O and NO emissions in growing season. Notably, the CO<sub>2</sub>-equivalent balance reveals a trade-off: while the aggregate of CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O remained a net sink at the 20-year horizon, it shifted to a source at the 100-year horizon, with STGP increasing the net positive emission by nearly 5-fold. This suggests that the climate benefit of enhanced CH<sub>4</sub> uptake could be offset by intensified N<sub>2</sub>O emissions over the long term. However, the net climate impact of STGP still remains uncertain due to methodological constraints, including the use of static opaque chambers (which exclude diurnal and plant‑mediated fluxes) and the lack of simultaneous CO<sub>2</sub> exchange measurements. Future studies integrating complementary methods and longer‑term monitoring are needed to fully quantify STGP′s impact on net ecosystem GHG balance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110259"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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