Global pollinator decline threatens pollination services, biodiversity, and food security. However, large knowledge gaps remain regarding how pollinator diversity influences agricultural productivity, particularly in relation to multiple fruit quality traits. Here, we conducted a comprehensive global assessment of 79 studies with 451 effect sizes to investigate whether and how pollination services

Understanding soil phosphorus (P) cycling is critical for sustaining grassland productivity and soil health, especially in P-limited karst ecosystems. This study evaluated the long-term effects of three pasture management strategies — grazed-abandoned pasture (three years grazing followed by six years abandonment), continuous grazing without fertilization, and grazing with NPK fertilization—compared

Identifying dominant nitrogen sources in groundwater and surface water is critical for controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution in agricultural watersheds. However, in regions with deep vadose zones (>4 m) and limited precipitation. However, in regions with deep vadose zones (>4 m) and limited precipitation, the hidden threats of agricultural NPS pollution remain critically understudied due to

Animal pollinators play a fundamental role in the reproductive processes of both wild and cultivated plants, impacting global agriculture. In the face of global declines in biodiversity, especially in insect biodiversity, this study reviews the critical role of pollination services in the seed production of food crops. While previous reviews assess the influence of pollinators on primary food production

Soil phosphorus (P) is the second most important nutrient for rice growth and development, but its use efficiency (PUE) is still very low. Meanwhile, the elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration during recent decades has increased the biomass and rice yield globally, but its impact on the PUE of rice is still not well understood. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effect of elevated

Freshwater biodiversity has been decreasing globally, with wetland habitats facing significant loss due to climate change and changes in land use. In Switzerland, over 90 % of low-elevation wetland habitats have been lost since 1850, mainly due to land transformation for agriculture. Recently, farmers started cultivating paddy rice in Switzerland to meet the increasing food demand and to support wetland

Carbon dynamics in deep layers have potential for soil C sequestration and contribute to the fight against global climate change, however, in Mediterranean regions, most studies focus on the top 20–30 cm soil layer. To advance this knowledge, this study proposes to investigate the behavior of different SOC compartments in the topsoil (0–15 cm) and subsoil (15–60 cm) in two rainfed almond orchards under

Land consolidation (LC) is vital for addressing land fragmentation and enhancing agricultural mechanisation, but it is often associated with farmland biodiversity loss. Preserving semi-natural habitats has been proposed as a solution, but their relative importance as refuges or resource providers for biodiversity at different LC intensities remains unclear. In a well-facilitated farmland demonstration

Fencing and other biosecurity measures can help to reduce the spread of soil-borne pathogens, but are often compromised by weather, animals and insects. Once contaminated soil spreads beyond a farm, neighbouring land can either help or hinder pathogen dispersal based on its susceptibility to colonization. Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc)

Soil microbiomes play critical roles in maintaining soil ecosystem functions, and therefore, they can be indicators of ecosystem recovery during the rehabilitation of degraded land. This study compared microbial community structure and co-occurrence patterns of potentially active bacterial communities in soils from a disturbance gradient: disturbed agricultural land (AGR), previously disturbed rehabilitated

Despite the prevalent application of biochar and organic manure in agro-ecosystems, their combined effects on the restoration of sandy soils mediated by microbial mechanisms remain understudied. Here, we conducted a field experiment in the Mu Us sandy land to characterize the responses of soil microbiomes (bacteria, fungi, protists) and ecosystem functions (soil fertility, plant growth, material cycling

No-till with maize straw mulching can enhance soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation. Soil bacterial communities, which are sensitive to habitat changes, can influence carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling during SOM pool buildup, yet their temporal mediation under long-term conservation tillage remains unclear. We used 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to analyze bacterial traits across four maize

Global eutrophication and increased precipitation variability affect the dynamics of Mediterranean grasslands, with significant implications for their stability, conservation, and functions, such as providing livestock feed and preserving biodiversity. This study investigates the long-term effects of multiple nutrient additions and the inter-annual precipitation variability on Mediterranean grassland

The utilization of Brachiaria ruziziensis (Congo grass) has been consolidated as a strategy to integrate livestock and agriculture (crop-livestock integration system), promoting sustainability and agricultural productivity. However, how different management practices of the forage crop during the off-season affect soil health and soybean physiology remains uncertain. This study aimed to compare conventional

Precipitation-driven water scarcity imposes a critical constraint on sustainable development in the Chinese Loess Plateau, where the development of desiccated soil layers (DSLs) through persistent soil water deficits has emerged as a major ecological stressor. Although previous studies have extensively characterized the dynamics of DSLs in reforested ecosystems, the mechanisms underlying their formation

Current agricultural practices, dominated by monocultures and chemical inputs, challenge soil-dwelling mesofauna to adapt to dynamic conditions. We conducted a two-year study within a long-term (50 year) experiment to investigate how monocultures, crop rotations (winter wheat and maize), and fertilisation (organic and mineral) types affect collembolan communities. Based on 360 soil samples, we examined

Deforestation and land use intensification have been affecting the soil microbiota community, decreasing taxonomic and functional diversity of soil Archaea and Bacteria, and thus affecting key ecosystem functions. Here, we assess the influence of landscape structure and soil physico-chemical properties on microbiota community (Archaea and Bacteria) in agricultural landscapes in the Cerrado ecoregion

Farmland afforestation has long been considered an effective approach to improve soil structure and nutrients cycling. Whereas, how the tree species and afforestation ages affect soil enzymes associated with carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling at aggregate scale has been less examined. In this study, we examined the effects of farmland afforestation with legume trees (Black locust

Policies promoting agroecological management aim to counteract the adverse effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity, and ecosystem health with varying effectiveness. This study evaluates the effects of agroecological management practices and environmental heterogeneity on biodiversity, pest control services, and crop yields in winter wheat, barley, and oilseed rape fields in Switzerland

Litter removal is an important practice for the management of restored grasslands, while its effects on soils and plant communities remain unclear, mainly due to the variations with time and topographical conditions. To fill this knowledge gap, we compared the effects of litter removal on soils (moisture and net nitrogen mineralization) and plant communities (aboveground biomass, species diversity

Soil fauna mediate litter decomposition in many terrestrial ecosystems, and thus understanding how land use impacts the process has important implications. This study was conducted under semi-arid conditions in Minas Gerais, Brazil, using litterbags arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. The treatments included three land use systems (native forest, maize, and cocoa) and two

Buckwheat is a fast-growing crop valued for its gluten-free grain, high rutin content, adaptability to suboptimal conditions, and minimal nutrient requirements, making it an ideal candidate for sustainable crop rotation systems. Crop rotations are known to profoundly shape the diversity, composition, and complexity of soil microbial communities, ultimately impacting the functioning and productivity

Soil respiration is a key component of the carbon cycle, yet it remains understudied during fallow periods, particularly in Mediterranean cropping systems where fallows can exceed nine months. As the carbon credit market emerges, accurately quantifying CO2 emissions year-round has become increasingly important. This study assessed soil respiration and its abiotic and biotic drivers, such as soil temperature

Ecological gradients and processes are known to play a key role in determining weed community composition in agroecosystems. The present study investigated whether climatic, topographical, and soil edaphic factors were associated with weed species occurrences and abundances in wild blueberry fields. A plant survey of 165 wild blueberry fields in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia was conducted and

Soybean-corn (S-C) is the most common cropping sequence in the U.S. Midwest, known for improving corn yield compared with continuous corn (C-C). However, the underlying mechanisms and impacts on crop productivity, environmental sustainability, and economic returns are not fully understood. Using the agroecosystem model, ecosys, we simulated S-C and C-C systems under different nitrogen (N) fertilizer

Carbon sequestration is a crucial strategy for mitigating carbon dioxide emissions and addressing global climate change, with straw returning playing a key role in enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. However, most studies have focused on surface-level straw returning and its impact on topsoil SOC, with limited attention to how different straw returning depths (RD) on SOC stocks (SOCS) in topsoil

Soil organic matter (SOM) declines under agricultural production have been well documented, despite efforts to maintain or enhance SOM through practices like rotational diversity and increased carbon (C) input quantity and quality. However, a critical knowledge gap remains in understanding how system management alters the microbial processes that drive C input turnover and stabilization across time

Incorporating straw return into tillage systems is a potential strategy for sustaining rice production, while achieving multiple environmental benefits. The effect of different tillage management on methane emissions has been well documented; however, the combined effects with straw return management require further exploration. To investigate this, an experiment was initiated in 2008 using five management

Ensuring sustainable food production while preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services under extreme weather is a challenge. We evaluated whether intercropping could enhance the yield, feed quality, and stability of crop production while also provisioning habitat for beneficial arthropods which could improve ecosystem services like pest predation. The study was conducted across two weather contexts

Increasing soil carbon in agricultural systems can help mitigate and eventually reverse climate change. Soil microorganisms play a key role in regulating soil carbon accrual and stability. Questions remain about the link between microbes and soil carbon outcomes and how to leverage microbial processes. Here we screen microbial inoculation (endophytic fungal isolates) regarding their effects on soil

Agricultural intensification, landscape simplification, and climate change threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services in arable lands. Increasing semi-natural habitats and landscape heterogeneity can mitigate these impacts by providing diverse habitats, resources and modifying climate at the landscape scale. As effective natural enemies in arable lands, carabids play a key role in pest and weed seed

In arid and semi-arid regions, the restoration of degraded grasslands necessitates strategies that balance agricultural production with ecological sustainability. Large-scale alfalfa cultivation has been implemented in the Loess Plateau of China to establish cultivated grassland aimed at vegetation recovery and soil erosion control. However, this approach presents a critical dilemma: although alfalfa

The urgent need to sustainably feed a growing human population is particularly pressing in tropical regions where food security remains uncertain. Ecological intensification strategies, such as integrating nature-based solutions, can help achieve this goal by leveraging ecosystem services. Isolated trees in agricultural landscapes play a vital role in enhancing productivity and biodiversity, supporting

Agriculture, forestry, and land use contribute approximately 22 % of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with nitrous oxide (N₂O), methane (CH₄), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) playing pivotal roles in climate change. This underscores the urgency of adopting sustainable practices such as crop rotation and cover cropping. Red clover, a nitrogen-fixing legume, offers potential for mitigating greenhouse

Natural wetlands have been lost or degraded worldwide, negatively impacting waterbird populations. However, many species have capitalised on the creation of complementary habitats such as rice fields, a common and widespread type of artificial wetland. Despite the significance of rice fields as supplementary habitats for waterbirds, few studies have explored how waterbirds use these wetlands across

Agricultural intensification and reduced proximity to natural habitats and their associated resources negatively impact wild bee diversity. The Spanish network of drove roads, a series of traditional routes which have been maintained through the practice of transhumant grazing and livestock movements, plays a fundamental role in mitigating some of these negative impacts. This network, functioning as

Land-use intensification has caused drastic declines in the biodiversity of plants and insects in agricultural landscapes. To counteract these losses, the European Union introduced agri-environmental schemes that subsidise the establishment and maintenance of perennial flower strips on arable land. In practice, the large variety of flower strips makes it difficult to monitor their effectiveness, which

Previous studies have reported that nitrification inhibitors are effective in reducing nitrous oxide emissions. However, no studies have reported the effectiveness of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate, and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole succinic acid in Andosol fields. Thus, the effects of nitrification inhibitors—dicyandiamide, 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate, and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole succinic acid—on cabbage yield

Climate change is a global phenomenon that has a significant impact on ecosystems. In this study, we investigated whether extreme climatic events associated with global warming are altering the composition of insect-pollinated plant species and whether this is leading to exacerbated changes resulting from the disruption of plant-pollinator interactions. We conducted an experiment to artificially induce

Organic (OV) and biodynamic (BD) production systems have developed substantially as alternatives to conventional systems (CV) to increase the sustainability of viticulture. However, their impact on the biological quality of soil is still poorly documented. Here, we characterised different soil microbiota parameters in a network of 152 vineyard plots using molecular tools based on soil DNA characterisation

The influence of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) disturbance on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in alpine grasslands remains controversial. It is unclear whether grassland degradation levels contributed to these differences. In this study, we examined variations in soil physicochemical properties, SOC content and its components in both control and pika-disturbed alpine grasslands across varying

Nitrogen and phosphorus losses by runoff in sloping croplands are highly responsible for agricultural non-point source pollution. Rainfall amount, fertilization and straw return are key factors influencing runoff nitrogen and phosphorus losses. Here, the responses of runoff nitrogen and phosphorus losses to rainfall category, balanced fertilization, and straw return in a potato-maize-sweet potato rotation

Straw incorporation is a widely applied conservation tillage practice that mitigates soil erosion and promotes both the ecological and productive health of the soil. The application of microbial inoculants can stimulate straw decomposition, which benefits soil properties and root traits, and likely further regulates soil erosion resistance, particularly in cold regions. However, the response of soil

Although cotton cultivation grants farmers access to annual inputs of mineral fertilisers, there is a generalised tendency of soil fertility decline in Benin’s cotton-growing area. This study aimed to understand the link between farm socioeconomic diversity, soil management practices, and soil fertility status in cotton-based farming system of Benin. Socio-demographic and farm management data were

Soil is a significant reservoir of carbon (C), and soil management can lead to C release or sequestration. This 15-year study investigated the impact of intercropping on C dynamics during two growing seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) of a soybean–maize succession system under long-term no-tillage. The treatments involved different crops intercropped with maize: no intercropping (fallow); ruzigrass;

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with nitrous oxide (N2O) playing a critical role. In dairy farming, grass-clover (GC) is widely used in crop rotations and often preceding maize, but the period between GC incorporation and maize N uptake has a high risk for environmental losses, including N2O emissions. This study investigated if a nitrification inhibitor, DMPP

Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) is a crucial parameter for characterizing soil organic carbon (C) dynamics. However, the response of microbial CUE to land-use change and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we estimated CUE using a biogeochemical equilibrium model across three paired natural and anthropogenic land-use systems. We found that the conversion from natural to anthropogenic

Sea level rise (SLR) and saltwater intrusion (SWI) along the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. are reducing crop productivity and driving farmland abandonment. However, planting native marsh species can accelerate the transformation of these degraded fields into thriving tidal marshes, enhancing their ecosystem services. This study evaluates the productivity and element dynamics of six native warm-season

The preservation of biodiversity and the proper functioning of grassland ecosystems depend on our ability to understanding the effects of livestock grazing on soil characteristics and microbial communities. However, how soil microbial communities— including their diversity, composition, and network complexity—respond undergo change in response to increasing grazing intensity in typical grasslands remains

Enhanced-efficiency fertilisers are recognised methods of mitigating reactive nitrogen (Nr) release. Although previous data-driven studies have assessed the reductions in Nr emissions and increases in crop production and N utilisation from using urease inhibitors (UIs) and nitrification inhibitors (NIs), they have not determined whether dual inhibitors (DIs) outperform single inhibitors or identified

Increasing soil organic matter is essential for enhancing agricultural soil quality and ecosystem services, including crop yields. Ramial chipped wood (RCW), a pruning by-product, has great potential in this regard, yet its short-term effects on soil organic carbon (C) retention, nitrogen (N) availability, and crop yields remain unclear. This study aimed to rapidly increase soil organic matter and

Bioaggressors cause significant losses in crop production and the efficacy of control methods, primarily based on chemical compounds, comes with considerable environmental and health costs. Plant protection practices implemented locally overlook the mobility of bioaggressors, which can spread between fields, connecting different crop populations. As a consequence, the yield in a given field depends

The current pollinator loss raises numerous concerns, because animal pollination maintains the diversity of wild plant communities and is essential for human food. Yet, its consequences for pollination remain unclear, because there is no simple relationship between pollinator abundance or diversity and pollination efficiency. Large scale indicators based on direct measurements of pollination are therefore

Soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contributes up to half to the soil carbon (C) stock globally and is especially crucial in arid and semi-arid zones. Widespread soil acidification due to fertilization neutralize carbonates getting an irrecoverable net source of CO2 out of SIC. Nevertheless, SIC is generally neglected as a CO2 source and disregarded in the C balance between soil and atmosphere. A 40-year

Pollination services are critical for many nutrient dense and high-value crops worldwide. However, pollinator foraging is not distributed evenly across space potentially contributing to crop yield variability. Here we evaluate how microclimate as well as distance from forest edge and managed honey bee hives influence fine-scale foraging by both wild and honey bees and correlate to lowbush blueberry

Enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agricultural systems is crucial for mitigating climate change, improving soil quality, and sustaining grain production. This is especially important in the North China Plain, a key grain-producing region with high fertilizer inputs but a declining soil carbon pool. Yet, the mechanisms by which long-term fertilization practices influence SOC, particularly

Management strategies for nitrogen (N) fertilization could help reducing gaseous N losses, environmental costs, and maize yield gaps. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of N sources and split N applications on gaseous emissions, environmental costs, and maize productivity under different water regimes. Field experiments were conducted in two growing seasons. Nine treatments were

Herbicide use has evolved from single pre-sowing applications to the use of tank mixtures applied at higher rates both pre-emergence and in-crop. Understanding the effects of these practices on non-target organisms is critical for protecting soil functions and regulating pesticide use. This work examines the impact of a commonly used herbicide application scheme in soybean production on non-standardized

Land use intensification is known to imperil biodiversity and ecosystem stability, while the effects of land use conversion on the stability of multiple trophic levels at multiple spatial scales, particularly the linkages between plant diversity and the temporal stability of biomass at high trophic levels, remain to be elucidated. We conducted a 4year field investigation to quantify the temporal stability