Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"The presence of native semi-fossorial herbivores enhances the coupling between species and functional diversity in alpine meadows","authors":"Yuan Yuan Duan,&nbsp;Kun Qin,&nbsp;Yu Chen,&nbsp;Jie Li,&nbsp;Ni Wang,&nbsp;Xiao Dan Sun,&nbsp;Yan Ping Bai,&nbsp;Lin Han Li,&nbsp;Zheng Gang Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem functionality in degraded alpine grasslands is central to reversing ecological degradation and maintaining ecosystem services. However, despite the increasing recognition of functional diversity as a key driver of ecosystem function, the role of native herbivores in shaping such diversity remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the ecological consequences of the presence of plateau pikas (<em>Ochotona curzoniae</em>) in alpine meadows by comparing plant species diversity, functional diversity, and their relationships with soil properties between presence and absence plots. The results showed that the presence of plateau pikas significantly enhanced plant species richness and functional trait diversity (FAD2, MFAD, FDc), while reducing <em>Pielou’s</em> index and functional divergence (FDiv). It also strengthened the coupling between species and functional species, suggesting enhanced ecological functionality through increased trait complementarity. Plant diversity was primarily driven by soil total potassium and phosphorus in absence plots, whereas soil organic carbon and nitrogen to phosphorus ratio were positively associated with plant diversity, soil total nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon to phosphorus ratio showed negative associations in presence plots. This indicates that the presence of plateau pikas decouples plant diversity from its original soil nutrient controls, shifting community assembly toward activity-driven processes. These findings highlight plateau pika as a native ecosystem engineer that facilitates biodiversity recovery and functional integration, even as it disrupts traditional soil-vegetation feedbacks. The study emphasizes the need to consider moderate native herbivore activity as a sustainable grassland restoration strategy to enhance biodiversity, ecosystem functionality, and resilience under environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110235"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974737","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}

{"title":"Effects of no-tillage, mulching, drip irrigation, and nitrogen fertilization on greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon sequestration, and crop yields in dryland agroecosystems: A meta-analysis","authors":"Rahmatullah Hashimi ,&nbsp;Girisha K. Ganjegunte ,&nbsp;Saurav Kumar ,&nbsp;Santosh S. Palmate ,&nbsp;Jhaman Das Suthar","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dryland agriculture contributes substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily due to flood irrigation, excessive nitrogen fertilization, and intensive soil disturbance. However, the influence of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices in mitigating GHG emissions under dry conditions remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis was conducted by reviewing 87 peer-reviewed papers to assess the impact of CSA practices, such as no-tillage (NT), drip irrigation (DI), plastic mulching (PSM), straw mulching (STM), and nitrogen fertilization (NFY), on soil organic carbon (SOC) content, global warming potential (GWP), GHG intensity (GHGI), and crop yields in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems. DI was the most effective single practice, reducing CO₂, N₂O, GWP, and GHGI by 9.8 %, 54.7 %, 9.5 %, and 10.6 %, respectively. Compared to conventional tillage (CT), NT with straw retention (NTS) significantly increased SOC content by 14.8 % and wheat yield by 5.2 %, while long-term (&gt;5 years) NT reduced GWP and GHGI by 14.2 % and 14.1 %, respectively. Conversely, STM and high NFY rate increased GWP by 27.7 % and 41.5 %, respectively. Although the high NFY rate increased overall crop yield by 70.6 %, indicating at a substantial environmental cost. In contrast, a low NFY rate reduced GHGI by 42.6 %, suggesting a viable mitigation pathway. Overall, these findings underscore a fundamental trade-off between yield and emissions, indicating that integrating precise nutrient management, drip irrigation, and no-tillage with optimized residue retention can provide a synergistic strategy to enhance productivity while simultaneously mitigating GHG emissions in dryland agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110242"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973847","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}

{"title":"Soil microbial community structure and carbon dynamics in response to compost and livestock management in grassland soils","authors":"Laura L. de Sosa ,&nbsp;María José Carpio ,&nbsp;Marta Gil-Martínez ,&nbsp;Mathieu Thevenot ,&nbsp;Olivier Mathieu ,&nbsp;Engracia Madejón ,&nbsp;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":"2026-04-15","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}

{"title":"Long-term fertilization shaped soil organic matter molecular diversity via microbial functional regulation in paddy soil","authors":"Shuotong Chen ,&nbsp;Keyao Zhu ,&nbsp;Fang Gao ,&nbsp;Bowen Yang ,&nbsp;Xianlin Ke ,&nbsp;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> &lt; 0.05). In contrast, β-diversity was governed more by soil depth (R² = 0.32, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) than fertilization (R² = 0.19, <em>p</em> &lt; 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> &lt; 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":"2026-04-15","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}

{"title":"Organic fertilization and hayseed application in traditional hay meadows: A pathway to biodiversity and ecological sustainability","authors":"Monika Janišová ,&nbsp;Polina Dayneko ,&nbsp;Martin Magnes ,&nbsp;Dariia Borovyk ,&nbsp;Lubov Borsukevych ,&nbsp;Denys Vynokurov ,&nbsp;Katarína Devánová ,&nbsp;Anna Kuzemko ,&nbsp;Corina Iosif ,&nbsp;Anamaria Iuga ,&nbsp;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":"2026-04-15","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}

{"title":"In situ 15N tracer quantification of fertilizer- and soil-derived NH3, NO, and N2O emissions in maize fields","authors":"Zhi Quan ,&nbsp;Geshere Abdisa Gurmesa ,&nbsp;Bin Huang ,&nbsp;Xue Li ,&nbsp;Chenxia Su ,&nbsp;Yanzhi Wang ,&nbsp;Xin Chen ,&nbsp;Yunting Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110202","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110202","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural soils are major sources of reactive nitrogen (N) gases, yet distinguishing fertilizer-derived emissions from those originating in the soil remains a key challenge for accurate N management. We conducted an <em>in situ</em> ¹⁵N tracing experiment in a maize field in Northeast China using ¹⁵N-labeled urea (49.7 % ¹⁵N, 200 kg N ha⁻¹), integrating passive adsorption and static chamber techniques to quantify source-specific emissions of ammonia (NH₃), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). The results revealed distinct timing in the peak emissions of these N gases. NH₃ emission peaked first (6.4 kg N ha⁻¹ cumulative loss) and was mainly driven by soil ammonium levels whereas subsequent NO (3.8 kg N ha⁻¹) and N₂O (1.4 kg N ha⁻¹) peaks were primarily regulated by temperature and soil nitrate availability. The synchronous bimodal ¹⁵N dynamics of NO and N₂O indicated coupled nitrification-denitrification processes, with higher ¹⁵N enrichment in NO (mean 20 %) than in N₂O (11 %), suggesting stronger nitrification control on NO production. Fertilizer-derived N accounted for 67 %, 52 %, and 30 % of total NH₃, NO, and N₂O emissions, respectively. However, fertilizer-induced soil N transformations via priming and legacy effects led to underestimation of the total influence of fertilizer in ¹⁵N tracing. These findings challenge conventional emission factor models, which may overlook indirect N emissions from agricultural inputs, and highlight the need to incorporate soil N priming and legacy dynamics into agricultural N footprint assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110202"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145903385","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}

{"title":"Natural habitats enhance pollination services in apple and sweet cherry orchards: Evidence from Southern Mediterranean agroecosystems","authors":"Camila B. García ,&nbsp;Keira Dymond ,&nbsp;Manuel López-Aliste ,&nbsp;Pablo Díaz-Siefer ,&nbsp;Francisco E. Fontúrbel ,&nbsp;Michael P.D. Garratt ,&nbsp;Juan L. Celis-Diez","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wild pollinators play a critical role in crop production. However, the ongoing loss of natural habitats threatens pollination services and food security. We evaluated how the percentage of surrounding natural habitat and the distance from orchard edges influence wild floral visitors and pollination deficit in sweet cherry and apple orchards in Mediterranean Chile. Additionally, we examined the relationship between floral visitation and fruit production. We studied eighteen orchards of each crop and classified them into three categories according to the percentage of natural habitats within a 1 km radius: &lt; 35 %, 36–70 % and &gt; 70 %. Three pollination treatments (supplementary, open, and exclusion) were applied at the edge and into the orchard interior. We quantified floral visitor richness, floral visits, fruit set and fruit quality. Our results showed that sweet cherry orchards with less than 35 % surrounding natural habitat had significantly lower wild insect species richness and floral visits compared to orchards with &gt; 35 %. In both crops, species richness and wild floral visits declined with increasing distance from the orchard edge. Wild floral visitors enhanced fruit set in both crops, while honey bees contributed to sweet cherry fruit set and apple seed set. Although insect pollination improved fruit quality, we found no direct relationship between flower visitation and fruit quality. In apple orchards with &gt; 70 % natural habitat, fruit weight deficit was lower at the edge compared to both the interior and the edges of orchards with &lt; 35 % of natural habitat. We recommend conserving natural habitats around orchards to support wild pollinator diversity and visitation, thereby reducing pollination deficits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110220"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035274","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}

{"title":"Irrigation-driven shifts in weed community composition, functional identity, and functional diversity: Evidence from a Mediterranean vineyard","authors":"J. García-Guerra,&nbsp;J. Dorado,&nbsp;J.M. Peña","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how different irrigation levels influence weed community composition and functional structure in a Mediterranean vineyard, explicitly considering spatial heterogeneity (vineyard rows vs. inter-rows) and seasonal variability (spring vs. summer). Weed surveys and functional trait measurements (vegetative plant height, leaf area, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content) were conducted under three irrigation treatments (low: Kc = 0.2; moderate: Kc = 0.4; high: Kc = 0.8). Irrigation significantly modified weed community composition, particularly during the active irrigation period in summer, with effects persisting into the following spring. Increased irrigation consistently boosted total weed cover and favoured competitor species, while stress-tolerant species declined under higher irrigation levels. Functionally, greater water availability promoted resource-acquisitive traits (e.g. higher leaf area and specific leaf area, lower leaf dry matter content). Dominant species, such as <em>Cirsium arvense</em>, exhibited pronounced intraspecific trait plasticity, notably increasing leaf area under high irrigation, underscoring the critical role of trait plasticity in shaping community responses. Functional diversity metrics—functional richness and divergence—increased significantly under high irrigation, particularly within vineyard rows directly receiving water. Moreover, irrigation influenced weed communities beyond directly irrigated areas and periods, demonstrating spatial and temporal legacy effects. Agronomically, our findings demonstrate that increased irrigation levels may intensify weed pressure, highlighting the necessity for irrigation management strategies to incorporate ecological insights into weed community dynamics to achieve an optimal balance between productivity and ecological sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110244"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974736","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}

{"title":"Livestock production systems shape alpha and beta diversity of small mammal assemblages","authors":"Rodrigo Javier Alonso ,&nbsp;Rosario Lovera ,&nbsp;Melanie Ruiz ,&nbsp;Malena Rospide ,&nbsp;Martin Neyen Lammen ,&nbsp;Daniela Paula Montes de Oca ,&nbsp;Juliana Sánchez ,&nbsp;Regino Cavia","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Within highly modified environments, livestock production systems shape small mammal assemblages, which are particularly relevant due to their responsiveness to local habitat structure and management practices, and their role as agricultural pests and reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. This study examines changes in the composition and structure of small mammal assemblages, assessed through taxonomic alpha and beta diversity, across different livestock farming systems, seasons, years, and geographical regions in northeast Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Seasonal sampling was conducted on dairy farms, intensive and extensive pig farms, and feedlots from 2008 to 2021, though not continuously. For alpha and beta diversity comparisons, we used abundance-based diversity indices and multivariate ordination analyses, respectively. A total of 1317 individuals from ten species were captured, with <em>Rattus norvegicus</em> (n = 777) as the dominant species. Multivariate analyses revealed that the composition of small mammal assemblages was influenced by the type of farm and season. Species richness was highest on dairy and intensive pig farms, whereas feedlots exhibited greater evenness with more common and dominant species. Seasonal variations affected diversity patterns, with the highest species richness in fall and winter. The results highlight how different types of farms, seasons and landscape contexts shape small mammal communities, changing abiotic factors and introducing interactions between native and invasive species. These findings underscore the need for tailored small mammal management strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss and zoonotic risks in livestock systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110176"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941020","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}

{"title":"Synergistic agricultural systems improve soil health and support sustainable land use in sandy soils","authors":"Camila P. Cagna ,&nbsp;Moges K. Biru ,&nbsp;Diego A.H.S. Leitao ,&nbsp;Patricia A.B. Barreto-Garcia ,&nbsp;Viviany Viriato ,&nbsp;Jose C.B. Dubeux Jr. ,&nbsp;Cassio A. Tormena ,&nbsp;Marcio R. Nunes","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sandy soils cover around 900 million hectares globally and are increasingly targeted for agricultural expansion and food production. However, these soils are highly vulnerable to degradation due to their low nutrient and water retention capacity, poor structure, and susceptibility to compaction. Our objective was to identify conservation-based production systems to sustain or enhance the health of sandy soils. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes were assessed across three soil depths (0–5, 15–20, and 25–30 cm). Diversified cropping systems, particularly the sod-based rotation system combined with cover crops and nitrogen fertilization (SBR-GL34), improved overall soil health. This production system increased total soil porosity by up to 18 %, reduced subsurface bulk density by 11 %, and enhanced soil organic carbon stock by up to 18 % compared with business-as-usual (BAU). Labile fractions also improved, with permanganate-oxidizable carbon increasing by 38 %, while β-glucosidase and arylsulfatase increased by 60 % and 64 %, respectively. Despite these improvements, compared to native, all production systems had lower carbon stocks (55–65 %) and showed signes of soil physical degradation. Integrating cover crops, nitrogen fertilization, and grazing also enhanced microbial activity and nutrient cycling, mitigating the negative effects of converting from native to agricultural systems. Among all agricultural systems, SBR-GL34 showed the highest potential to improve (compared to BAU) and sustain (compared to native) soil health and productivity of sandy soils. Overall, combining appropriate nutrient management with long-term agricultural practices that reduce soil disturbance and maximize diversity and soil cover with live plants and crop residue supports sustainable agricultural production in sandy soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110193"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941075","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}